text:
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
They Wove for Horses: Diné Saddle Blankets opens at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture on March 25, 2012 and runs through August 8, 2013. The exhibition highlights both the textile-weaving proficiency of Diné weavers who produced complex saddle blankets for all occasions and the design skills of Diné silversmiths who created dazzling headstalls of silver and turquoise.
The saddle blankets on exhibit date from 1860 to 2002 and are arranged by weaving methods: tapestry weave; two-faced double weave; and twill weaves of diagonal, diamond, and herringbone patterns. By using a variety of warp and weft yarns—natural wool, cotton, angora mohair, unraveled bayeta, and Germantown—weavers added individuality to the everyday and fanciful tapestries they created for horses.
Horse trappings on exhibit reveal the great pride that Diné horsemen took in their horses and how they adorned them for ceremonial and social events. The Diné first learned how to manufacture saddles and bridles from neighboring cultures and their proficiency quickly surpassed that of their mentors. That devotion resonates still, as the horse remains a viable living force in Diné life today.
Early Saddle Blankets
Before saddle blankets, sheepskin or angora mohair hides were used as saddle pads and bedrolls. As the Diné acquired domesticated sheep from the Spanish, they began to weave saddle blankets, first in a tufted mohair style
In time, plain-weave tapestry blankets evolved into geometric motifs, and designs ranged from simple—as in banded patterns—to complex—as in the various twills and doubleand two-faced weaves.
Early nineteenth-century accounts indicate that bridles used by Diné horsemen at the time consisted of tanned leather embellished with silver ornaments. These likely were obtained from outside sources until silversmithing techniques became part of the Diné repertoire. Atsidi Sani (ca. 1830–ca. 1918) often is referred to as one of the first of the Diné to learn the trade, in the mid-nineteenth century. Soon after, the Diné surpassed their peers, becoming proficient in crafting and trading horse trappings, and renowned for creating elaborate harnesses with silver headstalls and bits.
When the Diné obtained handmade saddles, improvements again were fast to come. They replaced simple string cinches with elaborately hand-woven straps with designs as intricate as those on saddle blankets and throws. The cinches, whether woven before being attached to the cinch ring or woven on the ring from the start, often were of hand-spun and hand-plied yarn that would reduce chafing. For added comfort, hand-woven saddle blankets were devised to go under saddles and provide padding so that cinches could shift as horses navigated diverse terrain. Hand-woven saddle throws were more for show, basically fancy blankets placed over saddles for social events.
Early Diné Horse Culture
Before the arrival of the horse, foot travel was a constant challenge for the Diné and other tribes in the vast Southwest. When horses were introduced to the region by Spaniards, in the sixteenth or early seventeenth century, the lifestyle and culture of the Diné dramatically changed. Horses provided mobility and increased opportunities for hunting, trade, raiding, and advancement.
When Spanish colonizers retreated during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 they left behind thousands of Spanish-bred horses—primarily Spanish barbs—in the Rio Grande area. The Diné and other tribes increased their herds and, for men, owning horses meant added prestige, as well as an important means to better provide for and defend families or extended clan families.
The Diné honor the horse in traditional stories, songs, and ceremonies. And, the heritage of horsemanship continues to thrive on the reservation, alongside more recent interests, such as cowboying and rodeo. Today, the fruits of early innovations in the artistry of trappings, from bridles to blankets, are the very foundation of many Diné artists' livelihood.
Steve Cantrell, PR Manager
Located on Museum Hill™, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture shares the beautiful Milner Plaza with the Museum of International Folk Art. Here, Now and Always, a major permanent exhibition at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, combines the voices of living Native Americans with ancient and contemporary artifacts and interactive multimedia to tell the complex stories of the Southwest. The Buchsbaum Gallery displays ceramics from the region's pueblos. Five changing galleries present exhibits on subjects ranging from archaeological excavations to contemporary art. In addition, an outdoor sculpture garden offers rotating exhibits of works by Native American sculptors.
The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
Information for the Public
Location: The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is located on Museum Hill™, Camino Lejo off Old Santa Fe Trail.
Information: _PHONE_ or visit _URL_
Days/Times: Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the Museum is also open on Monday.
Admission: Adult single-museum admission is $6 for New Mexico residents, $9 for nonresidents; OR $15 for one-day pass to two museums of your choice (Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of International Folk Art, New Mexico Museum of Art, and Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum) OR $20 four-day pass to the four museums listed above. Youth 16 and under, Foundation Members, and New Mexico Veterans with 50% or more disability always free
Sundays: New Mexico residents with ID are admitted FREE, Students with ID receive a $1 discount. Wednesdays: New Mexico resident seniors (60+) with ID are free.
Field Trips: There is no charge for educational groups attending the museum with their instructor and/or adult chaperones. Contact the Tours office by phone at _PHONE_ or _PHONE_ to arrange class/group visits to the Museum.


text:
We all have a family. Even if not all of us are married or have children, many of us have siblings who do have children. We can create relationships with our nieces and nephews to become close to them, and to help our brothers and sisters with family difficulties. The Family: A Proclamation to the World states that, "Extended families should lend support when needed." Through the unique relationship that exists between aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews, there are many things that you can do to be a positive influence in your niece or nephew's life.
Why are the aunt and uncle relationships so unique?
For the most part, people can't choose whether or not to have a relationship with their parents. They grow up in the same house, they see each other and talk together daily, and they have an ongoing, hopefully positive relationship. Aunts and uncles have more freedom than parents in choosing to develop a relationship with a niece or nephew, and both must be interested in forming that bond. Aunts and uncles desiring to be close to their nieces and nephews can choose ways to interact with them that will strengthen their relationship (Langer & Ribarich, 2007). This suggests that you can create the kind of relationship that you want to have with your niece or nephew; there is no one pattern that you must follow. Another factor that distinguishes this relationship from other family ties is that it is less structured; there are many different roles that aunts and uncles can have, and to a certain extent they can choose which roles to cultivate.
A variety of roles
Role model. One of the most important roles for aunts and uncles is to be a role model. A role model is someone that influences our behavior just by us observing how they act. Aunts and uncles can influence their nieces and nephews just by what they do, without saying a word. Aunts can also show their nieces an example of what they may want to be. They can give examples of the roles of a career woman, a wife, a mom, and a productive citizen of society. If an aunt leads a different lifestyle than the child's mom, it can give the niece an alternate example of what she wants to do with her life (Ellingson & Sotirin, 2006).
One way that uncles can be a good role model is to show good examples of a masculine role (Milardo, 2010). They can teach their nephews that it is important to be kind to women and to help others. This can be particularly helpful if these children do not have a positive male figure in their home. It will benefit them to have a trusted adult to guide them rather than looking to their friends and the media.
Friend. As aunts and uncles do not have the responsibility of parenting, they can also be more of a friend with their nieces and nephews. An important quality that many nieces and nephews name in their parents' siblings is their ability to have fun. This friendship allows the aunts and nieces (or uncles and nephews) to be involved in common activities they enjoy, such as sports or shopping (Ellingson & Sotirin, 2006). Aunts can help foster enthusiasm in their favorite activities by sharing these interests with their nieces, which will help them to bond over those common interests. One important distinction between acting more like a parent and acting more like a friend is often reciprocity. Friends are more likely to give back to their friends with emotional support, advice, or suggestions. Milardo found that if you have this kind of relationship with your niece or nephew, they may be supporting you as you support them (2010).
Supplemental parents. One role that aunts and uncles often have that is very important is to act as supplemental parents. Aunts and uncles can be complementary to their siblings by providing additional support, to fill the needs that the parents are unable to take care of themselves. This can include providing another supportive adult that kids can go to, to do their hair before a school dance, or by helping to drive them to all the places they need to go. Uncles and aunts can also reinforce the ideas that parents are trying to teach, such as the importance of education or being kind to your siblings. Aunts and moms can collaborate on good parenting ideas for the child, and discuss parenting methods (Milardo, 2010). Through the aunt's unique relationship with her niece, she may have additional ideas for parenting to add to the mom's ideas.
Buffers between parents and children. Aunts and uncles can also act as intergenerational buffers. This means that they can help mediate the relationship between parent and child. Instead of siding with one or the other, uncles and aunts can help each family member to try and see the other's side of the argument (Milardo, 2010). Of course, you do not want to be constantly in the middle of their fights, but you can help soothe tensions that may exist between them.
There are also many other roles that you can take on; being a good listener, giving advice, providing unconditional support, or telling your nieces and nephews of their family history (Ellingson & Sotirin, 2006; Milardo, 2010). It's easy to get overwhelmed and to think that there's no way you can do all of these roles. The nice thing about being an aunt or uncle is that none of these roles are required; you can determine what you want to do. If you don't want to get in the middle of parents and children fighting, don't. If you want to play tennis with your niece, do! You can choose what roles and activities you have time for and are willing to do. Only you can determine what will be good for your relationship.
How to achieve a positive relationship with your nieces and nephews
Invest in the relationship. If you want to be close to your nieces and nephews, you need to take the first step and initiate contact. Children may feel too intimidated to talk to an adult, so you may need to make the first move if you want to become close to them (Milardo, 2010). Pashos and McBurney found that by proactively initiating a relationship with your niece or nephew, you are more likely to become close than if you wait for them to talk to you (2008). If you do choose to initiate a relationship, be committed to it. This will be a long relationship; you will always be their aunt or uncle (Milardo, 2010).
Keep in touch. According to the research by Milardo, social distance is more important than physical distance in relationships (2010). This means that living close to relatives does not guarantee closeness, and living far apart doesn't have to equal distance. Telephone calls, e-mail, webcams, and social networking sites can all be helpful in keeping touch with kin (Georgas et. al, 2001; Milardo, 2010). Some nieces and nephews may create blogs, or websites where they detail what is going on in their life|some families may find these helpful in keeping up-to-date on their family member's activities.
Provide emotional support. There are many ways to show emotional support. Many kids just need encouragement; you can encourage them to try out for the school play or the soccer team if they are nervous, or to try new things, or to be more positive (Ellingson & Sotirin, 2006). Milardo states in his research that you can also give advice through encouragement (2010). Knowing someone wants them to do well can motivate them. Continuity is an important part of this|being there when they need you is important (2010). It is more important that they know that they can depend on you if something happens, even if they don't actually need your support (Langer & Ribarich, 2007). Try to be understanding to what they are going through|you were a child once too (Milardo, 2010).
Enjoy common interests. When you find something in common that you both like, enjoy it together. If you both like rollerblading, take them to a rink and skate together. If they like movies, take them to the theater, just the two of you. When you enjoy spending time together, you are more likely to want to spend time together in the future. Your nieces and nephews should think of time with you as being fun, so try to think of fun things to do with them when they are around (2010). However, be careful not to interfere in their relationships with their parents. You don't want to replace the relationships of your nieces and nephews with their parents; you want to have your own unique relationship with them.
Strengthen family relationships. By keeping the extended family strong as a whole, you can become closer to your nieces and nephews. Family members become close if other family members are close. For instance, you will probably be closer to your nieces if you are closer to your sister, their mother. Your relationships with your siblings will have a big influence on your relationships with their children (2010). Parents can encourage their siblings and children to become close, if they want their sibling and child to have a good relationship. Aunts can support moms by reinforcing the teachings of the parents (2010). Don't encourage your nieces and nephews to disobey their parents; you want to teach them to respect their parents. If you don't respect your siblings, your nieces and nephews will learn not to respect them either

