title: Resistance is futile

text:
Many of us will remember childhood comics with little green men warning earthlings that “resistance is futile”. It felt awful to be so helpless.
Yet in Glasgow at COP26, that is just what the scientists are saying. They warn that resisting change will only bring global catastrophe. The boffins say that the future is in our hands, but that we must act now.
In a way, selling property is the same. We have experienced an almost unnatural market for the past eighteen months. But things are slowly changing.
The market in some areas is not as gung ho as it was. Multiple full-price bids on properties aren’t as common as they were. Buyers are more relaxed and feel they have more time. And over-priced houses and flats are not receiving quite the high-level interest that they might once have had, especially with the threat of higher mortgage interest rates looming.
For sellers, resisting this turn of events is futile. Keeping a property on the market in the hope someone will pay a premium in all but premium locations is fraught with risk and potential delays.
Just like resisting little green men or global warming, resisting or ignoring market conditions when selling a property is storing up trouble.
With little green men, the laying down of arms is sensible. With global warming, rushing out of fossil fuels and into renewables is sensible. And with property, setting a sensible asking price from the outset, whatever the market, will always mean a faster and easier sale.
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Peter Vaughan of Vaughan Reynolds gets ready for the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations and considers what we have and have not learnt over seventy years of the property market.
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tier: cub

shelf: education

title: Alternatives to certifications

text:
When I speak out against certifications, one common response is a question: "Well, we need some way to hire good developers. How can we filter through the piles of candidates we get without using certifications?"
It's a good question. Filtering is necessary. The problem with certifications is they're not a good filter--they don't prove anything about candidates' on-the-job ability. At best, they prove the candidate's ability to cram for the certification requirement, which can be as low as "connect butt to chair (retries allowed)." My experience is that programmers who promote their certifications are generally mediocre at best. Even George Dinwiddie agrees, and he was arguing against that sort of value judgment:
A number of [the smartest people I know] have made public statements that they discriminate against people who hold certifications. That really saddens me.
It's true that I've found a pretty strong inverse correlation between collecting certifications and ability to do the work. I'm not sure I ever found a job applicant with Certified Java Programmer on their resume who passed muster when I asked them to write some code. I am sure that I gave everyone an equal chance.
George Dinwiddie, "Some of the smartest people I know..." (highlighting added)
Actually, I doubt George really gives everyone an equal chance, because that would mean he interviews every candidate. When hiring, you usually have too many candidates to interview every one. You need some way to filter out the dross without sacrificing your chance to get a great candidate. That's why people look at certifications. Unfortunately, if you do that, you're probably filtering for "mediocre" rather than "great."
So, what can you do instead? The following is an approach I used recently. There are more innovative approaches out there--this approach was designed for a company with a very traditional view of HR and limited patience for team-directed hiring--but it makes a good starting point and illustrates how to hire well without depending on certifications.
This approach consists of five stages. The earlier stages take the least effort and filter out the greatest number of candidates. The later stages take more effort and delve into candidates' specific qualifications. Throughout the process, the team, not the hiring manager, is in charge. The teams knows most about the work to be done and the type of person they need to hire. (I'm assuming an Agile-like team-based approach to the work.)
- Stage 1 creates a barrier to entry that filters out people who aren't willing to make an effort.
- Stage 2 gives the team a brief look at the candidate's capabilities--but more than the resume--allowing them to filter out people who aren't worth interviewing.
- Stage 3 allows the team to learn more about the candidate's personality and experience.
- Stage 4 provides a detailed look at the candidate's real-world abilities and behavior.
- Stage 5 is the job offer, which is when the hiring manager gets involved.
Stage 1: Candidate Self-Filtering
Start by including about five essay questions with each job posting. The team creates the questions--or rather, a pair does, and the team revises--and they're conversations rather than tests. About half are about personality ("Describe a time when you had a disagreement with someone and later had new insight about the disagreement. What was your insight and what did you do about it?") and about half are about skills ("Describe a time when you added tests to legacy code. How did you approach the problem and what was the result?").
(I stole this idea from Ternary Software, who now appear to be defunct, perhaps because two of the three founders moved on to other interests).
This stage eliminates the majority of non-serious applicants without any effort on your part. The questions take real effort to answer, which eliminates resume spammers entirely, and puts off anyone who doesn't really want the job. The remaining non-serious applicants are eliminated in the next stage.
Any self-filtering approach will do. The idea is to make it unlikely for unqualified candidates to apply in the first place. In the early days of Extreme Programming, I replaced this step and the following one by posting job openings in my email signature on the XP mailing list. I only got three candidates, but they were good ones.
Stage 2: Pre-Interview Filtering
The team reviews candidate submissions as soon as they come in. The essay questions make it very easy to filter out unqualified applicants. I've seen prima donna and lone-wolf personalities that I've been happy to reject, and I've seen even more candidates that didn't have a clue and were bull-shitting their way through the answers. The nice thing is that it doesn't take long to review the answers. There's only about a page worth. I didn't even look at the resume at this point, although other team members did.
We take a thumb vote once everyone's reviewed the essay questions. Any down vote means the candidate is rejected. If the candidate survived the stage, we schedule an interview immediately.
In the early days, we would wait until we had collected all of the candidates, in an attempt to rank and interview the "best" ones. Then we lost a promising candidate to another company because we moved too slow. Now I don't try to hire the best candidate; I try to hire the first qualified candidate, and I set the bar for "qualified" high enough that any qualified candidate will be a great hire. By looking for the first qualified candidate rather than the most qualified, we can schedule an interview within a day of receiving the application, giving us first shot at the best candidates.
Stage 3: Behavioral Interview (Morning)
The in-person interview takes most of a day. In the morning, we conduct a group interview that includes everyone on the team, and sometimes the hiring manager, too. We use a behavioral interviewing approach, which means that we ask the candidate to describe specific experiences from her past, what happened, and what she would do differently. This approach focuses the interview on the candidate's actual experiences, not whitewashed theories.
One of the mistakes we made early on was to include far too many questions. The interview took too long and we always felt rushed. We improved the process by cutting down on questions and moving technical topics to the pairing sessions.
After the behavioral interview, another thumb vote determines if the candidate should be rejected. We added this step after wasting time with a few bad candidates--everyone knew they weren't qualified, but no one was willing to be rude and say so in front of the candidate.
Stage 4: Pairing Sessions (Afternoon)
After lunch, the candidate pairs with several programmers on whatever tasks we have scheduled for this iteration. (We have the candidate sign a NDA when he comes in.) Pairing sheds light on the candidate's actual capabilities--one candidate we interviewed got this far, but then wouldn't touch the keyboard. We realized later that he had been using subtle tricks throughout the interviews, such as open-ended answers and strategically-placed pauses, to parrot our own answers back to us. Those tricks didn't work in a real-life coding session, though, thank goodness.
After the pairing interview, we hold a thumb vote to quickly reject any obviously poor candidates. The following morning, after we've had a chance to sleep on it, we debrief the interview using the ORID format. This format first looks at Observations, then emotional Reactions, than Interpretation of those observations and reactions, and finally Decisions.
(Thanks to Diana Larsen for introducing me to this technique.)
The final decision in the debrief is a hire/no-hire recommendation to the hiring manager. The hiring manager has been otherwise uninvolved, other than the group interview; the team is the most qualified to make this decision, and he trusts the team to do its job.
Stage 5: Offer
We hire the first qualified candidate. Again, we set the bar for "qualified" high enough that any qualified candidate will be a great hire. The hiring manager and HR take care of required paperwork, background checks, salary negotiation, and the actual offer.
No Certificates Need Apply
Certifications don't prove ability. No experienced developer I've met thinks they do. In fact, the consensus is that certifications are negatively correlated with developer ability. Not always, of course, but generally. At best, they're a way of motivating the mediocre--a marketing technique.
Yet you need to hire great programmers. The technique I describe above is one way to do so. Start by creating an environment that makes the least-qualified developers unlikely to even apply. Continue by using essay questions to give you a sense of who's worth talking to in person. For qualified candidates, use behavior-based interviews and live pair-programming sessions to probe into details. Finish with a team-based debrief and recommendation.
Throughout this process, it's best for the team, not the manager, to design the protocol and review the candidates. They're the most qualified. Finally, I've seen the best results from hiring the first candidate that qualifies--and setting the "qualified" bar high enough that any qualified candidate will be a great candidate.
The most common excuse I've seen for certifications--other than their utility as a marketing tool--is that they make filtering applicants easier. They do, but I don't think they filter out the right people. I hope this essay helps you find another way.
Acknowledgements and Further Reading
Thanks to the Salem team--you know who you are--for their further development and refinement of this technique.
If you're looking for more detail, I've heard good things about Johanna Rothman's book, Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies, and Nerds: The Secrets and Science of Hiring Technical People. I haven't yet read it myself, but it comes highly recommended.


