text:
While the new International Financial Reporting Standard 17 (IFRS 17) will take effect Jan. 1, 2021, insurers should start preparing now. Among those getting a head start is global property/casualty and health/life reinsurer Gen Re, headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Gen Re is using SAS® to create a comprehensive platform that covers all IFRS 17 requirements.
“We were looking for a platform that we believed could help us comply with IFRS 17 but also which could potentially provide leverage for future global efficiencies,” said Edward Nosenzo, North America Chief Financial Officer at Gen Re.
Gen Re will use SAS Regulatory Content for IFRS 17 to meet all the mandates of IFRS 17 in a single, comprehensive compliance environment. The new solution is built on the same flexible, high-performance analytics platform that is helping insurance firms meet Solvency II and helping the banking industry tackle its own regulatory disruption in IFRS 9.
Deployed from a central location, the end-to-end framework will help Gen Re cover every step of the new standard, through to the required accounting methods, and provide granular, auditable financial reports.
International reporting standards set common accounting guidelines for the preparation of financial statements, making public companies more comparable globally. Billed as the first truly global accounting standard for insurance contracts, IFRS 17 will replace the current standard, IFRS 4, and increase financial transparency.
The new regulation will change the way insurers calculate liability and report profit and loss. And it requires insurers to report in greater detail how insurance and reinsurance contracts affect finances and risk. For most insurers, compliance with IFRS 17 will require significant investment in new or upgraded technology.
Implementing the IT architecture required for IFRS 17 compliance will be a serious undertaking. To help the industry prepare, the SAS Customer Connection for IFRS 17 will convene in Frankfurt, Germany, Nov. 29-30. The event will gather leading insurers, including Gen Re, Munich Re, ERGO Group and Basler Versicherung, to discuss best practices for meeting the new standard.
To learn why insurers should act now to prepare for the new requirements, and the top 10 things to look for in an IFRS 17 solution, download the white paper Insurers: Are You Ready for IFRS 17?


text:
Despite the sluggish market, there are strong charts to watch of stocks that are at or near breakouts.
Abiomed Inc. ABMD, +2.02% broke across triple tops in the 75.00-77.00 range a couple days ago, and then on Tuesday exploded for 11.40, or 14.7%, to 88.80 on 2.8 million shares on a strong report. The trendline and top of the channel indicate the possibility that, if biotechs continue to move, this stock could at least run to mid channel in the 103.00 range. The secondary target is up around 130.00.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


text:
I'm not handsome , but I have a big heart & good attitude .
Cool and full of awesomeness.
111 007 messages and 9 306 likes sent during the past 3 hours and 44 minutes.
9 059 members active during the past 1 hour!

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
Using the medium of drawing, Feifei proposes alternative urban narratives composed of architectural follies that help us reevaluate our built environment.
Hailing from China, Australia and now the US, Feifei Feng is a multidisciplinary designer with a Master of Architecture degree from MIT. She has worked professionally in architecture firms around the world, including Kengo Kuma and Associates in Paris, Kennedy & Violich Architecture (KVA) in Boston, and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG) in Sydney, and currently holds the role of project designer and manager at Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects in San Francisco. In her work, Feifei has always been interested in examining the cultural and social byproducts of globalization, focusing on the relentless growth in mass-housing developments and the dearth of public space and engagement in China.
As a kid, Feifei loved to draw – but it was never more than a hobby. “In China, art wasn’t very celebrated. You were always told to become a scientist or engineer.” When Feifei moved to Australia, then Boston however, everything changed.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
If you have not been to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, it is certainly worth the trip any time of year, but especially now! Sometime in late February to early March the lake is can be found filled with beautiful snow geese and tundra swans.
The birds use the WMA as a resting place on their returning migration back north, some traveling as far as Canada for nesting. This year has been a particularly good year for bird watching due to the mild winter- the grounds are mostly unfrozen for feeding, and so is the 400-acre lake. It is estimated, that there are approximately 50,000 to 70,000 birds that nest at Middle Creek.
It is best to go see the birds in the evening around sunset when they are making their way from the fields to the lake for the night (or vice versa at sunrise, if you are an early riser… they do say the early bird catches the worm). If you are lucky you will catch the birds lifting off the lake in a similar fashion to a murmuration of starlings. It is mesmerizing to watch them skillfully swirl around the air and then land gracefully back on the water.
If you are interested it visiting be sure to check the park website or call for information on their hours and which areas of the park are open to the public. Also, be sure to ask the bird count, since they are wild animals they do not make reservations to stay for a certain length of time. They may be there one day and gone the next! If you do have the opportunity to go it truly is a memorable experience which makes you stop think about how as humans we live in the environments and ecosystems of all nature’s creatures.
– Wear comfortable walking shoes, there is a bit of a hike out to the point.
– Bring binoculars if you have them, since they are wild birds you can only get so close.
– Dress warmly, it can get quite windy near the lake.
– Don’t set your expectations too high, they are wild animals so if they don’t feel like flying they won’t.
– Be respectful of the park and natural environments, walk and explore in only designated areas.
Plants, vegetables, shrubs, garden supplies and more!
Galleries galore, live shows, murals and more.
Countless fun theatres with shows for everyone.
Rain or shine, there’s plenty to do!

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text:
An absent father, Dan, was hired by his wealthy father-in-law to track down Dan’s ex-wife Alyssa who took their daughter Grace with her. What starts out as a sort of film noir blazes down a darker trail altogether. Dan quickly follows a series of clues to a secluded island with a Victorian mansion built right in the middle, where Alyssa is harboring Grace under the protection of some very eccentric characters - some very dangerous characters. Dan finds himself in over his head as he stumbles into a world full of undead beings that freeze you with a single touch. How all of these characters are drawn into this scenario, I’ll let you figure out.
While I became a little impatient at times with this five-part series, as an introduction to a much larger universe and story, it sets up a hell of a scenario that I’ll want to follow. As much as the world-building aspect is one of Cullen Bunn’s strongest tools as a writer, which gives this story lift, Mark Torres’ artwork really grew on me over the short run. The colors and textures are otherworldly; choosing a palette to work with that’s unnatural does have an effect on the reader the deeper we follow Dan into this mystery. Despite my minor complaints, this is a mystery worth following. These are characters that I want to know better, and this is a world I now want to spend more time in. Soon, I’ll be able to.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text:
These amazing performers give you and your a guests a show that is high above you. These folks will take your breath away as they perform acrobatic acts while dangling from silks, swings, or webs up in the air. Whether they are the main entertainment attraction or ambiance entertainment, these aerialists are great for everything from the circus and fairs to corporate events and fundraisers. So book one of these graceful aerialists today and get ready for a performance that is sure to be a treat for you and your guests. Search for Aerialists in Dearborn, Michigan above.
Please note that these Aerialists may also travel to Melvindale, River Rouge, Ecorse, Sandwich, Windsor, Redford, East Windsor, Riverview, Riverside, Pleasant Ridge, Grosse Ile, Huntington Woods, Grosse Pointe Park, Woodhaven, Grosse Pointe, Tecumseh, Lathrup Village, Center Line, Oldcastle, Amherstburg, McGregor, Gibraltar, Harper Woods, New Boston, Flat Rock, Maidstone, Grosse Pointe Farms, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, and Rockwood.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
Kindle Shared highlights are pretty cool, originally uploaded by atmasphere.
Being able to make notes and highlights is a great feature in a Kindle. Being able to share these and read other shared highlights is indeed pretty cool. Usually, these are shared online in Amazon Kindle’s site. But there is an iOS app that will be released called Snippefy (http://www.snippefy.com) which will make it easier and more convenient to access notes and highlights. Kindle users will be able to share these notes and highlights to social media and export them to Evernote, Dropbox and email.
I think this is will be a very useful app for Kindle users and I hope you will have a chance to check it out.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
6. John Powell, Weapons & Warfare (NY: Salem Press, 2010).
7. Benjamin C. Garrett and John Hart, The A to Z of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare (USA: Scarecrow Press, 2007).

