ST. CLOUD -- Even though there's probably still some snow in your yard, there's good news for those of you anxious to get started on spring yard work.
St. Cloud's compost site will be opening for the season on Monday.
Permits are available for sale at City Hall during regular business hours, they are not available at the compost site.
In addition, St. Cloud city crews will begin picking up yard waste bags on Monday. The bags will be collected throughout the entire city on Mondays until the fall.


Healthy bánh mì bowls with zucchini noodles, baked turkey zucchini meatballs, and cilantro pesto dressing. An easy, gluten-free, and paleo meal prep recipe by Loveleaf Co.
Roasted cauliflower salad with hummus. A delicious, vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free entree packed with plant protein! Topped with an easy balsamic dressing, sliced avocado, and toasted sesame seeds.
Easy poke salmon poke bowls! A quick healthy weeknight meal full of flavor - like sushi in a bowl! Sushi-grade salmon mixed with baby arugula and quinoa. Topped with avocado, sesame seeds, and roasted nori. Dairy-free and gluten-free.
A festive and healthy kale and apple salad with almond butter mustard dressing. Easy to prep-ahead for entertaining or meal prep. Gluten-free.
This wild rice salad with kabocha squash and brown butter vinaigrette is delicious and healthy, perfect for the holidays. Full of produce, like squash, mushrooms, and pomegranates, wild rice, and topped with pecans and a brown butter vinaigrette. Gluten-free.
This kale tahini caesar salad with crispy chickpeas is a healthy, satisfying (vegan-optional and gluten-free!) entree. With an easy, creamy, vegan tahini caesar salad dressing.
These roasted veggie bowls with barbecue tempeh and hemp seed ranch are a healthy, satisfying (vegan and gluten-free!) entree.
This crunchy detox salad with tamari-roasted pumpkin seeds is the perfect healthy meal, full of crunchy green vegetables. Gluten-free and vegan.
Root veggie buddha bowls with tahini sauce are the perfect cold-weather comfort food. Healthy, filling and satisfying. Vegan and gluten-free.
Healthy rainbow harissa bowls with pumpkin seeds and feta for easy meal prep. Prep-ahead five servings and enjoy all week. Gluten-free and paleo.
A simple, healthy meal prep recipe! Za'atar roasted chicken and eggplant bowls with quinoa and green tahini sauce. Gluten-free.
Simple chicken and spinach salad with roasted sweet potatoes and topped with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and a sweet and spicy chutney dressing. Gluten-free and paleo.


A lot of restaurants cannot meet the customer's demand because of problems with the wait staff. I have seen the problem first hand at my family's restaurant. Training new staff takes some time and ensuring the staff is upto date is also a challenge. The staff needs to be updated with the menu. They need to know all the ingredients and specials and ensure they are able to give the customers a good experience every time. This problem is aggravated at peak times where the demands are high. Tablets have been tested for some time, but from the perspective of the customer it involves some effort and is not as seamless as speaking. Another issue is with language. Everyone is not equally fluent in the same language. Using technology to supplement as a translator just makes sense. So to help restaurants be more efficient, the idea is to use a voice activated ordering system that gives the end user a similar experience of speaking to the waitstaff.
It is an end to end ordering system where customers can place their orders on the voice activated devices placed on every table. They can easily ask for specials, ingredients, wait times and are able to seamlessly get their orders into the system. The restaurants order management system gets a notification of the order and the details which they can prepare and serve to the customer.
Avoiding calling Alexa to invoke the skill every time before the command is a challenge.
It is a end to end ordering system that is fully functional and integrable in any existing system and infrastructure.
How voice activation can have its pros, how alexa skills can be used, what goes on in building an order management system.
Having a prototype ready, the next step would be to test it and see how receptive users are to it.
Adding multimodal interaction to give visual as well as voice based feedback.
Alexa can support multiple languages. This would be a great feature for customers who are not able to communicate well in the language of that area.


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182. Andy Bennett
Overall Contribution Inductee
Sandy Bay/Tasmania, Player/Coach/Commentator, 1986-2010
111 games, 162 goals for South Adelaide (SANFL) 1975-79
21 games, 18 goals for Hawthorn 1980-84
14 games, 1 goal for St. Kilda 1985
65 games for Sandy Bay 1986-88, 1991-92
William Leitch Medal (TFL Best and Fairest) 1986
Sandy Bay Best and Fairest 1986
Six representative matches for Tasmania 1986-87
South Australian State of Origin carnival representative 1979 (Perth), Adelaide (1980)
Six representative matches for South Australia 1979-80
Member of Sandy Bay FC's "Bay's Best 25"
OFF-FIELD CAREER
Sandy Bay captain-coach 1986-87, coach 1988 (58 Games: 33 Wins, 25 Losses)
North Hobart coach 1993-94 (39 Games: 24 Wins, 15 Losses)
Woodville coach (SANFL) 1989-90 (42 Games: 15 Wins, 27 Losses)
4 games as Tasmanian state coach, 1995-98 – wins against SANFL (1995), WAFL (1997) and VFL (1998)
Tasmanian U18's coach, 2000 National U18's Championships
17 years as an ABC TV commentator for TFL/Tasmanian Devils/TSL games (1992, 1995-2010)
A fine ruckman/forward whose career was blighted by injury, Andy Bennett enjoyed a brief but brilliant playing career in Tasmania, however, it would be his performances as a coach at both club and state level that would cement his legacy in the annals of Tasmanian football.
Born in 1955, Andy Bennett had played senior football in his home town of Broken Hill before being signed by SANFL club South Adelaide as a 20-year old in 1975. Not one of the most successful SANFL teams, Bennett featured in the Panthers' rare Grand Final appearance in 1979, the same year he represented South Australia at the first of two State of Origin carnivals. Recruited to the VFL by Hawthorn in 1980, Bennett played 16 games in his first season with the Hawks, but managed just five games in the next four years due to persistent and ruinous injuries. After a change of scenery to St. Kilda in 1985 improved his fortunes slightly (14 games), Bennett relocated to Tasmania ahead of the 1986 season to coach Sandy Bay, becoming the Seagulls inaugural coach in the Statewide competition.
Finally rid of the injuries that had ruined his VFL career, Bennett's class as a player shone from his first game with Sandy Bay. In his first season, he won the William Leitch Medal as the state's best and fairest player, won Sandy Bay's club champion award, represented Tasmania three times in interstate matches and guided the Seagulls to the minor premiership and first Grand Final appearance in eight years, where they unfortunately lost to Glenorchy. His good form continued the following year, although faced with a mass exodus of players Sandy Bay struggled, winning only five games and finishing the season second-to-last. After a much-improved effort in 1988 which saw the Seagulls back in finals football, although ultimately suffering a disappointing straights sets exit, Bennett returned to South Australia in 1989 to serve as the final coach of the Woodville Football Club before their merger with West Torrens at the end of 1990. After losing out on the Woodville-West Torrens job, Bennett returned to Tasmania and to Sandy Bay in 1991, this time as a player only. This move would be his last as a player, with Bennett retiring half way through the 1992 season after sustaining a serious facial injury. He spent the rest of the season riding the boundary for ABC TV's TFL match broadcasts.
In 1993 Bennett was appointed coach of North Hobart, leading the Demons to a preliminary final in his first year at the helm. His second season was less prolific, and he stepped down as coach at the end of 1994, to return to TV commentary with the ABC, as well as taking up the role of coach of Tasmania's state team. In four matches in charge from 1995-98, Bennett guided Tasmania to memorable wins against VFL, SANFL and WAFL representative sides, in the process confirming the TFL's place as the premier state competition in the country outside the AFL. After one more assignment as coach of the Tassie Mariners for their 2000 National Under-18 Championships campaign, Bennett stepped aside from coaching permanently. He remained involved with the game for another 10 years with the ABC, calling Tasmanian Devils VFL games as well as games for the newly reformed Tasmanian State League. By the time the ABC ceased live TSL coverage after the 2010 season, Bennett had spent a combined 17 years on air covering the pinnacle of Tasmanian football.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Photo by: Susan Mustapich American Legion Post 30 is collecting worn, faded and unusable flags at 91 Pearl Street in Camden, with a flag retirement ceremony scheduled for April 21.
CAMDEN — The community is invited to a flag retirement ceremony and open house at the American Legion Post 30 in Camden April 21, from noon to 3 p.m.
Post 30 is located at 91 Pearl Street.
The flag retirement ceremony provides a proper send-off for flags that are old and in disrepair, according to Post 30 Adjutant Jeff Sukeforth. The legion post has a number of these flags, and offers a drop box in the parking lot where people can leave worn, faded and unusable flags. Boy Scouts also learn how to properly retire flags and participate in the ceremonies.
American Legion Posts have taken on the task of properly destroying unserviceable flags since the 1930s. The approved method of disposing of these flags is by burning. The purpose is "to encourage proper respect for the Flag of the United States and to provide for disposal of unserviceable flags in a dignified manner," according to the American Legion.
The community is invited to the open house to enjoy refreshments, view historical displays and learn about Post 30's year-round activities.
Post 30 draws members from the five towns of Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Hope and Appleton. Members include veterans who served in World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War and post-911 service. Two of the members are World War II veterans who have been members for 57 and 56 years, and two Korean War veterans who have been members for 51 and 43 years.
Post 30 is always looking for new members, said Sukeforth, a Vietnam veteran who joined the American Legion five years ago. Younger members are needed, and while most of the members are male, the post encourages female veterans to join. To join, a short application and a copy of discharge paperwork are required.
"There are a lot of vets who can benefit from being members," Sukeforth said. The Legion extends the camaraderie that is formed in military service, he said. The post is there in times of need to provide services, from helping with forms to participating in an Honor Flight, to providing a service to families at a veteran's memorial or funeral.
Post 30 hosts community events, year-round, including coffee and pastry twice a month, Flag Day celebrations, Eagle Scout recognition ceremonies, Memorial Day parades and Veterans Day events. On Halloween, members provide glow sticks and necklaces for Pearl Street's many trick-or-treaters, as well as organized parking in the lot.
This year on Flag Day, Post 30 will celebrate with a barbecue, and invite the local Boy Scout troop to participate. Last year, legion members offered an educational session on the meaning of the folds of the flag.
During this year's Eagle Scout recognition ceremony, Post 30 will present eagle feathers to two young men who have earned scouting's highest rank. The feathers are provided to the American Legion by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Around Memorial Day, the Post 30 provides flags for the cemeteries, and the color guard that leads the Memorial Day parades in Camden, Rockport and Lincolnville and participates in services in each of the towns after the parades.
Post 30 members are busy around Veterans Day, visiting students in area schools, stopping by Windward Gardens, Quarry Hill and Bella Point to say hello to fellow veterans, and hosting ceremonies.
Last year on Veterans Day, Post 30 invited veterans, their families and community members to share the day of remembrance with a musical program of military music from 1775 to the present, put together by past Post 30 Commander Rosey Gerry.
The Post is open to the community for coffee and pastry at 9 a.m., the first and third Mondays of every month. Anyone can stop by to chat, and doesn't have to be a member, Sukeforth said.
For more information about American Legion Post 30, call Commander Frank Carr at 236-3310 or Sukeforth at 691-2270.
We look forward to showing off our post after all the work done after our flood a few years ago. Stop by and join us for some snacks and tour.


