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HADLEY ET AL. v. JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT OF METROPOLITAN KANSAS CITY ET AL.
APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF MISSOURI
Argued November 10, 1969
Decided February 25, 1970
Appellants, residents and taxpayers of the Kansas City School District, one of eight school districts constituting the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, brought this suit claiming that their right to vote for trustees of the district was unconstitutionally diluted in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment since their separate district contains approximately 60% of the total apportionment basis of the entire junior college district, but the state statutory formula results in the election of only 50% of the trustees from their district. The trial court's dismissal of the suit was upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court, which held the "one man, one vote" principle inapplicable. Held: Whenever a state or local government by popular election selects persons to perform public functions, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that each qualified voter have an equal opportunity to participate in the election, and when members of an elected body are chosen from separate districts, each district must be established on a basis that as far as practicable will insure that equal numbers of voters can vote for proportionally equal numbers of officials. Avery v. Midland County, 390 U.S. 474 . Pp. 52-59.
432 S. W. 2d 328, reversed and remanded.
Irving Achtenberg argued the cause and filed a brief for appellants.
William J. Burrell argued the cause for appellees Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City et al. With him on the brief were Clarence H. Dicus and Heywood H. Davis. Louis C. DeFeo, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of Missouri, argued the cause for appellee the Attorney General of Missouri. With him on the brief was John C. Danforth, Attorney General, pro se. [397 U.S. 50, 51]
Solicitor General Griswold, Assistant Attorney General Leonard, and Francis X. Beytagh, Jr., filed a brief for the United States as amicus curiae urging reversal.
Louis J. Lefkowitz, Attorney General of New York, pro se, Samuel A. Hirshowitz, First Assistant Attorney General, and Daniel M. Cohen, Assistant Attorney General, filed a brief for the Attorney General of New York as amicus curiae urging affirmance.
MR. JUSTICE BLACK delivered the opinion of the Court.
This case involves the extent to which the Fourteenth Amendment and the "one man, one vote" principle apply in the election of local governmental officials. Appellants are residents and taxpayers of the Kansas City School District, one of eight separate school districts that have combined to form the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City. Under Missouri law separate school districts may vote by referendum to establish a consolidated junior college district and elect six trustees to conduct and manage the necessary affairs of that district. 1 The state law also provides that these trustees shall be apportioned among the separate school districts on the basis of "school enumeration," defined as the number of persons between the ages of six and 20 years, who reside in each district. 2 In the case of the Kansas City School District this apportionment plan results in the election of three trustees, or 50% of the total number, from that district. Since that district contains approximately 60% of the total school enumeration in the junior college district, 3 appellants [397 U.S. 50, 52] brought suit claiming that their right to vote for trustees was being unconstitutionally diluted in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the trial court's dismissal of the suit, stating that the "one man, one vote" principle was not applicable in this case. 432 S. W. 2d 328 (1968). We noted probable jurisdiction of the appeal, 393 U.S. 1115 (1969), and for the reasons set forth below we reverse and hold that the Fourteenth Amendment requires that the trustees of this junior college district be apportioned in a manner that does not deprive any voter of his right to have his own vote given as much weight, as far as is practicable, as that of any other voter in the junior college district.
In Wesberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1 (1964), we held that the Constitution requires that "as nearly as is practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's." Id., at 7-8. Because of this requirement we struck down a Georgia statute which allowed glaring discrepancies among the populations in that State's congressional districts. In Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964), and the companion cases, 4 we considered state laws that had apportioned state legislatures in a way that again showed glaring discrepancies in the number of people who lived in different legislative districts. In an elaborate opinion in Reynolds we called attention to prior cases indicating that a qualified voter has a constitutional right to vote in elections without having his vote wrongfully denied, debased, or diluted. Ex parte Siebold, 100 U.S. 371 (1880); Ex parte Yarbrough, 110 U.S. 651 (1884); United States v. Mosley, 238 U.S. 383 (1915); Guinn v. United States, [397 U.S. 50, 53] 238 U.S. 347 (1915); Lane v. Wilson, 307 U.S. 268 (1939); United States v. Classic, 313 U.S. 299 (1941). Applying the basic principle of Wesberry, we therefore held that the various state apportionment schemes denied some voters the right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to have their votes given the same weight as that of other voters. Finally, in Avery v. Midland County, 390 U.S. 474 (1968), we applied this same principle to the election of Texas county commissioners, holding that a qualified voter in a local election also has a constitutional right to have his vote counted with substantially the same weight as that of any other voter in a case where the elected officials exercised "general governmental powers over the entire geographic area served by the body." Id., at 485.
Appellants in this case argue that the junior college trustees exercised general governmental powers over the entire district and that under Avery the State was thus required to apportion the trustees according to population on an equal basis, as far as practicable. Appellants argue that since the trustees can levy and collect taxes, issue bonds with certain restrictions, hire and fire teachers, make contracts, collect fees, supervise and discipline students, pass on petitions to annex school districts, acquire property by condemnation, and in general manage the operations of the junior college, 5 their powers are equivalent, for apportionment purposes, to those exercised by the county commissioners in Avery. We feel that these powers, while not fully as broad as those of the Midland County Commissioners, 6 certainly show that the trustees [397 U.S. 50, 54] perform important governmental functions within the districts, and we think these powers are general enough and have sufficient impact throughout the district to justify the conclusion that the principle which we applied in Avery should also be applied here.
This Court has consistently held in a long series of cases, 7 that in situations involving elections, the States are required to insure that each person's vote counts as much, insofar as it is practicable, as any other person's. We have applied this principle in congressional elections, state legislative elections, and local elections. The consistent theme of those decisions is that the right to vote in an election is protected by the United States Constitution against dilution or debasement. While the particular offices involved in these cases have varied, in each case a constant factor is the decision of the government to have citizens participate individually by ballot in the selection of certain people who carry out governmental functions. Thus in the case now before us, while the office of junior college trustee differs in certain respects from those offices considered in prior cases, it is exactly the same in the one crucial factor - these officials are elected by popular vote.
When a court is asked to decide whether a State is required by the Constitution to give each qualified voter the same power in an election open to all, there is no discernible, valid reason why constitutional distinctions should be drawn on the basis of the purpose of the election. [397 U.S. 50, 55] If one person's vote is given less weight through unequal apportionment, his right to equal voting participation is impaired just as much when he votes for a school board member as when he votes for a state legislator. While there are differences in the powers of different officials, the crucial consideration is the right of each qualified voter to participate on an equal footing in the election process. It should be remembered that in cases like this one we are asked by voters to insure that they are given equal treatment, and from their perspective the harm from unequal treatment is the same in any election, regardless of the officials selected.
If the purpose of a particular election were to be the determining factor in deciding whether voters are entitled to equal voting power, courts would be faced with the difficult job of distinguishing between various elections. We cannot readily perceive judicially manageable standards to aid in such a task. It might be suggested that equal apportionment is required only in "important" elections, but good judgment and common sense tell us that what might be a vital election to one voter might well be a routine one to another. In some instances the election of a local sheriff may be far more important than the election of a United States Senator. If there is any way of determining the importance of choosing a particular governmental official, we think the decision of the State to select that official by popular vote is a strong enough indication that the choice is an important one. This is so because in our country popular election has traditionally been the method followed when government by the people is most desired.
It has also been urged that we distinguish for apportionment purposes between elections for "legislative" officials and those for "administrative" officers. Such a suggestion would leave courts with an equally unmanageable [397 U.S. 50, 56] principle since governmental activities "cannot easily be classified in the neat categories favored by civics texts," Avery, supra, at 482, and it must also be rejected. We therefore hold today that as a general rule, whenever a state or local government decides to select persons by popular election to perform governmental functions, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that each qualified voter must be given an equal opportunity to participate in that election, and when members of an elected body are chosen from separate districts, each district must be established on a basis that will insure, as far as is practicable, that equal numbers of voters can vote for proportionally equal numbers of officials. It is of course possible that there might be some case in which a State elects certain functionaries whose duties are so far removed from normal governmental activities and so disproportionately affect different groups that a popular election in compliance with Reynolds, supra, might not be required, but certainly we see nothing in the present case that indicates that the activities of these trustees fit in that category. Education has traditionally been a vital governmental function, and these trustees, whose election the State has opened to all qualified voters, are governmental officials in every relevant sense of that term.
In this particular case the "one man, one vote" principle is to some extent already reflected in the Missouri statute. That act provides that if no one or more of the component school districts has 33 1/3% or more of the total enumeration of the junior college district, then all six trustees are elected at large. If, however, one or more districts has between 33 1/3% and 50% of the total enumeration, each such district elects two trustees and the rest are elected at large from the remaining districts. [397 U.S. 50, 57] Similarly, if one district has between 50% and 66 2/3% of the enumeration it elects three trustees, and if one district has more than 66 2/3% it elects four trustees. 8 This scheme thus allocates increasingly more trustees to large districts as they represent an increasing proportion of the total enumeration.
Although the statutory scheme reflects to some extent a principle of equal voting power, it does so in a way that does not comport with constitutional requirements. This is so because the Act necessarily results in a systematic discrimination against voters in the more populous school districts. This discrimination occurs because whenever a large district's percentage of the total enumeration falls within a certain percentage range it is always allocated the number of trustees corresponding to the bottom of that range. Unless a particular large district has exactly 33 1/3%, 50% or 66 2/3% of the total enumeration it will always have proportionally fewer trustees than the small districts. As has been pointed out, in the case of the Kansas City School District approximately 60% of the total enumeration entitles that district to only 50% of the trustees. Thus while voters in large school districts may frequently have less effective voting power than residents of small districts, they can never have more. Such built-in discrimination against voters in large districts cannot be sustained as a sufficient compliance with the constitutional mandate that each person's vote count as much as another's as far as practicable. Consequently Missouri cannot allocate the junior college trustees according to the statutory formula employed in this case. 9 We would be faced with a different [397 U.S. 50, 58] question if the deviation from equal apportionment presented in this case resulted from a plan that did not contain a built-in bias in favor of small districts, but rather from the inherent mathematical complications in equally apportioning a small number of trustees among a limited number of component districts. We have said before that mathematical exactitude is not required, Wesberry, supra, at 18, Reynolds, supra, at 577, but a plan that does not automatically discriminate in favor of certain districts is.
In holding that the guarantee of equal voting strength for each voter applies in all elections of governmental officials, we do not feel that the States will be inhibited in finding ways to insure that legitimate political goals of representation are achieved. We have previously upheld against constitutional challenge an election scheme that required that candidates be residents of certain districts that did not contain equal numbers of people. Dusch v. Davis, 387 U.S. 112 (1967). Since all the officials in that case were elected at large, the right of each voter was given equal treatment. 10 We have also held that where a State chooses to select members of an official body by appointment rather than election, and that choice does not itself offend the Constitution, the fact that each official does not "represent" the same number of people does not deny those people equal protection of the laws. Sailors v. Board of Education, 387 U.S. 105 (1967); cf. Fortson v. Morris, 385 U.S. 231 (1966). And a State may, in certain cases, limit the [397 U.S. 50, 59] right to vote to a particular group or class of people. As we said before, "[v]iable local governments may need many innovations, numerous combinations of old and new devices, great flexibility in municipal arrangements to meet changing urban conditions. We see nothing in the Constitution to prevent experimentation." Sailors, supra, at 110-111. But once a State has decided to use the process of popular election and "once the class of voters is chosen and their qualifications specified, we see no constitutional way by which equality of voting power may be evaded." Gray v. Sanders, 372 U.S. 368, 381 (1963).
For the reasons set forth above the judgment below is reversed and the case is remanded to the Missouri Supreme Court for proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
[ Footnote 2 ] Mo. Rev. Stat. 167.011 (Cum. Supp. 1967).
[ Footnote 3 ] For the years 1963 through 1967, the actual enumeration in the Kansas City School District varied between 63.55% and 59.49%. App. 38.
[ Footnote 4 ] WMCA, Inc. v. Lomenzo, 377 U.S. 633 (1964); Maryland Committee v. Tawes, 377 U.S. 656 (1964); Davis v. Mann, 377 U.S. 678 (1964); Roman v. Sincock, 377 U.S. 695 (1964); Lucas v. Colorado Gen. Assembly, 377 U.S. 713 (1964).
[ Footnote 5 ] Mo. Rev. Stat. 167.161, 171.011, 177.031, 177.041, 178.770, 178.850-178.890 (Cum. Supp. 1967).
[ Footnote 6 ] The Midland County Commissioners established and maintained the county jail, appointed numerous county officials, made contracts, built roads and bridges, administered the county welfare system, performed duties in connection with elections, set the [397 U.S. 50, 54] county tax rate, issued bonds, adopted the county budget, built and ran hospitals, airports, and libraries, fixed school district boundaries, established a housing authority, and determined the election districts for county commissioners. Avery, supra, at 476-477.
[ Footnote 7 ] Wesberry, supra; Reynolds, supra; cases cited n. 4, supra; Avery, supra; Gray v. Sanders, 372 U.S. 368 (1963); Burns v. Richardson, 384 U.S. 73 (1966); Swann v. Adams, 385 U.S. 440 (1967).
[ Footnote 8 ] Mo. Rev. Stat. 178.820 (Cum. Supp. 1967).
[ Footnote 9 ] There is some question in this case whether school enumeration figures, rather than actual population figures, can be used as a basis of apportionment. Cf. Burns v. Richardson, 384 U.S. 73 , [397 U.S. 50, 58] 90-95 (1966). There is no need to decide this question at this time since, even if school enumeration is a permissible basis, the present statute fails to apportion trustees constitutionally.
[ Footnote 10 ] The statute involved in this case provides that trustees who are elected from component districts rather than at large must be residents of the district from which they are elected. Mo. Rev. Stat. 178.820 (2) (Cum. Supp. 1967).
MR. JUSTICE HARLAN, with whom THE CHIEF JUSTICE and MR. JUSTICE STEWART join, dissenting.
Today's decision demonstrates, to a degree that no other case has, the pervasiveness of the federal judicial intrusion into state electoral processes that was unleashed by the "one man, one vote" rule of Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964).
Reynolds established that rule for the apportionment of state legislatures, thereby denying States the right to take into account in the structuring of their legislatures any historical, geographical, economic, or social considerations, or any of the many other practical and subtle factors that have always been recognized as playing a legitimate part in the practice of politics.
Four years later, in Avery v. Midland County, 390 U.S. 474 (1968), the "one man, one vote" rule was extended to many kinds of local governmental units, thereby affecting to an unknown extent the organizational [397 U.S. 50, 60] integrity of some 80,000 such units throughout the country, and constricting the States in the use of the electoral process in the establishment of new ones.
And today, the Court holds the "one man, one vote" rule applicable to the various boards of trustees of Missouri's junior college system, and the case forebodes, if indeed it does not decide, that the rule is to be applied to every elective public body, no matter what its nature.
While I deem myself bound by Reynolds and Avery - despite my continued disagreement with them as constitutional holdings (see my dissenting opinions in Reynolds, 377 U.S., at 589 , and in Avery, 390 U.S., at 486 ) - I do not think that either of these cases, or any other in this Court, justifies the present decision. I therefore dissent, taking off from Avery in what is about to be said.
In Avery the Court acknowledged that "the states' varied, pragmatic approach in establishing governments" has produced "a staggering number" of local governmental units. The Court noted that, "while special-purpose organizations abound . . ., virtually every American lives within what he and his neighbors regard as a unit of local government with general responsibility and power for local affairs." The Midland County Commissioners Court, the body whose composition was challenged in Avery, was found to possess a broad range of powers that made it "representative of most of the general governing bodies of American cities, counties, towns, and villages," and the Court was at pains to limit its holding to such general bodies. 390 U.S., at 482 -485. Today the Court discards that limitation, stating that "there is no discernible, valid reason why constitutional distinctions should be drawn on the basis of the purpose of the election." Ante, at 54-55. I believe, to the contrary, that the need to preserve flexibility in the design of local [397 U.S. 50, 61] governmental units that serve specialized functions and that must meet particular local conditions, furnishes a powerful reason to refuse to extend the Avery ruling beyond its original limits. If local units having general governmental powers are to be considered, like state legislatures, as having a substantial identity of function that justifies imposing on them a uniformity of elective structure, it is clear that specialized local entities are characterized by precisely the opposite of such identity. From irrigation districts to air pollution control agencies to school districts, such units vary in the magnitude of their impact upon various constituencies and in the manner in which the benefits and burdens of their operations interact with other elements of the local political and economic picture. Today's ruling will forbid these agencies from adopting electoral mechanisms that take these variations into account.
In my opinion, this ruling imposes an arbitrary limitation on the ways in which local agencies may be constituted. The Court concedes that the States may use means other than apportionment "to insure that legitimate political goals of representation are achieved." For example, officials elected at large may be required to be residents of particular areas that do not contain equal numbers of people, Dusch v. Davis, 387 U.S. 112 (1967); the right to vote may be denied outright to persons whose interest in the function performed by the agency is non-existent or slight, cf. Kramer v. Union Free School District, 395 U.S. 621 (1969); Cipriano v. City of Houma, 395 U.S. 701 (1969); or the State may in many instances abandon the elective process altogether and allow members of an official body to be appointed, without any regard for the equal-population principle, Sailors v. Board of Education, 387 U.S. 105 (1967). Since the Court recognizes the States' need for flexibility in structuring local units, I am unable to see any basis for its selectively [397 U.S. 50, 62] denying to them one of the means to achieve such flexibility. If, as the Court speculates, other means will prove as effective as apportionment in the adaptation of local agencies to meet specific needs, presumably those other means will also enable the States just as effectively to accomplish whatever evils the Court thinks it is preventing by today's decision. The Court has not shown that, under the supervision of state legislatures that are apportioned according to Reynolds, flexible methods of apportionment of local official bodies carry any greater danger of abuse than these other means of achieving the desirable goal of specialization. The Court's imposition of this arbitrary limitation on the States can be justified only in the name of mathematical nicety.
I do not believe that, even after Avery, such a result is compelled by the absence of "judicially manageable standards" for the "difficult job of distinguishing between various elections." Ante, at 55. Before today, the Court's rule was that "one man, one vote" applied only to local bodies having "general governmental powers over the entire geographic area served by the body." 390 U.S., at 485 . The Court in Avery professed no temerity about concluding that the Midland County Commissioners Court was such a body. The Court's mere recitation of the powers of that entity, ante, at 53-54, n. 6, suffices to establish that conclusion. At the same time, it cannot be argued seriously that the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City is the general governing body for the people of its area. The mere fact that the trustees can, with restrictions, levy taxes, issue bonds, and condemn property for school purposes does not detract from the crucial consideration that the sole purpose for which the district exists is the operation of a junior college. If the Court adhered to the Avery line, marginal cases would of course arise in which the courts would face difficulty in determining whether a particular [397 U.S. 50, 63] entity exercised general governmental powers, but such a determination would be no different in kind from many other matters of degree upon which courts must continually pass. The importance of ensuring flexibility in the organization of specialized units of government, and the uncertainty whether the rule announced today will further any important countervailing interest, convince me that the Court should not proceed further into the political thicket than it has already gone in Avery.
The facts of this case afford a clear indication of the extent to which reasonable state objectives are to be sacrificed on the alter of numerical equality. We are not faced with an apportionment scheme that is a historical relic, with no present-day justification, or one that reflects the stranglehold of a particular group that, having once attained power, blindly resists a redistribution. The structure of the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City is based upon a state statute enacted in 1961. Prior to that date, the individual school boards had the power to create their own junior colleges, as they still do, but there was apparently no authorization for cooperation among districts. The 1961 statute was enacted out of concern on the part of the legislature that Missouri's public educational facilities were not expanding at a satisfactory rate, see Three Rivers Junior College District v. Statler, 421 S. W. 2d 235, 237 (Mo. 1967). 1 [397 U.S. 50, 64] The provisions of the statute evidence a legislative determination of the most effective means to encourage expansion through cooperation between districts.
The statutory provision for election of the six-man board of trustees, summarized by the Court, reflects a careful balancing of the desirability of population-based representation against the practical problems involved in the creation of new educational units. The statute does not by its own force create any junior college districts; this is left to the initiative of the residents of particular areas who are interested in providing public junior-college education for their children. In recognition of the fact that individual school districts may lack the funds or the population to support a junior college of their own, the state legislature has authorized them to make voluntary arrangements with their neighbors for joint formation of a junior college district. If one of the cooperating school districts greatly preponderates in size, it enters into the arrangement knowing that its representation on the board of trustees, while large, will be somewhat smaller than it would be if based strictly on relative school enumeration.
The features of this system are surely sensibly designed to facilitate creation of new educational bodies while guaranteeing to small school districts that they will not be entirely swallowed up by a large partner. The small districts are free to avoid alliance with a highly populated neighbor, if they prefer to link with enough others of their own size to provide a viable base for a junior college. At the same time, a very large school district is probably capable of forming a junior college on its own if it prefers not to consolidate, on the terms set by statute, with smaller neighbors. On the other hand, large and small districts may work together if they find this the [397 U.S. 50, 65] most beneficial arrangement. 2 The participation, as here, of seven smaller and one larger school district in the joint formation of a junior college district, represents a pragmatic choice by all concerned from among a number of possible courses of action.
