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The Leader in Commercial Railing,
Fencing & Decking Projects
October 2016
Add Beauty, Safety and Security to Your Facility
Fence & Deck Connection partnered with Classic Group Development based in Bethesda, Maryland to beautify and protect the outdoor clubhouse amenities at The Villages at Two Rivers Community located in Odenton, Maryland.
Together, we created a poolside oasis for their residents, including beautiful ornamental steel fencing around the pool, two architectural pergolas, two free standing pavilions and utility enclosures to disguise waste receptacles. Continue reading to learn more.
nsuring Patron Safety and Protection
Fence & Deck Connection tailors fence and gate options to meet your company's budget, property, and safety requirements. We are experts in
Mid-Atlantic pool codes and ordinances with over 25 years of experience. For Two Rivers, we used a black powder coated ornamental steel fencing to surround the pool. We chose Ameristar's Montage Plus-Majestic fencing for it's improved panel strength & durability and increased safety & security for children & pets.
Adding Multi-Purpose Aesthetics and Shade
Structures such as pavilions are an excellent choice for community spaces, apartment complexes and condos, malls or any area where shade may be needed or required. At the Two Rivers Clubhouse, the two custom free standing
pavilions sit close by the pool, providing shade to pool goers when they are done swimming, as well as providing cover to dining areas for barbecues and parties.
The gabled design was created to match the existing clubhouse, and beautiful tuscan columns were used to support the structure.
Shaded Areas with Minimal Maintenance
Pergolas add partial shade to any outdoor space, while simultaneously adding character, style, and charm. At Two Rivers, we created shaded relaxation areas with minimal maintenance requirements by installing
white vinyl pergolas with Tuscan white fiberglass support columns that tie into the overall look of the clubhouse.
Obscuring Views While Keeping Pests Out
Fence & Deck Connection offers solutions for enclosing all types of building maintenance and service areas. Most commercial properties necessitate the use of enclosures for utility units or waste receptacles. Two Rivers maximized aesthetics and minimized cost and maintenance with custom dumpster gates constructed of Azek PVC deck boards and black square steel framing and posts.
Fence & Deck Connection
Please allow us the opportunity to bid
your next project or capital renovation.
No project is too big.
Celebrating 25 Years
of Serving the Mid-Atlantic Region
Give us a call today!
(410) 757-5511
Fence & Deck Connection, Inc. |
Copyright Fence & Deck Connection, Inc. © 2016. All Rights Reserved.


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New findings from a survey and a social experiment suggest that 'the key to happiness' may be as simple as making small lifestyle changes that help protect Earth's natural resources. 70 percent of the survey respondents and all of the participants in the social experiment reported that 'making eco-minded choices' led to significant increases in personal happiness.
The results were released this week, just days ahead of the International Day of Happiness on March 20. Both the survey and social experiment were commissioned by packaging company Tetra Pak, in an effort to investigate the benefits of "renewable living," or the adoption of "environmentally-responsible behaviors."
"At Tetra Pak, we believe that even simple lifestyle behaviors have the power to make a big impact, on both a personal and global scale," said Elisabeth Comere, Director of Environment and Government Affairs for the company. The company's whitepaper on the #RenewableLiving Social Experiment [PDF download] elaborates: "We don't believe it is enough to just work within our industry [and] with our business partners. We feel we have an important role to play in educating and empowering consumers."
Next, the company is inviting people to participate in the #RenewableLiving Challenge. Participants are encouraged to adopt simple, 'renewable' habits every day over a 28-day period, such as:
- Taking shorter showers to conserve water;
- Buying only what can be consumed when shopping at the grocery store;
- Using re-usable drink containers when possible;
- Biking or walking to work instead of driving (or car-pooling with others when driving is the only option); or
- Choosing food and beverage products in recyclable and renewable packaging at the grocery store, like cartons made mainly of paperboard, a natural resource that can be replenished over time.
Driving Sustainable Behaviors From Store to Home
Hear more from Petco's Francesca Mahoney on the pivotal role retailers and store locations play in catalyzing sustainable consumer behaviors — Tuesday, Oct. 17 at SB'23 San Diego.
Tetra Pak has also created a 5-question 'Habits of Happiness' Quiz "to help participants assess where they stand in the happiness scale, both before and after the challenge."
The same basic premise was used for the Renewable Living Social Experiment: 10 bloggers in 5 countries (the US, Brazil, India, France and Spain) were asked to take small steps to adopt new habits such as walking or biking to work or making "eco-minded" choices at the grocery store. The experiment showed that over the course of the 28-day period, the behaviors became more habitual and the bloggers became happier. The experiment was conducted in partnership with the University College London (UK) and the Tilburg University (Netherlands).
Comere said, "This study shows that the collective benefit of the small actions we take, from taking shorter showers to choosing products with renewable packaging, can benefit the world around us while making us feel happier."
Previous research from Tetra Pak has shown that more than 75 percent of consumers are influenced by eco-friendly packaging.

subset: commoncrawl


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Energetic and optimistic thoughts from a former student
Energetic and optimistic thoughts from a former student is one of the privileges of teaching is getting feedback from my students' years after I taught them. Here is a recent example:
I always enjoyed Professor Strongman's Legal Ethics classes when I was studying in John F. Kennedy's Paralegal Certificate Program. Professor Strongman is one of the best professors I have or will ever come across, in all aspects of teaching and personality.
What I most admire about Professor Strongman is his remarkable ability to stimulate students and add personality to the course material. Students can feel the energy and optimism radiate from his teaching. His dynamic teaching style makes students listen attentively to him. The time he spends to give feedback for the assignments helps everyone understand what the most common mistakes were, and provides individual feedback to each student with regards to his/her weak and strong points.
Professor Strongman does not only teach exceptionally well but he also cares a lot about the level of understanding of each student. He takes the extra effort to make sure all students that need extra help are accommodated, despite his busy schedule. His lectures are highly organized, and the level of attention he gives to his students is unsurpassed. It is tough to mention all of his amazing qualities here and the ones mentioned above only scratch the surface.
We all have to strive to achieve the best. In universities, the effort of a professor makes all the difference in helping students reach their full potential. If we would have professors like Professor Strongman, then I am positive that every student will be eager to learn and achieve their academic goals.
Shan Li, Paralegal, Severson & Werson
About the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator. He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment. He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.
© 2020 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or repost without permission.


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This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting those who support Simplicity & Coffee.
When I think about simplicity, one of the things that always comes to mind is an outfit made of one piece. The "one and done", if you will. Most of the time, this ends up being a dress, but lately I've been loving jumpers and rompers because they are one-and-done, but a little more fashion-forward and fresh. So, when I found this adorable striped BP Jumper as part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I knew I had to try it on. And when I did, and saw the adorable side-slits and open back, I was sold.
Jumper: B.P. | Shoes: similar here and here | Bag: c/o Coach | Sunnies: Prada | Earrings: BaubleBar
I have to admit, the other thing that made me snatch up this jumper was how easy it was to accessorize. It's color scheme paired perfectly with my Coach Rogue in Pebble. As you know by now, Coach is currently my favorite bag designer. Their sophisticated lines, quality leather, and exceptional craftsmanship make these bags worth the investment. They are luxurious, and add instant elevation to any outfit.
I also picked up these Fall Preview Crispin Earrings at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and I'm so glad I did! The metallic is perfect for adding just a touch of sparkle to any look, and the gold color adds much needed warmth to my fall wardrobe.
While I'm wearing the jumper with heeled mules for the summer, I can't wait to style it with OTK boots (I'm talking about these under $90 OTK boots that don't slip down or bunch up at the ankle!) for fall.
Jumper runs TTS. I'm in an xs.
#NordstromAnniversarySaleBloggers #Nordstrom #NordstromAnniversarySalePicks #NordstromAnniversarySale #NordstromAnniversarySaleEarlyAccess #OneandDone


