title: The wire actor michael k williams found dead in nyc

text:
NEW YORK - "The Wire" actor Michael K. Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment Monday afternoon, FOX 5 News confirmed. His death was being investigated as a possible drug overdose, the NYPD said. The New York Post first reported the news.
"It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask for your privacy while grieving this unsurmountable loss," his long-time rep Marianna Shafran of Shafran PR confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
TMZ reported that Williams was found dead after a relative hadn't heard from him in a couple of days and went to check on him.
Michael K. Williams attends the Los Angeles Premiere of MGM's "Respect" at Regency Village Theatre on August 08, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Williams, 54, was famous for his role as Omar Little in the TV series "The Wire" and as Chalky White in "Boardwalk Empire."
He also appeared in movies like "12 Years a Slave" and "Assassin's Creed."
Williams, who as the rogue robber of drug dealers Omar Little on "The Wire" created one of the most popular characters in television in recent decades.
Little, a "stick-up boy" based on real figures from Baltimore, was probably the most beloved character among the devoted fans of "The Wire," the HBO show that ran from 2002 to 2008 and is re-watched constantly in streaming.
The Brooklyn-born Williams was also a ubiquitous character actor in other shows and films for more than two decades.
"We'll work with the medical examiner in terms of an official cause of death. Right now there is nothing suspicious about the death," said NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea.
WATCH FOX 5 NEWS:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


tier: cub

shelf: civic-law

text:
Teen Pleads Guilty to 2021 Murder of Columbus Cab Driver
On March 25, 2021, Paul Lokey, 43, was fatally shot while driving his cab in Columbus, GA. Lokey had recently started working as a cab driver, having completed several training shifts. This was his first solo shift when, in the early morning hours, three individuals, including 16-year-old Javeon Stephens, entered his cab. After traveling less than a mile, Lokey was shot from the rear passenger side, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a fire hydrant. Lokey died from the gunshot wound shortly after the incident.
Following the murder, the Columbus Police Department launched an investigation that led to the arrest of Stephens and other individuals connected to the crime. A new district attorney was appointed after the case had been indicted, but a legal conflict prevented this DA’s office from prosecuting the case. Consequently, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia requested Newton County District Attorney Randy McGinley to handle the prosecution.
The trial was set to commence on July 9, 2024. However, just before jury selection, Stephens opted to plead guilty. After a short break to allow further discussions between Stephens and his attorney, he formally entered guilty pleas to charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Sentencing has been scheduled for September 27, 2024, and Stephens remains in custody.
The prosecution was led by District Attorney Randy McGinley, supported by Chief Investigator Kelly Whire and Victim Services Director Leslie Smith. The prosecution team, having made multiple trips to Columbus, was fully prepared for trial. The Columbus Police Department and Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance during the investigation and preparation for trial.
Due to pending sentencing and ongoing charges against another defendant, the State has not provided additional comments.


shelf: science-engineering

title: Optimizing battery and data consumption in android

text:
Battery and network data consumption are two core issues developers have to deal with when developing mobile apps. This is more of a concern in mobile technologies because smartphones have limited resources. There are two key points I will be focusing on this article: battery life and network data reduction. I will go through some tips and examples on how to save battery life and keep network consumption at its minimum.
- Optimizing battery life in Android apps involves minimizing CPU utilization, radio utilization, and network operations. This can be achieved by careful use of animations, image resources, and WakeLocks.
- Network operations are the most significant source of battery drain. Battery consumption can be reduced by batching connections together, prefetching data, and limiting the use of ads which consume a lot of bandwidth.
- Tools such as Android Studio’s built-in monitoring tool and Google’s Battery Historian can be used to monitor and analyze an app’s battery and data consumption, helping developers optimize their apps more effectively.
- To optimize data consumption, developers can use efficient image loading libraries like Glide or Picasso, use services judiciously to prevent unnecessary background processes, and optimize the use of hardware components like GPS.
Optimizing battery life
The hardware components that consume most of the battery are the CPU, sensors, and the screen. Sensors include GPS, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.
Keeping this in mind is simple to determine what are some points for a developer to focus on while developing. Tasks like keeping the CPU utilization to a minimum required, minimizing the radio utilization and minimizing network operations are difficult to apply in many cases but are necessary to build a top of the line app.
In the following sections, I will go through a few factors that have an impact on battery drain. Also, I will mention some tips on how to avoid or reduce battery drain.
Carefully use Animations
It is obvious that animations need a lot of processing power by the CPU and therefore consume a significant amount of power. According to the documentation, most animations look fluid at 30 frames per second. So, going over 30 frames can be a waste of processing power and furthermore, more battery.
Another tip that comes from the documentation is to let the CPU sleep between animations. This is due to the fact that continuous animations lead to constant changes on the device screen. As I mentioned earlier the screen is one of the main factors of battery drain.
Rendering large image bitmaps on screen also leads to high battery consumption. Displaying images on the screen cannot be avoided, but a tip here is not to use graphic elements that are larger than needed.
If Bitmap Assets have transparent pixels that can be cropped out, it’s a good idea to do so. Cropping out unnecessary pixels has an impact on performance and consumes less battery.
Carefully use WakeLocks
The tasks of an application are not only happening when the app is on the screen and the user is interacting with it. Some applications need to perform operations even when the phone is sleeping. This tasks cannot be completed when the phone is in sleep mode.
To perform tasks when the phone is sleeping the app needs to wake up the screen and to do so it needs to utilize WakeLocks.
WakeLocks are used to keep the screen and the CPU On. A usual example of WakeLocks is in mobile games and video playing apps when the screen stays ON even when the user is not interacting.
The problem with WakeLocks is that if not used properly can leave the device awake for a long time, therefore consuming battery and resources.
To use WakeLocks properly follow the guidelines of the Android Developers documentation.
Battery optimization strategies
For some noncrucial tasks of an application whose execution can be postponed at another time is a good strategy do so when the device is charging. This is usually the case for background tasks.
Delaying this kind of tasks when the device is charging will not have an influence on battery life. An example, in this case, can be data synchronization with some web service.
A nice solution for this kind of tasks comes from Google with the JobScheduler API. This API was created specifically for background tasks to schedule them efficiently to run together with other apps jobs. So really take it under consideration if your app has to perform heavy tasks.
Efficient Networking and Battery Life
What I have been pointing out till now are some of the factors that have an impact on battery life, but none of the mentioned factors consume more battery than network operations.
Networking is the most significant source of battery drain. So we need some way to cut the battery consumption that comes from this operation.
To clearly understand the impact that network operations have on battery consumption we must first understand the way networking operations are performed in terms of resource utilization. Network operations are performed through the so-called Radios, either WiFi or 3G/4G radios.
In order to conserve energy the Android system does not keep this radios always at full power, or the battery life would decrease rapidly. To demonstrate this, take a look at the different states of the 3G wireless radio.
- Full power – network radio is active, some network operations are performed.
- Low power – intermediate state that uses 50% of the battery power.
- Standby – no network operations, low battery consumption.
When a device has no network tasks to perform the radio state machine is transitioned on a low and idle state to consume significantly less battery. When a network connection is created, the system transits the radio to the full power state. According to the Android Developers documentation, the radio will keep its Full Power state for the whole time it’s utilized, plus an additional 5 seconds tail time, followed by 12 seconds of Low Energy state before it goes to Standby.
For one network operation that is performed, the device is losing battery power for 18 seconds, if we consider the network operation is performed during 1 second, which is true in most cases. If you think about it there is a lot of power being wasted in one single network operation.
In the following sections of this article, I will provide some tips and smart solutions to avoid overusing the battery resources when performing network operations.
As noticed before, a single network task consumes about 18 seconds of battery ineffectively.
What if all the network connections are grouped together and performed one after the other? Obviously, in this case, the radio won’t go through the whole process of waking up and sleeping in every network call. It will stay active until all the networking is done and then it will go in its Standby state.
If we do a simple math, the 18-second process in every operation is accumulated in one big network operation. In overall the radio stays active for a shorter time than having separated tasks.
The problem here is that tasks have to be grouped together and performed at the same Full Power window. The thing is that not all requests can wait until a group is formed. This solution is more efficient for background tasks and the JobScheduler API can help with this jobs. The JobScheduler API groups tasks from many apps for far better resource utilization.
In most cases, it’s hard to predict what the user will do in apps and what data to load. If possible it’s a good idea to prefetch as much data as possible to avoid unnecessary requests.
For example, if you are developing an audio player application and have caching capabilities for the sounds of the app, it is a good idea to preload the next track on the list, because is highly likely that the user will play the next track.
Ads are a factor in battery drain
Mobile ads are one of the primary revenue providers for many apps, but ads are a big factor in battery drain. Ads use processing power to display colorful images and even videos but also consume network. Ads utilize a lot of bandwidth loading large content resulting in more battery drain.
I am not asking for ads to be removed in mobile apps, because ads are one of the most common ways developers gain revenue, but try not to exaggerate with ads. A nice solution for both the battery and earning revenue from ads is to limit ads to only a few places in your apps.
Analyzing battery with Monitoring tools
To have a better understanding of the battery consumption you need a way to monitor the app’s stats. Android Studio has a built-in monitoring tool for reviewing the resources an app is consuming.
Based on the networking strategies mentioned earlier you can determine the impact that networking has on battery. The following images show what a good and a bad networking strategy look like in terms of network tasks.
Good example – network tasks are grouped
The network bursts in the second image are a clear example of bad networking strategy.
Battery historian is another great tool provided by Google that provides battery analysis by using Android bug report files. It provides a detailed overview of the battery statistics of Android devices by showing which processes are draining battery.
The following chart is an example of what this tool provides in terms of battery monitoring.
Battery Historian is open-sourced and available on GitHub.
If you are building a big application that requires a lot of resources, battery optimization should be one of the key optimization issues to keep in mind.
I hope the tips and guidelines provided in this article provide a good insight on what to focus on in the context of network operations and battery optimization.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Optimizing Battery and Data Consumption in Android
What are the main causes of high battery and data consumption in Android apps?
The main causes of high battery and data consumption in Android apps include frequent network requests, inefficient use of resources, unnecessary background processes, and excessive use of hardware components like GPS. These activities can drain the battery quickly and consume a lot of data, leading to a poor user experience.
How can I optimize network requests to reduce battery and data consumption?
Network requests can be optimized by batching them together instead of sending them individually. This reduces the number of times the device has to connect to the network, saving both battery and data. Additionally, using a more efficient data format like Protocol Buffers instead of JSON can also help reduce data consumption.
How does the use of resources affect battery and data consumption?
Inefficient use of resources can lead to high battery and data consumption. For example, keeping unnecessary services running in the background can drain the battery quickly. Similarly, loading large images or files can consume a lot of data. Therefore, it’s important to manage resources efficiently to optimize battery and data consumption.
How can I prevent unnecessary background processes?
Unnecessary background processes can be prevented by using services judiciously. Services should be stopped when they are not needed. Also, using JobScheduler or WorkManager can help schedule tasks efficiently, reducing the need for constant background processes.
How does the use of hardware components affect battery consumption?
Excessive use of hardware components like GPS, camera, and sensors can drain the battery quickly. Therefore, these components should be used sparingly and turned off when not in use. Also, using lower power modes can help save battery.
How can I monitor the battery and data consumption of my app?
Android provides several tools to monitor the battery and data consumption of your app. The Battery Historian tool can help analyze the battery usage, while the Data Usage section in the device settings can provide information about data consumption.
How can I test the battery and data consumption of my app?
You can test the battery and data consumption of your app using the Android Profiler in Android Studio. This tool provides real-time data about CPU, memory, and network usage, helping you identify areas of your app that need optimization.
How can I optimize the use of GPS to save battery?
GPS can be optimized by requesting location updates less frequently or by using a lower accuracy mode. Also, location updates should be stopped when they are not needed.
How can I reduce data consumption when loading images?
Data consumption can be reduced when loading images by using efficient image loading libraries like Glide or Picasso. These libraries can help resize images, cache them, and load them asynchronously, reducing data consumption.
How can I optimize the use of sensors to save battery?
Sensors can be optimized by using them only when necessary and turning them off when not in use. Also, using sensor batching can help reduce battery consumption.
Valdio recently graduated in Computer Engineering. He is a mobile developer, who is passionate about mobile technologies and learning new things. He has worked with languages such as C, Java, php and is currently focused on Java, mobile and web development


