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The crystal structure of vanthoffite, Na6Mg(SO4)4, was redetermined and refined with anisotropic displacement parameters for all atoms. Here, for the first time, we give its detailed description.

The new copper(II) complex [CuLCl2]2, where L is a product of Schiff base condensation between methyl­amine and 2-pyridine­carbaldehyde, is built of discrete centrosymmetric dimers.

The new copper(II) complex, namely, di-μ-chlorido-bis{chlorido[methyl(pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)amine-κ2N,N']copper(II)}, [Cu2Cl4(C7H8N2)2], (I), with the ligand 2-pyridylmethyl-N-methylimine (L, a product of Schiff base condensation between methylamine and 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde) is built of discrete centrosymmetric dimers. The coordination about the CuII ion can be described as distorted square pyramidal. The base of the pyramid consists of two nitrogen atoms from the bidentate chelate L [Cu—N = 2.0241 (9), 2.0374 (8) Å] and two chlorine atoms [Cu—Cl = 2.2500 (3), 2.2835 (3) Å]. The apical position is occupied by another Cl atom with the apical bond being significantly elongated at 2.6112 (3) Å. The trans angles of the base are 155.16 (3) and 173.79 (2)°. The Cu...Cu separation in the dimer is 3.4346 (3) Å. In the crystal structure, the loosely packed dimers are arranged in stacks propagating along the a axis. The X-band polycrystalline 77 K EPR spectrum of (I) demonstrates a typical axial pattern characteristic of mononuclear CuII complexes. Compound (I) is redox active and shows a cyclic voltammetric response with E1/2 = −0.037 V versus silver–silver chloride electrode (SSCE) assignable to the reduction peak of CuII/CuI in methanol as solvent.

The crystal structure of vanthoffite {hexasodium magnesium tetrakis[sulfate(VI)]}, Na6Mg(SO4)4, was solved in the year 1964 on a synthetic sample [Fischer & Hellner (1964). Acta Cryst. 17, 1613]. Here we report a redetermination of its crystal structure on a mineral sample with improved precision. It was refined in the space group P21/c from a crystal originating from Surtsey, Iceland. The unique Mg (site symmetry overline{1}) and the two S atoms are in usual, only slightly distorted octahedral and tetrahedral coordinations, respectively. The three independent Na atoms are in a distorted octahedral coordination (1×) and distorted 7-coordinations intermediate between a `split octahedron' and a pentagonal bipyramid (2×). [MgO6] coordination polyhedra interchange with one half of the sulfate tetrahedra in <011> chains forming a (100) meshed layer, with dimers formed by edge-sharing [NaO7] polyhedra filling the interchain spaces. The other [NaO7] polyhedra are organized in a parallel layer formed by [010] and [001] chains united through edge sharing and bonds to the remaining half of sulfate groups and to [NaO6] octahedra. The two types of layers interconnect through tight bonding, which explains the lack of morphological characteristics typical of layered structures.

The crystal structures of caesium di­hydrogen arsenate(V) bis­[tri­hydrogen arsen­ate(V)], Cs(H2AsO4)(H3AsO4)2, ammonium di­hydrogen arsenate(V) tri­hydrogen arsenate(V), NH4(H2AsO4)(H3AsO4), and dilithium bis­(di­hydrogen phosphate), Li2(H2PO4)2, were solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. NH4(H2AsO4)(H3AsO4), which was hydro­thermally synthesized (T = 493 K), is homeotypic with Rb(H2AsO4)(H3AsO4), while Cs(H2AsO4)(H3AsO4)2 crystallizes in a novel structure type and Li2(H2PO4)2 represents a new polymorph of this composition. The Cs and Li compounds grew at room temperature from highly acidic aqueous solutions. Li2(H2PO4)2 forms a three-dimensional (3D) framework of PO4 tetra­hedra sharing corners with Li2O6 dimers built of edge-sharing LiO4 groups, which is reinforced by hydrogen bonds. The two arsenate compounds are characterized by a 3D network of AsO4 groups that are connected solely via multiple strong hydrogen bonds. A statistical evaluation of the As—O bond lengths in singly, doubly and triply protonated AsO4 groups gave average values of 1.70 (2) Å for 199 As—OH bonds, 1.728 (19) Å for As—OH bonds in HAsO4 groups, 1.714 (12) Å for As—OH bonds in H2AsO4 groups and 1.694 (16) Å for As—OH bonds in H3AsO4 groups, and a grand mean value of 1.667 (18) Å for As—O bonds to nonprotonated O atoms.

