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Tag Archives: “Supplemental Environmental Projects”

Settling Federal Environmental Enforcement Claims — Some Payments to Third Parties May Be Allowed (But Not Many)

Earlier this month, Jeffrey Wood, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Environment and Natural Resources issued a memorandum expanding on Jeff Sessions’ memorandum of June 5, 2017, generally barring payments to third parties as part of government settlements.  (And, yes, I know there should be another “s” after the apostrophe, but I’m hereby announcing a new rule; if I can’t pronounce it, I’m not writing it!) The Wood Memorandum affirms – of course – the June 5 Memorandum,… More

Reports of the Death of the SEP Have Not Been Greatly Exaggerated

Last month, Attorney General Sessions barred DOJ from entering into settlements that provide for payments to non-governmental persons not a party to the dispute.  At the time, I peered into my crystal ball and proclaimed that the practice of incorporating supplemental environmental projects into environmental settlements was “hanging by a thread.” For once, my speculation was accurate.

Yesterday, DOJ notified the District Court for the District of Columbia that the United States and Harley-Davidson had jointly agreed to modify a consent decree that had already been lodged with the Court. … More

Attorney General Sessions Bars Settlement Payments to Third Parties: RIP SEPs?

Earlier this week, Attorney General Sessions issued a brief memorandum barring DOJ from entering into any civil or criminal settlement that would provide for a payment by a defendant to any non-governmental person that is not a party to the dispute.

Where does this leave the common practice of mitigating enforcement penalties through the implementation of Supplemental Environmental Projects?  Hanging on by a thread, I’d say.… More

Coming Soon to a Settlement Near You: Next Generation Compliance

In a memorandum issued earlier this month, EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement Cynthia Giles encouraged use by EPA staff of “Next Generation Compliance Tools” in civil settlements.  Some of the tools are more “next generation” than others, but they all bear watching by the regulated community.  The specific tools highlighted in the Giles memorandum include:

  • Advanced monitoring, including real-time monitoring of ambient pollution levels at the facility fence-line or in the immediate neighborhood
  • Third party compliance verification
  • Electronic reporting
  • Increased public availability of compliance data

To me,… More


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Law School Discussion

Fordham Full Price

Re: Fordham Full Price
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2009, 06:00:30 PM »
This is a total anecdote BUT I have a friend who is a 2L at Fordham who passed up a full ride at Brooklyn to go to Fordham.  He has regretted that choice ever since his first semester.  Just sayin'...

He has nothing against the school (it's great, obviously), it's just ridiculously expensive (not that most schools aren't).

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Re: Fordham Full Price
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2009, 01:48:02 AM »
quick tangent: Battles and Refused RULE. Glad somebody else listens to them!

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Law School Discussion

Wake vs Emory

Wake vs Emory
« on: April 04, 2012, 02:30:05 PM »
All things considered (previous debt, interest, COL, costs for significant other, etc.)

Wake Forest would cost me about 100k, maybe less. (Received scholarship covering most of tuition)

Emory would cost me about 160k, again maybe less.

This is assuming modest tuition increases of roughly 1.5k a year, but Emory seems to increase more and that's hard to predict.

I have no preference for the areas and am a geographically diverse candidate. One side of my family lives in the south, the other in the north.

Is Emory worth 60k more?

Re: Wake vs Emory
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2012, 10:57:28 AM »
Definitely if you would be interested in working in Atlanta.  Not as much so if you'll be looking elsewhere.

Re: Wake vs Emory
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2012, 05:52:09 PM »
For those who stumble upon this later,

I decided on Wake Forest for a couple of reasons. The extra debt was just too much from Emory and the difference in employment prospects isn't great enough for me to justify.

Wake Forest seems to give me a better chance of slipping into my target market, however hard that market is to crack. Either one has an equally low probability of getting me into DC or back home.

Either way I have to crush grades and be in the top 10%. I thought I had a better chance of doing that at WFU due to lower class sizes and less anxiety about taking out any more than a 10k bet per semester.

Re: Wake vs Emory
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2012, 08:50:16 AM »
Congratulations! and good luck.


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Home >

Latest Articles > Electric Equipment > Video Borescope Can Make Inspection Easy That Cannot out Be Reached out Manually

Video Borescope Can Make Inspection Easy That Cannot out Be Reached out Manually

Special tools and equipment's are required to visualize things that cannot be seen with a naked eye. Especially when it comes to inspecting internal parts of device or a machine that are hard to reach out you have to rely on invaluable tools like video borescope. These borescopes can be used for different applications across all industries to find defects in different devices and machines without doing any harm to them. The borescope can be used to inspect gas turbines, heat exchanges, air turbines etc for non-destructive testing and diagnosis of defects in the products. It is possible to take pictures or capture videos using this borescope that is available in different models and features tro catch still of live images in the best quality for assessment. The video borescope uses a miniature camera that is integrated at the tip of the insertion probe with CMOS image sensors that can be transferred to the TV monitors or the PC for inspection. The main products in borescope are the articulation borescope, pipe borescope, USB borescope and the Wifi borescope.

The fibrescope can be used to inspect devices related to different industries like automotive, aviation, buildings, power generation, oil and gas, security, welding and many more as it can be easily inserted in different angles into the devices to capture images for diagnosis. The video borescope in articulation model is available in both economy and premium. This borescope offers two way articulation as well as four way articulation so that it can independently rotate the tip at 270 and 360 degrees that can best probe through gas, oil, diesel proof and rugged enough to sustain the daily inspections. By using this borescope it becomes quite easy to inspect different application parts in aircraft and power generation like turbine blades, cooling tubes, combustion chambers etc with the necessity to actually tear down the engine or the systems. This comes with splash proof design and also two images comparison on a single screen. It is also possible in some models to show nine image in a grid mode on the monitor.

According to your requirements you can check out for the best model and specifications in the fibrescope or the vedio boroscope that can detect things that are not visible or reachable manually. All the products are available in the best quality in competitive rates for you to find one that is best suitable for your applications.

Easily foundable problems in pipes, drains and sewer lines with our range of Steerable and CCTV Pipe Inspection Camera,Push Rod and Crawler Inspection Camera. available at utilicom.com.au. Get more Drain Cameras looking to our Webiste @ http://www.utilicom.com.au/cctv-pipe-inspection-cameras/

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Tigers pounce on Knights

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By Jessica Veatch and Josh Veatch

The Marion County Knights varsity boys basketball team went on the road to take on the Bardstown Tigers Tuesday of last week. The Tigers out-rebounded and overpowered the Knights as Bardstown defeated Marion County by 25 points in an 85-60 loss, dropping their record to 12-8. Seniors Deshawn Douglas and Josh Brockman led the way for the Knights scoring 13 and 12 points respectively.

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Partnership Laws in India

Partnership is defined as a relation between two or more persons who have agreed to share the profits of a business carried on by all of them or any of them acting for all. The owners of a partnership business are individually known as the "partners" and collectively as a "firm". An agreement for forming partnership may oral or written. The threat to one's business may not be the actions of your competitors but instead a dispute with your business partners. If you are sensing or experiencing a serious dispute with your partner that is escalating and affecting your business operations, you ought to implement immediate measures to secure your business and the equity interests you hold in such partnership. Disputes involving partners can be complex and high stakes affairs. Specialist advice is required and we are proficient in advising partners to resolve all types of disputes involving their membership of partnerships. We adopt appropriate methods of dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration, to resolve the many differences that can arise between partners, including disputes over profit share or liability, disagreements over client ownership or difficulties arising out of ambiguously or poorly worded partnership deeds.


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Armed Forces Act 2006

Section 383: Commencement

767.This section provides for certain sections to come into effect on Royal Assent (when, that is, the Act becomes an Act). The sections are:

  • Section 359, which creates a pardon for persons executed for particular offences committed between the 4th August 1914 and the 11th November 1918;

  • section 373, which provides how orders, regulations and rules under the Act are to be made;

  • section 382, which provides for the renewal and expiry of the SDAs and the Act (the repeal of section 1 of the Armed Forces Act 2001, which currently governs the renewal and repeal of the Service Discipline Acts, is accordingly repealed at the same time);

  • section 384, which provides for the Act to extend to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the British overseas territories; and

  • section 386, which gives the Act its short title – the Armed Forces Act 2006.

768.The section also provides for the Secretary of State to bring into force the other provisions of the Act on days appointed by order. These commencement orders are statutory instruments but are not subject to parliamentary procedure.

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Image details

Coffee Seller

by Adeel S. Halim

<<  [4 / 15]  >>
a man sells coffee in pemba, tanzania.