shelf: software-docs

title: Godaddy breached plaintext passwords 1 2m affected

text:
This morning, GoDaddy disclosed that an unknown attacker had gained unauthorized access to the system used to provision the company’s Managed WordPress sites, impacting up to 1.2 million of their WordPress customers. Note that this number does not include the number of customers of those websites that are affected by this breach, and some GoDaddy customers have multiple Managed WordPress sites in their accounts.
According to the report filed by GoDaddy with the SEC , the attacker initially gained access via a compromised password on September 6, 2021, and was discovered on November 17, 2021 at which point their access was revoked. While the company took immediate action to mitigate the damage, the attacker had more than two months to establish persistence, so anyone currently using GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress product should assume compromise until they can confirm that is not the case.
It appears that GoDaddy was storing sFTP credentials either as plaintext, or in a format that could be reversed into plaintext. They did this rather than using a salted hash, or a public key, both of which are considered industry best practices for sFTP. This allowed an attacker direct access to password credentials without the need to crack them.
According to their SEC filing: “For active customers, sFTP and database usernames and passwords were exposed.”
We attempted to contact GoDaddy for comment and to confirm our findings, but they did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.
What did the attacker have access to?
The SEC filing indicates that the attacker had access to user email addresses and customer numbers, the original WordPress Admin password that was set at the time of provisioning, and SSL private keys. All of these could be of use to an attacker, but one item, in particular, stands out:
During the period from September 6, 2021, to November 17, 2021, the sFTP and database usernames and passwords of active customers were accessible to the attacker.
GoDaddy stored sFTP passwords in such a way that the plaintext versions of the passwords could be retrieved, rather than storing salted hashes of these passwords, or providing public key authentication, which are both industry best practices.
We confirmed this by accessing the user interface for GoDaddy Managed Hosting and were able to view our own password, shown in the screenshot below. When using public-key authentication or salted hashes, it is not possible to view your own password like this because the hosting provider simply does not have it.
You’ll also note that the system is using port 22, which is Secure File Transfer Protocol. There are several kinds of sFTP, and this confirms that they’re using sFTP via SSH, which is encrypted, and designed to be one of the most secure ways to transfer files. Storing plaintext passwords, or passwords in a reversible format for what is essentially an SSH connection is not a best practice.
GoDaddy appears to acknowledge that they stored database passwords as plaintext or in a reversible format. These are also retrievable via their user interface. Unfortunately storing database passwords as plaintext is quite normal in a WordPress setting, where the database password is stored in the wp-config.php file as text. What is more surprising, in this breach, is that the password that provides read/write access to the entire filesystem via sFTP is stored as plaintext.
What could an attacker do with this information?
While the SEC filing emphasizes the potential phishing risk posed by exposed email addresses and customer numbers, the risk posed by this is minimal compared to the potential impact of exposed sFTP and database passwords.
Although GoDaddy immediately reset the sFTP and Database passwords of all the impacted sites, the attacker had nearly a month and a half of access during which they could have taken over these sites by uploading malware or adding a malicious administrative user. Doing so would allow the attacker to maintain persistence and retain control of the sites even after the passwords were changed.
Additionally, with database access, the attacker would have had access to sensitive information, including website customer PII (personally identifiable information) stored on the databases of the impacted sites, and may have been able to extract the contents of all impacted databases in full. This includes information such as the password hashes stored in the WordPress user accounts databases of affected sites, and customer information from e-Commerce sites.
An attacker could similarly gain control on sites that had not changed their default admin password, but it would be simpler for them to simply use their sFTP and database access to do so.
On sites where the SSL private key was exposed, it could be possible for an attacker to decrypt traffic using the stolen SSL private key, provided they could successfully perform a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack that intercepts encrypted traffic between a site visitor and an affected site.
What should I do if I have a GoDaddy Managed WordPress site?
GoDaddy will be reaching out to impacted customers over the next few days. In the meantime, given the severity of the issue and the data the attacker had access to, we recommend that all Managed WordPress users assume that they have been breached and perform the following actions:
- If you’re running an e-commerce site, or store PII (personally identifiable information), and GoDaddy verifies that you have been breached, you may be required to notify your customers of the breach. Please research what the regulatory requirements are in your jurisdiction, and make sure you comply with those requirements.
- Change all of your WordPress passwords, and if possible force a password reset for your WordPress users or customers. As the attacker had access to the password hashes in every impacted WordPress database, they could potentially crack and use those passwords on the impacted sites.
- Change any reused passwords and advise your users or customers to do so as well. The attacker could potentially use credentials extracted from impacted sites to access any other services where the same password was used. For example, if one of your customers uses the same email and password on your site as they use for their Gmail account, that customer’s Gmail could be breached by the attacker once they crack that customer’s password.
- Enable 2-factor authentication wherever possible. The Wordfence plugin provides this as a free feature for WordPress sites, and most other services provide an option for 2-factor authentication.
- Check your site for unauthorized administrator accounts.
- Scan your site for malware using a security scanner.
- Check your site’s filesystem, including
, for any unexpected plugins, or plugins that do not appear in the plugins menu, as it is possible to use legitimate plugins to maintain unauthorized access. - Be on the lookout for suspicious emails – phishing is still a risk, and an attacker could still use extracted emails and customer numbers to obtain further sensitive information from victims of this compromise.
The GoDaddy Managed WordPress data breach is likely to have far-reaching consequences. GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress offering makes up a significant portion of the WordPress ecosystem, and this affects not only site owners, but their customers. The SEC filing says that “Up to 1.2 million active and inactive Managed WordPress customers” were affected. Customers of those sites are most likely also affected, which makes the number of affected people much larger.
For the time being, anyone using GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress offering should assume their sites have been compromised until further information becomes available, and follow the steps we have provided in this article. We will update the article if more information becomes available.
- GoDaddy SEC Report: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1609711/000160971121000122/gddyblogpostnov222021.htm
Note: All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners in the United States and/or other countries. All company, product, and service names used on this page are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement.


