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I've heard many friends in academia tell me "heels are just not for me", and I get it. Seriously, I do.
Given the hours we may spend on our feet in a lecture theatre or conference hall, walking to and fro buildings on campus, and more, it's not appealing to have our feet in distress all day.
And it certainly isn't healthy.
But does it have to be uncomfortable to wear heeled shoes?
Is it possible to wear them, and neither skimp on comfort nor damage our gaits?
Wearing heels and our body posture
Studies have been published with regards to shoes and how they might affect our health. They have shown that high-heels can take their toll on the spine, hips, knees, ankles, and feet while altering one's posture and gait (The Spine Health Institute).
"From an osteopathic perspective, we're looking for the body to be centered from head to toe. High heels put the foot at an angle and pull muscles and joints out of alignment, so the effects aren't limited to the feet," Dr. Surve explains in this article by the American Osteopathic Association.
"It's not unusual for people who spend lots of time in high-heels to have low back, neck and shoulder pain because the shoes disrupt the natural form of the body."
Silva, de Siqueira & da Silva also conducted a study on Implications on high-heeled shoes on body posture of adolescents.
Their conclusion reads:
High-heeled shoes in adolescents can lead to the development of postural disorders, among which stands out the forward head posture, lumbar hyperlordosis, pelvic anteversion, and knee valgus. The height and width of the heels are characteristics that exert most influence in the emergence of postural changes and body imbalance.
However, flat shoes have not fared any better.
Mike O'Neill, a spokesman for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, says in this Guardian article, that flat shoes can "strain the Achilles tendon that runs from the back of the heel, and also the calf muscles in the back of the leg".
Are we doing ourselves more harm than good when we try to hit the "stylish" mark with our footwear?
The solution
Score health and style points when you decide on footwear in the morning with the following tips…
#1 Make sure your shoes are the right size
How many times have we worn footwear that pinches a little bit just because it was too good to let go of?
That is not healthy. If it pinches, it's got to go.
#2 Your shoes should give your toes wiggle room
There was a time (I was an undergrad) when pointed-toes were in fashion. I had one pair and rocked them till the sole gave way to a loud "clap, clap" sound as I walked down the ceramic-tiled hallway.
I was unperturbed.
Pointed-toes, no matter how cool they look, are not ideal. Don't buy them. Let your toes breathe.
#3 Wear soft insoles
I once considered insoles a luxury purchase, but it does make a difference to your comfort level when you step out.
Our feet get the least love, but they're almost the most used body part.
Academics may debate this point with me and argue for the fingers because we type a lot!
But overall, soft insoles cushion your feet and help you put less strain on your muscles.
#4 Alternate the style of shoes you wear
If you can do this throughout your day, perfect, but definitely switch up your footwear from day-to-day.
High heels have got issues, but so do wearing flat heels exclusively. It's a balancing act for us.
#5 Exercise and stretches
It's always a good idea to get moving and stay fit. Doing this takes care of our feet as well.
Heel That Pain has some great stretches and exercises demonstrated with videos that may help.
Now that we have the solutions out of the way, here is some footwear inspiration to get you started on staying stylish and foot-healthy.
For more shoe inspiration, please visit the Stylish Academic PINTEREST page.
You may also like to read: how to walk in high heels by Sophie Powell (Scientific Beauty)
Heels and your posture – National Posture Institute


text: How do I make sure I have a recent iCloud backup? May 30, 2017 14:13 1. Launch Settings. 2. In the left-hand menu select "iCloud". 3. In the right-hand menu choose "Backup". 4. First make sure iCloud Backups are turned on, then check the date of your last backup. 5. If you do not have a recent backup choose "Back Up Now". 6. The device is now backing up. If you have never backed up your device this could take a while. Please be patient. 7. Your device now has a recent backup. Have more questions? Submit a request

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday Teaser: Young, Wild & Free Flannel
We're ready to snuggle up to the adorable new baby flannel collection, Young Wild & Free! Our cuddle flannel is super soft, which makes it perfect for squishable baby projects and crib quilts.
Look for Young, Wild & Free Flannel at your local quilt shop or favorite online retailer at the end of this month!
These Sketch Flannels coordinate beautifully with Young, Wild & Free.


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Lot No: 160902
Original Brand Name: ESMARA
Total Quantity: 43,856 PCS
Made for: Germany
Made in: Bangladesh
Lot No. 160902
Stocklot Type: Cancelled Shipment
Original Brand Name: ESMARA
Total Quantity: 43,856 PCS
Made for: Germany
Made in: Bangladesh
Fabric: 56% cotton, 39% polyester, 5% elasthane, 100 GSM.
Size Spec.: 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44.
Colors: 3 colors, White (25,211 pcs), Black (11,196pcs), Light Blue (8,393 pcs).
Stock Reason: Very Good Quality. Late shipment.
Packaging Details: One pc in one poly bag with printed paper inserted, 16 pcs assorted colors and sizes into one master carton, total 2,741 ctns, carton meas.: 38*28*20CM, 59 CBM roughly. G.W/N.W: 5.0KGS/4.1KGS.
Payment Terms: T/T, 30% deposit and balance before shipment. Sight L/C negotiable.
Delivery Time: Immediately
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text: E-commerce website allows people to buy and sell products, services online through Internet. E-commerce websites are different from a regular website because instead of only providing information, they allow consumers or businesses to purchase goods or services online. Shopping online using e-commerce sites takes the "middle-man" out of the equation. It allows the shopper to purchase an item in real-time on a company's website, instead of physically going to the store and ordering a product or service. Companies are offering the opportunity to buy and sell online. Companies are able to get directly inside customers homes with the click of a mouse. E-commerce is becoming more important in businesses as the Internet grows and competition becomes fiercer. It has multiple advantages for both consumers and businesses. From the business perspective, with less time spent during each transaction, more transactions can be achieved on the same day, more money is made. This time factor is also beneficial from a consumer standpoint. They see a product they want and order it in a matter of minutes. We, at Softechpillar, one of the pioneer web development companies, offer effective and powerful eCommerce web design, plug-in & module development solutions for small and medium level enterprises. Having passionate love for web designing and development, our skilled and talented professionals remain abreast with the current industry trends to deliver productive results. Our competent developers create customized e-commerce website to promote your brand effectively while bringing success as well as online sales.


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Reservation has been the talk of the town for decades now. It is followed like a routine habit, for instance – one should take a bath daily. Many people don't know the historic background behind the commencement of 'Reservation'. It is JUST THERE. But, in a time when the very concept of caste based reservation is under constant scrutiny, it becomes utmost important to know how the deal came about.
The primary objective of the present-day Indian reservation system is to enhance the social and educational status of underprivileged communities and thus improve their lives. But why was the need felt to develop such a system? Why, in the first place, were there "underprivileged communities"? Are these communities still underprivileged in the 21st century? If yes, what difference did reservation bring in their lives since these communities continue to be "underprivileged"?
It all started with the social stratification made during pre-modern origins of India called the 'Varnas'. We all have grown up learning about these varnas – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra – or the four Hindu castes. This is how the Brahmanical texts decode them:
- the Brahmins are priests, scholars and teachers;
- the Kshatriyas are rulers, warriors and administrators;
- the Vaishyas are cattle herders, agriculturists, artisans and merchants; and
- the Shudras are laborers and service providers.
- Certain groups, now known asDalits, were altogether excluded from this system on account of being "toilet cleaners" or "untouchables".
Technically, the system is in place since long before, and was later transformed during the British Rule. In other words, it may have taken the form of quota system a few decades ago, but the constant clash between social class and caste all goes down to the varnas. This, my friend, is the history of casteism, I mean, 'Reservation' in India.


