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Fakhr al-Din () is an Arabic male given name and (in modern usage) a surname, meaning pride of the religion.  Alternative transliterations include Fakhruddin , Fakhreddin, Fakhreddine,  Fakhraddin, Fakhruddin, Fachreddin, Fexredîn etc.

People
Notable people with the given name, ordered by age of individual:

Given name
Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani, 11th-century Persian poet
Fakhr al-Din Shaheed, leader of the early Isma'ili movement in India
Baba Fakruddin, 12th century Iranian-Indian Sufi saint
Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi (1149–1209), Persian Sunni Muslim theologian and philosopher
Fakhr-al-Din Iraqi (1213–1289), Persian philosopher and mystic
Fexredîn, a holy figure in  Yezidism
Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah (fl. 1340), King of Bengal
 Abdallah Fakhr al-Din (died 1407), leader of the Tayyibi Isma'ili community
Fakhr al-Din I (d. 1506), Druze leader in Mount Lebanon
Fakhr ad-Din al-Burdwani (d. 1785), Bengali Islamic scholar
Fakhr al-Din II (1572–1635), Druze leader in Mount Lebanon
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905–1977), President of India
Fakhreddin Shadman (1907–1967), Iranian scholar and politician
Fakhruddin T. Khorakiwala (c. 1918–2011), Indian businessman
Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim (born 1928), Pakistani lawyer
Fakhraddin Mousavi Naneh Karani (born 1930), Iranian Cleric & Politician
Fahrettin Cüreklibatır, known as Cüneyt Arkın (born 1937), Turkish actor and director
Fakhruddin Ahmed (born 1940), Bangladeshi economist
Fakhraddin Manafov (born 1955), Azerbaijani and Soviet actor
Fahrudin Durak (born 1966), Turkish footballer
Fakhredin Fouad (born 1967), Jordanian athlete in the high jump
Fakhraddin Atayev (born 1972), Azerbaijani conductor
Fakhreddine Galbi (born 1984), Tunisian footballer

Surname
Baba Fakruddin, 12th century Iranian-Indian Sufi saint
Abdul Rozak Fachruddin (1915–1995), Indonesian Islamic leader
Mariam Fakhr Eddine (1933–2014), Egyptian actress
Youssef Fakhr Eddine (1935–2002), Egyptian actor
Ali Fakhreddine (born 1983), Lebanese basketball player

See also

Fakhr / Fakhri / Fakhry / Fahri, disambiguation
Fakhreddine Mosque, in Deir el Qamar, Chouf, Lebanon
Fakhreddine Palace, in Deir el Qamar, Chouf, Lebanon
Fakr Ad-Din Mosque, in Mogadishu, Somalia

References

Arabic masculine given names


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Sr. Sujitha is appointed New Principal of St. Mary's Convent Sr. Sec. School, Vikasnagar, Dehradun |
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This is an English medium and co-educational institution. Established and conducted by the "Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Graces". A registered Charitable Society, registered under the Society's Registration Act XXI of 1860. The course of studies are planned to lead up to the all India Senior Secondary School Examination, conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi.
The aim and objective of this institution is to bring up its pupils spiritually oriented, socially concerned nationally conscious, appreciative of our culture and tradition emotionally balanced and physically fit. The value education is obligatory for all students in order them social awareness. Guardians are requested to collaborate with the authorities of the school.
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January update – season suspended
Edinburgh Curling Club
Since our last member communication on 18th December the situation in Scotland with the Covid-19 pandemic has changed quite significantly. You will all be aware that the Scottish Government has introduced a temporary lockdown throughout mainland Scotland from the 5th January as a result of increased COVID cases, particularly of the new variant. This led to the Boards of Murrayfield Curling Limited (MCL) and Edinburgh Curling Club (ECC) meeting to consider the implications of the current situation.
We have made the inevitable but sad decision to suspend curling at Murrayfield for the rest of the 20/21 season.
Both Boards wish to acknowledge and record their appreciation for the support clubs and individual members have given to date. We will continue to communicate with you as often as is necessary as we navigate our way through the coming months towards the beginning of next season. By that time, we expect to be back enjoying the sport that binds us together.
January restart plans
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66 Beautiful Photos Of Crop top Skirt Wedding Dress.
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The trancy track Fragment Peach by Oakland based singer songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Chives Viria is built on a triad of notes E, C#, G# eventually diverting but always coming back and the spartan, heavy dreaminess is brilliant in it's sonic execution. Guitar lines bend with multi-textures, big back in the warehouse drums, and ambient ghosts float about. Add Viria's cool reflective vocal performance and you have a beautiful sonic narcotic to stir up your dreams.


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TechAcute
Home Technology Entertainment Inflight WiFi: Finally Moving to the 21st Century
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Inflight WiFi: Finally Moving to the 21st Century
By Rebecca Craw
For about five years, inflight WiFi has largely remained unchanged. Gogo, one of the leading providers of inflight WiFi, has spent years providing the basic internet service that customers have now become accustomed to, and simply moved to expand the number of airplanes equipped with their technology, without offering any increases in bandwidth. The reason that inflight bandwidth has largely remained unchanged in years is because the existing infrastructure did not support the kind of bandwidth that consumers really wanted.
Inflight WiFi works by connecting planes with ground based antennas, but in order to take advantage of the existing networks, they had to rely on antennas that were pointed up, not those traditionally used by terrestrially bound individuals. So naturally, the challenge was that there simply wasn't enough ground based stations for planes to use while in the sky. Even as more were built, the increase in consumer air traffic largely offset this increase, resulting in speeds that were approximately 3 Mbps and up, and regrettably, that's not person. It's per plane.
So Gogo has built a company that provides slow and sluggish WiFi for air travel, based on a network of antennas they've put in place, and enjoyed cushy profits from the sale of it to business executives, students, and people wishing that Netflix would run on an impossibly slow WiFi connection. But now, your inflight WiFi is actually moving into the 21st century. Last month Gogo won regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin implementing what they call 2Ku.
Instead of the existing technology that only allows planes to communicate via ground ground based cell towers, now Gogo will be allowed to route internet traffic through a network of orbital satellites. As noted by the Washington Post, this should, in theory, allow for internet speeds roughly 20 times faster than currently technology permits. So finally that 3-4Mbps can become closer to 70. But before you wait for your next flight to marathon the next season of House of Cards on Netflix, know that you won't be getting 70 Mbps.
Your entire flight will. And don't expect for it to be cheap. Initially it's most likely that this service will roll out on Gogo's most profitable air traffic routes: intercontinental flights. Chances are it won't be cheap either. In recent years, Gogo has dramatically raised prices on select flights using what they call dynamic pricing. It's like surge pricing for Uber, but applied to inflight WiFi prices.
That means a $25 inflight WiFi charge before is now over $40. So enjoy your new WiFi speeds (if you're lucky enough to have them), and the choice of having to pay for five hours of slow WiFi speeds, or dinner for two.
Photo credit: Joseph Younis / Djof
Rebecca Crawhttp://coffeeshopceilings.com/
Rebecca currently lives in the Southwest with her husband and 9-month-old daughter. She spends her time writing content for various sites, blogging about parenting, and taking her daughter out to new and exciting coffee shops.
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Our crew in Uptown Drive, make sure to cater to music lovers of all genres playing songs ranging from Motown, Country, 80's, 90's, 00's & Top 40. Our high energy dance band consists of highly seasoned professional musicians who are upbeat, engaging & extremely entertaining. We are happy to have teamed with Dogwood West 6th, a hotspot on the Austin bar & nightclub scene to be apart of their Sunday Funday festivities. The Dogwood West 6th offers a small touch of southern hospitality & embraces the concept of the 'back home feeling' building spacious areas for special events & occasions. The outdoor patio offers a large stage ideal for live music & our Texas wedding band as well as an 80-foot bar for you & all your friends to get wild.
We've been having a blast enjoying the beautiful Austin, Texas weather & performing the live entertainment of our Austin wedding band & variety band show to the public eye. The Dogwood West 6th is an absolutely perfect venue to start your Sunday Funday off right, with their newly remodeled space, brunch, drinks specials, live entertainment & DJ! Everything you need for a good time is behind the Dogwood West 6th's doors! We can't wait to see more of our rowdy favorites for the next upcoming residency dates. You can't go wrong by spending your Sunday's outdoors in the heart of Austin, Texas' downtown! We'll see YOU there!