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Police are warning the public about a new electronic scam.
Police say that several people have received text messages, claiming to be from the Norfolk Fire Department. The text message reads:
"Norfolk Fire Dept. decided to lock your account. Resolve the situation now at _PHONE_."
Once the number is dialed, a computerized voice prompts the caller to enter a debit or ATM card number for verification of their account.
"Members of the Norfolk Fire-Rescue will never solicit community members' financial information, whether in text, email, phone or in person," stated Fire-Rescue Spokesman Battalion Chief Julian Williamson. "This includes requests for PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks, or other financial accounts."
When a scam or fraud is suspected, detectives encourage citizens to take the following precautions:
- Don't reply.
- Don't open any attachments. They can contain a virus or malicious code that may infect your computer or mobile phone.
- Don't click on any links. If you clicked on links in a suspicious text message and provided confidential information, contact your financial institution(s) immediately to help resolve any pending transactions or identity theft that may occur.
- Maintain as many details as possible about the suspicious communication and contact your local police department to report the scam. Details can include, but are not limited to, the verbiage of the suspicious text, caller information, or links provided.
- Delete the communication from your electronic device.
- Warn family, friends, and colleagues of the scam to help prevent fraud and identity theft.
Anyone who believes they may have fallen victim to fraud, is encouraged to contact the Norfolk Police Department's Economic Crimes Section at _PHONE_.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Georgia flag
Skills available for Georgia fourth-grade social studies standards
Show alignments for:
SS4H Historical Understandings
SS4G Geographic Understandings
SS4CG Government/Civic Understandings
 - SS4CG1 Describe the meaning of:
 - SS4CG1.a Natural rights as found in the Declaration of Independence (the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)
 - SS4CG1.b We the People from the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution as a reflection of consent of the governed or popular sovereignty
 - SS4CG1.c The federal system of government in the U.S. (federal powers, state powers, and shared powers)
 - SS4CG1.d Representative democracy/republic
 - SS4CG2 Explain the importance of freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
 - SS4CG3 Describe the structure of government and the Bill of Rights.
 - SS4CG3.a Describe how the three branches of government interact with each other (checks and balances and separation of powers), and how they relate to local, state, and federal government.
 - SS4CG3.b Identify and explain the rights in the Bill of Rights, describe how the Bill of Rights places limits on the powers of government, and explain the reasons for its inclusion in the Constitution in 1791.
SS4E Economic Understandings
 - SS4E1 Use the basic economic concepts of trade, opportunity cost, specialization, voluntary exchange, productivity, and price incentives to illustrate historical events.
 - SS4E1.a Describe opportunity cost and its relationship to decision-making across time (e.g., decisions to settle in the west).
 - SS4E1.b Explain how price incentives affect people's behavior and choices: decisions about what crops (e.g., cotton, and tobacco) to grow and products (e.g., textiles) to produce.
 - SS4E1.c Describe how specialization improves standards of living (e.g., differences in the economies in the North and South).
 - SS4E1.d Explain how voluntary exchange helps both buyers and sellers (e.g., Gold Rush mining towns).
 - SS4E1.e Describe how trade promotes economic activity (e.g., trade between the U.S. and Europe).
 - SS4E1.f Give examples of technological advancements and their impact on business productivity during the development of the United States (e.g., cotton gin, steamboat, steam locomotive, and telegraph).
 - SS4E2 Identify the elements of a personal budget (income, expenditures, and saving) and explain why personal spending and saving decisions are important.
Map and Globe Skills
Information Processing Skills


Scientists find metallic magnet with largest yet atomic displacement during thermal expansion
July 30, 2010 By Lisa Zyga feature
( -- Although most materials change shape in the presence of a magnetic field, the change is usually very small. In a new study, scientists have found that a certain magnet containing manganese experiences a change in the distance between two neighboring atoms of up to 2%, which is the largest ever found in a metallic magnet. Magnets with large magnetoelastic interactions - the mechanism that causes this change - play a crucial role in new materials that could be used in applications from sensors to refrigerants.
Alexander Barcza from the University of Cambridge and coauthors from ISIS and Imperial College London in the UK observed the giant magnetoelastic interactions in the material CoMnSi, which is a metallic antiferromagnet. The scientists also discovered that this magnet uses a new mechanism for achieving the large magnetoelastic effects, which involves competing exchange interactions among atoms.
"The usual mechanism [of magnetoelastic coupling], large spin-orbit coupling, is found mostly in rare earth-containing compounds, as the orbital angular momentum of rare earths is usually non-zero," physicist Karl Sandeman of Imperial College London told "So to be able to have a large magneto-elastic coupling in a transition metal-based system may be useful in terms of reducing the need to turn to rare earths for such effects. Rare earths, while not truly 'rare,' are already under increasing demand for their use in eco-friendly technologies that use batteries and permanent magnets."
The researchers could directly investigate this magnetoelastic effect on both the material's crystal and structure by using a technique called high-resolution neutron diffraction in combination with magnetic measurements. Their observations revealed that a change in applied magnetic field can cause the magnetism of the material to suddenly increase. This sudden increase in magnetism corresponds to a phase transition called metamagnetism.
The scientists showed that, in this case, the origin of the material's metamagnetism is a large magnetoelastic coupling among the material's atoms. The scientists observed what they describe as a "giant" change during heating of about 2% in the distances between manganese atoms. In addition, the researchers showed that the magnetoelastic coupling serves as a precursor to a metamagnetic tricritical point with enhanced shape change effects.
As the scientists explain, the large magnetoelastic coupling - and its resulting change in atomic separations - is driven by a competition between the exchange interactions of two different pairs of manganese atoms. Sandeman explained that, while the volume changes of the material are quite small overall, the shape change in certain directions is quite large. Specifically, textured materials show more shape change than other materials such as polycrystals, which tend to "average out" the changes.
"In a sense, competition is the theme here: the competition between different magnetic exchange leads to the presence of the magneto-elastic effect in the first place, as the system finds itself choosing between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic coupling of Mn atoms," Sandeman explained. "We also see a competition in the volume change, between the significant decrease in the length of one axis (the a-axis) with increasing temperature or magnetic field and the conventional, positive thermal expansion and swell in a magnetic field of the other two axes. The root of this is that, in zero field, the giant changes in Mn-Mn distances in our material compensate each other; and so the thermal expansion of the total volume of the material is actually quite small."
The discovery of a material with large atomic displacements during heating and shape changes in the presence of a magnetic field could have benefits in several areas, such as magnetic refrigerant materials and magnetostrictive materials, which respond to a change in and can therefore be used as sensors or actuators. Plus, the researchers note that it should be possible to engineer materials of different compositions that have the same large magnetoelastic effects.
"The focus of my group is on magnetocaloric materials, which employ a magnetic field-driven change of state to provide a cooling effect," Sandeman said. "This is derived from a solid state transition such as a Curie point or, in this case, a metamagnetic transition, but is analagous to the evaporation of a volatile liquid to form a gas in a conventional gas compression fridge. Magnetic refrigerants often have bigger cooling effects if the magnetic change of state occurs in harmony with some change in the crystal lattice. Hence the interest in magneto-elastic interactions."
Sandeman is also the co-founder of a magnetic refrigeration company called Camfridge that is incorporating solid state magnetic refrigerants (different from those in this study) for gas-free, high-efficiency room-temperature cooling. The company also co-sponsored Alexander Barcza's research. In partnership with Whirlpool, Camfridge announced that it will display a working magnetic cooling prototype during the London 2012 Olympics. More information is available here.
Explore further: Towards the magnetic fridge
More information: A. Barcza, et al. "Giant Magnetoelastic Coupling in a Metallic Helical Metamagnet." Physical Review Letters 104, 247202 (2010). DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.247202
Related Stories
Towards the magnetic fridge
April 21, 2006
Novel magnets made from the strongest known hydrogen bond
December 6, 2006
A team of scientists from the US, the UK and Germany has been the first to make a magnetic material constructed from nature's strongest known hydrogen bond. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for many of the properties of water...
Iron-nitrogen compound forms strongest magnet known
March 22, 2010
How shape-memory materials remember
April 26, 2010
Recommended for you
New surfaces delay ice formation
October 6, 2015
Adjust slider to filter visible comments by rank
Display comments: newest first
1.5 / 5 (8) Jul 30, 2010
Reminds me of the 4% discrepancy found in basic particle components as of recent. Whoops! where did that come from!
Never say never, all you engineering-minded blowhards! There's plenty or room left in your lives yet to be wrong (yet) again, in your steadfast belief that all science is settled and no physical constant, formula, or theory is even remotely capable of being outside of dogmatic permanence.
There is only one fact in existence..and that is....that 'there are no facts'. In essence, that is all we know about'reality', with regard to engaging any potential for permanence. All else is observation, theory and formula. Nothing is set in stone. I'm sorry... if your 'emotions' can't handle that, then you never should have chosen science - which is subject to change (at any moment).
(I wisely never miss a chance to slap the recalcitrant dogmatic types around -they sorely need it)
This material, subject to non-linear resonance interactions! Whoo-boy....!! (think!!)
1 / 5 (1) Jul 30, 2010
So what does this equate to in terms of volume displacement in a solid?
Wonder if it could be in some way adapted for power generation, either acoustically or by physical compression?
You seem to be hinting at some type of potential, so do tell, if you please.
3.7 / 5 (3) Aug 02, 2010
KBK got a bum wrap because he is confrontational with his verbiage. He is right though. Big bang is slowly getting challeneged and dark matter will go with it. Perfect example of what he is saying. We cant think in a box. If we did we would still be carrying a large piece of wood as our primary survival tool.
not rated yet Aug 06, 2010
A recent article here on Dipole Moment does provide crumbs....
1 / 5 (1) Aug 07, 2010
Forget that I asked. I was curious -not as you seem to assumemounting a new Inquisition.
Click here to reset your password.