During investigations of the formation of hydrated magnesium carbonates, a sample of the previously unknown magnesium carbonate hexa­hydrate (MgCO3·6H2O) was synthesized in an aqueous solution at 273.15 K. The crystal structure consists of edge-linked isolated pairs of Mg(CO3)(H2O)4 octa­hedra and noncoordinating water mol­ecules, and exhibits similarities to NiCO3·5.5H2O (hellyerite). The recorded X-ray diffraction pattern and the Raman spectra confirmed the formation of a new phase and its transformation to magnesium carbonate trihydrate (MgCO3·3H2O) at room temperature.

Brock Lesnar after losing his championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 31.; Credit: WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment held their annual Wrestlemania show last weekend in Northern California, the culmination of another year's worth of spectacle. According to the company, it was their highest grossing event of all-time, drawing $12.6 million, with an official attendance placing it fifth on their list of all-time crowds for the event. The show was headlined by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar going up against up-and-coming star (and a relative of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) Roman Reigns.

WWE Network

It comes at a time when the company has embarked on a new way of making money: their over-the-top online programming provider, the WWE Network, where fans can pay $9.99 a month to see programming including what formerly used to cost $45 for most shows and $60 for Wrestlemania. They're one year in now on gambling that enough fans will want the Network that it will ultimately make them more money in the long-term, despite losing that pay-per-view revenue. Wall Street doesn't appear to be buying it — after announcing the day after Wrestlemania that they'd hit 1.3 million subscribers, WWE's stock took a significant loss.

"The point is not whether it's real or if it's staged. The point is, are you entertained by it, or not?" former WWE announcer Jim Ross told KPCC in an interview. WWE is looking for more fans to be entertained enough to plunk down $9.99 for all the pro wrestling content they want.

NXT

They're also in a transitional period with their audiences. They've launched a new show that's only on the Network called "NXT," turning their minor league into a program targeting hardcore pro wrestling fans with a different style of show than the more family-targeted "Raw" and "Smackdown." It's also where they groom potential future stars, many of whom seem to break the mold of some of the traditional stars on WWE's main roster.

They're signing up talent that's been getting buzz on the independent circuits, trying to create their own underground movement that hopefully spells money, and taking the NXT brand on tour for the first time. On the Raw after Wrestlemania, several NXT stars made their debut on the main roster. That follows a sell-out crowd (albeit at a smaller 5,000 seat venue) on the Friday night before Wrestlemania for a non-televised NXT show.

Give Divas a chance

WWE also faces cultural forces pushing them in new directions, including a difference in how society deals with gender. When WWE executive Stephanie McMahon, daughter of the famed Vince McMahon, tweeted in support of Patricia Arquette's speech calling for greater equality for women at the Academy Awards, one of their own wrestlers, AJ Lee, responded by publicly calling Stephanie McMahon out on Twitter for not promoting the women in her own company equally and paying them less than the male stars.

AJ tweet 1

AJ tweet 2

Of course, the women in the company aren't given the same prominence as the men in part because it's felt that they won't make the company as much money. Still, it forced WWE's hand and Stephanie McMahon and the company as a whole publicly embraced the idea of giving the women (who WWE brands as "divas") a chance with the Give Divas A Chance movement (and accompanying trending hashtag).

What's next

The women have been promoted nearly equal to the men in that underground NXT league, but only time will tell if it continues to trickle upward. Wrestlemania didn't seem to show huge promise of that happening, with the one women's match of the show only getting a few minutes in the ring. However, the show also included a high-profile storyline with UFC female fighter and champion Ronda Rousey alongside the Rock, going up against Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, so there appears to be the room for women in prominent positions when they have the right storyline.

Whether WWE is able to wade through these forces of change to make more money — and perhaps regain some of the cultural currency that they've lost since becoming a monopoly and purchasing their top competition in 2001 — remains to be seen. They've stayed relatively steady despite a challenge from UFC, which many see as being what pro wrestling would be like if WWE didn't present fictional  They'll have to hope that giving new stars, including "divas," a chance will take them to another level.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The analytical solution of the problem of X-ray spherical-wave Laue diffraction in a single crystal with a linear change of thickness on the exit surface is derived. General equations are applied to a specific case of plane-wave Laue diffraction in a thick crystal under the conditions of the Borrmann effect.

UK-based banks have received around 100,000 applications in a single day after The Bounce Back Loans scheme for small businesses was released.

The US Federal Reserve has created a new group to advise on its planned faster payments service, the FedNow...

