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Lab Software Requests
If you have software that is not installed as part of the basic lab image, this is the procedure you need to follow. This type of software is usually purchased by a department or is included with a text book.
- The first step it to contact the Help Desk and talk about software requirements.
- Once you receive the software bring it to the Help Desk along with a completed software installation form and we will begin the installation process.
- When the test installation is complete you will receive a message asking you to come to the Help Desk to test the software. We would like you to test all pieces of the program including printing.
- After faculty testing is complete the software install will be included in the next rebuild of the lab. See the chart below for deadlines.
Software Requirements:
When purchasing software to be installed in a lab at Augustana, please follow these guidelines
· For PC Compatible Workstations: Runs on Windows XP Pro and Windows 7
· For Macintosh Workstations: Runs on OS X Snow Leopord
· License must cover the entire lab (number varies by lab). You must provide a copy of the license agreement to the Help Desk
· We suggest that you contact the Help Desk before purchasing software
To have software installed in Augustana Computer labs please be aware of the following dates.
Fall Semester Software to IS by July 1
Interim Software to IS by November 1
Spring Semester Software to IS by December 1
Summer Sessions Software to IS by April 1


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Naris Cosmetics - Overview (JP)
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Latest Company News
Momentum Ranks – Company Articles AddedJune 26, 2020
As of June 26 we have added the number of company articles to our Momentum ranks. Per year we publish approx. 1,200 articles about rank advancements, corporate news, press releases and many other developments in the ...Read more
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For some companies that is a well kept secret, while for public companies it is an obligation to reveal this figure. We estimated industry wide a payout between 34 – 36%. We have implemented the commission ...Read more

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Kia Forte5 Cabin Filter at Archer Kia near Fresno 77545
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Monthly Archives: May 2010
Tolerance isn't enough – We all deserve Acceptance
VOTE for STATES OF UNION because tolerance isn't enough – we all deserve Acceptance.
Supporters may VOTE for STATES OF UNION: a project that supports LGBT rights online at: www.refresheverything.com/statesofunion
I Do Not Deserve Your Tolerance
By: David Badash (The New Civil Rights Movement)
I am an American citizen. I pay taxes. I vote. I have a passport. I volunteer my time and voice and donate money to charities or causes I believe in. I have a college degree from a pretty good school. For most of the time since I was fifteen I have worked, often 60 – 80 hours a week. I am in a committed relationship. I try to call my mother a few times a week. I hold the door open for anyone in front of or behind me. I'm generally the last one out of the elevator. I've contacted my local government when I believed something needed improvement. I have good, long-term friendships. I've given money to friends who needed help. I've lent countless items to friends, assuming they will not be returned. I've worked to help people I know who were in crisis get through the next day. I've sat on the phone for hours with people who were depressed. I have a dog, the second one I've rescued from a shelter. I feed and walk him, a lot. I pick up after him, every time. I am called upon to help or give an opinion several times a week. I've done jury duty. I have never been arrested. I am financially self-sufficient. I have a few credit cards. I have an apartment. I have homeowners' insurance. When I needed a car for work I got one, kept it in good shape, kept it insured. I have a home air purifier. I take vitamins. I try to eat well and take care of myself physically and mentally. I have a primary care physician. I always bring a gift to a host or hostess when I am invited into their home. I say "please," "thank you," and, too often I'm told, "I'm sorry." I sometimes send out Christmas cards. I call friends to say "Happy Thanksgiving." I, not infrequently, get calls from people who used to work for me asking if I would given them a reference. I rarely say "no." I rarely say "no" when asked to do anything for someone. No one knows this, but I am the only person in my building of over 300 apartments who calls the laundry company when the machines break. I sometimes go into the recycling bins and re-sort them when my neighbors mix paper and plastic. I always leave a good tip, usually more than 20%. I don't yell at waiters or waitresses, though I have yelled at drivers who run red lights. I keep my TV and music at a reasonable level, especially late at night so I don't disturb my neighbors. I've installed dimmers in my home to conserve electricity. I have a checking and a savings account. I almost always pay my bills on time. I have an excellent credit rating. I tip all the doormen and maintenance people in my building at Christmas. I've lived in the same apartment for nine years. I backup my computer. I buy extended warranties on expensive electronics. I try to share information as often as I can. I generally pay more than my share when going out to dinner with friends. I generally return calls within twenty-four hours. I keep my home reasonably clean. I subscribe to a daily newspaper, and try to read it almost every day. I keep abreast of current events. I receive my news from a wide variety of sources. When disagreeing with someone, I try to remain civil and respectful. I take my dog to the dog park several times a week. I know he would like to go more often. I compliment strangers sometimes. I call restaurants to cancel if I can't keep my reservation. I try to validate my friend's feelings and listen to their thoughts openly. I rarely boast or brag. I try to patronize local businesses. Although it's hard for me to say this, I'm pretty certain I will have left somewhat of a positive impact on the world by the time I'm gone. I scattered my father's ashes where he wanted me to. I flew with my family to attend my grandmother's funeral. I was captain of the safety patrol in sixth grade. I was president of the theatre society in high school. I wrote to my congressmen to help save the dolphins from tuna fishermen when I was a boy. I want to get married. I can't, because I'm gay.
I grew up feeling sad and different and sometimes ashamed.
I no longer am sad, I'm glad I'm different, and I'll be damned if I'll ever be ashamed of who I am or what I believe. Because what I believe is that we are all the same. We are all equal. We all deserve to love and have our love recognized.
I think I'm a pretty good person. I know I'm as good as anyone else. I have done little enough wrong to deserve your forgiveness. I've done nothing that deserves your pity. And I know that I am good enough to not deserve your tolerance.
Tolerance is for someone who doesn't know better, like my dog who likes to jump on people. Tolerance is for someone whose views negatively impact your life, like people who want to stop me from loving the man I love, with all my heart. I do not want your tolerance. I do not deserve your tolerance. I will not accept your tolerance, any longer. What I will do is my best to ensure that we are all given equality and the legal right to love and marry the person who loves us back. From now on I will tolerate nothing less.
VOTE for STATES OF UNION because even Laura Bush supports Gay Marriage and Equal Rights!
Supporters may VOTE for STATES OF UNION: a project that supports LGBT rights online at: http://www.refresheverything.com/statesofunion
VOTE for STATES OF UNION because even Laura Bush supports Gay Marriage and Equal Rights!


