Category: Blogs and Musings

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Saftey Procedures

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Carbon Monoxide, an odorless deadly gas, can cause illness, permanent health damage, and death. It is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as gas, coal, wood, and oil. Carbon monoxide is absorbed via the lungs into the bloodstream, where it replaces oxygen.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning First Aid
Persons who are affected by inhalation of carbon monoxide contaminated air must be seen by a physician as soon as possible.
Until the affected person is receiving care from a qualified medical practitioner the following treatment should be administered:
Move the patient to fresh air and loosen clothing
Open all windows

If unconscious:
Call 911
If breathing stopped: Begin CPR at once

If conscious:
Avoid unnecessary exertion
Call 911 or Go to emergency room

Burning Fuels Safely:
Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stores.
Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote residue which sticks to the inner walls of the chimney. Creosote is a fire hazard and can cause a chimney fire.
Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove
When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate
Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your house.

Safety Checklist:
Have a Carbon Monoxide alarm in your home.
Proper ventilation is the key.
Always use the right fuel.
Never leave an open fire unattended without a fireguard.
Always use a securely fitted fireguard when children are in the house.
Have your chimney cleaned once a year by a certified chimney sweeper.

Troubleshooting
If your appliance starts burning slowly, goes out frequently or if you smell or suspect fumes you should:
Open doors and windows.
Carefully put out the fire, or allow it to burn itself out.
Do not stay in the room any longer than necessary.
Do not attempt to relight the appliance until a professional has checked it.
NOTE: Overloading the fireplace with wood in an attempt to get a longer burn time contributes to creosote buildup.

TAKE THE QUIZ: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and your Saftey

 

Swiss-Russian import of Medical Products Policy Memo by International Affairs Student Eugene Kolesnikov

Here an excellent policy memo which grew out of my International Affairs Class at EF – Education First.

Policy Memo
To: Dr. Jasmin B. Cowin, International Affairs class
From: Eugene Kolesnikov
RE: Swiss-Russian import of medical products policy

Current situation in Russian-Swiss relations

The Russian-Swiss Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was established in January 1994. In July 2009, with the support of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a business council on cooperation with Switzerland was established.[3]
Nowadays, the state of Russian-Swiss relations is characterized by positive dynamics, having continuous support from political dialogue at the highest levels.[3]
Russia is a priority country of Swiss foreign policy. The two countries share many interests. As a member of the UN Security Council and the G-20, Russia is a major international player. Since the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2007, bilateral relations have developed significantly. The MoU defines the framework for systematic and closer cooperation in the areas of:
  • Foreign policy and security;
  • Justice, police, and migration;
  • Economics and science;
  • Education and cultural affairs.
Representatives of both foreign ministries meet regularly for consultations. There are close contacts at the parliamentary level too, with active parliamentary friendships groups in both countries. Since 2009, Switzerland has represented Russia’s interests in Georgia and Georgia’s interests in Russia, after the two countries broke off diplomatic relations.[2]
At the same time, the ties linking the business communities of both states are expanding and strengthening. It is quite evident from a large number of bilateral events such as meetings, forums, and conferences held at the trade mission level. Such events have already become traditional and are usually held in an atmosphere of mutual respect and desire to expand the frontiers of bilateral partnership.[3]
Russia’s exports to Switzerland primarily consist of minerals (50.5 percent), gemstones and precious metals (38.7 percent), chemical products (6.3 percent) and metals and metal products (2.5 percent). Imports from Switzerland include cars, equipment and vehicles (42.1 percent), chemicals (33.0 percent), food and agricultural raw materials (9.6 percent) and other products, mainly watches (9.0 percent), metals and metal goods (3.7 percent).[1]
Major Swiss investors in Russia include Nestlé (food industry), Asea Brown Boveri (high-voltage and low-voltage equipment for industrial production, construction, housing, and utilities) and Schindler (elevators and escalators). Over 600 companies with Swiss capital are registered in Russia. Some major Russian investors in Switzerland include the Renova Group, Rusal, and the SUAL Group.[1]
Currently, more than 600 companies with Swiss capital are operating in Russia, on the other hand, many Russian companies are working on the Swiss market. However, the volume of bilateral trade has been constantly growing, and this suggests that the potential for bilateral cooperation is far from exhausted. Russia and Switzerland are also brought together by a number of major investment projects, designed to be implemented in the years to come.[3]
First of all, we are talking about projects in such important spheres as science-intensive high-tech industries including energy, space, medicine, nuclear and IT-technology. In particular, the most well-known and highly advocated bilateral projects deal with innovation and nanotechnology issues.[3]
In the last several years experts observe increased imports to Russia of Swiss machinery and equipment, electronic goods, which is encouraged by the economic growth and stable demand on the Russian market.[3]
In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated due to the crisis in Ukraine. In late July, the EU and the US moved from targeted sanctions against specific individuals and companies toward measures against whole sectors of the Russian economy. Switzerland did not join the EU sanctions.[1]

Russian’s Ban on Medical Imports

Medvedev told Russian journalists a suggested bill to restrict imported medical devices and supplies would not be supported by his government unless treatment quality for patients could be maintained.[4]
The list of items suggested for the ban included everything from X-ray machines, defibrillators, incubators for newborns and prosthetic devices to crutches, bandages, and condoms.[4]
Russia’s medical community criticized the proposal for failing to first consult doctors and medical experts as Russian producers can not make the same quality of products or do not make them at all.[4]
Russia’s “import substitution” policy aims to encourage Russia’s domestic producers to develop supplies for markets now dependent on foreign imports. It was accelerated after western sanctions were put in place following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in neighboring Ukraine in 2014.[4]
Although the Ban on Medical Imports is not accepted yet, there is a positive dynamics in this direction, which indicates that it can happen in the nearest future. Before it happens, Russia has to be prepared for such a drastic change.

