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Ever wanted to have a robot to do your research for you? If you are a scientist, you have almost certainly had this dream. Now it's a real option: Eureqa, a program that distills scientific laws from raw data, is freely available to researchers.
The program was unveiled in April, when it used readouts of a double-pendulum to infer Newton's second law of motion and the law of conservation of momentum. It could be an invaluable tool for revealing other, more complicated laws that have eluded humans. And scientists have been clamoring to get their hands on it.
"We tend to think of science as finding equations, like E=MC2, that are simple and elegant. But maybe some theories are complicated, and we can only find the simple ones," said Hod Lipson of Cornell University's Computational Synthesis Lab. "Those are unreachable right now. But the algorithms we've developed could let us reach them."
Eureqa is descended from Lipson's work on self-contemplating robots that figure out how to repair themselves. The same algorithms that guide the robots' solution-finding computations have been customized for analyzing any type of data.
The program starts by searching within a dataset for numbers that seem connected to each other, then proposing a series of simple equations to describe the links. Those initial equations invariably fail, but some are slightly less wrong than others. The best are selected, tweaked, and again tested against the data. Eureqa repeats the cycle over and over, until it finds equations that work.
What took Newton years to calculate, Eureqa returned in a few hours on a decent desktop computer. Lipson and other researchers hope Eureqa can perform the same wizardry with data that now defies scientists, especially those working at the frontiers of biology, where genomes, proteins and cell signals have proven fantastically difficult to analyze. Their interactions appear to follow rules that traditional analytical methods can't easily reveal.
"There's a famous quote by Emerson Pugh: 'If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn't.' I think that applies to all of biology," said John Wikswo, a Vanderbilt University biophysicist who's using the Eureqa engine in his own lab. "Biology is complicated beyond belief, too complicated for people to comprehend the solutions to its complexity. And the solution to this problem is the Eureqa project."
Lipson made Eureqa available for download early in November, after being overwhelmed by requests from scientists who wanted him to analyze their data. In the meantime, he and Michael Schmidt, a Cornell University computational biologist responsible for much of Eureqa's programming, continue to develop it.
An ongoing challenge is the tendency of Eureqa to return equations that fit data, but refer to variables that are not yet understood. Lipson likened this to what would happen if time-traveling scientists presented the laws of energy conservation to medieval mathematicians.
"Algebra was known. You could plug in the variable, and it would work. But the concept of energy wasn't there. They didn't have the vocabulary to understand it," he said. "We've seen this in the lab. Eureqa finds a new relationship. It's predictive, it's elegant, it has to be true. But we have no idea what it means."
Lipson and Schmidt are now devising "algorithms to explain what our algorithm is finding," perhaps by relating unknown concepts to simpler, more familiar terms. "How do you explain something complicated to a child? That's what it involves," said Lipson. "It's machine teaching, rather than machine learning."
One set of incomprehensibly meaningful discoveries comes from Eureqa's analysis of cellular readouts gathered by Gurol Suel, a University of Texas Southwestern molecular microbiologist who studies how cells divide and grow. But even if Eureqa can't yet explain what it found, it's still useful, said Suel.
"You can use this as a starting point for further investigations. It lets you think about new ideas of what's going on in the cell, and generate new hypotheses about the properties of biological systems," said Suel.
Sometimes Eureqa will require more data than it's given before finding answers. In those cases, the program may be able to identify information gaps, and recommend experiments to fill them.
That functionality is included in the latest build of the program, and is being taken even further in a new Lipson-Wikswo project. They're hooking a version of Eureqa directly to Wikswo's experimental gadgetry.
"The program is going to adjust the valves, feeding different nutrients and toxins to the cells," and it does this faster than any researcher, said Wikswo. "It comes up with the equations, plus the experiments needed to come up with the equations. It's Eureqa on steroids."
According to Wikswo, who studies the effects of cocaine on white blood cells, Eureqa can propose experiments that researchers would have difficulty imagining.
"In most of science, you try to keep everything constant except for one variable. You turn one knob at a time, and see how the system responds. That's wonderful for linear systems," he said. "But most biology is complex and non-linear. Emergent behaviors are very hard to understand unless you turn many knobs at a time, and we can't figure out which knobs to turn. So we're going to let Eureqa pick them."
The Cornell team hasn't counted downloads of their program, but it's likely being used by researchers outside biology. As long as data fits on a spreadsheet, Eureqa can analyze it.
"In the past year, people have contacted us with some wild application ideas," said Schmidt. "Everything from predicting the stock market to modeling the herding of cows."
Images: 1) Hod Lipson running Eureqa in his office. 2) Diagrams of information flow through one of Lipson's self-repairing robots (left) and Eureqa (right).
Eureqa downloads and tutorials.
See Also:
- Computer Program Self-Discovers Laws of Physics
- Open-Source Biomodels: Molecules First, Then the World
- There's No Such Thing as a 'Simple' Organism
- Humans No Match for Go Bot Overlords
Brandon Keim's Twitter stream and reportorial outtakes; Wired Science on Twitter. Brandon is currently working on a book about ecosystem and planetary tipping points.
Well. How about we just give up on science as a human enterprise?


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Pony-mad children are gathering momentum for the northern hemisphere's equestrian extravaganzas as schools close down for the summer.
As most parents and other adult relatives/friends will know, such activities breed very high levels of adolescent hormones and resultant stress, anxiety, petulance, tantrums, sheer bloody mindedness and more: mainly, if not almost exclusively, amongst girls.
And these can cover a very wide range of disciplines, even within the pony confines. For example: [Read more…]

subset: commoncrawl


text: Milford School District is committed to teaching students to read and write. Reading is often considered one of the most valuable tools students learn as they grow, progress, and build the foundation for lifelong learning. Our reading instruction focuses on phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students receive exposure to a range of text types and tasks in order to develop these skills and foster their love of reading. As students refine their skills as readers they progress into the area of writing. The ability to write well is critical to our students as they advance into their post-secondary and career options. Student writing includes the opportunity to demonstrate increasing sophistication in all aspects of language and vocabulary use as they apply what they have learned. We believe the ability to read and write not only prepares our students to be successful throughout the rest of their educational career, but also helps develop them as responsible citizens in our society. We use the as our guide.


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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., with moderator Thom Hallock during her town hall meeting at public television station Mountain Lake PBS in Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Zach Hirsch/NCPR
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Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are back in their home districts for a recess this week. After seeing the reception some of their colleagues got in previous town hall-style meetings following the election of Donald Trump, most House Republicans are skipping them.
But a handful are diving in headfirst.
On Monday night, a few days after voting in favor of the House bill to repeal and replace major parts of the Affordable Care Act, Rep. Elise Stefanik, 32, from Northern New York, held a town hall at a public television station.
Stefanik is a moderate Republican in her second term. She's also the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. After refusing for weeks to say how she planned to vote, she was one of a
Article source: http://www.npr.org/2017/05/09/527533782/at-town-hall-meeting-republican-lawmaker-gets-an-earful?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=affordablecareact
Tagged: obamacare news


text: Miki Shinichi is the supernova born in Osaka's techno music scene in 2009.Under the name "Cherry", and his trademark, a mask, his mystic sound fascinated Osaka floor people.In 2010, revealing his face and name, he started the new stage of his musical career.His original and unique expression is consist of filtered Techno, Tech House, Minimal Music, DEEP HOUSE, and so on,by his no-preceded sense.he established DJ play is supported by the career that has served as the support of a lot of overseas artists who come to Osaka(ex. SANDWELLDIST RICT, MIRCO LOKO, ROBERT DIET Z , T OM CLARK, Frequency7, CHRIST IAN VARELA, etc...).Not only as a DJ, he sefl-released his original tracks "It Doesn't Know" and "UP DOWN" in 2009.It entered 2010, he also did a variety of Remix work and new another track makings, and established a live act named 4CDJ LIVE SET.He also has host his own party "PHAZE" with Naoya Sugimoto in Osaka.And, he starts up brandnew music label"Leaves Records"of the Japan sending with sworn friend Iori Wakasa. He is one of the most expected artists in Japanese dance music field.


