How to Use a Torpedo Level

by Joost Nusselder | Updated on:  March 19, 2022
A torpedo level is a tool used by builders and contractors to ensure that two or more surfaces are at the same height. The spirit level works well for building shelving, hanging cabinets, installing tile backsplashes, leveling appliances, etc. It is one of the most common types of levels. And the smaller ones are called torpedo levels. Generally, a torpedo works by centering a small bubble inside a tube containing colored liquid. It helps establish vertical or horizontal lines about the ground floor.
Torpedo levels are convenient for tight spaces, and you can use them for a lot of things. They’re small, about 6 inches to 12 inches in length, with three vials indicating plumb, level, and 45 degrees. There are some with magnetic edges, so they’re perfect for leveling pictures and pipes lined with metal. Even though it’s a small tool, using it can be tricky, especially if you don’t know how to read a spirit level. I’m going to show you how to read and use a torpedo level so that you find it using easy next time you need it.

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How to Read a Torpedo Level With 2 Easy Steps

Step 1 Find the bottom edge of the level. It sits on your surface, so make sure it’s stable before you level it. If you are having difficulty seeing the vials in a dimly lit room, try moving them closer or try helping with the lighting if necessary. Step 2 Look at the tube at the center to level a horizontal line as it finds horizontality (horizontal lines). While tubes on either end (Mostly on the left side closer to the punch hole) find verticality (vertical lines). An angled-tube vial helps guide rough estimates of the intersections of 45° angles and correct any irregularities.

How to Use a Torpedo Level

In construction, like carpentry, spirit levels are used to set lines vertically or horizontally with the ground. There’s an odd sensation – you’re not only looking at your work from all angles, but it feels like gravity is changing depending on how you hold your tool. The tool lets you get vertical and horizontal measurements or check if your project is correctly angled (say, 45°). Let’s jump into these three measuring angles.

Leveling Horizontally

Step 1: Find the Horizon

Make sure the level is horizontal and parallel to the object you want to level. The process is also called “finding the horizon.”

Step 2: Identify the lines

Observe the bubble and wait for it to stop moving. You are already horizontal if it is centered between two lines or circles. Or else, go on to the next step until the bubble is perfectly centered.

Step 3: Level It

To get the true horizontal line of the object, tilt the level up or down to center the bubble between the two lines.

Leveling Vertically

Step 1: Placing it Right

To get a true vertical (or true plumb line), hold a level vertically against the object or plane you will be using. This is useful when installing things like door jambs and window casements, where accuracy is key for ensuring they’re straight.

Step 2: Identify the lines

You can use this level two ways. You can do this by focusing on the bubble tube located near the top of the level. The other way is perpendicular to it; there’s one at each end for vertical leveling. Check if the bubbles are centered between the lines. Allow it to stop moving and observe what happens when you look between lines. If the bubble is centered, that means that the object is perfectly straight up.

Step 3: Levelling It

If the bubble is still not in the center, tip the bottom of it left or right as needed until its bubble is centered between lines on whatever object you are measuring.

Levelling 45-Degree angle

Torpedo levels often come with a bubble tube tilted at 45 degrees. For a 45-degree line, do everything the same way, except you, ‘ll position the level 45 degrees instead of horizontally or vertically. This comes in handy when cutting braces or joists to make sure they are straight.

How to Use a Magnetic Torpedo Level

This isn’t that different from a normal torpedo level. It’s just magnetic instead. It’s easier to use than a regular level since you won’t need to hold it. When measuring something made of metal, you can just put the level there so you don’t have to use your hands. You use a magnetic torpedo level just like a regular torpedo level. For your convenience, I’ll put on which angles mean what.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Know If the Torpedo Level Is Well-Calibrated?

To make sure this tool is calibrated correctly, just set it on a flat, even surface. Once you’re done, note where the bubble ends up (generally, the more bubbles there are along its length, the better). Once you’ve done that, flip the level over and repeat the process. The spirit will show the same reading after completing either process as long as the two processes are done from opposite directions. If the reading is not identical, you will need to replace the level vial.

How Accurate Is a Torpedo Level?

Torpedo levels are known to be incredibly accurate for making sure your level is horizontal. For example, using a 30ft piece of string and weights, you can check the accuracy against a bubble vial on an aluminum square plate. The torpedo level will measure true if you hang two plumb lines. One vertical and one horizontal, on either side of a tile/sheetrock board at one end, and measure +/- 5 millimeters horizontally over 14 feet. We’ll get three measurements per inch on our sheetrock. If all three readings are within 4 mm of each other, then this test is 99.6% accurate. And guess what? We did the test ourselves, and it is 99.6% accurate indeed.

Final words

The high-quality Torpedo levels are the first choice for plumbers, pipefitters, and DIYers. It’s small, lightweight, and easy to carry around in your pocket; that’s what I love the most about a torpedo level. Their torpedo shape makes them great for uneven surfaces. They are also handy for everyday things like hanging pictures and leveling furniture. We hope this write-up has helped give you the knowledge- how to use these simple tools without issues. You will do well!


Puebla E-Prix | Round 8 + 9 Highlights

What an electric weekend!⚡ Mayhem in Mexico and a double-header with many surprises. Catch up on all the highlights from the Puebla E-Prix!


FECCA strives to ensure that the needs and aspirations of Australians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are given proper recognition in public policy.

We work to promote fairness and responsiveness to our constituency in the delivery and design of government policies and programs. We promote multiculturalism as a core value that defines what it means to be Australian in the 21st century.

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WHO says coronavirus unlikely to have leaked from Chinese lab

A World Health Organization expert says the coronavirus is unlikely to have leaked from a Chinese lab and most probably jumped to humans via an intermediary species.

Expert says novel coronavirus probably jumped to humans via an intermediary species

WHO team appears to rule out Chinese lab as source of coronavirus

1 year ago
Duration 0:36
Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, a World Health Organization expert who is part of the team investigating the origins of the novel coronavirus, says it is 'extremely unlikely' the virus came from a lab in Wuhan, China.

The coronavirus is unlikely to have leaked from a Chinese lab and is more likely to have jumped to humans from an animal, a World Health Organization expert said Tuesday.

WHO food safety and animal diseases expert Peter Ben Embarek made the assessment at the end of a visit to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where a team of scientists is investigating the possible origins of the virus that causes COVID-19. The first cases were discovered in the city in December 2019.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology has collected extensive virus samples, leading to allegations that it may have caused the original outbreak by leaking the virus into the surrounding community. China has strongly rejected that possibility and has promoted other theories that the virus may have originated elsewhere. The team is considering several theories for how the disease first ended up in humans.

"Our initial findings suggest that the introduction through an intermediary host species is the most likely pathway and one that will require more studies and more specific, targeted research," Embarek said.

"However, the findings suggest that the laboratory incidents hypothesis is extremely unlikely to explain the introduction of the virus to the human population."

WHO team granted full access to sites, personnel

The WHO team draws on experts from 10 countries. Its mission is intended to be an initial step delving into the origins of the virus, which is believed to have originated in bats before being passed to humans through another species of wild animal, such as a pangolin or bamboo rat, which is considered an exotic delicacy by some in China.

Transmission through the trade in frozen products was also a likely possibility, Embarek said.

Security personnel keep watch outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization team tasked with investigating the origins of the novel coronavirus, in Hubei province, China on Feb. 3. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

The visit by the WHO team took months to negotiate after China only agreed to it amid massive international pressure at the World Health Assembly meeting last May. Beijing has continued to resist calls for a strictly independent investigation.

Chinese authorities have kept a tight hold on information about the possible causes of the pandemic that has now killed more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

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1970s steroid cycles, steroid protocol bodybuilding

1970s steroid cycles, steroid protocol bodybuilding - Buy legal anabolic steroids

1970s steroid cycles

Depending on the cycle goal and the harshness of the compound, rare milder orals like Anavar and Primobolan can be, and are traditionally run throughout the full course of an injectable steroid cycle. Anavar is a strong, intense, very powerful compound that can have many of the same effects as other steroids. Anavar can also be used in shorter courses of an injectable cycle if the cycle has been run in a shorter amount of time, dbol or winstrol. However, Anavar is more commonly the first compound of the cycle for most people, and is often the most sought after aperitin or beta-agonist, and is often used in combination with other steroids. Primobolan is an interesting and very powerful beta-agonist that can often be found among the best steroids in use with the strongest athletes, primobolan cycle log. Primobolan has the unique and powerful ability to greatly increase levels of other compounds like creatine and testosterone in the body with only a few minutes of supplementation, hardgainer supplement stack. Primobolan is generally regarded as the most potent and potent of all alpha-amino steroid compounds. There are a few other extremely interesting compounds in the Alpha-Amino steroid category that can be useful to the athlete who has not yet reached peak muscle mass. Beta-2-agonists There are many interesting and strong alpha-amino compounds that can assist an athlete in building large amounts of lean muscle mass, with the following compounds, and derivatives of these compounds, often the most popular and effective: Alpha-Acetyl Chain-Amino Acids: A number of alpha-acetyl chain-a-aminopropane derivatives have been developed that can assist an athlete in gaining lean muscle mass, with the most common being stanozolol (Dianabol), and meldonium (Cirrus). Many athletes like these compounds quite a bit, and many athletes find them to be useful and unique, cycle log primobolan. Some have the potential for causing nausea due to the fat burning effects of the active compounds, as well as some can cause kidney and liver damage. These compounds have been used by a number of athletes but rarely in an extreme amount. I would note though, there are many other compounds that have been used in the past that may also have some benefits to be found in a more reasonable amount of time, dbol or winstrol. The most common of these common alpha-acyl hydrocarbon derivatives is stanozolol, and these compounds are often the most difficult for most people to deal with due to the many different active compounds it contains.