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Schlitterbahn Galveston has just released a computer-generated video in preparation of the opening of Massiv — being billed as "the world's tallest uphill water coaster."
Opening this summer, it is said to be three football fields long, with four uphill sections and boasts the "first ever triple-drop finale."
Feel free to start screaming now.
(The only thing missing from the video are the "refreshing splashes of water" you'll actually encounter by going on the ride.)
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At Capital Construction, we are available commercial property owners in Lake Elmo, MN who need the help from a qualified and experienced commercial roofing contractor. The commercial roofers at our company can provide commercial roofing services that are cost-effective, dependable, and valuable to commercial building owners. When you pick a commercial roofer from Capital Construction, you are picking a roofing contractor who is able to handle all commercial roof services, regardless of how bad or what size, from flat roofing to complete commercial roofing replacement. There are a few of things we make sure of with every service: leave our customers 100% satisfied and finish every project properly the very first time. By employing licensed commercial roofers, equipped with advanced techniques and premium commercial roof products, our roofing company is able to achieve any services that our customers want. To schedule an appointment with a commercial roofer in Lake Elmo, MN for your commercial roofing system, just contact our commercial roofing company today at 952-222-4004.
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Commercial Roof Services
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MLS First Kick: Salt Lake at San Jose
It was my last night in the Bay Area and there were three games to choose between. My top priority was the San Jose Earthquakes game since I have never attended a game at Buck Shaw Stadium. The other two options were the San Jose Sharks game at 7:00 pm or the Golden State Warriors game at 7:30 pm. Since I had already attended a Warriors and Sharks game earlier in the week, the Earthquakes was the obvious choice.
This time I went with my family – Mom, Dad and Brother. Since my mom broke her foot three weeks ago we had no choice but to park in the closest parking possible. The lot cost $20, although under normal circumstances we would have parked in one of the further away for $10.
Beg, Borrow and Deal
Yesterday, my mom commented that the Earthquakes had wheelchair tickets available at $50 each. I asked her if she really wanted to pay $50 each and the conversation was dead. Instead we showed up to Buck Shaw Stadium without tickets as I planned.
There were a handful of people who had stacks of SRO tickets outside of the Buck Shaw Stadium ticket office. One of the sellers said they had received a coupon from the Earthquakes they could turn in for the tickets. I am not entirely sure how they received the "coupon" but it made for a buyers' market. We ended up paying $10 for four tickets (read $2.50 each) and sat in the wheelchair section anyway.
This was a classic case of a team outsmarting themselves selling tickets. The Earthquakes must have had a ticket deal stating buy tickets for a later game and receive free tickets to the game on March 27. Instead several fans ended up with over 20 tickets for tonight's game. A goldmine for anyone smart enough to buy tickets on the secondary market but a nightmare for the Earthquakes as my parents were ready to buy tickets directly from the ticket office.
A Sold Out Stadium?
The Earthquakes hosted their largest crowd ever at Buck Shaw Stadium (10,589). The game appeared to be "sold out" since all of the seats were full. However, we heard one of ticket takers on the way in comment that he felt management gave away too many SRO tickets. The small SRO section they planned for would not accommodate all the tickets that were available. Thus, fans started to fill up the entire stadium.
Another first for the day was beer in the stadium. Tonight was the first game in which the Earthquakes were allowed to sell beer even though the team has played there since their return in 2008.
In the end, the Earthquakes were smoked on opening day. They lost 3-0 and gave up brilliant goals by Javier Morales and Fabian Espindola. Earthquakes' Chris Leitch was sent off on a "by the book" red card by the referee.


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Travelsphere's escorted tours will take you to some of the most desired places in the world. They offer tours to Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.
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Metaverse University of DigiWorldz provides virtual world education to users around the globe. Learn building, texturing, scripting, region management, real-life program skills, and so much more. Come visit our campus and see what we have to offer. Be part of a community of higher education today!
View the complete class calendar at http://wc.digiworldz.com/Ucalendar.php
Get ready for fall with some classes at Metaverse University ! Improve your business skills, fly virtual planes, learn to build in prim and mesh, and expand your horizons with sound effects!
==> Visit the MVU Calendar online for class details at http://wc.digiworldz.com/UCalendar.php
– Using ...
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|Hey everyone, we've got another new class starting at Metaverse University (MVU): Creating and Using Inworld Sound Effects! Lorin Tone will be teaching us how sounds can enhance our builds and environments. First class next Tuesday, April 2, at 11am grid time. Get the details at http://wc.digiworldz...
|New flying lessons from MVU, Kea, and the DOR Angels!
|New flying lessons from MVU, Kea, and the DOR Angels!
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Every World Series in Major League Baseball History
Each year, the primary focus in any professional sport is the race for a championship. Every sport has their pinnacle trophy, but none is as coveted as baseball's World Series; a best of seven contest that celebrates our national pastime. An event as important as any holiday on the calendar, it is as traditional as Thanksgiving, as patriotic as the Fourth of July and as anticipated as Christmas morning. Over the last century, the World Series has been woven into the fabric of America's culture evolving far beyond a mere baseball tournament. It has become the game of all games and has continued to provide us with an endless highlight reel of magical moments evoking childhood memories of agony and ecstasy.
How would one define the World Series? It's Willie Mays catching what can't be caught and Don Larsen being perfect where perfection is simply not possible. It's Babe Ruth telling the fans and media where he is going to deposit the next pitch and a heavily outscored team of Pirates beating the unbeatable Yankees off a ninth inning Bill Mazeroski blast. The World Series is the crushing blow of Fred Snodgrass dropping a routine fly ball and Willie McCovey hitting the final out straight to Bobby Richardson. It's the Curse of the Bambino, when loyal Red Sox fans live their entire lives without witnessing a championship and when Yankees fans witness four in five years...
Although the "Fall Classic" as we know it didn't begin until 1903, Major League Baseball had several versions of a post-season championship series before that. In 1884, the Providence Grays of the National League outplayed the New York Metropolitan Club of the American Association in a three game series for what was originally called "The Championship of the United States." Several newspapers penned the Grays as "World Champions" and the new title stuck. Over the next six years, different variations took place between the National League and American Association pennant-winners, ranging in length from six to fifteen games. The American Association folded unexpectedly after the 1891 season forcing a suspension of the series. The following year, the National League absorbed four of the American Association's former franchises and expanded to twelve teams in an effort to promote the growth of baseball and maintain the public's interest. They played a split season in which the first-half winner played the second-half winner for the league championship. Many fans did not support the new system and the split season was promptly dropped in 1893.
In 1894, Pittsburgh's owner William C. Temple offered a championship trophy to the winner of a best-of-seven-game series between the National League's first and second-place teams. addition, he stated that the winning franchise would receive 65% of all ticket sales and the losing team would pocket 35%. Temple's novel idea would last for the next three years and helped to build the foundation for baseball's post-season popularity. More changes were on the horizon and in 1901, the American League was established much to the dismay of the senior circuit. Suddenly, baseball found itself engaged in a "civil war" as both rival leagues competed separately for the fan's loyalty and attention. Two years later a truce, previously known as the "National Agreement", was redefined outlining baseball's employment, salary and travel requirements. The 1903 compromise produced the business blueprint for major-league baseball and resulted in a merger that has lasted to this day. Once again Boston and Pittsburgh, the top American and National League teams, found themselves competing against one another in the first official "World Series".
World Series
World Series Record Books
|World Series Career Records For Players
|World Series Hitting Records
|World Series Pitching Records
|World Series Single Game Records
|World Series Hitting Records
|World Series Pitching Records
|World Series (4,5,6,7,8 Game Series) Records
|World Series Hitting Records
|World Series Pitching Records
World Series
World Series Research Pages
|Miscellaneous World Series Research Pages
World Series Ejections
Tossed From The Series
World Series Sweeps
The Undefeated Teams
World Series Extra Inning Games
Every Extra Inning Series Game
World Series Team Experience
Postseason Experience Chart
World Series Final Outs
Who, How & When
World Series TV Ratings
1968 - 2019
World Series Gate Receipts
Winner & Loser Pools
World Series Umpires
A Comprehensive List
World Series M.V.P.'s
Both Sport & Babe Awards
World Series
World Series Home Run Logs
|American League
|National League
|1903 - 1950
|1903 - 1950
|1951 - 1975
|1951 - 1975
|1976 - 2013
|1976 - 2013
|American League
|National League
|World Series Historical Pages of Interest


