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On 6 June, China Re Group and CSC Financial Co., Ltd. ("CSC Financial") entered into a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing, pursuant to which, both parties will establish an all-rounded and multiple cooperation relationship in the aspects of primary insurance, reinsurance, comprehensive insurance service, assets management, etc., to further promote the enhancement of their service capabilities, and to explore cross-industry cooperation and share advantages and resources in the aspects of product innovation, such as risk securitization, insurance futures, etc.
Yuan Linjiang, Chairman of China Re Group, He Chunlei, Executive Vice President of China Re Group, Wang Changqing, Chairman of CSC Financial, Li Geping, General Manager of CSC Financial, and other relevant responsible officers attended the signing ceremony. Zhang Xiaohong, Assistant to the President of China Re Group, and Li Tiesheng, Member of the Executive Committee of CSC Financial, entered into the strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of both parties.
A conference was held by the parties prior to the signing ceremony. Yuan Linjiang (Chairman) welcomed Wang Changqing (Chairman), Li Geping (General Manager) and their party. He stated that China Re Group, as the "main force" of the reinsurance industry in China, will combine its own strengths with that of CSC Financial and the resultant solid foundation and promising prospects will be conducive to give full play to their respective advantages and realize a win-win development. The internal resources of China investment system can be better utilized to exert proactive synergistic effects. Wang Changqing (Chairman) expressed his gratitude to the continuous support and cooperation of China Re Group, and acclaimed China Re Group as an essential force on the financial front of China and a model for its extensive experience in risk management and product innovation. He looked forward to working in close partnership with China Re Group and achieving mutual development by taking the opportunity of signing the strategic cooperation agreement.
Zhang Renjiang, General Manager of China Re P&C, Tian Meipan, General Manager of China Re Life, Yu Chunling, General Manager of China Re AMC, Zhu Xiaoyun, Board Secretary of China Re Group, Qin Yibo, Chief Strategy Officer of China Re Group, Li Wei, General Manager of Strategic Customer Department of China Re Group, Zhang Hongmei, Deputy General Manager of Huatai Insurance Agency, Dong Keshi, Deputy General Manager of Strategic Customer Department of China Re Group, Zhang Xinfan, Member of the Executive Committee of CSC Financial, Jiang Sheng, Administrator of Fixed Income Department and Managing Director of CSC Financial, Xu Tao, Chairman of China Securities Capital, Zhang Jie, General Manager of China Securities Funds, Lu Xiaofeng, Managing Director of Investment Banking Department of CSC Financial, Yan Hua, Executive General Manager of Debt Underwriting Department of CSC Financial, and Chang Liang, Executive General Manager of Investment Banking Department of CSC Financial, attended the conference and signing ceremony.


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Unilock Ohio
12560 Sheets Rd.
Rittman, OH 44270
Call Us
Email Us
Retaining walls have two functions: hold back soil or water and enhance the beauty of your landscape. That is why it is so important that you choose a company that will be able to provide you with stones that are as gorgeous as they are strong. At Unilock, that is exactly what we offer every day to homeowners in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. Our family-owned company has been a leader in the industry for more than 40 years, and is known for providing stones for retaining walls that are both functional and aesthetically appealing.
Homeowners in the Cincinnati, OH, area turn to Unilock to build stunning retaining walls at their homes because our stones:
If you want to invest in stones that create retaining walls that are strong and stylish, contact the experts at Unilock today. We have put more than 10 billion stones in the ground for homeowners in the Cincinnati, OH, area and beyond, and we continue to set the industry standard for paving products.

subset: commoncrawl


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COVERGIRL previously unveiled the Star Wars makeup looks, designed by Pat McGrath, at an event on September 8, but now you can find the face charts, how-to videos, and digital downloads over at the official COVERGIRL Star Wars Tumblr site. Follow along and re-create Pat McGrath's out-of-this-world looks or create some of your own looks inspired by the galaxy far, far away.
Makeup Face Charts
Nail Designs
How-To Videos
Click through the images to be transported to the interactive how-to videos.


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... when first published and thinking OK what happened to Cello? Still am. And what of Red Rose?
As I read both this and the '98 interview in retrospect it's clear Levinson's a forward thinker. But I'm reminded of S. Jobs: "Real artists ship."
The high-fidelity industry seems a logical home for a jazz musician like Levinson, who once envisioned a career playing flugelhorn and double bass, but his voyage into audio was a detour that could be said to have begun at age 22, when he took a job working on a film about Joan Baez. "It was a joy to find people willing to pay me to do something," quips the trim, youthful 55-year-old, who is quick to recall his "nonexistent income as a musician."
The next leg of the journey was a film-sound equipment project. Levinson and a couple of friends were working on mixers for location recording when one said, "While we're thinking about what we're going to make and who we're going to sell it to, maybe we could listen to some music." After a quick audit of the equipment on hand revealed that there was no preamp, Levinson turned to Richard Burwen, who was providing him with engineering guidance. That led to the LNP-2 preamplifier, the first product from Mark Levinson Audio Systems.
In fall 1999, Levinson tucked elements of his previous companies, Cello (footnote 1) and Mark Levinson Acoustic Recordings as well as MLAS, into a petite, 750-square-foot store on the toniest stretch of Manhattan's Madison Avenue. He used that space, which more closely resembles the art galleries that dot the neighborhood than it does a conventional audio outlet, to launch yet another brand.
The traditional symbol for a 30th anniversary is the pearl, something a visit to Levinson's jewel box of a boutique could easily evoke. Nonetheless, when the authoritative history of high-end audio is written, the emblem associated with Mark Levinson during his 30th year in the industry will more likely be a rose.
David Lander: You used your own name and that of a musical instrument for your previous brands. What led you to name your current brand Red Rose?
Mark Levinson: A red rose is a symbol. It stands for love, passion, commitment. It's not about the technical; it's about feeling. It's also simple.
Lander: As you look back on your three decades of hardware manufacturing, what stands out?
Levinson: It's exceptionally meaningful when a company introduces not only products but some consciousness or special standard of reference or excellence. I think my previous companies introduced ideas that were important and that, in one way or another, have helped change things. My first company introduced the idea of using circuits, parts, and materials of exceptional quality to make preamps and power amps that would be exceptionally long-lasting and give good service, and offer performance that was on a par with the best electronics products in other industrieslike instrumentation, medical instruments, and so forth. They also were very simple, very Spartan, the idea there being that quality and simplicity were more important than complexity.
From that came a whole ocean of products that were thin and black and simple. The knob I designed for the JC-2 preamp, which was later used on the ML-1, is now on dozens of different products from other companies in one permutation or other. And there was the idea that a small, dedicated distribution network was more valuable than having an awful lot of stores and a product without any real involvement in it or commitment to it on the part of the dealer. I would say that many of the important ideas I tried to develop at MLAS were inspired by the original McIntosh company.
Lander: And Cello?
Levinson: I think Cello also introduced a number of interesting ideas, such as using high-quality audio equipment with videothe idea that maybe a really phenomenal two-channel audio system would be a great complement to a wonderful projection system. A lot of people happen to enjoy that approachand the idea of the company store as a way that people could get closer to the factory than is usually possible through a distribution network.
There was an intimacy about the early days of audio that I find sadly lacking in today's audio world. Actually, I just caught the tail end of it, but stores at the time were usually proprietor-run. The proprietor had enthusiasm and commitment to the products, knew recordings, knew which recordings were out on what labels by what artists. There was a shared feeling for music and music reproduction both. At record labels, the proprietor was often the recording engineer, very friendly with the artists. It was a shared passion, and over the decades that's gone away. There's been this incredible loss of involvement and commitment and passion, and I think people miss that. People used to love their records. I remember when an LP was a treasured possession.
Lander: What was your vision for Red Rose Music when you conceived it?
Levinson: The heart of Red Rose can be summed up like this: make really beautiful products and take care of your customers. No one can perfectly envision the development of a company, and I wouldn't try to, but I think the founding spirit has proved enduring and fruitful. I've spent many years involved in what would be described as extremely expensive products, often very sophisticated and intended for a very small audience that can afford those price points, and I've enjoyed it very much. With Red Rose, I decided to make only a small number of products that were compact and truly affordable, that would be satisfying in such a way that people wouldn't feel any need to trade them inproducts that are on the planet for a long time.
Lander: And the second part of the equationtaking care of your customers?
Levinson: I decided we should open up our own store, even though we couldn't afford to advertise. We were just going to see who walked in the door. What was important was to build a new model of what an audio store could be. Actually, it's kind of a combination of some very old-fashioned things with some new things. The thought was that we would develop the minimalist approach, boil it down, focus on what we thought were the very best products. In the early days, audio stores had only a few lines; there weren't that many lines. If you had a couple of amps and one or two speakers and a record player, a tape recordera few thingsit was fine.
We would just offer a simple selection of what we considered the very best options in each category and design systems that focused on quality and simplicity rather than on mediocrity and complexity. Fewer boxes, but with the quality of sound, the quality of picture, the ease of operation, the freedom from obsolescence. All these factors are part of the Red Rose approach.
Lander: Red Rose is, of course, an audio equipment manufacturer with a factory and an engineering department in Redmond, Washington, just outside Seattle. How involved were you in designing the company's products?
Levinson: I'm still involved intimately in the design of every product, but like all the great products I know of, they're group efforts. Victor Tiscareno is our chief engineer, and there's a whole team of dedicated people who worked with Victor and myself, a group of people in the company who all contributed. But I have to say that, without Victor, we wouldn't have the line. He really provided the engineering that made everything lock in the way it needed to.
Lander: Some of your manufacturing is done in China. What led you to that source?
Levinson: I heard there were some high-end companies in China that had a limited market for their products, and I sensed a possible synergy. We found two companies comprising engineering, design, and manufacturing resources of the most creative and passionate kindkindred spirits, people with a deep, fundamental involvement in music reproduction who were, curiously, inspired by my early work. So I decided to create a team, if you will, of the guys in Washington and the guys in China. There's also someone in Japan, one of the last master moving-coil cartridge makers. The idea is to work together to make a new kind of audio product that's sonically...let's call it satisfying, that just leaves you at peace, just makes you feel "I'm there," but is also very affordable, very compact, very pretty to look at, long-lasting. I don't think we could do it any other way. I think we were very fortunate to find people who could each contribute something to this end.
... when first published and thinking OK what happened to Cello? Still am. And what of Red Rose?
As I read both this and the '98 interview in retrospect it's clear Levinson's a forward thinker. But I'm reminded of S. Jobs: "Real artists ship."


