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Most Active Stories
Thu December 9, 2010
StoryCorps: Jerry Martin and Lloyd Serigne
Jerry Alfonso Martin and his cousin Lloyd Serigny are in their 70s now. But they both have very clear, very fond memories of growing up in the Spanish-speaking Islenos community on Delacroix Island.
Jerry spent his life making a living off the waters and the woods, fishing and trapping to support his family. Lloyd worked alongside his fisherman father when he was young, but left for 20 years when he drove trucks as a Teamster. In this conversation recorded April 7, Lloyd begins their recollections of growing up in the community that was left devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
ALSO: In this extended conversation, Jerry Alfonso Martin and his cousin, Lloyd Serigny, speak proudly of their Spanish-speaking Islenos heritage that once thrived in St. Bernard Parish. They both remain bilingual and often switch back and forth between English and Spanish. Here, they chat first in English about growing up on Delacroix Island, and how it's changed so drastically over the years, then switch effortlessly into Spanish.
StoryCorps New Orleans interviews were recorded by StoryCorps, a national project to record and collect stories of everyday people. This excerpt was selected and produced by WWNO producer Eileen Fleming, with support from the WWNO Productions Fund and from Villere & Co., managing the investments of New Orleans' families for almost 100 years. Listen again at wwno.org or at nola.com. | <urn:uuid:030ba9d4-601d-4ea0-97b2-f6416ea8298f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wwno.org/post/storycorps-jerry-martin-and-lloyd-serigne | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977307 | 318 | 1.6875 | 2 |
With Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) earlier this year, there is a growing interest in doing business with the Russian food and agricultural sector. This week, Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) Michael Scuse leads a U.S. delegation of more than 20 U.S. companies and five state departments of agriculture on an agricultural trade mission to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The goal of the mission is to continue a concerted effort by the Obama Administration to expand export opportunities for U.S. businesses with nations around the world, including Russia.
One example of a successful U.S.-Russia agricultural partnership is the export of California almonds to Russia for use in the confectionery sector. Russia is the second largest confectionery market in the world, and demand for high quality ingredients such as U.S. nuts and dried fruits have been increasing. With that in mind, Under Secretary Scuse and the state department delegates visit the Red October Chocolate Factory in Moscow, where they will see how this Russian company uses U.S. almonds.
Not many people know that California alone produces 80 percent of the world’s almonds.
Yet U.S. almonds didn’t enter the Russian market until 2005. At that time, the USDA Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Russia and the Almond Board of California worked together to organize a series of technical conferences and events that promoted California almonds to the Russian confectionery industry. The ATO focused on educating food processing specialists about the nutritional value of California almonds and their various applications for food processing.
Since then, Russian industry specialists have used California almonds extensively and have increased their knowledge of the product through seminars in Russia and travel to California to meet producers and exporters. As a result, the United States now supplies about 92 percent Russian almond market in 2012. U.S. almond exports have grown 10-fold in value to Russia, reaching $90 million in fiscal year 2012.
During the trade mission, the U.S. delegation will also learn about new market opportunities for hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, prunes, raisins, and cranberries. Later in the week, the group will visit August Topfer, a nut-roasting facility in St. Petersburg.
U.S. almonds are one of many agricultural products represented by U.S. companies participating in the trade mission to Russia. Through this mission, USDA aims to develop new partnerships with Russian importers and build upon U.S. agricultural exports, which reached record levels in 2011. Strong agricultural exports contribute to a positive U.S. trade balance, create jobs, boost economic growth and support President Obama’s National Export Initiative goal of doubling all U.S. exports by the end of 2014. | <urn:uuid:7d03edfc-91d6-4817-8eb1-72f2d638c9da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/12/05/the-undisputed-champ-in-almond-exports-goes-to-russia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937663 | 579 | 1.75 | 2 |
Aviva links up with school to prepare students for work
The alliance between Aviva Galway and Galway Community College in Mooneenageisha which allows for senior cycle students from the community school to enhance their job seeking skills is set to continue. Through a Skills@Work programme, employees from Aviva will volunteer to assist students in perfecting the exercises that will improve their ability to gain employment.
The scheme is due to commence in the next few weeks when students will be immersed in a course of practical training as well as information talks about working life. The Aviva employees will instruct students on the method of CV writing and practising interview techniques.
A ‘day in the life’ session will be organised to emphasise the significance of attaining a Leaving Certificate which will give students access to a greater array of employment pursuits. Aviva representatives will also be holding lectures about the career opportunities involved in the insurance industry.
Looking for work can be a daunting task for a student and in the current economic climate where work is sparse, young people will be grateful for programmes like Skills@Work.
Brian Melia, principal of the Galway Community school, testifies to the benefits of the new programme.“We are delighted to be continuing our link with Aviva. The Skills @ Work programme facilitated by the Schools’ Business Partnership will help our students to identify the connection between education and future opportunities that may be available. Establishing a rapport with employees from a local business will give great career exposure and open the students’ eyes to what exactly is involved in various jobs or careers on a day to day basis. It will allow them to explore what may be of interest to them and give them a target to aim towards in terms of their education.” | <urn:uuid:4c415750-de99-41a1-b447-5ca382138abd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/55491/aviva-links-up-with-school-to-prepare-students-for-work | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946163 | 360 | 1.71875 | 2 |
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) – It’s a new month, and the start of a new fiscal year for the stare of Florida, and that means changes in the lawbooks. 160 new laws took effect Friday at Midnight, with something for everyone in the state.
Among them are a hotly debated law that will effectively cut the pay of 655,000 public employees, if it survives a legal challenge, and a pair of landmark measures privatizing health care for poor and disabled Floridians are also under fire.
Other new laws require drug tests for welfare applicants, curtail abortion rights, crack down on “pill mills” and ban a designer drug often marketed as “bath salts.”
Three new laws will help usher out a technological era by deregulating traditional home telephone service, television picture tubes and access to outdoor theaters, all symbols of technology which is fading into the past.
The budget eliminates about 4,500 state jobs, most of them filled. Agencies already have begun sending out pink slips. It also cuts $1.35 billion in education spending. That’s expected to result in more layoffs and unpaid leaves for teachers and other school district employees.
The new budget includes about $300 million in tax cuts and raises college and university tuition by 8 percent. The Board of Governors has added another 7 percent increase for the state’s 11 public universities for a 15 percent total.
It’s the fifth budget in a row without an across-the-board raise for state workers. Instead, they will see their paychecks shrink because of the new pension law (SB 2100) that drew a legal challenge even before going into effect.
The final verdict also is not in on a pair of new laws (HB 7107 and 7109) designed to cut spending by turning Florida’s Medicaid system over to for-profit companies and hospital networks. That plan will require approval by the federal government. It would build on an existing managed care pilot program in five Florida counties and be phased in over several years beginning in October 2013.
Another top priority of Scott’s — and a lawsuit waiting to happen — is the new law (HB 353) requiring welfare applicants to take drug tests at their own expense. If they pass, they’ll get reimbursed. If they fail they can’t get benefits for at least a year and could face child abuse charges.
The drug testing law has been targeted for possible legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU already has sued Scott over his executive order to screen applicants for state jobs and conduct random drug testing of existing employees.
Two other new laws dealing with drug abuse, both top priorities of Attorney General Pam Bondi, also are going into effect.
After unsuccessfully trying to kill Florida’s prescription drug-tracking program before it even got started, Scott signed a new law that will keep the database going and make other changes to crack down on pill mills.
Law enforcement officials say the lack of a monitoring system until this year and inadequate laws have made Florida the nation’s leading source of illicit prescription drugs. Many if not most of those drugs are taken back to other states with stronger laws.
The new Florida law (HB 7095) includes penalties for doctors who over-prescribe painkillers and tightens rules for operating pharmacies.
While it keeps the prescription monitoring system alive, the Legislature again refused to pay for it. Lawmakers also threw up a new barrier to private funding by prohibiting pharmaceutical companies from making contributions.
Another measure (HB 1039) sought by Bondi will outlaw a designer drug known as MDPV sold as bath salts. Bondi earlier issued an emergency order temporarily prohibiting its sale or possession until lawmakers could make the ban permanent.
Law enforcement officials say the drug, which has been compared to LSD, was sold at malls and other retail outlets. The new law provides for up to five years in prison for possession.
Two bills aimed at making it more difficult to get abortions also set to go into effect Friday if Scott, who describes himself as pro-life, signs them as expected.
One (HB 97) would exclude abortion from policies obtained through insurance exchanges that states will be required to set up under the federal health care overhaul. The other (HB 1127) would require women in most cases to undergo ultrasound exams before getting an abortion.
Florida will join about 20 other states in deregulating landline telephone service. The AARP opposed the deregulation law (HB 1231), arguing it would result in higher rates for the elderly and other customers who can least afford phone service. But it passed easily.
Many people are relying solely on cell phones. A Florida Public Service Commission report says the number of landlines in the state dropped 38 percent from 12 million to 7.5 million from 2001 through 2009.
Other new laws will deregulate television picture tubes that are going the way of the horse and bhauggy as the result of flat-screen technology (HB 4013) and repeal access and exit requirements for six outdoor theaters believed to be still operating in Dade City, Fort Lauderdale, Lake Worth, Lakeland, Ruskin and Tampa (HB 4009).
Several new laws designed to advance alternatives to traditional public schools also will go into effect.
One (HB 7107) directs the Department of Education to expand online learning options and require students who enter high school this fall to take at least one virtual course before they graduate.
Another (HB 1329) expands an existing voucher program that lets disabled students attend private schools at taxpayer expense to children with lesser afflictions such as allergies, asthma and diabetes.
A third (SB 1546) offers more training and technical assistance to charter schools and longer contracts and other benefits to those with high performance ratings.
Another education-related law (SB 228) is designed to prohibit students from wearing “droopy
drawers” but requiring school districts to pass dress codes that prohibit the wearing of clothing in a revealing or disruptive way.
A couple other new laws will exempt photos, videos and audio recordings of deaths from the state’s public records law (HB 411) and create a new Department of Economic Opportunity while dismantling the Department of Community Affairs (SB 2156). | <urn:uuid:a09f0716-006e-477c-b2b4-a3aeca1ce000> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/07/01/bureaucrats-dream-160-new-laws-effective-today/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95086 | 1,289 | 1.554688 | 2 |
April 18, 2009
Local Government Gone Wild?
The Goldwater Institute has released "A New Charter for American Cities: 10 Rights to Restrain Government and Protect Freedom." The report recommends enacting a "Local Liberty Charter" consisting of 10 judicially enforceable rights to rein-in out-of-control local governments.
"The Local Liberty Charter is not a pledge signed by politicians," said Nick Dranias, Goldwater Institute constitutional policy director and author of the report. "It is meant to be enforceable in court by ordinary citizens. Each right would be implemented by policies that furnish a private right of action, empowering individuals to file lawsuits, when necessary, to compel local governmental officials to respect freedom and perform their legitimate responsibilities." [RJ]
April 17, 2009
The Glass Half Full or How One Law Library Succeeds on Less, Much Less
Bud Maurer and the entire staff of the Duval County (Florida) Law Library probably should be the keynote speakers at AALL this year. They have captured the magic that is needed to thrive after significant finding cutbacks while serving some 200 patrons daily. Read more about it in the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record. [JH]
Times Aren't Tough for Streetwalking Lawyers
Attention career placement counselors! [JH]
Law via the Internet Conference
A summary of the most recent "Law via the Internet" Conference, the annual meeting of legal information institutes and the "free access to law" movement, is now available on the VoxPopuLII blog.
Conference panel topics included:
The Right to Access Legal Information
Free Access to Law: Information Systems and Institutions in Europe
A Legal Framework for Open Access to Legal Information
The Global Scope of Free Access to Law
Information and Communication Technologies and the Quality of Legal Information
Strategic Solutions and Sustainability Models for the Diffusion and Sharing of Legal Knowledge
The summary is by Dr. Enrico Francesconi and Dr. Ginevra Peruginelli, both well-known legal informatics scholars at the Institute of Legal Theory and Techniques of the Italian National Research Council (ITTIG-CNR). Slides and abstracts of the conference presentations are available here and the proceedings will be published this month by European Press Academic Publishing. [Robert Richards]
LC Launches YouTube Channel
The Library of Congress recently launched its YouTube Channel with 70 videos. "But this is just the beginning," writes LC'sMatt Raymond. "We have made a conscious decision that we’re not just going to upload a bunch of videos and then walk away. ... [W]e intend to keep uploading additional content. We’re modifying some of our work-flows in modest ways to make our content more useful and delivered across platforms with built-in audiences of millions." [JH]
Reality Check: The Impact of Legal Technology for Lawyers
Dennis Kennedy, Tom Mighell, and Adriana Linares launch the Kennedy- Mighell Report on Legal Talk Network with a podcast entitled Reality Check: The Impact of Legal Technology for Lawyers. [JH]
2008 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics
The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during a fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., admitted as immigrants or became legal permanent residents), were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis (e.g., tourists, students, or workers), applied for asylum or refugee status, or were naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration law enforcement actions, including alien apprehensions, removals, and prosecutions.
In addition to the Yearbook, the Office of Immigration Statistics Annual Flow Reports and Annual Reports provide text, tables, and charts on legal permanent residents, refugees and asylees, nonimmigrant admissions, naturalizations, and enforcement actions. The Annual Flow Reports and Annual Reports have replaced the text chapters in the earlier editions of the Yearbook. [RJ]
April 16, 2009
Computational Legal Studies Blog
A new blog on the application of computation techniques to scholarly legal research, Computational Legal Studies, has been launched by Daniel Katz and Michael Bommarito, graduate students at the University of Michigan. Mr. Katz has a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. The blog discusses recent scholarly articles and projects that use computational techniques, and presents some of the authors' own computing experiments, such as a visual model of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. [Robert Richards]
Internet Crime Up 33% According to New IC3 Report
In 2008, more than $264 million was lost in 275,284 complaints, according to 2008 Internet Crime Report published by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). “This report illustrates that sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue to flourish as financial data migrates to the Internet,” FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry said in a statement.
Here’s a look at the scams prompting the most complaints (by percentage), along with the average amount of money lost per complaint (shockingly, the Nigerian letter fraud is still going strong):
- Non-delivery of merchandise/payment: $800 (32.9%)
- Auction fraud: $610 (25.5%)
- Credit/debit card fraud: $223 (9%)
- Confidence fraud: $2,000 (7.9%)
- Computer fraud: $1,000 (6.2%)
- Check fraud: $3,000 (5.4%)
- Nigerian letter fraud: $1,650 (2.8%)
Slave Trade Tribunals and the Constitutionality of International Courts
Hat tip to Mark Wojcik (John Marshall, Chicago) for calling attention to Eugene Kontrovich's (Northwestern) very interesting paper entitled The Constitutionality of International Courts: The Forgotten Precedent of Slave Trade Tribunals [SSRN] on International Law Prof Blog. Excerpted from the abstract:
Those interested in seeing the United States participate in [international] courts will find in the slave trade court episode not a constitutional straitjacket but rather a guide to tailoring their jurisdiction to avoid constitutional constraints. This Article unpacks the constitutional objections stated at the time and shows that some but not all international criminal courts are likely to be unconstitutional, while non-criminal international tribunals are far less problematic.
Aside from the precedential significance, the nineteenth century discussion of why joining such a court would be impermissible speaks directly to today's constitutional jurisprudence in modern terms. It provides surprisingly relevant guidance on questions like the permissibility of non-Article III courts; constitutional restraints on the Treaty Power; and the binding effect of judgments of international courts. Additionally, nearly every argument made today about American exceptionalism in international law and the conflict between domestic and international law was rehearsed nearly 200 years ago.
New Twitter Service for Legal Professionals
Hat tip to Cleveland-Marshall's Jan Novak and Rex Gradeless for calling attention to TweetLaw here and here. TweetLaw is a Twitter service designed specifically for legal professionals. Twitter users complete profiles, tag them by legal specialties such as "Legal Librarians" and share their tweats. See also Social Media Law Student's Top Twitter Applications for Everyone.
Meanwhile Jeffrey Young is reporting in the Chronicle that "twitter is quickly becoming a global faculty lounge." Wait, I thought the blogosphere was that. What next, a symposium on tweats as scholarship?[JH]
April 15, 2009
Tax Day Trivia
Tax Astrology. According to a Money Management International survey reported here, tax time can be very different for taxpayers born under different sun signs. The findings:
Aries (March 21-April 20) Those born under this Fire sign expect the smallest refunds ($1,400). They plan to save (46%) or pay debts (32%).
Taurus (April 21-May 21) Taurus is an Earth sign, associated with practicality. Those born under this sign are the least likely to expect a refund. Of consumers who expect to receive a refund, only 6% were born under this sign.
Gemini (May 22-June 21) Generally known to be logical, Gemini are the most likely to over-withhold on purpose.
Cancer (June 22-July 23) Protective Cancers are not likely to splurge with their refunds. Of those consumers who plan to splurge, less than 1% were born under this Water sign.
Leo (July 24-August 23) Generous Leos are more likely than those born under most other signs to spend their refunds. Of those who plan to splurge, nearly 20% are Leos.
Virgo (August 24-September 23) Practical Virgos are still deciding how to spend their expected tax refunds. In fact, more Virgos than those born under any other sign were “undecided” about what to do with their refunds (14%).
Libra (September 24-October 23) Known for balance, Libras surprisingly expect the largest refunds (an average of $2,200).
Scorpio (October 24-November 22) Scorpios are characterized as being passionate. Of those who plan to splurge with their tax refund, one out of four is a Scorpio.
Sagittarius (November 23-December 21) Sagittarians are known for being optimistic and are not likely to save their refunds. In fact, of those who plan to save, only 5% were born under this sign.
Capricorn (December 22-January 20) Earth signs, like Capricorn, are associated with practicality. Appropriately, Capricorns are not likely to splurge with their refunds. In fact, of those who plan to splurge, less than 1% are Capricorns.
Aquarius (January 21-February 19) Aquarius is an Air sign, associated with thought and perspective. Fifty-eight percent of surveyed Aquarians expecting a refund plan to use it to pay down debts.
Pisces (February 20-March 20) Idealistic Pisces are the least likely to save. In fact, of all those who plan to save, less than 5% are Pisces.
Favorite Tax Movies. Law profs chime in on their favorite tax movies on TaxProf Blog which is celebrating its fifth anniversary in the tax law blogosphere today. [JH]
Celebrating April 15 with Two New Tax Op Websites
"The Tax Daily for the Citizen Taxpayer." Launched by but "not an extension of Tax Analysts," the editorial tone of Tax.com is a bit Lou-Doubsian but it's early and perhaps it's just an attempt to attract an audience. From Christoper Bergin's Welcome statement:
This site is sponsored by Tax Analysts, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has worked for almost 40 years to improve federal, state, and international tax systems, and to make tax administration more transparent. This site is not an extension of Tax Analysts, but it will tap that organization’s vast tax databases and its wealth of talented writers. I’m the president and publisher of Tax Analysts, and I’ll put in my two cents regularly on this site. And I won’t be alone. Some of our writers will weigh in as well. I hope you look around, let us know what you think, and visit us often.
At Tax.com, we provide facts and opinions. But we start with a basic premise or two. As Justice Holmes suggested years ago, taxes are the inevitable price we pay if we want to live in a civilized society. But taxes are more than inevitable. They are actually a good thing if done right and fairly. They finance our common defense, the highways on which we travel, and the retirement and health care that enables our senior citizens to live in dignity. That is, the taxes we pay reflect, or are supposed to reflect, the funding priorities that we set for our nation.
So, whether you think that your government is already spending your money like a brigade of drunken sailors; or you think that your government should spend even more of it by raising taxes to fund health care, education, and energy reform; or you just want to learn more about taxes, we hope you stick around and join the discussion. We think it will be worth your while.
Hat tip to TaxProf Blog.
And by the "Citizen Taxpayer." Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher a/k/a Joe the Plumber has launched IRSvote.com, to promote a Fair Tax system in Fox News style. Visitors to the site can vote on reforming the US tax system via the Internet, or by sending a text message or making a phone call to a 900 phone number. Note well, voters will charged 99 cents a vote. Is that a poll tax?
Yale Law School Library 2.0 Symposium
Summaries and slides of presentations at the April 4 Yale Law School Library 2.0 Symposium are available here. The panels addressed the topics "The Future of the Library," "Ethics and Politics of Library 2.0," "The Challenge of Copyright," and "Digitizing Collections." Here's the Twitter feed for the symposium. [Robert Richards]
The Public Domain Provisions of the Google Book Settlement Examined
On LibraryLaw Blog, Peter Hirtle reviews the procedures for identifing public domain books under the Google Book Settlement and then raises important concerns about the Settlement's public domain provisions. [JH]
Anonymity, Privacy and Identity in an Information Harvesting World
Hat tip to George Washington University Law School prof and Concurring Opinions blogger Dan Solvoe for calling attention to a new collection of essays about Internet privacy, Lessons from the Identity Trials: Anonymity, Privacy and Identity in a Networked Society (Oxford UP, March 18, 2009) edited by Ian Kerr, Valerie Steeves, and Carole Lucock. Dan, whose latest book is Understanding Privacy (Harvard, 2008) writes, "the essays are fascinating and are written by a number of very prominent privacy scholars. Highly recommended!" Dan also notes that the book is available as a free download under a Creative Commons license, a first for Oxford University Press.
From the product description:
During the past decade, rapid developments in information and communications technology have transformed key social, commercial, and political realities. Within that same time period, working at something less than Internet speed, much of the academic and policy debate arising from these new and emerging technologies has been fragmented. There have been few examples of interdisciplinary dialogue about the importance and impact of anonymity and privacy in a networked society. Lessons from the Identity Trail: Anonymity, Privacy and Identity in a Networked Society fills that gap, and examines key questions about anonymity, privacy, and identity in an environment that increasingly automates the collection of personal information and relies upon surveillance to promote private and public sector goals.
This book has been informed by the results of a multi-million dollar research project that has brought together a distinguished array of philosophers, ethicists, feminists, cognitive scientists, lawyers, cryptographers, engineers, policy analysts, government policy makers, and privacy experts. Working collaboratively over a four-year period and participating in an iterative process designed to maximize the potential for interdisciplinary discussion and feedback through a series of workshops and peer review, the authors have integrated crucial public policy themes with the most recent research outcomes.
April 22 Webinar From AALL: Negotiation: Path to Collaboration
From the announcement: "Do you get a sinking feeling when told you’ll have to negotiate a contract? Do you feel unprepared to actually engage in a negotiation process? Attend Negotiation: Path to Collaboration on April 22, 12-1 p.m. EST, and explore the mechanics of a successful negotiation from start to finish. The webinar facilitator will be Sarah Nichols, a strategic information management consultant with 25 years experience in strategic planning and operational effectiveness for information management, research, and library functions within the professional services sector. Register by April 17."
April 14, 2009
Opening: Acquisitions Librarian, Florida Coastal School of Law Library
Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL) is seeking experienced candidates for the position of Acquisitions Librarian.
FCSL offers a professional and pleasant work environment for its employees in addition to offering a competitive and comprehensive compensation and benefits package. To be considered for this opportunity, please apply online and submit a cover letter and resume to HR@fcsl.edu.
The Acquisitions Librarian reports to the Associate Director of the Library. The Acquisitions Librarian has primary responsibility for activities involving purchasing and acquisitions for the library collection. The library acquires materials in varying formats, both print and non-print.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Assist in developing and/or refining policies and procedures for purchasing materials for the library collections. Responsible for implementation and enforcement of these policies.
- Assist in developing and/or refining policies and procedures for the receipt and processing of library materials. Responsible for implementation and enforcement of these policies.
- Prepare orders for materials for the library collection, including conducting any necessary vendor research and evaluation.
- Perform pre-order searching and downloading of appropriate records from OCLC, or keying-in of records not available on OCLC, for materials identified for purchase. Retrieve records for electronic purchasing and invoicing from vendors.
- Ensure timely receipt of materials ordered.
- Process invoices for materials in a timely fashion.
- Train and supervise library assistants and other staff members in acquisitions and processing procedures.
- Maintain acquisitions-related records in the library=s III Millennium ILS system.
- Maintain acquisitions statistics and produce regular monthly and annual reports, as well as occasional reports requested by the library’s director and/or associate director.
- Participate with other librarians in faculty liaison program and collection development. Sort and distribute collection development materials to librarians according to subject specialties.
- Participate in Reference Desk rotation.
- Establish and maintain positive working relationships with publishers and vendors.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Education & Experience Requirements
- Master of Library Sciences from an ALA-accredited library school
- Minimum of 1 year of experience in law library acquisitions (3+ years preferred).
Job Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong computer knowledge and ability to adapt to new systems.
- Knowledge of library systems including OCLC.
- Experience with Innovative Interfaces’ Millennium ILS.
- MS Office Suite and Internet skills.
- Self starter with service orientation and the ability to work independently.
- Ability to work well within a team environment and interface with students and staff.
- Excellent oral, written, and organizational skills.
- High attention to detail.
- Flexible and positive attitude – ability to work well with changing priorities and/or situations.
- Supervisory experience preferred.
FCSL is an equal employment opportunity employer.
The WeFollow Twitter Directory
In a recent LLB post, Do Law Librarians Twitter? Results of the LLB Poll, I mentioned that one task at hand for law librarians might be to identify and communicate to library patrons helpful Twitter sources. In one comment to the post, Meg Kribble reports that she has incorporated Twitter into an experimental research guide, specifically a feed of search results on various terms related to education law.
A new tool that might be helpful is s Twitter directory called WeFollow. Launched by Digg founder Kevin Rose, WeFollow lets you search for Twitterers by topic: just enter a topic or tag into the search field and WeFollow will present you with a list of related Twitterers in order of popularity. So if you find Twitter to be useful, this might be the place to go to find Twitter feeds about topics that interest you and/or your library patrons.
See also Top 100 Twitter Feeds for Law Students which lists feeds by the following categories: Law Students, Law Firms, Law Librarians, Professional Lawyers, Lawyers and More, Professors and Academics, Technology and the Law, Paralegals, Law Schools, and State and Federal Law. [JH]
Stanford's Paul Lomio on the Early Days of Computer-Assisted Legal Research
I've been doing this blogging thing for awhile now and have learned a thing or two along the way. First, dyslexia seems to get worse with age, or to put it another way, with the half-life of a blog post being less that 48 hours, what's the point of make corrections. More importantly, I've learned that the way to promote another blog to your readers is to not write one of those "this is a great blog" post. It's much more effective to "hat tip" the blog in your posts. Of course, proper attribution is a professional courtesy, but it is also a way of signally something to the effect like "I'm reading this blog, maybe you should take its feed too." Too egotistical? Don't know, but hat tipping is an effective way to share audiences.
For the last several months, some of us at LLB have been hat tipping Legal Research Plus in part, I think, because we cover similar topics for current awareness purposes (e.g., legal information developments, recent SSRN papers, conferences, new publications, etc.) but also because the blog's original contributions are informative. Now comes Paul Lomio's series on the history of CALR on Legal Research Plus, "an occasional and somewhat random look back at the early days of computer-assisted legal research." Should be very interesting. Here's Paul's first post. [JH] | <urn:uuid:ea6f4697-4c45-4715-a1bb-6775b2cf3418> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/law_librarian_blog/2009/week16/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934702 | 4,550 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Egypt: Harassers of Women in Cairo Now Face Wrath of Vigilantes
By Kareem Fahim
CAIRO — The young activists lingered on the streets around Tahrir Square, scrutinizing the crowds of holiday revelers. Suddenly, they charged, pushing people aside and chasing down a young man. As the captive thrashed to get away, the activists pounded his shoulders, flipped him around and spray-painted a message on his back: “I’m a harasser.”
Egypt’s streets have long been a perilous place for women, who are frequently heckled, grabbed, threatened and violated while the police look the other way. Now, during the country’s tumultuous transition from authoritarian rule, more and more groups are emerging to make protecting women — and shaming the do-nothing police — a cause.
“They’re now doing the undoable?” a police officer joked as he watched the vigilantes chase down the young man. The officer quickly went back to sipping his tea.
The attacks on women did not subside after the uprising. If anything, they became more visible as even the military was implicated in the assaults, stripping female protesters, threatening others with violence and subjecting activists to so-called virginity tests. During holidays, when Cairenes take to the streets to stroll and socialize, the attacks multiply.
But during the recent Id al-Adha holiday, some of the men were surprised to find they could no longer harass with impunity, a change brought about not just out of concern for women’s rights, but out of a frustration that the post-revolutionary government still, like the one before, was doing too little to protect its citizens.
At least three citizens groups patrolled busy sections of central Cairo during the holiday. The groups’ members, both men and women, shared the conviction that the authorities would not act against harassment unless the problem was forced into the public debate. They differed in their tactics: some activists criticized others for being too quick to resort to violence against suspects and encouraging vigilantism. One group leader compared the activists to the Guardian Angels in the United States.
“The harasser doesn’t see anyone who will hold him accountable,” said Omar Talaat, 16, who joined one of the patrols.
The years of President Hosni Mubarak’s rule were marked by official apathy, collusion in the assaults on women, or empty responses to the attacks, including police roundups of teenagers at Internet cafes for looking at pornography.
“The police did not take harassment seriously,” said Madiha el-Safty, a sociology professor at the American University in Cairo. “People didn’t file complaints. It was always underreported.”
Mr. Mubarak’s wife, Suzanne, who portrayed herself as a champion of women’s rights, pretended the problem hardly existed. As reports of harassment grew in 2008, she said, “Egyptian men always respect Egyptian women.”
Egypt’s new president, Mohamed Morsi, has presided over two holidays, and many activists say there is no sign that the government is paying closer attention to the problem. But the work by the citizens groups may be having an effect: Last week, after the Id al-Adha holiday, Mr. Morsi’s spokesman announced that the government had received more than 1,000 reports of harassment, and said that the president had directed the Interior Ministry to investigate them.
“Egypt’s revolution cannot tolerate these abuses,” the spokesman quoted Mr. Morsi as saying.
Azza Soliman, the director of the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance, dismissed the president’s words as “weak.” During the holiday, she said, one of her sons was beaten on the subway after he tried to stop a man who was groping two foreign women. The police tried to stop him from filing a complaint. “The whole world is talking about harassment in our country,” Ms. Soliman said. “The Interior Ministry takes no action.”
For years, anti-harassment activists have worked to highlight the problems in Egypt, but the uprising seemed to give the effort more energy and urgency.
Over the holiday, the groups staked out different parts of Cairo’s downtown. One avoided any violence, forming human chains between women and their tormentors. The other group forcefully confronted men and boys it suspected of harassment, smacking around suspects before hauling them off to a police station.
One of that group’s founders, Sherine Badr el-Din, 30, started her work as an anti-harassment activist by asking men to get off the women-only cars on the Cairo subway, regarded as a safe zone. When they refused, she videotaped them and posted their pictures on the Internet, she said.
Last summer, one of the men attacked her. “I wanted to file a case, but the police officer refused, claiming they were only there to monitor the train schedules.” She said the group escalated its tactics out of frustration, after the police started releasing suspects the group had caught.
“Violence is not our method,” she said. “But the pressure was tremendous.”
Last week, as the group gathered near Tahrir Square, one member had what looked like a stun gun, and another shook a can of spray paint. Most participants were men, and some wore fluorescent green vests, with the words “combating harassment” written on the back.
They mused on the reasons for the frequency of the attacks on their sisters, mothers and friends, finding no sure answer in the blame often laid on poverty or religion, society’s indifference or the state’s contagious chauvinism.
They seemed more certain of the solution, as they plunged into the holiday crowds over several evenings. Some bystanders were supportive. But when violence broke out, there was less support. “I will tell the government on you,” one man screamed as the activists wrestled with a suspect.
Sometimes the patrol acted after seeing a woman being groped. At other times, it justified its attacks as preventive.
Two boys on a scooter hardly knew what hit them. One minute, they were driving along the Nile Corniche, saying something — maybe lewd, maybe not — to two girls strolling on the sidewalk. The next, they were being hauled off the scooter by the men in green vests. The melee that broke out afterward stopped traffic on one of downtown’s busiest roadways, before the police chased the patrol members off.
Afterward, Muhaab Selim, 23, a member of the group, could barely contain his anger. “Why do I have to wait until he touches them?” he yelled. “Why do people defend the harassers?”
By the end of the holidays, one of the group’s leaders, Muhammad Taimoor, 22, had been arrested after fighting with a suspect on the subway. Even so, he called the weekend a success. “We caught some harassers, sprayed them with paint and published their pictures everywhere,” Mr. Taimoor said. “The Interior Ministry wasn’t cooperating with us at all. They weren’t protecting women in the streets.”
While Mr. Taimoor and his colleagues were on patrol, another group, called Imprint, was in a nearby square. Nihal Saad Zaghloul, 27, an activist with the group, said its members stopped more than 30 men who were trying to harass women.
When the group believes someone is being harassed, some members form a wall between the attacker and the victim, while others take the woman to safety. “We don’t push back, and we don’t fight,” Ms. Zaghloul said. They ask police officers to be present, in case the woman wants to file a report.
Ms. Zaghloul, who became active after she and a friend were assaulted, was less critical of the patrol officers than some of the other activists. “They are understaffed, and at the same time, they are part of a society that always blames women, although they know it’s wrong.” She worried that the other group’s methods would alienate the public.
But she added, “No one understands their frustration better than me.”
(To read original article, visit this New York Times link) | <urn:uuid:19b27fde-6f2d-49bc-b059-9ae3990cd94c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nsvrc.org/news/news-field/19258?qt-sidebar_qt_1=1&qt-sidebar_qt_2=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978046 | 1,803 | 1.53125 | 2 |
On Syria’s Alleged Chemical Weapons and the Prospect for War
There was some bluster on Monday in response to reports that the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad made the first step in weaponizing chemical stockpiles and also has moved them around to different locations in the country.
In terms of US action, the conflict in Syria has long been defined by the high rate of Islamic jihadists in the ranks of the rebel forces and by the lack of feasible military options for regime change at the disposal of the Obama administration. So, the US has said that the “red line” which would precipitate an American military intervention is if Assad uses chemical warfare on his own population.
So, apparently eyes have been kept on Assad’s chemical stockpiles. Danger Room reported the following exclusive:
Engineers working for the Assad regime in Syria have begun combining the two chemical precursors needed to weaponize sarin gas, an American official with knowledge of the situation tells Danger Room. International observers are now more worried than they’ve even [sic] been that the Damascus government could use its nerve agent stockpile to slaughter its own people.
The U.S. doesn’t know why the Syrian military made the move, which began in the middle of last week and is taking place in central Syria. Nor are they sure why the Assad government is transferring some weapons to different locations within the country, as the New York Times reported on Monday.
Whenever journalists report anonymous officials making claims that bolster the case for war, heavy scrutiny is in order. This official told Danger Room that “isopropanol, popularly known as rubbing alcohol, and methylphosphonyl difluoride” had been combined by Syrian engineers, which is the first step to weaponizing sarin gas. “They didn’t do it on the whole arsenal, just a modest quantity,” the official said. “We’re not sure what’s the intent.”
Even if the information is true, which is by no means a given, it’s not reasonable to assume the Assad regime is preparing to unleash chemical warfare on his people. The Obama administration has made it clear such action is a “red line” and even if Assad recognizes this as rhetoric issued for the deterrence factor (which it transparently is) it’s probably enough to disincentivize him from taking such action, if he were ever so inclined in the first place. Assad has been employing incredible force to quell this rebellion because it aims to eliminate him and his regime. The only thing worrying the Assad regime more than the rebellion is the prospect of some kind of US-led bombing campaign or invasion, which could undoubtedly topple the regime but would then lead to such destruction and chaos that the country would be ruined and a lengthy occupation and counter-insurgency effort would inevitably follow, à la Iraq. So Assad isn’t about to attract that sort of attention.
Additionally, for what its worth, Russia has guaranteed Assad’s restraint on chemical weapons use. That’s not a pledge one of the the five most powerful nations in the world makes lightly.
If I were to speculate, again, assuming the reports are true, Assad could be making such moves in order to deter international action against his regime. One of the primary reasons cited in Washington officialdom against initiating a no-fly zone or a bombing campaign in Syria is the fact that Assad’s anti-aircraft capabilities and chemical stockpiles are located in residential areas. This means any attempt to destroy them would put vast numbers of civilian lives at risk, making the humanitarian situation in the country far worse than it is currently, and thus defeating the pretext for intervention. Assad knows this has been an argument against military action, and his alleged moderate moves to make his chemical stockpiles more dangerous and to transfer them to different locations in the country could be playing on this factor.
It’s also true that, as much as the US has been trying to undermine the Assad regime by supporting the jihadist rebels, Washington prefers the chemical stockpiles be under the control of the Assad regime rather than the rag tag rebel opposition. Take Michael Eisenstadt at the perpetually pro-war Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who notes that given the lack of feasible military options, “the preferred means of dealing with the problem of Syrian CW [chemical weapons] are deterrence, assistance, containment, and elimination.” Here’s his explanation of “assistance”:
To deal with the threat of diversion, the United States should quietly work with Russia, building on their history of cooperation on a variety of threat-reduction initiatives in order to offer Syria various means of maintaining accountability and control over its CW stockpile. While the United States does not have an interest in strengthening Assad, it does have an interest in the regime retaining control over its CW for as long as it is around (just as the United States offered the Soviet Union technology to help secure its nuclear arsenal during the Cold War, to avoid accidental or unauthorized use).
US military officials have been quick to point out the costs of war in Syria and the White House has consistently said that direct military intervention “would lead to greater chaos, greater carnage.” I don’t see them changing their tune any time soon, nor do I see the Assad regime using chemical weapons. The real concern is the proxy war being waged by the Obama administration which continues to bolster a dangerous band of criminal religious extremists. Not only is this morally and legally problematic, but it is laying the groundwork for further blowback. | <urn:uuid:65ff9a8e-910e-4066-b02f-6e70f222b005> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://antiwar.com/blog/2012/12/03/on-syrias-alleged-chemical-weapons-and-the-prospect-for-war/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97074 | 1,156 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Wed June 20, 2012
Obama's Immigration Move Disrupts Rubio's Dream
Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 8:19 am
With a single policy directive last week, President Obama took control of an issue of special importance to Hispanics this election year. Obama announced illegal immigrants younger than 30 who are brought to the U.S. as children and who meet other standards will not be subject to deportation.
That's an important goal of those who support the DREAM Act, a bill long stalled in Congress. The president's action has implications for as many as 800,000 young immigrants — as well as a rising star in the Republican Party.
Before Obama's move, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, was planning to present Congress with his own version of the DREAM Act.
A Surprise Move
Like many so-called Dream Acters — young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children — Frida Ulloa says she was taken by surprise by the president's announcement Friday. She says she realized something was up when she was deluged by text messages.
"I turned on the news and I heard the news and I was like, 'Oh my God,' " Ulloa says. "I was so shocked, I was crying."
Ulloa, 23, is a senior at Florida International University in Miami and an illegal immigrant. She came to the U.S. with her parents from Peru when she was 15.
Days after the president's announcement, Ulloa is still excited that after years of meetings and demonstrations, Obama listened to the Dream Acters and removed the threat of deportation.
There are some Hispanics, however, who are critical of the president's decision — none more so than Rubio, a Cuban-American from West Miami.
"I don't think that there's anyone watching this that doubts that it was for political reasons," Rubio said in an appearance on Fox News this week as part of a publicity blitz to promote his new autobiography, An American Son.
For months, Rubio said, he was working to craft a compromise bill that would allow Dream Act kids to stay in America without granting them a path to citizenship.
Out Of Bounds?
That's exactly what Obama accomplished last week.
In doing so, Rubio says, he believes Obama overstepped his constitutional authority. At the same time, Rubio says, the president lessened the chances that Rubio and others in Congress can craft a bipartisan consensus on the DREAM Act and immigration reform.
"He's basically taking a very significant issue that needs to be solved in a long-term way that's measured, reasonable and balanced and deciding by edict, by fiat, basically, to solve it in the short term, which happens to coincide with the November election," Rubio says.
DREAM Act advocate Ulloa says Rubio's response has left her puzzled. Before he was a senator, she says, he told her he would support the DREAM Act. Since then, he has changed his position on the bill. And Ulloa says Rubio's talk about a compromise has gone nowhere.
"He says that he's going to do something, but he hasn't really shown us what he's planning on doing. And to criticize this move, I don't understand it, you know?" Ulloa says.
Falling Short Of The Dream?
With Obama's executive action, Rubio's effort at building a compromise appears dead for now. In some ways, that may let him off the hook. The chances that he'd be able to convince conservative Republicans in an election year to support a bill to help young illegal immigrants was always somewhere between unlikely and impossible.
