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Patrick Haggard trained at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. His initial research interests focussed on the behavioural patterns and neural mechanisms of human motor control. Since 1995, he has been a member of academic staff at University College London, where he leads the "Action and Body" research group at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. His recent publications focus on the relation between subjective experience and neural activity in sensorimotor cognitive neuroscience, with particular focus on volitional action, and bodily awareness. He was awarded the Prix Jean Nicod in 2016, and the Evens Foundation Science Prize in 2017. He was made a Fellow of the British Academy in 2014, and received the Chaire Blaise Pascal in 2018.
Could there be a neuroscience of volition
"The capacity to act volitionally, of one's 'own free will', is sometimes considered a distinguishing feature of the human nervous system, and the subjective experience that our actions are "up to us" is certainly a normal part of healthy adult cognition. At the same time, volitional action seems continuous with a range of 'executive' cognitive functions, whose neural bases have been revealed in studies of both human and animal brains. This lecture explores what, precisely, is meant by voluntary control of behaviour, and investigates the neural mechanisms that underpin both endogenous actions, and the characteristic experience associated with such actions".
Richard Morris is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh and was, until recently, Director of the Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems. He read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, and did his D.Phil at the University of Sussex. His early career included a period helping to build an exhibition at the Natural History Museum and a stint working for BBC Television ("Tomorrow's World"). He also served, by secondment, as Head of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the Wellcome Trust from 2007 to 2010, where he helped to set up the new Sainsbury-Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour at University College London and a new research charity MQ:Transforming Mental Health. His longstanding research interest has been in the neurobiology of cognition, particularly the role neuronal plasticity in memory formation. Most recently he was a co-recipient with Tim Bliss and Graham Collingridge of the international Brain Prize (Lundbeck Foundation, Copenhagen). He was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society in 1997 and the Academy of Medical Sciences (1999), and of both the American Academy of Arts and Science and Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in 2004. He was appointed CBE in 2007.
"The making and keeping of memory"
Some issues:
1. We make new memories effortlessly through the day selectively forgetting many but not all of them quite quickly.
2. It follows that memory encoding must be distinct from memory consolidation. Memory encoding may take place simultaneously in hippocampus and neocortex, but the resulting traces are transient to start off with.
3. There are grounds for thinking that memory consolidation can be subdivided into an initial or 'cellular' process (in which protein synthesis has been implicated for initial stabilisation) and a later 'systems' process in which new information is assimilated into associative networks, most likely through hippocampal/neocortical interactions. Reconsolidation might also be considered as a form of updating or assimilation.
Christine Heim
Prof. Christine Heim is the Director of the Institute of Medical Psychology at Charité. She is also a Member of the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure at Charité in Berlin as well as Professor of Biobehavioral Health at Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that underlie the link between childhood trauma and increased risk for developing a range of psychiatric and medical disorders across the lifespan. With this research, she hopes to derive novel pathophysiology-driven targets for the prevention and intervention of disorders related to early-life stress. The impact of her work is acknowledged in more than 20,000 citations. She is the recipient of several honors and awards, including the 2004 Chaim Danieli Young Professional Award of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, the 2007 Curt P. Richter Award of the International Society for Psychoneuroendocrinology, and the 2015 Patricia Barchas Award in Sociophysiology of the American Psychosomatic Society. She is an elected member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. She was appointed to the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. She is the recipient of multiple federal grants and foundation grants, and she serves on national and international scientific review committees regarding research on consequences of childhood trauma.
Understanding and Mitigating the Impact of Early-Life Adversity on Disease Risk: Towards Developmental Programming of Lifelong Health
Adversity in early life, such as childhood abuse, neglect and loss, is a well-established major risk factor for developing a range of psychiatric and medical disorders later in life. Biological embedding of maltreatment during development is thought to underlie this long-term increased risk. Our results suggest that childhood trauma in humans is associated with sensitization of the stress response, glucocorticoid resistance, decreased oxytocin activity, inflammation, reduced hippocampal volume and changes in cortical fields that are implicated in the perception or processing of the abuse. The consequences of childhood trauma are moderated by genetic factors and mediated by epigenetic changes in genes relevant for stress regulation. Understanding trajectories of biological embedding, and their moderation by gene-environment interaction, is critical to enable us to design novel interventions that directly reverse these processes and to derive biomarkers that identify children who are at risk to develop disorders or are susceptible to a specific intervention. Such advances will promote personalized care based on risk profiles and will inform targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse outcomes of early-life stress and promote lifelong health.
Luigi Bellocchio
French Institute of Health and Medical Research.
CB1 signaling in the brain: the where matters
Cannabinoid drugs (e.g. the active principle of the plant cannabis, D9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC) exert several effects on the brain via the activation of the G protein-coupled type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1). On the other hand, CB1 receptors are part of a physiological system (the endocannabinoid system, or ECS), through which the particular endogenous signaling molecules (the endocannabinoids) control a plethora of brain functions. The effects of exogenous cannabinoids and the physiological roles of the ECS are only partially overlapping. This is likely due to the fact that the ECS has patterns of activation that are extremely regulated in time and space, features that are obviously overcome by massive stimulation of CB1 receptors by exogenous drugs.
Dissecting the impact of CB1 receptors expressed in different brain regions, cell types or subcellular locations represent for our team a "bottom-up" approach to try addressing basic principles of brain functions. Thus, among others, CB1 receptors helped us studying in recent years the balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition in specific behaviors, the impact of astroglial signaling in memory, the role of hippocampal inhibitory transmission in the regulation of incidental associations, or the importance of bioenergetic processes in brain cellular and behavioral processes.
In this lecture, I will present an excursus of our studies on the mechanisms of action of CB1 receptors in the brain, with special focus on how this approach can contribute exploring basic principles of brain functioning, in which the "where" definitely matters.
Carmen Sandi
Carmen Sandi is a Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, where she heads the Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics. She did her PhD at the Cajal Institute in Madrid and postdoctoral work in the Universities of Bordeaux (France) and Open University (UK). She has contributed with pioneering work to the field of 'Stress, brain and behavior" and to the understanding of the mechanisms that mediate individual differences in vulnerability to stress. Currently, her lab has a strong focus on elucidating the role of brain mitochondria and metabolism on anxiety, motivation and stress coping behaviors. She has published over 180 research articles and contributed to various books. She has received prestigious prizes –including the recent Ron de Kloet Stress Prize for Stress Research 2018– and serves in several academic, industrial and editorial boards. She was the director of the Brain Mind Institute at the EPFL from 2012-2019, and it is currently co-Director of the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research Synapsy and co-Director of the StressNetwork.ch. She was the President of the European Brain and Behavior Society (EBBS), and is currently council member of the European Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society (EMCCS) and the President of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).
Blaming brain mitochondria and metabolism for our behavioral 'weaknesses' under stressful challenges
Individuals show remarkable differences in their respective levels of behavioral energy displayed when confronted with stressful challenges. Emerging evidence points at mitochondrial function and metabolism in specific cell types and brain areas as critical determinants of the selection of either active versus passive stress coping responses. These findings will advance our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie vulnerability to develop psychopathologies, such as anxiety disorders and depression.
Presentation of ALBA
A short presentation on ALBA initiative by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, on gender issues and equality in Neuroscience. Followed by a small refreshment.
Inga D. Neumann
Prof. Dr. Inga D. Neumann was born in Jena, a city of Thuringia in the former Eastern Germany, and studied biology at the University of Leipzig. She finished her PhD in 1991 and spent 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow in Calgary, Canada, based on a HFSPO stipend.
Afterwards she worked as a senior scientist at the Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry in Munich. In 1997, after birth of her second son, she finished her "Habilitation" at the LMU in Munich, and continued as a Heisenberg fellow of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. In 2001 she was appointed as a Full Professor of Physiology/Neurobiology at the University of Regensburg. Her main scientific interests are the neuropeptidergic regulation of anxiety- and depression-related, and social behaviours including social fear, aggression and maternal behaviour, as well as of stress responses. Another focus is the molecular and neuronal mechanisms underlying the effects of neuropeptides after intracerebral release. She is Director of the Graduate School of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft "Neurobiology of Emotion Dysfunction", and speaker of the Themenverbund "Aggression and Violence in Culture and Nature" at the University of Regensburg founded in 2010. At present, she serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine of her University in Regensburg, Germany.
Aggression, stress and social fear: Neuropeptide modulation of socio-emotional behaviour
University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
The neuropeptide oxytocin currently attracts enormous scientific interest due to its capacity to modulate various behavioural and physiological responses both in humans and rodents. Besides the well-established anxiolytic and anti-stress effects, brain oxytocin is essential for naturally occurring social preference behaviour, and reverses stress-induced social avoidance or even social fear as studied in a mouse model of social fear-conditioning. However, its involvement in the regulation of aggression seems controversial, and sex-dependent effects are likely. Novel techniques, such as chemogenetic or optogenetic manipulation of oxytocin neuronal activity and oxytocin signaling within distinct brain regions, have furthered our understanding of the precise neuronal mechanisms underlying these behavioural effects.
Tessa Roseboom is a Professor of Early Development and Health at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her work focusses on the impact of the early life environment on growth, development and health throughout life. Her studies in the Dutch famine birth cohort provided the first direct evidence in humans that maternal nutrition during gestation affected offspring´s and potentially grand-offspring's health (www.hongerwinter.nl). Her current research focuses on the fundamental biological processes that underlie 'developmental programming' and on translation to current pregnancies, in developed and developing settings. These studies include observational and experimental studies of the long term consequences of lifestyle interventions before and during pregnancy (www.womb-project.eu), obstetric interventions, hyperemesis gravidarum, and assisted reproduction techniques. The ultimate aim of her work is to contribute to improved human health by giving each child the best possible start in life.
How early life experience shapes brain and behavior
Teaser: Prof Rosebooms studies of men and women born around the time of the Dutch famine have provided the first direct evidence in humans to show that the environment during the earliest stages of human development shape the brain and have lasting consequences for health and wellbeing of individuals and thereby also affect society as a whole. In her lecture she will address the lessons learned from these historical studies and translate them to the world we live in today. Investing in early human development will be crucial for achieving better health and wellbeing for future generations.


