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Drones for Agricultural
Commercial Drones | Using drones in commercial applications Enhance your business
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Taking down drones is turning into a big business
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Taking down drones is turning into a big business2019-04-292019-04-29https://mdpair.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/mdpair-logo.pngmdpAIRhttps://mdpair.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/mdpair-logo.png200px200px
Just shoot them down?
After troublesome drones infiltrated London's Gatwick airport late last year, disrupting passenger flights and costing potentially millions of pounds in revenue, that was the instinctive question posed by the watching world.
But for some businesses, shooting them down is a dangerous and unfeasible answer. They're starting to tout better ideas: firing a net, jamming the drone, using a bigger drone to scoop it up.
These companies are part of an emerging industry offering myriad solutions, all hoping to solve the problems caused when drones fly where they're not supposed to fly. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced in early 2018 it had logged more than one million registered drones, and Goldman Sachs Group predicts that by 2020, there will be 7.8 million shipments of consumer drones — an industry worth $3.3 billion in revenue. But as drones proliferate, major incidents will likely increase, raising questions about how to keep wayward devices in check.
"Laws will not stop drones; only technology will," said Joerg Lamprecht, chief executive officer and co-founder of Dedrone Holdings, a company that specializes in drone detection. "The race is on; the future is unmanned; and we've got to be staying in charge and in control."
Google, Amazon
Drones are becoming cheaper, increasingly accessible and more frequently used in business. An offshoot of Alphabet's Google, Wing Aviation, last week became the first drone operator to receive government approval as an airline, enabling it to begin routine deliveries in U.S. skies.
Amazon has experimented with delivery by drone, and construction companies like McCarthy Building are using them to survey sites. Drone photography is proliferating and has sparked drone film festivals, and a breed of the devices designed for racing is rapidly gaining popularity. Let's not forget finance types, who can invest in an ETF dedicated to drone-focused stocks.
But when drones become problematic, and require detecting and disabling, it's too dangerous to just shoot them down, even if that seems like the easiest answer, according to Arthur Holland Michel, co-director at the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College in New York. Bullets aimed at drones need to land somewhere, potentially causing damage and harm.
Nimble flyers
In any event, drones aren't that easy to hit. Take the example of the DJI Phantom 4, the most popular drone in the U.S., according to the FAA data, analyzed by Bard. This drone — succeeded now by newer models — has a top speed of about 45 miles per hour, can fly as high as 3.7 miles, and has an almost 30-minute flight time, according to its manufacturer SZ DJI Technology.
Drones designed for racing are even more nimble. Their top speeds can reach into the triple digits; they can change direction instantly and have a dangerous tendency to fall out of the sky when their operator signal is cut.
"You cannot simply do it with existing technologies used with shooting regular aircraft," Holland Michel said.
Wreaking havoc
Drones have wreaked havoc on a number of occasions. In the Gatwick case, drone incursions halting travel for more than 120,000 people over 36 hours. In August last year, two drones laden with explosives attacked Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a military parade.
In 2015, a drone with landed on the roof of the office of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Also in 2015, a drone accidentally crashed onto the lawn of the White House, triggering a brief lockdown.
"It's a large issue, and not just for airports, but for everybody that shares airspace above their head," said Jim Hall, who is a former chairman at the National Transportation Safety Board.
Companies including Dedrone, OpenWorks Engineering, Fortem Technologies, DroneShield and the nonprofit charitable trust Battelle say they have solutions. They're all developing counter-UAS, or unmanned aircraft system, solutions. The technology is very new — at times so new that its terminology is not yet standardized.
Cannons, mesh
U.K.-based OpenWorks sells a shoulder-mounted cannon that fires a net to catch the drone. DroneShield, based in Sydney, offers a large, gun-shaped jammer that when triggered will force a drone to land, or fall out of the sky. Dedrone, based in San Francisco, creates a mesh network designed to detect and identify drones based on how they "talk" to the operator by intercepting signals, feeding this information to a complementary jamming system developed by Battelle, of Columbus, Ohio.
Fortem Technologies uses a specialized radar to detect the drone — and attaches it to a bigger and faster drone. The firm's DroneHunter can chase the target "like a dog on a leash," leading to its capture, said the Pleasant Grove, Utah-based company's Chief Executive Officer Timothy Bean.
OpenWorks says it has deployed hundreds of its devices. DroneShield, which went public in 2016 and trades on the Australian Stock Exchange, signed an accord with STC Specialized, an arm of the Saudi Telecom Company, in March, to cooperate on sales opportunities.
Careful application
These technologies have to be carefully applied, and not just used at will. Drones are considered aircraft under federal law — and just like regular aircraft, it's illegal for citizens to sabotage or destroy them. The penalty can be up to 20 years of prison, said Michael Beylkin, an attorney in the Denver office of Fox Rothschild, a law firm with specialties including laws governing drones used in media and entertainment.
There are no exceptions, unless the aircraft is invading your private space, according to Beylkin. Even then, a drone would have to be dive-bombing a person repeatedly, and the response can only be proportionate, he said.
"Airspace is not defined the same way as your land borders," he said. "The airspace above your house is not your property."
Devices that aim to jam drones similarly cannot be used outside of strict parameters: They are restricted devices that law permits only federal agencies to use. And with the new technology comes other limitations: Jamming devices don't discriminate between targets and can disrupt everything from Wi-Fi internet to other planes. Pursuit drones need to be faster and more agile than their targets requiring significant technological innovation.
For the former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Hall, the answer is better legislation, military-grade technology, and closer cooperation on the issue between authorities and operators.
"The drone issue is an extremely important issue," said Hall. "It is an emerging safety concern which I don't think most Americans are focused on."
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The State of Email in 2018: Webinar Recording + Q&A
The email landscape is constantly changing, making it harder than ever to create high-performing email programs. New email clients, devices, unsubscribe functionality, and privacy laws will have an impact on your 2018 marketing programs.
In this webinar, the Litmus marketing team talked about what you need to succeed in a volatile industry, including our five key insights from the 2018 State of Email Report.
See how your plans stack up against some of the biggest challenges facing marketing teams and hear about the strategies and resources you need to tackle them head-on. Along the way, we shared a behind-the-scenes look at how we're approaching those challenges here at Litmus.
We discussed:
What we learned from tracking 15 billion opens to observe changes in email client market share
How new devices and rendering changes can impact email design, putting brand reputation and customer experience at risk
Why inbox providers like Inbox by Gmail and Yahoo! Mail are making it easier for consumers to unsubscribe
Practical suggestions for knowing when to take advantage of major design trends—or when to stay off the bandwagon
How changes in anti-spam and privacy regulations, like GDPR, are changing subscriber relationships
Watch the recording above, download the slides, and read the Q&A below:
We didn't have time to get to all of the questions during the live webinar, but we've answered them here on our blog. If you have any additional questions, please leave them in the comments.
What percentage of subscribers mark email as "spam" if it isn't optimized for mobile?
Chad: Forty-three percent of consumers say that they've marked a sender's emails as spam because they didn't render or display well on their smartphone, according to our Adapting to Consumers' New Definition of Spam research with Fluent. Clearly many consumers feel that if they can't read and interact with a brand's emails on their smartphone, then there's no point in staying subscribed—and some of those consumers will use the "report spam" button to unsubscribe.
How does list-unsubscribe work?
Jason: List-unsubscribe works similar to how normal unsubscribes are processed. Just like how subscribers can visit a landing page or email you to unsubscribe, list-unsubscribe builds that functionality into the email via its headers. When a subscriber taps "unsubscribe" in an email client, that email client notifies the ESP to unsubscribe them. If the ESP supports list-unsubscribe, the recipient's email is removed from that list.
It's important to note that not all email clients support list-unsubscribe—or expose it in the same way—but the mechanism is largely standardized. Read our blog post, The Ultimate Guide to List-Unsubscribe, to learn more.
Do you think AMP for Email from Google will impact how other email clients render emails?
Jason: It's still unclear whether or not AMP for Email will have any impact on the industry at large. Since the project is still in its early days, we can't really say. Although Gmail has a large market share, there are a lot of challenges standing in AMP's way: ESPs would need to invest engineering resources to allow for sending a new MIME type, email marketers will effectively need to learn a new markup language and get buy-in for using AMP, and other email clients will need to develop support for a competitor's tools. But, as I said, it's still early days.
You can read more about AMP for Email in our blog post on the subject, or get some opinions in this episode of The Email Design Podcast.
What's the latest on the Microsoft/Litmus partnership?
Jason: The Microsoft and Litmus partnership is still very much alive and has resulted in some great updates from Microsoft. Since it was launched, we've reported over 100 bugs to Microsoft, which has been hard at work prioritizing those issues and addressing them. As a result, we've seen a number of great updates that have made email marketers' lives easier:
Media query support for Outlook apps
Background image support on Outlook.com
Animated GIF support in Windows 10 Mail
The partnership has also led us to release Email Previews for the Outlook apps for both Android and iOS, making testing in those clients quick and pain-free. You can learn more about our partnership with Microsoft and the updates that came out of it here.
How important are re-engagement and re-permission campaigns for senders on a shared IP? Could they affect sender reputation or deliverability?
Chad: A shared IP address can give your sender reputation a little bit of cover, but sender reputations are now also attached to domain names. So, if your sender domain is associated with no engagement, that can hurt your deliverability.
But deliverability concerns are really just one of four major reasons to run re-engagement and re-permission campaigns. These campaigns also:
Increase the engagement of your subscribers, leading to more conversions and revenue
Boost your engagement metrics and reduce the drag caused by inactive subscribers, making it easier to see meaningful changes in your key performance indicators, the impact of A/B testing, etc.
Keep you in compliance with CASL, GDPR, and other regulations, as well as protect your email program from recycled spam traps
Why do you consider higher open rates not important given that some ISPs judge a sender based on engagement?
Chad: My point during the webinar is that we put far too much emphasis on open rates as a key performance indicator—especially when it comes to unwisely using open rates to determine subject line success. Opens are important, but clicks are much more important. Even more important than clicks are conversions.
Open rates are a surface metric that can lead to poor conclusions. Instead, focus on deep metrics like conversion rates that are much more closely aligned with business goals. Do that and open rates will take care of themselves.
For more insights on using the right metrics to draw the right conclusions, check out our Email Tactics Customers Hate webinar.
How can marketers send effective emails in the age of content overload?
Jason: Standing out in the inbox is a constant struggle. Companies are sending more emails than ever, leading to swamped inboxes and reactionary features like Gmail's "Promotions" tab. The best way create effective emails is to know your audience. While it can be tempting to invest in shiny objects like interactive emails, understanding the makeup of your audience, their interests, and their needs is what you really need to stand out in the age of content overload.
The number one priority for email marketers in 2018 is boosting the level of personalization in campaigns. Personalization works best when it goes beyond the basics, like using a subscriber's first name, and looks at their historical email engagement and behavior across channels to help identify opportunities for sending content (and even custom email designs) tailored to them. Knowing your audience allows you to send more valuable content, which is the best way to stay relevant.
Beyond that, it's helpful to look at what other marketers are focusing on to get inspiration for your own campaigns. That's where resources like our Top Email Design Trends of 2018 blog post and websites like Really Good Emails come into play. Browse around and see what works for others, then adapt those ideas for your own use cases—keeping your audience in mind the whole time
What's the difference between mobile-aware and mobile-responsive emails?
Jason: Email design and development terminology can get very confusing, especially when it comes to mobile emails. There are a lot of different development techniques used and, sometimes, even different names for the same technique.
Mobile-aware emails refer to campaigns that don't use any special coding techniques to adapt email designs between different device sizes. Instead, they are designed by default to be usable both on desktops and when scaled down for mobile devices. They typically use simpler layouts (usually single-column designs), large type, succinct copy, and large calls-to-action that can be tapped both by a mouse pointer and someone's thumb.
Mobile-responsive, or just responsive design, uses specific coding techniques to change the design of an email across different device sizes. Designers typically use responsive techniques to change text and CTA sizes, adjust the layout (moving from multi-column to single-column), and even swapping content in and out of an email.
Check out our blog post on understanding different mobile approaches for a deeper dive into those techniques. And, when you're ready to start building responsive emails, our guide to understanding the two most popular approaches will help you out.
Do you think we will ever pull our heads out of the sand and strengthen CAN-SPAM?
Chad: As the gulf between the anti-spam and privacy standards in the US and the rest of the world grows, the pressure is certainly building. In part because of the effects of the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) on US marketers, the FTC put out a request for comment last year, asking people if CAN-SPAM should be changed and, if so, how. We argued that CAN-SPAM's low standards actually harm US brands, but nothing ended up changing.
But since last fall, the approach of GDPR and the privacy breaches at Facebook have reopened the debate about anti-spam and privacy laws in the US. During the Facebook hearing last week, Senator Markey asked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg if he supported GDPR-style regulations in the US and he said that "in general" he does. I was pretty shocked by that.
It gives me hope that the US will start to engage in this debate instead of sitting on the sideline with our back turned to the world. Given where the US is currently, adopting something closer to CASL seems way more likely than something like GDPR.
Get More Insights from Litmus' Research
Download your copy of the 2018 State of Email Report to get full access to the data and tips that will help you build a successful email program in 2018.
Download the report →