shelf: home-craft

title: Mini bar sampler sets

text:
I was looking for a vetiver and rose combination of scents and found it! Tonic's Rose Vetiver Body Lotion is a rich, luxurious cream I use not only on my face and hands but on my whole body. It makes my skin feel so soft and smell so good! And it's made with high quality ingredients. I highly Tonic's Rose Vetiver Lotion.
I love the creamy qualities of these remarkable, natural, and luscious oils. I personally prefer Tonic Soaps with Goat Milk, a favorite. This light smelling aroma is a delight at my sink. I can't imagine a more lovely gift day to day just for me! I think the ingredients in Tonic Soaps are so precious, valuable, and worth every penny. I am in love with my tonic soap purchases and have used these soaps for probably 8 years.
I don't think so, the moment I opened the beautifully wrapped soaps, (and by the way, the packaging is marvelous!), the Blue Tansy just rang out with aroma. I purchased 7 bars of various favorites and this one is so healing and luscious. I really love Blue Tansy for irritated skin and overall cleansing and even feels like a "detox" quality.
I just opened up a new bar of calendula cream and am blown away. I have been using Tonic soaps daily for skin and facial cleansing. The ingredients are remarkable
The Calendula Cream is so beautifully rich with a gorgeous delicate aroma and color. It feels like silk to my skin. Thank you my dear Tonic Magicians.
Splurge on these lovely soaps! For yourself, your family, and gift your friends. The ingredients are all local, natural, fragrant, soothing! Treat yourself! You won’t regret it.
They are beautifully packaged too!


shelf: history-culture

title: Colseth the elusive more

text:
As a reviewer I get lots of “musical origin stories” from artists. But it’s rare that I read a personal history from an indie artist that could rival Mozart or Beethoven!
Colby Seth is the 30-year-old musician behind the name ColSeth who’s released a singles collection titled The Elusive More. He’s been playing music since he was four, and began writing songs on music paper at age five! Seth was also nearly deaf until eight, composing music in his brain or by laying his head down on the piano to feel the vibrations.
In high school Seth presented a live orchestral composition, along with playing bass in a three-piece indie rock band and sitting in with other artists. After a five year break from music, Seth discovered BandLab and became a solo artist. His first three albums were rap, eventually transitioning to indie and alternative rock under the ColSeth name. He calls his current style metalcore, but at each phase of his journey he’s amassed followers on YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud and other services. This particular Bandlab album is what he terms “a collection of my most refined rock songs. Indie, alternative rock, even metal.”
Playing the album through (and initially unaware that it was made up of singles) I was surprised that a classically trained musician could create such screaming, angry tracks. Seth’s songs tend to play out against a thick tapestry of overdriven, reverb-drenched guitars and synths. But it’s his vocals where his melodic gifts often shine. It’s easy to overlook his complex harmonies and interweaving melodies, especially since he often reverts to James Hetfield-like growling.
“Aimless” opens with guitar chords that are so overdriven, you can’t imagine they’d have any place else to go! There’s also a short blast of lead guitar leading into the song proper. Seth seems to have a good, slightly high-pitched singing voice, but it’s difficult to tell as he always has a second, processed vocal track following along. Overall this is a fairly traditional metal ballad, with wall-of-sound guitars and vocal lines that never quit. There’s some cool backward effects at the very end too!
The next track is “Contemptuous” which Seth rates as “not my best, not my worst.” Very similar to the first track, with Seth’s vocal histrionics expanding to what sounds like three levels of choral overdubs. This is the kind of track where it’s easy to miss Seth’s compositional skills as the sophisticated chord changes get lost in the fuzz. The fact that the vocal lines never seem to end and constantly dovetail within themselves is amazing to me.
“UnRaVeLiNg” is a remastered version of what Seth calls “my best song.” It continues the sound of the first two tracks, though this one has a few moments where the fuzzy smoke clears just for a moment. Introduced judiciously before, the pinched cookie monster-style vocals are now appearing more frequently. It’s a cool sound but I’m more partial to Seth’s gorgeous “straight” harmonies. There’s even a spoken word section and one final demonic scream toward the end.
For a collection of tracks, this set is playing so far like a planned-out album. “Before Dawn” is the perfect fourth track, taking a short breather for some quiet piano chords and intimate vocals, which weirdly remind me of classic songwriter Paul Williams. The synth follows the piano, making this more of a psychedelic track while the guitars take a break. You can really hear the melodic bass lines and the drums too. Almost synth pop and a high water mark!
For “Solemn Simulacrum” Seth proclaims: “This the one!” I think he tends to believe whatever song he’s writing about at the moment is one of his best, but this track for sure has the clearest and most straight-ahead vocals, with a dramatic, pleading chorus. And another backward ending! “You Can Meet My Book Stick” is called by Seth “a quick little bop, nothing crazy!” It’s certainly the fastest track with more of those prominent vocals, both the sweet ones and the screamers. Then we have the “post punk vibe” of “Writing On The Wall” featuring one of my favorite beats, what I call “one-two, one-one two.” I don’t know where Seth gets “post punk” as this feels more like techno pop to me, with its kaleidoscopic synths and now-classic interweaving vocals. A shorter track but very good.
“Catch Me If You Can” is termed by Seth to be “a classic” (if he does say so himself!). The songs have gotten slowly more commercial as the set has progressed, and this one gives me a definite Smashing Pumpkins vibe. It’s a clear favorite of mine and might really be a classic! “Armor of GOD” is advertised as “Ravamped! Remixed! Remastered! With an extended ending!” Though I can’t compare it to the original, this really is an exceptionally clean track with all the best ColSeth qualities in one compact package. “Loss of Life” ends the album with some beautiful piano tracks with very intimate vocals. Seth says he “put a lot of work into this one” but I’d say that must be true of all his songs, since this one shines in all the familiar ways. The drum fills are especially interesting, the vocals have that drifting overdubbed feel, and the synths pop and trill. Extremely trippy and hypnotic as the voices multiply and interweave.
Though this isn’t called a “Greatest Hits” album, it’s certainly got some of ColSeth’s best tracks and is a great introduction to this intriguing artist.


shelf: civic-law

title: Business groups respond to get britain working white paper

text:
29 Nov 2024
Business groups, including the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) have responded to the publication of the government's Get Britain Working white paper.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said that employers 'play a key role' in supporting the delivery of the government's objectives. Matthew Percival, Work and Skills Director at the CBI, said: 'There's no doubt that rising taxes and employment costs will make it more difficult for them to do so. That's why it's so important business and government work together to join the dots across the policy landscape in order for policy intent to translate into long-term impact.'
Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the FSB, stated that increasing employment is 'ultimately the most sure-fire way to drive up living standards and economic growth'.
She continued: 'Whether it's creating the next generation of driving instructors, office workers or helping solve crucial skills gaps in construction or manufacturing, getting people into work is not just crucial for individuals, but vital for long-term economic growth.
'It is – and always has been – the UK's small businesses who do the lion's share in terms of getting people into work in the private sector.'
Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the BCC, said: 'Bringing more people back into the workforce is essential to tackle skills shortages and boost economic growth. Government and business need to work together to remove barriers for people who want to work.
'Healthy staff make healthy businesses, but delivery is key. It is important changes are made quickly and effectively, to help firms develop thriving workforces in the years to come.'


shelf: science-engineering

title: Xplornet secures 5g wireless spectrum in every province

text:
sept. 12, 2019
AWS-4 spectrum to be used to build national 5G rural broadband network.
WOODSTOCK, NB – Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada’s largest rural-focused broadband service provider, today announced that it has sublicensed 40MHz of AWS-4 spectrum from TerreStar Solutions Inc. The spectrum covers most of the rural households located across Canada’s ten provinces and will enable Xplornet to build a national 5G wireless broadband network for rural Canadians.
The spectrum agreement with TerreStar makes over 500 million MHzPOP of mid-band spectrum available to Xplornet for deployment in 37 tier 3 and 13 tier 4 areas across Canada until March 2035, with an option for Xplornet to extend the term of the agreement should TerreStar’s AWS-4 spectrum licences be renewed. The spectrum band is downlink mobile spectrum in the 2000 MHz to 2020 MHz and 2180 MHz to 2200 MHz frequency ranges that can be used to provide fixed or mobile broadband.
This spectrum investment will enable Xplornet to develop the latest wireless technology to deliver future 5G services, including speeds of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) and affordable unlimited data plans for rural broadband customers across Canada.
“Having more mid-band spectrum is an important next step in our plan to advance the availability of wireless broadband services to rural Canadians,” said Tim Dinesen, Chief Technology Officer at Xplornet. “We have made significant investments in our broadband network in recent years and are eager to put this AWS-4 spectrum to work, complementing our existing spectrum holdings.”
Xplornet is currently working with leading equipment manufacturers to develop 5G-ready radio access equipment and consumer premise equipment, meeting the 3GGP standards. The AWS-4 downlink spectrum will be paired with available uplink spectrum, including spectrum currently held by Xplornet. The AWS-4 spectrum is one of a number of bands that will be deployed to deliver 5G services. Xplornet holds mobile and fixed licensed spectrum in the 3500 MHz, 2500 MHZ, 600 MHz, 700 MHz and AWS-1 bands.
Through the AWS-4 spectrum transaction, innovation with global equipment manufacturers and investment of over $500 million in the next five years, Xplornet plans to deliver 5G wireless services to rural Canadians.
Headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Xplornet Communications Inc. is one of Canada’s leading broadband service providers. For over a decade, Xplornet has been providing innovative fixed and mobile broadband solutions to rural customers at work, home and play across Canada. Xplornet offers voice and data communication services through its unique hybrid fibre wireless and satellite network that connects Canadians to what matters.
Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications
Depuis le 13 septembre 2022, Xplornet Communications Inc. est devenu Xplore inc.
Vous êtes déjà un abonné Xplore? Lancez une session pour vérifier notre offre de services dans votre région.