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Jora Stixrud

Vice President

Dr. Jora Stixrud is a vice president in the Labor & Employment Practice of CRA and a labor economist who specializes in the statistical analysis of data.

She regularly  consults on matters requiring the analysis of race, gender, and age differences in employment outcomes, both within the context of litigation and in pro-active pay audits and other initiatives. She has assisted clients as a testifying and consulting expert, as a project manager supporting a testifying expert, and in preparation for mediation and negotiations with government agencies such as the EEOC and OFCCP.

She also assists clients with wage and hour matters that required the analysis of large and/or complex databases. She is experienced in applying economic and statistical analyses to evaluate allegations of discrimination and wage and hour violations and in estimating potential damages in class action cases. Prior to joining CRA, Dr. Stixrud was a Senior Managing Director in Welch Consulting’s office in Washington, DC.

Dr. Stixrud received her PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago, where she specialized in Labor Economics, Applied Econometrics, and Applied Microeconomics. She served as a teaching assistant for graduate and undergraduate courses in econometrics and empirical labor economics at the University of Chicago and also worked as a research assistant.


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Description of key information

Klimisch 1 study (Egeler et al. (2007): activated sludge respiration inhibition test for Ca(OH)2 according to OECD 209; nominal EC50(3h) = 300.4 mg Ca(OH)2/L .
Rationale for read-across: in the environment, lime substances rapidly dissociate or react with water. These reactions, together with the equivalent amount of hydroxyl ions set free when considering 100mg of the lime compound (hypothetic example), are illustrated below:
Ca(OH)2 <-> Ca2+ + 2OH-
100 mg Ca(OH)2 or 1.35 mmol sets free 2.70 mmol OH-
CaO.MgO + 2H2O <-> Ca2+ + Mg2+ + 4OH-
100 mg CaO.MgO or 1.04 mmol sets free 4.15 mmol OH-
From these reactions it is clear that the effect of calcium magnesium oxide will be caused either by calcium ions, magnesium ions or hydroxyl ions. Since calcium and magnesium are abundantly present in the environment and since the effect concentrations are within the same order of magnitude of their natural concentrations, it can be assumed that the adverse effects are mainly caused by the pH increase caused by the hydroxyl ions. Furthermore, the above mentioned calculations show that the base equivalents are within a factor 2 for calcium magnesium oxide and calcium hydroxide. As such, it can be reasonably expected that the effect on pH of calcium magnesium oxide is comparable to calcium hydroxide for a same application on a weight basis. Consequently, read-across from calcium hydroxide to calcium magnesium oxide is justified.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

EC50 for microorganisms:
300.4 mg/L

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Digital security video recorders have been used for years for surveillance. They help in preventing theft, asset protection, and monitoring/tracking customers’ movement in a store. Video recorders are very beneficial for home, business, and public places. If you are planning on buying one or are looking to upgrade your surveillance system, consider some important factors such as video resolution, battery backup, and other important features that will help you make the decision and finalize the recorder. In this article, you will learn about the importance of a digital security video recorder.

Digital security video recorders reduce theft, vandalism, and loss. Digital surveillance cameras are high-resolution cameras that allow you to see everything with clarity. You can pursue penalties or charges against the burglar or any individual caught stealing with better quality videos and images. In most cases, law enforcement agencies might ask for videos and pictures that can help them conduct legal proceedings against the suspects. Better coverage angles and video resolutions can save money because you will not have to buy extra cameras with better angles. They are easy to install and do not need heavy equipment for installation. They are operated effectively through the security team. The latest recorders have improved accessibility, with storage going to the cloud. They are easily accessible from your smartphones.

A digital security video recorder can help you make fair and as accurate decisions as possible while settling professional or domestic disputes. Fabricated, inappropriate, and incorrect claims can be clarified and sorted out easily with the recordings as evidence. These recorders reduce the need for security staff; your employees and staff will take breaks on time. Nowadays, many countries are using video surveillance to monitor the public and private sectors to prevent terrorism and crime. Whether the issue is related to productivity, theft, or punctuality, your digital security video recorder can provide you with the evidence. It empowers and protects the company and its employees. It is used to record the events of employee harassment or abuse and provide evidence to law enforcement agencies. Suspicious activities are monitored to protect the company and employees. Criminal activities are discouraged when the criminals see a security video recorder. Surveillance cameras should be everywhere, especially in public places to ensure public safety. The growth of analytical software and facial recognition enables a better understanding of any illegal or criminal activity, which has further helped law enforcement reduce crime. Installing digital video recorders in your home is a smart move, so visit a local store today and install one immediately!

Author: HomeSecurityHub

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Planning and Assessment Early Childhood Resources

Planning and assessment are the book-ends to all the activities and care that takes place during any early childhood session. Educators need to prepare well for each day. That includes examining the theory behind what will happen and the aims of these activities. It also includes physical preparations such as setting up environments and providing necessary materials. Assessment is ongoing during any session and will continue during reflection afterwards. Early childhood programmes need to be measured for their value. Assessment helps determine the needs of students and determine whether some activities need to be added, adjusted or discontinued. There are Essential Resources available here to support these needs.


The client is an early-stage enterprise offering technology-based solutions for the veterinary healthcare market.

Experion developed a mobile application that enables pet owners to explore available veterinary care services & book appointments based on parameters such as specialty, location, and availability.

The platform also allows owners to keep track of their pet’s grooming, vaccination schedule, etc.


View from the street: Massive implications for air pollution

Dorothea Hackman is worried about the effects on pollution of the Edmonton incinerator and HS2.

Dorothea Hackman is worried about the effects on pollution of the Edmonton incinerator and HS2. - Credit: Archant

Busy times for local citizens, with the two main issues still the Edmonton incinerator and the impact of HS2.

Both have massive implications for air pollution for our communities, as well as carbon emission targets to be met by the nation, and of course the survival of humans on this planet in the context of the increasing climate emergency.

The proposed new Edmonton incinerator will be much larger than the seven boroughs, including Camden, could need and there is already incinerator overcapacity nationally. It will put our local borough councils in debt, which means us, the local residents.

The pollution as usual will impact on the poorest, most vulnerable communities. It is essential that governments not only reduce carbon emissions but reverse them, so the current life-threatening disruption to the climate of the planet can be mitigated.

The construction of the HS2 track and rebuilt Euston station continues to destroy our green spaces and fell our trees.

The Adelaide Road Nature Reserve - not the little ancient meadow Camden leases but the ash wood that has grown on the embankment undisturbed since the railway was built in the 1830s - will be destroyed forever to build a vent shaft for the HS2 train tunnel from Primrose Hill to Uxbridge. Another green lung lost to Camden.

HS2 is cutting down trees in Euston Square Gardens East to make yet another temporary taxi rank. How do they intend to temporarily fell our trees for a few saplings planted and left to die somewhere else in Camden, which are no substitute for the mature trees in the gardens?

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This would have been an excellent opportunity for HS2 to show consideration for the community around Euston and leave us the last patch of green for rest and amenity, and breathing space for commuters and the homeless, but they didn’t.

Energetic tree protectors have come to save our trees, climbing them, building platforms to sleep there and protesting against HS2.


Home>PPE>Ear Protection>The importance of workwear in construction
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The importance of workwear in construction

03 November 2021

EMPLOYERS NEED to put solutions in place to keep their workers safe. Here’s why hi-vis clothing and ear protection is crucial in construction work.

Protecting employees whilst on the job is crucial for maintaining worker health & safety; in some industries, workwear can make all the difference. It’s an employer’s legal responsibility to provide appropriate equipment to each employee! There are many different types of workwear suitable for various industries; making sure your employees have access to the correct workwear can be a challenge. Shoes with good grip are vital for hospitality workers- construction workers should wear high-visibility clothing and hard hats. In this post, we will discuss two pieces of workwear that are some of the most important for construction workers; hi-visibility clothing and ear protection.

Do Employers Legally Need to Provide Protective Workwear?

It is not a legal requirement for employers to provide employee uniforms, but the law states PPE must be provided and paid for. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) includes both high-visibility clothing and ear protection! PPE protects employers from hazards and extreme working conditions.