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Threats lead construction company to abandon Drenthe wind park plans
After receiving a letter threatening his company, Ben Timmermans, the director of road construction company Avitect infrastructure & environment, has announced that the business will withdraw from the Drentse Monden and Oostermoer Wind Park project.
Translation by Traci White
Dagblad van het Noorden reports that Timmermans and Groningen alderperson Fleur Gräper received threatening letters due to their involvement with plans to build a wind park in Drenthe. The letter addressed to Timmermans threatened to destroy his company if he did not cease his business' involvement with the wind park.
The letter addressed to Gräper called for an end to the "corrupt" N33 wind park plans and threatened to escalate their resistance efforts. The letter implied that the group had access to a mobile system which could cause traffic chaos on the southern ring road in Groningen and junctions in the Randstad.
According to RTV Noord, the police are asking the general public to come forward with any information they may have connected to the threatening letters, including anonymous tips. A Large-Scale Investigation Team with 20 detectives and 70 officers is working on the ongoing wind park activism. The team is also investigating an incident in February when wind turbine activists spread asbestos near a train station in Delfzijl and left warning messages in the area.
In 2018, the Dutch National Anti-Terrorism and Safety Coordinator warned of the likelihood of "wind turbine terrorism" from groups opposed to construction of wind farms in the region. In the letter to Gräper, which was published in its entirety by the Dagblad, the group alluded to that warning: "In your eyes, we are terrorists. We disagree. We are resistance fighters. That wasn't always the case. We used to be average citizens, but we have been deceived by farmers and public servants."
Tags: activismavitectDrenthen33terrorismthreatswind turbine
Sixth edition of Jewish festival Gein Cultuur in Groningen this weekend
Municipality of Tynaarlo considering bilingual town signs in Dutch and Drents
Prime minister Mark Rutte visits northern Groningen


