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Monday, June 16, 2008
Album Review: "Dangerous" by Michael Jackson
I've been in a Michael Jackson mood recently. It's kind of a sudden thing; while I've had Off the Wall and Thriller for a while now and thoroughly enjoy both of them, I've never been compelled to venture into MJ's post-Bad releases, not to mention that his status as my 80's pop icon of choice has been usurped soundly by Prince (I mean, come on, you can't blame me). But upon a chance listening of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Black or White" off my sister's iPod (which I steal from her from time to time during car rides, mostly to hear the sweet sounds of my youth that are direly missing from my own music collection), I thought to myself, "Hey, these songs are still really good! And neither are from Off the Wall or even Thriller! What have I been missing out on??"
That's what led me to Dangerous. As a kid, it was the first Michael Jackson album that had hits I was old enough to remember, most notably the aforementioned "Black or White" and the classic "Will You Be There" which pretty much any kid my age would recognize as the theme to "Free Willy" (a song that, honestly, I had no idea was on this album until right before hearing it - what a pleasant surprise!). It was also MJ's first album of the 90's (coming out in late '91), and it seems that Mike wanted to make a more modern-sounding album by replacing Quincy Jones - the producer who had helped hone the sound of Jackson's 80's megahits - with Terry Riley, who'd practically single-handedly invented the New Jack Swing genre by this point. As such, Dangerous sounds like an endearing - if not somewhat dated - encapsulation of pre-grunge 90's pop, full of layered beats, beatboxing, guest rappers, and synth horns, not to mention Jackson's fervent vocal delivery that was (and still is) one of pop music's most iconic voices. Yeah, it might sound a little silly nowadays - especially to a generation of kids who weren't even alive when Nevermind came out - but as someone who grew up with the music, I can't help but be charmed by it.
But despite Dangerous being something of a 90's artifact, Jackson's songs remain compelling - while the complex New Jack beats give MJ more room to breathe creatively, they're more of a superficial innovation than anything. What really drives most of the songs on Dangerous is Jackson's ever-increasing paranoia, littering the album with some of the darkest songs he'd ever released. While songs like "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and "Billie Jean" off Thriller and "Leave Me Alone" from the Bad sessions proved that MJ was adept at transforming his own lingering fears into excessively popular dance hits, Dangerous really goes off the deep end, with songs like "Jam," "Why You Wanna Trip On Me" and "Who Is It" featuring pained, frustrated vocals and lyrics rallying against not just the public's opinion of Jackson, but his family, friends, and even himself. "Jam," for instance, contains lyrics like "I told my brothers / don't you ask me for no favors / I'm conditioned by the system / don't you talk to me / don't scream and shout" (the mention of "brothers" could refer to the other Jackson brothers, but who the hell knows) and "I have to find my peace / 'cause no one seems to let me be / false prophets cry of doom," all sung in a fast, anxious vocal delivery that sounds about as tough as Jackson can muster. "Jam"'s paranoia seeps into other key tracks: "Why You Wanna Trip On Me," in which Jackson questions why the press would target his personal life instead of global problems like world hunger and disease, and especially "Who Is It," maybe the most paranoid song on the album. In the latter Jackson rants about a woman who left him for someone else, wondering "Who is it? / Is it a friend of mine? / Who is it? / is it my brother?" And he sings it so desperately, it sounds personal.
So yeah, I dig the darker songs on Dangerous. Hell, I'd even wager that MJ does sound genuinely "dangerous" on this record, but maybe not in the way he intended; where the title seems to imply (like Bad) that Jackson is some kind of hip-hoppin' street tough, to me it seems that he's more of a danger to himself and to the people he cares about, frightened and angry and hard to control. When that personality comes through in his music, it often comes across in a compelling - and thoroughly disturbing - way, as in the bizarre sex anthem "Give In To Me" or the desperate "Can't Let Her Get Away." But it's because those bizzaro-dance anthems are so interesting that the nicer, slower ballads on the album come across as staid and almost nonsensical. "Heal The World," for example, is basically "The Girl is Mine" with that track's cutesy charm replaced with a cliched social message that is way too damned vague; in between "Can't Let Her Get Away" and the great "Black Or White," it sounds downright anomalous. "Gone Too Soon" is soft rock at its absolute softest, and despite being a pleasant enough ballad it's just way too much. And as much as I enjoy "Will You Be There," it's a bit over-the-top even for Jackson, with an extended intro and a slightly embarrassing spoken-word prayer thing from MJ at the end. After the first six tracks or so, Dangerous becomes surprisingly inconsistent.
But hell, screw consistency. Yeah, the first six tracks mesh pretty well, but I don't care for "In The Closet" and some of the other Riley-heavy tracks can sound too samey. My favorites here are the two peppiest songs on the album: "Black or White" is a fantastic pop hit that completely deserved its #1 spot, with a wonderfully fun melody and a social message that isn't too heavy handed (with the exception of that super-lame rap in the middle of the bridge). Then there's "Keep The Faith," a soulful little gem that for some reason was never released as a single (and there were NINE fuckin' singles from this album - come on, isn't this song better than "In The Closet"??). These two songs, plus most of the first half of the album, make Dangerous worthwhile for me.
Y'know, there's no point in me denying Michael Jackson. Yes, he doesn't have the consistency nor the artistic cred that Prince has, but man, when he was big, he was bigger than anybody. I feel a comparison to Elvis is apt (I'm not saying MJ is better or equal to Elvis, it's just for comparison): like Elvis, Michael Jackson wasn't necessarily an absolutely stellar recording artist and was ultimately brought down by his bizarre personal life, but he honestly had the ability to touch the world at his peak (make all the jokes about that statement as you like), something Prince could never ever do. And most of the time, he had the music to back it up. I don't think I'm going to listen to Dangerous as much as Thriller or Off The Wall - barring its inconsistencies, it's a behemoth in terms of length, with overlong songs that push the album's running time at over 70 minutes - but it's a pretty solid pop album either way. I'll put it on when it need a good jam to clear out my head. Or for a 90's nostalgia party.
P.S.: For an even more perfect encapsulation of early 90's pop culture, check out the video for "Black or White." Macaulay Culkin, George Wendt, and tigers, oh my.
written by Sean Rose Labels: album review, michael jackson, music
1 comment:
"but he honestly had the ability to touch the world at his peak (make all the jokes about that statement as you like), something Prince could never ever do. And most of the time, he had the music to back it up."
I'm a little late to the party, but yeah, I think that's what separated MJ from most other artists/musicians. He did have good intentions, and was tapping into social issues and the public consciousness songs like "Black or White" and "They Don't Care About Us" on a global scale. You have to wonder what he could have accomplished had he not been hampered by so many issues. Then again, it's probably nearly impossible to reach that peerless plateau and not be majorly affected in some way.
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we're supporting the community...in the most spooktacular way!
Also in Journal
So Much More Than Just a Wine Decanter...But we'll start there.
For the Love of Boro
Who's on your gift list this holiday season?
For the holidays, you want to find the perfect gifts for those on your list. However, there are always some names on that list that are challenging to find that "special something" for. The holiday clock is ticking, so here are some of our favourite things that we are gifting to some lucky folks on our gift lists. We betcha one or more of these could end your angst. So sit back, relax and enjoy the season without all the stress!

subset: commoncrawl


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Crown Asbestos Removal & Encapsulation Ltd established in 1989 as a Licenced Asbestos Removal Contractor has been heavily involved in providing all aspects of asbestos services within Commercial, Domestic and Public Sectors.
We work for Local Education Authorities and Housing Associations in conjunction with facilities management providers and construction companies carrying specialist removal projects in many schools, churches. public buildings and domestic dwellings.
We are a 'hands on' managed company working throughout the North West, Merseyside, North Wales, Cheshire and surrounding areas.
We operate from a large depot base in Merseyside with an extensive range of equipment and supplies to support any of our projects.
We are contactable 24hours – 7days a week and will provide free quotations and knowledgeable advice.
Experienced. Professional. Reliable. We're here for you no matter the size of your project...
Crown Asbestos Removal & Encapsulation Ltd has many years of experience in all types of asbestos and associated services.


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2019, January 21th - 27th: Audio for Video recording of G.F. Händel's "Xerxes" at Deutsche Oper am Rhein with OTB Medien - with Valer Sabadus, Terry Wey, Katarina Bradic etc. - Konrad Junghänel, Neue Düsseldorfer Hofmusik
2019, March 24th - 31th: Audio for Video recording of Zemlinski's "Der Zwerg" with OTB Medien at Deutsche Oper Berlin for Naxos Audiovisual.
2019, July 21st - 31st: Sound Design and PA at Arena Pula (HR) for "Carmen", "Aida" and Beethoven IXth Symphony.
2019, August 19th - 26th: Audio CD recording of "La Dori" at Innsbruck Weeks Of Early Music for CPO with Francesca Ascioti, Emőke Baráth, Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli, Bradley Smith, Rupert Enticknap, Pietro Di Bianco, Federico Sacchi, Rocco Cavalluzzi, Alberto Allegrezza, Konstantin Derri and Academia Bizantina conducted by Ottavio Dantone.