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Thursday, 22 March 2007
Reach Arts and Crafts Fair
Today I have to get everything ready for my stall at Reach Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday. We hope Emma's hard work publicising the event and the features on web sites, radio and local papers results in lots of visitors. Maybe the promise of excellent home-made cakes will be too tempting to resist.
The linocut above is my most recent limited edition print and is based on sketches of a Buff Orpington hen - I love their soft roundness and gentle character. I was also thinking of tile designs when I was working on this print - both islamic designs and the work of William de Morgan. I like to start with a carefully observed sketch and distil it into decorative patterns without losing what I wanted to capture in the original sketch.
Posted by Celia Hart on Thursday, March 22, 2007
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I knit seamlessly whenever I can. However, there are situations when I want a visible seam that looks like a column of knit stitches, for example, at the shoulders of a sweater, or at the sides of a garment worked sideways. In such cases, I join pieces by knitting them together. The method I'm going to show you also works well for joining pieces in blankets.
The finished seam, used here to join shoulders, looks like this:
The seam is a variation of central double decrease (cdd). We join two pieces by slipping stitches – to place them into position for joining – and then working cdd. Each cdd decreases 2 side stitches, and leaves only the central stitch on needle. Those central stitches create a horizontal line of Vs that run between the two pieces we are joining, on the right side of work. On the wrong side, the seam looks like a row of purl stitches.
The seam must be worked loosely – it must be stretchy!
This is because the width of a stitch is usually larger than its height, e.g. if you work stockinette stitch with a DK weight yarn, your gauge is likely to be 22 stitches and 30 rows per 10 cm / 4 in square: 22 stitches measure the same as 30 rows. If you join two pieces of 22 stitches each, the knitted seam will run horizontally over the stitches and it will have only 22 rows per 10 cm instead of 30. Therefore, the seam needs to be loose enough to stretch by about 25-30%, compared to your normal gauge.
You will most likely need to work the seam with a larger size needle than you used for knitting the pieces you are going to join. I usually use a needle that is one size larger than my main needle, but every knitter is different – you might need to experiment a little with the needle size that works best for you. If your seam looks too tight, go up in needle size, if it turns out too stretchy (which is unlikely), change to a smaller needle.
How to work knitted seams
1 – Place pieces to be joined on needles:
Place 2 pieces you are going to join on a needle each, with the ends of your work where you are going to start joining close to the tips of the needles. The number of stitches on each needle must be the same, right sides of both pieces up – the seam is worked on the right side of work.
The photo shows front and back parts of the yoke in Frozen Leaves sweater, before they are joined at the shoulders. The joining will start from the sleeve end of the yoke and finish at the neck, so the sleeve sides of both pieces are close to the tips of the needles. I use a circular needle, but straight or double pointed needles will work fine too, if the pieces to be joined are short. My working yarn is attached to the piece on the right, but it does not matter which side the yarn is on.
2 – Create the centre stitch:
2a – We will work the first stitch on the left needle and the first stitch on the right needle together: slip the first stitch on the right needle to the left needle, by inserting the left needle into the front of the stitch.
2b – Knit the 2 stitches together – 1 stitch decreased. The stitch that remains becomes our centre stitch.
3 – Slip stitches into position for cdd:
3a – Place 2 stitches on the right needle into position for the next step, by slipping them to the left needle, one by one (inserting the left needle into the fronts of the stitches). Now all 3 stitches needed for cdd are on the left needle (circled).
3b – Insert the right needle into both stitches together, as if to work k2tog, but do not complete the k2tog – you only slip the stitches together to the right needle without working them. As a result, the central of the 3 stitches you work for each joining cdd is on top, ready for the next step.
4 – Complete the joining cdd:
4a – Knit the next stitch on the left needle.
4b – Placing the left needle into the backs of the 2 slipped stitches, pass them over the new knit stitch.
4c – Two stitches have been decreased at the sides, the central stitch remains, and is on top.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you run out of stitches. Our seam is finished! (And it will look much neater after blocking.)
I hope you have found my tutorial helpful. I used this method joining the shoulders and sides in Frozen Leaves pattern, published as part of Miss Babs Fall 2017 collection. If you make your own Frozen Leaves sweater, please share your project in my Ravelry group.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }


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Fianna Fáil Deputy Timmy Dooley has expressed alarm about the "escalating mortgage crisis" in Clare, as new figures reveal that the county's mortgage default rate is higher than the national average.
The figures, obtained by Fianna Fáil through Parliamentary Questions, show that 12.2% of mortgage holders in Co Clare have defaulted on their payments. These figures relate to June 2014 and are the latest available.
Deputy Dooley said the figures are proof of the severity of the mortgage crisis in Co Clare.
"It is shocking to think that more than 12% of mortgage holders in Clare are simply unable to pay their mortgages. These are people who are in such severe difficulty that they have had to default on their payments. And unfortunately these figures are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the extent of the mortgage crisis here, as I know there are many more homeowners who are just barely keeping their heads above water," said Deputy Dooley.
"This is a damning indictment of the Government's record on tackling the mortgage crisis. The crisis has spiralled out of control as mortgage holders are left at the mercy of banks. I have spoken to many Clare homeowners who tell me that they cannot keep on top of their household bills and have fallen behind on their mortgage repayments. They are now genuinely fearful that they may lose their family home. It's heart-breaking.
"Nationally there are 37,484 people in arrears for more than two years with tens of thousands more heading in that direction. The banks have been put firmly in the driving seat when it comes to restructuring mortgages in difficulty. The level of home repossessions is rocketing and homeowners have been left without any legislative protection. The Government's much-hyped Personal Insolvency Service is not working. Despite the severe level of mortgage difficulty in Co Clare and across the country, only 199 personal insolvency arrangements involving secured debt have been made by the Insolvency Service of Ireland since it was established in 2014.
"At the moment mortgage holders in Clare are being failed utterly by the Government. Fine Gael and Labour have shot down several attempts by my party to introduce legislation to get rid of this veto and put mortgage holders back in the driving seat. They cannot ignore this crisis any longer. I'm urging the Government representatives in Co Clare to stop ignoring the mortgage crisis on their doorsteps."


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Are you looking for a place to fixed your cracked iPhone screen? Do not fret DayTech Device Repair has 2 locations serving the greater Atlanta area. We have locations in Hiram and Acworth, GA. Most iPhone screen repairs are done with in 30 to 45 mins. We are locally owned and operated not a big franchise. Our technicians take pride in their work and we spend alot of time in money and training them to make sure you get the best repair at an affordable price. So stop by DayTech today to get your device repaired we have short wait times and carry 99% of all iPhone screens in stock so you can have it repaired while you wait.
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Meridia (Reductil) vs Xenadrine
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Meridia (Reductil)
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Here is one cute lesson based on a cat and dog in their baby stage. Today I will show you "how to draw a kitten and puppy", step by step. These two adorable animals have love written all over their faces. I love how they appear to be best friends, but somehow the kitten looks unsure of whether or not cats and dogs get along. Even though people have cats and dogs in their homes, and they say that they get along, most of the time there is still hissing and chasing nonetheless. This is because it's only natural for dogs to chase cats, and for cats to run from dogs. If you own a real docile pup, maybe then there won't be as much action going on in the household. Anyways, I think you will all enjoy drawing a kitten and puppy because this tutorial is just too cute to pass up replicating.
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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The Argentine tango isn't here to play nicely with the other children. The Argentine tango is here to seduce your women, spill things on your rug, and sneak out your bedroom window in the middle of the night.
He'll die first, we both know it, but I don't know... I really don't know how long I'll stay alive without him. That's the part Shaun doesn't know. I don't intend to be an only child for long.
Children's games are stronger than you remember once you've grown up and left them behind. They're always fair, and never kind.
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EDITORIAL: Carbon tax: putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop
TAXATION: Single-income families the biggest losers
CANBERRA OBSERVED: Greens - bad for Coalition, worse for Labor
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE I: ALP bent on overturning traditional marriage
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE II: New York embraces same-sex marriage
EUTHANASIA: Bob Brown's plan to introduce euthanasia via the ACT
FOREIGN TRADE: Anti-dumping rhetoric no assistance to local industry
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Thai election result offers hope for the future
ASIA: The Republic of China is reborn on Taiwan
POPULATION POLICY: Moscow summit highlights threat of depopulation
POLITICS: Why conservatives are the new radicals
EDUCATION: Greens terrorising our children
SOCIETY: How cyber-porn breeds cyber-cowards
OPINION: Why don't we speak clearly about Islam?
BOOK REVIEW How our media let us down
BOOK REVIEW Australia's aviation pioneers
Books promotion page
While I agree with many of the policy positions of News Weekly, and in particular its concern over the increasing Islamicisation of Western Europe, I have to say I don't admire its apparent reluctance to answer the question "What Is to be Done?"— to quote the 19th-century Russian writer Chernochevsky.
Much hand-wringing, many cries of "O tempora, O mores!", get us nowhere. We need to be both fair and frank in regard to Islam as it impinges on Western society as a result of Europe's increasingly open borders: we need to advocate the re-closing of those borders (the old Soviet Union had thousands of miles of apparently impermeable borders, so why can't Western Europe?); we need to be fair in what we say and write about the fundamentals of the Islamic faith, for there are many intelligent people amongst us now, people we welcomed here, who are attached to that faith and can easily rebut simple-minded assaults on it; and we need to be frank about how to avert the cultural clash that looms.
First, we need to be fair, and admit that, yes, Islam is indeed a great faith, with well over a billion devout followers, one of the three Faiths of the Book (the "Old Testament"); and, yes, that in certain important respects it is closer to Christianity than is Judaism (above all in the recognition of Christ, not only as one of the outstanding prophets, but as the final Judge at the End-time, and the recognition, too, of his Virgin Mother in her Virginity). And that, yes, Islam respects the life of the unborn, and the value of the family, and is in many ways closer to Christianity in its preferred mores than is secular Western society.
And that, yes, many (not all) of the Shuras in the Koran are beautiful things, insights into the glory of God. And we need to understand, as Thomas Carlyle understood in his famous essay on Mahomet, that Mahomet was doing his utmost to bridle an extremely primitive Arabian religion that allowed a hundred wives and was as barbaric as hell (read Carlyle's essay). Moreover, when we cite passages in the Koran that seem barbaric to us, we ought to remember those passages in the "Old Testament" that are equally barbaric, and there's a wealth of them (we all remember the appalling things they say: for just one instance, justifying genocide down to the last woman, child and animal — and of course the devout can "justify" those passages). "Our" book.
But then we also need to be frank. We need to say, out loud, that we will not accept, into our Western societies, immigrants who wish to set up enclaves in which the law of our land does not run, who wish to alter the fundamentals of our societies in accordance with their religious preferences. Otherwise why did they come to the West? We should encourage people who are unhappy with our society to leave it, and if they can't afford to do so, to assist them to leave it.
President Sarkozy ofFranceis correct, and should be congratulated, on his policy in regard to the banning of the burka from the streets ofFrance. Those who wish to live inFranceshould accept the rules and civil constitution of the country.Francehas a constitutional principle that religion is a purely private thing and has no place in the civic sphere.
The Swiss are correct too, from their cultural point of view, in banning any further construction of minarets in their land. They have a more direct democracy than ours, and the will of the people is final. Geert Wilders in theNetherlandsis also correct in advocating a reverse migration for those immigrants who have shown themselves hostile to Dutch society.
We should endorse all this out loud when we write of the European scene — it's not enough simply to bewail the situation over there.
The question comes down to this: What is to be done? If we don't think anything much can now be done inEurope, if we think it's too late, we should say so.
My own view, for what it's worth, is dark, but not in the sense that I foresee an Islamic dominance inWestern Europe. Quite the contrary. Every two hundred years or so Europe goes to extremes (1492 and the expulsion of the Moors from Spain after they'd been there for six or seven centuries; the French Revolution and its export all over Europe; the horrors of the early 1940s, including the Jewish Holocaust; the expulsions of millions of Germans from the East in 1945-6; the ethnic circumstances attending the break-up of Yugoslavia).
It's highly likely thatEuropein a hundred years' time, probably less, will go to extremes again, and simply fly its tens of millions of Moslems out. The sufferings involved will no doubt be sheeted home to the bureaucrats who created the problem. Only a fool would bet against such a dark scenario. In fact, the greater the proportion of Moslems in European societies, the greater the likelihood of such an eventuality in the long run. Put it this way: it's an historic tendency, and not a subtle one.
The problem for us in Australia is that the countries of Europe are not settler societies, as are the United States, Canada and Australia, whose populations, while (so far) mainly Western in culture, are almost wholly immigrant across just a few generations. It's unclear how we, in our settler societies, based as they already are on a wide variety of immigrant cultures, can deal, in the practicalities of the present, with similar problems.
How, in regard to our immigration intake, do we go about discriminating against people of a particular religion? What would be the mechanics of that? And all of them? Some of them? Can attitudes be tested on scraps of paper?
These questions, and others of a related kind, require careful consideration by journals such as News Weekly. Hand-wringing won't do any longer. Again, in Europe it's possible to argue thatFrance, orBritain, orItaly, are "full". That doesn't apply to settler societies, or at least it hasn't applied up to now.
We need to think about these issues, and speak and write clearly. It's not enough to complain.
Dr Philip Ayres is former head of English at Monash University and has written biographies of Patrick Francis Moran, Douglas Mawson, Owen Dixon and Malcolm Fraser.
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COVER STORY Wildfires: Lessons from the past not yet learnt
HUMAN RIGHTS A Magnitsky-style law for Australia?
GENDER POLITICS In trans Newspeak, parental consent is a 'hurdle'
EDITORIAL America 'resets' foreign policy on China and Russia
CANBERRA OBSERVED After the fires, we still need an economy and to power it
LAW AND SOCIETY Cardinal Pell and the Appeal Court judges
HUMOUR The MacStuttles probe


