I wrote this piece for Texas Enterprise in December, 2013, and just received notice that they'll be scrubbing their site of all guest contributions soon. Weird, but OK. My thoughts on data literacy have evolved a bit since then, but I still agree with everything I wrote (as if it's so long ago).
I'll be speaking about data literacy at C3 in October. Speaking of, well, speaking...I'm doing more and more of it. Click here for more info / to book me.
One more quick note. I left The Economist to resume consulting full time. Focus areas: brand architecture, positioning, digital/content/social strategy, copywriting. Ping me here if you'd like to discuss working together.
Do you want companies to have more of your data?
This question kicked off my exploration of data literacy at the University of Texas at Austin School of Information on Nov. 20. Businesses need to prepare themselves for this question to become commonplace, and very few are even close to being ready.
Consumers have become used to an almost comically lopsided transaction: Companies take and use consumer data for their ends — often without consumer knowledge or real comprehension — while offering them very little in return.
Just as literacy empowers individuals and societies to convert the written word into value, data literacy empowers us to extract value from another abundant resource, data — 2.5 quintillion bytes of which is created each day.
Data, then, is the new written word. In nearly every conceivable realm — from medicine and education to government and business — data is helping us understand and improve the world. But data promises a far greater positive impact if we work to foster data literacy among ordinary people.
But data literacy shouldn't frighten companies. In fact, the rise of data literacy creates a host of new opportunities. At the core of these new opportunities is the prediction that data-literate consumers will actually share more data with the companies that meet their heightened standards. And this data will be more predictive, accurate, holistic, timely, and actionable.
Data literacy starts with awareness. Someone who is data-aware knows that it is everywhere. This person knows that everything he or she does "emits" data. And this person understands that data is potentially valuable.
When confronted with the question I asked at the outset — "Do you want companies to have more of your data?" — the data-literate consumer evaluates a number of factors in order to determine if the exchange of data under consideration meets their personal criteria for a "good deal." Among these factors: the company's reputation, the type of data being requested, difficulty of provision, associated risks, and the degree to which it is identifiable back to the consumer.
Even the best copywriters in the world can't do much with a lousy value proposition. For most companies, the question of why consumers should give up their data is hard to answer, and it's not because they can't find the right words — it's that they're simply not offering a good deal.
So, what do consumers want in exchange for more of their data? We have a few clues, but more research is needed.
If businesses feel that they are offering a fair exchange of data for value, the best thing they can do is to be transparent about the offer. If the offer attracts data-literate consumers without negatively affecting the company's relationship with less the less data-savvy, it's on the right track.
Educating consumers about data can and should be participatory. For instance, companies can start a conversation about their use of consumer data by showing consumers what is collected and asking them to correct inaccuracies in their "data reflection." Acxiom's AboutTheData.com is a leading example of this approach.
Another way to design participation into the process of data collection is to give consumers more control over the "return" on their data. For example, do they want access to exclusive content, special offers, or loyalty points? It's a bit like choosing a credit card based on the perks. Since they'll be getting more of what they've asked for, they'll be incentivized to share more data.
If companies want to address the demands of data-literate consumers, they'll have to boost their own data literacy first by focusing inward. As the flood of consumer data necessitates that more employees handle it, data literacy must break through common silos (such as finance departments and developer groups) and spread within organizations. Part of that effort will involve external recruitment, and part of it will involve the placement of already data-literate employees in groups that have historically low data literacy.
It also means creating internal training programs to instill useful data literacy in "non-quants." In parallel with data literacy training, companies should implement standards and evaluate employees against them.
I think of data literacy as an "inevitable opportunity." As it spreads, businesses can either resist it and perish or embrace it and thrive.


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Indulge yourself with fresh and delicious pies. You will be pleasantly surprised by a lunch from our chef.
Pleasant music, cozy atmosphere is made to lift your spirits up.
You can marvel at our «Train-Kettle (Chainik - Parovoz)» – an intricately done toy that will definitely bring a smile to your face.


Viajes El Corte Ingles Inc.—ECI Travel was founded in 1987 by El Corte Ingles Group, one of the largest companies in Spain and among the top ten worldwide. ECI Travel is a New York-based DMC that provides specialized services to a variety of clients worldwide. Their longstanding presence in New York City has enabled them to provide their clients with knowledgeable recommendations, and to help make their stay in the City a memorable one. ECI Travel's professional team has the latest information about hotel services, ground transportation, shows and everything else the City has to offer.


text:
Solar Owners Ready to Unlock More Storage Than South Australia's Big Battery
Posted by Stephanie Gray on May 04, 2018
Friday, May 4: Survey results show that solar owners on a premium feed-in tariff (PFiT) are ready to upgrade their system and install batteries but are held back by the prospect of losing their tariff.
A new report by community group Solar Citizens shows that a voluntary buyout of premium feed-in tariffs which provides participating households with an upfront sum for an expanded solar system or battery storage offers a viable solution.
In Queensland alone there are over 250,000 households on the PFiT. The buyout scheme would open the floodgates for the uptake of battery storage across Australia, potentially leading to three times more battery storage than South Australia's big battery.
"We surveyed 340 solar owners on a premium tariff and found that 76% were interested or potentially interested in participating in a voluntary buyout," said Shani Tager, Solar Citizens Senior Campaigner.
"Early adopters of solar have seen firsthand the benefits of producing their own clean power and many are ready to go that step further and upgrade their system or install a battery."
"The premium feed-in tariffs did an excellent job of kicking off the rooftop solar industry in Australia, creating thousands of jobs and helping households generate clean power and take back control of their energy bills."
However, the rules of the premium tariffs mean that early solar adopters are unable to upgrade their system and add storage, which many households want to do with the price of solar and household batteries coming down.
In addition to providing a lump sum for participating households, the proposed buyout scheme would also split the payment to establish a fund to help low-income households get solar.
The survey found that 46% of solar owners were more likely to participate in the scheme if the savings were shared with low-income and vulnerable households.
"This scheme could generate up to $400 million in funding for low-income and vulnerable households to access solar, storage and energy efficiency, providing much needed relief to households who are feeling the pinch of high electricity prices," said Ms Tager.
"We emphasise that any premium feed in tariff buyout must be completely voluntary - these homeowners have contracts that give them a right to continue with the higher feed in tariff if they prefer."
Solar owner in Premium FiT:
Brisbane locals Gordon and Mary installed a 1.2kW system in 2009 and think the buyout scheme is a fantastic idea.
"The Premium Feed-in Tariff I'm on is very generous, but with the reduction in the price of new panels and batteries it's like having golden handcuffs," said Gordon.
"I'm increasingly feeling trapped by the contract we signed as we can't invest in additional panels or batteries without losing the PFiT. So I'm open to the idea of some kind of buyout scheme."
Low-income household looking to go solar:
Susan Maygar, a pensioner from Victoria who's looking to get solar and storage for the savings, thinks it's absolutely a good idea to give low-income households a helping hand – both financially and by providing more advice on reputable installers.
"There's an awful lot of people who are really struggling in Australia and they're the ones who need solar."
"As far as I'm concerned solar with a battery is the only way to go so that I can afford to run my air conditioner in the future."
"In Winter, I'd say 90 percent of our pensioners are rugging up instead of using heating to save."
This report was funded by the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation and is available here.
Media contact: Stephanie 0425543006
Scott Morrison dodges the blame on renewable jobs crash
3,000 QLD Construction Jobs Set to Disappear
Queensland Needs to Match NSW on Climate and Clean Energy
Western Sydney Community Power Hub to Deliver Renewable Solutions Under Labor
SA and Federal Governments' power credibility relies on Aurora power station
Consumers Win in ALP Energy Package
Apartment Dwellers Enter NSW Election Solar Race
Labor's challenge to the Liberals to propel NSW into a renewable future

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Isomorphism class of $\mathbf{U}(p^n)$ Note that $\mathbf{U}(k)$ is the unitary group.
i.e. $\mathbf{U}(k)=\{x<k | \gcd(x,k)=1\}$
We need to find the isomorphism class of $\mathbf{U}(p^n)$ where  $p$ is an odd prime.
The isomorphism class is
$\mathbf{Z}/\left<p^n - p^{n-1}\right>$.
I am not able to prove it.
I started with $|\mathbf{U}(p^n)|$ which is the Euler's phi function. Which turns out to be $p^n-p^{n-1}$.
Now i want to show that $\mathbf{U}(p^n)$ is cyclic, which i have no clue how to!
Please help me out!

