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Rochester Carpet Cleaning
Vacuuming carpets regularly is the best way to remove the daily accumulation of dirt and dust from your home or office. However, a great deal of dirt can be missed by just vacuuming alone. Bacteria and germs sink down into your carpet and over time your carpet will begin to smell. For those who suffer from allergies, regular carpet cleaning helps eliminate odors and reduces dust and allergens making it easier to breath.
Here are just a few more benefits of having your carpet professional cleaned.
- Regular professional carpet cleaning extends the life of your carpet. Most carpet manufacturers recommend having your carpet cleaned annually with our hot water extraction method. Proper care and maintenance will ensure your carpet lasts for many, many years.
- Reduces allergens. A professional carpet cleaning can reduce the allergens that trigger allergy attacks. A thorough cleaning will eliminate dust mites, pet dander, and other allergens in both carpet and upholstery.
- Eliminates carpet stains. Most spots and stains are removed during Nu-Way's basic cleaning. However, for more difficult stains like wine, permanent marker, or make up, we use special products that can remove even the toughest of stains.
- 4. Improved appearance. Regular professional carpet cleaning will help your home smell better and keep your carpet looking fresh and clean.
Rochester Carpet Cleaning
For more than 30 years, Nu-Way Carpet Cleaning has been a family-owned and operated business in Oakland County and Macomb County. Residential and commercial customers have been thrilled with the results that we provide and the lasting benefits that professional carpet cleaning offers.
Nu-Way's Superior Carpet Cleaning Process in Rochester Michigan
Our trained and IICRC certified technicians will arrive at your home or office on time. We'll begin by asking you to point out any major stains, so we can pre-treat them. Our team specializes in spot removal, odor removal, and eliminating pet urine and other residues. Using a truck-mounted hot water extraction system and advanced cleaning solutions, we ensure complete cleaning coverage. Hard to reach areas are no match for our specially designed tools that allow us to get behind and underneath furniture.
Every Nu-Way carpet cleaning includes the following:
- Pre-treatment on stains.
- Dirt and moisture extraction with truck-mounted system.
- Steam clean with on-board water system.
- Scrubbing of high-traffic areas.
- Clear-water rinse to eliminate residue.
- Raise and block furniture.
- Reduced dry time of between two and five hours.
About Rochester, Michigan
Located in Oakland County, Rochester is one of Oakland county northernmost suburbs. It is home to more than 70,000 residents, but still maintains a laid-back atmosphere. It is ideal for families as the school system is top-notch and crime is very low. The vibrant downtown area features more than 300 shops, salon, restaurants, and unique boutiques. Rochester also has several beautiful parks and offers numerous recreational opportunities. The Paint Creek Trailways and Clinton River Trail are ideal for biking, hiking, and exploring.
Breath easier with Nu-Way! Contact our Nu-Way Cleaning Services for all your Rochester carpet cleaning needs!
Nu-Way Carpet Cleaning
440 Baldwin Avenue
Rochester, Michigan 48307
(248) 284-4300


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I note that several fora seem to have vanished. The "Sports" posts seem to have been folded into the "Non-Comics" forum, for example. The missing fora seem to have been ones that did not have heavy traffic. I imagine that the rationale was that there was not much point in having the board cluttered up with fora that saw little use.
Views: 851
Emerkeith is wondering what happened to video posting:
I can't find it either.
The consensus among the Mods was that nobody used or looked at the videos, and that the best use of space was for people who posted a lot of videos (like me) to imbed them in posts. Did we err?
...Yes , I think that it was an error .
Frankly , I think my extremely limited 'Net skills/access don't allow for me to embed them in my posts , probably .
I will add that , when the video-ing function was up , I tended to use this site as alink to YouTube for me...surely increasing the number os eyeballs/sightings here muchly !!!!!!!!!!!
I like the new masthead.
Moderator Lumbering Jack did that!
Richard Willis said:
I like the new masthead.
Everything looks good to me.
Just out of curiosity does anyone ever use the "Main Room"? I've never seen it in use.
© 2020 Captain Comics, board content ©2013 Andrew Smith Powered by

subset: commoncrawl


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This weeks been good. I've kept up with my workouts and my eating has been decent. I've been really munchy today though and I'm trying to figure out why. I ate some "empty" stuff – rice cakey things. It seems like, while they are good, I'm not getting much bang for my buck there. I think that I identified a big problem though. I think I make my meals too little and then am still hungry and snack instead of just eating a bigger meal. Example – for dinner I made stir fried bok choy, broccoli, water chestnuts and shrimp. But that's all I made. And of course, after I was snacky and picked around in the kitchen. I think that I need to really try to eat real meals.
4.5 miles twice this week went okay. I am running slower than I used to but I'm not really that concerned about that right now. 8 miles this weekend. The race is coming up, it's in a month. I'm thinking about running the Silver Comet 10K next weekend too.


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This example shows how to use
dspunfold to accelerate the simulation of a polyphase synthesis FFT filter bank by generating a multi-threaded mex file. This example requires MATLAB Coder.
dspdemo.PolyphaseFFTMuxer implements a polyphase synthesis filter bank. The synthesis bank or muxer takes multiple narrowband channels and forms a single wideband channel with the narrowband channels side by side.
The implementation consists of a polyphase FIR filter with a certain number of coefficients for each polyphase phase (
PolyphaseLength). This filter has a state length equal to the
PolyphaseLength. The filter is preceeded by an inverse FFT that is used to modulate the filter to the various frequency sub-bands.
In this example a filter with a
PolyphaseLength of 48 is used. The file
HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank runs the filtering. As an example, 64 channels are used and the frame size for each channel is set to 256.
FrameLength = 256; Nchan = 64;
The filtering is implemented by writing MATLAB code. Since it is necessary to loop over the input frames, the implementation tends to be slow compared to generated code. The ifft is implemented with compiled code and therefore the acceleration does not affect this part of the computation significantly. As a baseline, we measure how long it takes to process 250 frames
Nframes = 250; tic for n = 1:Nframes x = complex(randn(FrameLength,Nchan),randn(FrameLength,Nchan)); y = HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank(x); end toc
Elapsed time is 22.839157 seconds.
dspunfold can be used to generate both a single-threaded and a multi-threaded MEX file. The input signal is a frame, the state length is given by
PolyphaseLength and we set the repetition count to 10. We force the number of threads used to be 2 so that improvements can be seen on machines with at least two cores. This value can be increased on machines with more cores at the expense of higher latency.
dspunfold HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank -args {x} -f true -s 48 -r 10 -t 2
State length: 48 samples, Repetition: 10, Output latency: 40 frames, Threads: 2 Analyzing: HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank.m Creating single-threaded MEX file: HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank_st.mexmaci64 Creating multi-threaded MEX file: HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank_mt.mexmaci64 Creating analyzer file: HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank_analyzer.p
We first benchmark the generated single-threaded file. This MEX file is equivalent to the MEX that would be generated using the
codegen function.
tic for n = 1:Nframes x = complex(randn(FrameLength,Nchan),randn(FrameLength,Nchan)); yst = HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank_st(x); end toc
Elapsed time is 1.255142 seconds.
Next we benchmark the generated multi-threaded file. Because the acceleration impacts mostly the filtering and not the inverse FFT, the improvement is not directly proportional to the number of cores the desktop may have. Nevertheless, an improvement of at least 60% can be seen in most cases. Note that in order to make a fair comparison, we add 40 frames in the multi-threaded case due to the latency introduced by unfolding.
tic for n = 1:Nframes+40 x = complex(randn(FrameLength,Nchan),randn(FrameLength,Nchan)); ymt = HelperPolyphaseSynthesisFilterBank_mt(x); end toc
Elapsed time is 0.709653 seconds.


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We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them.
So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even.
This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involving wit, clarity and whatever else we feel like at the moment.
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Engaging with our readers is essential to the mission of the Houston Press. Make a financial contribution or sign up for a newsletter, and help us keep telling Houston's stories with no paywalls.
Support Our Journalism
We noted how NASA's "Tatooine" announcement wasn't the first time they had invoked Star Wars hype to get some attention, and listed five other examples.
One reader urged us to lighten up.
Aw, cut em some slack wrote:
You're going to begudge NASA some self-promotion/outreach to the kids? Seems a little harsh, Rich.


text: At Zara's Italian Deli along with our delizioso selection of fresh pastas, you'll also find equally delicious fresh sauces. Like our pasta, Zara's fresh sauces are made under the watchful eye of Loris' father Giovanni ensuring that each sauce is full of flavour and of the highest quality. Whether you're in the mood for classic Marinara, rich Gorgonzola or vibrant Basil Pesto, our sauces are sure to inject an added burst of flavour to each bite of pasta. Buon appetito!


