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CatchImpact: Zapzapmath
The vast mass of entrepreneurial energy at last week's Web Summit in Lisbon was distraction embodied: Robots, keynote speakers and spotlit stalls clamoured for the attention of the thousands of attendees who were otherwise glued to their screens by the all-knowing conference app. Despite the competition, chance happened to bring our small Berlin crew into contact with a very interesting education tech company.
On the final day, as we sought to reach the afterparty for a well-earned wine, we ran into two gentlemen based in Hong Kong, Max and John.
Our colossal shared wait in line for metro tickets gave us the chance to learn about Zapzapmath, the gaming ecosystem they founded to help boost kids' ailing maths comprehension worldwide.
Max Teh — a venture capitalist and Zapzapmath cofounder— later gave me a glimpse behind the scenes.
What was the moment that made you and your co-founders stop and say, "There's a problem, but hey, we might have a solution"?
John was a math teacher, and he stumbled across a problem about ten years ago: In schools, all kids, teachers and parents want to see improvements in math. It requires very little memorization, just practice, but kids generally veer away because there are more interesting things to do. So, about four years ago John came to me with this pain point, as an ex-maths teacher wanting to make apps for maths games.
My pain point was a little different — I'd been reading lot about the declining standards of math in the world over the last 20 years, with the analysis saying that kids in the K6 levels — 4 to 11 years-old — are exposed to a lot more distractions now that they have access to things like computers, smartphones and tablets. Parents don't know what to do with this, and there's a lack of educational games. So we have a decline in maths, and maths is very important, no matter if you're a venture capitalist, in tech, a banker or even a lawyer. So I said this a pain point we need to solve, we need something to tackle this decline in math standards. I was thinking along the lines of something to engage kids to solve this social problem, he was thinking about solving boredom.
And then, bam! Gamification of math lessons!
So how can gamification really be used in the education sphere?
Gamification was the right thing to do because kids love games and we wanted to put learning back into games. But I said we can't just create apps with games, we also have to keep the parents involved, and the back end dashboard we created allows this, with the database telling parents every time their kids spend an hour on Zapzapmath practising a particular topic. It then brings in the maths teachers by giving them the database so they know exactly what each kid has done and what they get wrong or right, so that they can help the students.
To make it really useful for kids, parents and teachers, we decided the math lessons we gamified must correlate to what schools teach the kids. So we designed and developed a planetary system comprising more than 180 maths games to provide comprehensive math content which is compliant with many international math standards in the world. It can match with a school syllabus very quickly, compared to other games, which are mostly focused on certain selected subtopics or grades.
And this only began back in 2014?
Together with our other co-founder, Adam, who is behind the UI/UX design, we got together in 2014, the developers basically went into hiding to develop the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and almost ten months later, the first beta product came out. What really shocked us and surprised us in a nice way, is that in the first few months we had a few hundred thousand downloads.
We had a close look and saw that 80% came from the West — mainly from the US — and then it hit me like a bomb, "Bam!". It hit me that they need this and they like what we have created. We went to the US, started attending serious edtech trade shows and started engaging with schools and teachers, and we never looked back. We've now gone past 2,500,000 downloads, across 150 countries across the world. The US and China account for around 60%, and all this was done without any real marketing.
There is something interesting going on behind the scenes while kids are playing the games — how can this use of AI and machine learning help children learn?
So this is partly machine learning, and it's partly adaptive learning: The machine learning uses computers to learn about each student's behaviours and practice — and then tries to use and evaluate this to create better learning material for other students. On the other hand, adaptive learning is when we say, okay, you are playing on grade 3 and you're having a lot of difficulties. The AI, Elf, will then quietly bring you down to the A2 level without telling you, or similarly, adaptively nudge you up to play at a higher level. It works both ways, meaning that kids avoid getting frustrated from boredom or from difficulty.
You've now got a huge reach; can you already see that this is having an impact?
So we launched our full product in August 2016, so it's 15 months old, and we're still collecting a lot of data and verifying it, so from what teachers are saying to us, the kids are actually really enjoying it. What we cannot say at this time is that the kids have improved by 20% or anything like this, but over time, we hope to be able to show something like this with empirical evidence to go with the positive commentary.
What are the next steps from here on in for Zapzapmath?
We want to continue to enhance the product to fit the requirements of as many countries as possible in terms of what schools demand — we have 70% of what US schools and teachers want already, and we want to continue to make the product even better as that's our competitive edge. Secondly, we want to reach out to as many people as possible, through the web and other mobile platforms, to reach as many kids as possible, as there as 500 million kids in the K-6 category in the world. Only through this can we realise our vision of arresting the decline in math skills and making math fun and engaging for kids. Sadly, our third priority is to convert some of these guys into paid customers.
What have the biggest challenges been in getting to where you are now?
I think the constant feedback from teachers all over the world, in terms of them wanting things in the ecosystem and then having to deploy and tweak and pivot, which takes time to adjust. Also, three years ago there was almost no one doing what we are doing, but nowadays there are three to five other guys doing what we are doing in terms of high gamification and having comprehensive and standard compliant content. At the same time, we have to make money to survive.
Finally, many people are worried about what technologies like AI and machine learning will do to our societies — but do you think that they can instead be used as a tool to educate and prepare people for a highly-automated world?
I am in favour of AI in secondary uses, which is different to primary uses like using a robot at home, letting the robot learn from us and having to understand us fully. If you fast forward, this robot can be smarter than you and me. But on the other hand — in secondary uses — it's meant to help the system to work in a better way for the users, so I don't see any problem and fully support the use of AI to help us become better and faster in whatever we are doing.
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text: Do you love to read great history books? At the Fields-Penn House, we love to learn about history—the history of the antebellum South, the culture of the Victorian era, and the Civil War. We're so excited about sharing our love of history with others that we've decided to start a book club! The History Book club will meet at the Fields-Penn House monthly. We need your help! Please visit our survey and let us know what you think about possible days of the week and times. We want to meet your schedules!

subset: commoncrawl


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Product Name
Stainless Steel SUS304 Mold stamping parts for electronic industry
Main service
CNC stamping/punching machine, CNC bending machine,CNC cutting machine,
5-300T punching machines, welding machine, polish machine, lathe machine
Materials available
Stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, brass, and bronze,aluminum
(or according to customer's requirements)
Lead time
Sample Order: 15 days
10~500 pcs: 25 days
>500 pcs: 30 days
Surface treatment available
hot galvanized, polishing, Zinc plating, nickel plating, chrome plating, silver plating, gold-plating, hot galvanized, polishing, Zinc plating, nickel plating, chrome plating, silver plating, gold-plating,
imitation gold plating, powder coating, etc. imitation gold plating, powder coating, etc.
Preferred Formats
Pro/E, Solidworks, Unigraphics, Catia, Auto CAD, *.igs, *.stp, *.stl, *.x-t
Main Fields
Auto Parts, Machinery, Home Appliance, Electronic Products, Stationery, Computers,
Power Switches, Miniature Switches, Architecture, Commodity
and A/V Equipment, Hardware and Plastic Molds,Sports Equipment and Gifts, etc.
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Having been dedicated to precision machined parts for years, Gensun Precision Machining is equipped with many professional factories producing the most quality products for you. If you are searching for precision stainless steel sus304 mold stamping parts for electronic industry, we must be your best choice. With many companies and shops spread around the world, we warmly welcome you to try our good services.


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Guides A-Z
Guide describing how to insulate a basement to improve the overall thermal performance of the building and provide more dry, usable conditioned space for home occupants and for HVAC equipment.
Guide describing how to create a capillary break at all crawlspace floors using polyethylene sheeting to manage moisture in crawlspaces.
Guide describing installation of sump pumps in the basement or crawlspace of a home.
Vapor retarders can be a crucial part of the building envelope and can help manage moisture issues to keep the home dry. However, before installing a vapor retarder, installers must be aware that in some instances vapor retarders can increase the likelihood of condensation issues.
Guide describing how to correctly slope surfaces outside a home to force water to flow away from the edge of the home.
Guide describing ways to reduce access to bugs, rodents and other pests through openings in a home.
Guide describing the need for covers on sump pumps in the basement or crawlspace of a home.