A: It is called the theorem on existence of primitive root and the proof is not very easy. If you already know the existence of primitive roots modulo $p$ then here is a hint for induction proof:
if $\xi$ is primitive modulo $p^{n-1}$ then if $\xi$ is not primitive modulo $p^{n}$ then $\xi+p^{n-1}$ is.  Just because $(\xi +p^{n-1})^k=\xi^{k}+kp^{n-1}$.
Also here is wiki page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_root_modulo_n

A: Hint: what is the order of the element $1 + p$?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
UH NSBE receives $10k grant for community garden revamp
Stephen Greenwell
UH NSBE members volunteering at a previous community event at the Blodgett Urban Gardens.
UH NSBE members.
Reflecting the organization's commitment to the community, the Dow Promise Program has awarded a $10,000 grant to the University of Houston branch of the National Society of Black Engineers, to partner with the Blodgett Urban Gardens to revitalize a portion of the Third Ward Urban Farm across the street from Texas Southern University.
Michael Ojo, the Vice President External for UH NSBE, identified two contacts that got the project rolling – senior Chemical Engineering student Rabbiyah Baksh, and Craig Dunham, a 1992 Chemical Engineering graduate of UH that is now a manager at Dow.
"Rabbiayh served as our 2019-20 president, and interned with Dow," Ojo said. "She found out about this opportunity via a connection in their African American network. Craig was willing to serve as our internal sponsor for the grant. We have always done community volunteering with Blodgett in the past, and when we read the program guidelines, we knew another collaboration would be a good fit."
UH NSBE has 150 members, Ojo said. He identified four major goals for the group going forward, and described each.
Emphasizing Our Brand. "Coming from a pandemic, UH NSBE wants to ensure people know who we are in the Cullen College of Engineering but also across the University of Houston Campus Community. This includes partnerships with other student organizations like SHPE and SWE, but also partnering with faculty and staff, like our advisor, Dr. Jerrod Henderson, and the Engineering Career Center."
Creating Effective and Diverse Programs. "Our UH NSBE mission statement focuses on three pillars – academic excellence, professional success and positive community impact. UH NSBE wants to reach a wide audience with a variety of events to target niche groups and also propel the success of minority students in STEM at the University of Houston. Some unique events NSBE has had this past semester include Study Skills Workshop with Dr. Henderson, Sandwich Saturdays (Sandwich Delivery to the homeless around Houston), and Secure the Bag Study Nights (Career Fair study sessions to help members improve the interview skills, and prepare them for career fair success)."
Invest in Ourselves. "UH NSBE understands the future of our organization is the underclassmen. Going forward our main goal is to invest in ourselves, and that specifically includes investing in younger members of NSBE and giving them leadership opportunities to foster their personal development. NSBE is big on leadership , and this year we've given our members opportunities to lead events, and become more involved in the execution and planning of the organization as a whole. We started a Freshman Executive Board, which gives underclassmen the opportunity to see what it's like to be a NSBE officer."
Success at the NSBE Conference. "In late March, UH NSBE will be traveling to our annual NSBE conference, located in Anaheim, California this year. Our main goal is to be able to sponsor as many members to make the trip to California and attend the conference. These conferences are known for changing lives with an abundance of professional opportunities, networking and leadership development opportunities. We want to give as many members as possible the opportunity to attend.
According to the project proposal, the organizers plan to prepare the garden beds for spring planting, to complete critical repairs to the irrigation system, and to make tools, materials and supplies available to maintain and sustain the garden. The project is scheduled to start on March 5 with an official Day of Service.
For more information about joining UH NSBE, visit this website or the group's Slack channel. Interested parties can also email secretary [at] uhnsbe.org. The community event on March 5 runs from 9 a.m. to noon, but volunteers must register with the group via the Slack channel.
BME's Naash Researching Expanded Gene Therapy for Rare Blindess Disease
BME's Larin Pioneers Imaging Techniques of Fetal Brain and Cornea
SHPE-UH honored with National Chapter of the Year award


It has been a busy couple of weeks for Petra! First, she has been invited to speak at the 2019 O'Brien Center Spring Symposium, "Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Fibrosis" at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has also been awarded a travel award to attend the AUA Basic Science Symposium and present some of her work. Congratulations!
Big news! BSTP rotation student Sarah has decided to join the lab. Welcome aboard!
End of the year lab celebration!
The lab (Jagpreet, Petra, Sarah, Wisam, and I) went out dinner to celebrate the end of the year. I am grateful for all of their hard work this year. In typical fashion, we failed to photodocument the occasion.
Jagpreet and Wisam presented posters with some new data. The program was very interesting, and we had a great time hearing what is new in basic urologic research. Pictures for the website have been updated and we have plenty of new ideas to implement into our projects.
It is always wonderful to catch up with everyone too!
Sarah Kohrt, a gradaute student from the Biomedical Sciences Training Program (BSTP) joined us for her final rotation. Welcome Sarah!
Big (belated) news! Our lab is growing! Petra Popovics, PhD is joining the team in mid-November.
I had a wonderful time attending the 8th GLNRC, hosted by the University Of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center and presenting some new data. Always nice to hear about nuclear receptors and meet some trainees in the field. I highly recommend this meeting, as it is stellar.
Back to Hershey! This time, a visit with the Urology Department and catching up with Dave DeGraff (a fellow Matusik lab PD alumni). Another great opportunity to swap some data on prostate and bladder cancer.
It's a busy time in the Grabowska lab! Jagpreet Nanda, a postdoctoral fellow, started July 1st. We also have two high school summer students volunteering in July. The lab is buzzing with activity.
Our first R01 has been submitted! Fingers crossed for good reviews!
I always enjoy seeing my clinical and basic collaborators, mentors, and friends at this meeting. The joint morning session between the SUO/SBUR was, as always, stellar.
Wisam and I participated in CWRU's DNA Day for the second year! We talked about DNA and extracted DNA from strawberries with 11th graders at James Ford Rhodes High School. We were joined by Luke Bury, a postdoctoral fellow from the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at CWRU.
This was the first time attending the conference for me. I have never seen so much cancer research in one place.
I was thrilled to visit Penn State Hershey, meet up with fellow new PI Katherine Aird and her amazing colleagues, and present some of our new data to the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
We had a busy conference! I presented some of our work on networks that control benign prostatic hyperplasia development during the Friday morning session, and Wisam presented a poster Friday night. Always lovely to catch up with old science friends and make new ones.
Happy birthday Grabowska lab! It's amazing what a difference a year makes. The lab set-up is now complete and we are hard at work generating data.
After a rocky submission process, we've submitted our first collaborative grant to the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program. Very excited about the new collaboration with Dr. Derek Taylor's group at CWRU. We will know the outcome sometime in January. Keeping our fingers crossed!
Early Career Investigator Workshop 2017, hosted by the American Urological Association.
An amazing opportunity to meet fellow urology researchers, learn about the grant process (including what to avoid, courtesy of Dr. Peter Clark), and workshop our own grants.
I was honored to teach the prostate cancer section of the workshop. I highly recommend this workshop to cancer biology trainees, as it offers a great balance of lectures and hands-on training.
Back-to-back research seminars in Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus Ohio, presenting some of our data on developmental biology impacts on prostatic diseases like benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Thank you for the invite Dr. Christina Ching!
This was my first GRC, and I am already looking forward to the next one. I also presented our first lab poster!
Frank the snail becomes the official Grabowska lab mascot and my office mate.
The lab continues to grow. Jinlong joins the Grabowska lab as an undergraduate summer volunteer. He and this microscope will soon be very good friends.
It's always nice to catch up with my postdoc mentor, Bob Matusik (pictured), and (former) Vanderbilt crew.
Wisam and I participated in our first CWRU DNA Day! We headed to Garrett Morgan High School to talk about DNA and extract strawberry DNA with the class. A wonderful opportunity to discuss science with high school students.
First experiment in the Grabowska lab.
Welcome on board Wisam! It will be nice to have some help with all these boxes and the science.
First day of the Grabowska lab. Plenty of room for new equipment and people.


