When Melindy Steffy gave birth to her first child – a son – three years ago, it wasn't easy. She was in labor most of April 14. The blessed event occurred on the 15th.
Coincidentally, that followed the pattern of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 (shot on April 14, died in the early hours of April 15) and the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 (struck by an iceberg just before midnight on the 14th, sank just after 2 a.m. on the 15th).
That is, until, her son was born.
A trained pianist and singer — with the Chestnut Street Singers chorus — Steffy is the executive director of a music nonprofit Live Connections. But her visual sensibility has turned her creative energies toward painting. She created a series of artworks called "Ruination Day," now on view at the gallery Tiger Strikes Asteroid in the Crane Arts Building of Kensington.
Her paintings are visual translations of the songs, stripped of lyrics. Steffy created a system to represent notes and rhythms with a grid of color blocks. The paintings are geometric abstractions, adhering to strict rules of representation.
"It's a funny tension, because the system does things that I sometimes don't like, and I have to figure out what to do about that," said Steffy.
The exhibition is anchored by four large paintings, each a translation of a Ruination Day song: Blind Willie Johnson's 1929 "God Moves on the Water"; Woody Guthrie's 1940 "The Great Dust Storm"; the 19th-century folk ballad "Booth Killed Lincoln"; and the title song by Welch.
By putting music in a spatial plane, it's possible to see its patterns of melody and rhythm — and where those patterns falter through bent notes and lyrical variation.
"It's how something sticks in your brain. It's how you pass something along to your family. I think human beings are built by repetition and routine," said Steffy.
The last word of each song — represented by a colored square — is pulled out of the grid and given its own canvas, rendered in subtle variations of texture and color. While the grid represents a system, these final word paintings allow Steffy a more expressive hand.
"Repetition is what builds our lives, but nuance is what makes us human, and what gives us empathy for other people," she said.
This Sunday — Ruination Day — Tiger Strikes Asteroid will host performances by Philadelphia folk-soul duo Bethlehem and Sad Patrick. Bethlehem Roberson sings and stomps percussion on a tarima box and by slapping her own body; Patrick Arkins plays electric guitar and writes songs.
For this gig they were asked to learn the four Ruination songs, and found each contained a little history lesson.
They are most fond of "God Moves on the Water," a kind of spiritual that Blind Willie Johnson wrote about the Titanic to describe how people cope with disaster.
Like many folks songs, it's repetitive and it tells a story in a way that passes history down by word of mouth for generations. By highlighting the pattern of repetition in her artwork, rather than the specific storytelling lyrics, Steffy hopes to show that historic patterns never go away.
Ruination Day continues on display through April 27.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is bringing together strange bedfellows.
A digital artist turns Philadelphia's Icebox gallery into an immersive interpretation of 4th Amendment privacy laws.


text:
Q: Is the image of the map $A \to \bigwedge^{k}A $ a weakly embedded submanifold? $\newcommand{\End}{\operatorname{End}}$
$\newcommand{\GL}{\operatorname{GL}}$
Let $V$ be a $d$-dimensional real vector space. ($d \ge 4$). Fix an odd $2 \le k \le d-2$. Define
$H_{>k}=\{ A \in \End(V) \mid \operatorname{rank}(A) > k
\}$. $H_{>k}$ is an open submanifold of $\End(V)$.
We also define, for a given number $s$, the open submanifold
$$\tilde H_{>s}=\{ B \in \End(\bigwedge^k V) \mid \operatorname{rank}(B) > s
\} \subseteq \End(\bigwedge^k V).$$
Consider the map
$$
\psi:H_{>k} \to \tilde H_{>k} \, \,, \, \, \psi(A)=\bigwedge^{k}A,
%\psi:H_r \to \text{End}(\bigwedge^{k}V) \, \,, \, \, \psi(A)=\bigwedge^{k}A,
$$
$\psi$ is a smooth injective immersion but not an embedding. (The injectivity uses the fact $k$ is odd, since otherwise $\psi(A)=\psi(-A)$).

Question: Is $\text{Image}(\psi)=\psi(H_{>k})$ a weakly embedded submanifold of $\tilde H_{>k}$?

Note that the image is not closed. The reason is that the rank can fall in the limit to an "illegal value"- a value which is not obtainable by exterior powers of endomorphisms of $V$.
Weakly embedded here means that for every manifold $Q$ and for every smooth map $h:Q \to \tilde H_{>k}$, with $h(Q)\subset \psi(H_{>k})$,the associated map $h:Q\to \psi(H_{>k})$ is also smooth. In other words, it's always valid to restrict the range.
(Some authors call "weakly embedded" submanifolds, initial submanifolds, or diffeological submanifolds).
It is known that it suffices to prove that $h:Q\to \psi(H_{>k})$ is continuous.

Of course, $ \psi(H_{>k})$ is an immersed submanifold, but it is not an embedded submanifold, since $\psi$ is not an embedding (I prove this at the end).
Here are some more thoughts:

*

*Using group actions and equivariance:
There is a natural action on $H_{>k}$ by $\GL(V) \times \GL(V)$, given by
$$
(A,B) \cdot C=ACB^{-1}.
$$
This action has a finite number of orbits; each orbit is the set of matrices of a certain rank. There is also a $\GL(V) \times \GL(V)$-action on  $\End(\bigwedge^k V)$, given by
$$
(A,B) \cdot D=\bigwedge^k A \circ D \circ \bigwedge^k B^{-1}.
$$
$\psi$ is equivariant w.r.t these actions. This might brings us close to the solution, but it's still not enough:
If the action was transitive on the source manifold $H_{>k}$, we were done: The image would then be the orbit of a Lie group action, which is always weakly embedded.
However, in our case the action is not transitive, so this argument cannot be applied directly. Indeed, there are equivariant maps, where the sources has finitely many orbits, whose images are not weakly embedded.

*Using the "stratified/filtered" structure:
Let $H_{i}=\{ A \in \End(V) \mid \operatorname{rank}(A) = i
\}$, and $\tilde H_i$ its analog on the exterior algebra $\bigwedge^kV$.
For $A \in \text{End}(V)$,
 $$\operatorname{rank}(\bigwedge^kA) = \binom {\operatorname{rank}(A)}{k} ,$$  that is $\psi(H_r) \subseteq \tilde H_{\binom {r}{k}}$.
Each restriction $\psi|_{H_r}:H_r \to \tilde H_{\binom {r}{k}}$ is proper, hence $\psi(H_r)$ is an embedded submanifold, and we have $\psi(H_{>k})=\cup_{i=k+1}^d \psi(H_r)$.
The problem is that union of embedded submanifolds does not need to be weakly embedded in general.

Finally, note that in the case $k=d-1$, the answer is positive, since then $\psi:\text{GL}(V) \to \text{GL}(\bigwedge^k V) $ is proper.

Here is a proof showing $\psi$ is not an embedding:
Take $d=4,k=2$:
Let $A=\text{diag}(1,1,1,0) \in \text{End}( V)$. Then $\bigwedge^2 A =\text{diag}(1,1,1,0,0,0) \in \text{End}( \bigwedge^2 V)$.
Let $B_r(A) \in H_{>2}$ be an open ball. Assume by contradiction  $\psi(B_r(A))$ is open in $\tilde H_{>2}$; there exist an open set $U \subseteq \text{End}( \bigwedge^2 V)$  such that $\psi(B_r(A))=\tilde H_{>2} \cap U$.
Define
$A_n=\text{diag}(n,\frac{1}{n},\frac{1}{n},\frac{1}{n}) $.
Then $\psi(A_n)=\bigwedge^2 A_n =\text{diag}(1,1,1,\frac{1}{n^2},\frac{1}{n^2},\frac{1}{n^2}) \in \tilde H_{>2} \cap U=\psi(B_r(A))$ for sufficiently large $n$.
Since $\psi$ is locally injective ($\psi(A)=\psi(B) \Rightarrow A=\pm B$), this implies $A_n$ or $-A_n$ lies in $B_r(A)$ for every sufficiently large $n$. This is a contradiction.
*I required $k$ to be odd, but this example can be easily adapted to the odd case.

Indeed, here is an example for the case $k$ is odd:
Set $d=6,k=3$: Take $A=\text{diag}(1,1,1,1,1,0) \in \text{End}( V)$. Then $\bigwedge^3 A =\text{diag}(1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0) \in \text{End}( \bigwedge^3 V)$. Take $A_n=\text{diag}(n,\frac{1}{\sqrt n},\frac{1}{\sqrt n},\frac{1}{\sqrt n},\frac{1}{\sqrt n},\frac{1}{\sqrt n})$. Now the same argument as above applies.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home > Terms > English (EN) > Buell
First built by Eric Buell, a former Harley-Davidson employee, these are the v-twin Harley-engined bikes which helped the company win a share in the sports bike market.
Industry/Domain: Automotive
Company: Harley-Davidson
Buell (fabricante)
Buel 摩托车
ビュエル
בואל
부엘
槍殺
Буелл
The British snowboarder Billy Morgan has landed the sport's first ever 1800 quadruple cork. The rider, who represented Great Britain in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, was in Livigno, Italy, when he achieved the man-oeuvre. It involves flipping four times, while body also spins with five complete rotations on a sideways or downward-facing axis. The trick ...
Marzieh Afkham, who is the country's first foreign ministry spokeswoman, will head a mission in east Asia, the state news agency reported. It is not clear to which country she will be posted as her appointment has yet to be announced officially. Afkham will only be the second female ambassador Iran has had. Under the last shah's rule, Mehrangiz Dolatshahi, a ...
Weekly Packet
Weekly Packet or "Paquete Semanal" as it is known in Cuba is a term used by Cubans to describe the information that is gathered from the internet outside of Cuba and saved onto hard drives to be transported into Cuba itself. Weekly Packets are then sold to Cuban's without internet access, allowing them to obtain information just days - and sometimes hours - after it ...
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial institution established to address the need in Asia for infrastructure development. According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia needs $800 billion each year for roads, ports, power plants or other infrastructure projects before 2020. Originally proposed by China in 2013, a signing ...
Spartan is the codename given to the new Microsoft Windows 10 browser that will replace Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer. The new browser will be built from the ground up and disregard any code from the IE platform. It has a new rendering engine that is built to be compatible with how the web is written today. The name Spartan is named after the ...
somby
Industry/Domain: Animals Category: Mice
radioactive mice
Mice that have been exposed to radiation. These mice usually live in nuclear plants and may have become radiation resistant. However, they pose ...
Automation(1051) Terms
Industrial automation(1051)
Medical devices(2427) Terms
Radiology equipment(1356)
OBGYN equipment(397)
Cardiac supplies(297)
Clinical trials(199)
Ultrasonic & optical equipment(61)
Physical therapy equipment(42)
Weather(10671) Terms
Meteorology(9063)
General weather(899)
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Wind(46)
Clouds(40)
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Literature(3109) Terms
Fiction(910)
General literature(746)
Poetry(598)
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This is too funny. I'm laughing all the way to my last breath.
Please warm up my post.
Being able to take on both sweet and cool personas.
Some with capacity beyond your imagination.
Let's give up on our treatment together.