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We have been saving money for around a year now and in less than a week we are leaving Brazil to travel from São Paulo to Cartagena, in north of Colombia! We are so happy because we are starting where we ended our last trip (Santiago, only this time we are going straight to Atacama's desert!) two years ago, on the same date (the Patagonia Adventure), how cool is that?!
We going to do some trekking on the mountains of Peru, going to the beach in Ecuador and going to big cities like La Paz and Lima, a perfect mix between culture, nature and people and the kind of journey we love. It's a 3 month trip, mostly done by bus (cheapest way to get around) and we have to be prepared for all kinds of crazy weather or situation, so we thought we might share with you things we are taking on our backpacks that are not so obvious! *for a 3 month trip.
Note: we are travelling with a 50 litre backpack from Quechua.
- Gopro & floater: we are hitting the beaches, we love the wide lens and the fact its a small compact camera, great to take on hikes.
- Neck cushion: this one is inflatable so it doesn't take any space on our backpacks. Essential for the long bus rides we are going to do.
- Dry fit towel: easy to dry and takes no space on our backpacks.
- Rain ponchos: we have waterproof jackets but this can easily help us out on many occasions including to protect our backpacks!
- Jack split: for listening music together and seeing movies without bothering anyone. On our last trip we didn't have and we were always that couple sharing the earphones.
- All sorts of medicine: this one is obvious but, seriously, take some pills with you!
- Bucket power: this is a life saver! It can actually charge any of our phones and also the Gopro.
- Wide lens for Iphone: because we really love wide lens!
- 2 decks of cards: for boredom, long bus drives, rainy nights… and a great way to meet new people!
- Power adapter: hopefully we won't need it but you never know..
- Camping kitchen ware: we bought this for Torres del Paine and we are taking this time because we are going to do other trekkings.
- Seasoning: this one is not so obvious and totally worth taking because we have all stayed in a hostel that didn't even had salt to cook, haven't we? We used tic-tac empty boxes for it.
- Solar bucketpower: it was really cheap (30 reais, less than 10 dollars) and we can just attach on top of our backpacks and charge it, it has a light in it (and it works too!). Great for hiking and other places with no energy (the Uyuni Salt flat for example)
- Swiss army knife: a friend advised us to get one and we did. We choose one that had a wine opener because… we will sure going to use it!
- Code Lockers: great because you don't have to worry about the key.
- Analog camera: last time we didn't take it and we later regretted it. The texture of photography is just great! (it's a Fujica from the 80's and used to belong to Agata's parents)
What about you? Do you take any not obvious stuff in your backpack?


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A Peterhead dad whose two-year-old son has spina bifida and hydrocephalus is driving 2,000 miles to Benidorm in a Thomas the Tank Engine car to raise money for charity.
James Ritchie and three family friends Graeme Smith, Graham Cowie and Allan Taylor, also known as the "Bloo Toon Loons", are entering the annual Benidorm Banger rally to fundraise for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBH Scotland).
The team set off from Peterhead Lido on Monday, May 1 in a car designed in honour of Mr Ritchie's two-year-old son James' favourite TV character.
James, 33, said: "Along the way we'll be undertaking multiple planned challenges, as well as the unforeseen challenges that will inevitably occur since we designed the banger on a shoestring.
"The purpose is to support my son James and raise as much funds for SBH Scotland as possible.
"The charity provides a lifeline for families like us and we're so grateful to the support they provide."
The team effort has already raised more than £3,000 for the charity which will be used to provide personalised home and hospital support for families in Scotland with children who have spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus.Deborah Roe, fundraising director at SBH Scotland, said: "We are in awe of the amazing work the guys have put into making this special car for the Benidorm Bangers Race. We are eternally grateful to the Ritchie friends and family for their continued support of our charity which relies on donations to continue its extensive range of specialist support across Scotland.
"Every penny raised by the Bloo Toon Loons will go into providing services like our Aberdeen support group and continuing our home and hospital support, which is a vital lifeline for those affected by these lifelong, complex disabilities in the North of Scotland."
James was first introduced to SBH Scotland after the birth of his son James Jr.
At three-days-old James Jr had to have a number of operations, one to close the hole in his back, and one to fit a medical device to drain fluid which had built up in his brain as a result of hydrocephalus.
A family support worker from SBH Scotland visited the hospital to offer advice and support to James and his partner, Emma, throughout the procedures, and explained everything that was happening.
James added: "It was a big shock when James Jr was born as we hadn't suspected anything was wrong. Very quickly our life was turned upside down as we were thrown into an unfamiliar world of paediatric surgeons and healthcare specialists.
"Having the dedicated SBH Scotland support worker by our side was crucial, and helped make the experience much more manageable.
"James Jr is now two, and despite the challenges he faces, he powers through it all and constantly exceeds expectations. SBH Scotland is a fantastic charity and their support means everything to me and my family."
To support the Bloo Toon Loons on their mission, visit virginmoneygiving.com/team/bluetoonloons


text: Science, Tech, Math › Social Sciences Aurignacian Period Share Flipboard Email Print Social Sciences Archaeology Basics Ancient Civilizations Excavations History of Animal and Plant Domestication Psychology Sociology Economics Environment Ergonomics Maritime by K. Kris Hirst K. Kris Hirst is an archaeologist with 30 years of field experience. She is the author of The Archaeologist's Book of Quotations and her work has appeared in Science and Archaeology. Updated March 08, 2017 Definition: The Aurignacian period (40,000 to 28,000 years ago) is an Upper Paleolithic stone tool tradition, usually considered associated with both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals throughout Europe and parts of Africa. The Aurignacian's big leap forward is the production of blade tools by flaking pieces of stone off a larger piece of stone, thought to be an indication of more refined tool making. Some Recent Studies Balter, Michael 2006 First Jewelry? Old Shell Beads Suggest Early Use of Symbols. Science 312(1731). Higham, Tom, et al. 2006 Revised direct radiocarbon dating of the Vindija G1 Upper Paleolithic Neandertals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 10(1073):1-5 (early edition). Bar-Yosef, Ofer. 2002. Defining the Aurignacian. pp 11-18 in Towards a Definition of the Aurignacian, edited by Ofer Bar-Yosef and João Zilhão. Lisbon: Portuguese Institute of Archaeology. Straus, Lawrence G. 2005 The Upper Paleolithic of Cantabrian Spain. Evolutionary Anthropology 14(4):145-158. Street, Martin, Thomas Terberger, and Jörg Orschiedt 2006 A critical review of the German Paleolithic hominin record. Journal of Human Evolution 51:551-579. Verpoorte, A. 2005 The first modern humans in Europe? A closer look at the dating evidence from the Swabian Jura (Germany). Antiquity 79(304):269-279. This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Examples: St. Césaire (France), Chauvet Cave (France), L'Arbreda Cave (Spain) Continue Reading


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Web Platform Installer – Web Installation on Steroids
One of the most annoying things that I'm sometimes
get stuck with is to install my machine with the latest
components. Trying to grab all the installation packages
for every application or library that I need can be a
very painful thing and also consumes a lot of time.
This is the reason that a tool like Web Platform
Installer was very welcome to my arsenal of tools.
In the post I'll describe what is the Web Platform Installer and show a scenario of installation.
Web Platform Installer
As I wrote at the beginning of the post, installation can be a very painful thing. The Web Platform Installer is a tool provided by Microsoft to ease this process when we install Microsoft Web Platform. You can download it from here.
So what is this tool?
Taken from Microsoft's site – "The Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 (Web PI) is a free tool that makes getting the latest components of the Microsoft Web Platform, including Internet Information Services (IIS), SQL Server Express, .NET Framework and Visual Web Developer easy. The Web PI also makes it easy to install and run the most popular free web applications for blogging, content management and more with the built-in Windows Web Application Gallery.". The current version of the tool is 2.0.
Using the Web Platform Installer
After you install the Web Platform Installer you can run it and install your desired components. You should have a connection to the internet in order to use the installer. When first started the Web Platform Installer will go to the web and check for the latest Web Platform products. Then the main screen will be opened:
In the screen you can choose the relevant components that you like. You can use the following tabs to choose components by categories:
- What's New? – shows all the new components available.
- Web Platform – enables the installation of web servers, frameworks and runtime, databases and tools.
- Web Applications – enables the installation of web applications such as DotNetNuke, WordPress, BlogEngine.Net and many more web applications.
You only need to select the components and then press the Install button in order to install them. You also have the ability to customize your installation. For example go to the Web Platform tab:
In the Web Server press the Customize link:
Now you can customize the server that will be installed.
After Choosing the components press the Install button and that is it the products will be installed.
In some components you will need to configure things. For example I installed the BlogEngine.Net and after the installation inside the Web Platform Installer I had to configure the web site for the BlogEngine.Net. So you get the help from the platform even in these parts.
If you haven't installed the Web Platform Installer go and grab it from here. This tool is very useful and helpful and it can help you to save a lot of time and headaches.