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text: I am back to the blog finally. It has been three months since I blogged but nothing better to shake off the rust than a mega Blogging Marathon in which we blog for 26 days of the month except Sundays. This time, our theme is Biryanis, pulaos and khichadis with rice or any other grain….


text:
Sed elit quam, iaculis sed semper sit amet, sollicitudin vitae nibh. Quisque at magna eu augue semper euismod. Fusce commodo molestie luctus. Fusce comil mmodo molestie luctus. Donec mollis nulla ipsum, vitae faucibus dui dapibus at. Cras ullamcorper eget ipsum vel volutpat. Phasellus rhoncus in sapien tincidunt mollis.
Being A Barber Is About Take Care Of The People.
I'm happy with my shoes and Mr Bara's service!
Nike Shoes from Mr.Bara is so great and quality !


text:
Take control of a dangerous, bloodthirsty creature as you attempt to consume other animals, assimilating their limbs in the process, and escape imprisonment.
well, it was fun for a bit, but I do not feel like I accomplished much, and why a I allowed to jump for no reason? I read this is your first platformer, and in java as well! Good job! I hope this will lead to great things.
A bit short, but for a game jam/compo, its understandable. I really thought it could have been expanded more, nevertheless, but good job on making something. I liked the end bit with the text, and walking through the cat was kinda gross (but in a good way).
First, I must say that there is something quite funny about how the worm can ride up and down elevators :P. Anyway, I liked the music in the game as well as the atmosphere which the game provided. My only criticism would be that there wasn't a lot interaction between the player and the game (beyond walking and riding the elevator). It would be awesome if there were more challenges in the game so that the player could become more involved in the game.
I love it! Everything fits together really well. I was sorry for the cat ("Whyyy??"), and I loved the ending! Beautiful music! Thank you for making this!
Nice game but it was a bit short and the character moved kinda slow. I feel like it would be a very good game if it continued for a couple more levels.
Well.. That was unexpected ahaha. It's pretty cruel but that makes me laugh for a little moment ^^ The text at the end is surprisely appealing and makes us want to see more. In any case, good job for a 1st!
Well that was really weird and kind of gross! haha. Poor kitty. Crawling through that cat was super gross, but gave me super jumping legs. Huzzah!
Good but so short !
Neat idea. It was too short, like said. You should had also said we are allowed to jump after we eat the cat.
This reminds me very much of 'The Visitor' by Zeebarf.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


text:
Need a beautiful gift for someone special this month? We’ve discovered these fabulous products to tempt you. And don’t forget you can win everything on this page, just enter below.
I love Joe Browns clothing and accessories. I saw the bag on their website and wished I could afford it!
Handbag etc for me and headphones for my Granddaughter.
These would make lovely gifts to thank friends who have helped me during the past six months of illness.
What a great selection of spring goodies!


text:
You might not have heard of Liane Moriarty, but you probably will know about Big Little Lies – Moriarty's most famous book, which was turned into a hit TV series starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman last year.
Now promoting her eighth work Nine Perfect Strangers, the Australian author says she wouldn't even have taken up writing if it hadn't been for her sister.
"Sibling rivalry made me start writing," she tells BBC News.
"My sister, Jaclyn Moriarty, had her first novel accepted for publication at the same time she was doing her PhD at Cambridge.
"We both wanted to be writers when we were little and I was so envious of her that that's what drove me to write my first novel.
"I'm very grateful to her for my inspiration. I don't think I would have written it – it gave me that push to finish it. It is my dream job!"
Liane's stories are decidedly more grown-up, and her new book follows nine people who enrol on a 10-day wellness course at a country retreat in Australia.
The group couldn't be more different – they include a dysfunctional family of three, a young married couple and a romance novelist in her 50s (who is not based on 51-year-old Moriarty).
"We're obsessed with wellness, it's just the latest trend so it was fun to explore," the author explains. "It is something I believe in but at the same time I like to make fun of it.
"I just know that most people going to a health resort are thinking about losing weight and I remember speaking to a friend and her memory was everyone jumping on the scales each day.
"As a society we are obsessed with weight loss and it seemed to work with a character whose husband had left her, she would think that weight loss would be the answer – she thought that it would change the way she saw herself."
Moriarty says the importance of highlighting the wellness obsession was to show "we go too far with it and believe it will answer all our problems – it's become the new religion".
While her book has only just hit the shelves, it's already had its film rights snapped up by a familiar face – Nicole Kidman.
"It's very exciting," Moriarty says. "She [Kidman] will play the role of Masha and I think she will be so good at showing her narcissism and insecurities.
"Nicole is so good at showing two things simultaneously without saying a single word – just through an expression, so she will be fantastic."
It makes sense for Kidman to get involved in adapting another of Moriarty's novels after the success of Big Little Lies, which was Moriarty's sixth novel.
It also picked up four Golden Globes and was named as one of Time Magazine's top television shows of 2017.
Moriarty's previous novel, The Husband's Secret, is also being adapted into a film starring Blake Lively, but she insists this turn of events was never her intention.
"As I'm writing a book I never want to think, 'It will be a film'. For me the end goal is still the book so the film adaptations are a perk of the business.
"Getting to visit the [Big Little Lies] set was very exciting for me but I don't want to see myself as in the business of making films."
So when it was announced by HBO in December 2017 that Big Little Lies would be renewed for a second season, fans wondered what would happen. Moriarty hadn't written a sequel.
She ended up writing a 50,000 word novella for the series, but certainly won't be making a habit of getting involved in writing screenplays in the future.
"I did write a story for the second series, because there's not a [second book], which was a lot of fun to do," she says.
"I never plan, so I never want to rewrite something I've already written because I know what is going to happen.
"It gives me no pleasure to think of adapting one of my projects."


text:
This small bookshop in Bratislava, Slovakia, has a climbing wooden floor that allows it to double up as an informal auditorium.
In the daytime these chunky wooden steps provide seats for anyone having a leaf through the books, while during events and talks they can be filled with rows of spectators.
Completed by Slovakian architects Martin Jančok of Plural and Aleš Šedivec of Totalstudio in 2010, the bookshop also contains a coffee shop at the floor’s peak.
A staircase here leads down to staff rooms and storage areas that are concealed below.
One of our most popular stories of all time features a bookshop inside a former church - see what you think here or see all our stories about bookshops here.
How can a small bookshop compete within a network of firmly established booksellers? What can it offer to customers? How can it draw attention?
Our aim was to create a flexible space that would not only sell books but would also be capable of facilitating various collateral events such as projections, readings, minor concerts, workshops, etc.
Two focal points of the bookshop are placed at both ends of the longitudinal space.
A checkout is next to the entrance and a coffee bar is on the opposite side on an original elevated gallery.
Both levels are connected with cascades which serve as an auditorium during collateral events and allow customers to sit, read, relax or communicate through regular opening hours.
Books are stored in long shelves along both sides of thebookshop. By this means a clear oragnization and a monumental effect is achieved. New titles and bestsellers are displayed at several mobile stands.
The permanent part of the program - storage, deposit, office and lavatory – are placed under the gallery and accessible via a staircase at the edge of the coffee bar and cascades.


text:
Book a holiday on the "Échappée Jurassienne"
The “Echappée Jurassienne”, consists of of 300 kilometres of signposted walking tracks covering the major tourist sites of the Jura region. You can make your way from Dole to Saint-Claude, passing by Lons-le-Saunier and Les Rousses, and discover the Jura region in a unique manner! On the first part of the trail, from Dole to Lons-le-Saunier (126 km of walking paths) you pass by the main venues that tell the region’s salt and hydrotherapy history.
The Jura hiking track “Echappée Jurassienne” starts in Dole, a town listed as “City of Art and History” in France. The gardens and alleyways along the canals of the Doubs valley are worth a visit before starting the route that takes you right to the heart of the majestic Chaux forest. In the 18th and 19th centuries, woodcutters-coalmen, blacksmiths, bark strippers and raft-handlers were among those working here. When you come through “la Vieille-Loye” do admire the ancient woodcutter houses known as the “barraques du 14”. The oldest one dates back to the 17th century.
We also highly recommend a stop in Arc-et-Senans. In 1774 Louis XV chose this village as the location for his Royal Saltworks, and the venue is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Arc-et-Senans is located near the forest, and wood – the main energy source of that time – was therefore easily available. More importantly, the village was not far from Salins-les-Bains, where the brine was extracted. It was transported from there to the saltworks of Arc-et-Senans through a 21 km long brine pipeline.
The trail known as the “Sentier des Gabelous” (29,5 km in length and with 15 information points providing further details about the ‘white gold’ adventure) leads to the city of Salins-les-Bains. This city is located in a valley and has the forts of “Saint-André” and “Belin” looking down on it from both bordering hills. Until the 20th century salt was extracted from the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009) as well as from the saltworks of Lons-le-Saunier. When salt started arriving from the Mediterranean region and began competing with the Jura region’s output, both sites ceased their operations.
By virtue of the wealth of their soil, the cities of Salins-les-Bains and Lons-le-Saunier are now popular thermal centres in the Jura department. Visitors much appreciate their naturally salted water which is rich in minerals and trace elements.
Besides telling the history of salt, the first part of the “Échappée Jurassienne” also takes you through the Jura region’s vineyards from which originate no less than seven AOP (PDO; Protective Designation of Origin) wines. There is plenty of opportunity to taste the local specialities on the way. We particularly recommend the famous “Yellow Wine” (Vin Jaune) presented in its typical 62 cl bottle known as the “clavelin”.
You may also wish to visit other pretty towns of the Franche-Comté region such as Arbois – the Jura region’s wine capital, where Louis Pasteur lived for several years -, Poligny, capital of the famous Comté cheese that you will no doubt taste -, or (two villages classified among the Most Beautiful Villages of France) Château-Chalon high upon its rock and Baume-les-Messieurs with its imperial abbey dating from the 19th century, lodged in its spectacular steephead valley.
> Tools (website, guidebook, etc.) and a technical advisor available to prepare your stay precisely as you like.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text:
Made it back, can I come inside for a change?
Made of glass and falling fast all the way!
Thanks for correcting Tokyo Police Club - Miserable lyrics!