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January 10, 2022 7:07am Comment Mahmoud Itani
The upcoming iPhone SE 3rd Gen could be revealed as soon as this Spring
Apple first revealed an iPhone SE model back in March 2016. The phone features the familiar iPhone 5S design and was aimed at people looking for an affordable device. Four years later, the company released the iPhone SE 2nd Gen — which has an iPhone 8 exterior and remains one of the best iPhones to buy today. However, it would be a good idea to hold back on this purchase if you're not in a hurry. That's because the 3rd Gen could be revealed as soon as this Spring.
As MacRumors reports, Mark Gurman's latest Power On newsletter mentions that the iPhone SE 3rd Gen could be revealed in March or April. The phone is expected to retain the same iPhone 8 design while bringing newer components to the table. If the rumors were to be true, this iPhone will be the first SE model that supports 5G networks. It is also said that it might be powered by the Apple A15 Bionic chip, which is included in the iPhone 13 lineup.
Apple currently sells the iPhone SE 2nd Gen for $399 in the US. It's still unclear how much the upcoming model will cost. However, it's safe to assume that it'll remain in the same price range — considering it's Apple's affordable option. And just like the 2nd Gen, it's expected to feature the same 4.7-inch LCD display, Touch ID home button, thick bezels, and 12MP rear camera.
In addition to the iPhone SE 3rd Gen, Apple could also be revealing a new 27-inch iMac and a high-end Mac Mini powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips during its virtual Spring event. Additionally, Gurman expresses that WWDC will most likely remain a virtual event this year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Do you plan on buying the upcoming iPhone SE 3rd Gen? Let us know in the comments section below.
Tags AppleiosiPhoneiphone se
XDA » News Brief » The upcoming iPhone SE 3rd Gen could be revealed as soon as this Spring
Mahmoud Itani
Mahmoud is an Istanbul-based Beiruti who has always sought freedom through writing. His hobbies include keeping up with tech news, writing articles about Apple devices & services, crocheting, meditating, and composing poetry. You'll likely find him jogging at a park, swimming in open water, brainstorming at a coffeehouse, or merely lost in nature. He can be reached via [email protected] or the provided social links.
Legacy G Suite accounts will be able to migrate their data to a free account
The Redmi Note 11S will launch in some markets as the POCO M4 Pro (4G)
Google Chrome starts testing one-click mute button on tabs
The best music production laptops you can buy in 2022
How to set up Face ID with a mask


Innovative technological ideas that originate from small American manufacturing companies often go unrewarded. Why? Because often those companies don't have the ability to take their innovations to the world through an aggressive exporting program.
The West County Wastewater District, located on the San Francisco Bay, provides wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal services for several cities and parts of Contra Costa County. In adopting solar energy, the agency was interested in the long term cost-saving benefits a solar PPA afforded and its no-money down approach. The solar PPA was an excellent solution: the wastewater district pays only for the power the system produces, does not incur operation and maintenance expenses, and sees savings on its electricity bill for the next twenty years-a plus for the District's ratepayers.
A comprehensive guide to ultrasonic soldering in electronics, solar, medical and industrial manufacturing applications has been developed by Japan Unix Co. Ltd.
National Energy Audit Company, Pro Energy Consultants, Announces Eight Grand Openings for Energy Auditing Franchises Across the Country.
The 16th edition of NEPCON South China will highlight Solar PV at the Shenzhen Exhibition Center from August 31 to September 2, 2010.
The company has sold more than 100MW of solar combiners to the solar marketplace.
08/09/10, 10:27 AM | Solar & Wind | Energy Roofing Systems, Inc.
Energy Roofing Systems is committed to reducing energy consumption today while keeping an eye on the horizon. Our roof called the SmarterRoof TM reflects 90% of sun rays away from your home, REDUCING UP TO 40% OF YOUR ENERGY COSTS!


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El Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie B 2009, llamado comercialmente como «Copa Credife Serie B 2009», fue organizado por la Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol. Se jugó entre el 1 de marzo y el 31 de octubre. Consistió en dos etapas de 18 partidos de ida y vuelta, todos contra todos. Al final los dos equipos con mayor puntaje en la sumatoria de las dos etapas ascendieron a la Serie A del 2010. Mientras que, el equipo con menor puntaje, perdió la categoría y jugó en Segunda Categoría en el 2010.

Equipos participantes

Los equipos que intervinieron en la Copa Credife 1.ª B 2009 son los siguientes:

Primera etapa
La Primera Etapa comenzó el 1 de marzo de 2009. Se jugarán 18 fechas, en partidos de ida y vuelta.

Clasificación

Resultados

Partidos

Segunda etapa
La Segunda Etapa comenzará el 12 de agosto de 2009. Al igual que en la Primera Etapa, se jugarán 18 fechas, en partidos de ida y vuelta.

Clasificación

Resultados

Partidos

Acumulado
La tabla acumulada determinó los equipos que ascendieron y el equipo que descendió a Segunda Categoría. Además, determinó al campeón de la Serie B del fútbol ecuatoriano. Los dos primeros equipos ascendieron a la Serie A del fútbol ecuatoriano. El equipo que terminó en la última posición descendió a la Segunda Categoría.

Campeón

Goleadores

Véase también
 Serie A de Ecuador
 Serie B de Ecuador
 Segunda Categoría de Ecuador
 Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol
 Deporte en Ecuador

2009
Fútbol en 2009
Deporte en Ecuador en 2009

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Amber Rose Tamblyn is an American actress and writer. She first came to national attention in her role on the soap opera General Hospital as Emily Quartermaine at the age of 11.Wikipedia
Hometown Santa Monica, California, United States of America
Spouse David Cross (m 2012 - present)
Children Marlow Alice Cross
Parents Russ Tamblyn , Bonnie Tamblin
Rosanna Arquette and Seth MacFarlane among celebrities condemning leaked Roe v Wade decision
'Those motherf*****s really did it,' wrote 'Star Trek' star George Takei
Blake Lively attended a mini Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants reunion with dark brown hair
'Our justice system MUST change': Celebrities slam Bill Cosby's overturned conviction
Amber Tamblyn leads tributes to TV dad Stuart Damon
Blake Lively makes first Instagram post about father Ernie since his death
Spring Breakdown
Normal Adolescent Behavior
Girlfriend's Day
3 Nights in the Desert
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
The Unusuals
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
The Russell Girl
Stephanie Daley
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Joan of Arcadia
2004 Emmy (Primetime) Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Joan of Arcadia Nominated
2004 Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama Joan of Arcadia Nominated
Russ Tamblyn
Dean Stockwell
Y: The Last Man TV series on the way with all-star cast
DC and Brian K Vaughan's acclaimed science-fiction comic book is coming to the small screen.
Time's Up supporters gather outside Harvey Weinstein hearing to hear ruling
Actors Amber Tamblyn, Marisa Tomei and Kathy Najimy joined protesters from the Time's Up activist group outside the New York Supreme Court where film producer Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault case was being heard. The Hollywood mogul has been charged with the 2013 rape of a woman in a hotel room and a 2006 sexual assault in his Manhattan apartment.
Business Insider UK
Amber Tamblyn writing book of essays
NEW YORK (AP) — Amber Tamblyn, the actress, feminist and #MeToo activist, is working on a book of essays.
James Woods suggests his agent dropped him over politics
NEW YORK (AP) — James Woods' agent has dropped the actor as a client, citing patriotism.Woods on Thursday shared on Twitter an email from his agent, Ken Kaplan. In the excerpted email from Wednesday, Kaplan said he was "feeling patriotic" and no longer wanted to represent Woods.
Arrested Development's David Cross reveals details of 'cruel' Jeffrey Tambor shouting incident that left Jessica Walter in tears
David Cross has shared details of the controversial 'blowout' which saw co-star Jessica Walter face 'verbal harassment' from Jeffrey Tambor on the set of Arrested Development. The actor was speaking to Gothamist a day after him and his co-stars came under fire for failing to jump to the defence of Walter when she recalled the incident through tears in a group interview. Instead, her male co-stars - including Jason Bateman and Tony Hale - spoke over Walter who was repeatedly forced to clarify h
Wahlberg 'profited $1.5m' from All the Money reshoots
While Michelle Williams was paid 1% of his fee.
Blake Lively Reunites With 'Sisterhood' Co-Stars To Give 'Blessing' To Pregnant America Ferrera
The actress posed with close friends Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn and Blake Lively in the touching Instagram photo....
America Ferrera reunites with Sisterhood co-stars
America and Blake were joined by Alexis Bledel and Amber Tamblyn for the sweet photo
Amber Tamblyn slams friend Rose McGowan for criticising Golden Globes protest: 'You don't have to support us'
Rose McGowan hasn't been shy about sharing her opinions since the news about Harvey Weinstein's sexual abuse scandal surfaced. After Hollywood stars like Meryl Streep announced they would be using fashion as a form of protest at the Golden Globes, McGowan took to Twitter with some thoughts on Saturday, which have since been removed. The former Charmed star wrote, "Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black at the Golden Globes in a silent protest.
Rose McGowan criticises actresses planning to wear black at Golden Globes
Actress Rose McGowan has spoken out against her peers who have refused to speak up in the wake of Hollywood's sexual harassment scandals.