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2020 #2 – As Crises Unfold: How the MENA Region Responds
2020 #1 – The State of the MENA Region: Lessons and Projections
Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF)
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Women and Leadership in the MENA Region
By Merissa Khurma December 14, 2020 January 19, 2021
Leave a Comment on Women and Leadership in the MENA Region
Women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are more than ready to lead. They are highly educated; in some countries they are already surpassing their male counterparts in university enrollment, reaching 43 percent in 2019 in the region as a whole, up from just under 5 percent in 1970.[1] In many countries across the region women are holding ministerial positions, running for parliament and getting elected, as well as representing their countries abroad as ambassadors and diplomats. For example, in Washington, D.C. today, where I live, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Oman are all represented by women ambassadors. In the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi made history by becoming the first woman speaker of parliament in 2015.[2] In Tunisia's 2019 presidential elections, two women ran as candidates. This important progress should be noted. However, despite their readiness to lead and the good examples set by these women leaders, many believe that there is still a significant 'women leadership deficit' in MENA, not only in the public sector but also in the private sector. For example, women in MENA have one of the lowest rates of entrepreneurship worldwide, standing poorly at 4 percent.[3] However, this leadership deficit is true if we define leadership only in terms of positions or roles, rather than actions, whether those are in the public or private sectors.
If we redefine leadership as actions rather than positions of authority, we will see a completely different and more hopeful picture across MENA when it comes to women and leadership.
If we redefine leadership as actions rather than positions of authority, we will see a completely different and more hopeful picture across MENA when it comes to women and leadership. We often use the words "leadership" and "authority" interchangeably. However, emerging leadership frameworks, such as that of Ronald Heifetz at the Harvard Kennedy School, define leadership as an act or a practice. In his "Adaptive Leadership" framework, Heifetz argues that "authorities" have very specific functions and that their roles are designed to render services to a group with already set norms and direction. Leaders can be in positions of authority but they don't have to be. They can exercise leadership from any place and they often challenge the norms in the pursuit of change.[4]
In the MENA region, women have certainly exercised leadership without being in positions of formal authority. Women have been at the forefront of the second wave of the Arab Uprisings we have witnessed in 2019 in Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, and Lebanon, where they were not only marching on the streets side by side with their male compatriots protesting corruption, injustice and state failure to provide basic services. They were also organizing, mobilizing, strategizing, campaigning and speaking up. In Lebanon, for example, women often formed a "human shield to protect protestors from riot police."[5] In Sudan, Alaa Salah, the woman activist whose photo made headlines and became the fuel of the movement that overthrew President Omar al Bashir after nearly thirty years in power, told the United Nations Security Council last year that Sudanese women "led resistance committees and sit-ins, planned protest routes and disobeyed curfews, even in the midst of a declared state of emergency that left them vulnerable to security forces."[6]
In Women Rising: In and Beyond the Arab Spring, which compiles essays by Arab women leaders, the editors Rita Stephen and Mounira Charrad wrote that beyond the role women played in the Arab Uprisings in 2011, women "have also infiltrated the contentious collective space en masse" fighting for "women's rights and representation as parts of the larger effort to achieve greater political and economic reforms."[7] Pressure and lobbying efforts have succeeded in changing many laws and reforming others across the region, such as removing Jordan's Penal Code 308 that forgave the rapist if he married his rape victim, Tunisia's parliament passing a law that eliminated violence against women, and Egypt passing legislation on sexual harassment in the workplace.[8] Women who fought for these changes have exercised leadership without being in positions of state authority. And the good news is, these successful examples will only fuel their resolve to continue harnessing the "power of collective action"[9] in the pursuit of change, especially given the myriad of legal, sociocultural and political obstacles that women continue to face across the MENA region.
Women's advancements in exercising leadership at the grassroots and community levels in MENA does not replace the need and importance of having more women reach positions of authority and having a seat at the high table. The "deficit" we see in both the public and private sectors across MENA, with a few exceptions in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia, is a serious obstacle for the women's movement pushing for change in the centers of power. However, as more women enter the public sphere with determination and resolve to make change, we are likely to see more openings for women's political and economic participation at the top of the pyramid. Several studies have revealed that gender diversity at the high table translates to better problem solving, more transparency, and decision-making that benefits the whole community.[10] Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has showcased how the absence of women from crisis management committees across MENA has resulted in poor decision-making that affect women and families adversely. In Jordan, for example, a government decision to shutter all child care services did not consider the impact on working women. While the decision was later reversed thanks to a campaign championed by Sadaqa, a Jordanian women-led NGO, it is worthy to note that had more women been at the high table, such decisions were highly unlikely to be passed. This and the many examples we have witnessed recently point to one direction: Women are more than ready to lead.
1. World Bank Data, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.TER.ENRR.FE?locations=ZQ
2. Al Qubaisi becomes region's first female leader of a national assembly, UAE Embassy in Washington, DC https://www.uae-embassy.org/news-media/dr-al-qubaisi-becomes-region%E2%80%99s-first-female-leader-national-assembly).
3. Women's Entrepreneurship in MENA: An Analysis, EcoMena, 27th May 2020, https://www.ecomena.org/women-entrepreneurship-in-mena/
4. Heifetz, Ronald, Martin Linsky & Alexander Grashow, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, p1-38.
5. Lebanon's Protests could mark victory for women, CNN, November 22nd, 2019. (https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/22/opinions/lina-duque-lebanons-protests-could-mark-a-victory-for-women/index.html)
6. The Iconic Photo of Her Helped Fuel Sudan's Revolution. Now, She and Other Women Are Being Sidelined, Time, October 30th 2019, https://time.com/5712952/alaa-salah-sudan-women-protest/
7. Women Rising: In and Beyond the Arab Spring, Stephen, Rita and Mounira Charrad (editors), New York University Press, 2020, page 6.
8. Ibid, pages 7-8.
9. Ibid, page 8.
10. Five Reasons why Having Women in leadership positions benefits your entire company, the BoardList, Medium, https://medium.com/@theBoardlist/5-reasons-why-having-women-in-leadership-benefits-your-entire-company-labor-day-2016-a3e46162a7a0
Tags: 2020 #3
Published by Merissa Khurma
Merissa Khurma is the program manager of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center. She was a non-resident fellow in the International Security program at New America. She has leadership experience working in a range of development projects in the Middle East that focused on economic development, the Syrian refugee crisis, education, youth, gender development, and governance. Additionally, Khurma served as director of the Office of Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein (2010- 2013) and as press attaché and director of the Information Bureau at the Embassy of Jordan in Washington, D.C. (2003-2010).View all posts by Merissa Khurma
Published by the Cambridge Middle East
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Fire officers had to rescue a man trapped in a gap between a shed and a wall
The incident happened in Carmarthen on Thursday evening
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Fire officers had to rescue a man trapped in a gap between two walls
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Fire officials were called to rescue a man who became trapped in a gap between a shed and a wall in Carmarthen.
Crews were sent to the incident on Myrddin Crescent at 7.35pm on Thursday.
It took over an hour to free the man, and the stop call was received at 8.40pm.
A Mid and West Wales Fire service spokeswoman said: "The man was released from between the shed and the wall by fire service personnel and taken to Glangwili Hospital."
The extent of his injuries is not yet known.