text:
A TOR is a document prepared when an institution or entity requires work to be undertaken by external or in-house individuals or teams. It details the requirements so that it can be used as a Request for Proposal to attract multiple qualified organisations/consultants/contractors to express an interest in performing the work. TORs are composed to set out the background or problem statement justifying the project to be implemented. They provide a clear, definitive statement on what is the aim of the project, what are the objectives that will achieve the aim, what are the specific deliverables and how they will be assessed to determine completion, and what input resources are available to support completion. TOR should be as concise as possible, no more than 5 – 10 pages, although appendices containing background or essential data and information can be attached or provided elsewhere. The language and content of the TOR can vary depending on whether the work to be performed is a feasibility study, a plan, acquisition of data, or a construction.
In this section of the TOR, the proposed project is described along with a descriptive background of how it fits in with existing programmes and projects towards some clear goal. This puts the project in context and should be taken into consideration in any proposal for implementation to be conceived by the consultant or project team. For example, a project for preparing national physical plans may describe in the background the policy or land issues that obtain in the area under study. Any past issues and whether they were addressed together with links to documents that detail the history more precisely also form part of the background in case the potential consultant/contractor requires more information. This aspect of the TOR can be a few paragraphs or one or two pages. Since this section of the TOR synopsises the whole document, all the other sections of the TOR can be mentioned briefly and then elaborated on in the relevant section. Stakeholders in the project and their roles and responsibilities, the history, reason for embarking on the project and the timing of the project, and any related studies and evaluations, should all be mentioned. Complementary projects being undertaken by other institutions, or development partners should also be mentioned as these should be monitored to ensure that duplication of effort and waste of resources do not occur.
The project may be requisitioned by one party for self-benefit or for the benefit of other parties, stakeholders or beneficiaries. This is stated so that the consultant is aware of authorities and reporting hierarchies as well as whose interest is being sought. More detail can be provided in this section than was given in the background.
The objectives should be clearly stated so that if any unforeseen variations are required, the criteria will guide the changes. While objectives and specifications should be clear, some flexibility is sometimes beneficial so that consultants or contractors can propose innovative methods that they have developed that will improve the efficiency and/or effectiveness of the product or process. The list of objectives should not be lengthy and should be limited to 3 to 5 ideally that can be addressed in one project. They should also be stated as action oriented, outcome based, activities to avoid ambiguity. There should be a clear logical link between the specific objectives and the overall aim of the project.
These are the parameters of the activities in the project. The scope may be given in terms of timeframe, geographic coverage, or beneficiaries depending on the type of project. The details may be more specific for tangible construction projects or more flexible for evaluation or feasibility studies. Methodologies can also vary based on the type of project or the flexibility being afforded the consultant or contractor. Details of the proposed methodology can also be requested in the response to the RFP or as the first deliverable in the contract.
Responsibilities must be clear and unambiguous at the outset to avoid conflicts in the middle of the project. The project may require a group consultant or contractor or an individual. In either case, the responsibility of reporting will fall to an individual such as the team leader or project manager. The person should be told who to report to on the client side for resolving issues, submission of deliverables and achieving acceptance for submissions. This may be a project manager or steering committee or advisory group. Beneficiary representatives may also be responsible for validating the outcomes of the project and accepting the deliverables.
The anticipated level of professional qualifications and experience should be specified. However, the minimum level of qualifications and experience should also be given in case the desired levels are not attained. Details of the specific expertise, skills and areas of practice, including any in country or regional experience desired, should be given. In the case of a group or team, the differentiation of expertise and skills and the distribution of responsibilities expected should be detailed.
The deliverables, timeline and workplan should be given or this can be given in brief and the consultant/contractor requested to propose these more specifically in the submission. The type of project deliverables should be specified. For example, if land use plans are the deliverables, the formats and components required such as digital and printed copies of graphics or reports, presentation to stakeholders and other outputs desired should be listed. If a building is the deliverable, then as-built plans in hardcopy and digital formats of specific types and commissioning reports may be required. The language, length, format, style of reports should be specified. Any requirements for confidentiality, transparency, or ethical content should also be addressed.
8) What resources are available.
Previous studies, data sets, reports, and plans will be listed and made available for the consultants to utilise for the delivery of the product. It is important to provide all resources that are available so that duplication of previous effort does not occur as this is quite wasteful.
Budgets should be specifically defined or approximately defined so that the consultant/contractor can more precisely specify the costs or design the process based on the available budget. Alternatively, the specifications can be defined and the budget can be requested to be placed in the proposal so that negotiations with the shortlisted consultants/contractors can be held to specify the final budget.
Templates for TOR can be developed for attracting consultants for different types of project so that less work is required to produce them when called upon and so that the quality of the TOR and thus the project outputs can be higher.
The responsible entity who will be in charge of implementing the project will also be responsible for drafting the TOR. Through a process of in-house discussion a draft of the TOR can be arrived at. This can also benefit from outsourcing to consultants. Stakeholders and beneficiaries should be consulted so that their inputs can ensure that the aims and the objectives match what is anticipated by the beneficiaries. The stakeholders may be ministries, departments, and professionals but may also include civil society.
The TOR must adhere to tendering legislation and regulations so the relevant authorities must be able to sign off on the specific details in the TOR that reflects this. These rules can be internal to the institution or country or may also include those of the funding agency. There may also be rules of practice, or ethical principles and values to which it expected that the consultant/ contractor should adhere.
After the TOR is put out for a competitive process as an RFP, there should be opportunity for potential bidders to ask salient questions that can feed into the TOR and clarify its content. There should also be opportunity within the framework of the TOR for bidders to present ideas and innovations that can improve on the project implementation. Even after a consultant or contractor is engaged there should be opportunity for modifications to the TOR that can again improve the implementation.
Given the lack of capacity and experience within the institutions in preparation of TORs, this task can be the subject of a project. Each project can be broken into sub-projects for feasibility studies, implementation, and evaluation. This will ensure that each project can be completed quickly and efficiently.


text:
Coronary heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, accounting for one million deaths each year. A heart disease diagnosis can be crippling to someone whose family relies on his or her income to make ends meet. Often, heart disease renders a patient unable to work due to the strain it puts on its victim's everyday life.
A heart condition does not necessarily lead to economic ruin, however. There are financial resources available to people with heart disease, and one of the most beneficial is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
SSDI is income available to people who have worked long enough to accumulate funds in the Social Security system but have acquired a disability that keeps them from working. Heart disease and its related conditions are just some of the many disabilities that SSDI covers. Applicants for SSDI face a rather complex process, but once approved, SSDI can provide benefits totaling 30 to 59 percent of a disabled worker's prior income.
The first requirement is that the applicant's disability must be covered by SSDI. Fortunately, heart disease is considered a cardiovascular system disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Applicants have to prove that their illness is serious enough to prevent them from working. This is done by providing evidence in the form of medical history, lab reports and documentation of symptoms and attempted treatments. Generally, applicants need to show that their condition prevents them from working and will cause their death within a year or persist for longer than a year.
Other, non-medical requirements include age and the amount of time an applicant has paid into the system. In order to receive Social Security disability for diabetes, an applicant must be under the age of 65 and have accumulated 20 Social Security credits. A typical worker earns four credits for each year he or she works, so the average SSDI applicant will need to have worked at least five years in order to receive Social Security disability benefits.
Unfortunately, SSDI benefits are not immediate and payments are not sent until six months from the time an application is approved. However, if a heart disease patient's illness is severe enough to clearly prevent him or her from working, the SSA has a fast-track option known as a compassionate allowance, or CAL. CAL funds are typically available within 20 days of applying for benefits and can meet an immediate need for funds. This July, the SSA added 12 heart disease-related conditions to the CAL list of eligible disabilities.
Since the SSDI application process is so complex, it may help to seek the advice of an experienced SSDI attorney who understands the nuances of the process. Though heart disease may prevent someone from working, with SSDI, people with heart disease are not left without financial resources.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


