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Laos has a unique charm of a relish sleepy place, with ever-friendly people and great natural beauty. The upper Mekong river runs through the entire country – from the famed northern Golden Triangle to the southern tip, leaving behind a blissful magnificence.
THE MAGNIFICENCE OF LAOS
A land of bottomless serenity and beauty
Spectacular riverine sceneries
A cruise along the upper Mekong is a mesmerizing journey, meandering between countless river bends and captivating landscapes. The river, the mountains, the jungles, the shores, the hidden villages, and the rocks which embrace this river all feel untouched, while the therapeutic sounds of running water and nature puts one's mind at ease. At some points the river becomes narrow, flanked by jungle cladded mountains, at others it gushes and cascades through the rocks and rapids, and in particular areas tranquil waters flow calmly past sandbanks and settlements.
There is a certain juxtaposition about the river – ever-changing yet not changing at all – though always a blissful experience to explore the charm of Laos along the Mekong.
Captivating ethnic minorities
and riverside hamlets
In contrast to being one of Asia's least densely populated nations (7 million inhabitants and roughly the size of the UK), Laos is also one of the continent's most ethnically diverse. There are four main ethno-linguistic families: the Lao-Tai group (60%), Mon-Khmer (24%), Hmong-Lu Mien (10%), the Chine-Tibetan (3%). These four families are then divided into 50 ethnic groups, which can be further broken down into more than 200 ethnic subgroups. The majority of Laos's population lives along the banks of the Mekong or one of its many tributaries, and there is an especially high concentration of ethnic groups along the stretch of river between Luang Prabang and the Golden Triangle, including the Akha, Hmong, Mon, and Khmu. Many ethnic groups still retain their beliefs in Animism and worship their ancestors.
The most beautiful city
For many, the town of Luang Prabang is the most precious jewel of Southeast Asia. Home to over 30 Buddhist temples and monasteries, Luang Prabang's name literally translates to "Royal Buddha Image." With a population of just 55,000 (Vientiane 820,000), Luang Prabang is a quaint little town with an inescapable charm which can be attributed to its picturesque Banyan tree-lined street, the French-colonial influence, traditional wooden architecture, tranquil Buddhist feeling, and laissez-faire atmosphere. This remarkably well-preserved fusion gives the town its true distinction and status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1995).
To moodle through this enchanting town and idle time away is the best way to find out the charming, cultural heart of Laos.
Delightful local Artistry
Similar other Southeast Asian countries, Laos is also renowned for its natural silk crafts. But unlike its neighbours, Laos's premium silk products are completely organic and solely woven by hand. The weaving process may vary not just among the different regions of the country, but also between households as a result of techniques passed on from generation to generation. Each silk-woven item is truly unique, having its own distinguishing designs and patterns.
On average, a local silk weaver can create a metre of garment a day, but for some of the more intricate items it is often only a couple of centimeters. It can even take a villager more than a month of meticulous dexterity to finish a single garment.
The soul of Asia
When visiting Laos for the first time, one may notice immediately that something is different. Something that cannot be described in words floats invisibly through the air. Local encounters are embossed by a smile and admiration. Kindness, tenderness, compassion, empathy, or the slowness seems to emanate from every living soul; from the buildings and the nature. Buddhism, is a part of everything here. Some who experience Laos for the first time may be so captured by this peacefulness that they return over and over again.
This may be, or is, the only reason to visit this wonderful country.
Discover the treasures of the Upper Mekong with our exceptional cruise itineraries
Huay Xai – Luang Prabang or vice versa
A slow voyage along the timeless upper Mekong offering captivating landscapes, remote native communities and unique cultural insights coupled with interesting lectures and wonderful alfresco-dining experiences.
Huay Xai – Vientiane or vice versa
This longer cruise (7-Nights downstream, 9-Nights upstream) offers a blissful journey through beautiful Laos at a leisurely pace. Perfect to experience the unhurried riverine life with naturally stunning backdrops, paired with mesmerizing excursions and charming local rendezvous.
Interesting facts about Laos
Laos's Climate
Sabai sabai - Take it easy
When visiting Laos, one can be rest-assured that they will have an enjoyable experience regardless of time of the year. The best time to visit Laos is during the dry and relatively cool months from November to March. As a land-locked country, Laos's geography heavily influences the weather. For example, in the northern regions it can get quite chilly at night, especially during the winter months of December and January. From May to October, Laos (as all of the Southeast Asian countries) goes through its rainy season and the Mekong's water levels rise. Since rains are usually short and sharp, excursions and sightseeing should not be heavily impacted. But travelling during this period is also special, as vegetation is green, the locals are pleased about the rain and, above all, visitors can experience the true serenity and slow-paced charm of Laos during the low tourist season.
A brief History of Laos
How the past shapes the present
Many Laotians are the descendants of settlers from the Chinese province of Yunnan. In the 14th century, the first Lao kingdom was founded by Fa Ngum. He had grown up at the court of the Khmer king, where he learned more about Theravada Buddhism and introduced it to Laos to unite the many tribes in his lands. After 200 prosperous years, internal strife took hold and the then large kingdom started to crumble as parts of it were overtaken by the neighbouring Chinese, Siamese and Vietnamese. French colonization was soon to follow. After the Second World War, it was drawn into the Cold War and the Vietnam War due to its location. In the Laotian Civil War of 1975, King Savang Vatthana and his royalist Lao government was overthrown with the assistance of the Vietnam People's Army, giving birth to the 'Lao People's Democratic Republic' which exists to this day.
Be a Buddhist Monk
A Lao man has to do what a Lao Man has to do
In Laos, it is tradition for a boy or young man between the ages of 8 and 20 to shave their heads, don the saffron-coloured robe and become a novice monk. A novice typically joins a monastery with other novice monks and elder monks for a period of a few months to several years. Here, they rise at 4 AM every day to attend prayer followed by morning alms, then attend school and do chores until the sun sets. For many children in Laos, becoming a monk is often the only way to access and receive education. Because their teachers are often foreigners, it can be surprising how proficient they can be at speaking English in addition to French, German, or other languages. Rest assured, despite the strict schedule and intensive schooling, elder monks do encourage novices to just be boys during their free time – they can often be seen laughing and playing with each other just as any other child would do.
Topping the charts
Where Laos takes a front row seat
Laotians are the highest consumers of sticky rice (khao niaow) in the world. In fact, they refer to themselves as luk khao niaow meaning, "children of sticky rice." For centuries, sticky rice remains a fundamental portion of every meal in Laos. And surprisingly for a small country, Beer Lao is an award-winning national beer made from rice and yeast imported from Germany and malts from France. It won the Monde Selection gold quality awards in 2006 and 2010, and is arguably the tastiest national beer in Southeast Asia. Though Laos is a completely landlocked country, in the south of the country lies an incredible natural wonder – Si Phan Don, better known as the 4000 Islands. This is a riverine archipelago with countless sandy shores and tropical beach flair, making Laos the only country in Southeast Asia possessing so many islands in absence of the ocean.
This is Lao Power
The region's hydroelectric battery
Laos is home the longest stretch of the Mekong river (1,835 km/1,140 mi) among all countries the river runs through. Not only does the river offer plentiful food in the form of fish, water for irrigation, and a pathway for transportation of people and goods, but it also becoming the country's major natural source of energy production. With the first hydropower plant, Xayaburi Dam, opening 2019 and several more in development, Laos is set to bring in much needed revenue by becoming the battery of Southeast Asia (Xayaburi currently exports 95% of its generated electricity). Though seen as a clean and sustainable form of energy, if not plans are set in place to protect the environment, scientists fear these projects may have a negative impact on the Mekong's rich biodiversity as well as the river's agricultural and fishing activities which locals heavily depend on.
The Land of Elephants
The former name of Laos, "Lan Xang" literally means "Land of a Million Elephants". Though the country's national symbol once had an abundance of these mighty beasts, today their numbers have dwindled to around 400 domesticated 700 wild elephants due to massive bombing campaigns during the Vietnam war, the illegal ivory trade and habitat destruction. In ancient times, elephants were used to wage war and as the Royal Family's preferred method of transportation, while in modern times some are still being exploited by the logging industry. But fortunately, this practice, which often leads to overworked and malnourished elephants, has reduced dramatically in recent decades. And because it is not possible for a former logging elephant to survive in the wild, several sustainable elephant sanctuaries have been established across Laos, allowing these gentle giants to survive in a natural environment and giving them a second chance at life.
Lower Mekong (Vietnam & Cambodia)
Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay (Vietnam)
Ayeyarwady & Chindwin (Myanmar)
No sections added!
Explore the world of Heritage Line with our news, updates and stories
Lifestyle & More
Vietnamese Egg Coffee – Dessert in a Cup
While Vietnamese iced coffee takes the world by storm, egg coffee (cà phê trúng) is a lesser known treat with smoother, sweeter flavours – often likened to liquid tiramisu.
The Spectacular Kuang Si Falls
The majestic, cascading Kuang Si Falls along with its natural swimming pools and vibrant turquoise waters are truly a sight to behold, drawing countless visitors annually.
The Golden Touch – Gold Leaf Beating in Myanmar
Aptly nicknamed 'The Golden Land', Burma is known for its countless gold leaf-plated pagodas and statues. The process of hammering gold into thin sheets is known as goldbeating.
Info & Updates
Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay – Special Domestic Market Cruises
Heritage Line is proud to announce our special Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises for the Vietnamese domestic market. Experience the allure of the bay while saving 50% off our normal rates.
Calling of the Soul – The Laotian Baci Ceremony
One of the most important customs of Laotian culture is the revered Baci ceremony. The origins of this ritual stem from the ancient belief that the body has 32 guardian spirits, or kwan.
The History of Vietnamese Coffee – And How to Brew Your Own
At the turn of the 20th century, coffee was virtually non-existent in Vietnam. Nowadays, it is the world's second largest exporter while its signature 'ca phe sua da' is gaining in popularity.
The Krama – World's Most Versatile Garment
The traditional Krama scarf is worn by Cambodians of all walks of life, regardless of age, gender or social status. But more than just a fashion statement, it has a multitude of daily uses.
The Ayeyarwady River's Grand Second Defile
As Myanmar's most prominent waterway, the mighty Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River features three narrow river gorges flanked by steep vertical cliffs, otherwise known as 'defiles'.
Shwedagon Pagoda – Worth Its Weight in Gold (and Diamonds)
Like a shining beacon in the sky, the glittering Shwedagon Pagoda dominates the Yangon skyline. Most astonishing is the pagoda's gem-encrusted crown, valued at $3 billion USD.
The Pak Ou Caves of Laos
Situated on the Laotian upper Mekong River's rocky shore and opposite the mouth of the Nam Ou River are the mystical Pak Ou Caves, home to over 4,000 sacred Buddha statues.
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Varjo Aero Review: A Powerhouse Headset With Some Question Marks (Updated 2022)