shelf: health

title: Complex Medical Conditions

text:
Complex Medical Conditions
Expert Guidance for Managing Complex Health Conditions
Book a Consultation
About Complex Multiorgan Disease
Dealing with multiple organ conditions can be overwhelming and complex, often requiring coordinated care and a comprehensive understanding of each condition’s impact on your overall health. Medical Advisor 4 U offers specialised support for individuals facing complex multiorgan diseases, providing guidance to help you manage symptoms, understand treatment options, and coordinate care effectively.
Our approach is designed to help you navigate the complexities of managing multiple health issues. We offer clear, personalised advice on understanding how each condition affects the others, managing symptoms across different organs, coordinating treatments, and working with specialists to ensure all aspects of your health are considered. With a focus on improving quality of life, our support empowers you to make informed decisions about your care.
Complex Multiorgan Diseases Questions
What types of conditions are considered complex multiorgan diseases?
How can Medical Advisor 4 U help with managing multiple conditions?
What should I expect in a consultation?
Can you assist with coordinating care between my different specialists?
What support do you offer for medication management?
Can you help me plan for potential complications or changes in my health?
What resources are available for family members or caregivers?
Helping 100’s of Patients
difficult and stressful times
A fantastic experience from start to finish, Dr Garcia is highly efficient, reassuring and capable, an excellent physician. Explained everything and also why my treatment was being done, showed me how to use my spray and explained why, very professional with a great bedside manner.
He was great, listened to my concerns and helped plan a new way forward, I didn’t feel I was wasting his time, or was in a rush, lovely man.
Very informative and feel more confident after speaking to him. Very happy. Dr Garcia was exemplary when I saw him.
Only saw Dr Garcia briefly but I was very satisfied with my treatment and his explaining my condition and care. Extremely helpful.
My husband had advanced MS and epilepsy. On Monday, Dr Pablo Garcia de Paso and I discussed end of life care. Dr Pablo is an angel, he sat, listened, and discussed this in detail with me, despite the strike, a busy A&E department, he listened, gave me time and this meant the world to me.
Unfortunately, my husband passed away less than 48 hours later. But with Dr Pablo’s input, my husband’s death was peaceful and without medical intervention, which is what he wanted.
Please can you pass onto Dr Pablo my eternal thanks, and he will always have a special place in my thoughts. He made a very difficult time in my life a lot easier and most importantly, he listened.
Dear Dr Garcia, thank you so much for taking such good care of me on Tuesday when I was admitted to the Ambulatory ward. I really appreciate it and felt very much at ease and in a safe pair of hands with you. I found the Consultation so useful! I’m having my first appointment with ***** House today, and I am looking forward to it having had the discussion with you.
May I say special thanks to the Advanced Medical Practitioner and to you, Dr Garcia, both of whom spent time and effort analysing test data and fully explaining procedures and final results.


shelf: finance

title: How is the real estate market faring

text:
Wondering about the real estate market? It’s never been a better time to be curious! Despite some doomsday figures cropping up in the headlines here and there, real estate for sale has never seen better days. More and more Americans are seeking beautiful neighborhoods and quality habitats to raise their family and bolster their livelihood, ranging from stunning beach properties to the increasingly popular Outer Banks condos. Promoting homes for sale require a potent mixture of real estate knowledge, sociological awareness and market know-how.
How Many Are Going Into Real Estate?
Let’s start off with the lifeblood of the industry — real estate agents! The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (shortened to ARELLO) has estimated around two million active real estate agents in the country, all working around the clock to provide the best deals and analyze market trends for buyers and browsers alike. The art of selling real estate involves being familiar with different forms of housing, the needs of the client and the fluctuating state of the current industry.
What Are Common Real Estate Choices?
While real estate for sale can take on a variety of different forms, some are proving more common than others. For starters, Forbes has estimated around two million new housing units needing to be built every year to accommodate population growth — you can see why the market is flourishing rather than crashing! The year 2014 saw 13% of buyers purchasing a multi-generational home for a variety of reasons ranging from cost savings, children over the age of 18 moving back in and taking care of aging parents.
What Are Real Estate Buying Trends?
Did you know that the typical first-time home buyer was around 31 years-old back in 2014? To contrast, the typical repeat buyer is 53 or so. Overall, around 33% of recent home buyers are doing so for the very first time and that figure isn’t expected to drop anytime soon. A significant portion of recent home buyers (at nearly 25%) admitted in a recent survey they want to buy a home simply for the desire of having an independent situation, while another 10% or so purchased because of a job-related relocation or move.
What Are Recommendations For Seeking Out Real Estate?
Real estate for sale is at its most successful when all resources are used right out of the gate. Real estate agents were viewed as a useful and reliable information source by a whopping 98% of buyers who sought out an agent during a search. A survey back in 2014 saw nearly 90% of buyers purchasing their home through either a real estate agent or broker — this figure grew steadily from only 69% from 2001.
What Should Both Buyers And Sellers Know?
Buying and selling are two different beasts, but that isn’t to say they don’t have their similarities. If you’re looking to buy a condominium or beach real estate, it’s essential you contact a real estate agent to help you out with the specifics — they can assure you find the best deals possible for your price range, crafting your search to suit your unique needs. It’s also been found 40% of buyers find their agent through a family or friend referral, which can prove very useful down the road! If you’re selling, though? Keep in mind what people need and why. With family units changing and the market only continuing to grow, you’ll want to stay on top of the latest news at all time. Real estate for sale is far from a dying market — it’s only getting better from here.


tier: polar

shelf: education

title: Rear facing why its beneficial

text:
Parents are always excited when their baby reaches a milestone such as crawling, eating solid food or facing-forward in the car seat. Unfortunately many parents are a little too anxious to turn their baby’s car seat forward-facing, not realizing that by doing so they are putting their baby at risk of serious or deadly spinal cord injuries.
In a frontal crash (the most common type), a forward-facing child’s neck can experience extreme forces that pull the head away from the body. A baby’s body is not ready to withstand crash forces in this manner. The bones, including the spine, of very young children are still soft and can stretch and possibly separate under tension. If this happens, the spinal cord is vulnerable. The spinal cord, which can only stretch up to ¼ inch, can rupture as the head is pulled away from the body of a forward-facing baby. Rear-facing, on the other hand, allows the baby’s head to be cradled and move at the same time with the body, minimizing any pull on the neck.
On August 30, 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated car seat safety recommendations previously published in 2011. The AAP now recommends child ride rear facing until the highest weight and height allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat. Most convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear-facing for 2 years or more.
To read the AAP recommendations, click on the following link:
NHTSA also supports rear-facing longer in its new “Car Seat Recommendations for Children” flyer. Download the flyer by clicking; https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/carseat-recommendations-for-children-by-age-size.pdf
More information on why rear-facing is beneficial can be found at Child Passenger Safety: Rationale for Best Practice, a website developed by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). Click www.cpsbestpractice.org to access the website.