text:
This week I was given an assignment at work: Perform a competitive evaluation of social/professional networking sites that do a great job of converting their users into usable leads that can then be resold.
At first glance this might sound like a boring homework assignment. But you couldn’t be more wrong. Social networking has taken over the web. I myself have been an active member at Facebook and LinkedIn for some time. But there are so many sites out there…way too many for a guy like me with a full time job, two kids under the age of five, half a dozen projects at home and two or three contract assignments that need my attention.
Hitting the “Stumble” button (seen on the toolbar above), which randomly takes you to a web site based on your interests (snowboarding, gardening, humor, etc.).
Sharing sites with friends (you invite people to become your “Friend” much like on Facebook or MySpace) which allows you to see the pages they like/dislike and vice versa.
Now, from a pure consumer standpoint—I have to say—this site is pretty addicting. I mean, it’s like The Wheel of Fortune meets Goggle. Just click the button and WOOSH…you’re swept to a site that is (relatively speaking) pretty close to something I care about or think funny. In a million years (not that I have that long…unless God has the Internet in heaven) I would never sit down and randomly surf the web for stuff I like. I just don’t have the time for it. But I do enjoy it when others send me cool sites they like. Stumble Upon is great for poking around the web and finding stuff to share with others.
Email everyone in your company or group and have them join Stumble Upon (warn them first that it’s as addicting as starting a season of 24 on DVD…they’ll never want to stop clicking the stumble button) and then have them give an “I like it!” thumbs up rating to your site. Have them also post a comment as to why they like it. This will do a couple things. First, it will show the internet world that people actually care enough about your site to post a comment as to why they like it (no comments = thinking like, “this site is of no value, boring, or just plain stupid”). Secondly, it counteracts any negative feedback that might have been left by others. And lastly, it helps bump your site on the list of sites that get shown when people click on their “Stumble” button.
Run a contest in your company to see how many people they can get to comment on your sites using Stumble Upon.
Open a contest for your audience to post on your sites. The best site posting wins a free iPod or a free Hummer or whatever you can afford. This will get eyeballs back on your site for a reason, it will also help you gather customer testimonials and it will help your rankings improve on Stumble Upon. you’ll have to express to your customers that you’ll notify the winner via a Stumble Upon message…after all most aren’t going to have their name and address on their post.
One of the best marketing tools a company can lean on are the true words of reference their customers give. I may think you have a cool product, but I want to confirm that with a real (non-paid) person that’s used your product or service. Stumble Upon naturally helps you gather client testimonials.
Let’s face it…the web moves quick. It’s not easy to stay up to date on all there is to offer. Remember how cool Cold Fusion was? What was cool six months ago and hitting the #1 search in Google will be down the list and out of date faster than Michael Phelps in the 200 IM. Stumble Upon can help you garner some “coolness” credibility as you lean on their brand (or the brands of other social networking giants like Facebook or MySpace) to position your own.
Too many social networking programs, not enough time. “Add This” is a simple bookmarking and sharing button that you can embed in your sites. No more upgrading your bookmarks when another social networking site comes around. Simply sign up at www.AddThis.com, copy the pre-populated script and drop it into your site. It’s fast, easy to use, and even provides tracking on their site.
Enough on my social networking tirade…I’m off to get this idea converted into a b-to-b audience enhancer and corporate money maker.
This entry was posted on August 15, 2008 at 2:46 pm and is filed under Marketing.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text: This short film explores a world where avocados are illegal. The four minutes are worth it, I promise. If not, I owe you an avocado.


text:
Find local bargains in and near Ufford (Cambridgeshire).
The listings below are an automated feed from Ebay for the village "Ufford".
View more listed items with "Ufford" in the title. (Problem with any of these listings? Report it to us here).
Postcard. Ufford Street. Wood bridge. 1911. Suffolk. Poor Condition.
Postcard: Ufford Church & Stocks. Christchurch Pictorial Naturette. Not Posted.


text:
The Cannabis Consumers Union’s commitment is to protecting marijuana consumers, and this includes protecting consumers from businesses who may not have the best in mind for the whole industry. We believe that big business has got too much power over all industries and has become too involved in politics that protect their interests, and not the consumers, and have even hijacked the democratic process itself. Rulings like Citizens United v. The Federal Election Commission have given more power to businesses than to the individual resulting in the biggest flow of money from business into politics that effectively stole our voices. Couple that with businesses such as Koch Industries and Monsanto and its subsidiaries poisoning us by dumping cancer causing chemicals and genetically modifying food with chemicals, and it is just a recipe for disaster.
What happens when one of our own decides to partner up with a former executive connected to one of these horrible companies? Well, at minimum it needs to be exposed, analyzed, and boycotted. It is not worth the risk. People and organizations rarely change their behavior. The company in question is United Cannabis Corporation and its recent announcement that it is bringing onto their board former Monsanto Executive, John C. Hunter III as an advisor. This should alarm everyone in the cannabis community, hemp included. His history is pure evil, and directly tied to those who have kept marijuana prohibited all these years.
Let’s start by looking at the obvious. A quick search shows that John C. Hunter III is akin to Dr. Evil in the disasters that he has caused for some human beings. He ran Solutia, Inc., a chemical spin-off of Monsanto that is responsible for poisoning Anniston, AL with so many cancer causing PCBs that it has been named the most poisonous place in America. Residents can’t grow vegetables, eat food, shew gum or, scarily, kick up dirt in their own yard. Hunter knew the chemicals were poisonous and yet he kept it a secret and if it wasn’t for a soil company called Soil Conservation Service discovering it and Hunter having to pay $700 million in damages and fines, no one would have ever known.
John C. Hunter III is also connected to DuPont through his previous company Hercules, which was DuPont owned gunpowder business that was forced to branch off from its parent company in 1912 due to federal antitrust violations. **Record scratch – yes you read that right.** Hunter is connected to DuPont, the very industry that was behind marijuana prohibition in the first place. It is bad enough that he has presided over companies that have caused the cancer that people use marijuana for, but having worked for a company that was founded by those responsible for the loss of millions of lives through death or imprisonment due to cannabis prohibition is simply reprehensible. This would be like hiring Hitler to work at a hospital.
It probably won’t be surprising that United Cannabis, Tony Verzura and team will try to paint a picture of a repented Hunter who is coming to the cannabis industry to make up for his evil deeds. Cry us a river. Millions of people are dead because of corporate greed and he is coming back to feed at the trough. It is so just completely unethical that it almost seems to be a joke.
Don’t be fooled cannabis consumers. There is a pathology to greed and power. John C. Hunter III saw an opportunity in the America’s fastest growing industry and Tony Verzura, owner of River Rock just let him in. Thanks a lot bro for throwing the whole industry under the bus for your own selfish gain. Verzura even wrote a statement on Facebook defending United Cannabis Corporation’s actions by saying that ultimately this was to stop Monsanto from coming in. So, basically he is stopping Monsanto by becoming just like Monsanto. He is already trying to secure licensing on patents for genetically engineered strains, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that United Cannabis Corporation is trying to become the next Monsanto with of their former minions, he calls him coach, now advising them. He must really think the cannabis community is stupid.
In his statement, Verzura goes on to talk about the possibility of the government rescheduling marijuana to a schedule II on the CSA and that all of this may just be irrelevant and that he already has a pharmaceutical grade laboratory built in Canada to run to in case that happens. Yet, with the direction the company is going, they are actually positioning themselves to do well in case marijuana does become a schedule 2. The press releases and appointments to the board give a glimpse into the company’s strategy, so he is hiding something. Plus, River Rock and their allegiance to the Marijuana Industry Group have resulted in protectionist lobbying before. Remember, they supported the monopolizing vertical integration rule (also known as 70/30) and they were recently wanted to ban home growers from being caregivers. It is not outside the realm of possibility that Verzura, River Rock, United Cannabis aren’t also lobbying for schedule II behind closed doors. What better ay than to corner a market. (Read the statement in its entirety below).
Maybe Tony Vezsura and the United Cannabis Corporation didn’t do their due diligence. However, that seems really unlikely because the whole board was obviously put together strategically, so they definitely knew his past. Tony admits it himself in his statement. The statement is really a shallow disguise for what seems to be more nefarious intentions in monopolizing the industry. What a shame, because it is the goal for the marijuana movement to also create a better world, not own it. And that is what it looks like United Cannabis wants to do, monopolize the industry for its own benefits.
The cannabis industry has the opportunity to show the world what a new ethical market based on the principles of conscious capitalism. One that empowers other players, not disempowers them. Big business has done a lot to undermine the people and the democratic process. If it truly comes down to lack of oversight and due diligence on part Tony Versura and the United Cannabis Corporation, then the right thing to do will be to dismiss John C. Hunter III, because regardless of the change of heart he may have had (we will find out soon what the “story” is), based on his past he most certainly does not deserve a seat at the table. If United Cannabis does not keep integrity with the marijuana movement, and keeps Hunter on board, then it is only the duty of cannabis consumers to boycott all related companies, including River Rock and all of the businesses that are associated with the United Cannabis Corporation.
This message is being brought to you by Tony Verzura, founder and owner at RiverRock & United Cannabis, to expand upon the rumors flying around that we have some how “joined” with Monsantos. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and I would like to explain the reasons behind the newly appointed financial advisor at United Cannabis John Hunter, and the interim CEO of Earnest Blackmon.
First, since the DEA is about to officially lose their financial support from the DOJ, the FDA is strongly considering rescheduling cannabis from a Class 1 to a Class 2. If that happens it is quit possibly the worse thing in the US for medical patients. Why? Because that will require all cultivation and distribution of cannabis based products used for “medical purposes” to be distributed thru outlets like Walgreens pharmacy. Every major pharmaceutical company and distributor outside the US is suiting up and getting into the industry. In fact, they are trying to control the industry to make it very very hard to even exist. United Cannabis has a bi-lateral partner in Canada with a state of the art facility already built to pharmaceutical specifications. You can tour this facility on UCANNTV (YouTube) to see the types of efforts we are making to not lose the opportunity to continue to help patients world wide with our natural product lines (non-gmo) cannabinoid based therapeutics developed for prevention, management, and regenerative medicine. These products are developed to help patients with chronic disease and cancer.
Secondly, Monsantos has already genome mapped 4 strains, filing patents on the plant, and implementing these strains into countries where medical cannabis is legal. GW has filed for inactive cannabinoid patents with all ratio’s of CBD:THC and pushing to control many forms of cannabis based medicine with their patents in the US as of last week. If the FDA reschedule cannabis this would mean these companies would be in control of your medicine.
United Cannabis has formed a company with myself, the master grower at RiverRock, the guys who discovered stem cells currently running research and trials on natural based products at universities to fight chronic diseases and cancer. We formed a power horse of management, science, and processors from the industry to stand up against this movement so companies like Monsanto’s will NOT have control. In order to give United Cannabis, and the team, and patients a fighting chance, United Cannabis took on John Hunter who retired from what was Monsanto’s 10 years ago. He came to us to help United Cannabis fight back, and not get run over like 95% of our industry if this should happen. He was appointed as a financial advisor to help us form strategy against Monsanto’s. Earnie Blackmon was appointed to interim CEO with John Hunter advising him on how to structure a public company for success against his former team mates. Essentially, we have hired on their X coach until we figure out the next moves being made at the government level. If any of you know RiverRock, United Cannabis, Rare Dankness, or myself you would certainly know we are the opposite of that company, but we will not allow them to force our industry to exile. We do not even release feminized seeds so you should already know where we stand. These are the facts, and I do hope this sheds some light on the subject. Many articles will be released thru familiar sources on this subject to help ensure we are fighting as hard as a company can fight for patients rights to access their medicine.