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U.S.: Trump proposes additional US$100B tariffs on Chinese products
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U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that tariffs on imports of Chinese products may be significantly increased, escalating tensions in what could lead to full-blown trade-war with the Asian country.
Trump has directed the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to "determine if an additional $100 billion worth of tariffs would be appropriate," according to the White House.
The move comes days after China implemented a 15% duty on a range of U.S. products including key fruit and nut exports, in retaliation for the U.S.'s plan to impose tariffs of US$50 billion on Chinese products.
The additional duties on U.S. products apply to numerous horticultural products including apples, cherries, citrus, almonds and pistachios.
"Instead of addressing its misconduct, China has retaliated against American farmers and manufacturers," a White House statement said.
"President Trump has therefore directed USTR to determine if an additional $100 billion worth of tariffs would be appropriate under section 301."
It added that Trump has instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to use his broad authority to implement "a plan to protect American farmers and agriculture."
"In addition to this week's tariff announcements, USTR has initiated a WTO dispute against China for its unfair practices, is examining potential restrictions on Chinese investment, and is working with allies also affected by China's unfair behavior to restore fairness to global trade," he said.
This latest development is likely to cause additional concern for the U.S. produce industry. The cherry sector recently told us that the 15% duty would likely limit growth to one of their key markets, while the citrus and apple sectors have also expressed disappointment.
Vessel carrying record number of Chilean cherry containers arrives in Hong Kong
E-commerce and daily price shifts in cherries for the Chinese market
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The RFDS employs over 400 people in Queensland with positions ranging from pilots, doctors, nurses, engineers, allied health professionals, and a variety of administration and support services roles including finance, marketing and human resources. With its Queensland head office located at the Brisbane Airport, the RFDS operates 20 aircraft from nine operational bases located in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Charleville, Mount Isa, Longreach and Roma.
The RFDS's emergency retrieval service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, delivering the finest care to more than 290,000 Australians each year, that's one person every two minutes. This iconic service has expanded to provide regular transfers of patients for life-saving surgery such as organ transplants and heart surgery, delivering critical support to those who need it most.
The RFDS also delivers a broad range of essential health care services to rural and remote communities, including general practice, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, child and family health, social and emotional wellbeing, women's health and health promotion.
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For RFDS (Queensland Section) GP Trainee Katrina Starmer, a recent gift from the Chillagoe community, was not just beautiful – but incredibly symbolic.
Flying Doctor powers through pandemic with unwavering healthcare delivery
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) has navigated 2020 with minimal disruption to its vital healthcare services despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Graphic: Wudarabin Snider's winning entry in an Indigenous Creative Art Competition staged by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section).
Creativity supporting mental health and wellbeing
Inspired by her ancestors, wildlife and bush tucker, 15-year-old Wudarabin Snider from Cooktown has produced the winning design in an Indigenous Creative Art Competition staged by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS).
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The RFDS Brisbane Base commenced operations out of Queensland Ambulance's Terminal at Brisbane Airport, on 3 July 1995, with the current base location commencing operations next door in 1998.
The Base is exclusively an emergency aeromedical base, providing retrieval and inter-hospital transfers. The terminal facilitates receipt of patients transported to Brisbane by the RFDS, as well as receipt of patients transported by other aeromedical providers such as Queensland and NSW Ambulance Services. Clinical coordination is provided by Queensland Health employed doctors and aircraft tasking by RSQ.
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Bundaberg West QLD 4670
rfds_bdb@rfdsqld.com.au
RFDS Bundaberg Base commenced operations on 4 March 2002 under a unique contractual agreement with Queensland Ambulance Service. The Base operates as an emergency retrieval base, incorporating aeromedical retrieval and inter-hospital transfer services.
Clinical coordination is provided by Queensland Health employed doctors and aircraft tasking by RSQ.
Postal Address - Po Box 187, Edge Hill Qld 4870
1 Royal Flying Doctor Street
General Aviation Cairns Airport Aeroglen QLD 4870
rfds_cns@rfdsqld.com.au
RFDS Cairns Base commenced operations in 1972 following relocation from Charters Towers. It is the largest and one of the longest serving bases in the RFDS network.
Services provided from this Base include remote medical consultations, aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics incorporating general practice, child and family health, Indigenous health, mental health, women's health and health promotion.
Postal Address - Po Box 42, Charleville Qld 4470
John Flynn Way
Charleville QLD 4470
rfds_cvl@rfdsqld.com.au
RFDS Charleville Base commenced operations in 1943. Services provided from this base include medical chests, remote medical consultations, aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics incorporating general practice, child and family health, health promotion and field days.
The Charleville Base services approximately 622,000 square kilometres of southwest Queensland - an area almost the size of the United Kingdom - extending from the New South Wales border to the Northern Territory and South Australia borders in the west, and the Carnarvon Ranges in the east.
Postal Address - Po Box 599, Longreach Qld 4730
137 B and C Eagle Street
Longreach QLD 4730
rfds_lng@rfdsqld.com.au
The RFDS commenced operation in Longreach in July 2004. The Longreach Base is "non-traditional" with its service delivery focusing on Social and Emotional Wellbeing, delivered through a drive-in-drive-out model. The service provides counselling, training and support using psychological interventions for the community. The base also works with other agencies within the five shires it covers, to promote an integrated response to meet the needs of the Central Western Region.
Postal Address - Po Box 744, Mount Isa Qld 4825
11 Barkly Highway
Mount Isa QLD 4825
RFDS Mount Isa Base commenced operations in 1964 following relocation from Cloncurry.
The services provided include remote medical consultations, aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics incorporating general practice, child and family health, Indigenous health, mental health and health promotion.
The RFDS Mount Isa Base services people living, working and travelling from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, the Northern Territory border in the west, Hughenden in the east and Bedourie in the south.
Postal Address - Po Box 2155, Wandal Qld 4700
Hangar 5, Aviation Drive
Rockhampton QLD 4700
rfds_rok@rfdsqld.com.au
Rockhampton Base
RFDS Rockhampton Base commenced operations in 1995 and operates as an emergency retrieval base incorporating aeromedical retrieval and inter-hospital transfer services.
Postal Address - Po Box 1521, Roma Qld 4455
RFDS Hangar
Roma Airport QLD 4455
rfds_roma@rfdsqld.com.au
Roma Base
The RFDS Roma Hangar and Patient Transfer Facility commenced operation at Roma Airport in August, 2014.
The Patient Transfer Facility provides patients being transferred to and from Roma, with a more comfortable, family-friendly indoor waiting area for their carers, as well as disabled toilets and more privacy.
Postal Address - Po Box 7991, Garbutt BC 4814
Hanger 117, Corner Gypsy Moth Court and Viscount Drive
Townsville Airport QLD 4810
rfds_tsv@rfdsqld.com.au
Townsville Base
RFDS Townsville Base commenced operations in 1996. The services offered from this base includes aeromedical retrievals and primary health care services such as general practice.
Select a visitor centre
Charleville RFDS Visitor Centre
Stockman's Hall of Fame
Charleville QLD 4470.
Our Charleville Visitor Centre is now open on weekends!
- Saturday and Sunday 10am until 1pm
The Stockman's Hall of Fame is open from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. during the tourist season.
When entering the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame visitors will be greeted with an original RFDS aircraft, a Queen Air built in 1977 now meticulously restored and suspended in the atrium of the Hall.
Gallery 4 at the Hall of Fame is devoted to the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service with displays of radio and medical equipment from across the years. It also shows how the Flying Doctor works in the 21st century.
A highlight of the visitor centre is the full-size cutaway representation of a Beechcraft King Air B200, with the medical equipment that makes it a flying intensive care unit. You can even take a selfie in the pilot's seat. The display includes a number of interactive and audio visual features as well as sections on the Flying Doctor's medical, aviation and communication history. RFDS souvenirs can be purchased in the gift shop.
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Amtrak through SLC? Every night east and west
Perhaps you've been down to the intermodal hub lately. If not, you might want to check it out. There are many features, but one of the most interesting things about the hub, and the focus of this post, is the fact that it's home to SLC's only Amtrak station. The corresponding route? One of Amtrak's last remaining cross country jaunts, the California Zephyr, which has been in service since 1983. This 51 hour route runs every day from San Francisco (actually Emeryville) to Chicago and vice versa. Despite the fact that it's scenic, novel, and leisurely, the tickets aren't cheap. It runs $140 for a seat and $663 for a guaranteed bed (what they call a "Superliner Rommette", but in other parts of the world might be called a hard or soft sleeper) on May 28th from here to Chicago (34 hours). From here to San Francisco on the same date, it runs $98 for a seat and $215 for a sleeper (18 hours) which is a veritable steal compared with a sleeper to Chicago .
Every night at 11:30PM the train to San Francisco passes through the SLC Amtrak station and at 3:30AM it passes through heading toward Chicago. When my wife and I were dating and were out late one night, I convinced her we should head over to the station to watch the train stop on its way towards Chicago. She tolerated it, but thought I was crazy. Cross country passenger trains didn't seem a real SLC thing until seeing it person, but if one listens closely around 11:30PM (and I imagine 3:30AM) one can hear the whistle blog before it departs. The Amtrak "building" at the intermodal hub is a bit of a ramshackle affair and was built in 1999, making them the first tenants of the intermodal hub. It appears a temporary shelter was constructed and the promised permanent structure has never been built. The office only opens for an hour or so before each departure, which makes it difficult to wander down there and get a sense of any SLC train culture.
Fancy California by morning?
SLC Amtrak office: opens at ~10PM
After leaving SLC en route to San Francisco, the train's next stop isn't till Elko, NV. BUT, if you're looking to soak up some of that old-timey feel of the rails in Utah, after passing through SLC towards Chicago, the train also makes stops in Provo (see also here), Helper (see also here), and Green River (see also here). So for those counting, Utah has four cross country passenger train stations.
See here for more on Amtrak at the Intermodal hub, and here for more on the California Zephr. Amtrak has a surprisingly informative guide to the route, which has a bit of a 1960s feel ot it, here.