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Jana Euler: Unform
On ViewArtists Space
New York
In Jana Euler's painting practice, the medium's conventional rectangular format is often acknowledged by the figurative imagery within, and frequently with visible discomfort. In Euler's treatment, the rectangular painted image is neither illusionistic window nor impenetrable mirror. The painting's frame is adapted instead to behave as a literal enclosure, a container in which absurd physical conditions are enacted. This negotiation between content and framework is not only formal, but institutional, as Euler demonstrates at her Artists Space exhibition, Unform, bringing together traditionally stretched paintings with painted canvas sculptures of "slugs"—soft-bodied avatars liberated from the frame to perform a range of gymnastics across the interior and exterior of the nonprofit's new site.
Euler opens the exhibition with the paintings Unform 1 and Unform 2, installed above Artists Space's foyer. Each painting catalogues a form of movement or occupation by Euler's slug archetype, constituting two-dimensional prefaces to her sculptures (the latter collectively titled "Unstretched," and created in 2020. All paintings 2019). Unform 1 latches to the painting's top and emanates tendrilled extensions across its surface. Unform 2 burrows a tight path within the painting's frame, suggesting more mobility than Unform 1 but of a limited, predetermined nature. The slug, an invertebrate, lacks structural coherence. It is both adaptable and vulnerable, it moves independently but also seeks shelter. Euler specifies by way of the exhibition brochure that the slug is a proxy for the artist in relation to the institution, yet the motif also embodies a deconstructive impulse that permeates the exhibition as a whole.
Installed in the smaller of the space's galleries, the cartoonish, bustling acrylic-on-linen Under Distraction summons overstimulation on both an individual and global level. Euler constructs a face from the trappings of the attention economy and mood-altering substances, the overall effect of which is a vacant, insomniac physiognomy. Lips are funneled with holes, shaped to facilitate seamless and constant intake of cigarettes, joints, pills, booze, and junk food. Multiple irides and pupils encircle the peripheries of two eyes, such that only bloodshot whites face the viewer. The two sleepless globes of eyes, with each iris bound to a computer or phone screen, evoke 24-hour models of production in the global economy, such as "follow-the-sun" workflow in which projects are passed between time zones for continuous labor. The genre of portraiture is blown open: vehicles of diversion replace psychological authenticity, the individual is crowded out by the collective consciousness to which she has constant access.
Another of Euler's stretched paintings, Circling the Horizon, deflates the Renaissance ideals of Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. As the original work inscribed exemplary male proportions across a neat overlay of a circle and a square; Circling the Horizon, as its dimensionally ambiguous title suggests, confuses the geometric harmony guiding Da Vinci's original. Euler folds Da Vinci's circle onto itself, forming a square from the original composition. Atop the central model's stance, three additional men encircle the canvas's periphery enacting different poses, Euler articulating their musculature in pink, raw brushwork that signals physical strain. On each edge of the canvas is a visible handle, negating the notion of a correct orientation. On either side of Circling are two nearly symmetrical paintings of male figures, contorting their crouched bodies in mirror images to embody the square of the canvas.
In the main gallery, Euler's painting gwf 9 Richter/Baselitz expands upon her "Great White Fear" series exhibited at Galerie Neu last year, in which phallic great white sharks explosively emerge from the water, their bodies extended and tumescent, faces variously anthropomorphized into horror at their own exposed form. In this instance, Euler summons two towering male predecessors of German painting, signaling each by way of their respective directional trademarks—Gerhard Richter's calibrated horizontal smudge, Georg Baselitz's 180 degree flip—a subtle deflation of auratic gesture.
Woven across Artists Space's new architecture, and amongst these paintings telegraphing structural mutability, are Euler's "Unstretched" sculptures. Slouched, suspended, engulfing Artists Space's Corinthian columns and hovering over Tribeca passersby from the building's façade, the slugs' poses are further elucidated in the exhibition brochure in drawings and text: "The relaxed slug is strapped to the column, imagining itself to be freed from the authoritarian structure while bound, dependent, and well-fed." Of the exterior slug, "This relation to the inside of the gallery licenses the slug to venture into the world outside, with the potential for freedom and possibility of harm." Each "slug" represents an active or passive artist in the gallery and museum system. Yet "Unstretched" also highlights the structural unruliness stirring within Euler's hung paintings, as her sculptures maintain material vestiges of oil painting but do away with its defining frame. Euler's stretched paintings such as Circling the Horizon suggest confinement in their shallow depth and tight boundaries; whereas her sculptures imply liberation. Euler's mining of the space in between constitutes a range of radical approaches to painting.


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This morning, the Colorado Rockies unveiled their Nike MLB City Connect uniform, the eleventh big league club to reveal their design since the program began last season. In what I'm just going to go ahead and call a "Big Four" first, their new uniform was modelled off of the design of the license plate of their home state.
Since 1960, Colorado motorists have driven all around the country with a green and white tag affixed to their vehicles showing the silhouette of a mountain range. Here, sixty-two years after that plate design was first introduced, their Rockies baseball team will match that look during every Sunday home game for the rest of the season, following its June 4th debut against Atlanta.
"The Rockies City Connect jersey features a design that celebrates not only Colorado's natural beauty and grandeur, but the spirit of adventure and determination that drives Colorado residents to conquer any challenge in front of them," read the team's release. "The base design of the jersey, pants and socks reflects the familiar Colorado backdrop as seen on the Colorado license plate, with snow-capped mountains and evergreen trees."
SHOP: Colorado Rockies new City Connect jerseys, caps, and more available now!
The Rockies took this license plate-inspired design one step further by even using the same font for the plate's numbers as the font for player numbers on the front and back.
"The license plate design is iconic in Colorado. People recognize it wherever you see it across the country; they know it's Colorado," said Jim Kellogg, Rockies VP of Community and Retail, in a phone call with SportsLogos.Net. "We copied the numbers on the license plates; those will be the uniform numbers, giving us a unique design and look. We found that really connected to Colorado, the city of Denver, and our fans, and that's really what we wanted to do with this uniform."
Like the license plate, the uniform is primarily green — from about the armpits right down to the player's ankles with just a white belt (yes, a white belt!) and player number breaking things up along the way. The top of the band of green forms a snow-capped mountain, and "COLORADO" is laid out across the chest in white in the same typeface as the license plate.
"We talked with equipment manager Mike Pontarelli about which belt we thought would look good," Kellogg said. "The front of the hat is white, and the matching batting helmets are too, so we felt like a white belt would be a great look for the players — that it would pop and help break up the uniform between the tops and the bottoms."
LINK: Colorado Rockies complete logo and uniform history
The Rockies' primary "CR" logo appears on the left sleeve. On the right sleeve of the jersey is a yellow square patch modelled after the signs shown on ski hills; two black diamonds – indicating the highest difficulty hill in honour of "the fearless spirit that embodies all who reside here" – are placed above a 5280, the elevation in feet that Denver, the "Mile High City," resides above sea level. At the bottom of this patch are the latitude and longitude coordinates of the Rockies' home ballpark of Coors Field.
A single purple line is near the end of each sleeve and is also used as a trim for each of the player's white numbers on the back of the jersey. This is in reference to the row of purple seats in the upper deck of Coors Field, which designates the one mile above sea level mark within the stadium.
At the bottom of the jersey above the "jock tag" is the phrase "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" with "Colorful" presented with each letter in a repeating pattern of four colours: yellow, red, orange, and blue. This is inspired by the highway signs which welcome motorists into the state.
"While the uniform series is called City Connect, it was important they represent fans across the state," said Rockies Owner, Chairman and CEO Dick Monfort in the press release. "As a Colorado native, I am proud that these uniforms embody the character of Colorado and the unique sense of pride we have in our home state. I am beyond excited to see them come to life on the field on June 4 at Coors Field."
Moving on to the cap, it's green like the jersey but comes with a white front panel on the crown. The logo on the crown is a circle with a purple mountain shown against a blue sky, "CO" in white above the mountain's peak, and three colourful circles — red, orange, and purple — around the entire design.
"The circle Colorado patch found on the hat highlights the purple mountains and clear blue skies," says the Rockies. "Surrounded by circles of red to represent the colour of the state's soil, and the gold to symbolize Colorado's abundant sunshine."
While players weren't involved in the design process — the Rockies wanted to keep the design under wraps as best they could — they did get their own sneak peek of the new look during a recent photoshoot.
"We did a little test drive and had our players do the photoshoot to get their reactions; it was so fun to watch how they reacted to it," recalled Kellogg in his conversation with SportsLogos.Net. "The players loved it; they thought it was so cool. The way we tied in the region and the mountains and the trees and the license plates. It was fun for them, and it's fun for us to watch their reaction."
Kellogg says the entire process, from the first meeting with Nike to the unveiling, took just over two years, with the two sides first discussing the uniform just days before the COVID-19 shutdowns in early 2020.
"We did an interview session with Nike, and we talked about Denver and Colorado, our fan base in the city, what Colorado means to our fans, tourism, and all those things," Kellogg told us before teasing. "Down the road, we may be able to utilize one of those other concepts we came up with when these uniforms run their course [the City Connect uniform program is scheduled to last between three to four seasons long]. We thought this concept was the one that fit right now and was the best use of the City Connect program."
You gotta imagine there was at least one Colorado state flag-inspired set amongst those passed over. Though the club has done quite a bit with the state flag over the years via their Spring Training and batting practice caps, I'm presuming they wanted to try something else this time.
The Colorado Rockies will début their new green-and-white license plate-inspired City Connect uniforms on Sunday, June 4, when they host the Atlanta Braves. They will then reserve them for every Sunday home game for the remainder of the season, with the occasional additional appearance throughout the season if that day's starting pitcher so desires.
SHOP: Colorado Rockies new City Connect jerseys, caps, and more available now!
While fans have been divided on their opinions regarding the City Connect series, recent unveilings have shown merchandise sales through the roof, with the Houston Astros shattering Major League Baseball sales records with their City Connect uniform release just last month.
"Developed in partnership with MLB Clubs, the Nike MLB City Connect series celebrates the bond between each team and its city," read the jointly-released statement which accompanied the announcement of the program in the spring of 2021. "The uniform series explores the personality, values and customs that make each community and their residents unique. Building on the rich heritage of each Club, the City Connect series pushes the boundaries of baseball uniform design to create new traditions and help grow the game of baseball."
The Rockies are the fourth of seven teams to unveil their Nike MLB City Connect Uniforms this season and the eleventh overall. Last season the Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers made up the charter class of the City Connect club. So far this season, we've seen the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, and now the Colorado Rockies. Next up are the Los Angeles Angels who will be followed up by the Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres.
Fans can purchase the Rockies City Connect jersey, as well as hats, hoodies and tees for men and women, exclusively in-store at the Colorado Rockies Dugout Stores and Rally Store at McGregor Square through the on-field debut on June 4. The Rockies City Connect collection is also available online right now at MLBShop.com.