text:
This past Saturday, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, performed a fourth test flight of their Grasshopper Vertical Takeoff and Landing Vehicle (VTVL) at the company’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas.
The 10-story tall suborbital reusable rocket, under the power of one kerosene and liquid oxygen burning Merlin 1D engine, leapt 262 feet off the ground—doubling its highest jump to date of 131 feet in December 2012. Using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control, the VTVL hovered for approximately 34 seconds and touched down with its most accurate precision thus far on the centermost part of the launch pad.
The vehicle, known as Grasshopper VTVL 1.0, is being used to perform flights in support of SpaceX’s development of fully and rapidly reusable rockets. Eventually the commercial spaceflight company wants a reusable first stage for their Falcon-9 rocket, which SpaceX claims will dramatically reduce costs from having to replace rockets after each launch. With Grasshopper, SpaceX is testing the technology that will enable their rocket’s first stage to launch and land intact, instead of burning up in the atmosphere upon reentry.
With the engine generating up to 147,000 pounds of thrust, the vehicle’s thrust-to-weight ratio at touchdown was greater than one—proving a key landing algorithm for Falcon 9, according to SpaceX.
These early test flights are meant to demonstrate Grasshopper’s ability to perform at subsonic speeds from various altitudes, with each flight launching higher, hovering longer, and descending farther than the previous. Over the next year SpaceX hopes to push Grasshopper to a maximum flight altitude of 11,500 feet, with flight times lasting up to 160 seconds in duration. High-altitude supersonic flight tests would occur soon after, possibly as early as late 2013, although the company has not released any firm details yet about those later flights.
The company is also currently developing a second generation Grasshopper VTVL, known as Grasshopper 2.0. The current Grasshopper 1.0 sports four fixed steel and aluminum landing legs with hydraulic dampers and a steel support structure. Grasshopper 2.0 will have lighter-weight landing legs that fold up on the side of the rocket, and the vehicle itself will be 50 percent taller than Grasshopper 1.0.
Earlier this month SpaceX successfully launched their Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The flight, mission CRS-2, was the company’s second operational supply delivery run to the International Space Station under NASA contract. The company has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to conduct 12 ISS resupply missions over the next several years.
For anyone that knows this stuff…Isn’t this testing backwards as in shouldn’t the design be driven from the seperation point of the first stage down rather from the ground up? I mean the velocites, wind dynamic and enertial forces that act upon the craft will be significantly different at operational altitude of 20 miles or so as such I would think that is where the design dynamic should be occuring…Because this testing regime while providing successes is of little value if the release orinitation vectors and control vectors with wind speeds of 75, 100 MPH or more that occures at 20 miles is the most important part and may very well lead to design requirement that is completely different than these short jumps or hops and may infact slow this entire process down..
If this were Nasa, I would agree that there is a 99% chance that this ‘grasshopper’ testing plan is stupidity waste, pork, red-tape.
However, it is private enterprise, Elon Musk, so I think there is a 100% chance that it is rational, efficient.

industry_corpus2: Aerospace


text:
Honest Co, co-founded by actress Jessica Alba, voluntarily recalled all bottles of its organic baby powder in the United States due to concerns of eye and skin infections.
The Santa Monica, California-based company said that during recent tests conducted on the product, possible contaminations from microorganisms that could cause skin or eye infections were found.
"With the full knowledge and under the guidance of the FDA, we've decided to voluntarily recall this product out of an abundance of caution," Christopher Gavigan, co-founder, said in a video posted on the company's website on Wednesday.
The baby powder, marketed as a natural alternative to traditional products, has been marketed in 4 oz. containers and has been in stores since April 14.
Honest Co and the Food and Drug Administration were not immediately available for comment.


text:
Conveyancing is a process that almost anyone will go through for both buying and selling property. A conveyancer is basically a solicitor who assists with home settlement and the transfer of titles by ensuring a client is meeting all legal obligations. They also strive to protect their client’s rights throughout the buying/selling process. It’s recommendable to seek the services of a conveyancer no matter which side of the transfer you’re on because there can often be legal technicalities that are difficult to see coming. For example, if you’re buying a home, you may understandably assume that you have the right to do anything you want with your new property. This may not be true, however, in cases where another party may have an easement over your property.
Easements are often not intrusive and may simply involve a neighbor who has to access to a small part of your land for a harmless purpose. It’s also common for water companies to have easements on land so that nothing can be built over their pipes. While those with easements over property do not have possession of it in any form, they still have legal rights to some aspect of it which may become difficult. A conveyancer can help with this situation before it starts as well as handle many other tasks. The following are some ways conveyancers make life easier in the transfer of property.
From conveyancers in Brisbane to Belize, any of them will handle the preparation of all documents relevant to real estate transactions. For buyers, this will mean making sure everything is in order to ensure that the property is fully transferred to them while meeting all legal requirements for the territory.
Things can be a bit more complicated for the seller. A conveyancer will prepare a contract of sale and protect sellers from future issues by making sure all required conditions are met. They will also assist in preparation of the Vendor’s Statement. This statement will cover information related to mortgages, easements, and zoning. It does not cover the condition of the property or the accuracy of the title. While this statement and the contract of sale are the most important documents when selling a home, a conveyancer will also prepare any additional documents that may be necessary in certain circumstances.
In addition to preparing the necessary documents, a conveyancer will also offer general advice about any terms or legal questions one may have. It’s always recommendable to let a conveyancer do a final read through of any documents before signing them. They can also assure that all terms of a mortgage are finalized and that everyone involved understands the situation.
When it comes to property sellers, a conveyancer can arrange dates in the desired fashion. For those buying and selling property simultaneously, this service can be useful to take care of everything at once.
A conveyancer will, of course, ensure that all final concerns are addressed before agreeing to a settlement as well as arrange the most convenient meeting time for both parties. For buyers, the conveyancer will ensure that all necessary funds are ready to make the settlement. In the case of the seller, a conveyancer will make final arrangements to have titles, keys, and all other relevant items transferred to the buyer.
A conveyancer can also help settle arrangements with a buyer’s bank, eliminating potentially complicated processes. They will also ensure that a buyer only pays costs directly associated with the settlement, so there are no unpleasant surprises.
A professional conveyancer makes the process of property buying and selling easier for all involved. While it isn’t absolutely necessary to hire one for either process, it is highly advisable to avoid confusing processes that could lead to substantial hidden fees or other issues.


text:
Vanity DNA testing company 23andMe has hit a major roadblock, having been told by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it must stop selling its personal genome testing kits.
Backed by Google and run by Anne Wojcicki, the estranged wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin, 23andMe has marketed its Saliva Testing Kit and Personal Genome Service (PGS) since 2007 as a way for individuals to determine whether they are prone to certain diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, or Parkinson's.
But the FDA has long taken issue with 23andMe's marketing, arguing that the PGS's main uses classify it as a medical device and that it therefore shouldn't be sold without regulatory approval and oversight.
In a strongly worded warning letter issued today, the FDA said 23andMe "must immediately discontinue marketing the PGS until such time as it receives FDA marketing authorization for the device."
Among the regulators' concerns is the danger of false positives or negatives for some of the tests, which could give patients misleading information about their risk of contracting serious diseases or conditions.
For example, a false positive suggesting a patient had high risk of contracting breast cancer could convince the patient to seek drastic treatments – such as the double mastectomy that actress Angelina Jolie underwent in April – when in fact those treatments could be unnecessary.
On the other hand, false negatives could give patients the impression that there was no risk, causing them to snub screening or preventative measures until it was too late.
Another test offered by 23andMe claims to measure a patient's response to the blood-thinning drug warfarin. But the FDA says warfarin dosages should be assigned based on well-established international measurement standards under a doctor's care, and that if patients modify their own dosages based on the results of 23andMe's tests, they could put themselves at risk of serious illness, injury, or even death.
The FDA says it has tried to work with 23andMe to make sure its products comply with appropriate regulations, "including more than 14 face-to-face and teleconference meetings, hundreds of email exchanges, and dozens of written communications," but to no avail.
"Instead," the FDA's letter says, "we have become aware that you have initiated new marketing campaigns, including television commercials that, together with an increasing list of indications, show that you plan to expand the PGS's uses and consumer base without obtaining marketing authorization from FDA."
The FDA has now given 23andMe just 15 days to address all of the concerns outlined in its letter – or to explain how much longer than that its corrective measures will take – after which time it has threatened to initiate a regulatory action against the company.
When asked for comment on the matter, 23andMe told The Register that it had received the FDA's letter.