I find it bizarre to conclude that such a voluntary arrangement effects an unconstitutional "dilution" of the votes of residents of the largest school district. When the Court, in Reynolds, rejected a proposed analogy between state legislatures and the Federal Congress, it relied heavily on the fact that state legislative districts "are merely involuntary political units of the State created by statute to aid in the administration of state government." 377 U.S., at 548 . In contrast, the National Government was created by the union of "a group of formerly independent States." The system of representation in Congress was "conceived out of compromise and concession" between the larger and smaller States. Id., at 574. The system struck down today shares much of this same character of voluntary compromise. It is true that the analogy would be even closer if the legislature had left the school districts free to negotiate their own apportionment terms, rather than imposing a uniform scale; but as I read the Court's opinion today, it would strike down the apportionment in this case even if the terms had resulted from an entirely free agreement among the eight school districts. Insistence upon a simplistic mathematical formula as the measure of compliance with the Equal Protection [397 U.S. 50, 66] Clause in cases involving the electoral process has resulted in this instance in a total disregard of the salutary purposes underlying the statutory scheme.
Finally, I find particularly perplexing the portion of the Court's opinion explaining why the apportionment involved in this case does not measure up even under the "one man, one vote" dogma. The Court holds that the voters of the Kansas City School District, who elect 50% of the trustees, are denied equal protection of the laws because that district contains about 60% of the school enumeration. This is so because the statutory formula embodies a "built-in discrimination against voters in large districts." Ante, at 57. The Court seems to suggest that the same discrepancy among districts might pass muster if it could be shown to be mathematically unavoidable in the apportionment of the small number of trustees among the component districts; but the discrepancy is not permissible where it simply reflects the legislature's choice of a means to foster a legitimate state goal. This reasoning seems hard to follow and also disturbing on two scores.
First, to apply the rule with such rigor to local governmental units, especially single-function units, is to disregard the characteristics that distinguish such units from state legislatures. As I noted in my dissent in Avery, 390 U.S. at 488-490, there is a much smaller danger of abuse through malapportionment in the case of local units because there exist avenues of political redress that are not similarly available to correct malapportionment of state legislatures. Further, as noted above, the greater diversity of functions performed by local governmental units creates a greater need for flexibility [397 U.S. 50, 67] in their structure. If these considerations are inadequate to stave off the extension of the Reynolds rule to units of local government, they at least provide a persuasive rationale for applying that rule so as to allow local governments much more play in the joints.
Such an approach is not foreclosed by the previous cases. In Reynolds, 377 U.S. at 577-581, the Court catalogued a number of considerations indicating that "[s]omewhat more flexibility" might be permissible in state legislative apportionment than in congressional districting. Compare Swann v. Adams, 385 U.S. 440 (1967), with Kirkpatrick v. Preisler, 394 U.S. 526 (1969), and Wells v. Rockefeller, 394 U.S. 542 (1969). The need for more flexibility becomes greater as we proceed down the spectrum from the state legislature to the single-purpose local entity.
The disparities of representation in Avery were of an entirely different order from those here. In that case, each of the four districts elected one commissioner to the Commissioner Court, despite the fact that the population of one district was 67,906, while those of the remaining three were 852, 414, and 828. I think that the Avery rule, born in an extreme case, is being applied here with a rigidity that finds no justification in the considerations that gave it birth. Cf. Wells v. Rockefeller, 394 U.S., at 553 (WHITE, J., dissenting). In this case, the disparity of representation is relatively minor. Even more important, it is not an unexplained and unjustified deviation from equality, see Swann v. Adams, 385 U.S., at 445 -446, but reflects an enlightened state policy of encouraging individual school districts to join together voluntarily to expand the State's public junior college facilities. [397 U.S. 50, 68]
Second, the Court leaves unexplored the premises underlying its conclusion that the apportionment here does not achieve equality, "as far as practicable." Ante, at 57. Missouri is forbidden to use the statutory formula employed in this case because the percentage categories it creates will, in particular instances, only approximate equality, and because whatever discrepancy exists will always favor residents of the smaller districts. The Court does not suggest how a formula could be devised that would provide a general rule for application to all the various junior college districts but would not share these alleged faults. If a large district falling within a given percentage range were allocated the number of trustees corresponding to the top, rather than the bottom, of the range, that would also produce, on the Court's theory, a "built-in discrimination" against voters in small districts.
Thus, the result of the Court's holding may be that Missouri is forbidden to establish any formula of general application for apportionment of trustees, but must instead provide for the improvisation of an individual apportionment scheme for each junior college district after the contours of the district have been settled. But surely a State could reasonably determine that the mechanics of operating such a system would be so unduly burdensome that it would be better to apportion according to a statewide formula. Would not such considerations justify a conclusion that the statewide formula achieves equality "as far as practicable"? While the Court does not discuss the problem, its invalidation of this statutory formula seems to be based on the premise that such practical considerations, like a State's desire to encourage cooperation among districts, are constitutionally inadequate to justify any divergence from voting "equality." [397 U.S. 50, 69]
The Court does not, however, spell out any rationale for concluding that such matters of administrative convenience deserve no weight in determining what is "practicable." This is especially incongruous in light of the Court's unexplained conclusion that deference can be be given to legislative determinations that the boards should have a small number of trustees and that the trustees in some instances should represent component school districts. Why does the Court not require that the number of trustees be increased from six, in order to reduce the roughness with which equality is approximated? Would a three-man board be unconstitutionally small? Why is the Court willing to accept inequality that derives from a desire to give representation to component school districts, when similar inequality in state legislative districting could probably not be justified by a desire to give representation to counties? Cf. Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. at 579-581; Swann v. Adams, 385 U.S., at 444 . If equality cannot be achieved when representation is by component districts, why does the "as far as practicable" standard not require at-large election of trustees? Is there something about these considerations that gives them a status under the Equal Protection Clause that is not possessed by a legislative desire to apportion by a formula of statewide application?
It seems to me that beneath the surface of the Court's opinion lie unspoken answers to these and other similar questions, questions that I can characterize only as matters of political judgment. The Court's adoption of a rigid, mathematical rule turns out not to have saved it from having to balance and judge political considerations, concluding that one does merit some weight in an apportionment scheme while another does not. The fact that the courts, rather than the legislatures, now are the final arbiters of such matters will continue, I fear, [397 U.S. 50, 70] after the present decision to be the inevitable consequence of the shallow approach to the Equal Protection Clause represented by the "one man, one vote" theory. The Court could at least lessen the disruptive impact of that approach at the local level by approving this relatively minor divergence from strict equality on the ground that the legislature could reasonably have concluded that it was necessary to accomplish legitimate state interests.
I would affirm the judgment of the Supreme Court of Missouri. What our Court has done today seems to me to run far afield of the values embodied in the scheme of government ordained by the Constitution.
[ Footnote 1 ] Counsel for appellees informed the Court at oral argument that prior to the passage of this statute, when the law merely authorized each school district in the State to establish its own junior college, there were only seven such junior colleges, with a total enrollment of approximately 5,000 students. Today there are 12 junior college districts, in which nearly 120 individual school districts participate, with a total enrollment of over 30,000 students.
[ Footnote 2 ] At the time this suit was filed, nine junior college districts had been formed pursuant to the statutory procedures. Of these, three did not contain a component district large enough to bring into play the fractional formula; the remaining six did contain such a district.
MR. CHIEF JUSTICE BURGER, dissenting.
I concur fully in the opinion of MR. JUSTICE HARLAN. I add this comment to emphasize the subjective quality of a doctrine of constitutional law that has as its primary standard "a general rule, [that] whenever a state or local government decides to select persons by popular election . . .," the Constitution commands that each qualified voter must be given a vote which is equally weighted with the votes cast by all other electors.
The failure to provide guidelines for determining when the Court's "general rule" is to be applied is exacerbated when the Court implies that the stringent standards of "mathematical exactitude" that are controlling in apportionment of federal congressional districts need not be applied to smaller specialized districts such as the junior college district in this case. This gives added relevance to MR. JUSTICE HARLAN's observation that "[t]he need for more flexibility becomes greater as we proceed down the spectrum from the state legislature to the single-purpose local entity." Ante, at 67. Yet the Court has given almost no indication of which non-population [397 U.S. 50, 71] interests may or may not legitimately be considered by a legislature in devising a constitutional apportionment scheme for a local, specialized unit of government.
Ultimately, only this Court can finally apply these "general rules" but in the interim all other judges must speculate as best they can when and how to apply them. With all deference I suggest the Court's opinion today fails to give any meaningful guidelines. [397 U.S. 50, 72] | <urn:uuid:0e1dfdff-de46-4393-a780-63ff7e7a6d89> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=397&invol=50 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953619 | 8,258 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Edith if you can try to post an image of the picture to the following link I've created. It is an entry for the former US 10 bridge at Fallon.
As for value I have seen on an auction site what I believe is the picture you have by the Ball Bros. It went for $125.
The former bridge was a four span through truss, Camelback style. It was built by the Security Bridge Company which had their offices in Billings after starting up originally in Minnesota. Several of their spans still exist but most have long been replaced. An employee with Security Bridge Company, William P. Roscoe, supervised the construction of the former and his company later built the bridge that replaced. It opened in November 1944.
I have an old photograph of the dedication of the Yellowstone Bridge, Fallon, MT...copyrighted 1914 by Ball Bros., Havre, MT. It's dated May 20, 1914. It measures approximately 6.5 x 26.5. Any ideas on it's historical importance? I'm having it preserved and framed. Any information would be helpful. I found the photograph in an old trunk that belonged to my Mother's family...it is now in my possession. My Mother's maiden name was Oakes..her father was Charles Henry Oakes....don't know if this is pertinent, but, may help.
A bunch of crooks mis-managed MWLW from the late 1950's on. Bookkeeping lies hid loses on eastern parts of the road by charging costs to the western extension. It looked like W.E. was loosing the money until they shut it down. Then it was bankruptcy for the whole railroad.
Another fine example of how Milwaukee's western extension was a well built railroad abandoned too early.
No problem, John;
It's sometimes hard to tell what's what from way up here in the satellite.
I don't see that the Indian Creek or Judith River trestles have been added yet, by the way.
I stand corrected. Serves me right for assuming that there was only one large trestle near a town I've never seen in a state I've never visited.
It appears that this bridge is long gone. I set the street view to focus on two crosses at the side of the road near the present bridge. It seems appropriate. RIP.
..... the Sage Creek trestle appears to be about 4 miles in a generally northerly direction up the tracks from the Indian Creek trestle, at 47.255524,-109.756765.
According to topographical maps and also Google maps, the creek crossed is actually called Indian Creek; however, two different sources on railpictures.net list the bridge as the Sage Creek Trestle. Perhaps Sage Creek is another name used locally, or maybe the maps are wrong.
Already listed here:
Move the photo and delete....
I think you are referring to one of the Tongue River crossings located not far from the Ft. Keogh Bridge and sadly it was demolished last year, although I`m not at all sure when it was....
The was one of the largest and most ornate examples of its type. In a state with very few truss bridges of any kind, this is absolutely disgusting. Its not like the bridge was in the way. Montana has plenty of space.
If I recall correctly, Montana has another, smaller pin-connected PA truss, and I believe they want to bulldoze it too.
Does anybody have a little brown barf bag handy? After receiving the news via e-mail this morning, my stomach is churning from disgust! Too bad that my nomination of the bridge for the Chronicles' 2011 Bridge Pics Award did not persuade Montana to heed to the demands of saving at least ONE of the through truss spans! It's really appalling what's going on here! ;-(
Dear Mr. James McCray
I absolutely love your website, but wanted to offer one slight correction in order to give credit where credit is due. Bundy Bridge near Pompey's Pillar, MT was definitely the first Warren through truss bridge to span the Yellowstone River in Montana, however the very first Warren through truss bridge in the great State of Montana was actually constructed in 1895 across the Big Hole River near Glen in Madison County. It was 90 feet long and located on a road that once connected Dillon, a railroad station and county seat of Beaverhead County with the Ruby River valley in southwestern Montana. However, the Bundy Bridge is an exceptionally rare example of a bridge built by a private construction firm without the direct involvement of the Montana Highway Commission which, beginning around 1916 or so, began to adopt the Warren truss through bridge model as a standard for railroads. In mid-1882, the Northern Pacific Railway (one of our predecessor railways) had reached Pompey's Pillar and established a station half of a mile south of the landmark on the Crow Reservation (it was subsequently moved two miles east of Pompey's Pillar in 1905). The "new" bridge in 1915 was an important part of our early history and was the first bridge of its kind to cross the Yellowstone River in Montana, but I'm afraid we must credit the bridge in Madison County with the honor of being the first of its kind in the great State of Montana.
Keep up the great work! I shall bookmark your site with great pleasure and look forward to visiting in the future! Your photographs are quite lovely.
Senior Manager, Records and Information Management
And if you are getting the Indiana guy....I am right on the way. I shall also buy a ticket cuz you gotta play to win.
On another note we have submitted a proposal on the Ash Creek Bridge in California for the disassembly plan. And working up a restoration plan for Cascade Bridge in Iowa where Section 106 kicked in. None of the engineers in Iowa think it should be restored. They did no maintenance and then can come up with reasons to tear down and build new. Irks me and should be prosecuted for negligence...
Anyway packing lightly for a fabulous trip with bridgehunters from many states.
Iowa Bridge Bitch.....is back
I could be "Indiana Bridgehunter Jones"!
Hey Mike...if you hit the big one will you swing by Indiana and pick me up too?
Sounds good to me!
These two Montana bridges, the upper chord panel points are 1/2-panel offset from the lower chord. The C&NW bridges in Iowa, like Mississippi River at Clinton, the upper and lower panel points align.
If I win the lottery first, you two gents are both invited, but we'll have to take in some of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri too.
I might have to go pick up one of those mega-millions tickets. If I win that jack-pot I'll pick you up in the official bridge-hunter helicopter. Maybe we can stop and get Washington K.A. too, then it's off to Beaverhead River, Montana
OK Mr Oregon Mike, a road trip would be a blast. I would love to take a looping run up through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and then turn south, Wyoming, Colorado and then back to California picking up some Utah and Nevada along the way.
I agree with the designation of triple on this bridge and another one in the region.
So, first win the lottery to cover fuel cost... then roadtrip!
I think I see a triple as well. Nathan is right, it is very hard to tell for sure with such a fuzzy street view. Maybe California Craig and I should take a trip to Montana to confirm this along with some others in Idaho.
However, it does looks similar to the triple intersection "Iron Bridge" that I posted earlier today in Spokane, WA. It may be from the same era or even possibly the same historic railroad. Our railroad experts may be able to shed some light on this aspect.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildliferecreation/4476043701/ - Link to Iron Bridge photo
It may be triple, the Street View honestly is too blurry for me to tell for sure.
I'm going with Triple...looks pretty definite in the view I see.
Looking at the street view in different locations makes it appear to be double, triple, and quadrangular. To me, it appears to be a triple-intersection Warren, but I could certainly be mistaken on that too. It would be nice to get photo confirmation...
Looks like a lattice truss... ie more than two intersections. I am guessing its quadruple intersection, the most common type of lattice truss. Sometimes called quadrangular.
Please review the design designation. I listed this as Double intersection Warren and I would appreciate confirmation.
I completely forgot that I had a pic of this bridge! Actually, this is a pic from one of my first bridge hunting adventures. I was taking pics of the highway bridge, but the "sister" train bridge was right next to it. Sadly, I was young and immature in those days and not have yet become a "Jedi Master" in the bridgehunting world, and so, I only took three pics of the bridge.
Unfortunate loss of what may have been the longest remaining Pratt through truss.
Just pick the spans up and set them on dry land!!! Of course I realize this will cut severely into someones scrap metal profits...but considering this is stated to be the last of several built in this region...come on!
Todd Baslee photo
This truly magnificent bridge is undoubtedly one of the rarest and most beautiful historic bridges in all of Montana. From its ornate cast iron portals to its impressive pin-connected Pennsylvania truss spans, this bridge is to be demolished as soon as before this winter. The bridge's substructure was severely damaged during a flood and the bridge is now significantly twisted... but still standing. They plan to spend $800,000 to reduce this treasure to scrap using cranes and barges. This is absolutely pathetic. The cranes and barges should be used to lift the bridge off of its destroyed substructure. The barren wasteland that surrounds the bridge provides more than ample room to simply set the bridge on the ground either as an exhibit, or just as storage until new homes can be found for the bridge. Be sure to view the Flickr link I provided to see the flood damage. The pony trusses are severely damaged (but we could restore them here in Michigan) while the through trusses are just twisted a bit, not as serious as it looks.
After discovering the fate of this bridge I needed to run and grab my...
This is probably the incorrect location, but I have to go on is that it's on a dirt path west of Galata, and it promptly ends shortly after this bridge.
I found this bridge that just sits on land. Any clues as to its origins?
This bridge apparently is just sitting on bank of the lake shore. Any info as to its history would be welcome.
Jim, I would start with contacting local and state preservation groups to try and drum up support. If the bridge was truly a local product, then it would be worthwhile to get some records about it's construction if they are available. And getting support from the local residents is helpful as well.
Is the bridge in imminent danger, or are you just wanting to garner support in an attempt to keep that from happening?
how do you find out how to get a bridge restored rather than torn down? who to contact.This bridge is a possible candidate as it is one of the few left that was made in Missoula Montana.
The entry was based on the news article with a bit of additional research. The photo you mention, however, is credited to Leo Majerus.
Mr. Backlin more than likely added this bridge as a result of an image from a newspaper showing flooding. The bridge appears to be an abandoned section of road, possibly on an old alignment. I believe I have the right coordinates but correct them if you must.
The article is below:
You might be able to incorporate the image taken by Paula Langhurst since this is for research use, not commercial.
Love the area of the Gallatin Gateway and hope that I can add to this by a few pictures of this historic bridge to the Big Sky Country
Yup.....that's what I would call it Craig.
I wish the Madison Railroad in Southern Indiana would do this to their deck trusses instead of demolishing them.
Interesting modification and mixture of forms. So now, what type of span is this? Pratt Thru Truss with supplemental Arch?
You will notice some changes in the recent photos I took and the Google Stree View. They've been working on this bridge adding an arch in the truss.
Sorry about the double post. I didn't realize this bridge already had a listing. I had submitted a request to merge the two listings.
Think we should delete the one i created since this one already has photos and a video.
Duplicate posting as Rev. JP had it listed here.
I could have sworn I had images of but ... c'est la vie.
Montana gives bridges two ratings, one based on the health of the bridge and one based on sufficiency of the bridge. Health wise this bridge outscored the rest of the bridges in the state at 96.49. But then came in at 43.2 in sufficiency just because its one lane, and has a weight limit. And now the state is wanting to bypass or replace it. I hope the community there fights to keep the bridge standing at the very least.
This bridge is NBI listed as 1935, but I am thinking the main pin-connected thru truss span is older and was relocated here. The pony truss might be from 1935 however.
Probably a lot of "Morels" growing around there too!....... sorry, I got caught up in all the "pfun"!!
Did anyone else happen to notice that the name of the local town is Anaconda, which has a giant wetlands/lake area........sorry i work at a movie theater so found this thought entertaining.
It seems so right that this span is a "marsh arch".
Rather unique.......to say the least!
Perhaps the status of this bridge should be changed to "Open to swimmers"
I'll let you guys try to figure this one out!
I agree with Nathan regarding the apparent non-structural railings on this bridge. I love street-view, it is so tantalizing sometimes, it often gives the hints we need to see that a journey to document a structure is worthwhile.
Hard to tell in the Street View, but the railings look fairly small and lightweight in comparison to the length of the bridge, so my vote would be that the railings are non-structural, and the bridge is a lattice railing stringer bridge, rather than a lattice girder.
From the looks of the street view, this bridge looks like it has lattice type railings. Is it a lattice type pony truss? Comments welcome.
Very unique diagonals on this bridge composed of 4 angles laced together to form a box. It appears the Toston Bridge may have them as well.
The main span of this bridge is quite massive with it's 20 foot panels. Comparing it with the regular sized Pratt spans it almost looks like a through truss with 2 pony approaches.
My apology, but this won't relate to bridges. But I wanted to share with you all a map I created of how Aulne, Kansas will look like in the future hopefully. Aulne is a very small town that is close to Marion. It has a church, an old bank that was built in 1909, and it has about eleven houses. I've been through this little town very many times in my life. Ever since I was eight years old, my mind created an imagination about Aulne becoming a bigger city. On Google Maps, I created the map of my imagination in the future. Click on this link to view my map I created:
Watched the video about the planned restoration and reuse of this beauty...... Too bad more communities can't seem to preserve their history like this!
When is bridge coming out for bids? Please forward information at your earliest convenience.
This really is an interesting bridge!
A restoration group has been trying to raise funds to restore this structure as a pedestrian/bicycle bridge. But as of Jan 2010, only one span has been restored - the bridge is NOT open to pedestrian traffic. Hoped-for stimulus funds were never received. A portion of what funding has been raised was used to install spectacular blue lights.
I lived less than 1/2 mile from the bridge from 1931 to 1936 .I was born in 1931, I remember the last time the bridge was raised. I was only 4 or 5 years old. This was in 1935 or 1936. My sister, cousin and I are the only ones still living that witnessed it being raised. I can still remember the sound of that 3 cylinder engine. My cousin and I explored the engine house a lot of times and even climbed the south tower once when we were teen agers.
This is the bridge featured in the movie Untouchables.
