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Laneway housing begins to take shape under Toronto's new rules
By Emily MathieuAffordable Housing Reporter
Mon., March 18, 2019timer6 min. read
When Leslie Doyle and her husband, Jackson Stone, set out to design what will be one of the first newly permitted laneway houses in Toronto, they knew they wanted it to be green and somewhat absorbent, particularly the roof.
Doyle owns Restoration Gardens Inc., a company that designs and installs living roofs — an engineered system of vegetation on top of filtration systems and waterproof layers built to insulate against energy loss and prevent flooding by absorbing heavy rainfall.
So stormwater and overflowing streets were top of mind when planning the two-storey laneway house on their Little Italy property.
"There is so much flooding," says Doyle, who is also renovating the main house on the property near Ossington Ave. and College St. that will be the family's home. "The more green roofs we can have in the city, the more it will help with storm water."
When it is finished — hopefully by late spring — the 1,125 square-foot laneway structure will include a 385-square-foot garage.
Laneway housing is a bit of a new frontier in terms of urban development — one that's beginning to gain traction in Toronto after council passed regulations last summer allowing homeowners to convert garages and build up unused space into suites. The rules state the houses must be self-contained and can be rented out or used to provide a home for family members, but not sold off as a separate property.
The idea is not only to provide a boost in income and overall value for homeowners, but also TO increase the number of rental units and secondary suites across the city — albeit a modest increase. There were about 78 potential sites at different stages of the permit process by mid-March. Fifteen minor variance applications — where homeowners can make the case for a slight bend in city rules — have been submitted, and six permits have been issued, according to city staff.
Doyle and Stone are working with VFA Architecture + Design. Their laneway property is one of six being handled by the firm. Two are under construction.
VFA founder and principal architect Vanessa Fong says having self-sustaining elements as an essential part of overall design is part of her firm's mandate. So Doyle's green roofing — which will also provide a pleasing visual component — was a natural fit.
Fong was impressed with the couple's flexibility and willingness to balance their needs and the concerns of area residents. They consulted with neighbours who shared a mix of enthusiasm — over the possibility of their own projects — and worry about what adding density and new renters could mean.
There are so many elements to consider when adding something new to a tight space, says Fong. Challenges, such as delivering construction supplies, can result in rising tensions. "Some of the lanes, you have to turn on really tight corners when a car can barely get through" and there is a limited amount of time when supplies can be dropped off, she says.
Those unique challenges, on top of the somewhat complicated and new permit application process, prompted Fong to start Ukkei, a business dedicated to making the laneway housing process more accessible.
Fong said gentle densification is an important part of any evolving city and people on all sides of the process just have to be respectful and understanding.
Doyle and Stone, who just welcomed their second child and are living in Kitchener while they oversee the renovations of the main house, said the ultimate plan is to install solar panels and a green roof on the main house. Doyle's business is temporarily on hold but their current project is very much a family affair. Stone is an electrician and will be installing the solar panels. Designing their future home has led the couple not only to consider the impact on their immediate neighbours but also to think about the space beyond their project — the laneway itself.
"I have a feeling it is going to pick up because it is a win-win for renters and homeowners," Stone says. "But I feel like somebody has to do something to make the laneways a little more pedestrian-friendly."
To that end, the Laneway Project, a design and advocacy group, is coming up with creative ways to draw pedestrians to laneways through art, design and events without interfering with the cars and trucks that use laneways to access homes and work.
"Everyone has an interest in seeing who else is in this space and being able to navigate those spaces safely with other people," says co-founder and executive director Michelle Senayah of the vast network. The Laneway Project has mapped out 2,400 laneways in the city, covering about 250 kilometres.
Senayah says signage and signal systems, similar to those used at intersections, could be designed and installed to make sure everybody understands how to share and navigate the spaces. Better lighting would also make things safer and more appealing, she says.
"Things that make it safer for cyclists are also going to make it safer for people on foot, for people in cars, for people in trucks," she says.
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Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao, chair of the city's planning and housing committee, says safety has been a factor and will certainly be considered in future conversations about laneway development. "It's time we looked at our laneways with a little more care," she says.
Citywide, the interest in laneway housing has been high, Bailao says. In November, regulations were amended to defer a significant development charge, which she believes will encourage more people to apply for laneway development projects.
"If you have aging parents or a young kid who wants to live in the neighbourhood but can't afford an apartment, it could be a really good thing," Bailao says.
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David Hulchanski, professor of housing and community development at the University of Toronto, says in a city facing a lack of affordable housing, anything built should ideally be for rent. However, he says, those monthly costs will likely match whatever the market dictates and won't put a dent in the lack of affordable rental housing.
The vacancy rate for purpose-built rentals in central Toronto is about 1.3 per cent, with a one-bedroom unit going for $1,561, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. Those figures come largely from occupied units subject to rent control. New apartments can be rented out for whatever the market can bear.
Some Toronto laneways are already well used as public space, including Graffiti Alley, where street artists have transformed the backsides of Queen St. W. buildings, between Spadina Ave. and Portland St.
The alley was the backdrop for Rick Mercer's rant videos for the CBC and is a popular attraction for tourists and locals who pose for photos or shoot videos while navigating the cars and trucks.
And there are other laneway test sites.
In 2016, landscape architect Victoria Taylor, working with the city, the David Suzuki Foundation, landscape and design business Ecoman and the Laneway Project, installed a prefabricated punctured paving system along the centre of two laneways — Willowvale Lane, near Christie and Dupont Sts., and another running alongside Fred Hamilton Park near College St. and Ossington Ave. — to control water runoff and reduce flooding. The open-celled paving stones named "Laneway Punctures" were seeded with a variety of hardy vegetation dubbed "crack mix," selected for the ability to stand up to foot and bike traffic.
Another pilot project, Light Up the Laneways, a partnership between the Laneway Project and two west-end business improvement areas (BIAs) with support from local stakeholders, will transform two laneways in the Ossington and Bloordale neighbourhoods — one near Queen St. W. and Ossington Ave. and the second near Bloor St. W. and Brock Ave. — into illuminated pedestrian and cyclist-friendly spaces filled with street art and potentially greenery.
The goal is to have the work completed by fall.
"We are really excited about our laneways. We just want to see them changed" into something beyond just utility and into more of a destination, says Meg Marshall, manager of the Ossington, Bloordale and Bloorcourt BIAs.
Note — March 19, 2019 — this story has been edited online from an earlier version.
With files from Gilbert Ngabo
Emily Mathieu is a Toronto-based reporter covering affordable and precarious housing. Follow her on Twitter: @emathieustar


There is so much that needs to be done today, but I can't do anything other than sit here, wonder where it is You have gone with my heart, and long to be with You as in our yesterday.
It is an extraordinary thing — this engaging feeling that comes with simply remembering You — even though I have no idea where You are. How is it possible to feel such an abiding tenderness for what I am unable to see? Let alone touch or possess? And yet!
On mornings like today with such soft winter sunlight gliding through the bared branches and the air so cool and undisturbed, I'm moved to embrace the thought that it is enough just to feel the way I do.
Actually, it occurs to me on days such as these that it is in the loving that one finds love.


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A Life Changing Procedure
Trigeminal neuralgia is a painful chronic condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, a complex cranial nerve that transmits sensation from the face to the brain. It is comprised of three branches and is responsible for motor functions such as biting and chewing. Oftentimes patients who have trigeminal neuralgia believe the pain they are experiencing is in their jaw or teeth. Patients who experience trigeminal neuralgia describe the pain as debilitating.
That was the case for Theresa Nanius. At the age of 37, Theresa experienced intense pain she described as "electric bolts" in her jaw that she believed was related to her wisdom teeth on the right side. After visiting her dentist and several specialists, she learned she had trigeminal neuralgia. Theresa was younger than typical for patients who develop this condition, as it usually affects people over the age of 50, but her symptoms were classic. She saw a neurologist who prescribed medications to help quell the painful nerve twitches, and she found some relief. But over time, her body became accustomed to the medications and the side effects included fatigue and confusion, and as the mother of a toddler, she needed to stay focused and aware.
Theresa underwent a surgical technique called microvascular decompression (twice) but the procedures did not yield lasting relief, as is sometimes the case. Her son was now an active child, and she wanted to be an active mother again. She also wanted to be medication and pain-free so she could focus on her family.
Through Anthony D'Ambrosio, MD, Co-Medical Director of The Valley Hospital Gamma Knife Center, Theresa learned about Gamma Knife and was interested in understanding her options. At an initial consultation, Theresa immediately felt comfortable.
"Everyone at the Gamma Center, including Dr. D'Ambrosio and the nurses, go above and beyond. I was scared and in pain, but they made me feel at ease," she said.
She learned that Gamma Knife doesn't make incisions, no anesthesia is required, and it is a same-day procedure. Having spent much time in and out of the ER in pain over the past few years, these benefits of Gamma Knife were appealing. Dr. D'Ambrosio showed her on a computer exactly how her procedure would be performed, and how it could relieve her pain.
In 2015, Theresa underwent the Gamma Knife procedure. Her recovery was vastly different from when she had microvascular decompression. There was no hospital stay, no staples in her head, and little downtime. And she felt relief immediately. It takes time for the radiation from the Gamma Knife to completely heal trigeminal neuralgia, so she took small doses of medication as needed, but weaned herself off. Within the first year, Theresa was medication-free.
"More than just the success of the procedure, I've never met staff as wonderful as the staff at the Gamma Knife Center. They call me every year on the anniversary of my procedure to see how I'm doing. I consider them my friends," she said. "If I had to, I would do it again tomorrow."
After years of living with pain that at times caused severe depression, Theresa attributes this procedure to changing her life.
"The Gamma Knife Center saved my life."
Call to see if Gamma Knife is an option for you: 201-634-5610