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Man With Knife Shuts Down Brisbane Tunnel
More to come
A man brandishing a knife at one of Brisbane's busiest tunnels has disrupted peak-hour traffic as police negotiators try to talk him down.
Officers were called to the entrance of the Clem Jones Tunnel at Shafston Avenue just before 7am on Thursday after a man climbed onto a structure at the northbound entrance.
The entrance and exit to the tunnel at Shafston Avenue has since been closed.
Negotiators are talking to the man and traffic is being redirected.
Catch up on today's headlines and download the Hit app here: iOS | Android


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Due to recent changes of regulations and standards, energy storage is expected to become an increasingly interesting addition for photovoltaic installations, especially for systems below 30kW. A variety of circuit topologies can be used for the battery charger stage.
By Dr. Vladimir Scarpa, Pablo Cortes Lopez, Infineon Technologies AG
These will require a different amount of semiconductors, voltage classes of the power devices, and in some cases the use of a transformer. Among the decisive factors for the circuit topology are the battery's electrical parameters and the required isolation between the battery bank and the inverter.
This article describes possible circuit configurations and presents the best matching power semiconductor devices in both, discrete and module forms, in order to achieve highly efficient and compact systems. In addition, it also discusses the battery technologies expected to be implemented in such storage systems, presenting their main advantages and drawbacks.
Several countries in the world have adopted photovoltaic energy in their electrical generation matrix recently. This fact has been boosted majorly by the price decrease of the main components of a photovoltaic (PV) system, namely the photovoltaic modules and the PV inverter, combined with governmental programs. Good examples in Europe are Germany and Italy, where the implementation of new photovoltaic plants has been subsidized. Financing was done with the main intention of boosting non-polluting, renewable energy. A growing number of decentralized energy sources were an additional consequence.
Figure 1 illustrates the current situation in Germany with about 30GW of photovoltaic power installed.
The figure presents the contribution of each energy source to the total grid power in a day of high solar irradiation and moderate temperatures. This represents the optimal conditions for photovoltaic cells. It can be observed how the installed PV plants cause an energy generation peak around midday. In order to avoid disturbances within the grid, the energy demand has to follow the same profile. Alternatively, the remaining energy sources have to reduce their production accordingly, returning to their normal values in the evening, when the PV production usually is decreased.
With the increase of PV systems and the majority of them connected to the mains, a natural consequence is the influence of solar irradiation on the amount of energy injected to the grid. This requires additional considerations within the grid management to avoid fluctuation of electrical parameters such as frequency and voltage. Those variations can be considered to occur over a year, from season to season, between day and night and even during the same day in case of cloudy weather.
Energy Storage Implementation
A typical photovoltaic system is composed of photovoltaic modules connected in series and/or parallel and a DC/AC inverter to properly convert the DC voltage to an AC grid level. In order to store the energy coming from the PV modules, a charge controller stage must be added to the system. This stage is responsible for the correct charging of the battery bank, as well as for recovering the stored energy back into the DC link.
Non-Isolated Charge Controllers
A simple way to implement an energy storage system for photovoltaic plants is depicted in Figure 2.
The single-phase photovoltaic inverter is composed of a booster stage followed by a full-bridge inverter. Tied to the DC link, there is a charger stage, composed of two switches, two diodes and a filter inductor connected to the battery bank.
The voltage level of the DC link is kept constant by the booster stage and is expected to be higher than the voltage of the battery bank. Common DC link values for single phase systems are between 360V and 480V, while the voltage of the battery bank composed of several series-connected batteries is typically between 150V to 250V. Therefore, the controller stage will work as a step-down converter when charging the battery bank and as a step-up converter when transferring the energy from the batteries back into the DC link.
As main advantages of the configuration in Figure 2, a low amount of semiconductors is required and a high efficiency is achieved in both, charging and discharging paths. Figure 3 presents calculated efficiency values as a function of the charging current using a 50A 650V IGBT device from the TRENCHSTOP™ 5 family [3].
A DC link voltage of 400V and a battery voltage of 150V have been assumed. As it can be seen, efficiency levels close to 98% during the battery charge at switching frequency of 20kHz are possible. At 40kHz, an efficiency of almost 97% is achievable. For the complete charge and discharge cycle, the resulting efficiency is obtained by multiplying charge and discharge efficiency. This results in a total efficiency of 96% at 20kHz and 94% at 40kHz, not considering the batteries' resistive losses.
In case of three-phase systems, due to the fact that the DC link voltage can exceed 800V, power switches with blocking voltage of 1200V are required. The power module FF45R12W1J1_B11 [4] contains a half bridge based on CoolSiCTM JFET technology, which can be used in a step-up/down topology allowing for bidirectional energy transfer. Additionally, this module permits adding value to the power design by using the SiC JFET channel during the freewheeling period. This enhancement can be achieved thanks to the bidirectional conduction capability of the SiC JFET.
Based on measurements, Figure 4 illustrates the predicted efficiency for a simulated 5kW three-phase storage inverter.
It can be observed, that the efficiency achieved using the power module FF45R12W1J1_B11 is slightly higher than the one achieved using CoolSiC JFET combined with a thinQ!TM SiC Schottky diode. Semiconductor losses are reduced by about 10%. In both cases, the efficiency for a 40kHz switching frequency and 650V DC link voltage exceeds 99% for almost all points of operation.
Non-isolated topologies provide no galvanic isolation between the battery bank, the photovoltaic modules and the grid. For this reason, an extra circuitry is recommended in order to protect the battery bank from any overvoltage coming from the grid, for instance from lightning. This can be implemented for example by fuses connected to the positive and/or negative terminal of the battery bank, fast enough to disconnect it from the system. In addition, given the typical DC link voltage in both single- and threephase systems, the non-isolated charge controllers require high-voltage batteries of 150V to 400V. The use of low voltage batteries would be technically feasible but the suboptimal modulation factor of the switches results in much lower system efficiency.
Isolated Charge Controllers
In order to overcome the drawbacks of the non-isolated charge controllers, a converter with a transformer providing an intrinsic galvanic isolation between the batteries and the other stages can be used. Moreover, by setting a suitable transformer ratio, it is possible to use low voltage batteries in the range of 12V to 96V.
Due to the high amount of semiconductors and the magnetic components, the isolated solution is expected to be more expensive and less efficient than the non-isolated charge controller. However, by using the latest IGBT technologies in association with soft-switching techniques, it is possible to reduce the semiconductor losses and thus obtain efficiency levels exceeding 95%.
The left part of Fig. 5 features the basic schematic of a zero voltage switching (ZVS) converter, where the two legs are driven using the phase-shift modulation technique.
A similar converter is described in [5], including details of the modulation strategy.
The efficiency curve of a ZVS phase-shift converter is depicted on the right side of Figure 5. The use of additional output capacitors on the low-side IGBTs enables up to 0.8% efficiency increase of the converter. The reason for this is the fact, that the capacitors enable a faster extraction of the minority carriers inside the device during turn-off. This will shorten the tail current time of the IGBT, thus reducing the turn-off losses. Using this ZVS topology, the energy stored in the capacitors is not dissipated but returns to the circuit before the turn-on of the switches [6].
Battery Technologies
Various battery technologies have been used in electrical systems as storage components. They differ from each other in terms of chemical and electrical properties. Table 1 summarizes the main electrical properties of two battery technologies, namely lead-acid and lithium-ion (Li-Ion).
Due to technical and economic reasons, these are the main technologies which are expected to be used as storage elements in PV systems.
From the parameters energy/price and charge stability, it is possible to observe a clear trade-off between cost and lifetime of the batteries. Li-Ion batteries are supposed to be three times more expensive than lead-acid batteries with a comparable capacity. On the other hand, Li-Ion batteries can achieve up to 20 years of operation, in contrast to only five years expected for the lead-acid types. An alternative to increase the lifetime of lead-acid batteries is to oversize the storage capacity of the system. This would avoid a deep discharge of the batteries, however it would increase the cost of the overall installation.
In energy storage systems already commercially available, the choice for battery technology has developed towards Li-Ion [6][8]. Main factor for this decision is the longer lifetime offered by these batteries. Short battery lifetime in solar systems would lead to several substitutions of the batteries during the operation lifetime, thus increasing the cost of ownership. Additionally, in some countries the minimum battery lifetime is a requirement to apply for governmental subsidies. This is currently the case in Germany, where a minimum manufacturer warranty of seven years is demanded [9].
In order to achieve attractive battery lifetimes, a full battery discharge ought to be avoided, regardless of the battery technology in use. Depth of Discharge (DoD), normally given by battery manufacturers, sets how deeply the battery shall be discharged in order to warrant a given number of charging cycles. DoD for lithium Li-Ion batteries is usually 70-80% whereas for lead-acid only 50% are recommended [10].
[1 Quaschnig V. et al, "Ursachen des 52-GW-Deckels und Folgen für die Anlagenentwicklung von Photovoltaiksystemen", Bad Staffelstein 2013.
[2] Brennig V. et al, "Dezentrales Speicherprogramm Markt- und Netzintegration der Photovoltaik", Bad Staffelstein 2013.
[3] Infineon Technologies, 650 V TRENCHSTOPTM 5 IGBT http:// www.infineon.com/igbt
[4] http://www.infineon.com/SiC
[5] Di Domenico, F., Mente, R., "ZVS Phase Shift Full Bridge CFD2 Optimized Design", Application Note. http://www.infineon.com/cfd2
[6] US 20030094857 A1, Deboy et al, "Circuit configuration for offload switching, switch mode power supply, clocked supply, voltage regulator, lamp switch, and methods for operating the circuit configuration".
[7] Battery Types and Characteristics for HEV Thermo Analytics, Inc., 2007. Retrieved June 11th, 2010.
[8] Nedap Power Router website, visited on July 27th 2014 http://powerrouter.com/
[9] M. Fuchs, "Storage to the fullest ", article at PV Magazine, edition of 08/2013
[10] Leipziger Institut für Energie GmbH "Berechnung der Speicherkosten und Darstellung Berechnung der Speicherkosten und Darstellung der Wirtschaftlichkeit ausgewählter Batterie-Speichersysteme"


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On the 13th of October, NetRefer will be hosting Malta Innovation Summit at The Westin Dragonara, St. Julians.
"Malta's first conference specifically targeted towards nurturing innovation. A gathering for executives, educators, professionals, leaders, innovators, and CEOs who are constantly pushing innovation within their organisations."
Attendees will be able to participate in a full day of keynotes, presentations, workshops and more throughout the whole day. The aim of the summit is to speed up the innovation movement in Malta & globally by gathering loads of people who share the same vision.


