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In Kate Vitasek's book Vested Outsourcing (Vitasek, 2010) she states: " No other question encapsulates the drive for continuous improvement permeating today's business environment. It is what drives people like Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison to challenge the status quo to create not just better products but also better solutions. It is what drives businesspeople to solve complex problems to meet customer needs."
"To be successful, companies have to change the lens through which they look at problems." We often hear the terms "Lean" and "Six Sigma" used. Lean is a process improvement method that stresses eliminating all activities that do not add value to a process. According to Vitasek, "Unfortunately, most organizations have applied this thinking rather narrowly, such as a manufacturing plant or warehouse. My plan was to convey Lean concepts across the entire supply chain and to make improvements in the end-to-end solution regardless of who was performing the activity. In short, my plan would pay the outsource provider to meet service levels while making the overall operations of what is being outsourced as efficient as possible."
Henry Ford once observed, "Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." Vitasek's golden rule is: "A company outsourcing should not win at the expense of its service provider and vice versa. The economics of the collaborative business model should be so powerful that it drives efforts to solve for an optimized, complete solution. This combines four influential business concepts of the twenty-first century: outsourcing, collaboration, innovation and measurement."
The capitalist and economist Adam Smith wrote in the Wealth of Nations in 1776 that "the greatest improvement in the productive powers of labor, and the greater part of skill, dexterity, and judgment with which it is anywhere directed, or applied, seem to have been the effects of the division of labor." (Smith, 1776). Vitasek comments: "The division of labor is the foundation of Smith's theories of growth and prosperity. The general concept that Smith advanced was that when workers focused on a limited number of tasks or processes, they improved their skill and production. When skilled workers divided the task of production, output was far greater than when one individual tried to perform all tasks." This observation is just as true today on the factory floor or in the laboratory.
"At its core, outsourcing can be viewed as a form of this division of labor. When tasks are given to companies that have the best skills to perform them, productivity is higher and economic resources are better utilized. The decision to outsource is fundamentally one of company structure or the setting of boundaries of what production or services the company will produce and make available to its customers." As Tom Peters says, "Do what you do best and outsource the rest." (Corbett, 2004.)
As the scope of activities has expanded – especially to include offshore labor – many have come to identify outsourcing with jobs shipped overseas and rising unemployment. Even though the terms outsourcing and offshoring are at times used interchangeably, there are very important and real differences. Outsourcing involves contracting with an outside supplier, which may or may not involve moving the work offshore.
Just how popular is outsourcing? One estimate by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) says the global outsourcing industry is huge, an estimated $6 trillion, based on input from its membership with more than 150,000 professionals working to manage and support outsource contracts. (Professionals, 2009)
(Excerpts from the publication "Strategic Procurement" by Tom Russell, Lab Manager Magazine, May 2009.)
In research, the need for specific supplies often becomes apparent only as experiments evolve. Researchers and their assistants search paper catalogs and web sites, fill out purchase orders, acquire signatures for approval and wait. For the researcher who makes ad hoc purchases on urgently needed reagents, supplies and assays, the only choice often is to complete paperwork, pay extra for rush shipment and hope for on-time delivery.
For most lab managers and research procurement staff, the process rarely ends there. There are phone calls made and e-mails sent to the procurement department and suppliers to confirm contract pricing and determine when orders will arrive and if they will be on time, and calls back to researchers to confirm possible substitutions. On receipt of product, additional backtracking may be needed to determine why the wrong supply was received, followed by more research to determine if another lab has the needed supply— such as an important compound or reagent—in stock. Waste is rampant.
Enabling technologies alone have not provided the complete answer. Some labs have equipped researchers with internal purchasing tools that are supported by structure-based electronic catalogs and/or p-card purchasing capabilities, only to find that efficiencies gained in one area create increased costs and process delays in another.
Not surprisingly, most lab managers find it difficult to manage their labs' manual systems, which can be cumbersome and don't address the fast paced nature of the lab environment. Perhaps most important, these manual systems do not provide for real-time monitoring of where money is being spent and even what is being purchased.
"Considering the broad accessibility of e-procurement systems and the very strong advancements in functionality made over the past five or six years, I continue to be surprised by the percentage of enterprises that utilize a fully or partially manual requisition-to-order process," says Andrew Bartolini, vice president of Global Supply Management Research at Aberdeen Group. "These enterprises are leaving money on the table by continuing their off-line strategies."
Today's strategic e-procurement technologies address the realities of lab work and fundamentally redefine how laboratories obtain the goods and services they need.
A strategic approach to research procurement—one that returns hard cost savings on investment as well as empowers and assists researchers—rests on two primary tenets: leveraging the value of supplier relationships and empowering researchers to make the best possible sourcing decisions.
Leveraging strategic supplier relationships for sourcing requires aggregation of buying power—suppliers offer more favorable pricing, terms and conditions in exchange for greater market share. With researchers selecting goods and services from a variety of different suppliers, catalogs, etc., even the purchase of identical items is rarely done as a collaborative effort.
Without the data needed to keep volume discounts top of mind or the ability to aggregate spending across the lab, the opportunity to leverage the lab's buying power is lost.
With strategic procurement, labs can direct their spend to key suppliers and, at the same time, gain real-time insight into spend data. Spend is categorized consistently across purchases and supported by powerful analytical reporting to enable clear, fact-based identification of opportunities to put more attractive contracts or agreements in place. This real-time visibility into enterprise-wide spending enables professional buyers to negotiate better terms and conditions with suppliers, based not on the purchasing power of a single lab, but of the entire organization.
The contracts that result often result in savings of up to 20 percent on items that are commonly purchased; for example, by directing purchases of solvents toward a preferred supplier in exchange for preferential pricing, invoicing and delivery terms.
Gregg Brandyberry, vice president of procurement for GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) Global Systems and Operations, is widely known in the procurement profession as a pioneer and influential advocate for strategic procurement. Under Brandyberry's leadership, GSK won an ROI Baseline Award in 2005 from Baseline magazine for achieving the highest ROI ever verified in the competition—a 100 percent return every four business days.
Leveraging supplier relationships and achieving the associated benefits requires disciplined day-to-day compliance with strategic sourcing agreements. Some organizations have attempted to achieve compliance by placing lab management and procurement staff in rigid, bureaucratic roles, as overseers to catch and correct noncompliant behavior. Those efforts have generally achieved limited success, often with a severe impact on speed. In contrast, when procurement is seen as strategic rather than merely tactical, researchers are empowered to make the best possible sourcing decisions, coupling complete and accurate information with their knowledge of scientific requirements.
In particular, the best strategic sourcing decision may be to not make a purchase at all. Researchers with an urgent need for a particular material often purchase it without knowing that it is already in stock on-site. In most research labs, at least two-thirds of all on-hand chemical reagent inventory is distributed across several labs, with little or no visibility for researchers looking for chemicals. Because the fastest sourcing alternative is generally the container already on hand, and because each chemical container potentially carries handling and disposal costs that exceed its purchase price, this lack of visibility represents a major lost opportunity for cost and time savings.
A strategic, empowering procurement approach instead gives researchers a complete view of available in-house inventories and purchase options—including electronic alerts that notify researchers when an item they want to purchase is already available in-house. Inventory information is accurate and reliable. Purchase options are presented with rich, descriptive information, accurate contract pricing, and clear identification and promotion of preferred suppliers. Information is standardized for streamlined flow through purchasing systems. Applicable health and safety risks are clearly identified prior to purchase confirmation and automatically trigger required approvals in the e-procurement workflow.
Achieving the promised benefits from e-procurement processes and technologies requires pervasive end-user adoption. Effective organizations achieve high adoption rates by focusing on the researcher's experience.
Where traditional procurement processes hindered researchers and lab managers with time-consuming paperwork, strategic e-procurement solutions present the same online shopping experience consumers have come to expect on popular e-commerce sites. Utilizing an online shopping platform that enables researchers to quickly find the items they need in hosted electronic catalogs or "punch out" to suppliers' web sites, these solutions automate the entire procurement process.
Researchers log in, browse for needed items, add them to a virtual shopping cart and click "send." A purchase order is created, automatically routed electronically for the proper approvals, and delivered to the supplier, at which point invoicing and payment are likewise handled electronically.
While Brandyberry was quick to prove e-procurement's value and impact on the bottom line, he is equally proud of how procurement reform is modernizing the research function.
Given the advancements and innovations now shaping how pharmaceutical labs purchase the materials they need, one would think that procurement reform would be a top-of-mind issue in the research community, but Brandyberry cautions that procurement, when done right, is simply accepted as a matter of course.
"For years, labs have operated with little thought given to how they procure crucial materials. It's only when researchers have the opportunity to utilize new technologies for themselves that the laborious nature of existing systems becomes so evident. Technology is like that. We thought fax machines were highly efficient until the Internet came along. E-procurement is no different."
For a no charge consultation, contact Lab Procurement Services, LLC. LPS is a Knoxville, TN based company specializing in Laboratory Procurement outsourcing and consulting.


