text:
Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England?
Stephen Wigmore August 22, 2015 Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England?2015-08-22T09:56:44+01:00 Beyond Labour, Opinion
Stephen Wigmore, a PhD student in Ethics at Warwick University with a keen interest in politics and polling data, examines the SNP's success and asks whether Jeremy Corbyn can repeat it across the UK.
For a party to collapse so utterly and apparently suddenly in a party 'heartland', as Scottish Labour did in 2015, is almost unprecedented in British democratic history. It is of huge importance to the current Scottish and UK leadership that it is understood in as much detail as possible.
This is particularly true in light of the sudden insurgency of Jeremy Corbyn, as his supporters frequently pray-in-aid the SNP victory to justify the idea that a radical left-wing insurgency can sweep to power.
Nor is the worst over for Scottish Labour: polls suggest Labour could slump to an even worse defeat in 2016 with the SNP polling well over 50% and turning their majority into a landslide. (1)
A lot of analysis of the 2015 result barely looks farther back than the 2014 referendum for its explanation. To understand how this could happen one needs to look back to at least 2007 if not earlier. Already in 2007 Labour polled only 32% in Scotland behind the SNP, albeit narrowly, who polled 33%. Then the SNP won the 2009 euro elections in Scotland for the first time ever. That was followed by Labour remarkably holding all its seats in the 2010 election on an increased share of the vote, but soon after came the catastrophe of 2011, then losing the euros again in 2014, and the near-annihilation of 2015 (not to mention SNP victories in the 2007 and 2012 local elections).
Seen in this recent historical context it becomes clear that 2010 was the blip, the anomaly. The SNP have won 4 out of 5 Scotland wide elections since 2005 on a pattern of steady or increasing support. If you only look at Westminster general election results then SLab support looks solid . . . 1997, 2001, 2005, 2010 and then falls off a cliff in 2015, but if you look at the wider context this surprise disappears.
2010 was to Scottish Labour what 1992 was to Major's Conservatives. After winning in '92 many clever people wrote articles about how Labour might never win again, and the Conservatives might be in government for ever. But within 12 months Major's Tories were polling at 25% in the polls and would not win another election for 18 years. (2) 1992 was the electorate giving the Tories one last chance before they turned away for a generation, but the Tories misinterpreted it as confirmation of business as usual, that they could do whatever they wanted and still get elected. Big mistake. Scottish Labour misinterpreted 2010 in exactly the same way. In retrospect it is clear it was one last chance, but it was misinterpreted as a firm confirmation that SLab was on solid ground when in reality that ground was already disappearing beneath them.
What seemed to happen was a process, crudely put, of shifting from UK Westminster vote determining Holyrood preference in 1999 and 2003 to Scottish Holyrood preference determining Westminster vote in 2015, a process that hinged on the years around 2010 and was completed in 2015. This Scottish-ising of voting has occurred for many reasons but its biggest catalyst was certainly the 2014 referendum. The 2 year circus that lead up to the referendum was just the shove needed to definitively push formerly Labour voters, particularly those who may have voted SNP in 2007 and 2011 to vote SNP for Westminster as well.
Labour voters convinced by Nationalist rhetoric had no reason not to vote SNP. Particularly, as the SNP consciously went out of their way in the months leading up to May 2015 to portray themselves as a safe destination for Labour votes. They made a huge deal of making an absolute commitment to "lock Cameron out of No 10", neutering Labour's great fall back line that people had to vote Labour to "keep the Tories out". (3)
Despite some of their rhetoric they also basically lifted large portions of their manifesto from Labour (the 50% top tax rate, bankers' bonus tax, mansion tax, the abolition of 'non-dom' status, abolition of the bedroom tax and a cut in English tuition fees). Even the detail, rather than the rhetoric, of their public spending plan was almost identical to Labour's as confirmed by the IFS. (4) The purpose of all this was to give 'Yes' voting previously Labour supporters no reason not to put their cross in the SNP's box on polling day.
Another big factor was that of leadership over the last decade. Both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon are charismatic, highly adept politicians. They come across as people who can 'bring home the bacon'. This is not the only skill a politician needs but it is basically a precondition in the TV age. David Cameron also has charisma and a certain presence that a lot of people respond to, which is how he has stayed consistently more popular than his party.
Without meaning to be personally rude the same could not be said for either UK or Scottish Labour leaders since at least 2007. At various points throughout that period both UK and Scottish Labour leaders polled worse in Scotland than both the UK and Scottish Tory leaders on various questions of preference for First Minister or PM, despite Scotland's supposed bone-deep Tory hatred. (5,6) They polled even worse in Scotland than the Tory leaders, and clear miles behind Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon at every point.
This was particularly a problem in 2015. A significant part of the explanation for the 2010 blip was that Gordon Brown was and is considerably more popular in Scotland than the rest of the UK, presumably partly because he is so Scottish. Ed Miliband on the other hand had Brown's same lack of charisma with the additional disadvantage of being visibly a well-off London geek. Someone less likely to connect with the Glasgow working class is imaginable, but they're not going to be SNP leader anytime soon.
This is part of the wider issue that Scottish Labour as a whole political party has just not been in any condition to fight the SNP for years. Scottish Labour has been a mess where the SNP were passionate, disciplined and ruthless. Sturgeon and Salmond have led the SNP for over a decade in total lock-step with each other, and with complete and disciplined support from their entire party that whole time. Even when they lost the independence referendum the SNP barely blinked before getting straight back to work demolishing Labour and the union.
Now Kezia Dugdale has been elected Scottish Labour leader the party has had 6 leaders in 8 years: 3 of whom quit after losing elections, one of whom resigned over a donations scandal, and one of whom quit by accusing her own UK leadership of having no respect for Scotland in a national newspaper six months months before the general election. The comparison could not be more stark, and every piece of evidence we have suggests voters punish parties that appear divided, disorganised or incompetent.
Scottish Labour has about 15,000 members in the whole country following the recent Labour membership surge; Scotland actually has the 2nd lowest rate of Labour party membership per head of population of any UK region. (7) The SNP, on the other hand, as everyone knows, have over 100,000 members, but that obscures the fact that the SNP have probably had more members than Scottish Labour since before 2010, admittedly by a much smaller margin. (8)
There is also significant anecdotal report that a culture had grown up whereby Labour councillors, MPs and leaders in parts of Scotland felt barely any need to campaign or to have members either, so used were they to winning almost by default. (9) This persisted right up until the moment the SNP steamroller appeared seemingly from nowhere and crushed them mercilessly.
So just to recap: the SNP offered Labour Yes-voters Labour policies plus better leadership, better organisation and agreement on the all important national question. What reason would any Labour Yes voter have had for sticking with Labour in 2015? Especially, when many of them had already started voting SNP in other elections well before austerity or the referendum dating back to 2007. This is not to say that any voter totally consciously made the choice on that basis, but it is these issues that have the impact on who sounds credible and 'on your side'. And for 40% of formerly Labour voters it was not Scottish Labour.
This would have been bad enough but it was the SNP's good fortune to also benefit from a collapse in the Lib Dem vote, brought about by the Lib Dem entry into the Coalition and a similar problem with Lib Dem 'Yes' voters. Without the former Lib Dem votes Labour would have gone into the 2015 election 12% behind the SNP and probably saved a dozen more seats. With the addition of those former Lib Dem votes they ended up 25% behind, turning a defeat into a landslide.
There were also issues surrounding Jim Murphy's choice to make the centre of his campaign an anti-Tory message, rather than an anti-SNP message. Sturgeon only had to point out that SNP MPs were committed to voting down a Cameron government, and Murphy was reduced to arguing technicalities about who had the first stab at being PM. The average voter was bemused and those voters that they had already swapped to trusting Sturgeon more were predictably unmoved. These factors turned defeat into near annihilation, but even without them the longer term trends meant it would have taken a miracle to not see big Scottish Labour losses in 2015.
So far I have not even mentioned the popular theory that the SNP won in May 2015 because they had a stronger anti-austerity message. This is not because I want to argue it had no impact on the result. The reason is that while this explanation obviously has some merit (if only in terms of what rhetoric was used, as in reality SNP and Labour spending plans were very similar) it can only be a small part of a story that includes all the material and historical factors I have mentioned. Labour may win some votes back in Scotland by taking a stronger anti-austerity stance than the SNP but it can't make the independence issue, nor the leadership issue, go away; nor the fact that the 2010 general election is the only election in which Scottish Labour has got more than 32% of the vote since 2005.
This is backed up by more recent evidence: the BES has found that the top reason for formerly-Labour Yes voters voting SNP was because they were convinced that they would be personally better off from independence. They have found that yes, 90% of anti-austerity Labour Yes voters swapped to the SNP, but so did 90% of pro-austerity Labour Yes voters. That is Labour Yes voters who thought austerity was necessary or good for the economy were just as likely to swap to the SNP as those who strongly opposed austerity, and in both cases basically all of them did swap to the SNP. (10)
So we come to the argument made by many of Jeremy Corbyn's supporters that if an anti-austerity message led to an SNP landslide in Scotland it could do in England. The simple answer is no it couldn't, because anti-austerity alone could never have produced a landslide even in Scotland without all these other factors, of which the single most important was certainly the two year independence campaign.
