Post-crash electric car battery fires prompt govt probe of General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt uggoutlet-aus.com

WASHINGTON — New fires involving the lithium-ion batteries in General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Volt have prompted an investigation to assess the risk of fire in the electric car after a serious crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday.

One Volt battery pack that was being closely monitored ugg queens ugg fresno ugg boots texasfollowing a government crash test caught fire Thursday, the safety administration said in a statement. Another recently crash-tested battery emitted smoke and sparks, the statement said.


GM, which was informed of the investigation on Friday, said in a statement that the Volt “is safe and does not present undue risk as part of normal operation or immediately after a severe crash.”

The latest fires are in addition to a battery fire in a crash-tested Volt six months ago.

NHTSA learned of a possible fire risk involving damaged Volt batteries when a fire erupted in a Volt that was being stored in a parking lot of a test facility in Burlington, Wis. The fire was severe enough to cause several other vehicles parked nearby to catch fire as well.

The car had been subjected to a side-impact crash test more than three weeks earlier, on May 12, during which the battery was punctured and its coolant line ruptured.

Last week’s tests of three battery packs were designed tougg boots philadelphia ugg boots in texas ugg boots colorado replicate the May test. In that test, the Volt was subjected to a simulated side-impact collision into a narrow object like a tree or pole followed by a rollover, the agency said.

The first battery tested last week didn’t catch fire. But a battery test on Nov. 17 initially experienced a temporary temperature increase, and on Thursday caught fire while being monitored. Another battery tested on Nov. 18, which was rotated 180 degrees within hours after the test, began to smoke and emit sparks shortly after the rotation.

The tests were conducted by NHTSA and the Energy and Defense departments at a defense facility near Hampton Roads, Va.

So far, no fires have been reported in Volts involved in roadway crashes, NHTSA said. More than 5,000 of the vehicles have been sold.

It’s too soon to tell whether the investigation will lead to a recall of any vehicles or parts, but the government will ensure consumers are informed promptly if that occurs, the agency said.

With its OnStar safety communications systems a part of the car, “GM knows real time about any crash significant enough to potentially compromise battery integrity,” the automaker said. “Since July, GM has implemented a post-crash protocol that includes the depowering of the battery after a severe crash, returning the battery to a safe and low-powered state.”

Electric vehicles are critical to President Barack Obama’ugg outlet los angeles ugg outlet buffalo ugg milwaukees plans to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. He has called for putting 1 million of the vehicles on the road by 2015.

The Volt and Nissan’s Leaf, with more than 8,000 cars on the road in the U.S., are among the first mass-marketed plug-in electric cars. They went on sale in the 2011 model year. Other automakers are also working on electric vehicles.

More homeless kids now living in cars uggoutlet-aus.com

(CBS News)

It's shocking to think that in this land of plenty, 17 million American children are living in poverty. That's nearly one in four.

For "60 Minutes" this Sunday, Scott Pelley went to ugg boots in miami ugg boots in buffalo ugg boots buffaloCentral Florida, where the homeless shelters have filled up, and a lot of children are living in cars or trucks.

A truck is the home of the Metzger family: Arielle, 15, and her brother Austin, 13. Their mother died when they were very young. Their dad, Tom, is a carpenter who's been looking for work since Florida's construction industry collapsed. When foreclosure took their house, he bought the truck with his last thousand dollars.

Living in their truck for the last five months has been "an adventure," Arielle says.

"Yeah, it's not really that much an embarrassment. I mean, it's only life. You do what you need to do, right?" Arielle asks.

The Metzgers blend in with more than 1,100 homeless students in the Seminole County schools. At Casselberry School, we met fifteen students who'd been living in cars.

"Well, I worried that someone would just break in and steal my mom's purse," said Jade Wiley.

Jade Wiley is eight years old. She spent three weeks living in her car.

"I thought I was going to be stuck in the car," Jade said, adding that "a nice lady named Beth," gave them money to get into a home.

Beth Davalos said she just delivered help provided by the community.

Beth Davalos runs programs for homeless kids in the Seminole schools. She helps find temporary shelter, but it's tough. Of all the homeless families in Florida, two thirds are living on the street.

