text stringlengths 211 577k | id stringlengths 47 47 | dump stringclasses 1 value | url stringlengths 14 371 | file_path stringclasses 644 values | language stringclasses 1 value | language_score float64 0.93 1 | token_count int64 54 121k | score float64 1.5 1.84 | int_score int64 2 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Varvatos: 10 rules of style
The American men’s designer talks confidence, tailoring and experimentation....
- Confidence. The most notable men aren't always considered the best dressed. It's how they carry themselves and what they exude through their personal style that's important.
- It doesn't matter how much money you pay for something - if it doesn't fit well, it will look terrible. Invest in tailoring pieces properly to your particular fit.
- The watch is an everyman's accessory. Some men shy away from jewellery or other accessories, but having an amazing timepiece is the perfect way to complete your wardrobe.
- Develop a sort of "basics" programme, with key pieces. Every man should have his "go to" white shirt, a perfect-fitting tailored suit or jacket and a pair of dark denim jeans.
- Play with trends, don't live by them. Trends are great because they keep things interesting, but don't force yourself to wear something if it doesn't fit your personality or makes you feel uncomfortable.
- There is a reason women go crazy for shoes - they can make or break an outfit. Don't think one shoe can do everything for you. You should have a few options, depending on the season and the occasion.
- Let's face it, you can dress up any way you like, but if you aren't groomed properly, no one is going to notice what you're wearing. Invest in skincare and use it. Most men don't take the time to exfoliate and moisturize. Smelling good goes a long way. Find cologne that suits your taste and smells good on you. A lot of people buy cologne because of the brand or packaging - the fragrance interacts differently with each person, so be sure to test it out before you buy it.
- Know what works for you. It's important to be current and keep your look updated. Find pieces that are "no-brainers" and add to them accordingly. If you find jeans that are a great fit, buy a few pairs in different washes.
- Don't be afraid to experiment. Getting dressed should be enjoyable, not a chore. So if you are feeling a bit bored, try something new. Sometimes, incorporating one new item in an already established look creates an entirely new vibe.
- It's never about fashion, it's always about style. | <urn:uuid:dfc0c05d-dde7-4d31-949f-a101b720d853> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/CondeNast/GQ_articles.aspx?cp-documentid=250120811 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957059 | 500 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Taiz: Attractions and more...
The city of Taiz is a beautiful historical attraction with several old, stunning white mosques, quarters and appealing architecture. The palace of Imam Ahmed, now a museum, the Al-Qahira castle, the Ashrafiya mosque and the Mudhaffar mosque are some of the significant and much visited places. The Al-Qahira castle is a major historical landmark. The beautiful castle, built in the fifteenth century, is the perfect example of the ancient architectural wealth.
Positioned amidst some impressive springs and streams are the Saber mountains, which are also the highest mountains in Yemen. The mountains offer a magnificent view of the city including the Al-Thabab valley.
The Youfris is among the most prominent historical complexes in the city with most monuments being more than 500 years old. A number of interesting sites like the tomb of the mystic Sheikh Ahmed Bin Alwan and the Youfris mosque are located here. | <urn:uuid:f5738ecd-94bf-49c9-8bba-dca27b432fe4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.placesonline.com/asia/yemen/taiz/travel_guide.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943534 | 199 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Displaying items 73-84 of 396 » View courant.com items only< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11-33 Next >
The Sun Sentinel's News in Education program has received a $25,000 grant to distribute booklets around science, technology, engineering, art and math curriculum (also known as STEAM). The hands-on booklet will be given to all public and private...
Tags: Engineering, Technology, Science
firstname.lastname@example.orgSTANFORD — Lincoln County elementary students are showing huge improvements in quick and basic math skills, which could be good news down the road when they're preparing to take the ACT. That was the takeaway last week when District Curriculum...
Tags: Students, Teaching and Learning
There's another team from Aberdeen Roncalli schools going to a state tournament. The MathCounts team, made up seventh-graders from Roncalli Junior High School and one sixth-grader from Roncalli Elementary School, will be heading to Pierre on Friday to...
email@example.comMost Washington County residents have not obtained four-year college degrees, an educational gap that could hamper redevelopment efforts, according to an economic development strategic plan. “Washington County is at the lower end of the educational...
South Bend TribuneSOUTH BEND -- "Raise your hand if you're a teacher in this area," state schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz told the audience in the Jordan Hall of Science at the University of Notre Dame Saturday morning. A couple dozen hands went up. "Yeah, see!"...
L.A. NOWAn analysis of test results from the five most populated states found that California has largely trailed the rest of the country in reading, mathematics and science in the past decade....
Varsity Times InsiderHigh school athletes who have aspirations of playing college sports need to know the requirements academically. And their parents should also know. Here's the link to the NCAA requirements. Among the requirements to play Division I for those entering...
When the General Assembly passed the Maryland Dream Act, lawmakers intended to allow certain students who are undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates at the state's colleges and universities. It was a recognition that these young people...
Tags: Schools, Laws, DREAM Act, Referenda, Colleges and Universities
Registrations are being accepted for the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s SAT Super Series, an academic review for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The SAT Super Series helps remove the mystery behind the SAT exam and better prepares students...
Sorry Orange 8th graders taking algebra or geometry: It’s FCAT math AND an end-of-course exam for you this springSentinel School Zone - Orlando SentinelEighth graders in Orange County schools who are taking algebra or geometry had been told they'd have to take the state's end-of-course exam in that subject — but would be excused from the 8th-grade FCAT math exam. No more. The district has...
Mar 13, 2013 |Story| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Mar 5, 2013 |Story| Tribune Media Services
Mar 6, 2013 |Story| Interior Journal
Mar 4, 2013 |Story| Aberdeen News
Feb 24, 2013 |Story| Herald Mail
Feb 23, 2013 |Story| South Bend Tribune
Feb 21, 2013 | Los Angeles Times
Feb 19, 2013 | Los Angeles Times
Jan 23, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun
Jan 14, 2013 |Story| Daily American
Feb 19, 2013 |Story| New Rushmore Radio
Feb 11, 2013 | Orlando Sentinel
Original site for Mathematics topic gallery. | <urn:uuid:f1670e09-40fe-421a-92dd-efd0043fcd15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.courant.com/topic/science-technology/mathematics/13018000.topic?page=7&sortby=taxrankprof | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931788 | 766 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Northwest Voices | Letters to the Editor
Horse slaughter banned in Snohomish County
Honor the majestic creatures
The Seattle Times article “Snohomish County Council bans slaughter of horses for food” [NWWednesday, Dec. 19] was interesting, yet I felt like it didn't really tell the whole story.
The quotes in the article left me with no respect for Jack Field, Wayne Lindahl and everyone else who is involved in that cruel industry. One comment that really ticked me off was Field's comment that decision makers should not allow "emotion to cloud science and good judgment on this issue. You mention horses and people think of these great majestic animals with their mane and tail blowing in the wind.”
Yes, people do think of majestic creatures when they think of horses because that’s what horses are. But no one involved in the horse-slaughter industry has given the horses any of the respect they deserve. Field mentions that these majestic creatures are different from the horses that are slaughtered, but those horses are majestic, too.
—Isabel Martinez, Seattle | <urn:uuid:cbca9ffa-bba6-46c8-98c9-980c3761f544> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seattletimes.com/html/northwestvoices/2020061228_horseslaughter6lets.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957534 | 231 | 1.828125 | 2 |
- •Contact us
- •About us
- •Advertise with the FT
- •Terms & conditions
© The Financial Times Ltd 2013 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.
December 16, 2011 9:57 pm
You’d be unlikely to go all the way to Brazil specially to spend time in Paraty, unless you had a house there or were extraordinarily well clued up, but if you’re heading that way you’d be very foolish to give it a miss. For Paraty is special. It’s a little gem that has survived as an almost perfectly preserved colonial town entirely because of the wayward turns of history.
Paraty had the good luck to have had a short period of great grandeur during the 18th century when all the gold from the inland mines had to pass through its sheltered harbour and all its glorious villas and splendid churches were built. The gold route, the remains of which can still be seen and are worth visiting, followed the old Indian trails down from the mining towns to the port.
Then the indigenous Indians began to attack the gold carriers on the mountain trails and soon a new route had to be built linking the old mining towns of Minas Gerais directly to Rio. Paraty’s moment of glory had passed and modern life, with its attendant high-rise buildings and over-development, passed it by. Until the late 1950s the only way to reach it was to walk or go by boat. During the 1950s and 1960s it was discovered by new age hippies and in the 1980s and 1990s well-heeled Brazilians and foreigners who fell in love with it began to restore the houses.
Which is why Paraty is still a perfectly preserved 18th-century colonial town. Much of its charm lies in the homogeneity of the architecture, which contrives to give it an air of great tranquillity and “settledness”. “And, best of all,” as Simon Clift, the owner of the house I stayed in, puts it, “it hasn’t been sterilised through mass foreign tourism like so many European towns, which may have gained three red stars in the Michelin guide but in the meantime have lost their soul. Paraty ... remains a vibrant town with real people living in its midst.”
It lies in lovely country on the coast 160 miles west of Rio and three to four hours by car from São Paulo (though on Fridays the air buzzes as fashionable Paulistanos and Cariocas with weekend houses or parties to go to fly in by helicopter or private plane). The rainforest comes right down to the edge of the town and Paraty looks out across a watery heaven, a usually blissful sea and 300 small islands around which the tourist is free to wander. There are two tropical fjords in Brazil and both are in Paraty. These days it is a Unesco world heritage site and it is said to be the hardest place in Brazil, outside the Amazon, to get planning permission to build.
Go when the weather is great (much of the time but particularly in the Southern hemisphere’s summer, between October and May), spend your days wandering round the islands, messing around in boats, swimming when you feel like it and, then by night, drop back into your pousada or, best of all, into one of the enchanting houses that are available to rent.
You must stay awhile to get the measure of the place. It has a languorous air, as if nobody is in too much of a hurry. The streets are cobbled, cars are forbidden and at high tide some of the sea washes in. The streets are lined with elegant looking houses but the real charm lies behind the closed doors.
Open them and you like as not enter an enchanted garden – fruit trees heavy with avocados, mangos, pawpaws, bougainvillea lending colour to the bright green of the jungly plants and hummingbirds darting in and out. There might well be a pool and often a fountain. Many of these wonderful houses are owned by foreigners who came, saw and fell in love. Now they rent them out when they’re not in town. Liz Calder, the co-founder of Bloomsbury Publishing, for instance, bought a house there and founded a literary festival that happens every year in July and bringing a whole different crowd to enjoy the charms of this small seaside town.
The houses to rent vary but the best of them come complete with every kind of service. The one I stayed in, The Colonial House, had been beautifully put together; a grand main bedroom and huge ensuite bathroom, and three other good bedrooms. If you were a big party you could ask to take over one of the other houses owned by Clift (who was chief marketing officer at Unilever before leaving London last year to spend more time here). He is known to have the best cook in the town and she and her team look after everything from breakfast out on a terrace filled with flowers, trees and birds eating the tropical fruits, to dinner parties (you might feel obliged to return some of the hospitality you will undoubtedly be showered with), boat trips, massages at the local spa, sorting out the chauffeuring, the internet connections, music and all the rest.
You could also rent the house of the pretender to the Brazilian throne, Prince João de Orleans e Bragança. It is right on the sea front, a wonderfully elegant, though not enormously grand, house that his father bought after falling in love with Paraty. It is filled with the faded relics of another, long gone age, grand portraits, sepia photographs, fine furniture with an elegaic beauty of its own. It comes, as all the best houses do, with help and cooks, and, if you want them, with concierges who will fix everything from boats to picnics.
Out in the tropical fjord are wonderfully grand and beautiful houses to rent on the waterfront, where you have peace, privacy, exquisite views and usually a boat and a boatman who will take you back to the town as well as all round the coastline. Though they’re not cheap (prices vary from about $4,000 to $11,000 a day), if you divide it between lots of friends it is surprising value, for they come with every comfort and one can’t overestimate the beauty of the place. All around is blissful, unpolluted sea and glimpses of other islands.
Across the water from the fjord, looking over to the mainland, lie rolling hills and mountains covered in rainforest. From time to time a fisherman’s boat comes by. There are hundreds of other islands to explore, some of them have restaurants, some are nature reserves inhabited by tamarind monkeys, yet others have private houses.
All along the harbour are colourful boats that can be hired, with a boatman, at prices from about £100 for a small rough boat up to about £220 for a big, beautifully equipped vessel. Food and drink is extra. Clift’s adopted son Cleberson has a very luxurious schooner, the Dona Geralda, which will take you to quiet, unvisited beaches, and on which you will have smashing food.
You should spend one day going by boat to the traditional village of Juatinga, where fishermen’s families have lived their simple maritime life for generations. If you were energetic you could hike there and arrange to be picked up by boat for the journey back. You should spend another going to see the gold trail and the remains of the cobbled route that the Portuguese laid over the Indian trails.
Paraty lacks a beautiful beach – but Lopes Mendes, on Ilha Grande (the biggest island in the bay), is a beauty and a short car journey away are two famous surfing spots, Trindade and Praia da Fazenda. You should take lunch at one of the simplest but loveliest restaurants in the world – Restaurante do Ostra, in the first fjord. Here Dadico Valdir, who’s lived there all his life, grilled us fish he’d caught that morning accompanied by manioc chips (very delicious) and for pudding he pulled down a fruta pão (breadfruit) from a nearby tree. All for about £10 a head with a caipirinha (Brazil’s national drink, made from cachaca, which is a sugar cane rum, sugar and lime) included.
And then, though the town itself has plenty of cute little restaurants, don’t miss out on the Bistro Amigos, another enchanting little eatery, up in among the tropical jungle, a 10-minute journey by car from the town, to which Clift took me and some of his friends one night. Run by a local garden nurseryman, there are just two tables for six set under an awning in what seems like a green bower. The chef brings you what he’s cooked that day – delicious little parcels of fish and vegetables and he always finishes off with cinnamon-coated, deep-fried bananas. Flowers bedeck every dish and the bill (about £20 a head) comes in a basket with an orchid.
Behind the closed doors, too, there’s an active and surprisingly sophisticated social life. You really need to get to know Clift, who these days devotes his post-working life to a new young adopted Brazilian family, educating by my count something like 15 young children in the town, funding houses for his extended adopted family, supporting schools and heavens knows what else. He knows everybody and everybody knows him. I had the great good luck firstly to be renting his lovely house and secondly to bump into him in the harbour, where he took me under his wing and introduced me to his exotic playmates – ex-models from Paris, poets, artists, duchesses and princelings with mittel-european titles, people from around the world who spend three or four months a year in Paraty.
In Paraty meeting people doesn’t take long and so before you know it you know half the town. Just make sure you bump into Clift along the harbour wall.
Lucia van der Post was a guest of Cazenove and Loyd (www.cazloyd.com), which offers seven nights at The Colonial House in Paraty from £2,915 per person, including breakfast and transfers (or £3,765 including flights from London to São Paolo)
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013. You may share using our article tools.
Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. | <urn:uuid:94fb1cef-9738-433f-a6fa-9434383c16c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/bcf4a266-1aa7-11e1-ae14-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Ftravel_city-breaks%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968317 | 2,279 | 1.570313 | 2 |
OverviewMega Man Battle Chip Challenge
is a spinoff featuring every NetNavi (that is operated by a human character) from Battle Network 1
, and 3
, along with two exclusive Operator/Navi teams: Kai/TurboMan.EXE and Mary/Ring.EXE. In Japan, the game was released for two platforms: the Game Boy Advance (Rockman EXE Battle Chip GP
), and Wonderswan Color (Rockman EXE N1 Battle
). The Wonderswan release has less animation, fewer chips, and lacks "Slot In" chips and the Open Battle.
Instead of an Action RPG like most of the Battle Network franchise, Battle Chip Challenge is more of a simulation game that incorporates many Battle Network features. Players build a "Program Deck" from which chips are randomly selected; the object is to reduce the opponent's HP to 0 or have the most HP after a certain amount of turns.
Each bout in Battle Chip Challenge begins by setting up the Program Deck, a list of chips that will be used in the battle. Each Program deck consists of one NaviChip, up to nine regular chips, and one or two "Slot-In chips." From there the battle is waged in the following manner:
- Computer selects three Battle Chips from the Program Deck at random; one from the front, one from the middle (above and below the chosen front chip), and one from the rear (above and below the chosen middle chip).
- Front chips are used, order based on their priority ratings.
- Middle chips are used, order based on their priority ratings.
- Rear chips are used, order based on their priority ratings.
- NaviChip attacks are used, order based on their priority ratings.
- Repeat until one Navi logs out or a certain amount of turns pass.
Anytime after the current chips are chosen, the player may attempt to use their Slot-In chip (more below).
Predictably the most important aspect of combat in Battle Chip Challenge
. Like the main series, each BattleChip has a damage rating and Megabyte rating; however, in this game Chips also have an HP rating and a Priority rating. In BCC
, BattleChips can be attacked, damaged, and ultimately destroyed by other BattleChips or Navi attacks.
Each BattleChip has separate properties, much like the main series. There are many BattleChips that target the first chip, last chip, or all chips. Stage chips change the panels, granting double damage to one of the game's four elements. Barrier chips are equipped once selected, and any damage directed to the Navi is instead directed to the Barrier. Aura chips prohibit the NaviChip for taking damage unless it exceeds a certain number.
Slot-In Gauge/Slot-In Chips
A percentage located near the bottom of the screen that increases with each turn. This percentage represents the probability of successfully activating a Slot-In chip when L or R is pressed. Slot-In chips can be activated at any time, and are resolved after the current "step" is finished. | <urn:uuid:3e6ae383-2bda-49a5-8abb-8f1416c125b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.giantbomb.com/mega-man-battle-chip-challenge/3030-19205/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942261 | 635 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Canadian, U.S. Coast Guard conduct oil spill response drill in Ketchikan
KETCHIKAN, Alaska – Members of the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards partnered this week to conduct the 15th Canadian U.S. Dixon Entrance oil spill response drill in Ketchikan. The three-day exercise brought oil spill response professionals, environmental experts and oil spill first responders from the federal, state and industry sectors together to discuss how they would respond to potential pollution incidents in the Dixon Entrance trans-boundary between the two nations.
“This drill provides many benefits to both countries and allows responders to meet with their counterparts to discuss response jurisdictions, equipment, tactics, resources and capabilities,” said Capt. Scott Bornemann, commander Coast Guard Sector Juneau and captain of the port for Southeast Alaska. “It also ensures that we can respond more quickly as a team when incidents occur.”
While exercise participants took part in the event's various venues, seminars and workshops inside, the crews of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Anthony Petit and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Bartlett practiced deploying and operating their on board oil spill response equipment including a Spilled Oil Response System and side skimmers in Refuge Cove five miles north of Ketchikan Wednesday. Severe weather conditions in Refuge Cove limited the time the two crews had to work with the response equipment and the shipboard exercises were concluded early due to safety concerns.
Although the shipboard portion of the event had to be concluded early, event participants still felt that they were able to benefit greatly from attending the event held bi-annually for the last six years and annually before that.
“This CANUS DIX exercise has been valuable to build on the strong, collaborative relationship that Canadian representatives have with the U.S. Coast Guard and their fellow agencies to prepare for and exercise oil spill management and response for the contiguous waters of Dixon Entrance which is of major importance to both our countries,” said Susan Steele, regional director, Maritime Services Canadian Coast Guard Pacific Region.
The CANUS DIX exercise has been held in Ketchikan and Prince Rupert, B.C., alternately. The two nations also hold a CANUS North exercise in Alaska as well as similar exercises in other U.S. Canadian boundary areas to discuss response efforts in these regions. | <urn:uuid:7bc1bb5d-7288-4fdc-bcb0-a6e277c76e4a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.akbizmag.com/Alaska-Business-Monthly/September-2011/Canadian-US-Coast-Guard-conduct-oil-spill-response-drill-in-Ketchikan/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969518 | 482 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Throughout the planet and across most cultures, you will find that herbs are commonly used for multiple purposes, from cooking to medicinal treatments. Not all herbs in existence are listed, but we hope that this provides you with a good start!
This simplified herb guide provides you with a basic list of herbs you can use for healthful purposes. Due to the quantity of the herbs listed and described, this listing has been divided into two sub-sections.
The sub-sections for this area are as follows:
Herbs A-L - list of herbs from A to L
Herbs M-Z - list of herbs from M to Z
You can select your desired sub-section by hovering your mouse over the Herb Guide tab and select the area you wish to visit. | <urn:uuid:0fe97d99-1060-456e-94ae-73ec414296e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vaporsavvy.com/herb_guide.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937324 | 156 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Sure, we saw castles, the Little Mermaid and Vikings during our trip to Copenhagen last summer. But, one of the reasons we really wanted to visit Denmark’s capital city was Tivoli Gardens. This family-friendly theme park was supposedly what inspired Walt Disney in creating and building the overall look of Disneyland.
It wasn’t hard to see why he was captivated with this park. Tivoli featured classic and modern amusement park rides, gardens, theaters, concert halls, an aquarium, varied restaurants and even a hotel. We knew as we walked into the park we were entering someplace magical and unforgettable.
Pleasure gardens, which were parks filled with pavilions, music and performances were popular in Europe and were used by the locals as getaways during the 18th and 19th centuries. The King gave 15 acres to build Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s version of the pleasure garden, and was opened in 1843.
Tivoli flourished and adapted to the public’s needs and demand over the years while other European pleasure gardens closed down. It is the second oldest park in the world. Tivoli is also the most visited theme park in the Scandinavia region and fourth most visited in Europe.
The park had originally intended to include travel inspirations from exotic places like the Middle and Far East. These are still evident in some of the structures found around Tivoli.
Tivoli Garden Rides
Tivoli’s general entrance fee admission didn’t include any of the amusement park rides or some of the shows. This à la carte pricing structure meant visitors can simply visit the gardens and restaurants or spend part of the day on the rides. Tivoli offers 26 rides during the summer and 29 rides during the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Two-thirds of the rides were age-appropriate for my then 7 and 9 year olds.
Our family favorite was the Flying Trunk which was a ride through Hans Christian Andersen’s land of fairy tales. Yes, we were actually in trunks that floated over the different story book lands and scenes from many of his popular fairy tales with whimsical characters and sets.
My kids excitedly tried to guess which fairy tale land they were looking at. Since there were no lines during our weekday afternoon visit, we rode the Flying Trunk three times. I don’t think my kids would have ever gotten tired of this ride and could have ridden it repeatedly if we didn’t remind them there were other rides we had to try.
Unlike other theme parks, there was only one character that frequented Tivoli. Petzi, a Danish cartoon bear had his own world for the younger set. There were about 40 activities here to keep toddlers to school-age kids busy. Those ranged from playgrounds, small gardens and rides. Unfortunately, we missed meeting Petzi. We didn’t know a single thing about him but that didn’t stop my kids from wanting to meet him and explore this area.
There were rides here too for those looking for some thrills and excitement. Europe’s tallest carousel reaching up to 260 ft (80 m), Himmelskibet or Star Flyer, was a prominent fixture here at Tivoli offering panoramic views of the park.
We seetled for the old fashioned ferris wheel instead which also gave us a wonderful bird’s-eye view of Tivoli.
Rutsjebanen is the oldest running wooden roller coaster in the world. It carries an operator on each ride to control the speed as it goes downhill. My husband and kids actually enjoyed this ride very much. Vertigo, was a looping plane ride that made my stomach queasy just by looking at its movement and hearing the constant screams of joy mixed with fear.
The Gardens of Tivoli
My favorite parts in Tivoli had to be its various gardens scattered throughout the park. They were well-maintained, beautifully landscaped with flower beds, shrubs, lakes and fountains. They were perfectly situated between rides and restaurants. We visited in June so the flowers were in bloom where some areas were filled with sweet floral scent.
Tivoli Gardens has over 40 varied restaurants and food stands found throughout the park. They ranged from hotdog stands to fine dining. There was something here to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds from traditional Danish cuisine to Hard Rock Cafe. Many of them had outdoor dining areas. We ate at three of the restaurants (Bull Diner,A Hereford Beefstouw, wagamama) which were part of our dining plan, and they were all delicious.
How about a Pirate ship docked along Tivoli Lake? This was actually a family restaurant that we didn’t get a chance to eat. We loved its look of authencity despite the plastc hanging sharks.
For the adults, there’s a Biergarten to satisfy those German food cravings or a refreshing drink on a hot night inspired by Oktoberkest. This was located near the area for carnival games.
Performing arts, pantomime theater and live music have been part of Tivoli’s history for more than a century. The Chinese Peacock Theater had free shows and we were lucky enough to catch two of them. The wordless drama was based on the love of two characters of Columbine and Harlequin with Pierrot, the clown.
It was every entertaining and the kids loved it. They even had special seating for the kids in the front. Their sets and costumes were beautiful and colorful. We were really glad no words were necessary to convey the story which made it universally appealing for all the tourists in the crowd.
One of the things that stood out for me as we walked around Tivoli was its sense of community. It was one of the most popular tourist attractions in Copenhagen but it was also where the locals seemed to like hanging out to watch shows and concerts, enjoy a picnic or eat at the many restaurants. The theme parks we have visited in the US have that impersonal feel while Tivoli had an old world charm and traditional feel. It almost felt like a combination of Disneyland from long ago, New York’s Central Park and a state fair.
We were there during a football match between Denmark and Portugal. It was such a festive atmosphere as the game was shown on the big screen in the central square. The kids and I were out exploring the other rides while my husband watched the game with all the fans. He found it so interesting and satisfying to be a part of the fanatical European football crowd he has often seen on TV. We certainly heard the loud cheers and jeers as it reverbrated throughout the park.
The Nimb Building
A white Moorish or Taj-Mahal looking building, with towers and minarets, was a dominant feature and attraction upon entering Tivoli. Copenhagen’s most luxurious hotel with only 14 rooms averaging over $800 US per night and over $1,200 US for suites are inside this Nimb building. There were also a couple of upscale restaurants in here. Needless to say, staying here was beyond our budget so we just happily admired from the outside.
Tivoli takes on a magical glow at night when the lanterns and 120,000 incandescent bulbs light up the park. The twinkling lights were found everywhere. Here is the Nimb building at dusk all lit up.
Tivoli was a special place to visit once it got dark and this meant after 9 PM during the summer. More crowds appeared eager to have dinner or stroll along the romantic promenades. You have to go to Tivoli twice (or stay for a while) to experience both sides of Tivoli’s festive atmosphere.
Tivoli Gardens was the highlight of my kids’ Copenhagen trip. Even though we spent 8 hours on our first day here and covered most of the park, my kids didn’t want to leave and we returned a few days later. Can you tell how much fun these rides were?
Tivoli caters to people of all ages and interests, locals and tourists. The mixture of modern and old world charm filled with landscaped gardens, amusement park rides, varied entertainment and restaurants was unique and magical. These are just a few of the reasons this historic park has survived for over a century and continues to fascinate visitors. It is definitely a can’t miss attraction when visiting Copenhagen.
Tivoli Gardens Copenhagen Tips and Basics
- The park is only open 220 days a year between April – September with special opening days during Halloween and the holiday season.
- Admission (8 years old and up): 95 DKK ($16.50 US)Admission to the park does not include any of the amusement park rides. Copenhagen Card includes free admission to Tivoli Gardens.
- There are ticket machines around the grounds where you can get tickets for the rides. Each ride takes 1 – 3 (20DKK each) tickets.
- Multi-ride passes for unlimited rides are also available or all-inclusive packages. Check the Tivoli Gardens website for more ticket options.
- Look into the neighboring hotels with Tivoli Gardens Package specials. We stayed at the Copenhagen Island hotel which included the Tivoli all-inclusive package. This had a multi-ride ticket, aquarium admission, ride photo, meals at participating Tivoli restaurants.
- Go during weekday for less crowds and with hardly any lines on the rides. It got crowded at night.
- See the Tivoli Boys Guard (life size toy soldiers) during the weekends.
- Fireworks are every Saturday at 11:45 PM. Unfortunately, we weren’t there on a weekend.
- Tivoli is easily accessible since it is right across from Copenhagen Central Station.
*Have you visited and enjoyed Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen? | <urn:uuid:e50b8d8a-bce7-4b25-9a46-e0725c8023f4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theworldisabook.com/13271/tivoli-gardens-copenhagen/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97783 | 2,067 | 1.734375 | 2 |
An online JSON and XML data editor that also has an offline AIR-powered product.
Code Snippets is an online resource, providing a central user-writable repository for chunks of reusable code. A stroll through the language-agnostic site provides a plethora of tasty bits and bytes from many programming languages and frameworks. Each snippet can be tagged and each tag can be followed via RSS. Users can comment on snippets as well, which is invaluable for anyone deciding whether or not they want to try out a piece of code.
XML.com has a great series about a guy who plans to “collect as much data on the U.S. government” so he can build “a site and a web service that make it possible to explore that data”. The first installment is available: Screenscraping the Senate. This is extremely exciting, as it has the potential to re-introduce public oversight, or at the least involvement in the dealings of our elected representatives, much like the project They Work for You does in the UK.
This is a very detailed article, dealing with advanced Web development techniques, so it may not be of interest to most people, but its results should be of interest to a wide population. Then again, perhaps I have unreal expectations that people do/will care about the direction of their government. Oh well, I’m excited.
Rebuilding this front page in XML requires much more planning than I had expected (and I’m still in the early chapters of the book). At this point my brain is coping with this new way of thinking about pages, and more importantly the way they are built. As I define the tags to be used and the actual structure of the information (as opposed to the visual layout) I feel a small rush of freedom.
I’ve had this book for more than a year. Shortly after purchasing it my work-life got slammed (one of two company rebranding efforts) and I had to set the book aside. As noted in a previous post, I have decided t solidify my knowledge of XML, and as this is the only book (of the five) I have which starts from the beginning, I picked it up once more.
So far it has been easy going, I completed the first three “days” yesterday and feel that I have a decent grasp on the fundamentals covered. The Sams “Teach yourself…” series seems to be pretty reliable and easy to stick with for the most part, thus encouraging me to follow the lesson plan instead of skipping ahead, which I have a tendency to do.
The author relies a little too much on future learning for my tastes, (often stating “in future chapters you will learn…”) which is fine in small doses, but it crops up a bit too often.
All in all I’m happy with the book and I’m looking forward to the in-depth lessons to come.
Well, as I have a pretty solid hold of XHTML, I think it’s time to focus once more on XML and it’s companion XSL. In addition to learning the language itself, I have a couple of projects which I will be creating to reinforce the lessons.
An alternate version of this site (and perhaps my other ones as well) should be challenging as I will have to wrangle with layout issues, markup issues and information architecture. It will also encourage me to learn more about the interactions of PHP and XML.
A Flash app which pulls XML docs as a new interface for Apocalyptic Dreaming. This should turn up some interesting challenges as well.
I have a number of books about XML, most of which were given to me; I’ll post info about each in the next few days as time allows. | <urn:uuid:46bcab0a-9178-48f9-abb4-887aaee248a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.silverspider.com/tag/xml/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964913 | 790 | 1.570313 | 2 |
In 2005, Wikipedia user Ikkyu2 wrote what was to become a well distributed and resonant criticism of Wikipedia. Though the essay was eventually deleted at the writer’s request, a copy was saved and it was hosted on another user’s wikipedia page. Very recently, this copied version was also deleted for unknown reasons.
For posterity’s sake we’ve dug up a cached version of the piece to add to our growing collection of essays. And to ensure that it doesn’t disappear down the plug hole for ever.
What’s wrong with Wikipedia
What’s wrong with Wikipedia is neatly summarized in Wikipedia:Policy, which is a very old and very entrenched official policy.
The offending text follows:
Respect other contributors. —Wikipedia contributors come from many different countries and cultures, and have widely different views. Treating others with respect is key to collaborating effectively in building an encyclopedia.
Then there is a list of links, which essentially are a user’s manual concerning how to implement respect for other people in a civil and effective manner. These are fine. I have no beef with them. I also have no beef with the factual accuracy of the second or third sentences of that quote. To my mind they are correct as stated.
Here is the problem: Respect other contributors, while a good guideline, is too broad. Let me explain why…with a personal example regarding Epilepsy. I’m highly qualified to contribute to an article on epilepsy. I have a 400-reference review on epilepsy epidemiology in press. I’m a board-certified American neurologist. I’m a clinical epilepsy specialist and I took my training at some of the best neurology departments in the world.
More than that, I’ve been obsessed with neurology and epilepsy since I was eleven years old. I doubt a day has gone by in the past twenty years that I haven’t tried to learn something about neurology. It is my great passion and vocation in life.
I have spent forty hours or so editing epilepsy. After my edits, anyone else can come along and introduce factual inaccuracies, distortion of perspective, misleading anecdotal experience, or simply muddy thinking. For instance, since the last time I spent several hours editing the article, someone introduced a bunch of red wikilinks under the subheadings Types of seizure (which should be Types of seizures; a single seizure can’t be every type at once). As a response, I listed some of them under Seizure syndromes as a temporizing measure.
Whoever introduced these classifications to the article had not the first idea what seizure classification was about. Classifications of individual seizure semiology were interspersed at random with general syndromology related to cerebral localization (the general and useful rubric, ‘localization-related,’ has yet to be introduced into the article). Furthermore, syndromes with multiple seizure types were introduced under ‘Type of seizure’ with random or no description of the seizure types involved, or why a soi-disant seizure “type” should have multiple “types.” Finally, seizures were classified, as well, according to their etiologies and by their provocant in the cases of reflex epilepsy.
In short, this is a god-awful mess that might be created by a medical student who has heard one or two lectures; but not by someone with a deep understanding of the current state of classification schemes in epilepsy.
Worse are the folks who come through asserting that all religious experience is a product of complex partial seizures (the idea came to him while watching Joan of Arcadia); or the guy who hasn’t yet mastered English grammar, but saw someone fall over and shake, was frightened, and decided to instruct the world that this is what epilepsy is about. These so-called “contributions” pollute the article and re-pollute it on a regular basis, and most editors are not qualified to recognize them definitively as the misleading, stigmatizing, distorted perspectives that they represent. In the absence of such expertise, confidence to remove them is lacking, and they remain, misleading all who visit the article.
I understand that I need to treat such contributors civilly. That’s important; civil discourse is the foundation of understanding. But I do not respect them nor their contributions. I understand that oftentimes persons less qualified than myself improve an article. This has happened to articles I have edited many times. But it is the exception, not the rule. In general, such contributors and such edits make a mess out of my expert contributions; a mess that requires hours of my valuable time (if you doubt it, I can receive $600 an hour for an initial consult) to repair. They should be kept out of my way. I should not be required to respect such contributors or such contributions. Most importantly: consider the effects on the article. This kind of “consensus” editing makes the article worse, not better for the encyclopedic use for which it is intended.
Also, consider the effect on me, a good-faith Wikipedia editor. I understand that certain people may disagree with me and wish to contribute an opposing point of view. But when it comes to factual matters concerning epilepsy, I also understand how unlikely it is that they are going to be better qualified than I - especially when we’re disagreeing. I understand, also, that this can be humbling, intimidating, and annoying, and I well understand how it inflames the emotions of people who have psychological trouble accepting the existence of authority in any form. But, quite apart from all that, I am a human being in addition to being an epilepsy expert, and I have an AIM block list a mile long, full of people who would like nothing better than to insult, harry, and argue with a physician twenty-four hours a day. Does the fact that I don’t want to deal with still more of that make me less qualified to improve a Wikipedia article? The current system says Yes.
I am someone who could go through and revise that section on seizure and syndrome classification until it reflected the state of the art in current world-wide thinking. It’d take me 20 or 30 hours and require me to cite a dozen or so references. And then any yo-yo with an IP address could come along and crap on it four times in a day, and under wikipedia policy I couldn’t even revert it back. I must leave the article in a wrecked state and defer to ‘community consensus’ to have my contribution restored.
Where’s my incentive to do that? It sounds like a painful, joyless task with a guarantee of tragedy at the end.
User:Larry Sanger makes some similar points on his userpage and in the articles he’s written (to which he links); he’s quite articulate about it. (It also appears to me that his experience is sufficient to qualify him as an expert on the subject of Wikipedia; unfortunately, and somewhat ironically, this has not brought greater attention to his views and their importance.)
He points out that in topics of narrow and specialized interest, such as my monographic articles PPRF and PNES, this sort of “consensus editing” is unlikely to destroy the substance of the article; but that in topics of wider interest, it must always do so unless there is a firmly followed principle of extra respect for expertise. I believe that he is correct in every particular.
I still like the Wikipedia, but not as an encyclopedia. It’s just an enjoyable, relaxing way to fool around and waste some time; enjoyable for its own sake, but not useful as a finished product. I would never recommend it to my patients nor to anyone else as a source of reliable information.
Am I content with that? No. I think the Wikipedia is amazing and wonderful. I am watching its evolution with great interest and fascination, because I see that it has the potential to be something very wonderful - and if it doesn’t become that thing, something very similar to it certainly will. That’s exciting.
Do I have the solution to the problems I raise in this little essay?
No. I wish that I did. Not having them, I am sometimes ashamed of having posted this essay, because instead of paving the way for the future, it is just a lot of petty carping and complaints. Maybe someone who reads this essay will think of a good solution. That would be very wonderful. Maybe Jimbo’s “article review” idea will fix it. That would be wonderful too. | <urn:uuid:a5abc01a-bbd4-40ae-a84c-904ca0ebb08a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wikipediareview.com/blog/20070901/ikkyu2s-essay/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963298 | 1,813 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Professor of Modern Languages
September 27, 2002
Professor Eugene F. Murphy was born in Syracuse, New York. He was a 1941 graduate of the University of Toronto, where he was first in his class. He received his Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University, where he studied from 1948 until 1954. From 1959 until his retirement in 1985, he was professor and head of the Department of Modern Languages at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Professor Murphy served as a naval officer in the Pacific in World War II. He married Professor Emeritus Georgette Marcelle Moraud on October 29,1945 in Houston, Texas. The Murphy family grew to include five children: Maureen DuMont is an English teacher and English department chair at Franklin Academy in Malone, New York. Kathleen Carson is the emergency department manager at Geneva General Hospital. Eugene Murphy is an elementary school teacher in the Penn Yan Central School District. Georgette Schmidt ’74 is a French teacher at Jamesville DeWitt High School in DeWitt, New York. John Murphy is the assistant vice president for student affairs at the University of Albany.
Professor Murphy was well published with articles and reviews in Modern Language Notes, Modern Language Journal, The Explicator, Renaissance, Book Abroad, South Atlantic, Modern Language Association Bulletin, the Torch, The Classical Journal, Angora, and the Classical Outlet, and lectured throughout the United States.
Professor Murphy was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Sigma Iota, and Pi Delta Phi. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to France in 1951. He received the Russell Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of South Carolina in 1959, and in 1980 he was awarded the Faculty Teaching Prize from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. During his citation, the Provost quoted “Professor Murphy viewed teaching as his opportunity to bring people to the beauty that is language. He celebrated language expression in his own modest way, whether it be in the casual expression of his interest in the lives of his students as he engaged each of them informally, or in the orchestration of French from a classroom alive with the music of people.”
In 1967, Dr. Murphy received the Orde des Palmes Académiques, an award from the French government for “Services to the French Culture and for the High quality of French Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.”
In the words of his students, some who utilized the French language in their future vocations and some who only wanted to garner the one foreign language credit they needed, he was the one professor whose 8 o’clock class one eagerly attended on a Saturday morning. He was a delight to listen to in English or in French, and encouraging in a gentle and debonair way. Professor Murphy enabled his students to succeed, taking the time to talk, guide and counsel those aspirants. His classes were enlivened by his delight in words and anecdotes that teased one into further exploration.
Professor Murphy epitomized the value of a small, liberal arts college. He remembered his students, and Professor Murphy is remembered as we pass the room in Smith Hall that was dedicated to him in 1992. | <urn:uuid:9a9cad53-7c3c-46d8-bc05-ea40f1b9f2b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hws.edu/alumni/dfa/murphy.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979686 | 652 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Jewish World Review March 19, 2001 / 24 Adar, 5761
http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- WHETHER or not the movie "Traffic" wins the Oscar for best picture, it still qualifies as the movie of the year, at least in Washington. Senators and policy wonks are invoking it as the motivation for new hearings - and a new focus on drug treatment.
"That movie just brought it home for me that we've got to do more," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told The Washington Post. It was "kind of a final tipping point," convincing him to hold Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on how to fund more prevention and treatment programs. Other senators on the committee referenced the movie like co-workers at the water cooler. The Post called this renewed interest an example of "policy imitating art, or at least echoing it."
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. If the movie helps drug-use prevention and treatment efforts, that's great. But before we start basing our drug policies on the message of a single movie, we should be clear about what that message is.
Stephen Gaghan, the Oscar-nominated script writer for "Traffic," told The New York Times last month that "If there is a message to the movie, I guess it's that drugs should be considered a health-care issue, rather than a criminal issue."
He told ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "It's easier to raise your hand and say, 'Hey, I have a health-care problem. I need some help,' than to say, 'Hey, I'm a criminal. I need some jail.'
"You know, we have so polarized the semantics of this debate that to say 'legalization' out loud brands you a revolutionary," says Gaghan. He suggests that, rather than stifle debate, we should, "do a test case somewhere and see what happens. Take a small place, try decriminalizing it, making it legal, giving it to the addicts, see what happens, open a dialogue, tax it, use the money for the treatment programs."