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Everything About Butterflies and Moths: Caterpillars, Monarch Butterfly, Viceroy, Skipper and others
Irvine Cushing/
Oxford Scientific Films Ltd.
Butterflies and Moths, members of an insect order characterized by two pairs of large, scale-covered, membranous wings. Adults are additionally characterized by a pair of well-developed compound eyes, mouthparts consisting of a long, coiled, sucking tube, or proboscis, and prominent antennae. Approximately 148,000 species are known worldwide; by 1993, 11,286 had been described in North America. As a group of animals, butterflies and moths are surpassed in diversity only by the beetles.
No absolutely consistent characteristics exist for separating butterflies and moths. Butterflies generally have scaleless, threadlike antennae with a club on the end. Their wings are often brightly colored; the wing color and pattern play a key role in mate recognition and courtship. Nearly all butterflies fly during daylight, but some tropical species fly at dawn or dusk, and a few are nocturnal. The largest butterflies (birdwings of Melanesia) have wingspreads of up to 25 cm (10 in); the smallest (pygmy blues) may barely exceed 1 cm (0.4 in).
click to enlargePhoto by:
Moth antennae come in a variety of forms but they are often feathery in appearance. Although many moths, especially day-flying ones, are brightly colored, most are dull shades of brown. Males are often attracted to females by a powerful chemical signal that the females release from special glands. Most moths fly at night, although many also fly during the day, especially in colder climates where evening temperatures often drop to freezing. (The attraction of moths to a light source at night is a reflex; wing motion is reduced on the side struck by the light, causing them to turn in that direction.) The largest species are the giant silkworm moths of Asia, which may exceed 30 cm (12 in) in wingspread. The wings of the smallest moths may span only a few millimeters.
Life Cycle and Nutrition
Butterflies and moths undergo complete metamorphosis. Their life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (cocoon or chrysalis), and adult. After mating, the adult females of most species usually lay eggs on a plant that serves as the food source for the larvae when they hatch. In a few species, however, the larvae are predators. Some butterfly caterpillars, for example, eat aphids; some form complex associations with ants, live in their nests, and eat ant larvae. Some larvae eat stored cereals or even woolen clothes. Caterpillars have rather elastic cylindrical bodies, simple eyes, chewing mouthparts, three pairs of true legs on the thorax, and usually five pairs of prolegs (legs that occur only on larvae) on the abdomen. They eat continuously, periodically shedding their skin as they grow to hundreds of times their original size, and finally reach the stage where they spin cocoons and become pupae. During pupation, the structures of the larvae totally transform; internal systems are reorganized and adult external structures develop.
Adult butterflies and moths feed on a wide variety of substances: nectar, pollen, rotting fruit, carrion, dung, urine, and other plant and animal secretions. Most species actively seek flower nectar; they aid in plant reproduction by pollinating, carrying pollen from flower to flower. In many species, such as sulfur butterflies, egg production is impossible without nectar meals. In others, such as the checkerspot butterflies, unfed females lay about half as many eggs as those provided nectar. A few adult moths do not have functional mouthparts and lay all their eggs without obtaining nourishment.
Range and Habitat
G. G. Dimijian/Photo Researchers, Inc.
Larvae of butterflies and moths are usually found feeding on a single species or a few related species of plants. This preference results in the isolation of many species in colonies in particular habitats. Other species may have a more extensive range, especially those that lay eggs on widely distributed or weedy plants. A few butterflies, including the well-known monarch, may migrate thousands of kilometers to spend the winter in large aggregations at select sites. In some species, competition between larvae for host plants produces population cycles; large populations may build and then "crash," with most individuals dying. In other species, changes in population size are due primarily to climatic conditions.
L. West/Bruce Coleman Inc.
Butterflies and moths are found in a wide variety of habitats, from tundra to rain forest and from below sea level to nearly 6000 m (nearly 20,000 ft) in elevation. In tropical areas, where they reach their greatest diversity, many butterflies may fly throughout the year. Continual good weather and ample resources allow for rapid larval development and long adult life, and as many as 15 generations may occur in one year. In temperate habitats, however, butterflies and moths enter an inactive stage, or diapause, during their development, to avoid severe weather conditions. Diapause may occur in the egg, larval, pupal, or adult stage. In snowy climates, winter hibernation is common; in areas with hot, dry seasons, summer diapause (estivation) is the rule. Larval development is generally slower in temperate areas, and an adult's life span is often only a few days or weeks. In alpine or arctic habitats, growing seasons may be so short that many species require two years for development.
More about Butterflies and Moths...
More about Butterflies and Moths
Bee Moth
Browntail Moth
Cabbage Butterfly
Cecropia Moth
Checkerspot
Clothes Moth
Codling Moth
Emperor Moth
Fritillary
Gypsy Moth
Luna Moth
Underwing Moth
Butterflies and Moths: Caterpillars, Monarch Butterfly, Viceroy, Skipper and others
"Butterflies and Moths," Microsoft¨ Encarta¨ Online Encyclopedia 2009


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First Trailer For 'The Maze Runner' Starring Dylan O'Brien & Kaya Scodelario (With HD Stills)
By Steph S. on March 17th, 2014
Fox has released the first trailer for Wes Ball's upcoming dystopian sci-fi film The Maze Runner. Based James Dashner's young-adult novel of the same name, the film centers on Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), a teen who awakens in a rusty elevator with no memory of who he is. What he does come to find out is that he's been delivered to the middle of an intricate maze , along with a slew of other boys, who have been trying to find their way out of the ever-changing labyrinth — all the while establishing a functioning society within the enclosure they've come to call "The Glade."
Will Poulter, Aml Ameen, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, and Patricia Clarkson also star. The Maze Runner hits theaters September 19, 2014.
featured, HD Stills, New Movie Posters
Aml AmeenDylan O'BrienKaya ScodelarioKi Hong LeePatricia ClarksonThe Maze RunnerThomas Brodie-SangsterWes BallWill Poulter


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The Gigs
The Pics
Concert at Launceston Town Hall
2nd November 2019 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm
« Autumnal tunes at The Riser
Concert at Epworth Hall, Helston »
This will be the highlight of our Concert Micro-tour 2019 which has proved to be highly successful. We are planning to make this a very special evening so book your seats now. Tickets are £10.00 on line at www.crbo.co.uk/countrymen and £12.00 on the door.
And now some great news! We are delighted to announce that we will be joined by a special guest, Mike Silver.
Having just celebrated fifty years recording;
taking his music far and wide through many European countries and further to the Falkland
Islands, New Zealand, the United States and Canada and with this release of Alchemy, a
retrospective celebration of a life in song; Mike at 73, is still gigging and touring with as
much skill and enthusiasm as ever.
While Alchemy was Mike's nineteenth studio album, his largely self managing career has
ensured that he is a highly respected musician for the initiated, and a rewarding surprise
for the uninitiated. Mike operates somewhat under the radar, the travelling lifestyle having
not quite brought the international fame and fortune which it has for some others from his
era! However, the loyal fan base he has amassed over the years ensure that every gig is a
treasure to behold and lovingly attended by his friends, both old and young, 'old hands'
and recent converts!
Some exciting highlights pepper Mike's musical career, having been immersed in music
full time since his twenties. For a while he was signed to Elton John's illustrious label
Rocket Records in 1973. This led to a live session for Bob Harris' BBC Radio1Show and
two appearances for Radio 1 in Concert supporting Randy Newman and Annabel Lamb
respectively. Mike signed to Big John Records, London in 1979 and recorded his Midnight
train album with them. One of his compositions from that record; "Maybe its Just Love",
was covered by Justin Hayward. Mike then went on to record a number of albums on his
own label. In 2003 his song "Not a Matter of Pride" was picked up first by Bob Harris and
then by Terry Wogan and featured no less than 14 times on Terry's Wake up to Wogan
BBC Radio 2 show.
More recently, earlier this year Mike was again selected for airplay on BBC Radio 2 with a
track from his latest album Alchemy, released on our Folkstock Label
http://www.folkstockartsfoundation.com/folkstock-records-2/ getting airplay on Cerys
Matthews Monday evening show as well as the Folk Show. 'Oh Doctor' being the favoured
track. Not only was he embraced again by the national radio, which has Europe's biggest
listener audience but he was also selected for play by BBC Introducing for both his region
in Devon and Cornwall and by legendary Tom Robinson (of '2-4-6-8' fame) who runs
shows on BBC 6 Music, both of whom were most enthusiastic about Mike, for which this
was their 'first time'! Incidentally, the BBC Music Introducing has just happened again, this
time from Hereford & Worcester!
If you've also not come across Mike before, you will be able to savour his restrained yet
effortless, honest vocal delivery.
Mike was referred to in glowing terms in Del Newman's seminal book 'A Touch from God.
It's only rock n roll'. "For me, Mike does for music what Lowry did for painting. His songs
are about ordinary people and ordinary events, but he can craft a song that can make you
cry. That is a gift".
In Mike's own words:
'I am still surprised by my own enthusiasm about playing and creating music. It is the more
exciting to me than it was when I began recording in 1969 because back then, I had no
idea at all what the future would bring, the amazing people I have become acquainted
with, the fantastic friends I have made, and in witnessing the pleasure that folks have
derived from my music. 50 years on it is still drawing me in!
During the time that I have been involved with music, the question; 'how long do you think
you will be able to do this?' has occasionally occurred to me! Each time it has I have
ended up agreeing with myself to accept another small extension. These days the
question comes more often than before but I never imagined that I would find myself in the
position of having written performed and recorded, primarily my own songs over a period
of fifty years. I still find myself moved when people are moved by my music because it still
surprises me that they are! Not that I didn't want or hope for that, far from it! I gain huge
amounts of energy and drive when I hear applause or someone takes the time to tell me
that my performance had an impact on them. I'm sure most performers are at least
similar? Without that feedback wouldn't we all just be playing to blank walls or empty
rooms? How much fun would that be? It is simply a thing of wonder to me, that my music
has the capacity to reach out and touch people. What more could I ask for?'
www.crbo.co.uk/countrymen
'Bob' Johns 25th November 2020
Tune in (subscribe) to our YouTube channel 3rd September 2020
New gig dates for 2021 20th August 2020
Calstock Arts – CANCELLED
"The Masked Crusaders Go West" Concert date at The Acorn, Penzance – CANCELLED
"The Masked Crusaders Head South" Concert at The Poly, Falmouth – CANCELLED
Web Design by Stephen Gilbert Copyright 2018


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Q: JS Object property copying: what is happening behind the scenes? Let's say I want to copy two objects the old way:
var firstObj = {
  key1: "val1",
  key2: "val2"
}

var secondObj = {
  key1: "val1",
  key2: "val2",
  key3: "val3",
  key4: "val4"
}

If I use the solution
for(var k in firstObj) secondObj[k]=firstObj[k];

Is clear that i'm only referring to that object's properties' contents and not to the property itself. How is the property name also copied?
I'm asking because the "k" refers to "key1,key2,...keyn" while "obj[k]" refers to what the property contains.
If I'm doing a for loop to list both properties and their contents, I have to refer to both "k" and obj[k] like this:
for(var k in secondObj) {
  console.log(k + " : " + secondObj[k]);
  }

but when referring to two objects, I don't refer to 'k' anymore

A:
How is the property name also copied?