When it works, the Varjo Aero offers a tantalizing glimpse of the future of VR. But a prevalent issue makes it hard to recommend right now. Read on for our Varjo Aero review.
Note: This review was originally published on October 21, 2021.
The Varjo Aero arrives much sooner than I thought it would. A recurring theme in my tech event calendar (back when that was a thing) was an annual stop to one of the Finnish company's booths to gawk at its latest, ridiculously impressive and equally expensive enterprise-focused VR headsets. I'd then ask the team if this was the year they planned to bring these devices to a consumer market, they'd say no, and we'd do it all again 12 months later.
Well, this year is a little different.
Varjo Aero Review Update – 01/26/2
As promised, we've gone back to testing the Aero ever since Varjo released the launch version of its Base software in December 2021, which the company said would improve the distortion when moving your head.
From what I've seen, there's definitive improvement on this front. Blurring has been reduced and, crucially, the quality of an image seems to remain consistent across the entire field of view, and not distort at the edges.
But the issue isn't entirely resolved. At this level of clarity, its still possible to point out blurring when you turn your neck, or outlines of objects ghosting. You'll still see more distortion here than you would in lower resolution headsets made by bigger companies. I'd just note that, on the whole, it seems to be a lot less distracting than it was a few months ago.
You can read the rest of our original review below, which points out the big benefits to the Varjo Aero, like the amazing clarity, and some other cons, like the curious shape of the lenses. Ultimately it's still an immensley performant and comfortable device that will give you the sharpest image quality yet seen in consumer VR, but the $2,000 price point makes it a device only for those ready to spare no expense, given stiff competition like new Pimax headsets are more are on the way.
No Varjo booth, obviously, but there is the Varjo Aero, a new high-end PC VR headset that the company is aiming at smaller commercial markets and — crucially — VR enthusiasts. You don't need to be a business to order one and you don't need to sign up to the company's expensive subscription software either.
In truth, I thought we'd be waiting many more years before Varjo would make its tech available to anyone and, in a sense that's still the case. The Aero is an eye-watering $1,990 for just the headset – VR controllers and the required base stations aren't included. It's not 'Varjo For All' so much as 'Varjo For Those With The Biggest Wallets'.
But the specs show where your money's going; on paper the Varjo Aero is nothing short of a VR powerhouse. The dual mini LED displays deliver a monstrous 2880 x 2720 resolution per eye with a 90Hz refresh rate and there's eye-tracking and automatic IPD adjustment too. With those specs and that price, you'd be well within your rights to assume the Varjo Aero offers nothing but the very best in consumer VR headsets today. And in many ways it does, but there's one important area that — currently at least — it falls short in. Let's get to that first.
Resolution & Clarity
Normally in a review I'd talk about the comfort and design upfront, but there's a sticking point to what I've experienced with the Varjo Aero that I thought was vital to highlight to give you context going forward.
So let's start with what has been my biggest issue in my time testing the headset. Yes the Aero is impeccably clear and I'll touch on that in a second, but over the past four weeks using the headset I've noticed significant peripheral distortion when rotating my head. As I look away from a virtual object or surface, it appears to warp as if not entirely solid. Only the very center of my view looks stable. It's incredibly distracting (which, ironically, is only enhanced by the clarity of the display).
In pretty much all the apps I've tested, including big-budget titles like Half-Life: Alyx and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and indie projects like Gorn and Sweet Surrender, it's been a noticeable issue.
Crucially, Varjo itself knows about this. I've been on multiple troubleshooting calls with the company over the past few weeks to talk about it and have been repeatedly assured that this is a software issue it's aiming to fix with subsequent updates. In fact, the company says it expects to have its Base software fully ready for the Aero in December, which is when it also expects the first units ordered today to arrive.
I'm in a bit of a conundrum on this front, as my review loaner has to go back to Varjo, but I have asked for the opportunity to test the kit again around the launch of this latest software and, if that happens, I'll update this review. For now though, all I can say is that if the issue persists it would be incredibly tough to recommend the Varjo Aero given its pricing. There's really very little room for error in the enthusiast scene and this is too big of an issue to overlook.
And that's a real shame because, even if there are other issues, the fidelity the Aero otherwise provides is second to none. The 2880 x 2720 per eye resolution beats out the Oculus Quest 2, HP Reverb G2, and even the current leader (and just a few months old) HTC Vive Pro 2. I haven't tested the latter headset, but the difference over the Quest 2 and Reverb G2 is nothing short of remarkable. For the first time in VR, I could line up the sights on a gun in Alyx or recent releases like Sweet Surrender and see a crisp, faultless and completely solid weapon model that gave me pinpoint precision when aiming.
When I reviewed the Reverb G2 I said that, for the first time, I got a sense of sharpness from something like an arrow tip but, inside the Aero, I'm even noticing the tiniest of imperfections that are lined along the arrowhead itself. At times it's so clear that I genuinely felt like I was staring at real-life objects. It's an incredible experience to say the least.
Lenses And Performance
There are other nice perks to the display system too. The IPD adjustment, for example, is entirely automatic, using eye-tracking to read your distance and then shifting the lenses itself to get the right fit. It's pretty impressive to see in action although very much a luxury feature that I could have done without if it meant simplifying the device and bringing the price down.
Less impressive are the lenses, which offer a 115-degree horizontal field of view or 134 degrees diagonally. They're a bit of an odd shape compared to basically any other VR lens design I've encountered, with a rigid horizontal line at the bottom. When wearing the headset your field of view has a distinctly noticeable, unnatural shape compared to basically any other headset I've used. You can clearly see a staircase-shaped diagonal edge at the top and a shadow-like horizontal line at the bottom. Both UploadVR's Zeena Al-Obaidi and David Heaney both said the same upon testing.
I've found this to be less of an issue once I dive into a game and start focusing on the experience, but it's always one of the first things I notice when I boot up the Aero and jump into the Base environment.
Obviously, to power all of this high-fidelity decadence, you're going to need a good PC. Really good, in fact. Varjo recommends an RTX 3070 if you're going to be using the Aero but, as I mentioned, I've been using the 3060 Ti supplied by Varjo itself most of the time and had good results in most titles, with more demanding experiences like Alyx requiring me to lower the render resolution as far down as 40%. I saw yet another jump with recent testing on a 3070 Ti but, even then, there have been regular technical hiccups trying to fire the headset on all cylinders. 'Can it run Varjo' might become the 2021 equivalent of 'Can it run Crysis?'.
The headset also has onboard cooling, which does cause some noise from within the visor, including a quiet rattle when moving your head, as if a fan was coming into contact with something as I turned. The air also gets blown into the lenses, which didn't cause an issue for me but others that tried it found it distracting.
As for tracking? Well, this is a SteamVR headset so you should already know what to expect; near-faultless positional tracking using at least two external base stations and either the Vive wands or Valve Index controllers.
Design & Comfort
If there's an area where the Aero really succeeds, it's with the comfort. The kit features a halo strap design, with an adjustable back dial to fit the ring around your head. But the design then goes an extra step with a small, padded plate to rest on top of your head. This leaves very little of the 487g visor weight resting on the front of your face, and I could wear Aero comfortably for hours without much hassle.
There are two head-mounted buttons for basic interactions and summoning a menu, though you have to imagine those are more for simple commercial applications or interfacing directly with the headset when using a steering wheel or HOTAS in a similar experience. There's also a 3.5mm jack for headphones and Varjo does include a pair with a microphone in the package, though these weren't made available for review. Overall the headset build is quite solid, even if the materials used don't feel as premium as, say the Valve Index.
Software & Compatibility
The Aero is tracked by SteamVR base stations and thus all its software runs through Steam too. Despite this, Varjo has its own Base launcher, where you can tailor your experience in specific ways. Base allows you to set a fixed IPD, enable performance-boosting options in supported software and much more. It even has a camera display of the user's eyes when in-headset.
Eye-tracking, meanwhile, brings two distinct possibilities. The first is a form of input, like aiming where you're throwing or selecting menu options, and the other is foveated rendering, which improves performance by only fully rendering the area of the display the user's eyes are directly looking at. Both are promising features not just for Aero but the entire industry, but software compatibility is extremely limited right now, and I've only tested the features in the two demos the company itself supplied. Varjo itself pointed out to me that it hopes to see other headsets with similar functionality release over the next 12 – 24 months that will help expand that list.
Okay, let's get to it. At $2,000, you're probably not buying a Varjo Aero. Commercial market aside, that price puts it squarely in the range of only the most dedicated of VR enthusiasts – the type that probably already bought the $799 base Vive Pro 2 a few months ago and wouldn't bat an eyelid at then throwing down thousands more to replace it. I wouldn't exactly expect this thing to be storming the Steam Hardware Survey charts in the next few months.
Oh, and that's just for the headset. Varjo is assuming you already have SteamVR base stations and either the Vive wands or Index controllers. Add those onto the price and you're looking at over $2,500. And you thought HTC headsets were expensive. And then there's the top-end PC you'll need to own too. You already know if you're putting this down on your Christmas wishlist or not.
So, aside from smaller businesses that will likely have the lion's share of sales, who exactly is the Varjo Aero for? Well, if you're reading this review from your simulation racing chair on a motorized motion platform, staring up from your top-of-the-line steering wheel with our webpage in the center of your three ultra-wide monitors, powered by the high-end GPU, then you're probably in Varjo's target market. But for pretty much everyone else, the Aero is a tantalizing glimpse of what the future of VR holds.
Varjo Aero Review – Final Impressions
It's important to remember that, while anyone can buy the Aero, it's still primarily a commercial product, and it ticks pretty much all the boxes for delivering incredibly powerful VR experiences in that context. It's when you come to judge the Aero as a consumer product that the issues really come to pass.
On the one hand, the Varjo Aero offers unmatched visual clarity in VR. In terms of raw specs, the headset delivers a powerhouse experience, with per eye resolution that will have you marveling at the tiniest details of virtual worlds that you'd simply miss in any other headset. Testing the device, I constantly caught myself off guard as I inspected creases in garbage bags in Half-Life: Alyx, for example. It really is that big of a jump. But, in its current form, this enthusiast headset has issues that its target market simply wouldn't accept, the biggest of which being the very noticeable distortion when turning your head. If Varjo is able to address this issue like it says it will, it'll be a real turnaround for the Aero and we'll update this review accordingly. But the prosumer market is (quite rightly) an unforgiving one and, at $2,000, there's little room for error with the Varjo Aero. As it stands, the blemishes are too tough to ignore.
Fracked Review
Sniper Elite VR Review
https://youtu.be/Bad65dvlNJ0
Cosmodread Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYoB9OdPF3E