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SFC5500 mass flow controller series represent the culmination of Sensirion's excellent 20-year track record in precision control of gas flow. The sensor is based on the microthermal measurement principle and makes use of Sensirion's proven CMOSens® MEMS Technology. This allowed us to build a radical mass flow controller with best-in-class performance and excellent reliability, which unlike most other devices on the market, does not drift and does not require in-service re-calibration.
Thanks to the exceptionally high control range enabled by the CMOSens® MEMS flow sensor, SFC5500 series can cover multiple flow ranges of a traditional mass flow controller in a single device. Coupled with multi-gas calibration and exchangeable fittings, SFC5500 series are the first mass flow controllers on the market available as standard off-the-shelf products suitable for applications in medical, analytical and industrial sectors. Thanks to this versatility, SFC5500 series are also the first mass flow controllers available via catalogue distribution.
SFC5500 series complements the SFC5xxx family of Sensirion's best-in-class mass flow Controllers, offering the same top performance as SFC5400 and is thus suited for a broad range of applications where best accuracy, highest speed and widest dynamic range are needed. However, unlike the highly configurable SFC5400 series, SFC5500 series mass flow controllers are available in several standard pre-configured variants. For other gasses, flow ranges, fittings and interfaces please check SFC5400, or Sensirion's most cost-efficient solution for large OEM projects – SFC5300.
- Excellent accuracy and repeatability (0.8% / 0.1% of setpoint respectively)
- Very wide control range (better than 1000:1)
- Ultra-fast settling time (<100 ms)
- G ¼″ flange compatible with a broad range of connectors: e.g. Swagelok, Legris, Festo
- Calibrated for multiple gases (Air, N2, O2, H2, He, CH4, N2O, Ar, CO2)
- Digital interface with temperature-compensated output
- EK-F5x evaluation kit for quick and easy testing
- NIST traceable calibration
- Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) 169 years
- No drift and no re-calibration required in the field
- Analytical instruments (e.g. gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis)
- Bioreactors
- Medical equipment (e.g. ventilation, anesthesia)
- Process control and industrial automation (e.g. coating, thermal processing)
- Chemical, plastics and glass Industry
- Semiconductor industry (e.g. plasma etching processes, thin film deposition)
- Gas mixing
Interested? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Information extracted from sensirion (link)
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Gartner Names 4 'Cool' Vendors In Mobile And Wireless Analytics
Gartner creates various resources throughout the year, including the Magic Quadrant and Critical Capabilities reports, which are constantly growing in popularity. The tech giant also produces a Cool Vendor report, which highlights four innovative providers in a certain category.
According to Gartner, "Mobile device usage has become 'business as usual' in most organizations. Infrastructure and operations leaders responsible for mobile and endpoint strategies should review these four innovative companies for opportunities to ideate new services, improve productivity and optimize cost."
In its most recent Cool Vendors in Mobile and Wireless Analytics, the four vendors included in the report were Anagog, B2M Solutions, Nyansa, and Saaswedo. Let's take a closer look at these providers and what they offer.
Anagog calls themselves the "Mobility status company." The vendor developed the patented smartphone's sensor-based mobility status technology.
According to the company's website, "We turn real-life movements into real world contextual actions. Anagog captures, analyzes and understands the real-time mobility status of smartphone users making it easy to identify consumer behavior and competitive trends."
Gartner reported that the proliferation of sensors in mobile devices "provides new opportunities to derive value through analytics of both the physical and digital worlds in greater fidelity and higher granularity," which points to why Anagog was included in this report.
B2M Solutions
B2M Solutions offers mobile device analytics tools that aim to provide actionable insights. They are a privately held company based in Abingdon, UK, with marketing and sales operations in the states. Founded in 2002, the vendor offers software that delivers insights and analytics for enterprises.
The company's mobile enterprise management platform "goes beyond traditional mobile device management to help companies proactively monitor, analyze and act on information about their business-critical mobile devices," according to a release.
This vendor offers analytics on data gathered from mobile devices, which "can provide great insights about root causes of problems, and can help to operate them more efficiently and save money," according to Gartner's report.
Nyansa offers an enterprise network analytics service and was named in this report given that "its product can determine application adoption trends, traffic usage, and individual and systemic client root cause incident identification in a corporate network."
Nyansa's Voyance network analytics service analyzes more than a million wired and wireless customers per day and has processed more than 194 petabytes of data, according to a recent release.
"When looking at the historic trends, organizations can get insight into the overall quality of experience by user, site or location. Nyansa measures and analyzes application use and health of SaaS, custom, video and unified communications (UC) applications on a per-user basis," the report stated.
Saaswedo is an international Telecom Expense Management (TEM) software company providing innovative SaaS-based solutions, according to a release. The vendor was named in the report for their Datalert tool.
The solution lets mobile users and their employers know, in real time, how much employee mobile data is being used. Plus, it reduces the risk of unexpected and costly overages, according to the company.
Saaswedo has been serving clients for about 15 years and their products have been implemented in more than 200 countries.


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It might seem an odd and even inappropriate time to convene a round table of Turkish journalists and experts in the media to discuss what role the media should adopt in conflict resolution. Yet, as a part of the larger conversation supporting inclusive dialogue at a challenging time in Turkey, which the Democratic Progress Institute (DPI) is conducting with people from a variety of areas, this conversation actually could not be timelier.
In a hotel conference room in central Oslo, journalists who had covered or been involved in conflict resolution from Colombia and Norway addressed a dozen or so journalists and media experts from Turkey. The Turkish contingent came from a variety of papers - right, left, central, national or papers with a more communal or local readership. Everyone was there for one purpose. To learn how responsible journalists can play a constructive role in conflict resolution.
That is, all differences were set aside. Of course, there were sardonic or bitter comments thrown out about the state of journalism in Turkey. This was only to be expected. When a country is going through challenging times, there will be those who are negatively affected. This is a sad truth, but one that is also apparent in many Western countries today, countries who are also facing their own challenging times.
But this is not an article that justifies or criticizes the situation many journalists find themselves in Turkey today. Both the positive and negative sides of the situation have been discussed in many different English-language publications. Justifications and the accusations have also been discussed. There is no need to repeat them here.
No. Today the focus is the future, a future where hope will start to blossom and grow, and a future where once again Turkey can make great and rapid progress on the road of democracy and human rights. There has been a delay in this journey. Obstacles have appeared in the road and diversions have been taken. Yet, with the conviction that these are merely diversions and that there will be a real possibility to return to the path of greater democracy and freedom, the conversation on the role of the media in conflict resolution was emboldening and enlightening.
The conversation started with an introduction by Kerim Yıldız, the chief executive officer of the DPI. One sentence Mr. Yıldız uttered was particularly striking: "Turkey does not need to start the resolution process from scratch."
No, the resolution process had been started but had to be abandoned for a number of reasons. Then other events, including a failed coup attempt, took place. The resolution process may seem in the distant past, but in reality it was less than three years ago that it all started to fall apart.
The opinion of some journalists at the round table was that from June 25, 2018, that there could be a renewed but cautious will to restart the resolution process. After this date, the new presidential system will be in place, and things may start to progress on a more even keel than before. If this is the case, then there really seems no reason to prevent talks about starting up the resolution process.
Journalists who attended to the meeting held in Oslo by the Democratic Progress Institute pose for the cameras at the end of the meeting.
There is another matter which also gives hope for more positive progress in the future. Recent actions taken by the Turkish military against the PKK and their affiliates have a close correlation with events in Colombia leading up to the peace talks. The Colombian government was able to finally convince the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) to talk about peace only because the state had military weakened its opponent.
John Jairo Ocampo, former press secretary for the Colombian Government, addressed the group about the peace process in Colombia. As a witness and participant in the peace talks, he was able to provide interesting insights into the process.
During the conflict in Colombia newspapers were often directly targeted. In the middle of the last century, the newspaper El Espectador, established in 1887, was attacked and forced to close down. At the end of the century, the FARC, other paramilitaries and the drug cartels started a new kind of warfare. Journalists and political candidates were now being kidnapped or murdered by car bombs.
The Colombian government constantly fought back against FARC's violence and the drug cartels. In 1993, Pablo Escobar was killed. This was the beginning of the end of the conflict. Talks began but were called off when the FARC hijacked a plane and kidnapped a senator in 2002. But a beginning had been made. Ten years later, official talks with the FARC and other groups began, and finally a resolution was achieved four years later.
What brought the FARC to the table? How were they convinced that they should transform their weapons into plowshares? The answer is stated above and is very simple.
Their military capacity had been severely weakened. The Colombian government had infiltrated the FARC. One of their leaders, Victor Julio Suarez (Mono Jojoy), commander of the eastern bloc of the FARC suffered from diabetes. He had serious problems with his feet due to his diabetes. He was given a special pair of orthopedic boots. What Suarez did not know was that a special chip had been planted in the boots. This chip helped the government track Suarez down. In 2010, Suarez died in an air raid. By weakening the FARC and taking out some of the leaders, the Colombian government opened the way for peace talks. The FARC realized that there were few options left and that peace talks would not only allow them to put down their weapons and remain alive, but would also let them have a say in what would happen in Colombia's future.
The stipulation was that if the guerrillas and paramilitary soldiers relinquished their weapons and told the truth about what they had done, they could avoid prison time. They would be punished, but the punishment would consist of community service, working in agriculture, clearing mines, etc.
However, all this is not to say that peace in Colombia has been guaranteed. Many of the paramilitaries have gone into drug trafficking to make money. Many drug cartels are still active. Just last month, another paramilitary group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), was called back to the table to renew talks.
The journalist who spoke to the group about the Northern Ireland peace process, Owen Bowcott, provided a different aspect of how journalism should operate during peace processes. Even though Ocampo had commented that for newspapers it is easier to promote conflict than peace, as conflict sells more papers, Bowcott focused on the journalist's role in revealing the reality on the ground to the reading public. A journalist should try to bring out the real reasons for conflict, and if the government, operating as the police or military, oversteps the bounds of morality, it is the journalist's duty to reveal this. And when the other sides - call them rebels, terrorists or what you will - overstep the bounds, it once again falls to the journalist to reveal this. The journalist's role is to report the facts. In peace talks, the journalist must listen to what the people - not the leaders - really want. It is their duty to bring this to the attention of the people, and as a result, to the attention of the leaders.
None of this means that the processes in Colombia or Northern Ireland are mirrors of the situation in Turkey. Every conflict is different. What players demand or need is different and the history, impetus and driving forces are different.
But what did become clear is that politicians, journalists and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) can learn from the peace processes in other countries. They can learn from the mistakes, and adopt the best practices where appropriate. The advantage of learning from other countries that have gone through similar processes is clear. When the Northern Irish or Colombian processes are examined, it is clear that they took years and encountered numerous setbacks. Talks were often completely cancelled only to be restarted a number of years later. After all, this is a process, not an event. A process implies developments, setbacks and advances. Turkey has the advantage that perhaps it is in the middle of its own peace process. Although the earlier resolution process was short lived, it was there and it is possible to learn a great deal from it and to build on it.
The most important lesson for any future peace talks in Turkey is that neither the Colombian nor the Northern Irish peace talks have been completed. In neither country is it possible to say that everyone has left their grievances behind and are now focusing on the future. In Colombia, the ELN is still involved in peace talks, and there are other paramilitary forces that still have not come to the table, not to mention the drug cartels. In Ireland, Brexit is threatening to open up new, barely healed wounds. If a hard border, even if it is one manned with only cameras, is erected in Armagh, this will act as a red flag to the populace. It is more than likely that anything erected will be destroyed. This could be the first step down a slippery slope. The wounds are too fresh. It is highly possible for things to slide back to how they were. Add to this the fact that the two opposing leaders, Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley, two men who made peace possible, are no longer with us. Without these two determined leaders, it might be harder to continue what is actually a not so easy peace.
Journalists do have an important role to play. They should report the reality of the situation on the ground. They should report what both sides want, that is, not just the government, but also those who are fighting the government. If reporters behave responsibly and with an eye to a peaceful future, they can be fundamental to the process.
Colombia, with only two private channels and five national newspapers, did not have a great challenge in getting reporters to play positive roles. Reporters basically followed the government line, while most television channels preferred to broadcast telenovela or game shows.
And not every British newspaper reported events with an eye to a peaceful future. One needs only examine how the Sun and Daily Mail reported McGuinness' death in March of this year. Daily Mail merely printed two photos of the aftermath of Irish Republican Army's (IRA) bombs, one in Guildford and one in Enniskillen. The message was clear. The Sun took a less subtle approach. The headline under the photo of McGuinness read "UNFORGIVEN." Under the bold letter title, the article started "IRA killer can go to hell ... ."
After June 24, the political situation in Turkey may change. This will perhaps be the best time to pick up the resolution process and bring relief to parts of the country that suffer due to the activities of the PKK and its associates. It can only be hoped that journalists in Turkey will step up to the challenge rather than trying to sell newspapers with sensationalist headlines and that they report the situation to help the people understand what is at stake. The polarization in Turkey is to a large extent fanned and fed by the media. An opportunity for the media to reverse this process and play a healing and unifying role may soon appear. It will be an interesting time to be a journalist in Turkey and to watch how things unfold.