With a variable k and a property accessor with bracket notation.

object.property    // dot notation
object['property']   // bracket notation

for (var k in firstObj) secondObj[k] = firstObj[k];
//                               ^^^

k contains a string and not a property and not an object.
Basically it says take property name k of the object secondObj and assign a value to it.
After the assignment, object secondObj has a property with the name of the value of k.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
New Study Explains Why gRNA Efficiency Varies at On- and Off Target Sites
Researchers have used an energy-based model to identify mechanisms regulating CRISPR-Cas9 activity and specificity. They found that local gRNA-DNA interactions due to Cas9 'sliding' on overlapping PAMs influences cleavage activity. This energy-based model can help researchers to design highly specific gRNAs to increase CRISPR-Cas9 efficiency and minimise off-target effects.
By: Christos Evangelou - May. 30, 2022
Next CMN Webinar 29th June 3:00 PM CEST
Title: Multiplexed Genome Regulation In Vivo with Hyper-efficient Cas12a
Speaker: Dr. Lucie Guo,
Registration here
Jan Gorodkin PhD (left) is a Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Giulia Corsi PhD (middle) is the first author of the current study, & postdoctoral researcher at University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Yonglun Luo PhD (right is an Associate Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark & Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine in BGI-Research, China. Photo credits: Giulia Corsi: photo by Dennis Pohl, Jan Gorodkin: photo by Emma Klose Gorodkin, and Yonglun Luo: Simon Byrial Fischel.
The applications of precise genome engineering using CRISPR in biotechnology and medicine are innumerable. Increasing in vitro, pre-clinical, and clinical data highlight CRISPR as a powerful tool for the treatment of serious diseases with a genetic basis, including cancers, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and atherosclerosis. However, adverse events due to off-target cleavage remain a significant health concern that limits the translation of CRISPR into new therapies.
One major drawback of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing is that not all guide RNAs (gRNAs) cleave target DNA efficiently. While the heterogeneity of gRNA activity is well recognised, exactly how CRISPR-Cas9 activity is regulated is not fully understood.
In a recent study, a team of researchers at the Center for non-coding RNA in Technology and Health (RTH), Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, the Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, and the Lars Bolund Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and BGI-Research (China), used an energy-based model to identify mechanisms regulating CRISPR-Cas9 activity and specificity. They found that Cas9 "sliding" or binding competition on overlapping protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs) affected gRNA activity by regulating local gRNA-DNA interactions.
»In this study, we identified a role for binding free energy changes in gRNAs efficiency at on- and off-target sites,« said Jan Gorodkin, Professor at RTH and the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. »This sweet spot of binding free energy quantitatively defines the optimal activity of CRISPR-Cas9 at on- and off-target sites in that the gRNA is not binding too weakly or too strongly,« he added. Dr Gorodkin oversaw the computational work undertaken in this study.
»Our study provides further insight into why CRISPR-Cas9 can cleave off-target sites with higher efficiency than on-target sequences,« said Giulia Corsi, postdoctoral researcher at RTH and first author of the study. "By taking into account the role of the PAM context and local Cas9 sliding on overlapping PAM sequences, we can design more specific gRNAs, thereby increasing the efficiency and specificity of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing.«
The findings of this study were published today in Nature Communications.
Key unanswered question: How do the properties of gRNAs regulate CRISPR-Cas9 activity?
gRNAs regulate the activity and specificity of CRISPR-Cas9 by binding to a complementary target DNA sequence upstream of a PAM sequence. For Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9), the 20-nucleotide sequence at the 5' end of the gRNA determines the specificity of the cleavage, and the canonical PAM sequence is 5'-NGG- 3'. Binding of gRNA to the target sequence upstream of PAM and the formation of a gRNA-DNA heteroduplex leads to the activation of Cas9, which introduces double-strand breaks (DSBs) at the target DNA.
The efficiency and specificity of the Cas9-induced DSBs vary depending on multiple factors. Low efficiency Cas9-mediated cleavage can hinder the efficacy of CRISPR-mediated genome editing, while low on-target specificity can be a result of competing off-target cleavage.
»It is becoming increasingly evident that the sequence and structure of the gRNA influence the efficiency and specificity of Cas9-mediated cleavage of target DNA sequences,« said Dr Yonglun Luo, who then continued: »However, exactly how the properties of gRNAs regulate CRISPR-Cas9 activity is not fully understood." Dr Luo is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, and he oversaw the experimental work undertaken in this study.
Approach: Using an energy-based model to study CRISPR-Cas9 efficiency and specificity
To comprehensively investigate how the properties of gRNAs regulate CRISPR-Cas9 activity, the team used their previously developed energy-based model to analyse the role of gRNA binding patterns and changes in binding free energy and unfolding free energy in Cas9 activity.
»A first version of the binding free energy model was conceived in 2017 for the prediction of off-target sequences for RNA silencing and it was subsequently used as outset for the CRISPR-Cas9 binding free energy model,« said Dr Gorodkin. The team were the first to publish this model to predict CRISPR-Cas9 off-targets and the on-target specificity, which you can read more about in a previous CMN interview.
Dr Gorodkin explained that in addition to investigating the mechanisms underlying Cas9-gRNA binding to target sequences, their model enabled the study of Cas9 "sliding" between overlapping and thereby competing PAMs.
gRNA/DNA binding free energy changes affect the on-target cleavage activity of Cas9
The team investigated the binding free energy, ΔGH, of the gRNA-DNA interactions and the effects of the energy changes upon gRNA-DNA hybridisation on the efficiency of 11,602 experimentally validated Cas9 gRNAs in other studies including a study published by the team in May 2021. The efficiency of gRNAs was measured as indel frequency, which is the most accurate indicator of CRISPR-Cas9 activity.
They found that highly efficient gRNAs provided a relatively narrow binding free energy range, which excludes extremely weak and strong bindings. Increasing gRNA GC content is one of the most robust ways to optimise CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency.
Interestingly, the energy-based model showed that hybridisation free energy change played a more accurate role in cleavage efficiency than GC content. In fact, increasing the GC content led to gRNA bindings that were too strong, and resulted in weak cleavage efficiency (Figure 1).
The team also found that some off-targets with high affinity to the preferential ΔGH range are cleaved more efficiently than other sites, including the on-target site, suggesting that ΔGH is a suitable indicator of cleavage activity. A similar distinction could not be achieved using the GC content alone.
Figure 1. A) Properties of off-targets identified by GUIDE-seq for four gRNAs with at least one off-target cleaved more efficiently than the on-target. B) Histogram showing GUIDE-seq read counts at different target sites. A red bar represents the threshold used to distinguish sites with low off-target activity. C) gRNA–target DNA hybridisation free energy change of target sites. D) GC content at target positions complementary to the gRNA. Corsi et al. Nature Communications (2022).
Additionally, the team confirmed previous findings that gRNAs with stable self-folding structures result in low cleavage activities. A scaffold sequence is attached to the gRNA to facilitate the binding of Cas9 to the gRNA. Scaffold sequences can interact with bases in the gRNA, which can disrupt the correct folding of the scaffold.
The team found that highly efficient gRNAs had 3' seed regions that form strong interactions (lower free energy change) with the DNA. The 3' seed end of highly efficient gRNAs favour guanine at N19-N20 and cytosine at N18-N19. »Our findings highlight the important role of energetically favourable binding and folding interactions between gRNA and DNA, which promote Cas9 cleavage activation,« noted Dr Corsi.
Local Cas9 sliding influences gRNA efficiency and specificity
The presence of adjacent alternative overlapping PAMs upstream or downstream of the on-site PAM can make Cas9 compete for these and "slide", resulting in either increased or decreased efficiency, respectively.
The team assessed this phenomenon by adapting their energy-based model accordingly, which resulted in a better separation of gRNAs with low, moderate, and high efficiency. »The model allows for more accurate calculation of the overall specificity of the gRNA when targeting local competing PAMs,« Dr Gorodkin added.
Experimental validation of the importance of local Cas9 sliding
To validate the effect of on-target PAM context on gRNA efficiency, the team measured CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing efficiency at more than 1,000 sites within four genes (ADRA2C, BMP3, CHRNB2, and PAX5) in human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells that were transduced with lentiviruses expressing gRNAs. gRNA efficiency was measured as indel frequency by deep sequencing. The experimental results validated the effect of local Cas9 sliding on gRNA efficiency and specificity.
Sites with an upstream PAM showed an 11.31% increase in mean efficiency, whereas sites with a downstream PAM exhibited a 12.13% decrease in mean efficiency, compared to sites with no alternative PAM as context. Notably, overexpression of Cas9 in HEK293T cells increased the cleavage efficiency at sites flanked by non-canonical PAMs.
Sliding affects PAM recognition by Cas9 variants
The team also studied sliding for overlapping PAMs in six SpCas9 variants with improved specificity and/or altered PAM compatibility. A preference for up- and downstream sliding towards canonical PAMs was observed for wild-type and certain high-fidelity variants. As expected, variants with increased specificity showed lower tolerance for sliding as this results in bulges between the gRNA-DNA binding and the Cas9 PAM binding site.
Going forward, the team will continue to improve its methods, which will include further optimisation of gRNA design for greater efficiency and specificity. »We are also interested in finding new ways to identify on- and off-target sites in a high-throughput manner, as well as developing innovative ways to address the off-target issues of CRISPR-Cas9, which is a key factor limiting its clinical translation.« Dr Luo said.
Link to the original article in Nature Communications:
CRISPR-Cas9 gRNA activity depends on free energy changes and on the target PAM context
Christos Evangelou, Ph.D., is a freelance medical writer and science communications consultant.
To get more of the CRISPR Medicine News delivered to your inbox, sign up to the free weekly CMN Newsletter here.
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Potential HotspotsTerrorism Top Ten Conflicts War Updates
Somalia: Pray or Die
July 8 2006: The African Union (AU) and the Arab League (AL) cannot come to agreement on a common course of action to help resolve the crisis in Somalia, which is a member of both organizations. The AU wants to continue backing the "Transitional Federal Government" (TFG) (which is virtually powerless) against the "Conservative Council of Islamic Courts" (CCIC) movement, which has taken control of Mogadishu and a large swathe of the central part of the country. In support of their position, the AU also favors lifting the UN arms embargo and bringing in international peacekeepers. The AL favors supporting direct negotiations between the TFG and the CCIC, scheduled for mid-July in Khartoum, and opposes lifting the arms embargo or any "international" peacekeeping force (though they apparently are willing to consider a "Moslem" peacekeeping force).
The TFG strongly opposes the CCIC, as do the breakaway "governments" of Somaliland in the north and Puntland in the northeast. Although supported by the West and the AU, the TFG has been unable to assert much control, and is essentially a tool of some of the nation's warlords. The CCIC is also a tool of the warlords, but the Islamist judges have been able to curb many of the more overtly criminal activities of their backers, having brought pressure to release hostages and tried to block roadside extortion (known as "tax collection" by the warlords), and issues regular condemnations of corruption and crime.
While the Somalis are not overly religious, the CCIC seems to offer a measure of security and stability, which has caused many ordinary people to at least tacitly support them. Of late, however, the CCIC has been trying to impose the most restrictive Sharia laws, including bans on movies and even World Cup telecasts. This has met with some popular opposition, and annoyed some of the warlords who've been backing the CCIC, since they control theaters and many other lucrative, if "sinful", activities.
July 5, 2006: In Mogadishu, a group of twenty armed CCIC men invaded a wedding celebration and seized musical instruments. Islamic conservatives believe musical instruments are the tools of the devil. Most Somalis don't agree with this. Somalis are also incensed at a video, showing foreigners fighting alongside CCIC gunmen, that is being passed around. The CCIC insists they are a homegrown force, but many Somalis see the CCIC as the puppet of wealthy foreign Islamic conservatives. The CCIC has denounced the video as a fabrication. The warlords sense a weakness in the CCIC, and are moving their gunmen closer to Mogadishu, apparently preparing to take back control of the city. But many Somalis still support CCIC because the Islamic conservatives bring some law and order, even if you get some oppressive lifestyle rules as well.
The UN continues to back the transitional government which, unfortunately, is not as united, or as militarily strong, as the CCIC. Put simply, the CCIC has a unified military command that works, or at least works much better than the warlord and tribal opposition.
July 6, 2006: CCIC said that those who did not observe Islamic prayer rules (five times a day), would face the death penalty. Demonstrating their fairness, the CCIC arrested two of their own gunmen, who had killed two people in a crowd protesting the shutting down of a cinema that was showing satellite broadcasts of World Cup games. The two arrested men will be tried under Islamic law.
Somalia: Current 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002