text:
Making two halves of a box symmetrical (one half shown here), and distributing the holes and threads in each part equally and opposite one another, a single mold can be used, cutting tooling costs in half.
It might be hard to wrap your mind around at first, but many assemblies traditionally constructed of two unique components can often be made from a pair of identical parts. Consider the two halves of a housing for a prototype gear housing assembly. Conventional wisdom might say to put bolt holes in one half, threaded bosses in the other, then use half a dozen or so fasteners and washers to bolt it all together. But this requires machining two separate injection molds (or machining two unique parts, if a metal prototype is needed). By making the two halves symmetrical, distributing the holes and threads in each part equally and opposite one another, a single mold can be used, cutting tooling costs in half.
But why not get rid of the screws altogether? Our gear housing example is now symmetrical, but it still requires manual installation of threaded inserts, never mind keeping track of all those pesky screws and washers. A simple system of mating clips and hooks allows the two halves to clip together, not only eliminating the need for additional hardware but making the assembly process a snap. Take this one logical step further and replace the clip mechanisms with a living hinge along one edge of the power drill housing and you now have a single-piece design. The bill of materials (BOM) has been reduced by 13 pieces, assembly time has been cut to zero, and there’s just one mold to buy. You’re a hero. You can also, by the way, 3D print living hinges with SLS nylon.
Another way to achieve hero status is the use of family molds, which are ideal when producing a series of parts with similar shapes and sizes. The two mating parts mentioned above are good candidates, as is any group of parts that make up a complete assembly. Obviously, all must be made of the same material, and the combined part extents must fit within the roughly 175 sq. in. (1,129 sq. cm.) working mold cavity volume.
Everyone’s heard the adage about reinventing the wheel. Designing and manufacturing your own nuts, screws, shafts, pins, keys, and dozens of other off-the-shelf components should be avoided at all costs. Better to redesign your product around standard hardware items, especially if production volumes are expected to rise at some point.
The properties that make plastics such as polypropylene (PP) and styrene butadiene (SB) excellent candidates for living hinges also makes them suitable for other flexible components, providing clever part designers with opportunities to simplify assemblies and shrink BOMs—in some cases, a once-complex assembly can be reduced to a single piece. For example, a series of metal shock absorbers in a piece of sporting goods equipment might be replaced with a plastic one, and molded together with the mating component. Instead of bolt-on metal leaf springs in a small lot of radio-controlled cars, mold them out of nylon as part of the chassis. Nor do designers need to adhere to traditional shapes—a coil spring can easily take a curvy zig-zag shape, or that of an S, C, or sideways W. Just be sure the mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties of the chosen plastic are appropriate for the environment in which they’ll be used.
If a product must be assembled, attempt to make the task easier by orienting the various screws and connectors in such a way that all are accessible from the same side, thus minimizing part flipping and rotating. Use common hardware wherever possible, so the worker doesn’t have to reach for different hand tools. Poke yoke (mistake proof) the assembly by designing in alignment pins and guiding features to avoid mismatched parts. And spend a little time in the assembly room: Knowing the issues that emerge at this stage often yields big improvements in part design.
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) parts can eliminate molding headaches related to assemblies. Plus, because LSR is biocompatible, heat resistant, and withstands sterilization, it is a material of choice for many medical and food applications.
Oftentimes, two or more components can be molded together. Rather than welding, gluing, or screwing a rubber grip onto a plastic instrument case, overmolding creates a permanent bond with no need for secondary assembly processes. The two plastics must be chemically compatible, but an array of material combinations and colors are available. Similarly, the aforementioned threaded inserts can be placed into the mold before pressing cycle start on the injection molding machine, permanently fixing the metal inserts in the plastic. A large assortment of bushings, pins, and fasteners can be molded directly into plastic parts, saving time and simplifying designs. Protolabs currently doesn’t supply common off-the-shelf inserts but expects to do so at some future point.
Due to its “cold set” properties, extremely agreeable flow characteristics, and disregard for traditional molded part concerns like sink and knit lines, liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is breaking many of the rules of injection molding. LSR parts probably aren’t going to reduce assembly part count, but they do eliminate many molding headaches and are often a great alternative to other “squishy” materials. Complex gaskets and seals can be accurately formed, and because LSR is biocompatible, heat resistant, and withstands sterilization, is a material of choice for many medical and food applications. LSR is also forgiving of large variations in wall thickness, and undercuts are easily accommodated. For the right application, it offers big advantages.
It’s a great time to be in manufacturing. Technologies and materials only dreamt of a few decades ago are now turning the design and engineering world on its head. Industrial 3D printing is one of these. Quantities permitting, parts that once required construction of an injection mold or setup and programming of a CNC machine tool can now be 3D printed in a fraction of the time and cost. What’s more, the “free complexity” that comes with 3D printing often produces one-piece BOMs, thus eliminating assembly, and with part materials suitable for long-term use. Protolabs has multiple 3D printing options available, including processes that can build plastic, metal, and elastomeric parts. Of course, some multipart assemblies are best done the old-fashioned way, by machining individual pieces and assembling them. Yet even here, the rules of designing for manufacturability and assembly apply. Keep things simple, don’t make what you can buy off the shelf, explore all your manufacturing options, and understand the rules of each. Stick close to the guidelines and you’ll be designing cost-effective and efficient multipart assemblies in no time.
As always, feel free to contact one of our applications engineers with any questions, at 877-479-3680 or [email protected].

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
Latin bbwAmateur bbwLatinBbw latinBbw. Hairy bbwLatin bbwBbw pussyBbw hairyBbw latin. Latin bbwBbw latinBbw booty. Latin bbwBbw lingerieWife lingerie. Latin bbwLatina bbwThick latinaBbw latinaBbw thick.
Latin bbwBbw latinBbw booty. Latin bbwLatinBbwBbw amateur. Latin bbwAmateur bbwBbwLatin. Worhhome shorty chubby - hw 8 min Pinkymx - Hairy bbwLatin bbwBbw pussyBbw hairyBbw latin. Mature francaise poilue defoncee et fistee par un jeunot. Latin bbwBbw pussyBbw hairy.


text:
This 200 year old farmhouse has bags of traditional character and it is run by its owners. It's a family run business . Our guests are our priority !
This 8 bedroom holiday villa is situated near Puerto Banus, a playground for the rich, and has plenty to offer. The villa has 8 bedrooms, cinema room, private pool, tennis courts, and plenty outside seating.
This fantastic villa/apartments consists of 3 apartments which can be rented as a whole villa with private pool or separate apartments sharing the pool. There are 1 x 2 bedroom and 2 x 3 bedrooms. Accommodates up to 16 persons.
Charming holiday house with pool close to Assisi, Perugia, Todi, in the heart of wine estate. Free kitchen garden, free welcome basket. Two bottles of our wine for a nice welcome to your holidays.


text:
New from the UK's most renowned and respected brand in paintwork restoration - T-Cut Original Metal Polish.
T-Cut Original Metal Polish cleans, restores and polishes chrome, brass, stainless steel, nickel copper, aluminium, alloy and many other metals. It will cut through any surface corrosion and oxidisation to restore a brilliant shine and lustre, even if the metal hasn’t been cleaned for years!
Available in 100g tubes with a stylish, high impact counter display unit, T-Cut Original Metal Polish will also protect against tarnishing and discolouration and is suitable for all manner of applications including automotive, motorcycles, marine, sports & leisure, domestic appliances and general home use.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text:
Flying Skunk is a hybrid between Lowryder #2 and an old skool Skunk from the nineties. The result is an autoflowering variety which will take you back in time.
The old school indica dominant Skunk is one of the most stable and reliable varieties available on the market today. Pairing it with a Lowryder #2 was a no-brainer which created the extremely stable hybrid Flying Skunk as a result. She's a very quick grower and the first signs of flowering are already noticeable after 17-18 days. She has a typical indica christmas tree shape with a dense leaf structure and dense, solid buds which spread a strong scent during flowering.
The effect of the Flying Skunk is very mellow and it brings a chill vibe. Ideal for an evening with friends or relaxing on the couch. The taste is just like a Skunk is supposed to taste: soft, spicy and refreshing. Let the buds dry for at least 2 weeks in order to get the maximum taste and effect from your Flying Skunk.
Flying Skunk is 100% autoflowering and will complete her life cycle in 65 - 70 days. From seed to harvest!