shelf: home-craft

title: Growing tansy in perth

text:
Welcome to the complete guide to growing Tansy in Perth. In this detailed article, we will go step by step through everything you need to do to grow Tansy in your own property for the family to enjoy.
Herbs are such a delight to grow, and it is actually very easy to do. They smell great in your backyard or balcony, and they can help ease pain, prevent illnesses and more. Amazing!
Best time to grow Tansy in Perth
The best time to grow this tasty herb in Perth, is between Sep-Dec.
If you are considering growing it elsewhere, you better check local weather and seasonal conditions.
Will Tansy grow in a pot?
Yes, it will grow well in a pot. You can use one pot for a plant, or get a large pot and plant a few varieties if there’s room.
How much sun is best?
Tansy thrives when it is positioned in a spot that gets Full Sun to Part Shade.
If you find that the leaves start to brown, try moving it in shade, or via versa. Each area can have its own peculiar conditions.
Best soil to grow Tansy
If you are growing Tansy in Perth, you’ll find that it prefers a will grow in almost any soil and will be very happy with it.
You can find potting mix that will do that just fine, or add some to your garden bed before planting.
How often should I water?
Tansy needs Regular watering. There are self watering pots available if you plan to grow it in a pot, or you can just get in a regular habit of checking the soil each day or two.
When can I harvest Tansy?
You can harvest Tansy at its prime, which is around a few months.
What to propagate
You can plant Tansy from Seeds, and place each plant around 10-20 centimetres apart.
Frequency in growing Tansy
Tansy is a Perennial herb.
Did you know?
Here are two interesting herb facts that you may not be aware of.
Fact 1: Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines and for spiritual purposes.
Fact 2: In India, Ayurveda medicine has used many herbs such as turmeric possibly as early as 4,000 BC.
These make growing Tansy in your own Perth yard even more special, in my opinion.
Enjoy growing Tansy in Perth
I hope you enjoy growing Tansy in your own property for the family to enjoy.
It really is a wonderful herb to grow here in Western Australia, and you will also enjoy that it saves you money from buying dried versions or fresh (expensive) cuttings from the shops.
I hope you learned plenty from this guide. Good luck gardening!


shelf: history-culture

title: Henrik lindstrand

text:
has managed to compile an equally impressive and eclectic resume, in which a lengthy and diverse post-conservatory list of sideman positions lead to him being adopted into Danish act Kashmir, one of Scandinavia ́s most prominent and acclaimed bands with seven albums to their name.
During his tenure in Kashmir and until the band ́s recently initiated hiatus, Henrik worked with seminal profiles such as Tony Visconti, Andy Wallace, David Bowie and Lou Reed, all the while maintaining a career as a composer for television and cinema.
Henrik’s work as a proven composer for film and television picked up speed in 2007 where he did the score for Zentropa feature film “Ekko”.
He was nominated for Danish Cinemas prestigious Robert award for his efforts and has since composed for animation, commercials, documentaries, short films and an ever-expanding list of feature films from directors such as Ole Christian Madsen, Jesper W. Nielsen and Anders Morgenthaler.
A piano player since age 3 and an accomplished multi instrumentalist, Henrik is a graduate from the Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen to where he relocated from his native Sweden in 1994.
Apart from gaining him a degree, the school also served as a gateway into the Scandinavian music scene where Henrik laid down the groundwork for his career, lending his skills to a multitude of acts as a studio musician, live player and string arranger.
More often than not, Lindstrand ́s live and studio work would push him towards multi-instrumental roles which called for an alternative approach avoiding the simple and the obvious, seeking out abstract sonics.
In 2017 he released his debut album "Leken" named after the forest lake he grew up nearby. In 2019, Lindstrand was signed to iconic label One Little Indian and his second album "Nattresan" was released and followed up by selected solo concerts in Denmark, UK and Germany.
In 2020 Henrik will play concerts in Germany, UK, Denmark and Sweden. Upcoming releases of game soundtrack to Lego Builder´s Journey and filmscore to Undtagelsen (The Exception).


title: Federal election commission approves bitcoin donations to political committees washington post

text:
The Federal Election Commission on Thursday gave a green light to donating bitcoins to political committees, one of the first rulings by a government agency on how to treat the virtual currency. In a 6-to-0 vote, the panel said that a PAC can accept bitcoin donations, as well as purchase them, but it must sell its bitcoins and convert them into U.S. dollars before they are deposited into an official campaign account. The commission did not approve the use of bitcoin to acquire goods and services. After the vote, however, individual commissioners offered sharply divergent views on whether their decision limits bitcoin donations to small amounts — creating more uncertainty about how much of the Internet currency that political committees can accept. The FEC had deadlocked on a similar question in the fall, with the three Democratic appointees saying they wanted the agency to take more time to study the issue and develop a formal policy to govern the use of bitcoins in campaigns. At the time, some commissioners expressed concern that the virtual currency could be used to mask the identity of donors.
On Thursday, the panel’s vote was swift. The decision came in the form of guidance to Make Your Laws PAC, not an official rule or regulation. But it opens the door to the use of bitcoins by any federal political committee.
In its advisory opinion request, the Make Your Laws PAC said it is seeking to accept bitcoin donations in increments up to $100.
That low sum assuaged the concerns of several commissioners about the risks of the virtual currency, said Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a Democratic appointee.


title: Wireless wearable toxic gas detector

text:
MIT researchers have developed low-cost chemical sensors, made from chemically altered carbon nanotubes (CNTs), that enable smartphones or other wireless devices to detect trace amounts of toxic gases.
Using the sensors, the researchers hope to design lightweight, inexpensive radio-frequency identification (RFID) badges to be used for personal safety and security. Such badges could be worn by soldiers on the battlefield to rapidly detect the presence of chemical weapons and by people who work around hazardous chemicals prone to leakage.
“Soldiers have all this extra equipment that ends up weighing way too much and they can’t sustain it,” said Timothy Swager, Professor of Chemistry. “We have something that would weigh less than a credit card. And [soldiers] already have wireless technologies with them, so it’s something that can be integrated into a soldier’s uniform that can give them a protective capacity.”
The sensor is a circuit loaded with CNTs, which are normally highly conductive but have been wrapped in an insulating polymer material that keeps them in a highly resistive state. When exposed to certain toxic gases, the insulating material breaks apart, and the nanotubes become significantly more conductive. This sends a signal that’s readable by a smartphone with near-field communication (NFC) technology, which allows devices to transmit data over short distances.
The sensors are sensitive enough to detect less than 10 parts per million of target toxic gases in about five seconds. “We are matching what you could do with benchtop laboratory equipment, such as gas chromatographs and spectrometers, that is far more expensive and requires skilled operators to use,” Prof Swager said.
Moreover, roughly 4 million can be made from about 1g of the CNT materials. “You really can’t make anything cheaper,” Swager says. “That’s a way of getting distributed sensing into many people’s hands.”
In their study, the researchers drop-cast the nanotube/polymer material onto gold electrodes, and exposed the electrodes to diethyl chlorophosphate, a skin irritant and reactive simulant of nerve gas. Using a device that measures electric current, they observed a 2000% increase in electrical conductivity after five seconds of exposure. Similar conductivity increases were observed for trace amounts of numerous other electrophilic substances, such as thionyl chloride (SOCl2), a reactive simulant in choking agents. Conductivity was significantly lower in response to common volatile organic compounds, and exposure to most nontarget chemicals actually increased resistivity.
To build their wireless system, the researchers created an NFC tag that turns on when its electrical resistance dips below a certain threshold.
Smartphones send out short pulses of electromagnetic fields that resonate with an NFC tag at radio frequency, inducing an electric current, which relays information to the phone. But smartphones can’t resonate with tags that have a resistance higher than 1 ohm.
The researchers applied their nanotube/polymer material to the NFC tag’s antenna. When exposed to 10 parts per million of SOCl2 for five seconds, the material’s resistance dropped to the point that the smartphone could ping the tag. Basically, it’s an “on/off indicator” to determine if toxic gas is present, Swager said.
According to the researchers, such a wireless system could be used to detect leaks in Li-SOCl2 (lithium thionyl chloride) batteries, which are used in medical instruments, fire alarms, and military systems.
The next step, Swager says, is to test the sensors on live chemical agents, outside of the lab, which are more dispersed and harder to detect, especially at trace levels. In the future, there’s also hope for developing a mobile app that could make more sophisticated measurements of the signal strength of an NFC tag.


