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Wednesday, August 6, 2014
The Importance of Girlfriends
6 comments:
It's so funny that you mentioned this today, I was the same way growing up. I always seemed to get along better with boys then girls and when I got older I realized how important girlfirends are as well. And you're 100% right we do need to teach our daughters and the younger generation the meaning of girl power and that we're stronger united then we are when we put eachother down or bully one another. Love this post and I couldn't agree with you more.ReplyDelete
--Me And My Mini Me
I think its just something that comes with age. Having girlfriends are very important even if they're far away :)Delete
I was the exact same way and found myself saying the same things. Now that I have 2 beautiful little girls I want to instill in them the magic of girl power and how important friendship is! Thanks for sharing and opening my eyes!!ReplyDeleteReplies
Now that I have daughters myself I'm finding most girls are that way. Its awesome you're teaching your daughters the importance of friendship.Delete
I am the same way!! Girls (and women) can be so mean! It was always easier to just be friends with the boys. Now that I am an adult I have realized how important it is to have another woman in your corner.ReplyDelete
Thank for sharing on the #SHINEbloghop!Replies
Its horrible isn't it? I've never known guys to be like that. Just us and you're right, we all need another woman in our corner.Delete
Thanks for stopping by!


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|Archived February 20, 2019
Why Wasn't There a Larger Tsunami from the Magnitude 8.7 March 28, 2005, Sumatra Earthquake?
The question many people asked after the magnitude 8.7 March 28, 2005, earthquake was "Why wasn't there a tsunami?" To start with, there was a tsunami generated by this earthquake, which is clearly evident from most tide-gauge stations throughout the Indian Ocean (see compilation at University of Hawai'i Sea Level Center). For example, a tide gauge at Malé in the Republic of Maldives, south of India, recorded a tsunami about 20 cm high (from crest to trough) after the March 28 earthquake; the same site recorded a tsunami about 2 m high after the December 26, 2004, earthquake.
A damaging local tsunami was also produced by the March 28 earthquake, as indicated by reports from coastal areas near its epicenter and data collected by an international tsunami survey team that includes U.S. Geological Survey scientists (see related article "Second Tsunami Causes Damage in IndonesiaUSGS Scientists Post Observations on the World Wide Web" and reports from the field). At the time of this writing, the exact intensity of the local tsunami generated by the March earthquake had not been determined. Gathering data to assist in that determination was one of the goals of the survey team, which spent most of April conducting fieldwork along Sumatra's west coast.
So, a more appropriate question would be "Why was the March tsunami smaller than the December tsunami?" We are learning more and more details about both the magnitude 9.0 December earthquake and the magnitude 8.7 March earthquake that will help us answer this question. Rather than thinking of fault slip during an earthquake as starting from the hypocenterthe point within the Earth where the rock begins to breakand proceeding uniformly along the fault, earthquake rupture commonly is strongly heterogeneous, with some patches of the fault rupturing more than others. A rough schematic of high-slip patches for the December (gray) and March (yellow stripes) earthquakes is shown on the map accompanying this article. The epicenters for both earthquakes are shown by stars. At present, there appear to be four primary factors about the triggering earthquakes that help explain the differences between the two tsunamis:
Knowledge gained from these important earthquakes will help us to provide more detailed tsunami-propagation simulations. Furthermore, analysis of these two earthquakes and comparison with historical earthquakes of similar magnitude (M > 8.5) will allow us to better forecast future variations in tsunami runup. This improved understanding will greatly aid global efforts to provide accurate tsunami warnings and hazard assessments. The ultimate goal is to save lives and reduce property damage from future tsunami disasters.
in this issue:
cover story:
Why Wasn't the Second Tsunami Larger?
Assessing Tsunami Impacts in the Maldives
Giant Flume Used to Study Bedform Morphology
Mountain Beaver Population Slow to Recover After Wildfire
Growing Oyster Habitat in Tampa Bay
USGS Participates in "Spoonbill Bowl"
USGS Scientist Interviewed About Hurricane Research
Researcher Shares Coral-Reef Expertise
Tampa Bay Study's 4th Annual Science Conference
Coral-Reef Researcher Wins Prestigious Award
New Nematode Named After USGS Scientist
USGS Biologist Recognized by National Park Service
CORE CEO Discusses Pew Ocean Commission Report
|Archived February 20, 2019

subset: commoncrawl


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By KARIN RONNOW | Sonia Shah Organization | 17 April, 2017
When Zuleyma Cordero was 19, she started college in Chicago's western suburbs. Excited and determined, she knew a college degree was necessary for her to achieve her dreams of a business career.
"Education can have enormous personal benefits for those who acquire it, but it also has external benefits to the rest of society." – The New York Times
Neither of her parents had gone to college. Her mom worked at a fast-food restaurant. Her dad juggled two part-time jobs at a restaurant and a retail store "so we can make ends meet," Zuleyma said. Despite the family's strained finances, both parents supported their daughter's college ambitions, proud of her grit and academic success.
"Then my mom got really ill and she stopped working," Zuleyma said. "Being the oldest of my siblings, I made the decision to stop going to school and work to help my dad out with bills at home. I did not want my younger siblings to stop their education and start working."
Such a turn of events is all too common, especially given the soaring costs of higher education in the United States. More than half of students who leave college before graduating cite the "need to work and make money," according to the Public Agenda organization.
Four years later Zuleyma was still working. Her family's financial situation had improved, but not by much. "I thought I could go back to school whenever I wanted, but it's never as easy as it sounds, especially when we are paying off medical bills," she said.
Then she heard about Sonia Shah Organization's (SSO) new scholarship program, which helps underprivileged young women in Chicago earn college degrees. She applied and was accepted into the program. Her prayers were answered.
Zuleyma, 24, is now in her second semester at Harper Community College in Palatine, Ill. Single and "with no children — yet," she still works while studying accounting and business, but maintains a high grade-point average and hopes to finish with a double major.
If she had not received the scholarship, which covers tuition, fees and books, she said, "I would probably have had to keep working trying to save up for school."
Equal opportunity to education
SSO's scholarship program, like all of its endeavors, grew out of Sonia Shah's dream of a world where all girls have the same access to education as she did.
Sonia, who died in car accident two days before beginning her freshman year at The College of William and Mary, embodied the "pay it forward" philosophy during her too-short life. In a college-application essay, she wrote: "It is only through the work of the women who came before me that I don't live in ignorance and isolation." Other girls deserve the same opportunities, she wrote.
SSO needs your help to fund college scholarships for Zuleyma and other needy young women. Our 2017 Scholarship Campaign goal is $10,000. All money raised will go to students.
[button link="https://soniashahorganization.com/" bgcolor="#ed1848″ textcolor="#ffffff" size="medium"]Every dollar helps. You can make a difference.[/button]
"Given the chance, there is no limit to what these girls can do," Sonia said. Research shows that a college degree increases a woman's earning potential, improves her health (and her family's), empowers her with critical-thinking skills, and increases her self-esteem. But that's not all.
"Given the chance, there is no limit to what these girls can do," Sonia said.
"Education can have enormous personal benefits for those who acquire it, but it also has external benefits to the rest of society," the New York Times reported. "Workers with more education are more productive, which makes companies more profitable and the overall economy grow faster.
"But the great national crisis" is that too many "young adults are not going to college or, if they do, don't graduate, in large part because they can't afford it," the Times reported.
After a decade of double-digit price increases, the average annual cost is now $8,000 at a two-year college and $49,000 at a private four-year college.
Few students have that kind of money. In fact, 83 percent of students at public four-year colleges received financial aid in 2012.
"Higher education is and should be the aspiration of every girl," said Iram Shah, Sonia's mom and SSO chairwoman. "The U.S., unlike many developed countries, does not guarantee that opportunity and the cost of college is out of reach for many deserving and hard-working young people. We as citizens must step up to help the next generation. Please donate to the Sonia Shah Scholarship Program and change someone's life!"
'My dream job'
For Zuleyma, the SSO scholarship has made all the difference. Her angst about the cost of college has been replaced with hope.
This determined young woman grew up in the Chicago suburbs, where she attended elementary school in Mount Prospect, and graduated from Rolling Meadows High School in 2011. She is the oldest of the family's three children. "I have two younger siblings, a 21-year-old sister and a 22-year-old adopted brother."
Her mom's health is better, although her illness took a toll. "She had cysts in her uterus that caused her extreme pain and those cysts later spread to her ovaries," Zuleyma said. "She had to get a partial hysterectomy and later a full hysterectomy."
But Zuleyma sees a brighter future for herself and her family. "When I graduate from Harper College, I want to transfer to Northern Illinois University and receive my bachelor's degrees," she said.
Her ultimate goal is "to have a secure job to offer my family financial stability and have an opportunity to make a difference in my community," she said. "My dream job would be working with a great company where there is an opportunity to someday become CEO, or even open up my own business."
Sonia's legacy provides constant motivation, she added.
"I think of what a great inspiration Sonia was and still is to this day," Zuleyma said. "I like to reflect on how she is changing lives of young girls, including myself. And that it all started with the passion she had, and with the idea of making history. She didn't give up at the sight of any difficulty, she pressed forward to achieve her goal."
Please join SSO in helping Zuleyma and other disadvantaged young women pursue their passions and dreams. Become a part of these young women's stories.
[button link="https://soniashahorganization.com/" bgcolor="#ed1848″ textcolor="#ffffff" size="medium"]Donate to college scholarships for young women here.[/button]