Very cool bridge, thanks for the pictures!
This bridge is scheduled to be replaced and relocated to East Helena Montana over Prickley Pear Creek on August 2009.
Nice pictures! Will look forward to seeing more.
Hello - let me know if these work. As the sign indicates this bridge is known as the "natural pier bridge" for obvious reason as seen in photos.
I have a few more bridges to send your way today. And will be sending more in the future. Also, let me know if you like detail photos or just the whole bridge.
This bridge has been torn down and replaced with a two-lane concrete bridge.
I took more pictures of the 10th Street Bridge when I was in Great Falls last week. These pictures are taken from the north side of the bridge and one can see the rehabilition project in progress. The remodeled portion of the bridge is seen in the following photos.
Webmaster's note: The photos that were here have been incorporated into the main site.
I took two pictures of this bridge in the summer of 2005. My wife, a friend, and I was going to Billings to pick up another friend who was going to be a summer missionary in Canada. We went through Great Falls and stopped at the bridge. The bridge is in the process of being remodeled and it will soon be in operation again! Only, this time it will be a walking bridge. Anyway, the picture of the 10th Street Bridge is taken from the south side of the river. The current remodeled portion of the bridge is on the north side.
Webmaster's note: The photo that was here has been incorporated into the main site. | <urn:uuid:872de31e-45bd-47ad-ad3a-dd0aecc5c30f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bridgehunter.com/mt/forum/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973989 | 3,932 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Learn about application lifecycle management (ALM) roles and responsiblities in a development team. This 3 part series delves into the ALM processes in a development team and effective communication best practices.
Roles and responsibilities in an ALM-focused organization - Part 1
Colleen Frye interviews industry experts about the roles and responsibilities of ALM-focused organizations. In this article, the dismantling of silos with higher emphasis on team communication and collaboration is discussed. Read the full story.
Changing industry roles in ALM-focused organizations - Part 2
The concept of application lifecycle management (ALM) comprises process, tools and people. For ALM-focused organizations, the process and tools won't eliminate or radically change the roles of people, but the silos will start to disappear and there will be some subtle and some not too subtle changes to jobs, industry experts say. Read the full story.
How ALM development tools impact team work - Part 3 Application lifecycle management (ALM) tools, offering automated traceability and reporting, free up teams to focus efforts on collaboration and communication. Automation doesn't eliminate roles but allows for efficiencies in the way work is done. Read the full story
This was first published in September 2010 | <urn:uuid:89fd92bc-d802-4571-977d-90428b94d962> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/Application-lifecycle-management-Industry-roles-and-responsibilities | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934559 | 257 | 1.554688 | 2 |
They are the mentors of high school athletes who are also our children, our grandchildren, our nieces and our nephews.
They can be tough, even brutal, as they seek to mold young bodies and minds into athletic machines, ready for competition on the gridiron, the basketball court, the track or the field.
Some have brought fame to Floyd County: Allen Cantrell, the basketball whiz who produced state champions out of both boys and girls teams; Winifred Beale, the football coach who produces winners against schools with more students, more talent to choose from and more resources; Wes Starkey, who produced a number of winning teams before he retired; and Skip Bishop, also now retired, with championship golfers.
Such coaches set high standards and produce pressure for those of other sports. We expect our teams to be in the playoffs but we continue to support even when efforts fall short.
Each of these men or women go by the same name: Coach. | <urn:uuid:c3b348da-1a5d-4e64-b62b-452607098ce7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blueridgemuse.com/node/15841 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966495 | 200 | 1.796875 | 2 |
For the third time in five months, potentially millions of Gmail users were unable to access their accounts in some parts of the world due to an unexplained outage. The e-mail blackout occurred about 2 p.m. EST Monday.
According to some published reports the outage also affected other Google services such as Google Drive, the new cloud -based storage system, Google Docs and Google Play, the mobile apps and content store.
Google did not acknowledge the issue on its own official blog but added its symbol for "service disruption" with Monday's date on the dashboard for Google Apps under Google Mail, Google Drive and Admin control panel/ABI.
Sorry About That
In a later statement published by some media, Google said "we are currently experiencing an issue with some Google services. For anyone who is affected we apologize for any inconvenience you may be experiencing."
Using a New York-based account on Monday we experienced no issues with Gmail, but sporadic reports suggested an authentication issue, particularly when used with Google's Chrome browser.
According to October figures from research firm comScore, Gmail is the world's top e-mail provider, with 287,913,000 unique visitors that month, compared with 286,238,000 for Microsoft 's once dominant Hotmail and 281,722,000 for Yahoo! Mail. The figures were for worldwide users.
"Google's service has become so broadly and commonly used -- partly due to the success of Android phones -- that any problem becomes immediately, often overly amplified," said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.
Could frequent outages hurt Gmail's market share?
"Over time, I don't see the situation changing much -- though it could worsen if continuing growth results in more outages," King told us. "However, I doubt it will materially impact the company's success or position in this market."
He noted that users of e-mail as opposed to texting, instant messaging or other options tend to be older than the "youthful, free-spending consumers sought after by most vendors." And anyway, how much can people complain about kinks in a free service?
But losing access to e-mail seems less of a serious issue than the potential loss of documents, photos or other data placed in the trust of Google via Drive.
Backing Up Is Essential
"The shift toward embracing cloud-like services such as Gmail often happens without much consideration of its long-term implications for critical communications functions (like e-mail)," King said. "Will Google Drive eventually crash? Probably -- that's the nature of the IT beast. The trick lies in determining how you can garner the benefits of that service while also mitigating the risk."
King added that in a world of increasingly multi-dimensional digital communication, its a mistake for users to entrust communication to a single technology, provider or outlet. "That way lies almost certain -- eventually, anyway -- failure."
Based on your interest in this article, here's something that may be of interest to you also:
Recommended Reading: Search & Destroy: Why You Can't Trust Google Inc.
Synopsis: This is the other side of the Google story. In Search & Destroy, Google expert Scott Cleland, shows that the world's most powerful company is not who it pretends to be.
Google pretends to be a harmless lamb, but chose a full-size model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex as its mascot. Beware the T-Rex in sheep's clothing.
Posted: 2012-12-13 @ 7:31am PT
I bought the nexus7 for its bluetooth ability and it was great. Then the update made that feature the worst part of the tablet. My question is: did anybody think to try out bluetooth during the update process (engineers,software developers,etc.)? For at least 30 seconds? …and what does this say about Googles' future updates. I've been a mac user for over 30 years and I have never seen such a blatant oversight such as this in their products. The least I would expect is an acknowledgement of the problem with a small apology and an assurance the problem is being addressed. t.russell | <urn:uuid:753d9ad8-ce9c-4dd5-8edb-12f41a5c1aeb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.data-storage-today.com/news/Google-Apologizes-for-Gmail-Outage/story.xhtml?story_id=120009RFW4LC | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950928 | 856 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Last month, the State Minister for Transport announced that Sydney’s new integrated public transport ticketing system, the Opal Card, would begin operating in late 2012. (See here for a list of other names considered for the new contactless smartcard ticketing system. Ideas ranged from literal, i.e. “Ride Card,” to downright bizarre, i.e. “Cheese & Kisses Card.”)
Integrated ticketing has been promised in Sydney since 1993. It was meant to have started in time for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but disagreement between the government and the contractor meant the system was never established and ended up costing taxpayers close to AU$200 million. However, the recently elected government seems committed to getting the system running.
While Sydney’s ticketing systems for buses, light rail and ferries will mesh fairly easily with a new integrated system, heavy rail (run by CityRail) uses a very dated ticketing regime. With that in mind, here are the top seven issues to consider for the current CityRail ticketing system to encourage more Sydneysiders to get on board.
1. Discounts for return trips
Sydneysiders pay the same for a single trip as for a return trip. Buying a return ticket saves CityRail money by printing less tickets and serving less transactions at the ticket office, so why not pass the savings on to passengers? Although few other rail systems offer discounted return tickets, they do offer discounts on multi-trip credit top-ups. New York, for instance, gives a 7 percent discount on pay-per-ride credit top-ups of $10 or more.
2. Discounts for peak hour travel
At the moment, traveling during peak hour on CityRail trains is 30 percent more expensive than in off-peak periods. Ironically, peak hour travelers are less likely to get a seat and the frequency of service is no better than in the off-peak periods at many suburban stations. Peak hour travel also costs more in London, but there is no peak hour surcharge in Berlin or New York. If governments want to get more commuters out of their cars, maybe discounts during the peak hour would be a better approach.
3. Flat trip fares
CityRail fares are based on distance. This probably discourages people in the outer suburbs from using the train rather than the car. The fare cut-off points are quite arbitrary and can lead to situations where commuters crowd into stations 200 meters farther down the line to be closer to the city and save 30 percent on their fare. Single trips anywhere on the New York subway cost US$2.50.
4. Breakable trips
Restrictions on breaking your trip, i.e. leaving the station part way through your journey to rejoin the trip later, are pretty common in cities around the world. However, having to pay a second time when breaking a trip is usually simple for commuters because they pay a flat fare. In Sydney, trip-breakers need a new ticket that specifies their destination and may be a different price. This adds complexity to the process.
5. Multi-trip passes based on trips not time
Sydney’s buses use a multi-trip system that allows 10 trips, at a discount of 30 percent on single tickets. New York has Pay-per-Ride with a 7 percent discount. CityRail has no equivalent ticket for multiple trips, and the only option is a time-based weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual ticket. If you ride the trains infrequently, get sick or go on holiday, there is no value for you in buying multi-trip tickets based on time.
6. 24-hour ticket validity
Single CityRail tickets are only valid until 4:00 a.m. the following day. This means that someone traveling late at night and wishing to return the next morning after 4:00 a.m. must buy two separate tickets, rather than use a return ticket. Plus, trains don’t operate between midnight and 4:30 a.m. and are replaced by buses running only every 30 minutes. Making tickets valid for a 24-hour period would be much more fair.
7. Tickets with an unspecified destination
This last point may seem the most archaic to non-Sydneysiders. Every ticket issued on CityRail trains (apart from some tourist and pension tickets) specifies the stations where the trip must start and end. A ticket does not allow you to travel within a given zone, for example, six stations in any direction. It allows you to travel between two specific stations. Virtually all other networks in the world that don’t use flat fares or fully electronic ticketing use a zonal fare system. Even in Sydney, the bus network has used a zonal system for decades. | <urn:uuid:b9d065ba-2bef-429a-b1f9-e004e4b312f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thecityfix.com/blog/7-ways-to-improve-sydneys-e-ticketing-system/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951575 | 989 | 1.742188 | 2 |
It was late in the autumn. Snufkin continued towards the south, sometimes he pitched his tent and let the time pass as best it might, he walked around and contemplated things without actually thinking or remembering anything, and he slept quite a lot. He was attentive but not in the least curious, and didn't worry much about where he was going--he just wanted to keep moving.
The forest was heavy with rain and the trees were absolutely motionless. Everything had withered and died, but right down on the ground the late autumn's secret garden was growing with great vigour straight out of the mouldering earth, a strange vegetation of shiny puffed-up plants that had nothing at all to do with summer. The late blueberry sprigs were yellowish-green and the cranberries as dark as blood. Hidden lichens and mosses began to grow, and they grew like a big soft carpet until they took over the whole forest. There were strong new colours everywhere, and red rowan berries were shining all over the place. But the bracken had turned black.
Snufkin got a feeling that he wanted to write songs. He waited until he was quite sure of the feeling and one evening he got out his mouth-organ from the bottom of his rucksack. In August, somewhere in Moominvalley, he had hit upon five bars which would undoubtedly provide a marvellous beginning for a tune. They had come completely naturally as notes do when they have been left in peace. Now the time had come to take them out again and let them become a song about rain.
Snufkin listened and waited. The five bars didn't come. He went on waiting without getting impatient because he knew what tunes were like. But the only things he could hear were the faint sounds of rain and running water. It gradually got quite dark. Snufkin took out his pipe but put it away again. He knew that the five bars must be somewhere in Moominvalley and that he wouldn't find them until he went back again.
There are millions of tunes that are easy to find and there will always be new ones. But Snufkin let them alone, they were summer songs which would do for just anybody. He crept into his tent and into his sleeping-bag and pulled it over his head. The faint whisper of rain and running water was still there and it had the same tender note of solitude and perfection. But what did the rain mean to him as long as he couldn't write a song about it? | <urn:uuid:73bf61fb-9cd6-48aa-94f6-566ffdce9366> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://web.mit.edu/norvin/www/somethingelse/rain.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.99563 | 522 | 1.671875 | 2 |
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The Loertscher research group is focused on understanding the biochemical basis for cellular adaptation to environmental changes. Currently the group is investigating a family of endoplasmic reticulum proteins that are required for yeast cells to adapt to low temperatures. This work has implications for human health since this protein family has recently been identified as having a role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Loertscher is also actively engaged in scholarship to understand and improve student learning in biochemistry. She is co-author with Dr. Vicky Minderhout of an active learning textbook for biochemistry entitled Foundations of Biochemistry and has worked with a community of faculty to create learning and assessment materials for use in the undergraduate biochemistry classroom. Her research in this area focuses on the ways in which faculty classroom practices influence students’ understanding of foundational concepts and their ability to develop transferrable skills like teamwork and analysis of complex problems.
As an undergraduate at Grinnell College, Dr. Loertscher studied both chemistry and German literature, earning her B.A. degree in 1996. She earned her Ph.D. degree in environmental toxicology working with Dr. Lynn Allen-Hoffmann at University of Wisconsin. Her graduate research was at the interface of biology and chemistry, studying the toxic effects of the environmental contaminant dioxin on human skin cell biology and development. Subsequently, Dr. Loertscher was a Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service fellow studying biochemistry and genetics in the lab of Dr. Robin Wright at the University of Washington. There she identified and characterized a protein complex required for cold adaptation in eukaryotic cells. She began her academic career as an assistant professor of chemistry at Seattle University in 2003 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010.
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Copyright 2008 - College of Science and Engineering, Seattle University. | <urn:uuid:b0f4139c-6b91-426c-af30-254c85f7f617> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seattleu.edu/scieng/Inner.aspx?id=13610 | 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 | 0.951917 | 400 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Student Support Services are involved in several projects that aim to enhance the experience of all students at the University of Sydney.
Current projects are listed below:
Student Support Services will also contribute to:
- Student complaints handling,
- Co-curricular experience,
- First-year experience,
- International student program.
Student Support Services and the Orientation Project Group run the undergraduate, postgraduate and international student Orientation Programs. The Programs are designed to facilitate the academic, cultural and social adjustment of first year commencing students. Program activities are linked to the Key Strategic goals of the University, namely enhancing the Student Experience, developing excellence in Learning and Teaching, and encouraging participation for students from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Development and refinement of the programs is ongoing, and feedback and evaluations of the program are welcomed from staff and students alike.
The University of Sydney's Disability Action Plan 2006-2010 is a formal strategic document aimed at ensuring the equitable participation by people with disabilities in the life of the University.
The Plan is consistent with the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 which makes provision for organisations, including universities, to develop and implement a Disability Action Plan and lodge the Plan with The Australian Human Rights Commission. Click here to read about the Disability Action Plan and The University's Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Policy and Resolution Procedure.
- The Disability Action Plan is currently under review. A revised project plan will be downloadable here when available.
The Student Wellbeing and Development Project will investigate, report and make recommendations about the appropriate support of student wellbeing and development in the University to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) and through him to the SEG Education Committee and thence the Senior Executive Group.
The scope of the project is to establish best practice systems and structures to facilitate student development and wellbeing. The overall goal of the project is to develop and subsequently implement, a model of student service delivery that meets student needs, is proactive, has an holistic view of student development and wellbeing, enriches the student experience, and encompasses the spectrum of support needs and development opportunities.
- Click here to read the Project Initiation Plan.
The University is committed to providing a caring environment for its students and staff. As information about the Campus Care Project is created it will be available here.
If you are concerned about a student or staff member in the interim, please do not hesitate to contact the appropriate Student Support Service. | <urn:uuid:bb4811dd-d037-452c-8eef-988a5f8f8e7a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ben.boer@sydney.edu.au/current_students/student_services/about/projects.shtml | 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 | 0.931509 | 487 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Utility crews plan to start removing another round of streetlights in Sturgeon Bay starting the week of October 22.
But Sturgeon Bay Utilities is reminding residents that they do have the option of 'saving' a streetlight targeted for removal if they're willing to take ownership of it.
SBU Electric Supervisor Jason Bieri says customers can take ownership of light fixtures and arms free of charge but must agree to pay the annual energy charges of approximately $105.00. The customer must also agree to pay for future material costs including lamp and eye replacements.
Bieri says exceptions to that rule are lights located on wooden streetlight poles that need to be removed because of their age.
"Some of those wood poles that are just holding up the streetlights are rotten," says Bieri. "Those have to come down no matter what."
Bieri says requests to take ownership of a light must be made by Wednesday, October 17.
The city has been removing streetlights as a means to save money. The latest round of removals -- which includes about 100 lights -- was approved by the City Council October 2. You can view the list by clicking the link below. | <urn:uuid:62317a98-703f-439d-a00b-c2d3bded2438> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.doorcountydailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=28&id=49888 | 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 | 0.972325 | 237 | 1.648438 | 2 |
You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘duck’ tag.
I am on the “buy bamboo bandwagon”. I have been for awhile. I was thinking about it today, I have an idea why bamboo is considered a sustainable, environmentally-friendly substance, but just an idea. I decided on this lovely day to become informed and discover the truth behind bamboo.
Let’s start out with some interesting bamboo facts, one, bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on Earth. It has been clocked surging skyward as fast as 121 cm (47.6 inches) in a 24-hour period. It can also reach maximal growth rate which exceed one meter (40 inches) per hour for short periods of time. After harvesting, bamboo does not require replanting, it has an extensive root system that continually sends up new shoots, naturally replenishing itself, making it one of the most renewable resources known. It has also been around since the prehistoric era, which I just think is cool.
Next, there are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo, found in a number of diverse climates and you don’t need to spray them down with gallons of pesticides or fertilize them for them to thrive as they do so naturally. These variables make this plant more like a super weed, than a member of the true grass family, Poaceae and this is also what makes bamboo a renewable resource.
Fabrics made from bamboo have an extraordinary water absorbency quality. This characteristic makes bamboo fabric three times more absorbent than cotton. Bamboo fibers also keep moisture away from the skin, speeding up the evaporation process, keeping the wearer naturally drier and more comfortable. The fabrics made from bamboo are known to be extremely soft, breathable, hard to wrinkle and possess antibacterial properties! I also heard something about bamboo blocking out a large percentage of the Sun’s UV activity, but I could not find any solid facts on that, so wear your sun block, not your bamboo shirt, because skin cancer is a horrible thing to have!
There is one major man made issue which makes bamboo clothing either an eco product or not. It is the process it goes through before becoming the final product. There are two ways to process bamboo to make the plant into a fabric: mechanically or chemically.
To quote Organic Clothing’s blog, “The mechanical way is by crushing the woody parts of the bamboo plant and then use natural enzymes to break the bamboo walls into a mushy mass so that the natural fibers can be mechanically combed out and spun into yarn. This is essentially the same eco-friendly manufacturing process used to produce linen fabric from flax or hemp. Bamboo fabric made from this process is sometimes called bamboo linen. Very little bamboo linen is manufactured for clothing because it is more labor intensive and costly.
Chemically manufactured bamboo fiber is a regenerated cellulose fiber similar to rayon or modal. Chemically manufactured bamboo is sometimes called bamboo rayon because of the many similarities in the way it is chemically manufactured and similarities in its feel and hand.
Most bamboo fabric that is the current eco-fashion rage is chemically manufactured by “cooking” the bamboo leaves and woody shoots in strong chemical solvents such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH – also known as caustic soda or lye) and carbon disulfide in a process also known as hydrolysis alkalization combined with multi-phase bleaching. Both sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide have been linked to serious health problems. Breathing low levels of carbon disulfide can cause tiredness, headache and nerve damage. Carbon disulfide has been shown to cause neural disorders in workers at rayon manufacturers. Low levels of exposure to sodium hydroxide can cause irritation of the skin and eyes. Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkaline base also known as caustic soda or lye. In its dry crystalline form, caustic soda is one of the major ingredients of Drano. This is basically the same process used to make rayon from wood or cotton waste byproducts. Because of the potential health risks and damage to the environment surrounding the manufacturing facilities, textile manufacturing processes for bamboo or other regenerated fibers using hydrolysis alkalization with multi-phase bleaching are not considered sustainable or environmentally supportable.”
What I learned today is bamboo alone is a renewable, sustainable, and abundant resource that grows organically in its natural habitat, but before you go and brag or even buy your bamboo clothes you need to ask the company what is their manufacturing process to make said bamboo fabric. Look for the Oeko-Tek certification. Oeko-Tek certification identifies textiles that are free of processing chemicals, although it does not ensure the environmental soundness of the entire manufacturing process. The same thing goes for your bamboo floors, bamboo cutting boards, your bamboo everything.
You’ve been schooled.