title: Software development case study of an inventory system

text:
Software development is not a straight road as any experienced developer would tell you. Along the way you will encounter a lot of speed bumps that leads you to question your own processes. However, as you complete one project after another, you get used to these roadblocks and finally gain maturity in handling difficult situations. In this article, I will present the most common pitfalls to avoid when creating new software in case of an inventory system.
Inventory System Development and Open Source
The open source movement has won as many proponents of this community would say. It is hard to argue this sentiment given that even the mightiest of the mighty companies are now relying on open source while also contributing their own. It is no longer just operating systems that come to mind when we are talking about open source. Every software developed will most likely have an open source version of it somewhere if it had not started out as open source in the first place. For instance, containerization, the hottest shiny new platform right now, started out as open source software. Picking the right framework to build a good software is half the battle.
Be wary however not to cast aside enterprise software simply because you ought to save some money. Paying for software is not inherently a bad decision as long as you weigh its value over the service that it provides. One assurance that you have with enterprise software that you could not get in open source is the support for their systems and having an entity to lean on if the software fails. In an inventory system, the databases should definitely be enterprise so as to ensure the security and integrity of the data. It is far from uncommon for database failures to occur. And in the bigger picture of things, certain software services like enterprise database systems, are still miles ahead compared to its open source counterparts in terms of security, performance, and operability.
Developing an inventory system with bits and pieces from both proprietary software and open source software is completely possible. This method provides us a way to isolate which part of the software are going to be enterprise and which part is open source. The open source part is usually reserved for the software platform to build on that are completely replaceable like the UI and the UX for instance.
Finally, open source software draws flak as being the brainchild of hobbyists and not real programmers. If the industry was anything else other than software development, this may be true. But, in the world of software where software development is treated as both an art and a science, it is often that accomplished developers would share their talents to improve on software and share it with the community. This way they will be able to give back to the community that gave them much and they would allow the software they initiated to grow as well.
Inventory System Goals Must Be Crystal Clear
Not only in software development, efforts to collaborate will always fail if the goals are not clear. Even working alone on anything would fail if you are unclear of the goal yourself. Being in a team further complicates that with issues like ensuring that everyone understands what to do at which time.
In my personal experience as a developer, unclear goals often lead to silos within the team to work on it like superheroes. Failures and bugs would spring up from inopportune times and when this happens, these superheroes would swoop in and save the day with the rest of the team just happy that the system is working again. This was all well and good until the superhero resigns or if the problem becomes too big even for him or her to fix.
To avoid this situation, the team should be adamant in having cascading common objectives divided from a main goal. In case of the inventory system, the main objective could be a certain feature like adding an automatic alert system when the stock levels reach a certain level. This main goal could be subdivided by tasks like having one team work on the messaging system by email and another team working on messaging by sms. Another team could be working on the UI/UX side of things while another team works on creating the automation tests.
Inventory System and Finding the Right Tooling
Earlier, we discussed both open source and proprietary software in choosing the kinds of tools in development. Aside from choosing the platform of development like the programming language to use and the compiler to compile it on, other tool choices should be treated with the same level of importance. For instance, the CI orchestrator tool to use is a big deal and there are a lot of options available both open source and proprietary. It would be best not to underestimate the impact of these auxiliary software.
Another crucial tool for development is the source code repository that you are going to use. As of this writing, there are two main options, source version control or SVN and git repositories. The latter is a recent development and has been the repository of choice for open source development. On the other hand, SVN is still widely used, especially on enterprise, but is slowly being phased out. The reason why git is so popular is because git repositories are inherently capable of working with complex repo schemes.
Agile Development in Inventory Systems
Finally, agile development which has become extremely popular is probably the best way to handle software development in today’s world where software is being versioned at an extremely rapid rate. However, even though this is just a mindset, teams should invest time and even training to ensure that everyone will follow suit. Toppling down an agile development order would be as easy as having one person, or team disregard the rules that have been set. And finally, agile is a mentality and an evolving one at that so there is no reason not to experiment.


title: Covid 19 updates

text:
Covid 19 updates
COVID 19 update: Phase 3 and vaccine availability
Washington has moved to Phase 3 of the states Recovery plan. This will increase capacity limits for restaurants, recreation centers and in person events. Masks and social distancing of 6 feet is still required. While we are happy the current numbers of cases and hospitalizations in WA state have decreased we still strongly encourage safe practices. We also strongly encourage all our patients to get a COVID – 19 vaccine when it is available to them.
Last week Washington state announced moving vaccine distribution into Phase 1B-Tier 3 and Tier 4 on March 31st. To determine if your eligible for a vaccine we still suggest going to the WA state Phase finder site. (https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/vaccine) If you are eligible we recommend the COVID WA site ( https://www.covidwa.com/), which is now linked to the WA state site for finding available vaccine near you.
Of note for Phase 1B-Tier 4 the introduction of comorbid conditions states 2 or more conditions in adults over age 16. A list of CDC accepted comorbid conditions can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html
Phinney Primary Care and Wellness has applied to be a vaccine site but we are still waiting to hear back from the state. Our staff and providers have all been vaccinated but we are still practicing social distancing and mask use, and we are requiring patients (vaccinated or not) to continue with these practices in our office. Thank you for your understanding.
We want you to know that we are here for you during this challenging time. We are still frequently doing visits by telemedicine, but are available in office when needed. Noel, Fern and Cassandra are doing an amazing job up front and can help you set up the correct appointment depending on your needs.
Stay health and safe.
David Harvey MD
Phinney Primary Care and Wellness


title: Large dragon jadeite jade pendant

text:
Immerse yourself in the mystic allure of the East with our Large Dragon Jadeite Jade Pendant. Masterfully hand-carved from premium jadeite jade, this pendant carries an impressive weight of 64.2 grams, demonstrating its superior quality and craftsmanship. Its large dimensions, 79.5 mm in length and 45.8 mm in width, ensure it makes a striking statement piece.
The pendant features a majestic dragon, a powerful symbol in Eastern culture, representing strength, wisdom, and prosperity. The intricate details of the carving exude a sense of timeless elegance and sophistication. The pendant's vibrant green hue adds a refreshing pop of color, enhancing its visual appeal.
Whether you're looking to add an oriental touch to your outfit or seeking a meaningful gift for a loved one, this jade pendant is an excellent choice. It can be worn as a standalone piece or paired with various strings or chains for a more personalized look. Please note that strings and chains are available to purchase separately.
Invest in this Large Dragon Jadeite Jade Pendant and start experiencing the mystical charm and luxurious feel of jadeite jade today.
Shipping & Returns
Hassle Free Returns
Express US Shipping
As a service to our customers, we offer a 30 days inspection period for jewellery item(s) purchased online via our website.
Returns will not be accepted after the inspection period unless prior arrangements had been made with us.
Refunds will incur a 9% restocking fee. This fee does not apply to exchanges or store credit.
Free and fast shipping US wide for orders over $200. All orders are shipped via Express services.
Orders are typically delivered within 3-5 business days to major cities around USA with DHL Express.
For order under $200, a flat-rate of $35 applies.
For your protection, we offer a complementary delivery guarantee for all our shipments. This means that if an order sent from us had been deemed lost by the courier, we would provide you with store credit to the full amount of the order. This provides an extra layer of protection for our customers without any additional shipping insurance costs.
Orders received will generally be dispatched within 1 business day. Any orders received after 1pm AEST on Friday or over the weekend will be processed the following Monday. All products are shipped from Melbourne, Australia.


title: 12

text:
That's how many posts I wrote on the blog this year...
I don't know who is still out there reading this, but if you are still around, THANK YOU!
I have been a bad blogger, and I could blame it on China and the fact that blogs are illegal, or the internet and the fact that it's incredibly slow... But the truth is, I just don't "make" like I used to - and it's ok....
I did have a little Christmas cardmaking class with some co-workers, and I had a small card order for Christmas, but nothing like in the past...
But I'm still creating..... When I have time.
I'm trying to perfect Acrylic Pouring and have been puttering around with that...
I broke out the ol' gelli plate and made some art journal backgrounds...
But mostly.... I've been incredibly busy at school.
This year I've been to:
Bali, Indonesia (where I am right now)
My son and I in Chicago to see Hamilton!
These are my blog stats....
And I have had a very deep thought about it.
There is a direct and quantifiable correlation between the amount of blog posts/year, and my effectiveness/commitment/quality of my teaching.
Being a music teacher takes a lot of dedication, but mostly, TIME. When I was in Canada I had so many commitments outside of school that I wasn't directing my energy where I should have: to my students and my music program.
I have learned the hard way, that to do my job effectively, to offer my students the BEST ME, I have to be 100% focused on them and my job. If you look at 2014 - 2018 (my years in China so far), you can see the drop-off. And yes, that means no time/energy for crafting commitments and deadlines.....
I have also recently committed myself to Keto.
If I'm going to continue doing my job the way I'm currently doing it, I need to get healthy!!
I've been on keto for 4 months. Still have a LONG way to go, but I feel really great about what I've accomplished so far...
2018 has been a great year!
Just not a good blogging year.
I wish you the best in 2019.
I will update here when I can.
For now... Do you follow me on Instagram? @jazzytobi
I upload my feed pretty regularly. Life. Travel. Food. And of course, crafts!!
Happy New Year!