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Why Video Games Are Better Than Girlfriends [ article ]
In girlfriends' defense, they have boobs. So I think that negates anything mentioned above.
Before you say anything, I just want to let you know that I am working on a follow up for this called: Why Video Games Are Better Than Boyfriends. I'm not trying to leave anyone out here, but I can only create one at a time and I felt this was the better one to start with.


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AdsForGambling.com screens every single site in our network in order to ensure that your campaigns are only run on quality sites. Our premium advertisers can see every click where come from.
Just Register on AdsForGambling.com, as a advertiser and place new order. If you need help, please don't hesitate to contact us.
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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. recently announced that field tests for a new tire features U.S. soy that the company says may offer consumers increased tread life and a greener alternative to those manufactures solely with petrochemicals. Goodyear's announcement marked the public unveiling of a two-year, ongoing collaboration between the United Soybean Board and the Akron, Ohio-based company.
"The soy checkoff welcomes the opportunity to partner with Goodyear in bringing this tire to the market," says Russ Carpenter, a soybean farmer from Trumansburg, N.Y. and chair of the USB New Uses program. "The checkoff constantly looks for ways to improve the value of soy oil to U.S. soybean farmers and this new tire highlights soy's versatility in the marketplace."
The partnership began two years ago, after the 2008 spike in crude oil prices prompted Goodyear to evaluate petrochemical alternatives and propose research exploring soy oil's potential in its products. In full production, Goodyear estimates that it could use 7 million gallons of soy oil annually.
Goodyear's testing found that using soy not only lowered petrochemical amounts from the tire's manufacturing process, but also increased its efficiency by reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, soy oil's increased performance may yield up to 10 percent longer tread life.
"Goodyear is committed to caring for the environment and communities, and use of soy oil proves to be another way to accomplish this goal," said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear's chief technical officer. "Consumers benefit through improved tread life, Goodyear gains with increased efficiency and energy savings and we all win whenever there is a positive impact on the environment."
If real-world testing runs smoothly, Goodyear expects the new soy-based tires to be available for purchase as early as 2015.
Source: United Soybean Board, Soy Checkoff


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Over breakfast, I ask Ed about his lunch the previous day with his business partner.
Chinese, in Waunakee. All you can eat buffet.
I wasn't envious of the all you can eat buffet. That kind of set up makes me fill up with foods like broccoli because I want to take advantage of the all you can eat idea without piling on the calories. And yes, there is such a thing as eating too much broccoli.
But I was envious of the Chinese. We never go to a Chinese place for dinner anymore.
You don't like any of the Chinese places in Madison.
Not true! It's been years! Maybe there are fine new places. You know, fresh and honest.
At the downtown farmers market, things were looking so good! So very good! My daughter and I circled the square (!) and she nibbled the curds and I stared at the tomatoes. And the eggplant. And the apples. And the corn. I felt like I was leafing through a catalogue of favorites foods. Nothing seemed unappetizing. And it looked still so richly end-of-summery! As if a hard frost hadn't come by to shut down production! (It hadn't.) Raspberries! Flowers! Peaches from Door County!
At the farmhouse, Ed is painting again (after a four day pause). I ask him – if you're going to do such a small detail, why would you do it in the most invisible spot ever? Because it's the most difficult one and I want to be done with it.
Okay. Makes sense. Still, I look forward to the day when I will approach home and think – my, what a fresh and lovely building! Not there yet.
In the evening, Ed asks – so, we're going to a Chinese place for dinner?
But where?
We go to the Orient House on Park Street. Quite new. Call it a neighborhood place for us. A couple of soy/corn fields, a couple of city blocks and you're there. Ten minutes door to door. And the food is fresh tasty and crisp (if a tad heavy) and the waitstaff is young and charming.
It's our special place now, isn't it? I ask Ed.
He rolls his eyes at my sentimentality.
On the way home, we stop on the county road, just shy off where we turn off to go to the farmette. A new road is going up, getting the highways dangerously closer to where we live.
It's a threat. It could be, that five years from now, we'll be surrounded not by market crops but by a subdivision.
Few things are today as they will be tomorrow. For the most part, that's a good thing. For the most part.


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The Spa at Leola Village
- The Spa at Leola Village
- 58 Deborah Drive
- at Leola Village
- Leola, PA 17540
- Primary - (717) 556-0276
Relax and rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. It's time to make time for you!
At Destinations Spa & Salon, our focus is to sooth, pamper, and beautify you through massage therapy and exotic body treatments, invigoration Chinese Herbs, Aromatherapy and special mud therapy body masks. We know how to make you fee GREAT!
Plus, we offer extensive hair services, facials, manicures and pedicures.
And, we offer plenty of services for men!
Art of Shave boutique starts with a Royal Shave, our most popular service. Or enjoy a Sports Massage or any one of our distinctive treatments, designed exclusively for him.
Best yet, is Destinations' Couple's Service!
Enjoy a relaxing Swedish massage or deep tissue massage with a special friend. This private escape is the ideal way to connect or re-establish your romance.
Overnight Spa Packages
Enhance your Spa treatment with a fabulous dinner in our on-site restaurant, an overnight stay in one of our Jacuzzi Suites or both.
Remember, it's time to make time for you!
Explore Nearby
On the map below, you'll find information for this item, as well as a few of the lodging, dining, shopping and activities that are close by. To see more nearby listings, click the "View Full Map" link in the legend below.
- Things to Do
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- View full map


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Four Thieves Chest Rub 4.1
per item
This product is already diluted in carrier oils of coconut, shea butter, palm oil, and natural beeswax. Can be applied directly on the skin with no other dilution necessary. Historically used for congestion, to increase circulation, reduce the risk of infection, and provides a quick recovery from illness.* Ingredients are 100% natural essential oils of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary. Sweet smelling aroma brings comfort and peace. 1.8 ounces


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With a coastline longer than France and innumerable lochs and rivers, Argyll is the perfect place to 'paddle'. With guided groups for novices and a wide variety of challenges for those more experienced Argyll is the perfect paddling playground.
Argyll Sea Kayak Trail launched in 2014 the Argyll Sea Kayak Trail is 150km long from Ganavan, Oban to Helensburgh and offers some of the best paddling in Europe with spectacular scenery and a diversity of wildlife you can choose to do the full trail or work on sections of it.
There are a number of professional Sea Kayak Guides operating in Argyll who will be happy to show you the amazing waters round Argyll.
In Kintyre there is Kayak Majik who operate around Islay, Jura, the coast of Mid-Argyll and Kintyre. On the Cowal Peninsula there Sea Kayak Argyll who offer instruction as well as guided trips including the Argyll Sea Kayak Trail.
In Oban there is Sea Kayak Oban, Sea Freedom Kayak, National Kayak School, Oban Sea Kayak Guides and at Seil Island there is Sea Kayak Scotland.
The Isle of Bute is another great place for Kayaking, close to the mainland with lots to explore through the Kyles of Bute. Kayak Bute offers guided trips as well as coaching.
If you are looking for some inspiration check out this great blog ExploreCowal.
If you fancy something a bit different Argyll Voyageur Canoes based in Lochgoilhead offer guided trips on a 10 seater voyageur canoe a great way to see wildlife and fantastic scenery from a different viewpoint. Paddle boarding is another option growing in appeal and is offered in a number of locations.
What are you waiting for ……get out and paddle Argyll!