text:
3,000 Medical Cannabis Patients in France to Receive Free Weed for Two Years
Article by Sam Riches, Growth Op
France has announced a medical cannabis trial that is expected to begin in Mar. 2021, will run for two years and will see 3,000 patients receive pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products for free, Le Monde reports.
France's Ministry of Health and Solidarity will oversee the trial, which was approved by the National Assembly in 2019. The program will focus on the efficacy of cannabis therapy to treat conditions such as epilepsy, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis and the side effects of chemotherapy, and will be limited to smokeless products like oils, tinctures and capsules.
Cannabis is illegal in France for recreational use and has been banned for medical use since 1953. In September, the country implemented a fixed fine of 200 euros (about $300) for cannabis consumption, rather than taking individuals into custody.
Though the plant is widely consumed, not everyone is in favour of cannabis reform.
Last month, in an interview with Le Parisien, Gérald Darmanin, France's Minister of the Interior, called cannabis legalization "shit."
Darmanin reportedly said, "I cannot, as Minister of the Interior, as a politician, tell parents who are fighting to get their children out of drug addiction, that we are going to legalize this shit."
Amsterdam Seeks to Ban Tourists From City's Cannabis Coffee Shops
Cannabis Activist and Entrepreneur Steve DeAngelo Leaves California Cannabis Company, Harborside Inc


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I want to send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Turk Gaines. I can just imagine how sad this situation is for them and they don't have the choice but to endure the pain. I am pretty sure that the remaining members of Sugar Grits will be eager enough to continue the journey they had started when they were still complete. Well, some of them might be clueless on how to start all over again, but with God's guidance I know that they can overcome this. Turk will always be there to guide them all throughout!


Here is a review of CcHUB's new initiative aimed at driving the growth of technology innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
This just caught my attention and I think it is such an innovative idea. Leave it to the Nigerians to change things up. While the rest of the world is putting plans in place to build their various tech cities, Nigeria's tech hub in Lagos, has decided not to. According to the latest project by Lagos' innovation hub ccHub, the city is concerning itself with a tech neighbourhood (hat tip: White African) rather than a whole city.
The initiative runs under that of the i-HQ Project, an industry led initiative that aims to accelerate the growth of technology innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
A collaborative effort between ccHub, Innovate Lagos and the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology.
In essence the i-HQ project is a more focused version of Silicon Lagoon. The first phase of the initiative include: Centre of excellence, Broadband Active i-HQ, Traffic Jam Free i-HQ.
The centre will serve as collaboration and co-creation space for all players within and outside of the i-HQ neighbourhood. "Our goal is to acquire the 6 storey building located at 294, Herbert Macaulay Way Sabo, Yaba," says the initiative.
The building currently houses ccHub and will accommodate other key players in Lagos' growing tech scene. The project hopes the innovators in the building will "collectively provide leadership, best practices, research, training to accelerate the economic contribution and global positioning of the Nigerian technology ecosystem".
A true tech neighbourhood needs proper broadband connectivity. Through collaboration with the Lagos State Innovation Advisory Council and MainOne Cable Company, the partnership hopes to install fibre optic cables through the hood. "This move will enhance the connectivity of the cluster members and open up i-HQ for other technology businesses," according to the project.
To sort out the traffic situation in the area the group is hoping to come up with a scientific solution through research and more partnership.
Pretty cool. Get one neighbourhood set up and running as a certified tech hub, if it's successful take the same model and transplant it somewhere else. The guys at ccHub and their partners may not be looking to build a whole tech city but if the same model can be used in different neighbourhoods around the city, a tech city they will have without even thinking about it. It will be very cool to see how the next stage rolls out and what it entails.
When would this project start? And you didn't not give a breakdown or explanation of Ђδω people will register?


text:
Ricardo Hurtado est un acteur américain, né le  à Miami. Il est principalement connu pour avoir joué dans School of Rock et le film Malibu Rescue.

Biographie
Ricardo Hurtado a joué Freddy Huerta dans School of Rock et a fait une apparition dans la série Nicky, Ricky, Dicky et Dawn en tant que Joey Montagelli. Ricardo Hurtado est aussi un chanteur.

Vie privée
Il est sorti avec Jade Pettyjohn. Il a annoncé ses fiançailles avec sa petite amie, Zuzu Holland.

Il est d'origine nicaraguayenne.

Filmographie

Cinéma

 2019 : Malibu Rescue Le Film (Netflix) : Tyler
 2020 : Malibu Rescue une nouvelle vague (Netflix): Tyler

Télévision
 2016 : Nicky, Ricky, Dicky et Dawn : Joey Montagelli (1 épisode)
 2016 - 2018 : School of Rock : Freddy Huerta (45 épisodes)
 2019 : Malibu Rescue : Tyler (8 épisodes)
 2019 : Middle School Moguls : Finn / Fred (4 épisodes)
 2021 : Country-Sitter : Tuck (10 épisodes)

Doublage
 2020 : Glitch Techs : Hector "High Five" Nieves / Hi-5

Références

Acteur américain
Naissance en août 1999
Naissance à Miami
Acteur Nickelodeon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


TRENTON, NJ - Due to ongoing concerns about below normal precipitation, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin today encouraged residents across New Jersey to take steps to conserve water, both inside the home and outside.
While recent rainfall has helped ease this year's precipitation deficits somewhat, the effects of an unusually dry winter and spring are starting to be felt across the state.
The DEP's water team has been meeting weekly to assess water supplies, demand, climate data, and weather forecasts. Recent rain and cooler weather have reduced wildfire threats, but the New Jersey Forest Fire Service cautions that risks can rise quickly after just a few days of dry and windy weather.
The recent rainfall also cut into statewide precipitation deficits. From a longer term precipitation standpoint, however, New Jersey is considered severely dry. Deficits range from 3.2 inches below normal in Cape May County to 5.8 inches below normal in Morris County.
As a result, streams and rivers, critical for replenishing reservoirs, are rated as severely to extremely dry.
Shallow unconfined aquifers across the state are also rated as severely to extremely dry. Many private well owners and some municipal water supplies utilize these shallow groundwater supplies. Groundwater is important for replenishing streams, rivers and lakes.
Commissioner Martin is urging residents to use water wisely and efficiently, particularly since outdoor consumption is expected to increase going into the summer due to lawn and landscape irrigation, agricultural use and other outdoor water-related activities.
Do not over-water lawns and landscaping. Watering two times per week for 20-30 minutes in early morning or early evening ensures that plants receive the most water while developing strong, healthy root systems. Make sure sprinklers and irrigation systems do not water during or immediately after a rain and are set to avoid wasting water on the street, driveway and sidewalk.
To save water in the home, fix leaky faucets and pipes.
Install high-efficiency, water saving toilets, faucets and shower heads.
Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to water trees, gardens and flower beds.


• Use predefined Liferay modules and style guides to create layouts and templates so that others can build pages and add content (drop images into templates, add copy, change font size, style) without Java or HTML knowledge.
• Communicate with stakeholders to clarify requirements and request any additional information necessary to complete assigned tasks.
• Manage tasks, progress, and activity in project management software.
• Must be self-motivated, but take direction well.
• Excellent communication skills – verbal and written.


Covert missions are failing, Fleet officers are vanishing, and Naval Intelligence is losing its eyes, ears, and the ability to strike at its foes. After Zack Decker and Hera Talyn, the Special Operations Section's deadliest agents, narrowly escape betrayal for the third time in a row, the Marine suspects something more than bad luck is in play. For years, the Fleet has been fighting a shadowy cold war against factions in the Commonwealth determined to strangle democracy and give birth to an empire. Has that war turned hot without warning? In a quest for answers, Zack Decker volunteers to undertake his riskiest mission yet. With treason rampant at the heart of the Fleet, perhaps even within Naval Intelligence itself, he and Talyn must disappear until they discover the identity of their unseen enemies.
Along the way, Decker will come face to face with humanity's worst impulses and its noblest spirits. And though he can't trust his colleagues and superiors, other than his partner Hera, he knows he can always trust his Pathfinder comrades to stand tall against disloyalty. The Marine Corps' elite will gladly join him in teaching traitors the real meaning of unrestrained covert warfare. After all, spy or not, Zack Decker is still one of the Few.
I enjoyed the series. Iwas disappointed in the edeting in this last book.
As usual a fast paced Military Intelligence action story. A continuation of the Decker and Talny saga. Can't wait for the next book.
I can hardly wait for Mr. Thomson's next book in whchever series he's writing. He has a firm grasp on his plots and his characters are quite believeable.
Old home week in this one - lots of previous characters (so read the books in order!), action, conspiracy and plot twists.