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Fighting Fake News: How our campaigns make a difference
We believe in making our community better, not just moaning about what we don't like
Somerset Live is joining the fight against fake news
One of the many things which separates Somerset Live from purveyors of fake news is that we constantly strive to make a difference to the communities which we cover.
We don't just sit around moaning about things that aren't peachy about life in Somerset - instead, we take action to make things better for local people.
Somerset Live is taking part in a campaign to raise awareness of and fight fake news.
We are proud of the campaigns we have run over the past few years which have seen an upturn in people's fortunes, changed lives and put our wonderful county on the map.
Here are just a few of the issues to which we have lent our support over the years:
D-I-Y Yeovil
Oaklea Care Home in Preston Grove was the winner of D-I-Y Yeovil (Image: Nigel Andrews)
In March 2016, we gave Yeovil residents the chance to win £10,000 towards the renovation of a project which would benefit the local community.
Teaming up with Bradfords Building Supplies and Yeovil Round Table, we accepted nominations from the public over the ensuing months and then gave our readership the chance to vote for their winner.
There were a lot of worthy projects that stood a chance of winning the money - a sensory garden, a renovation of Langport charity Bibic, a greener roundabout on Freedom Avenue and a new bedroom for autistic children.
But in the end, our readers picked to give a lift to the garden of the Oaklea Care Home in Preston Grove, regularly used by more than a dozen people with learning disabilities.
Fighting Fake News: Why we can be trusted
There were boots on the ground in September, with volunteers working to install a summer house, decking, raised beds and tables and chairs.
Gareth Jones, chairman of Yeovil Round Table, said: "We are delighted to have been involved in this project with Oaklea Care Home. The happiness of the residents at their new garden made all the hard work in the mud and wet, well worth it.
"We are grateful to Bradfords for their generous donation of the materials, and the Western Gazette in running the promotion, to help provide this project to a very worthwhile cause."
Next Generation Somerset
George Tucker, Caroline Webster and Philip Cussell from Higos Insurance Services were featured in the Next Generation Somerset campaign (Image: Nigel Andrews)
We are always looking to show off the bright young talent that Somerset is fostering - hence our Next Generation Somerset campaign, which ran for a whole year from late-2015.
Teaming up with 25 partners, including Screwfix, Thales, Somerset County Council and Yeovil College, we profiled dozens of companies and organisations to showcase the opportunities on our doorstep.
The campaign culminated in a free careers event at the Royal Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet,giving thousands of people the chance to speak to employees, build contacts and find out what companies based in Somerset have to offer.
Fighting Fake News: Why advertising with local news makes sense
Then-county council leader John Osman said: "The Next Generation campaign is about reminding ourselves and others why we love Somerset and what it has to offer.
"For me it's also a way of showcasing some of the great career opportunities within the council and in some of the industries we work closely with.
"A thriving economy is critical to Somerset's future and we want to highlight our role in attracting businesses to the county and supporting those already based here."
The Believe in Somerset Awards
Some of the Believe in Somerset Awards finalists
Last year we took the time to celebrate those who go above and beyond the call of duty to improve others' lives and bind our communities together.
We did this through the Believe in Somerset Awards, held at the Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford with a little help from Care UK and BBC Somerset presenter Claire Carter.
These awards saluted a range of people and their achievements, from those who had bravely laid their lives on the line for others, to those who have overcome personal barriers to achieve great things.
Fighting Fake News: Why we're running this campaign - and what happens next
Among the winners were Anna Martin, an ambassador for Women in Engineering, prolific teen fundraiser Charlotte Baker, teacher Caitlin Firth and Ben Smith, who ran 401 marathons in as many days.
Our editor Emma Slee said: "We had the absolute pleasure of recognising some of the amazing heroes who make the county of Somerset a better place for all of us. The awards proved to be an incredibly humbling experience."
We are always on the lookout for new causes which we can support, either through stories on our website or a more formal campaign.
If you have something we should be shouting about, please email newsdesk@westgaz.co.uk or call (01935) 709700. We would be happy to speak to you.


Jim McKernan, senior vice president at Bonten Media Group, has been named vice president and general manager at Quincy-owned KWWL in Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa Cities-Dubuque. He starts Feb. 27.
McKernan had oversight of Bonten's TV stations in the Tri-Cities (Tenn.-Va.) and Greenville-New Bern markets, and was general manager of the Tri-Cities properties, WCYB and WEMT.
"I value my 9 year association with Randy Bongarten and wish the fine people of Bonten Media Group much success going forward," he said in a mass email.
KWWL is the NBC affiliate in DMA No. 89.


2220 Canton is true loft living in a warehouse just outside of downtown. This building has some of the most unique floor plans in Dallas, and don't miss the roof-top pool and deck. This is located just a few blocks from the Dallas Farmer's Market with a lot of newer townhomes and condos nearby. This is a great building if you have a dog, as the HOA restrictions are favorable to dog owners and the Deep Ellum dog park is very close by.
Have any comments or questions about 2220 Canton Lofts? Ask your question and/or share your thoughts about this Building.


This arena map is perfect for practicing fighting. You can spawn any type of mobs and fight many at the same time or do duel battles against just single mobs. It doesn't really matter whether you are alone or have friends to play this map with as it's fun practice either way. Put on some gear and train your combat skills!
Go to the center of the arena, open the trapdoor and go down the ladder to find a bunch of chests with food, gear and potions.
Once you've geared up return to the arena. In the other end of the arena you will find an item frame with a spawn egg which indicates the type of mobs you can spawn. Use the left button to spawn multiple mobs and the right button to spawn just one.
You can obviously combine the spawning as you find suiting.


Welcome Home. We are a multiethnic church affiliated with the Assemblies of God in the heart of Dallas and we exist for bringing heaven down to earth. Our church is a place where our doors are open to people of all backgrounds, regardless of where they are at in their journeys and we hope all feel welcomed, comfortable and loved.
The word Zion in the bible signifies the biblical land of Israel. The proper Hebrew is pronounced as Tsee-On. Our name reflects our vision statement because, "We believe in bringing Heaven (Our Eternal Zion) on earth. Through engaging, powerful worship and Biblical truth broken down in practical and relevant ways, we intend to infuse "Zion" into individuals and families. We're excited about God and the good things He's doing on earth, and love that we get to be part of it!
Zion Church was planted by 7 families in January 1st 2000 who joined together with a vision of building a home where the name of Jesus was lifted high and created a space for the members to be equipped and commissioned! Over the years the church has grown through a lot highs and lows but still we are believing together that, 'The Best is yet to come'.
The church is centrally located with easy access from Dallas and several nearby suburbs such as Frisco, Allen, Carrollton, Plano, The Colony, Garland, Rowlett, Sunnyvale, Mesquite, McKinney,Richardson etc.
If you have any further questions, please contact us by either phone or submitting a request to get more information and we will promptly get in touch with you. We are looking forward to you visiting us to worship our Saviour and King Lord Jesus Christ!!


whichever one is first in the party.
Whatever Pokemon you saved from Team Magma/Aqua will soar with you.
How many Pokemons can PC hold in gen 6 and how many Pokemons can one box have?
Why does Hoopa Unbound change form in PC boxes?
Does a Pokemon with Pickup have to be first in the party?
Was Larvitar one of the six Pokemon in Ash's party?
Is your starter Pokemon is suppose to be the stongest one in your party?


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Shirley Harmon
By NJJN Staff March 8, 2017, 12:00 am Edit
Shirley Harmon (Rosh), 88, of Delray Beach, Fla., died Feb. 7, 2017. Born in Brooklyn, she lived in Queens and, since 1961, in Springfield before moving to Delray Beach two years ago.
Mrs. Harmon was a teacher in the New York City Public Schools. She then became a special education teacher for Essex County Education Commission before retiring.
She earned a B.A. in education from Hunter College.
She was a member of Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael in Springfield, Hadassah, and Brandeis University Women.
Predeceased by her husband, Martin, she is survived by her son, Myles (Janet Epstein) of Burke, Va.; her daughter, Debra Harmon (Michael) Distler of Needham, Mass.; and four grandchildren.
Services were held Feb. 12 with arrangements by Menorah Chapels at Millburn, Union. Memorial contributions may be made to Shirley and Barton Weisman Delray Community Center, 7091 West Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33446.


The Idaho NRA instructor training course for the NRA personal protection in the home course teaches new instructors on the knowledge, skills, and recommended attitude for essentially organizing, promoting, and effectively teaching the NRA personal protection in the home course.
Prerequisites for this course: In order to take part in the Idaho NRA Instructor Training Courses, participants must also be an NRA certified pistol instructor. Prior to taking the course, participants may undergo a pre-course questionnaire as well as demonstrate their individual firearm background.
The Idaho NRA instructor training course for the NRA personal protection in the home course covers the basic instructor training and other material related to teaching and instructor training. Participants in the course will demonstrate their organizational skills, teaching skills and ability, and an instructor examination. Students in the class will also cover information from the NRA trainer's guide and the NRA personal protection in the home instructor material.