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By Mike Miller Updated January 29, 2023
Doctor Phillips, Florida is a place name that almost all Orlando citizens recognize, but many people in the rest of Florida have never heard of.
Only a generation ago, Doctor Phillips was a lonely outpost among the orange groves southwest of Orlando at the intersection of Sand Lake Road with Apopka-Vineland Road.
The area is named for Dr. Philip Phillips, an early big-time Central Florida citrus grower. Dr. Phillips was born in 1874 and died in 1959.
He had a medical degree from Columbia University, and at one point owned more than 5,000 acres of citrus groves around Orlando.
Dr. Phillips developed many successful techniques for the processing and packaging of orange juice.
His thousands of acres of groves stretched across nine Central Florida counties.
His land in the area now known as Doctor Phillips extended from Conroy Road on the north to the south end of the Sand Lake Chain of Lakes.
His holdings included what is now Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Country Club, Orange Tree, Sand Lake Hills and Turkey Lake.
After he sold his groves in 1953, he became a benevolent philanthropist. His donations are still enjoyed and appreciated by Orlando area residents.
When construction began on Walt Disney World in the late 1960s, the area around Doctor Phillips was still orange groves and wetlands.
During the construction of Walt Disney World, a group of Disney workers labored in Doctor Phillips's old citrus packing plant fastening the artificial leaves onto the artificial limbs of the Swiss Family Robinson tree.
That was about the only game in town back then. It was a clever use of a large building that was no longer being used.
Now the unincorporated area around Doctor Phillips is as big as many Florida cities, with a population of about 10,000.
It is on the edge of Universal Studios Florida, and enjoys quick access via Sand Lake Road to I-4 and International Drive.
It is a modern place, with beautiful shopping malls, plenty of great restaurants and is surrounded by upscale residential communities.
The entire area from Apopka-Vineland Road east to I-4 is now called "Restaurant Row" by locals.
The sprawling upscale neighborhoods in this area have no trouble supporting their local Whole Foods and Trader Joes along with the familiar Publix brand.
If you are visiting Orlando, you can stay at Dr. Phillips's house in the historic downtown area. It is now a bed and breakfast inn.
You can also enjoy a performance at the nearby Doctor Phillips Center for the Performing Arts that opened in downtown Orlando in 2014.
It still amazes me when I drive through Doctor Phillips these days. There is no longer the narrow road through fragrant citrus groves that still lives in my recent memory.
The rickety old stop sign is gone that stood for years at the end of Sand Lake Road where it reaches Apopka-Vineland Road. It has been replaced with a sophisticated traffic signal directing vehicles in all directions.
Sand Lake Road is now a modern boulevard lined with more good restaurants than just about any other place in Florida. The fragrance these days is of fine food instead of citrus.
I formerly reviewed a few restaurants on this page, but there are far too many for me to keep it up. There are dozens of places for just about any thing you'd want.
Upscale, midscale, snacks - it's all here and I now defer to Tripadvisor and other services to tell you about them.
Our Facebook page has more than 128,577 followers who love off the beaten path Florida: towns, tourist attractions, maps, lodging, food, festivals, scenic road trips, day trips, history, culture, nostalgia, and more. We post articles every day. Please check it out and if you like it, we would appreciate a "like" from you.
By Mike Miller, Copyright 2009-2023
Florida Back Roads Travel is not affiliated with or endorsed by Backroads, a California-based tour operator which arranges and conducts travel programs throughout the world.


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By Margarita Nahapetyan
Vitamin D appears to be important for the immune system to fight against the common cold, according to the experts from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children's Hospital Boston.
The largest to date study suggests that people develop cold and flu not only because of a damp weather, but also because of a lack of the sunshine. Rates of sickness were even higher among people who already had chronic respiratory problems, such as asthma and emphysema.
"The findings of our study support an important role for vitamin D in prevention of common respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu," said Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, at UC Denver Division of Emergency Medicine and a lead researcher of the study. "Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency."
Researchers said that although vitamin C has been used for the prevention of common colds and other respiratory infections for many years, there is little scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. In contrast, few recent studies have found that vitamin D, mostly associated for its role in the development and maintenance of strong bones, may also play a critical role in the function of the immune system.
Dr. Ginde and his colleagues analyzed vitamin D levels of nearly 19,000 adults and adolescents who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and were selected to represent the overall U.S. population. Blood samples were taken to measure levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, considered to be the optimal measure of vitamin D status. In addition, all the participants underwent physical examinations and were asked a question if they had cough, cold, or other acute illness in the past several days.
Although no minimum vitamin D level the best for health has been established, there is a general consensus that people ought to have at least 30 nanograms per milliliter of blood - sometimes described as about 80 nanomoles per liter. At least 50 per cent of people in the new study had that minimum. Therefore, the researchers divided the NHANES participants into 3 groups: those with 30ng/ml or more, those with a big vitamin deficiency - 10ng/ml or less, and those in the middle.
The results showed that those participants who were in the group with the lowest levels of vitamin D, were 36 per cent more likely to report having a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with higher levels of the vitamin. Risks of infection s for people in the middle group fell between those rates. The finding was consistent across all races and ages.
The association was present in all seasons and was even stronger among participants with a history of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema. Among people with asthma, those who had vitamin D deficiency were 5 times more likely to catch a cold than people with healthy levels. And the risk of respiratory infection was doubled among vitamin D-deficient patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compared with those patients who had normal levels of the vitamin.
The experts concluded that the findings of the research yet need to be expanded and confirmed in clinical trials before vitamin D could be recommended to fight colds and the flu. "We are planning clinical trials to test the effectiveness of vitamin D to boost immunity and fight respiratory infection, with a focus on individuals with asthma and COPD, as well as children and older adults - groups that are at higher risk for more severe illness," Dr Ginde said. "While it is too early to make any definitive recommendations, many Americans also need more vitamin D for its bone and general health benefits. Clinicians and laypeople should stay tuned as this exciting area of research continues to expand."
According to American Dietetic Association (ADA), vitamin D can be found foods such as canned tuna, cereals and fortified milk or juice. The body can also be triggered to naturally produce vitamin D (also known as sunshine vitamin) after an adequate exposure to sunlight.