Why Hi-Vis Is So Important In Construction Work

Hi-Vis Clothing Makes Overnight Working Safe

Thanks to being made with unique pigments, hi-vis clothing is brighter than any other typical colour. The pigments within the material reflect ultraviolet light from the sun (and artificial light sources) and then shines brightly even in darkness. Thanks to this design, hi-visibility clothing can even be seen in the night darkness. In construction work environments, the clothing is a strong contrast against backgrounds, making workers stand out.Hi-Vis Clothing Can Prevent Road Accidents

There’s a good reason why road workers wear high-visibility clothing; because it alerts road users of where workers are located. Construction workers often work on or near busy roads or with bulky construction equipment such as forklift trucks. Reflective clothing returns light from headlights, meaning road/equipment users can spot workers easily. Road traffic accidents are much less likely when workers are wearing hi-vis clothing.

Hi-Vis Clothing Is Easy to Wear And Change

One of the primary functions of high-visibility clothing is that it offers high visibility during daylight hours and in darkness. This means it allows for work in any setting! During summer, winter, daytime, even nighttime. This is a massive benefit for construction workers, as the work needs completing year-round, and we can not control the seasons!

Wondering what the best high-visibility colours are for your workers? Choose a colour that contrasts your workers’ environment. Have a lot of orange equipment at your site? Choose lime green hi-vis clothing. This ensures your workers will stand out and remain safe!

Why Ear Protection Is So Important In Construction Work

Ear Protection Prevents Hearing Damage

If your workers are consistently exposed to loud noises, you should provide them with ear protection. Workplaces that average a daily or weekly volume of 85dB legally require hearing protection for staff. This is because even fifteen minutes of music at 100dB can cause hearing damage; power tools often reach 100dB! So, imagine the damage that noise could cause if ear protection is not worn on construction sites?

What Forms Of Ear Protection Are Available?

Depending on the industry, different forms of hearing protection are suitable. For construction work, ear defenders that cover the whole ear are a sensible choice. Earplugs do not provide the same level of protection; they often fall out and can become uncomfortable.

Helmet mounted ear defenders are another great option- especially for workers that must wear a hard hat! The band on standard ear defenders often doesn’t stretch over a helmet. Hard hats and ear defenders are crucial parts of construction workwear, so this solution combining the two is perfect.

Always Make Sure Your Workwear Is High Quality

Cobra Workwear stocks a vast range of workwear suitable for many industries, including high-visibility clothing and ear protection! They also offer an embroidery service; adding your company branding to your employee workwear provides even more safety. Not only does it help protect your workers, but company branding on workwear also looks professional! Check out their range today, and get in touch if you have any questions. Time to invest in some high-quality protective workwear- and keep your employees safe on-site!


World Mental Health Day: Take care of Mental Health by being part of the conversation on Twitter

As the world observes WorldMentalHealthDay on October 10, Twitter continues to work with its mental health partners in India and around the world to foster dialogue about MentalfHeath, and share how product features such as Twitter Lists empower people to customize their ‘feed’ - to be able to discover and recommend accounts that resonate with what matters to them.

Twitter has taken initiative to promoting conversations around mental health by encouraging people to use the service to share their experiences while reaching others. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the service has played a critical role in keeping people connected and amplifying authoritative information from credible sources. Between April 01 - May 31, 2021, mental well-being was top of mind for people. The service saw a 153% (2.5x) increase in conversations about mental well-being during the second wave of Covid-19.

 List is a compilation of various Twitter accounts. You can create your custom Lists, or follow Lists created by others. Viewing a List timeline will show you a series of Tweets from only the accounts on that List, making it easier for people to find what interests them. Leveraging this feature, various organisations have come forward ahead of World Mental Health Day to create Lists of credible accounts that people can follow for information and awareness around the topic of mental health. These include TLLL Foundation, Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, ILS, Pune, ReSetEveryday,  Mpower Minds, Fortis Mental Health, She the People among others.

'Mental health’ as a subject continues to have various stigmas associated with it across certain sections of society, due to which people suffering from mental health concerns may not be able to communicate their struggles in their immediate surroundings. An open internet and services like Twitter can be a source of positive support, encouraging people who may be struggling to reach out for professional help. They also contribute towards creating an interconnected space to raise diverse perspectives and resources to confront mental health challenges.

Globally, Twitter has a list of international resources where people can go to find more information and details of relevant organisations within their respective countries, and has activated a special, green ribbon emoji to amplify conversations around mental health. The emoji will be live until the end of October and can be generated by using mental day  hashtags while Tweeting.

Each compassionate Tweet brings the global conversation together to raise awareness and normalise the discussion around mental health. Twitter urges people to take care of their mental health and encourage others to do so too, by being part of the conversation on Twitter.


Yisrael Katz
Yisrael Katz Hillel Meir/ TPS

Katz also slammed Israeli leftists who oppose Trump's actions.

"They should have been the first ones supporting it, if they believe in negotiating based on something different," he said. "But they're so immersed in supporting the Palestinian narrative and blindly following whatever the Palestinian leaders say that they don't truly examine reality, and that's a shame."

Regarding whether he believes Trump's recent decisions will lead to another round of Arab violence, Katz said, "The security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian security forces happens first of all because it's worth it for Abbas. He's not doing it because he loves Zion, but because he understands that if Shabak (Israel Security Agency - ed.) isn't the one dealing with it and leading the activities against Hamas in Judea and Samaria, he'll be the first to go, and it'll happen within a few hours."

"If we are challenged security-wise, we'll respond in a different way but when the US President comes and says that no Palestinian has a right of return to Israel, and that Jerusalem is Israel's capital, we need to support that."

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Read out these blogs such as “Remarkable Reconciliation”, “Finding Purpose”, “Family Harmony Tips, “Road To Possible” etc.

David Cunningham on Dealing Powerfully with Relatives over the Holidays

If you could just be the one that goes first, and gives that olive branch and goes and makes peace, and says, “You know what? No matter what happened, what’s important here is that we get to express our love for each other.” And if you did that before the holidays even got here, then for sure the holiday season and the holiday itself would have a whole other flavor to it.


The Janes

Two Girls Down

Praise for Two Girls Down

“Opening this book is like arming a bomb—the suspense is relentless and the payoff is spectacular.  Lead character Alice Vega is sensational—I want to see lots more of her.”

Lee ChildNew York Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher novels

"From its haunting opening to the pulse-pounding final sequences, Two Girls Down delivers a gripping read. Alice Vega and Max Caplan are characters I'd follow anywhere, and Louisa Luna is a writer to watch. Highly recommended."

“Louisa Luna is an incredibly talented writer with a bewitching gift for storytelling, and Two Girls Down fairly crackles with energy and suspense from the first page to the last.  I can't ever recall a time before now that I lost sleep as a result of reading a crime thriller. This one, I just could not put down.”

Chelsea CainNew York Times bestselling author of Heartsick

"To the pantheon of unforgettable noir detectives, add Louisa Luna's bounty hunter Alice Vega and her partner, PI Max Caplan, one of the best and most original duos to grace crime fiction in many years. Two Girls Down is a breathlessly gripping journey into the dark heart of America: I couldn't put it down."

Elizabeth Hand, author of Generation Loss and Hard Light

Jeff AbbottNew York Times bestselling author of Blame

Serious as a Heart Attack

Queenie Sells is having what she thinks is a good day. After getting fired from her job at a calendar company for botching daylight saving time, she lands a job offer from a wealthy acquaintance who's trying to track down his girlfriend, a stripper named Trigger Happy. Sounds easy enough—until Queenie finds Trigger dead in her own apartment.

Melody is just out of prison. Faced with the absence of her brother, who's serving life in San Quentin, and hardened by her own experiences in lock-up, Mel struggles to adjust to the harsh realities of life on the outside. She quickly discovers that freedom is relative... she has no money, no prospects, no guidance.

Forced to return to her mother's apartment in Marin County and take a job hauling portable toilets, Mel finds herself drinking too much and hanging out with her old gang again. Haunted by glimpses of her own harrowing girlhood and of the mysterious circumstances that put her in prison in the first place, she slowly, bravely begins to forge a potential path toward redemption and escape.

Brave New Girl

High school is bad enough; it's worse when you have only one friend in the world and a family that just doesn't get it. This breathless coming-of-age novel explores the alienation of adolescence and introduces a bold and shimmering new voice in fiction.


Today, many employers offer Employee Assistance Programs, but few do it right. Here’s how I see the difference between an Employee Assistance Program that is provided to serve the organization and one that is provided to really serve the employees:

Diverse Couple Gaining Using an Employee Assistance ProgramWhat is an Employee Assistance Program?

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are services offered, typically through a third party, to employees experiencing difficulties that go beyond basic health matters. For example, counseling sessions may be offered to employees experiencing stress, a death in the family, struggling with other emotional challenges or battling substance abuse. Sometimes counseling and education is offered specifically for people struggling with coworker conflict or even personal financial challenges.

Employee Assistance Programs that Serve the Organization

All EAPs seem designed to help employees. However, the reality is these services also provide many benefits to the employer. For example, studies have shown that companies with EAPs often see lower medical expenses. As a result, most health insurance providers offer a reduced rates for employers with EAPs in place. Furthermore, in cases of employee lawsuits, an EAP is often used to defend the company’s concern for the employee. As a result, the lowest-cost EAPs are often perceived by employers to pay for themselves and thus, offered as a free benefit to employees.

