text: In the dystopian future imagined within the popular Terminator franchise, robots learn to think, self-replicate and eventually kill their human masters. While this bleak vision assumes a number of seemingly distant technological and political developments, some ideas currently driving robotics research may, for some, bear an uncomfortable resemblance to those of the 80s sci-fi smash. In particular, one area where life seems to be imitating art is the fledgling field of 'swarm robotics', in which scientists are creating teams of robots that can work together toward a single goal – from mending a leak to clearing mines – with minimal or no input from humans. Much of the research is based on the observed behavior of 'eusocial' insects – such as ants, bees and termites – who work collectively on complex tasks without central management or higher order intelligence. Read: The future of 3D printing Consider for a moment a typical termite nest – with its labyrinth of chambers and intersecting corridors. It's built entirely by vast teams of micro-sized, speck-brained creatures (no disrespect) – without so much as a blueprint to work from. So, the question for researchers is: how can we emulate this type of behavior in robots to help us solve problems and generally make our lives easier? Recently, researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) unveiled 'M-blocks' - robots that can assemble themselves into different shapes to perform a range of basic tasks, without input from a human controller. While M-Blocks may not look particularly inspiring, the way they reshape is the first step toward a future where robots rebuild themselves to solve new problems. An M-Blocks-based robot working underwater might make itself narrow to fit through a deep sea crevasse, or a tiny team of medical robots could spread themselves flat to plug a gap in the human heart – all without having been pre-programmed to do so. Read: Could space exploration be crowd-funded? At the moment researchers are still working to make teams of robots complete more basic tasks. Sheffield University researchers, for example, are using swarms of robots to fetch, carry and push objects in unison. Dr Roderich Gross, head of the Natural Robotics Lab at the University of Sheffield, says: "We are developing artificial intelligence to control robots in a variety of ways. The key is to work out what is the minimum amount of information needed by the robot to accomplish its task. That's important because it means the robot may not need any memory, and possibly not even a processing unit, so this technology could work for nanoscale robots – for example in medical applications." Some of the most interesting applications for swarm robotics exist where robots go beyond the realm of easy human reach, say into space or under the sea, or – as Gross says – inside the human body to perform medical tasks at a microscopic or 'nano' scale. Aaron Becker, a postdoctoral researcher at Rice University has been working on an experiment (that you can join in here) to test different ways swarm robots can be deployed, with a view to seeing 'nano-robots' eventually used in medical operations. Read: High-school teen builds one-man submarine The project seeks to demonstrate how teams of robots could be utilized with minimal input from the outside world, possibly beneath the surface of the skin in a bid to tackle disease. But how might this be done? Researchers at the Nanorobotics Laboratory in Montreal are looking at using swarms of miniature drones to fight pathogens within the human body. Sylvain Martel, the laboratory's Research Chair, believes that preliminary research conducted in his lab could lead to future treatments where small magnetic robots are inserted into the body to fight cancer. Other researchers are investigating ways to use swarming robots in diagnosis, so that problems are detected before they become life threatening. Becker believes that in future, swarms of nano-robots might even come to be used in surgery: "If we can shrink the surgeon and their tools while maintaining their effectiveness, non-invasive surgery could revolutionize health care. I want to be a part of that dream," Becker says. Jan Carlo Barca, a member of the Swarm Robotics Laboratory at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia says that there are plenty of worthy applications for swarm robots, but some scientists working in the field worry that their research may end up being used for military purposes: "Some potential application areas for swarms of robots are: cooperative search in disaster sites to support rescue efforts, pollution detection and monitoring, mine clearing, exploration, mapping and dynamic motion capture for the film industry," he says. "However, all this comes at a cost as this technology also will be exploited by defense agencies all over the world. (For example) the U.S. Defense Force has investigated how the hunting strategies of wolf packs, coyotes and killer whales can be used in military contexts. The Israeli Defense Force is also investigating how one can use miniature robotic mosquitoes in the same context." And while the apocalyptic events of James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day are relatively unlikely, it is reassuring that many within the swarm robotics community are determined that their work will be applied to the right ends: "The big challenge," Barca says, "is not only to formulate technologies that can be used in the real world, but also to ensure that swarm robotics technology will be used for the betterment of mankind."


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Why You Need A Criminal Defense Lawyer Instead Of A Public Defender
When you find yourself facing criminal charges, it is critical to have legal representation so that you can protect your rights under the law. You will need to choose between a free public defender and a private criminal defense lawyer for your legal counsel. Consider these reasons why you need a criminal defense lawyer on your side.
Work With a Lawyer Who Knows Your Case
Criminal defense lawyers take the time to research your case. They may reach out to witnesses on your behalf, securing them to function as defense witnesses in court. A criminal defense lawyer will not typically usher you into a plea agreement. The lawyer works to understand the details of what happened and the crimes of which you are accused. By gaining a complete level of understanding, the private criminal defense lawyer provides you with the necessary foundation and a solid strategy for defending yourself against felony charges.
Enjoy Easy and Regular Communications
Public defenders may not have the time to communicate with you about your case. In many jurisdictions, public defenders may handle 800 or more felony cases each year. This leaves little time for personalized communications. When you choose a criminal defense lawyer, you receive easy access to communications. The criminal defense lawyer may visit you in the jail or call you in order to give you updates about your case. With your permission, the lawyer may also communicate directly with your family members so that they can be kept in the loop.
Receive Consistent Legal Representation
Criminal defense lawyers provide you with consistent legal representation. The lawyer sticks with you and your case from start to finish. The lawyer may visit you in jail until your court dates and be present during all court hearings. With public defender representation, the defender assigned to you may not be available to attend your court hearings. The defender might send someone else from the public defender's office, and that attorney would not necessarily be familiar with your situation. Inconsistency of representation could be harmful to your case.
Access Different Legal Strategies
Criminal defense lawyers have more time to formulate a range of different legal strategies for your case. They are able to limit their workload to a manageable level, which allows for enough time to provide you with thorough legal representation. A private criminal defense lawyer is less likely to be overworked and overwhelmed with cases and defendants. When you choose to work with a private criminal defense lawyer, you benefit from the individualized representation that takes all of the nuances of your case into account. A criminal defense lawyer works out a plan of action based on their experience, your background and the precedent of similar cases in the court where your hearings take place.
Gain Access to More Legal Resources and Experience
Public defenders represent people accused of all types of felony charges. This results in a sort of jack of all trades, master of none situation. A public defender assigned to you might not have a lot of experience with defendants accused of the type of crime you are charged with. Selecting a private criminal defense lawyer means that you can choose an attorney that focuses on representing clients accused of a particular type of felony.
Public defenders are hard-working and capable attorneys, but they do not offer the same level of attention and planning that a private lawyer provides to you. Seeking your own criminal defense lawyer gives you more resources for defending yourself in court. You will feel confident in your decision to choose a criminal defense lawyer to represent you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thanks to the writers and artists who participated in the collaboration with the Artists' Coop of Mendocino. On October 17th, sixteen members of the Writers of the Mendocino Coast read from a piece crafted to respond to an artist's work or crafted to provide inspiration for an artist, whose work was projected onto a screen.
We are grateful to the Mendocino Hotel for use of the Garden Room.
We are grateful to the Mendocino Hotel for use of the Garden Room.
Writing Challenge Write it - Read it
We are grateful to the Mendocino Hotel for use of the Garden Room.
Future Events
click on poster to enlarge
Members Reading:
Gloria Jorgenson, Tony Camarda,
Holly Tannen, Jewels Marcus,
Lew Mermelstein, Sharon Bowers,
Jan Edwards & Patty Joslyn
Please note - The night of the event
is changed for this month only
Members Open Mic
Each month we'll set aside time for two members to read for 3 minutes (375 to 500 words.) To participate, put your name on a slip of our paper into the basket. A name will be drawn at the start of the evening, and another at the end. Please time your reading before the event to ensure it's within the limit.
Welcome to the Mendocino Coast branch of the California Writers Club founded in 1909. We are proud to share in this legacy.
The Writers of the Mendocino Coast meet in the Mendocino Hotel at 6:00 pm on the third Wednesday of every month (except November because it's the night before Thanksgiving day.) We host speakers, workshops, open mics and other yet to be discovered events and activities.
Our intention is to expand the network and opportunities for writers here on the Mendocino Coast. We hope you'll join us.
For Members - WRITERS GROUP CLEARING HOUSE
The California Writers Club fosters professionalism in writing and promotes networking of writers with the writing community. All genres and writing styles are supported. In order to provide an environment where members can obtain critique of their efforts, a clearing house has been established.
Please send a description of your writing experience and genre, the frequency of meeting you would like, and other information you consider pertinent. We will connect you with other members.
Send Your News
MEMBERS : When your writing is published or receives a nomination
or award, please send a short
announcement to
We'll include it in the newsletter
and on this website.
Member Stasha Ginsburg published her book, Girltruth from the Belly, this year.
Baba Yaga says, "What will you turn up with, bones or butter?"
After escaping from her small town problems, our heroine meets the Devil in Moscow.
Myth and cold hard truth guide her out of the belly of the wolf. Teenage chaos and cultural awakenings are woven with Little Red Riding Hood, Vasalisa the Brave, and many more.
This coming of age adventure reads like a Russian nesting doll, opening story upon story: from an isolated Midwestern town into the heart of the Russian transition from Communism to Democracy.
"Ni Boyitsya devuskha, eto tolka dusha. (Don't be afraid girl, it's just the soul.)"


