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NCAA lifts eligibility ban in allowing Canadian Hockey League players to compete at U.S. colleges

The NCAA Division I Council on Thursday approved a rule allowing players with Canadian Hockey League experience to compete at U.S. colleges starting next season, a landmark decision that has the potential of shaking up the NHL's two largest sources of developmental talent.




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Paris to deploy 4,000 police officers for France-Israel soccer match following violence in Amsterdam

Paris police said Sunday that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for a France-Israel soccer match to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transportation a week after violence against Israeli fans in Amsterdam.




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Halloween History And Christian Life

Christian Halloween History explains what Halloween is, where the customs came from, why it involves the dead, and whether Christians should participate. Be ready to be startled by some of the answers.




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West Oakland, Lower Bottoms, part 1: Self-Determination

West Oakland’s Lower Bottoms neighborhood is home to the historical headquarters of the Black Panther party. It’s also one train stop away from San Francisco, and escalating real-estate prices are quickly changing the character of the neighborhood.  This episode, we meet locals who find themselves living at the intersection of heritage and gentrification.

Special thanks this episode to field producer Ariana Proehl, KQED, and The National Endowment for the Arts.




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West Oakland, Lower Bottoms, part 2: The World We Live In

Our listening tour of West Oakland’s Lower Bottoms continues as we meet the volunteers at a local food pantry, a street ball legend known as ‘the greatest player never to make the NBA,’ a transplant from Compton who’s become a wilderness survival instructor, a former Tesla engineer who’s developing an affordable co-housing living space, a US Army veteran determined to help others get their military benefits, and a pastor who relies on the power of prayer to effect social change.

Special thanks this episode to field producer Ariana Proehl, KQED, and The National Endowment for the Arts.




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Vatican, Microsoft create AI-generated St. Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage

The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems.




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Injuries are a common theme for NBA teams off to fast -- or slow -- starts

Cleveland has won its first 12 games and is off to the best start in the league. There are 10 teams in the Western Conference with winning records. And somehow, only two teams in the Eastern Conference have winning records.




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Improved flow of European biodiversity data

The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (NBIC) was host to an international biodiversity informatics workshop May 29th-31st. The event was held as part of the EU-project European Biodiversity Observation Network (EU BON), where NBIC is a partner.

The theme for the ‘EU BON Initial Informatics Workshop’ was data architectures, standards and interoperability (improving flow of information between systems). The event gathered renowned international and national experts within data structures for biological data.

EU-project for better data flow
NBIC is the Norwegian partner in EU BON, an EU-project spanning 5 years where 30 institutions from 18 countries contribute. The objective is to build an infrastructure that improves the flow of biodiversity data in all of Europe. Furthermore, the project is a European affiliate to its global counterpart (GEO BON) and will contribute to the work of the newly established ‘Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ (IPBES).

Good solutions showcased
Worldwide, a large number distinct standards and solutions for management of data on species and nature types exist, and one of EU BON’s objectives is to find solutions to get all of these systems to communicate with one another. Several attendees contributed with presentations highlighting diverse standards and solutions for interoperability. Additionally, four international players in the field of biodiversity informatics presented general international initiatives, projects and services relevant to EU BON.

What is biodiversity informatics?
Biodiversity informatics is the field of applying IT techniques to improve management and presentation of biodiversity information, making it easier to discover, use and analyze such data.





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3rd EU BON stakeholder roundtable: Workflow from data mobilisation to practice

The 3rd EU BON stakeholder roundtable took place from 10 to 11 December 2015 in Granada, Spain. The meeting brought together participants from global, European and regional projects, institutions, governmental organizations and universities to discuss biodiversity data workflows across different scales. Other important issues to discuss were current limitations of workflows but also tools and products from EU BON and other projects that may help to improve data collection, analysis and use in policy and practice.


Images from the workshop showing participants and group discussions; Credit: Dirk Schmeller/Florian Wetzel

The roundtable focused on EU BON test sites, workflows of data/information and the further usage for policy reporting and political processes. These issues were discussed with partners from EU BON and related biodiversity projects (LTER, GEO BON, Life Watch, Ecoscope) and stakeholders of biodiversity data (regional biodiversity networks: the environmental information network of Andalusia (Rediam), the Center for Monitoring and Assessment of Global Change (CAESCG), the Life project ADAPTAMED as well as local scientists).

On the first day, the different approaches from global (GEO BON) and European projects (EU BON, LTER, Life Watch, Ecoscope) were presented with a special emphasis on data collection, integration and analysis tools from EU BON. Furthermore, regional stakeholders pointed out their demands with regards to data mobilizations issues.

During the second day, discussions focused on the workflow of biodiversity data and the current barriers was discussed and current barriers and possible solutions to overcome the problems. Currently particularly socio-economic data is lacking as well as funding schemes to support interdisciplinary work as well as lacking capacities to address these questions.