text:
First and foremost, ALL members are required to volunteer their time at all FAST hosted meets, as officials, timers, bullpen, concessions, etc. FAST's volunteer requirements for team hosted meets are listed below.
Have you ever considered becoming an official? Offiicals are on the frontline of the volunteer efforts in USA Swimming and they get to play a part in the most exciting part of the sport, the swim meets! Each team in USA Swimming is encouraged to have a pool of certified officials in order to properly play our part in supporting the volunteer needs in the sport at the local level.
FAST is in need of more registered officials who are current members of the team. If you are a parent of a swimmer who regularly attends swim meets, please consider the opportunity. It is a great way to learn more about the sport and form some great friendships along the way.
Ozark Swimming schedules clinics throughout the year for interested parties to begin the certification process. If you are interested in becoming an official, please contact Jeff Heveroh.
Additional opportunities exist to serve as a member of the Board of Directors by contacting the FAST Nominating Committee, or you can assist with volunteer needs on any of the board directed strategic plan sub-committees.
Please consider supporting the team with your time and talents. If you are interested in serving or have questions/concerns, please contact Angie Dorsey at adorsey@fast-swimming.com.
The FAST meet worker policy applies to all FAST team members. Please review the information carefully to avoid fines for not working at FAST home hosted meets. The FAST meet worker policy does not apply to our swim lesson participants.
If your swimmer never swims at one of the 4 FAST hosted invitational meets, you are required to work 3 sessions for the season.
FAST home meets provide swim opportunities for swimmers and provide FAST with revenue to help keep the cost of swimming as low as possible for families. To help support in these efforts, FAST requires all FAST families in any group, except Future Flyers*, to make a minimum investment of time and effort to ensure the success of these meets.
If one or more children of a family are entered in any of the aforementioned meets, then that family will be required to work at that FAST hosted meet. The required amount of sessions owed per family will vary by meet as each meet format is different and requires a different amount of total volunteers needed.
The session requirement amount will be set per group, with groups that have a qualifying time standard requirement to be in the group having a higher session requirement, and each family will be required to volunteer for the amount set for their swimmer with the highest amount of sessions required. For example, if you have a swimmer in Senior and a swimmer in Rocketeers and the Senior requirement for the meet is 1 session and the Rocketeers requirement is 2 sessions, your family will need to complete 2 sessions at that meet.
Ask another family to substitute for them.
Communicate with the meet volunteer coordinator to explain the circumstances and reach a resolution at least 2 days prior to the meet.
If your child does not compete in any of the 4 FAST hosted meets throughout the season, your family must instead fulfill a minimum requirement of 3 sessions for the year. These sessions can be completed at any of these 4 meets in any combination that you wish. Intra-squad meets cannot be used to meet this requirement. If your 3 session minimum is not completed by the Last Chance meet, your account will be billed $600 (3 $200 fines) on your March invoice as some families opt out before Long Course to participate in their summer league. If you end up working your 3 sessions at the May meet, that $600 will be credited back to you.
If a family member does not show up on time to their selected session or does not work the entire session the family will be assessed $200 per missed session fine on their next invoice.
The intra-squad meets are typically short, one session meets. When your swimmer competes in a FAST intra-squad meet, you will be expected to volunteer or your swimmer will not be allowed to compete in the meet.
* The only FAST hosted invitational meet that Future Flyers swimmers are invited to swim is the Last Chance meet in February. If those swimmers opt to swim in that meet, those families will be required to work 1 session at that meet.

industry_corpus2: Sports


text:
This past weekend the Squirt A team went up to participate in the New England Regionals. They went UNDEFEATED in the qualifying round (3-0)! They lost a tough fought game in the semi-finals but we couldn't be any prouder of these kids!
Congratulations on an amazing season Squirts A's!
These sessions are open to all RiverHawks players at no charge. They are entered on the master schedule as a general event and may not appear on your player's team calendar you typically monitor..
The CT RiverHawk Bantam A's went up to play in the 22nd Annual Jimmy Welch Memorial Tournament held at the Berkshire School in Berkshire, MA this past weekend. After going a perfect 3-0 in the qualifying round they lost a nail biter 2-1 to the Bethlehem Eagles in the championship game. Playing with a short bench in the championship game, only having 8 skaters healthy enough to take the ice and going up against a stacked roster, the boys gave it their all. Way to go boys!
CT RiverHawks & NY Rangers Alumni game a SUCCESS!
On Saturday, thanks to help from the NY Rangers Alumni, the CT RiverHawks were able to raise over $30,000 to re-invest into our program! It was an exciting game that went down to the wire and had to be decided in a shootout! We will be posting and sharing more pictures of the event so head over to our Facebook and Instagram pages to check them out!


text:
What holiday could be more perfect than one filled with love and hearts! Valentine’s Day was one of Gabriella’s favorite holidays. Even as a little girl Gabriella would want us to get her flowers and chocolates and things that had hearts on/in them. It was almost as if this holiday was created with Gabriella in mind.
This year I am filled with nostalgia as I think about the innocence of childhood prior to cancer coming into our lives. I really don’t remember specifics of Gabriella’s last Valentine’s Day. I know that her school always had a party and my mom and her gentleman friend, Bob, were in town. I don’t have pictures from that day though. That makes me sad.
I want to tell other families to take lots of pictures and record your present so that you will have memories for your future. I want to tell other families that are having their first Valentine’s Day without their child that their love never dies; that, in fact, it continues to grow. I want to tell other families that I completely understand their anguish and grief. I want to thank everyone that has sent me messages and hearts today. It means more that you know. And, I want to let everyone know that I am working hard to give them and their children the Gift of Life.
Do you have it in your heart to help us “Crack the Cure” for childhood brain cancer?


text:
Gordon Ramsay got more than he bargained for as he ate sushi off a naked woman's body in the US version of MaterChef.
Ramsay, 44, and his fellow judges were stunned when one contestant brought out his wife, who proceeded to strip off in front of them.
She then jumped up on a table while her husband arranged raw fish on her body.
'This is not the kind of place I want to find a hair in my food,' Ramsay joked as they ate sushi from the squirming girl.
But the stunt was not enough to secure a place in the next round of the competition.
Ramsay saw more flesh when Mississippi trucker, Albert, dropped his trousers and mooned the panel of judges to show them a tattoo of the devil.
Albert then cooked up alligator gumbo, which was enough to send him through to cook again.
'Holy crap, I think it is the first time he has been out of a tree for a year,' Ramsay joked.
Ramsay was given a taste of home when Pauline, a 51-year-old originally from Glasgow, served him haggis and salmon en croute.
The dish was a hit with Ramsay and he sent Pauline, who now lives in Calabasas, California, through to the next round.


text:
Are you wanting to create a personalized Mala? The Mala has been used for thousands of years to assist in gaining focus during meditation or prayer. Mala translates to garland, a string of 27, 54 or 108 beads used to connect us to our practice of meditation. Take the opportunity to choose from a variety of semi-precious gem stones that resonate with you and appeal to your artistic design! All are welcome to come create a beautiful Holiday gift for yourself or a friend.
$80.00 includes all semi-precious gem stones and materials.


text:
Memorial Day weekend is the perfect way to spend time with your family and friends. While we honor those who have died in war, it is also an opportunity to cherish those who are still with us today. Creating memories and spending quality time with the ones you love is very necessary.
This weekend will be filled with celebrations both big and small. From cookouts to parades and festivals to gatherings at a relative's home to feast on delicious food from the grill, there is plenty of fun to be had. Why not include a bit of jousting, cheering and dinner to your schedule?
Medieval Times is kicking off the Memorial Day weekend with a great deal for their Hanover, MD location.
Jumpstart the summer with the lowest prices of the season to Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. Enjoy the new two-hour show and a four-course medieval feast for $34.95* for adults and $29.95* for kids 12 and under. This special offer at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Hanover is valid for all shows Friday, May 25 through Monday, May 28. Call 1-888-WE-JOUST (935-6878) or visit www.MedievalTimes.com for information and reservations.
My family and I had the chance to preview the ALL NEW SHOW back in April. It was my first time attending and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.
The fact that I was able to use my hands in place of utensils scored major bonus points with me. I like the assortment of food as well and how it was served on a schedule. Of course the show was exciting as well. Our family definitely took advantage of the freedom to express by yelling and shouting. It almost felt like I was watching television in the comfort of my own home. Nothing beats this relaxing approach.
The Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Maryland Castle, located at Arundel Mills in Hanover, MD, wants to invite you and your family to experience their highly entertaining show. All you have to do is follow the instructions below, cross your fingers and wait for your name to be called.
Open to US Residents age 18+. Tickets are valid at the Arundel Mills location only (7000 Arundel Mills Circle Hanover, MD). Not valid on New Year's Eve. Winner will have 48 hours to respond in order to claim their prize. Winner contacts the client directly to make a reservation for their family.
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament’s Maryland Castle is located at Arundel Mills – 7000 Arundel Mills Circle Hanover, MD. Medieval Times is North America’s most popular dinner attraction and Anne Arundel County’s Celebration Destination.
*Mention code: MDWWEB at the time of purchase. Plus tax and processing fee. Not valid on prior purchases or gift certificates. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Advance reservations and payment required. Only valid Memorial Day Weekend.
There was no monetary compensation for writing this post. The tickets for the giveaway are being provided by the sponsor. The opinions and views are my own.