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Manzoor, K and Vadera, SR and Kumar, N and Kutty, TRN (2004) Multicolor electroluminescent devices using doped ZnS nanocrystals. In: Applied Physics Letters, 84 (2). pp. 284-286.
Download (369kB)
Alternate-current electroluminescent (ac EL) devices based on doped ZnS nanocrystals emitting blue, green, and orange-red colors are reported. ZnS nanocrystals doped with Cu+ – Al3+ and Cu+ – Al3+ – Mn2+ combinations were synthesized by wet chemical method at room temperature. The ZnS:Cu+, Al3+ nanocrystals show blue (462 nm) and green (530 nm) EL emissions depending upon the presence and absence of sulphur vacancies, respectively. The orange EL emission (590 nm) is realized from ZnS:Cu+, Al3+, Mn2+ nanoparticles by way of nonradiative energy transfer from AlZn – CuZn pairs to MnZn. The EL devices show low turn-on voltage of ~10 V ac @100 Hz. The mechanism of ac EL in ZnS nanocrystals has been explained wherein the excitation is attributed to the electric-field-assisted injection of electron-hole pairs from the surface regions into the interiors and their subsequent recombination therein causes emission.
|Item Type:
|Journal Article
|Applied Physics Letters
|American Institute of Physics
|Additional Information:
|Copyright for this article belongs to American Institute of Physics (AIP).
|Division of Chemical Sciences > Materials Research Centre
|Date Deposited:
|11 Apr 2005
|Last Modified:
|19 Sep 2010 04:18
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Forbes: Don't Forget To Ask These 14 Questions During Your Property Inspection
Whether you're purchasing a home or an investment property, the final inspection before the sale closes is one of the most important steps of the process. This is your chance to review any issues with the property and negotiate with the seller about who's responsible for fixing them.
Once you and the seller come to an agreement on this, there's no going back on it, so it's important to learn as much as you can about the home's condition and what kinds of problems it may cause down the road. Doing this means knowing the right questions to ask the inspector. Forbes Real Estate Council members recommend bringing these 14 questions up during the property inspection for your new home.
Courtney's advice:
What Should I Repair First?
Homebuyers need to know that no home is 100% perfect. I encourage my clients to ask the inspector to prioritize any repairs or concerns. For example: What needs to be fixed now and what can be fixed later? This way, the results of the home inspection are in perspective. Focus on the big stuff in the request for repairs, and choose an agent with affordable contractor referrals for the rest. – Courtney Poulos, ACME Real Estate
Read more at Forbes.


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Tigers manager Jim Leyland took some heat from fans for having the audacity to lift Rick Porcello in the 9th inning of Sunday's game against the Pirates when Porcello was nursing a one-hitter. Not a no-hitter, but a one-hitter. What's more, the Tigers won the game, which made second-guessing Leyland even more ridiculous. But what do you expect from Tigers fans? They're spoiled by success.
At any rate, Leyland wasn't having it, so he let loose on fans who call into talk-radio shows to second-guess his moves.


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Wooden Dressing Screen
From Starbounder - Starbound Wiki
Wooden Dressing Screen is a decorative object found in Floran Villages and Hylotl houses on Ocean islands.
Racial Descriptions
|Apex :
|A screen that supplies limited privacy.
|Avian :
|A screen to dress behind.
|Floran :
|Floran ussse sscreen to collect blood sssplatter when sskinning meat.
|Glitch :
|Neutral. A simple screen.
|Human :
|A screen to dress behind... Or undress.
|Hylotl :
|A simple screen.
|Novakid :
|A screen for hidin' behind when you got shady business to be doin'.
- Perturbed Koala: Added
- Upbeat Giraffe: Adjusted price
File Details


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Ethiopian members of parliament have elected Sahle-Work Zewde as the country's first female president.
Ms Sahle-Work is an experienced diplomat who has now become Africa's only female head of state.
Her election to the ceremonial position comes a week after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed a cabinet with half the posts taken up by women.
After being sworn in, President Sahle-Work promised to work hard to make gender equality a reality in Ethiopia.
Addressing parliament, she also pledged to promote peace: "I urge you all, to uphold our peace, in the name of a mother, who is the first to suffer from the absence of peace."
Fighting for women's rights
By Bekele Atoma, BBC Afaan Oromoo
The new president was keen to make a point about gender equality right from the start, telling MPs that if they thought she was talking too much about women, she had only just begun.
There may now be male-female parity in the new cabinet but elsewhere there is still a long way to go.
Ms Sahle-Work's appointment has been welcomed by Ethiopians on social media with many calling it "historic".
She has been described as Ethiopia's first female head of state of the modern era, with some remembering Empress Zewditu who governed the country in the early part of the 20th Century.Ms Sahle-Work was voted in after the unexpected resignation of her predecessor, Mulatu Teshome.
The prime minister's chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, tweeted that "in a patriarchal society such as ours, the appointment of a female head of state not only sets the standard for the future but also normalises women as decision-makers in public life".
President Sahle-Work has served as an ambassador for Ethiopia in Senegal and Djibouti. She has also held a number of UN positions, including head of peace-building in the Central African Republic (CAR).
Immediately before becoming president, Ms Sahle-Work was the UN representative at the African Union.
In the Ethiopian constitution, the post of president is ceremonial with the prime minister holding the political power.
The last African female head of state was Mauritian President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, who resigned in March over an expenses scandal. She denied any wrong doing.
– bbc.co.uk