After all, he says: "We've just filled up our prisons. I mean, they're just full. We build more, and we fill them up."
This all sounds perfectly reasonable and humane. But it's actually very misleading and very dangerous. First of all, while it may make Gaghan feel good to say so, you are not a "revolutionary" for saying legalization out loud. William F. Buckley's National Review, the flagship magazine of the conservative movement and my employer, has been in favor of legalization for years.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman is pro-legalization. Kurt Schmoke, the former mayor of Baltimore and current chairman of Yale's board of trustees, has been arguing in favor of decriminalization for more than a decade. In short, this is not a "revolutionary" topic only spoken about in hushed whispers by a few brave souls willing to speak the truth to the powerful.
Second, legalizing drugs in a "small place" has been tried. In Switzerland, for example, they tried it in a park that quickly became known as needle park. They had to shut it down because it became a petri dish of scummy addicts, petty criminals and prostitutes. After that experience, the Swiss voted by 73 percent to reject drug legalization. If they had noted what a sewer Amsterdam turned into because of legalized drugs, they could have saved some hassles.
Lastly, and most importantly, it's simply disingenuous to say that addicts fear getting help because they're afraid of being called "criminals." Nobody ever gets arrested for admitting to past drug use, and most addicted criminals are criminals not for using drugs but for robbing or stealing to pay for them. (Indeed, it's a myth that our prisons are "full" of nonviolent drug offenders.)
Serious addicts are simply afraid of admitting they're serious addicts. It's humiliating to admit to a drug problem, but that's an inevitable byproduct of our society's reasonable effort to stigmatize drug use. Which is really the crux of the issue. It's amazing how many people can say with a straight face that we vitally need "hate crimes" laws to "send a message" about what is and is not acceptable in this country but at the same time reject the notion that our drug laws discourage people from doing drugs.
More importantly, even if our drug laws don't do a great job discouraging drug users, they do have a hampering effect on drug dealers. Gaghan was a heroin and cocaine addict until his three primary dealers were arrested. "My dealer, my backup dealer and my backup-backup dealer. I was left alone, and I just hit that place, that total incomprehensible demoralization," he told The New York Times.
Indeed, it was because his supply of drugs was cut off by our draconian drug laws that he was able to demand treatment.
"Traffic" is a powerful movie, and it deserves much of the praise it's gotten, but let's not confuse a good message about drugs being bad with a bad message full of | <urn:uuid:2c2ee7af-f4d3-47a0-811d-a86df2bc66a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/jonah031901.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970003 | 1,068 | 1.5 | 2 |
You can check out the article on Respawn's website at:
The video game industry is booming and more information about how games are made is available than ever before. Game development jobs are attractive for a number of reasons: they are intellectually and creatively stimulating and challenging, they often boast fun and casual work environments, and they offer the opportunity to break new ground in entertainment, technology, and pop culture.
If you are passionate about games, you may have wondered if game development is the right career choice for you. More and more colleges are offering game development courses, but the path to a career in games is still not always clear. Do I need to go to school or can I teach myself? How do I stand out amongst the masses? What ARE the jobs that are available in game development, anyways? At Respawn Entertainment, we receive so many emails asking questions like these. I will make my best attempt to answer some of them here! Although this article is mainly geared towards people who have yet to land their first job in games, a few points may serve as reminders for those who are still seeking their dream job in the industry.
Let’s start at the very beginning!
WHAT TYPES OF JOBS ARE AVAILABLE IN GAMES?
I’m going to focus more on the developer side of things, since publishers tend to have a much wider range of roles available (everything from marketing and finance to production and QA).
The basic roles at most development studios are listed below. There are also other departments, such as audio, lighting, and VFX, but I tried to focus more on larger departments here. If you want more specific info on any jobs that are not listed here, feel free to let us know! Click on the tab below to see information on the corresponding role. We will end with General Tips When Looking For a Job in Games.
HOW DO I BECOME AN ARTIST?
I could write an entire article on the topic of art portfolios alone, but I’ll try to stick to the basics here.
Training. Many art schools offer courses in 3D and concept design for video games and film. Art schools often have relationships with video game developers, which would help you get exposure to employers for internship opportunities. At school, you will meet and network with students who will also eventually be working at development studios. These relationships may help you get referred for positions later on.
Although good art schools may provide a strong foundation, you will improve more quickly and be more competitive for jobs if you work hard and self-educate in your own time. This is without question. There are plenty of on-line tutorials, as well as on-line message boards where you can share your work for critiques or ask technical questions. By the time you graduate, your portfolio should have personal projects in addition to school work. Many great artists are self-taught, so if financial concerns or other issues mean that art school isn’t in the cards for you, don’t let that stop you from learning the ropes through tutorials, books, experimentation, etc.
What do employers want to see? Of course, what employers are looking for varies depending on the company (and they will generally tell you in their job ads). But here are some general tips about what we at Respawn Entertainment like to see in junior talent.
- Texture your models. We want to see strong modeling but also beautiful, detailed textures (whether photo or hand painted textures are preferred will depend on the company). I see many portfolios where the models remain untextured. At Respawn, our artists do both so we want to see strengths in both areas. Extra points for great lighting.
- Show great design sense and taste. This applies to both 2D and 3D artists. As for 3D artists, choose strong designs to base your models off of (and give original design credit where it is due). Your baboon/crustacean/frog creature with the golden armor and giant horns may look like nothing I’ve ever seen in a game before, but maybe that is for a good reason. I might be way more impressed if you can nail the look of a real baboon, and it would give me just as much info about whether you can model/texture a creature. Concept artists may be able to impress with masterful painting skills and beautiful imagery, but those paintings aren’t what we will see in the final game. Successful concept artists will also be strong designers who are full of great, unique ideas that work well in 3D.
- Challenge and detail. As your skills improve, choose art projects for your portfolio that are increasingly more challenging and detailed. The more detailed the work is, the more it will impress. Lovingly adding those bits of wear, rust, decay, etc. to your models, without going overboard, will really help to sell your work. It is always easier for an artist who can nail challenging designs to create simpler assets than the other way around.
Start with props and environment work. There tend to be more jobs available for 3D prop and environment artists because there is just more environment work to do than there is character work. 3D character art takes a lot of finesse and is generally reserved for more senior level artists, so make sure that you include detailed props and environment work in your portfolio. Concept artists who do environment work may find more job opportunities at their doorsteps as well.
Remove your weakest work. Your portfolio should only show your strongest work. Don’t put poor work in your portfolio just for the sake of having more pieces or “rounding it out.” If you want to be a 3D environment artist, your potential employer doesn’t need to see your bad character models or amateurish figure drawings. Of course, we recruiters we love seeing your weaker work because it lets us know what your weaknesses are. But if you are showing your work for the purpose of getting a job (as opposed to a critique on how to improve), only include your best work. Your portfolio should highlight your strengths, not showcase the things you can’t do well. It should also be constantly evolving over time as you update it with newer, better work and remove weaker pieces.
Tailor your portfolio. If it is your dream to work on a certain type of game (say, a fantasy game) but you are currently working on a much different game (ie; sports game), create work in your own time that is tailored to the company you want to work for. I’ve worked at companies that have very distinct styles and received loads of portfolios that had nothing but work that is irrelevant to that company’s body of work. It is unlikely that a company will infer that you can nail their style off of work that is in a totally different style. There are artists competing with you who already have relevant work in their portfolios. Your professional work will show that you have experience, but you can always keep working on your portfolio and progress towards your dream job.
Keep it tasteful. Believe it or not, I’ve seen some gnarly stuff in art and animation portfolios. It just leaves me wondering if that person actually wants a job or if they are trying to sabotage their own chances. I’m not talking about nude figure drawing, which can be tastefully used in a portfolio to showcase drawing skills. If your artwork is grotesquely gory, overtly sexual or misogynistic, depicts torture or bodily functions generally reserved for private moments, or could in any way be perceived as offensive by the average person, leave it out. If you have doubts, leave it out. You don’t know what may be considered offensive by the person who is looking at your work. Not only will we question your taste (good taste being a desirable trait in an artist), we will question whether or not you are someone we actually want to work with.
Animators love to bring characters to life. And that’s exactly what we want to see in your animation reel: life! Good animation is very difficult to achieve and takes a lot of hard work and passion. The best animators absolutely love what they do and are willing to put in the extra time and effort to create beautiful, polished work that sells the character. As one of our Lead Animators says, “An animator can and should always bring their best work to any animation, from an exciting and complicated full cinematic scene to a simple leaf blowing in the wind.” Remember that once on the job, you’ll be working on more than just the animations that excite you the most. Even if you’re working on something simple, you’ll be expected to bring your A game every time.
Similarly to art, there are many great schools out there that teach animation, but you’ll get the best results if you combine your studies with research and hard work on your own time. Employers will want to see work beyond your basic school assignments.
What do employers want to see? Employers may want to see animation that is stylized, realistic, or both. At Respawn Entertainment we like to see realistic animation as opposed to cartoony, since realistic animation showcases weight, physics, and subtle movements that are very challenging and can really display an animator’s skills. Common mistakes in animation reels include choppiness, “pose to pose” rather than fluid animation, floatiness, and a lack of acting.
Employers also generally want to see good walk and run cycles, scenes that contain lots of action (as opposed to just dialogue or slow movements), great acting, and a strong display of good physics, weight, and polish.
Remove your weakest work. My comments here in the art section on this topic apply to animation reels as well.
Tailor your reel. See my comments here in art section on this topic.
Keep it tasteful. See my comments here in the art section on this topic.
At Respawn Entertainment, our designers are either geo builders, scripters, or both. The geo builders design their levels for fun gameplay, work with 3D artists to polish their levels, and are often talented artists themselves. The scripters create the gameplay and make the game fun. Scripters use a scripting language similar to code that makes events happen in the game. This type of scripting is not to be confused with dialogue scripts, such a movie scripts. Respawn also has designers who do both geo building and scripting. All designers work on coming up with ideas for story, character, dialogue, gameplay functions, etc. We want to see skills from candidates that showcase geo, scripting, or both.
Portfolio and Interview Preparation. A good game design portfolio has actual game design to show, as opposed to just paper design and written ideas. At Respawn we like to see screenshots or videos that show the levels you worked on, along with detailed descriptions of what you contributed. Take whatever route you need to in order to get some game design under your belt for your portfolio, and make sure that design is relevant to the company you are applying to (a portfolio with only mobile game design probably won’t help get you a job working on AAA console games). Play lots of games and be able to talk about them analytically, including how you would improve things that you felt were weak. Understand why you love the games you love and why you were disappointed by games that didn’t rise to your expectations.
Where to get my start? There are a number of ways to get experience designing games before your land your first design job.
Modding is a great way to get your start designing games. Some developers have their level design tools, called mod tools, available to the community. You can work with others in mod communities or alone to build and script levels. Your mods will make for great portfolio pieces and no tuition is required! There is plenty of information online about mods and how to get involved in mod communities. Tailor your work to fit with the company that you are interested in working for.
Many schools now offer game design programs. Game design schools often have relationships with video game developers, which would help you get exposure to employers for internship opportunities. At school, you will meet and network with students who will also eventually be working at development studios. These relationships may help you get referred for positions later on. Although you may be doing group projects in school, be sure to build personal levels on your own. The more learning and experience you seek on your own time, the stronger a designer you will be.
You may also have opportunities to move into game design if you work in QA at a development studio. Some studios may allow you to work directly with designers, learn your developer’s tools, and practice making levels. If you don’t have access to your studios development tools, you can always work on mods using other tools in your own time. If you have skills and share your work with the team, your employer may take notice and give you an opportunity to move into design. But please be sensitive to the fact that the developers you work with are busy making games (ie; don’t drive them crazy by bugging them constantly about your career development).
Read every game design book and article regarding game design that you can get your hands on, and play lots of games. Work diligently on building levels on your own time and improving your design skills. Building levels is time consuming but worth the effort. Having strong individual work to show is the best way to get a design job.
Do you love math? Did you find yourself tinkering with writing code during high school or earlier? Are you passionate about games and technology? Software engineering may be a great fit for you!
Education. This is one field where education may count more than others. Although there are always success stories of those who taught themselves, having a degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Math, or related field can help build your foundation and boost your ability to compete for internships and jobs. There are colleges and universities that offer programs specifically for programming in games, but if you plan to get training you should consider shooting for the best education you can afford and are qualified for, whether it be at a school for game design or somewhere more traditionally academic. Many universities these days have elective classes or even extracurricular clubs where students can get together and create video games. Video game companies are most likely to recruit interns and full time staff from top schools, local schools, and schools specific to game development.
Portfolio and skill demonstration. You don’t necessarily need a degree in order to land a job, but you will absolutely need to have demonstrable coding skills. If you don’t have industry experience, your potential employer will surely want to see a portfolio of code samples and school or personal projects that are game related. This goes for students, grads, and those who are self-taught. If you don’t have school projects to use in your portfolio, create a project with others or make a game by yourself in your own time. Mods and indie games can be a fantastic way to gain experience and acquire showable work. Keep in mind that any individual projects you do won’t need to focus as much on art and sound, but you will want your game to exhibit smart design and be fun to play. Make sure that your game can be easily downloaded and played by your average recruiter or hiring manager, and that it is accessible and not so overly complicated that the concept can’t be immediately grasped and enjoyed. Keep in mind that employers will want to know what you specifically contributed to group projects, so describe your contributions in your portfolio and be prepared to talk about what the development challenges were and what your role was. If your team projects don’t serve as great examples of your best work, consider leading a group project and/or creating your own games.
Other keys to success. Good software engineers work well with other programmers and have the ability to work with code that others have written. They love what they do and strive to constantly develop their skills and expand their knowledge. Play lots of games and be able to talk about them analytically. When developers release the source code for their games, check it out. Source code can be a great resource for learning how a game engine works. Don’t hesitate to seek internships or co-ops to give yourself an edge up and build industry relationships. The most valuable learning experiences will be on the job. Overall, keep in mind that programming is not easy, but there is more pleasure to be had from accomplishing something difficult than something without challenge.
Most video game producers get their start in QA, and from there go on to QA leadership, production coordination or associate producer roles, and so on. A few characteristics of a good producer candidate include great leadership skills, impressive organization, strong communication and people skills, a deep understanding of the development process, and a genuine passion for games.
If you are interested in a production role in games, the best start would probably be QA, and to stand out as a very strong QA tester with leadership skills. Be patient and work hard; there are much fewer production roles available than there will be QA testers working next to you. But talk to the producers that work with you about how they got their start. Let management know about your interest and ask them how you might start working towards a production role.
Production candidates may also have backgrounds in project management in film or other industries. Other ways you could bolster your resume may include taking game development and/or project management courses.
The Quality Assurance (or Test) department is a great place to get your start in the game industry. QA is a very important part of the game development cycle. If you play games you know how frustrating it can be when you encounter a bug. The QA department has the important role of finding and reporting bugs so that they can be fixed. If you are not yet qualified for or just haven’t found your first job in games, QA can be a great start for many reasons.
1- QA jobs are generally entry-level and don’t require a lot of previous work experience or education
2- You can learn more about how games are made while on the job
3- You will build industry connections
4- If you shine in QA and show potential in other areas, you may have the opportunity to move up the ladder in QA or into a production or development role.
How do I get a job in QA?
First of all, play lots of games. Be able to speak analytically about the games you love (or don’t love). Write a great cover letter that explains why you want to work for that particular company as a tester, and what you love about games (especially their games). Please note that video game companies are unlikely to relocate candidates for non-leadership QA roles, so focus on companies that are in your area, or consider moving to a new location.
Other ways of standing out from a mass of applicants may be to: beta test games in your own time, write some sample bugs from games you’ve played and include those as part of your application, post videos of yourself finding tricky bugs and/or exploiting errors in the game, etc.
Note: QA testing does not mean “playing games all day.” A tester’s job is to break the game. While the job can be loads of fun, it’s also hard work and requires creativity and lots of patience. The hours can be long and the work can be repetitive. But if you are in QA and are looking to further your career in the game industry, your goal should be to be the best QA tester you can possibly be.
Excel in your QA role and you will be more likely to get noticed for promotions or transferred to new roles. Even if your 3D/animation/game design/etc skills are impressive, if you are not performing well at your QA job you may not be considered a good candidate for transfer/promotion since the company will probably have doubts about your work ethic. If your future goals include a development related role, you will have more opportunity to move into such a role if you get a QA job at a development studio as opposed to a publisher (since you will be working directly with developers). Just note that QA jobs at a developer may require previous QA experience. QA experience at a publisher is valuable and publishers may have more production roles available than smaller development studios might.
So you don’t feel you fit the bill for any of the jobs above, but you still want to work in the game industry. There are plenty of other jobs at game studios and publishers that may be the right fit for you… IT, marketing, finance, HR, operations, etc ,etc. Here are some tips on how to stand out amongst all the other resumes.
Write a great cover letter.
- Don’t have any experience in games? Your cover letter is your golden opportunity to talk about your passion for games and why you want to work in the industry. Discuss your interest and experience with the games that particular company has made. If your resume is lacking relevant experience, this is the best way to get noticed other than by direct referral.
Get experience in similar industries, such as entertainment or tech.
- Game industry culture can be similar to entertainment (film, music, media, etc.) and technology industry cultures, so if you haven’t already held a job in games, it could be a plus if you have worked in similar environments. You will appear to be more of a potential fit than if your experience is solely in, say, insurance or banking. Again, this is just about making your resume stand out amongst the masses; I am definitely not saying that any particular industry is “better” than another.
Get the best experience and/or education you can.
- Game studios want the best of the best, just like any company does. Game industry jobs are attractive and the competition is fierce, so the obvious ingredients for an impressive resume apply here as well: great experience, and for many jobs, great education as well.
Tailor your resume/cover letter/portfolio to the job you are applying for. You may be applying to a lot of places, but you should know what you are applying for. Read the job ad carefully and make sure that the aspects of your background that match requirements of the job ad are on your resume. You may have a slightly different resume for each job you apply for, and that’s okay. Research the companies you are applying to (better yet, play their games) and make you are able to talk about their accomplishments. Explain why you want to work for that company in your cover letter. Companies want to know that you have genuine interest in them. Generic cover letters (or cover letters addressed to the wrong company) and emails that are clearly sent to multiple companies are a turn off. That said, if you find yourself talking to a company that you don’t know much about, don’t pretend to know anything you don’t.
Be yourself during interviews. Interviews can be nerve wracking, but they are a necessity when it comes to getting a job. Keep in mind that an interview is not just a chance for an employer to see if they are interested in you, it is also a chance for you to see if you are interested in the employer! Come prepared and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Also (and I am most likely quoting your mother when I say this…) JUST BE YOURSELF! I mean this in regards to both your behavior and the work you are showing. Plagiarism is an obvious no-no (and the quickest way to ensure you DON’T get a job, now or ever. Use your own work). But whether or not you are a cultural fit will also make a huge difference in determining your future happiness at the job. If you are trying to act like something you’re not, you could be hired or not hired for the wrong reasons. Your “true” self and actual abilities will show themselves eventually, anyways. Be honest, be yourself, and the job that fits you like a glove will come in time.
Leave the ego at home. You may have been the best in your class at school, but respect the fact that you are now interviewing with (or working with) people who have way more experience than you. And guess what, there will always be people who you can learn from, no matter how good you are at your job. So please don’t act like you know it all. You don’t. Do yourself (and everyone around you) a favor by being a team player and recognizing that you have a lot to learn. You will grow more and the game you are working on will be better for it. Your knowledge and skills will grow over time, and the more eager you are to learn, the more likely you are to be hired and/or get ahead. The people who are strongest in their field will be the first to admit that they still have room to grow. (And thank goodness for that! What would drive us in our careers if there was nothing left to learn?)
So you got a job offer, but it’s not at your dream studio or on your dream project. Fret not!
First of all, congratulations on landing a job! Getting a job ANYWHERE right now is not easy. Most people don’t get their start working on their dream project and it is completely unrealistic to have that expectation. As the saying goes, everyone has to start somewhere. No matter what type of game you’re working on, that development experience you’re getting right now is invaluable. Do your best and learn as much as you can. If you really feel like you are not where you want to be, expand your portfolio in your own free time. Making art for a cartoony game but want to work on realistic looking games? Make those photo-real props at home and keep working to hit that look. Avoid using your current employers’ property (intellectual or physical) as well as their tools or software for personal work unless you have their explicit permission to do so. | <urn:uuid:d4742e21-5b9c-4dd1-b512-a859aa9466de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://askagamingrecruiter.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-get-job-in-games.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96401 | 5,482 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Pat, About.com's Guide to Asthma, is a board certified internist and pediatrician and a Fellow of both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Bass is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. In addition to an active clinical practice and participation in medical education activities, Dr. Bass participates in research that focuses how patients can better interact with and get more out of the health care system by asking 2 simple questions- 'What do patients need to know?' and 'What do patients need to do?' to better care for their medical condition. Dr. Bass is an author on a number of research articles focused around patient education and has worked as a freelance medical writer and editor for HealthDay.
Dr. Bass completed his medical degree and combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. He pursued advanced training in a faculty development fellowship at the University of Kentucky, where he also received a Master of Science degree in Instructional Systems Design from the College of Education. Dr. Bass has also received a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
From Pat Bass:
With my strong interest in patient education and improving how patients interact with the health care system, I think I can help both people with asthma and parents of children with asthma become more knowledgeable and take steps to improve their asthma. We will focus on finding out what you need to know and do to better care for your asthma. | <urn:uuid:933f41b3-d88d-43b9-b729-1b8d0308ab25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://asthma.about.com/bio/Pat-Bass-55551.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96312 | 320 | 1.804688 | 2 |
November was a busy month! Not only did bloggers and writers churn out pages for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), but illustrators and artists also took part in NaNoDrawMo, which challenged participants to produce a minimum of 50 new works between November 1 and 30.
In honor of NaNoDrawMo, we’ve highlighted some illustrators and sketchers in our community. Take a look:
Photo courtesy of Pete Scully.Pete Scully
Currently in Northern California, Pete Scully sketches the world as he sees it — and his visions are unique, intricate, and oh-so-fresh. (His sketches above prove this, don’t you think?) We love Pete’s style, as seen in his drawings of pubs, bookstores, and urban neighborhoods. Browse his sketchbook images of San Francisco, London, and more; and be sure to follow along on his NaNoDrawMo journey. His black-and-white header adds a personal touch, and his substantial blogroll of fellow artists is worth checking out.
Pete’s blog uses Twenty Twelve, an elegant, readable theme that’s fully responsive — content looks great on any device. If you’re curious to see how other artists use this theme, check out cartoonist Chuck Cottrell’s blog Sketches from Memory and follow along on his Sketch a Day series. (He’s also participating in NaNoWriMo. That’s dedication!)Paula Knight
You’ll find art projects, sketchbook pages, and works in progress on Paula Knight’s blog. What we love best is that we get the sense of an artist at work — series of sketches, quick doodles in spiral notebooks, commentaries on older drawings, and personal reflections. Be sure to check out her comics, which comment on fertility and childlessness. Also a writer, Paula has published children’s books and is currently working on a graphic novel for adults called The Facts of Life.
Paula’s blog uses Twenty Eleven, the third most popular theme on WordPress.com (and our default theme in 2011). Versatile and full of features, Twenty Eleven is a tried-and-true theme on which you can experiment with various post formats, a light or dark color scheme, and different layouts. For more inspiration, check out how cartoonist and writer Ulises Farinas uses Twenty Eleven as well — the Brooklyn-based artist creates imaginative, super-detailed worlds of heroes and beasts.Our Process
For a dose of politics, current events, education, and culture with your artwork, don’t miss the comics, portraits, and maps of Aaron Guile. Aaron’s visual style is very distinct, and his commentary is sharp. Unlike the other illustrators in this list, Aaron doesn’t use much color. He eschews color for bold, black on white illustrations that convey potent ideas.
Aaron’s blog uses Forever, a simple and modern theme originally created with weddings in mind. But, as you can see, Forever works with different kinds of content — it’s really up to you to transform a theme into something that works for you!The Town Mouse
Avid drawer and architectural historian Joanna Moore compiles drawings created on location — if you’re in London, you may find her sketching frantically on a street corner. Check out her mixed media drawings of Gothic cathedrals and sketches of castles, or browse her category archives at the top of her front page.
Joanna’s blog uses Imbalance 2, a modern, sophisticated theme that can easily turn your blog into a professional portfolio or online magazine. Imbalance 2 is also appropriate for collaborative projects — check out Illo Confidential, a group blog of about 20 illustrators.Hotcharchitpotch
Gareth Cotter serves up wonderful sketches, illustrations, and comics that show his passion for architecture. His drawings inspired by a fall trip to Gdansk, Poland, are worth noting, as well as this comic/graphic story about a “cyclical city.” We’re waiting to see what whimsical little world he’ll illustrate next.
Gareth’s blog uses Blogum, a clean and minimalist theme — with a touch of modern — that lets you focus on your content. Its simplicity allows for images and illustrations to take center stage.Easily Emused
How can you not enjoy the drawings at Easily Emused? They’re colorful and quirky, and complement the blogger’s musings perfectly. (Read “Earring Aids,” a recent post about piercing one’s ears — it’s a nice mix of storytelling and illustration.)
This blog uses Balloons, a lighthearted theme that effortlessly creates a playful mood.Creative Stuff
Photographer and student Jessie Vittoria loves to draw, and she uses Creative Stuff to compile her illustrations, greeting card designs, comics, and doodles. Her artwork is airy and playful — you can see this right away in her blog’s header image. We like how she keeps it simple and makes her different types of artwork easy to find, and how she uses built-in features to add color and draw visitors to her popular content.
Jessie’s blog uses Yoko, a theme that’s simple and elegant, yet customizable. We asked Jessie about the features she uses.Talk a bit about the features you use to make your blog look the way it does.
The full-size images in my posts allow viewers to see my art without having to click another link, while the slideshows present smaller, less prominent images. For example, I use the slideshow to quickly give an idea of a certain type of drawing. I really like the images in my sidebar; I am a very visual person, and for an illustration blog, it makes sense for users to click on images — rather than text — to navigate the site.Why did you choose Yoko as your blog’s theme? What features do you like in general?
I was looking for a simple way to display my art with easy navigation, and Yoko seemed to have everything I was looking for. The sidebar makes it easy to find specific pages. I can display my work in the header to immediately show visitors what I do as an artist — even before they click on my posts. I also like the scroll-and-load feature – you don’t have to click “next” to view older posts. Overall, I like how clean the theme is, which doesn’t take away from the art itself.Want more?
Looking for more advice on how best to showcase your art on your blog? Head on over to The Daily Post for our Q&A with two illustrators — Thomas James and Mark Armstrong — who share their design tips. | <urn:uuid:b2845124-e758-4162-ba35-aceb96ebbd81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thenumbers.marketplace.org/publicradio/news/read/22898079/illustrators_on_wordpress.com | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930331 | 1,449 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Mon December 17, 2012
To Expand or Not to Expand? State Legislature to Decide Future of Utah's Medicaid Program
When the state legislature reconvenes in January they’ll be given a report outlining the cost/benefit analysis of expanding Utah’s Medicaid program. Last week, the Utah Department of Heath held a public forum to gather comments on what should be considered as the study gets underway, but as Jessica Gail reports, the report could have little influence on some lawmakers.
32 -year-old Christina Osborn relies on Medicaid. "When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with a brain tumor but yet no health insurance would insure me because of the epilepsy that was created."
Osborn briefly shared her story at a public forum last week at the Utah Department of Health. Her comments were one of more than a dozen made by doctors, healthcare leaders and community activists who want their voice heard in a report that will be given to the Utah Legislature in January.
"What we’re trying to say is for the population of Utah as a whole would this be good for them? And really if it's a good-for-them decision then that should be done as soon as possible. If we find that the costs out weigh the benefits than that decision should come pretty soon."
That’s Utah Department of Health Director Dr. David Patton. He says the state hired an out-of-state consulting firm to look at current and future enrollment data, annual costs savings, and the comments made by the public to be put in the report.
If Utah chooses to expand it would mean an additional 100,000 people added to the state's Medicaid program. But, Patton says it’s up to the study to find out just how much that would cost.
"We know very little about the population that is currently uninsured; are they healthier that the population that is currently insured or are they less healthy? That would make a big impact in what it costs us to give them services."
Weber County Republican Senator Allen Christensen also attended Thursday’s meeting. He says Utah has a balanced budget and doesn’t want the federal government to get in the way: “My job is to say no to some people. I can’t make everybody happy.”
And, even without seeing the report, Christensen is already predicting what the thinks the legislature will do.
"We're not going to do the Medicaid expansion. By the end of the session there's not going to be very much decided about Medicaid rather, except possibly the expansion."
The 2013 legislative session will begin January 28. | <urn:uuid:90b2e819-d68f-411a-9c04-e6e0c77f8f79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://upr.org/post/expand-or-not-expand-state-legislature-decide-future-utahs-medicaid-program | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974767 | 540 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Betrayals, Blunders & Cover-Ups Six Decades of Espionage
Date of publication: May 2012
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing
In Treachery, noted intelligence authority and author Chapman Pincher makes a compelling case that the head of Britain's own counterintelligence and security agency was himself a double agent, acting to undermine and imperil the UK and America. Fortified by a mass of new information, he pulls the mask from the MI5 chief, Sir Roger Hollis, and, as a result, years of traitorous action and inaction on his watch come tumbling down. Pincher reveals Hollis' early years, when he attended Oxford University, which 'educated' many agents, and worked in 1930s' Shanghai, a hotbed of soon-to-be spies and Soviet recruiters.
Also for the first time, he exposes how Hollis entered MI5 where, he was a grey presence who rose in the ranks over 27 years while, as Pincher reveals in startling new detail, he was allowing the most notorious Soviet spies of the century to flourish. Myriad intriguing case histories are portrayed here, including that of Lt. Igor Gouzenko, a Red Army cipher clerk who disclosed, in 1945, that there was a mole in MI5 serving Russian intelligence - an exposure which touched off the Cold War.
With a mass of new evidence, some from Russian sources, Pincher tracks that mole and also provides exciting new perspectives on other infamous operatives of our time, including Kim Philby and Klaus Fuchs. Perhaps most explosively, Pincher posits that long after Hollis stepped down, a cover-up was perpetrated at the highest levels, even involving Margaret Thatcher, to conceal the truth forever - a deception which still continues. Treachery warns us to protect our society and institutions from enemy infiltration in the future.
It is a revelatory work that puts twentieth-century politics and war into stunning new relief. | <urn:uuid:611cc19a-2f76-4652-a993-4706ea60e43f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop/details.aspx?titleId=1612 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94839 | 402 | 1.65625 | 2 |
The founder of the outdoor brand Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, talks about the roots of his activism, how an environmental group needs to think like a business, and how it's up to activists to take science and do some good with it.
The brand and its founder are renowned internationally for commitment to environmental issues. Launching Patagonia isn't, of course, the only amazing achievement Yvon Chouinard has under his belt; he made pitons and sold them out the back of his car to support himeslf in the late 50s and 60s, when he was one of the leading climbers of the Golden Age of Yosemite climbing. From the success of these pitons grew 'Chouinard Equipment Ltd', and Yvon went on to make significant innovations in climbing hardware. The company was taken over and reborn as Black Diamond Equipment in 1989, and Chouinard concentrated on Patagonia.
Gear News and Outdoor Industry News at UKC and UKH presents climbing, walking and mountaineering equipment and stories that will be of interest to UKClimbing.com's readers. They are not gear reviews and are provided by companies that advertise with UKClimbing Limited. Please feel free to comment about the stories and products on the associated thread.
Please support the following outdoor retailers who support UKClimbing.com: | <urn:uuid:69bf3d0c-e0db-4341-a57e-de23e4c131eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=3888 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976859 | 277 | 1.609375 | 2 |
ISRAEL: New law designed to stop “infiltrators”
A young Sudanese asylum seeker and her baby rest after a harsh journey to enter Israel
TEL AVIV, 10 January 2012 (IRIN) - Following a heated public debate, the Israeli cabinet passed on 9 January a tough new law intended to deter the entry of what the government calls “illegal migrants” or “infiltrators”.
The “Law to Prevent Infiltration
” allows for the detention for up to three years - without trial - of anyone who crosses the border without a permit, including families and minors. Anyone convicted of helping them once they enter, including aid workers, can be jailed for up to 15 years, according to the new law.
“Its entire purpose is to deter refugees from entering Israel,” the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) said in a statement
, which describes the law as “draconian and immoral”. “The law blatantly disregards Israel’s most basic commitments as a member of the community of nations and as a signatory to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.”
The law is part of a US$167 million plan approved by the Israeli cabinet on 11 December 2011 to crack down on migrants and slow their entry. In addition to extending the length of legal detention, the plan also aims to complete a 227-km fence between Egypt and Israel, enlarge the capacity of detention centres, fine employers who employ illegal migrants and come up with a strategy to repatriate asylum-seekers to Africa.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has distinguished between illegal migrants and asylum-seekers in recent statements, rights groups say the government’s policies have lumped them together, targeting genuine refugees as well. They also say of the tens of thousands of people who have claimed asylum in Israel in recent years, almost none have access to a proper Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process. (see side bar)
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, at least 40,000 “infiltrators and asylum-seekers” - mostly from Sudan and Eritrea - have entered Israel in the past six years, usually smuggled in through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula by Bedouin tribesmen
. Netanyahu has described illegal workers as a “threat” to the country’s very foundation. As he speaks of “fighting the infiltration”, some Israeli neighbourhoods have formed vigilante guards to drive out migrants.
In the midst of all this, here is what some asylum-seekers and aid workers have to say:
S.D, a Sudanese asylum-seeker in Tel Aviv:
“We [the community] don't know anything. Will they round us up and put us in detention centres? Will they force us to leave for another country? We have no idea what tomorrow will bring. I understand that Israelis see us as a mass of people who are a burden on [their] economy and welfare, but what choice did we have but to come here? If they think we are not refugees, they should examine each of us and not make general decisions. I cannot go back to Sudan and I don't think it is fair to jail me for wanting to have a safe life.''
Nassima, a 23-year-old asylum-seeker working as a maid:
|Israel’s policy towards asylum-seekers
||Israel signed the 1951 Geneva Convention but in the last 50 years only about 650 people have been officially recognized as refugees, including 452 Darfuri asylum-seekers given refugee status and temporary residency in 2007 as a “humanitarian gesture” by former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
||The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) offices in Israel passed the duties of Refugee Status Determination (RSD) to the RSD unit at the Ministry of the Interior in July 2009. The training process for RSD officers was closely monitored by UNHCR.
||Arrivals from Sudan and Eritrea - the bulk of asylum-seekers in Israel - are automatically given collective temporary protection if they can prove their countries of origin. This protects them from deportation, but does not give them any social benefits or permanent status in the country. Human rights activists say this is not an adequate RSD process.
||Those arriving from these countries undergo a brief interview at a detention centre after they cross the border and are then released carrying an asylum-seeker’s permit, which has to be renewed every three months.
||Arrivals from other countries are judged on a case by case basis. Some get temporary protection; others are detained - sometimes for years; still others are deported.
||Under the new law, anyone who enters the country illegally - including Sudanese and Eritreans - can be detained for up to three years, even if there is no intention of deporting them. In some cases, this time period can be extended, even indefinitely.
“If we cannot work, what will we do? Steal? Beg? I came here because I would not enlist [in the Eritrean army] for life and I am an honest good worker. Much of the trouble in the community is because of unemployment. When you do not have work, you drink; you loiter in the park; that is what makes the Israelis afraid of us, and now the problem will only get worse. I know that Israel is not our country but I think [the state] should try and work with us and not against us. We are human beings, not cattle to be put in a cage.”
Oscar, an asylum-seeker residing in Israel for over 10 years:
“I cannot tell the state of Israel what to do; I believe laws are needed to govern properly but I don't think the law [should be] punishment. If there are illegal migrants amongst the asylum-seekers, how can you tell which are which if you do not allow access to some RSD process? How can you tell which of us is a refugee and who's an illegal migrant? The way I see it the [government of Israel] is going to invest a lot of money in a failed solution.''
Ibrahim, a Sudanese asylum-seeker who arrived in Israel four months ago:
“I don't understand the thing about refugees and migrants. Do you think I would have put my life in danger to come here, as I have, if I were a migrant? I don't understand how you can say that to me. We have been through hell on the way to find a safe place and now you say we should be in jail or returned to our country? You need to think about what you are doing to innocent people.''
Sudanese asylum-seeker who requested anonymity:
“I see how the people in Tel Aviv look at us. It is not easy to have many people come to your city with no money, no work. But even though I understand their fears, I think that they should help us instead of trying to drive us out.”
Sigal Rosen, co-founder of Moked, a hotline for migrant workers:
“This is an outrageous plan. The state intends to hold children and families in long-term detention?… We know that some are economic migrants but in order to decide that, they must all have access to proper RSD process. Worldwide statistics show that over 80 percent of Eritrean asylum-seekers are granted refugee status and over 60 percent of Sudanese asylum-seekers as well. I assume the numbers in Israel would be the same if the cases were reviewed.”
Oded Feller, an attorney with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel:
“We are not against the state's right to guard its borders but we believe that since Israel is a state that was erected for refugees, it should consider the moral and legal obligation it has not to jail asylum-seekers. The state cannot punish asylum-seekers or detain them for long periods of time. It should differentiate between infiltrators [migrants] and refugees and set different standards for dealing with each population.”
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations] | <urn:uuid:6d435a22-ca83-4360-9323-1b1c5972e5ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.irinnews.org/printreport.aspx?reportid=94620 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96658 | 1,707 | 1.601563 | 2 |
When I pay off a credit card, how long before this helps my credit score? How about when I cancel a card? I am trying to get my score up by 50 to 75 points as soon as I can. –John
Credit scores are in a constant state of flux; you just can’t depend on them to be a set number any given month. Why so capricious? Because the information on consumer credit reports is constantly changing, and that’s the data they use to come up with the numbers. Essentially, your scores will seesaw with your borrowing and repaying actions.
For example, if a flurry of shopping causes one of your credit cards to hit the charging limit, your FICO score (the most commonly used scoring model today) may sag. However, send a big check that covers the amount you spent, and it will soon recover.
It sounds like you already know that deleting a balance will help your scores rise, though, and that makes me happy. One of the worst credit myths that refuses to go away is that hanging onto consumer debt is good for a credit score. Not so! As with cologne, less is best. Charging on a regular basis — a few times a month, say — and keeping balances low or at zero is what will really drive those digits up.
Therefore, to answer the first part of your question, your credit rating will indeed escalate when your repaid account is recorded by your credit card company — though the positive effect may take about 30 days to register. Hopefully you can wait that long. In the meantime, you can enjoy another strong side benefit of being back in black. You’ll avoid interest being added to the debt, so you’ll come out ahead financially as well.
Now, as far as shutting down an active credit card, you may want to hit the brakes on that plan. While it’s wise to have only the plastic you need, want and will use responsibly, canceling longstanding accounts can deflate a FICO score. The reason for this is that it hits a number of scoring categories:
- Amount you owe in relation to the amount you can borrow. The second weightiest factor in a FICO score calculation (the first is your payment pattern) is your outstanding debt-to-credit ratio. Owing less than 35 percent of your combined credit limit is good, but paying off everything you borrow is best. So if you were to cancel a card that has a large credit limit but still owe a lot of money on another card, you might push your credit utilization ratio skyward.
- Length of your credit history. Another category is how long you’ve had credit. An account that you’ve used well for many years helps your scores stay in the upper realms. Close it, and they may decline a little.
- Various types of credit you possess. Creditors like to see that you can expertly handle a wide spectrum of credit instruments. If you were to cancel one type of card (and don’t have another card of that type), this section may be negatively impacted.
As far as just how your credit activity, whatever it may be, will translate into specific number of credit score points, that’s impossible to say. FICO doesn’t offer that kind of information, but rather publishes general guidelines. That said, it’s clear and true that when you use a variety of credit types for many years and constantly repay what you owe on time and in full, a fabulous score is sure to follow. | <urn:uuid:098f5eaf-11c7-49ff-b2e8-a0a41005a22e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.creditcardguide.com/creditcards/erica/understanding-ups-downs-credit-score-2564/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964637 | 733 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Smart growth debate takes place Feb. 23
A debate over smart growth will take place next Thursday (Feb. 23) at Langley Township council chambers, 20338 65 Avenue.
With the Metro Vancouver region set to grow by another one million people over the next 20 years, and with most of that growth set to occur south of the Fraser River, there has been a call by many academics and urban planners to change the way communities are built. South Fraser OnTrax, which advocates for smart growth design principles such as making transit a priority and building neighbourhoods that provide a variety of housing options, is sponsoring the debate between two well-known speakers with different perspectives.
Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, whose research has been used by governments worldwide, will be debating Randal O’Toole, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. He has taught environmental economics at Yale, UC Berkeley, and Utah State University on the future of land use and transportation planning.
Litman is a strong proponent of smart growth principles and high-quality public transit while O’Toole has been an outspoken critic.
“For many years we have talked about building more sustainable community and better transit,” says Nathan Pachal of OnTrax, “but many in our communities are not sold on the ideas that this is the way to go. This debate will allow both perspectives to be expressed and let people decide what future they want for our region.”
OnTrax, with the support of a City of Langley grant, is hosting this debate from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 23. This free event is open to all members of the public. They will hear both sides of the debate and question Litman and O’Toole.
Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. See southfraser.net or facebook.com/events/317650071605846/ for more information, and email firstname.lastname@example.org to reserve a seat. | <urn:uuid:b55eea0d-df1c-4fb0-bacc-2a11c8ebacc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aldergrovestar.com/news/139399928.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953497 | 418 | 1.679688 | 2 |
On June 20, 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced a new development that will make it much easier for employers and attorneys to determine past precedent and prior case logic. The Commission stated it has now placed all appellate and amicus briefs for more than a decade on its website.
The briefs—which date back to the year 2000—will be searchable by key word or catchphrase, to allow employers to find information on specific topics related to issues they are dealing with. In a press release dated June 20, 2012, the EEOC noted employers could search phrases such as “reasonable accommodation diabetes” to identify related cases.
But you don’t have to stop there. Employers or attorneys interested in cases filed locally, for example, can search the database by a specific court. Other options to narrow the search include sorting by case name, type of brief or the specific statutes involved.
The database will remain a relevant and current resource—EEOC confirmed that new briefs will be entered within weeks of being filed in court.
The database is housed on the EEOC’s external website. To search cases, employers can access the direct link here.
While the decision itself may have been replicated in federal courts around the nation, the April 2012 ruling by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that the refusal to hire a qualified applicant because of the fact the candidate was transgender was sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Mia Macy was a transgender woman who applied—initially as a male—for a job as a ballistics technician with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). As a male, Macy was told she was “virtually guaranteed” the job. In fact, Macy was a distinctly qualified applicant, possessing both a military background and a law enforcement background. In addition, according to the Transgender Law Center, Ms. Macy was “one of the few people in the country who had already been trained on ATF’s ballistics computer system.”
However, partway through the background process—once Ms. Macy disclosed that she was in the process of changing gender—she was abruptly told by the ATF that the position no longer had funding and would not be available. But Macy knew something wasn’t right when she later discovered that another applicant had been awarded the position instead.
Ms. Macy filed a complaint with the ATF, who refused to hear her complaint, stating that she could not avail herself of the complaint process because Title VII did not apply to transgender employees. The recent decision from the EEOC has corrected that misinterpretation and clarifies that gender identity and gender stereotyping is protected, encompassed under the general umbrella of sex discrimination already established in law. In the decision, the EEOC clarified “the term ‘gender’ encompasses not just a person’s biological sex but also the cultural and social aspects associated with masculinity and femininity.”
The ruling has been hailed as a groundbreaking, landmark decision because it sets clear and consistent standards employers must follow on a national level.
The EEOC decision has no impact on the current EEOC labor law poster nor do any future changes.
The SEP will establish a specific framework and approach “for achieving the EEOC’s mission to stop and remedy unlawful employment discrimination.” As a result, the Commission is reaching out to employers, advocacy groups and any other interested parties who would like to submit input on the specific items that should be considered under the plan.
The EEOC has already identified several points of focus for the plan:
- Strategic Law Enforcement
- Education and Outreach
- Efficient Service to the Public
However, the Commission would like feedback and suggestions on what the national priorities should be for the plan to have “the greatest impact in combating discrimination in the workplace,” and is seeking recommendations on specific ways to improve enforcement, outreach and customer service in those areas.
If you have input to provide, don’t delay. All submissions must be submitted by 5:00 pm EDT on June 19, 2012. Be sure to enter your contact email or mailing address, because selected submissions will be invited to testify before the Commission in Washington, D.C. Phone or video feed would also be available for individuals to testify without traveling.
Send your suggestions to:
Mail: Executive Officer,
Office of the Executive Secretariat,
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
131 M Street, NE,
Washington, DC 20507
The federal agency took the unusual action of eliminating portions of the ADAAA regulations that were most troubling to employers. On March 24, 2011, the EEOC adopted the final rule implementing the ADAAA or Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act. However, the EEOC stepped back from designating a list of conditions that are always disabilities under ADAAA.
Under the new regulations, the EEOC still requires an expansive definition of disability in the workplace. It cautions employers that most employees will not require extensive analysis to determine if they have a disability. However, instead of providing a list of presumed disabilities, the new ADAAA regulations link certain conditions to the individual’s limitation to a major life activity.
Some conditions that are still a disability if they limit a major life activity:
The EEOC reports that 2011 is on track to exceed the record number of retaliation lawsuits set in 2010. Last year, the EEOC collected more money than ever before from employers charged with retaliation after a complaint was filed.
In a recent ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that employee Eric Thompson was protected from retaliation by his employer, even when the complaint was filed by his fiancée. Thompson, an engineer, was fired from North American Stainless LP three weeks after his fiancée filed a discrimination charge with the EEOC.
Initially, the 6th Circuit Court of Appealsdetermined that Thompson had no protection under Title VII because he was not the person who filed the complaint. Thompson had a workplace romance with coworker Miriam Regalado. Their engagement was well known within the company before Regalado filed the discrimination complaint with the EEOC.
In a rare unanimous decision, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s ruling. The justices found that earlier court rulings set a very broad definition of retaliation as “any action that would discourage a reasonable person from filing a complaint.” Penalizing a spouse, family member or other third party would fall into that category, according to the court. Read about the ruling here. | <urn:uuid:8d42778a-3ffa-4390-855a-429a0708bb5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.laborlawcenter.com/tag/eeoc/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959123 | 1,347 | 1.789063 | 2 |
It's been almost five years since the Roads and Transport Authority introduced Salik, Dubai's first charges for driving on certain routes. Initial problems have now been overcome and congestion in the city has fallen sharply, slashing some journey times.
It is well-documented that people do not react well to change.
So when Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) first launched Salik, a road toll system, on July 1 2007, it triggered months of chaos as motorists struggled to adapt to paying to drive on their favourite roads.
However, as the scheme reaches its fifth anniversary on Sunday, ask the average Dubai-resident how they feel about Salik and they will shrug their shoulders as if it has always been part of the city.
"It's something everyone has come to terms with," says Richard Wagner, a Dubai resident and architect at Wanders Architects, who has lived in the emirate since 2005.
"Everyone's got their little tag and there aren't any more questions about it - the gates are almost invisible. And the road system has improved dramatically. If you observe the construction that has gone on over the last two years since the crisis, it was mostly infrastructure; it gave the RTA an opportunity to catch up with the general growth of the city."
Experts estimate Salik - Arabic for "clear" - generates around Dh600 million a year for the RTA based on the assumption there are 1400 cars passing through one lane of a Salik gate during rush hour.
According to a report from the RTA, the system collected Dh800 million from Salik in 2010 while revenue from July 2007 to December 2009 was Dh1.658 billion.
While the RTA say it is not their policy to release revenue statistics, it is clear Salik's inception was never about creating income.
As Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, pointed out at a press conference soon after the launch: "It does not even generate the cost of one interchange that we build in Dubai."
That does not mean the income goes to waste; the funds are used "to expedite the completion of the infrastructure projects" according an RTA spokesman.
So if revenue was not the driving force for Salik, then the question is, what was?
For those living in Dubai pre-Salik, when the city was at the height of an economic boom, the answer is very simple: to ease congestion.
At the time, a housing shortage and massive economic expansion meant there were far more residents in the city and therefore cars on the roads than the network could cope with.
Anyone wanting to drive from Mall of the Emirates to Deira for an early-evening engagement, had to set aside up to two hours for a journey that now takes 20 minutes.
"The system was introduced to relieve the congestion and direct traffic to other arterials in a way to achieve a system optimal solution of travel time," explains Yasser Hawas, Professor of Transportation and Traffic Engineering at the UAE University.
But Salik was not a gut reaction to a short-term problem. The RTA had first commissioned feasibility studies into a road-toll system in the early part of the last decade as part of a bigger plan to introduce an integrated public transport network to the emirate.
"Dubai knew they were investing heavily in public transport and the Metro was coming. So to get people to do a model shift from using the cars and onto the Metro, you have to impose certain penalties for car use - it's called demand management," says Mehdi Langroudi, an associate transport planner for Ramboll, a global engineering, design and consultancy company with offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
"Once you put in a Salik gate and you have a fee associated with this, for a certain percentage of people it's cheaper for them to use public transport. You get them out of the car and onto metros, buses, taxis and car-sharing."
In Salik's first phase, two gates were installed: one in Al Barsha on Dubai's main artery, Sheikh Zayed Road, and the other on Al Garhoud Bridge, at the time one of the main routes between Dubai and Sharjah.
The tolls had the desired effect, driving motorists off the congested routes. However, because alternatives such as the Metro, a comprehensive bus network and alternative Creek crossings such as Business Bay Bridge weren't complete, it led to chaos.
Previously traffic-free communities became clogged as motorists diverted onto roads unused to such high levels of traffic, to avoid fines or paying the toll.
And because only a small fraction of the city had registered for a Salik tag, outlets were unable to cope with the sudden demand, many running out entirely.
"I got a Salik tag straightaway," recalls Mr Wagner. "I had to take Sheikh Zayed Road to get to work so I had a smooth drive but the surrounding roads were a nightmare.
"It took 10 months for people to realise that when you equate time versus money, it's better to pay those few dirhams; you get there faster rather than waiting in traffic jams."
To compensate motorists, the RTA waived all fines incurred during the first four months of the toll.
Some experts attribute the teething problems to a failure to sufficiently inform the public in the run up to the launch and poor planning.
"It is usual that before going down the road of awarding concessions for the construction of a toll road, the client undertakes various surveys including origin and destination surveys to confirm that once constructed people would want to use it," says Forbes Johnston, director of highways for Mott MacDonald, a global engineering and development consultancy.
"Secondly, there should be a 'Willingness to Pay' survey to establish the base case for toll charges."
However, Professor Hawas, says the initial problems were just a natural reaction to change.
"There is a period of imbalance that usually accompanies the implementation of such systems. It usually occurs when drivers seek other cheaper alternatives to reach their destinations. After a while, these congestion problems dissipate and the flow in the network returns to a state of equilibrium."
Similar chaos ensued when the RTA expanded the number of tolls from two to four, adding gates at Al Safa Interchange and Al Maktoum Bridge in 2008 to ease bottlenecks that had developed.
But five years on, there is no doubt congestion in the city has reduced, something that has been heavily complemented by the launch of the Metro in September 2009, an improved bus system and a massive investment in the city's road network.
A RTA report from early last year stated that the average speed on Sheikh Zayed Road had increased by 30 per cent in three and a half years, with traffic levels down by 45 per cent on Al Garhoud Bridge and 30 per cent on Al Maktoum Bridge.
But some experts say Salik cannot take full credit for the smoother traffic flow in the city.
"If you think traffic decreased in the city because of Salik, that's not the case. Obviously the economic downfall caused a big reduction in traffic as well in 2009," adds Mr Langroudi.
He worked on the creation of London's congestion-charge programme and was part of the consultancy team that analysed Salik's expansion.
With traffic now flowing so well in the city and almost 350 million passengers using Dubai's public transport in 2011, is Salik still needed?
"The need has reduced slightly but it's picking up again. Dubai is getting busier and if they don't need it now they will need it in five years time," says Mr Langroudi. "Cities in the UAE are not focusing on right now; they have a master plan for five, 10 or even 20 years time and they need all the mechanisms in place now to make sure things stay smooth in the future.
"It's a mechanism that's in place that can be enforced more vigorously if the wish is there."
Though Dubai was the first city in the region to introduce a road toll system, Mr Langroudi says Doha is a likely candidate to follow the Salik model.
Abu Dhabi has also considered a toll system, though Mr Langroudi says the capital would be unlikely to adopt a spot-system like Salik because there are no key routes onto the island, instead opting for a cordon system similar to London's.
"The Service Transport Master Plan for Abu Dhabi looks at congestion charge as a way of doing a model shift to public transport," he said.
"One scenario has been tested to see how much traffic would be shifted to public transport, such as the [planned] Abu Dhabi Metro, by having a congestion charge for vehicles going on to the island."
For now Langroudi says Dubai has succeeding in putting in place a toll system that acts as an example not only regionally but internationally .
"You have to have controls in your own network to be able to shift people around and if you don't have that in place it's very difficult to alter the travel behaviour of the people who are living and working in the country," he said. | <urn:uuid:34bc8baf-c022-4b4b-b7d9-2502e4b8bb01> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/motoring/dubais-salik-experiment-makes-a-clear-case-for-toll-roads | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973387 | 1,895 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Our website is designed to
provide residents, businesses, students studying
our Town and those with an interest in possibly
relocating to our Town with in-depth and helpful
information. We update our site daily with
current information, make it easily accessible
and user friendly to all those learning about
our outstanding community, the Town of North
North Providence is one of 39
municipalities in the State of Rhode Island.
Established in 1636 and incorporated as a Town
in 1765, North Providence has approximately
33,000-34,000 residents making it the 8th
most populated community in Rhode Island.
Centrally located in the northwestern corner of
the Providence metropolitan area, North
Providence offers its residents and surrounding
communities, many attractions of living close to
a large city, yet maintains a small town
atmosphere with suburban flair. North
Providence offers numerous services, outstanding
parks, recreational facilities and commodities
to suit everyone’s needs. | <urn:uuid:000e283c-a3c6-412c-b97c-09d68a70e38b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.northprovidenceri.gov/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932 | 210 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Credit Card Reward Programs - Merchants Lose, Consumers and Banks Win
Frequent flyer miles, retailer discounts, cash back and more; if it exists, you can get a credit card to earn rewards for it. As the overall use of credit cards increases so too does the demand for rewards credit cards. Credit card rewards programs have virtually no negative aspects for issuing banks. Credit card rewards programs are an incentive to consumers to use credit cards even when they have cash. Rewards programs promote credit card use which increases the banks' revenue from merchant account fees.
There's no denying that banks have created an excellent marketing tool through credit card rewards programs, but with millions of cardholders accumulating rewards, who's paying them when they want to collect their bounty? The answer is perhaps to most ingenious aspect of credit card rewards programs.
Merchants provide the financial backing for the banks' credit card rewards programs. Banks create expensive rewards programs that increase the use of credit cards, which increases the revenue they generate from processing fees, and they don't even have to pay for the rewards that they're offering.
Banks pass the cost of their credit card rewards programs to merchants through mid and non-qualified processing fees. Visa and MasterCard maintain interchange fees that dictates the cost a merchant pays to accept credit cards. Processing fees vary depending on the type of credit card that a merchant processes and the manner in which they process it.
The majority of merchant accounts generalize the more than 200 different interchange fee classifications into three main categories called qualified, mid-qualified and non-qualified with transactions that fall into the qualified category being charged lowest merchant account fees.
When a consumer uses a rewards credit card the transaction is downgraded, or bumped up to a higher fee category, and the merchant is charged more to process the transaction. The extra income that is generated as a result of the transaction downgrading is used by the issuing bank of the customer's credit card to pay for their credit card rewards.
For merchants, the ability to accept credit cards often translates to benefits such as higher average tickets, increased cash flow and even greater gross sales. The cost of accepting credit cards is justified by these benefits. This logic leaves many merchants searching for justification of the increased cost associated with credit card rewards programs. For banks, rewards programs increase revenue. For cardholders, rewards programs deliver cash back or other bonuses. For merchants, rewards programs increase processing costs.
On July 30, 2010 mark said:credit card reward programs, are the merchants allowed by law (New York State or Federal)to dis-allow use of reward program credit cards? We accept Credit cards over the phone, and would like to send to our customers who regularly use corporate reward cards, that we will no longer accept reward, bonus, cash back cards, but will accept non reward program cards.
On July 30, 2010 said:Hello Mark,
Your processing agreement forbids discrimination based on payment method or type. This includes discriminating against certain cardholders because of the brand of card they are presenting for payment.
Copyright © 2004-2010 MerchantCouncil.org. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:ac86ae90-2418-46f3-8c54-e980653af0e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.merchantcouncil.org/merchant-account/rates-fees/cost-accept-rewards-credit-card.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95094 | 630 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Governors do not always fill state Supreme Court vacancies. They sometimes prefer to avoid entering parochial frays, and let voters decide in November.
But a vacancy in the 5th Judicial District — which includes Onondaga County — poses a particular challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for two reasons. First, qualified candidates have stepped forward seeking his appointment to the seat, which has been vacant since December due to a retirement. Second, if he fails to appoint, Cuomo risks appearing to placate North Country Democratic leaders, who seem to be protecting one of their own rather than looking out for the judicial interests of the people of the entire six-county district. Political considerations are supposed to be taboo in these matters.
Lewis County Judge Charles Merrell does not want to be appointed, according to the Watertown Daily Times, because he would have to resign as county judge. He would rather run for the seat in November. If he were to lose, he’d still retain his county judgeship.
Two Democratic leaders urged the governor to leave the seat vacant until the election, according to the Times. Their geo-protectionism is apparent in the letter to Cuomo: “The open seat, though technically a Fifth District Supreme Court seat, has been a Lewis County Supreme Court seat since the seat was first created almost a century ago ...”
There is no “Lewis County” seat; six counties comprise the judicial district. The governor should put their interests above those of one risk-averse judge and his political protectors, and fill the vacancy. | <urn:uuid:2834e213-36ce-4e64-a455-1efce0ed66ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2011/06/fill_this_judicial_vacancy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978727 | 319 | 1.585938 | 2 |
The April 22 New York Times lead story by investigative reporter David Barstow , using internal company documents to ouline how the retailer Wal-Mart bribed Mexican officials to facilitate their way into the country, had reverberations in the business and political worlds, and also managed to hurt Wal-Mart's stock price, which the paper eagerly noted the next day on the front of the Business section.
The attack is still going strong. The front of Tuesday's Business section featured investigative reporter Eric Lichtblau's "Wal-Mart's Good-Citizen Efforts Face a Test " (which the Times seems to think is synonymous with "cozying up to Democrats.")
That's right below Gretchen Morgenson's "New York Pension Funds To Challenge Wal-Mart ," featuring a picture of protesting lefties.
Besides its success in selling goods that range from groceries to televisions, Wal-Mart has also shown a highly developed ability to sell itself.
The country’s biggest retailer has adroitly used millions of dollars in campaign contributions, charity drives, lobbying campaigns, and its work for popular causes like childhood nutrition and carbon emissions to build support in Congress and the White House.
It also uses these methods to increase its “favorable” ratings, especially with liberals. And as Wal-Mart’s top lobbyist explained to investors in 2010, the company thinks the strategy has worked.
Lichtblau avoids the obvious question: Does Wal-Mart feel obliged to get friendly with Democrats to avoid regulation that would cripple its business?
With controversy building over its role in a Mexican bribery scandal, Wal-Mart’s desire to stay out of the limelight will now be put to a test. To help weather the fallout, Wal-Mart will rely on the relationships it has worked assiduously to develop in Washington during the last decade -- relationships that its critics say have insulated it from political threats.
For years Wal-Mart had reliable allies in the Republican Party, while it struggled to develop support among Democrats. But in recent years it has joined with the Obama administration on a number of its initiatives, including President Obama’s health care plan, environmental safeguards and childhood obesity. At the same time, it has aggressively lobbied the administration and Congress on dozens of policies affecting its business operations, including global trade, taxes, immigration, business regulation and waste disposal standards.
Industry experts say its political priorities could now be jeopardized by accusations first disclosed in The New York Times that Wal-Mart had paid $24 million in bribes to Mexican officials and covered up the payments.
Just six years ago, Republicans dwarfed Democrats in contributions tied to Wal-Mart. Democrats were often seen as hostile to the company, as unions and liberal groups mounted a years-long campaign attacking the company’s labor practices, its treatment of female employees and other workplace issues. But today, the contributions are about evenly split between the two parties, as Wal-Mart has made an aggressive push to attract political support from Democrats and liberals even in the face of the prominent opposition.
The Times didn't miss the opportunity to launch yet another dubious attack on a right-leaning advocacy group, the American Legislative Exchange Council with tenuous ties to the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida.
Last year, Wal-Mart spent more than $7.8 million in federal lobbying, using its own staff of in-house lobbyists, powerful Washington firms like Patton Boggs and the Podesta Group, and major trade associations like the Chamber of Commerce and retail groups. But the company’s critics say it has managed to obscure its particular lobbying accomplishments by working through larger trade groups with even broader agendas, making it difficult to determine exactly what role the company itself played.
For instance, Wal-Mart was involved at least indirectly in the formulation of a controversial gun policy that was pushed by the American Legislative Exchange Council, or Alec, a conservative business group to which Wal-Mart belongs.
A Wal-Mart executive, Janet Scott, was the co-leader of a criminal justice committee at Alec that in 2005 unanimously supported strengthening self-defense laws in shooting incidents. Since then, the business association has successfully pushed for passage of so-called Stand Your Ground laws, which have become controversial in recent weeks after the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida.
Wal-Mart is the country’s biggest seller of shotguns and ammunition.
The company, a capitalist success story, has certainly never been insulated from petty Times coverage. Reporter Michael Barbaro is a particular foe. His September 2006 hit piece on the company's alleged "conservative ties" required a lengthy "Editor's Note " correcting it in several spots. | <urn:uuid:fd7c1a9a-8eb3-43a2-b7d6-fd1e70ea9027> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mrc.org/print/articles/eric-lichtblau-nytimes-tries-guilt-association-tie-wal-mart-trayvon-martin-shooting | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965025 | 953 | 1.515625 | 2 |
NBC NATIONAL NEWS — The expression "it's a dog's life" comes from the assumption that there's just nothing better -- no clock to punch, no bills to pay, no worries, no stress.
But massage therapist Athena Arnado, who is used to finding stress and getting rid of it, said dogs can have bad days and stressful weeks, too.
"Loud noises don't bother us as much," said Arnado. "We know what loud noises are, where they are coming from. Dogs don't necessarily know that."
So Arnado took what she already knew and started applying it to dogs.
"Every time I was at the dog park, and a dog would approach me or pass by me, I would stop and I would basically ask his permission, basically communicate that I wanted him to come to me," said Arnado. "And the dog would come to me and I would start massaging him just using the human techniques that I had learned. And every one of them responded well to it."
She may not be the first masseuse for canines, but she may be one of the more generous.
Arnado is eager to give her trade secrets away, even to her clients who actually pay the bills.
"Even just a five-minute massage a day can increase longevity and improve the quality of life for your dog," she said.
Arnado said it's just one more thing your pets will adore you for.
There is even a fast version, if they'll let you stop.
Arnado has created a video to teach pet owners how to massage their pets called "Take 5 for Fido," available through her website. | <urn:uuid:ef1767a9-cc03-428d-acc7-15cdf8aa2fa0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbc33tv.com/print/node/13226 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985546 | 346 | 1.5 | 2 |
"Health care costs impose an incredible burden on the business community," Sabatini said. For example, the cost of insurance grew by 14 percent for 2003 over 2002, he said.
Sabatini said one major Maryland business recently told him it is spending more for insurance costs than for its day-to-day payroll.
At the same time, the number of uninsured residents is growing faster in Maryland than in any other state except Mississippi, he said.
Also driving health care costs is the rising expense of Medicaid, Sabatini said. Though he described the program as an "afterthought" when Medicare was established in 1965, costs for Medicaid have exceeded the costs of Medicare, Sabatini said. If costs go as high as projected in coming years, he said, states will have no money left for other programs.
The yearly cost of Medicaid in Maryland has reached $4.5 billion, or $800 for every man, woman and child in the state, he said, adding that 150,000 children had been added to the program since 1997.
Dealing with health care costs will require action in several areas, Sabatini said. One is malpractice reform. Although the costs of malpractice insurance in Maryland have not had the impact of those in neighboring Pennsylvania and West Virginia, a cap on lawsuit awards that was softening the blow here is evaporating, he said. He suggested stronger caps on awards in malpractice suits and reining in attorneys' fees for such suits.
A second area to tackle is insurance mandates that force people who buy insurance to pay for more benefits than they need, thereby discouraging people from buying it, he said.
He emphasized the need to restructure what he called an "overly generous" Medicaid program.
Finally, he said, the state needs to find a way to more efficiently deliver care to the disabled and chronically ill. The state spends $100 million to care for about 3,000 people with complex medical needs, he said.
Sabatini warned that if the business community does not become a player in the effort to reform health care insurance and delivery, it will suffer. "Somebody else will solve the problem and it may not be in your best interest," he said.
Payroll taxes of 6 percent for small businesses and 8 percent for large businesses were among the options being considered, he said.
"Business has not been adequately represented" in health care discussions, he said. | <urn:uuid:c773f7c1-90f1-4758-b4c6-0684fe8f67bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.herald-mail.com/2003-12-02/news/25129818_1_insurance-costs-health-care-insurance-mandates | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979055 | 499 | 1.671875 | 2 |
This article is the second of a two part series that seeks to present a balanced overview on the state of play for financials in Australia and reinforce the underlying value of the Australian economy within the global marketplace. Part 1 covered the resources sector, iron ore pricing, and the housing market. Part 2 will focus on funding pressures facing Australian banks, the impact and effect the Reserve Bank's monetary policy has on the economy, and will conclude with a comparison on where the Australian economy sits in the global environment. Investors long and short can refine their own positions as appropriate - the comments section on many of the above articles is where the real interest and debate has and continues to occur.
Funding by Banks
We have been hearing ad nauseam about the funding pressures on Australian banks since the GFC, usually once a month after the Reserve Bank of Australia [RBA] makes its monthly announcement on the current cash rate (you can access these here). Strange though that with all these funding pressures, the "Big 4" [Commonwealth Bank (CBAUF.PK), Westpac Bank (WBK), National Australia Bank (NAUBF.PK) and ANZ Bank (ANZBY.PK)] have continued to generate inordinate profit margins on successive reporting periods during one of the most challenging economic periods for the banks. Recently some have begun to try and separate themselves from the "perceived requirement to mirror the RBA's stance on interest rates," such as ANZ Bank choosing when they will announce interest rate changes following the RBA's announcement, and by how much they will change (i.e. passing on a rate cut in full, or only a percentage of the cut). This "independent" stance can be seen as a strategic decision by the banks to allow them more tactical discretion in underwriting their own bottom line, much to the distress of the Australian Treasurer.
The funding pressures on Australian banks are real (see Australian Financial Review article here), but they are not driven by the exact same pressures being faced by a broken banking system in the USA, or within a complex and intertwined banking system as is the case in the European Union. The regulators of the Australian Banks (APRA) and the Treasury have both expressed confidence that the banks are prepared to weather short notice funding pressures or a credit squeeze as a result of money markets tightening.
While the saying "buy when there is blood on the streets" offers opportunity for both long and short traders, would investors feel more comfortable sleeping at night with large sums of capital tied up in the banks of PIIGS, the "too big to bail" banks in the USA, or the big four banks of Australia? That's not to say there aren't opportunities in the PIIGS or the U.S. financial system, but in relative comparative terms the example is offered for contemplation.
Reserve Bank Policy
The RBA is responsible for setting monetary policy within Australia, in doing so "the RBA has an 'inflation target' and seeks to keep consumer price inflation in the economy to 2-3 percent, on average, over the medium term." Fiscal policy in Australia is set by the government and implemented by the Treasury. The separation of the two functions ensures a balanced and unbiased approach to managing the Australian economy. Nowhere is this more keenly observed than the monthly announcement of the RBA's independent decision with respect to the official cash rate. When interest rates began their upward trend post GFC, the public frustration of the Treasurer was obvious as it became plainly clear that the government of the day is unable to pressure the hand of the governor of the RBA, and the RBA continued to lift interest rates in accordance with monetary policy. This separation of powers is actually a strength of Australia's economy and fiscal policy rather than a weakness (note: such is the folly of fighting an election along the lines of a promise of keeping interest rates low for homeowners).
Bottom line observation is that extreme views presented in the media and in finance blogs about the RBA actions, and what it may do or not do to control the official cash rate, are just that - extreme views. The historical performance of the RBA's charter to control inflation through monetary policy is shown in the following graph since the target was introduced in mid 1993 (following the infamous recession that Paul Keating said "we had to have" in 1991):
Likewise, many comments regarding the AUD/USD relationship are extreme and without basis. Claims that the AUD will drop by as much as 50% in coming weeks are usually backed up with no evidence or rationale argument. The strong performance of the AUD is significantly affected by the poor performance of the USD and U.S. monetary policy. A strong AUD directly affects Australia's competitiveness as an exporter of natural resources. The current parity (or higher) of the AUD to the USD over recent years is not normal, and it is expected that the USD will eventually return to being the stronger currency of the two. Two key issues need to be addressed for this to occur; first is the successful resolution of the fiscal crisis within the EU, and second is the looming U.S. fiscal cliff and the government's appetite for foreign debt. The upcoming U.S. presidential election is likely to be the first event influencing the two, the outcome of which will affect both.
Comparison to Global Markets
Where then does Australia sit within the current global economy by economic performance? It is presently ranked 3rd in the World , ahead of Ireland (9th), USA (10th), U.K. (14th), Spain (36th), Portugal (68th), Italy (92nd) and Greece (119th). It therefore pauses me to ponder; why the overly negative fixation on the 3rd strongest economy in the world, when the red flags being raised don't necessarily appear to be substantive issues for the long term prosperity of the country? For much of the doom and gloom predicted within some of the negatively focused articles in the media, for their premise to come reality, would in actual fact require either:
b) A subsequent global financial crisis directly affecting Australia (EWA), or indirectly via the effects of contagion.
More desired though is the resolution of the looming economic issues for the USA, as it is the catalyst from which the world markets (and other economies) pivot.
Security as an Asset to Value
The last point I wish to raise is that Australia is a land rich in natural resources, supporting cyclical markets, and some of these resources are not exploited to their full potential:
- Liquid Natural Gas
- Diverse Mineral Resources
- Wheat & other cereal crops
- Live Cattle & Sheep Export
- Vast Tracts of Agricultural Land
In valuing these assets, the higher costs of production (compared to countries with lower labor cost) need to be offset against the security of the assets and resources at stake, and therefore security as an asset should be valued by the market (or investor). As an example, in the short to medium term lower iron ore prices might make sources in South America appear more attractive, whereas the security of operating in some countries, and the political stability (of the country, government and government policy) might make those advantages less competitive (or marginal at best). Chevron Corporation (CVX) can see this with respect to its production assets in Brazil, and the litigation issues from Ecuador arising from its acquisition of Texaco and its legacy issues (this in no way detracts from the attractiveness of Chevron as a potential investment, but it is a risk that needs to be managed none-the-less).
In penning both articles I have tried to present a balanced overview of some of the key areas that commentators are bearish on with respect to Australia. I have a natural bias (being Australian), but I have hopefully provided additional context for investors when assessing the merits of articles presenting worst case scenarios for Australia. The near term effects on Australia's economy are real, yet are no surprise. Government and private sectors have been planning for these eventualities, for a return to a more normalized relationship in the markets (the cooling of the two speed economy), and individual investors have been cautious about the long term outlook since the GFC and adjusted their spending accordingly (with the market slump in second half 2011 a cautious reminder). From a long term perspective though Australia has been, and still remains the lucky country, in comparison to the challenges facing other problem economies within the world.
Disclosure: I am long CVX. I have direct property investments and holdings in listed property trusts. I have exposure to a number of stocks mentioned through managed funds in Australia and overseas. | <urn:uuid:3054ec54-be70-4df2-8832-9bcfc73407d4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seekingalpha.com/article/852861-is-australia-still-the-lucky-country-part-2?source=nasdaq | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95515 | 1,759 | 1.84375 | 2 |
GRAYSON COUNTY, Tex. -- Thanksgiving means it’s time to give thanks for everyone and everything around you. So, we went out and asked the folks in town, “What are you thankful for?”
The consensus answer we received was free food and family.
What about those restaurants and churches giving away Turkey Day dinner?
"It’s just our way of giving back to our community. We've been here a long time. The Sherman/Denison community has been great supporting our restaurant," Blue Door Cafe Owner Venu Menon says.
"We’ve been preparing for the last month, month-and-a-half. It makes us happy to know we’re making a difference in the community, world and neighborhood," Trinity United Methodist Church Pastor Dan Gurley says.
All the places we visited Thursday had tons of people, some volunteering their time, some cooking, some serving food and the rest eating with families and friends.
So why do they do it?
"Everybody that comes out, my family, wait staff, people in the kitchen are all volunteers and just want to come out and do something to give back on Thanksgiving,” Venu adds.
And what if they run out?
"I don't think we're gonna’ run out of food. Send it home with them. Go back for seconds, thirds, fourths. However many times; go back until they get full," Pastor Gurley says.
Everywhere we went, they told us it’s great to spend their Thanksgiving helping out.
"I’ve seen some people for 10 years straight now, and this is their family, sort of. They come out and see the same people waiting on them. Gives a good sense of connection and we're all from the same place. We're humans," Venu says.
Pastor Gurley agrees, "It makes you feel great, knowing you make a difference in at least one person's life; makes it all worth it."
Designed by Gray Digital Media | <urn:uuid:7de94e97-6a30-4ce2-ab7b-b449e6574418> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kxii.com/community/headlines/11762071.html?site=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97643 | 429 | 1.5625 | 2 |
The transition from a bear market to a bull market is just that: a transition. Transitions take time and are not binary events like turning a light on or off. Transitions in any market can be frustrating and stressful, but if we continue to focus on the most important and telling indicators, the market should get us pointed in the right direction and aligned with the primary trends.
While there are numerous signs which can indicate the possible transition from a bear market to a bull market, the following two milestones are of uppermost importance:
- When the 50-day moving average crosses, and more importantly holds above, the 200-day moving average
- When the slope of the 200-day moving average turns positive
During an established bull market, a good way to eliminate less attractive markets or investment alternatives is to discard those that have a negatively sloped 200-day moving average.
At the end of a bear market, it takes time for a market to send signals of the potential staying power of a rally via a positive change in the slope of a 200-day moving average.
As shown in the chart below, even though stocks began to bottom in mass in March of this year, we only started to see positive changes in the slopes of 200-day moving averages in the last two weeks.
click images to enlarge
The significance of the slope of the 200-day moving average can be shown via the three charts below. The 200-day moving averages are shown in red.
As we have stated in the past, in a bull market:
- Price tends to stay above the 200-day moving average (MA) (red line).
- The 50-day moving average (blue line) tends to stay above the 200-day moving average.
In a bear market, where conviction is lacking to push prices higher:
- Price (black line) tends to stay below the 200-day moving average.
- The 50-day moving average tends to stay below the 200-day moving average.
The table shown below allows you to visualize the transition that has taken place between March 1, 2009 and August 2, 2009. In March (far left side of the table), most markets had the characteristics of a bear market.
Currently (right side of table), numerous markets look much more like an early bull market than an on-going bear market.
The Dollar’s Move Supports Inflation-Friendly Assets
Notice on the left side of the chart above, the U.S. Dollar had bullish characteristics as investors looked for relatively safe havens and avoided risk. The chart below illustrates the possible on-going reversal of this trend.
The charts below show bullish moves related to the slope of 200-day moving averages (shown in red).
While we are not expecting the current bull market to last as long as the 2003-2007 bull market, it is not unrealistic to believe that markets could run further in 2009 after the slopes of their 200-day moving averages have turned up. The purpose the chart below is to suggest further gains may be possible, not to suggest the magnitude of the potential gains during the balance of 2009 and beyond.
Obviously, conditions in 2003 were different from current conditions, but the basic concepts of the transition from a bear market to a bull market still apply in 2009.
The chart below can help us overcome the fear of the current bull having little room to potentially run from current levels.
S&P 500’s Recent Retest Is Very Important to Bullish Case
The S&P 500’s correction between mid-June and early July and subsequent highs were important steps in the possible transition from a bear market to a bull market.
The Bears Can Make A Strong Case Just As They Could In 2003
Even in the most bullish of economic and financial market conditions, it is easy to find bearish commentary and bearish forecasts. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 2009 it is easy to find support for the bearish case. We understand and respect the bearish case. However, the market is currently aligned with the bullish case.
To illustrate the possible pitfalls of being overly reliant on bearish commentary and any forecast, we present the following bearish commentary and arguments from a balanced USA Today article, Many wonder if this stock market rally is sustainable (May 8, 2003).
As you read the comments below, keep in mind the S&P 500 stood at 927 when its 200-day moving average turned up in May of 2003 (and when the comments below were published). The new bull market that began in 2003 did not end until the S&P 500 reached 1,565 in 2007. After the bearish commentary below was published in 2003, the S&P 500 gained roughly 70%.
But for every potential positive, there is an offsetting worry. Brian Belski, fundamental market strategist at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray notes that betting on an economic recovery has been a losing strategy. And with analysts still expecting double-digit profit growth in the second half of the year, and still no concrete signs of a full-fledged economic recovery, the likelihood of the rally fizzling is high. "It's unlikely the market can sustain the type of run it's on," Belski says. "The major upside move is over," at least for now.
There are other bugaboos lurking that could short-circuit the rally. One big potential negative is if the economy falls into a deflationary spiral. On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve said they could not rule that out, although they say the risk remains small. Deflation is a profit killer. "In a deflationary cycle," says Al Schwartz, an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research, "businesses have no pricing power, (and) consumers are hesitant to spend because they know prices will be cheaper tomorrow." The result is that companies fail to hire workers, setting in motion a painful economic spiral. Burdensome debt loads become too much for people to handle, so they sell assets such as stocks and real estate to meet the payments. That, in turn, causes a tumble in prices of stocks, bonds, real estate and other assets.
Hochberg of Elliott Wave also says this is just another bear market rally. He won't deny it's been a good rally the past few weeks. But the key words are "has been," he notes. His firm has studied every financial mania, from the tulip bulb craze in the 1600s to the 1929 U.S. stock crash to the Japanese implosion that began in the late 1980s. The key finding: "All manias have one thing in common: They all slide back below their starting point." If the 1990s tech bubble follows the same pattern, there is more pain ahead.
John Bollinger of Bollinger Capital Management calls this "the giant sideways." If that is the case, investors who want to make money must get out of stocks during rallies and get back in during slumps.
We should point out that USA Today also presented the bullish case for their readers in 2003. Despite the bearish commentary and analysis above, the market did not go down, nor did it go sideways; it went up further than most could have imagined in May of 2003.
In 2009, the market is sending numerous bullish signals that compare favorably with the end of a bear market and the beginning of a new bull market. As long as the bullish signals remain in place, it is prudent to pay attention to them. If the market deteriorates and the signals migrate back to a bearish stance, we must be open-minded enough to accept the possibility of the return of the bear.
These comments, taken from a portion of an update for CCM clients, may not pertain to or be appropriate for many investors based on their risk tolerance and situation. They are presented for educational purposes only.
Disclosure: The author and CCM clients have numerous positions, including exposure to U.S. tech stocks, foreign currencies (long and short), emerging market stocks, foreign bonds, and commodities. | <urn:uuid:545c0df0-eb5b-4c6a-b798-3f6942c51f9f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seekingalpha.com/article/153317-new-bullish-signals-emerge | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96027 | 1,659 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Activists are asking President Obama to support D.C. voting rights in his State of the Union address. They're asking the public to chime in on what he should say.
For D.C. Vote's Eugene Kinlow, it's all about one word: democracy.
An important part of being an American is having somebody who can vote and support your interests," he says. "In the District of Columbia, there are 600,000 residents who do not have a voice, and thats undemocratic.
So the non-profit has been asking residents for suggestions. The District's non-voting Congresswoman, Eleanor Holmes Norton, says she's writing her own letter to Mr. Obama. The President has been silent on the issue, even after a bill that would have granted DC a vote stalled on Capitol Hill last summer.
We're citizens of the United States who have fought for their country and have paid taxes," she says. "So its a magic opportunity for the President to come forward and speak out.
The deadline to submit suggestions is tonight. An internet vote will determine the top three entries, which D.C. Vote will send to the White House.
Rebecca Sheir Reports... | <urn:uuid:4c118516-6d3e-4fe5-94ad-d3341ab1f865> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wamu.org/news/10/01/11/voting_rights_activists_want_sotu_support | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980264 | 249 | 1.601563 | 2 |
'Wheelie bins will have a positive impact', Darlington Soroptimists told (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
Send us your pictures, video, news and views by texting DST to 80360 or email us
'Wheelie bins will have a positive impact', Darlington Soroptimists told
PHILLIPPA Scrafton was the speaker at the most recent meeting of the Darlington branch of Soroptimist International.
As management officer for waste minimalisation and recycling for Darlington Borough Council, her job is to encourage the public to reduce, reuse and recycle.
A club spokeswoman said: “She gave a fascinating insight into the technology which separates domestic refuse into metals, plastics and plastic bags which can then be recycled.
“The biodegradable materials which have been broken down are converted into pellets to be used as biomass fuel.
“Only hazardous waste is put into landfill now and each year, the percentage of household waste which is recycled is increasing.
“Mrs Scrafton assured the club that the wheeled bins which will soon be in use throughout Darlington will have several advantages.”
Aileen Little gave a vote of thanks. Jean Jackson was then presented with a long service award, having been a member of the club for 35 years.
For more information about the club, visit sigbi.org/darlington | <urn:uuid:e3f15f83-b14d-4acb-b0ac-d9bc0a2dcff8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/10263521._Wheelie_bins_will_have_a_positive_impact___Darlington_Soroptimists_told/?ref=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943995 | 284 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Richard Dolan is considered by many students of the UFO phenomenon to be the pre-eminent historian of the subject.
He is the author of two volumes of history, UFOs and the National Security State, as well as an analysis of the future, A.D. After Disclosure: The People’s Guide to Life After Contact.
Richard’s writing is widely seen as ufology’s gold standard. His seminal history, UFOs and the National Security State, has inspired such statements as “the best history ever written about UFOs” by best-selling author Whitley Strieber, and “masterful and important” by Dr. Edgar Mitchell of Apollo 14.
