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Socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality in Iran and across its provinces
Inégalité socioéconomique en matière de mortalité infantile en Iran et dans les différentes provinces de ce pays
Desigualdades socioeconómicas en mortalidad infantil en el Irán y en sus provincias
Ahmad Reza HosseinpoorI,1; Kazem MohammadII; Reza MajdzadehII; Mohsen NaghaviIII; Farid AbolhassaniIV; Angelica SousaI; Niko SpeybroeckI; Hamid Reza JamshidiV; Jeanette VegaI
IHealth Equity Team, Evidence and Information for Policy, World Health Organization, Geneva 27, 1211 Switzerland
IIDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
IIIUndersecretary Office for Health Affairs, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Iran
IVOffice of the Deputy of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
VHealth promotion & network development center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Iran
OBJECTIVE: To measure the socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality in Iran*.
METHODS: We analysed data from the provincially representative Demographic and Health Survey, which was done in Iran in 2000. We used a dichotomous hierarchical ordered probit model to develop an indicator of socioeconomic status of households. We assessed the inequality in infant mortality by using the odds ratio of infant mortality between the lowest and highest socioeconomic quintiles at both the provincial and national levels, and the concentration index, an inequality measure based on the entire socioeconomic distribution.
RESULTS: We found a decreasing trend in the infant mortality rate in relation to socioeconomic quintiles. The poorest to richest odds ratio was 2.34 (95% CI = 1.78–3.09). The concentration index of infant mortality in Iran was -0.1789 (95% CI = -0.2193–-0.1386). Furthermore, the inequality of infant mortality between the lowest and highest quintiles was significant and favoured the better-off in most of the provinces. However, this inequality varied between provinces.
CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality favours the better-off in the country as a whole and in most of its provinces, but the degree of this inequality varies between the provinces. As well as its national average, it is important to consider the provincial distribution of this indicator of population health.
Keywords: Infant mortality; Socioeconomic factors; Economic indicators; Odds ratio; Iran (Islamic Republic of) (source: MeSH, NLM).
OBJECTIF: Mesurer l'inégalité socioéconomique en matière de mortalité infantile en Iran.
MÉTHODES: Les données de l'enquête démographique et de santé, représentative à l'échelle provinciale, qui a été effectuée en Iran en 2000, ont été analysées. Un modèle de Probit dichotomique et ordonné hiérarchiquement a servi au développement d'un indicateur du statut socioéconomique des ménages. L'inégalité en matière de mortalité juvénile a été évaluée à l'aide de l'odds ratio (OR) de la mortalité juvénile entre les quintiles socioéconomiques inférieur et supérieur, tant au niveau provincial que national, et de l'indice de concentration, une mesure de l'inégalité reposant sur la distribution socioéconomique dans son ensemble.
RÉSULTATS: Une tendance décroissante a été mise en évidence entre le taux de mortalité juvénile et les quintiles socioéconomiques. L'odds ratio entre les plus riches et les plus démunis était de 2,34 (IC à 95 % : 1,78 - 3,09). L'indice de concentration de la mortalité juvénile en Iran valait - 0,1789 (CI à 95 % : -0,2193 à -0,1386). En outre, l'inégalité en matière de mortalité juvénile entre les quintiles inférieur et supérieur était significative et en faveur des plus riches dans la plupart des provinces. La valeur de cette inégalité était cependant variable d'une province à une autre.
CONCLUSION: L'inégalité socioéconomique en matière de mortalité juvénile est en faveur des plus riches pour le pays dans son ensemble et dans la plupart des provinces, mais le degré de corrélation varie d'une province à l'autre. Il est donc important de prendre en compte la moyenne nationale, mais aussi la distribution à l'échelle provinciale de cet indicateur de la santé de la population.
Mots clés: Mortalité nourrisson; Facteur socioéconomique; Indicateurs économiques; Odds ratio; Iran (République islamique d') (source: MeSH, INSERM).
OBJETIVO: Medir las desigualdades socioeconómicas en términos de mortalidad infantil en el Irán.
MÉTODOS: Analizamos datos de la Encuesta de Demografía y Salud realizada en el Irán en 2000, con datos representativos de las provincias. Utilizamos un modelo probit dicotómico jerarquizado para elaborar un indicador de la situación socioeconómica de los hogares, y procedimos a evaluar las desigualdades en mortalidad infantil utilizando la razón de posibilidades de esta mortalidad entre los quintiles socioeconómicos inferior y superior a nivel tanto provincial como nacional, así como el índice de concentración, una medida de desigualdad basada en la distribución socioeconómica general.
RESULTADOS: Hallamos una tendencia decreciente de la tasa de mortalidad infantil en relación con los quintiles socioeconómicos. La razón de posibilidades entre el más pobre y el más rico fue de 2,34 (IC95%: 1,78-3,09). El índice de concentración de la mortalidad infantil en el Irán fue de -0,1789 (IC95%: de -0,2193 a -0,1386). Además, la desigualdad en mortalidad infantil entre los quintiles inferior y superior fue significativamente favorable a los más acomodados en la mayor parte de las provincias. Sin embargo, la magnitud de la desigualdad difería de una provincia a otra.
CONCLUSIÓN: Las desigualdades socioeconómicas en mortalidad infantil son favorables a los más acomodados tanto en el conjunto del país como en la mayoría de sus provincias, pero el grado de correlación varía según la provincia. Además de la media nacional, es importante tener en cuenta la distribución por provincias de este indicador de la salud de la población.
Palabras clave: Mortalidad infantil; Factores socioeconómicos; Indicadores económicos; Razón de diferencia; Irán (República Islámica del) (fuente: DeCS, BIREME).
More than 10 million children die each year in the world (1). That is why child mortality has received renewed attention as part of the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (2). Furthermore, evidence worldwide suggests that children in households with a lower socioeconomic status have higher mortality rates (3–9). Few studies have been carried out on inequalities in infant and child mortality in developing countries before the last decade, but this situation has recently begun to change. Recent attention to the differences in health status between the poor and rich has led to more research on the health of different groups in developing countries (10). The inter-country projects initiated by WHO and World Bank provide basic information on the health status of different groups (11, 12).
Over the last two decades in Iran there has been a significant declining trend in infant mortality rates with 63.5, 43.5, and 26.7 per 1000 livebirths in 1988, 1994 and 2000, respectively (13, 14). However, no studies have been done on differences in infant mortality rates across socioeconomic groups in Iran. We measured the socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality in Iran overall, as well as in each of its provinces.
We extracted data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), which was conducted in Iran in 2000 (14). The sample population of DHS constituted 4000 households (2000 rural and 2000 urban) from 28 provinces of the country, plus 2000 households in the capital, Tehran. The sampling design consisted of a stratified single stage (equal size) cluster sampling with unequal sampling probabilities. The specific design and sample size (4000 households) make this survey representative at the sub-national level (14).
In addition, we studied 110 751 households to define the socioeconomic status of households in Iran. To define the socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality, we analysed 47 896 livebirths from 1995 to 1999 at the national level and 187 292 livebirths from 1985 to 1999 at the provincial level.
Selection of a five-year observation period at the national level and a fifteen-year observation period at the provincial level is a compromise between providing recent estimates and ensuring enough births to reduce the effects of sampling error (15).
We used a dichotomous hierarchical ordered probit (DIHOPIT) model to develop an indicator of the long-running economic status of households (16). It is based on the premise that wealthier households are more likely to own a given set of assets, thus providing an estimate for economic status index for households. We used the following indicators: owning a refrigerator, a television, a telephone, a car, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a bathroom, a toilet, type of heating system, use of natural gas for cooking and heating, number of rooms per capita, type of bathroom effluent disposal, status of toilet sanitation, type of solid garbage disposal, and main source of drinking water. Furthermore variables considered as predictors of the household's economic status included age, sex, education, marital status of the head of the household and migration history of the household five years prior to the interview.
In addition to creating a national index of household economic status, we estimated economic indices for each province separately based on the assumption that province-specific information would produce a more effective and accurate index. Therefore we calculated separate economic indices to discover the socioeconomic status of the sampled populations within each province.
We selected a binary outcome variable: namely whether or not each of the live born infants of the women interviewed was still alive or not in the 12 months following birth. We estimated the infant mortality rate (number of deaths among children below one year of age divided by 1000 livebirths reported during the above-mentioned periods) from birth histories for the entire country and for each province separately. We defined the socioeconomic inequality in the infant mortality rate using two parameters: the infant mortality concentration index and poorest to richest quintiles odds ratio of infant mortality rate. The concentration index, whose value can vary between –1 and +1, has frequently been used in the study of income-related inequalities (17). Its negative values imply that the health variable is concentrated among disadvantaged people while the opposite is true for its positive values. When there is no inequality, the concentration index will be zero. We used regression analysis to compute a weighted estimate of the concentration index, taking into account the clustering for the confidence interval (18).
In the analysis we considered the DHS stratification and unequal sampling weights as well as household clustering effects. To exclude any sampling variation, we used LIMDEP and STATA to calculate the DIHOPIT and odds ratios, as well as concentration indices, respectively. These programmes can take into account the specific stratified weighted and clustered design issues.
Table 1 shows the infant mortality rate and standard deviation for different socioeconomic quintiles at the national level. It also shows the odds ratio for infant mortality rate and 95% confidence interval for the different quintiles, with the richest quintile being used as the reference category. As indicated in Fig. 1, there is a descending trend in the infant mortality rate, the higher one moves up the socioeconomic quintiles. Fig. 2 illustrates the concentration curve of infant mortality for Iran, indicating the concentration of infant mortality among people of low socioeconomic status. The concentration index indicating socioeconomic inequality of infant mortality in Iran was -0.1789 (95% CI = -0.2193–-0.1386).
Table 2 shows the infant mortality rate, its standard deviation for different socioeconomic quintiles, and measures of socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality rates for each province. Provinces such as Khuzestan, Markazi, Tehran and West Azerbaijan, show a descending trend in infant mortality rate as a function of socioeconomic quintiles as observed at the national level. The relative difference in infant mortality rates between lowest and highest quintiles was statistically significant in all provinces except in Ardebil, Chahar-Mahal & Bakhtiari, Golestan, Hamedan, and Lorestan. Among the provinces with a statistically significant odds ratio, the ratio varied from 1.55 in Sistan & Baluchestan to 4.07 in East Azerbaijan. Based on the concentration index, inequality in infant mortality was also statistically significant in all provinces except for Qom. This measure ranged from -0.0632 in Ardebil to -0.2389 in Khuzestan among provinces with a statistically significant concentration index.
Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b illustrate the map of Iran according to the socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality across provinces based on odds ratio and concentration index, respectively. There is no obvious geographical clustering of inequality across provinces.
Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b plot infant mortality inequality for all provinces based on odds ratio and concentration index, respectively. According to Fig. 4a, provinces can be grouped into distinct categories:
• those with a low average and no or low inequality, such as Ilam, Lorestan and Qom;
• provinces with a high average but no or low inequality, such as Sistan & Baluchestan and Ardebil;
• those with a low average but high inequality like Khuzestan and Mazandaran;
• provinces with high average and high inequality such as Zanjan and East Azerbaijan; and
• provinces whose average and inequality values are close to the corresponding national values calculated for the same period (2.71 and 41.2 for the national inequality and average infant mortality, respectively). Markazi and Ghazvin are two provinces in this group.
In addition, we grouped some provinces on the basis of the average infant mortality to the concentration index (Fig. 4b):
• provinces with a low average and no or low inequality, such as Qom, Lorestan and Ilam;
• provinces with a high average but low inequality, such as Sistan & Baluchestan and Ardebil;
• the province of Khuzestan, with a low average but high inequality; and
• the province of Khorasan, with a high average and a high inequality.
Most remaining provinces had a medium level of inequality.
To see whether variations in availability of health services among provinces could explain these differences in the inequity and the average of infant mortality, we calculated the availability of health houses by dividing the number of active health houses in each province in 1999 by the number of health houses needed for that province based on the size of the population. Table 3 shows the availability of health houses — the lowest level of health care delivery system in rural areas — in each province in 1999 (19). We observed that the correlation between the average infant mortality and availability of health care was not high across provinces. For example, Markazi was one of the provinces with a high concentration of infant mortality among the poor, despite the availability of health care delivery for almost all its people.
This study is one of the first to show the spatial distribution of the inequity of infant mortality within a country. Furthermore this study fills a gap concerning the lack of information on infant mortality within a region. This study shows that there is a reverse association between infant mortality rates and socioeconomic status across Iran as a whole and within most of its provinces.
As shown in Figs 4a and 4b, the degree of socioeconomic inequality depends to some extent on the parameter used. The concentration index expresses the inequality in health across the full spectrum of socioeconomic status. In contrast, poorest to richest odds ratio does not take into account the health status of the three middle quintiles. Yet it does have the merit of being readily interpretable and accessible to policy-makers in comparison with concentration index (15). For instance, in spite of the fact that East Azerbaijan and Fars had the same concentration of infant mortality among the poor, the former had the largest inequality according to the poorest to richest odds ratio while such a difference was moderate in the latter.
However, most regions showed the same order of inequality when ordered in three groups (Figs 3a and 3b), confirming the observation that simple measures of regional inequality often yield estimates comparable with those based on the entire population (20).
Our findings are consistent with results obtained from other studies in different parts of the world. A study on inequalities in child mortality in nine developing countries using consumption levels as the measure of socioeconomic status found that countries with a more unequal consumption distribution in the population tended to have greater inequalities in child mortality than those with a more equal distribution of consumption (4). In a health survey conducted in the state of Kerala in India, Kutty, Thankappan, Kannan and Aravindan developed a rating of socioeconomic position taking into account factors including income, education, housing conditions and land ownership. The lowest socioeconomic status group had the highest child death rates (5). Poerwanto, Stevenson and Klerk found that the risk of infant mortality among households of low welfare index in Indonesia was almost twice that of households with high welfare index (6). A Chilean study from 1990 to 1995 showed a clear gradient of infant mortality rates according to the mother's level of education. The highest rate of infant death was among those with no education (7).
In another study in a Brazilian city, the mortality rate among infants was negatively related to geo-economic classification, with poor areas of the city having the highest rates and rich areas the lowest (8). Developed countries whose overall infant mortality rate is low have demonstrated similar patterns. For instance, a population-based study in Norway showed an inverse association between socioeconomic groups and risk of infant death from 1967 to 1998. Parents' education was used as a measure of socioeconomic status. The researchers concluded that in spite of low infant mortality rates, the socioeconomic inequality in the risk of infant death is an indicator of important societal phenomena (9).
Different parameters have been used as proxy measures of the socioeconomic status of households, such as parents' education, occupation of the household's head, monetary measures and non-monetary economic indices (4–9, 12). In this study, we focused on the last approach given that the DHS has not collected data on self-reported income and expenditure, but provides information on ownership of asset indicator variables. The World Bank's Living Standards Measurement Study may be more appropriate for capturing data on living standards, but it has not been done in Iran. DIHOPIT is one of the statistical methods developed to create non-monetary economic indices for households (16). By enabling us to rank households according to their socioeconomic status, such indices provide a measure of relative economic status within a country, and are therefore invaluable in comparative analyses over time and place. This approach of establishing a household's economic status in the absence of information on income and expenditure greatly extends the possibilities for inequality analyses.
The DIHOPIT approach has been validated with nationally representative surveys carried out in three countries — Greece, Pakistan and Peru — with considerably different socioeconomic characteristics (16). This study showed that DIHOPIT correlated closely with income and expenditure.
The objective of our study is not to rank provinces according to their inequality, but to show that measuring the average health status in isolation is not sufficient enough to describe the health of a population. Moreover the distribution of health in the population is also a key concern to be considered during health planning and policy-making for promotion of health.
Gakidou King showed that the causes of inequality in child mortality rates are related to, but are quite distinct from, the causes of average level of childhood mortality (21). They suggested that variables that predict inequality need to be further researched, even if they do not predict average level of child mortality. This study demonstrates that differences across provinces exist in both the inequity as well as in the level of infant mortality.
We can deduce the reasons for the existing conditions from experts as well as from local information in some provinces, but there is little research-based evidence to provide clear explanations, especially in urban areas. For instance, utilization of health care facilities in Sistan & Baluchestan is known to be far less than the rest of the country not only because of low availability of health care, but also as a result of people's attitude (14). This study indicates the necessity of better defining the determinants of both inequality and levels of infant mortality as well as the contribution of each factor to different provinces.
Our results suggest that socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality favours the better-off in Iran as a whole and in most of its provinces, and that this inequality varies between provinces. Investigating why inequality favours the better-off and why it is higher in some provinces deserves special attention. In addition, it is advisable to conduct provincially representative surveys to provide recent estimates of health inequalities and to allow monitoring over time.
We thank Ajay Tandon, Alec Irwin, Laura Pearson, Yaniss Guigoz and Steeve Ebener. We thank the UNICEF DevInfo project for providing the original map of Iran.
1. Black RE, Morris SS, Bryce J. Where and why are 10 million children dying every year? Lancet, 2003, 361:2226-34.
2. Millennium Development Goals: a compact among nations to end human poverty. New York, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2003.
3. Claeson M, Gillespie D, Mshinda H, Troedsson H, Victoria CG. Knowledge into action for child survival. Lancet, 2003, 362:323-7.
4. Wagstaff A. Socio-economic inequalities in child mortality: comparison across nine developing countries. Bull World Health Organ, 2000, 78: 19-29.
5. Kutty VR, Thankappan KR, Kannan KP, Aravindan KP. How socioeconomic status affects birth and death rates in rural Kerala, India: results of a health study. J Health Services, 1993, 23:373-86.
6. Poerwanto S, Stevenson M, Klerk N. Infant mortality and family welfare: policy implications for Indonesia. J Epidemiol Community Health, 2003, 57:493-8.
7. Hollstein RD, Vega J, Carvajal Y. [Social inequalities and health. Socioeconomic level and infant mortality in Chile in 1985-1995]. Rev Méd Chil, 1998, 126(3):333-40 (in Spanish).
8. Goldani MZ, Barbieri MA, Bettiol H, Barbieri MR, Tomkins A. Infant mortality rates according to socioeconomic status in a Brazilian city. Rev Saúde Pública, 2001, 35 (3):256-61.
9. Arntzen A, Samuelsen SV, Bakketeig LS, Stoltenberg C. Socioeconomic status and risk of infant death: a population-based study of trends in Norway, 1967–1998. Int J Epidemiol, 2004, 33 (2):279-88.
10. Gwatkin DR. Poverty and inequalities in health within developing countries filling the information gap. In: Leon DA, Walt G, eds. Poverty, inequality, and health: an international perspective. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001.
11. The world health report 1999: making a difference. Geneva, World Health Organization, 1999.
12. Socio-economic differences in health, nutrition, and population: 45 countries. Washington, DC, The World Bank Group, 2000.
13. Human development report of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran, Plan and Budget Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran and United Nations in the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1999.
14. Population and health in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran Demographic and Health Survey Report. Tehran, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, 2000.
15. Anand S, Diderichsen F, Evans T, Shkolnikov VM, Wirth M. Measuring disparities in health: methods and indicators. In: Evans T, Whitehead M, Diderichsen F, Bhuiya A, Wirth M, eds. Challenging inequities in health: from ethics to action. New York, Oxford University Press, 2001.
16. Ferguson B, Murray CJL, Tandon A, Gakidou E. Estimating permanent income using asset and indicator variables. In: Murray CJL, Evans DB, eds. Health systems performance assessment: debate, new methods, and new empiricism. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2003.
17. Wagstaff A, Paci P, van Doorslaer E. On the measurement of inequalities in health. Soc Sci Med, 1991; 33:545-57.
18. Zere E, McIntyre D. Inequities in under-five child malnutrition in South Africa. Int J Equity Health, 2003, 2:7.
19. Naghavi M, Jafari N, Jamshidbeigi E, Vasegh H. Ten-year performance assessment of primary health care system in the rural areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, in press.
20. Manor O, Mattews S, Power C. Comparing measures of health inequality. Soc Sci Med, 1997, 45(5):761-71.
21. Gakidou E, King G. Determinants of inequality in child survival: results from 39 countries. In: Murray CJL, Evans DB, eds. Health systems performance assessment: debate, new methods, and new empiricism. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2003.
(Submitted: 01 December 2004 – Final revised version received: 01 June 2005 – Accepted: 30 June 2005)
This article has received corrections in agreement with the ERRATUM published in Volume 83 Number 12.
1 Correspondence should be sent to Dr Hosseinpoor at this address: (e-mail: hosseinpoora@who.int).
* The Islamic Republic of Iran
World Health Organization Genebra - Genebra - Switzerland
E-mail: bulletin@who.int
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The new Hi-Tech kit of the Tempest Mk.V model has already been announced here in one of the earlier instalments of Special Hobby blog. This model is to contain also a partial replica of its Napier Sabre power unit and now we have brought a computer rendered image of this detail in a picture below.
Here is also a detailed description of the camouflage options of this kit.
Hawker Tempest Mk.V SN222/JF-E "Le Grand Charles", No.3 squadron, Fassberg base (B.152),late April / early May 1945. The machine bearing the name "Le Grand Charles" was one of the last Tempest aeroplanes which were flown by the French WW2 top ace F/Lt Pierre "Cloclo"Clostermann.
Hawker Tempest Mk.V EJ750/JBW, No.122 Wing, Wg Cdr J.B. Wray´s personal mount, Volkel (B.80), late 1944. At the controls of this machine, J.B. Wray achieved one aerial victory over a Me 262 and another one claimed as damaged.
Hawker Tempest Mk.V EJ762/JJ-F, No.274 Squadron, F/L D. C. Fairbainks DFC and Two Bars (12,5 victories), Volkel (B.80), October 1944. On 19th October 1944 during an aerial combat, the machine received a hit into its port wing fuel tank and the petrol set ablaze and burned off the left tail plane paint and damaged its fabric skinning. Despite all this, F/L D.C. Fairbanks got its wounded mount safely back.
Hawker Tempest Mk.V SN206/5R-B, No.33 Squadron, F/O G.A. Rens, Quackenbrück (B.109), May 1945. In early May, G.A.Rens, a Belgian pilot flying in the ranks of No.33 Sqn took part in two dive bombing raids. The role of a dive bomber was quite exceptional for the Tempest fighter and unique only to this unit.
Hawker Tempest Mk.V SN330/J5-H, No.3 Squadron, Sqn/Ldr Robert Bruce Cole, DFC and Bar, Wunstorf, British Occupation Zone, Germany, 1946. During the Second World War, R.B.Cole gained one confirmed victory, one probable and another 5 ½ damaged enemy aircraft. He added also one e/a damaged on the ground and number of military vehicles and trains. On 16th January 1956, Cole was killed whilst flying a Canberra aircraft in a rank of Wing Commander. His Tempest SN330 was painted silver colour overall and fitted with rocket projectile launchers.
My favourite aircraft and one that you have done justice to at long last. Very well done. I already have three of the previous hi-tech version and I certainly intend to do the same with this latest release.


