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The overall construction industry continues to experience modest growth since the sharp downturn experienced during the economic crisis of 2007-2009.
Along with this expansion comes more projects and greater competition. In this heightened environment it is critically important for sheet metal contractors to be vigilant for potential antitrust violations. President Barack Obama criticized former President George W. Bush "weakest record of antitrust enforcement of any administration" in the last half century and under his administration the Department of Justice has taken an aggressive approach to prosecuting violators.
In the last year, the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division filed 72 criminal cases against 65 individuals and 22 companies, obtaining more than $1 billion in criminal fines. The construction industry has proven to be an area of particular interest, with many of the recent cases filed involving contractors or material suppliers.
This article will introduce the basic antitrust principles, provide examples of recent cases, and offer practical advice for sheet metal works and HVAC construction contractors to avoid running afoul of these laws and detecting violations by others.
The logic underpinning antitrust laws is that the U.S. economy creates the most wealth when there is "fair" competition between companies. Because some competitors are willing to engage in actions that might be seen as "unfair," antitrust laws were enacted to penalize those bad actors and promote growth and advancement of the marketplace
The Sherman Act
The federal antitrust law which applies to the construction industry is the Sherman Act. In general, it forbids businesses from engaging in actions which improperly reduce market competition. A violation of the Sherman Act is shown by satisfying three elements:
1. An agreement between two or more parties
2. To take anti-competitive actions
3. And these have the effect of restraining trade or reducing competition
An agreement does not need to be written or signed, and most often an agreement is inferred through a course of conduct or circumstantial evidence. Agreements to fix prices, rig bids, boycott competitors, suppliers or customers, or to allocate markets and limit production are in themselves illegal. Other agreements, and actions taken in furtherance of them, can be a violation of antitrust laws if an analysis of all the facts and circumstances shows that the actions unreasonably restrain trade.
Antitrust laws are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. Both these agencies can bring antitrust cases against companies and their employees. Violations of antitrust laws are punishable by a fine of up to $100 million for corporations, and a jail sentence of up to 10 years for individuals involved. Anyone harmed by the violations of antitrust laws can also report violations, and may receive civil damages of up to three times the actual damages the affected party experienced if a violation is proven.
How this applies to the sheet metal industry
The sheet metal works industry is largely representative of the greater HVAC construction industry, as it is comprised of both buyers and sellers. Buyers refer to customers, or an end-user, of goods or materials. In the context of the sheet metal industry, buyers are the contractors who purchase materials, such as ductwork, from sellers.
Sellers refer to the suppliers of goods or materials, specifically the fabricators who sell materials to contractors.
The most common example of anti-competitive behavior in the construction industry is collusion to set prices: bid rigging, price fixing and market division are textbook examples. Less frequently seen, but equally unlawful, is where buyers agree not to do business with sellers, or providers of services, except on agreed-upon terms. These agreements are sometimes referred to as group purchasing organizations, reverse price-fixing or a group boycott.
In order to better understand these concepts, it is helpful to look at them in action with case examples.
Price fixing, bid rigging
Price fixing is an agreement between competitors to set a maximum or minimum price for a product or service. Bid rigging is a form of price fixing and occurs where competitors decide who will "win" the project bid.
A common example of sellers engaging in bid rigging occurred in a 2006 case known as James Cape & Sons Co. v. PCC Construction Co. Certain competitors met to discuss road construction projects that would be coming up for bid in Wisconsin, share confidential bid information, discuss potential competitors and set bids amongst themselves in an attempt to allocate projects.
One of the defendants, owners of PCC Construction Co., were sentenced to prison time and ordered to pay $3.1 million in restitution and fines. This same sort of unlawful coordination was shown in 2011 in United States v. Vandebrake, where sales managers for several Iowa ready-mix concrete companies met and conspired with one another to fix prices in the northern Iowa market. They were sentenced to four years in jail and ordered to pay more than $8 million in fines. Finally, in a class-action case involving drywall suppliers, they were alleged to have agreed to raise the prices of drywall building materials. It was shown that part of the suppliers' scheme was to stop using "job quotes," which allowed buyers to lock in drywall prices for an entire construction project. The suppliers settled with the harmed drywall buyers for $55 million.
Group boycotts
A group boycott occurs when parties to an agreement decide not to do business with a certain company. A recent example of this was shown in a case known as MM Steel LP v. Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. et al., where the defendants coordinated amongst major companies in the steel industry to organize a boycott of a new distributor's supply of steel. The boycott worked and the new distributor lost significant business. But at trial, the distributor was ultimately awarded $52 million in damages.
Avoiding and detecting antitrust violations
As these cases demonstrate the financial consequences for antitrust violations are very significant, not to mention the potential jail time. To dodge any legal missteps, a highly recommended proactive measure is to establish effective training and compliance programs for key employees. Additionally, don't discuss sensitive competitive information, such as discounts, profits or bid terms with others, and be sure that your employees don't, either. Consider limiting the number of employees who are involved in bid preparation and know its terms. Avoid engaging in activity which may suggest collusive bidding, such as submitting a high bid for a job you know you can't complete, or a sudden bid term change or withdrawal.
At the same time, contractors need to keep a lookout for others engaging in unlawful activity. It can be difficult to detect agreements that were reached in secret, but there are some textbook facts or patterns that serve as strongly suggestive evidence of unlawful collusion. Pricing conduct or behavior that seems at odds with a competitive market and suggests the possibility of collusion may include:
• Buyers indicate they will only pay identical prices.
• Buyers make reference to an industry-wide or city-wide price schedule.
• Statements indicating that buyers have discussed prices among themselves or have reached an understanding about prices.
• Sellers' prices, which previously differed, suddenly become identical and stay that way for an extended period of time.
• Successful bidder subcontracts work to competitors that bid unsuccessfully on the same project, or a company withdraws its successful bid and subsequently is subcontracted work by the new, winning bidder.
• Sellers bringing multiple bids to a bid opening and submitting bids only after determining what other companies are bidding.
The DOJ has dedicated significant resources to cracking down on antitrust violations. The DOJ antitrust division recently noted in an update that they conducted training on antitrust awareness and collusion detection for more than 25,000 individuals in 20 federal agencies. Sheet metal works contractors need to be mindful of the close scrutiny of regulators and should be sure that their company's operations comport with the law.
Attorney Michael McNally is a shareholder with the Minneapolis law firm Felhaber Larson, and practices in the areas of labor law and employee benefits, with extensive experience in the construction industry. McNally and the firm wish to acknowledge the significant contribution to this article by longtime Felhaber Larson attorney Steve Burton, who passed away July 15, 2015. He regularly counseled the Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors' National Association, and McNally said he will be deeply missed.
For reprints of this article, contact Jill DeVries at (248) 244-1726 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in Moscow on Sunday to discuss, among other issues, last month aggressive attack by Azerbaijan on Armenia.
"Davit Tonoyan emphasized that the aggressive rhetoric of some countries and steps of military nature taken by them are aimed at destabilizing and militarizing the regional situation," said a statement issued by Armenia's Defense Ministry.
Evidently, Tonoyan was referring to not only Azerbaijan but also Turkey, which has increased its war of words with Armenia, first blaming Yerevan for Azerbaijan's attack and most recently slamming Armenia for siding with Greece and Cyprus in a naval dispute in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The two leaders also discussed the ongoing efforts to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as bilateral defense issues, which the defense ministry said involved reaching an understanding on "upcoming steps toward military cooperation" between Russian and Armenia.
The talks were held on the sidelines of a security forum, which coincided with the start of the annual International Army Games organized by the Russian military.
Tonoyan's press office also reported that during his trip to Moscow he will meet with top Russian defense industry executives and government officials overseeing Russian arms exports.
A contract for the modernization and repair of Armenia's Su-25 fleet was signed between the Armenian Ministry of Defense and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation on Monday.
The agreement was signed at the "Patriot" Congress-Exhibition Center on the sidelines of the "Army-2020" international military-technical conference.
The document was signed by Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Makar Ghambaryan and Ilya Tarasenko, Deputy Director General of UAC.
Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed to provide close air support for the ground forces.
Separately, Russia expressed willingness to discuss with Armenia the supply of an additional batch of Su-30SM generation 4+ fighters, a spokesperson for the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of Russia told Interfax.
"The work with the Armenian partners continues. The topic of the purchase of aircraft will be discussed if the Armenian side confirms its interest," said Maria Vorobyova, official representative of the FSMTC of Russia.
In 2019, Armenia purchased four Su-30SM fighters from Russia. Yerevan announced plans to buy new aircraft.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wilt, Donna F. (Donna Forsyth)
Dr. Donna Wilt is a faculty member in the College of Aeronautics and focuses her research on Human Factors and Avionics. She served as the president of the Faculty Senate in the 1990s.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Lynn Edward Weaver Papers
Identifier: UA-LW001
The Lynn Edward Weaver Papers are a collection of documents relating to Dr. Weaver, President Emeritus of Florida Institute of Technology. The collection is comprised of documents from Dr. Weaver's life, academic career, research, and accolades. The documents include correspondence, photographs, academic certificates, video and audio recordings, and other documents. The bulk of the documents in the collection are dated from 1965 to 2002.


