The very early generation of flying was based solely on see (visual) and feel and was a relatively physical task. Control of the aircraft was solely 'stick' and 'rudder' and was a manual operation. Therefore Cockpit design was very basic with very few instruments to provide the pilot with information on aircraft and engine performance, cockpits normally consisted of three or four major instruments and there were only controls for basic flight.
During the war, flying advanced in that aircraft were required to fly without visual cues, such as at night or in cloud, furthermore pilots were not only required to maneuver the aircraft but to navigate, fire weapons, deliver troops and perform other various duties. As the requirement for increased roles for the pilot were increased, so were the number of controls and instruments in the cockpit. As written by Salas and Maurino (2010) "More and more information placed inside the aircraft supplemented or replaced cues outside the aircraft". This trend continued onto airliners up to the 1970's until the number of instruments, knobs and controls outgrew the cockpit.
The increased number of flight and engine instruments resulted in the contrary to what designers had intended. There was limited integration of controls and instruments, and instead of increasing awareness to the pilot, workload and stress levels were increased. Wiener and Nagel (1988) summarized that "crew system designs and flight station layouts have frequently ignored the limitations and capabilities of the human operator".
The complexity in instruments displaying aircraft systems and performance resulted in high stress levels and error rates. Examples of this were missed signals, misinterpreted information and limited detection and recognition of a number of instruments by the flight crew (Weiner and Nagel, 1988).
Data shows that there was an increasing trend in the number of displays (Instruments & gauges) up until the 1980's where there was a sharp decrease (Wiener & Nagel, 1988). The reduction of the number of instruments in cockpit designs coincided with the perception and human information processing focus that dominated the HF era in aviation around that same time (Salas and Maurino, 2010). It also coincided with the introduction of next generation aircraft such as the Boeing 757/767 and A310. In modern next generation cockpits the studies of these HF topics are reflected in design. There is not only a significant reduction in the number of instruments but the display of information in the form of glass cockpits reflects the improved understanding of the human cognitive process and the application to this in design of the systems (the objective of HF).
Anthropometry, which literally translates to 'measure of man', is the science of measuring human individuals (Aghazadeh, 1994).
The design eye position, also known as eye datum or design eye reference point (DERP) is one of the key aspects of cockpit design. A pilot should be able to view all the main cockpit instruments while maintaining a reasonable view of the outside world with minimal head movement (FAA, 1993). The instruments should be located high enough for easy viewing but low enough so that it does not obstruct the view of the runway ahead during take off and landing. The aircraft designer will first allocate a design eye position and from there build the cockpit around it, factoring in the reach envelope the designer can then position the controls, switches and dials to cater for the 5th to 95th percentile of pilots (Coombs, 1999).
In order to operate the aircraft as intended it can be seen that all pilots must use the same reference datum. This is normally achieved by adjusting the seating position in both vertical and fore/aft axis. Some aircraft will also have adjustable rudder pedals and/or control yoke/joy stick to ensure the pilot's view is in alignment with the design eye position. To highlight the significance of the design eye position, sitting just 1 inch below the reference point on a Boeing 767 will result in losing 40 meters of ground vision during final approach.
Rarely does the cockpit design take precedence over the aircraft fuselage shape. A compromise therefore exists between the ergonomics and anthropometry of the cockpit and the aerodynamics and strength of the aircraft body. Nevertheless, the cockpit should be designed to be as spacious as possible. One way to achieve this is by de-cluttering the cockpit, position of a particular control will be based on the importance and frequency of use as well as whether the requirement exists between having it duplicated or shared (Enol, 2012). For example, the throttle levers, which are shared controls, are limited to be positioned somewhere in the middle of the cockpit so that it is accessible by both crew. Should a control be off-centred beyond the reach of one crew (such as the flap lever on some aircraft), then the pilot on the respective side will be solely in charge of manipulating that particular control. While this may create additional complications during unfavourable scenarios, due to workspace constraints it is not practical to duplicate all the controls and certainly not have all the controls in the middle of the cockpit.
Airline pilots remain seated for an extended period of time, long haul routes are often in excess of sixteen hours. While the importance of seat comfort itself is explanatory, there is also big emphasis on designing a seat that offers sufficient back support (Roskam, 2002). More information on aircraft seat ergonomics can be found here.
Humidity and illumination can also affect pilot comfort. Most large aircraft cockpits have a separate environmental control panel for pilots to regulate the ambient temperature. The difference in insolation due to the large windscreens often means that the cockpit will require a different setting than the rear cabin. The illumination on the left and right side of the instrument panel should have the ability to be adjusted independently to suit the individual pilot.
The main function of the safety harness is to reduce the momentum of the pilot (Jarrett, 2005). The harness secures the pilot during turbulence or in emergency situations such as rapid descend or explosive decompression (eg: windscreen failure). For this reason the safety harness must be wore at all times during flight.
Most harnesses utilise an inertia reel which consist of a centrifugally operated internal mechanism that allows slow (intentional) movements but locks under quick travel. Most inertia wheels are designed to lock at 1 'g' deceleration and can sustain a short burst of 20 'g' deceleration without breaking (Coombs, 2005).
The display is the presentation of information and can come in the form of visual, aural or tactile. While visual is the main form of display in the cockpit, aural and tactile has its uses as well. Aural warnings from the likes of ground proximity warning system (GPWS) or traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) and tactile warnings such as the stick shaker are powerful aids for the aircraft to communicate and alert the crew. Warnings will be discussed in more detail later.
As mentioned previously the display in the modern cockpit is designed around the design eye position. Ideally all displays should be large, legible, well lit and easy to operate. Due to workspace constraints however more prominent and frequent displays will have priority over ones that are less essential.
There are two forms of display design, analogue or digital.
Analogue display This type of display has the advantage that information represented by the needle can be interpreted almost instantly. The needle can provide information on direction and rate of change which can be interpreted with little effort required. Comparing information is also easier on an analogue display, a quick glance of two gauges with parallel needles in the green arc is a good indication that they are both operating within limits, there is no need to read into the quantifying numbers. This is why the analogue scale is still preferred in many instruments and is by no means limited only to traditional analogue instruments. Various perimeters on a glass cockpit display have adopted the analogue scale display. It should be noted that analogue display is not limited to circular or semi circular pointers but can also be vertical or horizontal (e.g. the vertical speed tape on a modern glass cockpit display is a form of analogue display).
Digital display Digital display provides information by producing plain numbers. A calculator is the best example of a day to day digital display device. Digital display is useful when we are concerned about exact numerical values. Instruments that utilises digital display include the frequency selection panel, DME readout and altimeter subscale.
The downside of the analogue display is that the ease of interpretation quickly diminishes with the introduction of the third needle. For example, a three point altimeters can take three times longer to interpret compared to a digital readout (Pallet, 1992). It can be seen that some instruments, such as a fuel gauge, will benefit greatly with a combined analogue and digital readout. A combined display will enables the pilot to read or compare (rough) figures quickly but if needed also determine the exact quantity of measurement.
Illumination and colour plays a vital role in instrument displays. Instruments and controls can be lit internally, externally or both. Aircraft designers need to ensure lighting does not create glare or shadows and produce the correct brilliance for day and night operations. There should then be a way for pilots to fine tune the luminosity to accommodate each individual's light sensitivity. Modern day LCD screens on glass cockpits have a narrower field of vision, however, as long as the pilot is seated aligned with the design eye position the display should not interfere with everyday operations (Nagabhushana & Sudha, 2011).
The correct use of colour schemes can aid in alerting the crew if something needs to be bought to attention. Using too many different colours however may clutter the screen and cause confusion. The main colours used for system monitoring are green (normal), amber (caution) and red (alert or emergency). On the horizontal situational indicator (HSI), the following colours are typically used.
Aircraft controls supplement aircraft displays in communicating to the pilot. It provides a two way interaction between the aircraft and the crew. Controls should be easy to reach and be positioned appropriately in accordance to their usage. Controls which are used frequently should be positioned in a more prominent position. Controls should move in the natural sense and controls that complement each other or frequently used in conjunction of each other should be grouped together if possible (Jarrett, 2005).
Standardisation is important to avoid unnecessary confusion (Roskam, 2002). Although different aircraft manufacturers have their subtle differences, generally the layout of controls and gauges are set in the natural sense. Good aircraft type knowledge may not always prevent inadvertent actions. The Beech Bonanza, a popular light twin, initially had the gear lever positioned on the right side of the throttle quadrant, a position commonly used for flap settings. This resulted in numerous gear up landings where pilots raised the gear during short finals when the intention was to lower flaps. The manufacturer soon repositioned the gear lever as well as adding a squat switch to prevent the gear rising below a certain power setting. The accident records for gear up landings on the Bonanza is about 40% higher on the earlier non-standard cockpit layout aircraft than the later revised models (Landsberg, 1994). Other notable non-standard control layout aircraft include the Douglas DC-3, where the throttle quadrant levers are arranged as pitch, throttle then mixture as opposed to the standard throttle, pitch, mixture arrangement. Other layouts, such as the standard 'T' instrument arrangement have remained the same since it was first derived.