A modest but focused audience at KMExpo '98 (Chicago Oct. 13 to 15) was treated to a broadbrush look at the technologies--new and traditional--that comprise knowledge management.
Highlights: Several new companies chose the event as a showplace for their emerging technology sets; established companies (e.g. Lotus, Xerox, IBM, Documentum) explained their increasing roles in knowledge management and presented new deliverables within it; and trends emerged, including a nearly universal focus on expertise in organizations rather than merely on document-based information.
"Attendance was lower than expected, but we had people specifically seeking KM solutions. And we forget how new this market really is--it usually takes a trade show three years to become 100% productive for both the exhibitor and the attendee, and this was our second year," said Jim Povec, CEO of Marketing Forums for Knowledge Asset Media (www.kmworld.com).
As the market continues to take shape, terminology also evolves to describe the many variations on the KM theme.
Exhibitors on the showfloor covered familiar and new technologies, from Datacap's (www.datacap.com) total capture solution to Centillion Digital Systems' (www.centilliondata.com) digital asset management, from Quest Software's (www.quests.com) report-based information management to Excalibur Technologies' (www.excalib .com) knowledge retrieval software.
Xerox (www.xerox.com), the document company, is hedging toward "the knowledge company" but one could say Xerox has been helping companies manage knowledge from day one--think of the photocopier's influence on information sharing, reminded Patricia Peper, marketing manager of the software solutions business unit. Whether people stopped by the Xerox booth to see the new drag-and-drop scan capabilities of the Docushare 1.5 system, the KM community was talking about the Xerox commercials featuring the Seinfeld show's former "Mr. Peterman" as a sort of classical business knowledge god.
PC DOCS (www.pcdocs.com), which has renamed itself PC DOCS Fulcrum, unveiled its schedule for delivering integrated knowledge management--a combination that unites document management with knowledge retrieval. Perhaps the most interesting component of DOCS unfolding components is one planned for end of year 1999: "people profiling." The solution, if not able to offer an answer in text, will point to a person who is likely to be able to answer the query, because ultimately, "you really want one person who can correctly answer your question," said Gwyn Fisher, VP of research and development.
The people link was an underlying theme on the show floor. Text mining company Semio's (www.semio.com) director of sales and marketing Gail Claspell said a side benefit that some users are finding very useful in their product is its ability to map "who knows what" within their organizations.
Other companies with a clear "expertise" focus include Hyperknowledge (www.hyperknowledge.com) and Orbital (www.orbitalsw.com), but perhaps it was best summed up by Andres Rodriguez, chief technology officer of Abuzz (www.abuzz.com), who said knowledge management "is about connecting people with people, not like most of the companies here who are trying to link people to documents."
Abuzz is developing its Beehive product (just announced in beta) to deliver answers to queries either from a continuously growing archive or by passing the question to experts.
While keeping its upcoming technology under pretty tight wrap, Verge Software (www.vergesoft.com) plans to announce a "contextware" product in Q1 of next year that keys on allowing users to quickly submit information, link structured to unstructured information and deliver it dynamically.
KnowledgeLink Interactive (www.k-link.com) displayed PerSavant, a "personal savant" service that brings together internal and external information sources on a user's desktop. PerSavant pulls and distributes to individual users information from internal sources (databases, Lotus Notes, document management systems, etc.), news feeds, Web pages and online fee-based content services.
Services companies bringing their experience to the product front were also evident: IntegrationWare's IntraBlocks (www.intrablocks.com) division promoted its e:Folders Web server for creating, organizing, viewing and interacting with information, and Wizdom Systems (www.wizdomsystems.com) brings its consulting experience in commercial, manufacturing, healthcare and government markets to play in its WizdomLive work management product.


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The Cost of Weather in US: Up to $243 Billion a Year
June 22, 2011, 2:18 PM UTC / Source: LiveScience
By Wynne Parry
Routine weather — rainy spells, warmer than average days — can cause the United States economy to lose or gain as much as $242.5 billion in a year, according to a new calculation. In other words, bad weather can lead to a lean year, while the right scenario can mean a bonus.
This $485 billion variation covers only normal weather, not devastating events like tornadoes and hurricanes, or climate change, which is expected to bring more extreme weather.
"It is something that really hasn't been done quantitatively before for the whole country using accepted economic methods and data," said lead researcher Jeff Lazo, an economist who directs the Societal Impacts Program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. "I think what this does is it gives us a first idea, not the best number or the final number, how much impact average weather has on the U.S. economy."
Using 24 years' worth of economic data and weather observations, the researchers modeled the relationship between economic output and variation in precipitation and temperature. All of the 11 nongovernmental economic sectors they looked at, such as agriculture, transportation and manufacturing, were sensitive to weather.
They then ran simulations on the models, using 70 years of weather data and holding other economic factors, like capital, labor and energy, constant to see how much effect weather had on the total economy. [Read: 7 Rare Weather Events ]
They found that everyday weather could cause as much as a 3.4-percent variation in U.S. gross domestic product, the value of goods and services produced by a nation. In 2008 dollars, this came out to a range of $485 billion (meaning a loss or gain of $242.5 billion).
The study, published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, found that while no state escaped the impacts of weather, some were more affected than others. New York was the most sensitive, and Tennessee was the least, although it is not clear why. Certain sectors of the economy also showed variation in how sensitive they were to weather, with mining and agriculture taking the biggest possible hits from everyday weather.
The researchers plan to continue refining their calculations, Lazo said.
You can followwriter Wynne Parry on Twitter. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter and on.
The World's Weirdest Weather
Natural Disasters: Top 10 U.S. Threats
Earth in the Balance: 7 Crucial Tipping Points
Wynne Parry


