September 2008 was the wettest on record in Southern Maine (as much as 15 inches on the coast, or 9.3 billion gallons in Kennebunk alone!) supporting many climate scientists predictions that annual rainfall amounts will increase as a result of global climate change. And last spring the snow pack was in the top 25% of historic levels, holding some 4-10 inches of water. The effects of increased rain amounts can be seen in road side wash outs and flooded basements, as well as murky waters along our beaches. Solutions to these water problems typically range from armoring road shoulders with piles of rock or installing sump pumps, even putting houses on stilts. But a cheaper and more beautiful solution sits right in our backyards.
Swamps, bogs, saltmarshes, heaths, peat lands, fens, and vernal pools; these are all wetlands. Wetlands have long been thought of as having little value, primarily just a source of biting insects with little use for development. But wetlands provide much greater benefits in the service of flood control. In inland areas wetlands receive runoff and direct rainfall and retain that water temporarily to be released slowly over time. The EPA estimates that 1 acre of wetlands can store 1 million gallons of water. Wetlands along rivers provide pathways for increased water levels and slow down flow rates, reducing erosion and absorbing flood waters. Along the coast, marshes absorb and disperse the energy of incoming storm surges. This service is provided at no cost and requires no maintenance. Pretty good deal.
Unfortunately, we are losing our wetlands to a number of influences. Slowly but surely the increasing demand for houses and roads is taking its toll on the landscape. By 1980 Maine had already lost 20% of its wetlands to farmland and development. The amount of land developed in Maine between 1970 and 1990 was as much as in the whole history leading up to that point, and the State Planning Office estimates that the rate of development in Maine will double by 2010. In addition, the population in York County has more than doubled in the last 50 years.
In addition to loss from direct human use, wetland loss will be driven by climate change. As sea level rises, coastal wetlands will become flooded and eventually submerged permanently. Conservative predictions place sea level rise in the next century between 7 and 23 inches. With these systems gone coastal communities will be more susceptible to flood events like the ones on Mothers Day in 2006 and Patriots Day in 2007.
The effects of these changes are being felt in areas downstream when large rain events swell our rivers and they over top their banks. Without enough upstream storage, the rain flows off the landscape and quickly spreads out into the floodplains along rivers and streams, and quite often into someone�s backyard.
The costs associated with flooding aren�t small. The Town of Kennebunk spent $375,000 to relocate or elevate flooded homes along the Mousam River, with FEMA contributing $1,125,000. The Mothers Day Storm damage was estimated at around $7.5 million. The costs of flooding have had farther reaching consequences with insurance companies reducing coverage for storm damage or simply canceling policies all together. The State Planning Office estimates that 75% of homes in flood plains are not insured.
The value of Maine�s 5 million acres of wetlands has been calculated (by the Clean Water Network) at around $31 billion for the services they provide which, aside from flood mitigation, include fish and bird habitat, water treatment, ground water recharge, and scenic and recreational opportunities.
A number of legislative acts provide protections for wetlands, most notably the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 championed by our own Senator Edmund Muskie. At the state level the Maine Natural Resource Protection Act regulates moving of earth in and around wetlands and Maine Shoreland Zoning laws regulate land use within the area surrounding wetlands. The effectiveness of these laws however is often limited by lack of enforcement due to shortages of funding and manpower.
Sometimes wetland loss is permitted. Work on roads and bridges often involves the filling of portions of wetlands. The law requires these losses to be compensated for by the creation of new wetlands or wetland restoration. The replacements usually take the form of engineered drainage swales and retention ponds. Unfortunately these are often not an adequate substitute for the original system. An Army Corps of Engineers study found that only 17% percent of wetland mitigation sites functioned as adequate replacements. The substitute wetlands may be in a completely different location and the ecology may be dramatically different.
So what is to be done? Numerous organizations are hard at work to address these issues. Municipalities are constantly updating there zoning ordinances and incorporating new techniques for stormwater management. People are becoming more aware of the risks of living in areas prone to flooding as we have seen on a large scale in the Midwestern and Gulf Coast states. The fact is that it�s just plain good economic sense to preserve our �green infrastructure�. Wetlands provide services that we can no longer afford to take for granted.
This view has recently been supported by the National Marine Fisheries Service which recently called for a moratorium on development in the flood plains around Puget Sound, Washington. There elevated levels of pollutants in stormwater are damaging populations of endangered Chinook salmon and Orcas.
The solution to the problem of wetland loss is relatively straight forward, but requires the willpower of all of us to succeed. Landowners can help by voluntarily limiting activities around wetlands. If your land borders a wetland, think about not mowing right to the waters edge. Instead, consider leaving a wide buffer of trees and vegetation that will help reduce the impacts of flooding and runoff. Rain barrels and rain gardens can be used to capture rainwater from your roof and parking area. You can even allow a part of your yard to grow into a natural meadow full of wildflowers which will attract songbirds and wildlife. If each of us can help restore the natural landscape the result will be savings to our communities and benefits to public health and the environment.


We are committed to helping insurance customers manage the risks of everyday life and recover from the unexpected. We attempt to help uncover customer concerns as well as customer dreams and desires. Together!....... we will diligently strive toward these evolving insurance goals. We are here for one purpose.........HELPING, YOU, OUR CUSTOMER IN SOUTHERN IL and THE JEFFERSON COUNTY AREA!


text:
Making Your Own Work
The rise of the Internet has given Broadway's talented performers and writers the opportunity to get their work out into the world without relying on producers and casting directors. Learn more about your favorite Broadway people's side projects, and how they've been able to remain fulfilled even as they wait for the next gig.
Frank DiLella
NY1
Frank DiLella joined NY1 in 2004 and now produces and reports for "On Stage," the news channel's weekly half-hour theater program. In addition to filing reports on the Broadway and off-Broadway scenes, DiLella has traveled internationally to cover theater in Japan, Hong Kong, England... Read More →
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Andrew Keenan-Bolger is an actor, director, author and filmmaker. He is appearing as Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting on Broadway beginning March 2016. He created the role of Crutchie in the original Broadway cast of Newsies (Outer Critics Circle nominee). Other Broadway: Mary Poppins... Read More →
Kait Kerrigan
Kait Kerrigan is an award-winning bookwriter, playwright, and lyricist. She made her off-Broadway debut with the musical HENRY AND MUDGE, written with composer Brian Lowdermilk. Their other musicals include THE BAD YEARS, REPUBLIC and UNBOUND. Her plays include IMAGINARY LOVE, TRANSIT... Read More →
Brian Lowdermilk
Brian Lowdermilk made his off-Broadway debut with an adaptation of HENRY AND MUDGE, written with Kait Kerrigan. Other Kerrigan-Lowdermilk collaborations include THE BAD YEARS, REPUBLIC, and UNBOUND. They have released two albums, and they've received the Larson Award and Dramatists... Read More →
Alice Ripley will be seen this spring as Patrick's Mother/Mrs. Wolfe in American Psycho. She received the 2009 Best Actress in a Musical Tony and Helen Hayes Awards for her work in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal. Ms. Ripley made her Broadway debut in the original cast... Read More →
Kate Wetherhead
Kate Wetherhead is currently appearing Off-Broadway in "Clever Little Lies" at the Westside Theatre. She is the co-creator, director, writer and star of "Submissions Only," an online sitcom (www.submissionsonly.com). Broadway: "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Legally Blonde." Off-Broadway: "The Other Josh Cohen" (Drama Desk Nomination), "Ordinary Days," "Tatjana In Color," "Sarah, Plain And Tall." Regional: "The Heidi Chronicles" (Guthrie Theater), "Clever Little Lies" (George Street Playhouse, Guild H... Read More →