The SNP won because they managed to combine fiercely patriotic nationalism with being an economically respectable centre-left party with a charismatic, trusted leader in a country that has lent left and nationalist for decades. In Scotland the Conservatives and UKIP got 16.5% of the vote between them in 2015, almost exactly what they got in 2010. In England & Wales in 2015 they got 54% of the vote. The situation is not comparable.
Jeremy Corbyn may be many things, but a charismatic, economically respectable, fiercely patriotic nationalist he is not. If Jeremy Corbyn does produce a popular uprising in England and Wales (or Scotland) by some miracle, it will be for totally different reasons to those for SNP success in Scotland in May 2015.
(1) http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/9437
(2) http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/historical-polls/voting-intention-1992-1997
(3) http://news.sky.com/story/1458990/sturgeon-help-me-lock-cameron-out-of-no-10
(4) http://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/7726
(6) http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/scotland-prefers-miliband-to-cameron-5466640
(7) http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/no-members-no-money-why-going-it-alone-more-difficult-route-scottish-labour-you
(8) http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2008/oct/snp-welcomes-15000th-member
(9) http://labourlist.org/2015/02/scottish-labour-is-going-down-in-flames-and-taking-milibands-chance-of-a-majority-with-them/
(10) http://www.tribunemagazine.org/2015/08/referendum-lost-it-for-labour-in-scotland/
11 Comments Already
Mike - August 22nd, 2015 at 12:30 pm none Comment author #131246 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
If the present day Support for the SNP was distributed throughout the voting constituencies of England they would all vote for Jeremy Corbyn but only if they believed he would walk the walk of his talk and promises.
And there would be no contradiction because Scottish Independence is not an issue one can vote for or on within any English constituency and there is no SNP competition.
England doesn't need Independence from the Parliament it itself controls as the overwhelming majority constituent member.
Its only the minority members who need and would benefit from their self determination away from minority under Parliamentary representation within Westminster.
We are all Nationalists. We all hold and recognise our Birth certificates and passports as evidence of our acceptance of the ideal of Nationality and its distinction. This ludicrous form of attack on those Nationalists who support the idea of Parliamentary self determination for Scotland by Nationalists who don't on the grounds of Nationalism has to stop if you want to prevent further hemorrhage to your credibility.
If you cant find a legitimate way to show conviction in favour of your own cause don't go out of your way to advertise the problem by foolishly attacking your opponent by highlighting their legitimate convictions for theirs.
Will - August 22nd, 2015 at 12:51 pm none Comment author #131247 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
Stephen, I enjoyed reading your article it was very interesting, In my view Jeremy Corbyn might do well in England on a platform of fighting austerity however there is more to it than that in Scotland.
The only time that the SNP may be beaten will be in a post Independent Scotland until then normal rules of politics have be suspended, the SNP can do no wrong newspapers, polls, media can criticise and highlight whatever the SNP are doing good or bad it does not matter because the people are supporting something bigger than politics and any political party which is a cause and that cause is the inevitable Scottish Independence and supporting the SNP is their ways and means to getting to Scottish Independence.
On the subject of charismatic leaders without appearing rude I don't think Kezia Dugdale has much charisma a bit of a sourpuss if you ask me, maybe the odd smile now and again would not do any harm, I suppose with all the internal plotting in The Scottish Labour Party and the thought of getting hammered in next years Scottish Parliment elections it is not conducive to a happy atmosphere and it is possible that Kezia may lose her seat in the election.
Stewart Dredge - August 22nd, 2015 at 4:00 pm none Comment author #131251 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
"Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England?" To do that he'd have to defeat a right-wing Labour Party, establishment media bias and lies and Project Fear. Good luck, Jeremy.
Frances Lasok - August 22nd, 2015 at 9:17 pm none Comment author #131253 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
Really good analysis, hope to hear more from you!
I've never been convinced that Scottish people are naturally more left-wing, they have just been voting in anyone who is not the Tories (hence Lib Dem presence as well).
Long term incumbency is a really, really bad thing for any party: people get complacent and bad people get into power. The SNP offered the first credible alternative to Labour and so they won. It will be interesting to see what happens when the new party gloss wears off…
gavin - August 22nd, 2015 at 9:24 pm none Comment author #131254 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
While I agree with much of this, I should point out there is no "fiercely patriotic nationalism" in Scotland, certainly not since WW1, and that was British Nationalism, which cost Scotland dear.
I have thought for many years, that votes for firstly Labour, then the SNP, have been largely of a defensive nature.
Labour had it made in Scotland. Firstly overcoming Liberalism, then, in the later20th century, the previously dominant Tories, they had nearly total command of all levels of democracy.
So what could possibly go wrong?
Well,……everything, apparently. Anyone who lived in a community dominated by Labour will be aware of the petty corruption that went on……,and worse.
Scottish journalism, long a strong point of Scottish democracy, largely declined from the 70's( my estimate) onwards, allowing Labour to wallow in self satisfaction.
When the Tories imploded, they lost, not to Labour, but to the SNP, allowing them a foothold to expound their views—–Labour stupidly dubbing them Tartan Tories, missing their rhetoric entirely.
Labour gaining power, yet doing nothing for their electorate in Scotland— no new car plants here—indeed sneering at any political desire for growth in Scotland's economy.
Labour became the Bourbons of Scotland— imperious, impervious to criticism, and denying the truths of history.
Graham - August 24th, 2015 at 12:26 am none Comment author #131262 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
Sadly for labour voters in the safest seats it became a tragedy.
Whole communities devoid of work, town centres that became concrete block ghost towns.
MPs elected for 20/30 years and nothing happened.
When the local buroo is the biggest employer followed by a supermarket decades later you have problems.
Better Together was the shortest political suicide note in Scottish Labour history.
Let's see how Labour south of the border handle a possible exit from Europe.
Bet it doesn't cost them one seat at Westminster.
Stephen W - August 24th, 2015 at 11:52 am none Comment author #131267 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
I am not a partisan for Labour or the SNP, more of an observer trying to lay out the facts as they appear to me. There is a generally accepted difference between patriotism and nationalism though. Patriotism is inclusive to other levels of loyalty, nationalism is exclusive. One can be a proud Scottish patriot and British patriot and European. One cannot be a proud British Nationalist and Scottish Nationalist because they mutually exclude one another. This is generally regarded as making Nationalism more dangerous than patriotism.
Frankly, one could also consider that Great Britain as an island makes a more natural division of government on the basis of sheer geography than the entirely arbitrary mediaeval border between England and Scotland that the SNP want to resurrect.
This doesn't mean the pro-Independence side are wrong, but there are clear and simple arguments for the Union that don't depend on 'British Nationalism'.
Gavin,
I'm pretty sure there is fiercely patriotic nationalism in the SNP (which is what I meant). How would you describe them?
gavin - August 24th, 2015 at 7:38 pm none Comment author #131278 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
Stephen, I do not doubt there is an element of "fiercely patriotic nationalism" within the SNP, but no more so than exists as "fiercely patriotic nationalism" within British political Parties.
Indeed I think the British nationalism is more akin to the kind of nationalism which sees itself as exceptional and somehow superior in nature.
Thankfully Scottish and British nationalism is mostly inoculous and non threatening, though the fracas in George Square was frightening and disgracefully dismissed by much of the media.
Really? The Conservatives and UKIP are keen patriots but Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens come across to me as more ashamed of appearing even vaguely patriotic, and vaguely suspicious of anyone who does as much as put an England flag outside their home.
I don't think it can be compared to the degree the SNP and Independence movement wrap themselves in the Saltire. The accusations that everyone criticising SNP plans is 'doing down Scotland', etc certainly have no comparison in other theoretically 'centre-left' parties in the UK.
Good answer Stephen, but no coconut, I'm afraid.
Lets start with the simple stuff, just to set the scene. The only political party I have ever been a member of is Labour. But that was a while ago. I have voted for three different parties in my 45 years of voting( voting age being 21 then ). I suspect I am not so different from most Scots.
Flags. Do you live in Scotland? If you do, then you will be aware of the comical "concerns" expressed over the years by Labour and the Lib Dems( leaving our Tory chums out for a minute) about flags. How high each one should be flown in relation to the other on Government buildings—the SNP "stealing" the Saltire, people like Gordon Brown not being Scottish but North British etc.
This is not to mention the penchant for Westminster politicians of ALL shades to have a Union Jack or two straight behind them when on camera.
The "doing down Scotland" mantra is equally matched by the "picking a fight with London/England" mantra.
Both stupid. Both done to death, but only one is picked up on. Wonder which one that would be?
Graham Niven - August 26th, 2015 at 8:05 pm none Comment author #131317 on Could Jeremy Corbyn repeat the SNP's success in England? by Labour Hame
Interesting analysis of voting history in Scotland, but as we all know, Scotland is not England.
The real question to be asked is can Jeremy Corbyn offer something worth voting for to the millions of people who don't vote.
At the 2015 election more people didn't vote than voted labour.
Consequently there are millions of voters for Jeremy to enthuse and this is how he could win the next westminster election.
If Jeremy does not become leader the labour party is finished.
Sorry, comments are close for this post
« We must find unity after strife
Dugdale off to a good start »