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Let's talk about hydrogen fuel / with Aleš Doucek
Michael Londesborough: My guest today is Aleš Doucek. He is the head of hydrogen technologies at the nuclear research institute in Řež near Prague.
Aleš, today we often hear about the electrification of both cars and truck. What role does hydrogen play in that process?
Aleš Doucek: A very important one. First, it offers really great driving ranges, much better than that of battery electric vehicles. A personal car can easily travel up to 500 kilometers and refueling only takes a few minutes, as opposed to battery electric vehicles which require hours for recharging.
ML: Ok, just to be clear from the start. We're not going to use hydrogen in our cars the same way that NASA uses it in rockets. We're not going to burn it, but rather use hydrogen fuel cells.
AD: Right. The fuel cell is a really important device because it converts the chemical energy stored in hydrogen directly into electricity. We can then use this electricity to power the car. It's quite efficient when compared to combustion engines.
ML: So converting the chemical energy in hydrogen gas into electrical energy by means of a fuel cell can enable quite long distances on one tank of hydrogen. What sort of distances are we talking about for the average car?
AD: We can imagine it's more than 500 kilometers. That's almost the same as current petrol or diesel cars.
ML: So in terms of distances traveled, it's comparable with current combustion engines which work on hydrocarbons. How long will it take to refuel with hydrogen?
AD: Three to five minutes, depending on the station.
ML: Again very similar to hydrocarbon time. Do you envision a future where we will combine the fuel cell technology with batteries or will they remain two separate electrification technologies?
AD: There are different segments that we must consider. In small cars, which are usually used for local transport within the city, battery electric vehicles are perfectly sufficient. We can charge them overnight at our house, rendering their operation quite cheap and efficient. When traveling longer distances, however, such as going on holiday, a battery-operated electric vehicle just isn't enough. This is a segment for hydrogen. Hydrogen is ideal for use in large cars or buses and even long haul trucks. I think that we will see a mix of both technologies on our roads within the next ten to fifteen years.
ML: So within ten to fifteen years, the average family could perhaps own two cars? One smaller, battery-powered for local transport and a hydrogen-powered fuel cell car for longer distances. What about cost? Will it be expensive?
AD: Of course it's hard to say what the future holds, but hydrogen cars today are only slightly more expensive than battery electric cars. In terms of price per kilometer, it's approximately 2.50 crowns. That's again only slightly more expensive than fossil fuel cars.
ML: 2.50 Czech crowns per kilometer. That means that we can travel roughly 100 kilometers for an expense of about 10 Euros.
AD: Exactly
ML: That's a very competitive price. Where does the extra cost come from? Is it the hardware? Will I have to pay a premium for the hydrogen fuel cells? Is that the expensive part?
AD: Yes. The technology isn't as mature as combustion engine technology yet. So at the beginning, we need to invest more money. The biggest problem today, the reason that market isn't fully developed yet is quite simple- we don't have enough refueling stations. The infrastructure is not sufficient yet, which is problematic for customers.
ML: It seems to be a similar case as with battery vehicles- there's an infrastructural problem. We've had over a hundred years of modern car development and we're used to supplying hydrocarbon fuels. So we have a functioning system in place and the infrastructure works. I assume that there must naturally be some sort of inertia for change. What do we have to do to make that change happen? Do you think that refueling stations will quickly begin to realize that they need to diversify their supply to offer not only hydrocarbons but also hydrogen and perhaps battery packs as well?
AD: I think that refueling station networks are already seeing the possibilities to be a part of the future hydrogen economy. They are looking for their part in this game, so to speak. And of course regulation, be it from the Paris Agreement or the European Union, comes into play. It's almost impossible to comply with these regulations only using the possibilities that we have today- combustion engines and battery electric vehicles. So car manufacturers and fuel producers are ready to take part in the future market.
ML: So you believe that both sectors of the automobile industry see this as an opportunity and are preparing themselves for it. Let's go back to the concept of hydrogen as a fuel for a moment. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but it doesn't occur on our planet in the form of H2 molecules, which we could use for this technology. Hydrogen occurs as a compound, most often with oxygen in the form of water, but also with carbon in the form of hydrocarbons. So hydrogen as a fuel is really a misnomer. Hydrogen works as energy storage, rather than a fuel itself. Where do we get our hydrogen from?
AD: We basically have two ways to produce hydrogen. The first, which is widespread today, is from fossil fuels such as oil or methane. The second way is to produce it from water, using electricity. This is also one of the biggest advantages of hydrogen- we can produce it from water, a clean source, using electricity, which can also be clean and emission-free. Furthermore, we can use hydrogen production as energy storage for the electricity grid. That is, and will continue to be, a very important and very well-paid service.
ML: Let's split those two sources for a moment. There is the highly sustainable, environmentally-friendly source- the electrolysis of water. We'll come back to that in a bit. First, let's take a look at using fossil fuels for production. Is that the major source of our hydrogen today?
AD: Yes, more than 90% of hydrogen today is produced from fossil fuels. It's important to say, however, that even a fuel cell car powered by fossil hydrogen is cleaner than a combustion engine car. Locally it produces only water, so there is no pollution. Hydrogen fuel cell cars have a lower impact on the greenhouse gas effect, even with hydrogen that is produced using fossil fuels.
ML: Nevertheless, hydrogen production from fossil fuels means that there is an opportunity cost for that hydrogen. Do we currently produce enough hydrogen to satisfy a growing fuel-cell technology market or will we have a problem with the amount we're able to produce?
AD: At the moment, there is enough hydrogen. But building the necessary infrastructure is not easy. It's important to develop both sides of the market- both supply and demand.
ML: So oil refineries can produce enough hydrogen today to satisfy the growing market for hydrogen fuel cell technology use in transportation. We can store that hydrogen safely and transport it safely in a growing infrastructure, where an end user can go to actually buy "hydrogen gas".
AD: Yes, I don't see any problems there. Also, I expect that within five to seven years, there will be investment into hydrogen production infrastructure and logistics, but it won't be dramatic.
ML: In terms of hydrogen storage and transport, is it more expensive than the storage and transport of hydrocarbon liquids, which we currently use as fuel? Is it comparable? Do there need to be changes to enable this technology or do we have the means to roll it out at our disposition already?
AD: We have a few options for hydrogen distribution already. The first one is pressurized gas and the second is liquefied hydrogen. Both are possible and both offer advantages and disadvantages. In the future, when we need a much greater amount of hydrogen, we might need more possibilities. These could be, for example, transportation of hydrogen in pipes or on-site production at refueling stations.
ML: Presumably, that has to be a huge opportunity for the production of hydrogen through the electrolysis of water, where we could produce it on-site rather easily. All we would need would be a source of water. Tell me more about the current state of affairs regarding electrolysis of water. How effective and efficient is it? Can we apply this technology on a large scale?
AD: It's important to say that hydrogen mobility is only one part of the whole picture, because we can use hydrogen as a medium to store surplus electricity. So when we talk about hydrogen mobility, we are able to use surplus electricity from another sector. That could help with expenses.
ML: So we have the electricity grid, and let's assume it's very diverse. We could still burn coal, use nuclear power, use renewable sources- wind, solar, etc. Then when there is a surplus of electricity generation and demand drops for whatever reason, the price of electricity drops as well. You are suggesting that at that moment, we can use surplus electricity on the grid to store that electrical energy in the chemical form of hydrogen gas.
AD: Exactly. In the near future, there will be many times when electricity will be basically free.
ML: Ok, but even if it's free, it will still have to go through the process of electrolysis of water. How efficient is that process using current technology? And is there research into different possibilities of electrolyzing water efficiently?
AD: The efficiency of electrolysis is near 75% and we need approximately 55 kilowatt hours to produce one kilogram of hydrogen. Those are very good numbers.
ML: 75% efficiency to using electricity for storing that energy into hydrogen. What's the cost then of using that hydrogen? How efficient is the hydrogen fuel cell at converting the chemical energy in hydrogen back to electricity?
AD: The efficiency of fuel cell is approximately 50%. So the efficiency of the whole roundtrip, from electricity to hydrogen and back to electricity, is around 35%.
ML: However, that will be competing with current technologies for storing electrical energy in other forms. And the classic case, certainly in Czech Republic, is the use of hydro-pumps. We're using surplus electricity to pump water up a gradient from a valley to a mountaintop. There it can stay and we use gravitational potential when we rerelease the water to regenerate electricity. If I'm not mistaken, that's about 50-60% efficient?
AD: Could be.
ML: That's still a lot. So hydrogen is still not competitive yet then,
AD: We have to see the whole situation. It would be very complicated to build another hydro-pump storage facility in Europe. It's very expensive environmentally and from the local point of view, it's very unpopular. There are not many locations where we can build them.
ML: This all sounds rather promising. What are the major challenges that are preventing hydrogen's takeover or grab of the market share in the automotive industry?
AD: The most important aspect is that the whole hydrogen economy is a very complex topic. We need refueling infrastructure, we need vehicle producers, some of which are on the market already, but don't have the capacity of conventional vehicles, and we also need changes in legislation.
ML: In terms of the Czech market, do you believe there will be legislation to support this technology?
AD: Fortunately, there are already subsidies available for hydrogen refueling stations and in the future, we can expect subsidies for clean mobility, especially public. I expect that some of these subsidies will be used for hydrogen buses. I even have information that we will see hydrogen buses in a few regions in the Czech Republic quite soon, particularly in the Moravian-Silesian region and probably also in Prague.
ML: And should we be scared of hydrogen buses and hydrogen cars? Is there a danger aspect?
AD: Just like any other fuel, hydrogen contains a lot of energy. So, just like any other fuel, we have to treat it with respect. Currently, all devices which utilize hydrogen also have a hydrogen sensor. That means if there is a leak, the hydrogen sensor can detect it, automatically close the pressure vessel and start to vent the vehicle so that it never reaches a concentration high enough to cause explosion. From my point of view, there is not a big difference between petrol and hydrogen in regards to burning or explosion.
ML: Aleš, you are the head of hydrogen technologies at your institute. That puts you in a position to look far into the future of transportation for the whole world and perhaps the sustainability of that transportation. Are you optimistic about our future?
AD: I am definitely optimistic. I can see a big movement in Germany, Japan, also California, to move away from fossil fuels in transportation to alternative fuels, especially hydrogen. I expect that in ten to fifteen years, the hydrogen car will be pretty standard on Czech roads, in Czech families. We have a bright future with hydrogen fuel cells.
ML: On that note of a bright future for us all, Aleš, thank you for coming to "Let's talk about it"!
AD: Thank you very much.


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Jean-Loup Faulon
Senior Research Director, Professor
INRA, University of Manchester
J.L. Faulon is a senior research director at the French National Institute for Agronomical Research (INRA) and also a Professor in Synthetic Biology at the University of Manchester. He is the founder and co-director of a CNRS nation-wide research network in Synthetic Biology. In the past, he has been the director of the Institute of Systems & Synthetic Biology in France (2009-2015) and a distinguished research scientist at the US DOE Sandia National Laboratories (1995-2008). For most of his career, he has been leading interdisciplinary research in synthetic biology and computational biology. He is renowned for his work on computer-aided design and in particular for the applications of retrosynthesis in synthetic biology. Originally developed in the context of metabolic engineering, the computational tools and experimental validation protocols developed by his research group are now used to engineer biosensors in whole-cell and cell-free systems for disease biomarkers detection.
Machine Learning For And By Synthetic Biology
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Yemen War
Yemen air strike kills nine family members: Witnesses
House struck was next to a college Houthi rebels converted into an arms depot
Yemenis amidst the rubble of buildings hit by Saudi air strikes in the Yemeni port of Hudaida on 21 September, 2016. (AFP)
Published date: 26 September 2016 08:15 UTC | Last update: 4 years 3 months ago
A Saudi-led coalition air strike in Yemen killed nine members of the same family, including several children, on Sunday in the southwestern rebel-held city of Ibb, witnesses and medics said.
Eleven neighbours were also wounded when the family's house, on the southern edge of the mountain city, was hit during a night of intense air strikes, witnesses said. Medics at the city's main hospital confirmed they had received nine bodies, including those of women and children.
The house was next to a vocational college that Iran-backed Houthi rebels have converted into a military base and arms depot, witnesses said.
The air strikes came amid growing international criticism of the Arab coalition over the mounting toll of civilian casualties in its campaign against the rebels. Houthi rebels and troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh control Ibb and swaths of Yemeni territory including the capital, Sanaa, which they seized in September 2014.
Since the coalition intervened in March last year, government forces have pushed rebels out of five southern provinces, including the port city of Aden.
More than 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the start of the Saudi-led campaign, more than half of them civilians, according to the United Nations.
The UN warned on Friday of rising civilian casualties, saying that 180 people were killed and 268 injured in August, a 40 percent rise on the previous month.
On Wednesday, at least 20 civilians died in air strikes on the rebel-held Red Sea city of Hudaida that the coalition said targeted "Houthi leaders". UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the strikes on Hudaida, calling for "urgent measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure".
Incoming Biden official calls for reversal of Houthi terror designation
Yemen: UN condemnation of Houthi terror designation sparks campaign against envoy
US blacklisting of Houthis could 'tip Yemen into huge famine', warns UN
Third Yemen drone strike in a week kills 5 al-Qaeda suspects
Yemen's exiled government return to Aden
Fatwa forbids work of female activists in Yemen's Taiz


—we need a whole new pantheon for the contemporary world.
The entropy of language is a crutch.
: Clrdge sd smthng bt tht smwhr.
—vowel harmony means sticks without stones.
—the panopticon terrified me with its squint.
The volume of words in English peaked my curiosity.
— I cannot express the extent of my regret for that naivety.
Language is never the thing itself.
Every conversation is a fiction of sorts | especially anecdotes.
the credibility of the reportage because there is no locale.
Clrdg. No e. Just saying.
Keep doing these, they're good.
There are meant to be no vowels. Clrdg said a line of good verse should be readable without vowels.
They're done. It is done. Over 50. So…We've got time yet.
Wnjoyed the thoughts here, Daniel. Reminds me of a conversation I had with an academic in Japan, which may be a fiction: the conciseness of their symbols, the many aspects of redundancy in English, and we can so easily achieve a lack of clarity. I am very fond of vowels and the way they sound. In Portuguese, the exclamation "wow" is spelt "uau" which I prefer, but apparently it wouldn't suit Coleridge.
Vowels are so important in Korean as in Turkish. There is a harmony which means you can't make a word. Take the Korean word love 사랑, remove thw vowels ㅏㅏㅇ& you just have ㅅㄹ which could be any word with those 2 characters, nobody would necessarily guess it as love. But in English, if I write I lv u. We all know what I mean. I kinda think its cool there is no centre of gravity to English words.