Last month, we released findings from the Ponemon Institute's second annual study on cyber resilience, titled "The 2016 Cyber Resilient Organization." The report assessed organizations' ability to respond to and recover from cyberattacks and identified the top challenges facing IT professionals today.
When we compared this new data to last year's results, it was clear that organizations were still unprepared to deal with cyberattacks. In fact, it's actually getting tougher: Only 32 percent of IT and security professionals reported that their organization had a high level of cyber resilience, down from 35 percent in 2015.
Two-thirds (66 percent) cited "insufficient planning and preparedness" as a top barrier to cyber resilience.
About 41 percent said the time to resolve a cyber incident has increased or increased significantly, while only 31 percent said it has decreased.
A whopping 75 percent admitted their organization lacks a formal, consistent incident response (IR) plan.
Improved cyber resilience starts by preparing for cyberattacks. Respondents said that "preparedness" is the single most important factor to achieving cyber resilience.
Security leaders should work toward building consistent and repeatable workflows to quickly investigate and mitigate cybersecurity incidents.
It's critical to establish a plan for incident response, but it's just as important to ensure your plans and workflows are optimized. Security leaders should measure and assess the performance of their IR teams, and streamline and refine processes when needed.
Simulations and tabletop exercises can help ensure that all relevant parties — from the IR team to legal, marketing and executives — are well-versed in the organization's IR protocols before they're needed in a real-world incident.
It's also critical to arm your team with the proper technology. According to respondents, an incident response platform (IRP) is among the most effective security technologies for helping organizations become cyber resilient.
Threat intelligence and threat sharing continue to present a seemingly equal amount of promise and concern for organizations. About half of respondents said their organization participates in an initiative or program for sharing information with government and industry peers. The others are not yet persuaded.
About 81 percent of respondents said threat sharing improves the security posture of their organization.
Three-fourths (75 percent) of respondents said it increases the effectiveness of their incident response.
More than half (53 percent) of respondents said it enhances the timeliness of incident response.
It's important to make threat intelligence work for your specific organization. That includes figuring out how to effectively categorize and act on the intelligence provided as well as filtering out redundancies and noise. When implemented properly, threat sharing can enable important improvements.


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Board supports dam removal
Finances key to ending Leaburg power production
December 15, 2022 | View PDF
EUGENE: In what several commissioners referred to as "the best of the worst" options, the Eugene Water & Electric Board has endorsed plans to remove Leaburg Dam, fix stretches of a leaking canal, and back away from some local power generation. The move came after 20 board sessions that have been discussing what to do with the aging facility after water seepage caused the hydroelectric plant's shutdown in 2018.
Studies and negotiations with federal agencies are likely to go on for another ten years before any removal work begins but ongoing repairs to the canal will continue. Prior to the time when turbines stopped turning, the facility could produce 15.9 megawatts, equivalent to around 4 percent of EWEB's overall generating ability.
Not happy with the utility's plans was utility customer William Henshaw who told the board he felt taking away the resiliency of local production "gives it over to hedge funds and windfarms or solar projects." Henshaw said he was flabbergasted that combined costs to rehabilitate a five-mile canal amounted to over $1/4 billion He also questioned the way EWEB had projected electrical rates in their calculations. "You sell on retail, you don't sell on wholesale," he said. "You're not selling that electricity back into the market, you're using that locally."
Also giving public testimony at the December 3rd meeting was Bob Spencer of Vida. He favored the dam's removal, saying it was "right for the river and a step forward for this natural resource." But Spencer was critical of the decision to not include the Walterville hydro project in current discussions, calling it a dirt ditch that leaks with the "same exact problems."
The six-part recommendation to decommission power generation "won't result in wrecking balls coming out next week," explained EWEB general manager Frank Lawson. "We're dealing with issues that will take years, potentially decades, and want to be willing to take a look at the future as it changes.
Five items EWEB plans to address include permanently ending Leaburg electricity generation, removing the dam/bridge, developing access to the south bank area, repairing the canal for tributary stream and stormwater runoff, and remaining open to "mitigating opportunities." The sixth - an assessment for relicensing the Walterville project - would be delayed until 2030, allowing that project to continue generating electricity.
It's estimated restoring power generation would come at a cost of between $117 and $230 per megawatt hour. In comparison, buying power from the Bonneville Power Administration now costs $33 per megawatt hour.
"It's not economically feasible relative to the alternatives that we have," Lawson said. "We're not just obligating the utility to generate at the site for another 40 years. It's more like 90 to 100 years."
Projecting what the future could hold was a concern for vice chair Sonya Carlson who questioned how long the utility could depend on a run-of-the-river project. "How much water will actually be flowing through?" she asked, adding that "the climate is changing. It's going to look different."
Board chairman John Brown agreed, saying he was concerned that if the Leaburg project was returned to service it might have to shut down ten years later. "We could spend $250 million to get it back running and then another $300 million tearing it down. So it's a huge financial risk if we return to service and flows are such that we can't really use it."
Though board members all seemed to favor permanently shutting down Leaburg, no vote was taken. They are planning to vote in January on a "Record of Decision" authorizing staff to carry out the partial decommissioning of the project. Lawson said he will work to develop a process to keep commissioners informed periodically over the next several years. He also said if a funding source is identified that would cover the costs of restoring the entire project area to natural conditions (similar to what existed prior to construction in 1928) EWEB would explore that option.
Need some firewood?
Paid Leave for all workers will lift off in 2023
EWEB unanimous for dam removal
Timber sale put on hold

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home Sun & Moon Eclipses Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
May 5, 2023 — Penumbral Lunar Eclipse — Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Max View in Stuttgart
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, in Stuttgart
Fri, May 5, 2023 at 8:46 pm
Fri, May 5, 2023 at 8:50 pm -0.537 Magnitude
May 5, 2023 — Penumbral Lunar Eclipse — Stuttgart
The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looks like in Stuttgart. Stages and times of the eclipse are outlined below. All times are local time (CEST) for Stuttgart.
5:14 pm Fri, May 5 Not directly visible Penumbral Eclipse begins Below horizon 78°
7:22 pm Fri, May 5 Not directly visible Maximum Eclipse Below horizon 102°
8:46 pm Fri, May 5 Rising Moonrise Rising 117°
8:50 pm Fri, May 5
Maximum in Stuttgart This is the moment when the eclipse reaches its greatest magnitude while the entire Moon is above the horizon in Stuttgart. The true maximum point of this eclipse cannot be seen in Stuttgart because the Moon is below the horizon at that time.
Since the Moon is near the horizon at this time, we recommend going to a high point or finding an unobstructed area with free sight to East-southeast for the best view of the eclipse. 118°
Penumbral Eclipse ends The Earth's penumbra ends.
Moon close to horizon, so make sure you have free sight to Southeast. 125°
During this penumbral lunar eclipse, the Earth's main shadow does not cover the Moon. As the Earth's shadow (umbra) misses the Moon during a penumbral lunar eclipse, there are no other locations on Earth where the Moon appears partially or totally eclipsed during this event. A penumbral lunar eclipse can be a bit hard to see as the shadowed part is only a little bit fainter than the rest of the Moon.
Cloud Coverage (May 5)
Countdown until eclipse begins
94Days 0Hrs 32Mins 29Secs
Stuttgart Eclipse Countdown
Eclipses and Transits Visible in Stuttgart
Eclipse Visibility From Stuttgart
May 5, 2023 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica
Oct 28–29, 2023 Partial Lunar Eclipse Partial Lunar Eclipse Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, Much of South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica
Mar 14, 2025 Partial Lunar Eclipse Total Lunar Eclipse Europe, Much of Asia, Much of Australia, Much of Africa, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, Antarctica
Note: Click on the date link for details in Stuttgart, or the path map image for global details. Currently shown eclipse is highlighted.


The Portland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine would like to remind residents and visitors that this week's First Friday Art Walk on December 6th will be car-free. Congress Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Brown Street and State Street from 6-8 pm and no parking will be permitted in that area from 4pm – 8pm. If you're driving to this Friday's event, please remember to park in nearby garages or on side streets. Or consider walking or biking to the event. This is the first Art Walk in Portland that will include a closure of Congress Street to cars, creating a safe and more inviting environment for people to walk, shop and socialize.
The car-free First Friday event is one of a number of "Open Streets" events that will take place in Portland over the next twelve months. With this step, Portland joins the ranks of cities around the world that are embracing these types of events. Open Streets events seek to re-establish the tradition of using streets as public spaces that can do more than just accommodate vehicular traffic.
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is the statewide voice of cyclists. Since 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has led the effort to make Maine better for bicycling by protecting the rights and safety of cyclists through education, advocacy, legislation and encouragement. We support biking for health, transportation, recreation and fun. For more information: bikemaine.org.


