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David Silva has paid tribute to Manuel Pellegrini for restoring unity and happiness to Manchester City ahead of their imminent crowning as Premier League champions.
Where there was disorder and rancour under former City boss Roberto Mancini, with training-ground bust-ups between players a symptom of his combative managerial style, Pellegrini has brought order and harmony.
At last season's FA Cup final defeat to Wigan at Wembley a year ago tomorrow, City fans responded to Mancini's impending dismissal and their new manager's appointment with a defiant chant of "You can stick your Pellegrini up your arse".
But the laconic, undemonstrative Chilean has won over his doubters and earned the trust of his squad with his attacking philosophy and astute man-management of those players at his disposal, to ensure he gets the best out of them.
City were derided when they sacked Mancini and said they wanted a more "holistic" approach from their new boss, but in Pellegrini, 60, they have found one whose inclusive and calm demeanour, even as the title seemed to be slipping away, has fulfilled that remit.
"He's made it a happy place," said Silva. "He's brought a joy and happiness around the place, and also to our style of play.
"You see that in the way we play, attack-minded, lots of goals. He's made us competitive in every competition.
"We've gone further in them. He's given us that extra push and taken us one step further maybe.
"His calmness has been obvious. He's added that to the whole club. It really helps us at difficult moments.
"It's nice to have that calm attitude around you when things get tough.
"That has suited us. So has the style of play he's brought with him.
"He likes us to have possession, create chances and score lots of goals."
But Pellegrini admitted he wasn't always so calm. Asked if he was a "mad dog" as a young man, Pellegrini said: "Absolutely! I was different.
"When I started this career I had an absolutely different character. As a player, I had a different character than I have today.
"To prepare to be a manager you must change a lot of things and one of those things I was sure I had to change was my character.
"There is another way of managing than as a player. You have to decide you are no longer a player and be different."
While Yaya Toure's 23 goals from midfield have made him City's star man this season, Silva has been equally influential from midfield, an ankle injury preventing him from playing the whole campaign uninterrupted.
But the Spain World Cup and European Championship winner has played a key role in City's march to the brink of their second title in three years and said Pellegrini's commitment to an expansive style of play has brought out the best in him.
"Having Manuel here has helped me personally," said Silva. "It's been really good for me. He's suited me down to the ground.
"My style of play is more suited to an attacking style. He's helped me develop as a player and you always want to improve as an individual."
Silva admitted City feared their title hopes had gone when they lost 3-2 at Liverpool at Anfield on April 13 and then could only manage to scrape a 2-2 draw at home to Sunderland three days later.
But Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea and collapse to draw 3-3 at Crystal Palace, coupled with four straight wins for City over West Brom,
Crystal Palace, Everton and Villa, have allowed them to put one hand on the Premier League trophy.
"We knew this league is very competitive," said Silva. "I suppose you'd have to say [we felt the title had gone] in the last few minutes against Liverpool.
"They got the winner from an error, so you start to doubt it. Then we dropped points against Sunderland and we thought we might have thrown it away.
"But you learn that it's such a competitive league, that you just have to keep going, get your heads down and work hard.
"As it's turned out, that was the right way to do it, because everything changed again and here we are at the top.
"We all watched the Liverpool game against Crystal Palace. We all knew a lot rested on what they did, so from them on the advantage was with us.
How do Man City's goals compare to previous PL winners?
"Everyone is saying we have the title won, but we still think it will be very difficult.
"We know if we get the win we need, we win the league, so there is pressure, but you have to enjoy these moments.
"They don't come along all that often. Of course you can enjoy it. If you are enjoying it you can express yourself.
"If you're suffering and edgy out on the field, that's when things don't work out so well."
Silva may reached the pinnacle in football by winning a World Cup and European Championship, but the 28-year-old said the Premier League was just as satisfying to win because of the effort it takes to win it over the course of a season.
"It's difficult to compare them but with the Premier League it's very tough to win it," said Silva. "Everyone knows that and that's what makes it special.
"It's different to a World Cup or a Euro - this is something you work for the whole year. It was great to win it the first time - and the motivation to do it again is very high. To do it again during the short time I've been here would be marvellous."
"I've always said I'm really happy here. Nothing has changed, I'm totally happy. In football I always focus on the present, so all I'm thinking about for now is this last game."


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There were mixed reactions among football fans in the Kumasi metropolis following the official ending of the 2006/2007 Onetouch Premier League on Sunday.
Whilst there were wild jubilation among supporters of Accra Hearts of Oak for the Club emerging as the champions of the League, as well as those of Obuasi AshGold for being the first runners-up and Kumasi King Faisal for narrowly escaping from relegation, the mood of most supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko was however that of disappointment after their idol Club placed third on the table.
The Porcupine Warriors beat Accra Great Olympics 5-3 in their last game at Nkawkaw but the result was not enough to guarantee Kotoko a place in next year's CAF Champions League, a development that some supporters think could see a major shake-up in the team in the coming days.
Speaking to the GNA in Kumasi, Mr Desmond Otuo-Tuffour, a supporter of Kotoko lambasted management of the team for being apathetic towards the total development of the Club.
He accused the management members of advancing their own selfish interest instead of the overall interest of the Club in the discharge of their duties, adding that their stand obviously resulted in Kotoko losing focus at crucial stages of the league.
Mr Otuo-Tuffour, who is also a sports analyst expressed regret that Kotoko had to change as many as four coaches and four venues during this league season and noted that such a development greatly affected the team's consistency and focus.
He therefore advocated a change in management since according to him the institution of a 'results-oriented' one would go a long way in changing the dwindling fortunes of the Club".
Mr Kwegyir Turkson, Secretary of the Ashanti Regional Chapters Committee (RCC) of Hearts of Oak, commended the playing body, technical team, management and board of the Club for their dedicated service which ensured the team annexed the league title.
He said it was imperative that Hearts won the league at a time the country was commemorating her 50 years of independence anniversary, noting that this, therefore, presents the Club an opportunity to take stock of its past achievements so as to plan effectively for the future.
Mr Turkson cautioned the team against complacency and to work extra hard to boost their chances of winning next year's CAF champion's League after ensuring of their qualification.
Alhaji Rauf Saka, a supporter of King Faisal impressed upon Alhaji Karim Grunsah, founder and bankroller of the Club to explore avenues in getting sponsorship packages for the Club in order to boost its financial base.
He said such a move would enable the Club to continue to fulfill its financial obligations and undertake other development projects to ensure that the Club maintains and sustains its position in the Premier League.
Source: GNA

