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Last year, I asked my friend Cary Platkin, a tech attorney specializing in SaaS/cloud issues, to contribute to this blog with a Q&A on the SaaS Business Model and Some Common Legal Questions. That posting was so well received, I asked him to come back again with whatever issue was most pressing for his clients these days.
Not surprisingly, he said SaaS and cloud-based companies are struggling with the liability issues associated with customers’ number one concern – security. Customers want vendors to assume unlimited liability for security breaches; vendors want to restrict and cap their liability. Negotiated subscription agreements often end up somewhere in the middle. So, how can a vendor give its customers a high level of liability protection and still sleep at night?
Q. So, Cary, what exactly is “cyber liability insurance”?
A. Cyber liability insurance is insurance that allows a vendor to outsource the risks that remain after it has implemented direct, technical computer security measures and attempted to limit its contractual liability to customers. Since typical commercial general liability (CGL) and errors and omissions (E&O) policies rarely cover “intangible” losses related to loss of data, privacy breaches, and the like, cyber liability insurance policies are intended to fill that hole to address the particular needs of a company doing business in the cloud.
Q. Why should SaaS/cloud providers strongly consider cyber liability insurance?
A. Unlike traditional enterprise software vendors who ship software to their customers to run locally, SaaS and cloud-based service providers receive and maintain business and personal data on behalf of their customers. The value of this data to the customer often exceeds the cost of the service. So, customers are not shy in asking for security and confidentiality liability that far exceeds the profit the provider can expect.
Providers rely on a myriad of employees and third party vendors (cloud platform providers, collocation facilities, system integrators, solutions providers, etc.). However, these folks cannot or will not provide adequate liability coverage for the security breaches they may allow. After security policies and procedures have been put in place and agreed to, cyber liability insurance increases the providers’ ability to offer liability levels that go beyond the value of the contract.
Q. There is a lot of media hype around security issues but just how big is the risk of a real data breach?
A. Data breaches can come from any number of causes: unauthorized access to online systems, denial-of-service attacks, and introduction of viruses and malicious code, any of which may result in loss, dissemination or destruction of electronic data, business interruptions, privacy law violations, disclosure of non-public personal and or confidential information, and, potentially cause financial harm to the persons whose data is released, as well as the provider.
Fixes can be expensive: detection, escalation, notification and response along with legal, investigative and administrative expenses, customer defections, opportunity loss, reputation management, and costs associated with customer support such as information hotlines and credit monitoring subscriptions.
Recent studies provide varying results regarding the cost of data breaches, but they are always expensive:
- A recent survey by the Computer Security Institute found that the average company financial losses due to security incidents exceed $230,000. The Ponemon Institute puts the average total per-incident cost even higher at $6.75 million, with an average cost per compromised record of over $200.
- In the CSI survey, wireless related exploits were the most expensive, averaging $770,000 in losses per incident, followed by theft of personally identifiable information or personal health information through all causes other than mobile device theft ($710,000), and financial fraud ($450,000).
Rogue employees are part of the problem, resulting in data security issues 43% of the time. But accidents can happen too: 25% percent of survey respondents felt that over 60% of their financial losses were due to non-malicious accidents by insiders.
Q. If I’m a cloud provider, can’t I just pass some of the liability on to my vendors?
A. You could pass some of the liability for your vendors back to them, if they were willing to accept it. Problem is, they are not. I have negotiated enough contracts with cloud platform providers, collocation facilities, telecommunication providers, solution providers and others to know that they will simply not take on the liability for damage to your business or your customers’ businesses resulting from their data security breaches. (I’ve actually heard counsel for a colo extol the virtues of its security procedures, only to assert that it should have zero liability for data breaches because placing a box in the facility does not constitute disclosure of the data. At least they offered to cover the cost of the lost hardware if one of their employees walked off with it.)
Inevitably, you will be stuck in the middle between your customers and the third party vendors you use to provision your service at a reasonable cost. Remember that agreements with vendors should require that they carry a cyber/privacy liability policy that names you as a third party beneficiary.
Q. How do I decide what cyber liability insurance I need?
A. To decide what kind of cyber liability insurance you need, first evaluate your existing policies, and ask yourself the following questions: Am I covered for loss of electronic data? Is electronic data stored on media covered? Are first party claims covered (damage to your company’s electronic data or equipment)? Are third party claims related to electronic data loss covered (in other words, customers who claim you damaged or lost their electronic data, or personal information)? Newer commercial general liability (“CGL”) policies typically exclude electronic data loss from coverage as electronic data is excluded from the definition of covered tangible personal property.
You should also consider whether any of the following types of damages and claims are covered or expressly excluded from your policies: DNS and other types of hacker attacks (causing downtime, and potential exposure to your customers); transmission of malicious code; data released by rogue employees or by employees making innocent mistakes; security breaches; business interruptions; privacy violations, including disclosure of personal information or customer personal information, and incidents related to unauthorized access to company online systems; unauthorized access to credit card information; notification and other expenses incurred in remedying a privacy breach; expenses related to customers’ claims; costs to investigate and restore data. In reviewing these scenarios in your existing policies, examine how and whether intentional acts are excluded from coverage; and whether fines, penalties and related settlement costs are covered in any policy.
Also consider whether your current policies cover liability assumed under contract. A CGL policy may not cover liability assumed under contract; they primarily cover tort liability. It is good practice to consider obtaining coverage that expressly covers contractual undertakings, for example, indemnity for privacy breach, as this will give you some flexibility in the types of promises you can safely make to customers. In addition, look at whether your policies cover acts of subcontractors (such as data that is lost/damaged by your collocation provider facility or by your consultants).
Finally, think about the kind of data you are storing online and where is it being stored. Does it contain any personally identifiable information (“PII”)? If yes, then at minimum, you’ll need privacy liability coverage. Is the data encrypted? What techniques are you using to protect unencrypted data? This is quite important since some insurers may include policy exclusions for unencrypted data. Are you transmitting, or do you plan to transmit any PII from Europe to the US? If so, are you US–EU Safe Harbor certified? Do you have good procedures in place for a data breach event? Do you have a disaster recovery and business continuity plan in place? These things matter in terms of whether you can get a policy, and how much it will cost.
You might consider “cyber extortion” coverage if you are concerned about the risk of having to pay a ransom amount demanded by a hacker threatening to shut down your company’s network/services or steal private information. These policies often include forensic or investigative costs to help determine the validity of the hacker threat, and there is usually no deductible because the carrier views this as a proactive measure that could prevent larger damage and loss.
This isn’t an exhaustive list – consider other loss scenarios not mentioned here to determine with your broker what other risks should be covered. For instance, Mike Gilmore of Crump Insurance Services, Inc. in San Francisco highlights that intellectual property infringement and personal injury claims arising our of technology products, services and website activity are often covered with a cyber liability policy. Software copyright infringement claims are fairly common for software code. And he’s seeing more and more personal injury claims arising from company websites that contain blogs where individuals can post comments, pictures, and otherwise, that can be defamatory, slanderous, and damaging to reputation.
Q. What other steps can I take to limit my liability with cyber liability insurance?
A. Many carriers are offering proactive services in addition to the risk transfer in the cyber liability policy, including forensic experts and consultants who can help mitigate a security/privacy breach, legal experts to advise on requirements per state, public relations support, and even 24-hour IT support for guidance if a company thinks it may have a privacy breach situation or hacker threat.
Using its authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair and deceptive practices, the FTC has brought a number of cases to enforce privacy policies, including promises about the security of consumers’ personal information.
A good recent example of this was the settlement by Twitter with the FTC for Twitter’s lax security practices. The case involve two hacking incidents in 2009, one in which a number of high profile accounts were compromised, and another in which a hacker gained access to a Twitter employee email account containing the employee’s administrative password. Under the terms of the settlement, Twitter was barred for 20 years from misleading consumers about the extent to which it maintains and protects the security, privacy, and confidentiality of nonpublic consumer information. The settlement also required Twitter to establish and maintain a comprehensive information security program, which will be assessed by a third party every other year for 10 years. Similar settlements between the FTC and various technology companies over security breaches can be found on the FTC website.
First be sure there is a broad definition of “Claim” so coverage applies to demands, investigations, requests, complaints, and civil, criminal, and administrative and regulatory proceedings. In terms of FTC and other government agency activity in the privacy arena, this is becoming increasingly important.
Evaluate the definition of “Loss” to ensure coverage encompasses a wide scope of relief, including statutory, and regulatory fines and penalties, defense, investigative and settlement costs. Clarify that disruption, corruption, deletion, theft, or copying of data, software, or programs whether stored electronically or on good old fashioned paper is deemed to be “physical loss or damage” to potentially avoid coverage issues for loss or damage of electronic data. Seek to add a provision covering the cost of making a determination that reconstruction of data is impossible. Look for coverage for unauthorized use by authorized users. Check for coverage for loss of use by a third party.
Examine the “Exclusions” to coverage to ensure they are narrow and contain “exceptions” where coverage will be provided. If possible determine if exclusions for bad conduct by officers, directors or company employees will be triggered only by a final adjudication of the excluded conduct. Defense costs should be covered, and the exclusions should be severable, so that one rogue employee does not disrupt coverage for all. Make sure the cost to replace or restore electronic data is not excluded. And review the “insured versus insured” exclusion to ensure you have coverage for your own employees as long as you are buying the coverage.
Finally examine the duty to mitigate damages carefully. “Covered damages” definitions often exclude the cost of repair if you did not take prompt, reasonable measures to address a security breach. In part this why you should take a pre-coverage security assessment, continually improve security procedures, and conduct internal training on them.
Q. OK, I’m convinced! But how do I sell this internally?
A. Ted Doolittle of Risk Placement Services tells me tech providers often think they are immune to the risks identified here. From a tech perspective, they’ll say they don’t have exposure because their systems are airtight, or that they don’t have time for the steps involved in obtaining insurance, such as third party security audits, lengthy applications, etc. From a finance perspective, they’ll simply say that cyber liability insurance is not in the budget. Hopefully, the information in this article will give you some ideas about how to discuss the issues and justify the purchase. Given the risk of litigation associated with dealing with personally identifiable information (PII), he recommends that tech providers get at least a policy to cover the defense costs associated with a claim. The process for obtaining coverage, he says, is much more streamlined that it was even 1 or 2 years ago.
Q. If people want to contact you directly to discuss this issue in more detail, what’s the best way?
A. Just have them email me directly at email@example.com | <urn:uuid:bd9869ea-0be4-4b4c-ad34-bc44ae22eae0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.interwest.com/rolling-thunder/on-demand/cyber-liability-insurance-as-a-cloud-provider-can-you-afford-not-to-have-it/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94532 | 2,770 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Attempts to silence leading American Muslim civil advocacy groups continue in trials and intelligence agency actions that have all the hallmarks of an orchestrated witch-hunt, writes Abdus Sattar Ghazali*
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'Implicating mainstream Muslim groups was an apparent attempt to silence genuine Muslim voices while providing ammunition to anti-Muslim organisations. It was a US Department of Justice effort to smear the entire Muslim community'
In an apparent attempt to silence a leading American Muslim civil rights advocacy group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Republican Congressman Frank Wolf from Virginia has expressed deep disappointment at the FBI's insufficient response to his letter that apparently sought corroborative information on smears against CAIR by Muslim-bashers like Steven Emerson.
In a letter sent to FBI on 2 February, Wolf asked: "Has the FBI severed ties with CAIR? If so, how is the FBI planning to formally notify members of Congress and other government officials of this decision? If FBI policy has changed with regard to CAIR, is there any indication that this decision is being revisited by the new administration? If so, what new evidence would justify a change in course? Is CAIR's national office still in contact with the FBI?
"The [FOX News] report quotes Assistant Director John Miller from the FBI Office of Public Affairs as saying: 'The FBI has had to limit its formal contact with CAIR field offices until certain issues are addressed by CAIR's national headquarters.' What specifically are the "certain issues" which you have raised with CAIR? Is there still informal contact with any field offices? If so, what is the distinction between formal and informal and why is there a distinction between field offices? To your knowledge, does CAIR receive financial contributions from foreign sources? If so, which ones and how much?"
Congressman Frank Wolf, who has a track record of anti-Muslim bearing, sent this letter after FOX News reported that the FBI cut off ties with CAIR "amid mounting evidence that it has links to a support network for Hamas". Given that Hamas is on the current list of US designated foreign terrorist organisations, this is obviously a serious claim, one which would rightly inform a shift in FBI policy, Wolf wrote.
In response, Miller wrote: "As you know, we recently acknowledged that we have suspended any formal engagement with Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) field offices around the country. 'Formal' relationships as defined here means appointing or accepting CAIR or its representatives on any organised committee or group sponsored by the FBI. However, representatives of CAIR have the same access to the FBI as any other persons and are encouraged to report any crime or violation of civil rights.
"Members of the United States Government, especially those serving in a law enforcement capacity, have a duty to be judicious in our activities as representatives of the Federal Government. The adjustment in our contacts with CAIR comes in part as a result of evidence gathered through FBI investigation and presented in connection with the Holy Land Foundation trial. CAIR was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in that case."
However, Wolf was not satisfied with the FBI answer and on 9 March sent another letter which stated: "I was deeply disappointed with the FBI's response -- hand delivered to my office last Friday -- to my letter of 2 February inquiring about the Bureau's position on meeting with the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
"I would like these questions fully answered by this Friday, 13 March, and by someone who works on counter-terrorism, rather than a public affairs officer. Other members of Congress, both House and Senate, have expressed interest in additional information about the Bureau's position as it relates to CAIR. I would think the Bureau would be embarrassed to send the insufficient response I received."
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED HARASSMENT: Meanwhile, CAIR has charged that Wolf has abused his office by seeking to pressure the FBI to produce negative information about the Muslim civil rights and advocacy group. Wolf's attempt to obtain information to be used against CAIR may stem from CAIR's long history of criticism of the Virginia congressman's political stances.
It appears that Congressman Wolf is seeking payback for all the times CAIR and American Muslims have challenged his political positions using their constitutionally protected right to petition elected representatives, said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. It is unfortunate that Wolf has abused his office to pressure a government agency to target those he obviously views as political opponents.
Awad cited the numerous times CAIR butted heads with Wolf over the past 12 years.
In 1997, CAIR asked members of the American Muslim community to contact Wolf about his Freedom from Religious Persecution Act, which it said seemed to ignore the persecution of Muslims. Also that year, CAIR asked Muslims to contact Wolf, then chairman of the Transportation and Related Agencies Subcommittee, to raise questions about passenger profiling and about how the civil liberties of all travellers could be guaranteed.
In 1998, CAIR asked Muslims to contact leaders of a House-Senate conference committee and urge them to amend or eliminate new legislation that would create a National Commission on Terrorism. Wolf introduced the legislation to create the commission.
CAIR expressed concern about the objectivity of the proposed commission because of Wolf's legislative history, his apparent focus on Islam and Muslims and the backgrounds of several individuals proposed as members of the commission. The council said that a number of those put forward as possible commission members were associates of Muslim bashers who have targeted the American Muslim community as a threat to this society.
In 1999, CAIR called on the American Muslim community to defend a Muslim appointee to Wolf's National Commission on Terrorism by Representative Richard Gephardt (D-MO). The appointee, Salam Al-Marayati, director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, was under attack by pro-Israel groups. A New York Post editorial attacking the appointment referred to a list of public statements compiled by terrorism expert Steven Emerson, the same Muslim- basher smearing CAIR.
In 2001, CAIR challenged a decision by Wolf's office to deny the right of an American Muslim leader of Sudanese heritage to attend a meeting to discuss policy toward Sudan on Capitol Hill. That leader, who was and is the imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) in Herndon, Virginia, was a resident of Wolf's district.
In 2006, CAIR called on Muslims and other people of conscience in Northern Virginia to contact Wolf to urge him to repudiate anti- Muslim remarks by his colleague Representative Virgil Goode (R-VA). Goode was critical of the planned use of a Quran for the ceremonial swearing-in of Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress.
CAIR is America's largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group with 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. In 2007, the prosecutors of the Holy Land Foundation charity used McCarthyite tactics by naming 306 individuals and organisations, including CAIR, as unindicted co-conspirators in the case.
Implicating mainstream Muslim groups was an apparent attempt to silence genuine Muslim voices while providing ammunition to anti- Muslim organisations. It was a US Department of Justice effort to smear the entire Muslim community.
The government's co-conspirator list includes the nation's largest Muslim educational organisation, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), the country's largest holding company of deeds to about 300 mosques, Islamic centres and schools in the US.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: Typically, prosecutors identify a person or a group as an unindicted co-conspirator so that their statements, or those of people involved in the listed organisations, about the defendants could be used in court without them being considered hearsay, which is not permitted in trial. Those so designated cannot challenge the designation in a court of law and thus have no way to restore their reputation to its earlier standing. This proved a unique situation where any person or organisation could be designated guilty by association and stigmatised as such without opportunity of legal redress.
There is no doubt that the Department of Justice in selecting that list of 306 organisations and individuals intended to accomplish such results, especially for three of the largest and most effective American Muslim organisations: ISNA, NAIT and CAIR. Yet Department of Justice guidelines discourage the public identification of unindicted co-conspirators by the government.
"In all public filings and proceedings, federal prosecutors should remain sensitive to the privacy and reputation interests of uncharged third-parties," the Department of Justice manual for prosecutors says. When co-conspirator lists have to be filed in court, prosecutors should seek to file them under seal, the guidelines say.
In practice, lists are often made public. A list of co-conspirators was released in connection with the federal trial in 2005 of Professor Sami Al-Arian on terrorism support charges. However, when Enron executives went on trial in 2006, the list of alleged co-conspirators was kept under seal.
After a series of legal twists, the use of secret evidence and questionable witness testimony by Israeli intelligence agents, the Holy Land Foundation, once a leading American Muslim charitable organisation, and five of its former officials were convicted on 24 November 2008 on criminal charges related to humanitarian aid given to Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. The defendants said they were engaged in legitimate relief work, while the government claimed that the work benefited terrorists.
During the trial, defence attorneys accused the government of bending to Israeli pressure to prosecute the charity, and of relying on old evidence. But jurors agreed with the government's contention that at least $12 million raised in the US had been illegally funnelled to Hamas after that organisation was banned as a terrorist group by the federal government in 1995.
Prosecutors spent more time in the second trial explaining the complexities of the case and painting a clearer picture of the money trail. Following the initial mistrial, declared on 22 October 2007 when jurors returned no convictions against any of the five former leaders of the Holy Land Foundation, prosecutors streamlined their case and eliminated almost 100 charges against the remaining defendants. Mohamed El-Mezain, the charity's original chairman, had been unanimously acquitted on most counts by a jury after 19 days of deliberations.
Tellingly, while prosecutors said the charity had raised money for Hamas they did not accuse it of directly financing or being involved in "terrorist" activity. Prosecutors said the charity was spreading Hamas's ideology by funding schools, hospitals and social welfare programmes controlled by the group in the Palestinian territories, and permitting it to divert funds to the activities of fighters.
Attorney Greg Westfall, who has been involved in the case since 2005 called the prosecution shameful and compared the 42-day trial to some of the darkest days in American history. In pandering to racial and religious prejudices, Westfall said, the prosecution depended on people accepting the stereotype that "Muslim equals Islamist equals terrorist." It was based mainly on guilt by association, he said, including associations with groups that have never been proven to be "terrorists" or supporters of terrorism.
According to Nancy Hollander, a lawyer from Albuquerque who represented one of the defendants, Shukri Abu Baker: "Our clients were not even allowed to review their own statements because they were classified statements that they made over the course of many years that the government wiretapped." There were also statements from alleged co-conspirators that included handwritten notes. Nobody knew who wrote the notes, or when they were written.
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley has called the Holy Land case an "example of excessive and vexatious prosecution". The intention was to chill Muslim charities in the US, and that is exactly what happened, he said.
FIGHTING BACK: On 16 August 2007, CAIR filed an amicus brief asking the court to remove its name, and that of several hundred other Muslim individuals and institutions, from the list of so-called unindicted co-conspirators. The CAIR brief in part said:
"The Fifth Amendment was violated because the public naming of the unindicted co- conspirators damaged their reputation, good name, and economic well-being, without offering a forum for vindication, and without a legitimate governmental reason for doing so. The First Amendment was violated because the governmental action of publicly naming the unindicted co-conspirators chilled the expressive associational activities of the unindicted co- conspirators and the government does not have a substantially related compelling interest for their action."
In June 2008 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a motion seeking to remove the names of two Illinois Islamic Charities -- ISNA in Plainfield, Illinois, and NAIT in Burr Ridge, Illinois -- from the list of unindicted co- conspirators. "By publicly branding these groups as criminals without providing a forum for them to defend themselves or clear their names, the government has acted with blatant disregard for their constitutional rights," said Hina Shamsi, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project.
"The government's action is especially shameful because the charge it makes is so inflammatory -- it has caused each organization's reputation and good name to be dragged through the mud. The government has a constitutional obligation to correct the record and clear the names of ISNA and NAIT."
Ingrid Mattson, president of ISNA, is right when she says that for many people, when they hear the designation "unindicted co-conspirator" what they really hear is just "conspirator: and this makes it very difficult for ISNA to continue to have relationships that are built on trust. Additionally, the government action has put a strain on the fund-raising efforts of Muslim groups. At the same time, the legal case is draining their resources, as they have to spend money for their legal defence.
It will not be too much to say that the American Muslim community faces a COINTELPRO operation similar to the 1960s operation against African Americans. COINTELPRO is the acronym for a series of FBI counterintelligence programmes designed to neutralise political dissidents in the 1960s and 1970s. The programme was directed against the civil rights movement, especially against the community leadership of African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. In the 1980s, a similar programme was used against Central American solidarity groups.
According to attorney Brian Glick, author of War at Home, four methods were employed by the FBI at the height of the COINTELPRO operation during 1960s and the same methods are being employed now, including: infiltration in the community; psychological warfare from outside; harassment through the legal system; extra legal force and violence.
The Los Angeles Times (24 February 2009) revelation that the FBI used paid informants in mosques to spy on the community was a shock. The case of Ahmadullah Niazi in Tustin, California, was illustrative.
The FBI sent a convicted criminal, Craig Monteilh, to pose as an agent provocateur in several of California's mosques. In 2007, Niazi reported suspicious behaviour by a new Muslim convert in his mosque, who he said was talking about jihad and suggested planning a terrorist attack in conversations with others at the Islamic Centre of Irvine. He and a mosque official filed a report with the Los Angeles field office of the FBI. The FBI then told mosque officials that they were investigating the matter, and the mosque successfully got a three-year restraining order against the individual. Niazi reported that FBI officials later contacted him to ask him to be a paid informant. When he refused, he said they threatened to make his life "a living hell". Niazi was arrested in February 2009 on charges related to lying on his immigration documents and was later released on $500,000 bail.
STATE OF FEAR: Niazi's case is just one example of FBI infiltration into the Muslim community. At the same time a psychological warfare rages, through headline grabbing high profile arrests and trials. There is harassment through the legal system, with trial of Muslim charities in the name of fighting terrorism. The use of extralegal force is draining the resources of the community in prolonged trials in which most of the evidence is secret and the defendants are unable to properly defend themselves. Trials of the Holy Land Foundation and Al-Arian are just two examples.
All this is bringing the desired result: the intimidation of the Muslim community, defaming their faith (which is claimed linked to acts of terrorism), and straining its financial resources as the community pays out million of dollars in defence expenses.
In the final analysis, there cannot be two opinions on the priority of the security and safety of the nation, but one wonders if such measures as including more than 300 Muslim individuals and organisations as "unindicted co-conspirators" made the nation more safe or if they are being used to maintain a state of fear among the masses and to usurp their civil rights in the name of national security.
* The writer is executive editor of the online magazine American Muslim Perspective (www.amperspective.com).
'There is harassment through the legal system, with trial of Muslim charities in the name of fighting terrorism. The use of extralegal force is draining the resources of the community in prolonged trials in which most of the evidence is secret and the defendants are unable to properly defend themselves' | <urn:uuid:073e0aa1-2373-47c9-bccc-6b270ec8bbce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/940/special.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968174 | 3,565 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Shenehon Center for Real Estate
2012 Inductee: David C. Bell
David C. Bell (1841-1930)
David C. Bell has been called one of the last great civic leaders of Minneapolis. Born on a small farm in West Almond, New York, in 1841, Bell left for Minneapolis at the age of 17 to work for his brother, John Bell, as a clerk in his small general store. Able to communicate in English and German, Bell used his bilingual advantage to appeal to customers of the day. With clerking experience under his belt, he moved on to open the Bell Bros. Dry Goods store on the corner of Nicollet and Washington Avenues in 1862.
Later, Bell took on an admirable number of ventures starting with a stint as Hennepin County treasurer. In 1886, he co-founded the YMCA. He served as the first president and held that position five times. He also co-founded the American Automobile Association, the Minnesota Linseed Oil Company, several banks and ultimately a mortgage company under his name - David C. Bell Investment Company.
In 1880, Bell began originating mortgages in Minnesota and sold them to banks in New York. The first mortgage bond from the David C. Bell Investment Company was drawn up in 1888 for the sum of $3,500. The business Bell began not only employed numerous Minnesotans; it also brought a significant amount of money and development into the area. Perhaps that is he is referred to not only as an entrepreneur, but also one of the Twin Cities' founding fathers.
The David C. Bell Company continued to flourish, weathering The Great Depression and two world wars, and embracing nearly 100 years of local development before its purchase in 1980 by Gary Kirt.
Bell’s civic accolades rival his business accomplishments. In 1901 and 1902, he served as special agent of the United States Treasury Department and visited Europe in the interest of the Columbian Exposition. An advocate for education, he was a founding board member of the Minneapolis Athenaeum, served as trustee of Carleton College and taught Bible classes at Plymouth Congregational Church. He also was a member of the state board of charities and corrections.
David Bell lived out his later years in California, but always regarded Minnesota as his home. He referred to Minneapolis as the “city of my love and young manhood, where in 1862, I brought my young bride and established a home.” David’s many contributions as business and civic leader helped shape Minneapolis into the city it is today. | <urn:uuid:54fbf71f-5c89-43c7-9d41-6e139bdae68d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stthomas.edu/business/centers/shenehon/hallofFame/2012inductees/bell-david.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978454 | 529 | 1.84375 | 2 |
The $750 million referendum to be presented to voters on Election Day, Nov. 6, would authorize a bond issue dedicated to funding higher education, with an emphasis on building infrastructure and paving the way for more modernized classrooms with larger capacities.
Talking with Rowan University President Dr. Ali Houshmand as well as the staff in attendance, Sweeney illustrated the need for more public funding of higher education. The bond issue would also spur the local economy, he said.
“We can’t afford not to do it. Jobs are not Republican or Democrat,” said Sweeney. “It’s time to take back the industries that we have.”
The proposed referendum would give New Jersey public research universities $300 million, while public colleges such as Richard Stockton University would share a total of $247.5 million and county colleges $150 million, leaving $52.5 million for independent private institutions.
There’s language in the referendum specifying that private institutions with a total endowment of $1 billion or more would not be eligible for the funding, prohibiting schools like Princeton University from receiving the aid. Also, projects that wish to use the money would be subject to the scrutiny of the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, currently Rochelle Hendricks, and the institution would have to provide funds to support 25 percent of the cost of the project.
Houshmand pointed out that Rowan’s engineering program had about 220 incoming freshmen this year and that professors were “screaming out” for more space, something the referendum looks to provide.
“In order to raise the bar, you have to provide more degrees,” said Sweeney, emphasizing the region’s need for a better educated public to spur growth in the region’s private industry.
For a state that brings in around 4,000 out-of-state students and loses about 30,000 students to out-of-state schools each year, Sweeney says the proposed referendum “enables us to keep more students.”
The bill looks to put New Jersey in a better position to compete with other states in the Northeast, like New York and Connecticut, which spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year on higher education and reap the benefits of private industries’ recognizing their highly educated workforce with high-tech industries who invest their facilities there.
“They invest in the need and business we desire,” said Sweeney. “Even if you’re not going to see the investment, you’re going to see a business moving in and creating job opportunities.”
Dr. Houshmand pointed to the disparity in spending on higher education between the northern and southern regions of New Jersey, saying that the south is missing out on more research opportunities, like those in pharmaceuticals and clinical research, which “we need desperately.”
As Sweeney toured the Technology Park to view such innovations as the virtual reality simulator called “Rowan CAVE” and visited with professors to talk about the referendum, he emphasized that, if the referendum were to pass, it would also encourage more highly rated professors to come to New Jersey schools like Rowan.
“Because the investment [in capital upgrades] hasn’t been made for so long, it’s harder to recruit professors,” said Sweeney, citing the state’s last general obligation bond for higher education, which was in 1988.
“They’re professionals,” he said of top-rated faculty looking for a place to pursue their interests. “They want to teach at the most modern facilities.” | <urn:uuid:54c7d1ff-e06e-4eab-9b42-3b41e6aaa6e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2012/10/senate_president_stephen_sween_4.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 | 0.964137 | 753 | 1.523438 | 2 |
A Warning Bell on Hoe v. Jade
columnist Ellen Goodman sounded a warning
bell because she fears a woman's "right to choose" might
be overturned by the Bush administration. My mind wandered as I
read her column, and I imagined another columnist, writing 50 years
from now, sounding a similar warning:
Warning Bell on Hoe v. Jade
Eileen Goodwoman, 1/19/2053
22 is the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing
infanticide. I'm usually wary of pro-choice alarmists whose message
the sky is falling and falling plays on an endless
for the first time since Hoe, the White House and both houses of
Congress are all securely in Republican hands, and all hands are
ready to chip away at maternal rights one law, one rule,
one regulation, one case at a time.
will begin no doubt by voting to outlaw the procedure heatedly if
wrongly called "almost-teen infanticide," where a child is killed
on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, the last day infanticide
is legal. Then they'll take up a law against bringing minors across
state lines to avoid spousal notification. Then more laws giving
children rights that equal or surpass those of women. And more laws
allowing hospitals to stop providing infanticide without risking
the right gift for this anniversary a warning bell?
years is a long time. It's long enough for an entire new generation
to take for granted the right to decide. Young people don't remember
a time when women had to carefully hide the fact that she had eliminated
a child, or find a hit man who was the friend of a friend of a friend.
For this generation, says one pollster, a bathtub is just a bathtub.
some ways, the luxury of choice has given many the luxury of ambivalence.
As Frances Quisling of Catholics for a Free Choice acknowledges,
"Those opposed to infanticide have marketed prolife very successfully
as a pro-children, pro-family, pro-nice, pro-flowers way of looking
at the world. What a load of crap! I hate them. Hate hate hate hate
2045 there have been 335 state laws restricting a woman's right
to choose what to do with her own children. These laws have
affected mostly poor, young, rural women women far off the
political radar screen.
what happens in the presence of a threat to the right itself? Thirty
years of opinion polls have also shown that Americans consistently
support legal infanticide for three reasons: "unruly brats, divorce,
and me." Anti -infanticide activists play on the sense that someone,
somewhere, is eliminating a child for frivolous reasons. But Americans
believe that the women we know, the women we are, can be trusted
to decide the fate of our own children for ourselves.
the other side of this anniversary story is that "me" now includes
an estimated 30 million women who have eliminated more than 39 million
children since Hoe. "That's 30 million women who have been able
to get on a bus, get in a car, go with a friend, eliminate an unhappy
kid, and go home," says Quisling.
30 million different stories with emotions ranging from anxiety
to relief. "How does a president tell 30 million women that they
did something evil? How can Congress say that to those women and
their boyfriends, husbands, children, mothers and get away
with it?" she asks.
now, the politics have been easy. President George Z. Bush has been
able to talk about "a culture of life." But he has also, carefully,
repeatedly avoided saying that he wanted to overturn Hoe. He's curried
to the right while trying not to frighten the suburban middle.
"United States" has exported the most draconian family planning
ideas. His "United States" has allowed the anti-infanticide, anti-sex
education, anti-birth control right to rule our foreign policy.
on the 30th anniversary, push is coming to shove, foreign policy
is coming home. Thirty years. Thirty million. This time we'll be
2003 Gene Callahan
Callahan/Stu Morgenstern Archives | <urn:uuid:2d84bb52-8039-4b90-89e2-ed434eba7577> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lewrockwell.com/callahan/callahan102.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941109 | 914 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Our 7 yr old son, Caleb, has had a project going for the last few years making potholders and selling them to earn money for Gospel for Asia, along with managing and keeping a blog for it - Five Loaves Two Fish. Well, now that he is close to turning eight and his sister is 6, it is time to pass the potholder creating to her. He wanted to find something else to take the place of his potholder business, and while reading You Can Farm by Joel Salatin, he discovered that Daniel, Mr. Salatin's son, began raising rabbits when he was 7.
Caleb decided that he would like to try to raise rabbits too, so for Christmas we bought him the book Story's Guide to Raising Rabbits, by Bob Bennett (There are a couple pages in this book that might be TMI for young kids, by the way - they can easily be removed though.) Since then, he has been reading, studying it, and taking notes over it, and this weekend he got his first rabbit. :)
Helpful links we used: | <urn:uuid:63677102-8625-44b2-806e-f6800aec53fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thebeginningfarmerswife.blogspot.com/2012_03_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978257 | 225 | 1.507813 | 2 |
At a time when racial attacks against Indian students in Australia have attracted comments from the top leadership in both countries, Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Lalthanhawla on Thursday said he too was a victim of racism - but in India.
Speaking at a conference on water at the Singapore
International Water Week, the chief minister said, "In India, people ask me if I am an Indian."
"When I go south, people ask me such questions. They ask me if I am from Nepal or elsewhere. They forget that the northeast is part of India. I have told many that see, I am an Indian like you," Lalthanhawla said.
"I am a victim of racism," he said. Indians consist of three races - "Dravidians, Aryans and we in the northeast," Lalthanhawla said.
Though many northeastern students complain of such discrimination in places like New Delhi, a state chief minister speaking in an international podium about an issue unrelated to the subject concerned was not liked by other Indian delegates present.
"This is unfair. We Indians are always divided and this is visible in a water event too. Many Australians must be feeling happy here," said an Indian delegate requesting anonymity.
In the past one month at least 16 Indian students in Australia have faced racial attacks. The latest was a Hyderabad student, Mir Kazim Ali Khan, studying at Victoria Institute of Technology (VIT), who was attacked by two unidentified men near a railway station in eastern suburb of Melbourne.
Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called the attacks on Indian students "appalling". | <urn:uuid:442674fa-4046-40ec-8f76-beea40485eaf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hindustantimes.com/indiansabroadsectionpage/india/I-am-a-victim-of-racism-Mizoram-chief-minister/Article1-425247.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976811 | 331 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Washington (CNN) - Democrats face a growing enthusiasm gap in this year's battle for Congress, according to a new national poll.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday also indicates Americans are split in their choice for Congress in November's midterm elections, with Republicans making gains at the Democrats' expense.
Forty-nine percent of Republicans questioned in the poll say they're extremely or very enthusiastic about voting this year, up 6 points from November. Thirty-one percent of Democrats say they're enthusiastic, down 11 points.
"Democrats face a huge 'enthusiasm gap,' and that gap is growing," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But the poll indicates that roughly half of all registered voters may change their minds between now and Election Day, so there is plenty of time for the playing field to change."
According to the survey, 48 percent of registered voters say they would vote for the Republican candidate for Congress, with 45 percent saying they'd back the Democrat. The 3-point edge for the GOP is within the poll's sampling error - but it's a switch from November, when the Democrats held a 50 to 44 percent advantage. The generic ballot question asked respondents if they would vote for a Democrat or Republican in their congressional district, without naming any specific candidates.
"That 3-point difference doesn't sound too bad for the Democrats, but the party's numbers are boosted by high levels of support in districts that the GOP has no chance of winning this year," says Holland. "In safe Democratic districts, the Dems have a 21-point advantage over the GOP."
The poll paints a different picture in more competitive districts, those where the incumbent won with less than 55 percent of the vote in 2008. In those districts, the poll indicates Democrats are currently facing a 27-point deficit, with 59 percent of registered voters in the competitive districts now saying they would vote for the Republican candidate for U.S. House if the election were held tomorrow, and only 32 percent that they would choose the Democratic candidate.
"That suggests big losses for the Democrats this November. But keep in mind that there is a lot of white noise in the data, because it is almost impossible to accurately model individual House districts," adds Holland.
The poll indicates that 2010 is shaping up to be a bad year for incumbents regardless of party. Just a third of all Americans say they would prefer to vote for an incumbent this year than a challenger, with 46 percent saying they would rather vote for the challenger and one in five adding that it makes no difference.
"Those numbers are roughly the same as they were at the start of 1994, when the Democrats lost control of the House. Challengers are seen as more honest than incumbents, more likely to bring change, and more likely to represent the views of the voters," says Holland.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted January 8-10, with 1,021 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Democrats currently hold a 256-178 advantage in the House of Representatives, with one seat formerly held by the Democrats vacant. The GOP needs to win back 40 House seats in November to regain control of the chamber.
–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn | <urn:uuid:c533e906-cc23-4b78-94a7-9a81b52526e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/15/cnn-poll-big-dip-in-enthusiasm-among-democratic-voters/comment-page-9/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967018 | 692 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Imagine what it would be like to attend a National Basketball Association game and the basketball still had laces on it. Or, think about going to a National Football League game and the players still wore leather helmets and rather than kicking field goals, the players used the old drop-kick.
In today's modern age of sports that sounds far-fetched; but just take a look under the hood of a NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series stock car.
Sitting on top of the engine is an object that can't be found on today's modern passenger car engines: a carburetor.
Carburetors haven't been used on passenger cars in 30 years. Today's cars use a fuel-injection system that allows the engine to produce more horsepower with less fuel. In turn, less gasoline is dumped through the engine and expelled out the exhaust system, creating a cleaner burn with less pollution.
While much of today's NASCAR looks high-tech, the engine is essentially the same 1955 short-block V-8 that is fast approaching its 50th birthday. Nearly every other major form of racing uses fuel-injection engines. Could NASCAR be next?
A Case For ChangeTeam owner and master engine builder Robert Yates would like NASCAR to be the next sanctioning body to put the carburetor in a museum, along with manual chokes, running boards, and jumper seats.
"If I had to close down my engine shop and lay off all of my guys, they wouldn't be able to get a job at a car dealership because they've been working on antique engines," says Yates, who owns the cars driven by Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler. "I'm not saying NASCAR needs to do it next year or the year after, but it's time we take an open mind to this situation for a lot of reasons."
While some believe NASCAR has resisted fuel-injected engines because it would be harder to control and police, others argue that the technology may be even easier to keep speeds in check.
