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We have distilled our 8 years of project work, followed by 4 years of publishing effort, so that you, the reader, can grasp what we did and found in just 24 minutes - enjoy!
This was a unique project firstly because it was led by livestock producers - and that is quite rare in agricultural research. It was conducted on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. At the first meeting, a group of leading producers agreed that there was a widening gap between practising farmers and the research and extension community. So, a proposal was put forward to the Wool Corporation to fund an initial survey to find out what issues farmers wanted investigated and to ask the farmers if they would be interested in joining a project to be led by farmers to try to bridge the gap - they were interested!
Initial funding support was provided by the Wool Corporation to create a new learning partnership between producers, researchers and extension specialists and carry out applied investigations into the most important problems chosen by the farmers that were relevant to improving the profitability and sustainability of grazing enterprises in the region. We called it the 'Cicerone Project' as we wanted there to be learning by all participants.
The Cicerone Project Board wanted all research to be both of practical use to farmers and also for it to be scientifically valid. It chose as its motto: 'compare-measure-learn-adopt'.
2 What were farmers' most important problems?
The survey of more than 300 farmers found out what farmers' most serious problems were: challenges of dry seasons, fertiliser use, pasture composition and pasture persistence. In addition, control of internal parasites of sheep was important. A decision was made to investigate management systems that might improve the productivity, resilience, stability and longevity of pastures and the effects of grazing management on both pastures and internal parasite control.
Asking farmers what their most important farm management problems were, allowed more focused research and extension programs to be undertaken by the Cicerone Project and ensured that farmers were interested in the findings.
At a special meeting organised by Cicerone, livestock producers stated that there was an anomaly in the testing regime for virulent footrot. The Cicerone Project agreed to investigate. After two carefully conducted field trials and with associated DNA testing, the concern of the producers was found to be correct. The footrot studies were undertaken in both the Northern and Central Tablelands of NSW.
Practical observations from producers, followed by producer support for trial work, which was then undertaken in a scientifically rigorous manner, showed the value of producer/research partnerships in bringing about outcomes of great benefit to the livestock industry.
The new testing regime developed has had broad application across Australia.
This paper describes a novel approach to plan the allocation of land to three unreplicated whole-farm management systems such that each 50 ha farmlet had equivalent starting conditions and yet was at a scale credible to both livestock producers and researchers.
The paddocks of each farmlet were distributed across the landscape in a ‘patchwork quilt’ pattern after six iterations of a mapping exercise using a Geographic Information System. Allocation of paddocks took into account those variables of the landscape and natural resource capacity that were not able to be altered. An important benefit of the procedure was that it ensured that the farmlets were co-located with contiguous paddock boundaries so that all farmlets experienced the same climatic as well as biophysical conditions - this was essential for valid comparisons to be made.
The farmlets were designed to compare a typical farmlet (B) as the control with a second farmlet (A), which received higher levels of pasture renovation and soil fertility, and a third farmlet (C), which employed intensive rotational grazing management with short graze and long rest periods. Management guidelines were developed for all soil, pasture, livestock and grazing management decisions on the three farmlets.
Whole-farmlet data are presented for the pastures sown, fertiliser applied, supplement fed, the stocking rates attained and the pattern of graze and rest periods over the experimental period from July 2000 to December 2006. Over the first 4 years of the trial, pastures were renovated on 71% of farmlet A while 8% of each of farmlets B and C were renovated.
The experiment was planned so that the farmlets were allocated to matched paddocks on the basis of background variables such as soil type, elevation and slope, that were measured across each paddock before the start of the experiment. These variables were used in the statistical model so that farmlet effects could be separated from the changes in responses to treatment over time.
Two datasets on botanical composition and hogget liveweights are analysed in the paper as examples.
Inferences from the experiment are guarded because we acknowledge that the use of conditioning variables and matched paddocks does not provide the same power as replication. Nevertheless, we conclude that the differences observed are more likely to have been due to treatment effects than to random variation or bias.
Soil tests over 5 years indicated that only nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) varied with time within the farmlets while the other indices of soil fertility remained similar.
Phosphorus and sulfur levels increased in response to fertiliser applications whereas N levels responded to increases in legume composition, which was stimulated by the higher P and S levels.
Farmlet productivity was driven by P and S fertility and thus the two farmlets with lower P and S fertility (farmlets B and C) had similar but lower levels of farmlet productivity compared with farmlet A.
Significant increases in several measured pasture productivity parameters were observed in response to the higher P and S fertility on farmlet A, especially when climatic conditions were favourable.
The results confirm the findings of earlier research on the Northern Tablelands, and elsewhere in the high rainfall zone, that has demonstrated that higher soil fertility levels and pasture renovation enhance the productivity of grazing enterprises more than grazing management, without imposing significant risks to the environment.
Over the experimental period, both rainfall and available soil water were mostly significantly below the expected conditions for this region and so the results need to be viewed with this in mind.
Also, there was an increased frequency of severe frosting during the dry winters experienced over the 6.5-year period.
These dry and cold conditions were likely to have limited the responses to the pasture and grazing management treatments imposed on the three farmlets.
Lower than average levels of available soil water were likely to have constrained pasture production, threatened pasture persistence, and reduced the response of the pasture to available soil nutrients and, as a consequence, livestock production and economic outcomes.
Eight assessments of botanical composition were carried out at approximately annual intervals across each of the 37 major paddocks distributed across the farmlets and the results for each of 49 species were aggregated into seven functional groups for analysis.
The strongest correlation found was a negative relationship between sown perennial grasses (SPG) and warm-season grasses (WSG). That is, as SPG go up, WSG decline.
The most significant factors affecting the functional group changes were soil P, sowing phase, paddock and date.
We observed significant increases in SPG and correspondingly lower levels of WSG on Farmlet A compared with Farmlet B.
Farmlets B and C experienced similar, declining levels of SPG, and increasing levels of WSG suggesting that intensive rotational grazing did not lead to substantial changes in botanical composition, compared with flexible rotational grazing, in spite of the fact that intensive rotational grazing had much longer grazing rests and shorter graze periods than the other two farmlets.
Although the climate was generally drier than average, the differences between farmlets in pasture herbage mass and quality became more evident over the duration of the experiment. After the farmlet treatments started to take effect, the levels of total and dead herbage mass became significantly lower on farmlet A compared with farmlets B and C. In contrast, the levels of green herbage were similar for all farmlets.
Throughout most of the study period, pastures on farmlet A with its higher levels of pasture renovation and soil fertility, had significantly higher DM digestibility for both green and dead herbage components compared with pastures on either of the moderate input systems (B and C).
Farmlet A tended to have higher levels of green digestible herbage than either of the other farmlets, which had similar levels, suggesting that pasture renovation and soil fertility had more effect on the supply of quality pasture than did grazing management. This difference was observed in spite of the higher stocking rate supported by farmlet A after treatments took effect.
Because of recent technology affordability changes, the satellite imagery only became available AFTER the end of the Cicerone farmlet experiment! Still, it provides some of the most powerful objective data showing changes on the farmlets over time.
The Landsat imagery taken before the commencement of the farmlet treatments (June 2000) showed only small differences between the three farmlets, confirming that the allocation of land to the farmlets had been without bias. The assessments using Landsat NDVI in spring over 7 years showed differences in green herbage resulting from the variation in rainfall received over different years as well as differences between the farmlets. The Landsat NDVI images showed increasing and significant differences in pasture greenness over time, especially between Farmlet A and Farmlets B and C. In addition, there were significant differences in pasture spectral classes between Farmlet A and Farmlets B and C, with a significant correlation with higher levels of sown perennial and annual grasses and legumes on Farmlet A.
Regular measurements of the feed supply, namely herbage mass and quality, pasture growth and supplement fed and of feed demand were assembled to provide monthly estimates of the balance between feed supply and animal demand of all classes of livestock run on the experiment over its duration of 6.5 years. The significantly greater stocking rate, liveweight and reproductive rate of sheep reached on the higher input system (farmlet A) meant higher levels of ME were required to satisfy the nutritional demands of these animals.
Using key livestock management dates and measurements of liveweights, the changes in the energy requirements of each class of animal were calculated and aggregated to provide an estimate of overall livestock energy demand over time. Subtracting the energy demand from the estimated energy supply provided a partial net energy balance.
The assessment of liveweights was considered a key component of measuring the integrated effects of the farmlet-scale treatments.
Early in the experimental period, there were no significant differences between farmlets in the liveweight of any class of livestock.
From the second year onwards, as the pasture renovation, soil fertility and grazing management treatments took effect, differences in liveweight between farmlets became more apparent and significant. The stocking rate, which was treated as an emergent property of each farmlet, reached a maximum annual average value after 5 years of 12.6, 8.5 and 7.7 dry sheep equivalents (dse)/ha on farmlets A, B and C.
The liveweights of ewes, both before joining and during pregnancy, varied with year and farmlet with those on farmlets A and B tending to be significantly heavier than those on farmlet C.
The weights of lambs/weaners/hoggets, both pre- and post-weaning, were at times also higher on farmlets A and B compared with those on farmlet C and were affected by a similar range of factors to those which affected ewe weights. Similar relative differences also applied to the liveweights of the other livestock run on the farmlets, namely wethers and non-reproductive cattle.
Stocking rate was able to be increased towards the higher target of farmlet A due to the higher level of pasture renovation and soil fertility on that farmlet, which led to high liveweights per head as well as the higher stocking rate. In contrast, the intensive rotational grazing practised on farmlet C did not allow the farmlet to increase its stocking rate towards its higher target. It appears that the higher proportion of each of farmlets A and B grazed at any one time allowed all classes of livestock to reach higher liveweights per head than on farmlet C, due presumably to the greater proportion of those two farmlets grazed at any one time.
Over the first 2 years of the experiment, there were few differences among farmlets in ewe fat scores or reproductive performance.
From 2003 onwards, while the percentage of ewes pregnant was similar between farmlets, the average proportion of multiple births (ewes scanned in late July, with twins) was 30%, 16% and 12%, respectively, on farmlets A–C. However, lamb losses were greater on farmlet A, with average lamb mortalities recorded on farmlets A–C of 29%, 10% and 19%, respectively. Over the duration of the experiment, ewes on farmlets A and B were more often above a fat score level of 3, and less often below 2.5, than were ewes from farmlet C.
These farmlet-scale findings highlighted the importance for livestock managers to focus not only on grazing management, stocking rate and stock density during lambing, but also on the availability of sufficient green, and especially legume herbage, and the difficulty of overcoming a deficit in quality herbage with supplementation.
As expected, up until 2001, there were no differences in wool production between farmlets, as it was early in the trial.
After 2001, significant differences between farmlets emerged in greasy fleece weight per head and price received per kg of fleece wool. The clean fleece value averaged over the 2003–05 shearings for all hoggets, ewes and wethers was 1531, 1584 and 1713 cents/kg for farmlets A, B and C, respectively.
There were small but significant differences between the farmlets in average fibre diameter and staple length but less so with staple strength.
Differences in wool income per ha between farmlets grew in later years as the farmlet treatments took effect. The average gross wool income per ha from 2003 to 2005 was $303, $215 and $180 for farmlets A, B and C, respectively. The highest amount of greasy wool produced was in 2004 when 38.2, 26.5 and 21.5 kg/ha was harvested from farmlets A, B and C, respectively.
Greasy fleece weight, staple length and staple strength were significantly positively correlated with the proportion of the farm grazed at any one time, and with soil phosphorus, legume herbage and green digestible herbage thus highlighting the significant influence of pasture and soil inputs and of grazing management on wool production and quality.
Farmlet C had lower mean faecal worm egg counts (WEC) (444 epg) and annual anthelmintic treatment frequency (3.1 treatments/year) over the whole experimental period than farmlets B (1122 epg, 4.3 treatments/year) or A (1374 epg, 4.7 treatments/year).
The main factors influencing WEC were the time since the last anthelmintic treatment, and the anthelmintic used at that treatment.
Management factors associated with stocking rate and grazed proportion (proportion of each farmlet grazed at any one time), and climatic indicators of both temperature and moisture availability also had significant effects on WEC.
In a region with Haemonchus contortus as the major sheep nematode, improved host nutrition in a higher input system (farmlet A) did not provide more effective control of gastrointestinal nematodes than typical management (farmlet B); however, it was observed that gastrointestinal nematode control was no worse on farmlet A than on farmlet B in spite of farmlet A supporting a 48% higher stocking rate by later in the trial period (2005). The study provided strong support for the proposition that intensive rotational grazing (farmlet C) provides more effective control of gastrointestinal nematodes than typical management (farmlet B) as evidenced by significantly lower WEC counts and anthelmintic treatment frequency.
Sheep, wool and beef cattle production have been challenged in recent years by environmental and economic factors and are therefore looking for modified or alternative livestock management systems that are capable of sustaining profitability.
Economic analysis needs to report key whole-farm business performance measures since overhead costs can differ significantly between livestock management systems.
A representative farm approach was used to compare the profitability of the three different livestock management systems studied on the Cicerone farmlets. The results from the 50 ha farmlets were adjusted up to a commercial scale so that the whole-farm and cash flow analyses would be relevant to farmer members of the Cicerone Project.
Because the test period was significantly drier than the average climate, no firm conclusions could be made about which system was more profitable than any other. Nevertheless, it is apparent that whole-farm level budgets are essential for comparing the overall profitability of different livestock management systems. It is concluded that analysts, consultants and graziers should use whole-farm and cash flow analyses to gauge profitability of different livestock management systems particularly where sustainability issues are important.
The Cicerone farmlet experiment was conducted over a period of generally below-average rainfall, hence responses to management treatments were limited. A modelling approach was used to estimate profitability over a longer period representing the variable climate of the region. A stochastic discounted cash flow model was developed to estimate economic returns of two of the Cicerone management system treatments scaled up from the farmlet scale (53 ha) to the size of a typical commercial farm in the region (920 ha) over a 20-year period.
Several scenarios were used to estimate the commercial-scale returns under different rates of pasture improvement and stocking rates. Over the long-term, Farm A was found to be more profitable but also more risky (in terms of variation around the mean of cumulative discounted cash flow) than the ‘typical’ Farm B management system. If livestock managers choose to adopt a pasture improvement strategy based on renovating pastures and increasing soil fertility, they are more likely to achieve higher net worth with more moderate rates of pasture improvement than those explored on Farm A where a high rate of pasture improvement had been implemented in order to quickly differentiate treatments.
This study addresses the problem of balancing the trade-offs between the need for animal production, profit, and the goal of achieving persistence of desirable species within grazing systems. The framework applied in this study takes into account the impact of climate risk and the management of pastures and grazing rules on the botanical composition of the pasture resource, a factor that impacts on livestock production and economic returns over time. Links between inputs, the state of the pasture resource and outputs, are established to identify optimal pasture development strategies.
The analysis explored optimum decisions within complex grazing enterprises, over both short-term tactical (such as grazing rest) and long-term strategic (such as pasture renovation) time frames and under climatic uncertainty. The simulation model was parameterised using data and systems from the Cicerone Project farmlet experiment.
The strategic decision of pasture renovation should only be considered when pastures are in a severely degraded state, whereas the tactical use of grazing rest or low stocking rates should be considered as the most profitable means of maintaining adequate proportions of desirable species within a pasture sward.
Increasing fertiliser costs have significant potential ramifications on the future management of soil fertility and its interaction with the persistence and profitability of sown pastures, especially during periods of climatic uncertainty.
A dynamic simulation model allowed the investigation of how the management of soil fertility interacts with the utilisation of pasture resources through different stocking rates. In the application of this method to the Cicerone Project farmlets case study, fertiliser input costs were found to influence the optimal combination of fertiliser inputs and stocking rate. Analyses of the dynamic interaction between fertiliser application and cost, stocking rate and the persistence of desirable species enabled the identification of the most risk-efficient strategies.
Woodlots ranging in area from 0.18 to 0.5 ha were established within the Cicerone Project farmlet trial on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, due to a lack of physical protection in most paddocks across the farmlets. Two percent of each farmlet was planted to trees to examine the commercial and environmental potential of seven species to provide shade and shelter for livestock, increase biodiversity or contribute to cash flow through farm forestry diversification.
After 5 years, P. radiata (98% survival) and E. nitens (83%) survived best in upslope plots, reaching maximum heights of 7.8 and 8.8 m and exhibiting no or only modest insect damage, respectively. Early frosts in March 2004 were the primary cause of losses in low-lying plots, and frost, waterlogging, insect attack and some inadvertent livestock browsing explain the slower growth of species in low-lying plots compared with their performance upslope. P. radiata and perhaps E. nitens have commercial promise for timber production on Northern Tablelands farms, but only in higher (well drained, less frost-prone) parts of the landscape. E. acaciiformis can withstand the stressful growing conditions in open pasture in low-lying plots, and should be planted more widely for on-farm shade and shelter. E. dalrympleana can also be considered for amenity and biodiversity plantings in lower parts of the landscape.
The Cicerone Project was conducted as a Participatory Action Research project, which first surveyed livestock producers to learn of their problems and then carried out investigations according to the Project’s chosen motto of ‘compare – measure – learn – adopt’.
This paper describes the extension and education methods and outcomes and reflects on how successful the engagement of livestock producers was through a partnership, which focussed on co-learning by all participants.
The results of the two footrot trials led to rapid and substantial changes in the testing regime for virulent footrot, resulting in large savings for livestock producers through more accurate detection of the disease. Other valued extension and industry outcomes were the ability to compare the biophysical and economic performance of different whole farmlets, an appreciation of the value of the whole-farm system approach, the trustworthiness of the results and the stimulation of livestock producers to think more deeply about their management systems, stocking rate and risk.
The Project benefited from the research efforts of four postgraduate students and was of benefit to 300 high school and technical college students and also some 500 university undergraduate students who undertook learning projects in conjunction with Project members and collaborators.
The present paper provides an integrated overview of the results of the farmlet studies collated from component papers and discusses the inferences that can be drawn from what was a complex, agroecosystem experiment.
Although the experiment experienced drier-than-average conditions, marked differences emerged among farmlets over time, due to the effects of treatments. During the latter half of the experimental period (2003–06), farmlet A showed numerous positive and a few negative consequences of the higher rate of pasture renovation and increased soil fertility compared with the other two farmlets. While intensive rotational grazing resulted in superior control of gastrointestinal nematodes and slightly finer wool, this system had few effects on pastures and no positive effects on sheep liveweights, wool production or stocking rate. Whereas farmlet A showed higher gross margins, it had a negative and lower short-term cash position than did farmlets B and C, due largely to the artificially high rate of pasture renovation undertaken on this farmlet during the experiment. Although farmlet B had the highest cash position at the end of the experiment, this came at a cost of the declining quality of its pastures.
The main factors responsible for lifting the productivity of farmlet A were the sowing of temperate species and increased soil fertility, which enhanced the amount of legume and increased pasture quality and potential pasture growth. The factor that affected farmlet C most was the low proportion of the farmlet grazed at any one time, with high stock density imposed during grazing, which decreased feed intake quality. The paper concludes that more profitable and sustainable outcomes are most likely to arise from grazing enterprises that are proactively managed towards optimal outcomes by maintaining sufficient desirable perennial grasses with adequate legume content, enhancing soil fertility and employing flexible rotational grazing.
This final paper of the Cicerone Special Issue reflects on the entire Project from a wide array of perspectives, including livestock producers, researchers, extension specialists and staff employed by the Project, all of whom are authors of this paper.
A notable early successful outcome of the Project was the improved precision of footrot diagnosis, which has been of value to the entire sheep industry.
Valuable findings from the whole-farmlet trial included the need for a high quality feed supply for increasing stocking rate and animal liveweights; the ability and utility of satellite imagery to detect changes in pasture growth, composition and recent grazing pressure; the value of short grazing and long rest periods for controlling Barber’s pole worms of sheep; the impact of increased stocking rates on whole-farm profitability and risk; methods of optimising decisions relating to pasture renovation, fertiliser applications and grazing management; and an integrated analysis of all key measured components of the farmlet management systems.
By comparing and measuring different whole-farm systems, and by ensuring that producers had ownership of the trial process, the Project successfully delivered objective findings that producers trusted and which increased our understanding of important drivers of complex grazing enterprises under variable climatic conditions. Some of these drivers included: the influence of soil phosphorus on botanical composition and subsequent livestock production, the role of pasture renovation and soil fertility on herbage supply, herbage quality and stocking rate, and the improved gastrointestinal nematode control delivered by intensive rotational grazing.
Having livestock producers play a significant leadership role led to valuable outcomes achieved with research collaborators; this should encourage the development of other learning partnerships which aim to explore complex farming system issues.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