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Home Small Business Verizon Narrowly Beats Street
Verizon Narrowly Beats Street
By Michelle Megna | October 26, 2009
Verizon Communication's (NYSE: VZ) third-quarter profit plunged 29 percent while revenues rose 10 percent as Big Red managed to narrowly beat Wall Street estimates.
Verizon profit dove to $2.89 billion, or $0.41 per share, from $3.2 billion, or $0.59 per share, in the same period last year. Revenue, however, spiked a bit over 10 percent to $27.2 billion from $24.7 billion.
On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), Verizon beat the Street by a penny, posting earnings of $0.60 per share. Analysts had expected $27.1 billion in revenue, with $0.59 per share, according to Thomson Reuters.
Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon and Vodafone Group (NYSE: VOD), added 1.2 million net new subscribers in the quarter, trailing rival AT&T (NYSE: T), which added 2 million subscribers during the three-month period. Verizon remains the nation's No. 1 wireless carrier, however.
Mirroring the overall trend in the telecommunications industry, the company reported healthy wireless performance while its landline business suffered.
Mobile revenue jumped 24.4 percent to $15.8 billion for the third quarter, with the caveat that growth would have been just shy of 5 percent when accounting for the Alltell acquisition. Wireless profit margin, adjusted for one-time items, checked in at 28.3 percent.
Meanwhile, industry watchers speculated that a pair of ad campaigns taking shots at Apple's iPhone and AT&T would hurt chances for the company to strike a deal to offer the iconic handset next year, but the Verizon chief said he'd welcome any such invitations.
"The decision is in Apple's court," CEO Ivan Seidenberg said during the earnings conference call. "We would be interested if they wanted us as a partner."
Verizon's earnings come as wireless carriers report the first impact of the summer's signature releases from their key hardware partners -- namely the iPhone 3GS from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) for exclusive carrier AT&T, and the Pre from Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) for Sprint, which conducts earnings on Thursday.
Verizon, meanwhile, failed to generate much buzz in the smartphone sector over the summer, with the BlackBerry Tour representing one of its few big-name phone releases. However, the company is poised to begin selling Research In Motion's (NASDAQ: RIMM) Storm2 on Wednesday and has the Android-powered Droid set for an early November launch.
Despite Verizon's sluggishness in smartphones this quarter, Seidenberg touted the company's move to partner with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) in jointly developing, marketing and selling Android handsets, leaving AT&T as the only top carrier not offering smartphones based on the open source mobile platform.
"We have been broadening the base of choices for our customers, and hopefully, Apple as well as others will decide to jump on the bandwagon," Seidenberg said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A global economic, cultural and education hub, London attracts hundreds of thousands of international students every year to one of the many elite institutions in the city. London is already incredibly multicultural with immigrants from all over the world settling in various areas across the capital over the last century – you certainly won't feel like the only foreigner while on the Tube and this can make making new friends in students from abroad – both from your own country and others – easier. While on the surface, the huge landmarks which make up the London skyline are quintessentially "British" as you may have seen it depicted in films and television, if you explore further on foot through the paths and streets which make up London, you'll find that various ethnicities and cultures have permeated London over the years and have become a part of its identity.
London has a grand sense of history stretching back to the Bronze and Roman ages, which few capital cities around the world can compete with. Just wandering around, you'll see remnants and celebrations of London's history in the architecture, buildings and monuments you come across (in the video below, London is described as a 'city which reads like an epic saga', and it's very true). When you think London, you might think Big Ben, the London Eye, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the Shard....there's a lot to choose from! In fact there are so many things to see, everyone will have their own list of must-see landmarks which they will want to check out! This will give you a long list of activities and things to do on weekends and evenings when you're not studying.
So where do you start in London? Zone 1 is known as Central London and this is where you'll find most of the city's most well known landmarks. You can take one of several bus or walking tours of the key landmarks. You'll find various theatres, large and small, scattered around the city, though the West End (Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus) should be your go-to destination if you want an evening of live comedy, drama or music (with a variety of restaurants to choose from, though they will be far more expensive because of the location). Nearby you'll find Oxford Circus and Bond Street to satisfy your high street – and high end – shopping needs (there's also the large Westfield shopping centres in White City and Stratford). Camden, Shoreditch and Brick Lane are considered the hangout for hipsters with quirky, quaint cafes and bars, as well as intimate venues for live, alternative performance. Meanwhile Knightsbridge and Notting Hill are prime locations to do some celebrity-spotting (and a bit more shopping if you wish).
The London Underground (also known as The Tube) connects each corner of London, making getting across the capital simple.
As you expand further out (zones 2-6), you'll gradually see more green area and things get slightly less expensive (but only just). North London is considered most affluent while East London is considered more urban (although the recent Olympic Games which were hosted in this part of the city brought about a lot of renovation, while more and more young professionals choose to reside here). However you'll find that there aren't really "bad" or "good" parts of London, but rather that they all blend into one another.
Fortunately, London is very well connected by Tube, bus and overground train so you can get across the city quite easily at all times of the day and night (plus starting in 2015, the Tube will be running 24 hours). Of course, if you're travelling in the morning between 7 and 9 or the evening between 5 and 7, you can expect more congestion as commuters head home.
Don't get lost in London! Read our guide to using public transport in London.
Where can you study in London?
London hosts some of the top higher education institutions in the country, allowing international students to combine studying with enjoying the huge variety of activities on offer across the city. Many institutions are renowned in particular fields of study too. Brunel University, named after famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, actually specialises in Engineering and Design courses though it is also strong in a number of other fields. But Brunel isn't the only London university to specialise in a particular area; the London School of Economics and Political Science focus on (you guessed it) Economics and Politics courses, while the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is a world leader in Health and Medicine. Several institutions have ties to specific areas of London too such as City University, London and the capital's financial and commercial centres.
For Design and Engineering courses? Try Brunel University.
For Economics and Politics courses? Try London School of Economics and Political Science.
For Business and Law courses? Try City University, London.
For Medicine and Health-related courses? Try London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
For Dentistry courses? Try Queen Mary University, London.
Love, Actually (above) highlights life across England's capital at Christmas time.
Start searching for a course in London, or simply the UK, now!