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Each Eau De Parfum is steeped in ancient Egyptian tradition with the finest essential oils. Collect all the potions to ward off evil.
Send Love to everyone around you: Iris, Bergamot, Vetiver, and Musk
Bring good Fortune: Lime Blossom, Green Tea, Fresh Cyclamen, and Asian Vanilla
Protect from evil: Benzoin Resin, Osmanthus, Ylang-Ylang, and Red Sandalwood
Made in the USA.
Contains 1 oz.


text:
Ani seeds - 1
Heat rest of oil. Add Cinnamon, ani seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom and fry till nice aroma comes. Add thinly sliced onion and fry till onion is transparent. Add tomato paste and grinded masala. Add enough water and add diced vada. Let it boil and garnish with coriander leaves
Serve hot


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…A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11AM until 8PM today for our eastern counties. Dry and breezy conditions are ripe for rapid fire spread. Outdoor burning is discouraged…
WARMER: After a cool, mostly cloudy, and windy Wednesday, we'll see more sun and milder air today. Expect highs today to top out in the low 60s as a warm front approaches. A few high clouds will roll though as the front slips by late today. Tonight, we drop to the low 40s with added clouds.
INTO THE WEEKEND: Friday, expect mostly cloudy skies with a seasonal afternoon. Highs climb to the middle 60s, with a period of showers during the afternoon and evening. The front slowly pushes in for Saturday, but not before we warm to the upper 60s. A few showers will pop as well, but no widespread rain is expected. Sunday, cooler air funnels in with partly cloudy skies and a breeze prevailing. Highs will be near 60°.
NEXT WEEK: It's looking cool and unsettled, as the storms system slows and becomes blocked, which puts the wet and cool stuff right over the state. Several waves and slow moving activity will put rain in the forecast for a good chunk of the week. Monday looks dry for now, but the rest of the week is cool and showery with highs in the 50s and low 60s. More to come.
Happy Thursday!
"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
– Jeff Jumper, WPMT FOX43 Morning Meteorologist
Follow me on Twitter: @JeffJumperWX
Like me on Facebook: Jeff Jumper FOX43


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This is not an offer for credit and should be used for estimation purposes only based on the information you provided. You should not base your decision on this estimate alone. Title, registration, tax and other fees, and personal circumstances such as employment status and personal credit history, were not considered in the calculations.
Forward - 0-9.5 mph (0-15.3 km/h)
Reverse - 0-5.5 mph (0-8.9 km/h)
Wheel motors - Hydro-gear HGM-P, 246 cc (15 ci.)
Caster wheel type - No-flat semi-pneumatic with sealed bearings
Caster Wheel size - 13x6.5-6 in.
Anti-scalping rollers - Center, left
Drive tires - 20x10-8 in. Turf Master
Load rating - 4 PR
Parking - Tire engagement
Parking actuation - Hand lever
Dynamic braking - Dual hand-controlled levers
Digital hour meter
Fuel tank switch/shut-off valve
Pumps - Hydro-Gear with fans, 12 cc (0.73 cu in.)
With filter-wet - 2.9 qt. (2.7 l)
With filter-dry - 5 qt. (4.7 l)
Fabricated steel, fixed mounting
Thickness - 7 ga. - 0.18 in. (4.6 mm.)
Type - Electro-Magnetic with brake, 200 ft. lb. (271 Nm)
Drive - Dual B-section V-belt with Kevlar cord


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TIL Logistics group annual meeting summary and voting results
In late October, TIL Logistics Group Limited (NZX: TLL) held its first annual meeting since successful completion of the reverse listing in December last year.
Since that time, the company has put in place a strong management structure and governance arrangements, expanded its business operations with the acquisition of the Specialised Lifting and Transport Group, and continued to build its customer base while delivering a significant year on year uplift in its financial results.
The company is expecting EBITDA for FY19 to be between $28m and $32m, taking into account the changes in the operating environment as previously advised, additional costs associated with increased leasing of trucks and the opening of new warehouses, and includes a partial year contribution from new acquisitions.
Chairman of TIL Logistics, Trevor Janes, said: "TIL Logistics is a company of real substance – its assets are the sinews of the economy. Business and consumers are always going to need things moved, stored and shifted. As the economy grows, freight will grow with it.
"With TIL Logistics' scale, reach and depth of expertise, we can work our assets and networks more efficiently and keep our costs down. And we can expand by acquisition where it makes sense and adds long term value. The company has started the year well and we are looking forward to delivering a year of improved performance and value for our shareholders."
CEO Alan Pearson commented on the positive outlook for the sector and the company.
"Demand for freight and logistics closely follows GDP, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is forecasting strong GDP growth over the next two years. Freight by road is the primary mode of transport in New Zealand and we don't see this changing. What we do expect to see is more multi-modal transport options, using a mix of transport options such as shipping, rail or road depending on a customer's needs.
"Our expertise in the logistics sector means we are well set up to help our customers utilise the best option for specific freight loads and our national network allows us to offer an end to end supply chain offer.
"We've started the financial year strongly and have identified a number of opportunities to grow our revenue and margins at a rate higher than the sector generally. The second half of the year will see us continuing to focus on what we are doing well – growing our businesses, building our customer base and identifying opportunities to leverage our strengths in the market."
Details of TIL Logistics Group's annual meeting speeches and presentation are available on the company website http://www.til.kiwi/investor-centre-menu/shareholder-meetings.html.
Shareholders passed all resolutions at the 2018 Annual Meeting:
- Authorise Directors to fix the auditor's remuneration
- Election of Trevor Janes as a Director
- Election of James Ramsay as a Director
- Election of Gregory Kern as a Director
- Election of Lorrain Witten as a Director
- Election of Danny Chan as a Director


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What Are the Six Requirements for Successful Value Chain Management?
For your small business to have a competitive edge, certain fundamentals must be in place to succeed. Those fundamentals comprise the value chain analysis, a concept developed and advanced by Michael Porter in his book "Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance." Successful value chain management should be part of your small business strategic planning initiative, a powerful way to help your operation contain costs and succeed in today's ultra-competitive business environment.
Research and Development
The first step in value chain management is researching the products your customers want. Through careful market analysis, including the measurement of consumer trends, companies can anticipate what people want and have those products available. On the small business level, this could mean working directly with suppliers to produce a new product.
Product Design
Once a new product has been identified or an existing product upgraded to meet anticipated demand, that item is tested, refined and sent on for production. In companies where service is the product, the same planning process is used.
Production Process
Where your product is manufactured can have a significant impact on quality, cost and value. Writing for Business Process Trends, Andrew Feller, Dr. Dan Shunk and Dr. Tom Callarman note that "...global sourcing and supply has begun a long-term process of leveling the playing field for adding value world wide." More than likely your small business will look overseas to suppliers who can build what your company needs at a competitive price.
Marketing and Sales
Feller, Shrunk and Callarman noted three components every successful product must offer: product value, service value and a "wow" value. That latter component goes beyond personal care and warranty service to provide an enhanced level of service not generally offered. One current example of a company putting "wow" into practice is the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, whose managers have been empowered to "...to permit every employee to spend up to $2,000 making any single guest satisfied," according to the Oct. 30, 2009, issue of "Forbes" magazine.
Distribution Management
Where you warehouse and how you distribute your product is a critical link in the value chain. Transportation, material handling, packaging, communications and information systems need to be in place to get the product to your customers. Distribution, or logistics management, remains important in the digital age, as physical locations such as stores and warehouses are still needed. How you employ each distribution point is subject to review and change.
Customer Service
Getting the product to your customers means training your employees to know everything about it, advising customers how to use the product, diagnosing and troubleshooting, and providing friendly service. This final link in the supply chain is refined as needed and is used by senior management to gauge customer behavior.
- Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance; Michael Porter, 1985
- CEIBS: Value Chains Versus Supply Chains
- Forbes: How Ritz-Carlton Stays At The Top
Photo Credits
- Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images


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Emergency diplomatic protocol has been put in force at Athens airport this weekend to prevent a clash in the itineraries of two of the most demanding divas on the world stage, the Olympic Flame and the Holy Light. The two flaming hot dignitaries are both scheduled to be in Greece this weekend, and the rivalry between them has led the authorities to take special measures to ensure that their paths (and those of their extensive entourages) do not cross for fear of sparking off a diplomatic incident.
The Olympic Flame kicked off her world tour in Olympia on Thursday, scheduled to take in several key locations in Greece and the world, culminating in a two week residency at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in August. The Olympic Flame is known to adopt a punishing itinerary, featuring spectacular stunts, and with numerous featured guest appearances by sports stars and other celebrities along the way. She famously favours an understated style ostensibly inspired by the timeless ideal of Classical Greece, but beneath the cultivated facade of elegant simplicity lies a high maintenance diva of epic proportions. While her entourage sport identical white belted chitons intended to evoke the image of a Grecian maiden, the Flame herself insists on a new cutting edge haute couture wardrobe by a different designer for each tour.
After being lit by means of a solar mirror in a solemn ceremony, she was photographed in the arms of up-and-coming Syrian Paralympic athlete Ibrahim Al-Hussein, following the path blazed by Angelina Jolie through the refugee camp of Elaionas, before heading off to the next point on her tour. The move was said to be a nod towards the ancient custom of the Olympic Truce, which as been systematically disregarded by the modern Olympic movement. The gossip pages are already speculating that there is more to the relationship between the diva and her much younger bearer after pictures appeared of them together on social media. But the similarities with J-Lo don't end there. The Flame's contract rider, leaked to the press a few days earlier lays out her backstage requirement which bear more than a passing resemblance to those of the Latina star, know for her insistence on an all-white dressing room and white rose petals in the powder room.
Meanwhile, the Holy Light, with whom she is known to be locked in a fierce rivalry, is scheduled to arrive in Athens on Saturday, on her annual visit from Jerusalem to celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter. The Holy Light is ignited by a process shrouded in mystery backstage in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, travels to Athens as a dignitary on a special flight, and is greeted at the airport with full military honours as a head of state. She is known to favour a celibate all-male entourage of Orthodox monks. The dress code at her events is strictly formal, with costumes based on a jewel colour palette and black with heavy gold leaf accents, while she insists that everywhere she goes the air is frangranced with her own label incense and her fans are kept behind the velvet rope. It is expected that she will be received by her self-proclaimed "biggest fan", Greek "Call of Duty" champion Panos Kammenos, whose rotund form has been a regular feature of her recent appearances, sparking rumours of a possible romance.
The Holy Light has strict dietary requirements, which dictate that both her entourage and her fans observe a forty day detox (or "fast") before her arrival in Athens. This is followed by a ritual "binge" on ovicaprid meat and offal, hard boiled eggs and chocolate. Many of her devotees are known to suffer ecstatic stomach cramps following the feast, during which they are said to find enlightenment.
The red hot rivalry between the two flame divas goes back centuries. While the Olympic Flame claims to be the original Torch Queen dating back to 776 BC, the Holy Light has been making much of the fact that Olympic Torch Relay was revealed as the brainchild of a controversial Austrian impresario and demagogue who took the world by storm with the modern torch rally in 1930s Germany. Her latest comment to the press seems designed to ignite a flame-fest, "Nobody throws shade on the Light of the Resurrection. Beeotch!".
In fact, rumour has it that the real animus between the two is more to do with the fact that they both owe their eternal youthfulness to the rejuvenating treatments of the secretive Dr Zippo, who is flown in specially from his clinic in the Swiss Alps to minister to them during their frequent bouts of "exhaustion" on tour.