shelf: software-docs

title: Youtube for android will let you play a video in a loop

text:
YouTube is the video application par excellence in Spain, which in recent weeks has left us with many new features, such as its own TikTok or supervised accounts. It is usual that there is a video that you liked a lot in the application and that you want to see again and again. Unfortunately, loop playback of individual videos is not possible in the app.
The good news is that this seems to be changing soon on YouTube for Android. The application works on allowing users play an individual video in a loop. Thanks to this they will not have to add them to playlists in order to play them in a loop.
How to see how much time you spend on YouTube for Android on a daily basisIf you want to control how much time a day you spend using YouTube on your Android mobile, there is a way to see this in the application itself.
Watch Looping Videos on YouTube
The function is not available yet, but several have been seen text strings within YouTube version 16.09.34 for Android. They talk about playing a video in a loop, which makes it clear that Google is working on incorporating this possibility in the popular application. In addition, using this function, you can deactivate this loop playback with a message that appears every few seconds on the screen.
Instead of being a button, the app would enter this possibility in the form of a menu. That is, we will surely have to go to the context menu when playing a video to activate that loop playback from there. This will make it possible to play an individual video in a loop.
Until now, the YouTube application for Android did not have this possibility. Looping videos could only be played in playlists, forcing users to put videos in a playlist then to be able to see that video that they liked again. This new function would put an end to this process, as it is now possible to view any individual video in a loop.
We do not have data on when it will arrive in the application at the moment. The fact that these lines have been seen already indicates that it should not take too long, but Google has not announced anything yet.
The YouTube entry for Android will let you play a looping video that appears first in The Free Android.


shelf: health

title: Doctor from manipal hospitals broadway saves passengers life mid air

text:
Envision being thousands of feet above ground, seated inside a crowded aircraft when suddenly an in-flight medical emergency occurs.
A passenger seated in the aircraft was having trouble breathing and her skin turned pale and strained. Other passengers looked on in concern but did not know how to intervene, Dr. Smita Moitra, Consultant & In-charge, Emergency Department, Manipal Hospitals, Broadway took charge of the situation.
The incident occurred on a Kolkata-to-Delhi flight on 6th December, when a 45-year-old woman from Bikaner started experiencing severe hypertensive heart failure due to a long history of high blood pressure. With the aircraft being mid-air, every second was critical. What followed was a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how human instinct and compassion can come together to make a difference in the face of crisis.
The passenger, traveling alone from Kolkata to Delhi, started feeling unwell 15 minutes into the flight. Initially what was just mild discomfort, soon turned into severe shortness of breath, chest pain, and a choking sensation. Her condition appeared to be deteriorating rapidly—she began to sweat profusely, her restlessness intensified, and she could not speak anymore. Her blood pressure rose to life-threatening levels of 240/120 mmHg in moments, where even breathing seemed impossible to her.
Amid the chaos, as the cabin crew ran to help the panicking passengers, it was the real-life hero, Dr. Smita Moitra, Consultant & In-charge, Emergency Department, Manipal Hospitals, Broadway who took charge of the situation. After calmly assessing the patient, she diagnosed her with hypertensive heart failure, a critical condition that could have led to cardiac arrest or respiratory collapse if not treated promptly.
With minimal emergency supplies on board, she acted quickly. She injected the patient with Lasix to reduce fluid overload, sublingual nitroglycerin to relieve her chest pain, and Ecosprin to manage cardiac stress. The patient was provided oxygen to help with her breathing. As the patient stabilized, the crew informed the pilot, and the flight was diverted to Ranchi, where an emergency medical team awaited the patient. Without her timely diagnosis and intervention, the consequences could have been catastrophic.
Dr. Smita Moitra, Consultant & In-charge, Emergency Department, Manipal Hospitals, Broadway stated, “It was an incredibly tense situation where every second felt critical. Staying calm and making quick, effective decisions is vital in such cases. The risk of things going wrong, like cardiac arrest or respiratory failure, was very real. Still, I’m grateful that I could use my training and experience to act quickly and stabilize her before the flight could land safely. Knowing that my efforts saved her life is the most rewarding part of being a doctor.”
Thanks to Dr. Moitra’s efforts, the passenger was stable by the time the flight landed. She was transported in a wheelchair to a local hospital for further treatment. Later updates confirmed that the patient had recovered and had gone back to her normal life.


shelf: finance

title: Argentina brazil to renew discussions on common currency

text:
Argentina and Brazil will renew discussions on creating a common currency during the 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of CELAC on January 24.
Per a joint statement by Argentinian president Alberto Fernandez and Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, they aim to overcome barriers to regional trade. The new currency will simplify, modernize and reduce dependence on foreign notes such as the U.S. dollar.
"We also decided to advance discussion of a common South American currency that can be used for financial and commercial transactions, reducing operational costs and our external vulnerability," the statement read.
Fernandez and da Silva also said they planned to invite other South American nations to the discussions.
Reports suggested that Colombian president Gustavo Petro would likely attend the summit along with Chilean leader Gabriel Boric. Controversial leaders, such as Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and Cuba's Miguel Diaz-Canel, will also attend the event. Meanwhile, Mexico will not participate in the summit.
Officials said the currency — Brazil suggests naming it "sur," meaning "south" — would first run in parallel with the Argentinian peso and Brazilian real. Argentinian economy minister Sergio Massa added that the two countries would start studying the parameters required for a shared currency.
"There will be . . . a decision to start studying the parameters needed for a common currency, which includes everything from fiscal issues to the size of the economy and the role of central banks."
Sergio Massa, Economy Minister of Argentina
Argentina and Brazil will determine the role of central banks in managing the common currency. They also need to work out fiscal issues and the size of the economy. Massa said a shared currency also meant trade integration.
The Argentinian minister said he did not want to create "false expectations" regarding the plan. He predicted that it would take "many years" for the plan to come to fruition, saying that it took the E.U. 35 years to roll out the euro.
As the two largest economies in the region, Argentina and Brazil have been discussing a shared currency for decades. However, prevalent macroeconomic imbalance and political hurdles have hampered the plan's progress.
Analysts note that since leftwing politicians now lead both countries, there will be stronger support to ensure its continuation.
Latin American nations have been trying to reduce the use of the greenback in the past year. A common currency combined with South America's economic growth can boost the region's dependence. However, some of these countries are wary of the unstable global economy.
"Because of this, all the steps towards integration will certainly be more cautious . . . and will have to be focused directly on delivering results and showing why they are useful," Bolivian political scientist Manuel Canelas said.
If the plan works out, a currency representing all of South America will account for five percent of global economic output.
Argentina's economic volatility
According to analysts, the urgency to push a shared currency is especially high for Argentina, which is currently battling high inflation. The country's inflation nearly hit 100 percent due to its central bank's move to print more pesos to fund spending.
In Fernandez's first three years leading Argentina, the amount of money circulating in public quadrupled. Based on the parallel exchange rate, the highest peso denomination is currently worth less than $3.
Analysts said this might hinder the progress of the common currency, given that Brazil's inflation rate remained at 5.8 percent.
Another issue the opposition in Brazil may bring up is Argentina's inability to obtain loans from international organizations. Since defaulting on its debt in 2020, Argentina is no longer considered in international debt markets.
Currently, Argentina still owes more than $40 billion to the International Monetary Fund from a bailout in 2018, showcasing the high volatility in the country's economy.
At the moment, Argentina and Brazil's trade is flourishing. The amount reached $26.4 billion within the first 11 months of 2022, a 21 percent increase from the previous year. The two countries are the driving force behind the Mercosur trade bloc, which also encompasses Uruguay and Paraguay.


