text:
Who can see your post?
Your post will show up in News Feed, on your profile and in search results.176,776 Global STEVENSON Family Members
Days | Hours | Minutes | Seconds |
Sunday 28th July
2pm (New York), 7pm (Ire)
Days | Hours | Minutes | Seconds |
Sunday 28th July
2pm (New York), 7pm (Ire)
Our in-person family gatherings
Our TEDx talk about family gatherings
Family spelling variants includes Stephenson, Stephinson, Steavenson, Steevenson, Stevinson, Steveson, Steenson, Stenson, Stimpson
STEVENSON Family History
This interesting medieval surname, with some twenty nameholders recorded in the British "Dictionary of National Biography", is one of the patronymic forms of the personal name "Steven or Stephen". This name of ancient Greek origins, dates from the pre-Christian period, and translates as "The Crown", a meaning which no doubt contributed to its popularity over the many centuries. It first became really popular in Northern Europe during and after the famous "Crusades" to the Holy Land in the 11th and 12th centuries, when soldiers returning from these wars gave their children Hebrew and Greek names in honour of their fathers achievements...
Stevenson (Variants: Variants: Stephenson, Stephinson, Steavenson, Steevenson, Stevinson, Steveson, Steenson, Stenson, Stimpson)
An English relationship name from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Steven, Stephen + -son. Also Scottish and Northern English patronymic from the personal name Steven. Deriving from 'the son of Steven'.
As a North American surname, it has assimilated some European cognates such as Stefan and Steffen and their derivatives.
This surname is also very common in Northern Ireland, where it has been interchangeable with Steenson and Stinson.
An English locative name from Stevenstone (Devon).
Early bearers of the surname include: Adam Steveneson, 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Essex); Johannes Stevinson', 1377 in Poll Tax (Clennell, Northumb); Willelmus Stevensone, 1377 in Poll Tax (Watnall Chaworth, Notts); Thomas Stevenson', 1379 in Poll Tax (Sheffield, WR Yorks); Johannes Stevenson', 1381 in Poll Tax (Cottingham, ER Yorks); Willelmus Stevenson', 1381 in Poll Tax (Boston, Lincs); Edward Stephenson, 1543 in IGI (North Elmham, Norfolk); Anthony Stephenson, 1562 in IGI (Hurworth on Tees, Durham); Margrett Stephenson, 1568 in IGI (Wingerworth, Derbys).
In 1891, the surname was recorded in England and Wales with 12,737 occurrences and an abundant 6,716 occurrences in Scotland.
In 1881, the surname was frequent in central Scotland, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It was also a top surname in the county of Nottinghamshire with 1,065 occurrences.
In 1881, Coal Miner, Farmer and Labourer were the top 3 reported jobs. The most common Stevenson occupation in the UK was Coal Miner. A less common occupation was Agricultural Labourer.
David Stevenson, a Scottish convict from Edinburgh, was transported aboard the "Albion" on 29 May 1828, settling in New South Wales, Australia.
Thomas Stevenson (1818-1887), Scottish engineer and meteorologist, born in Edinburgh.
Hilda Stevenson (1893-1987) was an Australian philanthropist and community worker. Her father, Hugh Victor McKay, was an Australia industrialist known for his invention of the first commercially viable combine harvester.
1881, 1891 Census
1881 Census in Nottinghamshire
Dictionary of American Family Homes, P Hanks OUP 2003
Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, H.B. Guppy, London 1890
The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, P.Hanks, Coats, McClure OUP 2016
1860 Lower, Mark A Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom, London: J.R Smith. Public Domain
1857 Arthur, William An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain
Select Audience
Anyone on or off Wales101 -
Your friends on Wales101 -
Only show to some friends -
Only me
Only you can see your post
Tag People
Kane William
John Micky
John william
John Smith
Create Life Event
Carol Stevenson
Gerard Stevenson
Susan Stevenson
Areas of Origin for STEVENSON
Invite more STEVENSON family members!
Write an email address and click 'Invite' to share this page with more members of the STEVENSON tribe.
Log in or Register to invite others
Family Coat of Arms Generator
Why not see what your family crest could look like based on your own family characteristics?
Create CrestJoin the Irish Learning Rooms
Show off the STEVENSON Family Crest…
Wear your crest with pride...plenty of products to choose from


text:
Looking for a little color and variety in your tabletop? Brazil's mixed packs of bowls, plates, platters, and ramekins come with four vibrant color variations. The four colors, autumn green, spring coral, yellow, and violet impart a cultural perception with sophistication in mind.
Brazil Colors | Autumn Green, Spring Coral, Violet, Yellow |
Warranty and Returns
Elite Global Solutions agrees to extend a limited two-year warranty against breakage on all products. All Elite Global Solutions melamine must be handled as any other quality dinnerware and serveware. Chipping and scratching are not included in this warranty and are considered regular wear and tear to our product over time. Damage to our product from serrated knives or other forms of cutlery are not included in this warranty. Deterioration to our product from chlorine or bleach-based chemical exposure is not included in this warranty. Oven and microwave damage are not included in this warranty. Products returned to Elite Global Solutions because of damage will be inspected before any credit or replacement products are offered. Cast aluminum products must be hand washed. Our cast aluminum products carry a limited two-year warranty as long as the products are not subjected to machine washing.
Authorization must be obtained from Elite Global Solutions prior to any return. No return will be accepted without proper written authorization from Elite Global Solutions. Authorized returns must be shipped prepaid by the buyer. Elite Global Solutions is not responsible for any freight charges on returned items. All returned items must be unused and in their original packaging and subject to a 20% restocking fee. Once the product is received in good condition and the return is approved, a credit memo will be issued for the purchase price less any applicable fees. No cash refunds will be issued. On any return, Elite Global Solutions' customer service department must be notified within 30 days from the original shipment. No returns accepted after 30 days. The Return Merchandise Authorization ( RMA ) will expire if goods are not returned within 30 days of issuance of the RMA. Special orders, including ordering over regular stock quantities, and custom items, may not be returned under any circumstances.
Care and Use
All Melamine products are BPA-free. Melamine is not to be used in the microwave or oven. For best results, use only non-abrasive plastic pads or a plastic-type bristle to clean or remove dried food. Harsh or abrasive cleaners, steel wool or metal scouring pads are not recommended for melamine products. Melamine is commercial dishwasher safe. However, on low temp dishwashers, avoid excessive use of chlorine over 100ppm, or bleach. Please consult your chemical specialist for the best solution made specifically for use on melamine and other plastic products. Pre-soak melamine products, if necessary, in a high-quality pre-soak dishwashing detergent. Serrated knives will damage products over time.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When Process Servers Visit
Dealers should be concerned when served with legally enforceable demands, subpoenas and garnishments.
June 20, 2013
Dealers may not be familiar with the term "compulsory process" but a dealership's general office probably sees forms of it from time to time.
We're referring to legally enforceable demands, subpoenas and employee garnishments.
Dealers should be concerned when served with subpoenas seeking records of customers and employees or with garnishments demanding that employee wages be withheld.
Clearly, you want to make sure the orders are properly handled to protect against potential liability. A manager should be charged with ensuring compliance. The compulsory process document should be logged in and reviewed.
The first question to ask is whether it is legally binding. Responding to a subpoena that is not enforceable could be a basis for a claim by an employee or customer that the dealer improperly breached its obligations to protect non-public personal information.
Dealers know the potential fallout of improperly withholding money from an employee. Any questions should be directed to knowledgeable legal counsel. If the compulsory process must be answered, the response should be delegated to a responsible employee. The manager should follow up until the dealership has complied with its obligations.
However, a proper response is not the only area of concern. A dealer should carefully track all received compulsory processes. A pattern of them may tell you of a situation in the dealership that requires attention. Here are some examples of that:
An occasional subpoena from law enforcement for deal records is not unusual. However, if the dealership is receiving subpoenas seeking multiple deal records, you may want to investigate.
For instance, in money-laundering investigations, law enforcement officers question drug dealers and other felons about what they do with their cash. Authorities almost always ask where the felons buy their cars. A series of subpoenas seeking deal records may indicate investigators are looking at the dealership's sales activities. It may indicate an employee is acting improperly.
Law enforcement subpoenas for employee records may indicate that law enforcement is looking at dealership employees for potential wrongdoing. Wrongdoers in the dealership don't usually focus their attention solely on victims outside the dealership. You will definitely want to find out why employees are subjects of interest.
Identity theft is the most commonly committed financial crime today. A series of subpoenas or other forms of compulsory process seeking information concerning ID theft victims could indicate a problem in the dealership.
There may be employees operating or cooperating with an ID theft ring. There simply may be employees who are not careful with dealership records. These potential problems are a serious concern for the dealership.
Sometimes employees have disputes with creditors. An isolated garnishment probably is not something to worry about. However, if the dealership gets a series of garnishments for an employee, especially someone such as a cashier or parts-department employee who has access to valuables, you will want to give the situation some attention.
If you receive subpoenas or civil investigative demands for a wide range of information about the policies or practices of the dealership, you definitely should consult with knowledgeable counsel.
In such cases, the dealership itself probably is the subject of interest. Discuss with your lawyer whether the compulsory process is proper and whether you should file an appropriate challenge to some or all of the demands. Explore whether your lawyer should discuss cooperation with the investigation and raise the issue of seeking a resolution.
Michael Charapp is a lawyer who represents auto dealers. Based in McLean, VA, he is at 703- 564-0220 and [email protected].
Read more about:
2013About the Author(s)
You May Also Like