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A woman can keep pressing her claim she was wrongly detained for 18 hours by police and prosecutors who misused a court order, federal appellate judges decided.
When letting Alexina Simon fight her false-arrest case, the 2nd Circuit said Thursday that authorities shouldn’t be taking liberties with so-called material witness warrants.
If prosecutors think someone’s got valuable information but won’t cooperate, they can obtain a material witness warrant – but they must follow rules, like having a judge explain to the waylaid witness what’s happening.
The 2nd Circuit ruling said the way Simon’s warrant was written, she had to show up in front of a Queens judge in August 2008.
But Simon was never brought to court.
She said authorities held her for 18 hours over two days, mostly in a small room at a Queens precinct stationhouse. She said they let her go home the first night but made it clear she had to return because they had a warrant for her arrest.
Queens prosecutors thought she had valuable information on an insurance fraud case involving an NYPD officer, but she turned out to be the wrong person, the 2nd Circuit decision noted.
Either way, the three-judge panel revived Simon’s case Thursday after a Brooklyn federal judge tossed it.
The circuit ruling said authorities had to follow the warrant’s terms. No one with a material witness warrant to haul a person in front a judge “can reasonably believe that she is free,” it said.
A range of criminal defense and civil liberties groups filed papers supporting Simon.
They said the warrants were commonly used in New York to unfairly “detain and interrogate.” The end result was a pile of wrongful convictions, they argued.
“This is a practice that’s been used pervasively, which has a real risk of intimidating witnesses into giving untrue testimony,” he said.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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If you have to execute maintenance on your own Chrysler 1610 then it is usually a good plan to have a Workshop Manual to keep just for personal reference just in case you need to know the right way to strip off a particular part for example Door and match it again properly.
Chrysler 1610 Workshop Manuals gives you identifiable diagnostic guidelines on your automobile so if something is playing up it will help you figure out what the situation is and tips to repair it. After that you can decide if this can be done by yourself or in case the job is too big you can make a reservation for your 1610 in to a local repair garage.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text: TSPSC PGT Physical Science and Social Studies Results 2017 – Telangana Public Service Commission has released results of PGT Physical Science and Social Studies the main exams held on 19/07/2017. Candidates who are appeared in the main exam they all are waiting for TSPSC Physical Science and Social Studies Results 2017. Now TSPSC officials have released results.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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This week I've had the opportunity to learn even more about myself and my camera by shooting the dress rehearsals of two summer shows at BU. The first was Gruesome Playground Injuries. We read this play in Contemporary Plays last semester, but seeing it performed was an entirely different story. Jason and Eliza were amazing! It's shows like these that remind me why I'm doing what I'm doing.
Just a quick update tonight. It's quite late and I've just come in from shooting the second show Indoor/Outdoor. I'll have those for you to peek at soon!