"People are running out of resources. The unemployment runs out. Their savings run out, and before you know it, they find themselves living in their car because they ran out of all options," Davalos said.

The kids we met, like the Metzgers, clean up in gas stationsuggs in minnesota uggs in maine uggs boots in miami or YMCAs, keep up appearances by day, and search for safety by night.

"Every time I see like a teenager or any other kid fighting with their parents or arguing with them, and like not doing what they 're told it really hurts me. Because they could be in my shoes. And of course I don't want them to be in my shoes. But they need to learn to appreciateugg maryland uggs in winnipeg uggs in ottawa what they have and who they have in their life. Because it may be the last day they might have it," Arielle Metzger said.

Arielle and her brother Austin spend their days in the city library. The say education is their way out. Arielle plans to be a lawyer.

Forrest's fight

Collinsworth learned his former Cincinnati Bengals coach, Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg, is suffering from Parkinson's disease Nov. 16, the same day San Diego Chargers guard Kris Dielman was placed on injured reserve following an Oct. 23 concussion suffered against the New York Jets. Dielman's injury was compounded by a grand mal seizure on the team's flight home.
Gregg, 78, and his neurologist told the Associated Press that the debilitating neurological disorder with no known cure may stem from numerous concussions suffered when the former Green Bay Packer and Dallas Cowboys tackle played in a then-record 188 straight games from 1956-1971.
Collinsworth commended Goodell for convening the league's health and safety panel after the Dielman incident. But hearing such sobering, concussion-related news moved Collinsworth (a former Bengals wide receiver who played his first three seasons under Gregg in 1981-83) to suggest an offseason concussion summit involving players, owners, doctors and the competition committee to take further measures against a haunting side effect that seems to be shrouding the game.
"You're breaking the news to me about Forrest Gregg," Collinsworth said. "It adds to the equation for me. I know the league is doing what it can about concussions. I know the commissioner takes a lot of heat from defensive players about the fines and penalties for helmet-to-helmet hits.
"If a boxer gets knocked out in a fight, we certainly wouldn't be asking, 'Is he questionable or probable for next week?' "
Gregg revealed his disease to promote more research into finding its cause.
"Players, management, owners — in much the way they fought their way through the CBA this past offseason — should spend time this offseason and get doctors together and say, 'What do we collectively want to do to improve the health of our players?' " Collinsworth said.
"Maybe we have a summit, get all the best and brightest in one room at one time along with the competition committee and say, 'Here's what we want to do.'
"The more this becomes a partnership, the better off we'll all be. Because then it won't be the commissioner dictating. It will be rules players were involved in making changes on.''
Anderson said the league is adamant about doing everything possible concerning concussion prevention and awareness since fines and enforcement of illegal hits are intended to preserve players' careers.
Anderson said Sunday if a measure such as having a medical expert in the replay review booth to better detect possible concussions suffered on plays will help, the league would be in total favor.

NBA lockout: 15 signs the work stoppage is driving you crazy

It's been a painful 41/2 months spending this NBA offseason toiling in statistics that hardly matter to the NBA fan.

Basketball-related income sounded like a foreign language when we had games to discuss. Mid-level exceptions and sign-and-trades felt fun to talk about only when they involved free agency. And let's not get started about competitive balance. Since when did the NBA hate when the Lakers and Celtics dominated?

Some basketball fans have taken it better than others. Below are 15 signs that show this work stoppage has pushed you off the deep end.

1. You know more about the NBA lockout proceedings than the players.

2. You drive by Staples Center every day hoping the Lakers or Clippers organize an informal game.

3. When you watch your child's intramural team, the Lakers, you forget they're not the real ones.

4. You've played a full 2011-2012 season on NBA2K12 at least three times. Of course, you made sure the Lakers won.

5. You relish the days after the Lakers lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 playoffs because at least there were things to talk about and follow.

6. Players union Vice President Roger Mason Jr. famously tweeted to a friend, "Looking like a season. How u." Now you use "how u" in everyday conversation.