text:
Merveilles Oval Ring
- 18k Gold
- Pink Quartz
- 0.40 ct Round Diamond
- 0.25 ct Diamond Marquise
Fine jewelry should last a lifetime with proper care. Here are a few tips to ensure your jewelry stays in perfect condition.
When cleaning your jewelry at home, brush it with a very soft brush (such as an old toothbrush) in lukewarm soapy water and dry it off with a soft cloth.
Keep your jewelry well away from chemicals, especially chlorine. Additionally avoid exposing your jewelry to hair spray, perfume and nail polish remover which can cause discoloration and deterioration of gold as well as dull enamel. Bathe and apply lotion before putting your jewelry on.
Take your jewelry off before sleeping, cooking and exercising to avoid it being hit, scratched or twisted.Even diamonds can chip if they are hit at the right angle. Mishandled jewelry may lead to the loss of a stone or even an entire piece.
Make sure your chains are fastened and individually stored to avoid tangling.
Store your jewelry in its original packaging away from sunlight, excessive heat and damp conditions.
Please note all orders are processed pending item availability and credit card verification (for first time international orders). You will be contacted if there are any issues with your order.
All items are made-to-order (except items mentioned on our ready to ship page). All items require approximately 10 working days to be produced. If you need an order by a specific date, please contact us mailto:email@example.com. We would be happy to assist you.
For items that are in stock and ready to ship, processing may take up to 3 business days. As soon as your order is shipped, you will receive an automated email with tracking information.
Once the package is delivered to the courier company, Joanna Dahdah Ltd Cie will not be held accountable for any delays in delivering the order.
If you are in a hurry to receive your order, we suggest you shop in our Ready to Ship section or purchase a Gift Card.
We ship internationally; the shipping fee will be calculated at check-out. Any taxes or customs duties incurred are covered by Joanna Dahdah ltd cie.
All international orders are considered final sale once shipped and are therefore ineligible for refund or exchange. Some exceptions may apply.
No returns will be accepted for any special orders, customized or engraved pieces.
All fine jewelry orders are shipped insured and require a signature upon delivery.
If your order has shipped you will receive an automated email with your tracking number.
You may also reach out to mailto:email@example.com for an update.


text:
The Screen Actors Guild is recognizing Carol Burnett for her six decades in entertainment.
The actors' union announced Monday that Burnett will receive its 52nd Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual SAG Awards in January.
Union President Ken Howard said the 82-year-old entertainer is "a creative dynamo and a comedic genius."
Burnett got her start on stage, where TV talent bookers spotted her. She joined the cast of "The Garry Moore Show" in 1959. She launched "The Carol Burnett Show" in 1967, which ran for 11 years and won 25 Emmy Awards.
Burnett is working on a book about the success of her show set to be published next year. Her recent TV credits include appearances on "Glee" and "Hot in Cleveland."
Copyright AP - Associated Press


text:
I know I've been close to radio silence here on the FtB lately. I've found a lot of the fighting going on in my pages about Shermer a bit triggery, but mostly I've been getting ready for and recovering from the oral defense of my Comprehensive Exams.
Yes. I am All But Dissertation or, as I plan to sign only the most ridiculous things I talk about: Ashley F. Miller, almost PhD. Of course, there's that pesky dissertation thing between me and making everyone call me doctor. And I'm starting a CAREER sort of job tomorrow, but I got this.
In light of the serious scholarly weight I've been carrying around with me this last month, I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about something not terribly deep at all. My love for Karaoke. Consider this a love letter, of sorts.
I have been having a rough couple weeks, but I've had the opportunity to go to karaoke frequently with people I like a great deal, so that's been good. It occurred to me that the rules of karaoke and how I approach it are very different from the way I do most things in life. There are unwritten rules, the most important of which is that Taste Doesn't Matter. This is really weird for me because I am highly critical, but when I go to karaoke that part of my mind almost totally shuts down. I mean, I still notice when something I don't like is happening, but it generally doesn't matter very much. No amount of anxiety meds or alcohol or CBT has ever been able to shut off my obsessive-compulsive noticing of flaws, but karaoke very nearly does.
Karaoke is about supporting people doing something they enjoy, whether you would normally enjoy it or not — in exchange, they support you when it's your turn. Don't like the song or the genre of music? Too bad, support them anyway. Don't think they can sing? Too bad, sing along. Think "Blurred Lines" is quasi-date-rape-y? Too bad, sing the "hey hey hey". They are butchering a song you wanted to sing later? Too bad, clap for them and find a new song. They're too drunk to read the screen and don't know any of the words? Sing along in the audience to help them out.
This rule applies to the performance as well. You want to do something that's fun for the room. You're not obligated to, you can sing whatever you want, and not all audiences are alike. One group might be very impressed by your rendition of a slow Adele song while another much prefers over-the-top cock rock. You can't always know this, but when you do, aim for helping them have a good time with your performance. Do you think "I'm Too Sexy" is a great song? Of course not — but that doesn't mean it's not fun. Many of the best karaoke songs are songs you'd probably be embarrassed to admit to liking. Want to do something weird? Own it. Someone having fun on stage trumps everything.
This is the only rule of karaoke. Unconditionally love and support the singer, even and especially when that singer is you. That's the reason it's fun, because it isn't about being good, it's about the shared performance of audience and singer. Oh, it might be great to be the best singer in the room or give the most convincing air guitar, but, when done right, karaoke should be just as much fun when you aren't singing as when you are. And that's my karaoke wisdom, do with it what you will — Ashley F. Miller, almost PhD.


text:
Text input
"Compiling" Music
LilyPond is a compiled system: it is run on a text file describing the music. The resulting output is viewed on-screen or printed. In some ways, LilyPond is more similar to a programming language than graphical score editing software.
You do not write music by dragging notes from a graphical toolbar and placing them on a dynamically refreshing score; you write music by typing text. This text is interpreted (or "compiled") by LilyPond, which produces beautifully engraved sheet music.
People accustomed to graphical user interfaces might need to learn a new way of working, but the results are definitely worth it!
Note: We present a quick overview of our text input – it's not as complicated as it sounds! Don't worry about understanding every detail in these examples; our beginner documentation covers everything at a much more gradual pace.
It's as simple as A B C
Notes are encoded with letters and numbers. Special commands are entered with backslashes.
Alterations are made with different names: add -is
sharp, and -es
for flat (these are Dutch note names, other
languages are available). LilyPond figures out where to put
Pop music
Put chords and lyrics together to get a lead sheet:
Orchestral parts
The input file contains the notes of piece of music. Score and parts can be made from a single input file, so that changing a note always affects the score and parts. To be able to include the same music in multiple places, the music is assigned to a "variable" (a name).
This variable is then used in a single part (here transposed, with condensed rests spanning several measures):
The same variable is used in the full score (here in concert pitch):
Beginner Documentation
We realize that many users find this way of entering music a bit odd. For this reason, we have written extensive documentation to help new users, beginning with Learning. The Learning Manual is the best place to start, as many questions are answered before they come up!
Occasionally new users are unnecessarily confused by some aspects of LilyPond's behavior. Please read this manual before doubting whether LilyPond is working correctly.
More in-depth information is available in Manuals.
Ben Lemon, a LilyPond user, has created a range of video tutorials on his blog and which are aimed at new users.
Easier editing environments
LilyPond is primarily concerned with producing top-quality engraved sheet music; creating a Graphical User Interface (GUI) would distract us from this goal. However, there are other projects aimed at making it easier to create LilyPond input files.
Some editing environments include syntax highlighting, automatic command completion, and pre-made templates. Other programs actually provide a GUI which allows direct manipulation of a graphical score. For more information, see Easier editing.
Where now?
You are now ready to Download LilyPond. Still not convinced? Read about Easier editing.


text:
The school holidays just ended and we are back from a little winter break with our boys. After few days at home with them (with a lot of rain in The Netherlands) we spontaneously decided to leave. In only 3,5h drive from home we were at little village in Germany with snow and son! The fresh air and the blue sky! It was exactly what we needed….
It's a new week and time for our Monday inspiration. I thought, let's start this week with fresh white and different tones of blue from Rafa-kids collection. Do you know that we carry some beautiful stonewashed linen bedding? I wanted to add beautiful lightweight texture and comfort to our furniture collection. Pure linen fabric is pre-washed in the production process and guarantees extra softness, luxurious comfort and sweet dreams to you and your loved ones. We are proud to have also especially made for Rafa-kids - junior size stonewashed linen bedding . And this blue colour of linen is just divine for the coming Summer, don't you think ?
Our Blueberry wool blanket is not only for winter, since it keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Wool is a natural "high-performance" fabric – it's naturally good for your skin and body. I am constantly stunned that all these products do not only look so beautiful, but are made with a lot of care and are so good for us.
I can only say - Let's treat ourself well!