A.D. After Disclosure, which Richard co-authored with Bryce Zabel (creator of the television series Dark Skies), has been widely hailed as among the most original works in all of UFO literature, a fearless and analytical “what if” scenario that discusses the deep impact that would be brought about by the end of UFO secrecy.
Among Richard’s main themes are the destruction of our political liberties as a result of the UFO cover-up, the possible nature of the non-humans themselves, and what their presence here means for our civilization. This has led him to take a fresh approach to the topic of “Exopolitics” and to develop unique insights into the practical challenges and opportunities for a true disclosure of the UFO phenomenon.
Richard has also written numerous articles, spoken at conferences around the world, is a frequent guest on radio shows such as Coast-to-Coast AM, and has done a great deal of television work. In 2006 he hosted a six-episode series called SciFi Investigate. More recently, he appeared with NBC’s Lester Holt for a special two-hour documentary, “Inside Secret Government Warehouses: Shocking Revelations.”
Richard was born in Brooklyn, New York, studied at Alfred University and Oxford University, was a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship, and completed his graduate work in history at the University of Rochester. Prior to his interest in UFOs, he studied U.S. Cold War strategy, Soviet history and culture, and international diplomacy.
Richard lives in Rochester, New York, with Karyn Dolan and their two children.
To learn more about Richard go to his webpage at http://keyholepublishing.com/dolan.html. | <urn:uuid:663d5ce5-2229-44cb-a2bc-a300ea636076> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://intermetu.com/instructors/faculty-ufology/richard-dolan/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970036 | 500 | 1.625 | 2 |
Painter, Sculptor, Printmaker, Ceramicist
Collection size: 14.4 linear ft.
Collection Summary: Personal and professional correspondence; invoices; biographical material; printed material, including newspaper and magazine clippings, exhibition catalogs and announcements; photographs; and slides.
Biographical/Historical Note: Sculptor, painter, graphic artist, teacher; San Diego, Calif. Born 1932. Died 2001. Italo Scanga was born in Calabria, Italy, and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1946. Reared in Detroit, he studied at Michigan State University where he received an MFA degree in sculpture 1n 1961. Well-known as a teacher, Scanga taught art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the Tyler School of Art (Temple University), Rhode Island School of Design, and Pilchuck Glass School before accepting a permanent position at University of California, San Diego. He lived in La Jolla and had a large studio in Pacific Beach. Scanga worked in a variety of media but was best known as a sculptor. A frequenter of swap meets and thrift shops, he picked up objects that attracted his attention and incorporated them into his sculptural pieces that also might include found objects and low art kitsch such as plastic animals and mass-produced figurines. Scanga also worked with clay and glass, from the early 1970s collaborating with his friend and former student Dale Chihuly.
Donated 2002 by Italo Scanga Foundation.
How to Use this Collection
- Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
- For more information on using the Archives’ resources, see the FAQ or Ask Us. | <urn:uuid:f26b1c65-8aaf-47f5-93e0-736690d440c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/italo-scanga-papers-5989 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964786 | 372 | 1.828125 | 2 |
what is Wisdom and can Wisdom be found in DNA?
is wisdom the same as thinking? are animals rational? does animals have good and devil? is Wisdom the difference of human and animal? What makes us human? Is it the struggle of base nature versus elevated reason? Is it a balance between selfish survival and selfless charity towards others? Is it the development of something greater, a soul? Or are we nothing more than aggressive expansionistic creatures of instinct, draped in guise of rationality? Are we no different than any other species, only achieving dominance because we are the current evolutionary best that has yet to be sent into entropy by the Darwinian reaper? What are we, does a duality exist, has humanity been elevated to a greater plane, or are we creatures of nature, that have progressed rapidly due to the advantages we have been give? As Plato stated “know thyself”, what is humanity? | <urn:uuid:2bdb4171-d88b-4260-b1bf-c9104f4aa7bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ted.com/conversations/2353/what_is_wisdom_and_can_wisdom.html?c=238377 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965787 | 187 | 1.734375 | 2 |
On March 20, 2005, about 1400 central standard time, a Cessna 150F single-engine airplane, N6828F, was substantially damaged following a loss of control shortly after takeoff from a private airstrip near Tontitown, Arkansas. The private pilot and his passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was registered to a corporation and was being operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight for which a flight plan was not filed. Use your browsers 'back' function to return to synopsisReturn to Query Page
In a written statement the 450-hour pilot reported, "After reaching liftoff speed, aircraft lifted off. At approximately 300 feet the engine quit completely. The torque of the engine caused the aircraft to roll to the left and dive into the ground."
According to witnesses at the private airstrip, this was the pilot's second flight of the day. Prior to the mishap flight, the pilot had flown another passenger on a local 20-minute flight and had landed on runway 18, (a 2,200-foot long by 50-foot wide grass runway).
Local law enforcement officials interviewed the passenger from the first flight. The passenger, who identified himself as a certificated pilot, reported that everything was "fine" during the first flight. He added that he observed the airplane takeoff for its second flight from runway 36 and that reported that "the nose of the plane was too steep and the plane malfunctioned causing it to stall out and dive towards the ground."
The witness added that the airplane impacted the ground while in a nose low attitude and came to rest upright in a grass field approximately 250 feet west and about 1,500 feet from the departure end of the runway.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Teledyne Continental Motors, and the Cessna Aircraft Company responded to the accident site. The investigators conducted an onsite investigation and reported that the airplane sustained extensive structural damage.
An examination of the engine revealed that heavy impact damage. Valve train continuity and compression were confirmed to each cylinder. The magnetos were manually rotated, and both magnetos produced spark to all spark plug leads. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited gray deposits and had "Normal" wear per the Champion spark plug chart (AV-27).
One propeller blade was bent at mid-span towards the non-cambered side. The outer eight inches exhibited leading edge polishing and chord wise scratches. The leading edge contained a deep gouge approximately three inches inboard from the propeller tip.
The other propeller blade was bent approximately 12 inches outboard from the hub at an angle of approximately 45 degrees towards the non-cambered side. There were no leading edge gouges or chord wise scratches.
An examination of the airframe revealed that the flaps were in the fully retracted position and the elevator trim was found in approximately a 5-degree tab up position.
Examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel selector was in the "ON" position. Approximately seven gallons of blue colored fluid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel was drained from the left fuel tank. While draining the left fuel tank a small amount of brown contaminant exited the tank along with the fuel. The same contaminate was also found in the fuel captured from the gascolator.
At 1353, the weather observation facility at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA), near Springdale, Arkansas, located approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, reported winds from 150 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear of clouds, temperature 68 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 29.95 inches of Mercury.
At 1352, the weather observation facility at Drake Field Airport (FYV), near Fayetteville, Arkansas, located approximately 10 nautical miles southeast of the site of the accident, was reporting the wind from 200 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear of clouds, temperature 68 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and barometric pressure setting of 29.95 inches of Mercury.
When asked for safety recommendations, the pilot reported, "shoulder harnesses would have lessened injuries." | <urn:uuid:e56549ff-c69d-44a6-a942-299f19415a1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20050328X00364&ntsbno=DFW05LA092&akey=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964999 | 870 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Today is another technique I just tried - another cheap experiment with decent results. The first photo shows 'step one': I made my own ink pad simply by using a folded paper towel flattened in a disposable plastic flat-ish container. Moisten the paper towel with bleach (not so that it's sopping wet, just nicely moist). Rubber stamp onto a dark coloured card stock & let dry. You can see the results in the first picture. Make sure to wash the bleach off your stamp!!
Let the bleach dry on your paper. Next, you repeat the process, only using a permanent stamp in (I used black Staz-On). Don't worry if you don't get the stamp exactly in place over the bleached area, because you're looking for a 'shadow' effect.
The second picture shows three examples of what I ended up with. The one on the left was when I had too much bleach on my towel and ended up with very little detail. The middle one is on a darker coloured card stock and the one on the right is on a mid-tone cardstock. I think I like the right one the best. Have fun if you try this! | <urn:uuid:e556f203-4d7b-4df9-9897-c0271f7f255c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.jp/2007/08/bleach-stamps.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943872 | 240 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater and Outdoor Shower have the following features:
- It works with a flow rate of 1.4 GPM, which is enough for a shower.
- It uses Liquid Propane Fuel to heat up the water.
- It has to a 2 D Cell Battery for Ignition.
- It has a minimum Flow Rate of 0.3 Liters per Minute.
- In order for it to work efficiently, it will require between 20 to 80 PSI of water pressure.
- It has weight of 11pounds and dimensions of 20inches length, 4.5” width and 12” height.
It costs $104.55, which is cheap compared to how it functions. It is used of the grid and functions independent of electricity. It just requires running water to function, and heats the water up in seconds.
This is a portable water heater where you can enjoy a shower at any place. It works as long as it is connected to a water source that is flowing and as a pressure between 20 to 80 PSI. It is an important device to carry on trips and it will come in handy if you intend to stay clean.
Therefore, this device works in a simple fashion. Water runs in through it from a pipe that is connected to it from a water source. A Liquid Propane Fuel that burns to raise the temperature heats the water. With the water hot, it is then supplied out to be used for other functions such as showers.
The designers of the Eccotemp L5 Water Heater ensured that the device is portable. If you intended to have an outside shower, then you do not need to bath with cold water. This is the device to use. You can simply connect it to the hose pipe and it will be enough to have the hot shower you needed.
Nevertheless, it has several specifications. It has a maximum flow rate of 1.4GPM, which is a functional enough for the shower. Moreover, it will need the specified water pressure in order to work. However, it works with a battery cell; therefore, it will not require electricity rating. The battery cell is used to ignite the propane fuel that heats up the water.
The device is easy to install when needed for use. It can be easily dismounted and remounted when needed. It is mounted with only two simple connections. Only the in running water needs to be connected and the gas that will be used to heat up the water.
Several customers have reviewed Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater and Outdoor Shower to be very useful. However, there are customers who have additional comments, which show the device needs improving.
Customers have reviewed the water heater to be very effective and efficient heating the water in several seconds. In addition, it is portable such that is can be used in any place.
Though it works properly out of doors, it requires to be used with the wind direction in mind. The wind can blow out the propane fire.
It costs a measly $104.5. | <urn:uuid:f63b9132-7ad1-4c44-9fb8-d01135e9dfce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.waterheaterprices.net/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959992 | 638 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Education News Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network spent 10 months investigating achievement, turnover and oversight at the state’s largest full-time online programs.
The investigation, which came five years after a state audit of online programs blasted the Colorado Department of Education for lax oversight, found little has changed – despite a new law aimed at cracking down on the programs.
Students in the state’s online programs continue to perform far worse than their counterparts on state tests, and their scores actually declined after a year in the online programs. Mobility rates top 50 percent in full-time online schools, meaning many students leave their state funding behind in the virtual programs while they return to brick-and-mortar schools.
The series, which won a Society of Professional Journalists’ first-place award for multimedia presentation: | <urn:uuid:6619c5b6-d82d-482f-8903-92a44e5f3a0b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ednewscolorado.org/troubling-questions-about-online-education | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934806 | 166 | 1.578125 | 2 |
I don't really care much about my body parts. I mean, I do...but I mean "don't care" more in the way that I would happily give a kidney or some bone marrow or half of my liver to someone else who needed it. I mean...kids with cancer, yeah? Bone marrow transplants can save their lives. I know why some people might balk at the thought of giving their kidney to someone - especially someone they don't know - and I get it. But I just kind of feel like...we have these bodies for such a short amount of time, and if we're really honest with ourselves, we really don't appreciate them as much as we could. So why not give something of our bodies to someone who might?
Then I read this article about an organization called Be The Match. Not only is the story of how the org was founded illuminating and motivating, but they make it so easy to join the registry.
And in all seriousness, it is the easiest thing in the world to get on the donor's list - they send you the kit through the mail, which takes five minutes to complete (maybe 10, if you're super careful like me), then you drop it in the mail again (postage paid!) and you're done. If you match someone who's on the list as needing a donor, they'll tell you and you can go from there. If you don't, you still get to have the heart-warming feeling of doing something good and giving for your greater community. | <urn:uuid:42bf4878-5844-4df2-9764-cee44cedfdbb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ambercoloredlife.com/2011_06_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983746 | 311 | 1.554688 | 2 |
This week in the Guardian we’re following the travails of the Ordnance Survey again. This time there has been a formal complaint about the terms it imposes for data about boundaries created in the Census:
The complaint concerns data delineating “output areas” from the 2001 census, the most recent national headcount. These areas are the smallest units in which data from the census is released; to protect anonymity, each covers about 125 households. By working at this scale, businesses can extract a huge amount of socioeconomic data to help them to decide where to open new outlets and even what products they should stock.
As with many other kinds of data, the most convenient way to display output areas is on a map. This is where the problem lies. The boundaries delineating output areas rely on data provided by Ordnance Survey, which as a trading fund generating returns from sales, treats intellectual property as a commercial asset. Anyone may view the boundaries online, but businesses wanting to include them in a product must negotiate licensing terms.
And you can probably guess where licensing of data ends up: with complicated terms and conditions that seem to involve chasing the Crown Copyright virus to the ends of the earth. Thus the Target Marketing Consultancy has made a formal complaint to the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) under the Information Fair Trader Scheme, to which OS subscribes.
The OS previously fell foul of an OPSI decision over land gazetteer data: OPSI found against it. OS was meant to release data – but we’ve not heard anything about the OS appeal against the decision (which it said it would consider). Anyone else know more?
- The following posts may be related...(the database guesses):
- OPSI opens web channel where you can ask for government data (20 September 2007; score: 33.53%)
- In today's Guardian: what the new OPSI rules mean (and don't mean) (6 April 2006; score: 32.33%)
- And now, OPSI sets up an "unlock that data" channel (7 July 2008; score: 22.72%)
- A chance to tell OPSI what we want (4 January 2008; score: 22.31%)
- |In Thursday's Guardian: want to know where post offices are? Sorry, we can't (or won't) tell yoyu (13 October 2007; score: 19.03%) | <urn:uuid:64a6c5bf-9d3a-48df-9e2d-91fa2609cc69> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.freeourdata.org.uk/blog/2006/10/ordnance-survey-in-the-dock-again-with-opsi/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956385 | 499 | 1.84375 | 2 |
“In time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell
In the world we live nowadays, there is a very pertinent question: What’s right and what’s wrong? Is there any room for ‘gray’ in between? Can anyone be a “moderate” extremist par opposition to an “extremist...?”
As such, here a good question: Is it enough to belong to a religion, be it Christianity, Judaism, a Buddhism, a Hinduism, or any other religion such as Baha’i or any other one for that matter... to be a righteous human being? No.
Kindly note that we do not include in the latter category the term “Muslim”, the reason being that Islam -unlike all above mentioned religions- is the only one to promote world domination accompanied by the mandatory killing of whoever does not submit to Islam, plus other atrocities. So, therefore Islam is not mentionedl, because it belongs on the very exclusive list of religiously presented ideology and could be a better fit under the list -of one- theocratic tyrannies.
For decades now, populations in the West have been submitted to the terror and horror coming our way courtesy of Islam, via its Muslim allegiance (given current circumstances, it’s impossible to include the Muslim world in the category of “civilization”.)
Like a snake, during decades Muslims have been migrating to our countries in a silent way, sneakily intruding inside our small, lost, forlorn towns and suburbs, whether in America or in Europe and even in Australia.
We must admit that, partly, they have been counting on inside help, that has facilitated them to do it silently so their secret has been very well kept by our governments, our think-tanks, our legal system, our media, even our military, all of them have been accomplices.
It seemed no one was too willing to pay attention at what Prophet Mohammed has demanded from his followers in the Koran, namely, the basic principle of sharia legitimizing Islamic fundamentalism, which in turn authorizes and promotes jihad (waging a holy war in the name of Islam,) as well as abuse of women, cruelty, sadism, pedophilia, stoning, beheading, mutilation, honor killing... and the list is endless -but it’s crowned by the leading terror of terror: Terrorism.
Terrorism, the brainchild of Islamist fundamentalism is a cowardice maximum, perpetrated against innocent, unassuming populations from our Western Civilization in times of peace.
For anyone who may be wondering, the terrorism that may or may not be inflicted by Muslims to Muslims among Muslims, should not be our concern, as they and everyone is free to do as they will in their countries. That’s the new, no matter how untold, approach that should be taken by the American people as a result of so many wars where our men have been taken to risk their lives -only to be betrayed by their government and people, as we are increasingly seeing it happening.
Along came the Muslim 1993 attack on the World Trade Center and with much ado in between, the worst, however, came on 9/11 when, on a sunny Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a series of coordinated suicide attacks were committed by Muslim terrorists, shouting Allah Hu Aqbar as they hit planes filled with innocent passengers against the Twin Towers in New York City and in Washington, D.C., wreaking havoc and causing over 3,000 victims and leaving many families mutilated from their loved ones.
And, Muslim terrorist attacks have continued to be committed, incessantly and throughout the world.
The last known feat committed in the name of the so-called “religion of peace” has been last Monday.
A two-legged sub-human went into a Jewish school in Toulouse, France, and shot point blank at a little 8-year old girl, then he shot and killed two more small children and their father.
We have often witnessed how civilian, “moderate” Muslims around the world, have reacted at similar news and rejoiced at the sight of the horrors caused by their Muslim terrorists.
We have seen scenes showing how sadistically “normal”, “moderate” Muslims have rejoiced at the beheading and 16-time stabbing of a 3-month old baby and the killing of innocents.
We can surely visualize how Muslims at large could never even imagine how a young mother may feel... when she had had her young husband and their three and six year old children slaughtered, basically torn from her life in a matter of seconds...
How could they even begin to understand that, when they don’t give it a second thought to train their own children to wrap themselves in bombs around their little bodies that will detonate in the middle of innocent people, again, wreaking havoc...
Animals kill each other or other species, but they do it only to eat and survive, or if they fight for power and authority it happens on a one-on-one situation. Among human beings the situation is different. We are supposed to aim at being better. But, not in the Muslim world.
It’s important to note that it was only in the seventh and eighth century that the new religion of Islam actually emerged with its founder and its holy book, the Koran -but, although Islam was not that well-known, in Northern Europe, however, they were aware of the existence of the saracens (kindly click on that link, as it will enlighten you on part of the history of that term) -term that preceded the word “Muslim” by the eleventh century.
As such, Northern Europeans seemed to have admitted Muslims’ predecessors, the saracens, among them and had accepted without much concern, the fact that they were descendants of Hagar and her son, Ishmael. Hagar was the slave of Abraham and Sarah, by whom Abraham had his son, Ishmael -but who he had to expel from their midst, when Sarah gave birth to their legitimate son and heir, Isaac.
An enlightening point for the general, American, reader is to historically show how parts of Spain were conquered by Muslims already by 711. History tells us that roughly two centuries later, Spanish Christians became deeply immersed in Arabic culture, and became so assimilated that they had no qualm to master Islamic theology and theologians as well as their philosophy and philosophers. Spanish Christians even ended up writing more beautiful, aesthetic poems in Arabic than the actual Arabic speaking Muslim invaders.
As a reaction to the Christian laxism, not unlike what one can witness in present day America and Europe, some tried to raise awareness among the Christian communities, in an effort to take them away from their spiritual negligence and carelessness... alas, only to see their praiseworthy efforts fail, and many died martyrs.
That sounds so far, partly familiar...
Up until now, we have been shocked to see blood, any blood overflow wildly.
But, change is slowly coming to our mentality. Now, we are reviewing such ‘broad’ concepts which are more self-inflicting, self-limiting and self-defeating, because in reality, what is “humane” is to love your friend and hate your enemy.
Yes, many in the West have been brought up believing that putting the other cheek could appease an enemy that wants to kill us -when in reality it was a sign of weakness, that more than anything else, has incited the enemy to finish the job.
Democracy has been our Trojan Horse that clever Muslims have been and still want to use to their advantage.
However, the real problem is that by Western standards, our societies are accepting the notion that there may be two kinds of Muslims.
Sure, such a classification in “moderate” Muslims existed in direct opposition to “radical Muslim terrorism,” would be an increasing plus for the livelihood of so many.
Ranking first among the beneficiaries of such scam are: business moguls at large, chief among them: Murdoch, Bloomberg, who are both sharing interest and investments going and coming in both directions, with Prince Alwaleed of Saudi Arabia, major investor in Western outfits, close friend of the Muslim Brotherhood and funder of many “chairs” promoting Islam, in Georgetown University, Harvard University and, to mention only one abroad, Oxford... But the list of business moguls benefiting of this accommodating situation vis-à-vis the misleading classification of “moderate” and “radical Muslim terrorists,” is much longer, touching people such as Bill Gates, George Soros, Mark Zuckerberg and so on.
Second in line, comes the vast majority of think-tanks, which to the best of my knowledge, may exist in the tens or maybe even hundreds of thousands, devoted to study Muslim terrorism. It is shocking for instance to read how some of those bookworms flatly announce that “Saudi Arabia is not a friend or a foe. It’s rather a rival.” Right. It’s not Saudi Arabian money that funded Osama Bin Laden who in turn gave birth to his brainchild, Al Qaeda. And there were not fifteen Saudi terrorists among the nineteen who perpetrated the massive attacks of 9/11. On moral ground, labelling Saudi a rival, is giving them moral equivalence with us... and willingly forgetting that stoning, sharia, beheading, honor killing and terrorism do not make Saudi our equal. Sure they could find an adequate Saudi donor for their outfits, but that is not certainly a way to watch over “American interests.”
Think-tanks owe a huge moral debt to Americans. They knew perfectly well how Islam was advancing in America and chose not to share that information freely with the large population -probably with the goal to keep it privy for their major donors so they continue funding their organizations.
Recently, however, with the American economy disturbing everybody’s plans, think-tanks may be suffering just as all other entities. In comes the magic word for all in times of need or despair: “HOPE”. And, hope comes to their rescue in the shape of the so-long awaited for, the so-long dreamed of, the so-called “moderate Muslims.” As if they could differentiate one from another within the Muslim world, forgetting that it’s like trying to differentiate water from vodka without tasting them.
On the other hand, what is left of truly American conservatives know that the new dwindling “marriage” concept has made it legal for men to marry men in many states, and women to marry women. Some great news for “to whom it may concern”: Appears that, just in time for elections, it is being planned to go-gay from coast to coast in the truly foreseeable future. That’s America now.
So, under those circumstances, how is America going to understand the vision of a united family nucleus in the Muslim world, where the patriarch rules and has the law on his side for all kind of horrors and punishment of women, abuse of children, and so much more.
However, in an inexplicable dichotomy, women as matriarchs, keep the family and home together. Families live close by, there is the matriarch’s home, where regularly the whole family, in-law, grandchildren and friends reunite for meals, celebrations, and more.
But, whatever they do, they will remain united. Their hate for the West, America, Europe and Israel is beyond any rational thinking.
If you are a Muslim reading these lines, and you think you are a true “moderate”, here is a solution for you: Gather all those like-minded Muslims around you and figure out how to start a revolution that disavows terrorism and all kind of barbarism that Islam expects from you. You will risk your life? Yes. Absolutely. So have all our people who at one time or another saw injustice and organized revolutions in the Western world. Trying it convincingly, may help us broaden our views of “moderates” in your world. Nothing else will do.
And, it’s up to Americans to choose the road to follow in our own country, we all either begin rallying -but not only for one point on the agenda or we will be defeated without a fight. Fighting for religious freedom is great. But our fight has to be to stop tyranny once and for all.
And, what to do with all those Muslims already in our midst. Number one: demand that immigration be slowed down and delayed, and above all, not to facilitate Saudi immigration of an average of roughly one hundred thousand (100,000) students per year, for example.
Americans need to make more American children, and subventions must be provided to help the young families. That’s not a question. It’s a right!
Then, let’s be alert and stop them from establishing sharia, however dissimulated in our midst. We must do that with the strength that Justice gives us,
The road is arduous. The prize is America, the former superpower.
Where will America end? At the hand of the Muslims or at the rightful hand of Americans?
May G-d bless and protect America. | <urn:uuid:e0525f16-4e96-40e5-98cb-7f6688fa7b92> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://elianaschoice.blogspot.jp/2012/03/benador-misleading-moderate-muslims.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966263 | 2,790 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Authorities have found a massive underground drug smuggling tunnel snaking through the U.S.-Mexican border, and law officers are marveling over its sophistication.
U.S. Border Patrol agents uncovered an 83-mile long tunnel beneath the U.S.-Mexico border that was allegedly used by drug smugglers. Measuring 48 feet in the United States and 35 feet in Mexico, the tunnel contains side walls framed with 2-by-4 wooden studs and ceiling construction.
The incomplete tunnel, which was discovered last week, thoroughly impressed agents since the chamber was not just a mere hole in the ground.
“This is one of the most elaborate tunnels I’ve seen. It’s elegant in the sense it has electrical work wired into the Mexico side. It even has a hose for ventilation and lightning.”
- Michael Scioli, U.S. Border Patrol
Border patrol authorities were said to of been tipped off by a resident of Nogales, Arizona who noticed hearing construction activity on the other side of a wall, inside a building. Agents arrested two people, who have not been publically identified, cutting a hole.
Since last October, police have found fifteen other tunnels in the Nogales area alone. | <urn:uuid:29abe813-6144-4738-b434-629121d26db5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.instablogs.com/elaborate-drug-tunnel-found-along-mexico-border.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954079 | 254 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Micky Jagtiani is an enigmatic man. Driven to build a retail empire that turns billion dollar profits year after year, he says he wants to give it all away, and adds that charity is his true calling. 2010 was a good year for Landmark - it bought the franchise for the Fitness First gyms in the Gulf, as well as that of the Carluccio’s restaurant chain.
Jagtiani was educated in Mumbai and Beirut before emigrating to London. He founded Landmark Group in Bahrain in 1973 when he opened Babyshop, selling children's fashion and footwear.
The group has since diversified into leisure, food, hotels and electronics and its own logistics and distribution networks. It employs around 31,000 people at more than 900 stores across fifteen countries including the Gulf states, India, China, Spain and Pakistan. | <urn:uuid:c9ad4e2c-d655-4dfa-a540-ab91f22201b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.arabianbusiness.com/arabian-business-expat-power-list-2011-382964.html?view=profile&itemid=382886 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941259 | 176 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Software liability laws: a dangerous solution
Posted Sep 9, 2007 17:24 UTC (Sun) by giraffedata
In reply to: Software liability laws: a dangerous solution
Parent article: Software liability laws: a dangerous solution
That (the fact that virtually no software is offered with a warranty) is pretty much my point. It's not offered because no one will buy it. People won't buy it because they believe they can protect themselves from the risk of a bug (or just bear the risk) for less money than it would cost the seller to guarantee there aren't any bugs.
I believe the free market does a better job in this way of sorting out the complexities of the risks of operating computers than legislators can.
to post comments) | <urn:uuid:22a51457-d5f5-4515-83f9-f127cf468670> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lwn.net/Articles/248924/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957446 | 155 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Just a quick note to let readers know that today’s a public holiday here in Australia – it’s ANZAC day (the day we remember lives given in active service). We’ll be remembering it by going to the ANZAC day Australian Rules Football match at the ‘G’.
This post is part of a series of posts on building blog credibility
Does the blogger actually know what they are talking about?
Some might argue that ‘expertise’ is a little close to ‘experience’ but I see it differently. As I wrote in the last post, I often write in the voice of a ‘fellow traveler’ sharing my experiences but another strategy for building credibility is to write in the voice of ‘the expert’.
I guess to use the analogy of traveling again the expert is the tour guide.
On my firs trip to Europe (mainly in Spain and Portugal but also through Morocco for a week) we had the most amazing guide for two weeks. The amount of knowledge that she had in her head about the countries that we were passing through was staggering. She could (and did) talk for hour after hour about some of the most interesting facts, stories, rumors and histories of places. She’d spent years studying the region and brought the trip alive in a way that fellow travelers could never have done alone.
When she spoke we listened because we knew she was about to tell us something that mattered.
A blogger who is not only experienced in their niche but who is able to speak about it with authority and expertise is another step closer to being seen as a credible blogger.
Take Home Advice – not every blogger can pull the ‘expert’ thing off and I wouldn’t recommend trying unless you do feel you have some mastery over a topic. As I wrote in the previous post, don’t try to pull the wool over your readers eyes if you don’t know something or you might just find yourself exposed as a fraud (and bloggers love to expose a fraud).
IF you have some expertise in an area to share by all means share it. Don’t be shy about it, tell your readers what you know.
Especially effective are posts that not only tell people what you know but also that tell them how to apply it. It’s all very well to be taught a theory but to be taught how to apply it to your life is something that people will value and respect you for.
Lastly – experience and expertise need not be mutually exclusive things. Our tour guide had actually lived for many years in the regions through which we travelled. She not only told us about the region’s history from what she’d studied but from time to time told us about her life there. This blend of real life experience and expertise was a wonderful thing to be exposed to.
This post is part of a series of posts on building blog credibility
Tangent Time – If you’ve ever done any traveling you’ll know that it’s often the advice of others that you bump into on the road that give you the best advice on what to see or what to do.
While tour guides know their stuff and bring expertise to your trip it’s the fellow traveler who has eaten at the restaurants, slept in the hotel beds, bargained for the souvenirs and who has seen the new culture from an outsider’s perspective (like you) – as a result of their experiences you learn where to go and what to see in a way a tour guide might never be able to share with you.
Fellow travelers who’ve experienced where you want to go make credible advisers.
Experience adds to blogger credibility
One of the factors that led to ProBlogger growing faster than some of my other blogs in the last 18 months is that I think I’ve proven to be someone who has experience in the field of blogging for money.
I am definitely not the biggest earner of an income from blogging (I’ve discovered a few other very private bloggers in the last year who leave me for dead in earnings) but the fact that I earn a full time income from blogging (and am willing to talk about how) means others are willing to listen and take on board what I have to say.
This is the case in my other more successful blogs also. For example in my digital camera blogs I have some great interactions with readers particularly as a result of my email newsletter in which I will talk about my own experiences with cameras and will give tips on how to use them. In this blog I rarely write in the voice of the ‘expert’ but rather write as a normal guy (a fellow traveler) writing on a topic that he loves – sharing what I know as I discover it. The result is a growing group of loyal readers.
Take Home Advice
The crux of the lesson here is to simply talk about your experience in your blog. It’s not rocket science but it does work. When you are willing to share what you know as a fellow traveler it’s amazing to see how others will gather around you. You don’t need to do it in a boastful or arrogant way, but you will need to talk about it to some degree.
- Referential – ‘uses the link (sometimes referred to as ‘link blogging’) as his fundamental unit of currency, building posts around ideas and experiences spawned elsewhere’
- Experiential – ‘inwardly directed, drawing entries from personal experience and opinion’
It’s a useful distinction to make – I’m sure there are other variations or ways of classifying bloggers but most blog posts fall into one of these two camps. I say ‘blog posts’ because in my experience many bloggers use a combination of these two techniques and I’d be a little hesitant to label these bloggers as one or the other.
My own blogging style covers the full spectrum.
Referential – I have some blogs which are almost completely referential, to the point that they are used by their readers as archives and hubs of information collected from around the web. These blogs are sometimes critiqued as bordering on spammish – it’s a criticism that I’ve listened to and grappled with but one that I’ve also balanced with comments from readers who say that those blogs are useful to them as they cut down the amount of time that they need to put into researching the topics.
Experiential – On the other hand I have blogs that are purely experiential. In fact I started one last week that is an experiment in how a blog will go with no referential posting at all. In fact I’ve taken it to an extreme and am breaking a lot of my own blogging rules (some would say it’s not even technically a blog because it doesn’t have comments and doesn’t have outbound links) to see what will happen. I’ll talk more about what I’m learning from it in a week or so.
Refperential (or should that be exferential) – The majority of the blogs that I run are some somewhere on the spectrum between purely referential and experiential blogs. ProBlogger is a prime example of this – my aim is to write something that is experiential every day (or every second day at the least) and at the same time I post ‘newsy’ type posts daily also which are largely referential. I’m sure that there are readers who would want more of one or the other but I find that the combination works.
This post is part of a series of posts on blog credibility
Tangent Time – I used to go out with a girl who lived in a small rural town a few hours outside of Melbourne (a long time ago). We spent a fair bit of time in this town but it soon became evident to me that I was seen by the residents of that place as an ‘outsider’. People were not rude to me but it was pretty obvious that I wasn’t considered a ‘local’ (even though I spent a lot of time there over three years).
I asked my girlfriend’s mum about this after a year or so and she told me that there was an unspoken rule in the town that you had to live there for 10 to 15 years before you’d become a ‘local’. In the mean time you had to prove yourself by living there and participating in the community.
Becoming a local (or being seen as a credible and accepted part of the town) was not something you could achieve over night.
Longevity in Blogging
While 10 to 15 years might be a little over the top there is a similar thing at play in the blogging community and longevity of blogging seems to be one factor (remember this is a series of many) that impacts the credibility a blogger can have within their niche.
Are you committed to blogging on your topic for the long haul?
Blogs get started every day (or every second according to Technorati) but a large proportion of them don’t last longer than a month or two. I suspect that this has led to blog readers becoming a little suspicious about whether bloggers are in it for the long haul.
I know that when I discover a blog that I’ve not seen before that is writing good content that I always look back into it’s archives to see how long they’ve been going. This isn’t because I believe new blogs have little to offer (they definitely do have a lot to offer), but because sustained quality blogging on a topic isn’t easy to do and to me it is one signal that the blogger is in it for the long haul and might be someone that I want to invest some time into reading.
I’m not sure that other blog readers dig into archives in this way but I do know that a lot of blog readers that I talk to get very frustrated with some bloggers who constantly chop and change from blog to blog, never sticking at a project.
Question from ProBlogger reader – Joshua:
“My question is how to make yourself a credible source. For example, when I came across your site, I got the impression that you had no experience with blogging, but found your niche in “making money from blogging.” But since you had never actually done it, I’m curious as to how you made yourself the source that you are now. You have very good tips and information, but obviously didnt have them to begin with.”
Thanks for the question Joshua – I think it gets to the heart of a really important issue for bloggers and one of the things that is often at the heart of a blog’s success or failure – the credibility of the blogger.
Let me start with your example/question about ProBlogger and then move on to outlining a number of ways that we as bloggers can build credibility.
Obviously when I started blogging three and a half years ago I had no experience in blogging and started out like a newbie like everyone else – but my first blog wasn’t actually on the topic of blogging. It was a personal (ish) blog. Then over time I added new blogs to my blogs and learned as much as I could about blogging and blogging as an income. Gradually over a number of years I built a way to make a full time living online through a variety of blogs. It was at this point that I launched ProBlogger.net (in September 2004) after I’d been blogging almost two years.
If I’d started ProBlogger as my first blog I suspect it would not have been seen as anyone as being a credible source of income – simply because I’d not proved myself as being someone who had expertise on the topic that I was writing about.
The Series Ahead
Over the next few days I’ll attempt to outline a number of things that I think can add to a blogger’s credibility. By no means will this be an exhaustive list as each circumstance is so different on a number of fronts:
- Credibility is a slippery thing – what is credible to one person can be seen as suspicious to another
- Every ‘credible’ blogger I know has gotten to that position in my mind for a slightly different reason. What helps build credibility in one blogging niche might not necessarily add to it in another.
Lastly I want to make it clear that in my experience each of the points that I make in the following posts don’t tend to lead to credibility alone but rather when they come together they add to it.
Anyway – enough disclaimers and explanations – lets dig in and explore what it means to build blogger credibility.
Here’s the Series so far:
Since writing my post on The Importance of Landing pages last week I’ve had a number of bloggers email asking for advice on how to make them – especially from bloggers not using WordPress (which has a ‘page’ function). Those bloggers using TypePad who want to work with Landing Pages should check out TypePad Hacks who has a post landing pages especially for you.
Guy Kawasaki has a useful post 10 lessons he’s learnt in How to Evangelize a Blog over his first 120 days of blogging. Here’s his list with a few of my own comments (his is the ‘bold’ (and he has more to say under each) mine is the rest):
1. Think ‘book’ not ‘diary’ – I like the analogy between book and diary. The crux of Guy’s argument is that books are meant to be read and diaries are more spontaneous, unplanned, unstructured writings. I’m a big believer in planning your blog on multiple fronts (ie not just planning your upcoming content but overall direction, marketing of it etc). While some diary style blogs can be quite successful (for what they are) most of the highly trafficked blogs have some element of focus and well defined niche. If you’re writing in a business or entrepreneurial style then you will want to think through strategy (more on this in my strategic blogging series).
2. Answer the little man - Guy’s seeing little people sitting on his shoulder critiquing what he writes (as you do) but his point is solid – be your own critic, don’t just write for the sake of it, produce content that matters. Each post you write has the potential to add or subtract value to your blog and it’s worth asking yourself which it is before hitting publish.
3. Collect email addresses – This is something I go on about from time to time and is something I’m seeing a lot of the top bloggers out there utilizing. There are many ways to do it ranging from starting an email newsletter (getting permission from readers to highlight your work) to using other email lists you might already have (be a little careful with this as it’s open to abuse).
4. Collect links for blog rolling – One of the aspects of blogging that has led to it’s viral like growth as a medium is it’s interconnectedness. Bloggers linking to other bloggers helps everyone and fast tracks you getting noticed by others. I’m not a big fan of the blogroll myself and these days my preference os to be a generous linker within individual posts. I find blogrolls can become difficult to manage, actually send limited amounts of traffic, can become somewhat political and at popularity content like. However linking within posts to other blogs seems a much more organic and natural way to link to others. I find it also has more impact in terms of the traffic you can send which has the potential to not only get attention but give your readers quality and relevant content.
5. Scoop stuff – Getting a scoop is another fast track to readership. Break a big story and have the right A-list blog link to you and you’ll find not only a lot of traffic come directly from them but indirectly from the many smaller blogs that will link up as a result. The other benefit of it beyond the initial traffic and inbound links is the respect and street credibility that can come from breaking a big story. I find that once you break one story you often get others broken directly to you by ‘sources’. Once this happen the snowball effect takes over and you can build a reputation for being someone in the know. More on Scoop Blogging.
6. Supplement other bloggers with a followup entries - Another aspect of blogging that I love is it’s conversational nature. Dialogue is at the heart of blogging on many levels including within comments on posts but also between blogs as they build upon each others ideas with posts. Take the work of another person and add your own spin on it either on their blog, via email with them or on your own blog and you enter the conversation. Once you’re a part of the conversation it’s amazing what can flow from it.
7. Acknowledge and respond to commenters – very important but a real challenge when your blog grows past a certain level. When someone goes out of their way to add something to the conversation you start by leaving an opinion, question, critique or suggestion it’s a powerful thing to acknowledge this in some way. This might mean leaving a comment in response but could also be a personal email response (I find this is incredibly effective) or even a visit to their blog with a comment on one of their posts (even more of an impact). As Guy says, this is not always easy once you’ve got a lot of traffic but is important to do at some level even after you’ve succeeded in growing an audience. If you don’t use your comments section, why would anyone else?
8. Ask for help – I discovered early in my own blogging that despite it’s reputation for snarkiness the blogging community can actually be an incredibly generous and supportive place. Ask for help and you could be amazed by what results. I find that people respond well to humility and to ask for help in some aspect of your blogging (from spreading the word, to helping with some technical problem you have, to helping you compile content etc) actually gives your readers a sense of ownership – something that has many benefits.
9. Be bold – Guy says to speak your mind as a blogger and not hold back from saying what you think. This is true and one aspect of ‘boldness’ that I’d encourage. Of course you want to consider what you say when you’re writing in what can be seen as an aggressive or attacking tone. My own approach to blogging is to attempt to find constructive things to say instead of just attacking others. Another aspect of boldness that is worth mentioning is that while humility is usually responded to well in blogging circles that there is often a need for a little self promotion. I’m not arguing that you need to aggressively sell yourself in a hype filled marketing blitz, but I’ve found that it can be occasionally beneficial to give readers a reason to read you by showing them your wares.
10. Make it easy to join up – Once again Guy’s on the money here by encouraging bloggers to use tools that help readers to stay connected. RSS feeds, email newsletters, RSS to email subscription services, encouraging readers to bookmark pages etc are all examples of this.
Found via an email from Dave | <urn:uuid:e5dd04c4-7da8-4f2c-b61f-23aff6fc03a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/04/page/3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969336 | 4,090 | 1.539063 | 2 |
If a language seems hard let's learn one that is easier. For and English speaker that would be Spanish or French (just counting those more international ones and which the bulk of the Anglophone population is familiar with). People prefer what seems easier to them over what seems more complex, from the starting point of their own language(s).
I don't think you should assume things like this. I chose to learn Spanish because the town I like in is 53% White, 46% Latino, and 1% Other, including but not limited to Middle Eastern, Far East Asian, and Indian. 15% of the Latinos only speak Spanish. This means about 7 out of every 100 people, if we can assume every white person speaks English, which probably isn't the case, speak only Spanish. My town, composed of 60,000 people, has roughly 4200 people who speak only Spanish. Obviously, it would not make much sense for me to learn Uzbek, Zulu, or Mongolian.
I personally don't care much about languages that are popular, I'm actually interested in being a scholar of Antiquity and Medieval studies. I have little interest in modern languages, only as the means to read studies about old languages and history.