Shapes and colours are also used in control levers and switches to reduce ambiguity and inadvertent operation. Below are some of the shapes, colours and order of controls recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for general aviation aircraft to adopt. This is also part of standardisation mentioned in the last paragraph.
The direction of controls and levers should operate in the natural sense and also flow with the checks and procedures. It is natural for example, to turn a dial clockwise to increase something and anticlockwise to decrease. In an emergency situation where the pilot is overloaded with information, switches and controls will be operated in an instinctive manner which may be opposite to what the pilot intends to do if it is not designed to operate in the normal sense. Boeing's philosophy on switch direction is the 'sweep on' concept, where all switches on the cockpit sweep/switch on with the arm rising up no matter where the switch is located. Although this is very different compared to the Airbus single push ON/OFF button operation, the commonality between the two design philosophies is that it is put in place to reduce the chance of inadvertent operation. The Diamond DA42, a modern light twin training aircraft, has three identical levers for the park brake, cabin heat and cabin defroster situated together forward of the main throttle quadrant. The aft position of lever is to turn the cabin heat and cabin defroster unit OFF but park brakes ON. There has been cases where aircraft have landed with park brakes on (in some cases resulting to a forward flip), the natural tendency for the pilot to line up all the levers would have contributed to the cause of the accidents.
Control loading is the amount of forced feedback the pilot receives when manipulating the primary flight control. The force feedback must not be too strong that an average strength pilot will have difficulty in moving the controls, nor too light which will create over controlling problems. The force should be linear and equal between different axis (ie: the sensitivity of pitch and roll are not vastly different). The force should be strong but sensitive enough for the pilot to appreciate what is happening and provide control responses matching to what is required (Enol, 2012). On large aircraft with hydraulic systems this can be achieved by manipulating the control feedback motor torque, on aircraft with direct linkage between control and control surfaces, this is achieved by the use of aerodynamic devices such as trim tabs, anti trim tabs and horn balance which manipulate the aerodynamic force exerted on the control surface.
Failures will either be a warning (red) or a caution (amber). A warning indicates that immediate crew action is required or there will be direct consequences to flight safety. A caution is to alert the crew of a failure although no immediate action is required (Nagabhushana & Sudha, 2011). Warnings can be presented in the form of visual, aural or tactile. While warnings should draw the attention of the crew immediately, it should not be done in such a way that it will startle the crew or append extra stress or workload.
Modern aircraft systems are integrals of many separate systems which may again be part of another subsystem (Pallett, 1992). Although any part of the system has the potential to fail, the workspace constraints makes it impractical to situate all the different warnings in prominent view to the pilot. Typically, a master warning and a master caution light is positioned somewhere directly in front of the pilot. Should the master warning or master caution light up, the pilot will have to determine the source of the problem by referring to annunciator panel located elsewhere or on a more modern aircraft opening the relevant pages in the EFIS system.
The most important aspect of any warning system is that it needs to be reliable and only report genuine problems or malfunctions. The crew must be able to trust the information presented to them, even in situations where it may appear to be contradictory to what is perceived to be happening. False warnings can be detrimental to flight safety, a false engine fire warning may result to an unnecessary in flight engine shut down, creating additional workload in an one engine inoperative environment. This is why with some systems such as the GPWS, it is mandatory by law to report any false alerts (known as nuisance warnings). The idea of compiling this information is to enhance the reliability of such a crucial equipment (Spitzer, 2006).
In the modern airline environment, the checklists is as essential as the instruments and controls themselves (Harris, 2004). Checklists and the cockpit layout should be coherent of each other and aircraft manufacturer would have had this in mind before arranging the cockpit layout. The actions should follow a practical flow pattern that is not only easy to remember but can also be conducted swiftly if required. More on checklists can be found here.
The vast information regarding the glass cockpit and automation warrant them to be covered as separate topics by themselves. Please click on the following links for further readings on the glass cockpit and automation.
Cockpit design and layout started from very basic which advanced to an overcrowded cockpit. The introduction of many instruments and gauges was for the purpose of providing information to the pilot regarding the performance of his/her aircraft. This however also resulted in high stress levels and a high error rate due to the lack of the human capability to process all this information. HF advanced in studies relating to the human cognitive process and attention and memory limitations in the 1980's. As a result of the research carried out, cockpits were designed to better suit the human operator. Reduced number of instruments, the use of the Glass Cockpit and the display of information on these screens amongst many other things have all been introduced over recent years. It is inevitable that cockpit layout and design will change, but it is important that this change be in line with HF research which best suits the human operator and their limitations and capabilities.
2. Wiener, E.L., & Nagel, D.C. (1988). Human Factors in Aviation. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press.
3. Aghazadeh, F. (1994). Advances In Industrial Ergonomics IV. London, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
4. Churchhill, E., Tebbetts, I., McConville, J., & Laubach, L. (1978). Anthropometric source book. Volume I: Anthropometry for designers. Merritt Island, FL: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
5. Coombs, L. (1999). Fighting cockpits 1914-2000: design and development of military aircraft cockpits. Ramsbury, United Kingdom: Airlife Publishing.
6. Coombs, L. (2005). Control in the sky: the evolution and history of the aircraft cockpit. South Yorkshire, United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Aviation.
7. Enol, M. (2012). Evaluation of Cockpit Design. Saarbrücken, Germany: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.
8. Federal Aviation Administration. (2009). Pilot's Handbook Of Aeronautical Knowledge. New York City, NY: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
10. Harris, H. (2004). Human Factors for Civil Flight Deck Design. Farnham, United Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
11. Jarrett, D. (2005). Cockpit Engineering. Farnham, United Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
12. Landsberg, B. (1994). Bonanza Safety Review. Aircraft owners and pilots assoication, 37(2).
13. Nagabhushana, L., & Sudha, K. (2011). Aircraft Instrumentation And Systems. New Delhi, India: I. K. International Pvt Ltd.
14. Pallett, E. (1992). Aircraft Instruments and Integrated Systems. Essex, England: Longman Scientific & Technical.
15. Roskam, J. (2002). Airplane Design: Layout Design of Cockpit, Fuselage, Wing and Empennage : Cutaways and Inboard Profiles. Lawrence, KS: DAR Corporation.
16. Spitzer, C. (2006). Avionics: Elements, Software and Functions. London, United Kingdom: CRC Press.


A lambda digest DNA sample was prepared for AFM imaging using a typical preparation where the DNA solution (1 μg/µL λDNA in 10 mM NiCl₂) is allowed to adsorb to a freshly cleaved mica disc. The sample was loaded in the Cypher VRS and prepared for imaging. Then a 100 mM potassium hydroxide solution was introduced, which was expected to denature the DNA (i.e. unravel the DNA double-helix, forming single stranded DNA). Video-rate AFM imaging immediately commenced using an Asylum Research Cypher VRS atomic force microscope, scanning at 625 lines per second with an Olympus AC10 probe at a scan size of 160 nm with 448 points per line and 52 lines, for an effective frame rate of 9.19 frames/second. The video plays back here in real-time (i.e. 1× the acquisition rate).
Initial image frames show the expected intact DNA structure, but finer strands corresponding to single-strand DNA quickly appear, oftentimes appearing to remain connected to the original DNA strand.


Australia's mining industry has advertised 32% more jobs than any other sector in the past year and country's fastest growing job sector says that it is in desperate need of workers across all levels and with a variety of skills.
Thousands of well-paying jobs from tradesman to engineers are being advertised every week commented the job portal SEEK with little local interest.
The mining industry is making a sharp upturn after a slump a few years ago. The mining industry in especially Western Australia and Queensland is on the road to recovery.
Now mining role-players are hoping that a government plan, which will channel migration to certain areas in the country with lower population numbers, will address the issue before a sever skills shortage ruins the industry.
"All Australian companies want to employ Australians first, but if there aren't enough Australians … we have got to remember there's an infrastructure boom going on in NSW," said Chief executive Paul Everingham to the ABC of the more than 1000 vacancies in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder mining sector.
To add to the pressure Australia's three large mining companies all started building new mines in Western Australia, a move that is expected to create more than 5000 jobs for mining hopefuls.
The sector is the third largest contributor to the Australian economy and according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the mining industry accounts for 1.9 per cent of the nation's workforce, employing 226,000 people in either full or part-time work.


text:
Too Young to Wed
Too Young to Wed – Video
Questions Without Answers
This major work presents a remarkable sequence of photo-stories from pioneering photo agency VII, documenting world history as we have experienced it since the end of the Cold War. The 11 extraordinarily talented photographers who make up this agency work at the cutting edge of digital photojournalism, committed to recording social and cultural change as it happens around the world.
Questions Without Answers is an ambitious book featuring a strikingly broad selection of photo stories. Photos documenting Barack Obama giving a speech on Afghanistan to American troops sit alongside a collection of portraits featuring famous cultural figures such as David Bowie and Bernardo Bertolucci. We move from an exploration of the spread and impact of AIDS in Asia to dispatches from the current economic crisis and its effect on those working in finance. The crucial work done by VII in documenting conflict – environmental, social and political, both violent and non-violent – is also represented, including stories from the war in Iraq, the crisis in Darfur and the terrible events of 9/11.