"We have modern technology all through the engine, but not with the air/flow process," Yates says. "The manufacturer of our vehicles supports this sport. It's how we got here. I've been working on the four-valve engines for the Grand American series and I'm beginning to finally see what is under the engine of my passenger car. A fuel-injected engine will put on just as good a show as we've been seeing and I think it's healthy that we allow the manufacturers to move into modular-designed engines."
Yates believes fuel injection, over time, would be more cost-effective than the current carburetor.
"We need to start thinking about it," Yates says. "I think the manufacturers will look at it. NASCAR has never designed nor built the first engine. NASCAR is the promoter; the manufacturers are the ones that supply it. Bring the product, get it right, spend some time with the teams, and then the manufacturers can say, 'In 2010, this is what we are going to race and this is what we are going to support.'
"Let's modernize this sport. I would be the first one to lose a job because I don't know how to use a computer. But I want to see my son and grandsons move into the future a little bit. It will not screw the cars up one bit and you might have more cars running at the finish."
Inevitable?Today's NASCAR Winston Cup engine produces over 800 horsepower. By comparison, the high-speed, fuel-injected Indy Racing League engines used in the IndyCar Series produce 675 horsepower. The reason the cars in the IRL run so much faster is they weigh half as much as a stock car, have wings for downforce, and huge tire contact patches.
But the point is the technology can crank out horsepower, which would still put on a competitive and more cost-effective show for Winston Cup and Busch. | <urn:uuid:78fc674b-ed6d-4ac0-aa02-108c7d140b26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stockcarracing.com/featurestories/scrp_0307_carburetors_vs_fuel_injection_nascar_engines/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972475 | 817 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Recently I was in an Aveda store. I buy some, but not all, of my hair and skin care products from Aveda. Aveda is also widely recognized by the U.S. consumer as one of the greenest companies around.
While in the store I looked for products with sunscreen built in. And I couldn't find a single one with an SPF over 15, which is almost useless, no?
When I asked the clerk whether they had anything stronger, she launched into the explanation that no, they didn't. And that was because they hadn't yet been able to create a formula that was stronger without including the kind of ingredients they don't include...chemicals, I suppose. (Here's their page on ingredients.)
I get what she was saying, but we all know that sunscreen is one of those basic health and beauty products we should all be using every single day. (More top of mind for me lately, since someone close to me was diagnosed with melanoma.)
She said they're working on it.
But basically my question is: what's safer? To stick to products that are all-natural or to put something on your skin with more questionable ingredients, but with proper sun protection?
And why don't we have a better choice?
Anybody aware of a company who has cracked this code? | <urn:uuid:a6eb2d06-0d31-4520-9c16-815e21d5dee2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://workerbees.typepad.com/hipandzen/2008/03/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989224 | 278 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Posts tagged Eyeborg
PhotonQ-Rob Spence on his Eyeborg
Image by PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE
As I am bagpacking for TEDx Brussels on Monday, I am going into what Steve Jurvetson calls "TEDreveries" =) exploring last year photos and I thought I would share this cool talk by Rob Spence (@Eyeborg) on his Eyeborg =)
"Take a one eyed film maker, an unemployed engineer, and a vision for something that’s never been done before and you have yourself the EyeBorg Project. Rob Spence and Kosta Grammatis are trying to make history by embedding a video camera and a transmitter in a prosthetic eye. That eye is going in Robs eye socket, and will record the world from a perspective that’s never been seen before."
"Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence lost his right eye in a shooting accident, but only recently have he and his collaborators completed a functional prototype of his new prosthesis that is also a camera.
The bionic eye is simply designed, and components are constantly changing. It basically contains a 1.5mm-square, low-res video camera, a small round printed circuit board, video transmitter, and a 3-volt rechargeable Varta microbattery. The components are contained in resealable clear acrylic used in false eyes, but it has two holes for wires to recharge the battery.
Spence can recharge it, he says “via USB off my laptop.” The transmitter is fairly weak, in order to get a clear signal, Spence holds an antenna up to his cheek. He’s already thinking about building a Borg-esque harness for it. Among the other things he enjoys equipping his face with is an earlier version of the prototype that is equipped with a red LED." geekosystem
TEDTalk video :TEDXBrussels – Rob Spence – Eyeborg, the Enhanced Self
Super Moneymaker Pump_2018
Image by hoyasmeg
"The Super MoneyMaker Pump is a manual treadle pump that will direct water to where it is needed without fuel or electricity. The pump can irrigate a two-acre area over an eight-hour period."
"Design for the Other 90%
February 17 – May 29, 2009
Of the world’s 6.5 billion people, 90 percent have little or no access to most of the products and services many of us take for granted. In fact, nearly half do not have reliable access to food, clean water, healthcare, education, affordable transportation, or shelter. The exhibition Design for the Other 90% features more than 30 projects that reflect a growing movement among designers, engineers, and social entrepreneurs to create low-cost solutions for everyday problems. Through local and global partnerships, individuals and organizations are finding unique ways to address the basic challenges of survival and progress faced by the world’s poor.
Design for the Other 90% showcases designs that incorporate new and traditional materials, and abandoned and emerging technologies to solve myriad problems—from cleaner-burning sugarcane charcoal to a solar-rechargeable battery for a hearing aid, from a portable water-purification straw to a low-cost laptop. By understanding the available resources and tools as well as the lives and needs of their potential users, these designers create simple, pragmatic objects and ingenious, adaptive systems that can help transform lives and communities.
FIND OUT MORE
Watch a video blog.cooperhewitt.org/2007/05/14/in-their-own-words about the exhibition and discuss the designs in the exhibition.
Visit the exhibition web site other90.cooperhewitt.org/ to learn more about the designs on view."
Laine at Desk
Image by lainemarsh
I literally work on a lap desk. I have a "Posture Rite Lap Desk" — it is awesome! It has a soft cushion that goes on your lap attached to a flat, lightweight top that is just right for a laptop and microphone. I use touchpad mouse, am wireless, on batteries, and ready to podcast! | <urn:uuid:eaefe465-e301-4f7d-8bee-4dc71a280ed5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.laptopbatterylife.com/tag/eyeborg/ | 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 | 0.943626 | 863 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Some 75 years have now passed since the first "Blue Book" was published. In the intervening years, Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting (GAAFR or the "Blue Book") has become a public finance classic, and its signature focus on application has made it a perennial favorite among practitioners. This ninth edition of the Blue Books has been completely rewritten and greatly expanded (47 chapters), with entire chapters devoted to guidance on specialized topics (for example, postemployment benefits, capital assets, debt, derivatives). This new GAAFR incorporates all of the guidance of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) through GASB Statement No. 66. It also offers all of the references necessary to ensure easy access to the underlying authoritative standards.
Submit the order form to purchase your copies today! Quantity discounts are available. No other discounts will apply.
Go to the GAAFR webpage for more details and to view the table of contents and a sample chapter.
Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting
Other Featured Products
Visit the e-store for a complete listing of GFOA Publications | <urn:uuid:802235e0-7ca0-46f6-a067-eee5500a51d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gfoa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=393&Itemid=192/index.php | 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 | 0.9353 | 229 | 1.625 | 2 |
Rays Touch Tank presented by the Florida Aquarium, is the first of its kind at a professional sports venue. The 35-foot, 10,000 gallon tank is located just beyond the right-center field fence at Tropicana Field. The Rays Touch Tank experience is free to all fans attending home games.
This unique fan experience has been created through a partnership with the Florida Aquarium. The rays were caught in the waters of Tampa Bay and have been cared for by the Florida Aquarium staff since. The Florida Aquarium staff continues that role while the rays are at Tropicana Field.
"This is a community partnership that creates a win for all of the parties involved," said Rays President Matt Silverman. "It not only gives our fans, particularly families, an experience unlike any other at a Major League ballpark, but also creates awareness for the Florida Aquarium, a Tampa Bay landmark and non-profit institution that provides cultural enrichment and education to our community."
"We felt this opportunity with the Rays would not only add to the entertainment value of fans attending their games, but also help broaden the educational outreach of the Florida Aquarium," said Thom Stork, CEO of the Florida Aquarium. "Sure, people will enjoy seeing and feeding the rays while attending the game, but they will also learn about these interesting animals and possibly want to see more exotic and interesting fish available to them here."
For every ball hit into the tank during a game by a Rays player, the Rays will donate $5,000 to charity with $2,500 going to the Florida Aquarium and $2,500 going to that player's charity of choice.
To make it most convenient for all fans, there is a limit of 50 people in the tank area at any time. Fans may purchase Ray food with the proceeds going to the Florida Aquarium and the team's charitable foundation. | <urn:uuid:1528abff-2746-4488-9eb4-c91441d4ccb0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/tb/ballpark/information/index.jsp?content=rays_tank | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964474 | 382 | 1.617188 | 2 |
India is investigating how Swedish-made weapons bought by its army turned up in Myanmar, a minister visiting Yangon said Saturday, denying New Delhi had supplied arms in contravention of EU sanctions.
Sweden asked India on Thursday to clarify how the weapons wound up in Myanmar after it was revealed the Indian army had purchased them, Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling told the Swedish parliament.
Bjorling said the Swedish Agency for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls (ISP) had informed her that the weapons had come from India.
Pictures taken in Myanmar and published in Swedish media this week showed a Carl Gustaf M3 anti-tank rifle and ammunition left behind by Myanmar government soldiers.
The weapon's serial number is clearly visible in one of the photographs.
"One thing is clear... we are not in the business of supplying weaponry," Salman Khurshid, Indian Minister of External Affairs, told reporters in Yangon.
"We will try to find out how this happened. It's one weapon, isn't it? In a very big world, one single weapon has been identified," he said, adding that the Indian army will check its inventory as part of the probe.
The minister has met with Myanmar's President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his trip, holding discussions on energy, infrastructure and border issues.
According to a story published in Britain's Independent newspaper, the Swedish weapons were used by Myanmar troops in their fight against ethnic Kachin rebels in the country's far north.
The rebels urged Myanmar's military to end hostile operations in September after fighting broke out last year following the collapse of a 17-year ceasefire between the two sides, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
Several rounds of talks aimed at resolving the conflict have been overshadowed by ongoing battles.
The European Union has had a weapons embargo against Myanmar since 1996.
On Wednesday, an ISP spokeswoman said it was "relatively unusual" for Swedish weapons to end up in the hands of third parties. | <urn:uuid:2352125e-b537-40e1-b130-bb71e6f843e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ph.news.yahoo.com/india-probing-presence-swedish-arms-myanmar-130838300.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978267 | 421 | 1.78125 | 2 |
MILFORD – GreenGoTek Electric says its electric cars and trucks have been certified for the United States plug-in electric vehicle tax credit.
Seven of GGT’s all-electric, zero-emission trucks, cars, and vans have been certified to claim the qualified plug-in electric vehicle credit under Internal Revenue Code Section 30.
In layman’s terms, that means that, after purchasing a GGT electric vehicle for personal or fleet use, you are eligible to get a tax credit up to $2,500 per vehicle, which is both an affirmation of the value that the U.S. Government places on the burgeoning electric vehicle industry and a significant savings that makes its way directly back in your wallet.
“We’re very grateful to the Department of the Treasury for certifying our vehicles for the plug-in credit,” said Ray Leduc, CEO of GGT Electric. “We have always believed that electric vehicles were the most economical choice for personal and commercial buyers, due to their independence from foreign oil concerns and their amazing two-cents-per-mile cost to operate. But, with this $2,500 tax credit, that message just got even more compelling. There is no question now that, like no other car or truck out there, electric vehicles can save you money.”
The seven GGT vehicles approved for the plug-in credit are the GGT E-Dyne Electric Van, the E-Dyne Electric Truck, the Scout 72-volt Electric Van, the Scout 98-volt Electric Van, the Scout 72-volt Electric Truck, the Scout 98-volt Electric Truck, and the Cozmo electric car.
GGT Electric is a leader in the international fleet greening movement, having previous supplied its all-electric vehicles to such diverse sources as the state of South Carolina, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Veterans Administration, Virginia Tech University, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Grand Canyon National Park, the University of Memphis, and the U.S. Forestry Service, among others.
You can find more information on GGT Electric’s diverse range of all-electric, zero emission vehicles at | <urn:uuid:f0fcdbc9-574f-4157-afef-5781aa18009f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/10/16/ggt-electrics-approved-for-u-s-electric-vehicle-credit-up-to-2500/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932869 | 459 | 1.78125 | 2 |
David Weiss: For me the main focus with the objects is that you "see something" that you also know is not there. Of course, it is there, but the chair is not a chair, the table is not a table. Or it's not there as what we usually know about these objects. You can't use them because their functions are lost.
Peter Fischli: It is just the surface of these things that you make believe is there.
--from a conversation with Rirkrit Tiravanija, 1996
Peter Fischli and David Weiss are Swiss artists who are obsessed by everyday things so ordinary that they tend to be overlooked and, in their minds, undervalued. Their ongoing preoccupation with the banal and their ingenious explorations of the commonplace have taken a wide variety of forms, including sculptures, photographs, films, and videos. In each case, the artists try to recapture an almost childlike wonder with our surrounding environment.
This installation follows in the long artistic tradition of trompe l'oeil--a French expression that literally means to "deceive the eye"--in which objects are depicted in highly realistic detail. While it appears that the installation crew has not yet finished its work, this is in fact an illusion. The space is the work of art: each object was carefully hand-carved by the artists from polyurethane (a material similar to Styrofoam) and then painted. These objects are modeled on materials found in the Walker's basement during the production of its Fischli and Weiss retrospective as well as on items used by the artists in their studio in Zürich.
Walker solo exhibition: Peter Fischli and David Weiss: In a Restless World, 1995 | <urn:uuid:95f8b16e-8954-4d0f-8e5c-dd161ecbc715> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/86013/peter-fischli-and-david-weiss-empty-room-1995-1996 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970488 | 358 | 1.53125 | 2 |
On October 2, ESPN debuted another round of their acclaimed documentary series 30 for 30. The first run was produced in conjunction with ESPN’s 30th Anniversary. Some of the best documentary directors around turned their lenses toward the world of sports and made some of the best sports films I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t seen any of them, do yourself a favor and watch one, two or all of them. The subject of the most recent film was professional athletes and their money and is aptly titled “Broke.”
The filmmakers interviewed former athletes, financial advisors and others involved in the financial side of professional sports. While I think that the film could have gone into greater detail, suffice to say that the reality of how some of these athletes end up after their career is over is unsettling to say the least and heart-wrenchingly depressing at worse. There were tales of gaudy jewelry, house, cars, parties, bad investments, hangers on and, yes, women. The most striking thing was two of the interviewees on the film, on various ends of the financial spectrum, were former University of Kentucky basketball players, Jamal Mashburn and Antoine Walker.
There’s no need to rehash Walker’s financial troubles or Mashburn’s post basketball successes, but the fact is that both could be used as cautionary tales to the current group of UK ballplayers as they move from college to the high paying life of a professional baller. The one point that stuck out the most from the film was: what do the universities owe the athletes that have competed in their name? While the answer is complicated and far above my pay grade, I think it’s safe to say that athletes are owed more than they are currently getting. Essentially, these universities and athletic departments need to be more player focused and less about protecting the name of the school or the coach. And I believe that’s what makes Coach John Calipari so special.
We’ve all heard him go on and on about how the UK Men’s Basketball Program under his guidance is a “player’s first” program. And it’s easy to let those words float out there and not think about exactly what that means. When you see Coach Cal and the current staff in action, those words take on a life of their own and it’s easy to tell what separates UK from the other top basketball programs.
Coach Cal does whatever he can to help the young men under his care chase their dreams. Think about that for a minute. If a kid is ready to leave and pursue his dream, Cal wishes him well and helps prepare that young man for the next step in is life. Even if it’s to the detriment to Cal and the UK team. I’m sure if he begged some of the one year players to say, a few of them would have, but Cal wanted what’s best for them. If you want to know why Cal is red hot on the recruiting trail, that’s it. He’s not afraid to be honest and real with recruits and current players and it shows.
Now, how does that separate him from the other coaches? Well, to hear the media tell it, Cal invented the “One and Done” rule. Obviously, that’s not the case. The reality is that Cal was the first and maybe only coach to totally embrace it. He approaches recruits with a plan. Basically, it’s a “if you want to get to the NBA, let me show you how it’s done.” And that mindset puts his proteges in a better situation than players whose coaches are solely focused on their own well being.
With all the one year or two year players that Cal has produced at Memphis and Kentucky, very few, if any have had any on or off the court difficulties and I think that can be traced back to Calipari preparing them for the next step. I hope none of them end up bankrupt after their playing days, but at least Calipari is doing more than most to get them ready for the demands of being a professional basketball and an instant millionaire.
Be sure to check out our new forums section. Sign up and join the conversation! | <urn:uuid:532234c6-4ec2-477a-b0d8-3e4b0f65c91a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wildcatbluenation.com/2012/10/03/university-of-kentucky-coach-cals-finishing-school/ | 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 | 0.980931 | 891 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Monday, 16 November 2009
Imagine yourself talking to your best friend. Now imagine him being a nonbeliever. You're in the middle of a conversation talking about each other's lives and, at, the end of a sentence, you say, "Isn't God great?" without giving it a second thought. Once you say that, there is a long pause.
Your friend looks a little offended at first; then he thinks for a bit. He finally speaks up, and says. "You know, I have heard alot about this God stuff, and I was thinking of looking into it, but never got to it." Then he asks the question you wish you would never have to answer in a situation like this. "Who is God?"
This is the where you come in; what would you say? Now this is one of the best situations you could get in. Say he just asked, "Who is God?" or he wasn't your best friend, just a friend. Or say he was a complete stranger--would you answer the question, or ignore him and try and bring it up some other time, or lie and say you don't know who he is?
This is a very important thing to think about for all Christians.
2 Samuel 22:3-50 (New International Version)
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
4 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 "The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
8 "The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavens shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot arrows and scattered the enemies ,
bolts of lightning and routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
17 "He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
20 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
21 "The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
25 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.
26 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
28 You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
29 You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop ;
with my God I can scale a wall.
31 "As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?
33 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You give me your shield of victory;
you stoop down to make me great.
37 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
38 "I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.
43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
44 "You have delivered me from the attacks of my people;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me,
45 and foreigners come cringing to me;
as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.
47 "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
48 He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
If you were in this situation, how would you respond? Who do you say is God? | <urn:uuid:6a612e50-6f78-47ab-8efc-bf7d336b3712> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.revelife.com/716641712/who-would-you-say-is-god/?page=1&jump=1503649486 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974599 | 1,399 | 1.789063 | 2 |
I notice some interesting trends when I look at these three charts from the Washington, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education, or DC OSSE.
Do you see what I see?
This first one is enrollment by grade grouping for all DC’s publicly-funded schools, that is, both the regular public schools and the charter schools, combined:
The next one is just for the regular DC public schools:
and the last OSSE graph is just for the charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run:
One thing I note is that in preK-3, and in Adult Education, and in Special Education schools, there are now more students enrolled in the charter schools than in the regular public schools.
(Not so in the other grade strands.)
The Carlos Rosario adult education school is a charter school, and apparently well-funded, may be part of the reason for the surge in Adult Ed students in the charter realm. It’s located near the home of a family member, and seems to have a lot of students. I am not sure what’s going on with the special education schools (though as I’ve noted before, it’s awfully weird that nearly every single special education student at these schools, whether charter or public, tests either “proficient” or “advanced”, when a substantial portion of them are unable to feed, dress, or bathe themselves, much less read).
I do not know why the overall enrollment for grades 4 and 5 is down for all publicly-funded schools in DC as a whole, and I am not at all sure why the number of DCPS students in those two grades is down by five percent.
I had sort of expected that the small, one-percent rise in regular DCPS population would be mostly from growth in Pre-K. That turned out not to be the case. If you just count “traditional” enrollment in grades Kindergarten through 12, enrollment went from 37,927 to 38,397, which is an increase ofr 470 students, roughly 1.2%; and that’s about the same as the corresponding change in DCPS as a whole, i.e. 1.5%.
In the charter schools, too, the enrollment growth in grades K through 12 is about 11.1%, not really different from the overall charter school growth of 11.0%.
That’s what I see.
What do you see? | <urn:uuid:7668944c-e9a2-47dd-bf20-ed3bc2ba0dff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gfbrandenburg.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/part-3-enrollment-trends-in-dcs-public-schools-and-charter-schools/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972777 | 515 | 1.703125 | 2 |
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- President Bush is seeking to repair rocky relations with European allies embittered by the Iraq war and frustrated that the White House often ignored their views.
The president and his wife, Laura, left Washington early Sunday and were to arrive at night in Brussels.
Hoping to set a different tone for his second term, Bush will meet over five days with some of his toughest critics: French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, both of whom fiercely opposed the U.S. led invasion.
Bush also will see Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has alarmed the West with Moscow's retreat from democracy.
The United States and Europe too often "talk past each other," Bush said in an interview before his departure, and that it was time to reinvigorate relations among allies.
An alliance of 88 environmental, human rights, peace and other groups planned two days of protests in Brussels, beginning Monday, to demand "no European complicity" in a U.S.-designed world order.
Brussels police readied 2,500 officers — 1,000 more than the usual number for the three or four summit meetings that bring European Union leaders to the Belgian capital every year.
While seeking to move past old divisions, Bush and European leaders still face major differences.
Washington opposes Europe's plans to lift a 15-year-old arms embargo against China. Bush has been cool toward Europe's negotiations to persuade Iran to abandon its suspected nuclear weapons program. The White House prefers asking the U.N. Nations Security Council to punish Tehran.
Hard feelings linger from Bush's opposition to the Kyoto climate change treaty and the International Criminal Court.
An issue where the allies may find common ground is a demand that Syria withdraw its forces from Lebanon — a declaration prompted by the assassination of a former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, in a massive bombing in Beirut.
In a speech Monday, Bush intended to express hopes for closer trans-Atlantic ties. Courting France, the president has a private dinner with Chirac.
On Tuesday, Bush is attending NATO and EU meetings. Wednesday finds the president in Mainz, Germany, for a meeting with Schroeder. The trip ends Thursday with talks with Putin in Slovakia.
Bush's talks with the Russian president are the most important of the trip, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Putin "has come out very recently and said the Iranians are not producing nuclear weapons, it's only nuclear power, and, therefore, he's going to go ahead and continue helping them. And I think that's a stern conversation they need to have," Rockefeller told "Fox News Sunday."
The question on European minds is whether Bush, after offering olive branches during his visit, will put his conciliatory words into practice and engage in give-and-take diplomacy with allies. Many Europeans are skeptical.
"Clearly Bush has learned in his first term that there are limits to what America can do by itself," said Ivo Daalder, a European expert on the National Security Council staff during the Clinton administration.
"He only has to look at Iraq where 85 percent of the foreign troops, 90 percent of the casualties and 95 percent of the reconstruction dollars are American," Daalder said.
In a signal of unity, NATO is expected to announce Tuesday that all 26 allies finally have agreed to contribute to the alliance mission to train Iraq's armed forces, even though some will only work outside the country or just help cover costs.
The world's most powerful military alliance has struggled to find the 160 instructors it needs to complete the first phase of the operation, which offers training for senior officers within Baghdad's heavily guarded "Green Zone."
Across Europe, Bush is widely disliked. European perceptions of an arrogant America were symbolized for many people by photos of abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.
The hard feelings were aggravated over the last four years by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's dismissal of Iraq critics as representing "old Europe" and then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice's statement that France should be punished and Germany ignored for opposing Bush.
Rice has improved relations recently by making Europe her first destination after being sworn in as secretary of state. Rumsfeld, too, suggested he has turned a new leaf by saying his earlier criticism came from the "old Rumsfeld." | <urn:uuid:09c0ea09-8493-4d1e-aad6-e0d57d5b5891> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/1285032.html?site=full | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969036 | 906 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Recording and film industries combine anti-piracy efforts in Mexico
Mexico City, 2nd April 2008
The recording and film industry organisations in Mexico have joined together to create a new anti-piracy body that represents both their interests. The Asociación Protectora de Cine y Música México (APCM) will tackle the problems of both disc and digital piracy in the country.
Mexico is one of the major markets for music and film in Latin America (it is the number 10 music market internationally), but also has one of the most serious piracy problems globally. The country is most affected by CD and DVD piracy, with a 65% music piracy rate in 2006 and an illegal market worth US$180 million. Mexico also has a growing digital piracy problem.
Today's move follows the successful combination of the anti-piracy efforts of the recording and film industries in Brazil in April 2007.
APCM's launch was endorsed by the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR), which is responsible for investigating and pursuing federal crimes across the country.
"We are very enthusiastic about this association. We firmly believe that through the union of our forces in Mexico via APCM, we can obtain better results than the ones that could be obtained by our entities individually", said John Malcolm, Executive Vice president and Director of Anti-piracy International Operations of the Motion Picture Association.
"The fact that the Attorney General's Office supports this merge between both industries' anti-piracy teams is a clear signal that we are going the right way. We have a lot of faith that this project will be a complete success, and will serve as an example for other countries and institutions to imitate", says Mr. Vázquez, General Director of IFPI Latin America.
The new General-Director of APCM, Lic. Jaime Campos, says: "APCM Mexico will be dedicated to helping the authorities in tackling physical and digital piracy and protecting the rights of record and film producers. The combination of the two operations will significantly simplify administrative processes. It is much less burdensome to have to file only one joint complaint to the authorities when we uncover cases of pirates violating Mexican copyright law."
C.P. Fernando Hernández, the General Director of Amprofon, the recording industry trade body, adds: "Recorded music and film have similar issues with mass piracy, so by working together we can better utilise our resources to strike against this problem. Copyright piracy represents the greatest threat to the future of the Mexican film and music industries, with all that bring in terms of economic growth and a vibrant local culture."For further information please contact:
Adrian Strain or Alex Jacob, IFPI London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7878 7935 (Press Office)
Lic. Rosario Valeriano
Tel. + 52 81 60 35 al 38
Mobile: +55 54 33 42 83 /Nextel. 59 48 63 86 | <urn:uuid:d2f645ba-3c14-4d92-b921-cadb77ab605c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/20080402.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930267 | 604 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Sarah White started working in education technology back in the 1980’s—at a time when “multi media” was a term many didn’t know, and very few teachers and schools had any understanding of the benefits of delivering learning through technology. Sarah started Six Red Marbles with an “absolute passion and certainty” that technology would one day be integral to education and make an immense impact on the lives of children. “We produce great programs for several reasons: our interfaces engage through creative interactive design and content, our flexible process always ensures we get the job done, and we deeply understand the needs of both students and teachers,” she says. Instead of developing interactive programs from a list of features or technology buzz words, her company starts with the goals, and then they create engaging programs to fulfill those goals. “This takes a great team, more patience, and a bit more work upfront but it always pays off,” says Sarah. Indeed, it has: Six Red Marbles is now the largest American-owned full service development house dedicated exclusively to the educational industry. In 2008, they successfully merged with Baltimore based Monotype, which had an up-and-coming editorial shop, and in late 2010, under their CEO Jacques Driscoll’s leadership, they merged with Brown Publishing Network, a well-known editorial house focused mostly on Reading/Language Arts. Educational publishing continues to be a tumultuous market, but Six Red Marbles has been navigating it well and staying true to their original dedication to technology. Here, Sarah shares more of their story and where that dedication comes from.
Victor: What does the name mean?
Sarah: Two founders + four original employees, a bold color, and an interactive toy = Six Red Marbles. I have never had any second thoughts on the name and it has carried us forward beautifully for 15 years!
Victor: What programs has Six Red Marbles developed?
Sarah: For many years we developed award winning multi-media educational materials for leading publishers including McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Pearson. Then in 2010 we decided it was time to create learning programs that we felt would address the issues many others were missing. Our “platform” is called our Natural Learning Approach. It is based on four pillars: Neuroscience research on how kids learn best; a thing we call Tribal Pedagogy (learning by necessity, imitation, and story-telling), creativity, and an accessible 24/7 delivery.
Our first three programs were released in 2010: Juba™, a whole-brain learning exploration for young learners; Waza™, an interactive math readiness adventure; and Cabanga™, a celebrity agent role-playing game for middle school math.
Our primary goal is to engage the young learners—to develop a love of learning. So although the programs have robust Teacher Dashboards with progress reporting, assignments, and reporting against standards, we focused on the learner experience. We did our market research, went into classrooms, and used our own experience to create these three programs.
Victor: Tell us about each program—what makes them unique for student learning.
Sarah: Most importantly, all our programs make learning relevant and fun for kids.
Cabanga, is an interactive role-playing game for middle school math students in which each student runs his/her own celebrity agency by recruiting talent and getting them jobs. The National Parenting Center just said it is “without a doubt one of the most ingenious, cool and fun ways to learn math in a ‘real-life’ setting.”
Students must apply math concepts as well as critical thinking, problem solving, and judgment skills to keep their businesses viable and profitable. So while having fun, students are challenged by more than 30,000 algebraic, arithmetic, and word math problems in eleven topic areas that kids struggle with most, including decimals, fractions, and percents; ratio; equations; data and probability; as well as financial literacy.
Educators put great emphasis on middle school as a make or break time for learning math. Cabanga supports middle school learners through an automated Adaptive Curriculum of nine difficulty levels, seamlessly adjusting question difficulty based on student responses. Cabanga adapts to each student’s level, providing the necessary feedback and coaching, while allowing them to learn at their own pace and fostering a positive learning environment.
Waza is an online math readiness program for PreK-1st grade. It immerses kids in fun challenges, not “math problems”, through a vibrant, intuitive multisensory learning adventure. Waza also features an automated Adaptive Curriculum, so kids never feel discouraged while progressing at their own pace—building interest, trust, and confidence in math.
Juba is a multi-sensory learning exploration for young children. It is designed to nurture kids’ natural desire to explore, create, share, and learn. It features 2,000 real life images from around the world, with sound effects, interactive activities, STEM related fun facts, inquiry based questions, and most importantly a “tool kit” that allows kids to paint, draw, type, and audio record. Juba supports instruction in language development, literacy, math, science, and the creative arts, while at the same time providing children the freedom to explore and creatively express what they’ve learned.
Unlike any other program on the market, each of our three programs features a unique Spanish/English toggle—both audio and visual—so kids can seamlessly switch back and forth between languages. The toggle provides extra ELL support in addition inspiring English speakers to learn another language.
The meaning of the names? We chose African tribal names for our programs to pay homage to their Natural Learning roots. Juba is Swahili for fearless, Waza is Zulu for think and Cabanga is Zulu for imagine. We want kids to be fearless in their education…not paralyzed by the fear of a wrong answer or stupid question. We want them to develop the capacity to think while never losing the ability to imagine.
Victor: And how do these programs help teachers teach?
Sarah: Part of the beauty of these programs is that they can be used for whole class, teacher-lead instruction, or individualized, child-directed learning, so teachers can work with kids one-on-one as needed.
Each program features a robust Teacher Dashboard, providing real-time reports tracking student progress against standards. The reports in Cabanga and Waza show teachers which students are struggling with or mastering specific math topics. Juba features a visual portfolio of each child’s work and tracks student mastery of topics. All the programs are delivered online and correlated to Common Core, State, and ISTE NETS learning standards, as well as NCTM (for Waza and Cabanga) and NAEYC and Head Start (for Juba). So this makes individual student progress reporting, assignments, and reporting against standards very easy.
To foster communication between teachers and parents, each program has a Home Connection feature, allowing teachers to email parents and share student work and progress reports. And since the program is online and available anytime, parents can work with their children on the programs at home.
Victor: When were the programs developed? What is something interesting or relevant about their development history?
Sarah: All three were released in September 2010. I’m very passionate about these new interactive programs because they are real embodiments of the company’s vision and dedication to designing programs that both engage kids and help them learn. It’s a really exciting time at Six Red Marbles. Despite the company’s growth, our research and development team has really maintained the start-up atmosphere and passion that I find very energizing. Our small, agile team was focused on creativity, flexibility, and the end user (teachers and kids). Our tight team knows how to get it done. I have always thought that pressure is good. If you have the right people and a flexible process—amazing things can happen. Along with creativity and technical know how, our interdisciplinary team had publishing, teaching, research, and neuroscience expertise. We have an on-staff neuroscientist, Dr. Danny Franklin, who also possesses both technical and teaching experience.
Victor: Where can you get the programs? How much do they cost? What are the options?
Sarah: Individual subscriptions are sold at www.sixredmarbles.com, while district or school sales are with our sales reps at 866-632-6623 or email firstname.lastname@example.org. Juba is sold per classroom, (up to 25 students) while Waza and Cabanga are sold per student. We offer them as yearly subscriptions. Since they are online and cloud-based, there is no installation or maintenance necessary. A browser and a login are the only requirements.
Victor: What are some examples of the programs in action?
Sarah: The programs are still quite new, but one of our proudest examples is in Lincoln Park Elementary School in Pensacola, Florida. Although currently engaged in a turnaround mode, Lincoln Park was in danger of being closed. One of their primary strategies has been to use Juba—in several of their grades, actually—to improve students’ verbal and math skills. The product demos on our website provide a great introduction to our programs. We also have recorded webinars for Juba, Waza, and Cabanga that are about 12 minutes in length for an in-depth view.
Victor: We are in unique times. How would you characterize these times? For example: over the last 5 years, much has changed. Print is not going away, but digital offerings have matured and have much to offer, and with an altered financial scene, they are being taken very seriously in the educational textbook publishing world. How specifically have things changed, what are your thoughts on this?
Sarah: We love and embrace the change in the industry because it has been our vision from the start. Not only can digital offerings be (eventually) less expensive, but more flexible both in terms of purchasing and usability. Our industry is investing in vision and strategy and adapting to the issues in our classrooms. For the first time, publishers are making a big push to address these issues. No one has the ability to make a bigger impact than the publisher because they are so dominant in the market. It’s a wonderful opportunity. I believe that the smaller players in the market, like Six Red Marbles and our programs, can help move the market by creating big vision, full-blown programs—without the overhead of a large company. Our core clients (the textbook publishers) recognize and trust our expertise to quickly move them into a more innovative market.
Victor: Who are the programs particularly tailored for? Who are they not for?
Sarah: Each program has its own form of personalization: whether the adaptive curriculums, on-screen Spanish/English Toggle, instructional coaching, focused instruction, home connection, or 24/7 access. The programs were developed to meet the needs of any student. We have seen a great response from visual learners, ELL, and intervention as well as enrichment students. It’s difficult to imagine a student who wouldn’t enjoy these fun, interactive environments while advancing their learning. What kid doesn’t want to learn through play?
Victor: What are your thoughts on education these days?
Sarah: I think what has happened to our education system is complicated. On one hand, we have many “adult” issues—issues with unions and administration that take away from our critical focus on the students.
On the other hand, our country is not homogeneous. We have many different cultures, and urban, rural, and suburban settings, so it’s hard to come up with a one-size fits all approach to teaching our kids. Thus, the one-size-fits-all assessment is also tricky.
I am a strong believer in the brilliance in each child. Our struggle is identifying and nurturing it. If teachers were able to focus more on individual students and less on assessment, this individualized approach could help the skills of each child flourish. I believe students can achieve in more innovative ways—through creativity. Ultimately, we do not need a nation of test takers, but a country of people who know how to think and learn.
Victor: How does Six Red Marbles address some of your concerns about education?
Sarah: In both our programs and services, we work to develop the best, most relevant learning experiences we have the power to create. We think the programs we’ve created are a significant step towards engaging children in learning and identifying their individual strengths and passions so they can develop a true joy for thinking and learning.
Victor: What is your outlook on the future of education?
Sarah: The system is broken. I think that when things get this broken, change happens. Taking risks is critical. That’s when innovation really happens. I think we are seeing it at every level from pioneering thinkers like Sir Ken Robinson and Clayton Christensen to inventive curriculums and teachers. That’s one of the beauties of American innovation—we work to solve our problems—we will end up with a stronger education system because of it.
Victor: What else can you tell educators and other leaders in and around education about the value of Six Red Marbles? What makes you say that?
Sarah: We know change is hard in the classroom. Kids are different today and our world is different—even from 10 years ago. We need to embrace this change and engage kids in a personal and adaptive way. Nothing worth doing is easy. Changing our approaches will provide enormous benefits to our kids, teachers and, eventually, our future.
Victor Rivero tells the story of 21st-century education transformation. He is the editor-in-chief of EdTech Digest, a magazine about education transformed through technology. He has written white papers, articles and features for schools, nonprofits and companies in the education marketplace. Write to: victor@VictorRivero.com | <urn:uuid:d7fa43b7-1659-4971-bc95-bd93fdcc7611> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edtechdigest.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/interview-sarah-white-six-red-marbles/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=966197e62c | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960116 | 2,943 | 1.8125 | 2 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Credit unions are basking in the spotlight again.
Whenever a big bank rolls out a controversial fee, customers start fuming about taking their business elsewhere and the attention often falls on credit unions. That happened again last week when Bank of America said it would soon start charging customers a $5 monthly fee to make debit card purchases.
This time around, it seems some customers have finally had it. The country’s largest credit union, the Navy Federal Credit Union, said new account openings over the weekend were 23 percent higher than normal. “‘We’re getting a lot of calls and messages on our Facebook page about the debit card fees too,” says Tisa Head, who oversees Navy Federal’s savings products.
The Credit Union National Association and National Association of Federal Credit Unions say other members are reporting an uptick in inquiries and account openings as well. And their respective websites that help users locate credit unions, www.ASmarterChoice.org and www.CULookup.com, both saw a surge in traffic in the days following Bank of America’s announcement.
The news may have been the final straw for some because paying to use a debit card was unheard of until this year. The announcement also capped a year of banks pulling back on perks and hiking fees. By contrast, credit unions are known for offering more favorable fees and rates as member-owned nonprofits.
Still, the potential inconvenience and a fear of change have a tendency to keep even disgruntled bank customers from making good on their threats to leave. That’s despite the numerous online banks, small community banks and credit unions eager to welcome new customers.
For those curious about what exactly a credit union can and can’t offer, here’s the rundown:
How They Work
To start, there are more than 7,000 credit unions in the country so the fees and level of service will vary greatly.
But don’t be overwhelmed; each credit union caters to a specific group, such as company employees, university workers and students or residents of a certain region. Most credit unions also let immediate family members of the target group join. So chances are that you’ll be eligible to join at least one, but narrowing down a long list of possibilities likely won’t be a problem.
Joining also means you’ll need to buy a share in the credit union. The typical share value is $5 to $20, according to the Credit Union National Association, a trade group. That money is deposited into a savings account and represents your ownership interest; the money is returned if you decide to leave.