7. You suddenly care about such important issues as Kim Kardashian's pseudo marriage or whether Matt Barnes is really dating Eva Longoria.

8. You've watched "Teen Wolf," "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh" and "Space Jam" on NBATV at least 10 times each.

9. You've written letters to Santa Claus asking for an NBA season.

10. You memorize the soundbites David Stern, Adam Silver, Billy Hunter and Derek Fisher provide even before the news conference.

11. You're wearing George Costanza's Gore-Tex coat to prepare for "nuclear winter."

12. You've started a fundraiser to close the financial gap between the players union and owners.

13. You've become a D-Fenders season-ticket holder.

14. You've bought timeshares in every country around the world, just in case Kobe Bryant hosts a barnstorming tour.

15. You believe Hunter's ridiculous argument that the players could start their own league. It would've happened as soon as the lockout started if it were feasible.

What Hard Landing? China's GDP May Grow 8% For Years, Scholar Says

So much for those forecasts of a hard landing by China’s economy. (See related story here.)

The country’s economy may be able to grow by 8-8.5% for the next decade, says a senior scholar at one of the country’s top research institutions.

Li Yang, the deputy president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted, however, that such growth would be a decline from the country’s recent pace. China’s GDP expanded by 9.1% in the latest quarter. Slower expansion would result from the uncertain international environment and structural adjustment by China, Li said, according to a report in today’s Shanghai Securities News.

“I believe the crisis basically hasn’t passed,” Li said of the global economy. Li noted that China’s trade surplus this year would fall to about 2% of its GDP.

U.S. business leaders have been in Hawaii for the past few days at a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperaton CEO Summit, looking to expand their business in China and the rest of Asia. Among those with a big — or potentially big — stake in China and that met Chinese President Hu Jintao there were Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Walmart Asia President Scott Price, and Caterpillar Chairman Doug Oberhelman, according to reports. Caterpillar last Friday announced a plan to acquire a Hong Kong-listed mining equipment maker whose business is focused in China for $886 million.

NBA lockout could be opportunity for NHL teams

Panthers GM Dale Tallon told ESPN’s Craig Custance something interesting the other day.

When asked if the NBA lockout meant moreugg for kids ugg for kids ugg for kids media attention for the NHL in South Florida, Tallon replied, “We’re getting a lot of coverage. Ever since July 1, we’re getting a lot more. Fans there are excited about what’s going on. We’re getting a little more [attention] but it’s more to do with what we’re doing [than a lockout].”

Obviously Tallon isn’t about to say they’re only getting more coverage because there’s no Heat news to report on. And in fairness, the Pantherugg for kids ugg for kids ugg for kidss did have a newsworthy offseason. Plus they’re off to a good start.

But let’s be real here – the NBA lockout hasn’t hurt. All those reporters who used to spend all day listening to Chris Bosh cry have to do something.

If there’s no basketball this year – and that’s looking like a distinct possibility – teams like the Panthers, Coyotes, Avalanche, Devils, Stars and Ducks need to cash in on it. All those teams play in NBA markets, and all could use a boost in attendance.

Trust me, sports fans in those cities will want a team to cheer for, especially once football season is over.

I remember what happened in Vancouver during the 2004ugg for kids ugg for kids ugg for kids-05 NHL lockout. With no Canucks, all of a sudden everyone was following the BC Lions (CFL). The Lions hadn’t been relevant in Vancouver since the 80s when Pamela Anderson was going to games and looked like this:

Microsoft extends access to C#, CLI

In the next few months we will be working towards uggs outlets uggs outlets uggs outletssplitting the jumbo Mono source code that includes ECMA plus a lot more into two separate source code distributions. One will be ECMA, the other will contain our implementation of ASP.Net, ADO.Net, Winforms and others," he said.

Some persons commenting on Galli's blog were positive uggs outlets uggs outlets uggs outletsabout the move. "This is very good. I know of people who have chosen not to use .Net because they wanted a cross-platform solution, but they were afraid that Mono had patent risks. Java doesn't have this issue," one commenter said. "This is good for Mono, of course, but good for .Net as well."