text:
Components of placebo effect: randomised controlled trial in patients with irritable bowel syndrome
BMJ 2008; 336 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39524.439618.25 (Published 01 May 2008) Cite this as: BMJ 2008;336:999- Ted J Kaptchuk, associate professor of medicine1,
- John M Kelley, assistant professor of psychology and statistics2,
- Lisa A Conboy, instructor of medicine1,
- Roger B Davis, associate professor of medicine and biostatistics3,
- Catherine E Kerr, instructor of medicine1,
- Eric E Jacobson, lecturer4,
- Irving Kirsch, professor of psychology5,
- Rosa N Schyner, research associate1,
- Bong Hyun Nam, research fellow1,
- Long T Nguyen, research fellow1,
- Min Park, research coordinator1,
- Andrea L Rivers, research coordinator1,
- Claire McManus, research coordinator1,
- Efi Kokkotou, assistant professor of medicine3,
- Douglas A Drossman, professor of medicine6,
- Peter Goldman, professor emeritus 7,
- Anthony J Lembo, assistant professor of medicine3
- 1Osher Research Center, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- 2Endicott College, 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
- 3Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- 4Department of Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- 5Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX
- 6Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27699, USA
- 7Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence to: T J Kaptchuk ted_kaptchuk{at}hms.harvard.edu
- Accepted 2 March 2008
Objective To investigate whether placebo effects can experimentally be separated into the response to three components—assessment and observation, a therapeutic ritual (placebo treatment), and a supportive patient-practitioner relationship—and then progressively combined to produce incremental clinical improvement in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. To assess the relative magnitude of these components.
Design A six week single blind three arm randomised controlled trial.
Setting Academic medical centre.
Participants 262 adults (76% women), mean (SD) age 39 (14), diagnosed by Rome II criteria for and with a score of ≥150 on the symptom severity scale.
Interventions For three weeks either waiting list (observation), placebo acupuncture alone ("limited"), or placebo acupuncture with a patient-practitioner relationship augmented by warmth, attention, and confidence ("augmented"). At three weeks, half of the patients were randomly assigned to continue in their originally assigned group for an additional three weeks.
Main outcome measures Global improvement scale (range 1-7), adequate relief of symptoms, symptom severity score, and quality of life.
Results At three weeks, scores on the global improvement scale were 3.8 (SD 1.0) v 4.3 (SD 1.4) v 5.0 (SD 1.3) for waiting list versus "limited" versus "augmented," respectively (P<0.001 for trend). The proportion of patients reporting adequate relief showed a similar pattern: 28% on waiting list, 44% in limited group, and 62% in augmented group (P<0.001 for trend). The same trend in response existed in symptom severity score (30 (63) v 42 (67) v 82 (89), P<0.001) and quality of life (3.6 (8.1) v 4.1 (9.4) v 9.3 (14.0), P<0.001). All pairwise comparisons between augmented and limited patient-practitioner relationship were significant: global improvement scale (P<0.001), adequate relief of symptoms (P<0.001), symptom severity score (P=0.007), quality of life (P=0.01).Results were similar at six week follow-up.
Conclusion Factors contributing to the placebo effect can be progressively combined in a manner resembling a graded dose escalation of component parts. Non-specific effects can produce statistically and clinically significant outcomes and the patient-practitioner relationship is the most robust component.
Trial registration Clinical Trials NCT00065403.
Aside from the provision of a specific therapeutic regimen, a medical encounter might elicit non-specific or contextual benefits or what are most often called placebo effects. Experimental settings seek to contain these "nuisance" effects with placebo controls. Such non-specific effects in a clinical setting can theoretically be separated into three components: a patient's response to observation and assessment (Hawthorne effects), the patient's response to the administration of a therapeutic ritual (placebo treatment), and the patient's response to the patient-practitioner interaction.1 2 3 We tested this by determining whether these distinct potential contributions to clinical care can be separated and then combined incrementally under controlled conditions to produce progressive improvement in clinical outcomes in a manner resembling a graded dose escalation of component parts. We also quantified the extent to which the patient-practitioner relationship enhances the effects of a placebo treatment alone and whether a placebo intervention is more effective than no treatment/natural course of the illnessalone.
We carried out the trial on patients with irritable bowel syndrome. This is a chronic, functional gastrointestinal disorder characterised by recurrent abdominal pain and disturbed bowel function—that is, diarrhoea, constipation, or alternation between the two.4 Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the top 10 reasons for seeking primary care and is the reason for nearly a third of all consultations with gastroenterologists,5 with an estimated direct and indirect cost in the eight major industrial countries of over $41bn (£20bn, €27bn).6 Irritable bowel syndrome seemed a suitabledisease to study because previous randomised controlled trials of treatments have shown a large positive response (about 40%) in placebo groups.7 This also suggests that it might be possible to show a graded response when the three hypothetical non-specific components of the clinical encounter were added individually or in combinations.
Study design
We conducted this randomised controlled trial in a single centre in 262 participants over two study periods of three weeks (fig 1)⇓ For the first three week period, participants were randomised to one of three groups: a "waiting list" that controlled for any effects of assessment and observation (Hawthorne effects) as well as the effects of the natural course of the illnessand regression to the mean; "limited interaction," providing placebo treatment with minimal interaction with the practitioner; or "augmented interaction," providing placebo treatment with a defined positive patient-practitioner relationship. Our placebo treatment was delivered with a validated sham acupuncture device. We therefore assumed that the three study groups represented the successive addition of the three postulated elements of the non-specific clinical interactions: group 1 (waiting list) having only observation alone, group 2 (limited) adding a dummy treatment, and group 3 (augmented) adding a warm, empathetic, and confident patient-practitioner relationship. All participants were evaluated at entry to the trial and after three and six weeks.
At the end of the first three week period, participants in groups 2 (limited) and 3 (augmented) were, without their knowledge, randomised a second time in equal numbers either to continue with sham acupuncture or to receive genuine acupuncture. Patient-practitioner relationships for these groups, however, remained the same. (Results of this nested secondary study, comparing acupuncture and sham acupuncture, in the second three week period will be reported elsewhere.) Data from patients in groups 2 and 3 who remained on placebo for the second period, however, again as planned prospectively, are included in this report. Participants in group 1 (waiting list) remained on the list for the second three week period. Results at three weeks provided data for the primary end point; those who remained on placebo for the additional three weeks served to provide observations on non-specific effects over time.
We randomly assigned participants to the three study arms using permuted block randomisation with variable block sizes and assignments provided in sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelopes. An administrative assistant, not otherwise involved in the study, opened the assignment envelopes and recorded the assignment of each participant in a confidential log. At three weeks, we used similar methods to randomise patients in the sham acupuncture groups to continue sham acupuncture or to switch to genuine acupuncture. This randomisation was stratified by the level of abdominal pain at the three week visit (<30 v ≥30 on a 100 point visual analogue scale).
Participants were recruited from advertisements in the media, fliers, and referrals from health professionals, were all at least 18 years old, and met the Rome II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome8 with a score of ≥150 on the symptom severity scale.9 We excluded patients if they had unexplained findings such as weight loss >10% body weight, fever, blood in stools, family history of colon cancer, or inflammatory bowel disease; they were also excluded if they had previously received acupuncture. The diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome was based on typical symptoms and confirmed by a board certified gastroenterologist experienced in functional bowel disorders (AL) who also judged the exclusion of patients with alarm symptoms.10 11 Participants were allowed to continue medications for irritable bowel syndrome taken before entering the study (such as fibre, anti-spasmodics, and loperamide) if this therapeutic regimen had remained constant for at least the previous 30 days and they agreed to keep the regimen constant during the trial.
Intervention components
Group 1 (waiting list)
Participants had neither placebo treatment nor interaction with a healthcare practitioner but, like other participants, were assessed at baseline and at three and six weeks.
Group2 (limited interaction)
Participants received a placebo intervention and "limited" interaction with a practitioner (see below).
We chose dummy acupuncture for our placebo because the evidence is that acupuncture has high placebo effects.12 The validated sham acupuncture is indistinguishable from acupuncture itself.13 (The shaft of the sham device does not actually pierce the skin but creates the illusion of doing so because it retracts into a hollow handle; a small plastic mount and surgical tape hold the sham needle in place). Placebo treatments were performed twice a week, a schedule similar to that used by many acupuncturists. At each session, six to eight dummy needles were placed for 20 minutes over predetermined non-acupuncture points on the arms, legs, and abdomen; this intervention was the same for groups 2 (limited) and 3 (augmented).
Thelimited patient-practitioner relationship was established at the initial visit (duration <5 minutes) during which practitioners introduced themselves and stated they had reviewed the patient's questionnaire and "knew what to do." They then explained that this was "a scientific study" for which they had been "instructed not to converse with patients." The placebo needles were then placed, and the patient left alone in a quiet room for 20 minutes, a common acupuncture practice, after which the practitioner returned to remove the "needles." Subsequent visits were scheduled twice a week for 20 minutes. At week three, participants completed assessments and those randomised to continue the placebo treatment received an additional six sham treatments.
Group 3 (augmented interaction)
Participants in group 3 (augmented) also received six sessions of placebo acupuncture under the same conditions and in the same room(s) as group 2. Unlike participants in group 2 (limited), however, they received an augmented patient-practitioner relationship that began at the initial visit (45 minutes' duration) and was structured with respect to both content (four primary discussions) and style (five primary points). Content included questions concerning symptoms, how irritable bowel syndrome related to relationships and lifestyle, possible non-gastrointestinal symptoms, and how the patient understood the "cause" and "meaning" of his or her condition. The interviewer incorporated at least five primary behaviours including: a warm, friendly manner; active listening (such as repeating patient's words, asking for clarifications); empathy (such as saying "I can understand how difficult IBS must be for you"); 20 seconds of thoughtful silence while feeling the pulse or pondering the treatment plan; and communication of confidence and positive expectation ("I have had much positive experience treating IBS and look forward to demonstrating that acupuncture is a valuable treatment in this trial"). We based this intervention model on research concerning an optimal patient-practitioner relationship.14 15 Only after completing this nine item agenda did the acupuncturist place the placebo needles and leave the participant in a quiet room for 20 minutes. On returning, the practitioner "removed" the placebo needles and exchanged a few words of encouragement. Specific cognitive and behavioural interventions that might be beneficial for irritable bowel syndrome (such as relaxation,16 cognitive behavioural therapy,17 or education/counselling18) were not allowed.
Practitioners for group 2 and 3
The practitioners in this study consisted of four licensed acupuncturists, all of whom had participated in previous randomised placebo controlled trials on acupuncture. The practitioners' training followed methods described in earlier studies of structured patient-physician interactions.19 Practitioners received 20 hours of training to ensure they were able to create the two different clinical contexts. They were instructed in advance on the "scripts" for their interactions with the two treated groups by means of a training manual, a video of model sessions, and by role playing with both simulated and real patients. During the trial, practitioners also received routine feedback from the videotaping of all sessions, which was used to score adherence to protocol (see below). Practitioners never had contact with participants in group 1 (waiting list).
Informed consent and blinding
All participants gave written informed consent, but the consent disclosure omitted certain descriptors of the trial to protect the study's scientific validity. Thus, participants were told that the trial was a placebo controlled study of acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome and were completely unaware of the study's primary aim to examine placebo effects.
Although the trial was prospectively designed to investigate non-specific effects in irritable bowel syndrome, its design included a nested acupuncture substudy that allowed potential participants in the "treatment" arms to be told, truthfully, that they had a 50% chance of receiving genuine acupuncture during the trial. When the study ended, a letter was sent to all participants explaining the exact purpose of the study and offering them the opportunity to withdraw their original consent to use their data. All study personnel, except the practitioners, were blinded to participant assignment. Blinded registered nurses who were otherwise unconnected to the study conducted assessments.
Adherence to treatment
We evaluated the adherence of practitioners to protocols by videotaping all treatment sessions, of which 102 (10% of the sample) were randomly selected for evaluation. We used a well established procedure.19 20 Two research assistants otherwise unconnected with the trial separately rated each session. Reliability between raters was high (κ=0.92), and 97% of sessions were rated as adherent.
Outcome assessments
Following validated procedures in research on irritable bowel syndrome, our a priori primary outcome was a change from baseline at three weeks in the global improvement scale, which asks participants, "Compared to the way you felt before you entered the study, have your IBS symptoms over the past 7 days been: (1)=substantially worse, (2)=moderately worse, (3)=slightly worse, (4)=no change, (5)=slightly improved, (6)=moderately improved, or (7)=substantially improved."21 22 Our other main outcome was adequate relief, which is a single dichotomous categorisation that asks participants "Over the past week have you had adequate relief of your IBS symptoms?"23 24 Neither of these primary outcomes were measured at baseline. Our other two outcomes were the symptom severity scale and the quality of life scale. The symptom severity scale is a questionnaire that measures the sum of the participant's evaluation on a 100 point scale of each of five items: severity of abdominal pain, frequency of abdominal pain, severity of abdominal distension, dissatisfaction with bowel habits, and interference with quality of life.9 All five components contribute equally to the score, yielding a theoretical range of 0-500, in which a higher score indicates a more severe condition. The quality of life scale is a 34 item assessment of the degree to which the condition interferes with a patient's quality of life. Each item is rated on a five point Likert scale and a linear transformation yields a summed score with a theoretical range of 0 to 100, a higher score indicating better quality of life.25 Side effects were recorded at each assessment.
Statistical analysis
We estimated a priori that a sample size of 262 would provide 95% power for finding a significant difference in scores on the global improvement scale at three weeks if the augmented, limited, and waiting list groups reported improvements of 50%, 40%, and 25%, respectively. Even if the rates were only 20%, 15%, and 10%, respectively, however, a sample size of 87 per group would afford a power of 55%. We replaced missing data from dropouts using the last observation carried forward method. We did not, however, carry forward a baseline observation to week six if a participant missed assessments at both three and six weeks.
The primary test for each outcome measure was a test of trend examining the ordered alternative hypothesis, waiting list (group 1)<limited (group 2)<augmented (group 3). For dichotomous measures, we used Cochran-Armitage tests. For continuous measures, we used a Wald test from ordinary least squares regression models with two independent variables: a treatment group variable (coded waiting list=1; limited=2; augmented=3) and the baseline (before treatment) value of the outcome variable. Using a Bonferroni correction, we considered P<0.0125 (two sided) to be significant for each test of trend. To better describe the association between group and outcome, if the trend test was significant we conducted pairwise comparisons of the groups—that is, augmented v limited and limited v waiting list. For the dichotomous outcomes we used Pearson χ2 tests, and for the continuous outcomes we used Tukey tests from analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), again using the baseline measures of the outcome variables as the covariate. All analyses were carried out on an intention to treat basis.
Study population
Between December 2003 and February 2006, we screened 350 prospective participants of whom 289 were eligible. We randomised 262 people into the three groups. (Simultaneously, we randomly selected an additional 27 patients to participate in a parallel qualitative study of identical assessments and treatments that also included a series of interviews on their experiences. Prospectively, these participants were considered a separate study.) At baseline the three groups were well balanced with regard to demographics, psychiatric symptoms (as measured by the Beck anxiety index and the Maier subscale of the Carroll depression scale), type of irritable bowel syndrome, and quality of life score (table 1)⇓, though the limited group had lower symptom severity scale scores. Our data analysis plan included the use of analysis of covariance for continuous measures such as the symptom severity scale. This adjusts for baseline differences between individuals and thus provides a statistical control for group differences when randomisation does not succeed in producing completely balanced groups on baseline measures.
Outcomes at three weeks
The observed values for all outcome measures were consistent with our prediction of a progressive improvement in symptoms among the three groups such that waiting list was less effective than limited, which was less effective than augmented. As indicated in table 2⇓ and figure 2⇓ the test of trend for each of the outcome measures was significant (P<0.001). For the global improvement scale and the adequate relief of symptoms, each of the pairwise comparisons (augmented v limited and limited v waiting list) was significant (P<0.001). For the symptom severity score, the augmented group improved significantly more than the limited group (P=0.007), but the limited and waiting list groups were not significantly different (P=0.20). We observed the same pattern for quality of life (P=0.01 and P=0.58). The proportions of patients reporting moderate or substantial improvement on the global improvement scale were 3% (waiting list), 20% (limited), and 37% (augmented) (P<0.001).
Outcomes at six weeks
For participants in the augmented and limited groups, the follow-up evaluation was limited to those who were randomised to continue placebo treatments. As can be seen in table 2 and figure 3, each of the tests for trend at week six was significant.⇑ ⇓ Moreover, except for quality of life where improvement in the waiting list group was similar to that in the limited group, the observed values for all outcome measures were consistent with our a priori prediction of order of improvement.
Adverse effects
More than 80% of patients reported no side effects. The most common side effects included pain during needle placement (10%) and redness or swelling (6%) or pain (5%) after needle removal. At the three week assessment, 2% of patients reported that they considered increased constipation, increased diarrhoea, and dry mouth as probably caused by the treatment. Also, up to 1% of patients reported bad dreams, loss of appetite, sleepiness, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, giddiness, weakness, dizziness, and headache as possibly related to their treatment.
At the three week end point 76% of the limited group and 84% of the augmented group thought that they had been treated with genuine acupuncture. This difference was not significant (P=0.21), suggesting that blinding was successful. In contrast, at the six week follow-up, 56% of the limited group and 84% of the augmented group thought that they had been treated with genuine acupuncture. This difference was significant (P=0.02). We could not ask any questions about participants' beliefs about their different group assignment because they were never told that the study included different patient-practitioner relationships until the study was over.
In this large prospective study of placebo effects we found that such effects can be disentangled into three components that can then be recombined to produce incremental improvement in symptoms in a manner resembling a graded dose escalation of component parts. In the pairwise comparisons, we also found that an enhanced relationship with a practitioner, together with the placebo treatment, provides the most robust effect in terms of the four measures we used. Placebo treatment with only limited interaction with practitioners was superior to staying on a waiting list with respect to only two of the four measures, suggesting that the supportive interaction with a practitioner is the most potent component of non-specific effects.
The magnitude of non-specific effects in the augmented arm is not only statistically significant but also clearly clinically significant in the management of irritable bowel syndrome. A decrease in the symptom severity score of 50 reliably indicates improvement in symptoms,9 and our study indicates that 61% and 59% of patients in the augmented arm achieved this level of improvement at three and six weeks, respectively. Likewise, the changes we observed in quality of life indicate at least moderate clinical improvement in symptoms.25 Finally, the percentage of patients reporting adequate relief (62% and 61% at three and six weeks, respectively) is comparable with the responder rate in clinical trials of drugs currently used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.26 27 These results indicate that such factors as warmth, empathy, duration of interaction, and the communication of positive expectation might indeed significantly affect clinical outcome. Future investigations will have to determine the relative importance of each of these elements of the patient-practitioner relationship.
One limitation of our study is that we could not separate the effects of observation and assessment (and related issues like reporting bias). Thus, an additional control might have been a waiting list group in which participants were followed without their knowledge. As setting up such a control group would have been operationally and ethically difficult to arrange, we believe that our waiting list group is the only feasible and best baseline control for estimating the effects of placebo treatment.
Our outcome measures were subjective rather than objective. None the less, these measures, including the global improvement scale and adequate relief of symptoms are consistent with the recommendations by the Rome committees for use in trials of irritable bowel syndrome because no objective measures of severity are currently available.28 We chose irritable bowel syndrome for this study because we suspected that non-specific effects are most likely to be demonstrable in disorders defined by subjective symptoms rather than more objective measures of disease.29 Whether our findings apply to other illnesses, including those with biochemical or other objective outcome measures, awaits further study. None the less, our study has important implications for routine clinical care and suggests that routine medical care would be less efficient if patient-practitioner interactions were reduced. Based on the results of the present study, a positive patient-practitioner relationship can make a difference.
Additionally in terms of limitations, it is unclear whether our placebo outcomes correspond to biological changes in irritable bowel syndrome or have any of the biochemical, neuroendocrine, or neuroanatomical correlates of placebo response found in recent laboratory experiments30 31 or whether our outcomes are mainly related to shifts in selective attention to diffuse symptoms.32 In either case, our study represents an incremental step in placebo studies and shows that non-specific effects have a considerable clinical impact.
What is already know on this topic
In theory, the placebo effect of the clinical encounter can be divided into the response to three main components: assessment/observation, therapeutic ritual (placebo), and patient-physician relationship
What this study adds
Three components of the medical encounter can be progressively added to produce incremental improvement in symptoms
A therapeutic ritual (placebo treatment) has a modest benefit beyond no treatment
Placebo effects produce statistically and clinically significant improvement and the patient-physician relationship is the most robust component of the placebo effect
We thank Franklin Miller, Kate Stoney, and Jongbae Park for scientific mentorship; Mary Quilty, Oriana Rodrigues, Gabriel Kaptchuk, Elizabeth Morey, and Patricia Wilkinson for research assistance; and the research nurses at the BIDMC, under the direction of Mary Williams and Jamie Vickers, and acupuncturists Stephanie Prady, Bella Rosner, and Lisa Desrosiers for all their hard work. We also thank J Thomas LaMont for his thoughtful review of the manuscript and the university seminar on effective and affordable health care at Harvard University for input on study design and analysis.
Contributors: TJK is guarantor and led the conception, design, and analysis of the study. AJL, LAC, JMK, PG, RBD, CEK, EEJ, IK, RNS, DAD, and EK contributed to conception, design, and analysis. BHN, MP, ALR, CMcM contributed to design and implementation. JMK, RBD, LAC, BHN, and LTN performed statistical analyses.
Funding: NIH grant No 1R01 AT001414-01 from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institutes of Digestive, Diabetes and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), grant No 1R21 AT002860-01 from NCCAM and the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR), and grant No 1 R21 AT002564 and 1K24 AT004095 from NCCAM. This research was also supported in part by grant RR 01032 to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) General Clinical Research Center from the NIH.
Ethical approval: Institutional review boards at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.
Competing interests: TJK is a consultant for Kan Herbal Company, Scotts Valley, CA. AL has served on the scientific advisory boards and served as a consultant for Novartis, Takeda, Sucampo, Schwarz, Salix, Microbia, and GSK. PG is a consultant for Tsumura.
Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.