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Introduction: Photograpy Light Stand - Cheap, Easy and Handy
A useful piece of studio equipment to hold lighting units or reflectors and reposition them easily.
Step 1: Putting It All Together.
Super cheap photography light stand. If you have a few items in you garage you might not spend any money for this stand.
What you need is:
1 set of 5 leg computer chair casters. One of those that are just press fit on the seat post. If they are plastic it will be much easier. If you do some dumpster diving in an office park you might be able to get a set or two for free.
5 2" deck screws. (Bolts if you use metal legs.)
A 12" diameter circle of 3/4" plywood. You could use a 12 x 12 square of precut plywood available you know where.
A length of galvanized pipe the length you want you light stand standard to be. I used 1" pipe because that's what I had leaning over in the corner. 3/4" or even 1/2" pipe would work just fine unless you have really heavy lights.
A floor flange that fits the pipe you chose.
4 wood screws that fit the floor flange and are about 1 1/2" long.
Some tools that would help:
Electric drill with wood drill to drill for the screws and a Phillips head bit to install the screws. Metal bit if you are using metal legs.
Phillips screwdriver for adjustment.
Marking tool (pencil)
Level (optional)
What you need to do is find the center of your plywood "shelf".
Align the shelf over the leg set.
Measure and mark 5 places where the 2" screws will connect with the 5 legs.
Drill pilot holes in the plywood only.
Insert the first screw and drive it through the plywood until it touches the plastic leg.
Check that it is hitting the leg close to the center and use the drill with the screwdriver bit to "self-start" the screw in the leg. Stop just before it gets tight and pulls down on the plywood. Now install all 4 other screws in a similar manner.
Place the floor flange in the center of the plywood and mark for the holes. You can drill pilot holes or it you're feeling luck you can "self-start" the wood screws.
Screw the pipe standard into the floor flange to hand tight.
Check that the standard is close to perpendicular to the floor. If it's not then use screws (bolts) in the plywood to align the pipe but loosening and tightening them.
Now you have a great moveable light stand for you studio. You can put extra weight on the shelf if you have heavy lights. Most of the bases are very wide and strong so the will be very sturdy and secure.
Now get in there and take some pictures.
Step 2: Center and Mark You Base.
Mark for pilot holes about 1" off edge. Drill the holes a little larger than the diameter of the deck screws. The head of the screw should not slip through the plywood.
Step 3: Center the Base and Drive the Screws.
If you have a power screwdriver this step will be much easier. Center the wood base over the leg set. Use the power of the driver to self tap the screws into the plastic of the leg set. If you have to do this by hand power then us a nail to make a small pilot hole first. You want the screw threads to cut into the plastic.
If you're using bolts and a steel chair leg then you'll have to drill holes to fit and use bolts, washers and nuts.
Step 4: Attach the Flange.
Center the floor flange by eye and mark for pilot holes. Drill the holes using a small drill bit.
Step 5: Attach the Flange.
Using the four wood screws.
Step 6: Mount the Standard.
Insert the pipe standard and tighten hand tight only. If the pipe leans to one side or the other (mine did because the flange was drilled out of square) you can correct that. If you tighten a screw away from the direction of lean and loosen one in the other direction you can get it perfectly plumb.
Step 7: A View of the Finished Stand.
Here's what it looks like all put together with the parts labeled.
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7 Discussions
I'd never thought of using a office chair wheel base for a boom stand. Just powder coated two steel pipes and connected them with two blocks of HDPE with a 3/4" canal drilled through the narrow side, and sawed in half, then stacked with a bolt drilled through all blocks.
Thanks! Great diy!
I like this a lot and plan to build a couple. This will be particularly useful as a boom holder. For that purpose and for general use, you might want to add some additional weight as low as possible. That plywood disk looks like a good place to attach it.
Anybody built one of these beside ME? I've got 3 and use them in my studio all the time!
Wow, great design and simple to build. I am now on the lookout for old chairs.
Dumpster diving in the office parks. Most of them just slip on and off so not tools needed and you don't have to take home the whole chair. I use and extra one for a roll around light stand in my shop.
Hi, This looks very handy to have in the studio. I have been searching for DIY stands rather than tripods and elaborate screens to hold lights and reflectors. My question relates to attaching the flash, light or reflector. How do you connect the light and how do you reposition it? Thanks for your consideration. I look forward to your response. Cheers!
I built my lights out of plywood so it was easy to use "U" bolts and wing nuts to attach to the poles. I have one that uses a heavy duty spring clamp to attach. There are several inst. here about building lights and clamps that might work. A lot depends on what you are trying to attach and how it was designed to attach. Good luck and let us know what you figure out.


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Police criticise handlers for leaving Boris on back seat of hot car
Police were called to a parked car in Surrey around lunchtime today after a member of the public reported seeing a middle aged man left on the back seat of a baking hot car. A passer by said he peered into the car and saw a man looking agitated and distressed. [read...]


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How to Reset a Horizon Treadmill
ShotShare/iStock/Getty Images
Horizon Fitness makes a variety of fitness equipment, including a series of treadmills. These fitness machines require very little maintenance and are simple to use. You will need to reset your treadmill if you want to clear the data or if you have a power outage. The good news is that resetting a Horizon treadmill is easy.
Check that the treadmill is plugged into an electrical source.
Turn the treadmill on by flipping the power switch to the "On" position.
Look for the "Stop/Pause" button on your console. Depending on which model you have, it will either be on the lower-right-hand corner or the lower-left-hand corner.
Press and hold the "Stop/Pause" button for at least 3 seconds to reset the treadmill. You will hear a beeping noise, which indicates the treadmill has been reset. Release the "Stop/Pause" button.
Turn the treadmill off and back on if you receive an error code when trying to reset the Horizon Treadmill and repeat the steps above. Contact Horizon customer service at 1-800-244-4192, if you have problems resetting your treadmill.
- ShotShare/iStock/Getty Images


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It's available for Android Opera Mini 5 in its beta 2 version. An advance before Opera Mobile 10 is available for Android.
A major difference in this Opera Mini 5 is that the technology Opera Presto of browser is in the server instead of it installed in the terminal. Its interface is quite simple and very fast. We also have some functions interesting as synchronization and a very good navigation customization options such as size of the source or definition of image quality, making only a few clicks.
But as nothing is perfect, we find that it has no multitouch. You can watch this video
To try Opera Mini 5 beta 2 visit the address m.opera.com/next, using your phone's default Web browser, or download it to your computer. It is completely free.