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How to choose the best paper shredder machine for Home or Home Office Use
How to choose the best paper shredder machine for Home or Home Office Use
How to choose the best paper shredder machine for Home or Home Office Use
Our homes generate plenty of waste paper from kids' homework and junk mail alone. Add a home office to the mix, and the paper pile grows deeper. For security reasons, many people prefer to shred much of this paper before discarding or recycling it. Personal and small office paper shredders can do the job, but not all are created equal. If you are shopping for a paper shredder for your home or home office, you'll want to find the best balance of price, features, and performance.
Here's what you need to know when shopping for personal shredders.
Strip-cut shredders, also known as straight-cut or spaghetti-cut, slice the paper into long, thin strips. Strip-cut shredders generally handle a higher volume of paper with low maintenance requirements. Shred size may vary from 1/8 to 1/2 inch, with narrower strips providing better security. Because the strips don't compress well, you'll need a large basket or more frequent emptying.
Compare prices on Aurora, Fellowes, Sentinel and other brands of strip-cut paper shredders.
Cross-cut shredders provide additional security by cutting paper vertically and horizontally into confetti-like pieces. The shredded paper compresses better than strips, so the basket holds more cut paper. The trade-off is these shredders may require more maintenance and usually cost more. With patience, someone could reconstruct any shredded document.
Cross-cut shredders just make the job a lot more tedious.
Compare prices on Fellowes, Royal, Swingline and more brands of cross-cut paper shredders.
It's easy to burn out a shredder by overworking it. For low-volume users, personal shredders designed for 50 or so sheets per day are fine.
Low-volume or light-duty shredders may handle from 2 to 10 sheets of paper per pass. For higher volume, look beyond personal shredders to those that can handle 100 to 150 sheets per day for days on end. A shred capacity of at least 10 to 15 sheets is best unless you really want to spend time feeding in paper one piece at a time. In real-world use, most shredders do best at 1 to 2 sheets less than their stated specs.
The opening where you feed the paper into the shredder needs to be large enough to accommodate the size of paper you typically shred. An 8.75 or 9-inch throat handles unfolded letter size paper nicely. A smaller throat size requires folding the paper, but if most of your shredding is of credit card or ATM receipts, it works fine.
Shredders come with various combinations of features. With automatic start/stop, the shredder detects the presence of paper. Some shredders provide a light or buzzer to alert you to paper jams or a full shredder basket. Reverse feed is useful for clearing out paper jams. A clear basket or window shows when the basket needs emptying.
Some shredders are tough enough to handle staples and shred non-paper items such as credit cards.
Shredders with built-in baskets or racks for plastic bags usually cost more than the stand-alone versions. These shredders come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some units might include an extra opening for inserting paper that doesn't need shredding or a see-through window to check the paper level. The main drawback is that you are tied into using a specific size basket.
This type of paper shredder fits on most standard-size wastebaskets. Expandable sides allow you to adjust it for different width baskets. These are often the least expensive units. For the greatest flexibility, look for a unit that fits both round and rectangular baskets of varying sizes.
Some manufacturers recommend using shredder bags.
These bags come sized to the dimensions of specific models, although ordinary trash bags may work fine. To keep a shredder operating at peak efficiency, the blades should be oiled regularly with specially formulated shredder oil. This oil lubricates without leaving residue on the cutters that can attract paper dust and lead to clogged cutters.
Just tell me what you want, a customized product is welcome!


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Afghanistan' tag.
General Sir David Richards' Chatham House speech touches on a number of themes that should have been inculcated in the Australian Defence White Paper. These are not new themes, even in the Australian context; they include some of the thinking behind the Defence Update of two years ago.
Richards says
…our generation is in the midst of a paradigm shift, is facing its own 'horse and tank' moment if you like, born in our era chiefly but not exclusively of the global revolution in communications and associated technology. The result is that the way even state on state warfare will manifest itself has changed fundamentally.
He argues that 'conflicts with dissatisfied and violent non-state actors are here for the long term' and while the British Army, at least, is okay at fighting such wars, it needs to get better at doing so. State-on-state warfare is likely to remain a possibility, but it's shape and nature will change, becoming more like the current wars against insurgents, proxies and non-state actors: there is a 'virtuous congruence, between non-state and inter-state war'. Like US Defence Secretary Gates, he argues for a better balance: conventional capability should not be abandoned, but nor should it remain the predominant shaper of capability:
…an intelligent opponent will not be impressed by capabilities which can readily be made irrelevant through the adoption of asymmetric tactics or technology….Those who seek to continue investment in traditional forms of conflict at the expense of the new fail to understand the degree to which inter-state dynamics have changed since the Cold War.
Afghanistan he sees as a 'non-discretionary war'. In this I tend to depart a tad from his thesis: the larger trends and dynamics, which Richards himself has touched on, should not be obscured by a focus on Afghanistan. Patrick Porter (who provided the lead on the speech) also notes the doomed-if-we-do-and-doomed-if-we-don't nature of the argument over Afghanistan. Not only should we rethink warfare, but rethink what constitutes success and failure—at the strategic level these are not always, and rarely over the long-term, defined in purely military terms.
My attention was snagged by Jim Molan's piece, in which he argues:
Our minimalist approach will probably guarantee our soldiers will perform brilliantly until the day that the war is lost—one of the few Vietnam analogies that stand up.
There's always a danger in conflating two very different conflicts, even as marginally as Jim has. Arguably, our soldiers are still doing much the same type of tactical-level COIN at which they did well at in Vietnam; I'm not sure that the ADF or the government has grasped the full spectrum of COIN.
We have three levels of problems with Afghanistan.
At the tactical level, ADF soldiers, according to reports, are doing well at the initial 'clear' phase, restricted to a limited area in Oruzgan. It's possible, taking Jim's additional troops, the ADF could extend such tactical success further, though it's worth bearing in mind that Australia has limited experience in substantially larger deployments.
At the operational level, to be a successful COIN campaign, 'clear' needs to be followed by 'hold' and 'build'. The ADF has only limited experience in holding and building. True, there is a trade school at Tarin Kowt. But holding and building means more than just a trade school, more than fixing bridges or schools; it's a long-term commitment to building institutions, to providing space for the people, to generating good behaviours of governance. Persistence is the key.
Whenever Australia has been involved, post World War II, in the Middle East and Central Asia, the government has done as much as it can to limit its exposure. If the government continually thinks it's going to be 'outta there' in comparatively short order, it's less likely to put the effort into thinking through the two later phases of holding and building.
It's also hard to point to any great blazing success stories in our own neighbourhood—operational-level success is clearly not inversely related to distance. Policy towards and engagement with the Solomons and East Timor—and of course, PNG—totter onwards without any great sense of achievement, improvement or direction.
Australia lacks a strong sense of where Oruzgan fits in the overall campaign, or how the ADF can best assist longer term. Perhaps this may be coming as a result of McChrystal's report, but it would be nice to hear of some pro-active thinking from within Russell for a change. Jim's other concerns—including how his additional troops may contribute to the broader effort—tend to focus on this level.
Last, at the strategic level, aside from the occasional set piece by the Prime Minister, no minister has made the strategic case for a continuing contribution in Afghanistan for a considerable time, arguably in this government. No minister has set out a vision for Afghanistan, or explained to the Australian public the significance of Afghanistan for Australia's security.
Just take the last three months, months in which pressure is building on the US Administration to articulate its policy and strategy. On 22 July, the PM said,
Well, on the first question, what I indicated most recently when we increased our training effort in Afghanistan was this – our mission is clear. How do you, in our province, Oruzgan, which we're responsible for, together with our Dutch allies, train and equip the Afghan national army and local police to take responsibility for the security of that province, so we can then go?
That's the mission, and the reason I have, with the support of the National Security Committee of the Cabinet, increased our training effort, is so that we have a greater capacity to raise an Afghan national army battalion and additional military capabilities and police capabilities so that security of that province can be handed over.
That is the mission statement, and that's what we're working to on the basis of the advice from the Chief of the Defence Force.
The second point you ask is what would happen if we were to exit? Can I say Australia is in Afghanistan because of our alliance with the United States in the first instance. When September 11 happened, it was an attack on our American ally. The ANZUS Treaty was invoked, because of an attack on the metropolitan territory of the United States. We take our alliance obligations seriously, that's why we're there.
But the underpinning reason in addition to that is what we need to do as a society of civilised countries in acting against the global threat of terrorism.
Later in August,
As I reflect most recently on terrorist attacks in Indonesia, and terrorist attacks elsewhere in world, as you know, in the history of events since 2001, many of those who have been responsible for terrorist attacks around the world have in fact been trained in Afghanistan. The Government of Australia's view and the Government of the United States, and our friends and allies is that Afghanistan cannot be surrendered as a training base of unlimited potential for terrorists as it was prior to 2001.
This is a difficult and ongoing fight in Afghanistan, I accept that. I accept also that it is unpopular. But if we are to deal with the threat of terrorism at its various levels, we must dealing with where terrorists are trained, we must be dealing with those who support them, as we must be dealing with the current, practical challenges which confront our law enforcement agencies here in Australia.
Then there are the most recent remarks (1 September) by the Prime Minister, which focus at the operational level:
Well, our approach to Afghanistan has always been that we want to ensure that our mission in Oruzgan province is concluded. What's our mission in Oruzgan province? To train up an Afghan national army brigade made up of six battalions so that we can in turn hand security responsibilities over to the Afghan Government. That's the task and the mission we've set for ourselves in Oruzgan.
So…how exactly does focusing solely on a small section within Afghanistan—and clearing, much less holding and building—contribute to the expressed goal of ensuring Afghanistan does not become the base for a future September 11-type attack?
More and more the trajectory being described is one of closure: the rationale is that Australia is in Afghanistan because of the Alliance (our relations with a significant other), and because we're a civilised country (being seen with the right crowd), and once we've paid our dues (carefully circumscribed), we intend to get the hell out. Because the Australian government sees no real reason to put in for the long haul: ultimately, terrorism is seen as an intelligence and law enforcement problem. It misunderstands the problem, and so an operational—or even tactical—approach is substitutes for a strategic approach.
We need a clear strategic-level statements addressing three, inter-related elements:
- how Afghanistan fits into our broader concerns on global terror;
The September 11 attacks heralded a new phenomenon—globalised terrorism and insurgency. Al Qaeda was the first to take advantage of globalised access to technology, an increased freedom of movement and shortened supply chains, a pool of recruits, and poor governance—it will not be the last. For traditional-minded, established militaries and bureaucracies, this point is the hardest to understand.
Focusing on Afghanistan alone and to the exclusion of others—and especially a small area in Oruzgun—is short-sighted, not simply because because there are many places that such groups could exploit, but because of the interconnectedness of groups, technologies, societies, and finance, amongst others. Certainly, simply one-off training of a bunch of soldiers and police doesn't address this problem: the problem concerns structural differences.
Still, for the moment, Afghanistan remains reasonably central to the global insurgency. The difficulty for the West will be that once it looks—recalling perceptions are important in this struggle, and there will not be a clear unambiguous 'truth'—as though the West is gaining the upper hand, the adversary is likely to shift both ground and approach. And, unless we understand the nature of the changes, and are prepared to adapt, we will be caught flatfooted—and stuck where the fight is no longer.
- how our efforts contribute to the Alliance relationship;
The Alliance remains key to Australia's security, and its is important we contribute to those issues of deepest concern to the United States in upholding, enhancing and protecting global security, global norms and the freedom of the global commons. Because, oddly enough, we share those interests. We cannot uphold them ourselves alone, so it makes sense we help the United States do so. To simply say we're in Afghanistan to 'wave the flag' or because the Americans wants Australia there is niggardly, if not downright disingenuous; it certainly detracts from a mature relationship.
- why it is important for Western liberal, capitalist democracies to ensure stability and the development of something other than a demonstrably, and potentially dangerous, failed state.
This point is the most nebulous, but it matters on an number of levels: credibility for the notion of state building, or at least remediation; the denial of state control, if not containment, by a group—and in the future, groups—determined to repudiate accepted global norms; and the ability of the West to act together, cohesively, towards mutual strategic interests.
This is also the bit that matters because it helps us understand how we—the international community—could manage and exit from Afghanistan. It is unlikely that the West can exit from Afghanistan for some time, certainly not without the risk of the re-emergence of its status as host. But we cannot afford to be tied down in Afghanistan: we need to manage Afghanistan yet retain freedom of action.
The West needs a strategic approach, not an operational approach in which we figure the best way to handle Afghanistan alone, nor a tactical one that focuses on getting out of Oruzgan. For Australia, it may mean more troops then are there now, more civilians and a smarter shape to the Afghanistan deployment and a readiness to direct armed capability elsewhere as needed.
Jones, S. G. (2008). Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, RAND.