With an introduction by the eminent David Friend, Vanity Fair's editor of creative development and the former director of photography of Life magazine, this book is an important, moving and compelling record of the world we live in.
Publisher: Phaidon Press (April 28, 2012)
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 1.6 x 12.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.9 pounds
stephanie@stephaniesinclair.com
All content © 2002 - 2016 Stephanie Sinclair. All Rights Reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Category Archives: Canada
art, Canada, sports
I haven't been following the World Juniors much due to its awkward time in relation to Seoul, but I've been able to catch bits of it, especially key moments like when the Canadians first lost to the Russians with an embarrassing 6:0 right before the New Year. It was much to my sleepy delight two days ago at around 5:00 am in Seoul when the Canadians faced off against the Russians for the gold and managed to beat even after an early lead. The manner at which the Russians were beaten at the end was something else as well. At the very last minutes of the third period, the Russians were desperate to catch up to Canada that they were making crucial errors, leading to them being two men down at the end. It was our 18th gold at the World Juniors and the fifth time we bested Russia at the finals.
Overseas, when I see the Canadian hockey team beating the Russians or the Americans, it always brings me home. It's like a magical moment that transports me back to some unknown time and place in Canada, because God knows I didn't watch hockey with my family. The sport was just something I absorbed via osmosis and I was made aware of just like other Canadiana like ice skating, the Guess Who, and ketchup chips. They were all there. I didn't sought them out, but living in Canada, I just happen to absorb them. Of course I watched important games back then, but I don't particularly have any memories of family with it… just hazy memories of old furniture, cold outdoors, and Canada.
Seeing Canadian hockey is like a rush of nostalgia and patriotism all at once. There is a Canadian love affair with the sport. So much so that the Tragically Hip, one of the most important unknown Canadian musicians of all time, had two popular songs about it. And speaking of music, watching it is much like listening to a familiar tune. It's like listening to Radiohead's 'The Bends' or 'OK Computer' and being immediately transported back to younger days along with the old angst and insecurities I used to feel.
There is glee at the prospect of victory while watching the players battle it out on the ice. It's like being in an unfamiliar airport outside of the United States and feeling a rush of possibilities. "This could be good. This could be good." The air smells and feels a little bit different. Things (ALL THINGS) could be better if I, or in this case, the players, play their cards right.
And sometimes the emotions turn to misplaced emotions, hate against the other team, great disappointment against the goalie who keeps letting the other team score. "C'mon! We must win, dammit!" And I get caught up in all of it. But for what? To brag against who? To win against who? No one in particular. I'm not here and I'm not now. I'm somewhere in an odd undefined Canadian space along with most people in a country I happen to not be in at the moment.
After all of that. After all of the players got their medals and skated around the ice with the tiny silver cup hoisted above their heads. After all of the commentators finish their final analyses and my online stream is cut off, it takes a few minutes to get over the rush of victory and get ready for work. Congratulations, boys!
Tagged art, Canada, drawing, hockey, illustration, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Manitoba, nostalgia, Radiohead, Russia, Seoul, sports, tentacles, Tragically Hip, Winnipeg, World Junior Hockey
Canada, politics, UFC, Uncategorized
Thank Goodness
Trudeau gets to be prime minister for a bit longer. Thank goodness.
He will lead with a minority government and would need the support of other parties to pass laws, but I'm very happy with that. There was great momentum with the NDP but ultimately, they didn't really gain much in the polls. But with the humbling of Trudeau due to the blackface scandals a few weeks ago and the rising profile of Jagmeet Singh, I hope this will push Trudeau to a truly more progressive government, not just one that appears progressive on social media. Forget getting retweets or being viral on Facebook. Just please, be a true progressive already. And yeah, let's all do good with our Aboriginal communities.
A few things are upsetting however. For one, a lot of the Western Provinces still remain quite conservative. Alberta in particular is a sea of red. This tells me either young people are simply not voting, or conservatives have such a strong hold in the region, even with younger people. The People's Party of Canada, a new extreme anti-immigration right wing party didn't win any seats and only got two percent of the popular vote. Though they were soundly defeated, the fact that they even existed in the first place and dominated quite a bit of the media tells me that there is quite a healthy audience for vile right wing rhetoric. It's not enough to win the party any seats, but I'm guessing most of their supporters went to the Conservatives who looked like they were going to defeat Trudeau for a few moments there (They smelled blood in the water.).
All in all, however. Good job, Canada. Thank you for staying sane despite all of the insanity going on everywhere. Forget the United States. You are my shining city on a hill. I love you.
Tagged art, Canada, drawing, election, illustration, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Justin Trudeau, Manitoba, politics, progressive, Trudeau
Canada, politics
#ImpeachTrudeau is a bot fairy tale.
The day after I posted about voting for Justin Trudeau, news started showing up about the prime minister wearing brown face and black face. Now, Canada doesn't have much of a history regarding black face, and brown face wasn't historically used to dehumanize brown minorities, but it's not a stretch to see that in both instances, they were both done in the spirit of humor mixed with some mockery. However, they were all done over ten years ago, and the prime minister now doesn't demonstrate any racial animosity against colored minorities. Some of the government's policies might still ignore the plight of minorities, particularly the First Nations, but there's been no racial or bigoted aggression towards minorities, much like what we see in the United States. I mean, you don't see the Trudeau government calling Mexicans rapists or banning Muslims and refugees.
It is quite obvious that whoever planted the stories sought to damage the Liberal's election campaign by having them out now so close to the election. They to spread the Liberal votes to other parties and increase the Conservative lead in a very, VERY close elections. They hope for people not to vote for Trudeau due to his past racism, and in doing so open the window for actual currently bigoted politicians like Scheer to take power. And it's annoying that it just might work.
What's fascinating is how the whole thing was getting promoted in the media, specifically Twitter. Usual culprits like @TheHill kept on tweeting and retweeting the same story to generate outrage and retweets. What I noticed however is that as I was commenting and interacting with people online, especially via the New York Times and the Washington Post, most of my detractors were two-week-old accounts with names followed by long strings of numbers. Ex: Lisa_Lamplight10098723k21.
It's amazing how many of the anti-Trudeau interactions I had came from what I assume are bots. The responses were very lifelike, probably taking cues from people's responses. The script used is quite extensive, even taking into account accusations that they're bots. Now, before I get accused of labeling people as bots when they are not. One big tell for bots is if their responses or hashtags don't even make sense at all. For example, one hashtag I noticed was #impeachTrudeau. Now, I haven't seen any news in Canada regarding impeaching Trudeau and yet it was being pushed by some people on Twitter. Looking into the accounts, most have no followers and are also retweeting alt-right and MAGA-related posts. Does the Russian propaganda machine smell something in the water?
It is good however that Canadians by and large seem to be unaffected by the scandal. Perhaps we have seen what happened with our neighbors and are more hip to the scam. Or perhaps at this stage of the game, voters have already made up their mind who to vote for. This is not the case with me, however. I was planning to vote for a more progressive candidate, but after this attempt to sabotage Trudeau's campaign, I'm more inclined to vote for Trudeau, just to make up for the small losses. My friends can vote the other candidates. I know that's not how one should vote, but I also recognize when malicious forces are trying to subvert our electoral process.
As for the offense of wearing black face or brown face… why do people keep doing this? And not just white people, Asians do it as well. And it's most often in the spirit of mocking or making a cartoon of the other race. It might not always be intentionally malicious, but it is immature, hurtful, and demonstrates ignorance. The reason why Trudeau's actions are forgivable is because he actually apologizes for them and the accusation that he is a virulent racist right now is completely inaccurate in its face. Also, Trudeau doesn't get a complete pass as some of his detractors might claim. The fact that people are actually having a debate over this and he has lost some support is proof that he is not getting a full pass for his actions. This will still haunt him in the long run.
Tagged artists, Canada, drawing, elections, illustration, Internet, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Justin Trudeau, Manitoba, Moose, propaganda, tentactles, Trudeau, Twitter, Winnipeg
I can vote again.
After being unable to vote in Canada for a couple of elections, I was finally able to register to vote for the upcoming elections. Previously, Canadian living abroad for over five years were unable to vote, with the logic that they don't get to feel the direct consequences of their vote, especially if they live far away. Who cares who's the Prime Minister of Canada if my life is more affected by the President of Korea?
Actually, both affected me. Steven Harper took away my right to vote, and Lee Myung Bak dramatically increased my taxes. And notably, if I were an English instructor, the conservatives in Korea would have forced me to take an AIDS test prior to being allowed to work. So yeah, citizenship and elections have consequences to expats from two governments regardless of how far removed they are from their country of origin or to local politics.
This reminds me of Michael Sandel's lecture in 2009 regarding solving the immigration problem. Gary Becker, a free market economist suggested selling citizenship to people. Why not just sell American citizenship for $50,000? Perhaps even higher? This would automatically guarantee certain characteristics like a level of wealth which makes them unlikely to be a drain to social services. It would also automatically make them contributors to society. Now, ignoring the other parts regarding refugees, selling citizenship seems to focus more on an individual's merit and contribution to society as the main criterion for citizenship. If that is the case, that would make me more of a Korean citizen by virtue of my taxes and the value of my work and how it affects Korean society in general.