text: Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS, 38mm) – Space Gray Aluminium Case with Black Sport Band 0 Review(s) categories: Digital & Electronics Availablity: in stock Native Shopping ADS FROM AMAZON.com Buy Now from Amazon Add to Wishlist Product added! Browse Wishlist The product is already in the wishlist! Browse Wishlist Compare Make an offer Ask a Question Share Facebook Twitter Google Plus


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Discover out more about pursuing your authorized career at Columbia Legislation Faculty, one of many world's leading centers of authorized scholarship. Native musician Jackie Stephenson and Northern Legislation Medical Professor Paul Cain, together with Northern Law college students, will provide musical entertainment. Our Advocacy Program has educated student groups which have gained greater than one hundred twenty national championships—greater than any other law school in the nation. State violence is commonly normative but this doesn't mean it's all law" and even that it's all regulation making". The Legal Historical past Weblog introduced a forthcoming ebook by Lauren Benton & Lisa Ford, RAge for Order: The British Empire and the Origins of Worldwide Legislation, 1800-1850, at Harvard College Press. On Indiana Tech's 2016 graduation program , three regulation graduates (all from Indiana) are listed as having made legislation assessment, and two of those three earned magna cum laude honors. With regards to regulation faculty admissions, we is probably not at the metaphorical equal of -459.67F fairly but, however we're very shut.
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Legislation of diminishing marginal utility states that utility derived from additional items of a commodity retains declining. This is a good consequence for importers of merchandise that is found to be throughout the scope of an order after entry. This new-found positivity within you is a big attraction to the cash vitality that is within the universe as a complete. So what the commentator tells us is that at full capacity regulation profs might be enormously productivity. It is strongly beneficial that you seek knowledgeable legal opinion within the occasion of a authorized dispute. Cash was meant to be spent, as a result of it's power and vitality cannot be saved, permanently however has to move.
Hiring is very dependent on who you understand, who you're partnered up with, who the varsity doesn't want to offend, and who will spout laudatory things a few candidate because the spouter's college itself desires its grads to get teaching jobs. Neutrality within the history of international regulation can, then again, also be understood as a legal institution. This a part of the submit concludes the 9 observations of the present authorized job market; part 3 will look at 5 methods new attorneys can make use of as they search to enter the 2009 authorized job market – a market described by the 9 observations in Components 1 and a pair of. Please note that only educators might make appointment requests on behalf of a college.
Negotiation & Situation Resolution: Openly manages battle and disagreement through collaborative dialogue to achieve optimistic conclusions; arrives at constructive solutions whiles maintaining constructive working relationships; seeks win-win conditions; diplomatically explores widespread and opposing choices to achieve mutually acceptable positive solutions. If a company has a surplus that it desires to do away with, it might lower the worth to increase demand. The professors are extraordinary and the Regulation Faculty gives top quality pupil companies.


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One of the true honors of this industry is getting to meet some very talented people. Those people may be behind the wheel of the race car, working on the race car, working in the shop, or creating products for the race car.
What is mostly on display in front of us at the track is the talent of the racer himself (or herself). So we talked to some of our trusted freelancers and contributors around the country and asked them a simple question. Who are the best racers from your area? With their input, and to commemorate the upcoming 35th Anniversary of Circle Track, we compiled a list of the 35 best.
Because it is difficult to match racers in a "Power Ranking" system due to many factors (they don't race head to head, they race different types of cars, different types of competition, etc. etc.), we listed them in alphabetical order by last name. We'll let you decide who deserves top billing… or if we left anyone out. Enjoy!
Rico Abreu – The 2016 Chili Bowl Nationals winner moved up to some of the higher ranks of racing this season, but kept to his roots by visiting major open wheel races (and winning some).
Tony Anderson – If you receive an official letter of recognition from your home state for your racing accomplishments, you're doing something right. Tony Anderson won both the Street Stock and UMP Modified Championships at Limaland in 2016.
Brady Bacon – It was a sizzling season for Bacon (pardon the pun). Bacon collected the overall USAC National Sprint Championship by more than 300 points.
Josh Berry – This up-and-coming JR Motorsport driver is one to keep an eye on. He ran 25 races including NASCAR Whelen All American Series and CARS in 2016 and won 10 times, 22 Top Fives and 24 Top Tens. That's a 40% win average. (Josh Berry Facebook Photo)
Dale Blaney – He may have come second to Chad Kemenah in the 2016 All Star Sprint points, but Blaney is still getting it done. His 7 wins in the series was second only to Sheldon Haudenschild. His 34 Top Tens were the most by any driver.
Scott Bloomquist – Speaking of legends who just keep winning…there is this guy. Bloomquist dominated the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series this season and collected a major win in the Gateway Nationals.
Chase Briscoe – Domination comes to mind when you hear this guy's name. Briscoe put the ARCA Series field far behind him in 2016 on the way to a Championship. Like Abreu, Briscoe finds time to return to his open wheel roots as well. Look for him in the 2017 Chili Bowl Nationals.
Doug Coby – This driver has cemented himself as the man to beat on the always tough NASCAR Whelen Mod Tour. Coby won his third Championship in a row in 2016. It was his fourth in the last five seasons.
Christian Eckes – Better late than never. Eckes won the illustrious Snowball Derby at the beginning of December to put himself on the map. However, he scored big wins driving for JR Motorsports in the Myrtle Beach 400 and Thanksgiving Classic. (Christian Eckes Facebook Photo)
Garrett Evans – The legend of the Northwest. Evans is still the man to beat in big races west of the Rockies. He captured this year's Northwest Super Late Model Series Championship.
Stewart Friesen – In the world of Big Block Modified racing Friesen was able to capture two major wins this season. He won the Super DIRT week crown and the Eastern States 200. Friesen also finished second in the Super DIRTcar Series standings to Matt Sheppard. (Stewart Friesen Facebook Photo)
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – The American Sprint Car Series schedule can be a grueling one, so naturally we had to look to their Champion for this list. In 37 features, Sam Hafertepe collected eight wins, and 33 Top Tens. (Photo from ASCS Facebook by Daryl Turford)
Sheldon Haudenschild – We'll throw an honorable mention to Kemenah, the ASCoC titlist again. However, Sheldon Haudenschild grabbed the most wins on the circuit in 2016 with nine.
Trevor Huddleston – Huddleston remains the top dog at Irwindale Speedway. He captured his second straight NASCAR Late Model crown at the facility.
Jason Hughes – There is no name feared more than Jason Hughes on the USMTS circuit. Hughes was the Champion of the Central Region, Southern Region, Northern Region, and Hunt for the Casey's Cup.
Casey Johnson – A rising star in the Midwest. Johnson captured the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Championship. The Red, White and Blue Series at Wisconsin Int'l Raceway, the Madison Int'l Speedway Triple Crown and was the ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year.
Danny Lasoski – "The Dude" is another Sprint racer who keeps getting it done. His three wins and 23 Top Fives in 25 National Sprint League starts propelled him to a 556-point win in the series standings. (National Sprint League Facebook Photo)
Mike Looney – Driving for "The Open Trailer Gang" won twin 75 lap races at Motor Mile, then went to Martinsville for the big end of the year Valley Star Credit Union 300 and sat on the pole and won. He beat out many of the better funded teams, 70 entries total, which were there. (Photo from www.motormilespeedway.com)
Ty Majeski – Perhaps one of the most talked about short track racers of the year. Majeski began the season with a World Series of Asphalt Championship at New Symrna, won his third straight ARCA Midwest Tour Championship and capped it with a win in the Governor's Cup and a pole at the Snowball Derby.
Burt Myers – Another dual Champion on the list. Myers won the Bowman Gray track Championship and was the Whelen Southern Mod Series titlist, as well. (Burt Myers Facebook Photo)
Bobby Pierce – "The Smooth Operator" found some major success in 2016. Some of Pierce's banner wins include the World 100 and the North/South 100.
Bubba Pollard – A top dog on asphalt, now with some dirt under his finger nails. Pollard scored some big asphalt wins this season, but was also tough to beat in the late models at his home track Senoia (GA) Speedway.
Josh Richards – Richards had a dominating season with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Models. In 39 starts Richards captured 18 wins (more than double the next driver) and an astounding 31 Top Fives.
Tayler Riddle – The young Washington driver captured the biggest win of his career in 2016. Riddle took home a $25,000 top prize for winning the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway in June.
Ben Rowe – Maybe not the Champion of the North. Maybe not the Champion of the South. But… Ben Rowe took the prestigious Pro All Stars Series (PASS) National Championship, taking on the best that both the North and South had to offer.
Donny Schatz – At one point in the spring Donny Schatz was more than 200 points out of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series lead. With 25 wins and 77 Top Tens he went on to win the title by over 300 points.
Matt Sheppard – The top dog when it comes to Big Block Modified racing in the Northeast. Sheppard collected 12 wins this season on the way to his second straight Super DIRTcar Series Championship.
Brian Shirley – A relative "newbie" on the list, Brian Shirley proved impressive with the World of Outlaws Crafstman Late Model Series. He picked up three wins on the season, including one close to home at Rockford (IL) Speedway.
Dave Shullick Jr. – It takes some fortitude to race an ISMA Super Mod. It takes a ton of skill to win races and a Championship. Dave Shullick Jr. came out on top of a spirited battle throughout 2016 with Mike Lichty
Kyle Strickler – A major threat wherever he goes. The former IMCA Super Nationals Champion was always an intimidating name on an entry list for major dirt Modified events in 2016.
Nick Sweet – Kiss the cow, make the list. Nick Sweet won his second straight Milk Bowl at Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl this season. He also captured the 2016 American Canadian Tour Championship.
Derek Thorn – The top gun of the West. Thorn won the Southwest Tour again in 2016 and was a major threat at other big Super Late Model races across the country including the All American 400 and Snowball Derby.
Ricky Thornton Jr. – One of the most grueling weeks in racing is the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone. It takes something special to come out on top. Ricky Thornton Jr. did just that this season. (Ricky Thornton Jr. Facebook Photo)
Tanner Thorson – Thorson was in a dog fight for the USAC National Midget Championship with teammate Spencer Bayston all season long. In the end Thorson won by 18 markers. Thorson also managed to collect 8 wins and finish Third in the POWRi National series. (Tanner Thorson Facebook Photo)
Dalton Zehr – It's hard to ignore someone who wins four Championships in a season. Zehr won titles at State Park Speedway, Golden Sands Speedway, Marshfield Motor Speedway and in the Central Wisconsin Racing Association. He also finished second to Casey Johnson in TUNDRA standings by a slim margin.