Library details: Kvibille bibliotek is a Public library.
This library is affiliated with Halmstad stadsbibliotek (view map) .
Record History: This listing was created on Mar 29, 2010 and was last modified on Dec 10, 2018.


A few weeks ago, Dave and I had the opportunity to hear Avi Schonbrun speak at a local event. His name may not be one you recognize, but his story is pretty amazing. Schonbrun was one of only four out of 662 Cantor Fitzgerald employees who were present in the World Trade Center on September 11th who survived. He was actually the only one out of the 662 who escaped absolutely unharmed – the other three survivors were badly burned. Schonbrun described to us his escape from the building with a co-worker who had been burned by a ball of fire in the elevator shaft which occurred when the first plane hit the tower they were in. Together they made their way down 78 flights of stairs and out of the building, each depending on the other for support.
Schonbrun went into detail about all the little things that occurred that actually saved him that day. First and foremost, he was late to work because his son needed help with placing a book order. His son forgot to bring home his book order on Friday after school, and instead brought it home on Monday. Since they hadn't worked on the order on Monday night, they had to complete it Tuesday morning. Because of this, Schonbrun was on the 78th floor, rather than at the very top, when the plane hit the building. He feels that God was looking out for him that day. And I wonder – was God looking out for the 1000s of people who died that day?
Listening to Schonbrun brought me right back to that day. He described the weather – it was beautiful outside, clear and sunny, not a cloud to be seen. He also mentioned the fact that Rosh Hashanah was exactly a week after September 11th that year. I clearly remember sitting at the table on Rosh Hashanah, still in shock from what had occurred just one week earlier. That day, and the days after, it seemed like the world had stopped. The bright blue sky echoed with silence. At the time, I lived in New Jersey and attended school in New York City. Did the world stand still in other parts of the country too? What was it like that day where you lived?
This post is part of the Blogelina Commentathon. Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to hearing from you! I reply to comments via email – if you don't have your email attached to your blogger profile, please leave it in your comment!


text:
Cross-country races to triumph at James Madison Invitational
September 26, 2016 / no comments / 2676 views
"George Mason University men's cross country team competes in the 2014 George Mason University Invitational at the Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Va. on October 4, 2014. Photo by Craig Bisacre/Creative Services/George Mason University."
BY JAMES STEMPLE, STAFF WRITER
George Mason's cross-country teams secured first and third place during the James Madison Invitational on Sept. 10.
The men secured first place, winning their first title of the year, and the women narrowly came in third.
The men's race, just barely shorter than the standard 8K (about 5 miles), had only four teams (including Mason) compete, with Mason being the only school that is in the Atlantic 10 Conference, or A-10. The other three were Virginia Military Institute, Longwood University and Christendom College.
"George Mason University women's cross country team competes in the 2014 George Mason University Invitational at the Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Va. on October 4, 2014. Photo by Craig Bisacre/Creative Services/George Mason University."
On the women's side, which ran a 5.2K (about 3 miles), those same schools participated with the addition of VCU, another A-10 team, and JMU.
Despite temperatures moving well into the 90's with high humidity that day, the men's team managed to stick closely together in their 7.9K (about five miles). The top five runners from Mason ranked within the top 10 places.
Distance runner Adam LaFemina finished first for Mason and third overall, coming in with a time of 26:36.7. Brent Coulter (26:47.5) placed fourth, Grayson Morgan (26:56.4) placed sixth, Dustin Jutras (27:00.6) placed eighth, and Luke Sharkey (27.18.4) placed tenth, rounding out their low score of 27.
LaFemina said that "our first three meets of the year," referencing the fact that this is the second meet of the season, "are usually pretty low key, [we] work together as a team."
"Towards the end of the season, we really test ourselves at the meet before conferences and the A-10's."
Meanwhile, the women finished third in their 5.2k race (about 3 miles).
Distance runner Ciara Donohue placed second overall with a time of 19:30.2, just two seconds shy of the first place finisher, Carol Strock, who competed for JMU.
Amber Hawkins (21:21.4) finished fifth, Kyla Carte (21:21.4, 22nd), Sarah Richart (21:35.7, 26th) and Khalilah Hammer (25:44.5, 28th) rounded out the women's top 5 with a score of 68 points.
Both the women's and men's team have a few weeks in between their next meet, yet both will be hard at work training and preparing for the A-10 Conference Championships, which will begin on October 29.
"The next two or three weeks we're going to be training really hard to prepare for the A-10's and regionals," LaFemina said.
The training, which includes workouts at their future meet locations such as Oatlands Plantation, is rigorous but seen as necessary.
Oatlands Plantation, located in Leesburg, Virginia, will be the site of the Mason Invitational, a track meet that will be hosted by Mason on Oct. 1.
"Sometimes, it's about 12,000 meters worth of work," Brent Coulter said about hard workouts. "We do a workout [at Oatlands] at least a couple weeks before the actual race."
The team is optimistic that the hard training will pay off come 28 days later, when the A-10 Conference Championships begin.
"Whether we [win] or not," Coulter said, "you can't really worry about it too much. But looking forward to it, the goal is always to win."
The efforts of the men's team have been a response to their finish at last year's A-10's, where they finished 12th.
Now, they look to repeat their success from the James Madison Invitational and carry their momentum into the playoffs.
LaFemina said that "individually, and as a team, we're going to do well. We're all in better shape, and based off our past workouts, we definitely will move forward as a team."
The Mason Invitational is just one of two meets that remain on the schedule before the A-10 Conference Championships begins. The other is the Wake Forest Invitational held in North Carolina on Oct. 14.
mxc Sports wxc
About jstempl2
View all posts by jstempl2 →
Club Sport of the Week: Football
Meet Darrell Green, Mason's Associate Athletics Director
PATRIOTS ARE VICTORIOUS FOR FIRST HOME GAMES OF THE SEASON

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


One of the many things that developers love about FairCom's c-treeACE database engine is its flexibility. That flexibility, combined with its legendary speed, has resulted in c-treeACE being a high-performance database that is embedded in a wide-range of medical devices and manufacturing systems and a database trusted by some of the world's most recognized brands.
One of the companies that has benefited from the flexibility of c-treeACE is Rockwell Automation, who uses the database engine in its Studio 5000® Automation Engineering & Design Environment™, a software solution suite that allows users to design, build and maintain their industrial automation systems.
The latest FairCom success story details how the speed and flexibility of c-treeACE has played a key role in Rockwell Automation producing Studio 5000, one of the most reliable automation solutions on the market today.
You can download the success story, "Rockwell Automation meets customer requirements without sacrificing performance with c-treeACE," at FairCom.com/resources/success-story/rockwell-automation-ctreeace.
Other FairCom success stories are also available at FairCom.com/resources/success-stories.