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Lincoln's most dangerous criminals put behind bars in 2017
The courts of Lincoln have this year put many dangerous criminals behind bars for offences including modern slavery, sexual crimes and horrific assaults. Take a look back at some of the most notable court cases in Lincoln in 2017: Former Lincoln diocese director jailed for indecently assaulting young girls Former Lincoln diocese director of education…
The courts of Lincoln have this year put many dangerous criminals behind bars for offences including modern slavery, sexual crimes and horrific assaults.
Take a look back at some of the most notable court cases in Lincoln in 2017:
Former Lincoln diocese director of education John Bailey was jailed for six years after he admitted 25 charges of indecently assaulting young girls.
Bailey, now 76, carried out assaults on at least three young girls over a 27-year period between 1955 and 1982.
Courts heard that his victims had complained years ago about his behaviour to the diocese but no action was taken at the time.
A family of travellers were jailed for a total of 79 years for running a modern day slavery camp near Lincoln.
The longest jail term handed down by Judge Timothy Spencer QC was 15 years and nine months.
He described the modern slavery and fraud offences as "chilling in their mercilessness".
The manager of a student housing block building in Lincoln scammed the owner of the flats out of almost £200,000.
Bernadette Emerton, who ran Danesgate House in Lincoln used the stolen cash to pay for expensive holidays and stashed away thousands of pounds in safes.
Former police officer William Andrew Wright, 30, was jailed for life after he was convicted of raping and sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy.
He denied the charges relating to offences between 2006 and 2008.
Scott Hand, 29, was jailed after he admitted firing a ball bearing gun at his ex wife's parents' home.
Courts heard that he had fired at the window of the house and yelled "you're all going to die. I'm going to burn your house down."
A woman was raped and urinated on by a criminal who appeared not to regret the atrocious attack.
John Robert Thompson, 38 was jailed for two assaults and a single charge of rape. He urinated his victim to humiliate her and laughed at her when she was naked.
A Ruskington man sexually assaulted a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 70s in their own homes.
He followed the first victim into her property, after she declined his offer to help with shopping bags, shoved his tongue into her mouth and touched her breasts.
He kissed a second woman on the cheek after he had been hired to do some gardening work.
Lincoln man Brenden Leigh Coupe, 33, was sentenced to five years in prison for sexual offences against children, including assault of a 13-year-old by penetration.
He was also given a sexual harm prevention order.
A Lincoln mum and son made headlines for defrauding elderly customers out of over £1.5 million from their vacuum business.
Linda Scoffin and her son Thomas Scoffin falsely claimed to represent Dyson and falsely told vulnerable victims their cleaners required a service.
Martyn Cairns was jailed in September after he had sex with a vulnerable girl he had been grooming over the internet.
He began by offering "a shoulder to cry on", but quickly they began exchanging images. He later travelled to her home in Sheffield.
An unsuspecting motorcyclist was slashed in the face after he was stopped by a one-legged pedestrian who had blocked his path on St Rumbled Street.
Clinton Smith shouted: "I'll smash your f***ing head in" before jabbing his walking stick at the biker and slashing him in the face with a knife.
A drug dealer who took regular trips to Lincoln from London was found to be supplying huge quantities of crack cocaine and heroin.
Terrell Holness, also known as 'Dredz' had been staying in a hotel on the outskirts of the city and making vast profits from the illegal activity.
Thirty three-year-old Matthew Derek Clarke was sentenced for 15 years in jail for carrying out extremely serious sexual offences against a vulnerable girl, 13.
Later, when his phone was examined, police found over 1,100 porn images.
A convicted sex offender from Lincoln was found with a shocking stash of more than 80,000 indecent images of children.
Police said the 15-year collection was so overwhelming it took over a year to complete the investigation.
Police found images of boys as young as four being abused.
A man who committed sex offences against a teenage girl led to his victim giving birth to his child.
John Hogan Stewart from Reepham began having sex with the girl when she was just 14 years old.
Scott Overton snatched an elderly woman's handbag as she made her way to the Barclay's Bank off Tritton Road in Lincoln. She fell to the ground and was injured.
Courts heard how Overton was chased and forced to the ground by good samaritans. Despite stabbing one of those who held him five times, he was eventually detained by police and arrested.
A Lincoln mum who caused two crashes within three weeks while drink driving was jailed for three years.
Faith Espin drove straight into an ongoing Mini, causing it to burst into flames just 20 days after she hit a bus, sending it into a ditch.
Ryan Downhill stabbed a man in the centre of Lincoln a number of times as slashed him in the face as par of a drugs feud.
He later admitted he was a drug dealer.


text:
- Details
• Used with MULTI-GAME STANDARDS for side-by-side court play.
• Does not include double guy wires
• 24" heavy wall steel base with non-marring rubber floor protectors, non-marring wheels and blue powder-coated finish
• Uprights feature 2-3/8" heavy-wall galvanized tubing with pre-set heights to play men's and women's volleyball, badminton, tetherball, and tennis
• Heavy-weight base does not require floor anchors
• Designed for recreational play
• Recommended net – SNVBRC32
- Additional Information
Material 6330 SKU ST240C/S Product Id (PID) 5494 Weight 0.1000 LB Brand Alumagoal Ship Method Ships Truck Manufacturer Part Number No
- Warranty
Warranty : 1 Year
Every item is guaranteed to be free of defects in workmanship or materials for one year from the original date of delivery when installed and maintained properly. We agree to repair or replace without charge, at our choice, any product judged defective for carry up to a one-year guarantee which is honored only when the product is inspected and found to have experienced normal use.
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Graffiti 50 captured by Rabot in Rezé France
My measurements
The artwork is of graffiti type. You can admire it in the city of Rezé in France and more precisely here : Boulevard Mendès France, 44400 Rezé, France.
If you know the artist or artists who participated in its realization, thank you for contacting us.
The photo was released on 29-05-2018 by the hunter Rabot, if you passed it and you're sure that it does not exist anymore do not hesitate to let us know.
This page has been viewed 1 times.


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Each chord map attempts to appeal to both beginners and
intermediate/advanced guitarists and keyboardists. Simple chord shapes
for beginners are provided with the following finger system:
1 index finger
2 middle finger
3 ring finger
4 little finger
o play open string
x do not play open string
( bar one finger over more than one string
T that rare occasion that I recommend you use your thumb to fret a note (which probably won't show up during the Challenge)
The first chord is A-sharp diminished, or A#dim:
Guitarists, with this chord shape for A#dim, you actually have the option to play the open low E string and/or the open high E string. This moveable dim chord shape effectively becomes an open chord, if you choose to play it that way.
Keyboardists ... there's not much to say here about A#dim.
The next chord is B (major) major 7th, or Bmaj7:
Guitarists, it's a moveable barre chord at the 2nd fret. Most of the chords from here on out will be a barre chord or moveable chord shape: E-shape, E7-shape, Em-shape, Em7-shape, Edim-shape, Em7b5-shape, A-shape, A7-shape, Amaj7-shape, Am-shape, Am7-shape, Adim-shape, Am7b5-shape, etc. In other words, you would be wise to know the note names that occur on the low E and A strings. Hints: The dots on the fretboard are your friends, and notes repeat starting at the 12th fret.
Keyboardists, B major chord + D#m chord = Bmaj7.
Two more tomorrow. Cheers!
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Chord "Deux" Jour Challenge: A#dim and Bmaj7
Posted by Ryan DeRamos at 12:00 PM
Labels: chord deux jour 2014, lesson
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A pump is only as good as its shaft seal
At a major European dairy an Alfa Laval LKH pump successfully sent liquid through a regulating valve for two years without any problems. But when it was time to replace the shaft seal, a "pirate" seal was substituted for the genuine Alfa Laval part. The pirate seal lasted only 16 days.DATUMS 2023-11-28
Marianne HojbyMārketinga Komunikāciju Vadītājs
Spare parts catalogue
Latest 'Close at hand' online version


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During the Iraq surge in 2008 when the Bush administration poured in additional troops, Tom Pritzker was called to the Pentagon for a meeting. A Department of Defense official wanted to know if the Hyatt Hotels chairman would consider a hotel in Baghdad "to stabilize things."
"I looked him straight in the eye and said, 'Yes, I can help you. I'll give you Bill Marriott's phone number.' "
The quick wit was vintage Pritzker.
"If you can inject humor into it, you can take the air out of the balloon," says the businessman, who this month was named chairman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan think tank in Washington, D.C. The organization has a $40 million budget, employs some 350 people and counts among its 50-plus board members former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski along with Chicago business leaders Lester Crown, Bill Daley and Jim McNerney.
"It's interesting and relevant to other aspects of my life and relevant to where we are this time in history. You may have noticed there are a few problems out there," says Pritzker, who took on the volunteer job because "I think I can add value by bringing in a businessperson's experience to the table."
He's the first business executive in the top board role, replacing former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, a Georgia Democrat who stepped down after 17 years.
John Hamre, the center's CEO, says Pritzker "embodies the way foreign policy has evolved" from a government-to-government process to one that has the private sector helping shape world developments. "He is a patriotic American but he's wise about the forces in the world and helping us as we're trying to change our approach to our mission," Hamre says.
Pritzker will talk weekly with Hamre and lead at least a half-dozen meetings throughout the year. He'll also have a hand in an upcoming capital campaign.
He also, of course, will continue to head the board of the Chicago-based Hyatt chain founded by his father and operating 618 properties in 51 countries.