text:
Gerald McConnell, or just "Jerry," illustrated well over 2000 paperback covers and was later known for his three-dimensional and prop work. He was a leader of the Graphic Artist Guild in the 1970's and '80's, and is credited with efforts in improving the protection of copyrights for illustrators, led by Tad Crawford.
He also taught at the Pratt Institute. He published several of his own books on three dimensional arts, was picture editor or art editor on various industry books; and later became a successful publisher and owner of Madison Square Press. Students at the Pratt Institute are sometimes asked to make informational projects about his life and most of them (even those who would usually prefer to order essay from writing services) are eager to participate in such an event.
Born in East Orange, New Jersey, Gerald McConnell studied at the Art Students League with Frank Reilly and simultaneously apprenticed under Dean Cornwell. It is not easy to pinpoint an influence on his work, however, since it covers such a range of stylistic approaches and applications.
Starting with Pocket Books in 1953, McConnell concentrated on Western covers for most of the major paperback publishers. When he began making assemblages in 1967, an entirely different (and better paying) group of clients became patrons. And when he won the Society of Illustrators' Hamilton King Award in 1981, it was for his ultra-rendered pencil drawing of Grand Central Terminal. A Gold Clio award was won in collaboration with photographer Cosimo Scianna on a complex construction of a mummy. Other awards include "Best in Show" of the Real Show in 1979 and numerous certificates from Art Directors Clubs. He has also exhibited his work in galleries and museums, including the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, NASA Museum and the National Parks Department in Washington.
McConnell has long been a backbone of the Society of Illustrators, serving on the Executive Committee for over ten years, as house Chairman, and as Editor of the Annual Books. He is also National Vice President of the Graphic Artist Guild, and has taught at Pratt Institute.
Of late, McConnell is concentrating on his publishing ventures, Madison Square Press, and Annuals Publishing Company.
- The Illustrators in America 1880-1980 by Walt and Roger Reed
Aside from the work he has done for most major publishing companies, advertising agencies and corporations, Mr. McConnell has exhibited In one-man and group shows In the following galleries: Greengrass, New York, N.Y. Society Of Illustrators, New York, N.Y. Fairtree, New York, N.Y. Xerox, Rochester, N.Y. General Electric, Fairfield, Ct. U.S. Air Force Museum, Dayton, Oh. Patrick Air Force Museum, Cape Canaveral, Fl. NASA Museum, Cape Canaveral, Fl. National Parks Department, Washington, D.C.
Mr. McConnell has served the following: Frank Reilly School Of Art, trustee and on its board of directors Society Of Illustrators, member since 1962, on its board of directors since 1963 and executive committee since 1967. Graphic Artists Guild, founding member in 1969, On its board of directors and executive committees since then. Currently President of the Graphic Artists Guild. During 1977-78, he was a visiting professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and taught a class on art law and business with Tad Crawford at Pratt-Phoenix in 1978-79.
Mr. McConnell has written and illustrated a book entitled Assemblage", edited by Howard Munce and published by Van Nostrand Reinhold, on three-dimensional picture making. His awards include many Certificates of Merit from The Society of Illustrators, Art Directors Clubs of New York and New Jersey and Andy. He has received The Gold Clio Award for the "Best In Consumer Print Ad" and "Best In Show" from the "Real Show" held at Grand Central Gallery.
- NASA Art Program
My background in traditional painting stems from study at the Art Students League under Frank Reilly. His course stressed the fundamentals - drawing and painting. During my last year of study I was on a half day schedule so I was able also to work as quasi-apprentice to Dean Cornwell. Though I had no desire to imitate Mr. Cornwell's style, observing him at work was a most beneficial experience. His approval, when it came, was a great confidence-builder. At the time I started freelancing realistic painting was the usual approach. Fortunately, because of my training, I felt at ease with my earliest assignments.
Product rendering has never been my favorite form of expression. However, there is always need for this type of work and it is financially rewarding. The example I've included here was part of a campaign for Grey Advertising, which I worked on in conjunction with another New York illustrator, Howard Koslow, an expert in this area. Howard taught me a great deal about that handy tool, the airbrush. On this assignment I also did the lettering. It took me as long as the rest of the job. As in all product-rendering, the idea was to make the pack and the cigarettes look better than they would have in photography. This can be achieved with modified perspective, elimination of unnecessary detail and adjustment of color values so they will appear cleaner and slicker in reproduction.
The dragon with the flower was a cover for Bell Magazine, published by A.T.& T. It was done with Designers colors and dyes. The three elements were selected by the art director to represent Red China. After gathering the reference material I made a detailed drawing of each object, establishing light and shadow patterns. I projected these onto double weight illustration board and painted the background dark, so that I could adjust all my values against it. I then painted both the dragon and the flower with dyes, which gave the brilliance I wanted. I did the final details with opaque colors.
The picture containing the F4C fighter plane was done from scrap gathered in England. I was there for the Air Force to visit several British and American air bases, in order to paint the F4C in action. This particular painting was of a small 16th century church situated at the end of one of the runways near Little Stukeley. It was ironic to note that the plane was already being phased out of use while the church would probably, if not destroyed by vibration, remain indefinitely. The 40" high painting was done with opaque Designers colors.
The barn door and chain, one of my Sunday attempts at therapy, was a joy to do-no art director, no client just myself to please. This was also painted with Designers colors on board. It's just a bit under life-size.
All my paintings in this manner begin with numerous pencil sketches with many design adjustments. When the final solution is reached, I transfer it to illustration board by use of a Balopticon and do a very finished pencil drawing, which is then well fixed. I then cover the entire board with an overall tone which will set the color and mood of the painting. That done, I restate the larger areas with more opaque paint to the exact color and value needed, after which I proceed to the remaining areas, bringing the degree of finish up to my center of interest.
- Gerald McConnell
Copyright © 2022 geraldmcconnell.org
All Rights Reserved. Publishers' names and logos are trademarks of their respective holders. This site is primarily intended for informative purposes and for commentary.