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Termite prevention is an important part of building a home. That is because termites (also called "white ants) can be and are a serious problem. In fact, the issue is so severe that according to the "Building Regulations 2006", every new home must be termite-protected. However, around 20% of the homes in Australia are still going to be affected by termites at some point in time. We, at Fantastic Pest Control Australia, are here to do everything in our power to make sure that doesn't happen. Aside from providing high-quality termite inspection and control services, we'll also give you a few tips on termite prevention. Because as they say, "prevention is the best cure". Check out recommendations below.
Regular Termite Inspections
Regular inspections are essential if you want to keep your home safe from white ants. The problem is that their activity is notoriously difficult to detect. That is until it's too late (or you know exactly how to stop termites). This alone is a reason enough to utilise a professional termite inspection. However, there's another one. When you book professional services, you also receive a guarantee and the pest technicians will take care of the termite colony for you. This will ensure your property is clean for at least a few months. The recommended period for inspections is at least once a year.
The reason for this is that you can never be sure if everything you're doing in order to keep the termites away is actually working. Many of the tips we'll give you below have a relatively high success rate, but still are not 100% foolproof. Regular inspections will somewhat ensure your home is protected and termite free. Furthermore, the earlier a potential infestation is caught, the better. Considering termites cause millions of dollars worth of damages annually, you shouldn't underestimate this threat. OK, now that the warning is out of the way…
How to Keep Termites Away
It's important that you know what is termite proofing because there are many actions you can undertake in order to keep termites away. All with various success rates. If you better understand the little vermin, the chance of keeping them away increases. Here are some of the most effective tips we can give you:
1. White ants are crazy for wet wood.
Excess dampness does wonders for their appetite and development, so ensure your home is always properly ventilated. You may not be able to feel it, but in many cases, the air in your home is more humid than optimal. If you have this problem, you can use a dehumidifier. It will also help against the accumulation of mould and mildew.
*Interesting fact: If you want to have wooden furniture but don't want the hassle of dealing with termites then invest in termite resistant wood like pine and masonry.
2. Check plumbing and fix leakage.
This is just common sense, but still – you should fix your plumbing if you want to avoid white ants (and other types of pests). Leaks have the tendency to increase the dampness and humidity (obviously), which attracts all manner of nasty insects. Proper plumbing maintenance is essential.
3. If you're keeping wood somewhere, keep it away from the house.
Wood piles are an open buffet for termites. The fact they're outside also makes it impossible to control the dampness, so this creates excellent conditions for white ants to grow up big and strong. However, because they're hungry little buggers, they won't be happy with the wood pile and will move toward your house. Keep wood away from the house (and especially ensure there's none of it under the house or near the foundations).
4. Ensure there's not contact between the ground and any wooden parts of the house's foundations.
Having your wooden foundations directly stuck in the ground is one of the surest way to get a termite infestation. Isolating them with cement or concrete would be a much better idea.
5. Apply preventative pesticides to the wooden foundations.
Poisoning their food source will definitely deter termites. They may enjoy eating wood, but they have a long-lasting habit of enjoying living more (which is why we often have to deal with them the hard way).
6. Remove vegetation near the foundations of the house.
Vegetation can sometimes hide viable termite entry points, or even working tubes the white ants use in order to operate around the house.
7. Keep the exterior of the house as well-maintained as possible.
It's a lot more a lot more difficult for termites to infest your house if it's well-maintained. Even simple things like glossy paint can sometimes act as a deterrent for termites. Every little thing counts.
These are the most common actions you can undertake in order to protect yourself from termites. We still recommend a professional inspection every once in awhile, just to make sure everything is fine and dandy.


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Well whatever it has been the reason to celebrate valentines but one thing is for sure that this day you could speak your heart out which you perhaps have not done the whole year. This also makes the occasion to get your loved one something special which she could remember for the years to come.
So how about gifting something that is way conventional and mix of latest in fashion too? you don't need to go hunt for it as Ettika brings you right at the tip of your clicks .Ettika the makers of fashionable jewelry and accessories gets you this valentine a whole new range of bracelets, charm bracelets as one of the most popular category for valentines gifts.
Just like above Ettika Charmed Deerskin Lace Leather Bracelet which I think something very unusual design consisting of heart love plate and a heart closer with tree of life and other charms. The leather band in varied colors gives a chance to choose what best could go on the wrist of person you want to gift. Charm bracelets can also be given as a token of friendship if not for valentine.
So choose out the one which make your loved one jump with joy this valentine.


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A delegation from Imam Hussein TV Group has visited the Holy Najaf Provincial Council and met with the council president, Khudhair al-Jubouri, council deputy Majeed Zaini, and the head of council's security committee, Khalid al-Jash'ami.
Talks were held on cooperation for serving the city of Amir Al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, as well as developing media channels to serve the holy city intellectually and culturally, and convey the sincere message to the whole world. Meanwhile, the delegation presented souvenirs to the President and members of the Council.
Sheikh Mustafa Mohammedi, director of the Imam Hussein TV Group, said that the media group is broadcasting in fivelanguages: Arabic, Farsi, English, Turkish and Azeri, in addition to a news agency that broadcasts in three languages: Arabic, Persian, and English. His Eminence added that those in charge are in constant pursuit to develop the media group in a way thatbest serves the Islamic Ummah in spreading the sciences of Ahlulbait, peace be upon them, and the definition of the authentic Muhammadi religion.
Sheikh Mohammadi stressed that the media group will be broadcasting in Urdu in the coming days.
For his part, al-Jubouri expressed his gratitude for the delegation's visit, stressing on the full support for thedevelopment of the media group to spread the message of the Ahlulbait, peace be upon them, across the world.


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While a debate goes on about the merits of continuing the historic tram line between Central and Admiralty, a new group is now seeking to turn one of the busiest roads in the Central financial district into a pedestrian zone.
The Des Voeux Road Central Initiative, a newly-formed alliance between four citizens' concern organizations, has suggested that a section of the road between Pedder Street and Morrison Street become a green precinct, where people can rest and groups can perform while trams can still pass through reserved space.
The alliance — established Monday by Clean Air Network, Designing Hong Kong, Friends of the Earth (HK), and Hong Kong Public Space Initiative — aims to raise HK$10 million (US$1.29 million) for a study on its suggestion, Apple Daily reported.
As part of the lobbying efforts, the group plans to conduct workshops to involve the public in the discussions.
A spokeswoman said pedestrianization of a section of the area will help reduce pollution and also ease the traffic congestion in the financial district.
The alliance hopes to see the road closed temporarily on Sundays and public holidays, allowing the public to hold workshops and give them an opportunity to experience a pedestrianized zone.
Meanwhile, it expects the results of the study to be out in December.
Benson Poon Fu-kit, a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners, said his organization had in 2000 and 2014 proposed the idea of setting up a pedestrian precinct in Central, but the plans were rejected by the government.
The organization supports the latest suggestion from the alliance, he said, adding that discussions will continue with the government.
In a recent submission to the Town Planning Board, a consultancy firm had recommended the elimination of the tram line between Central and Admiralty to ease traffic congestion in the business district.
– Contact us at [email protected]


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Andy Magana
Andrew Magana, M.M. Instrumental Music Director
Andy Magana has been teaching Instrumental Music at the high school level for 34 years. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree at California State University, Long Beach and earned a Masters Degree in Instrumental Conducting at the American Band College at Southern Oregon University. Andy has taught in the Capistrano Unified School district since 1993.
Mr. Magana served as the instrumental music director at San Clemente High School from 1993 to 2004. While at SCHS Mr. Magana earned the Teacher of the Year Award in 1997. He also earned the Orange County Instrumental Music Teacher of the Year from the Orange County Arts Administrators in 1998. He joined the staff at Tesoro HS in 2004.
Throughout his career Mr. Magana's student ensembles have earned numerous awards and superior ratings at district and regional festivals. The Tesoro Wind Ensemble was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2007 and conducted the Tesoro Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in 2013 and 2016 and at Chicago Symphony Center in 2018. His groups have also traveled and performed throughout the United States and Europe.
He has been an active member of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association serving as an Honor Band auditioner and manager, festival host, festival and field show adjudicator and served on the executive board as a Vice President of Festivals. In 2013 he was awarded the SCSBOA Outstanding Veteran Teacher award for over 20 years of dedication to music education and in 2018 was selected to conduct the All Southern California Middle School Honor Symphonic Band.
Mr. Magana currently teaches Marching Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra and Advanced Placement Music Theory.


