text:
Windows 8 and software RAID
Well having spent a number of weeks with Windows 8 RTM… my first question is, WTF? This is design gone mad. The constant switching between the desktop and the "Windows 8 start menu" i.e. Metro start menu, is incredibly jarring. So much so that I relented and came up with a start button hack. I wonder if anyone at Microsoft has tried this 😉
Some good news though regarding Windows 8's Storage Spaces (at least we think its good news), our testing shows that Drive Bender is still king when it comes to performance. Again we see software RAID falling in a heap, why companies persist with this is mind boggling… were Microsoft paying attention when Data Core's Drive Harmony hit users? On a test machine here, it used 1GB of RAM (not joking) and had the performance of a wet sock! Anyway, point being that it did not get much further than the initial beta test. Why? Because software RAID is slow, and if it breaks you cannot simply mount a drive and take a peek at the contents.
Now… some would argue that file duplication is inefficient with regards to storage usage, however in a world where storage is cheap and performance is not, this in our minds is the smarter trade off. And judging by the emails we are getting about Drive Bender's compatibility with Windows 8 (you can read more on that here), I'm guessing we are not alone.
Finally though I would like to say "congrates" to Microsoft on their efforts with Server 2012… this is an excellent piece of software (Storage Spaces aside). The server management stuff is absolute brilliant, and it boots straight into the desktop… what a novel concept!
One response to "Windows 8 and software RAID"
Matthew Sawyer says :
Drive Bender beats Storage Spaces hands-down. I tried Storage Spaces for awhile, even though I have two licenses for DB. Storage Spaces just leaves me feeling like something's missing.
And when I think of it, yes, something is missing. Performance under Storage Spaces is slower than DB. And Storage Spaces most annoying feature is that if you ever detach a pool, and move it to a different server–or even reattach it back to the same server, it never automatically reattaches after a reboot!
That means each time the machine is rebooted, I have to manually reattach the pooled drive.
Overall I think Storage Spaces was a good first try. I had hoped to see improvements in Server 2012 R2, but the performance is still slower than DB and I still have to manually reattach pools after reboots.
Looking forward to Drive Bender v2!


text: I'm currently mac-less I've been spending the last couple of months re-evaluating my computing needs versus my electrical usage. I've also have had several machines (Both Windows and mac) at the same time. I had a Revision B iMac G5 that I sold about three weeks ago. The electrical usage came about after building a Pentium D based system that ate electricity like crazy. I have since replaced that with a Compaq laptop that has taken care of the electrical costs but my heart is with OS X. I've had a mini when they first came out (the old $499 model) and I feel that the $599 model can fill my basic needs but I have a few questions. 1) How much space is free on the 60gb harddrive? I tend to store a lot of photos and music on my systems. 2) If I buy an external dvd burner to suplement the combo drive does iLife 6's versions of iMovie and iDVD support it without a hack? 3) If I only use universal binary software and nothing that requires rosetta will the base 512mb of ram be sufficient? Thanks in advance.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Our Achievements
Research and innovation in nursing
MSc Professional Practice Dissertation May 2016 cohort
|Student Name
|Data collection Method
|Susan Coyle
|Keyll Darree
|What are the factors that sustain an effective Multi-agency Safeguarding Training Pool of Practitioner/Trainers?
|Focus group
|Hannah Crawford
|Nobles Hospital Site
|An evaluation of the current gluten-free prescribing system, recommendations for improving care and cost-saving for the Isle of Man.
|Claire Green
|Nobles Hospital
|An exploratory study of post-operative surgical site infection surveillance following primary elective hip and knee arthroplasty performed on the Isle of Man.
|Telephone questionnaire
|Jill Horsey
|Nobles Hospital
|Investigation into the accuracy of the FAST test when delivered by an island paramedic service and the impact on treatment of FAST test result.
|Retrospective observational review of records
|Sarah Kelly
|Nobles Hospital
|The Elephant in the Room – an exploration of maternity health care professionals' perceptions towards obesity in pregnancy.
|Focus Group Discussion
|Glen Lloyd
|Mental Health Services
|Comparing perceptions of attitudes around dementia between staff from Specialised Dementia Services with staff from acute general care.
|Likert Scale with open questions
|Elizabeth Sawyer
|Nobles Hospital
|Can engaging in the use of autoethnography contribute to the leadership learning development and growth of future nurse leaders?
|Self-reflective data; self-observational data; external data
|Vicky Taylor
|Keyll Darree
|Global Citizenship in Nurse Education
|Focus Group
|Keren Wormwell
|Nobles Hospital
|What is the impact of electronic recording of NEWS on patient clinical observation monitoring and compliance with Noble's Hospital Policy on acute medical wards in the Isle of Man?
|Retrospective case note review.
MSc Professional Practice Dissertation May 2015 cohort
|Student Name
|Karen Beirne
|Effecting Transition. Identifying the challenges and perspectives of nurses caring for young people with chronic health care needs, to aid effective transitional care.
|Samanthia Harley
|Nobles Hospital
|What is the psychological impact on midwives of caring for the family unit of a baby subject to a child protection plan?
|Steve Hobbs
|Mental Health Services
|What work factors increase the levels of stress in band 7 nurses working in the Isle of Man Mental Health Crisis Response Home Treatment Team: an exploratory study into work-based stressors and the potential for developing burnout.
|Laura Kewley
|Exploring the barriers to implementing the HENRY 1-1 programme as perceived by Health Care Workers using a qualitative approach.
|Linda Radcliffe
|CEO's Office
|An exploration of Executive Nurses' perception of the role of the confirmer in nurse revalidation.
|Linda Thompson
|Crookall House
|How effective is the informal 'dynamic risk assessment tool' (DRAT) at informing Registered Nurse (who work with children) professional assessment of potential risk to children, families and their practice?
|Victoria Wilson
|Hospice IOM
|Do the care staff within the children's hospice feel that the use of the Resource Allocation Framework (RAF) has led to equitability in care provision according to need.
MSc Professional Practice Dissertation May 2014 cohort
|Student Name
|Jacqueline Pate
|Children and Families
|Parallel Journeys – Analytical autoethnography of a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse. Linking the personal to the professional.
|Susan Dunajewski
|An Exploration into the Perceptions of Band 6 Nurses in Relation to Their Personal Resilience in the Workplace and the Role of the Organisation in Developing and Maintaining the Personal Resilience of Nurses.
Leading evidence based change in professional practice 2016 cohort BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care (double core unit)
|Student Name
|Models used
Kim Durbin
Nobles Hospital
Pain relief in the Emergency Department: A proposal to suggest patients given analgesia at triage are reviewed during periods of long wait.
Plan Do Study Act (PDSA)
Johanna Mnisi
Nobles Hospital
Leading evidence based change proposal on guidelines for digital record keeping for nursing staff.
Reavy and Tavernier
Jo Oldfield
Nobles Hospital
Implementing Required Referral for Organ Donation.
Val Stratford-Parson
Hospice IOM
Leading evidence based change in professional practice by incorporating a Nursing and Care Agency facility within a Hospice at Home service.
McKinsey 7S
Leading evidence based change in professional practice 2015 cohort BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care (double core unit)
|Student Name
|Models used
|Sandra Bearman
|Hospice IOM
|The introduction of transition readiness questionnaires into a local children's hospice service.
|Gerry Black
|Nobles Hospital
|The pharmacological management of neuropathic pain in adults: implementing and integrating evidence based prescribing recommendations.
|NHS change model
|Jenny Cannell
|Nobles Hospital
|Propose the implementation of Discharge Lounges in response to escalating waiting times in Emergency Departments both nationally and locally.
|Fiona Carolan
|Nobles Hospital
|Change proposal for the development and implementation of a delirium information leaflet initially for post-operative patients and relatives in the Intensive Care Unit.
|Reavy and Tavernier
|Duncan Corkill
|Community Mental Health
|A proposed change to professional practice through the introduction of an adult community based citalopram titration clinic led by a Mental Health Non-Medical Prescriber.
|Ruth Hargreaves
|Community Mental Health
|Introducing a TMS (text messaging service) to improve the Depot Clinic attendance rates within a Community Mental Health Team setting
|Reavy and Tavernier
|Siobhan Higgins
|Nobles Hospital
|Change proposal for the introduction of the enhanced recovery after surgery programme in a gynaecological ward.
|Milena Karagoz
|Nobles Hospital
|Preoperative visits and patients equality
|Suzanne MacKenzie
|Nobles Hospital
|The proposed introduction of a teaching package for changes in practice for all of the multidisciplinary team required for patients receiving enhanced recovery after colorectal surgery.
|Cathy Magee
|Nobles Hospital
|A change proposal for the implementation of a care and communication care bundle within an intensive/high dependency care unit.
|Tania Manthou
|Nobles Hospital
|The complete implementation of the enhanced recovery protocol in lower limb arthroplasty that entails the introduction of a high energy carbohydrate drink pre-operatively.
|Reavy and Tavernier
Leading evidence based change in professional practice 2013 cohort BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care (double core unit)
|Student Name
|Models used
|Natalie Britton
|Noble's Hospital
|A research proposal to support the implementation of bedside handovers.
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
|Rian Gale
|Noble's Hospital
|The value of nurse contributions to lead the evidence-based introduction of electronic patient records into professional practice: a quality change proposal.
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
|Kate McKellar
|Noble's Hospital
|A research proposal to implement a pain assessment tool for patients with severe dementia who are unable to communicate verbally on an acute medical ward.
|Reavy and Tavernier
|Caroline Murphy
|Noble's Hospital
|An evidence based research proposal to prepare an Adult Day Surgery/Endoscopy Ward and the ward team for paediatric admissions.
|ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement)
|Catherine Tracy
|Noble's Hospital
|A Research Proposal for the Introduction of a Pre Assessment Clinic, (PAC), for a Gynaecology Ward.
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
Implementing Change in Practice 2012 cohort BSc (Hons) Health Studies (double core unit)
|Student Name
|Models used
|Frances Bland
|Rebecca House
|Implementing change in practice: The extubation of children in a home from home environment instead of an intensive care unit
|NHS Change Model
|Anne Byrne
|Implementing Change in Practice: a 'Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction' (MBSR) approach to assist in the management of anxiety within a palliative care setting.
|NHS Change Model
|Rebecca Erani
|Noble's Hospital
|Implementing Change in Practice; The update of local protocol to incorporate evidence based guidelines
|Tracey Hall
|Noble's Hospital
|A Proposal to Implement Bedside Handover On an Elective Orthopaedic Ward Using PDSA Model for Improvement
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
|Sally Hargreaves
|Older Persons Mental Health Service
|A change proposal to explore the introduction of specifically documented psychosocial interventions in a client's plan of care, where the client has been given a diagnosis of dementia following memory services assessment.
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
|Tracy Kelly
|Noble's Hospital
|The Proposed Implementation of a Teaching Package for the Changes in Nursing Practice Required for Patients Receiving Enhanced Recovery Colorectal Surgery
|ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement)
|Rebecca Kneale
|Noble's Hospital
|Implementing a pain assessment tool for individuals with severe dementia and cognitive impairment
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
|Barbara Lawton
|Introduction and development of a palliative home care team
|Emily Lord
|Noble's Hospital
|Change proposal to encourage wider use of self-administration of medication for patients in hospital.
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model)
|Greeba Mulrooney
|Noble's Hospital
|A proposal for the implementation of the mini nutritional assessment screening tool for elderly persons in an in-patient setting.
|ADKAR Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement)
|Rachel O'Neill
|Noble's Hospital
|The use of a Change Model to propose the introduction of a stream for patients with minor injuries attending Accident and Emergency
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|Siobhan Pirrie
|Community Mental Health Team
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|Kelvin Rossiter
|Older Persons Mental Health Service
|Working together we can improve on the assessment and early identification of individuals displaying behaviours of dementia, a proposal for change applying the Stetler model of research utilisation.
|Suzanne Slater
|Noble's Hospital
|Change proposal outlining the development and implementation of an individualised patient transfer information booklet, in the Intensive Care Unit with an aim of reducing transfer anxiety.
|Rosswurm and Larrabee
|Joanne Standish
|Noble's Hospital
|A change proposal for the introduction of Condition, Witness, Incident, Location, Time, Escort, and Description/Disability (CWILTED) paediatric triage assessment in an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department.
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|Rachel Taylor
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|Implementing symptom triggered therapy for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal scale using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model and Rogers Diffusion of Innovations Theory.
|PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Model); Rogers
|Nicola Voysey
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|Dianne Watson
|Implementing change in practice: introduction of a system to record the wishes of patients suffering from a life-limiting disease and who also are exhibiting the early signs of dementia, Alzheimer's or similar conditions that affect memory.
|Rosswurm and Larrabee