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For all those offended by the comments on this blog regarding certain especially inappropriate submissions, you can take solace in the knowledge that Howard Junker, editor of Zyzzyva, has your back. He was shocked—shocked!—to discover bad things being said about the VQR slush pile. And in public! On our blog!
Of course, two weeks ago—on the Zyzzyva blog—Junker likened his own slush pile to a "barrel of crap" and a week before that compared it to John Bunyan's "slough of despond." (For those of you not up on your Pilgrim's Progress, one scholar cited on Wikipedia explains that it is "the low ground where the scum and filth of a guilty conscience, caused by conviction of sin, continually gather.")
But I'm sure Junker says all of this with love. Again, on the Zyzzyva blog, he explains:
Not to whine, but it takes tremendous energy and unbounded good will to read through the slush pile.
It's worth it because, on occasion, there's a diamond in the haystack.
It would be nice if these diamonds always sparkled and were therefore easy to spot, but often they don't, they take on the coloration of the slush pile. They come on as unschooled, ill-packaged, clumsy, freaky, half-baked…
Again, I'm sure he means "unschooled" in the most complimentary way. "Clumsy, freaky, half-baked"—all hymns of praise.
And, in case you haven't seen a copy of Zyzzyva, it's also worth pointing out that it has long been the practice of its editor to publish embarrassing snippets from submitter cover letters on the back cover of each issue.
So there you have it: Howard Junker—champion of the slush pile, friend to the unsolicited submitter.
Update: Why do I suddenly feel bad for expecting Howard Junker to be rational?


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The Mazamas is a nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and community-building centered around the mountains.
Day 29: "I was on the trail at 6 in about an hour the strong cold wind started blowing again, as I had my sleeves cut off my arms y wrists got very cold so I pulled my "extra' pair of socks on my arms. I passed the little town of Jefferson, then I crossed the divide over into the head of the N. fork of the S. Platte River. after hiking down along this for a couple miles I got a ride with a fellow who was going all the way to Denver, but after a few miles we got down into a nice y interesting canon that i like to examine little closer y perhaps take some pictures, so I got off on the excuse that it was too cold to ride then I hiked the rest of the way past a couple more little town y several summer camps y [unintelligible] down to the town of Bayley where I got me a can of P y Bs [pork and beans] y some R.O. Then I intended only to hike a couple of miles, y then find a nice camping place where it would not be so cold. But again I was offered a ride so I rode about 4 miles y that was ll uphill to, after that I tried to find a good campsite but was not very successful. It was impossible to get any good view today as it was been snowing in the mountains the whole day y tonight it is snowing here too days. I took a room in a hotel as the public camps are a long ways from the City."
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text:
You can spend all your time making love. You can spend all your love making time. In city politics, it cuts both ways. Break up, get back together. Break up, get back together. Break up, get back together. Sometimes, just like St. Valentine, it's off with your head (politically speaking anyway). Is there a lot of love in city Democratic politics this Valentine's Day? Depends. Political relationships are developing as we segue into this year's City Council and Board of Education cycle.
A key area to watch is the East End where former City Councilman, state rep and state senator Ernie Newton is "seriously considering" a run for his old council seat in the 139th District. Every other year it's been a rite of passage for the council's longest-serving member James Holloway to declare he's done, only to reverse himself for another two-year term. Holloway won his council seat in 1991, during the Joe Ganim 1 era, for what will be at least a 26-year run on the legislative body. It started with Ganim as mayor, then John Fabrizi, over to Bill Finch and now Ganim again.
For the most part Newton and Holloway have gotten along, but Newton has not lost his appetite for city politics despite losing a close State Senate primary battle to Andres Ayala in 2012, then a primary loss to Andre Baker for State House in 2014. A key broker in Newton's resolve is East End District Leader Ralph Ford. Holloway wants to go out on his own, without being pushed. But could other candidates emerge? Eneida Martinez is the other council member representing the 139th District.
As a young city music teacher, Newton won a seat on the council in 1981, then was elected the first black City Council president prior to winning a seat in the state legislature.
All 20 seats for council and six school board positions are on the line. One big question is City Council President Tom McCarthy, this years St. Patrick's Day grand marshal. Will he seek reelection to his North End council seat? If so, will he have a challenger?
School board member Maria Pereira, elected to a four-year term in 2015, is interviewing potential candidates in support of citywide school board seats and council candidates in her home turf in the Upper East Side 138th District where she serves as leader. She wants to take out the incumbent council members she supported in 2015, Anthony Paoletto and Nessah Smith, with whom she has had a falling-out. There's not a lot of love there on either side of the fence.
Former State House member Bob Keeley is making noise about building coalitions to forge council primaries across the city. Will he?
In 2013, the last off-cycle municipal election, all endorsed Democrats for school board and council were thwarted in primaries. Looks like a number of primaries are on the horizon. Can't ya feel the love?


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Why YA Writer Juno Dawson Will Never Water Down Her Novels
Juno Dawson is one of the hottest writers of young adult fiction and non-fiction in the UK right now. Her writing about addiction, discrimination, and abuse of power has gained her a reputation of being a writer who isn't afraid to lift the lid on gritty truths. She has built up an incredibly loyal fan following and, in 2014, Dawson won the Queen of Teen award, which is given to young adult fiction writers. Having curated anthologies and written for Doctor Who, Dawson isn't about to stop now.
Before becoming a writer, Dawson worked as a teacher specialising in PSHE. She then made the move into journalism, interviewing the likes of your early noughties idols Atomic Kitten and Steps before moving on to write novels and work on some episodes of Doctor Who. Dawson's latest book follows a young model as she is catapulted out of her relatively normal life to model stardom. While this sounds like a dream, Jana soon realises the pitfalls of the fashion industry, and that you shouldn't trust everybody.
I spoke to Dawson about her influences for Meat Market, why she thought it was time to tell this story, and the plans to adapt the book into a series.
Alice Broster: Meat Market was quite different to anything I've seen you write before, what inspired you with this particular novel?
Juno Dawson: This one has been incubating for a really long time. I think I had the idea years ago. I remember I was on a bus I am assuming during school when I was still a teacher. I thought, "Oh my gosh, one day it would be cool to write a very gritty, warts-and-all look at the fashion industry."
At that point, it was interesting because I was a complete outsider. This was before my book deal and before I had written for fashion magazines. It was just really based on things I'd seen in the media and I suppose the perception I had of the industry. At the time, I was writing very different things. Clean had sold to my publisher and they were very excited about it. I did think about doing a sequel and at the time, the Bill Cosby trial was playing out. When you're writing, you live in society as everybody else and so, of course, the big notion of a young woman being abused by an unquestionable position of authority went into my head and at the same time.
AB: You'd already taken a step into fashion. How did you research for the book?
JD: Well, it's a bit funny because I was researching it before I knew I was researching it, and I've got to be so super careful I don' t land anyone in it because a lot of the contacts I spoke to are still very much neck deep in the industry. That's kind of part of the problem and what made it fascinating. There are very few very powerful people working in a multi-billion pound industry and some of the people that I spoke to have since quit because they didn't like some of the things that they saw going on.
I was living in London, and I was going out a lot and was meeting people who worked in the industry as models. At the time on the whole queer circuit the fashion is linked a lot with gay men who are happy to share their stories.
As much as there was a jokey tone about it, I was like, "That's horrific. This is awful. This is sort of like human trafficking that we're talking about." Bringing these very, very young girls from Belarus or Lithuania or Latvia. I was like, "This isn't great."
AB: Meat Market is going to be adapted for screen. How does that feel?
JD: Good. Yes. I am adapting it. It was really wonderful because I think TV is similarly, quite a closed world. Some of my other projects are being adapted by other people. I can understand why there was a reticence to let me have a go at adapting, and so that what was what was really wonderful when I met with Unstoppable, which is Noel Clarke and Jason Maza's production company. They both have been given breaks and they've both been given chances in the industry as well, and so now, I think they're paying it back.
There was never any question that anybody else was going to write it. I quite naively jumped in. Thank God it worked out, and we've been doing lots of redrafting since. I think we're on it's thirteenth draft since we sold the option about a year ago. We're getting ready to send it out to networks, so hopefully, commissioners will like what I've done.
AB: You've mentioned Clean already, and you cover some pretty heavy topics in your others works, including in Meat Market. Why do you think it's important to discuss things like drugs, abuse, and body image in YA novels?
JD: It's funny, I just always had an impression when I was a teacher that these things do come up, and that was with 11 year olds. I think around the age of 11 the blinkers come off and young people become aware that there are things that they're being shielded or sheltered from. Of course, that makes them feel tabooed and that creates even more curiosity.
I used to say, the most successful week in any year six class is sex education week. You could hear a pin drop. I think if you take a subject that's taboo, immediately it becomes quite important. We can either go through these things with fiction or we can leave young people at the mercy of the internet. I think those are your options.
These things are real and they're out there. I think they're out there in a way that they weren't for my generation because I didn't have Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, and 4Chan.
What we also learn from the success of Clean is that that there's a lot of women in their early to late twenties who are just super keen for very accessible, really gritty fiction about young women.
AB: Do you think it's important for your readers to see themselves and the issues that are presented in novels? Do you think it is helpful to conversations being had?
JD: Yes. I think a slight wall of silence was smashed. If men as big and powerful as Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby could be so publicly accused, I think that meant women all around the world recognized that no man was invincible. That we did have a voice. If you can bring down those kind of men, that women have more power than maybe we thought we did.
It's interesting. I think the very specific element of sexual violence that I wanted to explore with Meat Market was the idea that if you say something you'll make it worse. I think that dilemma has affected me. It's affected a lot of my friends. I imagine it's affecting a whole lot of other young women out there as well.
AB: As you mentioned, you've built up a massive body of work now. Throughout all of your books you feature strong female and LGBTQIA+ characters. Is that something you have to think about or are they the characters that you like to write?
JD: It was just a no brainer. I was reading a lot of YA and I think things have gotten much better over the last decade, but at that point, I wasn't seeing very many LGBT characters in books at all. I would say in all books, not just YA. You would have really go looking, and you used to have to go to the gay fiction section in Waterstones. I think things have improved.
When I wrote Hollow Pike, I thought, "Right, if you make four of the main characters in some way queer, hopefully, one of them will survive until the final draft." I've been very lucky in that all of my publishers have just really backed it and have never questioned the inclusion of those characters.
I'm very proud of the fact that in all of my books the queer characters are not there to be queer. Kendall in Clean is a good example. She was the trans character in Clean. She's in rehab. She's not in rehab because she's trans, she's in rehab because she has an eating disorder. They have to tell their own story to tell aside from their sexuality or gender.
AB: Earlier this year, you curated the Proud anthology. I loved it. It was awesome. Is it important to you to give upcoming LGBTQIA+ writers a platform?
JD: Yes. Absolutely. I was really lucky to break into YA. I suppose this was during the fruitful post-Twilight period where publishers were investing an enormous amount of money in what they consider to be an expanding field. I think it's definitely slowed down. There's always going to be a thirst for really amazing novels with teen characters, but it's way harder to get published as a YA author now than it was ten years ago.
AB: It is nearly Pride Month. Bustle has been speaking to people about why they think Pride is still relevant today. Do you think it's still relevant and important, and why?
JD: Yes, I think so. The best Prides are the ones which are a mix of a party and protest. I know I've said that a lot of times, I'm weary of the commercialization of the big Prides. Last year, Brighton Pride was feral. It was a Britney concert gone mad. But then everyone knew what it was in aid of.
They're having the exact same conversation about Manchester Pride with Ariana Grande this year. Again, that is one of the most famous women in the world very vocally speaking about the LGBTQ community. How is that a bad thing? That's a wonderful thing, but I'm a huge fan of smaller local Prides. I've been to Swindon Pride. Margate Pride was a first last year, as well. I think they're really wonderful because without all the big corporate sponsors, you can still have quite an unfiltered voice, and you can still say, "These are the issues that are affecting the front line. Waitlists for gender clinics, homophobic violence, struggles with employment. The fact that non-binary people are in no way legal right now." We can have those conversations, as well as going to see a big pop concert. Actually, I guess it's the best of both worlds, really.
Meat Market is out now and available to buy here.