In terms of history, from 1977-1986 the Union Pacific Depot (now the music venue "the Depot") served as the SLC Amtrak station, after which Amtrak moved to the Denver and Rio Grand Western Depot (otherwise known as the Rio Grand Depot) from 1986-1999, after which Amtrak moved to the Intermodal hub. The Rio Grand Depot today now serves as the home of the Utah State Historical Society, the Rio Gallery, and perhaps a ghost. The under-sung Rio Grande Cafe adjoins the old building.
Ben Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 9:38:00 AM MDT
I've ridden the California zephyr several times. Cool things: once you enter California, members of the California historical society come on the intercom and provide interesting facts about the railroad, California history, etc. There are also some beautiful views going through the mountains. Not cool things: schedules can be extremely unreliable. Amtrak shares the tracks with union Pacific, and UP trains get right of way, so sometimes you'll just be stuck sitting for hours waiting for another train to pass. One time took me 24 hours to get from Roseville to Provo. Also uncomfortable and way too long for how expensive it is. But it's cool to try it once if you're not in a hurry.
thatch Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 9:07:00 PM MDT
Good stuff, thanks Ben! I kind of forget how spectacular the views would be away from the highway, in the middle of nowhere.
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Prison Islam: Conversion to Islam While Incarcerated Often Inspires Rehabilitation, Not Radicalization
August 13, 2019 August 4, 2019 / ridgewayjw
By: Bria Burgamy
Islam is not only the fastest-growing religion in the world, but also the fastest-growing religion in United States prisons, with tens of thousands of converts in U.S. prisons each year. According to Al Jazeera, ten to fifteen percent of prisoners nationwide practice Islam, compared to just one percent of the total U.S. population. From these statistics essentially come two theories to explain the high conversion rates: (1) inmates convert to Islam because the Qur'an can be used to justify violence and crime,[1] and (2) Islam provides inmates with a set of principles through which to better their lives, as well as a sense of identity that defies the strict race structure in many U.S. prisons.
The first theory, although believed by many Americans, has little empirical support. Some risk of radicalization is sure to exist, but "claims about a crisis are based largely on unsupported assertions."[2] Incidents such as the 2005 Los Angeles bomb plot have been cited as evidence of Islamic radicalization in prison. The 2005 Los Angeles bomb plot was a conspiracy between four men: Kevin James, Levar Washington, Gregory Patterson, and Hammad Samana. Samana was the only one born Muslim, the other three men converted as adults. James founded a radical Islamic prison gang while incarcerated, and recruited Washington. Upon Washington's release from prison, he recruited ex-convicts Patterson and Samana for terror attacks on National Guard facilities, the Israeli Consulate, and several synagogues in Los Angeles. Washington, Patterson, and Samana were arrested during a robbery prior to the planned attacks. Upon investigation, police found evidence of the planned terror attacks.
However, such incidents of radicalization and terrorism are few and far between when compared to the number of Muslim converts in U.S. prisons. According to criminologist and former prison warden Mark Hamm, radicalization behind bars is a serious threat – but Islam is not to blame. Hamm instead attributes dangerous radicalization to the harsh conditions of confinement. Conversion to Islam, on the other hand, he says most often has "a positive effect on inmate behavior."
Hamm's stance supports the second theory for the reason behind the high conversion rates, stating that Islam is a means for inmates to build structure, find spiritual guidance, and strive for self-improvement. U.S. prisons are highly racialized communities, where allegiance is often based strictly on the color of one's skin. For those who convert to Islam while incarcerated, a belief in Allah overrides other features of one's identity. This allows inmates to see and live beyond the race structure of the prison, allowing them to focus instead on their own journey of self-improvement and rehabilitation.
The positive effects of conversion to Islam carry over when inmates who convert to Islam are released, with studies showing low recidivism rates and decreased drug and alcohol addiction among converts. Abu Qadir Al-Amin was on death row for the 1969 murder of a security guard when he found Islam. A 1972 case, which commuted Al-Amin's death sentence to life in prison with the possibility of parole, gave him a new lease on life. Al-Amin became a Muslim minister and, since his release from prison, has been actively involved in bringing attention to how Islam provides a path for inmates to rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Al-Amin has received numerous civic awards for his dedication to his community. Despite the fact that the demonization and criminalization of Muslims in the U.S. "thrives through false theories of radicalization and homegrown threats connected with the Muslim identity,"[3] Al-Amin's story brings to light the truth of what Islam means for the majority of inmate converts.
[1] Aaron Rappaport et al., Homeland Security and the Inmate Population: The Risk and Reality of Islamic Radicalization in Prison, SAGE Publications, Inc. at 431 (2013).
[3] Amanda Parris, Criminalization of Muslims in the United States: A Homegrown Threat to Justice, Emory Univ. (Spring 2018), https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/6969z081q?locale=en
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At Hooley near Croydon, a team of engineers is using its expertise to stabilise a railway cutting hit by land slips. Paul Thompson, writing on behalf of BAM Ritchies and BAM Nuttall, explains more.
Victorian railway engineers knew a thing or two about construction.
There is a small slither of Surrey countryside that encompasses all of their knowledge and now our site team is helping to ensure the railway cutting at the village of Hooley, cut more than 150 years ago, maintains the level of performance those engineers first envisaged.
This village marks a pass in the North Downs and also the point that, in the 1840s, two rival railway companies recognised would be perfect for running their London to Brighton lines.
These two railway lines run parallel with one another and pass through deep cuttings separated by just a few metres of land, which forms a central spine between them.
Now known as the 'slow' line and the 'fast' or 'quarry' line, these cuttings have been plagued by slope failure over recent years, particularly that of the 30m-deep slow line, which has seen several trains derailed by landslips.
In a bid to stabilise the slow line cutting, our team of engineers from BAM Ritchies and BAM Nuttall is installing soil nails, reprofiling the central spine, installing concrete beam and grillage stabilisation and placing a concrete beam along the crest of one side of the cutting.
It's a complicated procedure even on the shallowest of cuttings, but at Hooley our contracts manager Andrew O'Donovan and the project team are working above a live railway on a cutting that theoretically should be a 70-degree slope but in practice is vertical in many places. It is very steep sided indeed.
The cliff-like fall of the cutting isn't the only reason it has been prone to failure over recent years.
The lie of the land between the Forge Lane Bridge to the north and the tunnel that marks the southern end of our 650m section of work is also contributing.
A layer of gravel, stones and boulders sits on top of the chalk strata which make up this section of the North Downs. At the Hooley Cutting that layer of gravels thickens, becoming less stable where the Victorian engineers cut through it and prone to landslips which have caused derailments.
O'Donovan said: "It's not so much the inclination of the chalk strata that affects the slope stability, but the layer of dry valley gravel above it. Dry valley gravel is just a geological term for the material.
Which is precisely why the stabilisation scheme is being carried out on behalf of client Network Rail.
The BAM Ritchies team first began its work at the Hooley Cutting site during a nine-day blockade over the Christmas period last year (see overleaf), but since then has been busy on the stabilisation work itself.
The cutting has been broken down into four separate sections by the team, which is installing the three stabilisation solutions.
These are on the western slope from the tunnel portal through to the fi rst of the row of houses that teeter at the top of the cutting, the 'Esso houses' section a little further down the cutting, the new beam and grillage section and then work on the central spine.
In the two 'houses' sections, the dry valley gravels are being stabilised through the use of 100mm diameter soil nails installed at depths of up to 14m at nominal 1.5m centres.
The highest line of nails is encapsulated in a 430m crest beam being installed along most of the 620m length of the cutting, which will form part of the access and inspection walkway once the project has been completed.
Where the cutting passes behind the fi lling station on the main road, the nail design has been tailored to ensure there are no clashes with its fuel storage tanks. Drilling and grouting for the 6,200 soil nails is being carried out using three Rippamonte hydraulic slope rigs that have been built for the BAM Ritchies team.
These lightweight slope rigs weigh just 850kg each and are supported from temporary mechanical anchors installed at the crest, and place the nails through a simultaneous drill and grout system.
Toward the northern end of the cutting, the team is installing 21 new concrete columns along the face at 5m centres.
These are crossed with the crest beam and a further beam at the lowest edge of the dry valley gravel and an intermediate concrete beam placed between the two.
But such is the difficulty in access and the steep gradient of the slope that the reinforced concrete columns are being placed using sprayapplied concrete techniques.
The columns are sprayed in 2m lifts with plywood shuttering attached to the reinforcement cage with 4cu m of the 40Kn concrete sprayed across six columns each day.
They are launched from a series of 130mm diameter micropiles to 8m depths.
O'Donovan explained: "The sprayed concrete is easier to use because of the access issue.
Across the railway line and in the central spin there are major earthworks being carried out to reprofile the dry valley gravel layer.
Approximately 14,000cu m of this layer is being scraped from the cutting face and the top of the central spine using ultra-long reach excavators more normally associated with demolition projects.
The plan is to reduce the angle of the face itself from the point where the valley gravels layer sits above the chalk, reducing the amount of material that sits above it and minimising the possibility of any slip failure.
The finished face will also be nailed and netted to prevent any falls.
It may be a complicated scheme, but when the work is finally completed later this year, the cutting will be back to its original, safe best.
And those Victorian railway engineers will themselves have something to admire.
While the rest of the country was settling down to listen to the Queen's speech on Christmas Day last year, engineers at the Hooley Cutting were working away at the foot of the 30m deep cutting installing around £1m of enabling works in advance of the major stabilisation project.
With a main scheme involving the installation of more than 6,000 soil nails and the excavation of more than 14,000cu m of material, all to be carried out without affecting the day-to-day running of the London to Brighton 'slow' line, the enabling work for the Hooley Cutting project was carried out during a nine-day rail blockade during the Christmas slowdown.
During that time around 1km of plastic mesh catch fence was installed at 5m above the running line level and a further 260m of scaffolding supported on micropiled foundations.
The catch fence is installed using a 2m length bar anchored into a shorter 100mm socket drilled perpendicular to the slope. A further upslope socket is drilled to provide an anchor between. point for the fencing posts. Approximately 200 post and anchor positions have been installed for the catch fencing to be slung.