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Wed 19 Feb 2014
Nas' 'Time Is Illmatic' Documentary to Open 2014 Tribeca Film Festival in AprilPosted by Andy B. under Movies
No Comments
It's been announced today that Time Is Illmatic, the documentary looking back at the impact, influence and making of Nas' seminal 1994 debut album, is set to open the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival on April 16. What's more, the Queensbridge rapper will then perform the album in its entirety following the screening. Says Mr. Jones:
I want to thank the Tribeca Film Festival for supporting the film with the incredible platform they've built over the years. It's an honor to premiere this film in my hometown. I also want to thank One9 and Erik Parker for their persistence and hard work. Those guys and I come from the same place and era, which gives the doc an authenticity that is important to me. We wanted this film to represent the real, from the storyline all the way down to the directors and producers.
Time Is Illmatic is part of Nas' plans to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Illmatic, which will also include a remastered rerelease, Illmatic XX (out April 15), a U.S. tour where'll perform the album in full, and a semi-biographical comedy series with Xbox titled Street Dreams.
UPDATE: Watch the official trailer after the jump…
Will Nas Ever Do An 'Illmatic Part 2′ Album?
Nas to Release 20th Anniversary 'Illmatic XX' Edition on April 15
Nas Discusses 'Street Dreams' Xbox Series: "This Show Is 100 Percent Authentic"


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This weekend, my 14-year-old cat Smokey died. It was heartbreaking in every way the death of a pet can be. One day he seemed fine, the next day he couldn't use his back leg and was whining loudly and repetitively from the pain.
X-rays eventually revealed Smokey had heart disease and a tumor or clot in his lung. He was apparently "throwing clots" as they put it. "Throwing clots is very painful and my vet said he would throw more — that this wasn't the last one. He had thrown a clot into his left leg and now it was limp. There was no pulse in his leg and he couldn't even sense his bladder was full to relieve it. He also stopped eating and drinking.
The prognosis from my vet was that his illness was grave and that he would throw another painful clot again — at some point. Combine that with his heart disease and tumor, and it was clear that I had to make the decision to euthanize my son's first pet, only two weeks after he left for college.
In the midst of our grief though was another story. The night this all happened, it was Maggie, my red heeler, who brought me to Smokey. I had just walked into the house around 8 p.m. and answered the phone. I fed the dogs and let them out to relieve themselves. But when I let them back in, rather than settle down from a good meal, Maggie bolted up the stairs. I heard her running and bouncing and wondered what was going on. I got off the phone to go up and check, but Maggie had already sprinted down the stairs to get me. She began barking at me. Maggie has never barked at me, only at outside noises, so I knew something was wrong. She ran to the bottom of the stairs and barked again. As I reached the stairs, she raced to the top and barked again, as if to encourage my pace. When I reached the top, she stood in my bedroom facing the master bath, barking at me again.
There Smokey was laying all twisted, as if he had tried to get up many times, but couldn't. He was crying from the pain. Maggie walked over and with her nose, tried to push Smokey, perhaps to show me that even she, a dog, couldn't get the cat to move.
I was grateful to Maggie for bringing Smokey to my attention, since I couldn't hear his cries from downstairs and it would have been at least another hour or more before I ventured upstairs.
I put Smokey in a kennel and took him to the emergency veterinary clinic where I received mixed news about his prognosis — was it a clot or was it lymphoma? They had wanted to keep him overnight and planned to do a number of things to him, but my gut told me he was dying and being a cat who had never spent a night in a kennel, my family agreed he would be better off at home on pain medication. He slept all night quite peacefully, and the next morning I took him to the vet. Upon looking at the X-rays, my vet was certain of what she saw — Smokey was very sick with heart disease and the clots were one of the symptoms.
Smokey had been a feral kitten who lived a ramped up life. He scared easily and didn't like big spaces, so spent most of his life in the upstairs part of the house. In his older years though, he calmed down considerably, allowing me to trim his nails and becoming very affectionate to the family. He stayed away from strangers, but got along well with the two dogs and other cat in the house, all who joined the family years after his arrival.
He was a sweet and affectionate feline — and living proof that feral kittens can have a chance at a domestic life. We will miss him very much. But I will say no matter how many pets you have, making decisions about the end of your pet's life is never ever easy. My heart still breaks each and every time.


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The debate illuminates the courageous honesty of candidate DENNIS K and the news media ridicule them. All the more reason to be suspicious of the news media. What is so odd about seeing UFO's. An entire ship of Navy seamen saw them. And reported it. There are hundreds of thousands of reports of sightings from good and decent people. WHY is the news media soooo afraid to take on the topic honestly ? Hmmmm. Chris Matthews ridiculed Dennis K in front of millions of people, simply because he honestly stated he saw a UFO.
I' ve seen two in my life of 50 years. And, I'm not a freak or an idiot.
Chris Matthews, you make me question what you want to hide?
What do you know that you aren't suppose to share, that you would take such an
immature stance?
Curiouser even
Filed under: CHRIS MATTHEWS, politics, SECRET, ufo |


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Best lotion ever!
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Almost every year my wife and I spend our vacation in the North Shore area of Oahu, Hawaii. A number of years ago, my wife found Island Soap and Candle's Coconut, Mango, Guava lotion at Walmart in Mililani and decided to try it. Fantastic is the best word to describe it and she has now been using it for years. I like it too and the fragrance always brings back fond memories of Hawaii.
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this is a great moisturizer and the scent lasts
Posted by MACC on 3rd Jul 2017
I love all of the products from Island Soap. Their lotions smell wonderful and remind me of my time on the island. The best thing about their botanical lotions is how light it is. Even in the heat of the summer and humidity my skin still needs lotions. This lotion absorbs quickly but still moisturizer, and does not sit on top of your skin and make you feel sweaty. I can put this on after a workout and still feel like my skin can breath.
Posted by Unknown on 25th Mar 2017
Great smelling lotion that goes on with no sticky feel and really moisturizes well.


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Last Updated on by
Model Based Definition in SOLIDWORKS 2018 is more powerful than ever allowing you to more accurately define all the manufacturing information needed within the 3D model.
You can now apply datum features to patterns more accurately representing real life designs like the three mounting holes in this cover.
Model Based Definition helps companies get products through production faster. MBD in SOLIDWORKS 2018 makes it easy to implement into your Design to Manufacture Process.


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for cats & dogs!
rectangular dog beds
oval dog beds
willow dog baskets - plastic dog baskets
Custom-made for dogs!
oval dog cushions - classy and nice
dog blankets at home and when travelling
Please have a look. We are sure you will find something suitable!
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Wine Tasting 4/24/18
Tuesday April 24th 2018
6-9 Pm No charge for Tastings
NV Marsuret Prosecco
Veneto, Italy
Aromas of spring blossom and green apple lift out of the glass. Silky and bright, the off-dry palate presents ripe pear, white peach and candied nectarine zest alongside a creamy mousse and fresh acidity. 89 Pts Wine Enthusiast
Btg $8.00 Retail $18.99
2016 Conde Villar Vinho Verde
Galegos, Portugal
Comprised of three of the most famed grape varieties of the region Loureiro, Arinto and Trajadura, this Vinho Verde is lush, expressive, and lively; the perfect representation of the land from which it comes. This wine showcases clear color with a slight lemon hue. Mild tropical aromas of pineapple and mango intermingle with floral notes. The palate has a soft minerality, well balanced fruit and acidity, with a slight, pleasant effervescence.
BTG $6.00 Retail $9.99
2015 Argiolas Cannonau Costera
Sardinia, Italy
Costera shows the typicity of the Cannonau grape with flavors of very ripe strawberries, black cherries, herbs, and spices. The warmth and intense sunlight of southern Sardinia can be seen and felt in the wine with unexpectedly deep color and fullness on the palate. French oak barriques provide rounded tannins and flavors of vanilla.
BTG $7.50 Retail $16.99
2015 Sansonina Evaluna
Veneto, Italy
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc
Deep ruby red; enveloping sensations of fresh red fruit, such as blackcurrants, raspberries and blackberries, and spicy notes of liquorice and pepper; a wine with a strong flavour, due to the clay soil south of Lake Garda, full-bodied and harmonious, wrapped in pleasurable hints of herbs.
BTG 8.00 Retail $18.99
2015 Ch Puech Haut Prestige
Languedoc, France
Grenache, Syrah, The 2015 Saint Drezery Prestige is a ripe, sexy beauty that gives up full-bodied notes of black cherries, melted licorice and roasted herbs. Like all the wines from this estate, it has lots of richness and texture, yet stays balanced, lively and pure. It's a year in and year out value that's a no-brainer purchase. It will drink beautifully over the coming 4-5 years (possibly even longer). 93 Pts Robert Parker
BTG $10.00 Retail $24.99