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By Karl Keily of Comic Book Resources
CBR News: Brendan, how exactly did you come to be involved with "Mad Max: Fury Road" and what's the journey been like to get it to the screen?
Brendan McCarthy: I used to write to George Miller when I was much younger, as I was totally enthralled by "Mad Max 2: Road Warrior." It absolutely blew me away when I saw it for the first time in 1981. It mangled my mind — it was "The Matrix" for a previous generation, in that it was highly influential and trend setting. I think I had one of those religious experiences you hear so much about when I walked out of the cinema! I was literally shaking… For most people it was the "Star Wars" trilogy… but for me, it was always "Mad Max." I couldn't believe how damn good it was. And still is.
Inspired by "Road Warrior", I cooked up the comic series "Freakwave" with Peter Milligan, a sort of "Mad Max goes surfing" strip which came out in the early '80s, many years before the wretched "Waterworld," I hasten to add.
I met George Miller in Hollywood and we just hit it off. I knew almost everything he had done and I counted him as one of my favorite directors, even though he was strangely below the radar in those days. We yakked about "Mad Max" trilogy for hours, and I even pitched him a totally bonkers "Mad Max 4" storyline! But I didn't think a new "Mad Max" movie was ever on his agenda at the time.
Anyway, a few months later he asked me over to Sydney to bounce around some story ideas he had. I think he saw the benefits of working with a comic book artist and writer in that you can get a script written and elements visually designed as you go along. And I was steeped in the mythology of the series and had a million new ideas to express. I took the task of co-creating a new "Mad Max" movie as a serious, sacred artistic duty, frankly.
As for the amount of time it's taken to get "Fury Road" onto the screen, George has outlined the long and winding road in his recent interviews. Back then, it was to be the fourth installment of the Mel Gibson "Max," but it took so long to get going that Mel eventually dropped out. Thankfully an actor with the required raw talent, Tom Hardy, appeared on the scene. Later, another screenwriter, Nico Lathouris, was brought in to recalibrate the script with George so it would work for the younger Tom Hardy. And as far as I can tell, the long gestation time has only done wonders for the story and design work. I saw quite a bit of a rough cut over a year ago, and it looked sensational even then. The trailer was fantastic and really did steal Comic Con this year. Warners has done a terrific job in getting the "Mad Max" brand back into people's heads and I'd say this is now one of the most anticipated movies of next year. If the actual movie is half as good as the trailer, then we're in for a treat.
I am hopeful that the characters of the Five Wives, the teenage girls, will get hordes of young women going to see the movie too, as well as the expected motley mob of petrol heads, punks, freaks and adrenaline junkies! I'm really confident that this film will not disappoint those of us who hold "Road Warrior" in such high esteem. When I was co-writing this with George, we had an informal agreement that if "Fury Road" wasn't going to be absolutely the f**king bee's knees, he would flush it and forget about it.
What sorts of designs did you come up with for the characters and vehicles in the film? What inspired your style?
I did the first pass designs on pretty much everything in the movie as we wrote it, working off an electroboard and printing out bits of script and designs as we went along. These were then added to the illustrated script until the story was completed. It went through many radical changes as we went along. Then we started on the storyboards which were edited together to form an animatic/storyreel.
As the years rolled by and different creative teams came and went, the designs evolved into what they look like now. Some of my original vision is intact, and other parts of it have grown into a new visual solution, far better than what was first proposed. The retro-gangster hotrod style of the vehicles was a design philosophy that has remained, as we wanted to move on from the dune buggy look of the trilogy. The Australian comic strip and horror artist Peter Pound in particular, made a brilliant contribution to specific car designs and some new characters. I'd love to see him do some American horror strips.
The first period of writing a movie is always the most wild and creatively loose, before everything gets locked down by dramatic requirements. It's the brainstorming time and there are lots of drawings of really out there characters and vehicles that were tried out, just for the hell of it, but which didn't make it. I remember sitting George down and watching segments of the Sex Pistols' movie "The Filth and The Fury," for the crazed energy that we'd want for the War Boys sequences.
What was it like co-writing the script with George Miller?
George is a very formidable talent, a hugely intelligent man. He's got a surreal sense of humor too, which I share, and which percolates all his movies. Just think of Max with a giant clown's head on in "Beyond Thunderdome," the bizarre flavour of "Pig in the City," or Jack Nicholson puking up millions of cherries in "Witches of Eastwick." He's a unique Aussie mixture of Terry Gilliam, Spielberg and Kubrick. A major director.
We had a great deal of fun knocking our heads together and building the story and visuals. We both had so many ideas; it was possible to have a great game of creative tennis with him.
He's mentioned elsewhere that he enjoyed the storyboarding part of the process, where much of the "real writing" gets done. It's pretty much the way animated movies are put together, which I was very familiar with: Loose first draft, then storyboard to storyreel. The whole thing is one big feedback loop, with the written script continually mutating in tune with the boards. In fact, the final screenplay was more like a hybrid comic book, with images and text running alongside each other. I really hope Warner Bros. will put out a book of this document. I think it's pretty unique and will be of great interest to other writers and storytellers.
When I went to Namibia to watch the shoot a while back, I saw George in his element, surrounded by monstrous vehicles and insane tribal warriors in a post-apocalyptic scenario. What's great about it is that he actually created this genre and is its prime exponent. His producing partner, Doug Mitchell who does all his movies, had marshaled what looked like the entire country to achieve the shots needed for the story. They're a very efficient and successful team.
Is there anything you can tell us about what challenges Mad Max faces in the film?
I don't want to get into specific sequences and spoil it for viewers, so let me say that thematically, the film deals with human beings as commodities and control over the future of the human race; patriarchy and the emergence of a new matriarchal order; the manipulation of youth by war propaganda and religious cult brainwashing.
One of the most chilling developments was creating a group of kamikaze suicide warriors well before that became a staple of the nightly news after 9/11.
George's desire that the film be in continuous motion, "one long chase" as he called it, was an exciting hook to hang the drama over and came with its own challenges.
You're sharing a cover for a never-produced "Mad Max" comic book for this interview. What's the story behind it? Was "Fury Road" ever going to become a comic instead of a film?
No, "Fury Road" was always created to be a live action feature. The comic book cover was just a mock-up to keep a graphic novel or series in the mix. The idea was that I might adapt the script/boards that I wrote with George into a comic book in its own right. It was never used or seen — until now! I assume at some point DC or whoever, will get some "Mad Max" comics out there. It's a great opportunity to expand on the "Mad Max" universe.
There is also a big computer game coming out, concurrently developed with the movie over the last few years. George had a big hand in its conception and took the gaming narrative seriously. I had nothing to do with it, as it happened well after my time on the film.
As I haven't seen the completed movie myself, I can assure you that I am looking forward to it as much as anybody else! It will please me if we have delivered a movie that does justice to the wonderful films that preceded it.
Moving to your creator-owned work, what is your new "Dream Gang" comic series about?
"Dream Gang" is a story that takes place in dreams entirely. It is the story of a young man who lives a dreary gray life, but one night has a enlivening, colorful dream that connects him to a group of naturally gifted 'dream voyagers' known as the Dream Gang. They project themselves into other people's dreams and mess around, going 'dream surfing.' A dark conspiracy is stumbled across, which aims to debase humanity while it sleeps… and the Dream Gang are forced to confront its devastating intent.
I don't want to give too much away about it. I like to keep as many surprises as possible in the actual reading of the comic.
I'm not telling the story as if it's a film narrative. More like the way "Alice in Wonderland" unfolds in its curios dream logic way. I wanted to create a strip that would allow for an unbridled, imaginative storyline and surreal characters, and to create a comic series that might get close to the creative originality of Steve Ditko's "Doctor Strange." I'm both writing and drawing "Dream Gang" and I'm enjoying enormously the creative freedom that brings.
"Dream Gang" has a had a long gestation too, a bit like "Fury Road."
That's true. I literally dreamt the basis of this story up about 30 years ago when I was staying in hotel in northern India, in the Kashmiri Himalayas. I was on a "Razor's Edge" type of spiritual quest, back in the days of the tail end of the 60s' hippy trail through Asia.
I have pondered this story for decades. I pitched an earlier and different version of this tale under the title of "Z-Men" to Vertigo Comics about 17 years ago, but for some reason, it never happened with them (I think "Mad Max" first came up around that time). Although the core concepts have remained intact, a lot of new characters have been invented that work better in today's comic book climate, as does the newer title, "Dream Gang."
One of the cooler design aspects of the book is all the word balloons that make up the backgrounds. Are these the thoughts of everyone who is awake or something else?
The word balloons that clutter up the spaces between the dreamworlds are meant to represent the background chatter of the collective consciousness that our characters move through. Just like your own mind has an endless flow of yakkety-yak babble going on all the time, imagine what 7 billion people sound like!
Also, an important thing for me was to reclaim the thought bubble from the comics' dustbin, where contemporary writers have shunned it as a narrative device that is somehow dated. I figured, if the writers don't want it, then the artists can use it, in my case as a visual part of the storytelling grammar. Graphically, thought bubbles can contain images as well as words. I've always really loved thought balloons, and wanted them brought back into modern comics. They are an integral part of "Dream Gang." Indeed they are the overriding emblem of the strip. I have found the humble thought balloon has given me a fantastic symbol for representing different thoughts and imaginative realms.
Welcome back to the thought bubble!
The Hate-Wraiths are particularly cool villains – made from children's nightmares. What inspired them and what sorts of other cool creatures will be making their way into "Dream Gang?"
A large part of the story is about dream technology, the manufacture of nightmares — and idylls too. Creating monsters of the id from the dark side of the mind is a fun idea. There are, of course, an unlimited amount of creepy concepts that can be married together from the imagination. The story involves a creature invented by The Thought Corps, Zeirio, who has run amok in the psychic realms of this dream-story.
What are some of the wildest dreams or nightmares you've personally had?
Well, some of them are featured in the story. I go through periods when I write my dreams down every morning. I'm in one now, because I'm doing "Dream Gang" over the next year and I want to make sure I capture anything inspired. Most dreams are very pedestrian, but now and then something very strange may be recalled which leaves a lingering feeling all day. Dreams that have a strong afterglow are usually worth thinking about.
We spend a third of our lifespan asleep and these bizarre story fragments we tell ourselves at night seem to be largely ignored by society. I reject the use of dreams only as fodder for therapy — it's somehow taming the last wild space we have inside us, in service of making our mundane day-to-day lives slightly more comfortable. Dreams can be powerful, energetic wild beasts that we try to tame with flimsy psychotherapy 'meanings'. The controversial writer on dreams, James Hillman, rejects the neutering of these mysterious messages from deep within us for the benefit of our waking egos states. I agree with him. I want to be fully submerged in the mad, surreal, illogical, frightening forces of the deep mind.
Dive deep at night to bring back strange pearls! That's the unruly spirit that informs "Dream Gang."
Can you tell us how "Dream Gang" came to be serialized through "Dark Horse Presents?"
It was an easy birth for a change. I pitched it to Dark Horse President Mike Richardson and he said, "Yes" about two days later. It was very quick. I think he was tickled with the concepts and designs and wanted something unusual for the relaunch of "Dark Horse Presents." I was very pleased with the production of "The Best of Milligan & McCarthy" that Dark Horse put out in 2013. I was happy to work with Mike again after that, and the upcoming editorial superstar, Brendan Wright.
"Dream Gang" will run to 96 pages serialized in twelve, eight-page installments over the next year or so. I'll do a few covers too. And then we'll collect it into a graphic novel with pages of extra goodies. It'll be a nice book, definitely worth having!