Nurse and Mom Melanie Preston from Knoxville, Tennessee delivered ROBERT ELLIOTT PRESTON in her car on the way to hospital on 24th June, 2014 at 6:55 PM EST. Melanie has agreed to update the We Are Daytrippers media project as a family with new baby Elliott who was born with down syndrome.
I would have never guessed I would have had a TWO hour labor because my other two children were both induced. Those labors were 8 and 6 hours which is short for an induction … my Mom had me in 3 hours so I should have considered the possibility! Next time I will remember to head to the hospital ASAP.
In an hour and a half I went from contractions that were eight minutes apart to two minutes and I knew I was between 8-10 centimeters dilated because I remember how incredibly painful it felt when I had my first son, August. By the time we got in the car I told my husband Bob to call the hospital and tell them I cannot physically walk to the Labor and Delivery department. They would have to come get me from the Emergency area. As a nurse, it helps to know the hospital layout and protocol. However, the answering service was not exactly sure I knew what we were talking about so she transferred Bob to the L&D department and after some negotiation they agreed. While Bob was on the phone with the nurse my water broke (not something I recommend in the car).
We were nearly halfway to hospital when I told Bob I felt like I had to push. He said "don't do that!!!" Well, tough luck Bob. Elliott wanted out and I could not bear the intense contractions. Trying to keep Elliott in was not working out well. I decided to investigate what was going on. I saw the baby's head. Oh. My. That's when I told Bob we were definitely NOT going to make it in time to the hospital and we needed to call back to let them know. In the middle of our talk I could not help it … a few pushes and I pulled him out!!! Bob looked over when I was holding Elliott in my hands and got so pale and he kept asking if the baby was breathing. YES, he was breathing and crying. HELLO BABY.
Nuts. When we got to the ER we just started laughing. I had about 20 people wheeling me back on a stretcher with the placenta still in me and the cord just hanging out. HA. I wheeled past about 50 people in the ER like this. They got an excellent lesson in anatomy and the resident in the room on call in the Emergency Department had obviously never seen this situation he was so shaken he couldn't ask me questions.
Elliott is doing well on a little oxygen but they have already bumped it down and cardiology is going to run a bunch of tests tomorrow to pinpoint his heart defect. Hopefully it's nothing major, but it could be. Are you ready, Elliot? Let's get this party started!
As for the car, we are filing an insurance claim. It's a disaster inside.
Elliot in NICU in the hospital.


The SAG offers a series of webinars as part of its Education Calendar. These are a member-only service.
A webinar is an online presentation you watch over the internet from your own home computer, tablet or mobile device.
To participate in a webinar, you register with us just as you would for any other event - through our online Event Registration system. Where fees apply, you can book a place and ring within 7 days with your payment if you prefer not to have your credit card details processed online. If you book this way the SAG will send the webinar link to you manually by email.
It is much easier if you book and pay online - that way you'll get the webinar link sent to you straight away. Be sure to get your email address right as this is how you will receive notifications about the webinar. You'll usually receive an automated reminder 1 day and 1 hour before the webinar starts - sent to the email address you nominated.
You then click on the link in the confirmation email a few minutes before the scheduled starting time to enter the 'waiting room' for the webinar.
The first time you join webinar (or use a new PC) a small program will be downloaded to your computer from Citrix - the providers of the GoToWebinar software. This is just like downloading Adobe Acrobat or Java and will allow you to see the webinar and participate in it.
If you are uncertain if your PC and internet connection will allow you to participate, you can get more information from GoToWebinar here (copy and paste it into your browser or right click to open the hyperlink.
From 1 April 2016 Citrix no longer support Windows Vista or XP systems.
Can I watch it on a mobile device?
You need to listen to the webinar at the scheduled time - you cannot download or record it. Sorry, but if you register for a webinar where a fee is charged and then forget to log in at the scheduled time, no refund will be given - just as would apply if you forget to turn up to a Saturday lecture you'd booked at Richmond Villa.
Make sure you have your sound turned on so you can hear the presentation. In some webinars the presenter will invite questions from the audience - if you'd like to participate in any Q&A by speaking to the presenter you'll need to have a headset (preferably with a USB connection rather than audio plugs) with microphone plugged in. If you don't want to do that we'll show you how you can type your questions during the session and we'll ask them on your behalf during the Q&A.
When the webinar begins you'll see whatever the presenter has on their own computer screen - so this might be a Powerpoint slideshow, a live internet presentation, photographs or a specific software program. They'll be presenting this to you live - just as they would if you were physically all together in our seminar room.
The great advantage of webinars is that we can offer them on any day of the week and in the evenings, and you don't have to travel into the Sydney CBD to participate. They're especially good for country members or those who find travel into the city a challenge. 'Time poor' members will also benefit as these sessions will last about an hour and should help you fit at least some family history into a busy professional schedule, family commitments and all the other factors that get in the way of your genealogy!
About ten minutes before a webinar starts we run a 'warm up' session which is a great opportunity to check your speaker volume, learn how to 'put up your hand to ask a question' and get yourself settled - ready to sit back, relax, learn and enjoy. We also use this opportunity to tell you about upcoming webinars.
Some presenters provide handouts for their webinars. If there is one this will be available to download off the screen during the webinar and will also be sent to you as an email link about an hour after the session ends.
From February 2016 we also now make the recording of a webinar available to anyone who has registered to attend it, regardless of whether they listened live or not. Members must still register as normal and confirm their seat in the usual way. Within 24 hours of the webinar taking place they will receive an automated message which will contain the recording, and this is available for another two months and can be listened to multiple times. This will help anyone who can't attend live at the scheduled time, or who'd like the opportunity to watch the webinar again.
We look forward to seeing you in one of our webinars!


text:
UAE relaxes Covid-19 countermeasures starting tomorrow
The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), in coordination with its main partners, has announced updating the Covid-19 countermeasures from tomorrow, February 26, 2022.
The announcement comes in support of the ongoing efforts at the country level to achieve sustainable recovery while maintaining public health and safety against the background of the continuation of various activities and return to normalcy nationwide.
According to the announcement, mask-wearing is mandatory in public indoor spaces and optional outdoors. It's also been decided to cancel the quarantine requirements for Covid-19 contacts. Covid contacts working in all state sectors have to conduct a PCR test daily for five days' time.
NCEMA added that the isolation protocol for infected will continue as previously announced, without any change. The infected, however, will no longer wear wristbands.
At the local level, each emirate has the flexibility to determine the duration of the quarantine period and PCR tests for Covid contacts in their respective sectors and professions, according to the vital sectors in the country, while necessarily maintaining the need to follow precautionary and preventive measures, which include adherence to physical distancing, and mask-wearing at all times.
The authority also approved the return of the pre-pandemic time intervals between prayer calls and the iqaamah, in addition to the return of Noble Qur'an books to mosques in a limited number on the condition of being sterilised after each prayer. The current one-metre distance between worshipers in mosques and places of worship will also be maintained.
Those coming to the UAE have to make sure to present an approved QR code- accompanied Covid-19 vaccination certificate containing a QR code; unvaccinated travelers have to present an approved negative PCR test result received within 48 hours, or a QR code-accompanied certificate of recovery from a Covid-19 infection obtained within one month from the date of travel. Travelers from the UAE have to follow the requirements of medical examinations and vaccinations in place in their countries of destination.
NCEMA stressed the continuity of following the Green Pass requirement, or presenting a negative PCR test result of no more than 96 hours to attend all local events, exhibitions, and cultural and social activities.
For economic and tourist sectors, physical distancing has been canceled while mask-wearing in closed places is still mandatory.
The authority announced the return of all sports activities for all age groups, while obligating the public to follow the Green Pass protocol or present a negative PCR of not more than 96 hrs, in addition to maintaining the mandatory wearing of masks in all outdoor and indoor spaces given the turnout found in such activities.
The authority calls on all community members to cooperate and adhere to preventive measures to confront the Covid-19, in order to preserve the gains being witnessed today in terms of recovery, crisis management, and comprehensive community health and safety.
NCEMA stressed that the role of society in the next stage is not less important than the roles and responsibilities of the competent authorities to handle the pandemic, noting that the full return to normalcy requires commitment to preventive measures over the coming period.
Website last updated on: February 26, 2022 06:35AMThis site is best viewed in 1024x768 screen resolution Supports Microsoft Internet Explorer 10.0+, Firefox 4.0+, Safari 1.2+, Opera 6.0+


