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Our Training Changes Lives
My Brother's Workshop is a non-profit Virgin Islands charitable corporation. It has been organized to provide hope, faith, and purpose to at-risk and high-risk young people in the USVI by offering mentoring, counseling, paid job training, education, and job placement.
These efforts are being made in association with other local and national groups functioning with purposes consistent with those listed below. The program focuses on youth, both male and female, ages 16-24 who have dropped out of school, are marginally literate, and live in poverty or are homeless. Many of these individuals have been involved in gang or gang related activities or/and have a juvenile criminal record.
The objectives of the program include:
- Mentoring the youth while they are in the program through positive reinforcement, moral values, respect, and trust from the trainers, staff, volunteers, and board of directors.
- Mental health counseling through human service's existing programs and volunteer counselors that can focus on identifying specific issues such as anger management, domestic violence, and substance abuse.
- Paid job training through specific industries that are proven economical outlets in the US Virgin Islands such as construction and small trade skills like woodworking, plumbing, masonry, and carpentry. Hospitality and tourism including: service, cooking, baking, housekeeping, maintenance, and retail.
- Education through GED tutoring, re-acclimate the youth back into traditional high school programs and consider non-traditional schooling such as a charter program that can be hosted on the MBW property and can be funded through educational grants and private funding.
- Job placement opportunities for the individuals as they graduate the program and have been deemed transformed emotionally, socially, and skillfully. And offer job placement assistance such as resume building, interview training, and communication skills.


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Lyonia lucida
- Common Name(s):
- Fetterbush lyonia, Pink fetterbush
- Categories:
- Native Plants, Poisonous Plants, Shrubs
- Comment:
Lyonia lucida, commonly known as fetterbush, is an evergreen shrub of the heath family that is native to wet woods (common in the Okefenokee and Big Cypress swamps) in the southeastern U. S. along the coastal plain from Virginia to Florida west to Louisiana. It is also native to Cuba. Fetterbush is typically found growing in the understory of shrubby bogs, wet savannas, cypress swamps, wet pine flatwoods, peaty thickets and along stream banks. Although it is also sometimes found in drier often sandy habitats (dry scrub), it is primarily a denizen of wet places.
Fetterbush is an arching and sprawling shrub that typically matures to 3-6' tall and as wide, but can reach 10-15' tall in optimum growing conditions. Common name is in reference to its dense sprawling growth habit which fetters (impedes) human/animal traffic when growing in thickets.
This shurb has sharply three-angled branches and spreads by suckers. The bark is brown with splits and fine shreds.
Regions: Piedmont, Coastal Plains
Seasons of Interest:
Leaf: Blooms: Spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Fall
Wildlife Value: This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer. It provides excellent cover, especially in the winter. Its flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Pink fetterbush is a nectar plant. Members of the genus Lyonia support the following specialized bees: Colletes productu and Melitta (Cilissa) melittoides.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: The fetterbush is susceptible to leaf spot.
- Description:
- Deciduous shrubs; leaves simple and alternate; flowers small, white or pink, urn-shaped and drooping, in terminal clusters; fruit a globose or pear-shaped capsule, not depressed at the apex.
- Height:
- 3-6 ft.
- Foliage:
- The fetterbush has glossy, thick, elliptic to oval, evergreen leaves (to 2-4" long) which are lustrous dark green above and dull green beneath, with each leaf having a major vein which parallels the often narrowly rolled leaf margin. The leaves are alternate with conspicuous veins that parallel the outside edge of a smooth margin. They are also simple, and leathery.
- Flower:
- The fetterbush has small, sweetly fragrant, white bell-shaped flowers (each to 1/ 4" long) which bloom in axillary clusters (to 10-15 flowers per cluster) in late winter to early spring (March to May) on wood of the previous year. It has woody, five-parted fruits (capsules to 1/3" diameter) which develop in clusters in the leaf axils, splitting open when ripe to release seeds.
- Zones:
- 7-9
- Habit:
- Evergreen
- Site:
- The Fetterbush is best grown in consistently moist, acidic, organically rich, reasonably well-drained soils in part shade. It will tolerate full sun. In the wild, this shrub grows in bogs and swamps and tolerates soils that are periodically flooded and poorly drained, but it seems to appreciate less soil moisture and better soil drainage when grown in home landscapes. It also tolerates dry sandy habitats once established. It spreads by root suckers and rhizomes to form colonies. It is winter hardy to USDA Zone 7.
- Texture:
- Medium
- Form:
- Open arching shrub; loose; spreading
- Exposure:
- Partial shade; moist to damp soil but does not tolerate constant moist soil
- Fruit:
- Shell pink flowers in early spring
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Poison Part:
- Leaves and nectar from flowers
- Poison Delivery Mode:
- Ingestion
- Symptoms:
- Salivation, watering of eyes and nose, slow pulse, nausea, vomiting, sweating, abdominal pain, headache, tingling of skin, lack of coordination, convulsions, paralysis
- Toxic Principle:
- Andromedotoxin
- Severity:
- Found in:
- Forest or natural areas in moist woodlands and pocosins; in landscape cultivated as ornamental woody shrub
- Width:
- 3-6 ft.
NCCES plant id: 506

subset: commoncrawl


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Department of Sport and Exercise Science
Extreme Environmental Medicine and Science
Humans work, play, and explore in a variety of extreme environments, including man-made environments. Essentially a tropical animal, as we have evolved, humans have extended their footprint outside of tropical areas by the adoption of equipment (e.g. clothing) and technology (e.g. heating). Modern-day humans have extended their reach across the globe, into the depths, up into the air and since 1961, into space. Whilst the challenges for those exploring the depths of the oceans, space and the very extremes of our planet may appear obvious, the environmental extremes affecting many of us, home and abroad, are less well appreciated.
The Extreme Environmental Medicine and Science Group adopts an interdisciplinary research approach to understand, evaluate, and enhance human comfort, performance, and survival in extreme environments. This encompasses the fields of sport, industry, emergency services, military and at the ultimate extremes, expeditions, and in recent years assistance to Olympic and Paralympic athletes in preparation for the Athens and Beijing Olympics. This research group undertakes high quality, high impact, internationally recognised research into humans in extreme environments, including:
- The thermal environment, both hot and cold.
- Altitude
- Survival in the sea, both short and long terms effects of, and responses to immersion and submersion
- Search and Surveillance
- Expedition Support
Survival in the sea
The group has published widely on the human responses to immersion and survival in cold water. Funded projects have included
- Assessments of combat swimmer equipment and human endurance for prolonged military cold water operations
- Research into new techniques for preventing drowning in children and development of the "Float First" policy advice for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
- The risk of cardiac irregularities during sea survival training.
- The importance of crotch-strap retention systems in life jackets.
- Survival breathing aids during helicopter underwater escape
The thermal environment
Military projects have included determination of the thermal and movement impact on troops wearing prototype operational clothing to assessment of physiological status of those thought to be suffering from non-freezing cold injuries. From a sports perspective, we have a current PhD studentship investigating the characteristics of thermoregulation when exercising in sports-specific clothing.
Working at altitude
This research strand within the group arose from a PhD studentship investigating the possibility of physiological cross-adaptation of the body to extreme environments, in the first instance promoting adaptations useful at altitude imposed by cold-water immersion (which is easier to instigate than altitude exposure). Other work has investigated the use of techniques such as inspiratory muscle training for improving performance at altitude.
Search & Surveillance and Expedition Support
This relatively new and growing area of research has concentrated on determination of the best search and surveillance techniques for RNLI beach lifeguards.
The group provides support to many expeditions to extreme environments. Recent examples include:
Facilities and services
The Extreme Environmental Medicine and Science offers a range of research and consultancy services, utilizing the wide range of staff expertise within this group as well as the state of the art facilities and equipment housed within the Spinnaker Building.
Research Group Members
The research group is coordinated by Dr Jim House, Reader in Environmental Physiology, and includes the following colleagues:
- Miss Heather Bowes
- Miss Christie Garson
- Mr Geoff Long
- Mr Matt Maley
- Miss Rebecca Neal
- Miss Ella Walker
- Mr Danny White
Ministry of Defence - Dr Dan Roiz de Sa, Honorary Lecturer & Independent Medical Officer (Institute of Naval Medicine) and Dr Mike Dennis, Dstl Porton Down
Kings College London - Professor Mike Shattock and Dr James Clark
University of Wolongong, Australia - Associate Professor Nigel Taylor
Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia - Professor Igor Mekjavic
The Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden - Dr Ola Eiken
Kobe University, Japan - Dr Narihiko Kondo
Université Louis Pasteur (France) - Dr André Dufour
Surf Lifesaving UK - Dr Paddy Morgan, Associate Researcher
The group is also part of the Environmental Physiology & Ergonomics Research Exchange (EPERE)
Get Involved
As a research group we are always actively seeking volunteer participants to take part in our various research studies. These studies are often interesting to take part in and can provide a great opportunity to gain an insight in to the type of work that we undertake. The requirements for participating in our research vary on a study by study basis, For instance, some studies will require elite athletes and some may require recreationally active or sedentary individuals. Similarly, some of our research may require participants make a single brief visit to the laboratory, whereas other studies may require multiple laboratory visits. On occasion we may be conducting work using only males, or only females, depending upon the nature of the research undertaken. Often a small amount of money is available for volunteers to cover their expenses.
If you would like to get involved in any of our research, would like to be added to our database of potential volunteers, or would like to discuss our research in greater detail or, then please contact firstname.lastname@example.com
- Home
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- Human Performance and Health
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- Athena SWAN
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If you have suffered a pelvis or hip injury and weren't to blame, our Work Accident Lawyers can help you claim compensation through our No Win, No Fee* service.
Call our Accident solicitors** on
01618855335 or contact us online.
Whilst pelvic and hip injuries may sound like an injury to the elderly they can in fact happen to anybody at anytime particularly if a third party has been negligent. A common cause of hip or pelvic injury is a slip, trip or fall due to something simple such as an uneven pavement or a slippery surface at work or in a supermarket. If you injure your hip or pelvis area because of any of the above (or any other type of accident) then you can make a claim for compensation against the negligent party, be it the local council, your employer or the supermarket. This is because they have a duty of care towards your health and safety and a breach of that duty has resulted in your injury.
The amount of compensation you can claim for a hip or pelvic injury will depend on the degree of your pain and discomfort, any resulting disability, loss of amenity, the treatment required and recovery time. Minor injuries attract settlements of up to £3,000 and major injuries involving surgery and some form of permanent disability will attract settlements of up to £100,000. These figures are based on government guidelines and previously decided pelvic / hip injury compensation claims.
If you would like to make a pelvic or hip injury compensation claim then you should speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor** in Manchester who will work on your case on a no win no fee* basis. A personal injury solicitor** in Manchester can help you to establish liability, gather any other evidence you need included medical assessments and witness statements and negotiate a settlement with the negligent party (or their insurance company).
If you would like to make a claim please ensure that you seek advice and file a claim at court within three years of your pelvic or hip injury otherwise you may be prevented from doing so under that statute of limitation. If you are making a claim on behalf of a child then you have until three years after the child's 18th birthday (i.e. Till the child turns 21).
Pelvic and Hip Injury Lawyers Manchester
There are thousands of solicitors** Manchester and you need to make sure that you choose personal injury solicitors** you can depend on.
Call us today on 01618855335. In addition, you can contact us online by completing our enquiry form.
Other related services that we can help with include:
*Other costs may be payable
**We have a team of technical claims qualifiers who will speak with you and if you have, in our opinion, a valid claim we can refer your case to one of the personal injury solicitors on our panel.