The Inkpen Authoress: "Of some other metal than earth."
Leonato: "Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband."
Beatrice: "Not till God make man of some other metal than earth."
It seems that romance is as much a virus in the online world as it is in reality. In my everyday life people have been making matches of themselves at an alarming rate. I foresee many weddings in the next year or two... *feels dazed*... And the plague, as I said, has not limited itself to reality. It's crept onto the blogs beginning with Mirriam and quickly followed by Jenny with their respective posts on romance and How To Write It. I was not intending to follow suit. Not at all. But then I was looking through my copy of the screenplay of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and came across Beatrice's vow and then I thought of something I've been meaning to write about and since it slightly aligns with the topic touched upon by Jenny and Mirriam, I'm giving it to you.
I bring up the topic of your Hero.
If there is one error Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell made (perhaps) it is that their heroes are so....heroic. Let me rephrase that. Their heroes don't really have any obvious flaws. (Their female leads do....funny.) We women love Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightly and Mr. Thornton and Roger Hamley. The only problems with those men are that two are misunderstood, one is a little critical, and one is a little blind. I love these fictional fellows as much as the next girl, but the transition from paper-to-reality is detrimental.
As humans we are all hopelessly flawed without Christ. There is no way a one of us would say that we don't have any faults.
Why, then, do we write characters who can boast near-perfection?
People say that fiction is a way to meet people where they are, take them along a fictional journey, and bring them out at the other end changed in some way. But how can you relate to a character and a journey that has nothing to do with your own life? Sure, a perfect man would be amazing, but I'm not a perfect woman so even if there were perfect men I wouldn't be the best help-meet to one of them.
All of these men are flawed, and yet we identify with them. Why is it that women are the only ones who will write perfect men into fiction? It's strange. If a man portrayed his fictional men as archangels, the feminists would throw back their heads and howl, "UNFAIR!" but we women will create our own Mr. Darcy's and Mr. Knightley's and defy anyone who would point out their unrealistic points. The men aren't the ones crazy about Pride and Prejudice. Obviously they don't find perfect men realistic and honest enough to bother reading about. We don't write perfect women characters, do we? No. Our women all have bad tempers, or resentful hearts, or scabby pasts, or hidden fears--things that make them real. It's because we're easy on ourselves and aren't trying to boast perfection because we know we don't measure up. Then why do we hold men to a different standard?
Though this post is somewhat rambling, it does have a main point: I'd caution all writers to make sure that your male "hero" in your story has his own flaws. You don't want a one-dimensional character. You don't want a perfect man that will drive away other men from reading the book.
Look to the men in your life. The men around you. Look to your brothers and fathers and pastors and neighbors. Your uncles and the guy down the street. Goodness--look to Taylor the Latte Boy if you must, but let's cast aside the Perfect-Man syndrome.
"Not till God make man of some other metal than earth."
Till she reaches Heaven, perhaps? Ah--but then it will be too late. Better to conform our ideas of fictional and earth-men to the mold we have here and now. Men made in the image of God, flawed as we all are, reaching upward to Christ a little more each day, denying their flesh and seeking Him.
After all, despite what Jane Austen might say, that's the true definition of heroism.
This was really helpful! I like it!
Wyatt. Let us just say that my knowledge of Patrick O'Brian is limited to that moment with you and me in Barnes and Noble with your very vehement approval of the way all 20 covers made one sea-battle scene when arranged on a shelf. I haven't *read* his books, but I'm familiar with Jack Aubrey as he appears in M&C and I figured he was fairly faithful to the book. Literary license, my good man. Literary license.
This is a great post. I've often seen a trend of authors writing the opposite gender character as Mary Sue Awesome, but not only is that unrealistic, it's boring. Frankly, no character should be portrayed as perfect--principled, yes, but not perfect.
great post, Rachel! And HOW true! Thanks for the reminder; very helpful.
You may have overstated your case, at least as far as Jane Austen's male characters are concerned. Both Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley are flawed. Bingley is too easily influenced, and Darcy is proud. Both change over the course of the story.
That said, I believe you're right. We shouldn't create the perfect man - to do this may seem romantic, but it's false.
It was fun to revisit your blog!
Thanks for this perspective. It got me thinking about the hero in my most recent novel. Irvaine was a bit of a hero, strong, smart, witty, charming (when inclined), loyal, brave, and all those other characteristics you find in romantic fiction. However he has flaws. He tends to be overly direct at times (military background), loyal to the point of aggravation, conflicted, a worrier, doesn't always tell the whole story (not purposefully misleading, he just didn't think it was important). He comes from a very unsavory background. Supported a man in overturning the government of a country (not necessarily a wise or admirable decision). He tends to demand a lot of his women (mother and wife). He makes mistakes and gets angry.
Sorry about the rambling. I am still trying to get my head out of his story.
This is a good point and one I learned when I realized one of my characters never did anything wrong and while re-reading I thought, "He's annoying."
I think this is also the reason I don't really like to read Jane Austin. I know, time to throw tomatoes at me. But I don't really care for the characters. I read Pride and Prejudice and found Lizzy to be very over bearing to the point where she was annoying in her judgement of others. And Mr. Darcy, he baffled me. I couldn't tell if he disliked people or if he was just quiet and shy.
But this is something all writers need to keep in mind. Characters need flaws or they become annoying and unbelievable. None of us knows a perfect person, and to find one in fiction is just as unbelievable as meeting on in real life.
We feel no sympathy for such a character. We wonder what is wrong with them and why we just can't get ourselves to care about. But, as readers, we want characters we can relate to. To say, "Oh yes, I know how that feels!" And, "I do the same thing." and then to see how they grow and change makes us want to do the same.
I found this post thoughtful and insightful. Though if you will allow me to disagree, I will say that I do think that Mr Darcy has faults other than being misunderstood. But I think your post is excellent and quite thought provoking. Bravo!
To everyone who voiced concerns about my opinion of Mr. Darcy, believe me: I do love him. And I can see that he does have some faults. I suppose Jane Austen didn't feel the need to go into great detail over them. :) After all...it's a romance.