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Halloween Double Feature!
(Click here for Part 2)
Part one in our spooky Halloween review special is the ever-so-dark Parasite Eve OST.
To view our previous reviews, check out the archives
(Warning: There are some very mild spoilers ahead. The things I spoil are minor and they occur at the very beginning of the game, since I haven't played very far into Parasite Eve. Nevertheless, I thought I should give you a head's up.)
(Another note: Several tracks have rather obvious misspellings, so I took the liberty of correcting them. I was very conservative in doing so, and only made the change when I was absolutely sure it was a misspelling. I left track names with weird grammar, such as track 2 of disc 1, intact.)
I've had some strange love-hate relationships with some of my soundtracks. SaGa Frontier 2, which I want to love, but whose repetition just rubs me the wrong way. Xenosaga, which I liked less than Xenogears at first, but which later came to surpass its prequel. And then there's the Parasite Eve OST. I had my doubts about this one from the beginning. It didn't help that I'm not a huge fan of techno, and that I remembered nothing about the music from what little I had played of the game. Add to this my general dislike of opera music and it seemed like the Parasite OST was a recipe for disaster.
For the first 43 tracks, it was. (Note that this soundtrack has 45 tracks in all.) I didn't exactly hate it, but the OST just wasn't turning out to be one of my favorites. Certainly it wasn't living up to the hype. I thought that maybe it was the synthesized singing that did it to me, and I anxiously awaited hearing the last two tracks on the second disc, which are actual vocal remixes of two songs on the first disc. I listened to the first one, and was not impressed. I reminded myself again of how much I hate opera music, and how this soundtrack just wasn't working out. Then I got to the last track. All of a sudden everything I remembered about the game began coming back to me, from whatever recesses of my brain they had been lurking in since I played Parasite Eve some four years before. This last track was a remix of the one that plays when Eve is singing on stage, and all the audience begins bursting into flames. I remembered everything that I had loved about the game, about how the story and ambience were just so damn cool. And in that instant, my opinion of the soundtrack simply dissolved. By the end of the track, I had shivers running down my spine, my love for the spooky Parasite Eve rekindled. Immediately I popped the first disc into my CD player, and began all over again. It was like listening to a different soundtrack. Never has my first impression of a musical work been so horribly inaccurate. I ended up loving the PE OST by the time I finished playing it for the second time.
While listening to the soundtrack, I find it helpful to keep in mind some of the themes and metaphors found in Parasite Eve. There is Eve's voice (Eve is the main villain), which has the ability to control peoples' bodies (in a manner of speaking). We hear a lot of "calling" in the game and in the soundtrack. It is deliberately haunting and sub-human, which is why I think that the synth voice is actually more effective than an actual human voice. There are the Mitochondria, the little parts of human cells that Eve is able to "call" to... and when they "answer" back, the effects are quite unpleasant. Also present is the idea of "awakening", something that Eve is persuading Aya (the main character) to do.
The PE OST is very thematic. That is, there are numerous themes that pop up all over the place, and Yoko Shimomura does some fantastic work blending them all together. This could also be seen as another theme of Parasite Eve: the idea of fusion, assimilation, and other such sinister biological stuff. Anyway, on with the review.
*** Disc 1 ***
1. "Primal Eyes". The soundtrack opens with some slow ambience, but proceeds pretty quickly to furious techno rhythms, with some nice distorted guitar and heavy drums. Piano can be heard in the background for a good portion of it, and at one point, the piano takes over entirely. A five-note melody is stretched out beautifully here, supported on all sides by some eerie broken chords.
2. "Waiting for Something Awakens". This track has a much slower and deliberate feel than the first one. I can count three distinct themes from other songs here, the Main Theme, Aya's Theme, and a short guest appearance by the music-box melody of track 13 on disc 2. The harmonies slowly drop one note at a time, reminding me of a series of dripping icicles. Each theme contributes its own drip now and then, and that's fine, but when you listen to them all pattering in sequence, it makes for a truly effective ambient piece.
3. "Overture". Here, the famous opera scene is about to begin. While this isn't strictly ambient music, it is a very foreboding orchestral track. The strings carry the bulk of the melody and harmony, but it is the occasional chimes that really make this piece creepy.
4. "Se Il mio amore sta vincino". Better known as Eva's Aria. This is the big one. At this point, Eve (as the character Eva) is singing on stage. Words alone cannot hope to convey the beauty of this piece. It begins very sweet, descending into a minor key here and there, and finally ending in (surprisingly) a major key. Not what you'd expect from a song that causes the audience to spontaneously combust, eh? Try to picture that scene in the game (or better yet, go play it), however, and you'll realize just how perfect the contrast is between this sweet melody and the horror that results from it.
5. "Memory I". A quick jog back into ambient territory, with more of those agitated piano chords.
6. "Gloom and Doom". This track is quite oppressive in its ambience, which is pure to the point of almost smothering you with its constant drone. Think of this as what silence would sound like if it were a sound. :P
7. "Theme of Mitochondria". I like the use of drums here, as they are not used to make this into a dancey song, but rather a tribal sort of ambient music. Actually, all the instruments are well chosen. There is also a repetitive melody thrown in there, so be sure not to miss it.
8. "Sotto voce". I don't have my Italian dictionary on me right now, but I think this means "soft voice". This song features more of Eve's haunting singing, accompanied by some dark piano chords. It almost sounds like there are a dozen different hands playing the same piano, dripping notes in the "icicle" style that I mentioned in track 2.
9. "Arise Within You". Just in case the ambient stuff got you down, here's some techno to warm you back up. It's interesting to note that even this piece has some atmospheric instruments that maintain a constant mood, not unlike ambient music. The harmonic progression from one modal key to another keeps this one strong in the composition department, repetive though it may be.
10. "Main Theme [Piano Solo Version]". Hinted at in track 2, here is the Main Theme in its most simple form. Its melody is neither gloomy nor happy, but almost a kind of sad relief. The gentle waving harmony works well with it.
11. "The Surface of the Water". This song is almost a candidate for the "noise" vein of the ambient genre. It has no melody to speak of, little harmony, and is carried only by random industrial noises. Reminds me of an abandoned factory or a construction site. Creepy and cool.
12. "Memories of Aya and Eve". Here we have some nice fusion going on. The piano style of the Memory tracks, which you'll see more of later, is combined with vocals from Eve, resulting in yet another foreboding ambient song. The Memory tracks themselves bear a structural resemblance to Aya's Theme, which you will also sample a bit later. Could this be a premonition of some connection between Aya and Eve? The track title would seem to suggest this.
13. "Out of Phase". Another nice blend of techno and ambient. I must say that the repetetive elements of each style work quite well together, at least in the hands of the great Shimomura. It's not as creepy as the other songs, so it's rather calming, especially during the brief piano segment at the end.
14. "Urban Noise". Distortion and all sorts of funky instruments are in abundance here. It has more of an electronica feel to it than noise, but that's a minor detail. More of that dance-ambient blend.
15. "Mystery Notes". A drum-heavy ambient track. In the background, you can hear strange instruments that almost sound like animal noises.
16. "Influence of Deep". This awesome song is a contender with Eva's Aria for being the best on the soundtrack. After a vocal introduction by Eve, the techno instruments set things in motion. Eve carries the melody, while the complex harmonies and polyrhythmic percussion gives your ear a vast array of musical delights. The track's composition would sound great with any choice of instruments, but the twisted opera/techno blend just makes it better. We even get a little organ passage in there, which is a staple of Shimomura music. With two full loops of this song, I have a hard time imagining any way to improve it.
17. "Phrase of Aya". If you have a good ear for musical themes, this piano track should sound familiar to you already. It's more agitated than the Main Theme, as you can tell by its structure. The melody is restless, and sticks to oscillating broken chords rather than sustained notes. The harmony does not wave, but rather mimics the motions of the melody.
18. "Phrase of Mitochondria". A more bassy counterpart to Theme of Mitochondria. I'd really love to mix the two together, since they sound similar enough to be paired together, yet they are obviously not the same song.
19. "Theme of Aya". Think Phrase of Aya, but with some backup from percussion and atmospheric synthesized instruments. Much creepier than the original.
20. "Under the Progress". The bulk of this bouncy techno song is a remix of Out of Phase, with some fragments of Aya's Theme thrown in for good measure. Although the overall song isn't too special, I think the two themes work pretty well together, and this is merely another example of how coherent Shimomura's music sounds.
21. "Plosive Attack". I thought this was a misspelling until I went and looked up "plosive" in the dictionary. Turns out that it's a term relating to speech mechanics. So there's some more of that voice motif for you, even though there aren't any actual vocals in the track. This is more of an electronic-sounding techno song.
22. "Missing Perspective". This track, with its xylophone and vast array of percussion instruments, has a somewhat tribal feel to it. The harmony isn't as dark as what you'd come to expect from this soundtrack, but it's still rather unsettling.
23. "Memory II". This is quite a step up from Memory I. Now we have a definite melody working here, and it bears a strong resemblance structurally to Aya's Theme. It's short, but I like the instrumentation.
24. "Force Trail". Well, isn't this a nice surprise? A rekindling of the theme introduced in the very first track, Primal Eyes. On the background piano, we again here this theme that's like Aya's Theme, but not quite. There's a lot going on in this song, multiple melodies and some very active drumwork.
25. "Phrase of Eve". This song is basically Eva's Aria, with the orchestra taken out, so only Eve's haunting voice remains. The wavering makes it sound a bit cheesy, but it does let you confirm that the melody is good even without any backup from other instruments.
26. "Memory III". Memory has now evolved into a much more complex musical theme. It gets closer and closer to Aya's Theme, but here the piano work is a great deal more complex. From the sound of it, I would almost say that there are ten different hands playing a single piano. Eve's voice is also used in this track.
*** Disc 2 ***
1. "Matrix". Quite uncharacteristic of Parasite Eve, Matrix is a slow techno song that reminds me of Shimomura's work for the Front Mission OST. It's not really dark or tense, but more of a "strolling" rhythm.
2. "The Omission of the World". At the lowest layer of this song, you can catch the Primal Eyes theme being played over again. However, the obvious melody is quite different. The layering of melodies is okay, but this piece is really too repetitive for me.
3. "Wheel of Fortune". I think "wheel" is a very appropriate description for this track. The melody takes on a somewhat circular pattern, hinting at a huge wheel turning relentlessly. As the song progresses, new harmonies begin "bursting" out of the passages of the old ones, and I love the route that the variations take.
4. "Kyrie". This track is non-stop mood-building goodness. At its core, it has long sustained passages played out by pipe organs, with other symphonic instruments filling in the space between. Eve's voice kicks in about a minute into the song, and the harmony is just so perfect. Structurally, this piece is very simple, but it succeeds at creating an enormous amount of tension.
5. "Across the View". With the third use of the Primal Eyes theme, we can be sure that Yoko Shimomura did not forget about the theme she layed out in the very first track. She doesn't do too much with it this time, though. :P
6. "Femmes Fatales". Wow. This song is quite different than the other ones that use Eve's voice. The composition is top notch, and it's very cool to hear the piece transform as it plays from one harmony to the next. At one point, it enters a sweet major key -- and Eve's voice actually plays along with it. This is the one song in the whole soundtrack where her voice isn't 100% evil.
7. "A Piece of Remain". A very minimal piece with a bit of electric piano work. Not very spooky.
8. "Musica Mundana". Like The Surface of the Water of disc 1, this piece is highly abstract in its ambience. Tumbling keyboard rhythms sound more like machines than instruments, and the chanting is sure to put you on edge. A very creative and moody piece.
9. "U.B.". This track is my favorite on the OST. It begins with some chanting similar to the stuff used in the previous track, with some dancey stuff fading in and out, competing with the chanting. At about 2:30 into the piece, both the techno and chants fade to the background as piano and strings take over for a bit. All of a sudden, percussion and organ burst into the picture, filling up the space with furious arpeggios and some intense drumming. For the last half minute of the track, the organ and drums are retired, replaced once more by the eerie chanting. Why is this track my favorite? I think it best represents elements from the ambient, techno, and "miscellaneous" categories which comprise the soundtrack as a whole. And they are combined with such skill... all that's missing really is the opera stuff.
10. "Escape from U.B.". An agitating "ratchety" piece. It's quite short and menacing, and the way it cuts off suddenly at the end makes me think something very bad happens.
11. "Main Theme". This version of the Main Theme is not much different than the piano solo version heard on disc 1. It is a bit richer because of the minor accompaniment by other instruments, but that's about it. A nice piece, but it's been heard before.
12. "Theme of Aya [Reprise]". The difference between this and the first Theme of Aya is almost imperceptible.
13. "Awaken, the Calling Voice is Heard". I apologize if my translation of this track name turns out to be inaccurate. It's a cute little song that sounds like it's being played on a wind-up music box. It even plays slower as it winds down. Surprisingly, it's a very well-composed song, and a great deal more complex than you might think.
14. "Somnia Memorias". Another departure from the usual tone of the soundtrack, this song is a vocal song in Spanish. Although I generally dislike the sort of Latin pop style that it uses, for some reason I like this song. It's very soothing, if nothing else. And it does have a few interesting compositional changes that separates it from your garden-variety pop song.
15. "Consensus". It's back to the old techno/ambient mix style with this track. I like the sound effects sprinkled in, and at this point in the soundtrack, I can also appreciate the "toned down" level of techno. I'm not sure if I could take on more of the same heavy stuff.
16. "Someone calls me...., Someone looks for me......". This is Eve's last gasp. She doesn't join in until about halfway through the song, though. The base of the piece is a beautiful piano sequence with some simple yet elegant harmonic passages. A perfect combination.
17. "Main Theme [Orchestral Version]". Impressive. The Main Theme is a pretty good starting point as it is, and this final version builds upon it with some very fine composition. It's sweet, and it's also a little sad. The piano and orchestra play off each other beautifully, and on the whole, the instrumentation is very nice. But you've got to hear the final two tracks to consider your listening experience complete.
Tracks 18 and 19 are live vocal versions of Influence of Deep and Eva's Aria, respectively. I won't go into detail about them, since they are basically the same as their in-game counterparts. Of course, the quality is much improved. Much MUCH improved -- nothing can quite prepare you for the delight of hearing Eve's voice performed by an actual singer. Certainly these songs are well worth the listen. In my case, it was one of these tracks that opened up my eyes to the greatness of this soundtrack, so I am very grateful for their addition. And when you hear that final resounding note of Eva's Aria, I hope that this soundtrack will change your musical perspective like it has mine.
Listening to this OST has had a more profound impact on me than I ever imagined a soundtrack could have. I went into this hating both techno and opera music, not remembering much about the game, and having little inspiration to change any of this. My first listen wiped away my pessimism, and my second (and subsequent) listens won this soundtrack a special place in my heart. But the change didn't stop there. I began merely tolerating the techno and opera stuff in PE, and then, much to my surprise, I began liking it. All of a sudden, two musical genres I had cut myself off from began to look appealing. I look forward to appreciating these styles I had considered "beneath me" for so long. I also re-discovered all the great things I loved about the game as well, and this soundtrack has inspired me to go out and play it again (and hopefully finish it this time).
If your musical tastes are like mine, you may be in for a rough start with Parasite Eve. You may not like it at all if you haven't played the game. If you have played the game, though, I can almost guarantee that you will enjoy this soundtrack. Also, if you are into techno, ambient and/or classical opera music, please give this OST a listen. It's great music to do homework to, or just to sit and brood about, if you like dark ambience.
Needless to say, I am a bit biased because of the way in which the Parasite Eve OST opened up my eyes (or ears, rather). But it may just do the same for you. Now here's the sad part. This soundtrack is quite hard to get ahold of, even though it is neither old nor obscure. It shouldn't be this rare, but it is. Keep your eyes peeled on ebay, and on sites that carry recent-but-rare soundtracks, such as Otaku.com.