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Limited edition tableware
The Raspberries and Pumpkins Limited Editions are inspired by natural patterns. They were developed through experimental model making technique - using negative spaces in handmade nets. These collections' designs of slip-cast porcelain vessels and tableware will fit well in modern and minimal interiors.
How it is made:The production process can take from a few days up to few weeks.
Each piece is crafted from handmade models and moulds. Cast from home mixed slip and finished with a glossy glaze, available in white and black. Other colours can be made to order and one of a kind hand painted pieces are here.
Sorry, there are no products in this collection


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Brain tumors
Whether you're looking for a second opinion or want to learn more about treatment options for brain tumors, we're here for you every step of the way. Our caring team of neurologists, neurosurgeons and oncologists use the latest technology and therapies, so you get excellent care, right where you live.
What is a brain tumor?
Primary brain tumors develop when the normal, healthy cells inside the brain begin to grow and function differently. These cancerous cells build up, forming a mass called a tumor, and can vary in degrees of aggressiveness (called grades).
Grades I and II are considered lower-grade (less aggressive) tumors. These types of tumors tend to grow more slowly and are less likely to affect nearby tissues. Grades III and IV are higher-grade (more aggressive) tumors that tend to grow more quickly. These types may leave the brain and travel into nearby tissues, often requiring a higher level of care and treatment.
Secondary brain tumors, also known as metastasis brain tumors, are tumors that grow within the brain after spreading from another area of the body, such as the lung, bowel, kidney, breast or prostate.
Common types of primary brain tumors include:
- Gliomas – These tumors occur in the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumor and their severity varies depending on their location and rate of growth.
- Astrocytoma tumors – These tumors can form on the brain or spinal cord. While they are cancerous, they can either grow very slowly or aggressively. Treatment for astrocytoma tumors depends on their aggressiveness.
- Ependymoma tumors – These tumors can form on either the brain or the spinal cord, but they're more common in the spine for adults. They form in the ependymal cells that make cerebrospinal fluid — a fluid that supports your brain. These tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
- Oligodendroglioma tumors – Originating in the brain, these tumors are a rare type of glioma that usually form in the front part of the brain. While it's extremely rare, they can also form on the spine.
- Medulloblastoma – This is the most common type of malignant brain tumor and sometimes spreads to other parts of the brain and spinal cord. These tumors typically grow from the cerebellum (small brain), which can cause a buildup of fluid, putting pressure on the brain (hydrocephalus).
- Central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma – CNS tumors are rare, malignant tumors that form from lymph tissues in the brain or spinal cord. Sometimes, these occur when lymph tissue spreads to the brain or spine from other parts of the body.
- Meningioma tumors – These tumors grow in the meninges (membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) and can compress nerves and vessels. They are the most common type of tumor to develop in the head.
- Pituitary tumors – Tumors can form on your pituitary gland, which produces hormones that affect growth and the function of glands throughout the body. When a pituitary tumor forms, it can either cause the production of too many hormones or block hormone production.
- Schwannoma – A schwannoma occurs when a tumor forms on the tissue surrounding the nerves. Often, this type of tumor is not cancerous.
Meet our team of brain tumor neurosurgeons.
Symptoms of brain tumors
The symptoms of a brain tumor can be similar to many other conditions and include:
- Balance issues
- Increased head pressure
- Hearing problems
- Loss of appetite or difficulty eating
- Memory problems
- Nausea or vomiting
- Numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
- Personality changes
- Changes in hearing
- Seizures
- Severe or frequent headaches
- Slurred speech
- Sudden vision problems
- Trouble swallowing
Having any of these symptoms doesn't mean you have a brain tumor. However, it's important to make an appointment with your doctor to rule out any health issues.
Brain tumor risk factors
Often, a brain tumor's cause is unknown. However, certain risk factors can increase your risk of developing a brain tumor. These include:
- Age: While brain tumors can develop at any age, the risk is higher for adults 65 and older and children.
- Gender: Men are more likely to develop a brain tumor than women.
- Family history: If you have a family member who's been diagnosed with a brain tumor, you're at a higher risk. About 5% of brain tumors may be linked to genetics.
- Health history: Certain aspects of your health history, including seizures and head injuries, can increase your chance of developing a brain tumor.
- Other risk factors: Other factors that can raise the risk of developing a brain tumor include:
- Previous radiation exposure
- Certain infections, viruses and allergens
Diagnosing brain tumors
Detecting a brain tumor is the first step in treating it — so you can get back to living the life you love.
Some of the diagnostic tests your doctor may perform to test for a brain tumor include:
- Magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) – MRIs use powerful radio waves and magnets to create detailed, 3D images of the brain.
Most MRIs operate at a strength of 1.5 Tesla (a unit that measures the strength of a magnetic field). Our team uses 3 Tesla MRI technology, which operates at twice the strength of traditional MRI scanners.
This technology provides highly detailed images of the brain, which allows us to treat tumors more accurately and better than ever.
- Computerized tomography (CT or CAT) scans – CT and CAT scans use X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of the brain.
- Spinal tap – If you have this procedure, your doctor will remove fluid from your spine to help make a diagnosis.
- Bone scans – Bone scans are nuclear imaging tests that help your doctor make a diagnosis.
- Biopsies – During a biopsy, your doctor removes a small sample of tissue with a thin needle or during a surgical procedure. Then they examine the tissue under a microscope to determine if it contains cancerous cells (also called malignant cells).
Brain tumor care at Geisinger
While our specialists are experienced in treating even the most complex brain tumors, our entire team works together to help you fight your cancer — every step of the way.
Our brain tumor specialists are dedicated to providing innovative treatments and personalized care. We offer:
When surgery is performed, our team uses minimally invasive techniques whenever possible alongside live imaging and neurological monitoring. Our surgeons are also trained in minimally invasive laser ablation surgery, using a laser probe during brain tumor surgery to burn rather than remove a tumor. Minimally invasive and laser ablation procedures often have a faster recovery time compared with traditional surgery.
Our surgery team works hard to plan as much as possible before surgery in order to provide you with a safe experience, faster recovery and a prompt return home.
Radiation oncology uses radiation to control or destroy harmful cancer cells.
Our board-certified cancer doctors and highly skilled clinical team deliver conventional radiotherapy treatments that include:
- External beam radiation, which uses special technology to send radiation to the tumor from outside the body.
- Internal radiation, which targets the tumor using safe levels of radiation.
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which uses a 3D image of the tumor to deliver high-precision radiotherapy that fits the tumor's exact outline.
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which is used to treat cancers in areas of the body that move during and between treatments. This includes cone beam CT scans to accurately view the tumor and target it during treatment.
- Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which uses precise beams of radiation to focus high doses of radiation shaped just around the tumor, with very little damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
CyberKnife® robotic radiosurgery is a non-invasive treatment for tumors that are hard to reach or inoperable. This robotic therapy targets complex tumors — including cancerous and non-cancerous tumors — by delivering high doses of targeted radiation safely, anywhere in the body. And it's offered at the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre.
No incisions involved. So you have quicker treatments, less pain and faster recovery. Learn more about CyberKnife.
Chemotherapy is a drug-based treatment designed to slow the growth of or shrink tumors and can be given through an IV or taken in pill form.
Your chemotherapy may be given:
- Before your surgery, to attempt to reduce the size of the tumor
- After your surgery, to destroy any cancer that still remains in the area and reduce the chances of the cancer coming back
- Along with radiation therapy, which is called chemoradiation or chemoradiotherapy
Because of the blood-brain barrier (the brain's extra layer of protection that fights infection), traditional chemotherapy is not used to treat brain cancer. Our specialists use the latest laser therapy techniques to deliver targeted chemotherapy to better treat brain tumors. This includes intrathecal chemotherapy, which delivers chemotherapy through cerebrospinal fluid instead of through your bloodstream.
Brain tumor care at Geisinger
While our specialists are experienced in treating even the most complex brain tumors, our entire team works together to help you fight your cancer — every step of the way.
Our brain tumor specialists are dedicated to providing innovative treatments and personalized care. We offer:
- The knowledge you need – Your team is powered by surgeons, doctors and specialists with years of training and experience. Their expertise has been honed by treating many people with brain tumors. And their focus is on delivering the care best suited to your needs.
- Care from all sides – Brain tumors aren't simple, so we put all our best minds to work with you throughout your treatment. Your care team is multidisciplinary, which means it has many physicians from different specialties who come together to create a personalized treatment plan for you. That means you can see your care team in one location, all during the same visit.
- Care designed for you, where you live – With locations throughout northeast, central and south-central Pennsylvania, our experienced team provides consultations and comprehensive care. We offer leading-edge treatment options and tailored-to-you care backed by the expertise and innovation of a nationally recognized health system.
- Comprehensive specialty care – From chemotherapy, radiation and minimally invasive surgery options to national clinical trials and genetic testing, our brain tumor specialists are dedicated to offering innovative treatment options and personalized care in convenient locations, so you don't have to travel far. We'll work with you to develop a personalized brain tumor care plan based on your individual needs.
- Genetic testing and counseling programs – Special research programs such as MyCode® are only available at Geisinger. Participating in MyCode allows you to contribute to genetic research. By participating, you may also receive information about your own genetic risks. Learn about MyCode.
- Cancer survivorship program – Just because your treatment is complete doesn't mean your journey has ended. We offer a variety of support resources focused on helping you live your healthiest life. Learn about patient resources.