ECOPOTENTIAL focuses its activities and pilot actions on a targeted set of internationally recognised Protected Areas in Europe, European Territories and beyond. These Protected Areas include mountain, arid and semi-arid, and coastal and marine ecosystems, blending Earth Observations from remote sensing and field measurements, data analysis and modelling of current and future ecosystem conditions and services.
This protected area is located at the ecotones between the boreal forest and the subarctic tundra. The park was established as early as in 1909. In this year, the first nature conservation law in Sweden was created. The mountainous park has a surface of 77 km2 and covers an altitudinal gradient between 341 and 1191 m asl. The limits of the park are defined by mountain ranges and by the Tornetraesk lake. Since 2007, the Natura 2000 site Nissuntjårro is connected to Abisko National Park in the Southeast. This reserve covers additional 250 km2.
The Tour du Valat (TdV) is a private research centre located on a 2 600 ha estate (of which 1 800 ha are classified in natural reserve) in the Camargue (Rhône delta), south of France. Created in 1954 and legally recognised as a non-profit-making association, it has set itself the mission to halt and reverse the destruction and degradation of Mediterranean wetlands and their natural resources, and promote their wise use.
The boundaries of the CLME Project encompass the Caribbean Sea LME and the North Brazil Shelf LME and include 26 countries and 19 dependent territories of France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. These countries range from among the largest (e.g. Brazil, USA) to among the smallest (e.g. Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis), and from the most developed to the least developed.
The Curonian Lagoon – the largest European lagoon – is a shallow water body (total area 1584 km2, mean depth 3.8 m; maximum depth 5 m). Situated in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, the lagoon receives water from the River Nemunas, the third-largest contributor (after the Vistula and Oder) of total nitrogen and phosphorus to the Baltic Sea). The salinity of the water in the northern part of the lagoon fluctuates between 0.1 and 7 PSU; marine, brackish and freshwater species inhabit the lagoon.
Har Negev Reserve (HNR) is a part of the central Negev Highlands, and has an annual rainfall of 80-100 mm, about 200 nights of dew and a mean annual temperature of 17°-19°C. HNR is characterized by high degree of geo-diversity induced by geological and geomorphological long term processes. Vegetation is mostly in a diffused spot pattern on the slopes and at higher cover in riverbeds. HNR cover an area of about 1700 km2 that is colonized by 500 documented species of plants and an additional of 150 undocumented species are estimated to live in the area.


text:
Peabody native creates, markets Omega 3 meat
Bernie Hansen grew up in Peabody, spending many formulative hours under the tutelage of then high school agriculture adviser Gary Jones. Now a Flint Hills resident with a pioneering history of meat industry success, Hansen is surprised at how far his interest in agriculture has taken him.
What comes as no surprise is Hansen's pursuit of success as he embarks on a national marketing campaign to promote his latest product — beef with elevated levels of Omega 3 and dietary benefits rivaling that of wild salmon or the Mediterranean diet.
"I've seen over the years how poor diet has led to obesity in America," Hansen said. "I've talked to many consumers and we all want healthier food choices and a healthier lifestyle. We just want it to taste good too."
Though Hansen has pursued many food-related ventures, his most successful product has been variations of a pre-cooked pot roast, introduced by his company, Flint Hills Foods, in 1995 and bought out by Hormel Foods in 2005.
Hansen developed his original line of products now marketed by Hormel to bring the family back to the supper table with minimal cooking time. Now he hopes to bring tasty traditionals back to the dinner table, with emphasis on beef products with balanced fatty acids — and health benefits that include lower risk factors for heart disease, anti-inflammatories for reduced arthritis and depression, and protection against Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
"I've been researching this for the past 12 years, with scientists at Kansas State University and other facilities," Hansen said. "We've changed the proprietary formulas of what we feed the animals to create a healthier end product."
Essentially, Hansen and associates have been looking for a way to reduce the amount of Omega-6 fatty acids and increase Omega 3s. They are doing this by changing what animals eat.
"Most meat animals eat a diet heavy on corn," Hansen said. "We still have corn in the mix, but we have developed a flax-based feed, that when matched up with changes in animal protocol, increases fatty acids in the meat."
Until now, Omega-3 fatty acids, needed by the human body to work normally, were known to come from certain types of fish and plants such as flax.
Experts recommend that people should eat fish at least once a week to get adequate levels of Omega 3, but some fish carry toxins or high levels of contaminants. Studies show grass-fed animals produce meat with higher levels of Omega 3s than grain-fed animals.
"I am certainly not opposed to meat from grass-fed animals," Hansen said. "But for some people it just has a different taste, and I don't think we have enough pasture-land nationwide to supply enough of it to meet demand. What we are doing with our research is balancing the animal diet and changing the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6. This creates a healthier meat that still tastes good."
While Hansen said the focus on meat from his company, Naturally Better with Omega 3, was beef, he has plans to expand into dairy, cheese, goat, and even pork markets.
"We are building a complete profile," he said. "We are working toward getting that bacon double-cheeseburger to a healthy rating and teaching people that Omega 3s don't have to smell and taste like fish!"
Hansen said the biggest resistance to selling healthy Omega-3-enhanced meats was convincing retailers to carry the products.
"They don't want to risk a shorter shelf life on a product, but we have proven that consumers like healthier choices. We put an 800 number on our products and consumers are calling, telling us our ground beef is the best tasting ever."
Hansen markets his Omega 3 beef with Brandtricity, a San Antonio, Texas firm.
He said that feeding cattle with better feed not only creates a better end product but also improves the life of the animals.
"We've proven that if you start with the cow and feed our flax-based ration, the calf has immunity to a lot of inflammatory diseases," he said. "Not only are we making animals lives better, we are improving health across the whole spectrum."
Hansen credits his interest in agriculture and in good health to his roots in Peabody.
"Both of my granddads lived their whole lives in Peabody," he said. "One of them had a ruptured ulcer at the age of 60. He went to the Peabody Auction and bought a goat. He drank goat milk for the rest of his life and lived to be 97-years-old. I am actually very interested in working with goat products too."
Hansen said he has heard similar health success stories from people who eat diets with balanced Omega-3 fatty acids.
"It is what consumers want," he said. "It is what I am trying to provide."


I was told I need to replace my battery isolator. I am clueless as to what to get. The one in there gives me no indication as to what power it is and looking in the catalogs is no help. Any of you experts out there know what direction to point me in?? BTW my coach is an '84 345.
My '85/86 345 has a Cole Hersee Co. Model 48120 Isolator. Max Amps 140, 12-36 Volt, Negative Ground. My '82/83 310 had the same isolator, so yours should be the same.
at the auto parts store they usually have 2, the smaller square one and the bigger rectangular one. The one you need would depend on your alternator output (amps).
You couldn't go wrong with the bigger one.
Reversing battery cables on the coach batteries.
But who would be so stupid to do that??
Now I will go and stand in the corner.