From what you've said about hard work and being forced to do things that are hard even though you have no interest in them, you want us to be forced learn about YOUR interests, specifically Medieval and Antiquity studies? | <urn:uuid:fdaf7def-12cd-4452-8597-d2cffbbcd97d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.omniglot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4539 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981807 | 295 | 1.609375 | 2 |
James Charteris played one first-class match for Arsenal at the end of the 19th century.
The inside forward played for Royal Arsenal 29 times and scored 25 goals between 1888 and 1891.
|Arsenal Career||1888 - 1890|
|Appearances||1 (1 starts, 0 as a sub)|
He played his only first-class game in a 5-2 FA Cup qualifying victory over Crusaders in November 1888.
Charteris was a prolific force in the reserves and hit another 33 goals in just 25 second-string matches. He twice scored seven goals in a game for the reserves in the 1889/90 campaign.
But a badly-broken leg in November 1890 finished his career. | <urn:uuid:169924a9-114b-4a94-a2ec-f8f282f7ac1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/120/james-charteris | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954084 | 145 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Harry Bensley had a very interesting episode in his life:
He was reputedly a West-end playboy, a "bit of a rogue" and a womaniser. He had plenty of money, through investments in Russia, which allegedly earned him around £5,000 a year (a huge amount at the start of the 20th centurary).
This particular story goes like this: At a dinner one evening in 1907, at his club "The National Sporting Club, London", two gentlemen; John Pierpoint Morgan and Hugh Cecil Lowther Lonsdale (5th earl of Lonsdale and of whom boxing's Lonsdale Belt is named after) were arguing whether it would be possible to walk around the world without being identified. Lonsdale said it could be done, where Morgan said it could not. Morgan put up a 100,000 dollar (then £21,000) challenge, and Harry, on hearing the argument, took it up. At that time, it was the largest ever recorded bet! Many conditions were also placed on the bet, including that he was never to be identified, he had to finance himself (starting off with only one pound sterling), only take a change of underclothes, and he had to find a wife on his journey, without letting her know who he was. A particular route was planned consisting of 169 English towns and cities, plus 125 others in 18 counties around the world. Morgan also financed an escort (often referred to as The Minder) to travel with him to ensure the terms of the wager were kept! At this time, the name of the escort is unknown (can you help here?) but my mother has an article which suggests he was an American. He is pictured on many of the postcards that Harry sold to finance himself.
Various reports list most of the countries that he had to visit in order which usually include:
England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, USA, South America, New Zealand,Australia, South Africa, Japan, China, India, Egypt, Italy and France. An article in the Times the day after he started the journey stated that he had to "...touch every county in England, Scotland and Wales..." which adds Wales to that list. The Guardian covered the story on
He had an iron mask made from a suit of armour, which weighed 4 and a half pounds, and began his journey from Trafalgar Square amongst cheering crowds, pushing a spindly wheeled pram (totaling 200lb) on 1st January 1908 (aged 31), accompanied by the "minder". The pram and a placard described his task, and the helmet had another placard with "Walking around the World" written on it. On the pram was an A-board upon which he displayed postcards of himself, that he sold to earn money.
He was once arrested by a zealous policeman at Bexleyheath, Kent, for selling postcards without a Hawker's licence. Harry arrived at his trial wearing the mask, and the angry magistrate insisted that he remove it. But the wager was explained and Harry was then allowed keep his identity a secret, and was actually tried under the name of "The man in the iron mask". He was fined
He claimed to have received over 200 offers of marriage flooding in, some from titled ladies allegedly, from places as far apart as England, Europe, Australia and America, but he declined them all. Our research has subsequently discovered that he was already married to Kate Green, a pianist originally from Manchester, in a ceremony in Thetford in September 1898. They already had two children by the time Harry started the journey and this is possibly why the official pamphlet states that the condition to marry on the journey "... was already fulfilled".
Of the journey itself, we have very few details. A newspaper got to hear of the extraordinary adventure, and offered a reward of £1,000 to anyone who could find out his identity. On one occasion, a chamber maid hid under his bed in an attempt to identify him and claim the reward, but she was discovered in time. Photos in our possession (and displayed on this site) do show a woman (often with a child) with the two men at different locations, though she is never mentioned in the adjoining articles! Living family members have been able to positively identify this woman as Mabel Reed, my great grandmother, and not Kate, his wife.
After six years, he had passed through 12 countries and many cities including New York, Montreal and Sydney. But on reaching Genoa, Italy, in August 1914 and having covered 30,000 miles, with only six countries left to visit and 7,000 miles left to walk, the First World War broke out. Once again, there are conflicting reports of what happened next: (1) Being patriotic, he returned to England to fight for his country. (2) Morgan, worried that his steel empire would be threatened by the outbreak of war, called off the bet. Harry was said to be devastated when Morgan's messenger (or telegram in one report) reached him with the news, and he returned to England, a devastated man. He was never to leave our shores again. Choose which version you believe. In any event, Morgan still awarded him £4,000 for his achievement, which he gave to charity. This was something as a surprise, as he was not known to be a generous man.
He fought in the army, but was invalided out after a year. Following the war, his investments in Russia crashed in 1917 with the Russian Revolution, leaving him penniless. Between the wars he took on several jobs, which included cinema doorman, a Y.M.C.A. warden and twice a councilor for Labour at Wivenhoe, Essex. He went on to survive the second world war, in which he was a bomb checker at an ammunition factory, according to one report.
Later in life he fell very ill. It was only now this his illegitimate son (Jim Beasley, my grandfather - Mother's side) found out about his father (Harry) and met him several times in Brighton hospital. (Apparently they looked almost identical.) Jim found him too late to be able to help, and Harry died in 1956, three months after their first meeting, back at home in his bedsitting room at 42 Riley Road, Brighton. Kate (his wife) was with him. Most documented reports say he was eighty, but a copy of his death certificate states he died on
Although there is curently no evidence to confirm exactly what happened when, I personally believe the facts from the later part of Harry's life suggest that when he returned from his journey, he left (or had already left) Mabel and returned to his family and home for the remainder of his life time.
The helmet and pram are said to have been stored in some repository; but not even Kate knew of its whereabouts. My mother would desperately love to locate them. | <urn:uuid:85de7b25-7ef0-4921-967c-66761868f08d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mcnaught.orpheusweb.co.uk/HarryB/story.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.990637 | 1,438 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Hey Weather Channel: Stop Naming Winter Storms – It’s Stupid
Using the word stupid isn’t always polite and should be reserved for special occasions and The Weather Channel trying to name winter storms is a perfect example of when to use the word stupid.
I understand why they’re doing it – it’s a gimmick to get people to tune in to their cable channel and check out their web products. It’s hard with the internet to get people to sit through the loop of forecasts to get info on what storm is heading our way, so this is a method to replace those lost viewers. Totally get it – and I know they have to do what they can to survive.
However, I have a problem with it beyond the fact that it’s just plain silly; it makes the weather into some trivial circus sideshow. Granted we all make jokes about weather forecasters accuracy, but at the end of the day they are scientists with a very difficult job – predicting nature. You can’t always be 100% accurate with something that no other human is in control of but they try to get as close as they can. Their information is valuable and can save lives. The Weather Channel naming storms is irresponsible. Everyone from the National Weather Service to AccuWeather have chimed in to say that it is a poor choice.
“In unilaterally deciding to name winter storms, The Weather Channel has confused media spin with science and public safety. We have explored this issue for 20 years and have found that this is not good science and will mislead the public. Winter storms are very different from hurricanes. - Dr. Joel N. Myers, AccuWeather
It really is irritating that we have to commercialize everything. People complain about Valentines Day being a Hallmark Holiday and Christmas starting in October, so how is this any different? The National Weather Service also isn’t too thrilled at The Weather Channel’s lame idea:
The National Weather Service has no opinion about private weather enterprise products and services. A winter storm’s impact can vary from one location to another, and storms can weaken and redevelop, making it difficult to define where one ends and another begins. While the National Weather Service does not name winter storms, we do rate major winter storms after the fact.
There’s also a small Facebook page against the idea.
Remember that annoying kid in class who always would try to give himself a cool nickname but it was just lame? Same situation here folks.
Am I just way off and letting something silly irritate me? What do you think? | <urn:uuid:30340597-af2d-46a5-937c-bdf0cde6182f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wgna.com/hey-weather-channel-stop-naming-winter-storms-its-stupid/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950901 | 535 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 beta with KVM
Red Hat has released a beta version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.4. The new version's most prominent new feature is KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), a virtualisation technology which was integrated into the main development branch of Linux quite some time ago.
In the beta of RHEL 5.4, KVM supports various versions of RHEL as well as Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 as guest systems. Paravirtualised drivers are provided to enhance I/O performance. However, KVM requires processors with virtualisation functionality (as offered by the majority of the current AMD and Intel processors); it does not provide complete paravirtualisations of modified guest systems like Xen.
All of Red Hat's announcements regarding the beta emphasise that Xen virtualisation will also continue to be supported in future versions of the RHEL5 series. Considering Red Hat's takeover of KVM developers Qumranet last September and the Xen developers' continuing struggle to get their technology integrated into the main development branch of Linux, it does seem that Red Hat intends to rely on KVM in the long run; migration tools are being developed to facilitate switching from Xen to KVM in the future.
Another new feature is the support of Intel's VT-d (Virtualisation Technology for Directed I/O) and SRIOV (Single Root I/O for Virtualization) in KVM and Xen. RHEL 5.4 will also offer FUSE (File System in Userspace) and drivers and tools for FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) and Clustered Samba have been integrated as technical previews. While Red Hat has improved the support of the Ext4 file system first introduced with RHEL 5.3, the file system still retains its technical preview status.
As is customary with "point releases" of RHEL, the new version also contains numerous updates, bug fixes and minor enhancements. For instance, the developers incorporated the cnic driver for Broadcom LAN chips – which was recently integrated for 2.6.31 – into their 2.6.18-based kernel and they also updated numerous audio, graphics and network drivers. Find details in the beta announcement and in the more comprehensive release notes. | <urn:uuid:3b245bfd-a3a3-4d29-994f-b3e2bdb781aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Red-Hat-Enterprise-Linux-5-4-beta-with-KVM-742303.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932733 | 474 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Fri June 8, 2012
Right On The Money: A 'Capital' Book For Our Times
Originally published on Fri June 8, 2012 5:59 pm
Lizzie Skurnick writes the "That Should Be a Word" column for the New York Times Magazine.
England has always reveled in its drawing-room dramas, from Jane Austen's social minefields to E.M. Forster's Howards End to Upstairs, Downstairs — and yes, the blockbuster Downton Abbey.
John Lanchester's brilliant Capital, set on a once-ordinary London block whose housing prices have skyrocketed, has the distinction of being the first brick-and-mortar novel set squarely in our current times. It's 2008, the peak of the housing crisis, and the homes of Pepys Road, built in the late 19th century for people willing to trade a bad neighborhood for better digs, have zoomed to stratospheric worth. But there's a worm in the budget: Someone is sending each newly enriched homeowner a picture of his own front door, scrawled with the message, "We want what you have." Which — each homeowner wonders — is what?
The answers are as varied as the residents themselves. One of the great delights of Capital is how Lanchester uses the book to show readers the sparkling strata of present-day London, from Arabella Yount, the social-climbing wife of a banker who looks at the card and merely observes no one she knows uses second-class stamps, to her builder, Polish resident Zbigniew, who has traded his present life to save for his father's retirement — a country house which is currently just a castle in the air. Only Petunia Howe, the eldest resident on the street, has the sense to look at her own brittle bones and tatty linoleum with clear eyes. Her answer to the card: Why would anyone would want what she has?
It's easy to confuse a house's worth with your own, and Lanchester has a ball dissecting our folly and foibles, from wealthy rehabbers to striving shop owners to interns aggrieved with the shifting sands of their fates. The street is filled with residents gambling their future on the present, like those first 19th century residents of Pepys Road. Teenager Freddy Kamo, who is used to fetching his own water in Senegal, lives in luxury in his make-or-break chance to be a top-tier footballer. The street's parking warden, Quentina Mkfesi, was a scholar in Zimbabwe. Here, she's an illegal immigrant, zealously ticketing Pepys Road's inhabitants while she waits to receive asylum. Which will triumph — justice or irony?
Lanchester's choice of the name Pepys Road for Capital is no coincidence. Samuel Pepys, the 17th century diarist, gave readers a bird's-eye view of the plague, fire and politics that decimated Restoration-era London. In Capital, Lanchester is our intrepid Pepys, gently showing us our plagues — greed, politics, sheer corruption. They hit close to home, as he plays with the concepts of value and commodity — as close as a half a million dollars in worthless bills hidden in a wall, in one case.
Still, it's not all bad news. These characters, unlike those on HGTV, won't find their lives transformed by a kitchen rehab. But when our lives lie around us in ruins, Lanchester shows us, we don't need a bad loan to rebuild. | <urn:uuid:7677acd6-bd25-43a8-bd1e-7940f3b353f0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kttz.org/post/right-money-capital-book-our-times | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962334 | 734 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Since 2006, Prime Stage and Tickets for Kids® Charities have partnered to present Performance 360: Celebration of Reading, a one-of-a-kind program that integrates literature, theater and visual arts. Each year, more than 300 young people who are served by Tickets for Kids prepare for the performance by reading the source material and creating an original work of art. On performance night, students have the opportunity to discuss the play with the cast and share their creative work, which is displayed in the theatre lobby.
Past performances include The Giver, The Westing Game, Romeo and Juliet, and A Wrinkle in Time.
This year’s program takes place on Thursday, May 16th and features the regional premiere of Walk Two Moons, based on the Newbery Award-winning novel by Sharon Creech. Tickets for Kids® Charities is generously sponsored for Performance 360: Celebration of Reading by PNC Foundation. | <urn:uuid:93bc3be9-c4f7-4108-b4b5-182cc50bcf00> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://primestage.com/shows_and_tickets/previews_special_events.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949201 | 186 | 1.671875 | 2 |
By Charles Barksdale, Coach, Austin Rowing Club
If you have been down to the club in the last few weeks you probably have noticed the increase in activity. With Texas Crew, St. Ed’s, and the ARC Juniors back on the water, and competitive ARC crews taking more boats out it is important that we are on and off the dock a quickly as possible.
Here are a few things we can do to reduce dock time:
When going out:
- Go to the bathroom first.
- Make sure your oars are down (staged near or on the docks) before getting the boat out of the racks.
- Have items you are taking in the boat with you ready, water bottles filled etc.
- Shove off from the dock before adjusting pop-outs and foot stretchers.
- Take oars off the boat immediately and leave them on the dock or place then to the side of the apron.
- Put the boat in slings and wash it
- Return the boat to its rack and sign back in.
- Then pick up your oars and belongings.
- Don’t leave your boat and equipment at the dock or on the apron unattended.
- Don’t yell; we pride ourselves at being courteous at ARC and yelling at a boat or crew to hurry is not productive.
If a rower is expedient it should take them around 2-3 minutes of dock time to get underway and the same when returning.
If we all work together we can increase dock traffic and reduce waiting!
Thanks and See you on the water,
Charles B. Barksdale
Austin Rowing Club
Men’s and Club Crew Coach | <urn:uuid:009fd4a6-bbe9-4d2f-901d-63195c9904c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://austinrowingclub.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/dock-time/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938469 | 359 | 1.609375 | 2 |
I live in rural Utah. Near my rural ranch is a 5 acre parcel where people
keep two horses. They visit very infrequently possibly once a week.
Once, my wife commented on all the cockleburrs in their manes, and the man
said he had dealt with horses for 35 years, and she should mind her
They had the local kids come and water their horses. Then that stopped when
whatever agreement they had ended, or they had a falling out.
For days and days they would only eat forage grass and not be given any hay
or supplement. My other neighbor said there was a type of weed in the field
that causes mouth anesthetization that should be removed, but it was not.
They brought in a bale of hay the size of a Volkswagen and just left it
there. The horses can eat as much as they want. I go and water them when I
go by and see them standing at their water tank. Every time, it is empty.
I am not a horse person. But I do recall that it is not proper to let a
horse eat all it wants. Am I right? From what I have said, are these
horses being neglected? They appear healthy. They have no shade or wind
protection, and it gets pretty cold here, and hot in the summer. | <urn:uuid:646ca296-3a7a-4005-b43a-86fe9a8ea449> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://groups.google.com/group/alt.animals.horses/browse_thread/thread/d8528a1a6d87c63d/2b4e9dd59b28790a?lnk=raot&fwc=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984492 | 280 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Dirty sidewalk? It may cost you in Edgerton
EDGERTON The city of Edgerton is crafting an ordinance that would force property owners to keep their sidewalks free of litter or face fines up to $200.
The ordinance, which is being presented to the city council on Monday, is intended to curb what officials say is a growing problem of cigarette butts and other debris accumulating on downtown sidewalks, mostly outside of taverns.
The city has an ordinance that prohibits littering, but nothing on the books requires that sidewalks be cleaned.
A draft of the new ordinance shows it would require property owners or occupants in charge to sweep up and dispose of debris on sidewalks in front of their properties.
Owners in violation would face fines from $25 to $200, the draft ordinance shows.
Sidewalks downtown are city property, officials said.
Alderman Mark Wellnitz said he suggested that city staff craft an ordinance after he heard several complaints from residents about debris—mostly cigarette butts—piling up on sidewalks outside downtown businesses.
Wellnitz said the city would send businesses a warning notice before fining them.
"We're just trying to give the city the capability to say, ‘Hey, you need to get your area cleaned up a little better or we'll fine you,'" he said.
Wellnitz said complaints he's heard apply mainly to downtown taverns, where patrons smoke outside and then flick cigarettes on the sidewalk before going back in. He said the problem has gotten worse since the statewide smoking ban went into effect.
He said some businesses are better at keeping the sidewalks clean, but some businesses just sweep litter into the gutter. Under an existing city ordinance, that's not allowed.
On a recent Monday morning, a walk by a Gazette reporter in downtown Edgerton along Fulton Street and adjacent side streets revealed:
-- Several cigarette butts on the sidewalk outside taverns at 112, 116 and 124 W. Fulton St. and empty beer bottles along the sidewalk outside 116 W. Fulton St.
-- Dozens of cigarette butts stuck in drains around a tree outside a tavern at 13 Swift St.
-- Piles of cigarette butts and debris in the gutters along Fulton and Swift streets.
Barb Hemenway, a bartender at the Pit Stop on Swift Street, said the tavern has a smoking area out back with garbage receptacles for cigarettes. The tavern encourages smokers to go there instead of the front sidewalk.
Hemenway didn't know how dozens of cigarette butts were in the grates around a tree in front of the tavern.
"How do you know if it's our patrons or if it's other people walking by? And how can you control it?"
She said if a new ordinance went in place, the tavern would have to be sure to sweep its sidewalk more often.
Alderman Dave Thomas is concerned the ordinance could stir up trouble for businesses who have neighboring businesses whose patrons throw litter onto adjacent areas.
"It would be awfully hard to police," Thomas said. | <urn:uuid:a5a29a6b-1556-4842-8a5a-bd1f3f3a11d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gazettextra.com/news/2012/may/31/dirty-sidewalk-it-may-cost-you-edgerton/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951115 | 629 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Re: Medical update
- From: spodosaurus <spodosaurus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2007 00:29:58 +0900
"spodosaurus" <spodosaurus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> schreef:
They diagosed me with OSAS in 2004. And 2 tests in 2005 confirmed it.
What is OSAS? I've only heard of OSA (obstructive sleep apnea),
Last "S" stands for "Syndrome."
It's not really a "syndrome".
which I have. I also had a lot of the symptoms you describe before starting CPAP therapy.
They gave me a CPAP device in 2004. Cant sleep with it.
Most places don't properly analyze and fit CPAP machines and masks to patients. I can't do without mine, and I don't get nearly the benefits that many do. I've had it since I was a child, but only got treated in my early twenties. It's probably saved my life by assisting me in getting through some fairly intense periods of medical treatments. I strongly suggest you revisit this issue. A clinic may have a good respiratory sleep physician, but fitting and analysing the match between patient and machine and both with the proper mask is done by the respiratory technologists, who too often are not given as much training as they should be in these issues. If you were in Western Australia I could tell you the best place to go for this.
I heard that some forms of narcolepsy can cause OSA as well.
Like if you're waking up from OSA instead of hitting REM.
Early REM is also a sign of clinical depression, just as a side note.
And that is a scary thing.
Does depression cause a lack of good sleep, or does a lack of good sleep causes depression?
The former is common, and the chronic strain and neurotransmitter issues with the latter may contribute tot he latter.
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply
Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life: | <urn:uuid:2d89f6df-6a1b-45a6-ae68-9f8a9481924b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Misc/misc.fitness.weights/2007-03/msg01599.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962603 | 451 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The U.S. Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus describes: “The honoree is a crime victim or survivor, who has experienced a personal tragedy and triumphed over adversity. This award recognizes a person who has utilized his or her experiences as a crime victim or survivor to promote public education and awareness, public policy development, and/or greater awareness about crime victims’ rights and needs. Through his or her efforts, the recipient has given hope to other crime victims and survivors.”
Luest fell victim to a random act of violence in 1993 while traveling in Florida. Two assailants attempted to beat her to death in front of Luest’s mother, leaving her with massive physical injuries and emotional struggles. In 2001, when one of the two offenders had his life sentence vacated on a technicality, Luest decided to change her life and her career to create Witness Justice so that some of the difficult aspects of the criminal justice and healing processes could be more adequately addressed for survivors. Since that time, she has worked tirelessly to advocate and educate, and to find creative solutions to issues of concern to survivors of violence and trauma. Over the years, Luest spearheaded many national advocacy efforts that have led to greater voice and choice for survivors. Her efforts have led to improvements needed in programs and systems to serve survivors of violence and trauma in the best way possible.
Congressmen Ted Poe and Jim Costa established the U.S. Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus in 2006. The mission of the Caucus is to elevate crime victim issues in Congress, in a bipartisan manner, without infringing on the rights of the accused, and represent and advocate before the Administration and within the U.S. Congress on behalf of crime victims and law enforcement officials.
Every year, the Victims’ Rights Caucus sponsors awards, in conjunction with National Crime Victims' Rights Week, to honor crime victims and those who serve them for outstanding efforts in victim advocacy, allied professional advocacy, public policy, and public awareness.
“The Witness Justice Board of Directors was proud to nominate Helga Luest for this award” stated newly elected Board Chairperson Lukas Strout of the Durham Police Department’s Victim Services Division. “Luest’
The nomination was spearheaded by Lukas Strout and Marcia Stein, two Witness Justice Board Members, who are pleased to share this announcement.
# # #
Witness Justice is a national nonprofit organization providing advocacy and support for survivors of violence and trauma. | <urn:uuid:ab4eceee-df2a-4c45-9c06-62f0f71ce928> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.prlog.org/11379551-us-congress-awards-helga-luest-the-2011-eva-murillo-unsung-hero-award.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960271 | 505 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Hey, everybody! This instructable will show you how to make some awesome tie-dye-colored cupcakes! My sister made this recipe for these delicious looking desserts. They're fun, easy, and taste delicious! So, without further ado, let's get baking!
Step 1: Ingredients
For this recipe, you will need:
1 large mixing bowl
6 smaller bowls
6 small spoons
1 electric beater
1 Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix
3 egg whites
11/4 cups of water
1/3 cup of cooking oil
4 bottles of food coloring gel (red, yellow, green, blue)
1 package of cupcake liners
1 muffin pan
Step 2: Open It Up
Now you have to mix up the cake batter. Start by cutting the top to open it, and then you can have at it and dump it in the bowl.
Step 3: Oil and Water
After you've poured in the dry mix, it's time to add the wet ingredients. Start by pouring in the 11/4 cup of water and the 1/3 cup of oil in the bowl. Don't mix it up yet!
Step 4: Egg Whites
After the oil and water, add the egg whites. Note that it is the WHITES. Be careful and pay attention so that you don't drop the yokes as well!
Step 5: Just Beat It!
Now it's time to take out your electric beater. Place it in the batter and turn it on to low for 1 minute and then medium for 1-2 minutes, or you can just beat it until it looks smooth and is mixed up all the way. If you need to, stop the mixer and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula.
Step 6: Sweet and Smooth
When you are done beating, it should look like this.
Step 7: Precision and Division
Now, take your ladle and your six smaller bowls. With the ladle in hand, separate the batter equally into the small bowls.
Step 8: The Color Wheel
Now we get to the fun part...the food coloring! You need to dye one bowl red, one bowl orange, one bowl yellow, one bowl green, one bowl blue, and one bowl purple.You will have to mix some colors seeing as you only have one secondary color. I assume you all know your primary and secondary colors.
Step 9: Prepare the Way
Now would probably be a good time to preheat the oven to 350*. After you do that, you need to put the cupcake liners in the muffin tray.
Step 10: Just a Drizzle
Now that the tray's ready, you need to turn your attention back to the colorful bowls of batter. This is also where the small spoons come in. Put one of them in each bowl. Now just pick any color of batter and drizzle it in one of the cupcake liners. Keep doing the same thing, but alternating colors in the same cupcake liner until it is almost full.
Step 11: Repeat
Repeat the following step until all of the liners are filled, or until all the batter is gone.
Step 12: Into the Oven They Go
After you've filled them, stick them in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. You can tell if they're done with a cake tester. When you take them out, put them on a cooling rack to cool before taking them out or they will crumble to pieces! When you are done, you'll have some funky, rainbow tie-dyed cupcakes that are perfect for any occasion!
Step 13: Another Alternative
Another alternative is to take two different colors of batter and swirl them.Take the two colors and layer them on top of each other. Then, take the wrong side of a spoon and stir the two colors together. The effect is a beautiful vortex swirl that looks awesome! | <urn:uuid:d90c2e75-34f1-402a-8270-772f910ddca0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.instructables.com/id/Tie-Dye-Drizzle-Cupcakes/?ALLSTEPS | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937231 | 816 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Opus Dei members: Da Vinci distorted
May 14, 2006
ReligionNewsBlog.com • Monday May 15, 2006
Conservative Catholic group defending itself as controversy swirls
They get together once a week in a large South Orange house where members say they talk about religion and the virtues of obedience, chastity and compassion. They say there is nothing mysterious about their organization. They say their main mission is to live a religious life, to turn ordinary daily experiences into something spiritual.
Opus Dei members have been outspoken recently because they have been trying to counter perceptions created by “The Da Vinci Code” and the movie based on that book, which is scheduled to open later this week. The book, which depicts an Opus Dei member killing people in blind obedience to superiors, is a work of fiction, yet has put the group under a spotlight.
It also has put the spotlight on those who criticize some of the group’s practices — particularly the way it recruits young people.
Members of the conservative Roman Catholic group Opus Dei, which means “Work of God” in Latin, say they are not political as a group except when it comes to issues that involve their faith, such as abortion. They say their main purpose is to find spiritual significance in ordinary living, to offer their daily work to God. They attend Mass every day and say they try to find spirituality in day-to-day activities.
“We don’t see religion as a hobby,” said Terence Joseph Gallagher, 67, a Morristown attorney who lives in Harding and is a longtime Opus Dei member.
Gallagher, like three-quarters of the group, which has more than 80,000 members worldwide and 3,000 in the United States, is called a supernumerary. That means he’s not required to be celibate. He has a family and lives a relatively ordinary life, attending weekly meetings at a regional center in South Orange and giving a portion of his earnings to the group. He said he was drawn to Opus Dei because it is composed of like-minded people who support Catholic Church doctrine “without dissent.”
A smaller group of men and women, called numeraries, devote more of their lives to Opus Dei. They pledge celibacy and live in residence halls, men separate from women, where they eat and pray together. They give most of their earnings to the group and receive weekly stipends. They sometimes wear a spiked chain, called a cilice, around one leg to get closer to the suffering of Jesus Christ.
Some church observers have compared them to a religious order of monks, but Opus Dei numeraries say that is not an accurate characterization because they work as bankers, doctors and lawyers. They do not wear robes. They are part of the world.
“That’s why we insist on saying we are not a quasi-religious order,” said John Coverdale, 65, who teaches at Seton Hall University Law School and lives as a numerary in an Opus Dei residence hall on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. “Opus Dei didn’t get me my job.”
Opus Dei became a prelature in the early 1980s, a unique distinction that some experts say makes the group much like a diocese without geographical boundaries. It has its own seminary in Rome, and its own priests and bishops.
Opus Dei members point to the designation as proof that they are accepted as mainstream Catholicism. They acknowledge that they try to exert some influence in areas important to them, such as the abortion issue, and that they have established residences near major universities such as Princeton and Columbia to recruit young people.
Some claim deception
Some former members have criticized the group’s practices. They say they were tricked into believing that God had chosen them to be part of the group. They say they were not allowed to read newspapers or books without asking permission, that they turned over their entire salaries to Opus Dei, that they were required to account for every penny spent out of weekly stipends, and that they were systematically cut off from their families.
Opus Dei members say no one is forced to do anything. Some former members acknowledge that no force is used, but say they were psychologically manipulated.
Tammy DiNicola, 38, a former Opus Dei numerary, said she was told about a year after joining that she was required to be with other Opus Dei members for all major holidays. She said she made a commitment to join the group before she understood all that would entail. She wrote a letter to her parents, telling them she would not be home for Easter during her junior year at Boston College. Her parents said it was difficult to contact their daughter by phone when she lived in an Opus Dei residence near Boston College. They often were told she was “unavailable.”
DiNicola said she and other numeraries taught a class for young girls from Europe, some as young as 14, ostensibly to teach them about computers and American culture. She said the girls considered it a vacation, but Opus Dei had another purpose. It actually was a recruiting tool, she said, with Opus Dei members discussing among themselves various ways to get the young girls to join.
“It felt false and not right,” DiNicola, who lives in Massachusetts, said in a telephone interview last week.
She said she was told that not seeing her family members was a sacrifice to help them get closer to God. She was told that she was helping the young girls she taught in the same way. She said she joined Opus Dei because she believed that it was God’s will but later learned that some events that led her to that belief were orchestrated by the group.
When she was wavering about joining, she went with a numerary to confession with an Opus Dei priest. The priest told her she had a calling. DiNicola now refers to that as a “phony” experience.
“I was convinced it was a sign from God,” DiNicola said. “Now, I believe the priest was told that I was thinking of joining.”
Opus Dei members now acknowledge that some of their local directors made some mistakes when recruiting young people. They say that does not reflect on the group as a whole. Their critics maintain that those mistakes were not simply aberrations, but were part of a pattern.
David Clark, who specializes in helping people leave cults, and who participated in a family intervention for Tammy DiNicola 16 years ago, said he has helped about 20 people leave Opus Dei over the past two decades. He said he has talked to dozens more who tell the same story about the group’s practices.
“It is very cult-like, in my opinion,” Clark, based in Pennsylvania, said last week.
He said Opus Dei makes it difficult for relatives to contact members living in the group’s residence halls, that it engineers events to make recruits believe they have been chosen by God, and that members use a technique called “love-bombing” to flatter vulnerable young people into feeling accepted, which he said is similar to practices used by groups such as the Moonies and Hare Krishna. He termed Opus Dei’s claim to be an ordinary Catholic organization as “bait and switch.”
“An ordinary person doesn’t live at a center and give their whole income and have to account for each dime they spend,” Clark said.
Monsignor Robert Wister, a church historian who teaches at Seton Hall University, said some people might be confused by Opus Dei’s apparent contradiction — the mix of an ascetic lifestyle with secular jobs for numeraries. He said the group asks people to live “a heightened version of the Christian life.”
“Whenever you do that, especially in secular society, many people think you’re being coerced, manipulated or are crazy,” Wister said.
– Colossians 2:20-3:2
Opus Dei does have its share of supporters among local Catholic Church officials, including Newark Archbishop John Myers, who counts an Opus Dei priest as a spiritual adviser. Bishop Arthur Serratelli, head of the Paterson Diocese, said in a prepared statement last week that Opus Dei practices “a good form of spirituality within the Church.” Serratelli’s spokeswoman,Marianna Thompson, added that the bishop’s comments are about Opus Dei’s mission and “not the actions of individual members and chapters.”
Opus Dei also has had some detractors among the clergy.
The Rev. Walter Debold, a Seton Hall University religion professor and an expert on cults, praised a book years ago that warned about some of Opus Dei’s practices. He wrote that the book would help “wake up Catholic thinking” and was “so necessary.” He said last week that he did not want to get into a lengthy discussion about the group because he did not want to add to the “hype” for the movie. He did say this about Opus Dei:
“They have a great deal of support in Rome and from the American clergy. I am not one of their supporters.”
Movie raises exposure
Opus Dei members say they have been misunderstood, and that “The Da Vinci Code” movie has given them a chance to explain the group to outsiders. Gallagher has been one of the faces of the organization over the past few weeks. He said he listened to a tape of “The Da Vinci Code” from the library after he was told by an Opus Dei public relations official to prepare for media interviews with TV crews from Japan and Europe.
Gallagher said the corporal mortification practiced by the book’s killer monk, who whips himself until he’s bloody, is not at all similar to the mortification practiced by Opus Dei members. He said the only mortification he practices has to do with pushing himself to smile at people, or to listen when he wants to speak.
“I’ve had to cultivate the art of listening and trying not to dominate conversations,” Gallagher said.
He describes himself as an orthodox Catholic who for years attended Opus Dei monthly meetings, at which nonmembers are allowed, until he finally joined in 1989. He said weekly members-only meetings held in South Orange start with a designated leader, usually a lay person, giving a short commentary on Gospel. That’s followed by a recitation of what members call the plan of life — components of faith such as weekly confession, daily Mass and yearly retreats. Members pray together and discuss various religious topics. He said there never is any pressure to attend retreats, that monetary contributions are voluntary, and that there is no theological censorship.
“I can read whatever I want,” he said.
Critics such as Clark say Opus Dei often selects supernumeraries to be their spokesmen, to put on a façade of normality. But this past week Coverdale, who joined when he was 17, talked about life as a numerary. He acknowledged that Opus Dei recommends wearing a cilice, the spiked chain, around a leg for two hours a day. He said he wears the cilice but added that it is voluntary, and more “annoying” than painful. He said focusing on that kind of corporal mortification is missing the group’s point.
“It’s more important to smile at people,” he said.
He said numeraries are expected to be together for holidays because they are like a family. He said he can read what he wants, but that members are encouraged to avoid reading books that “are not very helpful.” He said he hands over most of his money to the group and keeps track of how he spends the stipend he receives, but that it would be no big deal if he didn’t keep scrupulous records. He acknowledged that members talk about recruiting because they want the group to grow. But he said they don’t want to recruit people who don’t fit into the group because that would be “a fairly serious sin.”
Do not republish or repost.
Read Another Article
Join Religion News Blog at Google+ to comment, share, and follow.
You Might Like This As Well | <urn:uuid:cd49519a-832b-4638-9115-6ad55f0471fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.religionnewsblog.com/14640/opus-dei-members-da-vinci-distorted | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984311 | 2,670 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Seymour Hersh has been a legendary investigative reporter since 1969 when he broke the My Lai story in Vietnam. His considerable skill and well-placed sources inside the government, intelligence community, military, and the diplomatic corps have allowed him access to a wide range of information unavailable to most reporters. Chain of Command
is packed with specific details and thoughtful analysis of events since the attacks of September 11, 2001, including intelligence failures prior to 9/11; postwar planning regarding Afghanistan and Iraq; the corruption of the Saudi family; Pakistan's nuclear program, which spread nuclear technology via the black market (and admitted as such); influence peddling at the highest levels; and the torture scandal at Abu Ghraib prison, among other topics. The book collects and elaborates on stories Hersh wrote for The New Yorker
, and includes an introduction by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, on Hersh's background and his sources.
Part of Hersh's skill lies in uncovering official reports that have been buried because government or military leaders find them too revealing or embarrassing. Chain of Command is filled with such stories, particularly regarding the manner in which sensitive intelligence was gathered and disseminated within the Bush administration. Hersh details how serious decisions were made in secret by a small handful of people, often based on selective information. Part of the problem was, and remains, a lack of human intelligence in critical parts of the Middle East, but it also has much to do with the considerable infighting within the administration by those trying to make intelligence fit preconceived conclusions. A prime example of this is the story about the files that surfaced allegedly detailing how Iraq had purchased uranium from Niger in order to build nuclear weapons. Though the files were soon proven to be forgeries, the Bush administration still used them as evidence against Saddam Hussein and therefore part of the reason for invading Iraq. In these pages, Hersh offers readers a clearer understanding of what has happened since September 11, and what we might expect in the future. --Shawn Carkonen
From Publishers Weekly
Based on previously published articles and supplemented by fresh revelations, this book by Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Hersh, who writes for The New Yorker and has authored several books (The Dark Side of Camelot, etc.), charges the Bush administration with being propelled by ideology and hamstrung by incompetence in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas. One former intelligence official observes that the Bush administration staffers behaved "as if they were on a mission from God," while another laments, "The guys at the top are as ignorant as they could be." Its no surprise, then, that the dissenters want to talk or that the Hersh, who has a reputation for integrity and enviable inside access, ferrets them out, assembling critiques from diverse, mostly unidentified sources at home and abroad. According to Hersh, the dire conditions that "enemy combatants" suffered at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, presaged detainee abuses at Baghdads Abu Ghraib prison. Hersh reveals the depravities purportedly occurring at Guantánamo and argues that Donald Rumsfeld wasnt the only one responsible for what happened at Abu Ghraib: "the President and Vice President had been in it, and with him, all the way." The book also covers some familiar ground, exploring pre-9/11 intelligence oversights and the administrations misconception that Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Israel, Turkey and the Kurds would jump on the democracy bandwagon after the invasion of Iraq. But Hersh reserves his sharpest words for President Bush, suggesting the "terrifying possibility" that "words have no meaning for this President beyond the immediate moment, and so he believes that his mere utterance of the phrases makes them real." Hershs critics may dismiss these explosive, less than objective conclusions. For others, however, this sobering book is the closest anyone without a security clearance will get to operatives in the inner sanctums of Americas intelligence, military, political and diplomatic worlds.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:e28d5170-33d1-4d91-a47f-488fdd4023ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.amazon.ca/Chain-Of-Command-Road-Ghraib/dp/0060195916 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961503 | 830 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Well, well, well yes I know you all would be so anxious to learn fashion of 1920s as at that moment we all didn’t exist nor even our parents but yes our grandparents witnessed that fashion trend that time and most of us know half to what they witnessed through stories they tell us and yes through movies too. Wow! I simply love movies of that time and every time I watch them I just wish to fly back to that time but get still with a though that if I would have been youngster at that time than surely I would had grandchildren by now.lol! But none of us know how the exact fashion of 1920s was in vogue at that time because every movie of that time would give us black and white view that off course would not tell you the proper color and dressing people used to do and we won’t be able to see the cosmetic trends of that time.
But we can have the traces of past through people who witnessed them by themselves. Just like my grandparents told, your grandparents would tell you the same. That was the time of flappers which you can still see women wearing.
Well 1920s were basically the year of conservatism when there were less fashion trends and specially woman used to wear complete dresses. Those were the years when skirts and pent were novel fashion trends to notice as women got new liberties to celebrate their womanhood.
Flappers were common trends for man too and both man and woman equally used to wear hats with the difference the men used to wear plain while women used to wear veil pillbox. People used to wear brighter and colorful dresses and buttons were common fashion to opt for. Still you would see many reflexes of that era and trust me it looks good to opt for one self while rejuvenates our grandparents. | <urn:uuid:e936e4c7-4c12-41c3-95d0-0c0318c49957> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fashionima.com/1920s-fashion.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987585 | 359 | 1.570313 | 2 |
on Friday May 3rd, 2013 at 12:30 AM
The dish on giving your dog people food
Our dogs can be so darned cute that its tempting to lavish them with the finest things possible but remember: theyre dogs. What may be our idea of a delicious treat may not always be the healthiest option for our little friends and the way we give it to them can affect their behavior more deeply than we might expect. Finally, before you give your pet a special treat, ask yourself exactly who youre rewarding: your dog, or you?
People foods warrant really...
on Thursday April 18th, 2013 at 01:14 AM
Safety for your dog in the car.
Im always shocked how careless and frivolous some people are with their dogs driving in cars. I see them jumping on the driver, licking the face and sitting on their laps. For responsible travel with a pet is to properly secure the animal. In an accident, an unrestrained dog becomes a projectile, risking serious injury to the animal and human passengers. For your, your familys and dogs safety, do not allow pets to ride in the front seat, no matter how much the...
on Thursday November 22nd, 2012 at 05:00 AM
Importance of micro chipping and identifying your dog with a tag!
Every year a few hundred thousand dogs get lost under different circumstances in the U.S. Losing a household pet can is like losing a member of the family. Tragically, few are reunited with their owners. Many lost dogs end up in shelters where they are adopted out to new homes or even euthanized. It is important that your dog has identification at all times.Its so important to start to microchip and tag your dog today if he or...
on Tuesday October 9th, 2012 at 08:08 AM
I saw a link on a website which transferred me to another website and then another website. I lost track of what I was actual looking for, and somehow I ended up on http://www.sockdogs.com. This is one of the cutest hand crafted ideas I have seen this year. Original Sock Dogs the name says it all.ArtisanStaceys idea arose after a visit in Taiwan where she met a stray dog. In honor of this special dog. and to support her local Humane Society Organization, she started making original sock dogs...
on Wednesday September 26th, 2012 at 02:13 AM
I almost forgot to write about this interesting meeting between my dog Red (Rednose American Staffordshire Terrier Mix) and an unenlightened human, at my hair dressers about 2 months ago.