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Hi SharePoint guys,
Do you remember the "Save list as template" feature we used to find in the list settings page ?
The concept of this feature was quite nice, but it had some drawbacks and wasn't always working as expected. It was relying on feature framework and for some reasons, it requires custom script enabled on your site which, by default, is turned off on Modern experience.
Site Designs and Site Scripts
In the beginning of 2018, Microsoft has introduced the Site Designs capabilities to provide a kind built-in site templates features. A site design is composed of one or multiple site scripts that defines the customizations to apply to a site.
Get Site Script from list
Quite recently, a few months ago, an API was released to allow us to extract a site script from an existing list. (See doc here).
A Modern "Save list as template"
Leveraging these new concepts and capabilities, I wanted to create a solution the gives power users the same capability as we used to have (with some limitations) with the "Save list as template" feature. I then created an SPFx extension that allows you, from a list to get the generated site script: a "list template".
Download the site script
For regular users, that's the best we can do with client-side only solution. However, if you are a SharePoint global administrator, you can use this extension to save the site script to your tenant. Then, to be able to use your template directly, you need to associate that script to a Site Design
Once it is saved, you can apply your site design to another site
And here is the created list from the template
You can find the code on GitHub here
Tell me what you think of it :)
See ya,


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We Think
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Roasted pork with apricot jam and lentil salad
For the pork:
- 2 slices / 2 cm fouantre roasted pork with herbs (Ifantis)
- 2 tbsp. of olive oil Aródama
For the apricot sauce:
- 4 tbl. apricot jam
- ½ vegetable broth (Knorr Homemade)
- 2 fresh onions
- 2 tbsp. mustard (Dijon Maille Originale)
- 1 cup of water
For the salad:
- 200 g lentils
- 1 fresh onion
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes
- Fresh Coriander
- 4 tbsp. of olive oil Aródama
- 3 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
- Salt-Pepper
Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the roasted pork slices. Sauté to warm our pork and give off its aromas for 1-2 minutes. Remove it from the pan.
Pour in the same pan the fresh onions, finely chopped, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they wilt. Add water and vegetable broth and mix. Add the jam, mustard and let cook for another 2 minutes until the sauce is begins to thicken. Finally put the pork into the sauce and turn the heat off.
For lentils: put the lentils in salted water and boil for 10-15 minutes; we don't want them to be overcooked. Strain and cool the lentils with water very well and pour them into a bowl.
Chop the onion, the sun dried tomatoes and the coriander and add them together with the vinegar, salt and pepper, and stir.
Serve the pork with the lentil salad.


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Did you miss SDCC and haven't been able to get Super7's amazing line of Peanuts ReAction figures and Keshi yet? Can't wait for August to get your set, which are available for preorder from BigBadToyStore now?
No worries– Japanese toy manufacturer Medicom Toy has got you covered with their newest wave of amazingly adorable (and delightfully affordable) Peanuts vinyl figures.
Including…yes. Charlie Brown as camp president, SACK.
For those unaware, the Peanuts franchise is explosively popular in Japan, and you can find all sorts of merchandise with the characters on it that you can't find in the states. However, over in Japan, Charlie Brown and the gang are referred to as Snoopy and Friends, which one, isn't that much of a surprise. And second, shows where the focus is.
However, between BigBadToyStore and HobbyLinkJapan, you'll be able to buy and preorder all the Peanuts toys currently on the market:
BBTS: UDF Series 10 Charlie Brown and Snoopy (3.5 Inches): $14.99 (Oct 2019)
BBTS: UDF Series 10 Astronaut Charlie Brown (4.4 Inches): $16.99 (Oct 2019)
BBTS: UDF Series 10 Sack For President Charlie Brown (3.74 Inches): $13.99 (Oct 2019)
HLJ: UDF Series 10 Astronaut Snoopy (3.5 Inches): $9.31 (Sept 2019)
HLJ: Charlie Brown and Snoopy: IN STOCK $11.63
HLJ: Vinyl Snoopy (5 inches) IN STOCK $53.42
HLJ: Vinyl Belle (6 Inches): IN STOCK: $47.79
And just to be teases and show off how amazing Medicom Toy's other Peanuts toys are, we're going to show you a small gallery of Out of Stock, unavailable toys to show off the importance of snagging a toy the moment you learn of their existence.
Too flippin' cute. I want them all!
Do you have any Peanuts in your collection? What's your most interesting Peanuts piece? Tell Toy Wizards about it in the comments and get the conversation going!
Follow Toy Wizards on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!