Child care provider Antonia Rivas leads children in yoga at her Reseda home on Feb. 13. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon is introducing a bill to fund child care and provider training, and set up a structure to facilitate collective bargaining for family child care workers.; Credit: File Photo: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon is introducing a new bill on Wednesday that aims to address the state's critical child care shortage and give providers the right to unionize.

The lack of sufficient child care has been statewide. In Los Angeles County, a recent study found only 2 percent of infants and toddlers have access to a licensed child care facility; for preschoolers, it's about 40 percent.

The shortage is most acute in low-income areas, and the bill aims to inject more child care vouchers into the system so poor families can have free child care.

A more controversial provision, however, would allow collective bargaining for those who provide child care in their homes whose earnings can fall near or below the minimum wage. Child advocates cite poor pay as a major reason why providers often leave the field.

“The turnover in the child care field is approaching 30 percent. So the lack of continuity and quality care is a major obstacle,” said El Cerrito Mayor Mark Friedman.

Friedman co-chairs a coalition of early childhood groups called Raising California Together. Preschool advocacy groups, anti-poverty and immigrant groups, NAACP, and the Santa Monica school district count among its members.

“I think one thing everybody agrees on as a high priority is getting more resources in the system, and if there is a strong union presence in the field that then there will be a stronger voice for those additional resources,” said Friedman. 

Under the bill,  a network of 32,000 home childcare providers statewide could unionize. Currently, providers operate as independent business owners and typically lack the right to organize and collectively bargain for wages.

Finding child care

For many families, having a quality child care option is their most pressing need.

Vicky Montoya, a Reseda mother of three, is desperate for a child care alternative to family members. Montoya’s 18-month-old son, Esteban, is a bright-eyed toddler who loves balls. He can fling one clear across a room, even a field. But all too often, when both his parents are at work, he’s not doing much.

“Sometimes he’s with an aunt, sometimes with my eldest daughter,” Montoya said in Spanish. “But he doesn’t really do anything, all he does is watch cartoons on TV. And he’s alone, there’s no other children around.”

Montoya works five hours a day at a solar company, where she makes $10 an hour. Her family depends on her income to supplement her husband’s low-wage, full-time job. Montoya applied for a child care voucher so Esteban could go to a properly licensed day care. She submitted two applications to a local agency over the last two months.

When she called the agency to find out the status of her applications, she said she wasn't given much information. “'You are on the waiting list,'” she said they told her, “'and there are people ahead of you.'”

Seeking unions as a solution

In Maryland, unionized providers reduced the wait list for poor families by 80 percent by securing state dollars to fund more free child care slots. According to a 2010 report by the National Women's Law Center, 14 states guarantee home-based child care workers the right to unionize.

SEIU Local 99 spokesperson Terry Carter said what local providers tell her is that they want a seat at the table where child care decisions are made.

“What collective bargaining would do for providers is it would let them sit down with the top decision makers in the state and say these are things that are simple to fix, they would vastly improve our ability to operate our businesses and they would give us the time to direct more of our attention and energies into raising California’s kids,” Carter said.  

Some of those issues include delayed government payments for subsidized child child and the low reimbursement rate from the state for serving low-income kids.

Antonia Rivas, a Reseda child care provider, knows well the struggle of providing care in her home. She infuses yoga and meditation into daily lessons, and buys organic food, her major expense.

But she also has to pay her assistants, buy toys, books, and supplies. After her costs, she said there is not much left.

“I just got my 2014 W-2 and it's $24,000,” Rivas said. Her W-2 comes from the agency that pays her for the low-income kids she serves. Add to that the $15,000 from her private paying families and Rivas pulled in about $40,000 last year. After expenses, she estimates she netted less than the minimum wage for her time.

Rivas said with her low wages and delays in receiving payments from government agencies for subsidized child care, she is constantly relying on credit to keep her business running.

“We need to get a contract [and] better pay,” Rivas said.

Even if the child care legislation passes, a contract with the state would be a long way down the road. All child care providers would need to vote on whether they want union representation. And, if all that is successful, child care providers could then negotiate a labor contract.

Similar bills granting child care providers the right to unionize have made it out of the legislature, but both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gov. Jerry Brown have vetoed them.

Opponents have called the effort to organize providers a move to empower labor unions, not fix a broken child care system. 

Recent legal rulings are also presenting challenges to unions seeking to organize both child care workers and health care workers. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year in an Illinois case that home health workers could opt out of paying union dues, even though they are paid with state subsidies.

While Vicky Montoya waits for a better solution for her son's care, she pays Esteban’s aunt or a neighbor $10 a day to watch him while she works.