Vermilion box
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The vermilion box is a hypothetical portable improvised line emulator.
Its function is to spoof not only caller ID but every other aspect of an incoming telephone call, including ringing and DC line voltage. Typically, the user physically disconnects the target line from the telephone network, connects the vermilion box, and then proceeds to create a completely bogus telephone call.
The vermilion box incorporates three more basic phreaking boxes: the magenta box, which generates the AC ringing signal required to make the target telephone ring; the orange box, which generates caller ID (although it is not a proper call-waiting caller ID orange box that is used but a modified orange box that generates on-hook (idle state) caller ID); and the beige box that is used to conduct the actual conversation. In addition, a DC power source is required to power the telephones on the target's line.
This is a very risky and stealth-intensive technique that requires the user to physically connect to the target line, anywhere between the premises of the target and the local exchange. However, properly applied, it will result in an incoming call to the target line that is completely indistinguishable from a genuine call and which cannot possibly be traced.
The vermilion box is named, following the tradition of naming phreaking boxes after colors, for a color (vermilion) that is similar to a combination of the color names of two of the component phreaking boxes from which this box is made: orange and magenta.
See also[edit]
 - Analog telephone adapter, a device which makes a Voice over IP connection appear to be a standard outside line. These boxes generate ringing voltage, DC line voltage, dial tone and caller ID to create one or two virtual telephone lines. In theory, a two-line adapter configured for ringdown (where taking one side off-hook causes the other to ring, displaying a pre-configured caller ID name or number) could serve as a line emulator, requiring only a handset and DC power source.
External links[edit]


Bob Bickler
How many times can I reuse my flash chromatography column?
November 21, 2019 at 3:40 PM / by Bob Bickler
Flash chromatography – a purification tool for both organic chemists and natural product researchers. This tool is essential when you need to remove impurities from your targeted product, or products, in order to get them pure. To reduce the costs associated with flash chromatography, some chemists try reusing the same column over and over, not always with success.
A question I am frequently asked is "how many times can I reuse my flash column?" Although I have previously addressed this topic, I feel it is worth another look. In this post, I will attempt to address this question by providing a bit more science behind the cartridge reuse question.
Column reuse is an issue of both economics and chemistry. With reversed-phase chromatography, column reuse is a given. Why, because the hydrophobic stationary phase is washable with organic solvents to remove highly retained contaminants and the columns can be stored in acetonitrile or methanol for long time periods. Though reversed-phase columns cost more than silica columns, their reusability soon pays for the cost difference.
But, what about reusing normal-phase flash columns? Well, normal-phase flash chromatography does pose some reuse challenges. Unlike reversed-phase columns, which come to you "deactivated", normal-phase columns packed with dry silica are "active".
So, what does active mean? Well, as you know, silica is a drying agent as well as a chromatography sorbent. Its active nature allows it to adsorb water, among other solvents.
Have you ever noticed how warm a new, dry silica column gets when solvent is introduced? This phenomena is the heat of adsorption and as more solvent is pumped through the column the heat dissipates as the silica becomes "deactivated".
However, solvent chemistry plays a role with the amount of deactivation taking place. Hydrocarbons such as hexane or heptane are very non-polar a do not generate nearly as much heat or deactivation as, say, ethyl acetate or an alcohol. Much of this stationary phase wetting exotherm has to do with solvent polarity, as you can imagine – and that is where the problems regarding reuse start.
The more polar the organic solvent, the more deactivated the silica becomes and the less likely it is to provide the same quality separation as previously achieved. As an example, I used two different brands of silica columns three consecutive times running a hexane-ethyl acetate gradient with a 5-component sample, Figure 1. The results show decreasing compound retention of the three most polar compounds along with decreased separation with each consecutive run with both brands. Brand R actually degraded enough by the third run that the third and fourth peaks co-elute!
Figure 1. When polar solvents are used in gradients with silica columns the silica becomes deactivated. Even with flushing with a weaker solvent silica activity cannot be restored resulting in continually decreased compound retention and separation.
Once silica deactivates, it is virtually impossible to reactivate it. No amount of washing with hexane or other solvent will remove the adsorbed polar solvent, regardless of its concentration.
Are there exceptions? Of course, including running isocratic methods and using solvents with low polarity, such as dichloromethane. Under these conditions it may be possible to re-use your silica column.
So, the answer to the original question - how many times can I reuse my flash column depends on the type of stationary phase and the solvents used. For practical purposes, to avoid potentially adding contaminants to subsequent normal-phase purification, use the silica column only once - its just good science.
For more information on flash chromatography tips and tricks, please download our white paper - Successful Flash Chromatography.
Read The White Paper
Topics: Chromatography Fundamentals, Sfär, Cost, Normal Phase
Bob Bickler
Written by Bob Bickler


text:
Preparation and Field Emission Characteristics of CNx Nanotubes Thin Film
Carbon nitride nanotubes (CN-NT) thin films were prepared on Ni-Cr coated glass substrate by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition at a relatively low temperature of 600～650 °C. The morphology of the films were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The microstructure of the film were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The characteristics of field emission of CN-NT thin films were measured. Experimental results indicate that the film structure and properties of the field electron emission are related to flow ratio of N2 to CH4. When the flow ratio of N2 to CH4 was 3.3, the obtained film had a better field electron emission characteristics. The turn-on field of the film was 3.7 V/µm . The current density was 413.3 µA/cm2 at an electric field of 8 V/µm.
Z.Y. Zhong, H. Saka, T.H. Kim, E.A. Holm, Y.F. Han and X.S. Xie
L. Zhang et al., "Preparation and Field Emission Characteristics of CNx Nanotubes Thin Film", Materials Science Forum, Vols. 475-479, pp. 3595-3598, 2005