Mix drawing elements with a little color and a little paint..
Try to draw using no eraser and joining your ideas. You might create your own story.
A powerful symbol. We have a proud history of military service in my family.


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Home Thom
Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host whose shows are available in over a half-billion homes worldwide. He's the New York Times bestselling, 4-times Project Censored Award-winning author of 24 books in print in 17 languages on five continents. Leonardo DiCaprio was inspired by Thom's book "The Last Hours of Ancient
Monday 20 January '20 show notes
Friday 17 January '20 show notes
Thursday 16 January '20 show notes
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Muller Report (Redacted) Searchable Version (PDF)
Apr. 18, 2019 9:45 am
Here is a searchable version in PDF format of the Mueller Report, in its redacted form.
See all Thom's articles »
Thom standing on top of a building on the highest spot on Mt. Zion, Herr
Mueller's favorite place to pray (written about in "Prophet's Way"), and the roof of the room where the Last Supper is reputed to have happened.
At Mondragon
At Mondragon - both the mountain and the cooperative city - in Spain (written about in "Threshold" book)
At Nordeck
At Nordeck, a castle built around 900AD, near Salem in Stadtsteinach, Germany
Thom and Louise Meet Pope John Paul II
Thom & Louise at a "private audience" with His Holiness Pope John Paul II at his summer palace, Castle Gandolfo, Italy
With friends and some security near the Darfur border in South Sudan
"With the ever-growing influence of corporate CEOs and their right-wing allies in all aspects of American life, Hartmann's work is more relevant than ever. Throughout his career, Hartmann has spoken compellingly about the value of people-centered democracy and the challenges that millions of ordinary Americans face today as a result of a dogma dedicated to putting profit above all else. This collection is a rousing call for Americans to work together and put people first again."
—Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO
"Once again, Thom Hartmann hits the bull's eye with a much needed exposé of the so-called 'free market.' Anyone concerned about the future of our nation needs to read Screwed now."
—Michael Toms, Founding President, New Dimensions World Broadcasting Network and author of A Time For Choices: Deep Dialogues for Deep Democracy
"If we are going to live in a Democracy, we need to have a healthy middle class. Thom Hartmann shows us how the 'cons' have wronged this country, and tells us what needs to be done to reclaim what it is to be American."
—Eric Utne, Founder, Utne magazine
"Beneath the success and rise of American enterprise is an untold history that is antithetical to every value Americans hold dear. This is a seminal work, a godsend really, a clear message to every citizen about the need to reform our country, laws, and companies."
—Paul Hawken, coauthor of Natural Capitalism and author of The Ecology of Commerce


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Kanye West & Kid Cudi Form New Group Kids See Ghost
Kanye West and Kid Cudi are Kids See Ghost.
On Thursday (April 19), Yeezy took to Twitter to announce the duo's self-titled album, which will drop June 8. "me and Cudi album June 8th," he tweeted. "it's called Kids See Ghost. That's the name of our group."
me and Cudi album June 8th
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 19, 2018
it's called Kids See Ghost. That's the name of our group
Kanye and Cudder are longtime collaborators. They've worked together on a series of tracks throughout the years, including "Gorgeous," "Welcome to Heartbreak," and "Make Her Say." Beyond these collaborations, they developed a "big brother, little brother" relationship.
However, the duo has had ups and downs. In 2016, Cudi criticized Kanye and Drake. "My tweets apply to who they apply. Ye, Drake, whoever. These ni**as dont give a fuck about me. And they aint fuckin with me," he wrote. "Ni**as keep you close when they see how powerful you are by yourself. When they see your greatness. Out of fear."
Shortly afterward, Kanye clapped back. "Kid Cudi, don't ever mention 'Ye name," he said. "I birthed you. We all dealing with that emo shit all the time. Me, Pat, Don C. Don't never mention 'Ye name! Don't try to say who I can do songs with. You mad 'cause I'm doing songs with Drake? Can't nobody tell 'Ye who to do songs with. Respect the God!"
But Kanye would later make amends with his former G.O.O.D. Music signee. "I just wanna take this time out to say Kid Cudi is my brother," he said. "I hope he's doing well. He's the most influential artist of the past 10 years."
Tumultuous times followed. Cudi went to rehab, while West was hospitalized for a reported breakdown. Once both got back on their feet, they linked up for collaborative sessions in Japan in 2017, according to reports. This year, they met up in Wyoming and performed together in Los Angeles.
In addition to his Kids See Ghost project with Cudi, Kanye is set to release his own solo album on June 1. The follow-up to 2016's The Life of Pablo will consist of seven tracks.
The post Kanye West & Kid Cudi Form New Group Kids See Ghost appeared first on Rap-Up.