In a somewhat cryptic explanation of the differences betweenuggs outlets uggs outlets uggs outlets Open Specification Promise and Community Promise, Microsoft on its Community Promise page said, "The CP (Community Process) requires that implementations conform to all of required parts of the mandatory portions of the specification. Also, in specified cases (such as where the specifications have uses that exceed those needed to achieve the interoperability needs for which the release under the CP is being made), the CP may have special terms concerning what kinds of implementations are covered."

Update: Borland adds to C#, integration

Borland C#Builder ships this summer in several implementations. C#Builder Architect, for .Net IT team developers using design-driven development,uggs clearance uggs clearance uggs clearance is priced at $2,499, while C#Builder Enterprise, for IT team developers, costs $1,799. C#Builder Professional, for independent .Net developers, costs $999, and C#Builder Personal, for learning C# and .Net development, costs $69.

Borland on Tuesday also will introduce JBuilder 9, a Java development uggs clearance uggs clearance uggs clearanceproduct that includes the Optimizeit Suite 5.5 performance management system in the Enterprise version of JBuilder. JBuilder 9 Developer, a tool to give developers more control over code, also is featured in the announcement.

JBuilder 9 also offers integration of technology acquired from uggs clearance uggs clearance uggs clearanceStarBase. Inclusion of the Borland StarTeam client provides version control and configuration management capabilities for team collaboration, according to Borland.

JBuilder 9 features Web services support, including Web services Wizards for easier construction of Enterprise Java-Beans with Web-based front ends. JBuilder 9 Developer and Enterprise include a solution for building mobile Java applications for MIDP devices from Nokia, Siemens, Sprint, Sony Ericsson and others, the company said.

The Borland Enterprise Server, Team Edition, is a J2EE application server for small and midsized businesses with revenues from $20 million to $499 million. Departments in larger enterprises also are potential users.

"If you are a smaller enterprise and you have requirements for building applications that don't require a large demand on the product but you need J2EE functionality, the product's geared to you," said J.T. Sison, senior director of business development and product marketing for enterprise business unit at Borland.

The application server also supports Janeva connectivity.

The product will be available in early-June for $1,995 per CPU. It is limited to use 25 concurrent users and does not support clustering.

Actor and singer Miley Cyrus will star in a new vampire movie called "Hotel Transylvania." Miley will be supplying the voice for a female vampire in the animated film. The new movie will be about a hotel built exclusively for monsters to keep Miley's character from venturing out into the world. According to Entertainment Weekly, Miley will voice Mavis, who is the daughter of Adam Sandler's character. The website says of the plot, "Adam Sandler is voicing the famous blood-sucker, who builds the titular resort for all manner of monsters (and their families) as a way of keeping Mavis from venturing out into the real world." Sounds like something Billy Ray should have considered! EW has also shown an early preview of Miley's character too on their website, showing her cartoon character in a black dress and black-and-red striped stockings. This makes one wonder how long before Miley dresses up as the character to promote it! The website lists off some other great talents who will be appearing in the movie as well. Other characters are voiced by David Spade, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Cee Lo Green, Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon. Seems like quite an ensemble cast, with the movie scheduled to hit theaters on September 21, 2012. Miley Cyrus seems to be keeping things low-key lately so the good news is she doesn't appear to be getting into trouble, and has steady work!

Miley Cyrus really is determined to let us know she’s all grown up - and her latest movie role should prove it once and for all!

If it seems the starlet has been quiet of late, it'sugg for men ugg for men ugg for men because she’s been polishing off her new movie ‘LOL’ with veteran actress Demi Moore, and according to hollywoodlife.com, her character gets up to some pretty x-rated behavior!



In the film Miley plays bad girl Lola who's described ugg for men ugg for men ugg for menas a “teenage Aphrodite, minus the confidence,” and she's reportedly shown on screen kissing her female friend on the lips and accidentaly flashing her mum, played by Demi!

And in other Miley movie news, deadline.com reports that the teen superstar will be sinking her teeth into a very different role! She's just signed on to voice the character of Mavis, the teenage daughter of Dracula in the new animated flick 'Hotel Transylvania'.