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Hu® Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean Organic Stone-Ground Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar
Product Details
- 70% dark chocolate
- Organic house-ground cacao
- Paleo
- Vegan
- Dairy & Gluten Free
- No Refined Sugar, Cane Sugar, Sugar Alcohols, Soy Lecithin, or Emulsifiers
Nutritional Information
Organic Cacao (Certified Fairtrade Ingredients), Organic Unrefined Coconut Sugar, Organic Cashews (Certified Fairtrade Ingredients), Organic Cocoa Butter (Certified Fairtrade Ingredients), Organic Vanilla Bean, Sea Salt.
Allergen Info
Contains Tree Nuts and Their Derivatives. May contain Wheat and Their Derivatives,Soybean and its Derivatives,Milk and its derivates,Tree Nuts and Their Derivatives,Peanuts and their derivates. Free from Cereals and Their Derivatives,Soybean and its Derivatives,Milk and its derivates.
Actual product packaging and materials may contain additional and/or different ingredient,
nutritional, or proper usage information than the information displayed on our website. ...
Ratings and Reviews
Gerbes Super Markets is not responsible for the content provided in customer ratings and reviews. For more information, visit our Terms and Conditions.
Average Customer Rating4.88(50)5(44)4(6)3(0)2(0)1(0)


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My institution is looking for a new President.
I would like to invite readers of No Left Turns to share their views regarding what we--both on and off campus--should expect from a president. And by "we," I dont just mean we here on Atlantas north side.
And, oh yes, if anyone either wishes to apply for the position or to nominate someone else, you can find the necesaary email addresses by clicking on the link above.
This may seem trivial, but my experience has found that one of the most important talents a college president must have, is the ability to type.
In the past this skill wasnt needed as the "help" could turn the communications into print. In this day and age though, there is an incredible amount of communication that is done by email. If the leader cant type (which is not unusual in males of a certain age) then they can be left out of the loop. Frequently people who cant type are afraid of computers, and if they arent cozy with computers, they tend to leave them turned off.
I know of one case where a college president had his personal assistant screen his emails (he was busy after all) and then print off the ones she thought were important for him to read. If he got around to reading them, he usually didnt answer any because he couldnt type, and was embarassed to have people know that (as if they couldnt guess.) As a result, people quit emailing him, or even including him in replies to other conversations going on around the campus. They certainly didnt send confidential emails to a person who has someone else screen them.
I would suggest that candidates be asked for their email address, and then see if they answer questions sent to that address.


text: Dr Maria-Magdalena Weker was an adjunct at the Institute of Philosophy of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, Warsaw, Poland. She was the research assistant at the Faculty of Neurocognitive Science of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland. She was a Phd-student visitor at the University of Calgary, Canada. She participated in researches of mind and perception carry out at The Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland and The Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, Poland. Her research interest is interaction of mind and perception, especially the philosophical aspects of consciousness and neurobiology of mind. She has several papers on this subject. Dr Weker obtained a PhD degree in philosophy from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, Warsaw; M.A. in psychology, University of Warsaw, B.Sc. in biology, University of Warsaw and M.A. in philosophy, CSWU, Warsaw.


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Bain Satin 2 Shampoo
Bain Satin 2 Shampoo
Exceptional hair nutrition shampoo for sensitized, dry hair.
Nourishes slightly dry hair.
Creates soft hair.
Essential nutrition for healthy hair.
Awarded InStyle Magazine's Best Beauty Buys May 2018 winner for "Best Daily Duo".
Awarded InStyle Magazine's Best Beauty Buys May 2017 winner for "Best Shampoo for Dry Hair".
How to use
Apply a quarter size amount of Bain Satin 2 to wet hair and scalp, massage head using palms of hands, emulsify and rinse thoroughly.
"Bain Satin 2 Shampoo delivers the best result when used as a pre-cleanse. The first round of shampoo removes build up and larger particles. The second round of shampoo, nourishes the hair using the Irisome Complex. I always recommend following Bain Satin 2 with a Masquintense hair mask of your choosing."
Key ingredients
Iris Rhizome Extract: Protects the hair from oxydation, prolonging the nutrition.
Glucids: Provide a genuine energy boost for the nutrition of the hair fiber from the root up.
Lipids: Play a crucial role in keeping healthy hair, influencing shine, feel, manageability, and strength.


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San Francisco has become a hotbed for millennials. According to new research from real estate website RealtyTrac, between 2007 and 2013 the city saw a 68 percent increase in its population of millennials (defined, at least for the purposes of this study, as anyone born between 1977 and 1992). The only area that saw a bigger change was Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, DC. The influx of young people has persisted even though renting and buying a home in the city is extremely expensive. This lack of affordability is particularly relevant to millennials because many of them are at a stage in life to consider buying for the first time.
RealtyTrac then tells us what we already pretty much knew: San Francisco is the least affordable city for buying a house and the fourth-least-affordable city for renting. (To rank the cities, RealtyTrac looked at what percentage of an area's median income you would need to spend on payments for a median-priced house or on rent for a median apartment.) In San Francisco, someone earning a median household income would have to spend more than 78 percent of those earnings on a median house payment. And renters would need to spend 47 percent of their income to get a three-bedroom rental. (Note: those rental figures look low; they're based on numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.)
Those looking for relief from high prices in the East Bay aren't likely to find it. Alameda County, where the number of millennials grew by 20 percent between 2007 and 2013, also ranked high on unaffordability. It came in seventh on the list of least affordable places to buy—with 44 percent percent of median income necessary for a house payment—and 11th on the rental list.
· Least Affordable Housing Markets for Millennials [RealtyTrac]
· Least Affordable Housing Markets for Millennials [Curbed SF]
· Housing Takes a Huge Portion of Bay Area Residents' Income [Curbed SF]


