Monthly Archives: September 2021

Dates to remember

September

26 Bangs 4-H Club Meeting 3:00pm at Bangs HS Cafeteria

27 4-H Food & Nutrition Information Meeting 5:00pm at the Extension Office

October

4 Brown County 4-H Proclamation at County Commissioners Court

5 Livestock Coalition Meeting 5:00pm at the Extension Office

6 Early 4-H Club Meeting 5:15pm at Double H Mercantile

11 Extension Office Closed for Columbus Day

12 Deadline to RSVP for LIFE 101

16 County and State Lamb/Goat Validation 8:00am at the Youth Fair Barns

19 LIFE 101 Information Meeting 5:00pm at the Extension Office

27 State Heifer Validation 2:00pm at Bob Clarks Pens

4-H enrollment is open in 4-H Connect

The enrollment process for the 2021-2022 4-H year begins August 15, 2021. All 4-H families, new and returning, are encouraged to log in and enroll to become an official 4-H member.

As you begin your enrollment for the year, here are some tips in using 4-H CONNECT:

If you already have a profile DO NOT create another one!

If you lost your email and password, call the county office so we can reset, it for you.

An active membership will not be granted until the $25.00 participation fee is paid on 4-H Connect!

You cannot register or participate in an event until your profile is ACTIVE.

When you are doing your re-enrollment for the 2021-2022 4-H Year please make sure you update your address, phone number, and e-mail address.

For any youth who is joining 4-H in 2021-2022 for the first time as a 3rd grader we ask for you NOT TO ENROLL until September 1st. September 1st is actual first day of the new 4-H year and what is used to calculate grade/age. If a 2nd grader moving into 3rd grade enrolls before September 1st it will tag them as a Clover Kid, not charge an enrollment fee and lock them in as a Clover Kid for the year.

If you experience issues trying to enroll in 4-H currently, we recommend that you wait until September 1st. The system has been updated and currently has issues.

Dont wait until the last minute to enroll because after October 31st the cost increases to $30!!

Benefit account for Bangs 4-H Club leader

Rachel Hall has been an integral Brown County 4-H club manager and volunteer for over 10 years. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments for colon cancer.

A benefit account at Texas Bank, Bangs, has been set up for her. Please help someone who has given so much to our Brown County 4-H youth.

Texas Bank - 501 E Hall St. Bangs, TX 76823

Brown County 4-H food and nutrition information meeting

If you have a youth that would like to participate in Food Show and/or Food Challenge or if you are a volunteer interested in coaching Food Challenge, please attend the meeting on September 27th 5:00pm at the Extension Office.

The purpose of the meeting is to educate adult leaders & youth about the Food Show and Food Challenge contest.

During the meeting will discuss coaches, practices, county food show, and teams. For more information contact the Extension Office.

4-H proclamation

National 4-H Week will be October 3rd through the 9th. 4-Hers will have an opportunity to meet with the Brown County Commissioners, on Monday October 4th at 8am, to have them sign our proclamation and visit with them about what Brown County 4-Hers have accomplished. We would like to see as many 4-Hers there as possible to show our thanks for the support, Brown County has given us.

We will meet here at the Extension Office on Monday October 4th at 8am. So, if you are interested in participating contact the Extension Office by Monday September 27th. You must be enrolled in 4-H to participate. We will provide excused absent letters to your school if you would like to participate.

Livestock coalition meeting

The purpose of this coalition is to help strengthen the livestock program. The Livestock Coalition is in charge of developing workshops/clinics, Brown County 4-H Project Show and other learning opportunities that will assist youth with growth in their project area.

If you have aninterest in being part of this coalition please join us on October 5th, 5pm at Extension Office. Your ideas are welcomed for the improvement of the youth livestock program in Brown County.

Rodeo Austin barrow show update

New for 2022, Rodeo Austin is proud to partner with the Texas Pork Producers Association to host an exclusive Certified Texas Bred Barrow Show. All Barrows must be certified Texas Bred to compete.

4-H Livestock projects

If you are needing assistance with finding a 4-H livestock project such as, lamb, goat, or swine for upcoming county and/or state shows please contact Nick Gonzales or Scott Anderson at the Extension Office.

