Ontario is now in a seventh wave of the pandemic and it is being driven by the BA.5 subvariant.

The newest mutation involving the Omicron variant has brought about a rapid rise in cases in Ontario and renewed concerns about the possible revival of public health measures.

Here is what you need to know about BA.5 and Ontario’s latest wave:

So what exactly is the BA.5 subvariant?

The subvariant was first detected by scientists in South Africa in January and has been formally tracked by the World Health Organization since April. It has already driven a resurgence in viral activity in a number of countries, including Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. The good news is that it not believed to cause more severe illness than earlier strains of Omicron but it could be more infectious. In Ontario, the percentage of samples identified as BA.5 following whole genome sequencing has risen from 14.8 per cent at this time last month to approximately 66 per cent as of July 6 and it is now being blamed for bringing about Ontario’s first summer wave since the onset of the pandemic.

“I think that the fact that it's quickly become dominant is a way to show how infectious it is,” Dr. Karen Born, who is the assistant scientific director of Ontario’s Science Advisory Table, told CP24.com this week. “We are learning more about BA.5 every day, there is just a huge volume of studies going on about it but the early studies do show that it replicates more quickly as compared to prior strains and it replicates more quickly in the body as well, making it very efficient and much more contagious.”

What is it doing to transmission?

Most experts agree that Ontario is now in a seventh wave of the pandemic driven by the BA.5 subvariant. The science table has said that the wave likely began on June 17, though there is no real consensus on when it might peak. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 over the last month has risen by about 52 per cent and now stands at 712, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Health on July 7. However, the burden on the healthcare system is nowhere near what it was during the initial Omicron wave in January when more than 4,000 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19. Most experts agree that Ontario is unlikely to see thousands of COVID positive individuals in hospitals during this wave but there are concerns about how well-equipped the healthcare system is to respond to even a moderate uptick in patient volumes.

"It is anticipated that the demands on this system from this COVID-19 wave will not be as high as some of the earlier waves but nevertheless it's hitting a healthcare system that is weakened by two years of the pandemic and a backlog of care needs," Born told CP24.com, adding “So, you know, the system is potentially at a time where it lacks the capacity for, you know, a huge wave of increased demand.”

Do existing vaccines still work against BA.5?

Yes and no. Scientists have pointed to several mutations in BA.5 that could help it evade the body’s immune response, either from vaccination or a prior infection. This could account for some of the increased transmissibility associated with the virus, experts say. There was also a study published this week which found that vaccination or recovery from a COVID-19 infection prior to 2022 now provides little or no protection from getting infected again in the Omicron era. Vaccination, however, is still believed to be extremely effective against hospitalization and death, even in the era of BA.5.

“Basically what it does is it just chips away at some of the protective immunity we might have gained from vaccination or from recovery from infection, such that people are prone to infection or reinfection, even in those who were vaccinated or who have been infected in the past,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CP24.com this week. “That doesn't mean everyone's going to get infected. That doesn't mean we're back to square one by any means. It just means that one component of the immune system, the antibody response, doesn't protect us as well as we were once protected in terms of getting this infection.”

What about rapid tests?

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said this week that the later Omicron variants, including BA.5, have impacted the sensitivity of a standard rapid antigen test, reducing sensitivity to 50 to 60 per cent. Moore said you can assume you have COVID-19 if you test positive, but one negative test isn’t enough to conclude you are COVID-free.

If BA.5 is so different why hasn’t it been classified as a variant of concern?

There have now been five subvariants in the Omicron era and despite notable genetic mutations that make each subsequent one a little different, Bogoch said that they do appear to all “fall under the same umbrella.” He said he has heard some people “grumbling that BA.5 is pretty far removed from BA.1 and BA.2” but doesn’t believe how the virus is classified matters hugely.

“There are some subtle nuances associated with BA.5 that make it different from other ones. But really the public health message is still the same. Nothing has changed in terms of how to best protect yourself and those around you from the virus,” he said.

Who is most at risk from a BA.5 infection?

Bogoch said that the experience of other countries suggests it is the same people who have been at-risk throughout the pandemic, specifically older Ontarians and people with underlying health conditions. But he said that there is also an increased risk factor for individuals who are not fully up to date on their vaccinations. That could, of course, be a problem in Toronto where only about 54 per cent of eligible residents have received a third dose.

“I think that there are some misconceptions that members of the public have where it is like ‘I've had COVID, I had COVID in 2020 and I'm not going to get it again.’ That's just not true,” Bogoch told CP24.com.

Could this wave end up resulting in some public health restrictions being revived?

Dr. Moore told reporters this week that he is not “considering recommending to the government any further public health measures” right now. He said that if BA.5 results in a spike in transmission to the point that the province’s healthcare system is threatened he would act but doesn’t anticipate having to do so. Bogoch, meanwhile, told CP24.com that the threat posed by BA.5 can be better addressed through “honest and effective” communication with the public rather than legislation.

“We talk about communication to help drive positive human behavior. But that doesn't mean a press conference at 3 p.m. in the afternoon saying ‘hey everyone, this is a wave, put on your mask.’ You actually have to have a dedicated communications strategy and build trust in communities,” he said. “We talk about this like it is just virology and public health and medicine but is not. If you really want to create safer communities and protect Canadians better, it really involves utilizing the expertise of the social scientists and having meaningful community outreach and meaningful communication strategies because a lot of this is ensuring people take the steps that they need to do to protect themselves and those around them.”

Will a BA.5-specific vaccine be approved?

Several manufacturers have been racing to develop new vaccines that are more specifically targeted at the Omicron variant. Moderna is believed to be finalizing the regulatory submissions for its bivalent vaccine, which combines a portion of the original mRNA formula with a new updated version designed to better neutralize Omicron. Clinical trial data released last month revealed that the vaccine is more effective against BA.5 than its currently approved booster shot. However, the data showed a diminished immune response against BA.5 compared to BA.1. Speaking with reporters this week, Moore said that Ontario anticipates having access to updated vaccines in the fall but is still seeking “clarity” on “what will be the components of the fall vaccine.”

“If it is going to be BA.4 or BA.5 (specific) I anticipate they will have to ramp up production and it might be somewhat delayed, so maybe November or December,” he said.


About Ohans

ABOUT USOur Company

Shanghai Ohans Co., Ltd. is located in the center of China's economy and culture, Shanghai. Since its establishment, the company has adhered to the service tenet of "integrity-based, customer first", adhered to customer demand as the focus, market-oriented, adhered to technological innovation, management innovation and service innovation, and constantly implemented lean production, refined management, to provide customers with better products and services! The company has its own factory, research and development base, set up a strict scientific quality management system, and constantly committed to technological innovation, product innovation and management innovation, so as to ensure that our products have a certain competitiveness in the same industry. The factory is located in Jining City, Shandong Province, China, covering an area of 500 acres, and the current production capacity of various types of amines is 5,000 to 10,000 tons per year.

Ohans is a high-tech comprehensive enterprise specializing in the production and sales of amine chemicals! The main products are cyclohexylamine, dicyclohexylamine, methyl dicyclohexylamine, dimethylcyclohexylamine and so on. These amine products can be applied to desulfurization agents, vulcanization accelerators, metal corrosion inhibitors, petroleum additives, fungicides, dye intermediates, extractants, pesticide intermediates, pharmaceutical intermediates, food additives, etc. In addition to our continuous efforts to improve production technology, expand production capacity and operation, we have also invested a lot to expand scientific research, continue to update technology and launch new scientific and technological products. The sales volume of the products in China continues to increase, and at the same time, it sells well in overseas markets.

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    SHANGHAI OHANS CO., LTD specializes in the research, development and sales of organic chemical intermediates and polyurethane catalysts. The company has now formed an annual sales volume of 500 tons of organic chemical intermediates and 2,500 tons of polyurethane catalysts. We will uphold the fine tradition to provide customers with stable products and loyal services.

    Our LaboratoryQuality Control And Product Innovation

    In addition to continuous efforts to improve production technology and operation, the company also invests a lot to expand scientific research, and continues to update technology to launch new technology products to meet the needs of the rapid development of the polyurethane industry and customer demand for products.


Oscilla is a performance, developed with the dancer Simone Arganini and the visual designer Akufene. It experiments techniques of human-machine interaction and digital sound orchestration through space in a performing multichannel environment. Through an interactive experience the human gains trust of the machine, through audio-visual distribution in space the algorithm gains multidimensional expression stepping out from the ether: both entities push beyond their expressions. The system developed for this performance is based on a synesthetic system composed of wearable sensors that captures stimulus from the human presence; a complex algorithm learns and decodes datas to react, generating sounds and distributing them in a multichannel system in correlation with the human interaction.