text:
Thanks to one thoughtful girl, a handful of chicks are living in paradise.
One young farmer-in-training wanted to give the creatures a safe place to nest and live, so she made use of an old play house.
What was once a toy for the girl is now a luxury apartment for bids. See the chicks' cool new pad in the video below.
Source: Girl wanted safe homes for these chicks. What she does will melt your heart! by AFV on Rumble


text:
On September 15, 1858, the new Overland Mail Company sends out its first two stages, inaugurating government mail service between the eastern and western regions of the nation.
With California booming, thanks to the 1849 Gold Rush, Americans east and west had been clamoring for faster and surer transcontinental mail service for years. Finally, in March 1857, the U.S. Congress passed an act authorizing an overland mail delivery service and a $600,000 yearly subsidy for whatever company could succeed in reliably transporting the mail twice a week from St. Louis to San Francisco in less than 25 days. The postmaster general awarded the first government contract and subsidy to the Overland Mail Company. Under the guidance of a board of directors that included John Butterfield and William Fargo, the Overland Mail Company spent $1 million improving its winding 2,800-mile route and building way stations at 10-15 mile intervals. Teams of thundering horses soon raced across the wide open spaces of the West, pulling custom-built Concord coaches with seats for nine passengers and a rear boot for the mail.
For passengers, the overland route was anything but a pleasure trip. Packed into the narrow confines of the coaches, they alternately baked or froze as they bumped across the countryside, and dust was an inescapable companion. Since the coaches traveled night and day, travelers were reluctant to stop and sleep at one of the "home stations" along the route because they risked being stranded if later stages were full. Many opted to try and make it through the three-week trip by sleeping on the stage, but the constant bumping and noise made real sleep almost impossible. Travelers also found that toilets and baths were few and far between, the food was poor and pricey, and the stage drivers were often drunk, rude, profane, or all three. Robberies and Indian attacks were a genuine threat, though they occurred far less commonly than popularly believed. The company posted guards at stations in dangerous areas, and armed men occasionally rode with the coach driver to protect passengers.
Though other faster mail delivery services soon came to compete with the Overland Mail Company—most famously the Pony Express—the nation's first regular trans-western mail service continued to operate as a part of the larger Wells, Fargo and Company operation until May 10, 1869, the day the first transcontinental railroad was completed. On that day the U.S. government cancelled its last overland mail contract.