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Do Schools Really Need Principals?
Peter DeWitt's
A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and independent consultant, DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. He can be found at www.petermdewitt.com.
By Peter DeWitt — November 30, 2014 4 min read
Peter DeWitt
Opinion Contributor, Education Week
Peter DeWitt is a former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and independent consultant.
Some educators may be yelling "No!" at their screen, while others may be yelling "Yes." The answer to the question of whether schools need principals may be dependent on your relationship with your principal. Many of us have wondered what would happen if we opened our own schools. Over the past few years with increased mandates and accountability measures, that question comes up more and more...even with school leaders. We dream of a community school where all stakeholders have a say, including the students and parents.
That should be the way it is in every school...but it doesn't seem to be going in that direction. Some may say that schools never really allowed students and parents to have much of a voice.
Remember, being that this is a dream, we also work with teachers, students and parents who pull their own weight, and just because this is a dream, we can have debates about radical ideas that end up working well because everyone comes to consensus at the same time...in a dream.
And then of course, we get into our cars, drive to our schools and realize that teachers and leaders don't have as much control over their days as everyone on the "outside" may think. And students definitely don't. The reality is that as the constraints become tighter, our dreams of having more control become bigger. And our community school dream gets pushed back to the corners of our mind.
But...it does lead us to think about the roles we all have in our schools. Do schools really need principals? What role does a principal play in school? Are they the disciplinarian only? Do they contribute to curriculum and instruction discussions or do they lack the experience to do that? Are curricular choices based on what all stakeholders agreed on or are they forced on staff by the school leader?
In our dreamed-up community school, we would never focus on compliance. We would focus on meeting the needs of all students and not get caught up in the adult issues that can plague schools. Point scales on evaluations? Never going to happen, because we all see the bigger picture and don't need those compliance-based examples of holding people accountable.
A School Without a Principal
Don't get me wrong, I know many school leaders at the building and district level who do an outstanding job fostering collaboration among teachers, and listening to the feedback of students and parents. But let's be real, we have all worked for leaders who were not as engaging...supportive...democratic.
There have been, and still are, principals who don't provide much feedback, don't seem to know a great deal about learning, and focus on test scores more than anything else in the school. Sometimes it feels as though principals block creativity more than they foster it because they focus on rules.
So some schools are moving forward without principals...I guess that dream of a community school isn't so far away.
Some schools are taking on a much more Democratic stance to education, and they are bypassing the school principal in the process. In this US News and World Report article, Allie Bidwell wrote,
More often, teachers across the nation are looking to restructure their schools' governance models and run them on their own. At a time when teacher evaluations and accountability have become linchpins in widespread and federally backed school improvement plans, the movement is born partly out of a frustration with the structure of America's public school system and top-down reform. Currently, there are nearly 60 so-called teacher-powered schools nationwide in cities such as Denver, San Francisco, Boston and Cincinnati."
During a time when schools seem to be overly concerned with being compliant to the next big demand coming down from the state or federal level some school districts are going in an opposite direction by moving forward without a principal.
Call it a pilot program...or whatever you like, but it's an interesting idea. And since I was a principal for 8 years I do wonder what it looks like to have a school without one. In this guest blog in Education Week, Kim Ursetta a teacher in a Colorado school without a principal, wrote,
Our school is teacher-led; with no principal. We serve 300 students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Teachers control curriculum delivery, choose resources and materials, manage student conduct, and establish a positive school culture. In exchange, we embrace higher accountability and increased collaboration. We implement our own peer-review process, and divide the administrative roles among our teachers, who work in teams. Our students choose "passion areas" to study that are infused with mathematics and science. Parents are critical partners, and volunteer daily in our classrooms. Class sizes are capped at 25 so that our students can receive more personalized learning. Technology is an integral part of daily instruction. Our students also benefit from a well-rounded curriculum including music, art, physical education, and a science laboratory. Those that have visited often report an incredible energy and excitement from teachers, parents, and students about their learning."
But...Don't We Need Principals?
I'm not adverse to a school without a principal, but keep in mind that the principal isn't always responsible for accountability and mandates. However, a principal does set the tone of the school climate. If they only focus on compliance, the climate will stifle creativity.
As great as community schools may sound, if the structure of a teacher-led school is not strong it will not be any better than a school with a principal. In this Education Next article which focuses on the teacher-led school, Beth Hawkins interviewed Richard Elmore and focused on teacher-led schools. Hawkins writes,
Adolescents--their life work is to sniff out the hypocrisy of adults; that's their full time job," observes Harvard education professor Richard Elmore. "So you're setting yourself up when you put yourself in that situation. You really do have to act according to your beliefs or the structure you set up doesn't have any authority for kids and it just becomes chaos." According to veterans, teachers often imagine the absence of a full-time administrator means no hovering boss, but few are prepared for the demands of a system that can't afford free riders. "Small communities tend to be pretty vicious about driving people out who don't do the work because there's no one there to soak up the difference when the work doesn't get done," says Elmore. "They operate according to a pretty powerful normative structure."
Hawkins goes on to write,
Without a strong structure, teacher-run schools are vulnerable to collapse when core members retire or move on. EdVisions cofounder Doug Thomas worries that a minority of the co-op's 250 members are truly invested as owners. "I'll be brutally honest," he says. "About a third of the people who belong really get it. A third like the idea but they're really busy. A third look at their check every month and wonder, 'Why does my paycheck come from EdVisions? What is that?'" If he had it to do over, Thomas would constitute the schools as nonprofits, chiefly to make it easier for teachers to write grants."
Principals, good principals involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process, but that probably happens less in reality and more in our dreams. Principals also don't have as much control over the day as others would believe, and in this day and age of school safety, they have that as their #1 priority.
I think our world needs to have a variety of schools that look different from one another. No one model should rein supreme because we should not be one size fits all. I'm sure there are some great teacher-run schools, and I also believe there are great principals who lead by a democratic process. Problems occur when we start comparing the two too much and have an "All or nothing" mentality with how all schools should look.
However, teacher-led schools should give us pause, especially if we are school leaders. What kind of legacy will you leave behind when you are finished being a principal? Do you encourage risk taking or rule following? As a leader, do the teacher leaders you choose merely act as minions who follow through on all of your orders, or are they diverse-minded individuals who bring strength to a decision.
And most importantly, do students feel as though the school is a place that fosters individuality and student voice, or do they feel that school is a place that doesn't listen to their input? Teacher led schools or schools with a principal won't matter unless students feel like they have a voice and that begins by giving teachers a voice.
Connect with Peter on Twitter
Peter will be a panelist for ASCD's Whole Child Symposium on teacher leadership in Washington DC on Wednesday, December 3rd.
The opinions expressed in Peter DeWitt's Finding Common Ground are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.
Peter DeWitt's Finding Common Ground
Assessment Opinion To Keep Primary Students Learning and Growing, Start With Data
A district's dedication to gathering and analyzing data provides stability in uncertain times.
Janice Pavelonis, January 17, 2021
Remote learning is not like in person, and after nine months of it, data are revealing how harmful COVID-19 has been to children's learning.
Student Well-Being Opinion Here Are 3 Top SEL Strategies That Can Help Improve Student Engagement Right Now
SEL has always been important, but it is now more important than ever. Here are three ways to help engage students right now.
Alex Kajitani, Tom Hierck, John Hannigan & Jessica Djabrayan Hannigan , December 21, 2020


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Q: collecting SQL statements using Excel in my everyday work, I am receiving data in Excel spreadsheets, which I need to insert into relational database.
To accomplish this, I prepare formulas which generate "insert" statement (I am using both insert and select statement for example to choose ID of all elements with specific label).
Because those spreadsheets are complex, they contain SQL commands in more than one column.
This is the point where problems begin - I cannot simply select all cells, copy them and paste into SQL Server (it will concatenate information from cells in the same row).
In most cases I'm preparing additional sheet where I'm collecting all statements in one column
(using simply formula which rewrite text from other cells). Unfortunately preparing such sheet is time consuming and might causing an error (for example if I forgot about column or I add rows).
Is there any more convenient way to do it?
I thought about writing a macro which collect all values from selected range.
Is it good idea or can I use something better?