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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Improve parallel profiling tools. Starting with ThreadScope, incorporate performance-counter events, visualise more runtime events, include source-code information in the profile.
Implement some low-level C-- optimisations. During 2011 we expect to have the new C-- code generation route in place, and that will open up new opportunities for doing classic compiler-course optimisations on the imperative C-- code. There is more than routine stuff here, because we can use our generic dataflow framework to do the heavy lifting. Here are some particular ideas for optimisations we'd like to implement.
Projects aimed at making GHC into a user-extensible plug-in platform, and less of a monolithic compiler.
Allow unboxed tuples as function arguments. Currently unboxed tuples are second class; fixing this would be a nice simplification.
Extend kinds beyond * and k1->k2. With GADTs etc we clearly want to have kinds like Nat, so that advanced hackery at the type level can be done in a typed language; currently it's all effectively untyped. A neat approach would be to re-use any data type declaration as a kind declaration.
Extensible constraint domains. Andrew Kennedy shows how to incorporate dimensional analysis into an ML-like type system. Maybe we could do an extensible version of this, so that it wasn't restricted to dimensions. Integer arithmetic is another obvious domain.
Incremental or concurrent GC, for reducing pause-times. Perhaps via implementing mark-region GC in the old generation.
fixed package ABIs for binary-upgradable packages.
Projects for people who want a decent-sized hacking project, with less research content.
Whole-program dead-code detection (with --make).
Whole-program overloading elimination (with --make).
Evolve a better ordering for the optimisation passes using Acovea.
Update/improve Visual Haskell to use the (free) Visual Studio Shell.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
Clustering is built in. Nothing else is needed to make data highly available (unlike Redis, ZooKeeper, Cassandra, and others).
The current version of InfluxDB is 0.9.6.1. Clustering, replication, and high-availability should be considered in an alpha state.