Reason 97 from, 101 Reasons Why I Am Vegetarian:
To produce foie gras, male ducks are force-fed a stomach-gorging cup of corn pellets three times a day with a 15-inch feeder tube. This torturous process goes on for 28 days until the ducks’ livers, from which the pâté is made, miasmatically bloat to 10 times normal size. Mortalities are high due to the disease, intense stress, and burst stomachs. For days prior to slaughter, each bird will pant for air. So cruel are these practices that foie gras production is now outlawed in at least a dozen countries. | <urn:uuid:31b8fd1c-af89-414f-b38c-7e88b1b9400c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tdaait.wordpress.com/tag/duck/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950746 | 1,167 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Please join us on November 18, 2009 at 22:30GMT/3:30pmPST/
for a live event of the 2009 K12Online Conference
On November 18, the K12Online Conference is hosting a LAN party from 6:30PM to 8:30PM EST. We invite everyone to gather at the LAN party site with colleagues in order to view two past conference presentations and then engage in lively discussions in the EdTechTalk chatroom. The following presenters will be in attendance.
6:30 – 7:15 Second Life: K-20 Educators Exploring Virtual Worlds – Panel
Kevin Jarrett and Sylvia Martinez
Kevin has been a K-4 Technology Facilitator at Northfield Community School in Northfield, NJ USA since 2003. In this role he is responsible for technology instruction in a lab setting for the entire elementary student body (540+ students). Rather than just “teaching computer class,” Kevin delivers engaging, informative, challenging and enjoyable lessons that integrate with content being taught by his classroom-teacher peers while leveraging state-of-the-art Web 2.0 and social media technologies. Kevin began exploring Second Life in early 2007 thanks to a $10,000 Faculty Excellence grant from Walden University where he teaches online, part-time. He works closely with ISTE via their presence in Second Life and helps to manage the very popular Tuesday night “Speaker Series”.
Sylvia Martinez is president of Generation YES, working to empower students in K-12 schools through digital technology. Sylvia has designed educational games, curriculum, and online experiences for teachers and students. Sylvia speaks and writes on subjects such as the use of technology, simulations and games to enhance educational opportunities and enable youth voice.
6:45 – 7:30 Release the Hounds
Chris Harbeck teaches grade 8 math to approximately 140 students each year. He has been teaching middle school students for over a decade and is in his fifth year of using 2.0 applications and “21st Century Learning” in his classroom. Despite the fact (or more realistically because of the fact) that math is one of those subjects students often reflect back on with distaste, fear or indifference, Chris has moved from teaching both social studies and math to the one subject. He has been involved in development of the middle years math curriculum at the divisional and provincial level. With his strong focus on conceptual understanding, Chris has discovered that using 2.0 tools and applications make math fun and interesting. An encouraging trend has emerged: students do not run away and saying “I hate math”; they love to do assignments and have started to see the beauty in math.
The EdTechTalk community will host this event at http://www.edtechtalk.com/live.
For questions or more information, contact Susan Van Gelder, Live Events Committee, at firstname.lastname@example.org or on Twitter at @k12online. | <urn:uuid:15ce048e-a226-4af1-8642-f632f6a22582> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kcaise.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/november-18-3rd-k12online-conference-lan-party/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946688 | 607 | 1.703125 | 2 |
|<< Romans 9 >>|
New Living Translation
God’s Selection of Israel
1With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it.
2My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief
3for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
4They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.
5Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
6Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!
7Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
8This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.
9For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
10This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.
11But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;
12he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”
13In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”
14Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!
15For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”
16So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
17For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”
18So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
20No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”
21When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
22In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.
23He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
24And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
25Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea,
“Those who were not my people,
I will now call my people.
And I will love those
whom I did not love before.”
“Then, at the place where they were told,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called
‘children of the living God.’”
27And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out,
“Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore,
only a remnant will be saved.
28For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth
quickly and with finality.”
29And Isaiah said the same thing in another place:
“If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
had not spared a few of our children,
we would have been wiped out like Sodom,
destroyed like Gomorrah.”
30What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
31But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
32Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.
33God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
9:3 Greek my brothers.
9:4 Greek chosen for sonship.
9:5 Or May God, the one who rules over everything, be praised forever. Amen.
9:7 Gen 21:12.
9:9 Gen 18:10, 14.
9:10 Greek she conceived children through this one man.
9:12 Gen 25:23.
9:13 Mal 1:2-3.
9:15 Exod 33:19.
9:17 Exod 9:16 (Greek version).
9:25 Hos 2:23.
9:26 Greek sons of the living God. Hos 1:10.
9:27-28 Isa 10:22-23 (Greek version).
9:29 Isa 1:9.
9:32 Greek by works.
9:33a Greek in Zion.
9:33b Isa 8:14; 28:16 (Greek version). | <urn:uuid:f23587ce-99c9-416a-a412-abba9868dc32> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://biblehub.com/nlt/romans/9.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975339 | 1,380 | 1.726563 | 2 |
For Immediate Release:
June 2, 2009
Vermont Department of Health
BURLINGTON — A child at Allen Brook School in Williston was confirmed to have novel H1N1 on Monday. The student was not hospitalized and has recovered.
The number of confirmed cases in Vermont is now eight. The Health Department is working with the school, which notified parents today.
The Health Department continues to advise anyone who is sick with flu-like symptoms (sore throat, bad cough, body aches or chills, fever of 100ºF or more, extreme fatigue, sometimes vomiting or diarrhea) to stay home from work or school.
Extensive information, tools and resources about H1N1 flu, healthy habits and pandemic preparedness are available at the Health Department’s website: www.healthvermont.gov or dial 2-1-1. | <urn:uuid:b3ad6b04-bb69-46d7-a70f-e87c98e1a255> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.healthvermont.gov/news/2009/060209swineflu.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951058 | 181 | 1.640625 | 2 |
U.S. state of Utah begins to accept evacuees from Hurricane Katrina
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Evacuees from New Orleans arrived on Sunday and have continued to come to Utah, utilizing the facilities at Camp Williams, the training facility for the Utah National Guard, to house the incoming people. Flights from New Orleans to Salt Lake City International Airport provided by JetBlue Airways under a contract from FEMA have been shuttling people from New Orleans to many destinations throughout the United States, including Utah.
In addition, Utah Air National Guard relief missions transporting food and other supplies to New Orleans relief efforts have also been returning with people in the cargo areas of the airplanes on return flights. "In keeping with our mission to assist in the security and safety of our homeland, we stand trained, ready, and able to respond to the call to assist our fellow citizens in Louisiana, Mississippi and elsewhere," said Maj. Gen. Brian Tarbet, Utah National Guard Adjutant General.
The people on board the airplanes had no idea where they were going. In one case the airplane was headed to San Antonio and at the last minute while still airborne the destination was changed to Utah. Peter Coroon, Salt Lake County Mayor: "Some of the people look dazed. Some of them are just happy to be out of where they were. Some of them are eager to find their loves ones they've been separated. Some of them weren't sure where they were going when they left New Orleans."
Governor John Huntsman, Jr. utilized surplus state funds by declaring a state of emergency to begin efforts housing and clothing people coming to Utah, however some of this will likely be reimbursed by the Federal Government at a later date. He announced that Utah was willing to take up to 1,000 people at shelters in Utah, and that amount was later increased to over 2,000. On Monday, President Bush signed an executive order granting the emergency declaration in Utah to provide Federal assistance for the evacuees in Utah.
After arriving in Utah, one evacuee said "I want to thank the people of Utah for their hospitality and for restoring my faith in America." Another evacuee said "it seems like heaven, looking at the mountains and getting a breath of fresh air and saying, 'Thank God we made it.'"
Not all evacuees were pleased with the move to Utah. "I knew where Utah was, but nobody told me that's where we were going. Nothing personal. It's nice. But I don't know anybody here," said Bergeron, among the first batch of 152 evacuees to arrive at the Camp Williams Utah Army National Guard training site.
The Utah chapter of the American Red Cross has been training volunteers over the Labor Day weekend, and according to one official they have been overwhelmed with community support to help the evacuees. The line of volunteers to receive the training helping those at Camp Williams was litterally out of the door at the Red Cross offices today. One volunteer, Kayelynn Wright said, "The last couple of days we’d talked about it and said, 'What can we do?' So when I saw it (a call for volunteers) last night, I called (my neighbor) this morning and said, 'We gotta go!'" The Red Cross has asked that you contact the local office if you plan on volunteering or donating any new clothing and other items to help the evacuees.
Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday gathered at the LDS Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake to assemble more than 50,000 hygiene kits for hurricane victims. Plastic bags were stuffed with toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, soap, washcloths and hand towels. The supplies will be shipped to a church-owned storehouse Georgia for distribution.
Transportation requests are also being honored by the Utah state government, and evacuees are having transportation to anywhere in the United States paid for at state expense. In addition, a small amount of extra money is being donated directly to each family to help with immediate expenses. The Utah Transit Authority has already established a regular municipal bus service between Camp William and downtown Salt Lake City, which will begin formal service starting tomorrow morning.
- Debbie Dujanovic. "Evacuees Grateful to Be in Utah" — , September 5, 2005
- Nishi Gupta. "Hundreds Turn Out for Training to Help Evacuees" — , September 5, 2005
- Amanda Butterfield. "Nearly 600 Refugees Now in Utah" — , September 5, 2005
- "Governor: Utah May House Hurricane Refugees" — , August 31, 2005
- Erin Stewart. "Utah service is balm to the weary" — , September 5, 2005
- Angie Welling and Pat Reavy. "146 more evacuees here" — , September 5, 2005
- "New Home Away From Home; Hurricane Evacuees Arrive in Utah" — , September 5, 2005
- "Utah National Guard Begins to Assist Relief Effort for Hurricane Katrina" — , September 5, 2005
- Jessica Ravitz and Pamela Manson. "Weary evacuees settle in at Camp Williams" — , September 5, 2005
- Thomas Burr. "Update: Bush declares Utah emergency, freeing funds for Gulf Coast refugees" — , September 5, 2005
- Kirsten Stewart. "Some refugees unhappy with destination" — , September 5, 2005
|The text of this article has been released into the public domain. In the event that this is not legally possible, this article may be used for any purpose, without any condition, unless such conditions are required by law. This applies worldwide. Copyright terms on images, however, may vary, so please check individual image pages prior to duplication.
Please note that this only applies to Wikinews content created prior to September 25, 2005. All content created after that date is released under a Creative Commons license which is mentioned at the bottom of each article. This is currently the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License. | <urn:uuid:3ccec1fc-eca2-4ec5-98c4-a77e252b26e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/U.S._state_of_Utah_begins_to_accept_evacuees_from_Hurricane_Katrina | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96073 | 1,247 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Stop waiting to be who you already are
- Melody Eshani.
A while back I saw this quote on twitter by jewelery designer Melody Eshani. I cyber-stalk her life sometimes. She just seems so at peace and confident not to mention beautiful, talented and successful. When I read this it really hit me like a ton of bricks. It surpassed being an “ah ha” moment it was a soul altering moment.
Just think for a moment. Everyday we wake up, get dressed and go out into the world trying to build and be more of something every single day. We constantly are setting goals, meeting deadlines and starting new projects in hopes of getting to the success level that we aspire to be. We call it “The Grind”. Constantly moving, working and striving. With this one quote that sort of changes everything.
“Stop waiting to be who you already are”
Powerful. Why are we waiting? Prolonging and preparing. Saving and resisting. Why cant we just call ourselves the titles that we desire to be. There is a hesitation. We often discredit ourselves. Down play our impact. It goes something like: “I cant call myself this because I have not been doing it for long enough, I have not paid my dues, I don't have the money to get what I really need to be this, I don't have a website, I haven't worked with enough people, My portfolio isn't big enough, Nobody knows who I am, I am so behind right now, I don't know where to start, I don't know if I am good enough...”
It really boils down to the belief deep down inside that we are not good enough. So we wait. I think the wait comes in different forms for different people. Waiting to some is just not starting at all. Waiting is not fully calling ourselves what we are. Waiting is doing things on a small scale because we don't believe we deserve more. Waiting is sabotaging projects with tardiness, unresponsiveness and procrastination. Waiting is being unfocused, starting 5 different projects but not truly finishing any of them. I am guilty of all of this.
So in the eve of the New Year I challenge you to STOP WAITING! You already are an artist, successful musician, best selling writer, wealthy mogul, world renown fashion designer, a killer attorney, the best teacher and much much more. You already are this person so own it. When we try to be less of who we are we fail at stepping into our great destiny.
What do you think? Are you waiting to be something? Share your thoughts. | <urn:uuid:34bb1f3e-1085-44fc-8f1e-7143b01804f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://paparoxi.com/the-life/2011/12/21/stop-waiting-to-be-who-you-already-are.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968993 | 550 | 1.695313 | 2 |
In the week of the big tax giveaway, a new report about the state of British bookshops suggests that booksellers such as Waterstone's, Amazon.co.uk and W H Smith have been giving too much away for too long by offering bestselling books with massive discounts.
The report, commissioned by The Booksellers Association, found that UK booksellers have been making less money, seeing less market growth, and sacrificing more in discounts than booksellers in countries such as the US, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
In bald terms it means that selling a £20 title - in the shape of Guinness World Records - for £10 has been bad business. This may seem obvious: "I wonder if the BA would look at what bears do in woods," was one of the comments that greeted the release of the report.
The report evokes nostalgia for the Net Book Agreement, which until its collapse in 1995 prevented booksellers from discounting. The agreement broke down because booksellers wanted to behave like other retailers and use price as a sales incentive, while the more commercial publishers saw an opportunity to sell more books. No one back then thought a supermarket would want to sell a £17.99 hardback for £5, or that Amazon.com would build a $20bn business off the back of cheap books.
The biggest losers from the extreme discounting that has held sway for the past 10 years have been independent bookshops, which can no longer compete on the biggest titles. Harry Potter is virtually lost on these shops, as are the big celebrity bestsellers that dominate the Christmas bestseller lists. Instead indies look for "quirky" titles they can call their own - and make a profit from selling at realistic prices.
Book range has also suffered: in 1997, the top 10 non-fiction list included unlikely hits such as Longitude, Fermat's Last Theorem, and The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly. This year's list will almost certainly be made up solely of cookery titles, celebrity memoirs and GWR - at this point the TV tie-in High School Musical could be the only unexpected top 10 hit.
The BA has called for a debate into discounting following the report. But the evidence is not all pointing in the same direction. Some might argue that the BA has stacked the argument by cherry-picking its comparative markets: had it looked at different countries, its conclusions might have been altered.
In France, for instance, booksellers are restricted from selling books at discounts of more than 5%, yet the French government recently had to introduce a range of measures aimed at saving its independent bookshops.
In Germany, where booksellers are prevented from discounting for nine months, there are now two dominant high street chains, and English-language editions of popular books, which can be discounted, pepper the German bestseller lists.
Meanwhile, in Australia Borders is under fire from publishers for pricing books above their recommended prices.
The "big" books have also been winners: the sales of bestseller titles have grown, even as the discounts have increased. The non-fiction hardbacks that are many book-buyers' Christmas staples, such as Dawn French's Dear Fatty, now regularly sell in six figures, whereas 10 years ago scarcely any titles breached this number. Guinness World Records has been revitalised as a brand, with sales having grown fivefold over the past decade.
The BA says that it is not anti-discounting - one would hope not since discounting booksellers are among its members - it's just the indiscriminate way the promotions are applied.
It's a sensible tone, but also a risky one: the other big winners in the discount rush have, of course, been book-buyers, with cheaper books selling in more outlets than you can shake a Book Token in. If the BA wants its members to start cutting back on discounts, and raising prices, it could not have picked a worse time: the last thing bookshops need as the recession bites is to be seen as expensive. | <urn:uuid:8697d960-0a93-4deb-9da2-61b4d62c0ed2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2008/nov/25/book-discounts-booksellers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973409 | 842 | 1.617188 | 2 |
New Jersey plans to join the ranks of states trying to disconnect campaign contributions from the awarding of state contracts.
The state Senate endorsed a plan in February that would ban firms and individuals who give more than $17,500 to a gubernatorial campaign or their committees from being eligible for state contracts.
Several other cities and states -- including Illinois, California and the city of Philadelphia -- are considering reforms designed to end the legalized bribery that passes for the financing of American political campaigns.
The practice, known as pay-to-play, has a long and sordid history at the city and state level in the United States. Pay-to-play provides a way for contractors and others seeking favors from the government to gain access. The contractor, say a major auditing firm, makes a significant campaign contribution to a gubernatorial candidate. When the candidate wins, the firm garners a state contract.
The practice is legal -- there is no official quid pro quo, no written agreement linking the job to the contribution. But it shouldn't be.
"It seems like every week we read in the newspaper about a public contract linked to a contribution to a political fund," Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes said when announcing his support for legislation that would prohibit contractors with more than $25,000 from giving money to the officeholder who awarded the contract.
"Taxpayers have a fundamental right to expect that government officials are basing their actions on sound public policy and are embracing the highest ethical standards." (Rockford Register Star, Ill.)
The New Jersey pay-to-play bill, which has passed both legislative houses and awaits the signature of acting Gov. Richard Codey, is relatively weak. Once it becomes law, it will only cover contributions to gubernatorial candidates and their committees, but not to political parties, legislative candidates or their committees, or local or county hopefuls.
That represents a significant loophole in the legislation that could allow contributors to make an end run around the rules. Contributors could still "wheel" cash through various accounts, contributing to municipal parties who in turn pass the cash up the food chain, or vice versa.
Senate Republicans have been pushing for a more comprehensive ban that would cover legislative, county and municipal races, as well as all political parties and committees. (The GOP has not exactly been up front in its attack on pay-to-play, waiting until it lost the governorship in 2001 before making it an issue.)
As New Jersey state officials argue the merits of pay-to-play bans, a brush fire has been spreading around the state, with many municipal and county governments enacting their own bans often after a citizens' group forced their hands via initiative and referendum. In South Brunswick, where I live, Republican Township Councilman Ted Van Hessen forced the council to consider reforms with the help of a growing grassroots movement for change. When the council adopted what the citizens group deemed weak rules, it mounted a petition drive and forced the council to enact a far more stringent ordinance.
The same thing has happened in towns across the state, generally with the help of groups like Common Cause and the Center for Civic Responsibility.
I make no claims for pay-to-play bans. They are likely to have only limited efficacy, forcing contributors and politicians to find more creative ways of doing business. It is like the little Dutch boy plugging leaks in the dike with his finger. Each time he plugs one, another leak develops. Ultimately, the process leads to a greater awareness of the leaks and the entire wall can be replaced.
In this way, each ban that passes creates momentum for future reforms. This is the gist of what Harry Pozycki, chairman of N.J. Common Cause and the founder and board member for CCR, told the New York Times in February after the N.J. Senate vote. Even minimal reforms, he said, eventually would lead to more significant change.
"The more contractors you catch in the pay-to-play net, the more pressure there will be for more pay-to-play reform," he said after the N.J. Senate vote.
To get involved, contact:
Center for Civic Responsibility, 450 Main St., Second Floor, Metuchen, NJ 08840; phone, 732-548-9798; email, email@example.com; www.civicresponsibility.com.
Common Cause, Public Citizen, 1600 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009; phone, 202-588-1000; www.citizen.org.
Hank Kalet is a poet and managing editor of two central New Jersey newspapers. Email firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:f6838ee5-fc7b-45ea-a065-0338468b39d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.populist.com/05.6.kalet.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957172 | 959 | 1.507813 | 2 |
With fishing grounds closed by Gulf oil spill, what's a shrimper to do?
The Gulf oil spill is fraying tempers and hope in Grand Isle, La., where shrimpers are idle during what would normally be the start of their busiest season.
(Page 2 of 2)
Still, on his only run of the season before the spill closed the Gulf, Terry brought in $16,000 worth of shrimp on a six-day haul to Breton Sound. And many shrimpers don't have a Plan B. "Shrimping is all we know," Terry says. "I couldn't tell you what a job application looks like. This contract with BP is the first one I've ever signed. We'll do the best we can."Skip to next paragraph
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But the drawn-out nature of the disaster seems to be taking its toll. Across the docks at Dean Blanchard Seafood, Dean Blanchard talks with several local shrimpers, as sunburned fishermen come to an office window to pick up what might be one of their few checks of the season.
Mr. Blanchard has never laid off workers in his 25 years of business. But he plans to do so soon.
"I'm 51 years old, and for the first time in my life I woke up yesterday morning and looked out my window at the water and saw one trawler out there working," he says. "All because the oil company wanted to save money on a $500,000 valve."
Indeed, tempers are beginning to fray. At a recent town council meeting with a BP representative, "We almost had a riot," says Blanchard.
The riot, apparently, was one woman – a business owner – whom the police chief threatened with arrest if she didn't calm down. The object of her anger, unsurprisingly, was BP, say residents who attended. But the cause of the outburst was not what might be expected: When BP set up a command post here, it decided to bring in trailers and an outside catering company to house and feed its workers.
In Grande Isle at this moment, what might have seemed courtesy or efficiency has instead been seen as crass tight-fistedness. The Sure Way grocery store, for instance, is losing $40,000 a week in business, says its owner, Walter Maples.
This is the start of tourist season in Grand Isle, home to one of Louisiana's few Gulf Coast beaches – and no one is coming. Motel and cottage owners are getting cancellation notices, says Mr. Maples, and his family faces major losses from a waterfront property they are developing.
"We have a $7 million investment with 40 lots left to sell, a note at the bank, and contractors who still haven't been paid," he says. "If the oil comes in here, how many lots do you think will sell?"