The movie is set in a resort for monsters and their fugg for men ugg for men ugg for menamilies which is compromised when a human discovers it, and boasts a stellar cast including funnymen Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg.

Are you excited to see some new movies from Miley? Let us know by commenting below!

Meanwhile check out more from the teen star in the clip below!

Miley Cyrus to Star in "Hotel Transylvania" Movie With Adam Sandler

Actor and singer Miley Cyrus will star in a new vampire movie called "Hotel Transylvania." Miley will be supplying the voice for a female vampireugg for sale uk ugg for sale uk ugg for sale uk in the animated film. The new movie will be about a hotel built exclusively for monsters to keep Miley's character from venturing out into the world.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Miley will voiceugg for sale uk ugg for sale uk ugg for sale ukMavis, who is the daughter of Adam Sandler's character. The website says of the plot, "Adam Sandler is voicing the famous blood-sucker, who builds the titular resort for all manner of monsters (and their families) as a way of keeping Mavis from venturing out into the real world." Sounds like something Billy Ray should have considered!

EW has also shown an early preview of Miley's character too on their website, showing her cartoon character in a black dress and black-and-red striped stockings. This makes one wonder how long before Miley dresses up as the character to promote it!

The website lists off some other great talentsugg for sale uk ugg for sale uk ugg for sale uk who will be appearing in the movie as well. Other characters are voiced by David Spade, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Cee Lo Green, Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon. Seems like quite an ensemble cast, with the movie scheduled to hit theaters on September 21, 2012. Miley Cyrus seems to be keeping things low-key lately so the good news is she doesn't appear to be getting into trouble, and has steady work!

Christopher Paolini offers answers about Eragon and friends in ‘Inheritance’

Oh, how quickly they grow up. Just eight years ago, ugg uk sale ugg uk sale ugg uk saleEragon was an orphaned farm boy, and his inventor was a home-schooled wunderkind. Today, the dragon rider possesses immortal­ity, a light-up sword and enough magic to levitate Hogwarts. And Christopher Paolini, now in his 20s, is an internationally best-selling author. The fourth and final volume of the series, “Inheritance,” is being released Tuesday with a massive 2.5 million-copy print run.

Fans who have grown up with the series ugg uk sale ugg uk sale ugg uk salewill be speed-reading the 880-page finale this week to find out if Eragon and Saphira and their allies will free Alagaesia from the evil King Galbatorix. Also hanging in the balance is the fate of Eragon’s half-brother, Murtagh, and his dragon, Thorn, who have been coerced by Galbatorix. For those disheartened by the lack of resolution in the third novel, “Brisingr,” “Inheritance” offers a propulsive plot and plenty of answers.

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(Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Paolini began writing the first book, “Eragon,” when he was 15, and his parents, who owned a press, published it. He traveled to schools and Renaissance fairs, hand-selling his opus, until Carl Hiaasen picked up a copy for his son on a fly-fishing vacation and put in a good word at Knopf. The rest is publishing history.

Eragon and his blue dragon, Saphira, were an endearing duo, but critics, including this one, noted the novel’s debt to everyone from J.R.R. Tolkien and Anne McCaffrey to George Lucas. (I caught a David Eddings reference or two in the new one.) But Paolini had readers at “dragon.”

This final volume offers sieges, duels, traps, secret tunnels, evil priests, more sieges, vision quests, sea monsters and man-eating snails. Aside from a sadly underused Orik, now king of the dwarves, most of our favorite characters get their moment of derring-do. Eragon’s cousin Roran, who relies on wits and sheer cussedness, has risen in the rebel ranks — despite his lack of noble birth. He’s the U.S. Grant of the Varden. The quixotic Angela, who’s never mentioned without her title “the herbalist,” demonstrates heretofore unsuspected fighting skills, like Yoda in “Attack of the Clones.” Eragon’s ally and crush, the elf Arya, and the female leader of the rebels, Nasuada, remain as formidable as ever.