text:
This essay hits the nail on the head, and could pretty much have appeared in the New York Times, minus some vocabulary:
"I was just watching a CNN news story about how much damage Sandy has caused in comparison to Katrina, Ike, or last year's storm that ravaged the Northeast, and it dawned on me: 'Ah, okay, being a human being on Planet Earth, pretty much no matter where you are, now involves the threat of one day having your home, city, or country decimated in a matter of hours by a severe weather event,'" Detroit resident Stacy Hillman said. "Looking at images of cities—actual American fucking cities—flooded with water is no longer an incredibly weird, unprecedented thing to see. It has happened before, it happened this week, and it will continue to happen again and again in the future, and to an even greater extent."
"So, then, I guess that what it means to be a member of human civilization has changed forever, pretty much," Hillman added. "And that this is the new world we live in."
A Reuters poll conducted earlier this week found that 43 percent of Americans reported finally accepting the fact that a potentially endless number of increasingly lethal natural disasters would likely occur throughout the coming decades, while as many as 18 percent of respondents said they were "almost relieved" knowing that the possibility of their entire life being washed away in an instant now existed.
The reason this is so perceptive is that I think that in fact, this is precisely what happened. New Yorkers especially, had a sense of invulnerability that I think hadn't yet been penetrated the way has been in so many other places. Yes, it happened in OTHER places, but not here. Now that's gone, and in its place is the shocking realization that IT REALLY CAN HAPPEN anywhere – not just in New Orleans, in Joplin, upstate, in Galveston, but everywhere. New Yorkers might have worried about security, but not about nature in the same way others have learned to. And yes, it was always everywhere, but those lessons are hard, and they shake people.
Columnist Froma Harrop wrote an excellent column about Hurricane Sandy, mentioning, among other things, that a large portion of the globe does without electricity not for a few days or weeks, but every day. Unsurprisingly, she's been attacked for being insensitive, and I can understand why traumatized people struggling without power are angry. At the same time, she's right:
Ralph Lopez totally got it. Much of the world never had electricity. Every gallon of water someone had carried from a well. And aren't those electricity-less New Yorkers — the ones living without utilities on a short-term basis — among the pampered of the earth?
Moderns have so effectively walled themselves with technology that Mother Nature must throw a tantrum to get attention. (She also does tornados, earthquakes and blizzards.) It's pointless accusing her of senseless violence. As Leonardo da Vinci said, "Nature never breaks her own laws."
Does that mean it doesn't suck, 10 days or more without power, losing your home? Of course it does. There's real tragedy, sorrow, suffering and loss of life here. But those of us who had this last year upstate can point out that we have resources that no one else does – the reality is that the housing and the FEMA trailers and the food donations come. For millions of people a year, seeing your home washed away by a storm happens and NO ONE comes with a trailer and food donations and blankets and cash. Instead, you dig out in the mud yourself and go on – or die. Climate change comes to all of us, but not equitably. And as we realize that we have entered into a permanent condition, perhaps we will also think about the ways this condition has become permanent for people with vastly fewer resources, who get little aid, and who did less to create this situation.
We can both begin to believe that it will be us again next time, and also to reach out further than we have to our neighbors, to prepare for ourselves and also to help others build resilience into this new and frightening world.


text: It's been 10 years since John Connor saved Earth from Judgment Day, and he's now living under the radar, steering clear of using anything Skynet can trace. That is, until he encounters T-X, a robotic assassin ordered to finish what T-1000 started. Good thing Connor's former nemesis, the Terminator, is back to aid the now-adult Connor … just like he promised.


text:
Types of GitHub accounts
Your user account is your identity on your GitHub Enterprise Server instance. Your user account can be a member of any number of organizations.
In this article
Personal user accounts
Every person who uses your GitHub Enterprise Server instance has their own user account, which include:
- Unlimited repositories and collaborators
- Ability to add unlimited repository collaborators
Tip: User accounts are intended for humans, but you can give one to a robot, such as a continuous integration bot, if necessary.
Organization accounts
Organizations are shared accounts where groups of people can collaborate across many projects at once. Owners and administrators can manage member access to the organization's data and projects with sophisticated security and administrative features.
Organizations include:
- Unlimited membership with a variety of roles that grant different levels of access to the organization and its data
- The ability to give members a range of access permissions to your organization's repositories
- Nested teams that reflect your company or group's structure with cascading access permissions and mentions
- The ability for organization owners to view members' two-factor authentication (2FA) status
- The option to require all organization members to use two-factor authentication


text:
Search | Welcome | About | Contact / Contribute | Citing Us | IAWA | Links |
Wood Anatomy LinksWood Collection Catalogs
Wood Collection Catalogs, General Information,
Course Materials, Nomenclature
Photographic Atlases and Identification Keys The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) offers two image databases:  1. Dendrochronological image databank which offers "1400 dendrochronological relevant pictures", that can be searched by the categories: anatomy, morphology, growth zones, taxonomy, geography, modifying factors, denatured wood (e.g., charcoal, subfossil), methods (e.g. dendrometer), scale (landscacpe, whole plant). Each image is accompanied by explanatory text.   2. The Xylem Database offers images of tree rings and wood anatomy of herbs, dwarf shrubs, shrubs and trees from arid, subtropical, temperate and boreal zones, from nearly 40 families. Photos of transverse, tangential and radial sections taken in normal and polarized light are available, and accompanied by applicable IAWA Hardwood List feature numbers and information on the species size, habitat, and geographic distribution. Microscopic Anatomy of Central European Species by Schoch,W., Heller,I., Schweingruber, F.H.,Kienast, F., 2004. "This Web-based identification key is a completely revised (text, key) and updated (more and new photographs and new anatomic items) version of the book by Schweingruber F.H., 1990: Microscopic Wood Anatomy; Structural variability of stems and twigs in recent and subfossil woods from Central Europe. 3rd edition 1990. Birmensdorf, WSL. This paper version can still be purchased" Commercial Timbers: Descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information. H.G. Richter & M.J. Dallwitz. About 160 entries, covering 340 taxa. Descriptions based on IAWA Hardwood Features. Extremely useful when verifying identification of a commercially important wood and for retrieving descriptions of commercially important woods. PALM-ID is an identification key for palm stems. Description of the key and the work done to create it are in "Thomas, Romain & Dario De Franceschi. 2013. Palm stem anatomy and computer-aided identification: The Coryphoideae (Arecaceae) American Journal of Botany 100 (2): 289-313. A pdf of a CITES Identification Guide for Tropical Woods is available. Prof. T. Itoh published descriptions of 500 Japanese tree species in Japanese, the illustrations from his publications have all been scanned and are available from the web site of the former Wood Research Institute of Kyoto University, now called Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere. Professor's Itoh's images are in the Anatomy of Japanese Hardwood database of the site. Macrographs of North American Woods, from Romeyn B. Hough's 1888 'American Woods,' a 14-volume set (25 species per volume), each 'species' page contained actual radial, tangential, and cross-sections of wood. Tree species east of the Rocky Mountains. The species names are the ones used by Hough in 1888. [Note: these images, with currently used names, also are available on the InsideWood site] The Tree Collection, Florida State University. Includes cross, radial, and tangential sections for about 50 common US woods, accompanied by an abstract of information about the particular tree. "Through the generosity of the BSA Teaching Section, BSA Education Committee and individual donors, the Botanical Society of America has made a collection of approximately 800 images available for instructional use." This Online Image Collection includes images for "Plant Anatomy" and "Xylem Development" Photographic Atlas of Plant Anatomy Nels Lersten and John Curtis, his student, were involved in plant anatomy teaching and research for more than 60 aggregate years. In the transition to retirement, it has been their intent to make images from their work available without restriction to other teachers and students of plant anatomy. Michael Nowak, a third generation student of John Curtis, was primarily responsible for implementing the website. Since 2002, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point has generously provided support and technical assistance for this unique academic resource. Most elements of plant structure are represented in this atlas, but the image set does reflect Lersten¿s and Curtis¿s research emphasis on plant secretory structures. General Information Wood Collection Catalogs, General Information, Course Materials,Nomenclature & Taxonomy IAWA Multilingual Glossary of Terms Used in Wood Anatomy 2.1 MB PDF Scanned by Guillermo AngelesRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant Micromorphology Bibliographic Database- "a database of references relevant to the anatomy and pollen/spore morphology of flowering plants, gymnosperms and ferns." An extremely useful site for finding references on wood anatomy, an extension of Mary Gregory's 1994 Bibliography of systematic wood anatomy of dicotyledons. IAWA J., Suppl. 1, 265 p. Database is searchable by family or genus. A good introduction to the basics of wood structure and properties - Wood Handbook, Chapter 03: Structure and Function of Wood Structure and Function of Wood by Alex Wiedenhoeft, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Center for Wood Anatomy Research, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. information on the collections and how to prepare samples for identification. Science of Dendrochronology. The "Ultimate Tree Ring Web Site" -- an extensive site with many many links to information related to dendrochronology. Materials for teachers, interactive pages with questions for students, and much much more. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA Gymnosperm Database edited by Christopher Earle.Descriptions (about 1000 taxa), information on the classification and ecology of gymnosperms, many images. Links for Paleobotanists provides annotated links on teaching documents, microscopy, plant anatomy, many of which are useful for courses with sections on wood structure and properties. This index is compiled and maintained by Klaus-Peter Kelber, Mineralogisches Institut, Universitat Wusrzburg, Germany. The Angiosperm Phylogeny web site (developed by Peter Stevens, Missouri Botanic Gardens) is an invaluable resource for current information on the characteristics of orders, families, and their relationships. Updated on a regular basis. The International Wood Collectors Society (IWCS) is a non-profit Society devoted to distributing information on collecting wood, correctly identifying and naming wood specimens, and using wood in creative crafts. It has a bimonthly publication "World of Wood" with articles on trees, wood, wood collecting, collecting adventures and wood crafting. The Wood Database created by Eric Meier has general articles on wood and a database with macroscopic images of commercial woods and details on their physical / mechanical properties. Course Materials Wood Collection Catalogs, General Information, Course Materials, Nomenclature & Taxonomy Wood Anatomy / Wood Science CoursesPDFs of slide sets prepared by EA Wheeler and used in an Oct. 2009. Short Course "WOOD IDENTIFICATION FOR FLOORING PROFESSIONALS" Course conducted by Wood Products Extension, N.C. State University Set 1: Names and basics of wood anatomy. 1.8 MB PDF Set 2: Brief introduction to softwoods 1.7 MB PDF Set 3: Hardwood anatomy basics for handlens identification 2.1 MB PDF Set 4: InsideWood and miscellaneous hardwood features 2.6 MB PDF If you are using the "IAWA list of microscropic features for hardwood identification" in your teaching, here are some SLIDE SETS to accompany use of the booklet. These pdf's are best downloaded with Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or more recent versions. Features 1-12. Growth rings, porosity, vessel arrangement, vessel grouping, vessel outline [2.2 MB PDF ] Features 13-39. Perforation plates, intervessel pits, vessel-ray pitting, helical thickenings in vessel elements [2.2 MB PDF ] Features 40-59. Tangential vessel diameter, vessels per square millimetre, vessels of two distinct diameter classes, tyloses and deposits in vessels, wood vesselless [864 kb PDF ] Features 60-70. Tracheids and fibres [1.8 MB PDF ] Features 75-95. Axial parenchyma [2.4 MB PDF ] Features 96-122. Rays and storied structure [2.1 MB PDF ] Features 124-135. Oil and mucilage cells, intercellular canals, tubes/tubules, cambial variants [1.1 MB PDF ] Features 136-162. Mineral inclusions [1.4 MB PDF ] Plant Anatomy and Botany Courses with Wood Anatomy / Secondary Xylem Sections Table of Contents from James Mauseth's Plant Anatomy text that complements his Plant Anatomy course. With a series of labeled micrographs with detailed figure captions. University of Texas-Austin, USA. Section on vascular tissues from Botany On-line. Alice Bergfeld - Rolf Bergmann - Peter v. Sengbusch, University of Hamburg. Germany. There are a few minor problems with the translation from German to English, but mostly good basic information. Nomenclature / Taxonomy Wood Collection Catalogs, General Information, Course Materials, Nomenclature & Taxonomy If you need to check species names of modern plants start with The Plant List which "is a working list of all known plant species. Version 1 aims to be comprehensive for species of Vascular plants (flowering plants, conifers, ferns and their allies) and of Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts). The Plant List provides the Accepted Latin name for most species, with links to all Synonyms by which that species has been known. It also includes Unresolved names for which the contributing data sources did not contain sufficient evidence to decide whether they were Accepted or Synonyms."W3 TROPICOS "provides access to the Missouri Botanical Garden's VAST (VAScular Tropicos) nomenclatural database and associated authority files." "Enter a scientific name ... to obtain current information on the name, its place of publication, type, and other information about the plant." "GRIN provides the structure and nomenclature for the accessions of the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) [Agricultural Research Service, USDA, USA]. Many plants (37,000 taxa, 14,000 genera) are included in GRIN taxonomy, especially economic plants." Provides access to other taxonomic databases. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K., database of Vascular Plant Families and Genera . IPNI (the International Plant Names Index) provides a searchable list of plant names. Collaboration between The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Harvard University Herbaria, and the Australian National Herbarium. ILDIS (International Legume Database and Information Service) World Database of Legumes, a searchable and annotated index of legume species. Managed by the International Organization for Plant Information (IOPI), the Global Plant Checklist (GPC) is a cooperative international project designed to help humanity manage the earth's biodiversity efficiently and sustainably. With a total of 248400 source records, the GPC now covers 201,397 different plant names belonging to 135,491 "potential taxa". Index Nominum Genericorum (ING), a collaborative project of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT), the Smithsonian Institution, and the University of Utrecht, was initiated in 1954 as a compilation of generic names published for all organisms covered by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. ING is now searchable online. |