title: Nitrogen fertilizers for red ginger

text:
Alpinia purpurata, ornamental ginger, grows in tropical forest margins as an evergreen. Soil enriched with bark or leaf mould is suggested with this plant. Avoid calcareous soils having a pH level that is high to avoid yellowing of the leaves, chlorosis that is called. Maintain a pH level of 6.0 to 6.8 for ideal efficiency. Fertilization using a well-balanced liquid fertilizer retains red ginger wholesome. However, extra nitrogen increases flower production.
Liquid or water soluble fertilizers using a high-nitrogen content in comparison to potassium and phosphorous work for ginger. Fertilizer evaluation is expressed as three numbers on the label. The number signifies the proportion of nitrogen in the fertilizer. The next number signifies phosphorous, as well as potassium is represented by the number. Select a fertilizer using a higher nitrogen content. Follow label directions to prevent fertilization.
Although ginger thrives in humus- soil, organic matter can immobilize nitrogen. Organic matter is categorized based on the quantity of carbon content compared to the nitrogen content. Humus consists of the perfect ratio for plant health, which is 10 parts carbon to one part nitrogen 1. For power, while it’s being converted into into humus, carbon is useful during decomposition of organic matter by microbial action and nitrogen is utilized to construct cells. Microbes seek nitrogen from other resources, using it in the soil when the natural materials doesn’t provide adequate nitrogen. Mulch ginger with only composted organic matter to prevent nitrogen deficiency.
Various kinds of plant meal are high in nitrogen content and could be used to amend soil for planting ginger. Meal-kind fertilizers launch nitrogen above a one- to four-month period. Corn gluten meal has an evaluation of9-0%0gluten meal has an analysis of 9-0%00%0gluten meal has an analysis of 9-0-0. This meal inhibits germination of seeds. Cottonseed meal contains all three of the majorelements, having an evaluation of 6-0.4-1.5. Soybean meal h AS an evaluation of7-2%1an meal has an analysis of 7-2%12%1an meal has an analysis of 7-2-1. Blood meal, a slaughter-house byproduct, h-AS the greatest nitro Gen content of most meal products, using an analysis of12-0%0meal, a slaughterhouse by-product, has the highest nitrogen content of all meal products, with an analysis of 12-0%0-0%0meal, a slaughterhouse by-product, has the highest nitrogen content of all meal products, with an analysis of 12-0-0.
Work meal-kind fertilizers to the s Oil when the s Oil is moist as well as the temperature is above 50 levels Fahrenheit. Red ginger h-AS roots that are rhizomous. Till fertilizer to the s Oil a T least 6 to 8 inches from your plant foundation to a void severing roots. Follow item directions for the a-Mount of fertilizer to use per software.


text:
The Boulevard Theatre presents "The Traitors": A Thrilling Immersive Experience
The Boulevard Theatre is delighted to announce the launch of "The Traitors Live," a heart pounding immersive theatrical experience based on the hit BBC series that has captivated the nation. On Saturday, 9th August, audiences will have the opportunity to step directly into a world of deception, strategy, and suspense.
TREACHERY COMES TO LIFE
"The Traitors" invites brave participants to enter a shadowy realm where nothing is quite as it seems. Groups of 20 attendees will be plunged into an evening of psychological warfare, where they must determine who among them can be trusted and who is plotting their downfall.
In this faithful adaptation of the beloved television format, participants will be secretly assigned roles as either "Faithful’s" or "Traitors." As night falls across the specially designed theatrical space, Traitors will "murder" Faithful’s whilst maintaining their cover, and Faithful’s must identify and banish the Traitors before they become the next victim.
AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING OF SUSPICION AND BETRAYAL
Each performance unfolds over one tension-filled evening, featuring:
- An amazing host guiding the experience alongside participants
- Atmospheric lighting and sound design that heightens every suspicious glance • Authentic challenges inspired by the television series
- A Lavish themed bar of drinks
- A custom-designed theatrical environment that creates complete immersion
"We've crafted an experience that captures the essence of what makes 'The Traitors' such compelling television," says Drew Baker, Boulevard Theatre's Artistic Director. "The psychology of deception, the thrill of uncovering lies, and the constant fear of betrayal—it's all here, but now YOU are at the centre of the drama."
"The Traitors" hosts its first night on Saturday, 9th August and will continue with regular evenings. Due to the intimate nature of the experience, spaces are strictly limited to 20 participants per performance.
Tickets are expected to sell quickly for this unique theatrical event. Advance booking is strongly recommended. *PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN OVER 18’S EXPERIENCE ONLY*
Book now: www.boulevard-theatre.com


title: Cheapest way protect family living trust will

text:
I bet your biggest heroes are the people who do the most for their families. Right? Those are the people most highly rated in the Pilgrim book I can tell you that. Well, if you want to be a hero to your family, get a trust or will and make sure the accompanying documents are updated every couple of years.
Why Worry About This?
Trusts and wills help insure that your assets will flow to the people of your choice after you die. Trusts and Limited Powers of Attorney appoint people you trust to manage your financial affairs if you are unable to do so yourself. Health Powers of Attorney appoint someone you trust to make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated.
If you don’t care about what happens to you or your money and you don’t care that your family will have to clean up your estate mess when you are incapacitated or dead, you don’t need to worry about any of this. Otherwise, you do have to be concerned.
I am sure that Sonny Bono (famed husband and musical partner to Cher and mayor of Palm Springs) loved his family but his actions put them all in world of hurt after he hit a tree while skiing in 1988 and died. He didn’t have a will or trust and as a result, the sparks began to fly soon after his death. His wife petitioned the court to be appointed the administrator of his estate and his ex-wife Cher filed a huge claim against his assets. To make it worse, other skeletons came out of the woodwork and the entire affair became a huge, expensive mess.
So if you care about yourself, your family or your money, it’s smart to take care of this.
Neal’s Notes: If you go to all the trouble of putting together your estate plan, why not go the extra mile to make sure everyone in your family understands and supports your financial plan?
Trust or Will?
I’m not an attorney and you should definitely seek out professional legal counsel. But for my money, the trust has a lot of benefits. It can provide shelter from probate, privacy and control that a will can’t. It also reduces the wiggle room disgruntled would-be-heirs have to sue and try to get their mitts on your money. (Here’s a post that discusses the differences between trusts and wills in greater detail.)
As I said, a trust works better for most people than a will but a will is certainly better than not having anything. If you die without either estate planning document in place, the state gets to decide who gets what. This is very expensive and time consuming and a great way to lose total control over everything you worked all your life to accumulate.
One reason people don’t get a will or trust is cost. Here’s an introduction to Legalzoom – a legal self-help service that helps consumers keep costs to a bare bone for wills and trusts.
Why People Don’t Get Their Financial House In Order
Nobody likes thinking about dying and I believe this is the greatest obstacle to proper planning. Another reason people use for not doing a trust or will is that they aren’t 100% sure how to divvy up the loot. They don’t want to create problems and resentments in the family because there may not be a clearly fair way to split up the assets.
If these problems plague you, I understand. Depending on the heirs involved, someone is going to end up feeling like they got the short end of the pickle. But if they are those kind of people they are going to feel that way regardless of what you do. Your best chance of making sure these resentments don’t surface after you are gone is to discuss them with everyone while you’re still here. And keep in mind, you can always change your trust or will anytime you like. Nothing is written in stone.
Most people I know really want to make sure their loved ones are well cared for after they are gone. The best way to do that is to create a will, trust and/or accompanying estate documents. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure about the particulars. In this area of your financial life, doing something (even if it’s less than perfect) is usually far better than doing nothing.
Have you created a trust a will? Which? Why or why not?


title: 858 mcintosh laboratory simultaneously launches c55 and c2800 preamplifiers

text:
McIntosh Laboratory’s twofold addition, the C55 solid state-based and the C2800 valve-based components, aim to round the company’s preamplification stable.
The solid state C55 is a progression from the award-winning C53 which precedes it, while both it and the C2800’s valve circuitry embrace many of McIntosh Laboratory’s proprietary technologies. The two preamplifiers share the same super-generous input/output array based on no less than nine analogue inputs and seven digital options (all featuring ‘Electromagnetic Input Switching’ for noiseless “distortion-free” switching). Both the C55 and C2800 also feature a high quality built-in phono stage and an on-board digital-to-analogue converter (DSD512 capable). The DAC module includes connectivity for USB-B audio, HDMI ARC, two optical Toslink and two S/PDIF coaxial RCA sockets, plus McIntosh Laboratory’s proprietary MCT connection of the company’s CD transports.
Further, the two preamplifiers also share three sets of balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analogue outputs provided to allow bi-amplification while McIntosh Laboratory has now reintroduced a ‘Processor Loop’ after its absence from previous generation models. Shared across both preamplifiers is McIntosh Laboratory’s high quality HXD (Headphone Crossfeed Director) headphone amplifier with front panel 6.5 mm jack connectivity.
The C55 and C2800 preamplifiers feature McIntosh Laboratory’s own precision balanced, digitally controlled attenuation/volume level which is accurate to 0.1dB. While the C55 features a by-passable 8-band analogue EQ system, the C2800 features electronic treble and bass adjustment in 1dB increments. A memory function recalls the tone control settings individually per input.
Solid power supplies are fully regulated and encompass high quality, noise-free R-core power transformers. Both preamplifiers employ an “Eco-friendly” power management system which switches over to standby after a 30 minute period of signal inactivity.
From April 2024, the C55 and C2800 preamplifiers – and other McIntosh Laboratory components – will feature ‘McIntosh Connect’, a brand new control app which will be available for both iOS and Android devices. The C55 and C2800 have received ‘Roon Tested’ status.
Of course, both the C55 and C2800 preamplifiers feature McIntosh Laboratory’s industrial design language, with the iconic lettering, green company logo with gothic-style font, the attractive blue meters, and a mix of retro knobs and switches.
The new C55 solid state and C2800 valve preamplifiers will be available via Australian importer Synergy Audio’s country wide specialist audio dealer network.
McIntosh Laboratory C55 & C2800 Preamplifiers
Price: C55 AU$16,995, C2800 AU$17,995
Australian Distributor: Synergy Audio
+61 3 9459 7474