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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2005-04-08 First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=26723721&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=US20070225664(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset" by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
2009-04-20 Assigned to JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC reassignment JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DROGUE, JEFFREY K., SCHULTZ, LEONARD S.
2009-12-14 Assigned to COOPERSURGICAL, INC. reassignment COOPERSURGICAL, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC.
2009-12-18 Assigned to JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC. reassignment JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC. RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SCHULTZ, LEONARD S., MR.
2009-12-29 Assigned to JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC reassignment JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DROGUE, JEFFREY K., SCHULTZ, LEONARD S.
2010-01-14 Assigned to JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC. reassignment JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC. CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE FROM JLJ INTERNATIONAL, INC. ("JLJ") TO JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC. ("JLJ") PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 009239 FRAME 0987. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNEE FROM JLJ INTERNATIONAL, INC. ("JLJ") TO JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC. ("JLJ"). Assignors: DROGUE, JEFFREY K., SCHULTZ, LEONARD S.
2010-07-13 Assigned to INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICES, L.L.C. reassignment INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICES, L.L.C. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JLJ MEDICAL DEVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
A smoke evacuating system for use during surgical procedures, particularly minimally invasive procedures involving the use of a laser or cautery at a surgical site having an associated higher than ambient pressure, wherein the system includes a filter with a site side and an outlet side and a fluid conduit extending between the surgical site and the filter. The filter includes a filter media and a housing substantially surrounding the filter media with a space between the filter media and the housing to collect condensed vapor. The filter exhibits low resistance or a low pressure drop and resists fluid flow, whereby the higher than ambient pressure is not substantially diminished and generates a fluid flow in the fluid flow path tending to carry smoke to and through the filter.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/405,297, filed Apr. 2, 2003 which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/544,695, filed Apr. 7, 2000, which has issued to U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,316 issued Jul. 8, 2003 which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/046,265, filed Mar. 23, 1998, which has issued to U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,259 issued Aug. 29, 2000, which claims the priority benefit of a U.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 60/066,331, filed Nov. 21, 1997.
The present invention relates to smoke removal and filtering and, more particularly, to a smoke evacuation system for use in surgical procedures, including minimally invasive surgical procedures such as laparoscopy, during which cautery or a laser is used.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,000 (Greff et al.) discloses a smoke evacuation system including a trocar having a working channel, a stopcock or valve communicating with the channel, a source of wall vacuum, a fluid conduit connected between the stopcock of the trocar and the source of wall vacuum, a first filter for applying a first reduction in suction and separating smoke into its components and a residual gas, and a flow restriction to generate a second reduction in suction. The flow restriction is along a passage formed by the conduit, the filter and working channel.
Greff et al. note that smoke has been handled by simply allowing it to escape into the operating room, thereby subjecting the surgeon and staff to contaminants. They recognize that closed, recirculating systems involving two trocars have been used, as have probes which are inserted through a trocar, but that such systems do not adequately solve the problems associated with smoke and the removal thereof, e.g., contamination, smell and impaired visibility of a surgical site.
Other problems inadequately addressed by currently available evacuation systems are loss of the pressure in the pneumoperitoneum, and/or tissue drying, particularly if pressure loss is compensated for by increasing insufflation gas flow.
While the smoke evacuation system disclosed in the Greff et al. patent may be well suited for its intended purpose, it would be advantageous if the dependency on a remote, "in-wall" vacuum source could be eliminated thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the system.
The present invention provides an improvement over currently known smoke evacuation systems, methods and techniques, including laparoscopic smoke evacuation systems such as the system disclosed in the Greff et al. patent.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a smoke evacuating system for use during surgical procedures comprising a filter for operable coupling to a surgical site, said filter exhibiting a pressure drop ranging from approximately 0.5 to 20 mm/Hg, with a preferred pressure drop ranging from approximately 1 to 3 mm/Hg. The filter may be coupled directly to the patient.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a smoke evacuating system for use during surgical procedures, particularly minimally invasive procedures, involving a surgical site having an associated higher than ambient pressure, wherein the system comprises a filter with a inlet side (the side generally closest to the surgical site) and an outlet side and a fluid conduit extending between the surgical site and the filter. The fluid conduit defines a substantially unobstructed fluid flow path between the surgical site and filter, and the higher than ambient pressure and a pressure drop associated with the filter generate and enable a fluid flow in the fluid flow path, the filter causing a low pressure drop (i.e., pressure differential from side to side) in the fluid flow from the inlet side to the outlet side.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a smoke evacuating system for use during surgical procedures, particularly minimally invasive procedures, including a conduit for operable coupling to a surgical site, said conduit operably carrying a filter exhibiting a pressure drop ranging from approximately 1 to 3 mm/Hg and defining a substantially unobstructed fluid flow path between the surgical site and the filter. The conduit may include a connector for being connected to a trocar or other tubular member. An on/off valve may be incorporated to control the flow of fluid through the conduit, whereby, when the valve is open, the flow path from the surgical site to the filter is substantially unobstructed.
An advantage of the present invention is that it eliminates dependency on a built-in, in wall vacuum source. It does not require high vacuum suction and the requisite high resistance filters or combination of flow restrictors or reducers and filters. Further, it simplifies smoke evacuation and filtering by eliminating the need for multiple, in-line structures (filters, resistors, etc.) for stepping down or reducing suction.
While the present invention may be used in surgical procedures, it may also be used in industry to remove smoke and/or chemicals from areas such as workstations. For example, it might be used at or adjacent to chip or electronic equipment manufacturing stations to reduce workers' exposure to smoke produced as connections are formed. Similarly, it might be used to reduce exposure to etching chemicals.
A feature of the present invention is a balanced smoke evacuation system wherein a filter with a relatively low pressure drop performs a filtering function and a flow regulating function, helping to preserve the pressure at or in a pressurized surgical site such as a laparoscopy with a pneumoperitoneum while providing for sufficient flow therefrom to remove smoke from the site, thereby reducing the need for substantial or constant reinsufflation of the surgical site.
Surgical aerosols, or bio-aerosols, include smoke from burning tissue, but also often include moisture, steam or mist produced by cells as they are heated and/or ruptured by certain surgical instruments such as lasers or ultrasonic scissors (e.g., "Harmonic Scissors" by Ethicon). Additionally, some surgeons are now using heated, humidified gas for insufflation to help maintain a normal body temperature and to help reduce tissue dessication. One embodiment of the invention is adapted for use in surgical procedures during which surgical aerosols, particularly moist or moisture containing aerosols, are produced and/or in which heated and/or humidified gas is used by including a space or region into which moisture can move, gather and/or be collected without diminishing flow rate or the efficiency of the filter.
Another embodiment of the invention includes an elbow member adapted to be coupled between a trocar and the conduit to position the conduit to reduce any potential inconvenience to the surgeon and/or staff during a procedure.
An advantage of the smoke evacuation system of the present invention is that it provides for the intra-operative or intra-procedural evacuation and filtration of smoke from a pressurized surgical site, e.g., the abdominal cavity, without requiring suction and without rapidly exhausting the pressurizing gas or causing a substantial pressure reduction at the pressurized surgical site. Other advantages are that the invention does not require an operator, it continuously removes smoke from the pressurized cavity (once the valve in valved embodiments is opened) to improve visibility without venting, it reduces operating time, it eliminates surgical smoke from the operating room, thereby reducing the health risk stemming from exposure to such smoke, it eliminates the need to apply suction to a patient thereby reducing potential tissue damage, and it is inexpensive.
Other features and advantages of the smoke evacuating apparatus and method of the present invention will become more fully apparent and understood with reference to the following description and drawings, and the appended claims.
FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of the smoke evacuation system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 depicts the filter of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 depicts a portion of the filter of FIG. 2 in cross section.
FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of the filter.
FIG. 5 depicts a connector stopcock or valve for use in the smoke evacuation system of the present invention.
FIG. 6 depicts, largely representationally, a trocar (and obturator) of a type suitable for use with the present.
FIG. 7 depicts an elbow connector connecting a trocar and a valve connector.
FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of the filter.
FIG. 9 depicts another embodiment of the smoke evacuation system of the present invention.
FIG. 10 depicts another embodiment of the smoke evacuation system of the present invention.
FIG. 11 depicts the filter of one embodiment of the present invention coupled to a surgical site.
FIG. 12 depicts a portion of one embodiment of the filter of the invention in cross section.
The accompanying Figures depict embodiments of the smoke evacuation apparatus or system of the present invention, and features and components thereof. With regard to means for fastening, mounting, attaching or connecting the components of the present invention to form the apparatus as a whole, unless specifically described otherwise, such means are intended to encompass conventional fasteners such as machine screws, machine threads, snap rings, hose clamps such as screw clamps and the like, rivets, nuts and bolts, toggles, pins and the like. Components may also be connected by friction fitting, or by welding or deformation, if appropriate. Unless specifically otherwise disclosed or taught, materials for making components of the present invention are selected from appropriate materials such as metal, metallic alloys, natural or synthetic fibers, plastics and the like, and appropriate manufacturing or production methods including casting, extruding, molding and machining may be used. The components of the invention may be constructed from any such suitable materials for use in surgical rooms or in surgical procedures.
Any references to front and back, right and left, top and bottom, upper and lower, and horizontal and vertical are intended for convenience of description, not to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spacial orientation.
Referring to the Figures, particularly FIG. 1, the present invention provides a smoke evacuating system 14 for use during surgical procedures. The system 14 includes a filter 16 and a generally flexible fluid conduit 18 connected to the filter 16. The conduit 18 may be provided in one or more pieces. The system 14, particularly the end of the conduit 18, may include an integral or attachable male or female connector (of the type well known in the art) for facilitating the connection of the conduit 18 to the exhaust port or vent valve of a trocar, or the system 14 may include a Leur lock-type valve 17 (see FIG. 5) operably coupled to the conduit 18, and it may include a generally tubular member 20, such as a typical well known trocar with an exhaust port (not shown).