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- YouTuber Shane Dawson thinks he already had the coronavirus, and shared his reasoning during a series of Instagram Stories about his flu-like symptoms and neverending sickness in January and February.
- Dawson said he got tested for all possible strains of flu and viruses, but that the doctor thought he was making up his symptoms, despite him experiencing a persistent flu-like illness.
- Not thinking he was contagious, Dawson also said he possibly infected his friend Jeffree Star, Star's assistant Madison, his fiancé Ryland Adams, Adam's sister Morgan, and his editor Andrew Siwicki.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
YouTuber Shane Dawson thinks he already had the coronavirus, and just never knew it. In a series of Instagram Stories he posted over the weekend, the documentary vlogger and beauty influencer said he wasn't trying to be conspiratorial, but that he had been going through texts and social media posts from late January and February and determined that his persistent illness and flu-like symptoms may have been the result of COVID-19.
"I think I had the corona. I think everybody around me had the corona. And I've traced it back to myself," he said. "Not saying I'm patient zero, 'cause I don't leave my house. There is somebody who came into my house that I think gave it to me, because they were sick, and then like four days later I got really sick."
Dawson has been actively posting about the novel coronavirus, saying he's been "genuinely spiraling" and doesn't know how to process everything that's been going on with the rapidly spreading global pandemic.
—Shane Dawson (@shanedawson) March 12, 2020
Shane Dawson says he had a flu-like illness throughout January and February, but that he tested negative for all flu strains
In late January, Dawson went on to explain in his Instagram Story, he got something reminiscent of a cold, which went away for a few days before returning with a vengeance, that included respiratory issues, fever, and chills.
"I call the doctor to come to my house, because I was like, couldn't move, couldn't get out of bed, I was dehydrated. Doctor comes over. They do the swab thing," Dawson said in his story. "This is before corona, like, it was around but it wasn't like a thing in LA. Nobody was testing for it. So the doctor does the test, I get a call the next day saying 'Really weird, you're negative for every strain of flu and every cold and every virus.'"
Dawson says the doctor who swabbed him at his house then started asking if he felt depressed, saying that "'Sometimes your mind can create symptoms.'" This provoked more panic on Dawson's end.
"I literally had a full mental breakdown that night because I was just like 'I'm sick, the doctor thinks I'm making it up,'" the YouTuber said. "Because there wasn't a corona test at the time."
After his tests came back negative, Dawson says the people around him started getting sick, too, although he said everyone around him is "fine" now. The people he listed are his fiancé Ryland Adams, Adams' sister Morgan, Dawson's videographer Andrew Siwicki, his friend and co-collaborator Jeffree Star, and Star's assistant Madison Taylor.
"But everybody handled it differently, like Morgan's real bad. Ryland's not that bad," Dawson said. "Everybody had this weird moment of like feeling okay for a couple days in the middle of it, and then it got really bad."
Star has been active online throughout the US spread of the coronavirus, and tweeted that the Jeffree Star Cosmetics and Killer Merch offices (he's the CEO of both companies) would close with paid leave for employees. Dawson and Shane co-collaborated on one of the most successful makeup launches of 2019, the Conspiracy palette and collection, and a planned restock of the items is likely being delayed due to the virus, along with many other consumer products.
—Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) March 13, 2020
Dawson added that he was worried for all those watching his Instagram Stories, and hoped that everyone was staying safe and isolated from the coronavirus.
"A lot of people are not fine, and this is really scary," he said. "I hope you guys are able to find some type of joy in life right now, because everything is so scary and so numb. I don't really have anything positive to say."
Dawson then posted an Instagram memory of his story post from February 10, which was a video of himself sounding sick and saying, "Hey guys, is anyone else getting sick like, a lot? I've been sick for like two months. I went to the doctor's and I don't know what's going on."
He also made a follow-up Instagram Story to clarify that he was told he wasn't contagious back when he was experiencing flu-like symptoms, so he wasn't carelessly infecting other people.
"First of all, I was told I didn't have anything wrong with me by the doctor. Second of all, he said I wasn't contagious," Dawson said. "I don't really see anybody anyways. I think a couple days after that I was feeling a little better, I had a meeting at Jeffree's and Andrew was there."
Insider reached out to Dawson, Star, Taylor, both Adams, and Siwicki, but didn't immediately hear back.
- Read more:
- Coronavirus memes are spreading as the disease travels across the world — here's what they look like and why creators say they're important
- Tom Hanks' wife Rita Wilson made a coronavirus-themed playlist called 'Quarantunes' after their diagnoses
- The world's most popular TikToker is pivoting from lip syncing to making her own music, and she already has Taylor Swift on her side
- David Dobrik says after he exploded a jaw-dropping blue foam volcano in his backyard, a neighbor claimed she was burned by the substance


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According to a study by Kewill Logistics, most LTL/Freight shippers use between two and five carriers in their operations, while the majority of companies are still using from one to three parcel shipping carriers. Kewill, providers of trade and logistics products and services, released these findings in its "2011 Best Practices Survey for Parcel Shipping and LTL/Freight Management."
Another key finding is that more than 40% of respondents do not use mode optimization selection methods and ship all 2-day shipments via a 2-day service. The study's authors indicate there is potential for improvement, in that mode optimization has the potential to reduce express shipping costs by up to 20 to 25% with the use of software that can incorporate time in transit tables.
"Success with this kind of initiative depends upon having easy access to descriptive data on the parcels, accurate, up-to-date rate, zone and time in transit information, with clear and enforceable business rules to guide decision-making," the authors note."
Other findings from the report include:
• Twenty-one percent of shippers responding are still using a fully manual process to input parcel information, and only a small minority of progressive leaders–8%–claim to have a totally hands-free operation.
• The difference between 2010 and 2011 is that the authors see an improved economic environment, with an increasing number of companies in a position to add headcount to their shipping operations.
• The third of respondents who are using blended solutions like Newgistics and Fedex Smartpost still see the advantage of using USPS's infrastructure for final delivery with another 19% considering the option.


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The Indiana Pacers currently find themselves in a very unique position. Thanks to the emergence of Domantas Sabonis and T.J. Warren, there is enough talent on the roster to render other similar pieces tradeable.
That is precisely what appears to be happening with guard Victor Oladipo and big man Myles Turner. According to IndyStar's J. Michael, the Pacers have discussed possible scenarios that would send both players elsewhere in 3-team deals.
"There are other factors to consider going forward, but Oladipo has been discussed often, including in several three-team deals along with Myles Turner, league sources tell IndyStar," he wrote this week.
This past year Turner averaged 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks after signing four-year deal with the Pacers set to pay him $17.5 million annually. Although he was productive, because both he and Sabonis operate in the paint, popular wisdom has been that one needs to go. As a result of Sabonis being the one coming off an All-Star campaign, Turner has become the odd man out.
That being said – he is extremely talented and would be a huge get for whoever lands him.
Turner is an incredible defender, capable of taking on opposing forwards and centers due to his speed, size and versatility. On the offensive side of the ball, he has rapidly improved his shooting from beyond the arc. He is a 36 percent career three-point shooter and started taking four threes per game last year.
Oladipo, meanwhile, is entering the final season of a four-year, $85 million contract. By all accounts, he is looking for max-level cash on his next deal. Because it is uncertain whether the Pacers wants to pay that, trade speculation has run rampant regarding his future with the organization. Some people, like ESPN's Zach Lowe, think that Oladipo sticking with the Pacers for now makes sense for all involved.
"It would not surprise me if Oladipo and the Pacers come back to the table on extension talks," he wrote. "(Oladipo can sign an extension at any point during the season.) Indiana can offer him a four-year deal starting at $25 million per season. I'm not sure the Pacers would approach that number, but considering Oladipo's recent play — and that some potential suitors, including the Miami Heat, have likely backed away — he would be wise to consider securing something."
What complicates this whole situation is that nobody quite knows what to expect out of Oladipo going forward. He played in 19 outings this past season after suffering a ruptured quad tendon injury in his right knee that kept him out of action for an extended period of time. While he did slowly work himself into shape as Indiana's first round series against the Miami Heat progressed, he was still clearly not the player he was at his physical peak three years ago.
That season Oladipo averaged 23.1 points and led the league in steals with 2.1 per game. In the process, he earned All-NBA team and All-Defensive team honors. At the time, he looked like one of the most dangerous two-way backcourt players in the entire association. If Oladipo could get back to that level then teams would probably be far more inclined to give him the sort of money he is clearly looking for.
One way or another, the Pacers seem likely to make some sort of move this offseason. What will that move ultimately end up being? Time will tell.
Related: James Harden, Russell Westbrook Had Some Issues
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.