title: Fortnite

text:
The popular online shooter game Fortnite is in great demand among gamblers on various types of devices.
But often users face access blocking due to violation of rules or geolocation.
In order to make an anonymous connection to the server and bypass all possible proxies, you must purchase
a private proxy from our Alt Proxy company. The latest developments of qualified professionals provide
the opportunity to get full access to any options, regardless of the country in which the potential
player is located. Therefore, if you want to get an unlimited connection, you should buy a proxy server for Fortnite.
Key features of using Fortnite via proxy
If you need to join a well-known and popular game without restrictions, you can do it through
private proxy. This option is most acceptable not only for avid gamers,
but also for those who interested in updates of virtual entertainment.
Deciding to buy proxy for Fortnite, you need to pay attention to a number of undeniable advantages:
- The minimum network response speed provides high quality gameplay without delays and serious hang-ups;
- Connectivity, regardless of the region in which the player – packet proxies
can be connected even when access is denied in a specific area;
- The impossibility of full lock is ensured by the use of a special IP-address;
- providing maximum indicators of protection of confidential data of specific users;
- the probability of simultaneous registration of several accounts, which is of great importance for many clients.
If you need to purchase proxy, you can do it on the website of our company at a fully affordable cost.
Each potential buyer will be able to choose the most suitable option, based on their own needs.


title: 9327

text:
A recent door-to-door survey conducted from January to August has revealed concerning levels of diabetes and hypertension in both rural and urban areas of Ranga Reddy district, Telangana. The survey, which screened 10,400 individuals across more than 10 villages in the Kandukur and Maheshwaram mandals, found that over 25% of the population is affected by these non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The study was carried out by the Helping Hands Foundation (HHF), a Hyderabad-based NGO, as part of its Rural NCD Outreach Programme.
Trained counselors utilized a specialized app to collect health data regarding diabetes and hypertension from villages including Maheshwaram, Nagaram, Kandukur, Mucherla, Mirkhantpet, and surrounding areas. However, due to logistical challenges, HHF was unable to conduct door-to-door screenings in urban and peri-urban slum areas within a 50-kilometer radius of Hyderabad. Instead, data from approximately 5,000 individuals screened at various HHF clinics in neighborhoods like Hakeempet, Wadi e Mahmood, Kishanbagh, and Kalapather revealed 2,570 cases of diabetes and hypertension, according to Mujtaba Hasan Askari from HHF.
The survey highlighted significant differences in disease prevalence among various age groups and regions. In urban and peri-urban areas, 32% of individuals aged 31 to 50 were found to have hypertension, compared to 22.9% in rural areas. The prevalence of diabetes in this age group was nearly double in urban areas at 49%, compared to just 26% in rural regions.
Additionally, co-morbidities were observed to be 50% higher among urban residents aged 30 to 50 than their rural counterparts.
For individuals over the age of 50, the survey indicated a higher prevalence of both diseases in rural populations.
Hypertension rates were recorded at 72.9% in rural areas versus 64.8% in urban regions.
Similarly, diabetes affected 67% of rural residents over 50 compared to only 43% in urban areas.
The survey also pointed out a lack of effective disease management in rural areas. Nearly 40% of diabetics reported poor control over their blood sugar levels, with HbA1c levels exceeding 7.5 mg/dl (the normal range is below 5.7 mg/dl).
Contributing factors include low awareness regarding diet and lifestyle choices, high consumption of rice and alcohol, poor adherence to medication regimens, and limited access to healthcare facilities.
Mr. Mujtaba emphasized that “Rural areas face significant barriers to managing these conditions due to inadequate healthcare access and lower awareness.” He contrasted this with urban populations that generally have better access to healthcare services, allowing for relatively improved management of diabetes and hypertension.
Medication Access Concerns
The survey further revealed that only 25% of patients in both urban and rural areas rely on medications from Primary Health Centres (PHCs) or government hospitals. Many patients expressed concerns regarding the quality of available medicines and the lack of multi-drug combinations. This situation has led to increased out-of-pocket expenses for patients seeking treatment.
The findings from this survey highlight an urgent need for improved healthcare access and education on lifestyle management for diabetes and hypertension in both rural and urban settings across Telangana.


title: By Kelsey Trumbull

text:
By Kelsey Trumbull
Feb 1, 2018After high school graduation in Halifax, Virginia, Hutcherson moved to Baltimore, Maryland in June 1941 and worked for Glen L. Martin Company. After 15 months, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He attended basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi; radio school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and gunnery school in Las Vegas, Nevada. During this time, flight crews were being assembled in Moses Lake, Washington, with specialists coming from all parts of the country. All were trained as a flight crew, utilizing the skills required to man the thirteen 50-caliber machine guns and all other responsibilities.
After his training was complete, he was assigned to the 95th Bomb Group, 335th Squadron in Horham, England. During 1943-1944, Hutcherson flew 22 bombing missions as a radio operator/gunner, as well as 4 missions in the bombardier position. After the completion of those 26 missions, Hutcherson returned to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in August 1944. While at Langley Field, he flew five nights a week to train radar operators with their equipment in the ball turret. Victory in Europe (VE Day) occurred in May during this time.
Hutcherson was discharged in October 1945. He was later called back from the Air Force Reserves in September 1950, but he was never activated and was discharged in May 1953. Hutcherson received several decorations, including the Air Medal (3 clusters), Distinguished Flying Cross, and 3 Presidential Unit Citations. He also received the Chevalier Legion of Honor from France.
After his discharge, Hutcherson worked for International Monetary Fund as chief of graphics until he retired at 65. Hutcherson was married for 67 years and has two children, a son, and a daughter. Today, Hutcherson resides in Towson, Maryland and continues to work once a week. He is the only surviving crew member of the 95th Bomb Group.
Hutcherson was nominated by his friend, Brooke Massicot.
“I met Ken while he was working at the post office in my building. At 94 years young, he is a phenomenal writer and story teller and has a great sense of humor. It is an honor to know Ken.”
NFM Salutes is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is chosen each month to be honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” will be featured on the website with a brief biography and information about his or her service, and NFM Lending will make a $1,000 donation to a military or Veteran non-profit in the Salute’s name. Hutcherson chose Platoon 22 to receive this month’s donation.
Selected NFM Salutes may choose from one of the following three non-profits: Platoon 22, AnySoldier, and the Gary Sinise Foundation. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.
About NFM Lending
NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 29 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.
About NFM Lending
These blogs are for informational purposes only. Make sure you understand the features associated with the loan program you choose, and that it meets your unique financial needs. Subject to Debt-to-Income and Underwriting requirements. This is not a credit decision or a commitment to lend. Eligibility is subject to completion of an application and verification of home ownership, occupancy, title, income, employment, credit, home value, collateral, and underwriting requirements. Not all programs are available in all areas. Offers may vary and are subject to change at any time without notice. Should you have any questions about the information provided, please contact us.


title: Countries updated

text:
The most popular page in WebEnglish.se is English Speaking Countries. This is very much due to the fact that students are let “go wild” on this page to find the resources they need for their projects.
I have started updating these pages and will be done by the beginning of next term, at the latest. As I am working with them I would gladly take suggestions of other interesting countries that are not presented yet.
When I first compiled the links, I thought that only intermediate students would be interested in the various English Speaking Countries apart from the UK and the US. Recently, however, I have noticed on social media that even teachers of elementary-level students ask for materials about English Speaking Countries.
The first topic on each country page has always been called Elementary so that even the weaker students in the class could find what they are looking for, but these pages might still seem quite overwhelming for 11-13-year-olds.
Therefore, I have now separated the elementary materials of four countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa into a simpler page called Other English Speaking Countries. These four were chosen as they are the biggest countries where English is spoken as Mother Tongue apart from the USA and the UK.
If you know of other countries that elementary students would be interested in, let me know, and I will add them on the page. The new page together with the easy versions of the UK and the US are in WebEnglish.se/Elementary, where there is a tab called Countries.