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František Karkó (born 27 February 1944) is a former Slovakian footballer and manager.

References

External links
 ČMFS Statistics
 National Football Teams
 Fotbal.cz
 Kravany nad Dunajom

1944 births
Living people
Czechoslovak footballers
FC Zbrojovka Brno players
FK Fotbal Třinec players
Czechoslovak football managers
Slovak football managers
MFK Ružomberok managers
FK Fotbal Třinec managers
Association footballers not categorized by position

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Gorgeous melodies, inventive yet classy arrangements, and songs lyrics that tell stories which make us laugh at the world, long for love and dance around our bedrooms.
"Jordan Galland is a force to be reckoned with."
"Devilishly suave melodies… The most striking aspect of (his music) upon first listen is just how classy the whole affair sounds. Like if Arcade Fire, Leonard Cohen and Rufus Wainwright were to all meet up for a swanky meal in a stylish, smoky jazz club. A delightfully mature, memorable and elegant (record)."
"Galland has crafted a work of sountrack-esque beauty… A highly recommended release from an especially talented fellow!"
"Jordan Galland's music is one-of-a-kind, blending a diverse range of styles into highly listenable pop. Vibrant horns and keys stand out over hints of pop noir."


If you are staying in Cyprus for a prolonged period you should acquire a prepaid sim card and get a Cypriot phone number. It is only advisable to look into options for a contract if you are staying for close to a year or longer, or is a heavy user of calls and data. The reason is that most contracts are for a minimum of 12 months.
You can read more about the options in Cyprus for each below here.
It is still possible to get a landline connection installed in Cyprus. But since since the mobile coverage in Cyprus is very good, this page only includes options for mobile phones and sim cards. The only exception to good mobile network coverage might be the most remote areas of Cyprus.
If you are planning to live in a remote area of Cyprus, you can easily check the mobile network coverage. Connect to either Primetels, MTNs or Cytamobile-Vodafones (Cyta) network with any active sim card and check the quality of the connection.
Prepaid sim cards in Cyprus are available at the network providers' shops, at gas stations and at most kiosks. There are a LOT of kiosks in Cyprus if you opt for a prepaid sim card so you will just need to decide on a provider.
If you prefer a subscription plan those are also available in a variety of formats. The plans will all include plenty of options varying from no pre-included SMSes, minutes and internet usage to unlimited usage plans (except mobile internet access). When you register for a monthly plan you should expect to bring proof of address, a valid passport and your yellow paper to register.
Most plans are as mentioned on a minimum contract of between 12 and 24 months. You might also be required to put down a fairly hefty deposit of up to €500 if you do not own property in Cyprus.
Cyta is the former governmental monopoly in Cyprus and is the oldest existing phone company in Cyprus. They offer all telecommunication services except 4G.
MTN was the first company to challenge Cytas monopoly by winning a tender to establish the second mobile network in Cyprus. MTN offers all telecommunication services.
Primetel is the latest addition to the increasingly competitive phone market in Cyprus. They too offer all telecommunication services.
All mobile phone providers in Cyprus offers mobile internet for both prepaid and subscription plans. But similar to landbased internet access in Cyprus, mobile internet is also very expensive compared to most other countries. This means that you need to be careful to choose the plan that best matches your data needs and not use more data than your plan allows you to.
If you are using mobile internet on a prepaid plan make sure to use some of the simple extra plans that are available. These plans allow you to open up for a limited mobile internet usage for a set fee just by sending an sms. The time periods you can select ranges from 24 hours to a month.
The costs and means of activating mobile internet differs from provider to provider.
3G is available with all of the three mobile networks in Cyprus, who all covers the majority of the country. 4G (LTE) is currently only available with MTN and Primetel and the coverage is focused around the big cities: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Famagusta.
If you have chosen a provider that offers 4G mobile internet, you are able to access the high speed LTE network no matter whether you are on a prepaid or a subscription plan. Your handset will of course also have to be able to connect to the 4G network, which might require you to get a new sim card for free at one of your providers shops.
You have multiple options for paying your phone bill. Depending on what you feel most comfortable with you can pay at the office, in the bank or online with all the providers.
If you are using a prepaid sim card, you can purchase a reload code in most kiosks or online at your mobile provider's website.


text:
3 questions with Scott Poley
3 questions with Murilo Romano
3 questions with Henry Olsen
3 questions with Dan Veall
3 questions with Buster Crofton
3 questions with Becky Langan
3 questions with Ally Lee
3 questions with Alex Milovic -Northlane
3 questions with Dave Arcari
All about the Bass (strings)
Do not cut Newtone Strings????
Newtone Strings and our 'exclusive' use of Round cores?
The recommended way to string a guitar/bass
About Newtone Strings
Home / 3 questions with…… / 3 questions with Alex Milovic -Northlane
Northlane are an Australian metalcore band from Sydney, formed in 2009. The band comprises guitarists Jon Deiley and Josh Smith, bassist Alex Milovic, drummer Nic Pettersen and vocalist Marcus Bridge. Northlane have released four studio albums: Discoveries (11 November 2011); Singularity (22 March 2013), which reached No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart; Node (24 July 2015), a number one album and Mesmer (24 March 2017). At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 the group won the Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album category.
1 – What is your earliest memory of music in your life?
My earliest memory of music would have to be hearing Micheal Jackson for the first time, it was smooth criminal. I can't remember exact what got me but listening to the song it just sounded crazy. Listening back i think it was the combination of the drums and bass and how different and interesting it sounded compared to other music that was on the radio or played in my house.
2 – What album influenced you or your style the most?
I would definitely have to say Karnivool – Sound Awake. Although i had played bass well before hearing this record, i never really had a huge inspiration to many bass player's. Jon Stockman really change my way of thinking towards the bass guitar and how it is used within songs. If you haven't heard his work with karnivool, you really need to check it out!
3 – What piece or performance are you most proud of to date?
It would have to be our live session we did at ghost city studio's, I never thought that we would get to do a live session like that and I feel like it really delivers how we come across as a live band. You can listen to any piece of Northlane's Studio works and it sounds like us. The live session just has a little bit of a different edge to it.
(This is 360 degree video)
© Newtone Strings 2020