Born in 1932, Lord Wakeham was educated at Charterhouse School and later qualified as a Chartered Accountant. After building a successful career in business he turned his attentions to politics and in 1979 was elected as Member of Parliament for Maldon, a seat he kept until 1992. He went on to serve in a variety of senior government roles, including Secretary of State for Energy, Leader of the House of Commons, Leader of the House of Lords (the only living person to have held both positions and only the fifth in British History), Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Government Chief Whip. He was Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission from 1995 to 2001, and in 1997 was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire. He also served as Chairman of the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords in 2000. He has a distinguished record of voluntary service, having been involved with the Alexandra Rose Day and RNLI and is President of the Brendoncare Foundation. John Wakeham was Chancellor of Brunel University from 1998 to 2013.
In 1992 The Rt Hon Lord John Wakeham was awarded an Honorary PhD.
"At the time of Investiture of the new University Chancellor it is common practice to invite the Chancellor to mark the occasion by conferring a small number of honorary degrees. Following that tradition, Lord Prior is conferring 2 such personal awards. The first one is to The Rt Hon Lord Wakeham.
Lord Wakeham became MP for Colchester South and Maldon in 1983 after a distinguished career in business. Originally, by profession he was a chartered accountant. He held his seat in the House of Commons until 1992.
After holding various ministerial posts, including Leader of the House of Commons from 1987-89, he was elevated to the House of Lords. During his parliamentary career he has been Government Chief Whip, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Privy Seal, Leader of the House of Commons and currently holds a cabinet seat as well as being leader of the House of Lords. In addition, the award recognises the stalwart support he gave over a number of years as an associate governor of the Essex Institute and for the drive to achieve a Polytechnic in the region.
We would like to honour his courage at the time and after the IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel at Brighton during the party conference in 1984 and the central role he has had in British government over the past 13 years.
Lord Wakeham therefore receives the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy."


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Energy efficiency: greening the bottom line
Contrary to popular belief, sustainable solutions can be good for business. A look at some of Europe's most innovative efforts.
Ben McCluskey
@FreelanceSciWri
The economics of global energy demand can be counterintuitive. For example, a 2016 McKinsey report points out that although global population will probably increase to around 9.7 billion by 2050 and GDP per capita will likely double, the energy efficiency of this economic growth is expected to double as well. And that's good news for the planet.
Continuing innovations in product, tool and process design that improve energy efficiency can translate into significant financial gains, with the added bonus of reducing environmental impact. In the retail sector, for example, a 20% cut in energy costs could represent the same bottom-line benefit as a 5% increase in sales. A few industries have been slow to grasp this new reality, but there is now a general consensus: energy efficiency is good for business. European efforts in this new innovation frontier range from expensive shoot-the-moon concepts to seat-of-the-pants solutions that leverage little more than elegant machine learning algorithms.
3D chip technology heats up
Cloud computing traffic continues to grow, gobbling up huge amounts of energy. EPFL's EcoCloud is developing a range of solutions to control the environmental cost.
In 2014 Amazon Web Services, one of the leading providers of cloud computing, grew their server capacity per day by the same amount that they had amassed over the course of the entire preceding decade. Data centres are notorious energy hogs, currently consuming about 3% of the global electricity supply. In 2015, worldwide data centre electricity consumption was more than 400 terawatt hours, significantly more than the UK's total electric consumption for the year.
The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne's (EPFL) Centre for Sustainable Cloud Computing, EcoCloud, is looking into ways of dealing with this energy challenge, including exploring new generations of processors that can be combined with novel cooling, energy management and storage approaches to improve energy efficiency.
Much of a data centre's efficiency depends on the efficiency of its processors. Although processing power has followed Moore's law and doubled every two years since 1965, we're now bumping up against fundamental physical limits – chips just can't be made much smaller. One novel aspect of EcoCloud's R&D is their integration of a very large three-dimensional "System on a Chip" (SoC). Chips are normally distributed two dimensionally across a system board. Stacking chips vertically as well as horizontally reduces the average distance between system components, making them up to 10 times faster and lowering power demand by a factor of four.
Unfortunately, this also generates more heat. Even for single chips, removing heat is a significant challenge. Up to 30% of older data centres' total energy consumption is directed just to cooling. A 3D processor architecture would multiply this heat-removal headache by the number of layers in the system.
"The temperature of 3D stacked memory chips can be easily maintained with air cooling", explains IBM Research expert Thomas Brunschwiler. "In contrast, processor cores have up to 10 times higher power density, so they get much hotter, especially if stacked in a 3D SoC. Dissipating this additional heat requires more advanced technologies." EcoCloud researchers have responded by using cutting-edge micro-fabrication techniques to create microchannels that measure just 50-100 microns – about the width of a human hair. Liquid coolant circulating in these capillary-like microchannels between the layers would draw heat away from the processors.
"Eradicating the old large-scale refrigeration units from data centres could reduce energy consumption from 30% to around 5%, but liquid cooling would be even better, since it would allow centres to re-use the heat for residential heating in colder climates", says Brunschwiler. EcoCloud's two-phase cooling system, which uses refrigerants as a coolant instead of water, would enhance this even further, because the refrigerant forms bubbles that are super-efficient heat removers. "This system allows us to dissipate heat at an order of magnitude higher than previous capabilities", explains EcoCloud founding director Babak Falsafi. Two-phase cooling also represents a safer approach than water cooling because the refrigerant is not electrically conductive.
Sky-high savings
OptiClimb is a novel tool that uses flight data and machine learning to allow pilots to chart the most fuel-efficient climb.
It's not surprising that aircraft and engine manufacturers are constantly striving to improve the fuel efficiency of their products; after all, fuel represents 30% of an airline's operational costs. What's more unexpected is how a relatively simple but as yet untapped operational change could result in added savings.
During the part of the flight directly after take-off – known as the climb phase – aeroplanes simply maintain constant speed until they reach a set cruising altitude. When former pilot and aerospace engineer Pierre Jouniaux, now CEO of aviation solutions experts Safety Line, noticed that fuel performance during this flight phase varied by as much as 10% from plane to plane within the same aircraft model, he recognised an opportunity to optimise the process.
Safety Line joined forces with the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation to produce OptiClimb, an optimisation tool that applies machine learning algorithms to real-time and historic data on the model, weight and age of each aircraft. Combined with weather data, OptiClimb creates an optimal climb profile for each flight, giving a very precise curve to the aircraft's ascent. And because it doesn't require any additional equipment, it would be easy to implement in existing aircraft.
OptiClimb is significant because flights produce more than 780 million tonnes of CO2 worldwide – that's 2% of all human made carbon emissions – and the climb phase, in which engines are running at full power, is particularly fuel-intensive. In initial trials with Transavia France, a subsidiary of Air France, fuel consumption in the climb phase fell by an average of 5%. This would translate into a cost savings of €60–70,000 per year for a Boeing 747. "I'm surprised climb phase optimisation hasn't been done before", says Tim Coombs, an energy expert from the University of Cambridge. "If you're an aircraft or engine manufacturer, you will want to design your product for maximum efficiency during highest loading points. Exploiting in-flight data is certainly a logical step."
Vindskip
Vindskip's novel hull design allows the merchant ship to travel at high speed propelled by a combination of wind power and liquefied natural gas.
Sustainable shipping
Terje Lade's merchant-ship design works like an aeroplane's wing, allowing wind power to drive it forward and cutting fuel consumption by a massive 60%.
Air travel is a popular target for environmental ire, but in reality, 90% of all goods are transported by sea. According to the International Maritime Organization, maritime transport is responsible for about 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, sulphur dioxide emissions from oceangoing vessels are a huge contributor to ocean acidification. Although the shipping industry is very resistant to change, the multinational brands that use them to ship cargo are not, and in fact, for many of them sustainability is a priority. If cargo owners set emissions targets, then the shipping industry will have to adapt. That's the logic behind Terje Lade's effort to design a merchant ship that doesn't rely on heavy fuel oil.
Inspired by the aerospace industry, Vindskip is designed to use the wind for propulsion. The vessel's above-water hull is shaped like a symmetrical air foil that creates aerodynamic lift and pulls the ship forward. The below-water hull generates an equal and counterbalancing force that keeps the ship on course. This works in tandem with the "sail wind" (the combined force created when wind comes into contact with a moving boat) to create forward motion in the same way an airplane wing creates lift during take-off. The sail-like hull provides pull for more than 50% of the journey time, even when sailing across the wind.
Because the contribution of wind power to the ship's propulsion will vary over time, cruise control will be used to balance liquefied natural gas propulsion, creating a dynamic dual propulsion system. "The basic problem with planes and ships is that you usually only have one propulsion system, meaning it can't be optimised for all situations", Cambridge University's Tim Coombs observes.
Lade estimates their design would reduce fuel consumption by about 60%, which would result in around $2.4 million in cost savings per year compared with an average carrier. Emissions would drop by around 80%. In virtual tests travelling straight into a headwind, the vessel creates very little drag. The Tesla Model S has a drag coefficient of 0.24, the lowest in the automotive market. Vindskip's drag coefficient, by comparison, is an astonishing 0.19.
The final piece of the puzzle, a weather routing module, would use computerised weighting of meteorological data to calculate the sailing route that would best exploit the available wind energy potential. Although many challenges lie ahead for the project, particularly around performance in real-life storm conditions, "real-time weather data systems have certainly been improving constantly and meteorological models are getting better all the time", says Coombs.
Building concrete solutions
A new concrete additive speeds up the curing process and strengthens the final product. In some cases, it could even halve construction costs.
Approximately 17% of the energy used to produce building materials is used to make concrete, a production process that itself is responsible for at least 5% of global CO2 emissions. Yet in the two centuries that humans have been using this building material, its production has changed very little.
Making high quality concrete is more of an art than one might think. Because the raw materials used don't necessarily perform the same way from batch to batch, a range of additives is usually blended in to ensure quality. Nanogence, a start-up launched at EPFL has developed an additive that works as a one-stop shop for high quality concrete production.
The ratio of water to cement is a key factor in concrete strength. Too much water can cause an excess of nanoscale pores, weakening the concrete. The Nanogence additive reduces porosity, lowering the likelihood that iron in the concrete will come into contact with moisture: "That contact is like a cancer in concrete and will eventually leadto failure of the structure", says nanomaterials expert and Nanogence founder Abhishek Kumar.
The start-up has already generated interest in the market and is looking to start production in September. In projects in which concrete is the primary construction material, the additive allows constructors to build thinner walls that harden rapidly and last longer, which could reduce a project's lifecycle energy demand (including site labour and repairs) by an estimated 20%–50%, according to Kumar. Improving efficiency by just a couple of percentage points could have a huge environmental impact, given the 30 billion tonnes of the material produced per year. However, as Maarten De Groote, head of research at the Buildings Performance Institute Europe explains, construction materials are only part of the equation: "If we're talking about buildings that aren't energy efficient, lowering the energy demand during the production process may be rather insignificant. Production energy becomes more relevant when we talk about modern, zero-energy buildings."
"The trend in construction is starting to move towards prefabrication, which is dominated by lightweight materials", adds De Groote. "It will be interesting to see how the concrete industry responds – will it develop assembled products, or will this trend start to fundamentally threaten the sector?"
Thomas Brunschwiler (IBM Research expert), Babak Falsafi (EcoCloud founding director), Tim Coombs (Energy Research at the University of Cambridge), Abhishek Kumar (founder & CEO at Nanogence Global), Maarten De Groote (Head of Research at Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE))
Cities: at the forefront of climate action
For centuries, cities have been laboratories for new progressive ideas. Facing climate change, they can act like pioneers for a sustainable lifestyle.
A new way of mapping
BY Tiago Pires
Artisense develops a 3D-vision technology for autonomous cars and robots to navigate effectively.