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package com.android.volley.db.converter;

import android.database.Cursor;

import com.android.volley.db.sqlite.ColumnDbType;

/**
 * Author: wyouflf
 * Date: 13-11-4
 * Time: 下午10:51
 */
public class StringColumnConverter implements ColumnConverter<String> {
    @Override
    public String getFieldValue(final Cursor cursor, int index) {
        return cursor.isNull(index) ? null : cursor.getString(index);
    }

    @Override
    public String getFieldValue(String fieldStringValue) {
        return fieldStringValue;
    }

    @Override
    public Object fieldValue2ColumnValue(String fieldValue) {
        return fieldValue;
    }

    @Override
    public ColumnDbType getColumnDbType() {
        return ColumnDbType.TEXT;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A sound organization must check its safety practices very carefully. The debits of possible loss or injury situations should balance against the credits of adequate safeguards. Safety audits and safety inspections are the tools which an organization use for its preparedness towards safety (Fig 1). Safety audit involves systematically going through the workplace to evaluate safety programs and practices within the organization while safety inspection involves systematically going through the workplace to look for safety hazards or lapses in safety practices. Both are important components of a workplace safety plan. They are frequently used interchangeably though they are not the same.
A safety audit is a structured evaluation of the application and efficiency of the safety policy, safety programs, and safety systems of the organization. It is also a control of the compliance with the regulatory regulations and a clear standard, which may be a national standard or organizational internal standard. An audit is a widely used instrument and an important tool to improve safety. It is the process of verification that the safety programs are working.
Broadly defined, an audit is a systematic review of operations and practices to ensure that relevant requirements are met. Safety audit apply many methodologies to mitigate safety risks within the organization. Safety audits evaluate all aspects of the safety programs with special emphasis on the quality as well as the quantity of safety activities at every level. Safety audits are a managerial or a corporate activity.
Safety inspection, on the other hand, is defined as that monitoring function which is conducted in an organization to identify, locate and report existing and potential hazards that could cause accidents in the work place. Safety inspections frequently reveal potential causes of accidents and, thus, provide an opportunity to take corrective action before an injury occurs. Safety inspections are conducted at the line or operating levels and are an important part of the overall safety program.
Safety inspections look at the physical conditions and work practices in a workplace. Equipments are examined to determine whether all safeguards are in place and whether its operation presents any hazards. Air, water, and other samples may be obtained to test for hazardous substances. Work practices are observed to identify unsafe actions.
Safety inspections are effective ways of preventing accidents. However it is essential to take corrective action as soon as possible to abate all hazards found during a safety inspection. If the hazard presents an imminent danger to employees, the corrective action is to be taken immediately. For any reason, if the corrective actions are delayed for non imminent hazards, then it is necessary to document the reason for the delay and the estimated date of correction. When the corrective action has been completed, then the action date need to be documented.
Safety audits are report cards on the success of safety programs, environmental programs, and process safety management. They are structured evaluations on performance and compliance. A safety audit is a structured, methodical assessment and evaluation of how work place activities affect safety. It reveals how the organization is performing in maintaining a safe environment. Its goal is to ensure a safe work place by striving to eliminate unsafe practices and hazards that lead to injuries and accidents.
Safety audits can be conducted on different subjects related to safety. Main group of subjects related to safety audits are described below.
Audit of safety management system – It is being used to monitor the systems used for safety within the organization by examining items such as the safety policy, safety procedures and other safety related documents. These audits are also used to monitor on site work in terms of adherence to the safety norms, safety records, site regulations and the statutory requirements. The results of these audits can either be responded to immediately or used to develop improvement plans, which can be monitored on a regular basis. Safety management system includes (i) organization, responsibilities and authorities, (ii) training, competence evaluation and instructions, (iii) action plans for improving the safety performance, (iv) carrying out of risk assessments, (v) accidents, near-misses, work related medical and ergonomic problems and rehabilitation results, and (vi) goals and results. Audit of management systems checks that (i) the existence of the system, (ii) understanding of the system by the employees, and (iii) extent of the application of the system in the organization.
Audits of safe working procedures and employee behaviour – These audits focus on the observation of the employees at their work place to find out the violations of safety instructions, unsafe actions and unsafe conditions. The objectives of these audits are (i) avoidance of injuries and damages to the work men, equipment and material, (ii) promotion of a positive safety behaviour, (iii) increase in the awareness for safety, (iv) establishment of safety regulations, (v) checking whether safety instructions are understood and complied with, (vi) finding out the weaknesses in the safety management system, (vii) finding out and correcting unsafe actions and conditions, and (viii) motivation of the employees.
Audit of safe working procedures – Safe working procedures are established for smooth working of the processes without any injuries to the equipment and employees . When auditing the safe working procedures the categories which are important include (i) personal protective equipment, (ii) posture and position of the work men, (iii) tools and materials, (iv) ergonomic considerations, (v) safety instructions, and (vi) order and cleanliness.
Audit of a contractor activity – Auditing of safety practices followed by the contractors is a tool that is being increasingly used these days in the steel organizations.
Other safety related audits – These include audits which focuses on specific topics such as (i) fire protection and means of escape, (ii) hazardous substances, handling, protection, and waste, (iii) electrical installations, (iv) temperature conditions, (v) noise and lighting (vi) working at heights, and (vii) housekeeping.
Safety audits are usually carried out by looking into safety related documents consisting of policy, manuals, procedures, instructions and records of their implementation. This is also followed up by the visit of the auditors to the work place for verifying physically the implementation of these documents at the work place.
Because of the wide variety of audits, and the various objectives that are being pursued during audit, it is necessary that the preparation and organization of audits are done in advance keeping in mind the requirements of the audit. Safety audits are normally carried out by the people who have training in safety as well as in auditing.
One objective of safety audit is to look at the safety system with an independent eye. People from other departments with another background and competence observe normally those things which are different from the things usually observed by those who are familiar with the environment. There are organizations where the quality department is involved in the audits and the audit of the safety management system is combined with the audits of quality and environment management systems audits. Standardized documents for different subjects are used for the audits. Detailed checklists with many questions are available for the audit. A questionnaire is often sent out in advance to the department where the audit is to take place.
Audits can be formally scheduled to a timetable. There is a variety of frequencies. Some organizations have defined targets/programmes for the number of audits that are to be carried out. Other safety related audits may be carried out without any warning as a spot check.
The report of an audit is always be documented in some kind of audit protocol. Databases are often used to record, analyze and manage the auditing program, the results and the outstanding issues.
Action plans with a time scale are agreed upon after each audit to ensure that the lessons from the audits are learnt and actions are taken for the removal of the non conformities. It is important that the action plan is owned by responsible employees. Follow-up audits are normally to be done by the line management. The outcome of the audit need to be discuss and followed up in regular safety meetings and other daily meetings. Corrective actions taken are required to be assessed in subsequent audits or other reviews of the management.
Persons carrying out the audit vary depending on the nature of the audit. The audit team also varies in size but normally kept as small as possible. Training in auditing techniques is essential for the auditors.
Effective safety inspections are one of the most important incident/accident prevention tools in an organizational safety program. Using properly trained inspectors in a planned inspection program reduces incidents and property damage. An effective safety inspection program improves work men communication and their morale which in turn improves the organizational morale.