subset: commoncrawl


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Construction of DeSimone's T-34 Prototype
Anyone wishing to purchase one of DeSimone's vehicles, contact James DeSimone direct via his email address, firstname.lastname@example.com . Tell him Tim Kano sent you.
All pictures are thumbnails. Click on them with your mouse to see larger pictures.
The next six pictures were kindly submitted by Calvin Yip.
Pictures from the BBQ meeting about the track links
Pictures of the uncompleted prototype/production mix from the 2003 Weekend of Heroes Convention in Ontario
Pictures of the T-34 at the 2003 Hasbro Convention in San Francisco. This is a production version piece with the older Hetzer style tracks.
It all started with a typical mail out flyer that James DeSimone sends out to advertise his shows. On the flyer was a beautiful picture of a T-34 and a Hetzer side by side. Short of a Sherman Tank and a German Pzkw Mk. IV, he couldn't have picked a better pair of tanks to tempt me with! I just had to have them. But there was snag, nobody had contacted James and said they wanted any. I knew this was time for me to do something if I wanted something I could afford so I started sending out emails.
I have been purchasing DeSimone vehicle's for some time now but I haven't actually been involved in the development process of them before now. At the time I set up this webpage the Hetzer was in preorder and was going be in production within a couple weeks, however, this is the story of the making of the T-34.
3/30/2003 - The first picture here shows the finished templates for the chassis of the tank. This work was done ahead of time by Calvin Yip. Calvin is the wiz with the calculator and does the technical stuff that makes my head hurt. We spoke at length during the last DeSimone show in Burbank and I was surprised to see he incorporated a couple of my techniques into this project. As you can see he has enlarged plans for the turret from a smaller set of plans to 1/6 scale or slightly larger. This being because he has to account for some shrinkage of the finished production piece after being molded.
The first six pictures are of the templates. After I arrived at DeSimone's house Calvin and Rick hastily assembled the templates with tape so I could conceptualize (a fancy way of saying, 'Picture it in your head') what the T-34 chassis will look like after construction. The turret shown here is not the prototype turret. It is only used here so you can get an idea of what it will look like. The small model is a 1/35th scale model that measurements were upscaled from.
My daughter was pressed ganged (she will do anything for pizza) into standing next to this temporary model so you can get an idea of the size of this thing. Still she is only 5 foot 1 inch but I hope you get the idea.
The next four pictures are of Calvin (in the green shirt) and Rick (with the cool t-shirt!) working on the final prototype chassis. These guys work amazingly well together. I got the impression that they couldn't find their way out of a paper sack by themselves if they had to BUT together they could build the Empire State building in 1/6 scale if they wanted to. It was quite amazing to watch them.
The final picture is as far as they got with the chassis before I had to leave. I was assured they would be done with the prototype chassis by the time the day ended. Of course the turret is yet to be done at this point. Another problem here is the tracks. James DeSimone told me that the tracks will have to be custom made for this project as the existing tracks they use now are just not suitable for this tank.
This is still just in the prototype stage at this time. Cost is yet to be determined and no further work will be done once the prototype is finished until the prior project of the Hetzer tank is completed and orders for finished production models of that tank are in the mail to their new owners. There was some discussion about price on the T-34 and James pointed out this might largely depend on the cost of the tracks for the T-34. With his prior vehicles he was able to use his older tracks which might not have been really accurate but were suited to play and geared toward that purpose. The molds on those were paid for and cost already recouped so that helped keep costs of this vehicles down up to now. The T-34 might have to be as much as $150 each but there might be a lesser 'preorder' price or maybe a lesser price without tracks if customer's might want to make their own. All this is still just in the planning stage though, nothing has yet been established.
The main hull shape is finished at this point. Construction has moved on to the turret and by the end of the day the basic tank (sans wheels and tracks) was done. Detailing will follow after this. Al Franco provided James with tracks that he hopes to mold for this tank.
Dimensions of the tank are:
Length: 38" - 42" (with fenders)
Width: 20"
Height: 11" (without wheels and tracks)
I will add updates as available.
5/16/2003 - I got an email from both James and Calvin telling me the prototype of the T-34 was finished! (see last four pictures from Calvin) Attached to Calvin's email were four lovely pictures of a 1/6 scale T-34!
At this time the tracks still need to be molded. They are suppose to be injection molded and created from masters done by a professional modeler, Al Franco. This is going to raise the cost of the T-34 but the old tracks James used for his armor vehicles was just not good enough for this baby. Of course the fact that the T-34's tracks were roughly twice as wide as the Hetzers had a little something to do with it. There is another DeSimone show in Burbank next weekend so I am hoping to get more close up pictures of this beast after that.
The road wheels are only for casting so they didn't mount them on the tank.
5/25/03 - Today after the Burbank DeSimone Show, there was the after show BBQ at James house. There we had a meeting of minds to discuss the track problem. Pictures at left show the track links that Al Franco sent James and Calvin got down to drawing what they wanted to do. Rick, myself and Clark Acton were there also adding our input of ideas on what would help. At the time I left for home, they were still going strong on the track link design.
Clark volunteered to make the track link masters. Pictures of the group at the table show (around the table from left to right) James, Rick, Calvin and Clark. I was not available as I was busy behind the camera!
Ideas thrown out on the table were to make them snap together and one universal link instead of a male and female link. They are looking at injection molding with each individual link on a sprue tree much like a model kit would come with.
Weekend of Heroes Convention in Ontario, California. These pictures are a hastily thrown together T-34 made up of production molded turret and wheels, prototype body and the old Hetzer tracks. James wanted something to display and try to get some more preorders in to help offset costs.
Hasbro Convention at San Francisco Hyatt Hotel. The final production T-34 tank was shown here. This only had the Hetzer tank style tracks as the new T-34 links have not been made as yet. Sadly the outcome of this vehicles poor sales has caused a halt to future projects. At this time it is still in question whether there will be enough monies to make the better tracks that had been planned.
This might be it's final form before the T-34's ship out to the ones who have preordered them. We were really hoping for better tracks.
Links to upgrade and modifying tips on DeSimone's Hetzer Tank
Cajun GIJoe's axel upgrade


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they look good. The face on them look how I feel in the morning before coffee lol lol Here in the U.S we have a pan cake house called IHop (international house of pancakes). they have more versions of pancakes that you can ever dream off. You ever heard of it over there?
Pancake Day
Today is Pancake Day, a day when everyone oils up their pans, beats their batter and makes sugary or savoury pancakey goodness. What do you get if you mash-up Talk Like a Pirate Day with Pancake Day?
Yarr, pirate pancakes me hearties!
4 Comments on "Pancake Day"
i wish i had leet pancake skills like that.. all i can do is offend people about eating babies on my blog.
hmmm… pancake-filled babies…. inneresting… mmmmm
Did you give up anything for lent??
Awesome pancakes. I won this years pancake competition at my friends house, with five plate-fillers downed, lol. Aah good times, how I yearn for Pancake Day!


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Pleasanton, CA
Industry: Pharmaceuticals & Biotech•
5 - 7 years
Posted 56 days ago
Bio-Rad's Digital Biology Group is a multidisciplinary team developing products using our Droplet DigitalTM technology that are having a large impact in both research and healthcare. Every day, scientists and clinicians around the world use our ddPCRTM and ddSEQTM NGS sample prep systems to make new discoveries, and are revolutionizing clinical decisions with break-through liquid biopsy applications. We're looking for an Engineer III (Embedded Systems Engineer) to join our team.
About Bio-Rad:
Bio-Rad is a global leader providing a broad array of clinical diagnostics and life science research products. With a team of more than 8,000 employees and a global network of operations serving our customers, we help people live longer, healthier lives.
Bio-Rad was founded over six decades ago and has continued to provide the healthcare industry with innovative and useful products that help life science researchers accelerate the discovery process and medical diagnostic labs obtain faster, better results.
EEO/AA Employer/Veterans/Disabled/Race/Ethnicity/Gender/Age
Agency Non-Solicitation:
Bio-Rad does not accept agency resumes, unless the agency has been authorized by a Bio-Rad Recruiting Representative. Please do not submit resumes unless authorized to do so. Bio-Rad will not pay for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.


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Pink bell sleeve sweater and plaid trousers c/o Banana Republic.
What started as a small getaway to Baltimore to see Amy Shumar live for my best friend's birthday surprise (Yes- I know you're jealous, AF) turned into a press trip covering one of Kimpton's hidden (and ALL marble, might I add) gems in downtown Baltimore. Although this legendary landmark was built in 1906, is boasts as much modern luxury as a NYC mainstay. My favorite part about Kimpton Hotel Monaco were the carefully preserved marble and downright G O R G E O U S staircases, where mostly weddings are photographed - until brought some shameless streetstyle cred to those steps. Not sorry about it... This haunt also features an equipped gym for redeeming yourself the night after swooning throughout chic hotel bar, as well as life size fireplaces for those cozy nightcaps. For the sake of instagram indulgence, go and see for yourself. Pink bell sleeve sweater and plaid trousers c/o Banana Republic.


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Eggcorn Studio is a 4000sq ft, drive-in, white coved studio in Greenwich, South East London. The space is very versatile, and suitable for a range of uses. Sandwiched between three train stations, Eggcorn Studio has great travel links from Waterloo and London Bridge, via North Greenwich Underground Station, and Charlton & Westcombe Park National Rail stations. Thames Clipper boat services also run to North Greenwich, making us
accessible from Tower Bridge and Embankment too.
The studio is fully equipped with a range of equipment to suit any type of production, from simple tests to large-scale commercial shoots. The studio is completely open plan, and large enough to house up to five shooting areas simultaneously.
Set on a private road, Eggcorn Studio is ideal for large photography and video shoots.
Over 2000sq ft of unoccupied space to build your own custom set, suitable for stills and video shoots.
Equipped with Bowens & Profoto strobes, and Limelite broadcast standard LED panels, suitable for a range of projects.
The studio is on one floor with drive-in and step-free access via the shutter for large productions and loading.