For Terrill Pizani, the spill merely confirms what he already knew: He doesn't want his 14-year-old son to be a shrimper. "He'll come [trawling], but I'll tell him not to get too attached," he says. "And he'll love it, but it ain't got a future." | <urn:uuid:0113c57f-8c78-429a-b56d-327b6e973dc4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0521/With-fishing-grounds-closed-by-Gulf-oil-spill-what-s-a-shrimper-to-do/(page)/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985342 | 673 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Students change course from traditional spring break
Alternative spring break activities include a UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation workshop at the center's field station in the Santa Monica Mountains.
By Alison Hewitt
Originally posted in UCLA Today
When spring break begins this weekend, some UCLA students are packing bathing suits and heading to the beach, but other Bruins are packing their laptops for extended study or grubby work clothes to restore a bayou in New Orleans.
Many UCLA students are choosing an alternative Spring Break and embracing the idea that vacation is an ideal time for volunteer service or extra brain work.
UCLA’s student-run Community Service Commission (CSC) has organized volunteer projects that will send roughly 50 undergraduates across the country to perform service work with nonprofits. About half a dozen UCLA graduate students will head to the La Kretz Center Field Station in the Santa Monica Mountains where UCLA professor Brad Shaffer will lead a five-day genomics workshop to help students apply their research to aid in conservation planning.
Sophomore Ellen Lomonico will be happily working in New Orleans with about a dozen other UCLA students to rebuild a house for a local teacher, do conservation work in the wetlands and learn about local nonprofits.
“It’s a great way to see the city while also helping others,” said Lomonico, who volunteered for this CSC service project. “I volunteer on a regular basis, teaching at a high school and elementary school, but nothing as adventurous as this trip.”
Other students on a CSC volunteer project will spend five days with nonprofits serving at-risk youth in downtown Los Angeles and living with families in South L.A. Still others have opted to restore natural habitat with the Catalina Island Conservancy or work in Utah at the country’s largest no-kill animal shelter, said student and CSC Commissioner Anees Hasnain, who helped organize the trips.
“A lot of students really want to do something meaningful with their spring break, and this offers them a taste of volunteer service and a chance to travel,” she said.
For some Bruins, the action will happen closer to home — at a field station in the Santa Monica Mountains, run by the La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, part of UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. A group of 15 graduate students from around the world, including five from UCLA, will live at the station and learn conservation genomics methods. The workshop will also help students connect with the center’s partners: practitioners from the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Shaffer, director of the center.
Biologists from the La Kretz Center's agency partners will kick off the program, driving home the message that conservation researchers need to get involved with land managers from the start.
“During the workshop, the students will get hands-on experience with a couple of new tools and hear from experts about how you collect and interpret data and the inferences that you can make,” Shaffer said. “They’ll also be introduced to practitioners in the field who they can collaborate with.”
“It’s aimed at the students,” he noted, “but I think the rest of us in the room will learn a ton, too.”
Published: Saturday, March 23, 2013 | <urn:uuid:2735b3bc-3b1c-48e6-8be4-30986d2c3675> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.environment.ucla.edu/news/article.asp?parentid=17331 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938831 | 718 | 1.695313 | 2 |
In two weeks’ time I will be flying from the United States to Australia – we’re moving home. If I get asked to go through the full-body scanner – whether it’s the millimetre-wave machine or the back-scatter machine – I will be opting out.
I won’t be doing this as a form of protest. I won’t be doing it because of privacy concerns, though I have sympathy for that argument, especially for people with disabilities and celebrities. I won’t be doing it because I believe them ineffective, even though many people have expressed legitimate concerns on that score also, pointing out that the scanners don’t see inside body cavities. Nor will I be doing it because of the 4th Amendment.
I’ll be opting out because of the health risks.
The TSA has repeatedly said the scanners are completely safe. Media pundits have repeatedly said they are completely safe – such as this Forbes.com blog post by Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine and medical director of Doctor Radio at NYU Langone Medical Center.
“The body scanners are safe for children, the elderly and pregnant women. I can’t tell you whether they work to deter or capture terrorists, but I can tell you that they are completely safe.”
But you know what? The medical community doesn’t believe they are completely safe. Consider this letter of April 6, 2010 from a group of concerned scientists at the University of California San Francisco to Dr John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology.
“We are writing to call your attention to serious concerns about the potential health risksof the recently adopted whole body backscatter X-ray airport security scanners.This is an urgent situation as these X-ray scanners are rapidly being implemented as a primary screening step for all air travel passengers. Our overriding concern is the extent to which the safety of this scanning device has been adequately demonstrated.”
Fears over the radiation from the machines are frequently dismissed by the claim that the dose is equivalent to two minutes at altitude in the aeroplane. But the UCSF scientists say this is misleading.
“The X-ray dose from these devices has often been compared in the media to the cosmic ray exposure inherent to airplane travel or that of a chest X-ray. However, this comparison is very misleading: both the air travel cosmic ray exposure and chest X- rays have much higher X-ray energies and the health consequences are appropriately understood in terms of the whole body volume dose. In contrast, these new airport scanners are largely depositing their energy into the skin and immediately adjacent tissue, and since this is such a small fraction of body weight/vol, possibly by one to two orders of magnitude, the real dose to the skin is now high.”
The letter raises specific concerns for travellers over the age of 65, children and adolescents, pregnant women, men (because of the risk of sperm mutagenesis), women (because of the risk of breast cancer), and anyone with a cornea (part of the eye), a thymus (an essential organ in the chest area) and white blood cells. So, er, that’s everyone then.
It also points out that the machine deliver a higher dose than planned, whether accidentally because of a software glitch or deliberately because the TSA demands better resolution of images.
“Because this device can scan a human in a few seconds, the X-ray beam is very intense. Any glitch in power at any point in the hardware (or more importantly in software) that stops the device could cause an intense radiation dose to a single spot on the skin.Who will oversee problems with overall dose after repair or software problems? The TSA is already complaining about resolution limitations; who will keep the manufacturers and/or TSA from just raising the dose, an easy way to improve signal-to-noise and get higher resolution? Lastly, given the recent incident (on December 25th), how do we know whether the manufacturer or TSA, seeking higher resolution, will scan the groin area more slowly leading to a much higher total dose?”
One x-ray doesn’t kill a person – unless of course, there is a software glitch and they get the wrong dose. The health effects are cumulative. Thousands of people die from x-rays every year – their use should be taken seriously, whatever the TSA or the media might tell you.
Now in my case, I have a special reason for concern, besides being a woman with white blood cells, a thymus and two corneas. At the time of flying, I’ll be 29 weeks’ pregnant with twins. Siegel over at Forbes might dismiss my concerns as “irrational fear”, but I call it the precautionary principle. I’m not terribly happy about going through the scanners at the best of times but I sure don’t want to do it in my current condition. I’ve discussed this with my obstetrician and he is supportive and will write me a letter in case the TSA denies me my right to a pat-down or tries to make it difficult for me.
You might think this should not even be a question, since TSA official policy is that people can opt for a pat-down in lieu of going through the machines. But in Seattle, fellow travel blogger Geraldine was made to feel like dirt for opting out and told by TSA officers that “only crazy people who read too much media” did so. And in Chicago, this pregnant woman was bullied into going through the scanner despite her request for a pat-down. The TSA officers actually told her “it was less than an ultrasound”. (Er, ultrasounds use sound waves not x-rays).
So I’m going prepared. I’ll print out the page from the TSA website that outlines my right to a pat-down. I’ll carry the letter from my doctor and perhaps the letter from the UCSF scientists for good measure. And I’ll try to pick a line with a regular metal detector.
I don’t really mind if I’m patted down, even if people are describing it as groping and saying that I’ll feel like I went to second base. I don’t care. I’m not a terrorist but I’m also not a prude – I’m happy for someone to touch me if that will demonstrate my innocence and help make everyone safer. I won’t feel violated because I gave consent. I just want my right not to go through the x-ray machine to be respected. And I don’t want to be made to feel bad for asking for it.
Wish me luck! Once I get through security, there’s still a 15-hour flight to consider! I’ve used Frequent Flyer points to request an upgrade, so here’s hoping that I’ll get that.
Photo Credit: “Airport Security” by redjar on Flickr, licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.
Related posts: Did the TSA kill Opt-Out Day? | <urn:uuid:3f30d30e-5d7b-4b93-9663-012513c88b53> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.roamingtales.com/2010/11/24/tsa-scans-health/comment-page-1/?wpmp_switcher=desktop | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95025 | 1,504 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Calif. university to reconstruct 'hero dog's' face
Kabang, the dog saved two girls' lives when she threw herself in front of a motorcycle heading for the children
By Peter Fimrite
San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — The heroic exploits and tragic difficulties of a dog in the Philippines named Kabang have touched hearts across the world and grabbed the attention of a team of Northern California veterinarians who are stepping up to help.
The mixed-breed female, which resembles a short-haired German shepherd, became a national hero in December when she reportedly threw herself into the path of a speeding motorcycle just as it was about to hit two young girls crossing a roadway in Zamboanga City.
The dog spared her owner's daughter and niece but sacrificed her snout and upper jaw, which were sheared off when she got tangled in the motorcycle's spokes. The horrific wound leaves Kabang, who by all accounts remains loving and loyal, literally with half a face.
It is a wonder that Kabang survived, veterinarians say, but the gruesome injury puts her in grave danger of developing an infection. At minimum, the gaping wound must be closed, a delicate procedure that is beyond the capability of any veterinarian in the Philippines.
An international donation campaign, spearheaded by a Good Samaritan nurse from New York and fueled by blogs and social networking, managed this week to raise the money necessary to bring the "hero dog" to UC Davis, where surgeons are planning to perform reconstructive surgery.
"She will be a future patient of ours," said Rob Warren, the spokesman at William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis, which is hoping to bring the dog to the renowned facility on Oct. 8. "We take great pride in the services we offer here, so we're really excited. This dog has become quite a celebrity around here."
The tale began nearly two years ago in a swamp near Zamboanga. Anton Lim, the local veterinarian, said Rudy Bunggal, 57, was collecting swamp cabbage during a rainstorm when he ran across an abandoned puppy in a paddy field.
Bunggal, who makes a living mending punctured tires, cannot speak English and could not be reached for comment, but he told Lim and others that he had often eaten dog and initially intended to fatten up the puppy and eventually serve him to the family.
Instead, his daughter, Dina, 11, and niece, Princess, 3, grew close to the dog, according to Lim and several Philippine news accounts. The family named their newfound friend Kabang, meaning "spotty" in their native Visayan language.
Bunggal fed the puppy coffee creamer because milk was too expensive, Lim said. As Kabang grew older, she became more protective of the girls, according to various accounts, and Bunggal kept the dog as a pet despite the family's perpetual food shortage.
The accident just before Christmas last year inspired animal lovers everywhere. Lim, in an e-mail to The Chronicle, confirmed published reports that Kabang came from nowhere and leaped in front of the speeding motorcycle, knocking it away just before it hit the girls. The girls and the motorcyclist were bruised, but otherwise unhurt.
The disfigured dog ran off after being disentangled from the motorcycle. Nobody knows where, but most people figured she had gone somewhere to die. Incredibly, she showed up at the family doorstep two weeks later, creating a national sensation. Local veterinarians offered to euthanize the faceless canine, but Bunggal refused.
"What is important to us is she saved our children and we cannot thank her enough for that," he told the Inquirer News, a national newspaper in the Philippines. "I believe she was God's gift to us."
Lim said the dog was not in pain.
"I was one of those together with Rudy who refused to put Kabang to sleep because she was coping well and not in pain. Except for her features she is OK."
Still, Lim knew, something had to be done about her injuries.
The problem was that the surgery alone is expected to cost between $8,000 and $10,000 and Bunggal, who originally emigrated from Malaysia, barely has enough money to feed his family. Warren said the hospital is not permitted to waive the fee. Transportation, hotel expenses, visas and other costs are expected to bring the bill up to $20,000.
Karen Kenngott, a longtime critical care nurse from Buffalo, N.Y., was moved to act in February after reading about the dog's plight online. She started a website, at careforkabang.com, opened Facebook and Twitter links on the site and began working with animal welfare groups to get Kabang treatment in the United States.
"The dog is a living creature who saved the lives of two little girls and she needs our help," Kenngott said. "It doesn't matter what she looks like. She should get care."
The trip to Davis seemed imminent earlier this year until it was discovered that Kabang was pregnant. The puppies were delivered on April 13 and Kenngott said she had to wait eight weeks until the pups were weaned. In the end, only one of the puppies survived - possibly because Kabang was not producing enough milk.
Meanwhile, Bunggal watched over an animal that he had apparently come to view as a guardian angel.
"He has been fiercely protective of her," Kenngott said. "He would not let her out of his sight."
Then more problems surfaced. The money that a nonprofit animal welfare group had promised did not come through, forcing Kenngott to begin her own fundraising campaign.
She said Friday that she has succeeded in raising $22,800, mostly through small donations of between $5 and $50 from concerned individuals in 18 countries.
Her grassroots campaign has been helped by bloggers and websites, many of which have considerable Bay Area followings, including DogHeirs.com, Dogster .com and Dogtime.com. Kenngott, who is now working as the U.S. coordinator for the Animal Welfare Coalition, managed to broker a deal for free transportation on Philippine Airlines and persuaded the Hallmark Inn, in Davis, to comp some of the cost of a hotel room while the owner is in town.
Prepping for operation
She is now working on obtaining a visa for Bunggal, who insists on staying by his dog's side.
"There has never been any other instance in my life where I felt so compelled to help an animal," Kenngott said. "Compassion has no boundaries."
Kabang was taken to Manila this week in preparation for the overseas flight to Davis, where staff veterinarians Boaz Arzi and Frank Verstraete are prepping for the operation. Although great strides have been made recently in facial reconstruction surgery, Warren said the best hope for Kabang is that enough function can be restored in her face that she can fulfill her life's mission as a family pet. The miracle, her many fans say, has already occurred.
"You kind of wonder if divine intervention hasn't got a hand in there somewhere," Kenngott said. "The irony is that Kabang has become an underdog by virtue of her heroism. We owe her reciprocation."
'Hero dog' will get surgery in Davis
For more information about Kabang and the fundraising campaign to bring the hero dog of the Philippines to UC Davis for reconstructive surgery, go to careforkabang.com.
Republished with permission from the San Francisco Chronicle | <urn:uuid:121aeccd-ece8-4245-aa45-237ca0898934> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ems1.com/volunteer-rural-ems/articles/1343399-Calif-university-to-reconstruct-hero-dogs-face/ | 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 | 0.978833 | 1,577 | 1.5625 | 2 |
World Bulletin / News Desk
President Barack Obama will sign a bill to strengthen U.S.-Israeli military cooperation on Friday on the eve of a visit to Israel by his Republican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney.
The new bill calls for enhanced cooperation with Israel - a major beneficiary of military aid - on missile defense and intelligence, and increased access to advanced weapons.
Congress passed the legislation, the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act, with broad support from Obama's Democrats and Republicans last week.
"The bill deepens our security cooperation with Israel by expanding our military assistance and providing Israel with access to additional equipment," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said on Thursday.
Romney hopes his trip to Israel will resonate with Jewish voters at home. He will arrive there fromLondon on Saturday and plans to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had a strained relationship with Obama. | <urn:uuid:71d88ad9-a785-4282-b1d8-04efb9f3133d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=93045 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949047 | 178 | 1.601563 | 2 |
General Motors Co. is returning to the pure-electric market for the first time since the EV1's demise 12 years ago, electrifying its tiniest car in an attempt to appeal to urban buyers.
GM will launch an electric version of its global Chevrolet Spark minicar in 2013, the year after the Spark's gasoline version comes to the U.S.
Now, the automaker plans to offer a pure electric to compete with the Nissan Leaf and upcoming electrics from other automakers — and to help it meet stricter fuel-economy regulations.
But GM's electric vehicle is smaller than such competitors as the Leaf or the electric Ford Focus, which launches late this year. The Spark instead is closer in size to the electric Fiat 500 Chrysler plans to launch in 2012, which will be 4 inches shorter than the Spark.
"This is our (pure) EV for the U.S.," said Jim Federico, GM's chief small- and electric-car engineer. "We think this will be hopefully preferred from the urban point of view."
He declined to say where GM will build the electric version of the car, which will sell in select global markets. Massachusetts-based A123 Systems will supply its lithium-ion battery.
Chevrolet unveiled its updated Spark on Oct. 12 in downtown Detroit. GM has already sold more than 400,000 Sparks worldwide in emerging markets such as China and India, where it is called the Beat.
The gasoline-powered Spark will have a 1.2-liter, 83-horsepower, four-cylinder engine with either a five-speed manual transmission or an optional automatic. The car seats four or five people. GM will import it from South Korea starting in the first quarter of next year. | <urn:uuid:c3fe47f4-e39d-4162-8535-1551b3c9a2c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wkoa.com/wkoa/lifestyle/green/sc-cons-1020-autotips-20111022,0,4058622.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938487 | 357 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Chances are good you're feeling someone performing a round-off back handspring in your uterus by now. Is there any other feeling this cool? Other highlights this week:
Baby's heartbeat is getting stronger and can be heard using a good old-fashioned stethoscope. Ask for a listen at your next prenatal visit! By 21 weeks, fetal bone marrow starts making blood cells—previously done by the liver and spleen. This may not sound that exciting, but it's good news.The amniotic fluid that has been cushioning your little bean now serves another purpose: Your baby uses it to "practice" chowing down. Yes, it sounds gross (as many aspects of pregnancy do), but it's an important step for your baby toward being able to chow down in the real world. Your baby has been swallowing amniotic fluid for a while now, but now the intestines are finally developed enough that she's absorbing small amounts of sugars from it. And let's face it, being able to effectively digest sugar is important at every stage of life.
- By now your baby looks like a mini-version of what she'll look like when she's born. All her facial features are formed and hair is growing on her head. She's even acting like a baby and will occasionally suck her thumb or yawn. Aww ...
Your baby now weighs between 10 and 11 ounces and is approximately 7 inches long—the size of a delicious, cold, frothy bottle of root beer. Float anyone?
- Did you know that your growing belly is directly proportional to your sex drive? In other words, the bigger you get, the bigger it gets. That's a sweet way of saying that second trimester hormones can turn you into a total horn dog. (Finally a physical benefit your partner can actually appreciate.)
As long as your pregnancy is going well, engaging in a little "love me do" is perfectly safe and healthy. In a healthy pregnancy, having sex is perfectly fine—even in the third trimester. There was a time when you tried different sex positions all the time. Now that your growing belly is making the old reliable missionary position obsolete, it's time to get creative again. When you're about ready to pop, some say sex can induce contractions. And even if it doesn't work, you can still have fun trying.
Someday, your grown-up baby may laugh at how you decorated his or her nursery. But that's 20 years from now, so impose your decorating tastes on your Mini while you can. Suggestions on making his or her palace fabulous
Hang a colorful tapestry, quilt, scarf or rug from a curtain rod mounted onto the wall. Not entirely unlike your college dorm.Ask an artistic relative to draw something special that you can frame. But if you ask, you're going to have to hang whatever they make, so ask wisely.
- Frame pictures from a favorite artistic gift wrap, children's book or wall calendar (skip your husband's Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition).
Creatively challenged? Leave the designing to the pros by buying wall decals or borders, or by stenciling a funny or inspirational quote on the walls. While you're decorating stuff, why not decorate yourself? Now's a great time to paint your toenails (while you can still reach them) or schedule a manicure and hand massage.
More for Your Pregnancy & Fetal Development:report abuse | <urn:uuid:334253d6-005f-4f51-a0e4-d54bc48be38e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parentsconnect.com/pregnancy/fetal-development/21_weeks_pregnant.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958201 | 713 | 1.734375 | 2 |
The New York Times Shines a Light into the JFK-CIA-Joannides Scandal
Last Friday, October 16, the New York Times, for the first time, shined a light onto the JFK-CIA-Joannides scandal with a story entitled C.I.A. Is Still Cagey About Oswald Mystery. The story soon began appearing in other mainstream newspapers and on Internet websites.
Never mind that the scandal has been brewing since 1998, when it was discovered that the CIA had intentionally covered up a key role that a CIA agent named George Joannides had played in the months leading up the JFK assassination and, later, in the investigation of the assassination itself.
Better late than never, I suppose.
The documents had been released pursuant to the 1992 John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which had been enacted in response to Oliver Stone's movie JFK and which mandated the release of all government documents relating to Kennedy's murder.
The documents revealed that Joannides had served as a CIA liaison to an anti-Castro student group known as the DRE and had supervised the funneling of large sums of CIA money into the organization. As I pointed out last week in an article dated October 14, when he was living in New Orleans in the months before the assassination Lee Harvey Oswald had had an encounter with a leader of the New Orleans branch of the DRE, a man named Carlos Bringuier.
Later, in the 1970s when the House Select Committee on Assassinations investigated the Kennedy assassination, the CIA called Joannides back from retirement to serve as a liaison between the CIA and the House committee. Ostensibly his job was to facilitate CIA cooperation with the House investigation.
But there was one big problem in all this. No one but Joannides and the CIA knew about Joannides' prior relationship with the DRE. Not the Warren Commission. Not the House Committee. For some reason known only to the CIA and Joannides, the information was kept secret from the people whose task was to conduct a full and complete investigation into the Kennedy assassination.