When it comes to everything else however, I'd like to think I'm still very much Canadian. My artwork is mostly focused on Canada and North America. Most of my friends and family are in Canada and I have no doubt that my ashes would someday be scattered in the Red River. Culturally, I am still very much Canadian, although an older Canadian. As for education, I have educated myself a second time just to make myself a more informed Canadian citizen. So yes, when it comes to love of country, I have often said that, "if I could, I would kiss Canada in the mouth."
Thus, the recent Supreme Court decision proclaiming the inalienable right of Canadian's abroad to participate in federal elections is very important to me. It bothered me that Steven Harper ruled the country for so many years, and it also bothered me that Justin Trudeau won in 2015 with only 39% of votes out of the 60% of Canadians who voted. Less than 30% of the country want him to govern. Something is not right. Not enough people are voting.
Quite frankly however, I would take anyone as leader of the country other than the conservative Andrew Scheer and the goofy PPC Maxime Bernier. Despite my feelings regarding Trudeau, I would be comfortable with the Liberals leading the country for a few more years. But I would hope that the popularity of Jagmeet Singh would push Trudeau to a more progressive bent.
Tagged art, Canada, drawing, elections, illustration, Jagmeet Singh, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Justin Trudeau, Manitoba, Nonsuch, politics, ship, south korea, Supreme Court, tentacles, Trudeau
Aboriginal, art, Canada, crime, culture, law, life
Art Forgery Drama
There is an interesting documentary on the works of the late Norval Morrisseau, 'There Are No Fakes'. Morrisseau started the Woodland style of painting, using imagery from First Nations cultures showing the insides of creatures in a sort of x-ray effect. His works are far more colorful and playful compared to the more traditional images in Inuit and West Coast art.
Unfortunately, many of his works have been forged, and a lot of what is passing off as original Morrisseaus could potentially be fakes made by an art forgery ring. I'm not sure if the documentary will show anything past what has already been detailed when I first learned about the Morrisseau forgery in Maclean's last year, but what interested me was the very title of the film, 'There Are No Fakes.'
Is it because somehow Morrisseau's family was connected to the forgeries? Or is it because the forgeries themselves, just by the very fact that they are connected to the drama of Morrisseau and his legacy make them valuable on their own? Or does the documentary basically say that if you love an image and that you find it beautiful, you shouldn't really care about its authenticity or its monetary valuable. That art is art. They are not objects to be traded or treated as real estate investments. They are far bigger than that. (I sincerely doubt that this is where the film will go.)
The leader of the forgery ring, Gary Lamont, was sentenced to jail back in 2016 for being a sexual predator. I'm not sure if many of the news media at the time mentioned his involvement with producing forged Morrisseaus, but according to one of the victims, the forged pieces represent a very abusive period. Gary Lamont would manipulate and abuse young men while the works were being produced, between 1993-2007, when there was increased demand for Morrisseaus and when the artist's health was slowly declining.
I'm sure there are still more to this story, right now galleries and owners are still insisting on the authenticity of many works, but I do hope that the worst is over, and at the very least, no one is producing more forged works. Growing up in Manitoba, I remember seeing some of Morrisseau's works and even more works inspired by him. After learning about the forgeries last year, I'm not even sure if I've ever seen a real Morrisseau.
Tagged Aboriginal art, Anishnaabe, art, bull, Canada, cow, crime, documentary, drawing, First Nations, forgery, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Manitoba, Morrisseau, Seoul, south korea, tentacles, Winnipeg
Canada, life
You're Canadian, You Idiot!
I was recently asked about childhood memories. This was for some future project and here is a gist of what I wrote with some edits.
I don't know how old I was, but this was back in school. My family and I are immigrants, and we were still adapting to life in Canada at the time. I didn't have too many friends in my new school, and I was still resenting my new city and the people in it. It was a bad time to be a kid. I was somewhat resenting the whole country, wishing not to be there, probably blaming my troubles as a kid to the whole immigrant move or how different everyone in Canada was. It was not uncommon for me to begin my sentences with "Well, back in my country…" in noting how more sensible, interesting, moral, etc. people back home were compared with Canadians. In my mind, I was enlightening people, or at least demonstrating my pride for the country I just left. I could imagine how insufferable that must have been for some. I mean, who was I? Balki Bartokomous?
Then one day in English class, during some discussion or argument about a topic I've long forgotten, I mentioned something about being a "permanent resident" and not Canadian citizen. That was a technical term, and I forgive most kids at that age for not knowing it, but one of my classmate scoffed at my ridiculous sentiment. "What are you talking about? You're Canadian." I explained the situation and the difference to her, but she still insisted, "It doesn't matter. You'll be Canadian eventually."
I'm sure it was a very forgettable experience for everyone else in the room. But for me, it was a microcosm of what a welcoming, multi-cultural experiment Canada is, and how wrong I was with my resentment and stubbornly sticking to what made me different at the time. I was being stupid and silly. Why was I being so negative about my new home? It was a wake-up call, and I was grateful to be very wrong. I'm quite older now, but that was a lasting lesson on multiculturalism, acceptance, and how some people stubbornly stick to their differences for no reason whatsoever.
To this day, even when I no longer live in Canada, I proudly call myself a Canadian and value what the country has given me. And as for that classmate who put me in my place, she has become one of my best friends. Even after eventually going to different schools we've kept in touch. To this day, thanks to the magic of the Internet, we still watch hockey together.
Anyway, even now, as I live in South Korea, I try not to be too negative on the country too much because of the lesson from that classroom interaction. For all of its quirks and what some might perceive as shortcomings, it's still a wonderful country. It's a still a country most people would be very lucky to live in. I can raise my imaginary flag and proclaim my love for Canada, but not at the expense of my current home. And should I be compelled to explain differences between Canada and South Korea, I try to be as unbiased as I could.
But speaking of differences, here's the key difference. Back then, I had someone tell me, "You'll be Canadian eventually." And she was right. Here, it is not uncommon for me to hear people say "you're almost Korean!" Heck, I even hear it from people back in Canada. But the thing is I don't think I ever will be truly Korean even if I wanted to. There is a shared national and historical identity that is very difficult for foreigners to be a part in. As wonderful and as welcoming as the Koreans are, the country in general is still not as welcoming as Canadian society. (I don't blame them. They have a long history which would explain this, one that I won't be able to explain in a nutshell.) It's simply not the same as Canada.
Tagged art, Canada, childhood, coffee, drawing, goose, illustration, immigration, life, Manitoba, patriotism, prejudice, Seoul, south korea, teenage, Tim Hortons, Winnipeg
Canada, news, politics, women
Canadian Trouble
Saudi Arabia is not in good terms with Canada at the moment. It's been sour for months now, not long since MLB took power. I wrote about the tension started by concerns regarding the arrest of Samar Badawi last year. Canada has largely been alone in its dispute against the Saudis, even as the kingdom threatened to pull out its medical students from Canada, sell off its Canadian assets to damage the dollar, and have its propaganda arm spread disinformation about the country. Luckily, there hasn't been much damage to Canada after all of these months. And Canada hasn't stopped helping people in the Middle East, particularly those seeking asylum.
Saudi Arabia continues to be a horrible country. Its guardianship system is a prison for women. They exploit women as much as they exploit slave-like labor from other countries. As much as we hear US propaganda about the evils of Iran, it is Saudi Arabia who has financed the 9/11 terrorists and continues to terrorize its neighbors, particularly Yemen. The more independent Canada is from Saudi Arabia, the better off we are.
Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia is not alone. There have been growing tensions between Canada and China stemming from the arrest of Huawei's founder's daughter at the behest of US law enforcement. China in return has arrested two Canadians and violated diplomatic protocols by their interrogation. China will also now be executing a Canadian arrested for drug trafficking even after he was previously sentenced only for five years. The amendment to his sentence was considered only after a few hours. There have been back and forth jabs between Trudeau and Chinese politicians, but ironically, Huawei's founder thanks the Canadian justice system for treating his daughter well and also says that the US has a great president.
It's a good thing however tensions haven't risen so much that China and Canada are taking economic actions against one another. China is still the number one growing economy in the world. And despite its occasional abrupt dictatorial tendencies, it still hasn't pulled economic actions against the Canada the same way it did with South Korea two years ago.
Russia is also getting in on the anti-Canada wagon. Recently, Russian state propaganda aired news that Canada was being controlled by a secret cabal of Ukrainians. This was undoubtedly an issue aimed to rile up support during the elections and to try to damage both Ukraine and Canada, on of Ukraine's strongest ally. In any case, "a secret cabal of Ukrainians" controlling the country is so outlandish that it is more akin to Alex Jones conspiracy theories, not something you would normally see on primetime. Who would believe in this stuff?
All this, and the US still has a tariff war against Canada.
Franklin Roosevelt was quoted saying, "I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made." There seems to be tough times for Canada ahead, but at least when it comes to international politics, we appear to be doing good.
Tagged art, Canada, drawing, Huawei, illustration, international, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, Manitoba, Maytag, MLB, politics, propaganda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seoul, south korea, Trudeau, Ukraine, washing machine, Winnipeg
art, Canada, Internet, justice, law, sex
Putting a Face on Creepy
I'm not a big fan of conservative politicians in general, but I find what's happening to Tony Clement a tad unfair. Setting the hypocrisy of being a conservative, married politician fishing for young women online aside, I think people forget that he is a victim in this as well.