In 1940 the MOD became a tenant of Largo House.
Presumably, it was requisitioned without any financial incentive being paid to the owners.
We have good reason to believe this photo was taken in 1939 prior to the MOD taking ownership but after the Durhams had vacated it, thus the sheep from a neighbouring farm are within its gardens and grounds.
During World War 2, the army was given powers by the government to requisition and take over almost any building, even castles, that would have served war purposes.
This is one of the very few photos in existence of the front of Largo House whilst the Polish Soldiers were stationed there.
Although predominantly it was Polish soldiers who were at Largo House from 1941 onwards, others came along for training too such as the French, Norwegians, Belgians, Dutch and Czechs.
Note the long grass in the photo. Many other photos show short, well maintained grass on which training was performed. Was this photo prior to the training i.e in 1941 shortly after the MOD took up residence there? I think so!
As Largo house went active in June 1941 and is sometimes referred to as the HQ of 4th Polish Cadre Rifle Brigade it's almost certain that Largo House and also the parachute tower were initially designated for The 4th Polish Cadre Rifle Brigade .
Later on, following General Sosabowski's renaming of the unit to "The 1st Independent Parachute Brigade", Largo House came to be known as the HQ of The 1st Independent Parachute Brigade.
Parachute training by jumping from the parachute tower at Lundin Links.
Those that did not pass pre-training had to stay at Largo House until they did pass. After pre-training at Largo House, the Polish paratroopers went to RAF Ringway for actual parachute jumps from aeroplanes.
At the entrance of Largo House were grand gates (still there) with a Polish eagle on each pillar.
At the entrance was a sign that said "If you are looking for death please come in for a while". Although the sign is long gone, the pillars, with one eagle, still remain.
However due to the splitting of title deeds, the gatehouse now has the sole use of these entry gates, the original road to Largo House now buried under a field.
Inside Largo House was the commandant's office, dining room and instructor rooms.
A new recruit would typically enter the house, go upstairs to the commanders room and be interviewed. He would be told he would have a medical the following day and was then to immediately report to "Monkey Grove".
A Religious Room Within Largo House?
When Largo House was being used by the Polish troops, they had mass on a sunday. According to the book "Lata Zanikajacej Nadziei" by former parachuter Zbigniew S Siemaszko, on page 122 he refers to mass being held in the first room on the left on the ground floor.
Interestingly, Zbigniew hated Largo House and refers to the pain of all the exercises they did in Malpy Gaj. He returned in the 1980s to take another look at it though!