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Smart Terminal Parameter Examples
- 1 What/Why the Parameter File
- 2 tutorial_example_mode()
- 3 Reference
- 4 Obsolete Doc, Remove soon
What/Why the Parameter File
A lot of the behaviour of the terminal is controlled by the file parameters.py. Different projects of mine require different parameters. There are several way to achieve this. The simplest to understand might be to have a different files for each project. You can do this if you want, starting from my parameter file. You can also use a secondary parameter file that overrides the settings in the first file. But right now I am working with a somewhat different method that seems easier to manage. This is the method in the supplied parameter file and the one that I will explain here. The parameter file is heavily commented and these comments should be read if you have questions. You can also search other files for parameters.xxx where xxx is the name of the parameter you are investigating.
In the __init__ method after a couple of required lines that help hold the application together there is a call to self.default_terminal_mode(). This subroutine sets a ton of parameters and this is enough to make the terminal run nicely. See the comments in the subroutine for more info.
I then have a call to a short ( so far ) subroutine self.computer_name_tweaks( ) This subroutine uses the already/automatically set parameter computername to tweak a few settings depending on the computer's name. This makes it easy for me to change the default parameters setting based on the computer I am using to run the program. Thus I can move the program around without changing the parameter file.
In a similar way there is a subroutine
Finally I make a call to a subroutine like: well_monitor_mode(). This is the file for an arduino project that monitors my water well pressure. This is a pretty complicated set up, because of the database access in the well monitor. For this documentation I will do a subroutine called tutorial_example_mode() which make the most basic changes from the default mode.
This mode just changes the default baudrate and the buttons/default data for the button. Read the comments ( here or better in the actual file ) , they are pretty clear:
def tutorial_example_mode( self, ): """ this mode does not do anything usefull except illustrate a simple "mode subroutine" """ self.mode = "TutorialExample" # this name will appear in the title of the window # to help keep track of which mode you are using self.baudrate = 19200 # changes the baucrate from the default to 19200 # the send_ctrls is a list of 3 valued tuples # for each item in the list you will have a "send button", a button that will send the contents of # the data entry field to the right of it to your comm port. # the first item of the tuple is a sting whose test will be on the button # the second is a string with the initial or default value for the data entry field # the third is a boolean, True make the data entry field editable, otherwise it is protected from edit self.send_ctrls = [ # text cmd can edit ( "Send", "", True ), ( "Send", "", True ), ( "Different Title", "default", True ), ( "More Different", "yes different", True ), ] # you may get extra buttons with default values to fill the space
- logger_id: the id used in the logging file
- pylogging_fn: file name for the python logging
- logging_level: python logging level of severity for message to be logged to the logging file
- win_geometry: the size of the window when first opened
- ex_editor: name of an executable file used to edit files related to the terminal
Comm Related
- port_list: a list of ports that the automatic connect routine will use to find a connection
- port: default port to open
- baudrate: comm port baudrate
- serialAppend: characters ( like cr and lf ) placed at the end of transmitted strings
- auto_open = False # true to open port on start up # !! *todo
- prefix_send: a prefix shown in the "receive area" to show that the data has been sent
- prefix_rec: a prefix shown in the "receive area" to show that the data has been recieved
- prefix_info: a prefix shown in the "receive area" prefix for informational messages
- echoSend: locally echo the sent characters
- get_arduino_version: string sent to get arduino to respond with its version string
- arduino_version = "GreenHouse" # should be part of the string th
- arduino_connect_delay = 10 # may not be implemented yet
- gui_sends = 15 # number of send frames in the gui beware if 0
- max_send_rows = 3 # the send areas are added in columns this many rows long, then a new
- default_scroll = 1 # 1 auto scroll the recieve area, else 0
Extended Processing
If you want to add some of your own GUI and processing elements to the terminal the next parameters add a module name and class name that will be loaded into the application
- ext_processing_module: module name
- ext_processing_class: class name
Automatically Set
- our_os: "win32" if your are running windows
For the Second Thread
- queue_length = 20
- queue_sleep = .1
- ---------- self.start_helper_function = gh_processing.GHProcessing.find_and_monitor_arduino
start_helper_function = "find_and_monitor_arduino" # now using eval, may need to do same with args, start_helper_args = ( ) # () empty ( "x", ) one element start_helper_delay = 0 # in seconds must be > 0 to start
- This is how often in ms to poll the comm port, faster makes it more responsive, uses
- more resources
- gt_delta_t = 50 # in ms -- lowest I have tried is 10 ms, could not see cpu load
- ht_delta_t = 100/1000. # TIME FOR helper thread polling this uses time so in seconds, sorry for confusion
self.send_array_mod = 5 # see task, send array
- ?? not implemented should it be?
block_port_closed = False # block sending if port is closed # *todo -- or some warning
- id_color: color for an "ID pane" just below the title bar of the window
- id_height: height of the "ID pane" if 0 there is no pane
- bk_color = "blue" # color for the background, you can match the id color or use a neutral color like gray
- icon: name of icon for the application
Obsolete Doc, Remove soon
- Sets part of the title of the application.
- Sets the communications parameters. Sometimes a little confusing about port names. The arduino IDE sometimes is better at finding the name, check it. Also use the <Ports> button on the GUI. On the apple we have found from <Ports> ('/dev/tty.usbmodem1411', True) and in the parameter file using self.port = "/dev/tty.usbmodem1411" gave a good connection. Sometimes a reboot will result in a change of the port name.
- Specifies a program for file editing.
- Sets the size of the application.
- Defaults data to be sent.
- Change number of send areas.
- More see the file.
An Intermediate Difficulty Parameter Example
- This is based on the file ..../smart_terminal/example_parms/parameters_intermediate.py.
- The parameters include all the basic parameters plus ones to support a greenhouse arduino monitor.
- You should also look at the arduino application and the SmartTerminal extension to support it GreenHouse Monitor Program as they are closely related.
- Well commented read the file!
What thisParameter File Does
self.send_ctrls = [ ( "Version", "v", False ), ( "Help", "h", False ), "simple default text" ]
In this case instead of just changing the default values of the string to be sent, I have also changed the button text and the editablity of the send field. This is done by using a tuple for any given button in the form ( string_button_text, string_send_default, editablity
- The terminal can probe the communications ports, find a port that opens, send a string to the arduino, and look for a particular response to verify that it is connected to the desired port. This takes the following settings:
- Another setting is required for the probe of communications ports. Here it is ( set up for automatic switching between operating systems )
# used to probe around for ports if self.os_win:
- Data is saved to a csv file, but what is the file name. Here is its setting:
# for saving csv data self.csv_filename = "csv_data.csv"


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Cook County property tax revenues increase 1 percent collectively
Cook County property tax levies are going up, but not as much as they could.
According to the annual property tax report issued by County Clerk David Orr's office Thursday, the county's 1,500-plus taxing bodies collectively raised property taxes by more than $122 million. The increase represents a little more than a 1 percent increase from 2012 to 2013.
State law ties government agencies' property tax revenue maximum increases to the consumer price index, which was 1.7 percent in 2013. Some municipalities have home-rule powers, which allows them to ignore the state's tax cap law.
Property taxes assessed in 2013 are paid in 2014. The new tax rates are represented in tax bills that will be mailed to county property owners this month and are due Aug. 1.
Bill Vaselopulos, director of real estate and tax services in Orr's office, noted that property values in the northern suburbs decreased an average of 12.8 percent after the reassessment process that takes place every three years. That means a home valued at $300,000 in 2012 would be valued at $261,510 in 2013. The maximum homeowners exemption dropped from $12,000 to $7,000, as well, Vaselopulos said.
Most suburban property tax rates increased, but given the decline in property values, some homeowners could see a reduction in taxes they pay to municipalities like Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, East Dundee, Elk Grove Village, Inverness, Schaumburg and South Barrington. Homeowners in Barrington Unit District 220 and Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 could also see reductions in their property tax obligations if their property values mirror the average and they receive maximum exemptions.
However, people who live in Hanover Park, Prospect Heights and Maine Township High School District 207 could see substantial increases in property taxes to those governments.
Hanover Park's village board increased its property tax levy by nearly 5 percent in order to cover increases to operating costs, pension obligations, insurance requirements and capital improvements, Finance Director Rebekah Flakus said.
The owner of a $300,000 house there would have paid about $1,400 in property taxes to the village last year, but could see a bill from the village increased by nearly $250 to about $1,650 this year. That's because of the village's increase to its levy combined with a 36 percent increase in the village's property tax rate. That calculation is based on a 12.8 percent average drop in property values, $5,000 less in the value of the homeowners exemption and a 5 percent drop in the Illinois Department of Revenue's equalization factor.
Orr also touted the addition of tax increment financing district collections to tax bills this year. Property owners who live within these special taxing districts are able to see how much tax revenue these districts are taking away from other taxing bodies, Orr said.
"As a longtime advocate for TIF transparency, I'm pleased that this enhancement means tax bills will accurately reflect property owners' true distribution of tax dollars," Orr said.