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When I moved to my new apartment I canceled my membership to classpass and joined the gym in my building. While the gym is great and has everything I need I still miss those unique classes I was able to take when I had my classpass membership.
During the summer months I have been trying to get out more and keep my workouts interesting. I am not a huge runner but I do enjoy interval running and there are definitely areas in New York City that are spacious enough to get the job done!
Best areas to run in NYC:
1. Battery Park to East River Run: Beautiful run along the waterfront with views of the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.
2. Central Park Reservoir Loop: Located within the park between 85th street to 96th street with a 1.58 mile path.
3. The Highline: A bit crowded at times with tourists but if you go early enough this 1.45 mile run has beautiful views of the Hudson River.
4. Randall's Island: There is a foot bridge at 103rd street and the FDR that leads you to this park. This park is quiet and spacious and is one of my favorite areas to visit on the weekends.
Since I am always on the go these Vasa Bla Earbuds by Sudio Sweden are the perfect size to take along in my bag. I use them for my commute in the morning to work as well as for my workouts and I love the leather pouch that they come in- making storage easy.
Top songs from my Playlist:
Harder Better Faster Stronger- Daft Punk
Burn- Elie Goulding
Bring Em Out- T.I.
Get Me Bodied- Beyonce
Work It B**ch- Britney Spears
Push It- Salt-N-Peppa
Go Girl- Ciara T.Pain
Feelin' Myself- Miley Cyrus, WILL.I.AM
As a girl who is into fashion I appreciate workout clothing that are cute and chic enough to wear around the city. I love this workout set from Pheel, these Grey Floral Leggings are soft and comfortable and the pattern is super cute and this White Muscle Tank is light and airy- perfect for a workout. For all of my sneaker needs I am a total Six:02 gal, Six:02 is a fashion fitness boutique designed for women- if you have not checked out the site or been to a store I highly recommend it!
There are two locations in New York, who knows you might just bump into me:
TIMES SQUARE 1426 Broadway
HERALD SQUARE 112 W 34th Street
Grey Floral Leggings Pheel c/o, White Muscle Tank Pheel c/o, Vasa Bla Earbuds Sudio Sweden c/o, Nike Free TR6 Six:02 c/o


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i said it before, & i'll probably say it again & again until you're totally tired of hearing it.
i love project life, and i am IN LOVE with this 6x8 size.
it's so great to pick my favorite stories, quotes, & pictures & keep going until i hit the next month, without paying attention to a weekly format.
i made a vellum overlay to separate the end of one month &
the beginning of another. mostly because i have 4 'month in review' cards
one for each of us...
& because i just wanted to :)
nothing really special about any of it.
almost 100% of the pictures are from my iPhone & edited in pictapgo.
(the spreads were shot with my nikon, which sounds like it's on it's way out :( )
i have this post in mind, about the way we approach scrapbooking...
but i think i'm going to leave that for another day..


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The Children's Dignity Forum (CDF) is a voluntary, private, non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit-making Civil Society children's rights organization based in Dar es Salaam as its headquarters, founded and registered in 2006 under the NGO Act No. 24/2002. For more information about CDF, please visit us at www.cdftz.org, www.facebook.com/cdftz and Instagram@cdf_tanzania. Due to the strategic expansion along with the implementation of the new CDF Strategic Plan 2016-2019, CDF is looking for the qualified and motivated person to fill the following position with immediate effect:
Reporting: Head of Programmes
Supervises: Assistant Program Officer
Duty station: Dodoma
The candidate will perform the following duties as listed below:
Duties and Responsibilities
Project Management and Coordination
Coordinate and lead project planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation roles
Coordinate preparation and submission of annual activity-based project budgets as well as monthly and quarterly financial reports.
Provide technical advisory support and quality assurance of the project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Provide technical support for capacity building interventions of partners and community, including relevant local government institutions.
Supervise and asses work in progress to ensure compliance and delivery of high quality results and achievements of overall Programme objectives.
Support coordination and networking with the district line agencies and lead advocacy initiatives with the stakeholders for preventing child marriage, FGM and gender based violence in the project district.
Programme reviews and undertake reporting functions in timely manner.
Represent the Programme in stakeholders forums and other key partnership meetings
Coordinate the collection, documentation and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for scaling-up and replication.
Identify and follow up resource mobilization , managing of the Income Generating Activities (IGA), running of the girls, linking the girls with district authorities to get loans, linking girls with support structures (Child Protection system)
Ensure project activities comply with the policies and regulations of the development partners.
Lead and monitor project activities and expenditures; and coordinate work with consults and volunteers in the project sites.
Coordinate and organize awareness raising and advocacy initiatives, i.e. events such as launching, campaigns and community dialogue related to girl's empowerment and child protection.
The post holder will also support CDF's overall M&E work, especially in reporting strategies building into its mandate to improve children's welfare.
Other routine responsibilities as per required
Functional Competencies
Substantive experience and record of accomplishment in the area of children rights and gender equality
Ability to assist strategic planning, Programme development and implementation of Results Based Management and reporting
Ability to assist in formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development Programmes and projects
Ability to operating in remote and vulnerable communities.
Ability to promote innovation and learning.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
Minimum Degree in Law, (Advocate added advantage), Bachelor in Social Science, child development, human rights, sociology, social work or related disciplines.
Knowledge of principles and practices related to child development, child participation and protection principles. (Experience of working with Girls Project is an added advantage)
Experience in Project planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation
Conversant with the key children and women rights conventions, i.e, CRC and CEDAW.
Experience of working with children and young women.
Strong listening skills and the ability to deal with sensitive situations with integrity.
Must have strong and polished interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.
An interest in the well-being of the children and safeguarding and child protection matters.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows based computer application and database management.
Experience in managing budgets, planning events, coordination and evaluation.
Able to complete and submit all reports on time in line with CDF and development partners requirements.
Perform such other duties as my be assigned by the supervisor
An attractive package commensurate to the qualifications and relevant experience will be availed to the successful candidate.
Motivation letter explaining why your competencies and experience are suitable for the job, up-to date curriculum vitae including names and email addresses or phone numbers of three referees and copies of relevant certificates should be addressed and sent to the Human Resource Manager via firstname.lastname@example.com or deliver in person at CDF's office located in Mwenge area, Plot No. 161/162, Mama Ngoma House, 2nd Floor, Dar es Salaam; not later than 15th November, 2016.