Safety inspections are basic tool for establishing and maintaining safe conditions and discovering unsafe practices in the workplace. Systematic inspections are practical ways to identify and correct unsafe equipment, conditions, processes, and work practices. If unsafe conditions and practices are found to exist, prompt corrective actions are initiated. They are an excellent way to prevent accidents from occurring and to safeguard employees. An additional benefit occurring from safety inspections is that they give employees an opportunity to point out deficiencies in their area that may otherwise go unnoticed and uncorrected.
Safety inspections are important since they allow the management to (i) listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors, (ii) gain further understanding of jobs and tasks, (iii) identify existing and potential hazards, (iv) determine underlying causes of hazards, (v) monitor hazard controls (personal protective equipment, engineering controls, policies, procedures), and (vi) recommend corrective actions.
Safety inspections are conducted primarily not to find out how many things are wrong, but rather, to determine if things are satisfactory. Their secondary purpose is to discover conditions that, when corrected, will bring the facility up to accepted and approved standards and/or statutory requirements.
During safety inspection, the inspection team examines who, what, where, when and how. It pays particular attention to items most likely to develop unsafe or unhealthy conditions because of stress, wear, impact, vibration, heat, corrosion, chemical reaction or misuse. Inspection must be carried out for the entire workplace area and must include areas where no work is done regularly. During the safety inspection, the inspection team looks at all work place elements such as the environment, the equipment and the process. The environment includes such hazards as noise, vibration, lighting, temperature, and ventilation. Equipment includes materials, tools, furnaces, and apparatus for producing a product or a service. The process involves how the work men interacts with the other elements in a series of tasks or operations.
Types of work place hazards which are examined during safety inspection include (i) safety hazards such as inadequate machine guards, unsafe work place conditions and unsafe work practices, (ii) biological hazards caused by organisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, (iii) chemical hazards caused by a solid, liquid, vapour, gas, dust, fume or mist, (iv) ergonomic hazards caused by anatomical, physiological, and psychological demands on the work men, such as repetitive and forceful movements, vibration, temperature extremes, and awkward postures arising from improper work methods and improperly designed work stations, tools, and equipment, and (v) physical hazards caused by noise, vibration, energy, weather, heat, cold, electricity, radiation and pressure etc.
A checklist is the basic tool for the safety inspection. It not only helps to control the inspection activities but also helps in the making of the inspection report. Checklists permit easy on the spot recording of the hazardous conditions.
Besides regular work place safety inspections there are also the following three types of important safety inspections.
Ongoing – This is the safety inspection which the work men carry out in their work area before the start of their daily work. Normally these inspections are part of their job responsibilities. with such inspections workmen identify hazardous conditions and either correct them immediately themselves or report them for corrective action. Daily inspection checks by users assure that the equipment meets minimum acceptable safety requirements.
Pre-operation – Pre-operation checks involve inspections of new or modified equipment or processes. Often these are done after work place shutdowns.
Periodic – Periodic inspections are regular, planned inspections of the critical components of equipment, process, or systems that have a high potential for causing serious injury or illness. The inspections are often part of preventive maintenance procedures or hazard control programs. These inspections are to be carried out by qualified persons periodically. In many cases such inspections are part of the regulatory requirement. Example of such inspection include inspection of elevators, boilers, pressure vessels, and fire extinguishers at regular intervals.
Safety inspections are usually to be carried out by the inspection teams which normally include safety officer, departmental safety personnel, and a person who is well familiar of the equipment and process of the area. The inspection team also must involve the local work man of the area in the inspection. The members of the inspection team must have (i) knowledge of regulations and procedures, (ii) knowledge of potential hazards, and (iii) experience with work procedures involved. Large work places may have more than one inspection team. The various teams can have separate areas to inspect.
Safety inspection teams bring a fresh view to an old familiar scene and usually catch details overlooked by people too close to the scene. Many unsafe and unhealthy conditions are transparent because they have always been a part of the scene. They are hardly noticeable.
The consequence of safety inspections is that the inspected facilities become safe places to work.
Very often, safety inspections are aimed primarily at finding and recording unsafe conditions. This narrow focus tends to ignore other causes of incidents, such as unsafe actions and personal factors.
Inspection records are important. Past inspection records show what has been identified. They also show what an inspection team concentrated on and what areas it did not inspect. The inspection report can draw attention to possible hazards. However, safety inspection should not be simply a repeat or copy previous inspections. The earlier inspection report is to be used to determine whether previous recommendations were implemented.
It is not possible to accurately estimate the time of inspection. The time required depends on what is found, how many questions are to be asked, and how large and complex the work area is. Inspections are ineffective when the given time allows for only a hasty look.
The frequency of safety inspections depends on several factors which include (i) the frequency per the statutory requirement, (ii) past accident/incident records, (iii) number and size of different work operations, (iv) type of equipment and work processes (hazardous or potentially hazardous requires more regular inspection, (iv) number of shifts (the activity of every shift may vary), and (v) new processes or machinery. High hazard or high risk areas should receive extra attention.
During inspections it is necessary to look for deviations from accepted work practices. The information derived from inspections must not be used for disciplinary measures. Some of the very common unsafe work practices generally seen during safety inspections include (i) use of machinery or tools without authority, (ii) violation of safe work practice, (iii) removing guards or other safety devices, or rendering them ineffective, (iv) using defective tools or equipment or using them in unsafe ways, (v) using hands or body instead of tools or push sticks, (vi) overloading, crowding, or failing to balance materials or handling materials in unsafe ways, including improper lifting, (vii) repairing or adjusting equipment which are in motion, under pressure, or electrically charged, (viii) failing to use or maintain, or improperly using, personal protective equipment or safety devices, (ix) creating unsafe, unsanitary, or unhealthy conditions by improper personal hygiene, by using compressed air for cleaning clothes, and by poor housekeeping etc., and (x) standing or working under suspended loads, scaffolds, shafts, or open hatches.
When conducting inspections, follow The basic principles followed during safety inspections are (i) to draw attention to the presence of any immediate danger (other items can await the inspection report, (ii) to shut down any hazardous items that cannot be brought to a safe operating standard until repaired, (iii) not to operate any equipment. only the operator is to operate for a demonstration. If the operator of any piece of equipment does not know what dangers may be present, this is cause for concern, (iv) not to ignore any item even if the inspection team do not have knowledge to make an accurate judgment of safety, (v) There must not be a light approach. Each equipment, place is to be inspected in a methodical, through way and from all angles, (vi) details of the identified hazards need to be recorded in inspection notes on the spot, otherwise details get lost, (vii) in case the inspection is interrupted then the extent of inspection done is to be recorded, (viii) during inspection the work activities are not to be disrupted, (ix) to consider the static (stop position) and dynamic (in motion) conditions of the item being inspected, (x) discuss in a group to determine the hazards and the appropriate corrections or controls, (xi) do not rely on senses or gut feeling but on actual measurements, and (xii) to take a photograph in case of necessity.
The inspection report is to make reference to previous inspection and action taken on the findings of previous inspection. It should include the observed unsafe condition and hazards as well as recommended methods of control. The report also is to include the department or area inspected, the date of inspection and the details of the inspection team. Each observed unsafe condition and hazard is to be assigned a priority level to indicate the urgency of the corrective action required.