Referring to FIG. 3, the filter 16 comprises a housing 24 with an inlet connector 26 and an outlet connector 28. Stepped hose barb type connectors may be used, as depicted in the Figures. The housing 24 may be made from polypropylene or other suitable material. The housing 24 contains the filter media 32, which comprises two thin, flat circular, disk shaped layers 34, 36. One layer 36, the layer adjacent to the outlet connector 28, is formed of 0.2 μm hydrophobic 200 mg/square cm PTFE, and the other layer 34 is made of a 200 g/square m 50% cellulose/carbon fiber blend. The layers 34, 36 are immediately adjacent to each other and each has a large surface area. Together, they form a filter media 32 having a surface area generally corresponding to its filtration area, i.e., approximately 7.5 square cm, approximately 100 times larger than the cross sectional area of the lumen of the depicted ¼ inch conduit 18. Although a disk-shaped filter is depicted, other shapes may be used as long as a pressure drop suitable for low flow, low pressure filtering is achieved. The filter 24, one or both layers, may be designed to exhibit a "change filter" color change indicative that useful life of the filter is over or nearly over. The odor removing layer 34 may be formed by or incorporate carbon or charcoal based material, or a diatomaceous earth material or other odor removing or reducing agent may be used.
The filter media 32 is potted or contained in the housing 24. The housing 24 has an inlet manifold 26 and an outlet manifold 28. On each side of the filter media 32, in the respective manifolds, the housing has a plurality of annular grooves 42. The housing 24 may be formed around the filter media 32, or it may be formed in pieces which are joined to pot the media 32. An alternative, button or rivet-like embodiment of the filter 16, wherein the outlet 28 is substantially reduced to an outlet port 28′, is depicted in FIG. 4. This embodiment of the filter 16 may be carried at the free end of the conduit 18 or it, or a similar embodiment with a suitable protruding inlet connector for extending through the abdominal wall, may be coupled directly to the abdomen of a patient, for example, through a needle stick or other suitable opening.
Referring to FIG. 12, in one embodiment, a space 55 may be provided between the housing 24 and the filter media 32. This space 55, which may also be referred to as a water trap, provides an area in which moisture and/or condensed vapor may collect during use of the system and filter of the present invention. In some applications, such as high smoke, laser, or harmonic scalpel procedures, a substantial amount of water vapor may be produced along with smoke. Although the filter media 32 or filter paper may be made from hydrophobic material, in some high vapor-producing procedures, the filter media 32 may be unable to shed the water or vapor that condenses because there is little or no space or area for the moisture or liquid to move to and/or settle into. In an embodiment of the invention containing a space 55 between the filter media 32 and the housing 24, the space 55 provides an area or region in which water vapor can condense and settle without effecting the efficiency of the filter. FIG. 12 depicts one embodiment of a filter having a space 55 between the filter media 32 and the housing 24. The space 55 may be provided in a variety of orientations and locations with respect to the filter media 32 and the housing 24. For instance, the space 55 may be near the filter media 32 on the inlet 26 side of the housing 24 or, in other embodiments, on the outlet 28 side of the housing 24, or both. In addition, the space 55 may be near the outer and/or peripheral portions or regions 57 of the filter media 32 and housing 24. The space 55 may also have a variety of geometries in different embodiments of the invention, and it may be provided in one or more locations. In one embodiment of the invention, such as that depicted in FIG. 12, more than one space 55 may exist. FIG. 12, for instance, shows spaces 55 near the outer portions 57 of the housing, on the inlet side of the filter media 32, and on the outlet side of the filter media. This is advantageous because it provides for liquid collection spaces 55 which will be effective despite how the system may be positioned or oriented during a surgical procedure. FIG. 12 depicts condensed vapor 61 collecting in the space 55 near the inlet side of the filter media 32.
The system 14 provides a substantially unobstructed fluid flow path through the fluid conduit 18 between a valve 18 and filter 16 and, when the valve 18 is open, between a pressurized surgical site "S" and the filter 16. The filter 16 provides flow regulation of a fluid (insufflation gas carrying smoke) flowing along the fluid flow path in that it provides resistance to flow, whereby flow rates in some embodiments range from one (1) to four (4) liters/minute and, in other embodiments, range from 1 to 3.8 liters/minute. The filter 16 exhibits or has an associated pressure drop from one side to the other of from approximately one-half (0.5) to twenty (20) mm of mercury, with a pressure drop of from approximately two (2) to three (3) mm of mercury being preferred in another embodiment, and a pressure drop of approximately one (1) mm of mercury being preferred in yet another embodiment. The latter pressure drops correspond generally to flow rates of 1.8 liters/minute and 3.6 to 3.8 liters/minute, respectively. Higher pressures and/or lower pressure drops will produce higher correlative flow rates, and the filter 16 may be available in several specifications to be matched with the patient, function or procedure involved. The size and length of the fluid conduit or tube 18 may be varied to assist in providing desired flow characteristics (approximately 1.0 to 30 liters per minute) in conjunction with the resistance or pressure drop of the filter 16 of the present invention. The filter, therefore, may be designed for low flow applications, medium flow applications, or high flow applications. For instance, the filter 16 may operate at flow rates of about 0.2 to 30 liters per minute when coupled to pressurized surgical sites, wherein pressure drops of approximately 0.5 to 30 mm Hg exist.
In one embodiment, the invention may be a "passive" smoke evacuation system and method. In this embodiment, the filter 16 may be designed to regulate the flow of smoke and gases from a surgical site to the ambient air outside a patient's body without the use of a vacuum supply. The filter 16, in this embodiment, is designed to have a pressure drop at an associated flow rate sufficient to evacuate smoke from the pressurized cavity to the ambient air outside of the cavity without loss of pneumoperitoneum. For instance, in one embodiment, the filter 16 may have a resistance such that it causes a fluid flow rate of from approximately 0.2 to 30 liters per minute when coupled to a pressurized surgical site, wherein a pressure drop of approximately 0.5 to 30 mm Hg is maintained from the surgical site to ambient air, and wherein the fluid flow is induced as a result of the pressure in the pressurized surgical site. In other embodiments, the filter 16 may have a resistance such that a fluid flow rate of from about 1 to 20 liters per minute results at an associated pressure drop of from about 0.5 to 20 mm Hg.
In some embodiments, the tube 18 may be four to six feet in length, with a length of from 1.5 to 3.0 feet being preferred. If quarter inch tubing is selected, the lumen of the tube 18 typically would be 3 mm in diameter, but inner diameters ranging from 2 to 12 mm may be used. The parameters of diameter and length of tube 18, size of trocar (for one preferred example, 3 mm), and the resistance or pressure drop associated with filter 16 may be relatively adjusted to accommodate different patients, surgical procedures and/or operating room settings, as long as adequate low pressure, low flow smoke filtering and odor removal is achieved. The present invention may be embodied in a completely disposable, single use unit or components thereof, e.g., the filter or tubing, may be disposable with other component reusable. Typically, the trocar 20 or tubular member to which the conduit 18 is coupled, either directly or through an exhaust port or valve, is grounded to eliminate any errant current.
The present invention encompasses a method for evacuating smoke from a surgical site, particularly from a minimally invasive site such as a laparoscopy with a pneumoperitoneum. For example, for evacuating smoke from a surgical site in the abdominal cavity during a laparoscopic procedure, the method of the present invention comprises the steps of operably coupling a conduit 18 to the pneumoperitoneum, for example to the tubular member 21 (FIG. 7) extending from the pneumoperitoneum, and coupling a filter 16 having a low pressure drop there across to the conduit 18, whereby there is a substantially unobstructed, low volume fluid flow path between the pneumoperitoneum and the filter 18, whereby particulate material and odor are removed from the fluid. The fluid is induced to flow through the conduit 18 and filter 16 by the generally complementary pressure of the insufflating gas of the pneumoperitoneum and the pressure drop of the filter 16. In one embodiment, the flow may be controlled, e.g., initiated, stopped or reduced by incorporating a valve (such as a Leur lock valve (FIG. 5) or the like) with the conduit 18 or by using a valved trocar or the like.
The apparatus and method of the present invention may be used in laparoscopic procedure involving a pneumoperitoneum, i.e., a condition in which air or gas is collected or insufflated into the peritoneal cavity, but it also may be used in any other surgical procedure involving a substantially enclosed and/or pressurized surgical site such as thoracoscopy. Referring to FIG. 10, in one embodiment, the conduit 18 may be fitted with flow generating device 48 such as an in-line blower or impeller, which may be battery powered such as some commercially available models, for drawing air, smoke, particulate matter and contaminants into the conduit for filtration, whereby the invention may be used for "open" surgical procedures. In this embodiment, the selected flow generating device 48 may be located on either side of the filter 16, although positioning it on the outlet side of the filter 16 may protect it from contaminants and, in non-disposable embodiments, lengthen its useful life. The flow generating device 48 may be incorporated with the filter 16 itself, for example, in the outlet connector. With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, for use in open site surgical procedures, the site or intake end of the conduit 18 may be expanded as at 19 and provided with a grille 21. In this embodiment the expanded end 19 may be, for example, inserted partially into a deep wound or connected to a patient's body near a surgical site (e.g., by using adhesive, straps, sutures or the like).
wherein a pressure drop across the system is approximately 0.5 to approximately 30 mm Hg when a fluid flow rate for the fluid is approximately 0.2 to approximately 30.0 liters per minute.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the volume is a pressurized surgical site.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pressure drop across the system is approximately 0.5 to approximately 20 mm Hg when the fluid flow rate for the fluid is approximately 1.0 to approximately 20.0 liters per minute.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the pressure drop across the system is approximately 2.0 to approximately 3.0 mm Hg when the fluid flow rate for the fluid is approximately 1.8 liters per minute.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein the pressure drop across the system is approximately 1.0 mm Hg when the fluid flow rate for the fluid is approximately 3.6 to 3.8 liters per minute.
6. The system of claim 2 further comprising a valve adapted to control the fluid flow.
7. The filter of claim 2 further comprising an odor removing media.
8. The filter of claim 7 further comprising a particulate removing media.
allowing a pressure differential between the pressurized surgical site and the ambient environment to induce a fluid flow through the system from the pressurized surgical site to the ambient environment.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a pressure drop across the system of approximately 0.5 to approximately 30 mm Hg when a fluid flow rate for the fluid is approximately 0.2 to approximately 30.0 liters.
11. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a pressure drop across the system of approximately 0.5 to approximately 20 mm Hg when a fluid flow rate for the fluid is approximately 1.0 to approximately 20.0 liters.
19. A smoke evacuating system comprising a filter, and a flow controller, the system adapted to be operably coupled to a pressurized site, wherein the system enables a fluid flow from the pressurized site to the ambient of from approximately 0.2 liters per minute to approximately 20 liters per minute, wherein a pressure drop of approximately 0.5 mm Hg to approximately 30 mm Hg is maintained from the pressurized site to the ambient, and wherein the fluid flow is induced as a result of the pressure in the pressurized site.
20. The smoke evacuating system of claim 19, wherein the system exhibits a pressure drop of approximately 2 to 3 mm Hg at a fluid flow rate of approximately 1.8 liters per minute.