“I know lots of families who have to leave their children with a babysitter, usually just a woman who watches the child. But they are not trained and even their homes are not suitable for childcare,” she said. 

Correction: A previous version of this story erroneously described a U.S. Supreme Court case as originating in Minnesota. 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

File: Los Angeles Unified 6th-grader Jack Spiewak performs as Macbeth at Eagle Rock Elementary School. District schools can now use a major source of federal funds to incorporate the arts into academics.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Los Angeles Unified School District officials have cleared the way for principals to tap into a major source of funding for arts programs targeting low-income students starting this fall.

Although state and federal officials previously said national Title I dollars, allocated to help disadvantaged students improve in academics, could be used for the arts instruction, some district officials had been reluctant to move ahead. The latest decision reverses the district's long-standing practice and opens the door for Title I-funded arts instruction that helps students improve their academic performance. 

"This has been a long time coming and this really is a day of rejoicing, quite frankly, in LAUSD," said Rory Pullens, the district's executive director of arts education. 

RELATED: For Pasadena school, arts plus math is really adding up

A two-page memo issued Thursday from Pullens, Deputy Superintendent Ruth Perez and Karen Ryback, executive director of Federal and State Education Programs, confirms the arts as a core subject and allows schools with high percentages of low-income students to use Title I funds for the arts.

Those schools "may utilize arts as an integration strategy to improve academic achievement," the directive reads. However, Title I funds are not allowed "to fund programs whose primary objective is arts education," according to the memo. As an example, the funds could be tapped to help students learn a character's point of view in a lesson that requires acting out a skit. 

Title I funding, developed in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson's war on poverty, has been used historically to increase students success in reading and math. The funds have paid for efforts like reading coaches or math tutors, supplemental software programs and professional development for teachers to improve low-performing students' test scores.

At $14 billion a year, the Title I funds make up the federal government's largest expenditure for grades K-12. The majority of LAUSD schools receive Title I dollars.

Arts advocates have long sought to get the second-largest district in the country to shift its stance on Title I arts funding, arguing that the arts have been shown in research to boost student academic performance. 

LAUSD joins just a handful of districts around the state that have committed to a district-wide Title I plan including the arts. San Diego Unified, Sacramento City Unified and Chula Vista Elementary School District are among them, according to Joe Landon, executive director of the California Alliance for Arts Education. 

Landon says beyond these districts, the decision to use Title I for the arts is largely playing out on a school-by-school basis. Some principals are using Title I funds for the arts, but they're doing so largely under the radar, some fearing that state monitors will say the funds were used incorrectly. 

"At each level, there are people that are afraid," Landon said. The reason: schools are accountable for how Title I dollars are spent and misuse could cause schools to lose a valuable funding source. Despite the state and federal directives on Title I allowing arts instruction in academics, school officials have been hesitant to make changes because Title I spending is monitored so closely. 

Landon explained that a decision to use Title I funds for the arts is momentous for schools.

"When districts begin to move," he said, "that really changes it."

Attention turns to principals, funding gatekeepers

When Los Angeles Unified brought on Pullens, attracting him from a well-known arts school in Washington, D.C., he took on the task of securing Title I funding in his early months on the job. He said budgeting would be a huge challenge in increasing access to the arts for more of the district's students. 

The deed now done, Pullens said: "This was clearly a very high priority of what we wanted to accomplish and we are just so thrilled that this has finally come to pass."

It'll now be up to school principals to decide how much of their Title I funding to allocate for arts instruction. Pullens said plans to train principals on the benefits of arts integration are underway.

While the Title I arts spending is not mandatory, he expects the new directive to free up significant funding for the district's arts efforts. He didn't have exact estimates, but pointed out that schools' Title I funds range anywhere from hundreds of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars per school. 

As KPCC reported in July, only about 70 of the district's more than 500 elementary schools were on track to provide all four art forms (dance, visual arts, music and theater) for the 2014-2015 school year — a legal requirement under the California education code. 

Cheryl Sattler, senior partner with the Florida-based consulting firm Ethica, has worked closely with about 100 school districts nationwide and estimates only two have used Title I funding for the arts.

“The urgency is to try to get kids to read," she said, "and if you have kids, for example, in the 10th grade who are reading at a 3rd or 4th-grade level, it’s really hard to think past that, because that’s the emergency.” The arts are often left out of the conversation, according to Sattler, which means they're left out of funding.

“I think the issue is that largely principals, and school improvement committees, and other folks who are worried about academic performance don’t always look to the arts and they don’t always know the research about how powerful arts can be,” she said. 