A: You can do all that using VBA.
You know what are the rules so you have the business logic in your head. Now, just type the code to do it :)
If you want you can do the insert in the Excel using something like this.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If you think that a child might require special education, the first step is a referral. A referral is made for gathering information about a child experiencing problems that interfere with learning.
A referral may be made by any individual with relevant information about the child. A referral may be made at any time and should be in writing. See a referral letter template on our fact sheets page at arlegalservices.org.
Following the referral, the school district must notify the parent within seven days, and a referral conference must be held within 21 days from the date of the referral.
After submitting the referral notice and other information, notice of a referral conference shall be provided to the parents and a referral conference scheduled.
The purpose of a referral conference is to review all existing information related to the student. The referral conference must be attended by a minimum of three people: the principal or designee, the teacher directly involved with the education of the student, and the parent.
Other people with relevant information regarding the child may attend the referral conference, including the child. These individuals are considered the student's team. During the referral conference, the school is required to inform the parents of their rights and decide whether an evaluation of the student is required.
If the referral conference decision is to evaluate, it may be necessary to initiate a temporary placement for the student if agreed upon by the parent and the school district.
To initiate the entire process, a letter should be sent to the principal requesting a referral of the child for special education testing. A request should be made for a conference and supporting medical and other records may be attached. In any case, all records should be brought to the conference. If the child is aged zero to two, the letter should be addressed to the appropriate Early Intervention Case Service Coordinator listed in Appendix III. If the child is aged three to four, the letter should be addressed to the relevant Education Cooperative.
The contents of this fact sheet were created by Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA) and are excerpted from the booklet titled A Parent's Guide: Civil Rights/Education. The purpose of the booklet is to assist you as a parent or a professional in understanding the educational process for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and related statutes, as well as is understanding rights within the process.
Disability Rights Center of Arkansas is a federally-funded nonprofit organization designated to implement advocacy and protection programs in Arkansas. If you suspect your child has a disability, we can help you protect your statutory rights and attempt to secure appropriate services.
As a Protection and Advocacy System (P&A), DRA is a private, nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of eligible clients through education, negotiation, and litigation. Services include information and referrals, individual cases and system advocacy, monitoring, investigations of abuse or neglect, outreach and education, legislative tracking, and litigation. Visit arkdisabilityrights.org for more information.


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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 359–391, 2013
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-359-2013
Impacts of transported background pollutants on summertime western US air quality: model evaluation, sensitivity analysis and data assimilation
M. Huang6,1, G. R. Carmichael1, T. Chai2, R. B. Pierce3, S. J. Oltmans4, D. A. Jaffe5, K. W. Bowman6, A. Kaduwela7, C. Cai7, S. N. Spak8,1, A. J. Weinheimer9, L. G. Huey10, and G. S. Diskin11 M. Huang et al. M. Huang6,1, G. R. Carmichael1, T. Chai2, R. B. Pierce3, S. J. Oltmans4, D. A. Jaffe5, K. W. Bowman6, A. Kaduwela7, C. Cai7, S. N. Spak8,1, A. J. Weinheimer9, L. G. Huey10, and G. S. Diskin11
1Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
2NOAA/OAR/ARL, College Park, MD 20740, USA
3NOAA/NESDIS, Madison, WI 53706, USA
4NOAA/ESRL, Boulder, CO 80305, USA
5University of Washington, Bothell, WA 98011, USA
6Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
7California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA 95812, USA
8Public Policy Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
9National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80305, USA
10School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
11NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681, USA
Received: 17 Apr 2012 – Discussion started: 15 Jun 2012 – Revised: 19 Dec 2012 – Accepted: 19 Dec 2012 – Published: 14 Jan 2013
Abstract. The impacts of transported background (TBG) pollutants on western US ozone (O3) distributions in summer 2008 are studied using the multi-scale Sulfur Transport and dEposition Modeling system. Forward sensitivity simulations show that TBG contributes ~30–35 ppb to the surface Monthly mean Daily maximum 8-h Average O3 (MDA8) over Pacific Southwest (US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9, including California, Nevada and Arizona) and Pacific Northwest (EPA Region 10, including Washington, Oregon and Idaho), and ~10–17 ppm-h to the secondary standard metric "W126 monthly index" over EPA Region 9 and ~3–4 ppm-h over Region 10. The strongest TBG impacts on W126 occur over the grass/shrub-covered regions. Among TBG pollutants, O3 is the major contributor to surface O3, while peroxyacetyl nitrate is the most important O3 precursor species. W126 shows larger responses than MDA8 to perturbations in TBG and stronger non-linearity to the magnitude of perturbations. The TBG impacts on both metrics overall negatively correlate to model vertical resolution and positively correlate to the horizontal resolution.
The mechanisms that determine TBG contributions and their variation are analyzed using trajectories and the receptor-based adjoint sensitivity analysis, which demonstrate the connection between the surface O3 and O3 aloft (at ~1–4 km) 1–2 days earlier. The probabilities of airmasses originating from Mt. Bachelor (2.7 km) and 2.5 km above Trinidad Head (THD) entraining into the boundary layer reach daily maxima of 66% and 34% at ~03:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), respectively, and stay above 50% during 09:00 a.m.–04:00 p.m. PDT for those originating 1.5 km above California's South Coast.
Assimilation of the surface in-situ measurements significantly reduced the errors in the modeled surface O3 during a long-range transport episode by ~5 ppb on average (up to ~17 ppb) and increased the estimated TBG contributions by ~3 ppb. Available O3 vertical profiles from Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and THD sonde identified this transport event, but assimilation of these observations in this case did not efficiently improve the O3 distributions except near the sampling locations, due to their limited spatiotemporal resolution and/or possible uncertainties.
How to cite. Huang, M., Carmichael, G. R., Chai, T., Pierce, R. B., Oltmans, S. J., Jaffe, D. A., Bowman, K. W., Kaduwela, A., Cai, C., Spak, S. N., Weinheimer, A. J., Huey, L. G., and Diskin, G. S.: Impacts of transported background pollutants on summertime western US air quality: model evaluation, sensitivity analysis and data assimilation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 359–391, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-359-2013, 2013.