As I've discussed in earlier Insights articles, the Performance Culture System™ is about producing results by giving your team an idea worth working for and a clear understanding of what needs to be done. In other articles I've described how to develop an idea worth working for by firmly integrating the purpose of your business into your company culture. This article focuses on "How to Do It" in a meaningful way.
Many people start a business based on expertise they have and a desire for more control over their careers. Michael Gerber describes this person as a Technician in his book eMyth. A fatal assumption made by most Technicians is that if they understand the technical work of a business, they also understand how to build and maintain a profitable company. Unfortunately this causes many businesses to fail or never reach their full potential.
If you are a Technician, the process element of the Performance Culture System™ helps you overcome this common challenge by defining your way of doing business using the Value Chain approach. Your Value Chain describes your way of acquiring customers and delivering value through products or services. This approach has been very successful because it enables entrepreneurs to build a scalable business that can grow without the founder's day-to-day operational involvement. One of Wilmington's fastest growing companies, N2 Publishing, has mastered this principle by defining core processes that can be deployed in any city. While N2 Publishing was started in Wilmington, it now serves hundreds of cities with its neighborhood publications.
The first step to build your Value Chain begins by defining the key activities to acquire customers. For example, most businesses begin with Lead Generation and describe the most effective ways to generate qualified prospects. The businesses will then define their sales process to convert prospects into customers.
How the end product or service is delivered to the customer.
Key activities will be very different from one company to another based on the industry served. For example, a manufacturing company will produce value much differently than a professional services firm.
Each section of your value chain should also include Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Your KPIs are financial and operational metrics that measure your company's performance. These metrics will help you identify potential issues and challenges before real problems arise. Leaders also make better decisions in the long run by using data versus hunches. KPIs are often referred to as a Scorecard or Executive Dashboard (We will discuss this in more detail in our next article).
After you have finished defining your Value Chain, it's helpful to summarize into a simple graphic that everyone can comprehend.
Exhibit A: Value Chain Info Graphic for a Professional Services Firm.
This chart gives you the information you need, in one place and in a format that's visual, to help you make important management and resource decisions moving forward. It's also the first step to grow a business that relieves the owner from day-to-day operational activities and empower employees to take on more responsibility.


Dr. Galler is an Invisalign faculty member and in the top one percent of Invisalign providers in North America, having personally treated more than 2,000 cases in the last 10 years. He has trained more than 3,000 doctors — affectionately known as "Gallerites" — on the unique technique he invented called "GST" (Galler Spacing Technique). It is used by dentists worldwide for Invisalign.
ADMI announced last month an agreement with Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq : ALGN ), makers of the Invisalign clear aligner system, to equip all Aspen Dental locations with an iTero Element® intraoral scanner. It was officially launched at Aspen Dental's Annual Leadership Retreat in Chicago at the end of August. Dr. Galler will lead trainings for Aspen Dental doctors across the country with the goal of enabling an end-to-end digital workflow in all Aspen Dental locations by August 2019.
After a quick digital scan with the iTero Element scanner, patients can see a simulation of how their new smile may look even before they commit to Invisalign treatment. Unlike traditional dental impressions, which can take weeks to process, Align's end-to-end digital workflow leveraging the iTero scanner develops the patient's 3D dental model immediately, making it possible for patients to begin their treatment sooner. The iTero scanner is also integral to tooth restorative procedures such as crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays and onlays.
Prior to joining Aspen Dental Management, Inc., Dr. Galler practiced dentistry and administered Clear Aligner Therapy at Premier Dental Associates of Lower Manhattan. He graduated with high honors from the University of Pennsylvania College of Dentistry, and completed his general practice residency and cosmetic practice residency at the Brooklyn Veteran's Administration Hospital. He currently serves as President of the American Academy of Clear Aligners.
Aspen Dental-branded practices are committed to breaking down the barriers to better dental care, better smiles and better lives by making dentistry easier for patients. With nearly 700 offices in 38 states, Aspen Dental practices provide a wide range of general dentistry and denture-related services and offer patient-friendly programs and services, including convenient locations, onsite labs and extended hours. Together, Aspen Dental practices cared for more than 1.7 million patients in 2017. For additional information about Aspen Dental or to find an Aspen Dental office, please visit www.aspendental.com.