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Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter
Cunning Old Liar
Upon hearing what Feng Yu Heng said, Zhang Yuan happily went to spread the message. The Emperor smiled so much that his eyes closed. In his mind, he repeatedly thought of how great a daughter-in-law she was. This daughter-in-law really was great!
Not long later, the Empress arrived with a group of imperial concubines to the inner hall of Heavenly Hall. When they were still quite far away, the one that acted most spoiled, imperial concubine Hua, began screaming: "That group of murderers from Qian Zhou, this One will definitely skin them alive!" She then quickly rushed forward and kneeled at the Emperor's side: "Your Majesty, are you alright? This concubine was worried to death."
The Empress helplessly had her palace maids go forward and pull imperial concubine Hua back. She then said: "His Majesty was already given a shock. With you shouting like this, be careful to not scare his Majesty." She then turned to ask Feng Yu Heng: "How exactly is his Majesty?"
Feng Yu Heng saluted everyone then said to the Empress: "Qian Zhou's attack came suddenly. Father Emperor was rejoicing from having seen the steel knife. Going from elation to shock in an instant, his body was unable to endure it. This illness… is quite tricky."
Hearing her say this, the Empress also became worried, quickly going forward to take a look. But the Emperor kept his eyes closed, ignoring everyone. All of the imperial concubines went forward to speak, but they did not receive a single reply.
Imperial concubine Hua wiped away tears and began crying, causing all of the other imperial concubines to also begin crying. The inner hall had become a mess.
Feng Yu Heng's gaze, however, focused on imperial concubine Gu. She then very naturally retracted her gaze. At the time that she had cooperated with the eldest prince to take a swipe at the third prince. Now that the third prince had been beaten to his current condition, his power was rapidly disappearing. The soldiers in Gan Zhou were unable to receive any food, and Xuan Tian Ming had already secretly sent people to disrupt their morale. Now, they were more or less scattered, and they no longer had their former grandeur.
Everything had gone as she had planned. Feng Yu Heng was thinking that it was time for her to pay up the bargaining chip that she had used on the eldest prince.
While the imperial concubines were surrounding the Emperor and Zhang Yuan asking all sorts of questions, Feng Yu Heng quietly walked over to imperial concubine Gu Xian's side and quietly said: "A-Heng was away from the capital for many months. Has imperial concubine's health been well? Has eldest brother been well?"
Imperial concubine Gu Xian's brow moved. Feng Yu Heng was able to take the initiative to speak with her. This meant that this girl had no intention of evading the issue. Hearing her deliberately mention Xuan Tian Qi, imperial concubine Gu Xian was a little bit more satisfied. Thus she nodded and said: "All is well. When Qi'er came to visit this One a few days ago, he mentioned that he missed his ninth brother. He was thinking of having a nice get together when you got back."
"Their brotherly relations are deep. They naturally need to get together." Feng Yu Heng calmly said: "Before leaving the capital, eldest brother advised me to bring back some mountain fruits. They are still in the imperial carriage outside the palace. When the matters in the palace have been taken care of, I will personally send them to eldest brother."
Imperial concubine Gu Xian nodded, a rare smile appearing on her old face.
She waited a little longer and saw that almost all of the imperial concubines had gone up to say a few words. Only then did she clear her throat and say: "The Summer days are hot and stuffy. I invite all of the imperial concubines to wait in a side hall. The patient requires air to flow, and it truly is not good to have so many people surrounding him."
The Empress heard this and also said: "That's right. Us staying here will cause things to be rowdy, making it difficult for his Majesty to rest. As this One sees it, it would be better like this. We cannot do much to help out here, so it would be better if my younger sisters come with this One to Bao De Hall to pray for his Majesty's recovery. How does that sound?"
None of the imperial concubines wished to leave. Their chances to see the Emperor were already very few. They had been called over to take care of him, but now they had to go pray for his recovery. Was this not too much of a loss?
But the Empress had spoken, so they could not choose to not listen. Moreover, imperial concubine Gu Xian added: "Thinking of his Majesty is what really matters. It is not staying around and going through the motions. In fact, that will trouble his Majesty's recovery."
Feng Yu Heng smiled apologetically to the imperial concubines then said to the Empress: "Your Highness, do not worry. A-Heng will do everything possible to treat his Majesty."
The Empress glanced at her then nodded. In her mind, she sighed once more. That old Emperor had found another powerful helper! They had quickly gathered and come to Heavenly Hall. Thinking now, the desired effect should have been achieved. At this time, news should have definitely made it around the inner palace. The person who should have heard it would naturally hear about it. She just did not know if she would be worried or just feign ignorance.
She looked one last time at the Emperor then stood up, leading the way out of the inner hall. The imperial concubines behind her, seeing that the Empress had left, also felt that they should not stay, so they could only follow her out.
Feng Yu Heng went with Zhang Yuan to send them out partway before turning back. Zhang Yuan sent away the officials that had been called in to act. Only then did he return to the Emperor's side and poked his arm, quietly saying: "They're all gone."
The Emperor did not speak.
Zhang Yuan smirked, "When this servant sent people to spread word of this around the inner palace, I specially informed them to shout it. I also sent people in that direction to spread the word. Everything that should be done was done."
The Emperor continued to remain silent.
Zhang Yuan looked at Feng Yu Heng and was a little embarrassed. Feng Yu Heng smiled and shrugged, "It's fine. You can continue."
Zhang Yuan continued: "Get up and sit for a while. If she really comes, you will need to pretend. Would that not be extremely uncomfortable. Quickly get up, quickly get up."