Looking to build a great B2B website? The foundation of an effective B2B Website has five key components.
The content management system is the glue that ties it all together. A content management system is a software application that makes it easy to publish content to the web. All content publishing and management is performed via your web browser. Gone are the days of hacking HTML code with an HTML editor. Today's content management systems are robust and extensible and allow you to add new functionality in a plug and play manner.
SEM is all about being found on the web. Can customers find your products and services, or are you invisible? When customers and prospects type in the top 25 keywords for your business, do you show up on the first page of the Google organic search results? If not, you need to optimize your site for organic search and/or start paying for keywords with Google AdWords.
For most B2B marketers the primary objective for the website is lead generation. Once you begin to generate leads, the leads are entered into a CRM system like Salesforce.com. You also should collect data on which SEO keywords and PPC campaigns generated the lead.
After you have captured a lead from your website, the next step is to nurture that lead. Marketing automation systems are designed to nurture leads using email drip programs to move prospects through the sales and marketing funnel.
If you think social media is just for kids or consumer websites, you need to reevaluate your thinking in 2011. Social media has a plethora of channels that a B2B marketer can leverage: from using LinkedIn company profiles for recruiting, to leveraging Twitter to provide customer support and alerts, to building an online discussion board that fosters community and rapport with your customers.


text:
Q: get list of all streams name and length of each in Redis We are creating redis streams dynamically.
We want to keep track of summary of streams like

*

*streamname

*count/length

Is there a command that can do this?
SCAN was suggested somewhere but it was not returning expected result
Last option is to maintain diff list of stream-names in redis..
Above are basic requirement.
It would be nice to have info about last element.I think that can be used by
XREVRANGE temp + - COUNT 1


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text:
/* Define to prevent recursive inclusion -------------------------------------*/
#ifndef __tim_H
#define __tim_H
#ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
#endif

/* Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#include "stm32f1xx_hal.h"
#include "main.h"

/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */

/* USER CODE END Includes */

extern TIM_HandleTypeDef htim1;

/* USER CODE BEGIN Private defines */

/* USER CODE END Private defines */

extern void _Error_Handler(char *, int);

void MX_TIM1_Init(void);