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Welcome to Sounds of Europe, a platform for field recording. The blog of the website will travel to a different European country every month where a local organisation or artist will be responsible for maintaining it. Each country´s particular context and practices with regards to field recording will be explored and presented in a personal way.
Corfu: Monopolis, Zannos, Lotis, Mniestris
12/24/2012 · Marinos
Corfu is the home of the Ionian Academy, which features the Department of Music as well as that of Audio and Visual Arts. As a result, Corfu is also the home of many composers, sound-artists, scholars and others concerned in environmental sound and soundscape studies. This is evident also, by a substantial number of undergraduate and postgraduate students with similar interests.
Andreas Mniestris is an electroacoustic music composer, saxophone player, sound engineer and the ex-president of the Hellenic Society of Acoustic Ecology. He is an assistant professor at the Department of Music of the Ionian University, where he teaches electracoustic music. Andreas has been interested in sound ecology and environmental sound as both a composer and academic. He has been involved in many research projects dealing with environmental sound and soundscapes, and also, as member of the organizing committee, in several festivals and conferences related with environmental sound (e.g. the WFAE' s conference on soundscapes 2011).
Andreas Mniestris
Iannis Zannos is teaching audio and interactive media arts at a postgraduate level in the Department of Audiovisual Arts, after having worked as the director of the Music Technology and Documentation section at the State Institute for Music Research ( S.I.M) in Berlin, and as the research director at the Center for Research for Electronic Art Technology (CREATE) at the University of California in Santa Barbara. He has taken part at numerous international collaborative New Media Arts projects and has realized multimedia performances both alone and in cooperation with other artists. His recent installation 'Narcissus' in is based on the graceful movement of a tensegrity structure, made of rods mutually supporting each other in suspension through interconnecting strings. The tensegrity is a light but resilient structure, and can be moved easily by the wind or by touching it. The installation uses the movement of the tower as reflected on water to create a soundscape of swallows flying around the tower. The swallow sounds stem from recordings made during the summer months from the last floor of an apartment building in Corfu town during 2006 to 2011. Thousands of swallows nest in Corfu town during the summer. According to Zannos, the piece invites the visitors to reflect on the fragility of the environment and seeks to evoke multiple associations between forms and objects, that dissolve the boundaries between urban and natural, technological and poetical. His "Rhythmanalysis" piece, is part of a long-term project that explores metaphors expressing the phenomenon of communication between beings belonging to different cultural worlds or different domains (the Antarctic, the Mediterranean and the world of Short Wave Numbers Stations). He used recordings of Swallows in Corfu made by the artist, of Weddell Seals taken from a marine biology database (Cornell University McAuley Library) and of Number Stations transmitting messages to spies from an open sourced collection (Conet Project). These sounds have been analysed with machine listening algorithms to detect features that can permit the generation of "hybrid" sounds or sound languages between the different aural environments they represent. The first version of the piece was presented in a 24-channel live performance made in Grenoble in December 2011, as part of the EU Culture Programme project "Ambient Creativity".
Iannis Zannos
Theodoros Lotis is an acousmatic composer and assistant professor at the Ionian University. As an academic he has written several papers related with soundscapes and soundscape composition, as evidenced here. He has used environmental sound and field-recordings in several of his electracoustic compositions, either as a source for inspiration or as sonic elements. In live performances, he has improvised with environmental audio, juxtaposing recordings from various locations.
Andreas Monopolis is an electronic music composer/performer and instrument inventor. He has been interested in environmental sound since almost 2 decades, although in a rather idiosyncratic way. For Monopolis, environmental sound primary cultivates critical thought and, therefore, has a rather anti-catalytic role in his work. Environmental sound resonate through the whole body of his work, sometimes silently, through the way it has influenced his thought, some other times more dynamically, in terms of actually using field-recordings.
← Crete: Koutsomichalis, Valsamakis, Tzedaki
Hellenic Society of Acoustic Ecology →


The show is a container with the main idea of a market in which participants, common people, could sell, or search, objects, ideas or whatever and be contacted by the audience at home through phone-call centers in the stage. Around this, some sections were also proposed, such as "Orange blossom" or "Where are you?" looking for wedding proposals or searching for people. The mascot of the show was a parrot which contestants, guests and participants attempted to make him repeat his name, "Portobello".


Danny Cowley admits he is delighted after adding two new players arrived at Lincoln City.
The Imps boss completed a busy week in the transfer window after securing deals for James Wilson and Jordan Williams.
Wilson has signed a two-and-a-half year contract after being released by Sheffield United, while Williams has joined on loan until the end of the season from Rochdale.
And Cowley is glad that he has finally got the pair – who he tried to sign in the summer – over the line.
"Recruitment takes a long time," said Cowley. "You always watch to see how they [players] have progressed even if they don't sign.
"We wanted James in the summer, but he wanted to stay in League One.
"We knew how important he would be to us. When there's a player who can make your squad significantly better then I have a responsibility on behalf of the club to make it happen.
And Cowley is in no doubt that Wilson will improve his team defensively.
"James will be a fantastic player for us," he said. "He has incredible mobility and is at that stage where he can take on more leadership.
On Jordan Williams, he added: "Jordan brings a directness and power. He has the ability to go on the outside and cross on his left foot.
"We have had a problem on the left side all season. He brings goals as well and is a top player.
"Jordan has taken a similar pathway to our players. He has come out of the Non-League and had to fight. That brings a grit, determination and steel which makes you hungry to take the opportunity.
Wilson admits he did take some convincing to drop down a level from Cowley but was sold by the manager's plans going forward.
And he revealed there were several offers, but Lincoln's really stood out.
"There was a couple [of offers]," he said. "But it is was all about where the club is going.
Jordan Williams is hopeful he can impress during his time with the club and sign permanently in the summer.
"Heard a lot of things that it was a good club. Very good when I played against them [for Barrow].
The pair go straight into the squad alongside fellow new signing Lee Frecklington for Saturday's game with Notts County.


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El marfil solía ser considerado material precioso para la elaboración de delicados objetos; hoy, en una realidad distinta, de respeto y preocupación medioambiental, el marfil es testimonio histórico, artístico y filosófico de un tiempo pasado.

La palabra marfil proviene del árabe Cazmal fil que significa hueso de elefante. Se obtiene de los incisivos de distintos animales como el elefante, morsa, narval y ballena, así como del pico del cálao.

La mayoría de las piezas que se realizaron fueron una riqueza de un legado de cultura espiritual: Budismo, Hinduismo y Daoísmo (Taoísmo). Sin embargo, a través del tiempo representaron un sinónimo de ostentación y decoro.

En el siglo XVII, mientras que en Europa ya había pasado de moda la talla en los preciados colmillos de elefante y los otros animales, llegaron a América y al Viejo Continente -provenientes de Asia- imágenes de Cristos, vírgenes y santos con el brillo, transparencia y color blanquecino tan característico.

El trabajo de marfil hecho en las posesiones asiáticas de España y Portugal se conoce como estilo iberoriental, y a su vez se divide en dos: el hispano-filipino y el indio-portugués. El primero era realizado en China o Manila, y el segundo en la India y África.

Los residentes chinos en Filipinas eran conocidos como sangleyes y sobre todo se dedicaron al fino trabajo del marfil. Dado que un número importante de talladores no estaba familiarizado con el dogma católico, las estampas -sobre todo las flamencas- que ilustraban los catecismos y otros libros religiosos, sirvieron de modelo para las esculturas, siempre adoptando los rasgos de la sociedad que los produjo.

Escultura de marfil hispano-filipina
La Nao de Acapulco fue el puente de reunión entre Europa y el Oriente, completando el círculo que los portugueses habían trazado en sentido contrario. Uno de los resultados más bellos de esta cultura es la talla del marfil.

