text:
Town of Chapel Hill, NCHome Menu
Town In News 5/11/17
Town in News – TIN Report – is a sampling of news media coverage about the Town of Chapel Hill compiled by the Communications and Public Affairs Department. This listing includes articles and columns that are available on the web, and may not necessarily contain all stories in the print edition of the papers or on televised broadcasts.
Links access online stories that are posted for a limited time. Some media organizations require registration or a subscription.
For information, contact us at email@example.com
Chapel Hill Officials Affirm Support for UNC Center for Civil Rights (Chapelboro.com)
An advocacy group that also serves as a training vehicle for law students at UNC-Chapel Hill may come screeching to a halt by order of university system officials. Read more: http://chapelboro.com/news/local-government/chapel-hill-officials-affirm-support-unc-center-civil-rights
Pedestrian Safety on MLK Boulevard to Increase (ABC 11)
Chapel Hill is working to boost pedestrian safety along MLK Boulevard after officials said accidents have increased since 2016. Read more: http://abc11.com/news/pedestrian-safety-on-mlk-boulevard-to-increase-/1973255/
Proposal Calls for 273 Apartment Units on Fordham Boulevard (Chapelboro.com)
A new apartment complex may be coming to the Ephesus-Fordham District in Chapel Hill. Read more: http://chapelboro.com/news/development/proposal-calls-273-apartment-units-fordham-boulevard
Chapel Hill Town Council pushes for more affordable housing spending in budget (The Herald-Sun)
Town Council members made it clear Monday that they want to put a significant amount of money into affordable housing. Read more: http://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/orange-county/article149455269.html
$106.8M Chapel Hill budget spends more on transit, stormwater (The Herald-Sun)
Next year's proposed $106.8 million budget continues existing town services, sets a new property tax rate and spends more on stormwater improvements and Chapel Hill Transit. Read more: http://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/orange-county/article149419384.html
Construction Bringing New Crosswalks to MLK Blvd in Chapel Hill (Chapelboro.com)
Road construction aimed toward pedestrian safety is ongoing on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard in Chapel Hill. Read more: http://chapelboro.com/news/safety/construction-bringing-new-crosswalks-mlk-blvd-chapel-hill
Chapel Hill adding new crosswalks and improving sidewalks (WNCN)
Drivers in Chapel Hill will need to be on the lookout for some construction as the town works to make things safer for pedestrians. Read more: http://wncn.com/2017/05/07/chapel-hill-adding-new-crosswalks-and-improving-sidewalks/


text:
Breaking Bad
- type
- TV Show
- Current Status
- Off Air
- seasons
- 5
- run date
- 01/20/08-09/29/13
- performer
- Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk
- Producer
- Vince Gilligan
- broadcaster
- Genre
- Drama
While we don't know the exact ratings for last night's series finale of Breaking Bad, it's safe to say there were a ton of people engaged on social media during the 75-minute final installment.
Facebook has just released some info, and it backs up what you already know: People had a lot of thoughts about the finale — and then needed to share them with their co-workers, friends and that guy you met at a party once who now "Likes" half your statuses.
On Facebook, over 3 million people generated over 5.5 million interactions about the Breaking Bad season finale. For the entire season (not including last night) 11 million people generated a total of 23 million interactions.
Previously, Facebook shared that the most active Breaking Bad fans came from New Mexico, followed by New York and Arizona. In addition, fans all over the world were eagerly anticipating the next moment between Walt and Jesse: Outside the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom had the most vocal Breaking Bad fans this season.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Index to full-text collection of journals in literary theory, classics, history and cultural studies, philosophy, film, theater and performing arts, political science, and mathematics. From Johns Hopkins University Press. The full text of a limited number of individual monographs is also available for titles that the Libraries have purchased. Users can limit their search results to include only the full text content that the University of Minnesota has access to.


text:
For many years, Sophia Chang had a hard time explaining to people how God had gifted her differently at the age of thirteen-year-old. A gift that made people see her as the devil, a mental child and a liar yet through all the suffering and hardship, she stood by her faith. So how can a thirteen-year-old girl, now eighteen, find the courage and strength to look straight and never stray away? A passion to follow her Heavenly Father. The Kingas Princess invites readers on a journey to finding faith through all hardship, suffering and doubts. This is a thirteen-year-old girl journey to finding what it means to carry her own cross and following Jesus Christ despite all hardships and trials that comes her way.Faith is like having a brand new Apple or Galaxy product and knowing its potential but not having a clue how to use it. When I got my first Apple laptop, it came with a detailed instruction manual, but I was too impatient to read through it.
|The Kings Princess
|Sophia Chang
|WestBow Press - 2016-04-14
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.How it works:


text:
Send Letter to Editor
August 1999
Threats to groundwater
"The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants and animals or collectively: the land."
You name it – gasoline, fertilizer, paint thinner, bug spray – if it's used or abused by humans and dissolves in water or soaks through soil, it may show up in Wisconsin's groundwater. Urban areas require large quantities of groundwater to serve many people. Activities in urban areas that pose significant threats to groundwater quality include industrial and municipal waste disposal, road salting, and the storage of petroleum products and other hazardous materials.
In rural areas, less groundwater is used and different threats to groundwater quality exist. Animal waste, septic systems, fertilizers and pesticides are the primary pollution sources in rural areas.
Air pollution is water pollution, too
Particles clouding the air from car exhaust, smokestacks and dust from city streets or farm fields can contribute to groundwater contamination. These particles of hydrocarbons and pesticides settle on the ground, only to be washed into the soil by rain, eventually to trickle into aquifers. And while a rain shower may disperse the particles from the air, the rains can carry the pollutants down into the ground as the water hits land.
Fertilizer and manure storage and application
"Spread the word &. It's good fertilizer!" is the word about manure from the UW Extension's Nutrient and Pest Management Program. To produce good yields, farmers need to apply the nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients in manure and fertilizer to their crops. Those nutrients plants can't use will leach into groundwater. Excessive or improper application of manure and fertilizer is Wisconsin's leading source of nitrate pollution in groundwater. Plants can be over-fertilized if farmers don't account for the nutrients contained in the manure they spread on their fields. Proper crediting of the nitrogen and phosphorus in manure saves farmers the cost of purchasing extra commercial fertilizer – and also protects groundwater.
About 10 percent of the private well samples analyzed for nitrate in rural areas show groundwater contamination above the state groundwater standard. Infants under six months and pregnant women should not drink water with nitrate levels above 10 parts per million – Wisconsin's groundwater standard. Mixing baby formula with high nitrate water does threaten infants under the age of six months, because their stomach acid isn't strong enough to kill certain types of bacteria capable of converting nitrates to harmful nitrites. Nitrites bind hemoglobin in the blood, preventing oxygen from getting to the rest of the body; the baby may lose its natural color and turn blue. Methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby syndrome" can cause suffocation. Using bottled water or water with low levels of nitrate can prevent the condition. Nitrate is not usually harmful to adults or older children, though scientists are currently studying the potential health effects.
Use and misuse of pesticides
Insecticides, herbicides and fungicides have been used in Wisconsin agriculture for a long time. These pesticides can reach groundwater when spilled at storage, mixing and loading sites, or when over-applied to fields. "Empty" pesticide containers not properly disposed of are another source of trouble. Just a little spill of most pesticides can have a big impact on groundwater quality. For example, three parts per billion of atrazine in groundwater is enough to increase the risk of cancer in drinking water.
Protecting groundwater from pesticide contamination while maintaining farm profitability isn't easy – too much pesticide and the environment suffers; too little and crop yield goes down. Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a pest control strategy that uses all appropriate control methods (chemical and nonchemical) to keep pest populations below economically damaging levels while minimizing harm to the environment.
Here's how it works: Farmer Johnson "scouts" her fields for weeds and pests. After she has identified what is present, she purchases and applies the minimum amount of herbicides and insecticides only in the areas where weeds and bugs are a problem. Farmers using IPM find they spend less on pesticides. It's a bargain for the environment, too.
Thanks to your recycling efforts during the last decade, the amount of waste going into Wisconsin's landfills has been reduced by 40 percent. The wastes we can't reuse are disposed of in properly sited, designed, constructed and maintained landfills, which prevent leachate (the foul liquid that forms when water percolates through solid waste) from polluting groundwater. There are 86 highly engineered licensed landfills in Wisconsin that do a good job of protecting groundwater.
We weren't always so fortunate. In the early 1970s about 2,000 dumps were identified by DNR. Those located near navigable waters, within floodplains, wetlands or critical habitat were ordered closed. Remaining landfills posing a threat to the environment due to hydrogeologic setting or poor operation were required to monitor groundwater and surface water. The monitoring data indicated that some landfills and open dumps were causing groundwater pollution.
Based on the data, and current state and federal regulations, all landfills are now required to have a composite liner system (a plastic membrane on top of four feet of compacted clay) and a leachate collection system to keep liquid waste out of the groundwater. Municipal dumps that did not meet design standards were closed in 1992.
Ponds, lagoons and land disposal of wastewater
Municipal, industrial and private businesses use ponds, lagoons and other methods to store, treat and dispose of wastewater on their property. A familiar example is the small community sewage plant, where a lagoon may be used as the final step in treatment before purified waste is released to rivers or streams, or applied to land.