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Fake News Alert! Government Solves Welfare Problem…
How to turn the impossible into the possible.
How to turn the impossible into the possible.
There is a lot of questionable content that comes across twitter these days. Some of it we, the savvy public, know is questionable — like the seemingly endless stream of parody accounts such as those for Lord Voldemort, Mark Zuckerberg, Betty White, and William Shakespeare. But fake accounts that seem at first glance to haveRead… Read more »


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Skull Fracturing Metal Zine (CAN)
When I think of thrash, the Bay Area is usually the first place that comes to mind. It's crazy how many good bands there were: Forbidden, Heathen, Vio-lence, Death Angel, Testament, and the list goes on. Perhaps what is most impressive about these bands is that they don't sound alike at all. Besides the fact that they are thrash, they are completely distinguishable from one another. And that's where Eruption comes in. Despite being from Slovenia, these guys sound more like they are out of the Bay Area than any newer thrash band out there. What makes Eruption so convincing? It is mainly a combination of avoiding all of the major pitfalls of thrash, namely: a lifeless vocalist, and boring songwriting.
For starters, Eruption's vocalist, Klemin Kalin, is a maniac. He has an excellent shout that is both easy to understand but still quite menacing. In terms of his high-pitched screams, he is unparalleled in the sheer number of times he uses this range. While Schmier is the undisputed champion of this style of wailing, Kalin seems to have far more endurance. The rest of the band compliments him quite well. This rifftastic affair has crunchy, Warbringer-like guitars. Combined with the loud, easy-to-hear bass, and lively drumming, this is a very complete band. In many respects, the songwriting is the weakest aspect of this band, which, in this case, says a lot about how good Eruption is. "Empty Shells" brings back memories of Death Angel's "Act III" in the chorus, with the huge drawn out notes and vocals that remind one of Mark Osegueda, this is sure to be a favourite. "Fractured" and "Enter The Hive" are two of the stronger, thrashier tracks, but unlike many newer thrash bands, each song isn't 4 minutes of straight break-neck speed. While most songs have a consistent tempo, Eruption makes excellent use of different rhythms to prevent the songs from becoming monotonous. The only real flaw I can point out is that some songs don't have the same staying power as others, but it's hard to fault a band that put in a lot of effort to make each song stand out.
If you are into any sort of thrash at all, make sure you buy "Tenses Collide". While it is a new thrash record, it feels as original as anything out of the 80's, simply because the band does not ape off of the originators of the genres. This is one band I'm very curious to watch as time goes on, because they've definitely demonstrated that they have the ability to stand up with current thrash giants Warbringer and Evile, among a few others.


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OIL & GAS: The Trump administration is strongly considering a federal bailout for oil and gas companies affected by plummeting prices amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to people familiar with the deliberations. (Washington Post)
UTILITIES: As utilities and grid operators restrict employee travel, a report warns electric utilities to prepare to operate with up to 40% of their workforce out sick or quarantined due to the coronavirus outbreak. (S&P Global)
***SPONSORED LINK: Already on its 10th edition, ACI's National Conference on Microgrids will be hosted in Boston on March 18-19. The conference will also feature an exclusive tour of the Sterling Municipal Light Department's award-winning microgrid! Secure your space today!***
• Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signs an executive order "taking the boldest actions available" to lower emissions after the state's legislative session abruptly ends in the wake of a Republican walkout. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Duke Energy, Dominion Energy and Southern Company are undermining their clean energy goals by investing in natural gas and likely won't meet emissions targets, an energy research firm report says. (Utility Dive)
• Coronavirus-related supply chain delays may force U.S. solar companies to choose between running down their module supply stored in warehouses or backing out of some projects through force majeure claims. (Greentech Media)
• Solar jobs increased slightly in Massachusetts last year, but growth was small compared to neighboring states, which advocates say is due to uncertainty over state policy. (Energy News Network)
• A unique Ohio solar project will direct hundreds of thousands of dollars from electricity sales to a nearby low-income community. (Energy News Network)
• The U.S. energy storage industry capped off its biggest year of installations with its largest single quarter, according to a new report. (Greentech Media)
• Wind farm developers are increasingly looking to incorporate on-site energy storage as they repower aging projects. (Greentech Media)
• California utilities are concerned that a transport electrification plan proposed by state regulators could actually slow progress on electric vehicles. (Utility Dive)
• Tesla is scouting for locations in the central United States to build a new factory for the company's electric pickup truck. (Reuters)
• The economics of coal are declining sharply as financiers and insurance companies abandon the industry in the face of shrinking demand, cheaper renewables and pressure from climate campaigners. (Yale Environment 360)
• Indiana lawmakers pass a bill extending the life of the state's coal plants for a year while requiring regulators to examine proposed closures. (Indianapolis Star)
• Foresight Energy files for bankruptcy, joining its parent company Murray Energy in efforts to restructure amid industry decline. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• The 2020 West Virginia legislative session ends with no new legislation addressing black lung benefits. (WVPB)
• Colorado's top utility regulator says distributed energy and non-wires alternatives have a role to play in the state's climate efforts. (Utility Dive)
• California's largest ports are turning to microgrids for energy security and demand flexibility. (Greentech Media)
TRANSMISSION: The Maine Ethics Commission will investigate whether a group opposing a hydropower transmission line should be required to disclose its donors. (Portland Press Herald)
PIPELINES: A federal judge sides with Atlantic Coast Pipeline developers in a lawsuit with Nelson County, Virginia, over federal permits for the project. (Courthouse News Service)
***SPONSORED LINK: Exceptional speakers at the Annual Renewable Energy in New England Conference, March 12-13 in Boston, offer expert and timely strategies for achieving decarbonization goals and successful project development. Register today!***
• The United Nations warns that the world is "way off track" for addressing the climate emergency and that time is running out. (The Guardian)
• Climate is a top priority of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, but its investment portfolio includes millions of shares in companies that burn coal and transport oil. (Vice)
• The world's response to coronavirus shows that we are capable of taking the kind of swift action needed for climate change, an advocate says. (Fast Company)
COMMENTARY: An energy researcher describes the nexus between natural disasters and energy in Puerto Rico and concludes that an effective disaster response should include solar and energy storage. (Energy News Network)