I was late to myappointmentand couldnt drop off my dog at home, so I called the hair dresser and asked if I could bring my big dog with me. She said, Of course you can bring your dog. Red and I walked into the hair salon and he showered everyone who came near us with kisses, his tail constantly wagging for...
on Tuesday September 11th, 2012 at 02:36 AM
Where is the fine line between theact of loving animals and hoarding animals? When does a case become extreme?
TheHoarding of Animals Research Consortium(HARC), defines an animal hoarder as someone who:accumulates a large number of animals; fails to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care; fails to act on the deteriorating condition of the animals (including disease, starvation and even death); and fails to act on the deteriorating condition of the environment...
on Tuesday August 28th, 2012 at 12:46 AM
Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Diana Dors, Rita Hayworth once posted in the lockers ofG.I.sduringWorld War II, today Pin Up Girls are taking new directions and themes. One of these exciting new directions comes from an organization I discovered a while ago. Its Deirdre Little Darling Franklins organization, Pinups for Pitbulls, Inc., founded in 2005. Istumbledupon Little Darlings Pinups for Pitbulls 2013 calendar cover picture on Facebook and I loved the art work, and of course, the dogs....
on Wednesday August 22nd, 2012 at 07:00 PM
Not every dog is good for biking, consider hiking instead!
Get some great exercise with your dog outdoors. A long hike or a bike ride? Which one is the best choice for you and your dog. All dogs love to walk and follow you every where you go. Spending time with you outdoors is on of the most important things for your dog. Outdoor activities will bond you with your dog and keep you healthy. Sun, rain or snow. Lets go!
Hiking with dogs. All kind of dogs love to walk and hike through the hills and...
latest news & articles | <urn:uuid:cb74228c-5c80-45d2-b8a7-dcca96d4d738> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.dogtime.com/packpeople-com | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94861 | 992 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Posted on Tue, Apr. 07, 2009
last updated: March 15, 2013 11:58:30 AM
ISTANBUL, Turkey — President Barack Obama headed home from his first trip overseas Tuesday confident of at least one thing: He'd managed to put his face indelibly on American foreign policy for much of the rest of the world.
Using personal diplomacy to advance his broad policy goals, Obama charted a new course as he moved rapidly across the continent, attending three summits, visiting six countries and meeting at least 15 foreign leaders, wrapping up with a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday.
Among the highlights:
Everywhere he went, Obama was a figure of fascination to foreign leaders eager to take his measure, as well as to everyday citizens, who saw him as personally and politically far different from his predecessor, George W. Bush.
"It was so easy to work with him," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.
"He's a great, great man," said Elisabeth Vogel, a teacher from Colmar, France, who came to see Obama when he appeared in nearby Strasbourg.
"Obama number one," said a broadly smiling taxi driver in Istanbul, flashing a thumbs up.
Perhaps. How much he succeeded is open to debate, however, and it could take a long time to gauge how successfully he managed to reshape American policy, and with it the course of world affairs.
"This will be tested in time," Obama said at a town hall meeting in Istanbul, his second of his trip.
"Moving the ship of state is a slow process. States are like big tankers; they're not like speedboats. You can't just whip them around and go in a new direction. Instead you've got to slowly move it and then eventually you end up in a very different place."
Senior Obama adviser David Axelrod called it an "enormously productive trip."
He said it produced an international approach to solving the economic crisis, restoring growth and creating a new regulatory framework for business and finance, including hedge funds.
White House aides also lauded the agreement by NATO allies to send an additional 5,000 troops to Afghanistan, though they didn't mention that none would be combat troops.
Ultimately, they said, Obama got to know world leaders, recommitted the United States to working through international alliances and demonstrated a personal leadership style in mediating disputes between France and China over tax havens and between European powers and Turkey over appointing a new secretary-general at NATO.
"He . . . projected the best of America on this trip, and I think the world responded in a very positive way," Axelrod said.
"Why didn't the waters part, the sun shine and all ills of the world disappear because President Obama came to Europe this week? That wasn't our expectation. That will take at least a few weeks," he added to laughter.
Reginald Dale, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a national-security research center in Washington, wasn't among those laughing. He called Obama's trip a disappointment.
"It was very strong on glamour and presentation but much less so on substance," Dale said. "To draw an analogy, it reminded me a bit of an Easter egg: very colorful, but when you open it up, it's hollow."
MORE FROM MCCLATCHY
McClatchy Newspapers 2009 | <urn:uuid:9fc37b6b-05b4-4ea3-912b-e08bd5c44117> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/04/07/v-print/65679/obama-wowed-them-in-europe-but.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978649 | 703 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Update, Nov. 1, 2012:
The Maryland State Department of Education’s Traumatic Brain Injury/Sports Related Concussion Task Force's public hearing on traumatic brain injuries and concussions among interscholastic athletes in Maryland public schools has been rescheduled, the State Department of Education announced Wednesday.
The hearing will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 5 in the state school board meeting room at 200 W. Baltimore St., in Baltimore.Advance registration is required to testify. Call Sharon Komornik at 410-767-0555 by the close of business on Friday, Nov. 2 to register. Speakers will have three minutes will be allotted for oral comments.
The rescheduling of the hearing, which was originally set for Monday, Oct. 29, is due to Hurricane Sandy.
Original post, Oct. 17, 2012:
As football season brings the dangers of head injuries into sharper focus, the Maryland State Department of Education announced plans Tuesday to hold a public hearing on traumatic brain injuries and concussions among interscholastic athletes in Maryland public schools.
The Maryland State Department of Education’s Traumatic Brain Injury/Sports Related Concussion Task Force will hold the hearing from 1 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 29 in the state school board meeting room at 200 W. Baltimore St., in Baltimore.
Hearing topics may include:
- Best practices for recognizing concussion signs and symptoms.
- Removal and return to play.
- Parent, coach and student awareness.
- Protective equipment.
- Prevention strategies.
Advance registration is required to testify. Call Sharon Komornik at 410-767-0555 by the close of business on Oct. 25 to register. Speakers will have three minutes will be allotted for oral comments.
Written comments of any length may be submitted by email to email@example.com or to MPSSAA, 200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
The task force has been meeting since August and will issue a report with recommendations to the State Board of Education in late January, said Ned Sparks, executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association.
The hearing is a way to allow “parities that we were not able to accommodate on the task force to provide information that might be pertinent to the issue …,” Sparks said. “We want to make sure we at least air out everything and make the report as comprehensive as possible.”
The Maryland General Assembly passed legislation in 2011 requiring the state Department of Education to collaborate with the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, local school boards and experts to develop a program to raise concussion awareness among coaches, school personnel, students and parents. The legislation also requires that a student athlete suspected of suffering a head injury be removed from play “until he or she has obtained written clearance from a licensed health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.”
Following the enactment of the law, the state Department of Education and MPSSAA issued guidelines for implementing concussion awareness programs.
Still, some parents don’t think schools are doing enough to raise awareness about the dangers of head injuries in contact sports.
Kristen Sheely, of Germantown, founded the Derek Sheely Foundation in memory of her son, who died after suffering a head injury during a football practice at Frostburg State University in 2011. Sheely is pressing the state for changes to protect student-athletes.
Montgomery County Public Schools announced last month that it is considering a baseline-testing program for all student-athletes, Patch reported. The program would be used to identify when athletes have suffered a concussion and to determine when they can safely return to play. | <urn:uuid:c7c2a11f-b3f6-4fb8-b45b-1204b9ef47a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bethesda-chevychase.patch.com/articles/state-task-force-to-hold-hearing-on-sports-related-concussions | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94306 | 783 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Dear Fellow of TWAS:
Greetings from Chennai, southern India. I am a volunteer with an NGO and I devote half my time to a project on ICT-enabled development and the other half to science in the developing world. The common thread in both of them is improving access to relevant information. The rural poor and the marginalized need information that can benefit them and our project is built around this simple premise. Scientists, as all of us know only too well, also need to access information relevant to their work. However, most scientists in the developing world do not get all the information they need. Journals are expensive. Databases are prohibitively costly. Not all of them have high bandwidth Internet connections. As telecommunication costs are high they rarely use telephones.
The problem is not only with accessing information. Developing country scientists also find it difficult to get their papers read by a wide audience. They lack the much-needed visibility.
Fortunately, thanks to recent advances in information and communication technologies, we have a great opportunity to make the playing field level wherein irrespective where one works one can access information as well as make one's own work widely noticed.
Experts like Stevan Harnad of Southampton have been advocating institutional self-archiving of all our results prior to publication in professional journals. Physicists amongst us know the value the archive arXiv. Computer scientists know the value of CiteSeer. These are centralized archives. What Harnad advocates is decentralized or distributed archives (or institutional self-archiving).
If every academic and research institution in both developing and developed countries sets up such archives and makes them interoperable, then the twin problems of access and visibility can be solved to a great extent.
TWAS and like-minded organizations such as IAP, ICSU and Unesco, should work towards setting up such distributed archives. Indeed, the forthcoming WSIS meeting in Geneva provides us a great opportunity to pass a resolution on this subject.
Even if all the world's information is freely available on the Net, it will not be any use if one does not have a decent Internet connection. As Prof. Bruce Alberts said in one of his talk in Geneva, we should launch a massive programme of connecting developing country academic and research institutions to high bandwidth Internet, even if it means heavy subsidy. TWAS may try to persuade international (mulrilateral and bilateral) organizations and philanthropic foundations to underwrite such a programme. The forthcoming TWAS meeting in Beijing, I am sure, will consider these issues.
I have pleasure in attaching my recent paper Information for Research in Developing Countries Information Technology, a Friend or Foe?
where I have articulated my views.
30 September 2003 | <urn:uuid:825cb9ee-eda3-4014-adfe-47473add729e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archive.digitalopportunity.org/article/view/69744 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934139 | 558 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Steiff, Steiff teddy bear, Steiff bear, Bing bear, Bing Teddy Bear,
Bing, Farnell, J.K. Farnell, Farnell Teddy Bear, Farnell Bear,
Merrythought, Merrythought teddy bear, Merryweather, Merrythought bear,
Chiltern teddy bear, Chiltern, Chiltern Bear, Teddy Toy Company, Terry,
Harwin, Schuco, Colonel Bob Henderson, Good Bears of the World, Peter
Bull, Theodore, Elliot, Alfonzo, Teddy Girl, World Record, Peter
Rabbit, Daniel Agnew, Christie's, Christies, Leyla Maniera, Einco,
kapok, excelsior, wood wool, straw, squeaker, growler, mohair, Pat and
Nora, Hermann, Sue Pearson, Pam Hebbs, Leanda Harwood, Ian Pout,
Bonhams, Bonham's, Antique Teddy Bear, Golly, Gollywogg, Gollywog,
Golliwog, Florence K Upton, Teddy Tail, Rupert Bear, Paddington, Sooty,
Sweep, Soo, Nookie, Hugglets, daniel agnew
Brothers Ignaz and Adolph Bing
founded the Company and it was based in Nuremberg, selling
toys and kitchenware. A factory, known as Bing Brothers Nuremberg
Toy Factory, was established in the 1880's to manufacture
Established a factory in Grunhain, Saxony
Became a public limited company, the name changed to Nuremberg
Metal and Enamelware Works. Adolph Bing left the company and
Ignaz became chairman.
Bing began producing plush toys including teddy bears.
Legal battle with Steiff re the "button in
Neinrich Muller, the founder of Schuco, joined the company.
He was trained by Kunz Weidlich the designer.
Bing Ltd, operating from East London, became
sole agents in Britain (as part of Eisenmann & Co Ltd).
A lawsuit with Steiff began, which was to last until 1915,
re the somersaulting bear
Agents Concentra specialise in marketing all Bing
products under different brand names. Bing was the only toy
manufacturer to continue production during WWI.
Ignaz Bing died
L Rees & Co., based in London, act as distribution
agents of Bing toys in Britain and Commonwealth. Stephen Bing,
Ignaz's son, becomes director general and the company name was
changed to Bing Works.
Stephen Bing and all other family members left the company.
A variety of reasons are offered ranging from boardroom disagreements
to the treatment of Jews (the Bing family were Jewish) by Adolf
The company went into receivership, equipment
was auctioned and parts are sold off, some to rivals such as
Karl Bub another Nuremberg toy company, Fleischmann and Schuco.
1992 - 1994
In May 1992 Eric Kluge was in the USA on business. He was
contacted by an elderly lady called Sarah Neumann, re some teddy
bear patterns she owned. That lady was born Sarah Bing. Eric
took the patterns and as soon as he returned to Germany he registered
the logo and the company "Bing". In 1994 Gebruder
Bing was reborn.
A synthetically produced fibre. Acrylic (polymethyl
methacrylate) was developed after World War II for use in Courtelle,
Dralon and other synthetic fabrics. The resultant fabric woven
from acrylic fibres is very soft and warm.
The alpaca is a small llama. It's long, strong, fleece produces
a soft and woolly fabric.
Someone who loves and usually collects teddy bears
Artificial Silk (Art-silk)
A man-made fibre, invented in the 1880's and first used in
the toy industry at the end of the 1920's.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries shoes and boots were
usually fastened with black buttons (made from wood pulp). These
were often used as eyes in early teddy bears.
Also known as hessian. A course fabric fabric woven from jute
and used for some early stuffed toys.
When used in relation to a rare, early Steiff bear. To use
material economically Steiff cut six teddy bear heads from one
length of mohair, a seventh head was then cut in two pieces
and sewn together forming a seam down the centre of the bears
A two-pronged metal pin used to fasten the disc joints which
allow teddy to move his arms, legs and head.
The waste from the manufacture of cotton was used as stuffing
during World War II when other materials, such as kapok, were
not available. This waste is also known as "sub".
US trade name for wood shavings or wood wool which was used
to stuff teddy bears.
Foam used as a stuffing material during 1960's.
A matted woollen fabric frequently used for teddy's paw and
Golden Teddy Awards
The number of bear artists increased significantly during
the 1980's and 1990's. Their contribution was recognised when
the Golden Teddy awards were introduced in 1987. Robin Rive
has been nominated for and received a number of Golden Teddy
A "voice-box" usually fitted in teddy's tummy but
sometimes in his side which is activated by tipping him forward
A pronounced lump on the back of a bear, first used by Steiff
but copied by other manufacturers. Most often seen on early
A collection of teddy bears.
The bears nose and muzzle is made from a separate, often different,
piece of fabric to the rest of the head/face.
Generally discs are inserted at each arm, leg and at the neck
allowing movement. In the late 1950's bears without joints were
produced which allowed them to be easily washed.
A light-weight, hygenic and soft stuffing material mainly
used in the 1920's and 1930's
A service whereby, once a deposit has been paid, the seller
will keep an item for an agreed period of time during which
the balance is paid by instalments. Tell me more about
Originally yarn or cloth made from the fleece of an angora
goat but today it may be a wool and cotton mix.
"Paw" pads are those at the end of the "arms"
of a teddy bears. "Foot" pads are those on the soles
of the feet. Pads are usually made of felt, but may also be
made of rexine (for teddy bears made in 1940's or later), leather
In the 1980's manufacturers, such as Steiff, began making
copies of their antique teddy bears. Often replica's are made
in limited editions.
The tradename for a leathercloth made by covering a woven
cloth with cellulose nitrate. Used on British bear paw and foot
pads from the late 1930's to early 1960's.
A bear with metal joints that run through the body. Introduced
by Steiff and used in their very early bears.
Used to make moulded noses for teddy bears.
An inexpensive bear, with thin limbs, made in the USA.
A voice box, frequently fitted in teddy's tummy, which emits
a sound when pressed.
Stuffing made from cotton waste and used during World War
II when other materials, such as kapok, were not available.
A thin card tag attached to a bear or hung around it's neck
to identify the manufacturer. These were usually removed by
parents. See the Chad Valley section of our Encyclopaedia for
The number of bear artists increased significantly during
the 1980's and 1990's. Their work was recognised when the Toby
(Teddy Bear of the Year) was introduced in 1990.
US tradename for a soft, synthetic fabric, developed in late
1960's/early 1970's, similar to suede.
The four or five large stitches which form the paw claws are
linked with a strand of thread to produce a webbed effect. This
was used by Farnell and Merrythought in 1930's.
Long, very fine wood shavings used for stuffing teddy bears.
Also known as excelsior. Makes a scrunching sound when pressed.
In America, the teddy bear, according to tradition, got its start with a
cartoon. The cartoon, drawn by Clifford Berryman and titled "Drawing the Line
in Mississippi," showed President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a baby
bear. According to this often told tale, Roosevelt had traveled to
Mississippi to help settle a border dispute between that state and Louisiana,
and his hosts, wanting to please this avid hunter, took him bear hunting. The
hunting was so poor that someone finally captured a bear and invited Roosevelt
to shoot. Roosevelt's refusal to fire at such a helpless target inspired
Berryman to draw his cartoon with its play on the two ways Roosevelt was
drawing a line—settling a border dispute and refusing to shoot a captive
The cartoon appeared in a panel of cartoons drawn by Cliffored Berryman inThe Washington Post on November 16, 1902. It caused an immediate
sensation and was reprinted widely. Apparently this cartoon even inspired
Morris and Rose Michtom of Brooklyn, New York, to make a bear in honor of the
president's actions. The Michtoms named their bear "Teddy's Bear" and placed
it in the window of their candy and stationery store. Instead of looking
fierce and standing on all four paws like previous toy bears, the Michtoms'
bear looked sweet, innocent, and upright, like the bear in Berryman's cartoon.
Perhaps that's why "Teddy's Bear" made a hit with the buying public. In fact,
the demand was so strong that the Michtoms, with the help of a wholesale firm
called Butler Brothers, founded the first teddy bear manufacturer in the
United States, the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.
Meanwhile, across the ocean in Germany, Richard Steiff was working for his
aunt, Margarete Steiff, in her stuffed toy business. Richard, a former art
student, often visited the Stuttgart Zoo to sketch animals, particularly the
bear cubs. In 1902, the same year the Michtoms made "Teddy's Bear," the
Steiff firm made a prototype of a toy bear based on Richard's designs.
Though both the Michtoms and Steiff were working on bears at the same time,
certainly neither knew, at a time of poor transatlantic communication, about
the other's creation. Besides, the Michtoms' bear resembled the wide-eyed cub
in the Berryman cartoon, while the Steiff bear, with its humped back and long
snout, looked more like a real bear cub.
A few months later, in March 1903, at the Leipzig Toy Fair, Steiff
introduced its first bear—Baer 55PB. The European buyers showed little
interest, but an American toy buyer, who was aware of the growing interest in
"Teddy's bears" in the States, ordered 3000. In America, people were
beginning to get teddy bear fever, and Steiff was in the right place at the
right time.The Teddy Bear Craze
By 1906, the teddy bear craze was in full swing in the United States. The
excitement probably compared to the frenzy for Cabbage Patch dolls in the
1980s and Beanie Babies in the 1990s. Society ladies carried their teddies
everywhere, and children had their pictures taken with their teddy bears.
President Roosevelt, after using a bear as a mascot in his re-election bid,
was serving his second term. Seymour Eaton, an educator and a newspaper
columnist, was writing a series of children's books about the adventures of
The Roosevelt Bears, and another American, composer J.K. Bratton, wrote "The
Teddy Bear Two Step." That song would become, with the addition of words,"The Teddy Bear's Picnic."
Meanwhile, American manufacturers were turning out bears in all colors and
all kinds, from teddy bears on roller skates to teddy bears with electric
eyes. "Teddy bear," without the apostrophe and the s, became the accepted
term for this plush bruin, first appearing in print in the October 1906 issue
of Playthings Magazine. Even Steiff, a German company, adopted the
name for its bears.
Steiff and Ideal were no longer the only players in the teddy bear
business. In America, dozens of competitors sprang up. Almost all of these
very early companies didn't last, with the notable exception of the Gund
Manufacturing Corporation. Gund made its first bears in 1906 and is still
making bears today.
American teddy bear companies faced stiff competition from all the teddy
bears imported from Germany, and many of the U.S. companies didn't last long.
In Germany, toymaking was an old and established industry, and many German
firms, such as Bing, Schuco, and Hermann, joined with Steiff in making fine
In England, The J.K. Farnell & Co. got its start; in fact, the original
Winnie the Pooh was a Farnell bear Christopher Robin Milne received as a first
birthday present from his mother in 1921. Five years later, his father, A.A.
Milne, would begin to publish the Winnie-the-Pooh books about his son
Christopher's adventures with his bear and his other stuffed animals. Today
you can see the original toys that inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh books on
permanent display in the Central Children's Room of the Donnell Branch of the
New York Public Library in New York City, while the Pooh books themselves are
as popular as ever.More Great Years: The 1920s - 1940s
With the exception of the four years when World War I raged in Europe, the
next 25 years were kind to the teddy bear. Mass production had not yet taken
over the teddy bear world, and people still preferred to buy high quality,
hand-finished teddy bears.
Because World War I interrupted the flow of teddy bears from Germany, new
teddy bear industries developed outside Germany. Chad Valley, Chiltern, and
Dean's joined Farnell in England; Pintel and Fadap were begun in France, and
Joy Toys in Australia. The bears themselves changed, too. Boot-button eyes
were replaced by glass, and excelsior stuffing was replaced by a softer
The United States was relatively untouched by the war, and its teddy bear
industry continued to grow. For example, the Knickerbocker Toy Company got
its start in 1920 and continues to make teddy bears today. Nine years later,
though, the U.S. was hit by the Depression, and most teddy bear companies were
hurt by the financial crisis. After 1929, many American companies either
found cheaper ways to produce bears, or they closed.
In the 1920s and 30s, musical bears and mechanical bears were very popular,
and they were produced all over the world. Perhaps the most noteworthy
manufacturers of these novelty bears were Schuco and Bing. These two German
companies made bears that walked, danced, played ball, and even turned
But the outbreak of World War II in 1939 stopped the fun. Instead of
making teddy bears, the world's workers and factories were needed for the war
effort. Some companies closed and never reopened.The Lean Years: The 1950s - 1970s
While traditional teddy bear companies had always prided themselves on
quality hand-finishing and had always used natural fibers to make their bears,
all that changed after World War II. Fueled by a desire for washable toys,
synthetic fibers were all the rage in the post-War years. Buyers liked the
idea of washable toys, so bears were made from nylon or acrylic plush, and had
plastic eyes and foam rubber stuffing.
While traditional teddy bear companies could adapt to this change in
materials, they were not prepared to compete against the flood of much
cheaper, mass-produced teddy bears coming from eastern Asia. Even the old,
well-established companies were hurt by the onslaught of inexpensive teddy
bears from the Far East. The Teddy Bear's Comeback: The Present
Strangely enough, the comeback of the teddy after years of mass-production
was triggered, not by a bear maker, but by an actor. On television, British
actor Peter Bull openly expressed his love for teddy bears and his belief in
the teddy bear's importance in the emotional life of adults. After receiving
2000 letters in response to his public confession, Peter realized he wasn't
alone. In 1969, inspired by this response, he wrote a book about his lifelong
affection for teddy bears, Bear with Me, later called The Teddy
Bear Book. His book struck an emotional chord in thousands who also
believed in the importance of teddy bears. Without intending to, Bull created
an ideal climate for the teddy bear's resurgence. The teddy bear began to
regain its popularity, not so much as a children's toy, but as a collectible
In 1974, Beverly Port, an American dollmaker who also loved making teddy
bears, dared to take a teddy bear she made to a doll show. At the show, she
presented Theodore B. Bear holding the hand of one of her dolls. The
next year, Beverly presented a slide show she had created about teddy bears
for the United Federation of Doll Clubs. That show quickly became a
sensation. Other people, first in the United States and then all over world,
caught Beverly's affection for the teddy bear. They, too, began applying
their talents to designing and making teddy bears. One by one, and by hand,
teddy bear artistry was born with Beverly, who coined the term "teddy bear
artist," often cited as the mother of teddy bear artistry. Today thousands of
teddy bears artists, often working from their homes all over the world, create
soft sculpture teddy bear art for eager collectors.
Artist bears also set the stage for a new kind of manufactured bear, the
artist-designed manufactured bear. Today artist-designed manufactured bears
are offered by Ganz, Gund, Dean's, Knickerbocker, Grisly Spielwaren, and
others; all offer collectors the opportunity to own artist-designed bears that
cost less due to mass production.
American teddy bear artist Heather Stanley made 14-inch Simon.
This increased appreciation for the teddy bear as an adult collectible has
also increased the value of antique teddy bears, the hand-finished,
high-quality teddy bears manufactured in the first decades of the 20th
century. In the 1970s and 1980s, these old, manufactured teddy bears began
showing up in antique doll and toy auctions, and they began winning higher and
higher bids. Today the current record price for one teddy bear, Teddy
Girl by Steiff, is $176,000; that bear was sold at Christie's auction
house in 1994.
So what's next for the teddy bear? Certainly our love affair with the teddy
bear shows no signs of abating.
In 1999, in just the United States, collectors purchased $441 million worth
of teddy bears. Certainly, as we begin our journey through a new century, we
certainly need the teddy bear's gift of uncondtional acceptance, love, and
reassurance more than ever.
The name Teddy Bear comes from one of American President Theodore Roosevelt's hunting trips to Mississippi.
There were several other hunters competing, and most of them had
already shot something. A suite of Roosevelt's attendants, lead by Holt Collier, cornered, clubbed, and tied to a willow tree an American Black Bearafter a long exhausting chase with hounds. They called Roosevelt to the
site and suggested he shoot it. He refused to shoot the bear himself,
deeming this un-sportsmanlike, but instructed that the bear be killed to put it out of its misery, and it became the topic of a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902.While the initial cartoon of an adult black bear lassoed by a white
handler and a disgusted Roosevelt had symbolic overtones, later issues
of that and other Berryman cartoons made the bear smaller and cuter. A Brooklyn store owner, Morris Michtom,
saw the drawing of Roosevelt and the bear cub and was inspired to
create a new toy. He created a little stuffed bear cub and put it in
his shop window with a sign that read "Teddy's bear." The toys were an
immediate success and Michtom founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co., which still exists today.
At the same time, in Germany the Steiff firm, unaware of Michtom's bear, produced a stuffed bear from Richard Steiff's designs. They exhibited the toy at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903 and exported 3000 to the United States.
By 1906 manufacturers other than Michtom and Steiff had joined in
and the craze for Teddy Bears was such that ladies carried them
everywhere, children were photographed with them, and Roosevelt used
one as a mascot in his bid for re-election.
American educator Seymour Eaton wrote the children's book series The Roosevelt Bears, while composer John Bratton wrote "The Teddy Bear Two Step" music which with Jimmy Kennedy's lyrics became the song "The Teddy Bears' Picnic".
While the Mississippi history is fact, another legend of how the
teddy bear got its name comes from the American state of Colorado.
In 1905, the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, Colorado,
became the temporary home for the President of the United States and
his assistants during a three-week bear hunting expedition. Roosevelt
stayed at the Hotel Colorado on multiple occasions after this.
According to the hotel, maids gave a stuffed bear pieced together
with scraps of material to Theodore Roosevelt after an unsuccessful day
of hunting to cheer him up. Later, when he did kill a bear, his teenage
daughter Alice admired it saying, "I will call it Teddy."
Kinds of teddy bears
A 1902 political cartoon in The Washington Post spawned the Teddy bear name.
Commercially made, mass-produced teddy bears are predominantly made
as toys for children. These bears have safety joints for attaching arms
legs and heads. They must have securely fastened eyes that do not pose
a choking hazard for small children. These "plush" bears must meet a
rigid standard of construction in order to be marketed to children in
the United States and in the European Union.
By contrast, artist bears are not mass produced and are not intended
for small children. In fact, most carry a tag saying that "These bears
are intended for an adult market of avid collectors. They are
individually created by a whole host of artists around the world. Many
of these artists design their own bears as well as making them by hand
or stitching them up on home sewing machines. These bears are not mass
They are available for purchase through the individual artists,
specialty shops, web sites, and at art shows, Teddy Bear shows and
craft shows across the globe. These bears are almost always jointed
with movable heads, arms and legs. The jointing systems to attach these
appendages and heads are most often disk and screw or disk and cotter
pin combinations but can be done with buttons, simple string, chain or
any other method an enterprising artist may devise.
There are also companies that sell handmade collectible bears that
can be purchased in stores or over the Internet. Some examples of such
companies are Steiff and Original Paka Bear Company.
The "fur" from which these charming creatures are made is as varied
and interesting as the bears themselves. Mohair, the fur shorn or
combed from a breed of long haired goats, is woven into cloth, dyed and
trimmed to produce a fascinating choice for any artist's palette.
Alpaca teddy bears are made from the pelt of an alpaca because the
fiber is too soft to weave. In addition to mohair and alpaca, there is
a huge selection of "plush" or synthetic fur made for the teddy bear
market. Both these types of fur are commercially produced.
10 modern day teddy bears of various type.
Some teddy bear artists specialize in the production of bears made
from recycled materials. These artists hunt thrift stores, flea
markets, garage sales and trash collection centers as well as their own
and their families' basements and attics in search of forgotten
treasures to be turned into a collector's dream. Old quilts, dresses,
fur collars, coats and stoles as well as beaded bags and garments are
quickly transformed into stunning teddy bears.
Some other teddy bear artists specialize in crochet bears made out
of thread. They are called Thread Crochet Bears. For these bears
artists do not use fabric; they make the fabric crocheting and at the
same time make the bear. Thread Crochet Bears are fully jointed,
miniature bears. Some are even micro, less than 2 inches tall. Thread
crochet bears may be made out of crochet cotton thread, Perle cotton
thread, Mohair thread, Punch thread, some thin fancy yarn, like
eyelash, or any other fiber that can be.
Teddy bears have seen a resurgence in popularity as national "do it
yourself" chains have opened. Among the largest and best known are Build-A-Bear Workshop and Vermont Teddy Bear Companywith the former being mostly in malls where you go in and actually
piece together your own teddy bear including its accessories such as
shirts, pants, shoes, hats, glasses, etc.
The world's first Teddy Bear Museum was set up in Petersfield, Hampshire, England, in 1984. In 1990, a similar foundation was set up in Naples, Florida, United States. This was closed in 2005, and the bears sold by auction.
^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Holt Collier:Guiding Roosevelt through the Mississippi Canebreaks
^ a b c Teddy Bears. Library Of Congress. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
^ Marianne Clay. The History of the Teddy Bear. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
^ Theodore Roosevelt Association. The story of The Teddy Bear...
^ a b Gary. Teddy Bear Information. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
^ Teddy bear celebrates 100th birthday BBC, 2002-12-03
^ Seymour Eaton. Greater Lansdowne Civic Association (GLCA) (2003). Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
^ Teddy Bear Picnic. Marc Gunn. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
^ Hotel Colorado
Steiff is a German-based
plush toy company known for its high quality and equally high prices.
It was begun in 1880 by Margarete Steiff, who was later assisted by her
brother Fritz. Their nephew Richard joined in 1897, who gave the
company an enormous boost in popularity by creating the teddy bear in 1902. In 1907, Steiff manufactured 974,000 bears, and has been increasing its output ever since.
The Steiff company motto, as styled by Margarete Steiff, is "Only
the best is good enough for children". Steiff products are subject to
meticulous testing and inspection. They are required to be highly flame
resistant and, among other things, smaller pieces such as eyes must be
able to resist considerable tension, wear and tear, etc.
The most common materials used in Steiff toys are alpaca, felt, mohair, and woven plush. Eyes are generally made of wood or glass, and the stuffing is commonly wood shavings or polyesterfibers. A large amount of the work is done by hand, from design
sketches to airbrushed paint. The final touch on any Steiff toy is the
trademark "button in ear" (assuming the animal has one; in any case
they'll find a spot for it).
The famed "button in ear" was devised by Margarete's nephew Franz in
1904, to keep counterfeits from being passed off as authentic Steiff
toys. It was originally of metal with the symbol of an elephant, later
replaced by the name "Steiff". The button is still used to distinguish
Steiff toys from fakes.
Margarete Steiff
Margarete Steiff (July 24, 1847 - May 9, 1909), born in Giengen, started creating toy stuffed animals in 1880 in the town of Giengen an der Brenz, Germany.
Margarete was a seamstress and confined to a wheelchair, due to polio she contracted as a baby, she started making stuffed animals as a hobby.
These toys began as elephants, which were originally a design Steiff found in a magazine and originally sold as pincushionsto her friends. However, children began playing with them, and in the
years following she went on to design many other successful
animal-themed toys for children, such as dogs, cats and pigs. She designed and made most of the prototypes herself.
She died in Giengen on May 9, 1909 of pneumonia.
Amy Goodrich, Ireland
Anjo Noija, The Netherlands
Annemieke Koetse, Netherlands
Atlantic Bears, Scotland
Becky Wheeler, USA
Christy Firmage, U.S.A
Deborah Beardsley Elertson, U.S.A
Elaine Goodhand, England
Elaine Lonsdale, England
Emi Etchu, Japan
Gaby Schlotz, Germany
Gill Cousins, England
Gisela Hofmann, Germany
Heidi Schaefer, GERMANY
Heike Boam, Germany
Hiroe Nojiri, Japan
Hisa Kato, Japan
Jeanette Warner, United States
Jo-Anne Pennick, uk
Joan Easton, New Zealand
Jody Battaglia, United States
June Kendall, England
Jutta Michels, Germany
Katrin Mueller, Germany
Lesley Stipanov, Australia
Lindy Mullard, British
Lorraine Almond, Australia
Louise Peers, UK
Marie Robischon, Germany
Marji Bebiak, USA
Mary George, USA
Megan Chamberlain, South Africa
Micha Parnell, England
Michael Jordan, Germany
Miho Kinugasa, Japan
Monty & Joe Sours, USA
Nadia Jacobs, Belgium
Pam Howells, England
Pat Murphy, U.S.A
Peng Peng Klayman, USA
Ralph and Gloria Norbury, British
Saeri Omachi, Japan
Sally Bowles, British
Sally Lambert, UK
Sharon Barron, USA
Sharon Queen, USA
Silke Mouarrawy, Germany
Sue Lain, U.S.A
Sue Quinn, UK The name Teddy Bear comes from the November 1902
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/New_York' for 'EDT/-4.0/DST' instead in /home/dagnew/public_html/whosonline.php on line 14
Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/New_York' for 'EDT/-4.0/DST' instead in /home/dagnew/public_html/whosonline.php on line 15 | <urn:uuid:06ec87d1-d7ed-42a9-876e-f94494b4c1df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://danielagnew.com/inquiry.php?c=m&ID=499&CAT=22&item=Sale | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9417 | 6,965 | 1.53125 | 2 |
The Federal Reserve Building in Washington. / Alex Brandon, AP
Federal Reserve policymakers may be divided over when to rein in their aggressive efforts to lower interest rates and stimulate the economy by buying $85 billion in government bonds each month.
But there's less dissension among top U.S. economists surveyed by USA TODAY: A clear majority say the Fed will continue the bond-buying into next year.
Sixty percent predict the Fed will keep buying long-term Treasury bonds until after Jan. 1, 2014, and 58% say the same about the Fed's monthly purchases of mortgage-backed securities.
Each month, the Fed is buying $45 billion in Treasuries and $40 billion in mortgage bonds. Almost two-thirds of the economists say policymakers will maintain the same amount of purchases this year.
"They're going to lean this way until they see the labor market improve" significantly, ITG chief economist Steve Blitz said.
In official statements, the Fed has said the purchases would continue until the job market improves "substantially."
But at the December meeting, Fed members appeared split on the timetable, according to the meeting's minutes. "A few" members said the purchases should be stopped by year's end, "several others" thought they should stop or be slowed well before the end of 2013 and one said additional buying was unnecessary altogether.
The release of the minutes on Jan. 3 pushed up yields slightly on the 10-year Treasury note as investors grew concerned about an early scaleback of the program. Fed officials' intentions could become clearer when the minutes of their Jan. 29-30 meeting are released Wednesday.
By buying bonds, the Fed is trying to drive up their prices and lower their yields. That theoretically lowers interest rates broadly and sparks purchases of homes, cars and factory gear, and it pushes investors into stocks and other riskier assets. The Fed program has been credited with fueling the recent stock market rally, which makes consumers feel wealthier and spend more.
Chicago Fed chief Charles Evans has said job growth of 200,000 a month for about six months could constitute the kind of payroll gains the Fed is seeking before it scales back the purchases. Monthly job additions have averaged 177,000 the past six months.
But economists in the USA TODAY survey expect job growth to slow somewhat the first half of the year amid a recent increase in payroll taxes and anticipated federal budget cutbacks.
The economy, meanwhile, contracted slightly in the fourth quarter on defense cutbacks and slower business stockpiling.
"I think the economy is sufficiently sluggish that (the Fed) can continue these purchases," says Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute of Economic Competitiveness.
Evans told CNBC this month the bond buying likely would continue another six months to a year.
Other Fed members say the purchases have pushed the Fed's bond portfolio past $3 trillion, and that will make it more difficult to sell the assets rapidly enough to head off eventual inflation.
Kansas City Fed chief Esther George said last month the sale of the mortgage assets "could be potentially disruptive to markets." She was the lone dissenter to the bond purchases at the Fed's meeting in January.
Mike Englund, chief economist of Action Economics, says the Fed likely will strike a balance by roughly halving the size of the bond purchases starting in mid-2013. "They're trying to find some middle ground," he says.
Evans told CNBC it makes more sense to gradually taper down the bond purchases than to end them abruptly. The latter strategy could sharply push up yields. About a third of the economists USA TODAY surveyed say the Fed will pare the bond purchases this year.
Other economists say the Fed could forge a compromise in other ways. Richard Moody, chief economist of Regions Economics, says policymakers will stop buying Treasuries toward the end of 2013 but continue buying mortgage-backed securities to make a more direct impact on the all-important housing market.
Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, says the Fed will do the opposite and stop the mortgage bond purchases by Aug. 1 to avoid disrupting the market by depleting their supply.
Contributing: Barbara Hansen
Copyright 2013 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: Economists: Fed won't halt bond buying in '13 | <urn:uuid:5303714a-3653-491c-9677-50287b87581e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.democratandchronicle.com/usatoday/article/1929027 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954973 | 884 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Jeanne Allen President, Center for Education Reform :
Mr. President, you gave perhaps your best speech ever to the NAACP last week, in which you implored all people, and particularly, African-Americans, to take back control of the kids, their parenting, and ultimately, their education. "No excuses," you told the NAACP. There is no excuse for failure, no matter what your circumstance.
You righteously and rightly hit the achievement gap, calling for reform and criticizing those who advocate for money alone as the answer to failing schools. And yet, one of the most successful programs to date which has been limited to fewer than 2,000, mostly poor children of color is on the chopping block in Congress, despite local demand, and it languishes without your support. | <urn:uuid:54b2832f-6755-4af1-a1eb-c3e07f178d04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Jeanne_Allen_02EBE030-1FA3-4B26-9A65-1CEE9139E0D8.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97407 | 159 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Lethal Injection Debate Heats Up
The debate over the constitutionality and humaneness of lethal injection has just intensified. For the first time on Tuesday, an execution was halted because the drugs could not be successfully administered. Romell Broom, who has been on Ohio's death row since 1984, lay on the table for two hours while executioners tried to find a vein strong enough to withstand the injection. Finally, the execution was stopped after his lawyer convinced a judge to intervene. Today Broom's attorneys filed additional appeals to postpone, if not cancel, his execution, and a U.S. district court has just delayed his second injection for at least ten days.
Not surprisingly, this incident is heating up the national conversation about lethal injection. On Monday, Broom will be deposed about what those two hours felt like. His testimony will be used in a suit that argues lethal injection is cruel and unusual. Ohio public defender David Stebbins, who is working on the case, told the New York Times that Broom "has relevent evidence that needs to be preserved. Mr Broom has, of course, the most relevent testimony of what exactly they did to him and the amount of pain he was put in."
Since 2006, there have been three botched executions in Ohio. Each lasted for about two hours. Three years ago a condemed man in Florida was badly burned after the needle missed the vein and pierced his tissue. When I asked attorney Jen Moreno at University of California—Berkeley's Death Penalty Clinic to explain this pattern, she said that despite the states' promises to improve the system, it remains flawed. "They don't have a good system," Moreno said. "They have problems with protocol, problems with training, and problems with people carrying it out."
Ironically, as Vince Beiser reported for Mother Jones in 2005, lethal injection was originally adopted to make capital punishment more humane. The Oklahoma legislator behind that movement later became a priest who vehemently opposed all forms of capital punishment, including lethal injection. He told Mother Jones, "I always think about my role, whenever I hear about a capital case being tried. It's always me, like an old wound." | <urn:uuid:647e86f0-9f1a-491a-a6e9-25dfd2f8fbc3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/lethal-injection-debate-surges | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979801 | 447 | 1.78125 | 2 |
One of the things that separate advanced developers from intermediate (at least around here) is the use of Java. Most advanced CF developers know that if ColdFusion doesn't provide precisely the functionality you are looking for you can usually find something in Java that will do the job. Now I am not talking about petulant PHP or Java developers who are being "forced" to write in ColdFusion. Such developers tend to write rather awful code that jumps through hoops in order to make ColdFusion do something the PHP way or the Java way. These folks never figure out how to take advantage of ColdFusion strengths and they are often left with code that must be refactored. Still, ColdFusion and Java are blood brothers. It's axiomatic that if CF can't do what you want, Java can usually come to the rescue. In this post we will discuss a method to treat your Java development just like your ColdFusion development - compiling it automatically at at application refresh for easy development. But first, let's talk about why working with Java can be a bit tricky for ColdFusion folks.