If you already have your livestock project and would like for the agents to come, check on your project please contact the Extension Office to schedule an appointment.

Lamb, goat and swine county and state validation

It is that time to start getting ready for the Brown County Youth Fair and Major Stock Shows. The most important step in doing this is validating your animals. Lamb/Goat validation will be October 16 at8 a.m. Swine validation November 13 at8 a.m. at the Brown County Youth Fair Barns.

There will not be a county validation make up day.If you are planning on participating in the Brown County Youth Fair, you need to make sure your animal is present the day of validation.If you ordered state tags and have not paid for them, come by the Extension Office ASAP. You must be enrolled in 4-H before the date of validation.

Heifer validation

If you are showing a heifer at a major stock show that has not previously been state validated or has changed owners, they will need to be validated. Heifers that are only participating in the Brown County Youth Fair do not need to be validated.

Please make sure you have registration papers in hand at validation. Every heifer needs to have an ID, either a brand or tattoo. Please ensure that tattoos/brands are done and legible before validation.

Dates to Remember:

October 27 Physical Validation 2:00pm 4:00pm at Bob Clarks pens

November 1 Deadline Original Registration Papers Must be in Exhibitors Name

For more information, contact the Extension Office at 325-646-0386.

Life 101

Life 101 is a youth program that focuses on filling the missing pieces and assisting with the strategies to successfully launch into adulthood. The goal is to eliminate the idea of Learning from their mistakes.

Topics of learning are: banking andmanaging Money; credit cards; financial aid, loans, and scholarships; budgeting; true cost of transportation; interviewing skills andhow to land a job; etiquette & dressing for success.

This program is open to Brown County 4-H members 9th 12th grade. If you are interested in Life 101 there will be an information meeting on October 19at 5 p.m. at the Extension Office. RSVP by October 12if you plan to attend.

Ag Texas Youth of the Month scholarship contest

AgTexas Farm Credit Services is proud to host a program that highlights some of the best and brightest young minds in Texas 4-H and FFA members in the South Plains, Panhandle and Central Texas areas.

The AgTexas AgYouth of the Month program will honor students who excel in the classroom and as leaders in their 4-H clubs and FFA chapters. The purposes of this award are:

To raise the profile of these two organizations by recognizing outstanding senior class leaders within 4-H and FFA.

To recognize these monthly winners in local newspapers and on radio (wherever appropriate), social media and the AgTexas FCS website.

To bring together these outstanding young men and women at the annual banquets.

To create scholarship opportunities that will help graduating seniors afford a college education

If you are a senior in high school and interested in applying for the AgYouth of the month complete your application online at https://www.agtexas.com/news-updates/ag-youth-of-the-month/ag-youth-entry-form/

Read more here:

Brown County 4-H news and updates - Brownwood Bulletin

A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Turkey and Indonesia at Teknofest 2021 in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul, further strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Aerospace Indonesia, locally known as PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) signed the MoU to "cooperate in N219 aircraft production extension, modernization and life extension of the Turkish CN235 aircraft fleet," the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara said in a statement.

The two countries will cooperate in engineering support of TAI development projects and in the joint development and production of the N245.

"The MoU (will) improve and strengthen the cooperative relationship that has existed between PTDI and Turkish Aerospace, especially in terms of the N219 aircraft and the modernization of the Turkish CN235 aircraft," the statement added.

Noting the cooperation between PTDI and Turkish companies, the embassy said Indonesia has collaborated with Turkey's defense giant Aselsan in 2000 for the installation of signal intelligence and intelligent communication systems on the CN235 Turkish Air Forces Command aircraft.

"In Teknofest 2021, PTDI is again showcasing its flagship products and services to expand markets and increase sales, especially for the CN235-220 and N219 aircraft," the statement added.

The six-day Teknofest, the countrys biggest technology event that began Tuesday, will continue until Sunday at Atatrk Airport.

Founded in 1976, PTDI is one of Asia's indigenous aerospace companies with core competencies in aircraft design, development and testing, aircraft structure manufacturing, aircraft production and aircraft services for both civilian and military uses, the embassy said.