text:
Computers in Homes helped whole family
Written by billd, March 27th, 2018
Just doing my bit. Linda Warburton now runs the Paraparaumu Transfer Station Shop
While we await reinstated funding announced in the Coalition Agreement, we continue our series of Computers in Homes stories.
Support son's learning was initial aim
Linda joined the Computers in Homes programme at Otaki College in February 2015. At that stage, she had a son at college and felt that although he was very competent and confident in using the computer, she wanted to upskill and support his learning.
Computer in Homes training increased skills, and confidence
Linda was working part-time at a store which sold second hand goods and knew that although she loved the work, it was not a sustainable income for her and she wanted to be able to find something that was.
"I loved the class. I was really nervous in the beginning as I felt like I didn't know much about computers, but Rachel the trainer was a great support and by the time we got to the third or fourth class I was feeling more confident."
Applying online no longer a problem
After completing the programme in May 2015, Linda found out about a position at the Paraparaumu Transfer Station taking care of the shop. She rang to find out more and said she was told to apply online. "I had never applied for a job online before and all I did was ask for the website to find the application information, I uploaded my CV and here I am today".
Linda has transformed the local transfer station shop. What once was a very over cluttered building is now spacious and very clean. She has enlisted the help her family to support her in her new role by volunteering their time and she brings vibrancy to the place that wasn't there before.
"huge difference to quality of life" for Linda and children
"To be honest doing that 20 week course and getting the internet on at home has made a huge difference to my quality of life and that of my children."
Linda was the first person in the class to ask for follow up classes. Unfortunately the Stepping UP programme had not yet started at Otaki library* but we look forward to that being a possibility in the near future. (* Stepping UP courses are now running at Otaki and other local libraries)
Ka pai Linda, you are an inspiration to us all.
Download full 2017 Computers in Homes half-year report (pdf, 3.8 MB)


Powys has been voted the happiest place in the UK, and is certainly a rural idyll complete with the usual benefits including beautiful scenery and low crime rates. The usual drawbacks, including limited rail and bus links and the time it takes to drive to schools and the shops, come alongside the benefits, but it doesn't seem to bother Powys residents - many of whom seem to have come in search of a different pace of life. Powys is a very large county, and it is the most sparsely populated in England and Wales, according to 2013 data, with most people living in villages and hamlets. With Snowdonia to the county's north, the Cambrian Mountains to the west, and the Brecon Beacons to the south and may attractions in between, Powys is a very beautiful place to live.


Today, the Colorado Springs Business Journal released an article outlining the relationship between the town of Green Mountain Falls and Christian Keesee, chairman of Kirkpatrick Bank and Kirkpatrick Oil Co.
The last several years, we've covered one of Keesee's donations to the town, the Green Box Arts Festival, in which artists, performers, musicians and the like gather to install artwork, perform and give classes. Sadly, this year's fest was canceled due to the Waldo Canyon Fire.
In happier news, Keesee is planning to bring a piece from his personal art collection to GMF next summer. The installation, called "Cloud City" by Tomás Saraceno, is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Visitors walk through a series of geometric modules outfitted with mirrors, glass and other reflective materials to showcase the city skyline (watch a slideshow of its installation here). One can imagine it's something akin to Anish Kapoor's "Cloud Gate," Chicago's "silver bean" sculpture in Millenium Park that lovingly reflects the skyscrapers.
Thus, "Cloud City" could mean a lot of attention for GMF. As the CSBJ piece goes, "Cloud City could bring thousands of visitors to Green Mountain Falls, [Chris Frandina, town clerk and treasurer] said. No one, she added, is nervous about the quiet town being discovered."
Keesee has invested even more in the town through his foundation, converting dilapidated parts into functioning ventures, including hotels, artist studios and even purchasing open space to preserve the trail system there. Read more about it, and Keesee, here.


A women! A third! We're taking Sandra to go.
The morning with Gary and Marilyn was peppered with friendly conversation, black coffeee, eggs and English muffins (toasters: just one of those things you don't realize you'll miss). We set off at 9:30 and almost immediately entered the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, tree trunks thin, lithe and healthy, every bit of dirt right up to the asphalt a bright, deep green.
The tow path ran ten miles and dropped us straight into downtown Akron. Rachel had tried to remind me earlier, but I'd forgotten how proximal your mortality becomes riding through a city. Right there: with the semis banging to your left, the curb to your right, a four-inch pot hole straight in front.
Picked up groceries and chocolate granola. Dinner: black beans, tofu, coconut milk, peanut butter, cayenne pepper.
We finally escaped the city/subsequent suburbs after fifteen some-odd miles, took lunch on the raised stone bed of a church sign. The stones were not cemented together. I fell off.
I detoured for a quick gatorade, and then Google freaked out and took me on this wiggly route through the middle of Ohioan farmland, all short, steep hills, absent the Midwest flat. And then, just passed this big historic barn, the first two: a deep throaty bark and then I'm being chased by two dogs up an absurd grade. This is followed five more times by five more sets or single dogs, barkin' and growlin' me off public roads.
By the time I arrived at the base of the hill that would take me up to the campground, my adrenaline glands were drained of every bit of flight (turns out I'm not a fighter). And that hill, I don't know what it was except for straight up and for the first time on the whole trip, I had to dismount and walk my bike up. That was rough -- even after 2800 miles, I didn't have enough built, enough left, to pedal up to the top.
When I arrived at the campground though, there were two bikes at the picnic table where Rachel was setting up camp. Two bikes! Sandra had arrived just before her. She's traveling solo from Chicago to New York, but the kicker's that she's going via DC. We'll be on the same route for a while. A third!


The retro styled look of Just 1 More Level is going away. I know, sad faces all around, honestly I preferred the modernized version that the site had a month ago. It was clean and crisp and just nice to look at. While the "retro" style was brought in to serve a purpose, I feel the change was un needed. Clarity on my part of what all the site can do is needed more. So starting tomorrow the modern look is back.
I'm also re-opening the cross writer promotion that worked so well in the past. Writers like Gambit and Barron brought their writing excellence to Just 1 More Level. Something that I want to bring back in full force. There is more to it that I'm excited to announce in the near future. All in an effort to bring out an article everyday.