The LAUSD directive described examples of arts integration activities that schools might consider:

• Invite community members to demonstrate or share their talents with students as a prompt for a writing assignment.
• Have students create models that display mathematical data pertaining to each planet of the solar system: distance from the sun, length of day and night, length of year, and day and night surface temperatures.
• Ask students to create a small piece of dance/movement that models their understanding of geometric concepts.
• Encourage students to explore the science of sound by utilizing rubber bands, oatmeal containers, coffee cans, balloons, etc. to construct one or more of the four families of musical instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.
• Have students write and perform a short skit to illustrate a literary character’s point of view.
• Provide a lesson on utilizing a software program to create an animated film that highlights key historical events that occurred during the Civil War (In this instance, the cost of the software program would be an appropriate Title I expenditure). 

Supporting Title I Schoolwide Program 2-19-2015

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

File: California school employees can now take their required training to spot child abuse and neglect by going online.; Credit: Cayoup/Flickr

Public school employees can take their required annual training to spot child abuse or neglect online, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced Monday.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our students,” Torlakson said in a written statement. “The new online training lessons will help school employees carry out their responsibilities to protect children and take action if they suspect abuse or neglect.”

A new California law requires school employees, including teachers, teacher aides, and substitute teachers, to show proof to their employers that they’ve taken the training.

“We were hearing anecdotally that there may have been suspicions of abuse and neglect that was not always reported and we wanted to do something about that issue,” said Stephanie Papas, a California Department of Education consultant.

Recent high-profile cases, such as that of former Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt, revealed that school employees failed to report allegations of abuse. Los Angeles Unified agreed to pay a record $140 million to settle claims filed by one group of students in the case and $30 million to a second group. Berndt is serving a 25-year sentence after pleading no contest to the charges of committing lewd acts on children.

Papas, who helped create the new two-hour online training, said the course will help employees tell if a child has been hurt from abuse or from an accident, for example.

“We have photos that are examples of, say, a welt that is in the shape of a belt buckle or a slap on a child’s cheek that’s left a hand imprint,” she said.

In-person trainings are more effective, she said, but they’re more expensive than online trainings. That pushed the Department of Education to provide the free online training for school districts still under budget constraints.

She said current employees have until this fall to show their school districts proof that they’ve taken the training.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

La Librería co-founders, Chiara Arroyo (left) and Celene Navarrete (right) at the opening of their brick and mortar store on West Washington Blvd in Mid-City, Feb 21, 2015. The store sells children literature in Spanish. ; Credit: Deepa Fernandes / KPCC

A new Mid-City store specializing in Spanish-language books for children may help chip away at a problem facing public schools expanding their dual-language programs and parents working to raise bilingual children: a lack of books beyond translations of "Curious George."

La Librería, the first children’s Spanish-language literature store in Los Angeles, opened Feb. 21 at a location on West Washington Boulevard. The brick-and-mortar is the dream of two moms who started out selling their volumes at book fairs.

When they first started out, co-founders Celene Navarrete and Chiara Arroyo couldn’t believe the lack locally of good, Spanish-language literature for children.

"Especially in Los Angeles, it was shocking to see the books that I read in Mexico, in my hometown, many of them were not available here," said Navarrete.

So Navarrete and Arroyo began traveling to Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and Spain to find authentic, Spanish-language children's books.

"We found the classics, we found the books that we read when we were little," she said.

Although 64 percent of Los Angeles' children are Latino, locating children's works in Spanish beyond translations of popular books in English isn't easy.

This matters to educators who say young children need to read and hear language-rich stories to expand their vocabulary and engage with characters in settings they recognize.

“I’ve been a bilingual educator since the '80s, and as an educator you’re always striving to look for authentic literature,” said Norma Silva, principal of the UCLA Lab School, a dual-language pre-kindergarten and elementary school attached to the university's Graduate School of Education.

By authentic literature, Silva means books originally written in Spanish, using the “luscious language” of rich descriptions and vivid characters. These writings often come from Spanish-speaking countries.

Books translated from English to Spanish aren't enough, Silva said. Besides rich language, Silva looks for books from different countries — "because it’s important that we’re able to delve deeply in understanding differences,” she said. Silva believes books need to reflect the diversity among the children and their families.

Since books from Mexico use different language and tell different tales than books from Guatemala, Colombia or Spain, Silva wants the children at her school to experience them all.

So that’s what adults want.  