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


text:
|European Robin in Toulouse, France.|
7-10, see text.
Summer Resident Winter
The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family (Turdidae), but is now considered to be a chat. Around 12.5–14.0 cm (5.0–5.5 in) in length, the male and female are similar in colouration, with an orange breast and face lined with grey, brown upperparts and a whitish belly. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in most of its range except the far north.
The term Robin is also applied to some birds in other families with red or orange breasts. These include the American Robin (Turdus migratorius), which is a thrush, and the Australian red robins of the genus Petroica, members of a family whose relationships are unclear.
Taxonomy and systematics
The European Robin was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, under the name of Motacilla rubecula. Its specific epithet rubecula is a diminutive derived from the Latin ruber'red'. The genus Erithacus was created by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1800, giving the bird its current binomial name of E. rubecula.
The distinctive orange breast of both sexes contributed to the European Robin's original name of redbreast (orange as the name of a colour was unknown in English until the sixteenth century, by which time the fruit of that name had been introduced). In the fifteenth century, when it became popular to give human names to familiar species, the bird came to be known as Robin redbreast, which was eventually shortened to Robin. Other older English names for the bird include Ruddock and Robinet. In American literature of the late 19th century, this robin was frequently called the English Robin. The Frisian robyntsje or robynderke is similar to the English name, while Dutch Roodborstje and French Rouge-gorge both refer to the distinctively coloured front.
The Robin belongs to a group of mainly insectivorous birds that have been variously assigned to the thrushes or "flycatchers", depending on how these groups were perceived taxonomically. Eventually, the flycatcher-thrush assemblage was re-analysed and the genus Erithacus assigned to a group of thrush-like true flycatchers, the tribe Saxicolini, that also includes the Common Nightingale and the Old World chats.
Two Eastern Palearctic species are usually placed in the genus Erithacus, the Japanese Robin (E. akahige) and the Ryūkyū Robin (E. komadori), the latter being a restricted-range island species. Biogeography and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data indicate that these might better be classified with some Far Eastern "nightingales", leaving only the European species in Erithacus.
In its large continental Eurasian range, Robins vary somewhat, but do not form discrete populations that might be considered subspecies. Thus, Robin subspecies are mainly distinguished by forming resident populations on islands and in mountainous areas. The Robin found in the British Isles and most of western Europe, Erithacus rubecula melophilus, also occurs as a vagrant in adjacent regions. E. r. witherbyi from Northwestern Africa, Corsica, and Sardinia closely resembles melophilus but for a shorter wing length. The northeasternmost birds, large and fairly washed-out in colour are E. r. tataricus. In the southeast of its range, E. r. valens of the Crimean Peninsula, E. r. caucasicus of the Caucasus and N Transcaucasia, and E. r. hyrcanus southeastwards into Iran are generally accepted as significantly distinct.
On Madeira and the Azores, the local population has been described as E. r. microrhynchos, and although not distinct in morphology, its isolation seems to suggests the subspecies is valid (but see below).
Canary Islands robin
The most distinct birds are those of Gran Canaria (E. r. marionae) and Tenerife (E. r. superbus), which may be considered two distinct species or at least two different subspecies. It is readily distinguished by a white eye-ring, an intensely coloured breast, and a grey line that separates the orange-red from the brown colouration. Its belly is entirely white.
While cytochrome b sequence data and vocalisations indicate that the Gran Canaria/Tenerife Robins are indeed very distinct and probably derived from colonisation by mainland birds some 2 million years ago. In addition, Gran Canaria and Tenerife birds are well distinct genetically between each other.
Christian Dietzen, Hans-Hinrich Witt and Michael Wink published in 2003 in Avian Science a study called "The phylogeographic differentiation of the European robin Erithacus rubecula on the Canary Islands revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data and morphometrics: evidence for a new robin taxon on Gran Canaria?". In it they concluded that Gran Canaria's Robin diverged genetically from their European relatives as far back as 2.3 million years, while the Tenerife ones took half a million years to make this leap, 1.8 million years ago. The reason would be a different colonization of the Canaries by this bird, which arrived to the oldest island first (Gran Canaria) and subsequently passed to the neighboring island (Tenerife).
A thorough comparison between marionae and superbus is pending to confirm that the first one is effectively a different subspecies. Initial results suggest that birds from Gran Canaria have wings about 10% shorter than those on Tenerife.
The west Canary Islands populations are younger (Middle Pleistocene) and only beginning to diverge genetically. Robins from the western Canary Islands: El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera (E. (r.) microrhynchus) are similar to the European (Erithacus rubecula).
Finally, the Robins which can be found in Fuerteventura are the European ones, which is not surprising as the species does not breed either in this island or in the nearby Lanzarote, they are wintering exemplaries or just passing through during their long migrations between Africa and Europe.
Other robins
The larger American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is named for its similarity to the European Robin, but the two birds are not closely related. The similarity lies largely in the orange chest patch in both species. This American species was incorrectly shown "feathering its nest" in London in the film Mary Poppins, but it only occurs in the UK as a very rare vagrant. Some South and Middle American Turdus thrushes are also named as robins such as the Rufous-collared Robin. The Australian "robin redbreast", more correctly the Scarlet Robin (Petroica multicolor), is more closely related to the crows and jays than it is to the European Robin. It belongs to the family Petroicidae, commonly called "Australasian robins". The Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) is sometimes named "Pekin Robin" by aviculturalists. Yet another group of Old World Flycatchers, this time from Africa and Asia is the genus Copsychus; its members are known as Magpie-robins, one of which, the Oriental Magpie Robin (C. saularis), is the national bird of Bangladesh.
The adult European Robin is 12.5–14.0 cm (5.0–5.5 in) long and weighs 16–22 g (9/16–13/16 oz), with a wingspan of 20–22 cm (8–9 in). The male and female bear similar plumage; an orange breast and face (more strongly coloured in the otherwise similar British subspecies E. r. mesophilus), lined by a bluish grey on the sides of the neck and chest. The upperparts are brownish, or olive-tinged in British birds, and the belly whitish, while the legs and feet are brown. The bill and eyes are black. Juveniles are a spotted brown and white in colouration, with patches of orange gradually appearing.
Distribution and habitat
The Robin occurs in Eurasia east to Western Siberia, south to Algeria and on the Atlantic islands as far west as the Azores and Madeira. It is not found in Iceland. In the south east, it reaches the Caucasus range. British Robins are largely resident but a small minority, usually female, migrate to southern Europe during winter, a few as far as Spain. Scandinavian and Russian Robins migrate to Britain and western Europe to escape the harsher winters. These migrants can be recognised by the greyer tone of the upper parts of their bodies and duller orange breast. The European Robin prefers spruce woods in northern Europe, contrasting with its preference for parks and gardens in the British Isles.
Attempts to introduce the European Robin into Australia and New Zealand in the latter part of the 19th century were unsuccessful. Birds were released around Melbourne, Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin by various local Acclimatisation


text:
|Noah Webster's Dictionary|
1. (p. p.) of Stave.
2. (v.) imp. of Stave.
3. (n.) A house or room artificially warmed or heated; a forcing house, or hothouse; a drying room; -- formerly, designating an artificially warmed dwelling or room, a parlor, or a bathroom, but now restricted, in this sense, to heated houses or rooms used for horticultural purposes or in the processes of the arts.
4. (n.) An apparatus, consisting essentially of a receptacle for fuel, made of iron, brick, stone, or tiles, and variously constructed, in which fire is made or kept for warming a room or a house, or for culinary or other purposes.
5. (v. t.) To keep warm, in a house or room, by artificial heat; as, to stove orange trees.
6. (v. t.) To heat or dry, as in a stove; as, to stove feathers.
Stove (4 Occurrences)
Exodus 17:2 Wherefore the people stove with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why strive ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt Jehovah? (ASV)
Leviticus 11:35 Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces: they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. (See NAS RSV)
Jeremiah 36:22 and the king is sitting in the winter-house, in the ninth month, and the stove before him is burning, (YLT)
Jeremiah 36:23 and it cometh to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that 'is' on the stove, till the consumption of all the roll by the fire that 'is' on the stove. (YLT)


text:
Reckong Peo: Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress President Nigam Bhandari has raised his voice against the potential threat to the river and forests in tribal district Kinnaur and has demanded the state government to stop the construction of the proposed 804-megawatt Jangi Thopan Powari hydropower project.
He has appealed to the general public to come together and raise their voices against this project and save Kinnaur from environmental degradation.
Located in Jangi village in Kinnaur, this hydroelectric project is being constructed by SJVN Limited (SJVN) on the river Sutlej.
This project envisages the construction of an 88-metre high concrete gravity dam across Satluj. A 12 kilometres long tunnel will be constructed for the diversion of water. However, multiple aspects of the tunnel are very likely to affect several villages in Jangam valley.
Around 295.93 hectares of land is required for the project out of which 270.43 hectares is forest land while 25.5 hectares is private land.
Local residents have been protesting against the construction of this hydroelectric project for the past few months. Local residents have claimed that the construction of this dam will have adverse effects on the ecology of the district. Its construction will also increase the chances of landslides.
This hydroelectric project is estimated to cost 5708.35 crores. It is expected to provide employment to approximately 3500 people during the construction period of five years.


text:
Meet Bertram, the expert in environmental assessment of large infrastructure projects.
Bertram is concerned with the environmental and social impacts from developments and human activities. He is engaged with questions like: How do we identify and map consequences of plans for new infrastructures? What are best practice on minimising environmental impacts? How do we make new infrastructure acceptable to local population? What tools are most appropriate in predicting specific impact types?
Like Bertram you will in this profile be working with the planning of environmental issues in areas and flows. This could entail zoning of activities, environmental permits for companies, and assessment of impacts with a focus on issues such as nature protection, transportation, modal shifts, drinking water, surface water, etc.
Within the environmental planner profile, you can specialise yourself in specific sectors or tools applied in the public sector. Bertram chose to specialise in environmental impact assessment of harbour developments. This profile is attractive since harbour activities most often involve a complex mix of environmental issues and since harbour activities are expanding world wide.
Bertram made a strong competence profile through the following projects:
- 1st semester: Sustainable port operation (e.g. Rotterdam)
- 2nd semester: Rules and institutions that regulate harbour development - and how to facilitate better dialogue
- 3rd semester: Legislative issues on environmental impact assessment of harbours - internship in Rambøll
- 4th semester: Quality assurance in the new EU Directive on environmental impact assessment (report)
The environmental planner specialisation is a career option within the planning of spatial aspects of human activities. The career may happen at authorities or private consultancy companies working with public planning tasks.
Examples of previous EMSS students with similar profile and career are:


text:
Sometimes science is a hands-on kind of job.
In this edition of DNews, Julian Huguet courageously navigates a sticky situation by asking: Why do scientists stimulate animals to orgasm?
Well, it's the quest for knowledge, really. No, really. Orgasms are a critical component of reproductive process for many species, but we just don't know that much about them. In fact, relative to the history of general biological research, we've only recently begun studying human orgasms in earnest, never mind animals.
Getting humans to orgasm on the record, as it were, is a tricky business in itself. Just ask Masters and Johnson. Getting animals there presents a whole other set of problems. Since researchers can't instruct animals to achieve orgasm themselves, other means must be applied.
As such, researchers have been stimulating animals to orgasm for several decades now, all in the interest of science. The biological purpose of orgasms is fairly clear, for half the world's population, anyway. Male orgasm usually involves the ejaculation of sperm. But females can conceive with or without orgasm.
RELATED: Orgasm in Your Foot!
Researchers naturally began to wonder whether and why female animals orgasm at all. In 1981, graduate student Mel Allen of the Institute for Primate Studies earned his thesis in a most curious fashion, by manually stimulating female chimps to document their sexual responses.
Allen's published, peer-reviewed conclusion? Female chimpanzees do indeed experience orgasm, as evidenced by spasms, vocalizations, secretions and clitoral tumescence. Science!
In another study, Patricia Brennan of Yale University studied the mating habits of ducks. Male ducks, it seems, have corkscrew-shaped penises. Meanwhile, female ducks have vaginas that corkscrew in the opposite direction. Cruel, but true. Brennan's research explores how the weird specifics of duck orgasm and ejaculation actually allow females to be more selective about their mates.
So yes, stimulating animals to orgasm may be a little squirmy, topic-of-conversation-wise, but it's legitimate science. Anyway, the animals aren't complaining.
New York Times: A Critic Takes On the Logic of Female Orgasm
Popular Science: Do Animals Have Orgasms
Discovery News: Brown Bears Seen Performing Oral Sex