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"One population was capable of communicating better. Was capable of inventing better. Was capable of organising better. In the face of a population that had none of that in their 300,000 year tradition. It seems to me that the competition could not have lasted very long."
Now tell me gents. Is the narrator of the documentary which I got the above excerpt from discussing Neanderthals in the face of extinction or modern day republicans?
It's actually a trick question!


text:
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text:
There's value in considering how and why patients decide to approach your practice for dentures. When marketing to this demographic, it's important to remember the human factor.
Denture Patients Want Proof
A materials-focused marketing approach relies on the likelihood that a patient interested in dentures wants a dentist as invested in the quality of the result as they are (even more so than the average patient). With dentures, patients want to know ahead of time that you're devoted to providing them with something life-changing.
They're not looking for okay. They're looking for the best that they can afford.
This is where being very clear about your favored materials comes into play. Amy, a woman in her 30s with a history of declining dental health and one of our Removable Dentures 'Success Stories,' is a perfect example of how putting materials at the forefront of your treatment vision can make all the difference.
Materials & Intentions Matter
Amy had a difficult history involving a car accident and severe acid reflux, all of which left her only 11 teeth and a removable partial denture she wouldn't wear. When she sought out options to alleviate her discomfort, she went to the Internet first. There, she found hope in the story of a woman named Kristi, who inspired her over time to seek out Phonares II denture teeth.
What we can learn from Amy's experience is that the material a dentist favored was a primary driver in her decision making process. She'd had bad experiences in the past and had come to believe that materials were a sticking point in whether she would choose to move forward with treatment.
This type of reference point—a patient searching for a dentist based on the advice of a relatable Internet personality—is becoming more and more common. It demonstrates how word of mouth can spread a good reputation.
The Value of Empathy
We need to examine this situation in more depth to understand Amy's motivations. She wanted to model her experience after an idol (Kristi), who found happiness through the combination of a wonderful dentist, lab, and equally outstanding product.
Amy went through trial and error until she discovered a dentist trained and experienced in using Phonares. Before that, she'd felt her consultations lacked specificity. She was frustrated by the disconnect between the smile she wanted and the options she was offered.
She wanted someone who cared and listened to her concerns, but before any of that, materials were most essential to her.
Focus on choosing products you trust, products you will emphatically offer to patients. Materials you know like the back of your hand. Make them front and center in your marketing, so that when a new denture patient looks into your practice, they see how much you care about every aspect of their experience.


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It's likely that we do. We have worked with 200+ clients around the world from the design-build (architectural / engineering / construction (AEC)), consulting, education, finance, insurance, law, and medical industries as well as the nonprofit sector and the public sector (state and federal government).
We are fortunate enough to offer services that can apply to just about any industry. The "red flags" that tell us to stay away from projects fall into at least one of the following categories: unrealistic budgets, unrealistic timelines, or unrealistic expectations. Once projects have passed that test, we look at the people behind the project. We've found that the clients that are the best fit for us tend to have the following traits:
- A good sense of humor
- Share a personal side of themselves
- Aren't afraid of technology, but admit when they don't know something
- Believe in giving back to their community
- Are professionals in their field and respect that we are as well
We typically use Drupal, Wordpress, SharePoint, DOORS, Dimensions RM (Serena), and Jama, but don't limit ourselves only to those. If we determine that your business needs require a technology solution, we would determine the best system based on design and technical requirements as well as client capabilities while we're in the midst of our Think discipline.
While this isn't an exhaustive list, our Write discipline includes writing and editing all of the following: Website copy, business requirements documents, employee onboarding, knowledge management, processes and procedures, proposals, online training materials, classroom training materials, online help documentation, reports, software and hardware specifications, user guides, and books.
Our Writing Specialists are 'writers with tech skills'. This is an important distinction. We have been writing professionally for many years and have picked up strong technical skills along the way. Knowing a variety of technology helps us to better understand clients' and project requirements while still remaining true to our craft.
From our market research, we know that we're not the cheapest or the most expensive. We would be happy to share our estimated project costs once we learn more about your needs and determine the best approach for your organization.
We are USA-owned and operated based in the sometimes "forgotten" state of New Mexico. While we sometimes complete our work offsite, we are available to conduct onsite meetings and training classes within the state and travel out of state as needed.


text:
Okay, it's been three episodes now. No more stalling, I'm writing this.
I watched Young Sheldon and the pilot episode of The Good Doctor back to back the day they were available online. While I was able to write about Young Sheldon the next day, The Good Doctor required more time to process and think about. I also wanted to give the Autistic Community time to watch and comment on it, in case I was missing something.
I read in a review that the writers/director specifically said that they did not want their show/character to become the face of autism. Yeah, you don't get to decide that with still so few representations of the spectrum in media. Especially when the autistic character is the main character, and the whole show revolves around talking about it. That's going to be a given until autistic characters have reached the same saturation as gay and African-American characters. Until that day, I'm going to be judging every show by asking two questions: does it portray autism accurately, and does it help or harm the public understanding?
First Impressions:
1st Episode: Hey, I like this show! Don't get me wrong, the ableist bull shit "hiring an autistic doctor would make us better people" speech annoyed the crap out of me but I loved that here is not just an autistic character as DSM checklist and nothing else, but he is a character with depth! They're exploring his history of abuse and giving him reasons for being different that isn't just explained away by autism: yay!
I felt the actor was giving an incredibly subtle and nuanced performance. I thought the prejudice and all around jerkishness was also realistic and should be shown so maybe people would get that this exists and it is not okay.
I really like Thinking Person's Guide to Autism's review of the pilot.
2nd Episode: Aw, crap, they're going to turn this into a stereotype of the week show. Also, Dr. Murphy is written like he's a child, not an adult. There is no way he would only after how many years of medical school be only now discovering concepts like sarcasm and proper bedside manner. I get that they're putting it in there to explore his autisticness but it's insulting and annoying.
I thought NOS Magazine's review of episode 2 by an autistic person was really good and through and I will be reading ever episode review they do for this show now.
3rd Episode: Hey, it's not turning into a stereotype of the week, exactly. That's encouraging. I think it also showed something important that not many people outside of the community know: functioning labels are bunk because how well an autistic is "functioning" or passing enough as "normal" varies depending on the day and the circumstances. And they actually showed that! People might not realize what they were seeing, but it was there.
Overall I am cautiously optimistic. It's been harder to find information on autistic input on this show than it was for Atypical, though there is some evidence that at least some actual autistics were consulted. Speaking of which, one of the directors on The Good Doctor worked on Atypical. They've also partnered with Autism Speaks which isn't great and is probably why we should expect to see more bunk like episode 2. Do I think autism is being portrayed accurately, with the obvious qualifier that autism is different for every individual? Moderately well; better when they're writing him as an adult instead of an oversized child. Does it help or harm the public's understanding of autism? That remains to be seen. But I have bigger hopes for The Good Doctor than for Atypical.


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General Vehicle Notes
All Ground Vehicles have a Turn Mode = Current Movement per Phase / 5. This is the number of meters a vehicle must move before executing a 60° turn (i.e., one hex-side) without a Control Roll. All vehicles get 1 free turn at the start of their Phase.
Operational Range
Operational Range = at top speed; -15% speed = +10% range (max +20%)
Vehicle List
Hanomog SdKfz 251
Common German Half-Track armored troop transport.
VW Kübelwagen
Common German military vehicle.
Convention Events > Weird War II >


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Free shipping on orders over $49.99
Use Promo Code - SHIPFREE Applied to orders shipped within Continental USA only)
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Every year insects and pests contribute to millions of dollars of damage to homes and personal belongings.
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text:
Two journalists working for TRT World, their local fixer and driver have been released from a Myanmar prison two months after their arrest for flying a drone over parliament.
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth, on the ground reporting from around the world.
Copyright © 2020 TRT World.