This collaborative project is created by three artists who share a common background of music technology academic studies. They have since taken interest in different fields, still they are brought together by an interest in technology and how it can be used to fuse together different performing arts.

In Oscilla, the research on technology started out for fun, but soon evolved to a tool of exploration around possible relations and interactions. Eventually, it is used as a means of integration between a dance performance, an electronic music live set and a Vjing one in which lights and video are manipulated. The performer wears movement sensors on his body, and data is passed out to softwares specifically programmed and run in real time. Thanks to this system a complex relation between the performer and machine is enacted, an interactive dialogue in which movement, spatialized sound, stage lightning and 3D video are bound together and evolve in relation to one another. These elements are combined in making the environment an augmented space which obeys unknown rules: here stands the performer, who inhabits the scene and his own body and tries to unveil their mystery. In Oscilla research on technology becomes a chance to investigate the quality of relationships: that of human with himself, and that of human and non-human.

The first study of this project has been produced during a residency at Ferrara OFF theater in Ferrara (IT) and it’s going to be presented during Ammutinamenti Festival in Ravenna (IT) and Smart Life Festival in Modena (IT).


The following are questions submitted by Federal Times readers about retirement and other issues facing the federal workforce. They are answered by Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and a Federal Times columnist since 1995.

Question: I plan on retiring in December. I current receive an annuity as I retired from the federal government 25 years ago. I went back to work for the federal government in 2005 and have continued receiving my annuity and it is reducing my salary dollar for dollar. When I retire the end of December 2022 my annuity will be redetermined using my high three years. Will the COLA be applied to this in January 2023 as I have never stopped receiving an annuity?

Reg Answers: Yes, you will receive the annual cost-of-living adjustment in your January annuity payment. However, because you are retiring at the end of December, that January 1 COLA will be applied to your current annuity not the annuity you will be receiving after it is redetermined.

How do I calculate my Service Computation Date?

Question: Is there a form or worksheet one can use to calculate the Service Computation Date for retirement if I use the dates on my SF-50? Thank you in advance for having an excellent information tool for federal employees.

Reg Answers: For most employees, the Service Computation Date (Leave) located on line 31 of their Standard Form 50 will be the same as their service computation date. However, if you have periods of creditable service, e.g., active duty service, the SCD won’t tell you your total length of service. To find that out, you’ll need to check with your servicing personnel office. They can review your Official Personnel Folder (OPF), identify all periods of creditable service, and provide you with an accurate SCD. Be aware that there may be some periods of service for which a deposit would need to be made to get credit for that time.

Am I entitled to the FERS Annuity Supplement?

Question: I retired under a VERA in July 2021 with 30 years and 1 month of service at age 55 and 3 months (YOB was 1966). As I understand, I should be entitled to the FERS Annuity Supplement at my MRA, which is 56 yrs. 4 months - in my case that would be 08/04/22. My question is: when should I receive my first FERS Annuity Supplement payment if it is/were paid timely? I have contacted OPM by phone, but the customer service representative was unfortunately not knowledgeable regarding this question for my particular circumstance. I appreciate any information you can provide.

Reg Answers: You would be eligible for the FERS annuity supplement at the beginning of the first full month after you reach your MRA. In your case that would be September 1, 2022. However, when you actually receive it will depend on both processing times at OPM and the Department of the Treasury’s payment schedule. If it isn’t included in your September annuity payment, it will be included in a later one and be retroactive to the date on which it was first due.

Can I get credit for LEO service?

Question: I served for 10.3 years in a federal LEO position then transferred to a non-LEO position within a different agency. I now have 35 years of service and am retiring. Will I still receive the LEO retirement for my 10.3 years of service that were withheld at a higher rate for retirement. If not, what regulation prevents that and why would I not get back at least the amount of additional retirement that was withheld during that time period?

Reg Answers: No, you will not receive LEO retirement benefits for your 10.3 years of LEO service. Only those law enforcement officers who meet the age and service requirements to retire as an LEO are entitled to that enhanced benefit. Further, you will not be entitled to a refund of your excess contributions to the retirement fund. As a rule, laws and regulations only specify what an employee is entitled to, not what they aren’t. There is no provision in either of them that would entitle you to a refund.

Got a question for the Federal Times expert?

Send inquiries to:

Reg Jones is the resident expert on retirement and the federal government at Federal Times. From 1979 until 1995, he served as an assistant director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management handling recruiting and examining, white and blue collar pay, retirement, insurance and other issues. From 1977 to 1979, he was deputy director of the Bureau of Policies and Standards in the U.S. Civil Service Commission. The opinions expressed are his own.

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Fibromyalgia and Sciatica

Not Just Joints: Fibromyalgia and Sciatica

Fibromyalgia is a pain in the… Well, it’s a pain in the everything. A chronic condition, fibromyalgia causes pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles throughout the entire body.

It also causes vague, widespread pain in areas of various internal organs (a fibromyalgia sufferer may complain of unexplained chest or abdominal pain, for instance).

Another symptom of fibromyalgia is extreme, chronic fatigue. During a fibromyalgia flare up, some patients struggle to even get out of bed.

They may experience headaches or extreme sensitivity to lights, noise, scents or touch. Both men and women with fibromyalgia may experience problems with their sex drive, with the former often experiencing erectile dysfunction and the latter suffering with pain in the vaginal area.

Fibromyalgia patients of both sexes are more likely to be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal ailments.

Doctors simply aren’t sure what kicks off fibromyalgia in some people’s bodies or what causes it to flare up once the condition is there. One common theory is that fibromyalgia—although very real in its physical symptoms—may be caused by emotional trauma (such as abuse or the loss of a loved one).

Researchers think that people who suffer from fibromyalgia have central nervous systems that process information in a way that results in overstimulation and oversensitivity in everything from joint sensation to the way sufferers experience sights and sounds. This results in pain and discomfort both inside and out.

Sciatica: A Common Complaint

One of the common issues that fibromyalgia patients experience is sciatica, also known as piriformis syndrome.

This is caused when the spinal canal narrows (either due to bone spurs or a slipped disc) and squeezes nerves in the lower or lumbar area of a person’s back.

The result of this nerve impingement is typically pain in the gluteal area. The pain in the buttocks is typically one-sided and may shoot down the leg on that side. Some people describe the pain as a searing or tingling pain (as opposed to an aching pain).

Sciatica often gets worse while sitting—especially for long periods of time. People who experience sciatica may be alarmed at noticing numbness or weakness in the affected leg or foot.

They may have difficulty moving it and may have trouble standing up or walking. The pain may be mild and random or it may be extreme and constant.

What Should I Do For Sciatica?

As with any pain, anyone experiencing sciatic nerve pain should visit their doctor first. Your doctor can make sure that the pain you are experiencing is caused by sciatica and can best work with you to come up with a successful treatment plan.

Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Massage

Although both treatment plans take time, visiting an acupuncturist or a chiropractor can help soothe and resolve your sciatica.

Acupuncture, an often-used treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, uses tiny needles to stimulate the muscles and nerves, as well as the connective tissues throughout the body.

It may only take one session or it can take as many as twelve to see relief, but acupuncture can help relieve inflammation and promote healing.

A chiropractor focuses on the musculoskeletal system and can help to manipulate the spine in order to realign it.

This is particularly helpful if your sciatica is caused by derangement of the spine that is pressing on the affected nerve.

Like acupuncture, chiropractic may take repeated visits to provide relief. Most people go three or four times a week and gradually go less as they begin to see improvement.

Massage for acupuncture is different than a relaxing, spa-day massage. In order to treat sciatica, your massage therapist will need to do something called a trigger point massage.

These intense massages target trigger points that can cause inflammation and pain in various areas of the body. Although a trigger point massage may hurt at the moment, it can provide real relief in the days afterwards.

Fibromyalgia and Sciatica

Achieving and maintaining a proper weight, as well as strengthening your core, can help with lower back pain. Both of these can be achieved through exercise and stretching.

Exercises for sciatica will work to help relieve painful symptoms, as well as strengthen surrounding muscle groups to take pressure off of the area of the back that is affected.

One good exercise to relieve sciatica pain is the hamstring stretch. You’ll want to find a firm, flat, comfortable place that you can lie down (preferably on carpet or yoga mat).

Fold up a small hand towel and place it under your head to cushion it. Bend your knees a bit and place your feet about hip-width apart.

Now bend one knee—gently!—and bring it towards your chest. Hold the knee with both hands. Bring the knee as close to your chest as possible, but don’t push it farther than is comfortable.

Hold this pose for twenty seconds, breathing deeply as you do so. Now do this with the other leg. Repeat the process three times.

Yoga can also be extremely helpful for sciatic nerve pain—as well as for fibromyalgia, overall. Studies have shown that in those with chronic back pain, yoga can help reduce their pain by as much as 64%.