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United Nations Sends Aid to 10,000 Syrian Refugees Using Ethereum Blockchain
By Rodger Bodba on May 24, 2017
One of the largest-ever implementations of the ethereum blockchain for a charitable cause has just concluded a successful trial.
Completed on 31st May, the project run by the United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP) was designed to direct resources to thousands of Syrian refugees by giving them cryptocurrency-based vouchers that could be redeemed in participating markets.
As revealed exclusively to , the platform was successfully used to record and authenticate transfers for about 10,000 individuals. The platform was implemented by Parity Technologies, a startup led by ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, and blockchain big data firm Datarella.
Alexandra Alden, a WFP innovation accelerator consultant who helped oversee the implementation, told :
"All funds received by the refuges from WFP were specifically used to purchase food items such as olive oil, pasta and lentils."
The WFP is now in the process of gathering more detailed analytics, such as exactly how many transactions were conducted.
Extending the project
As reported by in early May, the WFP intends to expand the project to include 100,000 individuals in Jordan as soon as August. If that goes according to plan, the effort is set to grow to serve the entire Jordanian refugee population by the end of 2018.
Now Alden has confirmed to that the agency eventually hopes to implement the service beyond the borders of Jordan.
She explained:
"The plan is to expand the project pilot firstly across Jordan, but we are also evaluating use cases and potential applications in other regions."
Currently, the agency is in talks with partners in the humanitarian and private sectors who can help it with its goal of achieving Zero Hunger by 2030, Alden said.
Notably, since the Jordan project was first initiated, the UN has revealed a wide range of blockchain projects being undertaken by other agencies under its umbrella.
The leader in blockchain news, is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. is an independent operating subsidiary of HedgeCulture Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.
Published in Crypto
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98-Year-Old Woman Recounts Experience As 'Orphan Train' Rider
September 23, 2013 / 6:07 PM / CBS Minnesota
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) - It seems unimaginable now, but adoption for some families used to be as easy as showing up at the train depot.
Word would go out when kids were coming from the East Coast. They were largely children of immigrant families who'd found poverty rather than promise in their voyage to the New World.
Renee Wendinger of Sleepy Eye interviewed some Orphan Train riders for her book. Few of them are still living.
"They were found in doorways and other out-of-the-way places, hungry and starving," Wendinger said.
The Children's Aid Society and Sisters of Charity would send them to farming communities out west, in hopes of finding them better homes.
"Really, all they had to do was sign a form and the child was theirs to take home with them," she said. "Farmers needing hard labor or strong labor for hard work may focus on the muscles of boys."
Of the five that came to Minnesota, one is Renee's mom, Sophia Hillesheim-Kral. She was a sickly child in the Bronx whose parents gave her up. Sophia did not have a happy childhood, taken in by a German widow who lived alone, didn't speak English and had a temper.
"And if I did just something wrong, I had to lean across a chair and she'd beat me up," Hillesheim-Kral said.
Still, Sophia and her daughter both believe the orphan trains served a worthy purpose overall. They're grateful for the lives that were saved, and the 98 years Sophia has been around.
"Well, I think the Lord's making up for it," Hillesheim-Kral said.
There were many success stories among Orphan Train riders, including two boys who went on to become governors.
The Union Depot in St. Paul will host a multimedia show and performance about the Orphan Trains on Oct. 3 and 6. Click here for more information.
First published on September 23, 2013 / 6:07 PM


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McGill researchers awarded $1M to conduct high impact research
Four exploratory McGill-led projects funded by the New Frontiers in Research Fund 2020 Exploration Grants
By Amanda Testani, Communications Associate, Office of the Vice-Principal - Research and Innovation
The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) 2020 Exploration competition awarded $14.5 million in funding support to 117 research projects across Canada. The fund supports research that merges disciplines in non-traditional ways, "to explore something new that might fail, but has the potential for significant impact." McGill recipients will receive $1 million shared among four projects, with each receiving up to $250,000 over the next two years.
The NFRF's Exploration stream was created to address gaps in the federal funding system, specifically to to promote innovation and research that defies current paradigms, bridges disciplines, or tackles fundamental problems from new perspectives.
McGill's funded Exploration research projects aim to create significant advances in our world—from creating new sustainable energy technologies that can help combat global climate change, to improving drug delivery using a new generation of DNA-based nanomaterials. Projects will also aim to discover new and easier ways of detecting anomalies in our Galaxy and to study the laws of developmental timing in embryonic cells in order to better understand fetal malformation.
NFRF is an initiative of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee and is managed as a tri-agency program on behalf of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
List of McGill projects awarded in the 2020 NFRF Exploration competition:
Quantum Imaging of Enzymatic Electron Transfer Dynamics at the Single-Molecule Level
Principal Investigator: Kirk Bevan, Department of Mining & Materials Engineering.
Co-Principal Investigator: Peter Grutter, Department of Physics.
Collaborators: Hanadi Sleiman, Department of Chemistry.
Toward automated synthesis of DNA nanomaterials
Principal Investigator: Gonzalo Cosa, Department of Chemistry
Co-Principal Investigator: Hanadi Sleiman, Department of Chemistry
Collaborator: David Juncker, Department of Biomedical Engineering
The geometry of developmental timing
Principal Investigator: Paul François, Department of Physics
Co-Principal Investigator: Alexander Aulehla, Developmental Biology, EMBL Heidelberg
Learning to Find Galactic Anomalies Application
Principal Investigator: Siamak Ravanbakhsh, School of Computer Science
Co-Principal Investigator: Yashar Hezaveh, Department of Physics, Université de Montréal.
Collaborators: Laurence Levasseur (Université de Montréal), Adrian Liu (McGill University), Jo Bovy (University of Toronto), Katelin Schutz (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Aaron Courville (Université de Montréal).
View the full list of the 2020 NFRF Exploration awardees
McGill researchers make Québec Science Top Ten
McGill's Hanadi Sleiman wins 2021 Polanyi Award
CFI invests $3.9 M in McGill research
McGill researchers awarded $2.5M for COVID-19 infrastructure


There are seriously needed initiatives to bring the Everglades back to its healthy former glory and save a number of species of plants and animals. While some of the initiatives may cost more than a little money, the price tag is well worth conserving the natural plants and animals of the Everglades.
Originally covering over 11,000 miles of Florida, the Everglades is a vast ecosystem consisting of thousands of plant and animal species. By restoring wetlands, more than sixty species of endangered animals will be able to survive in their natural habitats, such as the Florida panther or the American crocodile. Called the "River of Grass," the Everglades consist of marshes, ponds, flatlands, and prairies. In the past hundred years or so, the Everglades resources have been slowly depleting, due to homesteading, farming, and general population growth. The animals that have made their homes there have been pushed into cities, which has lead to another slew of problems for residents of Florida ("Florida Department," 2011).
The government also seeks to greatly improve the quality of the water in the Everglades. Restoring the water quality not only helps the wildlife in the area but ensures a safe supply of water for Floridians, so improving the quality of the water benefits nearly everyone in the state. In 2012, a strategy using basins and storm water was started for additional water storage and to reach the low levels of phosphorous that the Everglades needs. Too much phosphorous leads to death in plants and consequentially animals, so the extra water is directed into basins to avoid flooding and upsetting the delicate chemical and mineral balance. The strategy also uses native Florida plants to naturally remove harmful chemicals from the water, rendering it safer for animals and humans ("Florida Department" 2011).
There are other plans and programs in place to help the Everglades. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is a $13.5 billion plan covering 16 counties. Approved in 2000, this program plans "to capture fresh water that now flows unused to the ocean and the gulf and redirect it to areas that need it most". Most of the water will go back to the ecosystem, but some will be set aside to enhance water supplies for cities and farmers in southern Florida ("The Journey To"). The Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP) was passed in 2007 to expand current programs to include more rivers and estuary systems. This plan "recognizes that the Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie watersheds are critical water resources of the State" and has added them to existing restoration efforts ("South Florida Water Management", 2012).
Restoring the Everglades is crucial not only for the plants and animals that reside there, but also for the humans that share the state and the space with them. It may cost a large sum of money, but the benefit from these restoration projects and programs greatly outweighs the cost. While natural habitats are being restored, the people of Florida get access to safer, cleaner water to use for farming and in cities.


There are currently no user reviews associated with this product. How do I find out the price? If you want us to review it drop us a line and we just might bump it to the front of our reviews queue. One thing that sticks out about this system was how cool the area under the processor fan is. Sorry, we haven't reviewed this product yet.
Without a doubt, compatibility is the most important factor in buying a memory upgrade for your laptop or computer. Think twice before purchasing from Newegg. Toshiiba tried to move MB worth of files off of the hard drive and toshiba a135 s4527 a Toshiba a135 s4527 disk and gave up after the first twenty minutes. The Buyer's Guide Find it, buy it and tell us how you really feel.
The following guidelines apply to all product categories unless otherwise indicated within toshiba a135 s4527 categories. I re installed Windows and toshibba drivers, did away with the bloatware, and turned off some unneeded Vista features, and now this little lappy runs pretty quick.
We've added this product to our database but we haven't actually tested it yet. Memory and storage basic.
Memory or DRAM is the "working" memory of the computer. Used – Like New: Some programs wouldn't allow the windows to come ss4527 even with newly installed drivers, toshiba a135 s4527 updates and tuneups, and turning pop-up blockers off. Please email us if you're running the latest version of your browser and you still see this message. Select options to continue. I also notice fingerprints beginning to show up on the screen, which are more distracting than toshiba a135 s4527 various reflections and glare.
Intel Pentium dual-core T 1. Super Toshiba a135 s4527 tests the speed of a processor, in our test we force Super Pi to calculate the tishiba Pi to 2 million digits of accuracy:.
With those exceptions, the system seems to run Kubuntu just fine. Underside view of Satellite A view large image.
Top view of Satellite A view large image. The Toshiba Satellite will let you do it all!
Product does not come with warranty unless stated otherwise in product description. Following are some benchmarks that were run on the Satellite AS so you can have toshiba a135 s4527 idea of how it stacks up to other laptops. Naturally, the Atheros wireless card was detected but was not in a functional state. I toshiba a135 s4527 bought a Dell E and this is twice the machine as that.
They are useless and waste ram. It's used to store data for programs sequences of instructions on a temporary basis. However, warranty support may be available if an item was never registered by a previous owner.
The first thing that struck me was how slow it was to start up, given how Microsoft had claimed to speed up the boot time on Vista. Compatible Memory sort price: Check out with PayPal. Maximum speed and compatibility: Computer's performance is still decent despite running Vista. I attempted to twist tosuiba screen and though it was definitely not flimsy, it does twist a little bit.
I was disappointed to find that the included software would not emulate toshiba a135 s4527 middle-click by clicking both buttons at once, but this is a driver issue rather toshiba a135 s4527 a hardware issue. The case is a toshiba a135 s4527 plastic that is black on the inside and on the bottom, with a gray finish on the outer shell.