He added some strength and pulled the Emperor, but he still maintained his condition and remained lying down without moving. Zhang Yuan was stunned and filled with shock. Turning to look at Feng Yu Heng and seeing that she did not react much, he found some courage and checked the Emperor's breathing.
He was breathing!
He was puzzled. Why did he not wake up? Thinking a little more, he simply went to pinch the Emperor's torso, finally managing to get him to react with a shout.
The Emperor became furious, 'What are you doing?"
Zhang Yuan was given a fright and immediately leaped far away. Looking again at the Emperor's angry expression, he was blinded, "This servant saw that your Majesty would not wake up no matter what and began to feel a bit afraid, so…"
"Was it not said that I was unconscious? What should I wake up for?" He even had an excuse.
Zhang Yuan helplessly said: "That is just a performance for others to see. Right now, it's just the three of us in the inner hall. Your Majesty, just stop pretending."
"Is this considered pretending? We are practicing. Little Yuan, say, Our pretending earlier…. was it realistic? Can it deceive that woman?"
Zhang Yuan nodded, "It looked realistic, too realistic. If this servant still could not wake you up, I figure I would have asked county princess to do something."
The Emperor waved to Feng Yu Heng: "Girl, come, come, come and give it a try. See if you can find any flaws."
Feng Yu Heng spoke truthfully: "Father Emperor, if eunuch Zhang truly asked daughter-in-law to do something, daughter-in-law would not just keep shouting. I would just go straight to using needles…"
Some black lines appeared on the Emperor's forehead, "Alright, alright, you two are no fun." Saying this, he looked out the window, "Has the sky already turned dark?"
Zhang Yuan told him: "It happened long ago."
The Emperor was a little unable to sit still, "How about you go over to receive them. It's dark out, don't allow her to fall."
Zhang Yuan very helplessly looked at the Emperor. After forming his sentences for a long time, he finally said: "Your Majesty, it's not that this servant is attacking you, but you are thinking too much. It's not certain whether or not imperial concubine Yun will come. Also, even if she did come, there would be servants carrying a sedan. She would not be able to fall."
The Emperor glared at him: "If you said that she would not come for other things, then that would be fine, but We are already in this condition! How could she possibly not come?"
Zhang Yuan began to argue with him, "In the past, you have been targetted by no shortage of assassinations! Did she come at those times too?"
"That's different. This time, it was people from Qian Zhou, and they have actually happened. She cannot possibly not think about it."
Zhang Yuan no longer advised him. He knew that it would be pointless. This old Emperor's heart was completely focused on Winter Moon Palace, but her personality made it very hard to say anything for certain. He simply moved to Feng Yu Heng's side and quietly said: "Either way, we have nothing to do. County princess, how about we make a bet?"
The Emperor suddenly threw his pillow: "Damn piece of trash! You actually dare to use Us for a bet!"
Zhang Yuan did not fear him at all, picking up the pillow then saying: "This servant will bet ten taels of silver that imperial concubine Yun will not come."
Feng Yu Heng smiled and said: "This county princess will be 100 taels of gold that imperial concubine mother will come."
"What?" An emperor and a eunuch spoke at the same time, as looks of disbelief appeared on their faces. Zhang Yuan advised her: "County princess, it's been so many years. Imperial concubine Yun has never come to see his Majesty. Are you pitying this servant for being poor and wanting to give me some gold?"
The Emperor poked at him: "Don't waste your breath!" He then said to Feng Yu Heng: "A-Heng is good. Say, why do you believe that your imperial concubine mother will come?"
Feng Yu Heng pondered a little then said: "In truth… daughter-in-law just wanted to give eunuch Zhang some money to spend."
"Oh well!" The Emperor did not believe her, "Do you believe that We do not know how much you two love wealth? Previously, old ninth was not this serious. Now, under your guidance, his eyes turn red at the sight of gold. Saying that you want to give little Yuan 100 taels of gold seems unlikely. Unlikely."
Feng Yu Heng wanted to say that the Emperor had not been completely blinded by love. He was still able to understand basic reasoning, thus she said to him: "In truth, it is as father Emperor said. This assassination attempt by Qian Zhou was indeed something that had happened, and it had happened suddenly. The disturbance caused at Heavenly Hall was not small. Although imperial concubine mother has locked herself away for these years, never coming to visit you, once united as a couple, you will always be united. In this sort of time, imperial concubine mother is definitely unable to sit still in Winter Moon Palace."
The Emperor thought about it and felt that Feng Yu Heng was quite reasonable, thus he quickly waved to Zhang Yuan: "Quickly, help Us get changed into something slightly better looking. My beloved loves the color white. Go get a set of white clothes for Us!"
Zhang Yuan was on the verge of crying, "You were already supposed to be unconscious. If you were to wear a set of white clothes, what would that become? No good, no good. As this servant sees it, this set of clothes is best."
"That's no good! My beloved likes things to be clean. We have worn these clothes for an entire day. There is a smell of sweat. Quickly go change Our clothes.'
Zhang Yuan was truly unable to disobey him and could only go find him another set of clothes to wear. The Emperor put on these clothes while saying: "A-Heng, if your imperial concubine mother really comes this time, We will definitely reward you!"
Feng Yu Heng had a bitter expression, "Daughter-in-law just wanted to give father Emperor some hope and did not really do anything! Father Emperor, you absolutely must not push this matter onto daughter-in-law."
"Hah?" The Emperor was puzzled, "Receiving a reward is a good thing. Why are you dodging back? Help Us…"
"I did not help with anything!" Feng Yu Heng told him seriously: "Daughter-in-law really did not do anything."
Following this, a voice came from the front hall to the inner hall that was extremely beautiful to the Emperor's ears: "I knew that an old thing like you would not die so easily! Hmph, you liar! So cunning!"
At this very moment, the person that had been caught lying was the Emperor. In his mind, countless curses surged forth. All of these words formed a single phrase: "Well, fuck!"