You already know it is possible to work with native Java objects directly within your CF page. It can be a little clunky to get started but it is often well worth the effort. I've made that point in many previous posts like this one on a directory list that performs a tad better than "Cfdirectory" and my post on using Java sample code to create requisite Java objects in your CF page - found here. When a Java object can't be used directly in a page (sometimes it's simply too complex or implements things you can't mirror in CF), you can use the "wrapper" approach. Create a class that acts as an interface to the stuff you want and expose methods to your CF. Typically, given a few samples, even a novice Java programmer can accomplish this.
One problem with turning to Java is that it tends to cause headaches with the flow of development for many CF developers. ColdFusion folks are used to making changes to scripts and then running the changes. They don't really think about what's happening under the hood. Yes, they know that ColdFusion is invisibly compiling the code into Java byte code somewhere in the depths of the file system, but in reality programming in CFML is very iterative allowing for small changes that are visible immediately at runtime without any intermediate process (it's there - simply obscured by the ColdFusion application engine).
Not so with Java. A Java developer has to compile his code to classes. He then has to load his classes or get them on the class path or whatever in order to be seen and utilized. Of course Java developers have some really cool tools that abstract this as well - and Java development is probably more dependent on things like debuggers which allow them to intercept variables and objects "in mid-stream". This "Java'esque" dev environment can find itself at cross purposes - or at least alien - to the ColdFusion development environment.
What most CF folks do is divide the labor between two environments. They compile jar files and then put them on the class path in the Java args (or dump them in the /lib directory) and restart CF - then begin testing their changes. This slows down the "iterative" nature of ColdFusion programming. One solution you probably already know about is the class loader - the ability to load an arbitrary class in CF (based on a .class or .jar file) using the the Java class loader (which uses coldfusion.runtime.java.javaProxy and java.net.URLClassLoader). Ben Nadel has a great post on that approach found here. Using the class loader the CF developer can compile his classes and have them loaded directly at runtime. That solves one problem, but you still have to compile process and division of labor right? You are still developing one set of things "the Java way" and another "the ColdFusion way".
It turns out that with another bit of code you can not just load but compile your .java files from within ColdFusion. In the example I saw the developers had both .Java and .cfm/cfc files open in the same Eclipse environment. They were able to make changes to either types of files and then reload the page. The changes were automatic because CF recompiled the class file before loading it. Don't believe it? Check out this bit of sample code:
Like most Java code ported to CF it's more complex that it needs to be (Java is so darn wordy), but it should be easy enough to follow. All the set statements up to the myArray.set() methods are basically various class objects neeeded to get us to the compile function. The compile() function takes an array of values. Any value beginning with a "-" is a switch for the value that follows (think command line as in -d c:\blah\lib -classpath c:\blah\lib). followed by a list of files to compile - in this case only one, blah.java. The code above was assembled by extracting it from a complex CFC that was capable of compiling all the files in a given directory. I haven't tested it but the basics are there. If you happen to test it and debug it - please post your changes and I'll make sure and update it so it becomes more useful as a sample.
To summarize, in order to make changes to ColdFusion or to the Java classes being used, the developer only has to make his changes to source files (of either type) in eclipse and save the file - then reload the page (or reload the application). The underlying code recompiles the Java classes and then "reloads" the class (using the Java.net.URLClassLoader) to see his changes in effect.
This is useful code in development. I do not believe such code should be ported to production. I really don't think manually firing up the compiler is a great idea on a production system, and the class loader has demonstrated some problems with releasing references causing heap problems over time (although there are rumors this is greatly mitigated in recent JVM versions). But for development purposes where Java is a significant dependency I think this is some really clever code! Tell the Muse what you think.
Also, a shout out to Twin Tech's Jesse Dailey for the code samples and demo - and for letting me write about it. Thanks Jesse. | <urn:uuid:be95ed10-96a8-4839-972a-7f04aa42e1d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.coldfusionmuse.com/index.cfm/2011/10/25/compile.java.from.coldfusion | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947139 | 1,327 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Blackstone Chambers has won a long-running battle with the Government over the use of pesticides near residential homes near Chichester, West Sussex.
The set, representing campaigner ;Georgina Downs, showed there was solid evidence that residents had suffered harm.
Mr Justice Collins heard that residents exposed to pesticide-spraying had suffered from ill-health and blistering, with Downs herself displaying the symptoms from the age of 11.
Downs collected evidence from other residents reporting health problems including cancer, Parkinson’s disease, ME and asthma, which they believe could be linked to crop-spraying.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural ;Affairs ;(Defra), argued that its control of pesticides was “reasonable, logical and lawful”.
Collins J, however, said that the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 stated that beekeepers must be given 48 hours’ notice if pesticides harmful to bees were to be used. He added: “It is difficult to see why residents should be in a worse position [than bees].”
He also ruled that Defra had contravened a 1991 EC directive on pesticide safety.
East ;London-based Foresters partner Joe Mensah-Dankwah instructed Michael Fordham QC and Emma Dixon of Blackstone to represent Downs. The Treasury Solicitor instructed Robert Jay QC and Vikram Sachdeva of 39 Essex Street for Defra. | <urn:uuid:43e70e3c-95c2-4f8b-8a64-4bcc353da6ad> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thelawyer.com/blackstone-wins-pesticide-battle-with-government/135826.article | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967941 | 292 | 1.5 | 2 |
I've known how to make this butterfly for ages, so I thought I should share it with you;)
I realized it is really hard to explain the way I fold, so if you don't understand, please say so, I'll try to help;)
You can use any kind of paper, provided that it's foldable and has a nice color on one or both sides;)
First, take a square piece of paper with the white side up.
Fold it in half and fold the sides to the fold in the middle. Lay flat.
Fold down the corners, but don't let them touch the folds you've just made.
Fold the sides, over the corners you've just folded, it should look like this.
Fold the piece in half over the length.
Fold the corners down. (The corners of the CLOSED side)
Now comes the tricky part, you have to follow all the folds you've made, and this should be the result.
Fold the side in the middle (yeah right) down for about half a cm.
It should look like this.
Take the flaps and fold them over the fold you've just made.
Make sure it lay flat.
Now your butterfly has wings.
Fold the piece in half. (mountainfold)
Another tricky part; take one wing and fold it upwards, it should look like this:
Turn it around and do the same with the other wing.
If you lay it down on the table, the wings and the body will be shaped like a W, \/\/, so the wings point slightly upwards.
Take the butterfly in your hand, and fold the "body" like this:
Lay flat, the part that you've just folded up.
The last thing, fold the flap that connects the ings down, like this:
And here's your brand new Butterfly:-D | <urn:uuid:3922e74b-d41f-4152-ab5d-56c72d4feff1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/origami-butterfly | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94122 | 400 | 1.726563 | 2 |
|Mission Report: Uganda: June 2010|
Missionary Trip to UGANDA—Reported by Emil Hagamu, June 22–28, 2010
Uganda, a land-locked country in East Africa, is unique on that continent. The Catholic Bishops Conference is very outspoken in defending human life, particularly that of the unborn. The government is famous for its “A” & “B” approach for HIV/AIDS prevention strategies (of the ABC strategy - Abstain until marriage and Be faithful to your spouse). Although, lately, the Condom maniacs (the “C” in that acronym) are winning the battle. The Ugandan parliament is typically African. It strives to protect African traditional and cultural values against Western encroachment in areas such as homosexuality and same-sex unions. Uganda is the center of attraction for population control bigots. I set my foot on the soil of this country and was received by the Catholic Secretariat of the Bishops Conference staff. The Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference sent a car to pick me up from Entebbe International Airport, a drive that takes 30 minutes. In me, they saw a true ambassador for life, and, counting on my involvement, they now believe that the Uganda Pro-Life Movement has been rejuvenated.
I flew to Uganda via Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya, where I spent four solid hours at the airport, waiting for my connection to Entebbe. While waiting for my flight to Entebbe, I used the opportunity, which I think was divinely planned, to interview a number of Duty-Free Shop attendants on the widely contested constitutional amendment, which has divided Kenyans into two major groups: those supporting it and those opposing it. I interviewed a total of 21 attendants. All but one person rejected the amendment. The one person who rejected the amendment said that Kenyans were free to express their opinion and that there is no single issue that can be accepted by all people. With a “STOP ABORTION” hat on my head, two charming young people told me, “We are Africans in the first place, and Kenyans the second place. As Africans, coming from the Rift Valley region of Kenya, we profoundly stand for life. Therefore, any program, constitutional or non-constitutional, whose objective is to take away the life of our unborn children must be opposed with all vigor, because it is against God’s will and the African value for life.” [Note: Unfortunately, the pro-abortion constitutional referendum for Kenya did pass in the beginning of August.]
Visit to the Catholic Secretariat
On Wednesday, my host, Fr. Jonathan Opio came to pick me up from my hotel room at 10:00 AM. After taking a brief tour of the city, he drove directly to the Catholic Secretariat of the Bishops Conference of Uganda, which is situated at Nsambya Hill, where I met and talked with some heads of departments. I first talked with Joyce Zako, who is the National Youth Coordinator. She was very happy and expressed readiness to cooperate with whoever will be appointed to coordinate the pro-life activities. I then met Fr. Simon Jude Kanyike, Assistant Director of the Lay Apostolate Commission. He was enthusiastic and felt that my visit would rejuvenate pro-life activities in the country. Fr. Simon took us to the Secretary General, Msgr. John Kauta, whose charming reception was a clear indication that my visit was long awaited. He promised to support any initiatives to promote pro-life activities in the country and to advise the bishops accordingly. As he remembered my previous attempts to visit and conduct pro-life talks in the seminaries, he assured me that he would contact the rectors of the major seminaries so I could come back to fulfill my mission. He suggested December 2010 as the month to run the program. After this talk, Fr. Jonathan and I traveled to Tororo.
Religious leaders receive pro-life message
Young and energetic, Fr. Jonathan Opio is the parish priest at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish and also the youth chaplain for the Archdiocese of Tororo. Fr. Jonathan and I attended a one-day workshop on “Child Protection,” which was sponsored and organized by the District Child Protection Department of Tororo. The aim was to equip religious leaders with knowledge of how they can use their influence and places of worship to foster child-protective attitudes and practices. During the presentations, I was invited to present a talk on the pro-life mission. In my talk, I highlighted the need to protect the rights of the unborn child, especially the right to life, which legal documents like the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights do not mention. Step by step, I explained the origin and development of human life in the womb and the need for parents to welcome new human life with love and thanksgiving. The reception was overwhelmingly positive, and even the government facilitator was moved by my presentation. At the end of the workshop, one of the participants, who works for Mothers Union in the Bukedi Diocese, expressed her intention to invite me in the future to give a pro-life program. She belongs to one of the “born again” faith traditions.
Bankers become pro-lifers
In the evening of the same day, I had the opportunity to give a pro-life presentation to ten bank workers. My talk was centered on modern threats to life, marriage and the family and how those threats have consequences on population, religion and socio-economic infrastructures and cultural set-ups. Contraception and abortion are major modern vices confronting mankind. These vices have a multiplier effect in the sense that they lead to other evils, such as euthanasia, stem cell research, human cloning and homosexual life styles. On their part, the bank workers lamented that their government was not taking sufficiently strong measures to curtail free intrusion of foreign ideologies and practices in their country. Dispelling the myth of overpopulation and the accompanying lie of poverty, I told them that there is no direct relationship between population growth and poverty, and, in fact, the reverse is true. Where there is population growth, countries experience tremendous development in the economy, science, arts and industry. The “small family” propaganda is promoted for hedonistic purposes – namely, materialistic consumption. After a free discussion, those in attendance expressed the need to form their own group and be more involved in various pro-life issues. I promised to give them more pro-life material and, with proper planning, conduct an intensive pro-life training session in the future.
1,530 high school students receive education in chastity
On Friday afternoon, I had the privilege of giving a talk on chastity to 1,530 high school students. Students unanimously pledged to abstain from pre-marital sex so that they could become mature, responsible adults. They said they will strive to avoid environments that lead to sexual temptation and to concentrate on their studies. “Our families needs us, our nation needs us; we shall never let them down,” affirmed students at the end of my presentation.
The Archbishop blesses HLI’s mission
Later, on the same day, I paid a courtesy visit to the Archbishop, His Grace, Denis Kiwanuka Lote. The Archbishop was waiting for me outside the office when I arrived. When I entered, he immediately greeted me in Kiswahili and asked if I was a professor (a joke, I think). After the formal introductions, I explained to him the mission of HLI and my responsibilities as HLI’s Regional Coordinator for English-speaking Africa. On his part, Fr. Jonathan reported to the Archbishop the conditions that motivated him to invite me and also of our visit to the Catholic Secretariat. He told the Archbishop the positive response we had received from the Secretary General and other staff. He thanked the Archbishop for allowing this visit to take place and told him what we had accomplished so far and what we were going to do during the following two days. The Archbishop encouraged Fr. Jonathan to continue, noting that current threats to life and the family were undermining the Church’s teaching on spiritual and moral values. A strong pro-life movement in the diocese, he said, will enable the Catholic Church to provide a sound teaching of Church doctrine on matters of human life and the family. Lastly, he told Fr. Jonathan that he welcomed and blessed the pro-life movement. As Chairman of the Lay Apostolate Commission in the Bishops Conference, he will use his influence to convince other bishops to start a pro-life movement in their own dioceses. We concluded our talk with a prayer and blessing. He blessed my work and the mission of HLI in the world.
2,110 Young Christian Students Receive and Accept the Pro-life Message
On Saturday, we traveled to Mbale town, a two-hour drive northwards of Tororo to give a talk to 2,110 students. I devoted my talk to highlighting
the need to protect, defend and promote human life, especially unborn life. Abortion, I told them, is human sacrifice to the devil, who is a liar and murderer from the beginning. I explained the physical, psychological and moral side effects of abortion. I challenged them to oppose any abortion group, like Marie Stopes, that operate in their country.
Parishioners Vote for Life
On Sunday, I was given opportunity to give pro-life talks at the Sacred Heart Parish Church. At two masses, I addressed a congregation of about 2,340 lay faithful. Underlining the importance of human life and family, I outlined the challenges facing our Church and the Christian faithful today.
I told them that abortion, contraception, sterilization and sex education are being forced into our countries by foreign ideologies that are promoting the culture of death throughout the world. I challenged them to decide to choose life or death - to be on the side of the culture of life or death. All of them decided to stand for life and promote the culture of life and promised to join the pro-life movement in order to spread the Gospel of Life. | <urn:uuid:09b92d5d-3411-4f66-b998-22ed03e8a9e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hli.org/mission-field/englishspeaking-%20africa/904-mission-report-uganda-june-2010 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970604 | 2,105 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Susan’s new garden: Cylindropuntia, Oreocereus celsianus, Agave, and miniature roses.
A recent cactus fiend
I’m just going to put it out there: I like to push boundaries - in and out of the garden. Well, here is an example that even within the same species, the results of pushing the boundaries can be quite different. Now, how do I get more Oreocereus celsianus to perform like the former rather than the latter?
The “experimental” garden.
After last year’s mild winter, I decided to test a few plants in the garden this winter. The results are, well, mixed.
The Mammillaria nejapensis seems to be “sinking” - not a good sign. At first I thought it would just scar on the uppermost tubercles, but I don’t have much hope for this one surviving.
The grouping of two Oreocereus celsianus and three Espostoa melanostele isn’t looking too great either. The original O. celsianus, that overwintered outdoors last year, looks absolutely perfect, but the second specimen never seems to have settled in and now shows a fair amount of freeze damage. It will probably not make it. The E. melanostele, Peruvian Old Lady cacti, will certainly not make it. They may well already be empty shells.
Surprisingly, the Aloe vera continues to hold on to life. In fact, the green portions are even more lively now.
The Bulbine frutescens is showing signs of life, and the stems that have no green still feel alive to the touch. The question is whether it is worth keeping or swapping out each year with a new plant.
I am quite surprised by the state of the Cylindopuntia imbricata. There are just two segments clinging to life. Will this one survive? I sure hope so because it exactly the plant that I need in that spot.
While checking out the after effects of the cold weather that closed out 2012 and brought in 2013, I was surprised at how “plump” my oldest Oreocereus celsianus appeared. Well, when I looked back to six months ago, I noticed it isn’t necessarily more plump than this summer, but rather, more plump and much taller!
I decided the Old Man of the Andes, Oreocereus celsianus, could use some neighbors. These Espostoa melanostele, or Peruvian Old Lady cacti, were the perfect fit as they could very well be seen within the same Andean habitat - plus they were super cheap and two per pot, so I was able to group them in threes. They are all purported to be cold hardy to at least 20 degrees, and one of the Oreos already lived outdoors and dippped that low several days.
I also included a shot that shows the new thimble cacti and trimmed yucca.
I finally planted the other Oreocereus celsianus to the left of the once identical specimen that I planted in the ground last fall. While the one on the left is starting to get more hairy coverage, it still has a long way to go. Another striking difference is how much stockier the plant in the right is - all in all much better adjusted to the Texas heat and brief winter cold. | <urn:uuid:8e337f61-2678-4aa4-95a0-dd19dd7955e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cactguy.tumblr.com/tagged/Oreocereus-celsianus | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951084 | 741 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Baby boomer marriages are having a best of times/worst of times moment.
Despite the overall divorce rate in the U.S. dropping during the past two decades, the rate of couples divorcing after age 50 has doubled. In 1990, fewer than 10 percent of divorces included spouses age 50 or older, according to a National Center for Family and Marriage Research study out of Bowling Green State University. Today, boomers account for more than 25 percent of divorces. Bad news, right?
Researchers and sociologists cite a handful of arguably positive factors, though: longer life spans, more financial stability for women, a higher standard for happy coupling. Indeed, a 2010 Pew Research Center study found that boomers are more likely than any other population segment to say the main point of marriage was to seek happiness, and 66 percent said they would prefer divorce to an unhappy marriage, compared with 44 percent of younger Americans.
Ideally, marriage experts say, more couples will find a way to capitalize on the evolution of marital roles and norms without feeling like they've got to throw in the towel.
"It would be insane for any of us to think we're the same person at 55 that we were at 25," says New York-based relationship counselor Rachel Sussman. "The criteria we used to make decisions in our 20s are no longer the criteria we feel are important in our 50s and 60s."
But there are ways, big and small, for couples looking ahead to — or inhabiting — the post-50 years to divorce-proof their marriages.
Running on empty
"Baby boomer marriages have been on cruise control," says Justin Buzzard, author of the newly released book "Date Your Wife" (Crossway). "There are many wonderful exceptions, but by and large boomer marriages have been in maintenance mode for decades. The man has been focused on his career. They haven't been keeping the marriage strong and fit and healthy. The kids leave home, and the husband and wife look at each other and say, 'I'm not in love with you. I barely know you.'"
Discord has been long simmering in most cases, Sussman says.
"For people 50 and older, divorce is generally not an 'aha' moment," she says. "It's usually many, many years of dysfunctional patterns that for one reason or other the couple can't break."
So the patterns break the couple. But it doesn't have to be so.
"Couples entering this next phase of their lives have such a great opportunity to get out there and see the world together," Sussman says. "My husband and I had an ongoing dialogue throughout our daughter's senior year of high school about what we wanted the next chapter of our lives to be about; what we wanted to do individually and what we wanted to do together." But getting your relationship to a point where you're eager to embrace the next phase (or the current one, for that matter) can take some doing."
Boomers need to redefine marriage, Buzzard says, partly because of how completely the culture around them has changed since they exchanged vows and partly, oddly enough, because their parents probably stuck it out through thick and thin.
"The generation ahead of them stayed together for good or ill, and a lot of it was ill," Buzzard says. "They put a lid on it and suffered through. A lot of boomers just figured that's how marriage was. They didn't know marriages could fall apart."
So they threw themselves into jobs, kids, hobbies and other pursuits that required time and focus and passion, assuming their marriages were, in effect, a given.
"There's a fundamental misunderstanding of marriage," Buzzard says. "Guys get married and think the mission is accomplished. The real mission begins at marriage. The real dating begins at marriage. Vows don't keep themselves. Vows aren't magic."
The key (surprise, surprise) is better communication.
"The most important thing is to listen to your partner's emotions and communicate the message, 'Baby, if you're unhappy with something, the world stops, and I listen and we do something about it,'" says renowned marriage researcher John Gottman, author of 40 books, including the just-released "What Makes Love Last? How to Build Trust and Avoid Betrayal" (Simon and Schuster). "I see people who've left one another in pain for 10, 15 years, and by then you don't feel loved or safe. The critical variable is making sure your partner feels cherished."
Gottman has spent four decades researching couples in three specific domains: friendship, which encompasses intimacy, romance and enjoying and trusting each other; conflict, specifically how couples deal with inevitable disagreements and moments of inadvertently hurting each other's feelings; and shared meaning, which takes into account how they connect around holidays and traditions as well as their lifelong goals and values.
The "master" couples, Gottman says, aren't necessarily aligned on every count. But they hear each other out and treat one another gently. "Disaster" couples, he says, tend to believe the worst about their partners and feel burdened by relationship talk.
"Masters say, 'Talk to me. You don't look very happy,'" he says. "Disasters say, or give a look that says, 'I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to talk. You're too needy.' That's a big mistake.
"Masters scan their social environment for what's going well and say thank you and build a culture of appreciation and respect," Gottman says. "Disasters look for their partner's mistakes and tend to miss the positive things their partner is doing, and read in negativity when it's not there. We've determined in our research that the negative habit of mind is actually a distortion of reality, and the positive habit of mind is much more accurate."
Gottman tells couples to engage in a weekly hourlong "state of the union" talk. "Masters are talking about goals and values and making sure they're on the same page about the big things in life and about what they are all about as people," he says. "'Are you picking the kids up? Did you call the plumber?' is just errand-talk. You need real conversation."
Buzzard counsels husbands, in particular, to write action plans for their marriages. "Guys will often map out business plans or plans for their upcoming fishing trip with their buddies," he says. "I tell them, 'Hey, man, put a plan together for how you're going to date your wife, and fill in your hobbies and other responsibilities around that.'
"It's not enough to say, 'I'm going to start taking better care of my wife and my marriage,'" Buzzard says. "A dream without a plan is worthless. You need to come up with a practical plan and put legs on that dream."
And don't be naive about the challenges ahead, real and hypothetical.
"You have to face your fears, and when you see change ahead, don't hide from it," Sussman says. "'If I lose my job, how is that going to feel for us?' 'How's it going to work when our kid moves back home?' You've got to do some individual soul-searching, and soul-searching as a couple, about how you see the next part of your life unfolding."
Hello, I'm your spouse. It's nice to meet you.
Couples who've been living together for decades often forget to keep each other intimately involved in topics that dive deeper than child-rearing and household upkeep. In "Five Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage From Good to Great" (Delacorte Press), marriage therapist and University of Michigan research professor Terri L. Orbuch suggests couples spend at least 10 minutes a day getting to know each other. She offers the following questions to get your conversations started:
What was an important turning point in your life?
Do you think you are/were closer to your mom or your dad?
What is the one thing you want to be remembered for?
What is one thing you really want to accomplish in the next two years?
If you were able to work in any other job for a year, what would it be?
What are you most afraid of?
What was the one thing you hated most as a kid?
What age do you feel like inside? | <urn:uuid:a307c2c3-b28d-4be5-b353-458b3a49da5a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.courant.com/features/sc-fam-1002-boomer-bandaid-20121002,0,6558216,full.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975712 | 1,761 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Fri August 17, 2012
Student Loans Can Dent Retirees' Social Security
Originally published on Fri August 17, 2012 12:37 pm
Families often pull together to help finance a college education, with parents and grandparents chipping in or co-signing loans. And now, a SmartMoney report finds the U.S. government withholding money from Social Security recipients who've stopped paying on federal student loans.
And it's an increasingly common event, as AnnaMaria Andriotis, a senior writer at SmartMoney, tells Morning Edition co-host Renee Montagne. Much of the debt stems from federal PLUS loans, taken out by older family members to help students.
On a spike in activity
"In about 12 years, we've gone from just six cases [of Social Security benefits being cut] to 115,000 and counting — because this year isn't even over yet. What we're seeing is that student loan debt is following people later on into life."
On lingering student loans
"This is really the only consumer loan out there that people cannot get rid of. ... In pretty much all of these cases, these are federal student loans that these retirees signed up for, by themselves. There is no co-signer involved."
"Aren't even their own loans"
"In other cases, you have retirees who are still dealing with their own student loan debt — the student loans they incurred to go to college, decades ago. ... But in most cases, these loans aren't even their own loans. And that's what makes this whole situation really sad."
On how much is taken from retirees
"The amount varies, but it can run up to 15 percent of each month's check. So when you look at the average monthly Social Security benefit — that's about $1,200 — that means a monthly haircut of about $190. So, it's not a small amount of money. And especially for a retiree on a fixed income, this sort of situation can really derail their retirement." | <urn:uuid:1aabc4c8-744a-47b1-95eb-d684753ec643> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ksut.org/post/student-loans-can-dent-retirees-social-security | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973804 | 415 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Mothering is hard work. Relationships are hard work. Sometimes, you want to wash the slate clean. The following process is an emotional shower and can be applied as often as needed. You can do the exercise as a written entry in a journal set aside for this purpose, or you can do this as a spoken exercise. This exercise involves stringing a series of sentences together; first, “I apologize or I’m sorry,” next, “I forgive,” and finally, “I let go,” or “I release.”
Apologize, Forgive, Release
Start with apology. Think about the areas of tension with your children and think about what you would like to apologize for. Maybe you couldn’t figure out how to give your baby what s/he needed. Maybe you left when you didn’t want to. Maybe you said “no” too quickly. Maybe you raised your voice. Maybe you were distracted and let the day go by without giving your child the attention s/he needed. Inhale, and starting with apology, begin: “I am sorry for…”
Next we work with forgiveness. You will write or say a string of sentences starting with “I forgive.” You may say, “I forgive myself,” “I forgive my partner,” “I forgive my child,” “I forgive my body,” “I forgive my relatives,” or whatever else resonates with you. You may forgive for specific experiences or you may forgive in general. Inhale and begin now: “I forgive…”
Finally, we will release the emotional tension from your experiences.You want to let of the holding in your physical and emotional body; the tension in your face, the grip of fear, the lock of regret and the power of guilt. You will begin every sentence with “I let go,” or “I release.” Inhale, and begin: “I release…”
Do this process of Apologize, Forgive, Release each evening, or at least once a week. You will feel lighter and clearer. Be generous with yourself. Model accountability coupled with empathy for yourself and your whole family will benefit.
Mothering Mommas: try out some “Apologize, Forgive, Release” statements in the comments section. I will put the names in a hat and pick one and send that person a complimentary L.O.V.E. Parenting Technique CD: Technique, Affirmation & Visualization. It contains a guided meditation, tools, techniques, affirmations and visualizations.
About Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams created L.O.V.E. Parenting with a series of techniques for effective communication, deepened connection and more joy in parenting and life. Jessica is also the creator of www.UltimateParentingCourse.com with the best of today's progressive parenting experts together in one program. Jessica is a featured expert internationally on both Mothering.com’s Ask An Expert and the upcoming www.KidsInTheHouse.com. Jessica is a regular contributor to Mothering Magazine’s All Things Mothering, LA Parent Magazine, LA Mom Magazine & DailyBuzzMoms. She has been interviewed on television and radio and taught workshops at family wellness centers, schools and doctor’s offices. Her BirthKit has helped women have a transformational & empowering birth. Jessica maintains a private coaching practice in her native Los Angeles where she lives with her husband and their three children. “Truly amazing woman. I love her advice.”—Carrie-Anne Moss. “All you have shared has helped tremendously.”—Lisa Bonet. “I am experiencing nothing short of a miracle thanks to your laser beam approach.” –Andrea Bendewald. | <urn:uuid:5a1f3d67-0d44-4c93-8f8e-6b6863265c6e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mothering.com/community/a/apologize-forgive-release-drawing-for-free-cd | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943233 | 816 | 1.664063 | 2 |
It’s obvious that the top line result from the new Bloomberg poll of the presidential race is an outlier. According to most pollsters, this is an even race, with neither candidate at a particular advantage. By contrast, Bloomberg gives Obama a 13-point lead over Romney, who only receives 40-percent support. When you consider that partisans have already chosen sides, and that Obama has lost significant support from white voters, there’s no way that this result is accurate (though it falls within the statistical range).
That said, in addition to polling the presidential race, Bloomberg also asked respondents to describe their economic situation, and it’s there the Obama campaign has reason for optimism. 45 percent of those surveyed say they are better off than at the beginning of 2009 compared with 36 percent who say they are worse off. In March, the last time this poll was conducted, that number was an even split. 28 percent of respondents say that their household income is higher than it was three years ago–compared to 22 percent who say it is lower and 44 percent who say it is the same–and a solid plurality of voters, 49 percent, say they prefer Obama’s economic vision to the one espoused by Mitt Romney.
Insofar that there’s bad news in the poll, it’s that voters express a little more uncertainty about the future. As Bloomberg notes, “32 percent of Americans say they’re hopeful about improvement in the economy, down from 37 percent in March. And 19 percent say they’re fearful, compared with 17 percent three months ago.” The public is primed for further bad news on the economy, which is dangerous for the president’s reelection bid.
It should be said that in raw economic terms, the country is actually better off than it was three years ago. The private sector is steadily creating jobs, despite sluggish growth, and incomes are slowly rising large losses following the Great Recession. The housing market is still a mess, and unemployment is still too high, but neither compares to the near-unraveling of the economy in late 2008 and early 2009.
But the improvement hasn’t been good enough, which is why Obama is in his current situation. He’s vulnerable, but as long as the economic status quo holds, Obama he remains a slight favorite for reelection. But if conditions worsen, he’ll quickly become the underdog.
You need to be logged in to comment.
(If there's one thing we know about comment trolls, it's that they're lazy) | <urn:uuid:af07937e-7287-41d4-9ca9-e74290315dee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://prospect.org/article/public-feels-better-under-obama | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965033 | 530 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Tags:Here's the press release from the Campaign for Southern Equality:
Asheville, N.C. (July 6th, 2012) – The Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) will offer a free legal workshop titled, “What Amendment One Means for You and Your Family” in Asheville on Wednesday, July 11 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. The purpose of the workshop is to provide clear, accessible information to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals regarding their legal rights now that Amendment One has gone into effect. The workshop will be led by Asheville-based attorneys Meghann Burke and Diane Walton and will take place at the First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Free childcare will be provided during the event.
CSE has received many questions from LGBT people and families across the state about how Amendment One impacts them. Many have expressed concerns, for instance, that Amendment One invalidates wills or health care power of attorney forms; in fact, it does not. The Reverend Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, executive director of CSE, said “LGBT people in North Carolina are second-class citizens, which makes it critical for our community to have accurate, updated information about exactly what our rights are and are not. While Amendment One is a discriminatory measure, there are still many important steps that LGBT people can take - like completing health care power of attorney forms - to protect our rights proactively.”
Another “What Amendment One Means for You and Your Family” workshop will take place in Charlotte on July 27th and additional workshops will take place during the summer and fall across the state of North Carolina.
CSE has also set-up a webpage to serve as a clearinghouse for Amendment One information - http://www.southernequality.org/amendment-one-and-your-rights/
Lead Sponsors of the Asheville workshop are Pisgah Legal Services, Equality NC and First Congregational UCC of Asheville; Co-sponsors are the Center for Participatory Change, Western NC Citizens to End Institutional Bigotry, Cogburn & Brazil, P.A., Walton Law Office, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Southern Poverty Law Center and Lambda Legal. | <urn:uuid:fff44bfe-0d0c-4fbe-899c-1bd9212ea19a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mountainx.com/article/44048/LGBT-legal-workshop-What-Amendment-One-Means-for-You-and-Your-Family | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946816 | 469 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Kushner's play -- is it ready for its premiere?by Chris Roberts, Minnesota Public Radio
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner is opening a new play at the Guthrie Theater on Friday. But is it really ready? We take a look at what's at stake for Kushner, and for the Guthrie.
St. Paul, Minn. — The opening of Kushner's play has already been bumped back a week. And Kushner himself admits he continues to revise or rewrite whole sections just days before the production's official launch.
By all reports Tony Kushner's new play is vintage Kushner -- ambitious, complex and thematically rich. It's also got a really long title -- "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures."
The title contains nods to two 19th century intellectual giants, playwright George Bernard Shaw, and Christian Scientist Mary Baker Eddy. It's about a retired longshoreman in Brooklyn who feels deeply disconnected from 21st century life.
Kushner said on MPR's Midmorning program today that even though the show is already in previews, he's still not sure what kind of play it will be.
"Last night the audience saw the actors dealing with at least five substantially rewritten scenes, and one of the actors had to carry a script -- my good friend Linda Eamon -- because I'd done all this rewriting of her part. There was simply no way to memorize it, but we're in previews, that's what previews are for," Kushner said.
Ongoing rewrites tend to be standard procedure for Kushner. It was true with the 2001 play many critics say anticipated 9/11, "Homebody Kabul." It was also the case for his landmark play, which was turned into an award-winning HBO special, "Angels in America."
"These are plays that I'll work on for the rest of my life," said Kushner. "Every time there's a production I'll want to do something with them. Because there's something in them that doesn't arrive at a final shape -- which doesn't mean that I think that they don't work. I just think that there's always room for changing them around, they're sort of open in that way."
Kushner may be comfortable making substantial changes to his script in the final hours, but it's created an added strain for the "Intelligent Homosexual's" cast, crew, and the Guthrie staff.
St. Paul Pioneer Press Theater Critic Dominic Papatola says this premiere is the capstone event of the Guthrie's severalweeks-long Kushner Festival. Papatola says the pressure is on.
"People are really expecting to see a spectacular play here, and to see something that, if it's not the next 'Angels in America,' will be a major new American play," said Papatola.
Papatola expects that critics from across the country will be streaming in to see Kushner's new play on Friday. He says they may be more forgiving than local audiences if it doesn't look fully completed, because they may see the Guthrie run as an intitial step in the play's development.
"Twin Cities audiences, Minnesota audiences are sophisticated audiences, and I don't think they're interested in seeing a play in progress," said Papatola, "especially if it's on the main stage of one of the major regional theaters in the country. I think they're interested in seeing a finished product."
At the Guthrie, Artistic Director Joe Dowling says things are tense but exciting as Kushner's new play goes through a birthing process.
Dowling agrees it's Kushner's longstanding habit to work on a play until the last minute, but he says audiences will see a final version -- for the most part.
"The play, when we open it on Friday night, will be finished, um, for now," Dowling said. "That doesn't mean that he won't ever revisit it and do other things. That's what he's done all along, and that's what makes him such an exciting playwright. So yes he will be finished, and yes he's still writing."
Dowling claims he's not worried at all by how audiences and critics will respond to the new play. He says his main concern is that local theatergoers get exposed to a wide variety of Kushner's work over the course of the festival.
- All Things Considered, 05/20/2009, 5:23 p.m. | <urn:uuid:df6ff0c9-4cb0-4923-87ba-e1ebbfb79a51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/05/20/kushner_speaks | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975429 | 935 | 1.53125 | 2 |
To the editor:
Why are council members talking to Kitsap County about road repair and maintenance? It’s simple, the city needs to do more road work with its limited resources.
Currently the city identifies and prioritizes those streets that need repair and contracts road repair and maintenance to the lowest cost private contractor. Other cities within Kitsap County have agreements with the county to perform some of their road repair and maintenance instead of outsourcing the work to private contractors. Council members Blair, Bonkowski, and Lester held a preliminary conversation with County Commissioner Robert Gelder to discuss areas of potential collaboration in public works.
In this city budget season, road repair continues to be topic of interest and a second meeting is planned to discuss the areas of collaboration more fully.
These discussions in no way impact the local control of our streets. The city will determine which streets need what repair, prioritize the maintenance, and manage the contract. If, and that’s a big if, the city council believes that it is in the best financial interest of the city to enter into an agreement with the county for road repair and maintenance the result that our residents will see is better streets for less cost.
Bainbridge Island City Councilman | <urn:uuid:9e5dc3db-9b26-46a3-b9e8-02fa447e1509> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bainbridgereview.com/opinion/letters/175627621.html?mobile=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942487 | 248 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Cute Knut to Live, Knut-Mania Commences
Cutie polar bear cub Knut made his public debut last week, to the sounds of thousands of cooing fans and 300 shutter-clicking media members. The fuzzy animal, now the size of a Labrador Retriever puppy, delighted visitors as he frolicked through a stream, kissed his keeper, and rolled in the dirt.
Berlin Zoo officials say the cub is not in danger of being killed, as a few animal activists have suggested. Instead, hand-raised Knut is the zoo's star attraction, especially after his neighbor, 22-year-old panda Yan Yan died Monday, of constipation.
The Berlin Zoo has seen attendance jump by 300% since Knut appeared to the public, and the Zoo gift store had to order 10,000 more stuffed Knut dolls after their original 2,400 sold out. The cub now has his own television show, podcast, and a blog written from his imagined perspective. Graffiti artists are even spraypainting his name on concrete pillars under the bear-shaped logo for the Berlin Film Festival.
But for all the Knut-mania, is Knut really doing anything to preserve his kind? Well, kind of. The German Environmental Minister took a media-attended walk with Knut inside his pen, and has said Knut's the property of all Berliners. "Knut is in safe hands here," said the minister, "but worldwide polar bears are in danger and if Knut can help the cause, then that is a good thing." He then tickled the cub under its furry chin.
Knut's media attention may lead to increased awareness of the polar bear plight (though their plight is hardly obscure at this point). German public television is making a documentary about the bear, whose mother abandoned him and whose brother died of neglect. Schools across Germany are organizing "Knut trips" to go see the now-tiny (but soon to be huge) bear and learn about nature. And then there's the mysterious conservation campaign for which Knut will be the star, photographs courtesy Annie Leibovitz. Seems young Knut will be kept quite busy, both as a goodwill ambassador and as Berlin's (and the world's) latest object of affection. | <urn:uuid:92f1b33a-6488-4682-bfd7-cc88a2aa18b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2007/03/cute-knut-live-knut-mania-commences | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977734 | 469 | 1.796875 | 2 |
At this year’s PICNIC conference [Neil Mendoza] and [Edwin Dertien] built a giant Etch-a-Sketch to help bring attendees together. The drawing area is a rear-projection screen, rather than a physical powder based setup, and is surrounded by the familiar red frame with vertical and horizontal control knob. Because the two knobs are too far apart for one person to use at the same time, two people must work together to move the stylus.
To help break the ice the device was designed to incorporate social networking. Each knob requires that an RFID (embedded in the conference badges) be scanned by the person controlling it. Both users are then connected as friends through a social network and when they’re done “making art”, the beauty of their creation is delivered to them via email.
We don’t know about you, but our etch-a-sketch attempts have always been crappy. There are some folks who can turn out a masterpiece on the thing, but this is really just meant to grab your interest for a minute or two and help you meet some people. One feature that should be noted, this giant device requires shaking to erase the image. | <urn:uuid:653bbde0-91e7-4ad8-b783-a598b7d2c169> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hackaday.com/2009/10/08/ik-a-sketch-collaborative-scribbling/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956666 | 260 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Dictionary and translator for handheld
New : sensagent is now available on your handheld
A windows (pop-into) of information (full-content of Sensagent) triggered by double-clicking any word on your webpage. Give contextual explanation and translation from your sites !
With a SensagentBox, visitors to your site can access reliable information on over 5 million pages provided by Sensagent.com. Choose the design that fits your site.
Improve your site content
Add new content to your site from Sensagent by XML.
Crawl products or adds
Get XML access to reach the best products.
Index images and define metadata
Get XML access to fix the meaning of your metadata.
Please, email us to describe your idea.
Lettris is a curious tetris-clone game where all the bricks have the same square shape but different content. Each square carries a letter. To make squares disappear and save space for other squares you have to assemble English words (left, right, up, down) from the falling squares.
Boggle gives you 3 minutes to find as many words (3 letters or more) as you can in a grid of 16 letters. You can also try the grid of 16 letters. Letters must be adjacent and longer words score better. See if you can get into the grid Hall of Fame !
Change the target language to find translations.
Tips: browse the semantic fields (see From ideas to words) in two languages to learn more.
||This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2011)|
|Died||December 16, 999
|Honored in||Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church|
|Canonized||1097 by Pope Urban II|
|Attributes||empress dispensing alms and food to the poor, often beside a ship|
|Patronage||abuse victims; brides; empresses; exiles; in-law problems; parenthood; parents of large families; princesses; prisoners; second marriages; step-parents; widows|
Saint Adelaide of Italy (931/932 – 16 December 999), also called Adelaide of Burgundy, was the second wife of Otto the Great, Holy Roman Emperor. Empress Adelaide was perhaps the most prominent European woman of the 10th century; she was regent of the Holy Roman Empire as the guardian of her grandson in 991-995.
Born in Orbe, today in Switzerland, she was the daughter of Rudolf II of Burgundy and Bertha of Swabia. Her first marriage, at the age of fifteen, was to the son of her father's rival in Italy, Lothair II, the nominal King of Italy; the union was part of a political settlement designed to conclude a peace between her father and Hugh of Provence, the father of Lothair. They had a daughter, Emma of Italy.