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Jer. 13:1-11 & Mt. 13:31-35
Jeremiah was commanded to use a visual aid as a means to illustrate the decay in the people's relationship with God. The rotted loin cloth, no longer fit for use, was a symbol of Israel's corruption.
But God's plan is not thwarted by human betrayal. All along His plan is at work. With the coming of Jesus He made all things new. The kingdom of God broke upon the world with His coming. The renewed presence of God's love, and life in and among us, started with one person, Jesus, and His band of followers. It was a small beginning, as tiny as the mustard seed, but it has spread through the centuries across the whole world. A new people, the Church, now worships God in spirit and in truth. We are aware that we ourselves are not immune from corruption. All around us are forces which would lead us to betrayal. Our life in God is a constant challenge to be a yeast in society, to be a means not of corruption, but for growth.
Jeremiah was sent by God to admonish the people, to call them to repentance. We have that same message before us constantly in the sacred scriptures. We have even more. We have the Body of the Lord to strengthen us, to overcome evil and to preserve the good within us. The Holy Eucharist is more than the presence of Jesus among us. It is a spiritual food which nourishes our soul to keep alive God's life and love within us.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for calling us to be Your children. May we live lives worthy of our high calling.


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Annual Catholic Appeal: The Annual Catholic Appeal is a vital part of the Catholic Church's mission in Central Pennsylvania. If you have not made a gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal, please pick up a spare envelope in the Gathering Space. You may return it to the parish office, place it in next week's offertory, or mail it to OLV.
To date 616 households have pledged $205,107.00 towards our goal of $133,917. Thank you for your generous support!
Pews for Sale: As we announced previously, we are replacing the pews in the Church this summer. If you would like to buy a pew (or two or three), please contact Deacon Lapinski at 237-7832 or [email protected]
Catholic Men's Conference: The theme this year is "Fear Not...Have Faith in Christ!" It will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013 at the JFK Center on the Campus of St. Francis University, Loretto, PA. The program runs from 8:45am til about 5:00pm. $35.00 fee covers the cost of lunch. ($30.00 if registered by May 31). Registration forms and more info on the day are in the Gathering Space, or email Jeff Philbin at [email protected]
Interfaith Human Services, of which OLV and Good Shepherd are members, was created by the State College faith communities to help our neighbors in need. Please join the ZUMBATHON to support the IHS Displaced Residents Fund on Sunday, May 19, from 4 to 6pm at Christ Community Church, 200 Ellis Place, off Benner Pike. The IHS will also participate in Centre Gives, a 36-hour online giving event sponsored by Centre Foundation. From 6:00am Wednesday, May 22 to 6:00pm Thursday, May 23, donors can visit CentreGives.org to help Interfaith Human Services (IHS) raise additional money for the IHS Displaced Residents Fund. All donations will be matched by Centre Foundation. Thus far the Displacement Fund has helped 16 families with over $18,000. However, many are still in need of our help!
Announcements > From the Pastor >


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Get Your Cinderella On!
Isn't it thoughtful of Mother Nature to provide us with such a wide array of vases for flower arrangements each fall? Pumpkins come in every shade of orange, and white. Some are even dappled. I like to find pumpkins that are large enough to hold a plastic coffee can inside them for water. You can too. Clean out your pumpkin, saving the seeds. Rinse them and dry them really well with paper towels. Toss the seeds with vegetable oil and a little salt and bake them on 350 until they are toasty and brown. While they bake, go around the yard, scavenging for branches, berries, roses and sunflowers for your vase.photo courtesy dreamstime.com


