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The Magazine for Underwater Professionals
Nov/Dec 2015
Subsea friction welding with ROVs and divers
The SUT evening meeting 'Subsea Friction Welding with ROVs and Divers' was conducted by Dave Gibson, technical authority for friction welding at Proserv, and Stuart Harvey, product champion for friction welding, also at Proserv. The presentation gave an overview of subsea welding processes, and focused primarily on the advantages, applications and capability of Proserv in relation to subsea friction welding with ROVs and divers.
The presentation began with an overview of Proserv as a company and a brief company history. This was followed by an overview of subsea welding processes, specifically wet welding, hyperbaric habitat welding and friction welding.
We learnt that subsea friction welding involves the rotation of a stud at high speed, using ROV or diver tooling and applying an axial force to complete the attachment to the target surface. The stud is generally attached to a large tubular or flat surface subsea, such as a vessel hull. The generation of heat by the rotating stud against the surface results in the tip of the stud flowing plastically to form the weld. The presentation included a short video demonstrating the process, which was described as being analogous to forge welding by a blacksmith.
The many benefits of friction welding were described. The ROV process is virtually unlimited by water depth and as the weld process is solid phase, the weld is free of slag and porosity. Unlike electric arc welding, where high residual stresses can be present at the weld pool, the residual stresses with friction welding are compressive, resulting in good fatigue strength. Fatigue testing had shown good results in the as-welded condition without post-weld heat treatment and tensile testing had shown that failures do not occur at the weld.
The presentation continued by outlining a number of projects where the friction welding technique was used by Proserv, as well as an overview of the tooling involved. The examples that were shown included an anode attachment to a vessel hull, where a short video of a post-installation ROV survey showed some of the 450-pound (204-kilogram) anodes that were attached by ROV.
Another project showed that the technique was useful in anode retrofit to subsea structures by means of a stud and cable attachment.
Other projects included subsea friction plug welding for valve repair, welding of studs to live equipment and cofferdam attachment to a vessel using the friction stud welding technique.
It was clear from the presentation that subsea friction welding with ROVs and divers is an effective and robust method of stud attachment that can be used in various applications. After the presentation, several questions were asked by the inquisitive audience and samples of welded studs were passed around for inspection. The Proserv team answered the questions knowledgeably, after which we departed for the usual cheese and wine.
The Society for Underwater Technology Texas A&M University (TAMU) Student Chapter hosted its annual Welcome Dinner for more than 100 of its student members in the Memorial Student Center with invited industry representatives from SUT Houston.
Colleges from every aspect of the university, including geosciences, engineering, archeology and business, were represented that evening, demonstrating the multidisciplinary nature and uniqueness of SUT TAMU.
To begin the evening, the three 2015 Student Paper Contest winners were acknowledged and awarded US$1500 from SUT London. The winning papers were selected by SUT Houston volunteers from many high-quality papers submitted in the areas of engineering, science and technology. The 2015 Student Paper Contest winners were Ahmad Abdullah (engineering), Lindsay Martin (science) and Kewei Chen (technology). Dr Medina Cetina, associate professor of Civil Engineering and SUT TAMU academic advisor, read a message from Dr Bob Allwood, SUT's chief executive officer, congratulating the Student Paper Contest winners and recognising the achievements of SUT TAMU.
Christopher Curran, BP advisor and HIPPs and subsea controls engineer for deepwater facilities, then gave a keynote presentation on the current underwater technology and procedures related to deep-sea drilling with two case studies in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Following the presentation, students discussed the current and future opportunities of underwater technology as well as personal experiences with the many emerging and established industry representatives from SUT Houston.
SUT TAMU is a multidisciplinary student organisation that works towards building a bridge between students and industry experts in the field of underwater technology, providing education and professional opportunities to its members. The TAMU Student Chapter was the first of its kind within the United States and, with the support of the SUT London and Houston branches, continues to gain momentum within the university as student membership grows.
SUT TAMU is thankful for the volunteers who came and talked with students about their careers and provided advice to the next generation of subsea engineers and industry members. Specifically, a warm thank you is given to John Allen, president of Intecsea, Roger Osborne, senior consultant for Ocean Flow International, Mark Siegmund, subsea systems engineer and wells reliability advisor for BP, Logan Brant, project geotechnical engineer for Geosyntec, Nicole Otten, FMC Technologies Design Center manager, Neil Manning, chief executive officer of SLAM Group, Eric Sears, technical supervisor at the College Station Design Centre for FMC Technologies, and Alan Foley, president of Svitzer Surveys.
The 2015 Welcome Dinner was a major success and the perfect introduction to a year full of engaging events and seminars spanning from tailgates and field trips to climate change and job-hunting strategies. SUT TAMU is always looking for more members and sponsorship from companies for events.
Natalie Zielinski
The Aberdeen Branch SUT+ group has provided some fantastic events throughout 2015.
In May, the group visited the KCA Deutag drilling simulator (DART) at the Robert Gordon University (RGU). The DART facility at RGU utilises a state-of-the-art drilling simulator incorporating cyber chairs, touch screens, a 'doghouse' environment and a cinema-style projection of an offshore drilling facility. It is used to train and assess drill crews, specialising recently in scenario, situational and behavioural aspects of well control situations. KCA Deutag Group head of operation, Geoff Monson, gave the group an introduction to the world of drilling on the night.
The group was also lucky to have the chance to undertake a taster workshop on project management, delivered by Jacqui Smith of Pro-fection. This proved to be a very useful and worthwhile session giving attendees a fast-track overview of the standard APMP qualification course.
In June, Subsea 7 opened the doors to its North Sea spoolbase in Leith, Edinburgh, where attendees were given a tour of the pipeline fabrication process – in action!
Activity did not stop over the usual SUT summer break. In July, SUT+ welcomed Wood Group chief executive Bob Keiller to give an informal talk at the inaugural 'An Evening With…' event. This will be followed up with presentations from more industry leaders very soon.
This was followed up by two site visits – to Wild Well Control at Smith Quay, Peterhead, to see the company's capping stack equipment and to Wärtsilä to see its workshop and manufacturing facilities.
In August, a second visit to the National Hyperbaic Centre was provided where attendees learned about diving, hyperbaric medicine and hyperbaric testing of subsea equipment. The group will continue to provide visits to the NHC as they are proving to be very popular.
Jul/Aug 2019