La eboraria es la más refinada manifestación del arte que se desarrolla en Filipinas a la llegada de los españoles. Arte mixto de caracteres europeos, de origen español que matiza de un suave exotismo oriental las tradicionales representaciones de dogma católico. Sus artificies no fueron españoles, pues la población que se traslada de las Islas fue reducida y en general construida de funcionarios y religiosos. La evangelización exigía imágenes por lo que se acudió a la población china residente fundamentalmente en Manila, los sangleyes, ''artistas de todos los oficios'' y adiestrados desde siempre en la talla del marfil.

Los caracteres técnicos de su talla más específica son la configuración de sus rostros planos redondeados, casi cóncavos de perfil por su achatamiento; los cabellos tratados como hilos que caen en guedejas sobre los hombros, más naturales que en el arte lusoindo, y que conforme avanzan los años se van retirando del rostro hacia atrás en ondas. Pero, sobre todo, la configuración de sus ojos achinados de gruesos párpados superiores que insinúan una doble curva en sus extremos, carácter que también se suaviza con el tiempo.

El arte oriental no manifiesta la fascinación renacentista europea por la anatomía humana, que además requiere una gran habilidad técnica en su representación. Su indumentaria tiende a la sencillez, y aunque se inspira en modelos europeos, el tratamiento de pliegues es convencional.

Un aspecto de gran interés en este arte es la policromía que decora sus esculturas y los motivos representados en las superficies y orlas de indumentaria. La aplican directamente sobre el marfil, sin preparación base, salvo excepciones.

Historia

Siglo XX a. C.
En China, a principios de siglo en Yakanda y Khotan, China, suministraban la demanda de nefrita. Además se realiza la talla de los primeros objetos de marfil.

Siglo IX a V a.C.
Los olmecas establecieron las primeras redes de intercambio.

Siglo I a II d.C.
Se realizaba a través de las rutas mercantiles en toda Mesoamérica, el intercambio de algodón, tabaco, cacao, conchas, piedras preciosas, pieles, textiles y plumas de quetzal, tucán, guacamayas y pericos, además de alimentos.

En el año 166 se registró la primera expedición comercial romana a China, que llevaba marfiles y cuernos de rinoceronte.

Siglo X a XIII
Los toltecas establecieron la mayor red comercial conocida hasta entonces. Impulsaron el intercambio mercantil entre los territorios mesoamericanos y llegaron incluso a Aridoamérica.

Siglo XVI

En 1565, Filipinas se incorporó al territorio novohispano; se estableció la famosa ruta Manila-Acapulco. La carga más valiosa era la numisma de plata novohispana, que también valía como moneda en el comercio oriental.

Siglo XVII
En 1693, llegaban barcos con piezas de marfil a Manila desde Coromandel, Surut y Bengala. Esculturas cristianas hechas en marfil arribaron por primera vez a Nueva España provenientes de Siam, Cochin y Filipinas. En 1700, se inauguró el mercado Parián (Plaza de Voladores) en la Ciudad de México.

Siglo XVII

La llegada de cabezas de vírgenes, Cristos y santos fueron algunos de los temas desarrollados por los sangleyes, habitantes del Parián filipino.

Siglo XIX

En 1825, finalmente se da la última gran travesía del Galeón de Manila.

Siglo XX
En 1973, se firma en Europa el Convenio Internacional sobre el Comercio de Especies Amenazadas de Flora y Fauna, CITES; y para el 2 de julio de 1991, en México.

En 1992, México firma el Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC), junto con los Estados Unidos y Canadá. En la República de China, Hong Kong se hace el principal productor de piezas de marfil, sin embargo solo es producido para su consumo interno.

Relación de Asia a Occidente
El encuentro entre europeos, americanos y asiáticos ha devenido en una relación continua de intercambio de productos asiáticos y de diseño, donde los artífices de Oriente desbordaron su ingenio en obras para el culto cristiano. Las representaciones de Cristos, la Virgen María, santos, el Niño Jesús y la Sagrada Familia se llenaron de expresiones asiáticas.

Piezas Hispano-Filipinas
Cristo Expirante
San Francisco de Asís

San Antonio de Padua con el Niño Jesús

Crucifijo

Sagrada Familia

Las representaciones de la Sagrada Familia fueron muy demandadas en Occidente. Los artistas asiáticos representarón el Niño Jesús dormido con las manos en posición de bendición y los ojos cerrados, como si fuera una imagen de Buda en meditación. Para los ropajes de sus padres se nota la volumetría propia del trabajo de influencia china, en especial en las mariposas de los pliegues para las manos.

Referencias

Marfil

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Sept 20 (Reuters) - Canadian miner Continental Gold said on Thursday three of its geologists were killed in northern Antioquia province in Colombia in an armed attack.
The incident took place in the village of Ochali in the municipality of Yaramul, Antioquia, which is located within the boundaries of Continental's Berlin project, the company said in a statement.
The attack is the second on Continental staff in as many weeks.


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Ancient Roman bath house discovered during rebuilding phase of a cricket pavilion in Carlisle
TOPICS:bath houseBritainCarlisleHadrian's WallRoman
Posted By: Dattatreya Mandal May 31, 2017
Renovation works intended to move the Carlisle Cricket Club's pavilion (which was damaged by Storm Desmond), revealed the remnants of an ancient Roman bath house in the area. The fascinating discovery was actually made in proximity to the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage site, with the preliminary excavation project already managing to unearth a range of items from weapons, pottery to coins. Most of these artifacts are judged to be around 1,600 years old.
Now when it comes to the historical scope of Carlisle (in Cumbria), while the town itself was probably one of the important urban centers for native Britons, the settlement was established as a prominent fortified stronghold under the rule of the Romans. This main settlement was called Luguvalium, and it was part of a network of forts along the frontier. And by 2nd century AD, a new fort Petriana was built at the site, complementing the Hadrian's Wall – a defensive project approved by the visiting Roman emperor himself in 122 AD. To that end, Petriana in itself was probably the largest stone-fort along the extensive wall – so much so that it boasted the garrison of uniquely formed 1,000-strong cavalry regiment known as Ala Petriana.
Coming back to the discovery in question here, the ancient Roman bath house probably belonged to the Petriana fort. Interestingly enough, one of inscriptions on a carved stone fragment refers to the wife of the Roman emperor Septimus Severus, who reigned from 193-211 AD, which might provide historical clues about the contemporary period. Archaeologist Kevin Mounsey said –
The importance of this find is off-the-scale and I think it's of national significance. We're talking about a Roman bath house that belonged to the largest fort on Hadrian's Wall. We've also found stacks of terracotta tiles which would have formed part of the under-floor heating system that the baths used. To discover something like this is absolutely fantastic.
Carlisle City Council leader Colin Glover added –
If we can make this work for the city, this could do for Carlisle what the Jorvik Viking discoveries did for York. The archaeologists now need to analyse what they have found and we then need to work with the cricket club and potential funders to see where we go from here.
And finally, the good news for history enthusiasts is that Carlisle Cricket Club is willing to collaborate with the local archaeological authority to preserve the Roman bath house, and thus shift their pavilion to an entirely new area.
Terracotta pipe fragment
Via: BBC / Images Credit: Stuart Walker, The Cumberland News
The Bayeux Tapestry: Reconstructed and Explained
The other ancient 'Battle of Thermopylae' pitted the Greeks against the invading Goths
Intricate mosaic and underfloor heating among features for ancient Roman houses in Leicester, Britain
Gallo-Roman necropolis revealed at the French city of Mâcon
The 'Pompeii' of Britain? Bronze Age settlement in Cambridgeshire found in remarkably preserved condition
Portugal's 6,000-year old prehistoric tombs possibly served as astronomical 'telescopes'
The Magnificent Sphinx Room Inside Nero's Golden House Revealed After 2,000 Years
3D animation reconstructs an upper-class house of Pompeii before the Vesuvius disaster
A 3,400-year old massive 'citadel' has been possibly found in Romania
History of the Romans from 753 BC to 1453 AD: A Visual Reconstruction
History of the Roman Legionary: From Circa 1st Century BC – 3rd Century AD
Home » Blog Posts » Archaeology » Ancient Roman bath house discovered during rebuilding phase of a cricket pavilion in Carlisle