text: Saturday 12 September 2015 Solent staff to Mudder A number of Solent Sport staff members are in the middle of training hard to take part in Tough Mudder on Sunday 27 September. The team are doing it all for a great cause, Sport Solent in the Community. Here, our Student Workforce Development Officer, Becki Jones, talks about the tough task ahead. What is Tough Mudder? Tough Mudder is a team-oriented 10-12 mile obstacle course designed to test physical strength and mental grit. Tough Mudder puts camaraderie over finisher rankings and is not a timed race but a team challenge that allows participants to experience exhilarating, yet safe, world-class obstacles they won't find anywhere else. Watch the video from last year's event Team Solent Team Solent will be entering a team of 15 (crazy) participants to take on the challenge of the course. The team will be made up of Solent Sport staff members and friends of the department. So far the team consists of Becki Jones, Matthew Bishop, Danni Grant, Louis Hunter, Nikita Wilson, Dominic Ducellier, Basia Dudek, Tom Morton, Carlina Lance, Amy Snell, and Matthew Ellerby. We still have four spaces left in the team. If you are interested in taking part please email email@example.com You may ask 'why anyone would ever want to do this event?' And the answer is to raise money for a very worthy charity! All money raised by the team will go to Sport Solent in the community. Sport Solent in the Community Sport Solent in the Community is a small grant scheme that supports community groups and individuals in Hampshire. Grants of up to £1,000 are available to support projects based on sport or physical activity that benefit the Hampshire community. This year, the charity has awarded grants to three projects with one of them being Hurricanes rugby club. The Hurricanes are a rugby club for children and young adults with learning difficulties. As well as training, they play matches, travel away to tournaments and have social events. The grant awarded by Sport Solent in the community will allow the club to purchase clothing to help enable players to train and play during the winter months. Many of their players come from deprived social backgrounds and are unable to afford the waterproof/warm kit that they need to train during the winter. Others within the club have additional health needs which means that they are unable to remain wet and cold for anything other than short periods. The kit purchased with the grant will allow for more children and young adults to play all year round. All donations in support for the event and charity would be greatly appreciated. To donate, please go to the Give page. Share this article Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Print


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Sigrid – Don't Kill My Vibe
If you've not heard this yet then prepare yourself for an epic pop anthem. Don't Kill My Vibe is an absolute stonker; powerful and attention-grabbing.
Released earlier this month and already getting a fair amount of airplay, it's a debut for 20-year-old Norwegian singer Sigrid – quite a song to make an entrance with…
Sigrid – Don't Kill My Vibe


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Marble Double Condiment Bowls
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- Summary
Side-by-side wells make our white marble serving piece ideal for all kinds of pairings, olives at the cocktail hour, tapenade alongside hors d'oeuvres or figs and almonds with a cheese course. Organic variations in the marble endow each piece with unique beauty that's further highlighted by smooth hand polishing.
- Versatile design is ideal for serving condiments, dipping sauces and garnishes.
- Handcrafted of solid white marble.
- Smoothed by hand to a lustrous finish.
- Includes one spoon made of aluminum with nickel finish.
- Variations in color and pattern are consistent with the unique beauty of natural marble and make each bowl one of a kind.
- Dimensions & More Info
- Bowls: 5 1/2" x 3" x 1" high.
- Spoon: 3/4" wide x 3 1/2" long.
- 1 lb. 8 oz.
- Made in India.
- Use & Care
- Hand-wash with mild soap and water. Towel-dry with soft cloth.
- Do not place in the dishwasher or submerge in water.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.