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Apparently March was criminal charity month. One night, while I was not sleeping but perambulating back and forth through the upper gallery—hullo moon, hullo sunrise, hullo birds, etc.—I was also placing bets of £200 on skybetdotcom.
I wonder how, when I have to enter a string of numbers, password, pass number and especially memorable word or character combination in order to access my small pile of groats, some other person (or device) is able to request great wads of money from my account without any of these. And exceeding the balance by four times. Had I not spotted this spurious outgoing while it was still a pending transaction, my bank would have happily allowed my money and a lot more to go, well into the sub-zero realm.
I wonder which of the two purchasing transactions I had made in the previous month, which involved me revealing selected subsets of my financial encodements, lead to this event. Did either of those businesses store my information unsecurely? Were their webpages interfered with? Was somebody listening to which keys I tapped?
Having barely set banking wheels in braking motion, the telephone rang, displaying an impossible number, i.e. one that starts with '1'. I answered, imagining this might be a clandestine follow-up to my recent crime prevention effort. Had MI5 already picked up my case?
No. The caller was an automaton claiming to be BT soullessly informing me that it was terminating my internet connection, but—BUT—I could press '2' if I wanted to avert this disaster. There are several reasons why this is feeble nonsense. So, not a follow-up; a further crime attempt. And all the more curious, since my phone number is not publicly available.
Suddenly I seemed to be a beacon of interest for unethical, financially extractive activities. Or are there people (or devices) out there, punching in random numbers until either they find they've successfully purchased something or a distant phone rings.
I returned to contemplating Skye Bette, whom I imagine sitting in a fag-singe-perforated onesie, on a skin-grease-shined sofa, attempting half-witted larceny on a half-cracked smartphone. Or—trying to trace tenuous clues from my possibly risky recent transactions—a disillusioned pharmacy warehouse worker who considers my blowing several pounds on branded painkillers a sign of entitled opulence begging for direct action. Who has nocturnal betting habits?
Ah, but, what a silly thing to spend my money on. Surely the person (or device) placing the bet can not have received any winnings, because their outlay or placed bet was not yet authorised. (I'm sure there are proper words for this in betting parlance, but of course I wouldn't know.) Betting businesses have surely learned not to pay out before the down-payment is honoured. They're well known for not losing money. Except when they're casinos inherited by certain execrable heads of state. And supposing there were winnings, where would they be electronically spat? Would it not be suspicious to request your winnings be paid elsewhere?
If the person (or device) clutching sufficient of my financial codes to get past Go had immediately rushed out and bought bread or pants or, in the case of a non-human device, some USB trinket, they would've had the thing in their paw or socket. The argument would then have been between the retailer and the bank as to who had been a little hasty in grabbing for profit and failed the security procedures and who should get to keep the money. Now all the person (or device) has is a cancelled bet. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
If the stealage was for food or shelter I might have managed a sliver of sympathy. But perhaps it was me after all. It has the ring of the unhinged. Perhaps I have a multiple personality disorder. Perhaps I have reverse narcolepsy. Why would I throw £200 away? Dare I cackle in the face of fate? I really don't have the mental acuity at 3AM.


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Hitting the Slopes
I consider us having been very lucky this past winter. Thanks to the consistent snow we received, I have been able to avoid the lifts for the majority of the ski season. While I understand the necessity of the lifts and often enjoy the convenient access to skiing they provide, I find myself drifting away from them and gravitating toward my skins and my legs, choosing to power myself up the mountain as opposed to being brought up the mountain by a machine. I simply find earning my turns a more rewarding experience.
As we edge closer to Spring, the trails on the backside of Wachusett hold less and less snow and become muddier by the day. Last Friday after a slog to the top, where I encountered more mud than snow, I grabbed my skins and headed to the slopes. I figured that if there was enough snow for skiing, then there should be enough snow for skinning. The enjoyable part of this is that the ski area has slowed down, leaving it with a much mellower vibe and significantly less traffic on the slopes.
Skinning up the ski trails has provided a unique look into the ski culture for me, and I am fascinated by how I am treated by the other skiers I am sharing the trails with. Many skiers treat me with indifference, hardly noticing me as they zip by lost in their own thoughts or skiing. I like this group, as they are out enjoying themselves and seek neither to be bothered nor bother others. They are merely going about their business down the mountain as I go about mine up the mountain.
Unlike the group that treats me with indifference, there is a large portion of people that feel compelled to "interact" with me as I quietly trudge toward the top of a run. The most popular interaction is shouting something at me. The most popular thing to yell is "you are going the wrong way," which I did not find clever even the first time I heard it. To me, these people are missing a large part of the beauty of skiing as they rush down the mountain, merely to stand in line then sit on the chairlift as they are brought back up the mountain. I would much rather be in constant motion and in control of where I go, at what pace I go, and when I go.
The only group that is worse than the "Yellers" is the group that thinks that they are, or more often thought they were, Bode Miller. This group seeks to get my attention by buzzing by me, often within inches, at Mach 1. I am unsure of this group's motivation, but I speculate it is their effort to let me know that they are bad ass skiers. If you are one of these people I am not impressed that you can fly by me at one hundred miles per hour on the blue trail at Mount Wachusett. It is not impressive. Furthermore, I wonder if they would be in such a hurry to get to the bottom if they had hiked to the top, rather than ridden the lift.
The last group, the group that I regularly encounter, is the group that is generally interested in what I am doing. They stop and ask simple questions such as what type of skis am I using, how long does it take me to go from bottom to top, or how I get the skis to go uphill. Often times, this group will have some experience backcountry skiing and ask me if I am training for a trip or share with me an experience they had skiing in the backcountry. It is this group that makes dealing with the "Yellers" and the "Bodes" possible for me, as they interact with me like they would with any other person.
Skiing is a diverse sport with many sub cultures. As I slowly plod toward the top of the run, I am not just a skier but an observer of the many cultures represented at the mountain. I have enjoyed this late season snippet of ski life and have met and talked to some interesting people over the last few weeks. I am, however, looking forward to getting off the slopes, and into the solitude of 'The "Stash,' but I will probably have to wait until next year.


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Sobieski Vodka
Description: Sobieski Vodka, the #1 premium vodka in Poland and one of the world's bestselling and fastest growing vodka brands, makes no compromises on quality and exemplifies the height of Polish craftsmanship and authenticity. Building on noble heritage, Sobieski Vodka is produced exclusively from the revered Dankowski rye at the Starogard Gdanski distillery dating back to 1846. Award winning Sobieski Vodka can also be enjoyed in two new flavors: Sobieski Cytron & Sobieski Vanilia.
Price: $10.99 to $19.99
Published on Apr 11, 2011


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"Literary fiction that transcends its genre. Read this novel. Immediately."
--Portland Book Review of WRITER
READER, WRITER, and MAKER: All three novels of the trilogy in one book.
Speculative fiction with time travel, alien armageddon, metaphysical mysteries, action, adventure, cosmology, cybernetics, religion, and romance!
READER: From the future, a final plea. Out of the past, a last hope.
Ambra Dawn, a young girl born to die in freakish disregard. A doomed world, enslaved to forces unseen. A final hope beyond imagining. Become a Reader, because in the end, the most unbelievable step in the adventure - will be your own.
"Unique and altogether profound, reminiscent of Bradbury, haunting, thought-provoking and surprisingly philosophical." -San Francisco Book Reviews, READER
WRITER: From hatred, Love. From many, One.
Book 2 in the Daughter of Time trilogy: A love story and sci-fi epic about the beautiful and terrible destiny of profoundly star-crossed lovers with a galaxy's fate in their hands.
"Deeply thoughtful and exciting, warping the expectations of the genre... reminds me of Dan Simmons' Hyperion." -San Francisco Book Reviews, WRITER
MAKER: Until all is lost, nothing is found.
Conclude the epic story of Ambra Dawn in the final installment of the trilogy. A story in which the one that was lost will be found. Where a thief will guide through chaos and time. Where all that was held dear will perish. And in that final and utter destruction--there will be a Creation.
"Exploratory fiction at its most powerful and intelligent, Maker will challenge and reward all those who have ever wanted to believe in almost anything." -ForeWord Reviews, MAKER


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The Nepal quake and its aftershocks have affected some parts of western China's Tibet autonomous region. Authorities say they enforced traffic control to ensure a smooth rescue-and-relief operation.
They say the roads leading to the affected areas are mostly in rough, mountainous terrain, and several landslides have caused traffic congestion. Only vehicles with specific rescue-and-relief missions are now allowed to travel on those roads.
Meanwhile, 80 Chinese soldiers with experience in earthquake search-and-rescue have been deployed to the relief effort in quake-affected Xigaze City. They were carried in nine military helicopters, six of which left the Chengdu Military Area Command base on April 27, while the other three departed from Tibet's Nyingchi base.


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On Sunday 10 March the Trust's chief executive, Neil Macdonald, and director of strategy and business development, David Williams, will be taking part in the Big Vitality Half Marathon. The speedy execs will be running 13 miles around London to in support the Bucks MRI appeal, launched today by Scannappeal.
The Bucks MRI appeal aims to raise £1.5 million to help bring two new state-of-the-art MRI scanners to Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe hospitals. BHT will be the first Trust in the country to have these revolutionary MRI scanners.
By running for your money the Trust execs hope to get the Bucks MRI appeal off to a flying start by raising £3,000 for their efforts. Supporters of the Trust hospitals and services who would like to make a donation to this worthy cause can do so via the exec team's just giving page at: Bit.ly/2HiNIQM
More about the Bucks MRI appeal
The Trust's existing MRI scanners help 22,000 local patients every year, but the aging kit needs to be replaced and BHT's MRI capacity needs to be expanded. The MRI scanners will be a real game changer as they will support this required increase in capacity and bring significant benefits to 1000's of local patients through improved diagnosis and care.
What makes these scanners different?
State of the art techniques will provide enhanced image quality and scan times will be reduced, increasing the number of patients that can be seen. The scanners have a much wider opening and are a lot quieter, which greatly improves the patient experience for everyone.
The new scanners will help the Trust to meet our cancer imaging standards and meet a growing requirement as the demand for MRI scanning is rising by an estimated 13% per year.
Please support Neil and David in their efforts by donating whatever you can to this worthy cause.
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Hi folks,
Hope you all are doing well. Recently, one of my friends was asked a question in his interview "How to generate 18-digit invoice number as below mentioned pattern?"
Let me explain a bit. First 4 digits are name of biller, billing date in 'YYYYMMDD' format and sequence number. The turning point is, sequence number gets reset to 1 when date gets changed. It means the first invoice number of the day should always start with '1'.
I came up with a solution so I thought, I should share it with you all. What we need to demonstrate are-
- A table to insert the invoice number to verify if everything is working correctly.
- A Sequence to generate sequence number.
- A procedure to reset a Sequence when a new day starts.
- A function to combine all scenarios and generate 18-digit invoice number.
- Another procedure to insert invoice number into the table.
Prepare the string using concate operator (first four digits are static). We need to use SYSDATE to add date and LPAD function to add required '0' to the sequence. When a new day starts reset the sequence back to START WITH 1. We can compare current date and date of last inserted row to check if date has been changed or not. Let's code this logic.
You can visit my another blog to know how we can reset sequence in Oracle.
Below is the script to build all these PL/SQL objects. I will try to explain as much as possible in the comments.
As we have coded our logic, let me insert 5 rows with current date and 5 rows after changing the system date. We can use below code to do that. Just run this code, change the system date and run this code again.
I have done it and here are the results.
Hope you enjoyed it.
If you have any questions please comment below or write me an email.
If you like this blog, do share with your friends and colleagues on your social media.
For more updates join my facebook group and do like my facebook page.
Thank you,
Kapil Kumar