At Scruggs Lumber, we take YOUR success very seriously. Our staff have been in the building industry for decades and have the knowledge to help you with many aspects of your building or remodeling projects. From start to finish – drafting to décor – we're so much more!


text:
News|Human Rights
UK and Japan duo win Nobel Prize for medicine
Researchers John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka honoured for their groundbreaking research on stem cells.
Researcher Shinya Yamanaka (pictured) is currently a professor at Kyoto University in Japan [AFP]
Shinya Yamanaka of Japan and John B Gurdon of Britain have won the Nobel Prize for medicine for their groundbreaking work on stem cells.
The prize committee at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute said on Monday that the two researchers were honoured "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent".
The committee said the discovery had "revolutionised our understanding of how cells and organisms develop".
The award was the first Nobel Prize to be announced this year.
The physics award will be announced on Tuesday, followed by chemistry on Wednesday, literature on Thursday and the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.
The economics prize, which was not among the original awards, but was established by the Swedish central bank in 1968, will be announced on October 15.
Gurdon is currently at the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, while Yamanaka is a professor at Kyoto University in Japan.
Because of the economic crisis, the Nobel Foundation has slashed the prize sum to eight million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million, 930,000 euros) per award, down from the 10 million kronor awarded since 2001.
Last year, the honour went to Bruce Beutler of the United States, Jules Hoffmann of Luxembourg and Ralph Steinman of Canada, for their groundbreaking work on the immune system.
This year's laureates will receive their prize at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.
Source: News Agencies


text:
When bad schools go on and on ...
In a four-paragraph report, EMU officials summarized curriculum, noted growth in enrollment and said the Detroit school, founded in 1998, was proud of a 10% increase in honor-roll students.
When bad schools go on and on ... In a four-paragraph report, EMU officials summarized curriculum, noted growth in enrollment and said the Detroit school, founded in 1998, was proud of a 10% increase in honor-roll students. Check out this story on Freep.com: http://on.freep.com/2jzHqjQ
David Jesse, Detroit Free Press Published 12:44 p.m. ET Jan. 18, 2017
School classroom(Photo: Getty Images)
Editor's note: This story originally published on June 27, 2014.
Eastern Michigan University glowingly recommended to its board of regents in June 2013 that Hope Academy's charter be reauthorized.
What the report didn't mention: The school ranked in the ninth percentile statewide in 2011-12. Without discussion, regents approved a three-year charter extension. And then, in 2012-13 rankings, Hope Academy plummeted to the first percentile, meaning that 99% of all state schools performed better.
Look up rankings and data for all Michigan traditional and charter public schools.
Grizzly bears? The most awkward moments of Betsy DeVos' hearing
Michigan spends $1B on charter schools but fails to hold them accountable
Its struggles — and Eastern Michigan's willingness to keep it open — illustrate how poor-performing charter schools continue to get renewed, time after time. According to a Free Press review, almost two-thirds of Michigan's oldest charter schools, those open more than a decade, are in the bottom half of state rankings.
Many critics point a finger at authorizers and the state, which sets no standards for when to close a school.
Authorizers defend themselves vigorously, saying that they must give schools every chance to succeed, that closing them is wrenching, that they're not in it for the money they get from the state for oversight of charters.
John Austin, president of the State Board of Education, which sets education policy and advises lawmakers, said in an e-mail to the Free Press that he doesn't know why authorizers let low-performing schools go on and on.
"They must have either no interest (or are not feeling public heat) for making sure their portfolio of schools perform, or they have some self-interest in authorizing a number of schools irrespective of performance ... or we have never made state policy clear on this point ... or all of the above."
Western Michigan University's Gary Miron, who has studied charters across the country, said that in the case of Hope Academy, "We pay (authorizer) EMU to protect our interest, and they failed. I believe they should have to return that money."
Betsy DeVos: Fighter for kids or destroyer of public schools?
EMU spokesman Geoff Larcom responded with a statement:
"Hope was not issued the standard five-year contract but rather one of three years based on extensive examination of the available performance data and in consultation with the charter school staff and EMU officials. Our role at EMU as a charter school authorizer is to help ensure that our students, most of whom reside in distressed communities, are afforded the same educational opportunities that students from more privileged communities receive."
Tim Wood, head of the charter office at Grand Valley State University, Michigan's second-largest authorizer with 47 charters, said the university wants to do "what's best for students."
"We will take into account the school's achievement, its growth over time and where students might have to go if we closed the school," he said. "We don't want to send them into a worse situation."
Michigan authorizers do have options besides closing a school, however. They can replace board members, insist on a new management company, or demand a new school leadership team.
Several other states have drawn a more definitive line in the sand, strengthening laws to require authorizers to close poor-performing schools. Indiana now requires closure of any school with F grades from the state for four consecutive years; Texas mandates revoking a charter after three years of poor academic or financial performance.
And Arizona passed a law in 2012 requiring authorizers to establish standards for measuring a school's academics and operational health. The state's primary authorizer, the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, set up regular checks on academic performance for schools to remain open. The board voted in June not to renew some charters.
The mayor's office in Indianapolis, one of the largest charter authorizers in Indiana, helps parents find another school when it closes a charter.
"We work with parents and school leadership to match students to the best available educational options," said Jason Kloth, deputy mayor for education. The mayor's office has been working with a school board this year to wind down operations at a charter school. It is the fifth charter to close in Indianapolis since Mayor Greg Ballard first took office in 2008.
Michigan charter school critics question why the state is pouring millions of taxpayer dollars into schools that have shown little or no academic gains without more aggressive oversight. The Free Press found that roughly 150 Michigan charter schools have been around for 10 years or more and 64% are in the bottom half of ranked schools.
Eastern Michigan charter school chief Malverne Winborne said he knows EMU, which has 12 charters and is the state's eighth-largest authorizer, doesn't have the highest-performing schools.
"We take on tough areas, with high poverty," he said. "Our schools are making a difference in individual students' lives."
Underperformance by the state's oldest charter schools is not limited to any particular authorizer. A review of the 2012-13 state rankings of charter schools open more than a decade shows the biggest five authorizers all have schools with low rankings:
■ Central Michigan has 48 at least a decade old — with an average ranking of 47.8.
■ Bay Mills Community College has 21 — average ranking, 40.8
■ Ferris State has 18 — average ranking, 26.7.
■ Grand Valley State has 22 — average ranking, 48.7
■ Saginaw Valley State has 15 — average ranking, 30.6.
Each charter school open for a decade or more has been renewed at least twice.
"We want to give the schools as long of a runway as possible," said Cindy Schumacher, director of the charter office at CMU, the state's largest authorizer with 64 charters. "We don't run the schools. We work with the school's leadership to make sure they are providing the best possible education to their students. When they aren't, we work with them to correct the problems. We always keep in mind the student."
Wood said Grand Valley looks at growth over time. It also gives out professional development grants and runs development programs for teachers.
"These are kids' lives we are talking about," Wood said. "Closing their school can be a hard thing for students and families."
Contracts given to charter schools by their authorizer call for them to demonstrate progress toward educational goals but often don't define achievement levels the schools have to meet, according to a Free Press review.
The ultimate decision on whether to extend a contract — or whom to appoint to the charter school board — rests with each authorizer's governing board. However, it's rare for there to be any discussion on either of those issues at public meetings of the governing boards.
Experts say that the success or failure of a charter school can be predicted in three years.
Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes said in a 2013 report: "For the majority of schools, poor first-year performance will give way to poor second-year performance. Once this has happened, the future is predictable and extremely bleak. For the students ... this is a tragedy that must not be dismissed."
The National Association for Charter School Authorizers says monitoring a school's performance is part of an authorizer's essential duty. Its manual of best practices lays out standards for how authorizers should make decisions.
"(An authorizer) grants renewal," the manual says, "only to schools that have achieved the standards and targets stated in the charter contract. ... (An authorizer) does not make renewal decisions ... on the basis of political or community pressure or solely on promises of future improvement."
The national organization recommends that states adopt minimum achievement standards and structure laws so that "most charter schools that fail to reach thresholds are closed automatically."
The lack of state standards in Michigan means it's up to each authorizer to decide which schools stay open — and state law gives no guidance on how authorizers should evaluate schools. That can lead to poor-performing schools hanging on for a long time.
Teacher Tracy Broomfield worked for one of the CMU schools given a long runway — Academy of Oak Park. She remembers showing up for her first day of classes in October 2006 wearing a suit and a hopeful smile.
That didn't last long. When she got into her classroom, she found it had no books — but it did have rats.
Within weeks, the school's environment demoralized her, she said. Student misconduct was unchecked — one student set a teacher's desk on fire. She said she once tried to open a window and it fell into her hands. Administrators did not evaluate or assist her as she winged it through her first year as a teacher.
"There was nothing redeemable about that school," Broomfield said. "It looked like nobody cared about it. It felt like complete chaos."
Despite the chaos — and low academic scores — the Oak Park school remained open until 2010, more than a decade after it had opened.
Its struggles were well-known to Central Michigan, which authorized the school. From 2000 to 2010, the CMU charter office staff made 390 site visits — but CMU still renewed the school's contract four times.
Another case in point: the Academy of Business and Technology in Melvindale.
On June 19, 2012, Eastern Michigan University's board of trustees approved a five-year extension for the academy, which has a high school and an elementary school. The Academy for Business and Technology has been open since 1997.
However, EMU officials touted the academy's success in a report to EMU trustees.
"The Academy ... made great strides in academic performance for the school year 2010-11. This school continues to meet federal (No Child Left Behind Act) and state (Education YES!) guidelines for satisfactory progress in student academic performance. (The school) continues to achieve these educational goals, while working with a student population many of whom are from households where English is the second language."
The Free Press sent a Freedom of Information Act request to EMU asking for any communications between Eastern Michigan and the charter school. The request was denied, with EMU saying there were no documents. A lawyer for the charter school said in an e-mail:
"I am informed there is no correspondence and e-mail messages (they apparently have been deleted) and that the communications were generally by phone."
EMU has a number of struggling schools. A 2013 ranking of the 11 biggest charter authorizers in the state — conducted by Michigan State University for the State Board of Education — put EMU at the bottom of the authorizer pack, ahead of only Detroit Public Schools. EMU's charter schools failed to meet the statewide proficiency rates in all MEAP test categories.
EMU's charter office head Winborne said demographics play into that.
"We bring in most of our students from Detroit, Inkster and Pontiac," he said. "We've got a really high proportion of economically disadvantaged youth and this study didn't take that into account. We're improving students' lives."
Charter school authorizers are quick to say they close schools every year for academic concerns, unlike traditional districts.
According to a Free Press review of state records, 88 charter schools have closed in the past 20 years — but the list includes four schools that never opened and 10 more that were merged into another school.
The state does not track why a charter school closed or where the impetus for closure came from — could be the school board, the authorizer or a consensus decision.
So records are vague. Michigan doesn't require a detailed explanation — or even a reason — from authorizers, asking only for a letter closing out the school file. That's so the state stops sending state aid to the closed school.
When reasons are mentioned, according to records, authorizers may say: "financial viability" or "poor academics" or "low enrollment."
Authorizers say the closed schools prove they are tough when they need to be.
"We don't want them to fail," said CMU's Schumacher. "We educate (the schools) on what they can do to improve, but then we enforce the contract. And if it doesn't work out in the end, we are willing to close you. That's a difference between (charters) and (traditional) schools."
But the authorizers often aren't swift to close schools, Austin of the state board said.
"There are too many bad schools that haven't been closed," he said. "That hurts students — both in charter schools and in traditional schools."
Those who defend traditional schools say while they don't close schools — there's another way of forcing change. the public can vote board members out of office. That's not possible in charter schools, where the boards are appointed by the authorizers.
And those charter boards that cede school operations to private companies may not take an active role in operations or academics, even when schools are struggling year after year.
Among boards that took strong action: Waypoint Academy's school board took matters into its own hands in 2012, voting to close the Muskegon school because of poor academics, declining enrollment and financial issues. Grand Valley, its authorizer, agreed.
"If a school is no longer financially sustainable or providing the community with the quality programming," Wood said, "Grand Valley works with the academy board to close the school."
Waypoint had been open since 2000. In 2011-12 rankings of state schools, Waypoint was in the 31st percentile.
However, that same ranking system also showed eight Grand Valley-authorized schools with poorer academic performance than Waypoint. Those schools are still open.
Oversight is a tough job, Wood said:
"We are supposed to ... make sure they are doing what they said they would do.
"We don't like to close schools. We'd rather they solve their problems, but at least, unlike the traditional public school system, we are willing to close those schools who aren't doing a good job."
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2jzHqjQ