title: Mysore In Shala & Online

text:
Mysore In Shala & Online
Mysore is the traditional way in which Ashtanga Yoga is passed on from teacher to student. Its name stems from a South Indian town from where this method originates. In a Mysore room students arrive at different times, roll out their mats and do their own self practice within a supportive group environment, doing the last pose taught to them by the teacher before doing backbending and the finishing sequence.
The teacher oversees each student’s practice, transmitting the sequence correctly in terms of both the asanas themselves and the vinyasas to enter into and out of the state of the posture. (Vinyasa is the synchronisation of physical movement with the breath). The teacher offers hands on and/or verbal adjustments whenever appropriate to help deepen the student’s practice, refine technique and invite their body to move into a shape they may not be able to do without assistance yet. The teacher intersperses small pockets of personalised tuition with each student, with creating a safe nourishing space for students to simply breathe, move and be, in accordance with their own rhythm. The series’ are taught posture by posture at a pace that is appropriate to each student. As the postures are mastered the next one is given.
Students all practice together irrespective of whether their practice is long/short, primary/intermediate/advanced, if they have just started yoga or have been doing it for decades. There are no pre-requisites to attending a Mysore class, except the willingness to learn. It is the teacher’s job to teach you the sequence so do not think you have to know it before you come. It is a beautiful empowering way to learn and to own your practice. And, it is the safest and most effective way to learn Ashtanga. Once you are familiar with the sequence, you can tweak and fine tune the physical positions, and more importantly move into deeper internal states of yoga. The practice becomes a moving meditation, something you internalise and take with you. So wherever you are in the world, you can come to a Mysore space, put your mat down, know what to do and come home.
Morning Mysore classes run from Sunday through Thursday 08:00-11:00am in the Shala. For those of you who cannot attend the Shala in person, you are welcome to attend online on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. There is also Tuesday evening Mysore from 18:00-20:00. Do see the calendar and class timetable for more information.
If you are new to Ashtanga, start with the Introduction to Mysore 3 class pass for £30.00, to be used ideally within a week or so. The led class is not suitable for beginners but as soon as you are ready I am happy to invite you! After your first three classes, you are welcome to simply drop-in or top up to a monthly class pass. If you already have an established Mysore practice feel free to drop-in for £10.00 or to purchase one of the monthly passes straight away. Payment can be made in advance via BACS or PayPal, or in cash on arrival
To book your first class, email firstname.lastname@example.org or call/message me on +44 7485 164654. I would love to share Mysore with you!


title: Lilacs a fragrant delight

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Lilacs are beloved for their intoxicating fragrance, stunning blooms in various shades of purple, and ease of care. Whether you’re looking for a compact variety for a small space or a classic lilac with deep purple flowers, there’s a perfect lilac for every (sunshine blessed) garden.
Optimal Conditions for Planting Right Now
Right NOW is bloom time – and PLANT time – for lilacs in West Michigan’s Zone 6. The soil has begun warming up and the daylight hours are long, providing optimal conditions for growth and establishment.
That quintessential spring smell of lovely lilacs is permeating throughout Knapp Valley Gardens right now, and blooms are popping out all over, making them our Plant of the Week.
Popular Lilac Varieties
Knapp Valley Gardens sells several varieties, we’ll take a closer look at four of our best sellers: Bloomerang, Charles Joly, Dwarf Korean, Miss Kim, and how to care for them, especially in Zone 6.
Bloomerang lilac (Syringa x ‘Penda’) is a reblooming variety, meaning it flowers in spring and again in summer and fall. It grows 4-5 feet tall and prefers full sun. Bloomerang lilac is hardy in Zones 3-7, making it a great option for Zone 6.
Charles Joly Lilac
Charles Joly lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘Charles Joly’) is a classic French lilac with deep magenta double flowers. It grows 8-15 feet tall and is highly fragrant. This variety thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it an excellent choice for Zone 6.
Dwarf Korean Lilac
Dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’) is a small, rounded shrub that reaches 4-5 feet tall. It produces pale lavender blooms in spring and sometimes reblooms in late summer. This variety is hardy in Zones 3-7, making it well-suited for Zone 6. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
Miss Kim Lilac
Miss Kim lilac (Syringa pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’) is a compact, late-blooming variety with fragrant lavender-purple flowers. It grows 4-9 feet tall and thrives in full sun with well-drained soil. Unlike common lilacs, Miss Kim is resistant to powdery mildew, making it a great choice for humid climates.
Lilac Care in Zone 6
Lilacs are low-maintenance but benefit from proper care to ensure healthy growth and abundant blooms. Here’s how to keep them thriving in Zone 6:
Lilacs need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal blooming.
Lilacs prefer well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. If your soil is acidic, consider adding lime to adjust the pH.
Water lilacs deeply once a week, especially during dry periods. However, avoid overwatering, as lilacs dislike soggy soil.
Prune lilacs immediately after flowering to encourage new growth and prevent legginess. Remove dead or weak branches to improve air circulation and reduce disease risk.
Use a balanced fertilizer in early spring to promote healthy growth and blooming. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which encourages foliage growth at the expense of flowers.
Add a Lilac Today!
Lilacs are a beautiful and fragrant addition to any garden, and with the right care, they thrive in Zone 6. Whether you choose the compact Miss Kim, the reblooming Bloomerang, the classic Charles Joly, the smaller Dwarf Korean, or another variety all together, lilacs will bring years of beauty and fragrance to your West Michigan landscape.


title: 6264

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Nestled in the heart of Downtown Honolulu, Iolani Palace stands as a national historic landmark and the only official state residence of royalty in the United States. From 1882 to 1893, it served as the regal home for the last monarchs of the Hawaiian Kingdom: King Kalakaua and his sister, Queen Liliuokalani. This palace, built by King David Kalakaua, affectionately known as "The Merrie Monarch," was a beacon of hope for the Hawaiian Kingdom. Its architecture, inspired by European styles, introduced Hawaii to its first electric lighting system, flush toilets, and intra-house telephones. Inside, you'll find a magnificent koa staircase, striking portraits of Hawaiian royalty, and an array of ornate furniture and royal gifts from across the globe.
As you tour this American Florentine-style palace, step into the throne room, reception, and dining areas and imagine the grand state dinners and elegant balls that once graced these halls. Explore the private quarters of the royal family and hear the poignant tale of Queen Liliuokalani's imprisonment in an upstairs bedroom after the overthrow. The basement level offers a glimpse into the past with ancient regalia, including swords, precious jewelry, and the golden crowns of the King and Queen. Outside, the palace grounds feature the Iolani Coronation Pavilion, where King Kalakaua was crowned in 1883.
A visit here isn't just about seeing a historic site; it's about stepping into a story, a narrative that shaped Hawaii's identity. And while you're there, don't miss the chance to wander through the lush gardens surrounding the palace; they're a serene escape from the bustling city streets and offer a perfect spot to reflect on the rich history you've just witnessed.


title: Residents urged to have their say on future of bromley estates

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Residents are being invited to share their views on multi-million pound proposals to regenerate two Bromley estates.
Riverside is asking people living in Pike Close and Calverley Close to have a say on what’s important to them.
The housing association is planning to invest millions of pounds to build warmer homes that are cheaper for customers to heat, create better open spaces for residents to enjoy, and improve the local environment.
No firm plans have been drawn up yet and initial consultation events have taken place on both estates.
Riverside customers have been actively giving feedback on what matters to them. Top priorities so far are retaining green space, access to good public transport links, and better design and layout of buildings.
Further consultation events will be held in the Spring and Riverside customers are being invited to take part, have their say in an online survey, and join dedicated Facebook groups to ask questions and share their views.
Stephen Elliott, Riverside’s Regional Director, South and Central, said: “We are really pleased with the feedback from residents who have got involved so far to share their ideas. It’s important to us that they are part of the journey every step of the way.
“Regenerating both estates will be a long process over a number of years and this is just the beginning. This multi-million pound initiative may mean demolishing existing properties to replace them with new modern homes and improving the local environment.
“We are in the very early stages of the project and haven’t yet submitted a planning application. We want to ensure that residents have the chance to shape the future of both estates.”
There are a number of ways that Riverside customers and residents can get involved:
- Visit dedicated Riverside web pages www.riverside.org.uk/pike and www.riverside.org.uk/calverley where there is a questions and answer guide, and chance to take part in an online survey.
- Join dedicated Pike Close and Calverley Close Facebook groups. To find out more, visit www.riverside.org.uk/pike and www.riverside.org.uk/calverley
- Send an email to [email protected] or call 0345 111 0000.