The book could have been tighter: There’s an entire ugg uk sale ugg uk sale ugg uk salechapter where Orik makes a rock. Paolini still loves highfalutin adjectives to go with his high fantasy. Every sword, spear and spork has a name, and characters pause mid-battle to discuss the provenance of a weapon, like a medieval “Antiques Roadshow.” While individual lines clunk and the “ancient Elvish” still makes me wince, the battles are hard-fought, and there’s a suitably melancholy feel to last third of “Inheritance” — an acknowledgment that magic comes with a price. In that sense, “Inheritance” reminded me of Lloyd Alexander’s Newbery-winning “The Chronicles of Prydain,” another series that featured an orphan farm boy with a flaming sword.

Post-“Hunger Games,” young adult literature has grown so dark you need a flashlight to read some of the titles. In a fall that includes the gore-filled “Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer,” Paolini is hardly the worst offender. But parents of dragon-obsessed tweens should be aware that the graphic violence in “Inheritance” includes the torture of a young woman that goes on for chapters and features one of the creepiest use of bugs since “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

But Paolini’s fans, who have spent over 2,000 pages and eight years rooting for his hero, will cheer the final flight.

Zipp regularly reviews books for the Christian Science Monitor and The Post.

Joint project digitizes book memorializing IU veterans

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A joint project to digitize the Golden Book, a hefty tome that records the names of military veterans connected to Indiana University uggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheapas far back as the War of 1812, will be celebrated on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11.

Print-Quality Photo

Since 1961, the book has resided in the Memorial Room of the Indiana Memorial Union, located just outside Alumni Hall. It records the names of veterans connected to IU who served in the Black Hawk War, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, the Mexican Border Expedition and two world warsuggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap. The oldest name in the book is David Henry Maxwell, one of IU's original trustees when the university was founded in 1820 and namesake of Maxwell Hall.

The book also records the names of donors whose funds were used to construct three of IU's buildings: the old Memorial Stadium, the Indiana Memorial Union and Memorial Hall in the Agnes E. Wells Quadrangle, all of which bear the word "memorial" in their names to ensure the sacrifices of veterans are remembered.

The digitization project will allow visitors to browse the hundreds of names in the book through an electronic display on a 46-inch screen, which will be unveiled during a brief ceremony at 9 a.m. on Veterans Day in the Memorial Room. The event is free and open to the public.

"It's a way to show our current veterans that IU has a longstanding tradition of honoring military service," said Margaret Baechtold, director of Veterans Support Services at IU Bloomington, which collaborated with the Office of the Dean of Students, IU Digital Library program, Indiana Memorial Union and University Information Technology Services on the project. "And that there's still acknowledgment, that weuggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap value their commitment to serving their country."

A $10,000 grant from the IU Parents Fund helped fund the project.

Chris Eller, senior systems analyst for UITS advanced visualization lab, has created a 3-D documentary about the Golden Book that will screen at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at IU Cinema as part of a student film showcase.

The film features former IU employee and Meadowood Retirement Community resident Dolores Rockwood, whose excellent penmanship landed her the task of single-handedly transcribing the names of all World War II-era veterans into the book in the early 1950s.

Baechtold said her office intends to begin collecting the names of military veterans connected to the university after World War II, in an effort to bring the Golden Book's rolls up to date.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Veterans Day, various representatives of IU will participate in a nationwide effort to read aloud the names of the more than 6,200 men and women who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. That event will continue throughout the day in the Memorial Room.

The Memorial Room 
The Memorial Room was dedicated in June 1969. It is home to the Golden Book and a large bronze floor seal designed by IU alumnus John Carlisle Bollenbacher, one of the architects of the original Indiana Memorial Union. The seal, which tradition decrees never be stepped on, bears the words: "In memory of the sons anduggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap daughters of Indiana University who have served in the wars of the Republic."

The room also features two stained glass windows, acquired by Booth Tarkington from the collection of an Austrian count and later donated to the university by Mr. and Mrs. H. Frederick Willkie. One window, "The Flight to Egypt," dates to 1290 A.D. and depicts Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child. The second window, uggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap uggs boots for cheap"The Epiphany" or "Adoration of the Kings," dates to the middle to late 15th century and depicts three Wise Men offering gifts to the Madonna and Christ Child.