Annews24, the Uganda police has urged the the honourable MP Bobi wine is advising people to get their National IDs which is an offence.
This was said by Kayima when he was asked why Bobi wine's shows were cancelled .
Emilian kayima said , we have stopped all 160 Bobi wine music shows ( kyarenga extra) not because we hate him but for the betterment of our citizens to save small money they have since festive season of Christmas is knocking.
And our intelligence reported that,telling people to register for national ID's is criminal. It's not his rôle as MP, it's the work of NIRA.. So we are busy and deep investigating the matter..


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Q: oink logs command not working on heroku I recently started using the oink gem on my heroku app because I noticed a small memory leak with some controller actions. The oink logs command works fine locally but I can't figure out the command to get it to work on my production site.
Here's the command I'm trying:
heroku run oink /log/*

And here's the line from my production.rb file:
config.middleware.use( Oink::Middleware, :logger => Rails.logger )

On my local installation, oink is storing the logs in the /log/oink.log file.

A: Here's the answer: https://stackoverflow.com/a/14145299/1684322
It is important to use Hodel3000CompliantLogger instead of Rails.logger otherwise oink will fail parsing logfiles. It may also be configured not in config/environments/production.rb but for example in config/initializers/oink.rb
YourApplication::Application.middleware.use( Oink::Middleware, :logger => Hodel3000CompliantLogger.new(STDOUT), :instruments => :memory)

This will make Oink write to default log file which may be later captured by
heroku logs -n500 --app app_name > logfile_for_oink

Or use other log management tool like PaperTrail , or set up syslog drain (rsyslog on another *nix box).
Use oink with --threshold=0 to show all entries

A: Here is a response from Heroku support:
"In most cases using Oink locally is good enough to understand memory usage issues. Heroku's filesystem is ephemeral and each dyno has its own isolated filesystem, so it's not very practical to write and fetch files. If you can configure Oink to write to stdout or your rails logger its messages should show up in your Heroku logs and you could use a log drain or a log archiving add-on like Papertrail to get a local copy of them."
So it sounds like they are suggesting to use it in development.  Or if you can write to stdout and then log drain them yourself into the correct format.
I couldn't figure it out on short notice, so I ended up using the heroku-api gem to automatically restart the app servers every few hours from cron job.  This worked as a temporary fix.

A: Try
heroku run bundle exec oink log/*

A: To analyse your production logs you'll need to run
heroku run bundle exec oink log/production.log


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94 year old Granny – "I'm the most ungangsta person in all the world"
Housesit came with a Bonus Granny
Housesitting normally means taking care of dogs, cats and a garden, but on this particular housesit in the south west of France we were entrusted with a bonus Granny named Audrey, aged 94. We were engaged for 6 weeks and had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. As soon as we arrived we realised we had quite a character on our hands.
Audrey has a lot of interesting stories to tell and we had great fun not only interviewing her, but also taking her out and about on our weekend adventures.
Audrey has a fabulous sense of humour and enjoyed herself immensely during the filming process. In fact she was quite the natural in front of the camera, hamming it up and having a great laugh afterwards. The Granny Gangsta segments were gold, but hard to film because I kept laughing and having to ask her to say things again. She got right into "Rock on!"
There were a lot of poignant moments too, as we delved into the life of a woman who has always been vibrant and active and now finds herself needing assistance to do the most basic of tasks, which drives her mad. Her Christmas card list has shrunk dramatically as her friends have died. "If I had my choice I'd die in my sleep," she says.
We were thrilled that Audrey had a collection of old photographs, and delighted that she allowed us to use them in the video.
Audrey left school when she was 14 years old. World War II broke out on her 16th birthday and she joined the Women's Auxilary Air Force, known as the WAAF. She was stationed with the Polish squadron of the Royal Air Force.
After the war Audrey joined the civil service and rose to the rank of higher executive officer. She was a smart cookie and had a top secret security clearance.
We really hope you enjoy this video about a woman of great spirit.
We are booked for housesits through the Trusted Housesitters organisation. If you click that link and decide to join Trusted Housesitters you'll receive a 20% discount on your joining fee, and we'll receive 2 months of free membership.


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The Chinese program in GW's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures provides comprehensive study of Chinese language and culture to prepare students for careers in academics, business, government and more. We offer a Bachelor of Arts, a minor and a Master of Arts in Chinese Language and Culture. Drawing lessons from literature, art and film, our faculty equip students with oral and written proficiency in Chinese and an understanding of Chinese history and culture. Our students are actively engaged in research projects on topics ranging from classical literature to historical linguistics. Language courses cover both contemporary vernacular Mandarin Chinese and the classical literary language.
You may be interested in this promo video about the Chinese program, or these Chinese language study tips from our faculty members here. We also regularly organize academic events, which can be found here. For updates from our graduates, please visit this page.
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Q: Symbolic solution to ODE, pure InverseFunction not evaluated I'm new to Mathematica and I don't understand why in the solution of the following ODE, the #1 in the pure function is not immediately replaced by the corresponding [t/4 + C[1]]. It seems as if the program wanted to compute the "InverseFunction" operator before inserting the bracket into the solution. I don't see why it should matter mathematically to replace the #1 by the bracket only after computing the inverse function.
Further, why is the InverseFunction not computed? I was expecting to get one branch together with the message that there might be other branches.
sol = DSolve[{a'[t] ==
1/2 (-(3/2) + Sqrt[(-(3/2) - a[t])^2 - 2 a[t]] - a[t])}, a[t], t]

{{a[t] -> InverseFunction[
 1/8 (-ArcSinh[(1 + 2 #1)/(2 Sqrt[2])] - 6 Log[#1] +
     3 Log[9 + 2 #1 + 3 Sqrt[9 + 4 #1 + 4 #1^2]] - 2 #1 - Sqrt[
     9 + 4 #1 + 4 #1^2]) &][t/4 + C[1]]}}


Just minutes from the heart of South Beach, The Palms Hotel & Spa combines genuine service, laid-back sophistication and oceanfront serenity into a destination where complete wellness and environmental awareness are at the center of each experience. Privately owned and managed by The Krause family, who also own the boutique-style Circa 39 in Miami Beach, The Palms sits on its own stretch of beach just 12 miles from Miami International Airport. The Palms Hotel & Spa is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts as well as Epoque Hotels.
The Palms Hotel & Spa features 251 spacious guest rooms on 12 floors, boasting impressive views of the ocean, the hotels' lush tropical gardens or the Miami Beach cityscape. Completely updated in 2009, these stylish rooms include 13 superior oceanfront rooms with an additional double sleeper sofa and two one-bedroom oceanfront suites with a separate living room and an expansive balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and our pool and gardens.
Oceanfront rooms have floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows overlooking the tropical gardens and the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean while our Cityview rooms have a direct view overlooking the Miami Beach cityscape.
Guestrooms draw upon the soft hues of sand and sea with custom designed wood furnishings and contrasting fabrics in varying shades of brown, cream and turquoise with orange accents. Spa inspired bathrooms feature all new fixtures including a rain shower head and agua colored mosaic tiles. With mood-evoking décor, The Palms transports guests to the antebellum era of majestic tropical estates while offering state-of-the-art amenities to provide an ideal retreat for unwinding.
Situated in the hotel's lower lobby, the 5,000 square foot facility features five multi-purpose treatment rooms including a luxurious couples suite with experience snail shower, a hydrotherapy room, an indoor/outdoor relaxation area with steam room, poolside Tiki cabanas for outdoor treatments, and a fitness room. Spa treatment rooms are equipped with docking stations for iPods and individual music channel controls so that guests can customize their sound choice for each treatment. The hydrotherapy room features the state-of-the-art HydroCapsule, the latest in spa equipment for body treatments, combining aroma-steam, Vichy-shower and hydro-color lighting therapy.
The Palms Hotel & Spa's Miami Beach restaurant, Essensia, follows a farm-to-table philosophy and features seasonal global cuisine with emphasis on premium local and sustainable ingredients. Essensia Lounge serves artisanal signature cocktails featuring herbs from the on-property Organic Chef's Garden, while the poolside Tiki Bar serves light meals and cocktails by the pool and on the beach.
Explore the pure essence of taste at our signature restaurant, where local, seasonal and organic ingredients are set to create a kaleidoscope of natural, gourmet flavors.
Indulge is a sensuous ambiance, natural signature cocktails and a wine list of completely sustainable, organic or biodynamic wines at Essensia Lounge.
Set at the edge of our tropical poolside, the Tiki Bar provides a one-of-a-kind setting for casual libations, complete with swaying palm trees, hammocks and a relaxing ocean breeze.
The Palms' luxury Aveda lifestyle spa features holistic treatments and rituals set to deliver a highly personalized experience. The 5,000 sq ft facilities include a series of multi-purpose rooms including a couple's suite, an indoor/outdoor relaxation area with steam room, poolside treatment cabanas, a full service beauty salon, a fitness room and an Aveda retail area.
Chic South Beach and its surrounding neighborhoods offer numerous Miami attractions for visitors young and old to enjoy. From world-class shopping, renowned museums and art galleries, to a fabulous culinary scene boasting a variety of cafes and restaurants and a hot nightlife scene, this destination bustles with exciting options, drawing visitors back year after year. Providing the best of both worlds, this South Beach hotel gives visitors convenient access to popular urban attractions with tranquil, tropical accommodations.