But there are many in the Republican Party with a lot riding on Rubio and the possibility that he can appeal to Hispanic voters — either as a future leader or on the bottom half of a presidential ticket with Mitt Romney.
Miami political consultant Ana Navarro says Republicans have work to do if they hope to win the Hispanic vote away from Obama.
"What Republicans are going to have to do is focus on immigration and the fact that [Obama] didn't deliver on his entire promise," Navarro says. "He made a promise to give us a diamond ring, and after three-and-a-half years of waiting, and seeing that we were falling out of love with him, he showed up with a cubic zirconium."
Until Friday's announcement, there was lots of evidence that Hispanic voters — who were an important part of Obama's margin of victory four years ago — had lost much of their enthusiasm for the president. A chief concern was the administration's tough deportation policy, as well as its failure to turn around the lagging economy.
A new survey released by the polling group Latino Decisions shows the power of the presidency. With his move to halt certain deportations, the survey shows enthusiasm among Hispanics for Obama has jumped dramatically — more than a 50-point turnaround from earlier in the year. | <urn:uuid:d7ecbfc6-266d-4acd-8ffd-834d4b01ff04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wnku.org/post/obamas-immigration-move-disrupts-rubios-dream | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985907 | 1,023 | 1.617188 | 2 |
A major and controversial new biography of one of the most compelling and contradictory figures in modern British life.
Born Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, to most of us he is just ‘Boris’ – the only politician of the age to be regarded in such familiar, even affectionate terms. Uniquely, he combines comedy with erudition, gimleteyed focus with jokey self-deprecation, and is a loving family man with a roving eye. He is also a hugely ambitious figure with seemingly no huge ambitions to pursue – other than, perhaps, power itself.
One of the most private men in public life, we all know of Boris, but so few can truly claim to know him. He invites attention, but has evaded scrutiny. Now, from the vantage point of a once close colleague, Sonia Purnell charts his remarkable rise and offers the first forensic account of just how he did it.
Drawing on hundreds of interviews with Boris’s friends, rivals, admirers and enemies, this revealing biography examines how a shy, young boy from a broken home grew up to be our only box-office politician – and most unlikely sex god; how the Etonian product fond of Latin tags became a Man of the People – and why he wanted to be; how the gaffe-prone buffoon charmed Londoners to win the largest personal mandate Britain has ever seen; and how the Johnson family has built our biggest – not to mention blondest – media and political dynasty. At times, allegations of infidelity, journalistic chicanery, rivalries with fellow Tories and scandal at City Hall have threatened to upset his rise, but still it continues.
With his unruly mop of hair, trusty bicycle and the surest of popular touches, he remains a Teflon-coated breed apart – but for how long? In Just Boris Sonia Purnell unravels this most compelling of political enigmas and casts light on his record and his character. Finally, she asks whether the Mayor who dreams of crossing the Thames to Downing Street has what it takes to be Prime Minister. | <urn:uuid:b9f68f9a-8889-49d7-a989-ad74bc12355d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://judgingcovers.co.uk/tag/politics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956227 | 439 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Have we gloated about the weather in Southern California recently? If not, here we go: Outside it is currently 76 degrees with sunshine, blue skies, and a hint of cool breeze. It’s heavenly. In fact, if we weren’t inside working, we’d most definitely be frolicking in yonder meadow and singing The Hills are Alive.
Of course, this follows one of the grayest, rainiest winters we’ve had in a while, and–perhaps as a result–one of the gnarliest cold/flu seasons too. For a while there, it seemed like everyone was on the verge of getting (or was trying to get over) a virus. Well, flu season unofficially ends this week. To celebrate, we present you with this silly creation from a Korean ad man in NYC: The kimchi mask.
The orange thing is supposed to be a big leaf of cabbage kimchi, and underneath that it says “KIMCHI PREVENTS FLU.” According to The Korea Herald, these masks were supposed to humorously publicize the effectiveness of kimchi against flu…
Don’t get us wrong- We of all people know that kimchi has plenty of admirable qualities. It is rich in vitamins, fiber, and good-for-you bacteria, yet low in fat and calories… So the addition of kimchi to your diet may very well contribute to your wellbeing. But the belief that kimchi directly prevents flu (without any research to support it) is still somewhat baffling.
*sigh* Let’s forget all about unsubstantiated health claims and confusing advertising gimmicks and get back to getting our Julie Andrews on. Enjoy your day! | <urn:uuid:02a57b03-06c6-4129-8c84-234df8fb6c99> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grannychoe.com/wordpress/2011/04/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962259 | 368 | 1.703125 | 2 |
NBC and the Olympics: Why Cord-cutting Will Be Slow and Hard
NBC’s exclusive U.S. coverage of the the 2012 London Olympic Games has not, to say the very least, been a hit in the tech world. Twitter has been buzzing since last Friday about NBC’s delayed showing of major events, endless commercials, insufferable commentary, cheerleading for U.S. athletes, mawkishness, sentimentality, and a hundred other sins. All of it is true, and all of it has marked coverage of every Olympics I can remember.
There are two important things new. One is the ubiquity of social media, which have grown tremendously since the 2008 Beijing games. Twitter, Facebook, and the rest give us a global water cooler where we can we can grumble and complain to anyone who will listen. The other is the ubiquitous availability of streaming media on our phones, tablets, PCs, game consoles, and just about anything else with or connected to a screen.
The combination has created a strange sense of entitlement among many of the tech savvy. who seems to feel it has a right to watch the Olympics live wherever and whenever they want. The problem is that for all the quasi-governmental, nationalistic trappings of the games, the International Olympic Committee is a private organization to which NBC Universal, another private organization, has paid a grade deal of money for the rights to televise the games in the U.S. For reasons well explained by The Atlantic‘s Megan Garber, NBC’s economic interests lie with the status quo, and are likely to for some time to come. This bodes ill for those who are counting on the internet to disrupt the way television content is delivered.
First, no one has a right to anything other than over-the-air content broadcast by local stations. Some local stations offer streaming, but it’s only of their own content, mainly news, because that is all they own the rights to. Networks offer selected shows, either on their own sites or through service such as Hulu.com, but what they offer and when they make it available is entirely up to them. That is why calls for a Federal Communications Commission investigation of NBC’s delayed and mangled streaming of the Olympic opening ceremony were nothing more than venting.
The situation is not going to change as long as those who control the content don’t see cord-cutters, who who would rely exclusively on over-the-top delivery on the internet, as a major economic threat to their very lucrative relationship with cable and satellite operators on the one hand and content owners, such as studios and sports leagues, on the other. That is why they are taking only baby steps to stream their content, and why Olympic streamcasts and services such as HBO Go are available only to people who are already cable subscribers. (Of course, NBC’s relationship to cable is more than close; NBC Universal is owned by Comcast.)
Furthermore, the distribution of content is tied up in a maze of contractual agreements. ESPN, for example, has contracts with Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Assn., the NCAA, and the College Football Assn., among others, and each specifies just how the content may be distributed. These contracts will evolve, but slowly.
One thing that is absolutely clear is no matter what alternative means for delivering content are developed, you are going to pay for the good stuff. Like newspapers, television content distributors have not found an internet advertising model that works anywhere near as well as traditional broadcast or cable. In the future, you may be able to subscribe via the internet, but you are still going to pay.
I pay a lot of money for my Verizon FiOS video service and don;t really watch very much television. I sympathize with those who only want to watch Game of Thrones but are unwilling to pay for a cable subscriptions plus an HBO premium just to get the one show they really want to see. I don’t know that HBO will ever sell subscriptions to individual shows–it doesn’t suit their business model well. But I’m sure the time will come when you will be able to subscribe to HBO without going through a cable company.It’s just going to take a while, and that is more likely to be measured in years than months.
Maybe by 2016, we’ll be able to subscribe to live feeds of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics (Rio is just one hour ahead of Eastern time, so there’s not much of an excuse for delays.) I certainly hope so. But for the time being, we all need some patience. | <urn:uuid:5239cf82-53b0-4d3f-880a-2c3ac317e8c1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://techpinions.com/nbc-and-the-olympics-why-cord-cutting-will-be-slow-and-hard/8438 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964454 | 961 | 1.726563 | 2 |
With the roads clogged with summer traffic lengthening the trip from East Hampton to Southampton Hospital, emergency responders in East Hampton Town are working together to develop a public awareness campaign encouraging drivers to move over for emergency vehicles.
The time it takes to get a patient in need of immediate medical attention to the hospital “can make the difference in care, treatment, and outcome,” Florence Stone, the East Hampton Ambulance Association’s public relations representative and an emergency medical technician, said Tuesday.
When cars fail to pull over for emergency vehicles, “all those little seconds, minutes, add up,” she said.
Drivers should also make way for emergency responders, here all volunteers, on their way in their own vehicles to respond to calls for help, she said. Unlike ambulances, which have sirens, those individual E.M.T.s, firefighters, or ambulance drivers have only flashing lights — green for members of the ambulance corps, and blue for fire department volunteers.
Lona Rubenstein, an East Hampton author and public relations professional, developed a program called POEMS — Pull Over for Emergency Services — some time ago and had presented it to the East Hampton Town Board. Ms. Rubenstein offered her time and expertise to help get it off the ground. She has developed a list of strategies for data collection regarding emergency vehicle delays, educational outreach, possible legislative action, and coordination among various community and professional groups.
Recently, Councilwoman Theresa Quigley referred her to Ms. Stone. Mary Ellen McGuire, the ambulance association chief, had already asked about mounting a public awareness campaign, Ms. Stone said, and Ms. Rubenstein presented her ideas at the June meeting of the group, with East Hampton Fire and Town Police Department representatives in attendance. The idea is also being presented at a chiefs association meeting to members of various fire departments and ambulance squads.
Ms. Stone said the various entities are working together to lay out a plan. Ideas include a poster contest for schoolchildren, perhaps during an emergency services week in the fall.
“We’re finding it’s becoming a problem,” she said of drivers not moving aside when necessary. “It’s slowing down our response time.”
The average round-trip call, taking someone from East Hampton to Southampton Hospital, then coming back, can take approximately two hours, start to finish, in the off-season, Ms. Stone said. In the summer, “it’s more like three hours,” she said.
And calls for help are increasing. Last year, the ambulance association responded to about 1,300 calls throughout the year — “and a good chunk of that is in the summer,” Ms. Stone said.
During Monday alone, in the village there were seven calls to which volunteer E.M.T.s responded. Four came within a 15-minute time frame, Ms. Stone said. With only three ambulances, the association called on its Montauk counterparts for help.
The POEMS campaign has the support of the town board, as well as East Hampton Town Police Chief Eddie Ecker Jr., Ms. Stone said, and others are getting on board. | <urn:uuid:1393833f-e557-4dee-abf5-859eb0f8aa21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.easthamptonstar.com/Police/2012705/East-Hampton-Town-Push-Pulling-Over | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9606 | 666 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Telcos in the United States and South Korea have claimed equal first in switching on the world's first Voice over LTE networks this week, but similar moves for Australian carriers are up to two years away.
The voice technology, made available by US prepaid carrier Metro PCS and SK Telecom in South Korea, allows for telephone conversations over Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, rather than requiring a carrier to fall back to 3G or 2G networks when making phone calls.
Developed more than two years ago by the GSM Association, it has seen little take-up to date, due largely to the availability of compatible devices and ongoing moves toward LTE deployments.
Telstra director of networks and wireless Mike Wright told iTnews the telco would look to experiment with the technology over the next 12 months, but did not expect a commercial version of service from Telstra or its rivals Optus and Vodafone for at least two years.
"If we think there's a benefit with the technology we're usually fairly keen to proceed with it," he said.
"Voice over LTE is one that will have its time but it's not one that is a high priority for us and [that's] largely because until we start to see multimedia and some value-add that goes with it, it's pretty well recreating voice over a packet network.
"At the moment we're quite comfortable with the performance of our voice over our existing network."
Telstra last year launched a similar technology, HD Voice, allowing for clearer voice signals over the 3G network by doubling the voice frequency range from 3.5 kilohertz to seven kilohertz while introducing noise cancellation technology.
Wright said Telstra had a total 700,000 users on its network with HD Voice compatible devices, and had recorded a four-fold increase in the number of voice calls made between Telstra phones using the technology since launch.
He claimed a dropout rate of less than one percent on the network.
But the technology, a version of which is baked into the Voice over LTE standard, has failed to garner much interest in Australia outside of Telstra.
Though deployed on some fixed-line networks, Optus and Vodafone have yet to deploy it and there are no "active conversations" between Australian telcos as to the introduction of inter-carrier gateways required to allow a full HD Voice call to occur between two users on different mobile networks.
"It's the same as when SMS came out, when MMS came out — you need to get the penetration of the devices, the network support and then the inter-working gateways," Wright said.
Spokespeople for Optus and Vodafone both confirmed intentions to trial Voice over LTE in future but it is understood that at least Optus has disregarded HD Voice as unnecessary for the meantime.
Despite the growing potential for all three carriers to have LTE offerings by the middle of next year, the newer voice technology remains well off respective roadmaps.
"The value that customers place on the capability to punch in a bunch of digits on a mobile phone, press the green button and the phone on the other end of a call to ring is often ignored because it is such a basic assumption that it works," says Dan Warren, director of technology at the GSM Association and a core inventor of the VoLTE standard.
"Very few people think about what that implies in terms of the underlying technical alignment and the commercial agreements between operators to make it all work for all operators in all countries across the whole world.
"Mobile operators understand that to continue this paradigm, they all need to adopt a common technology and need to sign up to continue to interconnect exhaustively with each other."
According to Warren, obstacles to take-up have been a mix of device availability and the ability to easily fall-back to legacy networks outside of 4G coverage.
Device makers are slowly gaining speed on VoLTE compatibility; a 4G-capable version of the Samsung Galaxy SIII is being used as SK Telecom's flagship phone for VoLTE in South Korea, while Metro PCS will offer customers an LG smartphone with the feature.
Like HD Voice, device compatibility is likely to gain critical mass over a period of several years but the move to all-IP packet core networks underlying mobile networks is also a pre-requisite for a successful Voice over LTE network.
Another barrier is Single Radio Voice Call Continuity technology, allowing carriers to switch from packet-based voice transmission — like VoIP — to the traditional circuit-switched voice networks still used by mobile carriers and across copper networks.
"The handover is complicated because not only does the radio interface change, but also the bearer for the call has to move from an IP-based VoLTE bearer to a [circuit-switched model]," Warren told iTnews.
"All of this needs to happen without the customer noticing. This has presented a real challenge and also has a handset impact."
Telstra's Wright said the time-critical requirements of a voice call had led the telco to remain conservative about a transition away from circuit switching for the 375,000 users that now inhabit its 4G network.
"We know [the 3G] environment, it's been optimised over a long period of time and we'll wait and just see the maturity of voice over LTE technology because I believe there will be a few challenges," he said.
Both Warren and Wright predict a two-to-three year timeframe for Voice over LTE take-up in Australia and globally.
"We can expect the 'hockey stick' up-turn in customer numbers to come in during 2015," Warren said.
Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.
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Effective Seating Arrangements for Leaders
Collaborative leaders watch where they sit
In most of the meetings you attend or lead, the seating arrangement may not be an issue. But if you are designing a collaborative session, it can make a big difference. I’m not suggesting that you use place cards for attendees, but you should be aware that strategic positioning is an effective way to obtain cooperation – and that neglecting this dynamic can inhibit your collaborative goals.
Have you ever noticed that when two people sit at a table, they often choose chairs on opposite sides? This is automatically adversarial in terms of territory – the kind of seating arrangement that divorce attorneys and their clients typically adopt. Groups of people may also sit on opposite sides of a conference table and unwittingly divide into an “us” and “them” mentality. If you intentionally mix up the seating arrangements you can discourage the tendency to “take sides.”
Sitting at right angles is the arrangement most conducive to informal conversation. Sitting side by side is the next best. This is important to remember if you want to foster personal ties between team members. The outcome of any collaborative effort is dependent upon well-developed relationships among participants. People are naturally reluctant to share information with others when they don’t know them well enough personally to evaluate their trustworthiness. So if you notice that the same people are taking the same seats at every meeting, rearrange the seating to stimulate conversation and encourage new relationships to develop.
You might even try something unusual, like the leadership at Tata Chemicals did: “We experimented with a unique process during the integration meeting after one of our early M&A's where seating arrangement during employee integration made a positive difference. We arranged chairs in concentric circles, rather than in a theatre style or around a conference table that might have made one group seem dominant. This very subtle nonverbal communication was very powerful and ensured a feeling of equality among the managers from both the organizations. The participation level was much higher.”
Remember, also, that there are two power positions at any conference table – the dominant chair at the head of the table facing the door and the “visually central” seat in the middle of the row of chairs on the side of the table that faces the door.
The unconscious impact of these seating positions is so strong that it can even help create leaders. For example, it’s been noticed that people who sit at either end of the table in a jury room are more likely to be elected foreman and that persons in visually central positions (that mid-point previously mentioned), are also more likely to be perceived as leaders.
In the jury scenario, choice of foreman is mainly about the symbolism of the head-of-the-table position, and with the central position, it is more about the power of eye contact: Because the person seated in this central location is able to maintain eye contact with the most group members, he or she will be able to interact with more people and as a result, will most likely emerge as the leader. (So, if you wanted to enhance the leadership credibility of a junior team member, it would be wise to seat him or her in one of these two positions.)
Choosing a dominant chair may be the most effective way for a leader to control the agenda or dominate the meeting, but it also stifles collaboration. When the leader takes this spot, ideas are then directed to him or her for validation (or rejection) rather than to the entire group. So, before your next meeting, think about the relationship you want to establish with team members.
Then choose your seat accordingly: Sit at the head of the table or at mid-point on the side if you want to exert control, and choose any other position around the table if you want to state symbolically that you are an equal member of a collaborative team.
Which brings me to your office and how seating arrangements there send their own messages.
Because you are a leader, you already have acknowledged status in your organization, but there are many ways your office can reinforce that status:
- You can occupy the largest (or the corner) room, have a picture window with a great view, or sit behind a massive desk (obstructing a visitor’s view of your lower body).
- You can choose a tall chair with armrests, a high seatback that tilts, a swivel seat, and rollers for feet.
- You can then put the visitor in a smaller, lower, and fixed chair on the opposite side of your desk.
- You can even seat visitors on a low sofa across the room and place a coffee table in front of them. Arranging your office in this manner allows you to control the space between you and others, keeping them at a distance and in essence saying that you won’t come to them – they must come (and only if invited) to you.
An office that projects power, authority, and status may be a key part of your nonverbal strategy to impress potential clients, customers, and investors – and I often advise clients to think of their office space as a symbol of their (and their company’s) prestige. But when it comes to building collaboration within your organization, status cues like these can send a conflicting, distinctly unwanted message.
It's a small nonverbal signal -- but if creating a collaborative culture is essential to meeting your business objectives, then you might want to rearrange your office furniture to reflect this. For example, instead of seating people directly across from your desk, place the visitor’s chair at the side of your desk, or create a conversation area (chairs of equal size set around a small table – or at right angles to each other) and send signals of informality, equality, and partnership. You may be surprised at how this small sign of inclusion speaks volumes. | <urn:uuid:c707db10-bd57-4b33-8be8-e2b1b94fe536> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parexcellencemagazine.com/home/blogs-section/item/effective-seating-arrangements-for-leaders | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955184 | 1,214 | 1.828125 | 2 |
By Claire Wayne
West Virginia University
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In 10 days, the West Virginia Youth Symphony visited Poland, Hungary, Austria and Slovakia. It was a fast-paced trip, but the memories I have gained through that small window of time will last me a lifetime.
Now that I am back home, the most prominent idea in my mind about the trip is the belief that there are many things that are universal. I am not much different than some of my friends on the other side of the world.
I realized this the most during my home stay in Slovakia. A memory that stands out is when I was trying to interact with my home stay's little sister who didn't know a word of English. Through drawing pictures, I was able to successfully communicate with her.
This same theme also became apparent during our joint concert with a conservatory in Slovakia. By the end of it, everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves at the reception. I believe even though art can be interpreted differently everywhere, the emotion and dedication involved convey something purely human and universal.
Through understanding each other's art, the world can learn to grow and understand each other.
See more photos from the WVYS European tour at wvyouthsymphony.org/tour2012/index.html | <urn:uuid:f1d2af87-af5b-44fd-82ac-410ef59f3109> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wvgazette.com/Life/201209140184 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970436 | 267 | 1.601563 | 2 |
[Homestead] Grits-Polenta, OMG I am confused!<g>
erthnsky at gmail.com
Sun Oct 17 21:07:07 EDT 2010
Yeah, I do remember James giving a tutorial, but I hate searching the
I'm thinking that modern marketing has just dropped the word hominy.
We don't have the bag the grits came in any longer. I don't want to dig
through the trash to find it. It came in a small bag, like dried beans.
Any suggestions for using the remaining 'yellow grits'?
On 10/17/2010 6:41 PM, Marie Mcharry wrote:
> I've had grits, cornmeal, and polenta. Grits are white and made from hominy. Cornmeal is usually yellow unless made from white corn; it's corn kernels ground to various degrees of fineness. Polenta is fine-ground cornmeal.
> And then there's masa, which is used for tortillas. It's made from lime-treated corn kernels that are then ground. I'm not clear how it differs from grits except that it's finer ground. I buy mine from Wally World, so I don't know about making it. I think James explained the process here a couple of years ago.
> This is all I know on the issue. Regarding the yellow grits: check to see if lime is an ingredient. If not, what you have is cornmeal.
> On Oct 17, 2010, at 1:43 PM, EarthNSky<erthnsky at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Okay, we are part of the 'grit-eating' world, and have never eaten or tasted polenta, per se. It was always my understanding that grits are made from hominy which is made from soaking corn kernels in lye. The hominy is then dried and ground, voila, grits. Polenta, I thought, was more akin to corn meal, just a course ground meal. In Dixie, cornmeal is used in frying, and in making cornbread, which I have always thought would be closer to what polenta would be like than grits.
>> Now mind you, I grew up eating Quaker instant grits-blasphemy, I know, to some, but common enough for you to know what that is. Now, we mostly use the long cook version, still Quaker, but we like the course ground, long cook grits. I eat grits with butter and sometimes cheese or sausage or bacon. I don't put eggs in them the way dh does, nor ham, nor onions, nor sugar nor milk, nor anything else that I have ever heard of using to flavor grits. I think I am rather simplistic in my grits preferences, but I should also include that I have eaten leftover fried grits and a cheese grit casserole with fried fish.
>> So here we are in Kroger yesterday (I rarely shop at Kroger anymore, but wanted some organic cherry juice that only they carry) and dh puts a bag of Quaker "yellow corn grits" in the buggy. We later had a discussion about the difference and I told him what I knew about so called hominy grits, and that the lye removed the color, I thought. He went to the web for answers. He looked at Wikipedia? and found a page that suggested that the only difference between yellow grits and white grits was the color of the corn kernel. He found something else that likened the process to the difference between brown rice and white rice, equating yellow grits with brown rice-degerminated. So is this degerming process the whole lye to hominy stage? Have we just dropped the word hominy from hominy grits and just call them grits, or are grits and hominy grits separate things still? Are Quaker instant grits really instant hominy grits? Are Quaker long cook grits really hominy grits sinc
> e they are white and degermed, even though it
> Homestead list and subscription:
> Change your homestead list member options:
> View the archives at:
EarthNSky Farm 34.498N 85.076W
SISU! (Finnish--There is no single word in English that encompasses
all that sisu means, but it combines the following ideas: guts, pep,
determination, stubbornness, perseverance, hardiness, stamina, go, do,
nerve, spunk, pluck, and grit. It's like "Just Do It!"& "Go for It!")
More information about the Homestead | <urn:uuid:bc804520-4706-452d-9ee4-f4412a97a195> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/homestead/2010-October/036779.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944109 | 989 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Vidal Sassoon has died aged 84.
The celebrity hairstylist - whose 1960s wash-and-wear cuts allowed women to be freed from hairspray - passed away at his home in Los Angeles earlier this morning (09.05.12).
Los Angeles police spokesman Kevin Mailberger revealed officers went to Vidal's house in Mulholland Drive this morning where it was determined he had died of ''apparent natural causes''.
He said in a statement: ''It was of apparent natural causes and there is no crime scene. When the officers arrived there were family members at the residence.''
As well as being known for his trademark easy-maintenance wash-and-wear haircuts, the London-born stylist also had a number of shampoo and styling products bearing his name, with the slogan: ''If you don't look good, we don't look good.''
Vidal - who was reported last year to have been suffering from leukemia - earned international fame with his groundbreaking hairstyles in the 1950s including the ''bob'', and his scissors led to the end of the beehive and bouffant hair style in the decade.
The fashion icon opened his first salon in London in 1954 and later went on to open a New York salon in 1973.
He previously said: ''When I first came into hair, women were coming in and you'd place a hat on their hair and you'd dress their hair around it. We learned to put discipline in the haircuts by using actual geometry, actual architectural shapes and bone structure. The cut had to be perfect and layered beautifully, so that when a woman shook it, it just fell back in.'' | <urn:uuid:be70bff5-f821-4997-96f9-bf1a2e65d97f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.exposay.com/v/57985/vidal-sassoon-dies-aged-84 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987467 | 344 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Despite White House opposition, the House appears likely to pass a bill this week that would allow more foreign students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced technical degrees to stay in the country.
The House failed to pass the bill, drafted by Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, when it was brought to the floor in September under a procedure that requires a two-thirds vote to pass. But based on the vote from that first attempt, the legislation appears to have enough support to pass the chamber this week by a majority vote.
The bill would eliminate the Diversity Visa Program and shift up to 55,000 green cards a year to foreign students who graduate from qualified U.S. schools with a doctorate or master’s degree in the “STEM” disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and math.
Smith’s STEM bill is slated to come up for debate on Thursday. Smith did make some minor changes to the measure, including making it easier for family members of STEM green-card holders to stay in the United States while they wait for their own green cards, and allowing unused STEM green cards made available in fiscal years 2013 through 2016 to be used in the future. The original bill would have only allowed for unused STEM green cards that were available in the first two years covered by the bill to be rolled over into future years.
Still, even supporters acknowledge that the bill faces long odds in the Senate, where Democratic leaders on the issue, such as Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., favor including STEM green-card legislation as part of broader immigration reform.
Schumer introduced his own STEM green-card bill in September.
On Wednesday, the White House issued a statement of administration policy opposing passage of the House bill for several reasons, including that it “would allocate immigrant visas for advanced graduates of a limited set of STEM degree programs.” The statement said the Obama administration is “deeply committed” to immigration reform but “does not support narrowly tailored proposals that do not meet the president’s long-term objectives with respect to comprehensive immigration reform.”
Tech firms and lawmakers argue that immigrants have been responsible for helping to start some of the most successful tech firms in the United States, including Google and Yahoo, and that it makes no sense to educate foreign students in the key STEM fields and then force them to leave the United States when they graduate.
Both Democrats and Republicans support the goal of allowing more skilled foreign students who graduate with advanced STEM degrees to remain in the country, but Smith’s bill faces continued resistance from key House Democrats, including Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who has offered her own STEM green-card legislation. She has criticized the bill for eliminating the Diversity Visa Program. The program uses a lottery to allocate up to 55,000 green cards to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
“Republicans know they have an anti-immigrant image problem, yet, unfortunately, they are proceeding with the Smith bill to pretend they’re pro-immigrant, even though it is a divisive bill that actually reduces legal immigration,” Lofgren, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Republicans need to move past these kinds of gimmicks and work with Democrats to reform our immigration system so it works for businesses, our economy, and families,” Lofgren said. “I am ready to work seriously with Republicans on top-to-bottom reform and hope that real progress can be made early next year.”
Critics of the Diversity Visa Program, however, argue that it has been prone to fraud. The State Department even posted a warning on its website advising people to be wary of scams related to the program. “The Diversity Visa invites fraud and absolutely means that we would have a security risk if we were to continue it,” Smith said during the House floor debate on his bill in September.
However, some tech-industry officials and other groups say they welcome action on the issue.
“Passing this bill into law will greatly benefit the United States, because STEM graduates will be able to innovate and create companies here that have the potential to employ thousands of Americans,” Keith Grzelak, vice president for government relations for the engineers group IEEE-USA, said in a statement.
Grzelak’s group released a report on Tuesday that argued the Diversity Visa Program has achieved its goal and is no longer needed.
“The data shows that the visa lottery has made itself unnecessary, and even counterproductive, which is clear from comparing the educational level and potential contribution to the American economy of STEM graduates from the same regions and countries,” the report concluded.
This article appeared in the Thursday, November 29, 2012 edition of National Journal Daily. | <urn:uuid:9d3e449c-7461-4909-8544-951a79897b71> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2012/11/house-poised-pass-stem-immigration-bill/59813/?oref=ng-relatedstories | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967872 | 1,002 | 1.773438 | 2 |
New York City Auto Repair Shop Fined $100,000
Attorney General Spitzer and State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner John P. Cahill today announced that a New York City auto repair shop has been fined $100,000 for illegally dumping more than 200 gallons of waste oil. The defendant, New York Auto Service, Inc., located at 448-450 11th Avenue, in Manhattan, was sentenced to the maximum fine by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Marcie Kahn after pleading guilty to a felony charge of Endangering the Public Health, Safety or the Environment in the Third Degree.
Investigators from Spitzer's office and the DEC found that for at least two years, New York Auto Service recklessly disposed of waste oil and used oil products from its taxi fleet maintenance operation by pouring them into a leaking underground tank, contained in a porous concrete vault. In November 1997 an oil spill was found in an abandoned train yard beneath 11th Avenue, between 36th and 37th streets. Investigators also determined that oil had also leaked into the vents and the garage of the nearby Jacob Javits Convention Center which abuts the train yard.
Ultimately, 60,000 gallons of oil was removed from the spill area. With the help of DEC geologists and engineers, investigators determined that the origin of the spill was New York Auto Service's garage. The oil sampled from the garage's concrete vault and the oil sampled from the spill area were tested and found to be of the same origin.
"This fine by the court sends a strong message to those who flout the state's environmental laws: If you break the law, you will be held responsible," Spitzer said. "We will vigorously prosecute those who dispose of waste material improperly and pollute the state's environment simply because it is easier than doing it the legal and responsible way."
"New York has established strict rules and regulations regarding the disposal of waste motor oil and we need to ensure companies comply with these standards," Commissioner Cahill said. "DEC willcontinue to work with Attorney General Spitzer to uphold our State's environmental laws and ensure polluters are held accountable for their actions."
New York Auto Service paid the $100,000 fine in full at the time of sentencing.
The case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Julieta Lozano, under the supervision of Rocky Piaggione, Chief of the Environmental Crimes Unit, and Criminal Prosecution Bureau Chief Janet Cohn. | <urn:uuid:2cafe7f7-b4c5-45dc-85a2-61a9f2a7cd5c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ag.ny.gov/press-release/new-york-city-auto-repair-shop-fined-100000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964162 | 491 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Legal Line® provides Free legal information to through its website, telephone and fax-on-demand systems.
1,000 topics are covered within 35 areas of law...
Ontario|Landlord & Tenant
Residential: Eviction Procedures
444 Fighting an eviction order If landlords want to evict tenants they are required to apply to the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal and give the tenant a chance to dispute the eviction. If the tenant does not dispute the eviction, the Tribunal will normally sign an eviction order. Sometimes, tenants do not find out that they are being evicted until they receive a notice from the Sheriff or a copy of an eviction order. If this happens and the tenants did not have a fair chance to dispute the eviction, they may be able to stop the eviction and have a new hearing scheduled. This is called getting the eviction order set-aside.
- How to get an eviction order set-asideIf there is a good reason to stop the Sheriff from going through with the eviction, a tenant has to apply for the eviction order to be set-aside within 10 days from the date it was signed. If 10 days have passed since the eviction order was signed, tenants can still apply for it to be set aside, but the eviction may still occur, making it very difficult for tenants to get back into their home.
- Four steps to getting an eviction order set-asideThere are four steps to getting an eviction order set-aside. First, the tenant is required to fill out a form called a Motion to Set Aside a Default Order and submit it to the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal office which will provide the tenant with a new hearing date.
Second, the office staff will prepare a Notice of Hearing form, which the tenant must deliver to the landlord and to the Sheriff's office to stop the eviction.
Third, the tenant is required to fill out a Certificate of Service form, which indicates that the landlord was notified of the new hearing date.
Fourth, tenants are required to attend the hearing and be prepared to explain their side of the issue.
Depending on the complexity of the issues involved, a tenant may want to contact a legal clinic for advice and in some cases representation at the hearing. The forms required for requesting an eviction order to be set aside are available at the nearest Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal office listed in the Blue pages of the telephone book. | <urn:uuid:dd79a134-faf2-486d-9461-1666b6d52df2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.legalline.ca/en/Home/1751_1397_1691/1411/444+Fighting+an+eviction+order | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941911 | 488 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Speech-to-Speech Translation with Talk To Me
Have you ever been to a foreign country and wanted to know what a sign says? Or, have you ever needed to talk to someone in a different language? Now, with the power of Google Translate and Android TTS (text-to-speech) you can do all this and more with the app, Talk To Me.
Overall Score: 4.8/5
User Interface: 5/5
Ease of Use: 5/5
Talk To Me allows you to avoid language barriers by using a real-time speech-to-speech translator. It is extremely easy to use and provides a great deal of real-world functionality. If you’re traveling out of the country, you’ll definitely want this app in your back pocket (forget the dictionaries at home).
First and foremost, to be able to use this app, you’ll need to be running Android 1.6 or above. You’ll also need an SD-card installed. The app uses the built in Android TTS feature which you might have to download from the Android Market.
When you initially open the app, you’ll see the options for the speech-to-speech translation. At this time, you can only translate speech from English to Spanish, French, German, Italian, and English (UK). Like other apps with speech-recognition built in, just click the giant green microphone and speak. The Android TTS feature does an incredible job at recognizing exactly what you said. It will then play back the speech synthesized translation in the language you chose. Incredibly, the accents seem pretty accurate and believable.
Now, if you’d like to translate to and from more languages, you can use the “Text and speech mode” found in the Menu. There currently are 47 language choices in this mode. Unfortunately with this option, you won’t be able to use the speech feature, but you can type in anything you’d like to translate.
Another great option built into this app is the ability to send a translation via SMS and email. This is an incredibly useful and powerful feature which can be used for many purposes. Note: some symbols might not be recognizable by your recipients phone, so keep that in mind when sending a message in another language.
Additional settings allow you to change the language used by the widget, speech rate, and speech pitch. The widget is a quick way to translate your input (in English) to the language of your choice.
Overall, Talk To Me is an app that has great utility while also being extremely fun to just play around with. Use it for business or to joke around with your friends, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of uses for it. Scan or click the QR code for the direct link in the Android Market.
Related Reviews & Articles: | <urn:uuid:dbf047a3-0385-4b28-8625-ca884d7421fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bestandroidappsreview.com/2010/02/speech-to-speech-translation-with-talk-to-me.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931077 | 603 | 1.515625 | 2 |
TERNATE, Indonesia, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A 6.4-magnitude earthquake Sunday afternoon struck off Indonesia's Moluccas islands, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The earthquake's epicenter was located about 105 miles northwest of the eastern Indonesian island of Ternate, a release from the USGS said.
No tsunami warning was issued.
|Additional World News Stories|
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, June 19 (UPI) --Iceland's new prime minister this week cited the country's mackerel fishing dispute with the European Union as a prime example of the value of sovereignty. | <urn:uuid:e68a2bd1-a16d-4105-b9dd-223bfb94d68b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/08/26/64-earthquake-shakes-Indonesian-islands/UPI-81591346017602/?rel=87001346350848 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936256 | 134 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Refineries could be subject to rolling blackoutsgreenspun.com : LUSENET : Grassroots Information Coordination Center (GICC) : One Thread
Refineries could be subject to rolling blackouts
Ann de Rouffignac OGJ Online Once exempt from involuntary electricity outages, California refineries were notified by utilities they will be subject to rolling blackouts just as any ordinary customer. Meanwhile, the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) temporarily exempted certain pipelines from the voluntary interruptible load provisions of their contracts during electricity emergencies, after gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel for emergency generators began backing up in the system during last week's rolling blackouts. Pipelines are operated by electric pumps, and a series of 18-hour shutdowns over three days last week drove supplies to low levels. The California Independent System Operator (ISO) ordered forced outages during 3 days last week in northern California, but refineries were not forced to shut down. They escaped the hardship because of the limited amount of megawatts that had to be curtailed, says Rich Marcogliese, plant manager for Valero Energy’s Benicia 135,000 b/d refinery. The refineries might not be so lucky next time the ISO calls for rolling blackouts, he says. “If we are shut off, this will migrate a power crisis into a fuel crisis,” says Marcogliese. “Our operations would be disrupted for a week.” The Benicia refinery supplies about 10% of the state’s gasoline, he says. Valero is working with other California refiners and the Western States Petroleum Association to get refineries back in the exempt business category during involuntary outages. They are also concerned about the effect of product pipelines shutting down during electrical emergencies. During last week's outages, key product pipelines were shut in causing inventories to build at refineries and inventories to be drawn down at the terminals. “We have the attention of the state attorney general and are currently working with the legislature to get some kind of bill passed,” says Scott Folwarkow, government affairs spokesman for Valero. The refiners are worried any disruption to production could have quick repercussions on the gasoline market. Because California imports little gasoline as a result of a special formulation, the market is somewhat isolated. GATX Corp. has an interstate pipeline which moves gasoline and jet fuel, originating near Los Angeles at Colten and extends to Las Vegas, Nev. “Our major pipeline is where we had most of the problems,” says George Lowman, spokesman for GATX. The pipeline was shut in because GATX was on an interruptible load contract. In exchange for lower rates, companies agree to have their power cut off during emergencies. He says the products distribution company attempted to insure gasoline was available the Los Angeles area by keeping its “truck rack” open for pick up despite hefty penalties. Penalties for operating when asked to shut down are $9/kw-hr, compared to the usual tariff of 7¢/kw-hr, he says. With the pipeline out of commission, the problems began to spill over into other markets. “In the Las Vegas area, our terminals were out of most common blend gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel,” says Lowman. Kinder Morgan Inc.’s major pipeline which transports much of California’s gasoline to distribution points from refineries, was also shut down because of the electricity emergency. Inventories backed up at the Benecia refinery, says Marcogliese. GATX and Kinder Morgan are currently operating under an emergency order issue by the PUC late Friday which exempt them from paying penalties, if they operate when interruptible load is called by utilities. It is set to expire Friday, but Monday a PUC spokeswoman said a revised letter was in the works.
-- Martin Thompson (firstname.lastname@example.org), January 25, 2001 | <urn:uuid:67cb157b-2e73-42b7-bbb4-0bdb05a0c759> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=004UBK | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957961 | 817 | 1.59375 | 2 |
You know that song you get stuck in your head after watching the American gymnasts at the Olympics? You can blame Phillip Phillips for that one. His hit “Home” is apparently the theme of the Fab Five. I didn’t hear him when he was on – and won – American Idol this year, but this song is definitely catchy. What do you think?
It’s been a long week, so today let’s reflect on almost one week of Olympic splendor (marred only briefly by some badminton players intentionally throwing a game and rightfully getting thrown out…). For your Thursday enjoyment, I bring you two articles about all those Olympic records we’ve seen shattered this week.
See how current competitors stand up against past ones, in terms of record-breaking times and expectations here.
Ever wondered why some Olympic records get broken and other’s don’t? Find out here.
Hope you have a gold-medal push into the end of the week!
… and not because they’re amazingly fit (in the American and British sense of the word), but because of the ridiculous faces some of them make while diving. My favorites:
Though the men make some pretty awesome faces too – there’s a larger, glorious collection here. Hope you’re enjoying the games – slow-motion and everything!
** Spoiler alert, but only if you’re living in a bubble and don’t know the results from Sunday’s swimming competition yet.**
Did you know:
- Women’s soccer has only been an Olympics sport since 1996 (ridiculous).
- Women’s floor exercises in gymnastics are longer than men’s (70-90 seconds as opposed to 60-70 seconds) and use music, while men do not.
- Dana Vollmer broke the 100M fly world record and scored the gold for Team USA this weekend.
- This is the first year that all participating nations have women competing.
- It’s also the first year that Team USA has more women than men competing.
- Women are boxing for the first time in London, though they had a demonstration competition in 1904. (Who dropped the ball in the meantime, ladies??) With this advance, there are no remaining summer sports where women can’t compete.
- In 1900, Charlotte Chattie Cooper was the first woman to win an Olympic title when she defeated her French counterpart in the women’s singles final (tennis).
- After female athletes collapsed during track competitions in 1928 and were criticized for being “unfeminine” and “undignified”, they were banned from racing further than 200M, a ruling that stood at the Olympic level for 32 years.