Even worse, the CIA had the audacity to select as liaison the person who was the subject of the secret, raising the obvious question: Was Joannides called back from retirement to serve as a barrier rather than a facilitator? Or as the Times put it, That concealment has fueled suspicion that Mr. Joannides's real assignment was to limit what the House Committee could learn about C.I.A. activities.
Discovering Joannides' role in the documents released in the late 1990s, a relentless journalist named Jefferson Morley, who used to work at the Washington Post, requested the CIA to produce all its files on Joannides, a request the CIA steadfastly refused to grant.
In 2003 Morley filed suit against the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act. Despite a favorable ruling from a federal Court of Appeals, the CIA has engaged in years of stonewalling, absolutely refusing to this day to divulge the Joannides files to Morley and the public.
Last August I published an article entitled Appoint a Special Prosecutor in the JFK-Joannides Matter, in which I argued that President Obama should appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and possibly prosecute people in the CIA for fraud and obstruction of justice. (At the end of that article is a list of links to all of Jefferson Morley's articles on the subject, which I highly recommend, as they make for a fascinating read.)
Federal Judge John R. Tunheim, who was chairman of the Assassination Records Review Board stated, as quoted in the New York Times article, I think we were probably misled by the agency. This material should be released.
The Times also quoted G. Robert Blakey, the House Committee's staff director: If I'd known his role in 1963, I would have put Joannides under oath — he would have been a witness, not a facilitator. How do we know what he didn't give us?
What the CIA's position? Not surprisingly, it resorts to the old standard bromide for keeping things secret, even when the information is half-a-century old — national security.
Or perhaps there are other reasons. As the opening sentence in the New York Times articles asks, Is the Central Intelligence Agency covering up some dark secret about the assassination of John F. Kennedy?
Gerald Posner, whose book Case Closed argued against a conspiracy theory, is a bit more cynical, stating: Most conspiracy theorists don't understand this. But if there really were a C.I.A. plot, no documents would exist.
Presumably, Posner is suggesting that if the CIA really was involved in the plot to kill Kennedy, the agency would have cleaned up and doctored its files a long time ago to ensure that no such evidence ever surfaced in a CIA document.
Nonetheless, the public is entitled to see the Joannides records and to see precisely what role Joannides played with the DRE.
Equally important, people have a right to know why the CIA knowingly and intentionally misled the Warren Commission, the House Select Committee, and the American people by deliberately failing to disclose these material facts.
Forty-five years of misleading the public with secrecy, fraud, and deception in a matter as important as the Kennedy assassination are enough. It's time for the CIA to stop the stonewalling and immediately release the Joannides documents.
October 21, 2009
Copyright © 2009 Future of Freedom Foundation | <urn:uuid:8d4ed188-6167-4022-8e0b-0456057deddb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lewrockwell.com/hornberger/hornberger168.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969296 | 1,136 | 1.742188 | 2 |
President Obama, freed of re-election constraint by the vote of a nation that remains sharply divided, shouldn’t have much problem figuring out the most immediate mandate.
Walk us back from the cliff.
He can’t do it alone. Congress appears to be as riven by party and ideology as before. The post-election message to both branches of government is simply that they can’t keep playing to their bases. If they do, budget gravity will take over. The nation will head into another recession, or worse.
American voters were driven by many factors in this election, but if we’ve learned anything in the nastiness of the last two years, it’s that our elected officials must reject two fallacies and find a compromise to restore fiscal sanity and national confidence.
- We can’t keep spending as we have been and seriously reduce the deficit, and begin drawing down the debt.
- We can’t keep cutting taxes as we have been and reduce the deficit and debt, either.
It will take both plans of attack to balance the budget.
It will require a triangulated government — the president, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — to make it work. But it also will require each member of each house, from the first-termers to the committee chairs, to agree that “reaching across the aisle” is no longer a cliché.
How that plan comes together is critical. Time is short. We have the Simpson-Bowles report on file to use as a foundation, but Obama and Congress can use any starting point they want. Except screechy partisanship.
Obama, for his part, does not have the Bush years as an excuse anymore. The record he must build upon is his own, and he must understand that just under half the registered voters rejected his candidacy. He must lead by pragmatism, persistence and the sense that if his presidency is to be successful, it will involve some tough medicine for all, including the Democratic faithful.
There’s plenty of unfinished business. The Affordable Care Act needs to be amended to achieve cost reductions, as the process of writing regulations and implementation gears up in 2013 and 2014. Immigration reform calls for a bipartisan approach, based in reality. Iranian nuclear weapons and warfare in the Middle East will be huge foreign policy tests, along with some world crises we don’t yet foresee. Creating jobs through business-friendly legislation is crucial; so is investing in education and rebuilding infrastructure. We need to address the effects of global warming, even if we don’t agree on the causes, and maintain an affordable, agile military — along with a federal government with the ability to respond to domestic crises, such as Superstorm Sandy.
These goals are not mutually exclusive. They are mutually imperative, coupled with deficit reduction. Only in campaign rhetoric do simplistic, one-sided solutions flow and soar as if they alone, attached to one person with all the answers, could restore the nation to a secure footing.
We will continue to be a divided nation — that’s a given — but we can’t abide a bitterly divided government much longer. We’re out of parachutes. | <urn:uuid:18a63707-b9dd-4d68-8514-1cfdd915aea6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/11/editorial_only_way_back_from_t.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965393 | 665 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Emails released by Welsh Government show that the exam board warned that a regrade of GCSE English papers would affect integrity
Education Minister Leighton Andrews has told AMs he stands by his decision to order a regrade for this year's English Language GCSEs
Following the decision by Westminister to replace the GCSEs in England, the Welsh Government says it won't rush into a decision here.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews has defended his decision to order the Welsh exam board WJEC to regrade 2,386 English Language GCSEs in Wales. Mr Andrews told AMs that the original move to lower grades was 'unjustified and unfair' and said the regraded results are now 'fairer and truer.'
Campaigners opposed to further devolution say they fear the GCSE regrade row could mean that any new exam system in Wales would be seen as a 'poor man's alternative' to qualifications in England. The True Wales group says the regrade could 'do lasting damage.' Its statement says,
True Wales is deeply concerned about the haste with which Leighton Andrews ordered the regrading of GCSE English exam papers in Wales. We fear that a perception that it is easier to gain a 'C' in Wales than in England will become widespread and may do lasting damage to the prospects of future generations of Welsh students who wish to work or study outside Wales.
The row has increased speculation that pupils on different sides of the border will ultimately sit different exams. True Wales is concerned about this outcome:
We are disappointed that tensions between Cardiff Bay and Westminster have led to the likely eventuality of separate examination systems for England and Wales and feel that the events of this summer mean that any new system in Wales will be seen as a poor man's alternative.
The Welsh Education Minister, Leighton Andrews, will today update Assembly Members on the current GCSE situation in Wales.
Last week over 2,000 Welsh youngsters received a re-graded English language paper after the Minister decided that papers should be re-marked.
The decision caused a cross-border row after he came in for heavy critcism from Education Secretary, Michael Gove.
Pupils at Barry Comprehensive School are among some 2,000 Welsh teenagers receiving their improved English Language GCSE results today.
Headteacher Gerard McNamara told ITV Wales his pupils were 'delighted' with their higher grades and were now able to focus on their A-levels.
Welsh exam board the WJEC was ordered to re-grade the papers in a controversial move by Education Minister Leighton Andrews.
It followed concerns that a change in grading boundaries meant some students were awarded lower grades than expected.
However, pupils in England who sat the same exams set by the WJEC will not have their grades changed.
Over two thousand teenagers across Wales will receive their improved English language GCSE results today.
Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews ordered the re-grade after pupils received worse grades than expected.
Speaking after the announcement by the WJEC that over 2,000 candidates have received improved grades after a re-grade ordered by the Education Minister, Dr Philip Dixon of The Association of Teachers and Lecturers said:
We are delighted for these youngsters. They are now receiving the grades they would have received in any normal year...and they have the chance of a brighter future.
The Minister is to be commended for such bold and decisive action. The few embittered voices who will try to deny these youngsters their success will clearly be seen for the politically motivated killjoys they are.
This entire fiasco shows why we in Wales are thinking long and hard about the best qualifications system for our young people.
He went on to say:
– Dr Philip Dixon, Director Association of Teachers and Lecturers
The Review of Qualifications to be published in November will hopefully chart a clear course for us. This findings of this well researched and well evidenced Review will be in sharp distinction to the hastily cobbled together and ill-thought-through Ebac announced yesterday in England.
The WJEC has confirmed that over 2,000 GCSE students will have their English Language grades increased.
The exam board was ordered to re-grade the papers by Education Minister Leighton Andrews following concerns over a change in grading boundaries introduced mid-way through the academic year.
It has been confirmed that 1,202 students will have their grades increased from a D to a C and 598 from a C grade to a B.
The lowering of grade boundaries also meant there were some changes at other grades, resulting in an overall figure of 2386 receiving raised grades.
The WJEC will today issue the regraded results of English GCSEs.
Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews directed the board to review this year's results following the row about students being awarded lower grades than expected last month.
The exam board is obliged to publish the results by 5pm.
– WJEC spokesperson
The re-grading direction applies specifically to those candidates on the C/D grade boundary. However, there will be some consequential impact on other grades, which are determined by an arithmetic relationship to the C/D boundary. | <urn:uuid:2f69396f-0805-43c0-a852-565466b7a482> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.itv.com/news/wales/topic/wjec/?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974398 | 1,068 | 1.546875 | 2 |
After receiving many questions about my horror and macabre blood effects, I put together a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) journal to help people out and also let people know how a lot of my work is done- whether it is for curiosity, or if people want to have a go themselves. This news article is meant to be a reference to the methods used in my work and the work of others, as well as useful tips and a glossary for some of the items used.
My horror work uses an extensive kit list of props and ingredients. Not all of it is used at the same time, but some people may not be familiar with them all. Here is a basic glossary of some things I have used (with examples), so you can find them yourself.
Magic Tape- This is like any other sticky tape, but is advertised as being 'Invisible'. It is handy when sticking things that you might not want your camera to see. It is strong and clear and can be found in a good stationery shop. Take a look at this Example.
Glycerin/Glycerine- This is a fairly viscous liquid used for sore throats and related ailments, so you'll find it in a pharmacy or a good supermarket. It is usually clear and is non-toxic. Here is an Example.
PVA glue- This is the white glue you often get in schools. It dries clear and can be peeled off fingers and such. It is usually supplied it in large quantities, in large squeezy bottles. PVA stands for Poly vinyl acetate and is used with kids in mind, although it is NOT meant to be edible. Here is an Example.
Dental Wax- This is quite hard stuff to get hold of, but if you've ever had any orthodontic work or a brace, you may have had some. It is a pliable plastic wax that you can mould easily with your fingers- much unlike candle wax which you need to heat up first. Non-flavoured is the best to use. Here is an Example.
Food colouring- Regular edible colouring for use in cakes and foodstuffs. Usually found in liquid form and can be easily obtained in a decent supermarket near the cake-baking stuff. More than one colour is recommended. Here is the stuff that I use.
Golden Syrup- This is similar to honey and is a (very tasty) edible and viscous fake-blood ingredient. It can be found in good supermarkets along with jams. Here is the original Golden Syrup.
Blu-tack- This is a (blue) adhesive plastic that is often used to stick posters up. It is a handy tool for generally sticking things together, but isn't the best thing to use on skin, as it won't stick so well. Here is an example of it, but you can also get white tack and other coloured versions.
Fake blood is an integral part of most horror and macabre photo shoots. There are many different kinds of fake blood, and most of them are cheap and easy to make yourself. You don't need to spend much at all if you're making it all from scratch.
Shop-bought- Shop bought fake blood varies a lot. It is usually found in small quantities at Halloween. Cheap Halloween blood is usually quite viscous and gloopy. The colour is sometimes a little unnatural too, which isn't ideal. You can try watering down fake blood you have bought, or adding more natural colours to it.
Examples of shop-bought fake blood:
Professional Fake blood- Quite expensive, but often worth it. There are many suppliers of professional make up, such as Kryolan. Companies have different types of blood for different situations (such as darker and lighter blood for arterial or veinous blood). Professional blood has a good consistency and colour, but can get very expensive when purchasing large amounts.
Examples of professional fake blood:
PVA Glue-based fake blood- This stuff is a good recipe to use when making your own fake blood. The PVA glue mentioned previously is a great base for viscous fake blood. It is white to begin with, so add a large amount of red food colouring, and then small amounts of both blue and green food colouring and mix it well. Test it out on your skin first to check you're not allergic to it and that it is a suitable colour. This blood is not ideal for use around the mouth and should NOT be swallowed
Examples of PVA glue-based fake blood:
Glycerin-based fake blood- This is viscous compared to the PVA glue-based blood. It is advisable to check how the glycerin flows on whatever you'll be using it on BEFORE you add any colour. It acts differently and prefers to run off things, rather than stick. As before, when adding food colouring, add lots of red and smaller amounts of blue and green colouring. This fake blood is edible, provided you have added nothing else to it
Examples of Glycerin-based fake blood:
Golden Syrup-based fake blood- A viscous and edible example for a fake blood base. Again, add food colouring in good proportions and mix well. The syrup and food colourings take a while to mix in. This is sticky and ideal for use near your mouth, although it can get a little sickly after a while!
Examples of Golden Syrup-based fake blood:
Sauces as fake blood- Edible sauces can make surprisingly good fake blood without much being done to them. Sauces such as chocolate sauce (for ice cream), tomato sauce and strawberry sauce can look realistic. Check how realistic these sauces look as blood before you use them extensively in photography. You may need to add a little food colouring or water to them to get a good consistency or colour first. Cheap and easy!
Example of Chocolate sauce as fake blood:
Shampoo and other household liquids as fake blood- Liquids around the house can be used as fake blood too. Washing up liquid can be a great base for fake blood as long as you use a light colour to start with (such as yellow, NOT green!). Also, shampoo is a tried and tested fake blood type too, whether you add colours to it, or buy red coloured shampoo, they can make great blood.
Example of shampoo-based fake blood:
Real Blood- I shall take this opportunity to remind people that real human blood is NOT allowed on deviantART. Using animal blood is permitted, but you MUST have a mature content tag on an image using it. I have not used any real blood myself, but it obviously has the advantage of looking realistic from the start. You should be able to obtain animal blood from a butcher for little money, but its not in great demand.
Experimentation is a great way of improving any home-made fake blood. So add things you think will help the colour or consistency to make it a better fake blood.
There are a lot of things to think about when doing horror photography, and photography in general. Here are a few tips and tricks to remember.
Texture- Adding texture to fake blood and wounds will make your work a lot more realistic. This can be done easily using stuff like tissue, toilet paper or cotton wool. With any of these, you really want to saturate it with fake blood, so it looks less like tissue and more like flesh. It will make your blood appear lumpy and also darker.
Lighting- Any photo should have adequate lighting. If your room is poorly lit, you may get out-of-focus or grainy shots. To remedy this, try and put on as many lights as you can, and also any desk lamps that can be pointed at your model
Testing- Before you start shooting any photos, make sure you have everything you need for it. Test out your lighting conditions before you start applying fake blood to your model. If you don't have enough lighting or are missing things for your shoot, it will be very difficult going to find them and set them up when you or your model is covered in fake blood. It can be cold and uncomfortable and can sometimes dry very quickly. Make sure the special FX are the LAST things you do before shooting.
Re-apply- Photo shoots can take a long time, so this means you often need to re-apply FX make up and fake blood to your model due to it drying out or running off! This can make your FX more realistic, as you have more layers with texture and thick blood. Keep checking your make up is up to scratch throughout your photo shoot, as there is nothing as annoying as checking the tens or hundreds of photos you took to find half of the shots have hardly any fake blood in.
Take as many shots as possible- More pictures means more to choose from when you have cleaned all of your blood and props away. You can experiment with different angles and exposure. And just in case a few of your pictures are too small or too blurry, you still have lots of better ones to choose from.
Clothing- Using your best clothing is not ideal for a horror photo shoot. Fake blood can stain very easily, so make sure you aren't using something you cannot afford to get dirty. Buy cheap clothing that you will only use for horror photo shoots, or dark clothing that you won't see the staining on. Fake blood can stain skin as well, so make sure you have the means to wash it off (warm soapy water or make up remover).
Illusion is a great tool with horror and macabre photography. This means making things look much worse than they are!
Here are some examples of my own work that have had many questions asked about the methods used.
How do you make the pins in Fixxxer look like they're sticking in you?
I got some pins, and some wire cutters and cut the pins into unequal halves. You can see the top half of the pins here. They were then mounted into dental wax stuck to my hand. Small pieces of tissue were stuck over the wax and glycerin-based fake blood was added around them.
How did you make it look like you cut into your leg in Pretty Piece Of Flesh?
I used a square of dental wax here. I added a smaller square of tissue underneath it and moulded it onto my leg. I then cut a square of the wax out, just smaller than the tissue (this is the flap you can see being held up). I then added PVA glue-based fake blood to get the result you see.
How did you put a rose through your hand in Until It Sleeps?
This was a very tricky, but amazingly rewarding photo to take. I bought a rose especially for this shoot. It had a long stem that I cut a piece out of, giving me the head with some of the stem, and the rest of the leafy stem separate. The leafy stem was stuck to the bottom of my hand with blu-tack, a drawing pin and magic tape. The head was a lot harder to attach, due to the weight of it. I used another drawing pin set in blu-tack in the palm of my hand, stabbing the drawing pin into the base of the cut stem. The blu-tack was moulded into my palm to make the skin look raised. The head of the rose was left to rest on my fingers, due to a lack of stability otherwise. The blood was added in the palm of my hand over the moulded blu-tack to give the final image.
How did you put a razor blade through your fingers in Razor Blade Torture?
Razor blades are very easy to work with (provided you are careful with them). The make illusions easy, as they are thin and easy to cut through. These razor blades were cut into with scissors to leave a gap with width of my finger. They can be very jagged when cut, so using sticky tape over the blade will stop you getting cut. This is essential if you are using the blades in areas you'd rather not cut up/off.
Illusions can be done easily by having a clear idea of what you want to do. If you want something to look like it is through a part of your body, try to cut it in half. I have a hacksaw and a mini vice that I use to cut things in half. If you have something that is too hard to cut in half, or something that simply can't be cut, try and improvise. Try making it out of cardboard or plastic and painting it accordingly. There is always a way around it!
There are a few tutorials on DeviantART dedicated to fake blood or the application of it. They provide great step-by-step instructions on how to achieve it.
If you don't have a camera and are desperate to do some horror and macabre work, check out some of the fantastic stock that DeviantART has to offer.
Remember- These images are for you to manipulate, not to change the colours ever-so slightly, copy or submit as your own. Be creative!
Some clubs that accept horror photography
There are plenty of clubs on deviantART that accept horror and macabre photography. Check these for the work of MANY deviants (not just one!) and also for some great dark inspiration.
With special thanks to:
^RockstarVanity and =hellmet for the use of some of their images in this article. | <urn:uuid:87bb4dd3-7064-4c72-a596-16fa5949e508> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://xerces.deviantart.com/journal/Horror-and-Macabre-Photography-FX-FAQ-and-guide-214161010 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96415 | 2,783 | 1.75 | 2 |
1939 as Motors Insurance Company (MIC) by General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC). It is now part of GMAC Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of GMAC.
An integral part of GMAC Financial Services, GMAC Insurance Personal Lines is a provider of nonstandard, standard and preferred automobile insurance and homeowners insurance. The company focuses on selling insurance products for cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and specialty/modified vehicles. GMAC Insurance sells insurance through over 10,000 independent agents across the United States, directly to the public with dozens of affinity and GM partners, and through its online service at gmacinsurance.com.
In the early 1900s, when the motor vehicle industry was just in its infancy, dealers paid cash to stock their inventory, purchasing just a few vehicles at a time. Subsequently, with the onset of the assembly line, manufacturers wanted dealers to buy vehicles in large quantities in order to keep factories running regularly. To help dealers buy larger quantities, GM created General Motors Acceptance Corporation in 1919. By 1939, the fast growing financial arm of America's premiere auto manufacturer was not only helping dealers, they had expanded into helping consumers get on the road with financing and insurance options.
On Nov. 30, 2006, General Motors sold a 51 percent controlling interest in GMAC to a consortium of investors led by Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., a private investment firm, and including Citigroup Inc., Aozora Bank Ltd. and a subsidiary of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Strengthened by the company's new ownership structure, GMAC Insurance will be able to pursue new business opportunities going forward. Today, GMAC Insurance Personal Lines is a thriving $1.453 billion dollar company with 2,598 employees, offering full-service insurance solutions for nearly all automotive brands and models in 47 states, as well as homeowners insurance.
Today, GMAC Insurance ranks among the top insurers in the nation. In total, 1.2 million policies and 2 million vehicles are currently serviced by GMAC Insurance Personal Lines for a full spectrum of drivers, buying their insurance through a variety of channels.
As the country's only insurance company to come from within the automotive industry, GMAC Insurance has a unique perspective. To its very core, the company understands that, to Americans, a car is more than a transportation tool. It is a tangible link to our freedom, self-expression, and most of all, the fundamental catalyst that keeps our lives moving. GMAC Insurance's first priority is to make sure its customers are OK in the event of an accident, and then the company focuses on getting them back on the road as quickly as possible. From its Smart Services, a first-of-its-kind collection of benefits designed to help ease the post-accident recovery process, to its customer service representatives that make you feel like a person and not a policy number, GMAC Insurance is built from the ground up to anticipate, understand and meet its customers' needs.