About a third of credit unions also charge a one-time joining fee. The median fee is just $1, but it could be as high as $50
Once you home in on a credit union you can join, be sure it offers the service you want. For example, only about half of credit unions offer credit cards. Portfolio management, small business and other services tend to be more common at banks as well. So if you like having all your finances in one place, that might be a deal breaker.
If you’re switching from a major national bank, also be sure the credit union you’re considering has a physical presence you can adjust to. Credit unions often participate in a “shared network” of branches. That means members of one credit union can drop in at locations of other credit unions around the country to make deposits or withdrawals. But the options still may not be as expansive as the branch network of a national bank.
Many credit unions are also part of ATM networks. The Navy Federal Credit Union, for example, lets members make free withdrawals at about 45,000 ATMs.
Even if your credit union doesn’t have a big presence, many members say the sacrifice is worth the more personalized service they get in return. For example, it may be more likely that you’re connected to a live person right away when calling customer service. Over time, you may even become familiarized with the names of the employees who handle specific matters.
Fees & Rates
Beyond their more intimate feel, however, the main attraction of credit unions for many is the lower fees and rates.
A study earlier this year by Bankrate.com, for example, found that free checking is alive and well at the nation’s largest credit unions; three quarters of the top 50 credit unions offered free checking with no strings attached.
The trend in the banking industry, by contrast, has been to increasingly require customers to meet certain conditions to qualify for fee waivers. Just 45 percent of banks offered free checking with no strings attached this year. That’s down from 65 percent last year and 76 percent two years ago, according to Bankrate.com.
The survey on credit unions also found that nearly half do not require a minimum balance to open an account. Fees rose modestly from last year as well; bounced check fees are up by about a dollar at $26. At banks, the average overdraft fee was $31.
The nonprofit status of credit unions means that the fees and rates on credit cards, mortgages and other consumer loans in general tend to be lower. This is in great part because the interest rates they can charge are capped. In most cases, the cap is 18 percent, according to the Credit Union National Association.
To get a sense of how the cap affects rates, consider a recent snapshot of the market. Early this year, credit union members were charged interest rates of 10 percent to 17 percent, according to a study by The Pew Charitable Trusts. At banks, customers were charged between 13 percent and 21 percent.
There was also a big difference in penalty rates; the typical penalty rate at banks was 30 percent; at credit unions, it was 18 percent.
Of course, rates on credit cards, mortgages and other loans won’t always be lower at credit unions. It could be that the particular credit union you’re considering doesn’t offer rates as competitive as your current bank. And the specific rate you’re offered from either banks or credit unions will vary depending on your credit profile.
It should also be noted that most credit cards offered by credit unions don’t come with rewards programs. So if your main reason for using a credit card is to earn points, you might be better off with a bank. | <urn:uuid:bc22376c-41d8-44c5-8a16-b5559d7e828a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/mad_at_bank_fees_credit_unions.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964229 | 1,332 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Every teacher should know who Michael Milken is. The financier and philanthropist has supported educators since 1985 through the Milken Educator award, the largest teacher-recognition program in the United States. The organization has awarded $60 million to more than 2,400 K–12 teachers and principals, each of whom received $25,000 and an opportunity to participate in an annual professional-development conference. Mike and Lowell Milken co-founded the Milken Family Foundation in 1982 (Lowell Milken created the Milken Educator Awards and chairs the foundation), but Michael has been generous since at least 1972, when his mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer. In addition to medical research and education, the foundation addresses inner-city problems and seeks to aid families of children with cancer and youth programs. | <urn:uuid:a3a639a4-9cd0-4fb2-9323-408a7af00650> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techlearning.com/magazine/0007/michael-milken/49360 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965163 | 166 | 1.734375 | 2 |
FTC cracks down on companies promising due diligence
One of the first things I do when I’m about to purchase a product or service is check the Internet for information.
I’m particularly interested in getting help from companies that make my research easier by rating a product or company.
But recent action by the Federal Trade Commission is yet another reminder of the dangers of relying on information you find on the Web.
The FTC has cracked down on two companies that claim to have done extensive research on long-term care facilities. The companies offered recommendations to consumers based on their alleged legwork, including uncovering any citations or violations the facilities have received. The companies, CarePatrol and ABCSP, charge a fee to the facilities, the FTC said.
CarePatrol and ABCSP agreed to settle charges from the FTC that they misled consumers on how much work they had done in monitoring and grading the assisted-living facilities.
CarePatrol and ABCSP, which does business as “Always Best Care,” operate through a network of franchisees across the country.
The FTC alleges that CarePatrol advertised that its “senior care consultants” offer consumers placement based on its extensive research. The company’s promotional materials contained promises that said, among other claims, that “Nationally Certified Advisors look beyond the chandeliers and fancy lobbies to monitor each community’s care history and state violations so we can recommend the safest options for your loved one.”
CarePatrol also said that it doesn’t just send people a list of facilities but grades each one that it recommends.
The FTC said that ABCSP made similar statements regarding its referral service, claiming it too had evaluated most every facility in its markets, going as far as to say that its “care coordinators” had personally viewed virtually all of the assisted-living communities in certain areas.
The claims by both companies would make them impressive referral services, given that there are at least 39,000 assisted-living facilities and thousands of smaller, residential care homes in the United States.
However, the FTC said that the companies failed to provide all the promised services. In most states listed on CarePatrol’s Web site, the company hadn’t monitored any facilities and doesn’t operate through senior care consultants in every state as it advertised. And ABCSP recommendations are not based on the personal knowledge of its personnel or agents.
“Companies that claim to know which facilities to recommend to consumers need to be able to back up their claims,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
The settlement does not mean that the companies admitted guilt. Efforts to reach ABCSP were unsuccessful.
“No clients were given information from us regarding any facility that we didn’t actually walk into, assess or check into their violations,” said Chuck Bongiovanni, CarePatrol’s founder and chief executive.
Bongiovanni said he made the mistake of listing states on his Web site in which his company did not have people to check on facilities. He said states were listed to optimize the ability of consumers to find his service.
“No client was in any way harmed,” Bongiovanni said. “I’m happy the FTC is looking into our industry. Our industry needs it. This certain situation with us was more about semantics than anything else.”
Under proposed consent orders, the two firms are barred from making unsubstantiated representations about their placement services. The FTC says this action is its first case involving companies that offer placement assistance for long-term care facilities.
Before issuing a final order, the FTC is seeking public comment until Oct. 17 on the proposed settlement. If you have had any dealings with the two companies or have an opinion about the settlement, contact the FTC. You can send your comments electronically or by mail. You will find information about submitting comments about CarePatrol at https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/carepatrolconsent . For ABCSP, go to https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/abcspconsent. Your mailed comments should be sent to the FTC, Office of the Secretary, Room H-113 (Annex D), 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20580.
For many, it can be a hard decision financially and emotionally to place someone in an assisted-living facility. So I’m glad that the FTC is looking into companies that promise a good referral service to help people narrow down their choices.
David R. Spiegel, senior trial attorney for the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said the actions involving the two companies are part of the agency’s broader efforts to focus on seniors.
“We are checking services that give information to seniors,” said Spiegel, who cautioned people to do their own due diligence. “Don’t take information you get as gospel.”
It’s unfortunate, but Spiegel is right. You have to do checks on the checkers.
Readers can write to Michelle Singletary at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071, or email@example.com. Personal responses may not be possible, and comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless otherwise requested. To read previous Color of Money columns, go to postbusiness.com. | <urn:uuid:eacd1b19-86e7-4402-8d65-1d3af5a03ad0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/due-diligence/2012/09/25/9ff4e8da-074e-11e2-a10c-fa5a255a9258_print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963799 | 1,162 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Burmese authorities suspend two news publications
|Publisher||Committee to Protect Journalists|
|Publication Date||1 August 2012|
|Cite as||Committee to Protect Journalists, Burmese authorities suspend two news publications, 1 August 2012, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/5022289623.html [accessed 19 May 2013]|
|Disclaimer||This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.|
Bangkok, August 1, 2012 – Two weekly news publications were suspended indefinitely in Burma on Tuesday, marking a significant reversal of the government's earlier loosening of media restrictions and pre-publication censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Two weekly news publications have been suspended indefinitely in Burma. (AP/Khin Maung Win)
The Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD), the government's censorship arm, suspended the Voice Weekly and Envoy news journals for violating the government's censorship guidelines, according to news reports. The suspensions begin next week, news reports said. Tint Swe, the PSRD's deputy director-general, said the papers had published stories that were not pre-approved by government censors, according to news reports. He did not specify which stories had caused the suspension.
Kyaw Min Swe, editor of Voice Weekly, told reporters that the PSRD did not give a specific reason for the suspensions. He speculated on his Facebook page that the action was likely in response to the latest front-page stories published by Voice Weekly and Envoy – one speculated about a possible reshuffle of five Cabinet ministers, and another featured a political cartoon that parodied PSRD board members – according to a report by Mizzima, an exile-run news website.
After announcing the suspensions, PSRD officials summoned local newspaper editors to remind them to follow the regulations of the PSRD and the 1962 Printer and Publisher Act, which requires that all publications be checked by state censors before printing. All private news publications in Burma are forced to publish in weekly format to accommodate the time-consuming pre-censorship requirements.
Authorities have suspended the Voice Weekly six times before, Kyaw Min Swe told Mizzima.
Since Thein Sein's administration assumed power in 2011, PSRD authorities have allowed some coverage of previously banned subjects, including opposition leader and former political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi, CPJ research shows. Information Minister Kyaw Hsan has said that the ministry planned to abolish the PSRD and the system of pre-publication censorship by the end of June, yet the PSRD has continued to pre-censor and sanction news publications, according to news reports.
"The suspension of two news weeklies raises hard questions about the sincerity and underlying motives of President Thein Sein's democratic reform program," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's senior Southeast Asia representative. "The continued censorship of news is business as usual in Burma and shows that Thein Sein's vows to allow for more press freedom are more rhetoric than substance."
In July, the PSRD warned two local publications, Venus and Yangon Times, that their licenses could be revoked if they continued to publish unsanctioned news about the hospitalization and poor health of former second-ranking junta member Gen. Maung Aye, according to news reports. Those threats have raised concerns among local journalists and editors that a new media bill – which will abolish censorship and establish a self-regulating Press Council – will fail to enact liberalization measures and will likely leave many of the existing strict restrictions on news reporting and publishing in place. The bill is scheduled to be debated in parliament later this month. | <urn:uuid:666049e7-c24a-4c25-93b6-e0dbca4baafa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=country&category=&publisher=CPJ&type=COUNTRYNEWS&coi=MMR&rid=&docid=5022289623&skip=0 | 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 | 0.952057 | 800 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Male Enhancement Group - Blog
During childhood Barbara had identified as a tomboy, a behavioral pattern which was reinforced by the stepfather. She did, however, have girlfriends and played girls' games (recalling that she wanted to be near her girlfriends because of the intense sexual feelings she had for them). She also described feeling uneasy around girls because of her wish to be a boy. Barbara could also easily integrate into boys' play and took pride in her prowess, courage, and athletic ability. She enjoyed physical activity and other typically "male" patterns of play. During her girlhood Barbara also developed an intense interest in art and a goal to become a commercial artist.
Barbara's cross dressing, which began around age 5, was done secretively. When she wore men's clothes she felt relaxed, comfortable, and protected. Around the age of 8 Barbara entertained the idea that she really had been a male as a fetus, but that when she turned over to be born, her penis inverted and formed a vagina. When she shared this fantasy with mother she received support for her wish/delusion: mother broke down and cried, admitting that she had desperately wanted a son, and wondered if perhaps Barbara was right and she had been born a boy!
In spite of mother's covert support of Barbara's "maleness" she found her daughter's actual masculine role orientation repugnant (perhaps because of the implied incestual threat, which was expressed as a homophobia). Indeed, mother would beat Barbara whenever she caught her wearing male clothes and playing boys' games. However, while mother bought her frilly, feminine dresses she never encouraged Barbara to wear them. During her ninth year the maternal grandfather died a death which must have stressed Barbara considerably as she reported that her sexual feelings for girls (including a crush on a female teacher), and her intense gender envy for boys were experienced as "beyond my control." Her chaotic sexuality and violent rages during girlhood set the stage for her chaotic adolescent development. (see TRANSSEX - THE IMPULSIVE PSYCHOPATH: BARBARA/BRIAN PART V)
- Transsex - The Impulsive Psychopath: Barbara/Brian Part III
- Transsex - The Impulsive Psychopath: Barbara/Brian Part VI
- Transsex - The impulsive psychopath: Barbara/Brian Part II
- Transsex - The Impulsive Psychopath: Barbara/Brian Part V
- Transsex - The Impulsive Psychopath: Barbara/Brian Part VII | <urn:uuid:870e9883-86eb-4159-90b7-2d1f389ac37f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.maleenhancementgroup.com/blog/mental-health/1060-transsex-the-impulsive-psychopath-barbarabrian-part-iv.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98205 | 509 | 1.625 | 2 |
32And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
33And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
34They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
35And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36And sitting down they watched him there;
37And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
55And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
56Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.
57When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
58He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
61And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
62Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
King James Version | <urn:uuid:d6ec9cc3-213f-419a-aaa8-37c25b416dba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ourjoyfuldays.blogspot.com/2007/04/matthew-2732-66.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98478 | 979 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The Economics of University Hospitals
UCLA is about to learn an economics lesson in revenue generation at research hospitals . The LA Times reports that UCLA's and Cedar-Sinai are being cut out of public health insurance plans in the City of LA
"Anthem Blue Cross has eliminated doctors affiliated with the hospitals from a health plan offered to about 60,000 employees and dependents at the cash-strapped city of Los Angeles.
The city opted for Anthem's plan because it will save $7.6 million in annual premiums next year by excluding physicians from the two institutions known for tending to the Southland's rich and famous."
The article claims that UCLA doctors charge the insurance company almost double what the same patients would be charged at non-research and training hospitals. This is the tip of the iceberg.
For years, major urban hospitals have been allow to cross-subsidize their teaching and research missing using big bills to insurance companies. A nasty haircut is now unfolding as insurance companies face pressure to not raise premiums (think of Obama jawboning) and profit maximizing insurance companies will now play hard ball with the costly providers of health care to either lower their cost or face being dropped in the roster of covered doctors. If UCLA has signed long term contracts with doctors guaranteeing their salary but these guys are no longer covering their salary by treating patients (because the reimburse rates are down or they have open slots as insurance companies drop UCLA) then UCLA is losing $ on its star doctors. That wouldn't be good! If UCLA has short term contracts with doctors, then these doctors will suffer a sharp pay cut and the stars will leave to private universities who can guarantee their pay.
So, urban hospitals such as UCLA face a fundamental revenue issue. Private insurance reimbursement is going to fall sharply. Such insurers will stop covering "fancy procedures" that are quite costly and use cutting edge technology. The National Institute of Health's budget will fall sharply in 2013 and this means less grant $ and overhead money for the Medical School. As the research hospital's costs rise and its revenue falls sharply, how will they keep going? Can private philanthropy really fill this void?
Perhaps the leaders believe that patents on drugs and IP can provide a flow of $ to the University. I hope that is true but this is a risky path with 99 failures for every success story.
The rest of the University could be affected by the economic decisions made by UCLA Hospital because their budget is 50% of the University's budget. Thus, I hope that the leaders of South Campus consult with the economists and management experts at Anderson before making any major decisions. As usual, I am willing to offer free consulting. I have a logical mind and I can often see the future. | <urn:uuid:894c72ef-a28f-429a-9e79-57f6de7c9c27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://greeneconomics.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-economics-of-university-hospitals.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964734 | 554 | 1.546875 | 2 |
You probably need to know a bit about Seattle to really appreciate Maria Semple's new book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette? It helps to know, for example, that the new Koolhaas Seattle Public Library is so Green it's heated by the body heat of library visitors and that it's cooled by breezes from Elliot Bay piped underground to the building. The good citizens of Seattle are so eager - indeed, anxious - to serve the entire population of potential library users they have created a space for bums to spend the day, isolated a bit from the people who want to do research or find a book but don't want to smell this other constituency. The furniture is designed so that it can be hosed down and disinfected overnight.
Here's one remarkably accurate Urban Dictionary description of a Seattleite:
- Is easily agitated when tourist asks to see the original Starbucks, Microsoft or Kurt Cobain's house. True Seattleites do not care for these things.
- Is a pretentious coffee snob due to the thousands of delicious coffee houses and rostaries that surround them.
- Any person who knows not to visit Pike Place Market on a Saturday.
- Any person who was disappointed by EMP (unlike the inbred hicks from across the country who come to visit it).
- Any person that hates it when Californians drive through Washington and cry about the rain and the cold.
- This is a city that is completely devoid of soccer moms.
What we have in Semple's new novel is a portrait of Seattle as seen through the eyes of Bernadette Fox, an architect from LA who is "allergic" to Seattle even after eighteen years of living there, and her husband, a Microsoft guru. They have promised their twelve-ish daughter Bee that she may have whatever she wants if she gets all As in middle school. They think she will ask for a pony, but she wants a trip to Antarctica. Bernadette, the marginally sane mother who is mildly agoraphobic and depressed because of some sort of architectural disaster in LA, is deeply distressed at the idea of crossing the rough waters of Drake Passage between Cape Horn and Antarctica. She is also distressed at having to spend time with people.
But Bernadette is bravely making plans to go on this excursion until a neighbor who lives downhill from her insists that Bernadette get rid of the blackberry vines that are creeping under and over the fence into her neighbor's perfectly maintained garden. (Not to mention crawling under and over the house that Bernadette and her family live in. They keep a weed whacker in the living room to control the shoots coming up through the floorboards.) What nobody seems to realize is that these vines are providing erosion abatement and when Seattle experiences an unusually heavy rain (predicted by Cliff Maas on his web site which everyone in Seattle reads) shortly after the vines are removed, the resulting mudslide is ruinous to the neighbor's garden and the back of her house. Partly as a result of this altercation Bernadette decides she cannot make the Antarctic trip and disappears.
I have complained that this book has been chosen by Spokane Reads as the one book everyone in our city is encouraged to read and talk about this year, but I want to withdraw that complaint. There is little Spokaneites enjoy more than making fun of Seattleites and this novel provides a cache of ammunition. Here is Bernadette on househunting in Seattle:
My first trip up here, to Seattle, the realtor picked me up at the airport to look at houses. The morning batch were all Craftsman, which is all they have here, if you don't count the rash of view-busting apartment buildings that appear in inexplicable clumps, as if the zoning chief was asleep at his desk during the sixties and seventies and turned architectural design over to the Soviets.
Everything else is Craftsman. Turn-of-the-century Craftsman, beautifully restored Craftsman, reinterpretation of Craftsman, needs-some-love Craftsman, modern take on Craftsman. It's like a hypnotist put everyone from Seattle in a collective trance. You are getting sleepy, when you wake up you will want to live only in a Craftsman house, the year won't matter to you, all that will matter is that the walls will be thick, the windows tiny, the rooms dark, the ceilings low, and it will be poorly situated on the lot.
The mud-spattered neighbor suffers from the particular snobbism of old-time Seattleites, resulting from the fact that white settlement in the city goes back only to 1853 and that by far most of the people in Seattle have arrived recently from elsewhere. The neighbor brags of her family history:
Within a four-mile radius is the house I grew up in, the house my mother grew up in, and the house my grandmother grew up in. . . . My great-grandfather was a fur trapper in Alaska . . . Warren's great-grandfather bought furs from him. My point is you come in here with your Microsoft money and think you belong, but you don't belong. You never will.
This phenomenon is called the "Seattle freeze," which is attributed to all the Scandinavian blood in the city.
But Bernadette has some upper-middle-class prejudices of her own. She is eavesdropping on a nearby table in a restaurant:
They don't know the difference between a burrito and an enchilada! . . . Oh my God, they've never heard of mole. . . . They're covered with tattoos! . . . Did you see the tattoo one of them had on the inside of his arm? It looked like a roll of tape. . . . Know what one of the guys at the drive-thru Starbuck's has on his forearm? . . . A paperclip! It used to be so daring to get a tattoo. And now people are tattooing office supplies on their bodies. . . . Oh my God. It's not just any roll of tape. It's literally Scotch Tape, with the green and black plaid. . . . If you're going to tattoo tape on your arm, at least make it a generic old-fashioned tape dispenser! . . . Did the Staples catalog get delivered to the tattoo parlor that day?
Well, I won't go on, but I do recommend the book, which is charming and witty and filled with satire at the expense of the uber-hip, the liberals who are so far left they have fallen off the continuum, the people who refuse to buy salmon unless they know the name of the boat it was caught from, a population that is divided neatly into those who work at or have made shocking amounts of money from Microsoft and those who, despite the enormous advantages to the city and the University of Washington of all that money having been channeled their way, and despite the fact that Microsoft, along with Boeing, is the very basis of the city's economy, nonetheless cherish a bitter hatred of Bill Gates and his company. | <urn:uuid:1c996c97-7397-449b-a8e5-64648d24739e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971221 | 1,473 | 1.570313 | 2 |
There is no other country so beautiful as the Land of Oz. There are no other people so happy and contented and prosperous as the Oz people. They have all they desire; they love and admire their beautiful girl Ruler, Ozma of Oz, and they mix work and play so justly that both are delightful and satisfying and no one has any reason to complain. Once in a while something happens in Oz to disturb the people's happiness for a brief time, for so rich and attractive a fairyland is sure to make a few selfish and greedy outsiders envious, and therefore certain evil-doers have treacherously plotted to conquer Oz and enslave its people and destroy its girl Ruler, and so gain the wealth of Oz for themselves. But up to the time when the cruel and crafty Nome, Ruggedo, conspired with Kiki Aru, the Hyup, all such attempts had failed. The Oz people suspected no danger. Life in the world's nicest fairyland was one round of joyous, happy days.
In the center of the Emerald City of Oz, the capital city of Ozma's dominions, is a vast and beautiful garden, surrounded by a wall inlaid with shining emeralds, and in the center of this garden stands Ozma's Royal Palace, the most splendid building ever constructed. From a hundred towers and domes floated the banners of Oz, which included the Ozmies, the Munchkins, the Gillikins, the Winkies and the Quadlings. The banner of the Munchkins is blue, that of the Winkies yellow; the Gillikin banner is purple, and the Quadling's banner is red. The colors of the Emerald City are of course green. Ozma's own banner has a green center, and is divided into four quarters. These quarters are colored blue, purple, yellow and red, indicating that she rules over all the countries of the Land of Oz.
This fairyland is so big, however, that all of it is not yet known to its girl Ruler, and it is said that in some far parts of the country, in forests and mountain fastnesses, in hidden valleys and thick jungles, are people and beasts that know as little about Ozma as she knows of them. Still, these unknown subjects are not nearly so numerous as the known inhabitants of Oz, who occupy all the countries near to the Emerald City. Indeed, I'm sure it will not be long until all parts of the fairyland of Oz are explored and their peoples made acquainted with their Ruler, for in Ozma's palace are several of her friends who are so curious that they are constantly discovering new and extraordinary places and inhabitants.
One of the most frequent discoverers of these hidden places in Oz is a little Kansas girl named Dorothy, who is Ozma's dearest friend and lives in luxurious rooms in the Royal Palace. Dorothy is, indeed, a Princess of Oz, but she does not like to be called a princess, and because she is simple and sweet and does not pretend to be anything but an ordinary little girl, she is called just "Dorothy" by everybody and is the most popular person, next to Ozma, in all the Land of Oz.
One morning Dorothy crossed the hall of the palace and knocked on the door of another girl named Trot, also a guest and friend of Ozma. When told to enter, Dorothy found that Trot had company, an old sailor-man with one wooden leg and one meat leg, who was sitting by the open window puffing smoke from a corn-cob pipe. This sailor-man was named Cap'n Bill, and he had accompanied Trot to the Land of Oz and was her oldest and most faithful comrade and friend. Dorothy liked Cap'n Bill, too, and after she had greeted him, she said to Trot:
"You know, Ozma's birthday is next month, and I've been wondering what I can give here as a birthday present. She's so good to us all that we certainly ought to remember her birthday."
"That's true," agreed Trot. "I've been wondering, too, what I could give Ozma. It's pretty hard to decide, 'cause she's got already all she wants, and as she's a fairy and knows a lot about magic, she could satisfy any wish."
"I know," returned Dorothy, "but that isn't the point. It isn't that Ozma NEEDS anything, but that it will please her to know we've remembered her birthday. But what shall we give her?"
Trot shook her head in despair.
"I've tried to think and I can't," she declared.
"It's the same way with me," said Dorothy.
"I know one thing that 'ud please her," remarked Cap'n Bill, turning his round face with its fringe of whiskers toward the two girls and staring at them with his big, light-blue eyes wide open.
"What is it, Cap'n Bill?"
"It's an Enchanted Flower," said he. "It's a pretty plant that stands in a golden flower-pot an' grows all sorts o' flowers, one after another. One minute a fine rose buds an' blooms, an' then a tulip, an' next a chrys--chrys--"
"--anthemum," said Dorothy, helping him.
"That's it; and next a dahlia, an' then a daffydil, an' on all through the range o' posies. Jus' as soon as one fades away, another comes, of a different sort, an' the perfume from 'em is mighty snifty, an' they keeps bloomin' night and day, year in an' year out."
"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I think Ozma would like it."
"But where is the Magic Flower, and how can we get it?" asked Trot.
"Dun'no, zac'ly," slowly replied Cap'n Bill. "The Glass Cat tol' me about it only yesterday, an' said it was in some lonely place up at the nor'east o' here. The Glass Cat goes travelin' all around Oz, you know, an' the little critter sees a lot o' things no one else does."
"That's true," said Dorothy, thoughtfully. "Northeast of here must be in the Munchkin Country, and perhaps a good way off, so let's ask the Glass Cat to tell us how to get to the Magic Flower."
So the two girls, with Cap'n Bill stumping along on his wooden leg after them, went out into the garden, and after some time spent in searching, they found the Glass Cat curled up in the sunshine beside a bush, fast sleep.
The Glass Cat is one of the most curious creatures in all Oz. It was made by a famous magician named Dr. Pipt before Ozma had forbidden her subjects to work magic. Dr. Pipt had made the Glass Cat to catch mice, but the Cat refused to catch mice and was considered more curious than useful.
This astonished cat was made all of glass and was so clear and transparent that you could see through it as easily as through a window. In the top of its head, however, was a mass of delicate pink balls which looked like jewels but were intended for brains. It had a heart made of blood-red ruby. The eyes were two large emeralds. But, aside from these colors, all the rest of the animal was of clear glass, and it had a spun-glass tail that was really beautiful.
"Here, wake up," said Cap'n Bill. "We want to talk to you."
Slowly the Glass Cat got upon its feed, yawned and then looked at the three who stood before it.
"How dare you disturb me?" it asked in a peevish voice. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves."
"Never mind that," returned the Sailor. "Do you remember tellin' me yesterday 'bout a Magic Flower in a Gold Pot?"
"Do you think I'm a fool? Look at my brains--you can see 'em work. Of course I remember!" said the cat.
"Well, where can we find it?"
"You can't. It's none of your business, anyhow. Go away and let me sleep," advised the Glass Cat.
"Now, see here," said Dorothy; "we want the Magic Flower to give to Ozma on her birthday. You'd be glad to please Ozma, wouldn't you?"
"I'm not sure," replied the creature. "Why should I want to please anybody?"
"You've got a heart, 'cause I can see it inside of you," said Trot.
"Yes; it's a pretty heart, and I'm fond of it," said the cat, twisting around to view its own body. "But it's made from a ruby, and it's hard as nails."
"Aren't you good for ANYthing?" asked Trot.
"Yes, I'm pretty to look at, and that's more than can be said of you," retorted the creature.
Trot laughed at this, and Dorothy, who understood the Glass Cat pretty well, said soothingly:
"You are indeed beautiful, and if you can tell Cap'n Bill where to find the Magic Flower, all the people in Oz will praise your cleverness. The Flower will belong to Ozma, but everyone will know the Glass Cat discovered it."
This was the kind of praise the crystal creature liked.
"Well," it said, while the pink brains rolled around, "I found the Magic Flower way up in the north of the Munchkin Country where few people live or ever go. There's a river there that flows through a forest, and in the middle of the forest there is a small island on which stands the gold pot in which grows the Magic Flower."
"How did you get to the island?" asked Dorothy. "Glass cats can't swim."
"No, but I'm not afraid of water," was the reply. "I just walked across the river on the bottom."
"Under the water?" exclaimed Trot.
The cat gave her a scornful look.
"How could I walk OVER the water on the BOTTOM of the river? If you were transparent, anyone could see YOUR brains were not working. But I'm sure you could never find the place alone. It has always been hidden from the Oz people."
"But you, with your fine pink brains, could find it again, I s'pose," remarked Dorothy.
"Yes; and if you want that Magic Flower for Ozma, I'll go with you and show you the way."
"That's lovely of you!" declared Dorothy. "Trot and Cap'n Bill will go with you, for this is to be their birthday present to Ozma. While you're gone I'll have to find something else to give her."
"All right. Come on, then, Cap'n," said the Glass Cat, starting to move away.
"Wait a minute," begged Trot. "How long will we be gone?"
"Oh, about a week."
"Then I'll put some things in a basket to take with us," said the girl, and ran into the palace to make her preparations for the journey. | <urn:uuid:b7aed041-eb3c-48ee-b98a-93b8222cf457> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.literature.org/authors/baum-l-frank/the-magic-of-oz/chapter-05.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982581 | 2,402 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Philip Gorton has been studying local history since childhood.
In the late 1970s, he began using records and archives in earnest when researching and writing his degree dissertation on the urban development of Victorian Godalming.
He has many years of practical experience in dealing with a wide variety of documentary sources and has the paleaographic and interpretive skills that are essential in this kind of work.
He has also developed a knowledge of house construction methods and is an active member of the Domestic Building Research Group, which surveys and records traditional buildings in Surrey.
He has been taking commissions since 1993 and has completed histories of over one hundred houses, in addition to other research work. The majority of these houses are in south west Surrey and he has built a thorough understanding of the area's history.
Sally Gorton co-writes the histories and assists with the research.
In addition, she is a trained artist and accepts commissions to paint pictures of the houses.
This watercolour painting of Upper Highfield Farm in Thursley, Surrey, was one of her commissions.
See her website www.sallygorton.co.uk for more information. | <urn:uuid:ee62b1fc-0cd9-4f9e-9184-e999f9fc1243> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.house-history-research.co.uk/whoweare.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978557 | 239 | 1.632813 | 2 |
s/He/Colin Powell and Jack Straw
s/cheat and retreat/lie to the international community
March 12, 2003 | Al-Taji, Iraq -- A remotely piloted aircraft that the United States has warned could spread chemical weapons appears to be made of balsa wood and duct tape, with two small propellors attached to what look like the engines of a weed whacker.
Iraqi officials took journalists to the Ibn Firnas State Company just north of Baghdad on Wednesday, where the drone's project director accused Secretary of State Colin Powell of misleading the U.N. Security Council and the public.
"He's making a big mistake," said Brig. Imad Abdul Latif. "He knows very well that this aircraft is not used for what he said."
In Washington's search for a "smoking gun" that would prove Iraq is not disarming, Powell has insisted the drone, which has a wingspan of 24.5 feet, could be fitted to dispense chemical and biological weapons. He has said it "should be of concern to everybody."
Iraq insisted it declared the drone in a report in January -- and Hussein held up its declaration to prove it. The confusion, he said, was the result of a typo: The declaration said the wingspan was 14.5 feet instead of 24.5 feet as stated by Powell.
"When we discovered the mistake we addressed an official letter correcting the wingspan," he said. He showed that letter to reporters as well. He suggested inspectors had already seen the drone when the correction was made, but said: "No one of the inspectors noticed the difference."
"We are really astonished when we hear that this RPV was discovered by inspectors, when it was declared by Iraq," Hussein said. "Nothing is hidden."
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Buy a Shirt | <urn:uuid:66d6537b-05c5-4d77-95fa-8a07991260bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metafilter.com/24136/Hans-Blixs-Objectivity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976403 | 408 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Dispose of this new coffee cup in your mouth8/7/2012
A bit of coffee in the morning is an essential start to most people’s day, but what about the trash from all those disposable cups? Venezuelan designer Enrique Luis Sardi has come up with an innovative solution: "sip the coffee, eat the cup." Sardi’s cups, produced for the coffee chain LaVazza, are cup-shaped cookies you can devour once you’ve finished your espresso. They even have frosting on the inside, so that the coffee doesn’t seep through and soak your cup. While this may be a smart way to reduce waste, shouldn’t we worry that eating a cookie every morning will increase waists? [Source]
Would you pay a little more for a cup you could eat? | <urn:uuid:1f8c84f3-5a7e-46fb-8cd2-0c7908e7bfa1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://now.msn.com/new-edible-coffee-cup-designed-to-minimize-waste | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951684 | 175 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Since media is such a big part of our lives, it is important to look at what your daughter sees in the media. And it's even more important to influence her life by surrounding her (as often as you can) with strong female role models - in the media AND in real life.
In addition - TALK about female roles in the media. TALK about what real women do, what they look like, and how they take care of themselves.
Here's a list of movies from 2012 that featured strong female roles, from womensenews.org. Look at the ratings on these movies; some are for kids and others are more adult.
AND - for you adult women, keep your eye out for Eve Ensler's new play, Emotional Creature. It promises to be provocative and important as it addresses issues girls face as they grow up. The play is in New York right now; I hope it does a long cross-country tour. You may have seen Eve's Vagina Monologues; if so, you know she's not afraid to tackle uncomfortable issues - with wit and with wisdom. Read this article about the play and if you have a chance to see it let me know what you think! | <urn:uuid:42afeca8-b42d-42f7-8fd7-a98b719ffc96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fab2bfem.com/blog/tags/media/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97528 | 249 | 1.648438 | 2 |
For as long as we can remember, we've been suckers for packaging. The marriage of food and art appeals to a slew of senses - when a treat for the tongue doubles as a feast for the eyes, the pleasure is exponential.
Which is why we experienced an unexpected jolt to the taste buds recently while perusing a friend's bookshelf. After thumbing through the usual suspects - Faulkner, Salinger, Hemingway, etc. - we were surprised to find a gem - Ghost World, the acclaimed graphic novel by Daniel Clowes.
An unexpected memory smacked us on the back of the palette: OK Soda!
Way back in 1993, when the soda wars between Coca-Cola and Pepsi were still raging, each corporation was scrambling to diversify, to find a magical new product to corner untapped market share. Pepsi tried, and failed, with Crystal Pepsi (ick). Coke introduced a sequel nobody asked for: Coke II (ick II).
What is a mega successful beverage company to do? There were so many soda drinking mouths going devastatingly unquenched! So many dollars not being spent on fizzy drinks! Such tragedy.
Coca-Cola decided to take on the largest - and most confusing - group of new consumers: Generation X. Marketing executive Sergio Zyman discovered that the second most recognized word in the world is "Coke." The first? "Ok."
Time magazine published an article at the time that asked, with a severely raised eyebrow, "Will Teens Buy It? Coke's new OK Soda uses irony and understatement to woo a skeptical market." But Coca-Cola boldly marched on with a formula for the disenchanted demographic: "(OPTIMISTIC / IRONIC) + (SPECIAL / ORDINARY) = “OK-NESS.”
OK Soda debuted in 17 test market cities in 1993, including our hometown. Lord knows we didn't need any more soda - just ask our mothers or dentists - but that can! It was bold, and different, and gorgeous! That can was irresistible. We had to have that can.
Coke had somehow managed to convince reclusive comic artist Daniel Clowes to design the packaging for OK Soda. Clowes built a cult following of Gen X'ers with his meticulously detailed, serial comics featuring angsty young folks as they slogged through the malaise of post-adolescence. His illustrations were perfect for the blithe, wry campaign. They were also arrestingly beautiful masterpieces of pop art:
Part of the appeal of OK was that it didn't take itself too seriously. The labels were littered with silly mottoes and charts. Clowes played with the frame of the barcode.
Some cans had spaces for note-taking.
The marketing campaign was equally unique and playful; customers were encouraged to call 1-800-I-FEEL-OK and interact with a variety of messages that ranged from ironic to absurd. Ads and cans detailed "coincidences" of "OK-ness," apparently sent in by OK Soda drinkers. Fizzled Out has a great two-part compendium of all things OK. We suggest you take the Personality Survey to judge your current level of "OK-ness."
Sadly, everything was not going to be OK. The citrusy cola failed to make a splash, and Coca-Cola killed OK Soda in 1995. Gen X-ers moved on to other beverages that appealed to their demographic, like, oh, we don't know, beer?
So whether you hail from Gen X, Gen Y, or Gen Why Not?, treat yourself to a dose of OK-ness by sitting down with a copy of Ghost World, popping open a cold one, and marinating in nostalgic existential crisis. After all, it has been said that "A day without OK-ness is like a day without 'day.'" | <urn:uuid:5ff71450-4cbe-49e0-ae7c-1247dcc20dc7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gastronomista.com/2011/03/im-ok-youre-ok.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966195 | 805 | 1.703125 | 2 |
It is a fact that we are all living much longer and it is all a well known fact that the State can’t afford to keep us in comfort and pay for our care in old age.
When you consider that we could be reliant on a pensionable income for upwards of 30 years, it brings home the importance of saving a pension for our later years.
With so many different options and plans available for pension planning, it can be difficult to choose the right one for your circumstance, hence why it is always advisable to use a pensions advisor.
Contact our FSA regulated pension advisors today for free independent advice on your retirement planning. Simply complete the short form below and our expert will call to discuss your requirements.
Why should I save for a pension?
Saving for your pension has one main advantage and that is, it is incentivised by the taxman.
The contributions are free from both income and capital gains tax as well as tax relief on contributions of up to 100% of your earnings each year.
This means that for every £80 you contribute towards your pension the government boosts it by £20, making the total contribution £100.
How much should I pay into my pension?
How much you pay into your private pension depends on your individual circumstances. A pension is a long term investment and you will be unable to withdraw the funds early should you need it, for this reason it is important that you are realistic with your investment. | <urn:uuid:841ef022-c6ce-4501-9088-57cbb0af612f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.supermarket.co.uk/pensions/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967028 | 297 | 1.648438 | 2 |
March 17, 2000
This is an interview of Mr. Donald Lee Wright, retired Director of Vocational Education for Bristol, Virginia City Schools.
| Back to "W" Interviews | Index of Interviews | Protocol | Home |
Q: Mr. Wright, would you begin by telling us about your family background, your childhood interests, and development.