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While I am on the hunt for/creating my own surgical illustrations, let's take a break from fistulas to discuss a nasty little bacteria called Clostridium Difficile (C. diff). This is a bacteria that lives in all of our intestines, and is normally kept at bay by good bacteria.
Why would I bring up this ugly little bacteria here on Fistula Survival Guide? Because many of you suffering with colorectal fistulas will undergo surgery, and more often than not after surgery you will be put on one or two antibiotics. Unfortunately, strong antibiotics (such as Cipro, which is commonly prescribed after surgery to prevent infection) can kill off the good bacteria in our intestines, which can allow c. diff to flourish and develop into c. diff colitis (I may refer to it as simply c. diff throughout this article).
This happened to me after my second surgery. I was having horrible diarrhea (more so than is usual for me even with IBS), stomach cramps, and nausea, but when my doctor at the time didn't think much of it, I chalked it up to being sensitive to the antibiotics. I went ahead and charged forward with surgery number three, my very first advancement flap surgery. Weeks after the surgery, when I should have been healing and feeling better, I was still in huge amounts of pain, still feeling horribly sick to my stomach, and worst of all the surgery was not healing.
As fate would have it, my doctor left and I was sent to a new colorectal surgeon. Concerned about the frequency of my diarrhea, nausea, and lack of healing, my new doctor ordered a stool sample. Lo and behold, I was plagued with the dreaded c. diff colitis. In most cases, given a regiment of a certain antibiotics (Flagyl is the first one I was given), it will go away. I was in the unfortunate 20% that required almost 6 months of treatments, different medicines, and even participated in a study for a new c. diff medicine (turns out I was in the group given Vancomycin, which was not the new medicine). Eventually, the vancomycin cured me, but it was a long and grueling process.
After you have had c. diff colitis, you will need to be forever cautious when you have to take antibiotics, and alert your doctor to the fact that you had c. diff. Seriously–for the rest of your life. Be careful. I am not trying to scare you, but this is a disease that can and has killed people. Those are extreme cases, but it is not something to be taken lightly.
The main reason I bring this ickiness up is that there are certain things you can do to reduce your chances of getting c. diff. After surgery, while you are on antibiotics, here are a few suggestions I have (as usual, PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR, this is just advice from my own experience, most of it given to me by my doctors):
*TAKE YOUR FLAGYL. Seriously, if you are taking Cipro or any other really strong antibiotic, do not skip your doses of Flagyl. This will help keep the c.diff at bay.
*I highly recommend taking a good probiotic (my doctor told me about florastor, which is a yeast-based probiotic, so it isn't counteracted by the antibiotic). This beneficial bacteria can help combat c.diff
*Turmeric! Take lots of turmeric! It cannot hurt you, and is naturally anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and helps to improve your intestinal flora. You can get it as a capsule, or just loose powder, which can be mixed into your juice, water, or food (the powder is cheaper and found in most spice sections at grocery stores).
*Pay attention to your body. If you feel like something is wrong, it is worth it to talk about it with your doctor. If you have been on antibiotics for 30 days or longer and start experiencing consistent watery diarrhea, fever, nausea, weight loss, loss of appetite, ASK FOR A STOOL SAMPLE TO BE TAKEN. My first doctor did not order one, despite my complaints of almost all of these symptoms. You can ask for/insist on a stool sample.
For more information, I recommend this PDF:
and this awesomely helpful website:
If you have a serious case, and are not recovering, I highly recommend going to an infectious disease specialist. Ultimately that is what I ended up having to do, and that is where I was given the right treatment.
To reiterate, I am not trying to scare you. I just wish I had been aware that this even existed when I was going through the Fistula of Doom. I hope you have found this helpful! Take good care of yourselves, and always keep hope. I healed. It took a long time, but I did make a full recovery. Remember that you are not alone.
In fistula solidarity,
Leah R. Chatterjee


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- in Dog Health by admin
The importance of dog grooming
The importance of dog grooming
Grooming dogs is a pertinent step in maintaining appearances and more importantly, a healthy practice to develop. The process of grooming requires a commitment of time and learning know how, to facilitate owners in observing and identifying any changes or alterations in their coat, skin, paws and the rest of the body. Repetitive grooming aids in allowing owners to easily spot anything unusual as soon as they arise and handle accordingly. If you choose to use the services of a dog groomer please ensure they have adequate dog grooming insurance.
In order to make the process seamless each time, a dog needs to be trained to get accustomed to the steps in grooming. Preferably This will not startle the dog or make the animal in anyway uncomfortable. Grooming may include a number of activities, especially based on the breed (s) in questions. Long haired animals will of course require more time and possibly different tools to complete the process, therefore keep in mind grooming practices and schedules should revolve around the type of dog in the household.
As previously mentioned, some activities that are typically included in the grooming listing are as follows:
- Brushing of the hair (to maintain sheen and an unmatted coat),
- Cleaning the ears (to ensure it being odor free and generally clean),
- Clipping of claws and general inspection of paws (both underside and between claws are to be clean and free from pests as well as cracks in the paw),
- Nose (to be moist and free from cracks),
- Cleaning the ears (to ensure it being odor free and generally clean),
- Eyes and teeth (to ensure eyes are clear and dog is alert, teeth are free from obstructions and maintaining a healthy color),
- Under belly and tail examinations (to be free from broken skin, scarring and tears),
Being knowledgeable of the physical conditioning of your dog gives an insight to the possible state of how healthy they are internally. A good example is being able to tend to fleas and ticks as soon as the dog is sighted scratching or when brushing these insects are actually seen.
Another tip for grooming are bath schedules. Dogs do not require bathing as often as people do, as their skin provides natural oils to maintain their coat and aid in masking odours. If the animal has outdoor exposure frequently or generally lives outdoors then the general rule of thumb is to bathe them once per month. Make sure to choose a dog specific shampoo, more so formulated for the hair length and type. Additionally, if the dog requires a haircut, it is advised that such a task not be handled by an amateur. Hair cutting skills especially for longer haired animals demand patience and the requisite training.
It is always a good idea that when in doubt, do the necessary research or seek professional assistance with grooming. For new owners, demonstrations may be easier to grasp than by reading a book or online article. Being vigilant with grooming will indeed save some trips and the expense of visiting the veterinarian's office. In order to have a happy dog, make sure to take care of their health both inside and out.


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The fastest growing waste stream is Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). To address this increasing problem the EU introduced the WEEE directive - 2002/96/EC. The transposition into national law by the member states was deadlined for August 2015. Ireland implemented this legislation on time and approved two compliance schemes; WEEE Ireland and ERP Ireland to manage a take-back of WEEE, as the WEEE Directive is a 'producer responsibility' ordinance.
The WEEE Directive objectives:
Irish transposition of WEEE Directive:
The WEEE Recast SI 149 in 2012 mandated that the treatment of WEEE had to be to the standard of WEEELABEX or equivalent.
KMK has achieved WEEELABEX accreditation for the small household appliances (SHA) family and for IT equipment (ICT) and for Televisions and Monitors. KMK works with WEEELABEX approved vendors for downstream treatment of fridges and flat screen panels.
The Irish Government implemented the WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC from August 13th 2005, placing the obligation upon all producers and distributors of waste electronic and electrical equipment to comply with the Directive, by joining a compliance scheme (WEEE Ireland or ERP Ireland) or by self complying.


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This past autumn I had the opportunity to take Bookbinding Level II through the Canadian Bookbinding and Book Arts Guild (CCBAG). During level two one of the things we learned was how to do sewn endbands. Previously in level one we had done endbands made from cord and cloth wrapped around it. These are known as "stuck on endbands" and they have been used as far back as the 1800s. I recently bought some prior to level two; they come in useful for a quick work!
Image credit: Arielle's Bindery
Above is a picture of what they can look like. As you can see, all a binder would need to do is snip the endband to the correct size and stick it on with a bit of glue to the spine of the book at the head and tail.
Just to note, I've used the term endband to imply both bands at either head or tail of the book. Specifically, the band at the head is called a headband and the band at the tail is called an endband, however many people use either term to refer generically to both head and tail and often don't specify. During class we called them endbands and so in this post I will refer to them as endbands.
Endbands are decorative and structural in function. The endbands can add strength and support to a binding. Sewn endbands consist of a core with either silk or linen thread wrapped around it. A core for an endband can be made from: cord, rolled paper, rolled leather, or a combination of leather and vellum. The core is generally thin, though you can create more elaborate endbands from double cores. In level two I learned how to do a two-color endband and a foundation endband. You can see these below. The two-color endband is number seven and the foundation endband (also called conservation endband) is number one.
Image credit: http://www.artesdellibro.com
Endbands can get even more creative and artistic than the variety shown here. Here are some found on the web:
Image credit: lilbookbinder.wordpress.com
Another style of endband is the Coptic endband. This endband has the weave going continuously from board across textblock and back to other board.
Image credit: henryhebert.net
Learning the endbands wasn't as difficult as I imagined it might be, though it did take practice! We worked with silk thread and went around cord. The thread was probably the hardest to manage, being silk. Keeping the tension tight for the length of the endband was also something that required practice. In order to learn Dan (our teacher) had us practice on old telephone books. This allowed us to work with a larger cord and a larger textblock. Below is an photo of the two-color endband that we learned.
Image credit: Arielle's Bindery
The endbands get sewn into the textblock and when working on a telephone book that proved to be tricky. Often times pliers were needed to help the needle along through the thickness of the book, when it came time to sew our actual textblocks it was much easier. As a result, the back of the phone book looks a bit messy from lots of practice attempts. Looking online though one can see many examples of sewn endbands that look very neat and uniform on the spine! Below is an image of the formation endband.
Image credit: Arielle's Bindery
I find sewing endbands to be rather relaxing, other binders find it tedious. It certainly adds to the appeal of a book, I think. It's certainly something that requires a bit of practice to get them really looking nice, and with so many styles to learn there is a lot to practice!
Guest blogger Arielle VanderSchans is a linguist and librarian living in Canada. She currently studies bookbinding through the Canadian Bookbinding and Book Arts Guild. You can follow her as she learns the trade here: https://ariellesbindery.com