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Aplicación móvil para etartups fithnes
$15-25 USD / time
I am looking for a skilled developer to create a mobile application for my existing fitness business. The primary function of the application will be to track and log workouts.
Skills and experience required for this project include:
- Proficiency in Android development
- Experience with creating mobile applications for fitness tracking
- Knowledge of data logging and tracking functionality
- Ability to integrate with existing fitness platforms or APIs
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in mobile app development, specifically in Android. They should also have a good understanding of fitness tracking and logging features. Experience with integrating with other fitness platforms or APIs would be a plus.
Projekt ID: #37461675
Om projektet
80 freelancere byder i gennemsnit $20/timen for dette job
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AlmanacThe Almanac page is a list of the rotating quotations or descriptions of events in Crane"s life that appear on the first page of this site. As you can see, not all the days are covered, but eventually they will be. The material derives from Crane"s works and The Crane Log. You can also suggest an event or quotation for a particular day. Eventually, we hope to have a Stephen Crane chronology and a biographical sketch at this site. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec |
Comments to campbelld at wsu dot edu.


text:
About Us
Mission Statement
The School of Biological Sciences advances the growing body of biological knowledge through synergistic programs in research, teaching, and service. Our faculty conducts basic and applied research to educate, mentor, and train successive generations of scientists and to command national and international recognition. Our active instruction in classrooms, laboratories, and field sites promotes a sophisticated understanding of biological principles and methodologies. Our professional service and outreach advance the biological sciences, disseminating knowledge widely, and applying it to relevant societal issues.
Student and faculty activities
Please check out the annual Alumni Newsletter from the School of Biological Sciences, which highlights achievements, awards, and activities by our current students and faculty. For the Newsletter covering 2018, as well as previous years, visit our Alumni News page .
Key Contacts in Our School
For General Information
Barbara Cox (Office Administrator)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Director of the School
Dr. Rachel Bowden
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Associate Director
Dr Laura Vogel
Email: email@example.com
Assistant Chair for Undergraduate Studies
Dr. Wade Nichols
Email: email@example.com
Assistant Chair for Graduate Studies
Dr. Ben Sadd
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Undergraduate Advisor - General Biology Studies, MCB and Teacher Education
Amanda Martin
Email: email@example.com
Undergraduate Advisor - Pre-Health Professions - General Biology Studies and MCB
Jeff B Helms, PhD
Email: email@example.com
School of Biological Sciences
Julian Hall 210
Campus Box 4120
Normal, IL 61790-4120
Want to plan a visit to the Illinois State University campus?
See the Visiting Illinois State University website .
How to get to Illinois State University
How to get to Julian Hall
How to get to Science Lab Building
How to get to Felmley Hall


text:
Australian Owned and Operated | Hopetoun | Shepparton | Warragul
3Bellas is a family-run Australian owned web design and web maintenance business.
We love creating websites that our clients are proud of. They're functional, well planned, designed and built.
At 3Bellas, we deliver on our promise.
"We promise to deliver you a website that you will love; it will showcase you, your business, your product and your brand."
We listen to you, what you need, your likes and dislikes and then we build something exceptional. We will work tirelessly to ensure that we create something for you that reflects your brand and offers.
We happen to be really good at doing what we do.
We offer you a complete website experience, including some fantastic web care maintenance packages to ensure your investment always works for you 24/7 at its absolute best.
3Bellas will not take a cookie-cutter approach; we offer you a bespoke experience because we understand that not all businesses have the same goals.
We've had the privilege of working with some amazing clients.
3 Bellas developed and created my website and online store. From start to finish, their service and expertise were outstanding. Providing training, ideas, web maintenance and ongoing support. I am one very happy client.
We build websites for Small Businesses, including non-profits, trades, entrepreneurs, coaches and speakers.
We know that there may be several reasons you are here!
- Your website is older than 5 years
- Not mobile responsive
- You've rebranded your business
- Site content is not optimised for keywords
- Basic SEO isn't set up
- You want to start building a list
- Need someone to maintain your WordPress website.
If you answered yes to just one of the points above, then we can help you create an effective and impactful 24/7 advertising tool. That's exactly what the businesses below did. They now have a website that works 24/7, look great 24/7 and help their current clients and customers get what they need when they need it and convert visits to sales.
Why choose us?
We do what we say we will; we deliver on our promise!
We're a family business, and we love to help small business owners get what they need, clients and customers! We're scattered around Victoria, Hopetoun, in Victoria's far north-west Mallee region, Warragul, outer Melbourne and Shepparton, the heart of the Goulburn Valley, Australia. You can read more on our 3Bellas page.
We can redesign your current site or create something new. We will build you a brand asset and advertising machine that works 24/7 for you.
Client Love
A huge shout out to Jacqui James – Online Business Manager and her team at 3Bella Web Design who worked with us to create and design a website that reflects our brand, offers and where we are heading as a business.
The team worked tirelessly on this site and we couldn't be happier with the result and seeing our ideas bought to life!
Thanks again to #3Bellas Web Design, we couldn't be happier!
I can personally vouch for this team – they are our rock when it comes to making it all work well and look amazing.
Some of the tools we love to create with
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Pte Essay on "Discuss the merits and demerits of cloning. What is your opinion?"
Discuss the merits and demerits of cloning. What is your opinion?
Cloning, the technique of producing a genetic twin of a human being, has been in the air for the last two decades. This practice has raised a lot of controversy in the society and is still in ethical judgment.
Those who are in favor of cloning point out that there are many useful purposes of this practice. Firstly, they claim that it can be used for therapeutic purposes. To illustrate, the cells from the body of a person be used to develop body cells like liver cell, heart muscle and brain cell. Thus, organ transplantation becomes much safer because the new organ is genetically identical to the old one. Hence there is no possibility of the new organ being rejected by the body because of incompatibility. Also, diseases like blood cancer and hepatitis can be treated effectively. Yet another advantage is that it provides a safer way for infertile couples to have their offspring of their own genetic make up.
However, legions of allegations are leveled against cloning by those who do not favor it. The very first assertion is that cloning will cause the demise of socially accepted values like marriage, family and parenthood. They go on to maintain that in a society where heredity and tradition are considered important, the clones will be treated like animals or objects; not like human beings. This will create a sense of diminished individuality in the cloned individuals.
In total, it seems that there is a potential threat of misuse of this technique and its application can give rise to a large number of thorny questions regarding ethics and moral values. Hence, it can be said that plants and animals can be cloned for the benefit of humanity and the cloning of human embryo should be banned.