Stocks: Sharp Run Up, Or Down in January?
Q4 earningswill be reported in coming weeks, along with the dreaded changes in broker ratings and estimates for coming quarters. Expect sharp moves both ways.
I have warned of a correction exceeding 5% in Q1, indicating odds favored it starting in January.
That still may happen, trading has been sloppy and leadership is absent. Some of the selling this year is by investors opting to put profits in the 2014 tax year.
As we have seen, there is selective strength, just not across the board.
Today the bulls have the ball with a firm open expected.
There is some bounce in this market which should not be there if the BIG money is bailing.
The key to the upside will be how well today's rally holds its gain. There is no room for a rally failure where the market gives back all of its gain for the day.
My scan of the charts of each of the 30 Dow industrials is inconclusive except many have had substantial runs and need a rest.
Resistance starts at DJIA 16,515 (S&P 500: 1,845). Support is 16,427 (S&P 500:1,833).
Two things could help the bears. One, disappointing earnings for Q4. Two, if the 10-year Treasury rises well past 3.00%.
Obviously, the bulls would gain from better-than-expected earnings. I don't think they can count on much of a drop in interest rates.
Friday, Jan. 10, 2014 9:15 a.m.
The market is going to get whacked, it is a question of when. I think it's in Q1, and January is a good bet. Beyond that, it will be volatile with a number of great buying opportunities.
We had 11 corrections of 5% or more last year with two exceeding 15%.* While 5% corrections are unnerving, they are generally over in the matter of a week or two. It's the ones that exceed 5% that are like a sharp poke in the gut.
The greater than 5% ones are news-driven or technical. News driven start with a catalyst, an incident that is going to hang around unresolved for a while.
The technical ones reflect a momentary lapse in buying. Like a morning fog, they arrive, then suddenly lift.
A modest technical correction can become a greater one, if the market is hit with bad news as it is about to turn upward. That's when a 5 percenter becomes an 8-pecenter or worse.
One strategy for investors to employ under these conditions would be to buy a partial position in a stock they want to own, but feel it could be bought at a lower price after a market correction. If it goes higher, they are still making money. If it goes lower, they can average their cost.
Likewise, if an investor feels a position is vulnerable but believes it could still go higher, he can sell off part of the position. If it goes higher, sell the rest. If it goes lower, the higher sale averages out the shares sold at a lower price.
As simplistic as this strategy is, it is easy to overlook under pressure.
I AM GOING TO REPEAT THE FOLLOWING TO MAINTAIN AWARENESS OF THE POTENTIAL FOR A Q1 CORRECTION.
New addition planned: alert to stocks with emerging technical patterns with potential. In a prolonged downturn, I would alert readers to stocks with vulnerable patterns. All on the drawing board.
Needs a big buyer to reverse its 10-day slump. $540 support broken, next support $534.
Picked up a seller. Some support at $185.90. Breaking that, IBM can drop to $183 - $184. Stock had big 17-day run to $190. Correction not out of line.
Resistance has been formidable in the 20's, but Wednesday's and yesterday's slight rebound suggest PHM will try to break through resistance at $20 once again.
Goldman Sachs really skewered this one when it downgraded it to a sell from a buy. Breaking $51, stock can drop to the $46 - $48 area, though there is some support at $51.50.
Nike (NKE:$77.09) Positive but close to turning negative.
Selling pressure continues, but volume spike late Wednesday indicates NKE is attracting some interest.. Nevertheless, Wednesday's action for the rest of the day was ugly, Thursday, as well. Stock needs a one or two day reversal on increased volume to turn it upward. Resistance at $79 was too formidable so NKE must probe for support strong enough to support another shot at breaking $79 en route to the low 80s. Odds of that are fading.
through. Buyer may return today. Support $27.50.
Needs a break above $28.90.to improve its pattern.
Attempt to break out and run ran into sellers second day in a row, suggesting consolidation may continue and stock can slip lower ($143.60 - $144).
After three good days in a row AMZN hit a 52-week new high at $406.89, but sellers stepped in. Support is $396. Resistance is $402.
Pandora Media (P:$32.78) Positive. Up 15% this week.
Stock is responding to positive "listener" data news for 2013 year. Support is now $32, but this is a very volatile and irrational stock. Could go to $36 or $30 in one day.
Netease (NTES: $79.77) Listed here (12/23) at $74.51. Reversed after hitting 52-week high $84.35.
Spirit Airlines (SAVE: $48.07) Listed here (12/23) at $46.06.
Cognex (CGNX: $37.29)Listed here (12/23) at $36.09. Correcting after 6-point run up, Support $35.60.
While the number of economic reports is light, there are several key ones. Also, the FOMC releases its minutes which may shed light on the timing of future tapers.
ADP Employment (8:15) 238,000 in Dec. vs. 205,000 Nov.
Employment Situation (8:30) Projected: Nonfarm payrolls Dec. 74,000 vs. 241 (revised). The Unemployment Rate dropped to 6.7%.
Dec 24 DJIA 16,294 Buyer Panic ? Or Seller Ambush ?
Dec 31 DJIA16,504 Forecast: Get Ready for a Wild Ride !