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World Class Waterfalls
14 magical waterfalls made by nature...the adventure begins at the end of your driveway!See More
14 magical waterfalls made by nature...the adventure begins at the end of your driveway!See More
Grab your forks and come hungry. North Alabama boasts an eclectic array of delicious cuisine that...Take a bite
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Against Animal Testing in China
The government of China has announced their intention to abolish the mandatory requirement for animal testing for cosmetics. This will apply to all ordinary products domestically manufactured, from June 2014.
Today, The Body Shop welcomes the signals that the Chinese authorities are adopting a new approach to testing for cosmetics for domestically manufactured ordinary products (such as shampoo, skincare or perfume).
Welcoming these reports, The Body Shop's CEO and Chairman Jeremy Schwartz comments, "As the first beauty company to take action against animal testing for cosmetics, these reports mark a truly historic moment. We congratulate the Chinese authorities for this important decision."
The Body Shop was the first and most long-standing cosmetics company to take action on the issue of animal testing for cosmetic purposes. It started its campaign in 1989 and was the first major voice on the subject. All The Body Shop products are both vegetarian and none are tested on animals. This principal was established in 1989. The Body Shop was the first international cosmetics company to be certified under the Humane Cosmetics Standard.
In 1996 The Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick joined Cruelty Free International's founding organisation the BUAV, and its European partners, in presenting a petition of 4 million signatures to the European Commission.
Today, The Body Shop continues to support its founding message that animal testing should be banned and also supports Cruelty Free International's call for a global end to animal testing for cosmetics.
In March 2013, The Body Shop celebrated the EU Ban which ended the import and sale of animal testing across the region. In October 2013, The Body Shop presented Cruelty Free International with over 1 million signatures from customers across the world supporting the introduction of a global ban.
The Body Shop will continue to campaign to stop the testing of cosmetics in all countries around the world.
WebsiteThe Body Shop Singapore Instagram


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John Brennan nominated to lead CIA
White House officials also underscored the close working relationship Brennan has developed with the president over the past four years, as Brennan led the administration's response to a string of attempted terrorist attacks.
"Brennan has the full trust and confidence of the President," the talking points say. "For four years, he has seen the President every day, and been by his side for some of his toughest decisions — including the decision to launch the bin Laden raid. Brennan is as close to President Obama as any member of his national security team."
( PHOTOS: The shortlist for Obama's top jobs)
Brennan has been deeply involved in the Obama administration's aggressive use of drones to kill suspected terrorists in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere. He was reportedly considered as a possible CIA director at the outset of Obama's first term but took his name out of the running after liberals charged that he was complicit in waterboarding and other tough interrogation tactics that President George W. Bush's administration used against terror suspects.
Obama stressed Monday that Brennan "worked to embed [counterterrorism] efforts in a strong legal framework."
Brennan also seemed to address his critics on the left when he declared: "If confirmed as director, I will make it my mission to ensure that the CIA has the tools it needs to keep our nation safe and that its work always reflects the liberties and the freedoms and the values that we hold so dear."
If confirmed, Brennan would fill a vacancy created when retired Gen. David Petraeus abruptly resigned as CIA director in November after acknowledging an extramarital affair. Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell has been filling in as acting director since Petraeus left and was also considered a leading contender for the nomination set to be announced Monday.
Before becoming a top adviser to Obama during the 2008 campaign, Brennan spent more than two decades at the CIA as an analyst and served as the agency's station chief in Saudi Arabia. During the Bush era, he served as deputy executive director of the CIA and later as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.


text: A glowing yellow cluster of large, translucent, fat ettringite crystals on a bit of calcite matrix, and with contrasting black gaudefroyite upon the right side. The large crystal is fully terminated, though admittedly has a contact on the left side where it grew against another crystal no longer present. Still, the upright, freestanding crystal is extremely dramatic, is complete; and such crystals are rare. Usually they are flatlaying, whereas this is freestanding and vertical! The smaller crystal at the base is fully terminated and complete. Comes with custom lucite base. Comes with custom lucite display base.


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March 31, 2017 (New York, NY) - The Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, recently announced a brand new global recording deal with De Montfort / AimHigher / Sony Classical, and are now releasing the first 'batch' of titles under the new arrangement.
As reported, starting March 31, 2017, and throughout the year - the two labels, De Montfort Music and AimHigher Recordings will be re-releasing all previous titles of the St. John Cantius community, as well as new titles, which are currently in the works.
Interested? Read the full article.


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A chant sung about AdamLallana.
He runs down the wings with the greatest of ease
past midfielders, defenders, they all seem to freeze
he gets to the byline or he'll cut it inside
blast a shot past the keeper and fill us all with pride
adam Lallana the Saints number to0
will endeavour to create and score us a plenty.
To the tune of: The Flying Trapeze
Votes: 11
Submitted by: Richard Harrison on Wednesday 29 December 2010 at 10:50
Show only this chant Embed this chant in your page/ blog
Embed this chant in your page/ blog using the html below:


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Window system should provide support for multiple window layouts - also known as 'perspectives' or 'roles'. Each role should be able to override any default window systems settings - window location, window state (opened/state) etc. User's modifications to window system layout should be saved and restored according to current role. It means user's window layout changes in one role do not affect window layout in other role.
I am very excited to see this enhancement to the Window System. The ability to save/restore/switch window layouts is something I have heard many NetBeans Platform users request a lot.
The patch in issue #198859 says that it will be possible to switch between window layouts at runtime, but do you expect there will also be an API one could call to save the current window configuration at runtime (i.e. so you could switch back to it later)? It's not clear from the issue.
core-main ef8cca3a9143
Integrated into 'main-golden'
Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main-golden/rev/ef8cca3a9143
User: S. Aubrecht <email@example.com>
Log: #198856 - multiple window layouts (implementing WindowManager.setRole)


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If you're job seeking or hiring quality talent, you'll want to be efficient with your time and speak with someone who offers a quality recruitment service. Someone who already understands the digital marketing landscape and knows the difference between a Tech SEO and a SEO Content Manager. You'll want them to be well connected throughout the industry and be able to help you in your search.
Good news, this is what we do! clockworkTalent is a small but specialist recruitment agency hiring only digital marketing and eCommerce jobs for brands, agencies and SaaS vendors. We aim to understand what's important to you, consult with you throughout the whole process and share our expertise with you.
Our job seekers love the way we listen to their ambitions but also offer opinions as to what is realistic and what might need development. As part of our process we provide a free CV consultation to make sure your CV represents you at your best.
Our employers love the way we rapidly understand the jobs they're hiring, refining the requirements with subtle nuances of each employer's environment. We look to make the match not only on professional skills but also with the company's culture. We support hiring managers through recruitment and the on-boarding process of the hire, ensuring all parties are happy with the new introduction.
You don't have to take our word for it, read what our employers and newly hired job seekers have to say about working with us.


text: A Currency Exchange Calculator with our Live Conversion Rate Our exchange calculator converts at the live rate that our customers are getting right now. No hidden T&Cs and a very small fee. Try it now and compare how much you can save – in 19 currencies worldwide. CurrencyFair vs Other Money Exchange Providers arrow_forward