Proposal

Russia is a large market with great potential for Swiss companies. Switzerland is committed to creating optimal conditions for Swiss businesses and has an action plan on developing economic relations to achieve this. A bilateral mixed economic commission meets on an annual basis. The Swiss Business Hub, which is integrated within the Swiss embassy, advises Swiss companies intending to enter the Russian market and promotes Switzerland as a business location.[2]
According to Russian laws “Goods are considered to be of Russian origin if they are made or have been sufficiently processed in the country according to customs regulations that are applicable in Russia. A supplier is considered Russian if it is a legal entity registered in Russia (which can be fully foreign-owned, except in cases of specifically regulated sectors, such as media) or a Russian citizen.”[5]
Taking into consideration these two facts and the necessity of developing the Russian sector of medicine, I propose such Swiss companies like Novartis (Sandoz), Hoffmann-La Roche, Basilea Pharmaceutica, Actelion and Straumann to create assembly factories on the territory of Russia and, therefore, to gain a foothold in the Russian market.
Both Switzerland and Russia will benefit from it, which means that it is a win-win proposal:
  • Switzerland: Swiss pharmaceutical industry will be expanded to Russian territory and, therefore, bring more profit and improve international relations between countries;
  • Russia: not mentioning the increase in the number of workplaces, Russia will improve the quality of the medical product which will allow Russia to finally accept the Ban on Medical Imports and not to depend on other countries in the field of medicine. Moreover, the Russian government will increase its budget with the taxes from new pharmaceutical companies.

REFERENCES 

[1]  Sputnik, “Russian-Swiss Relations: Facts and Details”, 8 Dec 2014,
[2] FDFA,“BilateralrelationsSwitzerland–Russia”, 8 Apr 2016,
[3]  MiroshnichenkoV., “Russian-Swisstraderelations”, Business Mir #22, Aug 2012,
[4]  VoaNews, “Russia’s PM Halts Ban on Medical Imports”, 3 Sep 2015,
 http://www.voanews.com/a/ russia-pm-halts-ban-on-medical-imports/2944103.html.
[5]  GoncharoffP., “AsTrumpPushes’MadeinUSA’, PutinPromotes Products ’Made 
in Russia’”, 16 Jan 2017, http://russia-insider.com/en/business/ri18556.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 
 
CC BY-NC-ND
Posted 28th March by

EF Unversity Preparation Grammar Fair

Pedagogy: David A. Kolb – experiential learning.

David A. Kolb’s model of experiential learning can be found in many discussions of the theory and practice of adult education, informal education, and lifelong learning.  Much of the literature on experiential learning, as Peter Jarvis comments (1995: 75), ‘is actually about learning from primary experience, that is learning through sense experiences’.

The learning in this project with the Grammar Fair is geared towards students “creating” a teaching tool from scratch without technology. Here the learning process begins first with deep-diving into Grammar research to be able to teach the Grammar point.  Students use the FUMP model: Form, Use, Meaning, and Presentation.  Then, students create a trifold with the prime examples and teaching points.  The trifolds get showcased at the school-wide Grammar Fair where students now present and peer teach other students adding to free L2 use in an authentic situation.

 

A video Collage of the successful Grammar Fair at EF – Education First, NY

 

Long Term Water Storage

20170320_170501_LIThe first thing off the shelves in the advent and aftermath of a disruptive event is bottled water. Clean water must be part of your family’s emergency preparedness plans.

Recommendation for drinking and cooking water per person per month:

Drinking: 15 gallons of clean water for drinking per person per month.

Cooking: Freeze-dried food uses 3/4 to 1 cup of water to rehydrate.

Recommended: 7.5 gallons of cooking water per person per month.

Total of drinking and cooking: 22.5 gallons

This is roughly the size: L 22 x W 11 x H 30″

Hygiene: Grey water, not quality drinking water is fine.

Don’t forget drinking water for your pet!

See instructions:  
Long Water Storage

What Makes Smart Devices So Vulnerable in 2017?

reblogged from the German Center for Research and Innovation

The Internet of Things (IoT), Jetsons’ lifestyle is a possible future scenario for many of us. Read our interview on the future of smart homes with Prof. Dr. Elisabeth André, Chair of Human-Centered Multimedia at Augsburg University. Smart homes contain devices designed to connect to the Internet in order to learn about their owners’ habits. The “magic” happens when data that is gathered by the devices is fed back into the software infrastructure. This results in improved accuracy of the device and, in turn, is more convenient for users.

What Makes Smart Devices So Vulnerable in 2017?