Monday, December 19, 2005
Rocket company SpaceX, notorious for repeatedly pre-announcing its first flight on Wikinews, cancels its latest attempt and defers further flights until 2006.
This latest launch attempt on the 19th December was cancelled due to structural issues with the first-stage fuel tank of the Falcon 1 rocket. An electrical fault caused a valve to shut inappropriately, and as fuel drained out a vacuum was created causing the side of the fuel tank to buckle inwards.
As unfair as it might seem, an adult will find very little or no help at all from the current health care system. Children on the other hand, have many opportunities for health care with all the government provisions available. Knowing that there is help for children will give any parent peace of mind, should they need medical care.Children from low income families received help from Medicaid and aid for dependent children for health care. If the family’s income was low or minimum wage, there didn’t seem to be any health care help available for the children. This created a imbalance for assuring all children would have health care available and prompted the government to offer help in the form of health care programs for children of middle income families.This program is best accessed through the state and local agencies that handle Medicaid and Social Services as each state offers this plan under different names making it difficult to let people know exactly what it is called in each location. Applications for this program in most states come only after a recipient is denied Medicaid coverage for their children because they don’t meet the income requirements. In most regions the Medicaid office will directly send your application onto the appropriate office to check and see if you are eligible for this additional coverage for your children.Many people can get this children’s health insurance benefit for free but those who make a slightly higher income may need to pay a very small monthly premium for this insurance plan. The fees are extremely low and affordable.If you chose to take this avenue for your child’s health insurance, be prepared for a long application processing time. If however, there is a health emergency involving your child being in an accident, injury or sudden illness that happens before you get a response to the application, you can ask the program office directly of the urgency to rush the applications approval. When it is approved, they will also extend coverage for incurred medical expenses during the emergency time frame and make the health insurance coverage retro active to cover everything. This helps solve health insurance needs as well, should a crisis occur at any time, you will be able to get quality emergency help quickly.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Matthew Higa, 23, has been arrested in connection with the death of a 23-month-old boy. Higa is alleged to have thrown the child from a pedestrian overpass into oncoming traffic on Honolulu’s H-1 Freeway.
The local coroner’s office noted that the child died on impact after falling 30 feet (9 meters) from the overpass. This occurred during Thursday’s lunch rush hour in the heart of downtown. Upon impact, several cars struck the child, which caused traffic to grind to a halt.
The toddler, Cyrus Nainoa Tupa?i Belt, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:07 p.m. (2207 UTC), approximately 27 minutes after being allegedly being ejected from the overpass by Higa. The portion of H-1 was closed for approximately five hours with traffic diverted to side streets. The freeway was reopened in time for the evening commute.
At first the relationship between Higa and the child was unclear, but later reports stated that Higa lived adjacent to him and had babysat him on previous occasions. The boy’s mother was out of town at the time of his death, but it was revealed that the child was supposed to be in the custody of his father and not with Higa.
Higa graduated from Roosevelt High School in 2003. In the summer of 2004 Higa was involved in an incident where police reports indicate a three-car race resulted in the death of a friend. Higa has since had a criminal history, with more than a dozen arrests but no convictions, and reports from neighbors of erratic behavior.
Queen’s Medical Center, which houses a psychiatric ward in Honolulu, noted that he was a patient there as recently as December 11, 2007. When arrested, Higa was wearing hospital scrubs, which were not immediately conducive to whether Higa was a patient in Queen’s psychiatric wing in the last couple of days. A representative of Queen’s declined to comment on whether Higa was admitted in the last week.
byAlma Abell
Your pet is your close companion. He or she is your friend and a member of your family. Some days, the best reward for your pet is to treat him or her to a massage. In Middleburgh a veterinarian should understands the need to pamper your pet. This is particularly true if the animal is a working one.
What Is a Pet Massage?At its most basic, a pet massage is upgraded petting. When you notch it up, it becomes a diagnostic tool for discovering health issues; it also becomes a therapeutic method to address pain issues in your pet. While a Middleburg veterinarian may not be part of an alternative veterinarian clinic, he or she does recognize the effects of certain holistic and complementary practices.
Canine and Feline MassagePet massage is one way to help you bind with a new animal and increase your bond with your current pet. It also allows you to spend quality and even fun time with your favorite four-legged friend. You can give him or her the best massages possible if you master a few basic techniques.
Several books and videos exist to help guide you through the practice. In general, the texts provide clear instructions accompanied by pictures to help guide you through the process. They remind you to always speak softly, never raising your voice. This helps to soothe and calm the pet during the process. They will show you how to apply slight pressure (acupressure) to certain areas. This will help to relieve tension and any strain or stress to the muscles. Moving your hands over a dog or cat in this fashion will help you find any lumps or unusual growths.