/* USER CODE BEGIN Prototypes */

/* USER CODE END Prototypes */

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif
#endif /*__ tim_H */

/**
  * @}
  */

/**
  * @}
  */

/************************ (C) COPYRIGHT STMicroelectronics *****END OF FILE****/

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← INTERVIEW WITH FRED PENNER
INTERVIEW WITH CRISTINA COSTANTINI AND DARREN FOSTER →
INTERVIEW WITH HANS HEMMERT
Posted on October 4, 2018 by editsuite99
By Anita Malhotra
German conceptual artist Hans Hemmert at his home in Berlin on Sept. 7, 2018 (photo by Anita Malhotra)
Berlin-based artist Hans Hemmert is best known for his groundbreaking conceptual artwork, most notably his performative balloon sculptures. His work has been exhibited at the MoMA in New York, the Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (CGAC) in Spain and Shanghai's Museum of Contemporary Art, among others.
"o.T. – "Yellow sculpture fitting to beer crate" (1998), balloon/air/artist/ beer crate, Cibachrome, 100 x 75 cm, © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
It can also be found in many art collections around the world, including those of the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art Helsinki, Malmö Konsthall, Berlin Landesmuseum, German Bundestag, and the Jumex Collection in Mexico City.
Hemmert is also a member of the collective "inges idee" (Hans Hemmert, Axel Lieber, Thomas A. Schmidt and Georg Zey), whose more than 50 striking public sculptures can be found in Europe, Asia and North America.
Anita Malhotra spoke with Hans Hemmert at his home in Berlin on Sept. 7, 2018.
AM: Where did you grow up?
HH: I grew up in Bavaria – in the countryside.
AM: What were your first experiences with art?
"Unterwegs" ("On the Road"), 1996, balloon/air/artist/car; lightbox slide, 100 x 160 cm, © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
HH: At school I liked to work with my hands building small models made of paper, or working with clay. And this developed in my youth.
I knew that I wanted to do something with my hands – not with texts and words, but with pictures and three-dimensional objects. I started studying philosophy in '81, but then it became clear that I wanted to enter arts school.
Hans Hemmert at the age of 6 in Bavaria (photo courtesy of Hans Hemmert)
AM: What interested you about philosophy?
HH: The interest came from the religious education I had in Bavaria. My family was very religious – Catholic. I was even in a seminary from age 10 to 17.
There I got a lot of religious and philosophical input, because we were reading the old Greek and Latin philosophers.
I started studying philosophy but realized that I'm not a scientist but an artist. Then I got a place in the art school in Berlin and studied sculpture for five years.
AM: In your sculpture studies, who were you influenced by?
HH: I was influenced by English sculpture because my teacher was English. He was a pupil of Anthony Caro, who did abstract steel sculpture in England in the '60s. Caro was the assistant of Henry Moore for five years.
Untitled 1988 work by Hans Hemmert in an exhibit of 1980s Berlin art at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien (photo by Anita Malhotra, Sept. 7, 2018)
So I started with huge abstract steel sculptures, and out of that I developed my own language.
Afterwards I moved away from pure sculpture to a lot of different materials and into installation and doing video and photographic work. I was also drawing all the time.
AM: What was the arts scene like in Berlin when you first came?
HH: Berlin was not the centre of the arts scene in Germany. The centres were Cologne and Düsseldorf. Berlin was a special town in the sense it was very cheap to live here because there was no economic growth. The city was more or less empty.
And there was a grant from West Germany for Berlin. Everybody who worked here got eight percent on their income from the state to live here. It was called Berlinzulage [Berlin Allowance].
"level" (1997), Styrodur/rubber/Velcro/measuring device, 50 pairs of platform shoes with heights of 5-43 cm, installation view at Galerie Gebauer Berlin, © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
Nearly every artist had a cheap studio because Berlin was a big industrial city before the war, and after the war all the factories stood empty. So West Berlin was very good for young people developing their creativity.
Hans Hemmert as sculpture student in 1986 at Universität der Künste Berlin (photo by Sebastian Kusenberg)
AM: How did you start working with the medium of balloons?
HH: During my studies and for a few years after I still worked with steel and other materials doing sculptures. And then I got ill with my back. If you carry a sack of plaster, it's really heavy work, so I had a real problem and had to stop for a few months.
Then I started mainly to draw for one or two years. In the drawings I often had these bubbles. If you work with ink, you can take a little bit of water, and you get these wonderful bubble-forms. This brought me to the idea of working with balloons.
First I bought all the balloons and inflatable everyday stuff made from PVC you can buy for bathing like bath dolphins.
Then I realized that I wanted to have bigger balloons – as big as possible. I researched and developed the technique to build my own balloons and I built the yellow balloons with two assistants in my studio. It took two, three weeks' production time gluing them with natural latex material I bought from England.
"Die Story über den Freund vom Sohn der deutschen Synchronstimme von Robert de Niro" (1995), latex air balloon, 500 x 600 x 700 cm, part of the exhibition "Urbane Legenden – Berlin" in the Staatlichen Kunsthalle Baden-Baden (photo by Hans Hemmert)
AM: Tell me about some of your first balloon sculptures.
HH: In 1995 I was invited by the Kunsthalle Baden-Baden to participate in an exhibition about Berlin. There I got a big space and I decided for the first time to take a giant yellow balloon as a sculpture and fill the whole room up to the ceiling. You could still walk around the sculpture, but the artwork took up 80 percent of the volume of the space.
"0104/95/H.H," 35 x 27 cm, ink on paper (photo courtesy of Hans Hemmert)
After this exhibition I got my balloon back and I had the idea to inflate it in my student apartment, and go inside the balloon and take a photo.
The balloon was closed at the beginning and then you cut a hole in it so you could go in. My girlfriend helped me to get in. I went in and breathed through a tube, and then my girlfriend glued it closed again.
I had to wait for about half an hour with the tube in my mouth, and then through this tube she inflated the balloon with an air blower. I was seated inside and then it inflated and started to press against the furniture and the wall.
I had a camera and tripod with me because I had intended to take a photo. Then I thought, "Nobody will believe that this is a real sculpture. Everybody will think it's a photoshop collage." It needed a passerby – a reference person. I decided to be that reference person and I made self-portrait with a tripod and remote shutter release.
"Saturday afternoon, at home in Neukölln" (1995), latex balloon/air/artist/living room; lightbox slide, 43 x 62 cm, © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
When I saw the image I thought, "This is a good work because it's a very open image. Everybody can see different things in the work." For me, personally, it was very interesting. I was sitting on the same chair I sat on every day just separated by a tenth of a millimeter of stretched latex. But in my thoughts I was far away, like on a journey to outer space or to the moon.
"o.T. – Yellow sculpture fitting to Julie" (1998), balloon/air/ artist/Julie; Cibachrome, 100 x 75 cm, © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
I continued over the next years to make a lot of different balloon works. There are different ones where I'm inside – for example, inside my car, inside my studio, and so on.
Afterwards I experienced this idea of going inside a balloon but taking a part of the outside – the balloon world – for example, my daughter Julie – into my hands. The balloon was, if you will, my second skin. I felt like an alien.
In 1998, I was invited by the Centro Galego for Contemporary Art – a beautiful new museum in Spain with a very special architectural space.
I made it a dialogue between my sculpture and the architecture. They are squeezed together like a sandwich, and in the end the whole space is an art installation. In another gallery show in Berlin at carlier|gebauer, I took a big balloon and suspended it by scaffolding standards.
AM: The one that puzzled me was the dancing balloon. I thought you had motorized it.
HH: I was inside and I was really dancing. It was bouncing against me and it was only possible for 20 or 30 minutes. I had two or three people outside who kept asking, "Hans, are you still okay?" "Yeah, I'm okay." But then they had to cut me out because I had no air.
AM: So for this size of balloon, 20 minutes is the maximum?
HH: Yes, but you can stay a whole day in the big ones.
Untitled 1998 installation [latex balloon/ air/museum; 900 x 550 x 650 cm; Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Spain, © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
AM: What does it feel like to be inside a balloon?
HH: The main feeling is fear. You feel fear because of the breathing. And I also had fear that it would blow up and hit me in the eyes, so at first I wore safety goggles. But this never happened when I was inside a balloon.
AM: Is there a reason you almost always work in yellow?
HH: I decided on yellow for different personal reasons. Yellow was a very fashionable colour in the '70s when I was a teenager, and yellow reminds me of the sun, of the colour of gold, and the baroque churches where I was raised in Bavaria and Franconia. So it has something divine.
And yellow is also a little bit aggressive. It inspires you to start thinking. I made transparent works before, but yellow was my favourite colour, and it kind of became my signature.
AM: How do you feel about the fact that people see your work and your name is out there, but then your work of art just deflates?
HH: Yes, it deflates and after a few years I throw it away. What I like about the inflatable art pieces is that I don't pack my studio full of works. The steel work was always a problem to store.
And I like the idea that it's temporary and ephemeral. A big balloon filling a museum space – if it's deflated you can carry it in a suitcase. I travelled by airplane to Tokyo with a suitcase containing my art and inflated big installations. It was a crazy feeling – it was fun.
Hans Hemmert working on a balloon sculpture in his Berlin studio in 1998 (photo courtesy of Hans Hemmert)
But the disadvantage is that although I was showing a lot – worldwide, too – I could not sell them. What I did was have photographs taken of performances in my studio and then I commercialized these works. Because otherwise nobody but a few assistants in the studio would see them.
AM: Why did you create German Panther – the tank made out of balloons?
HH: One day I stopped working with the big yellow balloons and decided to work with a lot of small balloons, like pixel art. I created a few works with small, randomly coloured balloons – first a church, and then I did this lifesize tank, German Panther.
"german panther" (2007), latex balloons/air/latex glue; 960 x370 x 300 cm, installation view at Städtische Galerie Nordhorn, Germany © Hans Hemmert and VG Bild Kunst
I was invited by an exhibition and my proposal was in the form of a small watercolour drawing. They liked it, so I created it. I wanted to create an image which has a strong contrast between what you see as an image, the tank, and the material it's made of.
The effect is stunning, but I also think it becomes an anti-war statement. It seems that a lot of people read it like this because I was asked by Amnesty International and War Child to use the image.
AM: How did you get involved with the public sculpture collective inges idee?
HH: This happened in the early '90s. I had a lot of artist friends, and with three others we had the idea to work as a team because work in public space was becoming more and more common. I created one public space project alone in Frankfurt in '90.
"Next Step" by inges idee at the Führichstraße primary school in Munich (photo by Anita Malhotra, Sept. 11, 2018)
I realized if you do it alone you have to be really a good entrepreneur, and it would be much more convenient to work together on such big projects.
Also, if you work in public space, your work will be seen on the street and has to make sense to everybody.
Only a small percent of society goes to contemporary art galleries or museums. We thought if there are four of us discussing the ideas, then we are already a small public sphere because the four ideas come together and the four critiques come together during brainstorming.
That's our main business – doing brainstorming. Everybody brings ideas to the table, and then we filter out what would be good at this site in this context.
An artist colleague from Vancouver once said, "inges idee is like Christmas. You never know what you will get."
"Zauberlehrling" ("Sorcerer's Apprentice") by inges idee, Emscherkunst 2018, Oberhausen, Germany (photo by inges idee)
AM: What does the name inges idee mean?
HH: Well, it's just a crazy idea. Inge is a German name – a woman's name. But it's old-fashioned. Nobody has been called Inge in the last 50 years. We wanted Inge because it has an "i" like the word idee, and idee is a beautiful German word. We also thought, "It's a woman's name – we are four guys." So the fictional fifth person is "inge" – the mother.
One of two riderless horses in the inges idee sculpture "Wild Horses" in the old city of Berlin-Köpenick (photo by Anita Malhotra, Sept. 7, 2018)
AM: How do you work together?
HH: Everybody has his individual skills. Thomas Schmidt is very good in drawing very quickly and evocatively, Axel Lieber is doing all the texts – very precise text work, Georg Zey is the best manager you can imagine, and I work on the small models, which then go to the factory to be enlarged.
But all of us are first and foremost the artists of inges idee and mainly involved in the idea-finding process.
Our studio is full of small models – hundreds of little sculptural sketches. We did 350 competitions in the last 25 years. These are invited, closed competitions like architectural competitions. We won and completed 50 or so in 11 different countries.
Top view of "From Above" (2011) by inges idee at Expo 2005 Commemorative Park, Aichi, Japan (photo by Kei Okan)
AM: inges idee has many interesting works all over the world, but one of the most striking is the snowman you have in Japan. How did that idea come about?
HH: The snowman was an invitation from Aichi, a former world exhibition site. When we are invited, we get images of the place and usually travel there and come back and develop an idea.
Lower view of "From Above" by Inges Idee, Expo 2005 Commemorative Park, Aichi, Japan (photo by Kei Okan)
Here, the place was an exhibition pavilion with an open sky roof and a small water-feature below. And then we came to the idea of building a snowman who melts down and loses his hat.
We wanted to bring something from our culture to Japan, and for that reason we used the schneemann (snowman). I think it's a German or middle European invention – a mythical figure.
Everybody builds a snowman as a child in wintertime because we have snow everywhere. I built hundreds as a child.
In Germany if you make a snowman, you put a carrot for the nose, a pot as a hat, and two pieces of black coal or buttons as eyes. So the snowman starts to melt, and the hat falls while the snowman is looking down.
AM: Can you tell me a bit about the basketball court sculpture outside the Munich technical school?
HH: We had the idea to take a basketball court and destroy one parameter of it. So we removed the parameter that it's flat. Everything is what you would expect for a basketball court – there's normal tartan material, the sizes are right, the lines are right, but the parameter that it's flat is left out. And so we built hills up to two metres on it.
3D² by Inges Idee, Riesstraße Vocational School Centre, Munich (photo by Anita Malhotra, Sept. 14, 2018)
You still see it as a basketball court, but it is also asking questions. You cannot really play on it, but you can use it in a different way as a relaxing zone in front of the school. It's a simple idea, but it does so much to a place.
AM: Another striking work is the one of the dog and bone in Calgary.
HH: That's the newest one. It's installed at the Seton medical centre in Calgary. We wanted to attract people to the entrance of the medical centre. It's a dog looking for the bone up on the roof, and the dog itself is built out of nine bones. And so the dog is built out of his own "desire." He is longing to get the bone, and he is built out of his desire like every human being is filled with desires, if you will. The sculpture tells you to always look up.
"The Bone" (2017) by inges idee, Seton Professional Health Centre, Calgary, Canada (photo by inges idee)
AM: What projects are you working on now with inges idee?
HH: We are working on a new invitation in Vancouver, Canada. There is a new area outside Vancouver with incredible highrise buildings called Gilmore and they are building a SkyTrain. For this space under the new SkyTrain, they invited artists to make public art.
"Jewelry" (2004) by inges idee, Karlsplatz Parking Garage, Düsseldorf, Germany (photo by Peter Stumpf)
We are developing three or four ideas, and at the last moment we will select the best one. So right now we are doing drawing and making models and photoshop collages.
My whole day is about looking at visual ideas and deciding which one is strong – which one could invite people to start thinking outside of the box.
For more information about Hans Hemmert and inges idee, please visit ingesidee.de.
This entry was posted in ART and tagged ART, art installation, balloon, balloon sculpture, Banksy, Banksy balloon, Berlin, berlin art, Berlin artist, berlin public sculpture, Berlinzulage, Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, conceptual art, from above, German art, german conceptual art, german sculpture, hans hemmert, inges idee, munich art, munich public sculpture, next step, public sculpture, snowman, Staatlichen Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, Städtische Galerie Nordhorn, steel sculpture, the bone, Universität der Künste Berlin, wild horses. Bookmark the permalink.
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Guess what I am coming over to your house! What would we do, eat, go , see ...tell me 5 things!! Oh yeah where do you live?
Welcome to MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA!
1. We would definitely hit up the beach and work on our tans!
2. We would definitely have to play a little miniature golf. There are like 20 million courses to choose from... but below is one of the largest ones we have.
3. We would go out one night at Broadway at the Beach and one night down in the Inlet.
4. We would take a walk down the new boardwalk and stop for a drink at our most famous pier, Pier 14.