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Comic Book Industry Remembers a Lost Superstar
Michael Turner Tribute Set for Release
When artist Michael Turner passed away in June, the comic book industry reacted with an outpouring of emotions that proved what a lasting effect he had on those whose lives he touched.Next week, the company he founded, Aspen MLT, is releasing a collection of artwork and stories by comic book creators in A Tribute to Michael Turner, an 80-page softcover book that will benefit Turner's favorite charities. As Aspen's Editor-in-Chief Vince Hernandez told Newsarama in September, Turner's friends and colleagues wanted "to do something to remember his name and his legacy," something that "fans could have forever. As Hernandez shared some of the pieces that will be in the book, Newsarama talked to him about what fans can expect to see in A Tribute to Michael Turner and how the response from creators surprised even him. Newsarama: First, Vince, how did the book turn out? [Aspen President] Frank [Mastromauro] told Newsarama in Baltimore that you guys were getting a lot more stuff than you expected for this collection. Vince Hernandez: Yeah! It worked out that way because when we first started, we had a list of people we knew we wanted to include and people who had mentioned it to us beforehand that they wanted to participate, so we had that basic list to go off. And by the time we went to print on it, there was about 50 percent more people than we anticipated. It's huge! NRAMA: How many pages is it? VH: It's 80 pages. That was what we were hoping to have, but originally we had a group of about 40 or 50 artists. Now we've filled just about every one of the 80 pages with a creator's submission. People we didn't even anticipate wanting to be involved surprised us by wanting to be a part of it. NRAMA: And it's not just artwork, right? VH: No, it's a combination of artwork, text, some people did poems, and there are written stories of experiences that different creators had with Mike. For us, it was the first time we heard about some of these stories. That always adds to the mythos of how great Mike was, and what he did for comics that he could touch all these lives. NRAMA: This is a little different size book, isn't it? VH: Yeah. It's similar to our Aspen Extended Edition, which was a trade-type softcover. And it's $8.99 for 80 pages, and it will be out on Nov. 5. It's kind of like a trade because we have an introduction from Mike's mom, kind of like a forward or intro. And then we go into our Aspen staff. Frank did a nice opening. Most of the staff, we just did our own tributes to him and they're sprinkled throughout the book. NRAMA: Who are some of the creators that contributed to the book? VH: There's an incredible cover by Alex Ross. And of course we have all of our Aspen artists, like Micah Gunnell, Marcus To, Francisco Herrera, Ale Garza, and Sana Takeda. And we also have writers who've worked with Aspen, like Geoff Johns and Jeph Loeb. There's Joe Benitez, who worked with Mike at Top Cow and will be finishing the volume of Soulfire for Mike. There are some new guys in here we've never really worked with, like Marc Andreyko and Brad Meltzer, who we've worked with, but never on an Aspen story. Greg Pak had a touching story about an experience he had with Mike at a con. And all the big name artists that you can think of, like J. Scott Campbell, Joe Mad [Madureira], Humberto Ramos. And there's a piece by Joe Quesada and a tribute by Dan DiDio. We also have Jim Lee in there. Anybody you can think of. Gary Frank is in there, and Marc Silvestri did a piece. Even people who are newcomers wanted to participate. NRAMA: And all the money you make from this goes toward charity, right? VH: Yep. All the proceeds from this go to the American Cancer Society and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Those are Mike's two favorite charities, so we definitely wanted to honor that and make sure proceeds from the book would benefit that. So all the creators and fans are doing something in his name that helps these causes. NRAMA: Anything else you want to tell fans about the book? VH: Just that it's really for them. Once they see all these stories and all the ways that Mike touched so many lives, I think people will get a real good idea of the legacy he's leaving behind. And helping charities by purchasing the book is something they can do in Mike's memory, and they'll have something that they can always keep to remember him. The full list of creators who are contributing to A Tribute to Michael Turner: Agnes Garbowska, Ale Garza, Alex Garner, Alex Konat, Alex Ross, Alex Sinclair, Andy Smith, Beth Sotelo, Billy Tan, Brad Meltzer, Billy Tucci, Brandon Peterson, Buzz, CB Cebulski, Chris Moreno, Christina Strain, Dan Didio, David Finch, Dan Fraga, David Wohl, Dene Mason, Don Ho, Eddie Berganza, Eddie Nunez, Eduardo Francisco, Eric Basaldua, Francisco Herrera, Francis Manapul, Frank Mastromauro, Gary Frank, Geoff Johns, Grace Crick, Greg Pak, Humberto Ramos, Jason Eden, Jason Rubin, Jeph Loeb, J. Scott Campbell, Jim Lee, Jim McLauchlin, Joe Benitez, Joe Madureira, Joe Quesada, Joel Gomez, John Starr, Josh Reed, JD Smith, JJ Kirby, J.T. Krul, Leonardo Olea, Lori Hanson, Marc Andreyko, Marc Silvestri, Marcus To, Mark Gould, Mark Roslan, Megan Fox, Micah Gunnell, Michael Birkhofer, Michael Gaydos, Oliver Nome, Paul Jenkins, Peter Steigerwald, Randy Green, Richard Isanove, Richard Starkings, Rob Liefeld, Ron Garney, Ryan Tumaliuan, Sal Regla, Sam Campos, Sana Takeda, Simone Bianchi, Simone Peruzzi, Stephen Platt, Siya Oum, Talent Caldwell, Tim Townsend, Vince Hernandez. Related:

Superstar Comic Book Artist Michael Turner Passes
Aspen Comics Responds to Megan Fox/Fathom Rumors
Aspen Comics Editor-in-Chief Discusses Future Without Michael Turner
Twitter activity Tweets by @Newsarama


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Marker Text:
Boundary disputes among the early river settlers caused this area to be called Bloody Point. By 1640 Trickey's Ferry operated between Bloody Point and Hilton's Point in Dover. In 1712 the meeting-house was erected and the parish set off, named Newington for the English village, whose residents sent the bell for the meeting-house. About 1725 the parsonage was built near the town forest, considered one of the oldest in America.
This Marker is in an odd place. From Rt.16 take exit 4, the Marker is located just west of the Rt 16 underpass on Shattuck Way.
The actual location of Bloody Point, and Trickey's Ferry was on the other side of the highway at the end of Bloody Point Road (marked here as River Rd). It may be private property, I didn't go look.
Here's a Birds Eye view of the end of Bloody Point Road, and the probable location of the Ferry.
The name "Bloody Point" can be traced back to the early 1630s. Capt. Mason, one of the original Grantees of the NH area had sent over two officers Capt. Wiggins, and Capt. Neal, to manage and run the New Hampshire settlement. Wiggins was responsible for the "upper" settlement, Hilton's Point, and north, and Neal the "Lower Settlement" Ordiorn's Point, from today's Rye and all of today's Portsmouth and Newington.
Wiggin and Neal had a bit of a disagreement over who actually owned this little spit of land. They almost settled it the old fashioned way. Sabers, or Pistols at ten paces … you get the idea. They did peaceably decide, and no blood was really spilled, but the point bears the name of the conflict.
Captain Neal and Captain Wiggin, rival agents, came near shedding blood there, about the possession of the land; " but," says the worthy Mr. Hubbard, " both the litigants had so much wit in their anger as to waive the battle, each accounting himself to have done very manfully in what was threatened ; so as in respect merely of what might have fallen out, the place to this day retains the formidable name of Bloody Point" In 1643, the Bloody Point part was in controversy between Portsmouth and Dover; but it was assigned to Dover.
Trickey's ferry ran from Bloody Point, across to Hilton's Point in Dover and also provided passage across the river to "Kittery Neck." Thomas Trickey owned the farm and land the ferry was on. He died before 1680. The land was eventually purchased by Captain John Knight (a Huguenot who came to the New World for religious freedom) in 1705, who owned and operated the ferry until 1718 or so, then transferred the operation to his son. He was a selectman at Newington in 1721, which was soon recognized as a town.
The first bridge spanning the two points was the General Sullivan (aka "Little Bay") Bridge was completed in 1934.
Miss Thompson, a descendant of John Knight, and the local historian, says : — In a wild, lonely spot is the grave of John Knight, the exile, shaded by sassafras trees and tall white birches, whose boles gleam afar off like shafts of polished marble. It is marked by a low, broad, three-lobed headstone of slate, on which is this inscription :
"Here lyes buried the body of John Knight Esq ,born August ye 30th 1659 and died May the 11th 1721."