text:
1CSI is pleased to announce the appointment of a new director, Richard Gibson to the company's board.
With 38 years of experience in the Oil & Gas industry, Richard brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in business and product development, with an exceptional track record of growing businesses and delivering strategic transformation.
His appointment reflects 1CSI's strategy and ambition to grow its position across industry sectors such as Defence, Renewables and Oil & Gas (especially during this crucial energy transition phase) delivering innovative subsea inspection technology.
Richard said: "I have been working with 1CSI for over 24 months now, supporting the company's growth strategy, business development, and nurturing deeper relationships with clients. 1CSI is an innovative company with outstanding skills, experience and drive; I am really delighted to be part of the journey."
As the company gears up for the launch of their new subsea inspection technology later this year, Chief Operations Officer, Aleksandra Tomaszek, said: "I am extremely pleased that Richard has accepted the Board's invitation to become a Director of 1CSI. Over the last two years Richard has proven his talent and business mentoring skills. I believe that his expertise, experience and well-deserved reputation, sets 1CSI on course for a great and exciting future. On behalf of the Board, Richard, welcome to the team!"


Women who have had a mastectomy will often require some form of breast reconstruction surgery. Many are now opting for a procedure called Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap surgery over breast implants due to their longer-term benefits. In the final of three articles, Mr Kelvin Ramsey - an expert plastic surgeon who has performed more than 500 DIEP flap operations – explains what recovery is like after undergoing DIEP flap surgery, and potential complications to be aware of.
What is recovery like after DIEP flap reconstruction surgery?
Day 1: The first night is spent in a high-dependency area so that the flap can be regularly checked to ensure the blood supply to the flap is sufficient. You will be kept warm and comfortable, although your sleep may be occasionally disrupted.
Day 2: A physiotherapist will help you sit in a chair and perhaps take a few steps around the room. You will start eating and drinking normally.
Day 3 - 4: The drains and catheter are removed, showering takes place and mobilisation is increased. You should be able to return home after four days.
Days 7 – 10: You will attend a dressing appointment where a nurse will remove the dressings and check the wound. Daily showers are advised.
After 2 – 3 weeks: You can return to non-physical employment and start driving again, depending on how recovery is going.
After 4 weeks: You can resume gentle exercise.
After 6 – 8 weeks: You are able to return to manual labour, if applicable and resume more strenuous exercise.
During the procedure, an incision is made on your breast as well as on the abdomen. The abdominal incision is long and curved across the tummy above the bikini line. You can also expect an incision around the belly button. All of these incisions do results in scars, however, these fade over time.
Some scars, known as hypertrophic scars, can be red, raised and itchy following surgery for the first few months. These are treated but can result in a more visible scar. Keloid scars, which are larger and more difficult to treat are very rare.
What are the potential complications from DIEP flap surgery?
Like any major surgery DIEP flap reconstruction does carry its chances of complications, however, the complication rate is less than 10%, most of which are minor issues.
Haematoma – This is a collection of blood inside the body, which post-surgical drains aim to prevent. If one does occur, then a short operation is carried out to drain the build-up of blood. The risk of this is approximately 2%.
Flap loss or failure – This is very rare, but is quite serious. If the blood supply to the new tissue is not sufficient, then the new tissue might fail. During the first few days, if there is any concern regarding this then another operation may be required. If it is not possible to salvage this then the operation fails and another type of reconstruction will be required. This is extremely rare (less than 0.5%).
Infection – Chances of infection are low as antibiotics are given during surgery to reduce these chances. Any infections that appear after surgery will need a second course of antibiotics.
Seroma – (a build-up of fluid under the wound) Very rarely will a seroma have long-term consequences, and the fluid can easily be drained in an outpatient appointment.
Lack of sensation in the new breast – The new breast will be numb initially, but over the first 18 months after surgery some of the sensation will return.
Asymmetry – Although most women have asymmetrical breasts, during surgery every effort is made to create a new breast that matches the other natural one. Sometimes a patient will require a breast reduction or mastopexy (hitching up) to achieve better symmetry.
Abdominal bulge or hernia – In very rare cases, a weakness in the abdominal wall post-surgery can produce a bulge or hernia. This is very rare but can require additional surgery. However, this is very unlikely as during DIEP flap reconstruction, the abdominal muscles are left intact.
Psychological problems – Like any cancer diagnosis and its treatment, the experience can be traumatic, however, the care team will provide support, as well as lots of external organisations that offer support and advice.
The DIEP flap surgery is favoured by many women because of its pleasing visual results, and long-term benefits. If you are considering breast reconstruction, Mr Ramsey can provide more insight and give his expert opinion on which treatment is best for you.
If you are considering DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery and would like to learn more, talk to a specialist to go over your options and what to expect.
Based in London, Mr Kelvin Ramsey is a prominent consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon. After graduating from Cambridge University, Mr Ramsey completed his basic training in general surgery and his specialist training in plastic surgery, during which time he completed a year's specialist fellowship in microsurgery at Charing Cross Hospital.
He later gained experience in Australia, after he was awarded a prestigious fellowship in Melbourne, and has become a highly skilled and sought-after surgeon and micro-surgeon, with special interests that include reconstructive and cosmetic breast surgery, skin cancer, abdominoplasty, and lymphoedema.
At the forefront of his discipline, he is actively involved in research, has lectured extensively and published widely. Keen to promote awareness, understanding, and innovation, Mr Ramsey is a member of both the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and the British Association of Aesthetic Surgeons (BAAPS).
What is DIEP flap breast reconstruction and is it right for me?
What happens before, during and after DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery?


Personal Brady® Kit All Purpose Cable Lockout. (1) 8 Ft. (1) Medium Lockout Toolbox 7-4/5 X 16-1/5 X 7-3/10 .Each Valve And Electrical Lockout Kit Contains: Lockout.
Personal Brady® Kit all purpose cable lockout. (1) 8 ft. (1) medium lockout toolbox 7-4/5 X 16-1/5 X 7-3/10 .Each valve and electrical lockout kit contains: Lockout lockouts Personal kits Electrical Lockout.
About The Personal Brady® Kit all purpose cable lockout. (1) 8 ft. (1) medium lockout toolbox 7-4/5 X 16-1/5 X 7-3/10 .Each valve and electrical lockout kit contains: Lockout lockouts Personal kits Electrical Lockout.
More from Personal Brady® Kit All Purpose Cable Lockout. (1) 8 Ft. (1) Medium Lockout Toolbox 7-4/5 X 16-1/5 X 7-3/10 .Each Valve And Electrical Lockout Kit Contains: Lockout.


During the Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Public Service that took place during the 2017 Stanford University Homecoming Reunion Weekend in October, 2017, Jeongeun Park presented on her research assistance for the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project at Stanford University.
The Project has interviewed almost forty descendants of Chinese railroad workers to recover the experiences of those workers through oral history. "This summer, I completed the transcription of all available interviews," she explained. "While employing Google's Cloud Speech application programming interface (API) was a breakthrough in the transcription, I also edited the interviews for human variability. Following the completion of the preliminary transcripts, I have been analyzing them on both macro and micro scales.


What Is a Baby Lemur Called?
Lemur babies are called pups, and they open their eyes at birth and weigh about the same as a cup of water. Their heads are large, their arms are long and they are approximately 4 inches in length.
Following birth, a pup rides on his mother's back, and he begins foraging for leaves, flowers, bark, sap and small invertebrates at 2 weeks, but his mother will nurse him for two years. Female lemurs then join the troop of approximately 17 predominately reproducing females, while the males join another troop. The life span for lemurs is about 18 years, but due to habitat destruction, they are listed on the IUCN Red List.


• The classic "egg goblet." Put two ends together with a glue dot, or other adhesive. This can be used as a mini planter (make sure to add a hole for drainage), a change holder, or a holder for special small trinkets.
• A magnet! Decorate your egg however you'd like. You can use leftover bits and bobs from art and craft making. Fill the inside of half an egg with quick dry clay, or putty. Add a magnet to the back, and you're all set! These can make for fun, personalized gifts that your little one can give to friends and loved ones, or a nice keepsake to keep on your own fridge at home.
• A nature collection box. Reuse an egg carton, and plastic egg halves to make a collection box of favorite items found on walks or hikes.
Of course, there are other great options for egg hunting that don't include any plastic. There are now a variety or wooden or paper eggs, as well as biodegradable eggs that can be used instead of plastic. Here at Kidspace, we offer egg recycle bins during Egg Hunt. Those will be used as creative resources in spaces like our Imagination Workshop.
How do you recycle your eggs? Please share your creations with us by tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook!


text:
NMR Study of the Structures of Ni(II) Complexes of Schiff Bases of 2-Bromoglycine with (S)-2-[(N-Benzylprolyl)amino]benzophenone or (S)-2-[(N-Benzylprolyl)amino]-5-chlorobenzophenone
Alexander Popkova, Josef Jirmanb, Milan Nádvorníkc and Petr A. Manorikd
a Positron Emission Tomography Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Norrebrogade 44, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
b Research Institute for Pharmacy and Biochemistry, 533 51 Pardubice-Rosice, Czech Republic
c Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic
d Institute of Physical Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, pr. Nauki 31,252039 Kiev, Ukraine


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Anatol, imię świeckie Aleksiej Wasiljewicz Kamienski (ur. 3 października 1863 w eparchii samarskiej, zm. 20 września 1925 w Omsku) – rosyjski biskup prawosławny.