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Estimated Monthly Payment2 will depend on vehicle make and model and will be determined upon actual vehicle inspection. All payments are estimates. Tax, title and any other fees are extra.
*Offer disclaimers and eligibility included in details.
Town and Country Ford
7720 E Division St
Directions Evansville, IN 47715-2780
Exterior Color: Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat
Interior Color: Ebony Black
Vin Number: MAJ3P1TE7JC247625
Stock: TW818
View this 2018 Ford EcoSport SUV SE for sale in


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- Research article
- Open Access
- Open Peer Review
The impact of donor policies in Europe: a steady increase, but not everywhere
© Coppen et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2008
- Received: 12 August 2008
- Accepted: 13 November 2008
- Published: 13 November 2008
Transplantable organs are scarce everywhere. Therefore, countries have developed policies to support the efficient use of potential donors. Nevertheless, the shortage of organs remains. Were these policies in vain? The aim of this study is to assess the impact of donor policies on donor procurement in 10 Western European countries from 1995 to 2005.
To assess the impact of the donor policies we studied the conversion of potential donors into effectuated donors. 80% of the donors died from CVAs or a (traffic) accident. We considered these mortality rates to be a good proxy for potential donors. Here we call the conversion of potential donors into actual donors 'the donor efficiency rate by proxy'.
The mortality rates for CVA and (traffic) accidents have decreased in the countries under study. At the same time, in most countries the donor efficiency rates have steadily increased. The variance in donor efficiency rates between countries has also increased from 1995 to 2005. Four countries introduced a new consent system or changed their existing system, without (visible) long-term effects.
The overall increase in donor efficiency means that the efforts to improve donor policies have paid off. However, substantial differences between countries were found. The success of donor policies in terms of the number of absolute donors is blurred by the success of policies on traffic safety and CVA treatment. It remains unclear which specific policy measures are responsible for the increase in donor efficiency rates. This increase is not related to having a presumed consent system. Furthermore, an analysis of countries that introduced a new consent system or changed their system showed no effect on donor efficiency.
- Potential Donor
- Organ Donation
- Policy Measure
- Donation Rate
- Traffic Safety
Transplantable organs are scarce throughout the world. The discrepancy between the number of people listed on a national organ transplant waiting list and the number of post mortem organ donations per year results in long waiting times for patients to receive an organ [1, 2]. In other words, the supply of organs that can be used for a transplant does not meet the need. The urgency of this problem was once again addressed by the EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou in 2007 [3].
To deal with the scarcity of organs, countries have developed national organ donation policies. In most countries these donor policies consist of a legislative system which regulates consent for donation [4] and additional policy measures. Basically, there are two kinds of legislative systems: explicit consent and presumed consent. In an explicit consent system, the donor has to authorize organ removal after his death in the form of an advance directive or a codicil, or by registration in a national registry. If the deceased's wishes are unknown, next of kin are asked to consent. A presumed consent system does not require to obtain consent, either from the donor or from the next of kin; it is sufficient to verify that the deceased has not objected during his lifetime to becoming a donor [4]. In all countries, the group of non-registered residents is larger than the group of registered residents. Thus, presumed consent countries have larger pools of donor-consent than explicit consent countries, which might automatically result in greater numbers of donors in the former. Several authors have argued that differences in organ donation rates between consent systems prove that a presumed consent system leads to a more effective procurement of donors [5–7].
Other policy measures are directed at optimizing the process of donor procurement. Examples of such measures are hospital programs like Donor Action [8, 9]. and EDHEP [10], or informing the public about the relevant aspects of organ donation [11, 12]. To optimize the process of donor procurement, Spain developed an organizational model ('the Spanish model') with policy measures on national, regional, and hospital level to address the importance of organ donation and to effectively convert potential donors into actual donors [13–15].
In many countries these efforts have intensified over time. However, the shortage of organ donors remains. According to several studies [1, 6, 16, 17]. the number of organ donations per million inhabitants (PMI) has increased only in some countries, whereas in most countries it has been stable or even decreased. Were these policy measures in vain? An international comparison of the performance of countries with regard to donor procurement over the years may provide some insight into the impact of policy measures in general.
To assess the impact of donor policies and to compare the performance of the different countries, a valid and reliable measure is needed. In many studies the national donation rates PMI are used. Several studies have demonstrated that using the number of donors PMI does not produce a valid comparison [1, 18–30]. There are significant differences in the number of potential donors between countries, e.g. in the numbers of people dying from a CVA or (traffic) accident. Therefore, a measure which expresses the conversion of potential donors into effectuated donors PMI produces a more valid comparison than only the number of effectuated donors as a whole.
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the donor policies in 10 Western European countries on donor procurement from 1995 until 2005. This study is part of the national evaluation of the Dutch Organ Donation Act [31].
To assess the impact of the donor policies we studied the conversion of potential donors into effectuated donors in 10 Western European countries. The number of confounding factors between countries was restricted by analysing only countries which share a more or less similar historical background and have more or less the same status of health systems.
The number of potential donors per country
An exact measure for establishing a country's number of potential donors could be found by analysing all hospital medical records of deceased persons and identifying all potential donors [32–34]. Such data are not available for all countries. In most countries approximately 80% of donors die of a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) or a traffic accident. A high correlation (Spearman's ρ = 0.81 (P < 0.01)) has been found between these mortality rates and donation rates [35]. In a study on differences between Dutch hospitals, Friele et al. also found this high correlation [34]. We therefore considered the national mortality rates for these causes of death to be a good proxy for the number of potential donors per country.
Another issue in establishing a country's number of potential donors is the selection of age groups. The number of people dying from a CVA increases with age, especially after the age of 65. Several countries implement senior donor programs [36, 37]. However, except for Spain [23], the number of effectuated donations from donors older than 65 years is relatively small. The increase in mortality rates of CVA among people older than 65 does not lead to a matching increase in number of donors. The number of people dying from a CVA who are older than 65 years therefore seems to be of little relevance for a national proxy of the number of potential donors. In addition, a strong correlation is found between the mortality rates for CVA and traffic (accidents) among people younger than 65 and donation rates [35]. We therefore chose to restrict the proxy for the number of potential donors to the age groups below 65 years.
The data for CVA and (traffic) accident mortality rates were derived from the WHO's Health for All Database (HFA-DB) [38]. The age-standardized mortality rates in this international and uniform database are based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems – 10th Revision (ICD-10).
For some countries the mortality rates for certain years were missing in the WHO's HFA-DB. Because the mortality rates in all countries show a steady decrease we decided it was safe to estimate the missing mortality rates. The trend lines, which are based on estimated mortality rates, are shown in the graphs by a dotted line.
The national organ donation rates
Different countries use different definitions for their national organ donation rates. To counteract these variations in national definitions we collected new data on the national number of donors based on one uniform definition. We asked the national transplant centres to send us their 'numbers of post mortal organ donors of whom at least one solid organ had been successfully transplanted per year'. This definition was preferred because it accounts for differences between countries in the quality of procured organs and it has a better coverage of the data in the period 1995 to 2005. Because France and Sweden could not provide their data according to this definition for the entire period (1995–2005), they were asked for their 'numbers of post mortal organ donors of whom at least one solid organ had been recovered for the purpose of organ transplantation [39]'.
From the countries that could provide the rates according to both ways of measuring organ donation rates we learned that the difference between both rates is no more than 5% overall. As we use the same definition within countries, the use of different definitions between countries does not affect the national trends for organ donation. Therefore, we found it acceptable to use the rates for France and Sweden, although they were obtained by using a deviating definition.
The rates per million inhabitants were calculated using the population size of the mid-year population given by the WHO HFA-DB [38].
In this study we assess the conversion of potential donors into actual donors by the donor efficiency rate by proxy. The donor efficiency rate by proxy is calculated by using the following definition: (national donation rates PMI/national mortality rates relevant for organ donation PMI) * 100. To determine significantly increasing or decreasing trends, the slopes of the donor efficiency trends of three time frames (1995–2005, 1995–1999, and 2000–2005) were calculated using a standard regression analysis.
Consent systems
Consent systems in 10 European countries (1995–2005)
Consent systems (according to national legislation effective in 2005)
Presumed consent
Spain, Austria, Italy, France, Belgium, Sweden, the United Kingdom1
Explicit consent
Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland
Countries in which the legislative systems changed between 1995 en 2005
On July 1 1996, Sweden changed from an explicit consent system to a presumed consent system. This change was accompanied by an information campaign to the Swedish public. All 4.2 million homes were informed about the system change and were neutrally motivated to take a stance in one or more of three ways: by telling next of kin, by signing a donor card, or by notifying the National Donor Register, established in 1996 [12].
On December 1 1997, the German Transplantation Act, in which an explicit consent system was laid down, came into force [4]. The passing of this Act was accompanied by a long and critical public debate, and several reports on organ donation in all media [50].
The Netherlands