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You Asked, We Answered: Electric Truck FAQs
Freightliner Electric TrucksAs interest in implementing electric trucks picks up speed, the influx of information can be overwhelming.
We're here to help you cut through the uncertainty and provide you with clear answers around electric semi and medium-duty trucks, like the Freightliner® eCascadia® and Freightliner® eM2. Whether you're a fleet manager, a truck driver or you're just curious about the future of transportation, let this be the compass for your electrification journey.
How far can an electric truck drive on a single charge?
The range of electric vehicles can be influenced by multiple factors, including temperature and driving conditions, payload, driving behavior and other considerations. Freightliner electric trucks, the eM2 and eCascadia, are available in multiple configurations with different battery packs and e-axles, all of which influence their precise driving ranges.
For the Class 8 eCascadia, a smaller battery pack configuration (291 kWh) with a single rear axle can typically drive up to 155 miles on a full charge. Opting for a larger battery pack (438 kWh) can increase the typical range to 230 miles.
The Class 6 eM2 with a smaller battery pack configuration (194 kWh) can provide a typical range of 180 miles. The Class 7 eM2, equipped with a larger battery pack (291 kWh), can provide a typical range of 250 miles, assuming a dry box route. It's important to note that using a refrigerated box impacts range as the refrigeration unit draws energy from the vehicle’s batteries.
At Freightliner, we’ve conducted extensive field studies that have shown that most daily ranges for fleets focused on port drayage, intermodal transport and regional-haul routes typically fall between 100 to 200 miles, which has directly influenced the way we’ve designed these vehicles for these applications.
We also carefully balance other considerations, like weight, to ensure our vehicles excel in performance, meeting the unique needs of these customers.
The eCascadia and eM2 feature driving ranges that go beyond the minimum requirements for typical use cases, ensuring reliable performance even in challenging conditions. This intentional design allows for confidence when planning routes with a margin of safety.
What safety features are included in electric trucks?
The eM2 and eCascadia come equipped with an array of industry-leading safety features to mitigate accidents. Both trucks come standard with the Detroit Assurance® Suite of Safety Systems, which includes Active Brake Assist (ABA), Active Lane Assist (ALA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) to 0 MPH and Brake Hold Mode (BHM).
In the event of collision, the eM2 and eCascadia have built-in safety mechanisms, including impact sensors throughout the truck that open the high-voltage interlock loop to cut electrical flow and minimize electrical risks. The driver also has an emergency stop button that is designed to instantly shut off the high-voltage circuit, if necessary. If first responders need to intervene, there are accessible, low-voltage cables that can be cut to shut down the high-voltage electrical system.
Even in water submersion scenarios, the high-voltage circuit remains isolated from the chassis, to help mitigate electrical risks. Freightliner Emergency Response Guides are available for download, empowering dealers and customers with essential information on how to proceed in specific emergency situations.
All Freightliner dealers also undergo training, ensuring they are equipped to navigate the intricacies of these systems and assist customers in the event of an accident.
There are other safety events that do not include accidents that have been taken into consideration. To monitor the health of the battery pack, these trucks employ a battery monitoring system (BMS) that constantly checks for abnormal heat or voltage fluctuations. They also have a gas detection system to alert the driver to potential gas leaks from the battery pack, to better allow for swift and safe response procedures.
What are maintenance costs for electric trucks?
The actual cost savings vary from customer to customer. Many electric truck adopters have experienced reductions in their maintenance expenses because the eM2 and eCascadia have fewer components to maintain. In fact, there are 40% fewer touch points that require service from a technician.
Fleet managers can significantly contribute to cost savings by adhering to the recommended maintenance schedule outlined in the driver’s and workshop manual, which are consistent for all models and configurations.
Do daily charging needs for electric trucks disrupt operating schedules?
The eM2 and eCascadia were designed for convenient and efficient charging. Both vehicles use CCS1 DC charging, the standard charging protocol for electric vehicles in North America, ensuring widespread compatibility. These vehicles can accept up to 180 kilowatts of power per port. The eCascadia, with a larger battery pack (438 kWh), offers the option to have two charge ports on the same truck, which could potentially receive 270 kilowatts of power.
In optimal conditions, the eM2 with a smaller battery pack (194 kWh) can be charged from 0% to 80% in as little as one hour, while the eCascadia can be spec’d with a smaller battery pack (291 kWh) or dual-port charging with the larger battery pack (438 kWh) to enable a 90-minute recharge time. Even in less-than-ideal circumstances, where charging may take two to three hours for the eM2 and three to four hours for the eCascadia, these times are still reasonable for certain operations.
The cost of electricity has a significant impact on the operating costs of electric vehicles. Intelligently planning charge times, including charging during off-peak hours, can reduce these costs. Additionally, a charger management system can automate the charging process, staggering the charging times for multiple vehicles and further optimizing cost savings.
Are electric trucks ideal for cold environments and weather?
It is well known that temperatures do have an impact on the driving range of electric vehicles. To better understand how that carries over, Freightliner engineers have tested the eM2 and eCascadia in both extremely high and low temperatures. It is difficult to pinpoint a precise temperature at which their performance is impacted too dramatically for operation because there are many factors that play into this equation. However, if you are seeking to electrify a route that is consistently below -4°F, we would recommend reaching out to Detroit eConsulting for a more detailed route analysis.
The trucks themselves are equipped with several features that help them to perform in cold environments. One of the main features, preconditioning, reduces range impact associated with warming up the truck by enabling that to be done while the truck is plugged in to the charger. Both vehicles come with a preconditioning feature. When a truck is plugged in before a shift, this feature warms the cabin, defrosts the windshield and ensures the battery is at the proper temperature so no time is wasted before getting on the road. Electric trucks differ from their diesel counterparts when operating in cold environments because there are no fuel gelling issues or need for external heaters. Electric trucks (even without using the preconditioning feature) warm up the cab quicker than diesel trucks, due to the use of electric heating elements rather than relying on engine waste heat.
Does going electric require extensive driver retraining?
A major design goal of the eM2 and eCascadia was to keep the driving experience as familiar as possible while prioritizing driver comfort. With the addition of intuitive touch screen displays to keep drivers informed, the main adjustment drivers need to make is to familiarize themselves with regenerative braking.
This feature is controlled the same as a traditional Jake Brake or engine brake. Drivers use a lever switch on the side of the steering wheel, shifting up and down. The further shifted down, the more stopping power received.
This learning process typically takes a few weeks. Visual displays in the vehicle allow the driver to monitor how energy flows across the chassis, reinforcing the concept of using regenerative braking instead of traditional service brakes when appropriate.
Driver training videos are also available and are the perfect starting point for those making the transition.
Can electric trucks handle heavy loads?
The eCascadia can haul up to 82,000 gross pounds with ease and many drivers who participated in the Freightliner Innovation Fleet have shared their satisfaction with its performance. Those hauling these heavy loads will appreciate that this exemption is factored into the 82,000-pound rating, ensuring no noticeable impact on the vehicle’s performance in terms of acceleration or gradeability.
Hilly terrain can cause some to question the abilities of an electric truck, as many believe it causes excess energy to be burned. For the eCascadia, the regenerative braking feature allows for energy recaptured when descending hills to be stored and used during other portions of the truck’s route, which means there is little effect on the truck’s load or range capabilities.
What grants or incentives are being offered to transition to electric?
While there are many grants and incentives available for those looking to transition to electric vehicles, they vary by location and may change over time. Here are some common types:
- Federal Tax Credits: Federal tax credits can significantly reduce the upfront cost of electric trucks and may vary depending on the vehicle's weight and battery capacity.
- State and Local Incentives: Many states and local governments offer additional incentives, such as rebates, tax credits or grants to promote the adoption of electric trucks. These incentives can further lower the total cost of ownership.
Read more on how to navigate the electric vehicle incentive landscape here.
While the massive amount of information available on electrification can seem daunting, we’re here to help you navigate it. Contact your dealer or the Detroit eConsulting team to map out your next steps toward a more sustainable tomorrow.


tier: grizzly

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Capture and log events, metrics and traces on your site. Make WordPress observable – finally!
De-facto standard stack for WordPress observability, DecaLog provides reliable and powerful logging, monitoring and tracing features for WordPress core, PHP, database, plugins and themes.
DecaLog captures events generated by WordPress core, PHP, database, plugins and themes, collates metrics and KPIs and follows traces of the full WordPress execution. It has the ability to enrich these events, metrics and traces with many details regarding their triggering, before storing them in WordPress database or passing them to external services.
If you don’t want to use external services, DecaLog provides the tools to leverage all the benefits of observability right in the WordPress admin dashboard. It supports multisite logs delegation and contains many features to help to protect personal information (user pseudonymization, IP obfuscation, etc.).
For a full list of supported – internal or third-party – services please, jump to the official supported services list.
DecaLog can be used in dev/debug phases or on production sites: it has nearly no resource impact on the server. It provides an extensive set of WP-CLI commands to help operations too.
DecaLog is part of PerfOps One, a suite of free and open source WordPress plugins dedicated to observability and operations performance.
If you’re a plugins / themes developer and want to take advantage of the logging features of DecaLog, there’s a DecaLog SDK for you.
This plugin is free and provided without warranty of any kind. Use it at your own risk, I’m not responsible for any improper use of this plugin, nor for any damage it might cause to your site. Always backup all your data before installing a new plugin.
Anyway, I’ll be glad to help you if you encounter issues when using this plugin. Just use the support section of this plugin page.
This plugin, as any piece of software, is neither compliant nor non-compliant with privacy laws and regulations. It is your responsibility to use it – by activating the corresponding options or services – with respect for the personal data of your users and applicable laws.
This plugin doesn’t set any cookie in the user’s browser.
This plugin may handle personally identifiable information (PII). If the GDPR or CCPA or similar regulation applies to your case, you must use the anonymization options embedded in the plugin and/or adapt your processes (consent management, security measure, treatment register, etc.).
If you like this plugin or find it useful and want to thank me for the work done, please consider making a donation to La Quadrature Du Net or the Electronic Frontier Foundation which are advocacy groups defending the rights and freedoms of citizens on the Internet. By supporting them, you help the daily actions they perform to defend our fundamental freedoms!
From your WordPress dashboard
- Visit ‘Plugins > Add New’.
- Search for ‘DecaLog’.
- Click on the ‘Install Now’ button.
- Activate DecaLog.
- Download DecaLog.
- Upload the
directory to your/wp-content/plugins/
directory, using your favorite method (ftp, sftp, scp, etc…). - Activate DecaLog from your Plugins page.
- Visit ‘PerfOps One > Control Center > DecaLog’ in the left-hand menu of your WP Admin to adjust settings.
What are the requirements for this plugin to work?
You need at least WordPress 5.2 and PHP 7.2.
Can this plugin work on multisite?
Yes. It is designed to work on multisite too. Network Admins can configure the plugin and have access to all logs. Sites Admins have access to the logs of their own sites only.
Where can I get support?
Support is provided via the official WordPress page.
Where can I find documentation?
Documentation for users is provided as the form of inline help in the plugin.
Developer’s documentation can be found in the DecaLog SDK Documentation.
Where can I report a bug?
You can report bugs and suggest ideas via the GitHub issue tracker of the plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“DecaLog” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Please, see full changelog.