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So far I have managed to avoid the crowds and mayhem of Thaipusam. On Thaipusam Day I opted for more intimate and local ceremonies in Georgetown, Penang. I skipped the first-day chariot procession (Thaipusam Eve or chetty pusam) and am now opting for the less crowded third day of Thaipusam. Like the first day only in reverse. My thinking was the numbers would be worn bringing fewer crowds, fewer annoyances and easier travel. I arrive early and clamber up 513 steps to visit Waterfall Temple where the pilgrimage ended the previous day. Today it is silent.
Beginning the Procession
The Third Day of Thaipusam marks the return journey of the Silver Chariot and Lord Muruga statue. The procession makes its way from Waterfall Temple in the hills of Penang to Kovil Veedu on Penang Street. The procession starts at 06:00 PM in the evening and arrives at Penang Street in the early hours. The area remains quiet until past 05:00 PM the silver chariot sitting silently at the roadside. As prayers and rituals take place inside a smaller roadside temple (not waterfall temple) the statue is lifted, circles the temple's interior and is carried to the Silver Chariot. Two oxen are attached to the chariot and local Hindus approach to make offerings.
The Coconut Smash
The same rituals as the first day (eve of Thaipusam) happen along the route of the procession. Hindu devotees smash coconuts on the roads to symbolise "the breaking of one's ego to reveal purity inside". Many look to be smashing coconuts just for the fun of smashing coconuts. Each coconut smash needs to be cleared before the chariot can move forward again. Clearing is done by nifty motor vehicles. As the rituals continue through the entire procession it will take hours for the chariot to arrive in Georgetown (the following morning).
The Return to Georgetown
I walk back to Georgetown following roads lined with coconuts. Excitement is everywhere as local communities and neighbourhoods stand round mounds of coconuts in anticipation of the passing parade. Kids play with flaming coconuts. Roadside stalls hand out free drinks and nibbles. Aside from the religious Hindu significance of Thaipusam the festival (public holiday) is celebrated by all communities.
A Hard Nut (Fruit) to Crack?
Those knowledgeable in coconuts know that a coconut can be tough to crack. This is why the Thaipusam coconuts are cracked/cut before the celebration. Makes them easy to smash. If eager to join the coconut smash you can find small piles for sale along the roadsides (normally between 20-50RM). Generous locals may offer a free nut or two. Being cheap I smash the coconuts which fail to break. Photographing from opposite I find unbroken coconuts rolling to my feet. Scoop them up and wham.


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|Back to Back Issues Page
Free Daily Affirmations
April 30, 2018
Hello,Ralph Waldo Emerson says this:" What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside you."
When we talk about inner spiritual power it is more important than you might think. If not understood it can be misused with results you may not fully understand. Please read the page.
Your Daily Affirmation: "I am totally in control of my intentions. "
Blessings Rev.Bill
|Back to Back Issues Page


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|Exercise 6
|Grounds Maintenance Project - Data Reprojection
|City Parks (MapInfo TAB)
|Overall Goal
|Calculate the size and average size of each park in the city, to use in Grounds Maintenance estimates for grass cutting, hedge trimming, etc.
|Data reprojection
|Start Workspace
|End Workspace
Let's continue your work on the grounds maintenance project.
The parks team has decided that the output data should be in an Albers Equal Area projection (coordinate system = BCALB-83). They think it will take ages to set this up! We'll show them differently.
1) Start Workbench
Start Workbench (if necessary) and open the workspace from Exercise 5. Alternatively you can open C:\FMEData2018\Workspaces\DesktopBasic\Transformation-Ex6-Begin.fmw
2) Edit Reader Coordinate System
In the Navigator window locate the Parks [MITAB] reader, and expand its list of settings.
Locate the setting labeled 'Coordinate System'. The original value should be <not set>:
Double-click the reader Coordinate System parameter to open an edit dialog.
In the Coordinate System field enter the name UTM83-10 or select it from the Coordinate System Gallery by selecting "More Coordinate Systems..." from the bottom of the drop-down list:
Remember, when a reader's Coordinate System parameter is defined as <not set> FME will automatically try to determine the correct coordinate system from the dataset itself.
When the source dataset is in a format that stores coordinate system information (as it does in this example) you can safely leave the parameter unset. So this step isn't really necessary.
However, you MUST set this parameter when you wish to reproject source data that does not store coordinate system information; otherwise an error will occur in the translation.
3) Edit Destination Coordinate System
Now locate the coordinate system setting for the destination (writer) dataset.
Again the current value should be the default of <not set>.
Double-click the parameter and enter the coordinate system name BCALB-83 or select it from the Coordinate System Gallery by selecting "More Coordinate Systems..." from the bottom of the drop-down list.
The Navigator window will now look like this:
4) Run the Workspace
Save and then run the workspace.
In the log file you should be able to find:
FME Configuration: Source coordinate system for reader MITAB_1[MITAB] set to `UTM83-10' FME Configuration: Destination coordinate system set to `BCALB-83'
5) Inspect the Output
Open the newly reprojected dataset and query a feature. The Feature Information window should report that the data is now in BCALB-83. Optionally, click on the coordinate system name in that window; a new dialog will open to display all of the coordinate system parameters.
|If the background map is activated when a dataset is opened then the contents of that dataset are automatically reprojected to Spherical Mercator to match the background map. If you wish to see the data as it appears in its own coordinate system, then use Tools > FME Options to turn off background maps before opening the source dataset.
|Advanced Exercise
|Instead of using the reader/writer parameters in the Navigator window, why not try this exercise using the Reprojector (or CSMapReprojector) transformer? Where should the transformer be placed in the workspace and why is this important?
By completing this exercise you have learned how to:


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Rooted: A Study of Deeper Faith in Colossians, Part 7
Performance will always lead to self-righteousness, which always leads to judging others. The thing you tend to judge others for is likely the area of self-righteousness that you struggle with.
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
- Do you ever sense a disconnect between what you feel and what the Bible says?
- Read and discuss Colossians 2:11-15. What do they tell us about the nature of man? What do these verses tell us about Jesus?
- What does it mean to be "dead in your sins" (v. 13)?
- What is the "record of debt" that the law demands of us (v. 14)? How is the law an instructor?
- Consider your answers to questions 4 & 5. How is Christ the remedy?
- What is grace? How is grace an instructor?
- What drives us to perform, rather than rest in grace?
- "Performance will always lead to self-righteousness, which always leads to judging other people." Have you found this to be true?
- In what area(s) of your life do you tend to struggle with self-righteousness? How does the gospel address this?
- Spend some time in prayer asking God to graciously keep us from self-righteous performance. Pray that His grace would continue to take root deep within our hearts.


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The early history of Lafayette is a history of coal mining. The earliest miners were the Simpson and the Cannon Families.
John H. Simpson was born on the 13th of May 1843 in Parton, Cumberland Co., England. He married Isabella Twentyman of Allenby, England in 1865.
When John Simpson first came to Colorado he lived in Louisville with his brother William. Together they erected the first business block and the first dwelling or building in what is now the town of Louisville. They also managed the general store, Simpson Brothers. John Simpson was the first engineer to install the machinery in the old Welch mine. Later he operated the Welch mine.
John Simpson owned a farm near Louisville, Colorado, which he called Carlo Rotolo. He was very civic minded, and in the fall of 1878 he was elected the justice of peace in Louisville.
John Simpson was a close friend of Mary E. Miller and James Foote. Mary E. Miller named Simpson Street after John H. Simpson. In 1887, he obtained an option for a lease from Mary E. Miller and James B. Foote to prospect the land on the Miller Ranch known as Section 2. It is on that Section 2 that the town of Lafayette is now located and that John Simpson sunk the shaft for the mine known as the Simpson Mine. (It was located at the east end of Simpson Street by the railroad tracks.)
John Simpson loved Lafayette. He said that anything that could be thought of or erected or purchased was not too good for the citizens of Lafayette, and that he and the rest of the people should do all they could in the community for a better and bigger Lafayette.
The first child born in Lafayette was Eneeie Simpson, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Simpson. When John Simpson died the 7th of July 1909 he left his wife and three children to mourn him. In his obituary it states that the only mistake John Simpson ever made in business was to go into business with United Coal Company.
William Simpson was born 16 March 1852 in Cumberland, England. He married Mary A. Jones, of Youngstown, Ohio, in February 1879. He came to America with his brother John H. Simpson and ran an engine at the coal shaft at the Welch Cal Mining Company. Then he and his brother ran a general mercantile store at Louisville called Simpson Bros. William Simpson was Secretary of the school board for Louisville in 1879. In 1896, William Simpson was listed in the Boulder County Directory as Superintendent of the machinery department of the United Coal Company of Lafayette.
James Simpson, a brother of John H. and William, was also born in Cumberland Co., England, about 1858. Before coming to Colorado he was a sea captain. He came to Colorado with his wife Mary in 1890 and became partners with James B. Cannon [James Cannon Jr.]. They sank the first shaft for coal on the Miller Ranch, the Simpson being the second shaft. It was called the Cannon Mine and was abandoned because of water problems in that mine. James died in March of 1939.
James B. Cannon was born in Newberry, New York, on the 13th of November 1830. He spent his life in new York City. From New York, he came to Colorado and first settled in Douglas County, Colorado, where he went into the coal business for about 8 years. He came to Lafayette in 1881.
James B. Cannon, along with James Simpson, sank the first shaft at the Miller Ranch, but James Cannon was known mostly for organizing the Northern Coal and Coke Company. He died Saturday the 6th of March 1909.
George B. Cannon at first owned interest in one of Lafayette's first mines. He sold his interest in it to build a greenhouse in 1893. He enlarged his greenhouse in 1895 and named it Cannon Floral and Seed Company. Cannon Street in Lafayette was named after George B. Cannon by Mary E. Miller.
This article, by historian Beverly Mason Carlson, appeared in the Nov. 11, 1971 Lafayette Leader.
(Lafayette History editor's note: This "Reprints" blog posting is content that appeared in a publication that is no longer in print or is no longer copyrighted. Very little effort was made by the blog editor to correct misspellings or errors in fact. Please be aware that reposted items in the "Reprints" category of this blog may contain significant factual errors. An example of a factual error is the timing of the first coal mine in Lafayette. A Lafayette Leader article from October 8, 1926 states that the Simpson was the first coal mine sunk "in the Lafayette district." If you wish to cite "Reprints" content and need help sorting out what's fact and what isn't, please feel free to contact the Lafayette History editor.)