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UAPMT 2018 – Application Form – Important Dates – Eligibility – How to Apply
Post Details
UAPMT 2018: Application form will be initiated in the month of January 2018. Uttarakhand Ayurveda Pre Medical Test (UAPMT) is a entrance test exam which is organized by Uttarakhand Ayurved University. UAPMT entrance exam will be organized to offer admission into undergraduate degree courses in BAMS, BHMS and BUMS. Candidate who are seeking for adimission into various Ayurvedic institutions of the State. This site would be a great help for Candidates at the time of registration for UAPMT 2018. Our site provides you with the complete details of UAPMT. we also provide you with the UAPMT Results. so bookmark our site sarkarirecruitment.com it would be helpful for your UAPMT Examination.
About Uttarakhand Ayurved University:
Uttarakhand Ayurved University was established by the Government of Uttarakhand vide Uttarakhand Ayurved University Act, 2009 for the purpose of ensuring, effective and systematic instructions, teaching, training, research and development in ayurved. After the creation of Uttarakhand State from Uttar Pradesh various efforts have been made by state government to bring socio-economic change in this backward state with difficult geographical conditions. Despite its economic backwardness state is enriched with its vivid flora and fauna and is well-known specifically for vast potential of high altitude medicinal plants and herbs.
The economic and scientific usage of such diversified resources may be a primary source of overall economic viability and sustainable growth culminating into radical economic growth of local people. With this view, state government has already taken various steps in this direction and the establishment of first Ayurved University in the state may be certainly seen as a giant step in internationally acclaimed field of ayurved.
UAPMT 2018 Notification:
We provide you with all the information regarding UAPMT Examination. All the information will be provided at one place so that candidates get the information easily.
|Uttarakhand Ayurved University
|Name of Exam
|January 2018
|Official website
UAPMT 2018 Important Dates:
We provide you with UAPMT Essential Dates. These dates would help in getting a crystal view. so, that all the schedule can be made according to these dates which would be essential for UAPMT.
|Dates (Expected)
|Application form availability at post office/starting of selling application form
|2nd week of January 2018
|Closing date of Application form
|3rd week of April 2018
|Last date to submit the application form at university
|4th week of April 2018
|Admit card availability
|2nd week of May 2018
|Exam date
|4th week of May 2018
|Result Announcement date
|Last week of May 2018
UAPMT 2018 Registration Eligibility:
Every Candidate applying for UAPMT must check Eligibility initially. The Candidate should meet all the criteria so that he might in a position to apply for the exam. Here we provide you with all the eligibility requirements.
- The Candidate must be citizen of India.
- Candidate must have qualification of 12th or its equivalent examination from a recognized board.
- The minimum marks in the qualifying exam must be above 50%.
- The qualified exam should contains subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology.
- Candidates appearing for final exam may also applly.
Age Criteria:
- The candidates must complete age of 17 years at the time of admission.
UAPMT 2018 FEE Structure:
- Application fee can be paid through through Demand Draft drawn in favor of UAU, Dehradun.
- Candidates have to pay Rs:- 3500 /- for un-reserved candidates.
- Candidates have to pay Rs:- 2500 /- for reserved candidates.
How to Apply for UAPMT:
Here we provide you with all the necessary steps which are helpful at the time of Registration. Follow these steps to make your application process simpler. Hope this be useful.
- Visit the official site provided
- Go for Registration link
- Fill the registration form and also it's better to have a copy of all the details provided.
- Make a note of Registration number & Password.
- Upload scanned copy of photograph, signature & other documents asked for.
- Take a printout after completion of application form for further reference.


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Meet our team of elders:
Steve Dunn facilitates the eldership team, working full-time for Beacon Church after 20+ years in the frontline ambulance service. He and his wife Jennie have a daughter, Amy, and a small ginger dog. Steve plays guitar, likes a good tweet, and will expound the virtues of cinema and fig rolls to anyone who'll listen.
David Horrell is a self-employed electrician and works for the church in his spare time. He and his wife Margaret have three grown-up children, seven grandchildren, and a varying number of chickens.
John Way has retired from the Post Office and now works full-time for the church. He and his wife Jo have a grown-up son and three grandsons. John is an experienced drummer and is now making forays into the world of caravanning.
Our eldership team are also supported by men and women in other leadership roles to help further encourage, assist and resource our church family and those around us.
(Photos thanks to www.ollyknightphotography.co.uk)


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20 September 2016
The estimated cost of decommissioning Soviet-designed, first-generation nuclear power reactors in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia will be at least €5.7 billion ($6.4 billion), according to the European Court of Auditors. However, it warns this could double if the cost of disposing of high-level radioactive waste is included.
The European Court of Auditors' mission is to contribute to improving European Union (EU) financial management, promote accountability and transparency, and act as the independent guardian of the financial interests EU citizens. Its role as the EU's independent external auditor is to check that EU funds are correctly accounted for, are raised and spent in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations and have achieved value for money.
As part of their accession agreements to become members of the EU, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia agreed to the early closure and subsequent decommissioning of eight Soviet-era "non-upgradeable" reactors. These comprised units 1 to 4 of Bulgaria's Kozloduy plant; units 1 and 2 of the Ignalina plant in Lithuania; and units 1 and 2 of Slovakia's Bohunice V1 plant. These were shut down between 2002 and 2009. In return, the EU agreed to provide financial contributions to the three countries to compensate for the "exceptional social, economic and financial burden" of meeting this demand.
Between 1999 and 2020, EU support to Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia for decommissioning those plants will have totalled €2.95 billion - €1.55 billion to Lithuania, €731 million to Bulgaria and €671 million to Slovakia. In addition, in the period up to 2013, the EU provided €890 million for energy projects designed to compensate for the loss of generating capacity in those countries due to the early reactor closures.
The European Court of Auditors said today, the gap between decommissioning costs and financing in Lithuania has increased to €1.56 billion since the last audit in 2011, while the financing gaps in Bulgaria and Slovakia are estimated at €28 million and €92 million, respectively.
"Member States' co-financing of EU programs remains very limited," the auditors said. "The dedicated EU funding programs for nuclear decommissioning have not created the right incentives for timely and cost-effective decommissioning, with nearly all the key infrastructure projects having experienced delays."
While authorities in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia claim the plants have been irreversibly closed, the European Court of Auditors noted, "Not all of the expected outputs used by the European Commission to assess progress towards irreversible closure have been fully met". It says that while decommissioning of such plant components as the turbine halls is well advanced, "critical challenges" remain for work on decommissioning the reactor buildings. There have also been delays in the construction of key infrastructure projects for waste management at the reactor sites.
The auditors have recommended the European Commission seeks to increase national co-financing of the decommissioning projects between 2014 and 2020. It also suggests dedicated funding programs for decommissioning in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia should be discontinued after 2020. The auditors also suggest those countries should improve their project management and build up their technical capacity, as well as establishing more complete cost estimates and financing plans for the disposal of used fuel and radioactive waste. They should also improve cooperation between themselves and other EU member states and beyond.
Researched and writtenby World Nuclear News
WNN is a public information service of World Nuclear Association


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St. Patrick's Day Parade/ St. Paddy's Day 5K 2020
Saturday, March 14, 2020!
St. Paddy's Day 5K – 8AM
The Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise, in cooperation with West Suburban Irish, is hosting a 5K Race, Run, or Walk on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 8:00AM.
Participation in this event is a great way to join into the St. Paddy's Day Spirit. Proceeds from this event will be used to provide health related services to those in need. For further information: http://www.stpaddysday5k.org/ – Following the St Paddy's 5K, stay downtown for the annual West Suburban Irish St. Patrick's Day parade!
St. Patrick's Day PARADE – 10AM
The 2020 West Suburban Irish St. Patrick's Day parade kicks off at 10 a.m. from Naperville North High School, located at 899 N. Mill Street. The parade continues south on Mill Street, east on Jefferson Avenue, south on Main Street and west on Water Street to the Municipal Center. Enjoy the celebration anywhere along the parade route!
May the luck of the Irish be with you! For more information: http://www.wsirish.org/


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Well the Knitting and Stitiching Show in Harrogate has come and gone and I have a confession to make….
It was absolutely KNACKERING!!!
I have been attending the show for years as a visitor and have thought about how much work must go into being an exhibitor but DIDN'T REALLY appreciate just how much!
I want to say thank you to everyone who visited me on my stand either buying from me or taking the time to look at my work – it is appreciated.
If you didn't visit the show, here are a few photos…
The fabulous Royal Hall..
My stand..
Remember this quilt? See it being created here in previous posts.
I had LOTS of students visiting my stand, eager to ask questions and take photos. I really enjoyed talking to them and hearing more about the course they were doing and the projects they were making. I couldn't resist passing on some ideas they might want to try!!
A particular thank you goes to the other exhibitors I met for the first time like Margaret and Catherine who makes the most fabulous ceramic yarn bowls, ceramic buttons and wooden craft accessories. Click on the either of the photos to see more of their work.
The biggest thank you though, undoubtedly goes to Our Linda for all her support and hard work, aren't sisters great!! (she will kill me for sharing this!!)
And finally, a photo of one of my favourite pieces from my Limited Editions Collection
Thank you for stopping by, it is much appreciated…
t r a c y
* If you like what I do, then others might too – thank you for liking and sharing *