- In beach volleyball, women are required to wear two-piece uniforms, and there’s a maximum size for the bikini bottom. (Yes, really.)
What amazing women have you been watching this week? And what great ladies will you be cheering for as the Olympics continue?
** Spoiler alert, if you have no clue what’s going on in women’s gymnastics.**
For those of you who are upset about Jordyn Wieber not making it into the gymnastics all-around, I suggest you go read Gold by Chris Cleave. It’s an amazing Olympic novel about a pair of track cyclists who race for their livelihoods when their sport changes to allow only one woman per country to race at the London Olympiad. Not only does it boast some awesome characters and a riveting plot (and, unlike his book Little Bee, I can read it without wanting to be sick), but it paints a new picture of Olympic competition – and what happens even before medals are awarded.
Because the fact of the matter is, these are sports we’re talking about. They’re not always fair or objective, and there are made to be winners and losers – sometimes even on the same team. Yes, Jordyn is the world champion – but that might just mean that on the day of the world championship, she did better than anyone else. And yesterday wasn’t her day – Aly and Gabby simply outperformed her. It could happen to anyone. Whether or not it’s fair to limit each country to 2 max participants in the all-around is another issue, but Jordyn knew that going into it, and probably wouldn’t have cared about the fairness as long as she was one of the two. It’s not like allowing the top 3 – as in previous years – is inherently more fair.
What do you think? Was Jordyn scored unfairly? Do these rules make any sense? Is it weird that a competition to promote unity and conversation among nations is so focused on winners and losers? Weigh in below! | <urn:uuid:8c8b4c03-bdd6-45bf-a637-3745dc06e5cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sallyandthecity.com/tag/2012-summer-olympics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961471 | 1,015 | 1.640625 | 2 |
The Translucent Revolution
by Arjuna Ardagh
There is a gentle but profound revolution in human consciousness happening throughout the world ó it has affected millions of people from all walks of life, and the numbers continue to multiply exponentially. The breakthroughs they have experienced are startlingly similar and are marked by a new sense of well-being, increased joy in life, diminished fear, and a natural impulse to serve and contribute to the world in a real way.
For more than a decade, Arjuna Ardagh has studied this worldwide advance in human consciousness marked by what he calls "translucents" ó individuals who have undergone a spiritual awakening deeply enough that it has permanently transformed their relationship to themselves and to reality, while allowing them to remain involved in ordinary life.
The Translucent Revolution draws on the author's dialogues with thousands of writers, teachers, and workshop participants around the world who display characteristics of "translucence." He blends observation, anecdote, and research, including commentaries from leading pioneers in the field of human
Millions of people have now had an awakening glimpse into their real nature. The experience may not be stable, but it can never be overlooked again. It is not the access that challenges us now, but the actualization of it in our daily lives. David Deida, the prolific writer and teacher, calls such a glimpse a "poking through." To Deida, these moments are fleeting, almost inconsequential in and of themselves. "I think itís far more important what people do, given the Ďpoke through.í How, given a glimpse, they dedicate their occupation, their attention. Otherwise, that glimpse is fleeting and useless."
Without this essential, pivotal awakening there can be no real depth to life. We live preoccupied with hallucinations. After suffering the endless slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, itís a relief to know a dimension of reality where nothing is happening, where we know ourselves to be essential peace, where we are connected with everything, a state where love rules supreme.
If youíve watched the television news in the last few months, or listened to the radio, or been on the internet, or looked at a magazine, or even just talked to well, anybody, you must be aware that the general consensus is that this is a time of unprecedented challenge and transition.
Economically, that often gets focused onto the United States, but actually in the wider implications, the transition that we are passing through is global.
Iím sure you donít need me to spell out what that means. Whether we focus on sinking into a global recessionĖor even depressionĖor global warming, or peak oil, or the many unresolved political conflicts around the world: whatever parameter you choose to focus on, many people feel today fear that we are sitting on a bus heading over the edge of a cliff. Depressing, isnít it?
Suppose for a moment that your house develops severe dry rot in the basement. The contractor comes, takes a look and says, "Sorry, thereís nothing I can do. Itís too far gone. Better to tear the place down." This would be inconvenient, but not the end of the world. Now suppose that it was your neighborhood gone to seed, taken over by, what? Lawyers? Communists? White supremacists? Doesnít matter. If you donít like the area where youíre living you can always move to another part of town. Now what about if it was your city, or your state, or even the country? Thereís always an alternative. You could move to Phoenix, or Alaska, or even Mexico or Europe. Bali is very nice, too.
But what about if itís our planet in jeopardy? That is a whole different situation, because as far as most of us know, we donít have any alternative. Some people claim to have had communication with the Pleiadees or life on Mars, but for the average Joe like you and me, this is it. This is home. Every memory we have is of life on earth, and every aspiration, too. When the balance of life on this planet is jeopardized, itís quite natural to feel a little queasy.
On the surface it seems that every problem we face: environmental, political, economic is separate and disconnected from every other. The only thing they all have in common is that we donít really know what to do. But look a little deeper. Every predicament we face; personally, in our family or community, and even globally, does have one thing in common. Us.
Weight: 2.5000 pounds
Click here for more | <urn:uuid:295bc2d9-cbe7-48fb-ab6d-90161e6a0b92> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/display/product.cgi?pid=1417 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952637 | 962 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Stephen Deuchar was awarded the honour for his service to the public as former director of Tate Britain from 1998 until 2009. He joined the Art Fund
as director in January 2010.
On receiving the award, Stephen Deuchar said: "It's a great honour and I'm delighted. I feel privileged to have worked at Tate Britain amongst so many inspirational colleagues."
During this time at Tate, Stephen oversaw the creation of Tate Britain in 2000 at Millbank, home of the original Tate Gallery, and the opening of its Centenary Development galleries in 2001. During his leadership, Tate Britain acquired an outstanding international reputation and increased its visitor figures by 60%.
Stephen collaborated with the Art Fund with several major acquisitions during his time at Tate. In 2008 he oversaw Tates campaign to secure Rubenss Sketch for the Banqueting House Ceiling, towards which the Art Fund contributed £600,000. He also worked closely with the Art Fund when it ran a successful appeal to save Turners Blue Rigi for Tate in 2007.
Prior to working at Tate Stephen served 12 years as a curator and exhibitions director at the National Maritime Museum.
On starting his new role as director of the UKs leading independent art charity he said: "My own instinct is to return to the core principles, in providing a service for others. I want to listen to what the galleries and museum curators have to say."
During his first weeks of leadership at the Art Fund, Stephen oversaw the charitys successful Staffordshire Hoard campaign to save the £3.3m Anglo-Saxon treasures for the West Midlands. The Hoard comprising over 1,500 items, mainly gold and many encrusted with jewels was unearthed in a field near Staffordshire in 2009 and declared the most valuable treasure ever found on UK soil. It is now jointly owned by Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent. | <urn:uuid:83a0153f-93c4-4f94-9218-21ed98b736ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=38689&int_modo=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973842 | 394 | 1.632813 | 2 |
The Obama Record: The most frightening aspect of this president may not be his radical ideology but his rank dishonesty in selling that ideology. Now he’s been caught lying about family racism.
In “Dreams from My Father,” his 1995 memoir, Obama used the story of his paternal grandfather’s imprisonment and torture at the hands of British colonists in Kenya as an example of white cruelty. He claimed Hussein Onyango Obama was unjustly detained for six months before being released a crippled, lice-ridden “old man.”
In fact, none of it is true, according to Washington Post editor and biographer David Maraniss, who traveled to Kenya to investigate the tale. His grandfather was not detained or beaten by his “white rulers,” as Obama, writing as a 34-year-old lawyer, claimed.
This is only the latest example of a growing body of fabrications, embellishments and outright lies told by this president, who has a real and possibly pathological problem with the truth.
Stacked up, his whoppers would make even Bill Clinton blush. Here’s a sampling:
Lie No. 1: Obama has repeatedly claimed his white grandfather, Stanley Dunham, “fought in Patton’s army,” when he was a clerk with no combat in WWII.
Lie No. 2: Obama claimed Dunham, a communist sympathizer, signed up for duty “the day after Pearl Harbor,” when in fact he waited six months.
Lie No. 3: Obama claimed his father “fought when he got back to Kenya against tribalism and nepotism, but ultimately was blackballed from the government,” when in fact he fought against capitalism and lost his job when he advocated communism.
Lie No. 4: Obama has claimed his late mother’s health insurer refused “to pay for her treatment” for cancer while citing a “pre-existing condition,” when Cigna paid all her hospital bills and never denied payment.
Lie No. 5: Obama claimed he and a black high school friend named “Ray” were ostracized in Honolulu, when in fact the friend, Keith Kakugawa, was half-Japanese, and neither of them experienced discrimination.
Lie No. 6: Obama claimed the father of his Indonesian stepfather was killed by Dutch soldiers while fighting for Indonesian independence, when in fact the story turns out to be “a concocted myth in almost all respects,” Maraniss found.
Lie No. 7: Obama claimed his parents decided to marry in the excitement of the Selma civil-rights march of 1965 – and that he personally has “a claim on Selma” – when in fact they were married several years earlier.
Lie No. 8: Obama claimed his father got to study in the U.S. thanks to JFK’s efforts to bring “young Africans over to America,” when in fact the Kenyan airlift his father participated in occurred in 1959 under Ike.
Lie No. 9: Obama submitted a phony bio to his book publicist claiming he was “born in Kenya.”
Lie No. 10: Obama denied being a member of the socialist New Party, when a member roster of the Chicago chapter of the party lists him joining on Jan. 11, 1996.
Lie No. 11: Obama claimed he had only a passing acquaintance with Weather Underground terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, when in fact they held a fundraiser for their Hyde Park neighbor in their living room, and years later, while Obama served in the U.S. Senate, hosted a barbecue for him in their backyard.
Lie No. 12: Obama claimed he never heard Rev. Jeremiah Wright spew anti-American invectives while sitting in his pews for 20 years, when in fact Obama was moved to tears hearing Wright condemn “white folks” and the U.S. for bombing other countries and even named his second book after the sermon.
Lie No. 13: Obama claimed he got in a “big fight” with old white flame Genevieve Cook, who after seeing a black play asked “why black people were so angry all the time,” when in fact she never saw the play nor made the remark.
In both his autobiographies, Obama paints a false portrait of a still-racist America and West, where he, his friends and relatives are victimized by that racism. Conveniently, his remedy is redistributive justice through bigger government. | <urn:uuid:a89399c7-94b5-4056-bd79-590f21fb7841> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thedaleygator.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/is-president-obama-a-pathological-liar/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983092 | 952 | 1.5 | 2 |
Arrangements have been made with all parties for the release of 21 UN peacekeepers held captive by Syrian
rebels, although the operation was delayed as darkness fell Friday, the United Nations said.
A team of peacekeepers was sent Friday to bring back their colleagues, who are being held in the village of Jamlah near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, said Josephine Guerrero, a spokeswoman for the UN Peacekeeping Department.
Because of the late hour and darkness "it was considered unsafe to continue the operation" but efforts will resume Saturday, she said.
The captive troops, all Filipinos, are from a peacekeeping mission that had monitored a cease-fire line between Israel
and Syria without incident for nearly four decades. Their abduction Wednesday illustrated the sudden vulnerability of the UN mission amid spillover from Syria's civil war. It sent a worrisome signal to Israel, which fears lawlessness along the shared frontier if Syrian President Bashar Assad
UN peacekeepers held captive with one of the rebels
Earlier, UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told reporters that the Filipinos are being held in the basements of four or five houses in Jamlah.
The peacekeepers are apparently safe, he said, but the village "is subjected to intense shelling by the Syrian armed forces."
"As of now, there is perhaps a hope – but I have to be extremely cautious because it is not done yet – but there is the possibility that a cease-fire of a few hours can intervene which would allow for our people to be released," he said after briefing the UN Security Council.
"If that were to happen, as we all hope," Ladsous said, "we would strongly expect that there not be retaliatory action by the Syrian armed forces over the village and its civilian population after our people have left."
The peacekeepers' four-vehicle convoy was intercepted Wednesday by rebels from a group calling itself the Martyrs of the Yarmouk Brigades. The convoy was stopped on the outskirts of Jamlah.
Rebels said 10 people have died in regime shelling of Jamlah and nearby villages in recent days. Fighting continued Thursday, according to activists.
Syria's UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari denied that government forces were shelling Jamlah, but he said they were involved in military activity in the suburbs "where the armed groups are concentrated."
He said Syria has three goals: To ensure the safe release of the peacekeepers; guarantee the safety of the inhabitants of Jamlah and other villages; and "get these armed groups, terrorists, out of there." He said Syrian soldiers are willing to risk their lives to see the safe release of the peacekeepers.
The capture of the peacekeepers came a week after the announcement that a member of their mission is missing.
Ladsous said that in light of the volatile situation in the area, the United Nations has vacated two positions which were particularly exposed to gunfire, one at the extreme south of area of separation.
"In a wider sense, of course we are looking very closely at the `modus operendi' of the mission in the situation it is facing," he said.
The UN monitoring mission, known as UNDOF, was set up in 1974, seven years after Israel captured the Golan and a year after it managed to push back Syrian troops trying to recapture the territory in another regional war.
For nearly four decades, the UN monitors helped enforce a stable truce between Israel and Syria.
But in recent months, Syrian mortars overshooting their target have repeatedly hit the Israeli-controlled Golan. In Israel's most direct involvement so far, Israeli warplanes struck inside Syria in January, according to US officials who said the target was a convoy carrying anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah
, a Lebanese
militia allied with Assad and Iran.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said "the mission in the Golan needs to review its security arrangements and it has been doing that."
He said the mission has been looking at different scenarios and arrangements on how to operate "in these new rather difficult and challenging circumstances."
One change that has already been made is the elimination of night patrols, Nesirky said. | <urn:uuid:f3388323-2092-4331-846c-e7dab292dc2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4354108,00.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978015 | 864 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Will proposed cuts harm delivery of crop insurance?
William Murphy is the administrator of USDA's Risk Management Agency.
> Seeking to Cut Excess Payments
USDA has proposed a Standard Reinsurance Agreement that intends to smooth out the highs and lows of insurance risk. It will also offer financial incentives to provide service to underserved crops, areas and farmers. It will produce significant savings to American taxpayers, while not affecting farmer costs.
Government payments to crop insurance companies have more than doubled, from $1.8 billion in 2006 to $3.8 billion in 2009, primarily because of the commodity price spike. The number of policies delivered has dropped.
We expect a final Standard Reinsurance Agreement by April. We believe it will lead to a stronger federal crop insurance program that helps all producers continue to manage their risk in every region of the country. In addition, we think it will be more financially sustainable and responsible for taxpayers.
Steve Harms is president of Rain and Hail LLC, one of the nation's largest crop insurance companies.
> Complexity Adds to Costs
Delivering the federal crop insurance program has become increasingly challenging. The administrative and operating subsidy, designed to reduce the delivery cost to keep farmers' premiums affordable, has dropped from 36% of premium in the 1980s to 19% for 2009. A 2008 farm bill provision delays payments to companies beginning in 2011, adding to cash-flow needs.
At the same time, the program's expansion and additional coverage choices add complexity and boost costs for computer, training and loss adjustment.
Given existing challenges, once the 2011 Standard Reinsurance Agreement is finalized, companies will need to reassess their geographic footprint and the number of employees and adjusters who assist agents and policyholders. Service processes and innovations will also need to be re-evaluated.
Bob Parkerson is president of National Crop Insurance Services, a crop insurance organization.
> Deep Cuts Jeopardize Delivery
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) proposal to reduce funding $4 billion in the next five years in addition to the $6.4 billion cut mandated by the 2008 farm bill could degrade service.
Cuts in payments to deliver the program and in underwriting gains will impair many of the 15 private insurance companies, especially the small and medium-sized ones. This is likely to lead to more consolidation in an already shrinking industry, especially given that RMA changes already require upgrading computer systems and technology, more training and new reports at an estimated cost of $100 million.
It could eliminate many of the more than 18,000 associated jobs. There will be fewer employees, fewer offices, less time with clients and an inclination to focus on the profitable customers. Farmers will have to travel farther, and some states may end up with one crop insurance company.
Bruce Babcock is director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University.
> Large Amounts of Excessive Support
Applying economic analysis to the crop insurance industry indicates annual subsidies could be reduced by more than $1 billion without adverse impacts on program effectiveness.
The crop insurance industry is not really competitive because the government sets the premiums and dictates the products companies can offer. They do compete through agent commissions, however; those with higher commissions tend to increase their market share.
Agent commissions received per policy sold increased by a factor of 4 between 2001 and 2008. Adjusting for general wage inflation reveals that the minimum pay necessary for an agent to provide the same level of service in 2008 as 2001 was $426 per policy. They actually received $1,442. Given that 1.148 million policies were sold in 2008, taxpayers provided $1.165 billion more than necessary.
Top Producer, March 2010 | <urn:uuid:659f3876-3d97-4332-b54d-d05895098644> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/topproducer/article/Will_Proposed_Cuts_Harm_Delivery_of_Crop_Insurance_193661/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950852 | 755 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Until about the beginning of the new century, glucosamine was available in two forms. These were topical analgesics and pill/capsule form.
Glucosamine based topical analgesics, in testing, has been shown to temporarily reduce pain in the direct area where applied as it penetrates the skin, but there is no real lasting effect.
Glucosamine capsules on the other hand, are better suited to reducing the pain over a long period of time and slowing the progression of osteoarthritis joint deterioration. Using pills, however, one is still not realizing the full potential of glucosamine. This is for two reasons.
...There are several reasons for this.
First, many pills in the marketplace contain a great deal of fillers, binders, coatings, and disintegrants that do not provide any help with your problem and some may actually interfere with the absorption and bioavailability of the active ingredients of the product that you are trying to have your body absorb. If a company can sell you fillers and binders instead of more expensive active ingredients, they can pad their profits while reducing the benefits to you of using the product.
Second, the way that pills are made may affect how well your body can absorb the active ingredients in them. Many pills are greatly compressed when made causing your body more difficulty in breaking them down so that the useful, active ingredients can be absorbed and become bioavailable.
Third, some makers of glucosamine products do not actually provide in their products what they claim to be providing. In other words, the percentages of active ingredients actually in the product are less than what is advertised. The reliable Consumer Labs examined 49 glucosamine and chondroitin products in 2003, and found that some did not contain what they advertised as containing. (The biggest problems occurred with the products claiming to have chondroitin.) Syn-flex was one of the 49 examined and Consumer Labs stated that it contained its advertised ingredients and approved the product. Other scientific authorities have noted this same problem with some nutraceuticals -- there are unethical sellers and makers who promise one thing in their products and deliver far less.
Fourth, the quality of the glucosamine used can have an impact on its efficacy. This will be a difficult factor for you to consider because there are no federal standards in place for the purity of nutritional supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin. You will have to do the best you can to analyze the information available about each product, then purchase one and try it. If it does not produce the benefits you expected, you should try another product and keep trying until you find a product that works for you.
Why Your Previous Glucosamine Products May Not Have Worked
Research has shown that many nutraceuticals and vitamins are absorbed more quickly and in higher percentages when taken in liquid form rather than in a pill form. Consequently, taking liquid glucosamine rather than glucosamine in pills or capsules could increase the benefits received and reduce the time it takes for results to be noticed.
If you have arthritis, we highly recommend trying Syn-flex®. Syn-flex® is a fast-acting, high-quality osteoarthritis formula for humans and pets. Learn more about Syn-flex® here | <urn:uuid:22edfdec-8ff3-497c-bca2-ee42a0438c74> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.arthritis-glucosamine.net/glucosamine-liquid.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958445 | 670 | 1.75 | 2 |
AJMER, India: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday prayed at a 13th-century shrine in northern India on a lightning one-day visit in which politics was kept off the agenda. Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid earlier hosted a lunch for Ashraf at the Rambagh Palace, a luxury heritage hotel in the tourist city of Jaipur, and said he was welcoming the premier with “open arms”, despite strained relations between the countries over recent border clashes.
“It's in our culture to welcome our guests with open arms,” said Khurshid, adding that controversial topics such as alleged sponsorship of cross-border militancy by Pakistan, were not discussed at the lunch.
“Today it was a private visit. There were no official talks. We will do it at the appropriate time,” Khurshid said.
On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told parliament ties between the South Asian neighbours could improve only if Pakistan shunned its alleged support to “the terror machine” of cross-border militancy.
Pakistan, which has fought three wars with India since independence from Britain in 1947, rejects New Delhi's charges that she supports militant attacks on Indian soil.
After the luncheon meeting, Ashraf, whose government's term ends on March 16, flew to the shrine in Ajmer, 130 kilometres from Jaipur.
Ashraf and his family prayed at the revered shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz and were slated to return to Islamabad later on Saturday.
Ashraf was the most senior Pakistani official to visit India since last April when President Asif Ali Zardari made a similar pilgrimage and had lunch with Prime Minister Singh.
Tensions spiked between New Delhi and Islamabad in January and February as a total of six soldiers were killed in exchanges along the de facto border in Kashmir, a region claimed by both countries.
Four of the soldiers killed were from Pakistan while two were from India.
One of the Indians was beheaded allegedly by Pakistanis.
Some Indians, including the symbolic spiritual head of the Ajmer shrine Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, objected to Prime Minister Ashraf's pilgrimage.
Khan had said he would refuse to assist the premier during the prayers.
“I expected the Pakistani prime minister to bring back the head of the Indian martyr, tender an apology to the people of India and the family of the soldier,” Khan said.
However, his decision did not affect the Pakistani premier's visit because other shrine members assisted Prime Minister Ashraf, officials at the religious site said. | <urn:uuid:b915400f-496b-4038-ab95-b57fc2c56f2d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://beta.dawn.com/news/791412/pm-ashraf-departs-for-india | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982246 | 546 | 1.835938 | 2 |
One of the oldest cooking clichés in the book is how much chefs hate to measure things. For the most part this is true. When it comes to savory preparations (think soup), exact measurements are not crucial, as the final seasoning/texture is adjusted at the end of procedure anyway.
The closest I've ever come to throwing the remote through the TV screen was the time I saw a well-know Food Network cooking personality (she has dark hair) measure a tablespoon of chopped parsley to sprinkle over the top of some casserole. Really? Come on!
However, when it comes to baking, exact measurements are critical. A perfectly moist cookie recipe made with 2 cups of flour for one cook can be a dry, disappointing experience for another. Why?
As you'll see in this short, but hopefully illuminating video, the amount of flour that will fit in a cup can vary greatly. If at all possible, when baking, use recipes that call for flour by weight and use a small digital scale to portion.
This is not a sponsored post, but I will disclose that the EatSmart scale you see in the clip was sent to me to test out. I've only used it a few times, so I can't comment on its lifespan or durability, but so far, so good, and I really love the simple design. Here's a link to the Amazon page where it's sold, and received many excellent reviews. | <urn:uuid:6a73629b-e766-4ab6-9684-a4f536ce27bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://foodwishes.blogspot.jp/2010/03/how-to-measure-cup-of-flour-and-why-you.html?showComment=1267844973959 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969406 | 293 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Tearing Down the Wall
by John R. Polito
Nicotine Cessation Educator
The final phase of nicotine dependency recovery is in either allowing sufficient time to pass so that thoughts of wanting to smoke -- reflecting the mountain of denial garbage we constantly fed ourselves over the years -- gradually fade away and stop haunting and replaying over and over in the mind, or accelerating the process by seeing the arrival of each as a golden opportunity to set the record straight.Hooked
Imagine residing inside a mind chemically dependent upon a substance that addiction experts contend may possibly be the most captivating of all. Although it isn't likely that any of us then knew or realized that our brain had physically grown millions upon millions of extra acetylcholine receptors, that it had de-sensitized select critical brain pathways from an endless onslaught of nicotine, or that nicotine was in command and control over the flow of more than 200 of our body’s neurochemicals, we didn't’t need to know the details.
We’d each already felt the punishing anxieties of waiting too long between nicotine feedings. We knew we’d lost the autonomy to simply turn and walk away. Even though we’d tried to tune it out, we also couldn't’t help but hear the dull roar of the endless stream of new study findings telling us that each and every puff not only destroyed more of our body’s ability to receive and transport life-giving oxygen, but that with it came a greater accumulation of the 43 carcinogens present in each burning cigarette. We knew that a time-bomb was building in each of us.
Although clinging to the security blanket that all we suffered from was some "nasty little habit," deep down we knew we were hooked solid. So how did our conscious thinking mind cope with the sobering reality that our brain was a slave to its own senseless self-destruction?Dignity's Denial
How did we look in the mirror each morning and maintain any sense of dignity, self-worth or self-respect while constantly being reminded that we were prisoners to dependency, decay, disease, and that today we’d move closer to completing the act of committing our own chemical suicide? It was easy - we learned to lie.
We each called upon our intelligence and conscious mind to help build a thick protective wall of denial that not only insulated us from the hard cold realities of daily dependency but behind which we could hide when those on the outside felt the need to remind us of who we really were and what we were doing. Our basic tools for building the wall were conscious rationalizations, minimizations and blame transference.
As soon as nicotine’s urge commands began telling us that smoking was no longer an optional activity we each found ourselves forced to explain our involuntary obedience to them. Although nicotine’s two-hour half-life inside our bloodstream was now the basic clock governing mandatory feeding times, we each became very creative in providing alternative justifications and explanations.
In our pre-dependency days we may have found honest pleasure in experiencing an unearned flood of dopamine accompanied by a nicotine induced rush of adrenaline but once the feedings became mandatory it didn't matter how we felt about them. Choice was no longer an issue. Even if we didn't fully appreciate our new state of permanent chemical captivity, many of us rationalized the situation based upon what we found ourselves doing.Building Protection
"I don’t do things that I don’t like to do," we reminded ourselves. "I smoke lots and lots and lots of cigarettes, therefore I must really love smoking," instead of "therefore, I must really be addicted to smoking nicotine." Not only were our "like" and "love" rationalizations easier to swallow, they provided a conscious defense against those encouraging us to stop. Yes, the first bricks in our wall of denial were now being cemented into place, and made thicker with each empty pack.
Some of us hid from our dependency by blaming our chronic tobacco use on what we described as tobacco smoke’s wonderful smell or taste. This rationalization brick not only ignored the over 600 flavor additives that the tobacco industry uses to engineer an amazing spectrum of smells and tastes, it ignored the fact that hundreds of other plants, products and people smell good too but we have never once found the need to light any of them on fire and suck them into our lungs in order to complete the experience. But if man ever decides to soak any in nicotine, stand back, as the nicotine addict will likely be burning them soon too.
One brick was our sense that we were each somehow able to control the uncontrollable. Some of us purchased just one pack at a time, playing the endless mind game that tomorrow would always be our last. Some intentionally never made a serious attempt so as to avoid having to admit dependency. Others rationalized that since they only smoked a little more than 5 mg. of nicotine daily (about 5 cigarettes) they were either less addicted than others, somehow better than other smokers, or not addicted at all. And then there are our closest smokers - like my grandmother - who constantly tried to convince us that the cloud of smoke rolling out of the bathroom behind her really wasn't there.
The most fatal control rationalization of all is the fraud of "just one," "just one little puff!" Although a primary maxim of addiction is that "one is always too many and a thousand never enough," instead of picturing all of them and the return of our entire dependency and the endless destructive chain of feeding linked to it, we rationalized countless relapses by lying to ourselves that we were stronger than nicotine and that we could smoke "just one." Why waste time entertaining the repeating thought reflected by this brick when we now know it be a lie?
Each time our wall was pierced we simply added another brick. There was our "you have to die of something" brick, our "there’s still plenty of time" brick, and even the rationalization that went as far as to counter tobacco’s 50% kill rate by asserting that it really meant that "there is a 50% chance that smoking won’t kill me."
We also have all of our "why we smoked" rationalizations. We told ourselves that it made the coffee taste better when in fact it deadened our sense of smell and drowned coffee’s flavors in the 4,000 chemicals present in each burning cigarette. There was our "best friend" brick which asserted that a chemical with an I.Q. of zero was most loyal companion we'd ever had, even when smoking it had long ago deprived us of up to one-third of our functional lung capacity.
There was our boredom brick, our appetizer before every meal brick, our after each meal dessert brick, and the brick proclaiming the first cigarette of the day to be one of the best of all. Each such rationalization totally ignored the real clock driving the situation - nicotine’s two-hour chemical half-life.
They ignored the fact that the average pack-a-day smoker will receive a command to smoke (an urge) about every thirty minutes regardless of which activity their denial wishes to credit. It ignores the fact that after sleeping through three to four nicotine half-lives we were left with nicotine blood-serum reserve levels that were somewhere down around our socks. Those first daily smokes should have been memorable.
Then there was our alcohol and stress bricks. Living in a world of dependency ignorance, very few of us knew that nicotine is an alkaloid and that both stress and alcohol are acid producing events. Instead of understanding how stress and alcohol can neutralize the body's nicotine reserves we rationalized that smoking reduced our stress and that we liked smoking more when drinking.
Let's not forget our romantic fixation bricks proclaiming that some of our best memories ever were based upon the presence of nicotine, and that somehow the moment or underlying memory would have been less significant if nicotine had not added dopamine and adrenaline to it. Wouldn't honest reflection have us asking how many of life's perfect moments were interrupted by a mandatory need to leave and feed, or by a mind pre-occupied with the need to do so?
And what about our quitting bricks? Pretending that we’d be quitting soon or going so far as to actually set a date would always make today’s nicotine fixes far more bearable. When we failed to follow through or relapsed we could always reach for our blame bricks and lay the cause for our defeat upon family members that just couldn't handle the temporary anxieties associated with recovery. We could blame friends, a lack of support, a relationship, stressful times, financial hardship, other smokers, alcohol or even our job.Natural Erosion or Conscious Intervention?
The only limit upon the bricks within our wall was our imagination. Have you ever noticed just how challenging it really is to coax a smoker out from behind their wall? After years of construction it tends to be a secure and comforting place to hide from those seeking to impose their will upon us.
It is not necessary that any of us set out to consciously dismantle our wall of denial in order to successfully keep our dependency arrested. But what it may help to realize is that the bulk of our "thoughts" of wanting to smoke nicotine are likely a reflection of the very wall that we ourselves created.
As each thought arrives, will spending a bit of time reflecting upon its origin and validity help shorten this temporary period of adjustment called quitting, and diminish the number of excuses available to justify future relapse?
The day and moment is approaching when you'll awaken to an expectation of going your entire day without once wanting to smoke nicotine. Oh, you'll still have thoughts now and then but with decreasing frequency, shorter duration and declining intensity. They'll become the exception, not the rule. It may even get to the point where you'll greet them with a smile as they'll be your only reminder of the amazing journey you've made.
They say that "truth shall set us free" but here at WhyQuit we have an even better guarantee. It is impossible to lose our freedom so long as we refuse to allow nicotine back into our bloodstream. The next few minutes are all that matter and each is entirely doable. There was always only one rule ... no nicotine today ... Never Take Another Puff!Breathe deep, hug hard, live long!
WhyQuit's basic "how to quit smoking" video
|Knowledge is a Quitting Method!| | <urn:uuid:039bba4b-70c0-4ae2-8efb-a3401e1ef10f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Thoughts.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970691 | 2,163 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Webcams get serious
- By David Essex
- Aug 21, 2002
The Axis 2120 is an indoor network camera that can be adapted for outdoor use. It's priced at $949
Desktop 'eyes' are still a novelty, but networked cameras catch on as sentinels for a new vigilance
Creative Labs' $150 PC-CAM 600 is a digital and desktop camera powered by batteries or via a USB connection. Below: D-Link Systems' DSB-C100 desktop PC camera, priced at $29, connects via USB.
Webcams, which let you capture digital video and immediately transmit it over the Internet, have become a popular mainstay of reality TV shows and tech-savvy consumers.
But government agencies also are discovering serious uses for webcams, especially since Sept. 11, when surveillance and information sharing among agencies became a top priority.
Webcams appeal to IT managers because they adhere to IP, the lingua franca of public networks and, increasingly, private ones. Unlike the analog cameras used in closed-circuit television, which typically store images on cumbersome videotapes, webcams are digital from the get-go, producing images that can easily be edited, catalogued, analyzed, transmitted and stored in databases.
Many professional cameras are Ethernet-ready, so they integrate nicely with LANs, opening up new possibilities for distributing imaging technology throughout an organization.
There are webcams, and there are webcams.
The 'eyeball' cameras popularized by market leader Logitech Inc., its rival Creative Labs Inc. and other companies long ago became cheap commodities. Despite a lull last year, the tiny devices should continue to grow in popularity, with U.S. sales rising from 6 million units in 2002 to 9.4 million by 2006, predicted market researcher International Data Corp. of Framingham, Mass.
The devices rarely cost more than $80 and are best for personal uses, such as desktop videoconferencing or e-mailing short video clips, though the latter could appeal to agencies for sharing information that includes motion, such as demonstrating machines and other processes.
PC webcams' image quality is often disappointing, though it's gradually improving.
TV-quality, 30 frame-per-second video has a harsh tradeoff with image sharpness. Although this also is true of high-end cameras, they have superior sensors that produce better images, according to experts.
Another disadvantage: PC webcams are closely tethered to the PC, so you can't position them very far from the box.
Outside homes, PC webcams haven't taken off as videoconferencing tools, in part, some observers say, because organizations don't want employees tinkering with hardware, wasting time or compromising security.Video instant messaging
A variation might be about to challenge IT managers further: video instant messaging, the emerging webcam killer app, according to vendors. It lets you add video to live IM text sessions. But with IM already becoming a problem at many organizations, adding video will further strain already overtaxed bandwidth.
A recent innovation is cameras designed to clip on to notebook PCs. Makers of consumer webcams also sell hybrids, often called dualcams, which contain a still digital camera that can be detached from its desktop holder and carried around. In this mode, the cameras run off standard batteries rather than the power from the PC's USB port.
But don't expect much quality. 'It's not a real good camera,' said Michelle Slaughter, research analyst at InfoTrends Research Group Inc. in Boston.
IP network cameras from companies such as Axis Communications Inc. and Sony Electronics Inc. are the real sweet spot for serious uses. They have higher-quality, faster image sensors than PC webcams, so they're capable of hosting mission-critical security applications, from recognizing faces to monitoring border crossings.
Monitoring construction sites is another popular use. The better models have the ability to pan, tilt or zoom to focus on subjects, and most have motion-detection sensors that can snap pictures of intruders and issue e-mail alerts. Low-end models cost about $300, which is not much more than the priciest consumer webcams.
Network cameras don't just stand alone from PCs, they basically are PCs, typically running Linux and Web server software. As intelligent network devices, they can be viewed and controlled from popular browsers and placed wherever Category 5 Ethernet cabling will take them. Some newer models even link wirelessly.
Vendors of PC and network webcams concede that camera technology isn't advancing very quickly, though electronics manufacturers continually improve the speed, resolution and colors of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensors and their higher-quality competitors, charge-coupled devices. The emerging MPEG-4 file standard promises improvements in speed, compression and image quality, and several vendors say they're actively investigating it. But it has been slow to catch on, in part, some say, because of licensing costs.
The biggest recent advances, in fact, have come in the peripheral ports used to connect the devices. A few cameras have added the new Universal Serial Bus'USB 2.0'as standard, which promises faster streaming video and higher-resolution images than USB 1.1. A few cameras come with a competing high-speed standard, IEEE 1394, commonly known as FireWire.Other video options
There are other ways to get video on the Web, but they are generally more expensive and cumbersome, and less flexible, than IP devices.
PC video capture cards, for example, digitize analog camera signals, which can then be massaged for the Web. But if they are run inside PCs, they suffer the reliability problems of the PC platform, which tend to be absent in the self-contained network cameras.
Video capture cards might work for agencies that have made large and fairly recent investments in analog security or closed-circuit cameras. Another option, surveillance-style digital video cameras, often lacks convenient IP connectivity. Still another type, digital camcorders, might not be suitable for the fixed mounts preferred for security and monitoring. Even some still digicams can capture short videos, but they lack the immediacy of a true webcam.
The choices boil down to IP network cameras or, if your needs run toward single-user videoconferencing and video e-mail, a PC webcam. The accompanying chart shows both consumer-class and network cameras. It doesn't include devices marketed primarily as still cameras, or high-end digital cameras that lack built-in, bundled or optional Web support.
With prices rarely exceeding $1,500 even for an automated network camera, the investment, like many of the technologies enabled by the Web, is easy to swallow.
Experts recommend, though, that you have a clear idea beforehand of the camera's location and connections, make sure it has the right lenses for capturing the scene and beware of misleading resolution claims. Impressive resolution numbers often are achieved by interpolation, a digitizing process that gives an illusion of sharpness.
Aside from scanning spec sheets, the best way to find out is to see a live demo or have a camera's images e-mailed to you. Seeing is believing. David Essex is a free-lance technology writer based in Antrim, N.H. | <urn:uuid:cfe1e574-04e1-4281-8bbb-03b54f36f6a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gcn.com/Articles/2002/08/21/Webcams-get-serious.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940593 | 1,517 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Support 88Nine And This Artist:
There are at least two artists that have used this name:
1. A roots reggae band from Jamaica
2. A straight edge metalcore band from Florida, US
1. Culture was a Jamaican roots reggae group founded in 1976. Originally they were known as the African Disciples.
The members of the trio were Joseph Hill (lead vocals), Albert Walker (backing vocals) and Kenneth Dayes (backing vocals).
Shortly after Culture came together, they began working with the "Mighty Two" – producer Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson. While at Gibbs’ studio, they recorded a series of powerful singles, many of which ended up on their debut album ‘Two Sevens Clash’. After their success with Gibbs, the group went on to make a string of albums for producer Sonia Pottinger. Culture began working with some of the premier musicians of the day including Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar, Ansel Collins, Cedric Brooks and the ever-present percussionist Sticky. Virgin Records picked up the albums, and that added distribution enabled Culture to gain an even larger following outside of Jamaica.
Critically considered one of the most authentic traditional reggae acts, at the time of the first Rolling Stone Record Guide publication, they were the only band of any genre whose every recording received a five-star review (of bands with more than one recording in the guide).
In 1982 the three singers went their own ways. Hill carried on using the Culture name, and recorded the Lion Rock album, which was released in the United States by Heartbeat Records. For their part, Walker and Dayes recorded a handful of songs on their own – a few of which turned up on an album titled Roots & Culture. In 1986 the original line-up reformed to record two highly regarded albums – Culture in Culture and Culture at Work. These releases marked the beginning of a very busy period for the group, including annual albums and countless tours. The U.S. label Shanachie released a steady stream of new and old Culture albums up to Wings Of A Dove in 1992.
Joseph Hill, who came to symbolize the face of Culture, died in Germany on 19 August 2006 while the group was on tour. His son, Kenyatta Hill, now is the lead singer.
User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL. | <urn:uuid:292a9184-43fd-4575-805b-a3f74af3a36d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/playlist/artists/culture | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972426 | 506 | 1.609375 | 2 |
It isn’t every day that we have the space and opportunity to put our minds to the task of deep thinking. Yet, so many wonderful changes in life come from the sparks of insight we gain when we stop to think things through from time to time.
The Cinquecento Project began as a multi-faceted attempt to inform friends and family about life in Sicily; to educate myself about my new culture – both military and Sicilian; to give me an excuse to order a new food, take another picture, or trek to Cefalu for gelato (no regrets!!!); to focus on the positive perks of daily life; and so much more.
Frank Bruni over at the New York Times shares a touching story about changing perspectives through deep thinking. Rethinking His Religion begins as a coming of age story. Immediately, Mr. Bruni encounters a deeply religious student, and Bruni is turned off.
“This man attended Catholic services every Sunday in a jacket and tie, feeling that church deserved such respect. I kept a certain distance from him.“
Over the years, they had some interactions, but nothing could have prepared Bruni for the turnaround achieved by his former classmate.
“About two years ago, out of nowhere, he found me. His life, he wanted me to know, had taken interesting turns. He’d gone into medicine, just as he’d always planned. He’d married and had kids. But he’d also strayed from his onetime script. As a doctor, he has spent a part of his time providing abortions.“
Bruni goes on to describe the journey his classmate underwent to reach the point where he reached out to Bruni. The classmate attributed college with opening his eyes to just how diverse and far-reaching this world is, to the injustices and prejudices practiced and coveted by those in power, to the constant fragility underlying even our most successful achievements.
“Questioning his church’s position on homosexuality made him question more. He read the Bible “front to back and took notes of everything I liked and didn’t like,” he said.
“There’s a lot of wisdom there,” he added, “but it’s a real mistake not to think about it critically.”
Then, Bruni highlights the crux of how this gentleman bridged his Catholic upbringing with his decision to perform abortions. For many in our nation, abortion is a touchstone issue prompting knee-jerk reactions. Bruni’s classmate had followed the beliefs preached to him only so far.