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Bill Gillespie, SEA Electric's President, Asia Pacific Region has made this statement relating to the weekend's Federal election result.
"We congratulate the new Federal Government on their election success over the weekend, and we look forward to working with them in the coming years to advance the uptake of electric vehicles across the nation," said Mr Gillespie.
"As Australia moves towards our net zero emissions goals, it is imperative that the country embraces sustainable technology that delivers real results.
"Locally, emissions from the road transport task make up 19 per cent of the country's total emissions, with heavy vehicles contributing 38 per cent of that total.
"Throughout the lead up to the election, the Australian Labor Party has noted several key policies, such as the Driving the Nation Fund, the National Reconstruction Fund, and the Powering Australia plan, which have the potential to be positives for EV adoption and furthering local manufacturing.
"The EV movement in Australia has a bright future, and we are excited to be at the forefront."


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How to Avoid Dental Implant Failure
Dental implants have been around for over three decades. Since then, they continue to revolutionize dentistry by providing a superior treatment option for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants carry a remarkable success rate of over 95%. However, they are not completely foolproof. Although quite rare, if a dental implant is going to fail, it typically… Continue reading


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Find a Dealer Features - Milltek Sport Large-Bore Downpipes - Hi-Flow Sports Cat - Increased Performance - Improved Sound - Stage 2 ECU Remap Required - For fitment with Milltek Sport Cat-Back System only If you're looking for an upgrade to your Milltek Cat-Back system, then look no further than the Large Bore Downpipe with Hi-Flow Sports Catalyst. This part is designed to increase the performance and sound of your car, giving it a noticeable difference in power and sound. With the Stage 2 ECU remap required, you can be sure that you are getting the most out of your Milltek Cat-Back system. With Milltek Sport's Large-Bore Downpipes and Hi-Flow Sports Cat, you can rest assured that you're getting a quality upgrade that will make your car look, feel, and sound better than ever before.
Ford > Focus > MK2 (2004 - 2011) > MK2 RS 2.5T 305PS
Downpipes, Sport Cats & Manifolds
76mm (3")
Effortlessly Explore the Best Aftermarket Exhaust Solutions for Your Vehicle.


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Read the comic featuring Landmine:
"Guns Are The Answer!"
You may have heard this already but Landmine is an AWESOME figure, he really is. He is very articulated, very posable, each wheel has shocks, and there's limitless potential for repainting/customizing! So here we are with what is mostly a simple repaint of 6inch Movie Landmine into an Army green scheme with white decals. Very much like the Artillery Strike Wreckage I did recently. He includes his mounted gun, but I made a removable fire molding for it so it looks like it's shooting. He also includes a custom made mini Allspark cube because his hands grip things so well I had to give him something else to hold up. He comes with his original packaging and instructions.
Paints used:
- Testors Model Master Acryl Black
- Testors Model Master Acryl Olivgrun RLM
- Testors Model Master Acryl Interior Green
- Testors Model Master Acryl Euro I Gray
- Games Workshop Citadel Mithril Silver
- Games Workshop Citadel Chainmail
- Games Workshop Citadel Boltgun Metal
- Tamiya Acrylic Clear Blue
Landmine was first basecoated in Black, heavily drybrushed in Olivgrun, then lightly drybrushed Interior Green for highlights. His robot parts are basecoated black, then drybrushed different shades of Boltgun Metal and Chainmail with Mithril Silver for highlights. His eyes are clear blue over Silver. His tires are drybrushed Euro Gray over Black to make them look worn. All of his headlights and tail lights are painted on shades of white, red, and yellows. Some white ruboff decals complete the look. His fire molding is "sculpted" from hot glue and painted clear yellow, orange, and red. The mini Allspark is my usual blend of almost every metal flavor I have.


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Legions of Apple aficionados (a fancier word for fanboys) always come up with new fangled ways to show their reverence to everything that comes from the stables of Apple. Since, their devotion borders almost on idolatry, it doesn't come much as a surprise, that Apple museums are cropping all over the world. The latest Apple Museum that pays homage to everything Apple has opened up in Moscow and already throngs of fanboys, and girls are paying their not so perfunctory visits.
The Apple Museum in Moscow is the new Mecca for rabid Apple devotees, since it has all the rare models on display. So be it, the monochrome Apple II from 1978 or the iconic Apple Graphics Tablet, or even the rather abysmal Newton handheld, they all occupy a shelf in this new museum.
Andrei Antonov is the man behind the Apple Museum and as expected; the self-confessed Apple lover has been collecting Macs for more than three decades. Somewhat of a serious collector, Antonov got the idea of building a private Apple computer museum after the legendary Steve Jobs passed away. The pièce de résistance of the museum is hands down the 1978 model of the Apple II, which was a runaway success and made Steve Jobs and co-creator Steve Wozniak millionaires. The 1978 model of Apple II is just one of the many rare gems in the museum, and some other notable machines include; the Powerbook 100, the Apple Graphics Tablet (iPad's Big Daddy), gaming accessories like the Apple II joystick and even a 'Disk II' drive , an add-on for the Apple II computer that was introduced in 1978.
You don't have to be drinking the Apple Kool-Aid to appreciate Andrei Antonov's effort. Apple is one the most revered name in the tech industry, and even the non-zealots cannot overlook Steve Job's contribution or brilliance. Thus, an Apple Museum makes perfect sense and also reiterates the brand's power. So next time you are in Russia, do make a stopover at the 'Apple Museum and take a walk down Apple memory lane. The museum is located at 16 Pestovsky Per., bldg. 1, 2nd floor, m. Taganskaya and is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm; entry is free.
Cannot get enough of everything Apple, then check out our iPad 3 rumor round up and our post on the Apple iPad 3 Event.


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For their future collaboration, both software companies share several conditions. Their products are used worldwide, especially in the markets of Asia, Europe, and North America. Both focus on manufacturing with particular challenges regarding production organization and demanding business logic. Included are very flexible concepts for the detailed mapping of all production processes. Furthermore, there are promising capabilities for the integration of entire supply chains.
Cooperation enables MES with even greater scope of services
Through the collaboration, a sophisticated Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is being presented on the market that uniquely covers the three fundamental pillars of a MES with respect to ISA-95 standard:
- Definition of products and manufacturing processes
- Production scheduling/planning
- Manufacturing execution
With regard to the key initiative Industry 4.0, complex, flexible, communication-capable cyber-physical systems (CPS) are increasingly being used in the shop floors as production equipment. They enable the intensive exchange of information between themselves and the superordinate levels organizing the productions. These layers manage the orchestration of all manufacturing operations. They are responsible for the economic manufacturing of industrial products.
As a result of the intensified networking, accordingly the need for effective SW-based infrastructure solutions is increasing. Manufacturing SW can make its strengths even more effective in view of the quantitatively and qualitatively improved provision of information made available from the shop floors. Mr. Bernhard Jofer, VP of camLine GmbH, confirms: "We recognize a growing demand for MES solutions with integrated advanced scheduling. The capabilities of Asprova APS for advanced scheduling address also manufacturers who already use an ERP, i.e. SAP, for their planning. The external scheduling module perfectly complements our in-house modules of the LineWorks-Suite." The easy integration of the systems, the extremely powerful scheduling functions, and the very fast execution speeds allow integrating entire supply chains with powerful solutions.
Adaptable and scalable through a modular approach
camLine's MES solutions are based on a compact and modular approach. The core modules focus on:
- Quality assurance
- Process integrity
- Manufacturing execution
- Equipment efficiency (OEE)
The execution component provides seamless traceability with tracking and tracing. It also allows the organization and provision of data by defining products and production processes. Due to the modular approach, the granular mapping of vertical integration is possible at high data throughput with real-time applications. As high-availability systems, they are designed to be used 24/7 allowing the collection of current data in large-scale productions.
Mr. Keiji Fujii, Managing Director of the German subsidiary of Asprova AG, says: "The simple integration of our APS SW solution into the existing individual IT structure is a requirement that we have placed great emphasis on from the outset. With camLine's MES solutions, we get production data almost in real-time, in high quality, and in a degree of detail exactly as required by Asprova for advanced planning."
Multi-level optimization to minimize throughput times
Asprova APS is used by numerous well-known Japanese top-lean companies (market share: 59%). The standard software meets a wide range of specific requirements for the advanced scheduling of discrete and process-oriented production. All necessary resources (with their individual specifications and restrictions), as well as their limited capacities and availability, are incorporated into the calculations. Material availability is always considered. Thanks to ingenious, individually adjustable multi-level planning logic, optimal sequence planning is achieved. Results with Asprova:
- Minimized throughput times
- Increase in delivery reliability
- Optimized sequence planning with respect to set-up times
- Reduction and optimization of inventory
- High flexibility with regard to changes