Welcome to NCRE 2019 – 15th Nordic Conference of Religious Education. The theme of the conference is Core elements and big ideas for religious education.
*Prises: Early bird 250 Euro encl 25 % VAT, Oridnary Fees 300 Euro encl 25 % VAT. In addition the optional outing will be 50 Euro encl 25 % VAT (includes Conference dinner). Fees do not cover accomodations.
The venue for the conference is Campus Kalvskinnet at NTNU in Trondheim.
Trondheim can easily be reached by plane and train.


Guido Maria Guida conducts the fourth program in the 2019 winter/spring season. Featuring works by Ibarra, Ponce and Schumann. Soloist: Pablo Garibay (guitar).
Teatro Degollado, Sunday, March 24, 12:30 p.m. 110-200 pesos.
Talented local musicians of different genres showcased each Monday. March 25: French jazz pianist Marc Fabbricatore, a longtime resident of Mexico.
Spring recital series running Wednesday evenings through early May at the Regional Museum, sponsored by the University of Guadalajara Music School. March 27: Luis Alberto Fernandez (baritone), Adriana Benitez Talavera (piano). April 3: Volta (ancient music group). April 10: Scott Roeder (tuba), Carlos Alberto Gutierrez (piano). May 8: Michael Bialobroda (cello), Carlos Alberto Gutierrez (piano).
Jeffrey Rink conducts the fifth program in the 2019 winter/spring season. Featuring works by Mendelssohn, Richard Strauss, Wagner and Hindemith. Soloist: David Cooper (French horn).
Teatro Degollado, Thursday, March 28, 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 31, 12:30 p.m. 110-200 pesos.
First of two tributes in a week to British band Queen.
Teatro Diana,Saturday, March 23, 8:30 p.m. 320-650 pesos.
"Ópera Prima Rock Tributo a Queen" is a show created ten years ago by Argentine musician Diego Fainguersch paying homage to the legendary British band of the 1980s.
Teatro Galerias (Lapizlazuli 3445, across from Plaza del Sol), Thursday, March 28, 8:30 p.m. 450-750 pesos.
Teatro Diana, Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m. 100-250 pesos.
Popular Chilean band specializing in reggae in Spanish.
Concert featuring a masterwork given by the Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Guadalajara.
Palcco, Sunday, March 31, 12:30 p.m.
Concert featuring the E. J. Strickland Quartet. Strickland is a world-class, world-traveled drummer, composer and artist from the United States, heard on over 60 albums in the last decade.
Conjunto de Artes Escenicas, Thursday, April 4, 9 p.m.
Teatro Degollado, Thursday, April 4, 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 7, 12:30 p.m. 110-200 pesos.
Professional production of much-loved Andrew Lloyd Weber musical.
Teatro Diana, Thursday, April 4, 7 and 9:30 p.m.


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Many kidney diseases progress slowly, and trials to evaluate treatments for kidney disease require extensive durations of follow-up to determine if the treatment has been effective, increasing expense and complexity, and are usually infeasible for early stage disease. In order to obtain sufficient endpoints, randomized controlled trials in CKD often require substantial follow-up periods or are restricted to patients with rapidly progressive or late stage disease, yet some interventions may have a greater effect when applied earlier versus later in the disease course. This has likely contributed to the small number of RCTs in nephrology compared to other fields, and the paucity of therapies to slow kidney disease progression.
One of the original aims of CKD-EPI was to evaluate change in urine protein as a surrogate endpoint using past randomized controlled trials of CKD progression. The CKD-EPI has continued this work on changes in proteinuria (albuminuria) and has expanded the investigation to GFR decline. These investigations have been presented at a series of workshops (May 2008, December 2012, March 2018) sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency.
The consensus during the most recent NKF-FDA-EMA Workshop held March 2018 was that continuing efforts are necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of developing effective therapies for CKD. Thus, CKD-EPI Clinical Trials Consortium (CKD-EPI CT) is gathering support for their consortium for a new set of analyses, with the long term goal to facilitate the design and conduct of RCTs for CKD by developing evidence-based tools to rigorously evaluate tradeoffs between alternative design strategies, including requirements for sample size and study duration. Such tools could facilitate drug development even at the earlier stages as it enables sponsors to make calculations as to the optimal path from early phase investigations to regulatory approval. More efficient trials should spur an increased number of RCTs, speeding development of effective therapies for CKD.


FivePoint Communities Inc. could raise nearly $600 million from its forthcoming initial public offering and a trio of concurrent private placement deals, according to new regulatory documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Aliso Viejo-based master developer said in an updated registration statement that it's looking to sell 21 million shares of Class A stock in its proposed IPO, at a price between $18 and $20 per share.
A deal that falls in the middle of that price range would bring in more than $421 million in proceeds for the developer of Irvine's Great Park Neighborhoods and other big housing projects in California, assuming underwriters of the IPO exercise their their over-allotment option in full.
FivePoint previously set a $100 million placeholder amount for the IPO in its first batch of paperwork for the proposed stock sale, which was filed on April 14.
Miami-based homebuilder Lennar Corp. also plans to buy $100 million of FivePoint's stock in a concurrent offering, and would remain the company's largest shareholder following the IPO.
Two other investment groups, New York-based Third Avenue Management LLC and Castlelake LP of Minneapolis, are both considering buying an additional $25 million in the company's stock as well in private placements, according to regulatory documents filed today.
Owners of the stock being sold in the IPO are expected to cumulatively own between 15% and 17% of FivePoint's Class A shares following the IPO.
For more details on the offering, see this week's edition of the Business Journal.