(Streamed audio file of interview for this question using RealPlayer)
A: Yes, Id be glad to Beth. Im from a family that placed high value on getting an education. Even though my parents had only a high school education, they wanted a college education for both my sister and myself. They taught us human values at a very early age. Im from a background of spiritual upbringing, emphasis upon high morals, reputation, and leadership by example. The puritan work ethic was impressed on the minds of both my sister and myself. An important factor as we went through life.
Q: Would you discuss your college education and preparation for entering the field of teaching and please include the number of years you served as a teacher and a principal?
A: I have a BS degree in Industrial Technology and a Masters Degree in Industrial Education and additional courses for endorsement as an administrator.
Q: I wonder if you would discuss those experiences or events in your life that constituted important decision points in your career and how you feel about them now.
A: Had a very positive experience in both elementary and high school. We were under very strict and disciplined program in both of these areas. I had the desire to play a part in helping young people grow in knowledge and wisdom in all of the academic areas. It was necessary for me to leave the education profession for eight years and enter the industrial field for financial reasons. (Which were mainly low teacher salaries.) This is good in that this would also open my eyes to the real world outside the classroom. Given the same set of circumstances, I would make the same decision today.
Q: Would you talk about the circumstances surrounding your entry into the principalship?
A: There are probably many, however, I guess the main was a desire to help students have the opportunity to become productive citizens who would eventually be contributors in all aspects of society. My motive never really changed over the years.
Q: What motivated you to enter the principalship and how did your motives change over the years?
A: After many years as a teacher it was evident that many administrators seem to lose sight of the meaning and mission of education. They became involved in playing the game. Whether it be political or whatever. And failed to exhibit the right kind of leadership, leadership be example. Therefore, I felt that I too would like to become an administrator and make a difference in young peoples lives.
Q: Would you take us on a walk through your school, describing its appearance and any unusual features of the building?
A: It is a building that is immaculately clean, well-lit, a faculty that is dressed professionally, not in blue jeans, sweatshirts. You can walk down the hall and see teachers teaching, kids enjoying being in their class, working, time on task, bell-to-bell. A very pleasing sight to any administrator.
Q: What experiences I your professional life influenced you management philosophy?
A: I guess the puritan work ethic that I was raised with probably impacted it more than anything. However, I feel that my experience in industry for eight after I left the teaching profession and came back into it impacted my philosophy and management practices more than anything else. I feel that all teachers today should have some experience outside the classroom in order that they become better teachers.
Q: Makes sense to me! Well, what kinds of things do teachers expect principals to be able to do? Describe your views on what it takes to be an effective principal, describing the personal and professional characteristics of a quote "good principal".
A: On the light side I guess sometimes teachers think principals can walk on water. But, not necessarily so. Theyre human also. To be an affective principal one must always be willing to listen. And to assess all facts that are presented and then make a fair decision. Fairness is most important to the teacher as well as the student and the parent. If youre fair you cannot be faulted.
Q: As a follow up question, would you describe the expectations, both professional and personal, that were placed upon principals by their employers and the community during your period of employment. How do those expectations differ from todays situation? (Even though you only retired in 1995.)
A: I guess expectations were high for a principal from both the community and Board of Education. You were expected to be on the job, on time and be there after the students had left many times. In order to meet with parents who maybe had a problem or wanted to discuss a particular situation about their child.
Q: How is that different from today do you think, or is it that different?
A: Parents today expect their children to make As and Bs. They might not necessarily by A and B material but the parents expect it. I think they feel that we need to reassess our grade system. We need to set our standards high, we need to require the students meet these standards. But students are never going to meet these standards until we get the support of the parents.
Q: Cultural diversity is a topic of great interest and concern at this point in time. Would you discuss the nature of your student body and comment on the problems, challenges, and triumphs in which you participated while serving as a principal?
A: Cultural diversity is a major topic today. However, it has always been there, it has always been with us. For example, we had a march, black students decided at our school that they were not going to abide by the rules and regulations as set forth by the Student Conduct Code. Incidentally, it was led by two particular individuals that had recently transferred into our school from across the state line in Tennessee. The school board was very, very adamant in that all students would abide by the same rules and stood behind administration and the problem was resolved and the two students responsible for the problems that occurred soon left our school. Because they found out that they could not run our school as they had done before.
Q: This was in Bristol, Virginia. So we need to mention that Bristol is a split city. Part is on the Tennessee side of the state line and part is on the Virginia side of the state line.
Q: So the two students that led the march came from Tennessee High, is that correct?
A: That is correct, Tennessee High, correct.
Q: So still in the same city, just across the state line, correct?
Q: Could you please describe your normal work day? How did you spend your time? What was the normal number of hours per week you put in, if there is such a thing as a normal or average number for a principal?
A: Workdays started at 7am in the morning and went through at least 4 pm in the afternoon. Students arrived at school for the first period class at 7:45 and were dismissed at 2:35 in the afternoon. The normal workday started with me being in the hall when the students arrived in the morning. To be visible letting them know that they had an administrator that was interested in them and that was keeping an eye on things. I think this is most important. The visibility of any administrator. Stop the students in the hall, talk with them. This is important. Let them know that you care. If you are behind closed doors in your office. Youre never seen. They soon get the attitude that no one really cares, no one is really interested. Also, your teachers know that you are out and visible and know what is going on and you seem to encounter very few problems if you are highly visible at all times. After classes got started then it was back into the office to take care of state reports. To take care of discipline problem when I was a principal. When I was director, of course, it was more paperwork and I had a principal under me who took care of all of the discipline. Meetings with civic organizations, luncheons, these kinds of things. And you had your advisory counsels you had to meet with periodically. Each particular subject area had their advisory counsel and there was an overall advisory counsel for the total vocational program. Number of hour per week, if youre in this business youre not a clock watcher. You cannot be. You have a job to do , you do your job regardless of the number of hours required of you.
Q: You had to be there from 7 until 4 so that would give you at least a minimum of a 45 hour week.
Q: Now there were some times, I remember you were working, not as the director but when you first went to Bristol, Virginia. Your had night classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Q: How did that work? It was part of the vocational department, right?
A: It was the adult education program at Virginia High School. The GED program was every Tuesday and Thursday night from 6:30 until 9:30. Then we also had special interest classes meeting the needs of the community. Both educationally and as hobbies.
Q: Like cake decorating, flower arranging, that type thing?
Q: And that was part of your duties as assistant director or as principal?
A: As principal.
Q: Okay. Another question, would you describe some of the pressures that you faced on a daily basis and explain how you coped with them. Maybe some of the biggest headaches or concerns on the job. Or some of the toughest decisions that you had to make?
A: I guess the biggest headache that I had was adequate funding to carry on the vocational programs. Vocational education, as Im sure you are familiar with, requires a tremendous amount of equipment and supplies. That maybe a social studies class or an english class or mathematics program does not require. So I guess finances, being sure that we had adequate funding and up-to-date and modern equipment to train our students with would be the biggest headache.
Q: Would you tell us about the key to your success as a principal?
A: Understanding, fairness, truthfulness, high expectations. These would be four or five things that I feel go to make up a good administrator. Let people know you area about them. Ask about their family occasionally. If a mother or father has been ill ask how their family is getting along. And truly, truly mean it when you ask them. If its just for the sake of asking, dont even bother. They can tell when you are serious or when youre concerned.
Q: You mentioned ethics and truthfulness quite a bit. Could you discuss your personal code of ethics and give examples of how you applied it during your career?
A: I guess it comes from my upbringing as a child, as a youngster. Emphasis was placed upon reputation. A small, rural community, a mans word was his bond. And I still believe that today even after Ive retired. I believe in the Puritan work ethic as I mentioned a moment ago. I think weve lost this down through the years in the schools. The sooner we can return to that dedication and devotion to whatever profession were in, then were gonna get the job done. Good things are gonna happen. They dont happen without effort.
Q: Please discuss some aspects of your personal training which best prepared you for the principalship and which training experiences were least useful once you got your feet wet and were on the job?
A: I think good administrators are born. You do not necessarily, you are not necessarily a good administrator because you have taken x number of courses. Ive seen some very highly educated individuals who are very poor administrators. However, Im not saying that some training is not required. It is necessary to become a good manager, a good administrator.
Q: What types of classes or activities helped you the most, that you felt helped you the most, as you became an administrator.
A: School Finance is a good one.
A: Cause youre gonna be managing monies allocated to your department or to your particular area. School Law is most important in that youve got to know what you can do and what you cant do. Youve got to know where the boundaries and parameters are. You do not want to step over the line and get yourself in a crack so to speak.
Q: What were some of the classes or activities that you did that you found to be the least useful once you became a principal?
A: A lot of history and philosophy of education program courses. Useless waste of time. Some courses had a lot of frills with no substance.
Q: Did you have a personnel management class?
A: I did not, I received my management and personnel training in industry that helped tremendously. Worked in industry. Worked as a production supervisor and we had a union shop. And you will learn personnel management right quick out on the floor.
Q: If you had to do it again, what kinds of things would you do to better prepare yourself for the principalship?
A: I dont know that I would do anything any different than what we have already discussed.
A: I feel that I was well trained as an administrator.
Q: Would you describe your feelings, knowing what you now know, about entering the principalship yourself if given the opportunity to start again?
A: I wouldnt change.
Q: For example when you walked in the first day on the job as a principal. New school, new faculty, you dont know anybody. What would you do?
A: I would go in and of course if I didnt know anyone, I would shake hands, introduce myself to each individual and begin asking a few questions to learn more about those folks who are gonna be my subordinates that are gonna be actually doing the job of educating the youngsters. An administrator never educated a child in his life. Once he or she leaves the classroom that one-on-one contact with the student is gone. Youll meet them in the halls or if theyve been sent to the office for discipline reasons. About the only time you come in contact with those students. And thats most unfortunate. However, I feel you need to place a, more emphasis on getting to know the people that do the job for you and support them in getting the job done.
Q: Okay. If you were advising a person who is considering an administrative job, what would your advice be?
A: Go for it.
A: On the condition that this is really what you want and that you will be, or feel that you are capable of being a good manager and are truly interested in the educational benefit. If not, get out of it and go get you a job somewhere else.
Q: Well, there are those that argue that a principal should be an instructional leader and then there are those that insist that above all a principal should be a good manager. Would you give your views on this issue and describe your own style?
A: A principal has to be both an instructional leader and a manager. I do not see how you could be one without the other and be an effective administrator. You must be able to know that the right type of instruction is taking place in your school. You cannot depend on teachers to be your instructional people and not know what they are supposed to be doing. And neither can you not be a good manager because administration is management.
Q: Would you describe the ideal requirements for principal certification and then describe the appropriate procedures for screening those who wish to become principals?
A: I do not know exactly what the ideal requirements for principal certification should be. In some cases ideal requirements for an administrator might be one thing whereas in another area it might be different. As far as discussing the appropriate procedures for screening, I think the academic background, grades that one receives in the administrative training should be considered. Personality should be considered. The desire to be fully and totally dedicated as an individual to that position if one would be lucky enough to be appointed to that position would be most important. Im finding myself rambling here a little bit.
Q: Well lets imagine that you are a director of personnel or a superintendent. And youre searching for a principal for a middle school in a county much like Washington County, where you live. And lets say its a middle school that has approximately 500 students grades six through eight. What kind of characteristics would you like for that principal to have?
A: Of course would want that individual to have experience as a teacher, probably at middle school or high school. Would be looking for an individual that would fit into and become a part of the community. Would also expect that individual to have done well in the training to become a principal. Would also talk with the professors in the classes that this individual took to get their opinion. See if this individual had worked outside of the school system for which he would be applying for a job. I would have him, I would talk with the personnel or the superintendent for the school division from which he would be leaving. To try to find out why. Be it a number of things that could be considered.
Q: Do you think its necessary for an effective principal to have taught at the level that they want to be an administrator in?
A: It would definitely be a plus for that individual. But not necessarily.
Q: Well it has been said that there is a home-school gap and that more parental involvement with the schools needs to be developed. You eluded to that a little earlier in some of your statements. Would you give your view on this issue and describe how you interacted with parents and with citizens who were important to the well-being of the school?
A: What do you mean by home-school gap?
Q: That similar to what you said earlier, parents think their students should make, their children should make all As and Bs. They dont. Theres a difference between what the parents feel the students should learn and what they actually do in school. Theres a difference between
A: Yes I guess there is a home-school gap today. However, I question how much parental involvement there should be in schools. You know, we are the educators. And supposedly, we know what content should be taught and to what extent. And today many parents are not up on modern technology and so forth. However, they have a tendency to want to tell us how we need to be doing our job. Now we, when we get to that point then we have created a lot of problems. Yes, we need to have our parents involved in the education of their students in a manner that they are gonna be supportive at home. However, they must understand that we are the educators, were doing the job and it is , most important that we as dedicated and I say dedicated educators are doing that job. If were not were creating problems not only for ourselves but were creating problems for the parents and the students all.
Q: Could you discuss your style of personnel management. For example, what approaches did you employ that contributed to your effectiveness as a manager.
A: First of all I tried to be very straight-forward. Not mealy-mouthed and what I told one individual I would tell another. Do not talk about one teacher to another teacher. Thats absolutely a no-no. Let my personnel know what I expected of them from the time they arrived until the time they left. Their life after school is theirs, it is none of the schools business as to what they engaged in or what they did. I would hope however, that they would be a model citizen in the community. I think that contributes to the total package as far as an educator is concerned. What I would do as far as a personnel person, you have to treat each person as an individual. What you might do regarding one individual would be totally different from the way you handled the second individual.
Q: What would you do, say you found you had a teacher who was working for you who was tenured, but was not getting the job done. And had not for some time. You were a new principal and walked into that situation?
A: First of all I do not agree with the tenure law in the state of Virginia. A good teacher never has to worry about whether theyre going to have a job the following school year. That job is there is they are good at their job. I had an incident where I did not renew the contract of a non-tenured individual. Because of actions within his program. And I would also start the procedure of dismissal for an individual who wasnt doing their job, that was tenured. First of all, you would give a verbal warning, maybe once, maybe twice. After giving the verbal warning I would give them a written warning. Give them a copy, send a copy to the superintendent, of course. Would have the superintendent review the warning, the written warning before I gave that to the individual teacher that was involved. Would also probably consult with or have the superintendent consult with the divisions lawyer to be sure that we were in order and in compliance with the grievance procedure within the school division and the code where we would be working. And, would definitely take steps to dismiss that person.
Q: Tenured or not?
A: Tenured or not, makes no difference. I think sometimes our non-tenured teachers are better than our tenured teachers.
Q: It has been said by some people that good personnel managers encourage their subordinates and peers by staging celebrations on their successes. To what extent did you engage in this practice during your tenure as principal, and to what extent did it improve morale and organizational effectiveness? Or did this occur?
A: Were not in the education business to have parties. Now that might seem a bit harsh. However, at faculty meetings I always attempted to have refreshments. Food. Sit around and talk for about eight to ten minutes. Fellowshipping with each other. I think this helps build morale and encourage teamwork. At the beginning of school we would try to have a cookout on a workday. Probably a luncheon at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sometime in the spring we would have something at the end of school. A luncheon or get together and it not really be school. But, weve got to understand one thing, weve got a job to do. Were all in it together and were gonna do that job. And once , if you ever set the tone or the atmosphere that youve got a country club atmosphere within your school, then youre asking for problems. You do this off the cuff and you dont let people ever get in the position of expecting these kinds of things. You do it unexpectedly. And lots of times that means more than getting into the routine of something.
Q: Some principals believe that teachers and other staff members are well-motivated and reliable self-starters. And others feel that they have to closely monitor the activities of all their employees. What approach did you customarily use during your administrative career?
A: You have to monitor all of your teachers. Youve got to learn who is a self-starter and who isnt. The self-starter doesnt need a lot of leadership from administration. However, those who are not self-starters have to be motivated in some way. By knowing your teachers youll know the correct way to motivate the individual. But one thing is always necessary, theyve got to know that you expect them to get the job done. And as an administrator, one must always set deadlines. Dont set, never set a deadline that you dont intend to keep. And when those deadlines are not met by the subordinates, then they need to be confronted immediately, not a day later.
Q: Would you describe your approach to teacher evaluation and give your philosophy of evaluation?
A: In many cases teacher evaluations are jokes. Theyre not worth the paper that theyre written on. They could be. All teachers expect an excellent or to be evaluated on the top end of the scale. And then youve got your hands full if you give a teacher a bad mark. So many times administrators just go ahead, cut out the hassle, give everybody a good rating and everybodys happy and everybody scratches everybody elses back and we go on our merry way. And as long as we have tenure within the state of Virginia, or in any other state, were never gonna be able to get a true teacher evaluation to work. Thats why Im opposed to tenure. And be very candid in your evaluations. Call it as you see it. Dont go out with an ax to grind when evaluating a teacher. Never do that.
Q: Following up on your tenure comment, most systems presently have tenure or the continuing contract system for teachers especially in the state of Virginia. Would you discuss this situation at the time you entered the profession as a teacher and then as an administrator and comment on the strengths and weaknesses of such a system?
A: When I started teaching in 1959 there was no such thing as tenure in the state of Virginia. But our professional educational organizations have pushed for this and have gotten it within the state. I guess what brought it on is the fact that administrators werent really fair with the teachers. Or some teachers years ago and this is what prompted it, what brought it on. On the other hand, many teachers who leave a lot to be desired as educators, use this tenure law to hide behind, protect their job, and wait on a paycheck at the end of every month. There are positives and negatives on both sides and I guess administration as well as teachers have brought it on and together were responsible for something that, in my opinion, is not really good. On the other hand, as protection for a teacher it is good. I feel like everybody should do their job. If they do we have no need for a tenure law. Treat people fairly and in a manner in which they should be treated. Be respectful.
Q: To follow up a little more on the tenure law, can you discuss teacher dismissal and some of your involvements in these types of activities in a little more detail?
A: As I mentioned a moment ago I had to dismiss a non-tenured teacher. And it was all based on whats right and whats wrong as far as setting an example for young people. And the language that was used in a classroom. And I was supported by the superintendent after I had given about three written warnings.
Q: The documentation helped you with dismissal.
A: Oh definitely, document every single incident exactly as it happened, as it occurred, as it was said, verbatim.
Q: What if you have an instance in a classroom where it is the teachers word against a students word. Its a teacher that youve already had warnings cited to. What would you do in that case? You hadnt heard the comments in class but students had and parents were complaining.
A: I would be inclined to always want to support my teacher. You know, as an administrator its always wise to support the teacher. However, if you have had reason in the past to doubt that teacher. If there are things that you see personally and know for a fact is true, then you have to let the teacher be on their own. You cant stick your neck out for a teacher that is not willing to do what is correct or what is expected of him or her as their administrator. And in this particular instance, where I released this individual, I had the facts, I knew that things were going on in the classroom that the principal had encountered. A parent came in with, or both parents came in with the student. And I called the teacher to the office, we sat down and we discussed the situation. And I told the teacher there in front of the parents that I could not and would not support him.
Q: But he had already had the warning?
A: Yes. He had already had written warning. And he had made a comment about the clothes, the clothing that the student was wearing. And so happened this youngster was from a deprived home and this is about all that the kid had to wear.
Q: Taking into account this situation, this teacher was non-tenured. Would it have been more difficult, do you feel, to have a dismissal of this teacher had they been tenured. Would the superintendent, in your opinion, have been as willing to back you in this situation.
A: I dont know whether the superintendent would have been as willing to have backed me. In this situation if this individual had of been tenured. However, I would have fought just as hard to have dismissed a tenured teacher as I would have a non-tenured teacher. As far as teacher dismissal is concerned, my personal feeling is tenured or non-tenured, makes no difference to me. I will dismiss one as quickly as the other, circumstances being the same.
Q: To switch gears a little bit, during the past decade, schools have become a lot larger. Please discuss your views on this phenomenon and suggest an ideal size for a school in terms of optimal administrative and instructional activities. You can discuss number of faculty, staff and administration going on with that ideal school size.
A: First of all, a faculty of about 25 to 30 with a principal and director of vocational education is an ideal size faculty to work with. You know the people, you know the faculty and you get a good job done day in, day out. That would amount to approximately 350 to 400 students. Of course, vocational education and class sizes are smaller because of safety concerns.
Q: So this would be a vocational
A: This would be a vocational faculty of 25. It seems as though you can get to know your teacher, you can get to know your students, you can meet their needs. You can give them a good solid education.
Q: There has traditionally been a commitment in this country to the principle of the universal free public education for all. It began back in the 1800s, I believe. Would you give your views on this concept and indicate your feelings on the practicality of such an approach in this day and time?
A: Everyone seems to have an opinion on this matter. The country club class, the rich would rather send their youngsters to private schools. On the other hand, I believe that everyone is entitled to an education, a free public education. And they should have it. I feel that we have created in public education many of our own problems in that some people feel that their child is not getting a good education in the public schools of the nation. Therefore, they have to send them to a private school. Some people feel that their children are too good to associate with the average and the lower class.
Q: What about home schooling?
A: I am opposed to home schooling.
A: Why? I do not feel that a home-schooled student, now Im not saying in every instance, but I do not feel that a home-schooled child would get a quality education that they would receive in a public school. Because of their, one thing the technology thats available in our schools today, that is not available in the home.
Q: Given the presence of administrative complexity, if there were three areas of administration that you could change in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of educational administration, what would they be?
A: First I would dismiss all administrators that werent truly devoted and dedicated to being a public school administrator. Thats the first thing I would do. Second thing I would do, is that I would give the administrators more authority when it comes to the operation of their school. And along with giving them more authority, I would make them more accountable. And with more authority and more accountability, of course I would raise their pay.
Q: That goes along with the idea of site-based management.
A: Right. The third thing, let me think a minute.
Q: Take your time.
A: The third thing I would do of course, I would expect them to be good managers or they wouldnt be there. I would expect them to be instructional leaders. I would want to see a manager and an instructional leader rolled into one in order to be an effective administrator.
Q: As a follow up question, if you could change any three areas in the curriculum or the overall operations of American schools, what would they be?
A: I think today, in todays school, we are a bit outdated in that we are still teaching, some of our older teachers maybe, are still teaching content thats not relevant to todays society. With the computer age here you have great opportunity to move forward at a much more rapid pace than we have had in the past. The body of knowledge is growing so rapidly now that we cant keep up with it in the classroom in the way we used to. So were definitely gonna have to turn to technology to get this done. I would get off of this kick of everyone must go to college. There is only a need for about 15% of our high school graduates need a college education, baccalaureate degree today with the jobs that are out there. We need more training as far as high tech is concerned. And we need to get this idea of a college education for everyone out of our minds. Lets live in the real world. I know in our particular area, and from the high school where I was, we were turning out about 65-70% of our graduates each year going on to college. At the end of that first, you find out that 40% of that 60 or 65 have already dropped out of college and are not in college anymore. So everybody thinks that if you get a good college education, they find out after they get there, they cant hack it. And Im not against a college education, dont get me wrong, I got one myself and I feel that we just need to do a better job in guidance, directing each youngster. And being up front with the youngsters and the parents. The third thing I would change if I had an opportunity would be management funds within a school division. I think many times that the money management leaves a lot to be desired. Were not spending our money in a manner that were getting out ten cents worth value out of every dime. We should not foolishly be wasting money on materials that are not up to standard. And of course it would make things harder, we have people who are putting in time and it would make things harder and make a drain on the big school budgets. I think we just need to do a better job of managing our monies across the board within each school division.
Q: Since you have now had some time to reflect on your career, I wonder if you would share with us what you consider to be your administrative strengths and weaknesses?
A: My sincere concern and desire that every student be educated to their level of intelligence. Was always fair with everyone that I knew. Was always willing to help or assist in any way that I could. I would never ask a teacher to do something I wouldnt do.
Q: To your weaknesses as a school leader.
A: If one is an egotistical, self-centered individual, I guess they would feel that they didnt have any weaknesses. But Ive never seen a human being with strengths but what they didnt have a weakness. I feel that my weakness as an administrator was that I really didnt have the time to spend in the instructional areas evaluating curriculum. In order that I was sure that it was relevant to society today. Another weakness I feel, is that I, and I dont know whether we would call it a weakness or not, is that I didnt have an opportunity to be with the young people as much as I would like to have been. Because I feel there is where an impact can be made. Sometimes I feel that I didnt have enough time to discuss programs with teachers. To see what , I didnt have the time to talk to them, to really let them voice their opinion maybe. You know, I listened to them. But I didnt have the time to really sit down and discuss things in detail with them. And I think that a good teacher likes to do that to be sure that both of you are on the same page. These are things, I dont know whether they are really weaknesses, but theyre things that administrators need to do. They have to do in order to have a real effective program. I did a lot of this but I would like to have had time to have done more.
Q: Would you discuss the circumstances leading up to your decision to retire at the time you did, giving your reasons and the mental processes you exercised in reaching your decision to step down?
A: I feel like after eight years in industry and thirty years in education that an individual needs to look at retirement. I think it is an individual kind of thing. And I think it is a sign of wisdom when an individual can make that decision himself rather than having someone else make it for them. After all of these years one becomes maybe a little tired. There are others out there, young people today, that hopefully are going to be able to move in a pick up where I leave off. And this is the educational process, thats what we as educators should be doing. We should have educated those to the point that they can move right in and move forward as we have done in the last thirty years for the next thirty years they can move it even further. And thats the process. And I feel like that we have capable people to do that.
Q: Would you give us an overall comment on the pros and cons of administrative service, and any advice that you would wish passed along to todays principals, or future principals?
A: There a lot of pros and a lot of cons in the administrative business. First of all, long hours. Administrators are not compensated adequately sometimes I feel. As are teachers as well, when you compare it with industry. There are many administrators out there that are there in name only. They shouldnt be. The pros as far as being an effective administrator, if you have done the job that is expected of you and as you truly want to get done, it is rewarding. You have reached a child, you have made life better for that young person, and his family in years to come. Today I can meet students that I had in the classroom thirty years ago that come up and relate experiences that they had in my class that I had forgotten. I can remember faces, I cant remember all of those names. I mean, 5 classes a day, 25-30 students per class for 30 years, can you remember them all? You cant. But its rewarding to have that young person, that person come up and say "Mr. Wright, do you remember when you said so and so?" One example, a young man came up a few years ago and I never will forget it. He said, "Mr. Wright do you remember the day we walked into your class and you told us that if you act like children I will treat you as a child, if you act like an adult, I will treat you as an adult? " He said, "Mr. Wright, you made me feel like a man that day. I never will forget that." I had already forgotten that until he related it to me. And you know what, that meant a lot to me to know that hey, I made a man out of a little boy that day.
Q: And he remembered what you said.
A: And he remembered what I said. I had forgotten it but he refreshed my memory. And I do remember saying that. I said that to all of the young people that came into my class, I guess. So there are many rewards out there in being a teacher or an administrator and I would say to any individual that is looking to become an administrator or principal, or supervisor in the educational field to first dedicate themselves to that calling. If they cannot dedicate themselves to it and they do not have it in their heart to give 110% please dont mess up a group of teachers or the lives of young people. Stay out of it. Go find you something else to do where you will not stand a chance of impacting them in the wrong way. Or destroying a school, upsetting the school and its routine and its goals. Stay out of it. But if you are really and truly dedicated to it and will give of yourself then I wish you well.
Q: Despite my best efforts to be comprehensive in my questioning, there is probably something I have left out. What have I not asked that I should have? Or are there any comments that you would additionally like to make?
A: It looks like you have been rather comprehensive. But of all of these questions that you have asked, there will be a few that will come up when you get into the administrative field that havent been answered by any professor, by any written text or by anyone else. But using good judgement, drawing on your wisdom and your experiences, you can have, you will have made a good decision, you will have answered a question.
Q: Well, thank you for your time and for giving us this interview for class. And this concluded the interview March 17, 2000 with D.L. Wright, retired Director of Vocational Education from Bristol Virginia City Public Schools. Thanks Dad!
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Stevenson Elementary students showed their commitment to a drug free lifestyle during Red Ribbon Week sponsored by the PTSO Oct. 22-26.
The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug free America.
The events started on Oct. 22 with opening ceremonies by the U.S. Customs color guard. On Oct. 23 they had U.S. Customs presentation with their K-9 unit.
The Douglas Rangers, Douglas Police Department and GIITEM held their presentations on Oct. 24.
U.S. Border Patrol did their presentation on Oct. 25, and Sgt. Jose Duarte from the DPD explained the dangers of smoking on the same day.
On the last day of Red Ribbon Week, Stevenson students were encouraged to create “Say no to drugs” posters that were judge by ELD Coach Corinna Moen, Math Coach Anna Maria Manjarres and Reading Coach Ana Louisa Martinez.
The winners of the poster contest were: tied for first place, first grade class Ms. Aguirre and fifth grade class Mrs. Rose; tied for second place, kindergarten classroom Ms. Elias and second grade class Ms. Smith; Mr. Hoffman’s fifth grade class won third place.
Both winners of first place will get a pizza party and both winners of second place will receive a popcorn party. The third place classroom will receive a popsicle party.
All activates for the week were planned and sponsored by the Stevenson PTSO.
Stevenson students all participated in a Halloween trunk or treat on Friday, Oct 26.
According to the National Family Partnership, children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those who don't, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. | <urn:uuid:6d3e7413-2a04-4afd-840e-0205a4ca9017> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.douglasdispatch.com/articles/2012/11/09/news/features/doc50917effc2ffb739761177.txt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969482 | 373 | 1.664063 | 2 |
As co-chairs of the Democracy Partnership Challenge Task Force for Moldova, the United States and Poland hosted the inaugural meeting of the Task Force in Washington D.C. on December 7, 2011. At their request and in close coordination with our Moldovan partners, this task force is working to provide resources, expertise, and support to Moldova as the country enters the next stage in its democratic transition.
At the inaugural meeting of the Task Force, the co-chairs asked members to volunteer to lead sector specific teams focused on each of the five areas outlined in the Democracy Partnership Challenge application submitted by the Government of Moldova. The local governance group is led by Poland, justice sector by the United States, the transparency of government/e-governance group is led by Lithuania, and the security sector reform group by Hungary. Each of the groups has agreed on a common objective for their team, and has outlined specific contributions that each member will commit to the work of the team.
The work of the Task Force is being carried out through quarterly conference calls and regular e-mail coordination with team members.
Common Objectives Identified by Sector Specific Teams | <urn:uuid:9029f2c5-afc1-4da6-b5b2-20d15474fffd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.state.gov/s/sacsed/communitydemocracies/c51359.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965637 | 231 | 1.515625 | 2 |
HAZARD – With Ford Motor Company opting to halt production of its well-known Crown Victoria, police agencies in Kentucky are now looking elsewhere for the needs of their motor vehicle fleets.
The Kentucky State Police this year unveiled their new cruiser, the Chevrolet Caprice built by General Motors, and the Hazard post already has troopers behind the wheel of that model. Now, officials at the Hazard Police Department have replaced five of their aging Crown Victorias with new Dodge Chargers that officials say not only have the muscle needed for pursuit, but also the capability for improved gas mileage.
The department is currently updating its vehicular fleet as several of the older cruisers are showing signs of their age with transmission problems and the normal wear and tear associated with a vehicle that remains on the road almost constantly. Sgt. Paul Campbell noted that those vehicles had each amassed more than 100,000 miles, and were to the point when it became cost-effective to purchase new cruisers rather than to keep paying for ongoing repairs to the older vehicles.
“With these five new vehicles, we hope to alleviate the stress on the vehicles that work right now, and try to prevent future maintenance costs,” Campbell said.
The decision to switch to the Dodge Charger rather than other models was one of practicality, Campbell explained. While Ford released a new police interceptor based on its Taurus, Campbell said that model wasn’t as practical for their own law enforcement applications here in Hazard. The Charger comes with a stout 5.7 liter V-8 engine, but also includes a fuel saving feature that automatically transitions the engine down to six cylinders when possible.
“It just comes down to what we use it for,” Campbell said. “We work most of our calls in the city limits. We need something that’s going to help save on fuel, as well as give us the ability to pursue if needed, and this vehicle covers both of those.”
Four of the five new cars will be striped with Hazard Police markings, while the fifth will remain unmarked. The vehicles also need some minor adjustments before being fully ready for the road. Cages, radio equipment, and lights and sirens still need to be installed.
Campbell added that the department will also donate one of their older cars to the Hazard Fire Department for use there. | <urn:uuid:04907a8f-6728-4d78-a026-74be71fde017> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hazard-herald.com/pages/home/push?rel=next&per_page=3&class=&x_page=135 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973944 | 479 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Video - Taiwanese animators cover the Irish bailout
Ireland, once heralded as a model of growth, has quickly become a debt-addled nation that, at least one prominent Irish leader, says was cajoled into accepting a massive bailout and harsh budget cuts. Along the way, the video notes, Ireland was embroiled in a speculative housing bubble and became something of a tax haven, home to accounting gimmicks like the "Double Irish."
The result, according to the video, was that the economy once called the "Celtic tiger" turned into a house cat, and civil unrest has been unleashed after cuts to social services.
Google 2.4% Rate Shows How $60 Billion Lost to Tax Loopholes
Google Inc. cut its taxes by $3.1 billion in the last three years using a technique that moves most of its foreign profits through Ireland and the Netherlands to Bermuda.
Google’s income shifting -- involving strategies known to lawyers as the “Double Irish” and the “Dutch Sandwich” -- helped reduce its overseas tax rate to 2.4 percent, the lowest of the top five U.S. technology companies by market capitalization, according to regulatory filings in six countries.
“It’s remarkable that Google’s effective rate is that low,” said Martin A. Sullivan, a tax economist who formerly worked for the U.S. Treasury Department. “We know this company operates throughout the world mostly in high-tax countries where the average corporate rate is well over 20 percent.”
Prez: Iceland Better Off Than Ireland Because They Let Big Private Banks Fail
"Tell the EU and IMF to Shove It!" | <urn:uuid:6a3cba3a-f818-4bac-9070-1f7199bcdcef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dailybail.com/home/ireland-forced-to-take-eu-bailout-warning-video-contains-vio.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939169 | 349 | 1.5 | 2 |
Forest Service employees and activist face racketeering charges
by Matt Weiser
Sandy Steers has never considered herself a mobster. The children’s author and screenwriter moved to the north shore of Big Bear Lake in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains four years ago. She wanted to escape the fast-growing south shore, and hoped that the rustic town of Fawnskin — with only 400 full-time residents, no stoplights and no chain stores — would stay quiet and rural.
But once she realized developers had their eyes on the town, she helped launch Friends of Fawnskin, a group dedicated to monitoring growth. Last May, the Friends won a court injunction to halt construction of Marina Point, a 133-unit condominium and marina project on the lake shore. "A gated condo project doesn’t fit our rural setting," says Steers, the group’s executive director. "Basically, it would change the whole atmosphere, ruin what we have."
Yet that victory brought a surprising counterattack from the developer, San Diego businessman Irving Okovita: In November, Marina Point Development Associates, in which Okovita is a partner, sued Steers, along with Gene Zimmerman, supervisor of the San Bernardino National Forest, and Scott and Robin Eliason, also Forest Service employees. The developers claim the four engaged in a criminal conspiracy to stop his project, and sued under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a statute originally written to help the government bring down the Mafia. The 1970 law makes it illegal to acquire or operate a business through racketeering activities, such as loan sharking, mail fraud, or extortion.
The developers allege that the Eliasons, who are also members of Friends of Fawnskin, used their official positions with the Forest Service to secretly rally opposition to the lakefront condo project. If the case goes to trial, says Andy Stahl, executive director of the watchdog group Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, it could have strong implications for the free-speech rights of federal employees. Whether advocating on their own time or speaking up on the job, federal employees might "come to think there are risks in doing so," he says.
Upholding the First AmendmentOne point of contention is the Forest Service’s assessment of endangered bald eagles in the area. Robin Eliason, a wildlife biologist, wrote the assessment in 2002 as part of a settlement of a previous lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity. It showed that bald eagles depend on a stand of pine trees at the Marina Point property for winter habitat. Okovita sought to cut down 338 of those trees for his project.
The suit claims Eliason’s report — one of several used by Friends of Fawnskin and the Center to convince the judge to halt construction — was not an official Forest Service document because it was not signed by her superiors. The developers’ attorney, S. Wayne Rosenbaum of San Diego, calls it a "personal document" used by the group to tilt the scales of justice. And the Eliasons, he says, aided by Zimmerman, abused their Forest Service connections to overstate the report’s importance.
The developers also allege that the Eliasons illegally used government computers and resources to fight Marina Point, and hoped to increase their own property value by doing so. "It is a criminal act for a federal employee to engage in private consulting as it concerns a project in which their opinions are also being sought in their federal employee capacity," says Rosenbaum.
The Eliasons declined to comment, and Zimmerman did not return phone calls. But Frank Fraley is the Los Angeles attorney who originally represented Zimmerman and the Eliasons — since the U.S. Department of Justice waited a month before agreeing to represent the three Forest Service employees. Fraley says that Rosenbaum’s description of the eagle report "indicates an incredible ignorance of land law. We believe the case is completely frivolous." In January, the Forest Service employees were removed as defendants, with the federal government substituting itself as defendant. This is commonplace when a federal employee is sued over workplace events, but the developers may seek to have the three individuals reinstated.
According to Stahl, federal ethics policies restrict an employee’s personal conduct only when there is a financial conflict of interest. "These three federal employees have a right to speak freely on the effect this marina might have on the bald eagle," he says.
Racketeering or double standard?Sandy Steers, the only individual still named in the suit, is represented by the Oakland-based nonprofit First Amendment Project. The group’s executive director, David Greene, says the lawsuit amounts to intimidation. "The intent isn’t to win the lawsuit; it’s really just to harass and to tell other people, ‘This is what’s going to happen to you,’ " he says. "Everything Sandy did was an example of her First Amendment right to criticize her government."
Almost lost in the legal wrangling is the status of the bald eagle itself. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to delist the eagle as an endangered species, but annual surveys by the Forest Service show that the average number of eagles seen in the Big Bear Lake region fell from 27 to 14 over the last two decades. Many once gathered on the lake’s south shore, but rapid resort development in the town of Big Bear Lake may be driving the eagles north toward Fawnskin, just as it did Sandy Steers.
"For the most part, the community has gotten stronger and become even more determined than before," says Steers. During the town’s annual Doo Dah Parade, one entry last summer featured an effigy of Irving Okovita. "People aren’t going to come in here and walk all over us."
If nothing else, the case has inspired some head-scratching about conflicts that may exist throughout the Forest Service — and about where the boundaries ought to lie between federal employees and other organizations. Stahl notes that many Forest Service employees have close ties to the timber industry. Tom Thompson, a deputy chief of the Forest Service, for example, served simultaneously for a time as a board member of the Society of American Foresters, a group of forestry professionals that critics say often acts as a voice of the logging industry.