Here are some signs that your EAP may be in place to serve the organization, rather than employees:

1. Services Offered via Phone Only: We live in a generation of outsourcing. It’s no secret that providing counseling over a phone, where the counselor can be physically located anywhere, is much less expensive.

2. Limited Awareness: The employer does not promote the program and employees are often surprised to learn of available services. This suggests the employer is more interested in saving money than in helping employees.

3. Limited Duration: Most EAPs have time constraints. However, those with an especially short duration of free service are lower cost and therefore more focused on the employer’s interests.

4. Employee Initiated Only: The personal matters addressed by many EAPs are not often issues for which managers should be involved. However, if Human Resources and managers are not trained to recognize opportunities and share the benefits of an EAP, the program is likely primarily meeting employer needs.

Employee Assistance Programs that Serve Employees

EAPs that really focus on serving the needs of the employees look different. Examples of these EAPs include:

1. In Person Services: If counselors are local, the company is likely investing more to increase employee comfort level and quality of the services offered.

2. Frequent or Prominent Promotion: Having an executive speak about the program in a major company meeting has a much greater impact that a flyer in the Human Resource office.

3. Longer Duration: In contrast to the employer-focused EAPs, one focused on employees will typically last longer or, ideally, indefinitely.

4. Manager or Human Resources Initiated: An employer that really seeks to serve employee educates managers and Human Resources on EAP benefits and opportunities. More important, managers receive formal training on how to identify an employee in need of an EAP.

Be grateful for any Employee Assistance Program your employer offers. However, if you feel the program is more focused on helping the organization, consider speaking with your human resources representative about shifting that emphasis.

Question: Do you think your Employee Assistance Program is intended to serve the organization or the employee? Why or why not?


Take the opportunity to experience Morocco's wonderful landscape, and meet the people and to learn about their culture and way of  life

Marrakesh to Casablanca

Known as the 'Gateway to Africa', Morocco is a dazzling yet dizzying destination. A diverse country with something for all kinds of intrepid travelers, there is no bad time to visit Morocco. The Kingdom of Morocco is rich in history and culture, offering travelers intriguing historic sights and authentic cuisine.

Our Essential Morocco Tour includes all the beautiful places of Morocco including the stunning Blue City of Chefchaouen.  It covers the imperial cities of Morocco, such as Fez, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat, as well as Ouazarzate, Casablanca and Erfoud.

Starting in Marrakech you visit the major sites such as Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Ben Youssef Medersa and the beautiful Majorelle Gardens.

You then head out by road with a driver to discover the amazing towns of Morocco as you drive out to the infamous Aït Ben Haddou where Game of Thrones was filmed, a place were all intrepid travelers should go.   You get to spend a night in the Sahara Desert, the crown jewel of the authentic Moroccan experience and spend time walking the intricate mazes of Fes.

Taking time to enjoy Chefchaouen you then get to see ancient Roman ruins and end off in Casablanca.

everest base camp cho la trek profile
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Essential Morocco Tour Overview

Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Marrakech
Day 3: Marrakech - Tizi n'Tichka Pass - Aït Ben Haddou
Day 4: Aït Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate - Kelaa M'gouna - Dades - Todra Gorge
Day 5: Todra Gorge, Tinejdad, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi ( Merzouga)
Day 7: Fès
Day 8: Fès - Chefchaouen Day 9: Chefchaouen - Meknes
Day 10: Meknes - Rabat - Casablanca
Day 11: Transfer to Casablanca Airport and departure
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Day 1: Arrival

Pick up from Marrakech Airport and transfer to the Riad to spend the first 2 nights.

Day 2: Marrakech

Marrakech dazzles the senses. A morning sightseeing will introduce you to its delights. Highlights include the marvelous Jemaa El Fna Square - once a site of public execution, now full of storytellers and snake charmers; the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Medersa and the beautiful Majorelle Gardens.

Day 3: Marrakech - Tizi n'Tichka Pass - Aït Ben Haddou

We drive from Marrakech and depart to Aït Benhaddou over the High Atlas mountains passing through the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka pass (2260m). Aït Benhaddou is a small town with one of the best-preserved and most sought-after Kasbah's to visit in all of Morocco.   Here you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ksar at Aït Ben Haddou. Stay in a Riad/guesthouse. B/D

After breakfast we drive to Ouarzazate and stop near the Atlas Film Studios for a photo then continue to Ouarzazate center for a panoramic view of the Kasbah of Taourirt. Driving towards Todra Gorges passing by Kelaa M'gouna, Boumalne du Dades and stopping for a panoramic view of Dades valley. Later on, we continue to Todra gorges via Imider and Tineghir. Stopping along the way for photos and admiring the views. Arrival to Todra Gorges to enjoy its marvelous Canyons views. B/D

In the morning you have free time for walking in the beautiful area of the Todra Gorges. In the afternoon we drive via Tinejdad and Erfoud to the captivating dunes of Erg Chebbi, these dunes are called also Merzouga Dunes. Arrive to the auberge and get ready for a camel trek for an hour and half to enjoy the sunset. While on your dromedary, you continue to the camp for an overnight in traditional nomad tents. Dinner and spend the night in a bivouac in the middle of the dunes. B/D

Day 6: Merzouga - Erfoud - Errachidia - Midelt - Azrou - Ifrane - Fès

Wake up early morning to enjoy the sunrise from the top of the dunes in the Sahara Desert and ride on camels back to the auberge where there is a chance for breakfast and a shower. We depart to Errachidia via Erfoud, Aoufous and the valley of Ziz then stopping for a panoramic view of the oasis of Aoufous in the Tafilalte region Continue to Midelt across the pass of Tizi N'talghamt and have lunch break. After lunch we drive to Fès  via the Cedar forest near Azrou and the mountain of the middle Atlas with the possibility to see the Barbary apes. You may have a stop in Ifrane (the Switzerland of Morocco) before arriving to Fès where you spend 2 nights in a riad.

Day 7: Fès

Enjoy a morning medina walking tour, with free time in the afternoon to explore more of Fès. The Fès medina is the world's largest living medieval medina and a UNESCO site. Explore the artisan quarters, sample treats from the carts, and view Fès' famous leather tannery from above. In the evening, opt for dinner in a converted riad complete with local specialties, music, and belly dancing or visit a local hammam to chat with the locals. Additional Notes: Only certified local guides are allowed to act as guides in the medina, so your CEO cannot go with you to the medina during free time.

Day 8: Fès- Chefchaouen

After breakfast we continue via the beautiful sceneries of the Rif Mountains to reach 'the Pearl of the North', 'Chefchaouen'. Here you can explore the blue city of Chefchaouen known for its blue-washed walls, a testament to the Chefchaouen's rich history. Morocco's blue city attracts travelers and Moroccans alike, both of whom are intrigued by this enticing and unique place. The blue-glazed houses and buildings were build originally by the town's former Jewish population. Chefchaouen was one of the cities that helped Moriscos and Jews who sought refuge after the Spanish Reconquest in medieval times. Moulay Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rached El Alami and the exiles used the fortress of Chefchaouen to fight off the invading Portuguese who were entering Morocco from the north. In 1920, the Spanish seized Chefchaouen to form part of Spanish Morocco. Spend the night in a guesthouse.

Day 9: Chefchaouen - Meknes

Departure to Meknes, and visit the imperial city with its famous door, Bab El Mansour, the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail and the basin of Agdal. You will have a chance to enter the ruins and walk around the Roman ruins of Volubilis located about thirty kilometers from Meknes and holy city of Moulay Idriss, pilgrimage center of any Moroccan. Overnight in Meknes.

Day 10: Meknes - Rabat - Casablanca

We drive from Meknes to Rabat, the political capital of the country where you get a chance to see the Hassan Tower, Mohammed V Mausoleum and Oudaya Kasbah. After that we drive further to Casablanca. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 11: Transfer to Casablanca Airport and departure

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Morocco Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Morocco?

Is Morocco Safe to travel to?

Morocco is a safe place to visit but like most places have their share of scam artists and pickpockets. There are also a few unlicensed guides in major cities like Fez and Marrakesh so make sure their license is valid before    you employ them. And when it comes to any service, negotiate the price before you start out.

How should we dress in Morocco, especially women?

Morocco is primarily a Muslim country so the dress code is quite conservative, The locals do not walk around in short skirts or sleeveless tops, regardless of how hot it is. Most women wear burkas. As a tourist, women should  wear skirts and dresses below the knee, jeans or slacks, even leggings with a long shirts. Sandals are preferable. Yes there'll see tourists wearing skimpy attire but it calls for unwanted looks and is disrespectful to their culture.

What is a Moroccan Riad?

Riads or Ryads are eighteenth or nineteenth century family houses, usually found in the medinas of the major towns and cities in Morocco such as Marrakech, Essaouira and Fez.  Many have been converted into hotels and offer visitors to Morocco the chance to stay in authentic accommodation hidden away behind front doors. Riads are typically 4-10 bedrooms in size, and conform to a traditional Moroccan architectural style that sets most of the major rooms of the house around a courtyard  with no windows to the street side. The courtyards often contain a garden or small swimming or plunge pool, and gives guests a cool and private inner area within the property. Most also have rooftop terraces.