Lagoons are sealed with compacted clay or plastic liners. Nevertheless, burrowing animals or movement of the soils over time can cause leaks. Routine inspections are necessary to keep lagoons in good repair. Open-air lagoons also are subject to wet and cold weather, which can interfere with the treatment process.
Some industries dispose of their wastewater by applying it to farm fields. The waste is applied according to how much water and nutrients soil and crops can absorb. If the system isn't managed properly, and too much waste and water are applied to the land, or if the operator fails to adjust the amount of liquid applied to account for rainfall, groundwater can be contaminated.
Private onsite wastewater treatment systems
There are almost 690,000 private onsite wastewater treatment systems (septic systems) in Wisconsin – serving approximately 30 percent of all households in the state. Most septic systems are located in unincorporated areas. Here's how septic systems work: waste flows from the house to a settling tank where solids settle out. Liquids continue out to an absorption field. Bacteria in the settling tank break down solid waste leaving a sludge that needs to be removed periodically by a "honey wagon." The liquid seeps into the soil and is used by plants, or leaches into soils and groundwater.
When systems fail, bacteria, nitrate, viruses, detergents, household chemicals and chloride may contaminate groundwater and surface water, and pose public health threats. Even properly installed septic systems may pollute groundwater if they are not used and maintained correctly. About nine percent of the nitrate reaching groundwater in Wisconsin comes from septic systems. Substances such as paint thinner and pesticides can easily leach to groundwater through the absorption field and should never be flushed down a home septic system. Follow this link for tips on maintaining septic systems.
Spills and illegal dumping of industrial and commercial chemicals
When paint thinners, degreasers, electroplating solutions, dry cleaning chemicals, used oil, and a host of other hazardous materials trickle into the groundwater, they contaminate the precious liquid that keeps us all alive.
Accidents happen – over 1,200 spills of toxic or hazardous materials are reported each year in Wisconsin. Luckily, many of those spills are small and can be cleaned up quickly, before an unwanted substance penetrates groundwater.
In the past, first responders to the scene of a spill would attempt to eliminate a fire or safety hazard by flushing the spilled material to a ditch or sewer – bad news for the environment. Thanks to better training, most response efforts now focus on containing and removing the hazardous material to a proper disposal facility. This protects both groundwater and surface waters from becoming contaminated.
An undetermined number of spills go unreported, their presence a secret until area wells become polluted. Although there are strict regulations governing the transport, storage, and disposal of toxic and hazardous wastes, illegal dumping of dangerous compounds continues. Problems from past practices that occurred before regulations were in place still surface periodically.
The threat to groundwater from these toxic products is real. That's why state and federal resources are devoted to finding these sites and cleaning them up. Many programs exist to clean up sites, from the federal Superfund program to address the worst sites in the nation, to the state cleanup program that includes spill response, leaking underground storage tanks, the state Superfund program, and a focus on cleaning up "brownfields." Brownfields are properties that have been abandoned or are underutilized because of actual or perceived contamination. By cleaning up and reusing these properties, we protect surrounding "green fields" from being developed and paved over. This helps keep groundwater replenished, reduces urban sprawl, and prevents future contamination of clean areas.
Leaking underground storage tanks
People in the environmental cleanup business call them LUSTs; for all of us, it spells trouble. Many old leaking underground storage tanks that used to hold gasoline, diesel and fuel oil have slowly corroded and released their contents into the soil and groundwater. Over 13,000 of Wisconsin's older tank systems have leaked as rust took its toll on the tanks and dispensing lines. Even small leaks have caused significant groundwater contamination. Many small leaks went undetected for years. It only takes a little gasoline in water to make it undrinkable; larger quantities seeping into wells or basements can cause explosions.
Property owners and their environmental consultants have been at work cleaning up LUST leaks. Regulations, in place for 10 years now, will help prevent future problems. Rules adopted by the Department of Commerce require that tank systems have corrosion protection, leak detection systems, and spill and overfill containment devices. Older tanks are required to either be upgraded to current standards or to be emptied and removed. The soil is sampled under commercial storage tanks that are removed.
The nature of cleanup operations has changed significantly over the years. Monitoring petroleum contamination as it breaks down into harmless by-products has in many cases replaced soil excavation and groundwater "pump and treat" at locations where the contamination is not spreading.
Abandoned and drainage wells
Years ago, wells were dug by hand with picks and shovels. Hand dug wells were gradually replaced with "well pits" – a six to 10-foot-deep hole through which a well was drilled or driven. Both types are now being replaced by wells that provide more sanitary water.
What happens to the old well can determine how the new well functions. If old wells are not properly filled with cement, bentonite clay or other impermeable materials, they provide a direct channel for pollutants from the surface to groundwater and to other nearby wells. Many thousands of old wells that are no longer used, but still open at the soil surface threaten Wisconsin's groundwater. Whenever you see an old windmill in the country, it's likely there's an improperly abandoned well underneath.
Wisconsin law allows well owners to abandon certain types of wells using procedures developed by the DNR. Licensed well drillers and pump installers are routinely hired to fill old wells. Follow this link for tips on abandoning wells.
Drainage wells are used to draw water off a section of wet ground by piercing a clay layer, and allowing surface water to run directly into groundwater. Drainage wells have been prohibited in Wisconsin since 1936, but they do turn up occasionally, often when a problem is discovered in a well at a nearby home or farm.
Sources of natural contamination
Minerals existing naturally in soils and rocks dissolve in groundwater, giving it a particular taste, odor or color. Some minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are beneficial to health. Radium, radon gas, uranium, arsenic, barium, fluoride, lead, zinc, iron, manganese and sulfur are undesirable ingredients found in Wisconsin groundwater. Naturally occurring radioactivity in groundwater, including uranium, radium and radon, has recently become a concern in Wisconsin. Radioactive contaminants expose those drinking the water to risk of cancer.
The state now tests groundwater for radioactivity. Recent sampling has detected radionuclides in some north central Wisconsin groundwater. Gross alpha activity and radium have also been found in water supplies in eastern Wisconsin. The EPA has set drinking water standards for radium and radon.
The problem posed by most natural contaminants is aesthetic rather than safety. Iron is found throughout the state. It stains plumbing fixtures and laundry, and can give drinking water an unpleasant taste and odor. Excess levels of fluoride, manganese, sulfur, lead and arsenic are less common and more localized. In some parts of Wisconsin the groundwater is naturally acidic and can corrode pipes and plumbing, leading to elevated levels of lead and copper in drinking water.
Despite a general abundance of groundwater in Wisconsin, there is growing concern about the availability of good quality groundwater for municipal, industrial, agricultural and domestic use, and for adequate baseflow to our lakes, streams and wetlands. Natural shortages of groundwater have occurred due to weather conditions and geologic setting (e.g., prolonged drought and crystalline bedrock aquifers with low yields).
Human activities also cause quantity problems. Groundwater withdrawals in the Lower Fox River Valley, southeastern Wisconsin and Dane County have caused substantial declines in groundwater levels. Human-caused pollution has limited groundwater use in some areas of the state such as Wausau, where industrial pollutants were present in the only aquifer able to supply water to the city. The presence of naturally occurring substances in groundwater such as iron, sulfate or arsenic also limit groundwater availability in some areas. And, when large areas of land are paved over, there is less space for water to seep into the ground and recharge our aquifers.
Groundwater cleanup
Groundwater contamination can be linked to land use. What goes on the ground can seep through the soil and turn up in drinking water, lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. Tracking down and stopping sources of pollution can be expensive and time consuming. It's usually impossible to completely remove all traces of a pollutant and clean up the aquifer to a usable condition. The cost of even a partial cleanup can be enough to empty the deepest pockets.
Who pays the enormous cost of groundwater cleanup? Logically, the owner or operator of the facility causing the pollution should shoulder the cleanup cost. What happens when the owner is bankrupt, out of business or dead? Then, taxpayers must step in. Federal and state money is used for cleaning up sites and enforcing laws governing disposal of wastes.
When it comes to groundwater, the best strategy is prevention. Prevention means looking at the many ways we pollute groundwater, and finding methods to keep those pollutants at bay. Landfills and wastewater lagoons need to be sited, designed and operated to prevent infiltration to groundwater. Illegal dumping must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Pesticides must be applied according to need and label instructions, and nutrients should be applied in carefully calibrated amounts to enhance crops without damaging the environment. With vigilance and care, we can protect our buried treasure.


text:
As you may or may not be aware, I love to bake and cook, and not just around the holidays. One of the many things we like to do on our homeschooling journey is to use the kitchen as a teaching tool. There is always a math lesson to be learned when I am cooking and baking, from the measurements to the time to cook parts of recipes, there is always a hands-on learning experience to be had. When I came across Baker's Passport I was thrilled to learn that I could also creatively use some of these kitchen real world learning opportunities to teach a foreign language too!
Before I get any further into this review of Baker's Passport, I would like to say that I was given a free copy of the Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies to assist in this review for my readers. For full details, please read my disclosures found HERE.
What is Baker's Passport?
Baker's Passport is a mom-owned small business. You can read her official introduction on her site, but in my opinion, the founder has created a wonderful way to teach a foreign language to children and get them into the kitchen to start learning the skills to bake things for themselves. There are two levels at Baker's Passport. The levels are called Little Bite and Big Bite. I was given the opportunity to and will be reviewing the Little Bite's series as my children fall into that category, but for more advanced children with some baking skills already, the Big Bites Passports have something to offer them as well once they are added.