Because yoga encourages deep breathing and relaxation along with movement and stretching, it can be good for the anxiety and depression that often go hand-in-hand with fibromyalgia and its assorted symptoms (such as sciatica).

Ice, Heat and Medication

In addition to the stretching, poking and prodding at the chiropractor’s, acupuncturists and yoga studio, many of those with sciatica benefit from treating their back pain at home with ice, heat and medication.

Ice and/or heat should only be applied for short periods of time—just 15 minutes at a stretch—in order to reduce inflammation and ease pain.

Many people suffering with sciatica can benefit from over-the-counter medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

These help the pain, but they also help calm any inflammation that may be causing the pain. Those who are on medications for fibromyalgia should check with their doctors before starting any new medication—even if it’s over the counter.


CJ Felder Could Be This Year’s Breakout Candidate

In a lot of ways the first season in orange and blue was a frustrating one for CJ Felder who transferred to Florida after two seasons at Boston College.

You could tell things weren’t right from the beginning of the season. Florida played an exhibition with D2 Embry-Riddle, and Felder hardly saw the floor for much of the game. When he got on the court in the second half he found himself with a breakaway, and instead of flushing a dunk with authority he was barely able to elevate above the rim, softly finishing what was something between a layup and a dunk.

Throughout the season Felder found himself in a bit of no-man’s land, a space where he wasn’t hurt enough to miss games (he only truly missed one game from November-February before missing the final three games of the season) but he was definitely injured to the point where he wasn’t close to the player he was at Boston College or what he could be.

At Boston College Felder was known for his high motor and his defensive mobility that allowed him to guard up and down lineups and be impactful on the ball or as a help defender. If you search highlights of Felder while at Boston College, you will see a very different player than what you saw at Florida. He was much leaner, more fluid, and more dynamic than the heavier, groundbound player he was at Florida.

And for that reason, you should be very excited for his second year as a Gator.

You heard it from the man himself, he’s finally like himself and that means the Gators could get a huge jump in frontcourt production from an internal source.

What Felder showed in the 2021-22 season was a mere shadow of what he can be, and because of that people might be downplaying the impact he will have in 2022-23 now that he’s fully healthy. The Gators are bringing in a ton of talent from the transfer portal which is rightfully getting a lot of the attention for how Florida improved but with Felder finally healthy after a year where injuries turned him into an afterthought, he could be one of the biggest drivers of improvement on the roster from last season to this.

What makes the prospect of a fully healthy Felder so exciting is that his skill set positively matches some of the deficiencies that plagued the Gators’ roster last season.

For starters, rebounding. The Gators struggled mightily on the defensive glass last season, coming 333rd in the country in that category. When he was on the floor, Felder wasn’t physically able to contribute in that category much, posting a 13% defensive rebounding rate which is good relative to his teammates, but not quite the number you’re looking for from a frontcourt player (15% would be an adequate start). However, at Boston College playing against some of the best big men in the country in the ACC Felder was a tremendous defensive rebounder posting a 20% defensive rebound rate, making him one of the best defensive rebounding power forwards in the country. Last season without any vertical pop due to injury greatly affected his rebounding, and since he proved in his first two seasons when healthy that he was an excellent defensive rebounder, expect him to be highly effective in that area this year.

Florida’s defense also left something to be desired last season, ranking 77th in the country in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric. Felder was a player known most for his defense at Boston College but the weight he put on while being unable to workout and practice due to injury greatly diminished his ability to be impactful on that end.

According to Synergy Sports Tech, in 2020-21 at Boston College CJ Felder was in the 96th percentile nationally in guarding in the post and in the 99th percentile nationally in isolation defense when guards switched onto him. Elite numbers from a 6’7”, 230 pound forward. He was also 51st in the country in block percentage, a dynamic helpside defender who would use his athleticism and anticipation to mop up his teammate’s mistakes on the perimeter.

Needless to say, he wasn’t himself on the defensive end last season and he wasn’t able to help out a struggling Florida defense.

If you imagine the CJ Felder from Boston College on Florida’s roster last season, it’s very unlikely they finish 77th in the country in defensive efficiency. While we can’t go back in time to see how Felder could have helped them then, we can look forward to this season and imagine the Gators being a much more stout defensive team with Felder adding switchability, physicality, and toughness to Florida’s frontcourt alongside Colin Castleton and Alex Fudge who have both proven themselves to be plus defenders.

Another struggle that nagged the Gators throughout the season was outside shooting. Ultimately, they finished the season 317th in the country in three-point percentage at 30.3%.

While at Boston College CJ Felder showed promise as an outside shooter, though he never fully broke out as a stretch option.

Though pretty much everything went wrong for Felder during his injury-riddled first season at Florida, one thing that did go right for him was the jumper. He was 14-36 from three on the season for 39%, making you wish he was able to play more minutes and provide floor spacing that the Gators desperately needed. 36 attempts isn’t a huge sample size, but his stroke has always looked good throughout his college career and it always seemed like his percentage would catch up to that stroke and we may have seen the start of it last season with his 39% three-point efficacy.

In a lot of ways, CJ Felder is a forgotten man entering the 2022-23 season for the Gators. There is (deservedly) massive hype for the incoming transfer class. There is tons of excitement for the return of Colin Castleton. There is a belief that there will be huge leaps from Kowacie Reeves and Niels Lane. These are all storylines that deserve attention, but the player that hasn’t received as much shine that could have a huge impact on this season is Felder.

Simply put, if now that he’s healthy he’s the player he was two years ago at Boston College he is going to be a very valuable rotation player that will push for a starting spot. If he is even better than that, he’s going to be the perfect glue guy this roster needs that will be a major piece in improving Florida’s defense, rebounding, and shooting from a year ago.

In a season with a lot to be excited about when it comes to Florida basketball, CJ Felder is a player that still deserves even more attention.

Eric Fawcett
Eric is a basketball coach and writer from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His work has been found at NBA international properties, ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Lindy's and others. He loves zone defenses, the extra pass, and a 30 second shot clock. Growing up in Canada, an American channel showing SEC basketball games was his first exposure to Gator hoops, and he has been hooked ever since. You can follow him on Twitter at @ericfawcett_.


Kent pet pufferfish named Goldie gets life-saving surgery to fix 'teeth' so big she can't eat

Watch as five-year-old Goldie has a dental procedure to enable her to eat properly

A pet pufferfish whose 'teeth' had grown so large she could barely eat has undergone life-saving surgery to prevent her from starving to death.

Goldie, a five-year-old porcupine pufferfish, was rushed to the dentist by her owner after he realised she wasn't able to eat properly because of her overgrown beak.

Pufferfish have teeth that grow continuously and need to be worn down by food items found in their wild diet.

But unfortunately Goldie wasn't eating the right foods to perfect her beak.

Expert vets at the Sandhole Veterinary Centre, Kent, were able to perform a dental procedure where Goldie's overgrown beak was trimmed so she could start eating again.

The operation involved Goldie's overgrown beak being trimmed to enable her to start eating properly again

Goldie's owner, Mark Byatt, 64, who lives in Leybourne, Kent, said: “About three months ago, we noticed her front beak was growing very quickly even though she was eating cockle in shell every day.

“We aren’t sure why Goldie’s teeth never really managed to grind themselves naturally but we knew we needed to get them filed, although we were unsure about how to achieve this.

“I was also very concerned about the process of getting Goldie to the surgery, as transporting large tropical fish is not without risk.

Goldie the puffafish underwent dental treatment where her 'beak' was trimmed

“However, after discussing my concerns with Debbie at Sandhole, we came up with a plan to transport her there quickly and safely.”

Mark then had an anxious wait while specialist Daniel Calvo Carrasco successfully trimmed Goldie’s overgrown beak.

Goldie the Pufferfish is treated by specialist Daniel Calvo Carrasco at Sandhole Veterinary Centre

Daniel described how Goldie’s problem had arisen: “Porcupine pufferfish teeth are known as beaks and grow continuously throughout their lives.

“They’re usually kept short naturally, as they’re worn down on their regular diet of hard-shelled foods but, while these foods are provided in her home environment, she is not as forthcoming in eating them as her other tank mates.

“As a result, her upper beak grew to the point where it was hindering her ability to eat effectively.

“Goldie was brought into the practice in a large watertight container containingwater from her home tank and a licensed fish anaesthetic was placed into the water until she achieved a light plane of anaesthesia.

“To support her further, the water was oxygenated throughout.

"This meant she was still breathing nicely throughout but was able to be held for brief periods out of the water without becoming too stressed.”

Goldie's unusual procedure was conducted safely in under an hour

Porcupine pufferfish have the ability to inflate their bodies, with the increase in size (almost double vertically) reducing the range of potential predators to those with much bigger mouths.