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Every Saturday from 1:30pm - 4:30pm, VballNetwork runs its open play at Margate Park (located at 4921 N Marine Drive, Chicago), just 3 blocks east of the Argyle Red Line stop. If you're driving, there's a free lot as well as some open street parking. Three full hours of play for $10. We limit the number of players to 36 to ensure that you're sitting out for no more than one game at a time. 36 players, 6 teams, 2 courts, and 1 place for the action - Margate Park with VballNetwork!
Though our indoor play is open to all, you should have a basic understanding of common volleyball strategy such as 5-1 and 6-2. We ask this to preserve good play and to decrease the chances of injury to you and other players.
Secure your spot for Saturday play each week online:
We look forward, each and every week, to seeing your shiny face embroiled in the fervor of VBN's happy-action. Then perhaps, afterwards, we'll also see your shiny face embroiled in the fervor of a beer!
Online registration is from 02/13/2020 7:00 pm to 02/15/2020 10:00 am.
Please login to register for this event during the online open registration time.


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Rooster Roundabout: This week's music highlights
Like a lot of people, my first introduction to Robyn was her song "Dancing On My Own," when it was featured in the hit HBO series "Girls." Used perfectly in the soundtrack's sequencing, it's my only indicator of Robyn's prowess as one of Sweden's most notable exports. Regardless, Robyn ventured to create an EP with Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp (Do It Again), and now they've released a video for album track "Monument." Have a looksie below ...
It's free music, y'all! Free music! Well, not in physical form, but still, it's free! DJ Shadow has released his new EP (Liquid Amber), available for streaming, as "an opening salvo" for future snippets of sonic fancies. Fans better eat it up, considering this is his first release since 2011's The Less You Know, The Better. Should make it feel more sacred, right? You can listen to the EP below. Enjoy!
My rap game could use a little work. OK, maybe a lot of work. But that's even more reason to mention that rap aficionado Nas announced a while back that he was going to commemorate his intricate verbage on legendary album Illmatic by coming out with a full-length documentary as well as a tour. On tour, which kicks off Oct. 2, he'll perform the album in its entirety. The documentary (Nas: Time is Illmatic) hits theaters on Oct. 1 (Oct. 3 for on demand and iTunes), so check your local theater listings. While the tour doesn't make a stop in the Duke City, it's worth it to plan a possible trip around it, no?
If you're not familiar with Matt Sweeney's online show "Guitar Moves," I'd recommend some viewage. It's cool if you like seeing various guitar devotees share some tricks of the trade, especially when you're attempting to learn the instrument (like myself). Now the show is titled "Guitar Power," and Sweeney's latest incarnation sees Kurt Vile showing off his prowess as an axe man and songwriter. Check out Vile's episode below.
Most people who still buy albums know that they almost always hit stores on Tuesdays. Well, that might change. In an effort to battle music piracy (and taking a note from Australia), the record industry is making a push to make Friday a "standard, global album release day." According to Billboard, some digital music venues have given the release day their blessing, though the change is already being met with opposition from indie record labels and stores. Apparently, having a release day earlier in the week is better for sales. If this comes to pass, that'll be put into effect in July of 2015.
While I'm not a huge Foo Fighters fan, I can attest that they put on one of the best shows of any band around. After seeing an epic, mind-blowing set at ACL a few years back, I'd convinced myself that I'd seen something akin to my generation experiencing Led Zeppelin in their heyday, which is a fairly bold statement. Regardless, the Foo Fighters have announced their upcoming record Sonic Highways (out Nov. 10). The album was apparently recorded in eight studios in eight different states, and the band is also coming out with an HBO doc series about the process (premiering Oct. 17). View a teaser for the record below, and head to NME to read more 'bout it.
Fugazi is one of those bands that has always escaped me, though bands I'm a fan of have always lauded them and their influence on rock and roll. And now people can partake in a listening session with the music that started the group on its course to take over the world: their first demo. Titled First Demo, it'll be the release of music recorded in 1988 from their original demo tapes. Talk about the rough and ready. That'll get a proper release some time this Winter, so keep an eye out for it.
Leonard Cohen is one of those musicians that really doesn't need any sort of introduction, as the man has been in the game for numerous decades. Still, his track "Hallelujah" is one of the most covered and revered tracks ever to hit the music-sphere. The singer-songwriter's webmaster Jarkko Arjatsalo recently announced that in celebration of Cohen's 80th birthday, he's coming out with a new record in September, titled Popular Problems. No word yet on what songs will be featured, but he did add that Cohen has no plans to tour the album. Bummer. Have a listen to "Hallelujah" below.
Talk about bringing music to the masses … John Dwyer's Castle Face Records (which has released records by Dwyer's Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, White Fence, etc.) is now conducting a program where they send free CDs from their catalog to prison inmates. All you gotta do is send them the prisoner's info and mailing restrictions, and they'll take care of the rest. Click here to read more about Castle Face For the Incarcerated.
Those actors and their music ... you know, the ones who think they're talented enough to take a stab at the golden glory of releasing a record, playing shows and being a straight-up rock n' rolla. Well, a lot of the time, they're not even rock musicians when they transfer from the big screen to the small stage, but more often than not, they still have the chops to back it up. (Zooey Deschanel, Charlotte Gainsbourg (even though she was a musician before she was an actress), Michael Cera). That last one is what this is about. Michael Cera released a surprise album, titled true that, which is now available to stream online. Head over to his Bandcamp page to give that a listen. I'm sure, to some, the lo-fi, folky intonations are reminiscent of his work in Juno (viewable below).


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The oppressive heat of the past two days is behind us but we still have a pretty warm day to end the work week. Highs today under mostly sunny skies will get to 85 degrees - way above normal for this time of year. There may be a stray shower or thunderstorm this afternoon as well.
Tonight we finally cool off for some decent sleeping weather. Open up your windows and let in the cool night air with temperatures falling to the upper-40s.
The weekend looks gorgeous with sunny skies and seasonable, pleasant temperatures. Highs on Saturday and Sunday should be in the upper-60s which sounds just about perfect.


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Treetop Extreme Climb Various dates available, click the Book Now button to see more
Treetop Extreme Climb
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The Treetop Extreme Climb; 35 ft in the air, 2 zip wires and 16 obstacles of pure adrenaline guarantee a real taste of aerial adventure.
Sessions Last 45 minutes on average.
Child £20, Adult (16+) £23


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9-year-old girl who died had bacterial meningitis
Child attended fourth grade at Kennedy Elementary
Joani Davidson said her 9-year-old niece complained of headaches early last week.
By Friday, she said the fourth-grader at Stockton's Kennedy Elementary School was dead
A doctor with the San Joaquin Public Health Department confirmed Tuesday Jewel Knight had bacterial meningitis.
"It happened so quick. The nurse practitioner at (the) doctor's office just thought she had the flu," Davidson told KCRA 3 on Tuesday morning.
The Stockton Unified School District said the case is being investigated, said a letter from Superintendent Steven Lowder.
Lowder confirmed that Knight went home sick from school on Thursday.
Public health officials said the disease, which affects the lining of the brain and spinal cord, is spread through close contact with oral secretions, such as through kissing, or sharing the same drinking glass or eating utensils.
It is not spread through the air.
Many parents at Kennedy Elementary School said they do not want to take any chances and will get their children checked out.
"I came in at 9 in the morning and picked my daughter up," Maria Cabrales said. Her child was Knight's classmate.
The school district urges anyone who is concerned about being in direct contact with the girl's oral secretion to see a doctor.
Meanwhile, Davidson wants to spread a word of caution to other parents.
"Parents need to know -- if their child is complaining of a headache, don't wait," Davidson said. "If the doctor says it's just the flu, ask them to look further, because waiting a couple of days can be too late."
"She was one of the smartest kids in our classroom," Knight's classmate, Marisol Cabrales said. "I will miss her and she never did anything wrong."


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I have come to a place where I feel that all of my offerings are humble.
I look around and see so many who are blessed with so much, so gifted, so able. And I am. I am gifted and able and blessed. I am overflowing with grace, poured into me by a gracious heavenly father.
And yet, I so often look at what I have to offer clenched in my fist, lower my chin as it trembles, and look around hoping no one will notice what little I have to offer.
Then I read, "He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" And I am encouraged that all I have to offer might just be enough.
It is with this thought in mind that I am guest posting over at A Bushel and a Peck, one of my long-time favorite blogs.
Verse from here.