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So I was in London on Saturday, and spent some requisite time wandering around Trafalgar Square in the rain. Like Times Square in NYC, Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, or other such urban centers, Trafalgar square is alive with bustling activity, tourism, and, well, masses of diverse humanity. Moving around the throngs of people on Saturday reminded me of just how much I love being in international cities and particularly these sorts of iconic public spaces.


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Summer Literacy Adventure
First Lady Ann Scott Concludes Summer Literacy Adventure at Fort Mose Historic State Park
First Lady Ann Scott today made her final stop on the 2018 Summer Literacy Adventure at Fort Mose Historic State Park in St. Augustine. During her visit, First Lady Ann Scott shared her passion for reading with students from the St. Johns County Summer Camp Program and encouraged them to take the Summer Literacy Adventure pledge to read every day. [Read more…] about First Lady Ann Scott Concludes Summer Literacy Adventure at Fort Mose Historic State Park
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First Lady Ann Scott Concludes Summer Literacy Adventure at Jonathan Dickinson State Park
First Lady Ann Scott today shared her passion for reading with students from the Tree Top Academy of Palm Beach at the Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound and encouraged them to take the Summer Literacy Adventure pledge to read every day. At the start of the 2017-2018 school year, First Lady Ann Scott will visit the school whose students successfully completed the most pledges during the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure.
First Lady Ann Scott said, "I had an extraordinary time visiting students around the state and sharing my love of reading during the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure. I truly believe that a strong foundation of literacy is important for students to achieve their dreams and career goals. I'm so excited to celebrate with the winning school this fall and meet even more of Florida's outstanding students and educators!"
The First Lady was joined by representatives from the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Lottery. DEP generously provided state park passes, Junior Ranger Activity Folders, pencils and sunglasses for the student participants, and a Florida Lottery sponsorship made it possible for students to leave with a goody bag containing books.
"It is critical that Florida's students continue to read during the summer months to ensure they are prepared to succeed during the school year," said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. "I am grateful that First Lady Ann Scott has dedicated her time to inspiring Florida students to share her love of reading."
"At the Lottery, we remain committed to ensuring Florida's students become the leaders of tomorrow," said Secretary Jim Poppell. "It is our hope that as a new school year begins, students continue to develop an appreciation of reading that will stay with them throughout their lifetime."
The 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure helps keep Florida students excited about reading and literacy. Research shows that children who do not continue reading through the summer can lose a month or more of progress made during the school year. By encouraging their children to read, parents play an important role in ensuring every child reads at or above grade level.
"The Loxahatchee River that runs through Jonathan Dickinson State Park is one of two federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "I can think of no better setting to learn about the natural beauty of wild Florida."
Students can fill out their Summer Literacy Adventure Pledge form at 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: first lady ann scott, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Summer Literacy Adventure
First Lady Ann Scott Concludes Summer Literacy Adventure
Tomorrow, July 27, First Lady Ann Scott will conclude the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure in Hobe Sound. During her visit, the First Lady will read to students from the Tree Top Academy of Palm Beach.
WHAT: Summer Literacy Adventure
WHEN: Thursday, July 27, 2017
WHERE: Jonathan Dickinson State Park
16450 SE Federal Hwy
Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: first lady ann scott, Summer Literacy Adventure
First Lady Ann Scott Continues Summer Literacy Adventure at Marion County Public Library
First Lady Ann Scott today continued the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure at Marion County Public Library in Ocala. First Lady Scott read to students from the Marion County Boys and Girls Club and encouraged them to read throughout the summer as they prepare for school to begin.
"I thoroughly enjoyed spending my morning at the Marion County Public Library with students from the Boys and Girls Club," said First Lady Ann Scott. "This is the perfect time for children and families to spend extra time reading and learning together. I encourage all of our wonderful students to take the Summer Literacy Adventure pledge so they are prepared for a great school year."
The First Lady was joined by representatives from the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Lottery. DEP generously provided state park passes, Junior Ranger Activity Folders, pencils and sunglasses for the student participants and a Florida Lottery sponsorship made it possible for students to leave with a goody bag containing books.
"First Lady Ann Scott sets a great example for Florida's students, and we are extremely fortunate to have her as a strong advocate for lifelong success," said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. "The Summer Literacy Adventure is a great way to show our students that literacy is exciting, and it is critical that they keep reading over the summer months to retain the knowledge they have gained when school starts back in the fall."
"In order to be successful in school and in life, it is critical for Florida's students to develop a love of reading," said Florida Lottery Secretary Jim Poppell. "The Lottery is honored to join First Lady Ann Scott, the Department of Education and the Department of Environmental Protection as we encourage Florida's students to continue the Summer Literacy Adventure."
"We are proud to work with First Lady Ann Scott and our partners to encourage students to read over the summer," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "Florida's natural resources have served as the inspiration for countless books, and I encourage students to read a book about Florida's environment or history this summer."
In May, First Lady Scott challenged Florida students to participate in the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure by pledging to read as many books as possible during the summer. At the start of the 2017-2018 academic year, she will visit the school where students successfully completed the most reading pledges.
The 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure helps keep Florida students excited about reading and literacy during their summer break. Research shows that children who do not continue reading through the summer can lose a month or more of progress made during the school year.
Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: first lady ann scott, Marion County Public Library, Summer Literacy Adventure
First Lady Ann Scott to Continue Summer Literacy Adventure
Tomorrow, July 20, First Lady Ann Scott will make her second stop on the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure in Ocala. During her visit, the First Lady will read to students from the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County.
WHERE: Marion County Public Library
2720 East Silver Springs Blvd.
First Lady Ann Scott makes first stop on Summer Literacy Adventure to Eden Gardens State Park
Encourages students to keep up their reading skills over summer break
First Lady Ann Scott made her first stop on the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure, where she read to students from The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast and encouraged them to make reading a part of their daily summer routines. This is the seventh consecutive year that First Lady Ann Scott has participated in the Summer Literacy Adventure.
"Reading has always been important to me and my family, and I am thrilled to once again participate in the Summer Literacy Adventure," said First Lady Ann Scott. "Summer break is the perfect opportunity for families to spend extra time reading and learning together. I hope that all of Florida's students will take the Summer Literacy pledge to help ensure they are prepared for a great school year ahead."
The First Lady was joined by representatives from the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Lottery and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Books, state park passes and water bottles were generously donated for the student participants by the Florida Lottery.
"I am grateful to First Lady Scott for sharing her love of reading with Florida students, and I am excited that another Summer Literacy Adventure is underway," said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. "Our students worked hard all school year, and it is critical that they keep reading over the summer to retain the knowledge they have gained and to succeed when school starts back in the fall."
"The Florida Lottery is proud to join First Lady Ann Scott at beautiful Eden Gardens State Park," said Florida Lottery Field Sales Manager Anna Kenney. "We hope the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure will inspire students across the state to discover new adventures through reading."
"DEP is proud to partner with Florida's First Lady and the Department of Education to celebrate the importance of reading and to encourage students to maintain critical literacy skills during the summer," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "Florida State Parks offer numerous scenic and serene environments, perfect for students to immerse themselves in a good book and learn about our natural resources."
Students can fill out their Summer Literacy Adventure Pledge form at 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure. At the start of 2017 – 2018 academic year, First Lady Scott will visit the school whose students successfully completed the most pledges.
Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: Eden Gardens State Park, Summer Literacy Adventure
First Lady Ann Scott to make first stop on Summer Literacy Adventure
Tomorrow, June 6, First Lady Ann Scott will make her first stop on the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure at Eden Gardens State Park. During her visit, the First Lady will read to students from The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast.
WHAT: First Lady Ann Scott Summer Literacy Adventure
WHEN: Tuesday, June 6, 2017
10:00 am Central Time
WHERE: Eden Gardens State Park
181 Eden Gardens Road
Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: first lady ann scott, oys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Summer Literacy Adventure
First Lady Ann Scott kicks off 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure in Tallahassee
First Lady Ann Scott today welcomed more than 30 students from Springwood Elementary School to the Governor's Mansion for the seventh annual Summer Literacy Adventure kick-off. The Summer Literacy Adventure challenges students to pledge to read as many books as possible over the summer, with the goal of students maintaining and improving upon the skills they gained during the previous school year.
For the seventh consecutive year, First Lady Ann Scott will share her passion for reading with summer camp students during fun-filled events at Florida state parks in June and July.
First Lady Ann Scott said, "It was a pleasure to welcome Springwood Elementary School students and teachers to the Florida Governor's Mansion today as we kicked off the seventh annual Summer Literacy Adventure! As a mother and grandmother, I believe there is nothing more important than investing time in Florida's children who will one day become leaders in our communities, state and nation. Literacy is an essential skill to succeed in any career path, and I hope that today's event inspires these students to be life-long readers."
The 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure is made possible through a partnership between the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Lottery.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said, "We are grateful to First Lady Ann Scott for once again hosting students at the Florida Governor's Mansion to raise awareness about the importance of reading every day, even when school is not in session. Her participation in the Summer Literacy Adventure has encouraged countless students to love reading as much as she does, and I hope that all of our state's schools and families will take full advantage of this opportunity to motivate our young readers."
DEP Secretary Ryan Matthews said, "DEP is proud to continue this important partnership with First Lady Ann Scott, DOE and the Florida Lottery. The Summer Literacy Adventure helps encourage the next generation to explore and learn about Florida's unique natural environment."
Florida Lottery Secretary Tom Delacenserie said, "The Florida Lottery is proud to once again join First Lady Ann Scott, the Department of Education and the Department of Environmental Protection in support of the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure. We encourage Florida's students to continue their reading this summer, and enjoy a visit to some of Florida's incredible state parks."
Research shows that children who do not continue reading through the summer can lose a month or more of progress made during the school year. By encouraging children to read, parents are playing a critical role in achieving Florida's goal of having every child reading at or above grade level. Children can pledge to make summer reading a real-life adventure HERE.
Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: first lady ann scott, Summer Literacy Adventure, Tallahassee