I promised Sharyn November, my editor, that I would thank a lot of people and not say anything embarrassing, so I guess I'll start by thanking some people because I'm fairly sure I'll get that part right. So I'll begin by thanking the Printz Committee, YALSA, and the ALA, for choosing Tales of the Madman Underground as an honor book.
This is going to be something of a story and a bit of literary philosophy and a burble through the tulgey wood; I don't have much ability to talk about one thing at a time. But I'll thank a lot of people, and if I say something embarrassing, I'll cover it up by thanking some more people.
I want to thank the high school friends that no one knew were my friends, the original Madmen, who weren't very much like the ones in the book, of course, because life doesn't select our friends for dramatic purposes, nor does it array their problems to provide well-timed crises and comic relief.
I hope it's obvious why I cannot and never will name any of the other real-life Madmen. But they know who they are, and the ones who are still alive, amazingly to me, are mostly still in touch. Without them, I'd have survived my adolescence some other way – I'm not going to say anything as silly as "I'd never have made it," that phrase should be reserved for mountain rescue, surgeons, and combat buddies – but without them I'd have gone through those years in a different way, and I'd be some different person, who, if he wrote, would write different things. So more than anything else, the original Madmen are the people I couldn't have done it without.
After that, there are a couple of people in the dedication who did two vital things; first, they always let me talk, yet again, about the book that I really ought to write some day, about the strangeness of having been in a secret clique built around a therapy group in high school. Then when I had talked too much about it, which I inevitably did for more than a decade, and they decided it was time to shut me up on the subject, they always did so by urging me to write it. There is no better way to shut a writer up. So my thanks to Ashley Grayson, my agent of twenty-seven years, and to Jessica Tate, my research assistant for three years, and my friend forever.
So one day when I was dead sure my writing career was over – and had many good reasons to think so -- and really didn't believe that I could even deliver the one book I had left on any contract, I sat down and committed an act of complete irresponsibility (This is not an unusual thing for me): Ignoring bills, friends, and everything else, in about two months, I wrote a long first-person rant by a character named Karl Shoemaker.
Karl ranted his way through most of the story and characters as they stand now, but most of it wasn't in scenes, wasn't visualized, wasn't realized much at all. Sections of it, I thought, had pretty good voice, and chunks of it here and there were funny or possibly moving.
The experience had supplied me with a burst of energy and a feeling that I didn't actually hate my occupation quite so much; besides, for two months when Jes gave me a daily phone call and asked if I'd written anything, I could say yes. Then after that Ashley had a new book of mine to peddle. Neither of those things had been true in quite a while.
Then we come to the person who not only read it, but liked it, and called up Ashley and said she liked it so much that she wanted to force me to make it good – and that was Sharyn November. Sharyn really tolerated anything as long as it was good, but nothing second rate or just-get-it-done was acceptable. This drove me, eventually, and across years when it was still hard to write anything, to the point of just sitting down and thinking, moment to moment, all right, what would Karl say? What would Karl think? How would he decide? How would people react? Moment by moment and second by second, and the strange thing is that very little of the plot, of what happened in Tales of the Madman Underground, ever changed; it just got more detailed and real. Now that wasn't what Sharyn was telling me to do – it was what she was causing me to do. She was making me write just-a-novel.
By just-a-novel I mean a long story in which a thinking, perceiving consciousness witnesses things – including its own actions – and changes. The changes in the consciousness are the record, or the memory, of those actions – just the way that my memory of the original Madmen is recorded in the person I became because of what we went through together.
How that happens is the puzzle at the heart of the problem of any novel, and it seems to me that some of the best novels are just-a-novel because they aren't anything else – they are not games or intellectual puzzles or physics textbooks or self-help lectures or polemics or masturbatory aids or excuses to fantasize about violence – they are just-a-novel, meaning that the central thing they are doing is what Chekhov was talking about when he said that his real fascination was two people making small talk in a room while all the time they are deciding or causing their future happiness or ruin.
"Just-a-novel" means assembly of ordinary incidents that somehow, out of the simple craft of getting them down on paper as accurately as you can, come together into something huge and human and too complex for essays or slogans or trivia quiz answers.
Now, to achieve that, the novelist has to give up "I'm going to tell people how it ought to be" and pick up "I'm going to get this stuff down and it's about getting it down just right, not about what it is." It's Christopher Isherwood's credo: I am a camera.
That is, to write just-a-novel, you have to do the sort of thing that Sharyn was pushing me to do when she kept insisting that things rang false, or didn't work, or were bothering other readers she brought in. It's what being a novelist is about, in my peculiar opinion: having nothing to say, nothing to advocate, no position -- and everything to perceive and record and structure.
I am happy to be here today, and to have found my way into the modern young adult novel, because nowadays, the young adult novel is the last refuge of just-a-novel. You can't do that kind of writing much in adult genre fiction because the adults who read it read for escape – this is just as true of the adults reading a deeply felt meaningful novel of a man's midlife crisis as it is of adults reading about the space marines blowing up the octopus people. They want you to build them a theme park, not show them how interesting the junk in their garage is. For the most part, adults who read fiction for pleasure are enjoying a brief time out of their difficult, unpredictable, pointless, mundane world and into a world where the rules and goals and everything else are simpler and more reliable. And considering what most lives are like, there's no reason to condemn that escape; C.S. Lewis rightly said that the only people who don't like escape are jailers.
In literary and academic fiction – the other major part of adult fiction – despite all the fine exceptions, it seems to me that for the most part you also can't do that trick of letting meaning just emerge from honest perception and rigorous recording in contemporary literary fiction, because today the high end of our literature is overwhelmingly the realm of bien pensant and idées reçues – notice the concepts are so threatening that we have to speak French to talk about them? You'd think we were doing something dirty here, and in fact bien pensant thoughts, and idées reçues, are things nearly all educated adults indulge in while pretending they don't, so perhaps leaving them in French really is something like spelling in front of the children.
What I mean is that much of adult literary fiction consists in taking the story material and linking it to a set of ideas that the reader uses to identify himself or herself as a superior reader. There is a set of attitudes and beliefs that doesn't change much from decade to decade, a marvelous feeling of enlightenment that people get by congratulating themselves on the fine things they consume, and the re-exercising of those attitudes, by relating them to fresh material, is what a great deal of published literary fiction is about.
But teenagers, bless their cranky independence, are different from adults. They read because they're stuck with nothing else to do and they're trying to figure the world out, and that means they want, some of the time, to get into the world, not escape it, and want to do the figuring and don't want to be told how to figure it.
· Here's a collection of someone else's experiences, structured and ordered for your better perception.
· Here it is, what the writer could get down on paper, seen as accurately and recorded as clearly as ability allows.
· Take, look, see, explore, toss it aside if there's nothing there for you.
· Dig at the parts that you like.
· Figure it's one more picture from one more camera – the camera that the writer is.
· And maybe it'll help you see something you would not have otherwise.
So in getting me to write a good book for teenagers, Sharyn was bringing me back into the world of writing just-a-novel well, as opposed to producing words to sell.
And then after that there was the amazing, awesome experience of Viking's production and marketing people, who kept repeating to me that the book was good, and that it needed to be packaged and sold as well as it deserved, and who just pushed and pushed to make that happen. It had been a long time, not just my long period of not writing fiction much, but an even longer time within the publishing world, since someone acted like one of my books was good or deserved anything, and I can't begin to tell you the difference that made in how I experience my life as a writer; by the time the Printz Committee called, I was astonished and happy, but at least it was within my frame of reference that someone might like one of my books, and when the call came, I didn't hang up under the impression that some soon-to-be-former friend was playing an especially cruel practical joke. I'm writing regularly again and I kind of think I'll stick with it for a while, and I do think some of what is to come will be pretty good; in 2003 or 2004 I don't know if I could have said that and meant it.
Here I am at the end of the "thanking" stuff and I'm happy to see that by telling that part of the story at such length, I've left myself very little time in which to "not be embarrassing." So the final group of people I'd like to thank, via YALSA, is your real constituency: young adult readers. What I wish you could say to those readers on my behalf is that because they demand and keep alive a space in literature where writers are free to write just-a-novel; and because that turned out to be the thing I needed most; they are the ones who made me a writer, as opposed to an ex-writer. I'm glad people liked Tales of the Madman Underground and had space for it on their shelves, but I am grateful beyond words for the gift of a space in the world of fiction, in which to do the real work, and to write just-a-novel. That is something like the space those original Madmen created for me so long ago – a chance to do what I needed to do and be what I needed to be. Tell your teen readers that I can't possibly write anything good enough to pay you back completely, but thanks to your generosity, I get the chance to try, over and over. Thank you.


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text:
Q: Ionic + React.js: Warning: Each child in a list should have a unique "key" prop I am utilizing firebase for the database and Ionic + React for mobile app. I already converted my firebase data into array but when I want to map the values. It tells me that it should have a unique key, but I already put a unique key in my return function in the element. Can someone tell me what did I do wrong? Thanks.
Here is my code in converting objects to array
const Tab2: React.FC = () => {
  const [doctors, setDoctor] = React.useState([]);

  useIonViewWillEnter(()=>{
    console.log('Enter')
    firebase.database().ref('users').orderByChild('type').equalTo('doctor').on('value',(snapshot)=>{
          setDoctor(Object.keys(snapshot.val()).map(key => ({ [key]: snapshot.val()[key] })))
        })
    console.log(doctors)

  })

And in my return
        <IonList>
        {doctors.map(elem => {
            return(
              <IonItem key={elem['uid']}>
              <IonLabel>
                <IonText className="font-weight: bold;">

{elem['name']}

                </IonText>

{elem['speciality']}

{elem['email']}

              </IonLabel>

            </IonItem>
            )
          })}
        </IonList>

What I got is Warning: Each child in a list should have a unique "key" prop.
My firebase structure

Update: the console.log(doctors) will only output an empty array like this [] and i dont know why. I already put it in a method before the component enter.

A: Note: thats just a warning, not an error.
This is the right approach.
<IonList>
  {doctors.map((elem, index) => {
    // index has to come from the second parameter from map

    return (
      <IonItem key={index}>
        <IonLabel>
          <IonText className="font-weight: bold;">

{elem["name"]}

          </IonText>

{elem["speciality"]}

{elem["email"]}

        </IonLabel>

      </IonItem>
    );
  })}
</IonList>;

The index must be placed in the first/parent div element. In this case it will be <IonItem>
ref: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/map
Also as per you're not getting the data. Adjust your code like so. You just have to create a new arr, and move through snapshot to get a key.
pushing the object with the respective key to a new arr, so it can be iterable without specific key names such as eA9w5ynhqN9iT7kKDBt2Ane9VF3
useIonViewWillEnter(() => {
  console.log("Enter");
  let newArr = [];
  firebase
    .database()
    .ref("users")
    .orderByChild("type")
    .equalTo("doctor")
    .on("value", (snapshot) => {
      let key;
      snapshot.forEach((childSnap) => {
        key = childSnap.key; // im just getting the key
        const snapVal = snapshot.val(); // getting the object
        newArr.push(snapVal[key]);
      });
      setDoctor(newArr);

      // console.log(doctors)
    });
});

A: try adding the key prop to each child as well as each element inside children and it will work.
your code should look like this:
<IonList>
    {doctors.map(elem => {
        return(
          <IonItem key={elem['uid']}>
          <IonLabel key={"lbl-" + elem['uid']}>
            <IonText key={"txt-"+elem['uid']}className="font-weight: bold;">

{elem['name']}

            </IonText>

{elem['speciality']}

{elem['email']}

          </IonLabel>

        </IonItem>
        )
      })}
</IonList>

if you noticed i added lbl-, txt- before the key and that to avoid another warning:
"Warning: flattenChildren(...): Encountered two children with the same key,


A Thing To Do Tomorrow: Things To Do Tomorrow in Washington, D.c.
Need something to do today? Check out A Thing To Do Today in Washington, D.c..
Here's A Thing To Do Tomorrow in Washington, D.c..
Discover ideas for indoor and outdoor events and activities to see, do, visit and experience tomorrow for Washington, D.c.. Have an adventure.
Have a lunchtime of glorious music.
Seven thousand pipes are attached to the organ at the National City Christian Church ( at 5 Thomas Circle NW in Washington DC) - and on Fridays, they're fired up for a free lunchtime concert. Check the schedule (occasionally other instruments are substituted) and turn up for 12.15pm to listen to glorious classical music in your lunch hour.
A Thing To Do Tomorrow generates things to do and places to go tomorrow, online and offline, this spring, for Washington, D.c. and beyond - whether you're visiting Washington, D.c. or a Washington, D.c. resident. To see another thing to do, just reload the page. Find out more about the site, or for comments, suggestions, corrections, donations, or just to say hi, email john@athingtodotoday.com. Or check out social media @athingtodo.