text:
Association of Vitamin D binding protein polymorphism with risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Pakistani urban population: A case control study.
Objective: To assess if genotypes/diplotypes of vitamin D binding protein have any association with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: This case-control study was conducted from January 2013 to July 2015 at the endocrinology clinics of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised adult patients with type 2 diabetes and their age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Venous blood was obtained and assessed for serum/plasma 25 hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine. Deoxyribonucleic acid was isolated and genotyping was done by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism procedures. Results: Of the 330 participants, there were 165(50%) cases and as many controls. There were 116(70.3%) males and 49(29.7%) females in each group.
The mean age of the patients was 48.82+-9.23 years and that of the controls was 46.27+-8.77 years (range: 22-70 years) (p=0.010) Mean serum concentration of 25 hydroxy vitamin D was significantly higher among the patients compared to the controls (p0.05). Multiple conditional logistic regression revealed an association of group-specific 1-2 genotype with patients when adjusted for age, body mass index, and serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D with matched adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) being 3.1(1.22-7.88).
Conclusion: Group-specific 1-2 genotype of vitamin D binding protein gene was associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Keywords: Vitamin D binding proteins, Gene polymorphism, Diabetes mellitus, Gc protein.
Recent reports have shown that vitamin D deficiency is widespread in both developed and developing countries. Nearly 1 billion people around the world appear to be suffering from vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency.1 The problem is more serious in Pakistan where 86% of the adults have been reported to be suffering from vitamin D deficiency with levels of 25 hydroxy(OH) vitamin D3 [25(OH)D] less than 20 ng/ml,2 while 97% of females in a community based-population in Karachi were found to have insufficient vitamin D with levels of 25(OH)D less than 30 ng/ml.3 There is some evidence to suggest that there is a relationship of plasma levels of 25(OH)D and phenotypes of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) which is a major transporter of vitamin D3 and its metabolites and is also known as a group-specific (Gc) protein.4 This is indicative of a role of VDBP gene polymorphism in determining serum concentrations of vitamin D3 in certain populations.4,5
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the major threats to human health in Pakistan. The prevalence of T2DM in Pakistan has been reported to be 6% in men and 3.5% in women in urban areas,6 and because of changing lifestyle, it has been estimated that by the year 2035 Pakistan will be ranked 8th in the world in terms of the number of diabetic patients.7
A few recent studies have demonstrated an association of serum levels of 25(OH)D and risk of T2DM,8,9 suggesting that the VDBP polymorphism could be playing some role in the pathogenesis of T2DM.
Few reports show association between the VDBP polymorphism and T2DM. The association has been found mostly in non-Caucasians,10 while no relationship has been reported in European White populations.11,12
To the best of our knowledge, no study has been carried out to investigate the association of the VDBP polymorphism with T2DM in a South Asian population. The current study was planned to find out whether genotypes/diplotypes of VDBP have any association with T2DM, and to investigate any relationship of vitamin D deficiency with T2DM.
Subjects and Methods
This case-control study was conducted from January 2013 to July 2015 at the endocrinology clinics of the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, and comprised adult patients with T2DM. Similar number of gender and age-matched (within 5 years) healthy controls were also recruited from the personnel of AKUH and other 3 healthcare institutions in Karachi.
The sample in each group (T2DM patients and healthy controls) would achieve a power of 80% and was based on the assumption that the frequency of any of the 6 diplotypes among healthy controls would range between 25% and 65%, anticipated matched odds ratio (OR) of 2.25 or more, correlation coefficient of exposure between matched case-control subjects = 0.2 and a = 0.05.10 Patients diagnosed with T2DM on the basis of guidelines set by the International Diabetes Federation13 (fasting serum glucose > 126mg/dl; clinical history), who were not taking vitamin D supplements during the last 6 months, were not suffering from tuberculosis, or liver disease, or uraemia or cancer, and were not pregnant were included. Similarly, healthy controls with no history of T2DM and who were not having fasting serum glucose >110mg/dl were included. They had not been taking vitamin D supplements during the preceding 6 months and were not suffering from any of the above-mentioned diseases or conditions.
Demographic characteristics of the two groups were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire after the study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics review committee.
Then, 10ml of venous blood (with at least 4 hours of fasting) was collected and transferred in equal volumes to a tube containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and another with no anti-coagulant. Plasma/serum was obtained and analysed for 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), phosphate and creatinine using kits following manufacturer's instructions (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States). The minimum detection limits of 25(OH)D, PTH, calcium, ALP, phosphate and creatinine were 4 ng/ml, 1.2 pg/ml, 0.4 mg/dl, 3 U/l, 0.31 mg/dl and 0.2 mg/dl, respectively.
Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted by salting out method. VDBP(Gc) gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the forward primer (5 'TAAT-GAGCAAATGAAAGAAG3') and reverse primer (5'TGAGTAGATTGGAGTGCATAC3') as described by Ito et al.14 The amplified region is 462 base-pairs (bp) and it covers point mutations rs7041and rs4588. A typical PCR mixture contained 100ng DNA, 1xPCR buffer, 200mM deoxyribonucleotides, 1.5mM magnesium chloride (MgCl2), 1U Taq polymerase (Promega, Wisconsin, United States) and 10 pM each of the primers in a total volume of 10 ml. The amplification conditions were 94AdegC for 30sec, 56AdegC for 30sec, 72AdegC for 30sec for 35 cycles.
Genotypes were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The PCR product was digested separately by HaeIII and StyI-HFTM (New England Biolabs Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts) at 37AdegC for 6 hours. Gc1F remained uncut by both enzymes. GcIS was cut by HaeIII only, resulting in 295bp and 167bp bands. Gc2 was digested by StyI-HFTM into 302bp and 156bp bands. The digested products were resolved on 3.0% agarose gel containing 0.2 mg/ml ethidium bromide.
SPSS 19 was used for data analysis. Cross tabulations of Gc gene (Gc genotypes, diplotypes and alleles) and the type of subjects (cases and controls) were carried out to observe the frequency distribution of Gc genotypes, diplotypes and alleles in the two groups. Chi-square goodness of fit test of deviation from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) was employed using trinomial equation.15 Mean difference of 25(OH)D with respect toGc genotypes and Gc diplotypes in the patients and controls were compared using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Mean +- standard deviation (SD) values of other quantitative variables such as age, body mass index (BMI), 25(OH)D, PTH, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, phosphate, and creatinine in the two groups were compared using paired samples t-test.
McNemar's test was used for assessing the significance of qualitative variables, such as smoking, use of smokeless tobacco, sunlight exposure, use of statins, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease (IHD), hypercholesterolaemia, use of cooking oil/fat, engagement in exercise, extent of physical activity and vitamin D status. The relationship between Gc genotypes and T2DM separately and when controlling for other variables were assessed through simple and multiple conditional logistic regression and reported as crude and adjusted matched odds ratios with 95% confidence interval (CI). A p<0.05 was considered significant.
Of the 330 participants, there were 165(50%) in each of the two groups. There were 116(70.3%) males and 49(29.7%) females in each group. The mean age of the patients was 48.82+-9.23 years and that of the controls was 46.27+-8.77 years (range: 22-70 years) (p=0.010). Mean values of age and BMI and serum/plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D and alkaline phosphatase were significantly different in T2DM patients compared to the controls (p<0.05).
Proportions of statin users, hypertensives and those having IHD and hypercholesterolaemia were significantly higher in the patients compared to the controls (p<0.05). Diabetics were more regular in physical exercise compared to the controls, but significantly more controls were engaged in daily routine physical activity (greater than 4 hours per day) compared to the patients (p<0.05).
Serum levels of 25(OH)D were significantly higher in the patients compared to the controls (p<0.001) (Table-1).
The frequency distribution of alleles and genotypes was in accordance with HWE (p=0.98 among cases and p=0.99 among controls). Mean 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher among the cases than the controls, but not significantly different by genotypes or diplotypes (Table-2).
However, when the genotypes were compared using conditional logistic regression model, Gc 1-2 was found to be associated with T2DM. Matched, adjusted OR with 95% CI was 3.10(1.22-7.88) when the model was adjusted for age, BMI and serum levels of vitamin D (Table-3).
Table-1: Demographic and clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and healthy controls (Mean +- SD).
Variable###Type 2 DM (n=165)###Healthy controls(n=165)###p value*
Age (Years)###48.82+-9.23###46.27+-8.77###0.010
25(OH)D (ng/ml)###21.67+-10.7###16.70+-11.3###<0.001
PTH (pg/ml)###38.96+-16.77###37.35+-24.9###0.395
Calcium (mg/dl)###9.37+-1.66###9.40+-1.30###0.850
Alkaline phosphatase (U/l)###65.26+-24.67###76.56+-37.39###0.002
Phosphate (mg/dl)###3.62+-0.63###3.68+-0.64###0.395
Creatinine (mg/dl)###0.87+-0.21###0.85+-0.18###0.256
Smokeless tobacco###0.763
Sunlight exposure###0.216
On statin medication###<0.001
Hypertension### 200 mg/dl)###<0.001
Use of cooking oil/fat###0.001
Vegetable oil###114(69.1)###139(84.2)
Vanspati ghee (hydrogenated oil)###10(6.1)###0(0.00)
Engagement in exercise### 4h/day###42(25.6)###64(38.8)
Vitamin D status###<0.001
Deficient ( 30 ng/ml)###38(23.1)###18(10.9
Table-2: Distribution of frequencies of Gc genotypes and Gc diplotypes and mean levels of 25(OH)D in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and healthy controls in a Pakistani population.
Gc gene###Type 2 DM patients (n=165)###Healthy controls (n=165)###p value*
###n(%)###Mean +- SD 25(OH)D###n(%)###Mean +- SD 25(OH)D###Groups###Genotypes/Diplotypes###Interaction between Groups
###and Genotypes/Diplotypes
Genotype###0.031(F=4.707;df 1, 324)###0.159(F=1.848,df 2, 324)###0.707(F=0.347,df 2,324)
Gc 1-1###73(44.2)###22.7+-11.4###91(55.2)###17.5+-12.6
Gc 1-2###82(49.7)###21.4+-10.3###64(38.8)###15.8+-9.7
Gc 2-2###10(6.1)###16.2+-7.8###10(6.1)###14.9+-9.0
Diplotypes###0.004(F=8.215,df 1,318)###0.291(F=1.239,df 5,318)###0.963(F=0.198,df 5,318)
Table-3: Association of Gc genotypes with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Pakistani population.
Genotype###Crude MOR (95% CI)a###MAOR (95% CI)b
Gc 1-1c###1.0###1.0
Gc 1-2###1.64 (1.03-2.62)###3.10(1.22-7.88)
Gc 2-2###1.16 (0.48-2.83)###2.98(0.43-20.66)