In January 1998 the Netherlands laid down its explicit consent system in the Dutch Organ Donation Act. Along with the Organ Donation Act, a national donor registry (containing consents, refusals, or wishes that next of kin or specific person may decide) was implemented [4] and the Dutch Transplant Foundation was established. To accompany the introduction of the Organ Donation Act, the Dutch government supported neutral and soft-sell public campaigns [11]. Since 2000 the Dutch government has focused more on public recruitment campaigns and on supporting the process of organ donation in hospitals [34, 51].
Italy enacted its new transplantation law in 1999, introducing a presumed consent system. The introduction of this new legislation was accompanied by the founding of a national transplantation centre in 2000 and improved organization of the donation process [52].
Results: The organ donation rates and the national donor efficiency rates by proxy
There are large differences between the national organ donation rates PMI. As often mentioned in other studies, Spain has by far the highest rate per million inhabitants, followed by Austria and Belgium. These countries have twice as many organ donors PMI as for example Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Slopes of the donor efficiency trends in 10 European Countries (1995–2005, 1995–1999, and 2000–2005)
slope (ranking)
slope (ranking)
slope (ranking)
0.682 (1)*
1.288 (1)
0.715 (1)*
0.512 (2)*
0.416 (3) *
0.577 (4)*
0.477 (3)*
0.144 (8)
0.620 (3)*
0.460 (4)*
0.413 (4)
0.632 (2)*
Germany (E)
0.279 (5)*
0.239 (7)*
0.463 (6)*
0.262 (6)*
0.354 (5)
0.116 (9)
Switzerland (E)
0.198 (7)*
0.428 (2)*
0.436 (7)*
The Netherlands (E)
0.145 (8)
-0.402 (10)*
0.517 (5)*
0.081 (9)
0.295 (6)
0.306 (8)*
The United Kingdom
-0.001 (10)
-0.162 (9)*
0.078 (10)
Mean donor efficiency
During the 1995–2005 period, most countries (Spain, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland) showed a significantly rising trend. In the same period the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom had no significant increase in their donor efficiency rates. We even see that during 1995–1999 the Netherlands as well as the United Kingdom had a significant decrease in their donor efficiency rates. The decreasing trend in the Netherlands recovered after 2000, showing a significantly rising trend instead. Likewise, the Swedish donor efficiency significantly increased in this period. In addition to figure 3, table 2 reveals that, on balance, the mean donor efficiency trend significantly increased during all three time frames.
On average, we did not find obvious differences between countries with a presumed consent system and countries with an explicit consent system (figure 3), nor did we find systematic differences between the slopes of the donor efficiency rates by proxy of presumed and explicit consent countries (table 2).
The positive impact of donor policies on donor procurement
We found a decrease in relevant mortality rates (figure 1), which is likely to be due to the success of policies on CVA treatment and traffic safety. The strong correlation between the mortality rates for CVA and (traffic) accidents and donation rates [35, 40]. means that policy measures on traffic safety and CVA treatment also have an impact on donor procurement [41]. For the procurement of donors the decrease in relevant mortality rates implies that it has become more difficult to find potential donors and that more effective strategies are necessary to prevent a decrease in organ donation rates.
After adjusting the organ donation rates for the changes in relevant mortality rates, most of the ten countries under review now demonstrate an increased efficiency in their donor procurement, implying a positive impact of donor policies in these countries. Not all countries show a steady increase in donor efficiency. The variance in donor efficiency rates by proxy increased from 1995 to 2005 (see figure 3). Apparently, the policies of some countries had more impact on donor procurement than others. The low impact of the donor policy in the United Kingdom has recently been addressed in an editorial by Smith & Murphy [42]. In this publication they report that the British Organ Donation Taskforce has recommended the implementation of a new framework for organ donation in the United Kingdom.
Presumed consent versus informed consent
In our study we found no evidence that presumed consent systems perform better than explicit consent systems; we did not find obvious differences between consent systems (figure 3), nor did we find that donor efficiency rates by proxy of presumed consent countries increased in a more accelerated way than those of explicit consent countries (table 2).
From 1995 until 2005 some countries introduced a new formal consent system or changed their existing one (see table 1). These events often go together with mass media campaigns and changes in the organization of donor procurement. The causality between these events and their impact on donor procurement is difficult to prove. However, insight into these events may shed some light on our findings.
We see that with regard to the system changes in Germany and Italy there are no differences between the trends before and after the introduction of the (new) consent system. In both countries the donor efficiency trend was already increasing before the implementation of the new consent system and continued to increase in the same way after the introduction (see figure 3).
For Sweden and the Netherlands we do see differences between the donor efficiency trends before and after the introduction of their new consent system. The change to the Swedish system in 1996 led to a temporary increase in donor efficiency rate by proxy. In 1998 the Swedish donor efficiency reached the same level as before the introduction of their presumed consent system. Prior to the implementation of the Dutch explicit consent system in 1998 the donor efficiency trend was already decreasing, and one year after the introduction it reached its all-time low. Since 2001, the Dutch donor efficiency by proxy has increased. For the Netherlands we know that this probably has to do with the introduction of a range of new policy measures [31].
On the whole, none of the legal changes led to a significant change in the trend of a country's donor efficiency rate by proxy. It seems more likely that the changes in the donor efficiency trends in Sweden and the Netherlands were due to the impact of public awareness regarding organ donation.
Our findings to the effect that having a presumed consent system does not guarantee higher donation rates and that changing the consent system does not have a significant impact on the trends of the donor efficiency rates by proxy are in concordance with the findings of other studies. In a legal analysis of consent systems Gevers et al. point out that in reality the different systems are much more similar than suggested by the explicit/presumed distinction [4]. They furthermore conclude that in particular the predominant role of relatives, in case no decision of the deceased has been recorded (as is most frequent in both presumed- as well as explicit consent countries), reduces the potential of the presumed consent system. Several studies report the same finding that also in presumed consent practice the next of kin are consulted [14, 43–46].
Our findings do not correspond with the findings of studies using national donation rates PMI to assess the impact of consent systems [5, 6, 47]. Abadie et al. conclude that, after controlling for other determinants for organ donation, presumed consent has a positive and sizeable effect on organ donation rates [18]. However, to control for differences in potential donors between countries they use mortality rates for all ages. By using CVA mortality rates of high age categories, it remains to be seen whether their method does not overestimate the contribution of CVA mortality rates to the donor potential.
A limitation of this study is that we cannot attribute the differences in donor efficiency rates by proxy between countries to specific policy measures. Nonetheless, according to our results, policies in general do have a positive impact on donor procurement. It is difficult to determine which specific policy elements are responsible for this success. There is no structured overview of specific donor policy measures per country, or of status of implementation regarding these measures per year. An exception to this general picture is the Spanish model, the effect of which has been described many times [13, 14].
Another limitation of this study is that the numbers of potential donors are based on national mortality rates. Although the WHO puts a lot of effort into optimizing the reliability of the data, differences between countries in how they measure the mortality rates may occur. As a reaction to an editorial by Roels et al. [29], Matesanz et al. [48] conclude in their letter to the Editor that because of these possible differences, the number of donors PMI is the most realistic and simple way to make comparisons. However, neglecting huge differences in mortality rates between countries does not seem to be an option which leads to a valid international comparison. Neglecting differences in the number of, for example, traffic accidents will blur a valid comparison between countries regarding the impact of their donor policy. Besides, for the comparison between years within one country as well, we should take account of differences in the number of potential donors each year.
This international comparative study shows that implementing policies for organ donation and putting effort into the procurement of donors does seem to have a positive impact on donor procurement in most countries. The success of donor policies is, however, blurred by the success of policies on traffic safety and CVA treatment and is therefore not revealed by the actual donation rates PMI.
Our results also demonstrate that in some countries donor policy had greater impact than in others. A gap is emerging between successful and less successful countries in this respect. Because there is insufficient information about which specific policy measures are implemented per country per year, it is not possible to determine which measures cause a significant increase in the donor efficiency rates by proxy.
The differences between countries and between years cannot be explained by differences in consent system between countries. Factors other than the consent system seem to be responsible for the differences between countries regarding the impact of their donor policy. These are for instance differences between countries regarding the measures they undertake to optimize the process of donor procurement (in hospitals), to increase the donor pool (by using older donors or non heart beating donors) or to inform the public about the relevant aspects of organ donation.
Whereas the shortage of donor organs persists, it is important to find pointers for the improvement of donor procurement. Because little is known about which specific policy measures are successful for each country, an organization like the European Commission, for instance, should support initiatives that achieve international comparable data on national policy measures among EU-members. In 2007 the European Commission organized two meetings to discuss organ donation and transplantation at EU level [49]. In addition, this study points out the necessity of adjusting such data for fundamental differences between countries (e.g. relevant mortality rates) which influence the organ donation rates. This can be encouraged by using a simple, yet effective method such as discussed in this study. Applying such a method will make it possible for policymakers to make evidence based decisions when implementing organ donation policy measures.
Nonetheless, policymakers should be aware of the fact that post mortal organ donation alone will not solve the long waiting times for patients in need of an organ. Therefore, other methods of donor procurement, such as encouraging living donation and the development of an artificial kidney, should be considered.
Authors' Affiliations
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Pre-publication history
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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Bike Map
These maps help you pre-plan your bicycle trip. They include major destinations such as parks, leisure centres and attractions.
While riding, look for traffic signs and road markings that will help you navigate your route. Always be prepared to change course based on the current road and traffic conditions.