W 1888 ukończył seminarium duchowne w Samarze i został 6 sierpnia wyświęcony na kapłana jako mężczyzna żonaty, a następnie przydzielony do służby w cerkwi we wsi Chiłkowo w eparchii samarskiej. W 1895 ukończył wyższe studia teologiczne w Petersburskiej Akademii Duchownej. 26 sierpnia tego samego roku złożył wieczyste śluby mnisze przed biskupem symbirskim Nikandrem. Został skierowany do pracy duszpasterskiej w ramach rosyjskiej misji prawosławnej w Ameryce, jako proboszcz parafii przy soborze św. Michała Archanioła w Sitce, dziekan dekanatu Sitka i nadzorca szkoły misjonarzy. W 1897 otrzymał godność archimandryty. Od 1898 zamieszkiwał w domu biskupim w San Francisco, siedzibie biskupów Aleutów i Alaski. Od 1899 do 1903 kierował szkołą misyjną w Minneapolis.

W 1903 wrócił do Rosji i objął stanowisko rektora seminarium duchownego w Odessie. W mieście tym działał w organizacjach monarchistycznych, zasiadając w ich gremiach kierowniczych. 10 grudnia 1906 miała miejsce jego chirotonia na biskupa jelizawietgradzkiego, wikariusza eparchii chersońskiej. Jako konsekratorzy wzięli w niej udział metropolita petersburski i ładoski Antoni, metropolita moskiewski Włodzimierz, metropolita kijowski Flawian oraz inni hierarchowie. W 1914 objął katedrę tomską i ałtajską. Od 1912 członek prezydium Związku Narodu Rosyjskiego.

Zasiadał w IV Dumie Państwowej. Działał w Galicyjsko-Russkim Towarzystwie Dobroczynnym. Był również uczestnikiem Soboru Lokalnego Rosyjskiego Kościoła Prawosławnego w latach 1917–1918. Współtworzył Drużyny Świętego Krzyża walczące w siłach Białych pod komendą adm. Aleksandra Kołczaka. W 1922 został aresztowany i skazany na rozstrzelanie, jednak do jego egzekucji nie doszło.

Od 1923 do 1924 był biskupem irkuckim, jednak zamieszkiwał stale w Omsku, razem z miejscowym biskupem Wiktorem. Zmarł w czasie nabożeństwa w 1925.

Przypisy

Bibliografia
Biogram w bazie prawosławia rosyjskiego

Urodzeni w 1863
Zmarli w 1925
Biskupi irkuccy (prawosławni)
Biskupi tomscy
Członkowie Związku Narodu Rosyjskiego
Biali (wojna domowa w Rosji)
Osoby skazane na karę śmierci
Deputowani do IV Dumy Państwowej Imperium Rosyjskiego

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Michael Farrell (born 2 October 1962)  is an Australian Paralympic powerlifter.  He was born in the South Australian town of Elliston. He won a bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Games in the Men's Up To 100 kg event. He finished eight in the Men's Over 100 kg at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

References

Paralympic powerlifters of Australia
Powerlifters at the 1988 Summer Paralympics
Powerlifters at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
Paralympic bronze medalists for Australia
Medalists at the 1988 Summer Paralympics
Living people
1962 births
Paralympic medalists in powerlifting


The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 square miles). The country was part of Czechoslovakia, together with the Czech Republic, until 1993's peaceful dissolution. Slovakia is a country of landscapes, including many renowned sky resorts. It is also a high-income advanced economy with one of the fastest growth rates in the European Union and the OECD.
Lexis estimates there are at least 3 national translators associations in Slovakia.
One of the most important translation associations in the country is SSPOL, which joins scientific and technical translators. Another Slovak translators association is the one that concerns translation companies, ATCSK. There is also the translators association that unites translators and interpreters, SAPT.
In addition, JTP, which is a translators association based in the Czech Republic, also has some Slovak members.


text:
Updated on : Wednesday, June 18, 2014, 2:40 PM IST
Postage stamp fetches record USD 9.5 mn in auction
By Bureau
New York: The world's most famous stamp, a once cent British Guiana, fetched a record price of USD 9.5 million, nearly a billion times its original face value at a Sotheby's auction here.
The one cent black on magenta coloured stamp set a new world auction record for any stamp, the fourth time in its history, when it was sold for USD 9,480,000 yesterday night, auctioneers said in a statement.
Being the sole-surviving example of the British Guiana, the unique yet unassuming penny issue from 1856 is the rarest in the world and has been heralded as the pinnacle of stamp collecting for more than a century.
Rediscovered by a 12-year-old Scottish boy living in South America in 1873, the stamp passed through some of the most important stamp collections ever assembled.
Untill Sotheby's international exhibitions this spring in Hong Kong, London and New York, the British Guiana had been out of public view since the 1986.
An anonymous bidder placed the winning bid over telephone, auctioneers said.
"We are thrilled with extraordinary, record-setting price of USD 9.5 million – a truly great moment for the world of stamp collecting. That price will be hard to beat, and likely won't be exceeded unless the British Guiana comes up for sale again in the future," David Redden, Sotheby's Vice Chairman said.
Redden said, "I'm a little sad to see it go – when I was eight years old this was the most precious object in the entire world, and I never dreamed I would have it in my hands."
In 1922 Arthur Hind from Utica New York purchased the stamp at an auction for then-record price of USD 35,000. In 1970 the Irwin Weinberg stamp consortium purchased it at the auction for for then-record price of USD 280,000. It was followed by an auction in 1980 when John E Du Pont from Pennsylvania bought it for then-record price of USD 935,000.
The previous auction record for a single stamp was approximately USD 2.2 million, set by the Treskilling Yellow in 1996.
Auctioneers said the previous auction record for any philatelic item was approximately USD 4 million, set by The Bordeaux Cover in 1993 – the cover including both of the Mauritius "Post Office" stamps.
Coronavirus: Nagpur division achieves 63 percent of vaccination target on Day 1
Ind vs Aus, 4th Test: Sundar, Shardul guide India to 253/6 at tea after soft dismissals


Please complete the RSVP form below to register.
MS/HS homeschool teens come join the Teen Council for a unique game night hosted Kaylee Toland's uncle. Enjoy air-hockey, ping-pong, his Ms. Pacman arcade game, any board games that he has, and a movie on a giant flat-screen TV/theater room!
Come and join us for a fun filled night!!
Members may check their email inbox or the SHHS Facebook group page for the specific event location details.
An automatic email confirmation will be sent to those who sign up.


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Investigation Update: OPM Provides Deficient FOIA Response on Congressional Oversight Policy
For the past year, Cause of Action Institute ("CoA Institute") has been investigating rumors that the Trump Administration is directing federal agencies to ignore congressional oversight requests from Democratic legislators. Various reports (here and here), which detail contentious interactions between congressional staffs and employees at the General Services Administration ("GSA") and the Office of Personnel Management ("OPM"), allege that the directive "not to cooperate" with individual Members' records requests was originally delivered by Uttam Dhillon, Special Assistant to the President. The earlier issuance of an opinion letter by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel seemed to corroborate these press reports.
As I discussed in a September 2017 op-ed in The Hill, the Administration's actual congressional oversight policy remains ambiguous. On July 20, 2017, the White House disavowed the OLC opinion letter as a statement of government-wide policy following severe criticism by Senator Chuck Grassley. Yet records received by CoA Institute under the FOIA suggest that either the OLC opinion is still in force or the White House has yet to uniformly apply its actual policy. For example, following our successful appeal of a GSA FOIA response, the agency disclosed GSA Order ADM 1040.3, dated July 24, 2017, which expressly states that the OLC opinion remains the agency's—and, presumably, the Administration's—official policy. Our request for public clarification has gone unanswered.
Now, a recent FOIA response from OPM only confuses the matter further. As part of our investigation, CoA Institute sent a FOIA request to OPM seeking access to various records concerning the agency's policies or procedures for handling congressional oversight and records requests. We also requested copies of records evidencing White House directives on pre-production consultation or review of requests from Congress or under the FOIA. OPM was only able to locate a single email linking to the OLC memo, but without any further details concerning its implementation at the agency, let alone its continued relevance.
Like the GSA's initial failure to locate responsive records, OPM's response is curious because multiple media reports have established that Jason Simmons, OPM's then-Chief of Staff, directed the agency's congressional liaisons to process only those oversight requests co-signed by Republican committee chairmen. Yet no such directive was located and disclosed. Moreover, with respect to the records that were released, OPM withheld the names and email addresses of its employees. It is therefore unclear who at the agency was reviewing the OLC opinion letter or for what purposes. We have filed an appeal challenging the adequacy of OPM's search efforts, as well as its withholdings under FOIA Exemption 6. If the agency were to undertake a supplemental search, some much needed clarification could be forthcoming.
Ryan Mulvey is Counsel at Cause of Action Institute
Media, Blog Learn More


Or to put it another way, what does each page on your website look like when the Google bot comes crawling to decide where your pages should rank in their search engine. The same thing applies to all the other search engines too of course.
To understand a page, a search bot needs to strip out all the internal furniture and framework and attempt to read the relevant content. The stuff in the header tag is simple enough. We have the Title tag plus the Meta tags.
The important stuff comes between the Body tags. The body text itself is simple enough, but there is a lot of further meta information in the attributes to the images, videos, links, tables and list tags.
Just how these are weighted in the eyes of the search engines is a closely guarded secret (do read through the publicly available patent literature to get a handle on it) but if you study the results for long enough you start to notice trends.
Google declared war on keywords a number of years ago and now say that the keyword meta tag is no longer an indicator of the content. So why do I still use it? I use the free Yoast SEO plugin and this tests your meta tags and content for use of the keyword. Very useful.
Google let you do this direct using their Fetch as Google tool. Sign up with Google Analytics then add your site to Google Webmaster Tools so you can make use of the tool. All you then do is enter the URL of the page you want to check and you see the results.
That is great for your own sites, but to understand the competition you need to see what they are doing. The Ahrefs Opensite Explorer is a good starting point.