Reportage - Colour

Collectors Limited Edition (Signed)

Our collectors limited editions are all Giclee prints with a 70 year archival life and exclusively available in 20" by 16". They are printed on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Art Paper for a stunning finish and are signed and numbered by the artists themselves. These come with a pair of cotton gloves for ease of print handling. Should you require a signed print in a different size please use the contact form and let us know your requirements. The price of our Collectors Edition Prints may rise after the sale of 50% of an edition.
  Size (inch) Size (mm) Edition of Price
 CE  20.00 x 16.00  508 x 406  250  £532.00

Standard (UnSigned)

All our unsigned prints are High End Digital C Types with a 70 year archival life. The print quality is superb and the choice of many museums and galleries for their exhibitions and archival printing. Some photographers prefer their smaller images printed as giclees please see signed prints for more information. All images are printed to the maximum width or height of your chosen size. The other dimension will fall somewhere within the size you have chosen, please see view image as finished print for more details.
  Size (inch) Size (mm) Edition of Price
 P0  40.00 x 30.00  1,016 x 762  UnLimited  £195.00
 P1  30.00 x 20.00  762 x 508  UnLimited  £150.00
 P2  24.00 x 20.00  610 x 508  UnLimited  £120.00
 P3  16.00 x 12.00  406 x 305  UnLimited  £85.00

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Coffee Seller


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305 Patmore Ln Nicholasville, KY 40356

$274,900 Price History
1,806 Sq.Ft. On Site: 11 Days
3 Beds
2 Baths
Built: 2017
This home has so many upgrades you will not want to pass this one up! As you enter this beautiful all brick Ranch home you will notice that there is a smooth transition from the driveway to the front porch and also no steps in the garage. It has engineered hardwood flooring & ceramic tile. So NO carpet. These sellers upgraded with a steel beam so there are no posts or columns to make it a completely open family and kitchen space. Granite countertops, stainless appliances & brushed nickel fixtures in the kitchen and both bathrooms. There is an extra large garage for that larger vehicle & extra large laundry room with tub. In the garage there are hook ups for a water filtration system & water softener system as well as a water line for a garage refrigerator & floored attic. The extra bonus is the added on attached shed/storage room/workroom at the back of the house. The heat and cooling unit is included with the house. Shopping, doctors, & restaurants close by!
Property Type:Single Family Residence
MLS #:1804687
Year Built:2017
Sq. Feet:1806
On Site:11 Days
Lot Size:0.19 Acres

Detailed Maps

Price Change History

Date Old Price New Price Percent Change

Community Information

Address:305 Patmore Ln Nicholasville, KY 40356
Subdivision:Ash Tree
Zip Code:40356

School Information

School System:Jessamine County
High School:West Jess HS
Middle School:W Jessamine
Elementary School:Rosenwald

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Year Built:2017
Style:1 Story
Construction Type: Brick Veneer, Siding - Vinyl
Roof: Shingle, Dimensional Style
Foundation: Slab
Garage: Yes
Garage/Carport Type: 2 Car Attached, Garage Door Opener, Remote Ctrl Included

Features / Amenities

Total Sq. Ft.:1806
Interior Features: Specialty Ceilings, Ceiling Fan(s), Walk-in Closets, Washer-Dryer Hook-up
Floor: Tile, Wood
Appliances: Range, Microwave, Dishwasher, Disposal, Refrigerator
Dining Facilities: Eat In Kitchen, Kitchen Bar
Misc. Features: Foyer, Master Bdrm 1st Flr., Bedroom 1st Floor, Great Room, Separate Utility Rm.
Exterior Features: Insulated Glass, Window Screens, Patio, Storage Shed
Fuel: Gas
Heating: Forced Air
Air Condition: Electric
Water Heater: Electric

Property Features

Lot Size: 0.19 Acres
Location: Homeowners Asoc., Underground Utility
Sewer: Public Sewer
Water: City
Directions:Nicholasville Rd to Brannon Crossing. Turn left. Go to Grey Oak and turn left. Take first right on Elk Grove Dr. To to stop sign and take a right onto Patmore. House is on the right.

Tax and Financial Info

HOA Fee: 200.00
HOA Frequency: Annually

SchoolsClick map icons below to view information for schools near 305 Patmore Ln Nicholasville, KY 40356.

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Listing Information Last Updated 3/19/2018
Listing provided courtesy of Kentucky House and Home, LLC.
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange Program. Real estate listings held by IDX Brokerage firms other than Rector Hayden Realtors are marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo or the Internet Data Exchange thumbnail logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing IDX Brokers. This information is provided exclusively for personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

The Broker providing these data believes them to be correct, but advises interested parties to confirm them before relying on them in a purchase decision. Information deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.
Property Summary

305 Patmore Ln
Nicholasville, KY 40356

MLS®: 1804687

List Price: $274,900

MLS # 1804687: This property at 305 Patmore Ln, Nicholasville, KY 40356 is located in the Ash Tree subdivision and is listed for $274,900. MLS # 1804687 has been on the market for 10 days.


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October 27, 2017
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Corbin Theatre
15 N. Water Street

Liberty, MO 64068
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CORBIN THEATRE: Mornings at Seven

Friday, October 27, 2017

In a small Midwestern town in the 1920s, four sisters lives are turned upside down when one sister's son brings his fiancee home to meet his eccentric family for the first time. Please check out for details on this fabulous play.

Tickets are available at:
  • Liberty Community Center, 1600 S. Withers Road
  • Liberty City Hall, 101 E. Kansas St.
  • Online


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30 Jun 2015

A few months ago, I added two ukuleles to my library’s circulating collection. They both got checked out within an hour and I haven’t seen them since. I don’t mean that they’ve been stolen or destroyed or lost. No, they’re so popular that when they’re returned to the library, they get checked out again almost immediately. Our ukuleles have been so popular, we had to add two more; now they’re gone too. If this continues, each of our ukuleles will circulate about 25 times per year. That’s huge. The average item in Massachusetts libraries circulates about 1.3 times annually. It may seem a little strange to borrow a ukulele from a library, but it is certainly popular.

And it’s not just ukuleles: you can also borrow telescopes, soil testers, stud finders, metal detectors, board games, cake pans, and pedometers, and I’m always on the lookout for other “unusuals” to add to the collection.

And it’s not just my library. A small but growing number of public libraries have added unusuals to their collections, and I’ve been encouraging more libraries to do the same. In October 2014, I presented a poster at the Small Libraries Forum showing that unusual items are affordable, impactful, and in keeping with the typical library mission. This past April, I gave a lightning talk at a technical services conference in which I argued that unusuals are easy to add to library collections. In October, I’ll be giving a 75-minute comprehensive presentation on unusual items at the New England Library Association annual conference. I’ll cover everything from acquisition to assessment.

One of the first questions I’ll cover is a simple one: why circulate unusual items?

Well, there are a number of perfectly good reasons. You can probably guess most of them:
  • Circulation
  • Cost
  • Patron feedback
  • Library mission

My favorite reason might not occur to you, though. I advocate circulating unusual items because they are a tangible representation of the future of libraries. Yes, libraries are changing, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It’s true that we’re not totally sure how to make ebooks work in a library setting, and yes, Netflix may be decreasing our DVD circulations somewhat, but haven’t you always wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument? Here, try one of ours.

It is crucial for our communities to be excited about the future of libraries, and I think the future of libraries is legitimately very exciting. Unusual items help give voice to that excitement.

If you’re thinking about adding unusual items to your library and have questions, please get in touch with me. I’d love to talk to you and help you get started

25 Jun 2015

Bear V Shark (...or Discovery platforms V Google Scholar)

This post has been prompted by many sources: my own experiences as both a teacher and a researcher; a keynote at the recent Lir Annual Seminar on Thinking the Unthinkable - Utrecht University Library's decision to drop their discovery service and rely on Google Scholar; articles like this which highlight that whilst Google Scholar may be lacking in authority it offers an attractively comprehensive index; and this one too, which finds "no significant performance difference between the two discovery services [Summon & EDS] and Google Scholar for known-item searches. However, Google Scholar outperformed [emphasis added] both discovery services for topical searches" (Ciccone & Vickery, 2015*).

I'm perhaps a little unusual as librarians go, in that I firmly consider myself a pragmatist. A lot of the time, I subscribe to the 'good enough' approach when it comes to searching for information - enough being the key word here (caveat: obviously this is in the context of the specific user's needs i.e. most people I see are not doing systematic reviews or PhD level research but studying to get a degree and a job in the real world). Most students don't need every article ever published; they need a reasonable selection and more importantly in my opinion, the ability and skills to filter,evaluate and use them. For the most part, our graduates will not go on to be academic researchers; they will become teachers, entrepreneurs, office workers, policy analysts, managers. They will leave our libraries behind, and with it, their access to subscription databases and content. Where can they look for information now?

Most of us would agree that discovery platforms are not ideal for detailed, systematic or comprehensive searching, but rather work best when used as a scoping or initial searching tool to inform further searching on specialist academic databases. Indeed this is where they excel - and the same goes for Google Scholar. Yes, the volume of results is overwhelming. You would never be able to look through them all, but that's really not the point. Moreover, most library discovery tools are exactly the same in this respect. GS is intuitive, it's simple, and it's associated with one of the biggest brand names in the world.  When linked to a library's subscription resources, it provides easy access to paid-for content, as well as a lot of openly available content that may not show up in a discovery service (repositories and hybrid journals for example, for more on the latter see here). Sure, library visibility may be lower on GS than with an in-house or rebranded discovery platform, but if we are relying solely on generic, widely available publisher content to demonstrate our value to our users, we probably won't last long anyway.

Discovery services do offer one big advantage over GS, that is, the inclusion and integration of the library's catalogue. However, our catalogues are still very useful tools in their own right, and sometimes people just want to see what books we have on the shelves without the noise and inconsistent metadata that discovery services can sometimes open up. There is also the obvious risk that libraries might potentially become very dependent on Google, who could simply remove their Scholar service overnight if they so wished. This possibility is extremely unlikely in the short term in my view, and in the long run, well...

For some libraries, especially smaller ones, using GS instead of a discovery product may free up valuable resources (both financial and human) to concentrate on other areas where we can create much more value for our users, such as developing our unique and distinctive collections, and focusing on the expertise that our staff can offer our users. We are always claiming our users want a "Google search experience". If this is true, why not give it to them?