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Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the first male player to score a double century in ODI cricket. In 2002, just 12 years into his career, Wisden ranked him the second greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Donald Bradman, and the second greatest one-day-international (ODI) batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards.Tendulkar was an integral part of the 2011 Cricket World Cup winning Indian team at the later part of his career, his first such win in six World Cup appearances for India.
Tendulkar is the first and the only player in Test Cricket history to score fifty centuries, and the first to score fifty centuries in all international cricket combined; he now has 99 centuries (48 ODI & 51Test cricket) in international cricket.
Playing style
Tendulkar is cross-dominant: He bats, bowls and throws with his right hand, but writes with his left hand. He also practices left-handed throws at the nets on a regular basis. Cricinfo columnist Sambit Bal has described him as the "most wholesome batsman of his time". His batting is based on complete balance and poise while limiting unnecessary movements and flourishes. He appears to show little preference for the slow and low wickets which are typical in India, and has scored many centuries on the hard, bouncy pitches in South Africa and Australia.He is known for his unique punch style of hitting the ball over square. He is also renowned for his picture-perfect straight drive, often completed with no follow-through. Straight drive is his favourite shot.In 2008 Sunil Gavaskar, in an article he wrote in the AFP, remarked that "it is hard to imagine any player in the history of the game who combines classical technique with raw aggression like the little champion does".
Sir Donald Bradman, considered by many as the greatest batsman of all time, considered Tendulkar to have a batting style similar to his. In his biography, it is stated that Bradman was most taken by Tendulkar's technique, compactness and shot production, and had asked his wife to have a look at Tendulkar, having felt that Tendulkar played like him. Bradman's wife, Jessie, agreed that they did appear similar.
Tendulkar sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through Apnalaya, a Mumbai-based NGO associated with his mother-in-law, Annabel Mehta. A request from Sachin on Twitter raised 1.025 crore (US$194,750) through Sachin's crusade against cancer for the Crusade against Cancer foundation. Sachin Tendulkar devoted all of nine hours to the 12-hour Coca-Cola-NDTV Support My School telethon on 18 September 2011 that helped raise 7 crore - 2 crore more than the target - for from the creation of basic facilities, particularly toilets for girl students, in 140 government schools across the country.
Tendulkar has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, India's second highest civilian award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India's highest sporting honour. Tendulkar became the first sportsperson and the first person without an aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force. He has received honorary doctorates from University of Mysore and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences He won the 2010 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the ICC awards.
Those lists mentions the 99 international centuries of our Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar up to today. The world is now waiting of his 100th century. Hope he'll made it soon and let's wish him for that...
"if you like this article please do share with your friends and your comments are much valuable so please do comment"


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Priya Lakshman
Sri Sathya Sai Baba_1
Painting, oil on canvas
20 x 20 in
This artwork was added to Artious by Priya Lakshman.
About Artwork
Sri Sathya Sai Baba -
World renowned Indian Spiritual leader,Guru who believed in 'Love' to be the true religion.He exhorted a Hindu to be a better Hindu,Muslim to be a better Muslim and a Christian to b a better Christian.His message was simple 'Love All and Serve All'.
The world applauds him for his massive social welfare projects - Drinking Water schemes, Super speciality hospitals and free education.To the millions who believe in him, he is an avathar or God in human form.
More artworks by Priya Lakshman:
Priya Lakshman
Indian Rural WomenPainting
Priya Lakshman


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E.D. Unveils Guidelines for Probing Race-Bias Complaints
For the first time, the Education Department's office for civil rights has issued guidelines for the agency's investigations of racial-harassment complaints.
The guidelines, which were published in the March 10 Federal Register, are not formal regulations subject to a public comment period, and thus are now in effect.
They will serve to make the department's regional civil-rights offices "uniform in their approach'' to racial-harassment investigations, according to Jeanette J. Lim, the director of the O.C.R.'s policy, enforcement, and program service.
In addition, Ms. Lim said, publication of the guidelines in the Federal Register puts schools and higher-education institutions on notice.
"A success for us would be a diminution of the number of complaints we get,'' she said.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars recipients of federal funds from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
A 1984 U.S. Supreme Court decision had narrowed the O.C.R.'s jurisdiction to discrimination related to federally funded activities. But the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 restored broader investigative authority, and discrimination need not occur in programs directly supported by the federal government for an institution to be found in violation of Title VI.
The new guidelines set out two types of circumstances under which schools, colleges, or other recipients of federal education aid can be held liable for racial harassment.
One applies to incidents where individuals are treated differently because of their race by employees or representatives of an institution.
'A Subjective Area'
In addition, a school or college can be held in violation if the O.C.R. finds that it "has created or is responsible for a racially hostile environment,'' a situation that may not be the result of employees' actions.
Under this analysis, an aid recipient is accountable for discriminatory treatment "if it has effectively caused, encouraged, accepted, tolerated, or failed to correct a racially hostile environment of which it has actual or constructive notice,'' the policy says. The racial harassment must be "severe, pervasive, or persistent.''
Ms. Lim acknowledged that the guidelines, while established to provide uniformity in investigations, must be flexible.
"We are dealing in a subjective area,'' she said. "We are very aware of that.''
The department has been operating under these principles for several years, Ms. Lim said. She said an attempt to establish investigative guidelines began under the Bush Administration, after the number of racial-harassment complaints rose in the 1980's.
Last week, the department settled a harassment case that dates to April 1993, when members of a Purdue University fraternity allegedly hit, kicked, and hurled racial slurs at a black student.
The O.C.R. found that university officials knew racial harassment
had occurred but did not take adequate steps "to effectively remedy the
discriminatory effects,'' according to a letter of finding issued in
the case. Purdue agreed to adopt new anti-harassment
Vol. 13, Issue 26
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Pinellas County Domestic Violence Victims Support Organization
Welcome to Purses & Love - Pinellas County Domestic Violence Victims Support Organization.
It is known that when a victim of Domestic Violence (DV) decides to flee her situation, she often does not have time or even think about packing a suitcase. She just goes! When she (and sometimes her children) go to a DV shelter, she is there with nothing and scared.
Purses & Love is here to help that victim and her children - but we need your help to let this scared mother know that her community is supporting her and supports her decision to live abuse free!
Christmas Stocking
3rd Annual Auction/Craft Fair
Nov 5, 2016
East Bay Oaks Clubhouse
10:30a - 3:30p
Already confirmed:
Hubbards Marina
Total Wine
Bright House
Origami Owl
** 2 wine baskets
** spa basket
** kitchen basket
and more.....