text:
So blogging has been light which means I'm totally behind, but last October, Montgomery County completed the first protected intersection on the East Coast. It's located at the intersection of Second and Wayne in Silver Spring. (Video coverage here)
The intersection was one of the final steps of a roughly 1.5-mile bike loop started in late 2016. The pathway of protected lanes along Wayne and Second avenues connects with a previously constructed section along Spring and Cedar Streets and links directly with the Silver Spring Transit Center on Colesville Road.
Planning for the intersection dates back at least as far as 2016, but work didn't start until last June. The design...
is a little different from what NACTO shows in their booklet on them because it redirects cyclists as they go through the intersection. The ones in the NACTO guide allow cyclists to go straight through. But I'm not sure why MoCo chose to do it this way.
MoCo plans another one in Silver Spring and one in Bethesda too.
There's also dedicated funding for another stretch of protected bike lanes on Fenton Street, said Council Member Hans Riemer — the next phase of the bike network in Silver Spring.
Over the next several years, Bethesda and Wheaton are scheduled to receive their own pathways
But construction on the Fenton facility won't be completed until 2024, so it's odd that he chose to highlight that one. Is there nothing more immediate in the plans?
January 16, 2020 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Back in March, Montgomery County planners sought approval of their new Veirs Mil Corridor Master Plan. The plan would include, among other things, a new crossing for the Matthew Henson Trail and a parallel bikeway (see below), both of which are called for the county's new bicycle master plan.
Since then there have been hearings in March and a planning board resolution passed in April.
The Planning Board approved the plan with some revisions, most notably they replaced a recommendation to build an at-grade crossing for the Matthew Henson Trail (where two cyclists have been killed in the last few years) with an overpass. They also add a statement prioritizing road safety over congestion mitigation, lower the speed limit on a section between Havard and Bushey to 25 mph (from 35), and add the following:
As a goal, the number of additional lanes at signalized intersections should be minimized so that crossing distances and exposure of pedestrians and bicyclists to traffic when crossing the road are also minimized. Wherever it is determined to be beneficial to safety and does not create unacceptable congestion levels as defined by the applicable Subdivision Staging Policy congestion standard, the number of left turn lanes at a signalized intersection should be limited to one. Where dual left turn lanes are provided, consider the implementation of strategies to mitigate the speed of left-turning vehicles and to mitigate the additional width of the road that pedestrians and bicyclists must cross.
Revisions also move the interim bike network from Veirs Mill to the parallel service roads, as recommended by Council Staff. They also accept the Staff recommendation to change the Randolph Road interchange from a diamond interchange to a grade separated one that's better for cyclists and pedestrians.
They replaced a recommendation for "Removal of channelized right turns at intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Connecticut Avenue" with
Wherever it is determined to be beneficial to safety, remove the channelized right tum lanes, particularly at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Connecticut Avenue, if feasible. If channelized right-tum lanes prove to be necessary, design the lanes to limit the exposure of vulnerable road users, including implementing measures to reduce the speed of turning vehicles so that vehicles yield, as required, to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the tum lane.
One other thing in the plan that was not mentioned before is this.
Consistent with the previous master plans, the Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan continues to support the abandonment of the Aspen Hill Road extension to further facilitate the synergistic redevelopment of Halpine View, Parkway Woods and Halpine Hamlet. Further, this master plan continues to recommend a trail through the properties to connect to the new Twinbrook Trail and ultimately the Rock Creek Trail.
January 07, 2020 in Matthew Henson Trail, Protected Bike Lane (PBL), Rock Creek Park Trail | Permalink | Comments (1)
Courtland Milloy has chosen to write another anti-safe streets column, and as is usual it's full of mularkey.
To better understand what the fight over bike lanes in the District is about, it apparently helps to visit Copenhagen.
I've never been, but I think I have a good grasp on it and it has nothing to do with Copenhagen. Here's what you need to know to understand the fight. It isn't even about bike lanes. It's about public space and who gets to use it and how. On one side are those who believe we should set aside more space for biking (among other things) and a side that doesn't. The side that does has - at least publicly - the buy in of the DC government as well as the regional authorities, and the side that doesn't has the power of the status quo. This is a fight similar to like a million others and you don't have to go to Europe to understand it. One side wants change for reasons we agree are good and the other side doesn't want change for reasons they're embarrassed to admit.
Paul Dougherty, a resident of the Spring Valley neighborhood, called Copenhagen "a bicyclist utopia"
Not necessarily true, but the downside is...?
...that was unrealistic for the District.
This is bad faith argument. The goal is not to become Copenhagen anytime soon. If everything in the MoveDC plan were put in place and the entire Capital Trail Coalition plan were built, we wouldn't be Copenhagen. There is literally no plan to move that far on any timeline.
Dougherty is leading a group of residents opposed to converting two lanes of the Dalecarlia Parkway into bike lanes.
You can read Dougherty's petition at change.org (more like nochange.com amiright?). He's got 600+ signatures as of this writing. His opposition stems from:
As he sees it, people don't want them. Or at least people who live near him don't.
Bike lanes will slow down ambulances. "The hospital now enjoys a clear, direct, approach for these vehicles which under the Study will require vehicles to at least cross the bike and pedestrian lanes."
Dalecarlia Parkway is a Parkway with a 40 MPH speed limit. Bikes that travel at 20 MPH should not be sharing the road with cars doing 40 MPH
major traffic congestion along Dalecarlia will not help the back-up during the morning or evening rush hours.
Let's look at these one at a time. There's no proof that (1) is correct and even if it is, not wanting something is not a good enough reason. That's the logic of a 6 year old. On (2), here's what DDOT says
DDOT has shared the draft recommendations from the Livability Study with Sibley Hospital, and they have no concerns at this time. They have requested that DDOT notify DC FEMS and private ambulance providers. DDOT will continue to update Sibley Hospital as the project progresses.
For (3), that's literally what the bike lanes are for?
On (4), ding ding ding, we have a winner! Like I said, this is about public resources (space) and who gets to benefit from it. Paul would like people who want to drive 40 mph without traffic congestion to benefit. DDOT wants people who will bike to benefit. Which makes sense because as a city, we've already set goals to have more people bike and fewer people drive.
Back to Milloy
People at the meeting were saying to Cheh, a bicycle enthusiast (the opponents claim they're bike enthusiasts too, so everyone's a bike enthusiast) who chairs the transportation committee, " 'We've been to Copenhagen, and D.C. is nothing like Copenhagen,' " Dougherty recalled.
Yeah. "Copenhagen is spectacular and this town is a real shithole. Do you thing the morons in this room could build a city half that nice? No way! We shouldn't even try. Didn't we all move here BECAUSE this place is a dangerous shithole?"
But seriously, this is how it always goes. Person A: "I saw something nice in xxx" Person B: "well this isn't xxx and we're incapable of learning from anyone else's experience" Person A: "Oh, we are" Person: "Game. Set. Touchdown." (<- This is intentional).
Milloy then points out the Denmark and Copenhagen started out from a better place than we have probably at any time in the last 120 years - and that's true. I push against other bike advocates for the same reason. We can't just magically become Copenhagen overnight. We are starting from another spot and have to make our own path. But... that doesn't mean we aren't aspiring to the same thing, or at least something similar. That doesn't mean we should act as though Copenhagen doesn't exist or that their grits cook faster than ours or something.
While more D.C. residents are moving away from cars toward public transportation, scooters and, yes, bikes, the truth is that we are still far from having an infrastructure to support all those things on the roads and pedestrians.
If only there were some way to fix that. Like maybe the infrastructure will come here on its own if we all sit real quietly.
The problem is, the Dalecarlia Parkway serves as a commuter gateway in and out of Maryland and Virginia, with links to Chain Bridge Road and the Clara Barton Parkway.
I agree, that is a problem, but if we shut it down entirely people will get REALLY angry.
Oh...you meant that it's a major regional commuter route and a road diet here would inconvenience some drivers. Oh...OK. Then my answer is "I don't care." We need to change the transportation system. We need to make it safer, more equitable and cleaner. We need to make a system that lets everyone who wants to bike and walk, safe to do so. And to do that we have to take space from drivers and we need to make driving less convenient. On the upside, it will also make driving safer and reduce pollution in your neighborhood. So it's really a win-win.
"Dalecarlia was designed to keep traffic from our neighborhood streets," said Alma Gates, a longtime resident of the District's Palisades neighborhood. "When you shut down two lanes of the parkway, traffic is going to start coming through the neighborhoods and that will pose a huge safety concern for us."
Actually....Dalecarlia Parkway was partially built on a bicycle route that was built by cyclists (using their own money and labor) in the late 1890's. And then road was built to provide access between Western Avenue and Conduit Road. Not that it matters. What matters is that there is no credible scenario where this road diet causes traffic to redirect through either Spring Valley or the Palisades. That's just hogwash.
But also....If you don't want cars in your neighborhood...if they're a problem...we can do something about that.
Residents complain that the city was taking action without their knowledge or rushing to implement policies before citizens could organize in opposition.
This was part of the Rock Creek Far West study that began in early 2019. A bike facility was in the MoveDC in 2014 and in the 2005 bike plan. It might have been in the bike plan from the 1976 for all I know. It's all on the web. There is no rushing or hiding. You're writing this about a PUBLIC MEETING where the councilmember showed up!!!
Copenhagen is working in cooperation with 17 other municipalities in the capital region of Denmark to build a network of "cycle superhighways." The plan is to make fast and comfortable routes from the suburbs to the city center. Cooperation for a project like that does not exist in the Washington region.
You'd be excused for not knowing about this, but such a project does exist. It was reported about in a little local paper called the Washington Post.
Forty years. Patient, deliberative, one step at a time.
Courtland Milloy must be the only person who thinks DC is moving too fast at building out it's bike network. In 1974 they set the goal of 30 miles of bike lane, which they didn't achieve until ~2010. "One step at a time" is our jam. And by time we mean months and months. Same writer, two paragraphs later:
By 2025, Copenhagen expects to have 75 percent of the trips in the city made by foot, bicycle or public transit. In the District, the goal is to have 10 more miles of bike lanes by 2024. But the plan is behind schedule
Maybe we need more patience.
The problem in D.C. is that we aren't seeing the big picture," said Thomas Smith, a resident of the Spring Valley neighborhood. "Decisions are being made one street at a time without regard for how it's going to affect the next street. Nobody is looking at the whole city."
Oh FFS Thomas. Really? Really? Again: Bike plan in 2005. Comprehensive Transportation Plan in 2014. The city has a comprehensive plan, which it updates often. We have regional plans. We've got plans Thomas. We've got plans. [Thomas Smith use to be on ANC 3d and lost his election. He opposed the New Mexico Ave bike lanes making claims about the damage they would do that never came true.]
opposition to more lanes continues to mount.
"Copenhagen is a thousand-year-old flat peninsula with lots of roads everywhere," Dougherty said. "In D.C., everything is up. There is no comparison."
There is opposition and repeating these bad faith arguments as if they're anything other than what they are doesn't help.
November 20, 2019 in Protected Bike Lane (PBL) | Permalink | Comments (15)
DC to build P Street cycletrack
DDOT issued a response to ANC 6D on the proposed P Street cycletrack and they intend to go forward despite the ANC's concerns. The project, as noted by GGW, is a part of the long-planned Anacostia Riverwalk Trail - connecting the Buzzard Point section to the Washington Channel/Wharf Section. The ANC submitted a list of concerns including the route, the removal of 26 parking spaces, damage to the tree canopy, safety and the process.
DDOT replied that the route was made necessary by Fort McNair, but that if the Army should become open to a Waterfront trail then DDOT will revisit it. Despite the concern for the mature pin oaks along P, one of the reason the current path was chosen was to avoid damaging them, and their urban foresters confirmed this.