GMAC Insurance offers insurance products tailored for individual drivers, RV owners, and even modified specialty vehicles.
2006 Sales $1.453 billion
2006 Employees 2,545
President and CEO – Gary Kusumi
Chief Financial Officer – Bernie Buselmeier
Chief Marketing Officer – Jim Curtin
Chief Legal Counsel and Claims Officer – Sheena Poe
St. Louis, Missouri
Winston-Salem, North Carolina | <urn:uuid:49ef8190-5a09-46d3-8814-da0d0e25d230> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gmacinsurance.com/SafeDriving/2007/FactSheet.asp | 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 | 0.94998 | 702 | 1.617188 | 2 |
He was a missionary in Egypt and Sudan for 20 years. And it was there that he discovered the importance of dialogue as a “tool for settling conflicts and at the same time for drawing from the wellsprings of peace”. Strong in this knowledge and in the experience that he developed as head of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) — of which he has been President sine 2006 — the Spanish Comboni Father Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot is preparing for his new task as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, an office that Benedict XVI entrusted to him last 30 June.
The theme of dialogue continues to be particularly relevant today, precisely in Egypt and in Sudan.
I would say so, given the situation in these two countries. Although interreligious dialogue is not concerned with political issues, it can make a specific contribution to the recognition of the values that are at the root of justice and peace, both within the country and in relations with other States.
What was your reaction to the news of Benedict XVI’s decision?
The Pope has honoured me with this appointment which was absolutely unexpected. I am infinitely grateful to him for having thought of a common missionary for this office. However, I am aware that it is a sensitive role.
How important will your experience with Islam be in your future activity?
I have to say that through study and experience I am quite well acquainted with Muslims, with whom the Catholic Church wish to have a dialogue, in many ways and in many places. Islam is a situation to which we must pay special attention, without neglecting other believers. And all this confirms the importance that Benedict XVI attributes to Islamic-Christian relations. | <urn:uuid:8eca670c-7535-4117-8724-9451ff55b634> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.news.va/en/news/knowledge-and-respect-for-a-journey-of-peace | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975623 | 357 | 1.828125 | 2 |
A story from Media Post Marketing Daily this week reminds us that when the going gets tough, some people just start grabbing stuff. According to the article, 78% of retailers report an increase in opportunistic and amateur shoplifting.
Implications: If you’re in the business of selling things of value, shrinkage is always a concern; even more so when times are tough. While the recovery may be underway for some, others are still feeling the deep effects of recession, so this problem is likely to be pervasive for a while.
Like anything else, loss prevention is not as simple as it used to be. These days, simple shoplifting is only part of the problem, aggravated by things like organized theft rings, internal theft, returns fraud, and high-tech “fencing” (easily selling stolen goods on various websites, such as Craig’s List or e-Bay).
How long has it been since you considered the fundamental security of your inventory? Countermeasures such as (conspicuous) surveillance cameras, RFID-enabled anti-theft systems, and basic security training for store personnel might help preserve profits. | <urn:uuid:857ec417-0030-4ce1-bb44-a3c615ba2505> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://elmstreettrends.blogspot.com/2010/03/teeter-totter-effect-when-economy-goes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946464 | 235 | 1.585938 | 2 |
There have been quite a few changes since Kimi last contested a grand prix.
Here are some of the more significant ones
Refuelling: Part of Formula One since 1993, in-race refuelling was banned by the FIA at the end of the 2009 season. Kimi has not completed a race since this regulation change, and has therefore never driven an F1 car containing a full distance’s worth of fuel.
In 2011, the ban of team orders was lifted by the FIA. The regulations still state that any actions liable to ‘bring the sport into disrepute’ will be reprimanded, however teams are permitted to switch the positions of their drivers on track.
New rules introduced for the 2012 season state that drivers may not make more than one change of direction to defend a position, but may move back onto the racing line if enough room is left between the car and the edge of the track.
Drag Reduction System (DRS) An aerodynamic aid introduced in 2011 to increase overtaking opportunities, the DRS system will be completely new to Kimi, although his reputation as one of the best overtakers in the sport will no doubt ensure that he uses it to full effect.
Adjustable Front Wings used by Kimi during his last season in 2009, the adjustable front wing was effectively replaced by the DRS system in 2011.
Tyres When Kimi left the sport in 2009, Bridgestone was the tyre supplier. In 2011 Pirelli took over this responsibility.
Delhi, India (Inaugurated 2011) and Austin, United States (Inaugurated 2012) are two circuits which Kimi will never have experienced (although the same can be said for the rest of the F1 grid with regards to Austin). By contrast the Turkish Grand Prix, in which Kimi was victorious in the 2005 season, has been removed from the calendar.
Of the 24 drivers competing in the 2012 season, Kimi will have faced only 60% of the field. Perhaps the most significant of these is fellow F1 returnee of 2010 Michael Schumacher – In 2003, Kimi finished just 2 points behind the German legend in the Drivers’ World Championship during only his third season of F1.
Aside from competing with the Lotus F1 Team in 2012, Kimi will encounter a host of new teams on this season’s grid.
The arrival of three new competitors (Team Caterham, Marussia F1 Team and HRT F1 Team) combined with the departure of the Toyota F1 Team and Brawn GP (now Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team) means his pitlane neighborhood looks very different. | <urn:uuid:11997102-c0fd-426e-8d35-7a791248c4b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lotuscars.com/dk/racing/kimi-raikkonen-challenge | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965611 | 547 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Dreamworks tackles scope and scale to infuse bee movie with Jerry Seinfeld's humor
By Barbara Robertson
A short while before DreamWorks released its animated feature Bee Movie, writer and producer Jerry Seinfeld fielded a comment at a screening from an audience member who had been reading about a bee crisis in the news.
With perfect timing, the immensely popular master of wry humor responded, “The crisis in the bee community right now, the real bee community, that colonies are collapsing, is actually a publicity stunt by DreamWorks to sell the movie. As soon as it’s released, we will replace all the bees.”
In the film, Seinfeld’s humor takes wing, literally, in the form of Barry B. Benson, a honeybee. When we meet Barry, a recent college graduate, he is resisting joining the workforce that makes New Hive City’s sole product: honey. Instead, he buzzes outside the hive, flies over Central Park in New York City, and tumbles into the apartment of a beautiful and quirky young florist named Nancy (Renee Zellweger). When she saves his life, he can’t help but break the bee world’s cardinal rule: Never talk to humans. Despite their differences in size, the two develop a friendship, and Barry begins learning about the human world.
Barry: “TiVo. You mean you can just freeze live TV? That’s insane.”
Vanessa: “What, you don’t have anything like that?”
Barry: “We have ‘HiVo,’ but it’s a disease. It’s a horrible, horrible disease.”
At the screening, before Seinfeld showed the film, an audience member asked, “Is this movie about something?”
“No, it is not,” says Seinfeld. “It is more of the same nonsense and drivel that I have been foisting on the American public for years, and doing very well with it I might add.”
The film, of course, is about something. It’s about Barry’s awakening sense of himself, his discovery that humans steal the bees’ honey, the lawsuit he instigates, and its consequences. And it’s about the relationship between Barry and Vanessa, between two characters from different worlds.
When directors Steve Hickner and Simon J. Smith recorded dialog for the film, they recorded Seinfeld and Zellweger together. “It made the conversational parts sound so natural,” says Smith.
Preserving and enhancing those and other comedic performances challenged the directors, the animators, and the production crew. “This movie is quite fragile,” says Smith. “With comedy, you can easily break things. You have to make every joke work.”
Big and Little
Scale was arguably the biggest impediment. Barry and his hive-mates are less than an inch tall (.825 inches); Vanessa and the other humans are human size. “When you have two characters talking to each other and developing a relationship, the bread-and-butter shot is a ‘mid two,’” says Smith, “a waist up shot of the two characters.” That is not possible when one character is a bee. It was even difficult to cut from one character to the other.
“We learned that we couldn’t go below a 28mm lens on Vanessa, or Barry would look distorted,” Smith says. “We didn’t cheat by using one [virtual] lens for Vanessa and another for Barry in the same shot.”
While the directors and layout artists solved these creative issues, the technical crew tackled another problem: To fly Barry across New York City, the software had to handle small size and vast distance simultaneously. “We had to retool our entire software tool set to deal with this,” says Doug Cooper, visual effects supervisor. “If a bee is on the rim of a coffee cup, everything is within a few units; everything is small. But, when he flies down the side of a building and along a street in New York, and the camera stays close to him, we need precision to the hundreds of thousands of an inch while moving him millions of units down the street. That’s where single precision breaks down.”
But, that wasn’t the only issue with scale. To help the layout artists more easily compose shots, the character modelers and riggers made all the bee characters scalable. Animators could change the bees’ sizes dynamically from shot to shot and within a shot.
Cooper provides this example: “We had a case in which Barry was on a coffee cup in the foreground. It’s a nice close-up of him with Vanessa—far enough behind [so] that the shot looks good. In the scene, he flies off the cup, past Vanessa, and lands on a cereal box. By the time he gets there, he disappears. That’s the real perspective of the scene, but it doesn’t work for storytelling.”
To make Barry and other bees visible when they fly away from camera, the riggers gave animators sliders that dynamically changed bee sizes throughout a scene. And, not just their size: When animators scaled the bees, every piece in the pipeline looked at the scale and tweaked itself automatically. Fur grew longer and thicker as needed, displacement and bump maps adjusted, shadows changed size and sharpness, and so forth.
So that the artists could see whether all the pieces scaled properly, and to validate surfacing and lighting, the technical crew developed a new turntable technique. Rather than trying to judge a bee as it would appear in the shots, from a tiny spot in the distance to a large creature in a close-up, the turntable automatically moved the camera closer or farther away so that the bee maintained the same size in the frame.
“It looked like a straight spin,” says Cooper. “But the character was actually shrinking and scaling, and we could see immediately whether that was working or not.” An example of not working: “One time, the hair grew into a giant ’fro because it wasn’t scaling with the character.”
That kind of scaling was necessary only when the bees ventured into the human world. In their own hive, they were six feet tall. “We built the bees and Hive City to human scale so that we could shoot the scenes with a normal camera and use normal language to discuss things,” says Cooper. “That way, we could say that the molding around a door should be a couple inches thick. If we had worked in bee scale, our minds would have exploded trying to figure out the relationships.”
Scoping It Out
All told, the crew created 39 locations within the human world and the bee world. “Very early on in this movie, Jerry [Seinfeld] made it clear that he wanted the audience to see the world the characters live in, not just the stage,” says Cooper. “We had 43 sequences and almost as many locations, and the locations had sub-locations within them. To say Central Park is a location is like saying the earth is a location. We had a tremendous amount of stuff to build, surface, and light.”
Modelers and effects artists constructed the human world using straight lines and formal angles, putting approximately 150 buildings on the streets of New York City and Pasadena (think Rose Bowl Parade), adding cars and streetside accoutrements, and decorating the building interiors with hundreds of props. In addition, they filled Central Park, designed from a bee’s point of view, with trees and brightly colored flowers.
The bees’ world existed inside a three-walled hive built with hexagons, wax, and honey. The outside wall led to the outside world. A space between that wall and a middle wall contained the hive’s suburban streets and houses. A balcony extending from the “back” of each house was built into the third wall, an interior wall that overlooked the inside of the hive, where busy bees produced honey in New Hive City’s Honex factory. Creating all these worlds required approximately 3000 models plus matte paintings.
When you’re inside the city looking up at the interior wall with the balconies, in most shots, you’re looking at matte paintings. “They’re 2.5D paintings projected onto geometry,” explains Cooper. “But, we had CG bees hanging out on the balconies, so we had to project and register the paintings perfectly to have the bees in the proper places.”
To help speed production for this film, the crew forged a tighter link between concept design, modeling, and surfacing than with previous films. “We had a modeler move into the art department and work on designs in 3D,” says Cooper. “And a surfacer spent several weeks in the art department doing clothing and texture design.”
Sometimes the artists created environments in Maya, took snapshots of those environments, and then created 2D artwork from those models. Sometimes the artists continued working in 3D, which helped them communicate their vision, especially for the complex beehive interior. And sometimes they created designs so detailed the modelers could tidy them up and install the designs as final models.
“We received art in a number of ways,” says Ardie Johnson, head of modeling. “But, the key was that we were working with the art department. At peak production, we would spend seven to 10 hours a week working together, hands on, with character designers, the production designer, and the art directors. It was fantastic. We grew artistically as a modeling department.”
In character design, for example, the modelers learned that they worked better from 2D art, from one “approved money pose” rather than from clay maquettes or from orthographic side, front, top, back, and bottom drawings. “We said, ‘Give us the moment with emotion and we’ll model something,’” says Johnson.
A drawing of Barry, for example, captured the emotion of the moment when he announced that he was going to sue the human race. “He’s in front of a lot of mikes,” says Johnson. “I worked with the art directors and modeled a quick pose of Barry in that moment. Jerry [Seinfeld] came in a week later and he loved it.”
Because people like to hold a model of a character in their hands, touch it, and rotate it, once the modelers had polished the 3D models, sculptors created clay maquettes from the computer models.
Worlds of Fun
Knowing they’d need to fill the locations with hundreds of props, the crew also devised new techniques that they call “contextual,” or “holistic,” modeling to make the task more efficient than on previous films. In the past, modelers would build a long list of props for a scene, give those individual elements to the layout artists who showed them to the director, tweak the props as needed to please the director, and then the layout artists would dress the sets. To fill Vanessa’s apartment with furniture and other items, for example, they would have carefully built each object and sent it through the approval process individually.
This time, they quickly generated models in a rough form, put them all together in the set, and looked at the entire scene with production designers and art directors before taking the models further. “We put our modeling money where the camera was,” says Johnson. “We never had the directors look at a single object by itself unless there was a particular reason to justify that.”
As a result, rather than spending time on props that would never be bigger than 15 pixels wide, the modeling team focused its efforts on the hero props. And that, Cooper believes, not only saved time, it improved the look. “The design was more cohesive,” he says. “We didn’t have gorgeous hero pieces all competing for attention.”
That said, the modelers still needed to provide individual pieces to other departments for surfacing and textures, and those artists wanted the models oriented around a central x, y, z axis so they could put them on turntables. A proprietary tool called set buster made it possible.
“Set buster allowed us to export models from Maya and still preserve their placement in the set,” explains Johnson. “Once the models were approved, we gave the layout artists the position of the lamp on the table and the chair in the apartment on the eighth floor.”
Smith uses the word “stylism” to describe the design style, the look of the environments and characters. The story drove the design.
“If you have a relationship between a bee and a human, you can’t have them look realistic because that would just be icky,” Smith says. “So, it was tricky getting it right. We painted everything stylistically. But we lit it in a realistic fashion.”
Vanessa was the most difficult for the artists, according to Cooper. “We finally hit on a Photoshop painting that everyone gelled around which had the right quality for her skin in terms of specular and texture,” he says. “We made sure her textures came from sources that weren’t photos of skin.” They used, for example, electron scans of aluminum pieces and other images with organic patterns to create skin textures in a non-photorealistic style. For her shoulder-length hair, the team borrowed technology developed for Shrek the Third (see “Merry Tales,” April, pg. 12).
The bees were simpler, except for their wings and their color. On previous films, artists had used a volumetric approach to simulate the look of fairy wings. But, bees beat their wings thousands of times a second, and the volumetric approach would have been too expensive. Fortunately, Bee Movie’s stylized look worked to their advantage.
“We took inspiration from dry-brush animation,” says Cooper. “We scattered particles across the wings, and then swept through the arc of the wing and motion-blurred those particles. That gave us a streaky quality rather than a spread-out fan of wing blur.” To heighten the look, they also added specular highlights and glints inside the wings.
Having a method for quickly creating wing blur by using the studio’s particle renderer was particularly important for shots with thousands of bees. In one scene, for example, approximately 750,000 bees land a jet with help from another 350,000 bees on the tarmac creating flower patterns to direct the landing.
The crowd animation team used a typical rule-based crowd system for small swarms and bees walking in the city. For swarms in the thousands, they used a particle approach, rendering the bees in the studio’s proprietary particle renderer.
As for color, although the bees had a more cartoony style than the human characters and, thus, simpler textures, their color was finicky. “At the right hue, Barry was sunny, golden, happy to look at,” says Cooper. “A shade redder and he looked sunburned. A shade greener, you wanted to throw up. We walked a fine line getting the yellow balanced in every scene and every environment.”
The beehive, built with beeswax and honey (see “Honey, Honey,” pg. 21, and “Waxing Rhapsodic,” pg. 22), caused similar problems. If everything was golden, there was no contrast. “We had lots of warm, yellowish golden surfaces, but the time of day often dictated cooler light,” says Mike Necci, one of six lighting and CG supervisors. “Blue lights on yellow surfaces turn the surface green.” A special shader let the lighters use what they called “Tint” lights, with which they could control the surface color on a light-by-light basis.
For cloth, the character effects artists used Syflex to handle costumes for the humans and the bees. In one scene, a bee stings the lawyer for the humans during Barry’s court case, and the lawyer rolls around on the floor. “It was hugely difficult,” says Cooper. “We had to simulate a loose suit jacket with a character on top swinging around. We accomplished it by simulating two or three versions and blending them by hand.”
In another shot, “pollen jocks” bring Barry a jacket and help him slip his arms into the sleeves, put it on, and zip it up. “You usually don’t see a character in an animated film put on a piece of clothing because it’s really difficult,” says Cooper.
The pollen jocks also contributed to one of the most difficult shots in the film: the pollination of Central Park. Modelers created the basic shapes of the trees in the park, and then effects artists, using the studio’s procedural modeling tool kit, sprouted branches, leaves, and blossoms within those shapes. “Once we developed the rules for the look we wanted on one tree, it was easy to transfer the system onto trees,” says Allen Ruilova, lead effects artist. “The big thing was getting the growth to fit within the shapes and still look realistic.”
As the sequence begins, the camera is on a bicycle path. The trees are bare. Then, the pollen jocks fly into the scene spraying pollen from their backpacks like crop dusters. The camera pulls out and rockets into the sky to reveal a complete view of the park as it comes alive and blossoms.
It’s an apt metaphor for the production, as well.
“That shot taxed everyone, from modeling and layout to lighting and effects,” says Cooper. “But the movie is full of shots like that. The scope and scale of the film was a massive challenge, and a whole lot of fun. It’s satisfying to work on something for three years and then see it bloom.”
Barbara Robertson is an award-winning writer and a contributing editor for Computer Graphics World. She can be reached at BarbaraRR@comcast.net
We discover the Honex factory early in the film when we follow Barry as he learns about his job possibilities. In the factory, the bees operate such contraptions as a centrifuge and distillery, pull the honey like taffy, and scrape honey from honeycombs. The honey runs through factory tubes into tanks. It even fills swimming pools on the bees’ balconies. Effects artists generated the honey’s motion; the lighting department applied the shaders.
“The directors wanted to give a sense that we see the honey in various states of production,” says Allen Ruilova, lead effects artist. “We needed to create motion in different levels of viscosity, from runny nectar to honey.”
DreamWorks’ proprietary fluid simulator, FLU, allowed the artists to adjust the viscosity of the honey, but it didn’t give honey the elasticity the artists needed. “Imagine that you’re pouring honey onto a flat surface,” Ruilova says. “It folds. The folds form, they hold for a second or two, and then they melt.”
To create those folds, the fluid had to retain its physical shape even though the fluid behind it pressed on it. When the pressure became too much, it had to release and flow. To add that elasticity to the fluid simulator, the crew relied on Adam Bartgeil, then at UC Berkeley, now a post-doctoral fellow at Carnegie-Mellon University. Ruilova calls the result “visco-elasticity.”
“If you keep making a viscous fluid more and more viscous, it just looks slower,” Ruilova explains. “Visco-elasticity allows for a play between viscosity and elasticity. They work in tandem.” The new technology was particularly useful when effects artists scraped honey off the apiary’s honeycomb walls.
For other shots, the artists used bubbles to create the illusion that honey moved through tubes and in tanks and swimming pools. To move the bubbles in tubes, Ruilova used a wire deformer and shaped a particle simulation. “The bubbles flowed along that shape,” he says. Rather than use a fluid simulator for the swimming pool, Ruilova created the honey using a flat surface deformed with noise and procedurally generated ripples. For shots of Barry swimming in honey, he surrounded Barry with a force field that pushed and pulled particles to drive bubbles that reacted to the bee’s motion.
To sell the look of honey, the artists used a shading system to change the color of honey based on its distance from a light or the camera. “The honey in jars at the supermarket looks richer and thicker toward the center more so than near the edges,” Ruilova says. “And the honey looks thinner on the steps going into the swimming pool than at the deep end.”
The effects artists also worked with new shaders to give the beehive a magical translucent quality. “You can attenuate and color-adjust as light travels through the volume,” says Mike McNeill, lighting and CG supervisor. Although subsurface scattering might have accomplished the same effect, it would have been burdensome to use that technique on such a large scale. The designers created everything in the hive with wax; it all needed a backlit translucent feel.