blackberry cover
Blackberries (or Jamun) is a a commonly cultivated plant in various parts of Asia, Mexico and many parts of Europe. With a slightly sweet and tart flavour, the taste of this fruit stands apart. The fruit can be eaten raw and sometimes with a little salt too! When ripe, it tastes sweet and is used in a variety of desserts.
Nutrition information and properties
Black berry is known for its various properties that include diuretic, anti-diarrhea and anti-diabetic properties. In addition, these berries are rich in phytochemicals such as phenol, terpenes and vitamins C and small amounts of vitamin A. These make a great choice for those on a diet since they are very low in sugar and have good amounts of dietary fibre.
Role of blackberries in treating diabetes
Blackberry seed remedy
While blackberry fruit is good for those with diabetes, seeds have been found to be more useful. A simple home remedy using blackberry seeds can reduce diabetes significantly.
 1. Take fresh seeds of blackberry and grind them along with little water into a rough paste.
 2. In a vessel, boil water and add these ground seeds.
 3. Allo the water to boil for some time so that the extract of the seeds comes out well.
 4. Switch off and allow to cool.
 5. Strain and drink this tea (preferably without honey or palm sugar for obtaining maximum benefit).
Just a single dose of this tea can reduce blood sugar levels significantly. Drink 200 ml of this tea twice a week for long term results.
Note: We do not recommend this remedy for gestational diabetes. Women with gestational diabetes are advised to follow the below 'blackberry fruit remedy' instead.
Blackberry fruit remedy
 1. Wash unripe blackberries. (Partially ripe ones will also work. Use just two or three fruits.)
 2. De-seed the berries.
 3. Blend along with its thin skin into a smooth juice.
 4. Add half a teaspoon of honey to this juice and drink.
 5. You can also eat partially ripe fruits.
A note here for women with gestational diabetes – This remedy was suggested by my dietitian when I suffered from GD. It worked well for me but unfortunately it triggered common cold because apparently I was allergic to it. So before you dive into a bowl of black berries, eat just one or two fruits and see if it agrees with you and if yes, you can safely eat one fruit a day for significant results.
Blackberry vinegar remedy
You can make blackberry vinegar at home or buy it from a store. Here is the basic method of making it at home.
 1. Take half a kg of partially ripe blackberries.
 2. In a bowl, pour cider vinegar and put the berries in it.
 3. Cover the bowl.
 4. Allow the berries to soak in the vinegar or 4 to 5 days.
 5. Uncover and strain well to get blackberry vinegar.
This vinegar has anti-diabteic properties. Use this in salads and other dishes for at least two of your meals each day and you can prevent diabetes mellitus.
Blackberry and bitter gourd remedy
Both blackberries and bitter gourds are known for their effects on reducing blood sugar levels. This is pretty strong and we advise you to consume this not more than once a week.
 1. Make dried bitter gourd chops. (You can buy the ones available in the store or you can chop and sun dry bitter gourd at home)
 2. Take equal proportion of dried bitter gourd, blackberry seeds and fenugreek seeds. (around 25 g of each will suffice)
 3. Dry grind all of these together into a coarse powder.
You can make a tea with this powder and drink once a week.
Blackberry leaf tea remedy
The leaves and bark of blackberry true have anti-diabetic properties too. While the leaves aren't as effective as the seeds, you can still drink a mild tea made of its leaves for reducing blood sugar levels.
 1. Take fresh blackberry leaves ( 7 – 10 leaves)
 2. Grind the leaves roughly using a grinding stone.
 3. In a vessel, boil water.
 4. Add the ground leaves to the boiling water and allow it to boil for a few minutes.
 5. Allow to cool down a bit and strain it well.
 6. Drink after adding half a teaspoon of honey.
You can drink this twice or thrice a week.
Side effects
As long as you stick to the recommended dosage,Blackberries (jamun) will do no harm.
Always try little of the fruit and check if you are allergic to it.
Some may be affected by stomach problems when consuming larger doses.
If you are trying out the remedy with blackberry leaves or bark, check out the recommended dosage and stick to it.
3 replies on "Blackberries (Jamun) to cure diabetes"
Comments are closed.


Council urges caution and consideration this Bonfire Night
Denbighshire County Council is urging people to take extra safety precautions this Bonfire Night if they are planning their own celebrations.
The coronavirus restrictions mean that the vast majority of public events will not be going ahead and many people may decide to set fireworks in their gardens or backyards instead.
For many, bonfire night attractions provide enjoyment to thousands of people, but the Council is also urging people to be aware of the potential impact on the misuse of fireworks on vulnerable people in communities, as well as animals.
Councillor Mark Young, Cabinet Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities, said: "We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable bonfire night, but to consider those people who may find fireworks distressing.
"That is why we are asking people if they intend to host your own private event to inform their neighbours in advance, so they can make arrangements for any pets or to be away from home to avoid being affected by large noise and lights.
"We would also encourage people using fireworks to follow the guidelines issued by the manufacturers, take the necessary precautions and avoid any accidents from happening. Following the firework code greatly reduces the risks of accidents".
Anyone that chooses to use fireworks in an anti-social and irresponsible manner could find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Under fireworks regulations there is generally a curfew preventing people from letting off fireworks between 11pm and 7am but this is extended to midnight on November 5th and 1am on New Years' Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali. Similarly, parents and youngsters are reminded it is illegal for children under 18 to buy or be in the possession of fireworks.
Fireworks are explosives and should be treated with great care and respect, here is our advice for anyone considering using fireworks this November:
 1. Only buy fireworks from reputable outlets and be wary of fireworks sold via social media
 2. Don't drink alcohol if setting off fireworks.
 3. Keep fireworks in a closed box.
 4. Follow the instructions on each firework.
 5. Light them at arm's length, using a taper.
 6. Stand well back.
 8. Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them.
 9. Always supervise children around fireworks.
 10. Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves.
 11. Never give sparklers to children under five.
 12. Keep pets indoors.
 13. Don't set off noisy fireworks late at night.


Tracking Device, Physical Connections
Each tracking device has to be connected directly to the Reality Engine, where the tracking data is going to be utilized. Usually tracking devices send the data using the following link types:
 - Serial port (usually RS422 for longer cables)
 - Ethernet port (UDP protocol, each device lets you choose which port and IPs to send data)
Serial Port Connection
Some tracking devices provide data over serial port. Usually the serial connection protocol from these devices are "RS422", which allows longer cabling. Most modern computers do not have a serial port available, in such cases we suggest that you use a certified USB-to-serial converter, which is "Moxa UPort 1150" currently. Be sure to set the serial port device driver to "low latency" mode.
Be sure to use the certified converter whenever possible. But if you use another converter, you have to make sure that it works in the lowest latency mode. Serial port driver settings and qualities are extremely important for the consistency of tracking data and delays.
Ethernet Port Connection
Tracking devices which provide data over Ethernet port send the data over UDP. Make sure that software such as a Firewall is not blocking the data sent by the tracking device. Some tracking devices can send data to multiple IP targets, which might be useful for redundant engine configurations.
External Reference Signal
The tracking device, camera signal and engine video output should be synchronized to the same reference signal. Any tracking device needs this sync signal in order to provide synchronized tracking data with the camera signal.
Be sure to run your tracking device at the same frame rate as your camera frame rate.
Last updated


text:
With South Africa deepening its efforts towards shifting freight from road to rail, the Department of Transport (DOT) Freight Logistics Specialist, Mihlali Gqada, says there needs to be a balance in investments that are made in rail and road infrastructure. Addressing the colloquium on the Freight Road to Rail Migration Plan (FRRMP), Gqada said the amount of rail infrastructure investment pales in comparison to road.
According to National Treasury and the Minister of Transport's Budget Vote Speech (2023/24), the allocation for roads (transfers and subsidies) is R42.4 billion, and for 2024/25, the estimate is R42.4 billion. This figure excludes the equitable share grant that provinces and municipalities get for infrastructure development.
"Rail infrastructure investment is limited to the allocation for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) from the DOT (+/-R7 billion), whilst freight rail relies on Transnet investment and competes with Ports and Pipelines. It is therefore imperative that a balance in investment be fostered so that the shift can be realised.
"Historically, public sector investment has largely been skewed towards road infrastructure investments, and going forward, there is a need to leverage a wide range of public and private investment tools to finance the construction and operation of rail freight infrastructure.
"The national freight transportation system requires investment to maintain performance at high levels, upon which the country's economic growth depends," Mihlali Gqada said on Thursday in Pretoria.
She said private sector and private investments must find expression in the railway sector.
"These investments must be in the form of infrastructure and operations as Transnet would not be in a position to meet all the investment required to get the railways competitive and responsive to the country's growth needs and demand.
"Historically the public and private sectors have collaborated clearly, and both played divided roles in relation to freight transport whereby the public sector has built, owned, and operated transport infrastructure on behalf of government, predominantly railways and highways. Furthermore, the private sector has used that infrastructure to conduct freight operations.
"This division of roles provides opportunities for government to leverage private sector efficiencies and expertise in the construction and operation of freight infrastructure," Gqada said.
She said South Africa holds immense potential to become the gateway to the African market, boasting a well-developed network of ports and a robust logistics infrastructure.
She said poor rail performance has rendered the country unable to fully participate in the recent commodity boom. As the country tries to deal with the lack of investment in rail, Gqada said it must not stop investment in road infrastructure, as this is currently the backbone of South Africa's trade success.
For more information: sanews.gov.za


What Is The Proper Height For a Cane?
The proper height of your walking cane is essential for comfort and support. Incorrect length can cause pain and discomfort.
Canes are usually height-adjustable, but if not, you can estimate the cane height by dividing your height by two, so 76-inch tall should order a 38-inch cane.
But let's take a closer look at the ins and outs of proper cane height.
Problems With an Incorrectly Sized Cane
A cane that has not been adjusted to your body may cause incidents:
 - If your cane is too long, you may find yourself placing it too far ahead to compensate for the extra length. It can cause unnecessary pain to your shoulder, and reaching out can cause the tip to slip.
 - If your cane is too short, it makes you hunch over or lean to one side, leading to loss of balance and falls. Short cane may result in back pains or even a lasting injury.
How to Properly Size a Cane
You will need the help of someone else to measure this:
 1. Stand straight and keep your arms by your side.
 2. Take the hand opposite to your weakest leg.
 3. Let your arm hang down loosely at your side.
 4. Measure the length from the inside of the wrist to the ground.
This is how long your cane is going to need to be, from handle to tip.
It is essential to wear shoes that you would regularly wear during the measurements.
When you actually use it, your elbow should then bend approximately 15-20 degrees.
Proper height for a cane: The top of your cane should align with your wrist joint when standing in your walking shoes.
Estimate Length of a Cane From Your Height
You can estimate the length by taking half of your height in inches.
 - For example, if you are 6'0″, i.e., 72 inches, you would need a cane that is 36 inches.
This method gives a length that is quite close to the proper length.
User's Height and Approximate Cane Size
User HeightApprox. Cane Size
5'– 5'3"30"- 31.5"
5'3– 5'6"31.5"- 33"
5'6– 5'933"- 34.5"
5'9"– 6'2"34.5"- 37"
6'2 – 6'5"37" – 38.5"
Benefits of Adjustable Cane
The benefit of ordering an adjustable design is that you don't have to worry about finding the right height before you buy it. This is great if you are buying online or if the device is designed as a gift.
Depending on the model, the maximum and minimum length will vary.
 - The range is typically somewhere around 30″ to 38″ (76 – 97 centimeters), suitable for users of 4'11″ – 6'5″ (150 – 195 centimeters). Some models start at 28″.
 - You can typically adjust the height with one-inch increments.
It's essential to check the adjustable range before ordering if you are on the shorter or longer side.
How to Adjust the Height of an Adjustable Aluminum Walking Cane?
There are typically several adjusting positions with one-inch increments in aluminum canes:
 1. Most adjustable canes have a locking nut. First, loosen the locking nut.
 2. Press in the security pin.
 3. Move the inner tube up or down until the pin engages with the next hole.
 4. The pin should click to the hole. If you cannot see the pin completely, the position is not secure.
 5. Lastly, don't forget to tighten the locking nut.
Shorten a Wooden Cane
You can make your wooden cane shorter by cutting off the right amount at the bottom.
Take off the rubber tip of the cane first. You may need to work with hot water and liquid soap or WD-40 if the rubber tip is too tight.
Use a miter saw, or cut-off saw to cut the cane. You should probably make the first cut a little longer than the estimated length so that you can check the measurement before making the final cut.
It would be best if you were cautious not to cut off too much. You can't make a wooden cane longer. Checking twice and cutting once is a good rule of thumb.
Solutions If You Are Tall or Short
With most canes, the lengths tend to be tailored to individuals between the 4'11″ and 6'5″ range. Now, this is quite a wide range, and in most instances, these can cater to most users.
Of course, every person is unique. While these heights might be considered average, many people fall below and above this range.
Now there are two different answers to these problems.
 1. The first is to get a custom-made cane. This way, you will ensure that you get a comfortable fit regardless of how tall or short you are.
 2. Fortunately, certain retailers have readymade models with specific sizes, specifically for those who are very petite. If you choose to take the second path, it is still essential to take your measurements.
Your assistive device must be of a length that is conducive to your height. This will help prevent numerous problems.
The Bottom Line
Choosing the best cane for walking and determining the proper height for that can be tricky due to individual preferences, so use these estimations as a guide only.
A cane's height is usually determined by the distance from the wrist to the ground. However, if you have weakness or limited flexibility in your shoulders, elbows, or hands, the shorter device might be enough.
If you have a condition that prevents you from standing straight, a shorter cane may be needed than your height would typically direct. Ask for help, and check the distance between the ground and your wrist as you walk with shoes on.
Similar Posts
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published.


text:
- WP worm gear reducer,also known as WP reducer, is divided into standard WPS series, standard WPD series, standard WPA, WPO.WPDA.WPDO, WPDS, WPDS and so on. The WP worm gear reducer is developed on the basis of the WD reducer. The WP worm gear reducer is made of 45# high-quality steel by heat treatment. The worm wheel is cast with tin bronze, which has good wear resistance, especially in the bearing capacity.
- It consists of a pair or pairs of meshing gears, worm gears, worms, etc., housed in a rigid, sealed enclosure, as a separate component in the machine. It is commonly used as a transmission for deceleration between the prime mover and the work machine. On the contrary, in a few occasions, such as a centrifugal compressor, it is necessary to apply a speed-increasing transmission, which is called a speed increaser.
- The WP worm gear reduceris widely used in chemical plants, mechanical machines and engineering institutions due to its compact structure, high efficiency (gear reducer), accurate and reliable transmission movement, and maintenance and use. There are many types of reducers, which can be generally classified into gears (cylindrical gears, bevel gears) and worm gear reducers.


text:
Value-added tax (VAT) is a tax calculated on the added value of goods and secondary services arising from the production and circulation process, playing an extremely important role in balancing the government budget. water to provide for national construction and development activities. In the context of Vietnam's economy being affected by complex developments in the world, the value-added tax (VAT) rate in 2023 has been undergoing many changes. Therefore, businesses trading all kinds of goods and services need to be continuously updated and clearly understood to avoid disadvantages during operations and tax declaration obligations.
- Law on Value Added Tax 2008, amended and supplemented in 2013, 2014, 2016.
- Resolution 43/2022/QH15 regulates tax exemption and reduction policies.
- Decree 15/2022 regulates tax exemption and reduction policies according to Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 of the National Assembly on fiscal and monetary policies to support the socio-economic recovery and development program.
- Decree 41/2022 amends and supplements a number of articles of Regulation No. 123/2020/ND-CP regulating invoices and documents and Decree No. 15/2022/ND-CP stipulating exemption and reduction policies tax according to Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 of the National Assembly on fiscal and monetary policies to support the socio-economic recovery and development program.
Value added taxpayers
Subjects obliged to pay value-added tax in Vietnam are organizations and individuals producing and trading goods and services in all industries and forms, except for subjects specified in Article 5 of the Law on Value Tax. increases in 2008, including:
- Business organizations are established and registered for business according to specialized business laws;
- Economic organizations of political organizations, socio-political organizations, social organizations, socio-professional organizations, people's armed units, public service organizations and other organizations;
- Foreign-invested enterprises and foreign parties participating in business cooperation according to the Investment Law; Foreign organizations and individuals doing business in Vietnam but not establishing legal entities in Vietnam;
- Individuals, households, independent business groups, and other entities engaged in production, business, and import activities.
Value-added tax (VAT) rate in 2023
Group of goods and services applies the value-added tax rate of 0%
The tax rate of 0% applies to groups of exported goods and services, international transportation, and goods and services not subject to value-added tax when exported. However, the following cases, although included in this group of goods and services, are still subject to value-added tax:
- Technology transfer, intellectual property rights transfer abroad;
- Overseas reinsurance services;
- Credit granting services;
- Capital transfer;
- Derivative financial services;
- Postal and telecommunications services;
- Exported products are exploited resources and minerals that have not been processed into other products; Exported products are goods processed from natural resources and minerals with the total value of natural resources and minerals plus energy costs accounting for 51% or more of the product's cost price.
Exported goods and services are goods and services consumed outside Vietnam, in non-tariff zones; goods and services provided to foreign customers according to Government regulations.
Conditions for applying 0% tax rate to exported goods
Pursuant to Clause 2, Article 9, Circular 219/2013/TT-BTC stipulates the conditions for applying the 0% value-added tax rate to exported goods in the following cases:
- Have a contract to sell or process exported goods; entrusted export contract;
- Have proof of payment for exported goods via bank and other documents as prescribed by law;
- Have a customs declaration according to legal regulations.
Particularly in the case of goods sold where the delivery and receipt point is outside Vietnam, the business establishment (seller) must have documents proving the delivery and receipt of goods outside Vietnam such as:
- Goods purchase contract signed with a foreign seller of goods;
- Goods sale contract signed with the buyer;
- Documents proving that goods were delivered or received outside Vietnam such as commercial invoice according to international practice, bill of lading, packing slip, and certificate of origin…;
- Bank payment documents include bank documents of the business establishment making payment to the seller of goods abroad; Payment documents via bank from the buyer of goods to pay the business establishment.
Group of goods and services applies the value-added tax rate of 5%
- Clean water for production and daily life;
- Ore to produce fertilizers, pesticides, and growth stimulants for animals and plants;
- Excavation and dredging services of canals, ditches, ponds, and lakes for agricultural production; cultivating, caring for, and preventing pests and diseases of plants; preliminary processing and preservation of agricultural products;
- Unprocessed crop, livestock, and aquatic products, except for crop, livestock, farmed, and caught aquatic products that have not been processed into other products or have only undergone normal preliminary processing by the organization, Individuals produce, catch, sell and import;
- Preliminarily processed rubber latex; Pre-processed resin; nets, ropes and yarn for weaving fishing nets;
- Fresh food; Unprocessed forest products, except wood, bamboo shoots, and products of cultivation, livestock, aquaculture, and fishing that have not been processed into other products or have only undergone normal preliminary processing by self-producing organizations and individuals. exporting, catching for sale, and importing;
- Road; by-products in sugar production, including molasses, bagasse, and sludge;
- Products made of jute, sedge, bamboo, leaves, straw, coconut shells, coconut skulls, water hyacinth and other handicraft products made with materials salvaged from agriculture; pre-processed cotton; newsprint;
- Medical equipment and tools; cotton, medical sanitary napkins; preventive and curative drugs; Pharmaceutical chemical products and medicinal materials are raw materials for the production of curative and preventive drugs;
- Teaching tools used for teaching and learning, including models, drawings, boards, chalk, rulers, compasses, and other types of equipment and tools specifically used for teaching, research, and scientific experiments;
- Cultural activities, exhibitions, physical training and sports; performing Arts; make a film; import, distribution and screening of films;
- Toys for children; Books of all kinds, except political books, textbooks, legal textbooks, scientific and technical books, and books printed in ethnic minority languages;
- Scientific and technological services according to the provisions of the Law on Science and Technology;
- Sell, rent, lease purchase social housing according to the provisions of the Housing Law.
Group of goods and services applies a value-added tax rate of 10%
Pursuant to Article 8 of the Law on Value Added Tax 2008, groups of goods and services that are not subject to tax rates of 0% and 5% will be subject to a value-added tax rate of 10%. This is considered the standard tax rate, applied to common goods and services.
Other notes about the value-added tax (VAT) rate in 2023
Because the policy of reducing the value-added tax to 8% according to Resolution 43/2022/QH15 and Decree 15/2022/ND-CP only applies until December 31, 2022, the value-added tax rate calculated Up to now (June 2023) it is implemented according to the Value Added Tax Law.
According to Official Dispatch 67/CST-GTGT in 2023 of the Director of the Tax Policy Department, it is proposed to reduce the value-added tax rate to 8% according to the following two options:
Option 1: Reduce the value-added tax rate by 2% for the group of goods and services subject to the 10% tax rate, meaning the tax rate is reduced to 8%.
Option 2: Apply the 8% value-added tax rate to groups of goods and services that are currently subject to a 10% tax rate, except for some groups of goods and services as applied in 2022 according to Resolution 43/2022/QH12 on fiscal and monetary policies to support the socio-economic recovery and development program.
Regarding the Draft Resolution proposing to reduce the value-added tax of the National Assembly for the group of goods and services that are applying a tax rate of 10% until the end of 2023, based on the dispatch announcing the Conclusion of the Standing Committee. The National Assembly Office believes that it will only propose to continue implementing the value-added tax reduction policy according to Resolution 43/2022/QH15. The expected time to apply the 2% value-added tax reduction starts from July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.
In addition, the Ministry of Finance also proposed a 20% reduction in the percentage to calculate VAT for business establishments (business households, individual businesses).
Customers who need advice on the types of taxes that individual business households need to pay, tax declaration advice, tax reporting service advice, and tax accounting services, please contact Viet An Tax Agent to Get the best support.


text:
Colorado's agricultural exports increased more than 25 percent in the first two months of 2012, led by increases in meat and dairy products, according to news from the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
For the fourth year in a row, the state's agricultural exports increased in the first two months of the year, and this year, exports grew another $45 million to more than $222 million, said the press release announcing the growth.
Meat exports grew over $30 million and dairy exports increased 80 percent.
The state is working on greater market access in Mexico, and hopes to continue increasing its agricultural exports. Mexico is the second largest market for the state's agricultural products, and its fastest growing. Exports to Mexico increased more than 46 percent in the first two months of 2012. Dairy exports led the way, with a 980 percent increase. Other growing export sectors include beef, dry edible beans, animal feed and cereal grains.
Other ag export facts:
– Colorado is the number exporter of U.S. beef to Canada and the third largest to Mexico. It's the number two exporter of beef to Japan.
– Egypt and Chile have become the sixth and seventh largest markets for Colorado beef, both new purchases of state beef during the last year.
– Colorado's dairy exports grew to $14.7 million. In addition to exporting to Mexico, the state sends dairy products to Pakistan, Chile, Canada, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda.


text:
Transmission system operators (TSOs) 50Hertz and Energinet have successfully used offshore wind power to perform a live simulation of a power grid restart.
They used voltage supplied from two German offshore wind farms and a wind-powered cable connecting Denmark and Germany to restart the grid after a simulated power outage at a German coal plant.
This was the first time a land and sea interconnector and offshore wind power was used to restart a power plant, according to 50Hertz.
Black start capability allows for electricity generation to be restored without relying on external electric power transmission networks.
In 50Hertz and Energinet's simulation, a coal-fired power plant in Rostock, Germany, was completely separated from the grid.
Energinet, then provided 380kV voltage via the recently inaugurated 400MW Combined Grid Solutions interconnector – which connects Germany and Denmark, and integrates EnBW's Baltic 1 and Baltic 2 offshore wind farms – and newly constructed converter systems in substation near the port of Rostock.
German TSO 50Hertz explained that the substation's back-to-back converter synchronises and connects the two asynchronous power systems of Denmark and Germany.
This helped to restart the Rostock coal plant, successfully simulating the restart of a power grid, 50Hertz and Energinet explained.
Dirk Biermann, chief markets and system operations officer at 50Hertz, said: "This successful start-up attempt illustrates the importance of cooperation at European level in the age of renewables."
Transmissions system operators regularly test the capability of their grid restoration plans to be prepared for a power outage, but typically use storage capacity from gas-fired power stations because they do not need external power sources to start up.


Three years ago, San Marcos CISD trustees ended the district's random drug testing for student athletes and other extracurricular participants, saying it didn't seem necessary after only five students tested positive for illegal drug use in five years.
Fast facts
Starting again this school year, San Marcos High School students who participate in organized sports or other UIL competitions must agree to random drug screenings in order to participate. Here's the bottom line for students and parents:
What will they test for?
The tests will detect amphetamines and methamphetamine; barbiturates; marijuana; cocaine; hallucinogens such as LSD; opiates such as heroine; and phencyclidines such as PCP and angel dust.
Athletic director and new Rattler head football coach Mark Soto said the program will not test for steroids at the onset but that steroids or other performance enhancing drugs could be added later if the school board wants to pay additional costs.
What happens if I test positive?
First positive:
- Parents or guardians are notified and a conference is scheduled with school administrators and/or coaches. Student is notified of right to appeal result.
- Student is enrolled in the Rattler Respect counseling program, which can last up to 10 days.
- Student is suspended from competing in his sport or other competition for 45 days. She will still be required to practice and participate with the team but won't be allowed to take the field.
- Student is automatically tested each of the eight next random drug screening days.
Second positive:
- Student is expelled from extracurricular activities for the remainder of his high school careers.
But after "recent incidences with students involving the use of drugs and alcohol," as a memo to trustees said, board members voted unanimously this week to reinstate the program starting with the upcoming academic year.
They were urged to do so by Superintendent Mark Eads and athletic director Mark Soto, who said the precious few positive results turned up when students were last subjected to random screenings is a sign the program was effective in deterring drug use, not that it wasn't needed.
"It's important to this community along with other communities in the area. There's a prevalence of drugs in this area," Soto told board members during a regular meeting on Monday evening. "I think kids need to understand that this is not right. It's not okay to try. It's not okay to sample. We're trying to hold these kids to a higher level. We're trying to make them be more productive in society."
Board members adopted the drug testing requirement 5-0 with trustees Lupe Costilla and David Castillo absent.
Under the new policy, San Marcos High School students who participate in University Interscholastic League athletic or academic competitions — from athletics to One Act Play, drill team to debate — will be required to provide an urine sample on demand if their name is drawn on one of eight unannounced testing dates each school year.
A student who tests positive for any of tested drugs will be suspended for 45 days from competing in his sport or other activity during which time he will be required to complete a 10-day remediation program being called Rattler Respect. A student who tests positive a second time will be suspended from extracurricular activity for the remainder of her high school career.
"Some people may say that's harsh but it's setting a high standard. The standard is: 'If you use drugs, you can't play with us'," Eads said.
The tests will detect amphetamines and methamphetamine; barbiturates; marijuana; cocaine; hallucinogens such as LSD; opiates such as heroine; and phencyclidines such as PCP and angel dust. Soto said the program will not test for steroids but that steroids or other performance enhancing drugs could be added later if the board wants to pay for it.
School district staff is budgeting $13,000 to pay contractor Pinnacle Medical Management to randomly select 30 students — 15 women and 15 men — every month to be screened. In addition to the random pool, "there will be some individuals we can take the liberty of adding to the random list if we're suspicious," Eads said.
Between 2004 and 2009, San Marcos CISD randomly tested 60 students a month — 30 from the high school and 15 each from Goodnight and Miller middle schools. During those five years, 1,200 tests triggered initial positives but the vast majority of those instances — all but five — turned out to be because of prescription medication or other medical issues, the San Marcos Daily Record reported in 2010.
Based on scant evidence of illegal drug use among students yielded by the testing program, trustee Kathy Hansen, then the school board president, called the decision to end testing "a no-brainer" but said she was opened to bringing it back if officials decided it was worthwhile.
"If we start having problems we would certainly look at it again. I just don't think it's that serious a problem at the high school or we would have had a lot more positives," Hansen told the newspaper.
This time around, students and their parents will have a form they can use to disclose prescription or medical issues that could prompt a false positive. Even if the program identifies a relative few drug users to school officials, drug testing should be district policy from here on out, Eads said.
"Our goal is that we never get a positive test," Eads said. "And if we don't after a while have any true positives, that doesn't mean we should do away with it in a year or two. That means it's working."
Email Email | Print Print
12 thoughts on "San Marcos CISD to restart random drug tests for student athletes, others
 1. If testing is a deterrent to a child with a problem, it is a deterrent to participation. Yet participation is an answer to those kids with problems, so I don't want to deter participation.
 Plus, throwing in UIL academic should make this unconstitutional. The supreme court opinion upholding random testing of kids relied upon the fact that student athletes showered together to mean they had less of an expectation of privacy. The debate team shouldn't be showering together, so they should still have an expectation of privacy (and respect).
 2. What about alcohol, which typically leaves the body very quickly? A student could get wasted every Friday night but be "clean" in time for Monday morning drug tests. They don't seem to be testing for alcohol, but if things are the same as they were when I went to SMHS, that's what most of the kids are doing on the weekends – especially the "popular" athletes. And there are other drugs that can also be metabolized and leave the body very quickly, like cocaine.
 I wonder how effective this truly is at both catching and deterring drug use. Perhaps the low rate of positives previously seen was a result of more kids drinking alcohol than doing meth or PCP.
 3. How about we leave the moral policing/socialization with the parents where it belongs? Now if some kid does something AT SCHOOL deal with it according to the established disciplinary rules, sure. But do we really want our school systems getting involved with whether or not a debater or point guard smokes pot on their own time over the weekend? How is this the school's responsibility?
 4. Implementing random drug testing will virtually wipe out the SMHS basketball and football teams (as last seasons issues with drug use did to the basketball team). As the football team is already predicted to fail again this season, why not invest the money instead into life-long-valuable programs dealing with character, goal setting, self-esteem, etc.? (Have any of you heard of the program "Above the Influence"?) It IS possible to make it through SMHS without joining the drug/alcohol culture so prevalent throughout this town, but it's difficult. I am thrilled that the school board is finally facing the facts of rampant drug use at the junior/senior high school levels.
 5. When a child is forced into government schools to learn the government mandated curriculum, a safe environment should be a minimum expectation. The alcohol and drug use is not just happening on the weekends, but during school, school functions and school trips: teachers drinking alcohol in soda cups during school trips, kids smoking weed in hotel rooms during school trips, kids smoking weed on campus are just a few examples. The parents of a couple of teen boys who were involved in the recent death of one of those boys probably wish random testing had never gone away. What are the stats on the relationship of drug use to drop outs?? Drug use is not done in a vacuum.
 6. Does the Explorers club still exist at SMHS? When I was a student there, it was widely known that the students in the Explorders club drank heavily on all the overnight camping trips. But, again, these drug tests won't catch alcohol use.
 I don't think these tests will deter drug use as much as they'll prompt students to drink instead because they know the alcohol will leave their systems in time to produce "clean" drug tests. Alcohol is also much easier and cheaper to get than illegal drugs: raid mom and dad's cabinets, have an older sibling or friend purchase, wait outside H-E-B and give a college kid a few bucks to purchase, go to parties at the college apartment complexes, etc. I knew people who did all of those things while I was a student at SMHS, and the majority of them were athletes and/or students in AP classes.
 7. Unless I missed something, our judicial system is (was) based on a theory of being innocent until proven guilty. Random drug testing, be it of