Hire a ProfessionalIf you are not sure or confident and do not put faith in correctly interpreting the images and direction in books or videos, a Middleburg veterinarian would recommend you take your pet to a professional. A professional pet masseuse is aware of all the techniques. They can relax your pet effortlessly and help your pet enjoy the entire procedure from start to finish.
Seeing, as recommended by a Middleburg veterinarian, a professional will ensure your pet receives a correct massage. It also gives you a chance to observe the technique and learn from it. Pet massage borrows from the best of human massage. It adapts the techniques used in Swedish Massage including:
*Effleurage*Pétrissage*Frictions*Vibrations,
In the end, you will get back one happy, relaxed cat or dog.
Talk to a Middleburg Veterinarian
Research indicates the power of massage. It can act as an early warning system of various health issues such as cancerous tumors and lumps. It can aid in recovery from surgery through its ability to increase the blood and lymph flow. If you massage your animal, your Middleburg veterinarian will applaud you. If nothing else, it makes his or her job so much easier. Massaging is, after all, one means of increasing your cat or dog’s acceptance of being handled.
If you are looking for a vet who is there for you when you need him or her, contact a Middleburg Veterinarian at the Argyle Animal Clinic. Their professional staff has been helping pet owners with the care of their pets for more than 25 years. From cats and dogs to the exotic, we can provide the best in veterinarian care. To learn more about our unmatched bedside manner and approach, visit us online at
Friday, September 15, 2006
Jesse Sullivan has two cybernetic arms, after electrical burns suffered while working as an electrical utility lineman resulted in amputation of both his arms at the shoulder. Claudia Mitchell has a similar cybernetic left arm, after a motorcycle accident resulted in amputation. Sullivan and Mitchell shook hands with these thought-controlled prosthetic arms at an event staged Thursday in Washington, D.C. by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Center for Artificial Limbs at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Unlike traditional prosthetic limbs, these are actuated through muscle reinnervation; nerves are grafted onto specific muscles, controlling their contraction, which are then detected by electrode sensors and control the prosthetic limb. “Basically it is connecting the dots. Finding the nerves. We have to free the nerves and see how far they reach,” says Dr. Todd Kuiken, developer of the prostheses and director of neuroengineering at the Rehabilitation Institute. By this chain of communication the prostheses utilize thought-controlled biomechanics. According to Sullivan, “When I use the new prosthesis I just do things. I don’t have to think about it … I do all the yard work. I take out the garbage.”
DARPA, as an agency of the United States Department of Defense, seeks to eventually provide such prostheses for soldiers losing their organic limbs in combat. “We’re excited about collaborating with the military,” said Kuiken. 411 U.S. troops in Iraq and 37 in Afghanistan have had wounds that cost them at least one limb according to the Army Medical Command.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Marty Bahamonde, the only FEMA emplyee in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina, testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, contradicts former FEMA director Michael Brown’s testimony and says Brown ignored his pleas for help.
In an August 31 Blackberry email:
“Sir, I know you know that this situation is past critical. Here are some things you might not know. Hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with no food or water. Hundreds still being rescued from homes” and “medical staff at the Dome expect to run out of oxygen in about 2 hours”
In an email from one of Brown’s aids:”Please schedule Joe Scarborough this evening… Also, it is very important that time is allowed for Mr. Brown to eat dinner. Gievn[sic] that Baton Rouge is back to normal, restaurants are getting busy”
Friday, February 6, 2009
United States swimmer Michael Phelps has been banned from competition and his training stipend revoked for three months by USA Swimming after Phelps was photographed smoking from a glass pipe, often used for smoking cannabis. The picture was published last Sunday by British tabloid News of the World.
USA Swimming, which is the governing body of swimming in the United States, however said that no “anti-doping” rules had been violated.
“This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero,” it stated. “Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust.”
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The suspension will end in time for Phelps to train for the US Championships, which are to be held on the 7th of July.
Phelps has also lost sponsor Kellogg, who said that it would not renew its deal with the swimmer next month.
Phelps won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing last year, and has since become one of the world’s most famous athletes.
Managing Customer Expectations with Construction Meetings
by
Lauren May
Customers have certain expectations about the finished state of their new homes. They paint pictures in their heads that may or may not accurately reflect the homes you’re building for them. As a result, it’s important that a homebuilder’s representatives, typically a site supervisor and a sales representative, properly manage customer expectations during the construction process.