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Gestamp inaugurates a new R&D center in Shanghai
Gestamp inaugurates a new R&D center in Shanghai
Gestamp inaugurates a new R&D center in Shanghai
Gestamp, the multinational company specialized in the design, development and manufacture of highly engineered metal components for the automotive industry, opens a new R&D center in Shanghai (China) today.
The main objective of this new Gestamp facility is to strengthen its collaboration with the OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) based in China. The aim is to co-develop on site together with them in order to improve manufacturing processes, products and costs.
Therefore, Gestamp and the OEMs will produce safer and lighter products, resulting in continued improvement in energy consumption and reduced environmental impact. As part of this new R&D center, Gestamp will focus on competencies ranging from basic research, to joining technologies or engineering and co-development activities with customers.
The new R&D building will host more than 40 highly skilled jobs by the end of this year to Shanghai where Gestamp has a strong industrial footprint and its headquarters in China. Gestamp has invested 2.5 M€ (18.9 M RMB) in this new facility.
With this new R&D site, Gestamp has two locations in China dedicated to co-development activities. This new space, that sizes 2,550 sqm, enhances R&D footprint of the Group that includes Edscha, the mechanisms subsidiary of Gestamp that develops its R&D activities in Kunshan.
Gestamp operates 13 R&D centers worldwide
The new facility reinforces Gestamp's global R&D network. All these centers guarantee that innovations developed around the world are available locally with on-site engineering support. Gestamp operates 13 R&D sites worldwide with locations in US, France, UK, Spain, Brazil, India and Germany, among other countries.
"We are committed with the building of a solid and strategic relation with our China-based customers," said Kevin Stobbs, Gestamp Asia President. "Undoubtedly, this new R&D center in Shanghai will enable Gestamp to work closer with our clients and co-develop lighter and safer vehicles also aligned with megatrends such as the electrical vehicle that are becoming more relevant.", Stobbs added.
The new R&D installation implies Gestamp's commitment to growth in China, a dynamic market in the automotive industry. In 2016 the company's sales in China totalled 719.6 M€ (5,288 M RMB) with over 4,300 employees in 9 plants. Between 2013 and 2016 Gestamp has invested 282 M€ (2,185 M RMB) into the country.
Gestamp opens its first tooling plant in China
Gestamp also announces the start of its operations in a new tooling factory located in Kunshan, the first plant specialized in dies and tools for the Company in this country. The goal is to accompany Gestamp's clients in China with its tooling capabilities, to reinforce its strategic relationship.
"With this new facility in China, the Company will offer European tooling standards to that market.", Stobbs stated. "The third part of the automotive global market is represented by China and we foresee a strong growth potential that Gestamp will benefit from," he added.
Gestamp has 8 tooling facilities worldwide and additional capacities in other plants. The Company designs, engineers, manufactures and sells dies and tools in order to support its customers. Gestamp is among the few Tier-1 suppliers that have significant and sophisticated in-house tooling capabilities.
The Group has long-standing and trusted relationships not only with key global OEMs but also with local Chinese OEMs. Worldwide, the Company works alongside its customers to deliver components for more than 800 models of 50 different brands.
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How the 2015 Union Budget affects the auto sector
The 2015 Union Budget tabled by the Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley did not bring the kind of reforms the auto sector expected. There are, however, a few divisions that got a boost though I believe it's largely the commercial vehicle segment that would be pleased with the changes.
With the boost to infrastructure development, especially roads and highways, the addition of 1 lakh kilometres of roads to the existing 1 lakh that is presently under construction, expect a growth in demand for commercial vehicles.
The increase in custom duties from 10 to 40 per cent for commercial vehicles shouldn't be seen as a deterrent to international players since the segment this applies to is exceedingly small. Anders Grundströmer, managing director, Scania India said, "While the increase in customs duty for commercial vehicles is disappointing, overall the positives outweigh the negatives. The clear commitment to implement GST by April 1, 2016 which is a game changer, easing of norms to aid flow of technology, flow of capital, and focus on sustainable development along with a road map of clearly stated goals in terms of 1 lakh kilometres of roads, doubling the clean energy cess on use of coal and launch of a scheme for faster adoption are all measures in the right direction."
The FM also waived off duty on electric vehicles and hybrids in addition to allocating Rs 75 crore for electric vehicles. I personally don't understand this as there is no one in the country to gain from the duty cuts unless and until there is infrastructure put in place. Presently Mahindra Reva is the only manufacturer with an electric car portfolio and then there are the electric scooters (a highly unorganised sector) imported from China. In either case, without a proper electrification plan, sales and interest aren't going to increase in the domestic market.
Hybrids, however, may have a better day. We are still waiting to see just how this affects pricing of hybrids though presently there are just two hybrid cars sold in India. Toyota sells the Prius, Camry hybrid and recently BMW launched the i8 (priced at over Rs 2.3 crore). Vikram S Kirloskar, vice chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd and president of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) was complimentary of the budget saying, "We compliment the Finance Minister for announcing the pro-India budget that would strengthen the social fabric, improve governance and tax rationalisation. Overall, a positive budget for both corporates and individuals."
With the tax breaks, expect some money to flow into the hands of individuals which may encourage small entry level car sales. Same may apply to the rural sector where the affluence of these customers thanks to the rural programmes is set to grow. This, however, is clutching at straws and there may not be any actual growth as prices of cars are not set to drop. Also, any shift in growth patterns will only be visible late in 2015, if not 2016.
The government is keen to extend the Make in India policy to the defence sector as well. With the increase in defence expenditure and the push to indigenise defence supplies I see manufacturers like Tata Motors, Mahindra and Ashok Leyland taking on a more active role. Each of these manufacturers has made significant investments into the defence sector and I see that growing.
Overall then, the budget hasn't been optimistic for the auto sector and 2015, I now expect, will continue to be a challenging year ahead. Joe King, head, Audi India had this to say, "It is no doubt a visionary budget with focus on long-term growth of the country. We welcome the move towards the rollout of GST next year. We are happy to see the emphasis placed on boosting infrastructure. This will go a long way in fulfilling the government's vision to make India the fastest growing large economy in the world. We welcome the reduction of Corporate Tax as well as focus on infrastructure via various schemes and investments. However, we expected more of a direct support to the auto industry which has been contributing, significantly to the GDP."
Even Arvind Saxena, president and managing director of General Motors India expressed mixed feelings over the budget saying, "As far as the automotive industry is concerned, we were expecting excise duty cut on all categories of vehicles as the auto industry continues to bleed due to high interest rates, economic slowdown etc. There are some changes in CST and also on customs duty which need to be clarified from the fine print. Having said this, the focus on rural roads, highways, expressways, incentives for electric vehicles are welcome decisions. Some of the other announcements made by the finance minister on the direct taxation front are also positive steps. Overall, the budget lays down a blue print for a stable tax regime that can lead to growth in the economy."
Hopefully things will look up in the future but as of now, the automotive industry will continue to bleed for some time to come.
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Ruby Daniel
Ruby Daniel was born in 1912 in the ancient Jewish community of Cochin, India. She moved to Israel in 1951 and spent the rest of her life in kibbutz Neot Modekhai. In her youth, Daniel developed a keen talent for storytelling, and her gifts only expanded as she achieved to higher levels of education. In her book Ruby of Cochin, written in collaboration with anthropologist Barbara C. Johnson, Daniel exhibits a lyrical descriptive style combined with humor and outspoken social criticism. Her book endures as a significant contribution to Jewish history and ethnography, written from the unique perspective of a single woman of strong spirit, intelligence, wit, and dignity who prevailed over economic and social challenges to celebrate and preserve the culture of her community.
Background, Early Life, and Education
Ruby (Rivka) Daniel lived for more than half of her life in A voluntary collective community, mainly agricultural, in which there is no private wealth and which is responsible for all the needs of its members and their families.kibbutz Neot Mordekhai in the Upper Galilee, but her book Ruby of Cochin: An Indian Jewish Woman Remembers richly illuminates Jewish life in Kerala, a green land of tropical abundance and religious tolerance on India's southwest coast. Born in December 1912, Daniel spent the first half of her life in the ancient Jewish community of Cochin, where she developed her gifts as a compelling storyteller. She was the first Jewish girl who left the neighborhood to continue her education, and the first to complete high school and attend college. After working as a government clerk and serving in the Indian Navy, she was among the first in her community to make Lit. "ascent." A "calling up" to the Torah during its reading in the synagogue.aliyah, in 1951, and to join a kibbutz. She was also the first Cochin Jewish woman to write a book.
Ruby Daniel was the eldest child of Eliyahu Hai Daniel (d. 1934) and Leah Japheth Daniel (1892–1982). Her father sold tickets for the ferry boat linking the island of Cochin with the mainland city of Ernakulam, a job her mother took over after his early death. Ruby was profoundly influenced by her maternal grandparents, Eliyahu and Rivka ("Docho") Japheth, with whom she and her immediate family lived. (Her paternal grandparents died before she was born.) Grandmother Docho loved stories and was an acknowledged expert in Malayalam Jewish songs, which she sang and taught to other women in Cochin. She passed on to Ruby her keen memory and her stories and songs. Grandfather Eliyahu Japheth was a shohet and a self-educated scholar of Jewish texts, who worked as a commercial agent for one wealthy Jewish family and taught Hebrew to the sons of another. Ruby had two younger siblings: Bingley (1921–1992), who made aliyah in 1954 and worked and lived with his family in Dimona, and Rahel Kala ("Royal", b. 1932), a member of Kibbutz Neot Mordekhai.
From early childhood Ruby Daniel was an excellent student, both at the local government school for girls and at the Jewish school where she studied Hebrew, Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. "the written Torah." The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah, and the synagogue liturgy every morning and afternoon. It was her mother Leah who insisted on sending her for higher education to St. Theresa's Convent School in Ernakulam, pawning a gold chain in order to pay the fees. She completed high school there and studied one year at St. Theresa's College, dropping out only to help support the family when her father and grandfather died in the same year. Ruby Daniel never married. Part of an early generation of poor but educated working women in Kerala, she was employed for over fifteen years in government service, as a clerk in the High Court, District Court, and Munsiff Court, and from 1944 to 1946 in the Women's Royal Indian Navy.
Publication of Ruby of Cochin
In her book Ruby of Cochin, written in collaboration with anthropologist Barbara C. Johnson, Daniel exhibits a lyrical descriptive style combined with humor and outspoken social criticism. She recounts historical events, legends, and magical stories about the Jewish past in Kerala, describing in detail the elaborate Jewish festivals and the everyday intimacy of life on the one long street in Cochin called Jew Town, home to three of the eight Kerala Jewish communities. The Daniel/Japheth family were part of the Paradesi community, dominated by the so-called "white" Jews. The family belonged to a section of that community who for many years were denied equal rights in the synagogue because of a controversy over their ancestry. Indeed, part of Daniel's motivation in writing the book was to "set the record straight" about this controversy. The book also includes an account of her aliyah and life in a predominately Jews of European origin and their descendants, including most of North and South American Jewry.Ashkenazi secular kibbutz, where she again met with social discrimination. Maintaining her religious observance and her Indian cuisine and cultural style, she was a hard-working and proud participant in the life of Neot Mordekhai, working for more than 40 years in the kitchen and laundry.
Between 1982 and 1999, Daniel translated into English about 120 Malayalam-language Jewish women's songs, thirteen of which are included in her book. Her translation efforts laid part of the groundwork for an ongoing international project to translate and analyze the songs.
Until the publication of her book in 1995, Daniel's talents remained largely unrecognized outside the circle of her family and friends in the Cochini community. That year her kibbutz honored her with a reception, and she was a featured guest at the Israel Museum's grand opening of the exhibit "The Jews of India," where she served as a panel discussant. Though she did not originally intend to write about her own life, she came to realize: "It is important for people today to know what happened before they were born, to know about the lives of ordinary women … wildflowers who bloom in the forest. Nobody sees them and they fade" (p. xiv).
Ruby Daniel died on September 23, 2002, and is buried in Neot Mordekhai. Her book will endure as a significant contribution to Jewish history and ethnography, written from the unique perspective of a single woman of strong spirit, intelligence, wit, and dignity who prevailed over economic and social challenges to celebrate and preserve the culture of her community.
Selected Works by Ruby Daniel
"Memories of a Cochin Jewish Woman." Manushi: A Journal About Women and Society 67 (1991):30–37.
"We Learned from the Grandparents." In Four Centuries of Women's Spirituality, edited by Ellen Umansky and Dianne Ashton, 298–304. Boston: 1992.
"More Memories of Cochin Jew Town." Bridges 7,1 (1997–1998): 39–42.
With Barbara C. Johnson. Ruby of Cochin: An Indian Jewish Woman Remembers. Philadelphia: 1995.
Johnson, Barbara C. "'Bold Enough to Put Pen on Paper': Collaborative Methodology in an Ethnographic Life Story." In Gender and Race through Education and Political Activism, edited by Dena Shenk, 125–143. Arlington, VA: 1995.