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Energy and Environmental Engineering Division,
University of Dayton Research Institute,
Dayton, OH 45469
e-mail: email@example.com
Air Force Research Laboratory,
Wright–Patterson AFB,
Dayton, OH 45433
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Energy and Environmental Engineering Division,
University of Dayton Research Institute,
Dayton, OH 45469
e-mail: email@example.com
Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc.,
Dayton, OH 45459
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc.,
Dayton, OH 45459
e-mail: email@example.com
Contributed by the Combustion and Fuels Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR GAS TURBINES AND POWER. Manuscript received June 28, 2016; final manuscript received June 30, 2016; published online September 27, 2016. Editor: David Wisler.The United States Government retains, and by accepting the article for publication, the publisher acknowledges that the United States Government retains, a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow others to do so, for United States government purposes.
A novel parallelized, automated, and predictive imprint cooling model (PAPRICO) was developed for modeling of combustor liners using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS). The methodology involves removing the film and effusion cooling jet geometry from the liner while retaining the cooling hole imprints on the liner. The PAPRICO can operate under two modalities, viz., two-sided and one-sided. For the two-sided PAPRICO model, the imprints are kept on the plenum and combustor sides of the liner. For the one-sided PAPRICO model, the imprints are retained only on the combustor side of the liner and there is no need for a plenum. The PAPRICO model neither needs a priori knowledge of the cooling flow rates through various combustor liner regions nor specific mesh partitioning. The imprint mass flow rate, momentum, enthalpy, turbulent kinetic energy, and eddy dissipation rate are included in the governing equations as volumetric source terms in cells adjacent to the liner on the combustor side. Additionally, the two-sided PAPRICO model includes corresponding volumetric sinks in cells adjacent to the liner on the plenum side. A referee combustor liner was simulated using PAPRICO under nonreacting flow conditions. The PAPRICO results were compared against predictions of nonreacting flow results of a resolved liner geometry, against a combustor liner with prescribed mass and enthalpy source terms (simplified liner) and against measurements. The results clearly conclude that PAPRICO can qualitatively and quantitatively emulate the local turbulent flow field with a reduced mesh size. The simplified liner fails to emulate the local turbulent flow field.
MPI critical section flowchart of the single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) parallel program used to collect cells (c) within a jet imprint per imprint zone (z). The magenta boxes represent two consecutive nodes, viz., n and n + 1. The green and orange background within these boxes shows the portion of the algorithm that is necessary for parallel computing. The remaining flowchart callouts with blue background signify the part of the code that would be executed under serial computing. The flowchart components with orange background are the extra code that is executed by exclusive nodes in between the lowest and highest rank node that share the same imprint zone (z). The Marker(cell_id(c,z), ID) function groups the cells (c) within jet imprint, within imprint zone (z), and within compute node.
(a) Portion of a partitioned mesh on the combustor liner. Two nodes are active in each mesh partition (blue and green). An imprint zone (z) is also illustrated containing 13 jet imprints. The imprint zone (red) is split in between two nodes as illustrated in (b). A jet imprint is partitioned between two compute nodes as illustrated in (c). The white line represents the surface mesh, while the gray line represents the partition. Note that the imprint in (c) is superimposed in both partitions.
Top and side view of (a) inward, (b) outward, (c) counterclockwise, and (d) clockwise tangential jet orientations. The light blue color indicates the imprints, and the blue vector indicates the orientation unit vector needed for the momentum source terms. For all the cases illustrated here, θjet = 45 deg.
Isometric (top-left) and side (bottom-left) views of a portion of the combustor liner involving concentric effusion cooling patterns with jets oriented radially inward. (Right) Detailed engineering drawing.
Velocity magnitude contours on the centerplane computed using the (a) resolved liner geometry and (b) two-sided PAPRICO model discussed in the context of Fig. 5.
Velocity magnitude contours computed using the (a) resolved liner geometry and (b) two-sided PAPRICO model on a plane that is rotated by 7.5 deg with respect to that plane discussed in the context of Fig. 6. This plane is projected onto the paper, and the geometry wireframe is now visible (black lines).
Top view of the referee combustor liner illustrating the mass flow rate distribution over six regions, viz., (1) upstream cooling, (2) midsection cooling, (3) downstream cooling, (4), aft cooling, (5) primary dilution, and (6) secondary dilution.
Comparison among the (a) resolved liner geometry, (b) one-sided PAPRICO model, and (c) the simplified liner geometry with prescribed mass and enthalpy sources in terms of velocity magnitude flow field (top) and turbulent mixing time (bottom) discussed in the context of Fig. 9 The magenta line on the top image indicates the plane associated with this figure.
Comparison among the (a) resolved liner geometry, (b) one-sided PAPRICO model, and (c) the simplified liner geometry with prescribed volumetric mass and enthalpy sources in terms of velocity magnitude flow field (left) and mixing time (right) discussed in the context of Fig. 9. The magenta line on the top image indicates the plane associated with this figure.
Schematic of the computational domains for simulating the combustor liner using a (a) resolved geometry, (b) one-sided PAPRICO model, and (c) simplified geometry with prescribed mass and enthalpy sources. The boundary conditions are color-coded such that blue indicates pressure inlets; gray indicates walls; red indicates pressure outlets; magenta indicates the imprint effusion cooling holes for the PAPRICO model in (b); and orange, yellow, and green indicate surfaces with prescribed mass and enthalpy sources in (c).
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Word of mouth will let you know what our customers rave about – it's our handcrafted and hand-delivered flower arrangement gifts with designs based on artful renditions of traditional and modern floristry concepts. Our flower experts are so used to making artisanal flower arrangements that it has become a part of their daily mission to make people happy through flowers.
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Axcel Achieve RXL Recurve Sight
Lancaster Archery Supply TechXPert Dan Schuller describes the features of the Axcel Achieve RXL Recurve Sight in this video. There are two versions of this sight – one is made of aluminum, while the other is carbon. Schuller demonstrates how to adjust the sight for windage and distance, as well as how to break it […]Read More


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Initiative addresses underfunded government pension problem
In 2010, the Goldwater Institute published a report uncovering Arizona's $50 billion unfunded pension liabilities
PHOENIX – Last week, Phoenix resident Roy Miller filed an application to have the "Responsible Budgets Act" placed on the November 2014 ballot as a citizen's initiative. The treasurer of the initiative's political action committee is Cave Creek resident James Moorer.
The narrative on the Arizona Secretary of State's website states, "Arizona's government retirement pensions are billions of dollars underfunded, leaving taxpayers with liabilities that could cause a severe financial crisis. The Responsible Budgets initiative ensures annual public disclosure of government retirement pensions funding, so the politicians cannot hide the pension debt, limits government growth to inflation plus population growth, until the government pensions are adequately funded, and ends pensions for politicians, as a first step to find the savings needed to fix the government pension problem. The Responsible Budgets initiative will ensure Arizona addresses its pension problem before we face a Detroit-style financial crisis."
The initiative seeks to amend Title 38 – Public Officers and Employees by adding Article 2 to Chapter 1 with four new sections.
Miller proposes A.R.S. § 38-111 as the Preamble to the Responsible Budgets Act "in order to ensure that governments at all levels in Arizona abide by existing constitutional requirements for balanced budgets, offer full public transparency, pay for obligations already incurred before increasing spending, and to ensure adequate funding of retirement pensions and healthcare benefits, the Responsible Budgets Act shall be enacted as law in Arizona."
In February 2010, the Pew Center issued a report warning of a $1 trillion funding gap for state retirement systems.
In 2010, the Goldwater Institute published a report uncovering Arizona's $50 billion unfunded pension liabilities.
Recommendations made years ago to help lower the funding deficit included making elected officials pay more for their pensions, restrict double-dipping and eliminate pension spiking, cost of living allowances and pensions for those convicted of felonies while performing their duties.
In 2011, Arizona was $13 billion short of the $48 billion needed to cover its total pension obligation, up from the $12 billion it came up short in 2010.
From 2007 to 2011, Arizona's public pensions have declined from a funded ratio of 82.8 percent to 75 percent.
Figures for 2012 indicate Arizona's deficit has grown to $18.4 billion, placing the state system at a ratio of 69 percent, public safety system at 49.2 percent, corrections officers system at 57.7 percent and elected officials system at 48.7 percent.
Funding ratios of 80 percent or higher are considered healthy while funding ratios between 70-79 percent are considered fair. Funding ratios below 70 percent are considered poor.
Meanwhile, Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio and other council members have been pressuring Mayor Greg Stanton for more than 600 days to bring the elimination of pension spiking to a public vote.
The practice, which has been ruled illegal by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, still occurs in Phoenix among public-safety employees, whereas they pad their pay by cashing out unused sick and vacation time just prior to retiring, thus "spiking" the amount of their retirement benefits.
The mayor has finally agreed to form an ad hoc committee to review pension spiking and deliver a report to council by Oct. 4 with a public meeting scheduled for Oct. 22.
The committee will be tasked with three things: 1) Identify current practices that qualify as pension spiking; 2) Identify changes that can be made administratively and which reforms require different fixes; and 3) Create a timeline for implementation.
Additional pressure came last month from the Goldwater Institute, which filed a lawsuit against the city of Phoenix to halt the illegal practice of pension spiking.
Pension spiking, a popular practice among public safety employees, has allowed some police and firefighters to become millionaires upon retirement, while allowing several others to increase their lump sum distributions by more than $700,000.
Public safety retirement costs have increased from $7.2 million in 2003 to $129 million for fiscal year 2014, with a growing deficit created by both investment losses and pension spiking.
The lawsuit asserts the city is allowing public safety employees to illegally pad their salaries with payments for sick leave, vacation, unused time off and other benefits, including uniform allowances, just prior to retirement to boost the amount on which their pension benefits are calculated.
The union and city officials contend the practice is a negotiated benefit, despite state law which specifically states "unused sick leave, payment in lieu of vacation, payment for unused compensatory time or payment for any fringe benefits" is not to be included for the computation of retirement benefits.
Although Stanton and city council members asked former City Manager David Cavazos to put an end to the pension-spiking practice in July, it remains in place to fulfill the city's labor contract that runs through next year.
Miller's initiative seeks to limit government budget growth until there is adequate funding to ensure it can pay its financial obligations already incurred before increasing spending, beginning with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2015, limiting growth of any political subdivision that participates in a public pension and retirement system general budget that has not adequately funded its obligations to inflation and population growth until adequate funding is achieved.
Miller included a provision for a one-year waiver in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, whereas an entity may petition the governor for a waiver under such circumstances.
The initiative also seeks to put an end to taxpayer-funded retirement pensions and healthcare benefits for elected officials, including all officials elected by ballot but excluding those subject to a retention vote (judges).
Miller needs to collect a minimum of 172,809 valid signatures by July 3, 2014 to place the initiative on the November 2014 ballot.