One of the best ways to manage expectations is through construction meetings, which are held between the builder’s representatives and the customers while the home is being built. Most builders hold three such meetings: one that occurs before construction begins, one that occurs before drywall is installed, and one that occurs right before closing. They take place at key milestones during the home’s construction and give you the time to thoroughly explain the homebuilding process to educate customers and shape their expectations. In addition, if these meetings are successful, they lead to a friendly working relationship and higher customer satisfaction ratings. Infrequent or unclear communication usually leads to unwanted surprises later in the process, such as someone upset over a missing upgrade or a misunderstanding about the floor covering. Continuously making sure you and your customers are on the same page while the home is being built is important. Use these communication opportunities to your advantage!Pre-construction meeting At the pre-construction meeting, the customer reviews the site plan, home plans, and other paperwork for the home with the builder’s representatives, usually the site supervisor and sales representative. The meeting is typically held immediately before the foundation work begins on the home and is often accompanied by a lot walk, so the customer can get a complete picture of the site.Pre-drywall meeting At the pre-drywall meeting, the customer tours the home with a member of the builder’s team to review the construction and the location of the major mechanical and structural systems of the home. The meeting is usually held just after the framing is finished and insulated but before the drywall installation begins.Pre-closing meeting At the pre-closing meeting, the customer walks through the home with a member of the builder’s team–usually a site supervisor, sales representative, or quality assurance person–to review the construction and agree to close on the home. The meeting is typically held one week prior to closing. These days, customers are more likely than ever to take an active interest in how their home is built. As a result, much of your time has to be spent making sure the homes the customers have built in their heads is the home described in the paperwork. It’s up to you to manage their expectations so they’re satisfied with the final result.
BuildIQ promotes Best Practices in Homebuilding to help builders increase performance and improve quality. Through BuildIQ’s Jobsite website, builders can find answers to their most pressing homebuilding questions, such as how to manage customer expectations with
pre-construction meetings
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pre-drywall meetings
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pre-closing meetings
. For more information about BuildIQ, visit BuildIQ.com.
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com
Monday, September 24, 2007
A woman found herself £226,000 richer, one the biggest ever payouts to a female client, after placing a series of bets on last weeks Champions League games, despite knowing nothing about football.
Kathrin Rotmann, 33, placed a £1,000 bet based on her tactics of supporting “teams that are strong and winning”.
“I am delighted. I only ever bet on football — last year I won £35,000 with one bet. I just keep a track of those teams which are playing well and bet on them. It was very exciting when the results went my way.”
She was delighted when she saw her bet multiply in front of her eyes, when her 226-1 odds of wins for Arsenal, Man United, Rangers, Slavia Prague, Barcelona, Roma, Fenerbahce and PSV come in on television.
The exact amount won was £226,834.36.
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
On Tuesday, the day preceding Australia Day, the Australian government announced it had purchased the copyright to the Australian Aboriginal Flag for A$20.05 million.
The flag, created by Luritja man Harold Thomas in 1970, represents the connection Aboriginal people have to the land. It was adopted as a national flag in 1995, however copyright remained with Thomas. The flag could not be used without his approval or compensation.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised the flag would be treated in a comparable way to the national flag, which can be used by anyone so long as it is displayed in a “respectful and dignified way.”
Morrison promised: “All Australians can now put the Aboriginal Flag on apparel such as sports jerseys and shirts, it can be painted on sports grounds, included on websites, in paintings and other artworks, used digitally and in any other medium without having to ask for permission or pay a fee,”
“We’ve freed the Aboriginal Flag for Australians.”
Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt said: “Over the last 50 years we made Harold Thomas’ artwork our own — we marched under the Aboriginal Flag, stood behind it, and flew it high as a point of pride,”
“Now that the Commonwealth holds the copyright, it belongs to everyone, and no-one can take it away.”
The commercial arrangements surrounding the flag were highlighted in 2019 after one of the clothing companies holding a licence for the flag, WAM Clothing, gave notices to the National Rugby League and Australian Football League, alleging jerseys worn at their Indigenous round infringed upon their copyright. At the time, Wyatt urged football fans to show their objections to the claim by clothing themselves in the flag. It is understood several other organisations were given similar notices.
Under the agreed deal, the government paid A$20.05 million to Thomas and licence holders to secure copyright and buy back the rights of licence holders. They have pledged to:
Bangarang woman Geraldine Atkinson told Nine News she was “absolutely pleased” about the flag passing to the government, saying the news gave Indigenous Australians something to celebrate on Australia Day. Atkinson said: “When I read it, it was the first I’d heard about it, and I punched the air, I was so excited […] We’re not going to be celebrating the day, but we’re going to be celebrating our flag. We’re going to be celebrating that we can fly our flag, and wear it on our shirts.”
While Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe welcomed the news, she was wary about the deal, saying: “I’m concerned that the Commonwealth owns the copyright over our flag and what that means for the unceded sovereignty and the self-determination of our people […] We need to have genuine conversations about what it means for the Commonwealth to own the copyright of our flag and if any other models of community ownership were seriously considered. For the moment, this is a win.”
Labor Party Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said she would be scrutinising the deal during the Senate’s forthcoming budget estimates: “I look forward to scrutinising this deal and examining the details through Senate Estimates next month, in particular the copyright and custodianship of the flag”. McCarthy went on to state, “Scott Morrison and the Indigenous Affairs Minister need to also clarify where the money for this deal is coming from.”