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Neuroscience Faculty and Students Develop Study Abroad Program in Panama
Rachel Farber '16 Assistant News Editor
During J-term, students and faculty members from the neuroscience department traveled to Panama in an effort to establish a study abroad program there. The department's goal in creating a program is to give their students the opportunity study abroad and to broaden their experiences beyond the laboratory.
Mary Harrington, Tippet Professor in the Life Sciences, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Lisa Mangiamele and Dean for International Study Rebecca Hovey were the primary organizers of the trip.
"We aimed to work collaboratively with Smith students to design a J-term course that will introduce neuroscience majors to neuroethology – the study of animal diversity – and evolutionary forces that shape the nervous system," Harrington said.
The neuroscience major consists of the completion of approximately 54 credits, 47 of which are required core courses. While studying abroad as a neuroscience major is possible, the completion of requirements is restrictive, and limited study abroad options can derail the completion of the major.
"[W]e're so often discouraged from going abroad, or when it's possible to make it work, leaving Smith takes away research opportunity and experience in which many majors are otherwise involved," Sarah Lopez '17 said in an email. "It's unfortunate to feel like we're giving something up by either making the choice to stay or by going abroad."
Lydia Ross '17 said that the opportunity for neuroscience majors to study abroad expands their experiences, not only through the ability to travel somewhere new but also through the work that can be done outside the lab.
"In general, the research that neuroscience students are exposed to at Smith is based in highly controlled laboratory settings, as is a vast majority of work done in the field," Lopez said, "The incredible biodiversity that Panama has really lends itself to a unique experience in field work that is difficult to get as an undergrad."
Lopez said the trip gave her an opportunity to do a different kind of work than that offered in the laboratories at Smith.
"The aim of this trip was to fill a void in the education of neuroscience majors in order to broaden their experience beyond work with laboratory animals that have been selectively bred for generations and are nearly genetically identical. The broader, more naturalistic approach to neuroscience is especially interesting when considering evolution of organisms or of very specific traits, behaviors or morphologies."
Lopez, Ross and other students are working to make the ten days they spent in Panama over J-term an official course option. They plan to present at a Scientific Research Society Sigma Xi talk in April.
"The trip is important not only because of the concrete research skills and experience that it could provide but also for its role in providing an entirely different perspective on the role and application of neuroscience," Ross said.
"Ultimately, I think our pilot trip could really turn into something great that neuro majors will enjoy and learn from for years to come," Lopez said.


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Whether or not Davis Love III knew how explosive Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson would be as a team doesn't really matter. Either way, he hit a home run.
Bradley's energy and passion for the Ryder Cup has lifted not only Mickelson, his playing partner, but also the entire U.S. squad. With a 7-and-6 win Saturday morning, the American duo tied the Ryder Cup margin of victory record in an 18-hole match.
The bond that the two have developed on the national stage is touching and shows why Mickelson is still a fan favorite in the eyes of American fans. The 46-year-old took the young New England native under his wing, and the emotion and passion for the game the two share is electric.
Mickelson and Bradley have yet to sit out a session, and with the longest and most important day of play coming Sunday, it will be interesting to see how Love III sets the afternoon lineups.


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For those of you that celebrate Hanukkah, we have a great Dreidel activity. Now you can create your own dreidel at home. All you need to do is follow this DIY Dreidel Tutorial and you can begin playing your very own dreidel games today!
This great tutorial from Activity Village is perfect because it comes with a free printable template. It even gives instructions on how to play the game for those that have never played or are trying to teach someone new!
The Dreidel Game is a great tradition that spans hundreds of years and some say can be traced back to the book of Esther. The Dreidel has four Hebrew letters, one on each side, ?? (Nun), ?? (Gimel), ?? (Hei), ?? (Shin). You can even win candy or coins when you play.
To learn more about the Dreidel check out Activity Village's tutorial. You can also print a Hanukkah Booklet and a Hanukkah Cut and Color sheet.


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Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Ontario results on the new map, and an EU update.
There is no guarantee that this map will serve as Ontario's new provincial election map, but for the past number of elections, Ontario has used the Federal map with some modifications where it feels needed (such as in Northern Ontario)
Thus the map looks like such:
There however were three ridings where I would need to count all the polls individually to ensure an accurate map. These are the new Barrie South riding, the Halton riding, and the new outer-Hamilton riding. I've done my best with my limited time but if anyone wishes to count it up mathematically and let me know of your results, feel free.
In addition, an update on Europe, where the FN's group has fallen to bits due to internal discord. I've also corrected all errors on the graphic:
9 comments:
I thought Thornhill went PC after a reversal of a clerical error but, it looks Liberal red on your map.ReplyDeleteReplies
2 new ridings
Both go Liberal
1 new riding
it goes Liberal
York Region
3 new ridings
All go Liberal
1 riding switches PC to Lib
2 new ridings
1 goes Liberal, 1 NDP
1 new riding
it goes Liberal
1 new riding
it goes Liberal
2 new ridings
both go Liberal
Waterloo region
1 new riding
it goes Liberal
Northern Ontario
1 less riding
1 less NDP
1 new riding
it goes PC
Eastern Ontario
1 new riding
it goes Liberal
1 riding split in two
one half remains Liberal
one half goes PCReplies
Knowing Wynne, she will likely probably make an effort keep the Northern boundaries the same as 2014 or even give the region more representation.Delete
Another thought I have. Some political analysts claim the federal riding redistribution helps the Tories since most seats are in the 905 area. Some people in comment boards even claim that Harper and his crew has gerrymandered ridings in Ontario.
I believe the region usually leans Liberal, but the Tories are competitive this is the region they would have to win to get a majority government in Queen's Park or Ottawa.I feel future Conservative and Liberal majorities can be larger, since there are now more 905 seats, and this region tends to swing uniform.
I agree with you 100% Jay. While based on 2011 numbers, the new redistribution helps the Tories immensely by expanding the GTA, the fact is that the Tories need to keep hoping to post their 2011 numbers in the region, something that doesn't seem to be possible as this point (though not *impossible*). The Liberals are the natural opposition in this area, so any swing away from the Tories means a whole bunch of ridings swinging to the Liberals, and very few swinging to the NDP, if any.Delete
Big Jay,Delete
Boundary redistribution is handled by a non-partisan committee per province usually composed of a distinguished jurist as chair and other esteemed members of the broad provincial community. To claim; "Harper and his crew has (sic) gerrymandered ridings in Ontario" is risible! You are insinuating that Mr. Justice Valin, Mr. Doug Colbourne and Dr. Pal have knowingly and improperly executed their jobs as boundary commissioners. It is untrue and completely insulting to these individuals. If you are going to publish slander do so under your real name so that those you injure have recourse to resolve the matter. Such a comment really is the lowest common denominator and speaks volumes about your intelligence and honesty.
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Update #5 – Hard Plastic – Dynamic Walls, an original MHW concept
6 October 2016 Leave a comment
Hi to all.
When MHW first created the concept of dynamic walls some years ago, it was the result of years of brainstorming. Something simple, yet elegant.
Dynamic Walls are called like that because they can be inserted and swapped into our real walls to create an infinity of combinations.
This means you don't need to buy a lot of different walls. You need usually to buy only 1, and if you want to have different walls, just swap the insert ("Dynamic Wall") inside, and you're good.
Easy, and cheap.
Here is a short video about 6 different dynamic walls that we have created, and which will be available for our Kickstarter.
Did you notice also our dynamic wall with the door ?
Yes, the door is open there, but not fixed. All our doors, in our dynamic walls, will be able to be opened and closed easily, allowing you to open passages without having to take out the dynamic wall in itself!
It doesn't stop to wooden doors. A good number of our dynamic walls can have such a feature, it's quite simple, really.
What are our 6 dynamic walls ?
Plain wall: the overall result is a very gothic-like plain wall.
Door: you can open and close this door without having to swap the dynamic wall. It is very important when you have another floor/wall on top of it, else you would need to unbuild a whole upper floor section just to take out the dynamic wall so as to "open" the door.
Grate: very straightforward. Can also be created with a "door grate" version, similar to our "Door" dynamic wall, for more versatility.
Window & Gothic Balcony: those versions aren't seen in other videos yet, but they are a sneak peek of what to come. They will allow you to have breathtaking upper floors, in full gothic architecture, starting from balconies, and moving to whole structures and churches/cathedrals.
Arch: it is not a typo, there is a dynamic wall which shows an arch … inside another arch …
But why ?
First of all, it's beautiful, and brings out the full power of the gothic architecture. We love beautiful things.
Secondly, while you can keep a walled arch without a dynamic wall inside (and it would just show an arch), if you don't add a cover or a dynamic wall inside, then it won't look perfect overall, because you will see the slit/slot on the top of the wall, empty, like a hole, because there is no dynamic wall inside.
The same slits could be seen also from the inside, if you look closely at the insides of the arches.
We at MHW aim for perfection.
Does it stop there ?
No it doesn't.
There are many more to come, and all of our dynamic walls have been thought so as to be used in a plethora of different situations, making them the most modular (and useful) walls you'll ever see.
Regards from Lorenzo and David