Touted as simple and quick, downhill races seize the eye of runners hoping to snag a Boston qualifying time or a brand new PR. And though net-downhill marathons such because the California Worldwide or St. George races do ship a whole lot of runners to Hopkinton each April, in addition they destroy quads, and in some circumstances, completely derail any hopes of a speedy time.
Downhill working is a breaking—or eccentric—motion, muscle tissues improve pressure as they lengthen. "Runners don't usually have large eccentric contractions when working on flat terrain, so when working extended durations downhill, this actually beats up the physique and causes the delayed onset muscle soreness that everybody experiences," defined Bolton.
Downhill coaching ought to be progressively constructed right into a coaching plan, taking distance and velocity into consideration. "Begin with some shorter downhill repeats and construct to include an extended downhill part right into a late part of a long term," instructed Bolton. Specializing in correct posture can also be useful as a result of it incorporates different main muscle teams such because the glutes and hamstrings. "There's no option to get round utilizing the quads," mentioned Bolton, "however not loading them is useful." Don't lean again an excessive amount of, lean into the downhill, and hinge on the ankles and hips.


I sat on the couch today wanting to write. I have so many things to say. I thought to myself: Sad or Happy? It can go either way. Our family's life is like that every day. Ups and downs, slow moving time, speeding out of control. I decided I'd figure it out when I start. But first I wanted to find the perfect picture to put in the post. I broke down more today than I have done in a very long time. Looking at all the happy times. It was definitely a big down. I don't want everything I write to bring tears. It's so hard being a parent and a family who has lost someone. You want to feel good so badly, but then the fear sets in: I shouldn't have the right to feel good; I haven't hurt as much as Gabby did. I realize I will get comments saying it's okay to feel good, Gabby would want us to. But it's easier to say those things than feel them.
I know I have said all this before and I will keep saying it. Believe you can be a better person, believe in your children, and believe that all things happen for a reason. Even if that reason isn't clear and makes no sense. Even if you hate what happened and will never accept it. All you can do is try to enjoy this rollercoaster of life the best you can. Because eventually the ride will come to a stop, the park will close and it's time to go home. You'll never be able to feel the same way and have the exact same experience on that ride ever again. So realize that while you're on it. Smile, be scared, be sad, belly laugh, Do it all you deserve it, your family deserves it. You all deserve it together.
Someone commented that we don't need a foundation to make a difference. We should work on the foundation of our family earlier again this week. Again it wasn't said with Malice. I understood what she was saying. I need to address it in two different ways.
Carolynn and I understand how important it is to make sure they are with us, to make sure they understand we know what they are going through. And we will be there everyday to remind them.
Secondly, for those of you who have children. Imagine the first touchdown your son scores, the homerun your daughter or son hits, the 1st place they take in the spelling bee. How they look when they drive the first time. The pride you feel watching them. In your mind you say, " That's my boy! That's my girl! It's a great feeling.
I have had those times with all my daughters. I have had them with Gabby. I look at how brave she was the last 3 months of her life and I'm sad and proud at the same time. The Get Well Gabby Foundation in memory of Gabriella Martha Vogel is another way Carolynn and I can say: That's my daughter, she did that! She changed the world! She helped others not just in the short five years of her life but for the remainder of ours and longer. That's why it's so important to us. We want the homerun, the prom queen, and the spelling bee champ for Gabby, but that's not possible. This is.
Thursday the paperwork will get the final review, it will be a reality. The foundation will start to make a difference for a family on Valentines Day if we can raise the money. Valentines day was always a special day for me and the three girls. I would get them each a small toy and sneak a small box of heart shaped chocolate under their pillow as they slept. I've done this for nine years. They all know it's coming but are excited each year. I broke down in a Valentine's section of a craft store the other day. And decided this year Gabby"s foundation will surprise a little warrior this year.
So I plead to you all, help us! Tell everyone if they are looking for an amazing cause, an amazing place to donate towards a foundation that will work till they drop making sure the donations go to the right place. Please spread the word about Gabby's foundation. Help Carolynn, The girls and I be able to say: That's our girl, That's our sister!
Earlier this week I was watching people surf on the bay using huge Kites to drag them through the water. It was so beautiful to watch as the sun started going down. I was happy, then sad. Another beautiful moment followed by a drop when reality set in. I posted something to the other parents starting this battle, It took me a while to realize it, and don't get me wrong at times I say to myself that's BS this is horrible, life is horrible. What I realized is the road all of us are on now has lots of ups and downs. A lot more downs in the beginning and even more if something terrible happens like your baby earns their wings. But the one thing you can never forget is there will be an up eventually. The job you need to do for your family and yourself is just wait for the next up. Believe it will happen. It will.
I have been following your family's story from the time Gabby was diagnosed. Please don't let others criticism of what you write/how you write them, etc. detract you from blogging. I cannot fathom the pain of losing a child. I do have an older friend, however, who lost a child many years ago, and instead of venting her anger, hurt, grief, etc. she turned it inward, and to this day, she is a very angry and sad person who will lash out at a moment's notice. It breaks my heart. Her pain is palpable because she locked it inside.
There will be ups, and there will be downs, like you said. Know that there are those of us who will ride them with you.
Elaine- I also know a woman who lost her three sons all at separate times, she too is locked inside herself. She sometimes is a mean and sharp tongued person who picks her feelings out on others. I think people need to vent, scream, say whatever crazy thing they are thinking so they can heal and try to move on. John and his kids will be OK, they are venting, crying, laughing, and sticking together. They also want to help others. That's what important, to make this bad thing have something good come out of it. I am sure their girls will grow up to be very strong, compassionate girls. Although their family seems broken to them now, the work they are putting into getting it back together will make it tougher then cement. They believe, and people like you and I care. Together we can all make a difference. Maybe someday, another little blonde haired girl will have a chance to win their fight, and maybe it will be because of Gabby's foundation.
There are times when I see how much pain my friend is in, and I feel helpless. Unfortunately, I am one of the people that she will lash out at. I know it is the pain talking, but it hurts nonetheless.
I have found that as I have been dealing with my own pain I'm unable to listen to the pain of others. Usings FB and your blog page are an outlet to allow you to lay that burden in another place. And to maybe say something that you just can't say aloud. YELL IF YOU NEED TO YELL!!!! You above all have that right. Bless your sweet baby girl and family during this time. My thoughts are with you.
Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts and feelings. I've said this before, I have no idea how you get through each day. I believe. And I think that Gabby's foundation is a wonderful way to say that is MY daughter and I am SO proud of her. She is an inspiration to me and to my daughter, who has her own health issues. She had open heart surgery and a liver transplant at 12 weeks from a rare genetic liver disease. She's 13 now. But… she is trying to raise money to donate to Gabby's foundation. She's ordering bracelets to sell "Help for Hopes", her idea, in pink, for Gabby, and is going to sell them at school and donate all the proceeds to Gabby's foundation. Gabby inspired her immensely.
beautifully written John! Your family is still always in my prayers!
I have followed Gabby's brave story for quite sometime and I appreciate the fact that you are so open and honest about your feelings. I do have a seriously ill daughter (not with cancer but still life threatening) and I have felt sometimes how you describe feeling. It does help me to know other's go through the same feelings and that it is okay.
My daughter is only two and is one of the bravest angels I know (much like your beautiful Gabby is to you). I always read all of your post and would like to say thank you for sharing your family with us.
This has nothing to do with losing a child but it has everything to do with being honest and open about your feelings, no matter how unattractive or ugly they may be so you may heal.
I was in a marriage to an alcoholic for about 7 years. He drank 8 days out of ten and was unpredictable. Sometimes he was funny, sometimes he was sweet but much of the time he ended up being angry and violent. Most days I would drive home from work with a knot in my stomach not knowing "who" was going to waiting for me. The nice guy or the angry guy? I also had to be a good mother through this trying time.
On really bad nights he would either leave late or not come home for hours. I realized it was time to get out- that I had lost the battle when I started praying not for him to come home safely but for him to wrap his vehicle around a tree without hurting anyone else. Those feelings were terrifying and embarassing to me and I wondered what kind of person I must be to want that to happen to my own husband.
When I got out and began getting counseling I learned that these feelings are normal and are part of the survival process- they helped me to extract myself from a horrible situation. A few years later I was counseling a woman in a similar situation and I shared those feelings with her she broke down and thanked me for being so honest because she felt the same way and was afraid all the awful things her husband said about her were true.
Honesty, no matter how ugly or raw, is still honest. And it will help someone to realize that the confusing and scary thoughts that run through their minds are part of the healing process.
Keep sharing and don't hold back. You are doing more for Gabby's memory and for other families suffering through this with your honesty than a million dollars can do.
The way I see it……..Precious Gabby would have made a difference in this world had she had more time. She would have changed/done something!!! The foundation is her chance to change the world and make a difference…she just needs you to fill out the paperwork!!
We are still fighting gor Calli, and now my mother in law. Calli reads your twitter posts each day… We are living it, each day I am reminded how Gabby and Calli got diagnosed in the same week, and that my baby is here, and yours is not. Each day I treasure… You keep writing, we are too- it heals, not just you… It helps me feel normal, others too. Blessings to your precious family. Please keep Hoping and Praying and believing for Calli.
I am so grateful for your honest blogs. I suffer from depression and you always have a way of helping me to see the light….the "ups"! Gabby has and will continue to change hearts and lives,through her foundation! I hope to join you in the fight and make a difference in the lives of others! I believe!!!!
Anne Marie, you said it – I am in a similar situation, and I feel the same way about John's writings.
I am looking forward to (eventually) reading "The Book Of Get Well Gabby", because John and family inspire me – I hope to read the whole story, and it would probably be a great fundraiser.
Hope you get to feel better soon Anne Marie.
Thank you for opening up your heart to all of us! Because of you and your constant reminder of how important family is, I kiss my kids heads at every chance I get throughout the day and while they sleep at night. I appreciate the fact that you have made me more aware of the blessings I have. You were most certainly blessed with an incredible family as well and it is magnificent to see how incredible your kids lives are thanks to great parents like you! God bless!
Always believing in your beautiful Gabby!
Your writings are truly amazing.
Please continue bringing awareness so others can believe as well.
You guys continue to impress me with your courage,honestly,and love for your family. I have been following Gabbys story since the very beginning. She has definately changed my life and the lives of so many others. I have gotten so many to go to her page and click like because I want to share with them as well. Both my parents and grandparents have had Cancer and I lost my little boy age 2 in 2004. My life has been the roller coaster you described so well. I know Gabbys foundation will grow in leaps and bounds. I want to stop cancer in its tracks. It is horrible and takes so many lives and so many innocent beautiful children away from the family who so loves them. Keep posting and keep telling your feelings exactly as they are. Your honesty is amazing to me and is a great way of healing for you and your family. I am glad the foundation is getting ready to take off. Gabby will always be alive in the hearts of so many. Take Care and we all love you guys. Believe!!!
Your words are beautiful and inspiring. The honesty is breathtaking. I am so thankful that you have turned something so negative, destroying and uncomprehensible into finding a cure and helping someone who is going through what you have been through. I truly believe if you help one person, then you have succeeded. But the beauty of this foundation is that you will help more than one person, you will encourage all parents to love what they have and not to take it for granted, and most of all, you will help us all believe. You will help Gabby live on forever….in our hearts, in our minds, and in something that we can all see and be a part of. Lots of love to you, the girls and your wife. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Thank you for believing.
Are you taking enough time to sleep, or are you running on adrenalin?