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Applied Water Science (v.8, #4)
Extraction of ligninolytic enzymes from novel Klebsiella pneumoniae strains and its application in wastewater treatment by Nisha Gaur; Korrapati Narasimhulu; Y. Pydi Setty (1-17).
The presence of lignin and its derivatives in pulp effluent increases the pollution load on the environment. With an aim of better degradation and decolourization of wastewater, this study proposes the utilization of different ligninolytic enzymes from novel bacterial strains. Four novel bacterial strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae strains NITW715076, NITW715076_1, NITW715076_2 and NITW715076_3) were isolated and identified. The ligninolytic enzymes were characterized by plate assay method. For the optimization of various process parameters of effluent sample, different approaches were used like one factor at a time and statistical optimization through response surface methodology (RSM). Further to validate the above data, enzyme activity, total phenolic concentration, GC–MS analysis and seed germination test were also performed. The ligninolytic enzymes produced were characterized as laccase and Manganese peroxidase (MnP). In lignin degradation and decolourization studies, consortia 1 (K. pneumoniae NITW715076_2 + K. pneumoniae NITW715076_1) (82.31%) was found more effective when compared to axenic culture (K. pneumoniae NITW715076_2) (74.1%). In RSM studies, Laccase and MnP activities were increased by 20% and 18%, respectively, as compared to one factor at a time optimization method. In addition, the enzyme activity for laccase and MnP after prediction by RSM was found 53338 IU/L and 147900 IU/L, respectively. The R 2 values for both the enzymes were found to be significant. Further, GC–MS analysis also showed the degradation of different organic pollutants in effluent. Lastly, the seed germination test using consortia 1 corroborated the evidence of detoxification of industrial effluent. Effluent treated by consortia 1 showed better results in degradation and decolourization of lignin and their derivatives. Therefore, consortia 1 can be used for various industrial purposes like fruit juice clarification, diagnostic purposes and enhanced bioethanol production.
Keywords: Wastewater; Laccase; Manganese peroxidase; Response surface methodology; GC–MS; Decolourization
Municipal wastewater management using Vetiveria zizanioides planted in vertical flow constructed wetland by Adedayo A. Badejo; David O. Omole; Julius M. Ndambuki (1-6).
This study investigated wastewater management using Vetiveria zizanioides planted in vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW). Wastewater from the grit removal chamber and the primary sedimentation tank of Daspoort Wastewater Treatment Works was fed into six-pilot VFCW consisting of 1000-L plastic tanks having 500-mm-deep, 10–15-mm-diameter granite substrate planted with V. zizanioides. Irrigation of macrophytes using effluent from the grit removal chamber and primary sedimentation tanks was done after 3 months of planting and the VFCW monitored. Wastewater samples were collected and analysed using standard procedures. The pollution parameters of the initial sample were total alkalinity 297 ± 27.3 mg/L; COD 627 ± 149.0 mg/L; EC 82.53 ± 5.4 ms/m; free and saline ammonia 36.02 ± 4.1 mg/L, nitrate/nitrite 0.09 ± 0.1 mg/L; pH 7.66 ± 0.4; phosphate 3.07 ± 0.3 mg/L, sulphate 44.57 ± 3.1 mg/L; TDS 551 ± 37.8; TSS 319 ± 34.2 mg/L; and TKN 41 ± 6 mg/L. Percentage removal of 89.57, 98.34% TSS; 98.95, 98.62 free and saline ammonia; 89.87, 91.44% TKN; and 80.65, 58.02% COD for screen and settled wastewater, respectively, was obtained from the VFCW. VFCW using locally available V. zizanioides is a viable alternative for municipal wastewater treatment.
Keywords: Vertical flow constructed wetland; Vetiveria zizanioides ; Municipal wastewater
The future of date palm cultivation in the Lower Jordan Valley of the West Bank by B. G. J. S. Sonneveld; A. Marei; M. D. Merbis; A. Alfarra (1-12).
High water consumption and specific soil requirements warrant a long-term planning for date palm cultivation. Hence, this study presents a detailed procedure to calculate water and land balances that assess the suitability for date palm cultivation in three districts of the West Bank. It applies crop response functions to relate spatially explicit land suitability and salinity levels to net revenues. Furthermore, it compares net present values and benefit–cost ratios under various discount rates and salinity levels to assess economic feasibility. Date palm cultivation in Jericho-Al Ghoor is economically achievable, but additional land amendments are required for expansion in Nablus and Tubas districts. Prevailing average salinity levels have minor negative influence on future date palm developments.
Keywords: Date palm; Irrigation; West Bank; Salinity; Cost benefit analysis
Long-term trend analysis of water-level response to rainfall of Gulbarga watershed, Karnataka, India, in basaltic terrain: hydrogeological environmental appraisal in arid region by L. Bharathkumar; M. A. Mohammed-Aslam (1-9).
Hydrogeological environment of an area includes surface and subsurface water resources. Groundwater is continuously getting recharged by surface water sources and rainfall. Recharge and discharge of an area can be reflected by water-table rise and drawdown. Water table of an area represents the groundwater strategy in the formation and majorly depends on the amount of precipitation. An attempt is carried out to analyze the correlation between rainfall and water table in arid climatic condition within the Gulbarga watershed, Karnataka, India. Rainfall and water-table data were collected from Department of Mines and Geology, Government of Karnataka, which consists of information from 2001 to 2011. Month-wise data are processed into distinctive four seasonal data, namely winter, summer, monsoon and post-monsoon. The rainfall data are analyzed, and accordingly they have been classified as good year and bad year depending upon the amount of precipitation. The study focuses on the need of rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge structures to improve groundwater resource sustainability for future generation.
Keywords: Rainfall analysis; Good/bad year; Water-table analysis; Correlation
The adsorption of HCrO4 − on activated carbon of date pits and its photoreduction on the hetero-system ZnCo2O4/TiO2 by Y. Azoudj; Z. Merzougui; G. Rekhila; M. Trari (1-7).
The adsorption properties of activated carbon were successfully tested toward the elimination of hazardous HCrO4 − (30, 50, 70 and 100 mg L−1). The material was prepared from Algerian date pits by physical and chemical activations of ZnCl2/CO2 in the goal to develop the microporous volume. The characterization by N2 adsorption at 77 K, the mercury intrusion porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy showed important textural properties. CO2 increases the specific surface area (1192 m2 g−1) and pore volume (0.96 cm3 g). The HCrO4 − adsorption is described by a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and the equilibrium data are fitted by the Langmuir model with a maximal adsorption capacity of 46.72 mg/g within 30 min and a constant K L (0.12 L g−1). The remaining HCrO4 − concentrations (8, 23, 32.5 and 43.5 mg L−1) were photocatalytically reduced on the hetero-system ZnCo2O4/TiO2 down to 5 mg L−1. The spinel ZnCo2O4, prepared by co-precipitation from the nitrates precursors and characterized by photoelectrochemistry, gives a conduction band of − 1.49 V SCE, more cathodic than the HCrO4 − level (0.53 V). Therefore, the photoelectrons transfer toward HCrO4 − species is achieved through TiO2 located midway between the spinel and chromate levels. The photocatalysis is investigated by varying the catalyst dose and HCrO4 − concentration. ZnCo2O4 has a gap of 1.82 eV and the best reduction efficiency (82%) was obtained under visible light (50 mW cm−2) and optimal conditions (HCrO4 − 23 mg L−1, pH ~ 7, ZnCo2O4/TiO2 50/50%) and follows a first-order kinetic with a rate constant of 3.86 × 10−3 min−1.
Keywords: Date pits; Chemical and physical activation; Adsorption; Chromate; Photoreduction; Hetero-system ZnCo2O4/TiO2
Assessment of groundwater quality with special emphasis on nitrate contamination in parts of Varanasi City, Uttar Pradesh, India by Arif Ahamad; Sughosh Madhav; Pardeep Singh; Jitendra Pandey; A. H. Khan (1-13).
In the current study, an effort was made to assess the geochemistry of groundwater by random collection of the samples from 15 different borewells located in various parts of Varanasi City, Uttar Pradesh, India. Geology of the study region is dominated by Quaternary alluvial sediments of Pleistocene to recent times where the younger alluvium receives fresh deposits of silt, clay and loam from periodic flood events. Ca–Mg–HCO3was inferred as major hydrogeochemical facies from Piper trilinear diagram. Ca–Mg type and HCO3 − type were the dominating cation and anion facies, respectively. Hydrogeochemistry reveals that the cation abundance follows the order Na+> Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ and anion abundance HCO3 − > Cl− > NO3 − > SO4 2− > F−. As per Gibb's plot, chemical weathering of rock minerals is affecting the quality of groundwater. Overall, most of the samples for majority of parameters lie within the allowable limits as set by WHO (guideline for drinking water quality, fourth edn, WHO, Geneva, p 340, 2004) except nitrate, which varied in the range of 40.32–78.97 mg/l. 80% of the groundwater samples in which nitrate exceeded beyond acceptable limit (50 mg/l), as per WHO standard, which may be due to poor sewerage, human excreta leakage from septic tanks, poorly maintained disposal of solid waste locally, agricultural activities, wastewater irrigation and irrigation runoff. The Water quality index (WQI) value of the study region depicts that 93% samples lie in the category of excellent water and 7% in good water category. Good positive correlation of NO3–Cl (r = 0.60) and Na–NO3 (r = 0.55) signifies an anthropogenic input of these ions into the subsurface water of the study region. The various indices such as electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, percent sodium, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), permeability index (PI), Kelly's ratio and magnesium ratio are used to check the fitness of ground water for irrigation uses which shows that groundwater samples of the study region is good to permissible for agricultural uses.
Keywords: Groundwater; TDS; Nitrate; Water quality index; Residual sodium carbonate (RSC)
Kinetic study of lead (Pb2+) removal from battery manufacturing wastewater using bagasse biochar as biosorbent by Poonam; Sushil Kumar Bharti; Narendra Kumar (1-13).
Agricultural waste of bagasse was employed for investigating its lead (Pb2+) removal potential from wastewater of battery manufacturing industry. To optimize maximum removal efficacy of the bagasse, it was thermally modified in the form of biochar. Adsorption kinetics and mechanism including various parameters (contact time, dose and pH) were studied employing biochar prepared from bagasse waste. The optimum adsorption occurred at pH 5 with 140 min. of contact time utilizing 5 g of adsorbent dosage at room temperature (25 ± 3 °C). The maximum removal efficiency was recorded as 12.741 mg g−1 with 75.376% of removal at optimum pH 5 as compared to the initial concentration in the effluent. The result illustrated the most suitable fit was for Langmuir isotherm with monolayer and homogenous adsorption of Pb2+. The kinetics involved in the process was observed to be pseudo-second-order, which indicates chemisorption as a major phenomenon involved in the process. The characterization of the adsorbent biochar was done by SEM, EDX and FTIR analysis that provided details about ultrastructural and functionality of organic moiety present to have porous and rough surface, favoring the adsorption process. The functional groups identified by the FTIR analysis demonstrated involvement of carboxyl groups in Pb2+ binding. Postadsorption elution of metal-loaded bagasse was executed by 0.1 M HNO3 with about 90% of regeneration.
Keywords: Biosorption; Biochar; Isotherms; Kinetics; Desorption; Water pollution; Heavy metals
A visual investigation of different pollutants on the rheological properties of sodium/potassium formate fluids by Afshin Davarpanah (1-6).
Nowadays, the adverse effect of drilling operation performances on the environment is considered as one of the major concern of petroleum industries which should be taken into the consideration to virtually eliminate the unnecessary expenses of improving the wasting quality before entering to the environment. Volume and toxicity of discharged materials evaluate surface discharge severity. The ubiquitous utilization of formate fluids has revolutionized the way petroleum industries have conquered the lower drilling inefficiencies. We investigated the profound impact of different pollutants on the potassium/sodium formate fluids using experimental tests. The particular sample for mud pollution test was formate fluid with starch biopolymers. To do this, five samples of formate fluids were made, and each of them was polluted by several pollutants such as cement, lime, acid, alkali and stucco. Consequently, rheological properties and the pH changes and their effect on the formate fluids were evaluated.
Keywords: Formate fluids; Rheological properties; Pollutants; Core samples
Hydrogeochemical characteristics and spatial distribution of groundwater quality in Arusha well fields, Northern Tanzania by Nyamboge Chacha; Karoli N. Njau; George V. Lugomela; Alfred N. N. Muzuka (1-23).
Arusha aquifers have been exploited intensively serving as the main source of domestic water supply in the city. But the quality of groundwater is not clearly documented for future planning and management. Hydrogeochemical assessment was carried out to establish groundwater quality and its spatial distribution with the aid of geostatistical techniques. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for major cations and anions using conventional methods of water analysis. Well lithology and geological map were considered for hydrogeological interpretation of the area. The results of piper diagram revealed Na–K–HCO3 water type with sodium and bicarbonate ions dominating in all samples. High fluoride concentrations and general groundwater chemistry are mainly controlled by aquifer lithology than anthropogenic activities. The levels of anthropogenic pollution indicators such as nitrate, chloride and sulfate in deep wells are generally low and most likely coming from natural sources. The geological sections indicate two potential aquifers (volcanic sediment and weathered/fractured formation) both yield water containing significant concentration of fluoride. Fluoride concentrations were higher than WHO guidelines (1.5 mg/l) and Tanzanian standards (4.0 mg/l) by 82 and 36% of the analyzed groundwater samples, respectively. The southern part of the study area yields groundwater of better quality for human consumption than northern zones which is at high elevation on the foot of Mt. Meru. With exception of fluoride, the quality of groundwater in the study area is generally suitable for drinking purpose and other socioeconomic uses.
Keywords: Groundwater quality; Hydrogeochemical; Arusha
Collaborative governance: assessing the problem of weak cross-sectoral collaborations for the governance of Addis Ababa Rivers by Wassihun Gebregiziaber Woldesenbet (1-24).
Even though collaborative governance has become an important model to address river problems, the practice of collaboration among different sectors to govern river problems is weak in Addis Ababa city. Therefore, this study was intended to investigate the problem of weak cross-sectoral collaboration for the governance of river problems in Addis Ababa City. Employing qualitative research approach, the study relied on both primary and secondary data sources. Accordingly, interview and observation were conducted to gather relevant data. Secondary data were collected from different quarterly reports, river assessments and researches. The study found out that cross-sectoral collaboration is characterized by the lack of involvement of various non-governmental sectors, the problem of legitimacy, and the representation of sectors by individuals who have no expertise or experience on river issues. On the other hand, the challenges are the exclusion of river from the agendas of each sector, lack of commitment of authorities to share information and resources, and the absence of sectors in the implementation of river plans in different river sites in terms of giving trainings, supervising, and evaluating river sites. Establishing committee at all levels, including river in the annual plans of each sector, and appointing river experts in different sectors are identified as important mechanisms of dealing with collaboration problems. These problems of weak cross-sectoral collaborative governance of rivers had resulted in the deteriorating quality of rivers, environmental hazards to the vegetation of agricultural crops, and health and related impacts on biotic elements of the ecosystem.
Keywords: Collaborative governance; Cross-sectoral collaboration; River governance
Experimental design for the optimization of coacervative extraction of brilliant green in water samples using anionic surfactant by Seyed Saheb Sadat Hosseini; Somayeh Khezri; Amir Khosravi (1-7).
A new and simple method for the determination of trace amounts of brilliant green was developed by coacervative extraction and spectrophotometry. The method is based on the extraction of brilliant green with coacervates made up of sodium dodecyl sulfate as an anionic surfactant, in the presence of saturated NaCl solution. The effect of various experimental parameters such as pH of solutions, concentration of surfactant and concentration of salt was investigated using central composite design based on response surface methodology. Under the optimum conditions the calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.03–2.2 µg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.012 µg mL−1. The relative standard deviation for seven replicates of 1.2 µg mL−1 brilliant green was 1.75%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of brilliant green in different real samples including fish farming water, river water and tap water samples.
Keywords: Coacervative extraction; Spectrophotometry; Brilliant green; SDS; Experimental design
Estimation of river Tigris dispersivities using a steady-state numerical model by Alhassan H. Ismail; A. H. Muntasir (1-9).
The present work suggests a simple approach for simulating the dispersion of pollutants in rivers and streams with the aid of computational fluid dynamics technique. The two-dimensional advection–dispersion equation was solved using FlexPDE code to predict the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations at the confluence of Diyala with Tigris Rivers. In this model, two sets of data were used for calibration and validation processes. Various values of longitudinal and transverse dispersion coefficients were adopted in the model to determine the suitable value using the trial-and-error method. The results revealed that the best agreement between simulated and measured values was observed when the longitudinal and transverse dispersion coefficients are close to 10 and 5 m2/s, respectively. The results showed that the proposed methodology is more suitable for TDS, while for BOD, it needs an accurate representation of the chemical or biological transformations.