text:
Stelo (esp.: gwiazda) to nazwa międzynarodowej waluty, używanej dawniej przez esperantystów. Powstała w roku 1942 i była używana w ruchu esperanckim przez kilkadziesiąt lat. W 1959, z okazji setnej rocznicy urodzin Ludwika Zamenhofa, postanowiono wydać Stelo w wersji metalowej. Rok później Holenderska Mennica Państwowa wypuściła pierwsze monety o nominałach:
 1 Stelo, wykonane z brązu,
 5 Steloj, wykonane z mosiądzu,
 10 Steloj, wykonane z miedzioniklu.
 W roku 1965 wypuszczono srebrne monety o wartości 25 Steloj

W założeniu, 1 Stelo miało być warte tyle, co kilogram chleba, jednak powiązano jego wartość z wartością guldena holenderskiego. W roku 1960 1 Stelo miało wartość 0,25 guldena.
Po wielu latach używania w obiegu, wraz z rozwiązaniem Universala Ligo, wszystkie pozostałe egzemplarze Stelo postanowiono przekazać do Universala Esperanto-Asocio (Światowego Stowarzyszenia Esperantystów) w celu sprzedaży jako pamiątki.

W 2010 roku wydano monety o nominałach 1 stelo, 3 steloj oraz 10 steloj. Monety te były wykonane z tworzyw sztucznych.

W 2017 roku w związku z 150-rocznicą urodzin René de Saussurego wydano monetę 100 steloj.

Historia esperanta
Waluty

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Bucknell University Bison Football Camps
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BISON FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF
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Top five: NFL strategy books
July 23, 2019July 23, 2019| bucknellfootballcampsbucknellfootballcamps| 0 Comment
Strategy is central to American football, perhaps more so than any other team sport. Each play gives the offense a chance to reset and attack in any number of ways, while the defense has to try to predict what's coming and decide how aggressively to be in defending.
It's a fascinating back-and-forth but one that can be hard to follow, especially while watching live.
Fortunately, it's never been easier for fans to increase their understanding of the sport thanks to a plethora of social media accounts, websites and, of course, books. Here are five great reads on football strategy.
1The Pro Style (1976) by Tom Bennett
Published by the NFL, The Pro Style is a picture-led guide that covers the history of the professional game, offers biographies of some great coaches and provides a great illustrated breakdown of how the game is played. The Diagram History of Football, in the appendix, almost justifies the inclusion of this book by itself. Nothing else will teach you as much about the evolution of formations – and its implications for strategy – in as little time. Now sadly out of print, copies are pretty easy to find secondhand.
2Take Your Eye Off the Ball 2.0 (2015) by Pat Kirwan
Pat Kirwan is a former NFL scout, coach and personnel man who moved into the media in the 2000s. He's well qualified to explain the game and in this book he targets fans who know the rules of the game and the roles of the players but wants to go deeper. If you can tell an under front from an over at a glance or can comfortably explain why the Wildcat is basically a version of the Single Wing, then this isn't for you. On the other hand, if the previous sentence makes no sense to you, then this book should be ideal.
3The Genius of Desperation (2018) by Doug Farrar
Doug Farrar, National NFL Writer for USA Today, goes deep into the evolution of football strategy from the 1920s to the modern day. He shows how strategic innovations usually evolve from what's come before and are frequently driven by desperation – a coach who needs to find a new approach to stop a division rival, for example. It's hard to see this flow of ideas at the time but Farrar's historical perspective makes the trends clear. This is a book I'll be recommending for years.
4The Games That Changed the Game (2010) by Ron Jaworski
Drill down a layer from Doug Farrar's perspective and you can isolate individual games that exemplify a key moment in the development of pro football strategy. That's what Ron Jaworski does here, analysing seven games and explaining how they represent a dramatic shift in strategy from what went before. Jaworski brings the games to life really well and reading this will have you heading to YouTube to try to find some of the game films in question.
5Blood, Sweat and Chalk (2010) by Tim Layden
Finally, if you drill down a layer from Jaworski, you end up with this – an analysis of the plays and formations that changed the game of football. There's a lot of overlap with the previous two titles – but all five books on this list overlap to an extent. Strategy wins wars and tactics win battles; this is a look at how the tactics of the sport can shape the strategy. It's out of print at the moment but available secondhand.
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Lurker in CS:GO: top tips for succeeding in the role
In today's Top we're going to talk about one of the most interesting roles in CS:GO – the lurker. The majority of players like to take an active part in
There Wasn't a Before or an After. There Was Only Bart Starr.
Thanks to the Super Bowl, the N.F.L. is often discussed in terms of a before and an after.
Bucknell Football Adds Four to Incoming Freshman Class
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell head football coach Joe Susan announced the addition of four players to the incoming freshman class on the first day of the traditional NCAA football signing period.
Types of gift cards
What to look for when choosing a gift
How to make soccer predictions
How to withdraw money from Steam?
The basics of Instagram's algorithm
Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium
701 Moore Ave
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Many companies track the hours of their employees through a time-clock system, whereby staff members "punch-in" upon arrival, and "punch-out" at the end of the day. Did you know that it is extremely easy to combine this function in with your employee photo ID badges, which many companies use to verify the identities of employees both on-premises and off-premises?
Most time clocks can be configured to read a range of different technologies: magstripe, RFID/prox, barcode, biometrics, etc. Any and all of these technologies are available on the photo ID cards which are ordered and printed on-demand from the InstantCard website. When setting up your unique custom template, which is always a free service by our professional graphic designers, just tell us which technology your time clocks use. We'll then ensure that all employee badges produced in the future will be able to be read by your time clocks. Technology allowing long-distance reading is also available, so that organizations can track in real-time which staff members are working in different areas of the building by merely reading their ID badges as they enter and leave designated sectors.
It is very common to use a single photo ID card to allow building access through the Prox feature, as well as for time tracking. The integration of ID badges and the time-clock function will make life simpler for your employees, avoiding the need for multiple cards and ensuring greater compliance with corporate HR policies.


Home / Surya TV / TV News / Vijayadashami -New Serial on Surya TV starts on December 5th, 2016.
Vijayadashami -New Serial on Surya TV starts on December 5th, 2016.
Vijayadashami is a new Malayalam horror serial on Surya TV. The new thriller series will be launched on December 5, 2016 at 7:30. The new teleserial will be aired every Monday to Friday at 7:30. The new show will replace Amme Mahamaye, a devotional serial recently stopped on Surya TV.
Vijayadashami Serial on Surya TV tells the story of a girl, born as the incarnation of goddess according the promos of the serial. Flowers TV also recently launched a new serial Manjal Prasadam with similar story line. The videos of this TV serial can be watched online through Surya Televisions official youtube channel following its telecast.


Meat plants in Northern Ireland have steadied quotes after small increases last week. However, quotes on hoggets have improved.
Beef prices in Northern Ireland are steady, but the hogget trade is improving.


Members of expedition Cpt Adam Crookshank, Cpl Robbie Harmer and L Cpl Nick Webb, organiser Justin Packshaw (ex Royal Dragoon Guards) and explorer David Hempleman-Adams are training in Finse, Norway for their walk to the South Pole.
The expedition is following in the legendary footsteps of Robert Falcon Scott and Lawrence Oates, a century on from the their trek to the South Pole. The team will walk the last two degrees, or 140 miles, to the Geographic South Pole, dragging all their equipment on sleds, as Scott and Oates did. Central to the Expedition is the participation of three soldiers from Captain Oates' old regiment, the Royal Dragoon Guards, all of whom have sustained wounds while on active service in Afghanistan.
The Expedition is raising funds for two causes: Alzheimer's Research UK and Walking With The Wounded.


text:
Q: Laravel 5.1 whereNotNull with join not working (returning all data) I am trying to Select all non empty columns in 'user' table where column name is 'review'.
$applications = DB::table('users')
    ->join('applications', 'user.update_id', '=', 'applications.id')
    ->whereNotNull('users.review')
    ->select('user.id', 'user.rating', 'user.appid', 'user.review', 'applications.title', 'applications.price', 'applications.icon_uri')
    ->orderBy('user.id','asc')
    ->paginate(20);
$applications->setPath('');
return $applications;

But return data includes all information of both 'user.review' empty and not empty as well.
I feel there is no effect of whereNotNull() and i found no error in the statement.
I tried moving ->whereNotNull('user.review') this line top and bottom result is same.
I tried even by removing select and orderBy but returns same data.
$applications = DB::table('users')
    ->join('applications', 'user.update_id', '=', 'applications.id')
    ->whereNotNull('users.review')
    ->paginate(20);
$applications->setPath('');
return $applications;

Is there any way to make it work?