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In an attempt to stretch my artistic approach, I've decided to do a lot more animal studies this year. While they're a world away from my work as an illustrator, the hope is, that if I return to
my roots and the basics of being an artist and a painter, I will mine some gold that can be brought into, or adapted for my designed and illustrated work.
I won't speak much about them or include them in my portfolio. They are mainly for my enjoyment and fulfilment as a painter. I will share them on this blog and my social media stuff however, as I think it might be interesting for you all to see them.
A Colombo Crow and a Pigeon.
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Foredrag: Future Technology and the Impact for Defence Planning
Dr Andrew Tyler CBE FREng
Northrop Grumman, Chief Executive Europe
Following a career in oil and gas, commercial maritime, and environment, Andrew Tyler moved into the defence sector in 2001 leading BMT Defence Services, a world-leading naval engineering and technology business involved amongst other things in the design of the UK's aircraft carrier, support of the nuclear submarine flotilla, international frigate designs (including Norway), and design of the new Aegir fleet tankers under construction for the UK Navy. In 2006 he joined the UK Ministry of Defence in the acquisition organisation, Defence Equipment and Support. In 2008 he became Chief Operating Officer with a $24Bn annual budget covering the whole portfolio of UK military procurement and support including equipping the Afghanistan campaign. In 2011 Andrew left MOD and after a period in the marine renewable energy sector, he was appointed Chief Executive Europe for Northrop Grumman with responsibility for NG's $1.5Bn European business that includes delivering NATO's new Global Hawks, support prime for the UK's AWACS fleet, and numerous other land, air, and maritime programmes across Europe.
The last year was perhaps one of the most remarkable years in terms of the diversity and speed of change in the threat landscape for Western nations. No-one could have foreseen the rise of ISIS (the response to which even saw Iranian jets targeting the same targets as US jets), the re-emergence of Russian expansionism, a lost civilian airliner, terrorist attacks in major European cities, a major epidemic in Africa, several major cyber-attacks on governments and industry, and repeated large-scale refugee shipments in the Mediterranean. Faced with such a bewildering array of threats and with no reasonable knowledge of what will come next, how does any nation or coalition of nations (NATO) decide how to invest its scarce resources to best protect its' citizens, homeland, and allies?
Almost exactly 100 years ago there was a 'horse and tank' moment, when it became clear that new technologies were making the methods of warfare of the past redundant. Today we are having another 'horse and tank' moment although this time it is much more complex. In the past fifteen years we have seen an extraordinary dawn of a number of transformational technologies that have proven their supremacy as battle-winning capabilities. Such capabilities include autonomous systems (especially unmanned air systems), high precision tuneable munitions, unparalleled airborne sensors for intelligence gathering, high bandwidth networking and communications (largely pulling through from the civil sector), and cyber-attack as a new weapon. While these capabilities have been introduced into defence and security inventories, the less effective capabilities they have superseded remain. It is little wonder that, regardless of the economic situation, defence budgets are under such pressure and defence planners are finding it so challenging when faced with both the threat landscape dynamics and the proliferation of means to defeat those threats.
While there is probably a good argument for European nations to increase defence spending, and indeed such a commitment has been made at the recent NATO Summit, this alone will not aid the defence planner in trying to spend precious resources to achieve maximum effect. The answer lies in two words: 'agility' and 'effect'. We tend these days to talk about capabilities rather than equipment, conceding the key inputs of manpower, infrastructure training and so on, but we should be moving beyond considering 'capabilities' in our defence planning. We should be moving to effects-based planning. Effects-based planning looks at the ultimate defence and security effect that is desired and then, in the context of that threat, determines the most effective way of delivering the effect. As an example, many times in recent decades the response to an adversary has been the use of air strikes. It is probably fair to say that the effect of these airstrikes has been variable, and while delivering some military utility, it has often had unintended consequences (such as civilian casualties) that have only served to make a security situation worse.
By contrast let us look at the case of Assad's use of chemical weapons on his people. The effect desired was for him to stop using these unacceptable and indiscriminate means of force. Instead of air strikes on his chemical weapons facilities, the response was to use air (and probably other) intelligence gathering techniques to provide incontrovertible evidence sufficient to build international pressure that eventually resulted in dismantling of his chemical weapons capability. This might be called '21st century deterrence'; the use of highly advanced sensor systems – including space-borne, airborne and others – to gather temporal and spatial information that provides an extraordinary and undeniable picture of what is going on, often without even entering the airspace of the country concerned and certainly without the risk to one's own forces. The sort of airborne assets used to gather this intelligence have very broad utility. They can be surveilling the unwarranted incursion of a foreign country into a friendly nation one day, and then covering the location of a major humanitarian disaster the next. It is assets like these that provide new ways of defeating old threats while at the same time providing great utility against a wide range of threats.
This brings us to 'agility'. 2014 illustrated the difficulty in predicting the nature, scale, and geography of the defence and security threats we face; no-one could have predicted what transpired during that year. So it would be foolhardy to try and forecast what might happen in the year to come and beyond. This leaves the defence planner with a dilemma. Building a plan on such uncertainty is extremely difficult and almost certain to be wrong. Even scenario-based planning would be defeated by the range of threat scenarios. Instead the defence planner needs to consider agility as a primary objective; the ability to utilise resources in the most flexible manner possible. Those capabilities that are likely to be most valuable are the ones that can provide utility in the widest range of scenarios. Such a perspective applied across the defence and security capability spectrum readily identifies those capabilities that have application in only a narrow set of circumstances. Judgements are required as to whether this application is critical – a nuclear-nation might consider their strategic nuclear deterrent in that category – or whether the price paid for this limited utility is outweighed by other capabilities that can offer a much wider application across the threat spectrum such as cyber, air ISR, special forces etc.
Over the decades the nature of warfare has changed radically. Once upon a time we engaged in hand-to-hand centric warfare. This evolved to mounted-centric warfare as vehicles became pervasive. This was followed by stand-off centric warfare as our ability to project force over distance dominated. Today we would appear to be witnessing the rise of intel-centric warfare. In future delivering the effects we desire against the threats we face will rely heavily on intelligence gathering, dissemination, and use through multiple channels ranging from diplomatic to kinetic. The word 'intelligence' is being used here in the widest sense covering the whole spectrum of IMINT, SIGINT, ELINT, GEOINT and OSINT. It is through the fusion of these sources, in near real-time that we will be able to provide a timely and high fidelity picture of our threat, whether that be the actions of a monolithic state, or a tiny terrorist cell. The enablers for this intel-centric warfare are already here; our challenge is how to harness them. The first challenge is getting the sensors positioned where you need them. Most obviously increasing the pervasion of space-borne and airborne sensors will greatly increase our ability to see. This will be achieved through satellite programmes, unmanned air systems and new air systems such as F-35. But in the future this will extend across maritime and land domains with unattended sensor networks, and other means of persistent and pervasive intelligence gathering.
The second challenge is networking these sensors to be able to deliver huge quantities of data to where it is required. Here we need to borrow heavily on the commercial networking and communications technologies now in commonplace use by us all – this is not difficult. Lastly we need to be able to find the needles in the fields of haystacks. This is possibly the greatest challenge – the timely processing, exploitation and dissemination of massive quantities of data. The buzzword is 'big data analytics'; the ability to ingest vast quantities of data and convert it to actionable intelligence. While many sectors are developing big data analytic techniques, few can be as challenged as the defence and security sector whose diversity of data sources, volume of data, and need for high-speed processing to deliver highly time-sensitive intelligence presents an enormous task.
We face a time of major transition in which defence planners need to play a central role in the transformation of defence and security capabilities, taking the tough decisions to respond to a dramatically different threat environment, and to take advantage of new technologies that can revolutionise the way in which we deliver effect. In doing so we will increase our security and reduce the costs in doing so.