*Ciccone, K., & Vickery, J. (2015). Summon, EBSCO Discovery Service, and Google Scholar: A Comparison of Search Performance Using User Queries. Evidence Based Library And Information Practice, 10(1), 34-49. Retrieved fromhttp://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23845/17954

17 Jun 2015

Undertaking the Lead (Leadership Equality & Diversity) Programme

Guest post by Bernadette Mellon, MU Library

The LEAD Programme was recently established by the IUA Equality network.  It’s an eLearning programme focusing on equality in higher education. The programme is being rolled out by the Human Resources (HR) Department at Maynooth University and is also available in other Irish universities. The HR Department asked the Library to do a pilot of the programme for the University. I was pleased to be part of the pilot group of eight.  I have some experience with online learning, having co-ordinated the National Disability Authority’s online elearning programme here a few years ago.  I wrote about that for An Leabharlann and for Sconul Focus.  I also presented two posters on the programme, which can be viewed online (1, 2).

The LEAD online programme is free of charge. Register online at: http://www.leadequalitynetwork.com/. The Programme is very clearly presented and easy to follow. There are five modules and it is estimated that completing all of these will take two to three hours

The five modules are:
  • Understanding diversity
  • What’s it got to do with you?
  • From compliance to commitment
  • Recruitment and Selection
  • Dignity and Respect
It took me approximately two hours overall to complete the five modules. I found it very useful that I could dip in and out of the programme and didn’t have to finish it at one sitting. If you don’t login for a few weeks you will get an email reminder, which is automatically generated. The programme explains the nine areas covered by Irish Equality legislation.  It also links to the equality policies in each of the universities.  The programme combines interactive audio, vox pop scenarios, text and interactive questions, opinions from university staff countrywide as well as a text only option. There are quick fire question/answer sessions and an overall assessment when each module has been completed. Modules are very clearly laid out with a list of learning outcomes at the start and a series of assessment questions at the end. Nine out of thirteen questions need to be answered correctly to pass the course. The layout is very fresh and up to date. I found the ‘Opinions on Diversity’ section particularly informative and interesting as it contained personal thoughts of people from several cultures on what their idea of diversity was. Regardless of the words used to describe a person’s idea of equality and diversity it all comes down to the same thing acceptance and fairness.

After completing the programme I felt that I have a much better understanding and knowledge of what equality and diversity is. I feel that this will bring many things that will enhance me both professionally and privately; curiosity about different cultures, which can sometimes be lost during day to day life, awareness of gender equality, tolerance, empathy and a realisation never to pre-judge.
I would strongly recommend this course to everyone.

After successfully completing this excellent course it was a delight to print off my certificate of achievement.

bernadette.mellon [@] nuim.ie
Posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 | Categories:

14 Jun 2015

Two useful librarian seminars in June

We had our second annual library seminar at DBS Library last Friday, which caused quite a stir on Twitter (great). Below are two free webinars that neatly weave themselves in as constructive follow-ups along some of the themes that we covered on the day.

Tuesday, 30th June, 14:30 – 15:15 GMT
There is a growing rift between those who believe the library's most fundamental purpose is to support and advance the goals of its host institution and those who believe the library's most important role is as an agent of progress and reform in the larger world of scholarly communication. Although these two areas of endeavour are not mutually exclusive, they are in competition for scarce resources and the choices made between them have serious implications at both the micro level (for the patrons and institutions served by each library) and the macro level (for members of the larger academic community).

The tension between these two worldviews is creating friction within librarianship itself: as tightening budgets increasingly force us to choose between worthy programs and projects, there is growing conflict between those whose choices reflect one worldview and those who hold to the other. How this conflict plays out over the next few years may have significant implications for the scholars who depend on libraries for access to research content and for the publishers and other vendors for whom libraries are a core customer base. (Provided by UKSG)

Wednesday, 17th June, 17:30 – 18:30 GMT
It’s easy to have some successes in our library’s social media efforts. Unfortunately, it’s even easier to fail. Whether it is how we begin in our social media efforts or how we focus on informing instead of engaging, many libraries have tasted the bitterness of failure. The good news is, we can learn from the mistakes and failures of others and not repeat their mistakes.

This fast-paced interactive and fun webinar program will show you (rather poignantly) how to improve your social media presence and your outcomes in connecting with your users.

We will include examples of failing and succeeding from the social media pages of many public and academic libraries. This program is appropriate for beginners and veterans in your library’s social media efforts. (Provided by Utha State Library)
Posted on Sunday, June 14, 2015 | Categories:

12 Jun 2015

Reflections on inaugural CONUL Conference

CONUL (Consortium of National University Libraries) held their inaugural conference in Athlone on the 3/4 June. The conference theme was Innovation and Evolution: Challenges and Opportunities for 21st Century Academic and Research Libraries.
The general consensus was that there was very much to learn from and enjoy in the very packed, very organised, programme. Word back from the 136 delegates was that it was an excellent event full of interesting talks, ideas, networking, and as LAI president Philip Cohen put it, buzz, excitement and great 'fun'.

What follows are personal reflections on #conulconf15 by two of the delegates.

Sarah Moore’s keynote delivered plenty to think about – not just in terms of how we support teaching and learning – but the place of libraries in higher education more generally. At times perhaps we fall victim to an “under the radarness”, whilst many of our users either over-simplify or over-complicate our role. This idea that we need to work on communicating our message, service, and value in a way that our users and other stakeholders can connect with and understand, resonated with a number of the other presentations throughout the conference: Josh Clark’s (UCD) discussion of the emerging and growing need for a dedicated Outreach unit within an academic library; Fiona Tuohy’s (MU) examples of engaging users and enhancing visibility using online tools; and Bernadette Gardiner and Emma Boyce’s experience of using a blog to showcase the work of MU Library as part of the quality review process. Mary Delaney’s (IT Carlow) presentation on exploring information literacy from outside the LIS lens also served as a reminder that sometimes people see our work in very different ways than we might. In this context, the way that we communicate our role to others becomes all the more critical.

The importance of becoming more visible at the ‘top table’ does not just have implications for how we package and sell our existing and traditional services however, but also for how we must adapt our skills and structures to changing times and needs. In many ways, we are are only at the beginning of this journey. Some of these emerging opportunities include the potential for both libraries and librarians to become involved in growing areas such as medical humanities as showcased by Jane Burns (RCSI); innovative uses of library space like those highlighted by Frank Brady and Lorna Dodd (MU),  Peter Dudley (DCU) and Karen Latimer (QUB); bringing the world of makerspaces inside the doors of the library (Connell Cunningham, NUIG); and the potential for using open access books in a sector still dominated by traditional publishing models (Aine Lynch, ITB). As we know however, change is the only constant in life, and libraries and librarians must continuously look towards new opportunities to partner with, and deliver value to, our users.

Prior to the conference the stream I was most looking forward to was Emerging Roles and Services.  Josh Clarke's talk on UCD's outreach team and programme was of particular interest to me. It was great to see a library investing in a dedicated outreach team to promote the library and the work it does. His talk contained much detailed advice for any other libraries looking to invest in such a team and programme.  I enjoyed Monica Crump's paper on the evolution of a reading list programme. It was an excellent overview of the benefits, the pitfalls and the lessons learned at NUI Galway.  Mary Delaney, IT Carlow, provided a theoretical underpinning for Information Literacy programmes and though IL in libraries is in no way a new or emerging role her slant looking at the democratisation of information and the creation of literate digital citizens in an information overloaded world is something that library staff should be more involved in.

The big surprise for me was how interesting I found the Unique and Distinctive Collections papers. Sinead Keogh, UL,  pointed out in her paper how important UDCs are to Irish academic libraries in an IRElised age when one library collection can be pretty much similar to another. It is UDCs that will help to distinguish one library collection from another. I loved how UL are using the Armstrong collection to engage can with the wider world. They are creating a soap opera that makes you want to come back every day. Cronan O Doibhlin, UCC, explored how many library UDCs are now moving away from the traditional types of collections to more outlier or counter cultural collections. Elaine Harrington looked at how UCC are engaging in programmes that encourage undergraduate - a non traditional UDC user - to use UDCs in the course of their undergrad studies. Catch them young was her suggestion.

The Assessment and Evaluation thread - Michelle Dalton, UCD, Peter Corrigan, Ronan Kennedy (both NUIG) provided essential insights into how we can gain more substantial feedback from our users on the services we provide than many of us currently do.

For somebody who has spent most of his library life working in Information Services and teaching undergraduates the Information Skills slot - Elaine Bean, MU, Jack Hyland, DCU and Brian Gillespie, DIT, did not disappoint. A good mix of case study and theory. (As an aside, Jack is my joint winner of Introduction of the day as he said a very cute hello to his two kids as they watched the live stream from home)

The Staffing our Services session was: (1) scary - Joseph Green, UCD, talked about how he tracks down web bots in a quest to see how many views of items on the UCD repository are actually by 'real' people, (2) inspiring - Jane Burns talked about medical humanities in the Digital world and how these two worlds can be joined (3) food for much further deeper discussion - Debra McCann, UCD, talked about the use of non core staff - Students - to provide core services.