Read more:

Indonesia, Turkey strengthen aerospace cooperation with new deal | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight

9/23/2021

Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight

AmstedRail Transit, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of complete bogie systems and end-of-car components, will partner with Alstom to supply 200 new multilevel rail cars for Metra in Chicago. Under the agreement, Amstedwill provide assembled bogie systems, couplers, draft gears and crash energy management systems, which will be integrated with Alstoms rail cars at the Alstom manufacturing facility in Hornell, New York. The base order is for 200 rail cars, with a possibility to expand the offering, Amsted officials said in a press release.

Gowanda Electronics yesterday announced that Chief Executive Officer Donald McElheny retired at the end of August after 24 years with the company. McElheny joined Gowanda Electronics in 1997 as new product development manager. He took on increasing responsibility in subsequent years, being named chief operating officer in 2006. McElheny became CEO in 2011. Gowanda merged withiNRCOREin late 2020.

Trapeze Group and Sentient Science have announced a new collaboration aimed at helping transit agencies budget and optimize rail-maintenance investments. Theinitiativeintegrates Sentient's prescriptive rail-maintenance software with Trapeze's enterprise asset management, capital planning and state-of-good-repair tools. The effort enables transit-rail agencies and railroads to measure the life extension and cost savings from rail grinding, milling and friction management, the companies said in a press release.

Read the original here:

Rail News - Rail supplier news from Amsted, Alstom, Gowanda, Trapeze and Sentient. For Railroad Career Professionals - Progressive Rail Roading

Being a globetrotting DJ and producer doesnt come without its hardships. Steve Aoki has revealed that his hyper-successful career has seen its fair share of obstacles, including holding back on raising a family, missed opportunities with Kanye, Drake and Eminem, suffering from tinnitus, and losing his best friend.

The 43-year-old has performed a whopping 250 shows per year for 15 years. Thats no easy feat, and its significantly impacted his personal life. Theres a point where, in those moments of loneliness and sadness, I made a decision, he explains on In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

Instead of being at home and potentially having a familyI chose this life, and Im on the road a lot, so whoever I end up dating or whoever becomes part of my lifeIts a specialised life. Its only meant for a certain kind of person to be able to live like thisI definitely want to have kidsTheres no doubt about it. Its going to happen.

Thankfully, Aoki has fallen in love with his career, saying that there is no greater high than being on stage. It is the absolute pinnacle. Drugs cannot reach the high that I am getting. I am completely sober. I dont drink before shows. I dont do any drugs. I let the moment and the real raw connection Im having bring me to that level.

The superstar DJ reflects on those moments and tears up at the thought of his friends that have passed. When [those moments] are gone, theyre gone forever. So you better fuckingyou better give 100 per centbecause after that moment has gone, its gone.

Aokis career has undoubtedly rewarded him with unforgettable moments and opportunities. One opportunity that passed him by in the earlier parts of his journey was a remix of Eminems Forever, featuring Drake, Kanye and Lil Wayne.

He recalls how Kanye called him up to share some lyrics he was working on. He then later bumped into Drake, whose team sent him stems of an upcoming track. Its Drake, its Eminem, its Lil Wayne, and its Kanye West, Aoki says. I could remix the biggest voices of my career.

It never actually ever came out because it just wasnt that good. Sad to say, but thats life. I had the opportunity it wasnt good at the time. If they gave me the opportunity now, itd be a different story.

Bensinger asks Aoki about another affliction of his high-octane career tinnitus. The tinnitus in my left ear; now I have a little bit in my right. Its just part of life, Aoki explains. Ive learned to live with it.

He may have had a turbulent career at times, but Aoki is keen to stick around for as long as possible. My passion is in whats in the future with brain technology The angle is finding a way to live foreverMy moms 78. I want to see her live to 120; I want to say, Mom, you have another 50 more years left, you know?.

Aoki is encouraging his entire family to cryogenically freeze their bodies via the Alcor Life Extension Foundation. He elaborates: Alcor is a facility that deep freezes your bodyIf Im so lucky to die in a hospital situation where they can move my whole body and quickly get my body my brain most importantly into this deep kelvin temperature, andif theres technology to actually bring you back, then I could come back.