text:
The Key to Buying a Home This Year: Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent
If you are thinking of purchasing a home this year, you are not alone. In today's competitive market, when it comes to buying a house, you must have an "in it to win it" mentality. You need the right people on your team and the right leader in charge of your game. Without a doubt, having the right real estate agent is the key to successfully landing the home of your dreams.
One of the best things about employing a real estate agent is that you can get a straight answer about anything you need to know regarding purchasing a home. Here are a few examples of common questions that many people ask their real estate agents.
What's the First Step to Buying a Home?
Before you get too excited and start hunting around for a home on the Internet, the first steps you should take before buying a home are threefold.
It should begin with you checking your credit score, to give you an idea of what type of home loan you might qualify for. Next, you need to take an honest look at your finances and calculate how much house you can afford. Getting pre-approved for a home loan will also put you one step ahead of the crowd.
After you have a solid figure in mind, allow the real estate agent that you have chosen to help guide you through a list of possible homes within your price range. Be sure to select a real estate agent that you trust and communicates well.
Discuss with him or her what aspects of your ideal home are most important to you. Perhaps you desire a specific neighborhood or school district. Or, you might wish for particular aesthetic characteristics. Whatever the case may be, real estate agents specialize in locating what you desire, and making magic happen for you.
Can You Recommend a Good Lender, Inspector, or Appraiser?
When purchasing your first home, you will need to utilize various professionals during the process. Real estate agents often have an extensive network of connections.
If you haven't already gotten a pre-approval loan, getting a recommendation on a lender from your real estate agent may really help bring you up to speed. When you find a home you are interested in, it will be very helpful to have both an inspector and an appraiser ready to go - especially in this hot market!
What Are the Closing Costs on a House?
Some people don't realize that a down payment isn't the only thing they need to bring to the table when purchasing a home. Closing costs are also part of the equation. They are essentially processing fees that you are required to pay to your lender. Closing costs may comprise as much as 3% to 6% of the cost of your home. This money owed is separate from your down payment.
Common types of closing costs include appraisal fees, attorney's fees, and inspection fees.
How Do I Compete to Win in a Bidding War?
Many buyers wonder what to do when they have found their ideal home but find themselves in a bidding war over it.
To begin with, if possible, offer the seller cash over financing. If this isn't a possibility for you, make sure you can show proof that you are pre-approved to buy the home.
Another thing you should do is assess any contingencies that you have included in your offer. Contingencies are essentially clauses in your contract that allow you to back out after signing. One common contingency is that the house must pass an inspection. While some contingencies are needed to protect yourself as the buyer, there are some that we may be able to do without. Your real estate agent will be able to advise on the best path forward here.
Another smart move to win a bidding war is to offer earnest money. This is a deposit that you give the seller. Giving the seller earnest money shows that you are committed to purchasing the home.
What Are the Next Steps After an Offer Is Accepted?
Logically, after your offer was accepted, you may be ready to jump for joy! Before you do, let's get real about what could happen next.
First of all, don't be surprised if everything doesn't go exactly as planned. You need to prepare yourself for the possibility that the house could have issues, you can't obtain the type of financing you want, or your house was not appraised high enough to justify its price. Being prepared for possible outcomes will help you overcome any challenges that may happen throughout the process.
With that being said, here is what the schedule is like after your offer is accepted. To begin, your initial deposit is transferred. Next, all inspections on the home will be completed. Your lender will then choose a certified appraiser to assess the property.
Your loan approval deadline will then approach. You will do the final walkthrough of the home, followed by signing all of the documents and transferring the rest of the down payment. In the final step, the property deed is stamped and the house legally becomes yours.
Now it's time to celebrate!
Buying a home this year can be quite a complicated and arduous task. Trying to navigate the waters of home buying on your own is not something that anyone should attempt. Having a real estate agent on your side to guide you and negotiate for you is an absolute necessity.


text:
Homeowners who have converted their home heating systems from oil to natural gas are being warned by government safety experts to have chimneys inspected now for possible Carbon Monoxide health hazards. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the build-up of soot deposits on the ling of chimneys form years of oil heating contributes to a possible problem. CPSC advises that after the heating system is converted from oil to gas, the soot deposits tend to loosen and fall to the base of the chimney.
Additionally, sulfur deposits from years of oil heating mix with water vapor vented by the new gas appliance and form sulfuric acid, which deteriorates the interior of the chimney. Because the newer high-efficiency gas-burning appliances vent higher levels of water vapor, they seriously escalate a deterioration problem. This deterioration causes the chimney interior to spall and flake away, falling the bottom of the chimney. If these conditions go undetected long enough, bricks may dislodge and fall. This debris may block the exhaust from the gas furnace and could cause a build-up of Carbon Monoxide in the home.
The CPSC notes that consumers exposed to Carbon Monoxide often experience symptoms frequently associated with �having the flu�, including dizziness, nausea, headaches, irregular breathing and loss of consciousness.
Homes which continue to be heated with oil do not experience this problem, but according to the CPSC, homeowners who have converted from oil to gas, or who are considering this change, should promptly arrange to have the chimney inspected. If there are signs of soot build-up the chimney should be cleaned.
Annual inspections, according to the CPSC, should be made until
no subsequent accumulations or soot deposits are found. Furthermore
in the state of New Jersey, uniform code of construction has implemented
the chimney verification process where the contractor performing
the oil to gas conversion or appliance replacement, is required
to complete the chimney verification
website design &
hosting by:


text:
Please see the process from delivery of a Concrete cutter to it´s first application.
Thanks to CAPS, our coupling and positioning system, the two cutter jaws can now be fitted and removed as a modular unit. CAPS connects the jaws even after they have been removed and facilitates refitting through a special guide system. This means that it is possible to replace the cutter jaws quickly and easily on site, eliminating the need for time-consuming and costly transportation to the workshop.