What is a Passport from Baker's Passport?
I keep mentioning passports, so what is a passport? At Baker's Passport they use the term passport to mean lesson package. When you select one of the many languages (French, Spanish, Japanese) your child or student will be transported into that language's land as they are taught one of three unique recipes. While they are creating their tasty treats they are also learning various words and numbers in that language. Each passport focuses on a single recipe, but translates parts of it into the foreign language so that your child or student is slowly immersed into that language by associating words and objects that they already know while they are making, baking, and enjoying their new themed treats.
Who are they for?
The Little Bite Baker's Passports are suited for children and students that are five to twelve years old, but they must always be supervised by an adult, parent, or teacher as the lessons are taking place in the kitchen. Currently there are three different recipes in each of the three languages of Spanish, French, and Japanese for a total of nine different recipes for you to choose from.
So, what does a passport look like?
When I received my Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies passport I was instantly a fan. The lesson is laid out in a very logical way with step-by-step instructions for your child or student to follow. The passport is set-up so that their teaching mascot Harper can walk your through your recipes and lessons. Your child or student can go through them and create their treats as they learn about the language their treat are representing. There are also fun activities to reinforce their learning and entice them to dive deeper into the language they are learning about. Our Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies passport had a crossword puzzle, memory game, and a lot more fun intertwined in the recipe itself.
What is the process like?
As a sample, here are some of the steps we took in making our Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies while we learned Spanish in the kitchen:
Harper immediately told us to assemble the ingredients. The instructions said we should have everything already in the kitchen. After we looked around the kitchen, we did indeed find that we had all the ingredients, so we assembled them to use like this:
Once we had all of our ingredients, it was time to gather all the kitchen tools from Harper's list that we would need like this:
Next, Harper had us start making our cookies. Each step ties in with the language you are learning. The recipe even has some of the tools with their names in the foreign language. As an example, during the preparation step for heating the oven, it says to turn the oven to X temperature (you will have to get your Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies to see the real temperature) and then has an arrow and the words 'el horno' to mean that stove is el horno in Spanish.
We had to mix ingredients to make our treat like this:
And then split it up like this:
I was even surprised when Harper had us 'lavarse las manos' after touching the eggs as a safety precaution. Then it was time to use the 'la cuchara' to place our cookies on trays like this:
Then Harper made us wait for the cookies to finish and our timer to sound, but while that was happening she had fun worksheet activities for the children to complete. These activities were fun for the kids because as they learned the Spanish-English equivalencies for items they just used they did not even know they were learning a foreign language. Here is Beck doing his lessons:
While Beck and Elizabeth were doing the lessons I started to clean-up the kitchen. I looked away while washing the kitchen tools and then found this beside me:
Even our Captain Jack wanted in on some of our Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies action! As I was finishing up the dishes, the timer dinged and it was time to check our cookies!
So, as you can see, the Baker's Passport system is easy to follow, full of information, and fun for the entire family, not matter their skill level in the kitchen. I know that Beck and Elizabeth had fun making their Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies and enjoying them with a nice glass of milk too!
How much does it cost?
In my opinion, Baker's Passport is very economical for getting a unique foreign language lesson and recipe. You can see all their prices HERE. Because each language has three different passports, purchasing more means that you save more. Right now, you can purchase one passport for $4.99, two passports for $8.99, or three passports for $11.99. And since they are delivered in PDF format you get them without having to wait for the mail man too.
Important Note: Baker's Passport Giving Back
As an added bonus, it also touched my heart to learn that each purchase from Baker's Passport also helps fight against hunger. Each time you make a purchase Baker's Passport will donate $1 to Action Against Hunger (a global humanitarian organization working to end world hunger). As we did our lesson we discussed world hunger and what we could start to do to help prevent it as a family. You can learn more about this program by clicking the banner above.
Would You Like To Win a Copy For Yourself?
As a bonus for readers of Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Baker's Passport has graciously offered to allow me to host a giveaway for one of my lucky readers to win one passport in the language that they choose! E.H.M. will provide the winner's information to Baker's Passport and they will contact the winner to get them their prize. Just enter the Rafflecopter below to win:
By entering this giveaway you are also acknowledging that you have read and agree to all of my disclosures.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for taking the time to read my review and giveaway of Baker's Passport Spanish Little Bite: Chocolate Oat Cookies. If you want to find out more you can follow along with Baker's Passport at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bakerspassport
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BakersPassport
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bakerspassport/


text:
Destination: Suwon Toilet Museum (AKA Hae-woo-jae, AKA Mr. Toilet's House) – UPDATED
CISK note: I read a story about how this place had 'opened' in July, and thus made it a point to revisit. The new pictures sweeten the pot, perhaps, and round out the exhibits inside with some additional exhibits outside.
Since when did an off-the-beaten-path tourist attraction go by three names? Depending on who you talk to, the name might be the Suwon Toilet Museum, 해우재 (Hae-woo-jae), or the Mr. Toilet House. The second one is on the official tourist brochure, so 해우재 or Hae-woo-jae it is.
The only toilets around you can actually use.
This has got to be the biggest case of turning a disadvantage into a life's goal. Born in the outdoor toilet of his mother's house, he grew up with the nickname Gettongi (literally, dog sh!t). Sim Jae Duck (심재덕) eventually became the mayor of Suwon city, and eventually picked out a new nickname for himself: Mr. Toilet. After helping to establish the World Toilet Association in 2007, this two-story toilet-shaped building was built celebrating the man, the legend, the toilet. He passed away in January 2009, and now that the site has been completed, it's a full-blown tourist attraction.
A few examples, just in case modern indoor plumbing has managed to escape you.
A few of the more unusual signs you might find from countries around the world.
A few personal effects from Mr. Toilet himself – medals, identification cards, and nameplates.
Part of the first floor history lesson – public toilets have come a long way since the 1950's.
Mr. Toilet himself. Rest in peace, sir.
While the colorful brochure suggests more to the story beyond the toilet-shaped house, there's no easy way to get a good picture of the entire 'bowl'.
~~~PSST – this part's the updated part =) ~~~
OK, so it's September now, and this mural is what will greet you. Just what exactly was guy eating to produce some pink dung?
Now in front of the main museum, this poor guy stood as a photo op for any number of elementary-schoolers and toddlers that waddled up while one of their parents snapped the picture.
Go ahead, take one guess what these were used for.
In case you've heard of Jeju's black pigs, this is how they get fed.
Yeah, no idea what's going on here… Some of these seem… pained about the process…
For anyone outside of Korea, this is your classic Korean toilet bowl AKA the 'squatty potty' you won't see in most tourist attractions.
It's an interesting enough diversion, far enough off the beaten path, but definitely a tourist attraction the local city government doesn't mind playing up.
Ratings (out of 5 taeguks – How do I rate destinations?):
Ease to arrive:
Convenience facilities:
Worth the visit:
Address: Gyeonggi-do Suwon-si, Jangan-gu, Imok-Dong, 186-3
Korean address: 경기도 수원시 장안구 이목동 186-3
Directions: Suwon station, line 1, exit 2. Make a U-turn and walk towards the bus platforms Take bus 92 or 310 and ride to Dongwon High School (동원고교 – Dong-won go-gyo). Face the underpass and turn right at the intersection towards the high school – it's about 500 meters and you'll see it on the right.
Alternatively, start from Sadang station in southern Seoul (line 4, exit 4, then take a U-turn to the bus stop) and take red bus 7800. It's a bit of a ride, as you're getting out of Seoul for awhile. Eventually, you'll get off at the Dongwon High School bus stop (동원고교 – Dong-won go-gyo). From the bus stop, walk to the intersection and turn right. It's about 500 meters and you'll see it on the right.
Hours: 10am-5pm (10am-6pm March-October) – closed Mondays
Admission: free
Phone: 031-271-9777
Website: http://www.haewoojae.com


text:
Illustration by Brian Rea
HE PULLS OVER AT THE EDGE OF THE Coalinga feedlots and kills the engine. He has a view of the entire yawning San Joaquin but he's in no state to take it in. He feels no awe or sense of history about it, only contempt. The scalding air stinks of cattle. His pulse pounds through the base of his dry tongue and his whole head is on fire. His entire head. There's the silent pay phone, marooned on a chrome pipe with a pale blue plastic globe guarding it from the blasting sun. Its modernism disgusts him; makes him feel worse off, more removed. Beyond the phone, pathetic groups of steers stand on tall black mounds of their own shit, waiting for slaughter. Heat vapors rise from the mounds, cooking under the intense sun as though about ready to explode and send dismembered cow parts flying into the highway. Beyond the cattle there's nothing. Absolutely nothing moves, clear to the smoky gray horizon.
"It's time to make the call!" It comes to him like a voice; a command. If he doesn't make it now, he never will. Dread or no dread, it's time to make the call. He swings out and slams the door of the Dodge. The sound doesn't carry. It ends abruptly at his feet. He digs for change and crunches toward the phone through loose gravel and mouse bones, flattened beer cans and sun-bleached condoms. He sees all these objects very clearly now; sees them as though they've been laid out on a steel table for his personal examination, like crime evidence. He can see her face too. Her big eyes. He can hear her voice before he drops the quarter -- the terror in it. He makes it person-to-person collect, negotiating through the composite voices of recorded operators; female voices, different ages, each one completely devoid of sexuality. He knows his wife has got to be home. He's timed it, knowing she'll be there. She is.