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My first ever introduction to Big Band music was when I was around eleven years of age. My mom had a copy of Sinatra at the Sands featuring Frank and the Count Basie Band under the direction of Quincy Jones. At that point in my life I had no clue who – or what – I was listening to, but I do remember that the excitement, energy and power completely grabbed me and I have been a Big Band fan ever since! So when I heard that New York Jazz Guitarist/Composer/Arranger Peter Leitch was releasing a two CD set of mostly original tunes in a Big Band setting, I had high hopes that once again I'd be captivated by the sounds and textures connected with that particular format! Well I am happy to report that Leitch did not disappoint in the least.
The Peter Leitch New Life Orchestra – so named for a couple of reasons that you can read about here – features fifteen top shelf players that give Leitch' musical voice a whole-new dimension, a re-branding if you will.
Primarily known as an eminent world-class Jazz Guitarist, composer and staunch torch bearer of the American Song-Book, Leitch has had to shift his priorities somewhat from the guitar fret-board to the pen and paper mechanics of music making. Which he has done with nary a change in professional stature, at least to my ears.
New Life, the two CD set, features fifteen original Leitch tunes, one Jed Levy tune ("The Ministers Son"), the Rogers and Hart standard "Spring Is Here" and a stirring rendition of Thelonius Monk' "Round Midnight"). Sonically and "vibe-wise" I would place Peter Leitch' music closer to the more contemporary, cerebral sounds of Maria Schneider than the bombastic – but no less wonderful – arrangements of Big Band groups like Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson or the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. This is not to say that The Peter Leitch New Life Orchestra doesn't have that explosive swing associated with the aforementioned bands, because it does, but in a more subtle fashion. In fact, Leitch himself states that "…I was looking for something that sounded like a bigger band but had the freedom and losseness of a small group, and a way of seamlessly combining the written and the improvised."*
This is indeed a formula that seems to work nicely for Leitch and the fellas as they bring exhilarating musical life to the written charts while enthusiastically lending their own unique flair to the improvised sections. This musical direction allows for a most satisfying balance of individual voices and compositional intent that is not lost on the listener.
Case in point is Leitch' use of UK Jazz Guitarist Phil Robson who brings a huge talent and a warm, yet commanding tone to the music, playing what is needed without going overboard, which he could easily do given his formidable technique. His delicate use of a volume pedal, especially on "Portrait of Sylvia", shows a sensitivity to tonal coloring without exaggeration and is the listeners first introduction to Robson. His wonderful solo during that tune is also a superb preface of what's to come and it quickly becomes apparent why Robson was chosen for the guitar chair. Just listen to his intro and outro solo on "Round Midnight" for a mini class on dynamics, tone and taste.
In contrast, his brooding, evocative and somewhat dissonant bluesy acoustic playing on "Tutwiler 2001" features another side of Robson that once again has him playing just what is needed, nothing more and nothing less. Great stuff!!
There is another guitarist on this CD set that needs to be mentioned as well, New York Jazz Guitarist Chad Coe. Coe and Leitch had recorded together before as a duo (Chad Coe & Peter Leitch: Sympatico) so it is no surprise to find him swinging and comping where needed (four tunes). His acoustic style fits in nicely and adds a breadth of sound, rhythm and texture that brings to mind both Freddy Green and John Pisano. "Spring Is Here", "Portrait of Sylvia" and the four to the bar swing of "The Long Walk Home" is evidence of Coe's aptitude for both feel and dynamics and an essential addition to the roster of musicians involved.
And speaking of the players involved, Leitch has truly chosen an A-List of New York musicians who apparently have no trouble playing through the charts and arrangements. Cats like trumpeter Duane Eubanks, Saxopnist/Flutist Jed Levy, Bass Trombonist Max Siegel and Arco Bassist Dennis James to name but a few bring their A-Game to the session with an enthusiasm and infectious hip spirit that would certainly make any band leader smile in approval!
This is no less evident with the rhythm section as Pianist Peter Zak, Bassist Yoshi Waki and Drummer Joe Strasser, along with Robson and Coe, swing their behinds off – whether as accompanists or improvisers – providing the stalwart support needed to bring the whole thing together. A job well done by all concerned!
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the first-rate quality of Peter Leitch' writing and his choice of some interesting and not often used instrumentation like Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute, and Bass Trombone. His tunes – much like his recent experiences – are uniquely his own. There are of course certain familiarities that can't be avoided when the Blues comes into play, like the Basie sounding "The Long Walk Home". I think Leitch describes it best:
"The title 'New Life' refers not only to my own personal odyssey, but also to the music itself – to the act of breathing new life into the 'raw materials,' the blues forms and song forms that have been the structural basis of Black American music, and be extension and osmosis, all of American music."
Peter Leitch – CD Liner Notes
On the one hand, I lament the fact that Peter Leitch has lost the ability to play guitar, yet on the other hand, I love how he has turned lemons into lemonade and I for one am very appreciative of the music he has gifted us. Thank you Peter and a healthy and happy New Life to you for many years to come!
*Taken from the CD liner notes by Peter Leitch.
Please consider spreading the word about Peter and Jazz Guitar Life by sharing this review amongst your social media pals and please feel free to leave a comment. We would love to hear from you! 🙂


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Four most common mistakes when building an MVP
Perhaps, the Lean Startup method (with an MVP idea at its core) is the best strategy for young companies today. Why? You are able to test your product in a real market without attracting huge resources. You have a good chance of building a base of early adopters who are really interested in your product. By analyzing feedback, you can adapt to innovation and market volatility. Yeah, when taking one look at this, it seems that creating an MVP can be compared to choosing the beginner level in a simple video game. But is it really so?
Well, here's some news, life isn't a fairytale. Although this method is really the most acceptable strategy for startups, it is still a difficult process that requires accuracy, caution, and luck. Therefore, when developing an MVP, inexperienced entrepreneurs often make key mistakes, which ultimately leave no chance for a startup to prosper.
In our article, we will talk about these mistakes, and try to explain how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Failed problem statement
Stating a problem is the first step in the MVP development process. And even at this very stage, many entrepreneurs make a key mistake and state the issue inaccurately.
The problem defines a gap between the current and ideal state of things. Under the best-case scenario, the goal of your MVP, as well as your startup's as a whole, should be to help users bridge this gap. You must ensure this with a minimum expenditure of your time and resources and with maximum benefit for users.
The incorrectly defined problem immediately brings the startup's chances to shine to zero. When working on a non-existent or non-significant problem, you develop a solution that no one needs. Also, the poorly described issue slows down all processes of solution development. As a result, what should have been a quick solution turns into a lengthy process of wasting resources in vain.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the correct problem statement. This aspect should be carefully studied and discussed between all parties — stakeholders, users, investors, managers, etc. The famous method of "5 Whys?" will also help you identify the core problem of any process.
Mistake 2: Too many features
The very essence of the MVP lies in the absence of most features in your product. Nevertheless, many entrepreneurs strive to make their product ideal right from the start. This is fundamentally wrong. The MVP technique for startups differs from the process of launching a big business. You don't study possible weak points and causes of user dissatisfaction before the launch. Instead, you immediately release a flexible, lean product to the market. This allows you to not only listen to real users but also monitor their behavior (actions are always more honest than words) and adapt to the market volatility.
A bulky product overloaded with features won't let you do so. That is why the primary goal of any MVP is to concentrate on one but a crucial feature, which should solve the main problem with maximum benefit.
But the truth is that many entrepreneurs spend dozens of days discussing which feature to leave and which to remove. They try to immediately please the users as much as possible. You do not need this. Moreover, you are unlikely to succeed. Don't try to create the perfect product, make a raw, simple but working problem-solving machine. If everything is done correctly, you will have the opportunity to add all the necessary features in the future.
Mistake 3: Poor feedback loops
This is the working cycle of any MVP: build-measure-learn-iterate. All these stages are interconnected, which means you won't succeed in measuring if you haven't built anything. Hence, you won't learn if you haven't measured. It is this feedback gathering that allows your startup to innovate, remain flexible and meet the needs of users. All this ultimately determines the success of your enterprise.
However, even a correctly designed and launched MVP is doomed to failure if you make a mistake in creating feedback loops. Users will voluntarily tell you how to complement and improve your product, so you should create the most favorable conditions for them.
For example, the unsorted feedback is just as harmful as a lack of it. Therefore, organizing, storing and processing user reviews should be your first priority. When collecting feedback, make sure that the user knows that their opinion has been heard, understood and accepted — this is important.
Mistake 4: Wrong team
In the end, it's all about people. The right team accounts for 65% of your product's success. However, as in all previous cases, a lot depends on you here. If you've started the MVP development, then opt for the smallest team of specialists. You will cut your time for hiring multiple people and simplify the process of communication between them.
This process is somewhat unique due to the fact that you cannot be completely sure whether the right person was hired or not. Therefore, here are a few universal rules on how to make your team smaller:
- One full-stack developer. Instead of hiring two or more specialists, who will be engaged in both the front-end and back-end processes, it is better to hire one highly qualified specialist. This will also remove the miscommunication factor, which is very common.
- Minimal development. Finally, it is better to abandon any coding in general. Remember Dropbox with their 2-minute video as an MVP? If the specifics of your product allow using such models, choose this strategy. You can also use Facebook groups, Instagram ads or whatever as your MVP.
There are more of them
I will dare to re-phrase the great Churchill: "MVP, perhaps, is the worst approach to launching a startup. Except for all the others that have been tried." Great Britain's Prime Minister spoke about democracy, but we can say so about the MVP technology too.
Yes, this strategy isn't perfect, and yes, there are many traps that you can easily fall into. Therefore, what you see above describes only the most common early-stage mistakes. In fact, there are more of them and launching your startup isn't strewn with roses.
And yet, for now, this is the most suitable way to start your business.


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On 1 April nearly 400 qualifications are available at Level 3 qualifications became free to access for over-24s without A-levels, an advanced technical diploma or equivalent. This is part of the Government's Lifetime Skills Guarantee and includes over 60 construction‐related courses for qualifications in occupations like Occupational Work Supervision, Site Carpenter, painting and decorating and several others.
Around 11 million adults are eligible for the scheme, which is backed by £95 million in Government funding, and individuals can train part‐time, full time or online for up to 12 weeks depending on the course (or up to 16 weeks on a full‐time skills bootcamp) while continuing to receive Universal Credit.
You can find out more about free courses here.
George Swann, FIS Skills and Training Lead says, "If your workforce do not have qualifications with the introduction of the Building Safety Bill later this year this is definitely worth a look, to see if there is anything applicable to the roles you employ".