"I think there’s a double standard here," says Karen Schambach, California coordinator of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. "When it’s an affiliation of Forest Service employees with timber organizations, nobody ever seems to sue them."
The author writes from Sacramento, California.
This story was made possible by the support of the EMA Foundation.
Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics Executive Director Andy Stahl, 541-484-2692, www.fseee.org
S. Wayne Rosenbaum attorney for Marina Point Development Associates, 619-685-6413
© High Country News | <urn:uuid:813e6eae-2fa5-442d-98c9-d54f0c1ab179> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hcn.org/issues/293/15326/print_view | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957403 | 1,445 | 1.601563 | 2 |
I have taught for 13 years in a socioeconomically disadvantaged title one elementary school. I have taught 1st,2nd,and 3rd grade.
I use a variety of innovative instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs of my students. I try to create a creative learning environment to stimulate student's curiosity and desire to learn. I like to engage students in hands on activities by using a variety of manipulatives, GLAD, and SDAIE strategies.
Teacher of the year 2006
I received my Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies and Mater's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Cal Poly Pomona.
I am a mother of two boys. In my free time, I tutor children in grade k-5. I also coordinate a children's ministry at a homeless outreach in which we teach bible lessons to children ages 5-11. | <urn:uuid:e949cc66-ecb6-4781-81f0-6cf46b3bc521> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stefanie-Bruski | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946798 | 175 | 1.5 | 2 |
The majority of small businesses (52%) believe that having a social media presence is important, according to a national poll of 500 small business owners or managers commissioned by EMPLOYERS. Yet only 16% of U.S. small businesses say they use social media to engage their customers — since there are 29.7 million small businesses in the U.S. according to the Small Business Administration, that means 4.75 million are currently leveraging the social Web.
According to the Small Business Opinion Poll:
- 52% believe having a social media presence is important for a company
- 59% of small businesses with a social media presence say it has provided value
- 16% of those polled have a business account (representing 4,752,000 based on SBA data)
- 49% say that their social media presence has produced advocates for their business
- 65% with a social media presence say they actively use it for promotion
8 fundamentals for using social-media channels to build customer relationships
EMPLOYERS offers the following tips:
Be a good listener: Once you sift through the social media noise and find the kinds of people with whom you wish to engage, take the time to hear what’s being said before jumping in.
Think of social media as a conversation rather than a marketing vehicle: In many respects, social media is like a giant room with millions of people in it, talking about thousands of subjects. Your task is to locate the part of the conversation that matters to you and find a way to participate. And, just like a conversation in the real world, if you bully your way in and try to dominate, people will just turn away.
Consider your objectives: Whether you want to improve awareness of your brand, listen for customer comments about your business, or track what your competitors are up to, it’s important to establish your objectives and focus on them. Otherwise, social media can be incredibly time-consuming.
Join in: You may as well participate, because the conversation goes on whether you choose to take part or not. By participating, you get to tell your part of the story.
Inform rather than “me-form”: When you encounter a post, or series of posts, that you can add value to, do it. But you would do well to think in terms of contributing to the conversation rather than making a blunt sales pitch.
Understand your target audiences: Knowing the needs and engagement-style of the people you want to connect with will give you a much better chance of having a positive experience with the conversations you join.
Practice makes perfect: Refining your social media efforts by testing different ways to improve your engagement with agents and small business owners is a smart approach. Social media is definitely not a one-size-fits-all environment. Find what works best for you.
Work smart: By using free tools like HootSuite and Google Alerts, you can set up a fairly sophisticated Internet listening program at virtually no cost.
Do these fundamentals dovetail with your approach to social media engagement? | <urn:uuid:11231092-d4e9-4e04-9aef-003618c2d526> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pamorama.net/2010/04/11/8-social-media-tips-for-small-business/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946683 | 634 | 1.695313 | 2 |
(CNN) — The issue of hate crime legislation has gripped Chilean leaders as one family on Friday prepared to bury their 24-year-old son, who was apparently targeted because of his sexual orientation.
Daniel Zamudio, a gay man, was attacked in a park March 3 and died from his injuries Tuesday.
The Zamudio house was decorated with flowers and white balloons in observance of the young man’s death, which caused outrage throughout the country.
Zamudio’s attackers reportedly beat him for an hour, burned him with cigarettes and carved Nazi symbols on his body.
Four men, believed to belong to a neo-Nazi group and ranging in age from 19 to 26, have been arrested.
After Zamudio died, authorities raised the charges against the men to aggravated murder.
“As a government, we did this in the name of millions of Chileans who, after the murder of Daniel Zamudio, feel that Chile has to change,” regional Gov. Cecilia Perez said.
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera addressed the incident this week.
“We want to reiterate today that we have made a commitment. We are not going to tolerate any kind of discrimination against Chilean citizens based on their socioeconomic status, their religion or sexual orientation,” he said.
The incident has put the issue of hate crimes legislation back on the legislative agenda.
A hate crimes bill was introduced seven years ago but has languished as conservative groups blocked its passage.
“At every turn, this law has been cut. At every turn, there have been efforts to trim it. There was even resistance to having discrimination based on sexual orientation including in the (bill). This is something Chile can no longer permit. And now, after the death of Daniel, which has brought this moment of sensibility, it is time to pass the (bill),” said Carolina Toha, president of the liberal Party for Democracy.
Chileans are calling for action, said Rolando Jimenez, president of Movilh, a
This article originally appeared on: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/30/world/americas/chile-hate-crime-death/ | <urn:uuid:3f2d3071-c860-4c60-b554-97082b746f51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://queerplanet.net/2012/03/30/outpouring-in-chile-over-gay-youths-death/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979328 | 463 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Bogus Facebook App Leads to Potential Android Malware
The potential path to having your mobile infected with malware has just taken a tricky turn, as we’ve detected bogus Facebook apps that illegitimately redirect mobile traffic towards Android apps.
Two legitimate apps like “Lista de Verificación del Amante Ideal” and “Lista de Verificare pentru Iubit(a)” (that’s Spanish and Romanian for “Girlfriend Checklist”) have been duplicated and used to promote Android games. The apps are supposed to scan your Facebook contacts and list all the potential girlfriends/boyfriends among your friends. It also enables tagging so “potential candidates” can be made aware of the (fake) app you’ve used.
These duplicated applications have the same behavior as their original counterparts (in terms of functionality), but they perform a http 302 redirect to another link, that’s not Facebook-related, when they detect mobile traffic.
When detecting an Android handset, the altered app redirects you to a random Google Play (Android maketplace) game that’s totally unrelated to what you were doing. None of the analyzed Google Play apps have proven to be infected with malware, but the possibility of being redirected to some potentially malicious application or website should not be taken lightly.
Cross site scripting is nothing new; however, this is one of the few times when a direct correlation between Facebook and promoting Android apps via redirecting mobile traffic has been reported. Visiting the link from your desktop PC is safe (read: will not get you infected or otherwise vulnerable to personal data theft), but if you’re accessing the same app from your Android handset, things become risky.
This could be the beginning of paid promotions through Facebook, where Android app developers can actually subscribe to have their apps promoted via Facebook by means of illegitimate services. This type of paid advertisement of Android apps through Facebook is a new concept and although these redirecting links/apps are not malicious so far, they could turn out to be at some point.
Not being able to separate real Facebook apps from fake ones is a serious hiccup. Completely modifying their behavior when Android handset are detected raises even more security problems coming from the apps in question. What to do: When searching for a Facebook app and stumbling across duplicates, pay close attention to the number of likes. Usually, the ones with a ginormous amount of likes should raise suspicion and it is best to avoid them. Also, it wouldn’t hurt yo use an antivirus app for Android devices.
All product and company names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.
This article is based on the technical information provided courtesy of Marius Mihai Tivadar, Team Leader – Malware Research. | <urn:uuid:2493a821-8813-4647-81e6-32110b2e3e71> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hotforsecurity.com/blog/bogus-facebook-app-leads-to-potential-android-malware-1842.html | 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 | 0.930611 | 601 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Generally, the Turkey Fryer will consist of an outer housing and heating element, an inner cooking pot, a perforated basket that fits into the cooking pot and a glass lid. The heating element is standard on all Fryers and may contain a heating control panel with adjustable heat limits or simply a minimal amount of heating options, either gas or electric. The inner pot holds the cooking oil and the perforated basket holds the turkey to make it easy to drop into the oil or remove from the oil when finished cooking. The cooking pot may have a spigot or valve that allows the oil to be drained into a container when the cooking process is finished and while the oil is still fluid. The glass lid enables the cooking progress to be viewable. In addition to whole turkeys, the Turkey Deep Fat Fryer can be used to fry a wide variety of foods such as poultry, vegetables and other commonly fried foods. | <urn:uuid:c806e960-663d-4682-8b10-427898c41410> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--38314/turkey-deep-fat-fryer.asp?slide=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94255 | 186 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Israel’s Lesson to Palestinians: Build More Rockets?
Eman El-Hawi, a smart and perky 24-year-old business student from Gaza got teary when she told our delegation about what she witnessed during the eight days that Israel pounded Gaza. “I saw the babies being brought into the hospital, some dead, some wounded. I couldn’t believe Israel was doing this again, just like four years ago. But at least this time,” she said with pride, “we struck back.”
The fight was totally disproportionate. Israeli F-16s, drones and Apache helicopters unleashed their fury over this tiny strip of land, leaving 174 dead, over one thousand wounded, as well as homes, schools, hospitals, mosques and government buildings damaged and destroyed. On the Palestinian side, crude Qassam rockets left six Israelis dead and caused little damage. But for many Palestinians, it was a perverse kind of victory.
If the Israeli government was trying to teach the Palestinians a lesson with this latest pummeling, the unfortunate lesson many learned was that the only way to deal with Israel is through firepower. We asked people why this round of violence lasted only eight days, unlike the 22-day attack in 2008. Some credited the Arab Spring that has created a new wave of pro-Palestinian public sentiment that governments have to respond to—especially in Egypt where the ceasefire was brokered. But others believed the Israelis backed down because Palestinian rockets had reached into the heart of Israel.
“It’s not that we want to kill Israelis but we want them to know we are not helpless,” said Ahmed Al Sahbany, an engineering student. “We want them to know that when they attack us mercilessly, when they treat us like animals, we will fight back.” A rap song by a West Bank group called “Strike, Strike Tel Aviv” that came out during the fighting was a hit among many of the Palestinian youth.
Many young people we talked to were dismissive of peace talks with Israel. They say the Palestinian Authority leadership in the West Bank has been talking to the Israelis for 18 years and all they have achieved is a new brand of apartheid, with bypass roads, separation walls, expanding settlements, Jerusalem ethnically cleansed, 500-600 checkpoints, and the continued siege of Gaza.
"This latest round of attacks is just a continuation of the daily attacks we live with here in Gaza every day,” said youth leader Majed Abusalama. “Israeli soldiers shoot at our fishermen and confiscate their boats just for fishing in waters that belong to us. Israeli soldiers shoot at our farmers when they try to farm their lands that are close to the border, lands that belong to our farmers—our land!” In fact, a week after the ceasefire, our delegation visited a group of farmers in Rafah who were still unable to farm a good portion of their land. One of them, hobbling around in a cast, had just been shot in the leg, without warning, for venturing too close to the fence that separates Israel and Gaza.
Raji Sourani, a lawyer and director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, a group that meticulously documented the crimes committed during the 8-day war, lost his normally calm demeanor when speaking to our delegation about Obama and the US Congressional support for what they called Israel’s right to defend itself. “How can Obama say Israel is defending itself when we are the real victims? We are the target of this dirty war, just like we were the last time in 2008, just like we are every day,” Sourani shouted. “The Israelis practice the law of the jungle with full legal immunity and no accountability.”
Sourani was happy with the vote that gave Palestine a seat at the UN because it showed that Israel and the US were opposed by most of the rest of the world. But he said the UN seat would only be meaningful if the Palestinian Authority used it as an opportunity to take Israel to the International Criminal Court, something the Western powers are pressuring them not to do.
The most poignant indictment of Israel and the Western powers came from Jamal Dalu, the shopkeeper whose home in Gaza City was demolished by an Israeli bomb that left 12 dead, including his wife and four children. Looking around at the wreckage that was once his home and family, he faulted President Obama for giving Israel the green light to carry out its attacks. “Obama, you say you want to teach us about democracy and the rule of law. Is this what you mean by democracy? Is this the rule of law?” he repeated over and over.
“I really don’t understand what the Israelis and their backers in the United States want,” said Sourani, throwing up his hands in despair. “They want us to vote, and when we do they refuse the recognize the winner. They say they want a two-state solution, but keep building settlements that make two states impossible. But if we say we want to live in a single, democratic state, they say we want the destruction of Israel because we produce lots of babies and will outnumber them. Honestly, I don’t know what they really want, but I can tell you this: the way things are right now can’t last forever, and time is running out.”
The delegation brought funds from Americans to support the Shifa Hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent, and took up collections to help the Dalu family and a disabled group called the Al Jazeera Club whose building had been destroyed. The funds, and the gesture of solidarity, was much appreciated, especially since the US government is giving $3 billion a year to support Israel’s militarism. Also appreciated is the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign that is providing a nonviolent means for people around the world to challenge Israeli policy.
“Please don’t wait for the third Israeli round of attacks,” said Hala Ashi, a 24-year-old whose home was badly damaged and whose neighbor was killed, “and help show us, the youth of Gaza, that violence is not the answer.” | <urn:uuid:9b063abf-8f9f-4eda-ab49-d1fedab04f5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zcommunications.org/israel-s-lesson-to-palestinians-build-more-rockets-by-medea-benjamin | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976111 | 1,283 | 1.75 | 2 |
in reply to
Implementing a Mixin Class
I have been teaching myself OO Perl (with no prior OO experience of any kind) and while I think I understand what the 'mixin' problem might be based on problems I've encountered trying to build complex sets of intertwined classes, but this is the first time I've seen this term used.
Since I don't see this term elsewhere in a PerlMonks search and it doesn't appear in the index of any of my dozen perl books, could someone provide a clear explanation and description of 'mixins'? What they are, what they're intended to solve and so on?
I would greatly appreciate this. | <urn:uuid:d472d8ba-6754-4b27-8a86-d6f573d1022d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=357878 | 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 | 0.977291 | 139 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Lebanon’s Al-Manar news station aired a segment recently in which it outlined the claimed capabilities of Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal. The station, which is closely affiliated with Hezbollah, has been labeled a terrorist “entity” by countries such as the United States and France.
Israel’s Channel 2 published the video which illustrated the capabilities exhibited by terrorists in Gaza in the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas. Rockets were able to reach Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but the segment claims that Hezbollah would change the equation, as it is able to reach Eilat, several hundred miles south of the border between the two countries.
The segment, which was accompanied by many graphic descriptions, illustrated the claimed range capability of the organization’s rocket arsenal. “Hezbollah has the following capabilities: the destruction of buildings in Tel Aviv; damage to ports and ships in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and capability to hit specific targets with missiles on the residents and resources of Israel,” it said according to a translation.
It was also asserted in the segment that the success of any future conflict with Israel is dependent on intelligence gathering, for which Hezbollah says it has been able to successfully carry out drone missions. In October Israel shot down a drone that had infiltrated the country’s airspace. It was later determined that the drone had come from Lebanon.
On Sunday Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrrallah addressed a crowd of supporters in Beirut marking the end of the Shiite Muslim Ashura festival, saying, ““Israel, which was jolted by Fajr-5 missiles – how will it be able to endure thousands of missiles falling on Tel Aviv and other cities if it attacks Lebanon? Our campaign against Israel is from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat.” | <urn:uuid:4e84191e-ca64-4821-befe-a702712a0ad0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/11/27/hezbollah-tv-station-claims-terror-groups-rockets-can-reach-eilat/ | 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 | 0.972601 | 369 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Advocates for better transportation options in the City of Los Angeles heard some good news today.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors certified the Final Environmental Report for both the Westside Subway Extension and the Regional Connector, according to Metro’s The Source.
Planning for the subway extension has taken nearly five years. Hundreds of public meetings were held during this time to inform people of the planned route and to answer questions on the environmental report which is “the legally-required study that considers the many options, impacts and mitigations for the project,” according to Metro’s website.
“It is a total no-brainer to me to get that subway going yesterday,” said Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. “But we’re doing it today and building it tomorrow.”
Constituents in Rosendahl’s 11th District — which includes most of the gridlocked Westside — would greatly benefit from a Westside Subway Extension.
“As the Expo Line moves forward and the Subway to the Sea is built, it will have a dramatic and positive impact on gridlock on the Westside,” said Rosendahl.
The first phase of the project will extend the current Purple Line subway under Wilshire Boulevard at Western Avenue. The line will extend 3.9 miles and include stations at La Brea and Fairfax Avenues as well as La Cienega Boulevard.
The first phase of the project has a target completion date of 2020.
The board also certified the FEIR for the $1.37- billion Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project. Plans call for this line to connect three light rail lines through downtown LA and greatly improve connectivity for the entire L.A. County transportation network.
The project could begin construction next year and is scheduled to be complete in 2019. | <urn:uuid:62b6603c-91e4-490d-a4d1-2efca3274f55> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://billrosendahl.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/metro-board-moves-forward-with-westside-subway-regional-connector/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938455 | 384 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Dealing with the limitations of AJAX and Flash can be an SEOs worst nightmare. There are so many issues that come into play & usually you can deal with many AJAX SEO issues by developing Progressively Enhanced code. While, I’ve written about how to address crawling and indexing with AJAX and SEO. I wanted to take a little bit of a deep dive into this again, along with the bigger issue, ranking.
The URL Problem:
As the web becomes more and more dynamic, especially with the introduction of the stream, real-time updates, etc., the ability to crawl and index that content becomes a problem. AJAX introduced a problem to search engines by dynamically changing page or website content with URL Fragments, or hash marks, “#”. this becomes a problem because traditionally (esp. in web 1.0 days) hash marks were used as an anchors to content on a single page. Since search engines would already crawl the page, they would ignore the URL fragments (“#”) because they were already crawling the page.
For example, these two URLs would be seen as the same and would have no reason to crawl the url fragment because it was already being done.:
Fixing Crawling and Indexing through Progressive Enhancement
While AJAX is not new to the web, there is a problem that it introduces to search engine crawlability and indexing that wasn’t around way back when. We now have websites that dynamically generate content within it’s current page architecture. So, sites started implementing AJAX as a way to dynamically change the page content without page refreshes and therefore create much nicer (and sexier) user experiences, as they wouldn’t have to wait for a new page to load, etc.
That said, you are left with this URL fragment that a search engine was not built to crawl and index. So, it becomes increasingly important to use web standard techniques like Progressive Enhancement and leveraging the Hijax method. Most technology teams adopt these methods and should be standard practice across technology and engineering functions.
Relevancy and Ranking Problems that arise
As more and more of the web becomes dynamic, being strategic in the uses of the dynamic content is important. The way we rewrite URLs and change page content is extremely important to having relevant content show up in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Just like building an entire site in Flash can be detrimental to your organic search traffic, building an entire site in AJAX can do the same thing. The reason being is that you end up with URL structures that contain #’s (URL Fragments) all over the place.
The drawbacks with #’s and rankings
This becomes a problem when people like bloggers, writers, site owners, etc. start linking to your content with #’s in the URLs. Search engines would ignore everything after the # and assume all links go to the homepage. For example,If I decide to build an entire site on basketball, so, assuming I want to rank for terms like basketball news, basketball scores, etc., I would probably have them in my top nav.
If I was to have the content refresh using AJAX, here is what my URL structure would look like:
Or deeper sections of the site like
Do you see the problem with the URL Structure? If this site was purely built with AJAX, as mentioned above, anybody that links to my site would link to http://www.basketball.com/ and I would get no deep content links. If I get links to my homepage with obscure keywords like “Ray Allen player stats” or “Phil Jackson coaching awards” and since everything after the # is ignored, those keywords would then be pointed at the homepage, which is not search engine relevant.
Using #’s and AJAX to your advantage
Alternatively, there are situations where it makes more sense not to have unique URLs on content to conserve link equity and target at one main page. For example, I would not want a URL for various filters on a users stream in their profile because I would dilute the link equity to those stream items.
If I was to have a unique URL and link to the following, I would dilute link equity:
In this situation, I would rather have URLs that conserve the link equity to the main profile url:
By doing so, links to the # URLs will then all be targeted at the main URL http://www.myspace.com/tonyadam/ which will create more link equity to a stronger, more relevant page.
Now, we could sit here all day and talk about all the ways to manipulate results by sending links to versions of the URL that are rewritten, but, that is not a scalable tactic, is temporary, and could lead to search penalties. At the end of the day, the goal should be to create a dynamic website that is relevant search engines and users, that creates the most holistic experience.
Think of it this way, after all your hardwork and innovation, if you can’t get users to your website, what does the shiny new object matter anyway? | <urn:uuid:7f5c98e2-c889-4f4e-b739-d1ef03444ca6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tonyadam.com/blog/618-ajax-seo-ranking-crawling-indexing/comment-page-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934611 | 1,060 | 1.648438 | 2 |
The Fort William Country Club was founded when the first meeting to organize the Club was called on September 7, 1923 by the late Dr. M.B. Dean, at which time Dr. R.J. Manion (MP) served as chairman. Soon after, The John Garrity 100-acre farm was purchased for $75,000. The site is nestled at the foot of the picturesque Nor'Wester Mountains at the south edge of Fort William (Thunder Bay). A provincial charter was obtained and the Club was incorporated as the Fort William Country Club Limited.
The renowned golf architect, Stanley Thompson was engaged and $17,000 was spent in 1924 and 1925 on fairway and green developments as well as the installation of a watering system for the greens. At the end of 1925, 191 shares of stock valued at $100 each had been sold. In the spring of 1926 the nine-hole course was played for the first time.
Under the stewardship of Mr. R.W. Anderson in 1959, an additional 45 acres of land was purchased and a design was made to expand the course to a champion length of 18 holes. Norman H. Woods, a Vancouver golf architect, was contracted to plan the expansion so that the play on the original nine holes would not be interrupted. Due to his skillful planning, the members experienced very little inconvenience and after three years of hard work the 18 hole course was completed.
Mr. Norman Owens, drove the first ball on Saturday August 29, 1964 to officially open the course. The course expanded from the original 9 holes at 2,950 yards to 18 holes now measuring 6,547 yards. The new clubhouse was built with the assistance of the Great lakes Paper Company and ably directed by Mr. C.J. Jeffery, Club Property Chairman and Gunner Jensen, Grounds Superintendent, and was opened for use in 1965.
In 2002, an additional 5 acres was purchased for the sole purpose of adding a driving range and practice facility to the Course.
The Fort William Country Club is located 10 minutes from the center of Thunder Bay, Ontario, the home of the Sleeping Giant on the shores of lake Superior. Follow Highway 61 South from the city to 15th Side Road, turn left and continue until you reach Mountain Road. At Mountain Road, turn left and drive 1 km and you will find the Premier Golf & Country Club in Thunder Bay at 1350 Mountain Road.
Guests are invited to come and play but are requested to call ahead to ensure a Tee Time.
There is a dress code policy that is in place, which is standard in the industry. Denim and halter tops are not permitted on the course. The Fort William Country Club is a soft spike only facility. | <urn:uuid:e2ae3cb8-6acb-4b01-a3c7-bfbe0a331fab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fwcc.ca/article/fort-william-country-club-114.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972925 | 558 | 1.648438 | 2 |
16 Roxbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609
Inside Becker College, Senior Vice President David Ellis oversees the administration and financial operations of the College. He arrived at Becker with 34 years of experience working in higher education, including having served as president of Newbury College in Brookline for five years.
Outside Becker College, David’s passions are his children, sports, and exploring the American Civil War. He developed a deep interest in military history from his father, who fought in World War II and Korea, and his grandfather, who was too young to join the American Army in World War I but enlisted with the French artillery. The Ellis’s military history goes even further back—to family members who fought in the Revolutionary War, with one wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Several years ago, David realized he didn’t know much about the American Civil War. He delved into Shelby Foote’s three-volume history of the Civil War and made his first trip to Gettysburg in 2000 with his son. “I loved it,” he says of the tour he took of the battlefield. “It’s the premier battlefield that is also the best preserved of all of the sites.”
Over the next 10 years, during his travels through 43 of the 50 states, he made stops at Civil War battle sites—some well-known; some lesser-known and off the beaten path. While Gettysburg is one of the most well-known of the sites, more than 300 battle sites are located throughout 26 states. “A lot of fields are the same as they were back in the 1860s,” he says, adding that he is a supporter of the work of the Civil War Preservation Trust. “The Trust seeks to preserve these battlefields. The work of this organization is critical to preserving our past.” The Trust played a role in convincing Walmart not to build a supercenter next to the Wilderness Battlefield, one of the key locations of Union army encampments and headquarters for generals Grant and Meade, and stopped a casino from being built near Gettysburg National Military Park. “The trust also buys up acreage in order to preserve fields,” David says, “although some have already had developments built on them.” The last site he visited, at Bentonville, North Carolina, was the site of the last full-scale action where the Confederate army mounted an offensive against the Union army led by General Sherman. “It looks just as it did in 1865,” he says.
So why visit these battlefields and become well-versed in Civil War history? “Nowadays my kids get their information from the Internet,” he says. “My wife and I worry about that and wonder if we are losing our lessons from the past. I think it’s important to have a sense of history.” Although the Civil War was devastating in terms of loss of life—over 600,000 men, comprising two percent of the population at the time—“there was a huge diversity,” David points out. Joining the Americans were foreigners who had not been born in America, including the Germans, Irish, Canadians, Swiss, French, and Scandinavians.
“The Civil War preserved the nation,” David says. “Slavery divided us, but the war enabled us to come back together.” Of President Abraham Lincoln he says, “He was vastly underappreciated at the time. He understood the evils of slavery, and it was unfortunate that he never lived to see his vision come to pass.”
To learn more about the Civil War, David recommends the movies Gettysburg, Glory, and The Civil War (by Ken Burns), and books by renowned Civil War historians Shelby Foote and Bruce Catton, and The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara, about the three-day Battle of Gettysburg. | <urn:uuid:99c19104-43c0-4f3f-829f-fa984987a8a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.becker.edu/about/offices/offices/human-resources/inside-outside/david-ellis-bio/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978143 | 818 | 1.53125 | 2 |
New computer simulation says Taiwan can beat back Communist invasion: The Taiwanese military has released the results of a new war-game involving a Communist invasion of the island in 2012, and finds "that China could land forces on rival Taiwan, but they would be repulsed after two weeks of fierce fighting and harsh losses to both sides" (National Review Online - The Tank) despite no projected involvement by American forces. While yours truly still believes we should come to the island democracy's defense when push comes to shove, this is still very good news. Of course, the Communists will make adjustments, aided in part by their spies (Defense News).
Non-profit group calls for grain imports from Communist China to be blocked: The Center for Science in the Public Interest - a nutrition lobbying group, or "the self-appointed food police" (Steve Janke), depending on one's point of view - has called for the United States to block shipments of Communist grain from entering the country. The call is in reaction to growing concern over poisoned grain from Communist China, something that now has the locals worried, too (Washington Post).
Captured Tibetan lama turns 18; protesters arrested: Gendun Cheokyi Nyima - named by the Dalai Lama as the next Panchen Lama in 1995 and under Communist detainment ever since - turned 18 today (BBC) Meanwhile, at Mount Everest, four members of Students for a Free Tibet were arrested by Communist police for unveiling a pro-Tibet banner (BBC).
Ignorant Comment of the Day: Today's dubious prize goes to Fareed Zakaria, whose Newsweek column is a naive paean to Communist China's international diplomacy in Asia.
Some things Zakaria should have seen before penning the ICOD: Perhaps this example of the Long Arm of Lawlessness in New York (Epoch Times) would have given Fareed pause on his assertion that the Communists don't involve themselves in other nations' domestic affairs; or maybe the wisdom of David Kilgour ("You can go around the world and pick out the pariah governments and almost all of them are supported by China" - Epoch Times) could have swayed him.
Canadian activists ask Foreign Minister MacKay to focus on human rights during Beijing visit: Several of them were interviewed by the Epoch Times.
Communist China is now Japan's biggest trading partner: Japan's Finance Ministry revealed the news (BBC).
Beijing surrender news: The apologias for the Stalinists are beginning to get embarrassing ("They are not experienced in international banking" - United Press International via Washington Times), although common sense still prevails in Japan (BBC), One Free Korea, and the American military (Bill Gertz, Washington Times).
More On Communist China's Korean colony: Laos is letting some Korean refugees go (BBC), while those in Thailand must resort to a hunger strike to get attention (Daily NK, h/t OFK). Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il stops by a military parade (UPI via Washington Times). Charles Scanlon (BBC) talks about his visit to Stalinist North Korea. Daily NK calls for a UN investigation into Arirang. OFK further examines the Kaesung fiasco. | <urn:uuid:f226d992-e770-4822-852f-4a6993ddbf02> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://china-e-lobby.blogspot.com/2007/04/news-of-day-april-25.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942698 | 656 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Elemental (Fire, earth, wind or water.)
These immortal like the Nymphs who are their close kin, are the protectors of the earth.
Where as the Nymphs form of protection is more benign in general, these will use force to protect their area.
They are rarely seen by other beings unless they want to mate.
They have the power of invisibility and teleportation.
They can breed, for best results they must breed with another elemental, but they are able to breed with other species. They can only produce offspring once every forty years. Twins are incredibly rare, and more than twins never happens.
It is very rare for hybrid offspring NOT to be placed by the Elemental mother with a Wiccan adoptive family. For male Elemental's its more common that the child will be raised as a Hybrid with its mother rather than as a Wiccan, unless the mother abandons the child with its Elemental father.
They are ruled over by a King, a post which is fought over once every 20 years. This fight is not to the death, and only damaging to the surrounding 'arena,' but is a vast show of power, strength, guile, intelligence, and speed. Who gets to challenge the king is decided by a tournament of similiar fights beforehand.
Ways to kill them are:
Only a Wiccan has the power to kill them and only those that have gone bad will do so.
+ Max levels for each Lupan who is 18 or over.
Max power level = 155 -- only 1 character for every 10 (aged 18 or older), on site can have the full
Average power level = 135
Please vary abilities, like humans you have differences, you do not have to have the average power level and if you are not going for the max, then you may come with in 5 points of it, so level 150 is allowed.
Please remember an Elemental can only be ONE type, either air, earth, fire or water so can ONLY have the power associated with that ability.
- Airokinetic = 10
- Become Element = 10
- Enhanced agility = Max 10 -- Average = 7
- Enhanced Durability = 10
- Enhanced senses, including seeing in the dark etc. = 10
- Enhanced speed = Max 8 -- Average = 5
- Enhanced stamina = Max 10 -- Average = 7
- Enhanced strength = Max 8 -- Average = 5
- Geokinetic = 10
- Hard to kill = 9
- Hydrokinetic = 10
- Immune to human illnesses = 10
- Invisibility = 10
- Pryokinetic = 10
- Self healing of wounds / Regeneration = 10
- Stealth = 10
- Summoning (form of teleportation) = 10
- Teleportation = 10 | <urn:uuid:3a9b24a0-b8da-4293-800a-357ca6fbfd50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://z13.invisionfree.com/Preternormality/index.php?showtopic=50 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950353 | 577 | 1.617188 | 2 |
When the funeral for former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez ends Friday, the leader won’t be buried underground.
In a surprise announcement, the government said Chavez will be embalmed and his preserved body will be put on display in a “crystal urn” in a military museum for public viewing.
Acting President Nicolas Maduro made the announcement Thursday, using state television to say: “It has been decided that the body of the comandante will be embalmed so that it remains eternally on view for the people at the museum.”
Chavez’s body will be treated like other famous leftist leaders. “Just like Lenin. Just like Mao Zedong,” Maduro said.
Chavez, 58, died Tuesday from cancer. He lead the country for 16 years and was re-elected to another six-year term in October 2012, but was never sworn in due to his illness.
More than 30 heads of state were expected to attend Chavez’s funeral, including Cuban President Raul Castro and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | <urn:uuid:0b3ceccb-1692-4022-83ca-fcf13ea25b95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/03/08/hugo-chavez-to-be-embalmed-put-in-military-museum-for-public-viewing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976919 | 224 | 1.710938 | 2 |
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What works in aqueous-based wide-format printing: a report on the latest generation of Canon and HP printers, plus choosing the right type of printer for graphics printing as opposed to fine-art and photographic printing.
When solvent printing first came to the market, there was a general murmur in the industry that this was the first signal that aqueous-based printing was on its way out and headed the way of T-Rex. Still, aqueous printers held their own, due in large part to their price, reliability, and more-durable pigmented ink sets. With pigmented inks, unless it’s for a specialty application like a tabletop graphic, or it has to sit in the sun for a couple of years, you shouldn’t need to laminate.
Then, when UV-curable printing arrived, allowing direct inkjet printing to uncoated boards, another premature obituary was written for aqueous printing. But the simple fact is that it’s hard to beat the quality, reliability, and ease of use of aqueous-based printers, and they’re an excellent complement to more industrial methods of printing, such as UV-curable.
Canon, HP or Epson?
Over the past few years, a couple of important developments have taken place that have bolstered HP’s place in the market and, at the same time, challenged HP’s dominance. The first development was the emergence of Canon as a legitimate competitor in HP’s wide-format printer markets. The second was HP’s introduction of the replacement for the 5000/5500 series, the Z6100.
Both developments are perfectly timed, at least for print shops whose current technology is reaching the end-of-life phase and who are looking for faster, more economical, and more efficient printers than they currently run.
Canon’s iPF8000S and iPF9000S sign production printers are based on the company’s line of photographic-quality printers, which range from the 17-in. iPF5100 to the 60-in. iPF9100.
The two types of printers (x100 and x000S) are identical, excepting the ink set and the speed. Canon’s photographic-quality wide-format printers include red, green, blue, and photo gray inks, which sacrifices speed for the ultra-high quality photography and fine-art reproduction demands.
HP and Epson also manufacture printers for the photography and fine-art markets. Epson has traditionally dominated this market, but HP and Canon are making serious inroads.
If part of your market is fine-art or photographic reproduction, it’s recommended that you narrow your choice to one of the printer lines from Epson, Canon, or HP specifically designed for those markets, rather than try to re-purpose a graphics production printer, since fine-art and photo clients tend to be extremely picky about color transitions and overall fidelity.
Fine-art reproduction and photography demands printers designed to produce photo-quality, archival images with larger color gamuts that produce extremely fine definition and attention to subtle transitions. Canon, Epson, and HP all manufacture printers geared toward this demanding and discerning market. Images by Brian Hampton.
Though it may seem somewhat subjective, there is a noticeable difference between photos printed on a Canon iPF8100 and those printed on a Canon iPF8000S, for instance. For more information and recommendations on the fine-art and photographic printing process, click here to read Re-Defining Your Fine Art Workflow.
Meanwhile, Epson’s play in the production graphics market is with its new low-solvent printer, the GS6000. But in the aqueous, high-production, sign-printing graphics realm, Epson does not have a printer that’s comparable to HP’s Z6100 or Canon’s iPF8000S/9000S.
Narrowing the Field: Canon v. HP
Based on real-world experiences from LexJet customers in the field and some initial testing by LexJet’s technical support team, the latest production printers from HP and Canon are meeting and exceeding the needs of print shops that want to increase production and quality while decreasing media and ink waste.
Epson's entry into the solvent market, the Stylus Pro GS6000.
The Z6100 comes in 42-in. and 60 in. versions, while Canon’s iPF production series is available in 44-in. (the iPF8000S) and 60 in. (iPF9000S) versions. The Z6100 is available in PostScript and non-PostScript versions. Canon printers do not come with PostScript, which is only an issue for print shops who print through the driver using a software program like CorelDRAW or Photoshop. RIP programs from Onyx, Wasatch, and SAi (FlexiSIGN) all have PostScript capabilities, so having a PostScript printer is not necessary when printing through these programs.
LexJet’s technical director, Tom Hauenstein, has worked extensively with the various printer models for photographic/fine-art and production printing from Canon, HP, and Epson. During that time Tom has seen the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (cue music), as each manufacturer has developed their basic print engines and then improved on that foundation.
“This is an excellent time to upgrade, because not only has the technology improved tremendously, but competition has made it extremely affordable to basically double your current output,” says Hauenstein. “Both HP and Canon have made incredible strides over just the last year or two and it shows in the quality and speed I’ve seen in my initial testing.”
Tom’s typical day at LexJet is anything but typical. One minute he’s troubleshooting an extremely subtle flesh tone transition with a photographer, the next he’s delving into the mechanical issues a customer’s having with their printer that’s causing banding, or he’s conducting an impromptu training session with LexJet account specialists on an important detail he found in a RIP program.
Tom recently conducted an initial test on the 42-in. version of the HP Z6100 and Canon’s 44-in. iPF8000S. He printed on a polyester display film because it’s a common material for trade show and point-of-purchase graphics, and it has an extremely large color gamut. That way, any observable gamut restrictions would be a function of the printer, rather than the material. Tom concentrated on three criteria to make his comparison: print quality, print speed, and ease of use.
Test prints from the Canon 8000S (left) and the HP Z6100 (right).
After profiling the Z6100 and the iPF8000S, the first thing Tom noticed was that both printers showed very little grain.
Sometimes, thermal printers with a larger dot size that don’t have a light-black ink channel (which is more common with photographic printers) will have a grainy appearance, which is most apparent in flesh tones. Neither printer has this issue.
“I found that both printers have a similar and quite large color gamut, so either printer should not have a problem reproducing spot colors for company logos, or the transitions necessary for photographic, continuous tone images,” Tom says.
As far as print speed, Tom printed the images at 1200x1200 and timed a 36 in. x 12 in. image at 1:57:03 for the Canon and 1:58.67 for the HP. This is certainly not a monumental difference, but it helps illustrate that both printers are capable of comparably high production speeds, Tom says.
“Measuring speed can be a bit tricky, since one printer might be faster than the other in a different mode. Our experience so far, based on the test I ran and feedback from customers who run both printers, is that the HP and Canon printers are generally in the same ballpark, speed-wise,” Tom says. “If you’re in the market for a new printer and you’re considering both printers, I would contact your LexJet account specialist as we continue to test the printers and build up independent data. We need that data because the numbers quoted in the specification sheets from HP and Canon, while accurate, appear to be based on different criteria, and we need to establish consistent, independent benchmarks for a more precise comparison.”