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Using AI in the Operating Room
In this episode, we are privileged to host Sanjeev Agrawal, President and CEO at LeanTaas. This is a healthcare software company that increases patient access to medical care. When Stefano first met Sanjeev at the first DocSF Conference, the company was just a start-up. Today, the company has grown into an established and well-funded company that is changing how we manage hospitals across the country.
Sanjeev recounts his healthcare entrepreneurial journal, which began when his team successfully solved a Stanford Cancer Institute problem. He discusses machine learning applications and gives excellent real-world examples of problems where machine learning can be applied. We also tackled the data they are looking for to solve problems and where machine learning is going in the future.
This conversation is fascinating, not just on how to solve complex healthcare problems utilizing accurate data, because there's more to it than that, so make sure to tune in!
About Sanjeev Agrawal
Sanjeev serves as the President and Chief Operating Officer for LeanTaaS. Sanjeev was Google's first Head of Product Marketing. Since then, he has led three successful startups – CEO at Aloqa (acquired by Motorola), VP Products & Marketing at TellMe Networks (acquired by Microsoft), and Founder & CEO at Collegefeed (acquired by After College).
Sanjeev graduated with a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT. He started his career at McKinsey & Company and Cisco Systems before joining Google. Sanjeev is a Forbes contributor and also writes on his blog at http://medium.com/@saagrawa. He is an avid squash player and has been named by Becker's Hospital Review as one of the top entrepreneurs innovating in Healthcare.
Key Takeaways:
- LeanTaas cannot create volume, but it can help clinics and hospitals optimize patients physicians should be seeing.
- The EHR has a historical record of all surgeries performed in the past by the block owner.
- 90% of a data science problem is the data. So science is important until you can extract meaning from it.
- Most healthcare visits are not so simple.
- Small data can make a world of difference.
- Once you have clean data, then you can apply your algorithm.
- Website: https://leantaas.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjeevagrawal2007/
- Twitter: @saagrawa


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Features For Your Custom Home
Debating about building a custom home, or already made the decision to do so? The customization possibilities are endless and you are only limited to your own creativity and imagination! That being said, there are several key ingredients to make your custom home fantastic and practical. Whether you are building a luxury dream mansion, or a quaint rambler, here are a few ideas of what you could put in your new custom home.
Fully Equipped Kitchen
No matter what your culinary abilities, having a well laid out and equipped kitchen is essential for any home! On average, other than the time spent sleeping in the bedroom, people spend most of their time in the kitchen on a daily basis. From a resale value, a key decision maker for most buyers is the state of the kitchen.
A few of our favorite features for your custom home built kitchen include: double oven (a must for anyone who cooks regularly for larger groups), space efficient storage for cooking utensils, ideal height for a microwave, a large and functional kitchen island, and large countertops for easy chopping and meal prepping!
Master Suite
The master suite is one of the most overlooked aspects of a dream home. Oftentimes, people put designing their master suite off for last, just to realize it should have been a top priority. The master suite needs to be spacious to ensure enough room for a large bed, dressers, sitting area and ample closet space. Consider where your master suite will be located, if possible, add an outside patio even if it is just enough for a couple chairs. If you have a beautiful view from one part of the house, take that into account when laying out the master suite. Few things are better than waking up to a beautiful view of the lake or mountain range!
Dream Walk-In Closet
Whatever you do, DO NOT forget the closet! The walk-in closet (most likely connected to the master suite) is the perfect spot to store all the shoes, clothes, handbags, watches and accessories. A well laid out walk-in closet allows for easy access and perfect organization. Think about the small things – include a full size mirror so you can see how great you look in your outfit before you leave the closet, put in a window watch organizer drawer, ensure that you have shoe shelves that you can pull out for easy access and more storage. Find the perfect balance of beauty and functionality to ensure the best walk-in closet for your custom built home.
No matter where your home is being built, utilize the surrounding area to provide nice views from all over. It should go without saying, if you are building your custom home on a lake, make sure you have large windows to get the best views possible. Use the landscape and terrain to your advantage. Even if you are building in a residential area that has no significant views of trees or water, find something that is pleasing to the eye, such as a park, greenbelt or the nicest home on the street (other than your own of course).
Rooms with a Purpose
Think about your space and how you plan to use your home. Having bedrooms for the sake of having bedrooms may not be the best course of action. Consider putting in an office or a home gym before you lay out where each room will go. By planning ahead and knowing which rooms will serve what purpose, you can lay out a nice floorplan and prevent your gym from being right next to your master bedroom and having those gym odors creep in. Your custom home should be just that, custom! Make sure that all the rooms are best suited for how you plan to use them.
When building your custom home, there are many decisions that need to be made, some small and others large. Consider how you would like to use your home, ask your builder what they recommend, work with the interior designer to maximize space and practicality. Make sure that your custom home is built custom for you and your needs. If you have any questions about what to put in your new custom home, reach out to us!


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Noemi Weis is a well celebrated documentary filmmaker that tackles social issues in hopes of change. Her latest documentary Milk made its premiere in the early spring at Hot Docs.
She accepted our invitation for an interview via skype from Toronto. It was a discussion that quickly got to the heart of the matter, spoken from a voice that represents all the mothers in the world that have been slaves to the money profiting baby formula makers. They're made to feel inadequate and pressured into choosing alternatives to feed their babies rather than nutritious breast milk, which have antibodies and other health benefits. Noemi wanted to understand if the problem was universal, so she travelled to 11 countries and 35 cities for answers.
"I started making this documentary four years ago. It took me two years to research, fund and gain access to doctors, nutritionists, government and mothers. It took nine months to film."
In Canada, a new mother leaves the hospital with two weeks' worth of baby formula. The suppliers spend 1 billion dollars a year on marketing.
Noemi presented the film to 200 students at a medical school. She received many thankful emails and learnt that nutrition is offered as an elective. She plans to present it at more medical schools.
Mothers that cannot breastfeed feel helpless. However, there is a method called re-lactation and there are milk banks that are not being utilized enough.
Noemi's film also advocates for universal maternity leave. Bravo!
(Photo from milkhood.com)


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In an effort to wrap up 2018, today I spent a bit of time cleaning up my Goodreads list by adding tags I'd forgotten to add when I read the books and going back and adding a new tag, "reviewed" to all the books that I wrote reviews for sometime during the year. It took a little time since I had to cross check Goodreads with my blogpost list. Sometimes I don't title my reviews with the name of the book, so that meant I had to open up different reviews to search for titles. It wasn't a tedious process. In fact, I had fun rereading some of my posts.
Here is the shocking (to me anyway) thing I discovered: I wrote 90 reviews last year. 90. Whoa. If you had asked me how I did at reviewing books last year, I don't think I would have said I wrote that many reviews. Breaking the stats down---I read 150 books, 27 of them I didn't finish (Cybils books mostly). Since it is very unlikely I would not write a review for an unfinished book, I am going to back those out of my list. This leaves 123 books that were review-worthy. I reviewed 90 of them, leaving only 33 books I didn't review. That is 73% reviewed, to 27% not reviewed. Woot woot. I am even impressed myself.
I had set myself a reviewing plan for 2018 to take a little heat off the pressure the "need" to review all books. The plan was to write reviews for: a. ALL book club selections; b. any books I thought were potential Printz Award books (YA); and c. all YA/Junior nonfiction books. Other books could be reviewed but I didn't need to feel pressure if I decided to pass on them. Based on this plan I still have several reviews to write before I can close the door on 2018.
- Book Club selections:
- Before We Were Yours (for book club this month, but read in 2018)
- An American Marriage
- Educated
- Possible Printz Award books:
- Darius the Great is Not Okay
- The Astonishing Color of After
- JH/SH Nonfiction titles:
- Forget it, too many and most I didn't finish. I did review all but three of the finalists, though, so I might go back and attempt reviews on those three.
- Just because books:
- The Soul of America
- The Wisdom of Sundays
- We finally got our health insurance switched over but it involves lots of hassles. Ugh. The good thing though, once all the hassles are dealt with it will save a ton of money each month, especially on prescriptions. In the meantime I still don't have a flu shot and I need to get one!
- Bingley, our male puppy, has finally figured out how to lift his leg to pee, well, sort of. He still sprays his underside quite often which requires frequent little baths. I just got done bathing him so now I smell like pet shampoo.
- Don and I are stuck in the middle of four TV series: Poldark (PBS); Outlander (Starz); Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime); and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Hulu). It takes work just remembering how to find them.
- We've put away all of the indoor Christmas decorations from the main rooms, but the guest room is still a junk pile of decorations that need to be tucked away. Out of sight, out of mind?
- Shower...ha-ha, I shouldn't even have to mention it. Guess who isn't dressed yet?
- Drop by the library to pick up the books on hold
- Read 100 pages of Beartown. Without daily page goals, I'll never finish the book.
- Start review of The Soul of America
- Drop by the guest room and survey the scope of the task at putting away the last of the Christmas decorations, maybe even put a few things away.