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Lebanese Semolina Date Cookies
Here's a recipe that may or may not make it into the low histamine non-gluten free dessert recipe book. To be made correctly it really needs some butter. You could use vegetable shortening, but I'm not really in love with either health-wise. My results with oil weren't as good. I would only make these once in a very blue moon because of the wheat and butter. I'm also on the fence about the dates. I can eat them, but generally not with other higher histamine ingredients. Having said all that, they're really delicious, but please be aware that they are not as low histamine as my other recipes. Omit the agave or sub with a little apple juice for a lower histamine dessert.
It's such a challenge finding low histamine desserts suitable for those of us with histamine related disorders and I sometimes wonder if I'm being too militant in what I classify to be low histamine. There's no way you'd find anything lower histamine dessert-wise than my recipes in a store, but I would never buy a dessert from a store anyway! Please leave me a comment to let me know if you think this recipe is low histamine enough to make it into a non-gluten free low histamine dessert recipe book.
Lebanese Semolina Date Cookies


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Patrick B. Kennedy Jr.
Of Counsel
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Patrick B. Kennedy, Jr. became "Of Counsel" with the firm in 2004 after 12 years of private practice. His areas of practice include all aspects of family law (including divorce, custody, visitation, interstate custody disputes, intrafamily adoptions, and property partitions), as well as criminal defense; construction liens and litigation; and personal injury claims.
Patrick earned his law degree in 1992 from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, where he received his bachelor's degree six years earlier.
Year Joined Firm
- 2004
Areas of Practice
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Custody & Visitation
- Interstate Custody Disputes
- Intrafamily Adoptions
- Property Partitions
- Criminal Defense
- Construction Liens and Litigation
- Personal Injury
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana, 1992
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana - 1992
- Louisiana State University


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In this section you find articles related to solar energy insurance.
Here we cover the various providers in solar insurance, such as PowerGuard Insurance, CHUBB Insurance, Solarif insurance, Munichre insurance, ERGO insurance and Zurich insurance.
Also you can read about what are solar panel performance and product warranty insurance, two important subjects when it comes to solar insurance.
This section is regularly updated. For any suggestions, leave us a comment below.


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Beechwood Primary School children have an excellent reputation for looking smart in their uniform. We are proud of our children and hope that you will help us maintain this high standard as it is important that your child is dressed appropriately and smartly at all times.
Our school uniform:
- Long black trousers, white shirt/polo shirt (Foundation & Key Stage 1) white shirt and school tie (Key Stage 2).
- Burgundy School Jumper.
- Black socks and school shoes (not boots or trainers).
- Summer: optional black shorts.
- Black pinafore dress/skirt/school trousers (not fashion trousers).
- White shirt/polo shirt (Foundation & Key Stage 1) white shirt and school tie (Key Stage 2).
- Burgundy School Cardigan.
- Black socks or tights.
- Black school shoes (not boots or trainers), low heeled – up to 3cm.
- Summer: optional red/white check dress with white socks
PE and Games Kit
- Summer and Indoor: Black Shorts (shadow stripe or plain), burgundy t-shirt with school logo, short white socks.
- Winter: Black Shorts (shadow stripe or plain) with burgundy football/rugby/hockey knee socks, black tracksuit bottoms, burgundy long sleeved winter top (KS1 & KS2) with logo or black tracksuit top.
- Trainers for outdoor games (not pumps). Apparatus is performed barefoot.
- Swimming hat, close fitting swimwear (lycra shorts for boys not Bermuda style shorts, swimming costume's for girls not bikini's)
Please note:
Book Bag with or without shoulder strap.
PE kit should be in school all week and only taken home at the weekend for washing. Please provide a named Beechwood drawstring bag in which your child can keep their PE Kit whilst at School.
Hair: Long hair must be tied back for all PE & Games Lessons.
Craft activities can be messy and, although we expect children to take reasonable care, you should provide your child, if asked, with an art apron (an old shirt with cut down sleeves would also be suitable).
Shoes should provide a good grip and fasten securely for the sake of the child's safety in the playground. Trainers are NOT acceptable footwear at school other than for outdoor activities.
Jewellery should not be worn in school.
Earrings – Should your child have their ears pierced please ensure this procedure is carried out during the summer holidays when there is time for healing. If your child has earrings these are preferably removed before taking part in their PE lessons – this must be done by the child or at home before coming into school. If this is not possible please provide tape for your child to cover their earrings so that they are still able to take part in these lessons, this also must be done by the child or at home before coming into school. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter, as we want all children to fully participate in their PE lessons and on occasion representing their school.


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Today's another boring day, as far as having things to blog about. Went to class, made lunch, backpacked* courses for my final semester of college, did some homework, went to another class–where I took a pop quiz–, bought groceries, did some work, ate dinner, did more work, and now I'm about to start on more work.
At some point today, I also need to write 3k in NaNo. But that's going to have to wait for after finishing this reading for Mexican cinema. And the assignment due tomorrow for my honors thesis. And these budget proposals. (And possibly finishing Carry On, because this book is weirdly addictive?)
I'm really happy with my life right now. I'm doing things I'm passionate about and that I never thought I'd actually get to do–
But yeah.Things are also a little crazy right now.
Here's to real life and following dreams and how sometimes that means not having much time for anything?
Goal for Today: 3,000
Overall Goal: 29,000
Current Word Count: 26,181
*For anyone whose school doesn't use that term: I picked out classes and put them in this holding pen thing on the university website so I can register for them more quickly in a couple weeks when registration opens (aka: the University of Michigan's version of the Cornucopia bloodbath portion of the Hunger Games).