The Research and Communications session provided an insight into how MU is now communicating with their users (Fiona Turley  - my joint winner of best introduction as she asked us to ignore the thumping noise in the background - her heart - as she spoke). It provided an insight into how MU uses blogging as a way to raise the profile of the services they provide and to enhance the Quality Review process (Bernadette Gardiner, Emma Boyce) and how two separate departments in UCD - UCD Research and UCD Library are collaborating (Michael Ladisch)

And to finish this overview of speakers I cannot leave out the keynotes Marshall Breeding and Sarah Moore or the pre dinner speaker Mary O Rourke.

And to sum up I have concur with Sarah Moore's call for library staff to crash 'the party' and make ourselves visible at the top table. I would take it further and say we need to make ourselves visible at every table in the place. We need to be more vocal and loud about what we do. This conference showed that we do much great work, instigate exciting projects and provide an essential service to all our stakeholders. We need to be more vocal about it!!!

Plenary sessions talks will soon be posted on the Conul Conference YouTube Channel
Presentations will soon be available on Slideshare

8 Jun 2015

HSLG 2015 Conference, (Athlone 14/15 May) Joint Report

This is a joint report of the recent HSLG 2015 Conference recently held in Athlone. It is written by Delegate and speaker Maura Flynn and Elaine Harrington who followed the event on Twitter.
The idea for the #blogoff came from an exchange on Twitter. We were happy to oblige...

Maura Flynn - (Health Sciences Librarian at UCC Library)

Day 1 featured parallel day long CPD sessions, featuring critical appraisal training and secondly presentation, communication and management skill training.  I opted for the former, which was delivered by Mala Mann, Cardiff University.  Mala has considerable experience of undertaking systematic reviews and evidence syntheses projects.  I have written an overview of my thoughts on Day 1 for HINT.
The walls were graced with posters on a variety of topics from Louise Farragher, Bennery Rickard, Mairea Nelson, Diarmuid Stokes and Niamh O’Sullivan.  Unfortunately I could not attend the AGM or Conference Dinner but I’d love to hear about both in the comments from those who attended.
Day 2 began with a presentation by Dr. Sara Burke, a health policy analyst, journalist and broadcaster.  Sara provided a very informative presentation about the current healthcare situation, policy commitments versus delivered improvements, sustainability, equity of access and financial considerations.  She highlighted the fact that some of our practices, for example, charging for Primary Health Care and Emergency Department visits, do not happen elsewhere in Europe.  In spite of equity issues, Sara argues that there have been some improvements recently, such as quality improvements in some areas, from the National Clinical Programmes, reduced drug costs etc.  However significant challenges remain and Sara suggests that the current crisis is largely due to bad decisions made and good decisions not made.  Sara also spoke about the work of Richard Corbridge, the HSE’s Chief Information Officer and recommended Richard’s blog.  Interestingly Sara said also that she wasn’t aware of Health Science Librarians before being invited to speak at the conference, so again this emphasises the need for increasing visibility of Health Science Librarians!
Next up was Jane Burns, from RCSI, who spoke about transferrable skills of Librarians into Research Environments.  Jane’s presentation was very inspiring as she shared her own insights about transitioning between roles using a framework called RITE:

Jane Burns, HSLG 2015 slide from presentation:  Evolution or Extinction Transferable Skills of Librarians in Research Environments

Jane showed the interconnectedness of these skills and shared how she moved into a research-based role with self-directed upskilling.
Next up was Diarmuid Stokes, who explored the evolution of subject support in UCD Library, from 1997 to date, using a variety of different content management systems, including terminal 4 and LibGuides.  In 2011 UCD Library removed such guides, but subsequently reinstated and effectively reinvented them using LibGuides.
Next up was Anne O’Byrne who provided a history of the National Document Supply Co-Operative amongst Healthcare Libraries.  Commencing in 1982 as a communication forum, it progressed in 1991 to form the Irish Healthcare Libraries Inter-Lending Co-Operative, a non-profit document supply service. Anne acknowledged the contributions of many past Co-Operative members.  Current constraints include a loss of members and holdings, due to staff shortages, changes to copyright and licensing.  Anne highlights the importance of retaining the goodwill and motivation which underpinned the Co-Operative despite the challenging current environment.
Laura Rooney-Ferris gave the next presentation about developing a workshop with a Clinical Psychologist on social media and grief.  Laura shared some of the theory behind this concept, which was fascinating. The workshop was developed to make professionals aware of how social media platforms can be used by the bereaved and the pros and cons of same and finally to encourage them to evaluate social media usage in this context.
I delivered the final presentation before lunch about my experience contributing to reviews in multidisciplinary teams within UCC.  My presentation focussed primarily on lessons learned.
After lunch, a fiesty debate took place entitled: Health Librarianship: The Dodo or the Phoenix.  I can’t accurately summarise all of the excellent arguments made by both teams, but some points that stood out for me were:
·       Many “information” roles are now becoming ICT roles, with the Chief Information Officer post was a central example, as this is an ICT role.
·       We need to become more research orientated to achieve increased credibility and recognition.
·       Roles are being “diluted”, for example one debater’s role strongly involves communication and web management.
·       The question was posed as to whether we would be replaced if we left/took extended leave.
·       A New England Journal of Medicine article from 2005 about Medical Libraries in 2015 was mentioned.  It highlights the important role that Libraries play in providing high quality healthcare, education and research.
·       We need to talk to non-librarians about what we do!
Well done to Louise, Niamh, Katherine, Gerry, Laura, Caroline who all debated so brilliantly!  A fascinating discussion ensued moderated by Diarmuid and a tie vote resulted.  The poster prize went to a very deserving Niamh O’Sullivan, who has very kindly agreed to share it.

Courtesy of Niamh O'Sullivan
Thanks to all HSLG committee members and organisers for a great two days and lots of inspiration, great ideas and networking opportunities and here’s looking forward to HSLG 2016!

Elaine Harrington  - (Special Collections Librarian UCC Library)

On Following a Conference Via Twitter

I’m used to following conferences via Twitter e.g. #ALA15 but such conferences tend to relate to special collections, digitisation, library trends or emerging technologies. What would happen when I followed conference tweets for #hslg2015? My previous forays into health sciences have been brief: 18 months working as a student help on the combined floor of science, engineering and medicine in 2001 - 2002 in the Boole Library and six months working in Boston Health Sciences Library in 2012. It barely scratches the surface of the material that’s available and the terminology that’s used.

I logged onto Twitter on Thursday evening and prepared to speed through the tweets. I’d already viewed the programme and I knew that there were some presentations that I was more interested in as I felt they might contain material that would be more applicable to all areas of libraries. Others I felt were too specific to the health sciences and therefore of less interest to me.

However I felt somewhat daunted from the offset. One of the first tweets I saw was a Maura Flynn tweet on abbreviations used in systematic reviews.

It reminded me of chemistry symbols but whereas I still remember what H2O is, these were completely unknown. As I read more of these particular tweets I realised how it must be for students starting out in any area. Despite our best efforts or best of intentions we can become blase rather easily about our individual areas and forget what the base level is for new students or new staff in a particular area. Note to self: be more forgiving of what others don’t know about Special Collections.

As I read more of the tweets I wondered how many other non-health specialists were reading these tweets. I was reading them but who else? I looked at who commented on the various tweets and mostly they were people in the health sciences. While it’s good to have discussion with our peers and moreover as we don’t have to explain basic terminology to them, are we creating echo chambers? This too was discussed in the aftermath of #conulconf15.

However what did I learn specifically from the #hslg2015 tweets?

  • Publishing more means more visibility for what we do.
  • Time for CPD is limited - do what you are interested in.

  • If you can learn it, you can transfer it.
  • Identify what key points you can take away and implement from every conference or CPD you attend.

  • The future depends on what you do today.

  • Having a bio prepared at all times as you never know when you will need one.

  • Get academics behind your innovations & they will encourage students to us
  • Can use Libguides to promote an event or a special collection.

  • The only way to make a great presentation is preparation, preparation.
  • All of these points are valuable and worth saying repeatedly.

It was clear from the tweets that the conversations delegates had with each other at the breaks weren’t documented. Therefore full awareness of what happens at a conference isn’t possible. However attending a conference virtually is still worthwhile as it leads to greater shared understanding. What about those confusing symbols? Did I get an answer? Ask and librarians help!

Plus I have an invite to #hslg2016!

The presentations for the event can be found here


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We’re Going…

A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend of mine about the Steelers game.  She had offered her condolences on our loss against Tennessee.  I told her I wasn’t too worried about it because we were going to the play offs.

She looked at my kind of incredulously and asked, “Really?”

“Yea,” I said.

“Your going to the playoffs?  That’s crazy.”

I was kinda confused, we were after all the leader of our division, and then it hit me…

“We, the Steelers, I said, not we Scott and Crystal.”

We both got a laugh out of the miscommunication.

But this time, I mean it.

We’re going to the AFC Championship Game.

We, Scott and Crystal are going to watch the Steelers play the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday at Heinz Field.

I can not even tell you how giddy with excitement we both are.  I’m talking jump up and down screaming in the living room when I won the bid on ebay, excited.

I was talking with someone at MOPS the other night and when she saw my Steelers Super bowl tee, she asked if I was a Steelers fan.  I of course told her I was.

The next day she was at my house for the first time.  When she saw the Steelers flag hanging in front of the house, the Steelers wreath on my front door, and what my friends affectionately call my shrine in our entry way (I have a  table which I sit seasonal knick knacks on and for play offs it has a Steelers blanket as the table cloth with an autographed pic of Harrison, a framed card of Bettis, a Steelers ketchup bottle and a piece of 3 rivers field with a wooden Steelers ball sitting on it) she said, “Wow,your like REALLY Steelers fans!”