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Recently, workers at the Newcastle Regional Library uncovered a large wooden crate bricked into the walls of the lower basement.
On opening the crate the excitable workers gasped with excitement, but then got a hold of themselves, for resting on atop the mouldy crate and it's contents was the original first draft Teleplay of `The Sullivans', dated "July 12, 1970". This find has been rated by some TV historians given to hyperbole, as comparable to finding the Tupperware containers that contained the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The fact that it was found here in Newcastle though, was of no suprise to many of these historians who for personal reasons, do not want to be named.
The author and owner of the contents within the crate, was the legendary Newcastle born Scriptwriter, Morrie Tickner (1921 - 1989).
The Tickner Story
Morrie was born anonymously in October 1921 to Clarrie and Dot Tickner of the Newcastle suburb of Wickam. Accountants by choice, they soon came to resent the intrusion of a baby into their lives as it clashed with their sedentary ways and forced physical activity upon them.
Morrie spent most of his early years from the age of two and a half, farmed out to other unmotivated relatives around Australia who also developed his parent's indifference for the boy. At the age of eight and having seen more of Australia than most travelling salesmen five times his age, Morrie, against his parents protestations, decided to settle down in Newcastle.
Living secretly in the back garden shed at the rear of their house, Morrie ventured out each day to a new found apprenticeship as an errand boy at the Cooks Hill Arnotts Biscuit Factory. Five years later due mostly to his drive and tenacity, Morrie was still an errand boy, though he eventually had to resign as he developed an unnatural fear of shortbread.
It was during these hard years that Morrie joined a gang of loveable street urchins and met up with them during his time off. Running about the bustling streets of Newcastle, they played good natured japes upon shopkeepers, assaulted hobo's and pointed at things they didn't understand.
Innocence lost
Sadly for the youngsters, these heady days were to come to a tragic end when Morrie's best friend Thomas `Florrie' Pilford was accidentally beaten to death in front of Newcastle Town Hall by prominent Newcastle businessman and Shire Council Alderman, Hugh Boofler.
This event seemed to be one of the many turning points in Morrie's life and he decided to better himself by way of a correspondence course with his parents. Little realising or concerned that their son was living only a few feet away amongst their prize collection of bracken, they chose interesting articles from the afternoon edition of the Newcastle Sun Newspaper and left them in empty milk bottles for him to collect.
This selective education may account for the number of screenplays Morrie wrote in later years that incorporated tidal charts and knitting patterns inexplicably as dramatic plot devices.
Family Life
In 1947, Tickner's mother, Dot, narrowly missed being awarded a service medal by City of Newcastle Alderman, Hugh Boofler to her younger `impared ' Sister, `Tramway' Tickner. The award was the cause of much controversy at the time as many knew of the feud between the sisters but were unsure of the actual reason for the award.
Rebel with a notepad
These odd dramatic choices certainly help to explain the beginings of his life long devotion to Communism. As Morrie later recounted to his biographer Laurie Boofler. (Ironically, Laurie is the son of Hugh Boofler the actions of whom had made such a deadening impression on Tickner's life.)
(1); "I'd gorn down to the docks to verify some information in a couple of charts Dad had left for me, when I came across a group of people standin' a distance away from another larger group of people who was chantin' and yellin' and the such like. I asked them what was going on and they told me they were the Newcastle branch of the Australian Communist Party. I asked them who the large noisy mob was and they said they didn't know but they didn't want to get involved. I liked the sound of that so I joined them right then and there."
It was during his time in the Newcastle Branch of the Australian Communist Party that Morrie first became interested in writing. While filling out a receipt for a new illiterate member, Branch secretary Jack `Runner' Vines took note of Morrie's flair for spelling names correctly and encouraged him to take up writing. Spurred on by the interest his new friends took in him, Morrie tackled receipt writing with enthusiasm and by the end of the year had filled two entire books with correctly spelt names and cash amounts received.
Enthusiasms unrewarded
But this was not enough. The writing bug had firmly bitten Morrie and against the advice of his comrades, he began writing lists of things to do during the day. When the lists began to include other branch members, Morrie was expelled from the Australian Communist Party.
Although devestated at his rejection, Morrie battled on and devoted even more time to his writing. Working part time as a foot stool in a city barber shop, Morrie began to write lists so complex and uninteresting that researchers today are still puzzled by their motivation and logic.
New Beginnings begin again
It was at this barbershop that his life was to change yet again. One hot December day as he waited on his hands and knees in front of a Barber chair, Tickner overheard the man whose feet were resting on him tell his employer, Barber, Edward `Teddy' Ditherer, he needed a writer. "I don't know how I did it," he later recounted, "but I looked up at him and found meself sayin', 'excuse me sir, but I'm a writer.' He looked down at me, lifted one foot off me `ead and said 'Yes son, I believe you are." The man sitting in the chair with his other foot resting between Tickner's shoulder blades was none other than Australian Radio and Television Pioneer, Hector Crawford.
Crawford had only just towelled off the spit from his shoes when he invited Tickner to Sydney in a cadet writing position. Morrie made the move to Sydney that very day, running alongside Crawford's huge black Chevolet as he drove back to his office in Pitt Street.
It was this kind of determination, obsequiousness and fleetness of foot that was to contribute so much to the Tickner legend. Many say that the standards of Australian Television were delivered still-born that very day.
Morrie Tickner went on to milk himself a career unequalled in the annuls of Australian Broadcasting history. His Newcastle years, he was often quoted as saying, were the years that he felt made him the man and artist he was destined to become.
"They shaped... moulded... extruded out of me I suppose, a quality that I'd 'ave never obtained if I'd 'ave lived anywhere else. "
"I was a man of tomorrow with a 'alf a mind on yesterdee. So Australians could see into next week what they took for granted last year. In short, Newcastle made me the man I am today... if only for a short time".
When Morrie retired in 1975 and at least once a year for the next subsequent seven, he had notched up a body of work like no other.
From the early radio series,`The Magic Spanner' and the `B. A. Santamaria Comedy Hour' to hugely popular radio shows such as `Get out of the front bar you uppity cow !' and 'Commie, Pinko, Bastard Squad ' that he later adapted for television as the series' `Number 96 ' and `Division 4 '.
It is only in recent years that we are now reaping the true benefit of Morrie Tickners legacy. A new breed of writers has emerged on the Australian Television Industry that emulates his pedantic attention to detail, ambiguous dialogue and somnambulist storylines and concepts. If anything is certain in life, it's that we will reap these benefits for many years to come. Or at least until the internet kills the Free to Air Television business model.
One of the few likeness' of the notoriously image resistant Tickner,
is one of him later in life, sketched by his nephew and only surviving
relative, Terry Tickner.
Tickner Family Archives, Mayfield, Newcastle.
Here is an an exerpt from Tickners original Sullivans script found in the excavated crate that was later resealed and rebricked into the wall so as not to sully the memory of Australia's favourite War Time, Television, Soap Opera Family.
GRACE SULLIVAN pulls a frozen loaf of bread from an old woodfire oven and throws it on the kitchen table where it lands noisily, ice splintering off it.
Blessed ovens on the blink again.
She stretches her back, pushing her heaving bosom skyward and wipes the sweat from her repressed brow where it lands in a puddle at her feet. As she heroically lifts the sledge hammer above her proletarian head to continue pounding the block of granite put beside the kitchen table by her oppressive, but caring husband. Another Sullivan, probably the youngest son, runs in through the kitchen door.
Mum! Mum! The tides in and new neighbours are moving in next - aaaaahhhhh!!
Before he can finish his sentence, he slips on his Mothers puddle of sweat and skids across the kitchen floor, into the pantry, coming to rest with a loud crash, head first in a small jar of Golden Syrup.
Sorry dear, did you say something?
Timmy swings his head about trying to break the jar on his head and tries vainly to sign his message to his oblivious mother. He then falls back unconcious as the sweet tasting syrup fills his lungs.
Well, we'd better go welcome them to the neighbourhood.
She unwinds a few lengths of the heavy chain her husband and the capitalist system have shackled to a pair of rusty iron manacles around her proud, puffy ankles and heroically exits the house.
GRACE SULLIVAN stands proudly with hands on hips against the red flag of the workers, then leans over the side fence to get a glimpse of her new neighbours.
Cooee!! Cooee there!!
One of the neighbours, CLARRIE TICKLE wearing a pair of King Gee shorts and a blue singlet that barely conceals his tanned, muscular frame and beer gut, carries a `41 model `Dodge Roadster' into his garage.
Cooee there young fella!
But Clarrie ignores her vain yet proud attempts at friendship because, after all, she is just a woman and he has a war to fight.
Grace's husband NORM SULLIVAN has heard and reacts angrily. He runs up from the shearing shed in Wagga Wagga across the back paddock to Sydney and slaps her face.
The sting of capitalist oppression causes her to reel back in SLOW MOTION and impale herself on one of the many iron spikes that protrude from the front of the house.
I thought I told you. Women aren't allowed in the Front Bar.
He notices Clarrie next door carrying a Viscount Caravan into his garage.
G day mate, just movin' in are ya?
Clarrie puts down the caravan and adjusts the tidal chart in his pocket.
Yes I am. Just today. Struth I love Australia!
Too right. Lets go to the pub!
Righto then.
By this time Grace has removed herself from the iron spike and bandaged her wounds with the type of strength and determination common in women of the day.
Norm and Clarrie walk across the road to the pub where they will spend the afternoon drinking and laughing about how stupid women are and shaking their heads at the mysteries of Tidal Flows.
Grace goes into her and Norms bedroom. She strips herself naked and lies spread eagled on the bed waiting for her husbands return and dreams of the glorious day when repressed sisters everywhere will rise up and strike down their chauvinist male oppressors and live fulfilled lives as women without having to resort to lesbianism.

subset: commoncrawl


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We'd like to think that things from 2000 years ago don't impact our modern technological world, but they do. The calendar on my iPhone reads January, named after the Roman god, Janus, a two-headed god who looks forward and backward. Janus was the god of transitions, beginnings and endings.
In the spirit of Janus, I have been looking back at 2012 and forward to 2013.
In 2012 I had the opportunity to photograph twins, who I have known for many years--Lee and Laurence Tamaccio. They are both architects and I have worked with them each separately, Laurence at Design Destinations, and Lee at Buckl Architects, but I had never been with the two of them at the same time.
Having seen and spoken to each of them separately, in my mind, Lee and Laurence were as identical as two people could be. When I got together with both of them for a photo shoot in Center City Philadelphia, I suddenly realized how different they were from each other.
January is the month of new beginnings and New Year's resolutions. It is a time for reflection on the past, and a time for optimism about the future. While many resolutions are doomed to fail, some will succeed. Good luck in your New Year.


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Frayed Silk Beret
This product is currently sold out.
This romantic beret is made out of frayed light pink silk and adorned with a silk velvet bow. The hat is an ideal addition for special occasions, from horse races and celebrations. The hat is lined with beige sateen, secured with a beige coloured elastic, and fits all head sizes. This hat is part of Tiia Maria's Midsummer's Mist Collection.Each headpiece is handmade with the highest quality of materials at Tiia Maria's atelier in San Francisco. Due to the fact that every hat is made to measure and requires a long production time, returns are only accepted for store credit. Please contact Tiia Maria for prompt and personal help choosing correct style and shape, or with any other questions. Tiia Maria guarantees to work to resolve any concerns you might have.


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James Dennin, Kapitall: The Graham Number is a great way to evaluate small-to-middle cap stocks, especially ones that you are concerned might be overvalued. With many analysts now saying the market is a better environment for selling rather than buying, it's getting harder and harder for investors to find a good deal. [Read more from Kapitall: AMC: Everybody's Watching] The number itself is calculated by looking at the square root of Earnings per Share (EPS) multiplied by Book Value Per Share (BVPS) and 22.5, which is based on Grahams assertion that a Price-to-Earnings ratio should never be above 15 and a Price-to-Book ratio should not be over 1.5. Book value per share is an important metric to consider when looking at how a stock is performing in a given moment, because it looks at both inflow (assets coming in, such as retained earnings) and outflow (dividends and buy-backs). Graham's number attempts to quanitify what a stock is really worth by looking at BVPS alongside numbers that measure a stock's profitability, in light of its price. Granted, many have pointed out that Graham himself advocated using the number as part of a much more rigorous test, which would include looking at a company's debt and long-term performance. While many stocks showed up in a screen we ran for stocks trading below their Graham numbers (174), many of them had taken on far too much debt, or cost too much per share in order to really be considered undervalued. For instance, the private equity firm Apollo Global Management (APO), was undervalued by Graham number in our screen and had a huge return on its equity last year (48.20%), but was borrowing tons of money relative to the equity it was bringing in (Long-term Debt to Equity: 12.11). Such a high debt level raises questions as to whether the firm is taking on too much risk in a bullish market. The case of Apollo also illustrates how the Graham number works in different industries. At the moment, private equity firms are likely to see a decline in book value in what they are viewing as a seller's market. To make sure that the stocks included in our screen would still hold under most (if not all of Graham's) specifications, we only included stocks with low debt levels, strong sales growth over the last 5 years and P/E ratios below 15. From an initial universe of 174 "undervalued" companies, we were able to narrow down that list to 4.
Click on the image below to see analyst ratings over time. Sourced from Zacks Investment Research.Dig Deeper: Compare analyst ratings to annual returns for stocks mentioned. 1. Argan, Inc. ( AGX): Provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. Market cap at $224.56M, most recent closing price at $16.07. Diluted TTM earnings per share at 1.78, and a MRQ book value per share value at 9.14, implies a Graham Number fair value = sqrt(22.5*1.78*9.14) = $19.13. Based on the stock's price at $16.56, this implies a potential upside of 15.54% from current levels. P/E: 9.03 Sales Growth Over Past 5 Yrs: 6.1% Debt/Equity: 0.00 2. Apollo Group Inc. ( APOL): Provides educational programs and services at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Market cap at $2.27B, most recent closing price at $20.15. Diluted TTM earnings per share at 2.69, and a MRQ book value per share value at 9.86, implies a Graham Number fair value = sqrt(22.5*2.69*9.86) = $24.43. Based on the stock's price at $19.44, this implies a potential upside of 25.66% from current levels. P/E: 8.26 Sales Growth Over Past 5 Yrs: 9.3% Debt/Equity: 0.08 3. Helmerich & Payne Inc. ( HP): Engages in the contract drilling of oil and gas wells in the United States and internationally. Market cap at $7.23B, most recent closing price at $67.91. Diluted TTM earnings per share at 6.8, and a MRQ book value per share value at 40.35, implies a Graham Number fair value = sqrt(22.5*6.8*40.35) = $78.57. Based on the stock's price at $65.59, this implies a potential upside of 19.79% from current levels. P/E: 10.35 Sales Growth Over Past 5 Yrs: 14.10%
Debt/Equity: 0.054. Impax Laboratories Inc. ( IPXL): Engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of bioequivalent pharmaceutical products. Market cap at $1.45B, most recent closing price at $21.74. Diluted TTM earnings per share at 2.18, and a MRQ book value per share value at 11.99, implies a Graham Number fair value = sqrt(22.5*2.18*11.99) = $24.25. Based on the stock's price at $20.97, this implies a potential upside of 15.65% from current levels. P/E: 10.92 Sales Growth Over Past 5 Yrs: 16.3% Debt/Equity: 0.00 ( List compiled by James Dennin, Kapitall writer. Analyst ratings sourced from Zacks Investment Research, all other data sourced from Finviz.)


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About Us
Boots & Heels is a fun little shop that started in 2011 and is located in Devils Lake, ND. We started as a shoe store and have slowly added in clothes until… well… we have a LOT of clothes. So essentially we are a Women's Everyday Lifestyle store. Most of our pieces can be styled for a few different uses in your everyday life. Many of our customers work at banks and schools or other "business casual" environments. So they want tops that can go with trousers or denim and they want fun pieces for weekends. We are special because we have a selection of fun, unique items with really good quality footwear. We also care a great deal about you… our Fabulous Friends.
Open 10-6


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Great Expectations
By Susan Langlois
Are you preparing for a new camp season or are you preparing for another camp season? Are your sights set on the beginning of your camp season or are they set on what you will be able to do when the camp season is finally over?
When someone makes a suggestion for improving your camp programming are you listening with optimism or are you thinking of reasons why the suggestion won't work? When you interview a potential new employee are you looking at the energy level that the person can bring to the camp staff or are you sizing up how likely the person will be to break with camp protocol?
Performing to Expectations
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. After all, managing a camp season is intense. Preparation before opening day is a major focus so that day-to-day operations of the camp season are optimized and looking ahead to those rewards at the end of the season is a natural impulse that can mobilize your energies to stay the course.
But if most of your thoughts are focused on getting the season over with, identifying only the negative aspects of suggestions, and being on edge about your camp staff breaking the rules, you can be setting yourself up for an exhausting summer of working at worrying.
Sport psychologists have identified this phenomenon as "negative self-talk." Loretta LaRoche, a stress management expert, calls it "stinking thinking."
You've probably heard these positive motivational slogans:
"Attitude is everything"
"Begin with the end in mind"
"If you build it, they will come"
These are all based on the idea that focusing on the positive is the best way to achieve success.
However, if you are a seasoned professional who has struggled with the responsibilities of managing an intensive camp season, it is easy to dismiss these slogans because it is so easy to fall off the positive thinking bandwagon when your days are overflowing with solving problems. Being that positive can seem almost impossible to sustain.
But why do these slogans persist in our management-speak even though their practical application often does not persist? There are people who have transformed their management styles with these slogans as their mantras.
But for those camp directors and owners who find that these slogans are just noble ideas that evaporate when the camp season gets in high gear, there may be a more effective approach to accentuating the positive as a management style.
There has actually been some promising research in this area of management. One common research finding is when managers fall short in their efforts to have a successful camp season and find themselves limping through the final days (or weeks) with exhaustion, it is often because they focus on the "product" rather than the process.
Don't misunderstand this point; having a product or a goal to be successful is not a bad thing because it can be an effective marker to channel our energies for achievement.
Social scientists have studied the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy (where people believe that success is part of their destiny so intensely that all of their efforts are channeled away from doubt and into doing whatever it takes to succeed).
But most of us mortals need a plan (a process) that lays out small, intermediary steps that can help us to meet the goal. Without the plan, the motivational slogans are just wishful thinking.
So how can a camp owner or camp director take a goal, a vision for success and make it happen? There are two principles that have been studied by sport psychologists that can transform those motivational slogans from wishful thinking into powerful tools for a successful camp business.
1. Reframing negative self-talk into positive self-talk. There are physiological changes that take place when people consciously monitor what they say to themselves when they are planning, leading, organizing and evaluating.
These physiological effects range from lowering blood pressure and facial tension to having a better memory, more creativity, and more physical stamina.
For example, when someone has a suggestion that you have already tried and found that it wasn't worth the investment, do you say to yourself, "This is so frustrating to have to listen to people reinvent the wheel," or do you say, "I'm glad that this person is invested enough to want to offer a suggestion. How can my experience help improve the suggestion so that the investment can pay off for the person and the camp?"
Often, the most powerful messages are those we give ourselves with our own self-talk. Which phrase are you most likely to choose? "I don't know if I am going to make it through today with all of these meetings," or "These meetings could set the tone for the entire camp season; I'm glad that I involved my staff to set the agenda; their energy is vital to our camp's success."
2. Set performance goals as well as outcome goals as a team. An example of an outcome goal would be improving staff morale. Most importantly, this goal should only be part of the camp's agenda, if the majority of the staff believes is worthy.
If there is consensus about this goal's importance, everyone should contribute to its achievement by setting performance goals. A performance goal should be a measurable action that is under the control of the staff which can contribute to the achievement of the outcome goal.
A camp director might offer the contribution of preparing the camp schedule a week in advance to the entire staff so that revisions can be suggested by the people who will implement it and so that everyone has a chance to prepare for what is expected from each staff member.
A performance goal for a staff member might be to acknowledge when colleagues get things right and to offer constructive suggestions when they don't. All staff members could set a performance goal of arriving 10 minutes early to the activity that they are leading and to leave enough time to have their campers help them set up the next activity. That ensures a smooth operation, no surprises, and campers who are given responsibility and maybe even start to feel invested in the camp operations.
Sometimes the simplest changes are the most powerful ones. Examine your self-talk. Is it worrying about what is not going to work or is it great expectations?
When you have framed your mindset for success, have your staff identify the goals that will make a difference and the contributions that they can make to achieve them.
Wouldn't it be amazing to have your camp business meet your greatest expectations? Think about how your end of the season vacation would feel when your camp staff has worked hard as a team to achieve them.
Dr. Susan Langlois has more than 25 years of experience as a college professor, athletic administrator, camp director and sport facilities consultant. She is currently the Dean of Sports Science at Endicott College.


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Besides photos shared here, a whole bunch more can be found at:
Besides photos shared here, a whole bunch more can be found at:
Colonial Williamsburg is not the most likely place to stumble across multi-colored pieces of paper strewn on the ground, each numbered with hand-written phrases in plain ink pen.
Yet this is exactly what was found the weekend before Christmas. The originals were found by Mona, my stepmother, while she and my Dad celebrated their anniversary, staying at the Williamsburg Lodge. My wife and I joined them for lunch on their departing day.
Here is a transcript of the found notes, all dated 11/24/07, in no particular order:
Relax Your Living – #26
Smile at everyone you pass! 🙂 – #115
Everything happens for a reason – #74
Never Give Up – #34
Forget what you cannot [sic] replace – #37*
Follow Your Dreams – #2
*The intent here seems actually to be: forget what you can replace, since these material things are not so important, in the wider world of wise aphorisms.
In 2006, I had a digital camera that bit the dust. It would still take pictures. Pictures of what is the question. The following photos are those taken with this Sony DSC-P10, both before and after its demise. Today, it no longer takes any pictures. Dead now like many things in my life from that era.
Here are the basic philosophical tenets underpinning the Christian viewpoint on sex. This is based on a view of masturbation, which the church frowns upon, for the following reasons:
Let us analyze these statements in the full light of logic, which is given to us by God, who made our minds.
Sexuality was not created for personal enjoyment but as a way to express love to one's mate.
The idea that personal enjoyment is not intended by God in the sex act is not supported by biological facts. If God created our bodies, He created them with nerve endings, hormonal reactions, and other biological features which make the sex act highly pleasurable in a mutual and personal way. Also, the way that love is expressed to one's mate (or partner) through sex is through the sexual pleasure derived therein. Sex is pleasurable and is intended to be pleasurable. Without pleasure there is no sex. It's just fucking.
Masturbation is self-centered behavior.
Most behavior is self-centered. We start as babies, who do not know the difference between ourselves and the world around us. While we mature into adults, we never lose important constructive motives, such as a sense of individuality and identity. We strive to master our environment in socially approved ways, which are learned. If we are taught that masturbation is wrong, we will accept it as socially unacceptable. However, regardless of the mores of the society we are born into, masturbation is no more self-centered than cleaning wax from our ears, eating, getting dressed, or taking a shit. All of these things, however, are regulated in some way by society. It doesn't make any of these things inherently wrong.
Jesus expressly calls His followers to deny
Many sayings and teachings are attributed to Jesus. What is the meaning of 'deny yourself'? Will you not eat as a follower of Jesus? Will you not sleep? Will you not wear clothing? Is it a contest to see who is more pious by 'denying oneself' more than others who are also following Jesus and denying oneself? I say that denying yourself by not masturbating is not enough. Jesus also intended his followers, ideally, not to marry. The issue of sex and the followers of Jesus is simple: if you are a pure follower, you are celibate and your whole life is devoted to feeding the hungry, healing the sick, ministering to the poor and those who are jailed. If you are a pure Christian, this is what you are called to do. You have no personal belongings and your life's work is ensuring that all of those around you are fully aware of God's love as expressed by Jesus's death and resurrection. You do not have time for worrying about whether masturbation is wrong or right because you are also praying without ceasing. I believe, though, that God will guide you in these personal, private matters. It's not for other men to decide.
Masturbation is driven by lust and fantasy.
There is no direct, objective correlation between lust, fantasy, and masturbation. Masturbation is possible through the right amount of friction and lubrication. It does not have to be accompanied by 'lust' or any thought beyond a concentration on the pleasure being gained from the act. Pleasure and lust are not equivalent. This one of the great Christian fallacies.
Masturbation causes a person to isolate from
It also causes hairy palms, blindness, and other maladies. I have a fabulous snake oil to sell you to cure it all.
Masturbation causes a person to isolate from others because in most places it is illegal to expose your genitalia. Masturbation is also a private, personal act done between a person and their own personal, private parts. Naturally, in most cases, one does it alone. Characterizing masturbation as an impetus for 'isolation' is overly dramatic. This characterization is no more valid than characterizing brushing one's teeth as a cause for
'isolating' oneself.
Excuse me, I'll be right back. I need to… uh… brush my teeth.
Masturbation is controlling.
There are those who do not have self control, but masturbation is no more controlling than the need for food. Yes, our biology forces us to do things that we sometimes don't want to do. It would be nice to have the ability to deny ourselves sleep and accomplish things we wish to accomplish in a timeframe we have planned. However, our biological needs do control us to
an extent and should not be ignored. Ignoring biological needs is the sure path away from good health.
Masturbation causes feelings of guilt and shame—clear signs of its wrongness.
Guilt and shame are learned feelings. There is nothing intrinsic in those feelings that make the behavior that illicited these feelings 'wrong'. An ethical framework which describes all behavior as either 'right' or 'wrong' is built on immaturity. Also, it is possible to feel guilty about something even though, judging from all possible options, it is, in fact, the 'right' thing to do. It is possible to have hard choices where no option is palatable, yet a decision needs to be made. It would be nice if there was a guide book that told us exactly what to do and not to do and we wouldn't have to think for ourselves in our
daily lives. However, no such thing exists. We must take
responsibility for our own actions. But guilt and shame are taught to us. If we are taught that masturbation is wrong, then we will feel guilty.
Also, if we are not given accurate information about a new physical phenomenon, like feelings of sexual need and pleasure when we come of age, and when we are not given accurate information about our changing bodies as it is happening, then we are likely to develop pathological ideas about them.
But saying masturbation is wrong because it causes guilt is like saying the chicken exists because the egg layed it.
Masturbation opens the door to other sexual
On a health note, researchers are now finding that masturbation reduces the risk of prostate cancer in men. The idea that masturbation is sinful, as I have demonstrated, is flawed.
The 'slippery slope' argument is also faulty. When carefully examined, there is simply no correlation between masturbation and 'sexual sin'. The Bible does not address masturbation as sin. No, the story of Onan is not about masturbation and no, the Sodom and Gomorrah story does not cover it either. The Catholic Catechism does not directly say much about masturbation. It is treated as an 'Offense Against Chastity'. So for those trying to be chaste, it is a sin. The Catechism goes on to quote the Persona Humana, saying it has been the tradition of the church and 'the moral sense of the faithful' that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action. 'Disordered' simply means out of order, but does not describe a sin. The point is that the Catholic order of things is for sexual experience to occur procreatively between a man and a woman who are married in the church. This governs a person's behavior as a member of the Church. It does not define sin in the sight of God.
Also, the Cathecism provides considerable leeway for pastors in examining the culpability of the masturbator. Factors to take into account include affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety, or other psychological or social factors that lessen or even extentuate moral culpability. Hardly cut and dried.
My premise is that masturbation is not in and of itself, (i.e. intrinsically) sinful. If that fact is accepted, it does not follow that 'other' sexual sin is correlated. Sexual urges are a sign of a healthy person and should be encouraged rather than treated as sinful.
To summarize, the 'Christian' arguments against masturbation are illogical. Yet they exist for a logical purpose. The heretical expressions of anti-God charlatans would have you believe that God doesn't want you to masturbate because it's easier to control the followers of this false religion by harnessing sexual energy to that religion's aims. Many false religions work this way. The true religion is one that brings joy, not pain.
Remember, God created our nature. He created pain in order for us to understand what to avoid. If a religion preaches that pain is good and pleasure is wrong, avoid avoid avoid.
"If I'm looking at pictures of naked women, my life is not right with God."
–Steve Gallagher, Purelife Ministries
This quote demonstrates all of which is wrong with Christianity.
Yes, I can now honestly say I am addicted to sex. It has taken me a long time, but I realize that it's true. The list of things I am addicted to now grows. Let's see. I am addicted to sex, oxygen, water, food, music, and blood pumping through my veins.
Here's a good resource on the subject.
Note: those who try to sell you their religion while offering 'help' with your (fake) 'addiction' are… uh… salespeople? Don't buy it. They just want your soul…
Ok… religion is an easy target for ridicule and I don't really mean to make light of serious addictions, but c'mon!… ditch the Puritannical outlook on sex. Do it now. Treating something fundamentally healthy as unhealthy creates many of the problems that 'sexual addiction' purports to treat.
Anyway, here is a nice quote from the above-linked article:
I don't think those with low libidos, like memoirist Joan Sewell, author of I'd Rather Eat Chocolate, should be made to feel sexually incompetent, nor should those with bigger libidos be punished or made to feel like freaks. This isn't about sexual appetite so much as feeling in control of your sexuality, however you choose to exert that control. If sex controls you, most of the professionals seem to agree, then you could very well be a sex addict.
Adults should be capable of self discipline, but there is also a difference between morality and aesthetics. My threshold for choosing to discipline myself may be different from yours, but is that a moral issue or an issue of taste? People constantly confuse morals (and politics) with aesthetics. They are also quick to criticize and lay blame. For myself, I blame the fashion industry, the peanut farmers of America, lazy and stupid politicians, Doctor Phil, and The Pope's hat.
Now that I am an erudite subscriber to digital cable (with the Premier Package no less), I may consume content mere mortals are unable to obtain.
One such show that I happened to land on as I waded through the wide (though shallow) lake of entertainment choices dealt with Stephen Hawking and his Information Paradox Theory. This was on the Science channel.
Before I delve into this, I should mentione that I am, by no means, a physicist. In fact, one of my poorest academic performances, which happened in undergrad, was in an Astrophysics course. I passed, yet even with a 20 point grading scale, I scored the lowest 'D' possible. What can I say? I was an English major. Any class that didn't involve analyzing or writing prose or poetry (or journalism) interested me as much as an oak tree is interested in blackberry jam.
The Information Paradox is a theory Hawking both proposed and unsuccessfully attempted to refute 30 years later. It deals with an analysis of matter or information about matter, as it relates to how it behaves when confronted by a black hole.
It helps to understand what a black hole is before looking at the theory further. However, that requires referencing Einstein's theory of relativity as well as a nod to Quantum Mechanics, both of which any dolt can look up on Wikipedia. For that matter, just look up Black Holes.
What Wikipedia seems to refer to as leaked 'Hawking Radiation' relates to this Information Paradox. Essentially Hawking's idea was that Black Holes eventually simply disappear. But, since the immense gravity of Black Holes draw matter into it, there is a problem. What happens to the matter when the Black Hole disappears? Hawking said that the matter also disappears. The paradox is that one of the fundamental tenets of science is that matter (or the information about that matter) cannot be destroyed.
Later, Hawking would attempt to explain that in fact the matter doesn't disapper. Instead, and bear with me here as I attempt to explain what sounds like gibberish, you see there are multiple realities and in some of those alternate realities the Black Hole does not exist.
Therefore, when you take all the possible realities into one reality and sum it all up, the non-existence of black holes in certain realities cancel out the existence of black holes in other realities. What it means is that in those realities where the Black Hole does not exist, the matter was never sucked in and so never destroyed. In the end, when you look at all possible realities, the matter is never destroyed.
Alternate universes aside, the interesting thing is that the Law of Conservation of Mass/Matter does not actually apply in special relativity, which makes possible the idea of a Black Hole to begin with, so my sense is that the Information Paradox Theory is baseless, since it's not really a paradox at all since mass defects are possible in special relativity. So even if one turns to non unitary time evolution as a solution to the paradox, its still a red herring. The answer is 42.
Meanwhile, I've ordered the Disney film 'The Black Hole' to do further… uh 'research'. Anthony Perkins. The robot Maxmillian. The coolest film put out by the Disney Corporation predating Touchstone Pictures.
He said she gets a little crazy when she drinks. He said the guy asked them how much of that they wanted in there so they told him just a little bit and that's what he gave them. He said that he could have just told him he'd get it back to him when he got back from California or something. He said that Artie is really a great house guest and he doesn't mind having him there. Teddy On The Wrap Up Show.
He said the guy always wants to know more about his stuff. He did say that he could let him try one but he decided against it. He said the guy always wants to know more about his stuff. Ralph said that he thinks someone slipped him something that night he was out drinking because he never blacks out after drinking.
Howard said he and Beth were talking about that Minister and possibly using him for their wedding. Howard said that's never happened. He said he watched the Penn State game as well. Howard and the guys return live tomorrow.
Spam arrived through my Virginia Tech account about an investment opportunity for Bigstring Corporation. Get in on the big opportunity to make a fortune. The spam part of the message was a .gif file, but that was not the strange part. The strange part was the surreal text contained in the actual email.
As an artistic exercise I am appopriating the text contained in the message and using it as my next two blog entries, as surreal literature.


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Rene Caovilla
René Caovilla's exquisite shoes have graced the repertoires of many a femme fatale over the 60 years he has been successor of his father's Venetian footwear company. Since the 1950's, his eponymous brand has been renowned for fusing impeccable Italian craftsmanship with opulent, intricate designs. Established on the global market as a true luxury player, the brand designs with unparalleled creativity and a flair for superfluities; handmade embroidery detailing with iridescent accents are paramount. With a stunning collection of crystal-studded flats, pearl-embellished sandals and winding Serpentine-inspired heels, no René Caovilla-clad foot is left unadorned or goes unnoticed whatever the occasion may be.more
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A Veteran's Breast Cancer TaleThe Breast Cancer Site
Former marine Tom Gervasi is recovering from a rare case of breast cancer. In this video he explains how now, even 30 years after the contaminated wells were discovered at Camp Lejeune, Marines still need our help.
Watch and learn more!
New "Microwave Mammography" Promises to be Safer, More Accurate, and Pain-Free: Click "Next" below!
The Breast Cancer Site is a place where supporters and survivors come together to help fight breast cancer. In addition to sharing personal stories of hope, shopping for the cause, and signing petitions, visitors can take just a moment each day to click on a pink button to provide free mammograms for women in need. Visit The Breast Cancer Site and click today - it's free!


text: Jesper Juhl wrote:>> One thing that would make that easier in the future is if contributers>> at least started to dual-license their submissions. I.e. if instead>> of "GPL version 2", one could say "GPL version 2 or GPL version 3".>> It isn't the same thing as the problematic "GPL version 2 or later",>> because the developer is not agreeing to an unseen license (GPLv4,>> etc). What it does do is make it easier to move to GPLv3 a few years>> from now, if that is decided then, as a significant fraction of the>> code will already be GPLv3 compatible. That way, if a reason is ever>> found to move to v3, at least some of the work will already be done.>>> Good luck convincing all contributors to do that.Well, it's something that pro-GPLv3 people can do right now, instead of just lobbying/complaining. Given 1000 developers, if 400 start dual licensing now, and down the road some compelling reason for GPLv3 does arise (read: a lawsuit with teeth), that's 600 people you need to contact/convince to change, not 1000. This is made more interesting by that fact that 40% of the kernel code is already "GPLv2 or later", as someone else pointed out.> Personally I'm happy with GPL v2, and I for one won't be> dual-licensing anything I contribute until I see a clear benefit of> doing so (and I don't yet).Well, all my personal (non-kernel) stuff is still GPLv2 only right now (Linus' opinion is what convinced me that "or later" is dumb), and like many I disliked the original GPLv3 draft. I'm willing to wait until the final one is out though, and I think my libraries will end up being dual-licensed, with contributions required to be dual-licensed. I want to avoid v3 lock-in, but I don't want to cripple v3 projects either.> In any case, this whole debate is still a bit premature since GPL v3> has not even arrived in its final form yet.Agreed. - Jim Bruce-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to firstname.lastname@example.com majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.htmlPlease read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/


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Free shipping in the USA (lower 48) when your order is over $89 (excluding gift certificates and sales tax, if applicable).
Customers who purchased this also purchased:
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Discussion (14) ¬
Dear god I just love the moral ambiguity in all this. Strips like this one just seem to emphasize that there is no clear cut, righteous path for our protagonist to follow. Yet despite the "gray and grayer" morality of the setting, Laz isn't another cookie cutter brooding blockhead.
I do believe that crowley plans to sacrifice laz….
I'm not… so sure about that. Rather, I suspect the deal is closer to replacing Devil's involvement – with Devil, Jr. 🙂
Grats on the anniversary. "When you put it like that… I STILL want to hurt you."
In this comic you can never really know who are the good guys, if there is any, a god that threatens people, the devil, demons plotting against the devil, it's as mixed up as a Terry pratchet book, maybe that's what's making it good
Oh Laz Laz Laz, humanity can't comprhend nor live with magic. We hardly stop ourselves from ruining everything as it is.
I disagree… If everyone knew that there was a good chance robbing an old lady or picking on that dork from school could easily get your head blown off, who would be dumb enough to do it?
I believe it's called mutually assured destruction when nukes are used this way.
Magic Hydrogen Bomb. Sounds cool 😛


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Megan Dunlop
Megan is a consultant teaching courses and coaching clients out of New York City. Clients gravitate toward her because of her warm, friendly and empathetic demeanor. Over the course of the past 15 years she has been an actor and improviser while also working in corporate banking and insurance as a communications coach. These experiences have helped her tap into people's emotions, which in turn allows her to provide nuanced and balanced feedback that speaks to her client's individuality. Megan earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Dalhousie University and has since gone on to train in communications coaching with E-roleplay, Plays That Work and The Client Counsel.


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Finale bow of all the Gala Dinner Chefs, assistants and support staff. Much applause to the very entertaining hosts Carla Hall of The Chew and Gail Simmons of Top Chef. Three team secret ingredient chef throw down. Anita Lo's team won first two and Sherry Yard's team won hands down making 2 cooked dessert dishes in 20 minutes! The lovely Chef Lynne Ryan serves.
Beautiful ladies Rochelle Huppin and Barbara Lazaroff pose for the camera at #WRC2015. Surbhi Sahni of Bittersweet serves her modern Indian inspired dishes.
Two inspiring pastry chefs Claudia Fleming and Sherry Yard. Michael Crowell and Lesley Hill from Hawaii. They provided fresh heart of palm for the Hearts of Palm & Papaya Salad I was preparing for the appearance later today at the Time Warner cable channel - The Woman's Connection.
The lucky person Natasha getting the last copy of Vanilla Table Book signed by Chef Natasha.
Post taping tasting with Barrie-Louise Switzen from The Women's Connection.
Penn Station. Training up the coast next stop Boston.
Gill and I dine at Back Bay's Mistral – yes that is actually a pizza!
First of the season pea ravioli in roasted chicken broth and divine salmon!
Off to the Coop at Harvard and VT is in the front window! A warm intro in this most hallowed hall that is Harvard … had a few piano and singing lessons in this most revered University! Harvard grad student Alexa all grown up sits in on the vanilla talk.
I always wanted to go to MIT – and here we are Vittorio Paone and I surrounded by vanilla, lavender and books in the café bon appétit at MIT. NormanVan Aken's Spicy Pineapple – Vanilla Marinated Fish and my Crispy Cornflake Chicken from VT are a hit!
Exciting buzz at Volante Farms in Needham where I teamed up with Meagan McNeill of Nashoba Valley Extract Co. who makes local bespoke pure vanilla extracts. Resisted the scratch donuts and bakery treats but had to take a photo! Head chef Todd gave us a tour and taste of the 80 local cheeses, handcrafted cider syrup and countless local products at Volante. Gill and I finished our visit with a few hero sandwiches so worth the wait!


text: Hundreds of people have been hurt in the quake, which reduced Port-au-Prince to rubble [AFP] The United Nations and international humanitarian agencies are preparing to begin aid efforts in Haiti, after an earthquake in which many people are feared to have been killed. Thousands of people living in and around Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, are thought to have been trapped in the rubble of buildings that collapsed during the earthquake on Tuesday evening. Elisabeth Byrs, a spokeswoman for the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that search and rescue teams were "working against the clock" to save lives. About 37 search and rescue teams from a global network have been mobilised by the UN. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Wednesday that its relief plans are based on a "maximum of three million people". Jean-Luc Martinage, a Federation spokesman, said that "a massive international aid operation was needed" in the wake of the magnitude 7.0 quake, which was centred about 15km inland, west of the capital. Aid agencies said that access to trapped people has restricted by debris, while electricity, water and phone services were down. 'City in darkness' Rene Preval, Haiti's president, told the Miami Herald on Wednesday that the scene in his country was "unimaginable" and that he believed thousands of people had died. "Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed ... There are a lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them," he said. Jean-Max Bellerive, Haiti's prime minister told US news channel CNN that the death toll could be "well over 100,000". Send your pictures Send us your videos, pictures and comments A Food for the Poor charity employee said that there were likely to be many casualties given the destruction he had witnessed in the capital. "I think hundreds of casualties would be a serious understatement," Rachmani Domersant, the charity's operations manager, said.Karel Zelenka, a Catholic Relief Services representative in Port-au-Prince, told colleagues in the US that "there must be thousands of people dead", according to a spokeswoman for the aid group. 'Buildings crumbling' Sebastian Walker, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Port-au-Prince, said that efforts to get aid to those affected by the quake have been complicated by the scale of the destruction. "We have seen from the air some of those houses that have been completely destroyed. We have been speaking to some people at the airport, who have been telling us some horrific stories of the damage caused. Individuals have each said that they know of dozens of deaths," he said. in depth Latest updates on the Haiti earthquake Why the Haiti earthquake was so devastating Aid pledged to quake-hit Haiti Video: Haiti beset by natural disasters Country profile: HaitiBlog: Online calls to help Haiti "There is only one plane here [that has brought aid] and humanitarian supplies to the people of Haiti - it arrived from Venezuela. The actual aid aeroplane that we were trying to get a ride on is still in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, as far as we know." Ann Rose Schoen, a freelance journalist reporting from Port-au-Prince, said that downtown Port-au-Prince had been particularly badly hit. "People are sitting in the streets ... there are dead bodies, sometimes covered, soemtimes not covered, laying there also. Children are crying and [people] don't know what to do. I saw people walking around with their suitcases," she told Al Jazeera. Hospitals, schools and hotels collapsed in the capital, raising fears that the injured would have nowhere to go to get treatment."We have reports of some of the most important hospitals in Port-au-Prince have been severely impacted by the earthquake," Paul Conneally, the Head of Media at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told Al Jazeera. The presidential palace in the capital was among the buildings badly damaged in the earthquake. Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, on Wednesday called for international help in the rescue and relief effort. "The palace and quite a few government buildings have collapsed ... We were able to always to get though to the First Lady ... she said please ask the US, ask the world to send a hospital ship. It is a must for us now because some of the hospitals have been affected ... In the meantime I am asking for international solidarity with Haiti."UN staff 'missing'Alain Joyandet, the French secretary of state for co-operation, told the AFP news agency that up to 200 people were missing after the Hotel Montana was levelled. Profile: Haiti The Caribbean nation of nine million is the poorest country in the Americas with an annual per-capita income of $560. It ranks 146th out of 177 countries on the UNDP Human Development Index More than half the population lives on less than $1 a day and 78 per cent on less than $2. There is a high infant mortality rate and the prevalence of HIV among those between ages 15 and 49 is 2.2 per cent Haiti's infrastructure is close to total collapse and severe deforestation has left only two per cent of forest cover About 9,000 UN police and troops are stationed in the country to maintain order "We know there were 300 people inside the hotel when it collapsed, only around 100 have got out, which greatly concerns us," he said. Television footage showed long cracks in many of the buildings that were still standing. Preval said on Wednesday that Hedi Annabi, the chief of the UN mission in Haiti, had been killed in the earthquake. The United Nations headquarters in the capital was severely damaged in the quake and the world body said that up to 200 of its staff in Haiti were unaccounted for. Fourteen UN workers were confirmed dead late on Wednesday by Susana Malcorra, head of the UN department of Field Support. But Jordan reported that three of its peacekeepers were killed and 21 wounded in the quake. Brazil said that 11 of its peacekeepers were killed while eight Chinese soldiers were buried in rubble and 10 were missing, state media said. The magnitude 7.0 quake's epicentre was about eight to 10km deep, a relatively shallow depth which was likely to have magnified the destruction, according to seismologists. The quake, which was followed by at least 27 aftershocks up to 5.9 in magnitude, prompted a tsunami alert for parts of the Caribbean that was later cancelled. Thoughts and prayersBarack Obama, the US president, said his thoughts and prayers were with the people of Haiti and that he has directed his administration to provide a swift, co-ordinated aid effort to the country. He said that the first US search and rescue teams would arrive in Haiti on Wednesday morning local time to help deal with the "cruel and incomprehensible" tragedy. Hillary Clinton, Obama's secretary of state, said the US would provide civilian and military disaster relief assistance. Tuesday's quake was felt as far away as southeastern Cuba, about 257km from the epicentre, prompting Cuban authorities to evacuate coastal residents because of the initial tsunami threat. Many people are feared buried under the rubble of buildings that fell in the quake [AFP] Soldiers at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba also felt the quake but there was no damage to the base or the prison where the US holds about 200 foreign detainees. Chief Petty Officer Bill Mesta, a sailor at the base, said troops had begun checking stockpiles of blankets, tents and other relief supplies in anticipation that they will be asked to help in the relief effort. The last major earthquake that hit Haiti - a magnitude 6.7 quake – struck in 1984. Already the poorest nation in the Americas, Haiti has been hit by a series of disasters recently and was battered by hurricanes in 2008.Michael Zamba of the Pan American Development Foundation said that the disaster would be a "tremendous setback" for Haiti. "A year ago Haiti was hit by four back-to-back tropical storms and hurricanes. That wiped about 20 per cent off the Gross Domestic Product," he told Al Jazeera from Washington DC. "It has not yet recovered from that last series of natural disasters and this only compounds the situation. "Haiti is a food insecure nation, it is a nation that needs a lot of food assistance, this is only going to push it back further." SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies Environment Humanitarian crises US & Canada Latin America Haiti


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A truss is a support member which combines one or more triangles to form the structure of a roof. Most conventional trusses are constructed using wood. If wood is not available, then perhaps you can substitute it for metal or another material.
From top-left to bottom right:
Fink Truss, Double-W Truss, Hip Truss, Howe, Double-Howe, Scissor Truss,
Cambered Truss, Half-hip Truss, Flat Truss, Gambrel Truss, Mono-Pitch Truss, Bowstring Truss, Half Scissor Truss,
Multi-Piece Truss, Barrel-Vault Truss, King Post Truss, Dual Pitch Truss, Attic Truss,
Double Inverted Truss, Inverted truss, Stub-End Truss, Piggy-Back Truss, and Sloping Flat Truss.
Fink Truss, Double-W Truss, Hip Truss, Howe, Double-Howe, Scissor Truss,
Cambered Truss, Half-hip Truss, Flat Truss, Gambrel Truss, Mono-Pitch Truss, Bowstring Truss, Half Scissor Truss,
Multi-Piece Truss, Barrel-Vault Truss, King Post Truss, Dual Pitch Truss, Attic Truss,
Double Inverted Truss, Inverted truss, Stub-End Truss, Piggy-Back Truss, and Sloping Flat Truss.
- Fink Trusses are the most common type of truss used in residential structures. These trusses provide support for the rafters and give the roof its rigidity.
- Double-W Truss, also known as a double-fink truss can span more than 65% more(16.5m) length than the possible span of a singular(10m) fink truss.
- Hip Trusses are more complicated to frame than a some other trusses because of the added complication in framing the hips.
- The Howe Truss was originally designed for steel bridges because of its impressive structural strength over long spans. It is relatively rare in home construction.
- The Double-Howe Truss can span nearly double the length of the single Howe, meaning that it can span up to 18m.
- Though Scissor Trusses do not need a bearing beam, they still have a load limit greater than many other types of trusses. Also, this type of truss increases the stability of the building.
- Cambered Trusses arch upwards giving the roof a normally peaked shape while the ceiling the appearance of being curved.
- A Half-Hip Truss has the same structure as the Hip but is cut off halfway.
- Flat Trusses are very slightly sloped to prevent water from pooling.
- Gambrel Trusses are symmetrical, with a double slope and give the roof a barn-like appearance. The gambrel truss is especially practical because it allows for the maximum amount of usable space in the attic.
- The Mono-Pitch Truss design is half of a normal truss design, often used for structures like sheds and lean-tos.
- Bowstring Trusses were originally used in bridge design because they perform particularly well in large open spaces with no supporting columns. Since the design is arched, it means that there is no seam to cover.
- The Half-Scissor Truss is expectedly half of the normal scissor truss design and used in spaces for commerce, industry
or residence.
- Multi-Piece Trusses are combination trusses which use a gable design on top of a hip design so that they can be installed in sections which would otherwise be too large.
- The Barrel-Vault Truss uses many small pieces of wood in the frame to achieve an arched ceiling.
- The King-Post Truss is the simplest of trusses. It utilizes two rafters, a tie beam, and one central post known as the King Post. The King Post Truss is commonly used in conjunction with two angled struts.
- Dual-Pitch Trusses are for gable roofs with differently angled slopes on either side of its peak. Usually the front slope is steeper
than the back.
- Attic Trusses are designed to create a space for additional storage or living area while leaving the outward appearance of the shelter
- A Double-Inverted Truss is two inverted trusses which join at the peak which has the advantage of being able to span distances of up to 24m.
- The Inverted Truss is actually a Howe Truss turned upside down. This type can offer the interior space additional natural light and a vaulted ceiling in part of the space.
- A Stub-End Truss, also known as a Bob-Tail, is a gable shaped truss which has been clipped on one end. The slope of each side has the same pitch but with an asymmetrical peak.
- A Piggy-Back Truss is a combination truss which utilizes a gable end truss over a hip truss so that the two can be , which can be
transported or installed in sections when a single triangular truss is too large.
- Sloping Flat Trusses are used to create vaulted ceilings, much like Inverted Trusses.


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Healing sexual abuse is what this blog is about with a global initiative, education and advocacy, and healing sexual abuse tools…
This blog is for a world class action lawsuit to take shape against the Roman Catholic Church resulting in stricter laws worldwide in secular arenas, for education on sexual abuse for people to learn how to heal, heal, to help others not feel alone in their own miseries of going through the pain, teach them the effects of sexual abuse, give insight on how to begin to heal, and how and where to attain therapy. This blog is also for others to share their healing process and learn from others ideas of healing in what they have tried and failed at in the healing process, also to explain the history and ill-social developments of sexual abuse in the secular world-religious areas-family trees of the world teaching the importance of reporting sexual abuse and changing our world for the better so our children of the future do not have to experience this social and family killing disease that does damage for generations. This blog is also for inspiration, hope, platonic love, spirituality, motivation, as well as a guide in the healing process among holding accountability and forgiveness. It's for advocacy.
I became inspired to do this blog as I am in the middle of a stubborn, but now successful attempt of therapy through advocacy and education at the age of 39 years old that I began at the age of 16 reluctantly in shame and hate for myself…. I am now 40 coming out of another couple of trainwrecks that sexual abuse does to a human being. My therapy stuttered and grew to me being able to tell the whole story in 2007-2008 to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis with major help from SNAP. I was molested by a police officer at the age of eleven in the basement of a Catholic church as a boy scout with my Lutheran school boy scout troop and two other troops. I never talked about it until I was molested at the age of 15 by a trusted lay person within the Catholic church and it was part of the head of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis with Cardinals visiting from the Vatican time to time. I was drugged and raped with a memory loss drug because I detested the advances and did not allow this trusted person to make advances and questioned him as to why he would make advances as I unknowingly didn't understand he was child grooming me for more advances. When I refused him he backed off and pretended to act right, then drugged me and raped me at age 16 causing damages that I sort through to this day. I started this blog to tell my story to help me heal and others heal, document my progress of healing, help others heal and encourage them to tell their story to get past the pain into a healthy life, and better this world to have an ultimate goal of stopping a murderous social and family disease in our world that does destroy and corrupt generations of families. Stopping sexual abuse through acknowledgment, education, reporting, advocacy, law, understanding the signs and red flags, forgiveness, and healing. NO SECRETS IS THE KEY
01/13/2012 5:47 pm
This is a courageous and vital movement to further break down society's denial and lack of help to victims of child sexual abuse. Victims require action. Perpetrators only need you to look away. We each have to make that choice. Will we help the victim or the perpetrator? The choice is ours. You're on one side or the other.


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Two teams made statements Saturday. TCU conformed that it is a legitimate Tier 2 team. At least, that is, if Texas Tech REALly belongs inTier 3. The Horned Frogs beat Tech in Lubbock almost as badly as its football team did.
Okay, not quite. The score Saturday was 62-42. The football game was 82-27. But that was a Home game for TCU, so there's that.
K-State also solidified its status as a Tier Two team and even cracked open the door for the discussion as to whether it is a Tier 1 team.
Not REALly. Even though they currently sit atop the misleading newspaper standings, they still have work to do to prove they are worthy of their second battlefield promotion of the season.
Otherwise, it was an uneventful day. Texas won at Home over West Virginia, as projected.
Oklahoma won at Home over Okie St, as projected.
Iowa St won at Home over KU, as projected.
The humorous thing was hearing Jay Bilas make the Reid-iculous type of statement that Iowa St had accomplished something meaningful by winning a Home game—let alone one on Gameday--that was in doubt with 12 seconds remaining.
Come on, Jay. You're better than that.
As a result:
1. The only important REAL Standings movement was Baylor blowing another big lead, but losing this time and dropping ½ game to the other Tier One teams.
2. The Big 12 still goes through Lawrence. And, after the young'uns got a taste of extreme animosity and adversity and had the intestinal fortitude to, nevertheless, hang around to the bitter end., the Road just got steeper for everyone else.
Current Tiers
Tier 1: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia
Tier 2: K-State, Okie St, TCU
Tier 3: Texas Tech
REAL Standings:
1. 12.5-5.5
Iowa St: (3-1) Projected Losses: at KU, at OU, at UT At risk games: at OSU, at KSU, at TCU
KU (3-1) Projected Losses: at UT, at WVU, at OU At risk games: at TCU, at OSU, at KSU
3. 11.5-6.5
Oklahoma (3-2) Projected Losses: at KU, at BU, at ISU At risk games: at OSU, at TCU, at KSU
4. 11-7
West Virginia (3-2) Projected Losses: at OU, at ISU, at BU, at KU At risk games: at KSU, at OSU
5. 10.5-7.5
Baylor (2-3) Projected Losses: at WVU, at KU, at ISU, at UT At risk games: at OSU
6. 10-8
Texas (2-2) Projected Losses: at ISU, at BU, at OU, at WVU, at KU At risk games: at TCU, at KSU
7. 8-10
K-State (4-1) Projected Losses: at ISU, at KU, at WVU, at TCU, at BU, at UT At risk games: WVU, at Tech, UT, OU, KU, ISU
8. 7-11
Okie St (2-3) Projected Losses: at KSU, at UT, at BU, at TCU, at WVU At risk games: BU, OU, KU, ISU, WVU, at Tech
9. 6-12
TCU (1-3) Projected Losses: at WVU, at ISU, at BU, at UT, at KU, at OU, at OSU At risk games: at UT, KU, OU, ISU
10. 1-17
Texas Tech (0-5) Projected Losses: at OSU, ISU, at OU, at WVU, at ISU, KU, at UT, BU, OU, at TCU, at BU At risk games: KSU, OSU
1. Texas at TCU (6:00pm)***(At-risk game)
TCU played Texas tough at Home last year. The Horned Frogs are better this year. Texas might or might not be. This could be an interesting Big Monday Opening Act.
2. Oklahoma at KU (8:00pm)**** (Projected W: KU)
The Jayhawks need a good start in this one. The Sooners have shown that they are tough with an early lead.
3. K-State at Iowa St (6:00pm). ***1/2 (Projected W: ISU)
Can K-State make the jump from one time Tier 3 Bottom Feeder all the way to Tier One Contender? Probably not. But here is their chance. 'Twould be hard to argue with two Road victories versus Tier One tems.
4. Huston-Tillotson at Baylor (7:00pm) (Projected Winner: Is there a Winner in a game like this?)
I live 15 minutes from the Huston-Tillotson campus and was not aware they had a basketball team. My guess is that HTU vs. University of Southern New Hampshire would be a pick.
Insert Scott Drew joke here.
5. Texas Tech at Okie St (8:00pm)* (Projected W: OSU)
Can Tech REALly go 0-18?


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I herewith accept that the results from "Check One Storm" contain indicative results of the claims amount that may be paid out by the Insurer.
The final claims pay out amount may vary from the amount calculated by this tool and is dependent upon the Insurer's claims assessment.
Considering this, Munich Re gives no guarantee as to the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, reasonableness or suitability of the information contained herein or produced thereby.
Munich Re is not liable, and you undertake not to make any claim or commence or pursue any proceedings against Munich Re, for any loss or damage of any kind,
in relation to any use of the information by you for any deviation, error, inaccuracy, incompleteness of the results of "Check One Storm".
I do not agree


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i was in a relationship for nearly a year. Everything had been going well…we always got along, never had an argument, had amazing chemistry, etc. We are both divorced with children so wanted to take things slow. Around January I had asked him if he would have any interest in meeting each other's children. He pointed out I had already met his oldest which was true but I meant all of the kids meeting each other. He said sure but I could tell there was hesitation in his voice. We had been together about 10 months at that point and had already met each other's friends.
Over the course of about two months, he became pretty distant, wouldn't make plans with me, etc. Then he sent me a text about 3 weeks ago and told me he only wanted to be friends. I was pretty devastated. Not only because of the breakup but couldn't believe he was doing it via text.
i immediately started the no contact rule. I did not beg or plead for him to come back to me. Eight days later, he texted asking how I was. I ignored it for about 1.5 days then just replied simply that I was fine, hope he was as well and to take care. He then immediately replied saying that he hoped we could remain friends. I ignored it. The next day he sent me a link to a Christian song about holding on and never letting go. I am so confused! I asked him what he wants from me and he replied with "just friendship". That song has nothing to do with being friends.
Does it sound like he's playing games or could it be that he's just not sure what he wants? I know he's already dating. I'm just so confused. I have decided not to initiate any further contact with him.
Hi Kelly!
Thank you for sharing your situation! I am sorry that you are going through this with him, and I fully understand how confused you feel.
I am super proud of you for implementing the No Contact Rule! I love it! You are already steps ahead of others in this area. 🙂 Please feel good for that one!
Let's not label this guy as someone who is playing games, he may simply be confused too. If you attempted to move the relationship forward (by asking that the children meet each other), he may have felt your leading energy and it turned him off. I know that you have reasons for pushing this subject, which probably had more to do with you being scared that he was not committing to you in your time frame then it did with the children meeting. These energies (masculine/feminine) can be very subtle. It does not appear that you had a committed relationship with him in the first place, so here is another possible cause; he only considered you a FWB (friend with benefits). Unfortunately, both of these do not get you what you want; him and commitment.
Males say what they mean. You must believe him. If he is saying "Friendship", than he means it. In general, men are not like women (we don't always say what we mean).
Based on this, here is the question that you may want to ask yourself; are you OK with just being friends? If the answer is no, then let him know that you are looking for a husband (or commitment) and are not interested in friendship. If he changes his mind, he may contact you, and if you are available, you would entertain him.
Use this is the future as well, and it will help you weed out the males who are not ready for what you are ready for!
P.S. – Keep your knees closed without commitment first!
Love you!
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Born in Ivory Coast, West Africa Gervais Koffi has travelled the world performing and recording with world-class musicians and producers. After a very successful musical career in Johannesburg he decided to move to Australia in 1998.
On stage Gervais Koffi and his African Diaspora steam through a carefully crafted mixture of originals and African classics. They get down and get funky to make you dance, jump and sing along to their infectious grooves and melodies.
You can expect to be entertained with French-Caribbean ZOUK, exotic African grooves, Latin rhythms and Reggae tunes.
The Night will also feature 15 year-old Afro-Australian multi-instrumentalist sensation Yannick Koffi.