Tips for new artists: How to Improve Your Art and Live Your Passion!!!
I am writing this post because I am a completely self-taught artist and I want to share what I have learned thus far. I started oil painting in 1999 and enjoyed it only very sporadically for 3-4 years. I then put down my brushes for seven years until I decided to give it a whirl again. Since the beginning of 2010, I have not stopped painting. I try to paint at the very least five days a week, for several hours at a time.
I have spent countless numbers of hours painting and learning through trial and error. I have also spent an untold amount of time researching oil painting techniques on the internet. I have also indulged in many oil painting tutorials on the web….most of which are free by-the-way! I am thrilled to say that I am selling my work and have recently completed two commissions for clients. I have created my own website as well as this blog. Everyday I do something else to learn more about painting and different mediums (right now I am experimenting with watercolors and acrylics) as well as expanding my online presence. I have just begun to enter juried art competitions.
I am a firm believer that you do not need an expensive bachelors or masters degree in fine art in order to be a successful painter. I also know that if I had had the luxury of having a mentor help me….I would perhaps be much further along in my career…or at the very least…I would have saved a TON of time! I cannot underestimate the value of being involved in the 'art community' be it with a mentor and/or like-minded artists that have your best interest at heart.
What follows is a list of some things I found….and STILL find….helpful to advancing your art career. It is simply my stream of consciousness about becoming a successful artist. If I can be of help to any of you reading my blog, do not hesitate to contact me. You can reach me on this blog or visit the 'contact' page on my website: www. FairesFineArt.com.
Art & Painting Tips, Suggestions, Motivation, and Truths….
You CAN do this without four years in fine art school! Take classes and local workshops in your area…or in another city. Try using different mediums. Research, research, research. Take photographs of the world. Learn to see the world differently. Pay attention to distance/perspective, shadows, light sources. Notice the fine details in your environment. Look at art on the internet/museums/galleries. Go to gallery openings, open studios, and museum events. Copy and imitate styles you like. Take classes online for free…or for small fees. Read art books. YOU CAN BE REPRESENTED BY GALLERIES WITHOUT A FINE ART DEGREE! Art is subjective and there are many different types of art markets. Fine art is all about creativity and technique. Creativity is natural in kids but we tend to forget about our God-given gifts as adults….but trust me, it is still inside of you…we just need to dig a little deeper. Technique is about having the ability to utilize the media; therefore, it is imperative that you understand your medium. Join an art club or your local art league. Start your own local and/or online art group for emerging artists or beginners. Get advice and critiques from established artists. Do not be afraid to ask for feedback from others, including friends and family. Look at your art in a mirror and/or take digital photos of your art to see what changes you want to make. A different perspective can make a world of distance. I find digital photographs to be the most helpful for me. Take progression photos as your work(s) advances. Read instructional art books. Learn to draw. A great book is: "The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study" by Kimon Nicolaides. There are many instructional books that are related to your particular medium. Search and study WordPress.com art blogs….follow the blogs you like…comment on other's blogs and artwork….this will aid in establishing your very own personal art community. ***THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY TO IMPROVE IS TO PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! Spend large amounts of time perfecting techniques. Paint the same painting over and over again. Experiment with different subject matter, techniques, and media. TIME TIME TIME spent in the studio will absolutely improve your abilities and raise your confidence. Most people did not become good, great, or famous straight out of the gate….they devoted untold hours to perfecting their craft! Find motivation in books, online, and magazines. Keep an art journal. I bought a black, hard-backed, blank page, journal. This is where I write down ideas I have for paintings or projects. I also write down notes or paste printed instructions or images in my journal. I also cut out any images that inspire me and I paste them in my journal for future reference, inspiration, and motivation. DISCIPLINE-PERSISTENCE-CONSISTENCY….THE TRIAD FOR GUARANTEED SUCCESS!!! Extend yourself to others in the art community. Attend open studios in your area. Go alone so that you can actually MEET people. If you go with a friend, more than likely, you will end up only talking to the friend you are with and not work at introducing yourself to others. Step beyond your comfort levels and boundaries….you just might surprise yourself. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!! Utilize color theory charts. Take classes at the local community college. Try plein air painting (painting outside while looking at the scene in front of you). People respond to COLOR-STRONG DESIGNS-SKILLED TECHNIQUES-CREATIVITY AND THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!!! These fundamental qualities shine through whether the art is abstract or highly detailed and realistic. NEVER FINISH LEARNING NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU BECOME!!! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!! Say, "I can!" instead of "I can't." PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE…..hours, days, weeks, & years of practice….your work will only get better and your confidence will sore! PASSION to devote the time and the energy. Sketch anything and everything. Draw what is in front of you. IGNORE the pretentious people. Art comes from the heart. Draw and paint what you like. The difference between a talented beginner and an untalented one is that the talented beginner WANTS to do it! Art is about learning how to interpret and SEE the world differently. Learn to pay attention to what you see. Now…..shut off your computer and go paint……JUST PAINT….or draw….or sculpt….JUST DO IT!!!