"Where are you?" is the first thing she says. He knew that would be the first thing and his dread cranks up a notch.
"Coalinga," he says.
"What're you doing way down there?"
"I'm on my way south."
"Why? What're you doing?"
"I'm just -- going."
"Going? When are you coming back?" she says, and he can hear she knows already.
"I'm not."
"You mean, ever? You're not ever coming back?"
"I don't think so."
"Oh my God!" she gasps, and now he hears the horrible thud of shock in her chest; her breath chopping away into black silence. Nothing. A truck blasts by and drones off into the steel gray bands of heat. A single cow moans. His hearing has become acute. "Listen," she suddenly says. "Why don't I drive halfway down and meet you? You drive halfway back and I'll drive halfway down. Does that sound fair? Just to talk, okay? Will you do that? Will you meet me halfway?"
"I don't think so," he says, trying to keep his voice steady.
"It seems like after fifteen years we could just do that for each other. Just meet halfway. That's not too much to ask, is it? Then we could at least talk. We can't talk like this, on the phone."
"I've already come this far," he says.
"I know. That's what I'm saying. I'm not asking you to come back all the way. I'm willing to drive halfway down there and meet you somewhere."
"Where?" he says. "There's nothing down here."
"I don't know. Gilroy or something."
"Anywhere! I don't care where it is. It doesn't matter."
"No, I can't go back," he says.
"Why not? After all this time? All these years? What about Spence? Are you going to tell him you're not coming back?"
"Not right now."
"When?" she says.
"I don't know."
"What am I supposed to tell him then?"
"Tell him I'll call him."
"I'm not sure." Silence again. A high piercing shriek of a circling hawk. A Jeep roars past. A Jeep with no windows or doors, just the wind ripping across the wide-eyed face of the driver. "Are you still there?" he says to the phone.
"Where am I supposed to go?" she says.
"I don't know."
"Is this about her? Is that what this is? You're going down there to be with her?"
"Yeah. I am."
"What about her man? Isn't she with someone too?"
"Well, what about him? What's she going to do?"
"She's going to tell him, I guess."
"She hasn't told him yet?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know and you're still going down there?"
"You know what this is for me, don't you? I mean my history and everything -- my father --"
"Yeah. I do."
"Your father too."
"You didn't think of that?"
"I did."
"And Spence --" Her voice chokes. He stares down at his boots. He wants to feel something. He presses the heel of one boot down hard on the toe of the other. The sun cuts the back of his neck. "What is this going to do?" Her voice comes back and he can hear it's taking everything she has. "What is this going to change? Changing women. Do you think that's going to solve something; make something different?"
"I don't know," he says.
"I mean whatever it is that's making you -- that's causing this thing in you -- It's inside you, isn't it? Swapping women isn't going to make that any different. That's not going to solve anything."
"No. Probably not."
"It didn't solve it when you changed over to me, did it?"
"How many times have you done this and what's it come to?"
"I don't know."
"So why are you doing it again?" He can't answer. He has no answer. The steers set up a long series of desperate bawling, then drop off into silence again. The heavy stench and the heat are making his eyes water. He rubs a sleeve across them and believes for a second that he's actually crying; believes the gesture is about some kind of grief. He sees himself from a distance now, as though looking down from a great height, like the hawk's point of view: a tiny man in vast space, clutching a chunk of black plastic. He can't hear his breath now, he's so far away. He can't hear his heart.
"Tell Spence I'll call him, okay?" he says at last.
"You can't just do me a favor and meet me halfway?"
"I can't," he says.
"Are you going to call again?"
"Yes. I said I would."
"You've got to talk to Spence."
"I will."
"I can't tell him."
"I'll call."
"All right," she says, and hangs up with a soft click. He wishes she would have slammed the receiver down and yelled something. He wishes she would have screamed something he'd never heard before. Some word. He keeps clutching the phone and staring out at the acres of trapped cattle. He can't believe he's going through with this; can't believe it's done. He can't go back. He's more than halfway to L.A. now. He can't ever go back. A door has shut behind him with a soft click. Some woman's voice is speaking to him. A prerecorded operator voice instructing him to hang up the phone. It keeps repeating, then segues into sharp beeps. He drops the phone and lets it swing. The beeps continue.
He drives on and turns the air conditioner up high. His head starts cooling down some. His eyes have finished stinging and the stink of cattle fades slowly behind him. He tries to keep watching the swinging phone in the rearview mirror but loses it quickly, like some small part of himself left behind. The sharp beeps continue in the top of his skull. He remembers a
conversation he had with his wife in his head, less than a month ago. His head was not on fire back then. He remembers this imaginary conversation took place on this very same highway, almost exactly halfway like he is now except then he was heading north. Then he was heading back to her. He was telling her how he'd never leave her; talking out loud in the truck as though she were right there beside him. Telling her how he'd come to a decision. How he'd never repeat his father's mistakes. He would never abandon his son. He was fervent about it -- elated. He remembers the feeling of being full of conviction. The impression of himself as an honest man. The hot valley wind through the open window felt like a source of strength back then. He could hardly wait to tell her when he got back; when she'd come running down the front porch to greet him. But he never did. Something happened. Something shifted. Something he never saw taking place.
NIGHT FALLS FAST THROUGH THE Tejon Pass and now he knows he's gone way past halfway. Now he knows he's deep inside the muscle of an action he'd only ever imagined himself doing. Now some scared boy takes the place of the man; shoves him over, grabs the wheel, hunches forward into the dark, and rides the snaking mountain down into the wild lights of L.A.
At the intersection of Highland and Sunset, huge billboards with shiny movie-star faces leer down at him. Some are in action; running from explosions, falling through white space, punching, shooting, crashing their way through plate-glass windows. Others are frozen in sweaty clinches, mouths agape, necks arched back; transcended through orgasm to plateaus of ecstasy beyond the common man. Stretch limos with tinted windows and thumping, subsonic bass lines haunt the streets with secret cargo. Coveys of hysterical, screaming girls, hair teased, tattooed and pierced in every department, run toward a nightclub framed in pulsing lavender neon, stumbling in their elevator-high platforms only to wait in line while bald bouncers frisk them.
He checks into the Tropicana with no bag, no toothbrush, no change of underwear. The night clerk has junkie eyes. Eyes that could care less what or who stands across from him. His room has nothing but a bed and a phone. It smells like bad Chinese food. He slashes open the green plastic curtains and stares out at the rippling reflections of light off the pool. The hotel logo, a red neon palm tree, dances its reflection in the deep end. A fat man wearing a black Speedo sits perched at the top of the water slide, staring down at his toes. He wriggles them as though testing for signs of life. A TV goes on in a room across the pool deck. Someone pulls their curtains shut.
He turns back into his room and snaps the light on. He goes to the phone. He has the number memorized. He's called this number maybe a million times from every conceivable dark corner over the past two years. He's gripped phones in every possible emotional state, awaiting the voice on the other end. The voice he's become convinced he can't live without. The voice he's given everything up for.
"Hello," the voice says, and he can't believe it's so simple.
"It's me," he says. She laughs and he feels a rush of white excitement like falling high from a rope swing into icy water.
"Where are you?" she giggles.
"I'm here. I'm right here."
"In town?"
"Yeah. I'm at the Tropicana."
"The Tropicana!" she squeals. "What're you doing there?"
"I've left."
"What?" she says, and stops laughing.
"I've left."
"Not -- Your wife you mean?"
"You told her?"
"Yeah. I did. I told her." She laughs again but it's different now. It has a guarded edge to it.
"Well --" she says. "So she knows all about it then?"
"Yeah. She does."
"What'd you tell her?"
"I told her I was leaving."
"When did this happen?"
"Today," he says. "Just today. I drove all the way down here."
"That's crazy!" she says, and laughs again, but this time it hardly sounds like a laugh at all. It sounds worried.
"Can you come over?" he says. "I need to see you."
"What? Now, you mean? Right now?"
"Yeah. Come on over. I'm in number seventeen."
"Well, I can't right now. There's -- I just can't."
"Why not?" he says.
"I'm -- well, actually I was just getting ready to leave."
"Where are you going?"
"Indiana. David's got a new commission out there."
"David?" he says.
"Yes. It just came up. He's waiting for me."
"Waiting for you where?"
"In Indiana. I just told you."
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
"You're flying out to Indiana to meet David?"
"Yes. I was just going out the door when the phone rang." He hears the loud splash of the fat man hitting the pool outside. Then nothing. A distant siren. "Hello," she says. "Are you still there?"
"Where am I supposed to go?" he says.
Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf from Great Dream of Heaven: Stories by Sam Shepard, to be published in October. Copyright © 2002 by Sam Shepard.


text:
|Home | Courses | Partners | Links | Contact Us
contributed by Jean Egerton
Brighton open market is located on a site at the edge of the town centre shopping area. It is open for five and a half days per week (Tues-Sat 7.30am to 5pm and on a Monday morning). There are over 30 stalls selling a variety of goods including fruit and vegetables, flowers, cards, fresh fish, meat, haberdashery and pet supplies. There is also a cafe.