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There is a lot of buzz about driverless cars right now as automotive and technology companies have begun to roll out these autonomous vehicles. If you have been following the developments in self-driving cars, you are likely familiar with all the benefits that are touted by its advocates: fewer accidents, less congestion and pollution, improved land use, and more mobility for the disabled.1 Many people are quite excited for this technology, while others remain skeptical and fearful of it. Regardless of which side of the spectrum you fall on, the technology is fascinating and presents many possible applications that are important to consider. It is likely that in the near future, autonomous vehicles will be a part of our daily lives, so it is best to gain an understanding of how this new technological development could impact you.
History and Development
The first attempt at a driverless car was in 1925 by a man named Francis P. Houdina.2 Houdina toured the country that summer, demonstrating how his invention worked. The automobile, called the American Wonder, was controlled via radio by a driver who followed the driverless car in a separate vehicle. While Houdina continued to tour the car for several years, it had significant safety issues; at one point, it crashed into a car filled with cameramen. Therefore, it was never mass produced or sold commercially.
After this, technology focused more on developing automatic highways rather than automatic cars. In 1956, GM introduced the concept of the Firebird II, a car that would be steered with an electric highway.3 This idea was taken a step further in 1959 by the Radio Corporation of America. A test model for this "highway of the future" was built in Princeton, NJ, which featured an electrical cable that warned the car of any obstructions ahead, which then triggered the car to either brake or switch lanes. The engineer behind this project, Vladimir Zworykin, believed that the widespread use of this technology would address the growing problem of automobile accidents in America, and anticipated these electric highways to become the norm within a decade or two. However, the infrastructure costs both in installation and maintenance stopped the project before it really began. In 1977, Japan's Tsukuba Mechanical Engineering Lab released what was considered the first truly autonomous car.4 The vehicle worked using analog computer technology and two cameras for signal processing. It was able to drive up to 18.6 MPH with the help of an elevated rail.
In the '80s, movies such as "Christine" and "Knight Rider" brought into the public eye the idea of an autonomous vehicle.5 Simultaneously, more research started being conducted into making driverless cars a reality. One research team at Bundeswehr University in Munich turned a van into a self-driving vehicle that they called the VaMoRs. At the same time, researchers at the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute started a line of robotic cards with the transformation of a panel van into an autonomous car. These projects required vans in order to hold all of the necessary equipment.
In 2004, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) unveiled the Grand Challenge series, which is a competition that gives robotics departments at universities and robotics companies the opportunity to develop an autonomous vehicle.6 While DARPA is clearly concerned with this technology for military purposes, the technology that is coming out of this project are directly creating the commercial driverless cars that are being developed. Google has hired the best researchers to come out of the Grand Challenge series to develop the Google car.
How They Work
Current models of self-driving cars build on several features that are already used in driver-controlled cars. For example, developments in the '80s and '90s in vehicles focused on automation to enhance safety.7 An example of this is anti-lock brakes; while previously, the driver needed to pump the brakes to prevent them from locking, anti-lock brakes do the pumping for you. About a decade of the development of anti-lock brakes, automobile manufacturers took this technology a step further to create sensors that adding traction and stability control. These steps in safety development of standard cars represents the move towards driverless cars. Additionally, the evolution of other technologies has contributed to the development of autonomous vehicles.
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a technology that autonomous vehicles use to create a three-dimensional map and detect hazards by using laser beams to determine the distance between the car and other objects.8 In the Google Car, a Velodyne 64-beam laser is mounted on the top of the car so it has an unobstructed, 360-degree view on a custom-built, rotating base.
While LiDAR works to accurately map surroundings, it is unable to monitor speed of surrounding vehicles. Therefore, autonomous vehicles also use bumper-mounted radar units for this purpose.9 Driverless cars are outfitted with two sensors on the front bumper and two on the back bumper, which send signals to the on-board processors to move out of the way or apply the brakes. Radar technology works with other technologies in the car, such as gyroscopes, a wheel encoder, and inertial measurement units, in order to help the car make informed decisions to avoid crashes.
The cameras used in the different models of driverless cars vary, but cameras are commonly used.10 One example is that it is mounted to the exterior, allowing the car to get an overlapping view of its surroundings. Just as the human eye uses different overlapping images for peripheral vision, depth, and dimensionality, the driverless car uses multiple cameras to create a complete image. The camera has a 50-degree view up to 30 meters. Cameras are just one piece of the puzzle that is a driverless car; if they were to malfunction, the car could still work.
Some prototypes of autonomous vehicles also include sonar technology.11 Sonar technology has some disadvantages when compared to LiDAR and radar technologies; namely, it has a narrow field of view and a short effective range. What sonar technology truly adds is a redundancy that allows the car to cross-reference multiple sources of data to make its decisions.
In order to get anywhere, autonomous vehicles require advanced positioning systems to keep on course and to route to its destination.12 In the case of the Google Car, it uses Google Maps, GPS satellites, a wheel encoder, and inertial measurement units to maintain correct driving speed and route the car. Using real-time data from the cameras combined with GPS, the system can determine the speed of cars surrounding it, while correcting for things like construction or traffic.
Advanced Software
The software required to power driverless cars is quite impressive. Using all the data that it acquires from the sensors, cameras, and GPS, this software create algorithms to make its important decisions.13 The car is hardwired to respond in certain ways, such as stopping at a stop sign, but many responses are learned from experience. Every time a self-driving car is used, it learned more solutions that can be used in different situations, just like a human driver. This software also processes the data of other cars in order to learn.
Military Applications
Like many forms of technology, autonomous vehicles as we know them today developed out of military research. In 2016, the U.S. Army began testing self-driving vehicles, part of a long-term plan to implement driverless technology in the battlefield.14 First, they tested semi-autonomous trucks in Michigan, driving as a convoy over the course of seven miles.15 A three-phase pilot program is run by the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARFEC) out of Fort Bragg, NC.16 The vehicles are essentially autonomous golf carts which are used to pick up injured soldiers at the barracks and take them to the medical center, which is about a half-mile distance. One goal of this project is to cut military costs; as appointments at the medical center are quite expensive, if a soldier fails to show up, it is a huge cost. The hope is that by providing this transportation, they will cut down on missed appointments.
A more military important goal for this technology is to improve safety for soldiers.17 Driverless technology could enable the military to send supplies into dangerous areas without putting soldiers at risk. By removing the need to have soldiers drive convoy vehicles, they are removed from roads that potentially contain IEDs. Additionally, the implementation of driverless cars could speed the deployment process, allowing freight trucks to move at maximum efficiency in large platoons without the concern of human error. Additionally, the military uses autonomous helicopters to carry cargo to risky areas in which a human would be unable to safely and efficiently deploy.18 Between 2011 and 2014, these autonomous helicopters carried more than 4.5 pounds of cargo throughout thousands of missions in Afghanistan.
Commercial Applications
There are currently several automobile and technology companies developing self-driving cars. Last October, Tesla announced that it would begin equipping their cars with technology that would eventually allow them to become completely autonomous.19 GM has announced that within a year, it will be testing self-driving electric taxis with Lyft.20 Uber currently has 100 driverless cars in use in Pittsburgh, which are free as they are only part of a test at the moment.21 Additionally, a Singapore-based company called nuTonomy is testing a self-driving taxi service. Other automobile companies that are currently looking into driverless cars include Ford, Volvo, Honda, and Fiat.22
Everyone has heard of the Google Car, and currently, it looks as though it is well on its way to be commercialized; Google recently created a new company named Wayno, indicating that it is past the research phase and it now ready to release the car on the market.23 Meanwhile, it seems Apple's efforts to create their own self-driving vehicle is being downgraded in light of lack of progress and the success of other companies.24 Clearly, the market of driverless cars is quickly developing, with some saying that they could be commonly used on the road by 2025. The eminence of this change is demonstrated by the United States Department of Transportation, which released the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy as a guideline for automakers.25
What's Next
Given the speed with which this technology is now developing, we can expect to see more and more autonomous vehicles come to the commercial market within the next 10 years.26 Beyond cars, we will see many other autonomous transportation. Most intriguingly, Rolls-Royce is currently developing autonomous vessels under a project called Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications.27 This has fascinating implications for the maritime industry. Robotic ships could make cargo shipping safer, more efficient, and less expensive.28 Not only would it reduce accidents, it would also reduce the threat of piracy, because the ship could not be overtaken by any intruders. Additionally, with no need to accommodate a crew, these ships would have larger capacity for shipping, and make the ships lighter with fewer operating costs. This would also solve the issue of fewer and fewer people having maritime skills as seafaring becomes less and less attractive for work; instead, people with mechanical and electrical skills would be required more than people who could steer ships. Given how advantageous autonomous vessels could be, it is likely that by 2025, self-steering ships will be commercially used.
The technology behind autonomous vehicles will certainly have a dramatic impact in the coming years. In as little as a decade, we can expect the market to be saturated with self-driving cars. As with all new technology, there will be advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is for certain: autonomous vehicles will be revolutionary.
Further Reading
Interested in learning more about the technology and future of autonomous vehicles? Read the links below for more information.
How Lidar Works – Lidar-uk.com
When Cars Drive Themselves – New York Times
Auto Correct – The New Yorker
The Ethics of Autonomous Cars – The Atlantic
Autonomous Vehicle Technology: A Guide for Policymakers – Rand Corporation
How Will Self-Driving Cars Change Cities? – Slate
Forget Autonomous Cars – Autonomous Ships Are Almost Here – IEEE Spectrum
- http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR443-2.html
- https://www.engadget.com/gallery/self-driving-cars/#gallery=312063&slide=3580756&index=0
- http://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/history/selfdriving-cars-were-just-around-the-cornerin-1960
- https://www.wired.com/2012/02/autonomous-vehicle-history/
- https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/11/the-secret-history-of-the-robot-car/380791/
- http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2014-03-13
- http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/trends-innovations/driverless-car2.htm
- http://www.lidar-uk.com/how-lidar-works/
- http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-self-driving-cars-work-the-nuts-and-bolts-behind-googles-autonomous-car-program/
- https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/14/technology/how-self-driving-cars-work.html?_r=0
- http://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/teslas-model-s-will-offer-360degree-sonar
- https://www.2025ad.com/in-the-news/news/driverless-cars-gps-systems/
- https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601910/oxboticas-new-autonomous-vehicle-software-learns-as-it-goes/
- https://www.trafficsafetystore.com/blog/military-testing-autonomous-vehicles/
- https://www.wired.com/2016/07/armys-self-driving-trucks-hit-highway-prepare-battle/
- http://www.autonews.com/article/20160822/OEM06/308229999/army-develops-autonomous-vehicles-for-use-on-bases-first-battlefields-
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2016/10/21/behind-teslas-headlines-the-military-drives-autonomous-vehicles/#7bc9d3f0247e
- https://www.wired.com/2014/11/militarys-self-flying-helicopter-gets-modded-fight-wildfires/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/20/business/tesla-autonomous-autopilot-vehicles.html
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/gm-lyft-to-test-self-driving-electric-taxis-1462460094
- http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/08/18/uber_driverless_cars_in_pittsburgh_actually_have_drivers.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/14/technology/how-self-driving-cars-work.html?_r=0
- https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/technology/google-parent-company-spins-off-waymo-self-driving-car-business.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/10/technology/apple-is-said-to-be-rethinking-strategy-on-self-driving-cars.html
- https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/AV%20policy%20guidance%20PDF.pdf
- http://www.driverless-future.com/?page_id=384
- http://www.rolls-royce.com/~/media/Files/R/Rolls-Royce/documents/customers/marine/ship-intel/rr-ship-intel-aawa-8pg.pdf
- http://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/marine/forget-autonomous-cars-autonomous-ships-are-almost-here