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Central line-associated bacteraemia (CLAB) in intensive care units (ICUs) is associated with a mortality rate of between 10% and 50% and a significant burden of morbidity.1-3 The cost is estimated at around NZ$20,000 per CLAB infection.4
CLAB rates can be reduced effectively by aseptic insertion, use of an insertion checklist, monitoring of line days, standardised management and early catheter removal.5-7 Quality improvement collaboratives to implement these interventions in the US and New South Wales, Australia, achieved reductions of CLAB incidence between 60% and 74%.6,8,9
In 2008, Counties Manukau Health used Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) insertion and maintenance care bundles in a local improvement programme in the Critical Care Complex at Middlemore Hospital, Auckland. The incidence of CLAB dropped from 6.6 cases per 1,000 line days to 0.9 cases.5 This compares to a drop in the mean incidence of CLAB from 3.73 to 0.97 per 1,000 line days in Rhode Island, from 1.5 to 0.6 in Hawaii, and from 3.0 to 1.2 in New South Wales.6,8,9
This successful local programme, combined with the weight of research evidence and an encouraging policy environment, created a powerful case for action across New Zealand ICUs.
The Target CLAB Zero campaign commenced in October 2011. The campaign was a national collaborative of New Zealand ICUs. Ko Awatea, the health system innovation and improvement centre at Counties Manukau Health, led the campaign and the Health Quality & Safety Commission (HQSC) funded it. The campaign's objective was to reduce the rate of CLAB in New Zealand ICUs to less than one incident per 1,000 line days by the end of March 2013, and to establish a national measurement system for CLAB.
We report on the results of the collaborative and the lessons learnt from its development and implementation.
At the time of the study, healthcare in New Zealand was configured into 20 district health boards (DHB) covering four regions. There were 24 adult and one paediatric ICUs, which collectively admitted around 19,000 patients per year.5
Intensive care services are configured as ICUs, high dependency units (HDUs) or mixed ICU/HDU units. Considerable variation exists in size, access to specialist services, and staff and patient mix.
Patients in smaller ICUs requiring specialist care are often transferred to hospitals with larger units. The patient mix is therefore broader, and acuity higher, in the larger units. As a result, CLAB rates at the beginning of the collaborative ranged from zero to six incidents per month, and were higher in the larger units.
We identified key challenges. Firstly, because of New Zealand's geography and varying population density, some ICUs are geographically isolated and there was considerable variation in the experience of CLAB. Furthermore, there was no mechanism for shared learning and improvement. Additionally, New Zealand lacked a national surveillance system for CLAB to establish an accurate baseline incidence rate. Finally, definitions of CLAB and data collected were inconsistent across ICUs.
We used two methods to obtain a baseline:
- We extrapolated from data collected from a local improvement programme in the Auckland Region. The programme covered four of the largest ICUs in New Zealand, which collectively serve a third of the country's population. The region had three to six CLAB infections per month, giving a regional annual extrapolated rate of 48 to 72 CLAB infections.
- We also conducted a 12-month retrospective audit of clinical notes from all patients admitted to all New Zealand ICUs who had a central line inserted from November 2010 to December 2011 against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of central line-associated bloodstream infection (Table 1). The audit was completed at each site by a person who understood the criteria and had training in the audit process. The person nominated was the project leader, a registered nurse or an infection prevention control nurse.
Faculty and stakeholders
Ko Awatea assembled a national project team and a steering group to lead the collaborative. The project team comprised a national project manager, a clinical leader and an improvement advisor. The steering group included clinicians, experts in improvement science from Ko Awatea and IHI, and representation from the HQSC. An expert group and a measurement group, comprising intensivists, microbiologists and infectious disease specialists, provided overall clinical leadership and guidance to support the project team and steering group. Each participating site had a clinical leader (ICU physician, anaesthetist or clinical head) and a project leader. In addition, there were four regional clinical leaders (ICU clinical director or consultant).
We secured the support of key DHB stakeholders (chief executive, operating and medical officers; directors of nursing and ICU management) with a targeted invitation letter and background document. A follow-up letter acknowledged those who had committed to take part and encouraged those yet to respond to do so. All ICUs agreed to participate.
The intervention
IHI bundles of care for the insertion and maintenance of central lines used in the 2008 CLAB reduction programme at Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, were adopted for Target CLAB Zero (Table 1).10 Due to the wide variation among ICUs, teams at each site adapted implementation of the bundles to suit their local context.
Teams were trained in IHI Breakthrough Series Collaborative Model (BTS) methodology to support adoption of the bundles.11 The clinical leader and project leader from each site were sponsored to attend two 3-day training programmes in improvement science and BTS methodology.
We structured the BTS model as three national learning sessions interspersed with action periods. The first learning session, in November 2011, covered how to implement the insertion and maintenance bundles, collect data and interpret operational definitions. A guide developed from the 2008 programme at Middlemore Hospital was provided. The second learning session, in November 2012, focused on testing the validity and reliability of data and overcoming barriers to collection of bundle compliance data. The third, in March 2013, addressed how to sustain the improvements achieved. Clinical leaders were sponsored to attend sessions.
Regional meetings and WebEx online conferencing supplemented learning sessions. These provided additional coaching in improvement methods and measurement, and support from peers and the project team.
Teams applied learning during the action periods, using the Model for Improvement.12 This model required teams to set specific aims and measures, then develop and test change ideas using plan, do, study, act cycles.
A communication plan supported the intervention. A website enabled participants to access resources, report progress and interact through a discussion forum. We added a dedicated blog to the Ko Awatea website and produced a quarterly newsletter. Each ICU received promotional resources and displayed a progress board.
We collected two outcome measures—incidence of CLAB (O1) and a count of central venous line days (O2). We used these to calculate our primary outcome measure, the national rate of CLAB per 1,000 line days (O3) (Table 1).
We also collected two composite process measures—compliance with the insertion bundle (P1) and compliance with the maintenance bundle (P2). These comprised three and four process measures respectively. The rate of compliance with the insertion and maintenance bundles was calculated by dividing the number of patients who had all elements of a bundle correctly executed by the number of checklists completed. Patients admitted to ICUs with a central line from operating theatres were included in the data, as staff were trained in the use of the insertion and maintenance bundles and were able to check insertion compliance. Operational definitions were agreed for all measures (Table 1).
To judge the degree of engagement with the collaborative, we measured attendance at learning sessions, regional meetings and WebEx sessions. We also monitored monthly data submissions.
Data collection and analysis
A national web-based database was established for collecting data. Each ICU entered data monthly from January 2012 to March 2013. Following March 2013, the HQSC took over the data collection and reporting. Data were checked for completeness 10 working days after the end of the month. Follow-up contact was made with teams who had incomplete data and/or data anomalies. Data were then extracted from the database into an Excel spreadsheet.
Monthly progress reports were fed back to teams. Project managers and clinical leads reported monthly data to DHB stakeholders from January 2012.
Estimates of effect were determined using random and non-random variation flags on run charts.
The collaborative ran from October 2011 to March 2013. Data are reported on 23 units—one unit had no line days for the duration of the campaign, and one unit implemented the insertion and maintenance bundles, but had not determined a method for data collection on the three key measures.
CLAB rates
The estimated baseline CLAB rate for the 12 months prior to the project was 3.32 per 1,000 line days. The period January to March 2012 provided data gathered against a defined, consistent standard (Table 1). During this period, CLAB rates were between 1.6 and 2.7 per 1,000 line days. By April 2012, all ICUs had implemented both the insertion and maintenance bundles. The CLAB rate fell immediately to 0.28 per 1,000 line days and was sustained throughout the collaborative period (Figure 1). This represented a relative reduction of 90% from the baseline of 3.32.
Table 1: Operational definitions for outcome and process measures
Outcome measures
O1 (CLAB): An infection associated with central venous catheters which meets the CDC criteria and is independently confirmed by a qualified third party (microbiologist, intensive care consultant).
CDC technical description:
i. Presence of a recognised pathogen cultured from one or more blood cultures and organism cultured from blood not related to infection at another site.
ii. Fever (>38°C), chills, or hypotension and organism cultured from blood is not related to infection at another site and presence of at least one of the following:
O2 (Count of central venous line days): A count of the number of central venous catheters inserted in a great vessel (eg, superior vena cava).
O3 (Rate of CLAB/1,000 line days): The rate of CLAB per 1,000 line days, calculated by dividing the number of confirmed cases of CLAB (numerator) by the number of central line days per month (denominator) and multiplying the result by 1,000.
Process measures for insertion and management of the line
P1 (Compliance with insertion bundle):
P2 (Compliance with maintenance bundle):
Figure 1: CLAB rate per 1,000 line days (all ICUs)
- End of the implementation period
- Learning session 2
- Regional workshops
- Christmas period
- Learning session 3
Between January 2012 and June 2012, New Zealand experienced an average of 4.6 days between CLAB infections. This rose to 13 days after June 2012 (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Days between CLAB infections
Process compliance
The first 3 months of the collaborative (January–March 2012) were spent establishing consensus on how to measure compliance with the insertion and maintenance bundles. By April 2012, all but one unit had set up measurement systems and were reporting compliance rates. By the final 3-month period, January to March 2013, average compliance with the insertion bundle was 80%, and with the maintenance bundle 75%.
Collaborative participation
Participation in the collaborative was high. Over 90% of those invited attended all three national learning sessions and the meetings held in each of the four regions (Table 2). All sites submitted data and posted reports each month.
Table 2: Characteristics of New Zealand ICUs, bed numbers, participation, and compliance with reporting and quarterly line days
CLAB rates were significantly reduced, and participation in the collaborative and process compliance was high. This improvement in the CLAB rate and engagement with the collaborative occurred despite differences in ICU size, staff and patient mix, population and geographic location among participating DHBs.
Our results reinforce existing studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of hand hygiene, aseptic skin preparation, barrier precautions and removing unnecessary catheters for reducing CLAB.6,7,8 Burrell et al. report a drop in the rate of CLAB from 3.0 to 1.2 in a quality improvement collaborative across 37 ICUs in New South Wales (NSW) using comparable bundles of care.6 An initiative covering 45 states in the US, On the Cusp: Stop BSI, reported a baseline rate of 1.87 CLAB infections per 1,000 central line days for units that began participating in the project in 2009 and 2010. After 10–12 months of participation, this rate decreased to 1.25.13 Target CLAB Zero covered all New Zealand ICUs and achieved a decrease in the average rate of CLAB from 3.32 to 0.28. However, the NSW and US projects were considerably larger in scale than the New Zealand project. New Zealand's small size, and centralised public health service, made a national approach feasible and contributed to the high participation throughout the collaborative.
Collaborative methodology was used in New South Wales, Rhode Island and Hawaii to successfully implement evidence-based best practices for CLAB reduction.6,8,9 To our knowledge, Target CLAB Zero is the first nationwide improvement collaborative in the New Zealand healthcare context.
Carter et al. identify accounting for context, setting realistic goals, providing sufficient time and resources, and careful management of collaboratives as factors that mitigate over-competitiveness, inertia, conflicting organisational pressures and free-riding in collective action.14 We found that the flexibility of the BTS methodology gave frontline staff the tools, knowledge and direction to adapt the change package according to local context. This enabled Target CLAB Zero to work effectively across ICUs of varied size, patient mix and degree of specialism. The national project team avoided being prescriptive about how the bundles were implemented. Instead, the focus was on agreed definitions and guiding principles, and on building improvement capability and capacity through a learning network. The emphasis was on measurement for improvement rather than performance imperatives. Competitiveness was apparent without resultant hostility or inertia.
Our results are likely to be accompanied by a reduced mortality rate, shorter lengths of stay in hospital, and a reduction in the economic burden of CLAB. Although our data finish in March 2013, when HQSC took over data collection and reporting, data available from HQSC show that the improvements have been sustained.15
The cost per CLAB infection is approximately NZ$20,000.4 The implied monthly incidence of CLAB at the baseline level was up to 8.9 per month (3.3/1,000 * 2,700). Extrapolating to the post set-up period (April 2012 to March 2013), we would have expected up to 105 incidents of CLAB had no corrective action been taken. There were 15 incidents of CLAB during this period. This represents potential savings of $1.8 million.
Other benefits of the campaign were:
- development and agreement on process flow for obtaining blood cultures
- an agreed national approach to determining a CLAB from a positive blood stream infection
- establishment and development of four regional reusable networks
- increase in staff awareness and commitment to reducing CLAB
- increased health sector capacity and capability in using IHI improvement methodology
- reduction in patient harm.
Target CLAB Zero achieved high national participation. We identified six key facilitators of participation:
- The existence of strong international evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention.6-9,16-18
- The existence of a proven example of international evidence being successfully applied in the New Zealand context.5
- The flexibility of BTS methodology.
- The peer-led nature of the campaign. The ability to attract influential clinicians to leading roles was important. Clinical respect was leveraged within and across DHBs.
- The involvement of HQSC. HQSC sponsored attendance at learning sessions and lent weight to the campaign as a national initiative.
- An effective communication plan. Targeted messages secured engagement from key stakeholders. The communication plan, and the use of regional and virtual meetings, also enabled participants to connect despite the geographical isolation of some units.
The lack of an existing CLAB surveillance system using standard definitions of CLAB presented challenges in establishing an accurate baseline rate. The retrospective audit conducted to establish the baseline depended upon information in clinical notes that were not compiled according to a consistent standard. Counting mechanisms for line days were still under development at the time the baseline data were collected. Furthermore, the definition of a CLAB infection used during the collaborative required two positive blood cultures, but this standard was not in place during the baseline period. The baseline may therefore under- or over-represent the national CLAB rate at the beginning of the collaborative.
The period from January to March 2012 is probably more indicative of the true national baseline, even though some ICUs began implementing the intervention from January 2012. It is also possible that the Northern regional ICUs "drove" the bulk of the CLAB incidence. Therefore the early focus by clinical staff in this region was already resulting in service improvements that were quickly realised and sustained by the collaborative process and the national monthly surveillance system.
Target CLAB Zero exceeded its aim of reducing the rate of CLAB in New Zealand ICUs to less than one CLAB incident per 1,000 line days, and established a national measurement system for CLAB. The project demonstrates that national improvement collaboratives are feasible in New Zealand. Barriers of geographical isolation and variation in the size and characteristics of participants can be overcome by effective communication and the use of an improvement methodology that accommodates differences in local context. The lessons learned from the Target CLAB Zero experience would inform successful development and implementation of improvement collaboratives aimed at addressing other deficiencies in quality of health care, where a strong evidence base exists to support definable best practice. The Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) collaborative, which was launched in 18 DHBs in November 2013 to improve care for orthopaedics patients, provides one such example.19,20