Regarding the association of Gc gene polymorphism with T2DM, there have been conflicting reports. Hirai et al. showed significantly decreased proportion of Gc 1F allele in Japanese T2DM patients compared to Gc 1S and Gc 2 alleles.10 However, no association between genotypes and haplotypes and T2DM could be found in Polish and French Caucasian populations.11,12
In a recent meta-analysis, moderate association of Gc gene polymorphism with increased susceptibility to developing T2DM was found in three populations in Japan and China.16 Apart from studies on these Asian populations, no reports are available on the relationship of Gc gene polymorphism and T2DM in South Asian populations. Our results, therefore, are unique in reporting this association with T2DM in a Pakistani population. As against a modest association in other Asian populations, the odds of having T2DM were more than 3-fold in individuals with genotype Gc 1-2 compared to genotype Gc 1-1 (the most common genotype).
The underlying mechanism of this association between Gc genotypes and pathogenesis of T2DM is not clear at this moment. Variations in Gc protein could be influencing the serum levels of vitamin D metabolites, which in turn could be affecting the insulin secretory activity of pancreatic b cells.17
Pittas et al. have reported an association between low serum levels of vitamin D and type 2 DM.18 However, our results showed no such association between serum levels of 25(OH)D and T2DM. Similar findings have been reported in a study from Western India, showing no relationship between vitamin D deficiency and T2DM in Indian population.19 It appears that in the presence of very high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in both T2DM patients and healthy controls in South Asian populations, including Pakistanis, any relationship of vitamin D deficiency with pathogenesis of T2DM is likely to remain inconclusive. Lauridsen et al.20 have shown that serum concentration of vitamin D metabolites is highest in Gc 1-1, intermediate in Gc 1-2 and lowest in Gc 2-2. The same trend has been observed in the present study with respect to concentrations of 25(OH)D in individuals with these 3 genotypes in both T2DM and healthy control groups, though the differences were not found to be statistically significant.
A couple of studies during the past few years have reported that common variants of Gc are genetic determinants of serum levels of 25(OH)D in Chinese populations, and Gc 2-2 had the lowest serum concentration of this metabolite.21,22 In our study, too, Gc 2-2 group had the lowest mean concentration of 25(OH)D. How the Gc variant allele could be related to T2DM is unclear. Lifelong low levels of vitamin D among carriers of variant allele may have an adverse effect on health, making them more vulnerable to external risk factors.23
T2DM is a multi-factorial disease and its aetiopathogenesis could include not only genetic factors (such as Gc genotypes) but a host of nutritional and environmental factors as well.24 Genome-wide association studies have revealed more than 60 gene loci in which variants have been found to be associated with T2DM.25 We suggest that Gc gene variants also appear to have a role in T2DM in Pakistani population along with 6 novel T2DM susceptibility loci found in South Asian population.26 On the basis of our data, it is conjectured that individuals with Gc 1-2 genotype in Pakistani population are more susceptible to the action of classical risk factors for T2DM, such as malnutrition, obesity, dyslipidaemia, stress, smoking, inflammation, age, gender, impaired glucose tolerance and physical inactivity,6,24 making them more prone to developing this disease.
There are quite a few limitations of this study. We measured 25(OH)D by an immunoassay-based method which is less sensitive than the high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) or MS methods. Moreover, the participants included in this study were mostly from urban areas and therefore the results might not be generalised.
Despite these limitations, the study had a reasonable sample size to investigate the relationship of Gc genotypes and T2DM. Moreover, matching of cases with controls for gender and age (within 5 years) at the time of recruitment of study participants is a major strength of this study as it eliminated the influence of 2 confounders. However, more data involving cases and controls from both rural and urban areas in all the 4 provinces of the country would be required to obtain conclusive evidence regarding the role of Gc polymorphism and T2DM in Pakistani population.
An association was found between Gc 1-2 genotype of VDBP gene and risk of T2DM in a Pakistani population. Hypovitaminosis D appeared to have no relationship with T2DM.
Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Ms. Shaheena Anwar for assistance in technical aspects of the study.
Disclaimer: None.
Conflict of Interest: None
Source of Funding: The study was supported by a grant from the Pakistan Science Foundation [No. PSF/Res/s-AKU (336)].
1. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl Med. 2007; 357: 266-81.
2. Zuberi LM, Habib A, Haque N, Jabbar A. Vitamin D deficiency in ambulatory patients. J Pak Med Assoc.2008;58: 482-84.
3. Mehboobali N, Iqbal SP, Iqbal MP. High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in a low income peri-urban community in Karachi. J Pak Med Assoc. 2015: 65: 946-49.
4. Lauridsen AL, Vestergaard P, Hermann AP, Brot C, Heick-endorffL, Mosekilde L, et al. Plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and 1, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D are related to the phenotype of Gc (vitamin D-binding protein): a cross-sectional study on 595 early postmenopausal women. Calcif Tissue Int.2005;77: 15-22.
5. Gozdzik A, Zhu J, Wong BY, Fu L, Cole DE, Parra EJ. Association of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) polymorphisms and serum 25(OH)D concentrations in a sample of young Canadian adults of different ancestry. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2011; 127: 405-12.
6. Shera AS, Jawad F, Maqsood A. Prevalence of diabetes in Pakistan. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2007; 76: 219-22.
7. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 6th ed. Brussels: International Diabetes Federation, 2013. [Online] [Cited 2015 June 10]. Available from: URL: http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas
8. Song Y, Wang L, Pittas AG, Del Gobbo LC, Zhang C, Manson JE, et al. Blood 25-dydroxy vitamin D levels and incident type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Diabetes Care. 2013; 36: 1422-8.
9. Forouhi NG, Ye Z, Rickard AP, Khaw KT, Luben R, Langenberg C, et al. Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin-D concentration and the risk of type 2 diabetes: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk cohort and updated meta-analysis of prospective studies. Diabetologia. 2012; 55: 2173-82.
10. Hirai M, Suzuki S, Hinokio Y, Hirai A, Chiba M. Group-specific component protein genotype is associated with NIDDM in Japan. Diabetologia. 1998; 41: 742-43.
11. Malecki MT, Klupa T, Wanic K, Cyganek K, Frey J. Vitamin D binding protein gene and genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Polish population. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2002; 57: 99-104.
12. Ye WZ, Dubois-Laforgue D, Bellanne-Chantelot C, Timsit J, Velho G. Variations in the vitamin D-binding protein (Gc locus) and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in French Caucasians. Metabolism. 2001;50: 366-69.
13. International Diabetes Federation. Screening and diagnosis. In: Global Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes. International Diabetes Federation, 2012; pp 9-14.
14. Ito I, Nagai S, Hoshino Y, Muro S, Hirai T. Risk and severity of COPD is associated with the group-specific component of serum globulin 1F allele. Chest. 2004;125: 63-70.
15. Allele Frequencies and HardyWeinberg Equilibrium. [Online] [cited 2017 May 29]. Available from: URL: http://faculty.washington.edu/tathornt/sisg2013/Kerr/2HWE _Kerr.pdf
16. Wang G, Li Y, Li L, Yu F, Cui L, Ba Y, et al. Association of the vitamin D binding protein polymorphisms with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2014; 4: e005617.
17. Hirai M, Suzuki S, Hinokio Y, Hirai A, Chiba M, Akai H, et al. Variation in vitamin D-binding protein (group-specific component protein) are associated with fasting plasma insulin levels in Japanese with normal glucose tolerance. J ClinEndocrinol Metab. 2000; 85: 1951-3.
18. Pittas A, Lau J, Hu F, Dawson-Hughes B. Review: the role of vitamin D and calcium in type 2 diabetes. A systematic review and meta-analysis. J ClinEndocrinol Metab. 2007; 92: 2017-29.
19. Sheth JJ, Shah A, Sheth FJ, Trivedi S, Lele M, Shah N, et al. Does vitamin D play a significant role in type 2 diabetes? BMC Endocr Disord. 2015; 15: 5.
20. Lauridsen AL, Vestergaard P, Nexo E. Mean serum concentration of vitamin D-binding protein (Gc globulin) is related to the Gc phenotype in women. Clin Chem. 2001; 47: 753-6.
21. Li LH, Yin X, Wu X, Zhang L, Pan SY, Zheng ZJ, et al. Serum 25(OH)D and vitamin D status in relation to VDR, GC and CYP2R1 variants in Chinese. Endocrin J. 2014; 61: 133-41.
22. Robien K, Butler LM, Wang R, Beckman KB, Walek D, Koh WP, et al. Genetic and environmental predictors of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations among middle-aged and elderly Chinese in Singapore. Br J Nutr. 2013; 109: 493-502.
23. Sinotte M, Diorio C, Berube S, Pollak M, Brisson J. Genetic polymorphisms of the vitamin D binding protein and plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in premenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009; 89: 634-40.
24. Jiang X, Ma H, Wang Y, Liu Y. Early life factors and type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Diabetes Res. 2013; 2013: 485082.
25. Rathman W, Scheidt-Nave C, Reden M, Herder C. Type 2 diabetes: Prevalence and relevance of genetic and acquired factors for its prediction. Dtsch ArzteblInt. 2013; 110: 331-7.
26. Kooner JS, Saleheen D, Sim X, Sehmi J, Zhang W, Frossard P, et al. Genome-wide association study in South Asian ancestry identifies six noval susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes. Nat Genet. 2013; 43: 983-9.
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Here's how to build a custom metric pulling from Salesforce into Grow.
Pulling an existing Salesforce report
You can pull Salesforce data in from saved reports by Salesforce and from your own custom saved reports. For your own saved reports, check out this help article.
To pull a generic Salesforce report, log in to your Grow account and click Add Metric.
Next, select Salesforce from the data source list. If you have not connected your Salesforce account, click the blue Connect button and do so.
Once your account is connected, select the "Salesforce Custom Metric."
Select "Reports" from the dropdown menu, then begin typing the name of the Report or Table. Grow will automatically fill in matching results.
You will need to choose columns and a date range before clicking the blue Connect button.
Double check that your data looks correct. If it does, click Continue and build your metrics.
NOTE: When Grow pulls from a Salesforce report it uses the time frame or date range that you have selected for that report in Salesforce. So if your report was for set for Jan 1st - Jan 10th, it will always pull from that set date.
If you want the report to always be current, you would need to build the report that way in Salesforce.
Using SOQL to pull data
If you want to use SOQL to pull your Salesforce data into Grow, here's how you do it:
First, start building your metric by connecting your Salesforce account, then selecting custom metric.
From the drop-down menu, select "Write SOQL" from the dropdown menu. Next, write your SOQL query (see notes below), then click the blue Connect button at the bottom of the page.
If the data looks right, click "Continue" and have fun building out your metrics.
SOQL is Salesforce's specific query language. For more info on the SOQL language, see SOQL documentation.
These date parameters and more are compatible with SOQL:
You can find what other date parameters are compatible on the SOQL documentation.
Questions about using Salesforce? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or chat in on the site.