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Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel handed out a curious-looking award in a curious setting Thursday to the Marine Corps for being the first of the services – ever – to get an audit of its annual budget.
Gen. John Paxton, assistant commandant of the Corps, accepted the award – but with reluctance: He mumbled something, then bolted from the stage at flank speed.
The award itself – nobody knew if it had a name – caused some consternation among the Pentagon's press corps for its enigma-like qualities. It appeared to be a split-screen version of a plaque, with possibly a budget document on one side and fabric in the shape of a giant red letter "Z" on the other. It could not be examined up close, since Paxton had left.
Nary a soul in the building's vast public affairs operation could immediately say what the giant "Z" or its apparent lettering signified, but they doubted it had anything to do with the mark of "Zorro."
After checking, a Pentagon spokesman said the red "Z" on the Marines' award was believed to be "of no particular significance." The spokesman also said it may have been meant, somehow, to draw attention to the document or whatever it was on the other side.
Anyway, Hagel said the award was important, but even he was puzzled about why he was handing it out in the Pentagon's "Hall of Heroes," where the names of the nation's Medal of Honor recipients are listed. It was a little weird to be standing there for a "bookkeeping accomplishment," he said, "but, damn, this is an accomplishment."
Hagel added, "I want to particularly acknowledge the Marine Corps for what they've done" in validating the fitness of their budget through an audit. "Most Marines, I suspect, don't think of audits when they think of fitness," he said, but somebody had to do audits and the Marines were the first.
For decades, the services have been working toward getting their annual spending plans in shape for audits – but never actually had one done until the Corps did last year. The Army, Navy and Air Force say they're eager to achieve the financial milestone, maybe by 2017.
In 1990, Congress passed a law requiring the services' budgets to pass official financial inspection, but it was never enforced. Old hands at the Pentagon recalled similar attempts going back to the Carter administration.
When the Marines finally passed an audit late last year, Hagel was ecstatic, or maybe just surprised. "This development marks an important milestone on the path to achieving greater accountability in our financial operations and more effective management of the defense enterprise writ large," Hagel said.
In introducing Hagel, Bob Hale, who will retire later this year as the Pentagon's comptroller, praised the Marines for the accomplishment and said the other services are making "major progress" in balancing their books. It's not easy, Hale said of keeping track of the comings and goings of money at the Pentagon. He likened the effort to "pushing a heavy block across sandpaper."


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When she looked at her dashboard while she was driving a 37-year-old woman crossed the white line and caused an accident.
Joanne Mears, Linvara, Tandragee, was fined £75 last Friday at Craigavon Magistrates Court for driving without due care and attention. She was also given three points.
The court heard that on December 20 last year at 10am police attended a road traffic accident on the Tandragee Road, Portadown.
A solicitor representing the defendant said it was a lapse of concentration and she admitted she was at fault at the scene.
He added that it was a damage only accident and this had been sorted out by the insurance companies.


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About 56 Hope Road
56 Hope Road is a band bonded like a family, and as a result, their music has an unmistakable honesty and openness. Uncanny, intuitive communication creates an easy interplay on stage, making even the most layered tunes sound effortless. They allow the joy of spontaneous creativity to color their song-based arrangements – neither losing their musical center, nor restricting its growth. The music is acoustic funk at its finest with sounds reminiscent of G-Love and Special Sauce, Richie Havens, MMW, Grateful Dead, Paul Simon and Gomez. This Chicago-based "acoustic funk explosion" is known for clever songwriting, lush vocal harmonies and one of the tightest rhythm sections on the scene. Formed in 1999, 56 Hope Road is made up of vocalist/guitarist Dave Hamilton, drummer Greg Fundis, upright bassist Chad Sanders, saxophonist Casey Fitzpatrick, and often augmented by vocalist Anne Katzfey, and percussionist Matt Katzfey.
The band has been coined the "#1 Road Warriors" by the renowned online musical resources JamBase and Leeway's Home Grown Music Network, gaining national attention for their energetic live shows and relentless tour schedule totaling 660 performances throughout 2007, 2006, and 2005. Rising stars on the festival scene and national touring circuit, 56 Hope Road has appeared at High Sierra, Summercamp, 10,000 Lakes, Wakarusa and has supported a variety of national artists such as Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews Band, Page McConnell of Phish, Tom Cochrane and Red Ryder, ekoostik hookah, Umphrey's McGee, Tea Leaf Green, Devon Allman, Spyro Gyra, Verve Pipe, Bob Schneider, Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, Drums and Tuba, Campbell Brothers, Jazz Mandolin Project, The Samples, and DJ Le Spam.
56 Hope Road has released 4 full-length albums on their independent label Albino Deer Records working with such industry moguls as GRAMMY nominated engineers as producer Rick Barnes (Smashing Pumpkins, Liquid Soul), Steve Albini (Nirvana, Page & Plant), and Mark Rubel (Hum and Poster Children). 56 Hope Road released their most recent album Law of Attraction early 2008 to critic acclaim. Law of Attraction left Richard Milne from WXRT in Chicago to wonder if 56 Hope Road had visited the crossroads and sold their soul. Once In Our Lives (live), Drop It All, and All Points Connect precede the band's latest release.
Their songs have been featured regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Channel 17-Jam On, WXRT Chicago, United Airlines Radio, college and community radio stations across the country, National Public Radio, the soundtrack to "A Place in France," in an upcoming film "Road to Woodstock," a Fox Sports Net Pilot/Warren Miller production "Destination Wild," and the Chicago Minds and Souls Compilation Volume 1. The band's music has earned both a JamOff title and a JamOff Runners-up title from Relix Magazine's CD compilation competition, as well as an invitation of inclusion in the Noteborn Music Catalog.
The name 56 Hope Road pays homage to the positive influence that Bob Marley's message and music has on the world.