A second defence mechanism is provided by sharp spines which radiate outwards.

When the fish is inflated and Daniel said these both had to be taken into consideration throughout Goldie’s procedure.

The whole operation took less than one hour, and Goldie was back home and eating well within two hours

Daniel added: “Debbie was able to hold Goldie in a damp towel to prevent her becoming too dry, while also ensuring she was protected if she did trigger her defence mechanism to inflate her body and activate her spines.

“It was during those brief periods out of the anaesthetic water that I was able to use a dental burr to cut through her upper beak and reduce its length by half.

"Once the procedure had been completed, Goldie was placed into a second large container with water from her home tank to recover from the anaesthetic.

“She responded well. Within five minutes, she was able to stay up right in the water and within 10 minutes she was back to happily swimming around.

“The whole procedure went swimmingly and was conducted in under an hour without any stress at all and Goldie was back home and eating well within two hours.”


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EtherCAT is proven to optimize machine performance with its deterministic performance, flexible topology, and diverse set of features. To better understand why users should use EtherCAT, let's review its history, how it works, and the problems it solves.

IMTS 2022 Opens Sept. 12, Showcases Digital Tech That Address Manufacturing's Biggest Challenges

Nine technology pavilions feature solutions such as multi-tasking machining centers, robots/cobots, digital twin, manufacturing software, controls, additive manufacturing, and quality control/inspection.

Performance Solutions by Milliken - Safety Bootcamp

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IMTS 2022 Product Preview

IMTS 2022 takes place September 12th - 17th in Chicago, Illinois. The Exhibit hall floor will be loaded with new products and services. Here is a preview of some things to look forward to at this years event.

How LiDAR Is Paving the Way for Industry 4.0

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Lowering the Barrier to Entry with "Robotics-as-a-Service" (RaaS)

Selecting an automated solution based on an understanding of how that solution benefits a customer's business operations, with accurate simulations and modeling, will lay the foundation for success.

CIMON at IMTS 2022

CIMON will feature a wall-to-wall video screen connected to our 4 product kiosks that will allow visitors to try out CIMON hardware and software in real time. We will have sample project displays visible on the large screen.

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ELATEC RFID Systems – Ensure only those authorized have access

ELATEC RFID Systems - Ensure only those authorized have access

With a tap of the badge, RFID readers from ELATEC provide secure, reliable and easy-to-use user authentication, access control and usage tracking of hardware and software in industrial automation processes. Reader durability in harsh plant floor environments is another essential feature. Choose the right authentication and access control solution and extend RFID card-based capability for the access control of PLC, robot and HMI automation controller software and devices requiring special operator training.


What Does the 8th House in Vedic Astrology Represent?

The Eighth house aka Aayu Bhav in Vedic Astrology is one of the most essential houses. This house deals with the things like debt, loan, death, longevity and sudden unexpected events are all part of this troubled eight house. However, the eighth house in your natal chart yields inauspicious results. So, what exactly does the 8th house in your Kundli mean? Let’s find out.

What does the 8th House Represents?

Unexpected rise or fall in Wealth
Unexpected illness
Life span
Probable reasons for the death

Thus, it may not be wrong to say that the 8th house is the House of Transformation and Mystery. Well, looking on the positive side, this house deals with the things that offer happiness to the natives. Wealth and longevity are the two prime things people usually ask from God while offering prayers. Right? So, blessing of good wealth and longevity in the hands of planetary placements and aspects on the eighth house of your birth chart too.

Also, ups and downs in your fortune or monetary position are indicated from this house. The placement or aspects of beneficial planets would boost the fortunes enormously and produce auspicious results to the natives. Otherwise, the outcomes will be challenging.

Now, you have the hold on the areas of your life affected by the eighth house. It’s time to know who is the lord of the 8th house. Generally, the lord of the 8th house is Mars as Scorpio governs the House of Longevity. However, the lord of the 8th house may change based on your ascendant. So let’s gain insights into the significance of the sign placed in the 8th house and its lords.

Know the impacts of planets placed in the 11th house of your birth chart with your Free Janampatri Report!

Significance of the 8th House in Astrology and Their Lords Based on Your Ascendant

Aries Ascendant

Scorpio in the 8th house: Your 8th house belongs to the Scorpio sign. So, Mars is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. You are quite familiar with the concept of degeneration and regeneration. Inclination for religious activities would be there. Also, you would live with a wide philosophical knowledge.

The mysterious Scorpio sign in the eighth house makes you secretive. However, decisions to spend money can be taken only after a long thought.

What financial opportunities are you likely to get in the upcoming months of 2022?
हमारे Reveal with your Free 2022 Horoscope Report!

Taurus Ascendant

Sagittarius in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Sagittarius sign. So, Jupiter is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. The philosophical and religious inclination comes naturally to you. Optimistic approach in all the dealings would come from your end. Also, you are not agitated with the change.

Perhaps, you embrace new things with open hands. Talking about financial matters, you will look for a knowledgeable partner. So, financial dealings would be quite hassle free for you.

Gemini Ascendant

Capricorn in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Capricorn sign. So, Saturn is the lord of the 8th house in your kundli. You keenly believe that all living beings would end one day, and they will grow old too. Also, you want to leave a legacy of your offsprings.

Your impressions in the world would be quite worthy. However, in financial matters, you are very careful and invest in portfolios that will surely pay off.

Cancer Ascendant

Aquarius in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Aquarius sign. So, Saturn is the lord of the 8th house of your Kundli. You are adventurous and enjoy risky investments, intraday in the stock market. However, your risks may pay off at times. But most often, you are likely to lose.

Not getting desired returns on your investment? It may be due to weak planets in the 8th house Talk to Expert Astrologers now, and get better insights

Leo Ascendant

Pisces in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Pisces sign. So, Jupiter is the lord of the 8th house of your Kundli. You tend to get worried on every petty matter. However, it is needless to worry about all unimportant things. BTW, practising yoga and meditation can give some relief. On a financial front, you refrain from taking potential risks too. Always playing safe will not help to gain healthy returns from the investments.

Virgo Ascendant

Aries in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Aries Sign. So, Mars is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. Aries makes you an expert advisor on financial matters, life and death, and sensual topics. You feel confident in discussing such topics openly. When it comes to your romantic relationships, you do everything to enjoy intimacy. However, you handle joint accounts on your own.

Libra Ascendant

Taurus in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Taurus Sign. So, Venus is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. You manage your earnings judiciously. Also, you very well know the right portfolio to invest, giving you good returns.

You are the masters, baby, in matters of profitable investment. So, others seek your advice. However, in the changing environment, you take time to adapt. You will not rush with the new things. Instead take a turtle walk to accept them.

Scorpio Ascendant

Gemini in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Gemini Sign. So, Mercury is the lord of the eighth house in your Kundli. Highly intellectual beings with ample curiosity to learn new things. You are ready to take part in the discussions of every new topic with others.

At times, in winning the conversation, you may become a little bit insensitive. Natives with this cusp are highly-intellectual, and have a very curious mind. You have keen interest in money matters. So, budgeting, investing, and saving is certainly your cup of tea. In crisis times, you will never take the back seat. You believe in facing challenges head-on. Instead of physical strength, you utilise mental strength to deal with all kinds of problems.

Sagittarius Ascendant

Cancer in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Cancer sign. So, the Moon is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. Traditional people who are a little shy and coy. However, it’s not surprising as Cancer is present in the 8th house. And this is why you prefer to keep your stuffs’ private. When it comes to taking financial risk, you will step back and act in a weary way. But whenever you invest in a portfolio, you are likely to get positive outcomes.

Capricorn Ascendant

Leo in the 8th house: Your 8th house belongs to the Leo sign. So, the Sun is the lord of the eighth house in your Kundli. Your self-esteem is vigilant in your conversations that you do with others. When it comes to money matters, no one is serious like you. So, you spend money only when it is required. Also, you are too sensitive with your joint account and investment.

Aquarius Ascendant

Virgo in the 8th house: Your 8th house belongs to the Virgo sign. So, Mercury is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. You are extremely meticulous. However, you take out special time to make big purchases. Ever ready for shopping! Besides, unplanned shopping excites you the most. So, definitely you are not the ace in saving matters, so you rely on your partner to make essential financial decisions.

Pisces Ascendant

Libra in the 8th House: Your 8th house belongs to the Libra sign. So, Venus is the lord of the 8th house in your Kundli. You like to keep your things personal. Until you find worries or fears, you will not share your stuff openly. However, you will not make blind investments. After consulting with a partner or experts only, you will make investments.

Influence of the Placement of Planets in the 8th House

The Sun in the Eighth house:

The Sun’s placement will create an inclination to shine with deep and intense. Always ready to manage uncertainties in life, but at times, you become impulsive in dealing with crisis times. Also, you try your best to bring situations under control. However, you are eager to say the right things at the right time. Read More…

The Moon in the 8th house:

The placement of the Moon makes you creative. It’s not surprising when a bunch of creative ideas float from your mind. You are extremely hard-working. However, in trying times, you deal with smartness instead of blind efforts. In case of wrong doings, you will not prefer to take reverse gear. Instead you deal with calmness and find the way to overcome it. Read More…

Jupiter in the 8th house:

Extremely talented beings! Even the most complex problems may not bother you. You will reach the root cause of the problem and find out the apt solution for it. However, you believe in the power of mysticism and occult learning. Read More…

Venus in the 8th house:

Venus, the planet of luxury, is placed in this house. So, you tend to live a wealthy life with the virtue of your partner. However, with the support of your partner, you will enjoy richness and abundance in life. You prefer to stay away from casual relationships. But your inclination towards money and wealth can lead downfall to sensual pleasure. Read More…

Mars in the 8th house:

You are highly passionate. Also, your intuitions are quite strong. But when it comes to expressing yourself in front of others, you lack the ability. However, you are highly desirable. When you have an eye on something, you anyhow get it. And this quality is very impressive. Any guesses? Not striking, it’s ok, we will reveal. You can recognise the false face. Amazing, isn’t it? Read More…

Mercury in the 8th house:

You don’t believe in superficial knowledge. In depth knowledge is your requisite. However, your inquisitive nature will not let go off any mystery on a surface level. Thanks to the communicative planets that imbibe the power to access the world of metaphysical and occult learning. Read More…

Saturn in the 8th house:

Your patience and hard work is worth noting. Also, you are economical in financial matters. The taskmaster, Saturn will imbibe discipline inside you. However, everyone will not have the courage to give up their short term goals for fulfilling your long time requirements. Adapting to change is not your cup of tea. Whenever you are out of your comfort zone, you will start feeling anxious and worried. Read More…

Rahu in the 8th house:

You tend to think out of the box. However, your innovative skills will support you too. The Rahu placement in the 8th house is favourable for natives involved in metaphysical practice like detective, spy, and investigator. Beside this, you are attracted towards wealthy people. There are chances that your life partner is one among them. Read More…

Ketu in the 8th house:

The placement of Ketu in the 8th house makes you brave and hardworking. Also, you will be linked up with the mystical world. However, the chances of adopting the profession of occult learning is quite high. Along with this, you can give a shot if you are interested in sports, PSP, and other games. Read More…

It is not necessary that the 8th house is always bad. However, there are reasons behind it. Let’s figure out all of them.

Why is the 8th house bad?

The weak placements of planets or the malefic aspects of other planets on the eighth house may affect your longevity. Also, the malefic or afflicted planetary influences may cause chronic illness. Your mental peace too can be lost due to various challenges and miseries you are facing due to the adverse results of the eighth house.

However, there may be financial constraints. Chances of involvement in criminal cases are also there. Also, you can be charged some penalty or punishment too due to disobedience of law and others. You may have some sort of addictions and deformities. Losing of loved ones due to break up, death, or any other reasons can be there. Whereas, other types of problems may crop up to create destruction in your life.

Is your partner a perfect match for you? Reveal with your Free Compatibility Report!


What is insomnia?

Insomnia is an inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and/or waking too early, for quite some time. In this session you will do a self-assessment.

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FRIDAY, October 07, 2022
Baht strengthens on back of rebounding gold, no new lockdown in China

MONDAY, June 27, 2022

The baht opened at 35.45 to the US dollar on Monday, strengthening from Friday’s close of 35.49.

The Thai currency is expected to move between 35.35 and 35.55 against the greenback during the day and between 35.20 and 35.65 during the week, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool predicted.

He said the baht will test its resistance level at 35.50 to 35.65 to the dollar, especially if foreign transactions flow out of the country while the market is in a risk-off state.

However, the weakening might be slowed down by exporters waiting to sell their dollars.

Poon also believes the baht will strengthen if the price of gold rebounds and investors start trading in the precious metal.

The baht may also not weaken to the new resistance level of 36 to the dollar unless China enforces a new lockdown, forcing investors to dump bonds and stocks in emerging Asian markets.

The dollar, however, may weaken if the US economic data is worse than expected and the US Federal Reserve does not support boosting the interest at a high rate again.

Poon added that the dollar will remain stable if the economic data from Europe and Asia is worse than expected.

The strategist has advised investors to use hedging tools like options to manage their risks in the highly volatile currency market.


Concussion Management

One of the main misconceptions with concussions is that once you begin to feel better, you are fully healed. Symptoms will usually subside in 3-5 days in the majority of cases, however, metabolic healing does not occur until 15-31 days post injury.

This puts athletes in a dangerous situation because most people feel better long before their brain has recovered to the point that they are actually safe to return to their sport. Unfortunately, there is no scan, MRI, or X-ray that can detect a concussion. This is where the benefits of baseline testing come in as the most important step towards proper concussion management.

Therefore, the most important tool in a practitioner’s tool belt when dealing with concussions is a baseline test. If you have a child in any youth athletics it is highly recommended they be tested prior to the start of their season. We always need a baseline value to identify if your brain has fully healed following a concussion.

At Osteoathletic, our multidisciplinary and collaborative team believes in “providing lasting results in fewer appointments” . We use multiple treatment modalities that are always specific to each patient and their stage of injury. To learn more click “book online” above to book an appointment or  call (289) 851-6511,


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How Much Does the United States Depend on Fossil Fuels?

As global leaders and activists bring attention to climate change and the importance of environmentalism, more and more individuals converse about fossil fuels. The topic at hand has morphed into a highly political, ethical, and financial issue that frequents mainstream media and news outlets.

Even those who remain ignorant to environmental and fossil fuel discourse rely heavily upon fossil fuels.

According to the National Academics of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, 81% of the United States’ energy comes from a fossil fuel source.

The energy powers our vehicles, warms our homes, provides electricity, and keeps manufacturers running. But how much does the United States depend on fossil fuels?

The United States’ dependence on fossil fuels runs deep.

To grasp the complexity of fossil fuel energy, one must understand the history of the fossil fuel industry, the economics that support it, the environmental effects, and possible alternatives.

To ease fossil fuel research and awareness, this article answers common questions relating to the United States’ consumption and dependence on fossil fuels.

What Are Fossil Fuels?

Huge Power Plant

A simple google search explains that fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon containing material formed from the remains of dead plants and animals underground. Humans extract fossil fuels and burn them for energy consumption.

Perhaps most importantly, fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource.

Fossil Fuels Are Non-Renewable Resources

A non-renewable resource naturally occurs and cannot be readily replaced by natural means at a pace fast enough to keep up with consumption.

Fossil fuels take millions of years to form, and sources of fossil fuels currently deplete much faster than the generation of new sources. There are many resources considered fossil fuels. However, the main 3 fossil fuels used in the United States consist of coal, natural gas, and petroleum.

Coal is a combustible, black sedimentary rock primarily used for fuel. Coal extracts from coal seams, or rock strata. As a fossil fuel, coal forms as dead plant matter decays and converts into a rock by heat, pressure, and deep burial over millions of years.

The chemical make-up of coal includes carbon, followed by hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is colorless, odorless, and explosive.

Natural gas forms as layers of decaying plant and animal matter get exposed to intense pressure and heat in the Earth over millions of years. Chemical bonds in natural gas preserve energy the decaying plays originally stored from the sun.

Natural gas is a hydrocarbon gas mixture. Methane, other hydrocarbons, and sometimes nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, or hydrogen sulfide make up natural gas.

Petroleum, commonly found in liquid fuels, forms from large amounts of dead organisms, such as algae, buried underneath sedimentary rock and experiencing intense pressure and heat.

Petroleum consists of a dark, brown liquid found underground in various geological formations.

Like coal and natural gas, naturally occurring hydrocarbons make up petroleum alongside other organic compounds.

How Are Fossil Fuels Extracted?

Mining Site

Fossil fuels live far below the Earth’s surface.

According to NBC, coal strata typically exist 200 to 300 feet underground. Additionally, petroleum and natural gas deposits lay 1-2 miles under the surface, and petroleum and gas deposits sometimes reach more than six miles underground.

The two main ways of extracting fossil fuels consist of different mining and drilling methods.

Drilling, Scraping, and Mining

In brief, mining primarily extracts coal and other solid fossil fuels by digging and exposing buried coal strata. Drilling methods remove petroleum and natural gas from the Earth by forcing them to flow to the surface.

Most mining and drilling methods prove detrimental to ecosystems and surrounding communities.

Underground coal mining leads to injury and accidents on the job. Chronic health disorders such as black lung disease often develop in underground coal mining employees as well.