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At just 300 micrometers by 300 micrometers, this nano-crafted house is too small for any mite to call home.
New technology is giving an entirely different meaning to the "tiny house" trend. A team of French nanotechnologists has made the world's smallest (and quite possibly cutest) house.
The nanorobotics team from Femto-ST Institute in Besançon, France created a new microbotics production system that brings to life imaginative ways to craft ultra-miniaturized elements. The team used a combination of ion guns, electron beams, and finely controlled robotic piloting in order to make this world-record setting house.
Before this project, lab-on-fiber technology lacked robotic actuators for nano-assembly. This made it nearly impossible for engineers to build microstructures smaller than technology allowed. However, the new technology puts the sensing elements on the end of fiber tips, giving engineers a clear sight line of different components and better visuals on how to adjust them.
"For the first time we were able to realize patterning and assembly with less than 2 nanometers of accuracy, which is a very important result for the robotics and optical community," said Jean-Yves Rauch, an author on the paper.
The French team decided to conduct this nano-assembly in a vacuum chamber and combined a focus ion beam with a tiny robot and a gas injection system. According to Rauch, those elements were critical in deciding on the first object to be built to test out the technology.
"We decided to build the microhouse on the fiber to show that we are able to realize these microsystem assemblies on top of an optical fiber with high accuracy," Rauch said.
The team compared the process of making a microhouse to that of building a giant dice from a piece of paper but with significantly more impressive tools. The ion beam cuts the silica paper of the house, and then, once everything is in place, the gas injection system 'glues' everything together.
"The focused ion beam is used like scissors to cut or score the silica membrane ‘paper’ of the house," the American Institute of Physics, which publishes the aforementioned journal, explained. "Once the walls fold into position, a lower power setting is selected on the ion gun, and the gas injection system sticks the edges of the structure into place. The low-power ion beam and gas injection then gently sputters a tiled pattern on the roof, a detail that emphasizes the accuracy and flexibility of the system."
The ion gun needed to focus on a space just 300 micrometers by 300 micrometers in order to send ions into the fiber membrane. The task was far from easy, the researchers noted.
"It's very challenging to pilot the robot with high accuracy at this cross point between the two beams," Rauch said.
The new nanorobotics system will allow the team to further push the boundaries of nano building and construction. They want to keep building smaller and smaller structures with an ultimate goal of getting it to a space of only 20 nanometers by 100 nanometers in diameter.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


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Thai Herbal Products shipping International Airmail Worldwide since 2004.
It usually takes 10-20 work days to complete delivery to Asia, Australasia, Europe, Russia & North America.
It may take a little longer (to clear Customs) for Africa, Central/South America & the Middle East.
All post within Thailand is free & sent by Registered Mail.
We partner with DHL, FedEx, UPS, EMS, etc. for urgent orders. Please contact us for a price estimate.


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This modern, architecturally designed home with stylish facade set on a 500sqm block is sure to impress, with top quality fixtures and features throughout, views across a dreamy rural vista and a perfect location just moments from local schools, shops and services. The home's spacious and serene interior boasts open plan living, generous bedrooms and multiple outdoor entertaining areas so you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner with a view every day.
Set in the premium neighbourhood of Bolwarra Heights, all the best features, conveniences and experiences offered by the Hunter Valley are easily at hand. Morpeth's boutique cafes and stores are only 5mins away, Maitland CBD and the growing Green Hills Shopping Centre are just 10mins, Newcastle Airport and Hunter Valley's wineries are 30mins, Newcastle is 40mins and Sydney is 2hrs.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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100% Arabica Coffee -Small Batch Roasted – Two Sparrows Roasting Co.
Our Guracho Guji comes from the Kercha Washing Station in Guracho. The station is owned by the Hambela Washing Station which works with local farmers to improve quality and productivity.
The Kercha Washing Station and its parent company, Hambela, have been supplying coffee to the auction for over 20 years, but they were only established as a coffee exporter in 2014.


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“Building on the era of talent intelligence, ‘Talent Insights’ helps in making strategic talent decisions with an insight into the movement and development of talent.
“This brings a new level of transparency to the talent marketplace by identifying an organisation’s future needs in terms of size, structure, skills, experience and industry knowledge” the company said in a statement.
The new tool offers data on demand and ensures actionable insights by harnessing real-time updates by tapping into professional social network site’s over 575 million professionals, more than 20 million companies and over 15 million active job listings.
“Talent Insights” is simple and easy-to-use, thus, making it possible for recruiters, HR and talent leaders to understand market trends at any given moment, without relying on a team of data scientists.


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This summer has been a very busy one, with Task Force members and other denominational representatives involved in a variety of events. We provided Task Force resource information to 57% of the US Annual Conferences in 2012, and had opportunities to speak on the floor of several sessions. That means that we have no contacts yet for 43% of Conferences. The good news is that people are stepping up to the challenge of creating a Disability Ministries team in Conferences which currently lack this.
The Task Force meets in Denver from August 8th to 11th. If you are in the area, join us for "Beyond Accessibility: Living out the Call to be the Church", a community event jointly hosted by the Task Force and University Park UMC on August 9th at 5:00pm.
The articles for the Summer edition reflect some of the events of the summer. We will return to theme-based issues in the fall.
the program will consist of 5 master's level classes. The first course "Disability, the Bible, and the Church" begins September 4th. The text is Amos Yong's The Bible, Disability, and the Church: A New Vision of the People of God. Most of the coursework will be done on-line, with a 4 day residency at the end of September. Two additional classes will focus on comprehensive ministry with people with disabilities. The other core courses are "Theology for the Practice of Ministry" and "United Methodist Studies", which may be taken at other recognized seminaries. For more information contact Laura Weber at United.
The program is endorsed by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, though the GBHEM website is not yet updated to reflect this. To enroll in the Certification program fill out the application form and send copies to GBHEM and to your Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. For more information contact Anita Wood. Potential applicants also need to enroll at United. Scholarship funds may be available.
Certification has long been available for persons involved in Christian Education, Music, Children, Youth, and Camp/Retreat ministries, and more. This new program fills an important gap in recognizing that Disability is also an valid speciatized calling that requires focused training and experience.
A number of United Methodists played leadership roles in the Third Annual Summer Institute on Theology and Disability held July 16-20 in Chicago. The Institute has become the premier event where current research and thinking on Disability Theology is offered in an interactive format with ample opportunities for networking and discussion.
reminded listeners that "The invitation is God's, not ours." She said "People on the margins are not disruptions to be managed but a burst of creative energy from the Creator who continually seeks to renew creation." Rev. Russell Ewell (Task Force member from MO), in his workshop "The Black Church, the Disability Rights Movement, and Liberating Theology of Disability" stated that inclusion is a passive word and we need other ways to think about how we can be empowering and liberating.
one better understand God and life. See the Institute Blog for a full text of her talk. Video versions of all keynote talks will be available at a later date.
Katie Arnold, a local Chicago UM who heads the Sibling Leadership Network, spoke on the importance of reaching out to and listening to siblings of person with disabilities. Rev. Betty McManus, a UM pastoral consultant with sponsoring organization Bethesda Lutheran Communities in Wisconsin, served on the music team that helped set the tone for each day.
Lynn Swedberg (Task Force chair, WA) helped the Institute model full hospitality by acting as Accessibility Coordinator. Her tasks included reformatting printed handouts for easy use by persons with low vision using screen readers and addressing environmental accessibility challenges. Others may want to adapt the Accessibility Coordinator Job Description for their events.
Methodist Church hosted an Open Mic evening on July 20. Following a reception, members of the disability community shared their talents and insights. Original poems and stories offered the audience a glimpse of raw experiences and strong feelings in a manner that does not come out in casual conversation. The evening ended with a rousing, interactive gospel sign choir performance; members dance as they signed.
The church sanctuary, newly remodeled for full accessibility, easily accommodated many persons using power wheelchairs and other mobility devices. All five areas of pew cuts were used.
Participants were asked to sign up ahead of time. For more information on planning a similar Open Mic event contact hosts Katie and Gary Arnold.
Indianapolis is chair of the FaithNet Advisory Group and an active United Methodist. Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder, a UM pastor from San Diego who coordinates Mental Health Ministries, also serves on the FaithNet Advisory Group.
The sessions were set up to encourage networking. They also highlighted local church and community ministries that educate faith communities and support persons with mental illness and their families. Persons from a range of denominations and projects shared program successes and protocols. For example, one community holds a yearly luncheon to provide pastors with training on reaching out to persons affected by mental illness. A local church offers a monthly support group for individuals living with mental illness.
NAMI Faithnet also offers an e-mail newsletter. Check out past issues in the Archive and subscribe to receive future issues of this resource.
What do you get when you cross one persistent mother with the Virginia Conference Commission on Disabilities (COD)? You get Camp Loud and Clear; the very first camp ministering to Deaf and hard of hearing young people in Virginia! Since early 2001, members of the COD have dreamed and envisioned a camp specifically established to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to a population that is largely ignored by the Church Universal.
It was a bright morning in July as I approached 4 H Camp Holliday, located at the end of a very long drive. I began to wonder if I was driving to the ends of the earth! Lake Holliday seemed to rise out of the trees, brilliantly blue and surrounded by large pines. As I carefully maneuvered my way around several large trees, I arrived at the end of the road...literally. The main building before me was circled with a series of smaller cabins, the camp office, cabins and the health center which was to be my home for the next three days.
With more than a little trepidation I parked the van and went looking for people. I entered the main building, which was filled with the sounds of children laughing and playing while the adults had a slightly "deer in the headlights" look on their faces. It did not take long to realize this was highly organized chaos! Campers were being checked in, receiving name tags and their cabin assignments with instructions to return promptly at noon for lunch.
From Friday afternoon until Sunday late afternoon, the campers experienced all of the joys of camp among kids just like themselves. Swimming, fishing, crafts, devotions, drama, archery and the climbing wall filled their time. By nightfall they were more than ready to return to their cabins after vespers for a well-earned night's sleep.
The counselors for Camp Loud and Clear represented a wide variety of denominations but all shared the common goal of providing these young people from 8-14 an enriching camp experience and a time to see themselves as God sees them: perfectly and wonderfully made! (Psalm 139) For many of the campers, this was the first time they were introduced to "Jesus Loves Me, this I Know;" and the first time many learned about Jesus.
My initial fears melted away with the heat. By Sunday afternoon closing worship we had become a true community of faith, encouraging each other, celebrating accomplishments and showing parents, sponsors, and the church the amazing work God can do wherever two or three are gathered in God's name.
Submitted by Rev. Tizzy Von Trapp Walker, Task Force member; adapted from an article in the Virginia United Methodist Advocate.
Editor's Note: For a listing of other Deaf camps for youth see the United Methodist Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministry's website.
Thanks to all, leaders and participants alike, who helped make the above events a success. May you, our readers, find inspiration for your journey as you explore more deeply these resources and ideas.