text:
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!! History Commons Alert, Exciting News
This is a scalable context timeline. It contains events related to the event November 13, 2002: Bush: UN Resolution Won't Prevent US from Invading Iraq without UN Support. You can narrow or broaden the context of this timeline by adjusting the zoom level. The lower the scale, the more relevant the items on average will be, while the higher the scale, the less relevant the items, on average, will be.
President Bush reiterates the White House's interpretation of UN Resolution 1441, saying: "I have told the United Nations we'll be glad to consult with them, but the resolution does not prevent us from doing what needs to be done, which is to hold Saddam Hussein into account. We hope that he disarms, we hope that he will listen to the world." [US President, 11/18/2002] Deputy press secretary Scott McClellan will later observe: "Pursuing a new UN resolution that included an immediate call for Saddam to come clean and let inspectors back in was vital to building public support. Even more important for the American public was to have strong, bipartisan Congressional support. Americans would be much more likely to support war if they felt Bush had pursued and exhausted diplomatic options and if Congress provided strong bipartisan approval." [McClellan, 2008, pp. 138]
Entity Tags: Scott McClellan, Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush
Timeline Tags: Events Leading to Iraq Invasion
Scott McClellan. [Source: White House]Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan says he "passed along false information" at the behest of five top Bush administration officials—George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Lewis Libby, and Andrew Card—about the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson during his time in the White House. McClellan is preparing to publish a book about his time in Washington, to be titled What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and What's Wrong With Washington and available in April 2008. [Editor & Publisher, 11/20/2007] According to McClellan's publisher Peter Osnos, McClellan doesn't believe that Bush deliberately lied to him about Libby's and Rove's involvement in the leak. "He told him something that wasn't true, but the president didn't know it wasn't true," Osnos says. "The president told him what he thought to be the case." [Bloomberg, 1/20/2007] Early in 2007, McClellan told reporters that everything he said at the time was based on information he and Bush "believed to be true at the time based on assurances that we were both given." [Associated Press, 11/21/2007] In his book, McClellan writes: "Andy Card once remarked that he viewed the Washington media as just another 'special interest' that the White House had to deal with, much like the lobbyists or the trade associations. I found the remark stunning and telling." [McClellan, 2008, pp. 155] White House Denials; Outrage from Plame, Democrats - White House press secretary Dana Perino says it isn't clear what McClellan is alleging, and says, "The president has not and would not ask his spokespeople to pass on false information," adding that McClellan's book excerpt is being taken "out of context." Plame has a different view. "I am outraged to learn that former White House press secretary Scott McClellan confirms that he was sent out to lie to the press corps," she says. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) adds, "If the Bush administration won't even tell the truth to its official spokesman, how can the American people expect to be told the truth either?" [Bloomberg, 1/20/2007; Associated Press, 11/21/2007] Senator and presidential candidate Christopher Dodd (D-CT) calls for a Justice Department investigation into Bush's role in the Plame outing, and for the new attorney general, Michael Mukasey, to lead the investigation. [Raw Story, 11/21/2007] Alleged Criminal Conspiracy - Investigative reporter Robert Parry writes: "George W. Bush joined in what appears to have been a criminal cover-up to conceal the role of his White House in exposing the classified identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson. That is the logical conclusion one would draw from [McClellan's book excerpt] when it is put into a mosaic with previously known evidence." [Consortium News, 11/21/2007] Author and columnist John Nichols asks if McClellan will become the "John Dean of the Bush administration," referring to the Nixon White House counsel who revealed the details of the crimes behind the Watergate scandal. Nichols writes: "It was Dean's willingness to reveal the details of what [was] described as 'a cancer' on the Nixon presidency that served as a critical turning point in the struggle by a previous Congress to hold the 37th president to account. Now, McClellan has offered what any honest observer must recognize as the stuff of a similarly significant breakthrough." Former Common Cause President Chellie Pingree says: "The president promised, way back in 2003, that anyone in his administration who took part in the leak of Plame's name would be fired. He neglected to mention that, according to McClellan, he was one of those people. And needless to say, he didn't fire himself. Instead, he fired no one, stonewalled the press and the federal prosecutor in charge of the case, and lied through his teeth." [Nation, 1/21/2007]
Entity Tags: Peter Osnos, Public Affairs, Michael Mukasey, Scott McClellan, Robert Parry, Richard M. Nixon, Lewis ("Scooter") Libby, Valerie Plame Wilson, Karl C. Rove, Richard ("Dick") Cheney, John Nichols, Central Intelligence Agency, Andrew Card, Bush administration (43), Charles Schumer, Joseph C. Wilson, Christopher Dodd, George W. Bush, Dana Perino, Chellie Pingree
Timeline Tags: Events Leading to Iraq Invasion, Domestic Propaganda, Niger Uranium and Plame Outing
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text:
Road Haulage Outfit Criticises London Mayoral Plans for Urban Logistics
Internet Shopping, a Rising Population, On Time Agenda All Worsening Problems UK – The point was very clearly made at the recent United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA[1]) Conference that the old MI5 maxim 'we are only four meals away from anarchy' is as true today as ever, a point illustrated by the fuss engendered during the recent KFC chicken farrago when a short term disturbance to a fairly insignificant contributor to the food chain promoted widespread comment. Urban logistics needs a serious overhaul and the rise of internet shopping and on time delivery demands are worsening the problem almost daily.
This week we heard from the Road Haulage Association (RHA[2]) speaking on the subject of London logistics, without doubt the most perfect example of the difficulties anywhere in the UK. Having considered Sadiq Khan's Strategy for Transport[3] the RHA has pointed out that there is little support being shown for hauliers, and this at a time when their services are continually being stretched beyond the limit.
The RHA says that the mayoral plan simply doesn't address the crucial need to move freight efficiently, despite the industry lobby doing its best to offer advice on how to address the challenges London faces in reducing the congestion that costs the economy billions. Peak time morning traffic is projected to slow to just nine kilometres per hour by 2041. This rate of progress simply means less work done by each vehicle each day, the result will therefore be even more trucks on the road to manage even the current workload levels.
One may hope that the rapid introduction of emission free vehicles will help at least to clean the capital's air but this does not solve the congestion question, indeed electric delivery vehicles tend to have much lower payloads due to the weight of batteries meaning additional fleets to cope with the load tonnages required. RHA chief executive, Richard Burnett is unequivocal in his criticism of the mayor's tactics, saying: "There's a clear drive to force lorries off the streets of London in a bid to reduce traffic and air pollution.
But it won't. We're seeing more and more vans delivering freight in London as it is – today it's four vans to every lorry and rising. Over-regulation of HGVs will widen that gap even more, which clearly isn't going to do much to reduce emissions and congestion.
"The Mayor is reducing motorised mobility across London – his strategy makes freight movements very expensive which will hugely impact hauliers, retailers and London's communities. By 2041 London's population will have grown by nearly two million – needing more than a million new homes. Each new home requires several tonnes of building materials and infrastructure.
How does the Mayor propose that'll happen if lorries can't move freely and efficiently across the city?"
Photo: Nissan Voltia[4] electric urban delivery van.
- ^ UKWA (www.ukwa.org.uk)
- ^ RHA (www.rha.uk.net)
- ^ Strategy for Transport (tfl.gov.uk)
- ^ Nissan Voltia (nissan-voltia.com)