A: if your table is users you are missing an s in the table name, you should write
->whereNotNull('users.review')

same case in the join with the field update_id, otherwise you have to change the table name in the table method

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Tapping into her childhood love of performing, Steph a student at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) in Melbourne tells us about her journey.
What helped you to make the decision to pursue elite training with NICA?
When I got clean I decided I didn't want anything to do with my old life and drama school was part of that, so I cut out anything to do with performance and started working as an aerobics instructor. In hindsight I can see this actually had a massive element of performance in it!
When I hit my mid 30s I realised I was unfulfilled working as an aerobics instructor in the gym, so I started to meditate and consider what I could do aside from being a personal trainer. I went on a meditation retreat and when I was asked what I wanted to be I said "I want to be a clown". While I was there someone asked me "Why don't you apply for the circus school?", but I immediately discounted myself as too old.
When I got back a close friend said, "There's a school called NICA, you should apply." I told her I had already looked into it, but that they ask your age and I'm too old. She pointed out that perhaps they were asking age to make sure I was over 18, not to make sure I wasn't too old. I'd never thought of that, so finally I applied and was accepted into a Certificate IV course last year.
You're almost two years into your training, what has been the highlight so far?
My highlight has definitely been my clown coach and the friends I have made. The circus people I train with are amazing and accepting.
When I came to NICA, I'd approach people and say, "Hi, my name's Steph and I'm 34 years old," because I was so worried about my age. But my peers have taught me it doesn't matter how old I am. In fact I am inspired by these kids (some of whom I'm twice their age!) and the things they can do.
Circus is a physically demanding art form, how does the training impact on your body?
I am very routine based and sleep at least 9 hours. I make sure I eat enough food and I get a sports massage fortnightly. The sports physios and sports psychologist at NICA are also fantastic and help me take great care of myself.
How do you connect the art of circus to a modern society?
It doesn't matter if it's 100 years ago or today – circus, and theatre more broadly, takes current issues and parodies them or they'll use shock tactics, or current affairs and incorporate that into their work to either change people's minds or educate them.
I want to bring joy by combining my experiences in life and my clowning and trapeze skills.
My driving force is connecting to people, making them laugh and giving them space to feel. I want to show people its ok to feel hard things, and that I have felt these things too.
I love creating and I'd like to write my own one woman show about my life and what I've learnt, using the skills my clown teacher here at NICA has given me.
I'd love to tour my one woman show to all the festivals in Australia and around the world.
Ultimately, I'd love to return to Sydney to be a clown doctor, working in hospitals with sick children.


You may also be interested in UniPi's introduction to choosing the right software for your UniPi.
The package does not include Raspberry Pi and DIN rail holder.
2G economical type digital storage oscilloscope.


We are requesting comments on the draft of an upcoming NARA Bulletin on managing content on shared drives. NARA bulletins are designed to provide fundamental guidance to Federal agencies who must then determine the most appropriate ways to incorporate the guidance into their work.
NARA recognizes agencies have long used shared drives to store content. Agencies have had varying degrees of success in managing the Federal records on shared drives. This draft Bulletin will outline the records management implications and challenges, agency responsibilities, and strategies for organizing and managing content stored on shared drives. This Bulletin was drafted with the assistance of subject matter experts within NARA and interviews at selected agencies that have experience managing content on shared drives.
Please make your comments about the draft Bulletin and any suggestions here by October 27, 2011. We will review all the comments we receive. We plan to publish the Bulletin by the end of November. You can download the draft of the bulletin (as .pdf ) from this link.
General Comment: Make the "Approaches to Organizing a Shared Drive" portion of the Bulletin part of the actual document instead of the Appendix, and provide links in the various sections, where appropriate, linking to examples.
Thanks for your comments Curt. I will pass them along.
It would have been helpful if this had been sent to agency records officers for review. I only found out about it yesterday in a Federal Computer Week link forwarded to me from another agency. I was not a subscriber to this blog until yesterday. Since this is a very important issue impacting not only records management but privacy, IT, and legal issues, this should be more formally sent out to agencies for review rather than relying on blog comments. Many agencies may not be aware of this blog. That being said, below are some general comments.
One of my headquarters records liaisons reviewed and had the following comments: I reviewed the NARA guidance on shared drives and feel it is about time this issue has been addressed. I have often advocated some form of shared-drive governance at least for our office but it seems that upper management is always preoccupied with other more important issues. If we are serious about implementing some form of governance, then what NARA has proposed is a good start. Of course, the NARA proposal would have to be adapted to, then adopted by each agency. It would be unrealistic to expect a common set of specific rules to govern all Government agencies. The use of appendices should be used to provide direction to agencies on various issues without dictating an unworkable rule. One last thought: It may take the force of law, a regulation, or an executive order to gain the agencies' cooperation on this matter.
Also, some agencies are using SharePoint like shared drives. Will this apply to SharePoint files as well?
Thanks for your comments. I'll pass them along to the development team.
I agree with Mr. Wagher regarding sending the bulletin to agency records officers for review and input. As you can see from the replies, you have very limited feedback to an important issue.
The bulletin should address/mention the privacy act and the handling of records which contain PII, address managing content on SharePoint portals, and provide examples of managing content to include a sample policy and procedure (template) which would include much of what is mentioned on page 3, item 6.
Most of us who have a shared drive will have to start with cleaning up a mess.
I created a discussion on milBook (community site dedicated to connecting people from across the DoD) and included the link to your blog. Hopefully, people will provide feedback to the bulletin.
When will this draft be finalized?


text:
Q: jQuery: How to prevent item prices from being added to the total when they are unchecked? I'm developing a custom checkout and have a bit of trouble with the jQuery. What I want is for each item that's checked to be added to the Subtotal and the Total values. Also, when an item is unchecked, it is no longer added to the subtotal and total.
Currently, when I click on an option, it's added to the sub total and total values. However, when I UNcheck an item, it still adds again to the totals.
Here's the URL to the Pen I'm working in right now: https://codepen.io/BFrancoeur/pen/abyQJqj
What I've tried:
-- Unbind each event with .off(). This had no effect whatsoever on the totals
-- Use .one() to limit each event to a single firing (or trigger). This didn't work, either.
-- Create conditional (ternary) operators for each item and return sum += 0 when false. This had no impact on the results
What am I missing here? This is the only thing that's holding me up.
To view the code directly, see below.
Thanks!

// jQuery
$(document).ready(function () {
  // check ebook radio button by default
  $("#pid-3727024-0").attr("checked", "checked");

  // hide audiobook and bump offer line items by default
  $("#li-audiobook").hide();
  $("#li-acq-theory").hide();

  var $ebookRadio = $("#pid-3727024-0");
  var $audiobookRadio = $("#pid-3728625-0");
  var $checkboxOffer = $("#bump_offer_1");
  var $btnAddToMyOrder = $("#aadtomyOrder");
  var $inputs = $("input[type=radio], input[type=checkbox]");
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A: The only time sum has the value of 0 is when the .ready() function is fired. Every time the updateCheckout() function is fired you only add to sum and never subtract from it.
What you need to do is set sum=0; at the very beginning of that function so that every thing gets completely recalculated every time.