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HCL Technologies
C Vijayakumar (CVK or Vijay) is the President & Chief Executive Officer of HCL Technologies, a USD 8 billion global IT services company.
Vijay leads HCL Technologies, a team of over 124,000+ professionals in 41 countries helping customers reimagine their businesses as a 21st Century Enterprise with technology at the core. Driving growth and transformation in an age of connected assets and connected experiences, Vijay is responsible for devising a robust strategy, overseeing meticulous execution and guiding enduring partnerships.
Vijay joined HCL Technologies in 1994 as a member of the core team that designed and implemented India's first ever fully automated trading network at the National Stock Exchange. With a strategic vision and global outlook, he relentlessly reinvented himself to emerge as a leader who could span a breadth of technologies and deftly navigate the shifting industry landscape.
Most recently, as Chief Operating Officer, he led the company's strategy to leverage the transformative nexus of forces like Digitalization, Internet of Things, Cloud, Cyber-security and Artificial Intelligence. His Mode 1-2-3 Strategy today serves as the company's blueprint for serving IT needs of the 21st Century Enterprise.
Previously, as President of HCL's Infrastructure Services Business, he led its exponential growth and market dominance over the years leading up to a contribution of 40% to HCL's revenues today. As part of the founding team of its wholly owned subsidiary HCL Comnet, he played an instrumental role in building the Remote Infrastructure Management value proposition which is today a multi-billion-dollar market. Over the years, Vijay has held several Technology, Business & Operational leadership positions at HCL and is widely recognized in the industry for his strategic thinking and impeccable execution. He is currently a member of Wall Street Journal's CEO Council and is on the Steward Board of World Economic Forum's Strategic Initiative on 'Future of Education, Gender and Work'.
Vijay is deeply invested in promoting sustainable business practices in the communities where HCL operates in, with an emphasis on advancing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning for the youth and is also a passionate champion of the Diversity and Gender empowerment agenda.
Known for his hands-on approach, diligence, and deep connect with his teams and the clients, Vijay's leadership style has been commended in the business bestseller 'Blueprint to a billion: 7 essentials to achieve exponential growth' by renowned management guru David G. Thomson.
Vijay is a graduate in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from P.S.G. College of Technology, Tamil Nadu, India.


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911 Mosque Distraction for nurturing the figment of Clash of Civilizations to justify the ongoing Imperial Mobilization
Zahir Ebrahim | Project Humanbeingsfirst.org
September 17, 2010
Meanwhile, in another pious part of Gotham City, a Gainesville Florida Church plans Quran-burning event to remember 9/11 victims, the 'International Burn a Quran Day', reports the gallant CNN
(yawn.... sooo reminiscent of Bible Burning in Zionistan and pissing-spitting on the symbols of Christianity for advanced entertainment and mirth –- common progenitors and instigators harboring more or less equal contempt for the faith of all 'untermensch' and thenceforth, without fear of accountability or retribution, nurturing the figment of a "clash of civilizations" to justify the ongoing murderous "Imperial Mobilization")
'(CNN) -- In protest of what it calls a religion "of the devil," a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, plans to host an "International Burn a Quran Day" on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The Dove World Outreach Center says it is hosting the event to remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam. With promotions on its website and Facebook page, it invites Christians to burn the Muslim holy book at the church from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
."We believe that Islam is of the devil, that it's causing billions of people to go to hell, it is a deceptive religion, it is a violent religion and that is proven many, many times," Pastor Terry Jones told CNN's Rick Sanchez earlier this week.
Jones wrote a book titled "Islam is of the Devil," and the church sells coffee mugs and shirts featuring the phrase.
."I mean ask yourself, have you ever really seen a really happy Muslim? As they're on the way to Mecca? As they gather together in the mosque on the floor? Does it look like a real religion of joy?" Jones asks in one of his YouTube posts.
."No, to me it looks like a religion of the devil."
."In Islam, many actions that we consider to be crimes are encouraged, condoned or sheltered under Islamic teaching and practice, though. Another reason to burn a Quran."'
Thank you very much!
But like the Nazi philosopher and his war-mongering Third Reich's machinery before them, "the only conceivable end for these [Fourth Reich's] merchants of aggression, and as they plunged the world into a blood bath, it is fitting that they [too] take their final plunge in ignominy [someday]!"
Keep that faith burning!
Mirror URL: http://humanbeingsfirst.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/911-mosque-distraction-for-nurturing-the-figment-of-clash-of-civilizations-to-justify-the-ongoing-imperial-mobilization-by-zahir-ebrahim/
9/11 Mosque Distraction for nurturing the figment of 'Clash of Civilizations' to justify the ongoing 'Imperial Mobilization'


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There will be ATMs on-site. The only use for cash will be for ice, RV services, the farmers market, and any on-call tow truck services. You may also use cash to add funds to your RFID wristband at select top up locations on site. Everything else will be via our RFID "cashless" wristbands.
Will there be ATMs?
Have more questions? Submit a request


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Hannibal Producer, Bryan Fuller, OUT as Showrunner for Star Trek: Discovery
In a sad bit of television news today, it sounds like showrunner, Bryan Fuller, is jumping off at least some aspects of the new Star Trek project, Star Trek: Discovery. Fuller has a long history with the franchise, but is most recently known for his work on the short-lived NBC series, Hannibal.
Fuller, who was set to be the shows showrunner, will set back from those responsibilities although he is still set to remain on as the shows executive producer. A report from Variety is citing the reason for Fuller stepping back is due to difficulties with CBS' production schedule for the show and juggling duties between two other TV properties that he's currently developing which include Starz, American Gods, and a reboot of Amazing Stories for NBC.
Fuller's earlier career featured work on both Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which made him an extremely appropriate choice for the upcoming series and his work on Hannibal, while it may have had only a short tenure, was visually exceptional. It's sad to know that he won't be running the ins-and-outs of the show, but according to Varities report, the show is continuing on using his vision for the newest incarnation of the Star Trek universe.Follow Us:


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The Spot White Gold Room features brand new SAM KSTEEL tables, a private snooker room, service buttons for waitress service to your table, an HD cinema on one wall, 5.1 surround sound, an HD LED television at every table, facilities for private functions, parties, poker….rent the whole room or rent a section to relax on the best custom-designed furniture in the North-East, featuring raised seated area with cue rests for the other player.
This is the ultimate American Pool experience, with a comfortable 50+ capacity.
The best VIP room in Newcastle. Come in now to have a look. VIP service and luxury pool on your doorstep – Exclusive at Spot White
Great for company functions and team building, stag-do's – any kind of party or function.
The Spot White Gold Room is available for bookings – prices varying on different dates.
A free tournament director is available upon request to run a tournament for you and your party.