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The Fundraising Regulator published its first fundraising complaints report earlier this week. Hugh Radojev writes that while overall complaints appear to be down, this isn't the whole story.
Exactly a month and a day after the autumnal equinox, the Fundraising Regulator's much-promised and long-awaited complaints report has been published. At a pinch, the main figures make for fairly easy reading for the sector: 42,782 complaints made to charities in the last financial year, down by over 20,000 from the previous year's report – that final regulatory flourish issued by the now defunct Fundraising Standards Board.
When broken down by channel, the regulator found that "direct marketing", including email, telephone and addressed direct mailings, accounted for over 16,000 of the total complaints, making it by far the most complained about channel.
It is worth noting, as the regulator does quite prominently in its report, that these 16,000 complaints rather pale in comparison to the more than 300 million pieces of direct mail reported to have been sent by the submitting charities. Whichever way you slice it, the vast majority of direct marketing activity undertaken by charities in 2016 did not result in a complaint from the public.
Fewer charities means fewer complaints
Perhaps the biggest issue with the regulator's report is the number of charities that actually submitted information. The Fundraising Regulator received complaints reports from just 893 charities from across the various tiers of its levy on fundraising spend. It's worth keeping in mind that the FRSB's final complaints report was drawn together from information supplied by more than 1,500 organisations, including non-members.
The regulator's report realises and addresses this disparity in reporting, saying: "It is important to note that, whereas in its annual return, the FRSB obtained information from its members; we obtained information from a proportion of those charities eligible to pay our levy. The charities participating are not therefore always the same as those contributing to previous reports published by the FRSB. It is not therefore possible or appropriate to make such direct comparisons with previous outcomes."
That is as may be, but what then exactly is the point of this report? The FRSB's reports provided a useful benchmark for the sector, which could be easily used to spot trends in complaints, which could then be addressed accordingly.
The greatly reduced number of charities submitting complaints information this year is also problematic because it renders the key finding, the total number of complaints, essentially meaningless. At least, when viewed in the wider context of year-on-year complaints reporting undertaken previously.
Mid-range charities versus large charities
One of the more interesting findings of the report initially seemed to indicate that fundraising charities operating in the mid-range bands of the levy – in particular those spending between £2m and £4.9m a year on fundraising – reported the highest number of complaints.
This rather jarred with previous data from old FRSB reports, which indicated that the very largest charities accounted overwhelmingly for the total number of complaints made in any given year. Last year for example, the FRSB said that "two-thirds of all complaints" reported were generated by just 15 charities.
However, the definition of a large charity, or at least the metrics upon which such a classification is based, have clearly changed over the last 18-months or so. Indeed the FRSB considered charities with incomes of over £10m a year "major charities" and any organisations raising between £1m and £10m "large" organisations. Such qualifications seem relatively quaint.
The regulator's levy bandings allow for more granulated assessments of a charity's size. The levy bandings are also of course based on total fundraising spend, not on income. Still, we're dealing in fruit here, even if they are apples and oranges.
As best as I can tell, the levy's very top banding – organisations spending £50m or more a year on fundraising – is an exclusive club: definitely less than five charities, maybe even only two or three, appear to meet this criteria. That those handful of massive charities accrued the relatively low number of 6,207 complaints between them is certainly within the realms of possibility.
However, the report says that charities in the second levy banding – those spending between £20m and £49.9m a year on fundraising activities – accounted for less than 9,000 complaints between them in 2016. This seems, frankly, a little low. I cautiously estimate the numer to be around 20 and have asked the Fundraising Regulator for a full breakdown of how many charities fall within each band.
Even so, in a vain attempt to fudge the numbers and bring some sense to the universe, one could take the 6,207 complaints from the top-bracket charities and the 8,558 complaints from second-tier charities and add them together. Then one would get 14,765 complaints - outstripping the other bands. Parity restored, if only by cheating somewhat.
In the report, the regulator said it would be releasing guidance in 2017/18 setting out "our expectations for how charities should deal with complaints as well as providing a clear definition of what we consider to be a 'complaint'".
Charities Act amendments change everything
Besides, new reporting standards brought in by amendments to the Charities Act 2016 mean that more than 5,000 charities now have to report complaints in their annual accounts filed after November 2016.
Macmillan Cancer Support's latest set of accounts for the year ending 31 December 2016, said the organisation received "over 4,000" complaints about its fundraising. Other large charities have also reported complaints in their 2016 year end accounts, including the British Heart Foundation (1,282), Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity (526) and the RSPCA (503).
Who then will be responsible for collating all of this information in the future? Given that many organisations will now have this information in their annual accounts, which are published with the Charity Commission, will it now fall to the Commission to take a closer look at these figures? That is no doubt a conversation to be had between the regulators.
Moving forwards, this year's report may well be viewed in isolation. With the aforementioned changes in reporting standards now in force, perhaps the next complaints report will be far more thorough and drawn from more charities. Or perhaps the Fundraising Regulator will continue to only farm data from a selective group of levy paying charities, but focus more on the higher tiers.
The Fundraising Regulator has already indicated that it will evaluate its approach in the future.
Either way, you'd bet your house that the total number of fundraising complaints reported by charities next year will be more than 42,782. A great deal more, I'd imagine.
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Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce
Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce
Become a Chamber Member
We are seeking Chamber Member Advertisers for 2020 Visitor Guide, Website Listings, and Social Media Shares. In addition, member-advertisers receive:
- recommendations for visitors and residents alike to service or frequent your business,
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- special attention on social media,
- inquiries for any related visitor/resident queries, and
- an opportunity to present materials for distribution onsite as well as at a number of Tourism Shows and Events.
Join the Chamber Today! Your member-advertiser packets are due September 30, 2019.
Become a Friend
Presque Isle might be one of the smallest of the towns in the region, but it boasts the largest friends membership, with over 250 Friends members. This commitment shows the degree to which our community supports and loves the people and places we are so blessed with. 2020 Friends Member donations and Presque Isle Days event donations are now being accepted.
Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 135
Presque Isle, WI 54557
Tel: 715-686-2910
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Jennifer132 553 Report post Posted September 23, 2015 One of the elders at our church just sent their daughter off to college. The mom is an acquaintance of mine and offered me the daughter's address so we can send her a note. I want to send a care package. What are some ideas you have? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Petition update
N.J. "Support Recovery" License Plates has been introduced! Bill# A-5061.
Jul 17, 2017 — N.J. "Support Recovery" License Plates has been introduced! Bill# A-5061. Urge your Legislator to vote YES! Find your legislator here: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp
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A: The curse of Tutenkhamen is that whoever is involved in unearthing the tomb or touches
it, will face a terrible death.
Q: Why was there so much excitement when Tutenkhamen's tomb was discovered?
A: Nobody knew about Tuten's tomb for hundreds of years. When the tomb was unearthing, magnificent treasures were found along with the king's dead body. So there was so much excitement.
Q: Who was the first man who went into the tomb? How did he die?
A: Howard Carter was the first man who went into the tomb. He died of natural causes.
Q: Why did the Director of Antiquities fight against lending the treasures of Tutenkhamen to France? What happened to him?
A: The Director of Antiquities dreamed that he would die if he allowed Tutenkhamen's treasures to go out of Egypt. So he fought against lending the treasures to France. He
was knocked down by a car and died.
Dancing On (Prose)
Q: What are the common features in the lives of Balanna, Helen Keller and Sudha Chandran?
A: Balanna, Helen Keller and Sudha Chandran are physically handicapped. But they have
tremendous will power. They have proved that their disability has not come in the way
of their progress.
Q: After the accident, Sudha searched for a way of dancing again. Did she succeed? In what way?
A: After the accident, Sudha Chandran searched sincerely for a way of dancing again. She consulted Dr. Pramod Sethi and got fitted the Jaipur Foot, the artificial limb.
Q: What was her father's tribute to Sudha Chandran?
A: On January 28, 1984, Sudha Chandran made a historic comeback by giving a public recital in Bombay which was notable for its classical quality. Her father simply touched Sudha's feet as a token of his tribute.
Q: "The thunderous clapping that greeted Sudha Chandran at the end of her performance
in Washington was not merely for the wonderful way she had danced". What else
was it for?
A: It was for uncrushable spirit she had shown in not allowing fate to come in the way of her dancing again.