In the “ease of use” category, Tom says that Canon has a slight advantage due primarily to its printhead technology. Canon’s printheads are expected to last substantially longer than the HP printheads in a normal to high-production environment. With this increased durability comes a higher price as Canon’s printheads are about five times more expensive to replace ($640 vs. $125).
“Cost-wise, it’s probably a wash since HP users will replace their printheads more often, and have four to replace, as opposed to Canon’s two printheads,” Tom says. “However, I think Canon has an advantage in this area because fewer printhead replacements translate to fewer interruptions in production.”
Canon and HP Printers at a Glance:
Z6100, 60-in. (non-PostScript): $15,995
iPF9000S: 60 in.
iPF8000S: 44 in.
Sheets and rolls with a min. roll width of 10 in.
Rolls only with a min. roll width of 24 in. | <urn:uuid:86eeef9d-7f01-459a-9ace-74e565f2d345> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lexjet.com/a-245-Expand-Water-Works.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939741 | 2,059 | 1.695313 | 2 |
You are here » Kingfisher» Market Sectors» Recycling
The face of the recycling industry appears to change daily as new recycling streams become a potential commercial opportunity for plant owners. At present, the process is evolving from small locally managed enterprises to a regional automated process where significant amounts of investments are made on plant and equipment. This transition opens up possible revenue streams but likewise depends on efficient continual operation in order to maximise earning potentials. As a combination of both machine and manual operations takes place at existing operations, new technologies are being introduced for handling, separation and collection of different streams, hence the need to preserve the investment made on the equipment is key.
Kingfisher have for many years worked upstream of the recycling industry and have a comprehensive understanding of the problems associated with handling glass, wood, plastics and metals. Relating to these problems, we can offer many solutions in managing the recycling process to cater for the characteristics of these varying products. Utilising our range of ceramic, metallic and polymer lining systems we have had success from point of receipt all the way through to despatch. In understanding the various characteristics of both the process and the media being recycled, we can support our offer with a piece of mind warranty against service life.
Our understanding of your processes and our ability to supply the industry with design, manufacture, protection and installation services compliments engineers and managers objectives in risk management. In working together the benefits of the relationship can be shared by all.
Download our Brochure
Please fill your details below and a member of the Kingfisher team will call you back at a time you specify. | <urn:uuid:0dfe4315-f061-41be-bf9c-a406da9659de> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kingfisher-industrial.com/market_sectors/recycling.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950488 | 329 | 1.828125 | 2 |
|Adrienne Germain, President Emerita|
Adrienne Germain served as President of the International Women's Health Coalition from 1998 to 2011. She holds the honorary title of President Emerita of IWHC. Since her pioneering work for women's equality in the 1970s and 80s with the Ford Foundation, including four years in Bangladesh as the Foundation's country representative, Adrienne Germain has reshaped global policy on women's health and human rights. A skilled strategist and negotiator on U.S. government delegations to world conferences on population, women, and development from 1993 to 2000, and again in 2009, she has helped revolutionize the way the world views population policy and funding by making women's sexual and reproductive rights and health central. Under Ms. Germain's leadership, the International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC) has created international policy innovations, led global advocacy for sexual and reproductive rights and health, and helped build local organizations in countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. She is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the editorial board of Reproductive Health Matters, the board of BRAC-USA, two Human Rights Watch Advisory Committees, UNDP's Expert Group on Gender and AIDS Responses, the IHP+ Monitoring and Evaluation Advisory Group, and the Commission on the Federal Leadership in U.S. Health and Medicine: Charting Future Directions at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress. She served on the Millennium Development Goals Project Task Force on Child Mortality and Maternal Health; received an Honorary Doctorate from Bard College in 2001; and was named a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Greater New York in 2005. She speaks and publishes extensively.
Photo of Adrienne Germain by Todd France. | <urn:uuid:67a96206-9b2b-4ad7-b3e7-70bc17dbe193> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iwhc.org/programs/latin_america/brazil/www.worldpulse.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2734&Itemid=61 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952197 | 364 | 1.617188 | 2 |
About Reflections | Projections10 years ago, the student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery at the University of Illinois (ACM at UIUC) held its first annual student computing conference. Attended by 150 students from across the Midwest and supported by fourteen corporations, it was a great success. MechMania (a C++/AI programming contest) and a job fair have been great additions to the conference since the beginning.
This year, the ACM at UIUC is holding its 11th annual conference from October 7 - 9, 2005 at the Urbana-Champaign campus. We expect to have over 500 student attendees and 30 corporate sponsors. There will be over 20 sessions (individual talks, panel discussions, and workshops) that will encompass the past, present, and future of computing.
ACM could not host this conference without the generous support of our sponsors. Corporate partners donate money, equipment, and prizes to the conference effort. Because of their donations, student attendee fees can be kept low, and the quality of all of our events is enhanced.
Previous Reflections | Projections conference websites are available: | <urn:uuid:95a575c7-4b05-4065-84d8-dfa37e02df0b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/conference/2005/about.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946603 | 230 | 1.640625 | 2 |
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 31, 2013) - With uncertainty surrounding the status of Ontario teachers, and their walkouts, Laurus Educational Services has expanded its service to include all areas of the GTA.
Parents are concerned that pressure tactics instilled by Ontario teachers may negatively impact the academic success of their children.
Laurus Educational Services, Canada's fastest growing and most innovative in-home one-on-one tutoring and in-school supplemental education service company, announced today that it has launched its services throughout the greater Toronto area.
"Parents are very apprehensive that students may not be receiving the additional academic support that they require from their schools," said Philip Cutler, president and CEO of Laurus. "With post-secondary entrance requirements becoming increasingly competitive, parents and students are looking to gain every edge. We provide a service that ensures success and is unparalleled in convenience, flexibility and customization."
Toronto area parents can now use Laurus' proprietary online software, available 24/7 at www.TutoringService.ca, to streamline the entire tutor selection and scheduling process, giving each parent confidence, control and convenience.
About Laurus Educational Services.
Laurus Educational Services Inc. is leading provider of educational services to both parents and schools in Montreal and Ottawa. Its objective is to provide supplemental and primary educational support assisting children to reach their full potential. By selecting tutors and educators who provide mentorship and academic guidance, Laurus students achieve superior results and the confidence to take on all of life's challenges.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Official Hashtag: #LaurusTeam | <urn:uuid:bd12137b-7206-45ba-8c56-f2949a2f3247> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/laurus-educational-services-expands-business-to-gta-1751643.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94839 | 337 | 1.515625 | 2 |
training activities for our own staff and volunteers
- To equip staff and volunteers with knowledge, skills and attitudes for the delivery of high quality Palliative care
- To strengthen and sustain the quality of the multidisciplinary team
we also train others so that :
- Patients coming to Queens can receive ongoing quality palliative care services closer to their place of residence
- access to palliative care services for people living in the South West Zone of malawi can be improved
- we undertake or participate in research with palliative care focus
- methodology and outcomes should be applicable to the local context or other similar environments
A wide variety of health workers pass through our service:
Medical, clinical officer and nursing students are briefed and sensitised on palliative care by staff at Tiyanjane.
3rd and 5th year medical students have specific learning objectives on palliative care.
Clinical attachments are offered to Malawian health workers who are sent from institutions interested in scaling up palliative care. They spend a week in the clinic and a week with the community team to experience the variety of palliative care services on offer at Tiyanjane. (For more information or an application form contact the Trust Coordinator or the Palliative Care Association of Malawi.) | <urn:uuid:2cb3b814-7380-4669-8923-2478a3eeff1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.palliativecaresupport.org/training-research/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950711 | 265 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Biography of John Guy
John Guy is recognised as one of Britain's most exciting and scholarly historians, bringing the past to life with the written word and on the broadcast media with accomplished ease. He's a very modern face of history.
Pardon the cliché but I couldn't put this book down...Seldom does one encounter a book so perfect: a serious academic study written with the lyrical quality of a good novel.
Gerard DeGroot,Scotland on Sunday
His ability for first class story-telling and books that read as thrillingly as a detective story makes John Guy a Chandleresque writer of the history world. Guy hunts down facts with forensic skill, he doesn't just recite historical moments as they stand; he brings names and faces to life in all their human achievements and weaknesses. He looks for the killer clues so we can see how history unfolded. Like a detective on the trail of a crime, he teases out what makes his subjects tick. With his intimate knowledge of the archives, his speciality is uncovering completely fresh lines of enquiry. He's never content to repeat what we already know but rather, he goes that extra step to solve history's riddles. He takes you on a journey to the heart of the matter. Forget notions of musty academics, when Guy takes hold of history the case he states is always utterly compelling. Whether it's Thomas More or Mary Queen of Scots, Guy makes these people so real you suddenly realize you are hearing them speak to you. You enter into their world. You feel you can almost reach out and touch them.
Born in Australia in 1949, John Guy grew up in England and by the age of 16 he knew he wanted to be a historian. In 2001 he made an accomplished debut as a presenter for the television programme Timewatch, on the life of Thomas More. Today he's turning history books on their head as he wins universal praise and the 2004 Whitbread Prize for biography for his thrilling account of the life of Mary Queen of Scots.
A definitive biography...It makes all previous lives of this unlucky queen redundant...Reads as thrillingly as a detective story, and is rich in detail and authoritative in its analysis.
Miranda Seymour, The Sunday Times
As well as presenting five documentaries for BBC 2 television, including the Timewatch film The King's Servant and the four-part Renaissance Secrets (Series 2), he has contributed to Meet the Ancestors (BBC 2), and to Channel 4's Time Team and Royal Deaths and Diseases. Wolsey's Lost Palace of Hampton Court was a short-listed finalist for the 2002 Channel 4 television awards.
John Guy also appears regularly on BBC Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, BBC World Service and BBC Scotland. In print he currently writes or reviews for The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Economist, the Times Literary Supplement, BBC History Magazine and History Today.
His broadcast and journalism experience builds upon his impeccable CV as an academic and author.
Having read History under the supervision of Professor Sir Geoffrey Elton, the pre-eminent Tudor scholar of the late-twentieth century, John Guy took a First and became a Research Fellow of Selwyn College in 1970. Awarded a Greene Cup by Clare College in 1970, he completed his PhD on Cardinal Wolsey in 1973 and won the Yorke Prize of the University of Cambridge in 1976.
Rarely have first-class scholarship and first-class story-telling been so effectively combined.
John Adamson,Sunday Telegraph
John Guy has lectured extensively on Early Modern British History and Renaissance Political Thought in both Britain and the United States. He has published 16 books and numerous academic articles.
His book My Heart is My Own: the life of Mary Queen of Scots (Harper Perennial, 2004) won the 2004 Whitbread Biography Award, the Marsh Biography Award, was a finalist in the USA for the 2004 Biography/Autobiography of the Year Award (National Books Critics' Circle), and has been translated into Spanish and Czech. Tudor England (Oxford University Press) has sold over 250,000 copies world-wide. Other books include Thomas More (Hodder Arnold, 2000), translated also into Japanese, and The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 1990). For over twenty years he was co-editor of the acclaimed academic series Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History; and co-author of The Reign of Elizabeth I: Court and Culture in the Last Decade (Cambridge University Press, 1995) and contributed to The Oxford History of Britain, The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor and Stuart Britain, and The Oxford History of the British Isles: the Sixteenth Century.
John Guy lives in North London. He is a Fellow of Clare College, University of Cambridge, where he teaches part-time so he can devote more time to his writing and broadcasting career.
John Guy explains why he became a historian
"I always knew, even at school, that I wanted to be a Tudor historian, so I applied to Clare College, Cambridge, which was G. R. Elton's college. He was the preeminent Tudor historian of the later 20th century and eventually became my supervisor. I got into Cambridge even though I'd done very little work for my "A"-levels because I'd spent most of my time in the sixth-form studying baroque composers and giving organ recitals. Since I'd decided to make Tudor history my career, I decided to avoid studying it as an undergraduate, as I hoped to do it for the rest of my life. I read mostly Medieval History and the History of Political Thought in my first and second years. This stood me in tremendous good stead later, when I finally did my Special Subject on the Henrician Reformation and my PhD on Cardinal Wolsey, since it was possible to make connections that otherwise I'd have missed. Once I'd started on the Tudors, I never looked back. It never occurred to me to do anything different. It's so exciting going ito the archives and finding something new, especially in an area of History that is supposedly so well known and has such a wide public audience. Reassessing reputations and retelling seemingly familiar stories from a new standpoint is a truly invigorating experience and also tremendous fun. So many people have said to me how boring History was at school, and how inspirational it is when approached in a different way - this is where television can make a real difference and encourage people to go back and start afresh...." | <urn:uuid:ea3cc505-dc3b-4d37-bd36-c748454d551c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.johnguy.co.uk/biography-john-guy.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964395 | 1,358 | 1.765625 | 2 |
The organization began working in the town's health office, but due to a high volume of clients, they quickly outgrew the space.
They have now settled down in a building on Main Street, which had been vacant for more than 25 years, but was recently cleaned up and restored.
Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality's (ADEQ) Katherine Benenati says it was a grueling process:
"There was lead paint, there was asbestos, so all that had to be removed," she says. "But before that could take place, there were a number of chemicals, number of pharmaceuticals that had to be taken out."
The facility will serve low-income and uninsured people in Hope and Hempstead Counties. | <urn:uuid:37acf45d-ef0c-44f6-9175-9245f8e8834d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arkansasmatters.com/heartbeatfulltext/?nxd_id=643232 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.994828 | 150 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Natural Women Sense
Inspiring each other in society or in the community is key. I believe that women are naturally more sensitive and have a softer way of dealing with things. Politics and leading others are not always easy. I think it takes the ability to understand others, inspire them, give them capacity and opportunity and organize their inner states. It is similar to how mothers deal with children.
Becoming an International Organizer
I am involved with a number of NGOs and activities in Mongolia and other countries. I have been involved with Amnesty International Mongolia for five years as a volunteer, youth leader, human rights campaign organizer, instructor, translator, and on a number of campaigns such as violence against women and arms control.
I participated in trainings for the development of women and young girls to influence NGOs and government to act more effectively. We inspire the participation, innovation and capacity of young women's visions for a better world.
BlueSense: Connecting Youth and Tradition
I am also one of the first members and a board member of BlueSense, a small organization of 19 members in Mongolia that brings together youth interested in writing and literature. It bridges the divide between tradition and modernity by encouraging young people to study traditional Mongolian literature as a way of advancing modern arts in the country.
We have published seven books of our members' poems and a newspaper about Mongolian writers' info. We also organize competitions and forums for writers and for the public as well. We work with most of Mongolian Art NGOs, radios, newspapers and some other NGOs.
Half of our members are women. Lately Mongolian girls became much active than boys. But still very low percentage of women participation in the politics.
There are number of youths who have an amazing talent of writing, poetry, articles and novels. We want to open them to the society, inspire their talent and their vision. At the same time, it is necessary to call public attention to them. It's important to our traditional Mongolian culture.
Inspired by a Spirit of Sisterhood
BlueSense was started by my long-time friend Narangerel. We have known each other since high school. During university time, we were working in different NGOs as a friends, partners, debaters and fighters even.
We understand each other. We have the same vision and purpose, but we know that we have different ways of approaching our work.
She inspired me because I inspired her as well. It's not because we tried to be better than each other. It's because we saw that even our way of dealing things are different, at the end it was in a soft, emotionally dedicated, the way of women. We had a common character and inner state that really wants something better for others.
She inspired me, because I saw that how women can be the strongest and most deeply conscious.
A Diplomatic Future
As I write, I am studying in the Geneva School of Diplomacy for a one year Masters program. I have had an amazing experience. I am studying with 24 different nationalities in the class. All of their issues, challenges, opportunities, and visions are great lessons for me. The universality of the world, the light and vision of human beings and the dedication to understand others...all are here.
I have started to understand more about the diplomacy and its way of dealing with nation states, the responsibilities of human being. All of these lessons are very important for me. I can build myself more, call my community with better understanding of others and open the door to others for my community, for my country and for my culture. It is an opportunity to introduce a cultural way which can be the better solution.
africa arts asia campaign candidate cartoons conflict curator economics education empowerment europe fashion feminism government grassroots heads of state health history human rights internet islam journalism latin america law leadership legislature middle east music north america oceania organize peace podcast political party politicians protest suffrage technology toolkit united nations veil violence vote youth | <urn:uuid:9214c1fd-ff5a-4e04-85a8-df57ed047fc2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.imow.org/wpp/stories/viewStory?storyid=1716 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967875 | 816 | 1.71875 | 2 |
This is the third in a series of three stories about the factors shaping the IT organization of the future. In this story, Andrew Horne, managing director at The Corporate Executive Board Company (CEB), outlines seven new
IT organizations and their underlying IT skill sets face a fundamental change in their role and sources of value. That is the conclusion of The Corporate Executive Board Company's research report, "The Future of Corporate IT," which surveyed executives at 127 enterprise organizations. It looks in depth at each driver of change, but to summarize the results: Information management will gain in importance relative to process automation, and IT will deliver end-to-end services and transform itself into a multifunctional services group. As this occurs, many delivery operations will be externalized -- increasingly, to the cloud -- and technology-savvy business leaders and end users will take greater responsibility for IT decision making.
As IT organizations change, so will average IT skill sets. Employees will have skills in stakeholder management, risk management or usability design, rather than in server administration or coding; some will find themselves in as-yet-unknown roles, such as collaboration specialist or service architect. As few as 25% of the current employee headcount will remain within corporate IT, while as many as 30% will move to multifunctional shared services groups or to business units. The rest probably will relocate to external providers.
Despite their severity, most IT organizations are unaware of and unprepared for these changes. Sixty-one percent lack comprehensive workforce plans, and as many as 80% fail to provide training in critical skills.
To help CIOs understand how to respond to these changes, CEB analyzed 109 IT skills and 30 IT roles. We validated the analysis in interviews and surveys with more than 60 organizations. As a result, we've found that as IT becomes a broker and integrator rather than a services provider, more IT roles will be needed to coordinate among business partners, oversee integration, set information standards and manage security. We estimate that IT strategist, service manager and information architect are the roles that will see the greatest increase in importance. Demand for these roles and for roles in security and business architecture will more than double.
Another common theme across these IT roles is the importance of challenger skills. Being a challenger involves many of the skills found in effective account managers or sales executives. For example, challengers take a proactive stance toward business partners, and demonstrate they are able to teach, tailor messaging and when required, assert a degree of control.
CIOs not only have to expand the talent pipeline for key existing IT roles, they also have to be prepared to fill a number of new ones, the most critical of which are the following seven:
- Head of multifunctional shared services
- Collaboration or social media evangelist
- Service architect
- Technology broker
- Cloud integration specialist,
- Information insight enabler
- User experience designer
Cloud computing, service management, information management and collaboration all will require roles that are rare today and could include:
- Technology brokers: individuals who understand a segment of the technology market and act as advisers to help service managers and business partners obtain the technology services they need.
- Collaboration specialist: employees who understand collaboration technologies, but more importantly have insight into collaborative behaviors and workflows.
- Information insight: enablers who analyze and interpret information, and user-experience specialists who improve interface design and technology usability.
Employees in these three IT roles will need to understand how and why knowledge workers use technology to be productive; in this respect, they are more like anthropologists than technologists.
Technical expertise will be retained in architecture and integration roles to pull together disparate business demands and equally disparate cloud providers. Most IT roles involved in delivering applications and infrastructure will be externalized, however, leading to decreases of 80% or more of these roles within corporate IT.
This is not to say that technology expertise will become less important in the economy as a whole, just that increasingly employees with deep technology skills will pursue their careers with vendors and service providers, not with corporate IT. The immediate task for CIOs here is clear messaging that lets staff with technical expertise know that to stay within the organization they will need to build IT skills in such areas as integration or architecture. If such employees prefer to remain focused on technology development and delivery, their long-term outlook could be better suited elsewhere.
More IT skills resources
Navigating these changes requires both hiring and retraining. CIOs and their partners in human resources will have to cast a wider recruiting net. We estimate that seven new or expanded IT roles will be difficult to source within the IT department, because each requires a business background or experience in such specialized external roles as consulting. Conversely, only a few IT-related roles will require a deep technical background.
Rehiring alone will not suffice. In the near term, the downturn's lingering effects mean that many promising candidates are risk averse and unwilling to leave their current roles, so recruitment counterintuitively has become harder despite high unemployment. Lack of investment in training suggests that over the longer term, many organizations intend to rely on recruitment to fill their talent needs, with skills shortages the inevitable consequence.
A first step to avoid these shortages is to develop a multiyear IT workforce plan that should forecast which roles and skills will be needed and when, and outline the necessary training investments and hiring plans. The plan should align with the company's strategy and be an integral part of its IT strategy. Workforce planning requires the full involvement of the IT leadership team and cannot be left to HR.
This is exactly the sort of forethought that IT organizations need if they are to avoid IT skills shortages and lead, not lag behind, the upcoming changes in corporate IT.
Andrew Horne is managing director at The Corporate Executive Board Company's Information Technology practice and managing director for the CEB's CIO Executive Board, a global best practices network. Let us know what you think about the story; email Christina Torode, News Director.
This was first published in July 2011 | <urn:uuid:efd1ace0-0153-439b-b76d-137fb2450ad1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://searchcio.techtarget.com/tip/Evolving-IT-skill-sets-Seven-roles-that-should-be-on-CIOs-radar | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947259 | 1,240 | 1.59375 | 2 |
This week Greg discusses how to keep motivation and joy – mojo – working in your life.
How to Keep Your Mojo Working
In recent weeks I’ve given several presentations on what could best be referred to as “how to keep your mojo working.” It’s a great topic because the stress and pressure of running a business in these tough times has definitely been taking its toll on many franchisees and franchisor executives.
Mojo. We heard about it in the Austin Powers movies, but to understand the true meaning of the word I consulted my in-house literature consultant (aka my wife), who informed me that it’s simply an abbreviation for motivation and joy. These are possibly two of the most beautiful words in the English language because they hold the secret to what we all seek – a successful and happy life.
Three techniques that help promote mojo
So how can we keep our motivation and joy alive? Here are three simple techniques.
- Practice the attitude of gratitude. Parents regularly remind their kids to say thank you, and so they should, because this is encouraging an attitude of gratitude. Appreciating what we have puts the mind in a positive state and helps us to feel good about ourselves and the world. It also boosts our immune system, stimulates energy and promotes constructive relationships. By showing gratitude, such as thanking a colleague, sending a kind note to a friend or paying a genuine compliment to a staff member, you are not only helping to make their day, you will also be doing yourself a favour.
- Talk to someone who cares. It’s true, a problem shared is a problem halved. Talking about our concerns stops turning little problems into big ones. It also helps us to think issues through and can give us the courage to take action when we need to. For instance, our research into high performance franchisees consistently shows that those with strong family and social support outperform their peers hands down. When we ask franchisees who they find it helpful to talk to, they mention a range of people – parents, siblings, friends, grandparents, neighbors, fellow franchisees, accountants, field consultants, staff and, of course, partners. Who do you talk to?
- Set yourself BEST goals. In 1961, JFK inspired the Western world when he said, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” The now famous moon landing occurred ahead of schedule on the 20th of July 1969. It is often used as an example of a BEST goal because it was Believable, Exciting, Specific and Time-bound. People thrive when they set BEST goals because the mind functions best when it has something meaningful to work toward. Not sure where to start? Ask yourself this question, “If everything fell into place and was going as well as it reasonably could, what would be happening?” This should help you to start setting some of your BEST goals!
In this tip I’ve shared three techniques you can use to keep your mojo working. What makes them so attractive is that they are based on good psychological research and they are free. So, if you find yourself feeling a bit jaded, tired or miserable (and who doesn’t from time to time), give them a go. They really do work. I particularly like the attitude of gratitude.
Until next time.
Franchise Relationship Institute
P.S. We just completed a fantastic event in Dallas!
Here’s what a few of our attendees had to say:
“A powerful workshop that I know will bring change
to our company. “
“This event effectively fused practical application and theory. It is also quite entertaining!”
“Powerfully motivating. Highly recommend and will! I can sincerely say that this Boot Camp has changed my life.”
“I believe this will prove to be one of the best investments in our business we have made.”
IT’S NOT TOO LATE!
Join us for our final Profitable Partnerships Boot Camp in Denver next week, October 4 and 5. We still have a few seats left! | <urn:uuid:209367ed-c14e-45b0-8ee9-916cd68eefeb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.franchisespeakers.com/greg-nathan-franchise-relations-tip-41-how-to-keep-your-mojo-working/ | 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 | 0.959346 | 883 | 1.664063 | 2 |
A dancer at an all-night rave, a Kalahari bushman, an Orisha priestess of Nigeria, a Korean shaman and a whirling dervish from Turkey.
Not a bunch with a lot in common, you would have thought.
But as the music pulses and the beat intensifies, each enters a different world, succumbing to a trance-like state brought about by their dance. Their eyes are closed, their heads tilted back, the expressions on their faces the same. They have reached a state of ecstasy.
This experience of people being united by rhythm and dance is celebrated in a new documentary, Dances of Ecstasy, to be launched in Sydney tomorrow.
Filmmakers Michelle Mahrer and Nicole Ma spent two years travelling the world in search of traditional and modern rituals in which people reach an altered state through dance.
The project, which began almost seven years ago, grew from Mahrer's passion for dance and her work with Gabrielle Roth, who leads workshops in New York designed to release the dancer within and help people attain that state of ecstasy.
"I learned a whole different way of meaning, listening to an internal voice, letting go of that structured form. Dance for me has become a spiritual practice," Mahrer says.
Spirituality is a common thread among the documentary's subjects. A Sufi dervish says: "When I am whirling I become one with God." Shaman healer Kim Kum Hwa says: "I journey into the spirit world to make contact with ancestral beings who will guide and heal us."
But the effect isn't confined to sacred rituals, with even techno music able to unlock something primal, Mahrer says. "It's that beat that lets you drop the mind. It's about losing the I and becoming the we."
Mahrer says all human beings have a desire to connect to something greater than themselves. But other cultures do this through ancient traditions, which Western culture has lost.
"We exist on a very narrow bandwidth of consciousness. To dance is a natural human state, but it seems to have been knocked out of us. But I think people want to learn how to connect again. These rituals connect us to the mystery of life."
The film will be screened as part of Carnivale, followed by a world music dance party with Doudoumba Africa percussion, belly dancers and DJs. The DVD of the film will also be launched.
"When people see the film, I want it to inspire them to get back in touch with that mysterious side of life, the sacred dimension that has been knocked out of us," Mahrer says.
"We need to get back an appreciation of how we are connected to each other."
Tomorrow, Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre, cnr City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale, 9pm. Tickets for screening/dance party $25/$22/$20, party only $15. Bookings through Seymour Centre, 93517940, or Ticketmaster, 1300136166
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Copyright © 2003. The Sydney Morning Herald.
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To qualify for cash assistance, children must be a part of your family and meet age requirements. If your child is under the age of 18, or 18 years old and attending high school, you may be eligible. The family or legal guardians of that child (those living with the child - typically parents, stepparents, legal guardian and siblings) are also evaluated as part of the eligibility process.
If you are a pregnant woman or parents of a child in foster care who is expected to return home within one year, you may also be eligible for cash assistance.
In general, DHS will review your assets, countable income and residency to determine what, if any, benefits you may be eligible for.
The cash asset limit is $3,000. Assets are cash or any property you own. Assets such as your vehicles and personal belongings are not counted.
Cash assets include:
- Cash on hand
- Bank and credit union accounts
- Retirement plans
- Property or real estate (asset limit is $500,000)
Most earned and unearned income is counted. Income is considered when determining the amount of cash assistance your family is eligible to receive.
Examples of countable income are:
- Self-employment earnings
- Rental income
- Child support
- Social Security benefits
- Veterans benefits
The following residency requirements apply:
- Must be a U.S. citizen (or acceptable alien status)
- Must live in Michigan
- Must not be receiving cash assistance from any other state. | <urn:uuid:5b611cdf-f6a8-4bf3-9b2c-0a25586bdd27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,4562,7-124-5453_5526-21229--,00.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935999 | 314 | 1.828125 | 2 |
#CrisisInChicago. More people, 274, have been murdered in the city of Chicago in the first six months of 2012 than U.S. soldiers in killed in Afghanistan, 157, in that same period. This includes non-combat related deaths.
The homicide rate in Chicago is currently quadruple the murder rate in New York City. The recent homicide spike in Chicago is the worst since 2003. Yet there would appear to be no sense of heated urgency or national attention on the crisis.
On June 16, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy commented that the situation was actually improving and that there was a “perception problem.” McCarthy said this following a June weekend that left 8 Chicago residents dead and 46 wounded by gunfire. McCarthy made this point about a week after a 16-year-old Chicago resident, Joseph Briggs, who was shot standing on the front porch of his home by a stray bullet. On June 27, Heaven Sutton, 7, was shot to death in a similar incident as she sold sno-cones in the North Austin section of the city. Her funeral was July 6.
For the next seven days Politic365 will examine several issues around the murders in Chicago. Have we become use to a certain level of violence? Are our political leaders acting with sufficient urgency? Have we effectively given up on trying to stop gang violence? Why isn’t the media outside of Chicago paying attention? Can the police adequately combat violence? Why isn’t the situation in Chicago a national crisis that holds the attention of the entire country?
We will also examine some of the solutions to violence in the U.S. — many of which have been around for years. | <urn:uuid:5b3b90c6-f0d4-47f8-b968-00e04ec1b228> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://politic365.com/2012/07/09/crisisinchicago-why-isnt-274-murders-in-an-american-city-a-national-crisis/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974414 | 344 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Six things that have barely changed since Trayvon Martin's death
Sanford will soon have a new police chief, but other than that, things are still pretty much the same
Published: February 27, 2013
One year ago today (Feb. 27), everything changed forever for two Florida families: those of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old who was shot to death while walking from a 7-Eleven to his father's girlfriend's apartment, and George Zimmerman, the vigilante neighborhood-watch volunteer who shot him to death on that dark, rainy night. The Martin family will never see their son again; the Zimmermans see an uncertain future for their son, who's awaiting his June 10 trial on second-degree murder charges.
The more things change, though, the more they stay the same. Here are six things that have not changed much in the year since Martin was killed – some for better, most for worse.
1) Florida task force determines that "Stand Your Ground" law doesn't need to be changed: Instead, the state panel, created in April 2012 and made up primarily of individuals who supported Stand Your Ground laws in the first place, recommended on Feb. 22 that the state should tighten rules for neighborhood-watch organizations.
2) Sanford gets new police chief: Cecil Smith, deputy chief of the Elgin, Ill., police department, accepted the position in mid-February. He says he hopes to create a partnership between the police and the community – that won't be an easy task, considering the fact that the Sanford police department has had a reputation as forgiving (if not accepting) racist sentiment in its ranks, toward both the community and even its own African-American officers. Smith won't start the new job until April.
3) Some Sanford businesses say things aren't getting better: In the weeks following the shooting, thousands flocked to Sanford to protest the fact that police failed to make an immediate arrest after Martin was shot. Civil rights activists, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, addressed the crowds who'd come from near and far to gather at the city's Fort Mellon Park. Local businesses said the publicity was hurting trade. Despite a recent Associated Press story indicating that Sanford is "healing" and things are getting better, some Sanford business owners say they're still struggling to rebuild. Mo Wisdom, owner of the quirky watering hole Little Fish Huge Pond, says that a handful of businesses shut down due to decreased customer volume in the wake of the Martin incident – Wisdom says that, in her case, her regular customers keep coming back but out-of-towners seem less interested in visiting than ever.
4) Antipathy builds between Zimmerman's attorneys and the Martin family attorneys: Both parties in this case have embarked on massive PR campaigns to get their side out to the media. The Martins have spent a considerable amount of time combating the perception that their son was a thug or a villain who somehow deserved to be shot. Zimmerman's defense team – which is also busy trying to defend their client against the perception that he's a racist monster – runs a website for Zimmerman where it posts rebuttals to editorials sympathetic to Martin. While the site doesn't attack Martin's character, it certainly does imply that the Martin family is capitalizing on race to gain leverage in this case. Meanwhile, Martin's mother has been outspoken in national media (including in an interview with NPR earlier this week) in saying that the Martin case should not be about black and white and that "stand your ground" laws – not race – should be the center of the discussion.
> Email Erin Sullivan | <urn:uuid:63d31060-b021-4f09-a9fa-c8acf3c32efb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://orlandoweekly.com/news/six-things-that-have-barely-changed-since-trayvon-martin-39-s-death-1.1450598?localLinksEnabled=false | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973442 | 733 | 1.820313 | 2 |
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Among other curious circumstances that occurred, with which editors at the time made great show of opposition, but which finally reacted and resulted in our favor, I will relate the following: A young man from Kentucky, I think, came here to study; and while on probation, and before he was known to any considerable extent here, he laid a plan to seduce one of our young ladies. She was a very estimable, modest girl. The young man had, I believe, been a writing master, and could use his pen in a masterly manner. He wrote this young lady a letter, in which he drew a very vile picture with his pen; and couched the letter in such language, and gave it such shape, that it was calculated to produce the very worst effect upon her.
He requested that she should reply to A.B., I do not remember the directions that she was to give to the letter. She was of course very much shocked, and gave this letter to the lady principal, of the institution; and this lady showed it to her husband, who was one of the members of the faculty. Soon after he wrote another letter of the same character, with as loathesome a picture as could well be drawn -- I mean loathesome to a pure mind; and shaped altogether in such a manner as to lay before her the strongest temptation to bad conduct, and urged her again to reply and direct as he had before suggested. This letter immediately passed into the hand of the lady principal, and through her hands into the hands of the faculty. Of course this aroused the attention of the faculty, and they were on the lookout. We had a very trustworthy young man at the time as a Postmaster. After these two letters had been received, the subject was laid before the Postmaster, and of his own accord he undertook to ascertain from whom those letters came. I think he kept the letters that had been received by her that he might compare them with the hand writing of anything of the kind that should come through his hands again. Soon a letter directed to this young lady came into the post office. He saw that it was the same hand-writing, and opened the letter and found it to be another of those abominable epistles. That aroused to the utmost his indignation. I believe without consulting anyone he replied to the letter himself, as if he was the young lady to whom it had been addressed. He recognized the two former letters, and so shaped his answer that he wrote again. The Postmaster thus opened a correspondence with him. It soon resulted in an appointment to meet at a certain place in the village at a certain hour of the night, and then to go and spend the night together; the vile young man supposing that his correspondence was with the young lady herself, whereas she was entirely ignorant of what was transpiring between the postmaster and the young man.
We had at that time an energetic young man and woman who were under engagement to marry, and who had come here to first complete their education. They were in good reputation and possessed in a high degree the confidence of the community. To this young man the Postmaster and the few who were in the secret applied to assist in the detection of the villain who had spread this snare for a worthy young lady. The young man arranged with his affianced to play the part of the young lady to whom the vile letters had been directed, so far as to secure his detection and arrest. She consented to go. In the meantime several of our most estimable young men had been consulted, and one of our youngest professors, and they agreed to go and arrest him and deal with him as wisdom should direct.
The time for the appointed meeting arrived. . . The young man had taken his bed from the room, and carried it a little way out of the village, and spread it under the shelter of a large tree. . . the young men who were to arrest him, being aware of the whole plot, had secreted themselves a little way from where they were to leave the road and turn into the woods. He was armed with a pistol, and had in him the real southern spirit. When they arrived at the point where the young men were secreted, they surrounded. He undertook to use his pistol; but they seized it, and no one was hurt. After considerable conversation and praying, they concluded to whip him; and appointed one of their number, one of the most amiable young men to ply the lash. It tired his feelings exceedingly to do it; nevertheless he put on his back the assigned number of strokes with a rawhide, with which they had furnished themselves. They then let him go; he at the time, I believe, acknowledged the justice of the course they had pursued with him.
The fact is, there was no law of the land that would take hold of him, and inflict any punishment at all upon him in this case; and these young men, I have no doubt, acting under a sense of duty, took the case in their own hands, and administered what they supposed to be a moderate and merited chastisement. As this school was on in which young men and women were associated together in all their studies, these young men supposed that an act of this kind should meet with decided public disapprobation; and thought that this young man should be made an example, to teach young men that if they come here and attempted to seduce any of our young ladies, what they might expect. However these young men had acted on their own responsibility, without consulting any body that they knew of out of their own circle. But when the father of the young man came to be acquainted with the facts, he was stirred up to irrepressible wrath. He came here in a very blustering and abusive spirit. He learned the facts, and could not justify his son, though he felt himself disgraced by the whipping which his son had received, rather than by the crime which he had committed; and therefore, instead of thanking us, as was really his duty, for administering this most merited chastisement upon his son, he took great pains to stir up the whole country against us for this deed. The public mind was at that time in a state favorable to seize hold of any such occurrence to put down Oberlin. The papers teemed with opposition to Oberlin, and the wrath of the press was greatly excited at the whipping; though so far as I heard, no words of reprobation fell upon the ears of the criminal or of any one else, for his crime. A great crime, it was assumed, had been committed in punishing him; but the crime that had most justly demanded this punishment, was left out of view. We, as usual, kept still, and kept about our business.
When the court met at Elyria, the grand jury found bills of indictment against the young men that had been engaged in this thing. They subpoenaed many persons in Oberlin to come before them as witnesses, and in this way discovered, I believe, all the young men who had taken part in it save one. The first I knew, however, of this proceeding came to my ears by my being myself subpoenaed as a witness, before the grand jury. I went. I observed as I went in that the district attorney, who was with the grand jury, was a person I knew, and was an avowed skeptic. The foreman of the jury I had understood to be another; and indeed as I observed the grand jury I saw that they were made up very much of leaders of the opposition to Oberlin, and of men who were no less opposed to religion than to Oberlin -- that is, there were several of them, if I was not mistaken, who were skeptics. The District Judge, who presided over the court, was also a skeptic, and also one of the side judges. This a majority of the court, and I think, a majority of the grand jury, were skeptics. The same was true of the Sheriff and the Deputy Sheriff, I think. At any rate I was informed that it was true of the Deputy sheriff, who was in attendance upon the Grand Jury. Of course, I found myself surrounded by not altogether a pleasant moral atmosphere. The foreman of the Grand Jury informed me of the object of my being sent for; and after administration of the usual oath told me whom they had indicted, and asked me if I knew of any other persons in Oberlin who had been connected with that affair. I replied that I did know of one, who, from his own confession to me as his pastor, I knew had been connected with it. But that he had gone out of the state; not that he had run away or gone away to escape prosecution; but he had gone home to his friends, and so far as I knew he expected to remain at home. The foreman then asked me what his name was. I replied that the young man was a member of the church of which I was pastor, and at the time of the occurrence was a member of my family; that after the occurrence, learning how the people felt here about the mistake they had made; his conscience troubled him, and that he then confessed to me his connection with the affair; and I then said, "I do not know as I ought to be called upon to testify in this case, and reveal the young man's name." However, I did not refuse to testify; I only made the remark, as nearly as I can recollect, as I have stated it. They did not urge me to give his name; indeed, they said no more, but very politely dismissed me. I left the room and went immediately to the hotel to get my horse and return home. But while waiting for my horse to be brought up, I learned from the conversation of those who were there that the Grand Jury had said, they "would serve until they had examined every man in Oberlin, if need be, to find out everyone who had had any connection with that affair.: I learned that the impression existed in Elyria, and in the minds of the Grand Jury themselves, that the people of Oberlin wished to cover the matter up, and were not willing to have the laws of the land executed. I observed as I rode home that there was a good deal of excitement in the minds of the people; and I made up my mind that I would return in the morning and go into open court and consult the judges in regard to my duty, and to the law upon that point. Accordingly the next morning, although very rainy and very muddy, it being late in the fall, I got on my horse and rode through the rain and mud to Elyria, and I went immediately into the court room, and found the court busily engaged in the trial of some cause that had excited a good deal of interest, and hence the court room was well filled with spectators.