title: $0 Fee, Until You WIn

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$0 Fee, Until You WIn
A scaffolding accident can bring your life to a standstill, causing physical injuries, emotional distress, and unexpected medical expenses. The path to recovery and justice may seem like an uphill climb, but with Eaton Injury Law, you’re not alone. We’re not just your personal injury lawyer; we’re your unwavering ally, committed to building a robust case for your rightful compensation.
Personalized Attention – The Eaton Advantage
At Eaton Injury Law, we pride ourselves on providing personalized care for every case. We do not delegate your case to a paralegal; rather, our founder, Tyler Eaton, personally manages each case. His meticulous approach ensures your case gets the intensive attention it deserves, paving the way for a strong claim.
No Win, No Fee – Our Pledge
We understand that legal battles can add to your financial worries during an already challenging time. That’s why at Eaton Injury Law, we adhere to a ‘no win, no fee’ principle. We shoulder the risk, confident in our skills and ability to secure a victory for your case.
Championing the Rights of Scaffolding Accident Victims
Scaffolding accidents can lead to severe injuries and substantial losses. Using our extensive experience in handling such cases, we aim to hold the negligent parties accountable, fighting tirelessly for the compensation you deserve.
Eaton Injury Law – Your Partner in Trying Times
The aftermath of a scaffolding accident can seem like a complex maze of legal processes. With Eaton Injury Law by your side, you can focus on your recovery while we skillfully navigate the legal intricacies of your case.
Begin Your Journey to Justice Today
A scaffolding accident may have shaken your life, but it doesn’t define your future. Take the first step on your path to justice today by scheduling a free consultation with us. At Eaton Injury Law, we go beyond winning cases – we’re about standing by your side, defending your rights, and helping you regain control of your life.
At Eaton Injury Law, you’re more than a client – you’re family. Let’s set forth on this journey towards justice together. Call us now at (385) 333-7711. When it comes to scaffolding accidents in Utah, you deserve nothing less than top-tier legal representation.


title: Can you transfer american airlines miles

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American Airlines’ loyalty program is called AAdvantage, and its currency is called AAdvantage miles.
You can earn AAdvantage miles through activities such as flying with American Airlines or its partner airlines, spending on an American Airlines cobranded credit card and shopping online through the AAdvantage eShopping online portal. However, AAdvantage will update the specific ways members can earn miles and Loyalty Points on May 1.
While you can transfer certain travel rewards, such as Bilt Rewards Points (though this transfer partnership is ending in June), into your AAdvantage account, can you also transfer AAdvantage miles out?
Here is everything you need to know about transferring AAdvantage miles.
American Airlines AAdvantage overview
As one of the world’s largest airlines, American Airlines offers a large network of domestic and international routes. It’s also a Oneworld alliance member with 12 other airline partners, including Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Qantas and Cathay Pacific. Additionally, it’s the only “Big Three” U.S. airline out of American, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that hasn’t fully eliminated award charts.
Whether you want to fly across the country, across the pond to Europe or somewhere more exotic like the Middle East or Australasia, American Airlines and its well-regarded partner airlines can take you there.
While AAdvantage miles for long-haul flights on American Airlines can be of poor value due to the dynamic pricing, partner redemptions remain a great deal.
TPG currently values AAdvantage miles at 1.55 cents each.
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Can you transfer AAdvantage miles?
You can transfer miles from hotel or credit card programs to AAdvantage in a few ways.
Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to American AAdvantage at a ratio of 3 Marriott points to 1 AAdvantage mile. Unlike most Marriott airline transfer programs, you won’t earn an extra 5,000 miles for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer.
While you can also transfer World of Hyatt points and IHG One Rewards points to AAdvantage, the transfer rate is so poor we do not recommend it.
Credit card points
You can use the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees) to earn points when you pay rent (up to 100,000 points in a calendar year) and make other purchases. Cardholders must use the card five times each statement period to earn points (see rewards and benefits). Then, you can transfer Bilt points to partners, including AAdvantage, at a 1:1 transfer ratio.
Note that as of June 2024, the Bilt transfer option with American Airlines will end.
An easier option to consider for earning American AAdvantage miles is through sign-up bonuses and spending on American Airlines cards. Citi and Barclays currently issue AAdvantage credit cards that let you earn American Airlines miles when using your card for purchases.
Transfer to another member
You can transfer AAdvantage miles online to any other AAdvantage member in increments of 1,000 miles for $5 per 1,000 miles. This includes taxes, fees and discounts.
It is not possible to transfer AAdvantage miles to a credit card program or another airline loyalty program.
You can also use your AAdvantage miles in your account to book flights for other people.
How to book American Airlines flights with no AAdvantage miles
If you have no AAdvantage miles, you can still book American Airlines-operated flights in several different ways:
- You can book directly on aa.com, but remember to pay with a credit card that earns bonus miles for flight bookings.
- You could book American flights through a credit card travel portal like Chase Travel℠ or Capital One Travel, both of which offer bonus miles for airfare bookings.
- You could book through a partner airline like Alaska Airlines, which will sell you American Airlines flights.
- You could redeem points and miles in a partner airline program like British Airways Executive Club. This program partners with almost every transferable credit card program, so you have a wide range of options to earn points you could transfer to British Airways to book flights on American Airlines.
While there are only a few ways to transfer miles into your AAdvantage account, there are plenty of ways to earn more miles, from using a cobranded credit card to transferring miles from another member.
You can also book American Airlines flights, even if you do not have any AAdvantage miles, through the carrier’s partner airlines or online travel portals to earn extra rewards.


title: Online learning

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Writing a decade ago, Jody Passanisi and Shara Peters wondered if online learning could replace physical school. Now as they evaluate the costs to students of pandemic driven education, the teachers turned school leaders have their answer: Content in a human vacuum can’t sustain itself.
Tagged: online learning
As school leaders begin typical summer work, they will need to include recovery strategies that identify effects of the pandemic and address emerging issues. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn share key areas of focus to help teachers and students thrive in the new normal.
On her first day back Michelle Russell surveyed her students, looking for ways to improve her online teaching and – most of all – to find out how they’re doing in these difficult times. Some of their answers surprised her, and she’ll be more aware and proactive going forward.
Issues students wrestle with in the traditional classroom may be magnified during online learning. To address them, we need to adapt our regular classroom strategies to help students succeed. Teaching expert Barbara Blackburn looks at six common issues.
Get kids engaged in narrative writing using Story in a Bag. ELA consultant Lynne Dorfman shows how this hands-on activity enlivens in-class and distance learning as it helps students build their writing fluency and encourages them to learn problem solving on the spot.
In March, when her physical classroom vanished, NBCT Kathie Palmieri knew she had to embrace her career-long passion for professional growth. Here’s how she tapped into best practice research and her own skill set to design online learning that kept kids and parents engaged.
The global pandemic “will be in the history books, won’t it?” Absolutely, 8th grade teacher Lauren Brown told her students. She’s devised a simple home assignment – students create a ‘primary source’ for future historians by jotting down their questions, concerns and observations. See her suggested prompts to get kids started.
Middle schools and their students are special. By design 6-8 grade schools are intended to be communities, organized in houses or teams as the kids are exploring themselves and their world. All this helps in the leap to online school, says teacher Laurie Lichtenstein.
This summer middle grades teacher Mary Tarashuk is diving into the deep end of the technology pool, accepting a challenging online leadership role. Yet she’s determined to protect the beach time she needs for family and reflection on the school year ahead.