Keywords: Pollutant transport; Diyala River; Tigris River; Water quality; FlexPDE
Spatial and inter-annual variability of proto- and metazooplankton during summer around the Kneiss Islands (Tunisia, Central Mediterranean Sea) by Amira Rekik; Habib Ayadi; Jannet Elloumi (1-10).
We studied the distribution of proto- and metazooplankton coupled with environmental factors in the coast area around Kneiss Islands (Central Mediterranean Sea). Zooplanktonic communities were sampled during summer 2009 and summer 2010 at three stations. Our results showed difference in suspended matter concentrations between summer 2009 (92.88 ± 7.15 mg L−1) and summer 2010 (47.37 ± 23.12 mg L−1). Large variations in the N/P ratio were recorded (6.94–36.76) due to the direct influence of the variability in concentration of both the dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved inorganic phosphate components of the ratio. Ciliates abundance peaked in summer 2009 and was 3 times more abundant than summer 2010. Ciliates community composition was dominated by loricate ciliates (75% of total ciliates) in summer 2009 and naked ciliates (56% of total ciliates) in summer 2010. Copepods were the most abundant metazooplankton present during the entire study period, comprising 30–96% of the total metazooplankton community. Small planktonic copepods reached important abundance, particularly oithonids, were found to largely dominate copepods community in both summer 2009 (Oithona nana, 45% of total copepods) and summer 2010 (Oithona similis, 22% of total copepods). The small planktonic species Paracalanus parvus (54% of total copepods) was abundant during summer 2010. The results also indicate that (1) ciliates abundance was very low, showing a possible predation by copepods and also by heterotrophic dinoflagellates, (2) copepods capable to complete a top-down control on phytoplankton and ciliates, with preference to ciliates more than diatoms of similar size and shape and (3) the resistance of loricate ciliates compared to naked ciliates may be explained by their capacity to escape grazing due to the existence of a protective lorica.
Keywords: Kneiss Islands; Nutrients; Ciliates; Zooplankton
Solar disinfection potentials of aqua lens, photovoltaic and glass bottle subsequent to plant-based coagulant: for low-cost household water treatment systems by Yonas Lamore; Abebe Beyene; Samuel Fekadu; Moa Megersa (1-9).
Unaffordable construction cost of conventional water treatment plant and distribution system in most developing countries makes difficult to provide safe and adequate water for all households, especially for the rural setup. Water treatment at the source can be the best alternative. Solar disinfection is one alternative among point of use treatments. In this study, aqua lens, photovoltaic box and glass bottle were used subsequent to plant coagulants to evaluate microbial reduction potentials. Laboratory- and field-based experiments were conducted from May to August 2016. The Escherichia coli, total coliforms and heterotrophic plate counts were used as indicator organisms. The result indicated that aqua lens (AL), photovoltaic box (PV) and glass bottle (GB) have high inactivation rate subsequently almost for all indicator organisms in short solar exposure time. Total coliforms were inactivated in AL (SD = 15.8 °C, R 2 = 0.92) followed by PV inactivation temperature association (SD = 11.6 C, R 2 = 0.90), and the GB concentrator was inactivated (SD = 10.9 °C, R 2 = 0.70) at turbidity level of 3.41 NTU. As the study indicated, aqua lens coupled with Moringa oleifera coagulant can be an effective with minimum cost for household water treatment system. The study also concludes heterotrophic bacteria were more resistant than other types of bacteria in SODIS with similar exposure time.
Keywords: Acrylic glass; Aqua lens; Moringa oleifera ; Photovoltaic box; Solar disinfection; Water treatment
Groundwater recharge estimation studies in a khondalitic terrain of India by Yellapu Siva Prasad; Bekkam Venkateswara Rao (1-9).
Agriculture is the main occupation in the Kandivalasa river sub-basin (KRSB) covered with khondalitic terrain of Eastern Ghats of India. The farmers are mainly depending on groundwater for irrigation in non-monsoon period in the study area; as such it is important to know how much rainfall recharge is occurring to the groundwater table. The groundwater recharge is assessed in the KRSB by collecting the pre- and post-monsoon groundwater levels at 42 observation wells and rainfall data covering the entire basin during the years 2013–2016. The groundwater recharge has been calculated using both water table fluctuation method and rainfall infiltration method. The study revealed in the basin that the per cent of rainfall converting to the groundwater recharge is 11.12, 13.18, 9.51 and 12.80% for the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. The study has also revealed that the heavy rainfall events with prolonged time lead to the rise in the groundwater levels, thereby increasing the groundwater recharge. It is also observed that the deeper the pre-monsoon groundwater level, the more the recharge in the basin.
Keywords: Khondalites; Groundwater recharge; Pre-monsoon groundwater levels; Kandivalasa river sub-basin
Adsorptive removal of lead and arsenic from aqueous solution using soya bean as a novel biosorbent: equilibrium isotherm and thermal stability studies by Nisha Gaur; Aayush Kukreja; Mahavir Yadav; Archana Tiwari (1-12).
In this study, adsorption potential of soya bean adsorbent for lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) has been assessed in order to consider its suitability for purification of wastewater containing heavy metals. The main focus of study was on Pb and As. Batch experiments were performed to study the adsorption of Pb and As on soya bean absorbent. The effect of various experimental parameters (adsorbent dose, contact time, temperature and pH) was studied, and optimal conditions were determined. The effect of adsorbent dose on the biosorption of Pb and As from aqueous solution was studied at 37 °C by varying the adsorbent amount from 1 g/100 ml to 4 g/100 ml. Highest amount of Pb and As was adsorbed at sorbent amount of 3 g/100 ml. The optimum pH for removal of As and Pb was found to be 2.0 and 4.0 ± 0.26. Maximum biosorption of Pb and As was achieved at 37 °C. The maximum percentage removal of Pb and As was attained at 60 min of shaking time. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were utilized for equilibrium studies. It was found that biosorption by soya bean adsorbent was exothermic in nature. The thermal degradation analysis suggested that the degradation occurs in two steps and adsorbent is thermally stable.
Keywords: Biosorption; Soya bean adsorbent; Lead and arsenic; Sorption isotherm and thermal analysis of biosorbent
Spreadsheet-based modelling of hysteresis-affected curves by Mohammad Zakwan (1-5).
Design, operation and management of water resource projects are influenced by the amount of discharge passing through the stream. Discharge at the gauging site is generally estimated by developing single-valued simple rating curves. However, in case of unsteady flows, hysteresis affect is introduced in the stage discharge relationship and as such single-valued rating curves are no longer valid for such situations. The present paper presents a simple spreadsheet-based optimization approach for modelling the hysteresis-affected discharge rating curves. Generalized reduced gradient (GRG) technique has been reported as a reliable tool for handling optimization problems; therefore, in the present paper, it has been applied to estimate discharge for two sites with hysteresis affect based on Jones formula. Comparison of results shows that discharge estimated by GRG technique is as efficient as genetic algorithm and the goodness-of-fit criteria shows that the rating curves obtained by using Jones formula fit the observed data better than single-valued simple rating curves for both the sites considered in the present study. Application of spreadsheet-based GRG optimization technique could prove very helpful to the hydrometric offices.
Keywords: GRG; Hysteresis; Optimization; Rating curves; Spreadsheet
Sustainable sediment management options for reservoirs: a case study of Chashma Reservoir in Pakistan by Mubashar Ali; Abdul Sattar Shakir (1-10).
Globally the average annual loss of reservoir capacity is approximately 1%. Pakistan is confronting major issue of sedimentation which is continuously depleting the useful storage of reservoirs. GSTARS3 model was used to determine the rate of deposition and sediment pattern of Chashma Reservoir since its operation. The model was calibrated and validated for bathymetric survey of 2008 and 2012. The results of GSTARS3 were incorporated to a GIS software to visualize sediment accumulation in reservoir. The study reveals that sediment flushing of the Chashma Reservoir can be carried out during flood season at a pond level of 638.15 ft. (194.51 m). However, its negative impact if any on the hydropower generation needs to be analysed. Accordingly, modified operation rules would be required.
Keywords: Sedimentation; Bathymetric survey; GSTARS3; Sediment accumulation; Flushing; Operational rules
Spatial analysis of groundwater quality mapping in hard rock area in the Akola and Buldhana districts of Maharashtra, India by Chaitanya B. Pande; Kanak Moharir (1-17).
The study of groundwater quality parameters is most essential for irrigation and drinking water, and its quality is a serious problem around the study area. The spatial analysis of groundwater quality mapping is required and stimulated us to undertake a systematic work of groundwater quality parameters for suitable water exploration of crops and drinking purposes from bore wells and open wells in basaltic hard rock area. A detailed study of physico-chemical parameters composition of groundwater was performed from groundwater quality data of post-monsoon (December) in the year of 2013. The groundwater quality data were collected from 35 wells samples randomly distributed in area. GIS is a powerful tool for representation and analysis of spatial information related to groundwater resources management. To achieve this aim, the groundwater quality samples were analysed for the preparation of groundwater quality maps such as pH, electrical conductivity, TDS, Cl and Mg. The groundwater quality parameters were analysed for all the sampling locations using IWD interpolation techniques. In this study, groundwater quality values observed are minimum and maximum values of pH (6.2–8 on scale), electrical conductivity (348–1598 S/cm), total dissolved solids (268.32–707.95 mg/l), carbonate (0–30 mg/l), bicarbonate (0.9–58.9 mg/l), chloride (1.15–28.36 mg/l), sulphate (17.4–105 mg/l), nitrate (0.4–6.0 mg/l), calcium (2.35–7.24 mg/l), magnesium (2.88–3.73 mg/l), sodium (0.57–3.31 mg/l), potassium (0.26–1.2 mg/l), sulphate (0.5–4.64 mg/l), bicarbonate+ carbonate (1.07–11.16 mg/l) and carbonate (0–0.79 mg/l) in hard rock area. The spatial variation maps were derived and integrated through ARC GIS 10.3 software. The interpolation tool was used to obtain the spatial distribution of groundwater quality parameters in the basaltic hard rock area. Therefore, the result of groundwater analysis of large number of groundwater samples has been found to be suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes in the basaltic hard rock area.
Keywords: Groundwater; Basaltic rock; GIS; Inverse distance weighted method and GPS
A newly green photocatalyst support for azo dye remediation under UV light irradiation by Hayrunnisa Nadaroglu; Asghar Lesani; Seyedeh Sara Soleimani; Aynur Babagil (1-8).
A new cellulosic material "corn silk" was modified with titanium dioxide nanoparticles as a novel photocatalyst support. In this study, the prepared support was tested for the removal of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) as an azo dye pollutant candidate from synthetic samples. High capability of decolorization (> 99%) was achieved after 30 s using the corn silk/TiO2 photo-biocatalyst. The effect of important parameters such as pH of the medium, the amount of photocatalyst, mixing rate and dye concentration was investigated and modified. UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier-transform IR spectrometry were applied to characterize the effect of functionalization, structure, surface morphology and photocatalyst properties of the support and mineralization of pollutants. It was observed that the maximum decolorization of RB5 occurred at pH 3.0, 25 °C, 300 rpm, 30 s using the corn silk/TiO2 composite material for this study. The results reveal that corn silk/TiO2 composite has high and significant photocatalytic activity.
Keywords: Corn silk; Titanium (IV) oxide NPs; Textile dye; Reactive Black 5; UV photodegradation
Geochemistry of El-Salam Canal and the adjacent groundwater in north Sinai, Egypt: an application to a water treatment process using magnetic zeolite nanoparticles by Thanaa Shalaby; Mustafa Eissa; Marwa El Kady; Suzan Abd El-Gaber (1-17).
Water shortage is among the critical challenges facing many countries located in the arid zone of the southern the Mediterranean region. In the northern Sinai, El-Salam Canal and shallow groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer are considered the main irrigation sources for reclamation of 62,000 acres situated along the Mediterranean coast. The chemistry of surface water of El-Salam Canal varies greatly from the western to the eastern sides. Additionally, the groundwater chemistry is greatly influenced by dilution due to seepage of El-Salam Canal water. The historical and recent records of water chemistry show great variation of the concentrations of dissolved Al3+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ in both surface and groundwater, based on sampling time and locality. The concentrations of these heavy metals occasionally exceed the international recommended limits for drinking and short-term irrigation standards. The removal of dissolved heavy metals from water is crucial to fill the gap between the water supply and the growing demands using possible techniques of water treatment. Consequently, zeolite nanocomposites are one of the materials that have been used for water treatment. Magnetic zeolite nanocomposites (MZNCs) were prepared by the chemical co-precipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in the presence of zeolite. The prepared magnetic nanocomposites were characterized by TEM, SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, TGA and VSM. The results show that MZNCs have a cubic crystal structure and good thermal stability. The MZNCs were used to remove Al(III), Zn(II) and Cu(II) from simulated water and then were easily separated from the medium by external permanent magnet. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted, and the effects of pH, initial ion concentration, adsorbent dose and contact time were studied. The selected pH range (pH = 5–6) and temperature (27 °C) in the batch adsorption experiments were close to the pH range of the surface and groundwater field data. Furthermore, the chosen initial concentrations and adsorbent doses were within the heavy metals concentration ranges in El-Salam Canal and the adjacent groundwater. The MZNCs show great removal capacity of heavy metals where 0.1 g is able to clean contaminated water with high concentrations (0.5–3 g/l) of Cu(II) and Zn(II) within 20 min and within 30 min for Al(III). The adsorption kinetics data of the system were well fitted to pseudo-second-order model, which indicates a faster kinetic sorption by the composites. Adsorption isotherms were studied using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Although both of them fit the data, the Freundlich isotherm had the best fit for the selected metals.
Keywords: El-Salam Canal water; Hydrogeochemistry; Water treatment; Magnetic zeolite; Nanocomposite
Synthesis of ZnO nanostructure using activated carbon for photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange from aqueous solutions by Mahda Sadat Nasrollahzadeh; Mojtaba Hadavifar; Seyedeh Sima Ghasemi; Mansour Arab Chamjangali (1-12).
In this research, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure was prepared by using zinc acetate (as precursor) and carboxylic derivative of activated carbon (as matrix). Activated carbon was modified by oxidation with nitric acid to get carboxylic derivative (AC–COOH). Then, zinc was loaded on the surface of modified activated carbon by an impregnation method. The ZnO nanostructure was characterized by BET, XRD and SEM that confirmed achieving of ZnO nanoparticles with a size of 21–31 nm and surface area of 17.78 m2 gr−1. The efficiency of the catalyst was evaluated in the photocatalytic decomposition of aqueous solution of azo dye methyl orange (MO). Major parameters such as pH, dose of catalyst, stirring effect, initial concentration of dye and solution oxygen effect were considered. Activity measurements under UV radiation showed acceptable results for the photodegradation of MO. The efficiency of catalyst prepared with non-modified activated carbon for the photodegradation of MO was also evaluated. The results confirmed that ZnO prepared using carboxylic derivative of activated carbon as matrix had better photocatalytic activity than ZnO prepared by non-modified carbon matrix.
Keywords: Zinc oxide; Activated carbon; Photodegradation; Methyl orange
The removal of amoxicillin from aquatic solutions using the TiO2/UV-C nanophotocatalytic method doped with trivalent iron by Narges Olama; Mansooreh Dehghani; Mohammad Malakootian (1-12).
The indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics and their introduction into the environment have caused global concerns. Typically, following consumption, these compounds are introduced into the environment after incomplete metabolism, and a large portion of them are impossible to remove using conventional wastewater treatment systems. The main aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of using a TiO2/UV-C nanophotocatalyst doped with trivalent iron for the removal of amoxicillin from aquatic solutions. The nanophotocatalyst was prepared and characterized by SEM, XRD, EDX, DRS, and photoluminescence spectrum. The influences of different parameters, including nanocatalyst concentration (30–90 mg/L), initial concentration of amoxicillin (10–45 mg/L), and pH (3–11) at different time intervals (30–120 min) on antibiotic removal efficiency were investigated. Antibiotic concentration was measured with an HPLC device. All experiments were replicated three times according to the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th edition. Data were analyzed using SPSS 19 and the ANOVA statistical test. Optimal conditions for removing amoxicillin from a synthetic solution were as follows: pH 11, initial concentration of antibiotic = 10 mg/L, nanocatalyst = 90 mg/L, and contact time = 120 min. The optimal conditions were also used to remove amoxicillin from Dana Pharmaceutical Company wastewater. The removal efficiencies of antibiotic for synthetic and pharmaceutical wastewater were 99.14 and 88.92%, respectively. According to the results, the nanophotocatalyst TiO2/UV-C may be used for the removal of significant amounts of amoxicillin from pharmaceutical wastewater.
Keywords: Antibiotic; Amoxicillin; Titanium dioxide doped by Fe3+ ; Removal; Nano-photocatalyst; UV radiation


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Welcome to Ms. Vanderhelm's Class
I love teaching math at Cascade High School. My college alma mater is WWU (Go Vikings!) My interests/hobbies outside of the classroom include fishing, running, boating, backpacking, reading, scuba diving, and quilting.Please email me regarding questions/concerns throughout the school year. The school phone number is 425-385-6000
Period 1 Common Core Algebra 2
Period 2 Common Core Algebra 2
Period 3 Common Core Algebra 2
Have no fear, HELP IS HERE!Teacher/Peer Tutoring Math Lab: 7:00am-7:25am Room 514 Tues/ThursVanderHelm Additional Help Times: PAWS Mon-Thurs (need a pass)Online tutorials: www.pearsonsuccessnet.com


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Now, a little about the book on the table for
Title: Sir Edric's Temple
Author: Thaddeus White
Genre: Fantasy and Humor
Length (print): 124 pages
Purchase Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99
When Sir Edric Greenlock, the Hero of Hornska, is summoned to attend the King in the dead of night he fears imminent execution. Committing adultery is frowned upon in King Lawrence's domains, especially when it's with Lawrence's wife. The King, however, has something else in mind. Priceless royal treasures have been stolen, and the King dispatches Sir Edric to retrieve them in a mission that could optimistically be described as suicidal.
Accompanied by his pathologically loyal manservant Dog, the prudish elf Lysandra, and a man called Colin, he must travel to the Unholy Temple to retrieve the royal treasures from a mysterious thief.
**Will not appear in review elsewhere
Thaddeus was one of the winners of a review from my 12 Days of Christmas contest at the end of last year. I do this once a year to fill my Kindle with books by authors I've never read (and some I have who've released new titles I haven't read). I ask each author to pitch their book to me in a comment and leave me a link so I can snag a sample. I have to admit, White had my attention with the pitch and once I dove into the sample, I couldn't stop reading.
And who wouldn't love this cover?**
Okay, on to the meat and potatoes!!
I grabbed a sample of Sir Edric's Temple after the author pitched the book on my blog. I have to say, I wasn't sure I was going to like it from the description; but, once I started reading, I was sucked in by the excellent writing and world-building going on. When the sample ended and I was upset there was no more to read, I knew I'd hit upon a winner. On the cover is exactly what you'd expect Sir Edric to look like (crossbow and all). Now for the review!
From a Reader's Perspective:
White now owes me a box of cleaning wipes. I can't tell you how many times I laughed while reading this book. Sir Edric's inner monologue will have you rolling on the floor while understanding this is probably what 9/10 of the male population is thinking at any given point in time. It's very true to life in that sense. You also start to actually like him by the end of the book, despite his womanizing ways. Plus, there are mystical creatures, zombies (yay!), and dragons (who doesn't love dragons?). When the end of the book came about, I was not only sad the story was over, but cracking up at the final outcome. It had the most beautiful twist!
From an Editor's Perspective:
This book was so well written, I found no errors. That's saying something. My brain is wired to find even the tiniest slip-ups, and this book had none. Kudos to the author.
1 Star for making me laugh like a crazy person
1 Star for making Sir Edric so darned likeable
1 Star for great world building
1 Star for the fantastic ending
1 Star for editing and lack of errors
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars! Recommended to anyone who loves to laugh and finds humor in male inner-monologue.
I do hope you all check out Sir Edric's Temple. It's a fast, fun, humorous read that's well worth the $2.99 it costs.
As a little aside, I, Zombie went live and is available for purchase here. It's just $0.99 for a limited time, so I suggest you snag one! Party starts on the blog tomorrow so be sure you come on back for that!
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!