A British Columbia company is taking some heat over its five-year, $100-million-plus contract to fly Canada Post regular mail.
Jun. 1, 2009 2:27 p.m.
KELOWNA — A British Columbia company is taking some heat over its five-year, $100-million-plus contract to fly Canada Post regular mail.
Flightcraft human resources director Grant Stevens said they've had the contract for nine months.
"It's come to light and become contentious because Cargo Jet, who bid against us and lost for the Purolator Courier contract, made a fuss and now an NDP MP is making some noise, too," said Stevens.


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Home / Media / News Stories
Jacksonville District hosts media day
By Maya Jordan
Jacksonville District Corporate Communications Office
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville Project Manager, Ingrid Bon explains construction procedures with media at Lake Okeechobee during a media day April 14, 2021. Kelly and a team of subject matter experts explained construction, recent water discharges and current lake levels to local media.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District Commander, Col. Andrew Kelly, talks with media at Lake Okeechobee during a media day April 14, 2021. Kelly and a team of subject matter experts explained construction, recent water discharges and current lake levels to local media.
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CLEWISTON, Fla. (April 14, 2021)—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District hosted its first-ever media day by inviting media from across the region to learn about projects, mission, and completion dates for south Florida projects including the rehabilitation of Herbert Hoover Dike and Lake Okeechobee.
The four-hour event was planned in part by the district's corporate communications team and attracted both print and broadcast media.
Media days serve as an opportunity to provide open lines of communication for all stakeholders to be informed on the latest project updates and how projects could impact communities.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Commander, Col. Andrew Kelly kicked-off the event with a safety brief and opening remarks.
"The goal of today is to provide a broad scope informational of all things related to the dike, the lake, onto how we move water, what things we are thinking about and projects coming up," said Kelly.
Attendees included about 11 reporters from seven regional media outlets within the state arriving at John Stretch Memorial Park at 9:00 a.m. to participate.
"I appreciate events like this because it gives us access to stuff, we would never get to see otherwise, said Michael Raimondi from the Fort Myers affiliate News station NBC 2.
The humid and sticky day began under a wooden picnic pavilion in the park, with a safety briefing and media representatives traded in there steno pads and pens for bright yellow and orange safety vests, safety googles and white hard helmets prior to a 5-mile tour of Herbert Hoover Dike.
Due to covid-19 restrictions, in separate vehicles the media trailed up the rocky road at 10 miles per hour for a tour of real-time maintenance construction work on Herbert Hoover Dike, along Lake Okeechobee.
Along the tour, media were able to see up close miles and miles of cut-off wall, heavy equipment cranes, different types of cement used for transporting and moving sediment which fill about 100 feet of material a day.
Next, members of the media were provided a one-on-one session with contractors and USACE engineers while on the dike.
"This is a public safety project, back when we had Hurricane Katrina the Corps looked at its overall portfolio of dams, we have more than 800 dams in the nation. We classified the dams by the level of work they needed to reduce the risk of the failure and the dike was at the top of the list," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District project manager, Ingrid Bon,
Herbert Hoover Dike, is a 1.8 billion dollar project that started in 2007, consisting of a 143-mile earthen dam that protects nearby communities Pahookee, Okeechobee and Belle Glade from flood-risk.
Rehabilitation on the dike is expected for completion December 2022.
Then, members of the media gathered under a picnic pavillion at the South Florida office and were provided information materials on projects that detailed Lake Okeechobee water management, operating manuals, Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA), Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs), ecology of the lake, flood risk management and ecosystem restoration.
Kelly gave remarks, fielded questions and introduced subject matter experts prior to the start of the expert led discussion.
"Our construction team and the contractor folks are out there working hard everyday and that directly relates to the safety of those individuals living in or around Lake Okeechobee," said Kelly. "It also means we can do things like adjust our water management and we can do that because the liquid heart of Florida, Lake Okeechobee has a lot of greatness."
Shortly after media participated in a general overview session following a question and answer session from USACE experts which included about eight different professionals such as biologists, dam safety managers and engineers.
Lake Okeechobee, is comprised of a chain of lakes: Lake Tohopekaliga, Lake Istopoga, East Lake Tohopekaliga and Lake Kissimmee.
The lake is managed in partnership between the South Florida Water Management District and USACE.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Okeechobee water manager, Savannah Lacy, was the first speaker and provided current status about ecology, water management and operations.
"This was a great opportunity for us to share vital information with the media," said Lacy. "About 732 billion gallons of water enter the lake from the Kissimmee River on average every year which is equivalent to about 5 feet every single year and it's our priority to maintain current water levels that continue to provide a safe environment for Lake Okeechobee, Okeechobee residents and surrounding towns," said Lacy.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District on the district's website at www.saj.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JaxStrong.
Col. Andrew Kelly
Maya Jordan
Jacksonville District


A prize of €3,000 (approximately $3,400) and publication in the annual Fish Publishing anthology is given annually for a short story. The winner will also be invited to attend a five-day short story workshop at the West Cork Literary Festival in July 2019. Mia Gallagher will judge. Submit a story of up to 5,000 words by mail with a €22 (approximately $26) entry fee or using the online submission system with a €20 (approximately $24) entry fee by November 30. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Fish Publishing, Fish Short Story Prize, Durrus, Bantry, County Cork, Ireland. Clem Cairns, Editor.


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A National System of National Recreation Areas
August 26, 2016 in National Recreation Area, Wilderness, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Forest System, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Recreation
National forest ranger districts are so 20th century. They were created in an era when "multiple use" meant logging and grazing—other uses be damned—as local economies were based on exploiting nature. However, in the 21st century, local communities can make more money by helping people enjoy natural values on public lands.
With declining commodity industries and a growing outdoor recreation industry—as well as increased concern for watersheds, ecosystems, and native species—it's time for a 21st-century management structure for the nation's national forests. It's time to replace Forest Service ranger districts with national recreation areas (NRAs) as the fundamental management unit—and to do the same for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
An NRA designation would acknowledge current—and very likely future—realities. While the designation signals a management emphasis on recreation, this doesn't trump all other uses and values. The acts of Congress designating most NRAs have generally subordinated recreation to greater long-term conservation values. If established by Congress with proper purposes, directions, and sideboards, NRAs can better conserve and restore natural, scenic, ecosystem, watershed, fish and wildlife, historical, and other public values than can the 20th-century ranger district model, while at the same time encouraging appropriate outdoor recreation.
Such NRAs would
• facilitate stronger levels of conservation protection for federal public lands,
• modernize and streamline bureaucratic management, and
• promote local economic development based on enjoying—rather than exploiting—nature.
The Rogue Wild and Scenic River is a narrow corridor along the river. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have legislation to establish a Rogue Canyon National Recreation Area and also expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness to fully protect the lower Rogue for this and future generations. Photo: Oregon Wild
The Piecemeal Recalibration of "Multiple Use"
When the multiple-use mandates for the Forest Service and the BLM were enacted by Congress in 1960 and 1976, respectively, the statutory multiple uses of timber and range (livestock grazing) were favored by the management agencies at the expense of other statutory uses (recreation, watershed, and wildlife and fish for both agencies, and also for the BLM natural scenic, scientific, historical, and minerals values). Interestingly, in the 1976 multiple-use mandate for the BLM, Congress said the multiple uses are "not limited to" those mentioned in statute.
For the Forest Service, the mandate is to manage for the combination of uses "that will best meet the needs of the American people," and for BLM, "that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people." Today, the American people clearly favor using their public lands for purposes other than providing saw logs and livestock forage. This trend will continue as America urbanizes and suburbanizes.
While the BLM and the Forest Service have the authority—in fact, the requirement—to periodically rebalance multiple uses, history has shown that the management bureaucracy lags behind in adjusting uses. In piecemeal fashion, Congress has adjusted "multiple use" multiple times and will continue to do so—by the designation of wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, national recreation areas, and other special designations for discrete portions of the National Forest System and public lands. With each new NRA, or expansion of an existing NRA, Congress is rebalancing "multiple use" for the modern era.
Though wilderness and wild-and-scenic-river designations are the bedrock of a sound public lands conservation network, often neither designation provides full landscape conservation. Many NRAs are underpinned by lands designated as wilderness and streams designated as wild and scenic rivers. The most enduring conservation protection is afforded by overlapping designations of wilderness and wild and scenic rivers with an overarching landscape-level conservation designation.
Past and Pending Congressional Action
To date, Congress has established 22 NRAs, administered by the Forest Service as part of the National Forest System. (It has also established 18 National Park Service NRAs.) The statutory language for each NRA applies only to the particular NRA.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has introduced S.2702, a bill to establish a National Recreation Area System that would apply to federal public lands administered by the Forest Service and the BLM. The legislation would establish conservation and management standards for new NRAs. It would still take an act of Congress to establish an NRA. Wyden has separate legislation that would establish the nation's first two BLM NRAs (Molalla and Rogue Canyon, both in Oregon).
I have proposed that a total of 37 (31 Forest Service and 6 BLM) NRAs be established in Oregon. These would replace 72 ranger districts or their BLM equivalent. The NRAs would be based on large watersheds or mountain ranges.
Two almost down and 35 more to go, Senator Wyden.
Tags: Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley
Andy Kerr's
Public Lands Blog
Counties & Federal Lands
Department of Interior
Ecological Reserves
Estuaries
Federal Land
Federal Lands
Forest Service
Keep it in the Ground
Land & Water Cons. Fund
Marine National Monuments
Marine Sanctuaries
Nat'l Conservation Lands
National Monuments Act
National Recreation Area
National Scenic Area
National Trails System
Other Federal Agencies
Premembrances
Preremembrances
A ~1,000-word weekly exposition on some aspect of federal or state public lands in the United States. Some blog posts goes rather deep and serve as a useful (I hope) backgrounders on particular public land areas, matters or issues. Other weeks, you'll find a topical piece addressing a public lands controversy of the moment. This blog not only defends, but also extols, public lands.
Andy Kerr of The Larch Company (www.andykerr.net) splits his time between Ashland, OR and Washington, DC. He has been significantly involved in the enactment of more than 25 pieces of federal and state legislation and in copious litigation pertaining to public lands. Dedicated to the conservation and restoration of nature, The Larch Company is a non-membership for-profit organization that represents species that cannot talk and humans not yet born. A deciduous conifer, the western larch has a contrary nature.
If you wish to contact me, I will probably be glad you did.