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Although it may feel like 2015 only hit us a few days ago, we are already into the third month of the new year! For many, the new year can be a time to reflect on the bad habits or decisions of the previous year or to strengthen relationships with those around us. However, the new year also means new music, especially that of Kpop groups. Even though many groups have made a comeback within these two months, I will focus on three male groups and three female groups.
More > http://www.wishtrend.com/glam/hot-kpop-groups-debuts-2015/


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Tech elite sent to Trump Tower
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will be there, as will Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Oracle co-CEO Safra Catz and technology investor Peter Thiel. Making up the list is Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, CEO and chairman of Google parent Alphabet, respectively. We're talking about the meeting between President-elect Donald Trump and tech-industry executives today in New York.
Apart from Thiel, the Silicon Valley elite backed Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, so sackcloth, ashes and humble pie will be handed out to them by liveried footmen as they trudge up the steps of Trump Tower.
Like most journalists, Kara Swisher of Recode is a certified Trump hater, and the headline on her piece ticks all the bias boxes: "As Trumplethinskin lets down his hair for tech, shame on Silicon Valley for climbing the Tower in silence." Here's how she imagines the thoughts of the Valley elites upon being summoned to Manhattan:
"Fuckfuckfuck — now I have to become a reality show star in a new episode of 'The Apprentice: Nerd Edition,' bowing and scraping to that luddite Trump, who will probably simultaneously berate us in person and bully us on Twitter later with a lot of poop emoticons. Even worse, I have to act like Thiel is a genius, which he kind of is for backing a man who called serious and sophisticated hacking incursions by sovereign nations 'the cyber' and said 'somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds' — did he mean the bed or the hacker? I have no idea still — could have pulled it off."
As regards tech, Trump has come down hard on issues considered vital to the industry's interests, including trade and immigration. The Trump administration will possibly restrict the number of workers who enter the US with an H-1B visa — a type used by many tech employees. Incidentally, that's the visa Donald Trump's wife Melania received in 1996 to legally work in the US.
Etymology note: The expression "sent to the Tower" traditionally meant being imprisoned or punished in the Tower of London.Tweet


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Fresh from ten years as a U.S. Army Ranger, Quinn Colson finds his hands full as the newly elected sheriff of Tibbehah County, Mississippi. An old buddy running a local gun shop may be in over his head when stolen army rifles start showing up in the hands of a Mexican drug gang.
At the same time, an abused-child case leads Quinn and his tough-as-nails deputy, Lillie Virgil, deep into the heart of a bootleg baby racket and a trail of darkness and death. And when the two cases collide, Quinn and his allies are forced to realize that, though they may be home from the war, they are now in the fight of their lives.
Won from Library Thing
Overall Rating 4.25
Story Rating 4.50
Character Rating 4.00
First thought when finished: This book exceeded my expectations! A very good story coupled with a good mystery.
What I thought of the Case: I wasn't sure what to expect out of The Lost Ones because I had not read the first book in the series. I am a fan of "sheriff of the town" mysteries and this was that type of story with an adrenaline kick. Ace Atkins made no qualms about who the players were in the gun running game but he threw enough twists/turns to keep you wondering how it was all going to come together in the end. The selling children for profit secondary story played well into the overall storytelling! I was pretty much on edge the entire book.
What I thought of the characters: Quinn Colson is an ex-army ranger who turned into the Sheriff of his home town. He has family issues, town people issues, and is hung up on his ex who is married and pregnant. In other words, he is flawed enough to be interesting and Ace did a good job of not making any of that the focus of the story. I was worried that his personal life would take over the story but it ended up blending in pretty well. I loved Lillie! She is tough as nails, smart as a whip, and I am very interested to see where her character goes as the series progresses. She was more interesting to me than Quinn.
My Final Thoughts: I would recommend this one to fans of books like the Craig Johnson Longmire series. I know I am going to pick up book 1 and continue the series!
Felicia S
During her non-reading time you can find her hanging with her rescue furr children named after book characters: Lizzie a beautiful cattle dog mix (Pound Pup), Cinder a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Pound Pup), and Minerva a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Foster Fail). Gathering with friends and family, attending conventions, watching movies/tv shows, rooting for the 49rs, and crocheting.
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As part of the Digital Currency Council's Continuing Education partnership with Inside Bitcoins, the DCC's VP, Sarah Martin, had the opportunity to interview the thought leaders that will be speaking at the Inside Bitcoins Conference in Hong Kong on May 14-15, 2015. Today, we share an interview with Alex Carmichael, the Managing Director of Promontory's Singapore office.
Sarah: Tell us about how you got interested in Bitcoin and digital currencies.
Alex: The interaction of technology and finance has long been of interest to me. Before joining Promontory I spent 7 years at RiskMetrics Group where our objective was to use technology to bring transparency to financial markets. We believed that transparency was the antidote to complexity (i.e. risk) and I see the development of Bitcoin and other digital currencies as following a similar philosophy.
Sarah: What are some of the chief issues on your radar at Promontory with respect to Bitcoin and digital currencies?
Alex: Promontory believes that sustainable solutions are those that benefit both the individual company as well as the economy more broadly. A solution that only addresses a short term need will ultimately unravel as other market participants react and rules change. Finding a sustainable way to integrate digital currencies into the traditional banking system is a primary goal for us. We are finding that the overall level of understanding of digital currencies within traditional banking organizations is low, and that is impeding the acceptance of this new technology. The lack of concrete regulatory guidance about the treatment of digital currencies in many Asian jurisdictions is another factor that is creating uncertainty and a natural reluctance to take risk.
Sarah: Are you focused on digital currency risk and compliance issues primarily in Singapore, or are you coordinating with your offices worldwide for a more global view on blockchain technology?
Alex: Our San Francisco office has been working with dozens of digital currency clients for several years but it has only been in the past 6-9 months that we have started to see meaningful digital currency engagements in the Asian region. The modern financial marketplace is truly global and our clients that seek to participate in this space, regardless of their country of origin, very quickly find themselves dealing with risk and compliance issues in multiple jurisdictions across the globe. Providing quality advice and support has required close coordination among Promontory's network of offices and regulatory subject matter experts.
Sarah: What do you find most compelling about digital currencies and blockchain technology right now?
Alex: We are continually monitoring new technologies, practices and options for the benefit of both our public and private sector clients. Electronic payment technology is evolving quickly to improve the experience of financial transactions. Digital currencies fit nicely into this trend and have the potential to improve the speed, and lower the cost, of making payments.
Some elements of blockchain technology are also interesting from a risk and compliance perspective. For example, the ability to trace transactions through the blockchain offers a new and valuable tool in the fight against money laundering.
On the public sector side, the potential to elevate levels of financial inclusion in developing countries, and with sustainably low transaction costs, is exciting.
Sarah: What do you see as the greatest challenge facing the industry?
Alex: I think that the industry will have to make a collective choice between being a truly independent, unsupervised alternative to traditional banking and gaining mainstream acceptance within a reasonable period of time. I don't think that digital currencies can grow quickly enough beyond its current niche market without some amount of compromise and integration with the existing banking system, including a degree of regulation. Acceptance by regulators and authorities is necessary to gain the widespread confidence of consumers.
Sarah: What's on the horizon for you? Where do you plan to focus your time and energy this year?
Alex: Our immediate focus is on helping our digital currency clients to establish themselves in their core markets through the selective adoption of appropriate risk and compliance control programs and educating banking and regulatory partners about what they do, how they do it and why it is beneficial for the overall marketplace. In the longer term, we would like to work with Governments and standard setting bodies to leverage the benefits of digital currency technology to improve rates of financial inclusion in developing economies.
Sarah: Thanks very much for your thoughts, Alex.


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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 59, Ed. 1, Friday, April 30, 1993
Description: Weekly student newspaper from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas that includes local, state and campus news along with advertising.
Date: April 30, 1993
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: Abilene Christian University Library


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