To recap Tony Clement, was caught sending lewd messages and inappropriate nudes online after it was learned that in at least two occasions, he has been extorted by people pretending to be willing adult recipients. Later, several surfaced and detailed Tony Clement's behavior and calling it creepy. Apparently, he's looking for extra-marital trysts with young women and would often boldly "like" women's sensual pictures on Instagram, sometimes deep-diving into a user's history of pics and liking them. This, apparently, is "creepy."
Well, let me try defending a creep.
First off, I believe he should be disqualified for any leadership position, not for any of his behavior, but simply because he lost the confidence of his peers. Tony Clement is first and foremost a politician, and regardless of how unjust the way he lost his political influence and became toxic, you cannot have a leader which others would not want to be associated with. It is all simply politics. It has nothing to do with ethics, morality, or hypocrisy. No one would want him in the room. That's not a leader.
Second, I believe that the "sin" of cheating on his spouse is solely between him and his wife. Anthony Weiner's repeated escapades never really bothered me. I thought he was a good politician despite his crippling addiction to sexting. It wasn't until he got caught for inappropriate communications with a minor that I got off the bandwagon. No one really knows what was happening in his marriage, no one except him and his wife. For all we know, his wife might have been okay with the whole thing. We can't call it a sin if it isn't a sin in their eyes. I can't really judge what Tony Clement did to his marriage since we really don't know what the nature of his marriage was at the moment. We can judge it for hypocrisy, yes, but it's very difficult to call it a betrayal when we're not privy to his marriage.
Just recently, 700 Club's Pat Robertson proclaimed that viewing pornography is adultery. That is him judging everyone else's marriages, marriages that he has no idea what the husbands and wives are okay with. I wouldn't want to be like Pat Robertson and make assumptions on Tony Clement's marriage. For all we know, his wife was okay with him messaging women. Maybe she thought it harmless. Men and women do things that others might consider infidelity but their partners are okay with. I'm sure many of the men who go see strippers have wives at home who are okay with that occasional behavior. Turning a blind eye to such activities is sometimes a pillar to many marriages.
And speaking of harmless, deep diving into someone's Instagram gallery is harmless. It truly is. When a person's pictures are out on the web, it is there for everyone to see. The harm or the "creepiness" that Tony Clement did was leave evidence. He let the women know that, yes, he did look through their pictures. He "liked" several of them. People are pretending that people, strangers, don't do this. If your pictures are out there, people will look through them. Men do it. I'm sure women do it too. What Tony Clement did however is that he brought a face to that stranger looking through women's Instagram history. He made the invisible stalker visible. Now, perhaps it was boldness on his part, or perhaps it was him simply being inept with the platform, but let's not pretend that what he did was especially creepy. People do what he did all the time, they just don't boldly "like" the pictures.
As for sending lewd messages and pictures, I don't see anything wrong if it's between consenting adults. As far as I could tell, the pictures he sent were towards consenting adults. And I could be wrong, but I haven't seen any stories of him harassing women online by constantly messaging them. Sure, he would comment on people's selfies and perhaps annoy, confuse, or make them feel a bit weird, but I don't think that's necessarily harassment. It's weird and unusual, but he wasn't on a campaign to menace people. It sounds more like he's inept, if not socially then in terms of technology and security. Some of the women who have surfaced post rather sexy material online and appear to be open to online admirers. I am not placing blame on them for being harassed nor am I conceding that what Tony Clement did to them was harassment. But if total strangers online can make comments about a person's half-naked pictures, why is it so wrong for a famous person to do so? Does it depend on the type of person who liking the pictures? What if it was some more attractive Hollywood celebrity instead of a conservative Canadian MP? And I don't really buy into the fact that there is an unfair power dynamic since he is a famous politician. In fact, the recipients of the "likes" and messages had more power over Tony Clement since they were in position of what could possibly be embarrassing and politically damaging for anyone in government.
Again, Tony Clement is a victim of extortion. Let us not forget that. He is still being sex shamed after being a victim of what is comparable to revenge porn. He has made some women feel uncomfortable online, but he has not broken any laws. Everyone needs to calm down on the schadenfreude over his downfall.
Tagged 700 Club, Anthony Weiner, art, Canada, conservative, drawing, hypocrisy, illustration, Instagram, Manitoba, Member of Parliament, Pat Robertson, politics, pornography, rabbit, revenge porn, scandal, Seoul, sex, sexting, south korea, Tony Clement, Winnipeg
Canada, crime, culture, drugs, justice, law, life, Winnipeg
On Wonderful Canada and Much-Needed Marijuana Legalization
Congratulations to Canada for being sensible enough to finally end senseless marijuana prohibition. Most people who have had experience smoking marijuana know that it is much less dangerous compared to drinking alcohol. I remember back in university, one of my first presentations in sociology class was about the how smoking marijuana and the US' war on drugs have created this unjust more against marijuana despite the fact that alcohol, which is completely legal, can cause aggression and is involved in roughly half of all murders, rapes, and assaults. Compare that to marijuana. When was the last time you saw an aggressive person high on marijuana? It can cause a bit of paranoia, of course, but more often than not, its sedative effect is the most common experience.
I think most people who want access to marijuana in Canada already had access to it prior to legalization. It's not that difficult finding marijuana in Canada. I remember back in university, marijuana tends to find you instead. The problem with marijuana is its legal consequences and how that affects people. Fortunately, Canada is planning to release and perhaps clear the records of felons caught with a certain amount of cannabis. However for some, it may be too late already.
People sometimes say that marijuana is a gateway drug. You start with marijuana and you move on to more potent illegal drugs. However, I saw how the prosecution of marijuana possession is the gateway to more serious crimes. One of my best friends in school tried selling and even growing marijuana when we were in high school. I remember he even asked me for advice for effective growing methods, but what do I know? Anyway, he was caught with possession or with possession with intent to sell and was sent to juvenile detention. I was already in university at the time and was spending time with a different circle of friends. I did hear from him and about him occasionally and learned that he later got involved with harder drugs, manufacturing methamphetamines, and even breaking and entering. The last time I saw him, he was out in a rough part of town, looking worse for the wear.
Even with marijuana being legalized, it would have still been illegal for him to be possessing drugs at such a young age, but both the stigma and the allure won't be there since the drug would be legal. It would almost be akin to hiding a pack of cigarettes. But I believe his detention got him in the wrong path, not the drugs itself. He wasn't poor back then or anything. He was raised in a middle-class household with both parents. It was simply the allure of drugs that got him in. Compare that to the rather mundane allure of legal cigarettes and alcohol to young teens.
And that's just with teens. I know someone with a suspended sentence for possession of marijuana, not for recreational use but for her cancer-stricken husband's medical use. With legalization, there would be less stigma and no more need for unintended grief for those who need the drug. It's good to have a bit more sensibility in the current world where more and more things seem to stop making sense as the days go by.
Well, hopefully with legalization and taxation, there will be a growth in industry and government revenue across Canada. This will also hurt gangs and the illegal drug trade since one of their cash crops has now effectively become public domain. And with the wide availability and the proper monitoring by the government, hopefully people would not have any need to find and experiment with stronger drugs. If anything, I expect Canada to become more of an attraction to our southern neighbors. I remember occasionally finding young American crossing the border on their past their 18th birthday in order to legally drink alcohol, party in bars, visit strip clubs, and take advantage of the relatively low Canadian currency. If cities and the government play their cards right, we might just become North America's Netherlands.
Tagged alcohol, all seeing eye, art, Canada, Cannabis, drawing, drugs, illustration, illustrations, Joseph, Joseph Reyes, law, legalization, Manitoba, Marijuana, Queen Elizabeth, Seoul, south korea, tentacles, triangle, War on Drugs, Winnipeg


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Home Mindaviews TURNING POINT: A Matter of Time
TURNING POINT: A Matter of Time
William R. Adan
NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 05 December) — There is no substitute to truth, justice and decency in governance. From these imperatives spring many other values in economic, political and social we could ever cherish.
Truth requires the rigor to go deep, to know and understand the cause or causes of a problem. It impels one not to dwell in and be content with eliminating the symptoms of an illness.
Justice is to give everyone a chance to live with dignity free from wants, ignorance and fear.
Decency is holding on to some ideals and basic values in life in confronting whatever challenges may come along the way.
To yield to despair corrupts the soul; it's committing suicide to flow with the current of blind submission hanging on empty hope.
Nobody is safe in a dictatorship. Everyone – the dictator and the dictated – turns paranoid in time. In such a regime, a time may come when a suspected rebel is no longer just a rebel but is already a terrorist that needs to be eliminated. The bad, the good, the beautiful and the ugly will all eventually suffer. It's just a matter of time.
Has the time come? (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines.)