According to Scholastic, one of the largest sellers in the U.S. of children's books in Spanish, kids have strong opinions about what they want to read. In a just completed survey, Scholastic found 91 percent of kids aged 6 to 17 said their favorite books were ones they picked themselves.

And kids age 6 to 8 are more likely to want characters that look like them than older kids.

The majority of the Spanish-language books in the March Scholastic catalog are translations of popular English language books, with a few books written in Spanish. The March catalog includes "Clifford the Dog" and stories about Sophia, the Disney princess, in Español.

"Kids who are Latino, they don’t just want to read books that are Latino or by Latino authors or with Latino characters — they want to be exposed to the diverse literature that is out there," said Mariel Lopez, who directs Scholastic's Spanish section.

Lopez adds that teachers in dual language immersion schools request Spanish language books which are translated from English so they can use the same book in both languages.

Luis Orozco, who has represented authors of books for Latino children for years, said changes in the publishing industry haven't helped writers of original Spanish-language works.

"As a result of the advent of technology, a lot of our [U.S.] publishers were forced to consolidate. So a book about a popular character that did well in English was easy to translate," he said.

But Orozco believes there is a major market among people who are eager for their kids to succeed and want more book choices for their children.

“They come to this country because they have better opportunities here," he said. "And the fact of the matter is that the traditional channels of distribution don’t have sales people that speak their language, that can speak to the authenticity of that product.”

At a recent presentation to parents, Orozco talked about the story, “Del Norte al Sur,” written by one of his authors, Rene Colato Lainez. It tackles the issue of family separation due to deportation.

After his talk, he said he sold out of every book.

Navarrete and Arroyo have scoured the Internet and traveled to Spanish-speaking countries to find authentic literature to sell. They found them, to their delight.

“There is this explosion of small independent [children’s] publishers in Spain, in Latin American countries,” Navarrete said. The two carefully selected books that would resonate with kids growing up in Los Angeles, and brought them back to stock their shelves.

At their store's grand opening on Feb. 21, parents and kids flooded in, devouring the books. One mother, bouncing her 10-month-old in a baby carrier, asked if the store had books from Guatemala.

To her surprise, the answer was "yes."

Arroyo and Navarrete hope eventually they can find a way for children to borrow their books for free, like a library. They said their goal is to break down barriers so that any child can read a book that speaks to them.

4 tips for finding and reading Spanish-language literature

1. Look for small or independent publishers that promote Latino authors and illustrators. Here are a few to start with:

• Lee & Low books
• Cinco Puntos Press
• Academia Cultural

2. Rich language matters. Browse for language in books that is rich and expressive. Children are never too young to be exposed to words heavy in imagery, that have double-meanings, or are alliterative. Through vivid descriptions, children can learn words to explain their own feelings and experiences.

3. Engage your children with the language as much as you engage them with the story. Explain the complex words and talk about context and meaning. Rich language can also help early readers with social emotional development, said Norma Silva of UCLA’s Lab School.

4. Besides books in hard copy, look for audio books. There is a long tradition of oral storytelling in many Latin American countries. Stories are told and passed on through generations, and today some Latino writers are also performers. Author Jose-Luis Orozco produces music, rhythms and basic literacy in addition to his stories.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The studio arts program at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif., includes courses in painting. ; Credit: Photo courtesy of Cal Lutheran/Brian Stethem

California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks has taken the first steps toward building a new, art center with a commitment of at least $8 million in contributions and matching funds.

Over the weekend, the university's board of regents voted to spend $300,0o0 on design and planning for the new project. The complex will include offices and art studios in about 25,000 to 30,000 square feet of space.

RELATED: Top 10 arts education stories for 2014

The center will be the new home for the school's art department, which is currently spread out across the campus. 

"The facilities that they're in now are really not optimal," said Karin Grennan, the media relations manager for the university. 

The school offers instruction in studio arts, design and commercial art, digital art and art history. 

Grennan said the new project will add to the university's recent art initiatives: in 2012, the faculty members launched an art conference that's attracted international interest. Two conferences have been held so far and the next one will take place in November. The university is also raising funds to build a new performing art center on campus. 

Art collector and real estate developer William Rolland pledged up to $4 million toward the art center project, an amount the university will match. 