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Dateline: Silop, SDN (July 8-9, 2016) Seminar-Workshop on Organic Farming
By: Giles Alexis M. Labrador
Silop is one of the 21 barangays of Mainit, Surigao del Norte. It has 705 hectares in land area and a population of 402. Eighty-three of which attend the local elementary school. Hoisted at the highest point of the municipality, Mt. Silop, are cell towers of telephone companies. This peak and its towers are unmistakable landmarks that, on a clear day, can be seen from the lowland poblacion and in other surrounding parts of the province. On top of the mountain barangay lies Lake Silop, a mysterious 2.5- hectare lake with species of fish that are known to appear and disappear throughout the year. Other wild creatures that inhabit are ducks and the very hardworking carabaos.
Other than by foot, the only way to get to this secluded steep haven is via the infamous "habal-habal", a modified motorbike which can carry up to ten people. This custom-built motorcycle-taxi is quite ubiquitous in remote areas and hinterlands of Mindanao. Passengers with their goods for sale or purchased staples are loaded on its horizontally extended planks aka "ampak" or "pako". This one's a popular great adventure-rush for most hardcore adrenaline junkies.
Just a half-hour ride from the poblacion, one can easily feel real tranquility, the unharried rural life. One can experience and savor the fresh cool air, nature-chilled water, canopy of trees, plentiful gardens, fertile lands, bountiful green vegetables and the cheerful, kind, and beautiful people, quite attuned to their environment - all natural.
One can sense a healthy natural balance in this humble community abundant with resources that could be harnessed to maintain this simple, amazing way of living.
Summit at the Summit
July 8-9, 2016 would now become known as the pioneering days of collaboration between TMI and farmer families. For the very first time, Tambayayong Mainit, Inc.(TMI) together with the people of Brgy. Silop, piloted a collaboration in learning and sharing of ideas on organic farming. This was formally dubbed as a "Training-Workshop on Sustainable Nature Farming Technology Systems".
The Republic Act 10068, popularly known as the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 was the policy framework and impetus. This bill was signed into law not only for the big commercial farmers but for all common folk to adopt essential, sustainable farming technology and shift from the conventional way of farming that is highly dependent on harmful chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides. It was designed to promote ecologically sound, socially acceptable, economically viable and technically feasible production of food and fibers used in clothes, homemaking, etc.
Interactive is Productive
Naturally fertile, Silop is an ideal locale to practice the principles of organic farming. As lectures were given, one could tell that the community was very receptive. Silop folks also contributed salient cultural and unique environmental insights to workshop facilitators making the event truly participative and interactive. Both sides equally shared and received useful information. One particular exciting part was when the participants were divided into groups and each was tasked to draw their understanding and perception of sustainable agriculture. Each group was then given time to share and discuss their group's consensus output.
Another highlight of the day was the "Boodle Fight"! The communal way of preparing the meal and eating with bare hands exemplified the solidarity of spirit of this barangay. Needless to say, there were indigenous veggies on the menu.
Indigenous is Ingenious
Indigenous vegetables or IVs are edible plants that are native to a particular region or environment. These are abundant in rural areas and can be planted even in small plots of land by small farming families. Silop is fortunate to have an abundance of these vegetables. Indigenous vegetables are very rich in vitamins and minerals. They have high anti-oxidant activity. Malunggay or kalamunggay(Moringa oleifera)is one example of an IV. It is loaded with nutrients. Its Vitamin C content is seven times more than what is found in oranges. It has four times more calcium and two times more protein than milk; four times more vitamin A than carrots; and three times more potassium than bananas. We should all plant it, esteemed DENR Agricultural Technologist and TMI Project Leader Ms. Maricel Endico exhorted. "It's like growing multivitamins at your doorstep".
A-Frame Contouring
As a mountain barangay, Silop is also a great place for Sloping Agricultural Land Technology(SALT)application.
For this part, Agroforestry specialist Ms. Marichu Calungsod lent her expetise on the topic. She was trained in Bansalan, Davao del Sur where this now world-accepted technology was first developed at the Mindanao Baptist Rural Center.
SALT is a relatively easier and less expensive technology that employs a diversified farming system and integrates an innovative soil conservation system using nitrogen-fixing trees(e.g. Ipil-ipil) and hillside contouring.
The practicum part of this workshop, with the participants making their own makeshift inexpensive A-frames and learning hill contouring was another highlight of the event.
Don't Panic, It's POrkganic
Mr. Gil C. Salem, a seasoned Livestock Technologist, shared his knowledge and expertise on swine raising using a tested Korean technology. It is raising pigs without the foul smell by applying an effective science-based minimal cleaning maintenance method.
The "no smell, no clean" system entails an inoculated deep organic litter floor that actively composts manure and safely processes toxins right under the pigs feet. The living floor keeps the pigs clean and healthy without a need to clean up their manure. Less expensive, less labor intensive, and less stressful for the pigs. And stress-free pigs make for much more delicious lechon or tastier bacon, I guess?
Holy Molasses! Natural Fertilizers
Ms. Endico also taught the villagers how to prepare various fertilizer concoctions made from natural ingredients that are readily available.
Here are some of them:
Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) is used for seed and soil treatments and for plant nutrition. It consists of young shoots of vigorously growing plants in the locale that are allowed to ferment for approximately 7 days with the help of molasses. It's a way of extracting beneficial nutrients and plant hormones from common plants like weeds and using them as a fertilizer and growth promoters of the cultivated plants.
Fish Amino Acid (FAA) or fish emulsion is a liquid made from fermeting fish waste (head, bone, intestine, etc) again with brown sugar or molasses. It has documented value in seedling growth and has salutary effect on microbe growth and action in soil.
Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN) is a mixture of edible, aromatic herbs extracted with alcohol and fermented with raw sugar. It is used to provide plants and soil microorganisms with micro-nutrients, which may optimize their resilience to environmental stresses.
Right Decisions = Healthy Conclusions
On the whole, it was a very succesful endeavor. The Silop folks enjoyed learning simple and practical techniques in natural farming. And what a valuable learning it was! I hope that this workshop would be replicated in many other places. We are grateful for the selfless experts who shared their knowledge about this very important technology.
And what's neat is that common folks don't really need to look any farther for materials to use for these easy to do "diy" home-projects. Mother Nature has provided these indigenous raw materials for her children to use. It's really up to the people to heed her call.
One thing that I've learned is that embracing the organic green lifestyle does not have to be difficult. In fact, it can be fun. And it sure does lead to a longer, stronger, happier, healthier life, which is what we all desire. It starts with making the right decisions. We can start with our own selves and in our own homes. Let's all go CLEAN and GREEN! It's a lifestyle worthy of a lifetime.
www.naturalfarminghawaii.net www.ctahr.hawaii.edu
www.link.springer.com www.hawaiianparadisecoop.wordpress.com www.pchrd.dost.gov.ph www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph www.rappler.com
www.foodtank.com www.ap.fftc.agnet.org www.goorganicphils.wordpress.com


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Dress: Target | Necklace, Bracelet (similar), & Rings (similar): c/o Adorned Boutique | Heels: Nine West | Purse: Cambridge Satchel | Nails: Mentality Wily
Hey dolls! Last week, we had a few days where the temperature was in the 70s. It felt so nice out, I couldn't wait to throw on a dress. A few weeks ago, I went into Target to help a friend choose some Peter Pilotto goodies, not planning to buy a thing. Of course, you all know that never happens in Target. I ended up with this off-white Xhilaration dress, as well as a black and floral printed pair of pants. Can you believe I got this dress for the low, low price of $24.99? Yes, $24.99! Even better, it's now on sale here for only $12.48!
I paired the dress with the gorgeous Zara necklace from Adorned Boutique. I always love the way black and gold accents look against white. The necklace looks a little heavy, but it's very lightweight. I'm already thinking of more ways to wear this necklace in the future.
To keep the look simple, I chose a pointed toe gold Nine West pump. You all know I love a pop of color, so I added my oxblood Cambridge satchel that hubby gifted me with earlier this year. I've lusted after this bag for at least six months, so I was ecstatic when it showed up in the mail. This is the largest size (15in.) of the Cambridge satchel. You would think it holds a lot of items, but because of the structure, it doesn't hold as much as I thought. That's not really a problem for me though because I'm just glad I no longer have to dream about this bag. Hubby and I took some pictures in the park before heading out for our usual Friday date night.
Happy weekend dolls!