Davao Airport's COVID-19 lab opens, but…
Antonio L. Colina IV - January 19, 2021 11:23 am


A total of 29 cases were identified, with illness onset occurring in three temporal clusters during February 3--July 14, 2007 ( Figure ). The first cluster consisted of 15 cases with onsets of illness from February 3 to March 5. Raw-milk samples were collected February 20 from a dairy A bulk milk tank and February 28 from the home of an ill person. Both sets of samples yielded the outbreak strain of S. Typhimurium. On March 2, PDA ordered dairy A to stop raw-milk sales and advised the public not to consume raw-milk products from dairy A.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Chapter 59: Milk sanitation. Available at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/lib/agriculture/legalreference/007_0059.pdf .
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Grade "A" pasteurized milk ordinance: 2001 revision. US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; 2002. Available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/pmo01.html .
Leonard C. On the safety of raw milk (with a word about pasteurization). Presented at the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments, Columbus, Ohio, May 12--17, 2005. Available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/milksafe/milksa1.htm .
Dairy Division of National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Raw milk survey: November 2004. Available at http://www.nasda.org/file.aspx?id=11160 .
**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov .


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By Monica Dick
Creative solutions are needed in the battle against bacterial diseases in potato. In people, most bacterial diseases are treated with antibiotics, but due to the rise in resistant bacterial strains, that option, apart from a few exceptions, is off the table for field-scale agriculture.
But researchers are making headway against bacterial diseases such as common scab, largely in the area of biological controls.
Common scab, a cosmetic disease that is usually caused by the bacterium Streptomyces scabies, impacts growers worldwide. Except in extreme cases, common scab doesn't result in lost yield. Instead, it causes brown lesions on the tuber's surface that impact salability. If more than five per cent of a tuber's surface is affected, potatoes can't be sold to the table market; the lesions also make tubers difficult to peel, resulting in waste and lost profits when potatoes are sold to the chip and fry markets.
In Canada, the disease is responsible for at least $17 million in lost revenues annually, particularly on the East Coast, whose rain-fed soils offer the right conditions for the disease.
"Irrigation is one way you can decrease common scab because the disease likes soil conditions to be really dry," says Claudia Goyer, a molecular bacteriologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Fredericton.
"When it's really wet, mobile bacteria will colonize the tuber faster, but when it's dry, the mobile bacteria don't have an advantage and Streptomyces scabies can get in the lenticels of the tubers," she says.
The bacterial group Streptomyces contains at least 10 bacteria responsible for causing common scab, including but not only S. scabies; there are also other "pockets" of unrelated bacterial species that cause common scab-like symptoms, Goyer says. Adding to the problem, a large fragment of Streptomyces DNA is transferable to other species of Streptomyces, which explains why so many unrelated Streptomyces cause common scab.
In other words, it's a complicated disease – but Goyer's team is tackling it from several angles, attempting to understand how common scab works in order to build effective controls.
In early 2018, Goyer's team published a paper offering conclusions on a study that ran from 2013 to 2014 looking at factors that influence common scab pathogens in the soil – how the pathogen populations change between the rhizosphere and the surface of the tuber over time on two susceptible (Green Mountain, Agria) and two resistant (Gold Rush, Hindenburg) cultivars.
"What we saw was that some of the susceptible cultivars were harbouring a greater number of the pathogens overall compared to the resistant cultivars," Goyer says.
Goyer believes the different varieties have different root exudates, or exuded different substances from the root, and the quantity and composition of the exudates differs between varieties, attracting different pathogen communities in the soil microbiome.
What this means is that the cultivars themselves influence common scab pathogen growth conditions. It also means producers planting susceptible varieties are perpetuating a common scab problem in the soil over the long-term.
"At the end of the field season when the tubers are harvested, the roots are left behind, which means that susceptible cultivars leave five to 10 times more pathogens that cause common scab in the fields, compared to tolerant cultivars," she explains.
Sampling of potato rhizosphere by AAFC technician Sean Whitney. Photos courtesy of Julie Root, AAFC.
Somaclonal variation
Goyer has another project examining the use of somaclonal variation, the plant's natural ability to change its tissue culture, to increase resistance to common scab in common potato varieties Shepody and Red Pontiac.
Somaclonal variations use the natural ability of a plant to change under stress. Somaclonal variation can rapidly introduce genetic variability using tissue culture, including random mutations in target plant species, creating genetic variants. These lines are then screened using a toxin from the target pathogen to find variants with enhanced resistance. Two years ago, Goyer's team planted out 50 variants each from Shepody and Red Pontiac, and found about 10 variants with improved resistance to common scab.
"We then took those variants and multiplied them and planted them in 2018 to see whether the effect held," Goyer says. "We're still crunching the numbers, but some of the variants are showing promising results.
"What we're hoping to have is something that will be better than the parental line, and to see over time which ones are more consistently resistant to common scab compared to the parental line. We need to ensure that it's stable, so whatever this natural change is doesn't revert to the parental line," she explains.
Goyer's program needs to run two more years of assays before new varieties are available to producers.
Currently, says Goyer, producers have very few chemical options to control common scab. The best controls available to producers come down to management: producers are advised to use clean seed and to avoid letting soils reach a pH above 5.4, because the pathogen prefers soil with more neutral pH.
In summer 2019, Goyer plans to start a new project in Manitoba and Prince Edward Island looking at which management practices are effective in controlling common scab.
In Manitoba, the project will run in partnership with Tracy Shinners-Carnelley, vice president of research and quality at Peak of the Market; in P.E.I. the project will run in cooperation with Cavendish Farms.
"We'll be looking at the effects of agricultural practices in these two provinces to understand the mechanism, why some agricultural practices work to reduce common scab and some do not," she says. The project will take into account environmental and soil factors – including rainfall, temperature and soil physico-chemical properties – as well as management practices.
Advances in extra-early soybeans
Video: Bobbi Helgason discusses long-term soil health from a microbiome perspective
biopesticide
common scab
Crop Chemicals


The CR-400 handheld chroma meter is a color measuring instrument that's user-friendly and can be used on a variety of surfaces in many types of applications. With its 8mm aperture size, it can measure on its own or connect to a data processor for advanced features and on-site printing.
Compatible with, the CR-300, the CR-400 handheld chroma meter is its improved successor. Upgrading is easy for current CR-300 owners because existing data can be used.
Able to store up to 1,000 measurements internally, or 2,000 when the data processor is connected, the unit is also portable and easy-to-use, plus it has the ability to measure different types of products and multiple kinds of surfaces in various applications.
The instrument's LCD screen is capable of displaying pass/fail information and color-difference graphs, and can be set in any of six different languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, French and German. Type user comments into the results or, by using the data processor, customers can determine channel names. A variety of accessories are available to accommodate various target types such as powders, liquids, and pastes.
Compatible with SpectraMagic NX software, this instrument is easy-to-use and multiple views of data results can be viewed which can then be edited. By associating target data of the primary target with two or more secondary targets, sophisticated QC applications are allowed, such as checking for color difference.


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Do you need to worry about side effects from vaccines?
Authored by Abi Millar Published on: 10:43 AM 13-Dec-19
Reviewed by Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE Reading time: 5 min read
Like all medical treatments, vaccinations carry risks as well as benefits. But with scare stories abounding on social media, should you be concerned about possible side effects?
It should go without saying that vaccinations are a crucial part of staying healthy. Whether we're talking about routine injections in childhood, or travel jabs before you go abroad, vaccinations can protect you against any number of potentially deadly diseases. Importantly, since you won't be able to pass on those diseases, it also protects those around you.
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Unfortunately, getting the facts right about vaccinations can mean sifting through a lot of misinformation. This year, the UK saw a sharp rise in cases of measles, which public health experts have linked to a drop in the number of children receiving the MMR jab (for measles, mumps and rubella).
They suggested the drop might be due, to a large extent, to 'anti-vaxxer' myths on discussion boards. One of these is the idea that the MMR vaccine causes autism. While this theory has been thoroughly and repeatedly debunked, it continues to rear its head on social media.
As Gino Martini, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society points out, this trend is extremely worrying.
"How many of the people on the discussion forums are actually medical doctors with the right advice?" he says. "We're getting into a situation where people aren't getting the information. People go on Facebook and have conversations, and suddenly they aren't vaccinating anymore. This is important because the diseases we're trying to prevent are very nasty."
What are the risks of getting vaccinated?
While vaccinations can cause side effects, these effects are typically very mild, and the risks associated with contracting the disease far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated.
"You might experience cold-like symptoms, a high temperature, or aches and pains," says Martini. "Those are the kinds of adverse events you see while your body adapts to the vaccination. You may also experience some pain at the site of administration."
Vaccines work by introducing a small amount of bacteria, virus or toxin into the body. Because the bacteria, virus or toxin have been killed or weakened, there's no risk of contracting the disease in question. However, your body responds as if it were under attack, and mounts an immune response. If, in the future, you do encounter that disease, you'll have an army of antibodies ready to fight it.
This means that any adverse effects you experience are unlikely to be caused by the bacteria, virus or toxin. Most of the common side effects (such as a sore arm or redness) are caused by the injection, or by your own immune system fighting against the weakened invaders.
The risk of even mild allergic reaction to the vaccine is small. In this case, you're more likely to be reacting to one of the added ingredients than to the virus. The person administering the jab will ask you about allergies first - egg protein and pork gelatine are possible culprits.
What are the chances of serious side effects?