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The funeral takes place today of former Irish taoiseach Liam Cosgrave.
Born in 1920, Mr Cosgrave had a 40-year political career and was part of the government which saw Ireland become a Republic in 1949.
He also oversaw Ireland joining the United Nations, addressed the US Congress in 1976 and signed the Sunningdale Agreement in Northern Ireland which led to a short-lived powersharing executive in Belfast in 1972.
Mr Cosgrave died on Wednesday. He was 97.
The funeral mass takes place at midday in the Church of the Annunciation in Rathfarnham, Dublin.
Mr Cosgrave will be buried in Goldenbridge Cemetery, Inchicore, beside his father WT Cosgrave, a key figure in the foundation of the Irish Free State and an officer in the 1916 Rising.
Following tributes from across the political spectrum in Ireland, the Cosgrave family, his three children, Mary, Liam and Ciaran, were offered a state funeral.
At their request the funeral mass and burial will have some trappings of state but it is a private service.
Mr Cosgrave was Irish taoiseach from 1973-77, some of the most turbulent years of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
He has been described as a consistent and courageous voice against terrorism.
He was at the head of government on the worst day of atrocities in the Troubles - the Dublin-Monaghan bombings on May 17 1974 when loyalists killed 33 people, including a pregnant woman at full term.
Mr Cosgrave also covered the cost of his father's state funeral in 1965.


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Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female
After a long development period and extensive testing Profile now presents the new Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female and offers you here a specially developed, high quality and street-compatible freecoaster. This Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female is based on the function of a cassette hub and consists of a 9T CrMo Driver unit which is equipped with a spring-pawl system. The advantage of this new freecoaster generation lies in the fact that this hub is by design lighter and more delicate than a conventional Driver-Clutch based freecoaster but also provides a defined riding feeling which corresponds to a cassette hub and thus get used to exclude traditional freecoaster riding. Another advantage of this Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female is that you can also easily switch this hub to a cassette hub by simply replace the included "ZCoaster" Flat Spring Spacer. A complicated switch of pawls and springs are not required here. This Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female comes with an installed 60° degree Gap ring by factory which allows you a comfortable gap while rolling backwards. If necessary you can adjust your own preferred gap by replace the gap ring through separately available rings. Profile's especially and own developed system in this coaster - cassette hub offers you here the best functionality, high stability and the for Profile well-known high material and workmanship quality, Made in USA.
Facts: Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female
- Material:
Body: Aluminium, CNC machined, 36H
Axle: Female, CrMo, hollow
Bolts: CrMo, 10mm (inch threat)
- Driver: 9T, CrMo, 1/8 teeth, RHD oder LHD
- Gap-Ring: 60° degrees, 1/6 of a crank
- Bearing: sealed bearing
- Flange Diameter: Driveside: 66mm / Non-Driveside: 50mm
- Extras: Specially developed system Freecoaster-cassette hub from Profile
Video: Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Female
Further Product Versions
Profile Racing "ZCoaster" Freecoaster - Male
Hubs + Co. - Sale %
Rant BMX "Steel" Spokes0.39 kg20.95 EUR15.95 EUR
Ares Bikes "Boo2 Freecoaster #11" Axle Cone0.02 kg12.95 EUR5.95 EUR
St Martin "Evo Front Female" Bearing Set (#15267)0.02 kg12.95 EUR5.95 EUR
wethepeople "Supreme V1" Rear Hubguard0.08 kg29.95 EUR19.95 EUR
BSD "Jersey Barrier Front Street Pro" Front Hubguard0.04 kg26.95 EUR20.95 EUR
Ares Bikes "Boo2 Freecoaster #6" Clutch0.05 kg36.95 EUR9.95 EUR
Stereo Bikes "Slide" Rear Hubguard - Non Driver Side0.10 kg24.95 EUR15.95 EUR
Mental BMX "M7" Front Hub0.26 kg87.95 EUR69.95 EUR
Mental BMX "T2" Front Hub0.22 kg77.95 EUR59.95 EUR
Cinema Wheel Co. "ZX" Front Hubguard0.04 kg17.95 EUR8.95 EUR


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307 Wyoming StickerHollySageArt
Vinyl Sticker: 307
* Sticker measures 3.5" x 3"
* Printed on Top Quality Waterproof Vinyl
Your Holly Sage Art sticker will be long-lasting on a car, water bottle, computer, helmet, notebook...pretty much any place you can imagine!
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Wyoming is a special state to its residents. With a state that includes such beautiful road trip destinations like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Devil's Tower National Monument, and much more, it's no wonder the least populated state in the country is loved by its people. The 307 area code is just one aspect of state pride that Wyomingites love to embrace. Whether you live in Wyoming, or just love it, this 307 Wyoming sticker is a great way to show your appreciation for wild Wyoming.


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They say that with age comes wisdom – and the trailer for "Older Than Ireland" shows us exactly why this saying rings true.
This is the story of 30 people aged 100 and over, living on our little island, and talking about their lives and the changes they've seen along the way. Often funny and at times poignant, the film explores each centenarian's journey, from their birth at the dawn of Irish independence to their life as an elderly person in modern day Ireland.
Covering life events from the seemingly small – the day they got their first pair of shoes, the thrill of their first kiss – and from the magic of their wedding day to the tragic loss of their loved ones, these guys have lived through it all. And having witnessed a century of immense social, political and technological change each one of them has a unique perspective on life and its true meaning.
The film is out in Irish cinemas at the end of September. But even the trailer will get you through until then.