text:
Building the Circular Bionutrient Economy
Poverty and Health Integrated Solutions (PHIS)
CCRP project team led by Cornell University's Professor Rebecca Nelson and members of the Nelson lab and Johannes Lehmann lab; off-campus site The Soil Factory (TSF)
Kenya and Tanzania
From household to global scales, linear nutrient flows damage soil health, people, and the environment. At the territorial level, nutrients flow from rural areas to towns and cities, depleting agricultural soils and polluting urban and aquatic environments. While farmers in low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya struggle to maintain soil health, they and their urban counterparts lack effective sanitation and waste management systems.
Population growth and urbanization drive the crisis. Formal waste management and sanitation systems don't serve the informal settlements in and around urban centers, contributing to declining food security, water pollution, and unhygienic environments. Food security is compromised by soil health deterioration and reduction in crop productivity and also by environmental enteropathy, a gut condition caused when people are exposed to contaminated water and food.
Fecal coliforms that pervade in the absence of sanitation systems dirty the water. Food is toxic when crop plants stressed by poor soil health aren't able to resist colonization by mycotoxigenic fungi. Conventional sanitation, waste management, and agriculture approaches are associated with high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
The above represents an opportunity to develop a circular bionutrient economy (CBE) at the nexus of agriculture, organic waste management, public health, and environmental integrity. Transforming polluting wastes into soil amendments and animal feeds contributes to the CCRP's effort toward agroecological transitions that make food systems more sustainable, equitable, and healthy. Agroecological principles related to circularity, recycling, efficiency, synergies, resilience, and co-creation and sharing of knowledge will thus be implemented as will FRN principles, especially those related to equity and networking.
A subset of circular economy (CE), the CBE follows the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping materials in use, and regenerating nature. The CBE will be strengthened through recovery of food waste resources before and after consumption as well as other available and/or troublesome organic resources in the Lake Victoria basin (water weeds, agro-industrial, and/or slaughterhouse byproducts, etc.). Contributions will be made to articulate and test operational and social principles that guide a transition from the current scenario (soil depletion, a taboo around human excreta, and tolerance for waste and pollution) to people regarding waste management as an opportunity to nourish soils and livestock and improve livelihoods.
The overall goal is to contribute to the agroecological transition in the Lake Victoria basin in eastern Africa and beyond by advancing the CBE.
Provide a strategic framework for CBE system in the Lake Victoria basin, taking a OneHealth perspective that includes systems analysis to understand soil, plant, human, and aquatic health interconnections and links with sanitation, waste and waste management, women and youth employment, food security and safety, etc.
Inform local work on "facilitated regional industrial symbiosis" through geospatial analysis to assess proximities and possibilities for combining underutilized resources.
Contextualize and co-create CBE-mediated waste transformation systems in the Lake Victoria basin.
Develop networks and pathways to impact to inform adaptation, innovation, and contextualized scaling.
Grant Aim 1
A strategic framework for CBE in the Lake Victoria basin developed; waste locations and potential utilization opportunities mapped
Framework and its development process enabling team and others to better understand system that connects sanitation, waste management, agriculture, human health, environmental, and aquatic health in the region, together with key regulatory and cultural issues
Publication of review/synthesis paper drawing on OneHealth concept
Team empowered to tackle key nodes of system to strategically advance broader CBE goal in region and beyond
Waste sources, quantities, uses, users, and exploitation opportunities in Lake Victoria basin established
Maps clarifying locations of waste sources and potential users
Hypotheses about credible ways in which waste flows improved to enhance food production, food security, water quality, and equity
Critical analysis of equity impacts of different scenarios: Who will benefit or lose from each possible scenario?
Black soldier fly (BSF)-mediated CBE-system prototyped, co-created, and contextualized in Lake Victoria basin
Participatory establishment of BSF waste transformation site creating ownership of CBE system; site providing a hub (nucleus) for evidence gathering
Experimental evidence on performance of agricultural enterprises (vegetable and poultry farming initially; fish farming later) with BSF-derived inputs (BSFF and BSFL) as well as stakeholder perceptions
Standard operating procedures for establishment and management of a CBE facility that supports development of waste-to-value enterprises around sanitation and waste management
Networks and pathways to impact necessary for contextualized scaling developed
Stakeholder categories and networks integral to validation and contextualized scaling of CBE system and evidence building—including FRNs, Manor House Agricultural Centre (MHAC), the Agriculture and Environment team of the Catholic Diocese of Homabay, Nyalenda Young Turks, and United Destiny Shapers—driving CBE system in region
Waste-to-value microenterprises that drive CBE system in place
Awareness of (and capacity for) agroecology and CBE in the region and beyond
Framework for innovation, adaptation, and contextualized scaling, including capacity building and network through hub


Incense sticks hold prime importance in religious activities, prayers, meditation and for concentration purposes. The aroma produced upon burning incense sticks makes one feel calm and remarkably reduces stress. Available in numerous floral, cosmetic, woody, oriental and fruity undertones, Moksh agarbattis are specially created keeping in mind the needs and requirements of millions of satisfied users.
A kind of mini havan, Dhoop purifies your place of prayer with its divine and fragrant smoke. It helps one to connect with the divine with its aroma and establishes greater peace and harmony within the devotee. Deeply rooted in the Indian culture, Dhoop forms an essential part of prayers and contributes significantly towards the cleansing of one's soul and mind.