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This project was a spin-off from the KFm6 Flying Wing project. The plan was to design, build and fly a small foam board flying wing based on a KFm airfoil…
Dubbed the "MicroWing" (because I'm not going to keep typing "KFm4 Mini Flying Wing"), I wanted to make sure that the whole thing fit easily on a single sheet of foam board and could be cut and thrown together in next to no time whilst still be relatively flexible on gear selection.
Because of the small size a KFm6 airfoil would have been too thick so I opted instead for the KFm4 airfoil. This has a single step at 50% chord top and bottom to give a symmetrical wing. I used what seems to be a standard 30° sweep but raked the trailing edge in so that both leading and trailing edge are almost parallel. A third layer top and bottom in the center only was added for some extra thickness to support the gear.
Download the Plans!
I should probably explain a little bit what the two files are for as they are essentially the same thing! The "Foam Layout" plan is the original plan I used to build the prototype. This shows exactly how many pieces need to be cut and how I laid them out on a single sheet of foam. The problem is I soon discovered my measurements were not 100% accurate and I had to make a lot of adjustments to put it all together.
The "Cutting Pattern" is a second drawing I made with all the panels in place to ensure the lines were spot on. If you want to give it a go then use this file as a template for the actual components as it will make for a nicer build.
Get Cutting and Gluing
I'll be honest, there isn't a lot to say here. There aren't that many parts and they are all straight lines! I've been trying out these foam board cutting tools and they really are turning out to be worth the money.
I tried the spray adhesive method on the panels the same as I had tried on the KFm6 Wing. It worked even worse than before and I found I eventually had to peel them off and re-stick with smears of hot glue instead. The problem is the spray adhesive needs to be applied to both sides of the joint for a permanent fix. Without spending hours masking off sections of the wider panel though it's just going to get messy.
I haven't marked cutouts in the center section as I didn't really have a clue where to put them! I just laid everything out and drew round the components. In the end I stuck the third panel on the top of the wing but not the bottom. I cut a hole right through for the Turnigy 800mah Nanotech battery. With the receiver and ESC I only cut down two layers to make sure there was still some strength in the center of the wing. Finally I stuck the bottom panel in place to form a floor for the battery compartment.
The servos again were recessed into cutouts in the upper wing panels and fixed in place with a drop of hot glue.
Finishing Up
Stick all the gear in and go fly the thing!
Apart from sticking the servos in the only other thing to do is put in a motor. I am using a Turnigy Park 300 1600kv with a 7×5 prop. I cut a small ply firewall and stuck it directly to the back of the wing. Apparently this setup with the 3 cell lipo will give 420g of thrust.
The last thing I did was to wrap some tape around the leading edge the same as the KFm6 Wing to give a nice smooth leading edge.
The All Up Weight came out at around 350g. It should have been a lot lighter but just like many other wings I ended up putting 75g of lead in the nose just to balance it out. Ho Hum, the things we do to make these things look awesome (I hate sticky-out fuselages on wings).
The balance point I started with is 164mm from the tip of the nose. This seems to be pretty good all round.
EDIT! I have now moved the CG forward to 150mm from the nose as this seems to be a lot smoother in the air.
Up and Away!
I had to wait a long time for the first flight as the weather is closing in around here and it rained for two weeks solid. Eventually though the skies cleared, the wind dropped and the ground dried up enough to head for the field.
I'll let you watch the video first and then wax lyrical afterwards…
So, this thing is bloody AWESOME! I mean, seriously, how many wings fly out of the hand like that on the maiden flight? No trimming, no fussing, just full throttle straight into the fun.
The KFm4 airfoil shows no bad tendencies and is rock solid in the air. I'm finding with the symmetrical KFm wings they don't glide forever but they do slow up really well. If you look closely at around 1:30 to 2:00 I was trying really hard to stall the wing and it just slowed up and kept nodding its nose.
The KFm airfoil may not be ideal for full size aviation but it just keeps proving itself in model design, especially flying wings.
This small wing is that sort of model that can be built quickly and cheaply. It can be thrown on the back seat of the car and flown in a small area without too much fuss.
If you're looking for a great little wing for some sunny afternoon fun then you can look no further.
- Wingspan: 860mm
- Flying Weight: 350g (with the listed setup)
- Motor: Turnigy Park 300 1600kv
- ESC: Turnigy Plush 18A
- Battery: Turnigy Nanotech 800mah 11.1v
- Prop: 7 x 5 plastic/slowfly
- Radio: OrangeRX DSM2 (those cool little $6 Rx units)


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Sometimes, I wish I could go back to the pre-internet age. The world without emails, IMs, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc…There were fewer distractions to contend with. But it sure was a burden not having to shop at just a click of a button
I remember back then, when the internet was new, if you wanted to shop at Amazon, you would go through their "online catalog" write down all of the item numbers for what you wanted and pick up the phone and CALL their order number – or if you were really brave – you'd email your order and credit card info . On eBay – if you bought something at auction and won – you would send a physical check to the seller who would cash it and then send your order to you.
Most websites were education sites or basically business cards online. Full scale online adoption didn't happen until ten years ago. And boy did we all truly adopt – fast!
I have to admit that living in the World Wide Web has made it difficult for me to keep my focus. The internet has enough content to consume my mind. And even with all this surplus of cultural technologies that evolve faster than you can type, we still thirst for more ways to fill our attention. I mean, do you even have to wonder why they had to create multiple tabs in the internet browser?
Indeed, with all these information bombarding us from so many sources, keeping our minds focused almost seems impossible. I bet while you are reading this, you are chatting with online friends, downloading a funny cat video, listening to the radio, and watching TV.
Greg Reid, author of the book, "Millionaire Mentor" cites a more vivid example showing the importance of focus in one's success in his article on Healthy Wealthy n Wise entitled Catch the Ball.
He compares a golden opportunity to a game of basketball where you are poised to make the winning shot. Being aware that the success of the game relies on you adds pressure that could make you lose focus. Your mind may wander too far ahead into imagining triumph and accolades. As your attention drifts, you end up failing to catch the ball.
While focus is mostly required of athletes in a high-pressure competition, the concept also presents itself to various situations. Take a stage actor for example. He could hit the high notes, memorize his lines, keep in character during his rehearsals, but once he loses his focus onstage when the blinding lights and public eyes are upon him, then all is for naught.
Riding two horses:
"If you can't ride two horses at the same time you shouldn't be in the circus."- Unknown source
Riding two horses altogether may seem like a highly-prized ability, IF you want your life to be a circus.
So before you pat your back for your ability to multi-task, think again. Reid couldn't have said it better himself, "We can do things faster and better, if we focus on only one thing at a time."
So how do you maintain your focus amidst this crippling attitude of doing everything at once?
I've outlined here a few basic tips which I based on Reid's article:
Recently, I caught a story on TV where a family with teenage kids was dared to live for a week without TV, internet, mobile phone, radio, and music players. To entertain themselves, they played board games; talked, painted, read books. I wasn't sure if the family made it through the week, but it did make me think how families have changed so much because of this technological age. Kids are busy text messaging their friends instead of talking to their parents over dinner. Dads are spending more time in front of the computer monitor instead of their real live kids. Families have lost their focus on the most important aspect of their lives – their loved ones. Without your family, with whom will you share your success?
If you think unplugging yourself completely is too harsh, then start with unplugging yourself some of the time. For example, turn off the TV and ban all mobile phones during meals so you could enjoy a conversation. Or plan a no-connectivity weekend in a beach or at home. You might be surprised at how going back to basics could lead you to a grander vision in life.
In his article, Reid emphasizes the need for preparation. In a high-pressure situation such as a big business presentation, you are given only one chance. Leave no room for surprises. Carefully study all aspects of a task or project before you aim for the big shot. Being prepared mentally also boosts your confidence. Simon Cowell couldn't have said it best, "There is no need to be nervous if you know you're good."
If you've covered all possibilities, ran through your presentation, perfected your pitch, then you are in total control of the situation. This kind of assurance leaves you now with only one task in mind: focus to win.
Choose One:
Pick one and stick with it. Whether it's a career path, a task, a business, a strategy, a goal, and yes even a life partner You have to choose only one for you to succeed at it. If you want proof then try it tomorrow. Make a list of your day's tasks and do them all at once. I bet you would succeed only at squandering your time. If you think all your tasks are necessary, then prioritize and allot a scheduled time for each. Imagine focusing all your thought, energy, resources on that one task. You would not only finish, but also finish with a flourish.
Glancing at these simple tips, you might think that they are far too methodical. You might ask, what about creativity? The need to live in the moment, allowing the natural flow of imagination?
Have you heard the esoteric order of art? Yes, even in the most abstract Picasso, there is logic and order. Underneath all those crazy, non-linear strokes is a unifying theme that makes it a work of art. Why do you think you could recognize a Picasso if you see one?
So ask yourself this question, are you ready to create a masterpiece of success? Then get focused!
Let me know how you plant to start your magnum opus with your comments below.