text: Home / Shop / Zeroflush Cartridges / ZeroFlush Trap Insert View cart "EnviroSeal BioPur Kit" has been added to your cart. ZeroFlush Trap Insert$35.55 ZeroFlush ABS plastic trap insert with removable privacy dome Quantity Add to cart SKU: TI001 Categories: Zeroflush Cartridges, Zeroflush Traps Product ID: 994 Additional information Reviews (0) Additional information Weight 0.2 kg Dimensions 12 x 12 x 14 cm Reviews There are no reviews yet. Be the first to review "ZeroFlush Trap Insert" Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Your rating Rate… Perfect Good Average Not that bad Very poor Your review *Name * Email * This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Related products BioPur Wonder Wizard Kit $17.20 Add to cart EnviroSeal BioPur Kit & Tool $97.45 Add to cart ZeroFlush BioPur Kit $87.65 Add to cart ZeroFlush Maintenance Kit $70.40 Add to cart


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A narrative essay is considered to be the most favorite type of task which students are all used to since their school years. This kind of paper gives an opportunity to express oneself through words telling an interesting autobiographical or an invented story.
However, it is not as simple as it may seem to be since you still have to catch your readers' attention and to maintain their interest till the end of the narration. In this respect, you should provide a good narrative essay structure which will make your essay exciting and readable.
We are going to spill the beans and tell you how to write a personal narrative essay. We will focus on:
A narrative essay is a piece of writing which is composed in the first person and which shares personal standpoints and background. In comparison with other styles, narration allows authors to tell about themselves. The creator is free to express his/her feelings.
Usually, you are permitted to reveal all points of interest of a specific circumstance or occasion while telling your own story. Being asked to write a narration is advantageous since it's aimed to sharing, not to researching or arguing.
Narratives include the plot which in its turn consists of the setting, characters, the climax and the ending. You are supposed to consider all these parts since they will make your story complete.
No matter which part you are creating, you should remember to make all of them come alive. Write descriptions of settings telling not only about the visual side but also about smells, colors, and the atmosphere. Let the reader feel she/he is there with the characters.
Characters are also paramount. You can utilize different techniques to make their images. Describe characters through their appearance, gestures, behavior or even their environment. Make them real and various. Create both protagonists and antagonists; write good dialogues to make the story more vivid.
The climax is the most intensive point in the development of the plot. Think of the scene which might be a climax and compose it accurately to highlight it and signal the readers that the scene represents the highest point.
As for the ending, you can write it in different ways. The story may have an open-end leaving some place for guessing and thinking. If you prefer being more concrete, compose a precise ending giving the reader all information about the plot and characters.
We believe you have a large number of your own ideas as there are so many themes that interest you and you would like to talk about. However, if you are not good at choosing topics, we are glad to offer you some common topics of papers:
If you take a minute to think you can invent other topics by yourself. Makeup or select the best theme and compose an excellent narrative essay with the help of UK essay writing service recommendation.
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PVH Corp. - PVH - close: 103.24 change: -0.79
Stop Loss: 105.25
Target(s): To Be Determined
Current Option Gain/Loss: Unopened
Average Daily Volume = 1.2 million
Entry on April -- at $---.--
Listed on April 28, 2015
Time Frame: Exit PRIOR to June option expiration
New Positions: Yes, see below
Why We Like It:
Investors have been relatively forgiving when it comes to corporations blaming the strong dollar on poor results. They were not so forgiving with PVH after the company significantly reduced their guidance.
PVH is in the consumer goods sector. According to the company, "PVH Corp., one of the world's largest apparel companies, owns and markets the iconic Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands worldwide. It is the world's largest shirt and neckwear company and markets a variety of goods under its own brands, Van Heusen, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, IZOD, ARROW, Warner's and Olga, and its licensed brands, including Speedo, Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, MICHAEL Michael Kors, Sean John, Chaps, Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, DKNY, Ike Behar and John Varvatos."
PVH's earnings history has been mixed. They have managed to beat estimates the last four quarters in a row. Yet in three out of the last four quarters they have guided lower.
Their most recent report was March 25th. Analysts were expecting Q4 results of $1.73 a share on revenues of $2.1 billion. PVH delivered $1.76 but revenues were only up +0.8% to $2.07 billion. If you back out the currency headwinds then revenues would have been about +5%.
Management said it has been a highly challenging market environment and noted the strong dollar was a significant headwind.
The company lowered their guidance on both the Q1 2016 and for their fiscal year 2016. PVH expects Q1 earnings in the $1.35-1.40 range versus Wall Street's consensus at $1.52. For the whole year PVH is forecasting $6.75-6.90 in earnings per share compared to analysts' estimates at $7.38.
The stock's oversold bounce from its March lows has failed at resistance. We just saw the most recent oversold bounce, on April 23rd, quickly fail at short-term resistance. Longer-term shares appear to have topped out as well.
Tonight we are suggesting a trigger to buy puts at $102.65. More conservative traders may want to wait for a decline below $102.00 as an alternative entry point to buy puts.
Trigger @ $102.65
- Suggested Positions -
Buy the JUN $100 PUT (PVH150619P100) current ask $3.20
option price is a current quote and not a suggested entry price.
Entry disclaimer: To avoid an unfavorable entry point, we will not launch a new play if the stock gaps open more than $1.00 past our suggested entry point.
Option Format: symbol-year-month-day-call-strike
Daily Chart:
Weekly Chart:


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| Recently found by viaLibri....
Giacometti : Sculpture
Gagosian Gallery, New York 1993 - 32 pages. Slim and tall format hardcover, bound in brown cloth covered boards and wrapped in an illustrated paper dustjacket. Inscribed by John Richardson on the title page: "For Mary-Jane, with love from the grateful author. [signature], June, '93." There is some rubbing to the edges of the dustjacket, with some very light soiling. Else, the binding is tight and sharp, with a clean interior (apart from the aforementioned inscription), free of other markings. Handsomely designed, with illustrations in duotone, and text in English. Checklist included. Published on the occasion of the exhibition held from April 30-June 19, 1993. [Attributes: Signed Copy; Hard Cover]
[Bookseller: Exquisite Corpse Booksellers]
Last Found On: 2017-10-24 Check availability: AbeBooks
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text:
Having a blog can make you feel guilty for living such a mundane life. Yesterday was about as mundane as it could get.I got up.I got a latte at Jax's. I went to work. I pissed off somebody about their bill. I made someone bless me about their bill. I went to Culver's and had a deep fat fried everything.I went home. The girls were gone, one working, one with her friend. Phil was watching TV and no one had fed the cats or cleaned the cat box or done the dishes or ironed or vacuumed or picked up or cooked or anything at all. So I went to bed. Go with the flow.
I should have titled this Blah Blah Blah.
There is a web site call Second Life. You can go there and make an avatar.A cartoon person you want to be. You can pick your body, eyes, hair,career or lack there of, fame and fortune are all chosen by you. But then you have to pay for it with their money and to pay for their money you have to use real money so your avatar becomes just another bill in your boring life. You may become a rock star or porno Queen or a fashion fiend in your Second life, but your first life is paying for it. You have to pay rent or buy land and then pay to build on it and you have to pay for clothes and everything else. I'm appalled. I'd call that place God's way of saying you have either way too much money or way to little life. Even my mundane life only costs what I earn, why on earth would I want to pay for another life as well? Should anyone actually read this--I'd be interested to know what you think about an avatar, real money buying fake money and true life versus Second Life.
PS--the only thing I really loved about that site was the scenery--like out of that Robin Williams movie where his wife committed suicide and he went to her hell to put her back in their perfect heaven.Can't think of the name of that movie, but wow--the scenery was to die for.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Blog Blog Blog
Labels: booorrring
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The latest poll in Pennsylvania--the first poll to be taken there in over a week--shows Democrat Joe Sestak pulling ahead of Republican Pat Toomey by three points. It's a big comeback, since Toomey's led for the past five months.
So today, Daily Kos is adding Joe Sestak to the Orange to Blue page,
and looking for 500 people to contribute $10 to his campaign. You need to be one of those 500.
This is the sort of win that would stop Republicans across the country. If we grab a win in Pennsylvania, Republicans would only have a 0.5% of taking control of the Senate.
End Republican hopes by contributing $10 to Joe Sestak now.
Your contribution will go to a good campaign. Admiral Sestak is the
hardest working candidate in the country, and has given positive answers
across the board on our Orange to Blue questionnaire. On health care,
climate change, immigration, LGBT rights, labor rights, and Senate rules
reform, Sestak is with you.
If we pull off an upset in the Pennsylvania, Republican plans fall apart across the country. This campaign is a linchpin. Please, contribute $10 to Joe Sestak today.
Keep fighting,
Markos Moulitsas
Founder, Daily Kos
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
As Jim Hightower explains it, is that "the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans possess more net worth today than the bottom 90 percent of us combined. Worse, these privileged few and their political henchmen have structured a new economic 'normal' of long-term joblessness, low wages, no benefits or worker rights, miserly public services, and a steadily widening chasm between the rich and the rest of us." We must restore sanity to this nation.


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Properties for sale near St. Pinnock
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A specifically designed home built for the owners approximately 10 years ago, with spacious accommodation and low maintenance gardens. EPC - B81.Full details Save to shortlist
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We are pleased to offer for sale this two bedroom semi-detached bungalow located on a small development of similar styled properties. In need of some general updating but offering a well proportio...Full details Save to shortlist
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Located in a quiet but yet accessible area, close to the train station and a steady walk into the town, is this one/two bedroom first floor flat. The property is uPVC double glazed but does requir...Full details Save to shortlist
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Texans to have one of the easiest schedules
The NFL will release its detailed schedule on Tuesday night, but we already know the Texans will have one of the easier schedules in the league.
The Texans' combined opponent record from 2011 is 121-135, a .473 win percentage. That's ranked 29th in the NFL, easier than all but Buffalo (.473), Green Bay (.469) and New England (.453).
The Patriots lost to the Giants in last year's Super Bowl. The Giants have the toughest combined schedule, with a combined opponent record of 140-116, for a .547 win percentage. Denver (.543) and Cleveland (.527) are second and third. The Cowboys' schedule is ranked 11th.
The Texans will face Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Buffalo, Miami, Baltimore, Green Bay and Minnesota in home games and Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, New England, New York Jets, Denver, Chicago and Detroit on the road.
The game dates and times will be announced Tuesday night.


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Our leadership team recently had the opportunity to visit the Zappos office in Las Vegas and take part in their 3 day "Zappos Insights Boot Camp". This was a very interesting and unique experience as Zappos is well known for their company culture and how they have become one of the best places to work in America.
Zappos started out as an on-line site to buy shoes, and now sell a wide variety of products through their web site although shoes certainly remain a staple for them. One reason that the Zappos story is so interesting is because of how they organize and run their call center. Call centers are notorious for being unhappy, unfriendly, toxic environments where anyone can get hired but no one with any talent or skill tends to stay for very long. However, that is not the case at Zappos, where every employee in the call center is upbeat, smiling, and anxious to serve their customers. How did Zappos do that?
By clearly creating and reinforcing a culture that is unique from any other call center I've ever experienced.
On our first day at Zappos, before we even had a chance to learn anything about the company, before we had a chance to hear about the Zappos Culture, and before we had even met our first Zappos employee, we were given a tour of their call center.
I was shocked.
Call centers tend to be uniform in their layout and design with hundreds of identical cubes lined up, with employees slowly milling about glassy-eyed and almost comatose as they avoided customer calls. Call center personnel are typically graded on how quickly they get resolution on each call, which is a nice way to say that they are paid to get off the phone in a hurry; whether the problem has been solved or not. The rooms are generally quiet, still, and bland except for the muffled tones of employees droning on to unknown customers on the phone lines.
Not so at Zappos. There, employees were grouped into teams of 8 – 10 where each group came up with their own identity and then decorated their area based on that. We saw Star Trek teams, teams dedicated to long defunct rock bands, some to more recent music stars, and of course the required "Simpsons" team. The decorations were in some cases crude, but in all cases both colorful and plentiful. The huge call center resembled the birthday party of an over-sugared 10 year old.
While the team lines were clearly delineated, there was no concern over cliques forming. You see, teams only stay together for a few months and were then disbanded so that new teams could be formed with new ideas and new decorations. Over time you get the chance to be team members with many, if not all of your fellow employees.
Employees are not rated on how quickly they get off the call, but by how quickly they answer the next call in their queue and their ability to meet a number of points on their call check list. That list specifically calls out making a connection with the customer. Since call length is not important, the employees feel no need to rush their customers. In fact, they are encouraged to spend the time getting to know them. They are encouraged to build relationships with customers that they will likely never meet in person. Why? Because customers who know you care will likely call back and buy more products. Customers are not someone that you must "deal with" instead they are treated like an old friend that you are anxious to help.
And this attitude extends beyond the call center to every aspect and job within Zappos. Zappos has done what no other company to my knowledge has been able to do: they make working in a call center fun. And that is no easy task.
Here are the key things we learned that I believe can be transferred to the development of almost any culture:
- Know your culture before you can imprint it. Clearly, values play an important part in defining that culture, and Zappos started with a list of simple words that defined their values. They started with 10, and further-clarified them by changing them from simple words to short statements, each one starting with a verb. So "customer service" turned into "Deliver WOW through Service". "Fun" turned into "Create fun and a little weirdness".
- While skills are important to any position, skills are teachable. When hiring they make sure that each new employee embodies the spirit that is the Zappos culture. Culture interviewing is critical in their hiring process, and if there is any question about a potential employees ability to fit the culture, that person is not offered a position.
- Zappos employees must show that they fit the culture continually. Someone is more likely to be fired for failure to meet the culture than they are by failing to perform.
- Cultural assessments are performed annually across the organization and are as important as objective based Performance Reviews.
- Everyone proudly displays the Zappos name. From T-shirts to mugs, pens and key chains, the Zappos name is ever-present, and employees display their wares proudly.
- Employees are encouraged to nominate their peers for special awards when they display the Zappos spirit and culture.
I could go on and on, but they key takeaway for me was that when you want to build something special and deliver a better customer experience that leads to happy, repeat customers, as well as engaged employees, it all begins with your culture.