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While most people are looking for monogamous, long-term relationships, there are many people out there who enjoy unconventional relationships. One such relationship is a casual relationship. A casual relationship is like a "friends with benefits" situation. The two of you are intimate with one another, but you don't need to be exclusive. You are free to see other people and you do not put an official title on your relationship. This type of relationship is perfect for people who are not looking for a serious commitment or people who are not ready to settle down. It is also perfect if you are just testing the waters with someone and feeling them out before you decide to be serious with them. While casual relationships can be very beneficial for certain people, there are some important rules you need to follow to make one work. Check out three rules to follow in a casual relationship:
1. Don't Get Jealous
A crucial part of being in a casual relationship is that you cannot get jealous when the other person gets involved with someone else. The whole point of being in a casual relationship is not being exclusive. This means that the both of you are free to see whoever you want. If you find yourself getting jealous over the other person seeing someone else, you may not be cut out for a casual relationship.
2. Always Use Protection
Being that casual relationships are not exclusive, you need to make sure that you always use protection when having sex. You don't know exactly who your casual partner is being with or if they have any sexually transmitted diseases. To be on the safe side, make sure that you always use protection when having sex with this person.
3. Make Sure You're Both On the Same Page
The most important rule in a casual relationship is to always make sure that you are both on the same page. If one of you thinks that the relationship is exclusive and the other thinks it is casual, you are asking for trouble. When the two of you have different ideas of what is going on, someone is bound to get hurt. To make sure that everyone is comfortable with the situation, you both need to explicitly express what you want the relationship to be like and where you want it to go.


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There has been a distraction burglary in Whittlesey
Between 18:30 & 19:30 on Tuesday 5th June 2018 a distraction burglary occurred on Victory Avenue. An elderly female was distracted by a male at her front door saying her guttering was leaking, upon returning to her property she realised money and belongings had been taken.
If anyone has any information please get in contact.


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MLB pitcher Andrew Albers spends off-season in classroom
Albers chooses teaching at his alma mater in North Battleford, Sask., over beaches in the winter
After an impressive rookie season with the Minnesota Twins, Andrew Albers is back in Saskatchewan where he started — at least for the off-season.
Albers, a left-handed pitcher with the MLB's Central Division Twins, has returned to John Paul II Collegiate in North Battleford to be a substitute teacher. He's a graduate of the school, where he has worked the past four off-seasons.
But in his debut game with the Twins last year, Albers made national news when he pitched 8-1/3 scoreless innings. The next game, he pitched a complete-game shutout — a rare combination seen in MLB.
After such a high-profile season, why did Albers return to his alma mater?
"I enjoy it," he said. "The community has been behind me the whole way, and it's nice to be able to come back and be a part of that community. And it's been really nice to run into people who say, 'Hey, we haven't watched baseball for the last 20 years, but we watched your games this year."
The community has been behind me the whole way, and it's nice to be able to come back and be a part of that community.- Andrew Albers, Minnesota Twins pitcher from Saskatchewan
John Paul II principal Carlo Hansen said he's thankful Albers is back.
"It's tough being a teenager nowadays," Hansen said. "But to actually see somebody who's done that hard work and the amount of success they've been able to have, coming out of our community, that's excellent."
Albers also volunteers as a coach for two of the school's basketball teams. His players say he's well-liked, but no pushover.
"He likes to make us run," student Jacob Stynsky said. "Like, hard. He likes to make us out work other teams ... And to never give up, never to stop no matter how much we're down. He always wants us to keep pushing, keep improving."
Cinderella story
Despite his success, it's surprising that Albers made the major leagues at all.
In 2009, he tore a major ligament and had to undergo Tommy John surgery, a revolutionary elbow procedure named after the former pitcher. It would take him a year of rehabilitation before he was back playing again.
The Twins signed him. And the rest is history.
"When you look back on it, you didn't want to be sitting in a room in 10 or 15 years wondering, 'What if,'" he said. "What if I would have made that drive? And if it didn't work out, I could say, 'OK, fine.' But at least I had done everything in my power to get that opportunity."
The rest of Albers's season wasn't quite as spectacular as his debut. That means he'll have to work hard during spring training to secure a spot on the team in 2014.
While the future is a little cloudy right now, he's still holding out hope.
"We'll see," he said. "A lot of it depends on what happens this year. It's going to be an interesting season, it's going to be tough getting back up with the big league club, and who knows what's going to happen in the off-season? I kind of take each season as it comes, but I've learned not to make too many plans, because as soon as I have plans made, they change."


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Christmas is go in the Runcible household: we have tinsel, fairy lights, candles, glitter, mince-pies, and mystery decorations made at pre-school.
So why does my husband look a little bit afraid, a little bit anxious, a little bit like a man haunted by an unspeakable dread?
I think I might have the answer.
He had suggested some practical - and fairly specific - Christmas gifts:
cycling gear, socks, books.
Could it be that he's afraid I might be baking, stitching, crafting or crocheting all of the above?
The socks must be a particular worry.
So, will I be knitting reflective bicycle clips this Christmas?
Watch this space...


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NEW YORK/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - If AT&T Inc fails to convince U.S. regulators that its proposed purchase of Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA should go ahead, the pair may end up having to settle for a lesser relationship.
While it wouldn't be as attractive as an all-out marriage, a network partnership would sidestep the regulatory heat and give the spectrum-hungry companies more capacity to support high-speed wireless services, according to analysts.
"They've done a lot of work with AT&T figuring out the network synergies. They'd be able to achieve a significant amount of that without a merger," said Roe Equity Research analyst Kevin Roe about Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile USA.
The Justice Department filed suit on August 31 to block the $39 billon deal, citing concerns that it would raise prices for consumers and hamper competition.
AT&T would unseat Verizon Wireless as the No. 1 U.S. mobile service, and the top three U.S. providers would control 90 percent of the wireless market if the deal succeeds.
The companies are preparing to discuss settlement prospects with the Justice Department at a Wednesday court hearing. But the prospects for a quick settlement are not good.
One source close to the case said there has been no movement toward a settlement and that the deal would have to be substantially restructured to satisfy antitrust enforcers.
Most likely, Wednesday's hearing will just focus on setting a trial date and not produce much settlement progress.
The stakes are high, because the attractiveness of the deal diminishes the longer it is held up in a regulatory review. AT&T has asked for a January 16 trial date, while the Justice Department is pushing for March 19.
People close to the deal say AT&T is working on two tracks, preparing to defend the acquisition in court while restructuring it to make it more palatable to regulators.
Deutsche Telekom is especially motivated for the deal to go ahead because it has already clearly indicated that it wants to exit the U.S. market. Without a good "Plan B," it may be forced instead to stay and invest billions of additional dollars in T-Mobile USA to make it more competitive.
The company also has already laid out plans for spending the $39 billion — paying down some of its net debt of 42 billion euros, launching a 5 billion euro share buyback and investing in Europe.
"Unfortunately for them I don't think there are any perfect options. They're in a tough spot," said Will Power, an analyst for Robert W. Baird & Co.
At the time it hammered out the AT&T deal, Deutsche Telekom said it had been in talks with five interested parties.
With the AT&T deal at risk, some of those parties — Verizon Communications, DISH Network and Sprint Nextel — are still interested in T-Mobile USA, according to a source close to the operator.
But if the Justice Department wins its case to block the sale to AT&T, the No. 2 U.S. mobile service, the victory could preclude at least two of those companies — market leader Verizon Wireless and No. 3 ranked Sprint — from swooping in with a counter offer for T-Mobile USA, the fourth biggest U.S. mobile service.
Another option would be for Deutsche Telekom to spin off the U.S. business as a separate publicly traded entity.
But this option, too, is plagued by problems because it would require big operating improvements at T-Mobile USA, which has been struggling with customer losses.
With few good options if the deal gets rejected, BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk said, Deutsche Telekom and AT&T may indeed move ahead with a network sharing agreement, even if it would less financially beneficial to AT&T than a merger.
Deutsche Telekom also could consider pursuing a network agreement with other companies besides AT&T.
Prior to the AT&T pact, T-Mobile USA had been in talks about a spectrum sharing agreement with Clearwire, Sprint's wireless venture with cable operators and owner of one of the biggest U.S. spectrum holdings.
But such a deal would require a big investment from T-Mobile USA because Clearwire, which has a massive funding gap, would want an investment in return for access to its network.
That may leave AT&T as a less expensive network partner.
For now, Deutsche Telekom is obliged to act in earnest to get the deal done, especially if it wants to take advantage of the consolation prize — a break-up fee worth an estimated $6 billion, including spectrum and $3 billion in cash that it will get from AT&T if merger deal is not approved.
The break-up fee would give Deutsche Telekom some short-term leeway but won't resolve its longer-term financial issues.
Additional reporting by Nadia Damouni in New York, Jeremy Pelofsky in Washington and Victoria Howley in London; Editing by Steve Orlofsky