In the World Café session, smaller groups discussed details of the workflow, particularly on (1) data mobilization, (2) data and tools, (3) implementation, and (4) upscaling.

As outcomes of the discussions at the round table, several recommendations were drafted, for example, to prioritise developed EU BON tools for further usage in the project and through the portal, to better address the user groups on different levels and provide a detailed and specific description for the tools. There are several biodiversity data workflows existing at the test sites, that could be improved by additional / existing tools, guidelines and standards from projects such as EU BON and by an enhanced communication between local sites, regional networks (as "middle-ware") and European networks.

Overall, it was agreed that a showcase for the workflow of biodiversity data from collection up to visualization (e.g. maps and using user such as the Andalusian Rediam network or/and IPBES as an example) is needed to showcase better the benefits of a European biodiversity network and enhance current functionalities by analyzing barriers and limitations in such an example of an "EU BON storyline".

Presentations:

Presentations Day 1

Presentations Day 2


Picture: Main European networks, projects and regional participants; Credits: Dirk Schmeller/EU projects logos





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EU BON research keeps flowing: Downscaling and the automation of species monitoring

Biodiversity data are sparse, biased and collected at many resolutions. So techniques are needed to combine these data and provide some clarity. This is where downscaling comes in. Downscaling predicts the occupancy of a species in a given area. That is, the number of grid squares a species is predicted to occupy in a standard grid of equally sized squares. Downscaling uses the intrinsic patterns in the spatial organization of an organism’s distributions to predict what the occupancy would be, given the occupancy at a coarser resolution.

Groom et al. (2018) tests different downscaling models on birds and plants in four countries and in different landscapes and shows which models work best. The results show that all models work similarly, irrespective of the type of organism and landscape. However, some models were biased, either under- or overestimating occupancy. However, a few models were both reliable and unbiased. This means we can automate calculation of species occupancy. Workflows can harvest data from many sources and calculate species metrics in a timely manner, potentially delivering warnings so that interventions can be made.

Species invasions, habitat degradation and mass extinctions are not a future threat, they are happening now. Understanding how we should react, and what policies we need should be underpinned by solid evidence. Imagine if we had systems where we could monitor biodiversity just like we monitor the climate in easy to understand numbers that are both accurate and sensitive to change.

Original Source: 

Groom QJ, Marsh CJ, Gavish Y, Kunin WE. (2018) How to predict fine resolution occupancy from coarse occupancy data. Methods Ecol Evol.;00:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13078

Figure 1: Comparison of downscaling performance of difference mathematical models with the percentage error from the known distribution of breeding birds of Flanders. Points above the zero line are overestimates of occupancy and under the line are underestimates. The x-axis is the prevalence of the species in Flanders.

 





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Building Biodiversity Workflows with Taverna (Manchester, UK)

The course is a two-day hands-on training event. The course will accommodate 10-15 researchers. The program consists of introductory lectures, practical computer work, and discussions. Researchers will be contacted upon admission in order to consider their own research objectives for the course. more ...





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3rd EU BON Stakeholder Round Table "Biodiversity data workflow - from data mobilisation to practice"

The 3rd EU BON Stakeholder Round Table "Biodiversity data workflow - from data mobilisation to practice" will take place on 10&11 December 2015 Granada, Spain.

One main objective of the round table is to understand how the workflow from data mobilisation to decision making functions in practice, including within the context of EU BON.

Firstly, we want to evaluate what kind of (biodiversity) data are available and what workflows and best practices already exist. Secondly, we want to assess which gaps still exist and what will be needed to improve the current situation to overcome existing barriers.

Please register here: http://societas.biodiv.naturkundemuseum-berlin.de/?q=node/64

 











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Earlier breeding, lower success: does the spatial scale of climatic conditions matter in a migratory passerine bird?





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3rd EU BON Stakeholder Roundtable (Granada, Spain): Biodiversity data workflow from data mobilization to practice. EU BON Workshop Report









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Friends and Followers

In India, revelations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official app has been sending user data to a third party provoke outrage.

Also: Author Mona Eltahawy starts #MosqueMeToo to give Muslim women an outlet to speak out against abuse and it goes viral; two friends from Iran start a popular website about sexual health specifically for Farsi speakers; some researchers worry that we are not teaching our robots to be ethical enough; plus a woman named Ivanka Majic has an uninvited brush with fame.

(Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has his picture taken with a mobile phone on September 2, 2014. Credit: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images)







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38 - How to Discipline Your Team ... is spanking still allowed?

Today we talk through that terrible, horrible, uncomfortable word; Discipline. How do you effectively correct or discipline your team when/if it’s needed? Should it really come down to that? Oh boy.

James and Dustin dig deep into the realities of this topic within our worship teams and how to make sure we are the best we can be.