Supertreats founder, Virpi Venho-Jones, explains what drove her to create the world's best-tasting carob bars.
What inspired you to create Supertreats?
I've always had a love/hate relationship with refined sugar and caffeine. I used to love the energizing, short-term boost that they gave me, making me feel on top of the world. But when the effects wore off, I'd feel lethargic, foggy headed, somewhat depressed and irritable – all common symptoms of caffeine and sugar withdrawal – craving more stimulants in order to feel fine again.
Every day I relied on these stimulants to get me up in the morning and through the day. It was such a vicious circle – and I knew that these substances ultimately had a significant negative effect on my energy levels and mood. It was impossible for me to feel vibrant, positive and refreshed when I was using them, even after a good night's sleep and eating an otherwise very healthy diet.
The more I also studied about the effects of caffeine and refined sugar on the body and mind, the more I realised I would have to give them up in order to thrive and have consistent energy throughout the day. This meant giving up not only my beloved coffee and tea but also chocolate and raw cacao (or as some say, cracao…) – as they too contain substantial amounts of stimulants: a standard 50g bar of milk chocolate contains up to 6 tsp of refined sugar and a dark/raw chocolate bar of same size contains the caffeine equivalent of a shot of espresso!
That said, I really didn't want to give up the pleasure of enjoying chocolate! Or deny my young son that joy. So I began searching for healthier alternatives.
I'd bought carob products before, so I knew that it had a similar flavour to chocolate and that it was caffeine free. But I invariably found these to be disappointing in both quality and taste (and so did my son). As I couldn't find what I wanted, I decided to create my own – premium quality, truly indulgent, healthy carob treats that really taste like delicious, silky-smooth chocolate. And so the idea for Supertreats was born.
Can you tell us more about the name and why you chose it?
Our treats are made with high quality natural wholefood and superfood ingredients, containing wonderful natural nutrients and goodness, unlike conventional treats that provide just empty calories. In addition to being better for you, the bars are also better for the planet, as they are made from organic ingredients and are ethically and sustainably produced.
I chose the name Supertreats to convey the idea that they are 'superfood' treats… but also to communicate that they are super in many other ways and make you feel 'super' too!
Many sweet snacks on the market are high in sugar – how are Supertreats bars better for us?
We don't use any refined sugar in our treats. Supertreats bars are sweetened with Coconut Blossom Nectar – the nectar from the flowers of the coconut palm tree. This is an amazing healthier and 100% natural alternative to refined sugar. Firstly, it has a low glycemic index (GI), meaning it releases energy slowly without causing rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. It's also rich in nutrients, unlike refined sugar that is devoid of any goodness and supplies only empty calories. Plus coconut blossom nectar has a delicious caramel-like taste!
You're also passionate about the damaging impact caffeine can have on us. As carob is an ideal alternative to cacao, do you think there needs to be more awareness about this?
Absolutely. It's great that there is more and more discussion and awareness about the damaging effects of sugar, but caffeine also causes energy spikes and crashes, is addictive and is a stressor to the body and mind.
As a psychoactive substance, long term the use (and withdrawal symptoms) of caffeine commonly causes symptoms such as fatigue, lethargy, mood swings, brain fog, anxiety and sleep disruption. In particular for those people with highly sensitive traits (estimated to be around 20% of the population) caffeine is a powerful and addictive drug. The effects are more pronounced also in children due to their smaller bodies.
Caffeine is well-known to cause sleep disruption and has been scientifically proven to reduce the quality of deep sleep. Because of the particular importance of deep sleep to the developing brains of children, they really should be kept away from caffeine containing food and drinks – including chocolate and, in particular, dark chocolate & raw cacao. Being caffeine-free, carob doesn't mess with your brain chemicals and is a healthier option.
Along with Silky Milky, there's Merry Berry and Cheery Chia in the range. Are there any more flavours coming up, and do you have a personal favourite?
Yes, we have some exciting things in the pipeline, including more delicious flavours, as well as a dairy-free vegan version too – which a lot of people have been asking about, so watch this space! My favourite flavour depends on the day and what mood I'm in – today it's Cheery Chia. I'm loving the orange flavour and the crunchy chia seeds.
Finally, what are your top tips for feeling at your best?
A good night's sleep! That's the foundation for all wellbeing for me and makes everything better.
It sounds as if the above was a description of some miracle new tincture or a cure-all wonder drug, but it's only describing the proven benefits of getting a regular, full-nights sleep!
Cut Down on Caffeine, Have More Energy!
Introducing the new Supertreats carob bar flavour!
THANK GOODNESS FOR CAROB! The delicious, healthy and caffeine-free alternative to chocolate. By Charlotte Palmer.
Never mind what Willy Wonka says, we all know that too much chocolate isn't good for you.


Relate, respond and contribute to local urban context.
Local urban context relates to all nearby built and natural features, as well as social, economic and environmental factors that impact on a site.
In addition to analysing the subject site, it is important to check what could be developed on neighbouring sites. This is to minimise future conflicts and maximise development opportunities; for example, checking that proposed windows and outlook spaces can't be blocked by a future blank wall on the neighbouring site. Building envelopes can be determined by checking the Auckland Unitary Plan development controls.


When Matt Joachims stopes to visit with Flandreau's youngest students, it's all hands in the air.
The school resource officer is sought for his high fives among the elementary children eating lunch each day. Everyone at a table will stop eating to get the treasured attention from the Flandreau police officer who spends his working days at school, reaching out to students to teach them safety, building trust and helping them see consequences of their decisions.
"I like being around the kids. I like to build that relationship. I want them to feel like they can trust me. I feel like that's a huge part of law enforcement. A big part of being the SRO is building that trust," he said.
Joachims, 31, started as the School Resource Officer last fall, replacing Lisa Pelton who moved to Pennington County. He has been with the Flandreau Police Department three years, his first job in law enforcement.
As the SRO, the school district pays 75 percent of his salary with the city of Flandreau picking up the rest. In the summer and when school is not in session, he works his police department job around town.
The school board and city council recently signed a contract for the SRO position and approved a job description, which wasn't used in the past. Flandreau has had an SRO position since 2010, with the purpose of improving relationships between law enforcement and youth, said Police Chief Zach Weber.
Joachims remembers wanting to be a policeman from the time he was a boy. After graduating from Graettinger High School in Iowa, he attended Iowa Lakes Community College for law enforcement and completed his certification at the police academy in Pierre. In June, he will attend training for school resource officers.
Joachims started a project this year to put emergency items in five gallon buckets, one for each of the school's 120 classrooms and offices. Each bucket will have a medical kit, water, granola bars or fruit snacks and a garbage bag for contaminated items. The buckets can double as a toilet for rooms without restrooms in them.
"It's essentially to try and get them by. It will take time if we have to clear the building after a lockdown situation," he said.
His day starts with a check of the building to make sure all outside doors are locked. He also teaches fifth grade students a class called, "Empower," which is similar to the former D.A.R.E. program. This course starts with how students can be good citizens and how to be honest and do the right thing. It also has lessons on alcohol, tobacco and drug use.
At homecoming, he had a program with high school students that used impaired driving goggles while they drove a pedal car on the school track. He will repeat the session before prom.
"You could talk all day but putting it in perspective of actually seeing what it's like, essentially getting behind the wheel with the goggles on, I think that put it in perspective of what it's really like," he said.
While social media still is a problem because it can involve bullying, this year, the incidents of vaping or using e-cigarettes has jumped in high school and middle school, he said. He has presented classes to students on the dangers of vaping, which is illegal for anyone under 18 and is banned on school property because it falls under the tobacco policy. Despite that, the school has found vaping paraphernalia on students in school, he said.
The biggest issue this year has been the vaping," he said.
He also plans to coordinate more drug dog visits to school, he said. The dog is handled by a different officer on the city police department.
At the elementary level, his lessons have included Halloween safety, and this spring, he will do something on bicycle safety.
Principal Jay Swatek said Joachims is very welcome among the elementary students.
"They love him. They see him walk in, and they get double high fives, and they're hugging him.
He interacts with them well," Swatek said.
Not every day is easy as an SRO, however. Occasionally, he will have to leave school to go and find students who don't show up for classes and try and convince them to come to school rather than be truant. It's home visits that often are hardest.
"It almost breaks my heart seeing how some of the kids live," he said.
Joachims and his wife, Abby, have sons, Tayte in first grade and Jett in preschool. Their third son is due to be born in a couple of weeks. She teaches science at Flandreau Indian School.
He is a member of the local South Dakota National Guard unit, transferring here from an Iowa National Guard unit and accumulating 15 years of service. He has been deployed twice, once to Kosovo and once to Afghanistan.
For now, Joachims is happy going to school each day.