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Hedge funds are bounding back, with return-hungry investors pumping up the industry to a size not seen since before the financial crisis laid it low.
The Wall Street Journalreports total hedge-fund assets are approaching $2 trillion and are soon expected to surpass their peak in early 2008. Even startups and smaller funds, which were shunned by many investors in the wake of the crisis, are benefiting.
According to the paper, the resurrection of hedge funds, which invest money for wealthy individuals, pension funds and other large investors, marks yet another sign that the effects of the financial crisis are receding.
The industry suffered its worst year on record in 2008, with the average fund losing 19%, according to Hedge Fund Research Inc. Those losses, coupled with client withdrawals and the liquidation of some funds, cut the industry's size by roughly one-quarter.
The Journal notes the industry had been clawing its way back since early 2009. Hedge funds pulled in $55.5 billion in net new money in 2010, the most since 2007, according to Hedge Fund Research. Figures for this year's first quarter also are expected to be robust.
The gains are coming despite performance that has been lackluster of late.
The average fund earned 20% in 2009 and 10.3% in 2010, according to Hedge Fund Research, failing to match the 26.5% and 15.1% gains in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock-index in those two years.
In this year's first quarter, the S&P 500 rose 5.4%, more than three times the 1.6% average hedge-fund gain, according to the research firm.
Pension funds and other big investors, however, need to diversify beyond the stock market, and the current low-interest-rate environment has made it difficult to find attractive returns elsewhere.
"Flows into quality funds have resumed," Lawrence Robbins, head of Glenview Capital Management told The Journal. The firm suffered significant losses in 2008, but has brought in more than $1 billion in new money since the bottom, according to a person familiar with the firm.
Nevertheless, fund managers told the paper the industry isn't on the kind of roll it was before the financial crisis, when it was growing more rapidly and rookie managers found it easy to raise money.
The industry is saddled with new regulation that grew out of the crisis. Investors are being more selective about where they invest. Hedge funds remain restrained in their use of leverage—or borrowing to amplify their returns, which increases risk. Managers are wary of scrutiny from insider-trading investigations and calls from Washington for more regulation.


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Google Puts Cute Little Rides on the Road
May 30, 2014 10:36 AM PT
Google this week unveiled a prototype that it will test on California roads to learn more about how to make safe and efficient autonomous cars a mainstream reality.
For about four years, Google has been developing self-driving technology that could make the roads safer, and its newly revealed prototype is the latest step in the project.
The tiny vehicle is reminiscent of a Smart car, except for the sensors on top. They're designed to eliminate blind spots and provide a view of more than the length of two football fields in all directions.
Inside, there are two seats with seatbelts, a space for passenger belongings, and a screen displaying the car's route. Missing are a steering wheel and gas and brake pedals. There's a red button a passenger can press to make an emergency stop.
As of now, the vehicle's top speed is 25 mph. The company plans to build about 100 of the prototypes and start testing them later this summer. After running a small pilot program on California roads, Google expects to be able to offer its self-driving vehicle services more widely.
Good Head Start
Google's self-driving research and its prototype are a huge step forward for the industry, said Panagiotis Tsiotras, director of the Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology. One of its biggest strengths is that a Google vehicle won't be held to the same constraints that a vehicle made by Ford, for instance, would be.
"The introduction of the prototype definitely puts Google ahead of the competition," he told TechNewsWorld. "Google has done a supreme job on integrating many technologies that are required to make a self-driving car a reality. Not being an automotive company, Google has the freedom to pursue untraditional solutions and create new opportunities that are brought about by the absence of a driver -- some of which more traditional car manufacturers would be most likely more reluctant to adopt."
Google's has a good understanding of the importance of self-driving technology, said Alain Kornhauser, professor of operations research and financial engineering, and director of the Transportation Program at Princeton University.
The company isn't trying to convince the masses that they need to run out and buy an autonomous car. Instead, it emphasizes the superior safety features of self-driving technology, all of which appeals to people who want to drive but no longer can, he pointed out.
"Since the speed is limited to 25 mph and the vehicles are small, the application is probably limited to some retirement community in California," he told TechNewsWorld. "However, such a demonstration will go a long way towards validating the safety and reliability of the concept and should get many influential people believing that this is all a real possibility rather than a pipe dream."
Testing and Learning
As impressive as Google's efforts so far have been, the competition won't be far behind, noted Kornhauser.
"This will give everyone a kick in the butt. This is all game-changing in a very big market, so there will be a lot of players," he predicted.
If Google's research continues to go well -- meaning it can improve upon urban driving, human-machine interactions and vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology -- the company has a chance to secure a leading spot in the space, said GIT's Tsiotras.
"As more individuals start to use these self-driving vehicles, the more we will learn about the best way to interact with them," he observed. "All these are very good reasons for Google to release these prototypes, and the announcement has come at the right time."


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Leonardo DiCaprio: 'This Is the Video Future Generations Will Be Wishing Everyone Watched Today'
Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has advocated for a number of worthy causes, from fighting climate change to the importance of conservation. Now, with a single tweet, the planetary steward shines a light on the colossal environmental impact of animal agriculture.
"This is the video future generations will be wishing everyone watched today." https://t.co/h3txowAwyJ via @MercyforAnimals— Leonardo DiCaprio (@Leonardo DiCaprio)1458162682.0
In his tweet, DiCaprio included a link to a stunning video from Mercy For Animals, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals, and promoting compassionate food choices and policies.
The 4-minute clip, with the tag-line "This is the video future generations will be wishing everyone watched today," starts by showing the awe-inspiring, grandeur of our living, breathing planet Earth as well as its incredibly vast biodiversity. It then turns dark as footage rolls of crumbling glaciers and disappearing coastlines, and links these global catastrophes to mankind's insatiable appetite for meat.
Watch here:
The video points out that animal agriculture and meat consumption is the number one cause of environmental destruction, species extinction and ocean "dead zones." The agricultural industry has consumed one-third of all fresh water and has destroyed 91 percent of the Amazon.
The video, however, ends on a good note. Its message, "She is our mother, there is only one, she is dying, she can be saved," urges us all to help save our struggling ecosystems before it's too late.
Big Ag's wide variety of practices is a contributor to our increasingly hotter planet. As Clare Birkett wrote for Common Dreams, it's not just the burping cows to blame for ever-rising carbon emissions:
Industrial agriculture is at the heart of social and ecological costs of farming and integral to this are monocultures. These vast areas of production of one type of crop entail systematic deforestation and require machinery, fertilizers and pesticides which are highly reliant on fossil fuels. As more and more crops are cultivated for agrofuels, the interrelationship between big agriculture and energy firms is increasing and fields are viewed more like oil wells than as places of food production.
These harmful effects are intensified with meat and dairy production, which requires huge amounts of grain feed and bring belching cattle into the equation, which accounts for a huge chunk of direct emissions. This problem has deepened over the last fifty years with the increasing "meatification" of diets. The situation is only likely to worsen, with food production expected to double by 2050 according to the FAO, as the global population expands and meat consumption per capita rises and more people move into the middle classes.
A 2014 research paper from UK think tank Chatham House, Livestock—Climate Change's Forgotten Sector, said greenhouse gas emissions from livestock account for about 14.5 percent of the global total, more than direct emissions from the transportation sector and more than all the emissions produced by the U.S., the world's biggest economy.
The study also suggested why it may be necessary for a lot more people to go vegetarian or at least dial down their consumption of meat and dairy products.
So does DiCaprio himself shy away from meat? While he's never explicitly said so, it wouldn't be surprising if the environmental crusader has a plant-based diet.
The Telegraph noted that the "vegan actor" went really method in order to consume raw bison's liver for his Oscar-winning role in The Revenant:
In a revealing interview with Variety, it appears that it wasn't just DiCaprio's principles at stake, but also his career. The piece explains how DiCaprio's lawyer and agents were called regarding the offal, and both parties had to give their clearance before producers served up the organ, which could have been riddled with disease.
Director Alejandro G. Inarritu told Variety that he was concerned about his leading man getting ill from eating the liver, but was pleased DiCaprio did it, as "without it, he may not have gotten to the truth."
As for DiCaprio, the actor complained that "the bad part is the membrane around it. It's like a balloon. When you bite into it, it bursts in your mouth."
7 Facts about #meat that'll make you spit out your burger. #StayWoke https://t.co/dozmbWTla2 https://t.co/J3E0NjmC76— Mercy For Animals (@Mercy For Animals)1458169024.0
The Hollywood superstar is also the executive producer of Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, a searing documentary about animal agriculture and its contribution to environmental ill, as well as Big Ag turning a blind eye to the disaster in the making.
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
How Carbon-Smart Farming Can Feed Us and Fight Climate Change at the Same Time
Farmers are the stewards of our planet's precious soil, one of the least understood and untapped defenses against climate change. Because of its massive potential to store carbon and foundational role in growing our food supply, soil makes farming a solution for both climate change and food security.
Soil can act as a natural "carbon sink." Climate Central, 2019
- How Permaculture Is Helping Wildfire Survivors Recover - EcoWatch ›
- 17 Organizations Feeding and Healing the World Through ... ›
- Michael Pollan: It's Time to Put Carbon Back Into the Soil - EcoWatch ›
How to Use Ventilation and Air Filtration to Prevent Coronavirus Spreading Indoors
By Shelly Miller
The vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs indoors, most of it from the inhalation of airborne particles that contain the coronavirus. The best way to prevent the virus from spreading in a home or business would be to simply keep infected people away. But this is hard to do when an estimated 40% of cases are asymptomatic and asymptomatic people can still spread the coronavirus to others.
It's All About Fresh, Outside Air
The safest indoor space is one that constantly has lots of outside air replacing the stale air inside.