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Residential Care Home Addressable Fire Alarm
Addressable Fire Alarms are now the preferred option for the following types of properties: Residential, Nursing and Care homes
The latest amendments to the fire code have seen a need to focus on the fire alarm systems within Residential Care homes, Nursing homes, or buildings where the occupants would need assistance to evacuate the building in the event of a fire. In the latest version of the fire alarm design code BS5839-1:2013, it is very clear and states that for such properties with a sleeping capacity beyond ten people, the fire alarm system should be addressable.
Conventional fire Alarms will need to be upgraded
With the huge increase in Residential Care homes, nursing homes assisted living and buildings of this nature, plus the fire tragedy of the fourteen fatalities at the Rosepark Care Home in 2004, the revised fire code appears to have focused its attention on these types of properties. People living within such properties are vulnerable due to ill health or age, and would usually require assistance if they had to evacuate the property. In many cases due to the limited amount of staff on a night shift and such is the health condition of the occupants, that an evacuation policy is not the preferred option. What is commonly used is a "stayed Put" policy. On hearing the fire alarm the residents are told to stay in their rooms until the fire and rescue service arrives. If the fire has started in an occupied zone compartment, the staff will relocate only the residents affected in that zone. Therefore, providing the management of these establishments and the fire and rescue service the maximum amount of time to deal with a fire alarm activation is crucial.
Why an Addressable fire alarm system?
In simple terms, an addressable system enables the user or rescue service, to quickly and easily identify the exact location of an activated detector or manual call point.
What is the difference between an Addressable and Conventional Fire Alarm System?
In the fire alarm market, there are two types of system, you have the basic and cheaper type of system, known within the fire industry as a "Conventional" and the more advanced and some would call intelligent and is known as an "Addressable" fire alarm system.
Conventional Fire Alarm System.
A conventional system is usually used in small applications, say, about no more than fifty detectors. The only remaining advantage of a conventional fire alarm system is that it is cheaper than the addressable. However, even this advantage is being rapidly diminished as the cost of electronic equipment with microprocessing capability is reducing all the time.
Back in the eighties until early two thousand, the cost between a conventional and an addressable system was considerable. Therefore, when designing a system where the budget was an important factor, a conventional system would be specified.
However, the big disadvantage of a conventional system is the limited amount of information displayed at the fire alarm control panel in the event of a fire. The user would only receive an indication from the panel as to what part of the building the activation had occurred. For example, this could be Fire "first floor or "North Stairwell", on the limited information provided; the user would have to search the fire zone to locate the fire or the cause of the activation within that area. Having to search the fire zone to establish the cause of the fire activation adds to the time to discover whether it is a real fire emergency.
Addressable Fire Alarm System
An Addressable fire alarm is called an "Addressable" due to its ability to give each device on the system a unique identification address, usually in the form of a number and this number is then tagged with a text identification label. A typical example would be "Managers Office Grd floor" or "Boiler Room 2nd floor". The majority of Addressable systems provide you with a limit of up to 40 characters. This information would be clearly displayed at the front of the panel. The benefits of having a readable text identification message, rather than just an area of the building allows the user to identify the location straight away and save a great deal of time in the event of a fire emergency.
Is Staff trained Adequately to use the Fire Alarm system? Especially Addressable?
Whether the fire alarm is conventional or addressable, one thing I have observed when visiting these types of establishments over the years, is the staff working or managing residential homes, do not always understand the operation of the fire alarm system. This could be due to lack of training, limited staff on duty, new staff that has not been in the job long or maybe agency staffs which are only working at the home on a temporary basis. Therefore, not only is there a need to improve the fire alarm to an addressable, but staff and management need to be trained regularly on how to use the fire alarm system and what is the fire strategy in the event of a fire activation.
Weekly Fire Alarm Testing
One way to stay familiar with the fire alarm and provide new or existing staff with on-going training, is to go through the fire strategy during the weekly fire alarm test. Addressable fire alarm systems are in some ways a little more complex, as there are usually more options to choose. The purpose of the weekly test, is to ensure the fire alarm is operational; however, this is a convenient time to familiarise yourself or new staff as to what to expect and what to do, if the fire alarm should activate during the course of their shift. A good idea is to have a procedure list next to the fire alarm panel and this can be followed when carrying out the weekly fire alarm test.
Automatic signalling of the Fire Alarm to the Fire and Rescue Service.
Another area of concern that was addressed in the fire code amendment for 2013, is that the Fire Alarm should automatically summon the Fire and Rescue Services in Residential Care Homes.
Out of the tragic story of the Rosepark care home fire, it was stated that there were inadequate arrangements for calling the fire brigade. Had the fire brigade been called sooner, at least four lives could have been saved. Therefore, the amendments to the latest fire code recommend Residential Care homes, nursing homes, or buildings where the occupants would need assistance to evacuate, the fire alarm should automatically call the fire brigade. Furthermore, it states the fire strategy for the property should not incorporate any time delay in calling the fire brigade; however, the Sounders to the alarm system may incorporate a delay, as long as the staff area are aware that the fire alarm has activated.
Most care homes have some sort of monitoring that goes back to a call monitoring centre. The systems I have come across is either Tunstall or Initial. Within each apartment, there is a base station with a pull cord facility. Within this base station is usually a facility to wire in a smoke alarm. In the event of a fire alarm activation within the flat, the monitored smoke alarm will provide detection and alert for the resident and inform the monitoring station of the incident.
Upgrading a Conventional to an Addressable Fire Alarm System.
You may be in a position that your current fire alarm is in a state of disrepair or due to the latest fire code amendments for Residential Care Homes, an addressable fire alarm system is now going to be required. The question you may ask, is can I upgrade or utilise some parts of my existing system? Well, if the wiring is in good condition, then yes is the answer. A competent fire alarm company should be able to keep all the existing wiring and sounders (if they are on their own circuits) and only replace the detection and manual call points. This should help to keep down the cost of the upgrade.
Wireless Fire alarms easy to install in Residential Care homes
All compliant wireless fire alarms in the UK market are addressable, and in many cases would be an ideal solution for residential care homes, nursing homes, assisted living or similar applications. Upgrading an old fire alarm in these types of properties can be difficult, due to the noise created and inconvenience of drilling and running cables in a building where the residents could be elderly or not in good health. In some instances, access to the resident's room can be an issue. However, we have over many an issue of this sort by installing a wireless fire alarm system. The speed at which a wireless system can be installed is quite remarkable. Furthermore, access to any area is only required for a very short space of time, and due to no installation of wires and containment, the disruption to the every running of the care home is minimal.
Fire Alarm Maintenance in Residential Care Homes
Ensuring that your fire alarm is fully operational at all times is very important, especially if you have the legal responsibility to provide a safe environment for the people within your care. As you would have of observed within this post, due to the vulnerable nature of the occupants in Residential Care Homes, Nursing homes, assisted living and sheltered accommodation, time is critical. Therefore, not only is it important you have the correct type of fire alarm installed, but it is in good working order, and you have all the required maintenance inspection visits on file, in case you have a fire incident or an inspection by the fire authorities.
If you require any further information regarding fire alarms in Residential Care Homes, Nursing Homes, Assisted living or sheltered housing, why not call our office on 020 8541 5646 or visit our website at www.firesystems.co.uk and complete our contact page.


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research activities
research project
lasting visual memory
10 Apr 2019
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Apr.10, 2019 –
Indigo Design looks for raw talent and innovative creators that takes designing an application, website, and other forms of digital design to the next level. They look for those that are pushing the envelope when it comes to co...
10 Dec 2018
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (December 10, 2018) —
GOOD DESIGN® is the world's most prestigious, recognized, and oldest Design Awards program organized annually by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in cooperation with the European Centre for Architecture, Art...
5 Oct 2018
Congratulations to our winners and runner-ups. Judging was tough as always and there were a good many pieces that fell just shy of getting in. Winners will be featured in Issue 52 and online.
In 2019, only 10 excellent designers received the winner award for the categor...
15 Sep 2018
The exhibition, Craft: the Reset, at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center Shenzhen aims to explore crafts beyond its function as a technique, but as an impulse for creativity and an approach or attitude to shaping the world around us. Focusing on how crafts are applie...
25 May 2018
The Indigo Design Award Jury has finished their selection process and we are happy to announce the 2018 winners.
We've received hundreds of amazing works from around the globe. Our honorary members of the jury have reviewed each submission based on the following crite...
15 Apr 2018
My design work, The Botanicascent Times (version 2), has been awarded at the 2017 London International Creative Competition. This year, LICC received thousands of highly qualified entries from all around the world and their esteemed international Jury Panel reviewed ea...
3 Mar 2018
The exhibition showcased 120 Tian Tian figurines featuring designs by Singapore and international artists, designers and communities.
I was one of the invited designers.
My work explores cultural heritage and material culture as an attentive study of reality. Of core des...
18 May 2017
新‧创艺 | Creativity in Pulses
The exhibition of contemporary art at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre aims to bring fresh perspectives to the way we look at ourselves and our identity as Chinese Singaporeans.
The theme evokes newness while acknowledging our roots, and...
12 May 2017
VENICE DESIGN 2017 is the largest design exhibition running alongside La Biennale di Venezia. During the Art Biennial, from May 13th to November 26th 2017, VENICE DESIGN intends to show a glimpse of the approaches of today's international designers and is a testimony a...
19 Apr 2017
A' Design Award and Competition is pleased to announce that the literature design Vanishing Crafts by Jesvin Yeo became winner of the renowned Silver A' Design Award in Writing, Literature and Content Design Competition Category.
Writing, Literature and Content Design...
Older Posts >
jesvin yeo + designing cultures studio
upcoming talks, exhibitions and other events that
I get excited about!
interview and blog:
graphic birdwatching
art4d asia
women in photography symposium 2014
book design blog
online typography museum


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Aljalabiya.com offers a wide range of taste and comfort through it''s many styles of jilbabs and kaftans. Journey with us and take a glimpse into the first type of our jilbab and kaftan designs...the casual line.
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In elegant colors and amazing artistic touches comes this jilbab to be a breathtaking piece. The beautiful assortment between its blue and white cotton fabrics
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Black, orange, red and yellow are the colors of this elegant piece made of comfortable cotton and chiffon fabrics. This jilbab is embroidered on the chest
This outstanding jilbab reflects a powerful skill of creativity and professionalism. It is designed of a luxurious satin fabric with a butterfly cut
This perfect white chiffon fabric jilbab with red floral print is unique. The special cut of the cuffs adorn it with an outstanding look that adds to the beauty
The charm of this piece takes us back to the uniqueness of the Moroccan style. The touches of blue and silver on the chiffon brasso fabrics and the simply
This charming jilbab is designed of a luxurious floral brasso chiffon fabric. It is embroidered on the collar and the cuffs in an elegant way reflecting
"Turquoise Dream", The charm of this model is due to mixing satin and chiffon fabrics along with the wonderful design of the French style sleeves. The embroidery on the throat and chest and the waist belt ensure an attractive appearance.
Sparkle like a beautiful star wherever you go. This comfortable jilbab is a precious piece made of a pretty and comfortable colorful cotton fabric
In the late years, Islamic dress has risen as tolerating locales of the dispute in the relationship between Muslim people group and the State.
"Royal Spirit", This jilbab is luxurious thanks it its deluxe fabric and original cut. The collar style fits perfectly with the sleeves cut ornamented with layered lace. The belt adds to this classy piece a touch of grandeur.
However, a word of caution to the first-time online shopper; always buy from a reputed online store such as eastessence.com. Ensure that the site has a secure payment mechanism and also read the testimonials posted by other clients. This will ensure that you get exactly what you pay for.