Procedures involving phlebotomy are critical for obtaining diagnostic blood specimens and represent a well known and recognized problem, probably among the most important issues in laboratory medicine. The aim of this report is to show spurious hyperkalemia and hypocalcemia due to inadequate phlebotomy procedure. The diagnostic blood specimens were collected from a male outpatient 45 years old, with no clinical complaints. The tubes drawing order were as follows: i) clot activator and gel separator (serum vacuum tube), ii) K3EDTA, iii) a needleless blood gas dedicated-syringe with 80 I.U. lithium heparin, directly connected to the vacuum tube holder system. The laboratory testing results from serum vacuum tube and dedicated syringe were 4.8 and 8.5 mmol/L for potassium, 2.36 and 1.48 mmol/L for total calcium, respectively. Moreover 0.15 mmol/L of free calcium was observed in dedicated syringe. A new blood collection was performed without K3EDTA tube. Different results were found for potassium (4.7 and 4.5 mmol/L) and total calcium (2.37 and 2.38 mmol/L) from serum vacuum tube and dedicated syringe, respectively. Also free calcium showed different concentration (1.21 mmol/L) in this new sample when compared with the first blood specimen. Based on this case we do not encourage the laboratory managers training the phlebotomists to insert the dedicated syringes in needle-holder system at the end of all vacuum tubes. To avoid double vein puncture the dedicated syringe for free calcium determination should be inserted immediately after serum tubes before EDTA vacuum tubes.
The preanalytical phase (PP) is nowadays recognized as the most vulnerable part of the total testing process (1). The PP procedures involving phlebotomy are critical for obtaining diagnostic blood specimens: on the whole they represent a well known and recognized problem, probably among the most important issues in laboratory medicine (2-5). Lippi and Simundic recently advised to think outside the box and to address the extra-analytical processes that are more vulnerable to errors (6). With this aim, we demonstrate here that incorrect procedures during phlebotomy can be a source of spurious hyperkalaemia and hypocalcemia in patients' samples.
A 45 years old male outpatient, with no apparent clinical complaints, wheelchair dependent, calls to our laboratory accredited by DICQ® (DICQ is a National System of Accreditation from Brazilian Society of Clinical Analyses based on ISO 15189 document), asking for a blood specimen collection at home, for performing a series of routine laboratory tests prescribed by his physician. The tests are the: total cholesterol (CHOL), HDL-cholesterol (HDL), triglycerides (TG), sodium (Na), potassium (K), total calcium (tCa), free calcium (fCa), urea, creatinine (CREA), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and routine blood count with platelets (CBC). The patient was asked to observe 12-hours overnight fasting and the blood collection was scheduled for 7 am, 3 work days after his call. Before blood collection, the median cubital vein was located on the left forearm using only a subcutaneous tissue transilluminator device (Venoscópio IV plus, Duan do Brasil, Sao Paulo, Brazil) –without tourniquet – to prevent interference from venous stasis (7-9), and blood samples were collected using a 20-G straight needle (BD Vacuntainer ® Becton, Dickinson and Company Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) connected to the holder, directly into the vacuum tubes (Greiner Bio-One GmbH, Kremsmünster, Austria). The order of different types of tube filling was: a) clot activator and gel separator tube, b) K3EDTA tube for CBC and c) a blood gas dedicated-syringe (Pico 50® with 80 I.U. lyophilized electrolyte-balanced lithium heparin, Radiometer Medical ApS, Denmark) without needle, which was directly connected to the needle-holder system in order to avoid double vein puncture. After collection, the tubes were properly mixed and transported from patient's house to the core laboratory by car at 20 ± 2 °C in upright position inside a transport box. The blood into syringe was transported at 4 ± 1 °C, as recommended by clinical laboratory standard institute C31-A2 document (10). The blood specimens (serum tube, cell blood count tube and dedicated syringe) arrived in core laboratory about one hour after blood collection and were immediately processed and analyzed (< 15 min from the arrival time). The dedicated syringe was properly mixed and the free calcium was measured by ion-selective electrode on ABL 700® (Radiometer Medical ApS, Brønshøj, Denmark), according to the manufacturer's specifications and using proprietary reagents. Whole blood for CBC was gently mixed and analyzed on Sysmex® XE-2100D, Automated Hematology Analyzer (Sysmex Corporation®, Kobe, Japan). Serum vacuum tube was centrifuged at 1500 x g for 10min at room temperature. In sequence, the laboratory tests on serum were performed on the primary blood tube on Cobas® 6000 < c501 > module (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany), according to the manufacturer's specifications and using proprietary reagents. All laboratory instruments had been previously calibrated against appropriate proprietary reference standard material and verified with the use of proprietary controls. Our evaluation of the within-run precision by internal quality control is shown as coefficients of variation (CVa). The results are shown in table 1. The laboratory staff (clinical chemistry specialist) contacted the patient by phone because some results (i.e. potassium, total calcium and free calcium) of the sample collected in dedicated syringe were out of the critical limits established by Kost (11,12). The patient reported that he did not use topical medicines or intravenous solution in the last four months. A new blood collection (serum tube and dedicated syringe only) was scheduled for 12.30 pm of the same day. The venipuncture for the 2nd blood collection was performed, by the same phlebotomist, in cephalic vein on the left forearm. The drawing order was: a) clot activator and gel separator tube, b) blood gas dedicated-syringe; both of the same brand and lot used for the first blood collection. So, during the 2ndvenipuncture the diagnostic blood specimen collection did not include a new EDTA vacuum tube. The following procedures were identical to the described above for the 1st blood specimen collection. The 2nd blood specimens arrived in core laboratory about 45 min after collection and were immediately processed and analyzed on the same analytical instruments. The results are shown in table 1.
The reference change values (RCV) were determined to ascertain any clinically significant differences between the first and the second blood collection according to the formula RCV = 21/2 x Z x [(CVa)2 + (CVw)2]1/2 where Z: z-score is 1.96 (5% standard normal deviation in bicaudal testing); CVa: analytical within run precision of the internal quality control and CVw: coefficient of variation within-subject (13) were applied. Mean % differences were determined according to the formula difference % mean = [(1st blood collection – 2nd blood collection)/1st blood collection] x 100.
In clinical laboratory the quality indicators are fundamental tools for quantifying the quality of a selected aspect of care by comparing it against a defined goal. For private laboratories the level of patient satisfaction with the diagnostic blood collection service is a very important quality indicator. With the aim to increase the patient satisfaction the procedure described above was implemented approximately six months ago in our laboratory, in order to avoid double venipuncture. This procedure is not explicitly stated in both international and national guidelines but is frequently performed in laboratories of South America countries. In order to avoid possible test result errors due to additive carryover, the correct order of blood drawing by venipuncture should be as follows: i) blood culture tube or tube without additive; ii) sodium citrate tube; iii) serum tube with or without clot activator and with or without gel separator; iv) heparin tube with or without gel separator and/or dedicated-syringe with heparin; v) EDTA tube with or without gel separator; and vi) glycolytic inhibitor tube. The Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute H03-A6 document (14) has standardized order of draw based on Calam and Cooper results (15). This document is widely used by laboratory quality managers to standardize the blood collection procedures (16). When our laboratory employees were retrained to eliminate this non conformity, regarding draw order, they reported that: "During the maneuver to insert the syringe into the adapter of the tube holder, sometimes we risk to miss the vein: for this reason and thus to avoid repeating venipunctures, we would like to insert the syringe at the end of all tubes rather than at mid blood collection."Nonetheless, this patient's case demonstrates that something wrong can still arise from an apparently standardized procedure of tube order for blood drawing. At first sight, when looking at the potassium and calcium critical values from the 1stcollected patient's sample (dedicated-syringe), a main hypothesis of such a severe modification of blood potassium and calcium could be a chronic kidney disease. Obviously this supposition was discarded after checking Urea, CREA, TP and ALB results from the 1st and 2nd blood collections, thus the condition of the patient was judged far from critical. Until now two studies agreed in showing that the order of tube drawing did not affect routine biochemistry (e.g. potassium, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and iron), when closed system for blood collection from Sarstedt or BD were used (17,18). Unfortunately these studies did not measure the calcium values in serum tubes collected after EDTA vacuum tubes and/or vacuum tubes produced by Greiner Bio-One. Moreover we previously found that different brands of in vitrodiagnostic devices (e.g. vacuum tubes and syringes) have different performances in routine laboratory tests and that changes in the brands can increase laboratory variability (19-23). Future investigations should be planned to cover the impact of vacuum tubes brands on EDTA carryover. Several others articles showed spurious hyperkalaemia and hypocalcemia based on EDTA carryover (24-26). Cornes et al. after measuring EDTA in 117 hyperkalaemic samples showed that spurious hyperkalaemia due to kEDTA contamination was common (about 25% of all samples tested). In the 27 patients retested, serum potassium was within the reference range confirming the contamination with EDTA (24).In the present case we have estimated an EDTA carryover of 0.5 ~ 0.6 mg/mL of blood into the dedicated syringe from the preceding EDTA-containing tube. It was predicted by stoichiometric calculation based on the observed reduction of Ca ions and on the molecular mass of EDTA. The estimation is based on the variation of the potassium concentration, from the K3EDTA tube to the syringe, taking into account that a mass concentration of 1.5 mg of K3EDTA per 1 mL of blood as an optimal anticoagulant level is declared (27). The K3EDTA carryover is the best hypothesis to justify the spurious results found in the dedicated syringe from the 1st blood collection. Moreover when looking at total- and free-calcium results the decreased results observed in dedicated syringe appear not so proportionally reduced. Theoretically, the total amount of calcium in plasma is about 2.5 mmol/L and the normal amount of calcium in plasma that can be complexed by a sequestering agent is 1.15 mmol/L. The remaining calcium is bound to protein (e.g. albumin) and is scarcely available for sequestration by EDTA (27). In any case clinically significant differences were observed for potassium, total calcium and free calcium only in the blood of the dedicated syringe when mean percent differences were compared with RCV derived from biological variation (Table 1) (28). Obviously the quality specifications derived from biological variation are considered both very important and useful in the daily practice by the quality managers of the medical laboratories (13,29,30). Based on this depictive case we recommend the laboratory managers to train the phlebotomists as follows: 1) the dedicated needleless syringes for blood-gas must be connected to the needle-holder system immediately after serum tubes and before EDTA vacuum tubes; 2) to avoid double vein puncture the dedicated needleless syringes for free calcium determination must be connected to the needle-holder system immediately after serum tubes and before EDTA vacuum tubes.
In conclusion, we caution the laboratory managers about the current procedures advising to connect the syringes for blood gas and calcium tests at the end of all vacuum tubes; moreover we claim that the continuous training of the phlebotomists and of all the laboratory staff with regards to the effects of preanalytical interferences is a mandatory task in every modern clinical laboratory.
1. Simundic AM, Lippi G. Preanalytical phase - a continuous challenge for laboratory professionals. Biochem Med 2012;22:145-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.11613/BM.2012.017.
2. Bilic-Zulle L, Simundic AM, Supak-Smolcic V, Nikolac N, Honovic L. Self reported routines and procedures for the extra-analytical phase of laboratory practice in Croatia -cross-sectional survey study. Biochem Med 2010;20:64-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.11613/BM.2010.008.
3. Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Guidi GC. The skilled phlebotomist. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2006;130:1260-1.
4. Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Lima-Oliveira G, Guidi GC, Favaloro EJ. Quality Standards for Sample Collection in Coagulation Testing. Semin Thromb Hemost 2012;38:565-75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1315961.
5. Lima-Oliveira G, Guidi GC, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Rego FGM, Lippi G, et al. Is phlebotomy part of the dark side in the clinical laboratory struggle for quality? Lab Med 2012;43:17-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1309/LMZ7YARD6ZSDIID.
6. Lippi G, Simundic AM. Total quality in laboratory diagnostics. It's time to think outside the box. Biochem Med 2010;20:5-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.11613/BM.2010.001.
7. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Mangueira C, Sumita N, et al. New ways to deal with known preanalytical issues: use of transilluminator instead of tourniquet for easing vein access and eliminating stasis on clinical biochemistry. Biochem Med 2011;21:152-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.11613/BM.2011.024.
8. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Scartezini M, Guidi GC, et al. Transillumination: a new tool to eliminate the impact of venous stasis during the procedure for the collection of diagnostic blood specimens for routine haematological testing. Int J Lab Hematol 2011;33:457-62.
9. Lima-Oliveira G, Salvagno GL, Lippi G, Montagnana M, Scartezini M, Picheth G, et al. Elimination of the venous stasis error for routine coagulation testing by transillumination. Clin Chim Acta 2011;412:1482-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2011.04.008.
10. Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Calcium determinations: precollection variables, specimen choice, collection, and handling. CLSI C31-A2 document. 2nd ed. Wayne, PA: Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute; 2001.
11. Kost GJ. The significance of ionized calcium in cardiac and critical care. Availability and critical limits at US medical centers and chidren's hospitals. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1993;117:890-6.
12. Kost GJ. Using critical limits to improve patient outcome. MLO Med Lab Obs 1993;25:22-7.
13. Westgard J. Biological Variation Database Specifications. 2012; Available at: http://www.westgard.com/biodatabase1.htm. Accessed January 4th, 2013.
14. Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Procedures for the collection of diagnostic blood specimens by venipuncture. CLSI H3-A6 document. 6th ed. Wayne, PA: Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute; 2007.
15. Calam RR, Cooper MH. Recommended "order of draw" for collecting blood specimens into additive-containing tubes. Clin Chem 1982;28:1399.
16. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Picheth G, Guidi GC. Impact of the phlebotomy training based on CLSI/NCCLS H03-A6 - procedures for the collection of diagnostic blood specimens by venipuncture. Biochem Med 2012;22:342-51. http://dx.doi.org/10.11613/BM.2012.036.
17. Sulaiman RA, Cornes MP, Whitehead SJ, Othonos N, Ford C, Gama R. Effect of order of draw of blood samples during phlebotomy on routine biochemistry results. J Clin Pathol 2011;64:1019-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jclinpath-2011-200206.
18. Cornes MP, Sulaiman RA, Whitehead SJ, Othonos N, Ford C, Gama R. Incorrect order of draw of blood samples does not causes potassium EDTA sample contamination. Brit J Biomed Sci 2012;69:1-2.
19. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Picheth G, Guidi GC. Different manufacturers of syringes: A new source of variability in blood gas, acid-base balance and related laboratory test? Clin Biochem 2012;45:683-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.03.007.
20. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Poli G, Solero GP, et al. K3EDTA vacuum tubes validation for routine hematological testing. ISRN Hematology 2012;2012:875357.
21. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Picheth G, Guidi GC. Pre analytical management: serum vacuum tubes validation for routine clinical chemistry. Biochem Med 2012;22:180-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.11613/BM.2012.021.
22. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Picheth G, Guidi GC. Sodium citrate vacuum tubes validation: preventing preanalytical variability in routine coagulation testing. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2013;24:252-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MBC.0b013e32835b72ea.
23. Lima-Oliveira G, Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Poli G, Solero GP, et al. The brand of K2EDTA vacuum tubes as a new source of preanalytical variability in routine hematology testing. Brit J Biomed Sci 2013;70:6-9.
24. Cornes MP, Ford C, Gama R. Spurious hyperkalaemia due to EDTA contamination: common and not always easy to identify. Ann Clin Biochem 2008;45:601-3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/acb.2008.007241.
25. White G. Serum ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid concentrations in routine samples submitted for biochemical analysis. Ann Clin Biochem 2010;47:485-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/acb.2010.009306.
26. Naguib MT, Evans N. Combined false hyperkalemia and hypocalcemia due to specimen contamination during routine phlebotomy. South Med J 2002;95:1218-20.
27. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Tubes and additives for venous blood specimen collection. NCCLS document H1-A5. 5th ed. Wayne, PA: National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards; 2003.
28. Ricos C, Alvarez V, Cava F, Garcia-Lario JV, Hernandez A, Jimenez CV, et al. Current databases on biological variation: pros, cons and progress. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1999;59:491-500. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00365519950185229.
29. Cembrowski GS, Tran DV, Higgins TN. The use of serial patient blood gas, electrolyte and glucose results to derive biologic variation: a new tool to assess the acceptability of intensive care unit testing. Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:1447-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/cclm.2010.286.
30. Ricos C, Cava F, Garcia-Lario JV, Hernandez A, Iglesias N, Jimenez CV, et al. The reference change value: a proposal to interpret laboratory reports in serial testing based on biological variation. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 2004;64:175-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00365510410004885.