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The strength of the quality of customer feedback the South African National Blood Service has received via Feedback Ferret Comments Boxes is such that the organisation has now set all their donor centres ambitious targets for gathering more comments.
Since installing Comments Boxes in all 169 of their donor centres nationwide, SANBS has introduced new initiatives to encourage more donors to give blood and current donors to give more frequently. Currently, 14% of all blood donors leave feedback via the Comments Boxes in the each of their donor centres and mobile units. SANBS has set a target for each centre to increase this to 40%.
As a result of the feedback received, SANBS has now installed a WIFI solution in all its centres. Through the feedback it became obvious that there was a demand for WIFI services but management had no idea how strong the demand was until it started collecting feedback through the Comments Boxes. The Feedback Ferret Analytics picked it up as one of the leading negative topics mentioned in all feedback as well as being the top trending neutral perspective/suggestion.
Another initiative that has been re-ignited to increase customer satisfaction is their “Pint For A Pint” promotion. For every pint of blood donated, customers received a pint of beer. SANBS had run this initiative in the past but, not realising how popular it was, had suspended it after a few months. Feedback gathered through the Comments Boxes indicated that the promotion was sorely missed by customers and could influence how often customers gave blood. Needless to say, the promotion was quickly re-instated!
SANBS receive weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports from Feedback Ferret and have access to all the data via Ferret Explore online dashboards. A member of staff in each donor centre has been fully trained on Ferret Explore and as a result, can drill down into the perspectives to find out what customers really like and dislike and any suggestions they may make for improvements to the service.
SANBS is paving the way for other blood donor services to follow in their Feedback Ferret footsteps. Representatives from the organisation will be travelling to New York later this year to give a presentation on how they have used Feedback Ferret to collect high quality, useable qualitative feedback data from their customers at the Transfusion Medicine All-Stars Meeting.
We are delighted to work with you; you are true professionals in the feedback industry. I am ecstatic, excited and proud that SANBS is part of this project.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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Is there a better alternative to Bank2IIF?
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Will Bank2IIF work good on macOS 10.13.4?
Bank2IIF is an easy-to-use secure solution to review/convert your transactions and import into your accounting software. Convert QFX/OFX/QBO/QIF to IIF and import into Quickbooks. Review transactions in a readable view before converting. Free trial (up to 10 transactions per file converted) is available. Support is available before and after purchase. Knowledge base with the solutions for similar conversions. Questionand-answers page to ask questions and get help with developers and other users. Buy with confidence: money back guarantee is provided for 14 days.
Bank2IIF needs a review. Be the first to review this app and get the discussion started!

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text:
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industry_corpus2: Others


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Counselling psychology has emerged as a distinct branch of psychology, with unique concepts, research paradigms and practices that set it apart from the rest of the discipline. Unlike many introductory texts on psychology for counselors, this book does not just outline the main theories, suggesting that the reader pick one framework within which to work, and ignoring the rest of psychology. Charles Legg reviews the main areas of psychology, identifying findings of relevance to counseling, starting with social psychology, moving on to cognitive processes, individual differences and psychological development and focuses on what can be agreed upon about psychology, rather than on the points of contention. A greater understanding of what psychology offers can only aid communication in multidisciplinary teams.
How much can clients remember of their pasts?
What factors condition clients expectations of counseling interaction?
What rules do people apply to interpreting the behaviour of others?
What sort of errors are people likely to make in reasoning about problems?
Mainstream psychology offers a conceptual framework that at its best offers accounts of how people are likely to think, fee, and act in particular situations and that will allow us to anticipate the impact of different forms of counseling practice.
Written in a refreshing style, each chapter begins wit a case vignette reflecting the ideas that will be discussed in the chapter, and proving concrete illustrations of the abstract ideas. After each main discussion point the author asks the practical question How can I use this information as a counselor? He also provides a summary of ideas which can be applied to counseling practice in bullet point style each main chapter section, as well as summarizing the main conclusions of each chapter.