You could say that.

  1. How awesome!!! Yay, I'm so excited for you!

  2. Way cool! I don't follow football, but I'd definitely freeze my rear off to go to that game.

  3. ahhhhh!!!!! that's so exciting! i can't wait to hear all about it!!! just a tip- friends of ours went to heinz field for a game earlier this year and they brought their sleeping bags to zip up in while they were sitting. i thought that was a pretty smart idea. thought i'd share!

  4. I saw the title of your post and thought it was this or Disney World! I'm so excited for you guys - what an awesome game to go to! I don't know if I could handle it, I feel so nervoius just watching the games - but as soon as the Steeler's start kicking butt it will be great.
    Now...I know you have a plan....so you definitely need to share how you plan on staying warm...don't even pretend you haven't thought about it!

  5. Uhm, I'm sorry, but I thought I just read that you're going to the AFC Championship game here in Pittsburgh at Heinz stinking Field. But I'm sure I misread because no one could be that stinking lucky!!!!!

    What an exciting week for the circus...first you are the featured tackler and now you're going to see some real live tackling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Have so much fun!!!

  6. I have to confess I have never been a sports fan, but I have been following football more closely this year... I blame you. >^_^<

  7. So happy for you guys! Take plenty of pics and tell us all about it! I hope they win. :)

  8. man, except for the freezing wind-chill factor, i'm so stinkin' excited for you guys. i want every play-by-play, circus style!!!

  9. SO excited for you. Really. SO awesome that you get to go!

    Only wish Jason and I could be there next to you - wearing purple, of course!! :):)

  10. That is so awesome!! Hope you have a BLAST!! GO Steelers!!

  11. and a trip like this is even better when....THEY WIN!!! Congratulations on your win and your fun trip. Bet there's a mad crazy party happening at your house on the 1st!

  12. OH it was like I was there with you NEVER saw a big game but this was GREAT to read. Thank You

  13. I FORGOT ==I read it all to Pap He enjoyed it VERY much.

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Tank Top Arm Workout

Tank Top Arm Workout

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how to cure a bad day

How to Cure a Bad Day in 15 Minutes or Less

This past Tuesday I came home from work feeling defeated. I searched for distraction. I took a warm shower and let the water soothe me. I put on a sparkly headband and brushed my hair in hopes that feeling a little more put together would snap me out of it. I looked at the dishwasher, it was full. I’ve never put away dishes so carefully. I needed to be in control of something. I could feel myself choking up, cue the water works. Halfway through my meticulous kitchen organization, I sat down on the couch, curled up in a ball and let the tears flood my eyes. Luckily, my boyfriend called me a couple seconds into my meltdown telling me he needed

Ballet Booty and Thigh Barre Workout

Ballet Booty & Thigh Barre Workout

There's no such thing as spot reduction. You can do crunches and tricep dips until the cows come home. But flat abs or slim arms are a matter of weight loss from a combination of cardio to burn calories, total body strength training to improve your metabolism, and an effective nutrition plan to help shed unwanted fat. BUT (please mind the pun), when it comes to the booty, that's a whole other ballgame! Your lower body, especially that tush, is the one area we can really see quick and motivating results. One of the many reasons my lower body workouts are my favorite. With the right exercises, we can build, enhance, and firm up your rear-end! Dancers are known for their coveted lower

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First things, first, I want to give a shout out to the winner of the Brooks Running give-a-way. Congrats to Elizabeth! I've sent you an email from lifeinspandex10@gmail.com to gather your size, color preference, and mailing address. I can't wait to see how cute these pieces look on you! Can you believe it? I'm posting a recipe that isn't sweet?! Yes, I do eat food other than healthy desserts and breakfast ;). I've been obsessed with the premade Rosemary Balsamic Chicken Breasts from Trader Joe's. I started buying them as a quick dinner for Robby when I didn't feel like cooking. But of course, after one bite I totally fell in love with them myself! Trader Joe's, you are my life! Who's


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June 22, 2015

A look at the bio-medical course at Oxford University

Ever wondered who scientists are and how they come to happen. I mean who are the geniuses behind every great historical invention. It is human to wonder how a single or a couple of minds can come together and make a historical invention such as the vaccine for small pox or measles, or any other deadly disease that claims millions of lives if the necessary precautions are not taken to prevent its occurrence. Then this category of individuals who are life savers and who give us a permanent solution to epidemics are known as scientists. These individuals specialize in studying the human cells as well as the organs to understand how they function in order to [...]

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June 16, 2015

How psychology is taught at Oxford university

So today I’m sited gazing aimlessly at the screen of my laptop. Somehow in my seemingly drilled stature, I’m able to open a few pages online and read something; something on psychology. I have always read about psychology and wondered how deep it stretches. Everyone seems to share the same ideas at least on academic level; the basics of psychology are always discussed the same way, using the same words or at least words that are closely related. Going through the web pages I just opened, I can read something on how psychology is encrypted in every human emotion, everything that is done, every decision taken and executed, whether the right way or the wrong [...]

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Engineering Science at Oxford University

Oxford’s Engineering Science

Every young boy or girl has a dream of being a successful person when they grow up. Parents and guardians have their role to this decision as well. In many societies, there are those courses that are cherished and adored and the specialists in these fields are given hats off around the streets. Now in my last conversation with you, I gave you a guideline of how to get there, and be the most exquisite doctor ever in your state or in your country depending on your originality. Today am going to take you on a journey to greatness, a journey to being that person each and every child wants to be at the age of as low as three [...]

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Are you going through a hard time deciding on your future or that of your son or daughter? Then if you lie in this category, there is one thing you need to know before making any major decision that will leave a scar into your lives. There is one important thing that many people often forget when deciding their future. Tomorrow and your future career is all about your passion. The successes into our lives all depend on how passionate you are in the course you are in. for example, if I placed you in a career such as medicine, and you lacked the passion, it would be worse than asking you to dine with the devil. It would be very [...]

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Stay In a Castle: 5 Fairy Tale Destinations Starting at $20 a Night {EXPIRED}

10:54 PM

Have you dreamed of living in a castle? I have (as long as there are people around to help take care of it!) In fact, some of the most fairy tale-like destinations are on my bucket list. I would love to have old architecture, inspired decor, and wide-open spaces to bask in during my next vacation!

If you've ruled out this type of trip because of a budget, I completely understand. With 6 kids, I often wonder if we'll ever get away to anyplace so grand. Thankfully, HomeAway has just debuted its Castle Collection in celebration of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast®". This makes some of the most romantic and beautiful castle destinations available to people just like you and me. Some of these stays could be yours starting at $20 a night per person!

What kind of places are we talking about? Just check out this list of spots that you can rent through HomeAway's extensive network of amazing places. They have over 900 castles for rooms to reserve in 20 countries!

1. Arquenay, France

This amazing and scenic castle starts at $674 per night. It sleeps 16, and has a total of 6 bedrooms. (That's $43 per person!)

2. Duns, Scotland

This is the castle hosting the  #HomeAwayCastle winner (more details below). You can rent this amazing 12-bedroom location that sleeps 23 for a starting price of $3,108 per night. ($135 a person for this breathtaking treasure!)

3. Montespertoli, Italy

We hope you have a big family! This castle can accommodate 120 people, with a whopping 43 bedrooms on location. With a price of just $2,786 per night, guests can get a budget buy of just a little over $23 per person!

4. Sequim, Washington

This spectacular and colorful castle in the U.S. is perfect for outdoor lovers. Spend just $500 per night for this castle that sleeps 24. With 5 Bedrooms to enjoy, prices start at $20.80 a guest!

5. Thurles Townparks, Ireland

Ireland is highest up on my personal list (after my mother Denmark, of course!). Starting at $1,065 per night, this castle sleeps 16, has 9 Bedrooms, and could cost as little as $67 per person, per night!

Wanna Win? Of course you do! HomeAway is teaming up with Disney to celebrate Beauty and the Beast by giving one lucky winner and 20 of his or her chosen guests an unprecedented #HomeAwayCastle stay experience in Scotland this summer. Please, do not miss out on your chance to win this epic, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Enter here now before it ends on March 31st!

*Thanks to HomeAway for sponsoring this post. Opinions are my own.

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Crime Scene Investigation

Crime Scene Investigation

4.11 - 1251 ratings - Source

An introduction to the investigative concepts involved in the dynamics of processing the aftermath of a criminal incident. Covers how to respond to crime scenes, and examines the multitude of responsibilities involved, such as: the identifying and preserving evidence, isolating and interviewing witnesses, isolating and protecting the crime scene, developing fingerprints and identifying and locating suspects. This textbook is appropriate for criminal justice, criminal investigation, and homeland security programs. It is also suited for programs in emergency management, corporate security, psychology, emergency medical services and healthcare, police academy programs, and continuing professional development.... supervised release ac Online manuals: State control terminal agencies (CTAs) can download manuals and make them ... vehicle, boat, or boat part; a file of generic images (e.g., a picture of a 1989 Ford Mustang) is maintained in the systemanbsp;...