Most of the negative comments were about parking and DDOT said that it has a role in managing space for the safety of all travelers, not just for storing vehicles, and that the PBL design is the best one for making the road safer. Furthermore, DDOT policy is to only provide residential parking on the side of the street where there are residents, meaning the parking along the Fort side violated this policy.
DDOT hopes to install the lane by the end of November. No one likes an outcome with disgruntled neighbors, but this is the right call.
November 06, 2019 in Anacostia Riverwalk Trail (ART), Protected Bike Lane (PBL) | Permalink | Comments (1)
TPB approves new projects in DC and Maryland
Last week, the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) voted to approve Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set Aside funding for several small bicycle and pedestrian projects in the area. The Transportation Alternatives Set Aside (TA Set Aside) Program was established by federal law to fund a variety of smaller-scale transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities, trails, safe routes to school (SRTS) projects, community improvements, and environmental mitigation.
In Maryland the four projects included bike lanes near two Metro Transit stations, one in Rockville and the other at Capital Heights and others fund sidewalks.
The Chamber Avenue Green Street/Complete Street Project in Capitol Heights will create a road diet on along the Chambers Avenue-Capitol Heights Boulevard-Davey Street corridor, to add sidewalks and bike lanes. It will also build new street lighting, improved pedestrian crossings, and new pedestrian lighting. (This parallels a Watts Branch Tributary and I'd like to see them daylight some of that stream and move some of it out of it's concrete channel. Then put a trail and some tree cover in the corridor for a little linear park/Metrorail connection, but that's all out of scope.)
The University Park Elementary School Safe Routes to School Plan in the Town of University Park entails the design of infrastructure work including sidewalk improvements, traffic calming and speed reduction improvements and pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements to provide safe access to the University Park Elementary School.
The Takoma Park Safe Routes to School Improvements in the City of Takoma Park will fund educational programs including a Crosswalk Simulation Activity and Bike Rodeo. A new feature of the Takoma Park programming is the iCan Shine Camp, which will teach biking skills for students with disabilities.
The North Stonestreet Avenue: Street and Sidewalk Improvements in the City of Rockville will design street and sidewalk improvements along Park Road (between North Stonestreet Avenue and South Stonestreet Avenue) and N. Stonestreet Ave (between Park Road and Lincoln Avenue). Improvements will include wider sidewalks, a new intersection alignment, and bike lanes.
DC is a little different. The TAP money is not supposed to be available to states - only local governments - and so for years they didn't know if they could award money to DDOT, but a recent ruling decided that in this case they could act as a local government. Nonetheless, DDOT still only acts as the sponsor and let's local groups apply. Unfortunately, this year only three did and their total request ($695,000) was less than the full amount DC gets allocated ($1.15 M), so they had to roll money over to next year. And one of the three projects approved is primarily related to historic preservation of Union Station. We need other groups to get involved in competing for this money, so if you work with a BID or some other possible applicant (?) start thinking about what you could do.
The two other projects this year were:
Prather's Alley Safety Improvements in Mount Vernon Triangle. This project will design and construct a series of traffic calming measures in the alleyway.
The Protected Mobility Lanes on M Street, SE project would fund design for bi-directional protected mobility lanes on M Street, SE, giving bicyclists and scooters much-needed streamlined and protected east-west access from the 11th Street Bridge to Half Street, SE, the heart of the Capitol Riverfront. The project would be approximately one mile in length and would remove a vehicular travel lane, narrowing the M Street crossing for pedestrians. Creating safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians will be essential for the accomplishment of Vision Zero goal of eliminating pedestrian deaths in the District.
The TPB also discussed the Nice-Middleton Bridge over the Potomac south of DC. As has been discussed here, the original plan for the replacement of this bridge include a bike/ped lane, but it was deemed too expensive and so MTA wants to remove it. The bridge will cost $769 million and the state has cut tolls twice in the last 5 years, but the bike/ped path is something they can't afford (?).
The TPB was asked to update the regional plan so that they can pursue a low-interest loan, but also to allow the bidding to go forward without the bike/ped lane. That lane would be included if the price was low enough, but not if it was too high.
The approval on an unusually contentious 17-7 vote allows Maryland to move forward with an application for a large low-interest federal loan crucial to the project's financing plan. It came over concerns that the state has worked to cut a promised bike and pedestrian path from the project.
The Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland Transportation Authority said the path is still possible when a final contract is awarded this fall, but only if bids from contractors are low enough.
Maryland is now only promising though that bikes will be able to use the bridge in some way — even if it means riding with highway traffic.
Charles County Commissioners' President Reuben Collins pleaded with the state to include the path to help tourism, provide another connection between Maryland and Virginia, and effectively plan for the 100-year life span of the bridge
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendeslon said it was an abdication of responsibility for the region's Transportation Planning Board to allow the bridge project to move forward for federal support without the bike path, since the majority wanted the path but many members felt they could not let it get in the way of the bridge project.
The whole affair was so disappointing that Eric Brenner, the chair of the Maryland Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, resigned in protest. He accused the Hogan Administration of unilaterally breaking their previous commitment of a barrier-separated path on the bridge without cause, and compared it to the dropping of the trail along the Inter-County Connector. He accused them of threatening Charles County with no bridge if they don't support the revised language dropping the path.
Many speakers at the meeting spoke out against the removal of the path. Some said we should not let procurement drive policy. Charles Allen pushed back on the notion that people wouldn't use the path, and noted that even if they don't in the short time, things will look very differently as the bridge ages.
July 30, 2019 in Bike Lanes, Nice/Middleton Bridge, Protected Bike Lane (PBL), Safe Routes to School | Permalink | Comments (3)
While Montgomery County installs new bike lanes, WABA calls for more
Montgomery County is busy installing buffered bike lanes, upgrading others to protected and building a protected intersection in Silver Spring, but WABA wants them to start work on a protected bike lane on Fenton too.
MoCo is already making plans to extend the "Purple Pathway" at the north end of the trail (below) as well as buffered lanes on Dixon, but WABA wants them to plan and build protected bike lanes and pedestrian improvements on Fenton through downtown. They have a petition you can sign, but you already missed their happy hour on it.
A PBL on Fenton makes a lot of sense and will work well with the Met Branch Trail once that's finished.
Meanwhile, they've also started work on the Frederick Road Bike Path. This will build a side path along Frederick Road in the Clarksburg area.
July 24, 2019 in Bike Lanes, Other Maryland Trails, Protected Bike Lane (PBL) | Permalink | Comments (0)
New Army Navy design widens the protected bikeway, adds protection
The northern half mile of Army Navy Drive could sport a 12-foot wide protected bikeway, with protected intersections by late 2023 according to new plans presented this week by the County. The new 30% design makes several improvements over a prior design that already had a lot to like.
The road diet design presented in 2018 created a bi-directional bikeway on the south side of the street, transit lanes in the Joyce to Hayes section and landscaped medians. The new design makes a host of changes to make the bikeway better. For starters, the bikeway, a bidirectional protected bike lane, will be 12 feet wide instead of 10, thus bringing them up to the width recommended by NACTO.
At Joyce, they created a protected intersection for most traffic (bikes going south on Joyce are not protected, but there are no bike lanes on Joyce north of Army Navy).
At the Pentagon City Mall they also added a protected intersection corner island and protected the bike lane in the SE corner.
At Hayes, they moved the NB Hayes bike lane to the outside, to the right of the right turn lane; added an island and bend-out to the SW corner and started the protected SB bike lane on Hayes.
At Fern they added a bend out and island to the SW corner and to the east of that they've added trees to the PBL buffer (not shown)
Eads is basically the same for cyclists, but they are working on a protected bike lane on Eads as part of a separate project.
East of Eads the buffer between the PBL and road traffic is changed from a striped buffer to a raised one with trees in it and it's made much larger to allow cars to queue there when turning. Drivers would cross the bikeway and then wait in the buffer to turn on to Army Navy treating them like two separate roads.
This is so much better than the previous plan, IMO. But still there's opportunities to make more improvements, as this twitter thread notes.
Even though the meeting is over, they're still looking for comments.
June 28, 2019 in Army Navy Drive, Protected Bike Lane (PBL) | Permalink | Comments (1)
DDOT's Rock Creek area livability studies
This year, DDOT has held two meetings - in February and May - on their Rock Creek Far West Livability Study. Studies like these can form one of the first steps to changes on the ground and so their important stepping stones to protected bike lanes, road diets and other projects that make streets safer, greener and more conducive to walking and biking. Officially:
The Rock Creek Far West Livability Study will identify opportunities for safer travel for residents and visitors to the neighborhoods in the study area. The purpose of the study is to enhance the quality of life of the community through improvements to transportation safety and connections to destinations. This study will also align with Mayor Bowser's Vision Zero Initiative, which has an objective to reach zero fatalities and serious injuries to travelers of the District's transportation system by 2024.
The study area covers DC's Western corner, including the Palisades, from the C&O Canal to Massachusetts Avenue.
After the first meeting, ANC 3D sent a letter supporting a bicycle trail along Nebraska Ave, bicycle lanes along Rockwood Parkway and Loughboro Road, and a PBL along Nebraska, Loughboro and Arizona all the way to Canal Road.
At the 2nd meeting they presented draft recommendations. These included
A road diet on Dalecarlia Parkway that then allows for more space for pedestrians and cyclists
Make 48th between MacArthur and V into a "shared street"
Provide new connections to the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) at Arizona and Norton
Improve Tunlaw Road for cyclists
Add a PBL to Loughboro/Nebraska; bike boulevards to 49th, Glenbrook and and Rockwood Parkway, a bike facility on 37th and a sidepath on Massachusetts Avenue
I pretty much only bike through the area the way most people do - on the CCT, canal towpath or MacArthur. Occasionally I ride Massachusetts and I'd probably use a sidepath in the uphill direction. I'm surprised the Palisades trolley trail isn't one of the recommendations and that there isn't more in the southern part of the study area.
It's a shame that trails aren't included in the Glover-Archibald corridor, Battery Kemble corridor or the green corridor south of Fulton that connects them. Or the Whitehaven Parkway for that matter.
A third meeting should happen in August or September, but the best way to make comments before then would be to use the interactive map.
And more time critical, DDOT is doing a study on the east side of Rock Creek Park and holding a meeting on it this week (June 12). You can see the map of existing and proposed bike facilities for that area here.
June 10, 2019 in Bike Lanes, Capital Crescent Trail (CCT), Protected Bike Lane (PBL) | Permalink | Comments (15)
Work underway on Silver Spring Bikeways
Montgomery County DOT (MCDOT) broke ground on the protected bike lanes on 2nd Ave. and Wayne Ave. between Spring St. and Georgia Ave. last fall, but they were delayed by utility issues and weather. Work is underway now, and they've been making progress on the PBL and on the protected intersection at Second and Spring.
Late last month they moved the median on Wayne, were putting in temporary striping, they've poured concrete aprons and islands and moved streetlights.
At the protected intersection they note about the rectangular concrete apron on the westbound side of Spring Street
Buses need this space when turning left. Initially, we designed this area just with a hatched (painted) area, but we were concerned people would park there. This concrete apron will not be challenging for the bus to use during its turn, and people will be less likely to park here. Note, once the final striping is in place, the parking lane will align with the apron and the bike lane will be against the curb.
Last year they said work would take two months to complete, so we might be 5-6 weeks away from completion. This would be the first protected intersection in the area, IIUC.
June 05, 2019 in Protected Bike Lane (PBL) | Permalink | Comments (3)