Serious adverse events, while possible, are very rare - and they tend to make the news precisely because they're so unusual. You may have read reports last year about two people who died after receiving the yellow fever vaccination. If you're considering getting the jab, this tragic news needs to be viewed in context.
According to the World Health Organization, serious side effects occur at a rate of around 0.09 to 0.4 cases per 10,000 doses of the yellow fever vaccine, in populations who haven't been exposed to the virus. By contrast, the serious form of yellow fever is fatal around half the time.
On a similar note, the rate of serious allergic reaction is around 1-2 cases per million across all vaccines. Compare that with the death rate for measles (around 1 in 500), and for flu (around 200 deaths in the UK every winter), and it's obvious which is riskier.
"What we need to understand are the risks and benefits - how many people are dying from yellow fever, how many people are dying from measles?" says Martini. "Clearly, adverse effects are tragic for the individual and the family but they are rare, and we need to balance this with the risks associated with that disease."
Our picks for Do you need to worry about side effects from vaccines?
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Multiple vaccines - double the trouble?
Another important question is what happens when you get multiple vaccinations. If you're going travelling, for example, you may need five or more injections at once. And in the UK, a two-month-old baby will receive the PCV, Rotavirus, 6-in-1 and MenB vaccines on the same visit.
Of course, being injected isn't fun, and being repeatedly injected is even less fun. Your arm may be sorer than it would be with a single vaccine. And if you start to feel unwell during any point in the process, you should stop and seek advice from the person administering the vaccine.
However, you don't need to worry about some kind of compound side effect, or overloading the immune system. Even a baby's immune system is well equipped to cope, and is exposed to many times more antigens every day than those contained in any vaccine - multiple or otherwise. Avoiding multiple or combination vaccines will only draw out the process.
If you're still on the fence, it's important to remember that vaccinations prevent up to three million deaths worldwide every year, and the introduction of vaccination programmes has wiped out many diseases that used to be killers.
On top of that, your pharmacist, nurse or doctor should be able to help you with any concerns that arise. As Martini explains, they're there to put your mind at rest, and walk you through what to expect, This will always include information about possible side effects.
"If you're worried, the first port of call is always to talk to the pharmacist or nurse. They'll be able to advise you," he says. "They'll look at the vaccine and the manufacturer's advice, because it's information that can help the patient and reassure them."
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ALL-NEW FORD PUMA CROWNED WHAT CAR? CAR OF THE YEAR 2020
Ford Puma, News
All-new Ford Puma named top recommended car of the year by consumer bible What Car?
Puma name returns on a stylish and dynamic crossover reflecting today's customer aspirations
Ford Ranger pick-up, hot Fiesta ST and Galaxy people carrier declared best value cars versus competitors
DUNTON, Essex, January 14, 2020 – The all-new Ford Puma is car of the year according to renowned motoring magazine and website What Car?.
Unveiled last year and now on sale, the new Ford Puma combines mild-hybrid fuel efficiency, best-in-class luggage space and advanced driver assistance technologies in a stylish crossover.
Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, said: "As a small SUV, the Ford Puma competes in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the car market. And crucially, it excels in all the areas that are important to buyers, according to our research. Thanks to its sharp handling, gutsy engine and clever mild hybrid technology, the Puma offers a mix and fun and frugality not previously seen. Plus, it's very well priced and equipped, and as practical as it is stylish. In short, it's truly outstanding."
The consumer magazine and website, attracting over 1.95 million monthly users, chose the well-equipped Puma ST-Line X Mild Hybrid 1.0 EcoBoost 155PS, priced at £23,645, as their best recommended model.
On receiving the award, Roelant de Waard, vice president, Ford of Europe Marketing, Sales and Service, said: "It's a great honour for the Ford Puma to be named as What Car?'s Car of the Year 2020. We're all excited to see the return of the Puma name on a stylish and dynamic crossover that reflects today's customer aspirations. Puma blends practicality with performance and fuel-efficiency with its choice of a 1.0-litre, 125PS or 155PS hybrid options.
"To receive such high praise from industry experts like What Car? kicks off the year to a great start. This is Ford's sixth What Car? Car of the Year win, and we are thankful for the continued support."
Ford Galaxy – Best MPV (over £30,000)
What Car? also named the Ford Galaxy as best MPV in its price.
The Ford Galaxy 2.0 EcoBlue Zetec 150PS was voted as the pick of the range.
Ford Fiesta ST – Best Hot Hatch (under £24,000)
The Ford Fiesta ST was recognised by What Car? for fifth time, picking-up the award for best hot hatch.
The What Car? team decided the Fiesta ST-2 3-door with Performance Pack was the best option in the range.
Ford Ranger – Best Pick-Up (£28,000 – £35,000)
The Ford Ranger was recognised as best pick-up, with the What Car? pick of the range identified as the Ranger Double Cab 2.0 EcoBlue 170 XLT.
VIEW FORD PUMA OFFERS
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Local energy conservation consultancy, Falcon Energy, are delighted to announce that three members of staff have each gained a requalification in ventilation testing. The company is also pleased to announce that they have been awarded SMAS Worksafe for another year.
Falcon Energy sent three members of their team to undergo industry recognised qualifications with BPEC, an industry leading education provider for a range of courses in the building sector.
The three team members are now all requalified in ventilation testing, which is one of Falcon Energy's main services. Ventilation testing measures the airflow at a property, usually a new build or converted property, and determines the practical performance of ventilation in the dwelling.
Gaining these qualifications demonstrates Falcon's commitment to providing a quality service to their customers through having fully trained staff, with knowledge of all the latest developments in the industry.
Being SMAS Worksafe means that Falcon Energy comply with strict health and safety procedures when undertaking any works. This is assessed by an independent party and is another industry recognised qualification.
Neil Vanson, Director of Falcon Energy, said, 'Being able to demonstrate to our customers that we are fully trained and follow strict health and safety rules is really important for us.


First I want to say thank you to all my amazing guest bloggers! I have been enjoying some time off to recover and get to know my cute little boy. Being a mother of two is definitely not easy but I am having fun learning how!I thought for my return I would kick it off with a giveaway!This amazing giveaway is from a company called Jamberry! I have fallen in LOVE with them! Jamberry has created nail shields with unique professional nail designs. I don't know about you, but being a busy mother, I find it hard to find time to get ready, let alone paint my nails. The great thing about these, is that can be applied in just 15 minutes at home!
There are over 90 styles available and are made to last up to 2 weeks on fingers and 6 weeks on toes!
I am one of those people who has little patience for painting my nails. Not only does it take time to paint them, but then let them dry too! And then you have to constantly keep them up because they are chipping. If your someone like me that ALWAYS seems to be in the kitchen cooking, washing hands, and doing dishes, then you know when you have nail polish, it is ALWAYS chipping. Jamberry's nail shields won't chip or stain the nail and require no drying time and they are so easy to apply and remove!If that is not a great solution to painting your nails, I don't know what is!
I am in LOVE with these nail shields and I know you will be too! Well guess what?!
I like the Chrome Silver, The Turquoise Polka, or the Green Dot Diagonal.
I'm kind of a simple girl so I would either do a solid color or try out my wild side and do the black and pink zebra!
I "Like" Chef In Training !
I like the metallic chrome silver.
I'm a follower of your blog. Thanks for the giveaway, I'd love to try these out!
and i love the orange floral!
I checked out their site. Vintage green was my favorite design, but I also liked decorative coral and decorative blue.
Thanks for the giveaway. I'm a follower!
I've liked Chef in Training on FB!
My favorite Jamberry design is the Vibrant Pinwheel - so cool!
My fav design is the slate and white houndstooth and the orange floral. Both so cute!
Glad to hear you are adjusting well to your growing family! I'm a follower (and would love to win a giveaway)!
Those are so cute! I'm a follower!!
I like the pink and white zebra.
I "like" Jamberry on FB now too!
I like jamberry on fb!
Oh and I follow chef in training!
I already follow this awesome blog!
I LOVE the decorative coral!
I liked Jamberry on FB!
I follow you on facebook (and pinterest).
I am a little more demure on fingernails, so I like the "light pink floral," for fingers. But I like going a little more daring and bold on my toenails - so I would choose "turquoise polka" for toes.
I liked Jamberry on Facebook!
I follow CIT on GFC.
I like CIT on FB.
I love the b&w horizontal stripes...so chic!
I like JN on FB.
I put a comment and a link to Jamberry on my Facebook page.
i meant i like you on facebook and follow your blog.
so many fun ones but I like the vibrant pinwheel..it is just fun!
I am a follower! :) Love your blog.
My favorite design is the orange floral. :) So cute!
I LOVE the vibrant pinwheel nails...so fun!
Of course, I am a follower of your blog!
I follow Jamberry! Pick me Pick me!
Hi, I'm a current follower of yours!
I love the black and white checks!
I "liked" Chef in Training on facebook as well!
Lady you brought light to my eyes when i saw those nail polishes and patterns. I LOVE THEM!!!!!!
I'm loving the Black Floral - Wow!
I LIKE Jamberry Nails on Facebook!
I LIKE Chef In Training on Facebook, too!!!
I'm definitely a Chef in Training follower! Love your blog!
Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day! I'm now following yours!