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LMS Consulting Services by Belitsoft
The goal of LMS business consulting is to help you improve your learning experience and reduce training costs. A Learning Management System consultant from our professional software development company, which also specializes in learning experience platforms, will guide you through the process of choosing the right LMS and its effective deployment to meet your business goals.
We'll find the best LMS to migrate from your current platform. It can be either a custom LMS or a ready-to-use customizable LMS, depending on your needs.
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Our experienced LMS business consulting team will start from defining target learning KPIs to build the further process of business case development around these targets. We'll help you see what functionality you need to ensure the best learning experience for your employees or customers and get the maximum revenue to your bottom line.
The Learning Management System consultant will suggest the best LMS with a feature set and deployment model (cloud or on-premises) that will allow you to save training time, budget and resources. We'll help you reduce training costs on learning materials and dedicated staff without sacrificing the learning quality.
Belitsoft LMS Expertise in Numbers
Why Belitsoft?
Our eLearning team delivers great service. This is proven by multiple positive reviews from clients, 90% customer retention rate, and 4,9/5 rating on Clutch (thу leading rating platform for IT and business services).
We have 70+ specialists with expertise in the eLearning domain. Hire our Learning Management System consultant as a separate service or as part of a full-scaled LMS development service.
We build a clear and effective communication with clients using the Agile approach. Regardless of your country, we'll adjust our working day to share at least 5 hours with you. We regularly report and arrange meetings to give you timely updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
- choosing the best suitable LMS for you based on individual needs, goals and requirements;
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From Halifax Police:
The return of cold weather means snow shovelling season is upon us. At
this time, the HRM asks for cooperation from property owners in the
former City of Halifax to make the winter season less challenging for
individuals who depend upon clear sidewalks for safe transit.
In the former City of Halifax, the Municipality is responsible for
sidewalk clearing service to District 10 Clayton Park West, District 15
Fairview-Clayton Park, and District 16 Rockingham-Wentworth.
Additionally, all sidewalks on major arterial highways and bus stops
will be cleared by the HRM.
In areas where sidewalk snow and ice clearing is not provided by the
Municipality, primarily Peninsular Halifax, Armdale, Purcell's Cove
and Spryfield, HRM By-Law S-300 requires property owners to clear any
sidewalks abutting their property within 12 hours after the end of any
snow fall, or 6 hours after daylight if the snow has stopped falling
during the night. To enable safe pedestrian transit, sidewalks must be
cleared to the bare pavement for a minium width of 3 feet.
Property owners in violation of Part One of By-Law S-300 will receive a
notice advising them that their sidewalk must be cleared within 24
hours. Failure to comply with the notice will result in the HRM removing
the snow and ice at the owners expense and may result in the property
owner receiving a fine of $225.21 or greater.
To register a sidewalk snow and ice removal complaint, or to find out
who is responsible for clearing the sidewalks in your area, please call
the HRM Corporate Call Center at 490-4000.


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Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: March 30, 1985 (taped 03/22)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Bill Mercer
Who are these guys called the "Dynamic Duo"? And how will the Von Erichs fare against them? Also, a familiar face returns to WCCW to face Oliver. Will he succeed? And who will join me for this dark and confusing episode?
Batman, if I were discussing Ross and Marshall Von Erich, your presence might be appropriate; however, in 1985, Ben Affleck was 12 years old when this episode is distributed in syndication. Therefore, I must not only wish you good luck with your film next year but also bid you adieu.
Opening montage.
Match 1: Kelly Kiniski versus Mike Reed
- When Mercer plugged WFTS-TV channel 28 in Tampa/St. Pete, Kiniski treated Reed like a bad habit.
- Kiniski then suplexed Reed for 1.
- As he rang Reed's bell, Kiniski clotheslined him for 2.
- He then supplied Reed with a swinging neckbreaker followed by a flying knee drop for another 2.
- After he booted Reed in the midsection, Kiniski delivered a backbreaker.
- 1-2-3.
- Kiniski won in 6:36.
Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for Kiniski who had some fans amongst the Dallas faithful despite his heelish ways.
A video featuring Kevin offering support to a children's hospital was removed by the WWE Network.
Match 2: "Iceman" King Parsons versus the "Crippler" Rip Oliver (w/ Jim Cornette)
- Parsons received a heartfelt reaction from the Dallas faithful as he returned to WCCW after spending time in Mid-South.
- As Parsons provided him with an atomic drop, he insulted both Cornette and Oliver on the microphone.
- Parsons then hip-tossed Oliver while Mercer hyped "Dr. Death" Steve Williams' imminent debut in WCCW.
- When the Dallas faithful LOUDLY chanted "Jim's a wimp," Oliver landed a flying back elbow.
- Parsons rebounded with a knee lift and a head butt for 2.
- With two minutes remaining in the match, he backdropped Oliver.
- Cornette distracted Parsons so Oliver hammered Parsons from behind.
- After Parsons delivered a shot to the midsection, fifteen seconds remained.
- Parsons slammed Oliver but only got 2.
- While Parsons hit a butt butt, the bell rang.
- Referee David Manning ruled the bout a time-limit draw at 12:26.
Rating: *
Summary: This was more of a charisma showcase as Parsons wowed the Dallas faithful while Cornette pissed them off.
At ringside, Mercer interviews Sunshine who informs us that her charge Hercules Hernandez will face Oliver next week.
Next, Mercer interviews the Fantastics who have their eyes on the Midnight Express and the American tag team titles at Texas Stadium on 5/5.
Match 3 (Texas tornado): Kevin & Kerry Von Erich versus "Gentleman" Chris Adams & the "Handsome Half-Breed" Gino Hernandez
- For those unaware, a Texas tornado is a match where all the combatants are in the ring simultaneously.
- Holy gimmick infringement, Batman! Ring announcer Marc Lowrance made the first reference to Adams and Hernandez as the "Dynamic Duo."
- A discus punch by Kerry sent Adams over the top rope to the floor.
- When the Von Erichs double-dropkicked him, Hernandez rebounded by sending Kerry down to the floor.
- The Dynamic Duo then double-slammed Kevin from the second turnbuckle down to the mat.
- As Adams applied a sleeper on Kerry, Kevin made the save.
- Adams then attempted an enziguri but came up empty.
- After Hernandez charged Kevin in the corner, he also came up empty.
- Kevin then mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a flying elbow smash to Hernandez.
- While Adams slammed Kerry on the floor, Kevin applied an Iron claw to Hernandez's midsection.
- Adams then attempted to murder Kerry with the ring steps, but referee David Manning stopped him.
- When they returned to the ring, Kerry applied his own abdominal Iron claw to Adams.
- Hernandez broke up both efforts, but the Von Erichs applied Iron claws to the heads of the Dynamic Duo.
- As Hernandez sent Kerry between the ropes and inadvertently crushed a ringside cameraman, Kevin slammed Adams atop Lowrance's table.
- Kerry then hooked an O'Connor roll on Hernandez but only got 1.
- After Kevin applied a sleeper to Hernandez, Adams suplexed Kerry for 2.
- Hernandez then locked a sleeper on Kerry, and Kevin secured an Iron claw upon Adams' head.
- While Mercer plugged the upcoming NWA World title match between Kevin and Flair on 5/5, Kerry gripped Hernandez's head with an Iron claw.
- Adams then sent Kevin over the top rope, but Kevin skinned the cat and delivered a victory roll on him.
- Manning was occupied with Hernandez who broke up the pin by CROWNING Kevin with the Texas title belt.
- As a result, Manning disqualified the Dynamic Duo; thus, the Von Erichs won at 7:43.
Rating: **½
Summary: Wild match although some team chemistry on both sides would have added more to it.
After the match, the Dynamic Duo whip the Von Erichs with their respective belts until Manning shoos them from the ring.
Conclusion: Although Hulk Hogan and Mr. T were making wrestling history during the weekend this episode aired, the Von Erichs have found both a viable and marketable pair of rivals that should help to propel the promotion through 1985. Care to add something else, Batman?
Well, Jack, as long as you teach your kids to watch WCCW, then I'll forgive your indiscretion as a gear jammer.
Next week, Brian Adias teams with Kerry against "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton & Kelly Kiniski.
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 04-06-85!
Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202). Also, please check out all of my reflections at rockstargary.com including Herb Abrams' UWF!