text:
<?php

namespace Group3\Bundle\ABundle\Form;

use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormBuilderInterface;
use Symfony\Component\OptionsResolver\OptionsResolverInterface;

class CustomerType extends AbstractType
{
        /**
     * @param FormBuilderInterface $builder
     * @param array $options
     */
    public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
    {
        $builder
            ->add('firstName')
            ->add('lastName')
            ->add('emailAddress')
            ->add('street')
            ->add('city')
            ->add('state')
            ->add('zip', 'text')
            ->add('country')
            ->add('save', 'submit', array(
                'attr' => array('class' => 'pure-button pure-button-primary save-button')
            )
    );
        ;
    }

    /**
     * @param OptionsResolverInterface $resolver
     */
    public function setDefaultOptions(OptionsResolverInterface $resolver)
    {
        $resolver->setDefaults(array(
            'data_class' => 'Group3\Bundle\ABundle\Entity\Customer'
        ));
    }

    /**
     * @return string
     */
    public function getName()
    {
        return 'group3_bundle_abundle_customer';
    }
}


In this week's Episode of Make Money Mondays Special Edition, Chris Herman, President at Herman Advertising explains the importance of building your own brand. How do you establish and straighten your brand? You must have a great personality and dress for success. Remember that your brand means being yourself.
I was live on Facebook...did you catch it? Learn why change is such a necessary evil by clicking the video below.
Does Facebook Actually Give You Value?
By creating a Facebook group, you'll be able to nurture the database that you already have, as well as increase the audience for your business. Your new Facebook group will give you the opportunity to get feedback on products or services, engage with customers, and build top-of-mind awareness.
Watch Samantha explain the do's and don'ts of utilizing your Facebook group in order to build loyalty and improve your business.
Watch this week's Hard Facts to learn about some things you should know before hitting the publish button on your blog that will drastically effect its reach and performance.
You have to be everywhere, but how do you maintain everything? Making sure your Yelp, Yellowpages, Facebook, Twitter, Super Pages, and YouTube are all up to date with your correct phone number, address, dealership name, and other important details can become an overwhelming task. Samantha will cover some tips to be everywhere.
I want to hear your ideas! Leave a comment here or connect with me on Facebook and share your thoughts. You may get a free POTRATZ Coffee Mug Strategy!


There comes a point during the holidays when we feel uncomfortable recommending buying more stuff. It is hard not to buy actual gifts for children because they seem to really want a tangible gift.
If you do decide to give an actual tangible gift, try to make sure it is one that aligns with your values. Do you care about the planet? If so....try not to purchase a gift made of plastic. Are women's rights important to you? Buy something made Fair Trade by women. You get the idea! Know where your purchase came from and the values of the store or company that made it.
Do you know about Dressember?


text:
Post-marketing surveillance of the safety profile of infliximab in 5,000 Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis
You are currently viewing an earlier version of this article (July 20, 2007).
latest version (July 25, 2007).
latest version (August 02, 2007).
Tsutomu Takeuchi (tsutake{at}saitama-med.ac.jp)
Saitama Medical University, Japan
Yoshihiko Tatsuki (tatsuki{at}tanabe.co.jp)
Tanabe Seiyaku Co., LTD, Japan
Yoshihide Nogami
Naoki Ishiguro
Yoshiya Tanaka
University of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Japan
Hisashi Yamanaka
Tokyo Women's Medical University, Japan
Masayoshi Harigai
Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
Junnosuke Ryu
Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
Kazuhiko Inoue
Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, Japan
Hirobumi Kondo
Kitasato Institute Medical Center Hospital, Japan
Shigeko Inokuma
Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Japan
Naoyuki Kamatani
Takahiro Ochi
National Hospital Organization Sagamihara National Hospital, Japan
Takao Koike
Hokkaido University, Japan
Objectives: A large-scale post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study was carried out to determine the safety profile of infliximab in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: The PMS study was performed for all patients with RA who were treated with infliximab. They were consecutively registered in the PMS study at the initiation of infliximab treatment and were prospectively monitored with all adverse events noted for a period of 6 months. All case reports, which include safety-related events, were collected monthly.
Results: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were assessed for 6 months in 5,000 patients who were consecutively enrolled in the PMS study. The incidence rates of total and serious ADRs were 28.0% and 6.2%, respectively. "Infections" or "respiratory disorders" were most commonly observed among serious ADRs. Bacterial pneumonia developed in 2.2%, tuberculosis in 0.3%, suspected Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) in 0.4%, and interstitial pneumonitis in 0.5%. Bacterial pneumonia (for which individuals of male gender, of older age and those with advanced rheumatoid arthritis and comorbid respiratory disease were most at risk) began to develop immediately after the start of treatment, while tuberculosis, PCP and interstitial pneumonitis developed about one month later. Serious infusion reactions were observed in 0.5% and were more likely to occur in patients who had participated in previous clinical trials of infliximab.
Conclusion: This post-marketing surveillance study of patients treated with infliximab showed that infliximab in combination with low dose MTX was well tolerated in Japanese patients with active RA.
bacterial pneumonia
post-marketing surveillance
Copyright Article author (or their employer) . Produced by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (& EULAR) under licence.