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Joe und Christian, unsere beiden Chefs, spielen bei Bögei die “erste Geige”. Kein Wunder, bei der Erfahrung und der Liebe zum Beruf.
Bevor sie 1991 die Skischule Bögei gründeten, waren die beiden staatlich geprüften Skilehrer u. a. viele Jahre im Bundessportheim St. Christoph am Arlberg tätig. Sie absolvierten ÖSV-Trainerausbildungen, bereisten als Botschafter der österreichischen Skischule Länder wie Spanien, Japan, Kanada und Neuseeland und gaben dort ihr Wissen weiter.
Mit diesem Know-how und dem Mut immer etwas Neues auszuprobieren ist Bögei immer einen Schritt voraus.
We are particularly proud of our ski instructors who have been working here at the Ski School Bögei for many years and therefore have a wealth of experience under their belt. Our ski and snowboard instructors take part in training sessions twice a week. Our top priorities are technique, method and educational training.
In the background there are a number of people in charge of the smooth running of our ski school. Our bosses organise and co-ordinate – our office manages sales and admin. Clown Lupino ensures variety and fun. Additional staff look after the conveyor belts, lifts and Bögei’s other technical equipment.
In order to keep up-to-date, we study the theoretical and practical developments in winter sports very closely.
With “ready2skischool“ we have found a partner with special training methods in the areas of teaching, teamwork and leadership. The aim of ready2skischool is to prepare our team for work in and around the ski school, so that our guests experience an enjoyable and hassle-free stay.
In 2-hour workshops or seminars topics such “Bobo the Penguin “, “Taming little rascals “, “Being an enthusiastic ski instructor“, “With your head against the wall or relaxed towards your goal?“ or “The ski instructors’ times table”, are dealt with.
Become a ski or snowboard instructor! – But how?
Detailed information regarding courses and qualification requirements for Salzburg ski and snowboard instructors and guides can be found here.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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Need a manly craft to pass the time?
Stone working? Check. Getting a good use out of your investment of power and hand tools? Check!
I made mine out of soapstone that I ordered off Ebay for a pretty fair price. Other options are to try construction surplus stores, or scraps from countertop factories.
UPDATE WARNING! : Use a respirator or face mask when using power tools to cut and shape the stone. The fine particles from soapstone, or any other type of stone, are terrible to have in your lungs.
I measured out 1'' squares that I would cut and turn into cubes. I used a sharpie to be able to see the line well when cutting, you'll sand it off later so you don't have to worry about it marking the stone.
Soapstone is very soft so its easy to cut, but unfortunately it can also break easily. I experiented and took a chance using a metal-cutting blade in the chop saw and it worked very well. If you decide to follow my example, know to cut slowly and let it eat the stone away to avoid chipping and breaking. It does make a dusty mess the cut it with the chop saw, remember your face mask! You could also use a stone cutting blade.
Update: I have successfully used a regular wood-cutting blade to cut a brick of soapstone, so that provides another option.
If you don't have a chop saw, the stone is soft enough to be be cut by hand using a jewelers saw or hack saw.
Soapstone comes in two different qualities: artist and construction. The artist stone is softer and more fragile while construction soapstone is used for countertops and is a bit more durable. I had artsit grade soapstone so I could do all my shaping with sandpaper. If you find you have construction grade you may need files and a sander to assist in shaping it.
I did use a belt sander to square out the cubes that I didn't cut quite straight.
-First I laid the sandpaper down on the workbench (400grit) and sanded each face of the cube until all the cut marks were smooth.
-Then I folded the sandpaper and took to the edges to round them, this step is optional is you like clean sharp edges.
-Finally, I gave the stones a baking soda scrub to remove the dust and give it a soft and abrasive polish.
Step 3: Drink Up and Enjoy!
Throw the stones in the freezer for about 4 hours and you have delightfully chilly stones to cool your drink without diluting it. It doesn't get as cold as ice, but they work well. I use 3 at a time. They work in any drink, they are especially great to keeping wines chilled.
After you are done drinking: rinse off the stones, let them dry, and throw them back into the freezer for the next time.
Warning!: Avoid dropping them! I dropped them a couple of times and you can either escape with a small chip or they will split in half.
How bout those plastic cooling cubes that have water ice in them?
The cooling power of ice w/o the dilution!
The conductivity or thermal exchange of plastic is really really bad, thats why it covers elevtrical wires. It woukd cool even worst.
There is a thermodynamics issue with whiskey stones.
One cubic inch of whiskey stones at 0 degrees F will absorb 900 Joules of energy to get to 33 degrees F.
One cubic inch of ice will absorb 5000 Joules.
So, you need 5.5 stone cubes for each ice cube of the same size.
Thanks for that info. I learned that by experience when someone gave me some soapstone cubes. No dilution but scant chilling. I went back to ice.
There is a phase change issue with ice. One cubic inch of ice will dilute your whiskey with about .5 ounces of water. The choice, then, is between a bigger glass for your whiskey, or gradually deteriorating quality as you drink.
Thank you, too! Makes me think the real way to go is to just keep it in the whiskey in the refridgerator!
Thank you! I couldn't figure out why my whiskey stones just weren't cooling my drink at all. Now it makes perfect sense.
Hey guys, Be careful with soapstone, a lot of it has heavy metals in it. See if you can find some that has had a chemical analysis, and is proved nontoxic.
I agree. Why kill the taste with coldness?
Make sure your stone is nonporous and doesn't contain heavy metals or other poisonous contaminants before serving to others. Don't use galena (lead) or pitchblende (radioactive) for instance. Personally, I would refuse any drink served like that because so few people actually know just what the hell they're doing.
Just freeze a bunch of grapes. Works just as well without any risks.
Nice project. The whiskey stones I use are naturally polished river rocks. Their inconsistent size is the biggest problem, but the good memories they bring back are well worth it. And thanks to tonyyoung and johnfisch with their quick thermodynamics and phase change explanations, I now know why they don't work as well as I thought they should.
I suspect that the stones are just as cold as ice but they don't cool the beverage down as fast as ice. if you use ice that isn't made with aerated water you'll notice that it takes a lot longer to cool the beverage down as well.
this what im using, i found them on the beach.
Actually, quartz is pretty tough. On a small scale, quartz is used for its electrical properties. Upon being squeezed, and in some electronic products it can be squeezed repeatedly over long periods of time, it will conduct a voltage, and it (almost, I guess) never fractures. On a large scale, the Sierra Nevada mountains are mostly granite, which is essentially quartz. The granite in the Sierras undergoes freezing and thawing repeatedly throughout the eons without cracking. Eventually, it does flake off, but that is due to fracture lines created by the release of the unimaginable forces that are released within the granite as the pluton (dome) gradually rises to the surface of the Earth from deep within. The very toughest stone, and probably the best for whiskey stones, would be jade. It was used by some aboriginals to boil water in reed baskets - heat up the stones to red hot, throw them into a basket full of water, and the water will boil almost instantly, yet the jade will not shatter (though I would not stake my eyes or a good scalding on it!). But "true" jade (there are two different minerals known as jade and a lot of other greenish minerals passed off as jade) can be a little pricey. And like soap stone, minerals passing for jade can contain asbestos.
I imagine any largely crystalline structure is just going to be bad for freezing and thawing.
Quartz sould work well, its just a bit harder to work with. I would love to see your results if you try it!


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In these most recent works, I deliberately combine the physicality of sculptural forms with illusionistic realism and shifting viewpoints. Fabricated of paper and acrylic elements, these rocks and riverbeds are traces, or symbols of the earth’s slowly evolving process, and they create a visceral dialogue with the refuse of a material world. The relief paintings contrast an abstract wilderness with the pervasive intrusion of civilization. The riparian calm of rocky creek beds is broken by glutted heaps of rubble. Color, dimension and meaning are explored as the elements are assembled into interconnected layers of sections or strata. The observer becomes an excavator, discovering multiple readings in the collision of nature’s evolution and our ever-increasing encroachment.
Although known for her large installations above, Cross frequently produces more intimately scaled pieces. These smaller relief works explore the concept of an environmental study sample with rocks and debris embedded in the earth's surface.
Poised between categories, Linda Cross’s evocative paintings are not only paintings but relief sculptures as well.She shows us what the Hudson River is like at this moment in time. Unfortunately, according to her vision, the great river is choking on industrial debris, although the beauty inherent in the colors of its stones, banks, and water still comes through in these paintings. The pollution has psychological as well as material consequences: it may be true that efforts are being made to clean up the river, but this does not stop our feeling that perhaps we are too late to save it. Yet Cross makes it clear that while there is much to be done, there is much to celebrate as well. Her shows at Vassar College and Beacon demonstrated her ongoing connection with the Hudson Valley, a familiarity based on her long stay in the area, and were timed to pay homage to the quadricentennial discovery of the Hudson Valley.
Familiar with the coast of Maine, as well as the mesas of New Mexico, Cross has always been interested in nature. She doesn’t paint so much as build her pictures, using stand alone paper and acrylic—as she says, “Rocks, cans, tires, and such are all hand formed.” Her close attention to verisimilitude can fool the viewer, who at first might easily believe that the objects are real. That is part of the reliefs’ attraction; they seem to convey the reality of water stopped up with manmade detritus. In Shoreline (2009), at Vassar, the viewer sees a foaming blue-and-white sea on the left; in opposition are small rocks and larger patches of brown, most likely a presentation of the darker banks facing the shoreline. Cross is perfectly poised between painting and low relief in this work, whose surface is active with water and stones and shore. It is a good example of her decision to both follow and parody verisimilitude, in textures and imageries that finally leave nature to possess the beauty of an imagined riverscape. Rift (2008), a large relief painting in overlapping planes of paper, colored green and white and whitish pink, she shows remarkable subtlety. Here nature has occasioned unusual finesse.
But in Fresh Kills (2005), at Beacon, garbage is almost all we see. The work, thick with cans and rocks, operates on a sad principle of unstoppable decay. The work can hardly be called beautiful as the cans speak to the casual, ongoing contamination of the river. Yet Cross also finds ways to praise. Riverline Shallows (2009) consists of the kinds of greens and blues we associate with running water and the rocks don’t crowd or dominate the shallows. In Rift (2008), coppers and reddish-whites dominate the surface, which has cracks running from top to bottom; this close-up study of nature demonstrates Cross’s craft process and subtle feeling for color.
Given Cross’s ecological concerns, it might be expected that she would present a predominantly political reading of the river’s decline; however, she has chosen a more complex view, closer to the actual state of the Hudson River, whose beauty continues to resist contamination.
Once in a while I find works of art that defy my expectations of what art can be, even as the work follows a centuries-long trajectory. I am referring, of course, to painting. Even as the digital revolution has become increasingly relevant among painters, many of whom have chosen to work between the computer and the canvas, the historical presence of painting continues to persist. Werner Herzog’s recent film on early Paleolithic cave art from nearly 40,000 years ago asserts the need felt by these impassioned painters to inscribe images of animals on the surface of rock. It was their world, and it was what they knew, and their evocation of it in the course of painting these animals would transmit an aesthetic statement thousands of millennia later. This suggests that painting began essentially as a tactile sensation as much as a visual one.
Upon seeing “Natural History” (2011), a wall-size painting by Linda Cross at the Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, New York, I became further convinced of this phenomenon. Cross began constructing and painting three-dimensional images of riverbeds in the late 1980s, replicating the look of detritus as well as the indigenous moss and rocks. Over the years, these riverbed segments have developed through numerous variations, some of them included in the current exhibition in Hudson.
Several months ago, after studying the monumental rock formations embedded in the landscape around her home, she decided to shift her angle of vision from the ground to an upright perspective. Her initial studies of these walls of stone suggest a parallel relationship between the rock faults naturally found on site and those that appear to have been constructed long ago. Taking the concept of these modulations between nature and culture into her studio, Cross began working with chunks of synthetic Styrofoam insulation, carving them in a way that simulated rocks, bricks, and stones. Finally, she decided to build “Natural History” in six parts and to give the scale of her rock wall a one-to-one appearance.
There were numerous technical problems along the way, as her pâpier-maché replicas, the weight of the paint, and occasional detritus, including old tin cans mixed in with the simulated ones, needed structural support. One may recall from the film document by Bruce Conner of the famous “Rose” painting by the San Francisco painter Jay DeFeo, that similar problems were encountered when DeFeo moved the painting from her studio in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Also, Cross wanted a site-specific reference to the facing wall of the Haddad Gallery, so that viewers upon entering the space would be immediately confronted by it. The results are phenomenal, striking, and paradoxical—a remarkable tour de force that expands and extends the history of painting in relation to the history of the earth itself.
Wright, Peg Churchill, "Chesterwood Sculptures Work Harmoniously with Surroundings,"
1959-61	The University of New Mexico, M.F.A.