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A Giant's Legacy
A look at cleanup plans for one of Canada's most notorious abandoned mine sites
by Canadian Mining Journal
Mine Closure
Dismantling the C-shaft in 2015.
CREDIT: CROWN-INDIGENOUS RELATIONS AND NORTHERN AFFAIRS CANADA
The Giant mine, located just 5 km from the city centre of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, produced more than 7 million oz. of gold over its entire history, starting in the 1940s. Through the ore roasting process, the mine also produced an enormous amount of highly toxic arsenic trioxide dust. When the owner of the mine went bankrupt in 1999, the cleanup of the site fell to the federal government.
If the project gets its water licence approved, full remediation could finally get under way in 2021 and be completed in 2030. CMJ spoke to Natalie Plato, deputy director for the Giant Mine Remediation Project in May about the site's history and progress towards its remediation.
Natalie Plato
Canadian Mining Journal: Tell us a little bit about the history of the Giant mine site.
Natalie Plato: The mine began production in the '40s and operated to 1999 and was one of the largest gold mines in Canada. But in 1999, the owner at the time, Royal Oak Mines, declared bankruptcy and walked away from the site at which time the federal government under DIAND (Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development) took responsibility for the site. We had an interim operator, Miramar, and they operated the site for us until 2004. When they finished, they left the site and it officially became abandoned.
At that time, DIAND, or CIRNAC (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) as we're called now, developed a remediation plan and took responsibility for the remediation of the site. In 2007, we submitted our Closure and Reclamation Plan to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, outlining how we were going to remediate the site.
During that water licencing process, we got referred to environmental assessment by the City of Yellowknife, citing significant public concern. We were in an environmental assessment until 2014, at which point we came out of the EA with 26 measures and a number of suggestions that needed to be met before we could go back into the water licencing process. Since 2014, we've been working on meeting those measures and now we have resubmitted a post-environmental assessment information package to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, and re-initiated the water licencing process as of April 1.
CMJ: Can you give us a little more context about the necessary remediation? How polluted is the site from more than five decades of gold production?
NP: During the operation of the mine, one of the by-products of the mining process was arsenic trioxide.
During the early days of the mine, the dust went up the stack and was left to settle where it may. Once they realized that this wasn't an acceptable practice, they captured the dust and they piped it underground into old mining stopes or even purpose-built chambers. There's 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide dust stored underground at Giant. That would be the main legacy pollutant, but as I mentioned, some of the dust did go up the stack in the earlier years, so there's some surface contamination from aerial deposition of the dust as well, along with what would be more traditional tailings ponds – there's four tailings ponds at site. And there are approximately 100 buildings and structures onsite as well.
CMJ: Some rehabilitation has already taken place at the site. What has already been done and what is left to do?
NP: We need a water licence to do the remediation so in the meantime, the site has been in care and maintenance and continuing to deteriorate. We have already addressed measures that were deemed high-risk and emergency measures.
One of the biggest ones was the roaster complex, the building where the actual arsenic trioxide dust was produced. It was deteriorating very rapidly so we dismantled it. Obviously, that was a very contaminated building so it was done very carefully, under negative air pressure, fully wrapped from 2012-14.
The waste is currently still stored at Giant until we can put it underground with the rest of the arsenic trioxide. That would be the main one that was done. A couple of the shafts, like the C-shaft head frame, the iconic structures of Giant, have been taken down as well.
CMJ: Regarding the main remediation plan that you need the water licence to actually start on, where is the permitting process right now and how far away are you from actually starting work?
NP: We submitted all the paperwork on April 1 of this year, so we have the preliminary schedule from the Mackenzie Valley Land Review Board, and if the schedule doesn't change, closing statements will happen in March 2020 and we anticipate we would have a licence sometime in the summer of 2020 and then we would start work in 2021.
CMJ: What are you doing currently at the site?
NP: Care and maintenance is the No. 1 item that we're continuing to do. We are continually pumping and treating water to keep the site safe and keep the surrounding community safe. Right now we're in the water licencing process so we're doing some studies to advance the designs, for instance on the tailings, we're designing our cover right now. We have some studies looking at what the tailings are made of and drilling in the tailings, but other than that, the work would be quite minimal.
CMJ: The water that you need to pump and treat, is this from the underground workings?
NP: Yes, because we keep the water pump below the arsenic chambers, currently we are continually pumping water from the underground mine. We store it and we seasonally treat it and discharge it. If we didn't do this, the mine would flood and the arsenic chambers would get water in them and there could be a potential release of arsenic trioxide.
CMJ: Planning for the remediation project started a long time ago – the plan was finalized in 2007, but how much has the plan changed since then?
NP: When we resubmitted on April 1, we had to outline what some of those changes were. I can highlight a couple. One of the ones we heard from stakeholders was regarding the eight open pits onsite. Originally, we had planned to leave them open, but we are now planning to fill them with solid material. Another big change was the tailings cover. We had originally proposed a vegetative cover, but hearing from stakeholders, there was a desire for a rock cover. All of the tailings ponds will have engineered rock covers.
CMJ: As you mentioned, the biggest part of the rehabilitation project will be safely securing the 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide dust underground.
Can you describe the method that will be used and why it was chosen?
NP: Sure. The methods to contain the arsenic trioxide were studied quite extensively – we looked at over 50 different options and the one that was chosen is called the freeze, or the frozen block. It's basically creating a frozen shell around all the chambers to keep water out and keep the dust contained. We looked at a number of ways to do that and the method we settled on is using a passive technology using thermosiphons. Thermosiphons are a common technique to keep ground frozen in the north. It uses a tube charged with carbon dioxide that basically extracts heat from the ground using air temperature so it doesn't require power and keeps ground frozen. It's commonly used to freeze building foundations. So we're going to use that to surround the rock around the chambers of arsenic trioxide dust to create a frozen block and contain the arsenic trioxide.
CMJ: Is this a permanent solution?
NP: Our project was given licence for 100 years and this is not considered a permanent solution, but it's the best solution we have right now. In the meantime, we are funding the Giant Mine Oversight Board to do research into a permanent solution.
CMJ: Is there any concern about using this solution given the warming climate in the Arctic?
NP: Certainly because it is using temperature, it's something we have to fully incorporate into our design. We do use the latest climate change predictions as well as obviously having contingency and room for changes, so it's something we're continually looking at and modelling. We will also be monitoring the freeze at all times and we will have a presence on the site, so it's something we can adapt to as well. We're looking at ways we might be able to incorporate active freeze as contingency should it be needed. We're certainly looking at all the climate change models and taking it into account in that design.
CMJ: Parsons was awarded the lead contractor role for the project in 2018 – Can you outline what their responsibilities are vs. the Giant Mine Remediation Project team's responsibilities?
NP: Parsons is the main construction manager. They're not performing any of the work, they'll basically be contracting the work for us. They'll be advising us on how to package the work from a constructability lens as well as timing, help us manage all those contracts and make sure they're appropriate to the work force.
To liberate the gold found in the arsenopyrite ore at the Giant mine, the ore had to be roasted at extremely high temperatures, which produced toxic arsenic-rich gas. Early on, much of that arsenic was released directly into the environment.
In 1951 a Cold Cottrell Electrostatic Precipitator, which acted as a scrubber, was installed, removing a lot of the arsenic trioxide waste. As a result of adding a second scrubber – a Hot Cottrell Electrostatic Precipitator – to the roasting process in 1955, arsenic releases were further reduced from 7,400 kg per day in 1951 to 2,900 kg in 1956.
In 1958, a Dracco baghouse was added to collect the waste, reducing airborne arsenic emissions to 52 kg per day by 1959.
Over the years, that number would fluctuate up to 300 kg per day. Since the waste was collected instead of released, it needed to be safely stored. In the 1950s, scientists and government agencies agreed storing it in underground stopes and chambers was an appropriate, long-term solution. They believed that, when Giant mine closed permanently, the natural permafrost in the area would re-establish around the storage vaults and seal in the arsenic trioxide.
– Adapted from www.giant.gc.ca.
The existing effluent treatment plant at Giant only operates seasonally, during the summer. Mine water pumped out of the underground mine goes to the Northwest Pond to be stored before treatment. Any surface water than needs to be treated is also pumped there and then to the plant for treatment; treated water is released to Baker Creek.
The remediation plan includes the construction of a new and water treatment plant that would operate year round, remove more arsenic from the water, and release treated water into Yellowknife Bay.
Disappearance of potash tax credit irks Saskatchewan miners
Custom screen solution improves plant performance at Bell Creek


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See All Talent
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Billy's Balloon
If you work in animation you must know this iconic animator, Don Hertzfeldt.
and probably also some of his award winning work from college and even prior that put him on the map such as Billy's Balloon and Ah L'Amour (I challenge you to find the latter online, it truly seems to have been completely abducted. BUT YOU CANT ABDUCT MY MEMORIES) His earlier films were photographed using 16mm cameras which gives them their unique look, and his latter films utilized a type of 35mm camera from the 1940s, believed to be the same camera that photographed many of the Peanuts cartoons of the 60s and 70s. There's simply too much to say and learn about this legend for this space, but you can see and purchase much of his work here, and he is one of the most awarded and unique animators of the present day. I particularly appreciate how life sort of navigated him towards animation, and his perspective as a filmmaker, and storyteller:
While at film school, Hertzfeldt was drawn to animation as it was a less expensive form to work in. He could not afford to buy the numerous rolls of 16 mm film required to shoot live action. He has stated, "I think I've always approached animation from a strange angle, a bit like a regular filmmaker who just happens to animate. Editing, writing, sound—those are the things that usually come first in my head. Animation is often just the busy work I need to get through to connect the dots and tell the story.
Back to all Inspiration
Writer/Director: Don Hertzfeldt
Editing & Cinematography: Rebecca Moline