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Achieving the functional requirements of mortar
Structural Ceramics Research Panel. Structural Ceramics Advisory Group, British Ceramic Research Association
British Ceramic Research Association, 1985 - Architecture - 10 pages
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28 days 7-day strengths accordance with BS4551 adhesion Aluminate Aluminate aluminate fraction Ammonium sulphate APPENDIX ATTACK ON MORTAR average by wt binder/sand ratio BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION calcareous calcium hydroxide calcium oxide CaO calcium sulphate Cement contains cement content cement Loss cement paste Ceram RA Spec CERAMICS ADVISORY GROUP chosen brick Code of Practice constituents contractor dard Code ettringite expansive disruption flexural strength Frost Attack functional requirements hardened mortar hydrated lime initial rate lime or plasticizer loss of strength magnesium sulphate masonry cement mortar contains penetration by rain phase tricalcium phate Portland Cement presence of water proportion of cement RA Spec Publ rate of suction sand with plasticizer Screeds and Plasters set cement silicate C2S soluble calcium oxide soluble silica Spec Publ 56 STRUCTURAL CERAMICS ADVISORY sulphate attack tensile strength thermal analysis three mortar specimens tricalcium silicate water absorption bricks water retentivity workability wt of cement wt of soluble


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Hi everyone! I am planning on moving to the UK in the very near future and I was hoping to get some much needed advice. I have made the decision to move, but I am a little stuck as to where I want to live. I noticed on a previous thread someone recommended Bournemouth. I was seriously considering Bournemouth anyway and was wondering if anyone else could throw in their 2 cents. I am Canadian and was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. Anyone who has been here and seen the Rockies may think it crazy to want to leave, but I plan on coming home in a year or two. My parents were both still British subjects when I was born so I should have no problem obtaining a British passport (no visas!) I do have family in England but staying with family kind of defeats the purpose of moving in the first place (in my mind anyway) but it's always an option. Those choices are Manchester, Lancing, Favesham, and somewhere in Wales.
A little about me.. I am VERY quickly approaching the big 30 and just have this feeling that I havent really lived yet. I am single (male) and I do not have the burden of a house nor would I be leaving an outstanding career. I do work for an airline so if anyone wants to go for a pint and show me around their fair city, I have no problem coming over for the weekend! Oh, I am also taking advice on which football club to support. My Dad is die hard Man U so I that's my team by association. When I do move I know to keep that quiet because I dont want to be strung up by my.... Anyway, any words of wisdom would be GREATLY appreciated! Cheers!


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Although iMac has the most advanced configurations of Apple's desktop line, it still lacks Blu-ray Disc playback support. Fortunately, Macgo has developed a fascinating iMac Blu-ray Player software that can help you solve this problem. Let's show you how to play Blu-ray Disc on your 21.5-inch iMac with it to lead an amazing Blu-ray trip.
Preparations you need to do:
Free trial version of this powerful Blu-ray Player is now available on Macgo Official Download Center, or you can click here to download iMac Blu-ray Player, and then drag its icon to your Application folder.
After installing iMac Blu-ray Player, you can go to "Launchpad" and click on its icon to launch the program. The simplified main interface will reduce certain misoperations. You can see two buttons there: Open File and Open Disc.
Connect the Blu-ray drive with your iMac via a USB cable. Insert the Blu-ray disc you want to play in the drive. Press the second one, and follow the instructions.
Wait a second till the main menu pops out and you can make some adjustments there according to your own preferences. You can choose where you want to watch in "SCENE SELECTION", or make other adjustments in "SET UP". Then you can directly click "Play Movie" to enjoy some Blu-ray time.
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Our 19th Annual Inn Key Awards Luncheon was the largest one yet! Raj Singh, Chairman of the Board, and our GMBHA Board of Directors would like to congratulate the 306 hotel employee nominees and the 22 winners. We would also like to congratulate the 43 hotel nominees and the 8 winners for the Hotel Achievement Awards. With over 950 in attendance to include over 60 hotels represented, the room was electric and tearful as we all celebrated the "heart of our hotels"… OUR EMPLOYEES.
Thank you to our generous sponsors: DoubleTree by Hilton MACC, PSAV, GMCVB, American Airlines, Miami Dolphins, Towne Park, Doctors @ Your Home, Boucher Brothers, 1 Hotel South Beach, Clevelander/Essex House, DoubleTree Grand Biscayne Bay, Eden Roc, a Renaissance Hotel, Enterprise Holdings, Mandarin Oriental, Menin Hotels, Sea View Hotel, The Setai Miami Beach, Shore Club, The James Royal Palm, and ThyssenKrupp.
Our Allied and Allied Upgrade Member Expo was outstanding with over 65 participants. Thank you always for your continued support and belief in our organization.
We were thrilled to once this year again announce the GMCVB partner sponsor of the GMBHA Stuart L. Blumberg Academy of Hospitality and Tourism Scholarship this year. The scholarship will be awarded in June to a fortunate graduate of the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism.
19th Annual Inn Key Employee Award Winners:
Bellperson (over 200 rooms): Fernando Santos, Hyatt Regency Miami
Bellperson (under 200 rooms): Rafael Castro, Edgewater South Beach
Concierge (over 200 rooms): Gabriel Lewis Jr., EPIC Hotel
Concierge (under 200 rooms): William Garcia, Delano Hotel
Culinary/Kitchen (over 200 rooms): Thalia Smart, The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne
Culinary/Kitchen (under 200 rooms): Roosevelt Gabriel, The Betsy Hotel
Engineering (over 200 rooms): Berto Garcia, Hilton Miami Airport
Engineering (under 200 rooms): Jose Barrera, Regency Hotel Miami
Food & Beverage (over 200 rooms): Joanne Scorza, InterContinental Miami
Food & Beverage (under 200 rooms): Svetlana Guerra, Sonesta Bayfront Hotel Coconut Grove
Front Office (over 200 rooms): Torri Pugh, Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Center
Front Office (under 200 rooms): Anastasia Veselova, Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach
Recreation (over 200 rooms): Marckenson Batichon, Shula's Hotel & Golf Club Miami Lakes, FL
Recreation (under 200 rooms): Susie Lewis, Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach
Roomkeeper (over 200 rooms): Sandra Rubio, Miami Marriott Dadeland
Roomkeeper (under 200 rooms): Lilia Martinez, The Raleigh Hotel
Security Officer (over 200 rooms): Ramon Hamilton, Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Security Officer (under 200 rooms): Rudy Gonzalez, The Setai Hotel-South Beach Miami
Valet (over 200 rooms): Pierre Suran, Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Valet (under 200 rooms): Raul Castillo, Sea View Hotel
Lodging Employee (over 200 rooms): Geno Marron, The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami
Lodging Employee (under 200 rooms): Alisha Heller, Clevelander
19th Annual Inn Key Hotel Achievement Awards:
Guest Relations (over 200 rooms) – DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport & Convention Center
Guest Relations (under 200 rooms) – Edgewater South Beach
Employee Relations (over 200 rooms) – W South Beach
Employee Relations (under 200 rooms) – The Clevelander
Diversity in the Workplace (over 200 rooms) – Embassy Suites Miami
Community Service (over 200 rooms)- MDM Hotel Group
Community Service (under 200 rooms) – DoubleTree Grand Biscayne Bay
Environmental Quality (over 200 rooms) – Loews Miami Beach
To view pictures of the event, please click here.
To view our post-event press release, please click here.
The GMBHA appreciates the following for their incredible hard work toward making this a success:
My incredible team, Megan Tague, Membership Communications Manager, Jeanette Borgomeo, Membership Sales Manager, Irina Stepanenko, Membership Accounts Coordinator
Tony Ferrara, General Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center, and his fabulous team
Mark Calibo, Director of Sales & Marketing, DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center
Robert Hernandez, Director of Catering, DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center
Michael Meuse, Executive Chef, DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center
The GMBHA Judges and Presenters
Jack Nolan, The Impressions Group South
Jon Murakami and Mauricio Quiroga, PSAV
Corporate Image Photography
Gort Productions
Al Ricketts Photography
DJ Mayner
L&M Engravers
Vista Convention Services
A.B. Cover Designers
FIU team and AOHT interns
Keilani Rodriguez, Graphic Designer


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Destination Style Spotlight: Paris
Parisian style is
simple, yet ornate
colorless, yet vibrant
traditional, yet modern
casual, yet elegant.
I admire this style so much. Parisian women know how to perfectly pair classic, traditional pieces in a modern way. They always look so effortless but glamorous at the same time. One of my favorite Parisian looks is pairing a beautiful, full, midi length, pleated silk skirt with a really basic cotton top. Something about that look is just so simple but fabulous. What I also love about Parisian style as compared to American style is the absence of labels. I love not seeing designer labels stamped all over their clothes and accessories. Everything is much more minimal and understated. To me, that is elegance.
Over the break, I have enjoyed reading How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are. It is such a great read, and I definitely recommend picking it up if you have not already!


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Impact of polybasic alcohols on biocompatibility and selectivity of Penicillin G Acylase for kinetically controlled synthesis
- Published
- Accepted
- Subject Areas
- Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Biotechnology
- Keywords
- Penicillin G acylase, kinetically controlled synthesis, polybasic alcohols, co-solvent, cephalexin, biocompatibility, selectivity
- Copyright
- © 2015 Shi et al.
- Licence
- This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ PrePrints) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
- Cite this article
- 2015. Impact of polybasic alcohols on biocompatibility and selectivity of Penicillin G Acylase for kinetically controlled synthesis. PeerJ PrePrints 3:e1122v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.1122v1
The enzyme catalyzed synthesis of cephalexin (CEX) from 7-amino-3-deacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) and D-a-phenylglycine methyl ester (PGM) by Penicillin G acylase (PGA) is a model for kinetically controlled synthesis. The parallel hydrolysis of PGM, the activated acyl donor, is the principle competing pathway in this reaction, limiting the synthetic yield and reaction efficiency. To improve the performance of PGA catalyzed CEX synthesis, the biocompatibility and selectivity of various co-solvents were investigated. Polybasic alcohols such as ethylene glycol, glycerol and PEG400 did not cause deleterious changes to the enzyme, whereas monobasic alcohols, such as butyl alcohol, disrupted the PGA activity. Compared with the reaction in aqueous medium, the use of ethylene glycol as a co-solvent was found to have good selectivity in order to facilitate CEX synthesis and significantly minimize PGM hydrolysis. The pH of ethylene glycol medium was also optimized. The mechanism of the enhanced effect of polybasic alcohols as co-solvents on both biocompatibility and selectivity of enzymatic kinetically controlled synthesis is suggested.
Author Comment
This is a submission to PLOS ONE for review.


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IRA Early Withdrawal Penalty Exceptions
While everybody knows they should be contributing as much money as possible to their retirement accounts, the problem is that once you put the money in, you often can't withdraw it without a penalty. This is by design, of course; the whole point is to force you to leave the money alone until retirement. That said, sometimes you end up in a desperate situation and your retirement account is the only place you can get the money you need. Under what circumstances can you take out some or all of your money, while still avoiding the penalty for early withdrawals?
Fortunately, there are hardship withdrawal exceptions available, but before we get into that, let's look at when you normally can and can't withdraw money from your accounts, and at what penalty.
Generally, if you contributed to an account using pretax dollars, you can not withdraw without a penalty. If you want to take money out of a traditional IRA, for example, then you have to pay taxes on any money you withdraw (which would have happened whenever you took the money out in any case), plus you owe an additional 10% penalty.
Normally, the early withdrawal penalty no longer applies once you reach age 59 1/2; at that point, you may withdraw as much money from your IRA as you want, and are required to take a minimum disbursement each year. However, the IRS also recognizes several special cases where you may withdraw money early without penalty; note that you do still need to pay tax on the withdrawals. Also, if you withdraw money during the same year that you contributed it (or rather, before the due date for filing your tax return for that year) then the penalty does not apply.
The first two are for medical reasons. If you lost your job and received unemployment benefits, then you may be able to withdraw enough money from your IRA to cover the cost of paying for medical insurance during the period of unemployment. Regardless of your employment situation, if your medical expenses are over 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, you can take a penalty-free withdrawal without paying the penalty.
If you become disabled such that you are no longer able to work, then your withdrawals are not subject to penalty; additionally, if you die before reaching age 59 1/2, then your estate can collect the money from the IRA without penalty.
Finally, you can use up to $10,000 from the IRA to buy your first home, and can also withdraw as much as you need to pay for college or to roll over into another qualifying plan. If you know you're going to need to take money out of your IRA in the future, but not immediately, you might be able to do a rollover into an annuity that will begin paying out before you need the money. The IRS actually provides a way for you to do this directly, without bothering with the rollover: you can "annuitize" the account and begin taking withdrawals immediately. The catch is that the amount you can withdraw is based on your life expectancy, and you must withdraw the same amount every year for five years or until you reach age 59 1/2, whichever is longer.
If you only need the money for a brief period of time, IRS rules do allow you to take a 60-day loan from your IRA without paying taxes or penalties, provided the funds are returned within that 60 day period. You can only take one such loan in any twelve month period.
A SIMPLE IRA files the same rules as the traditional IRA, but if you take the withdrawal in the first two years of participating in a SIMPLE plan, the tax penalty (if it applies) will be 25% rather than 10%.
In the case of a Roth IRA, you are allowed to remove any contributions you've made, as these are made with after-tax dollars; however, the penalty will apply if you remove any of the earnings, which have not yet been taxed. As with the traditional IRA, there are exceptions if you die, become disabled, or purchase your first home.
Hardship Withdrawal From IRA
With a 401(k), you are limited in when you can withdraw money, but there are exceptions that allow withdrawals due to hardship. With an IRA, there are generally no limits on when you can take a distribution, so there is no provision for an IRA hardship withdrawal.
However, there are certain expenses that allow you to take early distributions without paying any extra taxes; specifically, you do not have to pay the early distribution tax if you withdraw money from an IRA to fund higher education or to finance the purchase of your first home (up to $10,000). (Sections 72(t)(2)(E),(F)) of the tax code). You can also make a withdrawal without penalty if you will use the money to pay for unreimbursed medical expenses (but only if they exceed 7.5% of your adjust gross income), to pay the premiums on your medical insurance if you have received unemployment benefits for more than 12 weeks, or to pay back taxes after the IRA places a levy against the IRA.
Remember that with a Roth IRA, you are free to withdraw your money at any time and for any reason, with no justification required; while this is generally a bad idea (as you likely won't be able to replace the money, and may owe a penalty if you touch the earnings or any deductible contributions), it does mean that the money is available in an emergency.
2010 IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits
The rules regarding contributions to and disbursements from individual retirement accounts change from year to year based on what Congress does; here's what you need to know for 2010.
If you are under 50 at the end of 2010, you can contribute either $5,000 or your total taxable income for 2010, whichever is less. This limit applies to both traditional and Roth IRAs; you may split the money between them, but the total contribution must be no more than the numbers above. If you are fifty years old or older, the limit is raised to the lesser of $6,000 or your total taxable compensation for 2010, with the same restriction as above.
The income limits for claiming the deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA were raised for 2010, as follows. Note that all numbers refer to the modified adjusted gross income.
If your filing status is single or head of household, you can take the full deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA provided that you made (an adjusted) $56,000 or less; you're entitled to a partial deduction provided your adjusted gross income was less than $66,000. If you are married filing jointly or a qualifying widow(er), those numbers increase to $89,000 and $109,000. However, if you are married filing separately, you're entitled to only a partial deduction and only if your AGI was less than $10,000, unless you did not live with your spouse at any time during the year, in which case the rules for single filers apply.
The above numbers apply if you are covered by a retirement plan at work. If not, and you are single, head of household, a qualifying widow(er), married filing jointly, or married filing separately with a spouse who isn't covered by a plan at work, then you can take the full deduction regardless of your AGI. If your spouse is covered by a plan at work, then your limit is $167k for the full deduction, $177k for a partial deduction if filing jointly, $10k for a partial deduction if filing separately.
For a Roth IRA (which doesn't come with a tax deduction), your AGI may affect how much you can contribute. If you are single, head of household, or married filing separately and you did not live with your spouse at any time during the year, you can contribute up to the limits discussed above provided your modified AGI is less than $105k, and a reduced amount as long as it is under $120k. If you're married filing separately and lived with your spouse at any time during the year, you can contribute a partial amount if you made less than $10k. If you are married filing jointly or a qualifying widow(er), you can contribute the full amount if you make under $167k and a partial amount if you make less than $177k.
Another change for 2010 is the elimination of the filing status requirements for converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and the provision for extra catch-up contributions for certain employer bankruptcies no longer applies. Additionally, the provision allowing tax-free distributions from IRAs for charity is expiring and is no longer available.
The IRA distribution rules for 2010 state that if you made contributions to an IRA in 2009, you could withdraw them tax free at any time up until your tax return was due (either the original due date or the extended due date, if you filed for an extension); however, you may not take a deduction for the contribution and must withdraw any interest earned on that amount (in case of a loss, the amount of interest may be negative).
You must begin receiving distributions from your IRA by April first of the year after you reach age 70 1/2. However, there is an exception in 2010: if you reached this age last year, you do not have to begin taking disbursements at the normal time, but must take the first one by December 31, 2010.
You may take more than the required minimum, if desired, but this does not reduce the amount that you must take in future years. (The exception is that you can count money withdrawn in the year you turn 70 1/2 against the next year, when you would have your first minimum disbursement). The minimum required distribution varied based on the account balance and can be found by referring to the table provided by the IRS. Failure to withdraw the correct amount or more subjects you to an excise tax.