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14 Free Activities In Edinburgh
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When you're exploring a city and need to fill in the gaps between attractions it helps if the place you're visiting is as picturesque as the Scottish capital. Inspired by the city's beautiful green spaces, Gothic charm and Georgian opulence, we compiled a list of iconic things to do that don't cost a penny.
If anything, these free activities will keep you on your feet - something that's unavoidable in a place as hilly as the Auld Reekie.
1) Explore The National Museum of Scotland:
This recently refurbished palace of wonder promises a sublime journey through the history of the world and everything in it - both natural and man-made. It's the result of two former museums: The Museum of Scotland, and The Royal Museum, merging together to become known as The National Museum of Scotland.
National Museum of Scotland - Grand Gallery | Credit: Andrew Lee.
Even its glass-roofed main hall is the subject of an installation called 'Window on the World'. Featuring over 800 different objects it's the single largest display of its kind in the UK, and that in itself is worth witnessing. The price of admission? £0. Just walk in and browse to your heart's content.
Further inside there's a myriad of permanent and temporary exhibitions to discover, plus a café, brasserie and souvenir shop. On the roof you'll find The Tower Restaurant, a fine dining spot from restaurateur royalty James Thomson with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle. Obviously the latter isn't exactly free, but at least it doesn't cost a penny to get through the door.
The National Museum of Scotland Is Free To Enter.
2) Take A Free Guided Tour Of Holyrood Abbey:
Most Edinburgh lovers are familiar with Holyrood Palace, but directly behind the royal residence sits the ruins of an even older structure - Holyrood Abbey. Dating back to the days of King David I it's now part of the Royal Collection Trust, a roster of buildings including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and more. Free tours are conducted during the summer months by professional guides who specialise in tales of monarchical intrigue and Edinburgh's political history.
Free Guided Tour Of Holyrood Abbey | Credit: Shannon Tofts.
3) Meet Wojtek The Bear At Princes Street Gardens:
Even if you're a first time visitor to Edinburgh you'll probably have heard of the city's most iconic four-legged friend, Greyfriars Bobby, whose visage stands immortalised at the top of Candlemaker Row. However, Bobby's not the only one with a tale to tell.
Next time you're walking through Princes Street Gardens drop in on Wojtek the Bear. Wojtek was the mascot of the Polish 22nd Artillery Supply Company during World War II, and due to the cultural connections between Scotland and Poland (and work by the Scottish Polish community) it was decided that a commemorative statue would be erected in the city's park.
Wojtek the Bear | Credit: CityXplora.
4) See Vibrant Tapestries At Dovecot Studios:
Edinburgh is a city stretched at the seams with art institutions, but a lesser-spotted one that piqued our interest was the Dovecot Studios on Infirmary Street, just off the Royal Mile. Its exhibitions focus on contemporary art in the medium of fabric. Expect displays of unparalleled colour, dynamic form and thematic diversity. Dovecot's gallery and Tapestry Studio are free-to-access.
Free Exhibitions At Dovecot Studios | Credit: Michael Wolchover.
5) Scottish National Gallery:
The National Gallery is home to some of Scotland's most treasured fine art from the early Renaissance to the end of the 19th century. The gallery also offers free entry, drop-in activities and a programme of special events for families.
Inside The Scottish National Gallery.
6) Scottish National Portrait Gallery:
Everyone knows Scotland has made some astonishing contributions to world history, but if you need a reminder of who the great and the good are, The Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street should be your first port of call. This free-to-access gallery harbours over a dozen unique display rooms across three levels, each exploring Scotland and the famous figures who shaped it.
Notable additions to the collection include 'Robert Burns' by Alexander Nasmyth, 'Sir Walter Scott' by Henry Raeburn, and 'Bonnie Prince Charlie (later life)' by Hugh Douglas Hamilton. These timeless pieces and many more are joined by regular temporary exhibitions covering modern portraiture and photography. Past exhibitions have focused on Lee Miller and Picasso, 19th century photography pioneer David Octavius Hill, and Ai Weiwei.
What not miss right now? If you decide to visit be sure to catch 'The Modern Portrait'. This collection of 60 artworks will be on show until October 27th, 2019. The subjects hail from a variety of disciplines and include recognisable faces such as Tilda Swinton, Alan Cumming and Andy Murray.
General Admission To The National Portrait Gallery Is Free.
7) Climb Up Arthur's Seat:
Looming over the Scottish capital is Arthur's Seat, the main peak of a group of hills just east of the Old Town. Formed by an extinct volcano, you can easily get there from the Royal Mile; just take a right once you get to the bottom and walk towards the unmissable hill.
Arthur's Seat isn't Scotland's most arduous climb, and there are several easy paths to the summit. Excluding photo stops, a person in good physical shape should be able to cover the distance in just over half an hour. The only thing to be mindful of is the season and weather conditions. Always dress to suit the climate and wear appropriate footware.
On May Day, it was once traditional for young women to wash their face with the hill's morning dew. A popular belief had it that this would keep them young and beautiful, though it's a bracing start to the day at any time of the year.
A Scenic View Of Arthur's Seat.
8) See The Monuments On Calton Hill:
Calton Hill is often overshadowed by Arthur's seat, but it boasts far more items of interest at its top. At the summit you'll find Nelson's monument, whose height offers an enhanced view of the city. You'll also find other interesting attractions, including the National Monument, nicknamed 'Scotland's Disgrace', which was supposed to be massive, but which ended up being 12 simple columns due to lack of funding. You can get to it easily from Princes Street, Regent Street and Leith Walk.
The View From Calton Hill, Priceless.
9) Rub The Nose of Greyfriars Bobby:
Adjacent to the National Museum, you'll encounter a little bronze statue commemorating an instantly recognisable Edinburgh resident - Greyfriars Bobby, the Skye terrier. It was designed by sculptor William Brodie in 1872 at the behest of Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, who, amongst many other roles, served as President of the Ladies Committee of the RSPCA.
Bobby's statue is located just across from Greyfriars Kirkyard, a spot which many will remember as the resting place of the dog's owner. Unwilling to abandon his master, Bobby famously lay by the graveside until his own death 14 years later.
Greyfriars Bobby Statue, Edinburgh | Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
10) Discover The J K Rowling Conection At Greyfriars Kirkyard:
The Greyfriars Kirkyard was founded in 1561 and is notable for its wealth of historic monuments. Perhaps the most famous grave site is that of Lord Monboddo (1714-1799) a judge, linguist, and scholar who helped inspire the idea of natural selection pioneered by Charles Darwin. The grave of Greyfriars Bobby lies just beyond the entrance (filled up with sticks left by admirers), and his aforementioned statue sits opposite the church gates on Candlemaker's Row.
Greyfriars Kirkyard.
In more recent times Greyfriars has become popular with Harry Potter fans wanting to trace J K Rowling's footsteps. She famously began writing Harry Potter in the nearby Elephant Cafe, and would take breaks in the Kirkyard.
It is said that several of the graves in the kirkyard inspired the names of some of J.K. Rowling's characters. See if you can spot the grave of Thomas Riddell, which has not been explicitly stated as the inspiration for the name of 'he who shall not be named'. The adjacent George Heriot's school as also been cited as an inspiration for the setting of Hogwarts.
11) Peruse Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh:
Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden is world-renowned for its horticultural excellence. Dating back to 1670, when it was used to grow medicinal plants, this conservation project has bloomed into a leading tourist attraction.
A menagerie of biomes are represented across the 70-acre site. Unmistakable hints of the Scottish landscape are evident in the terraced moorland and heather gardens. Tropical species can be admired in the UK's largest palm house, while other alpine giants from as far away as the Himalayas and North America have roots in the arboretum.
Young children can chase squirrels, adults can learn about plants and everyone can enjoy a free stroll around the green spaces. Picnic's aren't allowed in the grounds, but visitors can purchase refreshments from the on-site Terrace Café. The Talking Trees Storytellers are around every month, relating tales of trees and travellers, magic and marvels.
Note that while the gardens are free to enter, the Glasshouse has an admissions charge.
12) Take A Stroll Through The Meadows:
The Meadows is a large public park located in the south of Edinburgh, close to the University of Edinburgh. On sunny summer days The Meadows fills up with disposable BBQ-wielding students, couples enjoying romantic picnics and kids playing in the playground. For the more active locals there are tennis courts, cricket pitches and a big free space to play football.
The Meadows With A View Of Arthur's Seat.
13) Uncover The Archivists' Garden:
Most locals probably aren't even aware that a secret garden exists at the east end of Princes Street. Designed by RBGE Curator David Mitchell, the 'Archivists' Garden' can be found in an open courtyard between the New and General Register Houses. It boasts over 50 different plant species each with their own connection to Scottish myth, politics and culture. Admission is free all year round.
The Archivists' Garden | Credit: Anne Burgess.
14) Browse The New Waverley Arches:
Towards the end of 2015 Edinburgh's long abandoned Waverley Arches underwent a redevelopment that would see them transformed into a modern leisure/retail environment. Enter 2016 and the area has already welcomed its first customers. Head along and see the place for yourself in 2017. When the summer festivals get under way it's likely that various business will set themselves up as performance spaces, so the atmosphere, we hope, will match that of other famous streets.
The New Waverley Arches, Edinburgh.