I went to one of the gentlemen of the bar with whom I had some acquaintance, took him a little one side, and requested him to ask the court to give me a hearing for a few moments, as I had an important question to lay before them. He very deferentially and appropriately made the communication that I desired to the court. They immediately suspended business; and the presiding Judge remarked, that Professor Finney who was present had a communication to make to the court, and that business would be suspended for a few moments to hear what he had to say. I then told them what had happened the day before, before the Grand Jury; and the question that I had to present to them was, whether law or equity required me to give that young man's name to the Grand Jury. I then stated what I understood to be the law upon that subject. I said that men have conscience; and people may differ as they please in regard to many other questions, there could be no difference of opinion upon this, that all men and women have consciences, and that often very embarrassing cases of conscience arise in which advice is needed. That in such cases, as they must exist in every society and in every community, the public weal demanded that there should be some persons protected by the law from becoming public informers, to whom persons could go for advice. I said that I knew how this had been abused by the Roman Catholics in their confessional, and how the law had been settled in regard to them. But insisted that although the law in this country does not recognize the union of church and state, yet it does recognize the pastoral relations; and it ought to protect this relation to the extent of protecting the community and also the pastor when he has been consulted in regards to cases of conscience where advice is needed. I enlarged upon this at discretion and occupied considerable time in stating my views and the reasons for them. Indeed, it might be said that I preached to the court and those that were present. I felt as if it was a good occasion. It represented our sentiments at Oberlin.
I told the court the reasons of my returning to Elyria, what I had heard at the public house the day before, and that I was satisfied they entirely misunderstood the Oberlin people. I assured the court that we were a law-abiding people; that we had not as a people approved of the course taken by the young men; and that we did not wish to shield them from the operation of criminal law, but were entirely willing that justice should take its course, and were disposed rather to aid in the administration of justice than to throw obstacles in the way. In short, I represented to them Oberlin views and feelings in the subject, and said that we merely desired that the young men would have a fair trial, and an opportunity to spread before the court, when they were tried for the provocation under which they had acted and the reasons for their conduct. The court did not seem at all weary of listening to what I had to say. The attention was universal, respectful and I thought solemn. I then said to the judges, "Now if your honors are of the opinion that it is my duty as a citizen to go and give the name of that young man to the Grand Jury I will do it immediately." I then sat down, and the presiding judge said, that they were very much obliged to me for returning and giving an expose of my views and of the whole subject. That the court entirely accorded with me in opinion, and said that they had had a false impression in regard to the opinions of Oberlin in this matter, and were very happy to be set right on this subject.
That my statement had greatly relieved their minds and feelings, and the view that I had presented was one with which they unitedly agreed. He concluded by remarking that it was a question for the Grand Judy, and asked me if I was not willing to go and make the same statement in substance to the Grand Jury in the room below. I said that I should be glad to have an opportunity to do so, and I thought I observed that the court felt that it might do the Grand Jury good. I then proceeded to the Grand Jury room. I found them all present as the day before, the Deputy Sheriff and skeptic standing at the door in attendance upon the Grand Jury, the skeptical Prosecuting Attorney sitting by the table with the foreman of the Grand Jury and I observed as I did the day before, that so far as I knew the Grand Jury, there was a very large element of skepticism on religious subjects found among them. I then stated to them in substance what I had stated to the court above, what I had learned the day before of the state of feeling in the neighborhood, and of the jury itself; and that it was their determination to sit until they had examined every person in Oberlin, if need be, to find out all the persons that had been connected with that transaction. I then stated my views as I had done to the court, and gave them as nearly as I could the same view of the case throughout. I observed the same profound effect in the Grand Jury room that had been produced in the court. When I was through, the foreman after consulting a moment with the District Attorney, replied in substance as the court had done above. He expressed great satisfaction at my returning and giving them my views of the subject, as he agreed with me entirely in the view I had taken of my duty; and he expressed the opinion that the jury did not think it my duty to give the name of the young man, and that they did not require it. As I left the room, the Deputy Sheriff, who was standing inside, and had heard what had been said, followed me into the hall. He took hold of my arm with very manifest excitement and said: "Mr. Finney, your coming back and saying what you have said [is] worth a thousand dollars."
As I returned to the hotel after my horse, the court above had a recess for dinner. The presiding judge, who was then a stranger to me, introduced himself to me and said he was very happy to meet me, and expressed regret that they had so entirely misapprehended the views and feelings, and action of the people of Oberlin. He said: "We have been deceived respecting you there; and now I for one want to become better acquainted with you," and then added, "When I come out to hold court here again," naming the time, "may I not bring my wife and leave her at your house while I attend court here, that she may become acquainted with you, and that I myself may become acquainted with some of your people?" I most cordially invited him to come, and assured him that I would bring her, send him out every day to attend court, and bring him back to his wife in the evening. A few weeks after that I spent a few days in Cleveland in preaching to the people. This was his residence. I observed him in the congregation, and soon learned that he was very seriously weighing the question of his soul's salvation. I had protracted conversation with him, and found the state of his mind not only very interesting, but as I thought very hopeful. I urged him to immediately accept the Savior, his skepticism being to all appearance entirely gone. He received all I had to say with great tenderness, and renewed his promise to come out with his wife when he next held his court in Elyria. But before that time he was in his grave, so that I saw him no more. Before I left Elyria at the time that I have spoken of, I learned that the Grand Jury had adjourned sine die; that after my statement they were entirely satisfied that they had no reason to make any further inquiry, and having no other business before them they dissolved.
After this, there was a most remarkable change in the views and feelings of the leading men in the opposition in the region round about us. The next winter, for example, after this court one of the side judges, a democrat and as I had understood a skeptic, was a member of the legislature, in which a plot was on foot to try to take away our charter. This judge, who had been present at the time I have spoken of, stood as we were told, manfully and boldly in defence of Oberlin; and told them that the impressions that had gone abroad in respect to our views and our character as a school, were altogether erroneous. And as I understood, these remarks had a leading influence in diverting the legislature from their purpose.
Thus one event after another occurred that made the community around us better acquainted with us and with our views, until the prejudice was entirely done away. But what effect had the trial of the young men, and especially, how did the outrageous comments and denunciations of the press, far and near, have upon our school? Did it keep young ladies and gentlemen from coming here to school? No indeed! It was found that it had produced an entirely opposite effect. It was found that people reasoned thus. They had been afraid and much pains had been taken to make them afraid, of trusting their daughters in a school where young ladies and gentlemen recited in the same classes, ate in the same boarding hall, and were in all respects associated as they were here. It was, of course, regarded as an experiment, and by many as an experiment of a very questionable nature. But the result of all this bluster and opposition, especially in relation to this prosecution and the cause of it, was that the people reasoned in this way. Well, if there is such a public sentiment as this in Oberlin, if an attempt to seduce one of those young ladies brings upon the offender that kind of retribution, there is the very place for our daughters. We can send them there with more safety than anywhere else. If the young men of the college will themselves give a young man such a thorough castigation who attempts any such thing, such a public sentiment must be favorable to chastity, and to the protection of our daughters when away from home. There was therefore, a continual increase of our students, and especially of females; and the relative number of ladies in our college seemed to increase from year to year.
Indeed, in the providence of God almost all the onsets that were made against us through the press and by other methods of attach, resulted in our favor. We kept still, and kept about our own business, and let the smoke and dust clear away in God's own best time. | <urn:uuid:bbe7d6fd-fc05-4cde-b6bd-82af8f1021ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://truthinheart.com/EarlyOberlinCD/CD/Finney/Biography/Reminiscenses/lynching.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.994178 | 4,462 | 1.507813 | 2 |
OSSINING, N.Y. – Ossining High School’s Daniel McQuaid is one of 40 students nationwide to become a finanlist in this year's Intel Science Talent Search.
In the past 12 years, more than 40 students from Ossining High School have been named semifinalists in the prestigious competition. Each year, students and teachers at the school would patiently wait in the days after the semifinalist announcements to see if they would receive a call from an Intel representative that a student had been named a finalist. But Tuesday night the wait ended, as Daniel McQuaid picked up his cell phone and heard an Intel representative on the other end.
“I screamed really loudly as soon as I got off the phone,” McQuaid said Wednesday. “It was pretty unreal and at first I really couldn’t believe it. It means so much to me, but more than that it means so much to our school and the Science Research Program.”
The Intel Science Talent Search “encourages students to pursue ambitious scientific questions and develop skills to solve the problems of tomorrow,” according to Intel. McQuaid and the 39 other finalists are next set to compete from March 7 to 13 in Washington, D.C., for $630,000 in awards, with the top winner to receive $100,000 from the Intel Foundation.
“This year’s Intel Science Talent Search finalists are presenting a wide range of research, from optimizing algae oil for biofuel to developing a new treatment for blood cancer,” Wendy Hawkins, executive director of the Intel Foundation, said in a press release. McQuaid’s project deals with treatment for lung cancer.
“It’s exciting for the future of innovation, because the U.S. needs these 40 high school seniors, and others like them, to question, explore and help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges,” Hawkins said.
The 40 finalists were narrowed down from 300 semifinalists chosen from more than 1,700 entrants. Three other students from Ossining High School – Sam Rude, Eitan David Rude and Caleb Hersh – and Briarcliff High School’s Mark Moretto were among the semifinalists announced this month. All four Ossining students are members of Ossining’s Fundamentals of Science Research Program, which is supervised by science research teachers Valerie Holmes and Angelo Piccirillo.
“This has been something we’ve been hoping for for many years,” Holmes said Wednesday. “Every year we would find out that we had semifinalists – one year we even had eight – and every year we would wait for the phone call and never get it. Danny sent me a text saying, ‘I got the call,’ and I sent him back one that said, ‘Don’t mess with me.’ Obviously we’re really excited for him.”
Intel has long recognized Ossining High School as one of the top schools in the country for science, and in 2012 gave the school its Star Innovator Award as the top science high school in America.
Holmes and Piccirillo are set to help coach McQuaid for when he gives his poster presentation in Washington in March.
“I think one thing that makes Dan stand out is that he’s a scientist and he knows his research inside and out,” Piccirillo said. “You know you’re speaking to someone who has a big future in this field. He’s a true brilliant scientist.” | <urn:uuid:92dff8fe-bdf0-4547-89d9-c3cb943e55f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ossining.dailyvoice.com/schools/ossinings-mcquaid-one-40-national-intel-finalists | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971125 | 760 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Avoiding costly surprises with a bid requires some precautionary diligence. A complete estimate and followup on the job after a successful bid are parts of the equation. Understanding and noting out-of-the-ordinary costs is the balance of the formula.
Some of the estimators’ duties that are required to get all pertinent project information will probably overlap those of other personnel. This can be a sensitive matter and must be handled by all involved in an intelligent manner, keeping in focus the success of the bid, project, and finally, the company. As part of the management team, estimators should assume responsibility for gathering and keeping track of all the facts considered in the process of estimating a project.
Some information may be irrelevant. Be assured that any field problems can affect future bids; field personnel’s feedback is one source of information.
Understanding and becoming familiar with the engineers’ intentions and methods could also yield ideas for sharpening the bid. Estimators should develop and rely on personal contacts with those affecting the work.
Varying code interpretations are typical of these tasks. Despite the decades-long effort to unite under one electrical code, the effort falls short when areas are permitted to enact “local amendments.” While these are more restrictive and meant to handle local problems, these amendments often serve no distinctive purpose.
In a recent article, in the magazine published by the International Conference of Building Officials, a retired inspector made the case for keeping copious notes of decisions affecting a project. The importance was brought home to him when he was called as a witness in a trial where his decision was important. Fortunately, he had kept a log of decisions and was able to corroborate the basis of his decision.
Estimators should likewise have some means of recording notes, information, and decisions that may affect a bid. An important caveat with any records is that third parties may at some time have access to the notes.
A costly part of a project is the installation of underground utility feeders, also known as laterals. Communication services impose further requirements. While utilities have their own basic installation requirements and jurisdiction, local authorities may override any of these installation methods. This can lead to costly errors for a system of cataloging decisions that impact or may have impacted the installations.
Major cost considerations include requirements to use particular products that are not normally expected. For example, the utility may accept PVC, while the local jurisdiction requires rigid conduit. This is a costly variance, particularly if it is not estimated as such.
Encasement requirements of utility conduits that are beyond the normal, or state-of-the-art methods, can cause further cost shock. These variances can involve the depth of the conduit, the type of encasement, and the marking of the line’s location. Photographs of such installations can assist with future estimates; as well as establish a record of how the installation was performed.
Estimators should gather code variances that may have been approved or granted in various jurisdictions and retain them in an organized file. At times, these decisions are based on value engineering considerations and can affect the bid result if applied judiciously. Further, such a reference may assist in making decisions in future bids.
Varying labor requirements also affect a bid. In many jurisdictions, information sheets are routinely updated and shared with other departments. An unfamiliar type of project should obviously warrant an inquiry to the area’s NECA chapter. These professionals can fill many information voids. Some chapters provide telephone links and others include names of key personnel to contact for reliable information. Such data becomes invaluable when it is time to close the bid.
It is important to include insurance policies and regulations, such as workman’s compensation, liability limits, and those required by particular awarding agencies in any database. Similarly, applicable permit and plan check fees and those fees for energy regulations-related issues should be kept track of. In past years, a small percentage would have covered these various costs, but times have changed.
Municipalities especially have found that construction projects now comprise up to 20 percent of a construction project. The electrical industry is not spared such hefty increases.
If the information is important enough to have caused an otherwise correctly estimated project to produce a lower-than-expected profit margin, then it should be kept readily available for colleagues.
DAVID is a professor of electrical technology at Long Beach City College, Calif., a consultant, and an expert witness. He can be reached at (562) 597-1877 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:70b31978-6d5e-4328-a0cd-1567b02324ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ecmag.com/section/your-business/precautions-prevent-costly-errors | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951281 | 946 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Things Your Daddy Taught You
Mar 24, 2009
Growing up around farm equipment has made many of us blind to the free education we received. It's only when we spend time around folks who didn't grow up working around and on machinery that we appreciate the basic mechanical knowledge we take for granted. Here are a few true stories about non-farm folks who came to farm equipment dealerships trying to get parts for lawn mowers and other mechanical gadgets:
A parts person sold an air filter for a small tractor to a city dweller
-A well-dressed man wanted a new battery for his riding lawn mower. When the parts person placed the correct battery on the counter, the man firmly stated that it was the wrong battery because, "on my battery, the terminals were on the back side." The parts man thought for a moment, then took the battery to the back room, waited a few minutes, then carried the same battery back up front and placed it on the counter with the terminals facing away from the customer. The customer left, satisfied.
who had purchased an acreage and wanted to be a "farmer." The wanna-be farmer soon returned and complained loudly that the parts man had given him the wrong filter, because the tractor wouldn’t run after the filter was installed. When the parts person removed the plastic bag that the filter came in to see what could be wrong, the customer got a funny look on his face, grabbed the unbagged filter and disappeared out the door.
-Riding lawn mowers are nightmares for parts people. There are hundreds of models that each require unique belts, sizes and lengths. Mechanically-challenged customers routinely don't know the model or serial number of their mower, and frequently insist that the parts person simply give them a belt because, "all the belts are basically the same." One savvy parts man keeps the separator drive belt from his manufacturer's largest combine underneath the parts counter, and when he gets the familiar statement, "All belts are basically the same.." he hoists that monster belt onto the counter and says, "That'll be $180. Cash or charge?"
-An urban customer sent his wife to a dealership to get a major drive belt for the belly mower on his utility tractor. The parts man gave the wife the correct belt, but within an hour the man himself came storming through the door. "You gave my wife three short belts, and I needed one big, long belt," he complained. The frustrated parts man checked the part number printed on the belt to confirm that the belt was correct, then uncoiled the looped belt and began to measure it. The customer stared at the uncoiled belt, grabbed the belt and headed out the door without another word.
Never underestimate the wealth of mechanical knowledge that you have acquired simply by being a farmer. Things that you do without a second thought, repairs that you make routinely, even the simple knowledge that, "right is tight, left is loose" are mysteries to many folks who didn't have the blessing of growing up on a farm. | <urn:uuid:a4ea6f8e-571f-42f8-9af7-0dceb6c4a35d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/topproducer/blog/In_The_Shop_184/Things__Your_Daddy_Taught_You_10720/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97565 | 634 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Much like the national economy, the Southeast economy made mixed progress in August, according to the most recent report from the Atlanta Fed's Regional Economic Information Network (REIN).
The automotive sector, along with international trade, again proved to be a regional strength. Southeast auto production in August jumped 74 percent from low levels last year compared with a 48 percent rise nationally. Sales of vehicles built in the region climbed 26 percent in August, led by rising volumes from Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes, and Nissan.
Meanwhile, the value of international shipments passing through Southeastern ports continued rising,. For the first time since mid-2009, exports and imports posted gains. On a year-over-year basis, the value of regional exports and imports for the year ending in July increased 4.8 and 3.9 percent, respectively, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Exports and imports improved in Mobile, Miami, and Savannah while activity continued to be weak in Tampa.
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has so far not disrupted energy production, according to REIN. The Energy Information Administration, however, estimates that the six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf will reduce crude oil production in 2011 by an average of 82,000 barrels a day, or roughly 5 percent of 2010 production.
Back on land, cotton prices in August rose 43 percent from a year earlier because of favorable global market conditions. The near-term outlook is also strong, according to the USDA, as major mill producers, including China and India, figure to rely on U.S. cotton as their domestic crops are hampered by bad weather.
For more data, analysis, and graphs on these and other important sectors of the Southeastern economy, read the full REIN report. | <urn:uuid:5ece01e9-8863-4dce-8955-b55019902485> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.frbatlanta.org/rein/summary_rein_1010.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943934 | 359 | 1.554688 | 2 |
OPEN HOUSE on Saturday January 26th, 2013 between 10am -1pm
Redmond Bilingual Montessori offers a contemporary Montessori Program enriched with art, creative play and music& movement activities. Our goal is to provide an environment where children can enhance their academic and social life skills while developing their self-esteem and creativity. Our curriculum contains elements not only from Montessori system but also Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory. Having a curriculum based on these two systems not only nurtures each child’s individual development and also allows children to have a strong foundation based on different learning styles. | <urn:uuid:5d75c7d4-2ffb-4041-bc01-e00698aba351> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://redmondbilingualmontessori.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951512 | 127 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Ok, I did it: tested the "cpu fan perpendicular to mobo way"! Thanks Pangit for the idea and encouragements!
- Here is the initial set up: what matter here is the cpu fan and Heatsink: Taisol Aqua HS, with 60mm fan replaced by 80mm Noiseblocker S4 on 60->80 adpater:
- As you can see, the cpu is located pretty close to the rear of the case, so that the 120 exhaust fan and the 80 cpu fan are competing against eachother. This is bad because it requires to have both fans rev higher (=louder) than needed to get the same flow.
- To solve this competition issue, I already tried ducting (see above in this trend), but was not happy with it (resonates, obstrusive vs exhaust fan, and... well, uh... ugly!)
So my objective was to somehow have the 2 fans (cpu and exhaust) blowing in the same direction, ie toward the rear exhaust hole (from right to left on the pic).
First, I started with some modding of the heatsink:
My Athlon 1.4 ("Toasterbird") has a Taisol Aqua heatsink (80x60mm Al/Cu base, Al fins), with a 80 mm Noiseblocker S4 blowing thru a 80->60 adapter.
The Taisol Aqua HS was designed to have a fan facing it, not being perpedicular to it. So I decided to help it a little bit with a popular mod of the rad fins.
The idea is to allow for more space between the rad fins, by bending them toward the outer of the rad. Bending each of the 120 Aluminium fins without breaking any is a bit touchy... and doing it leaving the HS on the cpu is not recommended... But somehow both the fins and the cpu seemed to survive it.
The result is an increase in the height of the heatsink, which is nos 80X90mm, versus its initial 80X60mm dimensions (stock fan was a 60mm whiny one).
The benefit is much more space between the fins, allowing for more air to pass thru more easily.
Positioning the cpu fan
I used some strong electric wire to suspend the fan to the case bar. This is as cheap as can be, but actually is very handy to quickly experiment several orientations ( both vertically and horizontally speaking).
First, to test the modded rad and the effect of getting rid of the 80-60 adapter, I started by hanging the fan just face to face with the rad, almost in his standard position.
- noise improved radically: I guess due to the fact that air is no more smashed thru the adapter and against the HS. Also the fan does not generates any more vibrations that resonate in the HS).
- temperature did not moved a bit, so I decided to carry on the test.
So here is the real test: I started gradually turning the cpu fan, until his final position right of the HS, in a almost perpendicular angle to the mobo.
- as the fan was moving to the right, cpu fan rpm went up, showing that there was less and less competition with the exhaust 120 fan,
- cpu temperature went down 3 degrees (idle: 51 to 48, load: 57 to 55), from the initial position to the perpendicular position. I was happy with this but decided to "re-invest" this temperature benefit in reducing both fans revs.
- the MAJOR improvement is that it allowed me to decrease the cpu S4 fan speed from 2700 rpm down to 2290 rpm: made a huge noise improvement because this brought the fan back to its "quiet" range of operation.
- I was able to also reduce exhaust fan speed ( from 2100 to 1600 rpm), reducing engine and turbulence noise. Due to reduced competition, note that this did not impact case temperature!
- Testing several angles/positions also confirmed that moving the fan away from the HS certainly reduced turbulences, but there is a compromise here when the fan is too far from the HS to ensure proper cooling.
Here is my final setup, with the 80mm cpu fan perpendicular to the mobo. Note that it is blowing slightly upward for a couple of reasons:
1/ when the fan is blowing, air pressure makes it move backward a bit, so its working position is actually more vertical;
2/ this position allows some fresh air to be pushed into the PSU fan, reducing its need for revs, and so cutting PSU noise as well.
Another view more from the front of the case: no doubt: the 2 fans are blowing in the same direction!
So overall, it works, and yes, it is much more silent than before!
I now plan to take it a bit further (too far?) by applying a second round of fin bending to the HS. But i promise this time I will remove the HS from the CPU for the extra bending... and apply some Artic ceramique as well... | <urn:uuid:f7c1e5a7-3ab2-4284-a64f-ae36b2c9fbb4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6417&highlight= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955321 | 1,043 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Texas Poised to Become National Model for Higher Ed Reform
This article originally appeared in the Austin American-Statesman on 1/12/2013
In higher education, Texas’ struggles are America’s struggles. At the same time, the 83rd Legislature can make Texas’ solutions America’s solutions.
Texas is well-placed to build on existing strengths relative to other states in the areas of tuition costs, student loan indebtedness and civic education requirements. Moreover, our legislators and universities have committed to increasing graduation rates, online learning opportunities and accountability in public higher education.
This good work already begun provides a springboard to meet the serious challenges ahead. Like every state, Texas is fighting a two-front war, endeavoring simultaneously to restore not only affordability but also education quality. Over the past quarter-century, tuitions nationally have spiked 440 percent, twice the rate of health care increases. Struggling to keep pace, students have taken on historic debt. Total student loan debt approaches $1 trillion dollars, exceeding credit card debt.
Added to the affordability crunch is the deeper crisis of poor student learning. “Academically Adrift,” the landmark national study published in 2011, finds that, after four years in college, 36 percent of students show “small or empirically non-existent” gains in foundational skills. Again, these dismal gains occurred after four years of college. This is a national tragedy. It constitutes the educational challenge of our time.
Happily, a growing number of Texans recognize this challenge and are advancing solutions. A healthy debate has ensued, in which opposing camps are each contributing pieces of the puzzle. For example, some pinpoint diminished support from the Legislature as the cause of skyrocketing tuitions, while others cite extraordinary university spending. Both have points. State funding, on an inflation-adjusted per-pupil basis, declined 17.3 percent during 2000-2010 in Texas. During the same period, tuitions rose 84.0 percent, albeit from a comparatively low base. The full picture is more complex than these two numbers alone suggest. In addition to declining state support and faster-than-the-CPI tuition increases, a cause of the fact that state funding now accounts for a smaller portion of university income is the growth in non-tuition revenues for universities, for example, federally funded research budgets.
In sum, Texas taxpayers appear to have played neither Scrooge nor Santa Claus. More likely, they have hunkered down in the face of the economy’s “new normal.” Universities no longer can expect the same levels of funding from debt-plagued students and deficit-haunted statehouses. The music of traditional support has ended, and all the players find themselves chairless. With students and legislatures tapped out, cost control becomes the sole path to college affordability.
To their credit, Texas universities and political leaders are marching to a different beat. Gov. Rick Perry trumpeted online learning and competency-based exams when, in 2011, he challenged Texas public universities (where tuition and fees then averaged $27,000) to create $10,000 degrees. Ten schools already have responded.
Texas’ $10,000 degree has quickly been raised as a model for consideration by policymakers in Wisconsin, Florida, Oklahoma, and California. It’s not difficult to see why: A recent Pew survey finds that 57 percent of prospective students deem a college degree not worth its current cost.
At the same time, the initiative has critics, whose objection is, “You get what you pay for.” Defenders rejoin that Texas schools simply are answering the call of a growing number of students, many nontraditional, desperate for a chance at the American dream. Nontraditional students now form the majority of postsecondary students. More than half are over 25; one-third work full-time; many must provide for families of their own. For this new majority, the best if not sole option is some variant of the $10,000 degree model.
Lower-cost degrees also address what a University of Pennsylvania study calls “huge inequities in Texas higher education.” Among those “25-34, 43 percent of whites hold at least an associate degree, compared to 28 percent of blacks and only 15 percent of Hispanics.” The enormity of this disparity crystallizes when we reflect on two additional facts: First, Hispanics and blacks constitute 50 percent of Texans, and second, the percentage of Hispanics in Texas K-12 today is 50 percent and growing.
This debate is healthy because, again, both sides supply a needed piece of the puzzle. Defenders are correct that innovation can enhance college affordability; the $10,000 degree is an idea whose time has come. Its critics, they argue, are looking down their noses at a train that has already left the station without them. But the critics are also correct to insist that the programs be academically rigorous.
Happily, through marrying these competing claims, we simultaneously can address the crisis detailed in “Academically Adrift.” To accomplish this, we can look to the University of Texas System, which for eight years has been administering the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) to measure undergraduate learning. Deemed by many the gold standard of student learning tests, the CLA does not discriminate on the basis of entry scores, educational privilege or income. It measures what matters most: how much students actually increase their learning during college. Knowing the CLA’s reliability, the authors of “Academically Adrift” employed it as their measurement tool.
While the UT System comprises a number of diverse institutions, it recognizes that, although each school is unique, the capacities to think critically, engage in complex reasoning and write clearly — the skills measured by the CLA — are equally indispensable for all students. Therefore, it employs the CLA at all but one of the nine universities in its system. Measuring learning with the same tool may be as important as the particular tool itself. For over a decade, every public college and university in South Dakota has been required to measure student learning through the use of the same test, in their case, the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency. South Dakota, like UT, recognizes that different tests for different schools would muddy the waters, undermining the transparency required for programs to compare themselves to others and therewith improve themselves.
Therefore, the Legislature should mandate that all Texas public colleges and universities administer the CLA to students in their freshman and senior years. Doing so would also lend greater credence to our project to improve graduation rates. A recent Chronicle of Higher Education survey of employers revealed their fear that overemphasizing graduation rates might “incentivize” universities “to water down quality to hit their targets.” In the light of “Academically Adrift,” we need to demonstrate to prospective employers that increased graduation rates have not been purchased at the price of education quality. Marrying graduation rates with monitoring of student learning through the CLA would help validate our intention to do justice to both. Information for both should be made easily accessible online to students, parents, legislators and employers.
To increase transparency and accountability further, the Legislature should require all universities to include on transcripts not only the grade the student received for each class, but also the overall average grade for the class. This would tell prospective employers whether or not a given student’s high grade-point average was the product of exceptional work or of enrolling in what today’s students call “Mick” (for “Mickey Mouse”) courses. Such legislation is necessary because studies reveal that the time students spend studying has declined in the past half-century from 24 to 14 hours a week. Worse, grades during this period have, paradoxically, increased. Approximately 43 percent of all college grades today are As, an increase of 28 percentage points since 1960. Inflated grades only serve to diminish the value of a college degree. Applying the sunlight of transparency will help reverse this.
Like grades, administration has become inflated. As documented in Benjamin Ginsberg’s book “The Fall of the Faculty,” “forty years ago, the efforts of 446,830 professors were supported by 268,952 administrators and staff. Since then, the number of full-time professors increased slightly more than 50 percent, while the number of administrators and administrative staffers increased 85 percent and 240 percent, respectively.” Senior administrators have done particularly well under the new regime. From 1998 to 2003, deans and vice presidents saw their salaries increase as much as 50 percent, and “by 2007, the median salary paid to a president of a doctoral degree-granting institution was $325,000.” In order that precious taxpayer dollars might be redirected to teaching and learning, the Legislature should mandate that all universities conduct feasibility studies for a 10 percent reduction in their administrative staff budgets.
Finally, a measure forwarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board would serve simultaneously to enhance both quality and affordability. The Legislature should require all public institutions to increase aggregate credit hours taught by tenured and tenure-track faculty by 10 percent. This would reverse a trend documented in a study conducted by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, which found that, “at research universities in the United States between 1988 and 2004, it is estimated that teaching loads fell 42 percent.” To accomplish this without harming faculty research, department chairs should assign low-publishing faculty one additional course annually.
While the challenges before us are doubtless formidable, these proposals go far to build on the momentum already established. And because Texas’ problems are America’s problems, Texas’ solutions can become the guiding star for the other 49 states. | <urn:uuid:bd237a96-4420-455e-bd36-300d6b568761> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.texaspolicy.com/center/higher-education/opinions/texas-poised-become-national-model-higher-ed-reform | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952878 | 2,019 | 1.796875 | 2 |
― Sony ericsson xperia x10 was first Android device released by Sony Ericsson which had become a very popular device these days. Development drivers are very necessary to flash firmware in your x10. Generally these drivers come packed with a pc companion or seus (sony ericsson update service) . There is some software conflict in windows 7 that it could not install drivers by itself. So if. you want manual installation adb drivers you can download them from here ∙ After downloading it [...]. | <urn:uuid:8640abfa-a237-4c3c-adbb-e9b4d95c5a83> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bloggers.com/post/installing-xperia-x10-development-drivers-in-windows-7xp-6772226 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965358 | 104 | 1.734375 | 2 |
A housing comeback is now underway; that much is clear. Adding to a steady drumbeat of positive data for the sector, new data last week showed a surprising 3.6 percent gain in housing starts in October, which came on the back of a 15.1 percent rise in September.
The question now is how strong it will be and where it will take place. And to answer those questions it helps to look into the fundamentals of the major U.S. housing markets. These numbers suggest the future for housing is looking bright in the Atlanta, New York, and Chicago metro areas. But thats getting ahead of things.
A good way to look at which housing markets are potentially overvalued and which are undervalued – and where the market seems to be begging for new home construction and where there is still a surplus of unneeded houses – is to look at the relationship between rents and home prices. Over long periods of time, the price to rent a given house should rise at about the same rate as the price to buy one.
But over shorter periods of time, the two can diverge. And when they do, it is usually a sign that something curious is up in that market. For example, from 2000 to 2005, prices in the Miami metro area rose by 136 percentage points more than did rents, a sure sign that it was one of the nations most bubbly housing markets.
(Those numbers, like all in this piece, come from comparing changes in the S&P Case-Shiller home price index for different major metro areas compared with the Labor Departments consumer price index measure of Owners Equivalent Rent, for those same areas. Owners equivalent rent is a measure of what it would cost to rent the housing stock that people in that city own. Because there are some metro areas for which Case-Shiller data is available and BLS data is not, and vice verse, only 12 major markets are included in this analysis).
Sure enough, in Miami, in the four years starting in 2005, rents kept rising, up 23 percent, while home prices fell 38 percent. Essentially, the imbalance reversed itself.
Few places have experienced booms and busts quite that dramatic, but the same analytical tools can help explain what cities are poised for a rise in prices and construction in the future. When rents are rising faster than home prices, it is a sign that purchasing a home is becoming relatively more affordable, and so it will behoove people to seriously think about buying. That in turn should create upward pressure on prices in the future and so coax builders into the market. These things can move in slow waves, so its not necessarily proof that the markets flashing green lights for improvement will get better next year. But over time, this is a solid indicator of where new construction ought to occur.
As alluded to above, the biggest divide between rents and prices, both over the last year and the last three years, has been in Atlanta. It was a city that experienced far less of a housing bubble during the 2000 to 2005 years, with price increases outstripping rent increases only 22 percent percentage points.
But despite having missed the excesses of the boom, the Atlanta metro area housing market still saw a steep price drop during the housing bust, falling 16 percent drop from 2005 to 2009. Prices have continued falling in the last three years, even as equivalent rents in Atlanta have been rising slightly.
In the last year alone, prices fell another 6.1 percent while equivalent rents rose 1.3 percent. | <urn:uuid:872837c8-a86c-48ba-9be3-0c90fc82483d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jg.net/article/20121125/BIZ13/311259950/1031/BIZ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96316 | 714 | 1.773438 | 2 |
With the first 60mph lap not far away there was general concern about the speed and safety of the machines that lined up for the 1922 races.
Plans to restrict the Juniors to 250cc and the Seniors to 350cc were scrapped, but the ACU did introduce a separate five-lap race for the Lightweights.
Meanwhile, the cost of organising the races had caused a rift between the ACU and the Manx government. The ACU threatened to stage the event in Yorkshire and were also considering an invitation from Belgium; the Manx authorities countered by saying they would run the races through their own affiliated organisation.
Both sides saw sense and there was a good entry, in terms of both quality and quantity, for the three races. Journalist Geoff Davison won the first-ever Lightweight race on a two-stroke, Levis, while a certain Walter Handley set the fastest lap at 51.00 mph before breaking down.
Another rider to figure in later TT results, Stanley Woods, made his debut in the Junior on a Cotton and finished fifth, despite setting fire to himself and his machine at his fuel stop. The race was won by Manxman Tom Sheard, riding an AJS. It was the first 'home' victory at the TT, and did much to restore 'diplomatic relations' between the warring parties.
Joining Woods and Handley, as a 'fairly promising newcomer' was Jimmy Simpson, who raced a Scott in the Senior. Alec Bennett won the six-lap event on a Sunbeam, becoming the first rider to lead a TT from start to finish. | <urn:uuid:4d66d258-aa0c-403f-8aac-0ff0731d6034> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events.aspx?meet_code=TT22%20%20&era=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984244 | 332 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News
Garland is conducting ground spraying for mosquitoes after the city reported its 39th human case of West Nile virus.
The city of Garland reported its 39th human case of West Nile virus on Wednesday.
A release from the city said the person lives in the 2700 block of Big Oaks Drive.
Crews conducted ground spraying overnight Wednesday to kill infected mosquitoes.
Temperatures have not cooled down enough to kill mosquitoes, so Garland officials are reminding residents to continue wearing DEET products. | <urn:uuid:50c2f8f8-acda-4dd3-9d4c-bd3e365fa9e1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Garland-Conducts-Ground-Spraying-for-Mosquitoes-170448986.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941946 | 110 | 1.625 | 2 |
|Peter Pan (Special Edition)|
|Written by Mel Odom|
|Tuesday, 12 February 2002|
Just the name Peter Pan evokes restlessness in children everywhere, a need to go adventuring. Children who see the show become enamored of flying around rooms and homes, and pick up sticks and brooms to use as swords to fight evil pirates. The boy who would never grow up has become an icon in American life, and there has never been as grand a place invented as Never Land or a villain as black-hearted as Captain Hook.
"Peter Pan" had long been a dream of Walt Disney’s. As the viewer discovers when perusing the special features section of this DVD, Disney saw a stage presentation of James M. Barrie’s story and worked on acquiring the property for over 10 years before the movie was finally made. Even after several stage presentations and a 1924 live action movie of "Peter Pan," audiences sat enraptured by the Disney storytelling and animated movie magic.
The movie begins in the Darling household in London. Wendy, John and Michael are the Darling children. Wendy is the keeper of stories, the one who doles out the fantastic tales of Peter Pan to her younger siblings. One night, as Mr. Darling tries to get ready to go to a function, he’s angered by the fact that his cufflinks and clothing have been used as pirate treasure and to draw a map. He outlaws Peter Pan in his household and tells Wendy she has to grow up.
In Chapter 3, prior to the confrontation that takes place between parents and children, the viewer gets an idea of the changes that have been done to the sound portion of the film for this special edition. The sound mix isn’t as good a most mixes on movies and animated features these days, but the sound engineering in the early 1950s didn’t approach the quality of today’s audio for film. The people who re-engineered the sound had to work with what they had rather than making a new soundtrack, and they did a good job.
During the comedic depiction of family dog Nana getting the children ready for bed, the center speaker(s) carry the voices while the left and right mains carry the violin music and the various crashes and thumps. This division of auditory labor continues through Mr. Darling’s dramatic search for his missing attire and his angry declaration that Wendy has to grow up in the morning.
Mr. Darling’s and Nana’s voices are actually split off quite well in Chapter 4. Through with children and dogs in general, Mr. Darling escorts Nana outside and ties her up. As they walk across the screen, their voices (his dialogue and her pitiful cries) shift from the center speaker(s) to the left and right, giving the viewer the illusion of distance.