Title:Crime Scene Investigation
Author: Richard S. Michelson
Publisher:LawTech Publishing Group - 2015-09-29

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Thursday, May 18, 2017

127 - That is absolutely ranunculus

5x5 acrylic on canvas
Palette knife painting
You can't tell from the picture, but what really sets this little ranunculus apart is that it's painted on a gallery wrapped 1.5" canvas, so you can stand it up like a cube, or you can, of course hang it.  The sides are painted black.  It also has a black underpainting, which in this case works well.  This little guy is sold, but I have some in other colors I'll be posting.

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The Epicenter: Peter Coyote in Conversation with Phil Bronstein

Co-presented by Green Apple Books

Litquake is proud to present the San Francisco launch of Peter Coyote's latest release, The Rainman's Third Cure: An Irregular Education. This spiritual biography explores the competing forces of the transcendental, inclusive, and ecstatic world of love and the competitive, status-seeking world of wealth and power. Coyote will be in conversation with Phil Bronstein, a journalist, editor, and executive chair of the board for the Center for Investigative Reporting. Audience Q&A, and book sales and signing to follow. Co-presented by Green Apple Books.

Expanding his frame beyond his wild ride through the 1960s counterculture that occupied so much of his lauded debut memoir, Sleeping Where I Fall, Coyote provides readers intimate portraits of mentors who shaped him—a violent, intimidating father; a bebop bass player who teaches him that life can be improvised; a Mafia consiglieri who demonstrates to him that men can be bought and manipulated; a gay dancer in Martha Graham's company who introduces him to Mexico and marijuana; and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gary Snyder, who introduces him to Zen practice.

What begins as a peripatetic flirtation with Zen deepens into a lifelong avocation. Through Zen, Coyote discovers a third option that offers an alternative to love and power's correlatives of status-seeking and material wealth.

"Peter Coyote's new memoir is just plain wonderful—richly textured, beautifully written, sad, sweet, sometimes funny, always wise. It is about childhood losses and joy, growing up, mentors, loyalty, the search for Truth, survival, the sixties, the seventies, transcendence healing, disasters. It is told by a writer of deep wisdom, self-knowledge and charm, yet I gobbled it up, like a novel."—Anne Lamott

"Fellow students of Zen will especially appreciate Coyote's breakdown of meditative retreats and flashes of enlightenment."—Publishers Weekly


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Live Rugby Betting

Live Rugby Betting

In many ways, rugby is the nation's second favourite sport behind football, but this doesn't always translate to the same kind of interest when it comes to betting on the sport. However, for fans of both Rugby Union and Rugby League, with the advent of live rugby betting, there are now significantly more markets to consider when it comes to placing money on your favourite sport.

What live rugby betting does have in common with football however, is that many of the standard in play markets associated with football can be adapted slightly and carried across to rugby. First/last goalscorer now obviously becomes first/last try scorer, the ultimate winning margin of the match gets changed from goals to points etc. and a whole new world of rugby betting opens up.

And then of course you still have the opportunity to watch the match as you place your bets which is the great advantage of live sports betting. Watch the match progress and as you see an opportunity to place a bet, get online and get your money down quick. There's nothing like the thrill of seeing a bet come good!

Check out our rugby betting bonuses below!

How It Works

how it works cogs

Much the same as soccer, the live rugby betting punter has the luxury of seeing with their own eyes how the match is shaping up before placing a bet. Take the example of a match in which one team goes into a strong lead within the first 10 to 15 minutes; there is probably now no value in putting money on this team to win the match, however it may be worth putting a bet on the margin of victory by the end of the game.

Or how about a situation where the underdogs go into a lead which you do not believe will last; you can now go online and check out the odds for the initially favoured team coming back to win in the second half for example. These two examples really do sum up the great attraction of live sports betting; it is no longer the case that you simply study the form before the match begins and hope for the best, you now genuinely get to see what kind of match it is going to be and use your experience to your advantage.

Bonuses & Promotions

bonus cash

As with any other sport with plenty of TV coverage, bookmakers are keen to advertise special offers and promotions before and during the match to get you interested. These special offers are usually in the way of extra generous odds on particular markets or handicap markets giving an unlikely advantage to the underdog. These promotions can often be used to your advantage in achieving better value for your wager.

Bookmakers will also try to encourage you to bet by letting you know what the up-to-date odds are as the match progresses. Obviously bookmakers want as much money as possible placed in the match, but this does not mean that you cannot take advantage of generous change in the odds, if you think it fits in with your idea of what is going to happen next.

Check out our rugby betting bonuses below!

Live Betting Bonuses

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6 BetVictor Table LogoBetVictor £25 100% Match-up 8/10 Review Play Now!
7 888 Sport Table Logo888 Sport £50 100% Match-up 7/10 Review Play Now!


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Hopi Ear Candling

Hopi Ear Candling is a pleasant and non-invasive treatment of the ears, it is used to offer real and calming benefits for many problems and conditions associated with the ear, nose and throat areas. A Hopi ear candle treatment is a deeply relaxing, calming and soothing experience. The process of Hopi candling involves a specially designed hollow candle being inserted just inside the ear canal. The hopi candle is then lit and the suction that is formed draws secretion flow is gently stimulated and the vapor collects and removes impurities or deposits. Often referred to as the ‘chimney’ effect. The rising air gives the eardrum a gentle massage and also helps to regulate ear pressure. This is soothing, calming and protects the irritated areas.

Hopi ear candling is used to help:

  • Headaches
  • Migraine
  • Hay Fever
  • Compacted Ear Wax
  • Sore Throats
  • Colds
  • Tinnitus
  • Rhinitis
  • Sinusitis problems
  • Asthma
  • Vertigo
  • Glue Ear
  • Post-Diving Pressure
  • Post Flying Pressure
  • Balance Problems
  • Anxiety
  • Stress


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Broadband in Kigali – The Egg

The Egg - Broadband in Kigali

Having recently arrived from Canada, I’ve had to make a bit of an adjustment in expectations when it comes to internet access speeds here in Kigali.

After arriving in Kigali, I stayed in a hotel for six weeks where the wifi was, at best, barely adequate. Email and very light browsing were manageable, but any moderate lifting (You Tube videos, modern sites made for broadband, downloading) was hardly functional. My weekly one-hour episode fix of “Game Of Thrones” (as I am not able to watch it on TV here) took me over 24 hours to “procure” each time.

As an alternative to the hotel wifi I tried using my USB MTN and Tigo modems but wasn’t any better. Those USB sticks would take hours to buffer videos, and the internet (at least the internet I have become used to while living in Canada) was not anywhere near the same experience. Watching my KB/s on the USB modems, I would get anywhere from 4 KB/s, to very rarely around 30 or 40 KB/s max for just a brief moment (but almost always less than 10 KB/s…) Back in Canada, I would easily get 200 to 300 or more KB/s all the time…

But of course, “This Is Africa”.

So, when I moved into a house in Gacuriro, with hotel wifi no longer an option, and averaging around 5 KB/s on my USB modems (ranging from frustrating to depressing), I was willing to try anything else and was curious to check out Broadband Systems Corporation’s (BSC) internet offerings. I was told they had something called the “Egg”, which is a WiBro (Wireless Broadband) solution.

But first, I had to find them. Broadband Systems Corporation is located on the 2nd Floor of the Telecom House, Kacyiru (at the time of this writing, their website says “3rd Floor” but they recently moved, as pointed out by the signs next to the elevator) . Most moto taxis know the place, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find if you just say “Telecom House, Kacyiru”. If that doesn’t work, head for the “Novotel” hotel and continue down the road towards the US Embassy. Telecom House will be on the left side of the road.

There aren’t any signs (that I could see anyway) outside the building, so it really has more of a “headquarters” feel than a “retail” feel from the outside. Also, I actually had to leave a piece of ID (my passport) at security, at which point they gave me a visitor’s badge. I’m guessing any piece of ID, or some other kind of collateral, will do, I just happened to have my passport on me during my visits. Again, this made things feel more like “headquarters” than “retail”, but not an issue.

Once at BSC’s offices, I asked for the “Egg”. Here’s the deal…

You fill out a form, and then deposit Rwf 30,000 and sign a quick contract. Basically the contract states you have two days to try the “Egg” out for free, with zero obligation (note that the offices have limited hours on Saturdays and are closed Sundays). Since BSC’s WiBro coverage is not 100% in all of Kigali, the only way you can know for sure if it will work where you live is by testing it out. After two days, if you discover where you want to use it doesn’t work, or you just simply don’t want it, you return it, and get your deposit back. Check out the BSC website for a a coverage map of Kigali.

If, however, you want to keep the “Egg”, you fill out some more paperwork, sign a new contract, pay Rwf 72,000 to buy it outright, and then your Rwf 30,000 deposit is used for your first month of service, which starts from the day you sign the second contract (so you really do get to try it out for free, which is nice). The cost of the service, which is unlimited data, is Rwf 30,000 per month.

In terms of speed and reliability, I’ve only had the “Egg” for a week, but so far, I’m fairly happy with it. They say you can get anywhere from 256 KB/s to 512 KB/s (or more in evening/night time hours). In the evening at my place, I’d consistently get around 40 to 100 KB/s with the “Egg”, sometimes more, but on average still less than advertised. However, when comparing this to my usual 4 to 10 KB/s with my other USB MTN/Tigo modems, having something that is around ten times faster (sometimes more) is quite welcome!