“He has thought a lot about how customs, laws and religion do and don’t jibe with women’s actions and autonomy.
“In all centuries, through all history, women have ended pregnancies somehow,” he said. “They feel so strongly about this that they will attempt abortion even when it’s illegal, unsafe and often lethal.”
The discord between the ideal and the real is apparent to all of us. Every time we wish for another hour in the day, we are recognizing the limitations that prevent us from reaching our ideals. Not only in finishing the dishes in time to enjoy 30 pages of your book before bed, but limitations that prevent us from flying across the country to tend a fragile friendship, or the limitations that lead to the choice between a time with your kids or a second job to fund their college dreams. On the ways religion falls short, Bruni speaks through his classmates thoughts:
“And in too many religious people he sees inconsistencies. They speak of life’s preciousness when railing against abortion but fail to acknowledge how they let other values override that concern when they support war, the death penalty or governments that do nothing for people in perilous need.
He has not raised his young children in any church, or told them that God exists, because he no longer believes that. But he wants them to have the community-minded values and altruism that he indeed credits many religions with fostering. He wants them to be soulful, philosophical.“
While this article touched on many areas worthy of deep thought, what especially touched a chord with me is the emphasis on “community-minded values and altruism.” As a non-religious person, I have faced the question about what role I have in our overwhelmingly religious society. How much credibility do I have in the eyes of a strict Catholic, a Mormon, or evangelical (of any religion)? Would they trust me to doctor, guide or legislate for their community?
These deep thoughts are the stuff of mind wanderings on a still evening, and they are also the questions that pull me along. I look forward to finding time in my day to think about crunchy problems like how do I justify disagreeing with policies that are paying for my life (military)? How much have I changed my opinions as I have learned more about the mission of the military, particularly in this overseas station?
Turning over the events of the day in my mind and selecting five highlights was skimming the surface of the ever churning thoughts, questions and doubts swirling within me. I am re-entering engagement with these thoughts, it is a little scary, but like Bruni’s classmate – I hope I have the courage and wisdom to continue on the journey. | <urn:uuid:6eb1b0b3-a03a-4432-892b-3a7590d4ed5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cinquecentoproject.wordpress.com/tag/musings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971764 | 1,123 | 1.742188 | 2 |
The article is based in part on one of the Ewing Lectures given by Mr. Kazin at U.C.L.A.
When Truman Capote explained, on the publication of In Cold Blood, that the book was really a “nonfiction novel,” it was natural to take his description of his meticulously factual and extraordinarily industrious record of research as the alibi of a novelist whose last novel, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, had been slight, and who was just now evidently between novels. Capote clearly hungered to remain in the league of novelists, so many of whom are unprofitable to everyone, even if he was now the author of a best-selling true thriller whose success was being arranged through every possible exploitation of American publicity. And all these things were true. Capote is a novelist, novelists tend often enough to be stuck in novels, discouraged by the many discourtesies to current fiction. Clearly Capote wanted to keep his professional standing but to rise above the novelist’s usual battle for survival. In Cold Blood, before one read it, seemed by the very nature of the American literary market to be another wow, a trick, a slick transposition from one realm to another, like the inevitable musical to be made out of the Sacco-Vanzetti case.
Still, what struck me most in Capote’s labeling of his own book was his honoring the profession of novelist. Novels may be expendable, but novelist is still our great instance of original genius. What interested me most about the book after two readings—first in The New Yorker and then as a book—was that though it was journalism and all its secrets were out on first reading, it had the ingenuity but not the total ambition of fiction, it was fiction except for its ambition to be documentary. In Cold Blood brought to a focus for me a problem not so much of genres as of truth and transmutation in contemporary writing, of fact and its “treatment” as we so easily say nowadays. There is a lot of “treatment” behind the vast amount of social fact that we must properly call political journalism—writing about collective experiences, the public domain, that has a palpable design on us. There is also a good deal of nonfiction, dedicated only to information, that gets its inevitable treatment in a book we call a “novel” only because the author calls it that. But that is as it should be, even if the novel is not. In the world of imagination, everything is named and judged by the author’s claim of sovereignty.
The imagination’s claim of its own authority is important because, as poor Andrei Sinyavsky said in his marvelous polemic against “socialist realism,” a work of literature can be anything the author likes but should not be eclectic. George Painter has been able to document essentials in Proust’s life from his great novel. Proust so openly drew from “life” that he wanted the model for Madame de Guermantes—whom he named to Jean Cocteau—to read his book and presumably to recognize herself. Nevertheless, A la Recherche du … | <urn:uuid:de1e31fd-4a7f-43a4-b0ac-4e92b586dc58> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1971/apr/08/the-world-as-a-novel-from-capote-to-mailer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981464 | 666 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Foxconn factory doors in Taiyuan was closed after riots started and more than 2000 employees furious include a watchtower destroyed. Least ten people were injured. Chinese Foxconn is a hardware manufacturer, which makes parts for Apple products including Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Microsoft. The factory in Taiyuan seems responsible for different parts of the iPhone 5.
On a Chinese forum it was stated that the riots started when a guard hit a worker. In all, 2,000 people were involved in the riots. In the Foxconn factory employs approximately 79,000 people.
There has been long controversy about the working conditions in several Chinese factories. The situation at Foxconn came to light earlier this year, when there was criticism on Apple’s iPhone production in China and the company was earlier in the news because of poor working conditions. The workload is extremely high and often break illnesses in the workplace. This was revealed by examination of a U.S. labor organization.. Apple makes since to work on improving the situation in Foxconn’s factories. According to the Fair Labor Association , the conditions become more favorable to workers.
Foxconn declined to comment to the New York Times explained that the factory produces products for Apple. In March 2012, it was already expected that the plant in Taiyuan was to focus on the iPhone 5. When the iPhone 5 last week was sent to different buyers, this was from a point near the Foxconn factory.. | <urn:uuid:822106d0-75eb-45cf-b4b5-03f3367b30f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ihelplounge.com/riots-reported-at-foxconn-factory-in-china/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986345 | 296 | 1.664063 | 2 |
AfriGeneas Genealogy and History Forum
Re: 1940 Census - 26 States Indexed Familysearch
In Response To: Re: 1940 Census - 26 States Indexed Familysearch ()
Georgia Adams.... we will hook you up. I am also finding it fascinating, looking at who and what race lived in what towns. So many families had 6 plus children. And the names the census takers tried to spell for people are terrible. When I come to a town that have ALL negroe residents, I yell for joy. And this is in South Carolina 1935-1940. Some of them I can't figure out what the names of the person could be. Many of them the handwriting is so bad, I simply put the initial of the name. I remember when I was looking for my peeps and some names I now know to be something else was incorrectly transcribed, but I see why. So I type exactly what I see. The arbitrater, another indexer or the future researcher can change it. | <urn:uuid:2bd341b3-1336-43bd-b4d2-47bc2fd4377d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum/index.cgi/md/read/id/86201/sbj/1940-census-26-states-indexed-familysearch/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953874 | 207 | 1.664063 | 2 |
The Indian Coast Guard has been trying to contain an oil spill off the coast of Mumbai after a collision between two cargo ships, a defence ministry spokesman said.
One vessel has tilted dangerously after the collision between the two Panamanian ships five nautical miles from the shore on Saturday.
"One ship, which was carrying a cargo of diesel and lubricant oil [partly] capsized, triggering an oil slick that had spread to a distance of 2 nautical miles from the ship," Captain Manohar Nambiar, a navy official said.
Scores of containers flung overboard are making navigation difficult and efforts are under way to secure them.
"Aerial spraying of chemicals to contain the spill is going on. But oil is still leaking from the cargo and it is likely the slick will spread further because of the tide and windy conditions," Nambiar said.
Environmental emergency teams have been put on alert to mobilise for a clean-up operation, while fishermen have been told not to venture into the sea until the all-clear has been given.
Nambiar described the ship's position as "precarious", adding that "it's difficult to get on board to locate the point of leakage".
Six coast guard ships were working to minimise the impact of the spill.
Broken patches of oil have been cleared around Elephanta Island, a world heritage site and tourist attraction in Mumbai Harbour, the defence ministry said in a statement.
The MSC Chitra was leaving Mumbai when it collided with the MV Khalijia-II, which was manoeuvring into port.
Thirty-three crew members were rescued. Both ships developed cracks following the collision. | <urn:uuid:74e63a4c-d057-470a-99e5-365ee2e6c6e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2010/08/20108911255536150.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977694 | 345 | 1.742188 | 2 |
TBILISI, 2 October 2006 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, flew to Georgia today and brokered the return to Russia of four Russian military officers charged with espionage.
Georgian officials handed the Russian officers over to Minister De Gucht in the presence of Russian diplomats and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia, Ambassador Roy Reeve. The officers were then driven in OSCE vehicles to Tbilisi international airport, where they boarded a special Russian flight out of Georgia.
"I'm pleased we were able to find a solution to this issue and help defuse the considerable tension which was growing between the two States," said Minister De Gucht. "Conflict prevention is a main focus for the OSCE. In terms of our comprehensive security agenda it was logical and vital to help effectively manage this crisis."
The Chairman-in-Office had been in close contact since last Friday with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice and European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, to try to ease tensions. Minister De Gucht flew to Tbilisi from Brussels and met Minister Bezhuashvili and President Saakashvili before the Russian officers were handed over.
Relations between Russia and Georgia - both participating States in the 56-nation Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - had deteriorated markedly since the warrants for arrest and detentions on 27 September of several Russian military officers. Georgia charged them with espionage. Russia responded by recalling its Ambassador to Georgia and starting to evacuate diplomatic staff and families. It also stopped issuing visas to Georgian citizens.
The OSCE Chairman-in-Office urged the two States to abide by the principles of international law, to refrain from provocations and to resume dialogue, saying: "Much work remains to be done to put the important relations between these two neighbours on a stronger footing, not least by lowering the rhetorical volume. The OSCE remains ready to assist where possible."
The Chairman-in-Office also called on the parties to restore confidence and revitalize negotiations aimed at finding a settlement for the conflict in Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia. He welcomed the readiness of Georgia to hold a meeting at the highest level between the parties at the initiative of the OSCE Chairmanship, but added that he was aware the details of this meeting still needed to be negotiated. | <urn:uuid:dddc4d48-ee4c-43bd-b311-ea6e1c616d91> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.osce.org/cio/47702 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964347 | 528 | 1.507813 | 2 |
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Four thousand five hundred semi-literate dabbawalas collect and deliver 175,000 packages within hours. What should we learn from this unique, simple and highly efficient 120-year-old logistics system?
Hungry kya? What would you like: pizza from the local Domino's (30 minute delivery) or a fresh, hot meal from home? Most managers don't have a choice. It's either a packed lunch or junk food grabbed from a fast food outlet. Unless you live in Mumbai, that is, where a small army of 'dabbawalas' picks up 175,000 lunches from homes and delivers them to harried students, managers and workers on every working day. At your desk. 12.30 pm on the dot. Served hot, of course. And now you can even order through the Internet.
The Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association is a streamlined 120-year-old organisation with 4,500 semi-literate members providing a quality door-to-door service to a large and loyal customer base.
How has MTBSA managed to survive through these tumultuous years? The answer lies in a twin process that combines competitive collaboration between team members with a high level of technical efficiency in logistics management. It works like this...
After the customer leaves for work, her lunch is packed into a tiffin provided by the dabbawala. A color-coded notation on the handle identifies its owner and destination. Once the dabbawala has picked up the tiffin, he moves fast using a combination of bicycles, trains and his two feet.
A BBC crew filming dabbawalas in action was amazed at their speed. "Following our dabbawala wasn't easy, our film crew quickly lost him in the congestion of the train station. At Victoria Terminus we found other fast moving dabbawalas, but not our subject... and at Mr Bhapat's ayurvedic pharmacy, the lunch had arrived long before the film crew," the documentary noted wryly. So, how do they work so efficiently?
The entire system depends on teamwork and meticulous timing. Tiffins are collected from homes between 7.00 am and 9.00 am, and taken to the nearest railway station. At various intermediary stations, they are hauled onto platforms and sorted out for area-wise distribution, so that a single tiffin could change hands three to four times in the course of its daily journey.
At Mumbai's downtown stations, the last link in the chain, a final relay of dabbawalas fan out to the tiffins' destined bellies. Lunch hour over, the whole process moves into reverse and the tiffins return to suburban homes by 6.00 pm.
To better understand the complex sorting process, let's take an example. At Vile Parle Station, there are four groups of dabbawalas, each has twenty members and each member services 40 customers. That makes 3,200 tiffins in all. These 3,200 tiffins are collected by 9.00 am, reach the station and are sorted according to their destinations by 10.00 am when the 'Dabbawala Special' train arrives.
The railway provides sorting areas on platforms as well as special compartments on trains traveling south between 10.00 am and 11.30 am.
During the journey, these 80 dabbawalas regroup according to the number of tiffins to be delivered in a particular area, and not according to the groups they actually belong to. If 150 tiffins are to be delivered in the Grant Road Station area, then four people are assigned to that station, keeping in mind one person can carry no more than 35-40 tiffins.
During the earlier sorting process, each dabbawala would have concentrated on locating only those 40 tiffins under his charge, wherever they come from, and this specialisation makes the entire system efficient and error-free. Typically it takes about ten to fifteen minutes to search, assemble and arrange 40 tiffins onto a crate, and by 12.30 pm they are delivered to offices.
In a way, MTBSA's system is like the Internet. The Internet relies on a concept called packet switching. In packet switched networks, voice or data files are sliced into tiny sachets, each with its own coded address which directs its routing.
These packets are then ferried in bursts, independent of other packets and possibly taking different routes, across the country or the world, and re-assembled at their destination. Packet switching maximises network density, but there is a downside: your packets intermingle with other packets and if the network is overburdened, packets can collide with others, even get misdirected or lost in cyberspace, and almost certainly not arrive on time.
In the dabbawalas' elegant logistics system, using 25 kms of public transport, 10 km of footwork and involving multiple transfer points, mistakes rarely happen. According to a Forbes 1998 article, one mistake for every eight million deliveries is the norm. How do they achieve virtual six-sigma quality with zero documentation? For one, the system limits the routing and sorting to a few central points. Secondly, a simple color code determines not only packet routing but packet prioritising as lunches transfer from train to bicycle to foot.
Who are the dabbawalas?
Descendants of soldiers of the legendary Maharashtrian warrior-king Shivaji, dabbawalas belong to the Malva caste, and arrive in Mumbai from places like Rajgurunagar, Akola, Ambegaon, Junnar and Maashi. "We believe in employing people from our own community. So whenever there is a vacancy, elders recommend a relative from their village," says Madhba, a dabbawala.
"Farming earns a pittance, compelling us to move to the city. And the tiffin service is a business of repute since we are not working under anyone. It's our own business, we are partners, it confers a higher status in society," says Sambhaji, another dabbawala. "We earn more than many padha-likha (educated) graduates," adds Khengle smugly.
The proud owner of a BA (Hons) degree, Raghunath Meghe, president of MTBSA, is a rare graduate. He wanted to be a chartered accountant but couldn't complete the course because of family problems. Of his three children, his daughter is a graduate working at ICICI [Get Quote], one son is a dabbawala and the younger son is still studying.
Education till standard seven is a minimum prerequisite. According to Meghe, "This system accommodates those who didn't or couldn't finish their studies. It's obvious that those who score good marks go for higher education and not to do this job, but we have people who have studied up to standard twelve who couldn't find respectable jobs." There are only two women dabbawalas.
Apart from commitment and dedication, each dabbawala, like any businessman, has to bring some capital with him. The mini-mum investment is two bicycles (approximately Rs 4,000), a wooden crate for the tiffins (Rs 500), at least one white cotton kurta-pyjama (Rs 600), and Rs 20 for the trademark Gandhi topi.
MTBSA is a remarkably flat organisation with just three tiers: the governing council (president, vice president, general secretary, treasurer and nine directors), the mukadams and the dabbawalas. Its first office was at Grant Road. Today it has offices near most railway stations.
Here nobody is an employer and none are employees. Each dabbawala considers himself a shareholder and entrepreneur.
Surprisingly MTBSA is a fairly recent entity: the service is believed to have started in the 1880s but officially registered itself only in 1968. Growth in membership is organic and dependent on market conditions.
This decentralised organisation assumed its current form in 1970, the most recent date of restructuring. Dabbawalas are divided into sub-groups of fifteen to 25, each supervised by four mukadams. Experienced old-timers, the mukadams are familiar with the colors and codings used in the complex logistics process.
Their key responsibility is sorting tiffins but they play a critical role in resolving disputes; maintaining records of receipts and payments; acquiring new customers; and training junior dabbawalas on handling new customers on their first day.
Each group is financially independent but coordinates with others for deliveries: the service could not exist otherwise. The process is competitive at the customers' end and united at the delivery end.
Each group is also responsible for day-to-day functioning. And, more important, there is no organisational structure, managerial layers or explicit control mechanisms. The rationale behind the business model is to push internal competitiveness, which means that the four Vile Parle groups vie with each other to acquire new customers.
Building a clientele
The range of customers includes students (both college and school), entrepreneurs of small businesses, managers, especially bank staff, and mill workers.
They generally tend to be middle-class citizens who, for reasons of economy, hygiene, caste and dietary restrictions or simply because they prefer whole-some food from their kitchen, rely on the dabbawala to deliver a home cooked mid-day meal.
New customers are generally acquired through referrals. Some are solicited by dabbawalas on railway platforms. Addresses are passed on to the dabbawala operating in the specific area, who then visits the customer to finalize arrangements. Today customers can also log onto the website www.webrishi.com to access the service.
Service charges vary from Rs 150 to Rs 300 per tiffin per month, depending on location and collection time. Money is collected in the first week of every month and remitted to the mukadam on the first Sunday. He then divides the money equally among members of that group. It is assumed that one dabbawala can handle not more than 30-35 customers given that each tiffin weighs around 2 kgs. And this is the benchmark that every group tries to achieve.
Typically, a twenty member group has 675 customers and earns Rs 100,000 per month which is divided equally even if one dabbawala has 40 customers while another has 30. Groups compete with each other, but members within a group do not. It's common sense, points out one dabbawala.
One dabbawala could collect 40 tiffins in the same time that it takes another to collect 30. From his earnings of between Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, every dabbawala contributes Rs15 per month to the association. The amount is utilised for the community's upliftment, loans and marriage halls at concessional rates. All problems are usually resolved by association officials whose ruling is binding.
Meetings are held in the office on the 15th of every month at the Dadar. During these meetings, particular emphasis is paid to customer service. If a tiffin is lost or stolen, an investigation is promptly instituted. Customers are allowed to deduct costs from any dabbawala found guilty of such a charge.
If a customer complains of poor service, the association can shift the customer's account to another dabbawala. No dabbawala is allowed to undercut another.
Before looking into internal disputes, the association charges a token Rs 100 to ensure that only genuinely aggrieved members interested in a solution come to it with their problems, and the officials' time is not wasted on petty bickering.
Logistics is the new mantra for building competitive advantage, the world over. Mumbai's dabbawalas developed their home-grown version long before the term was coined.
Their attitude of competitive collaboration is equally unusual, particularly in India. The operation process is competitive at the customers' end but united at the delivery end, ensuring their survival since a century and more. Is their business model worth replicating in the digital age is the big question.
Published with the kind permission of The Smart Manager, India's first world class bi-monthly management magazine.More Specials
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You've heard the term structural unemployment before--the type that exists when available skill sets don't match open jobs. Once mostly bandied about with regard to industries like agriculture, manufacturing and health care, increasingly the term applies to a range of other vocations as well. One of these is advertising and marketing.
Interactive media agency Razorfish, for instance, says it has about 200 positions open in the U.S. because it can't find the right people to fill them. Given how quickly technology is changing, digital agencies nowadays are increasingly looking for user experience specialists, data analysts and coders.
The types of skills applicants from communications or creative backgrounds are expected to have are also changing, as agencies emphasize customer engagement, social media, quick response times, and a passion for using new tools and adopting a variety of approaches.
To get a handle how the socialization and digitization of content and consumption is affecting the advertising and marketing professions, as well as what sorts of skill sets agencies are looking for, FINS talked to John Bell, head of Ogilvy & Mather's digital effort Social@Ogilvy, and Pete Stein, who manages Razorfish's New York and Boston operations.
Pay attention to consumer psychology: The marketing or advertising professional of today needs to be an active student of psychology and behavioral economics. There's a new customer out there defined by the increasing impact personal networks have on purchasing decisions. Consumers trust families, friends and social connections over and above other sources. In order to earn people's attention, their advocacy and ultimately their business, marketing and ad professionals need to look beyond demographics to what causes people to make decisions.
Create content strategy not just ad strategy: The brands we work with are looking to shift resources into building lasting relationships with customers through a steady delivery of valuable content across many platforms, not just through advertising. Marketers need to practice a type of engagement that is valuable to the community--it's not about what I want to sell, but about what the consumer wants to know.
Try an iterative approach: Marketing professionals are trained in the old school style of campaign development--build an ocean liner, launch it and hope it sails where it's intended to go. That's not how the consumer behaves anymore and that's not how we can behave. We live in an iterative world where we try ideas and refine them. The marketing professional of tomorrow needs to have an enhanced ability to run quick pilot programs.
Create integrated multi-platform strategies: The traditional advertising campaign is not as meaningful as it once was. We need an integrated program that encompasses the launch of a new product: introduces this product to the public, uses advertising to scale its reach, secures the authority and endorsement of third parties that have credibility, and restimulates people for advocacy or further purchase.
Understand data: Ad and marketing professionals need to have a hunger for understanding data, since ultimately this is what indicates how their content is being consumed by the people they made it for. Better data and analytics is a worthy investment for marketers since companies are wrestling with a flood of choices about what to pay attention to. They also need to understand a vast array of different content types and their value, from the million-dollar commercial to the iPhone-captured video to the simple infographic.
Craft compelling stories: There has always been a need for storytellers in this profession, but now we need people who are comfortable telling stories in a more non linear fashion. The biggest difference over the last couple of years has been this shift from campaign based or episodic communication to more 'always on' communication. This requires changing skill sets. It means you need to be someone who can be extremely nimble, ready to engage at any time with the consumer and ready to adapt the story based on the consumer's input.
Be adventurous: It's really hard to know what the next big new thing in the digital space will be. We look for people who have a real passion for playing around and trying new things. It's hard to just be a strategist these days, you need to be a practitioner, too. While it's difficult to know what's next, it's easier to find the people who do--you have the ability through Pinterest or Twitter to follow the people who will help you stay ahead.
Be collaborative: We tend to hire people who have very different skill sets--whether it's math majors, data freaks, specialists in tech or people focused on the customer experience--and bring them into a room to work together to solve a problem from their different points of view. Being collaborative is very much at the core of working in this new era.
Write to Saabira Chaudhuri at email@example.com | <urn:uuid:03c6bbd2-d7de-43ee-a405-d1e1df1cabd6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sales-jobs.fins.com/Articles/SBB0001424052702304743704577379771358705682/Eight-Skills-To-Help-You-Land-that-Ad-or-Marketing-Gig?imw=Y&link=FINS_sales_mp_cn | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955379 | 972 | 1.828125 | 2 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Voters are fed up and want problem solving and compromise in Congress.
That's the message of a gathering of members of Congress, governors, mayors and more than 1,000 political activists under the No Labels banner. It comes weeks after a polarizing election and tough fight in Congress over raising taxes and curbing spending.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and members of Congress are pushing for a series of reforms aimed at breaking the divide in Congress. They were joining at a meeting of the No Labels alliance, which was founded in 2010 to encourage collaboration in politics.
Organizers say Congress needs an attitude change and members of both parties need to meet more regularly to foster compromise. | <urn:uuid:f1a0f0d0-50ee-42b0-af85-8eaff1240150> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://washingtonexaminer.com/post-election-a-push-for-dc-problem-solving/article/feed/2063218?custom_click=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957577 | 159 | 1.625 | 2 |
First Youth Olympic Games medals unveiled
As the athletes prepare for their arrival in Singapore, there is added excitement today with the unveiling of the first medals for the Youth Olympic Games.
Competition takes place between 15 and 26 August, where the best performing athletes will be awarded this specially designed medal.
The obverse design was created by Setsuko Fukuzawa from Japan, winner of the Medal Design Competition held by the International Olympic Committee in the build-up to Singapore 2010.
Her medal features the flames and waves, symbolising the Olympic spirit and the cheering of athletes. The Olympian’s body shaped in a ‘Y’ is reminiscent of Goddess Nike and stands for Youth, as referred to in the “Yes Youth Can” slogan, the name that Setsuko gave to her creation.
The reverse side features the mythical lion synonymous with Singapore, and emblem for the Games, which represents the spirit of youth. | <urn:uuid:f8aca820-b877-413a-8941-6542dcdd02e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fifa.com/mensyoutholympic/news/newsid=1281030.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95777 | 190 | 1.742188 | 2 |
You Are Here [book]
by Dora Nudelman
Life has become a whirl-wind of distractions. We run around desperately chasing after what we want while at the same time becoming increasingly stressed and confused. Weíve become so dependent on instant gratification, and so caught up in the chase that weíve forgotten what weíve even been chasing after. As a result, our stress levels have risen to the point where worry and fear have taken over our lives, and where we have forgotten who we are and what we truly value in life.
But life has to have more meaning to it than just getting somewhere else, having something else, or being someone else. Because if thatís all there is, we will never truly find the happiness and peace of mind weíre seeking.
With all the pressures weíre faced with today to be more, do more, and have more, and with all the increased demands placed on us to be faster and better, we desperately need a method for living our lives in a more peaceful and fulfilling way. But how do we do that? How do we let go of the chase, the pressure, and the struggle and finally enjoy our lives right now?
Well, itís really not as complicated as you might think.
In this book you will learn simple methods for living your life with enthusiasm, presence, and ultimate joy. You will encounter both in-depth explanations as well as useful applications to help you move on from the past, release your fears for the future, create the life you love, and experience true peace, success, and authentic happiness right here and right now.
Chapter 2: Taking a Time-Out
Increasing your speed wonít necessarily get you ďthereĒ any faster.
Do you ever feel like youíre on the gerbil wheel of life, running in circles but getting nowhere fast?
Sure, life can sometimes feel like a juggling act. It can certainly feel stressful looking at your daily to-do list, knowing that there are only 24 hours in a day and wondering how you can possibly get it all done. Itís no wonder weíre so fixated on the past and the future; the present can sometimes feel quite overwhelming. Wondering about what might have been or fantasizing about whatís to come are great ways to avoid the present, but eventually we have to deal with ďwhat is.Ē And in fact, it is through accepting and dealing with ďwhat isĒ that allows for whatís best to manifest.
Life is not meant to be a struggle. Life is not just one big check-list. There has to be more meaning to it than that. Sure, life is about getting things done, but itís certainly not the only thing thatís important. You will never really get everything done anyway because there will always be more to do, but thatís the fun thing about life; itís not just about getting somewhere or doing something, itís about enjoying the path that youíre on and breathing in the moments along the way.
While itís certainly good practice to take a time-out from the hectic pace of life on a general basis, itís that much more important to do so when youíre feeling overwhelmed and stressed-out. In fact, if youíre burnt-out, not only will nothing get done, it will only add to your frustration. Itís simple; you cannot function at your most efficient pace if you are exhausted and rundown.
Taking a time-out, then, is simply about taking the time to breathe. Itís about being aware of the holistic system that makes up who you truly are. You are body, you are mind, and you are spirit, and all of these facets are vitally important to your overall well-being.
So take good care of yourself. This means nourishing your body with healthy foods, making time for exercise, engaging in positive communications and cultivating loving relationships, nurturing your passions, sharing (giving and receiving), and taking the time to relax, contemplate, meditate, clear your mind, and even reflect on who you are and what you truly want out of life. As you devote time to each of these aspects of your being you will notice yourself feeling more energized, more at peace, and happier than ever before. Youíll also find yourself getting a lot more done more effectively and efficiently than you had in the past.
Know that our bodies are designed to express total harmony and well-being, our minds are designed to make free choices, and our spirits are designed to be infinite. At our core we are designed to receive everything we need in life without having to struggle for it or fight to get it. It is when we work with our holistic system and find harmony from within that we are able to function at our maximum capacity and allow our fulfillment to surface with ease and joy. As such, taking a time-out helps us restore our harmony, which also gets us back into the flow of life.
Keep in mind, a time-out doesnít necessarily mean going off to some remote mountain top for months at a time. A time-out can simply mean taking a walk at lunch, enjoying a cup of tea, playing with your dog, having a nice dinner with a loved-one, reading a good book, or whatever it is that you enjoy doing. The key, however, is to be fully present while doing it. If you are thinking about a million other things at the same time, you are missing the point of this exercise.
You may think that with all your responsibilities you cannot afford to take a time-out. But in truth, you cannot afford not to. Taking a time-out actually makes you more productive in the long run. When you approach things with a new perspective and a refreshed outlook, the quality of what you do sky-rockets. But if you keep pushing yourself beyond exhaustion, the quality of what you do will eventually suffer. So you would be doing yourself, your work, and others a great service by choosing to take the time to care for yourself.
Itís important to keep in mind that the point of taking a time-out isnít to escape your responsibilities. Rather, it is to regroup and refresh yourself so that you can make smarter choices. Itís about finding balance and harmony in your life and taking the time to nurture every aspect of yourself. Itís about respecting and loving yourself so that you can genuinely respect and love others as well. You can only give what you have, but if you feel lacking, youíll simply feel like you have nothing to give. So make sure you are full of joy and love in each moment and you will have that much more to share with the world.
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Financial Scholarship Opportunities
Since 2008, the National Science Foundation has generously awarded SHSU with $1.2 million to be awarded as academic scholarships through the PEERS program. Open to both graduate and undergraduate students majoring in either biology, mathematics, or statistics, this scholarship is renewable as long as sufficient academic progress is made. In addition to research opportunities, annual financial awards can reach $6000 for undergraduates and $7250 for graduate students. See the PEERS website for more information.
The Brewton Scholarships
In 1980 Sam Houston State University received a substantial gift from the estate of Harry and Mabel Brewton, a couple who devoted their lives to teaching in the public schools of East Texas. In honor of the contribution made by Mrs. Brewton as a high school mathematics teacher, it was stipulated that the earnings from this fund be used to provide scholarships for mathematics students, with special consideration to be given to students preparing to teach school mathematics in Texas. Currently, awards are given for students in one of three academic programs:
1. Mathematics majors who are enrolled in a pre-service teacher certification program for secondary school mathematics
2. Mathematics majors or minors who are enrolled in a pre-service teacher certification program for elementary or middle school mathematics
3. In-service Texas school teachers who are enrolled in one or more mathematics courses at Sam Houston State University during a summer session.
The submission deadline for the Brewton Scholarship is the first Friday of March. Selections are made by the Honors Committee of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Sam Houston State University.
Glenda J. St. Andrie Scholarship
In 2007, this endowed scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to full-time students enrolled at Sam Houston State University, majoring in mathematics or statistics. Its objective is to ease the financial strain for high-achieving students in the mathematical sciences, thereby allowing the student to focus on their academic endeavors. Applicants must fill out an application, provide a letter of recommendation, and complete a one-page essay that addresses financial need. GPA of 3.00 is required. Deadline for application submission is the first Friday in March.
Applications for both scholarships may be found here: | <urn:uuid:31df508b-3ce0-428c-bc76-8d0e4734cf2f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shsu.edu/~mth_www/financial-scholarship-oppor.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953584 | 447 | 1.601563 | 2 |
If you are a person inquiring into Orthodox Christianity, welcome!
There are several reasons why you may be inquiring into Orthodoxy:
1. You are looking for the true continuation of the 1st Century Church of Christ. If this is your situation, and you have already done a reasonable amount of reading from the writers of the early Church and contemporary Apostles, and also have studied Church history and realized that Protestant Christianity was de facto created on the eve of the 16th century, then you have probably arrived at the following conclusion: It is either the worldwide Orthodox Communion or it is the worldwide Roman Catholic Communion. Perhaps you are still not sure and are "weighing" the options. Consider this:
A. It was to the benefit of Christianity and the whole world when the See of Rome and the Sees of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem formed one Church in the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Faith of the First Millennium. The Great Schism, which was process which came about in the 11th to 13th centuries, was a tragedy. The reconciliation of people into the Faith of the Early Church is the prayer of all Christians, which would benefit not only Christianity, but the whole world. The Orthodox Church seeks for a reconciliation based upon genuine adherence to the Christian Faith of the first millennium. Until that time, she remains faithful to this very same Faith and guards it well, and seeks to share it with all who are willing.
B. The Roman Catholic Church can claim roots in one of the local churches founded by the Apostles (Rome), but the roots of the Orthodox Church stem from many many Apostolic Churches which from the time of the Apostles until now have remained within the Orthodox Church: Jerusalem (founded by Christ Himself) Antioch, Mt. Sinai, Jordon, Bethlehem, Alexandria, Ephesus, Thessalonica, Phillippi, Corinth, Galatia, Damascus, Athens, Colossia, Cyprus, Byzantium (Constantinople) and others. Whereas Rome is the only Church of Apostolic foundation in the West, in the East, from where Christianity sprang, there were many Churches founded by the Apostles that from the beginning until now have remained within the Orthodox Communion. It is a historic fact that ALL OTHER CHURCHES OF APOSTOLIC ORIGIN BESIDES ROME HAVE REMAINED WITHIN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. In the time of the crusades Rome would try and establish para-churches along side of the orthodox apostolic churches that been there from the beginning, and during the unia would do the same thing (therefore, we have within the worldwide Roman Communion the so-called "Melkite" patriarchate which, like the Protestant Churches, was created and built upon in the 15th, 17th and 19th centuries. Another creation was the so-called "latin patriarchate of Jerusalem which was created, again in similar fashion to protestantism, in the 13th century to rival the authentic ancient and apostolic Orthodox patriarchate of Jerusalem).
C. As the Gospel of Mark says about the 12 Apostles (6.7), and Luke says about the 70, the Apostles were sent out two by two. No Apostle, nor any successor to an Apostle, can act alone. But let us even assume that St. Peter was an exception (which it is clear from the text he was not). Rome was one Apostolic See among the many. It was one of only three sees established by Peter, the first being Antioch, and the other being Alexandria, the latter two of which remained with the Orthodox Church after the schism. St. Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome, ex Cathedra (by modern Roman terms meaning infallibly) stated that the three, Rome, Antioch and Alexandria formed inseparably "one see of Peter" and that one could not function without the cooperation of the other two. Yet, the Great Schism left us with the See of Rome, on one hand, forming Roman Catholicism, and the sees of Alexandria and Antioch, together with Jerusalem and Constantinople, on the other, forming Orthodox Christianity on the other. According to St. Gregory, Rome could not separate from Antioch and Alexandria as it did in the Great Schism and still maintain that it has the authority of Peter. Indeed, Christ gave to Peter the authority to bind and loose, but not apart from the others. In fact, after he states 'bring it to the Church" in Matthew 18.17, he then says in the following verse (speaking to all the Apostles): "Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, adn whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. AGAIN I SAY TO YOU, IF TWO OF YOU (APOSTLES) AGREE ON EARTH CONCERNING ANYTHING THAT THEY ASK, IT WILL BE DONE FOR THEM BY MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE (OF YOU, THE APOSTLES) ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE I AM IN THE MIDST OF THEM" (Matt. 18.18-20). No Apostle can act apart from the others, for only where two or three are gathered is He in their midst is He there in their midst! It is for this reason also that Matthew 18.16 quotes the book of Deuteronomy where it says "by the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established." The witness of one of the Apostolic sees is not enough, every word is established "by the mouth of two or three." That being said, there is no victory in the separation of those who look to Christ as Lord--we are bound to recognize the orthodoxy in the other, and to laud it, but to also look for ways to heal the breach by a mutual dedication and adherance to the Apostolic Faith of Christ manifest in the early and middle Church, in which all agreed before the Schism.
D. Orthodoxy universally appeals, in terms of doctrine, to the ancient Church to be careful that no new formula contradicts the doctrines of the early Church. This is in contrast to Roman Catholicism which, particularly in the doctrines from Trent through Vatican I, has formulated new and previously unheard of doctrines, many of which ROME ITSELF and FORMER POPES EX CATHEDRA had condemned. Three examples are the filioque, condemned in Rome ex Cathedra by Leo III, but then absorbed later for political convenience by carologinian sympathizers, temporal fires of purgatory (with indulgences), and, finally, the Immaculate Conception by St. Ann of the Virgin Mary, a concept condemned by the medieval Roman Church, rejected by eminent teachers such as Thomas Aquinas, yet decreed a "dogma" that must be upheld by the Roman Church of the 19th century at Vatican I. It should be noted that, from the Orthodox point of view, one of the causes of the Schism was the transferral of the papacy from being an authentically Roman-Latin Patriarchate to being a Frankish Papacy. No longer would authentic and orthodox Latin through dominate the papacy from the 10th century onward, but rather the political ambitions of the Frankish Roman Empire would take over, eventually causing not only the Great Schism between East and West, but the Avignonian schism within the papacy itself over a century later. By the time it would be recaptured as an authentically Roman patriarchate, the damage had been done, communion had been breached, and wrongful doctrines imposed by the Charlamagne's schismatic Frankish version of Roman Catholicism had been imposed upon the Roman Catholic Communion and all who were in communion with her.
E. "You shall know them by their fruits" (Matt. 7.16). So spoke Christ with regard to false prophets. What did Christ mean by this? The word "fruit" has several meanings in Scripture. It indicates, for example, the fruits of the Spirit, which include love, joy, peace, longsuffering, faithfulness, etc. (Gal. 5.22). But not all are prophets, so with regard to one whom you receive teaching, more is needed to discern. Christ speaks of even a "tree" that bears fruit (Matt. 12.33). Furthermore He teaches us: "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt. 13.23). This is good in discerning wolves from sheep both in and outside of Church, but what about finding a true Church? What are the "fruits" that we are to look for? We know that the fruits of the Spirit are found in "all goodness, righteousness, and truth" (Eph. 5.9). Truth (orthodoxy) is a clear fruit of the Spirit, and those who are dedicated to it, and to all goodness and righteousness, are bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We see that wisdom is the sign of "good fruits," the "fruit of righteousness" in James 3.17-18. It is without hypocracy or partiality. Hebrews 12.11 signifies justice/righteousness as a fruit. To determine a true believer from a lukewarm from a false one, the fruits of the spirit are love, etc. But how are we to determine who is the true Church? Since there are both sheep and wolves within the Church allowed to coexist, then obviously we will sometimes see the fruits of the Spirit within the true Church and sometimes not. Then how is this different from the rest of the world? The answer: truth. The upholding and steadfast witness truth throughout all generations despite the wolves, the upholding of orthodoxy, is the only way one can know which is the Church in its fullness. It is for this reason that Scripture makes it clear that the Church is the "pillar and foundation of the truth." The proclamation and preservation of truth is the fundamental fruit by which we know the Church in its fullness. Rev. 22.2: the Tree of Life bore 12 fruits. As we see throughout Revelation, the number 12 indicates a continuity with the Church of the Prophets and the Apostles, Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. The 12 fruits, therefore, are the orthodox doctrines of the Apostles. But not only this, the true Church, above all others, preserves this truth in liturgy and in eucharist. Hebrews 13.15 tells us that the fruit of our lips is Eucharistic sacrifice of praise to God: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, offering Eucharist to His name." There is no Church on earth that offers the sacrifice of praise, morning noon and night, to God as does the Orthodox Church.
F. Being a Roman Catholic or a Protestant is, without doubt, more simple in the modern day than being an Orthodox Christian. There are a few things that are appealing to inquirers about becoming a Roman Catholic: a. the pope is the final authority on all things when speaking ex cathedra, and this simplifies complex problems of authority b. there is less fasting and ascetical requirements than there is in Orthodoxy c. it has a more simple liturgical structure than Orthodoxy has. Point blank--it is easier to learn. These three are among the top reasons that people choose Roman Catholicism over Orthodoxy. Also, we must add a fourth: the jurisdictional mess of Orthodoxy in the Western world. One of the things that draws people to Orthodoxy in the first place is that, at least officially, it does not tolerate denominationalism on any level: overlapping poly-ritualism (i.e. various "rites" which virtually ignore and have nothing to do with each other), ethnic divisions (which were tolerated on an official level by Rome for a time as well as a pragmatic level). However, even though Orthodoxy to this day has always condemned ethnic plurality of jurisdictionalism, because of the complications of the 'diaspora,' to prevent schism which has been threatened, it has decided to act slowly and cautiously and not according to akrivea toward a readjustment of proper ecclesiology (i.e. one Orthodox Bishop in one city over all Orthodox Christians in the geographical territory known as the eparchy or diocese of which no jurisdiction can overlap). The only "official" exception to this rule has been based, not upon ethnicity, but upon the stravropegion (by agreement of the provincial synod of Bishops, including the eparchial bishop of a given eparchy, the governance of certain select monasteries or parishes by the Primate of the geographical metropolitan province rather than by the eparchial bishop for special reasons predefined by the canons--yet still answerable within the same geographical synod of Bishops for the region). The Stavropegion is the exception because the institution, be it a seminary or monastery or shrine is established for the usage of all the dioceses within the said geographical ecclesiastical Province (defined as being a cluster of dioceses overseen by the provincial synod of Bishops). Thus, although the Metropolitan Archbishop may be the primate of a given see, yet all seminaries for use in the province and whose rules are established by the Synod of Bishop will not necessarily fall within the Metropolitan's eparchy. Thus, it becomes Stavropegial.
2. You are a Protestant who is upset with trends toward liberalism and are looking for a church with more traditional values. Welcome to our site. One thing that you will find in Orthodoxy is traditional values and traditional doctrines. But be assured of one thing, that unobscuredly, the Orthodox Church upholds itself to be the full continuation of the Church founded by Christ and also possesses the fullness of Faith handed down to the Apostles and down through the ages in the Church. Thus, those looking to join her must no only do so because she conforms to your way of thinking about what she should be like, but rather whether she is the full continuation of the Church of Christ in doctrine and sacrament. The Orthodox Church is about establishing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet it is also about establishing an ecclesial relationship with Christ, because no one can be saved alone. Christ not only died and rose but also established a Church for our salvation which he called his Body. Thus, the Church welcomes those who are seeking to deepen, broaden, and fulfill their Christianity. Ultimately, it is hoped that you see the tradition you come from as having been a step along the way leading you to Orthodoxy, and not something to despise, for others may come along the same path, and those things that you cherished that were orthodox there, are the same things that you love, keep and fulfill when you come here.
For example, in the discussions with the Lutheran theologians that took place centuries ago with Patriarch Jeremiah, there were many things that the theologians brought which were recognized as being orthodox Christian. “Jeremiah and the theologians were in agreement, as a whole, on the following: the truth and inspiration of the Scriptures; God, Holy Trinity; ancesters’ sin and its transmission to all men; evil as caused by creatures and not God; Christ’s two natures in a single person ;Jesus Christ as the head of the Church; second coming of Christ, last judgment, future life, endless reward, endless punishment; Eucharist, two species, bread and wine (the body and blood) given to the faithful; the rejection of indulgences…” (Fr. George Mastrantonis, Augsburg and Constantinople, 22). Some things that they did not agree upon were the fact that, for the Orthodox, faith is a living faith that does not “sit” but acts, acts in love above all, along with the commandments, and when we fail at these—acts in repentance. For Orthodox, all these things go together and one cannot be separated by the other.
3. You are a Roman Catholic upset at the occurrences that go on within the Roman Catholic Communion and are looking for other "Apostolic" options.
While looking at the "other" Apostolic "option" other than Rome, particularly in the New World, your eyes will be opened. In the "new world," there are problems of all sorts in all faith forms. In the "Old World" we can look at the "fruit" of Orthodox and Roman Catholic civilizations. In the traditional "Orthodox" nations there is much fruit. On the other hand, in the "old world" those which for centuries have been "Roman Catholic" nations such as France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Britain and others are relatively godless, full of organized crime, legislated immorality, and the churches stand empty (although one will notice that Roman Catholicism has done much good in the new world, which we will mention in a moment). Traditionally Orthodox nations are of one of two types, both of which are "fruitbearing." One such type is that of which Cyprus is an example, that are wholesome, whereas other traditional Orthodox nations, especially those which formerly were "behind the iron curtain," have the "complete saint or complete sinner" civilization. In either case, we can see the bearing of much fruit in Orthodoxy in the "Old World." We can also see this, for example, in the missionary efforts of Africa and Southeast Asia.
However, the New World might leave you disappointed and with an opposite conclusion. Whereas you might find Orthodoxy being right on "all the issues" not matter where you find her, you will find in this disorganized "diaspora" (new world) a complete ignoring of certain Orthodox principles. You will in some cases find more "fruit bearing" with regard to some virtues in Roman Catholic parishes than in nominally Orthodox parishes, some of the latter which seem to resemble Sardis who had its candle taken away in the book of Revelation. In fact, Roman Catholicism has done much in the new world, as have evangelical groups, in being orthodox in many areas, and in those areas bearing much fruit. The Orthodox Church is the fullness of Him that fills all in all, the local parish is the manifestation of this Church, but, even as the New Testament points out, not all parishes will be "perfect." Those which were not perfect but still were moving toward repentance in the Book of Revelation would keep their candlesticks. Thus, you should not be looking for the perfect parish, but rather one that manifests those qualities of the Book of Revelation. Thus, without this awareness, you will make the journey toward Orthodoxy only to find yourself frustrated that you picked the perfect Church "on paper" but its human element has bumbled it in the new world worse than others. However, the truth is, that no matter how much humans within the church fail at their mission, the Church itself has the fullness of truth. Every Divine Liturgy that is in accord with some ancient model (an although you will find various jurisdictions who follow different models, they are all within the essentials of the ancient bounds of the Church), manifests the "fullness of Him that filleth all in all." Even if the Priest misspeaks from the pulpit, the Liturgy itself always without fail is the proclamation of the truth throughout the world in the worship of God. Outside of the Orthodox Church you will not have the full Orthodox Eucharist. By itself the ancient Liturgy and Eucharist together with correct doctrine on the essentials of faith and morality outweigh all other matters. The fact is, that as an Orthodox Christian you are in Communion with the Church which bears much fruit where it has been properly planted. However, it can be argued that Orthodoxy still to this day is a seed which still lay on top of the soil. It is still the good seed fallen from the Mother Tree, but has not been cultivated to be able to bear fruit. Thus, only that Orthodoxy which has been properly planted can bear fruit. Until then it is hidden within the seed, in the Mysteries of the Church, and, although unseen, still exists in this same Eucharist and the official teachings of the Church which are in accord with the Eucharist, for the Eucharist confirms the Orthodox Faith and the Orthodox Faith confirms the Eucharist.
4. You are agnostic but have been looking into things religious for a time and have stumbled into Orthodoxy.
If you simply don't know, or you are angry at God, then certainly it is good that you are still searching. You may be surprised to find out that the truth about God is not what your experience to this point has told you. What can I say? "Come and see." That's it? Yep, that's it. No matter how many people you talk to, no matter how many of your own expectations you put on others or on God, you will not find peace until you make peace with Him. You can say you don't believe in Him. I am not sure how true that is, especially deep down inside. It wasn't long ago that you had that moment of anxious pondering: "what if there really is a God?" It pops up from time to time because God put it in each one of us. Your heart will not rest until it rests in Him, so "return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love." Come and immerse yourself in heavenly dialogue with God. Visit your local Orthodox Christian Church, and give it a try. If it does not meet your standards, consider that your standards might be askew. Go back again, and listen to what God is telling you in the words of the Liturgy, in the sound of the Liturgy, in the place of the Liturgy. Don't come with an agenda. Don't build up an agenda while your there. Just be still, and know that He is God. "And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come...and let all who thirst, come" (The Book of Revelation)
IF you are interested in further information and participation, please click HERE | <urn:uuid:254e4b52-f3ed-4db2-98e5-33fa54b3d86c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.forgodiswithus.org/gpage2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967476 | 4,606 | 1.609375 | 2 |
The problem lies not in the technology
Let’s face it, I’m a technologist: I will gladly debate with you for hours on the merits of Java vs Scala, SQL vs NoSQL, Google vs Apple or what have you.
But in fact, none of this matters. Statistics show that more than half of software projects are failures; I’ve been doing software projects in various positions for more than 10 years and root cause for failures was never the technology.
In my carreer, I’ve identifed these top 3 sources for project failures (in no particular order):
- Lack of decision
- As an architect, I try to provide for different solutions that more or less meet the requirements, each one with its associated cost and risks. What I expect in return is a clear decision from management in regard to those alternatives. When higher-ups eschew their decision-making responsibility, projects lack vision and are doomed to fail sooner or later, but probably sooner.
- No expressed business needs
- Legacy waterfall methodologies require a formalized specification document, while more modern agile methodologies insist on having the product owner available on site. In both cases, however, the goal is for IT to know what to develop. A requirement of a successful project is for the business users to be able to work on their needs: express them, define them, refine them. Sure signs of future failure are talks like “we don’t have time to write it down” or “it’s evident”. While the former is understandable – the business also has a business to run, so to speak – both show a lack of commitment that where the only logical conclusion will be rejection by the end-users.
- Projects have to be realistic. More precisely, people should be asked in how much time they expect to finish a task and the project planning has to be based on that. When it’s the other way around, you’d better prepare for lack of success. Meeting deadlines is not easy when planning is realistic: sometimes, it’s as if everything on Earth conspires to slow you down. But with unrealistic deadlines from the start, there are only so few tasks that can be run in parallel, so pressure will begin to rise to attain unreachable goals, motivation will decrease and at some point, the PM will have to provide for plan B: a realistic planning.
So, instead of trying to search for better technologies, we should sometimes focus on those subjects and try to remove those obstacles from our projects, even if they don’t belong to our sphere of interest. To be frank, as an engineer, I was not prepared to tackle those challenges: they are completely unrelated to technologies but only once they are eliminated can we again focus on our core business, building better applications. | <urn:uuid:5814acb2-d616-4a87-a9d4-3e85592045f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.frankel.ch/the-problem-lies-not-in-the-technology | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953735 | 587 | 1.773438 | 2 |
ACT! for America Education releases alert about forthcoming study
Eighteen months ago ACT! for America Education launched an in-depth analysis of thirty-eight 6th through 12th grade textbooks, to see how they treated the subject of Islam.
The research has been completed, and what we have found will shock you. The historical falsehoods, bias and other misrepresentations of Islam in these textbooks are egregious and persistent.
We are currently completing the writing and final edits to the report, which will document over 245 errors in these various textbooks.
Here’s a small sample of what we found.
“In Medina, Muhammad displayed impressive leadership skills. He fashioned an agreement that joined his own people with the Arabs and Jews of Medina as a single community.
These groups accepted Muhammad as a political leader.
As a religious leader, he drew many more converts, who found his message appealing.”
McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin, World History – Patterns of Interaction, 2007, p.265
This is patently false!
The Jews of Medina rejected Muhammad as a prophet, and as a result he drove two of the Jewish tribes out of Medina and exterminated the third one!
“Shari’a law requires Muslim leaders to extend religious tolerance to Christians and Jews.”
McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin, World History – Patterns of Interaction, 2007, p.268
This is so preposterous, so lacking historical justification or support within sharia law, one wonders how it ever got into a textbook.
“The Eastward Expansion of Islam:
In the early eighth century, Islam became popular in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. …”
Glencoe/McGraw Hill, New York
World History, 2008, pp.285-286
“Became popular” sounds more like a description of a new dance than what happened to the Hindus of India.
Tens of millions of Hindus were slaughtered during the many jihad campaigns launched against it.
Report to be released early in 2012
Rather than release this report as we enter the holiday season, we have decided to hold off until early next year.
At that time we will mail an Executive Summary to every state and local school board member in America, over 70,000 people.
We will then post the Executive Summary and the full report online for downloading, and we will send out national emails with talking points on how to approach your local school board about the findings in this report.
Barbados Free Press thanks an old friend for alerting us to this story. | <urn:uuid:0a1ed52d-3f8f-43dd-8901-1dff1ea5ea00> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/how-do-grade-school-textbooks-portray-islam-new-study-may-shock-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938655 | 551 | 1.835938 | 2 |
This Pulitzer race is one for the books: No fiction winner
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Pulitzer Prizes, announced Monday, is the fact that no novel was judged worthy of the $10,000 prize. It's the first time since 1977 that has happened and the 11th time since Columbia University began the prestigious awards in 1917.
After reading 341 books, they nominated three titles to the 18 voting members of the Pulitzer board, which "could not determine a winner," says Pulitzer Prize administrator Sig Gissler, who sits on the board. Its members include prominent journalists such as TheNew York Times' Thomas Friedman. Its only fiction writer is novelist Junot Diaz.
"None of the three books could get a majority of votes," Gissler says.
Fiction jury's nominees:
•Train Dreams by Denis Johnson, a novella set in the old American West.
•Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, a debut novel set in the Florida Everglades about a failing theme park.
Other category winners:
•History: The late Manning Marable for Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. The author, a Columbia University professor who had worked more than a decade on the biography, died of pneumonia last April, three days before the book was published.
•Non-fiction: Stephen Greenblatt for The Swerve: How the World Became Modern, which tells the story of a 15th-century book hunter who rescued classical manuscripts and influenced history. It previously had won the 2011 National Book Award for non-fiction.
•Drama:Water by the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes, a play about a returning Iraq veteran in Philadelphia.
•Poetry:Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith.
•Music:Silent Night: Opera in Two Acts by Kevin Puts, commissioned and premiered by the Minnesota Opera in Minneapolis. | <urn:uuid:362218d2-4cbd-4e7c-a72c-cff4fda57bea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story/2012-04-16/pulitzer-winners-books/54328674/1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96301 | 393 | 1.773438 | 2 |
“Squirrel Whisperer” Shares Unique Bond With Wildlife
WICHITA, Kan. — An officer worker at Wichita State University has a unique ritual. Every afternoon she feeds the squirrels that hang out around her office.
On good days, 19 squirrels will gather around Karen Newton to snack on peanuts and birdseed. Newton says she believes they can recognize her.
“I can get to the doors over there and they see me through the glass and they just fly over,” she said.
She also says the squirrels have come to recognize the unusual call she makes to attract them. And she doesn’t mind if you call her the squirrel lady. Just don’t call her the “squirrely lady”. | <urn:uuid:b3821899-142a-4e82-bf6f-e90612b5e14f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fox4kc.com/2012/05/03/squirrel-whisperer-shares-unique-bond-with-wildlife/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956372 | 160 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Other Pet Supplies
At KV Supply, we offer many pet products to help you take care of your fish, ferrets, birds and hamsters. We
understand that your pet is an important part of your family, and KV Supply has everything your pet needs to live a happy and healthy life. Our pet products are hand selected by our veterinary experts to help make your pet care as easy as possible.
A good diet is the best foundation to any pet's health care. Ferrets are no exception. As carnivores, ferrets require a high meat protein diet and many veterinarians believe that they benefit from taurine in their diet, just like cats. A high quality dry ferret or kitten food is an excellent choice. Most domestic ferrets need a meat-based diet, so obviously you need to look for diets that are high in meat protein. Should you be adopting a ferret that has been orphaned and rejected by its mother, it will be important to provide them with a milk replacer. Esbilac milk replacer has been saving the lives of puppies, ferrets, guinea pigs and rabbits for over 50 years. Esbilac is the world's #1 milk replacer formulated to closely match mother's milk in protein, fat and carbohydrates.
An all wire cage is your best bet for your ferret's home. The cage should be at least 2ft x 2ft x 14in high for one ferret - provided the ferret has plenty of play time outside of the cage. Should you adopt multiple ferrets, or if your pet's play time is more restricted, get as large of a cage as you can afford. At KV Supply we have every pet supply you need to help you keep your ferret happy and healthy.
We have many products to help you to care for your pet birds. Cages,
perches, feeders and groomers are all an important part of your bird's care needs. Birds, after cats and dogs, are the third most popular pet in the United States but they require a great deal of care and attention. They are complex creatures, and if you take good care of your bird, you will have the opportunity to see what unique pets they really can be. KV Supply offers you the pet supplies that will allow you to give your feathered friend a happy and healthy long life.
Hamsters and Gerbils
Gerbils and hamsters are some of the easiest pets to care for as well as some of the most popular of all small house pets. They can actually be very loving and affectionate pets and a great starter pet for your child. There are many different types of houses - from a simple metal cage to a multi-level condo with many connecting tunnels. We have many pet products to suit all of your care needs for your all of your small pets. | <urn:uuid:6489bbf7-2c41-42a7-954b-2dab5aeb582f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kvsupply.com/other-pets/&a=178:182 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967008 | 585 | 1.554688 | 2 |
After World War II, publication of "Mein Kampf" ceased. The German state of Bavaria, which owns the copyright, had kept the book from returning, anew, to shelves. Yet it has decided to bring it back one last time before the copyright expires at the end of 2015.
That's because it hopes one last "unattractive" edition, with additional commentary, will put Hitler's writing in perspective. The Independent reports:
We want to make clear what nonsense it contains and what a worldwide catastrophe this dangerous body of thought led to," said Markus Söder, the Bavarian finance minister. He said the state's version would contain additional information which would debunk and "demystify" the manifesto.
Bavaria said it would also publish a school version, an English language edition, an e-book and an audio book.
The decision follows a change of heart by Germany's Central Council of Jews. Stephan Kramer, its general secretary, recently backed the idea of publishing a scholarly edition of Mein Kampf, explaining its role in encouraging Nazism.
The Internet was a reason behind his changed stance: "It is all the more important that young people should see the critical version when they click on to Mein Kampf on the Web," he said.
A number of English-language translations of Hitler's "Mein Kampf" are available through major retailers such as Amazon.com. | <urn:uuid:003d03d3-2dea-4c81-a0a0-a7c2db43746f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailyamerican.com/news/kcpq-hitlers-mein-kampf-to-be-republished-in-germany-20120430,0,5635853.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964448 | 292 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Labor and Training to Launch Combined ESL and Occupational Training Programs
March 19, 2009
The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training is recruiting adult job seekers with limited English-speaking skills to enroll in one of five training programs to speed their return to employment. Called “contextualized training,” these programs combine occupational skills training with English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. Partners in training include Rhode Island College; Federal Hill House and the Community College of Rhode Island; and Progreso Latino and New England Institute of Technology,
“Limited English language skills can serve as a barrier not only for employment but also for training,” says Sandra M. Powell, director of the RI Department of Labor and Training. “Traditionally, job seekers with language barriers are asked to complete ESL instruction before they enroll in occupational training programs; this sequence can greatly extend the time a job seeker is without employment.”
“In the current economy, many job seekers cannot afford to enroll in stand-alone ESL classes,” Powell says. “Contextualized training offers occupational skills and language training simultaneously, thereby speeding up the time it takes a job seeker to become ‘work ready.’” Powell also states that the idea for using contextualized training in Rhode Island came from conversations with the business and adult education communities.
Scheduled to begin later this spring, the five contextualized training programs offered include a composite boat building program offered through Progreso Latino and the New England Institute of Technology; a culinary program offered through Federal Hill House and the Community College of Rhode Island; and bookkeeping/accounting, medical assistant and insurance technician training programs offered through Rhode Island College. Most programs include work experience or internship components to help students successfully transition to employment.
To be eligible for the program, candidates must meet the definition of adult dislocated worker, having been terminated or laid off through no fault of their own. Candidates can also include displaced homemakers and self-employed workers adversely affected by current economic conditions. All candidates must complete Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Services (CASAS) testing to determine their skill levels in reading, listening and mathematics. Additional criteria for enrollment may vary among programs.
Currently, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training has allocated of nearly $475,000 to these contextualized training programs. Funding comes from both the state Job Development Fund and the federal Trade Adjustment Act.
Those interested in enrolling in the program should contact the manager at their nearest netWORKri One-Stop Career Center:
About the RI Department of Labor and Training | <urn:uuid:a6593581-978d-4240-b57e-4d945c1b8782> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dlt.state.ri.us/News_Releases/NR_031909a.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955769 | 533 | 1.617188 | 2 |
This should make me happy, I guess:
EAST LANSING, Mich. — New research led by a Michigan State University scholar refutes commonly held stereotypes that overweight workers are lazier, more emotionally unstable and harder to get along with than their “normal weight” colleagues.
With the findings, employers are urged to guard against the use of weight-based stereotypes when it comes to hiring, promoting or firing.
Mark Roehling, associate professor of human resource management, and two colleagues studied the relationship between body weight and personality traits for nearly 3,500 adults. Contrary to widely held stereotypes, overweight and obese adults were not found to be significantly less conscientious, less agreeable, less extraverted or less emotionally stable.
Instead, possibly because I am really stressed lately and have been particularly tense today, it just pisses me off that this study was even done (and funded) in the first place. It’s like doing a fucking study on whether Jews are obsessed with money. What the fuck is the point of this? Proving that negative stereotypes aren’t based in fact? Are you kidding? Why would you legitimize them enough to consider them a valid object of study?
I know I’m being a little unreasonable, because after all I welcome studies that show that fat people don’t eat more than thin people on average, or aren’t sicker than thin people on average, or don’t cost more to the health system. But these are situations in which people are basing their misconceptions on existing flawed science; the addition of new science is valuable for refuting that. Actually bothering to do the social science research to refute nasty stereotypes backed only by bigotry and anecdata… well, it’s as appalling to me as an extensive study on stereotypes surrounding any other group. Fat people aren’t mean? That’s your study? Are you fucking KIDDING me?
And get this part:
Roehling, who’s also a lawyer, said the practical implication of the research is that employers should take steps to prevent managers from using weight as a predicator of personality traits when it comes to hiring, promoting or firing.
Oh wow, thank goodness this study was done, then. Because if negative assumptions do turn out to be true on average, that means you should totally judge people’s personalities based on their looks, since there’s no such thing as common cause and things that are true of a group on average are true of every member of that group. If black men are imprisoned at a higher rate than white men, that can only be because black men are criminals and you should never hire one! If there are fewer women than men in the sciences, that can only be because women are dumb at thinking and you shouldn’t give them high-level jobs! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS BULLSHIT, I EXPECT THIS FROM EVERYONE ELSE, BUT ACADEMIA, YOU ARE MOTHERFUCKING DISAPPOINTING ME | <urn:uuid:1c39a39d-7052-41d9-a301-2c9a30009af3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kateharding.net/2008/07/21/newsflash-bigotry-not-based-on-fact/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962615 | 631 | 1.5 | 2 |
Children everywhere are slowly transforming into zombies, princesses and characters from their favorite movies. Adults are preparing outfits they would only dare to wear once a year. Halloween is almost here.
On October 31, kids across the country will excitedly put on their favorite costumes and claim tasty treats in the name of trick-or-treating. This should be a fun experience that young people treasure for years, but there are dangers most kids aren’t even aware of. It’s up to the adults to make sure that Halloween is thrilling, chilling and safe. | <urn:uuid:fe0dab58-86b7-4ace-a364-990971cedb98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.peoplefinders.com/tag/background-check/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970032 | 115 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Later today local small-business leaders, clean energy advocates and residents of Louisville and Southern Indiana will host a tour of the Fischer SIPS plant, an energy efficient insulation company, to promote investment in a clean energy economy.
“Our primary focus in Louisville is green jobs because it relates to the economy and environment simultaneously,” says Jim Webb, a member of MoveOn.org, which organized today’s event. “Green jobs are something people respond to because it affects them immediately with their employment and long-term with our planet.”
During the tour, the group will speak about the potential for expanding green businesses that could lead to further job creation in the region. They also plan to call on Democratic U.S.Rep. John Yarmuth, Ky.-3rd, to support the clean energy jobs bill, which is currently making its way through the House. Known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the bill seeks to create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions in household energy costs, cutting global warming emissions and enhancing America’s energy independence. In the past month, over 15,000 small business leaders across the country have signed a pledge to support a clean energy economy.
The tour will begin at noon at the Fischer SIPS plant located on 1800 Northwestern Pkwy., where organizers will provide an overview of the local clean energy economy and green business owners will talk about potential expansion. | <urn:uuid:66c9e3c2-c55e-4325-a047-fb555a96c539> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fatlip.leoweekly.com/2009/05/29/mean-green-kentuckiana-machine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948758 | 296 | 1.71875 | 2 |
The political landscape has changed since last year. New York joined five other states and Washington, D.C., in legalizing same-sex marriage.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley declared over the summer that he would put the force of his office behind passage this year. Outside of declaring his support along with a commercial viewable online, some criticized the governor for not doing enough.
"There's no checklist here. I mean, these are men and women who have been elected independently, who come to the Maryland General Assembly trying to do the right thing on every vote, voting on principle and also voting as the honest representatives of the opinions of the people they were elected to serve. So, it's an ongoing conversation," O'Malley said.
Advocates, including Marylanders for Marriage Equality, have expanded their group to include the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and organized labor.
Opponents said they will not even begin to organizing a petition drive to get the question on the 2012 ballot unless it passes. | <urn:uuid:2cfd89e3-bc2e-481d-8c6e-e534dd42841c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wbaltv.com/same-sex-marriage-extended-coverage/Same-Sex-Marriage-Supporters-Hashing-Out-New-Bill/-/14585800/11035714/-/item/1/-/y8q0no/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981034 | 217 | 1.75 | 2 |
FEBRUARY 10, 2011
The president has found his fall guy, his collective fall guy, for his failure to see that several sort-of U.S. allies were in terrible trouble: The intelligence community, we are now told, was to blame. But the truth is that, if anyone is at fault for misreading the Arab world, it is Barack Obama himself.
Not that many other presidents and their administrations have seen these realities clearly. (John Foster Dulles, secretary of state to Dwight Eisenhower, believed he could transform the Egypt of Gamal Abdel Nasser from a Soviet satrap into a pro-Western republic. Alas, Nasser had other ambitions.) Nonetheless, there is a basic difference between Obama and his predecessors. They wanted to enlist Arab countries in the world of democracies. Obama’s conceit was the other way around. He had little interest in changing Arab governments. Rather, he would get them to admit us into their world. It turned out, however, that Obama’s intimacy was actually just suck-up stuff. Was his narrative, told in his 2009 Cairo speech, of an eighteenth-century treaty between the United States and Tripoli even a simulacrum of the truth? Many people at the speech actually knew the facts. They were not fooled. And, like Obama’s grand emblematic gesture—his graceless curtsy before Abdullah, the monarch of Saudi Arabia—the speech brought the president a good deal of ridicule and not a single diplomatic asset. (The same consequence of the bow before Hu Jintao of China. And the dictator of Russia. His truckling to tyrants is more than a bit creepy!)
Actually, it all began in Turkey, where Obama spent two days near the beginning of his presidency. What possible agenda could he have had to spend two days there? To smooth the path of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s already heavily clericized country to European Union membership? If so, he hadn’t cleared it with the Europeans, who have no interest in seeing Turkey join. In any case, there was nothing reciprocal from the Turks to the president. Not even a vote for a mild economic-sanctions resolution against Tehran in the Security Council.
Of course, it is not only the American encounter with Arab and Muslim governments that has been a coruscating failure. Every item on Obama’s international agenda has come to naught, to say nothing about matters that were of habitual U.S. concern since the administration of John Kennedy, like the fate of democratic capitalism in Latin America or the human rights trajectory of Africa. Even the Russian relationship, apparently smoothed over with an insignificant treaty on atomic weapons, has been roughed up by Moscow’s treatment of its former satellites. The president has also made a fetish of the United Nations, as if Eleanor Roosevelt were still filling it with moral splendor. Worse yet, his U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice, has created a cult object out of the organization’s Human Rights Council, retrofitted a few years ago to be more attuned to world realities. Rice could not even prevent the General Assembly from scheduling a tenth anniversary jamboree celebrating the notorious anti-Semitic Durban conference.
Such was the setting—in Washington and the Middle East—when on December 17 Mohamed Bouazizi set himself aflame unto death. Tunisia was ready to blow up, and it did. The French, who have long purported to be the caretakers of Tunisia, were as surprised by the event as my eight-year-old grandson. As I write, there is relative calm in the country. But it is only relative. Yesterday, it seemed as if the ruling party, the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), a conceit of 23 years, having had all its meeting places closed, was about to be dissolved. A crowd burned a police station, and at least three demonstrators were killed. The prime minister dropped his membership in the RCD, yet remained prime minister.
Anyway, the big protests, the huge protests, were in Egypt. Apparently, the American president was not kept well-informed by the intelligence community. It’s my view, though, that facts wouldn’t have helped him. Obama is burdened by his assumptions, which he takes to be a pretty good approximation of the truth. He certainly did not share in the emotions for an immiserated people who had taken to the streets in the long-time absence of more conventional paths. Their message was “this is not the way to live,” and they had lived that way for more than six decades. This somehow never touched our chief executive. Perhaps he believed that the massive but orderly crowds who greeted him on his 2009 visit were the reality of Egyptian society, poor but not insurrectionary. This reflects a blithe innocence about the cruelties of life. Maybe Obama believed that the Cairenes and the Alexandrians and the masses along the delta as well as the population that is being dragged into the expanding desert will take whatever is shoveled to them.
We don’t know what the next stage in Egypt will bring. There is a chance that the asymmetrical forces arrayed in the country will leave Hosni Mubarak—whom John Bolton correctly stated the president has treated like a “used Kleenex”—in control. Or Suleiman. Or someone else from the republic of generals and colonels. I know that one of the other contenders, Mohammed ElBaradei, who briefly had the inside track with journalists, especially American ones, has not a chance. He is a vain but weak man and, despite his pretensions, was recognized by the crowd for what he is. Another person suddenly nominated by the unknown knower is Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League and former foreign minister of Egypt. He has also been The Economist’s favorite for more than a decade, probably because he can be trusted to hate Israel. Yes, it is “hate” with quotation marks. I doubt, however, that the officer corps wants to lose its weapons for the fourth time. And, anyway, who will pay for such a war?
Which brings us to the Muslim Brotherhood. I wouldn’t count the fraternity out. Everybody concedes that it commands the loyalty of 25 to 35 percent of the people. That could be enough to run the country. But, even if it doesn’t drag itself to the very top, it is bound to be a real player, setting limits on what can be done and fixing absolute minimums that won’t be so minimal at all. This is a civil war in Egypt, although maybe more a cultural war than a political one.
Jordan is also in peril, with perhaps 70 percent of its demography being Palestinian. If you read Ethan Bronner’s recent New York Times pieces from Amman you might well come to the conclusion that the population—not excluding the native East Bankers—actually hates the king and queen, perhaps her more than him. I know that Rania is a fashion sensation and a thrower of lavish parties. But that hardly compensates for an economy that is in every way dysfunctional. Unlike his father, Abdullah has not a second- but a third-rate mind. His Arabic is not better than my Hebrew. What’s more, I am told by reliable sources that Papa Hussein spoke classical Arabic with an eloquence and subtlety that was poetic. I visited the Hashemite monarch several times, once during the middle days of Passover when Jews are forbidden the eating of leavened bread. Hussein had commanded his chef to make proper Passover bread. This was both elegant and transcendent. (Queen Noor had a grievance with both me and Michael Kinsley, who was editor when The New Republic published a slighting story about her majesty. And then someone in our party told the queen, who was having shoulder problems, about a Chinese acupuncturist in Jerusalem, who, I believe, made periodic visits to Amman thereafter.) The country has a long and peaceful border with Israel. Under what circumstances does it stay that way? Remember also that Islamism is far from a dead letter in the kingdom.
There’s turmoil also in Yemen, which my guess is most Americans cannot locate on a map. Still, we have Special Forces there and are fighting a sometimes clandestine, other times quite open war against the soldiers of the Prophet. Hillary Clinton was in the country just a month ago, and she told a Sanaa audience that “there are terrorists operating from Yemeni territory today, ... some of whom, I am sorry to say, are American citizens.” Maybe she thought this was a surprise. In any case, she added that “this is an urgent concern for both of us.” Clinton then went into her routine spiel about Washington wanting “to address the underlying causes of the violence, including poverty and social inequality.” Shall we set a schedule? Let’s say we aim for 2015. OK: 2020.
There is one Middle Eastern country that has experienced little disruption. That is Syria. There is reason for this quiet. Twenty-nine years ago this month, Hafez Assad set the Syrian Army upon Hama, a largish city with a heavy concentration of Sunni adherents to the Muslim Brotherhood. The media didn’t much notice it at the time, but the Syrian military took out some 20,000, and maybe as many as 40,000, people. Robin Wright, an expert on the region, wrote subsequently that this was “the single deadliest act by any Arab government against its own people.” Bashar Assad rules from a tiny minority of Syrians, the Alawites, who are not especially pious. But the Syrian Baath, their political incarnation, has established genial relations with two Shia regimes: one, the ayatollahs in Iran; the other, the huge millenarian Hezbollah cohort that has now taken over Lebanon, leaving the Christians divided and the Sunnis terrorized. Due to Security Council Resolution 1701—which ended the 2006 Lebanon War in a manner that allowed Hezbollah and its two partners, Iran and Syria, to continue pouring weapons into the battle zone—Hassan Nasrallah is now ready to strike at any time. Some Israelis say he wouldn’t dare, so ferocious would be the Israeli response. But who knows? In any event, during Obama’s presidency, the administration has lavished so much attention on Damascus that even I am stunned to see that it has had zero effect.
There is one fact about the manifestations of Arab discontent that has barely been noticed by our oh-so-astute observers. And this is that Israel has played no role in the grievances of the people on the street. Not that they love Israel, surely not. But they recognize their suffering has nothing to do with Jews. These eruptions in the streets of Arab countries are not a Jewish matter or an Israeli matter. They have to do with the contempt of Arab rulers for Arab citizens.
These stormy happenings around the region might have been anticipated by someone in Washington had the president not been fiercely gripped by Israeli settlements in the West Bank and new housing for Israelis in Jerusalem. If we are to believe Al Jazeera—and there is no reason to doubt it—the Palestinians had already forfeited to Israel the most substantial of these. And Israel had long ago, both explicitly and implicitly, given up the heart-and-soul lands of the Jewish biblical inheritance. For whatever reason, the most belligerent Palestinians and Israelis have clung to these issues as if they were the salient obstacles to an agreement. What was actually left in dispute were: first, the modalities of rule in the Old City; second, the ostensible “right of return” of Palestinian refugees unto the fifth generation; and third, recognition by the Arabs of Israel as the state of the Jewish people. I don’t believe that these will be resolved in the near future—and maybe not ever. They are not necessary for long-term calm to prevail. So maybe there won’t be a formal peace agreement. So what?
Amidst all this upheaval, the Johnny-one-notes are still playing the same boring and obsolete tune. In a letter to the president on January 18, when Arab streets were already filled with tanks and tear gas, several dozen of the least distinguished but self-important men and women in public life urged that the United States support a Palestinian initiative in the Security Council condemning Israeli settlements in the territories. This is actually mischief for its own sake.
There are many security matters that have long been ignored by those addicted to the fetish of settlements. These matters are increasingly urgent: the impenetrability of the border between Jordan and the West Bank, the security of the Sinai from insurgence in Egypt, the upper hand of Hezbollah not only on Lebanon’s frontier with Israel but in Lebanon more generally, whether Hamas takes over the West Bank. How safe will Tel Aviv be—let alone Jerusalem and the Galilee and the Negev—if Salam Fayyad is not prime minister of the half-state of Palestine, but a Hamas militant rules and rules for God? This letter on the settlements is so very out-of-date that it is hard to believe it was ever relevant. The same goes for the Obama administration’s policies.
Martin Peretz is the editor-in-chief-emeritus of The New Republic. This article ran in the March 3, 2011, issue of the magazine. | <urn:uuid:5d0d4e59-de84-4f8a-ab48-8207c772c291> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newrepublic.com/article/politics/magazine/83141/middle-east-uprisings | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975819 | 2,801 | 1.78125 | 2 |
|Pnume, the (1970) [Novel]|
by Jack Vance
Rating: Weighted - 8.8 / Average - 8.8 of 10 (6 votes) (Rate!)
Reviews: None (show them) Review!
Series: Planet of Adventure
(From the publisher):
The Pnume were an ancient race of the planet Tschai, living underground in a vast network of caverns with their human slave-species, the Pnumekin. They were the historians of Tschai, ruthless and scholarly. Surface dwellers never saw the Pnume—if they were lucky! Adam Reith was not so fortunate. The Pnume had heard rumors of a strange man, claiming to have come from the planet Earth, and they wanted him for Foreverness, the museum of Tschai life. Adam Reith was about to become an alien exhibit.
Original title: The Pnume
Genre: Fiction→ Science Fiction→ Adventure | <urn:uuid:13bdf7fe-4e1b-44db-85cf-a5da5aaf0f38> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iblist.com/book44732.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949881 | 206 | 1.71875 | 2 |
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A link to Chobe National Park was e-mailed
Water is the web that connects all of us to each other: plant and animal, human and beast. All the water that has ever existed on our planet is the same amount today as it was in the beginning. It’s just not always abundant when we need it. But here in the wildlife-rich Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, a watering hole brings together an African elephant and a jackal in a moment of peaceful, though tenuous, coexistence. | <urn:uuid:d78cbb81-07c2-4a19-9b49-28b9d8657574> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.travelchannel.com/daily-escape/chobe-national-park | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933646 | 139 | 1.617188 | 2 |
I agree personalization and alternative energy and Internet TV are important challenges, but when all those Ph.D.s at Google get done with those problems maybe they can get to work trying to explain this. I can’t, and it’s really bugging me so I could use some help from the Internet Brain Trust.
I checked Techmeme.com today, which I do about once a week or so, and saw something about Robert Scoble getting dumped by Facebook. I quit Facebook two weeks after I started with it, because it was so obviously a bad idea to hand over real data to that company. So I was interested in the Techmeme article. I clicked thru, and read some comments, and then saw a link drop in the comments from a Mahaloo fan boy. I hate to admit it, but I clicked it. Wait! Let me explain! It was research! Seriously.. I would never go to Maholoo, but since this was obviously a spam grab I had to look and see just what those guys were up to now, “covering” breaking news.
And I did indeed see. It’s a search results page, but also an RSS feed aggregator-like page. It’s a mashup, but more like an automated one than an edited one. It tries to look like an authority page, but is more of a link farm than an authority reference, because it could be built by just about anyone with an embedded feed reader (like, say the one in Flock). So, I’m thinking, Mahelo is finally devolved to a full-bore MFA scraper site. That didn’t take long.
Then, like the SEO I am, I checked Google. Sure enough, it ranks #3 for it’s target search query “Robert Scoble blocked by Facebook”. What??
So… we have a project that claimed at one point to intend to compete with Google, which then became a Google partner, and then a wiki-like substance, and now an obvious scraper site, and it ranks at the top of Google almost as well as wikipedia does? Dang that has GOT to be causing hurt over in the wikipedia camp. Lots and lots of cash coming in for garbage content, as a reward from Google for polluting the SERPs. Ouch.
Google, when you get some free time, please answer me this: how could this content pass your quality filters? How could it rank? And perhaps the hardest question of all…. how could you allow it to continue to rank?
I’d submit this to Google Answers but I think I’m too late for that. I’d submit it to Yahoo! answers but I suspect Mahaola staff already ninja market the YA! site cause, well, doesn’t every spammer start there? | <urn:uuid:b910744b-003e-4051-9ff7-4fb3657c5823> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.johnon.com/468/google-me-this.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969382 | 606 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Whose Crisis? Whose Future?
Whose Crisis? Whose Future? contrasts the stark realities of multiple crises facing human society, during a period of growing poverty, insecurity and austerity, with the vast amount of wealth that has been concentrated in a few hands, and asks what kind of policy going forward can address this inbalance.
Today we are in the midst of a multifaceted crisis which touches the lives of everyone on the planet. Whether it′s growing poverty and inequality or shrinking access to food and water, the collapse of global financial markets or the dire effects of climate change, every aspect of this crisis can be traced to a transnational neoliberal elite that has steadily eroded our rights and stripped us of power.
And yet our world has never been so wealthy, and we have, right now, all the knowledge, tools and skills we need to build a greener, fairer, richer world. Such a breakthrough is not some far–fetched utopia, but an immediate, concrete possibility. Our future is in our hands.
This book was published in French and Spanish 'Leurs crises, nos solutions' and 'Sus crisis, nuestras soluciones'. | <urn:uuid:7a735856-8614-487d-a8fb-eac9ec7f6749> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tni.org/tnibook/whose-crisis-whose-future?context=71170 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931334 | 242 | 1.796875 | 2 |
All Tech Considered
Tue June 5, 2012
Apple To Google Maps: We Have Our Own App For That
Originally published on Tue June 5, 2012 7:25 pm
There's been speculation for months that Apple will try to elbow Google's popular Maps app aside on the iPhone and unveil its own map app, and some of the best evidence yet comes from Tuesday's Wall Street Journal.
The paper looked into the reasons for the impending switch and the broader implications it would have for the smartphone market.
The speculation began last month when the website 9to5Mac cited "trusted sources" in reporting that Apple will replace Google Maps as the default map app in iOS6, the next version of its mobile operating system.
"The application design is said to be fairly similar to the current Google Maps program on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but it is described as a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience," the website said.
Google Maps has been a mainstay of the iPhone since 2007, but the Journal says Apple's replacement plan was hatched years ago and accelerated when phones powered by Google's Android operating system overtook Apple in shipments. So Apple bought three companies, Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly 9, which it used to create a mapping database.
The Journal reports that Apple could preview the new software as soon as next week at its annual developer conference in San Francisco. It cited "one person familiar with the plans."
In its May report, 9to5Mac said the Apple maps app will have a new 3-D tool.
"This 3D mode is said to essentially be technology straight from C3 Technologies: beautiful, realistic graphics based on de-classified missile target algorithms," the report said.
Jessica Vascellaro, one of the reporters who wrote the Journal story, told NPR's Audie Cornish that while Google will lose some revenue from the move, what's at stake goes beyond mapping applications.
"There's sort of a bigger pile of money at stake when you look at the broader smartphone battle and what phones people are buying," she said. "Because people today whether they're buying iPhones or phones that run Google's Android software, they want the coolest hardware but also, you know, the coolest apps. And if Google or Apple has a better map app, they're hoping that [they are] pulling users toward buying their phones and being sort of on their software platform.
"So it's really a broader battle about the billions of billions of dollars at stake in the smartphone industry."
The Journal's Vascellaro said the app will also turn your phone into an in-car GPS device, a feature already available in Android-powered phones.
"But I think where Apple is really going to try and differentiate is on sort of the vividness of the imagery and really 3-D imagery that pops on your screen, which is something we're not totally used to yet on mobile," she said.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
Apple and Google may be competitors, but for years now, they've had a marriage of convenience when it comes to mobile phones. Apple's iPhone ships with Google's maps program as a default. That could change later this year when Apple is reportedly planning to dump the Google software and provide its own mapping program to iPhone users. Now, this might not matter much to you, as long as you can get from Point A to Point B. But in the tech industry it's another battleground in the future of the mobile market.
Here to talk more about it is Jessica Vascellaro of The Wall Street Journal. Hi there, Jessica.
JESSICA VASCELLARO: Hi, thanks for having me.
CORNISH: So to start, you are reporting that this effort of Apple to release its own mapping program began with its development of its own geo-coder. So, in a nutshell, what is that?
VASCELLARO: In a nutshell, the geo-coder is what translates your longitude and latitudes of the string of numbers that stay where you are into the addresses you see on the map or the parks or the landmarks that you actually see when you pull up your phone and look at your location.
CORNISH: So, Jessica, just how much money is at stake here? I mean, what will it mean for Google to lose access to Apple's mobile tech users?
VASCELLARO: It's a great question. I mean, Google for sure, or will lose some advertising revenue. And, you know, right now there are Google ads that show up when you're using the maps app on the iPhone. And when Apple replaces it and presumably those ads won't be there, and so that's some revenue Google missed out on, as well as some data about locations that Google can use for ad targeting in general.
But there's sort of a bigger pile of money at stake when you look at the broader smartphone battle and what phones people are buying. Because people today, if they're buying iPhones or phones that run Google's Android software, they want the coolest, you know, hardware, but also the coolest apps. And if Google or Apple has a better map app, they're hoping that that might pull users towards buying their phones and being sort of on their software platform.
So it's really a broader battle about the billions and billions of dollars at stake in the smartphone industry.
CORNISH: So is that billions and billions in the future or billions and billions they can lose right now?
VASCELLARO: I mean, today, it's already multibillion dollar market globally, but the forecasts are just expected to skyrocket. Smartphone penetration is really low, so both Apple and Google want to have a smartphone running their software in the hands of every consumer. And Google has recently purchased Motorola, so now it's on the hardware side, too, in making money from direct sales of hardware, as well.
CORNISH: What do we know about Apple's mapping program so far? I mean, what kind of features will it have that's different from what we're experiencing with the Google program?
VASCELLARO: Well, what we know is that it's actually been a huge effort for Apple to just sort of match Google, in the sense of being able to offer all the coverage all around the world of, you know, imagery and including we expect sort of 3D imagery. And that's something that Google has to some degree and that we expect Apple's app will have as well.
Another feature Apple has been working on, which Google offers and is very popular, sort of turns your phone into an in-car GPS device. So it will talk to you so you don't have to look down at it as you're driving. And we know that Apple has been working on that too.
But I think where Apple is really going to try to differentiate is on sort of the vividness of the imagery and really 3D imageries that pops on your screen, which is something we're not totally used to yet on mobile. We're, you know, mostly using those line diagrams. And I think that's a big opening Apple sees.
CORNISH: Well, Jessica, thank you for explaining it to us.
VASCELLARO: Thanks for having me.
CORNISH: Jessica Vascellaro of The Wall Street Journal, she spoke to us about the escalating competition between Google and Apple in the mobile maps market. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | <urn:uuid:79886a4e-6081-4c92-ad6d-500f395c42da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kwit.org/post/apple-google-maps-we-have-our-own-app | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964744 | 1,565 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Games meet real life
As all good geeks know, "Tron: Legacy" comes out Friday. A sequel to 1982 cult hit "Tron," "Tron: Legacy" revisits a world where virtual reality is the only reality and you game for your life.
While I'm not expecting my own lightcycle quite yet, nearly 30 years after Steven Lisberger's vision hit theaters, we're edging toward a world where where work, play, reality and virtual reality are fusing together into something new. It even has a name, gamification, meaning using game frameworks and mechanics for real-life, often boring tasks.
Earlier this month, the game company Zynga, of Farmville fame, announced a rewards program through CitiBank on Wednesday that lets players use their credit card points to purchase capital in the Zynga universe. It's the second such partnership Zynga has going, as they signed on with American Express for something similar late last month.
There are many who may wonder why anyone would ever spend something with real-world value on fake items, but these companies say it's a win-win situation. As VentureBeat pointed out in its article on the subject, people are often left with rewards points they don't use, and this is a way to promote both products.
Top thinkers will gather next month in San Francisco for the Gamification Summit . Agenda items include talks about both profit and nonprofit applications, and it will be interesting to see how they wrestle with these issues.
What do you all think?
| December 17, 2010; 10:50 AM ET
Save & Share: Previous: Yahoo cuts Delicious, My Blog Log, AltaVista
Next: Users mourn Yahoo's Delicious bookmark service in advance (update: perhaps unnecessarily)
Posted by: jrbedard | December 17, 2010 1:11 PM | Report abuse | <urn:uuid:d9bd66da-bede-4b71-a66c-c2478e267f6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2010/12/games_meet_real_life.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952851 | 386 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Is the solution to America's post-secondary problem the opposite of packing more students into four year degree programs?
The founder of Paypal seems to think so. He's also putting his money where his mouth is, hand picking students, giving them a two year salary and letting them loose to innovate. All of this in lieu of school. The result? We'll have to wait and see, but it bears to note that the time of four year degrees from a prestigious university can in the least be replaced with ambitious entrepreneurship. | <urn:uuid:827a2988-8cba-46c2-9267-82209c9706d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scsu-scholars.blogspot.com/2011/06/drop-school-opt-for-business-and.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976965 | 106 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Medal of Honor recipient Romesha to be guest of first lady at State of the Union
Romesha following in footsteps of Lenny Skutnik
Former Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha, who will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony Monday afternoon, will also be honored by the Obamas as a guest of the first lady at Tuesday night's State of the Union address, administration officials tell CNN.
Romesha, who left the Army in 2011, will be only the fourth living service member from the war in Afghanistan to be awarded the Medal of Honor, three other troops having been given this highest of honors posthumously.
A native Californian who currently lives with his wife and three children in Minot, N.D., Romesha is being honored for his valorous actions on Oct. 3, 2009, when he and 52 other U.S. soldiers with Black Knight Troop, 3-61 CAV, were attacked at Combat Outpost Keating by up to 400 Taliban fighters. Eight Americans soldiers were killed in the battle, making it the deadliest day for the U.S. in the war that year, but Romesha was one of those who led the charge to take the camp back, at repeated risk to his own life.
After more than 12 hours of fighting, the U.S. forces at the camp -- because of air support and brave troops -- were ultimately able to push the Taliban fighters back. Within days, the U.S. abandoned and bombed the outpost. A later Pentagon investigation concluded that the camp had no strategic or tactical value.
By sitting in the first lady's box to be applauded by Congress and, indeed, the nation, Romesha will be following in the footsteps of Lenny Skutnik, the first of many "real people" invited to watch the president from the first lady's box. President Ronald Reagan invited Skutnik to the 1982 State of the Union address -- where Reagan singled out and heralded him - after risking his life to save a passenger drowning after Air Florida Flight 90 crashed in the Potomac River less than 2 weeks before.
The names of the "Skutniks" are usually kept secret until just before the president's annual speech.
CNN profiled Romesha in a one-hour special, "American Hero: The Uncommon Valor of Clint Romesha," which will re-air Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET. The former staff sergeant is also a major character in this reporter's book, "The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor," which tells the story of Combat Outpost Keating and the Oct. 3, 2009 battle.
Copyright 2013 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | <urn:uuid:75b06fe6-ccee-4b6c-8346-4978e03ad46a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/Medal-of-Honor-recipient-Romesha-to-be-guest-of-first-lady-at-State-of-the-Union/-/1637100/18488796/-/format/rss_2.0/view/print/-/uemtlz/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969064 | 589 | 1.507813 | 2 |
|Year : 2000 | Volume
| Issue : 1 | Page : 32-35
Congenital unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney in children: A clinical study
Arun K Sharma, KN Rattan, Nirmala Sharma
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, India
Arun K Sharma
c/o B.L. Sharma, 5-A, Double Storey, Tansen Nagar, Gwalior - 474 002
| Abstract|| |
Multicystic kidney is one of the most frequently encountered masses in the newborns, ranking either first or second in occurrence. Totally 15 cases were managed over the last 5 years. The most common age of presentation was within first month of life, the affliction occurring more on the left side. Commonest mode of presentation was abdominal mass. Ultrasonography was the diagnostic investigation of choice. Five cases were diagnosed antenatally. Associated anomalies were found in 8 cases with anovestibular fistula, PUJO in contralateral kidney, right congenital lumbar hernia and oesophageal atresia with TOE. Nephrectomy was the surgical treatment performed along with appropriate management of the associated anomalies.
Keywords: Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney; Unilateral; Children
|How to cite this article:|
Sharma AK, Rattan K N, Sharma N. Congenital unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney in children: A clinical study. Indian J Urol 2000;17:32-5
|How to cite this URL:|
Sharma AK, Rattan K N, Sharma N. Congenital unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney in children: A clinical study. Indian J Urol [serial online] 2000 [cited 2013 May 23];17:32-5. Available from: http://www.indianjurol.com/text.asp?2000/17/1/32/41010
| Introduction|| |
Cystic lesions of the kidney present a variety of forms in infants and children. Multicystic kidney disease is a well-defined group of unilateral and occassionally bilateral cases. It is a developmental anomaly of the kidney in which renal parenchyma is replaced by tense non-communicating cysts and the proximal ureter is atretic or nonpatent. In 1936, Schwartz first described multicystic kidney disease but the characteristics of the disease was first described by Spence in 1955.
Different theories were advanced as to the etiology of renal cyst formation. The original "failure of union" theory of Hilderbrant, the "persistence of vestigeal structures" thesis of Kampmeier and "the localised urinary obstruction plus vascular impairment" mechanism postulated by Hepler. None seems universally satisfactory or acceptable. Actually all that can be stated definitely in this regard is that muticystic kidney is a congenital defect resulting from foetal maldevelopment not on a hereditary basis.
A review of the patients at our institution in whom a multicystic kidney had been diagnosed was undertaken and the results of this study and those in literature are discussed in relation to the overall management of the asymtomatic multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK).
| Patients and Methods|| |
During a 5-year-period 15 children with multicystic dysplastic kidney who underwent surgical treatment were identified. Of the 15 cases, 5 were diagnosed antenatally via ultrasonography while 5 were less than one month of age and 4 were less than 4 years of age. Only one of the case presented at 12 years of age in our series [Table 1]. Male patients were predominant (9:6). A family history concerning the renal disease was absent in all the 15 cases. The left kidney was affected slightly more often than the right kidney (10:5).
| Results|| |
5 cases were diagnosed antenatally by ultrasound while rest 10 presented with a flank or abdominal mass which was the commonest mode of presentation. Of the 15 patients with multicystic dysplastic kidney 12 had unilateral disease with normal opposite kidney while 3 had PUJ obstruction on the contralateral side. On routine abdominal palpation in an otherwise healthy infant a large, unilateral, lobulated, non-tender movable mass is found in the flank [Figure 1]. Four patients were admitted primarily for the treatment of congenital anomalies and multicystic kidney were diagnosed during work up of the patients [Table 2]. Urine examination was found to be normal in 12 cases while in 3 cases, urine was infected and positive cultures of B.coli or B. proteus were obtained. Blood urea and serum creatinine was found to be normal in all the cases.
Ultrasonography is the investigation of choice which is non-invasive and establishes the diagnosis in almost all cases, including antenatal diagnosis. Most significant finding on excretory urography were non-opacification of the kidney mass with a normal or hydronephrotic contralateral kidney in 3 cases which was associated with PUJO. Associated anomalies found were urologic and non-urologic. Urologic anomalies included contralateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 3 cases while hypospadias was present in one of the cases. Non-urological anomalies included anovestibular fistula in 3 cases, oesophageal atresia with TOF in 1 case, right congenital lumbar hernia in 1 case [Table 2]. Cystourethroscopy was done showing complete absence of the ureteric orifice in the bladder on the side of lumbar mass and arrest of the catheter in the ureter at varying levels during catheterisation on the side of lumbar mass.
Nephrectomy was performed by transperitoneal approach in all the 15 cases after demonstration of a lifesupporting contralateral kidney.
The multicystic kidney removed does not have a reniform outline on gross examination but consists of a grapelike cluster of cysts held together by connective tissue [Figure 2]. The size of the cysts varies and so also the number. Cut-section showed thin-walled cysts around a small nubbin of solid or spongy tissue near the centre [Figure 3]. Although there was no apparent communication between the cysts but some authors have reported that these cysts may communicate with one another.
The ureter is atretic [Figure 4] in 13 cases and in 2 cases the ureter was found to be entirely absent and was represented by a very thin fibrous strand. All the multicystic kidneys presented with a histological picture of the presence of primitive renal elements often surrounded by loose embryonic mesenchyme. The walls of the cyst were composed of fibrous tissue and the epithelial lining was found to be flat or cuboidal.
| Discussion|| |
The term "unilateral multicystic kidney" was first proposed in 1936 by Schwartz. All the 15 cases in our series MCDK were unilateral but bilateral cases can also occur. Most common age of presentation was within first month of life and 5 cases were diagnosed antenatally by ultrasonography. It is possible that approximately three-quarters of the unilateral multicystic kidneys remained undiagnosed in the days before pre-natal ultrasound diagnosis. The incidence of unilateral multicystic kidney was 1 in 4300 live births. The incidence of unilateral renal agenesis in the adult population has been reported variably to be between 1:1500 to 1:2000. , It is possible that a significant proportion of these cases are in fact the end result of involution of a muticystic kidney.
Male patients were predominant, although some say that there is no predilection for side or sex.
Commonest mode of presentation was lump in the abdomen. There was no evidence of pain or discomfort due to lump, - it did not cause any disturbance of micturition being excluded from the urinary tract. Ultrasonography was the investigation of choice in our series and 5 of the cases had been diagnosed by pre-natal ultrasonography.
Investigation: Most significant finding on excretory urography was non-visualisation of muticystic dysplastic kidney with a normal-appearing kidney on the opposite side. Classically renal function is absent in MCDK and there should be no detectable concentration of radiographic contrast medium. , In recent years the phenomenon of the total-body-opacification phase of highdose urography has been used in new borns as a diagnostic aid. Some multicystic kidneys might, indeed, be capable of minimal function adequate to visualize radiographically although insufficient to support life. We did renal isotope scan in 3 cases; no function was seen in MCDK. Cystoscopy and attempted retrograde urography when performed in the reported cases have shown either an absence of the ureteral orifice on the side corresponding to the lesion or a blind termination of a small ureter below the ureteropelvic junction.
Treatment: The most appropriate management of the multicystic dysplastic kidney remains controversial. Nephrectomy was done after demonstration of a life-supporting contralateral kidney in all the cases. The transperitoneal approach was preferred since it has certain advantages in the early control of blood supply, avoidance of injury to adjacent viscera and abdominal exploration particularly of the opposite kidney is possible.
Long-term finding show that MCDK may take as long as 20-25 years to resolve; families and physicians should be prepared for long-term follow-up (Wacksman 1993) which is not possible in Indian circumstances.
The controversial issue is the long-term risk of the development of malignancy in the MCDK. Nodular renal blastema is a part of the nephroblastomatosis complex and it bears an association with Wilm's tumor. Such blastemal elements are considered to be precursor lesions to Wilm's tumor according to the "2 hit" theory of Knudson and Strong. The true incidence of nodular renal blastema is increased in multicystic dysplasia and it is in the range of 3-5 percent. One must accept that there is a risk for the development of neoplasia although it appears to be small. From 1966 to 1986 - 6 reports of malignancy associated with MCDK had been reported. Flow cytometric evaluation of MCDK demonstrated a diploid pattern of deoxyribonucleic acid. But these findings do not support or negate the potential for neoplasm associated with MCDK. Since a diploid deoxyribonucleic acid pattern does not eliminate the possibility of the future development of malignancy. Hypertension has been reported in 4 children with retained MCDK.
The most pressing of these issues in Indian circumstances seems to be how to assure life-long surveillance and also that they are not lost to follow-up. It would seem that life-long surveillance will probably be less than successful in a large number of cases and in that regard operative removal of the MCDK would be definitive. Also it would appear that in experienced hands, anaesthetically and surgically the risk of removing a MCDK is small and perhaps even smaller than the incidence of development of Wilm's tumor if the organ is retained. We believe clearly that surgery is the best option in those children in whom the retained mass appears to be growing, hypertension develops, the diagnosis is in question or adequate follow-up can not be assumed. Since the multicystic dysplastic kidney is unilateral, the prognosis is good.
Follow-Up: All the 15 cases are under follow-up. We did ultrasonography after 3 months to rule out any multicystic changes in the opposite kidney. Routine urine examination and renal function test like blood urea and serum creatinine must be carried out every month. There was no mortality in our series.
| References|| |
|1.||Gordon AC, Thomas DFM. Arthur RJ, Irving HC. Multicystic dysplastic kidney: Is nephrectomy still appropriate? J Urol 1988; 140: 1231-1234. |
|2.||Schwartz J. An unusual unilateral multicystic kidney in an infant. J Urol 1936; 35: 259. |
|3.||Spence HM. Congenital unilateral muticystic kidney: an entity to be distinguished from polycystic kidney disease and other cystic disorders. J Urol 1955; 74: 693. [PUBMED] |
|4.||Pathak IG, Williams M DI. Multicystic and cystic dysplastic kidneys. Br J Urol 1964; 36: 318. |
|5.||Greene LF, Feinzaig W, Dahlin DC. Multicystic dysplasia of the kidney with special reference to the contralateral kidney. J Urol 1971:105:482. |
|6.||Campbell MF. Congenital absence of one kidney: Unilateral renal agenesis. Ann Surg 1928; 88: 1039. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]|
|7.||Emanuel B, Nachman R, Aronson N, Weiss H. Congenital solitary kidney: a review of 74 cases. J Urol 1974; 111: 394-397. [PUBMED] |
|8.||Kyaw MM. The radiological diagnosis of congenital multicystic kidney `radiological triad'. Clin Radio! 1974; 25: 45. |
|9.||Leonidas JC, Strauss L. Krasna IH. Roentgen diagnosis of multicystic renal dysplasia in infancy by high dose urography. J Urol 1972; 108: 963-965. |
|10.||Warshawsky AB, Miller KE, Kaplan GW. Urographic visualisation of multicystic kidneys. J Urol 1977; 117: 94-96. [PUBMED] |
|11.||Wacksman J, Phipps L. Report of the multicystic kidney registry: Preliminary findings. J Urol 1993; 150: 1870-1872. [PUBMED] |
|12.||Knudson AG Jr, Strong LC. Mutation and Cancer: a model for Wilm's tumor of the kidney. J Nail Cancer Inst 1972: 48: 313. |
|13.||Beckwith JB. Wilm`s tumor and other renal tumors of childhood: an update. J Urol 1986: 136: 320-324. |
|14.||Dimmick JE, Johnson HW, Coleman GU, Carter M. Wilm's tumorlet, nodular renal blastema and multicystic renal dysplasia. J Urol 1942: 48: 198. |
|15.||Jung WH, Peters CA. Mandell J, Vawter GF, Retik AB. Flow cytometric evaluation of multicystic dysplastic kidneys. J Urol 1990; 144: 413-415. |
|16.||Javadpour N, Chelouhy E, Moncada L, Rosenthal IM. Bush IM. Hypertension in a child caused by a multicystic kidney. J Urol 1970; 104: 918-921. |
|17.||Chen YH, Stapleton FB, Roys S III. Noe HN. Neonatal hypertension from a unilateral muticystic dysplastic kidney. J Urol 1985; 133: 664-665. |
|18.||Noe HN, Marshall JH, Edwards OP. Nodular renal blastema in the multicystic kidney. J Urol 1989: 142: 486-488. |
[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4]
[Table 1], [Table 2] | <urn:uuid:e6f1c0e8-570d-4524-9fff-8f7e5b4fa196> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indianjurol.com/article.asp?issn=0970-1591;year=2000;volume=17;issue=1;spage=32;epage=35;aulast=Sharma | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939872 | 3,393 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Fresh off a new round of changes to its terms and conditions, along with ending the ability to vote on any changes in the future, Facebook on Wednesday unveiled new privacy controls for users to be implemented “at the end of 2012.”
The most dramatic of the new features is a “Privacy Shortcuts” button that will be persistently displayed on the blue navigation bar at the top of all Facebook webpages for signed-in users (example image from Facebook above).
The button lets users access one of three, plain-speak options: “Who can see my stuff?” “Who can contact me?” and “How do I stop someone from bothering me?”
Facebook notes that the new feature would help users avoid having to navigate through a series of pages to access their settings.
But Facebook is also removing the ability for users to hide their profiles from the built-in Facebook search bar at the top of the website, with Facebook product director Sam Lessin rationalizing that decision in a blog post Wednesday by writing: “The setting was very limited in scope, and didn’t prevent people from finding others in many other ways across the site.”
Other new features included:
More granular App Permissions
Previously, Facebook account holders who wanted to use apps and games on the Facebook website, or apps off Facebook that Facebook sign-in, usually had to agree to one set of permissions that would enable the app to both access their information and post their app activity back to their Facebook.
Now, one permission allows Facebook users to only grant the apps access to their information, or to “Read.” (Facebook example image below):
Another stage allows users to agree to have their app activity — points, wins, etc. — shared back to Facebook, to “Write.” (Facebook example image below):
In its developer blog, Facebook also explains that it is now spelling out exactly what information apps can have access to, from the vague “Basic Info” to the far more telling “public profile, friend list and email address.” (example image below):
New, more explicit privacy reminders
Facebook will now begin showing users exactly where content they are trying to hide or limit access to still appears to others, via a tiny dialog box that below the content they are trying to modify (example image below):
Importantly, this doesn’t mean that the social networking company is allowing users to change where this content appears, just informing users more specifically where it can be accessed.
Although there is an “Undo” function for hiding posts from Timelines, the new feature is primarily informative, not controllable.
Activity Log reorganized, now has its own sidebar menu
When Facebook began switching all users over to its new “Timeline” view back in January 2012, it also created a special section of every user’s Facebook profile called the “Activity Log,” which shows the user a chronological list of everything they’ve ever done on Facebook or involving Facebook, including “Like”-ing things on other websites.
Here’s an example image from this reporter’s Facebook profile of where to find the Activity Log:
This feature allows users to quickly modify who can see their Facebook actions or mark them as spam. It’s only accessible by individual users, nobody else can see it.
On Wednesday, Facebook showed-off a redesigned Activity Log that’s easier to navigate, moving a bunch of filters for the types of actions and content a user could see from a button at the top to a sidebar menu at the side.
Here’s where the old Activity Log filters were located:
And here’s a view highlighting where the new Activity Log filters are located:
Facebook also noted that it has now broken up the “Photos” Activity Log filter into two separate filters, “Your Photos” and “Photos of You.” The latter shows not only public photos, but also all those photos users were tagged in and had subsequently hidden from their own Timelines, and are still visible to other users on other parts of Facebook.
The Activity Log also offers users a new option within their “Photos of You” filter requesting other users to untag them from photos, or to have the photos “untagged and taken down,” (example image below). Facebook said it is even giving users the ability to include a note explaining why they want to untag or takedown the photos (example image below):
Search blocking removed
Although Facebook explained in a post on its Safety page that changes were designed to “help you better control and understand sharing on Facebook,” several reports highlighted the fact that among all the additions, Facebook was also removing the ability for users to hide their profiles from Facebook’s built-in search function.
As All Things D’s Mike Issac explained:
Some people may immediately shout “privacy invasion!” here. And perhaps it is Facebook casting aside some veil of user obscurity. But that’s missing the point. Yes, your timeline will be searchable. But Facebook has made it clear it wants to be the definitive online identity site — not LinkedIn, not Google, not Twitter. And for a directory of identities to truly work, everyone must have a listing. Your timeline is your listing.
“Now you won’t have a choice but to be featured in search,” wrote the New York Times’ Nick Bilton, noting that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had expressed an interest in a Facebook search engine earlier in September. “At least you can easily block someone who finds you.” | <urn:uuid:c09c9cc1-3a5c-4ce3-ab0f-eca6960d3c36> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/12/facebook-changes-privacy-controls-better-and-simpler-or-more-invasive.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945586 | 1,194 | 1.726563 | 2 |
In: Amil Blogs18 Nov 2012
Self-defense is the right of every individual, group, or nation. The inveterate belligerent Hamas cannot expect Israel to refrain from retaliation when it lobs barrage after barrage of rockets at Israeli populations. Hamas thrives on violence. And violence begets violence. Hamas is in a state of hostility even with its own kindred, the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank. It is time for Hamas to mend its ways, realize the futility of its strategy, and live in peace with others. It is time for the people in Gaza to demand that their leaders cease exploiting them and have them extend a hand of genuine peace for the betterment of all.
Decades of bloodletting by the Hamas extremists, has inflicted unnecessary and unacceptable suffering on all sides. Israel, justifiably, is compelled to do what it must to defend itself and its people. In stark contrast to Hamas, Israel’s response is measured and does not intentionally target the innocent civilians. Those who support and fund Hamas in its belligerence have their own vested interest and not that of the Palestinians. The Palestinian people need to realize the futility of the present hostility and demand that their leaders work for a peaceful solution.
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My mission is to raise the clarion call about the imminent and present danger of expansionistic theocratic Islam. Having witnessed first-hand the horrors and indignity that Islamofascism visits on people it subjugates, I have taken it upon myself to do my part in defeating this ideology of oppression, hate and violence. | <urn:uuid:de37ef6d-61a5-4a34-a333-d5b4d5b19bbd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://amilimani.com/israel-has-right-to-defend-itself/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945432 | 326 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Verizon Wireless customers throughout the state of Vermont will be able to text emergency messages directly into the 911 system as part of six-month trial of the technology that began this week at the Williston Public Safety Answering Point ( ).
Vermont is able to do this largely because of the IP connectivity installed last year, said David Tucker, executive director of the Vermont Enhanced 911 Board. With that connectivity, adding the text-messaging capability was relatively straightforward, he said.
“Intrado hosts our 911 call system, and they’re a good company to work with, and Verizon Wireless is great to work with — they did all the heavy lifting,” Tucker said. “It wasn’t really difficult at all. We had to do some training, but it’s really gone very smoothly.
“We put in a new system at the end of May last year that is almost certainly one of the most modern next-gen systems in the country. Having that system in place enabled us to do this trial.”
Vermont represents the second text-to-911 trial thathas done with Verizon Wireless, making it a much easier process, according to John Snapp, senior technical officer for Intrado.
“Once we’ve done the first one [with a given carrier], the additional ones becomes a lot easier to turn up and it becomes a lot quicker, because the all the infrastructure is in place,” Snapp said. “You’re simply turning on additional PSAPs — there’s no additional work that has to be done with the wireless carriers to turn on new PSAPs.”
Snapp said the same pattern can be followed with other carriers, with the first deployment being much more labor intensive than subsequent deployments, assuming the PSAP has the necessary IP connectivity and software components.
Handling text is “the first step to next-gen 911,” which promises to be much more scalable in terms of deploying new services in a PSAP, Snapp said.
“The goal is to make it simple for the PSAP, so they can add [applications] quickly,” he said. “It should be easy to train on, easy for them to use; it just plugs in and goes. It’s sort of like the idea of adding a new app on your iPhone. [Vermont] has kind of proven that can be the case.” | <urn:uuid:9feef356-4187-48f0-ae90-e82302e9e167> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://urgentcomm.com/psap/news/va-911-text-trial-20120419 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957087 | 518 | 1.601563 | 2 |
A proposal to start an industrial development authority in Oro Valley has been put on hold to give the council time to learn more about how the body would function.
The Oro Valley Town Council last Wednesday voted unanimously to hold a study session on the issue before making a final decision on it.
Councilwoman Salette Latas had requested that the item appear on the Feb. 17 agenda. The Explorer was unable to reach her before publication deadline last week for comment on the matter.
Latas subsequently said she asked to have the proposed industrial development authority on the agenda to weigh whether it would make sense for the town to establish one.
The IDA, which would function similar to other town commissions with members appointed by the council, would act as an intermediary to the bond markets.
Communities across the state have IDAs, which access bond funding for private interests intent on developing. The IDAs come in because often times the private interests don't have access to traditional funding.
With a local government's backing, bond financing often comes tax-free as well. Taxpayers are not financially liable for any of the debt incurred by the private interest in an IDA agreement.
In Oro Valley's case, the IDA issue came up as result of an inquiry from the operators of a charter school.
BASIS Charter School, a well-regarded public charter, has expressed interest in opening a school in Oro Valley. The non-profit that operates BASIS has schools in Scottsdale and Tucson.
School founder Michael Block had asked town economic development staffers if Oro Valley operates an IDA. Numerous charters across Arizona have gotten funding through IDAs. Pima County's IDA has provided more than $500 million in bond funding to charters over the past 10 years.
Because Oro Valley does not have an IDA, BASIS has looked outside to get funding.
"They have gone to the City of Florence for bond financing," according to Amanda Jacobs, Oro Valley economic development coordinator.
Jacobs told the council the school would be able to pay off its debt sooner by going through the Pinal County city, and would save nearly $400,000 in the process.
Block previously told The Explorer that he still intends to open in Oro Valley, possibly by the start of the next school term. The school has looked at an industrial site just off Oracle Road once occupied by Sanofi-aventis as a location for the new charter.
The town council still intends to discuss the possibility of initiating an IDA.
Oro Valley had an IDA from 1985 to 2006 when it was disbanded. In 21 years, the authority had not engaged in any bonding activity.
Political activities defined
The issue of what, if any, political activities town employees can engage in has been debated for the past few months.
The council asked Town Attorney Tobin Rosen at the Jan. 20 meeting to advise on any restrictions against employees engaging in political activity, such as volunteering on campaigns, collecting signatures or donating money.
The council voted to have the issue delayed until last Wednesday. Council members asked for examples of how other Arizona municipalities handle employee politicking.
"Reading the policies, I think it's fair to say it's all over the map," Rosen told the council.
He told the council that Oro Valley's policy appeared to have been taken verbatim from the city of Scottsdale.
Councilman Al Kunisch suggested the town adopt a policy similar to that enforced by state government. That policy forbids state employees from acting as officers in political campaigns or managing elections of recall efforts.
State employees can sign petitions and make and solicit campaign contributions.
"I would have a severe issue with people being solicited at town hall," Councilman Bill Garner said, who also said he would have issues with town employees circulating petitions.
The revised town code mirrors state law, with the exception of forbidding Oro Valley employees from circulating political petitions at work. All the prohibitions apply to Oro Valley municipal elections, including running for local elected office.
The following change to town code was accepted unanimously: "Employees may not be members of political committees, officers of partisan political committees or nominees for paid elective office. Employees may not take part in the management or affairs of political parties, campaigns or recall efforts. Employees may express opinions, attend meetings, vote, sign nomination or recall petitions and advocate for election or defeat of candidates." | <urn:uuid:b1e9a8a7-32aa-419a-91fd-4a53b9982157> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://explorernews.com/news/pima_pinal/article_4689c3d6-fa66-54b5-b965-87443400bef4.html?mode=story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97336 | 901 | 1.726563 | 2 |
February 9, 2012
ISS023-E-020043 (7 April 2010) --- This nadir, 800mm view of the portside top part of Discovery's cabin was provided by one of the Expedition 23 crew members onboard the International Space Station. The shuttle was in the midst of a back-flip, performed to enable the station's cameras to survey it for possible damage. The rendezvous and subsequent docking occurred early on April 7. Once the Discovery crew joins the Expedition 23 crew aboard the orbital complex, nine men and four women will begin several days of joint activities, including three spacewalks. | <urn:uuid:a55f29ef-571a-4a55-b32b-7eb683b647bf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.redorbit.com/images/pic/59833/iss023e020043/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94005 | 124 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Having It All Versus Having Happy Kids
Throughout the summer, The Takeaway has covered parenting and the notion of “having it all” from a number of approaches — from women, from men, and from those who think having it all is the wrong thing to shoot for.
How do children fit into this equation? How do they feel about parents who want everything — not just for themselves, but for their kids? Do parental high expectations get kids excited for a future of academic and personal achievement, or lead to other issues?
Madeline Levine is a psychologist and the author of “Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success” and “The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids.” | <urn:uuid:70ee732c-c564-4775-aab0-b399a284fbf9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://madelinelevine.com/having-it-all-versus-having-happy-kids/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93885 | 165 | 1.757813 | 2 |
A new cluster of student apartments at Washington University in St. Louis is redefining the modern residential college and reinvigorating an active commercial corridor. Construction started in February on the first four of what will be an $80 million, five-building complex along Delmar Boulevard on the border of the City of St. Louis and University City to the west.
Boston-based William Rawn Associates Architects has arranged the mixed-use development to help mend the area’s urban fabric while blending with surrounding historic residential neighborhoods. A pedestrian plaza—called the Mews—bisects the site and aligns with the existing street grid to promote connectivity and expand space for retail. “We introduced the pedestrian Mews as a way of creating a stitch between the Parkview Gardens neighborhood and the dynamism of the Delmar Loop,” said Doug Johnston, principal at William Rawn Associates. “As an urban form, the Mews became an important means of joining two very different sites together.”
Each building is designed to transition between the active Delmar Boulevard and the adjacent quiet neighborhood. Subtle cues are incorporated, from the massing and materiality of the surrounding red-brick apartment buildings. The new buildings also step down in height from five to three stories. Johnston said courtyards on the residential side will help to break up the rhythm of the buildings’ facades and connect each loft-style unit with nature and daylight.
Facing Delmar, the south facade is covered in perforated aluminum louvers that capture light and provide residents privacy and respite from the sun. Some louvers will be colored, creating a visual rhythm across the facade and evoking the neon lights common along the boulevard. “The Delmar façade is about capturing the dynamism of the Loop district,” Johnston said. “We’re deliberately making a contemporary expression rather than one based in nostalgia.”
A second-story landscaped terrace will allow students to participate in the vibrancy of the Loop and also showcase the project’s sustainability. Much of the roof will be covered in solar arrays, making the buildings up to 40 percent more energy efficient than traditional structures.
The development will accommodate 600 residents. Construction is expected to take around 14 months and will be complete by the start of the fall semester in 2014. | <urn:uuid:ba2879a0-3f18-406a-aa55-244b92282ca1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=6545 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939548 | 484 | 1.554688 | 2 |
WASHINGTON - Maryland state legislators have begun pushing for police in schools, even as they propose laws to eliminate assault weapons.
According to an article published in The Gazette, John Cluster Jr. (R-Dist. 8), a Baltimore County delegate, is pushing for legislation that places police officers in every public school in the state.
Cluster says the officers could act as good role models for students in the schools they serve. He submitted his plan as emergency legislation so it could take effect as soon as February.
The same article details that a group of state senators from Montgomery County and Baltimore city proposed a law to ban assault weapons and high-volume magazine clips in Maryland.
Cluster says he's skeptical of the proposal that would ban assault weapons because he doesn't feel it will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park, one of the law makers behind the gun control package, disagrees. However, he does think that increase police presence in schools could be an effective temporary measure.
For more information on the pending legislation, read the full article.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
Weinstein showcases Kelly and Mandela films at Cannes.
Conn. zoo officials don't know how this baby came to be born.
How much did a painting of a topless "Golden Girl" fetch?
An 800-pound alligator? That's not bad for a first hunting trip. | <urn:uuid:56523d71-3c58-4f86-8143-1b3afc3a57a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtop.com/41/3175877/Maryland-lawmakers-propose-gun-legislation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96711 | 314 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, was at the Geneva motor show today, and I had the opportunity to interview him with other European journalists. Tesla’s CEO first said his cars would use the Mennekes Type 2 plug for the European market. This was highly expected, and it’s simply great news. European EV market will only get better if all manufacturers commit to a single plug. The challenge is that both Tesla models, the S and the X, shall remain compliant with Tesla’s proprietary technology. This to allow Tesla drivers to plug on the European standard charging network, and to the Tesla upcoming network of superchargers as well. On this subject, Musk said he will launch a superchargers network in Europe just as he has already started in the US. Electricity will be free and unlimited to Tesla drivers, and it will be green coming from solar sources.
But when asked about when and where (and I asked him twice, since he didn’t reply the first time), Musk gave no details, nor did he make any commitment. So it’s best to advise Tesla customers to get a 11 kW wallbox in their garage. That’s the minimum a Model S requires with its large 85 kWh battery. Fortunately, a 230V 50A wallbox is quite affordable in Europe (about €1,500 with standard installation). But potential customers must learn that the Tesla Model S may not have got European Type approval yet (Musk wasn’t clear on this point either), and that the car still has to be modified to work with the Type 2 plug. Musk said that first European deliveries are planned in July however. | <urn:uuid:c5b2ea1d-1e55-434b-bc39-67747f027c5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motornature.com/2013/03/elon-musk-chose-the-european-type-2-plug-but-gives-no-detail-about-superchargers-network/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965405 | 341 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Classic Island Experience
One of the foremost vacation spots in the world, the U.S. Virgin Islands have it all - stunning stretches of unspoiled beaches, exciting water sports, marvelous coral reefs, and delicious island cuisine… the complete Caribbean experience.
The USVI are made up of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, along with several other smaller islands scattered nearby. Of these, St. Croix is the largest. Its main draw is several protected marine areas that are known for having world-class scuba and snorkeling. For shopping, eating, and nightlife, St. Croix has two major towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted. The architectural quality and historic sites of Christiansted has earned it the distinction of being on the National Historic Register.
St. Thomas proudly boasts Magens Bay, a mile-long stretch of white sand that is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Those interested in the Caribbean’s pirating history can visit Blackbeard’s Castle, purportedly used by the infamous seafaring criminal as a lookout for his next potential victim. St John is the least developed of the three main islands, most of it belonging to a U.S. National Park. But where St. John is developed, the establishments are posh and upscale, earning it the moniker “The Beverly Hills of the Caribbean.”
Acquired as a U.S. territory in 1917, the U.S. Virgin Islands have become a major holiday spot for mainland Americans and are a popular choice for destination weddings and cruise ship departures. Some claim that the islands are too “mainstream” and have lost much of their Caribbean identity through decades of aggressive development and tourism. But for certain travelers, the conveniences and comforts that the U.S. Virgin Islands provide are worth every penny. | <urn:uuid:41da1e09-6707-4394-9f36-7b3f4e72c5cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tripwolf.com/en/guide/show/681/United-States-Virgin-Islands | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950714 | 388 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Hi Moxxie fans, Dana here today sharing a school-themed mini album. I love the end of summer. The weather begins to cool down, I get back into a more organized routine and my daughters get to return to school and reunite with the friends they missed over the summer vacation.
This year is extra special because my oldest daughter will start Kindergarten! I do not know who is more excited, her or me. As I was checking off each item on my daughter's school supply list, I also picked up the Moxxie School Zone Collection. The patterned papers are full of fun designs like pencils, crayons, rulers and calculators, and the fresh, bold color palette really captures the joy and excitement of school.
I had a blast creating this School Days Mini Album. This album has two pages for every school year from Preschool to 12th Grade and an extra two pages for extracurricular activities.
Each page of the album has a pocket that can hold school photos, awards, report cards and other souvenirs collected from each school year. I added a photo mat for each grade and used the coordinating stickers and rub-ons to embellish each page of the album.
Each school grade has a designated patterned paper in the collection that features a fabulous corner flourish design and the name of the school year. I used that portion of each patterned paper for my album pages. I used the other half of each page to cut photo mats and cover shipping tags.
If you would like to make an album like this, here is what you need to do:
Step 1: Cut a piece of 12x12 cardstock in half. Take one piece of 6x12 cardstock and score every 3/4 inch. Fold the paper back and forth on the score lines to create an accordion fold. This piece of cardstock will be the mini album binding. Reserve the other half of the paper for use in Step Four.
Step 2: Cut eight pieces of 12x12 cardstock in half. Place two 6x12 pieces of cardstock together and fold in half, creating a 6x6 square. Repeat for the remaining seven groups of 6x12 pieces of cardstock. Using a sewing machine, stitch four of the grouped 6x12 pieces of cardstock along the top and bottom, creating pockets that open from the side of the page. Stitch the remaining four grouped 6x12 pieces of cardstock along the bottom and two sides, creating pockets that open from the top of the page. Note: I decided to make both top pockets and side pockets to keep my album balanced as items are placed into the pockets over the years.
Step 3: To attach the pages into the accordion folds of the binding, place the folded edge of the page against the matching fold of the accordion panel. Pierce three holes through the two fold lines simultaneously at 1-inch, 3-inches and 5-inches (measuring from the top of the page). To secure the pages in place, use a pamphlet stitch. Using embroidery floss and a needle, bring the needle from the outside of the fold and through the center hole, leaving a 3-inch tail on the outside of the binding. Carry the floss along inside the fold and out through the top hole. Carry the floss along the entire length of the accordion binding on the outside of the book, creating a long stitch, and then thread the needle through the bottom hole to the inside of the fold. Bring the needle out through the middle hole. Your starting thread and ending thread should be on opposite sides of the long stitch on the outside of the binding. Tie the ends of the floss in a square knot, making sure to tie the knot around the long stitch. Repeat the pamphlet stitch to secure the other seven pages into the accordion binding. Note: I arranged my album pages so that every other page had a top pocket opening.
Step Four: Take the piece of 6x12 cardstock leftover from Step 1 and score every 3/4 of an inch. Fold the paper back and forth on the score lines to create an accordion fold. Cut a strip 2 1/2 inches from one end. This piece of cardstock will cover the stitching that holds the album together. Glue the piece of cardstock to the front and back flaps of the binding.
Step Five: Cut two, 16-inch pieces if ribbon. Glue one end of a piece of ribbon to the center of the front page of the album. Flip the album over and glue one end of the second piece of ribbon to the center of the back page of the album. Cut a piece of patterned paper to 6x6 inches. Add the piece of patterned paper to the front of the album, under the flap of the album binding. This piece of paper covers the ribbon and makes the front cover of the album. Repeat for the back cover of the album.
Step Six: Glue the flap from the binding down on the front cover. Repeat for the back cover.
Step Seven: Add a border sticker along the edge of the binding down the front cover of the album. Repeat for the back cover.
Step Eight: Glue down the tabs from the accordion binding, found on every other page of the album, to the album page beneath it to give the album stability. Cut patterned papers to 5 3/4 inches square and add them to each page of the album.
Step Nine: Embellish the front cover and inside pages of the album with stickers and rub-ons. Add 4x3 inch photo mats every other page of the album. Optional: Using leftover pieces of patterned paper from the collection, cover several shipping tags. Randomly insert the tags into the pockets of the album pages.
Thanks for stopping by today! If you've been creating with Moxxie products, please visit the Moxxie facebook page and share your work with us! | <urn:uuid:e709d2d0-5a4f-47e5-9b77-6cb9a1eb2c46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gotmoxxie.typepad.com/got_moxxie/2012/08/back-to-school-with-moxxie.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935586 | 1,229 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Last week, some of us finally made Directionlessgov.com, a search engine as your interface to the UK government. Have a go, it’s actually quite useful. It’s a bit of an in-joke, but makes a simple point well; these days everyone finds everything by Google. Normal people don’t go to fat, carefully crafted “web portals” like Directgov.
I saw this myself yesterday when my Mum was trying to give towards relief after the Tsunami. At the time the appeal website wasn’t yet up, and she searched for all sorts of things on Google, none of which got anywhere. In the end going to Oxfam’s home page first, then following the prominant link, worked well. But it was far harder than it should have been.
Most of my websites get most of their traffic from Google. If you search for the name of your MP you’ll find TheyWorkForYou and/or PublicWhip in the first few hits. When you’re making a website, it’s worth remembering that from your user’s point of view the <title> is actually a menu entry within Google. To most people, your content is just a part of the Internet. Not the part of your site which you think it is, with your excessive attachment to what you made.
The twist in the tale is, of course, that the Internet is now excessively centralised. Everyone from the nerdiest nerd to the grandest grandmother uses Google. That’s fine for now, but it’s dangerous when somebody with fewer scruples takes them over. Or when your business collapses because of a tweak in their page ranking algorithm. Endlessly the good consumer looks for alternatives… | <urn:uuid:2655e2d4-2fc8-4968-b031-d5ebb6c4fc5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.flourish.org/blog/?m=200412 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941005 | 371 | 1.75 | 2 |
On June 6, a years-long civic battle over plans to build a combined NFL/Olympic stadium atop publicly owned rail yards on Manhattan’s West Side ended with a thud. After a hard-fought lobbying campaign that saw more than $42 million spent on both sides (Newsday, 6/16/05), New York state assembly speaker Sheldon Silver used his power as a member of the state’s little-known Public Authorities Control Board to veto bonding for the plan, effectively killing it for good.
By all accounts, Silver’s decision was a popular one. Numerous polls over the years (New York Times, 2/20/05; Newsday, 1/20/05; AP, 7/21/04) had shown that most New Yorkers were opposed to the stadium project, even if—as Mayor Michael Bloomberg insisted, and opponents disputed—it was necessary to bring the 2012 Summer Olympics to New York. The city council and state legislative officials representing the district had all forcefully opposed the project from the beginning, with state assemblyman Richard Gottfried calling the $600 million requested by the New York Jets (who currently play in New Jersey) “the largest taxpayer giveaway to a sports franchise in the nation’s history” (Albany Times-Union, 6/23/04).
“By all accounts,” that is, except for those in the city’s four daily newspapers the next day. Most of the press coverage treated the collapse of the Jets project not as a victory of the popular will over an unpopular mayoral plan—or even as a policy decision made, as it was, in the heat of a bitter lobbying battle between the Jets and the media conglomerate Cablevision, which saw the stadium as a potential competitor for its own Madison Square Garden. Rather, the picture painted the following day was of a tragedy of dreams denied by municipal red tape.
“Wrong, wrong, wrong”
Among the city’s three tabloids, the Daily News (6/7/05) led the pack, describing the death of the West Side stadium as “a catastrophic blow to the city’s bid for the 2012 Olympic Games and to the Jets’ dream of returning to New York.” An accompanying “analysis” piece by City Hall bureau chief David Saltonstall saw a “silver lining”—for the mayor’s re-election hopes, which would no longer be saddled with an unpopular stadium as a campaign issue.
Of the three quoted sources in Saltonstall’s piece, two were Bloomberg himself and his campaign strategist Bill Cunningham, who said of the mayor’s Democratic opponents: “Now what will they do? If they can’t be against something, they have no vision.” None of the four Democratic mayoral candidates received rebuttal space.
The Daily News editorial page, meanwhile, featured a vitriolic essay headlined “Shelly Silver: Wrong, Wrong, Wrong” (6/7/05) that declared that the speaker’s “stubborn, high-handed wrong-headedness was breathtaking.” Silver, fumed the News, was not “open to good-faith negotiations”—a reference to Silver’s refusal to bend in last-minute talks with the mayor designed to offer him goodies for his own district in exchange for a “yes” vote on the stadium.
If attacking a state legislator for standing on principle rather than taking a payoff was odd, it was doubly so in the case of Silver, who has long had a reputation as a consummate dealmaker willing to horse-trade at the drop of a hat. (Silver’s opposition to the stadium was rooted in fears that the accompanying Hudson Yards commercial development, which was to cost another $2 billion in city money, would have drawn businesses away from his Lower Manhattan district.)
The New York Post (6/7/05), which rarely passes up the opportunity to bash a Democrat, editorialized that Silver was “as small-minded and parochial a pol as any of the hicks and hacks he supervises as Assembly speaker.” The Post’s John Podhoretz, calling New York “the city where nothing ever gets done,” said that Silver was “the king of the hill when it comes to doing nothing.”
Thanks—but no thanks
The New York Times (6/7/05), meanwhile, ran a more tempered lead story describing the failed stadium bid as “a victim of the city’s and state’s clashing rebuilding priorities,” and its editorial page cheered the Public Authorities Control Board vote, opining that “New York’s taxpayers will owe them a resounding thanks.”
In the sports section, though, columnist Selena Roberts (6/7/05) penned a bitter picture of Manhattan’s West Side seven years from now, when “sodden shoppers exit the gray cinderblock facade of a Super WalMart built over the railroad yards despite public protests over the excessive red glow of ‘Super’ that has left the neighborhood with the eerie tint of a darkroom.” (This was contrasted with the future of Paris, where the “giddy haute couture crowd is racing like Champagne bubbles up the steps of Stade de France for the opening ceremony of the Summer Games”—a prediction foiled by the awarding of the 2012 games to London a month later.)
Roberts also predicted that in 2012 a subway trip would cost $6—up from $2 today—because the MTA transit system “lost a $720 million infusion from [Jets owner] Woody Johnson.” The Jets, in fact, would have paid only $280 million for land rights, with promises that unused air rights could garner $440 million more for the MTA (New York Times, 3/22/05); one month after the Jets deal collapsed, the MTA would mull a new plan to deck over the rail yards and sell them for a projected billion dollars or more (New York Times, 7/28/05).
The Times also devoted the day’s page-one news analysis slot to an essay by former City Hall bureau chief Jennifer Steinhauer headlined “Another Big Idea Brought Down by Politics” (6/7/05). The collapse of the Jets project, she wrote, “underscores the excruciatingly difficult process that almost every ambitious civic project in New York City faces from inception, calling into question whether anyone can build big in New York anymore.”
Unlike the city’s “vast public housing complexes and highway systems in the age of Robert Moses,” wrote Steinhauer, “the will of City Hall has often been thwarted by the desires of lawmakers in Albany, who control public financing for most large projects in the city.” Of course, as Steinhauer herself noted later in her article, City Hall was only subject to a Public Authorities Control Board vote because it had chosen to use quasi-public state authorities to carry out the stadium plan in order to evade oversight by the city council, which is normally supposed to “control public financing” for the city.
As support for her theory, Steinhauer cited a May 3 speech by Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, one that would end up being quoted repeatedly in the New York media in weeks to come: “Criticism predominates over construction; critics are given more weight than those trying to build. It doesn’t matter how small a constituency or flawed an argument the critic possesses. He or she always seems to predominate in political circles, in the news media, and in the public debate.”
Ironically, Schumer’s comments were made in a speech bemoaning how New York has been slow to get moving on rebuilding the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan; Schumer opposed the Jets stadium project. In any case, the notion that large projects can’t get done in New York “verges on the preposterous,” says Bonnie Brower of City Project, a non-profit budget watchdog that has chronicled the billions of dollars a year lost to the city in forgone property taxes, much of it via tax breaks to developers (Village Voice, 5/17/05). Among the companies that benefitted: The New York Times, which is building a 52-story glass-and-steel headquarters on a site acquired by the state from its prior owners via eminent domain, and with the aid of $18 million in city sales-tax and energy credits.
“Absent an idiotic misstep, as happened with the Jets stadium, many, many projects go forward,” says Brower. “It’s very hard to beat a major developer. There’s no one big czar of development anymore, a la Robert Moses, but there are many mini-czars.”
As postmortem for the West Side project, the debate over “building big” would have been little more than a journalistic footnote. But the Jets plan was just chapter one of New York’s stadium story: One week later, Bloomberg announced plans for new baseball stadiums for both the Yankees and the Mets, which, added to his previously proposed Nets basketball arena in Brooklyn, would bring the total public cost to more than $1 billion in taxpayer subsidies (FieldOfSchemes.com, 6/29/05).
The local media were quick to portray the new plans as uncontroversial compared to the Jets deal, with the Times (6/9/05) predicting “relatively smooth sailing” for the Nets plan, saying that it faced “far less organized political opposition than that which faced the defeated West Side stadium plan,” and that “critics are largely centered in the immediate vicinity.” Yet opposition to the Brooklyn plan goes far beyond a few NIMBY-minded neighbors: The Times stories on the proposed Nets arena failed to mention that a Times poll the previous week (6/29/05) revealed that city residents opposed the Nets arena plan by 45 percent to 37 percent. When asked, “What if a new arena in Brooklyn cost $200 million in public funds?”—the actual cost is likely to be more than double that amount—opposition rose to 61 percent, versus 18 percent in favor.
What the Times meant, of course, wasn’t that the new stadium plans are less controversial with the public, but rather less controversial among politicians. In a June 9 article on the Nets plan, the Times’ Jim Rutenberg and Michael Brick explained why: “Its progress so far is providing an object lesson in how to navigate big projects through the often treacherous and choppy waters of New York state and city politics. . . . As soon as [development company Forest City Ratner] set about devising its plan in early 2002, it brought aboard a seasoned team of lobbyists who immediately went to work building support among political leaders, especially Mr. Silver.”
One can’t help but wonder if the Times would have been as approving of using “seasoned lobbyists” to influence the political process if the person doing the hiring—Bruce Ratner, the principal of Forest City Ratner and owner of the Nets—were not the Times’ partner in the development of its new Times Square headquarters.
Unfortunately, though, much of this is typical of stadium deals, and of big development deals in general: No amount of public antipathy will do unless there’s a big-name elected official willing to oppose the plan. The Jets plan, in fact, was widely considered a shoo-in by the New York media until early 2004, when Cablevision got involved with the opposition—and started hiring lobbyists, including a former aide to Silver and the son of state Senate majority leader Joe Bruno.
When pols agree, however, the press is happy to sit back and cheerlead. On June 23, for example, Silver, Bruno and New York Gov. George Pataki cut a deal in the waning hours of the state legislative session to approve $150 million in state funds for the baseball stadium projects, and to provide more than $150 million in subsidies and tax breaks for businesses in lower Manhattan. (The bill passed unanimously, in part because legislators were presented with the 23-page bill barely an hour before the vote.)
This, according to Newsday’s Albany bureau chief Errol Cockfield Jr. (6/25/05), marked “a week of productivity that sought to reshape the Capitol’s image as a home of dysfunction.” Dysfunction, apparently, is only when legislative leaders block unpopular corporate giveaways; when they ram them through in backroom deals, that’s just making the city safe from democracy. | <urn:uuid:a9a83c6e-6e6b-4b4d-a8c4-402cf1ed0a42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/media-to-city-play-ball/7/?issue_area_id=6 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95623 | 2,687 | 1.570313 | 2 |
CMDHB funds a number of primary health care services
ensuring that you receive effective health care that meets your needs.
Most of these services are provided through Primary Health Organisations
(PHOs), general practices; and a wide range of community based providers
and other organisations that provide first point of contact, primary
health care related services, e.g. pharmacies, well child services;
laboratories, oral health services, etc.
section you will find information on how
these services are planned and funded. If you are looking for GP contact
details go to
www.webhealth.co.nz and for how to access
hospital or specialist services, go to
working with PHOs and other health providers in the community to improve
and strengthen the overall services offered to you. The aim is to grow
the workforce and build up teamwork with different parties involved in
providing primary health care services. | <urn:uuid:0539aaa8-567f-47e8-9d22-81ea7b31a01d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.countiesmanukau.health.nz/Funded-Services/PrimaryCare/default.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942094 | 190 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The Nail Tech Event of the Smokies: we operate with integrity, accountability, excellence & respect in everything we do. Our values provide the foundation for our commitment to the highest level of ethical conduct, a commitment we take very seriously.
Integrity- We demonstrate integrity by operating honestly & fairly. We apply our values & principles to our daily business activities & make sure our actions reflect the highest level of ethical conduct.
Accountability- Accountability signals our ability to make & keep commitments. Our reputation depends on our ability to reliably & consistently deliver on our promises in order to earn & keep the trust of our customers.
Excellence- our company insists on excellence. Our customers, fellow nail techs, & the community expect & deserve superior performance in our services. Maintaining a level of excellence as leaders in nail tech education depends on an individual commitment from each of us to act with integrity, accountability, & respect any time we conduct business.
Respect- Acting with respect is fundamental to our strength as a company. We treat our customers & each other with dignity, fairness, honesty, & courtesy. We support an inclusive culture where diversity is valued. We cooperate across organizational boundaries, focusing on adding value & earning the trust of our colleagues. Discrimination agains race, religion, age, weight, physical impairment, or sexual orientation is discouraged.
Following The Code of Ethics & Business Conduct- following The Code is mandatory when participating in The Event, as it's essential to our company's success & reputation. Those individuals who fail to follow The Code will be subjected to termination of their option to participate in current & future Events. Acts of lying, cheating, & stealing will not be tolerated.
Scenario: A nail tech, educator or company owner verbally bullies our staff or another individual. Should we address the situation?
Guidance: Yes. Bullying can be broadly defined as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behavior that occurs repeatedly (e.g., more than a one- time incident). Each of us are responsible to create & maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect. If someone is subjected to or witnesses a violation of respect at The Event, they should immediately report such violations to any of the Event Team.
Scenario: An educator or nail tech is complaining about or bad mouthing another person or company. This is making me feel uncomfortable. What should I do?
Guidance: End the conversation immediately using whatever excuse necessary & walk away. This is an example of low self esteem combined with unprofessional behavior. If this person will trash talk others, this person will trash talk you.
*Complaints within companies should be handed up, as in addressed by upper management which has the ability to rectify the situation. If complaints are handed down (or laterally), as in addressed to subordinates (or coworkers), then it's considered gossip. Gossip is destructive for morale.
Scenario: I witness someone stealing something. Should I say anything?
Guidance: Yes. Stealing is defined by 'taking something that doesn't belong to you without explicit consent of the property owner'. Stealing is an ethical violation & an example of a deeper character flaw. Thieves do not respect others property rights & somehow feel they are entitled. Theft costs money & could result in substantial loss of business for both the individual, the company & The Event as a whole. Discreetly contact one of The Event Team or a Security Guard to report any witnessed theft.
Scenario: I witness or have 1st hand knowledge of someone cheating during a nail competition. What should I do?
Guidance: Discreetly & immediately report the incident to the Competition Judge in charge of the Competitions. It will be investigated & handled promptly by said Judge. If found to be true during The Event, the offender will be barred from future competitions & will forego any winnings without a refund of their entry fee. If found to be true after The Event has concluded, the offender will be barred from any involvement whatsoever in all future Events & will be notified in writing of such.
Workplace violence: As part of our commitment to safety, The Event must be free from physical violence. Workplace violence takes many forms, such as:
` Threats of violence toward any person or company facility
` Suicide threats
` Domestic violence affecting the workplace
` Weapons or threats related to weapons
` Sabotage of property
` Any behavior that raises concerns about violence or risk to others
The Event & the Gatlinburg Convention Center take threats very seriously. If you witness or become aware of any possible violent threats, contact any of The Event Team or a Security Officer immediately.
Our Non-retaliatory Culture:
Everyone who comes forward with concerns plays an important role in maintaining a healthy, respectful, & productive Event, which ultimately protects our customers, colleagues, & the community at large. Raising concerns helps us address problems early—before potentially more serious consequences develop.
Retaliation in any form against an individual who in good faith reports a violation of The Code or of the law, even if the report is mistaken, is a serious violation of this Code. Each of us has an obligation to create an environment free of retaliation. It is, therefore, The Event's policy to strictly prohibit any form of retaliation against anyone who raises a concern. | <urn:uuid:04b4f1e2-52dc-448f-9fda-cfb557a73fdc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nailtechevent.com/Code_of_Business_Ethics.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936697 | 1,091 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Public displays of affection: where to draw the line?
By Kim Bo-eun, Jung Min-ho, Bahk Eun-ji
It’s no longer uncommon to see young couples hug, squeeze or smooch in public. While some couples are still coy about anything beyond holding hands in public areas, others are unafraid of expressing their affection for each other in a more explicit, or sometimes even raunchy, manner.
However, public displays of affection (PDA) occasionally go beyond kissing or groping. People around couples who display their love in public sometimes find themselves in an awkward situation which they have to deal with, one way or another, and many still struggle to find the most appropriate way of doing this without making the situation more embarrassing for the couples or themselves.
PDA, expressing physical intimacy in sight of others, has become prevalent in this society, almost everyone has, at least once, witnessed or participated in it.
However, older generations can’t stand when young couples cross the thin line that determines appropriate PDA, but younger people don’t appear to mind the frowns or dagger looks aimed by appalled onlookers.
With no rules on PDA and social norms blurred, what may be considered appropriate PDA?
Park Kyoung-tae, a 38-year-old sommelier, recently had an embarrassing experience on the subway.
“It happened late at night around 11 o’clock. I was with my girlfriend after a date. I gave her a good-bye kiss before she got off the subway when, suddenly, an old man came out of nowhere and started scolding us, saying it is not right to block other peoples’ way by ‘doing so.’” Park said. “Since there were few people on the subway, I was not convinced at all and it just hurt my feelings.”
Although the old man gave a reason to justify his action, Park knew that he just wanted to chide them for kissing in public instead of telling them to stay out of other people’s way.
“I understand excessive PDA could arouse uncomfortable feelings in others and therefore could be a problem,” Park said. “However, if it is a minor incident, people have to let it go.”
Love is universal, and so is the PDA issue. In other words, Korea is not the only country in which onlookers grumble about couples intimate moaning in the park or eyeing each other lustfully.
Recently, English singer-songwriter Kelly Osbourne posted a tongue kissing picture of herself and her boyfriend Matthew Mosshart on Twitter with the caption, “I’m in love and I don’t care who knows about it!” fueling debate over how much PDA is appropriate in societies.
Is it possible for people to hate PDA? Of course, if they have to watch it. But some might change their point of view if they find themselves engaged in it. This creates paradoxical thinking.
A person who believes PDA is romantic can also despise it. Problems arise when people watching and people smooching have different definitions of “appropriate limits” on PDA.
As hard as it is and indeed almost impossible for steamy couples to keep their hands off each other, it is painful for many watchers to remain calm with provocative scenes happening right in front of their eyes. So, controversy abounds regarding the issue and is up for debate.
Korean society is changing
“It’s not illegal; it really depends on personal choice,” says Song Mi-rah, a 23-year-old college student.
“My boyfriend and I used to make people uncomfortable by holding hands, hugging, and even kissing in public, but as I got older, I think I became more conscious of others,” Song said.
She said she feels more secure when she makes out with her boyfriend in a private rather than public place.
“I think the cultural context is also important,” says Yoo Sang-hee, a 26-year-old private banking manager.
“When I was traveling in France last summer, PDA was very common; I saw so many couples making out in parks, at cafes and even on the street. I did not get annoyed at all even though I happened to see a Korean couple kissing at an outdoor cafe, because it was seen literally everywhere so it struck me as being very natural,” Yoo said.
However, she said once she returned to Korea, she suddenly felt uncomfortable when she saw a young couple kissing on the street. Yoo thinks that this is because of her Asian upbringing which has been influenced by Confucian values.
“It is a kind of stereotype that westerners are more comfortable showing their feelings and affection in public, while Asians don’t and are not allowed to do so,” Yoo said.
“I know it sounds ridiculous and illogical, but I think that society is on its way in becoming more open to PDA. That’s obvious.”
Johan is from Sweden and is on his second visit to Korea. He says he noticed certain changes in attitude toward PDA within the young generation in Korea.
He recalled vividly what he witnessed three years ago when he was going home after a party with friends.
“A girl was sitting on the subway ventilation at the platform and waiting for the train with her boyfriend. They were literally making out; hugging and kissing each other. Suddenly an old lady approached them, slapped the girl’s arm and scolded them. The couple ended up leaving.”
He was amazed at what he saw but things have changed greatly. He has since rarely seen objections to PDA like that recounted in his story, since he revisited Korea.
“I’m fine with PDA in moderation, as I don’t see anything wrong with being affectionate,” says Johan.
“Some couples, however, seem like they don’t know when to call it quits. A quick hug, holding hands, a goodbye kiss are all good, but making out, which is anything more than a quick kiss should be done in private,” he said. “It’s nice that couples are not afraid of showing how they feel toward each other in public. Still, enough is enough, you know.”
PDA still frowned upon
A recent survey conducted by SK Marketing & Company showed that what people on the subway find most disturbing is excessive PDA.
Among 3,000 respondents aged 20 to 59, more than 44 percent said inappropriate behavior by couples was the worst, more than those who cited talking loudly on the phone and elderly people expecting young people to give up their seats.
There was a difference however, between age groups. Among those in their 50s, 54.3 percent frowned upon PDA whereas for people in their 20s the figure was 30 percent.
By occupation, housewives were the least tolerant, while college students were the most open toward PDA.
The survey confirmed that the older generation is more conservative in their attitude toward intimacy in public.
“Expressing affection is a somewhat private type of behavior,” said 59-year-old Kim Myung-seok. “Korea has deep roots in Confucianism which values community over individuals. Displaying behavior that could make others feel uncomfortable is something very individualistic, that goes against what is accepted as common sense,” he said.
However, even among younger people, excessive physical contact is not viewed in a positive light.
“Holding hands, hugging or a light peck on the cheek is fine,” said Park, a 26-year-old university student. “But anything that goes beyond that becomes unsightly.”
Park said he recently saw a couple making out at a cafe and said that he had looked at them disapprovingly. He said he often sees young couples kissing in the streets of Sinchon, a district where several university campuses are located.
“PDA has become quite common. It’s easy to spot, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a pleasant sight,” he added.
Still not much tolerance
Another survey conducted recently by a Seoul-based matchmaking company Duo showed that one in two young people believed that excessive displays of affection should be punished somehow.
Among 261 respondents aged 20 to 39, nearly 60 percent said so, supporting the notion that even young people were not completely open to expressing intimacy in public.
In the survey permitting multiple answers, the majority of the respondents replied that overt sexual expression and any type of PDA that makes others feel uneasy should be punished.
And despite varying responses to PDA that included indifference and amusement, 35 percent said that it made them feel uncomfortable.
When asked about what they do when their girlfriend or boyfriend wanted to make out in public, only 18.6 percent said that they disregard other people and go ahead with whatever they desire to do.
The remaining respondents were self-conscious about displaying affection in front of others and 26.4 percent said they do not engage in any sort of PDA. The majority of respondents also said that the part that bothered them most when making out in public was how others would view them.
Although Korean society is becoming more open toward PDA, the surveys show that not only the older generation but younger people are also still quite conservative when it comes to the controversial issue. | <urn:uuid:01b74deb-12c8-4eee-abca-3f1252835844> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/06/117_113975.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977256 | 2,002 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Page: Profile: Poetry
||Total Views: 9,577,622
VxPoem ID: 39770
Posted: February 16th. 2011 10:35:21 AM
by Stewart Bitkoff
Age Group: Adult
Early on in the exchange between student and teacher, it is stressed that spiritual learning is in addition to the responsibilities of ordinary life. Daily, each traveler is made aware that the point of higher knowledge is to produce someone ‘who is part of the world but not of the world.’ The traveler must have a job, join in the daily commerce, have family and friends; yet a part must remain sacred, separate and detached. What is necessary for complete development is an ‘ordinary person’ who burns for something higher. This spiritual burning must be in correct balance with other personality and social factors.
Consequently the traveler is not free from daily responsibility or the trials that befall all of humanity: sickness and loss of loved ones. These experiences are part of life and essential to our human experience. Because of a certain inner orientation: the traveler has an additional way to look at these often troubling aspects of daily life. Often this view is integrating, loving and provides a holistic and more accepting framework.
* * *
We achieve some of our greatest successes when we overcome problems.
* * *
Tears of laughter and sorrow are one; springing from the great reservoir of hope. Both of these tears are a blessing; uniting us in the Beloved’s Love.
Drink deeply from this water. It is the spring of life and will carry us through the many worlds.
* * *
The climb is steep and the road is long. There are many dangers and many joys. Through the journey- what is required is a certain attitude or view that seeks the connecting and liberating factor.
If you are seeking a road that is filled with excitement, strange clothing and exotic friends- this is not the road for you. If you seek the ordinary through which the extra-ordinary manifests: then this road might be for you. Yet are you worthy and capable of the climb?
This is the question that you must ask your heart. The lovers have only one reply.
* * *
Remember, the world has enough hermits and those who wish to run from life. What is required is someone who jumps into the river and saves themselves. In the process, the swimmer is able to pull others from the dangerous currents.
Are you a swimmer? Can you over come the dangerous water? Only by the help and grace of those who have gone before. Heed their example. Familiarize yourself with their teachings.
* * *
This path is the original human development system.
It exists in part to bring about human excellence.
This path is not for everyone. It is for the courageous
And those who burn with love.
* * *
Once there was a man who traveled all the highways in search of Truth. He stopped at every town and inquired. Sometimes the answers he received appeared to be useful and at other times they did not. Sometimes the advice he received was targeted at his worldly life: get a job, marry, have children. Or don’t work, live in a monastery and become a recluse.
Somehow these pieces of advice did not satisfy, so, he kept on searching. One day, as luck would have it, he encountered a wise man who said: the answer lies within. So for years, this traveler with the help of the wise one examined the inner world and came to see these experiences and knowledge as part of the answer.
Slowly he realized: what good is spiritual knowledge if it is not used in the world? So he settled down, found a job, married and raised a family. As he worked, celebrated and worried, he came to see that a truly spiritual life is a life that serves others and is guided by the Unseen Forces. And according to design, he found real knowledge and used this knowledge in the way it was intended.
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Author's Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
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I SWEAR by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others.
I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art.
I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work.
Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves.
Whatever, in connection with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!
Source: Hippocrates, Works trans., Francis Adams (New York; Loeb) vol. I, 299-301.
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As the presidential election is rapidly approaching, little attention seems to be getting paid to the question that may affect voters the most: what will happen to the "easy money" policy? Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Bernanke's current term will expire in January 2014 and Republican candidate Mitt Romney has vowed that if elected, he would replace Bernanke. Given the tremendous amount of money the Fed has "printed" and the commitment to keep interest rates low until mid-2015, the election may impact everything from mortgage costs to the cost of financing the U.S. debt. Trillions are at stake, as well as the fate of the U.S. dollar.
Should Obama be re-elected, Bernanke might continue to serve as Fed Chairman; other likely candidates include the Fed's Vice Chairman Janet Yellen and Obama's former economic advisor Christina Romer. With any of them, we expect the Fed policy to be continuingly dominated by the dovish camp, and moving - with varying enthusiasm depending on the pick of Fed Chair - towards a formal employment target, further diluting any inflation target. We are not only talking about Bernanke and the other two candidates' individual policy stances (though all three are known as monetary "doves", i.e. generally favoring more accommodative monetary policy), but also the composition of voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), as we will discuss below.
If Romney were to be elected, a front-runner for the Fed Chairman post is Glenn Hubbard, Dean of Columbia Business School and a top economic adviser to Romney. Hubbard has expressed his skepticism about the mechanism that Bernanke used to boost the economy. In our analysis, an FOMC led by Hubbard (or another Romney appointee) will be leaning toward mopping up the liquidity sooner. Extending forward guidance to mid-2015 will also be under question. It will no doubt add uncertainty to monetary policy and increase market volatility.
More importantly, however, a "hawkish" Fed Chair, i.e. one that favors monetary tightening, might put to the test Bernanke's claim that he can raise rates in "15 minutes". Technically, of course, the Fed can raise rates by paying interest on reserves held at the Fed or sell assets acquired during various rounds of quantitative easing. The challenge, no matter who the Fed Chair is going to be, is the impact any tightening might have on the economy. Bernanke has cautioned many times that rates should not be raised before the recovery is firmly "entrenched." What he is referring to is that market forces may still warrant further de-leveraging. If the stimulus is removed too early, so Bernanke has argued, the economy might fall back into recession. A more hawkish Fed Chair, such as a Glenn Hubbard, may accept a recession as an acceptable cost to exit monetary largesse; however, because there is so much stimulus in the economy, just a little bit of tightening may well have an amplified effect in slowing down the economy. Keep in mind that European countries are complaining when their cost of borrowing rises to 4%, calling 7% unsustainable. Given that the U.S. budget deficit is higher than that of the Eurozone as a whole, and that our fiscal outlook is rather bleak, it remains to be seen just how much tightening the economy can bear. Our forecast is that with a Republican administration, we are likely to get a rather volatile interest rate environment, as any attempt to tighten may have to be reversed rather quickly. Fasten your seatbelts, as shockwaves may be expressed in the bond market and the "tranquility" investors have fled to by chasing U.S. bonds may well come to an end. Foreigners that have historically been large buyers of U.S. bonds may well reduce their appetite to finance U.S. debt, with potentially negative implications for the U.S. dollar.
Let's dig a little deeper and look at who actually decides on interest rates: it is the voting members of the FOMC that ultimately make the imminent monetary policy decisions, rather than the noise creating pundits and non-voting members.
Three factors will further boost the dovish camp, which already dominates the FOMC committee:
- Two previously vacant seats on the Fed's Board of Governors were recently filled by Jeremy Stein and Jerome Powell this May. Like other board governors, both Stein and Powell appear to be in favor of Bernanke's dovish policy. Stein was a Harvard economics professor and used to be more 'hawkish' before he took office. But in his first keynote speech as a board governor on Oct. 11, Stein openly supported QE3 and called for continuing asset purchases in absence of a substantial improvement in the labor market. Jerome Powell was a lawyer and private equity investor as well as an undersecretary under George H.W. Bush. Powell has also expressed support for more easing, with inflation an afterthought. Their appointments not only fill all voting seats at the Fed for the first time since 2006, but also further increase the board's dove-hawk ratio from 9-1 to 11-1. The influence will also carry on to the following years, as board governors hold non-rotating voting rights.
- Additionally, four current voting members will be replaced next year, including Richmond Fed president Jeffrey Lacker, who has dissented in every FOMC meeting this year. Regional Fed Presidents, unlike Governors, vote on a rotating basis. In 2013, Kansas Fed president Esther George is likely to be the only voting member who appears to hold a hawkish stance. George has expressed her opposition to QE3 and the Fed's balance sheet expansion, echoing her predecessor Thomas Hoenig's hawkish tone. But given that she is not a Ph.D. economist, her passion and influence is likely to be more on regulatory than monetary issues; we doubt she will be as vocal as Hoenig or Lacker. In our assessment, the FOMC committee may be "über-dovish" in 2013.
- Finally, Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota, who was known as a monetary policy hawk, has recently shifted to a more dovish stance. He surprised the market with remarks supporting the Fed's decision to keep rates extraordinarily low until the unemployment rate has fallen below 5.5%, as long as inflation remains below 2.25%. Kocherlakota will be a voting member in 2014, but his shift of stance will weaken the hawkish voice. With fewer dissidents on the board, the Fed may continue to err firmly on the side of inflation and stick to to its mid-2015 low rate pledge.
No matter who wins the election, we will see a policy dilemma for the Fed in the coming years: On the one side, should economic data continue to surprise to the upside, it will be increasingly difficult for the Fed to carry on its dovish policies. On the other side, if the Fed were to abandon its current commitment, we foresee rising market volatility. The U.S. economy is likely to face a "monetary policy cliff" in addition to the "fiscal cliff". With easy money, inflation risks may well continue to rise, possibly imposing higher bond yields (lower bond prices) and a weaker dollar. With tight money, the Fed may induce a bond sell-off. Historically, because foreigners are active buyers of U.S. bonds, the dollar has weakened during early and mid-phases of tightening, as the bond bull market turns into a bear market. It's only during late phases of tightening that the dollar has historically benefited as the bond market turns yet again into a bull market. We encourage investors to review their portfolios to account for the risk that bonds may be selling off, taking the U.S. dollar along with it.
This report was prepared by Merk Investments LLC, and reflects the current opinions of the authors. It is based upon sources and data believed to be accurate and reliable. Opinions and forward looking statements expressed are subject to change without notice. This information does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any investment security, nor provide investment advice. | <urn:uuid:c900b949-015c-4ba5-b3e9-86819c477282> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seekingalpha.com/article/945681-monetary-cliff | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969253 | 1,676 | 1.734375 | 2 |
President Obama / Carolyn Kaster, AP
President Obama says the federal government will not target recreational users of marijuana in states that have now legalized pot.
"We've got bigger fish to fry," Obama told Barbara Walters of ABC News, in his first public comments on the topic since Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana on Nov. 6 referendums.
"It would not make sense for us to see a top priority as going after recreational users in states that have determined that it's legal," Obama said.
The government takes a similar approach in the 18 states where medicinal marijuana is legal.
Walters' interview of Obama airs Friday night on ABC's 20/20.
Obama also told Walters he does not "at this point" support widespread legalization of marijuana.
"This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law," Obama said. "I head up the executive branch; we're supposed to be carrying out laws. And so what we're going to need to have is a conversation about, how do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it's legal?"
Also from ABC News:
"Obama wrote in his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father, that he would smoke pot regularly with his high school buddies who formed a 'club of disaffection.' The group was known as the 'Choom Gang,' says Obama biographer David Maraniss.
"'There are a bunch of things I did that I regret when I was a kid,' Obama told Walters. 'My attitude is, substance abuse generally is not good for our kids, not good for our society.
'I want to discourage drug use,' he added."
Copyright 2013 USATODAY.com
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I had the good fortune of being present at the well attended Bosworth Battlefield Rediscovered conference which took place on Saturday 20 February 2010 at Leicestershire County Hall. I have written up a report of the day, which uis below. I'm no expert in these fields, so hope I've done justice to each speakers' discussion, all of which were excellent.
It was a really interesting conference, with many destinguished speakers, and I felt very priviledged to have been there. I took some photos of the finds on display and the Burgundian cannon brought in by the King's Ordinance, which can be found here:http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj114/TowtonBattlefieldSociety/Bosworth%20Conference%20Feb%202010/
The conference was broadcast live through the Bosworth website, and may be available for viewing shortly so keep an eye on the website. The presentation slides may also be available soon - Prof. Anne Curry's slides are already available (it is 9.5MB!!!!!), which you can download them directly from the conference website http://www.mfproduce.twofourdigital.net/Content/Templates/Custom/LCC/Default/Webcast.aspx?webcast=acbacbfa-3758-46eb-8d00-ff383b10e055
Enjoy - FranBosworth Battlefield Rediscovered
A report on the Conference held at Leicester County Hall on 20 Feb 2010
By Frances Perry
On Saturday 20 February 2010, 90 people from various background interests came together to hear some of the most influential experts discuss aspects of the Battle of Bosworth, and the findings yielded from the works on the surrounding areas to date.
I was lucky enough to arrive early, and had a chance to speak to a member of The King’s Ordinance
; a re-enactment group specialising in 15th century gunnery of Burgundian influence. Their group made the gun barrel in the traditional manner in a Holland forge over a very long and labour intensive week. The frame was also lovingly hand-made, and looked just as the images of Burgundian cannons shown on slides later in the day.
Mr Roger Wilson, Chairman of Leicestershire County Council opened the conference by welcoming guests and the collaborating organisations: the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Battlefields Trust, Bosworth Battlefield Trust and Leicestershire County Council.
Professor Richard Holmes, President of the Battlefields Trust, and military historian spoke first of the importance of the battle at Bosworth, as Winston Churchill put it, as one of the bloody ‘punctuation marks of history
’. He spoke of the importance of the contribution of battlefield archaeology to military history, and that this was the first time that an interdisciplinary study of a battlefield had been undertaken and which was the only way forward in future programmes of battlefield study. Prof. Holmes discussed the variables to be considered before any physical archaeology could be started: questioning the sources; considering the landscape changes by viewing the micro-terrain and finding out when bogs were drained and land enclosed; comparing the local traditions of place names, and local histories and records. Even, finally, the archaeology is often incomplete, and even with all the above variables combined, they almost never meet up leaving a gap in knowledge. In the case of Bosworth, it was only after hundreds of man-hours of voluntary metal detectorists working to strict patterns of search that a clearer picture could be ascertained.
Dr Glenn Foard, of Leeds University and the Battlefields Trust, first discussed the problems associated with historical maps of the area. Saxton’s atlas of 1576 shows the area was well known as ‘Bosworthe’, but indicated only a broad area. This broad area can be traced through to Pryor’s atlas of 1777 where we suddenly see a sword (to indicate a battle) apparently randomly placed on the area after the name, rather than indicating the exact geographical location. This sword was replaced by crossed swords in the same geographical area on later maps. Later historians added troop formations, deployments and even marshes, where none then existed. From 1985 to 2002 there was great debate over the exact area of the battle, with Jones, Foss, and Williams all identifying slightly different locations. Dr. Foard explained that it was only turning to archaeological finds that the true location could be confirmed with certainty, the 15th and 16th century lead shot and balls, the gilded piece of quillion (cross guard), and the silver gilded boar badge.
After this tantalising taste of the finds, the conference turned to the documentary evidence, presented by Professor Anne Curry of Southampton University. She explained that due to the nature of 1485 as an internal civil war, documentary evidence was scarce. The York Rolls indicate that between 8 July and 16 August 1485, the city duties were defensive in nature, but by 19 August, they become offensive, and 80 troops were sent to aid the King at a daily pay of 12d. The problem is whether those troops actually got there, or if the letters from Henry were even answered or not. No Shire levies appear to have been called out, and from July 1485, Richard’s administrative records appear to have fallen into disarray. Prof. Curry suggested instead turning to the 1475 indentures raised in the face of the perceived threat of invasion from the French for a more accurate approximation of the number of troops provided. There was no standing army in England at this time, so documentary evidence can be found from Commissions of array, the provisions of troops by nobles, Royal household accounts and the use of foreign troops in muster rolls. For example, Northumberland provided 6 peers, 9 knights, 51 men-at-arms and 350 archers for the 1475 expedition.
However, there is little to describe the numbers of foreign troops, though we know there were foreign troops on Henry’s side, probably experienced Swiss-trained French mercenaries. A Burgundian coin and unknown livery emblem is among the new finds, but this alone is not clear evidence of French, or even Burgundian troops. They do suggest, however, a diverse military presence on Henry’s side.
Questions still remain. Though compensation payments such as £20 to Ferrybridge for damage after the battle hint at various locations, they do not indicate where Richard’s defensive position was. Did Northumberland engage in battle? The French chronicler, Jean Molinet is the only source to mention guns on Richard’s side, sp does this mean only Richard had guns? Was there a marsh on Henry’s right? What were the phases of troop movement, and were archers deployed in front of both armies? The role of Thomas Stanley is unclear in the battle from documentary evidence. So too is the duration of the battle. The Italian writer, Polydore Vergil indicated 2 hours duration, though Prof. Curry questioned whether this was traditional military literature informing history, rather than fact. Lastly, the numbers of men in the battle is not clear, though Prof. Curry stressed the number of men on both sides was not important – this was not a political battle, but one of deciding who would be king.
Professor Matthew Strickland of Glasgow University opened the afternoon conference with a discussion on archery and its tactical use and effectiveness on the late 15th century battlefields. He referred first to Christine de Pisan’s 1410 Livre des Fait d’Armes which set out battle formations which were successfully used, perhaps informed by the powerful Duke of Burgundy at that time. Prof. Strickland quickly concluded that it appears by the late 15th century, no rigid tactics were employed for the use of archers – units were placed both on the wings, but also in front of formations of troops, with tactical co-ordination between the men-at-arms and the archers of their respective retinues. Archers were disciplined and flexible rather than stationary missile projectors, who offered an effective offensive role as light infantry. Prof. Strickland went on to briefly examine the analysis of modern experimentation of a 150 pound draw longbow. With a 1.9oz arrow head, the range was between 344 and 360 yards. With a 3.3oz armour-piercing head the range was 250 to 272 yards. However, considering the energy / joules required to kill a person in mail (120 joules), wrought iron munitions armour (120 joules) and white plate armour (270 joules), the killing efficiency of archers in the late 15th century may not have been high. However, the role of the archer may have been more of distraction and provocation. With a 1.9oz arrow head, the range was between 344 and 360 yards. With a 3.3oz armour-piercing head the range was 250 to 272 yards. . Therefore, one of the primary roles of archers may have been to provoke the opposition into attacking first, as at Tewkesbury and Towton, thus giving their side the military advantage.
Professor Steve Walton of Penn State University followed with an information packed half hour presentation on gunpowder weapons in the late 15th century and their battlefield use. The first message was that by 1450, the use of guns in battles and sieges was not a remarkable. They may not even have been decisive weapons in battle. Certainly, there was a shift of psychological effect from the sound the gun made and its effect on horses, to a fear of being hit, and the anger it invoked with troops. By this time, most towns and naval ships were investing in guns and artillery pieces. From 1460 onwards, Royal patents for skilled specialists related to guns and gunpowder were being signed, such as grants to gunners in the Tower, who were notably mainly foreign experts. Additionally, iron mining in England was increasing, and a relatively cheap commodity to both obtain and produce guns.
From a study of surviving Burgundian guns, it is evident that the variety and shape of guns and their carriages and wheels was not standardised. Both wrought iron and bronze were being used to make guns. Unfortunately, no full surviving examples of guns from England have been found – we can only compare the foreign surviving examples with remains such as the Castle Rising cannon, the Nottingham Castle gun, the Blair Atholl cannon and the Cattewater gun. From 1485 onwards there appears to have been a standardisation of bores and shot, with three distinct types of gun: Feldschlanger (small bore diameter and varying bore length), Bombards (large bore diameter and length) and Steinbuchsen (stone shooters with a small bore length and medium bore diameter). The lead shot would have been made by each gun crew to fit their own gun bore, and the lead shot would only have killed those it directly hit and possible those directly behind the first victim.
Prof. Walton concluded that the shot found on the present battlefield location indicates lighter, more manoeuvrable guns rather than those of large calibre.
Dr Derek Allsop of Cranfield University followed this discussion with an exploration of experimental firing to ascertain the capabilities of late 15th century artillery. He hoped that these experiments could be used to predict the likely positions of the guns at Bosworth.
The firing rig was a tube of steel set on a trailer with an electronic firing mechanism. Each trial used a 60mm lead shot with 200 grains of modern gunpowder (fixed velocity). No wading was used. The aim was to control as may variables as possible: bore smoothness, length and width and firing mechanism, the launch velocity, tail wind, height of projectile, angle of projectile and black powder mix. The shot was both solid lead shot, cast in two pieces and sealed with a lead wedge, and diced shot – an iron cube encased in lead (which only reduce the weight by 10%).
The findings indicated that a one degree increase in angle increased the range by 250 meters to a maximum range of 600 meters at a 40 degree angle. Both shots types carried on rolling for some considerable distance after the first impact site. They also found that the ground softness and profile of the terrain affected the impact site and the distance travelled.
Dr Glenn Foard completed the series of talks with a detailed description of how Bosworth Battlefield was found. In 2004 Dr. Foard was asked to undertake a reassessment of the evidence. This led in 2005 to the Battlefields Trust being commissioned by Leicestershire County Council, with £154,000 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, to undertake a major investigation to resolve the issue.
A team of specialists were brought together from various disciplines to apply the techniques of battlefield archaeology to search for the battlefield.
The secondary sources for the battle and the armies were reviewed, along with a re-working of the primary accounts from the original sources and a characterization of the armies which were present. The historic landscape of the area was reconstructed from documentary sources and archaeological evidence, including analyzing field, furlong and other early names. Topographical clues included ‘Redemore
’, ‘Brown Heath
’, ‘Dadlington Field
’ and ‘windmill
’. It was confidently felt that Crown Hill is almost certainly where Henry Tudor became Henry VII - Crown Hill is only called by this name after 1505. Prior to the battle, it was called ‘Garbrodfelde
The soils were mapped to identify those which developed in waterlogged conditions and the peat deposits analyzed to establish when each area of marsh disappeared. It showed a vastly different, open landscape in 1485, and that a marsh could never have existed on Ambion Hill. Concentrations of marsh names and previous finds and a pollen analysis indicated Fen Meadow (as Foss indicated). However, Carbon14 soil layer analysis gave an upper date of 700AD, 800 years before the battle.
Just as this was a blow to Dr. Foard’s team, by sheer luck a farmer mentioned his father’s tractor being mired in mud at Fen Hole Farm between the villages of Dadlington, Shenton, Upton and Stoke Golding. The medieval marsh was small, and did not seem tactically significant, though a Roman Road appeared to dissect the area in half. The archaeological survey was moved to this area and a single 30mm lead ball was found, and then a single 60mm lead ball. These items, along with the description of guns by Jean Molinet, lead to a systematic archeological survey of 7 square kilometers using metal detectors – looking for copper alloy and lead only. They yielded 5000 finds, though only a few were significant to the battle.
A total of 25 lead roundshot fired from artillery, and 3 bullets probably fired from hand cannons were found in the area of Fen Hole Farm. All had different diameters, and some had iron or flint cores, indicative of 15th and 16th century shot. These finds indicated that Bosworth probably had larger guns than those used at Towton. Other significant battle finds appeared towards the village of Shenton, where a windmill may have been. A silver gilt boar badge, claimed to be of such high status (sumptuary rules) that only a knight of the King’s own retinue would have worn one. A gilded piece of quillion (cross guard from a high status sword) was also recovered and identified, along with a Burgundian coin, a gold ring and various harness furniture.
The balls are currently undergoing further scientific and forensic analysis, to hopefully obtain more detail as to the barrels used, whether they hit their targets, and if they were shot together or one at a time. There was no time allotted for looking at the arrowheads found.
Dr. Foard pointed concluded that these were early days - the end of the beginning for the study of Bosworth Battlefield.Personal Reflections
The conference was well put together with an impressive list of speakers who provided short, but information-packed presentations which were accessible to the diverse audience who attended the packed hall. The 25 lead shots found lend strong support to the final battlefield location having been found on Fenn Hole Farm between the villages of Dadlington, Shenton, Upton and Stoke Golding.
I felt that the silver gilt board badge, the gold ring and high status quillion piece were too few finds to firmly identify the exact location of the last charge of Richard's knights into battle. A certain element of sensationalism and fanciful extrapolation was linked to these finds, though this may have been done to capture the interest of the national media, for which there has been a great deal over the past week. I just hope that security is in place to protect the battlefield from future looting or damage, now the location is out.
I was disappointed to hear that the metal detectors were limited to non-ferrous metals - copper alloy and lead only, and the study of arrowheads were ignored, though this was probably due to time and funding shortages.
I felt that the release of this information on the location and finds may have been pushed through due to funding pressures rather than unequivocal evidence, but the huge amounts of interdisciplinary study, hard work and exciting finds shed new light on the battle and its location none the less. I look forward to hearing further studies of the finds and of future finds to corroborate the location of the battlefield, and the possibility of being able to better answer some of the questions left unanswered about one of the significant bloody ‘punctuations
’ of English military history. | <urn:uuid:00b4c33c-ad6f-4aec-acf4-0218dffc6a81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=249579 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971647 | 3,651 | 1.554688 | 2 |
A large number of emotionally vulnerable women fall prey to manipulative relationships every day, perpetuating feelings of loss and a further erosion of self-esteem at the end of the game they thought was 'love'. Jayalakshmi Sengupta reports.
Does he come on like a tsunami, in an unpredictable swirl and sweep you off your feet (despite your own reservations) and cool off just as suddenly?
Does he give you a heart-bursting moment one day and a mild angina the next?
He could well be the wolf in sheep's clothing your mom warned you about.
Mature women routinely fall prey to manipulative lovers who are past masters in the game of seduction, with no desire for commitment or emotional attachment whatsoever. Vulnerable women often end up in this web of the archetypal love game that uses women as just "another flavour in the platter". Love is a wonderful feeling, "but with little or no commitment, it is relegated to an amusing pastime and no more," points out psychiatrist Anjali Deshpande. If one is looking for a long term commitment, one has to be more careful.
Behavioural gurus explain this in the framework of the biological 'chase and hunt' game that has the male species looking for a female to pursue and the female waiting to be wooed, eventually only to procreate. Much as in the animal world, powerful attractions propel humans into exploratory passion -- with the exception that humans are capable of experiencing lust that transforms into the higher and more complex emotions of love and commitment.
Men and women, however, may use these natural instincts to bait and bed multiple partners depending on personality and circumstances. "Boredom and ennui takes over certain individuals more than others and in the absence of responsibilities, the hunting spirits may awaken again and again," says Deshpande, adding "What makes it dangerous is manipulation or conscious exploitation." Serial manipulation for sexual gratification is, however, not very common among women. "How many men complain of being sexually exploited in our society? Women more often than not come out feeling victimised instead," she points out.
Meet Gaurav (35), an archetypal hunter who, despite being married, makes no bones about his penchant for falling in love "with every beautiful woman" he meets. It is a thrilling and unique experience each time and his heart sings a different tune every time. "I am capable of loving more than one woman. That's how I am," he shrugs off defiantly and reminds us that "commitment and responsibility kill passion". To live passionately, one has to be free of possessiveness and that is "true love", according to him.
"In truth, since pure sexual urges follow the pattern of diminishing returns, euphoria seeks newer pastures to feel the 'high' again," notes Deshpande.
To cut through this sort of a web of love game, one must understand the peculiar psyche of a manipulative hunter. They are men driven by testosterone, which guides both criminal and high-level intellectual activity in men. They have a powerful presence and are immensely resourceful to begin with. "Their personal magnetism is nothing but sheer sexual energy, which they may be quite incapable of handling," says Deshpande.
He could be someone who is always the centre of attention in a confident way, but will nevertheless exude several ambivalences which will be telltale signs of his fickleness. Many women tend to fall just for that. Apparently, everything that should set a tiny alarm ringing does just the opposite. Women find this anomaly more enticing than ever.
A tremendous sense of humour or constantly playing around with words is a complex masking technique used by most such men. Double entendre is often used with great panache to get away from the truth. A perfectly straightforward reply may hide a second meaning, often risqué, or ironic, completely lost on a naive partner, and is a turn on for the smarter one.
They are also typically those who will never have a deep conversation. This is because their incessant creative energy finds a natural outlet in a libidinal high which wanes as quickly as it rises, making them restless. Intimate conversations also make them vulnerable. Their limited attention span helps them to be in control at all times. Ironically, most women, even when they find it exasperating, work harder to get their attention. If these men appear vulnerable and needy for love, it would to get things in control as a last resort and again, it invariably sweeps the woman off her feet.
These men are often alternatively aggressive, offensive, brusque and then gentle and kind. Most women find this extreme shift in behaviour an overwhelming experience. Gaining acceptance after near-rejection leaves them with a sense of fulfillment.
It is easier when the woman is looking for a leg up in the profession, or trying to overcome some deep crisis in her personal life. This man will appear like a knight in shining armour, a saviour. But soon, the so-called magical love will suddenly disappear in the wake of greater demands like more time, more intimacy, more transparency or more commitment. The woman in the web may choose to end the game here with an angry outburst and futile tears or continue to ride a tantalising rollercoaster in the hope of a better tomorrow. Herein a woman may unwittingly step into the greater web called "the harem".
A lot of women who do not know how to cut away from their dependency and are unaware of the great juggling skills of this kind of man step into the harem willingly. They are willing to live on crumbs of hope and resign themselves to face a certain competition, even though they don't get enough from the relationship. Only under large scale subterfuge, deceit and lies can one sustain multiple romantic relationships. This can have a devastating effect on the compliant partner.
Many others who may find the situation repressive and want to walk out will be confronted by an aggressive companion, unwilling to end the relationship. "I want you in my life," is their refrain and may be translated to mean "I cannot do without you," but that is far from truth. "It is a huge insult to their ego to let anyone walk out on them. They will keep their women for whatever they are worth to enjoy their affection as and when they choose to."
"One must demand time, respect, love, transparency and commitment, if stability is what one is looking for," says Deshpande. Or else in the risky game of hunt and chase, one may wake up with a broken heart or a self-esteem pummeled into fine cottage cheese. | <urn:uuid:8b1003ec-78a5-4c2b-836e-1076734b6f72> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://getahead.rediff.com/report/2010/jan/08/relationships-are-you-caught-up-in-the-hunt.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959614 | 1,367 | 1.5 | 2 |
"Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, no matter what name it is called." ~ John Stuart Mill
How Our Shortsighted Media Got Us Into War
Should I consider it weird how none of my friends have ever joined the army? In and of itself, I suppose this feat is nothing exceptional. I know lots of people who've never done lots of things. Like racecar driving or becoming an astronaut. After September 11th, however, lots of my friends talked about enlisting like they were all but a shaved head and a new pair of boots away from doing it. Yet, to date, none of them ever did. There are a number of reasons why this might have happened. For example, my friends could all be liars. But I don't necessarily think that's the case here. The way I figure, it's only natural for young men to consider enlisting after such a massive attack on their homeland. So when my friends all swore they were going to enlist after 9/11, I think they meant it. They were ready to sign up and defend their country. The problem was, it soon became clear the war on terror would take place in other countries. This changed everything. Suddenly it was a lot more appealing to root for the troops from the comfort of your couch. I think this example proves an important point. And it's not that I hang out with a bunch of loud-mouthed cowards. It's that, generally speaking, people don't like to be invaded. This probably sounds like a simple statement, but with the possible exception of the French'who have strange fetishes'I've got to believe it's a universal truth. When Americans went to bed on September 11th, a lot of us thought a full-scale invasion of our country had started. At that point, no debate about going to war was needed, because we believed the enemy was marching down our streets. Americans would've fought back against an invading army. I don't have any doubts about that. My friends' idle talk about joining the military only summed up the national sentiment back then. If there was going to be an invasion, it was going to be over our dead red, white, and blue bodies. To some extent or another, this is probably the only foreign policy any country really needs. There's a reason why wars on foreign soil'particularly preemptive wars on foreign soil'rarely enjoy this sort of clarity. It's because, without the enemy knocking down your door, it's hard to know if a war on foreign soil is even necessary to begin with. For that reason, for every military action abroad, there is usually an equal and opposite reaction back home. When Washington believes it must invade or attack a foreign country, it becomes necessary to convince the American people the mission is urgent or just. The upshot to this is that we live in a country where the government cares enough about our opinions to at least pretend like it cares about our opinions. The downside, however, is that wars are government programs. And like all government programs, they're usually based on hasty decisions, false logic, and outright lies. The Iraq War is a perfect example, though it's far from the only one in American history. Three and a half years ago, many Americans genuinely believed U.S. cities were threatened by Iraqi WMDs. Now, though, we realize the Bush administration didn't even necessarily believe that itself. The Downing Street Memos, amongst other documents, confirm the intelligence was 'fixed around the policy.' We don't need to waste our time re-arguing the motives of the Iraq War. But even if we were to say, for the sake of argument, that the war happened for entirely noble purposes, the point that our leaders kind of, sort of misled us into it remains the same. You can choose to deny this if you wish (if you're that incredibly stubborn and/or afraid of admitting you were wrong). But considering how wars'even just wars'have massive consequences, it would be a lot more helpful to look at the lessons of Iraq and . . . well, learn them. In the coming months, it seems likely that our country will debate using some kind of force against Iran. According to The New Yorker, the U.S. is considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons on Iranian nuclear facilities. Whether Washington decides to use tactical nukes'which is to say, decides to use nukes'remains to be seen at this point. But just the fact that we're having this discussion says volumes for the likelihood of it happening. After all, if my friends' reactions to 9/11 prove anything, it's that the truly urgent, necessary wars don't usually need to be debated. They're obvious, because they place enemy soldiers on your front lawn. All other wars are essentially optional. Last weekend, I was talking to someone about rising gas prices when they happened to tell me, 'Yeah, it's just a shame we have to go to war with Iran.' I thought this was interesting. Since when do we 'have to' do anything? The U.S. once staved off nuclear war with the Soviet Union. You mean to tell me we can't do that again? 'This is different,' I was told. 'These people''the Iranians''can't be reasoned with.' If that's our attitude, then I'm not so sure we can be reasoned with, either. Don't buy the hype. A war with Iran is most certainly not inevitable. Nor is it a good idea. Beyond the costs in lives and treasure (and the generally disconcerting precedent that using tactical nukes would set), a war in Iran would assuredly feature domestic components. So far in the war on terror, we've seen widespread domestic spying programs, the inclusion of anti-war groups on Pentagon watch lists, so-called 'free speech zones,' and an ever widening gap between politicians and the American people'physically, as well as in terms of accountability. We've seen the selective use of intelligence to create threats that didn't exist. We've seen leaking to smear war opponents, and we've seen investigations into leakers who managed to smear the war. What kind of fun stuff will the next major theater bring? Washington's tactics in the war on terror serve to silence dissent and create artificial support at least as much, if not more so, than they serve to actually fight the war in the first place. This has been so in the war on terror in general, and it's been so in the unnecessary Iraq War. It will be so yet again if we attack Iran in any capacity. So don't buy into it. Don't be swindled. And don't believe a war in Iran is anything less than a war on the American people. Sadly, in a real way, that's exactly what it is. | <urn:uuid:ff78c243-3805-4657-aa42-6234813769b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.strike-the-root.com/61/morris/morris7.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975137 | 1,406 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Social FearTue, Feb 29th 2000
I have kind of a social problem with people. Especially when presenting to groups of people in a work setting. My past experiences have not went well. I have been really nervous during past presentations and it was very obvious. My heart starts beating rapidly and sometimes I can hardly talk. I have talked with others about this and they say that all it takes is experience. Well, it seems that I get worse the more I present. My confidence suffers and it is like a downward spiral, getting worse each time. It is very embarrassing and tough emotionally. I have seen ads on TV about social anxiety drugs that help people with these kind of problems. I used to be extremely shy and nervous when meeting people. I am getting better but I am still not always comfortable. I still find it hard to meet people. I have several presentations for work coming up in the near future and I do not want to resort to those anxiety drugs. Do you have any advice?
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- Dr. Dombeck responds to questions about psychotherapy and mental health problems, from the perspective of his training in clinical psychology.
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- Always consult with your psychotherapist, physician, or psychiatrist first before changing any aspect of your treatment regimen. Do not stop your medication or change the dose of your medication without first consulting with your physician. | <urn:uuid:306f3406-06cb-4e8e-968c-70cac715c61f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dekcsb.org/1-anxiety-disorders/advice/242-social-fear | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945653 | 492 | 1.695313 | 2 |
The Revolutionary, Science-Based Approach to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Recovery
A breakthrough, medically-based approach to PTSD from the chief content advisor for the "Dr. Phil "show and "The Doctors"
Previously, PTSD was treated as a psychiatric disorder only, but new scientific research shows that biological factors play just as important a role. "The PTSD Breakthrough "is the first book to describe the true causes of PTSD, and provide an effective program for overcoming the disorder.
The research uncovered by Dr. Lawlis and his colleagues presents new hope and treatment for those who suffer from PTSD, as well as their families and loved ones, that this disorder can be treated and healed, and that our veterans and all who suffer from PTSD can regain true peace in their lives.
"Based on my trust in Dr. Lawlis and my respect for his integrity and unselfish desire to help people, I have every confidence that you will find powerful answers in this important book."-Dr. Phil McGraw
Frank Lawlis has contributed to The PTSD Breakthrough: The Revolutionary, Science- Based Approach to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Recovery as an author. Dr. Frank Lawlis is a renowned psychologist, researcher, and counselor with more than thirty-five years' experience, and is a fellow of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Lawlis is the cofounder of the Lawlis Peavey Psychoneuroplasticity (PNP) Center and is the chief content advisor for the "Dr. Phil "show and "The Doctors." | <urn:uuid:6fd4694c-40e9-4721-a142-ec535a219c13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cavershambooksellers.com/search/1402243510 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959111 | 313 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Joystiq is running a story about Codeweavers' CrossOver Linux that'll let you run Windows games on your Linux box for the low cost of $40... It seems like this is too good to be true honestly... I'm wondering how well this works and how good of a box you need to have to get it to work well... I guess it would be a sort of solution if you absolutely needed to get away from windows, but are any of us game players running away from big bad bill that badly?
Although... If this would would work on a Playstation 3 running linux... PC games on your PS3? Anyone thinking of giving this software a shot (on a PS3 or not a PS3)?
Actually Cedega is the one that most use for Linux gaming, but Transgaming (the developers) are considered a bit of a black sheep in the Linux community. That said, the free WINE (on which Crossover and Cedega are based) is catching up quickly and plays a lot of games with a surprising degree of accuracy.
As far as the PS3 is concerned - unfortunately I think that's a no-no. Cedega, WINE and Crossover all rely on the presence of an Intel-compatible processor, which the Cell processor is not. I must admit I have no experience with the PS3 and don't know if it simply tries to emulate a Pentium, but I wouldn't count on it.
Don't pay money for the emulator, grab a free one such as QEMU (http://www.qemu.com/) or Bochs (http://bochs.sourceforge.net/). If you have Yellow Dog Linux or Fedora Core 5 running on your PS3, you can use one on these programs to emulate a x86 processor, which will let you run Windows, or OSX, or anything else that will work with x86 architecture. You can also just grab other console emulators to use with your Linux distro, without the x86 emulation. The NES has been successfully emulated already (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIWwcGCI_nY) and many others are being tested right now.
QEMU and Bochs are both extremely slow (no wonder, as they emulate everything from processor up in software, whereas WINE, Cedega and Crossover only emulate the Windows API, making use of the native processor and video drivers) are not suited to games. | <urn:uuid:ffece07c-3e9f-4793-9d2e-6ab279e6b517> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,3/dgm,49696/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957594 | 514 | 1.664063 | 2 |
The Abortion Counseling Conundrum
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"I had a previous abortion at age 21, and it wasn't this hard. It didn't seem like a 'baby' to me at that age. But after raising two children I know now that I really did lose a living being inside me." -- An anonymous participant in Emerge, a pro-choice support group for women who've had abortions
Those sentiments would raise the eyebrows of many a pro-choice activist. After all, the feminist movement is built upon the cornerstone of women controlling their reproductive destinies -- on the imperative of valuing women's lives over the potential for life represented by a pregnancy. In the past, that often meant not talking at all about post-abortive women's feelings about the fetus.
But that is changing. The anti-abortion rights movement has become more sophisticated in recent years, co-opting themes of female empowerment to argue that women are abortion's central victims -- a line of reasoning that reached the Supreme Court in last year's Gonzales v. Carhart decision. In response, some reproductive health advocates have decided to deal head-on with the psychological aftermath of abortion. And though they're winning over skeptical elements of the pro-choice movement, these younger activists are having trouble convincing donors to fund their cause.
While most doctors agree so-called "Post Abortion Syndrome" is a myth, there is no doubt that dealing with an unplanned pregnancy can lead to anxiety and depression for some women. "It's about the relationship they were in when they got pregnant, or the fact they're currently financially dependent, or the relationship they had with their mother or father," says Nikki Madsen, associate director of Pro-Choice Resources, a Minneapolis-based non-profit that works to increase access to abortion and other reproductive health services. "An unplanned pregnancy elevates those things in our lives."
So in 2006, Pro-Choice Resources began hosting Emerge, a six-week secular support group for women who'd had abortions -- the first pro-choice after-abortion support group in the nation. And in San Francisco eight years ago, five women in their twenties and thirties who'd had abortions launched Exhale, a national telephone hotline offering non-ideological counseling to post-abortive women. Both groups are treading uncharted ground; nationwide, almost every support group and talk line for post-abortive women is sponsored by religious groups that oppose abortion rights.
Pro-choice leaders initially worried that discussing abortion's after effects would play into Christian right talking points. But both organizations have track records of success. Since 2002, Exhale has served 15,000 women on its hotline, and while Emerge is a local group that has reached only a few dozen people, pro-choice groups across the country are using it as a model for new post-abortion counseling services, Madsen says.
Nevertheless, both Exhale and Emerge are in danger of going under. The problem? Lack of funding from health foundations scared to tackle abortion and from pro-choice donors worried about discussing abortion's psychological complications.
"Big health funders won't touch these issues," says Shira Saperstein, deputy director at the Moriah Fund, which has given Exhale, the national hotline, a $30,000 grant. Exhale had a budget of $272,000 last year. The group hopes to create a social networking website where women who've had abortions can share their stories and connect with one another, says Aspen Baker, Exhale's co-founder and executive director. For that, Exhale hopes to raise $450,000 before the end of 2008. But for an organization that has lost some of its major funders and continues to attract a typical grant of only about $30,000, it will be an uphill climb.
"The thing that makes us unique and special is also sometimes our biggest challenge," Baker told the Prospect. A direct service organization at the edges of a contentious political debate, "We don't fit into sort of traditional categories."
Indeed, Exhale refuses to identify as "pro-choice," calling itself "pro-voice" instead. At an off-the-record meeting with pro-choice professionals in Washington, D.C. on June 19, Baker fielded many questions about how her organization could accomplish its goal of reducing abortion's stigma without taking a stance on whether the procedure should be legal.
Exhale's reasoning, Baker explains, is that women from across the political spectrum choose abortion, and that carrying a highly politicized label such as "pro-choice" would turn off potential clients. Forty percent of women who have abortions identify as Christian or Catholic, for example, and may also consider themselves pro-life. Few women want to talk about politics when they call Exhale, Baker says; many just want to tell someone they've had an abortion, and talk through feelings ranging from relief to grief.
Although Exhale publicly identifies as apolitical, the group is closely allied with the Beltway pro-choice movement. Baker participates in the Women's Health Leadership Network at the Washington-based Center for American Progress, a center-left think tank founded by former Bill Clinton chief-of-staff John Podesta. The purpose of the network is to connect grassroots reproductive health groups to the national policy debate, says its founder, Jessica Arons, director of CAP's Women's Health and Rights program.
Emerge, the Minneapolis in-person support group, does explicitly identify as pro-choice, but that hasn't made fundraising any easier than it is for Exhale. "This is the most challenging program [at Pro-Choice Resources] to fundraise for, by far and away," Madsen says. Emerge's annual budget is $30,000, one-third of which is provided by the Minnesota-focused Otto Bremer Foundation. The rest comes from Pro-Choice Resource's program budget.
"We don't feel confident at this point," Madsen admits. "We have submitted proposals to several foundations for this funding and continuously get rejected for it. We've found that traditional reproductive health funders aren't really connected to it. And foundations that might be more health care-related feel like the topic is too controversial. It's hard to have people understand that women can have negative feelings toward their abortion and still feel abortion should be legal."
An election year as exciting as this one means a tough fundraising climate for many small non-profits, particularly new projects outside of New York and Washington, D.C. power structures. But Exhale's Baker, at least, is hopeful. She's planning on reaching out to social entrepreneurship and mental health funders. And Exhale's proposed shift from "pro-choice" to "pro-voice" does seem to fit within a broader agenda of neutralizing abortion's hold over our national political debate. That's what Hillary Clinton tried to do in 2005 when she famously pronounced abortion "a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women." Like Exhale itself, that statement was greeted with both acclaim and disappointment in the pro-choice community, with the dividing lines often running between the generations.
"It has a lot to do with how younger women think and feel about abortion these days," says Arons of the Center for American Progress. "That it's important to have legal access, but it's not the same fight that it was for the Second Wave generation of feminists. Abortion doesn't symbolize women's liberation to the same extent as it did."
The Moriah Fund's Saperstein is even blunter. "If you've been in the women's rights arena for decades fighting the same battle over and over and over again, it's easy to feel defensive," she says. "But everyone knows abortion is a complicated experience."
Reprinted with permission from Dana Goldstein, "The Abortion Counseling Conundrum," The American Prospect Online: June 30, 2008. www.prospect.org. The American Prospect, 2000 L Street NW, Suite 717, Washington DC 20036. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:4d2f1cb1-afe7-4cfd-88d3-804d93f39055> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alternet.org/story/92277/the_abortion_counseling_conundrum?qt-best_of_the_week=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971907 | 1,680 | 1.59375 | 2 |
We encourage our people to read Wilmot Robertson’s The Dispossessed Majority.
Wilmot Robertson lists 5 types of White American traitors to our people:
4) Old Believers/True Believers
Today we will focus on #5 – the Proditors. Unlike the other types of White American racial traitors who’s treason is based on societal forces, the White American Proditor really hates his White American people everywhere he is in the world. The Proditor is not just trying to advance his career, curry favor with some other non White American group, or try to make peace, go with the flow. The Proditor works to see his/our White American people destroyed, persecuted and even killed.
John Brown - Proditor Incites the Blacks for Murder and Mayhem
Wilmot Robertson writes:“The Proditor seems to take a savage delight in severing all his roots, deliberately seeking out his country’s enemies, foreign and domestic, and enthusiastically upending and destroying everyone and everything once closest to his heart and mind. The Proditor, in short, takes up permanent resident in that far country where the Gracchite and Truckler dare not penetrate. Though he may fancy himself a Robin Hood, though he may manufacture the most plausible and idealistic excuses for his great and small treacheries, the Proditor – why be euphemistic? is a common, or more precisely an uncommon criminal. As with the Gracchite, there is often the preliminary personal failure. The subsequent drift into exotic political philosophies is more of an indicator than a cause of the treason to come.”
A famous American Proditor was John Brown, who helped to ignite the US Civil War. “At Harper’s Ferry he seemed as eager to incite the slaves to revolution and mayhem as he was to free them…. Oregon-born John Reed, another noteworthy Proditor, actually became a member of the Communist Party Executive Committee in Moscow. He died, aged thirty-three, at the peak of the Bolshevik ferment and lies in a grave by the Kremlin wall – eight thousand miles from home, but only a stone’s throw from the bones of Stalin. More recent Proditors are: Jane Fonda and Ramsey Clark, both of whom openly trafficked with the enemy during the war in Vietnam; the (White) Majority men and women who belonged to the mixed-race, Symbionese Liberation Army that engaged in murder and kidnapping; the (White) Majority students who belonged to the Students for a Democratic Society, another organization dedicated not to class war, but to a minority racial ascendancy (The Dispossessed Majority 7th Edition, Pg 114).”
Proditors don’t seem to be particularly prominent in the US – this year 2012; the White American Majority has been dethroned in most cultural, political areas – so what we’re left with under BRA is Whites trying to get by, curry favor, truckle, pussyfoot around, with some doddering old, Old Believers trying to spread THE TRUTH about the original intent of the Constitution etc, everyone else is just trying to muddle through and get distance from the worst Black underclass, 3rd world immigrant areas etc.
Michael Moore might qualify as a Proditor, though he has won financial success with his anti White American Jihad – so, he’s more the truckler. Viciously anti White, White "Black Revolutionary Theology" Chicago Catholic priest Michael Pfleger qualifies as a Proditor, though he also shows lots of Gracchite tendencies. | <urn:uuid:e24eb773-7bd0-4d5d-b9d6-fe1da394e933> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whitenewsnow.com/content/734-proditors-%96-white-traitors-really-hate-our-their-people.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950224 | 748 | 1.765625 | 2 |
The proposal by Sen. Johnny Key, R-Mountain Home, drew immediate criticism from former Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who spearheaded the effort that got the lottery on the ballot.
“This is in no way what was described to Arkansas voters,” Halter said outside the hearing room.
Halter, a Democrat, said voters were told that scholarships would be administered in a manner that would be “universal, simple and fair.”
Legislators have complained regularly about the high rate of students who don’t remain eligible for their scholarships — about 40 percent at four-year schools and higher at community colleges. They are trying to devote more money to students most likely to graduate while also addressing the budget problem.
“This was one idea of what, hopefully, will be many ideas to fix this cash flow issue we have and will continue to have with our lottery scholarships,” Key said.
Key proposed a graduated funding method in which freshmen would receive $2,000, sophomores $3,000, juniors $4,000, and seniors $5,000. That would apply to students at two-year and four-year schools.
Currently, students at four-year schools receive $4,500 and those at community colleges receive $2,250. The first class receiving lottery scholarships, in the 2010-2011 academic year, was awarded $5,000 and $2,500.
Amounts paid to those classes wouldn’t change under Key’s plan.
“Our commitment has been whatever you start with is what you get,” Key said. “No change to that.”
Key also said legislators may look at changing minimum grade-point average requirements and qualifying scores on the ACT.
To qualify now, students must score at least a 19 on the ACT and have a 2.5 GPA. Legislators set the bar relatively low to encourage more students to attend college. Students have to maintain their GPA and pass a minimum number of credit hours to remain eligible.
Rep. Barry Hyde, D-North Little Rock, said cutting the amount for which freshmen are eligible would discourage students from starting college.
Halter also said reducing money for underclassmen would cut off access to post-secondary education for many students.
He said legislators should “take a successful program and amplify it, not fundamentally change it.”
Legislators had to change the scholarship amount after the 2010-2011 academic year because officials underestimated how many applicants would opt for four-year schools. Legislators figured applications would be evenly split between universities and community colleges, but about 80 percent of applications were for four-year schools.
The state put up a $20 million reserve for the scholarship fund and Key said the program is on track to burn through that money in a few years.
Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe, said it is important to get a plan worked out quickly so graduating high school seniors will be able to plan.
“I see us working through some type of matrix that takes into account the current eligibility requirements and some type of curative approach and I’m not sure what else falls into that,” Dismang said.
Any resolution would have to be approved in the legislative session that starts in January.
Key said legislators have to address the projected shortfall before it becomes a bigger problem.
“We need to fix it now rather than wait for that day to hit,” Key said. | <urn:uuid:a3170700-4506-444f-a9d0-bbbfad58775c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/20197741/article-Late-field-goal-lifts-Airedales-over-Cyclones | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979784 | 727 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The web community was shocked by the death of Aaron Swartz over the weekend after the web freedom fighter took his own life. A very young man, Swartz was only 26, but one who achieved a lot in so few years.
Swartz co-authored RSS and was behind Reddit, but more recently had carved out a place in the history of online activism, freedom and protest. The news that he has died has sent shockwaves through the people whose lives he touched the most, internet users.
"Our beloved brother, son, friend, and partner Aaron Swartz hanged himself on Friday in his Brooklyn apartment. We are in shock, and have not yet come to terms with his passing," says a statement released by his family and loved ones.
"Aaron's insatiable curiosity, creativity, and brilliance; his reflexive empathy and capacity for selfless, boundless love; his refusal to accept injustice as inevitable-these gifts made the world, and our lives, far brighter."
His life was praised by notably web luminaries such as Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who wrote a heartfelt message on his Twitter page.
"Aaron dead. World wanderers, we have lost a wise elder. Hackers for right, we are one down. Parents all, we have lost a child. Let us weep."
But while he was making lives brighter, Swartz has also made enemies. In 2011 he was indicted by the US Department of Justice for misusing and publishing scientific material from the JSTOR scientific and academic database that resides behind a paywall.
His prosecution by the authorities might have contributed to his suicide, and according to another web activist, Lawrence Lessig, Swartz's opponents had come in hard and heavy over the last two years.
"From the beginning, the government worked as hard as it could to characterise what Aaron did in the most extreme and absurd way. The ‘property' Aaron had ‘stolen,' we were told, was worth ‘millions of dollars' - with the hint, and then the suggestion, that his aim must have been to profit from his crime," he wrote.
"[Aaron] is gone today, driven to the edge by what a decent society would only call bullying. I get wrong."
JSTOR said it was saddened by the news and regretted its involvement in the case. "We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Aaron Swartz. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Aaron's family, friends, and everyone who loved, knew, and admired him. He was a truly gifted person who made important contributions to the development of the internet and the web from which we all benefit," it said in a statement.
"We have had inquiries about JSTOR's view of this sad event given the charges against Aaron and the trial scheduled for April. The case is one that we ourselves had regretted being drawn into from the outset, since JSTOR's mission is to foster widespread access to the world's body of scholarly knowledge"
Since Saturday academics have been posting their papers online, in an act of respect and solidarity. They used the Twitter hashtag #pdftribute, and the papers have poured out.
It was this release of information that Swartz was so passionate about, and it is a sad, but fitting tribute.
"We need to take information, wherever it is stored, make our copies and share them with the world. We need to take stuff that's out of copyright and add it to the archive. We need to buy secret databases and put them on the Web. We need to download scientific journals and upload them to file sharing networks. We need to fight for Guerrilla Open Access," wrote Swartz in the Guerrilla Open Access Manifesto 2008.
"With enough of us, around the world, we'll not just send a strong message opposing the privatisation of knowledge - we'll make it a thing of the past."
14 Jan 2013
Do you agree | <urn:uuid:c4374795-f3e6-4b54-8bf1-143ea99ec7b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/the-frontline-blog/2236007/web-community-in-mourning-for-death-of-reddit-cofounder-aaron-swartz | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984629 | 809 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Called "white bronze", these types of gravestones are really cast zinc. Zinc is not magnetic like iron so you can tell if you have found one by trying to get a magnet to stick to it. (I must put a magnet in my gravestone bag!)
These types of gravestones have an interesting history and a short period of time of manufacture. When I spot one in a cemetery, I am always drawn to them. The AGS has a wonderful article about them.
I have found some of these in the Stewart Cemetery, River Bend Cemetery and locally in Beaver Cemetery in my next town. | <urn:uuid:4833ea93-0b23-4386-8596-81fd17f2bc4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://granite-in-my-blood.blogspot.com/2009/01/zinc-gravestone.html?showComment=1231477020000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976634 | 131 | 1.734375 | 2 |
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