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The Bureau of labour Statistics reported that consumer prices rose 0.4 per cent in January. On closer inspection this should not be any big deal. Core inflation rose by just 0.2 per cent in the month. The main driver of the higher inflation was a big jump in energy prices. However even with this jump the overall CPI is only up by 1.6 per cent over the last year, a level that all but the most loony inflation hawks would consider acceptable.
Still, it is worth noting that the possibility of deflation seems to have disappeared from the scene. Since this possibility featured prominently in many discussions of the economy in the period immediately following the financial crisis, it probably would be worth some brief mention of its passing.
The issue of deflation has consistently been misrepresented in economic reporting. The economy is suffering from a lower than desired inflation rate, which limits the effectiveness of monetary policy. Given the severity of the downturn we would like a large negative real interest rate (e.g -0.6 per cent) . However, nominal interest rates cannot go below zero.
This means that the real interest rate can’t fall below the negative of the inflation rate (e.g, with a zero nominal interest rate, the real interest rate would be -1.0 per cent with a 1.0 per cent inflation rate and -2.0 per cent with a 2.0 per cent inflation rate). If the inflation rate falls below zero (i.e. we get deflation), this problem gets worse, but the drop in the inflation rate from 0.5 per cent to -0.5 per cent is no worse than the drop from 1.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent.
It was also predictable that there would not be persistent deflation in the United States. Wages are sticky downward, which made it unlikely that core prices would actually start falling. Also, the current rise in commodity prices was to be expected as the dollar would drift lower as a result of the U.S. trade deficit and also demand in China and other fast growing developing countries created scarcity for many products.
Anyhow, given how fears of deflation had once featured so prominently in discussions of economic policy it is worth some noting of their passing.


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Adopting processes that enable patients to enter their own data can improve value in healthcare.
The study goes on to state that most of the key obstacles that need to be overcome during this shift are technology-related, with one of the biggest technology problem areas being data collection, access, and analytics. Hospitals and health systems’ financial health have now come to depend on getting and accessing accurate and current data, documenting data and, ultimately, delivering good clinical outcomes.
The mid-cycle occurs where the revenue cycle meets clinical interactions and patient access. A value-based reimbursement system requires tighter integration of clinical records and other systems with providers’ financial systems. Today, however, a key bottleneck for many hospital revenue cycles occurs in the link with the clinical side. Identifying this bottleneck area, and learning how to optimize it is critical for healthy financial performance, solid clinical performance and for patient satisfaction and engagement.
Now, how can we optimize it? Start small.
There is an opportunity to engage patients in a pre-registration workflow, pre-service before they have even stepped foot on premise, on a personal device, such as a laptop, smartphone or tablet. Several items go into a pre-registration workflow, some of which can include a confirmation/update of a patient’s demographics and insurance information, completion of forms and/or questionnaires, and bill payment. Capturing that information beforehand has a great impact when it comes to anything that needs to be sent to the patient, such as appointment reminders, billing, mail order prescriptions, and lab results.
In addition to asking for demographic information confirmation, you have the opportunity to ask clinical screening and clinical intake questionnaires relevant to a patient’s appointment as part of the pre-registration process. These questionnaires can help you determine any number of issues (e.g., the patient is scheduled for the wrong appointment) before they ever show up on-site. Another example is when a patient is scheduled to receive a procedure at a certain location, but, based on his/her answers to a questionnaire, it turns out the patient is in a wheelchair and the original appointment location wouldn’t be appropriate because the spacing and equipment don’t allow for the size of a wheelchair.
It could have been a disaster for the patient to actually go to his/her appointment, not only because it would have been a waste of time for the patient, but also because the hospital would have wasted an appointment time slot with expensive equipment, and would have to spend time finding a new appointment time and location for the patient. But, through a questionnaire given pre-service, this can be found out and flagged in advance.
Just like the airline industry, where travelers can check in for a flight on a kiosk at the airport, patients can do the same at a hospital or health system. The big advantage to having an on-site registration and check-in solution is healthcare facilities can capture data on patients who they were not expecting to arrive, like a walk-in.
Instead of registering and checking in face-to-face with a member of the hospital staff, kiosks, whether they’re free-standing, wall-mounted, table-top or tablet kiosks, can be designed for a quick 2-minute interaction. They are an effective way to identify patients on-site, give them questionnaires, take them through relevant workflows, and triage them.
Even the most basic question, “Are you here for a scheduled appointment or are you here as a walk-in?,” can allow healthcare facilities to optimize their patient flow. Now, if you take it a step further and ask questions like, “What are your symptoms? What is your pain level?,” healthcare facilities really have the opportunity to prioritize patients and get them to the right place in a timely fashion.
Kiosks also can be used to educate or inform patients; for example, if healthcare facilities want to encourage their patient population to get flu shots or to think about getting tested for a certain disease, they could display notifications or reminders on these kiosks.
There is a lot of clinical intake documentation that is based on simple interviews of patients that can be pulled out of the clinician workflow and handled electronically. This information can then be feed directly into the EMR. We call this concept of patient-directed digital questionnaires a “virtual clipboard,” a tablet or kiosk with the same questionnaires patients would have been given in paper form, but are now just automated.
These results are certainly within reach. By taking a small step in extending patients the ability to enter their own data, healthcare systems can strengthen their documentation initiatives, which will ultimately optimize their revenue cycle and bolster their bottom line.
The 2014 State of Value-Based Reimbursement, ORC International, 2014.
Janie Tremlett is GM of Patient Solutions for Vecna. Responsible for more than 50 successful technology implementations in healthcare, Janie has held numerous positions including Sr. VP & Chief Marketing Officer at Concordant, CIO/CTO at Commercialware and Commonwealth Financial Network, and Director of Information Delivery at Blue Cross/Blue Shield where she managed the development of one of the first practice management applications. She has also been a key contributor to the electronic insurance claims and EDI standards committees, MGH’s Internet Health Care Forum, and a number of national technology initiatives. Janie holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Union College and a MBA from Syracuse.