In commercial buildings, outside air is usually pumped in through heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In homes, outside air gets in through open windows and doors, in addition to seeping in through various nooks and crannies.

Simply put, the more fresh, outside air inside a building, the better. Bringing in this air dilutes any contaminant in a building, whether a virus or a something else, and reduces the exposure of anyone inside. Environmental engineers like me quantify how much outside air is getting into a building using a measure called the air exchange rate. This number quantifies the number of times the air inside a building gets replaced with air from outside in an hour.

While the exact rate depends on the number of people and size of the room, most experts consider roughly six air changes an hour to be good for a 10-foot-by-10-foot room with three to four people in it. In a pandemic this should be higher, with one study from 2016 suggesting that an exchange rate of nine times per hour reduced the spread of SARS, MERS and H1N1 in a Hong Kong hospital.

Many buildings in the U.S., especially schools, do not meet recommended ventilation rates. Thankfully, it can be pretty easy to get more outside air into a building. Keeping windows and doors open is a good start. Putting a box fan in a window blowing out can greatly increase air exchange too. In buildings that don't have operable windows, you can change the mechanical ventilation system to increase how much air it is pumping. But in any room, the more people inside, the faster the air should be replaced.

Using CO2 to Measure Air Circulation
So how do you know if the room you're in has enough air exchange? It's actually a pretty hard number to calculate. But there's an easy-to-measure proxy that can help. Every time you exhale, you release CO2 into the air. Since the coronavirus is most often spread by breathing, coughing or talking, you can use CO2 levels to see if the room is filling up with potentially infectious exhalations. The CO2 level lets you estimate if enough fresh outside air is getting in.

Outdoors, CO2 levels are just above 400 parts per million (ppm). A well ventilated room will have around 800 ppm of CO2. Any higher than that and it is a sign the room might need more ventilation.

Last year, researchers in Taiwan reported on the effect of ventilation on a tuberculosis outbreak at Taipei University. Many of the rooms in the school were underventilated and had CO2 levels above 3,000 ppm. When engineers improved air circulation and got CO2 levels under 600 ppm, the outbreak completely stopped. According to the research, the increase in ventilation was responsible for 97% of the decrease in transmission.

Since the coronavirus is spread through the air, higher CO2 levels in a room likely mean there is a higher chance of transmission if an infected person is inside. Based on the study above, I recommend trying to keep the CO2 levels below 600 ppm. You can buy good CO2 meters for around $100 online; just make sure that they are accurate to within 50 ppm.

Air Cleaners
If you are in a room that can't get enough outside air for dilution, consider an air cleaner, also commonly called air purifiers. These machines remove particles from the air, usually using a filter made of tightly woven fibers. They can capture particles containing bacteria and viruses and can help reduce disease transmission.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that air cleaners can do this for the coronavirus, but not all air cleaners are equal. Before you go out and buy one, there are few things to keep in mind.

The first thing to consider is how effective an air cleaner's filter is. Your best option is a cleaner that uses a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, as these remove more than 99.97% of all particle sizes.

The second thing to consider is how powerful the cleaner is. The bigger the room – or the more people in it – the more air needs to be cleaned. I worked with some colleagues at Harvard to put together a tool to help teachers and schools determine how powerful of an air cleaner you need for different classroom sizes.

The last thing to consider is the validity of the claims made by the company producing the air cleaner.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers certifies air cleaners, so the AHAM Verifide seal is a good place to start. Additionally, the California Air Resources Board has a list of air cleaners that are certified as safe and effective, though not all of them use HEPA filters.

Keep Air Fresh or Get Outside
Both the World Health Organization and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that poor ventilation increases the risk of transmitting the coronavirus.

If you are in control of your indoor environment, make sure you are getting enough fresh air from outside circulating into the building. A CO2 monitor can help give you a clue if there is enough ventilation, and if CO2 levels start going up, open some windows and take a break outside. If you can't get enough fresh air into a room, an air cleaner might be a good idea. If you do get an air cleaner, be aware that they don't remove CO2, so even though the air might be safer, CO2 levels could still be high in the room.

If you walk into a building and it feels hot, stuffy and crowded, chances are that there is not enough ventilation. Turn around and leave.

By paying attention to air circulation and filtration, improving them where you can and staying away from places where you can't, you can add another powerful tool to your anti-coronavirus toolkit.