text:
What do you think is the best one?
what the others free sites that give us some extra money???
How many of you write BLOGS????
Can someone help me on how i will be able to get my earnings here in mylot?
I will appreciate it very much if you're going to help me.
Which is most powerfull currency?
Do agree with Evolution Theory?
IS Bush correct in waging WAR against IRAQ......??????
I prefer Football. What do u think?


text:
HELENA, Alabama -- CNN Money Magazine has named Helena as one of the Top 25 best places with affordable homes for 2013.
The ranking posted this morning online listed Helena as 18th with a median home price of $138,842 and a median family income of $86,230. The only other Alabama city on the list was Millbrook, which was ranked 12th.
"This suburb of 16,000 calls itself the safest city in Alabama. Local boosters tout its hometown atmosphere, and its proximity to the shopping and services of Birmingham," the news organization said of Helena.
"Residents tend to gather in the town's historic center called 'Old Town,' where the Buck Creek Festival is held every year," the ranking continued. "Home prices have been on the upswing, but a dollar still stretches a long way. Three-bedroom starter homes can cost under $100,000, while a mint-condition five-bedroom home can go for around $300,000."
Helena Mayor Mark Hall said in an e-mail today the ranking supports Helena's reputation as a good place to call home.
"Since Helena has consistently been ranked in other top places to live categories, it's great to see Helena in at #18 on the CNN Money most affordable places to live list. You can definitely get more quality housing for your money in Helena," Hall said.
"The ranking could also help boost home sales in the area, which is great. It was also good to see Pelham on the Best Places to Live list. This kind of positive attention is for good for both cities as it recognizes our residents' commitment to excellence and quality of life," he said.
CNN Money Magazine ranked Pelham as the 47th out of the Top 50 best small towns in America. Read about Pelham's ranking here.
For more stories about Helena, visit www.al.com/local/helena.


text:
I´m happy to announce (after less sleep but much coffee) the first android game release!
It´s a remake of one of my favourite homebrew puzzle games with some extensions. I spent a lot of time enjoing this game!
And the more jewels you colorize at once, the more points you get! Simple as that!
If you are into puzzle-games, then this is for you!


text: Watch Dil To Happy Hai Ji 18th February 2019 Full Episode 25 latest Video by Star Plus In HD. Indian Tv Serial Dil To Happy Hai Ji episode 25 by HotStar Complete Episode. Star Plus drama Dil To Happy Hai Ji 18th Feb 2019 Online Today New Episode.


text: There is little doubt that when it comes to common metals used, steel is among one of the most common. This metal is easily formed and can be used to do just about anything. In fact, you will find that there are plenty of steel supplies that are commonly used in the world.


text:
Few designers have such a recognizable signature style as Maarten Baas. You can practically guess that this slightly crooked pepper mill was conceived by him just by glancing at it.
Baas started off from the archetypical pepper mill which consists of a cylinder and a round head on top of it. Instead of streamlining theses two parts into a unified whole, he materialized a sketchy drawing of a mill. Baas actually designed a perfectly functional tool made from ABS resin that looks like it has been hammered by granddad in his barn. This contrast, industrial versus hand-made, makes out the core of Baas’ work.
If you look close, you’ll notice that there’s not one straight line to this mill. Even the length of the cylinder curves just a bit. This is a piece of meticulously designed imperfection.


text:
boasting a large number of quality Crafts. Watch the many demonstrations and meet the Craftsmen at work as they personalise that perfect gift. There's something for everyone with Artists, Designers, Potters, Wood Turners, Textiles, Floral Arrangements and Jewellery.
Depart early morning, stopping en-route we arrive at our hotel early afternoon. We enjoy a delicious early dinner before departing for Thursford Christmas Spectacular.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before we depart for Sandringham Christmas Food & Craft show. We head home early afternoon, stopping en-route for high tea.


text:
More than once you have landed on a web page where almost immediately a very annoying pop up flew across the screen while you were reading an interesting article. The pop up most probably contained a subscription form or some kind of special offer which may or may not be of interest to you.
Then you try to close it and you can’t find the right place to click on the pop up which irritates you even more.
Of course you don’t want that kind of irritating experience for the readers of your blog. The solution is a new WordPress plugin that will not infuriate readers of your blog.
The MaxBlogPress Stripe Ads WordPress plugin is the solution. This plugin displays a non obtrusive single line banner across the top your blog. Just fill out the form in your blog dashboard and you will have multiple rotating ads the easy way.
This banner plugin allows you to customize the appeareance of your ads and the frequency at which they appear by selecting background and font colors. You may choose to have a static ad or have the ad hover at the top of your blog while scrolling.
And the best thing is that it is free.
Use it to promote your products or your affiliate products and make money fast.


text:
This course is only available to trainees 180 days after purchase. It would need to be repurchased by the trainee if not completed in the allotted time period. This course is no longer available. You will need to repurchase if you wish to take the course again.
This course presents potential Land Surveying Exam test takers (FS, PS, State Specific or all three) with a few practical tips for preparing to take the land surveying exam, both from an exam content point of view as well as the logistical details that the test taker is likely to encounter. The course is an update to an earlier course presented by Dr. Paiva. Since then, NCEES has changed the way the FS and PS exams are presented and taken. They are now taken as closed book, computer-based testing (CBT) exams. This course’s content reflects that change. It also provides tips on valuable information available from the NCEES YouTube channel as well as the NCEES.org website to enable the test taker to be as well-informed as possible. The purpose of this course is to minimize the unpleasant surprises that the test taker may encounter. The underlying philosophy being that surprises can severely compromise the possibility of successfully completing the exam.
Joe Paiva brings more than three decades of experience to GeoLearn. From his start as a university instructor in surveying, Joe has been committed to education and bringing course material to professionals and technicians in various settings since 1975. His broad experience in the geospatial field includes teaching surveying as assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia; developing and instructing online courses as adjunct faculty at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and continuing to do so at the State Technical College of Missouri; designing professional and technician continuing education; engineering and geomatics practice; product development; and business management. Past posts include vice president at Sokkia Technology, Inc., and Trimble; COO at Gatewing; and independent consultant to a large selection of companies engaged in geomatics product development and sales. Joe writes prolifically on general interest and technical topics for leading industry publications, including POB Magazine, GeoDataPoint, and The Empire State Surveyor, and is a past contributor to Civil Engineering News. He is highly sought-after as a speaker and adviser for professional societies. Joe received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from the University of Missouri.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
Heber Valley Railroad #300 restoration!
Round 1 Japanese Arcade in Sandy!?


text:
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, CUPE filed a 72-hour strike notice for the 139 flight attendants who work for ultra-low-cost Canadian carrier Flair Airlines.
"Flair is transparently engaging in a divide and conquer strategy aimed at driving a wedge between workers in order to compete with other ultra-low-cost carriers. It is completely unfair to pay one group of flight attendants 30 per cent less for doing the same work as other flight attendants." Yee continued.
Flair bases in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna and Abbotsford, however, the airline believes its flying schedule will be unaffected.
A Flair Airlines spokesperson told us, "Over the past few months, Flair Airlines has worked with CUPE to reach agreement on compensation terms for our team of flight attendants.
To date, we have been unable to reach an agreement. As a result, CUPE has called for strike on Monday, December 10th, 2018. We have historically paid our team of flight attendants 30% higher starting wages than our competitors. We cannot continue to pay this kind of premium, and have requested all new flight attendants start at the same wages as our competitors.
Our aircrew is at the heart of our organisation, and we believe our current offer provides a high quality of life for our flight attendants, while ensuring our business remains sustainable. After CUPE called the strike, we received considerable support from our flight attendants. Many contacted management to indicate they will work during any labour action called by the union.
The support we have received suggests all flights will operate normally on Monday, but we recommend passengers check the status of their flight on our website."

industry_corpus2: Transportation


text:
At a reception at Gwydyr House in Whitehall on Monday 3rd December the Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Secretary of State for Wales announced a full programme of events to take place across London around the time of St David’s Day; from 23rd February to 9th March 2019.
As the official charity of Wales Week in London Velindre was delighted to attend and highlight some of our activities: A Question of Sport Special at London Welsh RFC on Tuesday 26 February with teams captained by Joe Marler and Adam Jones; 2 days later the Captains Lunch takes place on Thursday 28 February at Norton Rose Fulbright with Velindre Patron Sam Warburton and an exclusive menu designed by Chef Tom Simmons.
On Monday 4 March we have a Welsh Comedy Shorts Evening taking place at the London Welsh Centre with screenings of Neckface and Rhod Gilbert vs Kilimanjaro. And on Friday 8 March the culmination of Wales Week in London is at Grosvenor Marriott Hotel with the Best of Wales Gala Ball with an array of Welsh starts including James Dean Bradfield and Catrin Finch.
Wales Week in London 2019 promises to be the biggest yet with over 80 events taking place across the UK capital to promote Wales and celebrate St David’s Day. This is the third annual showcase in London promoting Welsh culture, business, sport, tourism, food and drink, and is set to make more noise than ever.