But its like, the sad thing is, I dont want to come back and my whole familys gone. Thats why Imasking my whole family, lets at least all do it together, you know?

The full In Depth with Graham Bensinger interview airs this weekend in the US.

Read the rest here:

Steve Aokis Kanye, Drake and Eminem remix never released because it just wasnt that good - MusicTech

Venture Logo From https://makwacahill.ca/

An Indigenous-owned venture focused on industry fabrication has signed a supplier agreement with Bruce Power.

Bruce Power says Makwa Development Corp., which is owned by Nawash residents Scott Lee and Shane Chegano, has joined forces with one of Canadas largest construction companies, Cahill Constructors Ltd. to create Makwa-Cahill.

A release says, In the spirit of Maawanjiodiwag, which means coming together, Makwa-Cahill will collaborate to deliver services to nuclear and energy clients through its fabrication facility in Owen Sound.

Makwa Developments President Scott Lee says in a statement, The nuclear industry is vital to meeting the electricity needs of Ontario, adding, We are pleased to have Makwa-Cahill enter into this supplier agreement with Bruce Power, and ensuring that our Indigenous communities will have a key ongoing role in the nuclear industry.

Makwa-Cahill President Mike Benham says it is a fully qualified Indigenous fabrication company, adding, Once we are in the work-execution phase, we will hire and provide on-the-job training for skilled tradespeople to meet the needs of Bruce Power and other energy sector clients in Ontario.

Bruce Power President and CEO Mike Rencheck, says Bruce Powers Life-Extension Program sets a long-term framework for the relationship, noting, The Makwa-Cahill joint venture will advance job creation for skilled tradespeople from Georgian College and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, helping provide Bruce Power and our nuclear supply chain with the skillsets required to advance our long-term investment program.

Ontario Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Greg Rickford, applauds the partnership, saying These are the types of partnerships that support economic development, create good jobs, and provide opportunities for First Nations communities to share in Ontarios prosperity.

Learn more about Makwa-Cahill at makwacahill.ca

Read more:

Bruce Power Inks Supplier Agreement With Indigenous-Owned Venture - Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre

Earlier this summer, a slew of headlines showered doom and gloom on clothing rental schemes, proclaiming them "the worst green option," "worse for the planet than just throwing [clothing] away" and "no cure for fast fashion."

All this vitriol came in the wake of a Finnish report that compares the global warming potential of a pair of jeans under five ownership and end-of-life scenarios: traditional use and disposal; extended use; resale; recycle; and rental. Using life cycle assessments (LCAs), the study concluded that "sharing" or renting a pair of jeans produced the highest volume of carbon emissions about 5 kg more CO2 than simply throwing the jeans away.

If we take these headlines at face value, rental models should be a thing of the past rather than a model for the futurewith endless possibilities, as some coverage has suggested. But as with all things in the world of circularity, this story requires some context and a healthy dose of nuance so lets dive in.

The report uses LCA methodology, a process that evaluates the environmental impact of a product or service from cradle to grave by relying on numerous assumptions. As an example, the report assumes 200 wears before jeans are disposed of, that jeans are washed every 10 uses, and that purchasing two pairs of used jeans will displace the need for one newly manufactured pair. These assumptions are built from a specific scenario and setting, and a slight shift in these numbers could drastically alter the reports outcome. All that to say, the assumptions and their conclusions come with "uncertainty," a word the reports authors use no less than seven times.

As with all things in the world of circularity, this story requires some context and a healthy dose of nuance.

As critiques of LCAs have long pointed out, this methodology fails to account for human behavior and behavior change between scenarios. After all,a second-hand shopper or renter is likely to treat their garments differently from a traditional consumer potentiallyholding on to them longer, washing them at a different frequency or replacing them at a different rate. Indeed, LCAs have been criticized for their shortcomings, particularly when it comes to evaluating circular initiatives.

Of course, LCAs and their assumptions are critical to allow for an apples-to-apples comparison. "Only what gets measured gets managed," Ola Bkowska, a project manager at Circle Economys Circle Textile Program, shared with me over email. But LCAs offer "only part of the information [They are] not sufficient to assess all the benefits of clothes in the rental business model compared to business as usual."