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SpongeBob Kanciastoporty ( 1999-obecnie) – amerykański serial animowany stworzony przez biologa morskiego i animatora Stephena Hillenburga (który zmarł w 2018 roku) dla telewizji Nickelodeon. Emitowany z przerwami od 1999 roku. Popularność serialu przyczyniła się do stworzenia wielu produktów pobocznych, a z czasem zyskał on najwyższe wskaźniki oglądalności w historii kanału i stał się najczęściej dystrybuowaną własnością Viacom Media Networks. Cała marka wygenerowała ponad osiem miliardów dolarów zysku.

Wiele pomysłów na serial pochodzi z nieopublikowanego komiksu edukacyjnego The Intertidal Zone, stworzonego przez Hillenburga w 1989 roku. Prace nad serialem rozpoczął w 1996 roku po zakończeniu serialu Rocko i jego świat. Główny bohater początkowo nazywać miał się SpongeBoy, a serial SpongeBoy Ahoy!, ale ponieważ nazwa była już zarezerwowana przez producenta mopów, konieczna była jej zmiana.

Pierwszy odcinek wyemitowany został w Stanach Zjednoczonych 1 maja 1999 roku, po ceremonii wręczenia Kids' Choice Awards, a do regularnej emisji serial trafił 17 lipca. W 2004 do kin trafił pełnometrażowy film pod takim samym tytułem, w 2015 kolejny, zatytułowany SpongeBob: Na suchym lądzie, a w 2020 wyszedł SpongeBob Film: Na ratunek.

Serial zdobył szereg nagród, w tym m.in. sześć Annie, osiem Golden Reels, dwie Emmy, trzynaście Kids' Choice oraz dwie BAFTA Children's Awards. W 2011 roku na cześć głównego bohatera nazwany został nowo odkryty gatunek grzyba – Spongiforma squarepantsii.

Opis
Większość odcinków serialu rozgrywa się w podwodnym mieście Bikini Dolne, położonym na Pacyfiku pod rafą koralową atolu Bikini. Większość postaci mieszka w budynkach inspirowanych podwodnym światem, a jako środek transportu wykorzystuje pojazdy będące połączeniem samochodu i łódki. Rozpoczynając prace nad pilotażowym odcinkiem twórcy postawili sobie za cel zaprojektowanie lokacji, do których można by wracać w kolejnych odcinkach i w których rozgrywałaby się większa część fabuły, takich jak dom SpongeBoba.

Fabuła serialu koncentruje się na tytułowym SpongeBobie Kanciastoportym, energicznej i pozytywnie nastawionej do świata gąbce morskiej z wyglądu przypominającej gąbkę kuchenną.

Bohaterowie

Główni
Według Nickelodeona w serialu jest dziesięciu głównych bohaterów.
 SpongeBob Kanciastoporty (ang. SpongeBob SquarePants) – żółta gąbka. Ubrana w kwadratowe spodenki z czerwonym krawatem. Mieszka w swoim domku z ananasa razem ze ślimakiem Gacusiem (ang. Gary). Jest przyjaźnie nastawiony do życia, oraz innych. Ma energiczne usposobienie, co nie zawsze podoba się osobom z jego otoczenia. Jest bardzo dziecinny, nadmiernie epatuje radością, ponadto jego niezwykła bezmyślność często wpędza jego znajomych w kłopoty. Do tego, nie jest zbyt bystry. Nie potrafi dostrzec, że Skalmar, którego uważa za swojego najlepszego przyjaciela w rzeczywistości wcale go nie lubi i że narzucając się sąsiadowi, tylko pogarsza jego i tak złą opinię na własny temat. Nie zrażając się tym próbuje, bardziej zbliżyć się do "przyjaciela". Pracuje w restauracji pana Kraba. Kocha tę pracę ponad życie, co skrupulatnie wykorzystuje jego szef, Eugeniusz Krab. SpongeBob wielokrotnie zostaje w pracy po godzinach całkowicie za darmo. Załamuje się, gdy okazuje się, że jednak nie musi iść do pracy. I uważa, że stracił w tym dniu cel swojego życia. Ukradkiem zakrada się do "Pod Tłustym Krabem", gdy ma wolny dzień. To jednak daremny wysiłek, gdyż Krab nie potrafi docenić pracy SpongeBoba i bezustannie szuka okazji by zmniejszyć jego wynagrodzenie. Sam SpongeBob jest natomiast zbyt naiwny, by dostrzec, że szef go wykorzystuje a jego nadgorliwość i niesamowite poświęcenie w pracy są bezcelowe i nie mają najmniejszego sensu. W wolnych chwilach lubi puszczać bańki i łowić meduzy. Ponadto uczęszcza do szkoły jazdy, prowadzonej przez panią Puff. Nie idzie mu jednak zbyt dobrze. Podchodził do egzaminów tak często, że zna na pamięć wszystkie pytania i odpowiedzi z egzaminu ustnego. 38 razy oblewał egzamin praktyczny na prawo jazdy, gdyż za każdym razem gdy siadał za kółkiem łapała go tak ogromna trema, że nie mógł skupić się na jeździe. Jego ulubione powiedzonko to: "Jestem gotów!" (ang. "I'm ready"). Podczas łapania meduz nosi okulary. Zna Ka-Ra-Te.

 Patryk Rozgwiazda (ang. Patrick Star) – różowa rozgwiazda nosząca tylko seledynowe krótkie spodenki w fioletowe kwiaty. Lecz nie przypomina bardziej rozgwiazdy tylko robaka. Mimo że ma niezwykle niski iloraz inteligencji, jest najlepszym przyjacielem i nieodłącznym kompanem SpongeBoba. W wolnym czasie lubi nic nie robić lub łapać meduzy. Mieszka pod wielkim głazem, jest sąsiadem Skalmara. Lubi jeść wszystko co mu wpadnie w ręce. Jest bardzo leniwy i gruby, nie uprawia wcale sportu. Ma siostrę Sam.

 Skalmar Obłynos (w filmie Squidward Macka) (ang. Squidward Tentacles) – szarawy kalmar, która mieszka w domu pomiędzy SpongeBobem a Patrykiem. Denerwuje go ich zachowanie, gdyż uważa, że są dziecinni. Jest ponury i zgorzkniały, ponieważ życie nie ułożyło mu się, tak jak sobie wymarzył. Nie został sławnym artystą, ma uciążliwych sąsiadów (SpongeBob i Patryk), oraz pracę której nienawidzi. Stanowi przeciwieństwo SpongeBoba. Uważa się za wielkiego artystę i najlepszego muzyka. Kocha grę na klarnecie, jednak nie został obdarzony zbyt wielkim talentem muzycznym. Godzinami ćwiczy grę na tym instrumencie, jednak mimo to wcale nie idzie mu lepiej. Uwielbia malować autoportrety. A w swoim domu ma 497 obrazów z własną podobizną. Pracuje jako kasjer w Pod Tłustym Krabem. Jego największym rywalem jest Skalmir Maminsyn, rówieśnik z czasów szkoły, który zdobył sławę i bogactwo realizując jego marzenia. Największym marzeniami Skalmara są zdobycie sławy, oraz życie bez SpongeBoba. 14 grudnia odbywa się Dzień Walki ze Skalmarem. Mimo że zazwyczaj deklaruje nienawiść do głównego bohatera, w odcinku Nocna zmiana przyznał, że zawsze trochę lubił SpongeBoba.

 Sandy Pysia (ang. Sandy Cheeks) – pochodząca z Teksasu wiewiórka. Przyjaciółka SpongeBoba. Mieszka na drzewie, które okryte jest szklaną kopułą izolującą jej otoczenie od wody. Nosi specjalny akwalung, który umożliwia jej życie w oceanie. Uwielbia uprawiać sporty, razem ze SpongeBobem trenuje karate, a raczej Ka-Ra-Te. W wolnych chwilach zajmuje się nauką.