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Petrographic analysis of a range of types can be carried out on core, sidewall core and ditch cuttings samples. Thin section analysis is routinely used to statistically quantify grain size, sorting parameters, detrital and authigenic mineralogy and porosity types.
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Saturday, January 21, 2012
"Everything is an Afterthought: The Life and Writings of Paul Nelson" by Kevin Avery
Paul Nelson's life narrative is too good and too tragic. A man who didn't compromise, and paid the price for his stance in the world - nor could he really take care of himself as well. in other words the dark noirish side of being a professional rock n' roll critic.
Nelson was one of the first important figures in Bob Dylan's professional life and eventually signed the New York Dolls to Mercury Records, where he worked as an A&R man. A job for sure that wouldn't last forever. The great aspect of Nelson's work as a critic and even as a human being is his ability to see through the artist's work and really define it on a very personal level. That I think is a critic's job, and Nelson nails it to the written page.
The painful thing about reading this book beautifully written and edited by Kevin Avery is a lot of people are going to identify with Nelson's love for culture and what it means to him/us/them. Any person who loved Jackson Browne as well as the New York Dolls is able to see beyond the veil of pop machinery and just focus on the work on hand. The fact that he went all out to get the Dolls signed is an amazing narrative. No one in the music biz liked the Dolls except for a handful of critics - and Nelson was the one who really stopped at nothing to get them signed and that alone we can be really grateful for Paul Nelson.
But here is a man who didn't drink alcohol, but consistently had two cans or bottles of coke with his daily hamburger (he is sort of a Popeye Wimpy figure) and led a life devoted to his interests and nothing else. Also the fact that he ended up working at a video store is both tragic and great at the same time.
The tunnel vision that made him unique is also what killed him in the end. And again, that is the scary part of someone who is so devoted to comment on music, film (a huge film fanatic as well as music) and living on the side of noir despair. A very sad book. But the interviews with his fellow critics and friends (most love him to bits) is quite moving and a tribute to those who write to expose how 'their' feelings are attached to the shine or the mirror-like image of pop culture.
Posted by Tosh Berman at 9:08 AM
Labels: Kevin Avery, Paul Nelson
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- published: 14 Oct 2012
- views: 119225
"Radio" is a song by Norwegian Hip-Hop, Rap duo Cir.Cuz from their debut studio album Alt I Sin Tid. It was released on 28 February 2011 as a digital download in Norway. The song has peaked to number 2 on the Norwegian Singles Chart.
"Low" is the debut single by American rapper Flo Rida, featured on his debut studio album Mail on Sunday and also featured on the soundtrack to the 2008 film Step Up 2: The Streets. The song features fellow American rapper T-Pain and was co-written with T-Pain. There is also a remix in which the hook is sung by Flo Rida rather than T-Pain. An official remix was made which features Pitbull and T-Pain. With its catchy, up-tempo and club-oriented Southern hip hop rhythms, the song peaked at the summit of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
The song was a massive success worldwide and was the longest running number-one single of 2008 in the United States. With over 6 million digital downloads, it has been certified 7× Platinum by the RIAA, and was the most downloaded single of the 2000s decade, measured by paid digital downloads. The song was named 3rd on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. "Low" spent ten consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100, the longest-running number-one single of 2008.
Radio is a 2013 Malayalam–language drama film directed by Umer Mohammed and starring Iniya, Sarayu, Nishan and Sreejith Vijay in pivotal roles. The film was produced by S. C. Pillai whose previous production Passenger was a critical and commercial success.
"Tune in for a change" is the tagline attached to Radio in the credits. The storyline is about a girl Priya who comes to the city for a job as a salesgirl in a jewellery shop,with a load of debt to pay off, played by Sarayu. She is new to the ways and customs of the city life. Her co-worker, Iniya character Shweta, gives her accommodation, since she has no place or relative home to stay in the city. Shweta goes out at every night, where Nishan's character Manu, comes to pick her up. Whole picture of the storyline is clear, Shweta. a five star prostitute and associate Manu as pimp,for securing her business. It is a shock to Priya when she realizes the truth about Shweta and decides to leave her friendship and apartment.
Disclaimer: I do not own all songs. Everything belongs to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended. It is the copyrighted property of its owner(s). I did audio cleaning, audio re-mastering, MP3, MP4, & uploaded to youtube. (1)Win Oo (2)Maung Kyi Toe (3) Cho Pyone (4) Hlwam Moe (5) Tin Tin Mya (6) Ko Minn Naung (7) Nyi Nyi (8) Tun Tay Thein Tan (9) Htar (10) Aye Aye Thin (11) Mar Mar Aye (12) Nyunt Nyunt Sein (13) Khin Htway Maw (14) Than Myat Soe (15) Kay Tu Win Htut (16) A1 Tin Tin Hla (17) Maung Maung Gyi (18) Ko Than Hlaing
Itchy burma-rock song from You can Keep New York -digialbum (BMR001) 2015. Hippie-yai-yei (FIBMR1500001) song by Maikkels arr. Burma Radio recorded & mixed by Ile Hämäläinen video by Jokelan ääni ja sana Thanks Ruti 4 the marvelous p-wagon! Thanks Ari 4 hospitality! Find us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WqEPiqQ5OjJH1LPNg4C5w Rokrok!
Visiting with friends at Loimublues, four bands eating and bit drinkin'.Very very nice and happy feeling listening music and enjoying.
Video was shot & edited by Nuaritirehtööri March 2017. Featuring Georgina CatMint as Burlesque Ann. Thanx Johanna, Jyväskylä Burlesque, Antti, Aapo & Katse! Produced by Jokelan ääni ja sana. Check out Burlesque Ann (FIBMR1600001) from Burma Radio Backyard Stories EP. Music by Maikkels & Burma Radio. www.facebook.com/burmaradio www.instagram.com/burma_radio firstname.lastname@example.com https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WqEPiqQ5OjJH1LPNg4C5w
KNDO Clashes with Burma Army at Mae Tha Wor Hta in Karen state. ------------------------------------ Please subscribe to our channel for more videos!
Hi there, great to hear Myanmar Radio in this garden environment - certainly wouldn't be possible at my QTH. Once again the MA305 hanging on the washing line does the trick lol and as for the Satellit, well, it rarely lets me down. Recorded in Oxford UK on 11/08/17 at 23:08 hrs UTC using an Eton Satellit and Bonito MegActive MA305 E-field antenna. Thanks for watching.
"Radio" is a song by Norwegian Hip-Hop, Rap duo Cir.Cuz from their debut studio album Alt I Sin Tid. It was released on 28 February 2011 as a digital download in Norway. The song has peaked to number 2 on the Norwegian Singles Chart.
Hot Air | 20 Jun 2019
Para amarte, necesito una razón, y es difícil creer,
Que no exista una mas, que este amor
Sobra tanto, dentro de este corazón,
Y a pesar de que dicen, que los años son sabios,
Todavía se siente el dolor,
Porque todo el tiempo que pase junto a ti,
Dejo tejido su hilo dentro de mi
Y aprendí a quitarle al tiempo los segundos,
Tu me hiciste ver el cielo aun mas profundo,
Junto a ti creo que aumente mas de tres kilos,
Con tus tantos dulces besos repartidos,
Desarrollaste mi sentido del olfato,
Y fue por ti que aprendí a querer los gatos,
Despegaste del cemento mis zapatos,
Para escapar los dos volando un rato
Pero olvidaste una final instrucción,
Porque aun no se como vivir sin tu amor
Y descubrí lo que significa una rosa,
me enseñaste a decir mentiras piadosas,
Para poder verte a horas no adecuadas,
Y a remplazar palabras por miradas
Y fue por ti que escribí mas de cien canciones,
Y hasta perdone tus equivocaciones
Y conocí mas de mil formas de besar,
Y fue por ti que descubrí lo que es amar
Lo que es amar..
Lo que es amar..
Lo que es amar..
Lo que es amar..
Lo que es amar..