Speaking of only part of the information,the report is quick to acknowledge that its focus is exclusively on carbon emissions and their "global warming potential" (GWP). As the report notes, "our focus on GWP impacts has left implications for other important sustainability dimensions such as water use, toxic chemicals and waste generation outside the scope of this study."

By not considering impact on water consumption, biodiversity and communities at large, this report offers only one piece of the sustainability puzzle.

"We urgently need more detailed research on the assumed and unexpected implications of diverse [circular economy] strategies," the report adds. Id argue such research is critical to understand rentals full scope of benefits and drawbacks before we throw this potentially impactful model under the bus.

Its important to note, the report raised some genuine red flags for rental. As with all business models, slapping a "circular" sticker on them does not inherently make them more sustainable.

Rental services particularly for clothingcan require more logistics, often including more shipping, packaging, cleaning or washing and, by association, carbon emissions than traditional linear consumption. "Circular business models are not climate positive by definition," Bkowska noted. Accordingly, they deserve our scrutiny before we call them green.

But given the narrow assumptions and limitations of this report, Im hesitant to brand rental schemes as unsustainable either. So what would it take to make rental the eco-friendly option? Here are three recommendations that could bring rental back from the environmental brink:

"In order to create a sustainable business model, you have to consider sustainability at every point in your product or services life cycle," Jay Reno, CEO of furniture rental company Feather, told me via email.

To start, this requires designing products with climate friendly materials and manufacturing as the report finds, more than half of the carbon emissions associated with a pair of jeans occur during manufacturing, no matter how they are used or sold. But the sustainable design lens should not stop there.

Reno added, "Many brands might consider sustainability at the beginning of the life cycle say, when a pair of pants is created But what really moves the needle for sustainability is considering what happens once those pants leave your warehouse." Considering how a product might wear and tear as well as their aesthetic appeal over time can lead to more durable, repairable and timeless design and products that last longer require less carbon, as the report points out.

Many brands might consider sustainability at the beginning of the life cycle. What really moves the needle for sustainability is considering what happens once those pants leave your warehouse.

Additionally, carefully designed rental services can require less washing and maintenance between users, or leverage low- or zero-emission transportation. As Bkowska added, "It will be very different if you pick up an item by bike from your local clothing library than if you ship it from a remote place. This is why the service design of a rental business model is of core importance to achieve a desired social and environmental impact."

Rather than simply offering a rental scheme, combining multiple circular solutions in one business model could unlock the most environmental savings. A rental service could save significant carbon, materials and waste by extending product and material life spans with durability, repair services, product resale and material recycling. As an example, Feather leverages durable and versatile design, refurbishment, recommerce, upcycling and donation partners to extend their products lifespan and reduce environmental impacts.

In fact, one of the reports oft-overlooked analysis explores the reduced carbon impact of rental models that leverage product life extension and more sustainable service design through low-carbon transportation. The results? The carbon footprints of these rental models drop below traditional linear consumption, making the take-make-waste model "the worst" option, yet again.

As recent reports and coverage continue to confirm, the challenge is that fashions current model is inherently unsustainable. No matter if products are rented, resold or simply consumed, we are producing too much stuff.

As the report itself outlines,"In the textile industry, massive over-production is a system-level problem that cannot be tackled only with the development of more efficient recycling options for end-of-use products." We need to shift the system and reduce "the total amount of products" available as well as the overconsumption this volume of goods encourages.

[Interested in learning more about the circular economy? Subscribe to our free Circularity Weekly newsletter.]

If rental services spur more linear consumption, they have failed their sustainability charge and are indeed "the worst option." But when designed right, they can lead to less production and evoke behavior change that encourages more thoughtful, reduced consumption. As Reno shared in a Circularity 21 panel, rental has the power to "transform humanitys relationship with material goods [to give somebody] a different relationship with their stuff"

Thats what rental models should be striving for and when thats achieved, I wont hang rental out to dry.

Original post:

Is rental really the worst? | Greenbiz - GreenBiz