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So i've had difficulties with the boy's fluted banister socks. i realized that i was going to run out of yarn, and it turns out that the patons kroy i was using is a discontinued color. i googled. i ebayed. more yarn was nowhere to be found. but have no fear, thanks to a trip to Spirit Knitting Work & Designs (my favorite lys). i found another yarn that looked similar but was slightly heavier, so i thought i'd give it a try.
it's really too bad...the ribbed pattern doesn't show up well with this yarn, but i wanted something textured and stretchy, and i think this fits the bill very well. I was able to use the heavier yarn just for the cuff ribbing. i hope it doesn't look too awkward. now i just have to knit another sock and send the pair off to the boy.
i'm also ultra excited b/c i finally got my digital camera. i'm sure i'll have lots more photo phun this weekend. hopefully i will have a FO gallery soon.
I think that's a wonderful solution!
Great idea. I did a similar thing with a shawl. Ran out and had to substitute another yarn entirely. I chose a complimentary color and texture and it worked out just fine!


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The H2OS project, the anti-desertification eco-village under construction in Senegal, has been selected and published in the ADI Annual Index of Industrial Design Association, which collects the best Italian design put into production.
With the selection in the ADI Design Index 2018, TAMassociati is a candidate for the next Compasso d’Oro!
“H2OS is an eco-village project in Africa. Against desertification and abandonment.
It will be open-source, autonomous and sustainable. A work that becomesa symbol of rights, such as access to water, to food, to the possibility of living in the places where we were born and to move away from will, not necessity “.


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I just took a piss and i saw codeine coming out.
@TheComicEdge: I like it haha, rarely any dbz comics out there anymore.
@6ix: Heh, I didn't think anyone would remember me.
How about a naruto comic on the side?
I'll update this more frequently.
I don't really know where im going with this plot..
Jesus, i haven't (<-- is that right?) made a comic in forever. This comic is literally just an idea i had jump into my head, whenever i'm in the mood i'll upload again.. coo?
if anyone even reads this..
Haven't uploaded anything to Smackjeeves in months..
I wonder if people remember me..
Lets try to keep this going, yeah?
Glad to see this comic again.


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Lady Susan is written in an epistolary form, which meant that I read it in no time, including my giggling between the letters. We deal with Lady Susan Vernon, a 4-month widow, in search of a new husband for herself and her daughter. In her second youth (i.e. in her mid-thirties), she can still take the world by a storm with the help of her looks, her wit and her manners.
"My kind friends here are most affectionately urgent with me to prolong my stay, but their hospitable and cheerful dispositions lead them too much into society for my present situation and state of mind; and I impatiently look forward to the hour when I shall be admitted into Your delightful retirement"
"I have avoided all general flirtation whatever; I have distinguished no creature besides, of all the numbers resorting hither, except Sir James Martin, on whom I bestowed a little notice...Mrs. Mainwaring (is) insupportably jealous .. and so enraged against me...It is time for me to be gone; I have therefore determined on leaving them"
"this want for cordiality is not very surprising, and yet it shows an illiberal and vindictive spirit to resent a project which influenced me six years ago, and which never succeeded at last"
Why she wonders at her sister-in-law's mistrust towards her? why, because Lady Susan moved Heaven and Earth so that Mrs. Vernon would not marry her husband's brother...such a tiny little thing, how could one bear a grudge after all these years???
This is the only Austen book which I haven't got around to reading but I'll be on the look out for it now. Thanks.
it's really a treat to read!
I always wondered what Lady Susan would be like as a novel. Austen was a bit in love with the epistolary format (S&S started as one).

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


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Current Solutions Inc (CSI) provides solutions to power supply issues for large commercial and industrial clients. CSI helps the client identify the key issues, then simplifies and expedites the processes, enabling completion of projects in a timely, cost effective manner.
CSI works closely with clients on a confidential basis to ensure business needs are met and aligned with its power needs. CSI works with clients to provide innovative custom solutions to meet their needs. Many of the problems solved are complex: involving commercial, financial, business, operational, technical, political, risk, reliability and regulatory needs. .
CSI utilizes experienced, competent resources and has access to a vast selection of experienced professionals in the power business.
For each client, and type of project, CSI selects qualified resources to build the team. The team selection is different, project to project, as each client has specific needs. IE: cogeneration modeling study vs implementation and construction coordination vs power transmission line and substation.
CSI specializes in power supply issues. We manage the negotiations and power supply coordination for power transmission voltage interconnections. CSI works with, yet challenges the Utilities to ensure clients are being treated fairly, including expediting project timing, developing fit for purpose design and ensuring proper cost allocations.
CSI provides strategic guidance to clients to assist in making the right decisions concerning power supply issues and alternatives. CSI provides detailed pro-forma budget modeling, strategic power planning, power procurement studies and transmission interconnection services.
CSI performs power budget forecasts for industrial clients and performs Power Procurement Studies and Power Strategy Studies for clients throughout North America. CSI negotiates with over 20 Utilities across North America for various types of Power Supply Agreements.
CSI has a strong ability to influence the Utilities and Regulators due to its diverse experience with many projects and Utilities across North America.
If you are building a new facility, HIRE CSI to manage the process.
If you require purchased power, HIRE a Power Marketer.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


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When choosing an auto body shop, it is advisable you take your time, so that you can pick the right one. The market is flooded with auto body shops. All auto body shops don’t offer the same quality of services. Below are tips on how to choose the right auto body shop.
Also, it is important you check the location of the auto body shop. It will be easier to take you car to the body shop, if it is located near you. It is advisable you search online for auto body near me, so that you can get suggestions.
Also, it is recommended you do your research on the auto body shop you are prospecting. Check what people are saying about the body shop on different sites online. The reviews will give you unbiased opinion about the body shop. Go for an auto body shop that has the best reviews.
How long has the auto body shop been operating? The longer the duration of time the auto body shop has been operating, the better. You can know how many years of experience the body shop has by checking on their website.
How much will the body shop charge you for the services that you need? Prices vary among body shops. Although you should consider cost, don’t choose an auto body shop that is charging way below the others.
It is important you choose an auto body shop that has been registered and licensed by the state. If the auto body shop is not licensed, look for another alternative.


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CN Events are looking for just a handful more sponsors for the aid stations at the Lakesman long distance triathlon on Sunday 19 June (2.4m swim, 112m bike ride, then a full marathon...) The race starts and finishes in Keswick, the bike route takes in the whole of Allerdale and the marathon course circles around Keswick town. There will be an 'athletes' village' on the lakeshore, close to the theatre, all day, where in addition to the usual tourists, there will be lots of people milling around waiting for the athletes to finish.
Cumbria County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority and the Environment Agency will be holding a public meeting to deliver their draft report and proposals for future flood resilience in Cockermouth.
Join us if you can for our popular West Cumbria "network five" event, very kindly sponsored by our host "Shills of Cockermouth" .
The event is to be held at Shills - 11 South Street Cockermouth CA13 9RU (Just below Sainsbury's Car park) on Wednesday 22nd June starting at 5.30pm.
We're getting some great feedback on this, thanks to everyone who's already done it. For those who havent, please can you take 1 minute to complete. Whether you're a shopper or a trader, its quick and easy.
So far most people seem to be up for late night shopping in the build up to Christmas, are you? Have your say.
We're marketing to support the town and this will help us support you more in the right way. It is a few quick questions on opening during summer holidays and Christmas opening.
BBC Radio Cumbria is organising a Question Time-style debate on the EU referendum to be broadcast on BBC Radio Cumbria and we’re looking for people with an interest in the subject to be members of the audience. If you, or any of your colleagues and friends who might be interested in taking part, I’d be very grateful if you could contact the team using the details below.
Just a reminder that our MP, Sue Hayman, will be hosting a meeting on Wednesday 1st June at 6pm at the Kirkgate. She will be talking to businesses about Flood Insurance and protecting our town's trade.
In case you've not seen, we have a short survey, please can you take 1 minute to complete. Whether you're a shopper or a trader, its quick and easy.
In case you've not seen, the fist advert went out this week in June's Cumbria Life. Thanks to everyone who joined in and Suzanne's work to pull it together. For those who missed out, get in touch with Suzanne so you can be included in the next issue. Space is limited on a first come first served basis!
Sue Hayman MP will be hosting the June chamber meeting at 6pm at the Kirkgate with Allerdale BC Councillors (Graeme Wilson and Councillor Phil Tibble TBC).
She will be discussing flood related issues for businesses and talking about a campaign to protect the towns traders.
To help, can you please advise if you will be attending the meeting.
The idea would be to create some art as a temporary installation that could be left in for the week if not over the summer if possible.
Initially this could help if we have any empty shop windows or can you spare some space to showcase some of the artworks from the school?