When Mr. Darling continues his tirade in Chapter 5 and finally goes off to his function with his wife, the viewer again hears his voice recede. Peter Pan arrives, looking for his shadow, which Nana has managed to take while he was visiting at another time. Peter’s voices echoes all around the viewer for a time, before again retreating to the center speaker(s). Tinkerbell’s fairy tinkling as she moves is clear as, well, a bell, and echoes throughout the room.
Also in Chapter 5, Peter’s pursuit of his own fugitive shadow rolls through the center and main speakers, backed by the music. Then, as the story settles in again in Chapter 6 and Peter finds out about the plight of the Darling children, the audio returns to the center speaker(s) while the music echoes through the mains.
In Chapter 9, Peter and the children fly out of the Darling house and begin their journey to Never Land. They use Big Ben as a way stop, and the clock tower’s sonorous bonging echoes through the surround sound.
Captain Hook gets a really proper introduction in Chapter 10 when he shoots a pirate from the rigging for singing. The audio portion of the DVD kicks in again with the first appearance of the crocodile that ate Hook’s hand. Since the foul beast also devoured an alarm clock, the "tick-tock" sound of the clock’s mechanism becomes a signature sound for the crocodile. The "tick-tock, tick-tock" sound pumps from the surround sound system, making the viewer feel as though the crocodile is on top of him or her.
Chapter 11 reveals some missed opportunities for the sound engineers that could have enhanced the audio portion of the DVD. As Hook paces and rants at his crew, the sound would have been more dynamic if his words had gone from center to main speakers and back again. In another example, the cannon discharges might have been more impressive if they rolled through the speaker system as well.
Despite these omissions on the part of the sound portion of the film, "Peter Pan" remains a visual treat. A perfect example of Disney Studios’ creativity comes in Chapter 12 when Tinkerbell gets upset with Wendy and Peter. While rendezvousing with the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell sabotages Wendy’s arrival. When Peter chastises her, Tinkerbell becomes livid and turns red, getting hot enough to burn her way through a leaf.
In Chapter 15, the viewer is again exposed to the startling visual beauty that made Disney Studios such a powerhouse back in the 1950s. Wendy accompanies Peter to visit the mermaids and the surroundings are purest fantasy. The characterizations are dead on, too, as Wendy gets into an argument with the mermaids. The mermaids make fun of Wendy and Peter, the epitome of boyhood, doesn’t think the mermaids mean anything by the biting exchange.
Chapter 16 heralds the return of the crocodile. His arrival doesn’t quite echo through the surround sound system the way his first appearance did. However, the bird cries around Skull Rock emanate from all the speakers for a short time, then fade into the background. When Captain Hook is chased away by the crocodile later in the same chapter, the boat skips across the water through the main and center speakers.
The crocodile returns, with his trademark "tick-tock" noise in Chapter 18, but the Disney surround sound on this movie doesn’t shine again until the Indians sing in Chapter 21. Their song thumps through the subwoofer and rolls through the main and center speakers. Chapter 23 continues with the drumbeat as the Lost Boys, with Wendy in tow, return to the tree hideout.
Captain Hook gets his own song in Chapter 25, and comes up with the idea of leaving Peter Pan a time bomb. The ticking of the deadly mechanism echoes through the speakers.
In Chapter 26, the time bomb explodes, jarring the subwoofer into sudden and inspired life while the detonation rolls throughout the rest of the speaker system. For a few seconds, the viewer feels like he or she is at ground zero.
Thinking Peter is dead, Captain Hook solicits the Lost Boys, and Wendy, John, and Michael, to join his crew. When they refuse, he makes Wendy walk the plank first, seemingly to her doom. The drum roll during this tense section of the movie issues from the main and center speakers, amping up the viewer’s interest.
After Peter arrives, Hook is enraged and pushes a crewman into the water. The splash this time, absent when Wendy disappeared over the end of the plank, rocks through the subwoofer as well. Later, when Tinkerbell uses her pixie dust and gives the ship the ability to fly, the music soars again.
Overall, the sound is improved on the special edition of the DVD, but if you already have the original release DVD of "Peter Pan," you might want to stick with that version. Of course, the new cover on the DVD case is absolutely beautiful, and the extras packed onto the disc are definitely worth taking time to explore. The commentaries with Roy Disney and Leonard Maltin add a lot of information to viewers about the making of the movie and Disney Studios at the time.
Walt Disney was at the height of his career during the making of "Peter Pan" and the insight into his industry is invaluable. One of the surprising things that a viewer may learn is that Tinkerbell’s movements, as well as key movements and scenes in the cartoon, were actually played out by real actors while being filmed and photographed. The process was a reverse of the storyboarding that is currently done for many big-budget feature films.
If you don’t have "Peter Pan" in your collection and you’re a fan of Disney and/or animation in general, or just good storytelling that is fun, pick up this DVD. While you’re watching the film, you don’t have to grow up. Join Peter on the adventure of a lifetime journeying through fantastic lands and fighting fierce foes. This is a DVD that can be shared and watched a number of times. | <urn:uuid:5f735951-d6e9-49e6-82c1-c9e2abd8d8a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.avrev.com/dvd-movie-disc-reviews/animation/peter-pan-special-edition.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961867 | 1,894 | 1.765625 | 2 |
In this season of spending more money than usual, of sending and receiving packages at a higher frequency, of storing valuable items and hoarding envelopes often filled with cash or checks to be mailed, deposited or distributed at a later date, we all must be vigilant and protect ourselves from becoming victims of theft, be it identity theft or that of our valuables or money.
The same vigilance is required in assisted living, perhaps even at greater intensity, since more people tend to come in and out of a person’s apartment/room in this care setting (i.e. housekeeping staff, nurses/care aides, friendly visitors, neighbors, etc.). The front door should be kept locked as often as possible, and valuables should always be stowed away and secured, not out in the open.
In a recent post at AgingCare.com, a woman whose mother lives in an Alzheimer’s care community shared her concerns about a fellow resident who was stealing items from her mother’s room. Unfortunately, these types of incidents do occur often, whether or not the senior resides in a memory care facility.
Don’t wait until the holidays are over: take time now to secure your loved one’s valuables, important documents (Social Security cards, birth certificates, marriage licenses, etc.), and other personal belongings to ensure safety and prevent theft year-round.
Read about elder financial abuse here at the blog. | <urn:uuid:cba9b8dd-76b6-4723-8dc8-4ace07111ab8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seniorsforliving.com/blog/2011/12/12/safety-and-security-in-assisted-living/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95311 | 297 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Join many SBN blogs in discussing concussions and how they affect the NHL today
Hockey fans know violence. Big hits, fights, and hard shots are a part of the game, and many times the reason that fans love it. With the information that is now known about concussions and how they affect the brain, many fans have questioned if the sport of hockey has become too violent.Today, many SBNation hockey blogs are posting various opinions on concussions in the NHL. Whether you think the NHL should crack down on hits to the head, that players are responsible for their own safety, injury risk is part of the game, fights should be banned, or anything in-between, there will be something for you today. There will also be feature stories on players that have had major concussion issues. Make sure to visit all of the sites taking part, and put your critical thinking caps on. Some sites will be posting multiple articles throughout the day, so make sure you stop back throughout the day.
Here at HW, there will be 6 more posts coming your way on concussions today. Hopefully they will spark some great discussion, and provide some extra points for you to think about when the topic of concussions comes up in the future.
Other sites taking part in Concussion Monday: | <urn:uuid:4cc6dcb2-3916-4881-a259-8eb41c9d690a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2013/2/11/3975414/the-nhl-and-concussions-concussion-monday | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971799 | 262 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Throughout our Pack Trials trip we try to think like you — the grower — by asking the kinds of questions we think you want to know the answers to: “will this finish quickly, how much PGR costs will I incur, how much bench space will this take up, will it be easy to ship, etc.” So when the three of us sat down to decide what we were going to cover from this year’s exhibits we were overwhelmed with the possibilities and real improvements exhibited by some of the new varieties…enough so to change the way we cover Pack Trials.
Instead of lumping together all of our featured varieties, we decided to set apart those introductions that we think will truly make a difference in your world. We didn’t set limits on the number of varieties that could be included, and you’ll see that not every breeder is covered. We stuck to our principles and covered only those varieties that embodied all of the positive traits we were looking for; five made the cut. Look for the seed varieties that are “Breeding Breakthroughs” in next month’s coverage.
As we said, there were many varieties that were amazing; these five aren’t by any means the only varieties worth mentioning; you can find the other great Pack Trials introductions on page 38.
The Brilliance bracteantha series from Bodger (breeding by Benary) was one of those crops that made all of us say wow when we walked into the greenhouse. It should have since they have been working on this series for 21?2 years to get the right habit — a natural upright habit that showcases the flowers instead of the foliage. Most bracteantha are a pain when it comes to holding flowers above the foliage. This series is an exception, even without starvation and PGRs. The large, bright flowers sit naturally on top of the foliage, making for the presentation we’ve been waiting for in this crop.
Two colors make up the Brilliance series: ‘Brilliance Yellow’ has golden yellow flowers, and ‘Brilliance Lemon’ has pastel yellow flowers. Both are excellent for 6-inch production and grow to 20 inches. A 6-inch at one plant per pot will take 8-10 weeks to finish, and a 10- to 12-inch at multiple plants per pot will also take 8-10 weeks. Temperature requirements are 55-65° F nights and a minimum of 60° F days. Allowing day temperature to reach 70° F is no problem. Ample airflow will assist in even temperatures, and keeping foliage dry eliminates disease problems. Extremely high light will stress plants and may yellow foliage. A soft pinch once the plants are established after transplant will create needed branching for full plant development and shorten plant frame. Apply fungicide spray for Botrytis after any pinching or mechanical trimming.
Feed using a balanced fertilizer with a lower phosphorus ration at 200-250 ppm nitrogen. In a soilless mix, additional iron may be required. Use of calcium and potassium nitrate as nitrogen source is recommended to prevent a soft or leafy plant. Regardless of its good genetics, even this plant will stretch with excessive moisture, low light and over-fertilization.
One of the exciting things we saw at Danziger “Dan” Flower Farm was the first introduction of a calibrachoa/petunia cross. The plant, Calitunia, has calibrachoa flowers and a petunia body. At this time, Danziger only introduced one color, Purple, to see how the market would respond, but they say more colors are in the works. It will be very interesting to see future colors, especially if Danziger can connect the colors of calibrachoas with the performance of petunias. If so, this will solve a big problem for growers and blow open the market.
Calitunia has the high and low temperature range and the mounding habit of petunia. Yet it has the flower form, vibrant color and profuse blooming power of calibrachoa, without issues of pH sensitivity. This plant is vigorous like a petunia, with a faster finish time.
Calitunia will perform from early spring to fall in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11. A 4-inch pot with one plant per pot will finish in 4-7 weeks; a 6-inch pot with 1-2 plants per pot will finish in 6-10 weeks; and a 10-inch hanging basket with 3-4 plants will finish in 7-11 weeks.
Pinching is optional; however, if you decide to do it, pinch about four weeks after rooting, while plants are still in liner trays. Calitunia prefers high light intensities with full sun. Day temperatures should be 65-75° F and night temperatures 45-55° F.
Fertilization should include a constant feed with a balanced fertilizer at 250-300 ppm nitrogen with average micronutrients and additional iron-chelate. You should maintain pH at 5.5-6.0.
Heliotrope is not exactly a revolutionary crop; it’s been around forever. Still, we heard quite a few rumblings during our trip about Selecta First Class’s ‘Basket Marino’ semi-trailing heliotrope. That’s right; it actually mounds and trails instead of standing upright, and that’s what makes it a breeding breakthrough. According to Selecta, this is the first trailing heliotrope on the market. ‘Basket Marino’ also received high praise in Selecta’s post-Pack Trials survey. And that was enough for us.
‘Basket Marino’ has a vigor in-between the two existing Selecta varieties ‘Compact Marino’ and ‘Marino 2000’, making a really nice mounding, semi-trailing hanging basket that is sure to attract a lot of attention at retail in coming years. It makes great 4-inch pots, as well as baskets; has a medium vigor; finishes fast because of its early flowering; emits a vanilla scent; and produces extremely vivid violet flowers. The foliage is medium green and small. It branches very well and is easy to grow. No PGRs are needed in most of the country, but in the Southeast or during summer it may be necessary.
The Sunsatia nemesia series was introduced for 2004, and it caught our attention then. So why are we covering it again? Proven Winners has been hard at work on the Sunsatia series, addressing its main detraction: habit. And the habit of the two newest colors — Mango, a medley of purple, gold, yellow and creamy white and Raspberry, a pretty pink/red — is exactly what they have been working toward and what we’ve all been wanting. The new Sunsatias are very upright and strong branching; these plants will not break apart in the middle or flop over. They hold their shape much better than the others in the series, and according to PW, breeding work is continuing to improve existing varieties.
Sunsatia works well in 4- to 6-inch pots, gallons, combination pots, hanging baskets and landscapes, and plants are often covered in blooms so much that the foliage is not even seen. Finish height is 6-10 inches, and plants need to be spaced 10-12 inches apart.
Finish time for 4- to 5-inch is 4-6 weeks; for 6-inch or 1-gal. is 5-7 weeks; an 8-inch requires 7-9 weeks; and 10- to 12-inch pots require 10-12 weeks. For 6-inch and smaller plants pinch at transplanting only. For hanging baskets and pots larger than 6-inches soft-pinch at planting, with additional pinches as needed. Sumagic (uniconazol, Valent Professional Products) at 5-10 ppm is effective at controlling growth, as are cold temperatures.
A note of warning: Air circulation and proper water management are critical for healthy and salable plants.
The new Nirvana vinca series from Fischer USA has been the talk of the town as far a vincas go. We remembered hearing about it back at OFA last July, so we were excited to see it, especially when we heard Goldsmith breeders have been working on it for more than a decade. Marketed under the Goldfisch brand, Nirvana is a tough vinca bred to be aerial Phytopthora resistant. Though Fischer reported some production problems back at the beginning of the year, they have assured us that those have been remedied, and the product should be in full supply for the 2005/2006 season. If the early university trials are any indication, this series might be the most significant advancement in vinca breeding to date.
Nirvana thrives under high temperatures and relatively dry conditions, so a porous media that drains rapidly should be used. Select a media that has a minimal pre-plant charge of nutrients, as vinca do not like elevated ammonium and phosphorus levels. Media pH should be 5.4-5.8. Thielaviopsis may develop on vinca as black lesions on the roots.
Alternate moisture levels, but avoid overhead irrigation. Provide good air movement and ventilation to encourage rapid drying of foliage during the day and reduce condensation on leaves at night.
Feed 100-150 ppm nitrogen calcium nitrate. Avoid ammonium-based fertilizers under low light and/or short-day conditions. Media EC should be 1.0-1.5. Leaching every 3-4 waterings is recommended.
Temperature should be kept at 65-68° F nights and 75-85° F days. Low temperatures in combination with wet conditions will produce chlorotic or albino new growth, while older leaves may turn yellow.
Pinching and growth regulators are not needed due to a naturally branching habit; however, pinching can be done on large containers.
Not just a new color or a competing line, | <urn:uuid:fa4122b9-029e-439a-9b80-3e27a3851dac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gpnmag.com/print/4985 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944939 | 2,103 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Some of you already have seen video, but if not it's a fun exercise.
Context is a public place with other citizens, with a person harassing a government employee
Situation leads to both people swearing/insulting each other, with the person eventually throwing a punch at the public worker. Public worker gives her one final warning, walks up and fights back. Neither person has serious injuries and both continue to talk to each other after being seperated
Before you watch the video, write down your answers to the following
1) Who is at fault
2) Who should be charged
3) What should be the punishment
Now watch the video
Video (Youtube link)
My initial thoughts below
I'll give some more verbose thoughts on the video later. Maybe post some more later this weekend.
This post has been edited by Pants: 12 October 2012 - 08:04 AM | <urn:uuid:d237effe-c851-4059-a28e-194865f354e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/forum/topic/3061-context-and-situation/page__p__341471 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949001 | 185 | 1.578125 | 2 |
London - Britain's standard rate of sales tax, or VAT, increased to 20% on Tuesday in one of several moves to slash a record public deficit, but the opposition said it would hit the poorest hardest.
Finance minister George Osborne insisted the rise from 17.5% was a "reasonable" step towards economic recovery and would raise £13bn ($20.2bn) a year.
Retailers have warned it could put the brakes on consumer spending at a time when Britain's economic recovery remains fragile, while there are also fears the move could fuel inflation and put pressure on pay settlements.
It comes in a tough back-to-work week for British consumers after the Christmas and New Year festivities, with transport fares going up and fuel prices effectively rising twice.
The VAT rise also comes against a backdrop of deep cuts in public spending which are only just starting to take effect.
But Osborne told BBC radio: "I think it is a reasonable rate to set, given the very difficult situation we find ourselves in. The VAT rise is a tough but necessary step towards Britain's economic recovery.
"If you don't want to raise VAT, you have got to do something else."
He added: "I said before Christmas that the VAT rate I regarded as permanent because it is a structural tax change."
Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, argued that an alternative policy of raising income tax and National Insurance payments "would have a more damaging impact on poorer people in our society."
The VAT rise would actually boost job creation, he argued, because it would increase confidence that the government was tackling the country's deficit.
Prime Minister David Cameron's coalition government of his Conservative party and the Liberal Democrats has made a priority of cutting the £150bn deficit it inherited from Labour after May's election.
Labour, now in opposition, said the government had broken an election promise by raising VAT.
Its finance spokesperson Alan Johnson said: "This is a broken promise - this was the big issue of the general election campaign.
"It does nothing for jobs and growth - this year has to be all about continuing the growth momentum. It hits the poorest hardest.
"For those three reasons this is the wrong tax at the wrong time."
The change affects any VAT-registered business which sells or purchases goods or services that are subject to the standard rate.
Among the items rising in price is a pint of beer, which will be pushed above three pounds for the first time in some regions, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
Some shoppers beat the rise by snapping up big-ticket items such as televisions in the New Year sales before the new rate came into effect.
The majority of food, children's clothing and books remain free of VAT and items such as children's car seats, domestic fuel and power supplies for domestic use will continue to carry reduced rates.
A report by the Centre for Retail Research suggested consumers will spend an average of £324 pounds less in the remainder of this year as a result of the VAT rise, cutting British retail sales by as much as £2.2bn in the first quarter of 2011 alone.
Most economists surveyed by the Financial Times believe the government's attempts to reduce the deficit will stay on track this year because deep spending cuts and tax rises will not cut growth so much as to cause a double-dip recession.
Of 78 economists polled for Tuesday's paper, including 10 former members of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee, 43 thought the programme to tackle the deficit would be "on track" by the end of 2011. | <urn:uuid:68dbcaf0-403f-4287-a561-8c339d9ebf71> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Britain-raises-sale-tax-20110105 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966875 | 735 | 1.664063 | 2 |
STOCKTON - Two Stockton women, fed up with the rising tide of crime, are calling on the city's residents to pray at noon Saturday.
"Wherever people are, we're asking them to stop on the spot and pray at noon," said Bernice Bass, who has created an organization known as Mothers Making A Difference in Stockton.
Anita Moore, 53, represents Communities Standing Together With Friends 'n' Families.
The two women will be standing at noon Saturday in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue on North El Dorado Street, inside the downtown plaza by the same name.
"If it's just the two of us, we're going to pray," said Moore, who invited "preachers, teachers and parents" to join them.
Two years ago, the 39-year-old Bass said she started talking to others whose families had been victims of crime.
"We need to start educating our children," she said. "They're making crime an activity. Stealing gold chains is like a sport right now.
"Silly as it sounds, that's real."
Bass, who is unemployed, has devoted herself to the Making A Difference organization.
"Most of the time, it is the mothers raising the children," she said. "We need to educate them, support them; call each other, help each other."
She pointed to a recent weekend that was particularly violent in Stockton.
"Every time someone dies, I want to be there. We need to stop the violence before it happens. We take it too lightly."
She and Moore are determined to pull the community together in standing up to crime and violence.
"I have faith," said Moore. "We are calling out Stockton. We want to pray over Stockton. If you can't join us, stop wherever you are at noon Saturday to pray for the city."
Moore and her group were part of a September Peace Picnic organized at Oak Park by activist Ulysses Hall and We Are Family.
Bass, lamenting that there are too many car washes to pay for funerals, said she believes prayer will make a difference.
"God is on top," she said. "He's over all."
Contact reporter Kevin Parrish at (209) 546-8264 or email@example.com. | <urn:uuid:78e059ac-eeb4-4d48-bb23-ccb0ba5a5d2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121123/A_NEWS/211230307/-1/a_comm01 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977788 | 492 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Discussions on expanding Advanced Academic Programs to include more elementary and middle schools is taking on the tone of a boundary debate.
Fairfax County school administrators propose increasing the number of Advanced Academic Programs to include 14 additional middle schools and six additional elementary schools. If implemented, all middle schools would have AAP Centers and programs would be available at the elementary school level in all of the school system’s eight pyramids. Currently the AAP Level IV Centers are not available in six pyramids — Falls Church, Marshall, Annandale, Edison, South County high schools and Robinson Secondary School.
Advanced Academic Programs are offered to advanced learners with the goal of challenging those students who learn at a faster rate, think of a higher level and/or study sophisticated and complete content, according to FCPS. These students are identified through an examination process. While some of the programs are pull-out or small-group interaction within the classroom, the Level IV program is a full-time program for students grades three through eight.
The School Board is scheduled to discuss the expansion proposal during its Dec. 10 work session at the Gatehouse Administration Center. A vote could come as early as January, with changes taking effect next fall.
Grandfathering would allow children in fourth through sixth grades to stay in their current schools, but third graders would be impacted. At the middle school level, the shift would impact rising seventh graders. Eighth grade school assignments would not be affected.
Parents of students currently in programs voiced concerns during a series of outreach meetings held last week. Topping their list of issues was the expedited speed of the proposed shift.
“I do not think that a School Board decision in December-January provides adequate time to plan and implement this middle school proposal across the county,” said parent Rachel Rothstein, the mother of a fourth grader at Great Falls Elementary and an eighth grader at Kilmer Middle School. While neither of her children will be affected by the shift directly, Rothstein said she is concerned that changes to the program could diffuse quality of programming offered. The school system proposal includes plans to train additional teachers on AAP curriculum for the expansion.
“I am very concerned that this proposal…will negatively impact the rigor of Level IV AAP programs,” wrote parent Nancy Deng in a letter to her School Board representative Jane Strauss (Dranesville District). Deng, the mother of seventh-grade twins said the outreach meetings did not offer parents enough information on how changes would be implemented logistically. Several parents complained that the meetings lacked detail beyond a PowerPoint presentation outlining the plan. They said they wanted to know how the shift would impact each school and specifically their children.
“Without clarification of those important issues and without clear commitment of financial and human resources to support the Level IV AAP program at each middle school, it is very troublesome for parents to anticipate the consequence of this reconstructing at such as massive level,” Deng wrote.
Expansions to the AAP centers were proposed by a staff task force that convened last spring. The school system argues that the increase in services will provide equity of access to currently underserved children, while simultaneously reducing crowding in schools that enrolled AAP students, who would normally attend their neighborhood school. Staff said even with the cost of training and/or hiring new teachers for the expansion, the school system will save money when they are not transporting students to locations outside of their base school attendance areas.
“The plan to expand the AAP Centers is evolving based on the input we have received from parents and citizens at the community meetings,” FCPS spokeswoman Mary Shaw said, adding that a revised recommendation reflecting parents concerns would be posted to the school system’s website Thursday, after the newspaper’s deadline.
“The reason why this is moving along with a sense of urgency is because of the severe overcrowding currently at Louise Archer, Haycock and Hunters Woods Elementary Schools,” Shaw said.
In the weeks to come, before the student holiday recess, parents say they are looking for more detail, which will allow the School Board to make informed decisions.
“While we have very few concrete facts, the few we have are disturbing,” parent Angela Smith said. “While the current middle school centers offer a large group of kids the opportunity to be together with their peers both academically and socially—this new approach would see middle schools with as few as 11 kids per grade in AAP. How can you run a meaningful program with 11 kids?” | <urn:uuid:c267e798-5d6c-410c-a52d-576eb8ce29f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20121206/NEWS/712069793/1076/county-schools-look-for-solution-to-lengthy-head-start-queue/Math-isn%E2%80%99t-simple-on-proposed-Advanced-Academic-Program-changes&template=fairfaxTimes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971868 | 924 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Leading Question: How can Paul write a personal letter to believers he scarcely knows?
As reported in Acts 17:1-10, Paul had spent only three Sabbaths preaching in the Jewish synagogue when turmoil erupted and the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. The Thessalonian correspondence has to be seen against the backdrop of that very brief visit.
1. A prayer of thanks (1 Thess. 1:1-3). In his opening greeting, Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonian believers, commending them for the three traits that come at the end of the celebrated chapter, 1 Corinthians 13: Work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope. What is significant about the fact that hope, not love, is in the final, and most powerful position in Paul’s prayer. When and why would hope be more important than love?
2. Chosen (1 Thess. 1:4). As Paul continues his prayer, he notes that God has “chosen” them. In other words, he emphasizes divine initiative rather than human choice. John 15:16 is quite emphatic in that respect: “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” How can we reconcile those two points? Can we be so strong on one that we lose sight of the other? Why would Paul not even mention human choice here? Does Philippians 2:12-13 give us any help? “Work out your own salvation – because it is God who is at work within you? Note the C. S. Lewis comment on the relationship between the two. Here he uses ancient labels to distinguish the two, Pelagianism (free will) and Augustinianism (divine initiative):
Now I am going to suggest that strictly causal thinking is even more inadequate when applied to the relation between God and man. I don’t mean only when we are thinking of prayer, but whenever we are thinking about what happens at the Frontier, at the mysterious point of junction and separation where absolute being utters derivative being.
One attempt to define causally what happens there has led to the whole puzzle about Grace and free will. You will notice that Scripture just sails over the problem. “Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling” – pure Pelagianism. But why? “For it is God who worketh in you” – pure Augustinianism. It is presumably only our presuppositions that make this appear nonsensical. We profanely assume that divine and human action exclude one another like the actions of two fellow-creatures so that “God did this” and “I did this” cannot both be true of the same act except in the sense that each contributed a share. – C. S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm, p. 49-50.
3. Assurance in Christ (1 Thess. 1:5). Paul says that he is confident that the one who began this good work in them will carry it on to completion. Do we have the right to express such bold confidence? Or would that be arrogant of us?
4. Imitation theology (1 Thess. 1:6-7). The idea of imitation throbs through these verses. The believers are imitating not just Christ, but Paul. And then they become an example to the believers through Greece. How can one have such a strong emphasis on “imitation” without the risking the potentially dangerous side-effects of arrogance and/or discouragement?
5. Evidences of faith (1 Thess. 1:8-10. Paul’s reference to turning from idols suggests that the congregation is composed largely of new Gentile converts. What has happened to the Jews to whom Paul preached in the synagogue? Have they fallen by the way?
6. Wrath to come. Paul doesn’t define “wrath.” Can we qualify it as “wrath of God”? Can it be depersonalized to some kind of wrath not directly linked with God. The text does not say that it is the wrath “of God?” Is this an important distinction? In Letters to Malcolm, pp. 96-97, C. S. Lewis argues with his correspondent in favor of keeping the personal reference:
I fully grant you that “wrath” can be attributed to God only by an analogy. The situation of the penitent before God isn’t, but is somehow like, that of one appearing before a justly angered sovereign, lover, father, master, or teacher. But what more can we know about it than just this likeness? Trying to get in behind the analogy, you go further and fare worse. You suggest that what is traditionally regarded as our experience of God’s anger would be more helpfully regarded as what inevitably happens to us if we behave inappropriately towards a reality of immense power. As you say, “the live wire doesn’t feel angry with us, but if we blunder against it we get a shock.”
My dear Malcolm, what do you suppose you have gained by substituting the image of a live wire for that of angered majesty? You have shut us all up in despair; for the angry can forgive, and electricity can’t.
And you give as your reason that “even by analogy the sort of pardon which arises because a fit of temper is spent cannot worthily be attributed to God nor gratefully accepted by man.” But the belittling words “fit of temper” are your own choice. Think of the fullest reconciliation between mortals. Is cool disapproval coolly assuaged? Is the culprit let down lightly in view of “extenuating circumstances”? Was peace restored by a moral lecture? Was the offence said not to “matter”? Was it hushed up or passed over? Blake knew better:
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
You too know better. Anger – no peevish fit of temper, but just, generous scalding indignation – passes (not necessarily at once) into embracing, exultant, re-welcoming love. That is how friends and lovers are truly reconciled. Hot wrath, hot love. Such anger is the fluid that love bleeds when you cut it. The angers, not the measured remonstrances, of lovers are love’s renewal. Wrath and pardon are both, as applied to God, analogies; but they belong together to the same circle of analogy – the circle of life, and love, and deeply personal relationships. All the liberalizing and “civilizing” analogies only lead us astray. Turn God’s wrath into mere enlightened disapproval, and you also turn His love into mere humanitarianism. The “consuming fire” and the “perfect beauty” both vanish. We have, instead, a judicious headmistress or a conscientious magistrate. It comes of being high-minded. | <urn:uuid:7dc6e34b-dfac-49f2-b2e8-5387fe6f2658> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=55&lid=281 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948725 | 1,492 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Randi Martin, wtop.com
WASHINGTON - Gerard Thomas, a case manager who helps D.C.'s homeless veterans, knows the day-to-day struggle of homeless veterans as well as anyone.
The Vietnam veteran was chronically homeless for about 30 years before being one of the first people to get a housing voucher from Pathways to Housing D.C., a non-profit that provides housing and other services to the chronically homeless in Washington, D.C.
"Pathways found me and helped me get into housing," says Thomas.
But Pathways did more than that. They eventually hired him.
Thomas is now a case manager who spends his days finding people going through some of the same problems he was facing not that long ago.
Pathways is part of a national effort, with the Veterans Administration, to house homeless veterans this fall. Their goal is to house 50 veterans in the District by the end of November.
"The V.A. is committed to ending Veterans homelessness by 2015 so this program is one of many programs that the V.A. has implemented to make that a reality," says Christy Respress, Executive Director of Programs at Pathways.
But finding a place to live is just the first step.
"The housing ends the homelessness, but then the services are there to help people move on to the next step," says Respress.
The non-profit's Supportive Services for Veterans Families program has also vocational and rehabilitation counseling, job training programs, health care services, financial planning and more.
"We want to break that cycle of homelessness," says Respress.
If you're interested in helping Pathways you can call Hannah Zollman at 202-529- 2927 ext. 130, or by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org. More housing and donated household goods are always needed.
Follow WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
Winners and losers at the Daytime Emmys. (Photos)
Miss Utah's 2nd chance at the pageant answer that went viral. (Video)
A new gadget will let you know how active your dog is. (Video)
Ed Koch planned every detail of his funeral - except one crucial date. | <urn:uuid:2e41d429-be8a-4c6f-8caa-4d41ad0f99ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtop.com/109/3116339/Group-looks-to-break-cycle-of-homelessness-for-DC-veterans | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96475 | 467 | 1.6875 | 2 |
I'm currently writing a GUI application for a friend, and he wants the application to draw windows much like Windows Live does. By this I mean that the title bar & window frame are hidden/transparent and when the client area is drawn there are certain transparent areas. He has supplied me with a .PNG image that he wants me to use.
I've had a look into processing WM_NCPAINT which I figure is the right way to gain transparency in the NonClient area, but I don't know how to draw it as transparent. I've also found out that I'd have to use GDI+ to draw a .png image, but I'm having difficulty in finding decent resources that use Win32 (not MFC) GDI+ to load and draw a .png image.
It'd be much appreciated if anyone could help me with this. | <urn:uuid:96da7fdc-0fb9-46ef-8fc5-c4e8f925adb8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cboard.cprogramming.com/windows-programming/87930-nonclient-client-area-transparency.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974633 | 177 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Lessons My Father and Mother Taught Me
James Scott Bell
What about you? What lessons for life would you pass on, and who did you learn them from?
I was blessed with good parents. They were of the "Greatest Generation," decent and dedicated to taking care of their family of three boys. When I look at how I’ve lived my life, it’s all been a variation on a theme: I wanted them to be proud of me.
Even now, with both of them gone, I still think about them when looking at my own behavior.
From my dad I learned these things:
1. Never hit a girl.
2. You have to work hard to get anywhere.
3. Never, ever use the N word (my dad played baseball with Jackie Robinson on the UCLA team).
4. Everybody is entitled to the protections of the United States Constitution, even (nay, especially) those who can’t afford a lawyer.
5. If you make a commitment to someone, keep it.
6. Don’t lie.
From my mom I learned:
1. Don’t be selfish.
2. Don’t drink milk from the carton.
3. Take care of somebody when they’re sick.
4. Stand up for a friend if he’s treated unfairly.
5. Laugh a lot—it helps get you through life.
6. Finish your homework before you watch TV.
If I’ve managed to achieve some measure of success, I really do owe it to my parents. They laid the foundation.
When I started to take writing seriously, I determined that while I may not have the native talent of certain writers (for example, I think Stephen King is a literary and imaginative genius) at least I could work as hard as anyone. And I’ve tried. Thanks, Dad.
I also appreciate the value of a good laugh at strategic times. I write suspense, but I like comedy relief, a la Hitchcock. Reader mail tells me I do pretty well with that. Thanks, Mom. | <urn:uuid:49261033-1553-4cf5-9cee-9fa28c5f1a02> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.jp/2013/02/lessons-my-father-and-mother-taught-me.html?showComment=1361720048530 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95949 | 451 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Undeterred by the fact that all tobacco advertising was banned in the UK thirteen years ago, and that marketing to children was banned decades earlier, 38 Degrees are putatively concerned because tobacco companies "reportedly spend a fortune on designing cigarette brands and packs so they are more youth friendly". Note the careful, lawyer-pleasing use of the word "reportedly"—most cigarette packaging has barely changed since the 1940s. They're also worried about "special promotions at music festivals" like this:
omfg, it says "cigarettes"!!!
38 Degrees are not prepared to put up with this kind of filth...
It’s time that tobacco companies were forced to reveal exactly how much they spend on marketing, and how much they spend on marketing that could be viewed by young people (even if they are not the intended audience). The Government can force tobacco companies to do this. But they won’t do it unless we tell them to.
I could be wrong, but I'm not convinced that the government actually does have the power to demand to know a company's marketing budget. Certainly, no company would be able to calculate how much marketing might be seen by the unintended audience, especially since 38 Degrees' definition of marketing includes daft things like packet design.
Nevertheless, people who don't understand the difference between private companies and public information can go to 38 Degree's website and send a pre-written e-mail to their member of parliament.
It takes just two minutes to write to your MP and tell them why you think the Government should force tobacco companies to publish annually how much they spend on marketing that could be viewed by young people. Put in your postcode and click “Participate” to get started. it’ll only take 2 minutes.
It's a nice bit of software because all you do is put in your post-code and it automatically finds your MPs' e-mail address.
Of course, you don't have to use the pre-written text...
|Click to enlarge| | <urn:uuid:c98623bc-e70c-439d-9d4b-ffc23f20512f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2011/09/useful-website.html?showComment=1315305967083 | 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 | 0.975815 | 419 | 1.773438 | 2 |
So I was just sitting here in the home office working when our CEO, Paul Walborsky, pinged me on Google Talk. (Whew, good thing I was working!) I answered the video call, and the first thing he says is: “Dude, do you see where I am?” Now I don’t fly much, but I can recognize the inside of a plane. Yup, Paul called me from 30,000 feet on a Virgin America flight to San Francisco.
At only $12.95 on a three-plus hour flight for Wi-Fi access, Virgin’s GoGo service is definitely accessible for most budgets. It’s even cheaper for shorter flights or if you want to use it on a handheld device. Now there’s definitely the crowd that will say, “Oh no, not for me. I don’t want to be connected all the time.” That’s cool, and I respect that. But think about the implications this type of connectivity brings if you want:
- Real-time video and chat
- Instant personal communications
- The ability to work or play on the web
- To connect with friends on social networks
During our conversation, Paul made a great observation. In less than 30 minutes, we were able to have a video conversation between a plane and the ground, record it, write up the experience, and share with it with tons of people. That’s the disruptive, real-time nature of today’s connected world. | <urn:uuid:ac15b989-1362-4b84-b501-579b307a9d8f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gigaom.com/2009/06/10/i-just-had-a-video-chat-with-our-ceo-hes-on-a-plane/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949184 | 321 | 1.710938 | 2 |
The Evolution Deceit
Usak ART TV, 19 August 2008
Adnan Oktar: One that is devout, fears Allah and acts rationally and logically, that is the kind of nation that Allah makes the standard bearer of Islam. That is the kind of nation to which Allah has given the task of disseminating Islam, insha'Allah…A nation that lives by such exemplary moral values, a nation that so lives by Islam. Ask anyone in the Islamic world. Ask who best lives according to Islam. They will say the Turks. It is the Turks who live most rationally, most justly and most consistently. They are very clean, immaculate. There is complete agreement. Everyone says Turkey should be the leader. Everyone in the Turkic world and the Islamic world says that.
Azerbaijan ATV, 27 August 2008
Adnan Oktar: Turkey is a genuine model country for the Islamic world. In other words, it excellently understands and implements Turkish nationalism, excellently understands and implements Islam, and also possesses the type of structure that internalizes secularism. But all Islamic countries agree that it is the country that best applies and lives by Islam. Turkey is punctilious when it comes to cleanliness, understanding, life style and piety. This may be a legacy from the Ottoman Empire, the influence of Ottoman scholars. Allah produces this in the most excellent way, which is why I think Turkey is the country best suited to the leadership of the Turkish-Islamic world.
Star, 17 July 2011
Clinton says US welcomes Turkey as a leader in the region
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States welcomes Turkey as a rising leader in the region and beyond.
Clinton, who is visiting Turkey, also had bilateral talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President Abdullah Gül and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on Saturday, where the officials discussed bilateral relations and regional affairs.
Clinton said across the region, people from the Middle East and North Africa particularly, are seeking to draw lessons from Turkey's experience and it is vital that they learn the lessons that Turkey has learned and is putting into practice every day. “Turkey's history serves as a reminder that democratic development depends on responsible leadership, and it's important that responsible leadership helps to mentor the next generation of leaders in these other countries,” she added.
Talks carried out on the Middle East after the Arab Spring
Turkey’s growth rate excites Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State | <urn:uuid:3e55d192-795e-4391-962f-f372f68e2d29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.evolutiondeceit.com/en/works/99754/Turkey-must-become-a-role-model-with-its-leading-role-in-the-region | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955782 | 517 | 1.65625 | 2 |
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