Due to the dangers of people conducting underground coal mining, surface mining techniques override the coal industry in the United States.

Surface mining consists of strip mining and mountaintop removal. Both are highly invasive and only work for shallow coal deposits.

More so, surface mining removes soil, trees, and other vegetation to access coal through highly destructive means. After vegetation removal, explosives blast through the Earth, creating easy access to coal hundreds of feet below the surface.

The short and long-term effects of surface mining consist of environmental damage.

For starters, surface mining disposes of excess soil and rock into streams and bodies of water. After surface mining completes, the soil leftover can no longer support ecosystems and vegetation.

As for surrounding communities, strip mining puts people at the risk of landslides, mudslides, and flash floods. Depending on the coal deposit, toxic chemicals such as lead and iron often pollute community drinking water.

See Related: Most Ethical Gemstones: Is Mining Ethically Possible?

Drilling consists of onshore and offshore drilling methods. The most widely debated form of drilling is fracking or natural gas hydraulic fracturing. However, virtually all forms of drilling extraction methods carry consequences.

Fracking methods result in dangerous conditions for humans and water waste. Through fracking, water draws up to the surface.

The water carries naturally occurring hydrocarbons and radioactive materials.

The radioactive materials that come with fossil fuels are dangerous to remove and dispose of. Fracking requires millions of gallons of water, resulting in mass amounts of waste, even with Federal regulations.

Onshore drilling methods result in noise and wildlife habitation disruption and require large sections of land dedicated to drilling facilities and pipelines.

Additionally, the extraction of natural gas increases the number of greenhouse gasses released into the air.

The emission of greenhouse gasses poses serious health and environmental risk. According to the World Bank, 5.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas is emitted through drilling.

This constitutes 25% of total US consumption released worldwide. It also results in the release of 400 million tons of carbon dioxide, creating intense environmental damage and hazardous situations.

See Related: Is It Too Late to Stop Climate Change? Fast Facts You Need to Know

Why Does the United States Depend on Fossil Fuels?

Aerial View of a Power Plant

Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels has increased. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum power almost every aspect of American lives.

Extraction also costs little, encouraging United States dependence on fossil fuels. Financially and geopolitically, fossil fuel extraction is an advantageous source of energy.

Economics, Politics, and Consumption Reliance

So, how much does the United States depend on fossil fuels? Energy companies rely on making a profit and reducing costs. Cheap fossil fuels are the backbone of the United States’ energy economy.

Likewise, the United States’ energy policy historically centers on the concept of energy dominance.

Energy dominance consists of policy that maximizes energy production, expands exports, and globally leads energy technologies. Politicians previously focused on deregulation, but now regulation has slowly crept back into the picture.

Energy politics remains key in United States foreign policy. As such, the feds provide large subsidies to fossil fuel businesses.

Should the United States Eliminate Subsidies for Fossil Fuels?

From 2002 to 2008, subsidies to fossil fuels came to almost $72 billion. At the same time, subsidies for renewable energy totaled $29 billion.

According to the Yale School of Environment, in 2020 fossil fuels received $5.9 trillion in subsidies.

92% of the subsidies took the form of tax breaks and health and environmental damages unaccounted for in the cost of fossil fuels. The rest of the subsidies provided were direct.

The United States Ought to Eliminate Subsidies for Fossil Fuels

The United States should eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels based on environmental protection, consideration for the American taxpayer, and financial security.

Subsidies provide the fossil fuel industry with an incentive to continue over other forms of energy, inevitably increasing environmental damage that is already irreversible.

Subsidies on behalf of fossil fuels cost American taxpayers money and override other potential forms of financial security for the US. For example, the fossil fuel subsidies from 2002 to 2008 incorporated direct costs from taxpayers.

Instead of direct and indirect fossil fuel subsidies, a carbon tax would potentially reduce carbon emissions by about 1/3rd. A possible carbon tax raises revenues equal to 3.8 percent of global GDP.

The reduction of carbon emissions would prevent an estimated 1 million deaths from local air pollution yearly. Energy subsidies would also be more beneficial allocated towards alternative energy industries.

See Related: Energy Conservation Techniques

How Can the United States Limit its Dependence on Fossil Fuels?

Earth and Light Bulb

As the access to fossil fuels declines and awareness of environmental destruction increases, U.S. dependence on fossil fuels must diminish. The U.S. relies heavily on fossil fuels. Incorporating new energy sources takes time.

First, the U.S. should remove fossil fuel sector subsidies. Next, the U.S. should focus on energy efficiency awareness, and introducing renewable energy will limit dependence on fossil fuels.

Implement Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency focuses on reducing energy waste on an individual and corporate basis, starting in the home, workplace, or on the road.

LED light and lightbulbs are one example of energy waste reduction products. Other energy-efficient products include insulation, smart thermostats, and computer power management, commonly called “sleep” mode.

Energy efficiency values losing less energy while completing the same process, leading to smaller energy bills and reducing pollution.

In the US, most housing facilities, products, and corporate buildings use an excessive amount of energy. This overuse of energy comes from inefficiencies and energy waste.

See Related: How to Make Commercial Building More Energy Efficient

What are Some Examples of Energy That Can Replace Fossil Fuels?

Rows of Solar Panels in a Field

Renewable energy comes from sources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited.

Renewable energy naturally refurbishes on a small time scale compared to non-renewable resources. Renewable resources include geothermal heat, wind, tides, waves, sunlight, and rain.

However, some resources, such as biomass energy, are not as sustainable as others.

Wind Power, Solar Power, and Hydropower

Currently, wind power is the most popular form of renewable energy. Through wind turbines, a propeller structure that spins wind-powered blades, wind conducts into electricity. The spinning blades conduct energy into a rotor, which spins a generator and creates electricity.

Solar power converts sunlight into electrical energy either through PV panels or solar concentrated radiation mirrors. The solar energy derived converts into electricity or solar-powered batteries.

Hydropower relies on a system that cycles water to produce electricity.

The water is not reduced or wasted in the process. Hydropower utilizes turbines and generators to convert kinetic energy into electricity. The electricity connects to an electrical grid to power communities.

Related Resources


Tõsine autoritandem Lawrence Susskind ja Amber Kim on võtnud eesmärgiks:

In this article, we explore the question of how to build municipal capacity to adapt to climate change (i.e. adaptive capacity).

What is needed is for communities to be able to model and forecast the interactions among the relevant ecological, built, political, and social systems in the places where they are, both now and in the future, and generate sufficient political support to facilitate action.

Nii jõuavadki autorid järeldusele sellest, kuidas oleks vaja muuta kohalikul tasandil võimekuse suurendamiseks kliimamuutusega adapteerumiseks ja pakuvad kolm keskset strateegiaelementi:

Local governments will need to enhance their adaptive governance capabilities. That is, they will need to go beyond symbolic commitments to public participation and engage a stakeholder partnership in on going joint problem-solving. More specifically, this will require a commitment to contingent financial arrangements, widespread and continuous stakeholder engagement, and embracing an experimental or provisional problem-solving approach that allows cities to learn from their failures. These three elements of capacity building go beyond earlier efforts to promote economic development which relied almost exclusively on grants-in-aid, training, technical assistance, and privatization of governmental services.

Lawrence Susskind & Amber Kim (2021) Building local capacity to adapt to climate change, Climate Policy, DOI: 10.1080/14693062.2021.1874860


Ameya Pradhan

L1 Licenced Mind Mentor, India

I am passionate about providing sustainable living, food, shelter, and education to 500,000 lives in the next 10 years. During my 20+ years of Corporate Experience, I have realised that people are most happy when they achieve their dreams in life. I am on a mission to help people achieve their dreams and bring happiness to their lives. I work with people to transform their lives from despair to hope and from darkness to light.


White Paper: Power Challenging Environments

White Paper: The Know-How You Need to Power the Most Challenging Environments

White paper the know-how you need to power the most challenging environmentsAs data centers address more expansive and unique challenges, their power distribution equipment must also meet that performance needs. Server cabinets and racks, even individual server units, need to be designed for maximum adaptability to the ever-changing power consumption requirements of their unique and demanding environments.

Whether dedicated to supercomputing or artificial intelligence, data centers are unique in form factor and physical architecture. Often, administrators must find custom solutions for delivering power, cooling, networking, etc.

On the other hand, edge computing puts applications and data closer to devices—and their users, bringing a different set of challenges. Space is limited in many cases; smaller enclosures mean less room for the power distribution equipment. Because edge computing takes place remotely, you need to validate remote connectivity and possibly remediate any issues.

You often face unique challenges and applications no matter what type of data center you have. Learn how some of these challenges have been resolved.

Fill out the form to download the white paper now.