What is the best month to travel to Morocco?

The best time to visit Morocco is during spring (mid-March to May) or fall (September to October). The weather is warm but pleasant, unlike the cold temperatures and snow of winter, or the scorching heat of summer. The desert  is just too hot during June to September. The coastal regions can be visited year-round. the best time to visit is during April and May or September to November, the country's shoulder seasons. During these months, the climate is neither too hot nor too cold, and there are fewer tourists to contend with than there would be during the peak summer or winter vacation periods. A dusting of snow is not unusual in northern Morocco and, of  course, the Atlas Mountains are prone to heavy snowfall in winter.

What currency is best to use in Morocco?

Although the Euro, US Dollar and, to a lesser extent, Sterling are accepted in certain tourist areas, the Moroccan currency (the Moroccan Dirham) is required for daily use. In the major centres like Fez and Marrakesh, Euro can be used instead of Dirham. However in the more remote area you need Dirham. Dirham can be easily purchased within Morocco from the bureau de change in airports, major banks or from cash machines. Using a debit card at an ATM is often the easiest and cheapest method. In the country side and smaller towns cash points are rare and cards are often not accepted.

Do we need travel insurance?

Yes you do. We do not recommend travelling without it and require it for our tours. Accidents, medical emergencies, travel delays or other problems can occur in any country and the resulting costs can be significant. Here is  a link if you do not already have your own preferred provider.

Do I need to know French or Arabic to visit Morocco?

While having a knowledge of these two languages is great, but trying to learn Arabic before you arrive may provide difficult. Our recommendation would be to rather learn some basics in French. Many people do however speak English  and if they can't there is most often someone on hand to help translate.

What are the current entry requirements for Morocco given COVID

Passengers travelling to Morocco must present a vaccination pass and a negative PCR test result less than 48 hours old before boarding the plane.

It should be noted that all vaccine passes issued by other countries are accepted as long as they are valid in their country of emission.

 Before boarding, passengers must present a health form, duly completed including the passengers address and two telephone numbers to locate them during their stay.

Upon arrival at airports, they will be screened by rapid tests. Random PCR tests will also be conducted for several groups of travelers and results will be communicated at a later date.

Within 48 hours of entering the country, some travelers will be required to take an additional test at the hotel or residence center.

If the tests are positive, other preventive measures will be implemented.


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    cover image from Dante's Indiana

    American Contrapasso

    A Review of Dante’s Indiana by Randy Boyagoda

    By Mike St. Thomas

    September 2, 2021

    Contrapasso functions as one of the guiding principles of Dante Alighieri’s Inferno. Literally meaning “to suffer the opposite,” the term, coined by Dante himself, explains the appropriateness of the punishments endured by each resident of hell. For getting caught up in the sin of lustful passion, Paolo and Francesca are swirled around by strong winds. The hypocrites, whose life on earth was sharply divided between external and internal, are forced to shuffle under heavy leaden cloaks, forever weighed down by their appearances. A poet who encouraged the prince of England to murder his father wanders around hell carrying his head in his hands, his own body marred by the kind of unnatural separation he caused in the royal family.

    Dante offers us more than just a catalog of sinners and saints; his most lasting contribution is his vision, which demands that we see the world as ultimately connected – inner self to outer self, individual to community. Throughout the entire Divine Comedy, he imagines the particular suffering or reward of each resident of the afterlife as a kind of inevitable outcome of the way he or she lived on earth. In Dante’s world, our desires and actions produce fruit as natural as that which grows on trees. Contrapasso renders that fruit visible.

    Randy Boyagoda’s Dante’s Indiana is many things – knee-slapping satire, social commentary, spiritual pilgrimage. But above all, it is an attempt to bring contrapasso to bear on contemporary American life, both implicitly and explicitly. The novel, a sequel to Original Prin (2018), begins in the midst of spiritual crisis. Prin, who, like Boyagoda himself, is a Canadian of Sri Lankan descent and a professor of English, suffers PTSD from a terrorist attack, which cripples his ability to be present with his family. Husband and wife have effectively separated and she has taken their children to live with relatives. His small Catholic college, now comically transformed into an assisted-living facility, has little to offer him in the way of meaningful employment. Desperate for money and a purpose, he stumbles into a job as an academic advisor to a retired businessman and Dante devotee who plans to build a Divine Comedy-themed amusement park in Terre Haute, Indiana.

    Through the exaggerations of the plot, Boyagoda situates his protagonist in the midst of several crises facing contemporary America. Most prominent among them is the demise of the Rust Belt. Boyagoda’s Terre Haute is populated by strip malls, pickup trucks with radios set to right-wing talk shows, and, sadly, grandparents raising grandchildren, their own children lost to the opioid epidemic. The novel’s riotously humorous mixing of high and low culture is anchored by its unflinching depictions of those caught in the throes of pills:

    The man was carrying a black garbage bag that bulged with dirty laundry and the woman was pushing a stroller. They were wearing ski jackets over pajama bottoms, plaid and pink. Both had long hair that looked like overcooked pasta, and they walked with a languid-to-rickety bounce, as if their bodies were built of clattering coat hangers … I turned and saw their bony and pocked faces, the deep well around their vacant eyes. Their mouths were moving like they were chewing gum and chatting, but they were doing neither. They were neither young nor old. Two little kids in washed-out snowsuits sat in the stroller.

    Passages like these purposefully echo the observations Dante makes as he journeys through hell, whose residents’ distorted appearances and fruitless actions reveal the necessary outcomes of their choices on earth. In his own novel, Boyagoda uses this lens of contrapasso to suggest that those caught in opioid abuse are the unhealthy fruit of our entire consumerist culture. Our economy profits on the weak and left-behind, and all are implicated in the self-destructive habits of a certain segment of the population. Terre Haute’s economy consists of “treatment centres, retirement homes, prisons, and retraining programs,” and its once-thriving packaging plant is transitioning to manufacturing blister packs for painkillers.

    As Prin gets more deeply involved in the Dante project, we learn more about his own spiritual crisis. It amounts to a combination of things: panic attacks, pills, ennui, and separation from his family. Prin is not perfect, but he is earnest. Though he struggles to show it, he wants deeply to be reunited with his wife and daughters. “Sursum corda,” he prays throughout the book. “Lift up my heart.” On a trip to Florence, Dante’s home, Prin visits the tomb of Beatrice, Dante’s beloved and inspiration for his own pilgrimage in the Divine Comedy. Prin thinks of his own wife, thousands of miles away, and his prayer changes shape: “Sursum cordibus,” he prays. “That our lifted hearts might be one.” This outward movement in his prayer, towards others, is a turning point in Prin’s crisis, just as it was for Dante.

    As in his first novel, Boyagoda mixes the sacred and profane to great effect. A group of Dante scholars is already on the theme-park project when Prin joins, but they are too erudite to be of much help designing entertainment for the masses. Prin, on the other hand, is hired because he is able to speak to everyday people about someone like Dante. One of the opening scenes involves him giving a Dante lecture to a handful of shoppers in a Kroger Supermarket. Prin attends Sunday Mass in downtown Terre Haute with “widows and winos,” and lives in a bare efficiency apartment overlooking a multilane highway, where he eats single-serving food from Walmart.

    Readers might wonder how a novel so enmeshed in the banalities of American culture could bear any resemblance to a religious epic poem from the Middle Ages. But to think of the Divine Comedy as the domain of intellectuals is to misunderstand Dante’s intentions. The poet himself decided against writing in Latin, the traditional choice for such an undertaking, in favor of using an Italian vernacular, the daily language of his people. Before he can ascend the seven purifying terraces of purgatory and approach heaven, Dante must descend into the darkness of hell, and mingle with the villains and disgraced celebrities of his own day. When one considers Dante’s emphasis on the commonness of our spiritual journey, Boyagoda’s situating his story in the post-industrial American heartland starts to make sense.

    One of the noblest characters in the novel is Frank, a semiretired blue-collar worker. Frank and his wife raise their grandchildren because their own daughter, Megan, has fallen into drug addiction. Frank simultaneously wants to protect his grandkids from their mother and do everything he can to support her. He searches for her repeatedly in her favorite locales, and when he does receive a text from her, drops everything to go to her. Unwilling to bring her around the children but desperate to help her, he watches over her round-the-clock in a motel. Such fierce love, underscored by Frank’s hidden pain (and that of so many in his situation), makes for some of the most moving sections of the novel.

    Similarly effective is the description of those who audition for roles at the new amusement park. An amalgam of carneys and addicts and the perpetually unemployed, the applicants are clearly weighed down by real suffering. Prin tours the park after it opens and sees the performers staggering around, “split-apart or missing body parts or holding extra body parts. Talking to themselves or asking someone, anyone, to hear their stories through broken teeth and cracked lips.” Prin prays that they are “paid performers” and not displaying their real suffering. But that seems an irrelevant distinction when talking about an encounter with the Divine Comedy, for in connecting the suffering of others with one’s own interior life, contrapasso aims to collapse the distance between appearance and reality – between art and life.