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5 Ways Amazon Will Transform Whole Foods
By Greg Lindenberg on Aug. 25, 2017
View All Slides
SEATTLE & AUSTIN, Texas -- As anticipated by many industry observers, Amazon's first official move with its newly acquired Whole Foods Market is to lower prices, attempting to dispel the "Whole Paycheck" cost image that has clung to the organic grocer since its inception.
Here's what will happen in Whole Foods stores and what customers can expect over time as the two companies integrate …
Explore:	disruption, grocery, mobile
1. Expectation of innovation
Following Federal Trade Commission (FTC) clearance and Whole Foods shareholders' approval, Amazon's $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods closed on Aug. 28. The FTC determined that the pairing did not "substantially" lessen or constitute "unfair" competition, the agency said.
That being said, the deal promises to disrupt the brick-and-mortar grocery business by bringing Amazon's e-commerce acumen to an already disruptive physical supermarket chain.
With Whole Foods, Amazon will have an estimated 2% share of the U.S. grocery market, according to Grocery Headquarters magazine.
"We will be joining a company that's visionary," John Mackey, Whole Foods Market co-founder and CEO, above, said in June. "I think we're going to get a lot of those innovations in our stores. I think we're going to see a lot of technology. I think you're going to see Whole Foods Market evolve in leaps and bounds."
Amazon is already disrupting brick-and-mortar retail in other ways. The Whole Foods acquisition joins Amazon's new physical bookstores, the Amazon Go cashierless convenience-store test and the Amazon Instant Pickup stores where customers can pick up merchandise ordered online within minutes.
2. Lower prices
Starting Aug. 28, Whole Foods will offer lower prices on a selection of best-selling staples across its stores. Customers will find lower prices on organic products such as bananas, avocados, brown eggs, salmon and tilapia, baby kale and baby lettuce, ground beef, almond butter, apples, rotisserie chicken, 365 Everyday Value butter and more.
"We're determined to make healthy and organic food affordable for everyone. Everybody should be able to eat Whole Foods Market quality. We will lower prices without compromising Whole Foods Market's long-held commitment to the highest standards," said Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer.
"It's been our mission for 39 years at Whole Foods Market to bring the highest-quality food to our customers," said Mackey. "By working together with Amazon and integrating in several key areas, we can lower prices and double down on that mission and reach more people with Whole Foods Market's high-quality, natural and organic food. As part of our commitment to quality, we'll continue to expand our efforts to support and promote local products and suppliers. We can't wait to start showing customers what's possible when Whole Foods Market and Amazon innovate together."
3. Rewards integration
In addition to lowering prices, Amazon and Whole Foods will begin to integrate Amazon Prime into the Whole Foods point-of-sale (POS) system. After certain technology integration work is complete, Amazon Prime will become Whole Foods' customer-rewards program, providing Prime members with special savings and other in-store benefits.
"We will make Amazon Prime the customer rewards program at Whole Foods Market and continuously lower prices as we invent together," Wilke said. "There is significant work and opportunity ahead, and we're thrilled to get started."
4. Expanded private-label availability
Also, Whole Foods' private-label products, including 365 Everyday Value, Whole Foods Market, Whole Paws and Whole Catch, will be available through Amazon.com, AmazonFresh, Prime Pantry and Prime Now.
Industry Experts Shocked by Amazon, Whole Foods Market Merger
5. New services
Amazon Lockers will be available in select Whole Foods stores. Customers can have products shipped from Amazon.com to their local Whole Foods store for pickup or send returns back to Amazon during a trip to the store.
The companies said that they plan to offer more in-store benefits and lower prices for customers over time as they integrate logistics, POS and merchandising systems.
The company will maintain operations under the Whole Foods Market brand and will continue to offer natural and organic foods. Mackey will remain as CEO, and Whole Foods' headquarters will stay in Austin, Texas.
In fiscal-year 2016, Whole Foods had sales of approximately $16 billion and has more than 460 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Amazon.com Inc. is based in Seattle.
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text:
Q: AF_UNIX socket server write to itself in C Can a socket server created with socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0) write to itself?
I'm asking this becouse the first send is ignored if it was from the same server to the same server, but if it a client is the one who sent it then it not ignored.
why does that happen and how to not ignore the first send from server?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
UBNow
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Your Colleagues
Working at UB
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The promises and perils of geoengineering
By CHARLOTTE HSU
Holly Jean Buck
The thought of purposefully tinkering with the Earth's climate may sound extreme or far-fetched. But as the world faces the consequences of global warming, some scientists have begun to seriously consider such proposals.
In a new book, "Has It Come to This? The Promises and Perils of Geoengineering on the Brink," UB researcher Holly Jean Buck and colleagues weigh in on the social, ethical and political dimensions of deliberate, large-scale interventions in the planet's climate.
Buck, assistant professor of environment and sustainability, College of Arts and Sciences, co-edited the volume with J.P. Sapinski, assistant professor of environmental studies and public policy at Université de Moncton in Canada, and Andreas Malm, who teaches human ecology at Lund University.
The book consists of a collection of essays, articles and interviews from a group of nearly 20 thinkers who offer a diversity of perspectives. It was published Nov. 13 by Rutgers University Press.
In a Q&A with UBNow, Buck discusses geoengineering and the controversies surrounding these responses to climate change.
What is geoengineering?
Geoengineering signifies things that humans do intentionally to make a large-scale difference in the climate.
Our book discusses two categories of geoengineering. The first, carbon dioxide removal, consists of a variety of techniques to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it for long periods of time. Techniques range from planting a forest to implementing industrial technologies for carbon capture and underground storage.
The other main family of geoengineering approaches is solar geoengineering, or solar radiation management. This refers to techniques that would block a small fraction of incoming sunlight, which would have a cooling effect on the Earth. Stratospheric aerosol injections, which put tiny particles into the upper atmosphere, are one such method. Cloud brightening, which could involve spraying salt into the air from ships to make reflective marine clouds, also has potential.
I'm certainly hoping that the world can ramp up climate action and avoid solar geoengineering. But I do think that we should be pursuing carbon removal in earnest, which is something the authors in this book are divided on. I think there are both promising and perilous implementations of carbon removal, and that environmentalists should be involved in shaping the choices here.
Is geoengineering going on now?
On the carbon removal side, there's a lot of momentum and interest, especially this year, because so many companies, cities and nation states are moving forward with these net zero goals. Net zero targets generally imply some form of carbon removal to balance the amount of continued emissions. There are many types of projects underway in that realm, from programs to pay farmers for storing more carbon in soils to monthly subscriptions you can get for services that remove your emissions directly from the atmosphere.
With regard to solar geoengineering, it's entirely in the research stage. Research has been funded for marine cloud brightening in relation to the Great Barrier Reef to see if there are applications for lessening harm to coral. But there isn't any open-air research on stratospheric aerosol injections. There's been one experiment proposed by researchers at Harvard University, but that keeps getting delayed. That one would be a relatively small experiment involving a stratospheric balloon and a few kilograms of material.
Why is carbon removal a contentious subject?
Carbon removal at the scales that are being discussed would involve a vast infrastructure program. You have to imagine things like massive land-use changes for growing forests to sequester more carbon, or the construction of injection wells for carbon dioxide (CO2). These policies are going to affect communities.
One key concern that I think a lot of authors in this book have is that carbon removal will be seen as a way out for polluters, a solution that legitimizes a cleaner version of fossil fuel production. They are understandably concerned about developing technologies to remove CO2 because that could imply continued production of it.
Another concern people might have is the cost of developing these technologies, which isn't something that's discussed very much in this book. What's the cost going to be, and who's going to bear it?
Why is solar geoengineering so controversial?
Solar geoengineering raises some similar concerns about mitigation deterrence, but magnified. If solar geoengineering begins, would we be caught in a trap where we're continually blocking sunlight and continuing to emit fossil fuels?
But beyond that, solar geoengineering faces an enormous challenge relating to how it might be governed, since it's a planetary-scale intervention. The politics are very complicated. Carbon removal is something that can be implemented all around the world in different ways, but solar geoengineering is something that you'd want a global consensus on. I could very easily see a situation where a couple of countries agree to do it, and nobody disagrees with them, which is different from a global consensus.
Solar geoengineering could also have many unintended consequences. Projected precipitation impacts have been studied in models. Something that I don't think has been studied as much are impacts on ecosystems from changes in incoming sunlight. To me, that seems less well understood. I think we need public funding for geoengineering research that can systematically look for side effects and unintended consequences.
A lot of the authors in this book would disagree, and the good thing about an edited collection like this is that you can have a lot of different perspectives. People who are critical of funding this research say that we shouldn't expend energy studying this. Once you start funding research, you create vested interests that want to continue their research.
The book talks about social justice. Why do you think that's an important component of conversations about geoengineering?
There are a few reasons. One is a normative one — that people should be involved in the design of these technologies.
Geoengineering projects will touch billions of lives in one way or another. A lot of the social science on geoengineering is about, Will people accept this? The contributors in this book are trying to push the social questions a bit further: Where is this idea even coming from? Why are we at this point? Who needs to be involved in making decisions?
As just one example, we were fantastically lucky to have Kyle Whyte, who has a lot of great writing on climate justice, speak to us about what participation might mean for Indigenous peoples in the context of geoengineering. In an interview published in the book, one of the key points that he makes is that it's not reasonable to expect Indigenous people to participate in discussions that don't allow Indigenous people to bring their concerns to the table. If the conversation is already pre-framed in terms of what's important to discuss, there aren't a lot of opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Who is the audience for the book?
This book is aimed at specialists who are interested in social science and the politics of geoengineering. Climate advocates and critical theorists working on the intersection of climate change and social science, especially those thinking about justice, capitalism or imperialism, may find something of interest here.
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Skills:I am an editing and post-production student, with skills in animation, 3D modelling, compositing, etc.
I've been working on an A2 Poster for the foam board at our presentation for the kids.
It's been a long time since I've drawn or illustrated anything, but I thought I'd put my hand to it. After drawing on paper, I scanned in my images, cleaned them up in Adobe Illustrator, then brought them into Adobe Photoshop to composite them.
I added some text to the illustration to give an idea as to how the invention works, and what the process is.
I thought it would be fun to make the design similar to a technical drawing/blueprint, much in the same style as the animation is, just slightly older looking, adding some digital wear-and-tear.
Using Adobe Audition, and the microphones borrowed from the uni, I created a voice-over, and additional foley for a sound mix for the animation I am in the process of creating.
I am in the process of creating a short, one minute animation using Adobe After Effects. I have all of my assets and vector resources ready, and am preparing them in three separate compositions. I currently have 36 seconds of the animation completed.
Note; all animation and composition is backed up to the cloud incase of technical difficulties.
I have also created an A2 poster for the exhibition upon showing my work to the children.
The past two weeks, I've been sourcing vector resources online, and collating a folder of material to use in the animation I have been working upon within Adobe After Effects.
I have also drawn angles of the hat in the style of a 'technical drawing', so that I can scan them in, and use them as a base plate to extrude a 3D object from, within After Effects and Cinema 4D.
Today, I'll be recording a voiceover, and collecting/creating sound effects to use within the animation.


Andre Bauer began leading in his twenties and never looked back. From running his own business as a teenager to rising up the ranks to lead the state in both the legislative and executive branches as lieutenant governor for two consecutive terms. In 1996, at age 26, he ran for state representative for Lexington county and won. During his term, Bauer fought for taxpayers, proposing legislation to reduce expenses and the role of government. In 1999, he took office as a state senator after a special election. And in 2003, he was inaugurated as South Carolina's 87th lieutenant governor, the youngest in the United States, at age 33. You see, Bauer is not only known for leading, but for looking out for those who tend to get left behind. Like our elder citizens of South Carolina, both in his role as lieutenant governor (head of the office on aging) and as chairman of the Palmetto Tomorrow Foundation. Click here to find out what's next for Andre Bauer and for ways to get involved in his cause for the betterment of South Carolina.