Foamular is more commonly known for its superior ability to insulate commercial, industrial and residential properties. More recently Foamular has become more and more popular in the model making world. Its lightweight nature, compressive strength and ability to be carved and sculpted make the extruded polystyrene a perfect option. Foamular has already been used extensively in this industry and the trend is likely to continue, including model railways, model boats, surf boards, architectural modelling sculptures.
John Montgomery, a loyal Foamular customer, has been using the product for around 15 years and couldn't be happier. With around 40 years experience in the industry, he has become somewhat an expert in selecting the right material. He specialises in model railways and started out by using wood as the platform for the base of the layout. Foamular was quickly preferred and substituted with the wooden frame, its lightweight nature proving to be extremely advantageous during the manufacturing process. He says he 'started with Foamular in the mid 1990's and hasn't looked back since'. Impressed with its compressive strength 'braced right, and you can stand on it'.
John teamed up with friend Geoff Nott for their latest piece labelled the 'Charging Moose Model Railway'. The layout was constructed from start to finish in 9 months. Another layout assembled by the pair called 'Muskrat Ramble' is due to be sent over to the U.S and put on display in North Carolina in front of model making enthusiasts at a four day long convention. The display can be viewed from July 12-15 at the Baulkham Hills Council showground.
The application of Foamular in Green Roof Garden systems was the highlight topic at a seminar presented to the Australian Institute of Architects, Newcastle branch, on the evening of February 23.
Foamular Product Manager Mike Nagle addressed the environmental benefits of using Foamular insulation material in the application of Green Roof Gardens to ensure maximum energy efficiency in the systems. It was an informative presentation, as the gathered architects learnt why Foamular continues to grow and present itself as the chosen brand when it comes to Extruded Polystyrene Insulation.
With the government axing its disastrous home insulation scheme amid a spate of fires and deaths, many home owners are now realising their homes are potential death-traps.
Already just under 100 house fires are being blamed on the scheme and experts warn that as the nights get longer people will use their lights more and this number will soon balloon.
The majority of the fire danger comes from Downlights coming into contact with insulation or ceiling debris, channelled there from insulation. Many installers simply just cut around the downlights or worse, just laid insulation straight over them.
Foamular Extruded Polystyrene Contains 20% Recycled Content.
Foamular Extruded Polystyrene from Austech External Building Products is now guaranteed to contain a minimum of 20% recycled content in addition to its other green qualities.
The recycled content comes from post production waste. When making the board perfectly flat and trimming of excess product there can be large amounts of wasted produced which normally go straight to landfill.
Foamular now recycles that waste directly back into the product, limiting the waste sent to landfill, but also reducing the raw materials required to produce the product.
Foamular Extruded Polystyrene used to meet Part J Requirements.
In 2006 there was a fundamental change to the Building Code Of Australia (BCA), with the focus on reducing energy consumption in commercial buildings. This change has caused immense upheaval in the building industry because many traditional ways of construction no longer comply with the building code, so these have to be modified or no longer used.
Part J was introduced with the objective to " reduce greenhouse gas emissions by efficiently using energy". This meant insulation had to be increased in most newly constructed walls and roofs in order to comply with regulations.
Foamular Extruded Polystyrene is a ridged insulation board, with high R-values, high strength and high water-resistance. Foamular has been successfully utilized in a variety of projects, including the Jane Foss Russel Building at USYD, the CDOP4 Building in Brisbane and the Ice House Icerink in Docklands Melbourne.
Taronga Zoo uses Foamular Extruded Polystyrene to Insulate Heated Slab System.
Taronga Zoo is one of the world's most famous zoo's, showcasing an extensive array of animals and world class views, but with over 1,000,000 visitors last year, it was often a scramble to get everyone in and queue often stretch to the car park on weekends.
The Zoo is currently undergoing a massive restoration program on their main entrance to drastically reduce queue waiting times and give visitors a more interesting place to enter the zoo. The original iconic building is heritage listed, so the zoo has decided to expand the entrance and restore the original building to its former glory.
The new entrance will have a Hydronic Floor Heating System supplied and installed by ComfortHeat Floor Heating Systems. The system will keep the concrete floor slab at a constant temperature year round, reducing the need for other heating/cooling systems and keeping running costs down to a minimum.
Duratuff Select Vinyl Cladding has been chosen to feature on Better Homes and Gardens in a segment about instant house facelifts. The segment focuses on how homeowners can quickly and inexpensively improve their home while adding thousands to its value.
The Better Homes and Gardens production crew chose Duratuff because it represented exactly what they needed, a cost effective, good looking and low maintenance house cladding. One of the crew even had their own house re-clad with Duratuff a few years ago and insisted that it still looks like new.
Rob Palmer, the Better Homes and Gardens DIY host and builder, was especially impressed by Duratuff, describing it as "Botox for your home" because it doesn't age with time. Vinyl Cladding is designed to keep its colour and shape for a lifetime, with no cracking, peeling, chipping or re-painting, that's why Austech offers a 50 year product warranty on the whole range of Duratuff Vinyl Cladding.
Hi-Tech Homes have just finished building their latest Display home, the Waratah 1, a compact and stylish 1 bedroom home, ideal for use as a granny flat, holiday home or affordable housing. Duratuff Select Vinyl Cladding in Sage was chosen to clad the home and provide a maintenance free exterior.
Manufactured homes have been using Duratuff Vinyl Cladding extensively for a long period of time. It is a pre-finished product, meaning it never needs painting, sanding or maintenance and it's very quick for them to install. Vinyl cladding also transports very well, it is highly impact resistant and is designed to allow expansion and contractions, so movement during transportation poses no problems.
Duratuff Select Vinyl Cladding offers a 50 year product warranty, which is passed onto all Hi-tech customers, giving them assurance that their home will look like new for years to come.
Austech External Building Products has unveiled a new external display showcasing its range of Cultured Stone and Craft Stone wall cladding, as well as its new Screen In A Box product.
The new display features 11 different varieties and colours of stone as well as the different colours of Screen In A Box, including the Eurowood Finish. The display is located outside Austech's Blacktown office, so it can be viewed outside office hours by anyone interested in the product. With the display outside, it is exposed to all the elements, so you can see just how well the stone weathers.
Normally stone is displayed on many small portable boards, but Austech wanted to re-invent the way stone is displayed by creating large fixed displays that can truly demonstrate what the finished product will look like. Every sample is at lease 1m², making it much easier to see each unique stone and envisage it in your next project.
A Central Coast couple recently decided to clad over their brick home with Duratuff Viny Wall Cladding, an unusual but smart choice that has breathed life into this once old and dark home.
The house had old and dull bricks that made it look tired and uninviting. The owners were told to render it, but they knew render was very expensive and high maintenance. They were also instructed to just paint the brick, but they didn't want to be locked into years of peeling paint and repainting.
After much deliberation, they chose Cladding & Re-Roofing Pty Ltd to install Duratuff Select Vinyl Wall Cladding to cover their entire house, and chose the colour 'Heather', a soft gray that complimented their existing Colorbond fence. Cladding & Re-Roofing Pty Ltd was also able to provide them with the Dulux colour matched colour for their cladding, so they could paint the remaining footings to match the cladding.
Austech Launches A New Range Of Extruded Polystyrene Insulation With Zero Ozone Depletion Potential.
Extruded Polystyrene has impressive thermal properties and superior compressive strength. Polyboard Enviro 300 50mm has an R-value of R1.56 and 75mm has an R-Value of R2.34, making it superior to other forms of insulation, including EPS. It also has a minimum compressive strength of 300kPa, so it can go under slabs and can be walked over easily. Extruded Polystyrene absorbs no water, so it maintains its high thermal performance over a long period of time.
Zero ODP insulation is made by using a blowing agent that has Zero Ozone depletion potential. There are multiple blowing agents that protect the ozone, but some have high global warming potential (GWP). HFC-134a has a global warming potential of 1300, causing considerable damage to the environment. Polyboard Enviro 300 uses a C02 blowing agent, which is the most environmentally friendly option, with a Global Warming Potential of only 1 *. Always make sure you are purchasing Zero ODP insulation with a CO2 blowing agent to avoid environmental damage.
With the demise of the Federal Government's $3.9 Billion Energy Efficient Homes Program came the revelation that as many as 1.1 million Australian homes may be in danger of hazardous installation practices that have already caused countless house fires.
The government will be inspecting some of the homes insulated under the scheme, but this will take months and many won't be inspected, so what can you do to check if your home is safe now?
The government has now approved the use of Austech's Isolite Downlight Guards on insulation installed under the insulation rebate. Isolite downlights guards can be included in the $1200 quote, effectively making them free for homeowners.
The $1200 insulation rebate is designed to insulate 2.9 million Australian homes and reduce the impact of heating homes on the environment. The original plan received criticism for not taking into consideration the wide spread use of downlights and their incompatibility with many forms of insulation, but Isolite Downlight guards let installers bypass this problem.
The current standards for insulation installation require a minimum insulation clearance of 200mm around and above all downlights. Insulation is only as effective as the weakest point, so large clearance holes render the insulation almost useless, but when Isolite guards are installed, insulation can be placed next to the guard, vastly improving thermal efficiency.
Craft Stone is a product that has to be seen to be believed. It combines the look and feel of real stone with the cost and simplicity of man-made stone, making it one of the fastest growing stone products in Australia. Austech has partnered with stone and tile suppliers all over NSW to make it easier for customers to get access to this innovative product.
Craft Stone is manmade stone, individually cast from thousands of moulds to give a natural stone look, without the need for extensive structural work. Craft Stone is ideal for feature walls, pillars, fireplaces, retaining walls and anywhere else you would use real stone.
There are many styles and colours in the Craft Stone range. This gives nearly endless design options, but also means you must carefully consider your choice to get the best results. Austech recommends you visit one the locations below to get a real feel of how your design could work.
Abroboard has been around for over 21 years and have made their name creating surfboard blanks. With increased overseas competition, Abroboard have expanded into model yachts, revolutionising the industry and embracing new technology. Abroboard's director, Graeme Smith, has been sailing for over 40 years, so he definitely knows what makes a good boat.
The physical properties that make Foamular an ideal material for model boat making are the same properties that make it ideal for insulation. Foamular is a closed-cell extruded polystyrene board, this means it does not absorb moisture and still holds its shape, even when wet. Foamular also has high compressive strength, so it isn't misshapen by the odd bump or scrape, hence your boat will look great for longer.
Creating model boats is surprisingly complex, with every model being created from a sheet of Foamular that is computer cut to create precision shaping down to the nearest mm. Foamular is uses because it's very easy to work with but maintains its ridged shape and lightweight properties long after completion.
With life getting busier, more and more of Austech's customers where making out of office hours enquiries and asking for products to be delivered to their home or office. Austech has created a new site specifically designed for home renovators and busy builders, who want the simplicity of online shopping.
Austech has branches in every Australian state, but with a country as large as Australia, not everyone can come and visit an office. Austech has already had enquiries from people in regional areas that are happy to finally have access to the same products as their city counterparts.
Austech Investigates The Differences Between Foamular Extruded Polystyrene & Expanded Polystyrene.
There is often a great deal of confusion between expanded (EPS) and extruded polystyrene(XPS), with many people assuming they are essentially the same, but in fact expanded and extruded polystyrene are very different products.
Firstly there is the manufacturing procedure involved in creating the product. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is made using small expandable beads that inflate with heat, and then are placed into a mould, where they expand to fit the shape. The expanded beads trap air, which gives expanded polystyrene its insulation properties, but also leaves it venerable to water absorption, reducing the insulations effectiveness over time.
Foamular Foil Faced Insulates Pharmaceutical Warehouse.
Foamular Extruded Polystyrene has been extensively used in the renovations of GlaxoSmithKline's Ermington warehouse.
GlaxoSmithKline produces consumer products for pharmacies and supermarkets, some of which must be stored below 25 ºC. In order to keep their factory cool and reduce cooling bills, 1100 m² of 50mm Foil Faced Foamular was installed in the roof.
Each year GlaxoSmithKline's Ermington plant produces more than 65 million packs of Panadol, 10 million bottles of paediatric liquids and 25 million tubes of toothpaste. They simply could not afford to shutdown or interrupt production and dispatch, so all Foamular installation was done at night while the factory was closed. Foamular is lightweight and easy to handle, which meant less scaffolding and support was needed, making it much easier to install and minimising the need to move items around the factory.
Foamular Insulates Green Roof Gardens.
Europe and the US have embraced green roof gardens, but Australia in many respects has fallen behind on the trend. Green roof gardens essentially replace ugly, inefficient flat concrete roofs with roof gardens that improve aesthetics, air quality, storm water management and the environment.
Green roof gardens provide good insulation on their own. You only have to step on a concrete path barefoot in the summer, then step onto the grass to feel the difference, but Foamular takes this one step further, combining high thermal properties with guaranteed performance.
Foamular provides the ideal insulation, since it not only has high R-values, but is moisture resistant. Green roof gardens obviously need water, so other insulation products would require extensive waterproofing, blowing out the budget. Foamular is not affected by moisture at all, and is even resistant to soil and bacteria, making it ideal for retrofits, where old buildings need to green up.
Austech's Western Australian branch is now stocking all of the most popular Foamular Extruded Polystyrene sizes that are currently available throughout the rest of Australia.


text:
struct TermLogExpectation {
  enum {
    EXPECT_GOTO       = LOG_GOTO,
    EXPECT_PRINT      = LOG_PRINT,
    EXPECT_ERASECH    = LOG_ERASECH,
    EXPECT_CLEAR      = LOG_CLEAR,
    EXPECT_SCROLLRECT = LOG_SCROLLRECT,
    EXPECT_SETPEN     = LOG_SETPEN,
  } type;
  int val[6];
  char *str;
  // These must match pen attr names
  int fg, bg, b, u, i, rv, strike, af;
};

#define GOTO(line,col) \
  &(struct TermLogExpectation){EXPECT_GOTO, .val = {line, col}}
#define PRINT(s) \
  &(struct TermLogExpectation){EXPECT_PRINT, .str = s}
#define ERASECH(count,moveend) \
  &(struct TermLogExpectation){EXPECT_ERASECH, .val = {count, moveend}}
#define CLEAR() \
  &(struct TermLogExpectation){EXPECT_CLEAR}
#define SCROLLRECT(top,left,lines,cols,downward,rightward) \
  &(struct TermLogExpectation){EXPECT_SCROLLRECT, .val = {top, left, lines, cols, downward, rightward}}
// IMPORTANT: set an expectation of this to expect the value 0 explicitly;
//   0 will be treated as unspecified
#define EXPECT_ZERO 0x100000
#define SETPEN(...) \
  &(struct TermLogExpectation){EXPECT_SETPEN, __VA_ARGS__}

TickitTerm *make_term(int lines, int cols);

void is_termlog(char *name, ...);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home CITIES UP assembly polls: Saini becomes third minister to resign in three days
UP assembly polls: Saini becomes third minister to resign in three days
News At Finger Tips
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued to suffer setbacks ahead of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly polls with Dharam Singh Saini becoming the third minister belonging to the Other Backward Castes (OBCs) to resign from the council of ministers in as many days. The development came even as the ruling party's top leaders in Delhi mulled over names for the assembly seats that will go to polls in the first phase on February 10.
Eleven lawmakers, including three OBC ministers, have resigned from the BJP since the schedule for the UP assembly polls was announced on January 8. The trend of resignations, primarily of OBC lawmakers from across the state, gained strength after labour minister Swami Prasad Maurya quit the Uttar Pradesh cabinet on January 11. The next day, environment minister Dara Singh Chauhan also resigned.
Ayush minister Dharam Singh Saini, a Swami Prasad Maurya loyalist and lawmaker from Nakur assembly seat in Saharanpur in western UP, was also spotted at the main opposition Samajwadi Party office, a stone's throw away from Swami Prasad Maurya's Kalidas Marg residence, currently the hub of all rebel activity in the BJP.
Like Swami Prasad Maurya and Dara Singh Chauhan, Saini, too, sent his resignation to governor Anandiben Patel.
"I came to meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on his invitation and assurance that backwards and dalits would get justice in the Samajwadi Party. I told him that I will consult Swami Prasad ji and will soon take a collective decision," Saini said.
After initially reaching out to them, the BJP has begun to hit out at the rebels.
While UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh described the resignations as a case of "vinash kaley viprit buddhi (pride comes before the fall)", UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev, an OBC leader himself, was more direct.
"Those who failed to get a ticket of the double engine BJP train are now being given ticket in black for the rickety van by Tipu Sultan," the UP BJP chief tweeted.
Along with chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Swatantra Dev and party's OBC face in UP, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya are in Delhi to mull over the names of candidates. The BJP, along with its pre-poll allies Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Nishad Party, could hold a joint press conference to declare the names of over 150 candidates on Friday, the day when Swami Prasad Maurya is expected to declare his next political strategy.
In Delhi, Keshav Prasad Mauarya said the BJP's central election committee discussed the names of candidates for 172 seats and exuded confidence of the party winning the UP assembly elections.
But the rebels appeared unfazed, with Swami Prasad Maurya terming the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh) and the BJP as "saanp' and naag (snakes)", while warning of more defections.
"Dekhte jaiye (keep watching)," said Dara Singh Chauhan, who in 2017 had won the Madhuban in east UP for the first time for the BJP. He was earlier with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
"At least 100 lawmakers would quit," said Mukesh Verma, the BJP lawmaker from Shikohabad assembly constituency of Firozabad as he along with Bidhuna MLA Vinay Shakya joined the growing list of rebels on Thursday.
While quitting the party, Mukesh Verma expressed solidarity with Swami Prasad Maurya.
Mentioning the neglect of backwards, Dalits and minorities as the reason for his resignation from the BJP, Verma said he would follow Maurya to decide his future course of action.
"Swami Prasad Maurya is our leader and we will decide the future course of action under his leadership," Mukesh Verma said.
Shikohabad in Firozabad district of western Uttar Pradesh goes to polls on February 10 in the first phase of the seven-round state assembly elections.
Mukesh Verma had joined the BJP in 2017 and won as the party candidate. In 2012, he had contested as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate and was the runner-up.
For his part, Dara Singh Chauhan, who had quit the cabinet on Wednesday, refuted the BJP charge that only those who were sure of missing out on the BJP ticket are looking elsewhere.
"I never have begged for a ticket. In fact, I never wanted to contest but was made to," he said, adding that he won the Madhuban seat for the first time for the BJP in 2017 UP polls.
Apart from them, yet another BJP lawmaker Bala Krishna Awasthi from Dhaurahara, a Brahmin dominated assembly constituency in Lakhimpur Kheri district, was also spotted at the Samajwadi Party office.
Later on Thursday evening, Awasthi, speaking to the media in Lucknow, made it clear about his leaving the BJP and joining the Samajwadi Party.
Awasthi mentioned neglect of his community, party workers and farmers, dominance of bureaucracy at the cost of elected MLA as the reasons for him switching sides. At the same time, he heaped praise on the SP chief.
Awasthi's eldest son Rajiv Awasthi, speaking over the phone, said his father would contest from Dhaurahra.
Bala Prasad Awasthi's move comes when the BJP is out to placate Brahmins, the key upper caste group for whom the party had recently set up a committee to connect with the community.
Amid the exodus, came a few denials too. Three BJP lawmakers and a minister have denied the buzz about them joining the rebel ranks with two of them even registering a police complaint against the "canard" of them leaving the party.
They include BJP MLA from Bhadohi Ravindra Tripathi and Bareilly lawmaker from Bithri Chainpur Rajesh Mishra. Both of them have approached the police seeking action against those spreading rumours about their quitting the party. A third, UP's cooperatives minister Mukut Bihari Verma also denied rumours about him being on the list of rebels.
"I am a die-hard RSS man who joined the BJP as part of the Sangh's advice and will remain in the party till I live," he said.
Political experts cautioned against reading too much into the pre-poll desertions.
"These aren't good optics, but how these play out in the election campaign is yet to be seen. Perception wise, it could be comforting for the opposition, though," said Irshad Ilmi, a political observer.
On Wednesday, the BJP inducted Naresh Saini, the Congress's OBC lawmaker from Saharanpur in western UP, who hails from the same community as Swami Prasad Maurya, three-time SP MLA Hari Om Yadav, and former SP lawmaker Dharampal Singh into the party.
The BJP lawmakers who have quit since model code came into effect on January 8 are: Dharam Singh Saini (OBC, minister) , Dara Singh Chauhan (OBC, minister), Swami Prasad Maurya (OBC, minister), Roshan Lal Verma (OBC), Bhagwati Sagar (OBC), Brijendra Prajapati (OBC), Vinay Shakya (OBC), Mukesh Verma (OBC), Avtar Singh Bhadana (OBC), Radha Krishna Sharma (Brahmin) and Bala Prasad Awasthi (Brahmin).
(With inputs from Hemendra Chaturvedi in Agra and Deo Kant Pandey in Lakhimpur Kheri)
Manish Chandra Pandey is a Lucknow-based assistant editor with Hindustan Times' political bureau in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Along with political reporting, he loves to write off beat/human interest stories that people connect with. Manish also covers departments. He feels he has a lot to learn not just from veterans but from the newcomers who make him realise that there is so much to unlearn
Saini
UP assembly polls
Previous articleAnwar El Ghazi joins Everton on loan from Aston Villa
Next articleAustralian man pleads guilty to anti-gay hate crime in murder of American who plunged from cliff in 1988
https://allnewsatfingertips.com
Maharashtra reports nearly 40K Covid-19 cases, officials say situation stabilising
Punjab polls: Eyeing Baba Bakala ticket, Youth Congress leader revolts against party nominee