Could an animal protect your livestock from predators? Food Animal Concerns Trust hosted Jan Dohner presenting "Livestock Guardian Animals: Llamas, Donkeys and Dogs" as a webinar recently to introduce how these animals can ward off predators and warn producers of predator dangers. She lives on her family farm in Michigan.
It's not a matter of getting a big dog and tossing it outside with the sheep.
As a disclaimer, Dohner said she generalizes in her statements about guardian animals, as exceptions exist among individual animals and on individual farms. But that doesn't detract from the merit of using livestock guardian animals.
By then, most of the larger predators in Britain and Europe had either been driven to remote areas or had been rendered nearly extinct. That's why when colonists came to North America, their first instinct was to kill them. That action brought its own issues, as the coyote population expanded from the West to the rest of the continent since coyotes no longer had natural predators.
Livestock guard dogs have been purposefully bred for a variety of traits for guarding and protecting livestock. They're not herders, pets or companion animals. Though less traditional guardian animals, llamas and donkeys have been added as guardians in more recent years.
She said for success with livestock guardians, farmers need to understand how they work, make the right choice for their situation, discount myths and misconceptions, provide a good environment, use them in combination with other deterrents and understand that guardian animals aren't a "magic bullet" for eliminating the threat of predators.
"In ancient times, llamas were never used for predator control," Dohner said.
Their new role developed as some sheep owners noticed lower losses if they kept a llama with the flock.
"They're highly social, especially if an only llama" in a flock of sheep, Dohner said.
Llamas are naturally aggressive to predators and canines. Mature llamas instinctively protect their young, herd mates and territory.
Llamas also don't challenge fencing or dig, and usually don't threaten humans. For farmers with nearby neighbors, their quiet nature offers an advantage over dogs and donkeys. They're also more easily accepted by stock that exhibits fear of dogs.
But llamas can't provide the same measure of protection as dogs. They're also prey animals themselves.
"I often say they're a good choice for someone with low predator pressure," Dohner said. "It's not fair to place them in a situation where they're at great risk. They can't handle a very serious threat. They're not protective against weasels or birds of prey. Some aren't good at protecting at all.
She advises farmers interested in llamas to obtain mature gelded males or mature female but never an intact male. The animals shouldn't be removed from their peers early. They need to be with other llamas growing up. Dohner also noted that bottle-fed llamas may be overly pushy.
Dohner added that they don't protect the family or farm as a dog would. They're also less successful on large pastures, dense vegetation, extreme heat and humidity. They can't be used alongside dogs and need specialized care.
"They might attempt to breed the flock and be aggressive about food," Dohner said.
Many of these behavioral traits relate to age. Observing the llama with the stock can answer many questions about how the animal will respond.
It also may help to ask the seller for "lessons" on how to lead, catch and handle the llama.
"One thing we've noticed is if lambs are born in a flock with a guardian llama, it will bond more closely with it than their parents," Dohner said.
She said good llama care includes arid pastures and llama mineral mix.
The animals can live outdoors if they have a turn-in and, if it gets below 15 degrees, a heated shelter.
To manage heat stress, the owner may shear them like sheep in the spring and use fans and misters.
Thought they don't typically challenge fencing, despite the fact that many can jump 4.5 feet. But they can crawl under fencing up 12 inches or higher.
"The most tricky thing is they'll stick their heads through openings out of curiosity and they can get stuck," Dohner said.
Llamas' padded feet have large toenails that need trimming annually. Wet pastures can cause rain rot. Some llamas need their teeth floated when older. Males develop six to eight sharp canines between ages two and four.
"Most owners have the vet remove them or have them trimmed," Dohner said.
Unlike social horses, llamas don't like being brushed, but they need thorough grooming a couple times a year. Like most livestock, they need vaccinations and parasite control measures.
Dohner advises would-be llama owners to prepare with the shelter, fencing and catch pen in advance. After bringing it home, pen the llama in a small area for several days. If the stock seems very upset about the newcomer, pen the llama next to them and feed them along the common fence line.
Even for a year afterwards, herdsmen should monitor the livestock's birthing and breeding times.


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https://www.novartis.com/
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis, United States on Nov 24th, 2019
"Negotiate flexible time if it would help you function better in your role. "
One thing Novartis can improve?
"Not much; it's a great place to work"
Hours, Policies, Culture
Is paid parental leave offered, and if so, how much?
"No / Unsure"
Would you recommend Novartis to other women?
How supportive is your manager?
Which benefits are offered?
Parental leave, Health care, Childcare, Pension
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis, United States on Aug 15th, 2019
"Novartis is on a journey to bring out the best in all employees, women and men. We are building a culture that supports curiosity and well being as well as performance excellence with a clear motive: To improve and extend patients lives."
Parental leave, Health care, Childcare, Pension, Fertility
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Mar 26th, 2019
"Worked a lot with working moms that made the hours work. I had women leadership but did not seem to have a great work life balance. "
"Not sure"
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Jan 9th, 2019
"If you work in the right department, you will have a tremendous level of management support for both work-life balance and career development."
Policies, Culture, Hours
6 Weeks Paid | 0 Weeks Unpaid
"Maternity leave has changed recently and I believe there are more paid weeks offered."
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Nov 26th, 2018
"There are many positive initiatives and recently many more women hired into top positions"
18 Weeks Paid | 0 Weeks Unpaid
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Jun 7th, 2018
"Overall great benefits but work flexibility depends on your direct manager"
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Nov 22nd, 2017
"You need to figure out your way of making yourself heard that doesn't upset the male ego. You need to be vocal and show you can excel at your role. "
Principal, Healthcare
"The company says it is implementing diversity but when an opportunity arises to hire women into more senior positions, it doesn't happen. The standard rationale is that the women didn't have enough "leadership experience"."
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Oct 9th, 2017
"You need to work twice as hard as a man if you want to be an executive."
Global Head, Strategy And Operations, Research & Development
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Aug 6th, 2017
"Senior level female here. I can assure you that the company does not see males and females as offering the same degree of contribution to the company. I could write a book. Really. "
Senior Director, Sales
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Jan 17th, 2017
"Although they have women represented in executive positions, a more formal sponsorship program would be helpful"
"Eyes open -if you have real career ambitions, be careful about the jobs you take -and negotiate hard for titles, salaries and benefits. There's little chance to fix things once you are in the role"
Global Head, Regulatory affairs
Anonymous shared this review of Novartis on Mar 21st, 2016
"My chosen profession is generally a male dominated environment. However here at Novartis I have had to female IT leads which has been refreshing to say the least."
"We are all a product of our environment. Implicit gender bias by both men and women exists however there are attempts to balance the disproportionate gender inequality."
"I've worked for 3 different managers so far and my manger has the biggest impact on my work happiness. I worked for 2 men who were workaholics and would make me stay super late very often. Now, I work for a working mom who prioritizes family. My life is so much better working for her! Managers change frequently so don't panic if you get a bad one at first."
"Be ready to compete with men culture and be set aside. You will fight for every thing even to be treated fair. You have to have a coach and a top manager to protect you and help you or it will be almost impossible to grow."
"Advancement is close to impossible. No matter how much or how hard you work. Very flat organization that rewards only a chosen few. Need to be super politically savvy to be able to exist here."
Global Business Analysis