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We simplify hosting experiences because we believe in empowering individuals, teams and businesses. We set high standards of performance, commit to complete freedom of choice coupled with simplicity and agility in every process. Backed by an innovative approach, our platform is built on best-of-breed technologies and industry-leading infrastructure providers that creates smooth managed cloud hosting experiences. And, we do this by investing in the right talent and by organizing the perfect teams.
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Two years ago a passenger ferry carrying 476 people sank off the coast of Jeju Island, South Korea. 304 lives were lost, including 250 high school students who were en route to Jeju Island for a school trip.
To this day, no government body or official has accepted responsibility for the event or given any form of official apology.
The group "Remembering Sewol UK" was set up on after several silent protests on behalf of the people who died in this terrible tragedy.
I spoke to Debbie Kim – who works for the organisation – to see if she could explain why after two years the families of the victims are still looking for answers
Firstly, in spite of its technological advances, South Korea is not a hugely safety-conscious society. The boat that the students were travelling on was not in good enough order to make the journey. This, along with the fact that it was heavily overloaded, means that the disaster was in some ways foreseeable.
Whilst the boat was sinking, TV crews filmed the event which was broadcast live on TV news. The lifeboats that were dispatched rescued all of the crew first. Yet, there were no lifeboats sent out to rescue the passengers, and in such an emergency situation why did the coastguard not respond quicker?
For one thing, the coastguard refused offers of assistance from Japan, from fishing boats and the US navy. It seems that those in charge were negligent, or they didn't respond quickly enough. It might have been possible, if the coastgurard had acted sooner, to rescue the passengers.
Two years on, the families of the nine victims whose bodies have not been recovered, (who include children, a teacher and a member of the public) are still waiting for the ship to be retrieved.
There has been a permanent tent set up in the main square near the Blue House, the official residence of the President of South Korea.
Some believe that the media set out to deliberately smear the family. They got their compensation, they should move on. The story, which was front page news is in danger of being forgotten by a public addicted to instant news and the next interesting story.
One positive outcome is that the students who witnessed the disaster are becoming more aware of the flaws of their government. Many have had enough of what they see as the corrupt establishment, which has in its president a relation of the dictator who crushed the student regime in 1980.
Some are so sickened by what they term "hell Choson" that they are leaving to work abroad in countries like New Zealand and Australia. It was perhaps inevitable that a country which has some of the highest working hours recorded of any country would see a backlash.
Rememebering Sewol has supporters throughout the world and has recently established a link with victims of the Paris attacks through a Remembering Sewol group there.
There have been screenings of the dcoumentary "Upside Down" and the parents have recently travelled to the UK to meet with parents of the Hillsborough survivors.
For more information contact: firstname.lastname@example.com, http://www.facebook.com/solidarityforsewol


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1000+ Followers! OMG!!! I wouldn't even know what to say, but Kristen over at Ladybug's Teacher Files has reached this momentous milestone. Her giveaway is just as momentous, so click below to enter!
Ladybug's Teacher Files: 1000+ Followers Giveaway!!!: "AAAAA!!!! I am so excited I can't even focus on making a graphic to show how excited I am!!! I stayed off my blog all week working on my st..."