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Image 23 of 25
ARVADA - SEPT. 22: Pomona's Ryan Marquez looks for a receiver during the second half of a Class 5A nonconference high school varsity football game against Valor Christian held at the North Area Athletic Complex. (Photo by Andy Colwell/ Special to The Denver Post)
- Copyright
- Copyright Andy Colwell 2017 for The Denver Post, MediaNews Group.
- Image Size
- 2339x2834 / 2.4MB
- denverpost.com


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90s Candy: History & Fun Candy Facts
Have you ever wondered why people love candy so much? Naturally, candy is associated with positive vibes and memories. Somehow, it is associated with joy, love, friends, and family. We eat candy on celebrations, birthdays, holidays, and all great events. Certain candy can be traced back to the times when you were a kid. Or … Read more


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Green solutions for every space!
Our technical expertise will permit us to find the best solution for you and also to personalise your business, in different environnements: work, restaurants, cafè, libraries, public spaces, etc...
Wellness area at Zambon company, Milan, Italy
Surprise your clients with a stilish italian eco-design
You can place our smart gardens literally where you want! If you don't have enought light we can intall our beautifull grow leds.
Cafè in Paris, France
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LG 27GL83A-B Review: Now that more people are working from the comfort of their homes, monitors like the LG 27GL83A-B are likely to become even more popular. For a gaming model that you can also use for work, this 27″ monitor does not focus on stretching the aspect ratio or adding pixel density like its competition. LG thought differently with this monitor, and there is a lot to be said for a large, color-accurate screen that allows you to easily view the most convenient angle.
The result is a Quad HD monitor with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate and a one-millisecond response time that looks great in every way. Even if there is a lot of action with this screen, nothing will be missed, and there will be no noticeable problems.
Combined with a robust design and powerful gaming appearance, all of this makes this monitor an excellent choice for your gaming viewing needs. Let's go further to see if it is worth the price.
Table of Contents
LG 27GL83A-B Review Summary
For its price, it's hard to go wrong with the LG 27GL83A-B. You get one of the fastest IPS panels on the market for a blurry-free gaming experience, while the beautiful colors and 1440p resolution ensure impressive image quality.
- Vibrant QHD display
- G-Sync enabled
- Impressive response time
- Excellent factory calibration
- Low input lag
- Lacks built-in speakers
- No USB ports
LG 27GL83A-B Technical Specifications
Screen Size | 27-inch |
Resolution | 2560×1440 (WQHD) |
Panel Type | IPS |
Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
Response Time | 1ms (GtG) |
Adaptive Sync | FreeSync (48Hz-144Hz)(48-100Hz HDMI) |
Ports | DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0 |
Other Ports | Headphone Jack |
Brightness | 350 cd/m2 |
Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 (static) |
Colors | 1.07 billion (8-bit + FRC) |
VESA | Yes (100x100mm) |
LG 27GL83A-B User Manual
Here is the user manual of the LG 27GL83A-B: (PDF).
Detailed LG 27GL83A-B 27″ Monitor Review
A) Design
The LG 27GL83A-B is sleek, aggressive, and beaming with RGB lighting on the back. This is proof enough that LG puts the needs of gamers first.
- Ideally, we can't decide which one is more attractive here, the vivid 27-inch display with 2560 x 1440 resolution or the mesmerizing LED lighting on the back of the panel.
- No matter what excites you, your friends and colleagues will have a thing to say about the LG 27GL83A-B, whether they are behind or in front of the monitor.
- The flexible lights (also known as Sphere Lighting 2.0) are on the back of this unit, so you can see them. However, the lights will become bright enough to bounce off adjacent walls and even off your desk surface.
- Along with the colorful flashes of light, the monitor housing is made of textured black plastic. In contrast, the cylindrical arm is made of sturdy metal.
- Despite the modern design, the screen is quite thick at 2.3″ at its widest point.
- The display offers swivel, height, and tilt adjustment so users can adjust the vertical angle up and down.
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B) Image Quality
The LG 27GL83A is factory calibrated and, out of the box, covers about 99 percent of the sRGB color space.
- Colors are precise and crisp and even suitable for some basic color-critical tasks.
- The 1440p resolution guarantees crisp detail and plenty of screen space on 27-inch monitors, thanks to the pixel-to-inch ratio of around 108 PPI, meaning no scaling is required.
- As with all IPS panels without local dimming, the contrast ratio hardly exceeds 1000:1, which means the black spots are not as deep as with VA panels, which of course, have other drawbacks.
- VA displays have a more excellent static contrast ratio of about 3000:1, but not vivid colors and good viewing angles than IPS options.
- They also have slower response times, which lead to noticeable spots in fast-paced games, at least in this price range.
- Another downside of IPS panels is IPS brightness. When watching dark scenes in a dark room, you may notice a "glow" in the corners of the screen.
- With IPS panels, this downside is expected, and it is manageable.
- There is no perfect monitor, particularly in this price range, so you have to make concessions.
- If you want fast pixel response time and excellent image quality, IPS panels are your best choice.
C) Performance
The LG 27GL83A-B is one of the fastest IPS monitors with a pixel response time of 1ms (GtG), averting ghosting in high-speed games.
- To get the specified speed of 1ms, you need to set the Overdrive option for the response time in the monitor's On-Screen Display (OSD) menu to "Faster". However, this leads to an inverted ghost image, also known as pixel overflow.
- Fortunately, with the overdrive option set to "Fast", you won't get overshoot or visible traces behind fast-paced objects.
- The speed is technically not "1ms", but fast enough to keep the pixels at the 144Hz refresh rate.
- The LG 27GL83A-B input lag is just around 4ms, resulting in an imperceptible delay between the result on display and your actions. AMD FreeSync supports a Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) range of 48 to 144Hz via DisplayPort and 48 to 100Hz via HDMI for ripping-free gaming.
- This unit is certified by NVIDIA as being G-SYNC compliant, so FreeSync works seamlessly with supported NVIDIA graphics cards.
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D) Features
The LG 27GL83A-B monitor has many valuable functions for gaming, including a black stabilizer that enhances the visibility of objects in dark rooms, a crosshair for custom crosshair overlays, and pre-calibrated image presets (RTS, FPS, sRGB, player mode, and two customizable player profiles).
- Navigating the OSD menu is child's play, thanks to the five-way joystick under the display's bottom bezel. In addition to the standard picture settings, there are 4 gamma modes and a fine adjustment of the color temperature (in increments of 500K).
- The monitor backlight does not flicker, and there is a built-in filter for weak blue light.
E) Connectivity
Connectivity options on the LG 27GL853A-B include 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, and a headphone jack. HDMI and DisplayPort support 144 Hz at 1440p. However, if you enable FreeSync, the refresh rate via HDMI is limited to 100Hz. Unlike the LG 27GL850, the 27GL83A-B does not have a USB hub.
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Pros of the LG 27GL853A-B
- Stylish and ergonomic design.
- Accurate and consistent colors.
- G-SYNC/FreeSync compatible
- Fast response time and excellent motion handling.
Cons of the LG 27GL853A-B
- Limited range of FreeSync over HDMI.
- Poor contrast ratio
Models Similar to the LG 27GL83A-B
The LG 27GL83A-B and the Gigabyte M27Q are pretty similar in that they are both 27″ IPS gaming monitors with a resolution of 1440p.
- Regarding gaming performance, the significant difference is that the M27Q has a 170Hz refresh rate higher than the 27GL83A-B's 144Hz, but has a slightly slower response time.
- The Gigabyte is better suited for content creation, as it has a much better HDR and SDR color gamut.
- Also, it has other features like picture-by-picture and picture-in-picture modes, as well as a USB-C port that DisplayPort Alt mode supported.
- However, the LG 27GL83A-B has wider viewing angles, so you'll have to share your screen frequently and can rotate in portrait orientation, which the Gigabyte cannot.
Frequently Asked Questions about the LG 27GL83A-B
Q: What is the difference between LG 27GL83A-B and LG 27GL850-B?
A: The LG 27GL83A-B and LG 27GL850-B have similar overall performance, and we can attribute any differences to panel variation. The LG 27GL850-B has better inputs because it includes 2 USB 3.0 ports, while the 27GL83A-B lacks USB ports.
Q: Is the 27GL83A-B suitable for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S?
A: With the LG 27GL83A-B, you can play games on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S consoles with low input lag and 120 fps.
- Although the monitor has a maximum resolution of 1440p, it can easily downscale 4K resolution to 1440p, resulting in impressive image quality.
- The major problems are the HDR brightness levels and the low native contrast, which means that console games are not optimal on this screen. Also, the monitor is not compatible with HDMI 2.1.
- If you're looking for a monitor that is better suited to the PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X consoles, we recommend looking at the LG 27GN950-B.
Q: Does the LG 27GL83A-B have HDR?
A: In terms of HDR functionality, the LG 27GL83A-B supports a wide color gamut and HDR10.It does not support Dolby Vision or HDr10+.
- PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X use HDR10 to display HDR-compatible games.
- For console games, the 27GL83A B has relatively low HDR brightness levels. We recommend a minimum of 500 cd/m² for each screen for HDR games to look good.
- According to RTINGS, the LG 27GL83A-B did not reach close to 500 cd/m² in the various scenes tested.
Final Thoughts
The LG 27GL83A-B is a responsive and fast gaming monitor with a properly pre-calibrated IPS display. You don't have to change image quality settings right away, and it is virtually blur-free and great for fast-paced games.
We liked LG's designs that included user-friendly features. Still, there was a slight wobble in the bracket that wasn't present on some of their previous models. The main drawback of the LG 27GL83A-B is its low contrast ratio; however, we think it is unfair to complain, especially since the price is very competitive and attractive.
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Why Your Way of Setting Goals Is Burning out Your Organization
Author: Bryan Ritchie
One of the most common frustrations within any organization is the "lack of effective communication" at all levels. The detrimental impact associated therein is significant as many employees become frustrated, confused, disengaged and ultimately uncertain about what they should be doing to satisfy the needs of management. Oftentimes, this missing element is a blind spot for those who are responsible for such behavior. As a result, impacted parties become disappointed and disillusioned with one another as they genuinely feel that they have done all that is possible to effectively communicate.
There are many maxims about effective communication, such as "make sure the message sent is the message received," or" listen to what is said to you and repeat it back to the person to ensure understanding" and many others that provide value. Moreover, there are also a plethora of platforms that when followed, try to ensure effective communication, with the most recognized being the 7 C's of Effective Communication (clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, courteous). Despite adhering to these maxims and complying with the approaches, there is still a salient element that often trumps all of this; Lack of Communication!
Having consulted with thousands of individuals ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups all around the world, the most common complaint I heard was "we don't communicate well in this company." When I dug a little deeper about the problem, it was almost always, "we don't communicate frequently enough with those who need to be informed."
Surprisingly for many, that is often the biggest problem. Too many individuals simply don't realize the value of ensuring that they communicate consistently with their peers, direct reports and managers to provide the relevant information necessary to keep each person updated, satisfied and engaged. The feedback I have received from those with whom I work is generally this. Do I effectively communicate? Yes. Do I communicate frequently enough with them to satisfy their needs and desires? No!
Take a step back for a minute and consider your personal life. Whether this is with a parent, sibling or significant other, more times than not, the biggest communication problem happens to be the lack thereof. My wife of 30 years will repeatedly say to me, "why didn't you tell me that? You need to inform me of this so that I know what is going on." Is she wrong? No! Given how busy I am, both professionally and personally, I often overlook the value and need of reaching out to those who desire and need more communication to keep them satisfied and engaged.
That isn't to say that we should ignore the 7 C's of Effective Communication. That is fundamental to ensure that when we do communicate, we are performing at our best. However, first consider whether or not you are communicating regularly and frequently with those you should. That will eliminate much of the complaints of "not communicating effectively."
Bryan Ritchie and James Western are co-founders of GrowthSPORT, a successful consulting company whose mission is to improve SCORES (Stimulate Culture, Optimize Results and Engage Staff) for Teams, Divisions, Departments and Organizations through the SPORT model (Strategic Alignment, Personnel Performance, Operational Execution, Results Accountability and Team Strength), which are the Five Core Elements of Success.
GrowthSPORT provides resources, tools and experienced consultants to effectively implement the SPORT performance model from companies ranging from Startups to Fortune 500 companies.
Feel free to reach out to GrowthSPORT at (801) 676-2500 or at www.growth-sport.com.