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Common Smart Contract Vulnerabilities and How to Avoid Them
Smart contracts have become an integral part of the blockchain and like any other computer program, smart contracts vulnerabilities are also common. As a business
Read Latest cryptocurrency Blogs and News
Smart contracts have become an integral part of the blockchain and like any other computer program, smart contracts vulnerabilities are also common. As a business
You must understand the regulations and tax implications when selling cryptocurrency in Dubai. With cryptocurrency gaining popularity in the UAE, the government has implemented laws
Transferring Ethereum is a simple process that can be completed relatively quickly. As you prepare to send ETH from one wallet or exchange it with
Have you ever sent some Ethereum to your wallet or someone else and wanted to check that the transaction went through properly? We've all been
You've heard a lot about cryptocurrencies lately, especially Ethereum. Its price has seen some wild swings over the past couple of years. So you're wondering:
As a cryptocurrency investor, you understand the importance of security when transacting in digital assets. When preparing to sell your USDT holdings, protecting your funds
Hey, are you looking to get your hands on some tasty USDT? We feel you. Stablecoins are all the craze, and Tether's still king of
As a crypto trader, you constantly seek new ways to maximize profits. The United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai, presents lucrative opportunities to capitalize on the
You have invested in the best cryptocurrency like USDT and want to cash out some gains. When you withdraw USDT to a bank account, it
When it comes to cryptocurrencies, there are many different kinds available. Some popular ones include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Tether. There are thousands of cryptocurrencies
Are you wondering if you can sell USDT in person or if it's limited to online platforms? Well, you've come to the right place! USDT,
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As a cryptocurrency investor in the UAE, you likely understand the importance of stablecoins like USDT to protect your portfolio value during market volatility. USDT
Hey there, are you interested in learning about cryptocurrency in the UAE? Specifically, do you want to know how to buy, sell, and trade Bitcoin
The cryptocurrency market rapidly expands in Dubai and the UAE, with investors increasingly buying and selling digital assets like Bitcoin. As an investor, you may
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Mech Wings Roblox (Aug 2021) Let Us Know More About It! >> The guide shares details about the new in-game accessory and the methods of getting it in the game.
If you play Roblox games, you probably know about different avatars, in-game characters, and accessories in the avatar shop. In addition, different types of accessories and gifts are available in the Avatar shop, of which the new Mech Wings are the major catch amongst the players in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United States.
Mechanical or Mech wing is the accessory for the in-game characters or avatars that help them fly. The Mech Wings Roblox is available for purchase on the Avatar shop, and players have to spend money for it.
We will be discussing the Mech Wing below.
What is Mech Wings in Roblox?
Mech or Mechanical Wing is the back accessory that allows the avatars or the in-game characters to fly. It is the artificial back wing that Jaunty Ape Games has created, and now it is available for purchase from the Avatar shop.
The Mech Wing was first launched in Nov 2015 on Roblox, and the cost of the Mech Wings Roblox is 1000 Robux. So, you need to have at least 1000 Robux to purchase the back accessory for your in-game avatars.
The back accessory is quite popular and considered the favorite for 15 942 times by the players as of 28th June 2021. The back accessory is compatible with all the avatars in the game, and you can buy it online from the in-app store.
If you also want to make your avatar fly in the Roblox game and look unique from other characters, ensure to have the back accessory from the Avatar shop.
Where to Get the Mech Wings Roblox?
As mentioned, Mechanical Wing is the back accessory first launched in the Avatar shop by Roblox. It was first launched for sale on Avatar shop on 25th Nov 2015. So now players who are interested in buying the back accessory need to spend 1000 Robux and get it from the Avatar shop.
As per the sources, the back accessory is still live and available for purchase in the Avatar Shop. The cost of the accessory is 1000 Robux.
Is There Other Ways to Get the Back Accessory?
There is no other way to get the accessory other than buying Mech Wings Roblox from the Avatar shop spending 1000 Robux. You must not follow or get scammed by 3rd party websites claiming to offer you the back accessory.
The only option is to spend 1000 Robux at the Avatar shop and grab your Mech Wings in Roblox. However, if you are new to the platform and want to learn about getting the accessory, then follow the online tutorial on getting the back accessory.
There is a video tutorial sharing the processes to get the back accessory. However, you must follow it to get your Mech Wings.
Roblox games are very interesting, and to enhance the gameplay, the developers often come forth with different accessories for in-game avatars. Mech Wings Roblox is one accessory that has been attracting the attention of worldwide players.
It is the back accessory available for sale in the avatar shop for 1000 Robux.
Do you have the back accessory? How did you purchase it? Would you mind sharing it in the comment section?
Read Also :- Roblox Nerf Strike Codes (July 2021) Check The Use Here!