I like Mauve Dot on White and Slate and White Houndstooth!
I'm a Chef in Training follower!
I follow you Chef in Training.
I'm a follower! I'd love to win these, I'm pregnant and having a hard time reaching those toes lately so the polish is looking a little messy! Thanks!
I like Chef in Training on FB!
I like Jamberry's black floral shields! But I think my daughter would like the blue zebra.
I love the vibrant pinwheel nails!


text:
Billionaire Investor Tim Draper Plans to Participate in Tezos' Initial Coin Offering
May 6 2017 · 10:56 UTC | Updated Jan 31 2020 · 08:38
by Polina Chernykh · 3 min read
Tim Draper invests in Tezos by means of ICO. Photo: JD Lasica/Flickr
A well-known investor in Silicon Valley will for the first time participate in the initial coin offering, which is set to be launched later this month.
Tim Draper, a high-profile investor and an early bitcoin supporter, will take part in the initial coin offering (ICO) of the blockchain startup Tezos. As Reuters reported, he will become the first prominent investor to participate in this new form of startup fundraising. The launch of the ICO is planned for May 22, 2017.
Tim Draper is a third-generation venture capitalist, whose earlier investments include Skype, Baidu, Hotmail, and Tesla Motors.
Tezos was created as an alternative to Ethereum by a husband and wife team, Arthur Breitman and Kathleen Breitman, who have an extensive Wall Street and hedge fund backgrounds. Arthur Breitman had worked at the high frequency trading desk at Goldman Sachs and served as an options market maker at Stanley, while Kathleen Breitman worked as a management associate at the world's largest hedge fund called Bridgewater Associates.
The move is an indication of approval for this new type of financing. ICOs are used by blockchain startups to raise funds through the sale of cryptotokens, which similar to shares of a company sold to investors in IPOs. Besides, participants in ICOs get a right to vote on decisions taken by the startup in the future.
Still, some investors express concern about lack of regulatory control for ICOs.
Traditional venture capital firms are bound by agreements with investors who prohibit allocating funds toward such high-risk types of assets as virtual currencies. However, Draper said that the contract terms with his investors allow putting money into almost any vehicle.
"The best thing I can do is lead by example," Draper said in an interview to Reuters. "Over time, I actually feel that some of these tokens are going to improve the world, and I want to make sure those tokens get promoted as well. I think Tezos is one of those tokens."
"I think most investor contracts did not anticipate something like an ICO," he said. "But we did anticipate that certain things are going to happen and finance is going to be transformed."
The billionaire also noted that his company has specifically devoted funds for non-traditional investments.
Tezos is similar to other blockchain systems, but it allows for decentralized and automated upgrades. The platform uses a different approach by creating governance rules for stakeholders to approve of protocol upgrades that are then automatically deployed on the network. While most software systems provide for automated upgrades, updates of blockchain platforms are generally centralized.
A few days ago, the Russia-based blockchain startup, BitCAD, launched an ICO crowdsale that will last until the beginning of June. BitCAD is a unique blockchain-based system with an encrypted smart-platform and a fully decentralized trade engine.
In March, the Qtum Foundation completed one of the most successful crowdsale campaigns, raising $10 million in the first 90 minutes. In the first five days, the startup received more than $15 million.
Draper is also going to invest in Dynamic Ledger Solutions Inc., the creator of Tezos, but did not provide any details.
next Blockchain News, Editor's Choice, News, Token Sales
Author Polina Chernykh
Polina is an undergraduate student at Belarusian State Economic University (BSEU) where she is studying at the faculty of International Business Communication for a degree specializing in Intercultural Communication. In her spare time she enjoys drawing, music and travelling.
By Babafemi Adebajo January 5th, 2022
Blockchain News, Business News, Cryptocurrency news, Investors News, News Metaversal Raises $50M in Series A Funding
The firm utilizes an IP-centric approach to curate and sponsor different NFT-related projects.
By blockchainnews December 21st, 2021
Press Release DOGAMÍ Secures $6m from Ubisoft and Others to Build the Petaverse on Tezos
DOGAMÍ secures $6M in funding from Ubisoft, Animoca Brands, and The Sandbox co-founders.
By Tolu Ajiboye December 16th, 2021
Blockchain News, Cryptocurrency news, News Rarible NFT Marketplace Announces Integration with Tezos
Rarible says it has integrated with open source PoS blockchain Tezos to provide more cross-chain possibilities for all users.


Utah State University's Center for High Performance Computing will hold its first annual Agricultural Computing Research and Education Symposium on March 26-27, 2007. All faculty, researchers, staff and students interested in high performance computing are invited to attend.
The symposium's focus, "Challenges and Opportunities for High Performance Computing in Agriculture and Life Sciences" will feature national HPC leaders and keynote speaker Dr. Colien Hefferan, administrator of the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. Successful applications of high performance computing to agricultural research will be presented, and tutorials will be offered on scientific computing, visualization, and parallel computing.
Additional participants include Linda Callahan, Executive Director of Cornell Theory Center, Harold van Es, Cornell University, Frank Williams, Director of Arctic Region Supercomputing Center at UAF, Rod Brown, Dean of College of Biology and Agriculture at BYU, Joe Lombardo, Executive Director of National Supercomputing Center for Energy and the Environment at UNLV, Daniel Einstein of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, among others.


BOSTON, April 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Namogoo, the company leading the fight against Online Journey Hijacking – a rapidly growing challenge facing eCommerce brands – today released its latest Benchmark Report for 2018. The key findings provide a comprehensive look at a growing but little-known problem that affects 15-25 percent of all user web sessions and costs eCommerce brands hundreds of millions in revenue.
Online Journey Hijacking is a rapidly growing phenomenon where unauthorized ads are injected into consumer web browsers – resulting in product ads, banners and pop-ups which appear to the user when visiting an ecommerce site, disrupting their eCommerce experience and diverting them to competitor sites. Web browsers get infected by digital malware when users install software downloads or program updates, or when they connect to public Wi-Fi networks. These unsanctioned promotions – hidden from retailers because they come from the users' side – cost retailers between two to five percent in annual revenue.
With the only solution helping online retailers block Online Journey Hijacking, Namogoo uses analytics and machine learning to prevent the injection of unauthorized ads that direct consumers to competitors' sites. Powered by these AI analytics, Namogoo's report illustrates the scale and impact of this problem on both user experience and online business revenue. The findings are based on an analysis of billions of page views in 2018 across various eCommerce verticals in the U.S. and Europe.
Users on all major desktop web browsers exhibited high infection rates: But Apple's Safari web browser had the highest such infection rate for both desktop and mobile users at 24.66% and 19.19% respectively.
Desktop Infection Rates – U.S. vs. Europe: Infection rates were highest in the U.S. during Q4 2018 – including the peak holiday shopping season – when 21.57 percent of all user sessions were exposed to unauthorized ads. In Europe, these disruptions peaked during Q2 2018 at 22.56 percent.
Mobile Infection Rates: Infection rates on desktops are generally higher than on mobile devices. This can be attributed to the fact that while mobile browsing is increasing, most conversions still occur on desktops. Desktop users in both the U.S. and Europe infected with Online Journey Hijacking – hovering at just over 20 percent of all desktop website visitors – substantially impacted online revenue for businesses throughout 2018. Mobile infection rates in Europe rose markedly after Q1 2018, hovering at just over 17 percent of all mobile site visitors.
Online Journey Hijacking by Vertical: Online Journey Hijacking impacts all verticals since it is caused by malware running on the consumer's device. Desktop infection rates include home (23.13 percent), apparel (22.99 percent), eye wear (20.45 percent), gifts and hobbies (18.28 percent) and health and beauty (17.64 percent).
Conversion Rate by Quarter: One of the most common misconceptions regarding infected users is that they are less digitally savvy and thus less important for eCommerce businesses. Namogoo compared conversion rates for users who are not impacted by unauthorized ads versus infected users after injected ads were blocked to provide them a distraction-free experience. The data shows that infected users for whom injected ads were blocked converted more than twice as frequently as clean users. These findings demonstrate the importance of the infected user segment to online business revenue.
Checkout Abandonment Rates: As the report's conversion findings suggest, the most active consumers are often exposed to unauthorized promotions as a result of downloading malicious content. Once these disruptions are removed from their experience at checkout, they abandon this critical stage of the sales funnel less frequently, making purchases more often.
"The extensive data reveals a growing problem online businesses are facing, one which most don't even know they have," said Chemi Katz, CEO of Namogoo. "No online business is safe from Online Journey Hijacking. We want businesses to be aware of just how much this impacts their customers' shopping experience and their revenue, and to help them realize the true potential of their digital investments."
Namogoo is pioneering the field of Online Journey Hijacking Prevention. Namogoo's holistic platform enables online businesses to deliver a distraction-free customer journey by identifying and removing unauthorized product ads injected into consumer web sessions that divert the customer journey and harm conversion rates. The world's largest online brands rely on Namogoo to gain control over their online customer experience and consistently improve conversion and business metrics. Leading global brands such as Tumi, Asics, Argos, and Dollar Shave Club have reported increase in conversions by 2-5% with Namogoo's cloud-based solution.
For more information, visit namogoo.com.