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We had a few hours to kill in the city of Dubrovnik, before hopping over the Adriatic to Italy, and visiting the old city was a fitting way of saying goodbye to Croatia. A brief historical update confirmed that it existed for more than 1000 years, certainly bearing witness to the ebb and flow of culture and religion alike.
The sheer volume of tourists, mostly from huge passenger liners that stopover in the port, makes Dubrovnik one of the bigger cogs in Croatia's formidable tourist industry.
Besides the crowded nature of the excursion, the architecture and historic charm is something to behold. A grid-like layout with narrow alleys branching of on both sides of the wide "Stradun" shelters a multitude of small shops and restaurants, each with a peddler outside trying his utmost to turn every passing tourist into a customer. In contrast the multitude of churches, representing both the Catholic and Orthodox denominations, is a reminder of times gone by; when religion held sway over the heartbeat of the old city.
We decided to traverse the top of the historic wall, promising a breathtaking view of the old and the modern city at the same time. The multitude of views and angles from the top of the wall was truly bewildering, leaving me snapping away whilst Cath waited patiently to move forward with the never ending queue of tourists.
It is only when I sifted through the photos later that my eye caught something that was in plain sight but hidden by its pedestrian ubiquity. A multitude of satellite dishes focused on a single point in the sky. Like symbols of new religion, acting as a direct link to the new gods; commerce, media and materialism.
From on high came the command, sorry I mean request, to put together a video message for Cath's daughter for her upcoming 21st birthday. It sounded like a fun project; setting the creative cogs spinning.
When I pitched the idea it was met with enthusiasm, tempered with some reservations about the practical aspects thereof. Next day came the anticipated feedback from the top; execution of the proposed plan required a lack of personal shyness and top management felt she could not contribute.
The early part of the next day was spent reconnoitering the nearby village of Sumartin; very quaint and cute indeed. Some video footage was recorded featuring top management, showing total lack of any camera shyness, even to the untrained eye. Feeling bolstered and upbeat about having some material to cobble together the video message, the original plan was far from her mind as we headed back to Bol.
It is only when I drove passed the turnoff to our lodgings, and announced that I was heading for the promenade, with its guaranteed supply of strolling tourists, that the penny dropped. I don't know why it came as a surprise that middle management would roll up his proverbial sleeves and get the job done!
You see, the plan was actually quite simple. Ask some tourists to deliver a "Happy birthday" message, in their mother tongue, and stitch them together in a video collage. So brushing aside the small obstacle of public shyness, how hard can it be? Surprisingly in some cases not trivial at all.
Approaching any tourist with a camera in hand, the unsolicited response is a smile and a nod eager to assist in taking a snapshot of us; a truly international gesture with no language skills required. So we were set the task of ridding the unsuspecting tourist of this notion and explained that we wanted them to deliver a message in their language.
Off course the English speaking victims obliged straight away with happy abandon and some even burst into song. The others understood that they had to deliver a message, but convincing them to deliver it in their own language was a challenge.
The funniest incident was with an elderly German couple who obliged our request very happily and after much encouragement and prompting, from behind the camera; the woman uttered the following phrase: "Happy birthday in German".
Croatia is a land of few vowels; Krk, Crkva, Hvar, Trpanj. You really want to insert a little vowel to help you along. None-the-less Croatia is very geared up for tourism and most of the Croatians we came across could speak English. Just when we were determined to go "off the beaten track", we found ourselves in one of the top 20 tourist destinations of the world and compounding the error we inadvertently managed to navigate to three of their top tourist traps.
A trivial yet interesting fact is that this area is known as the Dalmatian Coast – the origin of the Dalmatian dog. But as yet I have seen no Dalmatian dogs only many a scrawny, weather-beaten cat, who seem to inhabit all the towns in countless numbers.
We timed our arrival to Croatia to escape the approaching cold-wet Cape winter and were expecting a warm Mediterranean summer, but it was just our luck to find them experiencing an uncharacteristically cold summer. It seemed, even to the surprise of the locals, that summer had been delayed until further notice.
It was only a week later that we finally glimpsed the sun and decided to hit the popular beach at Bol, on the island of Brac, to soak up a few rays and swim in the clear, warm Adriatic Sea. A beach in Croatia is a rocky affair, don't think you can just lay out your towel and settle into the soft sand, uh-uh, here you need to rent a lounger and at a price.
"What happens if it rains?" Stefan asked the chair vendor while handing over the equivalent of R100.
"Guarantee no rain today." came his snappy reply.
It was a mere 20 minutes later that dark clouds gathered and the rain came pouring down. The vendor was no-where in sight as we hurried back to the car.
Don't believe the weather predictions of a chair vendor.
I have always thought that I would support and encourage creativity in other people, particularly my partner. He seems to have landed up with the camera on a few occasions, and I have to admit he takes a good photo. But when the photo-taking becomes fixated on one particular subject, it can become quite tiring.
The Plitvice Lakes, set in a lush beech and fir forest, are certainly eye-catching and well-worth the trip. The lakes are glacial blue, crisp and clean and the waterfalls and cascades are powerful and prolific. The number of locals and tourists visiting this site are a testimony to the pulling power the Plitvicka Jezera National Park, the largest national park in Croatia. There are even a number of caves carved into the porous river banks, that you can climb up to and explore. Like me you may be thinking what wonderful photo opportunities all of this presents; lakes, waterfalls, forests and caves.
We had decided on a brisk walk along the edge of the lake back to the park entrance. The water is completely clean and translucent; you can clearly see the stones at the bottom and the little fish swimming around, as well as the many branches of fallen trees.
You might even remark on it, "Wow, look how clear the water is, look at that wood under the water." Perhaps you might stop to take a picture or two. Although we were on the same path, I kept leaving Stefan behind, and every time I turned back to find him, there he was on tiptoes, or on knees, leaning at peculiar angles taking photo's; ALL of them photo's of wood underwater.
We do not all see things in the same way.
Our strategy has very much been "off the beaten track" when it came to planning our travels. We promised ourselves not to rush around, trying to see as much as possible; but being told that the Plitvice Lakes were worth seeing, we thought it wise to squeeze in a visit.
Last night Cath took the initiative and did a bit of research on Croatia's recent history. Even a casual reading leaves a chilling reminder of how bad things can get when ethnicity, religion, culture and intolerance are brought to the boil in a pressure cooker of political suppression.
Having survived for a full day without a GPS to guide the way, and then purchasing one on Cath's insistence to get us to Croatia, we were now already enslaved to her (the Tom-tom) voice guiding the way. So we punched in the coordinates and headed inland.
"Tom-tom", in her infinite digital wisdom, decided to take us to Plitvice along a route following the back roads. We headed down winding country roads, barely wide enough for two cars to pass. Between the small towns there were a few scattered houses, some abandoned for reasons unclear to the casually passing observer. As we rounded another steep bend there were a few houses set right beside the road, two in a very bad state of repair, surrounded by others that were still inhabited. I pulled over to give Cath chance to stretch her legs, as she was suffering from motion sickness, and reached for the camera to take some photos. To my left was essentially a ruin with only the front facade left standing. On closer inspection I saw elongated gouges on the wall, and came to the chilling realisation that these were marks left by bullets. About 30 meters away, the other derelict house's facing wall showed the unmistakeable pock-marks of automatic gun-fire finding its target. Suddenly the scenario was not mere cold facts gleaned from Wikipedia, but had a sense of reality, albeit more than 2 decades ago.
With the time-frame of events so closely synchronised to our own "political revolution" (in South Africa), yet with such a dramatically different outcome, it made me feel humble and proud at the same time. I had to travel half way around the world to realise how fortunate we were to have experienced the miracle of reconciliation that swept through our country at the same time that civil war ravaged Croatia.
P.S. Further investigation showed that a skirmish at the Plitvice Lakes (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plitvice_Lakes_incident) is considered as the start of the civil war that lasted about 5 years and left scores of people murdered and displaced.
So we decided to stay another day in the charming little town of Rovinj. This morning wanting to make the most of the sunshine after last nights' cold spell and get some exercise, we geared up in our walking attire, and headed towards the new part of town.
Our apartment was situated in the Old Town and we had to walk past the old harbour and its many restaurants already busy serving the multitude of tourists who had flocked to the waterfront to enjoy the hot weather. The atmosphere was jovial and lively as adults sipped at their cocktails, cappuccinos and drank beer, while the kids indulged in colourful ice-cream sunday's and milkshakes.
Reaching the end of the bay, that formed the old harbour, we rounded a corner and continued past the modern marina where many expensive-looking yachts tugged at their moorings. In front of us loomed a modern promenade set on two levels. Higher up on the embankment towered sleek modern hotels.
To our left were chic restaurants ready and waiting to serve food and drink to a crowd of tourists that were glaringly absent. It was hard to believe that we had had to wriggle our way through the hoards a mere 500meters or so behind us.
But clearly the human mind can sometimes be a fickle thing, preferring the old and crooked (sometimes a bit run down as well) to the modern sheer lines of glass, teak and concrete. In my mind's eye I can see the corporate salesman, dressed in an expensive suit, pitching the line "If we build it, they will come"; or something to that effect.
At my insistence we headed straight for the supermarket this morning before heading for Croatia. Here we purchased my new best friend Tom-Tom the GPS. She is small, has an English accent and most importantly knows her way around.
It was a long drive and we were looking forward to our hotel in Rovinji. We reached the town without incidence; Tom-Tom had done a superb job. Nearing the hotel, the streets became narrower with many one-ways and blocked off routes. No matter which direction we approached, we could just not reach our destination. I felt so disappointed with Tom-Tom and in sheer frustration decided to ask for directions. We discovered that we had booked into a hotel in the "Old Town" and no cars were allowed, not even the locals. Were we supposed to drag our over-sized suitcases through the cobbled streets? On further enquiry we were told we could get a special ticket to pass through the boom that blocked off all traffic to the Old Town. This allowed us 45 minutes to locate the hotel and off-load. We painstakingly inched our way through the narrow pedestrian-filled streets, and after three further enquiries finally found our hotel.
Our room was situated down a narrow cobbled alley, through a green door, up a steep staircase. We off-loaded as quickly as we could and were told that we would have to pay per hour for the nearest parking. If we wanted free parking we would have to park on the other side of town and walk back to the hotel. Our journey was not yet over.
The tiredness and frustration of the day dissipated with each step, as we made our way back to the hotel. The charming arched alleyways, green-shuttered windows and cobbled stones had an irresistible romantic allure. Traditional music filled the town square and the small harbour was tightly packed with bobbing fishing boats. The sidewalk cafes were open for trade and doing brisk business. In the distance heavy storm clouds were brewing, darkening the sky, creating a dramatic backdrop to this historic town.
By the time we reached our room, we were enchanted and had already decided we needed another day to soak up the ambience of this special place.
A destination can be worth an arduous journey.
In my opinion, there are only three important matters to consider when travelling abroad; language, plugs and cars.
I have never thought myself a linguist, my French consists of a smattering of words remembered from Standard 6 French lessons, so I was surprised to find my few words greatly surpassed Stefan's French vocabulary. I realised my assistance was needed when Stefan was asked in French if he would like onions on his sandwich and answered, "No, we're from South Africa."
The language issue is simply an inconvenience; Stefan was simply given extra onions. The plug issue can lead to frustration and disappointed blog-readers. The driving issue, however, can have life-threatening consequences.
You may think that we left our stressed lives behind us in South Africa, but no, since we picked up our French Renault Clio from the airport, my life has been filled with adrenalin and white-knuckles. Stefan drives and I navigate, but he has also put in charge of reminding him to keep RIGHT. It may sound simple but the problem is remembering. So far we have driven on the wrong side of the road five times, turned into on-coming traffic twice and taken an off-ramp that was actually an on-ramp. Oh yes, we nearly took out a French pedestrian too, but that had nothing to do with keeping right. It is stressful. Today, however, I do feel there has been a general improvement, as Stefan is no longer trying to change the gears by reaching for the door handle.
Driving across France to Italy we discovered; tunnels, trucks, traffic circles and tolls. The tunnels are impressively long and take you straight through mountains. The trucks are numerous and unavoidable. We thought we would save money on the toll roads, by taking the alternative route, but wound up so dizzy from all the traffic circles that we soon headed straight back to the toll roads.
Leaving France, we also left behind the security of our built-in GPS. We felt fearless, after all we had a map, and the world once functioned without GPS. I was not feeling as confident, however, when we couldn't find the correct turn-off and ended up doing an hour-long loop, arriving back at exactly the same place we had started; like a lost hiker who finds himself walking in his own tracks.
"Tomorrow I am not going anywhere without a proper map." I declared.
"Would that be my 'proper' or your 'proper' "Stefan replied.
Each country incentivises its road users to use the Toll roads. In South Africa it's potholes, in France it's traffic circles.
We have raced each other on previous occasions, but it's usually a race to a finishing line. You see I am fairly (actually extremely) organised. I had planned, sorted, shopped, packed and re-packed carefully, paying attention to every detail. What I had not planned for, however, was my fiancé. He tells me he does not PLAN to leave things to the last minute but that it is just a "personality trait".
I could sense we were heading for disaster when five days before we were due to leave, he still had to; fix up his house, sell his house, complete an important and difficult work project, sign a trust resolution, organise a Power of Attorney, shop for needed items and pack his bag. I could visualise what was about to happen, so I decided to take action.
The first step was to organise somebody else to cater for our farewell party. This was met with dismay, "So you want to take away all my fun now?"
The second step was to plead, "Please, please whatever you do just don't, don't be late for the airport. That would be the worst thing you can do to me, please." The third thing I did was plead and the fourth, "Please…"
It was when there was only an hour to go before we were due to leave for the airport, that I witnessed "Panic Packing". For those of you lucky enough never to have experienced this, let me explain. Panic packing can only happen if you have less than an hour to go. You need to use both hands, working them in opposite directions, as you grab and pull, then grab and throw. Remember to drop and bang items periodically, then push-push-push such items into a suitcase. It is essential that all of the above is accompanied by loud and forceful language. Be sure not to sort and definitely do not fold. Items must be piled in a disorganised heap in the middle of the suitcase as they need to be squashed downwards while using extreme force to zip it all up.
We actually checked in on time, and I saw we had 10 minutes before boarding. "We will have to go straight through." I said confidently.
"Oh no," he answered casually; "we still have time for a cappuccino with my family."
"But there are queues at Passport Control"
"What queues, there are no queues here; this is Cape Town not Joburg."
"I wish I had brought a tranquilliser for you Cathy. " Stefan's sister said, giving me a pitying look. "Stefan ek kan nou weer sien jy gaan die kind op hol jaag. (Stefan I can see you are going to drive her crazy) Aag shame Cathy."
"Its fine" he said calmly sipping his cappuccino, "they can't leave without us."
"We have to go now!" I urged gulping down mine. "And I have to go to the toilet." I said, in a desperate attempt to get him moving.
We sailed through the security check but on rounding the corner we saw it; the dreaded QUEUE at passport control. We had just joined the queue when we heard a boarding call for our flight, we were somewhere in the middle of the queue when the FINAL call came and a few people were ahead of us when the URGENT FINAL call came. We were met by harried ground staff as we left the passport counter and told to RUN while they frantically gestured towards the boarding gate.
And so we sprinted…
"You see we got here, "he said, panting from exertion, "didn't I tell you?"
I gave him an exasperated look. We took our seats in stony silence. "Did you SEE the queue?" I asked.
"But you see my darling, if it wasn't for me you would have nothing to write about. It would all be so boooooring."
You can technically be on time at the airport, but still be late for your flight.
This is probably where it all started, the idea to travel, write and dream.