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Ali Lawn & Greg Whyte have created the beachy ambience that is Waihi Beach Lodge.
Both come from sales and marketing backgrounds – Ali from books, map publishing and retail and Greg through grocery, stationery, office and imprinted products.
Ali Lawn
Ali is an avid reader, addicted to crosswords and has interests in arts & crafts, travel, wine, and sport. She also practices massage and is on hand to knead those travel aches and pains away.
In the community Ali was a Community Board member for the Western Bay of Plenty District Council for 3 years, is a member of the Civil Defence welfare team and has been the volunteer treasurer for the Waihi Beach Community Centre and was also on the OP Shop Ball committee for many years
Some of Ali's famous recipes:
Waihi Beach lodge was a Finalist in the Hotel Club Awards.
Greg Whyte
Greg loves sport and is a keen fisherman. He has been involved with playing/coaching and managing rugby/cricket teams for over 30 years and now is a keen spectator and armchair critic. He enjoys a good pinot noir and the latest gourmet cookbook as well as torpedo fishing off the beach with guests and friends.
In the community Greg administered the www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz website for approx 7 years which he and Ali were the instigators to set up. He was chairman of Waihi Beach Community Events and Promotions Society Incorporated for approx 7 years and was a member of the Waihi Beach Op Shop Ball committee for several years and was on the Waihi Beach Fresh Produce Market committee. Greg is a founding member of the Southern Coromandel Tourism Network and was invited to join the Bay of Plenty Tourism advisory board that existed for a few years.Greg also oversaw the upgrade of the Waihi Beach Community Centre website.
Waihi Beach Lodge proudly supports the following charities:


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Oil Tan Delta & Resistivity
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MOTR is a multifunctional, automatic test kit designed for accurate measurement of the Dielectric Constant, Tan Delta, Resistivity & Capacitance of transformer oil & other electrical insulating liquids. It has pre-programmed test sequences as per various international standards along with customized test sequences as per user requirements. The kit has an internal memory for storage of 250 tests and is provided with PC interface & report generation facility. MOTR is also equipped with an inbuilt thermal printer for onsite results. Test cell is designed as per IEC 247 with calibrator for onsite calibration of kit.Enquiry Brochure
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