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Cie. Freaks und Fremde präsentiert John Moran's "everyone"
June 18, 2018
Cie.Freaks und Fremde is very proud to present and produce the stage production of John Moran's new masterpiece "everyone". Yesterday we started with a meeting of the production team and we are looking forward to watch that baby growing up.
We thank Residenz of Schauspiel Leipzig and HELLERAU - European Centre Of The Arts for making this project possible and we also thank all supporters and participants!
Watch out here for details during the next five months!
Good luck to John Moran and his great team.
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Seamless Aluminium Gutters
Seamless gutters for commercial and residential properties
When choosing gutters to be installed at your property, it is important that you choose the right material. In the Cape surrounds, copper, steel, aluminium gutters are all popular choices used for both commercial and residential properties. However, seamless gutters manufactured from aluminium have become the preferred option, as this material is known for its durability and resilience. Aluminium gutters are known to hold more water than any other type, while also resisting rust.
Apart from the many qualities that make aluminium the preferred choice for gutters, it is also very affordable. Most building contractors prefer to make use of aluminium gutters because they are light of weight, easy to install and do not require joint soldering like other steel gutters. Since aluminium is rust resistant, these seamless gutters are known for lasting much longer than any other guttering systems.


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>Boston 又一城, Karamunsing Capital
Posted April 16, 2011on:
- In: Bits 'n' Bites | Family | Friends | KK Deariest | TTM
- 3 Comments
I guess that most of the bloggers had post about this and I hopes it is not too late for me to blog about it. For your information, this is my overdue entry again. Ooopsss, I did it again!
"At Boston Concept Restaurant, customers could savour more than 200 delectable choices of fusion delicacies that would definitely tickle and tempt your tastebuds…all at affordable prices."
I'd been to Boston 又一城, Karamunsing Capital for four times. This place was introduced by one of my deariest, Wawa and I think it is one good and comfortable place for you to hang out and having dinner with your beloved one, family and friends. One thing I like about here is varieties of choices from foods to beverages. Just one of the drawback is only few selection of desserts are available.
So, in here I would like to compile all my pictures which I took during my last 4 visits in 1 entry in order to avoid from you saying "Wah! Boston Again???!!!"
Part I
First time went with my deariest. I was impressed with their appealing menu and caught my attention to visit for second times.
Part II
Brought TTM to there for his special day – and this is his first visit (click here)
Part III
This round also involved birthday celebration which was my birthday treat by my family (click here) – their first visit too.
Sweet and sour fish corn rice
And finally the last visit
Part IV
Pic of Boston itself
I went yesterday night with my lil bro and TTM for dinner. Why no any pics of foods this time around? Actually during my first 3 visits, I didn't manage t0 capture the first 4 pics (as shown above) and also their menu. For your information, the first 4 pics I just took yesterday before enter the restaurant. And when after finished ordering the foods and about to start taking the pics inside their menu, the waiter approached us and spoke politely "Sorry miss. You can't take it". OMG! or I can said WTH! I'm not gonna stealing any of your secret recipe and open my own restaurants. I just want take a few snapshots and share in my blog. So after the unfortunate incidents, no mood to take pics at all.
So, next time I will take snapshots using my hp . Good idea leh…
3 Responses to ">Boston 又一城, Karamunsing Capital"
>Hi Diana!! yum yum.. another full of yummy foods bloggy.. Likey! hehe.. follow you..
>delicious and mouth watering, like the corn rice the most,esp with the egg.
>Hi, Germaine~ thanks for follow my blog and i follow ur blog too.Nava – yeap, the corn rice are nice. i plan to go again to try the other dishes


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It's hard to think about your senior loved one living in a residential facility that might be unsafe or unprepared for natural or man-made disasters. Yet many seniors live in communities that just don't have the capabilities of dealing with natural disaster, even though they follow governmental rules and regulations. The most recent example of the failure of the current safety protocols found in nursing homes can be seen in the story of the Hollywood Hills, Florida facility which lost eleven residents during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. This community had appropriate backup power to accommodate medical treatment but it was not connected to the air conditioning system, leaving seniors in sweltering heat for four days after the storm had passed.
Incidents like this happen due to vague wording and lackadaisical following of regulations at many nursing homes across the country. According to Kaiser Health News, more than 2,000 facilities had been cited for violating emergency preparedness regulations between 2015-2017. Many more have followed regulations to the best of their abilities but still remain terribly unprepared for natural disasters.
The United States Regulatory Assistance
After the deaths of two hundred seniors during Hurricane Katrina, the government has stepped up to create departments specifically designed to coordinate care for elderly residents during a natural disaster; agencies such as the Federal Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have all provided residential facilities with information and support to help communities implement emergency preparedness plans and accountability records.
Doing, Not Saying
While helping nursing home administrators to set up emergency preparedness plans can ensure that your senior's caretakers have a plan to follow in the case of an emergency, there is nothing more important than implementing the plan before they need to. An emergency plan might address concerns such as backup power equipment, medical deliveries and continuance of treatment, staffing protocols and the availability of emergency supplies, simply having the information on paper doesn't mean staff and seniors will know what to do in the case of an actual disaster.
Practicing And Learning: Drilling Preparedness Into The Routine Of Senior Living
There are ways to ensure that your senior loved one is safe during a natural disaster. One way is to ask the administration staff to show you their emergency preparedness plans. Ask how often they practice evacuation procedures or run through scenarios in the case of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or wildfires. An emergency preparedness plan is only as good as its success during implementation.
Questions To Ask Your Nursing Home Caretakers On Your Next Visit
Besides talking to the nursing home administrator regarding their preparedness, you should take some time to talk to your loved one and his caretaker. Ask them how comfortable they are in following an evacuation or safety procedure in the event of a natural disaster. If your loved one doesn't know what he would do if the building was under a hurricane or tornado warning, chances are he hasn't practiced any sort of plan. This lack of confidence in knowing what to do could be dangerous and should be addressed quickly. Here are some questions you could ask the leadership of the community to ensure the safety of your loved one.
- Do you have a plan in place to move seniors who must remain in their hospital beds? Are all doorways sized according to modern regulations?
- Do you have a plan in place for transporting seniors safely away from the facility? How many buses or transport vehicles do you have for such an event?
- Do you always have enough staff on hand to get all seniors out of the building quickly and safely in the event of an emergency?
- Are both caretakers and seniors aware of the plan of action in the event of flooding, hurricane or another natural disaster?
- Do you have a backup generator for all systems in the building that will last at least 96 hours?


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Eleven students took part in Round 1 of the International Chemistry Olympiad in February. This year, there were six students from Lower Sixth and five students from the Upper Sixth.
The results were outstanding. We were delighted to hear that it is our best ever medal tally with every student obtaining one of the top three medals. Anna Oleryinova (MSH) had such a high score that she is now through to the second round and still has a chance to represent the UK at the International Final in Moscow this July.
This competition is designed to challenge and stimulate the most talented young chemists in the country, and is open to all post-16 students in the UK. There are three rounds to the competition, at the end of which the UK team is selected to train for, and compete in, the International Chemistry Olympiad. Further information is available on www.rsc.org/Education/events-and-competitions/Olympiad/.
The paper itself is based on the core of the chemistry A-level specifications, so that students taking any of the different exam board A-levels can compete fairly. The exam lasts two hours and is composed of a series of structured questions designed to stretch able students by making them apply the principles they have learnt to new and often more complex situations than they would meet in their A-level course. Thus, in order to score marks, it is essential to have a very sound base of knowledge and understanding, but also have the ability to think and reason - often "outside the box" - at a high level.
The students concerned had worked at this with a weekly session going back to the previous June. Initially taking the on-line LVI Chemistry Olympiad, and then beginning intensive preparation for the more demanding Olympiad itself.
Gold Medals were awarded to:
Anna Olerinyova (MSH UVI)
Ratanon Suemanothorn (G UVI)
Crystal Chan (MSH LVI) - an exceptional result for someone in the Lower Sixth.
Silver Medals were awarded to:
Clive Lam (O LVI)
Fiona Lau (MSH UVI)
Denton Lee (S LVI)
Edward Mallett (S UVI)
Jonathan Wu (S LVI)
Bronze Medals were awarded to:
Yee Lok (Michael) Cheng (I LVI)
Alun Vaughan-Jackson (Ch UVI)
Tai Yang (Rt, LVI)