text:
Medellin will never turn down free...
Medellin will never turn down free graffiti
Medellin will never turn down free graffiti.
Formerly one of the most dangerous cities in the world, Medellin is keen to renew its image.
And while many consider urban graffiti art synonymous with crime, urban degeneration and disorder – in this city it's anything but. It's a symbol of positive change.
As far as Medellin and its residents are concerned, more graffiti is good graffiti. Here, the aerosol art form signals citywide invigoration, a reclamation of the Paisa values buried beneath years of the gangster culture Pablo Escobar unleashed upon the populace. The vibrant colors signal optimism for a bright future.
When we talk about graffiti, we're not talking about tagging. Those seemingly offhand signatures that crisscross postal boxes and city walls don't qualify as art.
We're talking about murals: wall-sized, well-organized, pre-planned, fully appreciated works done by a practiced hand. Lovingly shared within the public space, these edified canvases share the beauty, the ideas and the collective will to improve the community. Such are the outward expressions of lamentable histories and latent aspirations and of shared cultural values in a phase of growth. The graffiti embodies a sense of community, acting as both storyboard and springboard for the modern life and its citizenry.
While you're here, these murals are certainly sights worth seeing. We're about to give you the rundown on where to see the city's most significant social art – and what it means to those who live here.
Street Art Worldwide
When we consider graffiti art within a larger context, it becomes more accessible, relevant and respected – a viable form of expression. Even "high art" appreciators are brought to know and respect the irreverent, subversive graffiti of the mysterious Banksy. His wall murals have been cut whole from the sides of buildings and these exterior pieces now sell for tens of millions of dollars. His widely successful documentary, "Exit Through the Gift Shop," relates much of the cultural dissonance around the art form.
Street art doesn't always stay in the street either. Your life has been directly impacted by street art, guaranteed. Shepard Fairey's iconic depiction of "Hope" is heralded as a major factor in President Barack Obama's rise to power in 2008. Such examples of these popular art forms have gained remarkable predominance in the larger world as "the people's" medium.
All for the love of a girl … indeed, the first documented American street artist, called Cornbread, picked up his cans and made his mark to catch the attention of his high-school crush. What was picked up as a medium for humble communication and expression begins with the highest of hopes: validation and recognition as a human being.
Spray Paint for Social Change
Graffiti has become the image of an ideal. It vibrantly speaks of struggle and passion relevant only to Medellin. Like a cresting wave rising from the streets, the government, the people, it's come to wash over the unpleasant past with images of affirmation. The modern narrative touches the places that need it most.
The best example of this is barrio Comuna 13. Only a couple of decades ago, this barrio was a pivotal center for paramilitary, guerrilla and gang activity. The location is ideal for crime, leading directly to the main thoroughfare that is the San Juan Highway and providing easy transportation of guns, drugs and money. Walking up the avenues, it's difficult to imagine them occupied by tanks, flooded with police and echoing gunfire. Here's what you'll find along this roadway nowadays:
A brief history of Comuna 13
The 80s-90s: The neighborhood was controlled by groups loyal to Pablo Escobar. Following his death in 1993, the area remained a hotly contested by drug cartels seeking to dominate the area.
October 16, 2002: The Colombian military carried out the controversial Operation Orión, a strike to overthrow all rebel groups in Comuna 13. Over 1,000 policemen, soldiers and aircrew in helicopters attacked the area comprised of roughly 100,000 inhabitants. Nine people were killed, three of them children, and hundreds were wounded. The ongoing siege rendered it impossible to seek medical attention for the wounded, so the community took to the streets in solidarity flying white rags. The fighting stopped shortly after.
2002-2011: Residents continued to voice their growing discontent and anger with the violence that occurred in 2002 through art and community events. To this day, some of the street art around the neighborhood depicts the scenes with white flags raised for peace.
2011-Present: Today, the neighborhood is a remarkable case study on the effects of infrastructure and social integration … and how investing in the community can go a long way. A series of electric escalators were installed in the neighbor in 2011, dividing the hillside into six sections and allowing its people to access different points. Now, the barrio is connected to the rest of the city. A journey that once took residents up a 35-minute hike has been transformed into a six-minute trip.
Just ask graffiti and hip hop artist Jeihhco, a former resident and participant in the "Painted for Life" project. As a devotee to the graffiti lifestyle, featured TED Talks personality and an advocate for social change, he's been instrumental in reshaping his environment using tools at his disposal. He relates how important graffiti has been to transforming the barrio:
"Medellin is a laboratory city, where we experiment on a daily basis, because we're tired of suffering, because we're tired of living what we've lived. Because we believe it's possible to have a better world and that we're capable of doing it."
He co-founded Casa Kolacho, a local artist school and collective responsible for 90% of the art along the Medellin Graffiti Tour. It was his inspiration that helped paint the pictures we enjoy today.
The Medellin Graffiti Tour
The Medellin Graffiti Tour takes you throughout Comuna 13, the internationally renowned example of how "innovative" urban regeneration projects can be used to transform and revitalize communities.
As you climb the outdoor electric escalators, you'll be immersed in the controversial history, the transformation of the area and the importance graffiti plays in the community.
This tour is a total experience in the re-done district. Take the clean and open metro from the central San Antonio station, hop on a bus and then go up, up, up into the hillside neighborhood. The recently installed outdoor electric escalators are a welcome addition to the ad-hoc community on a hill. In comparison to modern linear causeways, the houses are seemingly dropped piecemeal alongside and atop another.
In fact, the infrastructure and overall cleanliness may come as a surprise to those holstering the notion of years gone by. Children run in the streets. The corner bodegas swell with fresh mangos, pineapple, papayas, all diced for takeaway enjoyment.
And there's color everywhere. Flowering plants and blooming wall murals conjure scenes of social and cultural heritage, people, places, ideas and animals intermingling.
It seems natural. As if you couldn't imagine the walls bare, as if the sweeping murals spanning whole houses were a perennial installation. All walls here are meant as a celebration.
The views from along the tour are stunning. Facing the valley from the west, the barrio lays out beneath and stretches into the city, a swath of life in full color. By the end, you'll even get a chance to grab a spray paint can or two and make your own art piece during the tour.
Medellin Graffiti Tour Info
The tour is conducted in Spanish and will be accompanied by a bilingual guide to help translate it into English. Groups of up to 10 people are accommodated.
Cost: 60,000 COP or $20
Needs: Sunscreen, water (also available for purchase en route), passport or a copy
The tour is run through the Toucan Cafe Tours company who also offer coffee farm tours, a Medellin walking tour, chocolate tours and tours of various other notable natural and community areas around Medellin.
Parque Ciudad del Rio
Ciudad del Rio is an emergent neighborhood straddling the Medellin river and the neighborhood of Poblado. It also plays host to an enormous park that showcases a truly amazing corridor of graffiti murals by different artists. Walking the perimeter walls of the expansive park, it's possible to enjoy as many as 100 different artworks – some by internationally recognized street art personalities.
The park acts as a backyard to the Medellin Museum of Modern Art, an industrial-contemporary marvel inspired by the barrio-stack housing styles of Comuna 13 itself. The museum is part cultural center, part social scene. Step inside to tour the seminal artworks of Medellin's favorite Debora Arango and a perplexingly awesome array of structural wood designs that encircle the interior-exterior walkabout of the museum.
The view from atop the museum is a real stunner, especially at night. Numerous events, an international independent cinema house and live music can all be enjoyed during a calendar month. Sit outside on the patio cafe to survey the park, sip a favorite coffee drink under a parasol and eat a delicious salad. Or maybe step out from the grounds of the museum and enjoy a bite from one of the various food trucks that call the park their primary roost. This is not to be missed.
In Medellin, art is more than pretty pictures. Here the paint speaks of the hearts and minds of the city itself. Take a graffiti tour to immerse yourself in a rich historical and social movement that's swept the city forward to a new era. Even walking around the Parque Envigado and Parque Poblado, the local creative talents are a welcome sight.
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text:
Duke Energy To Go Net Zero By 2050, But Keep Coal For Decades
89.1 WBOI | By Rebecca Thiele
Published May 11, 2020 at 8:09 PM EDT
Duke Energy plans to go net zero on carbon emissions by 2050. That's according to the utility's latest climate report. Environmentalists across the six states it serves are disappointed Duke Energy still plans to rely on fossil fuels.
Duke Energy hopes to double its renewable energy sources within five years. But it also plans to keep some coal plants running for two more decades and add natural gas pipelines.
Kerwin Olson is the executive director of the Citizens Action Coalition — which is part of a new multi-state Duke Energy watchdog group. He says, as the country's largest electric utility, Duke should be moving more quickly to address the climate crisis.
"They should be playing a leadership role in transitioning to a 21st century energy economy and instead, they really are lagging behind," he says.
The northern Indiana utility NIPSCO, for example, plans to have mostly renewables in just eight years.
But Duke Energy argues more than 40 to 50 percent renewable energy in a utility's energy mix isn't reliable without battery storage. And Duke Energy Indiana spokesperson Lew Middleton says that technology isn't advanced enough to serve the utility's more than seven million customers.
"It would take buildings and buildings and acres and acres and it's just — it's not practical and it would cost a whole lot of money," he says.
The company's climate report outlines goals across its system. Middleton says how the plan will play out in each of the states Duke serves has yet to be determined.
Contact Rebecca at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.
Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.
News Clean EnergyClean Power Plan