- These Are Some of the Highest-Risk Places for COVID-19 - EcoWatch ›
- CDC Recommends Big Changes to Office Life - EcoWatch ›
- Here's Why COVID-19 Can Spread So Easily at Gyms and Fitness ... ›
The Environmental Legacy of Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's Newly-Announced Running Mate
Former Vice President Joe Biden made a historic announcement Tuesday when he named California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate in the 2020 presidential election.
- Kamala Harris Introduces Environmental Justice Bill in Senate ... ›
- Harris and AOC Introduce Climate Equity Act to Protect Frontline ... ›
The tiny island nation of Mauritius, known for its turquoise waters, vibrant corals and diverse ecosystem, is in the midst of an environmental catastrophe after a Japanese cargo ship struck a reef off the country's coast two weeks ago. That ship, which is still intact, has since leaked more than 1,000 metric tons of oil into the Indian Ocean. Now, a greater threat looms, as a growing crack in the ship's hull might cause the ship to split in two and release the rest of the ship's oil into the water, NPR reported.
On Friday, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of environmental emergency.
France has sent a military aircraft carrying pollution control equipment from the nearby island of Reunion to help mitigate the disaster. Additionally, Japan has sent a six-member team to assist as well, the BBC reported.
The teams are working to pump out the remaining oil from the ship, which was believed to be carrying 4,000 metric tons of fuel.
"We are expecting the worst," Mauritian Wildlife Foundation manager Jean Hugues Gardenne said on Monday, The Weather Channel reported. "The ship is showing really big, big cracks. We believe it will break into two at any time, at the maximum within two days. So much oil remains in the ship, so the disaster could become much worse. It's important to remove as much oil as possible. Helicopters are taking out the fuel little by little, ton by ton."
Sunil Dowarkasing, a former strategist for Greenpeace International and former member of parliament in Mauritius, told CNN that the ship contains three oil tanks. The one that ruptured has stopped leaking oil, giving disaster crews time to use a tanker and salvage teams to remove oil from the other two tanks before the ship splits.
By the end of Tuesday, the crew had removed over 1,000 metric tons of oil from the ship, NPR reported, leaving about 1,800 metric tons of oil and diesel, according to the company that owns the ship. So far the frantic efforts are paying off. Earlier today, a local police chief told BBC that there were still 700 metric tons aboard the ship.
The oil spill has already killed marine animals and turned the turquoise water black. It's also threatening the long-term viability of the country's coral reefs, lagoons and shoreline, NBC News reported.
"We are starting to see dead fish. We are starting to see animals like crabs covered in oil, we are starting to see seabirds covered in oil, including some which could not be rescued," said Vikash Tatayah, conservation director at Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, according to The Weather Channel.
While the Mauritian authorities have asked residents to leave the clean-up to officials, locals have organized to help.
"People have realized that they need to take things into their hands. We are here to protect our fauna and flora," environmental activist Ashok Subron said in an AFP story.
Reuters reported that sugar cane leaves, plastic bottles and human hair donated by locals are being sewn into makeshift booms.
Human hair absorbs oil, but not water, so scientists have long suggested it as a material to contain oil spills, Gizmodo reported. Mauritians are currently collecting as much human hair as possible to contribute to the booms, which consist of tubes and nets that float on the water to trap the oil.
- Disastrous Russian Oil Spill Reaches Pristine Arctic Lake - EcoWatch ›
- 15,000 Gallon Oil Spill Threatens River and Drinking Water in Native ... ›
- Source of Vast Oil Spill Covering Brazil's Northeast Coast Unknown ... ›
Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump Admin Rollback of Law Protecting Migratory Birds
Environmentalists and ornithologists found a friend in a federal court on Tuesday when a judge struck down a Trump administration attempt to allow polluters to kill birds without repercussions through rewriting the Migratory Treaty Bird Act (MBTA).
- Trump Admin Moves to Weaken Restrictions on Killing Migratory Birds ›
- Migratory Birds Lose Protection Against Industry in Latest Trump ... ›
By Elizabeth Claire Alberts
There are trillions of microplastics in the ocean — they bob on the surface, float through the water column, and accumulate in clusters on the seafloor. With plastic being so ubiquitous, it's inevitable that marine organisms, such as sharks, will ingest them.
Polyproylene fibers found in one of the sampled sharks. Kristian Parton
Spiny dogfish. NOAA / Wikimedia Commons
"There appear to be two routes for these particles to end up in the sharks," Parton said. "The first through their food source [such as] crustaceans. Their prey may already contain these fibers, and consequently it's passed to the shark through bioaccumulation up the food chain. The second pathway is direct ingestion from the sediment. As these sharks feed, they'll often suck up sediment into their mouths, some of this is expelled straight away, although some is swallowed, therefore fibers and particles that may have sunk down into the seabed may be directly ingested from the surrounding sediment as these sharks feed."

Some sharks only contained a few plastic particles, but others contained dozens. The larger the shark, the more plastic was in it, the findings suggested. The highest number of microplastics was found in an individual bull huss, which had 154 polypropylene fibers inside its stomach and intestines.

"It's perhaps likely this individual shark had swallowed a larger piece of fishing rope/netting and this has broken down during digestive processes within the shark, and also broken down into smaller pieces during our analysis," Parton said.

Lesser-spotted dogfish caught as bycatch. Kristian Parton
While this study only examined the stomach and digestive tracts of demersal sharks, Parton says it's possible that plastic would be present in other parts of the sharks' bodies, such as the liver and muscle tissue. However, more research would be needed to prove this.

At the moment, there is also limited understanding of how microplastic ingestion would impact a shark's health, although microplastics are known to negatively influence feeding behavior, development, reproduction and life span of zooplankton and crustaceans.

"If we can show that these fibers contain inorganic pollutants attached to them, then that could have real consequences for these shark species at a cellular level, impacting various internal body systems," Parton said.

Parton in the lab. Kristian Parton
This new study demonstrates how pervasive and destructive plastic pollution can be in the marine environment, according to Will McCallum, head of oceans for Greenpeace U.K.

"Our addiction to plastics combined with the lack of mechanisms to protect our oceans is suffocating marine life," McCallum said in a statement. "Sharks sit on top of the marine food web and play a vital role in ocean ecosystems. Yet, they are completely exposed to pollutants and other human impactful activities. We need to stop producing so much plastic and create a network of ocean sanctuaries to give wildlife space to recover. The ocean is not our dump, marine life deserves better than plastic."

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- Microplastics Pose Major Problems for Ocean Giants - EcoWatch ›
By Loveday Wright and Stuart Braun
After a Japanese-owned oil tanker struck a reef off Mauritius on July 25, a prolonged period of inaction is threatening to become an ecological disaster.

The #oilspill is devastating but I want to honour the community mobilisation at the Mahebourg waterfront today (to… https://t.co/UWFkZFdjdi
 — Fabiola Monty (@Fabiola Monty)1596815930.0

"Booms are made of nylon mesh filled with #sugarcane straws all hand-stitched by Mauritian volunteers, empty plastic bottles used as buoys," described Mauritian journalist Zeenat Hansrod in a tweet.

How to Tackle Oil Spills
The method for tackling oil spills depends on several factors, including the type and amount of oil in question, location and weather conditions.

"Once the oil comes to shore, the more intensive the cleaning technique. You can risk causing further damage," said Nicky Cariglia, an independent consultant at Marittima, who specializes in marine pollution.

"If you wanted to remove all traces of oil, the techniques available become increasingly aggressive the less oil that remains. In mangroves, you would have the added risk of causing damage by trampling," Cariglia told DW. Highly sensitive mangrove ecosystems line the Mauritius east coast that is threatened by the current spill.

Because oil normally has a lower density than water, it floats on the surface of the ocean. This means that for clean-up action to be most effective, it should happen very quickly after a spill, before the oil disperses.

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