text: 14 Oct by Vitaliy Tags: P&L Statement, Profit & Loss Statement, Trucking BusinessThe P&L Statement I'm big on calculation, stats, and statements. I believe you need to know the costs associated with making your business work. Profit & Loss statements or P&L statements are of utmost importance in the trucking industry because of the extremely variable nature of our business.Diesel is a big expense and the cost varies. IFTA is based on miles calculation and state fuel tax rates. Putting on miles means increasing exposure to insurance claims and other operating hazards. In addition to all of this, the trucking business is affected by the general state of the U.S. economy.In this post I want to show you what you need to build your very own Profit & Loss statement. This can be done in Excel or if you don't have Excel you can also do the same thing for free at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/ if you have a Google account.Read More


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SPR is a powerful tool for biointeraction analysis, providing information on kinetics, affinity, specificity, and more. But the high upfront costs of the instrument and the expensive test chips make it so many researchers cannot afford to own one.
We are on a mission to change that with OpenSPR, a label-free biointeraction analysis system that everyone can afford. It will be the most affordable system on the market, both in terms of equipment and test chip costs, without sacrificing on data quality.
But we can't do this without your help. We are looking for people with experience in this field to fill out a very brief market research survey to help us make the best product possible. If this sounds like you, please follow the link below or post a comment here – we thank you in advance for your help in making this product a reality.
Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/openSPR
Thanks, from the Nicoya Lifesciences Team
Making Surface Plasmon Resonance Accessible to Everyone
Whether you are building your own mass spec, modifying an existing one, or just need help with instrument settings post about it in here.
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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Just a reminder of what PNAS stands for: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences It is rather silly to tell any organization how to run their (bi-)monthly newsletter. Originally, these "Proceedings" journals really were compilations of what was said at each society's meetings, but of course these papers aren't really "read" out loud anymore. Would PNAS be a better journal if it quit being the P of the NAS? Undoubtedly, since a great amount of junk and crockery gets published there. But it's their right to operate in such an idiosyncratic manner if they so choose. Keith Robison Harvard University Department of Cellular & Developmental Biology Department of Genetics / HHMI robison at biosun.harvard.edu


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Knudsen's Danish Bakery
Sponsored By
Best Metro Detroit Bakeries For Birthday CakesYour birthday may be approaching quickly, but don't panic because there are plenty of bakeries to get a cake from. Visit one of these five Metro Detroit bakeries to discover the impressive cakes that they have available. This list includes Holiday Market, Elite Sweets and Knudsen's Danish Bakery.


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Tom and Jerry being one of the legends in the field of comic characters is among the favourites for all age group, specially the kids. Your kid will be thrilled to have Tom and Jerry as the theme for the party on his or her special day.
You need not run around like a cat or a mouse, here and there and there arranging for your child's Tom and Jerry Party Supplies, cause you can appoint us to do that job and we will do the entire planning and arrangements for the party. We will provide you with a list of Tom and Jerry party ideas and supplies.
Tom and Jerry Party Ideas
What we have to offer are, Tom and Jerry invitations cards, Tom and Jerry party hats, masks, plates, glasses, cutlery and napkins, also some tom and jerry toys as souvenirs for the kids.
For the decoratives, we have Tom and Jerry balloons, ceiling hangings and posters, a Tom and Jerry featured table cloth.
To perfect the environment a Tom and Jerry theme songs audio cds for playing as a background music.
An air walker Tom and Jerry balloon to be installed outside your door, it will aware the passers-by and the invitees that such a party is being held in this particular house.
Professionals are readily available to be hired to get into the costume of Tom and Jerry, who will entertain the children and play with them.
A Tom and Jerry picturised birthday cake can be ordered, this will add up to the theme of the party.
Tom and Jerry Party Supplies kit will also include goodies can also be ordered, that will contain, a Tom and Jerry backpack, water sipper, cap, stationery and stickers. These can be given to the friends of your child, so that they leave the party smiling and happy.


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DSW Guide, Day 1: Seth Godin, Diversity, and Partying Startup Droogs
Denver Startup Week kicks off Monday with an action-packed first day. Here's a sampling of some of the day's events.
Check the Denver Startup Week calendar for more details about these events, plus lots of other events not mentioned here. The events are free, but they do want you to register in advance. This certainly isn't an exhaustive list, and there are lots of other cool looking events and panels. A number of panels focus on technical topics such as UX design or coding in different languages and are targeted at a fairly specific audience; for more information on those, check out the site.
Note that some events are full or could fill up, so check the calendar to see. Some events have waitlists. Otherwise, check out what else is going on in that time frame.
This list is a guess at which events will appeal to a broad audience. If one of the events turns out to be a dud, well, check the schedule for another one!
The Main Event
An event as big as Denver Startup Week inevitably will have a fancy kickoff luncheon with a big-name speaker in a posh ballroom, and sure enough it does, and it's the week's toughest free ticket.
Blogger/author/marketing guru Seth Godin is the keynote speaker at the luncheon, which is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Seawell Ballroom in the Performing Arts Center. Other speakers include Mayor Michael Hancock, FullContact CEO Bart Lorang, and Convercent CEO Patrick Quinlan.
Tickets for the event are gone, and the waiting list is lengthy. As of Friday, organizers were sending out e-mails politely but firmly asking people to give up their tickets to people on the waiting list if they're not going.
Work and Learn
Break Barriers: The National Center for Women and Information Technology is a Boulder-based nonprofit dedicated to getting more girls and women interested in technology and to breaking down barriers in the industry. It will host a panel with area CEOs and experts looking at how startups can break down "stealth barriers" that inhibit diversity and how a diverse workforce can boost the bottom line. The panel is from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the Denver Post Auditorium, 101 W. Colfax.
Get Your Brand On: "Finding Your North Star" – How to Build an Effective Personal Brand will run from 1 to 3 p.m. at the McNichols Building, 144 W. Colfax. The presentation, according to its organizer, will demonstrate that people do have their own "brand," but it's more than image visibility. It's you own "North Star" that will help guide the big decisions that impact our lives both professionally and personally.
Galvanize stuff: Galvanize (1062 Delaware) is hosting events on "little data," ways for small companies to develop Web-scale software, and how to find and set up the best office on a budget. Check the site for more.
The Social Calendar
The Other Big Event: The event that kicks off Denver Startup Week in earnest is probably the Tech Cocktail event from 6 to 10 p.m. at the McNichols Building in Civic Center Park (144 W. Colfax). With more space and plenty of craft beer, cocktails, and food from local restaurants, it's probably truer to the week's relaxed, grassroots vibe than the luncheon. Plus, you're encouraged to wear your startup's t-shirt, so don't worry about being underdressed.
Again, please check the calendar to make sure it's not full.
After Hours Fun: The Beauty Bar (608 E. 13th Ave.) is hosting an afterparty from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Dubbed "Nerd Nite," the event will feature "Nerdcore Hip-Hop and Geeksta Rap," and encourages everyone to "get your best nerd look on" with glasses and pocket protectors.
The event is 21 and over and closed to people who don't register through the DSW website. There's no cover, and the bar will offer a free drink with a Denver Startup Week wristband or the password "STARTUP."
After, After Hours Fun: Nightcap at KorovaTown. For people interested in staying out even later and partying "Clockwork Orange" style, this pop-up bar in River North might fit the bill. It's from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. The Denver Film Society's Reel Social Club, MegaFauna, and FlippFilms are putting the event together at FlippFilms' office at 3047 Larimer St. Everything's free, it's 21-up, and it has a rolling capacity of 75, so make sure you and your droogs register.