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'I am forever grateful': Flagler County firefighters deliver baby girl New Year's Day
By Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Flagler County firefighters got an unexpected start to 2022 when they helped deliver a baby on New Year's Day.
Officials said Flagler County Fire Rescue Lt. Jon Moscowitz and Firefighter/Paramedic Jimmy Melady helped deliver Traci Kuehn's baby girl in the back of an ambulance as they transported her to AdventHealth Daytona Beach.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Baby Sunnie arrived at 6:02 p.m., on Jan. 1, 10 weeks early, weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces. Officials said baby and mom are recovering and doing well, and baby Sunnie remains in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, where she's receiving the highest level of pediatric care, due to her early arrival.
READ: California twins born 15 minutes apart: One in 2021, the other in 2022
Kuehn expressed her gratitude to Moscowitz and Melady for assisting in safely bringing baby Sunnie into the world.
"These guys are my heroes, I am so thankful and grateful for their swift action," Kuehn said.
READ: Oviedo couple welcomes first baby of the new year
It wasn't the first time either Moscowitz or Melady delivered a baby on the job, but perhaps the most memorable.
"This is something that we will always remember because one it doesn't happen too frequently in the back of an ambulance and I'm assuming that New Year's babies don't get born in the back of the ambulance, even less frequently," Melady said.
Fire Chief Michael Tucker said he was overwhelmed with joy when he heard the news.
"What a great way to ring in the New Year, thanks to Flagler County's finest firefighter/paramedics," Tucker said.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com
Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.


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‧World Business
Home / World Business
Fri, Feb 02, 2007 - Page 10 News List
Michael Dell returns to the helm
BATTERED Last year Dell lost its No. 1 position to rival Hewlett-Packard Co, which extended its lead in a worldwide tally of PC sales for the second quarter in a row
AP , DALLAS
Dell Inc, battered by battery recalls and disappointing earnings, said that chairman Michael Dell will return to run the company he had built into one of the world's largest makers of personal computers.
Dell's appointment is effective immediately. He replaces Kevin Rollins, who also resigned as a member of the board.
Dell shares, which fell US$0.07 to close on Wednesday at US$24.22 on the NASDAQ, jumped US$0.92, or 3.7 percent, in after hours activity.
During Rollins' tenure, Dell was battered by a recall of 4.1 million potentially flammable notebook batteries made by Sony Corp and by disappointing earnings. The company on Wednesday forecast fourth-quarter profit and sales below analysts' consensus estimates of US$0.32 per share on sales of US$15.3 billion.
The company's accounting practices also are the subject of federal scrutiny. The US attorney for the Southern District of New York has subpoenaed documents related to Dell's financial reporting from 2002 to the present.
Dell, 41, has served as chairman since founding the company in 1984 and was chief executive officer (CEO) until 2004, when he hand-picked Rollins as his successor. Dell defended the beleaguered executive in September, saying Rollins was not solely responsible for the company's recent missteps.
Rollins joined Dell in 1996 and had a variety of roles before becoming CEO, including chief operating officer, vice chairman and president of Dell Americas. Before Dell, he was vice president and partner of Bain & Co management consultants.
"Kevin has been a great business partner and friend," Dell said in a statement on Wednesday.
"He has made significant contributions to our business over the past 10 years. I wish him much success in the future," he added.
Dell's direct sales model, which allows businesses and consumers to buy equipment directly from Dell, turned the company into a leading computer manufacturer and a Wall Street juggernaut with one successful earnings announcement after another.
But in recent years Dell has been stung by a glut of low-cost, low-profit PCs and weaker than anticipated sales of pricier, more lucrative desktops and notebooks.
Just last year Dell lost its No. 1 position in the industry to rival Hewlett-Packard (HP) Co.
Recent reports from IDC and Gartner Inc showed HP outgrowing the rest of the PC market and extending its lead over Dell in a worldwide tally of PC sales for the second quarter in a row.
HP's sales jumped 24 percent in the fourth quarter -- its best such period since 2000 -- while Dell's sales dropped about 9 percent. The shift left HP with 17 percent to 18 percent of the worldwide market in the fourth quarter, to Dell's 14 percent to 15 percent.
Dell has been trying to orchestrate a turnaround effort for several months now. Called "Dell 2.0," the plan seeks to improve customer service to help it compete with rivals.
The accounting probe, meanwhile, remains unresolved.
Dell's earnings statements from the second and third quarters have yet to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission amid the ongoing probe. Last week, Dell said it would supply NASDAQ with the reports, along with any restated financial documents, by March 14.
Analysts were generally surprised by the announcement but expressed hope that Michael Dell's return would reinvigorate the faltering company.


as numerous nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends. A Memorial service/Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the Atchelitz Hall located at 6542 Lickman Road, in Chilliwack, BC. The Family would be honoured if you could come and share any stories that you have of Kaye.


Umbrella Company v Limited Company battle.
Although the Government didn't intend it to be this way, the Agency Workers Regulations has tilted the raging battle back towards Limited Companies from Umbrella Companies.
We saw how, in a previous article, that Agencies were nudging contractors towards Limited Companies because of AWR. That's even though it is illegal to do so. HMRC could ask agencies to stump up the difference between what a contractor would pay in taxes and NI contributions as an Umbrella Company contractor and what he would pay as a Limited Company contractor.
This difference is reckoned to be about £10,000 a year per contractor.
That's potentially a massive bill for agencies if HMRC catch them at it.
It is thought that mainstream Umbrella Companies are holding their ground at best. Many are losing contractors who are going the Limited Company route.
Previously it was not only those who were likely to be inside IR35 that went the umbrella route. They also attracted those who didn't want the hassle of running a Limited Company.
There are also those whom agencies would just shove into Limited Companies. Presumably that was because it was good for the agencies.
Now, many of those contractors who are potentially outside IR35 are looking at the possibility of converting to a Limited Company.
Although not an absolute match, if you are inside IR35, AWR is likely to hit you as well – and vice versa.
So, while some Limited Company contractors who were probably not inside IR35 went into Umbrella Companies, anyway, they don't necessarily want to be inside AWR as well.
The reason is that clients are less likely to want contractors who are inside of AWR whom they might have to give many of the permie perks like sick pay and holidays.
The contractors don't want to be less employable.
Previously agencies considered it in their best interests to send contractors the Umbrella Company route. They often have relationships with particular Umbrella Companies. They tell contractors that they must go this route.
Now some agencies have swapped sides.
The reason they are doing this is that clients are less likely to take Umbrella Company contractors now.
One agency is even refusing to put forward Umbrella Company contractors.
This is a massive risk for them. If HMRC finds that they are trying to suggest to contractors that they should go the Limited Company route, HMRC could charge them for the difference in the tax take for that contractor as stated above.
However, they seem to think it is worth the risk. That's even though one agency is being investigated by HMRC at the moment for a massive sum of money.
The Umbrella Company v Limited Company battle rages on.
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Jeff McIlwain has been producing his diverse, melodic strain of abstract electronic music as Lusine for a decade-and-a-half. Lusine, which translates from Armenian to English as "moon", is the moniker of Seattle-based McIlwain, one of the most special artists that has given electronic dance in the last two decades.
Originally a Texas native, McIlwain relocated to his current home of Seattle in late 2002 and began steadily releasing his music on Ghostly International. He has also contributed tracks to various compilations and remix releases from Mute, !K7, Kompakt, Asthmatic Kitty, and Shitkatapult. Following Lusines acclaimed The Waiting Room from 2013 and 2014s Arterial EP (which was accompanied by a groundbreaking video from Christophe Thockler), comes the new full-length, Sensorimotor, released in 2017 on Ghostly International.
In his fourth full length with Ghostly International, McIlwain takes a small step from his previously more pop induced sound. It is relaxing and intimate, while still being one of the grooviest dance records in a long time. Sensorimotor is like its own little ecosystem of textures and layers, that conveys a tasteful representation of Jeff's production ability and innovation.We hear the celestial clamor and clash of numerous rhythms that are symbolic of Lusine's sound, countered with a breakdown that casts some darker shadows above.
Sesonsrimotor may not be as strong in Lusine's pop capability as his previous releases. However, MciLwain offers up an array of talents on this album, fusing the real world with cyberspace and allows the listener to let their imagination run wild, daydreaming through the many mods, moments and melodies.