    By locating the sacred within the profane, Dante’s Indiana offers a counternarrative to that of the culture wars. Boyagoda clearly recognizes the decline of family and social values lamented by the religious right. But instead of drawing a stark line between clean and unclean, between “us” and “them,” his novel, following the example of Dante himself, seeks a more universal way of understanding sin. American Christianity, perhaps guided by the Puritan desire to build a shining city on a hill, has long been tempted to “wall off” the sheep from the goats, to band together the like-minded to keep evil at bay. Dante’s example, instead, emphasizes the commonality of sin, and that we see ourselves, and the face of God, in others.

    At points, Boyagoda’s novel is hilarious and deeply touching. At others, it tries, perhaps too hard, to address the compounding crises facing society. A racial protest occurs near the completion of the theme park, spurred by institutional insensitivity and Twitter-fueled misunderstanding. Boyagoda tries to simultaneously satirize the protest and humanize the family at its center, whose son was shot and killed by police. A decade ago, perhaps, it would have been easier to mix heavy and light tones when dealing with this subject, but now both the dangerous potential of social media and the reality of police violence hit too close to home for Boyagoda’s satire to have its intended effect.

    Overall, though, the novel clearly succeeds, due in large part to its warm-hearted embrace of the here and now. For Boyagoda, faith is not an escape from the problems of the world but rather a way to live more deeply in their midst. The first two books of the Prin series (it is a planned trilogy) make this abundantly clear. Contrapasso, after all, should train us to recognize ourselves in those around us – especially in those who are estranged from us or whom we consider to be enemies. Boyagoda’s book closes with a meditation on this imperative to move beyond ourselves: “Great souls, lost souls, stuck souls. Struck souls. / Where are they? / Find them / … Where are you? / Find them. / Find them and be found.”

    Contributed By MikeStThomas Mike St. Thomas

    Mike St. Thomas is the head of the English department at the Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island.

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Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, the hoopoe (Upupa epops) began to return to the breeding areas in Poland. This beautiful bird measures only 25-32 cm. Its plumage is characterized by: clay-orange coloration with black and white-striped back and wings. For this it has a black tail with a white headband.

In 2005, the number of hoopoe in our country was estimated at only 4,000 pairs. In relation to the area of Poland (312 679 km2), it was then 1 individual per 39.08 km2. Changes in agriculture, including the lack of grazing of cattle by farmers and the chemical treatment of crops, have made the population of hoopoe in Poland unstable.

In KSM Ruda, we have installed a D-type booth. The area around this location is a field ecosystem with a large water reservoir. Therefore, during the next visits to the project area, we will observe whether the nest box has already been occupied by hoopoes.

Based on the analysis of data from the Euro Bird portal on the movement of hoopoes, it can be seen that the birds have started their intensive migration and are returning to the breeding grounds in Poland. In the first days of April, 8 observations of hoopoes were recorded, including 3 cases in the Śląskie Voivodeship (database Detailed data is presented in the graphics attached to the entry.


A Dinosaur Graveyard in the Smithsonian’s Backyard

At a new dinosaur park in Maryland, children and paleontologists alike have found fossils for a new Smithsonian exhibit

Astrodon johnstoni
Dinosaurs near Washington, D.C. (long-necked Astrodon johnstoni) left behind a trove of fossils overseen by Matthew Carrano. Patrick O'Brien

Last november, at the recently opened Dinosaur Park south of Laurel, Maryland, the Block family went searching for fossils. Karin Block, the mother, asked the park’s resident paleontologist, Peter Kranz, for tips. He suggested looking for porous, spongy-looking stones.

No sooner did he say that than 9-year-old Gabrielle came across a curious thumbnail-sized object. She showed it to Kranz, who immediately pegged it as a 110-million-year-old bone, a vertebra from the tail of a small carnivorous dinosaur, possibly a raptor.

For the time being, the bone resides in a plastic bag that Kranz carries with him. But it will eventually make its way to the back halls of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. “Kids are really good at fossil-hunting because they don’t have preconceptions of what things are supposed to look like,” says Matthew Carrano, the museum’s curator of dinosaurs.

In the paleontology department’s warren-like offices and labs are drawers teeming with bone fragments, teeth and other fossils—many found in nearby Maryland. Some of the specimens (but not Gabrielle Block’s) will be featured in a museum exhibit opening in February, “Dinosaurs in Our Backyard.”

Dinosaurs thrived in what is now Maryland from the Late Triassic period to the Cretaceous, 228 million to 65 million years ago. The primordial landscape—tropical lowlands and a shallow sea—created ideal conditions for the preservation of animal and plant remains, which were buried beneath layers of clay and silt deposited by water flowing into the low-lying terrain.

Today Maryland is one of the richest fossil-hunting sites east of the Mississippi. The earliest recorded discovery was two teeth, found in 1858 near Beltsville by an agricultural chemist, Philip Tyson. He gave the fossils to a dentist named Christopher Johnston to investigate. After cutting into one, Johnston observed that the cross section resembled a star. He named the dinosaur Astrodon, or “star tooth.” Seven years later, the paleontologist Joseph Leidy would formally record the species as Astrodon johnstoni—a large, long-necked, plant-eating sauropod, like the Apatosaurus.

In the following decades, a veritable who’s who of paleontologists journeyed to Maryland, including O. C. Marsh of Yale University. His assistant, John Bell Hatcher, described his work in Muirkirk, Maryland, in an 1888 letter to Marsh: “The past week I have taken out about 200 teeth....In collecting what I have, I don’t think I have moved over a bushel basket-full of dirt.”

The most spectacular discovery was made in 1991. Arnold Norden and his two children visited the Cherokee Sanford clay pit near Muirkirk. After seeing what looked like a bone, Norden called the Smithsonian, which sent three researchers from the Natural History Museum’s paleobiology department. They uncovered the largest dinosaur bone found in the northeastern United States: a three-foot-long, 90-pound section of an Astrodon’s thigh.

Carrano is not anticipating many more spectacular finds. “We tend to get small, isolated bones,” he says—enough to help piece together the picture of local dinosaur species. Carrano attributes the shortage of large bones to the numerous ponds once in the area. The pools attracted predators and scavengers, which disposed of animals and their remains, and, what’s more, pond bacteria hastened bone decay.

Meanwhile, Gabrielle Block’s younger sister, Rachael, 7, is undeterred. She wants to return to the publically run dinosaur park and one-up her sibling: she’s determined to find a “complete dinosaur.”

Nine-year-old Gabrielle Block examines the fossil of a possible raptor she found at a dinosaur park outside Washington, D.C. Stephen Voss
According to Carrano, "kids are really good at fossil-hunting because they don't have preconceptions of what things are supposed to look like." Stephen Voss


Steps to Take If Experiencing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

There are state and federal laws that protect an employee's right to speak up and fight back if experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace. This includes filing a lawsuit against the employer and other parties believed responsible. If a worker does experience harassment it's helpful to keep a log of what happened, when it took place and as many details as possible about the incident.

An employee can also report the harassment to the appropriate authorities. This may be a direct supervisor, human resources representative or someone else within the company. It is also beneficial to ask for help from a person in authority, especially if the victim feels unsafe or is not able to continue working in his or her job in the current circumstances.

It may be beneficial for a Florida employee to ask for legal assistance as well. A victim has every right to secure legal assistance and guidance as he or she seeks to hold the appropriate parties accountable and put an end to the sexual harassment once and for all. It can be intimidating to speak up, but a person does not have to suffer alone or in silence through this unacceptable experience.


Repairing a sewer, while saving the trees

B. Braun, a large producer of medical products, operates a facility and wastewater treatment plant in a woodland park that is part of a delicate regional ecosystem. When a CCTV-inspection of the pipeline showed that 1000 feet of pipeline had been damaged by encroaching tree roots they wondered:

How do we rehabilitate a badly damaged wastewater system in a dense forest with steep inclines, while preserving natural resources?

The sewer to be rehabilitated was a vitrified clay sewer (DN 150) carrying a permanent flow of treated water from the wastewater treatment plant to a receiving body of water. Braun decided to rehabilitate 325 meters of this sewer (14 sections with 15 manholes) damaged by encroaching tree roots. However, access to the sewer was limited as it was located in a dense forest and on an incline without vehicular access.

Our activities

tkm-Service GmbH oversaw the project and met with an expert from Trelleborg Pipe Seals to find the best solution to deal with the forest’s limited access and steep inclines. Trelleborg advised the use of their DrainFlexLiner and HC120+ resin for hot water curing.

The resin’s generous pot life allowed the crew over three hours to prepare the liner, carry it down the hill using large wheelbarrows and invert the liner into the manholes. Purpose built water towers let the steep hill and gravity work to their advantage. While three teams worked themselves into a sweat, the resin’s pot life was a huge value to tkm’s efficient workflow.

Trelleborg’s DrainFlexLiner was recommended as its longitudinal fibre reinforcement prevents it from overstretching in inclined pipe sections with higher water pressure at the lower end.