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The 18th China International Agricultural Chemicals and Plant Protection Exhibition (CAC) was held on March 1-3, 2017 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. Since its inception in 1999, after 17 years of rapid development, CAC has become the world's largest agrochemical exhibition and was awarded UFI certification in 2012. Leading Biological Agriculture Co., Ltd. once again stood on this international stage and showed the world new achievements in China's specialty fertilizers. After many months of preparation, the company once again presented itself to the world with a brand new image. The exhibition has a reasonable layout and prominent brand, highlighting our superiority in R&D and production of seaweed extracts and microbial fermentation. The atmosphere of the conference is lively. Customers from all over the world are in constant contact. After in-depth communication, they have reached preliminary cooperation intentions with several companies.
Leaders lead new standards; the first is far ahead. Commitment to green ecological agriculture has always been a leading and unchanging belief; adhering to independent innovation and taking the road of development combined with production, research and research is the leading feature and advantage. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed a new concept of beautiful China. We are constantly committed to the research and development of new products, participating in major research projects, making full use of biotechnology to serve modern agriculture, and making contributions to the realization of beautiful China. So far, the company has undertaken and organized the implementation of more than 30 scientific research projects including the United Nations, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Provincial Science and Technology Department, completed 13 provincial-level scientific and technological achievements appraisal, and obtained more than 30 invention patents.
No matter how hard you work, no matter how strong your spirit of service is, no matter where you come from, you will all have a historical memory of our co-creation, and you will all be led by everybody with gratitude. People are grateful and thank you for your continued confidence. In 2017, the CAC International Agricultural Chemicals and Plant Protection Exhibition in Shanghai was successfully concluded. We thank domestic and foreign old and new friends for coming to the booth to discuss cooperation and win-win development.


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On November 6, 2020, Rebecca Liebowitz was quoted in Managing Intellectual Property on how companies can avoid risk when discontinuing brands.
According to the article, companies must decide whether to hold on to a trademark for a brand that they want to discontinue or to let the mark go. They may not always be able to keep their marks, as countries such as the United States require parties to prove use when they renew trademarks. And although not all jurisdictions have this requirement, there is still a risk that third parties could initiate and win cancellation proceedings if the mark is no longer in use.
Liebowitz says that when companies use similar names for discontinued products, there can still be legacy goodwill attached to the brand. "Consumers are still going to associate it with the prior brand owner, and that could lead to confusion as to the source of that product," she says.
A company may want to find some way to continue using its trademark to avoid being accused of abandonment. A brand could consider licensing the mark, or whether there is some creative way to continue using the brand, even if not to the same extent as before.
Businesses could consider tying the production of goods to special occasions, even if they do not sell these products all the time. Liebowitz says some companies have special releases of products or logos attached to anniversaries. Businesses that have a plan to regularly remind consumers that they still use their marks could maintain their trademark rights, she says.


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Compass Marine How To |
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>> Seacock Backing Plates / Alternate Method / No Through Bolts
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Seacock Backing Plates / Alternate Method / No Through Bolts
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Start by Drilling a Hole
Many boaters have asked me how to install stronger, flanged seacocks without also drilling extra holes in your hull for the bolts that hold the flange. It can be done, as you will see below. Though this is going to be slightly less robust, in strength than through bolting, I would have no qualms about using this method on my own boat. I do admittedly through bolt on my own vessel out of personal preference. Don't get me wrong this is still a robust installation, if done with care & patience, and it is stronger than the hundreds of thousands of vessels out there with noting more than a valve threaded to a thru-hull. This is also a decent option for those with cored hulls where thin external skins are to thin to take the countersink depth of the bolt head.
This article already assumes you're using GPO-3 polyester/fiberglass or G-10 epoxy/fiberglass sheet for the backer blocks, and have already made the circle/donut.
This article also assumes you are utterly opposed to through-bolting your seacocks to the hull.
For tapping I recommend a thickness of about 5/8" for your GPO-3 or G-10. In testing I have exceeded 1000 pounds of direct pull on 1/2" home made polyester fiberglass board. G-10 and GPO-3 are far stronger than my home made fiberglass sheet and the extra thickness yields even more strength.
Unlike the other method where you glass the backing plate to the hull first then drill the hole for the thru-hull with this method you drill the thru-hull hole first. To do this project a drill press is HIGHLY recommended.
A Perfectly Centered Hole
By using the pilot hole you made the original circle with you will automatically have a perfectly centered hole in the backing plate.
Be sure to use a hole saw as close to the OD size of the thru-hull as is humanly possible. There should be very little room between the threads and the fiberglass.
Please be aware that working with G-10 or even GPO-3 board is like working with steel. It eats tools for lunch.
Make A Shim
Before you drill and tap the backer block you need to tighten the flanged adapter to the backing block using the thru-hull. Because you are missing the thickness of the hull you will need to create a spacer that takes the hulls place.
I used some PVC exterior trim lumber and drilled the same diameter hole as in the backing block. Then all I did was center & tighten the flange and thru-hull together with the backing plate and spacer sandwiched in between.
Clamp & Drill
This is the most critical step and why you really should have a drill press. Because you are literally drilling and tapping a piece of 5/8" fiberglass or epoxy sheet, the threaded holes MUST be perfectly centered in the flange holes, and they must be 100% vertical.
I made my spacer square, and wider than the head of the thru-hull, so I was able to clamp it in my drill press vice. I can not stress enough how important it is to make perfectly vertical holes that are perfectly centered in the holes of the flange or seacock. There is NO wiggle room here. Mess this up and you just wrecked the backing block..
Drill & Tap
Please don't cut corners on the quality of your tap and always use the proper sized drill for the tap.
This is an "F" drill for a 5/16" X 18 thread tap. You can also use a 17/64" drill with a 5/16" tap. Fiberglass or epoxy sheet is susceptible to off center tapping so be careful to not cut crooked or wobble your tap side to side as it will make the tapping bigger than you want. Practice in a scrap piece of fiberglass first if your not comfortable with this.
Once tapped through use an air gun to blow the flutes of the tap out. Do this before reversing it out of the fiberglass..
Tapping The Backing Plate
This is fairly straight forward but remember to tap this totally vertical. Avoid over tapping or multiple tries or passes. Each pass will remove more material, once in, once out..
Cutting The Studs
Silicon bronze threaded rod is expensive but silicon bronze carriage bolts are cheap. Simply install two nuts onto the bolt and clamp only one of the nuts in the vice while tightening the other back onto it. This essentially locks the bolt into the vice so you can cut it without it spinning or moving.
Cut Off Wheel
Though this 1 1/2" Dremel cut-off disc says "Plastic" it is my favorite tool for cutting bolts or threaded rod, and it works equally well on stainless or bronze.
Cut Off The Head
As you get good with the Dremel you can make some amazing bolt cuts with threads that work as good as factory. Of course you could use a hack saw too but the Dremel is nice.
Finish The Threads
Once I have cut the bolt I then clean the cut end on my bench grinder with a brass wire wheel. This one looks almost as good as the factory end and works the same too.
Insert Studs
With the studs made you simply thread them into the backing block. If you got a little aggressive with the tap it's not the end of the world. Mix up some slightly thickened epoxy and apply with a syringe into the hole, wax the stud and thread it in with the thickened epoxy and let it cure. This will create a nearly perfect thread interface between the stud and backing plate. Even with a good tap I still dip the stud into epoxy, coat the inside of the hole and thread it in.
Install Flange or Seacock
Once the studs are in simply drop the flange over it put on the nuts. You're now ready for a dry test fit in the hull.
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Starting this week, "Bringing You Flowers" will be returning as a regular feature (probably monthly) on our blog. Phyllis will continue to share her ideas, experience and advice on best practices and how to get the most out of OpenRDA. Look for her post on Budget Preparation at the top of this page!
And if you want to find all of the posts Phyllis has shared, there is a section called "Tags" in the column on the right of your screen. Click on the tag "pdfinnovates" and you will see all of her posts. They are a great way to learn about and review a wide range of topics.