Bachelors of Technology graduate with a total of 12 years experience, 10 of which are purely in Oil & Gas sector, specifically dealing with projects for KNPC, KOC, JO, EQUATE etc. in Kuwait. Played effective operational role and provided strategic input for the mechanical maintenance and tank construction division of a construction and contracting company in Kuwait in my capacity as Project Manager. Possess approvals with KOC as Mechanical Engineer (Tanks); hence I am well versed with the applicable industry standards such as API, ASTM, ISO and operational procedures involved. Successfully completed certified courses in inspection such as NACE CIP Level 1 and Level 2.
In my capacity as Project Manager, I was responsible for management of the interfaces between Client operations and project activities for the 5 years Tank maintenance contract with KOC (KOC/43116) and KNPC. I possess approval as Project Manager for both projects.
Preparing overall planning for the works at various locations spread out all across KOC, such as North Tank Farm, South Tank Farm, all GCs and Shuaiba refinery(KNPC).
Co-ordination & Supervision of tank maintenance activities such as De-commissioning, de-sludging & cleaning, mechanical repairs(re-bottoming, re-roofing, shell replacement, piping modification etc.), coating & lining of tanks, civil jobs(lowering and leveling, asphalt repair, tank foundation repair etc), installation of Fire fighting/Foam lines and commissioning followed by hand over.
Raising material requisitions and handling material and consumable flow to the various sites.
Allocation of manpower of various categories for carrying out the works.
Acting as a liaison between the Company and KOC/KNPC engineers & inspectors to ensure the smooth handling of the works.
Preparation and review of progress monitoring of the works in various sites.
Attending co-ordination meetings with KOC/KNPC/JO Maintenance & Safety Teams with regard to the works at hand.
I am also approved as a Project Manager for the EQUATE 2350 project for the Scaffolding & Decking services provided to various units such as Poly-Ethylene(PE), Poly-Propylene (PP), Ethylene Glycol (EG1 & 2), AROMATICS etc.
A.G. R. Ashkanani for Gen. Trdg. & Cont. Co.
As a Project Engineer, I was responsible for all the activities with regard to the Maintenance of Crude storage tanks in the Tank farms (NTF & STF) and all gathering centers for the project with KOC (KOC/37093). I also played a crucial role in the project with Hyundai Heavy Industries for the construction of 21 new tanks for KOC's new NTF & STF (KOC/27542). During my tenure, I have also dealt with the KNPC tank maintenance project (KNPC/CB1053).
Managing general site activities, including co-ordination of all Mechanical repair activities which includes roof plate, shell plate & bottom plates repair & replacement, associated piping repair, replacement & modification, Fire amd foam lines modification & installation blasting & lining activities for internal and external shell of tanks and its accessories.
Liaising with client engineers for the scheduling of activities as per the requirement of the Operations.
Co-ordination of inspection activities with both the Client and project owner's side.
As a permit applicant, Obtaining the relevant work permit and entry permits.
Delegating the allocation of manpower, equipment, tools and consumables to various locations within the project site.
ALICO Kuwait for Aluminium & Light Industries Ltd.
ALICO being one of the premier companies specializing in the installation of aluminum & glass for high rise buildings, I have had the opportunity to work as a site engineer for various high rise building projects.
General co-ordination of all site works and construction activities.
Planning and allocation of construction materials and manpower.
Creating work orders for materials and accessories that require onsite dimensions prior to installation.
Ensuring that all applicable safety requirements are adhered to, especially in the case of personnel working at heights.
Project Leader Trivandrum, Kerala, India. As a project leader, I was entrusted with the responsibility of managing a team of seven CAD Engineers. My responsibilities included: ü Delegating roles and responsibilities to each member of my team based on the work at hand. ü Co-ordination of day-to-day activities of the team. ü Handling various CAD packages for the Clients. ü I have worked on the following major projects, to name a few: Total Engineering Design Documentation at Apollo Tires, Trichur:-Apollo Tires is India's largest Tire manufacturer. The work involved conversion of existing manual drawings to AutoCAD with excellent accuracy and highly competitive speeds. The team was involved in the conversion of manual component and production drawings up to A10 size and dating as back as 1969. Digitization at VSSC Library:-Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) was set up by government of India in 1969 to develop space technology and its application to various national tasks. The work at VSSC library Trivandrum involved digitization of newspaper clips, paper documents and large drawings.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present to clients and sub-contractors alike.
Able to understand and fully comprehend the requirements of both construction & maintenance work.
Well versed with all applicable standards and specifications as required by KNPC, KOC, PIC, etc. owing to my experience in the oil & gas sector.
Willing to work in a team, executing my responsibility fully and in a timely manner so as to facilitate the proper execution of works at site.
Managed multiple work-sites and staff and developed the ability to prioritise workload and delegate tasks to different teams while monitoring the progress. Able to function efficiently under pressure.
Well versed with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Project), Primavera P6.
Date of Birth: 4th October, 1981.
Place of birth: Kerala, India.
Languages known: English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil.
Valid Driving License: Indian and Kuwaiti (valid in the GCC).


text:
ANDREI TARKOVSKY | ANDREI RUBLEV
15. December 2015 by sornmagazine
Text: Vatsala Manan
It is quite interesting that Andrei Tarkovsky chose to make a film on the great medieval Russian artist, Andrei Rublev. Apart from the obvious fact that Tarkovsky had the same first name as the medieval painter, the artist had been really influential in the filmmaker's life. And so the movie is an important work to watch and study for cinephiles as well as film enthusiasts and scholars, because it is a perfect example to understand what essentially influenced Tarkovsky's ideology and aesthetics, as well as, articulates what he believed to be the art and power of cinema. He refined the aesthetics of filmmaking, creating visual poetry, stirring raw emotions associated with ideas if faith, honesty and nostalgia from the innermost reach of a human soul.
"Becoming an artist does not merely mean learning something, acquiring professional techniques and methods. Indeed… in order to write well, you have to forget the grammar."
This above quoted lines not only encapsulates the philosophy behind Tarkovsky's artworks, but also forms the very approach to watching a Tarkovsky film. There has been so much written on the art of Tarkovsky, from film critics, scholars to filmmakers, that in this article I'm going to restrict myself mostly to discussing about Tarkovsky by Tarkovsky, while exploring his film, Andrei Rublev.
Andrei Rublev is a difficult movie to watch. It is three hours and twenty-five minuteslong, and is lyrical and poetic, which also implies that it is rhythmically slow. Added to that is the editing style and technique of Tarkovsky, which puts weight on each and
every shot of the complete film and hence requires complete concentration from the viewer watching the film. But it is not on Tarkovsky's agenda to provide you with a work of delightful and enthralling entertainment. Rather he always strove to create an
enchanting and alluring sense of reality. For him cinema was an art, and for him "enormous task (had) been entrusted to art. This is the task of resurrecting spirituality", and he believed that "emotional construction of images in a film are based on the filmmaker's own memory, on the kinship of one's personal experience with the fabric of the film, then the film will have the power to affect those who see it."
Just as he believed that Rublev's art had the power to restore people's "faith in the future" in a time of injustice, pain and suffering, Tarkovsky wanted his works to instill faith in people, and touch them positively and spiritually in some way or the other. Speaking about the film in an interview he explained, "it is not going to be a historic or a biographical film.
What fascinates me is the process of the artistic maturity of the painter, the analysis of his talent… we are less interested in historical stylization through costumes, settings, and language. The historical details are not supposed to divide the attention of the viewer, only to convince him that the action really takes place in the fifteenth century. Neutral set decorations, neutral (yet convincing) costumes, the landscapes, the modern language- all this will help us to talk about the most essential aspects, without distracting the audience."
As the film is composed in a complex form, where movement or action does not drive the narrative to a cohesive plot, but rather through emotions and ideas, what comes apparent is that Tarkovsky is preoccupied with exploring the nature of the evolution
of an artist, and his personality, devoid of what historical time and context it is set in. Tarkovsky wanted to "avoid any traditional dramaturgy, with its canonical isolation, its logical, formal schematism, because it often prevents full expression of the richness and complexity of life." What we see in the film is Rublev in different situations, conditions and circumstances, its effect on him and his reaction to it. All of these experiences translated into his artworks, and of course a core part of his intellect and vision on life. "Every event that human beings experience becomes part of their
character, part of their outlook, part of the people themselves. Therefore, the 'events' in the film are supposed to form not just the background in which the 'hero' is placed", Tarkovsky says trying to justify why the film does not consist of episodes that are directly or logically connected to one another.
What is the most fascinating aspect of the film, is that while the whole film is shot black and white, the last sequence is in color. The only color sequence in the whole film shows Rublev's artworks, in extreme close ups. There is not a single shot in the whole movie which shows Rublev working or painting the icons. So clearly, what Tarkovsky is striving to show is what goes into making an artist, and finally in the end, what he creates out of all that he has experienced and learned, translated and evident gloriously in his everlasting works of art. Another thing to note, which most viewers may tend to miss out, given the length of the film, is that with "the appearance of every icon on screen will be accompanied by the same musical theme that will have played during the corresponding filmed episode of Rublev's life symbolizing the period of development of the idea for that icon."
Tarkovsky's choice of color in the last sequence was driven by a careful thought, which was that "the appearance of color at the end of a black and white film allowed us to establish a connection, a relationship between two different notions. Here is what we wanted to say: black and white cinema is the most realistic because,
according to me, color cinema has not yet attained the stage of realism. It still resembles photography and is, in all cases, exotic… The association of the color finale and the black and white film expressed, for us, he relationship between Rublev's art and his life… We enlarged some details because it is impossible to translate painting, with its own dynamic and static laws, into cinema…
it was only in the presentation of details that we tried to create impression of the whole of his painting…in order to make the spectator rest from the spectacle of the film, in order to prevent him from leaving the room right after the last black and white images, so he could have some time to detach himself from Rublev's life. We imposed time to think, in order to enable some ideas about the entire film to cross his mind while looking at the color and listening to the music so that, retrospectively, he would be able to imprint within himself some of the most important moments of the story. In a word, in order to prevent him from closing the book right away."
Andrei Rublev is a beautiful portrait of not only the artist, but of an Artist in general as well as of Andrei Tarkovsky. It expresses the spirit and passion that was driving Rublev to create art selflessly for people, to give them hope and faith, while at the
same time the films gives us an insight of what Tarkovsky wished, intended and desired to achieve through his work, which again in his own words articulate it best, "The main thing that I want to express in my film is the burning of a person in the name of an all consuming idea, an idea that possesses him to the point of passion."
Andrei Tarkovsky quotes taken from Andrei Tarkovsky Interviews, edited by John Gianvito
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Noriko Ambe creates amazing topographic paper landscapes
PHILIP OB REY | "V" HS SERIES