After the liner cured, a leak test and CCTV inspection were performed. A liner sample was sent to a laboratory for further testing and the findings were extremely positive: the cured liner was 100% watertight and the mechanical values exceeded normal requirements. An environmentally friendly solution as Trelleborg’s resin contains no VOCs or styrene. Best yet: not a single tree was felled. Pipe fixed – nature preserved!

Product details

Trelleborg’s DrainFlexLiner, made out of polyester needle fleece with a polypropylene coating, is highly elastic and available in different wall thicknesses.

Trelleborg's HC120+ epoxy resin was recommended because of its extremely generous pot life, short curing time and high mechanical values. It contains no VOCs or styrene, making it safe for the environment and workers alike.

The resin’s ample pot life, over three hours, was of particular value to this project due to the challenging terrain. The crew thus needed time to mix the resin, impregnate the liner, transport the resin-impregnated liner by hand through the trees to the entry-manhole, and invert it into the sewer before curing could begin.

The Grand Mosque in Algiers, F-945, seal connectors, Trelleborg


In recent decades, we’ve come leaps and bounds in treating and preventing some of the world’s leading age-related diseases, such as coronary heart disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The futurist’s quest

The drug metformin, usually prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes, has also been touted as a way to delay the onset of a range of age-related diseases, thus increasing “health-span” (how long we remain healthy).

Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Ageing Research at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for the first clinical trial of metformin to “treat” ageing.

One 2018 study found metformin can reduce aerobic capacity and quash the benefits of excercise – something we know to help fight the effects of old age.

NAD and compounds like resveratrol (a chemical isolated from wine) have been shown to work together to maintain the function of our mitochondria – the structures that produce energy inside our cells – and thus fight off ageing in mice. But this research lacks much-needed human trials.

The immortal jellyfish

Evolutionary biologists know ageing is a highly “plastic” process influenced by many factors including diet, climate, genetics and even the age at which our grandparents conceived our parents. But, we don’t know why some species age more slowly than others.

Research has shown several species appear not to age. For example, the “immortal” jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii can revert to a juvenile stage of life and seemingly escape the process of ageing.

Turritopsis dohrnii, famously known as the ‘immortal jellyfish’, can transform its existing cells into a younger state when suffering starvation, physical damage or other afflictions. Shutterstock

To figure out why some species age better than humans, we have to understand so-called “epigenetic changes” which alter our DNA expression throughout the ageing process.

The culture of DIY biology

When it comes to research on ageing, immense interest from the public and large companies has created an environment where it’s difficult to separate unfounded claims from science. In this grey area, biohackers emerge.

“Biohacking” refers to actions that supposedly let you “hack” your brain and body to optimise their performance, without traditional medicine.

Its proponents often peddle claims exaggerated by cherry-picked evidence. One example is alkaline waterclaimed to slow ageing by reducing oxidative stress.

Two studies highlight alkaline water’s positive effects for acid-base balance in the bloodstream, and increasing hydration status during exercise. But both of these studies were funded by companies selling alkaline water.

There are also bogus “young blood transfusions”, in which an older person is injected with a younger person’s blood to “cure” ageing. This is a very real and exploitative part of the anti-ageing industry.

Even if we could, should we?

Would a “cure” for ageing be abused by the wealthy? Would knowing we had longer to live decrease our motivation in life?

Perhaps it’s a good thing we won’t be diving into the fountain of youth any time soon – if ever.

Zachariah Wylde, Postdoctoral Researcher in Evolutionary Biology, UNSW


Delete Unassigned Tasks

Selecting a Task will result in the Task information being deleted.  The Task is removed from its current database tables.  Once a task is deleted, its properties (including employee's status information on the Task) cannot be recovered.

If you wish to search for a particular Task from a large list, enter a search term, and click Search.  The Unused Tasks box will be filtered to only include those Tasks matching the search term.


Clinton County

Pvt. Louis William Heineman

Louis William Heineman was born Apr. 19, 1905 to William and Eva S. Heineman. He died Apr. 7, 1945 and is buried in Saint Boniface Cemetery, Clinton, IA.

Pvt. Heineman served with the U.S. Army 873rd Engineers and was KIA by a Japanese ambush on Bongao Island, Philippines, while on an engineer salvaging detail.


Tips for finding abandoned systems in No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky was one of the most hyped games of 2016, and since it was released it has captured the imagination of many gamers. The game consists of a procedurally generated galaxy, which means that each time you play it the game will be different. It has been more than two months since I have completed it, and to my surprise I have yet to find an abandoned space station or space ship.

I’ve always been a little curious about the scale of the procedurally-generated galaxy in No Man’s Sky. With over 18 quintillion planets, is No Man’s Sky really that big? Is it filled with abandoned space stations and alien ruins? If so, it’s really easy to find them, and I’m going to show you how.

It’s been a year since I first found the abandoned ships in No Man’s Sky. At the time, I was just in the early stages of the game, and was exploring very large worlds. Since then, I’ve found hundreds of these abandoned ships, and I’ve learned a few things about them.

Abandoned systems are an unsettling type of system in No Man’s Sky, which you’ll encounter at every stage of the game. Although you can find them organically, sometimes you need to find them for a quest or as part of an expedition. In this guide, we’ll give you some tips on how to find these elusive systems so you can identify them quickly and effectively.

What are discontinued systems?

Screenshot An abandoned galaxy is a galaxy full of planets, like any other in No Man’s Sky. But due to a catastrophic event, all sentient beings had to leave the system or die. The only signs of life are empty buildings and no NPCs on any of the planets or moons. Most planets will be infested with whiskered eggs and other biological abominations. These are dangerous planets to land on. You can still find technology modules buried on planets in abandoned systems, and they are not completely devoid of life. If you hang around long enough, pirates will come and attack you, and you can even witness a space battle between fleets if you’re there at the right time. The last thing you need to know about abandoned systems is that they contain a damaged space station. It will be visually destroyed and have no markets, but you can still trade and teleport there. Abandoned systems are not displayed as such until you visit them. So there are certain things to look for on the galactic map before visiting a potentially abandoned galaxy.

Seeking savings

Since everyone has left the system, the abandoned system will have little economic value. If you see this rating along with a lower rating, chances are this system should be abandoned.

Little or no conflict

Again: Since there is no intelligent life in the abandoned system, there will not be much, if any, conflict. These systems have a low conflict rate or the rate is not available. Systems with this rating are always worth checking out because you don’t have to worry about loyalty. However, the combination of this assessment with the economic evaluation above suggests a high probability of systemic failure.

Avoidance of green systems

Screenshot word-image-1664 Green star systems are the least likely to be abandoned. If you want to find one of these systems, don’t waste your time on the green stars. With the red and yellow stars, you’re much more likely to find one elsewhere.

Unauthorised abortion

Screenshot word-image-1665 It is important to remember that an undiscovered system, or at least a system you have not yet visited, is not the same as an abandoned system. You have no record of whether or not the system is abandoned and many other details before you visit. Therefore, you should examine any system that you suspect has been abandoned to determine whether or not that is the case. If an attachment is registered with a player or marked as unopened in the Discovery menu, it will not be deleted.The No Man’s Sky game offers players a chance to explore a procedurally generated universe. In doing so, players will also be exploring a simulated version of our own universe. One of the cool things about the game is that it provides so much information about the universe it’s been generated from. One of the things that I heard was that when you see a certain pyramid type of thing, that means that there is a system in that system with a similar structure, and you can go to that system to find the goodies.. Read more about no man’s sky abandoned building and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you find abandoned systems in no man’s sky?

It’s not too late to start playing No Man’s Sky, it’s just that the game is almost a year old and there are already plenty of guides to help you get started. But what if you’re having a hard time finding abandoned systems? What if you have limited time to play and need a quick solution? How can you find systems that are hidden and wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for an abandoned base? Every game that is played is completely different, so it can be hard to find a game that fits your tastes. For instance, if you’re a fan of survival games, you may enjoy the likes of Minecraft, Rust, or Don’t Starve. If you want a game that is more action oriented, you could try the likes of Borderlands 2, Far Cry, or the Dishonored series. No Man’s Sky is a science-fiction open-world game, so it’s a bit difficult to compare to other games like it. Thankfully, finding and exploring abandoned planets (known as “stations”) is a fun way to get a taste of No Man’s Sky.

How do I find an abandoned space station?

Here’s the thing: I have been searching for abandoned spaceships for about six hours now, and I still have no idea how to find one. Even if I did, I would have no way of getting there! So, I’ve written up a few tips for what I hope will help you find abandoned space stations. When the No Man’s Sky community was first launched, it was one of the most successful Reddit communities in existence (incidentally, it now has 35,000 followers). In less than a week, the subreddit had more than 2,000 users who were sharing their discoveries, theories, and theories of theories. But as the weeks went by, many of the users have left the community. It’s hard to blame them, as it’s difficult to find a game that has an active online community. But what does one do if they want to start exploring abandoned space stations?

Can you find Earth in no man’s sky?