text:
Also Known As
My lover has an ocean flooding
Through him, filling both banks
East and west of his heart, and at midnight
The descending moon dances on
The backs of wild glistening
Blue dolphins
He pulls the crescent moon down
From the sky and places it in
His pocket and I can see it
From time to time
When we bobble on boats
To the gushing wind.
The wind blows through his narrow
Sculptured cobblestone hips
And I feel I could walk forever
Belted to his slippery sea sprayed slopes.
At times we stand and glance upon
His lost, flame haired love
'Sofia' some call her 'Hagia' since
She was so loyal and pure.
Even I, can sense her greatness.
And reminiscing we walk
His sculptured arms as pillars
Firmly entrenched around my waist
As he tells me of the love of Hero and Leander
Of Chalcedon, the hippodrome and
Of Meshnun and Leila.
And suddenly he turns me
Spinning under the Sufic wool of his garment
Cosmic mana fills and I am seized by
The elaborate seductive designs
Of his arched blue kiss.
My lips reach the dome of his thoughts
Grasping towards the heavens
And towards the divine
A timeless sigh is placed upon our souls
He bows before the silence,
Towards the emptiness of the qibla
Surrounded by a bouquet of
Carpets, tiles and the One
And at night his eyes like stars
Invite me to enter the galaxy of
Rhythms and otherworldly dreams
As we waltz to the sound of the ney
On Sundays he dresses in the
Iconic compassion of a passing empress,
Soft gilded purity, seen through the silver and gold
Sustaining tesserae of the Madonna
And where is the child?
He is out sailing ships in his backyard.
He strides ferrys catching disillusioned lovers.
And waits under the bridge with his nets
The cycle of souls lost, regained
The tides of love
Never easy, fair, clean or clear.
And when I stare off into his Seljuk eyes
I see the outline of his soul,
So sharp like daggers, poles, minarets
Protruding from a shoreline of undulating hills
His 'skyline' is more beautiful
Than the famous yellow rose itself.
At night I rest my head
Against his belly, his fanning
Breath brings me sleep,
While the call to prayer awakens me
I whisper his name,
Byzantium, Constantinople, Nea Roma, Istanbul!
Groggy I try to hold him but my
Arms cant grasp him he is so vast?!
I fidget to find him, and as
I reach for his turban I fall
Out of bed
Naked , drunk and alone……yet full of awe.


text:
I used to live in Brighton. And as a child I used to play in Kemp Town Station. Here are some black & white photos of the other end of the Tunnel.
I don't think that these photos are very good as I took them when I was about 8 years old in about 1953. I used a snapshot 127 camera.
View from the tunnel on Kemp Town Branch Line in about the 1960's
Photo by John Leach
Kemp Town Branch Tunnel as it looks today
Does anybody know whether there is anything left of the tunnel now (that isn't blocked up)? I know its blocked up at Elm Grove end, but what about Kemp Town end? If so, any idea who should be contacted?
Hi Jackie. The tunnel is still there and doesn't look too dissimilar from the picture above. It is now used as a storage area, through the storage centre in the industrial estate.
http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__8867.aspx The pictures are of the site of Kemp Town Station.
I would love to go on a tour of the tunnel. Any chance of one planned for the near future?
I don't remember these tunnels, but I did work for a while in Edlin's Globe Hotel in Kemp Town. In the cellar were two tunnels. One with cross timbers with a notice "too dangerous to enter" and the other that had been bricked up with a notice "bricked up by the revenue men in ????"
It is very interesting to be reminded of the tunnel and Kemp Town station. At the start of the war my family had an hotel at 6, Atlingworth Street and soon after war was declared troops were billeted all over the town and we had several. I can clearly recall, at the age of five being held by my sister as the street was full of troops paraded and then marched off as part of the BEF, to go from Kenptown Station to Newhaven for shipping to France. We followed them to the station and saw them off and I remember the trains leaving the station and passing into the tunnel. It makes you wonder how many of them made it back via Dunkirk in 1940.
My grandfather Alfred Brooker was a steam train driver until he died in 1952, the year before I was born. My mother told me a lot about him. During the second world war the trains were parked in the Kemp Town tunnel at night to protect them from German bombs. One was dropped on the line near the tunnel which blew out the windows of the family home just up from Hamden Road. When I was at Elm Grove Junior School in the early 1960s, a train a week still went through the tunnel and rattled the school. In 1971 I was a member of casualty union and we took part in a film for the bicentenial of the Red Cross. We filmed in Kemp Town and the rail tracks were still there. We staged a crash between a bus and train and we were rescued from the bus. Never seen the film.
The Kemp Town Branch left the Brighton to Lewes line at Kemp Town Junction, just to the east of the London Road Tunnel (itself just to the east of London Road (Brighton) Station. After passing the coal yard (still working some years ago!) the line crossed the Lewes Road on a brick built viaduct.
This was damaged by a bomb (WWII) and a steel girder span was used to repair it. (This lasted until the viaduct was mostly demolished. After a while, the rest went, and a Sainsbury's store was built on the site, and that of the "Pill Factory" that was next to the viaduct.)
Lewes Road Halt was at the "start" of the viaduct. Parts of the station seem to have been incorporated into the "Pill Factory" after closure.
Hartington Road was crossed by a nice brick built arch bridge, the Hartington Road Halt being just "south" of the bridge, before the start of the cutting.
The cutting up to the tunnel (it got very deep) has indeed been partially filled in. The tunnel mouth was just below the School walls on Elm Grove.
When the cutting was being filled, the tunnel end was walled of with concrete, with a small doorway left to acces the interior while work was in progress (this wall is probably around 1 foot or so thick, the Key Stone of the arch is still visible inside the wall at the tunnel end).
On completion of the wall, wooden suttering was erected on the inside of the doorway, and concrete "rough-poored" to seal the doorway. The remains of the shuttering were still there some years ago!
The first two photos are taken looking towards Lewes Road from the cutting.
The colour photo is a recent view of the Kemp Town Station end of the tunnel. (More recent than when I last was there!)
My Brighton and Hove > http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/
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IF you have a back pain, you should select Mercedes AMG CLA 45. Recently I have visited Seoul Motorshow 2015, I tried to take a seat for my back. The best is Mercedes AMG CLA 45, it has very hard seat and wonderful for my back. Next is MINI 5 door, Lexus IS250 and VW GTI.
High end package would be fine, but seats are so comfortable. Hard seat is great for long driving. It is True. Recaro is another solution when you bought MB E Class and higher.


text: Last weekend I saw a box set of 3 Mad Max films in a charity shop for £1.99 and it was too good to miss. I have seen scraps of all three films but never sat down to watch an entire film before as far as I can remember. I've now watched the first film in the series. I thought it was a good film. It's set in a future world where fuel is in short supply. It's essentially about a crazed gang of motorcycle thugs and a cops revenge after they conduct a series of attacks on his friends and family. The budget was clearly limited but they did an impressive job with what they had. The roads were sparsely populated and long and straight. The motorbikes and cars are impressive but for me the sound design of the film is the star. Mel Gibson looks very young in the lead role, he's a bit too pretty and a little bit wooden in the later stages of the film for my liking but he does an acceptable job and is eye candy for the ladies no doubt. I'm looking forward to watching Mad Max 2. I'm not so keen on Mad Max 3, usually franchises run out of steam but I don't want to prejudice myself. The bleak tone of the film reminds me of other classic films shot around the same time. Indicative of the fears facing the world at the time.


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Do you plan to send a touching note or text message to your dearest friend? Ever wondered how to greet your best pal who's always been there for you? Well! You can take the opportunity of reaching out to your closest friends on Best Friends Day,which is on June 8th. Select from these warm, touching and heartfelt Best Friends Day notes and send your friends oodles of love!
# My mom always told me that we could never measure our wealth by money but by our friends. She would surely be glad to meet you and know how rich I turned out to be!
# I'm glad friendship doesn't come with price tags. For if it does, I'd never afford someone as great as you.
# God in heaven, God above, please protect the friend I love. Sent with a smile, sealed with a kiss, I love my friend who's reading this.
# A friend is sweet when it is new. And it is sweeter when it is true. But you know what? It is sweetest when it is you.
# A coin is easy to earn, a friend is hard to find. The coin depreciates but a friend appreciates. I lost a coin when I texted you, but it's okay because I got you.
# A smile makes us look younger… while prayers make us feel stronger… and friends…? They make us enjoy life forever.
# Each day God sends His angels to guide us. We don't expect to see them with wings, or with halo flying above their heads. Instead, they come in disguise and we call them friends. Thank you for being an angel to me!
# A friend is like a book that has to be read to appreciate its beauty. As such, you're one of the finest books ever written. How I wish you could be reprinted!
# What are the differences between a peso and a friend? A peso is easy to earn, a friend is hard to find. A peso loses its value, a friend increases its worth. I don't have a peso but I have you!
# God sprinkles tiny but wonderful seeds of blessings on earth each day...and I just caught one that's so nice and true...It's you!
# A single candle can illuminate an entire room. A true friend lights up an entire lifetime. Thanks for the bright lights of your friendship.
# Friendship is a gift that is fair in all things. It roots from one's heart and involves memories that stay not for a while but for a lifetime.
# If you open my heart, guess what you are gonna see? It's you. True friends are hard to find so I kept you.
# Care is the main ingredient that keeps true friendships alive despite separation, distance and time. Care sustains love. Since I can't see you, let my care be with you, friend!
# What is a friend? She looks out for you, inspires you, laughs with you, cries with you, understands you, guides you and walks with you. That's what a friend is…you.
# I have a pen which is blue, I have a friend which is you. Flowers will die, waters will dry, but our friendship will never say goodbye.
# How long shall we be friends? Do you want a clue? As long as stars twinkle in the sky, till the water runs dry and till the day I die. We will be friends.
# I might run out of cute graphics to send you, but I'll never run out of this: care for you.
# A friend is a push when you have stopped, a chat when you are lonely, a guide when you are searching, a smile when you are sad, a song when you are glad.
# Colors may fade, the sun may not shine, the moon may not be bright, heartbeats may stop, lives may pass but our friendship, I'll treasure 'till the day my heart stops.
# When you're down, I'll be there to cheer you up. When you're tired, I'll be there to lift you up. I'll be your friend no matter what!