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Today’s blog will feature a Coverstitch Review on the Brother CV355o
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
This is Marta from @the.pickle.and.the.banana on Instagram. I hope that you are all doing well and staying safe! I’m here with another machine review for you.
Today I’ll be giving you my impressions of my Brother CV3550 Coverstitch machine.
I have had this machine for about a year and a half. And, as with most new machines, I was scared to use it for the first few months. Once I got over my fears though…..it’s a pretty good time!
I bought this machine because I have the Brother Serger, which I reviewed here a few months ago, and I’m really happy with it. You can find that blog post here. Also, the price point was more affordable than other models. I went with the five thread version because I wanted to be able to do the fancy stitches without doing a reverse coverstitch. But, I have to admit, I’ve been using two needles and reversing more often than using all five threads.
General Opinion of the Brother CV3550 Coverstitch
Before we go into the specifics of the machine, let me give you my general opinion. Overall, I enjoy using it and I love how it gives me a more professional finish on my garments. However, I have definitely been more frustrated with this machine than with any of my others. I had a lot of issues with skipped stitches at first. And ripping out a coverstitch is pretty much the worst when you have five threads. Like with a serger, if you find the “magic thread” it’s super easy and pulls out quickly; unfortunately, that magic thread often eludes me. I did find that changing the type of needle I used has helped a lot.
My other main issue with this machine is that the presser foot doesn’t go up very high and if you have a few layers it’s kind of hard to get them all shoved in there. You can lift the foot a bit more with your finger like this:
I have also found that it likes to eat my fabric more often than my other machines. Because there are so many threads, getting the fabric out can be difficult. I spent a lot of time yanking on in or cutting my threads. BUT THEN…..I discovered that if your fabric is stuck you can just pop this little part out and it loosens everything up enough that you can slip it out and cut the threads closer to the fabric so you don’t have to rethread.
Another good tip that I learned is to get a little dental pick, or crochet hook like this one:
It has to be small enough that you can slide it under your presser foot when it’s lifted. That way when you are done your stitching you can grab just the needle threads and pull them out.
You can snip these threads before you pull out the fabric. That way the threads get pulled to the back and you can tie them off.
When you are pulling the fabric out, it’s best to tug gently and on an angle, like this:
Now, let’s talk about threading. Getting this thing going is much more complicated than a regular serger. But again, there are lots of videos on YouTube to help you out with that. And once you’ve done it a few times, it’s no problem at all. Before you even get to the inside of the machine you have to twist the threads around the top bar in a specific way. I can’t lie, it took me a bit to wrap my mind around how to do this properly (see what I did there? Wrap….my mind….and the thread).
Once you get the machine open, this is what the thread path looks like.
I have to say, one of my favourite things is that the inside has a place to snap in your tweezers and the key to get the needles out. I always lose my serger ones in my messy drawer.
Overall, I’m fairly happy with this machine. The biggest drawback is the small amount of space under the presser foot. But really, it’s unlikely that I’m going to be using it for fleece or thicker fabric.
My best advice would be to approach each use with a zen mindframe and more time than you think it’s going to take. It’s definitely more finicky than my serger.
There are lots of things you can do with your coverstitch and it’s really fun to play with. I hope this general overview gave you a good idea of how this particular machine behaves. If you have any questions at all, feel free to jump over to the New Horizons Facebook group and give me a tag, @Marta Gloger. I’m happy to answer any time.
Happy Stitching everyone!


title: Fortress finalises black metal extravaganza line up

text:
Fortress Festival has revealed further new names to complete the line-up for the 2025 edition of the biggest black metal event in the UK, with Dödsrit now making their UK debut in the Grand Hall at Fortress Festival after having to withdraw from the 2024 bill.
The 2025 edition will see the seated theatre stage transform into a candlelit atmospheric escape on the Fortress Saturday (31 May) for attendees seeking something different in their music. Darkher, a haunting trip through the mind and spirit of founding member Jayn Maiven; Osi And The Jupiter, a neo-folk project from Ohio, United States, consisting of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Sean Kratz; and a returning Sylvaine, the solo project of Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Kathrine Shepard, all make up the bill for the new stage in 2025.
The theatre stage will revert to accommodate industry speakers on the Fortress Sunday (1 June) for Fortress Forum with the running order to be announced in the new year.
The festival will take place on the weekend of 31 May – 1 June 2025 at Scarborough Spa.
Dödsrit, Darkher, Sylvaine and Osi And The Jupiter join Agalloch, 1349, Ulcerate, Forteresse, RUÏM, Moonlight Sorcery, Afsky, Fen, The Great Old Ones, Spirit Possession, Perchta, Belore, Akhlys, Grift, Selbst, Perennial Isolation, Aquilus, Suldusk, Abduction, Devastator, Autumn Nostalgie, Crimson Throne and Nemorous for what is promising to be another extraordinary weekend for black metal fans.
Agalloch will perform a 2025 European exclusive headlining show; their first in the UK since the band’s reformation and the first in the UK since 2015. 1349 will headline the main stage on Saturday, 31 May 2025, following the release of their eighth studio album “The Wolf And The King”. New Zealand unorthodox death metallers Ulcerate will perform a UK exclusive set following their recently released “Cutting the Throat of God”. RUÏM – with iconic former Mayhem guitarist and Vltimas founder, Blasphemer – will perform a UK debut and exclusive show. Forteresse will perform a UK exclusive show at Fortress, returning to the stage following a seven-year and ice-cold slumber. Moonlight Sorcery comes to Fortress with an international exclusive set, a UK and international debut and the only show outside of Finland until at least 2026. Afsky will bring his melancholic and depressive Danish black metal to the Scarborough shore with the live band on the Fortress Festival main stage. UK atmospheric black metallers Fen will perform a UK exclusive full album performance of their 2009 debut album “The Malediction Fields”.
The Great Old Ones and Spirit Possession will perform UK exclusive shows, while it will be a UK debut and exclusive show for both Perchta and Belore. South American project Selbst will bring its music to a UK stage for the very first time with a UK debut and exclusive set, while Akhlys will perform a 2025 UK exclusive set. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its debut album “Syner”, Grift will perform the album in full with a UK exclusive set. Perennial Isolation will perform its iconic 2021 album “Portraits” in full in what will be a UK debut and exclusive performance from the Barcelona-based atmospheric black metal band. Australian acts Suldusk and Aquilus will perform their UK debuts with exclusive shows. Abduction, the UK black metal band, will return to Fortress and perform an exclusive full album set of their yet-unreleased fifth album. Devastator also return to Fortress Festival with its fist-pumping blackened thrash following the band’s appearance at the event’s inaugural edition in 2023.
Slovak post-black metal/ambient outfit Autumn Nostalgie will make their exclusive UK debut at Fortress Festival and perform their 2020 debut album “Esse Est Percipi” in full. In a UK exclusive show, Atmospheric UK black metallers Crimson Throne will present their yet-unreleased and unannounced second full-length album at Fortress Festival. Atmospheric UK black metal act Nemorous (formed from the ashes of Wodensthrone) will also present their yet-unreleased and unannounced debut album at Fortress Festival.


title: Philip morris warned legal action over inclusion of heated tobacco products in smoking ban proposals

text:
January 22, 2024
Philip Morris has threatened legal action against the government’s generational smoking ban bill over the inclusion of heated tobacco products in the bill.
The tobacco major had withdrawn its threat of legal action last week after the government made changes to its consultation ahead of any bill, The Telegraph reported.
“We notified the government of procedural flaws in the consultation process. They subsequently amended the consultation procedure to allow substantive responses and answered other enquiries. As such, we withdrew the claim on 15th January,” the paper quoted Philip Morris as saying in a statement.
“We agree with the government’s smoke-free 2030 ambition, however, we do not believe that reduced-risk smoke-free products—including heated tobacco—should be included alongside combustible cigarettes in any potential legislation. Including some smoke-free products in this legislation would confuse adult smokers looking to switch to a better alternative.”
According to the The Telegraph report, Philip Morris had sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Department of Health and Social Care, setting out its concerns.
The letter, was understood to claim the consultation was not “meaningful” because the outcome was pre-determined, and that the consultation period was not long enough.
The legal letter was also understood to be seeking to limit the scope of the legislation to exclude heated tobacco products.
Heated tobacco products use a high heat to release nicotine from tobacco leaves, which does not set it on fire or burn it, therefore avoiding creating smoke.
The increasingly popular alternative to conventional tobacco is often confused with e-cigarettes, which heat liquid that can contain nicotine but do not involve tobacco leaf.
Philip Morris embarked on a strategic shift six years ago to become a smoke-free company, and the group has injected more than $10 billion into new products, including IQOS the most popular and widely available heated tobacco product, which now account for a third of its $32 billion sales for the financial year 2022.


title: Trust

text:
Life seems like a workshop sometimes. I live in a small community and about a month ago we all decided that it was time to move on. So we put our house up for sale and got a good offer within a week. That was fast! I went out looking for somewhere to move to with my wife, and spent a rainy cold gloomy November day looking at places in north London. I felt gloomy myself after this! They say that moving house is one of the major changes we face in life (getting married is another, having a child, dying!) and the insecurity of not-knowing where we were going to live shook me deeply. I felt grief too about leaving my home and all the people who live here - like leaving a family.
One of the realisations that has arisen out of this - or is still arising, since the process is not over because we haven't found a new place yet - is that my True nature was not shaken. It's a bit like the spinning experiment - the world moves but this One stays still. In the process of change I am experiencing, I notice that the one steady place is here at my source. On one level this doesn't seem to make any difference outwardly - it hasn't washed away the insecurity just like that. And yet its presence deep down within me makes a difference. How would I be if I was unaware of this Centre? I am glad that I see it.
The other part of the experiment is about trust. Trusting that things will work out well. I am in process with this too. Can this One be trusted? It has taken care of me up till now, by and large, but what about this time?
One of the questions that follows on from this for me is Who am I trusting? This part of the experiment has involved having another look here! What or who is here, nearer to me than my breathing, and nearer than my doubts and fears? R.L. UK
R., thank you for sharing this with us. Indeed why should it wash away this type of insecurity? Would you act without the tension that we call need? The so-called outer is always a disequilibrium - that's the dance, as I'm sure you appreciate. The centre sees it for what it is, eh? All the best with your move and new phase of your life. Chris, Australia.