No Man’s Sky has been in the public eye for a while now, and while a lot of the hype surrounding the game has died down, there’s still a lot of new people discovering it. As the player population increases, the time comes to sit down and think about how to find the next system. Here are a few things I’ve found helpful when trying to find systems, in no particular order. Starting at a certain point in No Man’s Sky, a host of abandoned systems will start appearing. These systems were not originally part of the game before the update, and have since been left behind. They contain no resources or NPCs, and do not seem to be connected to any other systems.

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What Is a Flagrant Foul in Basketball? A Complete Guide

A professional basketball player in gold and red gets fouled during a shot.

Basketball referees have their hands full with the number of fouls they call on a game-by-game basis. With that said, there’s one type of foul that’s more controversial than most — the flagrant foul. It not only sparks a lot of debate and angst among players and coaches but the fans as well.

So, what is a flagrant foul in basketball?

A flagrant foul is any contact against an opponent that’s deemed unnecessary or excessive by a referee. Depending on the ruling, the referee can call a Flagrant Foul 1, Flagrant Foul 2, or downgrade the foul to a common or technical foul. The opponent is rewarded two free throws and possession.

Due to the extreme penalties for flagrant fouls, referees are allowed to use instant replay to review them. While this allows them to get the call right, it’s often what leads to widespread controversy — especially since referees aren’t perfect and can be wrong.

To ensure there’s no confusion about what a flagrant foul is, how referees determine the type of flagrant foul, what the penalties are, how to avoid getting called for a flagrant foul, and how they differ from other types of fouls, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know below.

NBA Flagrant Foul Rules

Flagrant fouls aren’t as common as some of the other fouls in basketball, but you do see them from time to time. The rules officials follow when considering a flagrant foul are straightforward when compared to a technical foul, though flagrant fouls are often more of a judgment call.

In order to be considered a flagrant foul, there must be physical contact during the play and the official must deem that contact as unnecessary, excessive, or both. Should they feel it’s worthy, the officials must then determine whether it meets the criteria for a Flagrant 1 or Flagrant 2.

Until recently, officials were only allowed to review the play for consistency if the contact was originally called a flagrant foul on the floor. Today, officials are allowed to review any play when considering a flagrant foul, no matter what the original call was on the floor.

What Is a Flagrant 1 in Basketball?

A Flagrant 1, also known as a Flagrant Foul Penalty 1 in the NBA Official Rulebook, is the lesser of two evils. In order for contact to be deemed a Flagrant 1, the official must determine that the contact committed by a player to their opponent is unnecessary, but not excessive.

What Is a Flagrant 2 in Basketball?

A Flagrant 2, also known as a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 in the NBA Official Rulebook, is the greater of two evils. In order for the official to call a Flagrant 2, they must determine that the contact committed by a player against the opponent is both unnecessary and excessive.

Flagrant Foul Penalty

Flagrant fouls result in quite harsh penalties, which is why you don’t see them too often. With that said, the penalty for a Flagrant 1 differs from that of a Flagrant 2. Although they both result in two free throws and a loss of possession, a Flagrant 2 also results in an automatic ejection.

While a Flagrant 1 doesn’t result in an ejection, a player that commits two Flagrant 1 fouls in the same game receives an automatic ejection. In addition to those penalties, flagrant fouls are subject to further fines handed down by the commissioner after careful review of the play.

What Do Officials Look for with Flagrant Fouls?

A referee officiates a high school basketball game.

When an official feels that contact was unnecessary or excessive, they immediately review the play for a closer look. During that review, they determine whether it was a Flagrant 1, Flagrant 2, technical, or common foul. They’re allowed to upgrade or downgrade the original call on the floor.

Unnecessary contact is anything that’s not deemed a ‘basketball play’ or ‘basketball motion.’ Excessive contact is any contact that’s intended to harm or injure the opponent. While there’s no room for either, unnecessary contact is generally an accident and excessive is usually on purpose.

In addition to determining what type of foul it is, officials must determine whether or not other players committed unsportsmanlike conduct before, during, or after the play. This ensures that everyone involved receives the proper penalty.

Different Ways to Earn a Flagrant Foul

There are three instances where contact generally results in the official calling a flagrant foul — winding up before the contact, contact with a swinging motion, and following through after contact. Committing any of the three generally earns you a flagrant foul.

For example, if you have possession of the ball and are trying to create space between you and your opponent before or after your dribble, it’ll likely be a flagrant foul if you swing your elbow and make contact with your opponent — especially if contact is made around the face.

Another great example of a typical flagrant foul is when a player is trying to defend a player driving towards the basket. As they jump up for a layup, you hip-check them while they’re in mid-air, causing them to fall awkwardly to the ground. That will earn you a flagrant foul.

Flagrant Foul vs Technical Foul

Flagrant fouls and technical fouls are two types of fouls that no coach ever wants to see their team commit. Not only do they bring harsh penalties, fines, and even suspensions, but they’re often poor decisions made by players, coaches, and trainers.

As we learned above, a flagrant foul is any contact between two players that’s deemed unnecessary, excessive, or both. On the other hand, a technical foul is unsportsmanlike conduct or violations that generally don’t involve contact — unless a fight breaks out.

Flagrant fouls can only be called on two players in live-action, while technical fouls can be called on players on the court, players on the bench, coaches, or trainers.

Another difference is the penalty for both. A flagrant foul results in two free throws and loss of possession, while a technical foul results in one free throw and loss of possession. While a Flagrant Foul 2 or two Flagrant Foul 1s result in an ejection, it takes two technicals for an ejection.

Both technical fouls and flagrant fouls are subject to fines and possible suspensions once the commissioner has an opportunity to review the play.

Different Types of Fouls in Basketball

There are a variety of fouls that are much more common than flagrant and technical fouls. Some are called on the offense, while others are called on the defense. Let’s take a quick look at some of the other fouls an official might call in a basketball game:

  • Personal Fouls – a foul against a specific player is known as a personal foul. Players are only allowed five personal fouls per game. Being called for a sixth personal foul results in a disqualification. These can be called on offensive and defensive players.
  • Team Fouls – a personal foul that’s called on the defense is also counted as a team foul. Teams are only allowed four team fouls per quarter. Being called for a fifth team foul puts the opponent in a ‘bonus,’ which awards them two free throws regardless of the type of foul.
  • Shooting Fouls – if a defensive player fouls an offensive player while in the act of shooting (whether it be a layup, mid-range shot, or three-point shot), the offensive player is awarded two or three free throws (depending on the type of shot that was attempted).
  • Violations – although they don’t result in any free throws and technically aren’t a foul, there are a variety of violations that result in a loss of possession or stoppage of play. Some examples include a double dribble, carry, kicked ball, and a 3-second violation.

If you’re interested in a more in-depth breakdown of the different types of fouls in basketball, you can learn more here. There’s a lot to keep in mind, but understanding the rules is essential to avoiding putting your team in a difficult position.

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Using Video vs Storyline Animation

Hi Everyone,

As a video guy, I'm feeling limited and slow with a series of slides that are simply narrated with animation. I'm curious what downsides you guys can think of for me dropping video in the slide instead. I could go so much faster and have much more beautiful effects  using final cut pro or after effects. I know size will be a bit of an issue .. Any other worries?

6 Replies
Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Bill,

I'll defer to the community for more thoughts but did want to point out a few things that you'll want to keep in mind.

With videos in Storyline, there will be some automatic compression as detailed here, and depending on the videos you include you can remove the compression elements. Storyline will also progressively stream your videos in the published content.

If for some reason the videos aren't working as expected once you publish, you'll want to review the information here and generally it seems to be a codec issue.

John Krikorian

Video can be awesome and immensely powerful. However consider this.

You might think about your workflow. I'd got some videos that we've done using various tools and when I need to make a change (as happens often) now I have to go back into video editing, render it out, then take that into Storyline and republish and then re-upload. So my answer is that I've just found it too cumbersome. There has to be some really powerful reasons for me to do something outside Storyline. I can make changes so much easier using the Storyline tool by itself.

Also, look at the instructional design perspective. If you make a video 30% more beautiful, by what % will your learners performance improve?

It might be a better use of time and energy to consider ways of increasing interactivity with the content. If you can increase interactivity 30% in your course, I suspect that your learners will get further than with a "sit back and watch" video with cool effects.

Best of luck! :)

Graham Betts

I work for Navy and we are always integrating animation and video. My projects always use a range of tools and media. In the past I have used animation as opposed to video when I have had to explain discrete concepts with a small animation and explanatory text. I often include a slider where the user can move the slider to watch how a particular concept works with explanations, arrows, text, labels as required. I do this in Flash. As you said file size is very important with online media.

However there are some things where a short video clip explains very complex tasks. At this point I use a video clip. Interactivity is a big one with video but tincan allows a range of interactivity with the video as well.

The timeline in Storyline can be used to fade things out or in but I am using Storyline one and do not have access to path based animation. You're using Storyline 2 so my understanding is you should be able to garner much more functionality similar in some regards to Flash.

Storyline is very powerful once the possibilities are understood. It is a very easy program to get up and running with but is very malleable and in that way can be very complex and allow very complex solutions. We found Captivate to be very clunky.

Remember we use a range of tools including Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects and audition, and a range of various other tools depending on our need. I develop what I can in Storyline but I find video and other tools have their place.