text:
Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer's old club Blackburn Rovers travel to Bloomfield Road today.
It is Blackpool's first public friendly of the summer and Bowyer's first match in charge at Bloomfield Road.
You can follow all of what is happening on match day at our MATCH DAY LIVE link here: www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/live/event?1403173


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Catalog > Brown Cameo
Resin Cameo
Cameo in shades of brown, cream and amber. Cameo measures 40x30mm. Mounted on raised bezel and backed with oxidized filigree. Bottom of Cameo is cradled in Ox Brass Filigree. Looped chain and 3 capped amber beads grace the brooch.
Pin measures 55mmx40mm (not including chain crop)
Tell a Friend


text:
Payoneer Account Pakistan Mein Kese Open Karain
How to Open Payoneer Account in Pakistan,A Detailed Guide on how to Order & Receive Payoneer Master Card in Pakistan and how to use it in Pakistan.
Aj mai Apko ye Batane jaraha hu ke payoneer kya hai? or ap payoneer se paise kaise kama sakte hai? or payoneer se paise kaise withdraw krn


text:
Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling, award-winning author of sixteen novels. Her new release UNDER MY SKIN is named one of the most anticipated and top thrillers of fall 2018 by BookBub, Bookish, Library Journal, Booklist, PopSugar and CrimeReads.
Her books are published in twenty-six languages worldwide, have sold millions of copies and have been voted "Best of the Year" or top picks by the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, Indie Booksellers, Goodreads and Sun Sentinel to name a few.
Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR and Travel+Leisure Magazine. Lisa Unger lives in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with her husband, daughter and labradoodle.
Her Writing
It's hard to compare Lisa Unger to any of her contemporaries. Unique, inventive, and often experimental, her writing is impossible to categorize. She combines her extensive knowledge of the human psyche with an understanding of trauma and fear to create novels that have earned her a reputation as one of the most skilled practitioners of the psychological thriller around today. Throughout her career, she has deftly walked the fine line between literary novels and commercial thrillers all the while hitting the New York Times bestseller lists and earning both critical acclaim and millions of fans worldwide.
Unlike many bestselling authors who stick with a formula to play it safe, Unger's bestseller status and loyal fan base have, if anything, propelled her to experiment more widely with her writing. Her character-driven novels explore the vast gamut of human experience, delving into the psychology of both protagonist and villain, often blurring the lines between the two. (From The Strand Magazine)


text: All over the media we see evidence of family feuds, conflicts between celebrities and their parents and between celebrities and their children and between jealous siblings, and of course the ever-present statistics about divorce. Are there ways we have been ignoring to get past such family conflicts, whether small or large, and maybe even become a stronger family for it? What kind of processes and conversations do we need between us to create an atmosphere of forgiveness? Often we don't want to go there because we are so caught up in our immediate reactions, our personal dramas. Is there a bet


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20% off everything with LASTDAY. Which is nice.
These rocks at Joppa in Scotland, are estimated to be 300,000,000 years old.
We stayed in a hotel which was built on these rocks, and at high tide, the sea slapped against the hotel walls….pretty scary when the weather was bad!!
beach black edinburgh joppa monochrome ocean rocks scotland sea white
It had to be so exciting looking right down on this from your room! Also the sounds of the sea!!! Great photo.
Wow, Natalie this is so beautifully done , just love the black&white effect ! Bravo , keep up the good work ! It's so nice to meet here again …..how small the art world is , isn't it ? :-)
Nice B&W shot
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text:
Formal occasions demand formal dresses and these formal occasions can be varied. Looking for a perfect Plus Size Formal Dresses Under 30 can be stressful for anyone but it is even worse if you are looking for cheap plus size formal dresses under 30$ US Dollars . These dresses under 30$ are not only difficult to find but at the same time come in not very wide choices to choose from. This is because there isn't a huge selection of plus size formal dresses being made for plus size people and often the ones that are made are not the nicest dresses that you can find. It can be very discouraging looking for a plus size formal dress under 30$.
Plus Size Formal Dresses Under 50$ Are Now A Viable Option!
However, there is no need for you to feel disheartened as there are ways that you can find the perfect plus size formal dress under 30$ even if you are a fat or overweight lady . Ball gowns are perfect for heavier people and they work very well at hiding the weight around your stomach, hips and thighs and they work as perfect plus size formal dresses under 30 (thirty dollars). For these formal dresses there are a number of different length dresses that can be considered. If you are a full figured person then it is suggested that you stay away from formal outfits with sleeves if the sleeve is puffy. Sleeveless dresses work as elegant plus size formal dresses under 30$.
Plus Size Long Sleeve Formal Dresses
As a perfect plus size formal dress under 30$ you might want to consider looking at vintage evening gowns. These dresses can be very slimming.
More and more dress stores are starting to carry formal dresses for large sizes under 50$. The selection my not be as vast as that of regular size dresses, but there are still some options. If you need a dress in a big size it is very important that you start looking early because you are limited in what you have to choose from. The best way to start is to call around to different dress shops and find out if they even carry a plus size line of dresses. Then you can start your search.
There are stores online as well that sell plus size formal evening gowns under 30 and formal dresses. Whatever be your size there are available dresses to make you look beautiful. And yes, a plus size formal dress under 30$ is possible to lay hands on!


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Main Content
Nate Bolt's Talks
Stop Listening to Your Customers
Nate Bolt 1 Recommendation Mark Trammell 1 RecommendationMarch 12, 2011 4:30 AM
Stop Listening to Your Customers
Developing Super Senses: Tools to Know Your Users
Juliette Melton 0 Recommendations Mark Trammell 0 Recommendations Nate Bolt 1 Recommendation Carla Borsoi 0 Recommendations Andy Budd 0 RecommendationsMarch 16, 2009 1:00 PM
You know you need to do user research, but how? Should you write surveys, do focus groups, or develop personas? And how do you act on what you've learned? We've been in the trenches and have concrete suggestions on what you can, and should do NOW to conduct effective user research.


text: One thing I learned with schoolwork that seems to be the same while working is try something out for a while and if you get stumped work on something else. Usually by the time you come back to the thing that stumped you earlier you can figure it out pretty quickly. It is like a process that gets swapped out of memory. In life I think it much more beneficial though.


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New York planetarium usurps IAU, demotes Pluto
Posted: Mon, Jan 22, 2001, 2:10 PM ET (1910 GMT)
We know that the stereotypical New Yorker is supposed to be pushy, but really! Monday's New York Times reported that the new Rose Center for Earth and Space, part of the city's American Museum of Natural History, has quietly removed Pluto from the pantheon of the planets, lumping it with the Kuiper Belt of icy objects in the outer solar system. While Pluto does share many characteristics with KBOs -- and yet may be reclassified as one -- the decision flies in the face of the astronomy mainstream that still classifies Pluto as a planet. The International Astronomical Union, the ultimate arbiter of what is and is not a planet, decided two years ago to retain Pluto's planet status after a minor controversy. Other science museums, including Chicago's Adler Planetarium and a new space science center at Denver's Museum of Nature and Science, have no plans to join the Rose Center in reclassifying Pluto prematurely and/or incorrectly.
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text:
BabyCenter: Nine Naturals Belly Butter, the Perfect Pregnancy Gift!
Baby Center brings us its top 12 Holiday Gift Ideas for Pregnancy and was sure to include the Nine Naturals Vanilla + Geranium Regenerative Belly Butter. It wrote,
"Help her soothe itchy pregnancy skin with a rich body butter that's baby-friendly. Nine Naturals uses only natural and organic ingredients, so expecting moms don't have to read the label with a magnifying glass. The brand's non-greasy belly butter is great for a growing bump – or anywhere her skin could use some calming. Bonus: The vanilla scent is pretty but not overpowering."
We couldn't agree more! The Regenerative Belly Butter is perfect for soothing dry skin in the winter and helping to reduce the appearance of stretch marks on your beautiful, growing belly! Not-so-secret power-ingredient, cupuaçu butter, contains phytosterols that help regulate your skin's health, and shea butter heals skin and restores its supple nature! Get it as a stuffing stocker for that special mama-to-be.


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DYAB Radyo Patrol Cebu Live :: www.dyab-cebu.blogspot.com
DYAB (1512kHz Central Visayas) "Radyo Patrol" is the Regional AM station of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation in the Philippines. The station's studio is located at the ABS-CBN Central Visayas Broadcast Center in Jagobiao, Mandaue City, while its transmitter is located at Cogon Pardo, Cebu City, Philippines. At present, DYAB is considered as one of the top stations in the AM band in Central Visayas and is recognized as the best AM radio stations in the Philippines by the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas.(Source: en.wikipilipinas.org). Una Sa Balita, Una Sa Public Service (First in news, First in Public service)


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One Christmas two of my brothers bought me chocolate baking books and the third bought me some fancy chocolate. They must think I like chocolate or something?! Knowing that, believe it or not this is the first time I've actually made chocolate brownies. This recipe was adapted from one of the Christmas present baking books-'Chocolate Baking' by Linda Collister. Incidentally, the same author who wrote The Great British Bake Off cookery book. So it seems everything I'm baking at the moment originally came from Linda Collister. Anyway, this recipe was really easy to follow and the brownies turned out well. Although I'll bake them for less time in future (baked for 35mins this time) as they weren't quite as squidgy in the middle as I was hoping.
140g butter
4 eggs, beaten
140g light brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
75g cocoa powder
140g plain flour
50g walnuts
50g pecan nuts
Makes 16
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Melt the butter in a pan and leave to cool while preparing the rest of the mixture. Beat the eggs together then add the sugar and mix. Add the butter and vanilla and mix. Stir in the flour, cocoa and salt until combined, don't over mix. Stir in the nuts. Pour into a baking tin and bake at 180°C for 30mins.