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Why (or why not) switch from VMware to Hyper-V?
Now that Microsoft has finally delivered Hyper-V, everyone is waiting to see how many VMware shops will make the switch. Are there any compelling reasons for a company that already has a large investment in VMware products to switch to another product? Here are some reasons why companies may or may not make the switch from VMware to Hyper-V:
Some reasons why companies may choose Microsoft Hyper-V:
It's Microsoft. Companies that mainly use Microsoft products could switch to get better support for running their products running on virtual hosts and to not have to rely on a separate vendor for virtualization.
Cost. It's definitely cheaper then ESX, but I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for. Yes, Hyper-V is a lot cheaper then ESX but it lacks the maturity and high-end features that ESX has. It's probably just a matter of time though before VMware lowers its cost for large enterprises as they have already done with the SMB market with its bundled foundation acceleration kits.
- Versatility. Hyper-V will pretty much run on any hardware that Windows will run on. ESX only supports a very specific set of hardware. VMware has recently expanded their hardware support and will continue to do so.
Some reasons why companies stick with VMware ESX:
- Cost (again). Companies with a lot of in-house VMware experience will have to re-train staff to learn Hyper-V and basically start from scratch. There is a large pool of skilled and experienced VMware architects and administrators available today as well as many VMware consulting firms and business partners.
- Less features. ESX and VirtualCenter have a very rich tool set including vMotion, DRS and HA. Hyper-V lacks the ability to team NICs on vSwitches and their Quick Migration feature requires downtime.
- Less third-party products. A large number of 3rd party products and add-on's are available for ESX to enhance it. It will take time for vendors to release products for Hyper-V.
- It's VMware. ESX is a mature, stable product that has been around for many years, Hyper-V is a 1.0 product that will take to develop and get all the bugs out of it.
Will I make the switch? Probably not anytime soon. I'll definitely be looking at Hyper-V and will make my own comparisons, but the lack of certain features is a show stopper for me right now. I'll keep an eye on Hyper-V to see how it develops, re-evaluating it later as new versions are released.
The competition is going to be great in the virtualization market, as it helps to drive down costs and force vendors to innovate. The race is on between VMware and Microsoft with VMware already miles ahead. Nevertheless, Microsoft has a lot of money and the determination to be on top (take Lotus Domino, Novell Netware and Netscape as examples). Expect Microsoft to slowly whittle away at VMware's dominance as their product matures and to see VMware to do whatever they can to maintain superiority in the virtualization market.


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Over the past week, there has been a lot of attention to the news that the IRS targeted Tea Party and other conservative groups by delaying their tax-exempt status applications and demanding answers to extra questions. It is a serious scandal that has rocked Washington, D.C. and threatens to overshadow the legislative priorities of President Barack Obama's second term. And while Republican leaders are right that the IRS scandal is a big problem, it remains hard to trust them on issue when they have cried "wolf" on so many fake Obama "scandals." The ideological double-standard in treatment is problematic, but the real problem is not the IRS being hard on conservatives but the IRS not also being hard on liberals. Many tax-exempt groups engage in partisan politics and the IRS rarely punishes groups for not following the rules. Conservative religious groups like churches and parachurch organizations are especially given freedom to break IRS rules without punishment; perhaps IRS leaders fear being accused of being anti-Christian. The most provocative of the questions posed to a conservative group was one that Representative Aaron Schock, a Republican from Illinois, alluded to last week in a U.S. House hearing on the IRS abuses. Schock asked the IRS's former Acting Commissioner:
Their question, specifically asked from the IRS to the Coalition for Life of Iowa: Please detail the content of the members of your organization's prayers. Would that be an inappropriate question to a 501(c)(3) applicant? The content of one's prayers?Schock misrepresented the question, but is correct that there was a prayer-related inquiry. The IRS question actually asked this:
Please explain how all of your activities, including the prayer meetings held outside of Planned Parenthood are considered educational as defined under 501(c)(3). Organizations exempt under 501(c)(3) may present opinions with scientific or medical facts. Please explain in detail the activities at these prayer meetings. Also, please provide the percentage of time your organization spends on prayer groups as compared with the other activities of the organization.So the question is not about the content of the prayers, but rather about the nature and purpose of the prayer meetings. Many have blasted the IRS for asking the prayer question, especially since 501(c)(3) groups are allowed to engage in religious activity. Yet, there is actually an interesting and good implication raised by the question (which is not to say the IRS was right to press the group on the issue, especially when they do not challenge many other politically-active tax-exempt groups). What the question suggests is that the prayer meetings are not merely religious, but also political advocacy. Prayer, especially public prayer, is not merely a spiritual act. Prayer, especially public prayer, carries with it inherent societal implications that may be political. Praying outside Planned Parenthood (or a governmental building or the office of a public policy group) inherently carries political undertones (and perhaps even an explicit partisan tone). Perhaps we need to think more carefully about public prayer meetings.


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BUY & SELL LTCUSD | View LTCUSD News & Updates
Vietnamese fleet vows to escape from the black list 2012-07-20 - Lao dong
The Vietnam Maritime Bureau (Vinamarine) has committed to put the Vietnamese fleet off the foreign ports' lists of the ships which cannot meet the safety standards. However, experts have warned that this would be a very difficult task.
According to Vinamarine, in the first six months of 2012, only 30 Vietnamese ships were detained at foreign ports, or 14 ships lower than that of the same period of the last year. 457 defects of different kinds were discovered during the examination of the 30 said above detained ships, which include 92 serious defects, which led to the decisions to detain the ships.
Of these, 68.82 percent of defects related to the equipments and facilities of the ships, 15.05 percent related to papers and documents, and 16.13 percent related to the crew's ship regulation.
Though the number of detained ships has decreased, the number of Vietnamese ships examined at the foreign ports has not decreased (434), according to Do Duc Tien, Deputy Head of Vinamarine.
This showed that the Vietnamese fleet remains the ones that come high in the list of priority ships for examination. Especially, Vietnamese ships were mostly examined at Chinese ports (87 ships examined, 18 detained) and Indonesian ports (101 and 6).
In other words, the Vietnamese fleet still has been named in the black list of the fleets that need to be examined at foreign ports.
The significant decrease of the detained ships has been explained by the tightened control by the state management agencies.
The Instruction No. 09 released by the Ministry of Transport in October 2011 emphasized the necessity of strengthening the measures to minimize the ships to be detained under the mode of PSC (Port State Control) at foreign ports.
The legal document stipulates that port authorities must examine 100 percent of the Vietnamese ships before they leave the ports for other countries. Especially, special attention should be paid to the ships which once underwent the PSC in the past.
However, experts believe that this is not the main reason behind the decrease, because the problems cannot be settled overnight.
Do Xuan Quynh, Secretary General of the Vietnam Shipowners' Association, said that a lot of private and local ships, which are in high risks for PSC, have reduced their international transport activities due to the economic downturn.
The problem lies in the staff
Vinamarine has cited some reasons that lead to the Vietnamese ships to be detained. The short supply of spare parts and accessories for maintenance led to the fact that the ships' technical conditions cannot meet the requirements.
Ship owners and crew have not been following the provisions of the International Safety Management Code (ISM) well. Meanwhile, since the crew does not get salaries on schedule, they work perfunctorily.
Do Xuan Quynh agreed, saying that the problem lies in the staff. "Some mariners, who have just finished schools, cannot launch lifebuoy, while chief engineer does not know where the exit is. Especially, some captains even do not know IMO (International Maritime Organization) convention.
"Vietnamese ships would still be detained in foreign countries until the problem of the labor force is settled," he said.
Maritime is now checking the fire prevention systems at all the Vietnamese ships that operate on international routes. Problems would be fixed before Tokyo MOU and Paris MOU begin their checking slated for September 1 – November 31.
Other news
Despite low purchasing power, supermarkets still expanding 2012-07-20
SOEs' capital withdrawing: speaking one way and acting another (part 2) 2012-07-20
HSBC sounds the retreat from Vietnamese finance group 2012-07-20
State owned conglomerates unanimously cut workers' wages 2012-07-18
Big economic groups change CEO continuously 2012-07-18
Domestic businesses play dirty on each other, foreign fish in troubled water 2012-07-18
Chinese products dominating Vietnamese traditional craft villages 2012-07-18
SOEs' capital withdrawing: it's easier said than done (part 1) 2012-07-17
Noncommittal reply may kill auto industry 2012-07-17
Noncommittal reply may kill auto industry 2012-07-16
Businesses spend money to be able to "die" the way they want 2012-07-16
Vietnam footwear wins Brazil dumping lawsuit 2012-07-16
Big bosses sell hotels at a loss to get money back 2012-07-16


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We all reach places in life. Crossroads, turning points, junctures, choices, decisions – even Rubicon moments. For me, after nineteen years, I've reached a place of happiness and peace having come into the quiet of my heart. I feel settled. Life is simple, so I'm going with the ease and grace of that.
I've done a lot of letting go since I did some deep spiritual work earlier in the year. Relationships, patterns, behaviours, concepts, survivor's guilt … the list goes on. We all release shit as our lives evolve, and it just so happens that this has been the year to let go of shit that just doesn't serve me anymore.
Last night, I did a solar eclipse meditation where I anchored myself to the ground, and drew in the energy of the stars, the sun and the moon, and plugged into cosmos. This morning, I released it. I splintered it into a trillion pieces so that soft shards of love went to every human, animal and plant. Then I made myself a cup of tea, and sat in the garden; the sun at my back, the wind brushing my skin, and the hum of bees and the prattle of birds in the peach tree.
There was no rush. Just the warmth of the sun above me, a hot cuppa in my hands, and two dogs that came to greet me after their breakfast.
It's hard to believe that as I write, this time nineteen years ago I was on life support in intensive care after having surgery for a double lung transplant. I very nearly croaked it, as my friend Nic would say, and over the years I've come far too close to dying more times than is comfortable.
Like last year, I'm going to mark this year's Transplanniversary by having an otherwise ordinary day. There'll be no celebration. Instead, there'll be a silent commemoration for my donor and her family who I know are still grieving after nearly two decades. A family who will grieve for their daughter, sister, wife and friend until the end of time. That is something that is never lost on me. Not ever.
There's so much grace and wonder in the every day, and we forget that it's even there. We're all guilty – focusing on shit that shouldn't concern us, like what people think of us, our beliefs and values, how we look, how we should act, how to go about our business, life, relationships.
The older you get, the less attention you dedicate to what others think about how you should be living your life. You only get one, so my hard won advice is to gather yourself up and find the marvellous in the mundane (for some strange reason, doing laundry brings me unparalleled joy), and revel in the fact that after all these years, Dr. Seuss is still right – 'today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer that You'.
So go and grab your beautiful, messy life by the vagina (they're far more resilient than balls), and shape it into something you'd be proud to look back on either at the end of the day, or at the end of your life. In the end, the only thing that matters is the love you give, the love you share, and the love you get back. Oh, and be kind, compassionate and do your best to help other people. That's the secret to true happiness. You can thank me later.
Endnote: My mum turns seventy next week. She has loved me, nurtured me, taught and guided me. She's been the kindest, most loving and selfless mother a person could ever ask for. Yeah, I know – that's a lot for a person to be, but she's been all that and more. Jewel by name, and Jewel by nature. Also the bravest person I know. Love and kindness is the answer, people.