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Main Content
The BMB Department is always pleased to applaud the accomplishments of its members.
Awards, Recognitions, and Honors for 2014
|Award, Recognition, Honor
|Song Tan, Ph.D.
|C.I. Noll Faculty Teaching Award
|Andrew Mitchell
|Braucher-Pela Fay Braucher Scholarship
|Ericka Reed
|Bunton-Waller Graduate Award
|Nicholas Lanz
|McCarl-Richard L. & Norma J. McCarl Endowment for Graduate Students in Biochemistry Award
|Tyler Goralski
|SMART Scholarship-Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation
|Lauren Rajakovich
|Paul M. Althouse Memorial Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
|Istvan Albert, Ph.D.
|Paul M. Althouse Outstanding Teaching Award
|Sarah Ades, Ph.D.
|Daniel R. Tershak Memorial Teaching Award
|Kenneth Keiler, Ph.D.
|Daniel R. Tershak Memorial Teaching Award
|Jing Hu
|Fred Wedler Outstanding Dissertation Award
|Penglin Sun
|Simpson-Robert T. Award for innovative Research.
|Frank Pugh, Ph.D.
Named Evan Pugh Professor
|Amie Boal, Ph.D.
|Named Searle Scholar
|Wendy Hanna-Rose, Ph.D.
|Excellence in Teaching Award
|Teh-hui Kao, Ph.D.
|Excellence in Teaching Award
|Yanming Wang, Ph.D.
|PBCC Refunds for Research Grant
|Meredith Defelice, Ph.D.
The George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching
|Teh-hui Kao, Ph.D.
|Inducted into Academica Sinica
|Logan Bashline
March, 2014
|Eberly College of Science, Paul Berg Prize in Molecular Biology
Outstanding Graduate Student Award
|Dr. J. Greg Ferry
|Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy(ARPA-E) Award
If you have news to submit, please send information to Lorraine Grattan (email@example.com).


text:
bulthaup kitchens are renowned worldwide for their architecture of living spaces. The brand is characterised by precision, innovation and the highest levels of craftsmanship. each and every customer is offered a comprehensive promise of quality and confidence with each bulthaup kitchen design solution.
The kitchen systems are created from a passion to build living spaces that are easy for the customer to use, and timeless in appearance. The company's constant drive to innovate and display their engineering expertise makes a bulthaup kitchen the pinnacle of excellence.
To visit the company website click here


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Planetizen Newswire
Keep up with essential planning news and commentary, delivered to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.
The Challenge of Water in Illegal Slums
"Barney Jopson reports on how WaterAid is bringing clean and legal water to the illegal slums of Dhaka in Bangladesh."
Public officials refuse to provide water to dwellers of illegal slum developments, and private companies profit by selling overpriced water to residents. New efforts to provide better access to pumps is driving costs down for residents.
"WaterAid estimates that over 1bn people do not have access to safe water while over 2.5bn lack adequate sanitation – many of them in urban slums. The organisation helps communities set up and manage their own water and sanitation systems."


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A Safety Issue
One of the biggest dangers that come along with trying to repair your own HVAC unit is the chemicals and electricity of the unit. The chemicals that can be dispersed due to your inexperience can be very dangerous to your health and the people who live in your home. The only way to make sure that the repairs get done in a safe manner is by calling in a professional to handle all of the work for you.
Damage to the System
Another danger that comes along with trying to repair your own HVAC unit is that you can cause a lot more damage than good. Repairing an HVAC unit is a very complex process that takes years of training and experience to master. The last thing that you want to do is cause a lot of damage to your unit because this may mean you have to replace it prematurely. As soon as you notice that you are having a problem with your unit, you need to call in a professional to take a look.
Saving Money
Perhaps the biggest misconception that most business owners have is that they can save money by fixing their own unit, which is not the case at all. The truth is that doing repair to your own unit will cause more damage, which means there will be more to fix in the long run. The more that has to be fixed, the higher the repair bill will be. You need to make sure that you do research in order to find the right company for the job you need done. The more you know about the companies in your area can provide you, the easier it will be to choose the right one.
The right professionals will be able to find and fix the issues you are having with your system in no time.


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BACKGROUND IMAGE: iSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
Function follows form for healthcare unified communications systems
Upgrading your healthcare facility's Voice-over-Internet-Protocol telephony? Here's advice for shopping for a new unified communications system.
Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephony systems have been able to gain significant popularity and replace traditional private branch exchange, or PBX, systems. Because they leveraging the same network as the rest of a company's data, VoIP systems help reduce costs and provide advanced functions that legacy voice systems can't. There are still a number of older systems being used today, but VoIP technology is the preferred option when it comes to implementing new telephony and unified communications systems.
One challenge that many IT executives face when selecting the right unified communications (UC) system is identifying the appropriate functionality while still ensuring that there is a clear return on investment associated with it. An ideal system would provide a clear reduction of costs, improved staff productivity, and ease of management and support. Beyond those, there are other important areas to consider when comparing unified communications systems.
Software-based unified communications and independent hardware
Some of the easier UC products to deploy in the marketplace are software based. These platforms can be loaded into existing infrastructure or into servers as software. This deployment model provides tremendous value for IT because it allows a facility to utilize its existing computing environment to host the telephony system and not be hardware dependent. This makes the platform highly available and easier to manage.
Integrated components for all UC needs
Unlike legacy VoIP systems, UC products offer additional features that enable end users to go beyond just telephony. When evaluating and selecting a new UC system, it's important to be sure that all the components being offered are from one vendor and are not from independent systems.
Comprehensive unified communications systems
The different components commonly offered in today's top UC platforms are as follows:
Instant messaging. Instant messaging provides a great alternative to traditional email. One benefit of instant messaging is that it provides the end user with the status and location of the person on the other end of the communication.
Telephony. This is one of the basic functions the system must be able to provide. The ability to dial from a desktop frees end users from using traditional handsets.
Voicemail to email. This function is available in almost all UC systems offered today. There are a few vendors, including Microsoft, that have been able to transcribe voicemails to text and attach that text to the body of an email.
Softphones. Some users may request the option of using a softphone instead of a handset for their telephony needs. These software-based phones offer all the features of phones integrated with specific enterprise resource planning or hospital registration systems.
Web conferencing needs. For users who are continuously managing different subscriptions to Web conferencing services, many of today's top UC vendors offer an integrated Web conferencing experience as part of their platform. This enables IT to eliminate third-party subscriptions and allows different departments to connect with outside entities.
Audio and video conferencing. Conferencing is on the rise because of the increasing number of remote hospital workers in administration and billing departments. With the added requirement that accountable care organizations collaborate on care, hospitals will see a significant value in using audio and video conferencing.
High availability. Implementing a comprehensive UC platform brings tangible improvements for an organization, but it also means an increased dependency on the system for communications and collaboration. Unlike traditional telephony systems, today's UC platforms have simpler methods for ensuring system redundancy. So, this would be a key area to review when a hospital or other health organization that has to ensure system uptime selects a UC platform.
Mobile friendliness. Consumers and business buyers are now starting to see smartphones, tablets and PCs as a single continuum of connected devices separated primarily by screen size, according to Bob O'Donnell, vice president at IDC. Employees' increasing use of mobile devices means that any new product or tool introduced to the enterprise would have to have a strong, established presence in the tablet and smartphone marketplace. Microsoft Lync 2013, which is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows tablets and mobile devices, is an example of how some vendors have been able to integrate UC successfully by making it mobile friendly.
Unified communications systems and other messaging systems
The next wave of unified messaging
Cloud can provide convenient, secure messaging
Ask a question about UC systems in our Q&A forum
Customization and integration capabilities. IT managers in hospitals recognize that there are several areas of need that a telephony system must address. They include standard staff-paging systems, overhead paging, interactive voice response (IVR) systems that help patients with their billing, reminder systems, lab calling systems and many other applications that address specific needs. This means that any new UC platform must be able to accommodate those use cases, but also enable their possible consolidation and replacement. This means that software developers and system integrators will likely look for UC platforms that offer software development kits or application programming interfaces that will enable them to easily integrate their applications with the system.
Microsoft has been able to make many of its powerful server engines available for developers to maximize the functionality of their UC systems. This is also the case with Cisco's platform. One difference Microsoft offers is the integration of its speech engine, which gives software developers a full range of capabilities that can produce robust IVR systems.
Cloud readiness. "Cloud" is no longer a leading buzzword in 2013, but it is still buzz-worthy for many UC vendors introducing new products to the marketplace. UC vendors are facing customer demands to make their unified communications systems cloud capable. This capability is not only a must-have if vendors are to stay competitive, but it also expands many of a UC system's options. Whether it is a 100% on-premises or cloud-based system, or a hybrid system, UC vendors let their clients decide which model suits their needs best.
Scalability. With the many health system acquisitions and mergers, having a UC system that can easily scale without doing a full replacement is a must. This means that through the selection process IT executives and management must consider the possible limitations the system has or which additional features the system would need in order to be more adjustable.
The most important task when choosing a UC platform is to identify the different organizational needs the platform must address. Key requirements for an enterprise-grade platform are that it must provide robust call control, flexibility, mobility, ease of use and ease of management.
Reda Chouffani is vice president of development at Biz Technology Solutions Inc., which provides software design, development and deployment services for the healthcare industry. Let us know what you think about the story; email email@example.com or contact @SearchHealthIT on Twitter.