The “Egg” itself is pretty small, about the size of an iPhone, and has lights on it that include the indication of signal strength and battery power (green is good, orange is not so good, and red means there is a problem). This allows you to immediately see how strong the signal is (and move it around if need be) as well as how much battery power is left. From my own experience, I have not yet had to move it around to get a better signal, but I’m told this may happen depending on where you’re located (I don’t think coverage goes outside of Kigali, yet, unlike I’d guess normal USB modems).

So overall, I’m fairly happy with the purchase/service but here are my pros and cons as I see them at the moment:

  • it’s battery powered, which means it doesn’t need a power source for extended periods of time (i.e. when the power goes out, which happens from time to time). It also comes with a USB cable, and an outlet plug, for charging/leaving plugged in
  • thanks to the USB cable for attaching to a computer, this means that, unlike my USB/Tigo modems, it doesn’t block my only other USB port when I have it plugged into my Macbook Pro
  • after using it for a week it has always given me a signal, so reliability (so far) is good
  • it is a WPA password protected WiFi router as well (network/password is on a sticker on the device when you buy it) so I can have my Macbook Pro, iPad, and iPhone all using the same access point at the same time (before using the “Egg”, I had to share my USB modem connection from my Macbook Pro to other devices, regularly switching things on/off for sharing, WiFi, etc. which was a bit of a pain)
  • Skype, Youtube, BitTorrenting, general internet browsing, etc. are all the best I’ve experienced for any wireless service since arriving here 2 months ago (compared to hotels, cafes, other USB modems, etc.)
  • the fact this something like this exists is pretty cool

  • depending on your budget, 72,000 RWF for a portable WiBro modem, and 30,000 RFW a month, may be a bit steep. For me, having (possibly) the fastest wireless internet connection anywhere (so far) in Kigali is worth every dollar!
  • the battery only lasts around 3 hours, which isn’t ideal, but I am happy to say I was told this up front by the BSC rep to expect that from the battery
  • at the moment, for the monthly service, you need to pay at a bank, and then bring the receipt to BSC, or simply pay cash at BSC. Either way, you need to physically go to BSC once a month. I asked if I could pay several months in advance, and they said yes, so that could be an option, but having some way of paying without having to go to BSC regularly would be more convenient. This, to me, is another example of how BSC hasn’t quite ironed out all the wrinkles of having a smooth consumer experience
  • the BSC rep told me to avoid leaving it plugged in/turned on for “long” periods of time (not sure what a “long” time is exactly is, but it probably means don’t use it 24/7 like you would a “normal” broadband modem/router). I wonder if this means it can overheat, as I have noticed it gets pretty warm. This may be something I’ll be able to report more back on in the future after some extended use
  • it’s still not as fast as I would like, but it may just be the fastest wireless connection available in Kigali, so I guess I can’t really complain
  • coverage in Kigali is not 100% (I’m told) and I don’t think this works outside Kigali, yet, but this should be regularly improving as time marches on

Some of BSC’s other options include a WiBro USB modem (Rwf 20,000 to buy and Rwf 20,000 per month) and a plug-in router that is obviously not as mobile, nor as good when the power goes out (Rwf 85,000 to purchase and Rwf 30,000 per month) Finally, it looks like they also have wired services for buildings, but I have no clue what needs that would meet… I’m guessing it’s more for business or some serious expat action.

There are further options other than buying the hardware outright (I was offered a 2 year plan for the “Egg”), but I just chose to buy it up front and pay month to month. If I’d known I’d be writing a review at the time, I’d have asked for more details! I was told I am given a 2 day grace period after my bill is due each month before they will cut off my service.

So there you have it. I will give an update at some point in the future with a quick status of how the “Egg” service/reliability has fared over the longer term, but so far, so good!

BTW – The “Egg” gets its name because the original design looked like an egg. It seems the name has stuck, but the design has not. The BSC rep told me that this is the 3rd generation design, and that the 4th generation, which is out in Korea right now, has actually moved back to an egg shape, but she said she didn’t know when the 4th generation would be offered here in Kigali.

About Ryan

I am currently a manager/instructor at the Africa Digital Media Academy in Kigali, Rwanda. My background is in TV/video with experience as a writer, producer, editor, graphic artist, and even on-camera talent.


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Friday, December 18, 2015

Chillin on Race Day

It's race day!!!  First race of the day is the girl's race, so we are up early again, grabbing breakfast at the hotel and then heading to Wide World of Sports.

We arrived early and were able to walk around.  This place is awesome!!!

Here is Goofy waiting for the runners....

and here is baby girl.....

Time to celebrate & show off that medal!!

We headed back to the hotel after the race to drop off the car and grab the ferry to Disney Springs

We had reservations at Planet Hollywood.

We walked around a bit more and then made our way back to the hotel to meet my parents, who had driven up from Miami to see us for a few hours.  We hung out at the hotel for a bit until it was time for us to head out to our race.

We arrived at Wild World of Sports and headed to our corrals.  Then there was a storm approaching so we were sent inside the stadium.  It was crazy!!!  This set us back over an hour so since Disney had a hard stop for this run, they had to shorten the race.  We went from a 13.1 race to about 7 miles!
Oh well, we were just happy that the storm wasn't serious and we were ready to go.
It was so exciting....hubby and I were in one of the last corrals and couldn't wait to get going.

It started out great but as usual, after 1 mile I start feeling tired.  I really need to work on running on pavement for long distances.  I get tired so quickly, complete opposite of my treadmill runs.  I can run more miles on the treadmill will the feeling of exhaustion.

But I pushed through and tried to keep up with hubby, who was doing a lot better than he thought he would.

I can see the starting line!!!!

Had to stop by the Osborne's Dancing Lights....

I'll catch up....I'm going.....LOL

and we made it!! Love the medals....don't you?

Unfortunatley, I was exhausted and could barely walk so we didn't stick around for the Food & Wine Festival.....we headed back to our room.  I really needed a shower & my bed!

Here are the other days to this trip report:

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Shopping at Good To Be!

Hi All!! Hope you've had a great week!  Today I want to talk a bit about Instagram.  I love instagram, love that its mainly about...


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Contact Liz Lautrup

Interested in a specific painting or a commission project? I would love to hear from you.
Contact me by email at or by phone at 720-635-3666.

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59868-BLK – BLACK – 1/2″ Y Fitting – Pack of 20

59868-BLK – BLACK – 1/2″ Y Fitting – Pack of 20

Materials and Properties:

Material: Acetal Copolymer

Colors: Orange, Black, Grey

Yes: Acetone, Alcohol, Ethyl, Greases, Oils, Commercial Dish Detergents, Gasoline, Lacquer Solvents, Sodium Hydroxide

No: ChlorineAcids, Ammonium Hydroxide, Bases Strong, Hypochlorite Ion Solutions, Sodium Hypochlorite

Melting Point: 329? F

Maximum Operating Temperature: 170? F (Repeated exposure to this temperature will cause fatigue)

Recommended Maximum Line Pressure & Flow Rates:

1/2? System 30 PSI 475 gal/hour

1/2? System With Element Clamps 60 PSI 950 gal/hour

Information regarding FDA (Federal Food and Drug Administration).

Loc-Line is made of an Acetal copolymer.  This material in accordance with the rules in 21CFR 177.2470 meets the requirements of this regulation for food contact. All colorants are used at the recommended let-down ratio to meet 21CRF 178.3297. Loc-Line? is not sanctioned for use with alcoholic or fatty foods at any temperature. The material also meets NSF International Standards 14, 51 and 61 for contact with potable water

Please note that all applications have variables and conditions that will affect the maximum working pressures. Testing suitability for your application is always recommended.

Lockwood Products Inc. does not warrant any particular application for it?s products.

59868-BLK – BLACK – 1/2″ Y Fitting – Pack of 20


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Manufacturing Companies in London

Detailed information and reviews of London manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers and distributors. Post your requirements and receive no obligation price estimates and quotes.

Talbot Designs02083468515
  We are the UKs Leading supplier of acrylic domes. We design, manufacture and install any custom acrylic fabrications to suit your needs. View our site today!
225 Long Lane, London, N3 2RL
Business to BusinessManufacturing Companies
C & D Sheet Metal Engineering - Manufacturer in London020 83112056
CD Sheet Metal is a privately owned, family operated firm that has been created for over thirty five years, The firm is still owned by it's founder, with several members of the family working within the organisation. The firm has sustained planned growth through the years, through investment in new technology and training of its team. The firm has been built on it's reputation for cost effective innovative storage solutions in a huge array of fields, varying from, point of sale shop fitting,
Sta Road North, London, DA17 6JL
Business to BusinessManufacturing Companies
Fox International Limited - Retailer in London020 8559 6500
Fox isn't just an item of tackle, it's a way of life. When you buy a Fox product, you buy into the Fox family. Here you can read all about Fox International, where it began and where we are heading. Each week tens of 1000's of anglers spread around the globe go fishing using Fox International tackle. We now have brands in the coarse, match, carp, predator and sea markets and Fox International is firmly founded as one of the major tackle manufacturers in
London, IG6 3UT
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Jenco Controls & Export020 8501 5522
Jenco Engineered Solutions have been delivering materials handling solutions to the Plastics Processing, Pharmaceutical, Food, Chemical and Water Treatment Industries for the last 43 Years. Our knowledge of your industry and our Design Expertise and Manufacturing Capabilities make Jenco the natural choice to satisfy your materials handling
41-43 Roebuck Rd, Hainault Business Pk, London, IG6
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High Secuirty Doors - Supplier in London020 8455 6600
Matadoors is a leading specialist manufacturer of an extensive array of high security doors to extreme security doors for domestic and commercial use. Matadoors product development commenced in 1973 and has prioritized developing and enhancing our security products. Innovation is tempered by knowledge and attention to provide a product of which we're most proud. Our ambition is to supply the best quality high security to extreme security doors and related products to secure your premises. Our
7 Marketplace, London, NW11 6LB
Business to BusinessManufacturing Companies
Universal Wood Products - Manufacturing Company in London01708 726736
Universal Wood Products Ltd can provide you of a prompt and reliable service. Our sales staff are here to assist you all of whom have a complete in depth working knowledge of MDF moulding production and will be glad to answer any technical query. They can answer your MDF moulding query or give you advice on a matter of MDF production, to help you in earning business and giving that extra standard of service most appreciated by the final
Eastern Avenue West, London, RM7 7AY
Business to BusinessManufacturing Companies


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More than fifteen years ago, reviewing Edward Yang’s masterpiece Yi Yi, I wrote that I “couldn’t wait” to see a film he had made nine years earlier — another highly praised epic about generations of one Taiwanese family: A Brighter Summer Day.