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RAMALLAH, West Bank, Jan. 26 - The radical Islamic party Hamas scored an overwhelming victory in Wednesday's Palestinian legislative elections, taking 76 out of 132 seats, deposing the former governing Fatah party, which won only 43 seats.
The results, announced Thursday night, which give Hamas the right to form the next government, were likened by Palestinians to an earthquake or a tsunami. They ended more than 40 years of domination by Fatah, the political faction built by Yasir Arafat, which along with the Palestinian Authority was widely viewed by Palestinians as corrupt and ineffective.
The shocking outcome put Hamas, considered a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and the European Union, in charge of the Palestinian political future, and put at least a temporary halt to efforts to restart peace talks. The balloting also made a mockery of the voter surveys released Wednesday night that indicated that Fatah would have the most seats and could retain control of the legislature and the cabinet.
In a televised speech on Thursday night, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said he remained committed to negotiations with Israel. Mr. Abbas, who heads Fatah, but whose official status was not affected by the vote, suggested that future talks would be conducted through the Palestine Liberation Organization, which could bypass a Hamas-led government.
"I am committed to implementing the program on which you elected me a year ago," he said. "It is a program based on negotiations and peaceful settlement with Israel."Continue reading the main story
But Ehud Olmert, the acting prime minister of Israel, issued a statement saying that talks were not possible now. "The state of Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian administration if even part of it is an armed terrorist organization calling for the destruction of the state of Israel," he said after an evening cabinet discussion of the election results.
Even before the results were announced, the Fatah prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, who had warned Mr. Abbas against holding these elections, resigned, and cheering Hamas supporters raised their green flag over the parliament building. They celebrated throughout Gaza and the West Bank, holding victory marches in major cities. In Nablus, they hung enormous green banners on public buildings, while members of the group's military arm, the Qassam brigades, marched in uniforms with weapons, but did not wear their customary masks.
In Ramallah, Ali Abu Shusha, 31, with a bright green Hamas banner on his taxi, exulted in the victory. "Hamas was created by the people and belongs to the people," he said. "I want Hamas to run the government -- it has clean hands, puts the poor before the rich and will resist the occupier."
In Gaza City, however, Kamilia Barghouti, 26, a waitress, said she was in shock. "I'm worried about the way this victory will affect how I can dress in public, and even if it will affect where I can work," she said.
The victory of Hamas represents an enormous test for the Palestinians, for the Western nations who pressed for this election and who provide millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians and for the Arab world, which is likely to be shaken by the victory of a militant Islamic party in the symbolic heart of the Muslim world.
But the results, seen more as a repudiation of Fatah than a declaration of war against Israel, will be a test for Hamas, which had seemed to want a more gradual entry into politics. The leader of Hamas, Mahmoud Zahar, said proudly in Gaza, "We are going to change every aspect, as regards the economy, industry, agriculture, as regards social aid, health, administration, education." But it will not be an easy transformation, and it will provoke political resistance from a largely secular society.
While Hamas politicians said they would invite other parties, including Fatah, to join them in a government of national unity, key Fatah members like Jibril Rajoub and Mahmoud Dahlan made it clear that Fatah should not take part in a government dominated by Hamas. They argued that doing so would help Hamas by providing cover for the group as it struggles with the reality of governing. Fatah, they suggested, should go into opposition and let Hamas make its own mistakes and deal as best it can with the facts of Palestinian life and the Israeli occupation. The Fatah Central Committee voted Thursday night not to join a Hamas-led government.
But it is also possible that some Fatah members with good relations with Hamas, like the Gazan legislator Ziad Abu Amr, who ran as an independent with Hamas support, and a former minister of national economy, Mazen Sinokrot, will agree to join Hamas in a cabinet that probably will be led by a non-Hamas prime minister.
"My advice to Abu Mazen and to Hamas is to think of serious power-sharing," Mr. Amr said, referring to Mr. Abbas. "A partnership between Fatah and Hamas is necessary," he said. "Hamas is going to be put to the test of being a practitioner and not simply an opposition. Politics will have to be taken into account at the expense of ideology."
While Mr. Abbas won praise for pressing ahead with these elections, the result is not what he wanted and is bound to weaken his position. He gambled, but with a smashing Hamas victory he is perceived to have lost and to bear some responsibility for failing to reform Fatah and the Palestinian Authority. Mr. Abbas has said that if he cannot carry out his policies, which include negotiations with Israel, he will quit.
Israelis warned the world not to give in to wishful thinking and presume that Hamas will suddenly alter its goals. Israel and the world did not negotiate with Mr. Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization until it agreed to recognize the state of Israel in the late 1980's and disavow terrorism. Israeli politicians suggested that the process would have to begin all over again with Hamas.
"For Israelis, this is the definitive end of the illusion of a comprehensive peace," said Yossi Klein Halevi, a senior fellow at the Shalem Center, a policy research organization in Jerusalem. "There is no more credible hope of Palestinian moderation. For Israelis, it will only confirm what the last five years of terror have taught them: that the war is not about settlements, but about Israel's right to exist."
The Palestinian Authority as a serious negotiating partner no longer exists for Israel, Mr. Halevi said. "Now the era of the pretend peace process is also over," he said, and Israel will continue to act unilaterally to set its own borders, build the separation barrier between itself and the Palestinians and, in time, continue the process of unilateral withdrawal from more West Bank settlements -- so long as it can ensure that a Hamas-dominated Palestinian Authority will not use that territory to launch rocket or other attacks on Israel.
"There is now a broad consensus, that Israel will go ahead and build our borders to preserve Israel as a democratic Jewish state," said Ami Ayalon, a former director of Shin Bet now running for a seat with the Labor Party.
The Hamas victory brings the group's support for armed attacks on Israel to the fore. Hamas said it entered politics "to protect the resistance" to Israeli occupation of Muslim land, so it is unlikely to heed Western appeals to disarm and recognize Israel, which Hamas in its charter promised to destroy.
The most that successful Hamas candidates like Ahmad Mubarak would say Thursday is that if Israel pulled back to its 1967 boundaries, Hamas would consider "a long-term truce."
Fadel Saleh, a Hamas politician from Ramallah, said that Hamas would concentrate "on restoring our Palestinian home and rebuilding Palestinian society," leaving international relations to Mr. Abbas and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which does not include Hamas. But, he said, "we want to remake the P.L.O. too based on this vote," he said. "Hamas wants cooperation with all Palestinian parties and a national agreement on policy."
The death of Mr. Arafat took the lid off seething resentments of Fatah and the men Mr. Arafat brought back to the Palestinian territories from exile after the 1993 Oslo accords with Israel. Those accords set up the Palestinian Authority, and in the 10 years since the last legislative elections, in which Hamas refused to participate, one-party rule proved to be as corrupting among Palestinians as anywhere else.
"Corrupt authorities who have been in power for a long time are usually thrown out in free elections," said Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian analyst who teaches at Jerusalem's Al Quds University. "After 40 years, it's almost natural. I hoped Fatah would get away with it, but didn't. That the opposition came from a radical Islamic group is unfortunate, but there was no other serious opposition."
Mr. Kuttab said that those who had preached democracy, from the Bush administration to the Israeli right, would have to decide if their values trumped their interests. "If Hamas respects the rules of the democratic game, we have to let the winners win," he said. "But now Hamas will have to face reality, and part of reality means dealing with Israel."
But even this process could take many months or years, he said, and the potential pitfalls were underscored Thursday when Palestinian security officials said a 9-year-old Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli gunfire near the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis, Agence France-Presse reported. The Israeli military said soldiers fired at a "suspicious figure" who was near Gaza's perimeter fence in the area. The military said it had no information that a young girl was hit, but were checking the report.
Hamas is not likely to move against the security forces, at least for now. They are made up almost entirely of Fatah loyalists, and voted overwhelmingly for Fatah. Any Hamas effort to try to take over the security forces would almost certainly lead to clashes.
Hisham Ahmed, a political scientist at Birzeit University who has written books about Hamas, called the vote "an historic moment in every sense," but he emphasized that "these results don't reflect the real size of Fatah and Hamas in the society," because they are distorted by anger at Fatah, preoccupation with internal issues and a complicated voting system.
If Mr. Abbas and the world handle the situation intelligently, Mr. Ahmed said, "it could mark the beginning of the end of Hamas as an ideologically pure force and a beginning of a reformed Fatah." But if it is handled badly, he said, "the radicalization of Palestinian society will continue."
According to the results, the Hamas list won 30 of 66 seats at the national level and 46 of 66 seats in constituencies. It did especially well in Gaza, but polled well throughout the West Bank, too. Fatah won 27 seats on the national level and only 16 in the constituencies. The leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine won three seats while another leftist list, Badil, won two seats. The Independent Palestine list, led by the presidential election runner-up, Mustafa Barghouti, won two seats, as did the Third Way list of the departing finance minister, Salam Fayyad and Hanan Ashrawi. Four other independents won in constituencies, including Mr. Amr. Among the Fatah casualties was Mr. Rajoub.Continue reading the main story


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It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times
All about how missing the best market days (or the worst!) might affect your portfolio.
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