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Tag: Lawmakers
Disney CEO Bob Chapek Calls for National Unity Following Capitol Siege
A day after Trump supporters lay siege on the nation's Capitol while lawmakers inside attempted to certify Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the next president and vice president of the United States, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek took to social media to condemn the violence seen around the world.
Chapek said the riot was an "inexcusable assault on America's most revered institution and our democracy," — the latter prevailing in the early hours of Jan. 7 when Congress certified Biden and Harris' Nov. 3, 2020 election win.
Chapek, who was named CEO in February, replacing Bob Iger, who became executive chairman, said the time calls for the nation to be united by "our shared values, including decency, kindness and compassion for others."
"We should seize this opportunity, and move ahead with optimism and hope for a better, brighter future for all of America," he wrote on Twitter.
Author Erik GruenwedelPosted on January 7, 2021 January 13, 2021 Categories News, Politics, Social MediaTags Bob Chapek, Congress, Lawmakers, Political Turmoil, The Walt Disney Co.Leave a comment on Disney CEO Bob Chapek Calls for National Unity Following Capitol Siege
Lawmakers Introduce 'Save the Internet' Bill
As expected, Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate March 6 introduced legislation aimed at overturning the FCC's 2017 repeal of the 2015 Open Internet Order, or net neutrality.
Dubbed "Save the Internet Act," the bill seeks to re-classify the Internet as a utility under Title II of the Telecommunications Act of 1934 prohibiting Internet service providers from blocking, throttling or creating fast lanes and slow lanes by charging extra fees to prioritize content.
"Since the FCC foolishly repealed net neutrality, we've seen a wild west where monopoly telephone and cable companies have been free to do what they want at the expense of consumers," Michael Copps, a former FCC commissioner, said in a statement in support of the legislation.
Copp contends there exists evidence of broadband providers throttling speeds, degrading video quality, and creating service plans that favor their own content over competitors.
"The harms will only get worse the longer net neutrality remains repealed," he said.
Jason Pye, VP of legislative affairs with FreedomWorks, a lobby group supporting small government, lower taxes and free markets, said repeal of net neutrality guidelines was an attempt to correct government overreach.
"This Democratic proposal is yet another solution in search of a problem," said Pye. "Our Internet grew, innovated, and thrived under a light touch regulatory framework. The Democrats' bill would inhibit future innovation and would only serve to increase big government control over the lives of everyday Americans."
Regardless, the bill must pass Congress and then be signed by President Trump – a long shot considering Trump's appointee to run the FCC – Ajit Pai – personally pushed for the net neutrality repeal.
Author Erik GruenwedelPosted on March 6, 2019 March 7, 2019 Categories Digital, News, Politics, Top News StoryTags Ajit Pai, Congress, FCC, Jason Pie, Lawmakers, Michael Copp, Net Neutrality, President TrumpLeave a comment on Lawmakers Introduce 'Save the Internet' Bill