title: 1116

text:
Is there anyone here with at least 500 comment karma on reddit? Let me know. This is to post on r/cryptocurrency subreddit about function x.
Update : People with r/cryptocurrency special membership can also post.
I only got 179, but a quick look over my latest posts/comments and it’s obvious I work for Function X. Anyone else?
@papilloncrypto I could post in there for you but would not like it to be removed again due to manipulation as i said before.
Don’t get me wrong, it was very nice to see the community showing united strength and helpful to ppl that are interested in the project but yeah, could be seen as manipulation and the r/CryptoCurrency mods doesn’t like that for good reason. That’s why if a post done in there then not announce a time/day of posting in my opinion. When it post, then spread over social media.
Was my own fault to rally the community to flow all energy into 1 post at a fixed time.
I wonder if it’s different if it’s a promoted post
@This_Dutch_guy Can we try r/satoshistreetbets then. Your warning is for r/cryptocurrency. Only sharing on reddit will be seen as manipulation. We will just share it on fx telegram and fx forum. Reddit bots will not be able to detect outside reddit.
r/satoshistreetbets has 500k members and needs 500 comment karma which you have.
Sure, i’m up for it. Also not forget to spread on Twitter. What should i post and when?
Btw i have some plan for r/CryptoCurrency but not using the same tactic again😅
@This_Dutch_guy Use similar post you used in r/cryptocurrency last time. Also add below links for old white paper and fx explorer.
• White paper: https://whitepaper.io/coin/function-x
• Explorer: https://explorer.functionx.io/
• Staking apy 53% as of now.
Also instead of sharing link of reddit post we can just tell the function x community to check the reddit post about function x on r/cryptocurrency or r/satoshistreetbets as a precaution of not getting the post removed.
Timing: you can post on Saturday as most people will not be working.
Let’s do it! It be posted at Saturday and will announce the time at friday (probably same time again 4pm). Will also add the links in, edit APY and coin info on the day of posting.
Thanks for your dedication to the cause my man!
Upon request, another organized Reddit push will be performed but this time in a different sub with 480k members spreading awareness there about the FX ecosystem.
Reddit had a bug that nobody could post but now is possible again. It be posted tomorrow at CET 16:00 at r/satoshistreetbets with the same article used previous time but now added another section with a nice team picture and some links. With the article i currently have is tested and posted succesfully so there should be no surprises this time.
CET time (Central Europe) 16:00
UTC+3 time (Turkey) 17:00
CT time (Central North America) 09:00
UTC-4 time (Central South America) 10:00
UTC+8 time (Singapore) 22:00
Spread the word over social media except in the Reddit groups due to automods checking our profiles.
Edit: this could still be seen as manipulation in the sub but we will see.
No sudden upvotes as last time. Let’s see.
Doesn’t matter, this sub is far smaller and not much active posting in it.
As long as new ppl see it is already a win. Currently 3rd place in the hot section.
@This_Dutch_guy Any plans on r/cryptocurrency posting later? Tomorrow or next week if we get pumped again.
~~ IMPORTANT !! ~~
Make sure to thumbs up each other’s comment, it makes it look more reliable and not like bots!
We did our best in r/satoshistreetbets but it looks like the members are not very interested in our post. Members in r/CryptoCurrency were much more interested but atleast we tried in a different sub. This same post i will post in r/FunctionX for those who are interested to read it and will be the last time i used it.
I want to thank everyone for upvoting, supporting the post and giving awards to each other was nice and fun to see (thank you for the awards i received❤). I spent my last Reddit coins awarding back.
In the upcoming weeks i will write smaller articles about Pundi X/FX subjects and will post that in r/CryptoCurrency to spread awareness. Will make no announcements of time/day of posting but instead i will spread the link around when it’s posted. Did this in past and seemed to work just as effective and didn’t get removed.
@This_Dutch_guy Post the links in this thread also.
Thank you a lot for trying


title: How can a facet joint injection help relieve pain

text:
Living with back pain is debilitating, frustrating, and exhausting. If you have ongoing pain that hasn’t responded to other treatments, facet joint injections may be an option.
Your facet joints are located between your vertebrae at the back of your spine. Over time, wear and tear or a traumatic injury can result in chronic pain in these joints.
A facet joint injection is a minimally invasive procedure with a low risk of complications. Many people experience significant pain relief with this procedure.
If you’re looking for pain relief, you should know all your options.
Here is everything you need to know about facet joint injections.
What Do Facet Injections Treat?
Facet joint injections are used to treat neck and back pain. Whether you have chronic neck pain or upper or lower back pain, facet injections may be an option for pain relief.
The injections contain lidocaine, other pain relievers, and steroids to reduce inflammation. If you have chronic neck or back pain that hasn’t responded to conventional treatment, your doctor may recommend facet joint injections.
Some causes of facet joint pain include:
Doctors also use facet injections to help identify the cause of pain. If you respond well to injections, your doctor can better determine the origin of your pain.
Is a Facet Joint Injection a Nerve Block?
These procedures are related but somewhat different. When a doctor injects the medication directly into your joint, it’s a facet joint injection.
When medication is injected near your medial nerves, it’s a facet joint nerve block. An epidural is considered a nerve block that’s injected into the space surrounding the spinal cord.
An epidural is commonly used for labor and certain types of surgeries.
How Does the Injection Work?
A facet joint injection numbs the facet joints and reduces inflammation. This can provide quick pain relief and improve mobility.
Depending on your pain issues, your doctor will decide whether to include steroids in your procedure. Doctors can determine whether your pain is related to arthritis based on your response to the injections.
Facet Joint Procedure
Facet joint injection is minimally invasive. It’s an outpatient procedure that takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Typically, patients are awake during the procedure but may be given IV sedation. During the procedure, you will lie face down. The medical team will monitor your vitals throughout the procedure.
A nurse or medical assistant will sterilize the injection site and cover it with a drape to prevent contamination. The surgeon will inject a local anesthetic to numb the procedure area.
Your doctor may use a fluoroscopy or CT scan to guide them as they perform the procedure. They may use a contrast dye to ensure the needle is in the correct spot.
Your doctor will inject pain relievers and steroids into your joint. Once this is done, they will remove the needle and apply pressure to minimize bleeding.
Is a Facet Injection Painful?
You may feel a pinch as the doctor injects the local anesthesia. However, this should be mild.
The facet joint injection does not hurt because the area will be numbed. You may feel slight pressure at the injection site.
A facet joint injection is generally a safe procedure. Most people have minimal side effects. However, all medical procedures carry some risk.
Some possible side effects include:
The anti-inflammatory drugs in facet injections may cause side effects in some people. These side effects include:
Severe complications following facet injections are very rare.
Can a Facet Injection Make My Pain Worse?
A facet joint injection may increase your pain initially. This is usually temporary and is due to swelling around the injection site.
The pain will diminish as the pain medication takes effect. If you feel soreness at the injection site, you can apply an ice pack as needed.
Preparing for Your Appointment
You can help prepare for your appointment by following your doctor’s instructions. You will need to avoid anti-inflammatory medications, including ibuprofen and naproxen, 24 hours before your procedure.
These medications can interfere with steroid medication in facet injections. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages 24 hours before your procedure. Alcohol thins the blood and could increase the chance of bleeding.
If you receive anesthesia of any kind, be sure to have someone drive you home after the procedure. Anesthesia can have lingering effects and could impair your ability to drive.
What Can I Expect After the Procedure?
Typically, facet joint injections are done on an outpatient basis. That means you get to go home on the same day you have your injection.
The procedure only takes a few minutes. Most people experience pain relief within 20 to 30 minutes after the injection.
Patients who experience relief may be good candidates for Radiofrequency Ablation, which can offer long-lasting pain relief.
If you experience significant pain relief after your facet joint injection, your doctor can repeat the procedure as needed.
Facet Joint Injection Pain Relief
If you experience daily neck or back pain and haven’t found a solution, talk to your doctor about getting a facet joint injection. For many people, this procedure provides the pain relief they desperately need.
At Innovative Pain Care Center, we understand how agonizing it can be to live with severe pain. Our goal is to provide professional and compassionate pain relief to people in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas.
We would love to help you decrease your pain and improve your quality of life.
Contact Innovative Pain Care Center today to schedule an appointment.


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Shadow boxes & Memorabilia at Hilton Head Island
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RAISE Spotlight: A Valuable Resource for Educators
RAISE Spotlight is an invaluable newsletter designed for educators, providing them with the latest research updates and exemplary practices in an accessible format. Each issue is packed with expert insights and practical tips to support professional development and facilitate the sharing of best practices across the educational community.
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