 Pan Eugeniusz Krab (ang. Mr. Krabs, Eugene Krabs) (w filmie Pan Krabs) – czerwony krab z lekką nadwagą. Właściciel restauracji "Pod Tłustym Krabem" (ang. Krusty Krab Restaurant). Nie lubi wydawać za dużo pieniędzy, ponieważ oszczędzanie to jego motto (na pamiątkę zatrzymał swojego pierwszego zarobionego dolara). Jest w stanie sprzedać swoją matkę, jeśli dostałaby za nią odpowiednio dużo pieniędzy. Mieszka w wielkiej kotwicy razem ze swoją córką, Perłą. Był kiedyś przyjacielem Planktona. Bardzo lubi SpongeBoba. Zakochał się w pani Puff. Tak lubi forsę, że jak SpongeBob znalazł grosza, on nie mógł przestać o tym myśleć.

 Plankton (ang. Sheldon J. Plankton) – malutki organizm. Rywal pana Kraba, starający się wykraść tajny przepis na kraboburgery. Także prowadzi restaurację, zwaną Kubeł Pomyj, która mieści się naprzeciwko Tłustego Kraba. Przez swoje złe postępowanie został znienawidzony przez całe Bikini Dolne. Jego jedynym przyjacielem jest jego komputerowa żona, Karen. Był kiedyś przyjacielem pana Kraba. Czasami jest w stanie porzucić swą żonę, zwłaszcza w odcinkach Karen 2.0 i Przeciążenie systemu.

 Karen – żona Planktona, mówiący komputer poruszający się na kółkach. Zwykle wykazuje się znacznie większą inteligencją niż Plankton. Poznali się jak była jeszcze systemem operacyjnym.

 Pani Puff (ang. Mrs. Puff) – biała rozdymka o blond włosach ubrana w czerwoną sukienkę. Jest wdową, jej męża złowili rybacy, a następnie przerobili go na nocną lampkę. Instruktorka jazdy, każdego pojazdu, który niekoniecznie posiada koła. Szkoła jazdy i uczenie w niej było marzeniem Pani Puff. Przyrzekła sobie, że w swojej pracy będzie twarda, nieugięta i nie podda się, dopóki nie nauczy swoich uczniów jeździć. Wszystko zmieniło się, gdy do jej szkoły zapisał się SpongeBob. Jego styl bycia, oraz fakt, że 38 razy bezskutecznie starał się o prawo jazdy całkowicie zburzyły, życie jakie do tej pory wiodła. Wesoła, acz niezbyt rozgarnięta gąbka zniszczyła jej całą wiarę w ideały, jakimi kierowała się zakładając szkołę jazdy, oraz skutecznie pozbawiła ją całej radości z jej prowadzenia. W wyniku niefrasobliwości SpongeBoba Pani Puff kilkukrotnie wylądowała w szpitalu oraz więzieniu. Konieczność częstych kontaktów ze SpongeBobem jest dla niej tak uciążliwa, że czasem gdy go widzi, zaczyna się denerwować i stara się jak najszybciej oddalić by SpongeBob się do niej nie zbliżył, lub dostaje ataku histerii, podczas którego nadyma się i przeraźliwie wrzeszczy. Dla relaksu uprawia ogródek warzywny. W odcinku "Trudy dorastania", wspomina że jest to ostatnia rzecz, dla której wciąż warto żyć. Jej największym marzeniem, jest uwolnienie się od SpongeBoba. W epizodzie "Nielekka jazda", zamierzała zmienić nazwisko, przefarbować włosy i wyprowadzić się do innego miasta, jednak ostatecznie zrezygnowała z tego pomysłu.

 Perła Krab (ang. Pearl Krabs) – wieloryb, przybrana córka pani Krab, gdyż została zamieniona w szpitalu. Ma 15 lat. Do SpongeBoba nastawiona jest raczej pozytywnie. Jest bardzo zarozumiała i często stawia na swoim. Źle traktuje nawet swoje dwie najlepsze przyjaciółki Jenny i Judy. Uważa się za osobę popularną, lecz w rzeczywistości tak nie jest. Gdy coś jej się chociaż trochę nie spodoba, głośno płacze.

 Gacuś Witold Junior (ang. Gary) – zwierzątko domowe SpongeBoba. Niebieski ślimak, który nie mówi, jednak potrafi miauczeć jak kot. Nosi na sobie różową muszlę, w której potrafi zmieścić prawie wszystko. Chociaż posiada wyższy iloraz inteligencji niż SpongeBob, jest mu bardzo oddany. Umie wiązać sznurówki. W odcinku Super tajne pudełko powiedział Eeeee... nie. W wielu odcinkach, np. Kumpel dla Gacusia woli, gdy nie jest z nim jego właściciel.

Poboczni
 Larry Homar (ang. Larry the Lobster) – wielki czerwony homar noszący tylko jasnoniebieskie spodenki. Kulturysta podnoszący ciężary, uwielbia ze wszystkimi konkurować. Wiele swojego wolnego czasu spędza na miejskiej plaży, wyrabiając mięśnie. Jest bardzo dobrym przyjacielem SpongeBoba i Sandy. Pracuje jako ratownik na plaży Błotnista Laguna.

 Pirat Patchy i papuga Potty (ang. Patchy the Pirate and Potty the Parrot) – pirat, przewodniczący fanklubu SpongeBoba oraz jego papuga (którą troszkę nienawidzi). Prezentują specjalne odcinki.

 Syrenaman i Skorupin (ang. Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy) – dwaj emerytowani superbohaterowie, którzy są idolami SpongeBoba i Patryka. Parodiują Batmana i Robina.

 Latający Holender (ang. The Flying Dutchman) – przerażający zielony duch pirata, legenda Bikini Dolnego. Mieszka na dużym opuszczonym statku. Kradnie dusze żywym. SpongeBobowi kilka razy udało się go spotkać, miał także okazję dołączyć do jego załogi. Jest mistrzem wiązania węzłów, choć nie umie zawiązać butów.

 Mindy – córka Neptuna. Jest bardzo rozpieszczana i uwielbiana przez ojca. Ma czarne, krótkie włosy i okrągłe okulary. Występuje tylko w filmie.

 Pirat Painty (ang. Painty) – pirat z obrazka. Śpiewa piosenkę początkową ze SpongeBobem.

 Narrator – pojawia się w niektórych odcinkach opisując wydarzenia na początku odcinka.

 Mirek Karaś (ang. Johhny) – realistyczna rybia głowa. Czasami pojawia się w Wiadomościach Bikini Dolnego.

 Skalmir Maminsyn (ang. Squiliam Fancyson) – wróg Skalmara ze szkoły. Osiągnął sukces we wszystkich dziedzinach, w których Skalmar zawiódł.

 Król Neptun (ang. King Neptune) – pan i władca całego oceanu. Jest zielonym, masywnym mężczyzną-syreną o rudych włosach ubranym w kożuch. Na głowie nosi koronę, która zakrywa jego łysinę, a w ręku trzyma harpun. Zawsze jest pełen gniewu. Ma córkę o imieniu Mindy, dla której zrobiłby wszystko oraz syna imieniem Tryton, którego zamknął w klatce na 10000 lat ponieważ wolał zajmować się uciechami śmiertelników, zamiast miotać piorunami i niszczyć dobytek podwładnych. W filmie Król Neptun wygląda inaczej niż w serialu oraz ma tylko córkę Mindy.

 Meduzy – zwierzęta, które są łapane przez SpongeBoba i Patryka. W większości są różowe i mają rozmiar trochę większy, niż oko SpongeBoba, ale zdarzają się wyjątki. Mieszkają na "Meduzowych polach". Można z nich wycisnąć dżem meduzowy. Uwielbiają muzykę.

 Anonimek/Przyjaciel – meduza, którą SpongeBob nie mógł złapać. Jest wielkości pospolitej meduzy jednak posiada niebieski kolor. Po tym jak dobrowolnie Anonimek dał się złapać SpongeBobowi zaprzyjażnił się z nim i nazwał go Przyjaciel.

 Tryton – syn Neptuna – także bóg. Od urodzenia nie był podobny do ojca. Bóg mórz uczył go miotać piorunami z trójzęba, Tryton wolał grać w "śmiertelnicze" gry. Wściekły Neptun zamknął syna na 10000 lat w klatce, na bezbożnej wyspie. Uratowali go dopiero SpongeBob z Patrykiem, ale Tryton okazał się być podstępnym bożkiem. Nie występuje w filmie.

 BlackJack – kuzyn SpongeBoba. Siedział w więzieniu. Gdy SpongeBob był mały, kuzyn go bił. Mieszka obok wujka gąbki. Pojawił się tylko w odcinku "BlackJack", gdy gąbka dostaje wiadomość od kuzyna, że wyszedł z kicia i chciał spotkać się na przyjęciu, wtedy gdy zamierzał porzucić drogę przestępstwa.

Obsada

Odcinki
Premiery w Polsce:
 Polski lektor:
 MTV Polska –
 Sezony 1 i 2 – 1 października 2004 roku;
 Canal+ –
 SpongeBob Kanciastoporty – film – 26 listopada 2006 roku;
 Polsat –
 SpongeBob Kanciastoporty – film – 1 listopada 2008 roku; po liftingu: 11 maja 2019;
 VH1 Polska –
 Film dokumentalny Kanciaste Korzenie: Historia SpongeBoba Kanciastoportego – 23 sierpnia 2009 roku.
 Cinemax –
 SpongeBob Kanciastoporty – film – 8 stycznia 2016 roku.

Spis odcinków

Uwagi

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

 oficjalna strona serialu
 SpongePedia
 Polska SpongePedia
 Oficjalna strona
 Oficjalna strona

Amerykańskie telewizyjne seriale animowane
Programy telewizji Nickelodeon
Seriale telewizyjne emitowane od 1999


Further information: black frame, details bronzy, suitable for persons around 1,70 m.
By paying the deposit you reserve the bike for 10 days.
We will contact you by e-mail to make an appointment for the viewing and/or trying.
In case of cancellation we will deduct € 25 cancellation costs from the deposit received.
Before you take the bike with you, it will be adjusted to your size.
Shipping is also possible, shipping costs in consultation.