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Commercial and Charitable Solicitations, Commercial Transactions
This policy seeks to insure that the rights and responsibilities of students and the members of the public with regard to activities on campus are met and balanced with the University's obligation to provide a safe, private, scholastic environment.
All audiences.
For questions about this policy, please contact Campus Operations at 541-346-2270 or the Office of General Counsel at 541-346-3043.
Former Oregon Administrative Rule Chapter 571 Division 30
The University of Oregon recognizes the right of its students to familiarize themselves with divergent points of view and to associate with whomever they choose. The University further recognizes the right of members of the public to enter the campus of the University and to engage in lawful and peaceful activities while there. It is the belief of the administration of the University of Oregon that encouragement of these rights will lead to a broader, richer education for its students. Rights do not exist without responsibilities, however. Nor is the University without an obligation to provide a safe, private, scholastic environment in which its students may pursue their studies without interference. To insure that both the rights and the responsibilities are satisfied as fully as possible, the University has adopted the following rules concerning public access to the campus. They are designed to strike a balance which will provide free access and protect the educational environment without sacrificing one to the other.
(1) Definitions. As used in this policy, the following definitions apply:
"Sale", "selling", or "purchasing" mean an activity which creates an activity or obligation to transfer property or services for a valuable consideration;
"Commercial solicitation" means any direct and personal communication in the course of a trade or business reasonably intended to result in a sale;
"Private sale" means occasional selling between persons who are campus students or employees;
"Commercial transactions" means selling or purchasing or both selling and purchasing by any person in the course of employment in, or in the carrying on of, a trade or business. To the extent a non-profit organization or charity is selling a tangible product or is offering a tangible product with the expectation of thereby obtaining an immediate and direct contribution, this aspect of the entity's activity shall be deemed for the purposes of this policy to be a commercial transaction;
"Interference standard" describes the basis on which University officials will make an activity impact judgement (i.e., extent to which an activity or proposed activity limits, impedes or makes more costly than normal the use or function of an area);
"Charitable solicitation" means any direct and personable communication in the course of the operations of a not-for-profit organization reasonably intended to result in a sale or monetary contribution;
"Not-for-profit organization" means any group of individuals, formally or informally organized for the purpose of promoting the well-being of the public at large or for benefitting an indefinite number of persons, including but not limited to educational, literary or scientific purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, or for the benefit of religion, rehabilitation services, public recreation, civic improvement or services which lessen the burdens on government, and also means any entity to whom a donation would qualify for a tax credit under ORS 316.102.
(2) Commercial and charitable solicitation and commercial transactions are prohibited on campus except upon written application by the vendor or solicitor and with written permission by the University President or the President's designated representative. The President has designated the Director of Erb Memorial Union as the Official designee to carry out the provisions of this policy. The Director of Erb Memorial Union shall, when the facilities affected are other than those of Erb Memorial Union, consult with the appropriate administrator:
(a) The application shall include:
The applicant's name, address, and tele-phone number;
The name, address, and telephone number of the company or organization represented by the applicant;
The purpose of the visit to campus;
The type of activity to be engaged in;
The duration of the visit; and
Any other information which is relevant to the granting or denial of permission to engage in the above-mentioned activities.
(b) Permission shall be granted if the proposed activity:
Aids achievement of the educational or cultural objectives of the campus;
Does not interfere with the operations of the campus;
Is not prohibited by law or rule or policy;
In the case of commercial solicitations and for-profit commercial transactions, pays the University a minimum of rental for use of space, or ten percent (10%) of gross proceeds, whichever is greater;
Does not conflict with terms of other contracts for sales or services already at the University;
In the case of commercial solicitations and for-profit commercial transactions does not continue more than two (2) days and is not a frequently requested privilege. In the case of charitable solicitations and not-for-profit charitable transactions which occur on a continuing or repeated basis, permission must be reobtained at the beginning of each academic term;
Does not conflict with similar sales or services offered by departments of the University.
(3) Any person granted permission under section (2) of this policy to engage in commercial or charitable solicitation or commercial transactions must abide by any time, place or manner restrictions which may be imposed as a condition to the granting of such permission. These restrictions include, but are not limited to, the number of presentations within a given period of time as determined by the Director of Erb Memorial Union in consultation with other University administrators whose unit may be affected.
(4) Commercial and charitable solicitation and commercial transactions are prohibited in all areas where such activity will, or is likely to, interfere with the normal functions of that area. Such areas include, but are not limited to:
(a) Individual student rooms, hallways, stairwells and lavatories in the dwelling areas and the interior and food service areas of dining rooms in residence halls. Use of residence hall lounges and meeting rooms will be allowed only with the permission of the Director of Housing (using an interference standard) and a majority vote of the residents of that unit. Use of dining hall lobbies will be allowed only with permission of the Director of Housing, applying the same standard;
(b) Classrooms, except with written permission of the Director of Erb Memorial Union and written consent of the instructor;
(c) Meeting rooms, auditoriums, or general assembly areas except with written permission from the Director of Erb Memorial Union;
(d) Libraries;
(e) Faculty and administrative offices; and
(f) Any other areas designated by the President or the Director of Erb Memorial Union on behalf of the President.
(5) Persons who violate the provisions of this policy shall be disciplined as follows:
(a) Members of the campus community shall be disciplined in accordance with the procedure which is appropriate with that person's status as a student, faculty member, administrator, employee, or other category;
(b) Non-members of the campus community shall be prohibited from entering upon the campus for purposes of commercial and/or charitable solicitation or commercial transactions for a period of not more than one year. Those who violate this prohibition shall be subject to trespass laws.
(6) Nothing in this policy shall affect private sales.
(7) Nothing in this policy shall affect advertising in campus newspapers, radio or television stations.
(8) Nothing in this policy shall affect commercial solicitations and commercial transactions by vendors providing sales and services to offices, employees or agents of the University of Oregon for the conduct of University business.
(9) Commercial and charitable door-to-door solicitation in Family Housing areas shall be managed as follows:
(a) Each person desiring to solicit door-to-door must fill out a request-to-solicit form at the area office once a year. Forms record applicant's name, address and telephone number; company name, address and telephone number; purpose of visit; type of activity and length of visit;
(b) The area director will file each request and will permit any person or group to solicit door-to-door once an academic term. Solicitors will receive a written approval pass which should be carried and displayed on request during the course of their visit to the Family Housing Area;
(c) Solicitors may return to established customers without reapplying for permission, but shall renew the request-to-solicit form the same month each year.


Games in this category can be played on any device including Mobile phones, iPhone, Tablet etc.
Classic arcade action at it's best! Strike down similar bubbles to fill your energy bar! Once filled, you are able to use powerful boosters like bombs and iron balls! Solve difficult level and beat up the highscore!
Free the bird in this cool online mobile game! Fly fast and bring the bird back to his home in this fun free online action game for your mobile! You can train your skill and have a lot of action for free! Collect coins and boosters! Take of evil birds and reach the highscore! Start playing the game right now online on your smartphone. It's absolutely free! Enjoy the flight and the action in this great free mobile game.
This famous game was started by @teamsnowman at HackExeter. Finished by Logan Engstrom & Garrett Funucane. The goal of Hextris is to stop blocks from leaving the inside of the outer gray hexagon.


The curse of cancer has consumed millions of people worldwide, and it continues to be the second leading cause of death in the US. Most of the times, cancer becomes incurable only because it is diagnosed at a later stage. Among all the forms of cancer, pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult ones to diagnose. Patients seek help at a point when the tumor becomes beyond removable. That is one of the reasons that the survival rate for such patients is extremely low.
In many cases, Jaundice is an early sign of this disease leading to discoloration of skin and eyes. It is caused when the cancerous growth in the pancreas obstructs the bile duct, thus building up bilirubin in the blood. The discoloration is visible to the naked eye only when it has reached severe stages. Researchers at the University of Washington have proposed the idea of using a smartphone camera for detecting the bilirubin levels in humans.
Researchers have developed the smartphone app by the name of 'BiliScreen' that takes a picture of user's eye with the camera and applies computer vision algorithms and machine learning tools to calculate increased bilirubin levels. It does the task by analyzing the color information from the white portion of the eye, known as the sclera. A clinical study tested the app on 70 people and correctly identified 89.75 percent cases, showing even better results than the trials conducted using blood tests for jaundice detection.
You can perform a jaundice test using the app along with two accessories that dismiss the effects of varying light conditions. Paper glasses printed with colored squares that help the app to calibrate color according to light conditions and a 3D-printed box that blocks ambient lighting. The app not only helps in diagnosis but also eases the process of tracking the effects of the treatment.
The research has started to work on an algorithm to diagnose Pancreatic cancer in its early stages, but the same can be applied to diagnose other conditions like Osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic bone condition that produces a slight blue tinge in the sclera. Other ailments like Diabetes, Hyperemia, and Conjunctivitis also affect the coloration of the eye. Hence, such diseases can be diagnosed by tweaking these algorithms as per the demand.
The team hopes to make the app more accessible to a wider network of people as well as remove the need for additional accessories to make its usage a tad niftier.