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship in partnership with WeAreWorship. This episode also features Song Capture.

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
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The ACI Foundation’s 2024-2025 Fellowship and Scholarship Recipients

The ACI Foundation announced its 2024-2025 fellowship and scholarship recipients.




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ACI Foundation Now Accepting Fellowship and Scholarship Applications

The ACI Foundation is now accepting applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the 2025-2026 academic year.




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Festool Ups the Ante on Job Site and Workshop Workflow

Following the launch of its first-of-its-kind ExoActive Exoskeleton, Festool announced on Aug. 20 its lineup of fall products that blend power, efficiency and organization. The launch includes a new cordless rotary hammer drill, the KHC 18, new energy sets and Systainers, jigsaw and oscillator saw blade sets, and limited-edition DOMINO kits.




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Jeff Ellis Selected to Join the SEAOC College of Fellows

In early September, the Structural Engineers Association of California inducted Jeff Ellis, S.E., director of strengthening at Simpson Strong-Tie, into its prestigious College of Fellows. The organization’s highest honor, the SEAOC College of Fellows recognizes members for their distinguished service and outstanding contributions to structural engineering.




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DOL OIG recommends MSHA lower exposure limit for silica

Washington — The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is advising the Mine Safety and Health Administration to lower its legal exposure limit for silica released Nov. 16.




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Lawmakers, UMWA join call for MSHA to lower exposure limit to silica

Washington — Five Senate Democrats are imploring the Mine Safety and Health Administration to lower its exposure limit for crystalline silica – a carcinogen found in sand, stone and artificial stone.




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Perkins Eastman Principal Elected to AIA National College of Fellows




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Video: How to Address Fraud and Slow Money

In this video, W&C friend Thea Dudley—aka “The Credit Overlord”—discusses ways to address and think about fraud and the slow money that plagues players in the industry.




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Court order allows DOL claim for enterprise-wide abatement to move forward

Washington – In what OSHA is calling a “precedent-setting” decision, a judge has determined that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission may have the authority to order enterprise-wide abatements of hazards.




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When are stroke victims able to return to work? Researchers create ‘effective, low-cost’ test

Manchester, England — Walking speed is the strongest predictor of a stoke victim’s ability to return to work, with about 3 feet per second the “critical threshold,” say researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University.




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New posters highlight 11 best practices for lowering firefighter cancer risk

Greenbelt, MD — Following up on their release of a report detailing 11 best practices for minimizing cancer risk among firefighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council and the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section have unveiled new posters to highlight each practice.




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Fire service groups urge drivers to follow ‘move over’ laws

Chantilly, VA — The International Association of Fire Chiefs and eight other national fire service organizations are urging drivers to exercise extra caution when approaching emergency vehicles and respect move over laws.




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On-duty firefighter deaths fall to lowest total on record: USFA

Emmitsburg, MD — Sixty-two firefighters died while on duty in 2019 – the fewest since the U.S. Fire Administration began tracking such data in 1977, according to an annual report recently released by the agency.




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Coalition to OSHA: Don’t allow union reps at inspections of non-union workplaces

Washington – A coalition of industry groups has called for OSHA to withdraw a recent letter of interpretation stating that workers at a non-union workplace may designate someone affiliated with a union as their representative during OSHA “walkaround” inspections.




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Study of carpenters finds lower rates of falls from heights

Durham, NC – The incidence of falls from heights among union carpenters in Washington state dropped more than 80 percent from 1998 to 2008, according to a new study from Duke University.




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Early physical therapy may lead to better outcomes for workers with low back injuries: study

Cambridge, MA — Beginning physical therapy days, rather than weeks, after suffering a low back injury is associated with better outcomes, according to the results of a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.




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Chiropractic care for low back pain limited when employers and insurers pick medical providers: study

Cambridge, MA — Few workers receive chiropractic care for low back pain in states where employers or insurers control the selection of medical providers, a recent study of workers’ compensation data shows.




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Lightweight low-flow pump

VAPex – an advanced, lightweight low-flow pump – is the ideal solution for seamless chemical exposure reporting at the employee level, resulting in significant time-savings for occupational hygienists.




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Portable gravity-flow unit

The 90320 16-Gallon Gravit-Eye Portable Gravity-Flow Unit uses gravity to deliver water through dual spray heads. The unit delivers more than 14 gallons of water for 15 minutes, complying with the provisions of ANSI Z358.1 for eyewashes. Gravit-Eye has a rugged plastic tank that is ideal for use when a continuous supply of potable water is not available.

Sellstrom Mfg. Co.




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Survey of California construction workers shows low awareness of nanotechnology, health risks

Silver Spring, MD — Awareness of nanotechnology or nanoparticles in the construction industry remains relatively low among contractors, union leaders and apprenticeship program staff, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR.