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The Street, Contributor
We deliver real-time market coverage and stock analysis for investors
Technology has shaped the way we live in nearly every facet of life. One aspect that’s poised to have the most impact, though, is the digital wallet.
Consumers are transitioning from paying with credit cards and cash to using whatever is easiest and most convenient for them, potentially saving a few dollars or earning rewards in the process.
Companies like eBay (EBAY), Square , and potentially Apple (AAPL), are changing the way we pay for everyday goods and services.
Mobile payments are destined to be a key component of the evolving “digital wallet,” and investors need to be aware of this emerging market. Battle lines in the war for market share are already being drawn.
According to data from Ernst & Young , mobile payments are expected to be big business, with the market reaching a massive $245 billion by 2014. The shift is coming rapidly, as payment methods are moving away from credit cards, debit cards and cash to smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
What isn’t clear yet is what this market will look like, Sterne Agee analyst Greg Smith wrote in a recent research note. “We found contrasting views as to how the mobile payments landscape will evolve, and in particular, whether NFC [Near Field Communication] or cloud-based wallets will ultimately dominate,” he explained. Smith did note that NFC will eventually increase rapidly in numbers, as will cloud-based mobile payments, and perhaps that’s why PayPal is taking an agnostic view towards its approach and keeping it in the cloud.
NFC, a swiping technology that is used for mobile payments, has attracted plenty of attention recently. There were rumors, for example, that NFC would form part of Apple’s iPhone announcement last year, although this did not materialize.
Even though non-traditional payments companies are entering the space, firms like Visa (V), and MasterCard (MA) are not going to go down without a fight, perhaps part of the reason why Visa made an investment in mobile payment specialist Square last year.
Channing Smith, portfolio manager of The Capital Advisors Growth Fund (CIAOX) believes that Visa’s infrastructure is not going to be dismantled or displaced by others, and that companies such as Apple and Google (GOOG) will “increasingly rely on Visa and MasterCard’s infrastructure as the mobile payments trend transitions to mass adoption.” Smith is long both Visa and Apple.
Square , led by CEO Jack Dorsey, is the 800-pound gorilla in mobile payments, thanks to its sleek Square card reader, and its partnership with Apple (The iPhone maker sells Square readers in its Apple Stores).
Square is thought to be doing roughly $5 billion in payments per year, as more merchants adopt the readers to cut down on credit card costs. The San Francisco-based company charges 2.75% per swipe for Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express (AXP), lower than the fees the credit card companies charge to process payments.
Square recently launched a loyalty rewards program for business owners to create rewards programs to keep existing customers and attract new ones.
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|To: burlegoat who wrote (8212)||7/7/2011 9:40:23 PM|
|From: E. Charters||1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 10280|
|A few natural remedies suggested are lemon balm, passiflora, and lavender. Not known if effective to this party.|
St. John's Wort should help as it increases serotonin levels. Anything which increases serotonin should help.
5HTP is in the class of a serotonin increaser.
Most people experiencing PA have low serotonin.
It should be noted that the jury is out on serotonin, as in some studies an increase in serotonin is found in people having PA's!!
Hypnosis is widely suggested and supposedly efficacious.
GABA has also been suggested, and supposedly tried successfully in certain cases, but GABA agonists are much more likely to work, such as skullcap, valerian or benzodiapene.
Zinc and magnesium are nature's sedatives. The zinc may combat copper deficiency, which is related to anxiety attacks.
Vitamin B1 may help, as it deficiency is related to psychosis. Take with B6 and a multi B.
Chamomile is a sedative. May help.
You should check that low BG is not the cause of this. If eating a banana or something sweet tends to help this may be the culprit. Eliminating sugar from the diet may help.
If the PA is adrenal related, it is said Siberian Ginseng and Winter Cherry may help. These are supposed to relieve adrenal fatigue.
It is possible SAMe may help, as anti-Depressants are known to help. SAMe is more effective than most anti-d's.
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Charles Peterson, courtesy of SAM
Courtesy of SAM
Alice Wheeler, courtesy of SAM
In the song “Modern Art,” by British rock group Art Brut, Eddie Argos exclaims, “Modern art makes me want to rock out.” That statement more or less sums up how I felt after spending nearly two hours viewing Seattle Art Museum’s “Kurt,” an exhibit that celebrates Kurt Cobain’s worldwide influence on pop culture and art.
Curated by Michael Darling, who will be leaving SAM in July to be the chief curator at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, “Kurt” perfectly bridges the worlds of pop culture, music and art. This is an exhibit not just for fans of fine art. Anyone who has been touched by Nirvana’s music can find something to appreciate here. The installation, which runs through Sept. 6, features nearly 80 works of various media: sculptures, paintings, photographs, and more, each expressing different aspects of Cobain’s life and how he impacted the lives of others.
“Kurt” isn’t a collection of memorabilia like you might find at Experience Music Project (which will have its own Nirvana exhibit in 2011), and it isn’t a display of Cobain’s own artwork. “Kurt” is an exhibit that takes a very public and tragic figure and humanizes him in a way his own music never could. And like all good art, almost every piece on display makes you think. Featuring artists from around the world, "Kurt" shows that Cobain wasn't just a beloved Northwest icon, his influence had a global reach.
The danger and tragedy of Cobain’s life is represented throughout “Kurt,” with two of the more effective pieces being Jordan Kantor’s 2006 painting “Untitled (Forensic Scene)” and Banks Violette’s “Dead Star Memorial Structure (on their hands at last)” from 2003. The former is an oil painting that evokes memories of the infamous photos of Cobain’s dead body inside the greenhouse where he killed himself. The latter is what looks like a devastated drum kit dipped in black tar. Pieces of the kit are deconstructed and strewn across a platform and pointy stalagmites poke through the floor. It conjures feelings of darkness, volatility and despair, all of which can be heard in Nirvana’s music.
There is also a remarkable audio collage that attempts to loosely tie Cobain’s death to the loss of innocence in the 1960s. The work, by Sam Durant, is part of a larger piece that includes graphite portraits of Cobain, Robert Smithson and others. Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black),” part of which Cobain quoted in his suicide note (“It’s better to burn out than to fade away”), plays from one pair of speakers while “Gimme Shelter” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” play from two other pairs. The speakers are connected to stereos underneath a replica of Smithson’s "Partially Buried Woodshed," which he built after the Kent State massacre. Initially it is a bit jarring to hear the three songs played simultaneously, but once your ears adjust your mind makes the connection between the songs and their separate meanings to different generations. It all comes together quite nicely.
As excellent a tribute as “Kurt” is, it's not without its flaws. Aside from being a musician, Cobain also expressed himself artistically by painting, drawing and making collages out of parts of baby dolls. While the purpose of “Kurt” is to show the influence Cobain and his music had on artists worldwide, it would’ve been nice to see some of Cobain’s own art.
Also, I found it slightly ironic that Microsoft co-sponsored the exhibit, given Nirvana's attitude toward huge corporations. Cobain, after all, once graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine wearing a shirt that read “Corporate magazines still suck.” But I’m not knocking SAM for finding a sponsor with deep pockets, nor Microsoft for contributing. And these are minor criticisms of what is a must-see exhibit not just for fans of Nirvana but for anyone who appreciates music, art and pop culture in general.
It is impossible to tell Cobain’s story without including Courtney Love, and Dario Robleto does that with his 1998 piece “It Sounds Like They Still Love Each Other to Me.” Robleto melted down two vinyl records and used them to make earplugs. One earplug was cast out of Nirvana’s live album “From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah” and the other was made out of “Live Through This” by Courtney Love’s band Hole. It’s the smallest piece of art in the exhibit and to me it seemed to say the most about Cobain in a very direct fashion, by connecting Kurt and Courtney in a rather touching piece of art.
In another display, a massive series of seven framed photos showing Cobain crashing Chad Channing’s drum kit greets visitors at the entrance of “Kurt.” The photos, by Charles Peterson, are perhaps the most famous grunge images captured outside of Marc Jacobs’ Vogue fashion spread. Nine other Peterson photos are on display on a separate wall, each showing Cobain at various stages of his career. One shot shows Cobain during a candid moment alone on a bed playing an acoustic guitar. Another is of he and Love in Bellingham, while others show Cobain how most remember him, playing the role of rock star on stage. The series does a wonderful job of portraying Cobain as an icon, husband and vulnerable human being.
Peterson is one of two contributors to “Kurt” who knew Cobain personally (the other is local photographer Alice Wheeler). So what does he think Kurt would think about “Kurt”?
“It’s tough to say because if he was still around this might not be here,” Peterson said, hesitant to speculate. “He definitely would have appreciated the caliber of work on display. But he might be a little embarrassed if he was alive to have an homage like this. He was a certain generation’s outsider that just doesn’t have a place in society, and this does a good job of representing that.”
Like what you just read? Support high quality local journalism. Become a member of Crosscut today!
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Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni flew to the Qatari capital of Doha in the Persian Gulf this week with an ambitious goal: changing moderate Arab attitudes toward Israel.
Livni hoped to convince the Persian Gulf states and other Arab moderates that they and Israel should be on the same side of the barricades against the extremists, and that they need to work together for regional peace.
This approach is new. Instead of peace with the Palestinians paving the way for Arab ties with Israel, Livni wants to invert the traditional order: The Arabs, she says, must first help the Palestinians make peace with Israel.
At the eighth annual Doha "Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade," Livni was given a regal reception: four armored cars, Qatari bodyguards and a procession of Arab leaders from all over the Gulf coming to shake her hand.
Her attendance prompted Iranian and Lebanese leaders to boycott the conference.
In her address, and in talks with Gulf leaders, Livni pursued a cluster of major Israeli foreign policy goals:
In the democracy forum, the Qatari prime minister urged Livni to end Israel's "crippling blockade of Gaza because of the difficult humanitarian situation."
- Persuading moderate Arab states to give the Palestinians the confidence to make far-reaching moves for peace with Israel. Livni maintains that for too long the Arab states have been sitting on the fence, passively waiting for a breakthrough on the Israeli-Palestinian track. The Gulf states and other Arab moderates should be playing a far more proactive role in the peace process, she insists.
"Reaching an agreement will require historic compromises on the part of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and the greater the support from the Arab states, the easier it will be for the Palestinians to reach decisions," she told Israeli journalists in the run-up to the Doha conference.
In her talks with Gulf leaders in Doha, Livni argued that no matter what peace deal Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas makes with Israel, he will come under fire from Palestinian extremists like Hamas. When that happens, the Arab world must give Abbas the backing he needs.
- Convincing moderate Arab states to recognize that the enemy today is not Israel but Iran. Livni argues that the Middle East is on a knife-edge between a future of peace and prosperity and one of Iranian-dominated chaos. For peace and prosperity, the moderates will need to stand up to Iran.
"We have to understand that our ability to reach peace is dependent on the ability of the extremists to prevent us from doing so," she declared in her Doha address.
Livni contends that if the moderate Arab states think Iran is going to win the battle for regional hegemony, they will start defecting from the sphere of Western support. Therefore, she says, the West must make it absolutely clear that it is determined to thwart Iran's hegemonic ambitions. That is partly why Israel is taking such a firm stance against Iran's nuclear program.
Livni drove home the point in an interview with the influential Qatari daily al-Watan, in which she said, "Israel will not tolerate a nuclear Iran."
- Getting moderate Arabs to back an international ban on terrorist organizations, like Hamas, from running in democratic elections. Livni has pursued this idea at the United Nations and in other forums. Arab backing for this idea is crucial.
- Upgrading trade and economic ties with Qatar, Oman and other Persian Gulf states.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry runs a trade mission in Doha, and Qatar has an interest in Tel Aviv. Over the past several years, Israeli businessmen have been trading with Qatar, albeit quietly.
In talks with Qatari leaders Emir Sheik Hamad al Khalifa al-Thani and Prime Minister Hamid bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani, Livni suggested upgrading ties to full ambassadorial level. She also discussed a resumption of economic ties with Oman's foreign minister, Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah.
The desert sultanate, which had benefited from Israeli water technology, severed ties with Israel in 2000 with the outbreak of the second Palestinian initifada.
- Pressing the influential Qatari-based Al Jazeera television station to take a less-biased stance toward Israel. Last month, after what it saw as biased and inflammatory coverage of a large-scale Israeli army raid into Gaza, the Israeli Foreign Ministry decided to stop cooperating with Al Jazeera.
Livni met with the station's editorial board in Doha to explain the Israeli position and work out a new modus vivendi. It was an extremely delicate mission because the ruling Qatari al-Thani family owns and runs Al Jazeera.
- Getting the moderate Arab states to help secure the release of two kidnapped Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and one in Gaza. Qatari leaders previously had indicated a willingness to act as brokers in Lebanon and Gaza.
Here, too, Livni took the wider view.
"The situation in Gaza is not just Israel's problem," she said. "Gaza is becoming an obstacle to the establishment of a Palestinian state."
Livni's efforts in Doha were part of a strong Israeli-Palestinian push for progress on the negotiating track before President Bush's visit to Israel next month.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Abbas for the second time in a week, ahead of the P.A. president's upcoming visit to Washington. The Israelis and Palestinians hope be able to present some tangible progress in the marathon peace talks they have been conducting for the past few months.
In the run-up to the Bush visit, the Israelis and Palestinians are working on a deal: Israel and the Palestinians show progress in peacemaking, and the United States rewards both parties by upgrading its ties with them.
The Israelis are hoping that Bush's visit, in honor of Israel's 60th anniversary, will be crowned with an upgrade in economic, political, military and strategic ties between Israel and the United States.
In Livni's view, this also will be part of a more stable Middle East in which Israel is accepted by the moderates as a legitimate and significant player.
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Are you a candidate for weight loss surgery? Is it safe? How do you find the right doctor? Joining host Andrew Schorr to answer all these questions and more is Dr. Brant Oelschlager, Director of Bariatric Surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center. Dr. Oelschlager helps listeners understand the various surgical approaches for weight control, including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and adjustable gastric bypass surgery (also known as Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band or Lap-Band). Also joining the program is Wendy Reiner, a nurse who underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2004. She shares why she had the surgery and how it has impacted her life.
Dr. Oelschlager explains the difference between gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgery, as well as the pros and cons of each operation. He talks about who might be a good candidate for surgery, and what factors people should consider in making a decision. Dr. Oelschlager describes complications that can occur and the likelihood of these risks. He also explains what kinds of things must be done following the surgery to ensure success. Ultimately, he says, the choice comes down to individual needs and personal preference.
Before her surgery, Wendy suffered from gastric reflux, knee problems, and was at a high risk for diabetes. She has now lost close to 100 pounds, eats less and exercises daily. Wendy talks about why she chose to have gastric bypass and things to consider when making a choice. Wendy also shares side effects that her friends and family who have had weight loss surgery have experienced. She discusses importance of exercising and taking care of your health following the surgery, as well.
Weight control surgery is more than just surgery; it’s a life change. Listen to this webcast to hear the perspective of a medical expert and a patient. You will learn more about what these procedures entail and how to determine whether they are right for you in a smart, informative discussion.
Brant Oelschlager, M.D.
Head of Bariatric Surgery, UW MedicineDr. Brant Oelschlager is Head of Bariatric Surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center and is also an Associate Professor of Medicine. Dr. Oelschlager received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina and went on to complete a residency and a fellowship in advanced laparoscopic surgery at the University of Washington. His clinical interests are in minimally-invasive... more >
Recipient of Bariatric Surgerymore >
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|Politics in the World of Avatar|
There are four broad types of political systems, each of which has a distinctive character that corresponds with the element of its respective nation. The Air Nomads had a theocracy led by four councils of monks or nuns, the Water Tribes have a tribal system led by chiefs, the Earth Kingdom has a confederate monarchy led by the Earth King, and the Fire Nation has an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord. There are, however, some exceptions.
Air Nomads Edit
- Main article: Air Nomads
The Air Nomads had no overall government that made unified decisions before their genocide. Instead, there were four Councils of Elders that presided over the four temples respectively. The Council of Elders had no exact leadership or rule. They were just a group of wise airbending masters that made decisions regarding the temple and its people.
Southern Air Temple Edit
- Main article: Southern Air Temple
Ruler: Council of Elders
Current leader: None
Other air temples Edit
Each air temple had its own council that operated exactly the same way as the Southern Air Temple's Council of Elders. It is known that Sister Iio was the Mother Superior and thus head of the council in the Eastern Air Temple.
Water Tribe Edit
- Main article: Water Tribe
Government system: Tribal Chiefdom/Royal Chiefdom
Head of state: No overall head of state
Territorial divisions: Two tribes, plus Foggy Swamp
Capital: No overall capital
The Water Tribe does not have an overall leader. The chief presides over only their own division of the tribe.
Foggy Swamp Tribe Edit
- Main article: Foggy Swamp Tribe
Northern Water Tribe Edit
- Main article: Northern Water Tribe
Politics in the Northern Water Tribe are more complicated than in its southern sister tribe. There is one all-powerful leader, but there is a small council that advises him, most recently including the tribe's greatest waterbending master, Pakku. Politics can also be personal. For example, marrying the chief's daughter, the Tribal Princess, can be a significant step in a political career.
Southern Water Tribe Edit
- Main article: Southern Water Tribe
Decisions in the Southern Water Tribe are made exclusively by the current chief, and politics appear to be extremely simple, with only one person in power and all others completely loyal to that person. Unlike in the Northern Water Tribe, the chief's children, such as Katara and Sokka, are not viewed as royalty.
Earth Kingdom Edit
- Main article: Earth Kingdom
Government system: Confederate Monarchy
Head of state: Earth King
Most recent known head of state: Kuei
Territorial divisions: Unknown number of provinces
Territorial divisions led by: Kings, mayors, others unknown
Capital: Ba Sing Se
Though the King of Ba Sing Se, titled as the Earth King, is the official overall leader of the Earth Kingdom, the country functions as a sort of confederation, with individual provinces and cities given a great deal of autonomy. Outside of the cities, the central government has little influence. Furthermore, the Earth Kingdom has no unified system of laws, with each region having its own legal code. These territories do, however, provide support and troops to the Earth King whenever necessary, and the military functions as a unified body.
Ba Sing Se Edit
- Main article: Ba Sing Se
The Earth King is the leader of the government of Ba Sing Se, and by extension the entire Earth Kingdom. It should be noted that the day-to-day affairs of the city are managed by the Grand Secretariat, who answers only to the Earth King.
- Main article: Omashu
Omashu, though part of the Earth Kingdom and therefore answerable to the Earth King in Ba Sing Se, has its own king and is relatively autonomous of the capital.
Fire Nation Edit
- Main article: Fire Nation
Government system: Absolute Monarchy
Head of state: Fire Lord
Most recent known head of state: Fire Lord Zuko's daughter
Territorial divisions: Homeland and colonies
Territorial divisions led by: Governors
Capital: Fire Nation Capital
Sun Warriors Edit
- Main article: Sun Warriors
United Republic of Nations Edit
- Main article: United Republic of Nations
The United Republic of Nations is led by a council, composed of one representative from each major nation, who represents the interest of their people. Its capital, Republic City, is divided into boroughs.
- Main article: Avatar
Current Avatar: Korra
Current Avatar's nation of origin: Southern Water Tribe
The Avatar is independent of all government systems and acts in the interests of world balance, as well as the balance between the Earth and the Spirit World. As such, the Avatar acts as the international authority for peace, justice, and order.
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Overeating, of any kind (junk food, clean food you name it) is a destructive behavior. It is the product of obsession. It is an eating disorder. It is an unhealthy relationship with food.
Do I binge? Yes. That doesn't mean I don't see it for what it is: a bad behavior that I'm working to remove from my life.
Live life with passion!
The point is to improve our behavior, not all at once but by little triumphs and noticing our bodies real needs.
I have no issue with what food or how much food people eat on their free day but they have to recognize when something is wrong with their eating behavior, when it is compulsive and unconscious. This is simply abusing our bodies.
Over eating in a compulsive or extreme way is binging. The first step is recognizing things. I'm not judging because I've been there and sometimes still fall into that pit. It's a bad place to be and not healthy, even if only 1 day per week. For healthy people, over eating is something they do at a Thanksgiving or maybe with their favorite food. It's true the book does not restrict, but I don't know if Bill considered eating disorders, food issues, etc. He saw it as a day to intentionally over feed and to indulge some to help with the psychological aspects. He didn't write about this kind of extreme behavior. Also, remember that eating too much junk on free day actually harms us physiologically and psychologically because it increases addictions. People think feeding a craving keeps it at bay, but that's not true. Having a little of something you've been wanting is okay, but having a lot of chocolate (as an example) if sugar is your thing means that your next day just might be a disaster. Let's also remember the "for life" part. Is that kind of extreme behavior really congruent with for life habits and goals?
Whoa! There's a lot of emotion in here! Haha. Hopefully everyone knows that foods which are high fat (other than healthy sources such as nuts), full of refined sugar and heavily processed are not healthy and are good for one thing...they just taste good. But let's clean up the atmosphere on this forum. I have to say, I am tempted to quit logging on as there are some postings on here that are making me want to quit the BFL program and just go back exclusively to my world of endurance sports. I'm already an athlete. I know how to lose weight. I wanted to see how well BFL worked when followed as prescribed. However some of the postings are making me think BFL has become nothing but a bunch of high and mighties who think they know everything about nutrition and exercise because they lost a few pounds. Fortunately the majority is not that way, but in this case, the negativity from the minority is just a little louder. I would hate to be someone trying to get into shape for the first time who logs on and reads some of the stuff on here. Let's all try to be a positive influence for a healthy lifestyle. In my humble opinion I think the time to offer our "advice" is when someone asks for it. Blasting people for their babysteps is only going to discourage.
I totally agree with marathonmama. We have to be supportive of each other. This is not a bodybuilding forum. This is a BFL forum. We should be following a program generally as it is written. Yes we will all tweak it (I know I have, I am in C2 though) but I think these things should be left off the public forum and taken private as not to offend or confuse any other members. There may be new members who are lurking and afraid to post. Well this for sure would scare 'em away.
We have to all keep that in mind
Keep it friendly.
© Abbott Laboratories,2013
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There seems to be much confusion about this, so I am glad that FatherHLL has quoted one of the canons that is often cited in suport of the "no prostrations on Sundays" rule. Here
it is with some additional notes, and here
is the other commonly-cited canon on the matter, from the first Council of Nicaea, again with notes.
I think that there is often a temptation to be too rigorous about our own interpretation of these things. A question to those of you who are adamant that prostrations are forbidden on Sundays: do you know, with absolute certainty, that the canons which forbid prayers "on bended knees" actually proscribe prostrations? The reason I ask is that it seems to me that the plain meaning of the text is that standing, rather than kneeling, is the position to be adopted for prayer on Sundays and the days of Pentecost, in honour of the Resurrection. There is no mention made of prostrating. This position of kneeling down for prayer, which is what these canons discuss, seems to me quite a different matter from making a prostration - a momentary gesture of awe and reverence.
When the Holy Chrism is brought out and when the pre-Sanctified Holy Things are removed from the tabernacle, a prostration is made, even if it is a Sunday. Similarly, as others have said, we prostrate at Sunday Matins on the feast of the Holy Cross if it falls on a Sunday, and also on the third Sunday of Great Lent. So I do not understand why such a prostration would be forbidden at the epiklesis. After all, these are not penitential gestures, such as kneeling, but rather are an act of worship and reverence before holy things.
The practice of the Old Ritualists also tells us that these prostrations on Sundays are not an innovation resulting from 18th-century western influence, but were the practice of the Russian church for centuries before the Nikonian reforms brought it in line with the Greek revisions over the centuries. Are we to believe that the pious faithful from this period of Russian church history, many of whom became great Saints, disregarded the canons and did not understand them, and that all of a sudden we, who are much wiser than they, have some great insight to which they were blinded? Or might it just be possible that they understood that kneeling down to pray and making a prostration are not the same thing?
In my early days of Orthodoxy, I picked up from rigorist converts that prostrations are absolutely forbidden on Sundays, and that is the practice I followed until recently, when I was confronted by all of the clergy making a full prostration at the epiklesis at an Hierarchical Liturgy on a Sunday. I was delighted to see this because making a prostration at this point is what my heart calls me to do. It seems the most natural thing in the world, and I found the rule incredibly restrictive. I asked my own bishop about this and his response was that there have long been two strains of thought on this matter, and that, while ROCOR practice generally
follows that of Jordanville (which, for all of the love that we have for it, we must not forget is only one monastery) in not making these prostrations on Sundays, they are
made in large parts of Russia, including Christ the Saviour in Moscow. He said that there is a place for such variety in the Church.
This is my own viewpoint, as well. If people are reticent about prostrating on Sundays and, out of honour of the Resurrection of our Lord, choose instead to make a reverence, I have no problem with this. The problem I have is when those of us who do wish to make the prostrations are accused of being uncanonical, disobedient, ignorant, and so forth, simply for paying honour and worship to the Saviour. There is something about the mindset behind this that does not sit easily with me.
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Adding financial resolutions to your wedding vows can be a blueprint for marital success.
Adding financial resolutions to wedding vows
By Sara Croymans, University of Minnesota Extension Service
From eNews, January 27, 2005
Most couples who are marrying these days assume they're headed for marital bliss after they toss the bouquet and return the tuxedos. However, studies show that more than half of newly married couples report serious marital problems within a year.
Sometimes this discord is caused by financial stress and poor communication. Communicating effectively is the key for newlyweds as they strive to manage their money.
Spending goals should be set early in marriage and be based upon values. They can serve as a guide to help the couple spend their money for things that are most important to both individuals. Studies show that couples who write their goals on paper are more likely to achieve them than those who do not. Goals should be specific, include a time frame, and be attainable, such as: "We will save $150 a month for 36 months for a down payment on a house."
For richer or poorer, in good times and bad, it's possible for spouses to avoid, or at least defuse, many of the most common disputes about money by adding the following resolutions to their wedding vows:
- Talk about money openly and plainly. Silence is not golden and could lead to unpleasant surprises later.
- Settle the issue of joint versus separate checking accounts. Either system will work if both individuals accept it. Or, both spouses could fund a third account for household expenses.
- Designate which spouse will pay bills, balance the checkbook(s), and handle investments.
- Know where your money is. Even if your spouse handles the finances, you need to touch base periodically so you know how much you owe on your credit cards and how much is in your retirement accounts.
- Don't begrudge your spouse small indulgences. Each of you should have some money to spend, in an amount that fits into your budget, with no explanations needed.
- Consult with each other on large purchases over a certain amount, such as $100 or $500, depending on what your budget or reserve fund can handle. Your partner deserves a say on big indulgences.
- Don't criticize your spouse about money in front of others. Talk openly, but talk privately.
- Coordinate your responses when children ask for something so they don't play one parent against the other.
- Discuss your goals regularly, preferably at a time when you're not under pressure to solve a money problem. Even when you keep separate accounts, you need to coordinate financial plans if you hope to retire together.
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Beginning Monday, July 12, 2010, KidsCope will no longer be filling individual order requests with "hard copy" comic books and DVDs. Both the comic book and DVD will be availalbe for you to view online through our site.
In addition, we will be moving to ordering and communication via this web site. Part of this process is discontinuing phone service by the end of July 2010.
We regret having to make this change, but we have been forced to make this change due to the increase in materials costs and the decrease in donations.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
KIDSCOPE, Inc. was approved as a non profit, tax exempt organization, 501(c) (3) in 1994. KIDSCOPE's mission is to help children
and families understand the effects of cancer or chemotherapy on a loved one, to provide suggestions for coping, and to develop innovative programs and materials that communicate a message of hope to diverse families coping with this crisis.
The name, KIDSCOPE, can be read as Kids Cope; one of our goals is to help children successfully cope with the diagnosis and treatment of a parent with cancer. Read another way- Kid Scope, our name suggests our additional goal of understanding a parent's cancer from a child's point of view. Children have a unique perspective that changes with each developmental stage. The impact of a parent's cancer on a three-year-old child is quite different from the likely effect on a thirteen-year-old. It is our hope that by bringing families some basic information about what to expect, we will improve the quality of life for any family dealing with the trauma of cancer diagnosis and the challenges of often-grueling treatment regimens.
Thus far, KIDSCOPE has focused primarily on the production and distribution of educational materials
designed to help families coping with a caretaker's cancer. Two products were produced in 1995 and have been
distributed to over 40,000 individuals in all 50 states and a number of countries internationally.
Kemo Shark - KIDSCOPE's first product was a 16 - page color "comic book" designed to help children
understand the psychological and physiological changes in a parent who has cancer and is under-going chemotherapy.
Kemo Shark is available in English or Spanish.
Our DVD - KIDSCOPE has produced a video about children's reactions to a diagnosis of breast cancer
in their mothers. My Mom Has Breast Cancer includes interviews with seven children and four mothers who have
successfully weathered this experience. The DVD includes this video as well as a narrated version of the comic. The DVD includes both products in English and Spanish.
The board members of KIDSCOPE include H. Elizabeth King, Ph.D., Carol Webb, Ph.D., Ann Hazzard, Ph.D., Fran Burst, W. Russell King, Esquire, and Kristina Theis. The first three board members are clinical psychologists who all specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of children who are experiencing life problems, medical challenges, and/or psychological difficulties. Dr. King's own experience with breast cancer inspired her to do something positive to help other families meeting this challenge. Dr. Webb is Director of the Psychology internship at Emory University School of Medicine/Grady Health Systems and she is committed to training professionals to be sensitive to the emotional side of a medical crisis. Dr. Hazzard has published extensively in professional journals and has established a number of prevention and treatment programs related to children's mental health issues. Fran Burst is a specialist in video and media and is recognized by various achievement awards as a particularly gifted filmmaker. Additionally, many of her efforts are directed at educating the public and improving quality of life. W. Russell King is a Washington, D.C. attorney who has an interest in children's charities and is a long time supporter of KIDSCOPE. Mr. King has previously served as a member and Chairman of the Board of the Congressional Award, a public partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative, and service in America's youth. Ms. Theis completed her Masters in Public Health at Emory and is in a fellowship at the CDC in Atlanta.
KIDSCOPE'S funding comes solely through contributions from the public and foundations. If you were to consider
making a contribution it would, of course, be tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
Our federal ID number is 58-2098712. We don't sell our comic book or our DVD so the only way we have to raise
money is to ask. If we've helped your family, please help us get these materials to other families. Our
2045 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
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Google Fiber begins to expand outside of Kansas City
- By Kathleen Hickey
- Mar 21, 2013
Three years after creating a frenzy with its plan to test ultra-high-speed networks in a few municipalities, Google late last year began connecting homes in the two Kansas Cities (in Kansas and Missouri) and just said it will expand what it calls the “Silicon Prairie” to Olathe, Kan.
The company announced the plans to move Google Fiber into Olathe, and possibly other cities in the Kansas City area, in a blog post that could indicate that its plans won’t be limited to a small section of the country.
The Google Fiber project to bring 1 gigabit/sec connections to businesses and homes represents the very high end of municipal broadband. The Obama administration’s National Broadband Plan has set the bar currently at 4 megabits/sec downstream and 1 megabit/sec upstream, with plans for 100 megabits/sec down and 50 megabits/sec up for 100 million homes by 2020. If Google Fiber catches on, it could raise the bar even higher.
When Google announced its intentions in February 2010, more than 1,100 communities nationwide applied to be the first recipient of the technology — some doing so in extravagant fashion. The mayor of Sarasota, Fla., jumped in a shark tank to get Google’s attention. The mayor of Duluth, Minn., jumped into Lake Superior — in March. And Topeka, Kan., temporarily changed its name to Google, Kan.
In March 2011, Google’s chose Kansas City, Kan., for the first deployment, later expanding across the state line to the other Kansas City. Customers get gigabit Internet for $70 a month, and Internet and TV combined for $120.
For now, though, 1 gigabit/sec speed could represent the rare instance in Internet history where bandwidth outstrips demand. Slate’s Farhad Manjoo visited the Google Fiber cities earlier this year and found that, while businesses and residents were glad to have super-fast Internet, nobody had come close making use of its capacity. Manjoo speculated that it take a much broader base of users before services are developed that take full advantage of Google Fiber.
One possibility for taking up all that space could be 3D TV, which Google is offering to its “fiberhoods” in the two cities. It offers a range of capabilities, including a terabyte of cloud storage, interactive searches, recording of up to eight shows at a time and 1,080 high-definition format, but it’s also limited to two channels, 3net and ESPN3D, as well as to subscribers who own 3D glasses and a 3D-capable TV. So it could be a while before it catches on.
Many city officials see high-speed Internet as a potential boon to business and development. The availability of Google Fiber in Kansas City, for example, is attracting entrepreneurs looking to deliver Internet-based services, particularly those that stream music, deliver online video or live conferencing, or have other network-intensive products requiring large amounts of bandwidth, according to a Huffington Post report.
“Google Fiber is offering unrivaled performance at a price point that is unavailable in any other market.… the cost reduction of switching to Google Fiber is something akin to a tax break,” wrote Rod Austin of the Missoulian. And some in the tech industry say Google Fiber could force Internet service providers to be more competitive, which could in turn help advance the National Broadband Plan.
Commercial providers and municipalities have clashed over whether municipalities could provide broadband on their own in areas where commercial service is not available. In 2011, for example, North Carolina, after years of lobbying by the cable and telecom industry, joined 19 other states in passing a law that would make it nearly impossible for cities to operate their own networks.
FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said at the time the law “will discourage municipal governments from addressing deployment in communities where the private sector has failed to meet broadband service needs.” Clyburn had earlier described the bill as “a significant barrier to broadband deployment and may impede local efforts to promote economic development.”
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Yesterday, Google CEO Larry Page spoke publicly about the company’s antitrust woes revealing a casual indifference about its anticompetitive behavior. This display was surprising, particularly because Page was addressing a room of small businesses, some of whom had expressed concern about being Google’s next target.
This is remarkable considering the context. Last week, press reports indicated that the FTC and the EU are nearing a decision about pursuing antitrust action against Google. Regulators are considering enforcement measures against Google for abusing its market dominance in search and search advertising to punish competitors. Understandably, many expected the company to be on its best behavior.
Not so. Speaking at Zeitgeist Americas, a conference for Google partner companies, CEO Larry Page addressed a question from the audience:
Q: Google is starting to compete with many of its clients in local, mortgage, travel, and now automotive categories. How do you decide whether a market is already being served well by existing sites or whether it’s a market Google needs to enter?
A: Yeah, that’s really a hard question. I just gave the maps example. If you think back then, we had the same sort of criticisms. There’s already Mapquest. Anybody heard of them? I mean no one uses them anymore.
This statement is astonishing for a number of reasons. Instead of reassuring uneasy partner companies, Larry Page highlights Google’s ability to enter an online marketplace and leverage its search dominance to take down industry leaders. So smug is he about this outcome, Page feels the need to derisively dismiss his competitor.
Mapquest: Classic Case Study of Google Manipulating Search Results to Thwart Competitors
What makes Page’s target of derision remarkable is that Mapquest is the poster child for victims of Google’s anticompetitive behavior. At one time, Mapquest was so widely used that it was a verb for online map searching. That changed when Google introduced its own map product, placing it atop the search results despite ranking considerably lower than Mapquest.
Regulators are keenly aware of this practice. Former head of Google search, and new Yahoo! CEO, Marissa Mayer specifically cited maps when explaining how the company favored its own properties in search rankings during a 2007 speech.
When we rolled out Google Finance, we did put the Google link first. It seems only fair, right? We do all the work for the search page and all these other things, so we do put it first. That’s actually been a policy, then, because of Finance we implemented it in other places. So for Google Maps, again, it’s the first link.
Placement is very important in search results. Since online businesses rely on traffic from search engines, lower rankings can have a devastating impact on revenues. The first three results account for nearly two-thirds of all clickthroughs. With an overwhelming majority of internet searches conducted by Google, it is critically important for online businesses to earn a high search ranking on its search engine.
When Google Maps debuted in the top position of search, it was uniquely provided the space used by the top three results. Not only did Google Maps benefit from this prime location where it captured nearly two-thirds of all traffic, it also featured an eye-catching graphical map display.
Mapquest and other competitors were denied the favorable treatment enjoyed by Google’s own property and found their links pushed lower down the page where their traffic dwindled. Lower traffic leads to fewer customers and diminished revenues. Soon Mapquest and others found Google had engineered its own rise to market leader.
Google and Small Business: Long Tail Threat to Vertical Dominance
What’s bizarre about Page’s statement is that the Google Partners in the room were expressing fears about suffering a fate similar to Mapquest. They were looking for a sign from Google that it wasn’t targeting their companies, and must have been alarmed by the response they received.
Google has been both a boon and a danger to small businesses. The integral role search engines play in everyday commerce has made search advertising a profitable enterprise. It has provided an entirely new venue for small businesses to advertise and reach a national marketplace at a much lower cost than traditional media.
What has emerged is an online “long tail” marketplace in which the combined revenues of many small companies exceed those of market leaders. Small businesses have found modest success using search engine rankings to produce a revenue stream that they would not have otherwise had. This was a profound development in our economy fostering innovation and creating jobs.
Recently, however, many small businesses sustained by Google search results have found that while the search giant giveth, the search giant can also taketh away. As Google has expanded into vertical search markets – travel, local, finance, etc. – it has found growth in these narrow markets proceeding slower than expected. The multitude of small innovators pose potentially serious competition for Google verticals.
Google, however, has the means to tilt the balance in its favor. To block competitors seeking a fraction of its revenues, Google simply adjusts its algorithm to effectively eliminate them from search results. Google often hails these changes as improvements in search quality, but many companies are devastated when the spigot of traffic is turned off.
Taking the Case to Washington
Back in 2010, I raised these concerns when testifying before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee about Google’s moves to crush Mapquest. Some of the bigger online companies disadvantaged by Google feel they can survive by going public with their concerns, but most do not. Small businesses, so reliant on Google traffic, are terrified of the consequences their businesses would face after sharing their experiences with regulators or legislators.
In the U.S., a company is subject to antitrust enforcement action only if it uses its dominant market share to restrict competition. Google has consistently exhibited this behavior. Page’s statement yesterday was telling. To freely discuss using your market dominance to crush competitors is arrogant. What is beyond arrogant is for Page to do so immediately after the regulators put Google on notice. This is why the FTC and the EU should weigh the Google CEO’s comments very seriously as it considers the severity of its enforcement options.
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Please welcome guest blogger Shea Daniels. Daniels is a Creative Writing major at Ohio University through the Appalachian Scholars Program, one of Future Women of Appalachia’s co-founders, and its Director of Big Ideas. “FWA believes that every girl deserves to be a girl,” she says, “and we believe that empowering girls and young women is [...]comments
Stories, quotes and anecdotes.
Monthly Archives: September 2010
The matter was brought about in this way. “I had proposals made to me,” Daniel Hiester, Jr. stated many years afterwards, “by the late Mr. Hager to be connected with his family. I was then young, and had not before that time had any serious thoughts of contracting a marriage. But those proposals came from [...]comments
Please welcome Jim Casada, a son of the N. C. Smokies, who has written or edited more than 50 books. His most recent effort, “Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: An Insider’s Guide to a Pursuit of Passion,” was described by noted literary figure Nick Lyons as “a book anyone who knows [...]comments
HOME The tall, white house on the high green hill, looking down on the sleepy little town, was the home of my childhood, home of my heart, still, though I’ve lived and roamed the world around. At first it was a dream in my father’s heart, who wanted the best for his own, the house [...]comments
We post a new episode of Appalachian History weekly podcast every Sunday. You can start listening right away by clicking the podcast icon over on the right side of your screen. If you’d rather grab the show off itunes for later listening, click here: We open today’s show with a 1997 interview of Kentucky banjo [...]comments
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The Government of Grenada wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of tax transparency and the highest standards of international cooperation in taxation matters as enunciated by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (Global Forum). Grenada is accordingly committed to ensuring the following:
i) Exchange of information on request where it is “foreseeably relevant” to the administration and enforcement of the domestic laws of its treaty partners.
ii) No restrictions on exchange of information caused by bank secrecy or domestic tax interest requirements.
iii) Availability of reliable information and powers to obtain it.
iv) Respect for taxpayers’ rights.
v) Strict confidentiality of information exchanged.
Grenada also reaffirms its commitment to the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Accordingly, Grenada is committed to the strict implementation of the 40 + 9 recommendations promulgated by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
In light of the above stated commitments, the Government of Grenada hereby issues a moratorium on the licensing of any financial institution under the existing international financial services legislation, until these pieces of legislation have been reviewed, assessed and benchmarked against the Global Forum and FATF standards.
The Government of Grenada has established a high level committee with persons drawn from the private and public sectors to advise on a comprehensive strategy for the development and regulation of the international financial services sector. The committee, which has as part of its mandate the review of all applicable legislation, is expected to report back to Cabinet by the middle of 2012.
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CAPE & VINEYARD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here for print friendly version of FAQ’s.
What is the relationship between the Cape Light Compact and the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative?
The Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC) and the Cape Light Compact (CLC) are separate public entities. CLC is a member of CVEC. CVEC was formed out of a strategic planning process commissioned and undertaken by the CLC because the CLC wanted to stabilize electric rates for all its members and ratepayers with renewable energy generation. At the time, neither the CLC, nor its member towns/counties, could develop electric generation projects and enter into long-term power purchase agreements. CLC is an active member of CVEC.
How is CVEC governed?
CVEC is governed by its member entities. Presently, CVEC has nineteen members consisting of 16 Towns, Barnstable and Dukes County and the CLC. Each member appoints a Director as its representative. Each Director has one equal vote, as required by cooperative statute. All CVEC members must agree to be bound by and comply with CVEC’s Articles of Organization and Bylaws.
Does any one member of CVEC have authority over CVEC?
No one member has additional authority over CVEC. Barnstable County has agreed to perform certain administrative and financial functions for CVEC; however, these tasks are governed by a contract between CVEC and Barnstable County and this contract does not grant Barnstable County control over CVEC.
Is there a conflict under Massachusetts General Laws for an individual to represent their Town/County on both Cape Light Compact Governing Board and CVEC’s Board of Directors?
No, there is no conflict. The statute which governs conflicts of interests of public employees (M.G.L. c. 268A) allows for an individual to represent their own town, county or other governmental entity on multiple boards as part of their public duties. The State Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an opinion in 1992 dealing with the Martha’s Vineyard Collaborative. In that opinion, the Commission ruled that an individual who served on two government boards did not have a conflict because in each case he was acting on behalf of his municipal appointing member.
Why is CVEC financed by the CLC?
CVEC was formed out of a strategic planning process commissioned and undertaken by the CLC because at that time neither CLC, nor its member towns, could develop electric generation projects and enter into long-term power purchase agreements. Electric cooperatives such as CVEC, on the other hand, were empowered by statute to do so. Financing CVEC’s operational costs to pursue renewable energy projects would allow CLC to stabilize electric rates for both its member Towns/Counties and CLC ratepayers, and to provide the benefits, as appropriate, to municipalities (thereby benefiting all taxpayers) and to the Cape Light Compact (thereby benefiting all consumers). Finally, the cooperative structure insulated towns from the liability they would otherwise incur if they pursued projects directly. CLC member Towns benefit from CVEC designing, financing and operating renewable energy projects.
How does CLC obtain its funds?
CLC is funded through several sources, including statutorily mandated energy efficiency funds collected from all ratepayer funds, federal and state grants, Barnstable County general funds, and an administrative charge of one tenth of a cent (mil adder) levied on electricity sold through CLC’s aggregated power supply contract.
Do CLC energy efficiency monies fund any of the activities of CVEC?
No, the CLC energy efficiency monies do not fund the activities of CVEC. CLC energy efficiency funds are maintained solely for the purpose of energy efficiency activities approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities in the CLC’s three-year plan.
How would a person obtain information on CVEC’s financial status?
CVEC’s annual Balance Sheet and Income Statement are posted on its web site at www.cvecinc.org.
How can CVEC and CLC be represented by the same legal counsel?
The two organizations wanted to share counsel to jointly pursue projects and policies where their interests were aligned. Accordingly, consistent with Massachusetts General Laws and rulings by relevant regulatory bodies, CVEC’s bylaws expressly permit it to retain counsel who may also represent its members or other public entities in matters in which CVEC has a direct or substantial interest, subject to certain conditions set forth in the bylaws. The CLC Board of Directors has adopted a similar provision.
Do the recently adopted Cape Cod Commission Minimum Performance Standards apply to the Brewster wind project?
Based on the Cape Cod Commission’s current thresholds, the Brewster project is not subject to mandatory review by the Cape Cod Commission, and the approved Minimum Performance Standards are not applicable because no approved threshold exists to trigger the review.
When will CVEC provide more detailed and specific information about financing for the Brewster wind project?
Initial project cost information is available through the Black & Veatch Wind Turbine Feasibility Study prepared for the Town of Brewster in June 2009. The Feasibility Study has been a publicly available since its release over two years ago. Working from this base, CVEC has prepared public documents/presentations on the projected cost and savings associated with this project. These presentations were presented to the Town of Brewster at public meetings. Once CVEC awards its construction contract and finalizes its loan documents for the Brewster wind project, they will become public records.
Can CVEC publicly discuss the Brewster Wind Project?
CVEC cannot discuss the Brewster wind project publicly at this time because CVEC Board of Directors has voted to ask the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to exempt the project from local zoning. This procedure exists as an alternative to seeking judicial review of the functional denial of a Special Permit by the Brewster Planning Board earlier this year. The Department of Public Utilities conducts trial-type, quasi-judicial proceedings which implicate the same pre-hearing preparation confidentiality issues which extend to other litigated matters. The process also includes hearings open to members of the general public and considerable information will be filed as part of CVEC’s application, written discovery responses and in the evidentiary hearings themselves. All of this information will become public. Persons or parties having “standing” – a legal interest substantially and specifically affected by the project – may seek to become full parties in the case and present their own evidence
Why would CVEC discuss anything in executive session?
All of its discussions, both in executive and public session, are held in strict accordance with Massachusetts General Laws. Massachusetts General Laws recognize that electric supply contract and electric generation discussions are competitively sensitive and in order for an electric cooperative to effectively conduct its business on these matters, it is necessary to have these discussions in executive session. This allows a municipal electric cooperative to conduct its affairs on these issues in the same manner as a municipal light plant in this state and a private utility.
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There's a healthy dose of skepticism among members of the Wake County school board majority to the idea that abandoning Forest Ridge High would cost $15.5 million.
As noted in today's article, administrators said switching sites now would push the opening back form 2012 to 2014. This two-year delay would lead to $10 million in classroom trailer costs, $4 million in inflated construction costs and $1.5 million in redesign work.
Unlike the old board, new board members are taking the staff info with more reservations.
"When they say it will cost $15 million more, I’ll believe it when I see it,” said school board member Chris Malone, chairman of the facilities committee, in the article,
School board vice chairwoman Debra Goldman wondered whether administrators are using “scare tactics” to discourage scrapping the problem-plagued Forest Ridge project. She noted how staff had uderestimated the cost for road work and water and sewer improvements for Forest Ridge by nearly $6 million.
She also noted how a recent report from a task force that recommended staying the course with the current Forest Ridge site overestimated the cost of one of the Rolesville alternatives by $1.36 million. Rolesville Mayor Frank Eagles had turned out to be right when he said the group had not factored in the presence of a sewer line on one of the parcels.
The big question is how much would it cost for trailers to deal with overcrowding caused by delaying the high school. More units would be needed at Knightdale High while Wake Forest-Rolesville and Wakefield high schools would keep their ninth-grade centers until the high school is built.
Keeping those ninth-grade centers in use for the high schools means they couldn't be used to early start elementary schools. Additional trailers would have to be brought in somewhere to deal with elementary school overcrowding.
Eagles suggested that the board consider housing high school students temporarily at the new Rolesville Middle School. But Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney said they need Rolesville Middle to open in 2013 to deal with crowding at Heritage and Wake Forest-Rolesville middle schools.
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http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/new-board-questioning-cost-estimates-for-abandoning-forest-ridge
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iOS 4 walkthrough
Complete feature guide to Apple's latest iOS 4
iOS 4 (previously iPhone OS 4 or iPhone 4.0) continues Apple's relentless yearly mobile OS update cycle. If 2007 was the mainstreaming of the multitouch user interface, 2008 all about the App Store, and 2009 was filling in the feature list, then iOS 4 promises to be... well, that's why we're here.
(And yes, iOS. That's the new name Apple has licensed from trademark-holders Cisco to represent the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch -- and maybe soon the Apple TV and who knows what else -- family.)
Back on April 8 at the sneak preview event, Apple promised 7 "tent-pole" features and 100+ general user features overall, along with 1500 major new API for developers. We're going to walk you through the ones that matter most.
Note: iOS 4.1 is now available. See our complete iOS 4.1 walkthrough for the latest on Game Center, HDR photography, Ping social music network, and the other new features.
See also our iPhone 4 review for more on hardware specific features.
iOS 4 in 10 minutes: video quick-start guide
If you don't have time (yet) to read this massive iOS 4 walkthrough and are eager to get the basics down now, here's a quick 10 minute video guide to get your started.
We're showing it off on an iPhone 3GS, which should be similar to how it will work on an iPod touch G3. If you're using the iPhone 3G or iPod touch 2G you won't get the multitasking and wallpapers. You'll blame Apple. Apple will blame the hardware. The hardware will try to frustrate you into upgrading to an iPhone 4. You've been warned.
Note: If you haven't updated yet, save yourself some time and potential hassles and go read our getting ready for iOS 4 post first first. Then once you're good to go, sit back, relax, and hit play on the video below.
What Hasn't Changed
As always, we'll start off by telling you what hasn't change so we can clear the deck for what has. For more information on any functionality that's pretty much identical to past versions, check out our previous walkthroughs:
And here's a quick list of the unchanged apps in iOS 4:
- Stocks: Similarly, Stocks got landscape and a slew of swipe-able data last time, so the update love gets skipped this time.
- Weather: Almost comedically at this point, it's still unchanged from iPhone 1.0. Still no HTC TouchFlo 3D style animations, no landscape mode with more/different information. Not even a Calendar-style icon update to show current local weather. Nada.
- Voice Memo: Introduced in iPhone 3.0, it looks pretty much the same in iOS 4.
- Clock: With nothing but a lap feature added last time, we lose the "but" and keep the "nothing" for iOS 4.
- Calculator: Upgraded back in 2.0 for landscape scientific mode, all Calculator gets this time is a slight icon tweak towards the red.
(We're not counting getting a resolution bump for iPhone 4 Retina Display as a functional change.)
Spell check, which debuted in iOS 3.2 for iPad, is a system-wide addition to iOS 4 now as well. Words the OS thinks you've misspelled will be underlined in red (familiar to any Microsoft Office or Mac OS X user). Tapping on them will give you a popup containing a recommended replacement. Tapping the popup replaces the misspelled word with the (hopefully!) correctly spelled one.
Combined with the iPhone's existing -- and industry leading -- predictive auto-correct, it's a powerful combination.
Cut, copy, and paste also gets an iPad-debuting feature with "replace" now added to the popup options.
Additionally, if iOS 4 autocorrects a word and you immediately backspace, a popup will appear offering to replace the correction with the originally typed word.
We haven't found any specific documentation on this yet, and it doesn't seem to be listed as one of the options flying by on the on-screen suggestions, but per the comments below asking "what time is it" will now have VoiceControl speak the current time to you. It's possible other commands have been added as well. If you come across any, let us know.
iPod touch (and I believe iPhone) can now stay connected to Wi-Fi even when in sleep mode. This means background VoIP calls, push notifications, and other apps that require an active Wi-Fi connection can just keep working.
Instead of just hitting the globe key to cycle through languages on the virtual keyboard, you can now hold it down to get a popup showing all currently enabled international keyboards.
Bluetooth Keyboard Support
You're going to get tired of us saying "like the iPad" but remember when we told you spring's influx of iPad news would be important come summer's new iPhone news? You were warned for a reason. iPhone is getting iPad's Bluetooth keyboard support. Thank goodness for that.
Over-the-air Carrier Setting Updates
Based on reports from Rogers/Fido users in Canada, iOS 4 adds the ability for Carrier Setting Updates to be pushed out over-the-air (OTA) to iPhones and installed on-device. (In previous versions iTunes would handle the update and sync it over).
SpringBoard, the app behind the Home Screen gets an iOS 3.2 for iPad-style update to support custom wallpaper. Yes, the default background in iOS 4 is water drops on gray, which is not default but included in the iPad's wallpaper gallery. Also like iPad, the Mac OS X reflective Dock (buh-bye grid) and translucent top bar have been brought over.
(If you get a new iPhone 4, or do a clean install of iOS 4, you'll also note Clock, Compass, Calculator, and Voice Memos have been moved to a Utilities folder by default -- more on Folders later).
In addition to the iPad wallpapers, Apple has also introduced a few new ones, all seemingly focused on livening up the home screen without being too visually distracting. Natural textures and muted patterns get an obvious focus here with stones, rocks, and textiles front and center.
(See all of them in our iOS 4 wallpaper gallery)
In addition to previous status icons, the top bar will now show a north-east pointing arrow to alert you that location-based services (GPS) are being used. (So you'll see this in Maps and when using navigation, location-based social networks or games, etc.) An orientation lock icon will also show if you've enabled the widget to lock your screen in portrait mode (see below).
The color bands indicators across the top of the screen that highlight running voice or data connections (green for Phone, red for Voice Memo, blue for tethering) get expanded. Red now serves double-duty to indicate a VoIP app (like Skype) is active in the background.
How the SpringBoard has been once again extended to visualize new, core-level OS changes is where things get more interesting...
First, and strangely least, the Spotlight Home Screen introduced in iPhone 3.0 now gets to look beyond on-device data and reach for the clouds. Literally. Well, insomuch as the cloud here is Google and Wikipedia, which are very welcome additions. (Hopefully Twitter will be added in as well at some point). Tapping either will launch you into Mobile Safari and the appropriate search result page.
While Apple's built-in apps (like iPod, Mail, etc.) have had background multitasking since 1.0. four years, many gripes, and stiffer Google Android competition than later, background multitasking comes to App Store apps. (At least for iPhone 4 and last year's iPhone 3GS).
Why no iPhone 3G? Apple abjectly refuses to put their name on an implementation where hardware constrains software -- see video recording last year -- and that means iPhone 3G isn't up to their multitasking standards.
As to how it works, instead of a traditional "leave full apps running in the background" approach, Apple instead chose to implement a more restricted but, they felt, better performing and power friendly solution involving 7 specific background API (application programming interfaces.)
In addition to the existing push notification service from Apple's servers, which provide sound, badges, and alert popups for everything from IM to game challenges, iOS 4 adds local notifications so something like an alarm-clock app could register an alert that would sit in the iPhone in the background until the proper time, then activate. That takes the online server out of the equation which is good for tasks that don't need additional information from the cloud, and so don't have to activate the radios.
There's another API for task completion so that, for example, if you're uploading a picture to Twitter and leave the app, it can register a thread to keep uploading the picture in the background while you do something else. That means the entire app doesn't have to keep running, freeing up memory and lightening battery load, and even the thread will terminate when the upload is done.
Fast task switching and saved state
Fast task switching deals with the perceptive speed that multitasking offers. With previous versions of iOS, if you left an App Store app it would shut down completely. If you went back -- regardless if it was a second or a week or later -- it would usually restart not from where you left off but from the beginning. A few developers tried to add persistence on their own, saving your place when you came back as best as previous OS versions allowed, but most didn't -- especially games which was aggravating when phone calls pulled you unexpectedly out of them. Also, if you closed one app and went to another, you could theoretically be stuck swiping back or forth between 11 home screen pages.
Saved state is now built into iOS 4. If you switch out, Apps have their currents state saved to memory and if/when you go back, the app checks the memory save and resumes from that state. [Thanks Aaron]
To enable fast app switching, Apple's created a new UI mechanic. Now, when you double tap the home button, the screen turns translucent and slides up, allowing you to peek at the apps running "under the hood". (Technically frozen with state saved and threads registered with the background API).
Apps in the fast switcher UI are sorted in order of last usage. That means, if you're moving between a set of commonly used apps, they're most likely right next to each other and not screens and screens away. These two elements combine together to make launching apps perceptively much faster, even though the apps don't have to be running in the background consuming resources just for that convenience.
Positionally the fast task switcher apps take up the space traditionally reserved for the Dock, so while it's a tad confusing the concept of apps at the bottom of the screen being more permanent and easily accessible remains. Behaviorally, while they look like a secret dock, they function like the Home Screen itself in that you can swipe from right to left to scroll through a several 4-icon sets of multitasking apps.
Given even the iPhone 3GS has only 256MB of RAM, we assume Apple will discretely kill off the least-used app in the stack when things get tight. Whether or not that means the icon disappears from the multitasking UI we don't know, but worst case you just have to go to the home screen, re-launch it (hopefully from saved state) and all you notice is a slightly longer start up time. iPhone 4 is supposed to have 512MB of RAM which should allow for significantly more threads to run in background without slowdown or other problems.
iOS 4 helps users visualize what's going on when switching tasks by introducing a new, carousel-like animation. The new animation occurs when you switch between two apps either via the new, double-click-Home to trigger to launch the multitasking UI, or when one app calls another app (i.e. when you're in Contacts and you tap to send a contact an SMS).
Launching or leaving an app retains the same, zoom-based effect as always (though the wallpaper in iOS zooms slightly as well, like on the iPad).
Interlude: Task Killing
At the iOS 4 event, Steve Jobs likened task managers (in the multitasking, not to-do sense) to styluses -- if you need them there's something wrong. Initially this created confusion in iOS 4 when it was noted, if you hold your finger down on multitasking apps, they'd jiggle and bring up a delete icon that, if tapped, removed them.
It appears like there's a couple things going on. First, with built-in Apple apps, like Mail, if you "delete" it from the fast task switcher, you will still receive Mail (it doesn't kill the background thread that checks, sounds/vibrates, and updates the badge) but the app seems to do some sort of data cache refresh at times.
For App Store apps, if you "delete" them it does appear to force a reset when next you launch them, i.e. they won't resume from the previously saved state and their threads seem to be restarted. [Thanks Justin!]
Just like to the left of the main home screen is a special Spotlight screen, to the left of the fast app switcher is a special widget dock containing an software version of the iPad's hardware orientation lock control (though it currently only locks in portrait mode). More over, there are three circular controls to skip back, play/pause, or skip forward any music (including streaming music) -- and rewind or fast forward if you hold them down. Lastly, whichever app is currently playing the music, be it iPod, iTunes (streaming podcasts, for example), or an App Store app (like Pandora or Slacker) is shown at the right so you can jump back to it and access further controls.
The presentation may not be as visually slick as Palm webOS' Card view (which looks like iPhone Safari's Page view) or Mac OS X Expose mode, but it keeps tens of millions of existing iPhone and iPod touch users grounded in the interface they're familiar with and that's what Apple is prioritizing.
Note: Previously you could assign the double-click home button action to trigger Phone Favorites, Camera, or Spotlight. On iPhone 3G under iOS those options remain. On iPhone 3GS under iOS, in early betas you could double-click-and-hold the home button to trigger Phone Favorites, but this function doesn't appear to have survive to the final release. Hopefully something will replace it and soon.
Background music, location, and VoIP
Speaking of streaming music, perhaps most famously, Apple is allowing apps to register three specific types of the threads for persistent backgrounding (they can just keep running until you close them). Again, this isn't the whole app running, just one thread from the app, so the idea is it won't slow down performance, use up memory, or drain battery to the same degree. These API are for streaming music, location, and VoIP (voice over IP).
This means you can listen to Pandora, Slacker, etc. while surfing the web. Navigon, TeleNav,TomTom, etc. can keep using the GPS and alert you to directions while you're on the phone, and to further save resources, non-critical location apps like FourSquare, Gowalla, Loopt, etc. can be alerted when you change cell towers. Fring, Skype, Line2, etc. can answer calls and receive messages when you're not in the app, making them more equal telephony citizens.
What's still missing are background API for timeline updates, so that IM, Twitter, RSS, etc. could update like Mail does and have new messages ready and waiting when you return to the app. Also, there's no API to let internet sessions like SSH, RDP/VNC remain active when you exit an app making it more onerous for network administrators and others to manage remote machines. Hopefully these can be added in future revisions.
There are over 200,000 apps in the App Store and likely a ton more by the time I finish writing the sentence. Literally. iPhone 1.0 had one Home Screen but with only the built-in apps available back then, it wasn't even a limitation. With WebApps, it grew to 9 pages for a 148 app limit. With iPhone 3.0 we were given 11 pages, for 180 apps viewable, but you could eventually install many more and use Spotlight as a way of finding and launching them. Organizing them still wasn't a real option.
Enter Folders. A Folder is simply a grouped icon that holds up to 12 other icons inside it. (And for those keeping count at home, the new math means a whopping 2160 apps can be kept available at once. Shudder).
The way it works is you tap a Folder icon and once again the Home Screen fades and splits open, this time below the Folder. Inside the split are all the apps contained in the group.
To create a Folder, you begin by tapping and holding an icon to put it in jiggly mode, just like you did before to delete or move it. Then, drag it over and drop it on top of another icon to create a Folder. (This works better when icons aren't at the right edge of the screen, as the move behavior seems to supersede the Folder behavior, causing the icon to wrap to the next line before you can drop on top of it.) Once created, iOS reads the apps' category data and tries to name the folder for you, but you can easily edit it and change it to anything you want.
To remove apps from a Folder, put them in jiggly mode inside the Folder and drag them out (or just delete them if you don't want the app anymore at all). You can also move them around within the Folder to customize their order.
Folders can be put in jiggly mode and moved as well, but not deleted (they can only be deleted by removing all the apps from within them, and which point they self-destruct for you). You can even move them to the Dock, which means you could have 48 apps readily available at any time for quick launching.
And while you still can't delete Apple's built-in apps, you can take the ones you're not using and hide them away inside a folder so they waste as little Home Screen space as possible (as Apple now does by default with the Utilities folder mentioned previously).
Again, not as visually exciting perhaps as Mac OS X's Stacks, but it keeps current iPhone users in a familiar interface while adding much-needed functionality.
Messages in iOS 4 gets the same built-in Spotlight search that Mail and other apps got with iPhone 3.0. It appears at the top of the main messages screen. (There's no search within an individual Messages thread). [@justin_horn]
Messages (finally) gets a character counter so you'll know when you're getting close to, or going past, the SMS limit (which would cause a second message to be sent). It kicks in after you've typed 50 characters or so. [@iMuggle]
iOS 4 will now put an exclamation badge on the Messages app as a way to inform you when an SMS text or MMS multimedia message fails to send.
There's also a new API to allow in-app SMS for developers who want to include the functionality in their own apps. While this might be similar to the iPhone 3.0 embedded email option, and whether or not it will let users reply to SMS without leaving an app, it doesn't seem as elegant a solution as a global background messaging system.
Calendar removes two long-standing gripes and adds something pretty much invisible from the interface but awesome in terms of functionality.
First, you can now show all or hide all calendars or individually check/uncheck just the calendars you want to see.
Birthday calendars have also been added to the option, something that was previously only possible to see under certain setup conditions.
Lastly (and most excitingly), Apple has finally added Calendar access for developers. What this means is you may soon see apps where you can buy tickets for a local movie and have the show time automatically added to your Calendar.
Photos, at least for Mac users, gets the same iPhoto '09-based organizational features introduced with the iPad: Events, Faces, and Places.
If you have a Mac with iPhoto '09 and you've let it automatically file your photos by time stamp (Events), through facial-recognition algorithms (Faces), and via geo-location (Places). All these join the previous Albums view to form the bottom tab bar.
Landscape mode is also now supported in album and gallery views [@antonioj].
Previous betas included a Rotate function under the action button that would turn a photo 90 degrees, but this doesn't seem to have made it into the final. Hopefully it will return.
If you Email Photo, you now get the option of sending a small, medium, or large version (shrunken pixel dimensions and hence file size), or at actual size.
Lastly, developers have been given access to the photo and video library (not just the image picker as in previous OS versions).
Tap to focus, introduced in iPhone 3.0 for still photography, now gets expanded to video recording for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4.
Still photography maintains its leg up, however, via a new 5x digital zoom. When you tap the screen, a slider pops up allowing you to swipe to the right to increase magnification and swipe left to decrease.
With iPhone 4, there's an additional control to swap between the beefed up 5mp back-facing camera, and the all new front-facing VGA camera (if you want to take a self-portrait/profile picture). There's also an icon to show the new rear-mounted LED flash. This feature sounds like it's automatic for still but can be turned on and left on for night-time video shooting, but we'll have to wait and see when iPhone 4 ships.
Developers also get full access to and control of video playback and recording.
You can now watch YouTube videos in portrait mode if you really want to. They'll still default in landscape, so you may have to rock the accelerometer back and forth to get them to switch.
A minor tweak, but the current location/current direction button changes from the previous crosshairs to a north-east pointer to match the new location services icon used in the title bar. (No iOS 3.2 for iPad-style terrain mode, at least not yet).
For developers, overlays can now be added to embedded maps to show extra data like routes or annotations.
When you first enter notes it looks unchanged from previous versions of the iPhone OS. However, there is now an Accounts button at the top left of the list page and tapping it takes you to a new screen where you can choose to view All Notes, just the notes on your iPhone, or just the notes that are synced via IMAP to your email account(s). Yes, that means over the air (OTA) notes sync is finally here -- with the caveat that Exchange doesn't seem supported yet.
(UI-wise this is similar to how you back out/left in Calendar or Contacts to toggle data sources.)
The way these show up in Mac OS X is via the built-in Mail.app client in the Notes tab.
On Gmail they show up as a generic label. In other IMAP clients, regardless of OS, they'll show up as generic IMAP folders.
The iTunes store itself is the same, however, audio streaming from the app has taken a huge leap forward. Since iPhone OS 2.2 you've been able to tap the title of a podcast to begin streaming (rather than downloading) the audio, even in the background while using other apps, but it was sometimes hit or miss. It would drop out, it would time out, you couldn't really scrub through it, and if you left it for a while it would lose its place and start over.
In iOS 4 it's rock solid. You can scrub and it re-buffers and keeps playing flawlessly. You can stop it and come back hours or even days later -- even after using the iTunes app to search for other things or the iPod app to play different audio -- and it still knows where you left off and starts playing again instantly without missing a beat.
As mentioned previously in the multitasking section, when iTunes is using the background music streaming API (I'm assuming thats' what it's using) it gets the widget position in the fast task switcher interface, complete with widget controls.
This year, like every year, some of the more numerous and interesting changes Apple delivers in their new OS are tucked neatly away in the Settings app.
You can now choose to not only turn off 3G data or roaming data, but all cellular data.
General: Location Services
At the iOS event, Apple made a big deal about user privacy when it came to location (like a shot at Google). That manifests here with far more granular controls over which apps are allowed to access your location data (GPS, Wi-Fi mapping, and cell tower triangulation) and the aforementioned north-east pointing arrow that shows up when any app has used your location in the last 24 hours.
General: Spotlight Search
Since double clicking the home button is now a hard-wired to launch the fast-task switcher for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, the Home Button setting is gone and replaced by direct access to Spotlight Search preferences.
Since iPhone 3G won't be getting multitasking those options remain under iOS 4 for that device.
General: Passcode Lock
Previously available only through an Enterprise profile, iOS 4 brings stronger, alphanumeric passcodes to all iPhone users. That means you're no longer stuck with only a 4 digit pin, but can now create longer passcodes with far greater variation. Of course, longer, more varied passcodes are more of a hassle to remember and enter, but that's the cost of good security.
Mail, Contacts, Calendars
As previously mentioned, Notes will now sync over IMAP and the settings for that appear here. First, all the way at the bottom, you can choose which account to use as the default for note sync.
Inside MobileMe, Gmail, or other IMAP accounts, you can choose whether or not to enable sync. Again, there's no support for Exchange ActiveSync accounts yet (including Gmail via GoogleSync).
When you tap into the Safari's URL bar in iOS 4 and start typing, Safari starts to do a "keyword search", i.e. display predictive results based on your bookmarks and history. Anything that contains the text you're inputing either in the URL or history is listed below the URL field so the moment you see what you want you can just tap it and go.
This makes it easier to find something if you don't remember the exact web page address or if you know you recently saw a site, and know what it was about, but don't remember where exactly it was. Just start typing a few words you do remember and let Safari do the heavy lifting. Highly convenient and certainly "awesome". [To misappropriate the term from Mozilla]
Also, welcome to iOS search options, Microsoft Bing.
Here's where you can turn on that new character count option.
The iPod app now has an overlay that shows you information about songs and podcasts. While functional it's not terribly attractive so it's nice to be able to toggle it off right here.
iPhone 2.0 brought us the iTunes App Store, iPhone 3.0 added in-app purchases, and now iOS raises the mercantile stakes once again with...
iAd will provide developers with an easy-as-Xcode way to place advertising in their apps, both paid and free. Apple is setting a high bar for their ads, however. No simple Google-style text, annoying punch-the-monkey, or jarring transition out of the app and into the browser, they claim to want great looking, highly interactive, emotionally compelling content that will connect with rather than alienate users. Served every 3 minutes. Yeah...
Functionally these are built in HTML5 (no Flash need apply) and seem to work as apps-within-apps. Tapping on a banner brings up a full-screen ad-as-webapp and examples shown included plenty of animated UI effects and content that ranged from videos to freebies like wallpaper, to free and paid apps you could download from within the ad (no trip to the App Store needed). An exit button is persistent at the top left so users can quit the add at any time.
Apple will be selling and serving the ads, so all we can do is hope they're unobtrusive and actually reach the quality levels presented. For paid apps that also try to include in-app iAds, that bar will rightly be very, very high.
Just like Mail can preview documents, Quick Look will allow developers to present the same functionality in their apps.
2000 hardware accelerated math APIs probably won't be seen by users, but there's not doubt we'll feel them in the games. Zoom. Zoom.
Again it looks like the iPhone is finally getting in iOS what the iPad got in 3.2 with the file/document transfer feature now exposed in iTunes sync.
Now all we need is an elegant way to share and wirelessly sync those documents across multiple devices and users. MobileMe 2.0, souped up iWork.com 2.0, where are you?
The biggest addition to the iOS 4 Phone app is iPhone 4 exclusive -- FaceTime. When connected to Wi-Fi and making a call to another iPhone 4 user, the Hold button gets replaced with a FaceTime video icon. (Where the hold option goes under these circumstances is as yet unknown.)
Tapping that initiates a FaceTime video call. During the FaceTime video call, the person you're calling fill the screen, your own camera input is boxed in the lower left corner (you can touch and drag it to move it around), and mute, hang up, and switch camera buttons line the bottom of the screen. (Switch camera toggles between the rear-facing and front-facing cameras on the iPhone 4).
Mail gets a unified inbox. Let's write that again -- Mail gets a unified inbox. For those with multiple email accounts whose previous iPhone experience involved tapping into and out of those boxes many, many times a day this is a hugely welcome addition.
As with Calendars, Notes, etc. you can tap a button on the top left, in this case Mailboxes, to back into a selection screen where you can then go into All Inboxes, a specific account's inbox (which is considered fast inbox switching), or into the complete folder and sub-folder system of a given account (how Mail has worked from iPhone 1.0 to iPhone 3.0).
Once inside, All Inboxes is visually indistinguishable from an account-specific inbox, it simply contains all of their messages.
What is distinguishable are the small carets (technically greater-than symbols) to the right of replies that indicate a message is part of a thread. A number, typically 2 or 3, accompanies the caret to indicate how many replies are in the thread.
Tapping on a message that's part of a thread doesn't take you to the message but rather to a second list-view, similar to the inbox itself, but containing only the messages from the thread. Tapping on one of them then takes you to the message. A thread view contains a small vertical bar at the top with the subject of the thread and time of the most recent reply. A button to the top left of the message that's part of the thread also contains the subject of the thread and lets you back out and see the thread again. The button then switches to contain the name of the inbox so you can back out again, leave the thread completely, and see all your messages.
So yes, the tap, tap, tap of inbox navigation persists, albeit shifted from moving into and out of inboxes to moving into and out of threaded messages.
Like iOS 3.2 for iPad, you'll be able to open email attachments in apps. Now there's no iWork (Numbers, Pages, Keynote) for iPhone yet, but plenty of apps should support it as they push out the iOS 4 compatible versions.
Great news for heavy ActiveSync users, iOS 4 supports multiple accounts. So, for example, you can now have your work Exchange server and home Google account both set up to push through ActiveSync (which is what Google Sync users behind the scenes) at the same time. Win. Win.
Also for Gmail users, the Delete button has no been properly renamed as Archive (since Google really doesn't want you deleting anything if they can possibly help it).
Lastly, in previous versions of the iPhone OS, when you wanted to abandon an email, you would hit Cancel and get options to Save (store the email in Drafts), Don't Save (trash the email), and Cancel (go back to writing the email). The naming of these options was likely too confusing so in iPhone OS they've been replaced with a big red Delete button (to trash the email), Save as Draft, and Cancel. And yes, you can still cancel a cancel. (iPad, by contrast, still has Save and Don't Save, but no Cancel since it's in a popover rather than full-screen menu and you can just tap away to cancel).
More iPad to iPhone cross-polination means we get search auto-complete in iOS. As you type, suggestions appear in a list view below. And as with the iPad, while Google and Yahoo! branding remain in the search boxes (along with Bing now as well), they no longer get brand advertising on the keyboard -- it simply remains labeled Search now regardless of which engine is set and default.
While HTML5 video would work under iPhone 3.1.3, it would launch the full screen QuickTime player to do so. Under iOS, it seems to play in-line as well [MobileGeekdom], like it does on the iPad.
When you have a song playing in the iPod app and you tap the album art, in addition to all the previous controls that popped up, you now get a dark overlay with white text giving you the info metadata of the song or podcast. This is another iPad bring-over, though not the most attractive one by a long shot. (Remember, it can be turned off in Settings).
Album art has been added to album views, jazzing up the track lists.
And in yet another iPad-like update, on-the-go playlists are dead, long live... just regular old playlists. You can add them via an item in the playlists list, at which point you get a popup that asks you for a name. Next, you tap on any songs you want to add, and when you're done, you have a new playlist. If you're not happy with it, or any playlist, just swipe to bring up the usual red Delete button and annihilate it.
When you sync contacts from more than one source (i.e. Exchange and MobileMe, on-device and Google Sync, etc.), and there are duplicates, rather than showing the same contact twice iOS 4 will instead create a single, linked contact. This works on any iOS 4 device, including iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, recent iPod touch, etc.
If you look at a linked contact, the header will show Unified Info at the top so you know it's linked. At the very bottom of the contact it will show you the source of the links (i.e MobileMe, Google). Tapping on the source lets you see the original, non-unfied info from just that source.
If you don't like the idea of your contacts being linked, you can tap edit and hit Unlink. If iOS 4 missed linking a contact that ought be linked, tap edit, scroll down to the bottom, tap Link Contact and choose the contact you want linked.
Game Center (Preview)
Game Center is Apple's entry into the social gaming network space (think Xbox Live or Playstation Network for iOS devices). With Game Center you'll be able to invite friends to play, use matchmaking to challenge other players, gain achievements, and have your scores displayed on a leader board.
Game Center won't launch with iOS this summer, but is scheduled for release "later" this year.
Though not a built-in app (you'll need to go get it from the App Store when it becomes available), as part of iOS Apple announced they were bringing iBooks to the iPhone.
Apple has announced new features, including notes and bookmarks, and that those along with highlights will automatically be synced across all the iOS devices logged into your iTunes accounts. (So you can have the same book, at the same place, with the same annotations on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad).
Also, iBooks will be able to add PDFs to a second book shelf and open them in the same iBooks interface.
Due to the fracture and regionalism in books, it's going to take Apple a while to get deals in place with all publishers in all areas which means most countries won't have paid content at first, only public domain books from the Project Gutenberg library.
Apple really doesn't get enough credit for the outstanding accessibility features they build into their OS, both desktop and mobile. iOS 4 continues to lead the industry. VoiceOver supports 21 languages to read out loud whatever your finger touches on the screen, and a "rotor" gesture lets you temporarily change languages now on the fly.
Bluetooth support has been extended to more than 30 braille devices with tables for more than 25 languages.
Touch Typing lets you run your finger across the keyboard, hear the letter you're currently over, and release your finger to type it.
The basic rotor has been made visible so sighted users can see it in action, and you can now add custom settings to move through content.
iOS 4 pricing and availability
Apple has announced that iOS 4 will be coming to iPhone and iPod touch on June 21, and iPad later this fall. In a huge departure from previous years, Apple is also making it a free update to all users, iPhone and iPod touch alike. (If you have a compatible device, see directly below).
iOS 4 device compatibility
Before we begin it's important to note that not all iOS 4 features will be available for all iOS devices.
- iPhone 4 (2010): All features
- iPad (2010): Coming this fall
- iPhone 3GS and iPod touch G3 (2009): No features requiring iPhone 4-type hardware (i.e. FaceTime)
- iPhone 3G and iPod touch G2 (2008): No multitasking, custom wallpaper, and Bluetooth keyboard support.
- iPhone 2G and iPod touch G1 (2007): not compatible/no update
Yes, the original iPhone 2G and iPod touch G1 don't look to be getting iOS 4 at all -- Apple considers them outdated. Second generation iPhone 3G and iPod touch G2 are getting the update but no multitasking -- Apple doesn't consider them powerful enough (similar to video recording last year). And it should go without saying only iPhone 4 (and perhaps a forth generation iPod touch when it ships this fall) will be able to use hardware specific features like the Retina Display resolution or the front-facing camera.
Additionally, Apple's own iMovie for iPhone will only run on iPhone 4 -- apparently it needs the A4 chipset -- so there might be other apps that go 2010-only. Legacy, right?
Apple is again rounding out their offering with iOS 4, which is the sign of the maturity of the platform. Since they've stated several times now that they're using the iPhone to "educate" users about multitouch interfaces, they're going to continue keeping changes evolutionary for now, and the UI broadly consistent across devices. There won't be any huge, revolutionary changes again until they have to, and they don't have to yet. Restraint can be a virtue.
Some functionality is still not present, like non-interuptive notifications, widgets beyond the limited fast task switcher UI, wireless sync/sharing, less painful file round-tripping, etc. but Apple is no doubt working on this the way they worked on copy and paste and multitasking. The question is how and when, not if. After all, it's only 9 or 10 months until the iOS 5 sneak preview in spring 2011, right?
But this is not a review — our full rundown of the pros and cons will come after the official launch, when we've had a chance to spend some quality time with the final version on the new iPhone 4 hardware.
Congratulations to the iOS team at Apple, phenomenal work. Again.
[Thanks to everyone who contributed screenshots and descriptions for this walkthrough. If you noticed we missed anything, drop us a note in the comments and we'll update as needed.]
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Diesel prices raised by Rs 5 per litre
The government today increased diesel prices by Rs 5 per litre, limited sale of subsidised domestic LPG to six per year and reduced excise on petrol by Rs 5.30 per litre to avoid a price increase. Of the Rs 5 hike in diesel, Rs 1.50 will be on account of an increase in excise duty. Excise on diesel was cut in June last year from Rs 4.60 to Rs 2 per litre.
The increase in diesel prices comes after a gap of 14 months. The combined impact of diesel hike and cap on domestic LPG will reduce the under-recovery of oil marketing companies- IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum by about Rs 20,300 crore this year, said a government statement. Consumers will pay market price (around Rs 750) if they consume more than six LPG cylinders in a year. Price of subsidised LPG is Rs 399 in the capital.
No Related Stories Found
However, gross under-recovery for the whole fiscal will still be about Rs 167,000 crore, significantly higher to Rs 138,541 crore incurred in the last fiscal. The above decisions were taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in the evening.
After factoring in the local levies, diesel will now cost Rs 47 per litre in the capital from an earlier price of Rs 41.32 per litre. The under-recovery on sale of diesel during the fiscal even after this price hike is estimated to be above Rs 103,000 crore.
There will be “no increase in the price of petrol, although the current under-recovery on petrol is about Rs 6 per litre. The consequent loss to the OMCs will be offset through reduction in excise duty on petrol by Rs 5.30 per litre", the statement said.
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A funny thing happened when I filed a lawsuit to stop thousands of voters from being disenfranchised.
This is exactly why many Americans hate politics. Rather than engage in discussion and debate, many politicians find it easier to demonize their opponents, rather than debate the issues.
Let's take the lawsuit I recently filed on behalf of four voters and two candidates. The issue is simple. If a newly passed California law (SB 6) is allowed to kick in, thousands of voters will be disenfranchised. Why? Because with SB 6, if you cast a vote for a write-in candidate in a general election, your vote will not be counted.
Here's why our lawsuit really matters. If SB 6 kicks in, California will switch to a radical version of "Top Two" elections. In the primary (first round) election, all state and federal candidates will face off, regardless of the party they belong to. The top two votegetters then advance to the general election.
Here's what could happen if SB 6 also covered Presidential elections. Let's assume Barack Obama and John McCain had been the "top two" candidates to qualify for the Nov. 2008 ballot.
What if McCain had suddenly suffered a stroke and become paralyzed a few weeks before the election? Under SB 6's rules, Republican voters would have faced a double bind. First, SB 6 would have banned the GOP from replacing McCain. Even worse, if voters had written in the name of another Republican, SB 6 would have thrown away their votes.
Throwing away votes is not only bad policy, but it violates our rights under the United States and California Constitutions. But how could the California Legislature have passed such an appalling bill? Simple. To pass last year's budget, it needed the vote of then-State Senator Abel Maldonado. His price: Senate Bill 6 (SB 6), which was passed in order to implement Proposition 14.
Why do Messrs. Schwarzenegger and Maldonado want to throw away the votes of thousands of Californians? All we can tell you is that they aren't too keen to tell us. Perhaps you might have more luck if you called Schwarzenegger or Maldonado.
At a time when we're facing a battered economy and yet another budget crisis, it's never too late for our leaders to actually lead.
-- Gautam Dutta
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Palestinian-only buses launched in Israel?!
Zionists are always keen to reject any suggestion that the state of Israel is practicing Apartheid. Indeed, in California it is illegal to even us the word ‘Apartheid’ in connection with the State of Israel! Even so, it’s hard to think of anything that characterises an Apartheid regime better than a bus service restricted to one race of people!
The transport ministry claims, of course, that the intention of the new service is simply to ease congestion and that no one will be denied entry to the regular bus service on the basis of their race. Even so, according to this report from Ynet, Palestinians who choose to travel on the so-called “mixed” lines, will be asked to leave them.
Ministry launches ‘Palestinians only’ buses
Transportation Ministry sets up designated bus lines for Palestinian passengers in West Bank; insists lines are for general public, but only Palestinian villages have been advised of their existence
by Itamar Fleishman
Racial segregation or transportation mitigation? The Transportation Ministry announced that starting Sunday it will begin operating designated lines for Palestinians in the West Bank.
The bus lines in question are meant, according to the ministry, to transport Palestinian workers from the West Bank to central Israel. The ministry alleges that the move is meant to ease the congestion felt on bus lines used by Jews in the same areas, but several bus drivers told Ynet that Palestinians who will choose to travel on the so-called “mixed” lines, will be asked to leave them.
While officially the new lines are considered “general bus lines,” Ynet learned Saturday that their existence has been made public only in Palestinian villages in the West Bank, via flyers in Arabic urging Palestinians to arrive at Eyal crossing and use the designated lines.
The Transportation Ministry defended the plan, saying it was the result of reports and complaints saying that the buses traveling in the area were overcrowded and rife with tensions between the Jewish and Arab passengers.
A ministry source said that many complaints expressed concern that the Palestinian passengers may pose a security risk, while other complaints said that the overcrowded buses cause the drivers to skip stations.
The ministry has also gotten reports of scuffles between Jews and Arab passengers, as well as between Palestinians and drivers who refused to allow them to board their bus.
The ministry reportedly considered several alternatives before deciding to opt for designated lines – knowing that the issue of so-called “Palestinian lines” would be highly controversial.
‘Buses meant to improve service’
Still, the ministry eventually decided to launch the lines, which will run from Eyal crossing – near the West Bank city of Qalqilya – to Israel.
Legally, however, there is no way to stop Palestinians from boarding “regular” lines: “We are not allowed to refuse service and we will not order anyone to get off the bus, but from what we were told, starting next week, there will be checks at the checkpoint, and Palestinians will be asked to board their own buses,” a driver with Afikim – the company that holds the routes franchise for the area – told Ynet.
The volatile nature of the decision was not lost on the driver: “Obviously, everyone will start screaming ‘apartheid’ and ‘racism’ now. This really doesn’t feel right, and maybe (the ministry) should find a different solution, but the situation right now is impossible.”
Another driver said that, “Driving a bus full of only Palestinians might turn out to be tricky. It could be unnerving and it might also create other problems. It could be a scary thing.”
The Judea and Samaria Police is reportedly gearing for the move as well, and will deploy additional forces in Eyal crossing to maintain public order.
Police sources said that it is highly unlikely that Palestinians would be excluded from riding on existing bus lines, adding that the forces would “Do their best to execute the ministry’s decision.”
Afikim issued a statement saying that, “This plan aims to ease travel for Palestinian passengers and offer a solution that counters pirate bus companies that charge exorbitant prices. As for any question about removing Palestinian passengers from buses – that has to be addressed by the enforcement and security bodies.”
The Transportation Ministry issued the following statement: “The new lines are not separate lines for Palestinians but rather two designated lines meant to improve the services offered to Palestinian workers who enter Israel through Eyal Crossing.
“The new lines will replace irregular, pirate lines that charge very high prices from Palestinian passengers. The new lines will reduce congestion and will benefit Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
According to the statement, “The Transportation Ministry is forbidden from preventing any passenger from boarding any line of public transportation, nor do we know of a directive to that effect. Instating these lines was done with the knowledge and complete agreement of the Palestinians.”
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The Real Crisis In The Auto Industry
CNBC Auto and Airline Industry Reporter
Remember when the country was fixated on whether or not Uncle Sam should bailout GM and Chrysler? Remember how there was compelling evidence that allowing those auto makers to collapse could bring down the entire auto industry? Remember
how it felt as if the Big 3 CEOs appearance on Capitol Hill was the climax of the liquidity crisis for the auto industry?
Forget all of that.
The real crisis brewing in the industry swirls around the auto parts suppliers.
No wonder the suppliers are now talking with the Treasury Department about getting $20.5 Billion in federal aid. These guys are hurting, close to collapsing, and on the verge of blowing a hole through the auto industry. Sound serious? You bet. In fact, if you ask most people in the auto business what scares them the most right now, and they'll tell you it's the chance of cascading bankruptcies among auto parts suppliers.
Why is this storm firing up right now?
Blame it on the weak economy forcing auto makers to stop or dramatically slow down their assembly lines. That in turn means the Big 3 (and other auto makers in the U.S.) will spend less money with suppliers. As a result, suppliers already struggling are now reeling. They call it the January effect, because every February the parts suppliers have to adjust to lower receivables because their customers shut down assembly lines in late December and early January. Typically, they can ride out the January effect because the drop in revenue is not huge and suppliers also have credit lines they can draw on to get through this slow period. Not anymore.
Due to extended plant shut downs at the start of this year, the Big 3 are expected to spend just $5-7 Billion a month in February and March on auto parts, compared to $15 billion per month in past years. As if that's not bad enough, many suppliers are now unable to borrow the money needed to pay their bills because they've already violated the covenants of their loans. The real concern is not with the large suppliers like Borg Warner and Magna. Those large suppliers have the means and access to financing to ride out this storm. The real concern is with the smaller tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers who do not have the credit lines that can save them.
If those smaller suppliers start to go under, there's a concern it could trigger cascading bankruptcies with other suppliers and eventually cause parts shortages that slow down the assembly lines for auto makers. Sure, some of you will read this and scoff at these concerns. Sure, some of you will see the parts suppliers asking for a $20 Billion bailout and simply see a group of companies looking for a handout. Those opinions will make it tougher for the suppliers to get Federal aid.
But the suppliers will eventually get money from the Treasury Department because few in Washington will want to see what happens if this crisis grows in the auto industry.
- Auto Suppliers Request $20.5 Billion Bailout: Report
Click on Ticker to Track Corporate News:
- Ford Motor
- General Motors
- Honda Motor
Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com
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UFFC Rally 2006
Until there is justice there is no peace…
Über 200 people turned up today to remember and demand justice for those who have been killed in police custody, prisons and mental health institutions. This was the 9th annual protest by the United Families & Freunde Campaign.
‘Every week the police add one more person to the list of those they have killed in this country. No police officer has ever been brought to justice for these murders.
The protest marched silently from Trafalgar Square at snails pace to Downing Street where flowers were laid and a letter handed in at number 10. The protest then become noisy with chants of ‘no justice, no peace’ and families of those killed telling their stories.
The police kept their distance and any who came too close soon fell back in the face of the hatred and anger shown them. After a while outside Downing Street, the protest moved down to Parliament Square were the signs containing the names of just 150 of those killed were stuck into the grass like markers on graves.
Later, when the protesters had left, refuse collectors from Westminster council came to attempt to remove the signs but were met by some of Brian Haws supporters who pointed out that the square is the private property of the GLA and not Westminster Council land. A couple of phone calls saw the Council workers happy to drive off and leave the names of the dead facing parliament as a reminder that justice remains to be delivered.
Custody Deaths Rally raises calls for justice
Protesters remember 2,200-plus loved ones
who have died while being detained by the
state. Nine-year-old Manisha Bates last saw
her mother when she was four. Her lasting memory is of her mother (19-year-old Anne Marie Bates) giving birth to a sibling.
United in anger at deaths in custody
Hundreds of relatives and friends of those who have died in custody held a remembrance procession in central
London last Saturday.
See more photographs from the event:
Compilation 1 > | Compilation 2 > | Compilation 3 >
All credits Marc Vallée
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On the first day of spring training for the 1972 season, Reggie Jackson showed up with a beard. In protest, Fingers and a few other players started going without shaving to force Jackson to shave off his beard in the belief that management would also want Jackson to shave. Instead, Finley, ever the showman who would do anything to sell tickets, offered prize-money to the player who could best grow and maintain their facial hair until Opening Day on April 15 against Minnesota. Fingers went all-out for the monetary incentive offered by Finley and patterned his moustache after the images of the players of the late 19th century. Taking it even further, Finley came up with “Moustache Day” at the ballpark, where any fan with a moustache could get in free.
Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman also went for the bonus, but Rollie, with his Snidely Whiplash, took the prize. The players would become known as the “Moustache Gang”.
Although most former A’s players shaved their handlebar moustaches after the team traded most of their players in 1975–76, Rollie maintained his after signing with the San Diego Padres and still has the moustache today.
5/18/13 vs. Reds - One Sentence Game Recap
5 minutes ago
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It seems Google has an open source browser project.
I believe this must be true because a comic strip on the web told me so. While I was reading this comic I wasn't sure what amazed me more, the interesting things I was learning about the technical design of Chrome (the Browser), or the fact that I was enjoying learning about the technical design of Chrome from comic characters.
Seriously though, it sounds like the rendering is to be done by Webkit, so perhaps too, the exposure of ARIA semantics in the DOM to desktop Accessibility API will eventually come from Webkit. Of course Firefox has pioneered this stuff, but Aaron is helping the other browsers as much as he can. Today, ARIA is a crucial piece of pushing the web as an application platform.
Thanks for reading.
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The street protests broke out after a December parliamentary election won by Putin's party through what observers said was widespread fraud, and they grew in strength ahead of Putin's effectively unopposed election in March to a third presidential term.
Huge rallies of more than 100,000 people even in bitter winter cold gave many protesters hope for democratic change. These hopes have waned, but opposition supporters appear ready to dig in for a long fight.
"We have to defend the rights that we were deprived of, the right to have elections. We were deprived of honest elections and an honest government," opposition activist Alexander Shcherbakov said. "I've come to show that and to demonstrate that the people are opposed. I'm opposed to the illegitimate government and illegitimate elections."
Leftists, liberals and nationalists mixed with students, teachers, gay activists and others as they marched down Moscow's tree-lined boulevards chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "We are the power here!" Many wore the white ribbons that have become the symbol of the protest movement.
About 7,000 police officers stood guard along the route of the march, and a police helicopter hovered overhead. A protest rally, held on a wide street named for the late Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, remained peaceful as it stretched into the evening. As the 10 p.m. deadline neared, a couple of hundred people were still on the street and police herded them toward a subway station. One of the opposition leaders, Sergei Udaltsov, was detained along with a handful of his supporters when he tried to lead a group of about 50 on a new protest march.
Putin has shown less tolerance for the opposition since his inauguration in May. New repressive laws have been passed to deter people from joining protests, and opposition leaders have been subject to searches and interrogations. In August, a court handed down two-year prison sentences to three members of the punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin song inside Moscow's main cathedral.
Big balloons painted with the band's trademark balaclava masks floated over the crowd on Saturday, while some rally participants wore T-shirts in support of Pussy Riot.
Many demonstrators targeted Putin with creative placards and outfits. Some mocked Putin's recent publicity stunt in which he flew in a motorized hang glider to lead a flock of young Siberian white cranes in flight.
One protester donned a white outfit similar to the one worn by Putin on the flight with a sign reading: "Give up hope, each of you who follow me." Another person held a placard that said: "We are not your cranes."
Alexei Navalny, a charismatic anti-corruption crusader and a popular blogger, remains the rock star among the protest leaders. When he took the stage, young people in the crowd held up their phones to record the moment.
Navalny urged the demonstrators to show resolve and keep up the pressure on the Kremlin with more street protests.
"We must come to rallies to win freedom for ourselves and our children, to defend our human dignity," he said to cheers of support. "We will come here as to our workplace. No one else will free us but ourselves."
The rally appeared as big as the last major protest in June, which also attracted tens of thousands. More of the demonstrators, however, came not as members of the varied political organizations that make up the protest movement, but with groups of friends and co-workers, some of them organizing on social networks.
As part of a new initiative, activists collected contact information and addresses from demonstrators to make it easier to organize civic actions on a neighborhood level.
Gleb Pavlovsky, a former Kremlin political consultant, who attended Saturday's rally, estimated that up to 500,000 people have taken part in the protests in Moscow, a city of 11.5 million.
He said the Kremlin has not figured out how to deal with the protest movement.
"Therefore, they alternate between taking tough action and stepping back from confrontation," Pavlovsky said. "For the Kremlin, it is very worrying that Moscow no longer supports Putin, but it is very important that this is purely a Moscow phenomenon."
Although opposition protests also were held Saturday in several other Russian cities, the largest, in St. Petersburg, drew only a few thousand people. Protests elsewhere attracted only hundreds or even dozens. About 100 attended an unsanctioned rally in Nizhny Novgorod and about 20 of them were detained.
The Moscow organizers had spent days in tense talks with the city government over the protest route for Saturday, typical of the bargaining that has preceded each of the opposition marches.
A protest on the eve of Putin's inauguration ended in clashes with police, and the Kremlin responded by arresting some of the participants and approving a new draconian law that raised fines 150-fold for taking part in unsanctioned protests. The city, however, granted permission for the subsequent opposition rally in June, which was peaceful.
A day before the weekend rally, parliament expelled an opposition lawmaker who had turned against the Kremlin and joined the protest movement. Anger over the ouster of Gennady Gudkov may have helped to swell the ranks of the protesters.
"Russia no longer has a constitution," Gudkov told the rally. "Russia no longer has rights, and Russia no longer has a parliament worthy of respect. Shame on this parliament, and shame on this government!"
Gudkov's expulsion also means he loses his immunity from prosecution, and his supporters fear he could face arrest.
His son, Dmitry Gudkov, also a lawmaker, said he hopes the Kremlin will think twice about arresting his father after seeing the size of the protest. "They will either have to think about serious reforms and end their repressions, or they will come to a very bad end," he said as marched with a column of protesters.
"It's necessary right now for all Russians to come out into the streets to show the regime that changes are needed in our country, and that without them our country can't develop," said teacher Valentina Merkulova, who participated in Saturday's protest. "The most important thing is that, the more Russians come out, the less bloody the change of regime, the change of power. A change of power is necessary."
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Well, certainly not today, and certainly not soon, but the introduction of georeferenced photos on Google Maps this week will certainly rock the online photo communities’ boat. Sure, there are tons of websites overlaying flickr photos on top of a web map, and most are richer than what Google Maps currently offers. Take for example loc.alize.us, a flickr/Google Maps mashup that has been around for a while. It offers tag filtering, user filtering, and a very nice and clean interface. To top it off, it offers a bookmarklet that integrates georeferencing into flickr.com very nicely. I still use it, although Yahoo Maps, the mapper of choice for Flickr’s mapping needs, of course, has had adequate coverage of the Netherlands for some time now.
But still.. It’s not directly ON Google Maps, which is – at least in Western Europe at this time – the ubiquitous web map. The general public will rarely discover any layer of the geographic web beyond Google Maps and Google Earth. ‘So, if I want my photos to show up on the web, I need to be on Panoramio.’ – Panoramio being the photo sharing community that has been showing off on Google Earth for as long as I can remember, and as from now on Google Maps as well. Panoramio was acquired by Google in May, 2007.
No, I don’t expect a mass flux of flickr users towards Panoramio. The latter will see a good number of new members though, and if Google remains as picky about which photos to display within Maps – I’m still confused as to where this leaves Picasa; I guess the user base is not large enough – Panoramio might become a force to be reckoned with in the online photo community universe.
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Today, competitive eaters and heartburn enthusiasts competed in Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog-Eating Contest, a tradition that has been going strong since 1916.
There were over 40,000 spectators at Coney Island, even though the act of watching people drench hot dogs in water and mush them into their mouthholes is totally horrifying. Nevertheless, they were lucky enough to see a world record broken: Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas ate 45 hot dogs in 10 minutes, breaking her record of 41 hot dogs in 2009.
Thomas is a mere 100 pounds, and she also holds the competitive eating titles in oysters, crawfish, clams, chicken wings, and turkey. She wanted to eat 45 hot dogs to match her age.
On the male side, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut devoured a freakish 68 hot dogs — but that's exactly as many as he ate the last time he broke the world record. What a disappointment. Nevertheless, Chestnut is optimistic about his future.
I came here hoping I could do 70, but I am happy with 68. It is a world record after all and I will be back next year to see if I can go one better ... I pushed my body to the absolute limit. I know I did my best. Now I really need a drink to try and rehydrate.
And hey, he's only 28. Something tells me this kid has a bright future of inhaling meat products ahead of him.
[Image via Flickr/helloturkeytoe]
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We end our bear unit with a Teddy Bear Parade!!!
Parading by for all to see
Just my little friend and me!
1. This Initial Sound Fluency Packet from Donna Glynn- you can get it on TPT! I put each colored page under my document camera and we do a page each day! We say the names of the pictures, the first sound/letter for each picture, the last sound for each picture, and then we stretch the word (like stretchy word snake) and say the middle sound! It is working soooo great!
Deanna Jump! Each kiddo makes a tree! When they know the letters and sounds they get to add that letter to their tree! When their tree is full it goes up on our board and they earn a trip to the treasure chest!
|She earned her goofy glasses!|
|This is where they go up when completed! Several more have completed their trees since this photo was snapped! YAY!|
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“You have likely read the parables of Christ before, perhaps many times. But have they read you?” With this thought-provoking question, author Gerald Bilkes introduces readers to the concept of interpreting the Scriptures experimentally as he takes a heart-searching look at Christ’s parables. In this spiritually rewarding Bible study, the author shows students of Scripture how to read the parables in a way that takes into account the truth that Scripture searches us as we subject ourselves to it. When we recognize this, we can expect Scripture to transform us. An ideal tool for personal or group Bible study, with questions following each lesson, Glory Veiled and Unveiled considers the contexts and main messages of twenty-five parables and puts our hearts under the “searchlight” of Scripture, guiding us into the knowledge of Christ, our gracious and glorious king.
Author Gerald M. Bilkes is professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids.
Endorsements “We have come to expect good things from Dr. Bilkes, and in Glory Veiled and Unveiled we are not disappointed. He has given us a marvelous exposition of the parables, revealing astute awareness of the subtleties of the genre and a keen eye for their current application. With pointed questions, each chapter is designed for use in personal and corporate Bible study. Individuals and churches will profit enormously from this book.” — Derek W. H. Thomas, Minister of Preaching and Teaching, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC
"In this volume, the author encourages the reader to approach the parables experimentally. That is, he calls us to read them with the purpose of having their truths challenge and change us. Written for both laypeople and pastors, this resource deserves wide circulation. Among the several books that I have on the parables, this volume ranks among the finest!" —Rob Ventura, Pastor, Grace Community Baptist Church, North Providence, Rhode Island
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Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Cuban opposition activist and longtime hunger striker Guillermo Farinas is "in danger of dying," state media reported Saturday.
In a rare move, state-run Cuban website Cubadebate published an interview with Armando Caballero, head of intensive care at Arnaldo Milian Castro University Hospital, where Farinas is being treated.
Caballero said Farinas is "conscious [and] oriented," but his frail condition has doctors "on edge," according to the website.
Caballero also said Farinas has gained weight because of vitamins and nutrients being fed to him intravenously, despite having abstained from solid food for more than 120 days. The article touted the high level of care the 48-year-old psychologist and writer has reportedly been receiving at the hospital near his home in Santa Clara.
Farinas stopped eating solid food shortly after jailed Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo died February 23 following a prolonged hunger strike. Zapata was among a group of 75 dissidents jailed during a government crackdown on political opposition in 2003.
His death sparked condemnation from Europe and Washington and drew a rare statement of regret from Cuban President Raul Castro.
Farinas then vowed to starve himself to death unless the Cuban government released 26 ailing political prisoners.
Cuba says it has no political prisoners and has rarely acknowledged dissidents in state media. But a recent series of transfers of prisoners to jails closer to their homes and the release of two ailing prisoners has raised questions over whether Cuba is easing conditions for jailed activists.
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LONDON.- Falmouth Art Gallery
is now even closer to achieving its ambitious aim of bringing home an internationally significant masterpiece by John Singer Sargent.
The gallery has been awarded a grant of £62,000 from The Art Fund, the UKs leading independent art charity, towards the purchase of Portrait of Charles Napier Hemy, 1905 by celebrated American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925).
The portrait depicts the Falmouth-born artist Charles Napier Hemy (18411917), who was a friend of the celebrated painter Sargent. Both artist and sitter are of great significance to Falmouth, the South West and internationally. Sargent, although American, spent extended time in Europe, executing some of his best loved works on English soil. Charles Napier Hemy was Falmouth's first Royal Academician and one of the founding members of the first Falmouth Art Gallery.
Painted in Falmouth, the work is of international importance and has until now remained the property of the Hemy family. It has never before been placed on the open market, nor has it ever been publicly exhibited since its original showing at the New Gallery, London.
Stephen Deuchar, Director of The Art Fund, said: "With its pared down composition and striking facial detail, this is an arresting work, offering an intimate portrayal of one of Cornwalls best loved artists. Both Sargent and Hemy are highly important painters and this portrait is a wonderful document of their friendship. It belongs in Cornwall, where the two artists shared time together, and The Art Fund is delighted to have helped Falmouth on its way to securing it for everyone to enjoy."
Falmouth Art Gallery has also already received pledges of conditional support mounting to a six figure sum from The Heritage Lottery Fund, the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and from local supporters. The gallery is still collecting donations towards to purchase of the painting, however small.
Since it was founded in 1903, The Art Fund has helped enrich public collections with a total of 12 works by John Singer Sargent.
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Australia’s medal count to fall in London: StudyJuly 17th, 2012 - 7:51 pm ICT by IANS
Sydney, July 17 (IANS) Australia’s medal tally from Beijing Games to London will be bad to worse, a new study has revealed.
A study conducted by the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, in the US, says Australia will win fewer Olympic gold medals, and fewer medals overall, than it did at either Beijing, Athens or Sydney. The study, however, predicted that host nation Britain can hope for a good medal haul.
The study used the formula developed by professor Andrew Bernard. The formula was also used to predict the overall medal count at 2000 Sydney Games and 2008 Beijing with 95 per cent accuracy.
The formula uses economic principles such as income per person, population and prior Olympic success on a country level as the indicators rather taking into account the history of the athletes competing in the Games.
The study said that Britain are expected to move up the gold medal tally from fourth to third, with 25 gold medals and will overtake Russia with 21. China is expected to top the medals tally with 48 gold, followed by the US with 35.
But there was bad news for Australia, which came fourth in the gold medal tally in Athens in 2004 and sixth in Beijing. They are expected to win only 12 gold - two fewer than in Beijing, and five fewer than in Athens.
“The host effect is typically an important determinant of total and gold medal counts,” according to the study done by Tuck graduate Emily Williams.
“The cheering crowds may make the difference in the sprint to the finish, provided the inevitable rain doesn’t dampen spirits too much!”
- China can't reach Beijing gold haul in London, says official - Apr 20, 2012
- Beijing gold haul difficult in London: Chinese official - Apr 18, 2012
- China, US to battle it out for top position in London - Jul 22, 2012
- Chinese juggernaut rolls on at Olympics (World Roundup) - Aug 08, 2012
- Olympic hockey: Netherlands beat Argentina to defend women's title - Aug 11, 2012
- Britain's taekwondo athlete Stevenson takes Olympic oath - Jul 28, 2012
- Oz says pressure will be on British CW team to perform ahead of London Olympics - Sep 29, 2010
- Hoy to carry British flag at Olympics - Jul 23, 2012
- Russia to send 436 athletes to London 2012 - Jul 10, 2012
- CWG: India surpasses Melbourne medal haul - Oct 09, 2010
- London Olympics to go down as Athletes' Games: IOC chief - Aug 13, 2012
- Olympics: Norway's Larsen takes Kayak sprint gold - Aug 08, 2012
- Australia glide to gold in men's 470 sailing - Aug 10, 2012
- Olympic tennis: Williams sisters win doubles gold - Aug 05, 2012
- Olympic cycling: Britain take men's sprint gold - Aug 03, 2012
Tags: 2008 beijing, andrew bernard, dartmouth, determinant, economic principles, emily williams, gold medal, host nation, income per person, july 17, london study, medal count, medal haul, medal tally, olympic gold medals, olympic success, professor andrew, school of business, sydney games, tuck school of business
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http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sports/australias-medal-count-to-fall-in-london-study_100631395.html
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Business Forum: Subprime borrowers need more protection
Share with others:
Imagine that you are in New York, Los Angeles or the Carolinas and hungry. You spot a restaurant with a C grade from the Health Department posted prominently at its entrance. Would you eat there? Or would you choose the restaurant next door with the A grade on its door?
Such disclosures have not only helped diners decide where to eat, but also improve restaurant hygiene and reduce the number of diners hospitalized with food-related illnesses.
So simple disclosures can help consumers. But complex disclosures have worked less well.
When was the last time you read a physician's privacy notice, or the privacy notice that your bank sends you each year? Similarly, the borrowers whose defaults led to the Great Recession received disclosures of their loan terms, but many were still surprised later by the payment obligations they had agreed to -- and could not meet.
Congress responded to that problem in part by creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The bureau is working on new two-page loan disclosure forms. This is a laudable effort. Yet it may not be enough. Even two pages may be too much for some to digest.
Unfortunately, unlike restaurant safety, loan disclosures cannot simply be boiled down to a single A, B or C. Loan disclosures, to be useful, require some degree of complexity. And that complexity is too much for some consumers.
Requiring disclosures for those who cannot understand them is pointless. We need to focus on understanding in borrowing rather than simply disclosure. Otherwise, we must accept that some borrowers will not understand what they are pledging to do, with the consequent risks of default and another Great Recession.
What does it mean to focus on understanding? It might mean using loan counselors.
When Chicago obliged borrowers in certain ZIP codes to consult mortgage counselors, the counselors found that more than half the borrowers had been offered loans that they would not have been able to repay. Borrowers who received such counseling were less likely to default on the loans they took out than borrowers who had not been counseled.
If more subprime borrowers had seen such counselors, the economy might now be in far better shape. Just as restaurant grades have led to better restaurants, mortgage counselors can lead to better loans.
We should establish a two-tier system. Mortgage applicants should be required to take a test on their mortgage terms. Those who fail should be required to see mortgage counselors (which are not the same as mortgage brokers).
States and localities are increasingly barring restaurants from taking advantage of consumer ignorance of problems in the kitchen. We should -- we must -- extend the same protection to borrowers so they know the risks they assume on the largest obligations of their lives.
First Published May 12, 2012 12:00 am
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http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/opinion/business-forum-subprime-borrowers-need-more-protection-635576/
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EDEN Reduced Sodium Organic Shoyu continues a craft that began centuries ago. Master brewers, skilled in the art of koji fermentation handed down through generations produce this fine soy sauce. It is made with organic whole soybeans and organic wheat inoculated with koji (Aspergillus oryzae), spring water and sea salt. Carefully tended and aged in cedar casks through two sets of seasonal cycles.
Until the final step, to reduce the sodium content, EDEN Reduced Sodium Shoyu is brewed in the same traditional manner as EDEN Organic Shoyu, through two years of patient aging. The sodium is reduced through an ion exchange process that uses plus and minus electrodes that cause charged sodium ions to be electrically attracted and thus the sodium is removed from the shoyu. The sodium content becomes 50 percent less than that of traditional shoyu. A bit of fermented grain alcohol, made from organic rice, is added to preserve freshness, because of the sodium reduction.
Soy sauce should be chosen with care as one would choose a fine wine or olive oil. Our traditional brewing of shoyu and tamari takes two to three years. Today real soy sauce is rare. Many commercial soy sauces are made with sugar, water, salt, artificial coloring, preservatives, genetically engineered derived enzymes, and often with genetically engineered soy meal that has been defatted using a hexane gas extraction process.
While tamari imparts its own flavor, shoyu harmonizes, blends, and enhances. It is an excellent soy sauce for everyday cooking. A bit of EDEN Reduced Sodium Organic Shoyu is a healthful and flavorful alternative to table salt for cooked grain, pasta and vegetables.
EDEN soy sauces are bottled in amber glass to protect their deep color, fragrant bouquet and rich character. Each has a functional dispenser cap that allows you to drip or pour as desired.
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MIAMI -- A federal judge dealt a blow to practitioners of the Santeria religion on Thursday when he upheld the city of Hialeah`s ordinances banning animal sacrifice.
Santeria rites include the sacrifice of chickens, goats and other animals.
In his 50-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Eugene Spellman said the Hialeah ordinances are consistent with the U.S. Constitution, which protects only religious beliefs, not practices.
``The ordinances are not targeted at the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye and practitioners of Santeria, but are meant to prohibit all animal sacrifice, whether it be practiced by an individual, a religion or a cult,`` the judge wrote.
The Santeria followers plan to appeal Spellman`s decision, the group`s attorney and city officials said.
The legal battle over animal sacrifice began in 1987, when Santeria priest Ernesto Pichardo decided to open the Lukumi Church and bring the Afro-Cuban religion into the open.
Just after the church opened, the city of Hialeah passed several ordinances regulating the killing of animals and outlawing ritual sacrifice. The Santeria followers said the ordinance violated their religious freedom.
In his ruling, however, Spellman said ``the ordinances were not passed to interfere with religious beliefs, but rather to regulate conduct.``
``We`re happy with the judge`s ruling. We said all along we do not discriminate in Hialeah,`` Mayor Raul Martinez said. ``I`m just sorry it took 2 1/2 years. We had to prove we were right and we did.``
The judge agreed with the city that its ordinances were necessary for the public welfare.
``Compelling governmental interests, including public health and safety and animal welfare, fully justify the absolute prohibition on ritual sacrifice at issue here,`` the judge wrote.
The Santeria religion, which originated in present-day Nigeria, was carried by slaves to Cuban sugar plantations. It mixes many Roman Catholic practices and saints with African beliefs.
Animal sacrifice, conducted only by Santeria priests, are used to protect believers from harm, bring them good fortune or cleanse them of evil.
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LAKE TAHOE - Federal legislators urged the Sierra Club not to delay the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's Regional Plan Update prior to the environmental group's challenge to the wide-ranging plan this week.
The existence of TRPA, as well as millions of dollars in federal funding, could be jeopardized by delays in implementation of the RPU, according to a Feb. 1 letter to the Sierra Club from U.S. Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
The Sierra Club and Friends of the West Shore filed a federal lawsuit to stop implementation of the RPU in on Monday. TRPA passed the plan regulating land use in the Lake Tahoe Basin in December. The environmental groups question the ability of the new regulations to achieve the agency's environmental goals and criticizes an effort by TRPA to give more control to local governments.
Feinstein and Reid encouraged the Sierra Club to "refrain from any actions that might result in the dissolution of the bi-state compact or setback our efforts to pass legislation to help restore lake clarity."
"The adoption of the plan is the result of nearly a decade of work by TRPA, local government, residents, business owners and environmental groups and takes into account more than 5,000 public comments," according to the letter. "The plan reflects policy compromises of this diverse group of stakeholders with the overarching goal of restoring Lake Tahoe's world-famous clarity while at the same time supporting desperately needed revitalization."
Any delays to the implementation of the Regional Plan Update could jeopardize the Bi-State Compact that established the TRPA, the senators wrote.
"This compact, which was first ratified by Congress in 1969, is vital to the preservation of Lake Tahoe," according to the letter. "If either state were to withdraw from the compact, as proposed under existing Nevada state law, the decades-long investment we have collectively made in Lake Tahoe's restoration would be undermined."
The senators said they would welcome Sierra Club input on a reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which previously enabled more than $1 billion in environmental improvements at the lake.
"However, we urge you not to take any steps which might foster the misperception that California and Nevada disagree on Lake Tahoe restoration plans, undermining our bipartisan legislation and jeopardizing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support for restoration work over the next decade," the letter reads.
Representatives from Reid's and Feinstein's offices did not immediately return a request for comment late Thursday evening.
Bruce Hamilton, deputy executive director of the Sierra Club, said the environmental group hoped to extend the deadline for a lawsuit in order to negotiate further with TRPA.
"We agreed with the Senators that it was far better to work out a better plan than to litigate, so we made a good faith effort to get TRPA to agree to extend the deadline to sue in order to facilitate negotiations in the hope of avoiding a suit - but they refused," Hamilton said in an email. "That refusal left us with the choice of either letting a terrible plan that won't protect the lake go forward unchallenged, or to proceed with the litigation. For the sake of Lake Tahoe, a national treasure, and all Americans who enjoy the lake's pristine clarity, we chose the latter."
An initial hearing date has not been set in the lawsuit challenging the RPU. The Sierra Club is seeking an injunction to stop implementation of the plan, but TRPA officials have said they will continue moving forward with the plan until a judge says otherwise. TRPA has 21 days to answer the complaint after being served with the lawsuit, according to online court documents.
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|Uploaded:||September 18, 2010|
|Updated:||September 18, 2010|
It seems that there are tons of people on the site right now. Seeing all you peeps on makes me extremely happy! The lesson that was recently uploaded to the website was one of my favorite lessons to be presented today. Anyhow, I want to submit another helpful lesson geared towards most of you anime and manga fans. I don’t know if some of you joined me yesterday for a LIVE drawing lesson on “how to create an anime character”. The lesson was generally all talking, kinda like a teacher you have to sit for hours and hours listening. Some people were saying that it was boring, which actually it sorta was. So anyways, this lesson will show you simply on “how to draw anime expressions”, step by step. The site alone has tons of lessons on how to draw anime, but nothing really that shows you the essentials of creating the expressions for them. This tutorial briefly shows you the simple expressions, and the key points of making them accurate. There are so many expressions you can mood your character in, that it’s pretty much countless! My advice would be to explore and observe other animes and mangas on how they create the emotions for their characters. There’s only so many simple ways to “draw anime emotions”, that it can get pretty easy. I’ve observed other artist’s mistakes and was inspired to create this lesson for everyone. The main character in the image isn’t originated from a present anime or manga. You can simply use the head base to create the emotions from this tutorial. Anyways, I have to go now and submit more lessons. I have like, six of them! Thanks so much for viewing and don’t forget to let me know on how this has helped! Thanks a lot folks, I’ll be submitting more awesome lessons for you all!
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http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/5927/2/1/33277/how-to-draw-anime-expressions-step-6.htm
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23 May 2005
Significant progress was made in the development of the /Ai /Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (ARTP) last week when local stakeholders in the tourism industry gave the nod to a tourism strategy being developed for the ARTP and surrounding areas.
Representatives of the private sector, state organs and affected communities attended a tourism development workshop at Canyon Village near the Fish River Canyon. Relevant tourism master plans for Namibia and South Africa were tabled, as well as a tourism route being developed from Cape Town to Namibia through the Northern Cape.
Buy-in for the proposed tourism strategy and vision was sought from private landowners, tourism operators, conservation and other state agencies, affected communities and municipalities by Mr Johan Louw, a specialised tourism planner for Peace Parks Foundation.
Delegates discussed how best they could become involved in the tourism opportunities as well as possible partnerships. Note was then taken of the very important upcoming synergy between transfrontier conservation projects and maximising tourism benefits for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
The natural linkage between the ARTP and the nearby Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park will be exploited in a tourism development strategy for desert tourism. The draft tourism strategy is attached as a PDF file.
The International Coordinator for the ARTP, Dr Peet van der Walt, was very pleased with the positive response from all delegates. Follow-up working sessions with an increasing attendance will contribute to the consensus gained.
The development of the transfrontier project is being driven by a Joint Management Board, appointed in February 2004 following the Presidential signing in August 2003 of an international treaty establishing the ARTP.
Peace Parks Foundation - 23 May 2005
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A federal court put a stop to a case brought by five ReplayTV digital video recorder (DVR) owners after 28 entertainment companies promised not to sue them for copyright infringement for using the “commercial advance” or “send show” features on their DVRs.
"Skipping commercials is not illegal and neither is sending television shows from your home to your office, as one of our clients does," said Gwen Hinze, a staff attorney with the consumer advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation. “We're pleased that we were able to protect our clients against unjustifiable copyright claims for exercising their fair use rights.”
The EFF had asked the court to give affirmative relief to all owners of ReplayTV DVRs with commercial skipping and “send show” features that allow them to share digitally recorded programs. The court declined to do so on the grounds that the entertainment companies promised not to sue and have indicated no intention to sue any of the other owners. The court did, however, leave open the possibility of relief in the event that the entertainment companies change their position.
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Random House Children’s Books (www.randomhouse.com/kids ) is thrilled to announce the launch of the all-new MagicTreeHouse.com, the online home for Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series. For nearly 20 years Mary Pope Osborne’s bestselling and internationally beloved series about a brother and sister who travel through time has been trusted by parents and educators for its ability to simultaneously educate and entertain young readers. Brimming with engaging and interactive features for audiences of all ages, the site adds an exciting and enriching dimension to the Magic Tree House reading experience.
A lively animated intro leads visitors to the home page, which features a bookshelf where children can view the full series, read excerpts, and create a personal wish list. The site features a fun and educational new game, Magic Tree House Missions, in which children join characters Jack and Annie as they travel through time and collect clues to solve puzzles and complete missions. The game features more than 60 unique missions and over 250 trivia questions based on facts found in the books. Children can also sign up to receive personalized Tree House Mail from Jack and Annie, and send and receive messages from author Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce, co-author of the nonfiction companion Research Guides.
Additionally, the On Stage section of the Web site lets visitors explore the ways they can see the book series come to life through live dramatic performance. Fans can learn more about Magic Tree House: The Musical, a live musical adaptation of the series; Passport to Reading: A Magic Tree House Live Event, a touring events program that will bring Jack and Annie’s adventures to bookstores throughout the U.S.; Magic Tree House: Space Mission, the world’s only full dome planetarium show based on the series—and more.
Educators will soon discover MagicTreeHouse.com to be a favored destination of their own. The redesigned Teachers Club offers a wide array of resources, including lesson plans and 100 printable activities to help teachers incorporate the series into their curriculum. In addition, the Classroom Idea Forum is a new feature that enables teachers to chat and share ideas. Parents will also enjoy access to activities that they can do with their children and a calendar of upcoming Magic Tree House events. They will also be able to track their child’s wish list.
“Mary Pope Osborne is one of the most beloved children’s authors of our time and it is a joy for me to witness the hugely positive influences her books have had on young readers around the world. I am delighted that the quintessential Magic Tree House experience of adventure and imagination can now be enjoyed and experienced in a whole new way,” says Mallory Loehr, Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Random House Books for Young Readers.
Random House Children’s Books collaborated with Cricket Moon Media to create www.MagicTreeHouse.com. Magic Tree House fans can also enjoy the series on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MagicTreeHouse, and on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/RandomHouseKids.
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How can you cut to the chase? What’s an effective approach for clearing the air of ambiguity and getting to facts? Ask cutting questions. A cutting question is simply a question that cuts to the chase and reveals insightful information. The most effective people I see, don’t ask a lot of questions. They ask the right ones.
Examples of Cutting Questions
Here’s some examples of cutting questions:
- Who’s on board? This is a reality check of whether you have the support you need. If you’re honest here, you can quickly realize who you need to get on board or at least be aware of some threats to your plans.
- Who are five customers that stand behind you? My previous manager, Per, always asks this question to litmus test the value of a project. As simple as it sounds, having five separate customers stand behind you is a start. I’m in the habit of litmus checking my path early on to see who’s on board or to find the resistance. As customers get on board, my confidence goes up. I’ve also seen this cutting question work well with startups. I’ve asked a few startups about their five customers. Some had great ideas, but no customers on board. The ones that had at least five are still around.
- Next steps? At the end of any meeting, Per never fails to ask “next steps?”, and the meeting quickly shifts from talk to action.
- What does your gut say? This is about checking your intuition. Per taught me to check my intuition by asking what my gut says, before doing deeper analysis. It’s a great sanity check. Many times your gut will say one thing, while your logical mind might say another. W/hat I’ve found is that often my intuition picks up on something
- Is it working? Is it effective? “Is it working?” is a pretty cutting question. It’s great because it forces you to step back and reflect on your results and consider a change in approach.
- What would “x” say? (for example, what would your peers say?) This is a great perspective question. It forces you to see through other people’s eyes. Usually, you can figure out what somebody might say. If there’s resistance, this is something to pay attention to. You may not like what you think people will say, but at least you’re prepared.
- What’s their story? This is about empathic listening. If you’re only analyzing the situation from your side, see how well you can tell the story through the other person’s eyes. This can be very revealing and lead you to new insights or at least better understanding.
- Where’s your prioritized list of scenarios? A scenario is simply a usage scenario or story. For example, let’s say you have a bunch of chores for fixing your house. Instead of a laundry list of tasks, you can group them by meaningful scenarios. For example, one scenario might be you want to relax on your deck. Another scenario might be you want to play in the yard. You can then prioritize the tasks that make those scenarios possible. I’ve used this approach for all types of projects from housework to yard work to building software.
Practice Your Cutting Questions
You have a lot of chances every day to practice cutting questions:
- Self-talk. Thinking is just asking and answering questions. Improve the questions you ask yourself to improve your answers.
- Reading. When you’re pleasure reading, it’s fine to let your mind wander. When you’re reading to learn, the best approach is to ask cutting questions so that you can quickly find the information you need.
- On the job. You can ask cutting questions of your performance. You can ask cutting questions of your manager to figure out what they value and what their top concerns are. You can ask cutting questions for any project work you take on.
The beauty is you get lots of chances to practice every day if you look for them. You can really improve your cutting questions simply by testing different questions throughout the day, and tuning your approach.
Improving Your Questioning Skills
Improve your questioning skills. There’s lots of techniques for improving your questioning skills. Here are some of my related posts:
- Generalization, Deletion, and Distortion
- Precision Model for Avoiding Language Pitfalls
- Precision Questions and Precision Answers
- How To Use the PMI Technique
- How To Use the Six Thinking Hats
- Asking Better Questions
- Solution-Focused Questions
- Outcome Questions
- 3 Interview Questions for Picking the Right People
The more effective you get at asking cutting questions, the less surprised you’ll be. Better questions leads to better information. Better information leads to better decisions, thoughts, feelings, and actions.
What’s your favorite cutting questions?
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It's All Politics
Wed April 18, 2012
Obama, Romney Use Opposing Versions Of 'Are You Better Off?'
Originally published on Wed April 18, 2012 5:37 pm
Ever since Ronald Reagan posed the killer question to voters in a 1980 debate with then-President Jimmy Carter — "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" — challengers to incumbent presidents have tried to repeat the Reagan magic.
Even when a humming U.S. economy would seem to make the line less potent, it's been pulled out of storage and dusted off, as when Sen. Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP nominee, used it to little avail against then-President Blll Clinton.
But with a weak economic recovery fueling some voters' doubts about President Obama, 2012 could be a productive year for the Reaganesque line of attack. And Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is indicating that he plans to use it, but with variations.
Romney's tweak is to not just to compare economic indicators in 2008 to 2012 but to frame the case against Obama as the alleged falloff between what he promised as a candidate and what he has delivered as a president.
On Wednesday, Romney was in Charlotte, N.C., a key November battleground where Democrats will be holding their national convention in August. The presumptive GOP nominee delivered what was likely to be one of numerous "prebuttals" to the message he anticipates Democrats will deliver when they gather to renominate the president.
Romney repeatedly hit the theme that Obama laid out in his 2008 convention acceptance speech: that voters could measure progress by whether people could find jobs that allowed them and their families to lead lives that met their economic expectations.
"... Virtually nothing he has done has made it more likely for people to get jobs. And so, for three-and-a-half years, we've had unemployment above 8 percent. He set the measure; he has failed by the measurements he set. You won't hear that at this convention, but you're going to hear it at ours..."
In case there was any doubt about the strategy, Ryan Williams, a Romney spokesman, told reporters on a Wednesday teleconference call: "We're going to pose the question to voters, are you better off now than you were when Obama took office?"
Meanwhile, during a visit to another important battleground state, Ohio, the city of Elyria to be exact, Obama offered his own version of the "Are you better off than you were four years ago." Except he expanded the time period from four to 12 years, that is, the entire presidency of George W. Bush.
Speaking of congressional Republicans and of Romney, too, though not by name, Obama said:
"... They keep telling us, well, if we just weaken regulations that keep our air and water clean and protect our consumers, if we just cut everybody's taxes and convert these investments in community colleges and research and health care into tax cuts especially for the wealthy, that somehow the economy is going to get stronger — and Ohio and the rest of the country will prosper. That's the theory.
"Ohio, we tested this theory. Take a look at what happened in Ohio between 2000 and 2008. It's not like we didn't try it. And instead of faster job growth, we had the slowest job growth in half a century. Instead of broad-based prosperity, the typical American family saw their incomes fall by about 6 percent. Outsourcing, rampant; phony financial profits all over the place. And instead of strengthening our economy, our entire financial system almost collapsed. We spent the last three-and-a-half years cleaning up after that mess. So their theory did not work out so well. Maybe they haven't been paying attention, but it didn't work out so well."
So while Romney's argument will be that the president doesn't deserve a second term because too many people aren't better off, Obama is essentially trying to frame the former Massachusetts governor's candidacy as, for all practical purposes, a potential third term for Bush, with all the bad vibes that carries for many voters.
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GLOBAL: G20 "must stand by aid pledges"
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to urge G20 delegates to keep development issues high on the global agenda
New York, 11 November 2008 (IRIN) - Leaders of the top 20 industrial and big emerging-market countries will be asked to reaffirm their commitments to development assistance at the emergency summit on 15 November convened by President George W Bush to address the global financial crisis.
"At the G20 meeting in Washington, [United Nations] Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon intends to stress the need to keep long-term objectives, such as the Millennium Development Goals and the fight against extreme poverty, at the centre of the global agenda," UN spokesman Alex Cerniglia told IRIN, referring to targets that seek to slash extreme poverty by 2015.
"He will also draw attention to the Doha meeting on Financing for Development, including the need to allow for broad participation and, in particular, the necessity of including the voice of the smaller and poorer countries in the debate over the international institutional architecture and the reforms that will be considered," he added, referring to the Doha round of World Trade Organization talks later this month on lowering global trade barriers.
Even before Bush convened the summit of key emerging-market countries, including China, Brazil, India, South Korea and South Africa, and the major industrial nations, analysts had voiced fears that vital development aid could fall victim to the crisis.
Some have projected that official development assistance (ODA) might plunge by a third or more, and Ban and World Bank President Robert Zoellick, both of whom will attend the summit, have called on governments not to step back from their commitment to provide billions of dollars in aid to poor countries.
"As ministers discuss issues of high finance, we can't forget the world's poor," Zoellick's office told IRIN. "The bottom billion need our help more than ever. The world must follow through on past aid commitments to fight poverty and promote sustainable development."
What has made the greatest impression among development actors is the speed with which governments disbursed billions of dollars in a bid to halt the economic meltdown - compared with all the delays and retreats in pledging far smaller sums to combat poverty.
John Clancy, spokesman for European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid Louis Michel, said: "It begs the question: if we can find that kind of money, surely we can find the E100 billion [US$128 billion] a year that between us we promised to ensure that we do tackle the real problem of halving poverty. Put it this way … let's not have this financial crisis turn into a human tragedy by us forgetting the importance of maintaining our commitments to the developing world." "Morally unacceptable"
In a widely published commentary in European newspapers, Michel noted that the same developed countries who rushed to rescue the international financial system with more than two trillion Euros [$2.56 trillion] found it difficult to raise 100 billion Euros a year for development aid to combat extreme poverty and save lives.
"This contrast is morally unacceptable; it is also politically dangerous," he wrote. "The unprecedented moves by world leaders to put international financial capitalism on a sounder footing are crucial. But there are other, even more dramatic events unfolding as well. Poverty affects two-thirds of the world's population, while climate change threatens the very future of humanity and the planet, and much sooner than is often thought."
|As ministers discuss issues of high finance, we can't forget the world's poor. |
World Bank President Robert Zoellick
NGOs concurred. Concern Worldwide chief executive Tom Arnold said governments had to invest the billions of dollars they promised to finance anti-poverty programmes. "This is essential but must also be matched by a reshaping of global institutions that can effectively address poverty in the 21st century," he told IRIN.
This offered an enormous opportunity for the US. "By building on the goodwill that is extended to [President-elect Barack] Obama under a new presidency, the US can take a leadership role at the global level," he said.
Oxfam International media officer Louis Bélanger said the $700 billion spent on the emergency bailout of American financial institutions was more than 23 times what the US spends on foreign aid. "Now is not the time for donors to shy away from delivering on aid promises. Aid levels must not only be maintained but increased as many of the world's poorest countries are starting to suffer from the effects of the global credit crunch and economic downturn," he told IRIN.
UN Development Programme policy adviser and senior macroeconomist Brett House said there was no economic rationale for reducing ODA flows.
"In fact, given the excellent macroeconomic fundamentals in many developing countries, ODA would likely provide a more efficient stimulus than domestic spending in [industrial] countries," he told IRIN. "A decision to reduce ODA disbursements is a political decision, not an economic one."
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Ministry of Magic official
- "Some of these wandless can be troublesome. While they do nothing but beg I have no objection, but one of them actually asked me to plead her case in the Ministry next week. 'I'm a witch, sir, I'm a witch, let me prove it to you'!"
- —Travers mocks Muggle-borns reduced to begging on the streets by Voldemort's oppressive regime[src]
Travers was a wizard and a Death Eater of Lord Voldemort. He fought in the First Wizarding War, during which he murdered Marlene McKinnon and her family, and was imprisoned for committing this crime. Travers escaped from Azkaban after Lord Voldemort's return in 1995, and fought in several battles of the Second Wizarding War, including the Battle of the Seven Potters, the Ambush at the Lovegood House and the Battle of Hogwarts. His ultimate fate is uncertain.
First Wizarding War
During the First Wizarding War, Travers murdered the family of Marlene McKinnon, according to Igor Karkaroff. He could not escape imprisonment and was sentenced to Azkaban sometime in, or prior to, 1981 for this crime.
- Hermione Granger: "But I thought Stan Shunpike was in Azkaban?"
- Kingsley Shacklebolt: "Hermione, there's obviously been a mass breakout which the Ministry has hushed up. Travers's hood fell off when I cursed him, he's supposed to be inside too."
- — Hermione Granger and Kingsley Shacklebolt after the Battle of the Seven Potters[src]
Travers escaped from Azkaban in the mass breakout in early 1996. Sometime after, Travers was arrested yet again but escaped along with Stan Shunpike before the summer of 1997, in a breakout that was hushed up by the Ministry of Magic, led at the time by Rufus Scrimgeour.
Fall of the Ministry
Now falsely cleared, Travers went on to work at the Ministry of Magic (at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement), as a superior to Mafalda Hopkirk. He also seemed to have some involvement with the recently created Muggle-Born Registration Commission, as he got to choose which Ministry employee could act as a stenographer for the Muggle-born trials.
Ambush at the Lovegood House
Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank
- Travers: "Well, I confess I am surprised to see you out and about, Bellatrix."
- Hermione Granger (as Bellatrix Lestrange): "Really? Why?"
- Travers: "Well, I heard that the inhabitants of Malfoy Manor were confined to the house, after the... ah... escape."
- Hermione Granger (as Bellatrix Lestrange): "The Dark Lord forgives those who have served him most faithfully in the past. Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine is, Travers."
- — Travers and Hermione Granger (disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange).[src]
Later that year, Travers met Hermione Granger, disguised by means of the Polyjuice Potion as Bellatrix Lestrange, and went into Gringotts Wizarding Bank with her, where he expressed disdain towards Muggle-born beggars as well as goblins. Harry placed him under the Imperius Curse to facilitate their breaking in to the Lestrange Vault, and sent Travers off to hide.
Battle of Hogwarts
On 2 May, 1998 Travers took part in the Battle of Hogwarts. During the conflict, Travers fought Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas with the help of Dolohov and another Death Eater His ultimate fate is uncertain.
Travers is described as a tall, thin wizard with a crown of bushy grey hair, a long sharp nose, and a cool voice.
Personality and traits
Travers was a Death Eater, obsessed with blood purity. In 1998, he expressed his disdain towards Muggle-born beggars, whom he laughed at (going as far as calling them "it"), and goblins, whom he didn't like to associate with. He was also something of a xenophobe; when he was met with an apparently foreign wizard, Dragomir Despard (in truth Ron Weasley), Travers didn't shake hands with him with his entire hand, but instead just used two of his fingers, acting as though he feared he would be soiled.
- Wand: Travers's wand was of unknown length, wood, and core material. He used it to cast the Human-presence-revealing spell to detect the presence of Harry Potter during the ambush at the Lovegood House in 1998.
- Gringotts vault: It is likely that Travers had a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, because that's where he was going when he met "Bellatrix Lestrange", actually Hermione, "Dragomir Despard", actually Ron, and Harry and Griphook under the Invisibility Cloak, in Diagon Alley, during 1998. He was also seen holding a key there.
Travers is an English and French surname that described a man who lived near a bridge or ford, or occasionally as an occupational name for the collector of tolls at such a location. It is derived from the Old French verb traverser, meaning "to cross".
Travers also shares a surname with the writer P. L. Travers, author of the Mary Poppins books; J. K. Rowling is an admirer of P. L. Travers, and followed Travers in having her books published under her first two initials and surname rather than her full name.
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaption of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Travers is portrayed by Tav MacDougall.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Travers is absent from the scene of the Break-in of Gringotts and, as such, is never placed under the Imperius Curse.
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First mentioned)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game) (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ Pottermore - New from J.K. Rowling: Pure-Blood
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 5 (Fallen Warrior)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 13 (The Muggle-Born Registration Commission)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 26 (Gringotts)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 32 (The Elder Wand)
- ↑ Behind the Name: French Surnames
- ↑ Picardie, Justine. "Was P L Travers the real Mary Poppins?". The Daily Telegraph, 28 October 2008.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 See Forum:Incorrectly identified Death Eaters
Alecto Carrow | Amycus Carrow | Antonin Dolohov | Augustus Rookwood | Avery (I) | Avery (II) |
Barty Crouch Jr. | Bellatrix Lestrange | Crabbe | Evan Rosier | Gibbon | Goyle |
Jugson | Lestrange | Mulciber (I) | Mulciber (II) | Nott | Rabastan Lestrange | Rodolphus Lestrange | Rosier | Selwyn | Thorfinn Rowle | Travers | Walden Macnair | Wilkes | Yaxley
|Death Eaters who Defected:|
|Death Eaters' allies:|
Vincent Crabbe | Golgomath | Gregory Goyle | Fenrir Greyback | Narcissa Malfoy (defected) |
Quirinus Quirrell | Scabior | Dolores Umbridge
Dementors | Giants (Golgomath's control) | Muggle-Born Registration Commission | Snatchers | Werewolves
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The water shortage in Perry County is not getting any better.
Officials say water levels in the tanks are declining.
The City of Hazard turned the water off Tuesday morning to the northern part of Perry County after officials found another leak on the city's storage tanks.
It is not known how many customers are affected or when service will be restored to the those areas.
A boil water advisory remains in effect until further notice.
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The collection of letters written by Sharon Discorfano in the weeks after Pushkin’s passing, and the inspiration behind the web site LettersToPushkin.com.
After the death of her beloved beagle... More > Pushkin, Sharon decided to write a letter each day to him during the season of Lent. The collection of letters begins on Ash Wednesday — just a few weeks after his passing — and finishes on Easter Sunday. During these weeks of grieving, Sharon reaches out to different perspectives on death and life by drawing on literature and philosophy, personal experiences, and the people and animals around her. Meanwhile, life is still happening — people are visiting, events are unfolding, and decisions have to be made. In the process, life takes some surprising new directions. Share the journey and the hope that it brings.
50% of author's royalties will go to Bideawee, the humane organization that brought Sharon and Pushkin together. www.bideawee.org< Less
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On Jan. 31, U.S. Marine Sgt. William Stacey was traveling through the Helmand province in the southern part of Afghanistan -- his fourth deployment to the country -- when suddenly, a homemade bomb exploded, killing the 23-year-old from Redding, Calif. Stacey had been prepared for this kind of tragedy, having already written a letter to his family that would be opened in the event of his death, which explained why he fought.
On Monday, Marine Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander and leader of the NATO coalition currently in Afghanistan, read Stacey's heartrendering letter aloud during a Memorial Day service in Kabul. He read it to honor Stacey's memory, as well as all of those who died in Afghanistan since the war started back in 2001.
"Today we remember his life and his words, for they speak resoundingly and timelessly for our fallen brothers and sisters in arms," Allen said.
Here is the full text from Stacey's letter, courtesy of the Seattle Times.
"My death did not change the world; it may be tough for you to justify its meaning at all," Allen wrote. "But there is a greater meaning to it. Perhaps I did not change the world. Perhaps there is still injustice in the world. But there will be a child who will live because men left the security they enjoyed in their home country to come to his. And this child will learn in the new schools that have been built. He will walk his streets not worried about whether or not his leader's henchmen are going to come and kidnap him. He will grow into a fine man who will pursue every opportunity his heart could desire. He will have the gift of freedom, which I have enjoyed for so long. If my life buys the safety of a child who will one day change this world, then I know that it was all worth it.
"Semper Fidelis means always faithful. Always faithful to God, Country and Corps. Always faithful to the principles and beliefs that guided me into the service. And on that day in October when I placed my hand on a bible and swore to defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, I meant it."
Stacey, who was deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., is among the 1,851 estimated U.S. military personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion began in 2001. Gen. Allen added that since he took over command of Afghanistan's operations in July 2011, roughly 251 troops, 76 NATO coalition members and 1,296 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed in Afghanistan.
On Monday, three more members of the NATO coalition were killed -- two in a helicopter crash, and one in an insurgent attack.
Mirroring a similar ceremony being performed by President Obama at Arlington's Tomb of the Unknowns, Allen laid a large wreath at the base of a pedestal holding a battlefield cross, which is the symbolic memorial given to all fallen soldiers, erected using the soldier's helmet, boots, rifle, and dog tags. Taps played over a speaker as Gen. Allen saluted.
Even though soldiers continue to die in Afghanistan, support on the war has given way as more countries are ready to pull their troops out and let the Afghan security forces largely fend for themselves. The cost of the war, including the physical cost and the mounting number of casualties, has helped drive U.S. plans to transfer security responsibilities to the Afghan forces by mid-2013. President Obama hopes to have withdrawn most U.S. combat troops from the country by the end of 2014.
Even though many countries are looking to withdraw the troops, Gen. Allen's message to troops on this Memorial Day was to keep fighting. Those who died will not die in vain.
"While our brothers and sisters fell in a place far from home, far from their families, the values for which they stood and for which they lived and for which they died occupy an enduring place in our hearts," Gen. Allen said. "Those values: freedom, duty, selflessness and sacrifice."
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Bahrain commission begins investigation of protest abuses Maureen Cosgrove at 8:49 AM ET
[JURIST] An independent commission on Sunday began investigating human rights violations related to the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Bahrain [BBC backgrounder]. The chairman of the five-person Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), Cherif Bassiouni [academic profile], announced that the group's investigation would focus on 30 police officers [Reuters report] alleged to have committed violations of procedural laws, as well as the country's army. Bahraini authorities have promised that the commission will have access to government files and will be permitted to interview witnesses without supervision. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official websites] announced [press release] in June that Bahrain had agreed to permit a UN commission to investigate [JURIST report] human rights violations related to protests shortly after Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa [official website] agreed to the investigation [JURIST report]. Thirty-three people died during the unrest and more than 400 were injured. The commission is scheduled to publish the results of the investigation by October 30.
Bahrain, along with several other Middle Eastern and North African nations, has faced criticism from international human rights organizations for its handling of pro-reform protests in recent months. In May, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] said the government of Bahrain should suspend prosecution of civilians in military courts and set up an impartial commission to investigate torture allegations [JURIST report]. Also in May, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official profile] urged the government of Bahrain to release detained activists [JURIST report] and exercise restraint against protesters. She expressed concern over the prosecution of medical professionals and the death sentences [JURIST report] handed to four activists. In April, human rights organizations including HRW and Doctors Without Borders (DWB) [advocacy website] criticized Bahrain [JURIST report] for human rights abuses related to anti-government protests. In March, the OHCHR expressed concern [JURIST report] over violence against protesters in Bahrain.
Paper Chase is JURIST's real-time legal news service, powered by a team of 30 law student reporters and editors led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. As an educational service, Paper Chase is dedicated to presenting important legal news and materials rapidly, objectively and intelligibly in an accessible, ad-free format.
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Naquan can be social and good natured when in a comfortable situation. He will greet you with a smile and hug and may even tease and make a joke. Naquan does very well one on one with adults, but he struggles with peer relationships. He has a tendency to feel like he needs to compete with them. Naquan is enrolled in special classes. He learns at a slower rate than his peers. Naquan loves to play with things that involve pushing buttons, like video games, radios, and cell phones. He has a difficult time when his teachers cannot provide him with constant individual attention. He also has a tendency to loose his temper and be overcome by overwhelming emotions when his class work frustrates him. Naquan requires a family who can provide him with consistent expectations, boundaries, and structure. He needs a family who can provide him with ample support and patience because he becomes easily frustrated and disruptive. Naquan needs to be exposed to various social activities that will help promote his social skills and self-esteem. It is recommended that Naquan be the only child in the home.
To adopt Naquan or any other child with special needs, please contact Adopt America Network at 1-800-246-1731 or email us. We’re waiting to hear from you.
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Should government continue to give people tax breaks for donating to charities? Elder Dallin H. Oaks, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, thinks so.
In response to more than a dozen proposals in Congress to reduce or eliminate charitable deductions, Elder Oaks testified yesterday before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee that “[t]he charitable deduction is vital to the private sector that is unique to America.” After making strong arguments to support this statement, Elder Oaks concluded with the following:
In behalf of countless churches and other charities, and in behalf of the tens of millions who are benefited by their services and by the services of the millions of volunteers who are motivated by them, I say, don’t impair the charitable deduction!
Sutherland agrees with Elder Oaks’ statement. In 2005, the Utah Legislature considered whether to adopt a flat tax while also eliminating charitable deductions. At that time, Sutherland President Paul Mero authored an article for The Wall Street Journal to express the Institute’s views on the proposal and the LDS Church’s role in addressing it. Here is an excerpt from that piece:
Here in Utah, good public policy is more than efficient policy. Good public policy will actually reflect the values and priorities of the people it serves. And a flat tax with no deductions, exemptions, or credits simply does not reflect the values and priorities of Utahns.
While it might be easy to blame opposition to a pure flat tax on the voracious needs of special interests, the Mormon Church rightly understands that the tax code should be used to incentivize individual and societal behaviors that help us to be our better selves and, at the same time, serve to unburden our reliance on government programs. A pro-active, not “neutral,” tax policy does this.
As the spokesman for the Mormon Church told the Tax Reform Task Force in testimony, the Church views the issue of taxes as more than purely transactional. Instead, the tax code can be used to influence behavior and promote a definition of the common good that goes beyond simple pro-growth, efficient revenue generation.
Let’s not forget that the root of the problem for Utah taxpayers is not high taxes but misguided and uncontrolled spending. The Mormon Church, in its own way, seems to understand that with tax reform, the money in our pockets should not be our sole obsession. We also need to consider what we do with the money in our pockets. And what we do with that money, spent privately or through tax policy, should always be a true reflection of our values and priorities.
We urge lawmakers – whether on the state or federal level – to retain tax deductions for charitable contributions.
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Paul Krugman in The New York Times myths surrounding the Eurozone crisis Economists of all political persuasions want to see the Eurozone's crisis as proof for their arguments. "I've been hearing two claims, both false: that Europe's woes reflect the failure of welfare states in general, and that Europe's crisis makes the case for immediate fiscal austerity in the United States," Krugman writes. He points out the lack of correlation between a European country's level of government debt and spending and the depth of their crisis. Healthy countries like Germany and Sweden oftentimes have greater welfare programs than struggling countries like Spain and Italy. Furthermore, he argues no country that has enacted severe austerity measures has seen an improvement either in their bond yields or their unemployment. Those countries problems are mostly caused by their inability to control their own monetary supply. "The moral of the story, then, is to beware of ideologues who are trying to hijack the European crisis on behalf of their agendas," he says.
Michael Gerson in The Washington Post on eradicating AIDS In the last 18 months, researchers have discovered several ways to lessen the likelihood of transmitting AIDS, and the prospect of combining these methods could mean the end of the disease. "For every person who begins treatment, there would be fewer than one who becomes infected. This would effectively be the epidemic's end," Gerson writes. Gerson describes some of the scientific discoveries and notes that the Obama administration has rightly set a goal to end the disease's spread. But the new research comes at a time when budgetary woes make effective funding unlikely. "Ending the global AIDS epidemic would require a major presidential push. It would also require congressional Republicans to make a human life exception to austerity," he says.
Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal on the GOP race Forcing Republicans to undergo grueling questioning at the debates may end up making them look stronger and more tested than President Obama. But, at this week's contest, "too many people in that audience were fully locked into Republo-world, a nice place but one that exists apart from the reality-based community," Noonan writes. Noonan describes her thoughts on the candidates' performances, noting that Rick Perry was unlikely to be the nominee even before his brain freeze and that Newt Gingrich remained compelling though also unlikely to survive opposition research. She describes the charges faced by Herman Cain as serious and plausible, and disagrees with his and the Republican audience's tendency to dismiss them as political. While Republicans may want to quickly dismiss the scandal, independents do not. The independent voter "doesn't live in Republo-world, but he's right across the street, and he votes. He's going to pick the next president."
Stephen Carter in Bloomberg View on Solyndra documents and executive powers The Obama administration may soon comply with a Congressional subpoena to provide documents related to its funding of Solyndra. "A settlement would certainly be good politics ... Yet the constitutional scholar in me finds something admirable in the administration's original instinct to demur," Carter writes. Carter describes a history of clashes between the executive and legislature on the issue of providing information, naming presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush who have defended the executive's right to keep some documents private. He notes the circumstances under which Congressional oversight is necessary and healthy, but also remarks on the legislature's tendency to politicize even the less important executive dealings, as, Carter suspects, is the case with the Solyndra fallout. "But no White House e-mails are needed to make this point. If House Republicans want to end the loan program, they are free to vote its abolition, and then lobby the Senate to follow suit."
Richard Stearns in The Wall Street Journal on Evangelicals and foreign aid The budget crisis has led many to call for a reduction in the government's foreign aid budget, and though that call has met with resistance from some religious groups, Evangelical Christians largely support the cuts. Stearns, the president of World Vision USA, provides statistics to show that many evangelicals don't want the federal government in the business of providing aid to the world's poor. Stearns argues for the federal government's ability to provide aid in ways that churches and service groups sometimes cannot, and argues that providing funds for the poor should be in the interest of all Christians. "We cannot let others suffer simply because times are tough in the U.S. All Americans must understand the urgency of the human need and the effectiveness of our government's aid programs."
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http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/11/five-best-friday-columns/44869/
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In honor of Pi Day
By John Carlson '14
In honor of Pi Day, Webbies united to face a challenge more daunting than any differential equation or hull design: baking. Students from each class entered Webb’s annual Pi Day Contest to compete for the honor of best pie, and perhaps prove that engineers can indeed be housebroken. The competition was fierce, with 2011’s champion, James Codega, baking a pie each day for a week before the contest to prepare. With belts loosened and diets forgotten, our faculty judges bravely set forth to discover Webb’s best baker. While a victor was eventually declared, Webb’s own culinary expert Peter Morris was called in to help our judges make their decision. Pulling ahead of the Class of 2014’s “Blueberry-Key Lime EXPLOSION” by two points, the Class of 2012 proved itself with an excellent Pecan dish. Taking third place was the Strawberry Rhubarb prepared by the Freshmen, followed closely by the Juniors with their Banana Cream Pie.
Congratulations to the Class of 2012 on their victory, and to all of the bakers that made this contest the toughest in Webb history. May the Pi Day Contest take after its namesake—may it be never ending and never rational.
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http://www.webb-institute.edu/in-honor-of-pi-day.html?ee_sy=2013&ee_sm=01&ee_sd=14
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The EU and Turkey: Stronger together
28.06.12 @ 09:20
BRUSSELS - At a time when the EU faces economic challenges and continuing instability in the Middle East, our relationship with Turkey matters more than ever.
Last week saw the 50th EU/Turkey Association Council, which demonstrated the need to work together to promote our shared prosperity, security and values.
In these tough economic times, increasing trade with Turkey offers opportunities for EU businesses. With a GDP growth rate of 8.5 percent last year, the second fastest in the G20 after China, Turkey is now the EU’s fifth largest export market.
Turkish entrepreneurs in Europe run businesses worth €40 billion, employing half a million people. In sectors like aviation, automobiles and electronics, our economies are increasingly integrated.
Turkey is well placed to become an energy hub, with both sides benefiting from projects to build the necessary infrastructure, including development of the Southern gas corridor.
The commercial relationship is strong, but could be stronger. While EU-Turkey trade has grown steadily, Turkey's trade with other regions has grown even faster.
This is partly a symptom of the wider shift of economic power to Asia, but also reflects problems with the EU-Turkey customs union and other trade restrictions that prevent our commercial relationship from achieving its full potential.
Removing these restrictions should form an important part of wider efforts to boost economic growth, building on the recent G20 Summit and on the European Council later this week.
We welcome the very recent agreement on a path towards visa liberalisation, linked to broader co-operation on migration. This has the potential to promote trade, combat illegal immigration and support wider people to people contacts.
Here, signature by Turkey of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement would be a crucial step on the way towards fulfilling Turkish citizens' aspirations to travel more freely in Europe.
As the dialogue between the EU and Turkey on mobility and security grows, we hope to see further concrete results. In this framework, we hope Turkey will extend visa free travel to EU member states.
Reinforcing collective security
The last few months have again demonstrated Turkey's importance in supporting stability in the Middle East and beyond. Istanbul has hosted a series of key meetings to discuss Syria, Iran, Somalia and terrorism.
Turkey is playing a critical and constructive role in increasing international pressure on the regime of President Bashar Assad in Syria and is a crucial partner in building security in Afghanistan.
Turkey offers its neighbours an inspirational example of a secular and democratic country with a growing middle class. At the same time, the EU remains the largest trading partner for most of these countries and a vital source of investment and ideas.
The many priorities the EU and Turkey share in this region make it essential that we continue to deepen our co-operation. Our meeting with foreign minister Davutoglu in the margins of the March foreign affairs council, initiated by EU foreign affairs head Cathy Ashton, was a good first step.
We should build on this through further dialogue on regional issues like the Western Balkans and Southern Caucasus and joint projects in the Middle East and North Africa. The EU and Turkey should be partners in shaping events. Working together we can achieve more and send a stronger message to encourage transformation.
Sharing common values
Turkey’s ability to inspire reform in its neighbourhood is linked to its EU accession process. The Turkey of today is radically transformed from the country that applied to join the EU a quarter of a century ago.
Just as the EU helped consolidate democracy across Central Europe and continues to promote democracy in Eastern Europe, the accession process has played a powerful role in supporting Turkey's reforms in areas such as civilian control of the military and the independence of the judiciary.
Significant results have been achieved but, as Turkey itself recognises, reform remains a work in progress. Improvements are needed in the areas of freedom of expression, women’s rights and protection of minorities.
The work on a new constitution presents a crucial opportunity to address such issues.
We encourage Turkey to maintain an inclusive constitutional reform process and welcome the recent discussions between Prime Minister Erdogan and opposition leader Kilicdaroglu, including on how to address the Kurdish issue and the menace of PKK terrorism.
Turkey's constructive contribution to a Cyprus settlement and its willingness to open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels remain key. Progress is also needed on the important issue of EU-Nato co-operation, where we encourage Turkey to show flexibility.
Reinvigorating the accession process
Just as Turkey must meet its obligations to the EU, so the EU must meet its obligations to Turkey.
Commissioner Stefan Fuele has led the way with his "positive agenda" for EU-Turkey relations, designed to support the accession process and strengthen practical co-operation. He has our full support.
We represent countries that have not always shared the same view on how to realise Turkey's European perspective.
But we are united in seeing the accession process as a vital framework for cooperation and a powerful stimulus for reform.
Injecting new momentum into the process will benefit both the EU and Turkey. That must be our ambition in the months ahead.
Nikolay Mladenov, Urmas Paet, Erkki Tuomioja, Guido Westerwelle, Janos Martonyi, Giulio Terzi di Sant'agata, Edgars Rinkevics, Audronius Azubalis, Radoslaw Sikorski, Paulo Portas, Andrei Marga, Miroslav Lajcak, Karl Erjavec, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, Carl Bildt and William Hague are the Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK
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Sharon deMonsabert, PE
Associate Professor Emerita, Environmental Engineering
Dr. Sharon deMonsabert retired from GMU in May, 2012, and was honored with emerita status in recognition of her service to the university. In her nineteen years as a CEIE faculty member, Dr. deMonsabert taught widely in both environmental engineering, and technical entrepreneurship. She was an active adviser of undergraduates both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. She was an early mainstay of the environmental engineering graduate program, and her 2008 paper “How to Include Economic Analysis in TMDL Allocations?” published by the American Society of Civil Engineers Journal of Water Resources and Management was awarded their Best Practice Paper for that year. In recognition of her leadership in sustainable concepts in education and engineering, Dr. deMonsabert was selected as the Provost’s Fellow for Sustainable Curricula in 2008-2010.
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Like Erik, I’m sure we all want to momentarily forget Jason Motte; however, I was curious how the amount of fastballs he throws to a batter in an at-bat affects the outcome of said at-bat. Clearly this stems form the at-bat that he gave up the home run in which he threw 6 consecutive fastballs.
First Motte in a few situations
|All ABs>5 pitches||0.350||89|
The table is the situation, wOBA against, and the sample size. The 5+ FB/AB situation is at-bats in which the pitcher throws 5 or more fastballs within that at-bat. Clearly our samples are small, but there appears to be a sizable difference between when Motte gives a guy a bunch of fastballs and when he doesn’t. Out of context though, these numbers are somewhat meaningless. Maybe all pitchers are this way. With that in mind I pulled a couple of other pitchers (ideally I’d do league average, but I’m limited on access to my data as I write this). First Adam Wainwright
|All ABs>5 pitches||0.310||313|
The thing I pull out of this is that he was forced into throwing 5+ fastballs much less often than Motte, primarily because he has more weapons to work with. For another point of comparison I offer Chris Perez
|All ABs>5 pitches||0.319||100|
About the same frequency, but much better results. Possible explanation would be better movement on his fastball, and the fact that he does have the slider that the hitters need to think about too.
Clearly nothing conclusive here, but it’s definitely interesting. Probably even insightful.
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http://gashousegraphs.com/2010/04/09/jason-motte-and-his-fastball-ways/
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from Sandy Gerrard.
For fun I thought it might be interesting to utilise the powerful search engine at The National Heritage List for England to see if there is a Christmas theme to any of the schedulings. Alas the search revealed no scheduled Christmas sites, but as always seems to be the way a little further digging revealed 61 listed buildings with a Christmas mention. Yet more discrimination on the part of English Heritage I hear you cry. Actually this is a salutary lesson in how even the biggest of anomalies can have the most innocent explanations unless of course English Heritage are willing to admit to deliberately depriving the schedule of festive cheer!
Seriously though it was really interesting to see the distribution of “Christmassy” listed buildings – with none in the north of England. On the basis of the evidence it would also appear that national important archaeology and Christmas place names are mutually exclusive – which is a shame. Perhaps next year English Heritage will try and rectify this sorry state of affairs or explain why there is no Christmas in the Schedule of Ancient Monuments?
[For other articles in the series put Scheduling in the search box]
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http://heritageaction.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/scheduling-part-13-a-merry-christmas-to-english-heritage/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=e60e0e8ee0
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The Werewolf is the only lycanthrope known to exist everywhere in Tamriel. They are known to have a connection with the Daedric Lord Hircine, and are often described as his hounds. They are the second most common lycanthrope in Skyrim behind Werebears.
The Circle, an elite group of warriors within The Companions, is comprised of werewolves. Lycanthropy is passed down to new members through a blood ritual upon their admittance into the Circle. Werewolves carry a weakness of Silver Weapons.
Weresharks are believed to roam the oceans around Tamriel. Their existence has never been confirmed as only a rumor of their existence is ever mentioned in the Daggerfall text: "On Lycanthropy" and even then the author, Varnard Karessen, only briefly mentions that he has heard of these lycanthropes, and nothing more.
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http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Lycanthropes
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Catholic Bishops Spox: Don’t OK Over the Counter Birth Control
by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 12/27/12 11:37 AM
A pro-life spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops has penned a new opinion column in which she takes on an idea from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which recently supported selling birth control over the counter.
The morning after pill is already available over the counter for anyone over the age of 17 and the doctors’ group says the birth control pill should be sold that way, too.
But Susan Wills, Assistant Director for Education and Outreach, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, disagrees and says the notion that making oral contraceptives (OCs) available over-the-counter (OTC) will reduce the costs of healthcare and of OCs themselves is false. She says the annual visit women make to a physician for the prescription for birth control pills “saves lives.”
“OCs are contraindicated for many women due to their increasing the risk of cancer, heart attacks and strokes. The visit may also be the only opportunity for doctors to test for and treat STDs,” Wills says. “About sixty million Americans have an STD (including 40 percent of sexually-active teens) and 19 million new cases occur annually. Many STDs are asymptomatic and if not treated early can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and tubal pregnancies. Some strains of human papillomavirus, the most common STD—found in 25 percent of teens and 45 percent of people aged 20-24—cause genital warts; other strains cause cervical cancer.”
“OCs cost $9/month at the big discount chain stores. How much cheaper can they get? But consumer savings should not dictate policy any more than avoiding insults should,” Wills adds.
Wills also disputes the notion that birth control is safe for women.
“The World Health Organization declared synthetic estrogen to be carcinogenic in humans, raising risks of breast and cervical cancer. OCs can also significantly increase the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks, strokes and pulmonary embolisms,” she says.
The pro-life Catholic spokeswoman also says they are risky for teenage girls.
“Research shows that OCs are not very effective in preventing pregnancy, especially as used by teens: Almost half of low-income cohabiting teens using OCs will become pregnant within 12 months,” Wills says. “True failure (i.e., pregnancy) rates were rarely admitted publicly, but now that very expensive long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)—implants and IUDs—are available for “free” under the mandate, OC failure rates are openly discussed as justification for getting women to switch to the more effective LARCs … more effective mainly because of their significant abortifacient mode of action, by making the uterine lining so atrophied that the week-old human embryo is deprived of nutrients to survive, even if she succeeds in implanting there.”
CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!
She continued: “Research also shows that by increasing access to OCs, rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions do not decline. In Spain, for example, a 63 percent increase in contraceptive use between 1997 and 2007 was accompanied by a 108 percent increase in the abortion rate. Greater availability leads to more young singles becoming sexually active because they think they’re protected from the consequences. A Google search for “risk compensation” will show why.”
Wills concludes: “Instead of basing public policy on insult-avoidance and reducing the price of a harmful product, wouldn’t it be refreshing for policy to be based on sound science and the true good of our citizens?”
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On International Day of the Midwife on May 5, our short film "What I Want Is Simple", is airing on national television and radio in Tanzania.
For every 100,000 women who give birth in my country, Tanzania, almost 800 die (compared to 24 in USA ). This is an absolute scandal, as almost all of these deaths could be prevented if women had access to skilled health workers.
Yet there is a dire shortage of health workers with midwifery skills in my country, and half of women still give birth with no one to help them except neighbours or relatives. What's more, the numbers of nurses trained in midwifery is shrinking with some training schools reporting less than 25 students in classes which used to have 300.
The White Ribbon Alliance in Tanzania (WRATZ) is working hard to reduce maternal mortality and to bring the issue of the shortage of midwives to the forefront of the political agenda. As part of this work, WRATZ is working to promote midwifery as a profession and to improve the status and working conditions of midwives. This includes working to improve the public perception of midwives and the need for improved working conditions. An example of these efforts is this short film.
Recently, with the financial support of the Health Policy Project, WRATZ organized a public hearing on this issue. Those in the audience were asked if they would choose nursing as a career for their children. Of the one thousand people in attendance, only thirteen raised their hands in approval, which led to an in-depth discussion on the subject. Among other findings, it was revealed that students were hesitant to apply to midwifery schools due to the bad timing of acceptance letters. They had to make an enrolment decision for all the other schools a long time before the midwifery schools finalized their acceptance process.
Armed with this knowledge, civil society can now advocate with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Tanzania for the necessary changes and timing adjustments to be made so that more students will be encouraged to join the depleting cadre of midwives.
This is an example of one of the ways we are working to save the lives of women and babies. It is estimated that of the 1000 women and 8500 babies who die every day around the world, a third could be saved if they had access to skilled health care.
We do know what to do and how to save women's lives; we just need the investment and political commitment to do it, for every woman, no matter where she lives.
The White Ribbon Alliance is pushing hard to make this happen. Please visit our site to learn more and share this blog post with friends; together we can make needless deaths in childbirth a thing of the past.
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How often have you heard someone say, “I don’t understand him”?
Sometimes irrational, unforeseen acts seem to be the norm among our fellows.
The fact is, there has never been a workable method to invariably predict human behavior—until now.
L. Ron Hubbard developed just such a method, and it is applicable to all people, without exception.
With this data, it is possible to accurately predict the behavior of a potential business partner, employee or friend—before you commit to a relationship. The risks involved in human interaction can be avoided or minimized when you can predict how people will behave.
By understanding and using the information on this course, all aspects of human relationships will become more productive and more fulfilling. You’ll know who to associate with, who to avoid, and you will be able to help those who are mired in uncomfortable situations with others. Imagine knowing, after a very short time, how people are likely to behave in any given circumstance. You can.
Ease of Study
This course is laid out in a step-by-step manner, with a sequence of reading assignments, essays and practical exercises.
Before you begin, you create your own personal account on the Volunteer Ministers website. Once logged in, the online program will guide you through each step of the course to full completion, with all course materials provided from within the Volunteer Ministers website.
Length of Course
6 to 8 hours. You may, however, do the course at your own pace. In other words, it is not timed. The course is our service to you, free of charge.
Booklet: The Emotional Tone Scale
or The Scientology Handbook
Your course materials are also integrated within the online course. In other words, once logged on, you may read the materials from within the online course program as you do each step. We do, however, recommend that you download for free or purchase the booklet, to review and refer to when you are not logged into the course program.
Through the length of your course, you will receive supervision from your personal online course supervisor, who will help to ensure you understand and achieve the maximum benefit from the course materials. The end result is that you are fully able to apply the data contained therein. If you have any further questions, contact us here.
Each assignment you turn in will be graded by your course supervisor. In the event that any of your assignments need correction, your supervisor will send them back to you, with direction on what to review and correct.
Upon completion of The Emotional Tone Scale Course, you will receive a hardcopy certificate by mail.
The services of our online courses are always available to you. If at any time you need assistance with your course assignments, do not hesitate to contact your online course supervisor, whom you can reach using the 'Need help?' button in your online course program.
“Since I got acquainted with the booklet The Emotional Tone Scale, I began to get on better with people. From studying and the application of this technology, I have received huge advantages and in the course of executing the practical exercises took pleasure in communicating with many people.
“Using the Tone Scale and the knowledge of how to put it into practice, I have reconsidered many events of life and have changed my relations with people. Neighbors and sellers in shops have ceased to irritate me. In doing the exercises, it was pleasant to see smiles and contented faces of people.
“With this knowledge and these skills to increase the emotional tone of others—all is possible! Life becomes much more interesting, more cheerful.” — N.M.
“The Emotional Tone Scale has been a tool that has allowed me to evaluate the general mood of others and how they will react to certain comments. This alone provides an awesome amount of information on how a person will react.
“Just tonight I was using this tech and evaluating my friends. They were complaining and bringing up bad points about a friend, and I slowly watched as this lowered them on the negative tone scale. However, the tools given to me in The Emotional Tone Scale course allowed me to immediately recognize this, and swiftly react by engaging them with a higher tone, to successfully bring them back up the emotional tone scale.
“Normally I would have put this down to the subject becoming somber, but now I realize the effects of comments and the fact that the comments were projecting an idea—which wasn't a nice or positive idea—helping to lower these people on the emotional tone scale.
“Never before have I found a tool that works so consistently in being able to raise someone's mood. Tonight, when a co-worker was very snappy as his wife was giving him grief, I was able to raise him on the tone scale, and I noticed he in turn was pleasant towards his wife, helping to raise her on the tone scale.
“This tool is one of the skills that I have acquired, that I really don't know how I survived without.” — C.H.
Feeling let down by others?
How much greater would our chances of success be if we could predict whether someone we meet will turn out honest or dishonest? Maybe you use hard-won experience or you listen to your “gut feelings” about a person. Either way, it's hit-or-miss at best.
Using the Emotional Tone Scale, you can accurately estimate the conduct, reactions and ethical standards of those you meet and forecast what will happen from involvement with them. By applying the information in this course you can learn to judge people accurately and so assure yourself of a more certain and happier future.
On the free online course, The Emotional Tone Scale, find out:
- The different emotional tones and the behavior characteristics of each
- A two-minute procedure for estimating another’s tone
- How to predict a person’s behavior just from their physical condition
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From Michigan, USA:
I have a five year old daughter who experiences many hypoglycemic episodes, passing out three times in the past year. We have had a 5 hour glucose tolerance test done, that proved to be fine. When she has episodes of low, she is white as a sheet, sweats profusely, trembles, and cries that her stomach hurts. I have taken her to a pediatric endocrinologist on the advice of our pediatrician, and did not feel we were taken seriously, as our daughter is and appears to be very healthy. There were no tests, not even a blood sugar taken. We were told to use a monitor when these situations occurred, and rarely use it, only if she is chalky in color(appearing to pass out) and the lowest range we have gotten has been between 70 and 80. I have been told the general guide for lows, and also that each individual vary on what will be low for them, is this accurate? She also has at times of arms and legs hurting, along with a tummy ache, but no paleness or sweating, and I have checked her sugar and had readings at 180 and higher, her symptoms disappear as soon as the level goes down.
We have basically kept her on a diet level goes down.
We have basically kept her on a diet that includes no sugar (or little) and small frequent meals, this seems to work well, but this morning after about 10 minutes after rising, she complained of her tummy, and was whining that she didn't feel well, this hasn't happened in some 6 months, turned deathly chalky (very scary to view for a mother) and sweat pouring and trembling, very lethargic. Her sugar was 80, and after ingesting juice, about 15 minutes she was fine. I am a frustrated parent who is looking for some possible answers, and we have a history of second degree relatives with diabetes.
Sorry to ramble, but just wanted to give you as much info as possible, and just wondering, should there be any other tests done to look to see if this is something other than hypoglycemia? The pediatric endocrinologist that we visited last year did nothing, and when I contacted her last fall involving another episode, she told me to take her to her pediatrician, who in turn t1>Answer:
Your daughter needs to have a blood sugar taken when she is having symptoms. If the blood sugar is low in a properly collected and processed specimen sent to a laboratory, further evaluation is necessary to rule out problems such as deficiency of cortisol or growth hormone. If she has had seizures with low blood sugars, a thorough evaluation for hormonal problems is indicated. If she has cortisol or growth hormone deficiency, she could become quite sick if she develops a fever or stomach virus.
Original posting 4 Jul 97
Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:08:53
This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other health care professional.
This site is published by Children With Diabetes, Inc, which is responsible for its contents.
© Children with Diabetes, Inc. 1995-2013. Comments and Feedback.
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The Federal Trade Commission will hold its second two-day workshop on the future of journalism March 9-10, 2010, in Room 432 of the FTC Headquarters at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. The agenda and information about the workshop can be found at http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/news/mar9/agenda.pdf.
Consumers are increasingly turning to the Internet for news and information. Advertisers are moving ads to online sites and scaling back on ad buys as a result of the recession, and news organizations are struggling with large debts they took on during better times. As a result, some are questioning how journalism can survive and thrive in the future.
The FTC’s upcoming workshop will address proposals to better-support and lower the costs of journalism:
In December 2009, the FTC held the first two-day workshop to consider a wide range of issues, including: the economics of journalism in print and online; the variety of new business and non-profit models for journalism online; factors relevant to the new economic realities for news organizations, such as behavioral and other online targeted advertising, online news aggregators, and bloggers; and ways in which the costs of journalism could be reduced.
The workshop is free and open to the public. Those planning to attend should arrive early to permit time to go through security screening.
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The doctors of divinity and of medicine differed concerning the cause of his sad condition. The doctor of medicine said it arose entirely from a check in the circulation of the animal spirits; the doctor of divinity thought, but did not say, only hinted, that it came of a troubled conscience, and that he would have been well long ago but for certain sins, known only to himself, that bore heavy upon his life. This gave the marquis a good ground of argument for confession, the weight of which argument was by the divine felt and acknowledged. But both doctors were right, and both were wrong. Could his health have been at once restored, a great reaction would have ensued, his interest in life would have reawaked, and most probably he would have become indifferent to that which now oppressed him; but on the slightest weariness or disappointment, the same overpowering sense of desolation would have returned, and indeed at times amidst the warmest glow of health and keenest consciousness of pleasure. On the other hand, if by any argument addressed to his moral or religious nature his mind could have been a little eased, his physical nature would most likely have at once responded in improvement; but he had no individual actions of such heavy guilt as the divine presumed to repent of, nor could any amount or degree of sorrow for the past have sufficed to restore him to peace and health. It was a poet of the time who wrote,
’The soul’s dark cottage,
battered and decayed,
Lets in new light, through chinks that time has made:’
sickness had done the same thing as time with Rowland, and he saw the misery of his hovel. The cure was a deeper and harder matter than Dr. Bayly yet understood, or than probably Rowland himself would for years attain to, while yet the least glimmer of its approach would be enough to initiate physical recovery.
Time passed, but with little change in the condition of the patient. Winter began to draw on, and both doctors feared a more rapid decline.
Early in the month of November, Dorothy received a letter from Mr. Herbert, informing her that her cousin, Henry Vaughan, one of his late twin pupils, would, on his way from Oxford, be passing near Raglan, and that he had desired him to call upon her. Willing enough to see her relative, she thought little more of the matter, until at length the day was at hand, when she found herself looking for his arrival with some curiosity as to what sort of person he might prove of whom she had heard so often from his master.
When at length he was ushered into lady Glamorgan’s parlour, where her mistress had desired her to receive him, both her ladyship and Dorothy were at once prejudiced in his favour. They saw a rather tall young man of five or six and twenty, with a small head, a clear grey eye, and a sober yet changeful countenance. His carriage was dignified yet graceful—self-restraint and no other was evident therein; a certain sadness brooded like a thin mist above his eyes, but his smile now and then broke out like the sun through a grey cloud. Dorothy did not know that he was just getting over the end of a love-story, or that he had a book of verses just printed, and had already begun to repent it.
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Posted on 09/15/2012 by Juan Cole
1. Tourism in Egypt and Tunisia, the economies of which heavily depend on it, is likely to take a nosedive this fall. It is a shame, because Tunisia had been hoping for a near return to 2010 levels of 7 million visitors this year. And Egypt’s tourism was up 16% over the previous year, though still down by 300,000 visitors a month from summer of 2010.
2. Likewise, foreign investment will be discouraged. Ironically, the embassy riots broke out while a delegation of 100 US business executives was in Cairo looking for investment opportunities. Some of those planning to stay beyond Tuesday are said to have abruptly left the country and canny observers spoke of the good will generated during the visit being squandered.
3. Decline of tourism and of foreign investment implies even higher unemployment in countries already plagued by lack of jobs.
4. In Egypt and Tunisia, the Muslim fundamentalist-dominated governments may well get blamed for failing to maintain public order. In opinion polling, security and fear of crime are major concerns on the part of ordinary Egyptians.
5. Both the Muslim Brotherhood and the al-Nahdah in Tunisia, fundamentalist parties that did well in the first post-revolution elections, face new parliamentary elections in the near future. If they are in bad odor with the public for failure to provide public order, and for implicitly helping the Salafi rioters, and for failure to improve the economy, they could be punished at the polls. It would be ironic if the impassioned reaction of fundamentalists to a phantom Islamophobic film so turned off the public as to lead to the Muslim religious parties being turned out of office in the next elections.
6. As a result of these considerations, the fundamentalists will blame outside agents provocateurs for the violence, and Israel for provoking it, trying to convince the public that Muslim fundamentalists had nothing to do with the issue.
7. The attack on the US consulate in Benghazi and the killing of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others almost certainly spells an end to any American interest in intervening in Syria. The longevity of Bashar al-Assad’s secular Baathist regime, now attempting to crush rebels that include a small number of radical Muslim vigilantes, may have just been lengthened. Meanwhile, the Muslim world will be unembarrassed that they got so upset about a Youtube trailer but didn’t seem to care if hundreds of Syrians were killed, arrested and/or tortured every day.
8. The attack on the embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, by some 4,000 angry protesters, will likely draw the US even more into internal Yemeni disputes, since Washington will want to try to destroy the fundamentalist movements there. US drone strikes on radical Muslim movements of an al-Qaeda sort have become commonplace in Yemen. However, no one in the United States will know that Yemen ever existed or that the embassy was attacked, or that the US is pursuing a policy of drone strikes in that country.
9. Assuming there aren’t any diplomats taken hostage, President Barack Obama will look presidential in dealing with these deaths in Benghazi and his electoral chances may improve.
10. Mitt Romney will go on switching back and forth among his various opinions of the Islamophobic film and of President Obama’s reaction to the Libyan consulate attack.
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Posted in Afghanistan, Egypt, Israel/ Palestine, Libya, Syria, Uncategorized | Comments
Posted on 09/13/2012 by Juan Cole
The late science fiction writer Ray Bradbury authored a short story about time travelers. They were careful, when they went back to the Jurassic, not to change anything, but one of them stepped on a butterfly. When they got back to the present, the world was slightly different.
When scientists studying complexity put forward the idea that small initial events could have large effects in non-linear, dynamic systems like the weather, they chose the term ‘butterfly effect.” One of the images students of weather instanced was that a butterfly flapping its wings might set off minor turbulence that ultimately turned into a hurricane. (In the older model of Newtonian physics, small events have small effects and large events have large effects, so you wouldn’t expect a minor action to produce big changes).
So the Associated Press did a careful investigation of the ‘Sam Bacile’ who supposedly directed the hate film, ‘The Innocence of Muslims.’ And AP found that probably he does not exist, but is a persona used by a convicted Coptic Egyptian fraudster, Nakoula Bassely Nakoula.
But the story gets more complex. Nakoula had Coptic and evangelical associates in the shooting of the film, including Steve Klein, a former Marine and current extremist Christian who has helped train militiamen in California churches and has led “protests outside abortion clinics, Mormon temples and mosques.” My guess is that most of the Egyptian Copts involved are converts to American-style fundamentalism.
The Egyptian Coptic church has roundly condemned the hateful film they made smearing the Prophet Muhammad.
Anyway, the bigotry of the edited film, directed at Muslims, is part of a movement of religious prejudice that also targets . . . Mormons.
Mitt Romney may want to rethink his ‘visceral’ reaction to the US embassy in Cairo’s tweet condemning the group’s hate speech.
Then it turns out that the film was shot in such a way that there was originally no mention of the Prophet Muhammad in the script, and the cast had no idea what they were getting themselves into, and then the name of Muhammad was clumsily dubbed into the final edit.
So, the film was from the beginning a fraud. It was directed by a fraud. It was promoted by a militia trainer. And Nakoula marketed it fraudulently as the work of a fictitious Israeli-American Jewish real estate agent, ‘Sam Bacile,’ and falsely said it had been funded by “a hundred Jewish donors.”
The group behind the film, in other words, managed to evoke all the classic themes of anti-Semitism as a way of disguising the Coptic and evangelical network out of which the ‘film’ came. When they weren’t busy picketing Mormons and defaming Muslims they were trying to get Jews killed for their own smears of Islam!
Of course, given the strident hatred of Muslims promoted by a handful of Jewish American extremists such as Pamela Geller, David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes and others, in which they gleefully join with white supremacists and Christian fundamentalists, it was only a matter of time before their partners in hate turned on them and used them.
The bad, dubbed ‘film’ only had one theater showing in some dowdy place in LA. Then in July the group had the trailer for it dubbed into Arabic with subtitles as well, and put it on Youtube, where it was found by strident Egyptian Muslim fundamentalist Sheikh Khaled Abdallah, who had it shown on al-Nas television and caused the sensation that led to Tuesday’s demonstrations in Cairo and Benghazi. As I argued yesterday, the vigilante extremists or ‘jihadis’ have been left on the garbage pile of history by the democratic elections in Egypt and Libya, and are whipping up the issue of this film in a desperate attempt to remain relevant.
Aware of the building sensation about the film, an employee of the US embassy in Cairo condemned it as hate speech before the rally began outside its premises.
In other words, this is a non-film and a non-story, a fraud, promoted by the worst people in each culture.
In Cairo, the rally allegedly got out of hand because the Ultras or soccer ruffians joined in, and they were probably the ones who tore down the American flag and ran up a black Muslim-fundamentalist one. Ultras are not fundamentalists but they are mischievous and resent authority, so a superpower that backs the army and police they hate might be a target of their wrath. There may have also been a handful of al-Qaeda supporters there, not surprising on the anniversary of September 11. The crowd at the American embassy was tiny by Egyptian protest standards.
In Benghazi, Hadeel Al Shalchi got the story. She talked to Libyan special forces members who explained that there were three stages to the events there. First, there was a demonstration. Then when the police and consulate guards tried to curb it, the demonstrators got angry and some of them went for guns and a rocket propelled grenade, so that the consulate was set on fire and looted. It was at that second stage that US ambassador Chris Stevens and another diplomat were killed (Stevens inhaled too much smoke in the fire and the other man was shot). Stevens’ death is a great tragedy and irony, since he was liaison to the transitional national council during the Libyan revolution and many Libyans lionize him. Why in the world he was in an insecure minor consulate in a provincial city on September 11 is a mystery to me.
Then 37 embassy personnel escaped to a rural safe house. The Libyan special forces commander charged with evacuating them to Tripoli at first was stymied by not having enough vehicles for so many people. Then the safe house came under fairly precise mortar fire from members of an al-Qaeda affiliate operating in Benghazi, which must have been surveilling consular personnel. Finally, the Libyan government forces got the Americans to the airport and they flew back to the capital of Tripoli.
It should be remembered that Libyan forces fought and risked their lives to protect Americans. In opinion polling in Eastern Libya, the United States has a 60% favorability rating, while the Salafis or hard line Muslims stand at only 28% favorable.
It was while all that was going on in Cairo and Benghazi that Mitt Romney took it into his head to condemn Barack Obama for the tweet issued by the Cairo embassy before the demonstration. He alleged that Obama had *reacted* to the embassy attacks by showing some sympathy for the attackers. This allegation is untrue and absurd, but Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan went on repeating it all day Wednesday.
Romney was caught on camera walking away from that shameful performance with a shark-like grin on his face. Since he was talking about matters of life and death, the expression was inappropriate. But a darker theory is that he was grinning about having stuck it to Obama.
Romney’s politicization of September 11 and of the horrible events in Benghazi was poorly received among opinion leaders, including prominent Republicans, and some observers suggest that this miscalculation may have been a decisive nail in the coffin of his sputtering campaign.
Meanwhile, the Libyan government apologized for and vehemently condemned the attack on the consulate and the killing of its personnel. And, on Wednesday Libyans staged pro-American demonstrations in several cities.
In Egypt, in contrast, small demonstrations were held again in front of the US embassy, until police pushed the activists back. When, on Thursday morning, protesters set two cars afire with Molotov cocktails, police arrested 12 of them. The police have the embassy surrounded and have closed the roads leading to it in Garden City.
Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, fell short of strongly condemning the Cairo and Benghazi attacks. Late on Wednesday the Muslim Brotherhood finally retweeted comments of one of its other leaders, Khairat al-Shater, in condemnation of the attacks. Nevertheless, the Brotherhood is sponsoring rallies protesting the film on Friday, a ‘day of rage.’ Morsi is no doubt worried that religious and political currents to his right will outflank him on the issue of the blasphemous film and its American provenance. But Morsi has a Ph.D. from the US and surely knows that the US government cannot suppress films, and it is shameful that he did not condemn forthrightly the killing of Ambassador Stevens and the others.
In Tunisia, Salafis rallied on Wednesday in front of the US embassy, but were fairly quickly dispersed by police deploying tear gas. Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki denounced the killing of Stevens and the others as an “act of terrorism.”
So the Butterfly Effect set off by a low-budget bad propaganda film gotten up by two-bit frauds and Christian supremacists, and then promoted by two-bit Egyptian and Libyan fundamentalists, has provoked some squalls and cost the lives of four good men.
The storm provoked by this butterfly has revealed character on an international scale. The steely determination of an Obama to achieve justice, the embarrassing grandstanding of a Romney, the destructive hatred of a handful of extremists in Cairo and Benghazi, and the decency and warmth toward the US of the Libyan crowds, all were thrown into stark relief by the beating of the butterfly’s wings.
In the end, the violence and extremism of the hardliners on both sides is a phantasm of the past, not a harbinger of the future. The wave of democratic politics sweeping the region has left the haters behind, reducing them to desperate and senseless acts of violence that will gain them no good will, no popularity, no political credibility.
A little-noted major event of Wednesday was the democratic selection of a new prime minister in Libya for the first time in the country’s history. Mustafa Abushagur defeated the Muslim Brotherhood candidate handily. Abushagur for a long time taught college in the US, at the University of Alabama Huntsville. Libyans again showed themselves nationalist and non-fundamentalist. This remarkable achievement, and what it portends for the shape of Libyan politics, will be drowned out by the atrocity in Benghazi, but it is the development that is likely to be marked by future historians as a turning point in Libya and in the Middle East.
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Posted in Egypt, Libya | Comments
Posted on 09/12/2012 by Juan Cole
Predictably, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney tried to make political hay of the tiny demonstrations in Cairo and Benghazi by Muslim militants. The Benghazi mob turned violent in clashes with police and the consulate ended up being burned and
an embassy staffer is said to have been the US ambassador and three staffers were killed.
Romney seized on the frantic tweets of the Cairo embassy issued *before the attacks*, which condemned the sleazy Youtube videos by American Islamophobes that had provoked the ire of the crowds, as evidence that the Obama administration was siding with the attacking mobs. First of all, really? Romney is trying to get elected on the back of a dead US diplomat? Second of all, really? He thinks the State Department thought the attack on themselves was justified? Third of all, really? Romney is selective. When it comes to Christianity, Romney decries a ‘war on religion.’ But apparently he thinks there *should* be a war on Islamic religion. (Except that Romney himself condemned Terry Jones’s Qur’an burning a couple of years ago.) Romney’s intervention (he is just a civilian at the moment) in American foreign policy is unwise and risky, not to mention distasteful.
The victory in the Libyan elections of nationalist rather than fundamentalist forces, and the rise to power in Egypt of the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood has marginalized the militant strain of Muslim activism, known coloquially as ‘jihadis’ because of their emphasis on vigilante violence. The vigilante fundamentalists were small but dangerous groups in Muammar Qaddafi’s Libya and in Hosni Mubarak’s Egypt, and both governments reacted by attacking them and arbitrarily imprisoning them.
The vigilante fundamentalists typically reject elections and democracy, as inauthentic Western imports, and they are headline whores, plotting out attention-grabbing mob actions. These jihadis are tiny groups in Egypt and Libya, though sometimes well-armed and well-trained.
You could make an analogy to the Ku Klux Klan in the United States, which just has perhaps 5,000 active members. But people like Wade Michael Page, who had applied for Klan membership, can make a media splash by simply shooting down people at e.g. a Sikh Temple.
One way the fundamentalist vigilantes can hope to combat their marginalization and political irrelevance in the wake of the Arab Spring is to manufacture a controversy that forces people to side with them. I suspect that is what they were doing in Egypt and Libya, in front of the US embassy in Cairo and at the rump consulate in Benghazi.
That the jihadis could not get bigger crowds up for their demonstrations suggests that they are seen as crackpots by their neighbors. In Libya, their actions may be a catalyst to the new prime minister, to be named today, to spearhead a concerted effort to build new police and army forces on a faster timetable than had the transitional national council. Secular and nationalist Libyans have already announced a peaceful demonstration against the violence at Martyrs’ Square in Benghazi for Wednesday afternoon. I doubt the incidents will have long-term political significance. The Neocons will say they are symptoms of the so-called ‘Islamic winter’ after the Arab Spring, but that is just a way of making sure Western youth don’t identify (as they did during Tahrir) with Arab youth, marking them as a fundamentalist and threatening Other. There isn’t any ‘Islamic winter’ in Libya, and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt just barely squeaked by to win the presidency against a secular candidate– hardly a landslide.
The pretext for the demonstrations/ attacks was a youtube film by Muslim-hater Sam Bacile, an Israeli-American ‘produced’ by provocateur Rev. Terry Jones, he of the Qur’an-burning fame. Things were made worse that two expatriate Coptic Christians are said to have been involved in the film. [Subsequent reporting revealed that "Sam Bacile" is a fiction and probably a cover identity for a Coptic Christian activist]. About ten percent of Egyptians are Christians, and the Muslim militants sometimes attack them. The Israeli right wing and its American supporters have a vested interest in driving a wedge between Americans and the Muslim world, since Muslims on the whole stand against the Israeli colonization of the Palestinian West Bank, the major project of the Israeli right wing. Good relations between the Muslim world and the United States might sway the latter to withdraw support for Israeli expansionism and aggression.
Although some of the Egyptian demonstrators may have, as Ashraf Khalil argues, sincerely thought that the films demeaning the Prophet Muhammad were being widely shown in American theaters on on television, I think the jihadis’ leadership cynically manufactured this ‘crisis’ in order to grab headlines and force the post-revolutionary governments to take a stand. If they stood with the Americans, they’d be guilty of blasphemy themselves. If they stood with the jihadis, they’d have surrendered some legitimacy to the latter. There is a third possibility, which is to deploy police or army against the vigilantes on grounds they had disturbed the peace, and simply declaring that the US embassy isn’t responsible for all the nonsense put up on Youtube.
In Egypt, the small crowd of 1500 just gathered outside the embassy walls (the Cairo embassy is a kind of fortress in the tony Garden City district). At one point they tore down an American flag flying outside the embassy grounds and ran up the black flag favored by militants. (Those black flags are freely sold in Tahrir Square and elsewhere, and aren’t necessarily al-Qaeda flags. They just denote militancy and a desire for a fundamentalist government). Al-Masry al-Yawm has photos.
In Benghazi, the crowd of militants that gathered at the consulate may have turned violent in response to police or army intervention. The consulate was just a building in which the US set up during the Libyan Revolution, when Benghazi was the rebel capital, and which they kept going as a consulate after they reopened the US embassy in Tripoli. I met with a consulate official in early June there, and she wasn’t even sure the US would keep the consulate open. The small crowd in Benghazi turned violent, and at least one of its members had a rocket propelled grenade launcher, which he either loosed against the police and missed, hitting the consulate, or which he targeted the consulate with deliberately. (Hard to know which). The consulate caught fire and burned to the ground, and in the chaotic violence, the ambassador and the three staffers were killed. The killings were vehemently condemned by the Libyan government, which pledged to punish the perpetrators.
Libya had parliamentary elections in July, in which the Muslim fundamentalists did poorly, with nationalists winning out. Some 20 percent of those elected were women. A couple of neighborhoods in Benghazi are known for their strident fundamentalism, and jihadis did not allow a couple of polling stations in the city to open (though the vast majority of the city voted).
There is a small militant cell in Benghazi that has some RPGs and grenades. They have attacked the Red Cross offices, a convoy of the British consulate, and set off a pipe bomb in front of the US consulate last month. Most people in Benghazi are appalled by these extremists. The collapse of the authoritarian government of Muammar Qaddafi has left Libya without much in the way of professional police and army, both of which have to be rebuilt as institutions functioning in a democratic republic rather than as narrow instruments of oppression, control and torture.
What happened in Benghazi was the action of a tiny fringe, sort of like Ku Klux Klan violence in the US. It isn’t typical of the new Libya, and Benghazi is not a lawless or militia-ridden city. One of the narratives of what happened there, in fact, is that the police may have been *too* heavy-handed in an attempt to curb the militants’ demonstration, provoking the latter to bring out their one RPG launcher.
The crowds both in Egypt and Libya were tiny. Their militancy is not typical of Egypt or Libya today, both of which are struggling toward more democratic forms of governance. In Cairo, there may have been a failure of policing; police in Egypt feel unfairly demonized because they had been seen as bulwarks of the Mubarak regime, and they often decline to show up to their jobs as a result of this low morale. This police foot-dragging has allowed an increase in petty crime, though Cairo is still far safer than most Western cities.
The government of Egypt is still pretty powerful, and will likely act to curb the militants, as it did in the Sinai recently. A merely fundamentalist president, Muhammad Morsi, probably cannot allow this challenge from the militants to pass. Moreover, this kind of thing is bad for tourism, a major part of the Egyptian economy, which had just begun improving this year after the turmoil of 2011.
On the other hand, there could be more trouble. The Egyptian Actors Guild announced an emergency meeting to study how to respond to the film smearing the Prophet. It may be that this obscure Youtube video could be taken unduly seriously even by the Egyptian mainstream.
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Posted on 09/08/2012 by Juan Cole
Alice Ross writes at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism
President Bush and his CIA director Michael Hayden have each claimed that the US has in the past only used the controversial interrogation technique of waterboarding on three prisoners.
This number, however, is being called into question by a Libyan dissident who has contradicted these claims with a detailed description of being waterboarded by US interrogators in a CIA ‘black site’ in Afghanistan.
Mohammed Shoroeiya told Human Rights Watch he was waterboarded numerous times during CIA interrogation in Afghanistan. He said he was strapped to a wooden board, ‘then they start with the water pouring… They start to pour water to the point where you feel like you are suffocating… they wouldn’t stop until they got some kind of answer from me.’
And there were more. Another Libyan has described being subjected to ‘a water suffocation practice similar to waterboarding’ at the hands of the CIA in Afghanistan.
These men are among 14 former Libyan dissidents interviewed by Human Rights Watch for a report, Delivered into Enemy Hands, outlining how the US and UK secret services arrested dissidents across the world and returned them to Libya, straight into the hands of Colonel Gaddafi. Many were mistreated both before and after their return to Libya.
One detainee, Ibn al-Sheikh al-Libi, released information under CIA interrogation that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq. He was later rendered to Libya, where he died in prison in 2009.
Related story: Protection from torture weakened under new plans
Five of the men were transferred to CIA black sites in Afghanistan for up to two years, where they report being held in windowless cells, beaten, chained in stress positions, deprived of food and kept awake for lengthy periods by rock music played at ear-splitting volumes. They were never charged with any crimes, and were eventually rendered to Libya. One of the men reports also being held at a CIA black site in Morocco.
The dissidents’ accounts are supported by documents uncovered by Human Rights Watch in the offices of Gaddafi’s intelligence chief, Musa Kusa, during the fall of Tripoli last September, including faxes from the CIA and MI6 alerting the Libyans to particular arrests.
Ten of the fourteen cases took place within a year of the US and UK’s public reconciliation with Gaddafi. The renditions to Libya took place despite the regime’s reputation for torture and detention without trial. The documents show that in at least two cases the US sought diplomatic assurances that prisoners would not be tortured – but these were unenforceable, and were roundly ignored.
Two cases involved the UK security services working with the CIA to render dissidents to Libya: both were extensively reported when the documents were discovered last year. The two men who were rendered to Libya, Abdul Hakim Belhadj and Sami Mostafa al-Saadi, are now suing the British government.
Most of the men interviewed for the report were members of the Libyan Islamist Fighting Group (LIFG), an Islamist group formed in opposition to Gaddafi’s controversial and oppressive interpretations of Islam. Almost all had fled the country in the late 1980s and went to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets while also gaining training for their own struggle.
Related story: Was Gaddafi ‘cyber-spying’ on opponents in the UK?
But as Human Rights Watch points out, after the September 11 attacks the US was ill-disposed to distinguish between Islamic militants waging war against the West and those fighting other causes. Many of the dissidents scattered, and were later arrested in countries including Hong Kong, Malaysia and Mali.
Like many other captives at the height of the ‘war on terror’, they were shuttled between countries across Asia and the Middle East and to Guantanamo Bay, often remaining in US custody for years.
Although parts of the report are familiar, the catalogue of cases detailed in the Human Rights Watch investigation provides a very detailed challenge to the US’s previous admissions about its use of torture and offers another piece in the murky puzzle of US-led international diplomacy following September 11.
Click here to read the Human Rights Watch report, Delivered into Enemy Hands
Mirrored from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
See also This report on use of diapering, slapping and insects.
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Posted on 08/16/2012 by Juan Cole
Husam Dughman writes in a guest column for Informed Comment:
The Arab Spring springs surprises
When a popular uprising started in Tunisia less than two years ago, it took the world by surprise. Not many observers had anticipated the outbreak, let alone the success, of popular uprisings in a region far better known for the longevity of its tyrants and despots.
Contrary to what some analysts have stated, the region loosely known as “the Arab world” had in fact seen important, albeit failed, uprisings: the Muslim Brotherhood’s revolt against Hafez Al-Assad’s regime in Hama, Syria, was brutally put down in 1982. The mass uprisings in both the northern and southern parts of Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War of 1991 were crushed just as mercilessly by the Saddam Hussein regime.
This time, however, it was different. The Tunisians succeeded with breathtaking speed in overthrowing Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali’s dictatorial and corrupt regime. But what turned those events into something really unique in the modern Arab world was the domino effect which followed. Shortly after the Tunisians won their battle with their government, there ensued a confrontation between the Egyptians and their own government. Before long, Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak, was forced to step down. The ripple effect of those cataclysmic developments was subsequently felt in other Arab countries, such as Yemen, Bahrain, Libya, and, later, Syria.
Despite the apparent similarities noted in the Arab rebellions taking place in the Middle East, there were nevertheless some notable differences in the way the uprisings happened in the aforementioned Arab countries: the merely authoritarian dictatorships–Tunisia and Egypt- collapsed much more easily than did the far more ruthless tyrannies in Libya and Syria. One reason may be that Ben Ali’s regime in Tunisia was caught napping by the sudden nature of the revolt in that country. And while Hosni Mubarak’s regime had some forewarning of the possibility of similar developments taking place in Egypt, this was not early enough for members of the Egyptian political elite to successfully contain and defuse the situation.
By contrast, the Qaddafi regime had ample time to prepare for such an eventuality, and the regime of Bashar Al-Assad had even more time than Qaddafi’s to brace itself for a similar insurgency occurring in Syria. Coupled with the horrifically brutal nature of both of these regimes, the spread of the “Arab Spring”, as it came to be known, lost momentum. Despite some initial successes achieved by anti-Qaddafi rebels in Libya, the tide was turned fairly quickly as Qaddafi’s forces rallied to roll back the rebels’ advance speedily and efficiently. Before long, Qaddafi’s fighters had overcome the rebels in Zawiya, laid siege to Misrata, and beaten the eastern region’s rebels from near Sirte, his own birthplace, all the way back to my own city, Benghazi.
Terrified and thrown into panic by the merciless, ruthless nature of Qaddafi’s threats and his declared intention of vindictively seeking out his enemies “street-by-street, alley-by-alley, house-by-house”, France, along with the United Kingdom and, after some hesitancy, the United States took seriously the Arab League’s pleadings for aerial intervention in Libya in order to protect civilians from what looked like a potentially hair-raising massacre not very different from what had happened in Srebrenica in the ex-Yugoslavia back in the 1995. France, the United Kingdom, and the United States also succeeded in persuading reluctant members of the United Nation’s Security Council, most notably Russia and China, of the need to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.
The French, the British, and the Americans also took advantage of the wording of UN Resolution 1973, especially one of the points authorizing all necessary means to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas, to justify the active, preemptive aerial attacks against the Qaddafi regime. The famous French air attack on Qaddafi’s lethal forces on the outskirts of Benghazi in March 2011 achieved the goal of preventing a large scale massacre of civilians in that city. Consequently, Qaddafi’s forces quickly retreated all the way back to Sirte. Buoyed up by such speedy withdrawal, the eastern rebels advanced just as speedily all the way to an area not very far from Sirte, while exuding their newly-found confidence that the Qaddafi regime would crumble in few weeks or less. That vanishing act, of course, did not materialize, and the Libyan conflict entered thereafter a phase of prolonged stalemate which lasted for many months before the Qaddafi regime collapsed in the city of Tripoli and Qaddafi himself was captured and killed near his hometown of Sirte in October 2011.
Once the Syrian people saw what was happening in other Arab countries, and how France, the United Kingdom, and the United States were striving for intervention in the Libyan conflict, they plucked up enough courage to launch mass protests against Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. This movement began when protesters called for the “Friday of Dignity” and Syrians initiated their first serious challenge against their own government. Unlike the Libyans before them, the Syrian protesters did not want outside intervention and were intent on fighting the Assad regime alone. When it gradually dawned on the Syrian rebels that overthrowing Bashar Al-Assad’s regime was not as feasible as they had imagined, they little by little started to have second thoughts concerning the idea of requesting external armed involvement.
Nonetheless, the situation in Syria was significantly different from the Libyan situation: First, both Russia and China objected to outside intervention à la Libyan case. Second, important regional players such as Iran, along with organizations like Hizbollah in Lebanon, backed up the Syrian regime and reportedly propped it up with arms, financial, personnel, and diplomatic support. Third, despite the longtime enmity between Israel and Syria, the Israelis, and quite a few of their American supporters, balked at the idea of Syria being run by an actively anti-Israeli, perhaps theocratic, government should the Assad regime disintegrate. After all, both Bashar Al-Assad and his father before him often barked at Israel, but they never did much biting. The anxiety concerning a possible Islamist takeover in Syria was compounded by the early results of regime change in the Arab Spring: Major Islamist successes in Tunisia and Egypt, and significant Islamist influence in Libya’s post-Qaddafi politics, scared outside powers which feared that, yet again, the “Arab Spring” in Syria could very well lead to an “Islamist winter”.
The differences between Libya’s situation and that of Syria did not emerge only in terms of geopolitical dynamics, but also extended to include internal differences: To an extent far greater than the national makeup of Libya, Syria’s is a mosaic of various religions, sects, and ethnic groups: Arabs, Assyrians, Kurds, Armenians, Turkmen, Circassians, Muslims, Christians, Sunnis, Shiites, Druze, and so forth. These groups had been held together by Hafez Al-Assad and later his son Bashar. If the son’s regime were to collapse, it is not inconceivable that this might bring about the fragmentation of the country, resulting in extensive massacres. The relations between Muslims and Christians in Syria are already very tense, as are many of those between Syria’s other ethnic and sectarian groups. But the Syrian regime’s most-intensely feared scenario is the fate of the Alawite minority, to which Bashar Al-Assad belongs. The end of their tight grip on power could very easily become a prelude to their mass murder at the hands of other groups, especially the Sunnis who have long resented being governed and oppressed by the Alawites. This is one of the most important reasons why the Bashar Al-Assad regime is fighting tooth and nail to hold on to power: what is at stake is not merely the regime’s survival, but above all that of the whole Alawite sect.
Having previously worked for several years as a university professor of political science, I am fully aware that forecasting in the area of international politics is a very difficult undertaking; there are far too many unknown quantities and variables involved for this to be easily doable. All the same, it does look at the moment as if the Syrian situation will continue to be a war of attrition, with neither side being able to gain the upper hand in a decisive and conclusive manner. One is then left wondering whether this might lead to yet another “Lebanon”.
About the author: Husam Dughman’s family was both educated and liberal. They heroically stood up to the Qaddafi regime and endured the dire consequences. This gave him a first-hand experience of what dictatorship, bigotry, and intolerance are about, and what kind of price has to be paid in order to stand up to them. Coupled with his experience of religious intolerance, Mr. Dughman resolved to fight against zealotry, hate, and extremism, come hell or high water. Thus, the idea for Tête-à-tête with Muhammad began to germinate in his mind.
Husam Dughman was born in Libya and educated in Libya and the U.K. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Kent at Canterbury, where he won several awards for academic excellence and graduated with a First Class with Honours. In 1993, Mr. Dughman returned to Libya and was successful in securing a position as a university professor of Political Science. Due to political reasons, he left his university position in 1997 and subsequently worked in legal translation. He immigrated to Canada in 2002, where he has been helping new immigrants with their settlement.
Dughman’s new book, Tête-à-tête with Muhammad
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is available for purchase at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, as well as other online booksellers. To learn more visit his website
Posted in Libya, Syria, Uncategorized | Comment
Posted on 08/09/2012 by Juan Cole
The UN observer sent to commemorate the event said it all. The peaceful transfer of power from the National Transitional Council to the newly elected Libyan parliament “surprised the world.”.
Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the head of the NTC during the transitional period, handed the baton to parliament, which was buzzing with deliberations about who the speaker of the house would be, and who the prime minister. Independent, nationalist, and Muslim fundamentalist candidates are all in consideration.
A controversy continued about the writing of a new national constitution. The NTC had attempted to ensure that the constituent assembly would be directly elected by the people, but many in parliament feel that that body should appoint the drafting committee. My suspicion is that the NTC moved to favor an elected body out of fear that parliament might be dominated by the Libyan version of the Muslim Brotherhood. But in fact the Justice and Construction Party did not do that well in the parliamentary elections and probably could not craft a theocratic charter, and so perhaps the method of choosing the constituent assembly is not so urgent.
Despite some continuing security problems (which are exaggerated by outsiders in my experience), Libyans were able to have free and fair elections, with only a tiny number of polling stations closed for security reasons. Women won some 20% of the seats, and an unveiled woman made some waves by making some remarks in parliament to mark the transition. An elected prime minister with the backing of the parliament will have a national authority that the NTC signally lacked, and should be able to move to rebuild the national army, the police, and to get the ministries operating. Libya has a significant income from its oil exports, now back up to pre-revolution levels, and so monetary resources are not the problem so much as managerial capacity to spend the money promptly and wisely. In general, Libya reminded me much more of Jordan than it did of a failed state like Yemen. (Of course, that it seems to me like Jordan, including with regard to the quality of the infrastructure, is a sad commentary on how Muammar Qaddafi pissed trillions of its income away down the toilet of African wars and other boondoggles, reducing the population to a third world existence when they could have had an advanced country).
As a historian, I can’t avoid taking this occasion as an opportunity to review some of the milestones in Libya’s modern history. I would say it began with the Spanish conquest of Tripoli in 1510.
Spanish Conquest of Tripoli from a painting in the Libyan National Museum
After a brief period of rule by pirates 1538-1551, Tripoli fell to Sulayman the Magnificent’s Ottoman army in 1551.
The Ottomans ruled loosely, through vassals, though they did garrison the coastal cities, and their officers threw up a vassal state in the 18th century under the Karamanlis. The young United States briefly blockaded Tripoli and took Derna in the early 19th century, over the issue of piracy, though the Libyans captured the USS Philadelphia and kept it until 1804. (There is a restaurant named “The Philadelphia” celebrating this incident in Tripoli today).
In the nineteenth century, the reformist and sometimes militant Sanusi Sufi order of Muslim mystics gained power under light Ottoman rule in the Benghazi region.
In 1911, Italy invaded and colonized Libya, keeping it until the Allies expelled Mussolini’s fascist troops in 1943. During the Italian period, Libyans mounted repeated challenges to European rule, especially the rebellion of Omar Mukhtar, whose image was a favorite of grafitti painters during the 2011 revolution against Qaddafi, who was seen as a new Mussolini.
After a brief period of British administration, in 1949 the United Nations began overseeing a transition to Libyan independence. In 1951 the Sanusi leader Idris was installed as king. Idris was a somewhat reluctant monarch and not a very good leader, and while a parliament was elected, parties were discouraged and it was more of an advisory council of notables. Idris’s Libya looked more like the Gulf monarchies than like the rest of North Africa; it had British and an American base and began developing a petroleum industry. It was seen by the West as an ally in the Cold War struggle against the Soviet Union.
King Idris was overthrown in a military coup in 1969 by a group of young officers led by Muammar Qaddafi, then a charismatic and popular young Arab nationalist who admired Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser. Qaddafi gradually went insane, imposing on his long-suffering people a staccato series of bewildering policy changes that kept the country’s institutions in constant flux and destroyed its economy and civil society, while dragging the country into a series of imperial military adventures in Africa.
Tripoli grafitti from 2011: Muammar Qaddafi (Gaddafi) as rat. Photo by Juan Cole, May, 2012.
Qaddafi was overthrown by a popular uprising a little less than a year ago, and in the interim Libya was guided by an unelected National Transitional Council, which was frequently criticized for not being decisive or vigorously addressing the country’s postrevolutionary problems.
Regime change came in Libyan history by foreign conquest (Spain, the Ottomans, Italy, and the British), by military coup (Qaddafi and his Janissary predecessors of the 18th century), or by revolution (2011, though Idris’s Sanusis allied with the British in World War II to overthrow the Italians, so there was a popular revolutionary element to that transition).
But Mustafa Abdel Jalil was not overthrown, nor has Libya been invaded by a foreign power with troops on the ground. Mustafa Abdel Jalil stood at a podium, and tendered his resignation in favor of the elected representatives of the people.
All the naysayers and skeptics about Libya should give it a rest today, and congratulate our Libyan brothers and sisters on a magnificent historical achievement, and wish them well. Achieving a republic, as Ben Franklin implied, is easier than keeping a democracy. Libyans have made a good first step toward the latter.
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Posted on 07/27/2012 by Juan Cole
Martyr’s Square, Tripoli, Libya on a Friday afternoon.
This is the area of the former “Green Square” where Qaddafi gave his hours-long crackpot speeches. It now has a carnival atmosphere on the weekends. Families are out, into the evening, and according to the informal interviews I did, most seem quite happy with the new political situation.
Photography by Juan Cole, late May, 2012
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Posted in art and photography, Libya, Uncategorized | Comments
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ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. -- Students, teachers, staff and volunteer parents from the Ellicottville Central School district got together at Holiday Valley Tuesday to create a living Christmas tree.
The students plan to use the picture taken in Christmas cards for the troops.
I am completely honored to be a part of this. It's something that I'm going to tell my kids and I'm never going to forget that I was in that tree of 800 people. I'm so excited about it. I can't wait to see the picture," said student Madison Szpaicher.
Proceeds from the sale of magnets, stickers, Christmas cards and enlargements of the aerial image will benefit troops and injured soldiers as part of "Stand Up for Heroes".
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Posted on May 10, 2011 by Natalie Lieblick — Leave a Comment
The definition of a “phone” is changing.
A few years ago my brother-in-law was reading “Goodnight Moon” to my 2-year-old niece. As they read, he asked her to point things out to him. It went something like this
“Where’s the kitty?” She points to the kitty.
“Where’s the moon?” She points to the moon.
“Where’s the bed?” She points to the bed.
“Where’s the phone?” She gives him a quizzical look and says, “No phone, Daddy.”
I recently attended the GSMI Mobile Marketing Strategies Summit in San Francisco. It was great to hear from so many smart people who are doing a lot of smart things with mobile.
Over the course of the three-day workshop it was obvious: If you are not incorporating mobile into your social media strategies, you are missing the mark.
Unsure about mobile? Have clients who are unsure? Here are a few reasons why you need to start thinking mobile – and including it in your social media efforts.
Mobile is everywhere
The growth of mobile is incredible, and mobile is quickly overtaking PCs.
- According to recent numbers from the Altimeter Group this year more smartphones and tablets will be sold than PCs. They estimate there will be just under 500,000 devices sold in 2011 and by 2013 that number will jump to over 700,000.
- Gartner claims by 2013 mobile phones will replaces PCs as the most common devices for Web access.
- Nielsen predicts smartphones will overtake feature phones in 2011 as the most common devices.
Everyone is using mobile, which means your customers and clients are using mobile too. They may not all be using the same type of mobile device (iPhone, Android, WP7, Smartphone, Feature Phone, etc.), but they are using a phone. With a bit of research and a solid understanding of your audience you can reach them on whatever platform they are using.
Mobile is personal
As marketers we attempt to reach people where they are and in relevant ways. There is no more relevant and prolific way than mobile.
Many people use their phone as their alarm clock in the morning and go to bed reading their RSS feeds on it at night. It is literally with them all waking hours. Recent research shows a growing number of people are more willing to leave the house without their wallet than without their phone.
The personal nature of mobile also makes it a tricky platform. We must make extra sure our campaigns and tactics are adding value to our audience and providing them with something they want to carry around with them. Mobile apps and content are more like fashion accessories than tools. Looking at what someone has on their phone is analogous to looking into someone’s purse or wallet.
Mobile offers a multitude of ways to engage
When people think mobile, many people think “smartphones using apps.” But the mobile market is much larger. There are many ways to engage with your audiences depending on who they are and what they want. Mobile offers marketers a multitude of touch points to engage with customers.
- Mobile apps
- Mobile sites
- Display ads
- Search ads
- Mobile payment
- Text messages (SMS & MMS)
Maybe your customers are not using smartphones and do not want a mobile app. Do they have a feature phone? If so, they can still receive short videos via MMS or updates and coupons via text message. For the youth market they would rather receive a text message than an email any day and spend way more time on their phone texting than they do checking email. Have you adjusted your email newsletter to factor this in?
It’s all about the strategy
At the end of the day it all comes down to being strategic about how you create and execute on a mobile marketing campaign. Mobile allows you to be with your customers throughout the entire purchasing cycle and beyond.
Jeremiah Owyang, with the Altimeter Group, talks about customer hourglass, instead of the traditional purchase funnel. It is similar to John Jantsch “7 Little Words that Sum up the Entire Marketing Machine” and goes something like this:
- Awareness – People become aware of your product. Apps like the North Face “Snow Report” help potential buyers become aware of how North Face is solving a problem for them – the mountain conditions.
- Consideration – They need something and consider you. Tiffany’s engagement ring app is a prime example of being with the customer as they are considering the purchase.
- Intent – They go to a store or Web site to buy. Target is providing shoppers a way to create their own shower registries on their mobile device and is a good example of getting customers when they show intent to purchase.
- Purchase – They actually buy. Can people make a purchase from you on their phone?
- Support – The customer gets help after the purchase. USAA is letting customers scan and deposit their checks all from the phone — no trip to the bank required. AAA allows roadside assistance via your phone.
- Loyalty – Programs that make them want to come back for more. Starbucks is a classic example of a retailer providing loyalty programs for customers.
- Advocacy – They like the product and tell their friends. When done right, this takes the customer, and their friends, back to the top of the hourglass and starts the cycle over again.
A smart man once told me companies need to adopt a “fast fail” mentality — meaning, they need to be okay with failure, learn from it quickly and adjust tactics for success. This is especially true with mobile. Mobile is a new frontier, things are changing quickly and not everything marketers try will work. Nevertheless, try something. With the right metrics in place to gauge success we can learn and adapt for success.
For mobile, this is just the beginning. Good night phone. Good morning mobile. It’s going to be a beautiful day.
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At this rate, there will be H-1Bs available until sometime in September. However, I do not believe that this will be the case. Why not?
Because, there are hundreds of thousands of F-1 students in the U.S. Many of these students will graduate from U.S. universities this June, and seek to work in the U.S.
Regarding employment in the U.S., these students should consider the following:
1. They may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). This is a fancy term for a one-year work permit. Under certain circumstances, the term of OPT may be extended for an additional 17-months. See
Why should students seek H-1B status in 2009 if their OPT work permits are valid until 2010?
The principle reason is that this year there are almost 20,000 H-1B slots that are up for grabs. Last year, employers submitted so many H-1B petitions that an individual's chance of obtaining H-1B status was only about 50%. The same thing could happen in 2010 leaving many students high and dry.
I predict that the H-1B petition submissions will rise significantly in June. Therefore, F-1 students who wish to work in the U.S. need to plan ahead.
When is a good time for their future employers to seek the approval of labor condition applications and prepare H-1B petitions for submission to the USCIS?
A good time would be now.
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If you’re dreaming of a profession in the Hollywood film industry, you may be wanting to decide on a Los Angeles Film School. Undoubtedly, you can likely find more choices for film education in this area compared to any other place in the world. There are many smaller, career-focused trade schools that provides training you may complete in a shorter length of time or you could major in film in one of those unfortunate colleges, universities and art schools that provide film degrees. Which option is best for your needs?
Perhaps not one of the above.
So you see, there exists a problem inherent with most traditional education in regards to training for a film career. Besides your education, it is also important to have career connections since who you know is essential similarly as what you know within the film industry. Also, with this business, actual work experience carries more importance than the usual degree does. If you’re a new film graduate requesting a job, it’s likely that the individual doing the hiring will pick someone with actual work experience over you, even when that other person doesn’t have a degree.
The thing is, when you attend a Los Angeles Film School, the odds are the school definitely will educate you filmmaking techniques, but will NOT offer the connections and experience you need to be competitive. This is why there are plenty of film school graduates who go home without any job prospects together with a tremendous amount of debt. (Compare that with the large list of famous directors who never even attended film school!)
Here’s another choice for you to think about if you are looking for the right film school to sign up: in place of attending a trade school or college campus, you are going to train in a real production company. Imagine if you may learn the ropes while working on real film projects? This would provide you with the opportunity to gain the connections and experience you need-and it could cost much less.
Without the ability to secure an in-studio apprenticeship on your own, there is one sort of film school which will help you: a school that uses the mentor-apprentice approach. This sort of school comes with a very practical and affordable method of education, placing you as the student apprentice in the real film production company, where a seasoned film professional within the facility walks you over the curriculum. Film Connection is a useful one of this kind of school, and features the methods to place you inside actual Los Angeles film companies.
As we said, this industry don’t necessarily require a degree even though earning one is the biggest goal with film education. To get employable is key objective. Remember this when evaluating the perfect Los Angeles Film School.
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Our exfoliating Handmade Soaps have extra cleaning action and also help remove dead skin with additives such as pumice, oatmeal, bamboo charcoal and cornmeal. You have the option of a gentle scrubbing action with bamboo charcoal or pumice or a more intense abrasive scrub with cornmeal.
This is a very popular bar of handmade soap due to shea butter and wonderful sandalwood scent. It is another on of our best sellers!
Sandalwood bamboo Handmade Soap is black due to the food grade bamboo charcoal powder which is why we labeled it Christmas Coal during the Christmas holidays.
I use this same bamboo charcoal powder in our homemade black salve because it draws toxins out of the skin.
Some of the ingredients in Sandalwood Bamboo Hand Soap are thought to be beneficial for conditions such as arthritis, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, age spots, scars, and inflammation. Beneficial being the key word. Sandalwood Bamboo Handmade soap will not cure skin conditions and should not be used as a replacement for medication prescribed by your doctor.
Sandalwood Bamboo Handmade Soap Ingredients include: Water, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Lard, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Almond Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Fragrance, Beeswax, and Active Bamboo Charcoal Powder
How to maintain your bar of soap:
A bar of soap needs to be stored in a well drained soap dish or other suitable container. Don't let it sit in a puddle of water because it will absorb the water which will cause it to melt away faster. This is true with handmade and store bought soaps.
Know what you are buying!
Commercial soaps are manufactured in large batches in large factories (often located overseas) using the most economical ingredients. Often they contain some or all synthetic detergents which are harsh on the skin, causing dryness, and irritating exiting skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and shingles. Most commercial soaps have the glycerin (a by product of the soap making process) removed because it can be sold separately for a greater profit.
Handmade soap also known as *hand crafted soap* or *homemade soap*, is soap in its true and most pure form. True soaps are the result of a chemical reaction between vegetable or animal fats, water (or other liquid such as milk) and lye. When combined, they transform into soap and glycerin with no lye remaining in the soap. This reaction is called *saponification*, which literally means *the making of soap*. The natural glycerin in handmade soap is an important ingredient because it is a humectant which is beneficial for dry skin and skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and shingles..
Our handmade soaps are made in small batches with personal oversight and care. Our handmade soaps contain high-quality ingredients and we are able to add specialty oils and additives to create handmade bars of soap that are not only natural, but functional and beautiful as well. We use food-quality, natural ingredients, starting with a variety of vegetable oils such as olive, coconut, or palm. To these might be added specialized oils, nut butters or seed extracts to bring the desired qualities to the finished bars of handmade soap. Lard is the only animal ingredient used in a few of our handmade soaps.
Some of our handmade soaps were formulated for people with issues such as acne, cancer, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, rheumatism, and shingles. This does not mean that our handmade soap will cure these conditions, nor do we make such claims. Our goal is to use quality ingredients that will be beneficial for these conditions by not irritating the existing skin condition like some commercial soap with added chemical and synthetic ingredients.
Fragrance oils or plant-based essential oils are added for scent. For color or texture, we often use cosmetic-grade pigments, botanicals, herbs, spices or other natural ingredients. For those with sensitivities, we also make fragrance free soap with no additives.
We hope you try our luxurious and unique handmade soap. We are sure you will agree that our handmade soap is a better and healthier choice than commercially made soap/detergent bars.
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The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office, Calhoun Police Department, Gordon County Magistrate Court, and Gordon County Information Technology Department have collaborated to begin use of the Criminal Justice Technologies, online warrant program.
The warrant program will bring law enforcement in Gordon County and Calhoun City into the digital age, allowing for more efficient and speedier arrest warrant preparations.
Additionally, law enforcement agents will have the ability to video chat with judges for warrant approval as opposed to physically appearing before a judge, as with the current system.
“This is designed, at this time, just to populate warrants, instead of driving down and sitting in front of the judge. If I needed a warrant right now, instead of me having to go to the typewriter, typing it all out, drive on down there (to the judge), I can from any desk, quickly fill out a warrant,” said Major Pat Bedford, Commander of the Judicial Bureau of the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office.
The new program, for now, will only pertain to arrest warrants, and a physical paper warrant will be in hand at the time it is served, said Bedford, but all collaborating agencies agree the new program will be cost efficient in regards to manpower, labor hours, and materials used.
“The system will be a tremendous aid to officers in the performance of their duties, and will cut down on time and resources used,” said a spokesperson from the Calhoun City Police Department.
Warrants will be able to be duplicated to a disc, as opposed to a stack of papers or file folder, potentially saving thousands of dollars on materials, according to Gordon County Chief Deputy Sheriff Robert Paris, who said going digital in areas other than warrants, has already saved the Sheriff’s Office $10,000 in one year on ink cartridges alone.
Currently, the program is in the final testing phases and will not go live until all kinks are worked out, according to Bedford, who has helped implement the program from its inception approximately four months ago.
“Its just taking advantage of technology out there. That’s probably the big selling point of this type of system, the time and money saved, in turn we can focus time and money elsewhere, its going to keep more patrol cars on the street and free detectives up on cases,” said Bedford.
If law enforcement agents can create warrants faster, and a judge can approve a warrant and set bond for an individual in custody, time spent incarcerated may be cut down, depending on the crime or infraction, according to Bedford.
One aspect, allowing the warrant preparation to flow smoothly are the digital signatures used with the warrant program so a judge and law enforcement agents, can access warrants from computers using individually and specially assigned passwords.
Potential security issues with the program are minimal, according to Gordon County Director of Information Technology Brian McClellan.
“There is really nothing in the program that could be hacked per say, because the officer enters information in which goes directly to the judge, who has to affix his [digital] signature to it and then it comes back to the officer,” said McClellan. “Its actually more secure, because it cuts down on the actual movement of paper back and forth between the offices, so you are a lot less likely for a piece of paper to go missing.”
Additionally, other safeguards are in place to ensure information is not entered twice on one person by mistake; the inability of other users tampering with warrant information filled out by another law enforcement officer, and upon the judge’s digital signature approval of the warrant, no changes are permitted to be made, via the system, according to Bedford.
Online warrant programs and systems like it are used in other jurisdictions, according to Bedford, and each program has to be formatted to fit the needs of the particular jurisdiction.
“There are similar systems used in other jurisdictions already that are highly efficient with very little drawback. It will have bugs to work out initially, but we don’t anticipate any major problems,” according to a spokesperson form the Calhoun City Police Department.
The specifications for Gordon County and Calhoun City are waiting final testing to ensure proper functioning before going live, which will be any day, according to Bedford, who says web cameras are the only parts waiting to be installed before final testing can begin before going live.
The online warrant program is a test program, which is being utilized free of charge from Criminal Justice Technologies, according to Bedford, who says it will be of no cost to taxpayers.
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- ▼ February (4)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
1. The single article introduction below is the latest posting of this month's bookmarks for news items or opinion pieces on the Maoist revolution in Nepal. To see all this months bookmarks to date, use the "Read More" link following this first article introduction.
2. The introductions to articles are excerpts from the original publication. The original publication is accessed from the article title link or at the link at the end of the introduction "... go to original article".
3. To obtain next month's Nepal Maoism bookmarks only go here
4. To obtain a display of blog postings including all monthly bookmarks as well as all other blog postings including the tag "nepal maoism" please go here.
Maoists Prepare Draft of New Constitution in Nepal
Feb 28 - The Unified CPN (Maoists) has decided to propose a mixed system with an executive President and a Prime Minister with limited authority to be incorporated in the new constitution. A task force led by .. Bhattarai, formed to prepare the draft of the new constitution, made such suggestions. In response to Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala’s remark that presidential system would invite totalitarianism, Bhattarai said.. presidential system is being followed successfully in various other countries including the USA.. The main opposition party (NC) has already decided to propose a parliamentary Prime Ministerial system. Meanwhile, the parliamentary party meeting of the Maoists has instructed its CA members going to various districts to collect public opinion for the new constitution to advocate for Presidential system. The PP meeting also endorsed the party’s decision to nominate Narayan Kaji Shrestha as the deputy leader of the PP. ... go to complete original article
To get a display of all this months Nepal Maoism bookmarks
Prachanda on the People’s Liberation Army in a Changed Situation
Feb 26 - The fusion will not take a long time. We will have to win the war for peace within a few months. We must win. The peace process cannot be succeeded without help, discipline, unity and devotion of PLA. Many people still are not ready to accept a decade long People’s War to be the foundation of the declaration of republic. They hesitate to accept the truth that republic has been established on the strong foundation of PW. Therefore, the present situation is sharper than before. You are wining different wars and battles. Settle under the cantonment is also a People’s War. You have won it and you have to win the war continuously. Therefore, for the guarantee of the war for peace, you should follow and implement the directives of AISC unconditionally. Some people are making pretensions in accepting the leadership and implementing the directives of the elected government. If the PLA follows the directives of AISC fully, the war will be won by you. ... go to complete original article
Dina Nath Sharma - Interview in Nepal Telegraph
Feb 25 - Dina Nath Sharma, alias Ashok is currently the spokesperson of the ruling Nepal Communist Party- United Maoists’. In 1999 he led a revolt within the Communist Party of Nepal (Masal) against the party leadership. On April 6, 1999 Sharma split from the party and constituted his own parallel Communist Party of Nepal (Masal). Sharma's party called for boycott of elections and supported the armed struggle. Soon after the split Sharma's party merged with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Sharma was inducted in the Maoist politburo. Sharma represented the Maoists during the 2003 peace-talks. After the end of the 2006 democracy movement in Nepal, Sharma was included in the group sent to Kathmandu to start peace negotiations with the new government. In early 2005 Sharma was, along with Baburam Bhattarai and Hisila Yami, demoted by the party supremo Prachanda. In July of that year Prachanda reinstated Sharma into the politburo. ... go to complete original article
Maoists discuss increasing party intervention in government undertakings
Feb 24 - Maoists discuss increasing party intervention in government undertakings The Unified CPN (Maoist) on Tuesday mulled over putting more muscle behind the government’s initiatives to ensure its “effective implementation” There was participation of all Maoist ministers in the meeting except that of Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Janardhan Sharma. The Maoist Central Secretariat had on Sunday formed the Government Mobilization Department, led by Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, to effectively implement the government's programmes. The department, which has been formed at a time when the government led by the Maoist party had to retract one decision after another following pressure from the main opposition party Nepali Congress including national and international forces, has Maoist ministers as members. ... go to complete original article
Prachanda instructs Maoist Party to stay on alert
Feb 15 - Prachanda has instructed his party cadres to stay alert for another revolution, on Saturday. Addressing a function organised by All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF – affiliated to Maoists) in Lalitpur, Dahal said the party will not always be engaged in the peace process. "The constitution-drafting process will not last forever, we should seriously prepare ourselves for the next situation," said Dahal. Dahal opined that while many communist movements in the world failed because they could not recognise the need of the hour, Maoists in Nepal understood the situation and acted accordingly. He said, his party would now take the revolution into new heights against colonial forces. ... go to complete original article
Mohan Baidya: Exit of leader Matrika Yadav makes no difference to the party
Feb 15 - Mohan Baidya Sunday said that the exit of leader Matrika Yadav does not make any difference to the party. remarks of Baidya came in the wake of increasing possibility of the loss of Maoist grip in Madhesh.. Baidya said that Yadav would be allowed to rejoin if he comes back after correcting himself, though the party purged him on discipline ground. Talking to journalists at the party headquarters in Buddhanagar today, Baidya, who is the ideologue and leads the hardliners within the party, made it clear that anyone who wants to quit the party are free to do so as there is ideological freedom in the party. More than 100 leaders and activists of the Unified CPN (Maoist) defected to the CPN (Maoist) reconstituted and headed by Matrika Yadav on Saturday. The defectors include Bhojpura State Committee member Indal Rai Yadav, central committee member of the Tharuwan Mukti Morcha Palat Chaudhary and central committee member of the Madheshi Rastriya Mukti Morcha Jayram Yadav. ... go to complete original article
Nepal’s Kiran: Threatening “Another Bend” in the Street Struggle
Feb 8 - Many of the conspiracies are being hatched to fail the elected Maoist-led government. We all know that the main task of the government is to write a new constitution and lead the peace process in to a logical end. The extra-others are the secondary tasks for the government. However, the anti-people power and the reactionaries are trying to divert from the main issues and the tasks. Therefore, we advance a head to fulfill these tasks through the street struggle. Is the street struggle related to the future insurrection? The street struggle is connected with the progress of the peace process. The three fronts: the government, CA and street: are complementary. However, the front of struggle can take another bend if the anti-people and the reactionary powers create obstacles incessantly against writing constitution and the peace process. ... go to complete original article
CPN-Maoist, Masal unite - Prachanda warns of Peoples Revolt if government is forced to quit
Jan 14 - Prachanda is threatening widespread mass struggle (and possibly insurrection) if there isn’t progress toward a radically new and different constitution in the assembly. He is identify the parties that are roadblocks to the people’s hopes, and he is calling on the people to prepare for struggle. And (very prominently in this piece) he is pointing out the important role played by the armed struggle (previously in the form of peoples war) in all progress so far. This is a call for people (at the base of society and of his party) to prepare themselves for the next wave of struggle. Prachanda warns of Peoples Revolt if government is forced to quit The formal announcement of unification between CPN (Maoist) and Unity Centre (Masal) was made in Kathmandu amid a mass gathering Tuesday. Party workers took out rallies from different parts of the capital prior to the mass gathering at Khula Manch, which was attended by senior leaders from the Maoist party and the now-dissolved Unity Centre (Masal). Prachanda, Prime Minister and chairman of CPN (Maoist), heads the united party which has been named as Unified CPN (Maoist). The party will have a 175-member central committee that includes 38 members from Unity Centre (Masal). Addressing the mass meeting, party chairman Dahal warned of 'people's revolt' if the current Maoist-led government is forced to quit. "This government is not a repetition of past ones. If it is overthrown our party will spearhead a people's revolt from the next day and capture power," ... go to complete original article
Maoists are all set to unleash another "massive" struggle, says Gajurel
Jan 4 - A senior Maoist leader CP Gajurel, Saturday, said that his party is prepared to unleash yet another “massive” struggle to institutionalise republic in the country as per the desire of people. Gajural, who is the chief of CPN (Maoist)’s foreign department, came up with this remark while speaking at a program in Sindhuli. “We are all geared up to launch such a struggle from the street, the parliament and the government,” he said adding that the country would achieve sustainable peace and development only after the success of another “severe” struggle we are going to unleash to “uphold the aspirations of ordinary people.” He also said the certain foreign power centers including India are bent to augment their unscrupulous clout in Nepali political domain. Gajural also lambasted the government led by his own party saying that it has failed to provide any relief to the people. ... go to complete original article
Blog Guide: A discussion of blog features and primary topic content may be found at the initial entry. The first few entries give a good idea of how best to use the blog, especially for the tagging and social bookmarking at my external Delicious site, and for instructions regarding the Stefandav TV widget.
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March 25, 2010: IFMA Partners With Energy Star Program
March 25, 2010
HOUSTON - The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) announced that it has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Energy Star® program to help facility professionals improve building performance through energy conservation. The IFMA Energy Challenge: Energy Star encourages all facility professionals to work toward a goal of reducing their organization’s measured facility energy use by 15 percent. IFMA has created a master account within the EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager and asks facility professionals to create their own accounts, add information about their facilities, and share that information with IFMA.
IFMA said that, by measuring facility performance in a consistent manner, benchmarking energy and utility use, and sharing and implementing efficiency measures and best practices, Energy Star can help organizations save money; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; improve facility performance; and qualify for tax incentives and rebates.
“EPA is very excited to work with IFMA as it rolls out its energy challenge. We applaud the association for calling on its members to achieve an aggressive energy reduction target and promoting the value of benchmarking as a key component of successful energy management,” said Alyssa Quarforth, program manager for Energy Star, Commercial Properties. “We have found that association-based initiatives such as IFMA’s can drive significant energy improvements across commercial buildings, while also promoting increased awareness of Energy Star and the value of strategic energy management.”
Facility professionals interested in tracking and reducing their buildings’ energy use are encouraged to download the IFMA Foundation’s free “Sustainability How-to Guide: EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager” publication at www.ifmafoundation.org/programs/sustain_wp.cfm for step-by-step instructions and tips on how to create their own account and share their information with IFMA. IFMA said it will not publicize the organization names of those who submit information, only relevant benchmarking data.
Publication date: 03/22/2010
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Advantage Bank uses software and pedometers from San Antonio-based Walkingspree that enable employees to track how many steps they take daily and chart it, compare their progress with other employees, determine how many miles they walked, how many calories were burned and how many of those calories were fat. They also enter information on their daily diet to track their food intake, and can enter health status information following physician appointments--such as body mass index, heart rate, and glucose and cholesterol levels--and track these levels over time.
Angel Ogle, an assistant vice president and human resources administrator at Advantage Bank, tested the program for about six months before it went live, talking it up with employees when they asked why she had a pedometer, and sending out e-mails to make sure everyone knew about the forthcoming program. She remains an active participant in the walking program, as do all senior managers.
Participating employees download software to their home computer or laptop that links them to a Walkingspree-hosted Web site. Users enter their weight and height into their pedometer, which enables the device to track the length of steps, and whether they’re normal or aerobic steps. A cord connects the pedometer to the home computer, which uploads daily data to the Web site.
Employees can use the home computer to access the Web site and get trending data, but they also can access via a mobile computing device as the primary function of the home computer is to be the data uploading conduit to the Walkingspree site.
Ogle uses her mobile phone to track her own steps walked and to access the names of participating employees, but no other personal information. She uses the names to encourage employees who have tailed off to become active participants again, dangling gift cards and vacation days. The goal is to get employees walking 5,000 to 6,000 steps a day. At the end of six months, those meeting the goals get $200 put in their health savings account, or $100 cash if they are not in the medical plan.
Because the program began in April, there was a prorated payment at the end of June for 139 qualifying participants, representing 75 percent of those who started the program. Out of the 139, 131 averaged more than 6,000 steps daily and the other eight averaged at least 5,000. Another round of incentive payments will be made in early 2013 for employees successfully participating in the program from June through December.
During 2012, claims payments have been lower than the previous year, Ogle says. Whether the reason is because employees are walking more and are wiser of their health status and use of health services isn’t yet known. For senior management, Ogle says, the ROI is simply seeing all those employees taking all those steps. “This is obviously improving health, walking will do that,” she adds. And it looks like the walking program is here to stay, she notes. “It’s something that certainly interests people.”
A feature story in the January issue of Health Data Management will explore how mobile apps are becoming a tool to attract health care consumers and keep them healthier.
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Lee MacPhail, oldest baseball Hall of Famer, dies at 95
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Lee MacPhail, the former American League president who followed his father into baseball's Hall of Fame and whose son became a top executive for several major league teams, has died at 95.
He was the oldest Hall of Famer, and he died Thursday night at his home in Delray Beach, Fla., the Hall of Fame said Friday.
"There's not much I haven't done off the field other than commissioner," he said during a 1985 interview with The Associated Press when he retired after 4 1-2 decades in the sport.
In the second generation of one of baseball's most famous families — and part of the only father-son Hall of Fame pairing — MacPhail's most well-known moment in baseball came in 1983. He upheld Kansas City's protest in the Pine Tar Game against the New York Yankees, restoring a ninth-inning home run to Royals slugger George Brett — also a future Hall of Famer.
"Baseball history has lost a great figure in Lee MacPhail, whose significant impact on the game spanned five decades," Hall chairman Jane Forbes Clark said. "He will always be remembered in Cooperstown as a man of exemplary kindness and a man who always looked after the best interests of the game."
With MacPhail's death, Bobby Doerr at 94 becomes the oldest living Hall of Famer.
Lee MacPhail was the son of Larry MacPhail, a top executive with the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees.
Born Leland Stanford MacPhail Jr. in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 25, 1917, he was general manager at minor league Reading, went on to work for the Yankees in 1949 and spent a decade as farm director and player personnel director, with players he developed winning seven World Series titles.
He moved to the Baltimore Orioles as general manager in 1959 and six years later returned to New York as chief administrative assistant for new baseball Commissioner Spike Eckert. He returned to the Yankees as general manager from 1967-73, and left after George Steinbrenner bought the team to become AL president in 1974. Continued...
A member of management's labor negotiating team along with NL President Chub Feeney during the 1981 midseason strike, he also headed the AL when it added the designated hitter for the 1973 season and expanded to Seattle and Toronto for 1977.
After he stepped down as league president following the 1983 season, he served two years as president of the owners' Player Relations Committee, overseeing bargaining during a two-day strike in 1985. He was elected to the Hall as an executive in 1998, 20 years after his father.
In the famed Pine Tar case, MacPhail overruled plate umpire Tim McClelland and crew chief Joe Brinkman and restored a home run to Brett. After Yankees manager Billy Martin argued that Brett's bat had excessive pine tar when he hit a two-run, ninth-inning homer at Yankees Stadium on July 24, McClelland called Brett out, the final out in a 4-3 New York victory.
Brett stormed out of the dugout, eyes bulging, in one of baseball's most famous arguments. Four days later, MacPhail upheld a protest for the first time as league president, said the home run counted and ordered the game to continue from that point. When the game was completed Aug. 18, the Royals held on to win 5-4.
While the pine tar extended more than 18 inches past the handle, the limit set by baseball's rules, MacPhail said taking away the home run was improper.
"The umpires' interpretation, while technically defensible, is not in accord with the intent or spirit of the rules and that the rules do not provide that a hitter be called out for excessive use of pine tar. The rules provide instead that the bat be removed from the game," he wrote. "Although manager Martin and his staff should be commended for their alertness, it is the strong conviction of the league that games should be won and lost on the playing field — not though technicalities of the rules."
He retired at the end of that season.
His son Andy became GM of the Minnesota Twins, president of the Chicago Cubs and president of baseball operations of the Orioles. From the next generation, Andy MacPhail IV worked for the Cleveland Indians and is a scout for the Orioles.
The Hall said no services are planned and a memorial will be held later.
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In his novels and his political commentary, Webb has been a writer of genuine distinction, using language with care and precision. But just days after winning an election, he was turning out slapdash prose that would be rejected by a reasonably demanding high school teacher.Webb, Will whispers, said that the rich are "literally living in a different country." The loathsome "literally" lapse!
I haven't read Webb's books, so I'm in no position to say whether they are written in such excellent style, and I don't know whether the language Webb wields in his new senatorial guise is all that different from his novelist's approach. But I suspect that what we're seeing is not a man who has instantly succumbed to Washington's ways but a man with a novelist's mentality in a new setting. One way to explain his awkward behavior with respect to the presidential receiving line is that he thought through that scene like a novelist. If you were writing a novel about a character like him going through a receiving line with a President like Bush, wouldn't that be exactly the sort of scene you'd want to think up?
Ordinarily, in all sorts of social and political situations, people try to figure out how other people usually act and to stick to the convention and proceed smoothly along. This is nice enough, but rather boring. In a novel, a conventional social situation tends to be a set up for our hero to do something that shakes things up. The ordinary characters are aghast. They condemn the bad behavior of the protaganist, and we readers, in our armchairs, know how right he is. Of course, a novelist who concocts scenes like that is himself utterly conventional.
I don't think Webb has quickly picked up the Washington style. I think he's got the novelist's style, and he's his own hero Senator in a novel about Washington. And, what immense fun this is going to be! It looks like a great read:
Democrat James Webb declined to stand in a presidential receiving line or to have his picture taken with the man he had often criticized on the stump this fall. But it wasn't long before Bush found him.I can't put it down.
"How's your boy?" Bush asked, referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq.
"I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President," Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.
"That's not what I asked you," Bush said. "How's your boy?"
"That's between me and my boy, Mr. President," Webb said coldly, ending the conversation on the State Floor of the East Wing of the White House.
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Reports are pouring out of Washington about the Fiscal Cliff negotiations. A lot of people observing the negotiations are outraged by what is going on. Instead of being outraged, and there is plenty of time for outrage; we should take a look at what is going on.
If you analyze the negotiations, it tells you a lot about what is going on in Washington and what may happen.
What is going on inside these negotiations?
First the Obama Team offered to raise taxes $1.6 trillion. Then he wants no spending increases. And the top layer of the cake? He wants the authority to borrow money without congressional authority. He wants to basically abolish the debt ceiling.
Obama’s initial offer to the Republicans was absolutely stunning. He put an offer that not only is unacceptable to the Republicans; it shows contempt for the Republicans.
Roger Fisher and William Ury wrote a book called, “Getting to yes.” It is the definitive book on negotiating. Fisher and Ury talk about something called the “best alternative to a negotiated agreement.” (BATANA). Obama believes that he has an incredible BATANA.
The Republicans have already painted themselves into a corner. When they agreed to the sequestration deal back in 2011, the Republicans gave away their strongest negotiating points. The cuts the GOP agreed to back in 2011 would be the most painful for the GOP. This was John Boehner’s brilliant idea that would “force” negotiations to reach an equitable settlement.
That’s a great theory, in practice. However, it also assumes that both parties are entering into the negotiations in good faith. The idea behind negotiations is that both sides want to reach a fair agreement.
Unfortunately for the Republicans and for America, the Obama Regime has no interest in fair agreement. They do not look at negotiations as a forum for compromise so that the best ideas can prevail. They look at negotiations as another battleground just like elections. They do not want a fair agreement. They want to win.
Obama approaches these negotiations knowing a couple of things. First, his team has done such a good job of messaging on the fiscal cliff; most polls show the public will blame the Republicans for the fiscal cliff.
Obama knows the drive by media will cover him. They will dutifully report that anything other than a complete capitulation will be portrayed as Republicans trying to protect millionaires and trying to screw the middle class.
The other thing he knows is he has an opponent who has no stomach for the fight. John Boehner will not stand and fight. When you have an opponent who will not fight, why even try to be reasonable.
Back in an earlier part of my life, I worked as an Assistant District Attorney. Every prosecutor in any jurisdiction can tell you which defense lawyer will try cases and which one will not.
98% of all cases in state criminal courts are resolved by a negotiated settlement. I hardly ever negotiated with defense lawyers who I knew would not take their cases to trial. I would just tell them what the offer was and wait for them to fold.
Obama believes he is in the driver’s seat. He believes Boehner will fold and give him everything he wants. If Boehner folds and gives Obama everything he wants, not only does Obama continue to destroy America, he destroys the Republican Party at the same time.
Boehner has a BATANA. It is to simply walk away from the negotiations. Boehner should realize that even if the fiscal cliff turns into a disaster now, by the time the 2014 elections come along, the fiscal cliff will be long forgotten. What will not be forgotten is if Boehner surrenders to Obama.
If he does, it will mean the end of the Republican Party as a national party.
I am under the impression that the Republican party is already dead. The largest parties, in this order, are now viable:
The Democrat party
The Republican party
The Libertarian party
The Green party
The Constitutional party.
Let's rev up the Constitutional party to First. The only reason it is not first at the present time is it has poor leadership. We can change this and overtake the others. We HAVE to do SOMETHING! We must INNOVATE to succeed, or else we fail!
Anyone nieve enough to believe BHO wants to negotiate has not been paying attention, ever. This offer from Gheitner is all for media sake so BHO can say he compromised and Republicans did not. Ok, we all know the liberal media is carrying the water for BHO. Sounds like everyone is just accepting it without a fight. When are we going to fight the media? I've heard very few Republicans getting in front of the cameras to fight the messaging. BHO used Bush to blame for everything. Why are Republicans accepting the message that they are to blame now. They seem to be acting cowardly. Too much silence. No wonder the ignorant voters believe BHO.
Uh, when you get in front of the cameras and bash the media, they turn the cameras off. There is no LIVE transmission. You see what the MSM wants you to see. No more, and a lot less.
Well, Mary Young, YES, but, have you forgotten GOOD OL' NEWT ? . . . . . . ( wink ! )
If y'all missed Newt Gingrich on Jay Leno last night, you really missed something. Even the stupid, liberal Hollywood audience agreed with Newt when he explained that the fiscal cliff is just a made up excuse to get us to agree to something that we don't want to do! He was brilliant, as usual!
It's just unbelievable that there are so many stupid people bargaining for our kids future. Even though the larger part of the 30 and under voted for the fool, the rest really don't deserve what they are about to have to go through. The takers are deffinately in charge and they will take until they finally get all they can and after they are thrown out the rest will not want to punish those involved for they would look like unkind politicians. If we don't get some backbone for leadership then we can forget ever restoring this mess to what it once was and we should separate from the stink.
I have of late lost a lot of faith in the republican party, They are there to do a job, but they are so worried about their public image/popularity to stand up to this maxist commie, I guess they don't realize that if they fold they really lose their image permanently. If they fight they will only be hated by the maxist left, so what is wrong with that? I love having the left hate me. If the republicans stand now and fight they will get re-elected because they would be "DOING THEIR JOB.
Words to live by. . .if only the GOP would listen!!!
It's not just a bad deal, this is really an insulting deal. What Geithner offered, what you showed on the screen, Robert E. Lee was offered easier terms at Appomattox, and he lost the Civil War. The Democrats won by 3% of the vote and they did not hold the House, Republicans won the house. So this is not exactly unconditional surrender, but that is what the administration is asking of the Republicans~Charles Krauthammer
Charles Krauthammer: GOP should let Obama dive off the 'fiscal cliff'
By Charles Krauthammer
Published: Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 17A
GO AHEAD, DO IT. . .this is why, "elections have consequences" IMO!
More words of wisdom for the GOP. . .only problem is, they think they already know it all and won't listen (so I'll post this article for our consideration):
Gingrich: House Republicans should stop negotiating with President Obama
“One of the things I would say to House Republicans is to get a grip,” Gingrich said in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.
“They are the majority. They’re not the minority,” he said, enunciating the words as if explaining the concept to someone who did not understand it. “They don’t need to cave in to Obama; they don’t need to form a ‘Surrender Caucus.’”
“So my number one bit of advice to the congressional Republicans is simple: Back out of of all of this negotiating with Obama. The president is overwhelmingly dominant in the news media. You start setting up the definition of success finding an agreement with Obama, you just gave Obama the ability to say to you, ‘Not good enough,’” Gingrich said.
. . .“There is no fiscal cliff. It’s absolute, total, nonsense,” Gingrich said.
“It is an excuse to panic. It’s a device to get all of us running down the road so we accept whatever Obama wants because otherwise we have failed the fiscal cliff, and how can you be a patriot if you don’t do what the fiscal cliff requires, and the fiscal cliff will appear to us one afternoon, much like the land of Oz, where there will be this person hiding behind the machine who will say, ‘Raise taxes now,’” Gingrich intoned, “and if you don’t raise taxes you’ll have violated the fiscal cliff.”
“Now, do any of you want to be the person who stands up and destroys America by violating the fiscal cliff? Do you want to go on one of the national networks and explain that you are so reactionary, so out of touch with life, that you don’t care that America is going to die late on Thursday?” Gingrich scoffed.
I agree Boehner should just walk away. This deal was brokered in 2011 by a BIPARTISAN panel. Isn't that what the libs are always whining about, BIPARTISAN THIS, BIPARTISAN THAT?
The fiscal cliff is smoke and mirrors; walk away and see nothing truly happens. And then add Obamacare, the true fiscal cliff and then lets have an Obama depression.
We need to crash this economy so the 30 somethings learn economics. We who know it's coming would just wish it would get here so we can get on with America.
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1. Traditional Red Chili is defined by the International Chili Society as any kind of meat or combination of meats,
cooked with red chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients, with the exception of BEANS and PASTA
which are strictly forbidden.
2. Chili Verde is defined by the International Chili Society as any kind of meat or combination of meats, cooked
with green chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients, with the exception of BEANS and PASTA which
are strictly forbidden.
3. Salsa must be homemade by the contestant whose name and ICS # appear on the Contestant Application. It may be brought to the site that day or it may be prepared at the Cookoff.
4. No ingredient may be pre-cooked in any way prior to the commencement of the official cookoff. The only excep-
tions are canned or bottled tomatoes, tomato sauce, peppers, pepper sauce, beverages, broth and grinding
and/or mixing of spices. Meat may be treated, pre-cut or ground. The ICS does not prefer one over the other.
MEAT MAY NOT BE PRE-COOKED, in any manner. All other ingredients must be chopped or prepared during the preparation period.
5. You must be an ACTIVE ICS member to compete in any ICS competition including Traditional Red Chili, Chili
Verde and Salsa. You must be at least 18 years old.
6. The cooking period will be a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 4 hours. The exact starting and ending of the cooking period is to be announced by each local sponsoring organization. Cooking during entire cooking period is at the sole discretion of the contestant.
7. A representative of the sponsoring organization shall conduct a contestant’s meeting, at which time final instructions are to be given and questions answered, no later than 1 hour prior to the official starting time of the cookoff.
8. Contestants are responsible for supplying all of their own cooking utensils, etc. and should be prepared to provide a fire extinguisher and washing station, as they may be required by the sponsoring organization. The sponsors of the cookoff will provide an area for each contestant.
9. Each contestant must cook a minimum of two quarts of competition chili prepared in one pot which will be submitted for judging. Sharing or splitting Chili, Chili Verde or Salsa for judging with another contestant for the purpose of increasing the number of entries in any event will result in suspension of ICS membership for a minimum of one year. Any cookoff chairman, chief judge or scorekeeper knowingly allowing cheating in any way at their event will result in non-sanctioning of their event the following year, no exceptions.
10. People's Choice Chili is governed by the SPONSORING ORGANIZATION and cookoff chairman of each cookoff, NOT THE ICS. The chairman can require (a) 2 gallons maximum in lieu of a cash entry fee; (b) 1 gallon maximum in addition to a cash entry fee or (c) a cash fee. Non-compliance by a contestant of the chairman’s requirement will result in disqualification. Discrimination by cookoff officials will result in non-sanctioning of their event the following year. PEOPLE’S CHOICE CHILIL MUST CONTAIN BEANS.
11. Each contestant will be assigned a contestant’s number by the Chief Scorekeeper and given an official 32 oz. ICS judging cup. In order for a cook to receive the judging cup for their specific contest, they must sign the contestant list and provide their active ICS membership number. Each contestant should verify that the number on the bottom of their cup is the same as their assigned contestant number. Each contestant is responsible to deliver their cup, which must be filled to the bottom of the cup’s rim, to the judging area at the official time for judging.
12. Judges will be told that they should vote for the chili, as defined by the ICS, based on the following major
considerations: good chili flavor, texture of the meat, consistency, blend of spices, aroma and color.
Rules & Regulations 08/10
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UNDATED (WHBL) - After Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker toured farms in Burlington and Dodgeville, he met with farm groups and others to assess what might be done to those hammered by the drought. Many Wisconsin producers are losing crops and facing a shortage of feed for their cattle and dairy cows. Southern Wisconsin is experiencing the work drought conditions seen in more than 20 years. Walker viewed damaged fields from one thousand feet in a Blackhawk helicopter. He is trying to lessen the impact on Wisconsin’s 60 billion dollar agriculture industry.
Handel On The Law 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
On Air Now.
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The Association of Talent Agents (ATA) is a non-profit trade association representing the finest talent agencies in the industry. ATA is the voice for unified talent and literary agencies. ATA agencies represent the vast majority of working artists, including actors, directors, writers and other artists in film, stage, television, radio, commercial, literary work and other entertainment enterprises. For nearly 70 years, ATA agents have worked in partnership with artists and their guilds to ensure their protection and promote their creative endeavors.
What makes ATA agents unique?
Creating opportunities for their clients is at the heart of what ATA agents do. Licensed and regulated by state and local government agencies, ATA agents are at the focal point of change in the industry and at the forefront of the development of new relationships for their clients. In an era of media consolidation and vertical integration in the industry, ATA agents are the artists’ strongest allies.
Are ATA agents regulated?
Yes. In contrast to many other industry professionals, ATA agents are licensed and strictly regulated by state and local government agencies in California, New York and the other parts of the country where agents do business. In California, for example, ATA agents are not only licensed by the State Labor Commissioner and subject to annual review, but the artists’ contracts are approved by the State Labor Commissioner. ATA agencies also work under negotiated agreements with DGA, WGA, AFTRA, Actors’ Equity and AFM. While the SAG agreement expired in 2002, ATA agencies continue to work with actors under ATA state-approved agency contracts.
How does ATA work with the guilds? Do ATA agents have agreements with all the guilds at this time?
Since 1937, ATA agencies have worked in partnership with artists and their guilds to make sure that creative artists are protected in their business relationships and negotiated agreements. ATA agencies have existing agreements covering the terms of representation with DGA, WGA, AFTRA, AFM and Actors’ Equity. The SAG agreement expired in 2002, but ATA agencies continue to work with actors under ATA state-approved agency contracts. In addition, ATA and the guilds co-host ongoing professional development forums and seminars.
Why haven’t ATA and SAG negotiated a new agreement?
Since the SAG agreement expired in 2002, there have been no new negotiations. However, ATA agents have continued to do business with actors without disruption under state-approved agency contracts. At the same time, ATA has negotiated a new agreement with AFTRA, has existing agreements with WGA, Actors’ Equity and AFM, and, in 2004, restated its agreement with DGA.
How have ATA agents responded to the changing business dynamics of the entertainment industry?
Mergers and acquisitions have consolidated power in the entertainment industry and strengthened the hand of the buyer, thus weakening the position of the artist. ATA agencies know how to operate in this new business environment because they’ve been in the marketplace every day since 1937. ATA agents understand that their clients are looking to them to provide more services and create more opportunities, and they’re responding by changing their business models to meet that demand. That’s why agents continue to be the artist’s strongest partner.
How are ATA agents different from managers?
The job of the ATA agent is to create opportunities, procure and
negotiate employment for clients and counsel them in the development of their careers. Agents in most states must be licensed by the state, city or appropriate governing body. Managers are not regulated nor are they required to have a license. Under law, managers may not procure employment for artists or negotiate without a licensed agent, and any person who renders Agent services without a license may have their contract invalidated and be forced to relinquish any commissions paid.
What types of services does ATA provide?
ATA provides its members with a broad range of services, including negotiation of franchise agreements with industry guilds, interpretation of agency/guild and state regulations, development of ongoing professional development resources and seminars, dispute resolution expertise, a residual tracking system, and discounts on legal services.
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Welcome to the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh! Exciting things are happening as we celebrate our 100th anniversary.
As we begin a second century, we should take a longer perspective and consider the transition from student to professional educator in a broader context – a century of effort at the University of Pittsburgh to prepare educators and millennia of efforts in Western society to set standards for the teaching profession.
Especially important is the realization that effective teaching requires knowing the subject, knowing how students come to understand the subject and knowing how to afford opportunities for that understanding to develop. Our committed scholars use research and creativity to do just that, impacting the lives of children at all educational levels in all types of neighborhoods.
Whether through internships in the classroom or work on major research and service projects in Pittsburgh, other American cities, or overseas, our programs emphasize the connection between learning by doing and learning through coursework. We hope to make a difference not just in the Pittsburgh arena, but regionally, nationally and internationally.
The school has nearly 1,200 students and a community of devoted and accomplished faculty and staff, who strive for excellence in cultivating the country’s best education professionals.
The three primary goals of our school are:
- improving urban education through both research and the training of teachers and other school professionals;
- impacting the factors outside the teacher-student relationship that influence learning (including physical activity, emotional well-being, a head start on the building blocks of school success, experiences that underscore the need for learning, and freedom from fear);
- helping to improve regional, national, and international education policies.
We believe our students have the potential to be life-changing leaders in the field of education. Upon graduation, students use their training to embrace a professional career in which they initiate, influence, and inspire those around them.
We invite future graduate and undergraduate students to learn more about us on these pages. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding programs or career choices in the field of education. If you have the desire to make a difference in the world of learning, come join us!
We look forward to seeing you on campus.
, Professor and Dean
Meet our Senior Staff
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1) was Wuji kind to animals? did he try to rescue a rabbit before getting attacked by the dogs (owned by the tricky family).
2) What does Zhao Ming mean in English? Did she have another name in a previous edition? What does that mean in English?
3) Why was Jue Yuan the only one who learned Jiu Yang Shen Gong at Shaolin? Why didn't other monks learn it? If it was a important art for Shaolin, why did they not ask him to rewrite it when it was stolen?
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“You have to measure what you want more of.” Charles Coonradt
Is it a law of the universe, as some people claim, that we get more of what we look at and look for? I don’t know. I just know that time after time clients share with me how much more they’re seeing of a desired behavior or outcome once they’ve started to look for it, to notice it, and even more, to measure it.
One client was explaining how ever since she started documenting (and celebrating) the occasions when her team members were on time for meetings, there seemed to be more on-time moments and less waiting for a meeting to begin in a room half-full of people. Another client mentioned that he was now officially documenting each new referral that came his way – and that somehow he’d had more referrals in the recent past than before. A third client commented that she had given her team specific, measurable goals around servicing their clients and meeting their needs – and she was receiving notes from satisfied clients as her team members seemed to focus more on what was important.
We make things important when we measure them. We draw attention to them – our attention and that of others – thereby reinforcing the need to focus on them and make them grow. Often we mistakenly measure the negatives, the things we don’t want, the less-than-desirable outcomes…but is that where we truly want to put our emphasis and effort? If we do get what we measure, what is it that we want to measure – so that we can get more of it?
What are you measuring? Is that what you want to grow? Determine what you need to have more of and find a way to notice, document, measure, and celebrate it. See what happens.
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The Committee has teamed up with leading online student community The Student Room to consult its 500,000 young members about which services they use. It wants to hear from young people aged 13 to 25 on subjects including what out-of-school activities they do, whether they volunteer, their views on a summer programme for 16-year olds and how they would spend the budget for young people in their area.
Committee Chair, Graham Stuart MP said:
"The Committee wants to consult those who really know which services are most important - young people. We are therefore delighted to be able to collaborate with The Student Room to seek the views of a wide range of young people across the country, and we urge young people to go online and contribute!"
Jamie O'Connell, Marketing Director for The Student Room said:
"There is a tremendous breadth of services for young people in the country, many of which provide a vital contribution to local communities and the contact that young people have with these organisations, and in some cases volunteers, can be life changing. We’re very pleased to help the Education Committee with this consultation and will encourage our diverse community to get involved."
How to get involved
The site will be live from 1600 on Wednesday 2 March and young people are encouraged to contribute by visiting;
Parliament is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Transcript of video
Hello, my name is Graham Stuart I’m the Chair of the Education Select Committee in the House of Commons and our job is to scrutinise the Government, check what they’re doing on all policy matters to do with young people.
What I’m asking for today is help with an inquiry we are doing into youth services, so all the services provided to young people aged 13 to 25 outside of school.
We’d like to hear from you, what you do, what you volunteer for, whether you go to a youth club, whether you make music, whatever you’re involved in outside of school.
Tell us what you value, what you think is really good and needs to be protected and improved, what added role you could play in running things if you were given that opportunity and also whether there’s any service which you think are provided which could be stopped in order to protect other services.
We have teamed up with the student room to make sure that young people’s voices are heard in our inquiry and our idea is when we get the evidence from young people we will write a report which we will then submit to the Government and they’re obliged to reply to us within a certain time. So it’s an opportunity for you to influence us and then us to influence the Government.
Thank you all for your time
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Sounds creepy, huh?!
Learning from previous Marriott bomb attack (2003), tsunami in Aceh (2004) and Yogya earthquake (2006), The Indonesian Ministry of Health have felt the urge to recruit volunteers as many as they can to be trained in managing things related to emergency medicine within the catastrophic areas. The vision is very clear; to increase the survival rates post-disaster.
At first I thought it is very elusive. How can you persuade people to learn Basic Life Supports (BLS) and evacuation process for the sake of saving others' life, when in facts they will not get paid? Pardon me for being pessimistic, since from what I witness in my everyday life; most people tend to save their own asses instead of helping others in many social aspects. Don't you agree with me? But well, that's another story.
Last weekend I took off my ego to participate in two days training of emergency medicine held by The Indonesian Ministry of Health at my campus. I was pretty much exhausted but I was happy cos I realized they were all worth it! I always believe experience is the best teacher (compared to theory).
The training entitled "Pemuda Siaga Peduli Bencana" (PSPB) was free of charge and already included snacks, lunch and certificate. However it was limited to 100 first registrants. As figured, many students were lining up with full enthusiasms right the second registration opened. Lucky me, I got in. I felt bad for my girlfriend who couldn't join me cos she was late 15 min. Can you imagine that? The registrations were full within 15 min!
The PSPB team consisted of 5 speakers/trainers; dr. Theryoto, Hadi Suwondo, Ateng Surahman, dr. Erikson and dr. Imam. As for the start, they explained to us the background history and the purposes of the training and taught some theories of CPR, triage, the biomechanics of trauma, fractures and evacuation process.
Below are some pictures I've taken from the training and FYI, everyone were taking pictures during the practice sessions and wanted to upload them on Facebook! LOLz!
Adults CPR demo
Trust me, it's harder than you think! And for the record, don't believe what you saw on the movies cos most of them are false! LOLz.
CPR for Babies
This is the easiest part! Only use two fingers but still you need to be very careful with your compressing power unless you want to kill the baby.
First Aid to Stop Bleeding and Manage Fracture
Main Principle: "Do Not Further Harm"
THE AWESOME TEAMMATES!
Hopefully I can help my family (at least), my neighbors and as many people as I can in case there's any emergency. Wish me luck! :)
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RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, “Restrepo,” named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military.
This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop.
Amazing and tastefully done documentary film. I saw this in the theater and can’t wait to get my DVD. I highly recommend seeing Restrepo.
Available on December 7, 2010. Pre-orders online until then.
During a surprise visit to Afghanistan, President Obama speaks to the troops at Bagram Air Base.
Happy Thanksgiving from Afghanistan! Soldiers of the 1BCT 4ID Raider Brigade take a moment to wish their families and friends a Happy Thanksgiving all the way from Afghanistan. In our thoughts today and everyday! HOOAH!
Sgt. 1st. Class Timmy lights up any room! He works at the Freedom Restoration Center on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, an in-patient treatment facility for those who suffer from PTSD. Sgt. Timmy, a 2-year old yellow lab dog deployed to Afghanistan to help Soldiers who suffer from PTSD. Thank you Timmy for your service!
Gen. David Petraeus performing a re-enlistment ceremony at Camp Mike Spann (outpost in northern Afghanistan). 10th Mountain Div. To re-enlist while in a combat zone is amazing dedication from our Soldiers in an all volunteer Army!
?101st Airborne at Combat Outpost Bowri Tanah, Khost Province Afghanistan. Using HIIDE (Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment), hand-held tri-biometric system out in the field, using iris, fingerprint, and facial recognition. Our Soldiers ROCK!
Typical day of operations at Forward Operating Base Salerno (eastern Afghanistan). Ever wondered what its like for a day at a Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan? This is what life is like for a lot of our troops. HOOAH! Our troops ROCK!
Take a tour of FOB Fenty in Jalalabad Afghanistan, with Sgt Masterson. Go by Volley Ball Courts, Laundry, Lodging, Latrines, Green Beans Coffee and more. Will give you an idea of how our Soldiers live at an FOB while deployed.
This video has been removed however the source of the video is on Youtube and was not produced by me. If you have issues with the previous content of this page, please go to the source that created and continues to post the video on youtube (talkingwithheroes.com)
Video is a little dated but this my friends, never gets old! Presenting, our National Anthem!
Sasquatch, a part of the 3rd Infantry Division Band, performs “What About Now.” Some great footage of our troops! God Bless all our Soldiers. Lord please keep your mighty hand on our Soldiers and their families as they strive to protect our freedom and help others to know the blessings of freedom & your love for them. Amen.
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There is a threat, a villain, a victim, a resolution, and a hero. The successful political narrative is always the same. President Obama’s campaign film, The Road We’ve Traveled, is in many ways remarkably similar to George W. Bush’s 2004 convention biopic, The Pitch.
Both begin with a narrator asking exactly the same questions: “How do you tell the story of a presidency?” And “how do we understand this president and his time in office?”
Artfully photographed, dramatically scored, and poignantly narrated, The Road begins to build the story of the threats the new president faced—“an economic crisis beyond anything anybody had imagined,” “the auto industry was literally days from collapse,” and “the financial sector, kind of the heart that pumps blood into the economy, was frozen up and in cardiac arrest.” Administration staffers Austan Goolsbee, David Axelrod, Elizabeth Warren, and Rahm Emanuel serve as the doomsayers.
The threats are clear, as is the hero: Barack Obama. We are reminded by narrator Tom Hanks: “Not since the days of Franklin Roosevelt had so much fallen on the shoulders of one president.” And though we are assured Obama “would not dwell in blame,” the villains are later made clear. Hanks’s voiceover, “he faced a fierce opposition, hostile to compromise,” is paired with visuals of Tea Party protests, an angry town-hall meeting, and Republican leaders in Congress. Wall Street is then quickly coupled with “predator lenders.”
The Davis Guggenheim–directed movie portrays the president as decisive, forceful, and smart, fighting back against perceptions of his indecisiveness, his weakness in “leading from behind.” He is shown as being willing to make the tough choices—whether battling the economy and health-care reform, or approving the mission to kill Osama bin Laden. And the movie calls out to key constituent groups for the 2012 election—teachers, cops, first responders, construction workers, small-business owners, women, young adults, and the middle class.
Near the end, several striking images are shown in succession: a blue-collar worker, a senior woman, a class of children, and a crowd of supporters, all looking up at him in adulation. A haunting solitary image follows of the president walking back into the White House in isolation—a leader alone.
Critics have already corrected misleading “facts” in the 17-minute homage. Chrysler and GM have not repaid the bailout loans as is stated. The president’s mother did not lack health insurance coverage as is implied. And a fair reading of history would judge that other recent presidents have borne as much—if not more—upon their shoulders.
With the rising price tag for Obama’s signature health-care legislation, and with claims of job recovery in D.C. not yet felt on Main Street, we are gently chided to “remember how far we’ve come, and look forward to the work still to be done.”
Already viewed by 1.5 million online, The Road is an example of Team Obama seeking to establish the narrative frame of the election well before the Republican nominee is established. It’s very smart politics. We did the same on Team Bush in March of 2004 by establishing a national-security framework with the launch of our ad campaign.
Though fabulously produced with all the bells and whistles Hollywood can provide, the Obama movie leaves the viewer with a sense of resignation.
It is clear the president sees his journey as not yet done. And though fabulously produced with all the bells and whistles Hollywood can provide, the movie leaves the viewer with a sense of resignation, a dread of the hard road ahead, not hope.
By contrast, in the 2004 Bush film, The Pitch, written by the incomparable Peggy Noonan, the threats also are clear. No exposition other than two words, Ground Zero, is necessary. No villain has to be named, no blame is assigned. And the heroes are clear. The story is not about the leadership of George W. Bush as told by staffers. The story is about America, about Americans rising to meet challenges, as represented by Bob Beckwith, a retired firefighter; Arlene Howard, mother of a fallen policeman; and Sgt. Mike McNaughton, a wounded warrior.
Still images capture the humility of Bush, the man, head bowed in thought and prayer.
His courage in making the tough choice—to pursue those responsible for 9/11—needed no telling. It was a personal courage shown, not in the Situation Room surrounded by his cabinet members, but on the mound at Yankee Stadium in New York—alone, an easy and vulnerable target, particularly when one recalls the heightened expectation of domestic terrorism in the days after the attacks.
And the ending to the film provides hope.
The viewer again senses the journey is not yet done. But The Pitch ends with these words spoken by Fred Thompson—to all Americans: “What he did that night ... he helped us come back. That’s the story of this presidency ... You keep pitching, no matter what. You keep pitching. No matter what. You go to the game. You go to the mound. You find the plate. And you throw!”
It is not resignation, it is inspiration. Which is key to a winning message. As President Bush used to say, “No one is interested in the message, ‘Things are all screwed and looking pretty hopeless, follow me.’”
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James Brown was one of the most important figures in 20th century popular music and was one of the early creators of R&B,Soul, and Funk music. His musical innovations were also crucial to the creation of Hip Hop, Disco, A wide variety of Electriconic music styles, and a variety of international popul
Richard Rossetto has trained in the arts since he was a boy. He has been trained in theater, dance ,music and visual art. For the past fifteen years he has concentrated on visual arts, really though he is interested in pushing humanity Furthur, in any way shape or form.
After being classically tra
Gary Panter (born December 1, 1950 in Durant, Oklahoma) is an illustrator, painter, designer and part-time musician. Panter is a luminary of the post-underground, new wave comics movement that began with the end of Arcade: The Comics Revue and the initiation of RAW. Many consider him the second gener
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A National Weather Service Damage Assessment Team has surveyed the storm damage in Tallapoosa, Macon and Lee Counties. It has been determined the damage was the result of a tornado. The tornado has been rated an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Damage estimates were consistent with winds around 100 mph.
The EF-1 tornado touched down on Happy Hollow Road just northwest of Liberty City. This location is near the Tallapoosa and Macon County line. The tornado traveled southeast and crossed County Roads 75, 38, 54, 57, & 24. The tornado also crossed Interstate 85, US Highway 80, US Highway 29 and State Highway 81. The tornado lifted near US Highway 80 in the Marvyn Community of southern Lee County. Thousands of trees were either snapped off or were uprooted along the damage path. A few mobile homes suffered varying degrees of damage. One mobile home was knocked off its foundation. Several barns had their roofs partially removed. Several structures suffered varying degrees of roof damage. Several homes had windows broken out. Several vehicles had windows broken out. The tornado damage path was 25.25 miles long and was 440 yards wide at its widest point.
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Polish populist politician Andrzej Lepper dies
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Andrzej Lepper, a populist Polish politician who was deputy prime minister in a shaky government that held power from 2005 to 2007 and was later disgraced by a sex scandal, has died. He was 57.
Police said Lepper's body was found in his party office in Warsaw on Friday afternoon and that they suspect he committed suicide.
"Everything indicates that he killed himself," police spokesman Mariusz Sokolowski said.
Lepper rose to prominence during the 1990s by publicly lambasting government leaders and organizing protests by farmers who feared they would be swamped by Western competition when Poland joined the European Union in 2004.
To his supporters, he stood as a daring advocate for the poor and was sometimes dubbed "the Polish Le Pen" for his populist positions — a comparison with French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen.
At one point, Lepper told his supporters that should he come to power he would order the central bank to print huge quantities of cash to distribute to the poor. He also called for convicted pedophiles to be castrated without painkillers.
In the end, though, EU membership brought great economic benefits to Poland's farmers. That contributed to a decline in his political fortunes, which also suffered due to allegations against him of sex abuse and corruption.
In 2000 Lepper founded a party, Self-Defense, which became a junior partner in a conservative-nationalist government that held office from 2005 to 2007.
He served as deputy prime minister and agriculture minister in that government, which was led for most of his short tenure by then-Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
That government collapsed due to infighting between the three governing parties and as allegations surfaced that Lepper had solicited sex from a woman who worked for his party. Lepper was convicted of those charges last year.
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Flotilla Report: BBC Plumbs the DepthsJanuary 24, 2011 15:31 by Simon Plosker
The Turkel Commisssion of inquiry into the events surrounding the May 31, 2010 Gaza flotilla has published its findings. Some of the main points include:
- The maritime blockade of Gaza complies with international law.
- Israel’s policies towards the Gaza Strip comply with international and humanitarian law.
- The takeover of the Mavi Marmara was carried out in compliance with international law.
- Israeli soldiers only took action in self-defense after being violently attacked by the ship’s passengers and their actions complied with international law.
The BBC’s coverage of the Turkel Report, however, graphically illustrates all that is wrong with its reporting of Israel.
Rather than address the actual findings of the report, which vindicated Israeli actions, the BBC immediately begins by attempting to discredit the report by focusing on Turkish criticisms. The screenshot above is indicative of the BBC’s anti-Israel bias:
- The headline, which sets the tone for the story, is about Turkish criticism and not the findings of the report itself.
- This focus continues in the opening paragraphs of the story, which also highlights a negative quote against Israel from the UN.
- The choice of photo and the accompanying caption – the photo fails to demonstrate any direct link to the story contents while the caption highlights that “one activist was shot four times in the head”.
- The article continues by extensively quoting Turkish PM Erdogan who states: “To my judgment there is no value, nor credibility to this report.”
- As if to drive the point home, the BBC article continues with a well-placed and visible sub-heading ‘Banditry and piracy’
The BBC is notorious not only for what it includes in its reports, but also for the vital context that it omits. Referring to the makeup of the inquiry commission, the article simply states:
The panel of inquiry was headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Jacob Turkel, working alongside five Israeli members and two international observers.
Were the BBC interested in providing relevant context, it would have included the information that those two international observers were:
- Lord David Trimble, the (joint) Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1998 and a member of Britain’s House of Lords. He won the Nobel for his contribution to achieving peace in Northern Ireland. He served as professor of law at Queen’s University in Belfast. Upon being elected to Parliament in 1990, he left the teaching profession. Lord Trimble became leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and was First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002. He has published numerous articles and books on law.
- Brigadier-General (Ret.) Ken Watkin who served for 33 years in the Canadian army. His last position was Judge Advocate General; in that capacity he served among other things as legal advisor for the Governor General of Canada, the Defense Minister, the Department of National Defense and also supervised the military justice system of the Canadian Forces. Watkin was a legal advisor on the military/civilian board of inquiry investigating Canada’s military actions in Somalia, as the government advisor on inquiries and investigations following the Rwanda genocide in 1994. He received the Maritime Commander’s Commendation and is a member of the Order of Military Merit. Brigadier-General Watkin has published many articles on law, including international humanitarian and civil rights law. He is expected to receive a professorship in international law at the US Army’s Naval War College.
The commission also included two international legal experts from outside Israel. Indeed, Trimble and Watkin publicly stated: “We have no doubt that the Commission is independent.” But since when did this stop the BBC from sowing the seeds of doubt? Instead, readers are treated to an accompanying box of “Analysis” from the BBC’s newest member of its Jerusalem bureau, Jon Donnison, who writes:
The problem Israel is going to face is that many of its critics will see it as a whitewash. This was an Israeli government-commissioned inquiry and people will say it simply wasn’t balanced.
Donnison might wish to consider the role of the media, particularly the BBC, in promoting this view. Donnison adds:
The findings of this report were in stark contrast to the views of 600 pro-Palestinian activists aboard those ships.
Donnison and the article fail to mention that the “600 pro-Palestinian activists” included a number of well-organized and violent members of the Turkish Islamist IHH organization who were fully prepared to assault Israeli soldiers boarding the Mavi Marmara. Despite the fact that the Israeli commission of inquiry was headed by a supreme court judge and included legal experts and independent observers, Donnison still presents the “views of 600 pro-Palestinian activists” as somehow the equal of the Turkel Report.
Why does the BBC actively cast doubt and aspersions on the credibility of an Israeli inquiry while treating “pro-Palestinian activists” with a moral equivalence, as if they do not have a vested interest and a high level of ideological belief that is pushing their hatred and criticism of Israel. Not to mention that a number of these so-called “activists” were members of the Turkish Islamist IHH organization who came fully prepared to assault IDF soldiers – another piece of context omitted from the BBC report.
CNN’s Mann Can’t Hide His Disappointment
Meanwhile on CNN, Jonathan Mann questions Jerusalem bureau chief Kevin Flower about the Turkel Report. Despite even stating that “some of the soldiers’ own guns were used against them”, Mann can barely hide his exasperation when he asks (00:32 on the video):
What did the inquiry find that exonerated all concerned about the way that this was carried out?
At 02:46, Mann, almost scowling into the camera, appears increasingly frustrated that the Turkel Report has not indicted the IDF on serious charges. He attempts to lead Kevin Flower in that particular direction by expressing shock that the flotilla boarding may not have been “bungled”:
It would seem that the Israeli soldiers were surprised by what they found when they boarded the ship, that some of the violence, maybe all of the deaths could have been avoided. You passed over it briefly but did the commission have anything to say about the planning, about the conduct, the professionalism of the soldiers who actually carried out the raid or whether it was bungled?
Hear Jonathan Mann’s tone of voice and watch his facial expressions betray his feelings over the lack of incriminating evidence against the IDF by clicking on the video below:
Independent Charges a Whitewash
The Independent published a feature article examining the progress of Israeli investigations into incidents surrounding Operation Cast Lead. A highly critical accompanying editorial linked this feature to the Turkel Report, accusing Israel of ‘whitewashing the military’:
Many will feel that the report … only highlights a growing unwillingness on the part of Israel to subject the actions of its military in Gaza and the West Bank to scrutiny.
The Independent is clearly unconcerned with the scope, makeup or rigor demonstrated by an Israel that is fully prepared to carry out thorough investigations into its military actions. Instead, the default position is one of Israeli guilt and responsibility for ‘war crimes’ buttressed by a total and unquestioning reliance on politicized non-governmental organizations as sources of information.
Are the media outlets above interested in finding out the truth about how flotilla organizers, with the tacit support of the Turkish government, allowed a violent incident to take place that led to the deaths of nine people, injuries on both sides and the endangerment of hundreds of passengers?
Or are they interested only in how much blame can be pinned on Israel? If Israel is exonerated then the commission is at guilty of a whitewash. If the commission finds fault then the media can trumpet Israel’s self-flagellation.
Either way the outcome is clear when the media holds to a one-sided narrative of automatic Israeli guilt.
The BBC has plumbed the depths in its coverage of the Turkel Report and has clearly demonstrated its anti-Israel bias. Send your considered comments to the BBC Complaints website. For more on how to navigate the complaints process, click here for our guide on how to make a complaint to the BBC.
Send your considered comments to Jonathan Mann through CNN’s online feedback form.
Send your considered comments to The Independent – firstname.lastname@example.org
- Detailed testimony from IDF officers and soldiers, supported by documentation, reveals for the first time the aggressive, brutal fighting
carried out by IHH operatives and their accomplices against Israeli forces aboard the Mavi Marmara, Intelligence & Terrorism Information Center (PDF)
- Behind the Headlines – MFA
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June 9, 2010
The countdown ’til baby for me is just under eight weeks. This time in my life has been a precious experience. There are days when I feel like the most beautiful and powerful woman in the world, and days when I want my body back so I can do all of the things I used to: drink alcohol in moderation, swim a mile with the crawl stroke, have comfortable sex with my husband rather than “Tetris sex,” or even just walk up a flight of stairs without becoming winded. And there are days when I look around the world – my locale, the newspapers, the blogosphere, etc. – and I realize that this exciting time isn’t universal even though it should be. Pregnancy and its resulting motherhood in its best form should be a choice lauded by others, for all women who want it. It isn’t.
Here are just a few of the pregnancy and motherhood related issues at large in the world today:
- Maternal mortality is on the rise. According to the Los Angeles Times and others, the maternal mortality rate in the United States has doubled in the past 10 years putting this country’s death rate higher than 40 other industrialized nations. Two women die from pregnancy-related complications every day in the U.S. And while that may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the 11,000 or so babies that are born here each day, it’s still a scary number when you picture the faces of moms-to-be whom you know. “For each death, experts estimate, there are about 50 instances of complications related to pregnancy or childbirth that are life-threatening or cause permanent damage.” What are the causes of these complications and deaths, a third of which experts say are preventable? Obesity, increases in age of expectant mothers, increased implementation of cesarean sections, increased elective induction of labor by medicines, and over-reliance on electronic monitoring devices are being blamed as the main culprits of maternal death.
- Is it okay to fat shame a mom-to-be? The New York Times reports that growing obesity among pregnant women is linked to higher risks of birth defects, cesareans (risky for moms) and even death for newborns. While this rise in obesity has been met publicly with disdain from the healthcare industry and subsequently a rebuttal argument of obesity support from those under attack – accounting for everything from the prevalence of high fructose corn syrup, trans fat and other additives found in inexpensive foods to even the perils of dieting and being too thin, etc. – in the case of pregnancy, obesity may have more to do with a failure on the part of the mother, putting her unborn child at risk due to her obesity, than her right to maintain her own body the way she wants to or is even able. It must be tricky for doctors to address this issue with their patients because conventional wisdom suggests that moms-to-be shouldn’t try to lose weight during pregnancy. (I had to drop out of Weight Watchers when I conceived because the program no longer offers a pregnancy plan.) But a doctor can’t tell an overweight woman not to have a baby, can (s)he? Wouldn’t that be tantamount to the pro-life argument: you can’t do with your body what you will because of the rights of your unborn child?
- Abortion might mean eugenics for some. According to Womanist Musings, “(a)n anti-abortion group in Atlanta is targeting Black women by putting up billboards stating that Black children are an endangered species.” The New York Times also reports that some activists consider Planned Parenthood to be a racist organization that promotes elevated abortion rates among black women, with blacks accounting for 13 percent of the U.S. population yet 40 percent of its abortions. While Womanist Musings writer Renee upholds the validity of this fear while negating its foundations in a provable truth, she – as a womanist – asks for white pro-abortion activists to get involved in standing up for the rights black women share to elect abortion procedures. It makes me very sad indeed to think of a racist telling a happy expectant mother that she should abort under the guise that she’s better off without her baby, when really they mean that we’re better off. But I am sickened by the idea that some activists are telling women that they should keep their unwanted pregnancies because it’s their duty to their race.
- Men think pregnancy is ALL ABOUT THEM! According to CNN, dads-to-be run the risk of postpartum depression too. Okay, I’ll buy that. But they don’t run the risk of maternal mortality, fistulas, varicose veins, back spasms, incessant heartburn and much, much more due to pregnancy. So sack up, dads! Now, it is true that the males of many species can act as incubators for embryos during the early months of fetal development. But only seahorse males have the unique privilege of being “pregnant dads-to-be” simply because of their inherent anatomy. While transsexual human males have given birth successfully, their pregnancies are due to inherent female anatomy (though, by choice, these men are known as “males”). Why would a cis male want to serve as a fetus incubator? Is it that he just can’t stand that females have one power that he doesn’t? Why does science need to find out if this unnatural occurrence is possible when there are so many other challenges it could be conquering: Alzheimer’s, autism, maternal mortality, etc.? By the way, guys, early scientists believed that women were “just incubators” and, until a couple of hundred years ago, didn’t believe female anatomy played any special role in conception and delivery of newborn babies. We know better today. I happen to believe that our reproductive anatomy may be the one cis privilege women have over men. So back the fuck off! And just because your wife has given birth, doesn’t mean you have the right to tell me how to run my pregnancy “the right way.”
- Feminist mothers are under fire. I recently read more stay-at-home mom hatred on a radical feminist blog. One writer posted something about moms being too preoccupied with baby stuff “to do the reading.” What the fuck does that mean?! Do women who go off to careers or jobs every morning outside the home have more time during the day to read than moms providing in-home childcare? Do childcare workers also fail “to do the reading” too? Is it the baby stuff or the mom stuff that cuts into women’s “intellectual development?” (Apparently, I’m standing on the precipice of ignorance because of the major time-suck my child – wanted as she is – will be for me!) Intellectual development like exercise is something we make time for. And there are many fine activists who are also mothers. Crystal Lee Sutton (the real “Norma Rae”) died in 2009. She had three children and worked as a union organizer in North Carolina during the 1970′s, that lazy bitch!
Furthermore, an overview of Elisabeth Badinter’s new book “Conflict: The Woman and the Mother” (Badinter is of course the heir apparent of Simone de Beauvoir because she’s, ya know, French) reports that Badinter “blames feminists for inventing the idea of women as victims, putting men on trial and making maternity itself a political act.” (And she’s a feminist because…?) Badinter also thinks that women are being socially pressured into unsafe situations: “The ‘green’ mother, she says, is pushed to give birth at home, to refuse an epidural as the reflection of ‘a degenerated industrial civilization’ that would deprive her of ‘an irreplaceable experience,’ to breast-feed for both ethological and environmental reasons (plastic baby bottles) and to use washable rather than disposable diapers – in other words, to discard the inventions ‘that have liberated women.’ Which of any of those green alternatives is unsafe? Home births are controversial in the U.S. but not necessarily less safe than hospital births. As I mentioned earlier, doctors are considering what caused the rise in maternal mortality here. Funny they aren’t looking into washable diapers, right?!
- Pregnancy choices are dwindling. What I mean is this: women may not feel empowered to give birth the way they want to. And really, shouldn’t we be calling the shots? Isn’t how you give birth just as important as why and if you give birth at all? The choice to deliver naturally is in the same league as the choice of whether or not to deliver at all. Now, if your birth plan calls for an elected cesarean, a premature induction of labor, a preemptive episiotomy and the biggest, badass epidural you can find, go for it! Enjoy your “twilight sleep.” (That’s an Edith Wharton reference not a condemnation.) But if you’re like me and you want to have a natural birth unless there occurs a medical emergency, you should have that right too and not feel pressured by your obstetrician to lie flat on your back and throw your feet up in the stirrups like a cowgirl. You should be allowed to stand or squat or roll on your side or face the mattress on all fours…whatever works for your body and your baby. And you should be allowed to choose your place of birth: hospital, birthing center or home. Medical organizations in the U.S. oppose home births claiming they’re risky for moms and babies alike – but we must be skeptical about this stance since healthcare in the U.S. is centered on a capitalist, for-profit model. It is currently legal to hire a midwife and conduct a home birth in 37 states, though no state prosecutes mothers for electing to give birth at home. In Britain, Canada and Australia, to name a few, midwifery and home births are much more prevalent than in the United States. (Incidentally, it is very difficult to find reputable statistics about the (un)safety of home births. Please feel free to chime in if you have any.)
When I found out I was pregnant, I excitedly booked an appointment with my OBGYN and skipped merrily into her office where I was greeted by one automaton nurse after another shoving paperwork I didn’t understand into my face. The two big questions: do I want to elect a cesarean section and do I want to bank my baby’s cord blood? I hadn’t give either any thought. I mean, I’d assumed I would give birth vaginally because that is, after all, how birth happens. What they were telling me, in essence, was that I could elect to forgo all of the hassle of nature’s greatest surprise and declare upfront that I wanted to deliver my baby “painlessly” and according to schedule so that I didn’t miss a day of work beyond my planned maternity leave. And as to the cord blood, they were telling me that the hospital where “we like to deliver” only works with one private bank. For weeks, my husband and I tried to find a public bank we could give Ellie’s umbilical cord blood to for the good of the many and the integrity of our checking account. No public banks in our area are currently accepting blood. I have been guilt-tripped by the established medical machine into feeling like a lousy mother because I am throwing my daughter’s cord blood away.
I hired a doula. She’s going to help my husband and I experience this birth as a rite of passage instead of an emergency pathology if possible. When I talked to my OB about working with a doula, she asked rather abruptly, “She’s not going to tell me how to do my job is she?” I muttered “no” under my breath, lamenting that this doctor couldn’t look me in the eye, remember my name or think about my birthing experience beyond her role to play in it. Under the advice of the doula, I asked what position the doctor was comfortable delivering my baby in, and to my dismay, she told me that she’s only comfortable “the normal way” with me on my back and my feet up in stirrups. I was heartbroken and didn’t want to tell the doula that my voyage of discovery was going to end “normal(ly.)” How I wish medicine could be there for our risks and emergencies and leave us alone to find our inner peace. I should have made better choices or stood up for my wishes or felt empowered to choose earlier in my pregnancy…but I just didn’t know any better until now.
So, as I mentioned earlier, there are some days when I feel like a goddess and other days when I feel like I’m doing just what every other mother-to-be does and I and my baby are nothing special. Western medicine has a plan for us. It, like other feminists, has rules and expectations. My pregnancy and motherhood are violating somebody’s idea of how they should be.
On those goddess days, I fight back assumptions and shaming. But today I feel defeated. It’s time to do yoga.
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Sunday, February 15, 2004
INDIANS are said to be very serious as a race. The pressures of day-to-day survival, a deep-seated rooting in philosophy and the anxieties of catching up with the rest of the world have apparently left little room for humour in their lives. It is even said that Indians have forgotten to laugh.
But is it really so?
Look around, and you will see advertising hoardings with funny, corny one-liners vying for attention. Rib-ticklers like Munnabhai MBBS and Fun2shh — Dudes of the Tenth Century have become surprise box-office hits of the season. Laughter clubs are sprouting up everywhere. Through e-mails and on SMS, jokes constitute up to 80 per cent of messages exchanged.
Sample this: How does a commentator describe a nude girl taking part in India’s most popular sport? Answer: " No cover, no extra cover, no slip, two silly points, two fine legs, deep gully and little grass on the pitch." Or take the AIDS awareness campaign being broadcast in the otherwise staid All India Radio (AIR): "AIDS can be deadly. Avoid sex with strangers. If needed take the help of friends and relatives!"
"Indians are rediscovering humour," observes Deepak Kejriwal, a sociologist who runs a laughter clinic in Mumbai. "And it is not just sex jokes that are coming up in the open because of the air of permissiveness around. People are finding humour in politics, business, matrimonial ads, in food, movies, music, arts...."
"Humour is in the air," adds Merle Menezes, creative director with an advertising agency. "When you fool around, good creative thinking happens, funny scripts pop up that could be used as the copy or as a script for an ad film. Humour is a strong element to get the public hooked."
Corporate houses are using humour to good effect at the workplace. ‘Happy hours’ are allotted for employees to mingle around and pull one another’s legs. Some offices have put up soft boards for the staff to pin "jokes of the day". An ad agency in Delhi, in fact, has converted one of its toilet doors into a graffiti board.
There are anonymous e-mail groups in many IT firms through which employees vent their feelings about their colleagues. "The idea is not to laugh at others, but to laugh with others, " Sujit Kalra, a human resource manager points out.
"Humour breaks hierarchical barries and builds rapport between employees," says Nirmal Sahni, another HRD man. "When there is a college atmosphere in the workplace, people look forward to coming to work. It enhances overall performance and helps in managing stress."
Apart from being stress busters, there are five distinct medical advantages that arise from jiggling the funny bone:
"Many people have reported of having controlled diabetes and blood pressure after joining laughter clubs," says Dr Umesh Sehgal, who conducts classes in laughter yoga in Delhi. "There is a great deal of truth in the saying that laughter is the best medicine."
Sehgal points out that the International Laughter Club was set up in the USA after the healing powers of laughing was established in Anatomy of an Illness, published in 1978. US journalist Norman Cousins was the victim of a painful spinal disease and he found that by watching humorous films on video, the agony from the ailment could be alleviated.
Today, even sermons are delivered from the pulpit with a dash of humour. As pastor Shekhar Kallianpur of Juhu, Mumbai points out: "I use humour while teaching, in deliberations, in talks I give. The Bible says that laughter is the medicine for the soul." MF
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A former Liberian warlord allied to Charles Taylor has told the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that the United States released the strongman from jail in 1985 to engineer the overthrow of president Samuel Doe.
“Taylor did not break jail. Taylor was let out with the purpose of coming to Liberia to help us move a dictatorial regime,” Prince Johnson, now a Liberian senator, told the commission on Tuesday.
Taylor was always believed to have escaped from a US jail before returning to Liberia to overthrow Doe but Johnson, who has already made allegations about Washington’s dubious role in the 1989 to 1997 war, insists he was secretly set free by the authorities.
Taylor and Johnson were allies in the early 1980s, but they later fell out, with Johnson forming a rival organisation to Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL).
Johnson, a former warlord known for his brutality, who videotaped his fighters torturing and killing Doe in 1990, was the first former warlord to testify before the TRC since it started its hearings last year.
His much-anticipated appearance ensured the hall where the TRC sits was packed to capacity with 500 people attending on Tuesday.
After returning to Africa Taylor, who is currently on trial for war crimes before the United Nations-backed Special Court of Sierra Leone in The Hague, went to Burkina Faso to get training for his rebels but was roped in to overthrow then-president Thomas Sankara in 1987, Johnson said.
“When we got there [Burkina Faso] we were told that we were going to be arrested if we did not comply to remove Thomas Sankara from office because he was not in favour of our plan. We were asked to join a special group of Burkinabe soldiers to overthrow Sankara. That was how Thomas Sankara was removed,” Johnson said.
Sankara, who ruled Burkina Faso from 1983 until his assassination during the coup in 1987, was replaced by Burkina Faso’s current President Blaise Compaore, who was reportedly involved in arming Taylor during the 1990s.—AFP
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Personal Finance Blog By MoneyRates - November 2007
November 28, 2007
Tips on Buying Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS)
The Treasury Department issues a security called Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) which pay investors a fixed rate of interest set at auction and adjusts principal semi-annually based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for the preceding six months. The U.S. Treasury offers auctions on TIPS quarterly in denominations as small as $1,000. Brokers and dealers maintain a secondary market in TIPS securities allowing investors to buy or sell them at any time. TIPS pay interest to investors semi-annually based on the inflation-adjusted principal at the time interest is paid and the original interest rate. At maturity TIPS can be redeemed for the inflation-adjusted principal or in the case of deflation (negative CPI growth) for the par mount of at the time the security was purchased.
The two major benefits of TIPS are:
(1) Principal is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Widely considered the highest level of safety achievable by an investor.
(2) Principal is indexed to the CPI, thus the real purchasing power of the principal and interest is guaranteed to keep pace with inflation.
More information about TIPS from the U.S. Treasury Department is available here.
Recent TIPS auctions results are here.
CPI/Inflation data is available here.
The 4 Online Bank Stalwarts: VirtualBank, Capital One Bank, First Internet Bank, and Bank of Internet
November 20, 2007
One of the biggest questions asked about online banks and the deposit deals they offer is whether or not they will continue to offer competitive deposit rates or will new customers who open a promotional checking account, savings account, money market account, or CD find their rates lower in the future. The annoyance and cost of switching online banks can be frustrating, so banking customers are looking for online banks who are consistent and offer good service. Four banks have stood the test of time (+6 years) and have consistently offered deposit rates in the highest 5% of the rates posted by FDIC-insured banks, frequently posting rates in the top ten for a particular product. The four banks who earned the distinction of being recognized by The Savings Investor as the most consistent of the online banks are:
(1) Capital One Bank - Capital One absolutely tore up the competition with longer term CD rates that were at one time 30 points ahead of the competition. Worries about the profitability of the bank and loan losses cooled off their rate aggressiveness a bit, but their deposit rates remain extremely competitive on money markets and CDs. This bank is one of the very few to offer 5.00% yields on deposit terms from one year to five years.
(2) Bank of Internet - The most consistent of the four over the last six years, Bank of Internet steadfastly offers checking, money market, savings, and CD rates near the top of the list for each category. In addition the Bank of Internet has offered very unique checking accounts called Freedom Checking, Boomer Checking, and Senior Checking with special features based on the age of the accountholder. All three checking accounts are currently offering an APY over 3.40% over 7 times the national average on similar-type checking accounts. A customer at this bank has had a solid six years of being able to earn superior rates without any unfortunate rate surprises.
(3) First Internet Bank - First Internet Bank is a relatively quiet bank based out of Indiana. This bank exemplifies the positive side of online banking for consumers who earn high rates on their deposits and pay much lower fees than they would at a local bank or by banking with one of the large multi-branch banks. First Internet Bank has popped in and out of the rate lists over the last six years without every truly disappearing. Customers have reported a positive experience at this bank with customer services complaints very minimal. First Internet Bank is one of the few online banks who offer business accounts rates equal to or nearly equal to their consumer rates.
(4) VirtualBank - This online bank has not only posted deposit rates in the top 5% for the last 6 years, they have offered some of the best loan rates particularly on auto loans. VirtualBank has offered better deals on money market accounts and CDs over the years than checking and savings accounts and has even occassionally topped the list of best rate offered by a FDIC-insured bank on a particular term or product.
Congratulations to each bank for their distinction and earning our respect. Please visit each bank's site for more information.
November 19, 2007
Major companies like Bank of America Corp, Legg Mason, Inc., SunTrust Banks Inc., and Citigroup Inc. are reported to have been forced to invest funds into their own money market funds to prop up the net asset value at a stable $1 after incurring losses in a complex financial instrument called SIVs or Structured Investment Vehicles. Money fund managers have used SIVs to boost their yield, while other managers like those at Vanguard and Janus Capital Group have stated that their mutual fund company have not used SIVs in their money market funds.
Mutual fund companies have been put to the test before. Notably, episodes in 1994 with money market derivatives and in 1997 with delinquencies with municipal bonds and commercial paper held by money market funds, both prompted the parent companies of the funds to jump in and infuse liquidity to ensure a constant net asset value of $1. This strong track record of investors being shielded from losses and continued government regulation make money funds a reliable investment tool for cash.
Current money fund yields here.
November 15, 2007
The financial headlines have been full of stories about the trouble experienced by a number of money funds. Large companies like Bank of America Corp. and Legg Mason Inc. among others have been forced to infuse their money market funds with money to cover for losses and prevent having to "break the buck" and allow their net asset value to fall below $1. The good news for money market fund investors is that the losses caused by complex investments designed to boost yields have been limited to a minority of mutual fund companies and those companies have made investors whole. Moving forward investors may want to better understand the underlying holdings in their money market funds and buy funds from a company which is large enough and finiancially stable enought to seem reasonably assured of infusing funds to cover any losses. The fallout is probably far from over, but money market fund managers will certainly have learned a lesson from their risky investments. The drop in yield which may occur due to a safer investing environment will be worth the peace-of-mind. Mutual fund companies who keep their money market funds with weighted-average maturities of less than 50 days and holdings in government securities or commercial paper rated AAA stand a better chance of providing a stable fund, but with yields which are still higher than U.S. Treasuries.
Investors can find a list of money market funds here.
Posted in: Money Market Funds
November 12, 2007
The Federal Reserve has lowered their benchmark interest rates 75 points in 2007 while publicly stating it remains inflation-vigilant. The futures market, where contracts are traded based on the future value of the Federal Funds Rate, is currently discounting in another 75 ppint rate cut between now and the summer of 2008. Online banks who largely ignored the first rate cut by the Fed in the summer of 2007 have now nearly all lowered their deposit rates on checking, money market, CD, and savings accounts. This growing consensus that short-term interest rates are heading lower in 2008 does not necessarily mean that longer rate will also be lower. Many economists believe that the spread between short and long rates will widen. Investors used to seeing little incentive to buying a CD or Treasury with longer than a six month maturity may finally see in 2008 a significant difference between the rates offered on mutual fund money markets or bank money markets and the yield offered on mid-term and long-bond funds and CDS.
The other by-product of an environment in which short-term rates are falling and longer term rates increasing is the impact on mortgage rates. Variable rate mortgages, especially those indexed to the prime rate, may have falling rates which will surely help the American consumer, while fixed-rate mortgages may increase in rate. Homeowners need to fully understand to which index is used as a benchmark for their mortgage because the LIBOR rate, Treasury yields, and the Prime Rate do not move in tandem and each index has a different forecast.
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Mary Cobb Nelson Tanner, who grew up in Woodstock and was a proud graduate of Woodstock High School (class of 1936) passed away on March 7, in Chestertown, Md. at the age of 94.
Mary was born in Westford in 1918 and grew up first on farms in Westford and Barnet, and then in Woodstock, where her parents, Miles and Lessie Nelson, ran a dairy farm and were active members of the community.
In her world, draft animals were just in the process of being replaced by tractors, cars and trucks. As a child, she saw electricity come to her father’s farm—first in the barn, later in the house.
Mary graduated from the University of Vermont (class of 1940), held an M.A. in history from Mills College (1942), and earned her Ph.D. in American History, from Radcliffe in 1955.
Before she married, Mary taught at the Anatolia School in Greece in 1950-51 and at Chatham Hall, Dana Hall, Agnes Irwin School, Rhode Island College and Mercer County Community College.
Married to Earl Tanner in 1957, she lived in Lawrenceville, N.J. for over 40 years, where she was active in the League of Women Voters, in local historical and conservation organizations, was co-founder of Lawrence Township’s Meals on Wheels, was deacon and elder of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, founded and served as president of the Lawrence Township Conservation Foundation, and was the first woman elected to the Lawrence Township Council (1976-1981).
The legacies of her years as an active leader in Lawrence Township include the preservation of the historic Brearly house (residence of a signer of the United States Constitution) and of hundreds of acres of natural open space areas in Lawrence Township, both along Cold Soil Road and along the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
Mary spent her last years in a retirement home in Chestertown, Md., where, despite a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease, she continued to enjoy reading, writing brief remembrances of her Vermont childhood, church, visiting with her family and, for as long as she could, participating in the local historical society and making trips to nearby historical sites.
Mary is survived by her sister Jean Conklin of Woodstock; one daughter Martha Chase Tanner of Federalsburg, Md; one son Harold Tanner of Denton, Tx; and five grandchildren, Lucas, Chase, and Jacob Miller of Maryland., and William and Sophia Tanner of Texas.
This obituary first appeared in the March 21, 2013 print edition of the Vermont Standard.
To leave condolences, thoughts or stories, please comment below.
To see more obituaries click here.
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Rural ageing resources help raise awareness of issues faced11 July 2012
A comprehensive new resource pack has been produced by the Rural Media Company to help raise awareness of the issues of rural ageing.
It is the culmination of a campaign entitled Over the hill? which targeted at all those who have an interest in the future of Britain’s ageing population.
The resources include a report and eight good practice case studies. A group of befriending volunteers were part of a discussion group that informed the report.
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China dissident Liu Xiaobo loses appeal, US urges release
China was criticized by the US ambassador and other foreign diplomats after a Beijing court rejected the appeal of top Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo against his 11-year jail sentence, the severest in recent memory.
(Page 2 of 2)
“It is ridiculous and outrageous” and has heaped widespread public condemnation on Beijing’s head, says Mr. Kamm, who has been making behind-the-scenes efforts to release Chinese political prisoners for more than two decades.Skip to next paragraph
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“This is a tipping point,” he predicts. “I think they will have to work themselves out of this in a less hard-line way,” by treating future political detainees more cautiously.
Back to jail
Liu is all too familiar with Chinese jails; he was first locked up in 1989 for his role during the Tiananmen Square protests, having returned home to join them after only two months on a visiting scholarship at Columbia University in New York.
He was imprisoned twice more for his writings before being arrested in December 2008, two days before Charter 08 was due to be released.
Throughout his tribulations Liu has kept his faith in the future. “I firmly believe that China’s political progress will not stop,” he wrote in a personal statement he was prevented from reading at his trial last December.
“I look forward to the day when my country will be a land where opinions can be freely expressed … without any fear,” he wrote. “I hope that I shall be the last victim of China’s unending imprisonment of writers and that no one else will be made a criminal for what they say.”
An unrelenting trend?
The last week has offered little evidence that such a day will dawn soon. One human rights activist in Sichuan was sentenced to five years in jail Tuesday for having publicly blamed the earthquake deaths of thousands of children on shoddily built schools; another who had helped bereaved parents planning to sue the authorities had seen his appeal against a three-year prison term turned down a day earlier.
On Wednesday a young factory worker who said he had joined a banned political party because he did not like the Communist party’s abuse of power was found guilty of subversion by a court in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen and sentenced to 18 months in jail.
“Liu Xiaobo’s sentence is evidence of a very tough line, but will that tough line endure?” wonders Kamm. “Are we going to return to a discourse on human rights with China, or is China going to go its own way?
“At some point,” he says hopefully, “the pendulum will swing back.”
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This page deals with the formalities that have to be carried out following your baby's death, and sets out what arrangements you can make for a funeral for your baby. It is very hard to cope with such arrangements when you are grieving and in distress, but it may help you to know what exactly has to be done, and what choices you have.
Doing things in your own time, and at your own pace is important. It is only the registration of the death which has to be completed within a certain time, otherwise there is no need to feel pressured to make decisions. It will help you in the future if you know that you took time over the arrangements to make the best possible decisions. Your baby will be kept safely until you have made your choices.
By law, your baby must either be buried or cremated, and there are several ways in which this can be arranged. Most parents need time to talk with each other. It is vital that decisions are reached together and are not rushed. Some fathers think that by hiding their emotions, they will be a better support to the mother. This can have the opposite effect, as the mother may think he does not care and may feel more lonely.
If you are a single parent, you may need someone to whom you can turn for help and support.
If you would like to see your baby either in hospital, or after you leave, discuss this with the Ward Sister, your midwife, or your Funeral Director.
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Exorbitant costs and the drying up of new developments have taken a severe toll on mining plant hire in the mineral-rich state of Western Australia.
Robert Gottliebsen writing for Business Spectator reports that Emeco (ASX:EHL), one of Australia's leading equipment providers, announced last month that competition in the sector had heated up with one third of its Australian machinery was sitting idle and unleased.
Until recently the mining boom enabled equipment providers to charge exorbitant rates to mining and mining supply companies with near impunity, while lucrative profits drew a bevy of new competitors into the mining plant rental industry and machinery orders steadily accrued.
In just the past year, however, plunging commodities prices and an expensive Aussie dollar have changed the situation completely.
Mining and mining supply companies who are fed up with extravagant hire fees have increasingly opted to purchase their equipment themselves, considering it more economical to operate their own machinery.
At the same time Australia has become now one of the most costly places on the planet to develop new mining projects, leading to a lack of new developments and even more constricted business opportunities for equipment leasing.
According to Gottliebsen, while notorious iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart is still expected to go ahead with her Roy Hill iron ore project in the Pilbara, few other new projects are proceeding as "Australia has priced itself out of the market."
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Throughout his lengthy screen and stage career, French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont served as the very essence of sophistication, adding a touch of grace and class to even the least noteworthy production. Born Jean Pierre-Salomon in Paris on January 5, 1909, he was the product of a wealthy family, and his mother was an actress. At the age of 16, he began studying drama at the Paris Conservatory and made his professional debut on-stage in 1930. A year later, Aumont appeared in his first film, Jean de la Lune, but he did not shoot to fame prior to starring in Jean Cocteau's play La Machine Infernal in 1934. That same year, he co-starred with Jean Gabin in the Julien Duvivier feature Maria Chapdelaine, followed in 1936 by the Marcel Carné comedy Drôle de Drame. In 1938, Aumont reunited with Carné for Hotel du Nord, but his film career was to come to a five-year halt when he joined the Free French forces in Tunisia, Italy, and France, ultimately winning the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre for his bravery in battle. Fleeing the Nazis' occupation of France, he relocated to California in 1942, landing a contract with MGM.
The studio made the most of Aumont's background by assigning him a pair of 1943 war dramas, The Cross of Lorraine and Assignment in Brittany, both detailing the efforts of the French Resistance forces. The following year, Aumont starred in the war romance Three Hours, and in 1946 appeared in Heartbeat. Many of his postwar films, like 1947's Song of Scheherazade and 1948's Siren of Atlantis, lacked distinction, and by the early '50s he was primarily working in Europe, appearing in productions originating in Italy (Revenge of the Pirates), Britain (1953's The Gay Adventure), and, of course, France (Life Begins Tomorrow, made in 1949 but released internationally in 1952). However, because he enjoyed a fan following in America, Aumont occasionally returned to the U.S. to appear in films, on-stage, and on television, and in 1953, he co-starred in the acclaimed musical Lili. Never a major star, Aumont rarely appeared in films of consequence, although he did co-star in Francois Truffaut's 1973 Oscar-winner La Nuit Américaine. In the mid-'90s, he also appeared in Jefferson in Paris and The Proprietor, a pair of films from the well-regarded Merchant-Ivory team.
~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
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