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The machines clearing ISIS's deadly landmine legacy in Iraq
MAG - May 30, 2019
Rebel Crusher, Orbit Screener and Large Loop Detector might sound like the names of space ships in a science fiction movie, but they are in fact some of the huge and impressive machines used in the Middle East to help clear landmines and unexploded bombs.
The landmine clearance charity the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) uses these highly specialised machines across former conflict zones so people can live in safety.
In Iraq alone, over 3.4 million people were displaced at the height of the crisis and the fighting has left large areas littered with improvised landmines (IEDs), manufactured on an industrial scale, and deployed in urban, village and rural settings. Groups such as ISIS have left behind a particularly deadly legacy, explains MAG's Mechanical Operations Manager in Iraq, Guy Petts, due to the size and unpredictability of devices left behind.
"Some of the IEDs we are finding are huge – the size of a 202-litre barrel. We've had to evolve as we go based on what we're dealing with."
Guy PettsMechanical Operations Manager
Deminers are the people who go in on foot to clear landmines from the affected areas, armed with hand-held metal detectors. But to make their job a bit less risky, it is the machines that are sent in first to help prepare the land.
Demining machinery is used for excavation, sifting, crushing, spreading and searching. It is also brought in to give demining teams safe access routes to the land that needs to be cleared.
A mine clearance machine can weigh as much as 6,600kg and cost up to half a million pounds. It is vital therefore that MAG deploys exactly the right equipment for the terrain, climate and other conditions – such as the type of mine that needs to be cleared.
Surprisingly, it's extremely rare for a mine clearance machine to be damaged – due to the way that the mines are lifted out of the ground which involves lifting the detonation wire first.
But Guy explains that because of the huge amounts of explosives found and the unpredictable nature of ISIS mines, the specialist machinery deployed in Iraq is regularly modified to help protect the people operating them.
Modifications can include building cabs reinforced with extra thick steel and armoured glass. With the cabs then repositioned to put as much distance between the operator and the mines as possible – which could be lifesaving if a mine explodes while clearance is taking place.
Similarly, telescopic extending arms can be used to put a bigger distance between the operator and any potential explosion. Remote-controlled machines are also used to detonate live mines.
While the modifications vary what doesn't is the hugely positive impact these machines can have on the people who are forced to live near landmines.
"I've travelled to conflict zones all over the world and have seen the difference machinery can make to mine clearance; it's always going to be a dangerous job but the safer we can make it the more effective we'll be—and the more communities we can help to rebuild their lives. Our work is so important because there are still millions of families living in fear," says Guy.
"Our work not only delivers the immediate benefit of not worrying about your family being killed by a landmine, but it also helps the community in the long term as roads, schools and hospitals can be built and people can use the land again for farming."


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Press Box Insider Radio 12-04-2015
In the Cage – Big Nog Out Three Months, Megumi Fujii Retires
Sal DeRose
Each day, The MMA Corner will provide a recap of results, event announcements, fight match-ups, and injuries/cancellations from throughout the world of MMA.
Megumi Fujii Retires
Women's MMA pioneer, Megumi Fujii, has decided to retire after her October 3 fight at Vale Tudo Japan.
After 10 years, Fujii announced to the decision to retire via her Twitter account at 39-years-old. Fujii has never been stopped in her career and has won 26 fights with 19 of those wins coming by submission.
Fujii lost last year at Bellator 69 to Jessica Aguilar by decision and won her last time out in December at Vale Tudo Japan by decision over Mei Yamaguchi. Fujii has a career record of 26-2 and has only lost to the aforementioned Aguilar and Zoila Gurgel who, at the time, was one of the highest ranked female fighters in the world.
Source: MMA Junkie
Big Nog Injured, Out Three Months
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is facing yet another injury that will sideline him for an extended period of time.
Following his loss earlier this month to Fabricio Werdum, Big Nog has learned that he will be out for three months to repair ligament damage in his arm, according to his manager, Ed Soares, who released the news earlier this week on The MMA Hour.
Nogueira lost the fight to Werdum via armbar at UFC on FUEL TV 10 on June 8 marking the fourth loss in his last seven fights.
Soares also noted in the interview that Nogueira had no plans to retire despite the combination of the injury and the loss to Werdum.
Source: MMA Fighting
Photo: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Alan Oliveira/Sherdog.com)
Antonio Rodrigo NogueiraMegumi Fujii
In the Dog House: Jeff Curran's Withdrawal From Title Fight Should Draw RFA's Ire
Alexis Davis: Contender Shadowed by Nerves
Sal hails from New Jersey and is currently training for his first MMA fight. He hopes to use his knowledge and insight to generate articles that interest and entertain you. Outside of MMA, Sal is a big fan of every other sport. He's a diehard New York sports fan, with the exception of cheering for the Packers.
Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira Announced As First Inductee of UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2016
[Video] The MMA Corner News Show – Sept. 10


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Growth in Digital Assets Trade Puts the Spotlight on Blockchain Bridge Security Risks
Source: Adobe/Wirestock
Adi Ben-Ari is the Founder and CEO of data security specialist Applied Blockchain.
The exponential growth in the trade of digital assets across different blockchain platforms in recent years has been accompanied by the emergence of blockchain bridges, or token bridges, that create interoperability between blockchains.
These bridges did not come under the same technical scrutiny as the blockchains themselves, and the strong demand for their use lead to the proliferation of bridges with relatively weak security mechanisms introducing substantial risk in the transfer of value, and subsequent issues have fuelled perceptions about the risks associated with blockchain and cryptoassets.
Blockchain bridges are applications that enable people to move digital assets from one blockchain to another, thereby allowing cryptoassets to be used on multiple blockchains. Demand for bridges stemmed from the need to move away from the high gas fees of the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain, onto faster, lower-cost blockchain environments.
Blockchain bridge solutions enable connectivity and liquidity flows across different blockchains and are a vital mechanism in the broader crypto ecosystem.
As the digital asset market grows, so do the risks associated with low-security bridges.
By August last year, the global market capitalization of cryptoassets was more than USD 2tn, more than double what it had been at the end of 2020. After topping USD 3tn in late October, it is now back to almost USD 1tn. Additionally, last year we saw 1,200% growth in the total value locked in global DeFi smart contracts.
Earlier this year came two stark reminders of the flaws in the security of some blockchain bridges. The USD 320m hack on the Solana (SOL) Wormhole bridge in February and an attack on the Ronin bridge in March showed that hackers had identified a weak link. The theft by siphoning off around USD 600m worth of ETH and USDC stablecoin from the Ronin network was one of the biggest heists in the history of crypto. The Ronin attack in particular highlights the risks of networks that have very little decentralization.
Some will say this illustrates how crypto interoperability and DeFi are fundamentally flawed, but the reality is that the technology has already moved on.
With the right approach and applying new technology in this particular area, it is possible to substantially reduce the risk of bridge hacks and make the process significantly more secure.
Solution lies with decentralized "trustless" bridges
The problem with many bridges is that they require users to place trust in a centralized operator, or a small number of federated operators, which undermines the security assumptions of decentralization.
Most bridges lock tokens on the source blockchain, and mint new "wrapped" tokens on the destination blockchain. The original locked tokens remain locked as collateral until the tokens return in a reverse operation when the wrapped tokens are "burned," and the locked tokens are released. The pools of locked tokens represent a honey pot for any hacker, and, when compromised, the value of any unbacked wrapped tokens on the destination chain is called into question.
While any attack is extremely damaging for the individual bridge that it targets, each one further undermines confidence in the whole concept of blockchain bridges with wrapped assets.
The value of assets held on bridges has risen to more than USD 32bn from USD 670m since the start of 2021, but the industry cannot unlock its next stage of growth without providing substantially more secure bridging solutions.
Bringing that security certainty, that users can truly rely upon, can only be delivered by "trustless" solutions. Trustless systems mitigate the security risks associated with more centralized (or even federated) bridges by removing the need for users to place trust in a third-party operator.
Certain companies have already begun to deliver these trustless solutions through new tools, such as Intel's hardware security enclave (SGX). Moreover, the Algorand (ALGO) blockchain, for instance, will soon be able to rely on state proofs, an immutable series of proofs that verify the status of assets held on the Algorand blockchain. This enables smart contracts on the target chain to fully verify and process transactions emanating from the Algorand chain.
Next-generation security measures will help connect on-chain assets to the broader blockchain world, enabling users to complete cross-chain transactions efficiently, cost-effectively, and securely.
They will provide a blueprint for other cross-chain solutions looking to close the security loopholes of more centralized systems. Moreover, they will solve an urgent security issue and thereby encourage more investors to use these solutions to transfer their assets across chains.


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Q: Counter example on the period of Markov Chain I want to find a counter example for the following statement:
"If an irreducible Markov chain has period 2, then for every state $i \in S$ we have $P_{ii}^2 > 0$"
I feel like that we can't really find a counterexample for this statement, since $2$ is the gcd of itself.
Do you guys have any thoughts?

A: Consider $P=\begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1\\ 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


That turkey looks so good! I know I could just reach out and flip it onto the floor. There is just one problem . . .
I'm actually napping on the dog's bed and this is all a dream. I do hope that it will come true, but even it it doesn't I've at least managed to get the dog upset. HA!