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Billionaires gather at Davos – the rich gloat as planet burns
Mass movements for radical change are the way to save the planet – not relying on the rich and politicians (Pic: Andrew McGowan)
"Without treating this as a real crisis we cannot solve it," was the rallying cry from school climate strike leader Greta Thunberg to world leaders this week.
Unfortunately for her—and for us—they won't listen.
Speaking at the Davos conference, hosted by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Thunberg joined climate activists Autumn Peltier, Salvador Gomez-Colon and Natasha Wang Mwansa.
Billionaires and politicians gathered at the ski resort in Switzerland to discuss its key theme—"stakeholders for a cohesive and sustainable world".
Also due to speak on the climate crisis was Bank of England governor Mark Carney and former US vice president Al Gore.
Ahead of Davos, Thunberg and other strike leaders demanded that governments and companies halt investment, extraction and subsidies for fossil fuels.
But for the fossil fuel magnates and banking fat cats crammed into the conference halls in Davos, nothing of the sort is planned.
The tiny minority who fill the world's boardrooms and sign off on new fossil fuels explorations plan to expand operations, not cut back.
Super-rich
Davos doesn't challenge rule by the handful of super-rich—it entrenches it.
It allows the scum at the top of society to hobnob with each other, all while pretending to care about the fact that the planet is on fire.
It's not just that they represent a rotten system. Davos delegates lack the power or the will to challenge the system as a whole.
The answer isn't more conferences of the rich and powerful to shore up their capitalist system—it's to build a force powerful enough to take them on.
The fight for our lives—and our world—is on.
It will mean building a society that can take on the causes of extreme weather, rising sea levels, soaring temperatures, floods and species extinction.
Everyone who cares about the future of the planet should throw themselves into building a force powerful enough to take on the power and resources of the Trumps or Carneys of this world.
The bosses at Davos pay lip service to the climate emergency—but they don't have the same interests as us.
Their priority is clinging on to their wealth and power, whatever the environmental cost. Our battle is to fight for a sustainable world built on the interests of the planet and ordinary people.
Topics Climate change, Environment, Extinction Rebellion
Climate talks crash as world leaders fail to set new targets
Climate catastrophe is spreading fire and floods
Capitalism causes war and climate crises
Scottish climate activists protest against system rigged for oil companies
Tories' assembly of inaction on climate change
Build resistance after Tory climate cop outs
Be scared—into action
Capitalism—a system rigged for oil


2016: 9 month full refit - complete hull/superstructure re-paint.
Extensive interior upgrade all new fixtures, fittings, carpets, soft furnishings, crockery and cutlery.
New "flysail" shade system on top deck consists of 5 large sails (can stand up to 40 knots of wind).
New bar area in the sky lounge and new exterior bar area with bar stools on each deck.
Beyond extensive water toy list including 3 tenders, 4 new jet skis, seabobs etc.
5 guest staterooms – all with ensuite dressings and large bathrooms with baths + extra supernumery cabin.
6 bottles and 2 sets of gear. They can be fully self supporting except to lead dives quite easily. There are competent divers on board who can manage and rig gear for guests. They can be fully self supporting except to lead dives. The local dive master would merely have to show up and lead the dives.
Approved RYA Watersports Centre - NERO is a registered Jet ski school with an on-board instructor who can provide a training session in order to issue charter guests with a licence valid for the duration of the charter.
Fashioned after JP Morgan's 1890's yacht, CORSAIR (and there were a few of them), the 295' NERO, built in China in 2007, just completed her ten year surveys in Spain and received a full paint job. She offers the old look with all the new systems. With long, overhanging counter stern, bowsprit to balance it out, two masts (in the olden days used as steadying sails), yellow coal funnel (nowadays is just for show), and black hull, this beamy classic motor yacht has a traditional main saloon, paneled in handsome stained oak, forward of which is an equally large library with fireplace, and forward of that is a full-beam dining saloon. These fabulous interior appointments were designed by an Italian designer. Forward of this is a day head off a foyer with wood floors, leading to an enormous full beam master with full beam private sitting room and full beam his and her bathrooms, all in marble, with Jacuzzi tub. NERO is a beamy boat. This master also has a dressing room and a private set of stairs leading up to the Observation lounge on the boat deck with fireplace and windows facing forward over the bow. Including the accommodation deck, where an additional four guest staterooms are located, NERO is a five deck yacht. Most yachts don't have a boat deck. NERO is different. Look at all this space! Starting with the main deck, each upper deck has an outdoor seating area aft with dining areas. So there are three of these aft decks, plus a room called 'The Snug." One of these aft decks is completely glorious! Large round dining table, beautifully set…. Large round cocktail seating aft in the shade… All the decks have outdoor side-walks. Just aft of the Observation Lounge is the three-quarter-beam VIP cabin (the sixth stateroom) with sitting room and bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and shower stall, plus a Supernumerary cabin for security and/or guest personnel. Aft of that is the sky lounge on the boat deck with giant TV screen, brand new bar with stools, a sofa that revolves to face the view, and an enormous butterfly skylight. The sun deck with bridge is the next flight up, and there you find a Jacuzzi, seating and sunbathing area under some sail awnings and "the Monkey Island," which is a private sunbathing area up a steep ladder. Pantry's are on every level. Back on the main deck, a 19' swimming pool with swim current is located on the foredeck. Among the yacht's extensive list of sports equipment is a floating golf green by Funair, and a stabilized, 4-fin vintage tender. What's not to love about Nero? NERO is available in the Caribbean during the winter months and the Mediterranean during the summer. Her crew of 20 are top notch!


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The Orville: The Moral Puzzles of Time Travel, Part 1
The last two episodes I've talked about of Orville Season 3 have delved into popular political issues that have allowed writers' bias to damage the plot. This episode, part 6, does something worse.
This may not seem like a big deal, at first. But let me explain why this episode is terrible from a point of view that goes beyond the writing. Yes, the writing is bad but that's normal for this show. However, it is one thing to gossip about political issues that are in vogue. But it's an entirely different matter to murder a family, defend the decision, and in the process try to establish a set of priorities that are, to say the least, unhealthy.
Writers describe the human condition, which can include revealing the most graphic events and exploring the darkest regions of the soul. But there is a difference between describing an event and defending it.
It may seem like just a story, but I would like you to try to detect their message. I would never recommend this season of the show – and this episode in particular – for fun, but after reading this article, I hope you'll consider watching this episode to see if you can pick up – or be okay with it. – my interpretation. I'll try to describe a very manipulative tactic the writers use in this story to get you to accept murder. Indeed, they force you to attend a ritual.
Our story begins with the invention of a time travel device. There have been time travel episodes in The Orville before. But the rules of how time travel works are ambiguous, as they must be, for any hope of continuity.
But this fact poses a problem from the start because the Union has a policy of preventing the butterfly effect without any clear understanding of the rules of time travel. The Union simply does not want to risk anything, so it does not take any risks. This means that there is no interaction with the past, if someone gets stuck there.
Now, that's an absurd and impossible notion, as I discussed in a previous article, but we won't focus on that for now. As an aside, this is also hypocritical. We will see why later.
The Orville has a time travel device on board, and the Union orders the crew to take it to a lab. During the conversation in which the orders are given, the Admiral – speaking to Ed and Kelly – mentions that the Union's reason for wanting to move the device is that either the Kaylon or the Krill could use to time travel and dissolve the Union. So they recognize that – under Union and writers own rules – if anything were to happen that caused them to cease to exist in their current form, it would and should be considered something bad, something like an act of war, something akin to murder. Remember that little factoid. It comes back later.
Orville's crew, along with other Union members, fly to the lab, only to find that it has been destroyed. Then, Kaylon ships appear and attack the Union fleet. The Orville is heavily damaged and caught in a tractor beam. In desperation, the crew members tell Gordon to destroy the time travel device.
He grabs a gun and walks towards the device. But LaMarr pulls some last-minute engineering and frees the ship from the tractor beam. We're told it overloads the main engine, and the next discharge breaks the beam. But this also causes a glitch in the time travel device, and Gordon is sent to 2015.
Gordon manages to send a message back to the ship somehow, and the Orville must now use the device to travel to the past and save it. They use the device, but during the time jump the ship runs out of Dysonium – essentially, the ship's fuel – and the ship stops in 2025 instead of 2015.
In the story, Earth has Dysonium in its mantle, so Charly and Isaac are sent to retrieve the mineral so that The Orville can fly again.
Now here comes the first major – and frankly unforgivable – plot hole. In an earlier scene, the crew consults Gordon's obituary. So they know that Gordon lived a full life. Any obituary will contain a list of his children and relations. The ethical questions raised by this episode should therefore have been raised when the crew realized what they were about to do. Gordon has a wife and children. By taking him during this timeline, they would snuff out the children's existence. It's a big problem.
And, as clarified earlier, even the Union recognizes such a change as devastating – at least, when it comes to their own well-being. To make Gordon lose his family would be awful, especially if they don't reach him before he starts his family. It would be traumatic, wouldn't it. I wonder what will happen?
But ethical issues aside, the common-sense solution would be to wait for Charly and Isaac to come back with the mineral and fly out on the right date. True, the ship is damaged, but at this point the time machine is working fine, so the crew could afford to wait. If you'll pardon the pun, they only have time, and waiting would have spared Gordon the trauma of losing his family, which is the moral conundrum of this episode.
But you see, dear reader, the writers want Gordon to endure this trauma. They have a message they want to sell you, and that message is just one reason to bring up the damage to the ship. They have to make it look like Ed has no choice but to come down to earth and get Gordon back in the present time. But as we've seen, it costs them nothing to wait, and it spares Gordon pain.
So why this contrived drama? Why does Ed really have to come down to earth and snatch poor Gordon from his family now? Because – as Kelly so delicately puts it – "family changes a man".
We will continue this discussion next Saturday!
You can also read: Orville Episode 5: Bad Allegory – But Competent Writing Competent writing is compensation for an otherwise tedious exposition of transgender ideology. The writers of season three should have explored the character's fear more, rather than pushing the anti-tradition narrative, for a more compelling story.
#Orville #Moral #Puzzles #Time #Travel #Part