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Programming in Dart: Fundamentals
Part 1: Fundamentals Use Logical Operators
— Flutter & Dart

Lesson Complete

Play Next Lesson

Use Logical Operators

This video was last updated on Apr 26 2022

Learn how to use various logical and comparison operators in Dart to create Booleans.

In the previous set of exercises, you saw how you can work with Boolean values, and how you could use comparison operators such as less than, greater than, equal to and not equal to to compare values to each other.

In this video, you’ll learn about another set of operators that are designed for working with Boolean values and expressions: these are known as “logical operators”.

Logical operators let you do things like check if at least one Boolean value in a set is true, if all Boolean values in a set are true, or even to check if a Boolean value is not true. Sound strange? That’s OK - you’ll learn how these work as you work through the demo.

Open up DartPad and lets create some new variables.

const passingGrade = 50;
const studentGrade = 50;
const chrisGrade = 49;
const samGrade = 99;

Here, lets define some Booleans (through type inference) that check whether or not our illustrious students passed. You’ll use these values as you work through some exercises about logical operators.

const studentPassed = studentGrade >= passingGrade;
const chrisPassed = chrisGrade >= passingGrade;
const samPassed = samGrade >= passingGrade;

The first logical operator is simple: the not operator. It’s represented in Dart as a single exclamation mark, placed before the constant or variable name. If I want to check the opposite, or inverse, of whether Sam passed, I simply write “not samPassed”:

And this tells me that this is false, because Sam did pass. And I can also check to see if Chris did not pass, by doing the same thing here: “not chrisPassed”:

And in this case, it’s true, because it’s true that Chris didn’t pass. It may seem strange to check the inverse of a Boolean, but when you start writing more complicated logic later on, you’ll often want to run a particular block of code only when a particular value or set of values isn’t true. So to avoid writing weird code like this:

print(chrisPassed == false);

You can simply use the not operator to make the meaning more clear. Now, this not operator only applies to Booleans. What do you think happens if you try to use it on something like a String value? Let me set up a constant catName and set it to “Jaspurr”:

const catName = 'Jaspurr';

If I try to say “not catName”,

Dart really has no idea what the inverse of Jaspurr is, so it throws an error: Logical operations are really only useful for Booleans. Let’s comment that out, since that code doesn’t make sense.

// print(!catName);

The next logical operator is the AND operator. It’s pretty similar to they way you’d think about the word “AND” in English; is this true, AND is that true? Do you want ice cream AND sprinkles? You represent AND in Dart with two ampersand symbols - that’s right, the AND sign!

// AND Operator
// &&

We can use the AND operator to see if both Chris and Sam passed. Let me define a constant bothPassed, and I want this to be true if both chrisPassed and samPassed are true:

const bothPassed = chrisPassed && samPassed;

And you can see that no, both Sam and Chris didn’t pass. This expression will only be true if both values on either side of the AND operator are true. In this case, we know that chrisPassed is false, so this entire expression can’t be true.

Now, what if you just want to know if one or the other has passed? That is, you don’t care who passed, just that one of Sam or Chris passed?

That brings you to the next logical operator, OR. And again, the OR operator is somewhat analogous to the word OR in English. Are you having pie or cake for dessert?

The one small difference is that in English, we usually mean “or” as exclusive; in that you want either pie or cake. But the OR operator simply means “if any one of these things is true, then this whole expression is true”.

The OR operator is two vertical lines, or pipes; you can usually find this character in the very top row of your keyboard.

// OR Operator
// ||

Lets define a constant called eitherPassed and set that to chrisPassed OR samPassed:

const eitherPassed = chrisPassed || samPassed;

And in this case, you see that at least one of those two passed, so the result is true. Even if both of these students had passed, the result would still be true. And if not a single person in that group had passed, then the result would be false. You aren’t limited to just two values for OR and AND operators; you can string as many together as you like. For instance, I have this anonymous student who has a grade and a passed value. What if I want to know is, if any one of these three people passed?

Let me create a constant, anyonePassed, and I’ll set it to chrisPassed OR samPassed OR studentPassed, like so:

const anyonePassed = chrisPassed || samPassed || studentPassed;

Here, we know at least one person passed, so this entire expression is true. What if you wanted to know if everyone passed; that is, are all of the values in a statement true? You can do that with multiple AND operators, just like you did with multiple OR operators. Let’s declare a constant, everyonePassed, and we’ll set it to chrisPassed AND samPassed AND studentPassed:

const anyonePassed = chrisPassed && samPassed && studentPassed;

And you see that no, not everyone passed. Because just one of these values is false, chrisPassed, the entire expression becomes false. What’s nice about building up these Boolean expressions this way is that you can mix and match them with the comparison operators you learned about in the previous video. So you can use things like greater than or less than operators along with these new AND and OR operators.

To see this in action, let’s assume that any student who has perfect attendance AND has a mark over 90, gets a special merit award. Lets capture that in two constants: one, the meritAwardGrade of 90:

const meritAwardGrade = 90;

…and let’s capture Sam’s perfect attendance in a constant, samHasPerfectAttendance:

const samHasPerfectAttendance = true;

Must be nice to be perfect, Sam! So, we need to build up an expression that determines (a) if Sam has perfect attendance, and (b) if Sam has a mark over 90. Lets create another constant to hold the result of this: samIsMeritStudent, and I’ll set that to samHasPerfectAttendance AND samGrade is greater than meritAwardGrade:

const samIsMeritStudent = samHasPerfectAttendance && samGrade > meritAwardGrade;

And we see that yes, Sam has perfect attendance AND his mark is over 90. Swift first calculates the value of samGrade greater than merit AwardGrade to be true, and then it goes on to evaluate the other Boolean values in the expression. Since both are true, then the entire expression is true as well. Congratulations, Sam!


Does Gazprom's cut of gas supplies to Germany affect the market for dna rna purification

On Monday, Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom cut gas supplies to Germany again, reducing supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 20%.

The pipeline reopened last week at 40 percent capacity after being shut down for 10 days for regular maintenance. Gazprom partly blamed the decline on turbines sent to Canada for repairs in June. Western sanctions against Russia initially blocked the return of the turbine, but Canada allowed it to be sent back to Germany earlier this month. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which connects Russia and Europe, began pumping oil again on the morning of July 21 after being shut down for repairs.

Gazprom said in a statement Monday that it has received the Canadian authority's released documents relating to the turbine, but "after studying the documents, Gazprom had to come to the conclusion that they don't eliminate the previously identified risks, and cause other problems."

"In addition, issues concerning the imposition of EU and UK sanctions remain unresolved for Gazprom," the gas giant said.

The European Union is to ease sanctions on Russian banks to allow food trade. Siemens Energy, which maintains the turbines, said it "does not see any connection between the turbines and the gas cuts that have been implemented or announced."

A Siemens Energy spokesperson told Fox Business in a statement Monday, "The maintenance of our turbines is and remains a routine procedure. There have not been any major complications during the last 10 years of maintenance."

Europe is heavily dependent on Russian energy, importing about 40 percent of its natural gas and 30 percent of its oil from Russia. German and European officials have accused the Kremlin of trying to push up energy prices by cutting gas flows.

"Russia is blackmailing us. Russia uses energy as a weapon. So one way or another, whether it's a partial, major cut off of Russian gas or a complete cut-off, Europe needs to be prepared, "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week.

Overview of market area prospect of dna rna purification

By region, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America is further divided into countries such as the United States and Canada. The European region is further divided into The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia and the rest of Europe. The Asia Pacific region is further subdivided into China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Southeast Asia and the rest of Asia Pacific. The Latin America region is further subdivided into Brazil, Mexico and the rest of Latin America, and the MEA region is further divided into GCC, Turkey, South Africa and the rest of MEA.

Buy high quality and effective DNA & RNA nucleic acid extraction reagent, lab consumables, automatic nucleic acid extractions, real-time PCR equipment and consumables or dna rna purification . Send an email to: and our professional sales engineer will get back to you within 48 hours.

Analysis and forecast of the market size of PCR diagnostic industry

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a nucleic acid synthesis technology that uses the principle of DNA double-strand replication to replicate specific DNA fragments in vitro. With this technology, the detection equipment can amplify the target gene in a large number in a short time, expanding the target gene fragment to the order of millions to billions, thus achieving high sensitivity detection. At present, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis of infectious diseases such as hepatitis, venereal disease, intestinal respiratory disease and tumor single gene detection is an important application field. In 2020, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic technology was identified as the "gold standard" for COVID-19 diagnosis due to its high sensitivity and accuracy.