text:
Feinstein fights to deny Democratic rival official party nod
SACRAMENTO (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is tapping into her political Rolodex to convince California Democratic Party leaders to not formally endorse a candidate in her November race against fellow Democrat Kevin de Leon.
She says it's to avoid an intraparty fight, but her effort if successful will thwart her longshot rival's very real chance at capturing the party nod when the committee votes Saturday.
A 26-year incumbent like Feinstein wouldn't ordinarily find herself in this position but does for a couple of reasons: The party has moved farther left in the Trump era, and Feinstein hasn't spent time courting the activists who make up the executive board, many of whom have long been skeptical of her. De Leon, meanwhile, has engaged with them for years as a state senator from Los Angeles and former leader of the chamber.
A party endorsement would be a desperately needed boost to his campaign and an embarrassment to Feinstein.
She made the case against endorsement to party leaders through letters and emails featuring political allies including Planned Parenthood of California chief executive Crystal Strait, labor icon Dolores Huerta and former state party Chairman John Burton.
Six Democratic candidates seeking to flip Republican-held U.S. House seats critical to the party's hopes of taking back Congress also implored delegates not to weigh in. Feinstein and fellow California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris hosted a fundraiser Wednesday night in Washington for those six candidates and two others.
"A divisive party endorsement for U.S. Senate would hurt all down ballot candidates and our ability to turn out Democrats we desperately need to vote in November," their letter warned. "We urge you to vote no endorsement and let the respective campaigns make their own case to voters for the general election."
The letter angered de Leon backers.
"They're trying to send some sort of message that if you support Kevin de Leon you'll be seen as a spoiler and not playing nice in Democratic Party politics," said RL Miller, chair of the party's environmental caucus and an executive committee member.
Members like Miller say de Leon has more progressive bonafides as the author of California's so-called sanctuary state law and bills to expand clean energy. Feinstein, for her part, voted against ending a government shutdown earlier this year without protections for young immigrants living in the country illegally after some protested outside her office. She also recently reversed her long-held support for the death penalty, an issue she used in the 1990s to show her independence from her party.
De Leon nearly won the endorsement at the party convention last winter but fell just short of the 60-percent threshold needed in a vote by thousands of delegates. Feinstein later demolished him in the June primary, 44 percent to 12 percent. Under California's top-two system, he still advanced to the November election because he finished second in the field of more than 30 candidates.
Round two of the party endorsement fight comes this weekend, when about 360 executive board members gather in Oakland. De Leon's campaign and party officials believe he's in reach of capturing the endorsement. Beyond garnering headlines, it means the party would spend money on de Leon's behalf and promote him alongside other Democratic candidates such as gubernatorial nominee Gavin Newsom.
Winning the endorsement is all but essential to de Leon's ability to broaden his name recognition and run a credible campaign against Feinstein, one of California's best-known politicians who has millions more in the bank to make her case.
As the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein will be center stage in the battle over President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee.
Feinstein's campaign disputes that she's worried about de Leon securing the endorsement and instead, said she's adhering to party Chairman Eric Bauman's call for candidates in Democrat-on-Democrat races not to divide the party by seeking the endorsement. The two Democrats running against each other for lieutenant governor agreed not to seek an endorsement.
Mike Levin, who is running to replace retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, is among the Democrats who signed Feinstein's letter. He said he did so to promote party unity and ensure Democrats are focused on the right races.
"The Party's focus should be on flipping as many red to blue seats as possible, rather than on races where we are guaranteed of having a Democrat win in November," he said in an email.
De Leon, meanwhile, is working hard to make his pitch to delegates. Spokesman Jonathan Underland said California Democrats deserve a debate on issues that they haven't had during Feinstein's more than quarter-century in office.
He called any criticism of de Leon's choice to seek the endorsement "absolutely comical," noting that he earned the support of 54 percent of delegates in February and has more support among local Democratic clubs.
For Bauman, the party chair, the more energy spent on a Feinstein-de Leon battle, the less left for more important Democratic fights. "A key part of what I am trying to do is minimize the intra-party tension and battling that's going on," he said.
Brad Paisley happy to be butt of jokes in variety TV special
California drenched or blanketed in snow after powerful holiday storm
Gabrielle Union speaks out amid reports she's off NBC talent show
PG&E says blackouts limited fires


text:
Minnesota Manufacturing Jobs
Aerotek General Production Worker in Savage, Minnesota
This company is a manufacturer of Precast concrete. Precast is the casting and finishing of concrete slabs, before placing in position. Precast concrete is widely used in low- and mid-rise apartment buildings, hotels, motels, office builds, and nursing homes. All PPE besides steel-toe boots will be provided by the company.
AM - $18.00
PM - $18.45
12am – 12pm $18.45
6pm – 6am $18.25
Candidates must also be ready to work on Saturdays frequently.
There are 2 areas that a candidate could work in, either casting (indoors) or in the
yard (outside).
Mix and move concrete
Perform finishing of the concrete
Lifting 65+ pounds
General cleaning duties
Other duties as necessary
Will interview and start ASAP
About Aerotek:
We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing® Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at Aerotek.com.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
Aerotek Jobs
General Production Worker
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This series was taken by the grave site of the Poincaré family at the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris. Henri Poincaré is a very famous mathematician, who influence much of the work done in my day job as an optical scientist. He developed something that is now referred to as the Poincaré sphere to represent the polarization state of light. So, one might call this cube the "Poincaré Cube."


A back brace, commonly prescribed by a doctor to treat back pain caused by pre-existing spinal deformities, is a device designed to limit spinal mobility of motion in either post-operative fusions or as a preventative measure for experiencing other progressive conditions that add to one's back pain.
With a staggering 80% of Americans that have experienced forms of back pain at least one time in their lives, back pain management is of high demand. There are many different back braces to choose from to provide addiction back support and to alleviate painful areas. With these many choices of back braces available to those in need, one can live a happy, active lifestyle without having to worry about adding additional stress or injury to their lower back and spinal area.
Wearing a back brace can not only aid in the overall alleviation of back pain, but it may also help to correct and/or prevent from spinal deformities. Acting as a fantastic alternative to invasive treatments for back pain, back braces offer compression support to stabilize the back and relieve pain in specified areas.
Advancements in back brace technology provide superior support for spinal injuries, pain reduction and management of chronic spinal conditions, ergonomic designs combined with innovative materials to allow these back braces to perfectly contour to one's body. These advancements are especially helpful for those in need of support immediately following a surgical procedure on the back and/or spinal area.
By immobilizing injured areas and limiting one's range of motion, those that suffer from back pain are significantly decreasing their chances of inflicting additional pressure to affected areas. This particular type of motion restriction also aids in preventing or correcting a spinal deformity that can cause even more severe pain.
Minimizing one's pain and facilitating healing is of crucial importance to anyone living with acute or chronic back pain. Back braces are both cost-effective and provide many benefits that help to alleviate back pain so that one can participate in their regular daily activities in comfort.
How and Why Do Back Braces Work to Alleviate Back Pain?
A back brace works by providing additional support to different lower back structures, as well as the intricate bones and muscles of the lower back and spinal areas. These braces stabilize the spine to prevent from experiencing further spinal conditions, such as arthritis, scoliosis, osteoporosis, sciatica, ruptured or bulging disks, etc.
Working to effectively and quickly restore one's functionality by providing direct compression to affected areas or over-worked muscles, these back braces help to relieve muscle spasms and muscle fatigue. The amount of compression and support that back braces provide significantly reduces pain and relived excessive demand that is placed on specific joints of the spinal area.
Those that have minor to severe back pain may find that wearing a back brace provides them with an optimum level of compression, comfort, and support while being an excellent alternative to potentially risky and invasive spinal procedures. If you are experiencing back pain and are in need of a cost-effective pain-relief device, then a high-quality back brace may just be the right solution for you.