Rolland has previously donated money to the university, including contributions for the football stadium and art gallery. Rolland spent several decades as a real estate developer in Ventura County, and once lived in Thousand Oaks. 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

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Bridges make travel faster and more convenient, but, in an earthquake, these structures are subject to forces that can cause extensive damage and make them unsafe. Now civil and environmental engineer Petros Sideris of Texas A&M University is leading a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded research project to investigate the performance of hybrid sliding-rocking (HSR) columns. HSR columns provide the same support as conventional bridge infrastructure columns but are more earthquake-resistant. HSR columns are a series of individual concrete segments held together by steel cables that allow for controlled sliding and rocking. This allows the columns to shift without damage, while post-tensioning strands ensure that at the end of an earthquake the columns are pushed back to their original position. Conventional bridges are cast-in-place monolithic concrete elements that are strong but inflexible. Structural damage in these bridge columns, typically caused by a natural disaster, often forces a bridge to close until repairs are completed. But bridges with HSR columns can withstand large earthquakes with minimal damage and require minor repairs, likely without bridge closures. Such infrastructure helps with post-disaster response and recovery and can save thousands in taxpayer dollars. In an earthquake, HSR columns provide "multiple advantages to the public," Sideris said. "By preventing bridge damage, we can maintain access to affected areas immediately after an event for response teams to be easily deployed, and help affected communities recover faster. In mitigating losses related to post-event bridge repairs and bridge closures, more funds can be potentially directed to supporting the recovery of the affected communities." According to Joy Pauschke, NSF program director for natural hazards engineering, "NSF invests in fundamental engineering research so that, in the future, the nation's infrastructure can be more resilient to earthquakes, hurricanes, and other forces of nature."

Image credit: Texas A&M University

Source: Peter Krauth for Streetwise Reports   05/05/2020

Gold has the wind in its sails. Its price in U.S. dollars is up an astounding 62% since late 2015, with a 33% gain in just the past year, outpacing all major assets.

And investors are only just starting to get interested.

The Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact is a major catalyst. More than $8 trillion in global fiscal stimulus has already been committed to alleviate unemployment and support struggling businesses. But it's almost certainly not enough.

"That sets up the perfect storm for X-Terra, making it a Strong BUY. With its outstanding initial drill results at the Grog property and the remarkable potential at Troilus East, I can easily see XTT double its market cap in the next 6-12 months, perhaps sooner."

Near-zero interest rates combined with unprecedented money-printing are creating ideal conditions for the ultimate inflation hedge: gold. And that's making junior gold equities the go-to sector as the metal rapidly approaches its all-time high.

Amidst all this, one junior gold explorer with a nascent exploration breakthrough could soar as the gold bull market moves into its next phase.

New Brunswick Could Host Large New Gold System

Bona fide new discoveries with district potential are rare. Participating early in one could be a life-changing event.

That's what makes X-Terra Resources Inc. (XTT:TSX.V; XTRRF:OTCMKTS; XTR:FSE) such a compelling investment right now. XTT shares are a Strong BUY, with the potential to double in the next 6–12 months.

Here's my rationale…

Its top two projects are in neighboring Canadian provinces, both among the highest-ranking gold mining jurisdictions globally.

In early March, X-Terra completed its inaugural drill program over the Grog and Northwest Properties in the province of New Brunswick along the McKenzie Fault. It comprised 1,904 meters over 16 holes.

Initial results are in, and they're impressive.

Hole GRG-20-012 identified gold mineralization over a significant width. One interval averaged 0.41 g/t gold over 36 meters, including 0.46 g/t gold over 31 meters and 7.59 g/t gold over 0.6 meters. The company points out that 6 of the remaining holes returned mineralized intervals between 0.1 g/t gold and 0.35 g/t gold.

X-Terra President and CEO Michael Ferreira said, "This is a significant exploration breakthrough, and reinforces our expectations that a large epithermal system is present. While more in-depth geological work, which includes drilling is needed, it remains evident that the 11 holes (1570 metres drilled) only covered a very small fraction of the targeted environment. Reaching a significant mineralized interval this shallow (From 107 metres to 143 metres, in GRG-20-012) is a milestone we were relentlessly pursuing after completing the limited field exploration programs based predominately on roadside trenching. The information obtained in this program will allow the detailed follow up on the Grog Target but also allow the company to refine and generate more high priority targets carrying the same geological characteristics to that of the Grog target. This provides a monumental shift moving forward."

HIGHLIGHTS FROM HOLE GRG-20-012

The beauty of this impressive drill hole intercept is its signature, which contains a wide alteration halo associated with sulfidation and quartz veining. Based on the geophysical data, they will be able to track the gold bearing system at depth using an advanced data processing approach combined with their geological knowledge.

The exploration team can now use the signature to formulate similar drill targets elsewhere on the property, with the potential for similar results.