text:
Ethiopia is set to commence the second phase of its space strategic development roadmap, which involves the construction of satellite manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing (MAIT) facilities.
In a recent disclosure to Space in Africa, the General Director of the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI), Dr Solomon Belay, hinted that the Ethiopian government has reached an agreement with French space company, ArianeGroup, to commence the construction of MAIT facilities in Addis Ababa in January 2020 with a completion timeline of 30 months.
Dr Belay did not reveal the terms of the deal with ArianeGroup and the cost of the project.
However, a statement released by Ethiopia's Ministry of Innovation and Technology notes the "support" of European Investment Bank in the project, and a tripartite agreement between the Bank, the Ethiopian government and ArianeGroup.
Space Engineering Research and Development Directorate (SERDD), a division under the ESSTI, has been designated with a leading role of managing the MAIT centre and maximizing its capacity in developing indigenous satellite systems and components.
According to the strategic plan and development roadmap obtained by Space in Africa, to help realise the mission stated under Aerospace Manufacturing, Assembly, Integration, and Test Facilities Development segment, SERDD may concentrate on the "design, development and manufacturing of highly accurate, precise, portable, easily maintainable, replaceable, and automated MAIT equipments that may not only be used for aerospace industry but also other manufacturing industries".
The other facilities currently under construction is a mechanical and electrical laboratory. The Directorate believes that having these laboratories will aid in the research and development of new technologies in the aerospace field.
The project, when completed and put into operation, will be of great help not only to Ethiopia but also to the East African space sector. Ethiopian engineers will be involved in the project. It is expected to create technology and knowledge transfer.
In Africa, only South Africa and Algeria have functional AIT facilities. Egypt recently commenced the construction of its AIT centre in collaboration with China. Nigeria is also looking to complete its AIT facilities since it began the project over 8 years ago.


0
I am working on a program that uses both OpenCV and GDAL to perform different tasks. OpenCV stores its images as numpy arrays. I would like to be able to go directly from this numpy array to a dataset object without having to save the image to the file system and then reopen it again in GDAL. Right now, I have to do this for each image:
import cv2
import numpy as np
from osgeo import gdal
img = cv2.imread("image.png", flags=-1)
# modify the image
cv2.imwrite("output.png", img)
ds = gdal.Open("output.png")
# do stuff with GDAL
The issue is that the cv2.imwrite step is very time consuming, especially since I'm doing it for a lot of images.
My question is this: is there a way to get a dataset from a numpy array directly?
Something like this:
import cv2
import numpy as np
from osgeo import gdal
img = cv2.imread("image.png", flags=-1)
# modify the image
ds = gdal.datasetFromArray(img)
# do stuff with GDAL
 - A lot of this depends on what you understand as "do stuff with GDAL". Are you reprojecting the data or something similar? You you can create a GDAL dataset, do your manipulations and in the end write the array into it. See for instance: gis.stackexchange.com/questions/37238/… – Kersten Sep 20 '17 at 7:22
2
You could use the gdal_array.OpenArray() function, where ds is a GDAL dataset:
import cv2
import numpy as np
from osgeo import gdal
from osgeo import gdal_array
img = cv2.imread("image.png", flags=-1)
# modify the image
ds = gdal_array.OpenArray(img)
Your Answer
By clicking "Post Your Answer", you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.


App review by Jenny Bristol, Common Sense Education | Updated February 2019
7 Billion Humans
Get it now
7 Billion Humans
Amusing puzzler challenges kids, teaches programming principles
Get it now
Learning rating
Community rating
Not yet reviewed Write a review
Privacy rating
Not yet rated Expert evaluation by Common Sense
Subjects & Skills
Creativity, Character & SEL, Critical Thinking
Take a look inside
9 images
Pros: Humorous storyline, cute graphics, easy-to-use interface, plenty of solid programming challenges.
Cons: Students new to programming may feel in over their head without first being introduced to some basic concepts.
Bottom Line: This high-quality puzzle game is a fun way for students to learn effective and efficient programming skills.
Teachers can use 7 Billion Humans in any computer science or critical thinking lesson. Since the levels start fairly simply, students can learn how to use the tools one at a time. But those with no programming experience might do better with first receiving instruction on how programming elements work and a primer on some of the syntax. Older students, though, may be able to play around and figure it out. The difficulty of the levels does ramp up fairly quickly, so some students may want to work slowly, or maybe team up with a partner who's more experienced.
The website doesn't appear to have any forums, but there's a fan community available on the game's Steam site if students get stuck or need additional help. 7 Billion Humans is available on Mac, Windows, iOS, and the Nintendo Switch.
Continue reading Show less
The world within 7 Billion Humans is a utopia where machines were doing all the work until the humans decided they missed the working life. So, the machines -- who are very amusing and quite snarky -- gave them jobs. And it's the player's role to write code to tell those humans how to do their jobs. This is done through drag-and-drop coding using parallel processing. Each of the more than 60 levels of the app presents a new tool or an increasingly more difficult programming challenge.
A machine-based manager on each level gives instructions for what needs to be done on that level. Their banter also contributes to the storyline, to hilarious effect. There's a built-in hint system for some levels -- just tap the manager -- and levels can be skipped if players get stuck; there's no need to solve one puzzle to unlock the next level. Players can run their program at any time, either by executing the whole thing at once or by stepping through their program, line by line. Students can also increase the run speed for long programs, or slow it down if desired.
7 Billion Humans includes many programming concepts such as basic movement and operations, if/then/else conditional statements, memory, comparisons, loops, and more. Some of the levels also include pre-written code that doesn't work, and players need to find the errors and fix them (ideally within the given parameters). The commands that players use don't adhere to one specific programming language, but the concepts can easily be implemented in another language later on.
Once they've come up with a successful solution to a level, students can streamline and improve their code to earn one or both of the optional achievements for each level: using a maximum number of lines of code, and having a maximum average runtime. Each level has three "rooms" that can hold different coding solutions (students can copy/paste code from one room to the next), so students won't lose their original solutions when they try to improve upon them.
Students can occasionally access small hints, but they're mostly on their own to solve the puzzles, figure out where they went wrong, and fix any errors. That makes this app more of a puzzle solver than programming instruction, but savvy students will be able to learn the important concepts as they go.
Overall Rating
A hilarious storyline, fun puzzles, and intriguing gameplay will pull in students who are interested in puzzles and coding.
The game encourages strategic planning, trial and error, and the creation of lean, efficient code. Students get instant feedback as they run or step through their programs.
Early levels start easy. Basic instructions and hints help students get started, but then they're mostly on their own.
Common Sense reviewer
Community Rating
Add your rating
Privacy Rating