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|Mt. Katadhin (not the new home, but gorgeous still)
Such amazing color!
Farmington is a small town with a population of about 7,760 (2010), but it boasts a great deal of activity with the University commanding a high profile in the town and a busy and robust downtown (OK, so "downtown" is only a couple blocks long!). But it's the people of this little town that drew Dave and I here. They are warm, open, inviting and excited to have us moving into their village. There is a diverse group of folks up here; some old hippies who moved here in the '70's and never left, carving a niche out of these hills for themselves and continuing to show up in town looking like .. well, old hippies. There are white collar business people who are dressed in suits and ties and, before the snow, dresses and high heels and students bustling to and from classes. There is also wonderful community of fabulous artists of potters, sculptures, woodworkers, painters and photographers who have several different venues here to display their crafts.
This array of so many types of people in a small town makes for a very colorful population and diverse community!
We'll be moving into the house just before Christmas this year. As you know, I love the Christmas season of singing carols, gathering with friends and family, the festive parties and the display of lights that brighten homes as I drive the commute in the evenings. I use to find the light choices in my town of Falmouth to be a bit on the boring side; everyone had white candle lights in the windows, white lights on their shrubs, and white spot lights hitting the wreaths on the doors. I admit to having put only white lights up on my house down there too. But last year I began to bust out of this paradigm and went radical ... with colored lights!
Up here the "tasteful white lights" are few and far between. Here the people go for color! And they don't care what they put these lights on or around as long as they are visible and very colorful. To date I have seen lights strung around a bench, a large boulder (I'm not kidding), children and small dogs (I might be kidding) and what appears to be tossed up onto the roof where the lights lay in a clump ... but still very colorful. Some houses are outlined along the roof, doors and windows with wonderful colors that blink and flash and are horribly gaudy ... I love it! And there was a fascinating nativity scene that I spied as we traveled along these back roads one day. I got a glimpse of the half moon arrangement of a plastic Mary and Joseph as well as a Rudolph and Santa a caroler and what might have been an elf. And I'm not sure but I think baby Jesus might have been a reclining Frosty the Snowman ... but I could be wrong about this.
Many folks have asked me about crows. Yes, there are crows here. But there are far more raven families. Ravens are really big birds! And their call is a guttural "gawk" verses the distinctive "caw" of the crow. There is a family of crows that I hear around the new house in Farmington, but I probably won't invite them to the backyard. I'll wait until we find our acreage and build our house with fewer neighbors. If there are crows or ravens in this new place I will ask the family to adopt me then. I miss my Falmouth crows, but I hear they are well and still very much a presence in that 'hood.
In addition, there are a lot of Bald Eagles up here in these hills. I may not see them daily, but I certainly see them frequently. Usually along the river. I have yet to determine how many mated pairs we may have but I look forward to watching for them. When I do sight them I find myself gasping in awe and I will send a silent prayer to the Gods whenever I see them;
"they carry the prayers up; they hear and see the help that's needed; they see real clear man, they see almost right through you. They're looking at your soul, not your body..."
Stanford Addison, Arapahoe medicine man.
I feel I need to ask for less help these days. I feel very supported, loved and blessed. And I'm excited about starting the new year in a new home and adding my own colorful hues to this new community.
Let the next adventure begin!
Loving you all back,
|View from Mt. Abraham


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Greetings AAMS Members,
As the Chair of the AAMS Nominations Committee, I'm pleased to announce that the election for representatives for the 2017 – 2019 term on the AAMS Board of Directors is officially underway! A number of board seats are open and we are looking for dedicated leaders to serve in these roles.
The seats that are up for election this year are:
REGION 1 – (1) one seat
*Representatives from AAMS programs in Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
REGION 2 – (1) one seat
*Representatives from AAMS programs in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
REGION 6 – (1) one seat
*Representatives from AAMS programs in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
REGION 7 – (1) one seat
*Representatives from AAMS programs in international regions including Canada, Mexico, the Caribbeam and other countries in North America, Central America, South America, Africa, and Europe.
REGION 8 – (1) one seat
*Representatives from AAMS programs in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Antarctica.
Associate Director – (1) one seat
* Representatives from AAMS Associate Members are eligible.
At Large Director – (2) two seats
*Representatives from AAMS Regular, Associate, Affiliate, Allied or Chapter Members are eligible.
Board Member Duties
- Sign on to the mission, vision and core values of the Association.
- Represent the best interests of all AAMS members during Board policy decision-making.
- Assist AAMS by serving as a communication link with members in your region/constituency by:
- Distributing information from the board to the members in your region/constituency or members you come in contact with;
- Gathering input from members to ensure member input into Board decisions;
- Conducting or attending regional/constituent meetings; Maintaining communications between AAMS and local, state and regional agencies.
- Remaining current on members' perspectives.
- Serve as chair, vice chair and/or board liaison to any assigned AAMS Committee, Section, SIG, Task Force, or allied organization.
- Establish and distribute goals to committee members;
- Facilitate communication and activities of the committee to set objectives and strategies;
- Work with staff to ensure appropriate and fiscally sound implementation of strategies and policies;
- Provide written Committee reports to the board and a written annual report of Committee activities for the members;
- Participate in regional and state chapter activities;
- Attend three (3) Board in-person meetings each year, as well as an initial Board orientation and monthly conference call meetings, unless excused by the President;
- Regularly monitor board & committee listservs, responding in a timely manner to inquiries;
- Attend annual AAMS Membership Meeting;
- Accept fiduciary responsibility for the organization and agree to abide by the Board Code of Conduct;
- Sign the AAMS Board Conflict of Interest statement and agree to declare any real/potential conflicts on a regular basis;
- Encourage, participate in, and support regular association activities;
- Help to identify and recruit prospective members to the organization;
- Help to raise funds and contribute financially to the fundraising activities of both the association and its foundation;
- Perform other duties as requested by the President/CEO or the Board of Directors.
Regional Director Candidates must be currently employed by an AAMS member air ambulance service. Candidates should be involved with the medical transport community for a minimum of one (1) year, three (3) years is preferable.
At Large Director Candidates must be currently employed by a Regular, Associate, Affiliate, Allied, or Chapter Member upon election. Candidates should be involved with the medical transport community for a minimum of one (1) year, three (3) years is preferable.
Associate Director Candidates must be currently employed by an AAMS Associate member. Candidates should be involved with the medical transport community for a minimum of one (1) year, three (3) years is preferable.
A Regular Member may have only one representative on the Board of Directors.
All candidates must not have already served three (3) consecutive terms in the same office.
All candidates must be committed to undertaking the duties of the position outlined above.
All candidates must be fluent in English.
All candidates must submit a complete nomination application by the stated deadline.
Candidates also must have administrative and financial support from their employer to fulfill the duties of a Board member.
Interested parties should submit the following items to be considered:
- Candidate Resume (no longer than two pages)
- Letter of Intent from the Candidate
- A letter of support from the Candidate's employer
- A letter of support from any other AAMS member (for At-Large Director positions), from another program in the Candidate's region (for Regional Director positions), or from another Associate member (for the Associate Director position).
- A digital head shot for use in association communications and publications. (.jpeg)
Candidate Resume – please send in a typed Candidate Resume that includes the following items:
- Name Title Program/Company Affiliation
- Education
- Professional Experience
- Statement of Goals (if elected to serve on the Board)
- Certifications
- Professional Association Memberships
- Professional Activities (lectures, research, articles/publications authored, etc.)
- Special skills that you can bring the Board (e.g. accounting, marketing, negotiation, etc.)
Resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted.
If you have any questions, please contact one of the following:
Martin Arkus, AAMS Nominating Committee Chair at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 520-429-1504
Krista Fuentes, AAMS Project Manager at email@example.com or at 703-836-8732 x115
Natasha Ross, AAMS Director of Education and Events at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 703-836-8732 x107
Submission Instructions and Deadlines
Please submit completed nomination packets to firstname.lastname@example.com. The deadline for submission of nominations is 5 pm EDT on May 26, 2017. Election ballots will be emailed to members in June, and will be due back to the AAMS headquarters by July 1st. Notification of election results will begin July 15th, and winners in this year's election will begin their terms during the Air Medical Transport Conference held October 16-18, 2017 in Fort Worth, TX.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Martin Arkus
AAMS Past President
Chair of the AAMS Nominations Committee