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An interview with Rashid Arshad, the calligraphic artist and former principal of Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, Karachi. Seher Naveed: Y
An interview with Rashid Arshad, the calligraphic artist and former principal of Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, Karachi.
Seher Naveed: Your work lies in the genre of calligraphy art. How does the history of modern art inform your work?
Rashid Arshad: With innumerable styles and sub styles, the range of Islamic Calligraphy is very vast, spread over a large geographical territory from south India to the very end of West Africa and Spain; Islamic Calligraphy, which is the source of my inspiration,has all the components of a modern painting. Kufic, the oldest style is the best example of minimalism and abstraction. Shikasta, which developed in 18th century in Iran and practiced in the subcontinent as well, appears like a modern painting. To assume that my art is regional or Islamic alone is not correct. It is based on written word. It is the 'word' which sets apart man from other creatures. The entire history of mankind owes its progress to the written word.
Let me also recall that artist of all ages have expressed themselves through writing. The cuneiforms of the Sumerians, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Chinese writings and Islamic Calligraphy are the best examples. Contemporary western, middle-eastern and Asian artists are also using writing as a theme in their art. The essence of my art is not Arabic letters but form, texture and color which is universal and central to all genre of art.
SN: When and how did you start making calligraphy paintings? For instance was calligraphy always of interest to you? Or was it a chance occurrence?
RA: To put it simply, it was a chance occurrence. But that will not tell the whole truth. I was made to write on Takhti as soon as I was able to hold a reed pen between my fingers and place Takhti on my lap. Takhti was my laptop in early age. Then there was exposure to Arabic and Urdu literature including old manuscripts. Therefore all of this was in my subconscious and waiting to find its way out. It happened, when out of frustration, I wrote some words on a still life painting that I was not pleased with. From that moment on, I only used writing as a subject of my painting. That was in 1969 or so.
SN: What would you consider more important in your paintings — the use of text or application of paint? Also how do you choose the text/alphabet employed in your paintings?
RA: Both. You cannot do one without the other. It is the medium that helps fashion art. Yet medium without subject is just chemistry.
SN: How do you start a painting? What is the process?
RA: You are beginning to invade the privacy of an artist. But this is a secret I do not mind sharing with others. I start with a blank canvas. Does not every one? But here is the difference. The surface you paint on, be it a canvas or paper, is as important as what you paint or write on it. By this I mean the respect and sanctity of the surface. A blank canvas or paper is just as beautiful as the masterpiece painted on it. Hence the art of papermaking and weaving. Although some of my canvases are very complex yet in order to respect the surface I leave vast area which iseither blank or not overworked. You may call it an attempt to reveal the surface. Like most artists I paintin layers,starting withscribbling letters or unreadable words. Often a painting develops as conceived but since I am not painting a portrait, the changes take place progressively. I review my work several times at different stages of development, adding texture here and there. What you have at the end is painting where most important elements are color, lines and texture. The process of painting is similar to cooking. You know the recipe and at what stage to add this or thatingredient or a spice. If you have ever cooked you would know what it means.
SN: Does architecture or ideas of spaces have any influence in your work?
RA: You can bet on it. It is all game of space. A word or even a letter of any language is shaped on the concept of architectural space, and each letter of any language is a work of art by itself. Space has several meanings and applications and the concept is not exclusive to visual arts but it encompasses all form of art including music and literature. Space in a work of art could be accidental and spontaneous or deliberate. In music it is the variation of notes including the pause, which in my opinions is the loudest and most effective note. Compositions of Khurshid Anwar can be cited as an example. In literature it is ups and down of narration and the moods a writer creates. But let's stick with its usage in two dimensional arts where you have aerial or atmospheric space that is created by color and tones. Then you have space in the picture plane. Since my paintings are basically flat, I only deal with space in the picture plane. I enjoy maintaining relationship between used and unused spaces. By unused I mean not over worked. It is the unused space that really gives importance to and enhances used space. The effort on my part is deliberate but it appears intuitive and natural. It should.
SN: You were principal of the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, Karachi, in the 70's. Since it was the only art institution in Karachi at the time – How was your experience? It would be great if you could describe the energy in the space and other artists you worked with?
RA: My, my! Those were the days. It requires a separate article to answer this question. First,Central Institute was not the only Institute of art in Karachi. There was Karachi School of Art and one or two atelier type schools. Central Institute was perhaps the most influential that produced artists who dominate the art and cultural scene of Karachi and Pakistan. Some of them gained international recognition in their respective area of specialization. Imran Mir, Noorjehan Bilgrami, Nahid Raza, Rumana Hussain, Niilofur Farrukh, Shakeel Siddiqui, Samina Mansuri and Akram Spaul come to mind. My contemporaries were, Shakir Ali (also my teacher) Zubaida Agha, Ali Imam, Sadequain, Ahmed Parvez, Zahoorul Akhlaq, Bashir Mirza, Jameel Naqsh and others. I have also met Abdul Rahman Chughtai and we exchanged a few letters. I have many fond memories of them. Although all of them are big names yet those were the formative years for art in Pakistan. Living on art alone was not heard of. Since it is a question of historical nature as well, I leave a detailed answer for some other occasion. Briefly, they were the pioneers who set the standards and paved the ground for coming generations.
SN: What are your views on current art practices in Pakistan?
RA: Historically speaking, and given the relative socio-political situation, all stages of development of Art in Pakistan are very important. But the new crop of artists is altogether a different breed. They are more informed about their surroundings and intellectually better equipped to solve the problems in hand. Undoubtedly, the group of Miniature artist have dominated not only the national scene but made their mark in the international market as well; which was unimaginable in our time. Even those artists, who did not make to international auction houses and world's most famous collections, have demonstrated exceptional creative energies. National College of Arts is undoubtedly played a leading role in this direction. Indus Valley School has also done well given its short history. Let me add here that the pioneers have their own place in the history and therefore the artists of the old guards will also be considered very important.
SN: You have written two books consisting of playful and witty short stories. Is there a relation between your writings and paintings?
RA: Make it three. My third book which is titled "Teesri Kitaab was recently published in Indiabecause I could not make a trip to Pakistan and also because no Pakistani publisher would respond to my letters. It is good that you have asked about the relationship between my paintings and writings. Apparently none, because my paintings are not witty. But the creative process that is involved in painting has helped me in composing my thoughts in words and phrases. If the content is different, there are similarities in form. The practice of choosing the right color and manipulating other elements in a painting guided me to be selective in words and phrases that fit a situation I am creating. The critics have particularly mentioned this trait in myessays. For example the Dawn critic wrote:
"The book contains a large number of sayings or proverbs beautifully woven into the narrative. I doubt it if any single book ever possessed so many of these. It is simply a relish to find each of them expressed appropriately. The narration is full of puns and pauses. A series of thoughts is born out of a single thought. The change from one mould to another comes like an easy breath."
Within the context, you could say the same about my paintings as did Quddus Mirza:
"While the writer managed language in his books, the painter manipulated words for pictorial purposes."
SN: What do you have to say about the expanded field of painting- whereby artists are deploying various other methods to paint or make art works? Would you consider continuing calligraphy via another medium?
RA: There is nothing new as far as non-traditional methods used in a painting. Back in the sixties, or perhaps earlier, the barrier between a two dimensional and three dimensional arts was broken. Painting was done on sculpture and three dimensional paintings were created. There will be no progress in any field if you do not explore new avenues. I have used calligraphy in printmaking and in ceramics as well. I have also done many digital collages using calligraphy. I will continue to find new way to express myself.♦
Seher Naveed is a Fine Arts senior lecturer at the Indus Valley School of Art and has shown in local and international group exhibitions.
– See more at: http://www.artnowpakistan.com/articles.php?article=Interview-with-Rashid-Arshad#sthash.BYN6vvv5.dpuf


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A recently developed line-of-sight (LOS) vector adjustment model is an effective geopositioning method for pushbroom images. A requirement for this method is that a predicted orbit be close to a true orbit. Although the method has proven very effective for SPOT 5, which has an accurate orbital control system, it was an open question whether or not the method could be effective for a satellite system with poor orbital accuracy. In this paper, a distortion error is defined and formulated as a common criterion for testing orbital requirements of a pushbroom system from the perspective of the LOS vector adjustment model. Using the distortion error, it is shown that a satellite system, even with poor locational accuracy comparable to SPOT 3-4, meets the orbital requirements as long as the maximum topographic height in the landscape is less than 4 km against the height level of the control points. A test was performed using three SPOT images and only five ground control points (GCPs). Results indicated that the root mean squared errors (RMSEs) of horizontal residual errors calculated from 30 check points were less than 10 m. The achieved accuracy of three-dimensional object-point determination was 6 m in the X-dimension and 7 m in both Y- and Z-dimensions. The conclusion can be drawn that the orbital requirements of this method can accommodate most space-borne systems, and therefore the LOS vector adjustment model is effective for SPOT and comparable pushbroom imagery.
|Original language
|Pages (from-to)
|Number of pages
|ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
|Issue number
|Publication status
|Published - 2008 Nov
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Engineering (miscellaneous)
- Computer Science Applications
- Computers in Earth Sciences