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CBS Dallas - KTVT
National Finals Rodeo 2020 Moves To Globe Life Field In Arlington
Officials announced Wednesday the Wrangler NFR 2020 will be held at Globe Life Field in Arlington in December. which is the first major non-baseball event at the Texas Rangers' new home.
Decision would mean US could assign blame for death on to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, left, with journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a scene from the recent documentary The Dissident. Photograph: AP The Biden administration will declassify an intelligence report into the murder by the Saudi government of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to Avril Haines, who has been nominated to serve as director of national intelligence. The decision means that the US is likely to officially assign blame for Khashoggi's brutal murder to the kingdom's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and US resident who wrote critical columns about the Saudi crown prince, was murdered by Saudi agents inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey in October 2018. While media reports have said that the US intelligence community determined with a medium to high degree of confidence that Prince Mohammed ordered the killing, that assessment has never officially been stated. The crown prince has denied he ordered the murder. Since then, Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz and other human rights activists have called on Biden to release the classified report into the murder, saying that doing so was the first step towards seeking accountability. During Haines's confirmation hearing on Tuesday, the Oregon senator Ron Wyden said that, if confirmed as the new DNI, she would have the opportunity to "immediately" turn the page on the "excessive secrecy" and "lawlessness" of the Trump administration, and submit an unclassified report on "who was responsible" for Khashoggi's murder, as required under a February 2020 law that the Trump administration in effect blocked. Asked whether she would release the report, Haines replied: "Yes, senator, absolutely. We will follow the law." In a statement, Wyden praised the move, saying it was "refreshing to hear a straightforward commitment to follow the law" from Haines. Biden's Director of National Intelligence nominee Avril Haines says, if confirmed, she will provide Congress with an unclassified report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. pic.twitter.com/ocPUsJUeti— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 19, 2021 Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst and director at the Brookings Institution, said: "It is a useful way to put the question of accountability for Khashoggi's murder in the public domain early in the new administration." One of the most outspoken advocates for justice for the murder, Agnès Callamard, also praised the move, saying the information would provide the "one essential missing piece of the puzzle of the execution of Jamal Khashoggi". Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, said she hoped other information would also come to light, such as any new details about the whereabouts of Khashoggi's remains, and whether a risk assessment had ever been done by the US about whether Khashoggi was in danger before his trip to Turkey. Callamard, who will be named the new head of Amnesty International later this year, also pointed to other threats that have reportedly been lodged against human rights defenders and former Saudi officials in Canada and Norway by Prince Mohammed's agents, who have been called a "death squad" in media reports. "At some point, if the US intelligence has information about those operatives, then I think they should really make that information publicly available," Callamard said. The release of the Khashoggi report will also raise a host of new questions for both the US and Saudi Arabia. "If the document fingers MBS as responsible for the murder it will raise the question what is Biden going to do to hold him accountable?" said Riedel. During the 2020 election campaign, Biden issued scathing attacks against the crown prince, saying Saudi Arabia needed to be treated as "a pariah". It is expected that the Biden administration would seek to curb weapon sales to Saudi Arabia, but it could also take more targeted actions against Prince Mohammed, including financial sanctions.
Already facing allegations of stealing more than $600,000 in federal funds from a health care school she directed, a Tennessee state senator has been charged in a new fraud case, the U.S. attorney's office in Memphis said Tuesday. Democrat Katrina Robinson and two other people have been charged in a complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, about six months after Robinson was indicted on federal charges that she used grant money earmarked for health care worker training to pay for her wedding and honeymoon, a Jeep Renegade for her daughter, her children's snow cone business, and other things. In the case disclosed Tuesday, prosecutors said Brooke Boudreaux, an associate of Robinson, convinced someone to pay $14,470 in tuition to the school Robinson runs in Memphis on Boudreaux's behalf.
CBC Chair Rep. Joyce Beatty on attending inauguration: I won't be 'bullied'
Inauguration Day is a time of great expectancy and transformation. There are reports of at least 12 National Guard members being removed from the inauguration patrol duties. There are 25,000 troops in D.C. to protect attendees at the inauguration after the deadly and unprecedented Jan. 6 Capitol Hill insurrection.


Give your candles an eye-pleasing aesthetic with these stunning Black + Blum candle holders inspired by the Golden Spiral! The Golden Spiral (or Fibonacci curve) refers to the geometric shape found in nature that is pleasing to the human eye. This shape has been incorporated into the design of the stylish Loop Candelabra by Black + Blum, making it a pleasure to view from any angle.
These unique and sophisticated candle holders are able to loop together at the base to make large candelabras suitable for centrepieces on dining tables. These wonderful candelabras are available in both chrome and brushed satin.
These candelabras make a unique and creative gift, especially when bought in multiples!
Very happy with the product at a great price.


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Samoa officially the Independent State of Samoa formerly known as Western Samoa, is a Earth encompassing the western business office of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The 2 principal islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai'i, ane of the biggest islands in Polynesia. The working capital missive of the alphabet city, Apia, and Faleolo International Airport are situated on the isle of Upolu.
Kiribati officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation in the fundamental tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population is but over 100,000 (2011) on 800 square kilometers (310 sq mi). The nation is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, Banaba, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometers, (1,351,000 square miles) straddling the equator, together with bordering the International Date Line at its easternmost point.
Tuvalu formerly known equally the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located inwards the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. It comprises three reef islands together with 6 true atolls. Its population of 11,200 makes it the third-least populous sovereign province inwards the world, amongst only the Vatican City and Republic of Nauru having fewer inhabitants.
Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands is an island country located inwards the northern Pacific Ocean. Geographically, the Earth is business office of the larger isle grouping of Micronesia, amongst the population of 68,480 people spread out over 24 low-lying coral atolls, comprising 1,156 individual islands and islets.The nigh populous atoll is Majuro, which equally good acts equally the capital.
Grenada is an island country consisting of the isle of Grenada together with 6 smaller islands at the southern terminate of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is equally good known equally the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg together with mace crops of which Grenada is ane of the world's largest exporters.
Nauru officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbor is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 kilometers (186 mi) to the east. Republic of Nauru is the world's smallest republic, roofing but 21 square kilometers (8.1 sq mi). With 9,378 residents, it is the second least-populated country, after Vatican City.
Andorra officially the Principality of Andorra also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra is a landlocked microstate in Southwestern Europe, located inwards the eastern Pyrenees mountains together with bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation inwards Europe, having an expanse of 468 km2 (181 sq mi) together with an estimated population of 85,000 inwards 2012. Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest working capital missive of the alphabet metropolis inwards Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 meters (3,356 ft) above body of body of water level.
Costa Rica officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a Earth in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, together with the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica constitutionally abolished its army permanently inwards 1949.
Vatican City officially Vatican City State is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the metropolis of Rome. It has an expanse of unopen to 44 hectares (110 acres), together with a population of about 840. This makes The Holy See the smallest internationally recognized independent province inwards the basis past times both area and population.
Liechtenstein, officially the Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe bordered by Switzerland to the due west together with southward together with by Austria to the eastward together with north. Its expanse is but over 160 foursquare kilometres (62 foursquare miles), together with it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its working capital missive of the alphabet is Vaduz.. Liechtenstein has the highest gross domestic production per somebody inwards the world when adjusted by purchasing ability parity and has the world's lowest external debt. Principality of Liechtenstein equally good has ane of the lowest unemployment rates in the basis at 1.5%.
Principality of Liechtenstein is the smallest nonetheless the richest (by stair out of gross domestic product per capita)German-speaking Earth together with the only Earth to prevarication solely inside the Alps.
So, hither ends our listing of "Top 10 Countries With No Military".
What exercise y'all think? Should all countries follow the steps of these countries together with abandon their militaries?
Do move out your comments below.


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Tuesday Quotes: The Johnny Appleseed of American Politics
"The only thing decent about the seventies was the Pittsburgh Steelers and their four Super Bowls."
"We went into Afghanistan a full year before Iraq, so if anybody tries to tell you that Iraq 'didn't attack us', you tell them it's a regional effort — that Iraq is simply one battle in the war against terrorism."
"A little quick question here, Mr. Snerdley: Do you know how many feminists it takes to change a bulb? That's not funny! is the answer to that question."
"This is why I could never be Oprah. She has made a career out of sitting around listening to whiners and then encouraging them to whine some more. I could never do that."
"Life is hard — it has roadblocks, it has obstacles, it has liberals in it, and it has government. But the difference between liberals and conservatives is: We do whatever is necessary to get past these obstacles."
"Frankly, I hated the seventies anyway. I just hated the music in the seventies! All this Seals & Crofts willowy little wimpy stuff… you can take that decade, boy, and just farm it out."
"There's a little joke running around the Internet about the title of Senator Kennedy's memoirs — 'Chappaquiddick: If I Did It.'"
"The Israelis are the most convenient whipping dog that the Arab states have: 'The reason why the toilets aren't flushing today is because of Israel.'"
"How in the world can thinking people spend ten years telling us that the sun is killing us, that cows are causing global warming — which is going to kill us — and then, after pummeling us with this, come back and tell us that our kids are getting rickets?"
"We conservatives are not whiners — we're doers."