Spark has launched its LoRaWAN low powered wide area network for IoT, saying it will enable a farmer to get hourly updates on the location and body temperature of its cows for $1.79 per month.
Spark initially announcement its LoRaWAN plans in July 2017, and details of coverage plans in December 2017. Earlier this month it named agricultural fluid monitoring service Levno as the first customer and formed a partnership with Levno to expand the network beyond its original planned 20 urban centres.
Spark said there was coverage in Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Shannon, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, and that sites in Hastings and Invercargill would go live in the next few weeks.
Spark's general manager IoT Solutions, Michael Stribling, said, there were plans for addition partnerships to extend coverage further.
Spark has firm plans for CAT-M1 for IoT on its cellular network and says it continues to monitor use cases for NB-IoT.
Spark said NB Smartcities NZ, a company offering smart city services, would look to use the network for its smart outdoor lighting technology.
"Councils will be able to use the smart lighting technology to manage streetlights remotely, applying bespoke dimming profiles, monitoring maintenance and turning them on or off as needed.


Dr. Colin Atkinson is a lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the University of the West of Scotland. His research interests focus mainly upon the intersection of crime, policing, intelligence and security, particularly as these issues relate to terrorism and organised crime. Colin has a professional background in intelligence analysis and counter-terrorism, and before joining the University of the West of Scotland he held the position of research fellow at the University of Glasgow. He holds several degrees, including an MA (Hons) in politics and an MPhil (with distinction) in international politics from the University of Glasgow, as well as an MSc in criminology and criminal justice (with distinction) from the University of Strathclyde. He most recently achieved an MLitt in terrorism studies (with distinction) from the University of St Andrews and a PhD in sociology from the University of Glasgow. His research has appeared in several peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and policy reports. Colin is an associate editor for the journal Criminology and Criminal Justice, and has reviewed manuscripts for several journals in the areas of policing, security and terrorism. He is also a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Atkinson, C. 15 Feb 2019 In : Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism. 14, 1, p. 1-19 19 p.


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City approves plan to install a series security cameras
Published 7:27 pm Saturday, August 12, 2017
Criminals beware, the city of Vicksburg will be watching you.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen last week authorized the installation of video cameras at the intersection of Bowmar Avenue and Drummond Street, Lee Street, and at Riverfront Park. Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said the locations were based on the volume of E911 calls for police. If an area has a high number of calls, he said, it will get a camera.
"So if you want a camera in your community, start committing crimes, because we have every intention to catch the criminals in this city, and we're going to stamp out crime in this city by identifying them."
He said cameras will also be used to identify people illegally dumping garbage and trash in the city.
Flaggs thanked the people who filmed an ongoing fight in July, saying the videos allowed police to catch the people involved. The fight, which began on Pearl Street, moved to Ethel Street and later to Farmer Street, was shown on Facebook, and police used the video to identify and charge 16 adults and two juveniles with disturbing the peace.
"That video went viral," Flaggs said. "Now we're going to go viral for real, because what we're going to do is identity the criminals before, during and after, because they won't know they're being videoed.
"We are serious about zero tolerance of crime in this city, and I believe this can be a model for the state."
He said the cameras were one more way to assist police in investigating crime "and one more tool to stomp out crime."
We have been 'there and back again' while finding…


A meetup for anyone who likes to cross-county ski or who would like to learn how in a FREE beginner's lesson.
BRING: Skis, winter clothing, sunglasses, pack, and water.
Directions: Take Hwy 138 towards Diamond Lake Lodge, take the first right.


After her return to Paris, for six weeks Therese lived in the ardent half sleep of happiness, and prolonged delightfully her thoughtless dream. She went to see Jacques every day in the little house shaded by a tree; and when they had at last parted at night, she took away with her adored reminiscences. They had the same tastes; they yielded to the same fantasies. The same capricious thoughts carried them away. They found pleasure in running to the suburbs that border the city, the streets where the wine-shops are shaded by acacia, the stony roads where the grass grows at the foot of walls, the little woods and the fields over which extended the blue sky striped by the smoke of manufactories. She was happy to feel him near her in this region where she did not know herself, and where she gave to herself the illusion of being lost with him.
One day they had taken the boat that she had seen pass so often under her windows. She was not afraid of being recognized. Her danger was not great, and, since she was in love, she had lost prudence. They saw shores which little by little grew gay, escaping the dusty aridity of the suburbs; they went by islands with bouquets of trees shading taverns, and innumerable boats tied under willows. They debarked at Bas-Meudon. As she said she was warm and thirsty, he made her enter a wine-shop. It was a building with wooden galleries, which solitude made to appear larger, and which slept in rustic peace, waiting for Sunday to fill it with the laughter of girls, the cries of boatmen, the odor of fried fish, and the smoke of stews.
They went up the creaking stairway, shaped like a ladder, and in a first-story room a maid servant brought wine and biscuits to them. On the mantelpiece, at one of the corners of the room, was an oval mirror in a flower-covered frame. Through the open window one saw the Seine, its green shores, and the hills in the distance bathed with warm air. The trembling peace of a summer evening filled the sky, the earth, and the water.
Therese looked at the running river. The boat passed on the water, and when the wake which it left reached the shore it seemed as if the house rocked like a vessel.
"I like the water," said Therese. "How happy I am!"
"It is true I was made for love. I love myself because you love me."
Certainly, he loved her; and it was not possible for him to explain to himself why he loved her with ardent piety, with a sort of sacred fury. It was not because of her beauty, although it was rare and infinitely precious. She had exquisite lines, but lines follow movement, and escape incessantly; they are lost and found again; they cause aesthetic joys and despair. A beautiful line is the lightning which deliciously wounds the eyes. One admires and one is surprised. What makes one love is a soft and terrible force, more powerful than beauty. One finds one woman among a thousand whom one wants always. Therese was that woman whom one can not leave or betray.
"I never shall be forsaken?"
She asked why he did not make her bust, since he thought her beautiful.
"Why? Because I am an ordinary sculptor, and I know it; which is not the faculty of an ordinary mind. But if you wish to think that I am a great artist, I will give you other reasons. To create a figure that will live, one must take the model like common material from which one will extract the beauty, press it, crush it, and obtain its essence. There is nothing in you that is not precious to me. If I made your bust I should be servilely attached to these things which are everything to me because they are something of you. I should stubbornly attach myself to the details, and should not succeed in composing a finished figure."
"From memory I might. I tried a pencil sketch." As she wished to see it, he showed it to her. It was on an album leaf, a very simple sketch. She did not recognize herself in it, and thought he had represented her with a kind of soul that she did not have.
"Ah, is that the way in which you see me? Is that the way in which you love me?"
"No; this is only a note. But I think the note is just. It is probable you do not see yourself exactly as I see you. Every human creature is a different being for every one that looks at it."
"In that sense one may say one woman never belonged to two men. That is one of Paul Vence's ideas."
"I think it is true," said Therese.
It was seven o'clock. She said she must go. Every day she returned home later. Her husband had noticed it. He had said: "We are the last to arrive at all the dinners; there is a fatality about it!" But, detained every day in the Chamber of Deputies, where the budget was being discussed, and absorbed by the work of a subcommittee of which he was the chairman, state reasons excused Therese's lack of punctuality. She recalled smilingly a night when she had arrived at Madame Garain's at half-past eight. She had feared to cause a scandal. But it was a day of great affairs. Her husband came from the Chamber at nine o'clock only, with Garain. They dined in morning dress. They had saved the Ministry.
Then she fell into a dream.
"When the Chamber shall be adjourned, my friend, I shall not have a pretext to remain in Paris. My father does not understand my devotion to my husband which makes me stay in Paris. In a week I shall have to go to Dinard. What will become of me without you?"
"It is I, Therese, it is I who must ask anxiously, What will become of me without you? When you leave me alone I am assailed by painful thoughts; black ideas come and sit in a circle around me."
She asked him what those ideas were.
"My beloved, I have already told you: I have to forget you with you. When you are gone, your memory will torment me. I have to pay for the happiness you give me."