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Increase Conversion Through Increased Engagement
Activating demand for your product or service to attract qualified prospects should be at the core of your online marketing efforts. Instead of traditional outbound marketing methods like buying ads and email lists, inbound marketing focuses on creating magnetic content that pulls people towards your company and product.
Your website visitors' contact information is like sales currency. For them to offer it, you must provide them with something first.
With thousands of brands out there vying for recognition and attention online, building awareness and customer loyalty through meaningful engagement is key to getting noticed. Quality content creation lies at the heart of these efforts. At Parqa, our inbound marketing approach aligns your marketing and content strategy with your target audience's interests and pain points so that your business can be found online.
Once you understand your buyers and their digital journey, we create valuable and informative content (such as blogs, PDF guides, and webinars) that attracts and converts the visitors you want.
Our goal is never to force a product or service on someone; instead, we make it easier for your prospects to find what they are looking for and equip them to make an informed purchase decision. Our holistic approach combines the building blocks of inbound: website optimization, content creation, email marketing, SEO, lead generation, thought leadership, and social media marketing.
Convert prospects into customers and brand advocates
At Parqa, we position our clients as thought leaders within their specific industry by generating social synergy around content posted on their websites. Thought leadership begins with blogging and is a great way to attract new visitors to your website. As users search for the rich and original content on your website created by thought leaders within your company, they become potential customers.
Through social media, blogging, search engine marketing, and other inbound marketing tactics, our inbound marketing efforts increase your website's:
- Visibility
- Customer loyalty
- Leads
- Sales
- Revenue
- Marketing ROI
Our Inbound Marketing Process:
We convert prospects into customers and customers into promoters of your brand.
We start by gaining a deep understanding of who your potential buyers are and what information they need to see while searching for solutions to their pain points. We then use that information to create and share valuable content that attracts the right customers to your website. Additionally, we incorporate both on-site and off-site SEO tactics to improve search engine result rankings and generate more traffic.
Once you attract the right visitors to your website, we provide them with educational content that speaks directly to their needs and answers their questions. Our approach engages your prospects at every stage of the buying cycle and meets them where they are on the web, whether through search engines, with social media, or by email.
We help stop leads from slipping through the cracks by building a contact database and leveraging marketing automation software to send nurturing emails designed to appeal to your prospects at each stage of the buyer's journey and motivate action.
After attracting qualified visitors and nurturing leads, we convert them into customers. To ensure the right leads are closed at the right times, we utilize a variety of closing tools, including CRM, Closed-Loop Reporting, Email and Marketing Automation.


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My spouse wants to create art using carefully-arranged Rubik's Cubes. She needs a tool to do it: She needs to manipluate images to the right color and pixellation to look cube-ready (Solving them to the displayed configuration is another issue).
So let's set up The GIMP to do it.
Preparation: GIMP needs to know what colors to use, so let's create a custom color pallette. (This only needs to be done the first time)
- Find an image or two with cube colors (Google is handy for this). Copy the images to your clipboard.
- Import the image to GIMP:
File -> Create -> From Clipboard
- Create the new color palette:
Image -> Mode -> Indexed -> Use Custom Palette -> Open The Palette Selection Dialog -> New Palette
- Select the six colors: Use the color-picker tool to change the foreground color, then right-click in the palette-editor to add each color.
- Save the new palette with a name you will remember, like 'Cube Colors'
Changing an image
- Import the image into GIMP
- Reduce the image to the six cube colors -
Image -> Mode -> Indexed -> Use Custom Palette -> Cube Colors
- Reduce the image to manageable size with
Image -> Scale ImagePick a small size that is a multiple of 3 (3 rows/colums on each cube)
- NEED a way to split the image into 3x3 (blown up to 9x9) squares for each cube.
Scripting for batch-resizing: This looks possible using Imagemagick - see "using pre-defined color maps" for an easy way to get Imagemagick to reduce the colors.


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Kate Hamer grew up in the West Country and Wales. She studied art and worked for a number of years in television. In 2011 she won the Rhys Davies short-story prize and her short stories have appeared in various collections. Her debut novel The Girl in the Red Coat was published in 2015. It was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Prize, the British Book Industry Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year, the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger, and the Wales Book of the Year. It was a Sunday Times bestseller and has been translated into sixteen different languages. Kate now lives with her husband in Cardiff.More Info
About Book
My name is Ruby. I live with Barbara and Mick. They're not my real parents, but they tell me what to do, and what to say. I'm supposed to say that the bruises on my arms and the black eye came from falling down the stairs.
But there are things I won't say. I won't tell them I'm going to hunt for my real parents. I don't say a word about Shadow, who sits on the stairs, or the Wasp Lady I saw on the way to bed.
I did tell Mick that I saw the woman in the buttercup dress, hanging upside down from her seat belt deep in the forest at the back of our house. I told him I saw death crawl out of her. He said he'd give me a medal for lying.
I wasn't lying. I'm a hunter for lost souls and I'm going to be with my real family. And I'm not going to let Mick stop me.


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Certified Seed Bulk
Retailer Requirements
Retail facilities must be approved by the North Dakota State Seed Department
to handle and sell bulk certified seed. To be approved, bulk retailers
must meet certain minimum requirements for equipment and management practices
to ensure compliance to state certification requirements and the Federal
Seed Act.
Bulk Retail Facility Permit
A permit is required to operate as a certified seed bulk retail facility in North Dakota. Permits are issued on an annual basis following an inspection of the facility by a Seed Department inspector. Bulk retail facilities must meet minimum requirements to obtain a permit. Facility managers are under agreement to handle all seed and records according to certification rules and regulations. Specific requirements for facility management are included on the Agreement to Operate an Approved North Dakota Bulk Retail Seed Facility".
Facility Management
Facility managers must understand and agree to all of the requirements on the permit application. The facility manager and employees are responsible for all items specified on the agreement. In general, the agreement covers specific practices relating to proper handling of certified seed, record retention and compliance to state and federal seed laws, including Plant Variety Protection.
Permission to operate as an Approved Certified Seed Bulk Retail Facility is granted on an annual basis and may be revoked at any time without notice under the following circumstances:
General Requirements
Approved Bulk Retailers listed on this website meet the minimum standards
established by the department for equipment, facility management and proper
seed handling.


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Cabrinha Caliber Board Details:
Caliber full Complete
Our Today Price: $699 USD
Free Shipping
USA & Canada)
Description - Caliber Board
The Caliber is our newest edition to the Cabrinha board line-up. The Caliber is a Freestyle / Freeride model with excellent speed and tracking abilities. The Caliber features a wider tipped outline and has a lower rocker line than the Custom, which makes it quick to plane and get you through the light spots.
The Caliber takes full advantage of its 3D bottom shape to deliver a high level of edge control. The Caliber also features a flat center section for a smoother ride and easy landings. The 3D X deck provides torsional rigidity to keep the tips from washing out when edging hard. The Caliber is built with our Wood Core, which delivers unparalleled strength while staying lightweight. If you like to ride hard and fast and want the ultimate performance for Freestyle or Freeriding, the Caliber is the board for you.
The Caliber comes standard with the new Sync Backless Bindings.
* Quadcave Bottom
* Flat Center Section
* Eco-Friendly Paulownia Wood Core
* 3D X Deck
* Sync Backless Bindings
* 40/45 cm Stance Options
* Precision Shaped Rail
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Photos @ Tracy Kraft
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