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Jason Hillier – Administrator of Information Technology Services519-482-5428 ext. 249
The Information Technology Services Team supports the Avon Maitland District School Board Strategic plan to empower teaching, learning and discovery through dependable and safe access to progressive technology. We support and promote access to technology for all AMDSB learners.
Information Technology Critical System Analyst Team
We are responsible for the preservation and support for core applications, hardware and networks across the district. This includes supporting all staff and students who are accessing the AMDSB network for student learning software, student information systems, purchasing, accounting, human resources, payroll, data warehouse and email collaboration software. We connect schools, classrooms, departments and offices through our high-capacity wide area network.
Andy Kerr – Information Technology Services Supervisor519-482-5428 ext. 236
Information Technology Network and Hardware Team
The Hardware and Network Team is tasked with managing and maintaining the information technology infrastructure within our AMDSB schools and Centre for Employment locations. We support the installation and repair of all digital technologies, manage our school local area networks, deploy and troubleshoot applications and provide technical expertise to school staff and students.
Mary-Jane Karkheck – Information Technology Services Supervisor519-482-5429 ext. 261
Information Technology Training Team
The System Training Team supports the District technology initiatives such as G Suite, mVal, eBase. We support school Library Learning Commons through centralized cataloguing as well as on-site technical support. Our AMDSB Media Centre provides classroom resources from its collection for all subjects and grade levels.
The School Training Team provides an extensive range of software and application support to teachers and staff members at every grade level. We provide group training sessions in our lab at the Learning Resource Centre in Clinton as well as one-on-one training and support at schools and work-sites. Our team is able to provide training sessions at staff meetings or to small groups of staff members interested in learning a new technology or application. In cooperation with classroom teachers we can provide support to students in a classroom or lab setting. We often provide support over the phone or by e-mail (through the eBase system). Technology can be daunting and, whether it's providing advice on the best app or a step-by-step how-to, we tailor our support to the needs of our clients.


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Sometimes life is just hard. Weeks are long and stuff just happens. Sometimes decisions are hard and the way through the world isn't clear.
We also know that God is good, all the time. So, if you need God's help with a special need in your life, we will be glad to pray about it with you.
Requests sent to us will not be posted on the website and will be shared only with those you choose in your request.
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.


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A large number of organisations haven't updated their IT Governance structure to cover all of the aspects of using Open Source.
Do you fully understand the potential risks to your intellectual property, and are you willing to adopt a full Open Source Governance model?
OpenMedia can walk you through the various risks and benefits that all business that leverage Open Source need to consider. We can work with your legal advisers to put in place process and procedures all employees should follow when using Open Source as part of your business.


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The Lobo Way
- Strengthen the Pack
- Learn to Learn
- Forgive and Accept
- Find My Voice
600 S. 820 E. Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 | (801) 798-4075 (801) 798-4097 (fax)
The Lobo Way
600 S. 820 E. Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 | (801) 798-4075 (801) 798-4097 (fax)
Early Friday morning 9 brave students joined the PE/Health Dept. teachers for an awesome hike. Much preparation had been put in by all to be able to go on the hike. Each student completed a physical test and a hand written test on back country safety. The group arrived at the Loafer trail head at 6:30am and the hike began. Though it was dark and cold for the first half hour you still knew you were surrounded by beauty. As the sun finally poked out from behind the mountain the colors of the changing leaves were magnificent. Stopping to take in the beauty we all hiked as a group. We made it to the saddle (halfway point) around 9:00am where we took a good 20 minute break. AS we continued on we spotted several deer and even spotted some mountain goats just before we reached the top of the mountain. We took a great break at the top pausing to eat lunch and take in the beauty. We made ir down the mountain safely and loaded the bus. This was a great experience for all involved and hope that many students will continue to want to be involved in the future as we continue to do this!


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Trans Allies: How can I help?
The USW Trans Allies project is due to be launched in May 2019.
Information in this section is based on guidance from Stonewall Cymru, ECU, Youth Cymru Trans*Form, GLAAD, and consultation with LGBT+ staff and students.
Why are allies important?
In the UK, cultural 'norms' about gender fuel discrimination against trans people, and this means trans people frequently face bullying, harassment and violence. Sometimes there can be a lack of understanding that living life as a trans person is no less authentic than living life as a person who is not trans.
Research has shown that discrimination against trans people is common and has significant negative effects. For example, more than a third of trans university students (36 per cent) have experienced negative comments or conduct from staff in the last year and one in seven trans university students (14 per cent) have considered dropping out or have dropped out of higher education because of experiencing harassment or discrimination from students and staff in the last year. For further information, see Stonewall's LGBT in Britian Trans Report. Research also shows that gender identity is a factor in the choice of university for 23.7 per cent of trans students (ECU, 2009) and that universities with an established reputation for being trans friendly may see higher numbers of trans staff and students. At USW 3.6% of undergraduate and 2.9% of postgraduate students stated their gender identity was not the same as the gender they were assigned at birth. This equates around 800 students.
The work of allies is important in removing the barriers and dismantling the discrimination against trans people.
Trans allies can help change the conversation about trans people.
Staff at Cardiff campus for the pre-march Pride Cymru brunch, hosting Stonewall Youth groups
What is a trans ally?
A trans ally is a person who supports trans people and champions trans equality. Allies can support people, help raise awareness or promote trans equality in many different ways.
The Straight for Equality Project has produced a comprehensive guide to being a trans ally. They identify four main qualities of allies (a willingness to learn, addressing personal barriers, knowing support occurs in different ways, and diversity) and explore the journey people travel in being an ally. The booklet also addresses some of the concerns allies have about trans equality, including lack of knowledge or making mistakes, and identifies different ways people can be better trans allies.
Top tips
USW Trans Role Model Rhi Kemp and SU Gender Identity Officer Kay Dennis provide their 10 top tips to being a trans ally.
What do trans students have to deal with at University?
Based on research from students in colleges and universities across Scotland, these videos show what students have to say about being in university and the various aspects they deal with:
On personal safety:
On being misgendered:
On using toilets:
Trans students explain the basics about gender identity and ways to support others:
Where can I get more advice/ guidance?
Further resources, videos and links to organisations and guidance is available on Trans Support and Resources.
If you would like to, you can also pledge to support trans people in Stonewall Cymru's 'Come Out for Trans Equality' campaign.
USW Trans Allies
USW Trans Allies are a group of self-nominated staff who:
- Are active and positive allies who work to create a more inclusive workplace at USW for all trans people
- Are committed to learning about and increasing their awareness of trans and gender identity equality
- Support trans equality by challenging inappropriate comments and behaviours and by promoting events and initiatives at USW
- Support staff who have a query about their students, by providing advice and signposting them to appropriate contacts
- Provide trans people a confidential* space to discuss issues and queries and, where needed, signpost to existing support mechanisms for trans people and families, in USW and externally
*confidentiality is promised unless there is concern of serious risk to the individual or others
USW Trans Allies will:
- Attend USW's training on supporting trans and gender non-conforming people
- Be offered refresher and/or additional training when available
- Keep up to date on USW's procedures and mechanisms in place to support trans staff and students
- Be supported in their role of Trans Ally by other staff/ groups including;
– Existing contacts for trans staff/students, as listed on the Hub/Unilife
– USW Trans Role Model and other LGBT+ Role Models
– USW's LGBT Staff Network Spectrum
– Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team
– Dignity at Work/Study Advisers
– Other Trans Allies
USW's Trans Allies are not expected to be experts in trans equality or act as trained counsellors, but are volunteers who are committed to promoting and advocating for trans equality at USW.


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J Street is running its conference and has reported this:
Asked whether Prime Minister Netanyahu was sincere in seeking peace, [Tzachi] Hanegbi said he had changed in the past 20 years and now faced a choice of "making history or becoming history." Recalling that he had been bombarded with messages and calls urging him not to attend the J Street conference, the former minster said he had examined the J Street website and looked at its beliefs and concluded that the organization and its members were motivated by love of Israel and play an important role in the discussion about Israel's future.
I admit it.
I was one of those who suggested to Tzachi not to attend.
He asked me if I was advocating blackballing them or, to be Middle East, to boycott them and place them outside the community pale.
I said no. If they came to Jerusalem, he should even receive them in his committee room at the Knesset. But to go to Washington as an official guest and speak at their convention is another thing entirely.
I tried to explain their danger and their record and sent him factual, resourced and annotated material. His English is fine.
But for him to say that he based his decision on reading their web site?
That is research? He has assistants. He could probably have asked the Knesset research unit for material. He could have asked other Likud members.
I honor his decision, even if disagreeing and I respect his political views. But to admit that his decision was made on a reading of J Street's web site?
That is too hard to accept or respect.
Visit My Right Word .


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I finally got it to work. I had to create an initial query to pull all court dates greater than today's date. Then I tie that query into another query to pull just the first court dates and that gave me the correct # of records.
thank you to everyone for their assistance.
Register Hereor login if you are already a member