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Our Dumbo Loft Bed Low is the ideal transitional bed for a child who has outgrown their crib but is still too young for a full height loft bed. The bed rests on two low bookshelves and has adjacent stairs that not only increase the unit's storage capacity with built-in drawers but also makes it easier for the young child to climb in and out of the bed. It also features a hand rail (sold separately) with cut-outs for increased safety. As the child gets older, the bed can be raised into a full height loft bed by stacking the low bookshelves onto one side and having an adjustable desk on the other. This loft bed exemplifies the longevity and modularity of our pieces as it transforms to adapt to the child's needs. The clearance below the bed is 28". Recommended for children aged 3 and up.
95" L x 41" W x 46" H
IMPORTANT: Upper bunks are compatible with mattresses no thicker than 8" to ensure rail safety.
For custom sizes or colors, please contact us directly for options and pricing.
Free shipping not available on this item.
***This product is made to order and has a 10-12 week lead time.


text:
Vitaspectrum - capsule formula - 180 vegcaps by Klaire
Vitaspectrum - capsule formula - 180 vegcaps by Klaire
VitaSpectrum™ Capsule Formula 180 vegcaps
Dietary Supplement
Klaire Labs products may only be purchased by Health Care Professionals. Patients who want to buy Klaire Labs products may obtain them from their Health Care Professional.
Free of the following common allergens: milk/casein, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat/gluten, corn, yeast, and soybeans. Contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. All ingredients are of the highest quality and purity available. Formulated for the most sensitive individual. This product was made in a GMP and ISO 9001:2008 registered facility.
Suggested Use: Adults or Children 4 or more years of age: 6 capsules daily with food. Children less than 4 years of age: As directed by healthcare practitioner. Capsules may be opened and nutrients taken separately.
Supplement Facts
Serving Size 6 Capsules
Servings Per Container 30
Amount Per 6 Capsules
Vitamin A 5,500 I.U.
(64% (3,500 I.U.) as natural carotenes (alpha, beta, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein) from D. salina and 36% (2,000 I.U.) as vitamin A palmitate)
Vitamin C (as L-ascorbic acid USP) 500 mg
Vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol) 1,000 I.U.
Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl 150 I.U.
succinate plus natural mixed tocopherols d-alpha, d-beta, d-delta, d-gamma) from soy
Vitamin K1 (as phytonadione) 60 mcg
Thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate) 25 mg
Riboflavin (as riboflavin USP) 15 mg
Niacin 60 mg
(67% as niacinamide and 33% as niacin USP)
Vitamin B6 15 mg
(67% as pyridoxine hydrochloride and as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate)
Folate 400 mcg
(as Metafolin®** L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate)
Vitamin B12 50 mcg
(50% as methylcobalamin and 50% as 5-adenosylcobalamin)
Biotin USP 300 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 50 mg
(as d-calcium pantothenate USP)
Calcium (as calcium citrate-malate) 100 mg
Iodine (from kelp) 150 mcg
Magnesium 100 mg
(as magnesium bisglycinate chelate***)
Zinc (as zinc bisglycinate chelate***) 15 mg
Selenium 200 mcg
(as selenium amino acid complex)
Manganese 2 mg
(as manganese bisglycinate chelate***)
Chromium 1501 mcg
(as chromium nicotinate glycinate chelate***)
Molybdenum 100 mcg
(as molybdenum glycinate chelate***)
Potassium (as potassium chloride) 99 mg
Boron (as boron amino acid complex) 2 mg
Vanadium 50 mcg
(as bisglycinato oxovanadium)
Choline (as choline bitartrate) 75 mg
Inositol 25 mg
Citrus Bioflavonoids 100 mg
(85 mg as citrus bioflavonoid complex, min. 50% bioflavonoids, and 15 mg as hesperidin methylchalcone)
Other ingredients: Vegetarian capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, water), cellulose, and L-leucine.
Do not use if full-bottle shrinkwrap is broken or missing. Store in a cool, dry place (59°F-85°F) away from direct light. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
**Metafolin® is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
***Albion® Laboratories


text:
When quality and style come together, the combination is usually a hit and today's Buy It Now, the Seattle Mid Weight Jacket from Filson, is a prime example. Constructed in the Northwest, this joint is made to battle frigid weather and hold in warmth. Seattle wool, hand warmer pockets, and nylon storm cuffs are just a few key features that make this coat a wearable success. So pause on the heavy parka right now and let this joint get a little air time. Believe us when we say that people are gonna love what they see.
Filson Seattle Mid Weight Jacket
Click Here to Buy It Now at Karmaloop, $160
RELATED: Complex's 2010 Holiday Gift Guide


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How to Learn STEM
By Steve Franklin. Photography by Vivian Abagiu.
Ask Calvin Lin, a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Computer Science, his biggest challenge, and he won't miss a beat: "In three words: keeping students engaged."
In his early years teaching, Lin noticed the limitations of lecturing – many students zoned out. To build buy-in for learning about software development, he gave the students a challenge: go break what your classmates made.
"It's not about me," he explains. "It's: How can I get them to think and take risks? Students really like it, even though we've given them a lot more work. The key was to try and make it more fun by getting them to test other people's code."
Having students troubleshoot each other's code, letting them fail mightily at lab experiments, involving them in messy problem-solving and heated exchanges over scientific concepts – not one of these strategies has the tidy predictability of a practiced lecture.
Yet a growing body of research says classroom activities like these that allow students to painstakingly break down content for themselves through what's known as "active learning," accomplishes what lectures do not. Namely, students stop being passive listeners and become active participants and thinkers. They develop skills and become more invested in the concepts.
And, as the College of Natural Sciences' experience has shown, becoming active participants in their own learning works. These students are more likely to ace their classes, and they cross the graduation stage sooner.
Hands-on Science
Recent analyses of hundreds of studies have found that in courses with an active learning component, students earn better grades, understand scientific concepts better and are less likely to fail or drop out compared to their peers in traditional lecture courses.
Hands-on, experiential-learning programs in the College of Natural Sciences, like the Freshman Research Initiative, have a profound effect on student outcomes (see Doing Real Science). First-time researchers grapple with real-world scientific and mathematical problems over two or more semesters, conducting work alongside more seasoned scientists and from the trial and error of experimentation.
Similarly, in courses with active-learning classrooms, students work in teams or individually to wrestle with ideas and problems in real time.
"Students are engaged with the material and they're challenging each other," explains Theresa O'Halloran, a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences.
David Vanden Bout, chemistry professor and associate dean for undergraduate education, notes that active learning can take many forms, from a professor who uses explosive demonstrations and challenges the class to describe the scientific concepts on display, to an instructor guiding students through an exercise where they pretend to be molecules interacting with one another.
"It plays out differently for every person, but the goal across the board is to have people thinking in the classroom and asking questions," Vanden Bout says.
O'Halloran found over the years that simply breaking up her lecture with complex problems – ones with more than one answer –
activates learning.
"If you were to step in my class and compare it in 2000 versus now, what you'd experience is a much noisier classroom. As students break into groups to discuss problems, they're arguing about the proper answer, trying to convince each other of the correct answer," says O'Halloran. "I find that really exciting."
Faculty members also use challenging questions during class to assess how well students understand the material, adjusting on the fly to focus more on the concepts they see students struggling with during discussions. Vanden Bout believes giving all students time and space to grapple with conceptual questions is key: "By trying to articulate ideas, students are forced to encounter whether they really know the material or they don't."
Facing Facts
More time spent in active discussion can mean less time for course instructors to impart facts. However, in an era when content is only as far away as the nearest smartphone, experts recommend a different focus. More and more faculty in the College of Natural Sciences have turned their attention to helping students learn instead how to use information—with critical thinking that helps them decipher facts, evaluate claims, and approach thorny problems in new ways.
In STEM subjects in particular, students need not just information but skills to navigate new information.
"One of the most important things we can do in teaching the sciences is realize that, every day our content basis is growing – every day," says Vanden Bout. "Being a scientist is not about walking around with a notebook full of facts that you can pull from your brain at any second. It is much more about a process of thinking."
A faculty task force formed in 2016 is working to transform the curriculum across the college and build these 21st century skills for learners. Already analysts within the college have started evaluating courses and providing faculty with feedback about how to give more students opportunities to engage in critical thinking actively during class.
Leading the Way
New classrooms that are state of the art and student-centric in Welch Hall support active learning. These spaces have clusters of small-group tables, instead of front-facing rows. The tables and most surfaces along the walls act as giant whiteboards to support student discussions. Some classrooms are even equipped with technology that allows educators to learn what is working and to guide students to their next "aha" moment.
"Students learn much more when they actually take ownership of learning," Lin says. "That's really what active learning is about."


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Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is the process by which organic matter such as animal or food waste is broken down to produce biogas and biofertiliser in an oxygen-free tank called an anaerobic digester. (Anaerobic means 'in the absence of oxygen').
A typical anaerobic digester is a sealed vessel, or series of vessels, in which bacteria act without oxygen. The organic material needs to be fully mixed and warmed, usually to blood temperature.
Anaerobic digestion is recognised by the government bodies and environmental organisations as one of the best methods for food waste recycling and dealing with farm waste and sewage sludge.
Biogas is the name given to the mixture of gases formed during the anaerobic digestion process, mainly consisting of methane (c70%) and carbon dioxide (c30%). Biogas can be burned to produce both heat and electricity, while methane can be used as vehicle fuel or injected into the gas grid.
What's left from the process is a nutrient rich biofertiliser which is pasteurised to kill any pathogens, then stored in large covered tanks ready to be applied on farmland in place of fossil fuel derived fertilisers.
Every tonne of food waste recycled by anaerobic digestion as an alternative to landfill prevents between 0.5 and 1.0 tonne of CO2 entering the atmosphere, one of the many benefits of anaerobic digestion.
Recommended pumps and brands for the anaerobic digestion industry
(Shown left) Heavy duty solids handling suitable for pumping slurries and sludges. They also have a large combination of wearing parts.
AL Series – suitable for cleaner water applications
AW Series – small solids handling, ideal for yard drainage and run-off water.
Excellent for sludges with considerable increased wear life over other pumps such as lobe pumps. Atlantic Pumps are the exclusive UK distributor for Danish-based peristaltic pumps manufacturer LSM pumps. For further information on LSM, please visit our dedicated brand page here.