Clearly, X-Terra's diligent, methodical and scientific approach has begun to pay off. Experience combined with a skilled overlay of induced polarization, magnetic surveys, sampling and trenching helped achieve this recent success.

Back in 2017, the company discovered high grade gold occurrences. That was followed up with further work, which delivered extensive anomalies scattered over roughly 30 km along the McKenzie Gulch regional Fault.

Their geologists then engaged a quick exploration cycle over the next 18 months, starting with an orientation geophysics survey, followed by trenching and drilling. They now have an initial model in progress, which involves an extensive magmatic hydrothermal system, and the targets generated so far are pluri-kilometric.

X-Terra is contemplating that it could be onto a brand new regional gold trend.

Such outstanding recent drill intercepts make for an even more exciting outlook. That's because future exploration targets will be chosen with a better understanding of the geological sequence. And that should improve the odds of more successful drill results.

But perhaps the biggest takeaway from hole GRG-20-012 is the suggestion that it demonstrates real potential for a large epithermal system. And that could mean a whole lot of gold lies beneath, something further exploration will answer.

Quebec Offers Huge Promise Near Large Developing Gold Mine

Despite the exciting outlook offered by the Grog area located in New Brunswick, X-Terra is far from being a one-trick pony.

Also bursting with massive untapped potential is the Troilus East Property, located in north-central Quebec.

X-Terra's Troilus East project is immediately adjacent to Troilus Gold Corp.'s former producing gold-copper mine. Even after 15 years of historic production, the Troilus Gold Project currently boasts 4.71 million ounces of gold equivalent in the Indicated category, plus 1.76 million ounces of gold equivalent in the Inferred category.

Early last year, X-Terra announced the completion of a high-resolution magnetic survey on the Troilus-East property. Management continues to advance the project, using the same diligent and methodical scientific approach that has brought success to the Grog discovery. XTT will be using magnetic signatures to perform follow-up work, looking to identify geological contexts with characteristics similar to those of the Troilus gold-copper mineral deposit.

Since tripling its land position, X-Terra has locked up the largest adjacent land claims to Troilus Gold of any public company.

That's exciting, as Troilus Gold is considered by some as the largest—or at least one of the largest—undeveloped gold deposits in North America. And that could well make X-Terra a future target should Troilus Gold or other players look to lock up more of the adjacent land.

People and Projects Offer Massive Potential

As is often the case, people are as important to a junior explorer's success as its properties. As a former professional motorcycle racer, X-Terra President and CEO Michael Ferreira saw the potential of resource exploration to create immense value for shareholders. Now living full-time in the Quebec mining town of Rouyn Noranda, Ferreira has judiciously curated a winning team.

Dr. Michael Byron, Ph.D., P.Geo. and a company director, has thirty years of field work, research and senior management positions across gold, base-metals, diamond and gemstone exploration. He was instrumental in re-discovering Falco Resources' leading asset, the Horne 5 deposit.

A testament to the quality of management is XTT's rare combination of tight share structure and quality projects. On a fully diluted basis, there are just 80 million shares outstanding, with management's skin in the game representing 6% of ownership.

As I see it, X-Terra's combination of quality management with exceptional high potential projects is starting to bear fruit. Its New Brunswick-located Grog and Northwest project, along with its Troilus East project located in Quebec, are highly prospective.

Given that the global fiscal and monetary response to the coronavirus has generated a tsunami of money printing, the gold market is kicking into high gear.

That sets up the perfect storm for X-Terra, making it a Strong BUY. With its outstanding initial drill results at the Grog property and the remarkable potential at Troilus East, I can easily see XTT double its market cap in the next 6–12 months, perhaps sooner.

In my view these are the early days of a string of successful exploration results, making XTT.V radically undervalued, for now.

Peter Krauth is a former portfolio adviser and a 20-year veteran of the resource market, with special expertise in energy, metals and mining stocks. He has been editor of a widely circulated resource newsletter, and contributed numerous articles to Kitco.com, BNN Bloomberg and the Financial Post. Krauth holds a Master of Business Administration from McGill University and is headquartered in resource-rich Canada.

Disclosure:
1) Peter Krauth: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: None. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: X-Terra Resources. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: None. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector.
2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: X-Terra Resources. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with X-Terra Resources. Please click here for more information. An affiliate of Streetwise Reports is conducting a digital media marketing campaign for this article on behalf of X-Terra Resources. Please click here for more information. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy.
4) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.
5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of X-Terra Resources, a company mentioned in this article.

( Companies Mentioned: XTT:TSX.V; XTRRF:OTCMKTS; XTR:FSE, )

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