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Walking aid made of neoprene / polyester that makes it comfortable for the dog to wear.Can be used to help and stabilize older dogs, dogs who have undergone surgery, suffer from illness or paralysis.
A good tool for dogs who have difficulty climbing stairs or need help getting into the car.
The walking aid supports parts of the body that need extra support for ex. go.
Can be used on both front and back legs.
Can be machine washed at 30 ° C.
M 55-65 cm max 25 kgL 65-75 cm max 35 kgL / XL 75-85 cm max 50 kgXL 85-95 cm max 70 kg


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This week's co-host is SUSI from BOCA FRAU she who came up with the last statement.
The statements:
- I have been a hibernating bear so if I haven't been outside. I don't know what is happening in our neighbourhood.
- I don't like all this freezing cold weather.
- I easily can get inspired in something I have seen on the blogs.
- I never thought, I would miss work after I retired and I don't.
This has been a crazy week. With the freezing temperatures I have stayed cooped up in the house. I finally went out yesterday for 2 reasons. The first was to have my car tires checked and an oil change while I was there. The low pressure light kept coming on. I learned that as the air got colder the pressure actually drops in your tires however I did have a rim leak in the front tire. Al, my go to guy cleaned it up for me.
The other reason was a sadder one. Our neighbour down the street lost his battle with cancer. We attended his memorial service yesterday afternoon. He lived on our street for more than 10 years. He leaves behind his beautiful wife and his 2 gorgeous daughters. The younger daughter played with our oldest granddaughter when she was little. I remember on one occasion they had a tea party with my good china. We said hi and how are you often however we knew very little about him. It is sad to learn about a wonderful person after he has gone.
Hopefully the weather will improve this weekend. It is supposed to get above freezing. There is rain in the forecast with the possibility of flooding. From one extreme to the other.
Thanks to Hilary and Mrs. 4444 for sharing their blog ideas.


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A friend asked me about Scrum. I replied:
The theory with Scrum is that having timeboxed iterations, strong commitment to delivery, and close collaboration will cause the team to self-organize and seek out ways to improve its technical practices. The strength of this approach is that it makes Scrum easier to adopt and the weakness is that there's no guidance on technical practices.
Home → Blog | Permanent Link


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Newman police officer Corporal Ronil Singh was tragically shot and killed early on Dec. 26 while allegedly stopping illegal alien Gustavo Arriaga for a suspected DUI. Arriaga had a prior history of DUIs and was suspected of being a member of a gang.
7 other people were arrested over his attempt to evade arrest including two of his brothers. All seven were illegal aliens.
Not only did the story sharply bring out the problem of illegal immigration again, but it showed the sharp contrast between an immigrant doing everything right to be here – Ronil Singh – and Arriaga, doing everything wrong.
Singh came here with his family from Fiji with the desire to serve America, to become a police officer and worked hard to become a corporal. His story was the very essence of success and fulfilling the American dream, only to have it cruelly snatched from him.
He left behind a grieving family including his wife Mika Singh and a five month old son who will never know his father.
Thousands of people came out for his funeral and many mourned him on social media. President Donald Trump called his wife, the local police chief and the local sheriff on the case and offered his condolences and support.
And Fox News did something pretty beautiful in response to such an awful situation and it hasn't gotten a lot of attention.
Fox urged its viewers to help support Singh's widow. They had on Frank Siller, CEO of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower's Foundation. Stephen Siller was a firefighter who had been killed running into the World Trade Center trying to save people on 9/11. The foundation honors first responders who gave their lives. The foundation created a fund to help pay for Mika Singh's mortgage.
And now Fox had Siller back on to report good news.
"It was right here on 'Fox & Friends' that the Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation pledged to raise $300,000 to help pay off the Singh's family's mortgage," co-host Brian Kilmeade explained.
"Fox & Friends" then brought on Frank Siller, CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, to share the incredible news.
"Well, I'm very proud to announce, with the help of 'Fox & Friends' viewers and most certainly you guys here, that we not only reached the $300,000 to pay off the mortgage, because of the generosity of Americans that we went over that – we were able to give them an extra $50,000 for educational (needs) for the 5-month-old and it goes even beyond that," Siller explained.
"Mika Singh, the widow, wanted to pass on her thanks to 'Fox & Friends,' to you personally, and to the viewers because they know without your help that this couldn't happen," Siller added. "She expressed such relief that she's never going to have to worry about this mortgage again and that there's other money to help her son."
That's a pretty wonderful thing.


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Dear Town of Oyster Bay,
While we appreciate the 2017 Collection Days Calendar, we could really do without the Political Mailings on Tax Payers Dime!
This calendar page is clearly the only necessary piece of information
[Even here, we see his name listed TWICE!]
but the rest is obviously another playing of the Saladino Shuffle… APPOINTMENTS ABOUND!
The 3 pictures of Saladino (and one of the 3 of the board members; two of whom are up for election) and the 8 mentions of [Appointed] Town Supervisor Saladino's name are a bit excessive, and clearly just a way to spread your name (as well as the names of the 2 other appointees up for election)…
Seems a bit political for a Town mailer!


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Everyone's been wondering what the Facebook's business model will be. Despite assumptions that the website will rely on advertising, the social networking site is hard at work developing a virtual currency system that will involve real dollars, and hence real revenue for Facebook.
The idea is that 10 Facebook credits would cost a dollar, and users could buy them or get them from advertisers. Those credits could be traded among users or used to buy applications. Facebook is now testing the system with a couple of applications, and we should hear more about it in the next few weeks.


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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Says Puerto Rico Will Not Get Power Before Christmas As The Governor Has Promised
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SAN JUAN — Gov. Ricardo Rossello's hope to have power restored to 95 percent of the island before Christmas is unrealistic given the damage caused by Hurricane Maria, according to the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite said having half the island back online by January or February might be achievable, but to expect anything more fails to take into account the decrepit state of the system before the hurricane hit.
"There's a lot of the grid that wasn't built to code," Semonite said at a Pentagon briefing Friday. "I'm not suggesting, I'm telling you, the old system was terrible. If there's anything we could do to do this faster, we'd be doing it."
Earlier this month, Rossello said the plan was to have half the island back on the grid by the end of November and to have power restored for 95 percent of Puerto Rico's 3.4 million U.S. citizen residents by mid-December.
He acknowledged that "these are aggressive goals," but Semonite said long-term total power restoration could take nearly a year as the Corps works in concert with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).
As of last Friday, about 21.6 percent of the island had power, Semonite said.
In the interim, the Corps is working to install 400 to 500 generators for temporary power with priority for hospitals, government buildings and schools, he said.
"The governor has made a milestone of trying to get 30 percent of the Puerto Rican load up by the end of October, and then 50 percent by the end of November," Semonite said.
"I personally think those are stretch goals, but we're very, very committed to trying to meet where the governor's at, and all of our guys are going all out with every single thing we can to meet the governor's goals," he said.
"The challenge is going to be, how do you get past 50 percent? And I personally think that it's going to go into January and February to get the majority of them back up and running," Semonite added.
"This is going to be a massive, long-term rebuild — of rebuilding the grid in Puerto Rico," he said. "So what we are doing is to go all out and put as many generators in as we can, mainly in public facilities.
"These are not a generator like you would buy at a great big, you know, convenience store downtown. This is a generator that's pulled behind an 18-wheeler. Some of these are 30 and 40 feet long," he added.
Semonite also gave a glimpse of the mounting costs of the relief and recovery. Since the hurricane hit Sept. 16, the Corps of Engineers has spent or committed a total of about $1.1 billion in funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency — $922 million for Puerto Rico and $172 million for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The $922 million for Puerto Rico includes a $240 million contract let by the Corps of Engineers last Monday to Fluor Corp. for work on power restoration, Semonite said. He said the eventual cost of the Fluor contract could run up to $1.3 billion.
In a release, Tom D'Agostino, president of Fluor's Government Group, said "Fluor is proud to play an initial role in restoring a sense of normalcy to the people of Puerto Rico."
Semonite stressed that the cost figures he gave were for the Corps of Engineers alone, and did not include other spending by the military and the federal government.
Puerto Rico was $70 billion in debt to bondholders before Hurricane Maria, and some estimates on recovery costs range up to $95 billion.
One of Fluor's tasks will be to provide the work crews to put in poles to carry the transmission lines that were downed in the storm, Semonite said.
"Most of the big power plants are down in the south" of the island, he said, "and so there's an awful lot of generation capability down in the south. Most of the load is up in the north."
"And this is where the real challenge is. We need 62,000 poles to be able to get this up and running," Semonite said. "And we haven't done 100 percent assessment on all of this, but based on what we assessed right now with several different flights over this network and talking to our teammates in PREPA, that was 62,000 poles."
In addition, "We're probably going to need about 6,500 miles of wire. Just imagine 6,500 miles of electrical wire. You say, 'Why can't this be done faster?' The average trained crew on a flat football field can probably put two poles in a day."
As of last Thursday, U.S. Northern Command, which has been coordinating the military response and relief effort, said that more than 8,000 active-duty service members were deployed to Puerto Rico, compared to 2,700 active-duty service members in total in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which struck Texas and Florida.
The total number of service members involved, including National Guard and reservists, is more than 13,000, NorthCom said.