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Burma, Bangladesh leaders 'to discuss Rohingya'
The leaders of Burma and Bangladesh will discuss the issue of Rohingya refugees and related unrest near their shared border when they meet next month, according to Bangladesh's ambassador in Rangoon.
Major General Anup Kumar Chakma says the topic will be on the agenda when Burma's President Thein Sein travels to Bangladesh in mid-July to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He has told AFP news agency that Bangladesh supports all measures taken by Burma to restore normalcy in Arakan State, also known as Rakhine State.
Burmese government officials say they are unable to confirm the planned trip.
Burma's Arakan state, bordering Bangladesh, has been rocked by rioting, arson and a cycle of revenge attacks involving Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya.
The Burmese government says more than 80 people have been killed in the violence, with sporadic outbreaks of violence still occurring.
The whole of Arakan state has been placed under emergency rule.
The United Nations says about 800,000 Rohingya live in Burma and views them as one of the world's most persecuted minorities.
In recent weeks Bangladesh has turned away hundreds of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the violence in Burma, despite international pressure to grant them refuge.
Bangladesh is already home to a Rohingya refugee population estimated at 300,000.
The Burmese government and many Burmese see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants, prompting many Rohingya to attempt to flee to third countries in boats.
Restoring links
The International Red Cross is offering assistance to the displaced by linking up families who have lost touch with each other.
Samadhi Marr from the Australian Red Cross is in Burma, working with the Burmese Red Cross Society, as part of an international service to restore family links.
"The Restoring Family Links Service has provided a service to the people that are in that situation, by providing what we call a 'Safe and Well' phone calls," she told Radio Australia's Asia Pacific.
"So when people have moved to camps, the Red Cross volunteers are able to access them and provide them with phone calls so that they can ring their family members and let them know that they're safe and well."
Topics: refugees, unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, myanmar, bangladesh, asia
First posted


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John Stet
I do not give investment advice. What started as my personal WATT Family & Friends Update email list has grown into the WATT Investors Network (WIN) - over 240 serious WATT Bulls with over 2.8M shares. We happily share info.
- Member since January 5th 2017
- Arizona


text:
Friday, September 21, 2012
Subs. Not submersible, nor edible
The T39 is loaded with a 3012lf, is 20x20x39. It's characteristics are very familiar to me, I've been using Titans ever since the T48 came out several years ago. I switched to T39's for size. To those of you who didn't come here from BFM or are not familiar with them, it's a quarter wave horn, cutoff frequency around 45hz, usuable response to 40. They are clean, strong and loud. Really loud.
The LilE is a 12" vortex loaded subwoofer. 18x20x34 IIRC. I measured it, and lost the note before I got home. It's loaded with the 18sound NLW9300.
I disconnected the tops and ran just subs at first. I used quite a bit of differing styles of music, but the best reference was the opening bass line to Led Zepplin's dazed and confused. I didn't do any test tones, no point until I get my software.
The t39 is more efficient and louder through it's passband. My rough estimate is about 3-4db. The LilE digs deeper. When the t39 runs out of response, the LilE still thumps. I'd say it goes to 35hz easily. I could match the output of the t39 with the LilE, even at full output of the t39. Just because the 18sound handles twice the power of the 3012lf. And it did it with the extended response. I'd say both are examples of the compromises you have to make in homage to Hoffman's Iron law. Loud, Low, Small, pick 2. The T39 trades efficiency for low response, the LilE trades some output for extended response.
Sound quality was a total wash. I actually expected the Titans to be cleaner, because of the filtration of the horn path, but it wasn't so. Both are clean and tight and strong. No flabby bass here. Testament to the vortex design that it did sound as clean as a horn.
What I haven't confirmed yet at least with my tests are vortex subs ability not to excite room modes, and be far more immune to placement. I have heard it when I listened to the system in Illinois. But I'm really interested to play with it. That alone would make them more versatile than the t39's. Horns are pretty picky about where you put them. According to Steve and Tom, the vortex subs pretty much don't care.
The only problem I've come across is I'm not getting any work done. I just keep getting distracted listening to these cabs.
7 comments:
Leland, you may also want to try wall and corner loaded Lil'E placements and compare them to the gains of a similarly placed Titan. Non-crossfired Lil'Es in their upright position (output flare on top, driver angled down) will have gain when boundary loaded like horns but will not suffer losses when placed in the "no zone" like horns.ReplyDeleteReplies
You can also change response and output by merely changing drivers. For instance install a Peerless XLS driver with an Fs of 18Hz and your Lil'E is now capable of infrasound. The Vortex loading provides driver stabilization and amplification without imposing a cabinet tunning allowing for the extreme flexibility.Delete
Like I needed more excuses not to get work done. But I will give those a go. Doug Hart is coming up the first of the week, and we'll have at it.ReplyDelete
Remember full anti-Mode properties do not show up until a full cab or two Lil'E cabs driver to driver port flares out are set. Then you have all the benefits.ReplyDeleteReplies
AKA Horizontally crossfiredDelete
I took 6 cabs I had front facing cross fired in a line 6 across and changed the config this weekend to the same 6, non-crossfired facing (drivers facing down) @ the rear wall @ 10" off the wall. Huge difference in volume and sound coverage, especially 50hz and down. Later this week I am going to try the same config in crossfire, 6 across facing rear wall. Will report back.ReplyDelete
At 10ft off the wall you should have had cancellations in the 40's-50's. Didn't happen? More crazy vortex stuff.ReplyDelete


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The education unions are heading a campaign to fight back against cuts in school funding. Please use the interactive website below to identify an event near you that you can support.
You can also organise your own event by ordering resources from the campaign website:
Whatever you do, please join one of the most important campaigns of current political history.
In Solidarity


text:
I am signing up for the spring cleanse at Holostic health assoc. I have never done a cleanse before and I am worried that this may not be one of my smarter ideas.
Are you preparing to clean your house and wash the car?
Every spring, we engage in the ritual of spring cleaning.
The grime, the dust, everything that has built up over the
winter is wiped anew. The house looks better,
the windows are open, the air is fresh, and we feel better.
More and more people are beginning to realize that this spring cleaning ritual should include ourselves; not just with
a long hot bath, but with an internal cleaning too!
Spring is a great time for a mild detoxification and HHA is
offering a program that will do just this!
|Spring Detox – The Program – 4 week focus
Goal: To clear unwanted toxins in order to reset and refresh!
What does the program include:
– 2, 30 minute follow-up consultations
– 1 canister Mediclear supplement
– 1 individualized herbal support formula
– Detox workshop – Orientation
– 3 ear pressure point treatments
– Online support and education- blogfacilitated by acupuncturist/herbalist


text:
What a BRILLIANT film. I absolutely loved it. And spent half of it laughing out loud, which I rarely do even with films that amuse me. The anime parody alone was worth the ticket, and that's not even halfway into the film.
Also, to my gratified surprise, movie critic Gina Carbone was right about the resemblance to the Intelligent Design debate. From now on I shall always think of Richard Dawkins as a purple kangaroo, and my life will be considerably enriched.
* Yes, I am fully aware that this was not Theodor Geisel a.k.a. Dr. Seuss's intent when writing the book, any more than it was his intent to support the pro-life movement. Nevertheless, the parallels are irresistibly there.


text:
Words are a big part of my life.
Like lumber to a carpenter, paints to an artist or notes to composer, they are the medium in which I work.
And for a time last week, I lost them.
I walked up to a man who I know; a man who is the father of one of my daughter's best friends; a man who coached the girls' soccer team last fall; a man with whom I've spoken many times — and I had no words.
As he stood there next to the casket that held the lifeless body of Carrie, his wife and the mother of his four young children, Joey Hauger graciously accepted hugs and condolences from the hundreds of people who came to mourn with him and the rest of Carrie's family. Carrie, who died on Sunday, Jan. 24, from injuries she sustained in a traffic crash, was just 34.


text:
The Role of a Driving Simulator in Driver Training to Improve Fuel Economy
Scott, Helen, Knowles, Michael, Morris, Adrian and Kok, Dirk (2012) The Role of a Driving Simulator in Driver Training to Improve Fuel Economy. Proceedings of Driving Simulator Conference Europe 2012. pp. 313-325. ISSN 0769-0266Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)
Official URL: http://dsc2010.ensam.eu/symposia/browse/DSC2012/10...
|Item Type:
|Additional Information:
|(Eds.) Stephen Espie, Andreas Kemeny, Frederic Merienne. Les Collection de I'NRESTS. Actes, France.
|Engineering > Automotive Engineering
|Faculty of Applied Sciences > Department of Computing Engineering and Technology
|Depositing User:
|Barry Hall
|Date Deposited:
|17 Apr 2013 13:29
|Last Modified:
|17 Apr 2013 13:29
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text: In the recent years, Buddhism has made a large impact to many. From the belief to the practising of yoga to the images and decor of Buddha himself, in one way or another we tend to include him in our lives. His feet – in practice – is kissed for his blessings and to show respect. Taken in Sukothai, Thailand on 19 September 2004 – where I found serenity and content.


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It's a very area that features a great commercial vibe while in the evening with Road vendors alongside The complete extend from the seafront road. Ho
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It's quite rare to have the elegance of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir power come together as they do in this champagne here for the better. The bubbles, so fine and delicate, melt in your mouth. The flavours are fresh and persistent. The palate is powerful and a fairly long finish.
Tasting notes:
This golden yellow coloured Champagne reveals a nose of wonderful aromatic intensity, with a fruity bouquet. Well balanced in flavour, a supple attack and a slightly pleasant acid finish.
Producer: Cedev Selection
Bottles in case: 12
Mevushal: No
Alc/Vol: 12.5%
Size: 750ml
Region: France
Type: Dry
Colour: White
Varietal: Brut
Supervision: OU & Beth Din of Paris
Kosher For Passover: Yes
Available as a single bottle or as a case. Choose below.