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2nd July 2019 Today's Round-Up of Climate News
by Panopticon | Jul 2, 2019 | Climate | 0 comments
"… on Sunday afternoon [Cuba recorded] the highest temperature in its history…
"The Institute of Meteorology of Cuba (IMC) reported that at 2:30 pm on Sunday a measure of 102.38 degrees Fahrenheit was taken that broke the mark of 101.84, dating from 1999."
[Spanish language]
https://www.elnuevodia.com/corresponsalias/cuba/nota/seestablecerecorddecalorencuba-2502928/
"Southeast Brazil's Minas Gerais state is suffering from a prolonged drought, with 127 municipalities facing an emergency…
"In recent years, droughts have become more frequent and severe in the country, obligating major cities to adopt water rationing."
https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/prolonged-drought-impacting-brazils-minas-gerais-state
"Several locations around the country [New Zealand] have experienced the driest first half of the year on record, and Watercare is calling on Aucklanders to use water wisely.
"Watercare said the Hūnua and Waitākere ranges, where its storage dams are located, had about 40 percent less rainfall than normal between January and June."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/393470/driest-first-half-of-year-on-record
"Australia's hottest start to any year extended to a sixth month for day-time temperatures even as conditions moderated in June, while rainfall continued to be very much below average for large parts of the country.
"Average maximum temperatures for the first half of 2019 were 1.78 degrees above the 1961-90 baseline used by the Bureau of Meteorology."
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/australia-posts-hottest-january-june-for-days-as-big-dry-rolls-on-20190702-p523f4.html
"The water dropped to critical levels last week at the Angat Dam reservoir in Bulacan, north of Manila [Philippines], Agence France-Presse reported yesterday, as the drought left residents with water shortages for up to 17 hours a day.
"Fisherman now pick up their catch from the shallow, muddy slosh of the depleted reservoir which feeds Manila… The dam provides 97 per cent of the city's water."
https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/photos/depleted-reservoir-leaves-manila-dry
"Two people were hurt, several houses were destroyed and more than 7,000 households were left without power in two villages in southern Taiwan after a tornado ripped through the area… Big tornadoes are extremely rare in Taiwan, and people in the area had never seen a tornado as strong and powerful as this one."
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/afav/201907010020.aspx
"Parts of the Kyushu region have been inundated with more than 700mm [27.5 inches] of rain since the torrential downpours began, with the weather agency warning that thunderstorms and intense torrential rain could lead to an increasing risk of mudslides.
"Warnings have also been issued for people to be vigilant for possible lightening strikes as well as tornadoes."
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/torrential-rain-continues-to-lash-southwestern-japan-evacuation-advisories-issued
"A state of emergency has been declared in Siberia's Irkutsk region, where river levels have risen to flood and destroy dozens of villages.
"A regional emergency has been declared, with at least 14 lives lost and 13 people missing since the rains began last week. Some 33,000 residents in 83 villages have been affected. and 40 villages were still under water on Tuesday."
https://www.dw.com/en/russias-siberia-hit-by-worst-flooding-in-a-century/a-49439423
"The Maharashtra government declared a precautionary public holiday on Tuesday in Mumbai [India].
"At average 375mm [14.7 inches], Monday's was the maximum July rain that Mumbai has seen over a 24-hour period breaking records since 1974."
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/record-july-rains-paralyse-mumbai-1.1562055210330
"June 2019 in Kyiv became the warmest in 139 years of modern record-keeping, according to the Central Geophysical Observatory named after Borys Sreznevskyi.
""The average monthly air temperature in June in Kyiv was +23.6 °C, which is 5.4 °C higher the climate normal."
https://menafn.com/1098710172/UkraineJune-2019-in-Kyiv-becomes-the-warmest-on-record
"The Czech Republic registered its hottest June since monthly averages have been compiled, with a peak of 38.9 degrees Celsius recorded on June 26, the weather service said Monday.
"The thermometer hit that level, the equivalent of 102 degrees Fahrenheit, in the northern town of Doksany, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said on its website."
https://phys.org/news/2019-07-czech-republic-lithuania-hottest-june.html
"Poland saw a record number of forest fires in June, the state firefighter service announced on Monday, as the country went through a major heatwave during the last week of the month. According to the state firefighter service, in June alone, over 1,500 forest fires had to be extinguished across Poland…"
"After suffering through the wettest 12 months since at least 1895, U.S. farmers have plans to adapt next year to what some forecasters say may be an increasingly soggy new normal for the nation's midsection.
"The plans include bigger and faster tractors to speed up planting, quick-growing seeds and more extensive use of cover crops and drainage tiles to keep flooding fields intact."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-01/a-soggy-new-normal-for-u-s-farmers-spurs-crop-cycle-speed-up
"Three of the five Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair are poised to set records for high water levels, a ranking U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expert confirmed Monday, continuing a rising trend weighing on business and property owners from Sault Ste. Marie through the east side of Metro Detroit to western New York."
https://eu.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/07/01/several-great-lakes-st-clair-poised-break-water-level-records/1621323001/
"Along [Alaska's] northern coast, melting sea ice is the main worry because of extremely warm ocean temperatures. Though not tied into this specific heat wave in southern Alaska, unusual springtime heat along the north coast melted sea ice along northern Alaska. The ice disappeared far earlier than normal this spring, alarming coastal residents who rely on wildlife and fish.
"The early melting has been "crazy," said Janet Mitchell of Kivalina."
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/01/alaska-heat-wave-record-heat-fuels-wildfires-melting-sea-ice/1616992001/
"…because of the erosive power of ice, there is a lot of sand in Greenland.
"And with climate change accelerating the melting of Greenland's mile-thick ice sheet — a recent study found that melting has increased sixfold since the 1980s — there is going to be a lot more."
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/07/01/climate/greenland-glacier-melting-sand.html
"Nowhere on the planet is heating faster [than Svalbard]. This was the message of a report commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency, unveiled in February to a stunned audience in Longyearbyen, the archipelago's de facto capital. People knew things were bad, but it was only when they heard the forecast that they realised how bad.
"A local reporter described how people at the meeting fell silent when they heard the statistics, which sounded like the "gloomy horror scenario of a bad thriller".
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/jul/01/its-getting-warmer-wetter-wilder-the-arctic-town-heating-faster-than-anywhere
"The amount of ice floating in the sea across Antarctica has fallen to a record low just three years after hitting an all-time high. Floating ice levels near the continent increased steadily from 1979 to 2014, when it hit 4.9m square miles, the highest amount on record.
"But by 2017 the amount of ice was at 4.1m square miles, its lowest ever mark, according to a Nasa study of satellite data. The amount of sea ice lost in those three years would cover an area bigger than the size of Mexico."
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/antarctica-floating-ice-levels-global-warming-climate-change-crisis-a8983621.html
"The fossil-fuel burning power plants, factories, vehicles, and buildings we've already built will, if operated normally over their full lifetimes, almost certainly warm the Earth more than the Paris Agreement climate target of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), a new study concludes."
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/07/we-have-too-many-fossil-fuel-power-plants-to-meet-climate-goals/


We do expect you will help promote the expo as far as you can.
What is in the Registration Kit?
We've all been to events where you sign in, and get given your free goodie bag. The fun part is finding out all the stuff that's included. The registration kit is an opportunity for vendors, authors and organisations in the genealogy or history community to get their product or services noticed by others. It is free for your inclusion in the kit if you are exhibiting, A moderate fee is charged if you are not exhibiting. New records or products, discount subscriptions, a special offer on something, vouchers, small promo items (pads, magnets , pen or pencils) it's endless, and it all helps promote your business or product.
Experience has shown that many recipients are very appreciative of your notice or item, some of the more social-media-minded people also make mention of what is included in kits at events they attend. This also gets the word out there further. We are also looking for prizes to offer at one of our prize draws.
The staff at Unlock the Past has been working hard on the upcoming Expos, contacting vendors and organisations in the genealogy and history community. If for some reason we have missed you, please email us at inquiries@unlockthepast.com.au and we'll send you information. The deadlines for these Expos is fast approaching! So don't delay!
I hope to make contact with more and more people who love the idea of "resurrecting their ancestors"
Harry, the major event for exhibiting opportunities this year is the Queensland Expo, which we expect to also attract some for NSW and other states - attendes and exhibitors. This is expected to be the biggest exhibition of its kind yet held in Australia - and probably the biggest program of presentations to add unmatched value for both attendees and exhibitors.