text:
Optimized video, optimized sensitivity, optimized speed, the Sony Alpha a7S III raises the bar for what a full-frame mirrorless camera is capable of. A revised 12.1MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor and updated BIONZ XR image processor offer faster performance, improved noise reduction, and a wider dynamic range, along with UHD 4K 120p video recording and internal 10-bit 4:2:2 sampling.
Video is the primary application of the a7S III, and improvements to the sensor and processor enable faster readout speeds and greatly reduced rolling shutter, along with high-bitrate internal recording, 16-bit raw output via the full-size HDMI port, and flexible control over motion with variable frame rate selection. The a7S III also does away with recording time limits and incorporates HLG for direct HDR production as well as S-Log2/S-Log3 gamma profiles for advanced HDR production with editing.
The updated sensor design also brings improved autofocus performance via 759 phase-detection points, which offer intelligent subject tracking and Real-time Eye AF to ensure critical focus on moving subjects in all recording modes. The sensor and BIONZ XR processor also facilitate impressive sensitivity, with an expanded range from ISO 40-409600, as well as fast 10 fps continuous shooting for up to 1000 consecutive raw frames. Additionally, 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE sensor-shift image stabilization is available, too, which minimizes the appearance of camera shake by up to 5.5 stops.
Complementing the imaging assets, Sony has also made some changes to the a7S III's physical design, including a rear LCD with a side-open articulating design and an impressive 9.44m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder. The camera's menu system has also been updated for more intuitive navigation and the body design helps to promote better heat dissipation for improved continuous recording capabilities. Additionally, dual memory card slots both support working with CFexpress Type A or SD UHS-II memory cards for flexible and high-speed file storage.
Rental Includes: Body, strap, body cap, battery, charger, and SD card.
Round Trip Shipping: $25.00


text:
A colleague called recently to tell me about an out-of-state position she's been offered. Delighted about the opportunity, she planned to accept the offer the next day.
"Congratulations," I replied. "What's the housing market like there? Are they paying for your moving expenses?"
"Gee, I don't know," she said. "I didn't think to ask."
With moving expenses easily running $10,000 and up, this is most definitely something to address in your negotiations.
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of a job offer in another city or state and overlook some of the practical aspects of relocation. The following are tips on things to consider when you review job opportunities that involve a move:
- Negotiate moving expenses as part of the offer and be clear on what's included. Will the movers pack your household? Will your employer cover the cost of storage if there's a delay before you can move in to your new home or apartment?
- Ask your prospective employer to arrange for a realtor to show you apartments and/or homes so you have an idea of the housing market in your new location. A friend who moved from Madison, Wis., to the north shore of Chicago was stunned to learn the cost of a home would triple from his previous experience.
- Inquire about whether your employer can assist you with getting a preferred mortgage rate. Some companies have relationships with local banks and can help you get a better rate than is available to the general public.
- If you own a home, will your new employer buy it if you are unable to sell it? This is definitely a perk in the current real estate market.
- Consider the above negotiation items to be like your salary and vacation time, so don't bring them up until the end of your interview process when you're discussing the financial aspects of the job.
By Jenny Schade, president, JRS Consulting. JRS Consulting helps organizations dramatically increase attraction among customers and employees. Jenny Schade has interviewed more than 1,000 employees while guiding organizations through turbulent change. Get more tips from the free JRS newsletter.
Get connected with the largest community of public relations and communications professionals at PRSA's Jobcenter. Whether you are posting a job or job hunting in community relations, corporate communications, public affairs or any communications sector, the PRSA Jobcenter connects you with more than 77,000 potential employees, including 22,000 PRSA members and nearly 10,000 PRSSA students. View more than 1,000 communications jobs, public relations and other career-related opportunities and professionals at www.prsa.org/jobcenter today!


text:
We were all seriously impressed with this encaustic marvel.
Love the cavern you created with the wax and that dragon is awesome.
Great touch of sparkle too! And the second on your blog is fab too.
(in order of submission)
We really like this friendly looking wizard - very Dumbledore!
Great colours and lovely layers too.
A very clever take on the challenge, taking a quote from my (Deborah's) favourite author.
The pile of books and the shades of blue and aqua are just perfect!
This is a wonderful guy card. Really graphic, bold colours - magic!!
Congrats to you all - please pick up your badges from the sidebar and display them on your blogs.
And now a quick reminder of our current theme challenge - SHAKESPEARE - TMR#34. Have fun with your inspiration - just let us know where you got it and have fun creating your masculine projects based on our Shakespeare theme. You've got lots of time to play - deadline is midnight (BST) Tuesday 10th May (that's 7.00pm EDT).


text:
I am currently about 2 weeks into the primary fermentation a black stout to which I added 8oz of unsweetened cacao powder during the boil. The gravity seems to be stuck at 1.022 rather than the 1.014-1.018 that was predicted by the recipe. It doesn't seem that far off of the predicted gravity so I wonder if the chocolate could make a difference.
Would adding the cacao affect the final gravity of the beer?


text:
Silky/Fibrous Malachite
Malachite is a stone of balance, abundance, manifestation and intention. Malachite absorbs energy and draws emotions to the surface. It clears and activates all Chakras, and is especially helpful in the stimulation of the Heart and Throat Chakras. An extremely powerful metaphysical stone, Malachite is often called the "stone of transformation" and is used for deep energy cleaning, bringing healing and positive transformation to the wearer. For this reason, many metaphysicians recommend using Malachite in small doses.
Malachite amplifies energies of all kinds, both positive and negative. One of the most important healing stones, Malachite helps the user acknowledge, draw out, and discharge negative energy, including old emotional patterns, past traumas, and suppressed feelings. Malachite's ability to draw out negative energy can assist in discovering the energy blocks and patterns that may be causing physical disease.


text:
Helllooo everyone,
Firstly, massive apologies. I sorted the winners post in the first few days of January after the madness of Christmas had died down and I was informed earlier today that my winners post was nowhere to be seen. As I had not been on my blog since then I had no idea that it hadn't posted so I am really sorry that you've been hanging on waiting to find out the winners of the final challenge.
I thought I might have saved it rather than schedule it (as I've done that before) but my post had vanished! :( Many thanks to Carol for letting me know. I'm surprised nobody told me earlier! Lol
So, the winners are as follows:-
#1 Mynn wins the mystery MD prize


text:
Figure 5.11 KnowledgeWorks Rule Monitor
Monitor Windows allow the preconditions of forward chaining rules to be monitored. They may be obtained by choosing Rule > Monitor or by choosing Spy > Monitor Rule from the KnowledgeWorks Listener.
The top part of the window is the Select instantiations pane, as described below. The lower part displays a list of either fired or unfired instantiations. This list is not kept up to date if the rulebase is executing with debugging turned off. To examine a binding in a displayed instantiation, select the corresponding line and choose Instantiations > Inspect . This shows the objects themselves in a LispWorks Inspector tool, so double-clicking on one of the entries will cause that entry to be inspected. See the LispWorks IDE User Guide for more details.
The Show Inferencing State dropdown allows you to choose which named inferencing state is used to find the instantiations.
When the All Unfired Instantiations button is selected, the unfired instantiations are displayed.
When the Matching Selected Conditions button is selected, the instantiations that match all of the selected preconditions are displayed. The topmost shows the preconditions of the rule. Any conditions that are matched by the object base are highlighted. This highlighting means the condition is matched without reference to any of the other conditions. A message indicates the number of instantiations matching the highlighted preconditions. A group of preconditions matched individually (hence highlighted) may not be matched together if, for instance, variables were bound across them.
If a rule has the conditions, say,
(person ?person1 father ?person)
(person ?person2 son ?person)
(test (not (eq ?person nil)))
these would be displayed in the top pane of the Rule Monitor Window. The first two would be highlighted if the object base contained a person object. But instantiations would only be displayed if there was a
object with the same
value as some (other)
object has
The selection of conditions may be toggled by left-clicking. So in the above example the last condition could be selected also by clicking on it, and there would be no instantiations displayed if the only consistent value of
KnowledgeWorks and Prolog User Guide (Macintosh version) - 6 Dec 2011


text:
We are happy to provide a new fast and convenient way for you to make your rent payments online through our provider, CLICK PAY. We invite you to create an account with CLICKPAY and begin making automatic recurring or one-time monthly payments online. Payments can be made online by e-check (ACH) from a bank account for FREE and by major credit or debit card for a fee. rent is due on or before the 1st of every month. Late fees will apply after the 30th.
To get Started: Visit the link below and follow the instructions listed.
- Click to Register to create your online profile with ClickPay
- Link your Unit using your street number and zip code
- Add your preferred payment option(e-check for FREE and credit/debit for a fee)
- Set up Automatic Payments or click Pay Now to make one-time monthly payments
For help with your account or setting up payments online, please contact ClickPay online at www.ClickPay.com/Help or by phone at 1.800.533.7901 (option 1).


text:
- This event has passed.
Event Series:
Teen and Young Adult Virtual Meet-Up Ages 16-35
Teen and Young Adult Virtual Meet-Up Ages 16-35
June 30, 2023 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
UMDF Teen/Young Adult
"Virtual Meet-Up"
Teens and Young Adults Age 16-35
Every Friday!
8:00pm ET
Join us EVERY Friday for a VIRTUAL Meet-Up!
Join us for this "Virtual Meet-Up"! It is tough being stuck at home, but you are not alone. Let's get together, share coping tips and have some FUN!
UMDF Support Ambassadors, Kristi Dellinger and Devin Shuman will lead these calls.
See you on Friday!
Register in advance for this meeting:
If you registered last week, you can use the same information to join every week!
Click Here to Register Now
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you have questions, please email Margaret Moore at firstname.lastname@example.com