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Children whose parents are divorced tend to be heavier than kids whose parents stay married, a new study suggests.
Researchers in Norway found that kids from divorced homes in that country were 54 percent more likely to be overweight or obese, and 89 percent were more likely to have abdominal obesity (too much weight around the waistline), compared with children from families with married parents.
The results also showed that boys from marriages that split up may be particularly vulnerable to gaining excess weight, especially around the waist, the researchers said. Having excess belly fat may increase a person's risk for diabetes and heart disease, and could possibly shorten life span.
"We now have knowledge about how childhood overweight and obesity is distributed" among the Norwegian population, said study author Anna Biehl, a doctoral candidate at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo.
But she cautioned that "the results do not say that divorce causes weight gain in children." Although the research sheds light on whether there were any associations between family structure and children being overweight and obese in Norway, it was not designed to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between these factors.


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Refugee Kids Receive More Welfare Than U.S. Kids
I read an interesting article in The Washington Examiner which is reporting on a new report by the Migration Institute in which they studied the amount of welfare refugee children receive compared to American citizens children. The Migration Institute is a pro-immigration, independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank in Washington, DC dedicated to analysis of the movement of people worldwide.
Their newly released report titled "Young Children of Refugees in the United States: Integration Successes and Challenges", found that children of refuge parents receive more welfare than poor kids of American citizens.
Does this sound right to you, are you ok with this? I have nothing against the refugees or their children but should we not be concerned first with our citizens children then we can attempt to help the rest of the worlds children.
According to the report the children are receiving food stamps, welfare cash and Social Security.
The article gave a few examples of the findings:
30% of refugee children live in households that received food stamps from 2009-13 compared to 27% of children of American citizens
8% of the refugee children lived in households that received cash welfare, compared with 6% of U.S. citizen households
5% of children of refugees were part of Social Security's Supplemental Security Income program, compared with 4% of U.S. children
The report concludes that this is happening because the refugees come to America extremely poor. Again I feel their pain but if we should take care of our own before we can take care of anyone else.
Do you agree?
Let's talk about this tomorrow (Monday) on The Live with Renk Show which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon, to let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595.
Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section.


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Rupert Callender made this observation of Dan Cruickshank's The Art of Dying:
I was surprised by how little thought Dan had apparently given the matter. I thought everyone mused endlessly about their own deaths.
I don't know that they do, Rupert. When, over in the US, Bob Butz was asked by his publisher to write a book about green funerals in three months, this was his response:
"Three months?" I said, incredulous. "That's some deadline. Har. Har. But seriously, what do I know about planning a green burial? I'm no expert."
For all his ignorance, Bob is predisposed to a green funeral:
Green burials came to interest me because, frankly, all the traditional ones I've seen over the years were a real drag. They left me thinking that there had to be a better way.
He's a realist:
Although a reviewer once called me a nature writer, I've never been accused of being an environmentalist. I do what I can where the planet is concerned … At this point, I doubt very seriously that "going out green" will come anywhere close to rectifying the environmental mayhem I've wrought simply by virtue of being born
Bob embarks on his researches:
Only three weeks into this project and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm cut out for thinking about being buried all the time. For one thing, and I know this is going to come as a shock, it's depressing.
He tracks down the Natural Burial Company, which is run by a good friend of the Good Funeral Guide, Cynthia Beal, with whom he tangles. He is withering about Ecopods:
…the Ecopod seemed to run contrary to the fundamental tenets of the natural burial movement … In the words of Jim Nicolow, "shipping a $3000 recycled coffin 5000+ miles to reduce burial's environmental impact feels a bit like selecting the rapidly-renewable bamboo trim package to reduce the environmental impact of your Hummer."
Bob digs his own grave—to see what it feels like. He reflects on the way people don't discuss funerals:
I found this odd given that every other life-defining decision up to that point—getting married, having children, where to school those children—involved long and careful deliberation
He researches home funerals and embalming. He goes to see his father's grave for the first time in years, to see how it makes him feel. He concludes:
For three months I thought about death more intensely than I think the average person should have to.But in an odd sort of way that was also the best part, too—that maybe in trying to die and be buried green I may now live my life a little bit better, too.
I hope this has whetted your appetite. This is an unpretentious and informative blunder through some of the mysteries of death and dying written by, this is important, an industry outsider. It is serious, funny and highly readable. At £11.25 it is a tad pricey—but heck, you can't take it with you.


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A repetitive stress injury (RSI), also known as a repetitive strain injury, can be any one of a range of conditions affecting the muscles, nerves and tendons of your body. Workers in the healthcare sector are especially at risk from contracting RSIs as much of the work can involve carrying out repetitive tasks. Unfortunately it is the constant repetition of manual actions that makes you most likely to develop an RSI – nurses and careworkers often find themselves suffering from the symptoms of common RSIs, so let's have a look at those injuries that you might be likely to have.
The most common RSIs
There are a number of very common RSIs, some of which are better known than others. You may well have heard of carpal tunnel syndrome – a condition that is caused by irritation of the median nerve were in passes over the carpal bones in your wrist and hand. It can result in numbness, tingling and pain.
Bursitis is another common RSI which results in inflammation of fluid sacs known as bursas. These form over the joints to cushion bones and tendons, but when they become inflamed they can cause swelling, tenderness and pain. A similar but different condition, ganglion, sees cysts forming on top of joints and tendons.
But not all RSIs are because of swelling and inflammation. Depuytren's contracture results from the contracting and toughening of skin on the palm which can cause fingers to bend inwards. Other common RSIs include tendinitis, rotator cuff syndrome and trigger finger, but there are a range of other conditions.
Do you have an RSI?
Because of the number of different RSIs, there are a large variety of symptoms and can point to them. Depending on what part of your body is affected and how severe the condition is, symptoms can be very mild or highly intense. They can also last for a short amount of time or develop to the point at which they are chronic.
However, it is common to all RSIs that symptoms will get worse if you continue to carry out the same repetitive actions that caused them in the first place. This means if you notice symptoms while or immediately after carrying out a task, it can be a sign that you have an RSI.
In healthcare workers, the problems generally occur around the hands and wrists. Some of the most common symptoms include coldness in the hands and fingers, loss of sensation and strength, pain and a throbbing sensation in the area of the RSI. You may find that you struggle to perform tasks such as doing up buttons. You might also notice that you are experiencing pins and needles, feeling fatigued or having trouble sleeping. Note that it's common that symptoms are worst at night.
What should you do if you have an RSI?
The best way to overcome an RSI is to stop carrying out the movement that is causing the problem. Unfortunately if the RSI is due to a task that you are required to undertake while you are at work, it can be difficult to avoid it. It is also possible that by the time you realise that you have an RSI you will already have done a significant amount of damage to cause a problem that lasts a long time.
Remember that your employer has a duty to you to carry out health and safety assessments to ensure you are not in a position to develop an RSI. They need to find ways to minimise risk, whether this is through scheduling rest time, using alternative equipment or performing different tasks. If you are in a position where you have suffered an RSI relating to tasks at work, if may be down to inappropriate planning from your employer.
Can you claim compensation?
There are challenges to healthcare professionals seeking compensation for RSIs sustained through their work. Part of the problem is that RSIs develop over time rather than being down to a specific incident.
Equally it is an issue that employees are required to begin a compensation claim within two years of the date when they became aware they were injured at work. Unfortunately the nature of RSIs is that they get progressively worse over months and years, so a worker might believe their injury was only minor when they originally realised they had it, only to understand later that it may something serious.
It is therefore essential that if you believe you may have suffered an RSI at work that you should seek medical care and legal advice, even if it appears to be a mild condition. If it turns into a condition that it is a major problem you need to act as fast as possible.
* In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.
Mike James is an independent legal blogger. He has been working with McCarthy & Co Solicitors, a specialist personal injury solicitor based in Cork, Ireland, who have provided advice and guidance on the legal regulation aspects of the above article.