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3 Most Useful Discovery Engines: Find Similar Pages
We all know how the Web search works: all you need is to provide relevant terms that describe the concept or the topic you are interested in, click "Search" and the search engine will generate the list of results ranked by popularity.
But what if you don't exactly know how to describe the concept or the topic you are interested in? What if you just want "something of the kind"?
In this case, you need to try discovery search engines: these tools rank the Web by similarity (not by popularity). They allow you to discover more pages based on the one you found most relevant.
Here are the three useful and advanced discovery search engine tools.
Google's Related: Operator
I have mentioned this neat search operator when listing google tricks when you don't know what to search for 6 Google Tricks When You Don't Know What to Search For Don't know what to search for in Google? Here are a few Google Search tricks you can try that might prove useful. Read More . I also reviewed the visualization tool based on this operator called TouchGraph TouchGraph - Visual Search for "Similar" Results Read More which can be used as discovery tool as well.
The index:
Obviously, the operator uses Google's own database (which is huge). However, for most searches you run, you are most likely to see no more than 30-50 results (which looks as if Google generates only the fraction of possible results).
The algorithm:
The basic algorithm behind the search operator is co-citation, which, in simple words, works like this: if a web page A links to both page B and page C, the latter pages (B and C) are likely to be related. Of course, not everything is that easy and straightforward (it never is with Google) but the basic algorithm is like that.
Google Search Results Support?
Yes, you can access the list of related sites right from Google search results page by clicking the "Similar" link:
It is hard to find faults with the mighty Google. The only drawback that comes to mind is that it is still Google and if you really need to test alternative user experience and get alternative results (ranked not by Google), you should try out other tools as well.
Similar Pages
Similar Pages is a standalone tool that uses its own technology and claims to let users dig into the "hidden" parts of the web – those that you wouldn't be able to find using Google only: whereas "ordinary" search engines rank results by popularity (preventing us thus from seeing less popular pages), SimilarPages rank pages by similarity.
The index:
The tool uses their own database which is claimed to contain more than 3.2 billion pages. The FireFox addon is said to access 200 million sites.
The algorithm:
The tool uses "PageAffinity" that takes into account both the content of pages as well as the linking structure of the web to determine the level of similarity between web pages.
Google Search Results Support?
Yes, with their addon installed, you are able to view similar pages right within search results:
The tool has worked surprisingly well and suggested really good matches but it seems to be somewhat biased to home pages.
Similar Sites
SimilarSites (and its FireFox addon Similar Web) works similarly to the above one
The index:
The developers seem to be very secretive as to which technology they use and how many sites they crawl. All that I have been able to find out using the external sources is that they have mapped "millions" of sites, and "adding tens of thousands daily".
The algorithm:
Like the above two tools, this seems to be using page content and linking structure but the unique part is that they also analyze users' input (votes) as well as user browsing trends.
Google Search Support?
Yes, with their FireFox addon you access similar sites right from the Google search results (works only for site home pages that you come across when searching Google):
As the name suggests (and as we have seen from the above screenshot), the tool works only on the domain level. So no matter what the current page is about, the tool will only find similar sites to the current site (home pages). In other words, if you were testing it on this page (which is about search discovery), the tool would list sites about generic web tools and desktop tools and hacks (which is MUO is generally about)
Besides that, the tool inserts "sponsored" results throughout their search results (which are marked as sponsored but may still seem disturbing).
Any other great discovery search engines you are aware of? Please share them in the comments!
Image credit: VJ_fliks
Related topics: Google Search, Web Search.
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.


text: Smugglers carry oxygen cylinders on their camels' backs on a road cutting through the mountains [Taha Saleh/Al Jazeera] Taiz, Yemen - Last month, Hani Mansour took his wife, who was expecting their first child, to the Republican Hospital in the city of Taiz. After spending hours at the state-run hospital, Mansour's wife gave birth. Mansour was overjoyed to hear the news, but was shocked when the doctor told him that his son needed to stay in an incubator because his lungs were not fully developed. However, because of Yemen's ongoing civil war in which the Houthi rebel group is besieging Taiz, the Republican Hospital has no oxygen cylinders, and its incubators do not work. "I tried to move my child to al-Hikma private hospital, but there were no oxygen cylinders there either, so my child died five hours after his birth," Mansour told Al Jazeera. READ MORE: Injured Yemenis - Unable to leave, unable to stay As the war in Yemen continues to rage, 37 of the 40 hospitals and medical institutions in Taiz, Yemen's second city, have closed. Only the Republican and al-Hikma hospitals have incubators, but because both hospitals usually lack oxygen supplies, the incubators do not work regularly. Smuggling oxygen cylinders via camel has become 'profitable work' in Yemen [Taha Saleh/Al Jazeera] "Around 20 oxygen cylinders arrived at the hospital in the last two weeks," Dr Rania Mohammed, the supervisor of the incubators department at the Republican Hospital, told Al Jazeera. "But these cylinders are not enough, as some of the children need to stay in the incubators for several weeks and sometimes for two months, and these cylinders only last for a few days." Mohammed added that power cuts further complicate the use of the incubators: "The fathers of the newborn children have to bring generators to the hospital to turn the incubators on." That was the case for Ridhwan al-Ashari, whose wife gave birth at the Republican Hospital on January 13. The child was in dire need of oxygen, and although there were oxygen cylinders in the hospital, there was no fuel for the generator powering the incubator. "I brought my own generator from my house and I turned the incubator on. But after two days, the oxygen cylinders ran out, and my child needed to stay in the incubator for two months. So after all these efforts I made, my child died," Ashari told Al Jazeera. READ MORE: Starvation in Yemen - 'We are hoping just to survive' Abdul Hakeem al-Ameen, a doctor on the medical committee in Taiz that is responsible for distributing medicine to hospitals, said that 25 people died last month because of the lack of oxygen cylinders in the city, including 13 children. An additional 30 people died in December, he said, most of whom were children. "There are around 600 patients waiting for surgical operations, and they cannot do them because of the lack of oxygen. So some of those patients may die if they do not do the operation," Ameen told Al Jazeera. Yemen faces humanitarian crisis amid conflict The Houthi rebel group prevents the import of basic commodities, as well as medicine, propane, and oxygen cylinders, to besieged areas of Taiz. According to Mohammed, the only way oxygen cylinders can be brought in is by smugglers, who carry goods on the backs of camels on a road cutting through the mountains. The oxygen cylinders are transported from Aden province to Talooq village, only four kilometres from Taiz. Then, the smugglers take the oxygen cylinders to Taiz's al-Maradei area. Mohamed Moqbel, 45, a camel owner, is one of these smugglers. He told Al Jazeera that he started this work last month. "Every morning, I go to Talooq with around 20 camel owners to meet doctors. Then they give each camel owner two oxygen cylinders, and we leave Talooq towards the city. After four hours, doctors meet us in al-Maradei in Taiz to take the cylinders," Moqbel said. "I get 5,000 rials [$23] for each cylinder, and my camel carries two cylinders at once. So it is profitable work for us, as we get 10,000 rials [$46] a day, but sometimes we do not find cylinders to smuggle." WATCH: Hospitals in Yemen on the brink of shutting down Moqbel said that he is very proud of his work as an oxygen smuggler, because he is helping patients in the besieged areas. The smugglers also carry medicine and other commodities. But Abdul Kareem Shamsan, the head of the Taiz-based Humanitarian Aid Coalition, a local coalition of aid organisations, said that the oxygen cylinders smuggled into Taiz "only cover less than 15 percent of the total need, and the casualties because of the lack of oxygen cylinders are increasing every day". He said that each cylinder, with the added price of transportation, now costs 15,000 rials ($70), compared with only 3,000 rials ($14) before the siege began. SOURCE: Al Jazeera Yemen Middle East Human Rights Health War & Conflict


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Before School Care
Before School Child Care is offered for students at The Capitol Encore Academy, from 6:30am to 7:40am. Students meet in the TCEA Cafe. The cost for the year is $200.00 per child in a one child family, made in payments of 1 ($200), 2 ($100 x 2), or 4 ($50 x 4), OR $150.00 per child in a multiple child family, made in payments of 1, 2, or 4. Forms of payment are check or money order and made payable to The Capitol Encore Academy.
For more information, please contact: email@example.com


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Your driver will arrive about 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled pickup time. Please provide an exact location of your address just in case it is not on Google maps yet. This allows us to find you without any delay.
For The Airport Curbside Pickup Program please follow the following steps:
• Turn On Your Cell Phone Upon Your Plane Landing
• Locate Your Bags/Luggage
• Call Your Driver with the information sent to your phone
• Enjoy your ride with Captain' s- M&M
• All reservations are subject to a guaranteed payment. A valid credit card is required to secure all
reservations whether your reservation is booked online or over the phone. We will not charge your
card until the day of the trip after the trip is completed. However, we will card verify the credit card
to make sure we have capture the correct number, expiration date and security code. For your
convenience we accept American Express, Visa, Master Card and Discover.
• A 20% driver gratuity has been included in the total charge. Depending of the level of service this
gratuity may be increased, decreased or entirely eliminated.
• Our Prices Are Subject To Change
Waiting Fee: A 15 minute grace period is allowed from the scheduled pickup time. Any waiting time beyond that will be charged in 15 minute increments at the vehicle hourly rate plus driver gratuity
After Midnight Fee: A 15 minute grace period is allowed at midnight. Any waiting time beyond that will be charged in 15 minute increments at the vehicle hourly rate. Note: the waiting time is from 12:15 am until the time the plane lands at the designated airport.
Before 4:00 AM Fee: Any time before 4:00 am will be charged in 15 minute increments at the vehicle hourly rate.
Extra Stop Fee: Additional stops are calculated at a rate of $10.00 per stop within Palm Beach County and $20.00 per stop outside Palm Beach County. Additional charges would apply for stops outside of the reasonable path and sequence of the trip. The additional charges will be based on time and/or mileage consumed by the stop.
Car Seat/Booster Seat Fee: $10.00 Per Car Seat or Booster Seat provided upon request.
Credit Card Fee: A 2.5% Convenience Fee will be charged for each trip when a credit card is used to pay the trip.
Service Assistance Fee: Our drivers are available to provide Service Assistance at an hourly rate. Our Service Assistance Program would include but not limited to taking a Passenger to the airport gate in a wheelchair, Picking Up And Bringing Food To Their Location, Taking the Passenger Food Shopping, Taking the Passenger To the Doctor and Staying With Them During The Doctor Visit, doing Welfare Checks Request By Family Members Located Elsewhere.
• The full fare will be charged if a reservation is not cancelled less than 12 hours before the scheduled
pick up time. 72 hour cancellation is required for al Specialty Vehicles.
• The full fare plus gratuity will be charged if a reservation is cancelled less than 12 hours before the
scheduled pick up time if you requested a specific driver.
• Full fare including gratuity will be charged if the passenger fails to be at the designated pickup area.
To avoid being charged as a No-Show do not leave your location without communicating with the
Captain's - M&M Customer Call Center at 800-634-7890
• The drive and vehicle will be released and the reservation converted to a No-Show if there is no
contact from the Passenger 30 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time at the Non-Airport pickups
and 45 minutes after the gate time for Airport pickups – wait time charge may apply.
• With all airport arrivals we expect to hear from the Passengers within the 15 minutes after the
actual gate time. This confirmation assures us you have arrived and that your driver is waiting for
you. If you need extra time please notify the Captain's - M&M Customer Call Center at 800-634-
• All Cancellations Must Be Done Over The Phone at 800-634-7890
• All Changes To A Reservation Must Be Done Over The Phone at 800-634-7890
• Two large pieces of luggage and a few smaller carry-on items will comfortably fit in a Sedan vehicle,
however, large items inside the vehicle are not allowed. If you do have additional extra items, or a
party of 4 or more with luggage, you will need to reserve an SUV.
• At the end of every trip the driver will thoroughly sweep the vehicle so that you do not leave your
personal items behind. However, passengers are fully responsible for their belongings and will be
charged to return any left belongings.
• To assist in providing you with quality service and providing you with a 10% discount off the flat rate
all Online Reservations must be booked 24 hours in advance.
• Smoking is prohibited in all Captain - M&M Vehicles.
• Captain's - M&M is concerned about the privacy of the information you provide during your visit to
our website or over the telephone. The information you provide us is held in strict confidence and
is not given and/or sold to third parties. Any personal information provided to Captain's - M&M in
an e-mail message will only be used to address the subject outlined in the email.
• All credit card information is stored in the PCI compliant. PCI compliance is a standard developed
by the credit card companies in order to protect your credit card information from theft when it
resides on remote servers.
"We returned last night and Adam picked us up. Just wanted to say how wonderful he was, so competent and considerate and a marvelous driver. You are fortunate to have him on your staff. We love Captain's - M&M and will continue to recommend your company. Thanks for everything."
- Long Time Customer
Boca Raton, FL


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General: Hair is constantly going through cycles of growth,
resting, shedding. When hairs that are lost are not replaced, or
when more hair follicles go into the resting phase, hair loss
becomes noticeable. While there is ongoing debate regarding hair
loss reasons, the list below shows many of the common contibuting
The period for hair loss is between the 20 and 50 years of age.
Some individuals arrive at the advance stages of hair loss sooner
than others although it becomes increasingly evident as people
advance in age.
Cosmetic Chemicals
Particularly bleaching, permanents, coloring.
Included are anticoagulants, antidepressants, contraceptive
pills, amphetamines, some arthritis medications, some
antibiotics, some blood thinners, medicines for gout, drugs
derived from vitamin-A, certain drugs for ulcers, beta blocker
drugs for high blood pressure. Cancer treatments such as
chemotherapy and radiation therapy halt the growth phase of hair
follicles which results in a sudden hair loss as those follicles
all shed their hair at about the same time.
Androgenetic alopecia is the term used to describe a genetic
predisposition in men and women for pattern baldness or pattern
hair loss. Although there is a dominant tendency for male pattern
baldness, female members of a family can be transmitters as well.
Hormonal Imbalance
If the male and female hormones, androgens and estrogens, are out
of balance, hair loss may result. Also an overactive or
underactive thyroid gland can contribute to hair loss.
Illness and Severe Infections
These can include scalp fungal infections, Thyroid disorders,
Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes, Lupus.
Immune System Disorder
Alopecia areata is an immune system disorder which causes hair
follicles to stop producing hairs. Advanced forms of the disorder
are identified by the terms alopecia totalis when all head hair
disappears, and alopecia universalis which results in all body
hair disappearing.
Due to hormonal changes after menopause, some women find their
hair begins to thin. There are a variety of treatments available
involving hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There may be side
effects in some cases and experimentation may be necessary under
the guidance of a physician.
Poor Blood Circulation
Poor blood flow to the scalp, insufficient nutrients in the
blood, or poor drainage of waste products through the lymphatic
systems can all contribute.
Three to six months after delivering a child, many women notice a
degree of hair loss as the hair goes into a resting phase because
of the physiological impact of the pregnancy on the body.
Traction alopecia is the term used to describe loss of hair from
constant pulling, as with tightly braided hair styles such as
pony tails. Also the improper use of curling tongs or rollers can
tug the hair so it weakens.
Sebum Buildup
Sebum buildup in the follicles attacks the hair bulb, the rounded
area at the end of a hair strand which is rooted in the follicle.
Sebum causes the hair bulb to shrink so the hair is not as well
rooted. After the hair falls out the new hair strand growing in
that follicle is weaker and thinner and the process is repeated
until the hair follicle is so damaged it dies. (Sebum is a fatty
substance secreted from the sebaceous glands most of which open
into hair follicles.)
Stress and Nervous Disorders
Telogen effluvium is the term used for a slowing down of new hair
growth because of sudden or severe stress. The stress triggers a
large number of hair follicles to enter the resting stage, so a
few months after the stressful event, those follicles shed hair
at about the same time.
Recommendation: The NewHair Biofactors system stops hair loss
within 1 week guaranteed! This hair care range from Nisim
International, leaders in hair science for over 20 years, also
assists in the growth of new hair. Click here for full details:
Attention Ezine Editors: Click here to see how you could be earning money with this article: http://www.1bodycare.com/159490-bizop


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Search Terms: The Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS); emergency responders; Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD); EMD protocols; entry-level protocol; chief-complaint protocol; pre-arrival instruction protocol; medically approved interrogation sequence; locally determined preplanned responses; medically appropriate instructions to the caller; response determinant code; medical "statistical probability"; rational response; use of lights and siren; vehicle-related collisions; dispatcher training; four core components of medical dispatch; introduction of the non-lights-and-siren response concept; prearrival care; Pre-Arrival Instructions; Post-Dispatch Instructions; fire-based EMD; the goal of the MPDS; advantages of a properly initiated MPDS; implementation strategy; medical dispatch quality-assurance and improvement program; alternatives to traditional 911 services; protocol vs. guidelines; reimbursement of ambulance transport charges.
EMD: Making the most of EMS
As emergency medical dispatch becomes increasingly complex, dispatchers will need relevant and consistent training to perform their duties. The Medical Priority Dispatch System can help agencies train their dispatchers, meet the growing demands for emergency services and ultimately lower costs.
Almost 90% of America's fire departments have a role in providing prehospital medical care and transportation. These fire service-based EMS systems are repeatedly faced with the uncomfortable dilemma of providing prompt and appropriate EMS response in the face of rising costs and increasing service demands. A large number of callers requesting emergency service for non-emergency situations adds to the dilemma. These trends will continue, so it's essential that fire service-based EMS providers understand and effectively use modern emergency medical dispatch tools.
In the last 25 years, the expertise of emergency responders has significantly improved. With EMTs now receiving hundreds of hours of training and paramedics often more than 1,000 hours, it's obvious that education is considered vitally important in the EMS world. However, it's a sad commentary that at the center of many modern, well-trained, specialized and expensive public safety systems sits a dispatcher without the appropriate tools or instruction.
The dispatcher occupies an essential role in EMS, deciding how, who, when, and even whether to respond. In systems where these decisions are made by trained dispatchers correctly using medically supported tools, responses are justified and resources are effectively managed, but in systems where the old way is still the only way, medical, ethical, fiscal and potential legal problems are widespread.
In this era of tight budget control, are EMS managers making the most efficient use of their human and material resources in dispatch and response? A recent report revealed that fewer than 50% of the fire departments surveyed had any form of EMD system in place, and many of those that do are likely to be using outdated or ineffective methods.
If the fire service is to continue to meet the challenges looming on the horizon, it must accept that a valid and effective EMD protocol, applied in an appropriate and consistent manner, is a pivotal part of this system.
Many fire-based EMS agencies have implemented a sophisticated dispatching program in response to the growing medical service demand and the pressing need to prioritize requests for service. The Medical Priority Dispatch System has allowed these agencies to meet the rising public demand for EMS by making the most efficient and effective use of existing EMS resources. A valid dispatch protocol, combined with appropriate training, unified EMD standards, National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch certification, and the publication of voluntary medical dispatch standards by national health care organizations has further defined medical dispatch standards.
Key questions and emergency response
The EMD protocols, which form the core of the MPDS, consist of a universal entry-level protocol, 32 chief-complaint (incident-type) protocols and eight prearrival instruction protocols. The case-entry protocol is the dispatcher's equivalent of the EMT's primary survey, while the chief-complaint protocols are the dispatcher's equivalent of the EMT's secondary survey. Each chief-complaint protocol categorizes a frequently presented complaint and provides for a medically appropriate set of preplanned questions, locally determined preplanned responses and medically appropriate instructions to the caller.
The MPDS protocols eliminate the pitfalls of diagnosis-oriented dispatch commonly seen in many public safety agencies throughout the world. Traditionally, many fire service agencies have allowed a medically untrained dispatcher to "diagnose" the caller's chief complaint or reported problem as the initial step in the resource-allocation process. This has proved to be medically as well as legally unsound.
Diagnosis is the most complex of all medical tasks. For a typical chief complaint, such as chest pain, there are hundreds of potential underlying causes. It's therefore neither reasonable nor medically appropriate to allow the dispatcher to diagnose the caller's chief complaint or problem, and it's even less reasonable to accept the caller's diagnostic opinion as a basis for subsequent dispatch and response-based activities.
In the MPDS protocol, each call is immediately evaluated through a programmed, medically approved interrogation sequence that uses pre-determined, fully scripted key questions to assess the severity of the chief complaint or incident type. The chief complaint, age, consciousness and breathing status (the four commandments of EMD) are determined, and if appropriate, a dispatch is made immediately.
Response determinant code
The dispatcher is then directed to verify the need for dispatcher intervention. If it's determined initially that the patient is breathing, the appropriate chief complaint or incident-type protocol is selected and the emergency medical dispatcher then continues the interrogation for about 30 more seconds by asking an average of four or five key questions per protocol. These questions have been medically determined as the minimum amount of interrogation necessary to adequately establish the Response Determinant Code, not a diagnosis.
It's important to understand that these RD codes reflect medical "statistical probability" within different preplanned levels of response. For example, in many MPDS response grids, chest pain wouldn't evoke the same preplanned level of response in a 10-year old patient as in a 57-year old.
These RD codes are the dispatch equivalent of the hospital diagnosis-related groups that are used to bill for medical incidents. While RD codes are universal, the local responses linked to these codes are assigned by the user agency. Such unit response groups will reflect an agency's available response configurations. These response assignments are both medical- and fire suppression-unit management decisions and should be studied carefully and made in conjunction with medical control during MPDS implementation.
A rational response
Many dispatch agencies send the closest available first responders and ALS paramedics on all medical calls. Many still require the use of lights and siren en route to the scene for all accidents. Some still use lights and siren on all transports. This maximal response philosophy is claimed to give those in dire need the closest help immediately and ALS help as quickly as possible. In most incidents, however, this is misguided. The MPDS allows a rational transition away from this wasteful philosophy.
It has been proven safe, and medically correct, to dispatch less than an ALS paramedic on many EMS incidents, and to drive without lights and siren not only during transport but also during initial response. That the majority of medical service requests aren't for time-critical, life-threatening medical emergencies justifies this approach.
A system that dispatches lights-and-siren ALS responses to all calls is at risk, because at some point it will be unable to provide a timely ALS response to a genuine ALS emergency. Dispatch-savvy attorneys now know this and will inquire about system deployment decisions before the call in question. In addition, with EMS vehicle-related collisions in North America estimated into the tens of thousands, it's unsafe to require a lights-and-siren response on all accidents. This practice exposes crews to the additional hazards of a full emergency response, just to arrive one or two minutes earlier for non-critical patients.
In FIRE CHIEF's 1992 survey of fire departments that used some form of the EMD process, only 50% responded that they use EMD to decide on whether ALS or BLS units should be dispatched. (See "EMD in the fire service," May 1992, available at
Dispatcher training
Emergency medical dispatchers have a unique set of duties and responsibilities in the EMS world. Their training should therefore be significantly different from that of field EMS providers. Many fire departments require a minimum of a medical dispatch course for their dispatchers, and some require firefighter, first responder or paramedic training. Many departments maintain their own training programs.
There are problems with both of these approaches. Firefighter, first responder or paramedic training is only partially relevant, and in-house programs often lack consistency and appropriateness. Many departments, though reminiscent of the situation across the board some 30 years ago, still require no training for their dispatchers.
Formal dispatcher training in the MPDS has been initiated in many fire departments in the United States and other countries. The anchor for this training is NAEMD's EMD certification program.
To safely, competently and effectively use the MPDS protocols, dispatchers must understand their underlying philosophy and be carefully trained in their specific use. An academy-approved certification curriculum has a brief review of objectives and basic telecommunications principles. The role of the emergency medical dispatcher is defined and the MPDS concepts are discussed in detail. Students are taught the system's four core components, including Case Entry, Key Questions, Post-Dispatch and Pre-Arrival Instructions, and Response Determinants.
The four commandments of medical dispatch are reinforced as basic interrogation elements that must be obtained and relayed to respondents on every call. In the subsequent Key Question component, the importance of identifying the presence or absence of priority symptoms, which are defined in the MPDS as chest pain, difficulty breathing, changes in level of consciousness or severe hemorrhage, is emphasized. The answers to the Key Questions then lead to appropriate phone-directed dispatch life support instructions and also establish the correct (standardized) level of emergency medical response. While an immediate and/or maximal response is permitted "when in doubt", the number of such doubtful situations is greatly reduced by properly complying to the MPDS protocols.
An important learning experience for trainees, and a highlight of the academy's certification course, is the introduction of the non-lights-and-siren response concept for many EMS calls previously responded to as "dire emergencies." After an explanation that abdominal pain and fever in a 17-year-old male with appendicitis don't constitute a prehospital medical emergency and requires neither a lights-and-siren nor an ALS/paramedic response, EMD students often respond, "Why, after all these years, haven't we been told that before?"
Prearrival care
The concept of dispatch life support essentially encompasses the intervention process of a trained dispatcher with an emergency caller. The National Association of EMS physicians defines DLS as "the knowledge, procedures, and skills used by trained dispatchers in providing care through prearrival instructions to callers. It consists of those BLS and ALS principles that are appropriate to application by medical dispatchers."
Many fire departments believe that telephone assistance to the patient via the caller is an important part of EMD. This importance is evidenced by the statistic that, in the 1992 survey, more than 70% of those departments that had an EMD system in place used it to provide callers with prearrival instructions to "prevent any further injury through bystander Good Samaritan actions." The provision of on-line telephone instructions should be an integral part of any EMD system, and the NAEMSP has stated in both its 1988 consensus document and its 1989 position paper on emergency medical dispatching that "Pre-Arrival Instructions are a mandatory function of each EMD in a medical dispatch center."
These instructions aren't only an essential element of the MPDS, they're a logical requirement and a moral necessity in emergency medical dispatching. To prepare for the role of providing instructions to the caller, dispatchers are trained in dispatch life support. The DLS instructions that MPDS-using emergency medical dispatchers provide to callers cover a variety of first responder and maintenance techniques. These range from basic head-tilt airway maintenance and hemorrhage control to more involved procedures, such as the Heimlich maneuver, phone-instructed CPR and emergency childbirth assistance.
The specific treatment sequences for choking, arrest and emergency childbirth are commonly called prearrival instructions, because they represent potentially life-sustaining DLS medical instructions for the dispatcher to relay before the on-scene arrival of field personnel.
In addition, the MPDS includes several basic instructions called Post-Dispatch Instructions that are meant to be relayed after units are dispatched. PDIS include turning off power sources around an electrocution victim, getting out patient medications and putting protective family dogs away. In most instances, PDIs also include instructions for maintaining a patient's airway, breathing and circulation.
MPDS and fire-based EMD
What results can a properly implemented and functioning MPDS deliver to the fire service? Implementing the MPDS provides effective resource utilization, reduces dispatch liability risks, ensures quicker EMS intervention through DLS and reduces the workload of other EMS resources. Additionally, quality-assurance and risk-management processes provide statistics regarding overall call severity, incident frequency and distribution, the dispatcher's performance, and MPDS protocol compliance.
Training and academy certification eliminate the need to assign EMT or paramedic personnel to perform medical dispatching functions. The call evaluation and prioritization provided by certified dispatchers is more standard and consistent than the free-form call evaluation performed by medical professionals and is comparable to the SOPS followed by police, firefighters and paramedics.
The MPDS also has positive effects on the system's bottom line. In terms of time and money, the 24-hour basic EMD certification course is less expensive to provide than EMT training, which has been proved over time to be less practical to the EMD. The overall cost savings of the MPDS are often substantial, as a result of more appropriate EMS resource utilization, reduced medical dispatch litigation, and significant reductions in both vehicle maintenance and collisions.
There are now thousands of public safety agencies using identical versions of the MPDS. A growing number of prominent and sophisticated dispatch centers have been recognized by the academy as Accredited Centers of Excellence.
The goal of the MPDS is, in essence, "to send the right thing(s), in the right way, at the right time, in the right configuration, and to do the right things until the troops arrive." Some areas where a properly initiated MPDS has demonstrated proven positive effects are:
Implementing MPDS A sound implementation strategy is the key to successfully establishing an efficient MPDS. The implementation process should include operations managers, EMS managers, dispatchers, field and private providers, training personnel, and physician medical control. Planning, such as timetables for training and start-up, should be preset and involve a phased implementation scheme to optimize the process, and each step of the implementation should be clearly defined.
For many fire service systems, assigning local responses to each of the MPDS response determinants will require a justification of existing response modes. This is the time to review and revise out-dated policies that call for full emergency response to all incidents.
Finally, without sound quality assurance and improvement, a new medical dispatch program or even an older, poorly functional system is destined to remain an event rather than a healthy, sustained process. The EMS literature has clearly stressed the importance of having uniform practice standards, such as quality-assurance elements in dispatch.
Some of the key components of a medical dispatch quality-assurance and improvement program are initial emergency medical dispatcher training, certification, continuing dispatcher education, protocol compliance data generation and medical dispatch case review. Each of these elements involves developing predefined standards against which performance can be objectively measured. These performance measurements are intended to provide feedback and objectively quantify both the medical dispatch process, and the outcome of the dispatcher's activities.
In the pipeline
Major changes, which will be of increasing importance to all dispatch agencies, are beginning to affect EMD. Alternatives to traditional 911 services will make the process of appropriate dispatch an increasingly complex operation requiring high levels of reliable and reproducible triage and increased efforts to coordinate access to health care services.
Changes in funding and payment, largely driven by cost-cutting measures that are an unavoidable part of managed care, will also have enormous effects on all aspects of EMS. The MPDS pre-emptively overcomes the problems that these changes are likely to cause in other systems.
In FIRE CHIEF last year, Chief Dennis Murphy described a system called mobile health services. (See "The ABCs of MHS," January 1998, available at
Our experience is that many healthcare providers, primarily HMOs, are already using a range of alternatives to traditional 911 services. Many are dissuading callers from using 911 by creating alternative access points or by denying claims when inappropriate transport was provided.
It appears inevitable that MHS and other related alternatives to traditional EMS and ambulance transport roles will necessarily become a sub-component of the EMS system. But it seems unlikely that a potential emergency caller will waste valuable time calling a seven-digit or 800 number rather than 911. Instead it will fall to the 911 dispatcher to triage calls into true medical emergencies and non-emergency calls, which will be carefully handed off to other modes of health care. It's clear that a unique feature of the MPDS will play an increasingly pivotal role in this more complex call handling.
Protocols vs. guidelines
While the smooth integration of a variety of resource responses will benefit the patient, the MPDS is also a dispatch protocol that can influence the dispatch agency's bottom line. The Health Care Finance Administration recently proposed changes in the rules that relate to the reimbursement of ambulance transport charges. HCFA has proposed that ambulance reimbursement be tightly linked to the patient's medical condition as described by the ICD-9 code.
This seems perfectly reasonable, until you realize that the basis for need will be determined after the fact by the admitting physician. So if you transport a patient or recommend transport of a patient incorrectly, you won't get paid! This is a good reason to review the essential differences between a systematized, scripted EMD protocol (such as the MPDS) and a set of arbitrary, variably applied guidelines.
Guidelines act as a series of interrogation prompts that the dispatcher can follow if he or she desires. Two callers who have exactly the same situation and information in all likelihood won't be asked the same questions, and thus the resulting response mode will depend entirely on the dispatcher's skills and experience. If the dispatcher makes a decision for an ambulance transport and the admitting physician agrees, the transport will be reimbursed. If the admitting physician disagrees, it probably won't. It's a little like going to the office and doing what you think your boss wants you to do, hoping that you'll get a paycheck at the end of the month.
The same two callers interrogated by dispatchers using the MPDS, would be asked exactly the same questions, in exactly the same order and in exactly the same way. This leads to a consistent and reproducible resource response, because the MPDS is presumptively classifying each patient based on information that's systematically and correctly collected from the caller. In the same way that medical oversight currently justifies the resource response for a given determinant code at the time of MPDS installation, these responses can be tailored to the precise requirements of the people who ultimately foot the bill.
So when the MPDS recommends a response, you know at the moment of dispatch that the response has been pre-approved by medical oversight, has also been pre-approved by financial oversight, will be appropriate for the patient and will be paid for. The implications for correct patient care, cost reduction by managed care, effective use of limited resources by the responding agency and the fire-based dispatch agency's bottom line are enormous.
If the fire service and other public safety agencies are truly committed to the quest to provide efficient care and customer service to the citizens they serve, continual reassessment of the dispatch system's role is necessary to plan for the increasing demand. As profound and all-encompassing changes drive new priorities and efficiencies in health-care systems, your dispatch system will be the key to responding to new circumstances and integrating new paradigms into fire-based EMS. Comprehensive use of MPDS within the fire service is an important step in maximizing the efficient use of our human and material resources in the providing high-quality, safe, economical and effective patient care.
Contact Information
For information on the Medical Priority Dispatch System, contact the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch, 139 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111; 801-359-6916, fax: 801-363-9144,
Widely recognized as the "Father of EMD," Jeff Clawson, M.D., founded the National Academy of EMD and invented the Medical Priority Dispatch System. Geoff Cady, EMT-P, is an EMD and EMS Pathways consultant with over 20 years of experience. He is currently chair of the Call Processing Board for the NAEMD. Bob Sinclair, Ph.D., has over 15 years of experience in scientific research and is senior technical editor and research specialist for the NAEMD. Robert Martin is a marketing and communications specialist. He is executive director of the NAEMD, where he has worked for the past 11 years.