Barristers often think that as they are not 'employed' they are not subject to 'normal' workplace rules of behaviour. They can often treat each other pretty badly as a result, and problems can quickly escalate. If you're in difficulty, don't be afraid to reach out for help or support.
Offering members of the profession, staff and members of chambers, employed barristers, pupils and Bar students confidential advice on any equality and diversity, parental leave or harassment issue.
Implementing the Equality and Diversity rules in the BSB Handbook.
Advising on making reasonable adjustments and making Chambers accessible to people with disabilities.
For self-employed barristers, there is detailed information on the equality and diversity standards to be set in Chambers in the BSB Handbook.
See in particular the Core Duty not to discriminate unlawfully against any person (CD8) and Rules rC12 and 28 which set out express rules on discrimination, which apply to all barristers, and Rules rC110-rC112 and the Guidance at gC140-gC152, which prescribe the equality and diversity policies to be pursued in Chambers. The BSB publishes excellent guidance and full supporting information on the BSB Handbook Equality Rules.
Rule rC110 places a personal obligation on all self-employed barristers, however they practise, and on the managers of BSB-authorised bodies, as well as on the entity itself, to take reasonable steps to ensure that they have appropriate policies which are enforced. Breaches must be appropriately punished.
As a minimum, your chambers must have a written statement of policy on equality and diversity, as well as policies dealing with anti-harassment, parental leave, flexible working and reasonable adjustments. It must appoint an Equality and Diversity Officer and Diversity Data Officer, conduct equality monitoring, and collect and publish diversity data. The BSB prescribes selection and recruitment procedures in their Fair Recruitment Guide.
The Bar Council's Equality and Diversity Helpline can offer assistance to those who feel they may have been treated unfairly, outside the scope of the rules.


text:
Le cinque variazioni (De fem benspænd) è un film del 2003 diretto da Lars von Trier.

Trama
Lars von Trier incontra il suo amico Jørgen Leth, regista di lunga data, e gli propone di girare cinque variazioni di un suo vecchio successo del passato, Det perfekte menneske (1967): ogni variazione, però, dovrà sottostare a ferree regole imposte da von Trier stesso. Jørgen Leth accetta di buon grado, ed anche se durante la lavorazione mostra sgomento per la difficoltà crescente delle regole, affronta la prova e lavora con lo stile di un regista consumato.

Il film
Le cinque variazioni (The 5 Obstructions è il titolo internazionale) nasconde, sotto la veste del documentario, sia un omaggio che Lars von Trier vuol fare all'amico regista Jørgen Leth, sia una discussione profonda sul significato di cinema e dell'essere regista.

Jørgen Leth, con la sua notevole carriera registica (40 film in 40 anni), rimane sempre distaccato e professionalmente impeccabile: affronta a cuor leggero le regole impostegli con perfidia crescente dall'amico von Trier. Ma quest'ultimo non lo fa per sadico divertimento, bensì per mettere in difficoltà se non proprio in imbarazzo l'amico regista.

Per von Trier il cinema è un'esperienza talmente catartica, che ha bisogno di regole ferree per potersi autodisciplinare (le regole che si vedono nel film ricordano molto il Dogma 95, una delle varie raccolte di regole che il regista ha creato nel corso degli anni). Leth invece affronta ogni film con grande professionalità ed un distacco che non va confuso con l'indifferenza. Leth non vuole "cadere" come vorrebbe von Trier, esperienza che, come dice proprio quest'ultimo, lascerebbe su di lui dei "segni" e gli permetterebbe di crescere.

Volendo operare una piccola generalizzazione, si potrebbe dire che Leth mette nei film ciò che gli piace, von Trier ciò che non gli piace, proprio per esorcizzarlo. Due visioni differenti ma confluenti di cinema, che trovano la massima espressione nelle varie discussioni che i due hanno nel corso del film.

Il film viene presentato al Toronto Film Festival l'11 settembre 2003, mentre la sua uscita ufficiale in Danimarca è del 7 novembre 2003; arriva in Italia il 9 gennaio 2004.

I due registi vengono candidati, senza vincere però, all'European Film Awards, mentre vincono il Fipresci Prize del Motovun Film Festival (festival croato).

Riconoscimenti
La rivista del British Film Institute Sight & Sound l'ha indicato fra i trenta film chiave del primo decennio del XXI secolo.
 Motovun Film Festival

Note

Voci correlate
Det perfekte menneske

Collegamenti esterni

Film ambientati in Danimarca
Film documentari sul cinema
Film diretti da Lars von Trier

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Royals are signing their stars to long term deals, keeping the World Champs together for several more runs. This would not have been possible a few years ago.
It's an Everything is Up To Date in Kansas City episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Mini-Sentinel pilot has created a distributed data system with over 125 million lives and nearly 350 million person-years of observation time. The pilot allows the FDA to use modular analytic programs to assess suspected safety signals quickly. The FDA convened a committee to assess the implications of such rapid assessments on subsequent analyses of the same product–outcome pair using the same data. The committee offers several non-binding recommendations based on the strength of the knowledge of the suspected association before running the analysis: signal generation (an analysis with no prior), signal refinement (an analysis with a weak or moderate prior), and signal evaluation (an analysis with a strong prior). The committee believes that modular programs (MPs) are most useful for signal refinement. If MPs are used for analyses with no or weak/moderate priors, the committee members generally agree that the data may be re-used if certain conditions are met. When there is a strong prior, the committee recommends that a protocol-based assessment be used; Mini-Sentinel data may be analyzed by MPs and re-used only under very uncommon circumstances. The committee agrees that any subsequent assessment of the same product–outcome pair that follows an MP analysis should not be interpreted as independent confirmation of the association, such as would be established via replication of the same product–outcome association in two different populations. Instead, the follow-up assessment should be interpreted as an analysis that has reduced insofar as possible systematic errors that may have been present or residual in the original MP analysis. The committee also discussed how this general framework may apply to two completed rapid assessments of dabigatran and bleeding risk and of olmesartan and celiac disease risk. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Latitude & Longitude: 35° 28' 25.5648", -76° 48' 36.6588"
"Anglican minister, born in Spain. Served parish, 1733-1744, in spite of difficulties inherent to life in colonial N.C."
In 1733, members of St. Thomas Parish persuaded John Garzia, who had traveled to America as a missionary under the auspices of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG), to come to North Carolina from Virginia and minister in Bath. Garzia was then one of only two ministers assigned to churches in the colony. The parish offered to pay his salary and he supervised construction on St. Thomas Church the following year. Garzia was, at times, the only recognized member of the church in North Carolina, at other times sharing responsibilities for the religious welfare of the entire colony with one other minister. His Spanish accent is said to have made his English difficult to understand.
Born in Spain around 1690, Garzia served as a Catholic priest in Cadiz until he fled to Ireland as a result of the Spanish Inquisition. Once in Dublin, Garzia converted to the Church of Ireland. As an Anglican, Garzia became a paid "priest catcher," informing authorities on ministers who continued to officiate at illegal Catholic mass services. A dutiful minister, Garzia served North Carolina parishioners by traveling great distances to deliver services, all with little or no compensation. A highlight of his ministry was delivery of a sermon to the Governor and Assembly in Edenton in 1734. His untimely death in 1744 was the result of a fall from his horse while enroute to minister to sick parishioners. His death left his wife destitute and creditors seized his property to settle his debts. The SPG provided his widow and three children a pension.
Seen as one of the most dedicated and successful of early SPG missionaries, Garzia overcame the obstacles of poor pay, reluctant parishioners separated by large distances, and rough terrain to serve the colony for eleven years, longer than other Anglican ministers up until that point. Committed to the betterment of his flock, Garzia sought to provide books to educate and offered to cover some expenses of the church from his salary. Still at St. Thomas Church are a number of artifacts acquired during his tenure, among them a silver chalice engraved with his name, two silver candelabra presented by King George II in 1740 when the church was consecrated, and the Queen Anne's bell, cast in 1732. Because Garzia's hardships were well-known to the SPG and others in England, the Society was reluctant to reply to requests for a replacement for Garzia—the longest serving, and arguably the first permanent minister, in the parish—until nearly ten years later with the arrival of Alexander Stewart.
William S. Powell, ed., Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, II, 281-282—sketch by Claiborne T. Smith Jr.