text:
Unions, senator file 3rd lame-duck lawsuit in Wisconsin
Posted 11:20 am, February 4, 2019, by AP Wire Service, Updated at 11:28AM, February 4, 2019
MADISON — A coalition of labor unions and a Democratic lawmaker filed another lawsuit Monday challenging last-minute measures Wisconsin Republicans approved last year to weaken the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general, arguing the new laws are illegal and place an "incalculable" financial burden on taxpayers.
GOP legislators passed a sweeping package of legislation in December to weaken new Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul, both Democrats. The measure prohibits Evers from withdrawing from lawsuits, a move designed to block him from pulling Wisconsin out of a multistate lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act. Other key provisions in the bill force Kaul to get approval from the Legislature's budget committee before settling lawsuits, allow lawmakers to intervene in lawsuits and restrict early-voting hours.
Liberal-leaning groups including the League of Women voters filed a lawsuit in Dane County court last month challenging the laws, arguing Republicans convened illegally to adopt the legislation. Liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now challenged the early voting restrictions in federal court last month and convinced U.S. District Judge James Peterson to block them.
Now comes a third lawsuit. Five unions, including the Service Employees International Union and the Wisconsin chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, and their members along with state Sen. Janet Bewley filed the action in Dane County court. The lawsuit brands the lame-duck laws "an assault on the will of the voters and an unprecedented 'power grab.'"
The lawsuit alleges the new statutes violate the Wisconsin Constitution's separation of powers doctrine, which divides government into executive, legislative and judiciary branches. The laws essentially steal power form the executive branch and transfers it to the legislative branch, the lawsuit contends, creating confusion about the state's position in key litigation. The lawsuit points out that Evers tried to order Kaul in his State of the State address last month to withdraw from the ACA lawsuit only to have Kaul say he can't without legislative approval. Republicans haven't responded.
"It is particularly troubling that the extraordinary legislation imposes extra hurdles on the Attorney General and the Governor in situations where they wish to take the position that a given law is unconstitutional," the lawsuit said. "This prevents the Executive Branch from fulfilling its key role as an independent, democratically accountable check on the Legislature should the Legislature pass an unconstitutional law."
The filing also takes issue with requirements that by July 1 state agencies take down all public communications explaining how they're interpreting laws, unless they send all the publications through a new process that includes a public comment period. The lawsuit alleges that means vast numbers of basic government communications could disappear, including employer handbooks on unemployment benefits, Division of Motor Vehicles bulletins about driver's license exams and Department of Children and Families forms laying out eligibility requirements for child support.
The filing also alleges the laws could mean higher legal bills for the state since lawmakers can now insert themselves in lawsuits using private attorneys. It notes that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos recently released a contract showing taxpayers are paying at least $840,000 to defend Republican lawmakers in a federal redistricting lawsuit and plan to hire private attorneys at taxpayer expense to defend the lame-duck laws against the League of Women Voters.
"The financial burden that will be imposed on Wisconsin taxpayers as a result of this chaos and inefficiency is incalculable," the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit concludes with an argument that the budget committee lacks the power to decide whether to settle a lawsuit because the 16-member panel doesn't have enough members to constitute a majority of the Senate or Assembly.
'The people deserve better than this:' Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds GOP's lame-duck laws
Wisconsin Supreme Court conservatives attack lame-duck arguments
Attorney General Josh Kaul says he would likely defend Act 10
Wisconsin no longer part of multistate lawsuit seeking repeal of Affordable Care Act
Wisconsin withdraws from lawsuit challenging EPA plan
Judge rejects GOP attempt to intervene in Planned Parenthood suit challenging WI abortion restrictions
Federal court allows Wisconsin to leave health care lawsuits
Attorney General Josh Kaul won't restart juvenile prison investigation
Lawsuit seeks to block Georgia law that bans most abortions
High court ruling likely ends Wisconsin redistricting case
Wisconsin Democrats set to promote new redistricting plan
Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul asks for public input on official legal opinions
Gov. Evers on claims GOP legislative leaders are sexist: 'You connect the dots'


text:
Donate to FASI
Essential Sign Library
Author Archives: Wade Swormstedt
How the International Sign Association Ended up in Virginia
In 1980, the National Electric Sign Assn. was in turmoil. The January 1981 editorial in Signs of the Times magazine began with "This publication has been filled with anguish for many months now watching, sometimes in disbelief, the internal strife that has beset and virtually halted the progress of the National Electric Sign Assn. We […]
Sign Research Foundation Publishes Executive Summary of "Best Practices in Developing Sign Regulations"
The Sign Research Foundation (SRF) has published a four-page executive summary https://signresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/Best-Practices-in-Developing-Sign-Regulations-Executive-Summary.pdf of a research project conducted and written by Dr. Dawn Jourdan (Texas A&M), Dr. Eric Strauss (Michigan State) and Madeline Hunter. The work includes a survey of 17 communities with regard to citizen involvement (or the lack thereof) with regard to sign regulations. Part […]
USSCF Announces Reformation of USSCF Sign Defense Fund
The United States Sign Council Foundation has announced the reformation of its USSC Legal Defense Fund (formerly the LDF Legal Defense Fund). The Sign Defense Fund is designed to help sign companies and sign owners combat defective and unconstitutional local sign zoning ordinances. Sign applicants and/or sign companies apply to the USSCF for a grant […]
"Blocked" Billboard Ruled Not a "Taking" by Wisconsin Supreme Court
(Ed. note: The following excerpts are taken verbatim from the Wisconsin Bar Association website. https://www.wisbar.org/NewsPublications/Pages/General-Article.aspx?ArticleID=26432 ) "The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled (4-3) that the City of Madison's construction of a pedestrian bridge over a major highway, blocking visibility of an existing billboard, was not a taking of property requiring just compensation." "Adams Outdoor Advertising Limited […]
AACSRE Journal Provides Study of Signage Needs of Independent Businesses
In the most recent edition of The Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, one article is entitled "Providing brand guidance for independent businesses: A supplement to District Signage Standards." Written by Lisa Fontaine, Associate Professor, Department of Graphic Design, and Susan L. Bradbury, Professor, Department of Community & Regional Planning, both at Iowa State University, the […]
Advice on Reed v. Gilbert Included in AACSRE Interdisciplinary Journal
An article in the 2017 Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, which is published biannually by the Academic Advisory Council for Signage Research and Education (AACSRE), offers advice for communities with regard to their sign codes in the aftermath of the SCOTUS Reed v. Gilbert 2015 decision. Written by Alan Weinstein, who is the director/professor […]
USSCF Provides Studies at American Planning Association Annual Convention
The United States Sign Council Foundation (USSCF) attended the APA convention in New Orleans in April. It emphasized its Model Code, Guideline Sign Standards, and Guideline Sign Lighting Standards. Twenty USSCF sign-research projects have been completed since 1998, and all were made available to planners, either in printed form, on CD, or from the new […]
How Chicago Capitalized on Electronic Billboards
In 2013, the City of Chicago inked a 20-year deal for 34 electronic billboards (initially, but a total of 60 are anticipated) along the interstate. Chicago received an initial payment of $15 million, with subsequent annual payments of $10 million. In addition, the city was to initially receive 50% of the advertising revenue from the messages […]
Health-care Facility Wayfinding Best Practices Report Published
The Sign Research Foundation (SRF) has released the results of a new study entitled "Wayfinding Management: Models & Methods in Healthcare Environments." A news release about the study states, "Seven case studies dive into the people, processes, and tools that large medical facilities in the U.S. implemented to manage their wayfinding systems, from static signage […]
Value of Signs Article Published in Public Policy Journal
An article entitled "Understanding the Value of On-Premise Signs as Marketing Devices for Legal and Public Policy Purposes" has been published in the American Marketing Association's Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. Co-authored by Villanova professor Charles R. Taylor, Matthew E. Sarkees (Villanova) and Hae-Kyong Bang (West Virginia), the study includes the results of a […]
Fastsigns CEO Named to List of Most Admired Executives
Pittsburgh Steelers Appeal City's Ruling on Signage
Ameris Bank Launches New Identity
Old Navy has Big Plans to Expand its Store Network
Brief History of the Former Electrical Products Corp.
Legal Considerations in Sign-Code Development
Penn State Study Examines the Effect of Fonts
A History of the Highway Beautification Act
How business profitability is enhanced by effective quality signage.
Foundation for the Advancement of the Sign Industry | 6102 Maplewood Drive | New Port Richey, FL 34653


text:
Wrapper to the supermarket singularity cookbook

TODO:  this recipe isn't working yet.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Published 04/23/2019 06:29:24 pm at 04/23/2019 06:29:24 pm in Plants That Keep Mosquitoes Away.
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Valentine, you make me Loopy! All at Walmart: Loopy Straws in the birthday supply isle, 6 for .97, Pretzels bags by the Wilton Cake supplies, scrapbook paper, Avery round 2″ labels in office supply.
Blow Me a Kiss Valentines! SO cute!


text:
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Product details of Tide® Garden Bloom Powder Laundry Detergent 1.55kg + FREE 400g!
Gulat sa linis! Gulat sa Sulit!
1 Tide bag is equivalent to 2 bags of the leading brand.
Breeze powder detergent believes that children should feel free to explore, learn and develop – and sometimes getting a few stains along the way is part of that process.
Axion Paste Baking Soda with Lemon Tub 400g - With baking soda. Triple power, Ultra Grease Stripper and Anti-bacterial.
Joy Anti-Bacterial Oxi Dishwashing the only one approved to kill 99.9% of salmonella, e. coli and staph on dishes in seconds.
Surf Detergent Powder Soup Blossom Fresh infused with freshness petals, leaves clothes smelling fresh for longer and also noticeably clean. Surf Powder Antibac contains 5 herbal extracts to keep clothes thoroughly clean and free from harmful bacteria.