Plato's description of the demise of Atlantis and the obliteration of Athens has prompted many writers to link these occurrences with more global events. The association of Atlantis with catastrophism has persisted for over a century, ever since Ignatius Donnelly published his landmark book Atlantis and his contribution to catastrophist literature Raganorak. However, the idea of Atlantis as a victim of a global or at least a very widespread catastrophe was articulated as early as 1788 by Giovanni Rinaldo Carli who claimed that a close encounter with a comet caused worldwide devastation that included the permanent inundation of Atlantis.
Atlantis is recorded by Plato as being destroyed in 'a day and a night', which led George H. Cooper to made the point that the knowledge of the speed of its demise could only have come from 'survivors or passing mariners' and should have been incorporated into the traditions of many nations[236.283].
The bottom line is that the date of the destruction of Atlantis and its army is not known, although it has been assumed by commentators to have occurred shortly after the war with Atlantis. All that Plato says is that it happened "at a later time' Similarly, Plato records the destruction of the two armies in the same passage (Tim.25d,e) in a manner that might suggest a common cause, a view that I'm inclined to accept.
George H. Cooper (1859-1943) was an American writer who produced two books in which he claimed that ancient Britain was the starting place of civilisation. In the first, Ancient Britain: The Cradle of Civilisation, among a number of daring claims he proposes that the Garden of Eden had been situated on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire near Stonehenge.
This book covers a range of subjects; ancient Britain, prehistoric America, Atlantis, ancient calendars etc. Cooper also produced a couple of volumes devoted to ancient mathematics.
With regard to Atlantis, Cooper identifies Britain and Ireland as its location and was convinced that Stonehenge was the Pillars of Hercules.
His second offering, The Druid Bible appears to be just a reworking of much of the material in the first, once again promoting the theme of Britain as the source of civilisation, but venturing further with a discussion of the Trojan War, Mexico and Easter Island.
Ireland according to James Bramwell[0195.181], was first identified with Atlantis as early as circa 1250 AD in the Speculum Regale (The King's Mirror)(g) which was written in Norway. Apart from that, Ireland was less controversially was first suggested in the 18th century as a possible location of Atlantis by the English geologist John Whitehurst. The idea lay dormant for over a century until the early part of the 20th century when George H. Cooper suggested that Cork harbour fits Plato's description of the harbour of Atlantis. Fifty years later an official guidebook claimed that one of the outposts of Atlantis was to be found on the west coast of Galway. As a nation famed for its storytelling we have never let truth stand in the way of a good tale.
The mythical Hy-Brasil was shown west of Ireland on maps as early as 1325 and incredibly, was not removed from naval charts until 1865. The UK's Daily Star (21/5/16) with typical tabloid accuracy told its readers(f) that Hy-Brasil was off the coast of 'Britain'!
In 1976, Steiner Books, New York, republished a book under the misleading title of Atlantis in Ireland. One may be excused for viewing this as a blatant case of exploitative opportunistic publishing. The original text was written by Henry O'Brien and published in London (1834) as The Round Towers of Ireland. Apart from being written in the rather turgid English of the period, there is not a single reference to Plato or Atlantis to be found in that volume.
In 1923 Conor MacDari, who's eccentricity was comparable with that of Comyns Beaumont, published Irish Wisdom Preserved in the Bible and Pyramids, which among a litany of bizarre claims, proposed that Atlantis had been located in Ireland.
When Ignatius Donnelly came to the subject of Ireland, he attributed an Atlantean origin to so the various waves of settlers that came to the post-glacial island. He substitutes evidence with assertion and speculation. Donnelly further claimed that the famous round towers of Ireland are proof that the people of Atlantis settled in Ireland.
factor of 99.98%, that his interpretation of Plato's text demonstrates that Ireland was home to Atlantis. The subtitle of the book, Mappingthe Fairy Land, is probably a good guide on how seriously to take this book, particularly as it is by an author who hails from the land of the original Trolls.
In March 2008 it was reported that a Dr. Jac Hummer had mounted an expedition to South America with the intention of discovering the remains of St. Patrick under a pyramid there. But it gets better – he then explains that such a discovery will prove his theory that Ireland is Plato's lost island of Atlantis!
Irish legend speaks of the Domnu, people of the deep sea from a land that disappeared beneath the waves. However, Ireland is still above the waves and in contrast to Plato's statement that even in his time the location of Atlantis was marked by impassable shallows. Since sea levels have generally risen only slightly since Plato lived, he cannot have been referring to Ireland.
John Douglas Singer in his slender book, Ireland's Mysterious Lands and Sunken Cities, has carried out an investigation into the ancient legends of Ireland and their possible connection with Plato's Atlantis. He points out that Ireland has the greatest number of legends relating to sunken cities and islands. He draws on the works of Egerton Sykes and Lewis Spence among others.
Ireland was also nominated by Thomas Dietrich as an early colony of Atlantis in The Origin of Culture.
Somewhat incongruously, the website of extremist, Dejan Lucic, has an extensive and fully referenced article entitled The Irish Origins of Civilisation(a), including not a few controversial sources such as, Comyns Beaumont, Ralph Ellis and John Gordon.
In 2013 Skender Hushi informed the world that Albanian had been the original language of Ireland and Atlantis! Another equally odd claim came from Zoltán Simon who proposed that the ancient Hun Calendar came from Ireland[0549.147]!


The Gwinnett Daily Post just posted an interview with former Furman player Bill Ballard. Bill is beginning his first year as head coach of the Peachtree Ridge football team. Ballard is the former coach at Tucker and now has the task of taking over at Peachtree Ridge the current AAAAA state champs of Georgia.
CC: Not many guys get to take over a program that just won the AAAAA state title - that's a pretty good situation you got yourself into, huh?
BB: (Laughs) I guess so. I am real excited about taking over the program. It's got a great deal of potential long-term. It's a great school, academically it's one of the top in the state ... it's just a great situation that offers almost everything you want. For me, with the family I have (children are ages 8, 5 and 2) this is the kind of place I would like to bring them up in and have them go to school. For my family and me it's just a wonderful situation.
CC: When you were playing (at Henderson High and then at Furman) were you a coachable kid?
BB: (Laughs) Definitely. I was very coachable. I wasn't good enough not to be coachable. I had to learn everything I possibly could so I could play. I was an average player so I had to be a student of the game. I was definitely not a prima donna.


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Rug Blog
Victoria and Albert Museum Antique Rugs
September 13, 2019 omri schwartz Rug Blog
World Carpet Treasures at the Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is the preeminent museum of art and design. It is also home to one of the most extensive historical carpet collections in the world. The collection houses some exquisite pieces, including examples of some of the oldest rugs in the world. The V&A museum collection presents rare carpets from many regions of the world, but its most significant group is its 1,170 carpets from the Middle East and North Africa. This collection is a real treat that brings in visitors from around the globe.
The interior of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Islamic Middle East Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum
The most extensive collection of Persian rugs and Oriental carpets is housed in the Islamic Middle East gallery. If you plan to visit the V&A museum, this collection is in Room 42, the Jameel Gallery. This museum gallery has a rotating display of approximately 19,000 items from the Middle East and North Africa, including its antique carpet collection. Pieces in the collection encompass the early beginnings of Islam in the 7th century up through the early 20th century. The collection includes works in the mediums of calligraphy, illumination, art and architecture, jewelry, ceramics, carpets and other textiles.
Notably, the collection houses an extensive selection of early carpets produced during the height of the Ottoman and Safavid Empires. It has one of the most comprehensive ranges of designs and old carpets from significant rug weaving centers from the 16th century on wards. The Victoria and Albert museum antique rug collection houses Persian carpets from major production centers such as Tabriz, Kerman, Kashan, and Khorassan. This collection also houses Persian rugs from some of the minor cities and carpet production areas, such as Kazvin. While browsing the collection, you can see the development of many traditional rug patterns that are still used today. You can also get a feel for the colors and patterns that distinguish carpets from different cities and regions.
The Islamic Middle East Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Typically, there are approximately 100 early carpets on display at any one time, and the display rotates continually. Sometimes special exhibitions are held that focus on a specific region or type of carpet. The collection features carpets made from cotton, silk, wool and a combination of these fibers. Perhaps its most exquisite and impressive pieces are those that are made from metal-wrapped silk silver from the Middle Ages. These pieces are a sight to see and some of the rarest pieces in the world. The Victoria and Albert Museum contains one of the largest collections of them. The range and scope of this collection are what make it one of the most essential carpet collections in the world.
The Ardabil Carpet at the Victoria and Albert Museum
No visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum would be complete without the Ardabil carpet. This is perhaps the most famous carpet in the world, and many people come to see this piece alone. This carpet is the oldest in the world for which a specific date of production is known. The early carpet was made in Ardabil, which is located in the northwestern section of Iran. It is the burial place of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili. The Shaykh was a Sufi leader and a direct ancestor of Shah Ismail, who founded the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century.
The Ardabil Carpet on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
This is an exquisite carpet with a millefleur design over the entire field superimposed onto a formal geometric medallion design. The medallion became popular during the 16th century and is still a traditional pattern that is used today. The exact origins of the carpet are not known, but it is believed to have been commissioned by the Court to be used on the shrine of the Shaykh.
As such, it is one of the most outstanding examples of Safavid Court carpets in existence. By the 16th century, the Shrine became a place of pilgrimage. The carpet is accurately dated thanks to an inscription located on one edge. The inscription reads, "The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani." It has a date of 946, which in the Muslim calendar is the equivalent of 1539 to 1540. The maker of the was more than likely not a slave in the traditional sense, but one who was in service to the Court and officially charged with producing the carpet.
The carpet has about 5,300 knots per 10 square centimeters and is made from dense silk. This allowed the designers to include an incredible level of detail. The carpet was produced by a large team of weavers and would have taken several years to complete. The Victoria and Albert Museum acquired the piece in 1893 for about £2,000. Now, it is considered one of the most priceless treasures in the world, and it is worth the trip to the museum just to see it.
A full view of the Ardabil Carpet.
Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles at the V&A Museum
If you are a student of antique textiles or Oriental carpets, the Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion is something that you will want to plan into your visit. This Center offers visitors a unique opportunity to inspect and study some of the most important textile pieces in the world up close and personal. The collection includes archaeological fragments of heavy antique tapestries and antique rugs.
'Animals by the Watering Hole', tapestry, Ali Salim, 1985.
The Center can be found at Blythe House, Olympia in West London and is separate from the main museum. It is a state-of-the-art facility with a quiet, large, comfortable study room for individuals or groups of up to three people. You can study the object of your choice, as well as have access to reference books and the collection database. This is a unique experience open to researchers that is unlike any other in the world. It is indeed a treat to be able to have access to such an extensive and rare collection of antiquities.
Entrance to the Centre is free, but you must make an appointment first. It is open to individuals from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. It is only available to groups during certain hours. It is closed throughout August for inventory and resetting the collection.
The Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles
Visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum Collection
The Victoria and Albert collection stands out as one of the most important carpet collections in the world for many reasons. It is unique in both the range and scope of its carpets. It also offers several unique opportunities to see exceptionally rare pieces. If you are a researcher or student, visiting the Center for Study and Conservation is a treat that cannot be missed. A visit to the museum is something that everyone should try to do at least once in their lifetime. Plan to make an extended stay because this museum cannot be explored in a single day.
Bullerswood Carpet, William Morris and John Henry Dearle, about 1889, England.
Admission to both the main museum and the Centre for Study and Conservation is free. The main museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The main museum is located on Cromwell Road in London, SW7 2RL.
Below we are including a selection of textiles, tapestries and antique rugs worthy of being part of the Victoria and Albert Museum collection:
Antique Flemish Heraldic Tapestry of a Spanish Noble Admiral
Antique 18th Century Dalmatic European Textile
Rare Antique 17th Century Flemish Tapestry
Antique Azerbaijan Silk Embroidery Textile
18th Century Indian Embroidery Textile
Antique 17th Century Transylvanian Rug
Antique 16th Century Alcaraz Oriental Rug
This rug blog about the Victoria and Albert Museum was published by Nazmiyal Antique Rug Gallery in NYC.
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