China's PCR diagnostic market is developing rapidly, with the market size growing rapidly from about RMB 2.37 billion in 2015 to about RMB 5.93 billion in 2019, with a compound annual growth rate of 25.8%. China's PCR industry experienced explosive growth due to the huge demand for testing caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, and the market size of China's PCR diagnostic industry exceeded 10 billion yuan in 2020. With the introduction of a large number of PCR diagnostic instruments, the PCR diagnostic industry will enter a new stage of development. It is expected that the PCR diagnostic industry will maintain a double-digit growth rate, and the market size of the PCR diagnostic industry will reach about 23.42 billion yuan in 2030 based on the factory price, and the cagR will reach about 13.3% from 2019 to 2030.

Market Demand of the dna rna purification

The DNA/RNA Extraction Kit market and other dna rna purification s are projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.26% during the forecast period 2022-2027.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the dna rna purification market for a short time due to restrictions on different business and research activities for dna rna purification s. In addition, diagnostic tests for other diseases and medical conditions in hospitals and other clinical diagnostic facilities have been affected as COVID-19 has led to fewer patients taking tests. However, the high rate of COVID-19 infection and research activities are undertaken by major companies in the field of sequencing to expand their understanding of the virus and its origins, as well as molecular diagnostics of the SARS-COV-2 virus, have led to the development and launch of many DNA - and RNA-BASED COVID-19 kits, The kits proved so important that they were in great demand.

Market drivers for the dna rna purification

The growth of the DNA/RNA extraction kit market is primarily driven by increased investment in R&D activities in different areas, including molecular diagnostics for different chronic and infectious diseases. For example, the US spent $842 billion on R&D activities in 2020, followed by China at $664 billion, according to the ORGANISATION for Economic Co-operation and Development. Technological advances worldwide, new product launches by major market players, and an increase in cancer cases are also likely to complement the growth of the markets under study.

Other factors, such as increased demand for automation of DNA/RNA extraction technologies, new user-friendly and easy extraction kits, and DNA/RNA for analysis of new diseases causing microorganisms, are expected to drive DNA/RNA growth. RNA Extraction Kit market during the forecast period. Therefore, low awareness and availability of the kit and low market penetration in less developed and developing regions around the world are the major factors limiting the growth of the DNA/RNA extraction kit market.

North America is expected to dominate the global dna rna purification market during the forecast period

North America, which holds a major share in the dna rna purification market, is expected to show a similar trend during the forecast period, mainly due to the high level of R&D activity in the region and the presence of major market players in the region constantly developing their products for the markets studied.

In the region, the US is expected to take a major share of the DNA/RNA extraction kit market due to heavy investment in R&D by government and private entities, increased demand for dna rna purification s, and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases.

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How Creativity Is Linked to Intelligence

By Catherine A. SandersonAmherst College

Let’s describe the link between intelligence and creativity. We often assume that people who are highly creative must also be highly intelligent. However, people who are especially creative don’t just accumulate knowledge; they also think outside of the box and create new concepts and ideas. So, what does the research say about the intelligence-creativity link?

Concept of creativity and new ideas
Pure intelligence is not enough to be creative. (Image: Beanimages/Shutterstock)

Creativity Needs More Than Mere Intelligence

According to the threshold hypothesis developed in the 1960s, high creativity requires at least above-average intelligence. So, above-average intelligence is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for high creativity. But, people who are more intelligent do tend to be more creative.

But this association isn’t true for people at the extremes of either variable; people who are the very most creative are not necessarily the most intelligent. In other words, there’s more to creativity than just intelligence. Instead, creativity comes from a set of resources, including internal factors within ourselves and external factors from the environment we’re in.

First, there’s expertise, meaning a well-developed base of knowledge. As Louis Pasteur once said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” The more ideas, images, and phrases we learn to work with, through accumulated learning, the more chances we have to combine these building blocks in novel ways.

Young woman working in design studio using laptop
Expertise and imaginative thinking skills are needed for a person to become creative. (Image: G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock)

Second, there’s imaginative thinking skills, which let people see things in new ways, to recognize patterns, and to make connections. Copernicus first developed expertise regarding the solar system and its planets; only much later did he offer his revolutionary idea that the Earth revolved around the Sun, instead of the reverse.

Features of Creativity

Creative people also share distinct personality traits. They are able to tolerate ambiguity, seek out new experiences, and persist even in the face of obstacles. Thomas Edison tried countless substances, and failed repeatedly, in the process of creating his lightbulb filament. But Edison framed these disappointments in a very positive perspective:

When a reporter asked him, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” Creative people are also driven by internal motivation; by interest, enjoyment, and satisfaction, not just external rewards and pressures, such as deadlines, money, and impressing people.

Another factor linked with creativity is experience in particular environments that spark, support, and refine particular ideas. Most prominent scientists, inventors, and artists are mentored, supported, and challenged by relationships with colleagues.

This article comes directly from content in the video series Introduction to PsychologyWatch it now, on Wondrium.

Creativity Peaks Differ for Different People

Finally, and perhaps most interesting, is research on life cycle effects and creativity, suggesting that creativity peaks at different points for different people and for different fields of endeavor. It’s often commonly assumed that creativity peaks at a relatively young age, but a 2019 paper found evidence for two distinct life cycles of creativity, at least for creativity as assessed by winning a Nobel Prize in economics.

The researchers first classified 31 Nobel Prize winners in terms of the type of work they produced, as more conceptual, meaning using a more mathematical approach; or more experimental, meaning relying on specific places, time periods, or industries in their work. They then determined the age at which these economists had produced their most important work, as assessed by how often that piece was mentioned as influential by other economists.

And their results revealed evidence for two distinct types of peaks for economists with different approaches. Conceptual economists did tend to peak relatively early in their careers; their most influential paper was typically published when they were in their mid-to-late- the 20s. But experimental economists showed a very different pattern, with a peak in their mid-50s.

How Age Can Affect Creativity

How do we make sense of this patterning? Well, conceptual thinkers are really good at thinking outside the box, so youth may be an advantage. They are less immersed in whatever the accepted theories within a field are and more comfortable with proposing new approaches. But experimental economists need time to design, analyze, and interpret information which requires more trial and error.

Statue of Socrates against a semi-cloudy sky
Conceptual thinkers tend to be creative in their youth, while experimental thinkers tend to be creative in their older age. (Image: Dimitrios P/Shutterstock)

Other work by these same researchers reveals similar differences in types and peaks of creativity for other domains, including for artists, writers, and scientists. For example, conceptual thinkers, who have specific goals for what they hope to communicate, tend to produce their best work at a relatively young age. Albert Einstein and Andy Warhol are great examples.

But experimental thinkers can take longer to develop and produce their ideas, so creativity tends to peak at a later age. Charles Darwin, Paul Cezanne, and Virginia Woolf show this pattern of producing their best work later in life.

These findings from the field of economics dovetail nicely with how psychologists now think about intelligence and creativity as something that isn’t fixed, but rather evolves over time and predicts success in different ways for different people.

Common Questions about How Creativity Is Linked to Intelligence

Q: What is the link between intelligence and creativity?

As the threshold hypothesis remarks, highly creative people have at least above-average intelligence. But this hypothesis is not true for those who are at the extreme in either creativity or intelligence. In other words, the most creative people are not necessarily intelligent and vice versa.

Q: Except for intelligence, what other things do people need to become creative?

People need more than just intelligence. Creative people get their power from different sets of resources such as expertise and imaginative thinking skills. The internal and external factors are also important for people to become creative.

Q: Are intelligence and creativity fixed things?

Observing the successes of scholars and scientists such as Edison, Einstein, Warhol, Cezanne, Woolf, Darwin, and many others, it can be concluded that either intelligence or creativity are not fixed things but change and evolve throughout people’s lives, being associated in different ways for different people.

Keep Reading
Why Do We Dream?
Theories on Sleep and Sleep Cycles
Understanding Sleep Deprivation


For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish Podcast Artwork Image

For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

Nishanth Selvalingam

The world of Yoga is wide and varied. In this podcast, yogi Nish the Fish shares the deeper dimensions of Yoga, Vedanta and Tantra, asking the big questions: why do we practice? What is meditation? What is the purpose of a human life? What is Beauty? What is Death? Nishanth Selvalingam studied various South Asian philosophies with his Shaivite grandfather in an ashram in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and moved to Los Angeles to study philosophy, teach yoga and play guitar in a rock band. Join him and special guests as they explore Yoga, in all its splendours. For more episodes and instruction, and to support this humble offering of the heart, visit me on Patreon:


Behind The Artworks: SYRYN - Heads Or Tails (2022)

Sloan: The album cover art, designed by the incredible Bo Bradshaw, represents the title track of our album “Heads or Tails”. It speaks to the two faces we have in life - whether it be ourselves, someone else, a path, or a choice, there are two sides to everything. The song “Heads or Tails” is about paths and choices, and how we navigate through them within our everyday lives.

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