The Calendar of Saints states that her first husband was poisoned by the holder of real power, his successor, Berengar of Ivrea, who attempted to cement his political power by forcing her to marry his son, Adalbert; when she refused and fled, she was tracked down and imprisoned for four months at Como. She escaped to the protection, at Canossa, of Adalbert Atto, where she was besieged by Berengar. She managed to send an emissary to throw herself on the mercy of Otto the Great. His brothers were equally willing to save the dowager queen, but Otto got an army into the field: they subsequently met at the old Lombard capital of Pavia and were married in 951; he was crowned emperor in Rome, 2 February 962 by Pope John XII, and, most unusually, she was crowned empress at the same ceremony. Among their children, four lived to maturity: Henry, born in 952; Bruno, born 953; Matilda, the first Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg, born about 954; and Otto II, later Holy Roman Emperor, born 955.
In Germany, the crushing of a revolt in 953 by Liudolf, Otto's son by his first marriage, cemented the position of Adelaide, who retained all her dower lands. She accompanied Otto in 966 on his third expedition to Italy, where she remained with him for six years.
When her husband Otto I died in 973 he was succeeded by their son Otto II, and Adelaide for some years exercised a powerful influence at court. Later, however, her daughter-in-law, the Byzantine princess Theophano, turned her husband Otto II against his mother, and she was driven from court in 978; she lived partly in Italy, and partly with her brother Conrad, king of Burgundy, by whose mediation she was ultimately reconciled to her son; in 983 Otto appointed her as his viceroy in Italy. However, Otto died the same year, and although both mother and grandmother were appointed as co-regents for the child-king, Otto III, Theophano forced Adelaide to abdicate and exiled her. When Theophano died in 991, Adelaide was restored to the regency of her grandson. She was assisted by Willigis, Archbishop of Mainz. In 995 Otto III came of age, and Adelaide was free to devote herself exclusively to works of charity, notably the foundation or restoration of religious houses.
Adelaide had long entertained close relations with Cluny, then the center of the movement for ecclesiastical reform, and in particular with its abbots Majolus and Odilo. She retired to a nunnery she had founded in c. 991 at Selz in Alsace. Though she never became a nun, she spent the rest of her days there in prayer. On her way to Burgundy to support her nephew Rudolf III against a rebellion, she died at Selz Abbey on December 16, 999, days short of the millennium she thought would bring the Second Coming of Christ. She had constantly devoted herself to the service of the church and peace, and to the empire as guardian of both; she also interested herself in the conversion of the Slavs. She was thus a principal agent—almost an embodiment—of the work of the Catholic Church during the Early Middle Ages in the construction of the religion-culture of western Europe. Her feast day, December 16, is still kept in many German dioceses.
In 947, Adelaide was married to King Lothair II of Italy. The union produced one child:
In 951, Adelaide was married to King Otto I, the future Holy Roman Emperor. The union produced five children:
Title last held byEdith of Wessex
|Queen consort of Germany
Title next held byTheophanu
Title last held byBertila of Spoleto
|Empress consort of the Holy Roman Empire | <urn:uuid:4cb468ad-c554-4faf-bcc2-7ed57a72fe3d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dictionary.sensagent.com/Adelaide%20of%20Italy/en-en/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974271 | 1,446 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
It's funny how some ingredients can lead you on little mini adventures as you figure out who to use them us. I first bought semolina flour in order to add a few spoonfuls to this Norwegian sour cream porridge. (Still one of my favorite Old World finds. It's seriously time to bring porridge back.) And in anticipation of my move to Paris (for one year!! for dissertation research!! with a fellowship!!) I've been trying to clear out the pantry of things like extra semolina that R is not likely to use.
So the Scandinavians use it in porridge (as it was cooking up, it did remind me of Cream of Wheat, that childhood favorite), as do the British and even the French. The Italians tend to use semolina for gnocchi because of the light texture it imparts, and also for desserts such as this.
Basically, a glug of sweet white wine (or, if you're me you realize too late on a Sunday afternoon that you don't have the extra stash you thought you did, and that, by virtue of it being Sunday, sweet white wine is not available, you use a glug of ginger ale instead) is simmered with the semolina along with a few eggs, a little sugar and some chopped almonds. A stiffly-beaten egg white lightens it a bit before pitted cherries are folded in and it's baked in a bain marie.
Okay, let's talk bain marie. It's merely a French term, which I'm shoe-horning into an Italian recipe, that describes the technique of putting a smaller pan of food into a larger pan and filling the larger pan with boiling water so that it comes about half-way up the sides of the smaller pan nestled inside (see the picture above). It's a gentle way to cook foods, and you might also see the technique used for cheesecakes, puddings or custards. If you had nesting bakers, those work well since you know the smaller size will fit perfectly into the larger one.
This is also the perfect moment for this recipe since we're in the middle of the fleeting cherry season, at least here in NYC. If you don't have a cherry-pitter, you might consider getting one, since they make much easier work of dealing with the fruit. I put it off for about two cherry seasons, eschewing all recipes that called for pitted cherries until I finally broke down. It was totally worth it. And about the superfine sugar. I always say this, but it's worth using because it dissolves so much faster and, well, better. If you don't have superfine (I literally never do), just wizz regular white sugar in a food processor for a few seconds until its texture lightens and it becomes superfine.
Semolina with Cherries, or Semolino alle Ciliege
Adopted from The Silver Spoon
Butter for greasing your dish
1 cup sweet white wine, or if you don't have it or want to avoid it, 1 cup ginger ale
2/3 cup semolina
2 large eggs
generous 1/2 cup superfine sugar (see note above)
3 cups cherries, pitted (you don't need to chop them after they're pitted)
1/2 cup blanched almonds, chopped
1 egg white
Oven preheated to 400F. Grease a baking dish with the butter, and make sure you have a larger baking dish into which the greased baking dish can fit. Get a pot of water on the stove so you can bring it to a boil as you work, you'll use it for baking in the bain marie (see note above).
In a medium pot bring the wine and 2 1/4 cups water to a boil then sprinkle the semolina over the top. Turn the heat down to low and start stirring the semolina. You'll have to continue stirring the entire time or it will burn, since you'll be cooking it until it's nice and thick, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool just a bit, then add the eggs one at a time, stirring well between each one. Next add the sugar and almonds and fold in the cherries.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg white until stiff, and fold that into the semolina mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and place that pan into the larger one. Your extra pot of water should be boiling by now, so carefully pour some boiling water into the larger pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the smaller pan. Carefully transfer the pans to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. If yours starts to get too brown before it's finished, you can tent it with tinfoil, which just means lay a piece of tinfoil over the top to prevent further browning.
Remove (carefully! That water will still be boiling!) from the oven, and take the smaller pan out of the larger one. Let the semolina cool to room temperature before serving, if you can wait! | <urn:uuid:9607fe36-b7db-4abe-b34f-bc0a8a1c7700> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/06/semolina-with-cherries_14.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957804 | 1,062 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Makapu’u Beach Park
Waimānalo, Hawaii 96795, 96825
Where is Makapu’u Beach Park?
Makapu’u is located at the furthest point east on Oahu, Hawaii. Just past Sandy Beach going counterclockwise around O’ahu island on Kalanianaole Highway (State Route 72). The Makapu’u trail leading to the lighthouse is just before Makapu’u Beach, also on the right.
Hawaiian History – Makapu’u The Hawaiian Legend
Ancient Hawaiian legend tells of Makapu’u being a god that arrived from Tahiti to live at Makapu’u point in a cave named, Keanaokeakuapōloli. Now the point of Makapu’u has been named after her. Makapu’u had 8 bright eyes, and so the locals called her that which in Hawaiian means “bulging eye”. Perhaps coincidence, or maybe not, another very bright eye – the lens in the lighthouse at Makapu’u was set in place and turned on for the first time on the tenth of October, 1909.
What is Makapu’u Beach All About?
Makapu’u means, according to just me, god-given surf. This is one of my all-time ultimate favorite beaches in the Hawaiian islands. I first learned to bodyboard (boogie-board) here in 1985 with some friends. I had a cheap board, cheap fins, and I was learning how to ride 3-4 foot (Hawaiian scale) waves… and I had absolutely the time of my life. Makapu’u is an almost hidden beach as you drive from Waikiki northeast counter clockwise around Oahu. You’ll drive past Hanauma Bay and Sandy Beach and start climbing a hill. Just as you come though the volcano cliff-lined highway – bam you have this wide expanse and amazing view. If you don’t quickly look to the right you’ll miss Makapu’u, and you’d be missing something indeed. This is next to the world famous “Halona Cove” which was the location for filming the famous beach scene in “From Here to Eternity”.
Makapu’u is one of the ultimate surfing and bodyboarding spots in the islands, and so – I can safely say – the world. Waves can break for well over 100 meters, and epic 250 meter rides are possible as the waves are strong, big, and fast and the crest often times doesn’t break until it hits the beach shallows… the right combination for amazing waves. No lie, I have a twisting feeling in my stomach as I think of some of the awesome bodyboarding sessions I’ve had at Makapu’u.
Makapu’u beach is not highly recommended for those that are not good swimmers, or children on most days. The currents can be strong, the shore-breaks – wicked, and the waves big. There is a coral reef and rocks on the the north side of the beach that must be avoided. The water drops off quickly to adult chest height – again, not ideal for most kids.
Makapu’u Beach encompasses about 38 acres and the beach is about 150 yards long and sloped. It has deep sand, and most people on the beach are tourists like you. Many in the water will be locals that love the waves there.
What Can You Do at Makapu’u?
Many people bodysurf, some surf, some bodyboard, some just swim and have fun in the waves. The shore-break isn’t always dangerous, often times it is mild and can be fun for most members of the family. Everyone takes photos though, it is a very picturesque Oahu location and you won’t be able to help pulling out your camera and firing off some shots. The steep cliffs of Makapu’u plunge into the right side of the bay and the left side is open, leading to an amazing view of two islands, Manana (Rabbit Island), and Kaohikaipu.
Makapu’u is also a favorite place for residents and visitors to view humpback whales as they come to Hawaii every winter to spawn before traveling back up in the northern pacific to have their offspring. Best times to see whales is between December and March.
Makapu’u Point Lighthouse
A 46 foot high beacon to help ships find their way in the coral filled Pacific near Oahu. This US Coast Guard lighthouse was built and functioning since 1909. In 1974 the lighthouse became automated and didn’t require anyone to manually take care of it. The lighthouse is filled with a 12 foot high French fresnel hyper-radial lens, the largest lens still in use in the USA. It can magnify the illumination of a 1,000 watt 120 volt light bulb enormously – allowing ships to see it miles out to see on clear nights.
Hiking up to the lighthouse from Kalanianaole highway is a fun trip, the endpoint being the Makapu’u lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is restricted from access by locked gates. The road winding its way up the Makapu’u cliffs is paved and open to pedestrians, not vehicles. The lighthouse trail is about 1 3/4 miles in length to reach the top. Molokai and Lanai can usually be seen from this vantage point, with the occasional bonus in clear air of seeing Maui just past them. During the months of November through April you may catch site of the humpback whales that visit Hawaii each Winter to mate. At last check there was a big binoculars set to look through at the end of the trail by the lighthouse. If you walk down a ways you can see a blowhole that is pretty strong on good days.
Exploring the Makapu’u Tidepools
Tidepools are rough lava spots that get covered over by incoming waves during the high tides and are left exposed during low tide. This presents a great opportunity for walking around on them (in sports sandals or better, sports shoes) and exploring the wildlife. Various fish, crabs, opihi, and other wildlife can be found in the small pools of water that get trapped on the lava. Watch for the mudfish – the jumping fish that crawl around and jump from tidepool to tidepool!
There are two islands just off Makapu’u. The first, Manana Island, is comprised of 64 acres. It resembles a rabbits head in shape and so was nicknamed Rabbit Island. A rancher once released rabbits there and they populated the island profusely. Currently the island is a protected bird sanctuary. It is illegal to set foot on the island without permission from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The second beautiful island off the coast is named Kaohikaipu. It’s a low island, also the result of volcanic activity, like every island in the Hawaiian island chain. Kaohikaipu is also a protected bird sanctuary by the State of Hawaii.
Makapu’u is a world-class hang gliding spot and on days with just the right amount of wind you’ll be treated to many of them launching off the cliffs behind Makapu’u Beach park.
Sea Life Park
A large Sea World type facility with aquariums and shows to educate the public about Hawaiian wildlife. It’s set on the mauka (mountain) side of the highway.
A very long pier justs out into the Pacific ocean which was built by the State government of Hawaii to help scientists do marine research. Makai pier has some marine engineering companies and the Hawaii Underwater Research Laboratory (HURL). Occasionally, and incredibly, some companies located on the pier advertise in Craigslist Honolulu for some technology jobs that must be some of the greatest locations to work in the entire world. Keep an eye out for them if you want to live and work in Hawaii and know computers or are a marine biologist.
- Theft occurs a lot here in the parking lot area as well as directly from the area you lay your towels down. Don’t attempt to hide a purse or camera, just don’t leave them. Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle because there are many “smash & grabs” and you’ll end up paying for your rental car window to get fixed, and maybe the locks replaced also. Usually it’s best to keep your windows half rolled down so a thief could open the door and see there’s nothing in your car to steal. That’s locals style anyway. Saves buying windows all the time!
- Don’t leave any child unattended in the water. Waves on Oahu are not predictable, except that there are regularly larger rogue waves that surprise many people – in the water and out. Locals are always watching the water for the bigger rogue waves that could catch them unaware… you should too!
Makapu’u Beach Features:
- Lifeguards – though not always on duty
- Deep sand ideal for laying out. Less windblown sand like Sandy Beach because the hill behind, and the cliff beside Makapu’u Beach protects the beach from most of the wind.
- Picnic area with tables and benches
- Public BBQ grills
- Freshwater Showers
- Free parking – maybe 40 spots available
- Makapu’u trail leading to the Makapu’u Lighthouse is close by, though you’ll probably choose to drive down to it instead of walk the sometimes dangerous hairpin turn highway through the lava.
- Tidepools to explore
Makapu’u Interactive Map
Makapu’u Aerial Photo
To give you an idea what the whole of Makapu’u looks like from the sky view…
This next video is a time-lapse showing the clouds going over the Makapu’u area. Makapu’u beach is in the bottom left corner.
Video shot from a hang glider’s perspective flying over Makapu’u.
Current Hawaii Weather
Honolulu, HI Local Weather
Want to Move to Hawaii?
Buy “Moving to Hawaii 2012″ by Clicking Here
Copyright 2007-2013 Vern Lovic.All rights reserved. If you would like to display this article on your website, write for permission. Printing not allowed. Plagiarism tracked and plagiarizers prosecuted. | <urn:uuid:b0cd88fe-d26b-4131-b7ff-390c31d14824> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aimforawesome.com/oahu-hawaii/makapuu-beach-park-oahu-honolulu-hawaii/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943884 | 2,251 | 1.789063 | 2 |
In a unanimous vote, the Public Schools Board of Petoskey, Mich., decided to put a temporary halt to allowing a Christian organization to make its services available to students during the lunch hour.
Young Life, an adolescent-centered ministry organization, will be barred from schools in Petoskey while the school board creates a policy on the level of access to students an organization unaffiliated with the school system can have.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Terry Swenson, vice president of communications for Young Life, said that they accept the board’s decision.
“Young Life respects the decision of the Petoskey School Board regarding the suspension of access to school grounds for religious groups,” said Swenson.
“We are grateful for the support that has been voiced by many in the community about the positive role Young Life leaders and programs have in kids' lives, and we will cooperate with school officials in any way they wish as they review their school access policy.”
Dr. John P. Scholten, the superintendent of Petoskey Public Schools, explained to The Christian Post that the issue is being taken “through the pens of policy” regarding “access to our students“ rather than a matter of church and state separation.
“I am not aware of any violations of church and state,” said Scholten. “We’ve got to respect those boundaries and they understand that.”
Scholten said public schools in Petoskey currently allow youth ministers to visit during the lunch hour to talk with students belonging to their congregations as well as church volunteers who conduct one-on-one tutoring sessions with students after school.
He also noted that there are parents who are interested in beginning a Young Life chapter for their school system and that a “good working relationship” is being carefully maintained.
“It’s more of a stay-tuned thing,” said Scholten.
Young Life is a nationwide organization founded in 1941 whose goal is to evangelize adolescents. Chapters of the organization exist in over 3,000 schools. | <urn:uuid:7f6fe515-1cd5-4c49-8f36-66d7a1e1dc38> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-group-temporarily-barred-from-schools-during-lunch-59749/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968107 | 441 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Topic: Participate in carnivals. A carnival is a showcase of bloggers' posts on a given topic.
Carnival: 10th Edition of Smile for the Camera
Word Prompt: The word prompt for the 10th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Costume? No, not as in Halloween. Costume as in dress in general; especially the distinctive style of dress of a people, class, or period. Show us that picture that you found with your family collection or purchased that shows the costumes of the rich to the not so rich, from the civil war to the psychedelic sixties. I know you have them, so share. Admission is free with every photograph!
This photograph was one that I found in my paternal grandfather's ancestral home. They had many, many photographs and fortunuately for us, most were labeled! This one was labled on the back with the name, O'Toole. The only problem is that that is not a family name! I will need to research my paternal great grandmother's siblings and see who her sisters married because I have a feeling that it is from one of those families.
I think that this photograph dates from the early 1900's and I have always loved the photo from the first moment I saw it lying in the box! It was taken at a studio in San Antonio,Bexar County, Texas. The boy probably lived in San Antonio or my ancestral hometown, Castroville, Medina County, Texas (about 30 miles West of San Antonio).
The boy looks as if he is going riding! I love his short pants, black stockings, straw hat, riding stick and most of all, the black, button shoes! Adorable! I guess you wouldn't catch many modern day boys in an outfit like that!
Someday I hope to identify him by his first name and family! | <urn:uuid:e456f672-dd18-4530-8473-77e55812125d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://christman26.blogspot.com/2009/01/weekly-genealogy-blogging-prompt-2.html?showComment=1234836780000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973807 | 378 | 1.523438 | 2 |
|ABOUT THE BCCSA|
The BCCSA as an Independent Judicial Tribunal
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa ("BCCSA") was established by the National Association of Broadcasters ("NAB") in 1993. According to the BCCSA's Constitution it is a body corporate, capable of suing and being sued in its corporate name, and of performing all such acts as are necessary for or incidental to the carrying out of its objects, and for the performance of its functions and duties under its Constitution.
The BCCSA shall be based in Johannesburg but the Chairperson may, when he or she deems it appropriate, decide to hold a session of the Tribunal of the Commission at any place in South Africa. The BCCSA was recognized by the Independent Broadcasting Authority ("IBA", now ICASA) in 1995 in terms of section 56(2) of the IBA Act 1993. During these hearings before the IBA, the IBA emphasized that the BCCSA must be an independent judicial tribunal so that it could, without fear or favour, adjudicate complaints from the public against the broadcasters, which are members of the NAB.
The BCCSA has no jurisdiction as to election complaints. Such jurisdiction resides with the Complaints and Compliance Committee ("CCC") of the ICASA, The CCC also has jurisdiction to hear complaints about content against broadcasters which are not members of the NAB. Complaints other than those which relate to content of broadcasts, all fall under the jurisdiction of the CCC.
Although the NAB provides the funds for the BCCSA, the BCCSA is, as a body corporate, entirely independent from the NAB. The BCCSA has an enforceable ongoing contract with the NAB, according to the BCCSA Constitution, to provide the BCCSA with its reasonable expenses. If the NAB does not provide the reasonable expenses, which would include all complaint sessions of the BCCSA, the BCCSA may take the matter to an independent arbitrator who will enforce the contract. If it is found that the NAB is or has omitted to provide such reasonable expenses, it is bound in law to do so.
Other features of the Constitution which uphold the BCCSA's character as an independent judicial tribunal in terms of section 34 of the Constitution of the Republic, are the following:
1. The Commissioners are appointed by an independent panel chaired by an independent person (up to now by a retired Judge of Appeal) plus other persons appointed at an AGM of the BCCSA. Although it was, initially, the thinking that half of the Commissioners would be appointed from persons nominated by the NAB, the Constitution was amended at the insistence of the IBA so that all candidates would be nominated by members of the public.
2. The Chair is elected at an AGM without any intervention from the appointment panel or the NAB and may be a person from outside the Commission. So as to ensure the independence of the Chair he or she is in no way answerable to the Commission in so far as the judicial work is concerned. He or she appoints each Tribunal from the Commissioners and has, in any case, the right to appoint ad hoc Commissioners where Commissioners are not available or where it is in the interests of representivity.
3. The BCCSA is not, in any manner, accountable or answerable to the NAB.
4. Only the BCCSA may, at an AGM or SGM, amend its Constitution and it does so independently from the NAB.
5. Only the BCCSA may dissolve the BCCSA and the NAB has no right to do so or withdraw its funding of reasonable expenses.
6. The BCCSA appoints its own Registrar. The Chair appoints other staff members, including the accountant. The Chair is also in the sole control of the Office of the BCCSA.
7. All salaries or fees are paid by the BCCSA, which has its own bank account and appoints its auditor annually.
8. The BCCSA may impose sanctions, which include fines. It has an internal appeal procedure.
In sum, the BCCSA is an independent judicial tribunal which must reach its decisions on the Broadcasting Code independently and in line with the precepts of administrative justice, as required by the Constitution of the Republic and legislation that governs fair administrative justice. Although initially set up by the Broadcasting industry, it is entirely independent from that industry and it would be in conflict with its corporate independence to be called an "industry body". | <urn:uuid:54eb2c18-2f48-4a76-9274-938d97f99aed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bccsa.co.za/index.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972962 | 913 | 1.53125 | 2 |
View Full Version : Satellite tracking ship in Funchal today...ID anyone?
4th February 2010, 09:16
Caught this ship on the webcams at Funchal behind MSC Fantasia.
Anyone have any idea what her name is, please?
I assume by the dishes on her that she is some sort of satellite tracking ship?
4th February 2010, 09:45
Fairly sure I saw this ship docked in Davao about two years ago. I wondered what she was too Shamrock. I couldnt get passed security to look close enough though.
4th February 2010, 10:48
It would appear it could be one of the Yuanwang ships see HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Wang_class_tracking_ship)
4th February 2010, 10:49
Vessel is French Naval vessel 'Monge', pennant number A601. She is described as a Measure and Test vessel - capable of many functions including tracking, communication, research.
4th February 2010, 10:56
Cheers guys (Thumb)
I can now update my post on the cruise site's Madeira webcam thread.
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. | <urn:uuid:d834eac5-5409-47ce-ad04-9ba9bcb6ae04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/archive/index.php?t-32028.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945787 | 276 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Medical doctor and nutrition science blogger Dr. Peter Attia is our guest today on The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore!
Prior to 2010, Dr. Peter Attia was a typical medical doctor who was trained well in prescribing medications for a variety of chronic diseases. But he decided the typical high-carb, low-fat diet he was on was not optimal for managing his weight and health and he embarked on an incremental journey to start livin’ la vida low-carb. First he cut sugar, then other white carbohydrates, then starchy carbohydrates and finally cut carbs down to 50g daily along with reducing protein to 120g per day. The result was lower body fat, improved cardiovascular markers and a marked improvement in his athletic performance.
Dr. Attia has continued to learn everything he can get his hands on about nutrition and experimenting on himself to see what works. Through his friendship with former podcast guest Gary Taubes and others, everything he thought he knew about nutrition was just plain wrong. That’s why he decided to throw his hat into the arena of ideas by creating his new blog “The War On Insulin (And The Defense Of Fat)” in 2012 to help communicate the lessons he has learned from his perspective as a physician. Don’t miss this man on a mission to educate the world about the carbohydrate-insulin connection to obesity and disease!
NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: http://cmp.ly/3 | <urn:uuid:d7e1d336-351f-47d5-bcb3-82a591380b95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/6047/560-peter-attia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970433 | 307 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Deep in the desert of Death Valley, there sits a sleepy little resort called Panamint Springs. The cottages and modest restaurant there are a part of no town, connected to no power grid. For several years, the normally quiet cacti and climes were invaded once a year in the peak of heat for four days by a loose band of comedians and their friends. In the summer of 2005, there were seventy-three of us.
On June 5th, the Sunday night of this four-day party, comedian Emery-Emery read a newspaper article about Pope John Paul II, but instead of the Pope’s name, he inserted fellow comedian Mitch Hedberg’s, both of whom had died only months before.
People wept and knelt on cobblestones as the news of his death spread across the square, bowing their heads to a man whose long and down-to-earth comedy was the only one that many young and middle-aged fans around the world remembered. For more than ten minutes, not long after his death was announced, the crowd simply applauded him…
"The world has lost a champion of human freedom and a good and faithful servant of God has been called home," President Bush said at the White House. "Mitch Hedberg was himself an inspiration to millions of Americans and to so many more throughout the world."
When Emery finished, he said that it’s sad that people know so much about people like the Pope and not enough about people like Mitch. To which fellow comedian and party-organizer Doug Stanhope replied, “But then we wouldn’t need Mitch.”
Then the power went out.
Then everyone there started chanting, “Mitch! Mitch! Mitch!…” and scattered throughout the darkness of the desert.
“We are haunted by what we cannot fully identify,” writes Joseph Natoli, “by what we cannot make identical to what we already are, have, and know.” Among the roster of beloved, recently deceased comedians—Patrice O’Neal, Mike DeStefano, and Greg Geraldo come immediately to mind—no one haunts us like Mitch Hedberg. He was a superstar in stand-up comedy when he died in late March of 2005. His widow, Lynn Shawcroft, was in attendance at the party in the desert shortly thereafter. Quoting one of his unused notebook pages, she asked me several times that week, “Do you believe in Gosh?”—a joke that later became the name of Mitch's one posthumous CD. Mitch’s laidback, sometimes self-conscious delivery and brain-backwards observations, as well as his propensity for constantly breaking character and the fourth wall of theatre, connected him to his audiences much more than many other comedians of his time. He often reacted to his own jokes as if he were in the audience and commented on the audience’s reactions, stating that a joke was funnier than they acted or that one joke was the same as another with "different ingredients.” Many of his shows were similar to those of a touring arena-rock band, where the audience sings along. His fans would wait for jokes that they were familiar with and yell out the punch lines as Mitch said them. Though his style was reminiscent of comedian Steven Wright, his humble and humane presence made him beloved by everyone who saw him. He’s now the friendliest ghost we know.
Mitch’s former tour manager and friend Greg Chaille described a dream he had after Mitch’s death:
I dipped into a very deep sleep early this morning. I had a dream that I was riding in the back of a pickup with Mitch. I don’t remember who was driving but we were moving pretty good on a clear and sunny day. He was sitting on the driver’s side facing forward, and I was on the back wheel hump on the passenger side.
I just kept looking over at him thinking, “I knew he was still around.” He would just look over at me and smile a knowing smile, like “I know what I’m doing, it’s all okay. Everything is alright.”
I was so happy that Mitch was sitting across from me I started to cry. I reached over to hug him and then I woke up.
I was at a bar in Seattle called Lynda’s with Chaille and several other comedians on the two-year anniversary of Mitch’s passing, and we all went around the table telling our favorite Mitch jokes.
"Last week I helped a friend stay put,” started one comedian. “It's a lot easier than helping someone move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load shit into a truck."
“I had my hair highlighted because I thought some strands were more important than others,” offered someone else.
"An escalator can never be broken, it can only become stairs,” added another. “Escalator temporarily stairs! Sorry for the convenience!" everyone finished in unison.
“I think Pringles original intention was to make tennis balls,” I chimed in, “but on the day the rubber was supposed to show up a truckload of potatoes came. Pringles is a laid back company, so they just said ‘fuck it, cut ‘em up!’”
During the blackout in the desert, Chaille built a bonfire in the campground across the road from the Panamint Springs resort. We all soon reconvened there, clumsily finding our way through the dark desert where Mitch’s spirit still lingered. Shortly after his death, comedians from all over the country gathered in Los Angeles to honor Mitch’s memory. “If I didn't get a chance to say hello,” friend and fellow comedian Doug Stanhope wrote on his website after the show, “it's because it was hard to talk.”
“If you would like to hear a loud tone, press 2. If not, leave a message.”
– Mitch's outgoing voicemail message.
When his CD Do You Believe in Gosh? was released in 2008, the “One Nation Under Gosh” shows celebrated Mitch in comedy clubs in Seattle, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, New York City, Hollywood, and Austin, proving that his spirit lives on on comedy stages nationwide.
“Nobody has asked me how Mitch lived,” Stanhope wrote of Mitch not long after his death. “And Mitch lived like a motherfucker. More than most any of us will live. That isn't sad or tragic. Mitch was the kind of comic that was funny even when nobody was looking. It wasn't just for the stage, the ego, or the random congratulations. He was funny when he was alone.” Doug told me that his phone had never rang like it did when Mitch died, every caller eager to find out about Mitch's demise.
“I don't know how Mitch died,” Stanhope concludes. “I know how Mitch lived, and he lived brilliantly and by his own rules. The number of years next to his name is trivia. The contents of those years is inspiration.” Here’s hoping his spirit continues to inspire, haunting our hearts and heads with laughter.
Roy Christopher is currently corrupting the youth at the University of Illinois-Chicago. His favorite Talking Heads record is Remain in Light. | <urn:uuid:8e092fc7-fd08-48cb-b417-49e9684aacf0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://splitsider.com/2013/03/mitch-hedberg-different-ingredients/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98816 | 1,590 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Maud Fitch wrote:StephenKingman wrote:I also admired Skeeter for her courage in not wanting to live the kind of clean and safe, conventional life that awaited her if she married Stuart and attended all the posh events and nodded at all the right times, she went down her own path and was a catalyst to the changes in the maids and in my opinion just as important a character as Minny or Aibhleen. Cant wait for the movie now.
Yes, I agree with your comments, in fact my 'real' book club asked us the following questions (probably courtesy of Oprah) and I thought I'd share them:
1. Who was your favourite character? Why?
Every character had struggles to overcome and I found it difficult to separate the three main women but my favourite was Aibileen for her wisdom. Although I ended up liking Skeeter because she was the catalyst, admittedly with a dating self-destruct button, and I believe she embodied a part of the author Kathryn Stockett.
2. Do you think Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?
Yes, of course. Admittedly she was her own worst enemy, saying the wrong things at the wrong time, but she had been stabbed in the back so often she was always defensive and looking for that hidden agenda which usually presented itself in such a way that she was powerless to stand up for herself.
3. Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent or taught?
Rather a tricky question because it involves child psychology as well as racial prejudice. Children play with other children and don’t worry about the finer details like colour, money, clothes, so I’d have to go with taught. As children gain awareness of their surroundings they ask questions so if their parents respond with segregationist anti-black answers, the child will absorb this. Aibileen may have been able to give Mae Mobley both sides of the story.
4. How much of a person’s character do you think is shaped by the times in which they live?
Superficially we are shaped by our times, fashion, fads, media, music, new gadgets, but I believe underneath basic human nature does not change. We always seem to have traits like kindness and cruelty, generosity and greed, compassion and callousness in equal measure. It's hoped that the good deeds come to the fore.
5. What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?
First of all, I’d like to say that was an exceedingly good plot device but I think it was out of character because Minny(who couldn't leave her husband for fear of being alone) would have known such an action was going to backfire and destroy her working life. Personally, due to my cautious nature, I couldn’t/wouldn’t go that far.
6. Do you think that this novel has the potential to become a classic?
Yes, and I think it may become a book which will be studied in literature classrooms.
That's my personal opinion - how would you answer those questions?
Great comments Maud and it must be fab to have a rel life book club to discuss books, i have never even heard of one in or around Waterford, its probably more a thing where a few people meet in houses to have a chat, nothing official. As for your qs:
1. Minny was my fave as she has such an outgoing and determmined attitude to life, despite being beaten by her husband and facing racism in a daily basis. You can see she has an innate desire to rebel and cause waves (not trouble as such just very opinionated) as she has to remind herself not to cuss on the white women and lose her job. She also has a great sense of humor and some of her remarks on Celia were very funny.
2. Hard to know, was there anything else that Minny went through that other maids at the time didnt? I didnt get that vibe in the book, she certainly felt put upon after Hilly blackened her name but that was as a result of her pie actions, which was her own personality coming through so im not sure if she had a particularly strong grudge against the whites compared to everyone else.
3. I believe Mae would have retained a better view of blacks due to Aibhleens constant stories and reminders of how skin color is just a superficial difference but i suspect this view would only stick in Mae's head as long as Aibhleen was around to remind her- if she was gone and replaced by a less caring maid, her mothers constant color bashing may stick in her head and she may turn out just like her mother. Racism i think is half inhereted and half nurtured.
4. A lot of your character is shaped by what your friends do, what they wear, movies, music, mannerisms, your parents and culture but as Maud says, whether you are in 1860 or 2012 fundamental human characteristics like compassion and kindness remain in a person if they are that way inclined. A person may feel injustice in them no matter what the time period and even the maids in the end decided they were not willing to put up with their stories being repressed.
5. I thought this was a bit disgusting to be honest and although it didnt lessen my view of Minny I think just being seen using Hillys toilet would have been revenge enough, and i hope they dont go down the whole chocolate pie route in the movie.
6. Hard to tell at this stage, too many books are regarded as instant classics these days but it will certainly stand the test of time as a fantastic and thought provoking novel for sure. | <urn:uuid:3ef01b1a-ef04-44b7-b2a4-37f542e60725> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9942&p=155535 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989773 | 1,227 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Do people treat you badly all the time? Do you find you are always fighting with people, or they with you? Do they lie, cheat, steal and take advantage of you? You might be a trouble seeker.
Paul warned the church in Ephesus against living this way and gave some valuable insights on how to be different. Drama seekers attract trouble. They don’t come right out and say they want negativity in their lives, yet it is there and it is constant.
It’s possible that down deep, you like being lied to. You don’t want to trust people, or be vulnerable. So, when they lie, it justifies your distance. Or, maybe you enjoy people being made at you. Then, you don’t have to open up to love. You look for it, open the box and hold on to anger because it feels good.
There are people who enjoy drama. I am not one of those people. Are you tired of being a trouble seeker? Here are some pointers we can get from Paul’s words:
Stop lying. Eph 4:25 says “Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” Picture a lie as a toy that’s been grabbed out of the box. If you know someone that keeps bring that toy to play, grab it out of their hands and put it away. If you’re the culprit, stop it. Put it away. Don’t tolerate lying, nor liars. If you enjoy lying, or tolerate liars, you might be a trouble seeker.
Stop inappropriate anger. v26-27. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Some people think Christians should get angry. It’s ok to be angry as long as your anger is directed at the right things or people. Anger without sin means unselfish anger. It’s the kind of anger that turned the money changers’ tables over and that called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” (Mt.23:33).
Appropriate anger is directed toward the right people at the right time and then it’s put away.
Is anger another toy you like to hold onto? Paul tells us to not let the day end in anger.
Letting anger build and grow gives power to the devil. If you’re always angry, or people are always angry at you, you might be a trouble seeker.
Are you ready to be different? Eph.5:1-2 tells us how to stop being a trouble seeker, “… be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
God’s not a trouble seeker. We shouldn’t be either.
Imitate God. To imitate someone well, you have to spend a lot of time with them. The only way to imitate God well is to spend time with Him in prayer and His Word.
Walk in love. As you move through this day, decide to be different. Take action to bring peace in your life. Don’t allow trouble in, nor cause it.
Make a decision today that you are not going to be a trouble seeker any more.
Thank you faithful readers, followers and “likers.” I appreciate you all. May God bless you all as you sing your songs for Him.
Photo Credit, By F.S. Church, Creative Commons | <urn:uuid:104e7b40-d45b-43fe-b511-cc062264e2f7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ising4god.com/tag/trouble/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952699 | 783 | 1.539063 | 2 |
STILL the man. Still the name on the lips of the world. Still the face of these Olympic Games, of the Games ad infinitum. For those who like to make a list Usain Bolt has defied you. He is a list of one. The only man to successfully defend the Olympic 100 and 200 metres, the double double.
He delivered history's "oh my god" moment with a finger pinned to his mouth, a gesture aimed at the doubters who thought the golden thread that runs through his core had started to fray. It was also pointing in the direction of the man to his left, Yohan Blake, who confused victory in the Jamaican trials over the same distance as evidence of his own power to make all before him yield. Not yet young man.
Blake's lunge for the line was in its own terms a mark of respect for the champion. There was no slowing here, no peacock display under braking as he crossed the line. He was balls out, draining every last ounce of effort to drag Bolt back into his orbit.
No chance. Bolt was upright, magnificent and proud, an athlete for the ages doing his thing when it mattered. What a moment. What a man.
There was something of Las Vegas about the day. This race began in mid-afternoon in the Westfield Centre adjacent to Olympic Park with thousands milling, hanging out, killing time, savouring the countdown, sensing that they were part of an extraordinary moment. This was not just about the Olympics, or even sport. There is an awesome quality attached to great deeds, and running fast is right up there with lunar landings and a knockout punch thrown in a prize-fighting ring in its power to compel. It is so far beyond what is normal, outside our range of experience.
Jamaica was well represented on the walkways and in the cafes, splashes of green, gold and black proclaiming an association with the Caribbean island. Bolt validates every last one of them, bestows upon them a sense of entitlement and a swagger. They win because he wins. Where are you from? Jamaica. Ah, Usain Bolt. And so with every stride he takes deeper into the annals of Olympic achievement Bolt augments the identity of his country, projecting Jamaica into the living rooms of the world.
The debate is already well advanced to claim for the island and her antecedents in West Africa a significant gene that confers upon them the gift of speed. The science is not yet as powerful as the sociology. Nature trails nurture and the contribution of the athletic hot house that is Trelawny and its schools, Waldensia Primary and William Knibb Memorial High, where Bolt's talent was spotted and encouraged. Even if a super gene proves to be the catalyst, it does not make him smile, or dance, or draw his golden bow. These are attributes all his own, expressions of a non-derivative kind.
Yes he has cultivated and polished the persona. The insouciance of pre-fight ritual, the joking last night in the warm-up area with baseball cap casually pitched atop that pristine dome, is all a little practiced perhaps but not sufficiently to harm the authenticity of the beast. It is these, the inflections of a vivid personality that augment the fable rooted in the velocity at which he covers the ground.
There were plenty of world class sprinters in this field, but only one Bolt. He is the face of these Games, the athlete that matters most, the special one, separate and distinct.
British athletes have enjoyed a degree of Olympic plunder unprecedented in the modern era. We luxuriate in the dominance of our cyclists, the excellence of our rowers and sailors. And yes we had that golden hour six days ago that ranks right up there as one of the greatest episodes in our sporting canon. But the feats of Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford were ours to own. They had meaning only for us. Bolt transcends borders, race, creed, religious orientation. When he lines up on the blocks he is representing humanity, defining what is possible within the limitations of the species. He belongs to all of us.
Where he stands in the hierarchy of the great fast men is almost irrelevant. Eight others had done what he managed in Beijing, claiming double gold in the sprint events, among them Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis, who in different eras circumscribed the age with their athletic endeavours. This is the territory occupied by Bolt today, a towering figure in the presence of whom we freeze.
An athlete of the calibre of David Rudisha, who took gold in the 800 metres in world record time - yes that was the 800 metres - was presented as the undercard entertainment. The 23-year-old Maasai supernova is undefeated, a two-lap warrior to stand comparison with Ovett and Coe, Aouita and El Guerrouj. To Kenya and the continent of Africa he is a treasure trove of YouTube gold and positive press clippings, but not Bolt, not the fastest man on earth.
His arrival met with the standard fanfare. The last gold medal ceremony of the evening was coming to an end as the competitors made their way to the blocks. The mention of his name set the decibel level soaring and then 80,000 voices fell silent as if the starter had a volume switch in his hand.
The rasp of the starting device was the signal to unleash hell. Bolt hit the bend like a greyhound. This is the event best suited to his 6ft 5in frame. Blake kept him honest but nothing more. As he came to the finishing straight Blake was pumping his heaving bulk for all it was worth. Bolt was flying, head still, eyes on the prize.
Facts in figures
1 Bolt became first man to retain both sprint titles.
95% The fitness level Bolt claimed he was at before the start of the Olympics in London.
2 Bolt holds two of the best three 200m times ever recorded.
12 Hundreths of a second that Bolt beat Blake in both the 100 and 200m. | <urn:uuid:797c71cf-cff4-4a26-8a95-cd731bcc1667> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gattonstar.com.au/news/usain-bolt-dominates-200m-final-london-olympics/1499858/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972561 | 1,262 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Church historians said that the Vatican usually ordered an apostolic visitation when a particular institution had gone seriously astray. In the wake of the priest sexual-abuse scandal, the Vatican ordered a visitation of American seminaries. It is now conducting a visitation of the Legionaries of Christ, a men’s order whose founder, the Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado, sexually abused young seminarians, fathered a child and was accused of financial improprieties. He died in 2008.Neeedless to say, American nuns are not abusing choir boys or stealing parish money. They're just too modern for Vatican tastes. Many of them do not live in convents or wear black habits. Some of them teach in non-Catholic universities. Gallingly, some of them have publicly protested against a male-only priesthood.
Fighting modernity: the apostolic visitation edition
The Vatican is investigating nuns in the US. The truly amazing thing? The investigation takes the form of a "apostolic visitation" which usually is carried out when something truly scandalous happens: | <urn:uuid:6bd40467-a887-4622-8725-7b486c24e550> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://not-that-sane.blogspot.jp/2009/07/fighting-modernity-apostolic-visitation.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943398 | 218 | 1.625 | 2 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.