text:
Welcome to the 602nd Metamorphosis Monday!
My daughter-in-law, Nancy, recently added these adorable butterflies to a wall in the downstairs hallway of their home. She liked them so much, she decided to order two more packages. So there will be a lot more butterflies joining these real soon.
They are subtle against this pale yellow wall and sooo pretty! I love how she arranged them, feels like a swarm of beautiful butterflies is passing by. They would definitely make a dramatic focal point against a darker or brighter painted wall.
Back in mid-June, I shared a post about the Wooden Screen Door Company, a company in Maine that hand-makes beautiful doors and screened doors. (Read that previous post here: Beautiful Doors, Made in America.) Once you place an order with them, there’s around a 6-8 week wait before they start building your doors.
They just reached me on the waiting list and have started work on two new screened doors for the porch. In my previous post, I was struggling to choose between all their amazing designs. What did I finally choose for the porch?
This is the “style” door I chose for both doors, only I didn’t go with the kitty pattern/design. I loved the cat design but didn’t want a constant reminder of my sweet Max, so I chose a different pattern from the many they offer.
I chose a dragonfly design for the door on the left side of the porch.
For the door on the right side of the porch, I chose this adorable moon and stars design. Again, the door “style” will be like the one shown with the kitty pattern.
I really love all their nautical and cabin designs: sailboats, starfish, lobsters and so many more beachy motifs for the beach house. For the cabin, they had moose, bears, canoes, ducks, etc…. As much as I loved all those, they just didn’t seem appropriate for my porch since I’m nowhere near the beach or the mountains/woods. Makes me wish I had a beach house or cabin just so I could use one of those designs.
I love dragonflies, thus the dragonfly choice, and the porch is definitely a great spot for enjoying moonlit, starry nights. The doors will be ready in about 6-8 weeks. The guys at the Wooden Screen Door Company will let me know when they are finished and ready to ship. I can’t wait to see them in place. They are priming them for me since I plan to have them painted once they arrive. Looking forward to sharing them in place in a couple of months!
Are you working on a few home projects now before the cold weather arrives?
Looking forward to all the wonderful Before and Afters linked for this week’s Met Monday!
Pssst: Did you know Between Naps On The Porch is on Instagram? You’ll find me on Instagram here: Between Naps On The Porch.
Like to know when a new blog post is up and available to read? Subscribe for email updates, it’s free and your email will never be shared.
Subscribe for free post updates via email here: Subscribe.
Metamorphosis Monday is a party that’s all about Before and Afters. Please link up your Before and After projects like DIY projects, room makeovers, craft projects even recipes. Any Before and After is great! Please do not link up Table Settings, save those for our Tablescape Thursday party on Thursday. 🙂
If you are participating in Met Monday, please link up using the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top of your blog, into the “url” box for InLinkz when prompted.
In order to link up, you’ll need to include a link in your MM post back to the party so the other participants will have an opportunity to receive visits from your wonderful blog readers.


title: Marco torman

text: Marco Štorman is a directing graduate of the Otto Falckenberg School in Munich. This was followed by productions at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg, the Schauspiel Hannover and the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, among others. His work is always on the borderline between drama and music theatre and explores the boundary between stage and auditorium. Thus, under the motto »Our theatre is the city« , he founded the independent group Kulturfiliale to assert the urban space and its inhabitants as a theatrical context. Invitations to Australia and awards with various prizes as well as funding in the Fonds Doppelpass of the Bundeskulturstiftung. In 2014 he travels to Japan at the invitation of the Seiryu Theatre. In 2021 he creates the digital opera performance »Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung« (Faith, Love, Hope) for the Staatsoper Stuttgart. His freely financed film »Juliaugust« premieres in 2012 at the Hof Film Festival by invitation and wins the best medium-length film and the audience award at the 9th berlin film awards. His production of Elfriede Jelinek's »Winterreise« was invited to the festival Radikal Jung. In 2011 Marco Štorman was part of the Enparts Open Campus of the Venice Biennale in Stockholm, in 2009 he was a scholarship holder of the International Forum of the Berliner Festspiele as well as of the Salzburg Festival 2003. In the seasons 16.17 and 17.18 he was house director at the Lucerne Theatre. He has an intensive and continuous collaboration with the Bremen Theatre and the Staatsoper Stuttgart. Important works for the Komische Oper Berlin, the Biennale for Contemporary Music in Munich, the Schauspielhaus Vienna, Staatsschauspiel Dresden, Staatstheater Kassel and Staatstheater Nuremberg, among others.


text:
The assignment to investigate how the introduction of a limit value can be done earlier than 2027
In February 2022, the government commissioned the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket) to submit proposals on how to accelerate the introduction of limit values for climate impact from buildings and expand the application of climate declarations. On 10 May 2023, Boverket submitted a final report to the government.
Legal proposal on limit values for the climate impact of buildings
Boverket submits a constitutional proposal on limit values for the climate impact of buildings, which can be introduced on 1 July 2025 at the earliest in the regulation on climate declarations for buildings. The limit value applies to the maximum climate impact for modules A1–A5 in kg CO2e/m2 GFA from the buildings that are erected and subject to regulation on climate declarations for buildings. The limit value is proposed to include all building elements from the foundation and its insulation excluding solar cells and fixed equipment. Limit values are proposed to be dealt in two groups, for the buildings covered by the climate declaration.
- Group 1 includes single-family houses, multi-dwelling blocks, office buildings, education excluding pre-school, pre-school, and special housing. A limit value corresponding to the median level of the building type reference value is proposed for this group (excluding single-family houses). For single-family houses, a limit value corresponding to the 75th percentile of the building type reference value is proposed instead.
- Group 2 includes other buildings where there are no robust reference values. A common limit value is introduced for this group, corresponding to the 75th percentile of the reference value for multi-dwelling blocks. Technical equipment and fixed interior design intended for the activity are not included in the climate declaration or limit value.
Limit values are proposed to be tightened every five years.
Proposal on a building’s whole lifecycle in a climate declaration from 2027
An expanded climate declaration is proposed to come in January 2027 in order to be able to make adjustments to similar future regulations from EU. The modules from the building's life cycle that are proposed to be included in the climate declaration are, in addition to modules A1–A5 the construction stage, B2 maintenance, B4 replacement, B6 operating energy, and C1–C4 end-of-life stage must also be included. The climate impact of groundworks and ground improvements must also be reported in a climate declaration.
Proposal on a climate declaration for alterations to existing buildings
A requirement for a climate declaration is also proposed for certain alterations to existing buildings from 1 January 2027. The requirement is limited to two measures that require a building permit. This requirement is applicable if the alteration means that the building is fully or partially occupied for, or is fitted out for, a substantially different purpose. The requirement is also applicable if an additional dwelling, or additional non-residential premises for commerce, skilled trades or industry are fitted out in the building. The climate declaration must cover the construction products included in the alteration that is subject to a climate declaration requirement and must be reported in kg CO2e per m2 GFA for modules A1–A4 + A5 construction product waste.
Boverket proposes that extensions shall not be subject to climate declaration requirement.
Proposal on a more precise supervision from Boverket on a climate declaration
Boverkets´ supervision of limit values for the climate impact of new buildings not exceeded places more precise demands on the design. A legally certain procedure is based on similar assessments being made using methods that have a basis on recognised standards. Such processing can only be achieved with a high degree of digitalisation and automation. Boverket therefore proposes that the developer should enclose a calculation base when the climate declaration is registered. The calculation base must be submitted digitally in a format and structure decided by Boverket. To make it easier for the construction sector, Boverket should be commissioned to investigate the use of the classification system CoClass in a climate declaration.
Impact assessment on legal proposals on climate declarations for buildings
Administrative costs are estimated to arise as a result of all regulations changes. The administrative costs are assessed to initially be incurred by developers and contractors, including the small and medium-sized enterprises. The cost of extra work, which primarily distinguishes a limit value from a climate declaration, is the cost of conducting climate calculations that follow the construction project from project planning to a finished building. It is mainly the developer who is affected. For contractors, the project planning stage becomes more important than before, which is considered to be a consequence of the limit value. There are greater opportunities in the design process, to make choices that optimize a building's climate impact.
Was the information helpful?
We’re glad the information helped you! Tell us what you thought was good so we can get even better. Please note that you will not get a reply.
You can help us even more by filling out why you did not think the information was helpful. Please note that you will not get a reply.