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Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is characterized by social deficits, communication difficulties, and stereotypical behaviors. Unlike autism, delays in language and cognitive development are not seen in Asperger's syndrome. AS is typically diagnosed in childhood, although some cases may be diagnosed in adulthood. Due to the clinical features of AS, diagnostically it can be confused with schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and personality disorders; hence, diagnosis of AS may be missed, especially in adulthood. This case is presented to emphasize the importance of adult AS, given that it is generally diagnosed in childhood, which leads to difficulties in diagnosis and differential diagnosis in adulthood if the condition has not been diagnosed in childhood.
Asperger's Syndrome (AS), classified among the pervasive developmental disorders according to ICD-10, is a disorder characterized by social interaction and communication problems and stereotypic behaviors (1). While the condition was identified for the first time by Hans Asperger in 1944 as a disorder describing individuals who have difficulty in expressing feelings, are lacking in empathy and are challenged in understanding socially acknowledged issues, who become a "little professor" in topics they are interested in but can barely balance their voice and use their mimics accurately, AS received greater interest following the study by Wing in 1981 (2,3). The syndrome had been defined by the absence of a delay in linguistic and cognitive development, in contrast with autism, according to DMS-IV (4); in DSM-V, it was not defined as a separate disorder but included in high-functioning autistic disorder (HFA) (5).
It is known that the incidence of AS is between 0.3-0.7%, and it is observed 9 times more in men compared to women. While AS is diagnosed on average at the age of 10-11, some cases are diagnosed in their twenties and in adulthood (3). AS symptoms increase especially in case of a new adaptation requirement. Our knowledge about the prevalence of AS in adults is still limited (6,7).
Clinically, AS can exhibit symptoms similar to those of the prodromal stage of schizophrenia, schizoid personality disorder, residual schizophrenia, as well as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), avoidant personality disorder, or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and this can lead to misdiagnosis in persons with AS.
This case is presented to emphasize the importance of adult AS, which is generally diagnosed in childhood, but otherwise can cause difficulties in diagnosis and differential diagnosis in adulthood.
A thirty two year old male patient, high school graduate, single, unemployed, living with his family, presented to our emergency service with complaints of anxiety about being left alone if anything happened to his parents. He reported distress, inability to communicate with people, and thoughts about schizophrenia and suicide. It was understood that the patient, who was admitted to our clinic, had acquired these complaints in childhood. He did not have many friends and was marginalized by his companions at school for acting "different". He reported that the same condition continued at high school: he was not able to adapt to his friends, was not able to engage in games they played, did not succeed well at school, and completed high school education through distance learning after the second grade of high school. It was understood that he was not able to continue with his studies at school from the age of eighteen, and he attended psychiatry policlinics for complaints of low-spiritedness, malaise, reluctance, and anhedonia, using antidepressant medication of which he could not remember the names. The patient reported he was not willing to serve in the military for having a soft character; he was ostracized for speaking loudly in the military, and he was continuously warned about this behavior but was not able to adapt the volume of his voice. On a day of leave during military service, not wanting to return to the service, he attempted suicide by diving into a river but was saved by the people around. He did not leave the house for about one year after military service. He used to think "If I go outside, I will have to stay on the streets, I don't know which direction I need to go, so I have to stay at home". One day, he started to throw out objects found in the house from the balcony because he believed he was not understood by his family. The family called the police and the patient was hospitalized in the psychiatry clinic in 2004. He received paroxetine, carbamazepine and risperidone treatment. One year later, he was hospitalized at the same clinic for one month with a diagnosis of mixed-type personality disorder. Between 2006 and 2013, the patient was hospitalized for a total of seven times at another psychiatry clinic, diagnosed with psychotic disorder and anxiety disorder, and received sertraline, risperidone and ziprasidone treatment. The patient reported that he did not benefit much from the medication; he managed to communicate more while in psychiatry services, as other patients and allied healthcare staff understood him better, and he generally did not want to be discharged from the hospital. When he was discharged, he did not go outside his home, and his hesitations about not being able to communicate with and be understood by other people started again. In the examination of his mental health, it was found that his general appearance and self-care had deteriorated. He talked clearly in an easily understandable way at a high volume and his associations were goal-oriented. Anxious affect was observed. No significant deterioration was found in his cognitive abilities. Perceptional deviation was not identified. Regarding the content of his thoughts, it was reported that he was concerned about not being able to live alone if anything bad should happen to his parents; he believed that his penis would be pulled into his stomach if he did not manage to sit properly on a chair twice, and he was always concerned about the diagnosis of his disorder. It was observed in his expressed behaviors that he frequently leaned forward to control his penis while sitting, and especially while talking to someone, he would stop speaking and go to the lavatory for control.
In order to exclude the general medical condition, electroencephalogram (EEG), hematological tests, thyroid function tests, serum B12 vitamin and folic acid levels were analyzed. Results were evaluated as normal. The patient scored 93 points at the Kent verbal performance test and 104 points at Porteus labyrinths performance test. A score of 99 points was found for the average intelligence quotient.
The patient began to receive 50mg/day sertraline, which he had reported to have been partly beneficial previously, and 4mg/day clonazepam for intensive anxiety symptoms. Risperidone and ziprasidone treatments were gradually reduced and terminated as the patient presented with no psychotic symptoms. One month later, clonazepam treatment was gradually reduced and terminated. Sertraline was increased to 100mg/day. It was noted that he continuously talked loudly at the clinic, reacted rapidly and corrected others saying anything wrong on topics he was especially interested in; similarly, he yelled out and corrected when somebody said the physicians' names wrong, and he would always sit on a chair, not on a couch or any other seat. He believed that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and this belief almost reached a level of "self-stigmatization". From interviews with his parents, it was understood that he had gone through a timely mental-motor development: He had started talking when he was twelve months old and walking at the age of fourteen months. In childhood, he liked talking, and he always talked in a loud voice; he did not listen to what others said but always wanted to be listened to, so he was not able to make any friends from the time of primary school. He showed medium-level achievements at school, and long-term hospitalizations at the psychiatry clinic helped him to get better.
The patient was diagnosed with AS according to ICD-10 (1) as he was clinically limited in mutual social interactions and communications and in behaviors, interest and abilities, he showed repetitive stereotypical behaviors but did not have significant linguistic and cognitive development deficiencies. Clinical features of AS were shared with the patient and he was informed about associations and support groups for AS. The patient ceased thinking about suicide, his anxiety symptoms receded and he improved self-care. Policlinic control was recommended and he was discharged with a 100mg/day sertraline treatment. At the interview four months after his discharge from our clinic, it was understood that he was able to leave the house for at least one hour a day and he did not ask for continuous medication and hospitalization at psychiatry services as in the pre-hospitalization period.
Similar to autism, in AS, a life-long psychiatric disorder that can be diagnosed in childhood, disorder in social interactions, limited and repetitive areas of interests and activities are present. ICD-10 and DSM-IV emphasize that the fundamental difference of AS from autism is that no delay or deficiency in linguistic and cognitive development is found. Many patients are ineffective despite having a normal level of intelligence. Wing, however, suggested that AS can also be diagnosed in those with delay in linguistic development and with threshold and sub-threshold intelligence quotient, and he criticized DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria (2,3).
It is known that children diagnosed with AS can exhibit superior achievement in primary education with their raw memory, memorization and calculation skills, but may have problems in writing and manual skills (6,7). However, with elementary school and adolescence requiring more social abilities, inability to adapt to peers and marginalization by them as well as limited areas of interest reduce academic success (3). It was reported that increased incidence of depression in adolescents diagnosed with AS/HFA can be associated with academic problems (7). Similarly, our patient had difficulty in adapting to peers from adolescence, was marginalized by them, and received a diagnosis of depression in a period when he was not able to go to school and fulfill his responsibilities. It is known that training of individuals with AS about their limited areas of interest can increase their academic success (8).
In studies on professional functionality of individuals diagnosed with AS/HFA, Szatmari et al. (9) reported that 37.5% of cases could work in a fulltime job, and Venter et al. (10) found a rate of 21.1%. Both studies reported individuals diagnosed with AS/HFA working at lower-level jobs which did not require special abilities. It was understood that our patient attempted to work at a hair salon for two days in his early twenties but was not able to continue due to his communication problems. It is known that employees diagnosed with AS may lose their jobs due to social interaction and communication problems (9,10). It is recommended to make workplace arrangements and provide social support for employment of people with AS. It is believed that they can be more successful in previously planned, clearly defined and repetitive jobs (11).
It is known that in individuals with AS, deterioration in family relations is less prominent compared to social interactions. However, they are challenged in social interactions with their peers (12,13). Increased social skills were reported with higher age (14). Larsen and Mouridsen reported that 22% of individuals diagnosed with AS got married (15). However, it was also reported that their marriage did not last long and divorce rate was high (16). We also learned that our patient did not have a girlfriend, nor did he attempt to get into a relationship.
In adulthood, diagnosis of AS can be missed in individuals who had not been diagnosed in childhood. The most frequent psychiatric diagnosis given to adults with AS is schizophrenia (3). Especially in late adolescence, limited social relations and weird behaviors can suggest schizophrenia. However, it is very rare for schizophrenia to accompany AS (16). Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders were excluded from the diagnosis of our patient as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behaviors during his disease period were never identified in the history received from the patient and his family. It is possible to make a diagnosis on OCD before AS again due to repetitive behavioral patterns. Repetitive behavioral patterns were also identified in our patient. While in OCD, these patterns are induced by anxiety, in AS demand and comfort create a source for these interests. The fact that our patient always chose a chair to sit on and reported a feeling of comfort more than concern about controlling his penis was evaluated as showing that these actions were behavioral patterns observed in AS rather than compulsion. It is known that uncertainty and unpredictability in social relations of individuals diagnosed with AS cause severe anxiety, and therefore they are frequently diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Significant anxiety was observed in our patient, especially in the initial hospitalization period, but this condition was evaluated as a symptom observed in AS rather than a separate anxiety disorder. It is very hard to make a differential diagnosis with AS in personality disorders, especially in schizoid personality disorder. Deterioration in social interactions is higher in AS and repetitive behavioral patterns are observed more in AS. Moreover, emotional distance and affective slumber, which we did not observe in our patient, are more specific to schizoid personality disorder. It was observed that our patient, who was continuously concerned about his diagnosis and believed he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, felt relief and showed reduced anxiety symptoms after he received the diagnosis and related psychoeducation. Properly sharing diagnoses with patients can develop, albeit limited, insight in patients. Moreover, informing the family about the diagnosis can help them live with these different individuals, exhibit proper attitudes and give proper directions. Our patient's history in the military and in school is an example of the problems an individual with AS encounters when he is treated as "normal".
In a study evaluating development of individuals diagnosed with HFA from preschool period to adolescence, it was reported that partial development was obtained with age in cognitive skills and social functionality in the presence of early intervention (12). AS is a rare diagnosis made in adult psychiatry policlinics, because diagnostic criteria are not completely known or the development history cannot be obtained sufficiently with a sectional evaluation (17). It is very important to obtain development history and make family interviews for differential diagnosis in AS.
Although AS/HFA are grouped among disorders generally diagnosed in childhood, it is important to know that AS/HFA can be encountered also in adulthood, and adult psychiatrists need to be more prepared in this respect. It is suggested that long-term observational studies are necessary in adult AS, which is a lifetime condition and progresses with severe impairment of the individual's social and professional functionality.
1.World Health Organization. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders. Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines. Ozturk MO, Ulug B (Translation Editors) First ed., Ankara: Turkiye Sinir ve Ruh Sagligi Dernegi Yayini, 1993. (Turkish)
2.Wing L. Reflections on opening Pandora's box. J Autism Dev Disord 2005; 35:197-203. [CrossRef]
3.Tufan AE, Durukan I, Isik U. Asperger syndrome in adulthood: a review. Journal of Clinical and Analytical Medicine 2011; 2:152-156. (Turkish) [CrossRef]
4.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Koroglu E (Translation Editor) 4. edition, Ankara: Hekimler Yayin Birligi, 2007. (Turkish)
5.Woods AG, Mahdavi E, Ryan JP. Treating clients with Asperger's syndrome and autism. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2013; 7:32.[CrossRef]
6.Ozdemir DF, Iseri E. Asperger's syndrome in adults: a review. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2004; 7:223-230. (Turkish)
7.Aggarwal S, Westbrook J. Prognosis of Asperger's disorder. In Rausch JL, Johnson ME, Casanova MF (editors). Asperger's Disorder. First ed. New York: Informa Healthcare, 2008, 327-342. [CrossRef]
8.Tantam D. Adolescence and adulthood of individuals with Asperger syndrome. In Klin A, Volkmar FR, Sarrow SS (editors). Asperger Syndrome. New York: The Guilford Press, 2000, 367-403.
9.Szatmari P, Bartolucci G, Bremner R, Bond S, Rich S. A follow-up study of high-functioning autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord 1989; 19:213-225. [CrossRef]
10.Venter A, Lord C, Schopler E. A follow-up study of high-functioning autistic children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1992; 33:489-507.[CrossRef]
11.Volkmar F. Can you explain the difference between autism and Asperger syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 1999; 29:185-186. [CrossRef]
12.Sigman M, McGovern CW. Improvement in cognitive and language skills from preschool to adolescence in autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2005; 35:15-23. [CrossRef]
13.Gilchrist A, Green J, Cox A, Burton D, Rutter M, Le Couteur A. Development and current functioning in adolescents with Asperger syndrome: a comparative study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2001; 42:227-240. [CrossRef]
14.Szatmari P, Bryson SE, Streiner DL, Wilson F, Archer L, Ryerse C. Two-year outcome of preschool children with autism or Asperger's syndrome. Am J Psychiatry 2000; 157:1980-1987. [CrossRef]
15.Larsen FW, Mouridsen SE. The outcome in children with childhood autism and Asperger syndrome originally diagnosed as psychotic. A 30-year follow-up study of subjects hospitalized as children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997; 6:181-190. [CrossRef]
16.Chen PS, Chen SJ, Yang YK, Yeh TL, Chen CC, Lo HY. Asperger's disorder: a case report of repeated stealing and the collecting behaviours of an adolescent patient. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2003; 107:73-75. [CrossRef]
17.Ozguven HD, Oner O, Olmez S. Clinical and neuropsychological evaluation of a case with adult Asperger disorder. Turk Psikiyatri Derg 2001; 12:233-240. (Turkish)
Asperger Sendromu (AS) sosyal etkileşim, iletişim sorunları ve stereotipik davranışlarla karakterize olan, otizmden farklı olarak dil ve bilişsel gelişimde gecikme görülmeyen bir bozukluktur. Genellikle çocukluk döneminde tanı konulmakla birlikte bazı vakalar erişkinlik döneminde tanı alabilmektedir. AS klinik özellikleri nedeniyle şizofreni, anksiyete bozuklukları, obsesif kompulsif bozukluk ve kişilik bozuklukları ile tanısal anlamda karışabilmekte ve özellikle erişkinlik döneminde AS tanısı atlanabilmektedir. Bu olgu genellikle çocukluk döneminde tanı konulan ancak o dönemde tanı konulmazsa erişkinlik döneminde tanı ve ayırıcı tanısında güçlükler olabilen erişkin AS'nun önemini vurgulamak amacıyla sunulmuştur.