Well, I did wait. And wait. And wait.

That 1991 release has remained unavailable in America, inaccessible unless you were lucky enough to attend rare screenings. But The Criterion Collection (bless their discerning souls) have at last restored the film and added it to their extraordinary library. And while it doesn’t feel right to say “It was worth the wait” — really, nobody should have to work so hard in 2016 to see a movie to see a celebrated feature from 1991 — it does feel right to call A Brighter Summer Day a masterpiece.

Set in the 1960s in Taiwan, A Brighter Summer Day sets us down in the midst of complicated cultural tensions and life-threatening challenges. Chinese nationalists, having fled their mainland home to escape the newly installed Communist Party regime, are struggling to make this small nation their new home. But their hearts are divided, and they feel insecure. It’s a tough world for adults, who know what’s going on and understand the need to adapt. It’s an even tougher world for young people, who respond to their insecurities by arming themselves, asserting their strength through violence, and forming gangs.

As if he lived through this story himself and based these characters on his own classmates (the Criterion film notes make several direct connections to his childhood experience of emigration), Yang introduces us to a large cast of remarkably distinct and memorable personalities. We see the world through the eyes of young Zhang Zhen (known by his nickname: Xiao Si’r, a reference to the fact that he’s a fourth child). Si’r is a watchful, quiet, and insecure boy whose very soul is at stake within this survival-of-the-fittest environment. Torn between the gravitational pulls of family, tradition, Christianity, communism, sex, violence, and Godfather-like street-gang glamour, his youthful frame can barely contain his electrical storm of conflicting loyalties and the emotions stirred up by all of the unfair things required of him.

Like father like son: Both Xiao Si’r and his father are struggling to hold themselves together while surrounded by dangers.

The great film scholar David Bordwell has written so passionately and usefully about A Brighter Summer Day that I’m not inclined to try and duplicate his efforts here. He observes,

A Brighter Summer Day began as an independent production. Eventually, as Yang’s world expanded, outside funding was necessary to keep the production going. Over half the cast and crew had never worked on a film before, and the project took three years to complete. At a period when the Taiwanese film industry was virtually dead, Yang managed to mount a film of stunning ambition.

Although it was shot as a theatrical feature, it fits surprisingly well into today’s taste for long-form TV narratives. With over eighty speaking parts, it’s a very thick slice of life from 1960 Taipei. Indeed, Tony Rayns’ commentary reports that Yang said he had developed enough story material for three hundred TV episodes. If you like soaking in a richly realized world, here’s a movie made for you.

He notes how the film emphasizes the rising influence of Western pop culture in Taipei, most evident in the way the young people of Si’r’s community embrace Elvis. (The film’s title comes from a line in “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”) But it’s another unexpected cultural force — the influence of Christianity — that plays a transforming role in the narrative’s conclusion (if not in the main character’s life).

Xiao Si’r’s parents are a remarkable filmic portrait of a faithful marriage under incredible strain.

My friend Joshua Wilson, one of the Looking Closer Specialists, recently watched the film for the first time and asked me what I think about the film’s surprising emphasis on the role of Christianity in Si’r’s family. I’m not sure I would say that A Brighter Summer Day is meant to point viewers to Christianity as “the answer” to such troubles, but it does suggest that Yang sensed something substantial in the influence of Christian faith.

The boy’s mother is a Christian, as is his second-oldest sister, who seeks to persuade him to seek identity and solace in Christian faith. It is an impressively empathetic portrait of Chinese Christians. While the sister’s evangelism stops just short of being overbearing, Yang doesn’t portray her as either saintly or foolish. And after all of the devastation and heartbreak we’ve witnessed and felt by the film’s conclusion, it’s a Christian hymn into which a grief-stricken character falls for consolation.

Ming — a beautiful but broken-hearted character I will never forget.
Ming — a beautiful but broken-hearted character I will never forget.

Considering how the film portrays the exploitation and abuse of young women in Taiwan — most vividly in Ming, a girl who seems to have tragically surrendered to her cultural confinement — the possibility of grace shines all the brighter for its promise.

This is an especially revealing discovery for me, as I sensed something I’d call a “Christian sensibility” throughout Yi Yi, which has become one of my all-time favorite films since I first saw it in 2001. Hearing that A Brighter Summer Day might actually be the greater masterpiece, I had a hard time believing it. Having seen it at last, my first-viewing impulse is to say that my heart’s favorite is still Yi Yi, which presents a more convincing world, more persuasively human characters, and far more beautiful cinematography.

But the sheer scale of this endeavor, with almost one hundred speaking roles, is breathtaking. And the way Yang patiently choreographs so many storylines toward such a shocking conclusion (one that startled me more than any conclusion I can presently recall) is nothing short of virtuosic.

I have any quibble at all, it’s that the violence in the first half of the film is entirely unconvincing — you can tell that Yang was a tender soul because these outbursts of gang violence play out as if blows aren’t actually landing. And yet, the second half of the epic brings battles that are shocking and sickening by comparison, including an all-out war staged in near-total darkness that had me holding my breath.

All in all, A Brighter Summer Day is a film that deserves all four hours of your uninterrupted attention. It deserves all of its accolades… and a much, much bigger audience. And it only increases my sense of loss over Yang’s untimely death at age 60, when he was clearly getting better and better, staging the kinds of large-cast dramas that few have ever had the ambition and stamina to achieve.

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Aerin is a global luxury lifestyle brand inspired by the signature style of its founder, Aerin Lauder. Based on the premise thay living beautifully should be effortless, the brand develops curated collections in the worlds of beauty, fashion accessories, and home décor. With a passion for art, travel, fashion and design, Aerin's own lifestyle serves as a focal point of inspiration for the brand. Classic but always with a modern point of view, every piece is created to make life more beautiful, with a sense of ease and refinement. source:

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Company Founders Aerin Louder


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T-Shirt Subway

Ever seen your favourite band perform at a show and wish you could capture it on a T-Shirt you could cherish forever? Well here at T-Shirt Subways, thats our aim and that is why we provide one of the widest ranges of music, film and TV themed T-Shirts on the Internet.

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Constructing Artificial Emotions: A Design Experiment

My latest essay on emotion in games is up on Gamasutra. There are pretty pictures about brains. You can read it here.

It asks that simple, innocent question,"What can we do to make games evoke emotions?" The answers are more about applying the lessons of experimental psychology than the 300 hot tricks of screenwriting.

While I was looking into this topic, I read an essay in Scientific American on 'dangerous ideas' and it got me thinking about the sort of 'unthinkable' ideas in game design. This essay contains a smattering of them and I'm curious which ones you find intriguing.
  • "Games are great at causing emotions."
  • "You can replicate meaningful religious experiences with a game."
  • "Most media such as books, movies and poetry are far more about our past experiences than any inherent value of the work. "
  • "Isolating gamers from the outside world is a highly effective strategy for maintaining service contracts."
  • "In order to increase the impact of games, we must engage the body as well as the mind." The Wii Fit is just the start, baby. That slack faced hardcore couch potato experience is about to become an experience for dinosaurs (fat, emotionally stunted dinosaurs at that)
Does it hurt to say such things out loud? I have great faith in the ability of science and reality to weed out the ideas that contain no substance. Whether any of these concepts hold water will be directly up to the efforts of talented and innovative game designers. But what if one or two of them held a kernel of truth? My god, what a brilliant future lies ahead.

I am quite looking forward to your thoughts on the essay. Grab a mug of tea, find a comfy chair and dig in.

Constructing Artificial Emotions: A Design Experiment

"What's the Big Idea" by Steve Mirsky


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75 ERIEVIEW PLAZA, Cleveland Ohio

This 80,000+ square foot precast concrete office building built in 1968 needed a face lift. The concrete façade was showing signs of minor deterioration. Steel reinforcement had corroded and spalled the precast window panels. The caulk joints were beyond their serviceable life and permitted moisture to enter the structure.

WR Restoration and Lou Ritenour Decorators teamed up to provide a single source solution for the owners. IRG, who manages the facility for the owners selected our Team to facilitate the repairs. An initial building survey was completed quantifying the needed façade repairs. The scope of work included concrete surface repairs, removal or repair to concrete reinforcement, remove and replacement of precast concrete panel joints, pressure washing the surfaces in preparation of the application of two coats of Sherwin Williams Conflex Hi-Build Coating.