Although the market is well used by the community, traders are having to compete with supermarkets and other recent shopping developments. At present there are further proposed large scale supermarket developments nearby to the West of London Road. The site itself looks run down and access for traders, deliveries and car parking is difficult. When the site was opened it was within easy walking distance of a large community.
Local newspapers have recently reported on the issues. In a response to a recent survey which included responses from 1500 people, 98% said they needed an open market and 88% said they wanted a more expanded market. Just under half of these people used the market more than twice a week. 30% of users were over 50 years of age and 12% were under 30 years old.
There were many ideas proposed which would make the open market more attractive to shoppers. These included better access, better toilets, facilities for disabled people, more signposts and inclusion in promotional material about the town, pedestrianisation, buskers and Punch and Judy shows.
Brighton attracts thousands of tourists, holidaymakers and day trippers every year. It is a shame that a marketplace, which in many other countries and cities would be a main focus for visitors and tourists savouring 'the unique atmosphere of the place', is neglected and left to struggle in competition with large scale developments, which present a standardised display of goods and only benefit the car owning section of the community.
Compare Brighton open market with pictures from other market places in the world.


text:
A few years ago, I was standing outside my office building when I saw an official looking car pull up to the curb. Out jumped three men. I looked closely and noticed that one was former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder.
At the time, he was Mayor of Richmond, having decided to run for that office in the twilight of his political career. In my mind, I immediately wondered, "should I call him Governor Wilder or Mayor Wilder?". I had to make a quick decision as he walked toward me.
There are many in the Democratic Party who are excited about a Hilary Clinton campaign for President. Ms. Clinton as the first female President would be another barrier knocked down.
Along with that, she would be known as Madam President. Not the routine Mr. President. That begs the question as to what would everyone call her husband. Would it be the First Man or would he also be called Mr. President. Of course, some would just prefer that they both be called former.
I still don't know the correct answer for either. I remember calling Mr. Wilder Mayor as he walked toward me. Since I don't know the accurate answer, I decided to try to find it. Here's what I found:
In the book Honor and Respect the author tells us not to refer to former office-holders as Mr. President or Governor. Protocol instructs us call them Mr. or Mrs.; And in writing, to address as The Honorable. Conversely, EnglishPlus.com says that it's acceptable to call a former officeholder by their original highest elected office title, out of respect to their previous position. Both sources agree that, in writing, The Honorable is the preferable title.
Whatever is the proper title, I am certain that we are about to embark on the weekend. It's always good to call it that.
And for pic o' day, how about a selfie:


text:
Passive Intermodulation, PIM Distortion Basics
- passive intermdodultion, PIM arises when non-linear passive components or other general elements like rusty bolts on antenna towers, etc, enable two or more signals to mix or multiply to give intermodulation distortion.
PIM Tutorial Includes
Passive intermodulation, PIM is a form of intermodulation distortion that can occur even when no active components are present.
PIM can occur in a variety of areas from coaxial connectors to cables, even rusty bolts or any joint where dissimilar metals occur.
Passive intermodulation, PIM can produce interference, and this can sometimes hide the wanted signal. Accordingly it is often necessary to try to remove the element that generates the passive intermodulation so that interference generated can be removed.
What is passive intermodulation, PIM?
Passive intermodulation occurs when two or more signals are present in a passive non-linear device or element. The signals will mix or multiply with each other to generate other signals that are related to the first ones.
The nature of passive intermodulation, PIM is that it occurs in elements that would otherwise be expected to operate in a linear fashion. Typically any mixing or multiplication in diode components in circuits is not termed PIM as the mixing is generally wanted and the diodes are expected to be in place. Instead PIM is normally as a result of the spurious generation of non-linearities - typically it may occur in connectors, switches, isolators of the like. Here oxidation or other effects may cause the generation of a non-linearity.
The passive intermodulation products caused by the non-linearity follow exactly the same principles of those of wanted modulation products in a mixer. It is found that the various harmonics of the input frequencies mix together to form products that can remain within the required operational band.
If the two signals involved are f1 and f2, then the intermodulation products can occur at frequencies of ± M ⋅ f1 ± N ⋅f2.
Frequencies generated by intermodulation distortion
When referring to intermodulation products, the order of the products is often mentioned. This is the number of times a product within the output is multiplied, i.e. one that is generated by 2 x F1 - 1 x F2 would be a third order product and 3 x F1 + 2 x F2 is a fifth order product and so forth.
Typical PIM levels & relevance
Passive intermodulation is almost always a small effect. This arises from the fact that it is often caused by small spurious non-linearities. Typical signal levels may be 100dB down on the levels of the signals that give rise to the PIM products.
Active circuits such as amplifiers and the like generate much higher levels of intermodulation and other forms of distortion. However this can often be removed by filtering. In instances where passive intermodulation occurs this may not always be the case. One major area where passive intermodulation is a major issue is on systems where both transmitter, Tx and receiver, Rx use the same antenna, and utilise a common feeder. The transmitter signal can be filtered and reduced to a level where it does not affect the receiver. Also the signal combiner will prevent direct signal from the transmitter reaching the receiver. However any passive intermodulation occurring after the signal paths are combined, e.g. in the feeder or antenna will cause a major issue
How passive intermodulation affects transmitter receiver systems
Even if the passive intermodulation products are 100 or even 120 down on the transmitted signal, these levels are still enough to cause the receiver performance to be impaired if the products fall within the receive band.
Examples of systems where transmitter and receiver use the same feeder and antenna include cellular base stations, satellite systems, and other radio or wireless systems where duplex transmission, i.e. transmission in both directions is required.
Causes of passive intermodulation, PIM products
Passive intermodulation effects occur as the result of a non-linearity being experienced by two or more signals.
A whole variety of instances can give rise to a non-linearity that can cause PIM effects. Some of the more common ones include:
- Coaxial connectors - these connectors have joints between dissimilar metals and areas where oxidation can occur. Connectors that are assembled well using high quality components and water proofed well if they are to be used externally should last, but any connector will deteriorate with time. Connections made with poor connectors, or of the connectors have been assembled poorly will generate higher levels of PIM faster.
- Feeder lines - feeders such as coaxial feeders generate levels of passive intermodulation. The braid in the outer conductor provides many metallic interfaces in which passive intermodulation, PIM can be generated. Even if foil is used, there are interfaces between the layered construction of the foil wound round the dielectric. For applications where passive intermodulation is important coax with a good PIM performance can be bought. Some manufacturers may guarantee levels to below a given level, e.g. -140dBc, although at a cost.
- Joints where dissimilar metals meet and oxidation, etc. occurs converting the joint into an area that exhibits some diode effects.
- Dirty connections
- Loose connections and irregular contact areas, on a macroscopic or even a microscopic scale, can cause an inconsistent flow of current and generate inhomogeneous electromagnetic fields.
- General anodic effects
- The use of ferromagnetic metals, like iron, nickel and steel can give rise to passive intermodulation. These metals show magnetic hysteresis effects when energy is applied. This means that the resulting signal level is dependent, even to a small degree on input level. Hence this is a non-linear effect.
- Spark discharges can give rise to passive intermodulation. The spark will cause craters to be formed and some oxidation that will generate a diode effect. Sparks can result from poor connections or even the hot connection or disconnection of a connector.
It can be imagined that one of the most common components where passive intermodulation is generated is within coaxial connectors. If they are not tightened sufficiently, or if the connections have become oxidised, then they are prime candidates for being the source of any passive intermodulation products that are being experienced.
One of the difficulties when trying to locate passive intermodulation is that the nonlinearity that gives rise to them does not manifest itself at low input signal levels. This may result from a number of reasons including:
- PIM levels are normally low and at low power levels the passive intermodulation products may fall below the thermal noise level
- Not enough stress may be placed in any material involved. If the passive intermodulation arises from a hysteresis effect, then the activating signal may not be large enough to drive the material round its hysteresis loop.
Although passive intermodulation products are low level signals when compared to the signals that give rise to them, the fact that transmitters are collocated with the receiver and often sharing the same feeders and antennas, means that even low level signals can cause significant problems.,/p>
Testing for passive intermodulation signal, measuring them and also locating sources can be a tough challenge for test equipment, but one that is becoming more important with the increasing number of systems that use duplex transmissions with collocated transmitters and receivers.
By Ian Poole
. . . . | Next >>
Share this page
Want more like this? Register for our newsletter


text:
Midwest agency plans to expand to Dallas-Fort Worth
Brand communications agency 2e Creative announced plans to expand to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The St. Louis–based agency cited the growing market for healthcare services in Dallas-Fort Worth, which has many research universities, medical device companies and biotech firms, as the reason for the expansion, adding that the DFW area "boasts a large and robust creative talent pool."
2e Creative lists Alcon, Elsevier and Siemens as clients on its website. The agency stated that it's also eyeing expansion opportunities on the West Coast.


text:
I have successfully used a picoscope to decode CAN or SPI from an analog channels in the past. This feature works great.
Now I want to buy a MSO to be able to decode more channels. Is the new Picoscope MSO 3200 able to decode serial protocols (CAN, SPI, UART) coming from the digital channels?
How many channels can it decode in parallel?


text:
Skip to comments.Leprosy outbreak causes concerns in Northwest Arkansas
Posted on 02/08/2008 8:23:57 AM PST by Originalist
click here to read article
This is "breaking news," but the sugar plant explosion, and the tornado outbreak, aren't???
And how is John McCain responsible for legal immigration from the Marshall Islands?
Q: What did the leper say to the hooker?
A: Keep the tip.
Haven't a clue what algorithm the Mod Squad uses to determine what is "breaking".
Explosions, earthquakes and tornadoes all break things, after all...
Just in time for the man from Hope to show us all that he is the Savior and one true heir to the great one, Ronald Reagen. </s>
Anyways, best of luck to the victims, really freaky to have that stuff still here in the US.
It's endemic to the armadillos. No shortage of native armadillos in AR...
Thanks for bringing that up....
Our 'little' event is dominating the news, radio, emails, all the hospitals and will effect our economy here.
I still have the medical exam card for my grandmother who came to the USA from England around 1900 at age one.
It was around a 12 day trip on a steamship.
Her card had to be signed off by the ships' doctor EVERY day saying she showed no sign of any illness.
Should she have shown signs of illness, it would have been back to England.
That's even worse. That shows we are doing a really poor job of screening immigrants who use the system legally...
I didn't mean to downplay this news. I just meant that the other news items should also be in breaking news, and it mystifies me as to why they aren't.
I agree, this is news too...
but when you have an industrial accident what basically destroys a 90 year old business, kills and injures as many as this did, plus will effect a city's economy for years....
Geez, what is important?
Oh, you know I thought you were referring to the leprosy news. ;-) Yes, the sugar plant news, and the tornado news, are huge events that are affecting many!
There has been a fair sized community of Marshall Islanders in Springdale for a long time. They have been a health problem all this time. When they are diagnosed with something like this or even worse they usually refuse to take any medication unless paid for each dose and the health department has to watch them take the dose or they otherwise won't do it. Very few of them will work as they have learned the welfare game very well. They are citizens because the Marshall Islands are under a U.S. mandate.
"Sorry, but its legal immigration:"
That system is as corrupt and unworkable as illegal immigration. USCIS allowed hundreds of thousands of visa applicants to be approved with no vetting. And it just gets worse. Over 4 million 'temp workers' have overstayed their visas and wandering around 'somewhere'. Some were found with current green cards growing dope in our national forests who belonged to well known Mexican crime families.
There is no vetting going on.
And don't forget cysticercosis, infection with pork tapeworm larvae. Call me paranoid, but I really don't want some illegal alien who saw toilet paper for the first time last week and still hasn't quite mastered its use making my salad or hamburger.
I've worked in NWRegional SICU in Springdale, so I am very familiar with the Marshallese in the area. I had forgotten that they were legal immigrants. But you are dead on.
Yep, for sure. Hopefully, McCain has by now become a believer in building a fence and shutting down illegal immigration should he become POTUS. Anyway, she can hope. Btw and just fyi, there has been leprosy in Louisiana since the slave days and although the numbers of infected are now small, it has never been completely stamped out. Also, a little known factoid; armadillos have been known to be carriers of leprosy. So, if you ever happen to be in Louisiana or Arkansas and spot an armadillo crossing your path, suggest you not pick up and snuggle with one of these critters.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
About Our School
School Improvement Plan
School Schedule
Indoor Environmental Quality
Our Staff
Get Involved
HCPSS Resources
HCPSS Website
HCPSS Connect
About HCPSS
Curriculum & Academics
Digital Tools
Enrollment & Registration
PARCC Assessments
Policies & Procedures
Report Bullying
Student Handbook
School & Bus Locator
School Resources
School Resources
Online School Purchases
Online Purchases
The HCPSS Online School Payment (OSP) website is where parents are able to pay for student school activities and fees by debit or credit card online using a secure web browser at their convenience, 24 hours a day. Please note that OSMS, Inc. charges a 4% handling fee for online purchases.
Parent Guide to Making Online Purchase
A step-by-step guide for purchasing school activities using OSP. Please note that while the school shown in the guide is not a HCPSS school, the process is the same.
Admission Note
This form may be downloaded and used for an absence, tardiness, or early dismissal. Students are required to present a completed Admission Note upon return from an absence.
Extended or Discretionary Absence Form
For absences of up to 3 days per year, the principal may determine whether the absences will be lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused. *This completed form should be submitted in advance to Student Services.
Religious Obligation Request for Absence Form
This form must be completed for consideration of a lawful (excused) absence from school under policy 3000, Religious Observances
MVMS Emergency Bus Transportation Request
Students may not ride another bus unless it is an emergency. Written parent request is required along with approval from school administration.
HCPSS Alternate Bus Request Form
Parents/Guardians may request long term permission for their child to ride two different buses for daycare and medical emergencies only. Completed form is submitted to the Pupil Transportation Office.
Exclusion from HIV/AIDS Form
The Maryland State Board of Education requires that each school provide instruction about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). To access details about curricular topics related to HIV/AIDS, as well as a form to request exclusion, review this form.
Family Resources
What Your Child Will Learn
What Your Child Will Learn guides provide an overview of the instructional program for your child's grade, as well as student goals and expectations.
Naviance/Family Connection
Get an early start on college and career preparations by exploring college requirements and setting career goals.
Library & Technology Resources
Canvas, Google Apps for Education (GAFE) & More
MVMS Library Catalog
Search for books in our school library.
Image Resources
MVTV Submissions
MVTV production crew members can submit scripts here!
Howard County Association of Student Councils
Howard County Public Library Catalog
List of Summer Reading Program selections
MackinVia - eBooks & Databases
Login with your computer username & password. Download the App.


text:
Brachycephalic Syndrome
Some dogs and cats have short faces and pushed in or shortened noses. The skull has been genetically altered. Although these dogs and cats are considered to be cute, the changes in their faces can be very detrimental to their breathing.
The dog breeds affected include: Old English Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Boxers, Boston Terriers, French Bulldogs, Bull Mastiffs, and Shar Peis. The cat breed primarily affected is the Persian.
Dogs with brachycephalic syndrome will have all or some of the following abnormalities:
1) Stenotic nares- nostrils that are too small making it hard to breathe through the nose
2) An elongated soft palate which can block the larynx
3) A hypoplastic or very small trachea
4) Everted laryngeal saccules- swollen tissue by the vocal cords


text:
Chain, Rope & Cable
Lock it up, tow it or tie it down — TekSupply carries chains, cable and rope which are great for a variety of sizes commercial applications. We have heavy-duty winches, snaps and cleats, ideal for demanding workloads. Let TekSupply help you to secure any load easily, safely and efficiently.


text:
Nonlinear instabilities of multi-site breathers in Klein-Gordon lattices
Here, we explore the possibility of multi-site breather states in a nonlinear Klein–Gordon lattice to become nonlinearly unstable, even if they are found to be spectrally stable. The mechanism for this nonlinear instability is through the resonance with the wave continuum of a multiple of an internal mode eigenfrequency in the linearization of excited breather states. For the nonlinear instability, the internal mode must have its Krein signature opposite to that of the wave continuum. This mechanism is not only theoretically proposed, but also numerically corroborated through two concrete examples of the Klein–Gordon lattice with a soft (Morse) and a hard (Φ 4) potential. Compared to the case of the nonlinear Schrödinger lattice, the Krein signature of the internal mode relative to that of the wave continuum may change depending on the period of the multi-site breather state. For the periods for which the Krein signatures of the internal mode and the wave continuum coincide, multi-site breather states are observed to be nonlinearly stable.
- Authors:
- Univ. de Sevilla, Sevilla (Spain)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)
- McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada); Nizhny Novgorod State Technical Univ., Novgorod (Russia)
- Publication Date:
- Report Number(s):
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-2526
- Grant/Contract Number:
- Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Studies in Applied Mathematics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-2526
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Research Org:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org:
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; Mathematics
- 1246360


text:
PLEASE NOTE: Due to an annual inventory audit, orders placed between Monday afternoon, March 19 and March 22 will be shipped on March 23. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Please be sure to establish an account, including login information, before placing your order. Click on "new user login" to register your password now!
Store Information


text:
President's appointment of liberal former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to head the powerful Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was a direct assault on the Constitution and the law causing constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley to remark that President Obama has surpassed Richard Nixon in "the development of an imperial presidency of unchecked executive powers."
Cordray is well aware that the Constitution provides the president with the power of appointment when the Congress is not in session. But the Congress was not in recess when the President appointed Cordray. Adding insult to injury, the 2010 law that created the CFPB included a section that says many of the bureau's new powers are to be held by the secretary of the Treasury "until the Director of the Bureau is confirmed by the Senate." The Senate, obviously, never confirmed Cordray.
Despite these constitutional and legal roadblocks, Cordray has assumed the full power of the office and has started the process of regulating the economy in earnest.
In Birmingham, Alabama, Cordray held a field hearing laying the groundwork for a regulatory assault on the short-term lending industry, as well as, the mortgage and student loan industry. Cordray seems unconcerned of the constitutional and legal challenges ahead. He told the Hill newspaper, "I'm going to leave that to others … lawyers are digging into it," when asked if his appointment would survive a legal challenge. But he added that "the position was long overdue to be filled." "We've got a lot of work to do for the public to make these markets function effectively," he said.
Cordray, in a few sentences was able to articulate the president's view of the Constitution and the economy.
With regard to the Constitution, Cordray is ill-concerned about whether his appointment is violative. The man who swore an oath to the Constitution will "leave that to others." The fact that liberals felt the need to fill this new position is good enough. With regard to the economy, they believe that only government intervention can allow markets to "function effectively."
This thinking turns 236 years of American precedent on its head. America was built upon a foundation of laws and freedom. In one fell swoop, the president found the need to destroy both. We are confident that a court will find that Cordray assumed office illegally and his actions will be nullified. We hope that day comes sooner than later.


text:
Back To Previous Page
The Canefield Tavern
- 5251 Nicholson Baton Rouge, LA 70820
- (225) 367-6150
Good, honest ingredients and familiar southern flavors. Canefield Tavern fuses Southern blue-plate specials with coffeehouse charm. Canefield entrées are paired with changing chalkboard sides like these creamy skin-on smashed potatoes and local collard, turnip and mustard greens. Buttermilk biscuits or cornbread complete the experience, and don't leave without a jar of homemade pickled vegetables.


text:
|Brett Rutecky and Mike Thomas
|Very Easy To Use and Conduct Automated Webinars
|Videos Must Be Hosted On YouTube
Webinars have been around for many years and continue to be one of the most effective ways to virtually host presentations and training for multiple groups of people at the same time. Not to mention, they also provide convenience for your attendees since they can be watched from the comfort of their home or they can tune in on the go using a smart phone or tablet.
Now, while this all sounds well and good, conducting a webinar yourself can pose many challenges if you do not know what you are doing. If someone tasked you with conducting a webinar right now, these are few tough questions you'd have to consider:
- What Should You Talk About to Ensure You Webinar Is Interactive and Informative?
- What Are You Going To Sell or Promote?
- What Webinar Platform Will You Use?
- How Much Will The Webinar Platform Cost?
- How Will You Get Attendees To Sign Up?
- How Can You Host A Webinar At A Time That Is Convenient For Everyone?
Just thinking about this list alone is overwhelming, BUT what if there was a way to make things a lot simpler? A way you could setup a webinar one time and allow people to access it morning, noon or night with little to no effort?
Today I want to talk to you about a software called Autonars that takes a lot of the challenges mentioned above away while helping increase your potential to earn recurring income from automated webinars. This product wont be for everyone, but certainly can benefit a LOT of people depending on what your end goal is.
What Is Autonars?
Autonars is an automated cloud based webinar software created by Brett Retucky and Mike Thomas aka Mike From Maine. It is designed to help you conduct live or live like webinars with your target audience on autopilot once it is setup. This product will be available for purchase 15 June at 10 am EST.
How Does Autonars Work?
In order to conduct a webinar with Autonars, the user would simply start by
- Pressing the create new campaign button and assigning a name to it
- Now it's time to decide if you want to use one of the pre built webinars (2 built in webinars) or proceed to create a new one. If you want to use a prebuilt webinar you would select if from the menu and all the data populates the form by itself.
- New campaigns require you to fill out the details on each form and your webinar is all setup
The Autonars platform runs using YouTube videos, so you will need to grab the video code of the YouTube video you want to use for your webinar.
My Autonars Review and Demo
Brett's Autonars Demo Video
What Are The Main Features?
-Cloud Based- This means it does not require any downloads and can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.
-Easy To Setup-Autonars is very easy to setup and includes very easy to follow training videos. You can setup a webinar in 5 to 10 mins.
-No Monthly Fees- If you purchased the software during the first few days of the launch you will avoid any monthly fees if the product creators decide to switch to a monthly pricing model.
-Includes 2 Done For You Automated Webinars
-Allows you to respond to attendees questions via email or directly to them through the webinar platform.
-Gnerates sign up links, tracks attendees, integrates with your favorite autoresponder and provides a webinar replay link
Who Is Autonars Designed For?
According to the product vendors, Autonars is designed for anyone looking to make additional income by driving traffic to webinars. Personally I think this platform is best for current or aspiring product creators that would like to add webinars into the back end of their sales funnel or builda list on the fly.
Can you benefit from Autonars even if you are not a product creator? Absolutely! Non product creators can use this software to drive traffic to pre-done webinars that pay affiliate commissions on each sale. You could also watch other peoples videos and create you own training webinars from those.
How Much Is Autonars?
F/E : Autonars ($34.95 – $67)
Full featured automated webinar platform with 2 done for you webinars provided.
OTO 1: Autonars Pro ($67)
4 more done for you webinars, 100% commissions on all the products in the done for you webinars
OTO 2: 4 Week Live Training ($47)
4 Weeks of live coaching on how to get traffic and make money with Brett and Mike.
OTO 3: Agency Access ($97, $147, $197)
Reseller rights to sell Autonars as your own product with everything done for you (hosting, sales page, even updates and support)
What I Don't Like About Autonars?
Autonars requires YouTube videos to run the webinars. A user can click out of the webinar platform and watch or download your video directly from YouTube. For me this is not a dealbreaker, but experienced marketers will be able to tell the webinar you are hosting is not live. At the end of the day it doesn't matter if the webinar is live, it's more about the value you provide in the video.
What Do I Like About Autonars?
Autonars provides an easy way to put your training or coaching video directly in front of your target audience. I really like the fact I can send visitors to a training video via a signup link and have them watch whether its morning noon or night. Having the ability to track signups, communicate with them through the platform on the fly and promote my offers at the same time is going to an another element of success to my business. This will automate list building and so much more.
Overall, I think this is a very effective tool you can benefit from if you use it properly especially considering it is a one time cost. If you are brand new to internet marketing I would recommend taking some time to learn your craft before trying to create webinars or take advantage of the two pre built webinars that come with the tool.
Keep in mind, you can always go on YouTube and use other peoples videos for your webinar then send them to your affiliate link afterwards, but it is recommended you make your own videos.
Click The Image Below To Buy Autonars!


text:
You can only message people who are following you. If you'd like to message this person, simply join our Recruiter Pro Plan.
I'm a Senior Creative currently using my eight years of experience in the industry to explore new opportunities. I am also available for freelance work should you need someone to deliver bright and innovative ideas or help with existing projects. I pride myself on conceiving and creating exciting work that answers business problems, whilst engaging with their audience. My work so far includes online content, use of new technology, brand experiences, on & off trade activity and traditional advertising. My career has seen me working on some of the worlds best and biggest brands and with some of the industry's brightest minds, leading teams and projects as well as pitching to clients. I class myself as a media neutral creative because I truly believe it lets you think beyond 'the line' when it comes to answering briefs, resulting in boundaries being pushed - I guess that makes me fully integrated! If you think I could be of benefit to you or your projects, feel free to get in contact to discuss new opportunities.
Senior member of the creative comms team conceiving and executing big ideas for big brands. Working across Diageo, Heineken, Cadbury and Audi.
Advertising and graphic design
Art Foundation


text:
President Bush yesterday defended the White House strategy for preventing future terrorist attacks and warned that the London bombings were part of a broader campaign to scare the United States and its allies into retreat.
"These attacks were barbaric, and they provide a clear window into the evil we face," Bush said in a speech at the FBI Academy, at the Marine base in Quantico. "The aim of the terrorists is to remake the Middle East in their own grim image of tyranny and oppression by toppling governments, by exporting terror, by forcing free nations to retreat and withdraw."
Although U.S. and British officials do not know who carried out the London subway bombings that killed 52 people and wounded more than 700, Bush said it is imperative that the United States and its allies wage an offensive war to hunt down terrorists before they strike again. "These kind of people who blow up subways and buses are not people you can negotiate with, or reason with, or appease," Bush said. The president said the U.S. military operation in Iraq is central to defeating these terrorists: "The terrorists fight in Iraq because they know that the survival of their hateful, hateful ideology is at stake."
Democrats, however, say the Iraq war has diverted U.S. attention and resources away from securing ports, airports and other potential terrorist targets and left Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, on the loose.
"We should take very seriously the lesson learned from the attacks in London: Fighting terrorism overseas is not enough to ensure that terrorists will not strike American soil again," Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement. "We spend more in Iraq in a single month than we spend on first responders all year. Failure in Iraq is not an option, and we will continue to support our troops but we must do more to support the war on terror here at home."
As part of the broader effort to defend the administration's approach, Bush told an audience of Marines, FBI recruits and first responders that the White House has tripled homeland security spending since 2001. "In an age of new dangers, we're doing everything in our power to do our jobs," Bush said. But, repeating a line other White House officials have been using since the bombings, he said, "We know that there is no such thing as perfect security, and that in a free and open society it is impossible to protect against every threat."
Bush, who has strong public support for his anti-terrorism policies even as his overall popularity sags, used his first speech since the London bombings to lobby Congress to endorse his agenda, including extending the USA Patriot Act, which provides federal and state authorities greater power to hunt down potential terrorists. Critics from both parties have said the act jeopardizes the civil rights of ordinary citizens.
Still, the central -- and most contentious -- focus of the Bush strategy is Iraq. With public support for the military operation slipping, Bush said the London bombings, much like the suicide attacks carried out by insurgents in Iraq, are designed to pressure the United States and its allies to surrender. "The terrorists know they can't defeat us on the battlefield," Bush said. "The only way the terrorists can win is if we lose our nerve. This isn't going to happen on my watch."
Bush, who was with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Scotland during last week's attacks, said the United States is assisting the Blair government in trying to find those who carried out the subway bombings and to share intelligence on future terrorism.
"The city that survived the Nazi blitz will not yield in the face of thugs and assassins. And just as America and Great Britain stood together to defeat the totalitarian ideologies of the 20th century, we now stand together against the murderous ideologies of the 21st century," Bush said.


text: I've seen many unusable programs be announced as ITP, what use is it for the normal user to have something that you cannot use. Yes, i use Mozilla, which is considered mostly unusable, and many other developement softwares. although.. we have 1371 pre 1.0 packages, against 5309 packages total.. (approx 25%) ofcourse, these are according my apt sources, and these may vary. but still as 1.0 is generally referred as the first public release. these figures should (on the public release) be much lower. i also know that some 50% of this software is generally seen as stable and usable, but for a newcomer it's not that clear. while watching the announcements on Freshmeat we see a LOT of 0.0.0Alpha releases which shouldn't be announced at all. same here, IMHO anyone can make a package of main(){} but it should be kept as a private apt source and it should be used from there.. and not uploaded to the main archives and just comment it as, 'it's a program that doesn this and that, it's not fully working yet, actually you can't use it for anything yet, but i still packaged it and sent it.' this is a bit extreme example, but sometimes it just looks this way. (the commands used to extract these numbers were: grep-dctrl -r -s Package . /opt/apt/state/lists/* \ | sort | uniq | wc -l grep-dctrl -r -s Package -F Version ^0.\[\[:digit:\]\] \ /opt/apt/state/lists/* | sort | uniq | wc -l ) Regards, Sami Haahtinen


text:
February 25, 2008
Ezra Vietnam unit wins $55.4 million order
Singapore's Ezra Holdings Limited reports that its Saigon Offshore Fabrication & Engineering Limited (SOFEL) unit has clinched a US$55.4 million fabrication and assembly contract with delivery in FY2010.
The contract is the second major job to be won by Ezra's wholly-owned offshore fabrication engineering arm in Vietnam, HCM Logistics Limited (HCM Logistics), which owns SOFEL. Last October, another HCM Logistics unit, Saigon Shipyard Limited, marked its successful break into the offshore engineering market with a US$103.1 million fabrication and assembly contract, also to be delivered in FY2010.
Ezra's Managing Director Lionel Lee said: "The awards of these major contracts within a short five-month period strongly endorses the fast-rising reputation and build-up of the offshore fabrication engineering expertise of our Vietnam operations, as well as the Ezra Group. "
Under the latest contract, SOFEL will fabricate and assemble an offshore module for what is described only as "a North American company in the O&G industry."


text:
SOURCE: Mindpix Corp.
January 16, 2014 12:54 ET
MIAMI BEACH, FL--(Marketwired - Jan 16, 2014) - Mindpix Corporation (OTC Pink: MPIX) ("Mindpix" or the "Company"), a technology driven media services and entertainment company focused on owning, creating or managing multi-platform music/entertainment, sports and U.S. Hispanic media properties, today announced a change in its Board of Directors. Effective January 16, 2014, German Gonzalez, a board member since 2012 has resigned as a member of the Board of Directors of Mindpix.
Victor Siegel, Chief Executive Officer and President of Mindpix Corporation, commented, "Mr. Gonzales has provided advice and guidance to our board for over the last year, we thank him for his service, myriad of contributions, counsel and guidance."
He continued, "We intend to appoint additional board members in the coming months. A key to our growth plans is to attract an active world class Board and Management, who will greatly enhance the Company and introduce new business opportunities. The Company has a window to substantially increase its expertise across a number of disciplines: media/entertainment, technology, digital marketing and M&A, all with public market experience. We look forward to adding this talent to our Board and continuing our current focus on top line revenue generation and growing the company into the ultimate provider of media services to music, entertainment, sports, and U.S. Hispanic media properties worldwide. Last year the Company was focused on restructuring and creating a foundation for growth, now we are focused on building this Company. This is an extremely exciting time for me personally, the Company and its shareholders."
About Mindpix Corporation
Mindpix Corporation (OTC Pink: MPIX) is a technology driven multi-platform media company focused on owning, creating and/or managing multi-media entertainment and sports and U.S. Hispanic media properties across the globe. Through a unique eco-system, MPIX provides the critical on-line video technology, production, digital marketing, audience development, payment services, sponsor acquisition, digital and traditional media distribution services to drive revenue for live and VOD (video on demand) events globally.
MPIX disclosure and financial information is published on OTC Markets and can be found at the following site: http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/MPIX/filings/
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and as such, may involve risks and uncertainties. These forward looking statements relate to, amongst other things, current expectation of the business environment in which the company operates, potential future performance, projections of future performance and the perceived opportunities in the market. The company's actual performance, results and achievements may differ materially from the expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements as a result of a wide range of factors.
For company Contact:
Reina Ziegler firstname.lastname@example.com
Investor Relations:
Howard email@example.com
For company Contact:
Reina Ziegler firstname.lastname@example.com
Investor Relations:
Howard email@example.com
See all RSS Newsfeeds


text:
Thank you to all of you who have reached out to me asking what happened to the weekly Coach Bacevich posts. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories that I received over the last month about how you look forward to the motivational words every Monday, how you find bits of relevant information and forward it along to your children, friends, grandchildren etc. The site had some technical difficulties that took longer to fix than I expected. We did not give up though, and we are back!! Have a great holiday Season. I hope you get as much joy and guidance from these Handouts as I do. May the good Lord shower you with his blessings! Mike Bacevich
The Art of Being Gracious
Everyone would like to be a gracious person. Graciousness is a precious attribute of most of the things we yearn for – admiration, respect, love and happiness. It is a mistake to think that one is born with this attribute. It is an acquired trait, as readily acquired as good manners, which constitute a very important part of it. But unlike most arts, one does not need to have a special talent for it. Only the sincere desire to be gracious – plus thoughtfulness and practice – are required.
The key to the art is the Golden Rule – applied so consistently that it becomes natural. It is a matter of treating others the way you would like to be treated – not because it is the diplomatic thing to do but because you want to treat them that way.
The art of being gracious is developed by doing kind things – and sometimes difficult things – in the kindest way, until such behavior becomes characteristic of you. And how rewarding such a grace can be! Wordsworth declared that such little, shameless, unremembered acts of kindness add up to the best portion of a good man's life.
For a .pdf file of this original Coach Bacevich Handout, click here: Handout #357: The Art of Being Gracious. Coach Bacevich gave binders of his motivational handouts to thousands of people. You should print this original Coach Bacevich Handout together with the others in each weekly post and start your binder of these motivational handouts. Then read and browse the material as you desire. Soon you will have a treasure of information at your fingertips whenever you need a little inspiration and motivation from the Coach as you pursue your aspirations!
Many of Coach Bacevich's Handouts were written for his football players as the audience. This is an example of good information written for his football players but so very applicable in all of life, sports and otherwise. When you see the phrase "football player" or "athlete", substitute that phrase with whatever fits your situation, such as Employee, Team Member, Hockey Player, Basketball Player, etc.
Possibly Related Posts:


text:
There were so many updates to Power BI this month I thought I'd put all the links to the information on the updates in one place so we can get caught up quickly on everything that changed with the tool this month. Down below you'll find my commentary on which updates I'm most excited about and links to the Power BI blog to get all the information on all the changes!
New to Power BI? Start here.
The big one here, in my opinion, is the ability to use custom visuals! Not only can you create your own visualizations to meet your organization's needs, you can download other custom visualizations that have been shared in the Power BI Visuals Gallery. Some of these custom visuals are just awesome. The capabilities of this tool are off the charts (see what I did there?)!
Some of my favorites are:
The Calendar Visualization
The Radar Chart
The Synoptic Panel
And there are lots more! This is huge! I predict that we'll very quickly see even more powerful custom visuals that will really open up the potential of Power BI! There are already lots of other custom visuals shared on the Power BI Visuals Gallery so go check them out.
Another really nice update I'm enjoying is the ability to consume SSAS KPIs. As of now, we still can't design KPIs in Power BI, but at least we can consume them in our Power BI reports. This means the ability to build KPIs will be here soon!
Also, in the October 20 weekly service update, a very helpful improvement is the ability to add featured Power Q&A questions to each Power BI dataset. I think this will be very helpful to the users by giving them hints and tips on how to use Power Q&A. Many users are not used to typing out simple questions and statements to see the data they need so I think this feature will go a long way in increasing the usability of the tool for the users.
All the Power BI Updates
There are so many updates to Power BI this month I couldn't possibly mention them all, but I've provided the links down below so you can read through all the changes.
Read all about the Power BI October update here.
Power BI weekly service update (October 28, 2015)
Power BI weekly service update (October 20, 2015)
Power BI weekly service update (October 13, 2015)
Power BI weekly service update (October 6, 2015)
Which Power BI updates are you most excited about?