text: I started writing this piece last night during a lull at work. I wanted to understand the concept of happiness more as well as spread this idea to others. But, of course, it's so easy for one to simply tell you to be happy, but not practice that very message. I had my whole day planned out, to maximize my cancelled class and do everything I needed to. But the universe had other plans. I got back from the gym, and my AC was off. Not hotter or colder than normal. It simply wasn't on, wasn't working. I took a shower and went down to the front desk to ask for maintenance, where I was told that the AC wouldn't be back on until 2:00 pm because of some emergency. This new information effectively ruined all of my plans for the day (or so I thought). As I type this post, I'm sitting at the library and not locked away in my dorm room. I had to adjust my schedule. The day isn't ruined because I couldn't stay in my room all morning and work. It's a beautiful day here. The humidity is finally gone. The sky is cloudless and bright baby blue. It's roughly 70°. (Did I mention there's no humidity?) I was about to let this lack of AC ruin my day and effectively eliminate my happiness. Then I remembered the blog post that I had started writing last night… Perhaps it's because I'm the oldest child and took on the imaginary role of sister-mother to my brother and sister? Perhaps I was a therapist in a past life? I appear to be exceptionally good at looking inviting enough for people to tell me what's plaguing their mind, day, week, year, life. And I'm okay with this. I was talking to my friend recently, and he was complaining about all the work he has to do this week. I listened, offered some serious advice, some SpongeBob references, and then threw in some positive attitude attempts towards the end. I enjoy being this ear for people because it allows me to gain a better appreciation for my own life, my own "struggles." It allows me to spread the positivity that I hope to effortlessly maintain in my own life. But shit happens, as the saying goes. Homework piles. Senior project looms. Articles have due dates. Then tack on your alarm not going off at the proper time or whatever else happens that causes stress. It's in these moments when happiness feels impossible and life is certainly never going to get better. But, it does. Apparently, the AC going off does not mean the end of the world. Who knew? There's a difference between fleeting happiness and permanent happiness that is important to understand. Fleeting happiness is conditional – it may be because you're wearing your favorite outfit, you finally got your paycheck, or you did something enjoyable that day. But the problem with relying upon this happiness is that it's fleeting. It's conditional. It's bound to fade. Permanent happiness is permanent. (You're welcome for this insight.) This happiness is contingent upon having a positive demeanor and outlook on life. The first steps to gaining this mindset are practicing self-love and gratitude. By taking the time to truly appreciate every moment and experience, the universe rewards you with more to be grateful for. What goes around comes back around. In an average day, we will experience more than 50,000 thoughts, and it seems that the majority of these will be negative. Just as it's important to be happy, it's crucial to understand that it's okay to be sad, depressed, mad – but not permanently. Permanently happy people recognize their emotions, experience them, and then move on. Don't let the AC shutting off ruin your whole day. How wonderful would it be to begin and end each day being the absolute happiest you could possibly be? It's possible. Let's start now. For more reading about happiness, check out these articles by mindbodygreen: Comments are closed.


text:
(Scroll down for the ZOA Action Alert)
March 29, 2022
President Heidi MacPherson
SUNY Brockport
350 New Campus Drive
Brockport, NY 14420
Dear President MacPherson:
We were horrified to learn that despite huge and justified public outcry, SUNY Brockport is nevertheless going to feature Jalil Muntaqim (formerly known as Anthony Bottom) as the speaker at a virtual event on April 6, 2022, about the "history of Black resistance, U.S. political prisoners, and genocide." The event's announcement includes a detailed description of Muntaqim's background, but omits the essential fact that he spent over 40 years in prison for murdering two police officers in cold blood in 1971. The description of Muntaqim notes that he co-founded an organization called the Jericho Movement, but it omits the crucial fact that this organization is antisemitic, promoting inflammatory lies about Jews and Israel and calling for Israel's destruction.
A convicted cop-killer and an inciter of antisemitism does not deserve a speaking platform anywhere, but especially at a taxpayer-funded university that describes itself as "an inclusive learning community that inspires excellence." We urge you to reconsider the decision to host Muntaqim and cancel the event right away. At a minimum, we urge you to issue a strong public condemnation of the event and explain why SUNY Brockport opposes giving Muntaqim a podium.
Muntaqim's murder of two police officers should surely be enough reason to cancel his upcoming speaking engagement. The ruthlessness of his crimes is sickening. After Muntaqim and his accomplices lured the police officers to a Harlem housing project, one officer was shot in the head. The other was shot 22 times while begging for his life.
Muntaqim's anti-Israel and antisemitic Jericho Movement is even more reason to deny him a speaking platform at SUNY Brockport. The Jericho Movement promotes the lie that Zionism – the expression of the Jewish people's right to self-determination and statehood in their religious and ancestral homeland – is "a form of white supremacy and European colonialism." The Jericho Movement also promotes the lie that the Jewish people are interlopers and land-stealers, when in fact they are indigenous to the Land of Israel, with ties to their religious and ancestral homeland that go back thousands of years. The organization denies Israel's right to exist and calls for its destruction – and justifies violence and terrorism to accomplish that goal, by promoting a Palestinian Arab "right to resist" and "right to liberate [the Land of Israel] by any means necessary." On its website, the Jericho Movement devotes paragraph after paragraph to answering the question, "How do Zionists disrupt our work and how can we stop them?"
SUNY Brockport has been justifying its failure to cancel the Muntaqim event based on the academic freedom of the faculty member who invited him to speak. But academic freedom is not without its limits. For example, teaching inflammatory, racist lies should not be covered by academic freedom, especially when the consequences could be serious and even dangerous, as they are here. SUNY Brockport acknowledges that the Muntaqim event has already elicited strong and even traumatic reactions and will continue to do so, to the point that the university has advised those negatively affected individuals to seek out counseling and other supportive services. It is hard to justify proceeding with this event – when the ramifications for students and others are so harrowing – and the speaker's background and credentials have been so grossly misrepresented. Muntaqim is no "political prisoner," as SUNY Brockport's website describes him. He is a cop-killer and an instigator of Jew- and Israel-hatred.
We urge you to reconsider hosting Muntaqim and notify the campus community that the invitation to him has been rescinded. At a minimum, we urge you to exercise your own free speech rights and issue a strong statement of condemnation to the campus community. Let the community know that SUNY Brockport (1) opposes giving Muntaqim a speaking platform; (2) opposes the faculty member's irresponsible decision to invite the speaker, distort his record and falsely characterize him as a "political prisoner"; and (3) rejects and condemns Muntaqim's false and abhorrent antisemitic views.
Thank you for considering our concerns. We look forward to your response.
Very truly yours,
Morton A. Klein National President |
Jonathan Ginsburg |
Susan B. Tuchman, Esq. Dir., Center for Law & Justice |


text:
It appears that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is to install a British missile system, the MBDA-built ASRAAM, on its HAL-built Su-30 MKI (Russian origin jets, built in India). IAF intends to replace the Russian Vympel R-73 with the ASRAAM, and hopes to be able to standardise this weapon system across all its fleet.
Su-30 MKI fighter jet and the MBDA ASRAAM missile (Picture source : livefistdefence)
Replacing the Russian-built Vympel R-73, the missile originally mounted on the Su-30 MKI, by the MBDA ASRAAM would be a premiere. Though, it seems that the IAF has already undergone requisite software modifications to deploy the ASRAAM on its homegrown Su-30.
Moreover is the IAF, through this modification, eyeing to standardise this weapon system among all its fleet. This standardising would signify various savings for the IAF. MBDA is also supporting the idea of an ASRAAM standardising by proposing the IAF to shift final assembly of the weapon system from Bolton (UK) to the India's state-owned missile house Bharat Dynamics Ltd in Hyderabad (India).
The IAF has confirmed that the Su-30 MKI was a priority in the ASRAAM integration program. And after the Su-30 MKI modification, the IAF would like to arm its LCA Tejas, its upgraded MiG-29 and even its Hawk trainers with the ASRAAM. Yet, India may be restrained by its Russian ally on this purchase. But as India often buys Russian weapons and vehicles, Russia may turn a blind eye on this acquisition, trying to maintain good ralations with one of its biggest purchasing countries regarding armament.