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Charlie Allnut, the gin-swilling Canadian boat operator played by Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen, explains his drinking habits by saying, "It's only human nature." That doesn't satisfy the puritanical Rose Sayer, played by Katharine Hepburn. She answers: "Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in the world to rise above."
Denis Dutton, in his exhilarating new book The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure and Human Evolution (Bloomsbury Press), comes down firmly on Rose's side. But while Rose sees humankind battling to escape its innate imperfections, Dutton outlines something grander and more complicated, the struggle of artists "to transcend even our animal selves" through their work. Evolution makes art possible by endowing humans with imagination and intellect. Art, in response, lifts us above the very instincts installed in our brains by evolution.
As 2009 approaches, let us set aside the great puzzle of 2008 ("Where did the money go?") and deal with a more pleasant question: "Why are we so crazy about the arts?" Why, for instance, did Toronto build, in the last four years, an opera house, two major museums, a conservatory and a ballet school, each of them risky and expensive? Speaking as a Torontonian, I appreciate the effort, but realize it wasn't done just to please me. This flurry of construction, like many such civic phenomena around the world, reflects an urgent need for the arts -- a need that became part of our personalities over many thousands of years.
We do all this, Dutton explains, because it's built into us. We have no choice.
Originally a Californian, Dutton is now professor of the philosophy of art at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He edits a learned journal, Philosophy and Literature, where he conducted a furious and much-publicized campaign against academics whose bad prose beats readers into submission just to prove "they are in the presence of a great and deep mind." More important, Dutton edits Arts & Letters Daily, a website that collates articles from everywhere on the planet and has become much more than its founders expected.
By shrewdly choosing the best material available, A&LD has emerged as the most useful intellectual magazine in the English-speaking world.
Dutton's interest in cultural evolution began in the 1960s when he was a Peace Corps volunteer in India. As a student he had absorbed (and partially accepted) the academic belief that cultures are so sealed off from each other that cross-cultural understanding is all but impossible; art is "socially constructed," the product of a certain time and place, nothing else. That suggests to many scholars that attempting to see connections between cultures amounts to a form of colonialism.
But in rural India, Dutton changed his mind. He discovered that the hopes, fears and vices of the Indians were altogether intelligible to a twentysomething graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara. And much of the cultural life of India was equally graspable. In Hyderabad he learned the sitar from a student of Ravi Shankar and found Indian music no more remote from Western music than 17th-century Italian madrigals are from the harmonies of Duke Ellington: "The lure of rhythmic drive, harmonic anticipation, lucid structure and divinely sweet melody cuts across cultures with ease."
How could this be? Were these cultures somehow connected at their roots?
In 1993 two Russian artists, Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid, organized a statistically impeccable survey of taste in 10 countries. They concluded that people from Iceland to China hold similar opinions about art: All express affection for landscapes, particularly landscapes dominated by blue, with water somehow involved. Melamid suggested that this implies that a blue landscape is genetically imprinted on humanity. It may be a paradise we all carry within us, he speculated. Perhaps "we came from the blue landscape and we want it."
Well, yes, says Dutton. In the Pleistocene era, the nomads who developed into people like us were (it's widely believed) living under blue African skies in savannas and woodlands. These protein-rich regions were good hunting grounds. Those who chose to inhabit that landscape had a "survival advantage." They prospered, had children, passed on their genes.
That process continued for a length of time that we find almost impossible to imagine -- about 1.6 million years, or 80,000 generations. In the extreme slo-mo theatre of evolution, the architecture of the mind developed. Countless minor choices, when rewarded by success, created impulses that live within us now.
Take, for instance, the universal obsession with storytelling. In all cultures (including the few remaining clusters of hunter-gatherers) narrative is an essential element. It's both a source of pleasure and a way to convey information. Those who had this inclination and talent in the Pleistocene era had a special "survival advantage." A nomad with a storyteller's imagination could weigh a group's travel plans, outlining a new territory's opportunities against its potential dangers. Storytelling, perhaps, began as a question of life and death. In detailing the complications that followed, Dutton demonstrates both his own poised scholarship and the infinite richness of the subject he's opening up.
And music? There's no obvious reason for it to exist, since the ability to perceive pitched sound provides in itself no contribution to survival. Dutton notes Charles Darwin's suggestion that musical tones and rhythm were part of courtship for our ancestors. And perhaps musical sounds were a way of inventing language. Dutton finds that plausible and suggests that music and dance also build "empathy, co-operation and social solidarity." He speculates that music, dancing, storytelling and other art forms "evolved specifically to strengthen the social health of hunter-gatherer bands."
The Art Instinct offers fresh and liberating ideas while demonstrating Dutton's profound sense of curiosity and his willingness to take risks while dealing with puzzling and largely fragmentary pre-history. He bluntly argues with fashionable theorists and the reviews of his book will not be uniformly favourable. Some will be offended and angry.
Whatever the critical response, the discussion of his book deserves to reach far beyond academics and people directly involved in the arts. His subject is the mysterious beginning of the cultural life that all of us, on whatever level of complexity, live. As he says, we resemble our distant ancestors in the way we share communion with other humans through art. "Our art instinct is theirs."


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The Iguana Backpackers hostel is located only a very short walk from the center of Montañita, where all the action is happening. This lodging is a great option to meet travelers and make friends during your stay.
You can choose between a matrimonial, triple, and a three-bedroom. You will find a mosquito net, AC, and either private or shared bathrooms.
The ten-bed dorm is great for budget travelers. You have a good internet connection all over the property and a healthy breakfast is included in your stay.
Feel free to cook your own food in the kitchen which equipped with everything you need. You find hammocks and couches to relax as well as a big flat screen with PlayStation.
Special theme nights will definitely elevate your mood and sweeten your stay.
Iguana Backpackers Hostel on Facebook


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Zoë Siskos, Social Media Analyst, makes it her business to read and get to know bloggers and other content producers, making sure they're invited to client events and included in programs that are of interest to them. Her role is a perfect blend of her own blogging experience and her education and work in public relations.
Maggie Fox charged me with the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" My profoundly intelligent answer – "Truthfully Maggie? I don't know."
Okay, so she caught me a little off guard. It was after sitting in awe, listening to quick-witted banter between two Social Media experts, Maggie Fox and Collin Douma, that I was asked this question. Barely able to recover from the mass of information I took in, I really couldn't come up with an answer. Now, after a few days of pondering…I still can't.
You have to understand where I'm coming from. Not even two months ago I was in a job that I loved but working for an organization whose idea of communication meant "What does the President want to hear?" Social media, for me, was a hobby and not to be included in my profession in any way, shape or form. I was not able to delve into it as deeply as I wanted because of pressing deadlines and obligations that steered me far in an opposite direction.
Now, my
job career IS social media. I have absorbed, read, written, analyzed and learned more in six weeks than I ever could have even imagined. My synapses are on fire with everything I have been learning. The opportunities are endless because social media is endless.
Okay, enough metaphors and clichés. Let's get down to some social media fundamentals that I've picked up on:
- Social media is not a trend, fad, issue, style or business model. It is about getting back to the level of communication we once shared – only restructured to incorporate our modernized culture.
- Social media is a reflection of a cultural desire to (re)connect with one another.
- Social media is not static. It grows and changes as the people who embrace it grow and change.
- The only limitations of social media are that of your imagination.
So, to answer the question, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" – How about the president of Social Media Group?


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This paper examines the value added by engaging pre-service teacher candidates in action research. At a time when teacher preparation programs are under pressure to respond to state and national assessments, extend field experiences, and meet other external demands, what added benefits are gained from also requiring action research from the candidates? The study uses a mixed methods approach to compare graduates from two programs, one that does require action research and one that does not. Findings indicate that although there is little added benefit in relation to knowledge and skills, action research does strengthen candidates' dispositions toward effective classroom practice.
Recommended CitationLattimer, Heather. (2012). Action Research in Pre-service Teacher Education: Is There Value Added?. i.e.: inquiry in education: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 5.
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol3/iss1/5