“The technique is based on generating depth map-based calculations from the light’s point of view,” says Mike Necci, lighting and CG supervisor. “That depth map is used to calculate falloff and the color of light as it passes through the surface. We had separate lights for transmission and for the surface; we could change how transmissive the surface was on a per-light basis. Doing this on a per-light basis gave us tremendous control over the subsurface glow and the color of light on the surface.” | <urn:uuid:8743e3be-492a-4ea7-8d4f-216eebd05441> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cgw.com/Print.aspx?Page=%2FPublications%2FCGW%2F2007%2FVolume-30-Issue-10-Oct-2007-%2FBig-Buzz.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962724 | 4,778 | 1.609375 | 2 |
A crossbow proving ground.
Printing with white ink is now such an integral component of the digital print services that Visual Marking Systems (VMS) in Twinsburg, Ohio, provides its clients, it will be one of the guiding considerations in all of the company’s future investments in digital.
“At this point I wouldn’t consider a digital printer without white-ink capability,” says Dolf Kahle, president of the 50-year-old firm. “We’re using white every day, probably more than any other color ink.”
VMS designs and prints branding solutions for OEM manufacturers, P-O-P displays, fleet graphics, and signage for public transportation. Its digital printer lineup includes five models with white-ink capability: an Inca Spyder 320+, Fujifilm Acuity Advance and Acuity HS X2, as well as a couple of narrow-format devices, the HP Indigo 5500 and its first white-ink printer, the Indigo S2000.
Its initial experiment with digital white ink wasn’t as a large-format solution, but to print single items in quantity. “A large segment of our business is in OEM decal, nameplate, or overlays with a large portion of those sub-surface-printed on a clear polycarbonate stock,” explains Ron Gizzo, director of R&D. “Graphics were becoming more detailed and requirements for short runs and shorter lead times were becoming common practice. This made printing white and orange ink a necessity for us.” He says the Indigo S2000’s “one-shot technology” streamlined production and proved the advantages of printing with white.
Then, by adding an Inca Spyder flatbed, the company added the ability to print with white on a broader range of materials.
“This allowed us to get into the direct printing market, and we began printing out products for our clients, laying down white, and then printing on top of that,” Gizzo says.
One customer, Horton Manufacturing, asked about the feasibility of printing directly to flexible polycarbonate crossbow limbs. Since the 2 x 8-inch limbs are supplied black, the job required laying down a layer of white on a 2 x 5-inch area before the Horton camo pattern and graphics could be printed on top of that. The Spyder’s 5 x 8-foot bed was loaded with 144 limbs for each run.
That job served as proving ground for the Inca Spyder, as well as the Fujifilm Sericol flexible white ink VMS now uses exclusively. And VMS continues to print those crossbow limbs.
“That experience made us look at what else we could do with white ink,” recalls Gizzo.
One recent project involved production of a P-O-P display for a manufacturer of wood fencing products. That client wanted to use 6-mm black expanded PVC for these heat-bent displays. Without the digital white option, VMS would have had to print smaller, display-sized sheets one-up white, then overprint with 4-color process on an analog press. Digital white, however, allowed for the direct-printing of several displays on each 4 x 8-sheet on the flatbed press, boosting efficiency and turnaround.
The company continues to find new applications for direct printing with white. For instance, VMS now prints a line of colorful, custom light switchplates for another client. As many as 250 of the switchplates are loaded onto the Spyder, then printed with white before the more distinct color graphics are applied.
“White opened up the possibilities for a lot of short run work that is really unique,” reports Gizzo. “Whatever the color of the material, you can lay it down, print a layer of white then print whatever you want on top of that.”
VISUAL MARKING SYSTEMS
For more on white ink's possibilities, check out these shop profiles:
The Decal Source: On course with NASCAR.
PSP: Short-run solution, long-term benefits.
Superior Graphics: Awareness of new possibilities.
Unicorn Graphics: Finding a new level.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine. | <urn:uuid:ebbcb969-3622-4a36-a85e-913a679959b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bigpicture.net/content/integrating-white-ink-visual-marking-system | 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 | 0.933276 | 901 | 1.507813 | 2 |
SurgiVision (NASDAQ:SRGV) is a biotechnology company that makes medical devices which allow surgeons to conduct minimally invasive brain and heart surgeries. SurgiVision's products use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) guidance to help surgeons perform complex surgeries without conducting an open surgery.
However, as of its IPO, none of the company's products are ready for the market. The company's most advanced product, ClearPoint, which provides surgeons guidance for brain surgery, is pending 510(k) regulatory approval. The company's other two products are still in the development phase.
There is a fairly high demand for such types of surgery. Patients desire them since they leave a much smaller scar, decrease the chance of infection, decrease the recovery time, and mitigate the trauma of a full scaled surgery. While doctors are currently able to conduct minimally invasive surgeries without MRI guidance, the procedures are often very complicated, last longer than normal surgeries, and are very risky. This means that in order for the surgery to be properly conducted, the surgeon must be well trained and experienced.
The company's initial public offering is expected to occur during the week of July 26th on the NASDAQ. The initial price range is $9-$11 which is lower than the original range of $13-$15. The company will offer 2.5M shares, making the total deal approximately $25M. The lead underwriters for the deal are Conaccord Genuity and Rodman & Renshaw.
As of fiscal year 2009, SurgiVision has not been cash flow positive since none of its main products have made it to the market. In 2009, the company's net loss was $4.3M. The company had also accumulated a debt $38.5M due to its high research and development costs associated with developing a biotechnological product. | <urn:uuid:41ddf6b9-63e4-42f6-b515-4a1ab88831ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/SurgiVision_(SRGV) | 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 | 0.969524 | 380 | 1.671875 | 2 |
We have just launched a new website which being deploy exactly from our development server. There are constant changes on the source code where our programmer always need to do some debugging stuff which being reported from our users. The problem I face frequently is every time they want to sync the new PHP code, [...]
I have a user which having problem after removing CentOS partition (using partition manager) in a dual boot PC with Windows Vista. The problem rise after that and Windows Vista simply unable to boot due to missing MBR. Since I have no Windows Vista installation disc anymore with me, I need to use some other [...]
We just received a new storage server from DELL which will be used to host web server cluster. We will use Openfiler, a free NAS/SAN operating system to manage our RAID-10 storage.
The problem we have now is our storage server has no optical drive and we do not have any external optical drive available [...]
LVM snapshot is an exact copy of an LVM partition that has all the data from the LVM volume from the time the snapshot was created. The advantages of this is that we can get reliable backup in a small matter of time without suspending the MySQL service. Normal backup using mysqldump or mysqlhotcopy will [...]
MySQL is preferred to be run on XFS file system due to its performance on direct IO. Even though many benchmarks have already come out with the latest Linux default file system Ext4 versus XFS, it still convenience to use this file system for our MySQL data directory.
XFS is not come by default in [...]
Cloud storage nowadays has create a trend on storing and accessing data from any where around the world. 2 most popular cloud storage providers are Dropbox and Box.net. In this post, I am going to show you on how to mount Box.net account inside the Linux box. You are required to have a Box.net account, [...]
I have a situation where there is one critical website under our company server is critically need to be sync to our backup server. Sync means whatever changes happen in master server, it will replicated to slave server. Yes, you can rsync. But, I do not want to schedule the task as cron to sync. [...]
Usually, when we want to replicate or synchronize files between network, we will use rsync, scp or sftp. This kind of replication is one-way replication method, it will sync from master (source) to slave (destination) only. What about if we want to have 2 folders which both are masters? So we need a two-way replication [...]
The best server maintenance practice is to have all software run up-to-date by following the latest stable release. Most of our servers are has been upgraded to CentOS 6 from CentOS 5 (major release), but also need to upgrade from CentOS 6.0 to CentOS 6.2 (minor release) which usually comes by every about 4 to [...]
My developer team requesting me to mount an external FTP account into our web server so they can do file manipulation process between them. To achieve this, I need to mount FTP as file system, so they transparently not realized that they are browsing to an FTP account which has been localized into the server.
In this tutorial, I will show you on how to mount a same partition in different servers. We will use RedHat Cluster Suite which available in CentOS repository, with GFS2 file system. The server architecture will be as below:
The file server is run on Openfiler, and we will use [...]
- iOS 7 likely to be flat ... and black and white? - NBCNews.com 24 May 2013
- A Best-Selling Phone? It's Not Just a Good Phone - New York Times (blog) 24 May 2013
- Microsoft refutes reports about Xbox One used game sales - CNET 24 May 2013
- Why Google's Display Ad Business Drew FTC Antitrust Probe - Forbes 24 May 2013
- Russia's leading social network banned by 'mistake' - Toronto Sun 24 May 2013 | <urn:uuid:54ae99a1-b6bd-44ff-999f-0171e54cbb52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.secaserver.com/category/filesystem/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93859 | 835 | 1.59375 | 2 |
A trio of students took the top three spots in the second annual Constitution Day Essay Contest, sponsored by the Redlands Sunrise Rotary and the 4400 Project.
Citrus Valley junior Daniel McFarland of Highland took first place, senior Jonathan Roberts of Highland placed second, and junior Marissa Montoya of Yucaipa came in third.
This year's contest, held from Sept. 17 to Nov. 1, asked high school-aged students from Redlands schools to write an essay on the Constitution and its history.
Entries were judged on historical accuracy, grasp of the subject, presentation, grammar and spelling.
A committee was formed to read the entries, which took about two weeks, said Terri Wimer, project coordinator for the contest and the 4400 Project.
All the participants names, ages and school information were kept under wraps, she said, adding that it was later revealed the winners came from the same school.
"We read each and every essay. We basically went two weeks doing nothing but reading, and it was a joy," she said. "The quality was exceptional, and I enjoyed it."
Although the three Citrus Valley High students were informed that they'd won the contest, where they were placed was kept under wraps until Tuesday's City Council meeting.
"It was great (to find out I won)," Daniel said. "It was also great, too, because Jonathan and Marissa are friends of
The Citrus Valley High junior said he'd learned about the contest when Wimer stopped by the school to advertise the contest.
Daniel said he spent several weeks brainstorming ideas before settling on a prompt and writing the essay.
"It was pretty neat to be able to just write an essay about something that's interesting and important like the Constitution," he said.
In addition to taking home the bragging rights, Daniel also received a $1,000 prize.
Jonathan received a cash prize of $500. Marissa received $250.
Wimer said she is hoping the excitement that surrounded this year's contest will roll over to the next.
She said the 4400 Project is working on similar contests for lower grade levels.
The idea is to get people excited about history, she said.
"We want to support the schools, the curriculum and the teachers as best we can and to make history fun - especially our early American history," Wimer said. "And by offering money and prizes, we hope to stimulate that interest and a motivation to learn."
CHVS teacher Vanessa Aranda also took home a prize for being the teacher who submitted the highest quality of essay entries to the contest, Wimer said.
The 4400 Project is a group of local citizens from all walks of life focused on youth and education, with an emphasis on American history.
To learn more about the contest or the organization, visit 4400project.org.
Reach Kristina via email, call her at 909-793-3221, or on Twitter @TheFactsKris | <urn:uuid:e7ad2d6d-ad5b-4a7d-926c-7e7224884ab9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/homeandgarden/ci_22051635/citrus-valley-high-students-take-top-prizes-constitution | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982825 | 621 | 1.578125 | 2 |
A more instructive article would be one profiling people who did get into Harvard but ended up total losers anyway. This would teach more vividly that fate is arbitrary, nothing is a free pass, and it’s never too late to fail.
Telling people, especially kids, “no” must be the least pleasant part of an Admission Officer’s job. Still, from the rejection letters I’ve seen, they do it badly. The emphasis tends to be defensive—all about how hard they worked, how carefully they studied each applicant’s materials, and so on. Frankly, I would rather hear at that moment that the decision was essentially random, the process was wildly inconsistent, and I might well have been turned down because the assistant dean didn’t care for his lunch that day. I imagine that this is closer to the truth anyway, especially at schools that pride themselves on minimal reliance on test scores. Even if most applicants can be rejected on a reasonably objective basis, and a few are sure-fire admits, there must be at least three or four applicants for every space who are more or less indistinguishable.
My own sermonette on this subject, which I like to deliver before the envelope arrives rather than after, has two parts. One is that where you go to college or graduate school probably will affect your life and career, but not in any way you can predict. At any good college you may be inspired by a teacher and find your vocation. Or you may meet the love of your life. Or you might get strung out on drugs, or hit by a bus. In terms of how they affect your overall lifetime happiness, these chance factors are far more important than the difference between one good college and another. We obsess about this college versus that only because that’s the only factor we can obsess about.
Second, just think about how much harder it is to get into any particular college than it used to be. There’s something complacent and a bit obnoxious about the common observation, "You know, I probably couldn’t get in today." But this bromide is truer than most of those who repeat it realize. Just consider:
- As recently as the mid-1970s (and yes that is, too, recent) most Ivy League schools excluded women or, like Harvard, effectively restricted them to a fifth of each class through the fiction that they went to a different school (Radcliffe). Coeducation alone doubled the competition for a place at, say, Yale.
- White males, who had a virtual monopoly on places at top schools, now must share with African-Americans, American Indians, Latinos, and so on. These minorities now add up to more than half of Harvard College admissions. Without getting into any arguments about standards or fairness, or quotas, we can note that simply opening the institution to previously ostracized groups increases competition for everybody else.
- The population of the United States has increased by half in the past 40 years, from slightly over 200 million to slightly over 300 million. That increases competition from within the United States by half.
- Competitive-admission colleges have greatly increased the number of students they take from abroad. (They say this is for a diverse and interesting student body, but in part it is that the foreign students they take are the ones who can pay full freight. Not many Americans can anymore.) At Harvard, the share of foreign students has about doubled, to a bit over ten percent.
- On the other hand, the size of a Harvard class has increased by about ten percent.
There. Feel better now?
More From Michael Kinsley
'Vicious' Inflation and National Debt (6/14)
Nausea, Henry James, and Lord Byron (6/11)
Worthwhile Canadian Initiative (6/9)
Risks, Large and Small (6/7)
Discrimination in the Top Tax Bracket (6/03)
A Grain of Salt (6/02) | <urn:uuid:d20d7001-b38f-42cf-a355-edbf6f0648d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2010/06/the-envelope-please/17672/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965107 | 831 | 1.625 | 2 |
Expectations high for next-generation 'ultrabook' computers
News On Japan via Mainichi -- Apr 04
Major electronics makers are working to put out thin, light, next-generation laptop computers called "ultrabooks," which are being seen as a new product category following the spread of tablets.
On March 13, Dell began selling its first ultrabook, the "XPS13," which is six to 18 millimeters thick and weighs around 1.4 kilograms, for a direct-to-consumer price of 89,980 to 129,980 yen.
It carries a high-performance Intel CPU and boots up in eight seconds. Yoji Harada of Dell's marketing headquarters says, "It's a product that holds the fate of the company. It can satisfy on all fronts."
Taiwan's Asus, America's Hewlett Packard and other companies have entered into the ultrabook market. By the end of March, Lenovo Japan had put two models on the market. A slim design and ability to charge the battery halfway in 30 minutes are offered as sales points.
Amongst Japanese makers, Toshiba was the first to enter the market in November last year. A new model in February carries a 13.3 inch monitor and is the lightest available model on the market at around 1.1 kilograms. The keyboard glows, allowing the device to be used in the dark.
From late March, Onkyo began selling an ultrabook with its music-playing software installed for a direct-to-consumer price of 89,800 to 114,800 yen. Panasonic, Fujitsu, and Sony are also moving forward with development of ultrabooks.
|| Nagoya Castle structures restored |
| || At the Nagoya Castle compound in central Japan, restoration work has been completed on the entrance and reception room of the main residential building for the first time in 70 years. (NHK ) |
|| Tokyo cops bust casino in Shibuya |
| || Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday raided an Internet casino in Shibuya Ward for offering illegal gambling. (Tokyo Reporter ) |
|| X Japan waxes lyrical at Madame Tussauds debut |
| || This Monday, members of the seminal metal band X Japan were in Odaiba rubbing shoulders with the likes of Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga and AKB48′s Yuko Oshima. The catch? They were all made out of wax. (Japan Times ) | | <urn:uuid:3d6c3c26-672d-49d3-822a-a88686cefcd4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/95714.php | 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 | 0.958464 | 506 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Quite frankly sometimes this obsessive focus on jhana tends to be a distraction. While jhana may be for some something fairly easily achieved, for most lay folks, if it is not out of reach, it is very difficult.rowyourboat wrote:I would like to ask the gentlemen here to consider that jhanas (the absorbed type) can arise from both samatha AND vipassana. Sati leads to samadhi. The presence or absence of panna is the difference. I have yet to meet a dry vipassana master who wasn't able to give rise to jhana. There IS only jhana mentioned in the suttas - without the 'samatha' or 'vipassana' qualification.
What the Burmese vipassana tradition recognizes is that, at least for the attainment of sotapanna, the level of concentration involved is far more accessible and does not require the preoccupation with all the bits a pieces of "attainment" that seems occupy the jhanika's efforts.
An interesting point, however, is that while there are dangers in the vipassana practice, the dangers of jhana practice, especially on one's own, are far greater and far more insidious.
That is not quite so, as has been pointed out by any number of others here at length.There IS only jhana mentioned in the suttas | <urn:uuid:de938c67-8f9c-480a-95a8-7c30214971c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=137769 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959267 | 294 | 1.726563 | 2 |
You’re always asking us for new kids’ apps and here’s our latest picks. My four-year-old was like a duck to water when we got our iPad and he’s been furtively trying out the latest batch.
The standout favourite was the interactive story book Slice of Bread goes to the Beach by Glenn Melenhorst. As you may already know, I have a fondness for a quality app with Australian accents and content. My son really enjoys them in particular, seeming to prefer the familiar accent.
Slice of Bread goes to the Beach is about just that! He’s quite an endearing bit of bread and he has a few hiccups along the way. You can choose for the story to be told, or use it like a traditional story book where you do the reading.
The app has some quirky features that your child can access while the text is read so make sure to tap around the screen to see what happens. My boy loves this aspect of the app, but I won’t let on what they are so you too can be surprised! It’s $2.99 from the App Store and will suit children of all ages, depending on how it’s used.
Next up is Ani’mots which suits older children up to about age eight who have basic, emerging and sound literacy skills. It’s a cute crossword app with lots of different puzzles of varying animal name difficulty (there’s a koala in there!) and is a great way to introduce your child to an absorbing hobby. Features include audio to check letter and word sounds and customisable functions.
Games for Kids is a really attractively presented app with appealing graphics and six games (see above) that kids love. You get used to the rather overt American accent in no time and the games are engaging for both older and younger children thanks to the three levels of difficulty.
This app facilitates opportunity for interaction between an adult and child, or an older sibling and younger child as strategies can be discussed and help with reading can be provided if the audio for doing this is not selected. The games can be played in six languages so if you have a bilingual (or more) household, you will find this very useful!
Games for Kids is 99 cents from the App Store. | <urn:uuid:81afb54c-4730-4fb3-bd5f-8dbda175dc65> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://babyology.com.au/miscellaneous/three-new-ipad-apps-for-the-kids.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956614 | 484 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Here’s a tip if you want to find the weird stuff at CES: Skip the biggest booths and head for the products that aren’t available in the U.S.
That’s where you’ll find things like the Isee200 eye and brain massager, brought to you by China-based Shenzhen Breeze Technology Co. It’s a pair of goggles with about 16 rubber stubs inside that, when turned on, gently vibrate around the eye — a strange but surprisingly relaxing effect. And like everything else here, it plays music, too.
Breeze Technology specializes in eye-protection products, and its eye massagers draw on its technical expertise as well as traditional Chinese massage techniques, one of its sales brochures says. The company expects the device to retail for about $60 if it finds a U.S. reseller, a spokesman said.
Another Chinese firm, GPTech Industrial Co., is showing its Tachima line of backpacks with solar panels that will recharge your electronic devices. There are pockets for a laptop, cellphone and iPod, and removable panels power them up when exposed to sunlight.
The time needed to charge all your gear depends on the devices and light intensity, but a cellphone typically will be fully charged after about five hours, a spokeswoman said, with more time needed for something like a laptop. So if you’re lugging your mobile office around the beach in Europe (where most of Tachima’s customers are, she said), you’re in luck. | <urn:uuid:9913142e-5753-49ae-ba3b-71064f685c42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.wsj.com/ces2007/2007/01/09/time-for-an-eye-massage/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937429 | 322 | 1.546875 | 2 |
- Hits: 3653
By Brakhage: An Anthology. A DVD review by Brett Kashmere of legendary American avant-garde filmmaker Stan Brakhage's collection of film work including direct film animation.
Devon Damonte Interview by Eric Aron. Experimental filmmakers Devon Damonte talks about the making of his films showcased at the 2002 Maine International Film Festival. Damonte,considers himself to be an "abstract cameraless filmmaker".
Direct Animation Revolution Now! A 2003 exhibition of direct animation is discussed here with example frames from featured films.
Films by Devon Damonte.Watch selected segments of films Damonte makes by hand, without cameras, working directly onto film leader.
The Film Strip Tells All. An article by William Moritz about the evolution of the cameraless film making and includes example Quicktime movie downloads.
Firehouse Germany | 5:29 | Barbel Neubaueravg. An online example of direct animation. Rave-like, yet strangely soothing, this experimental film is great for a hypnotic break. The images were created by scratching and painting directly onto film.
Norman McLaren. Norman McLaren was a poet, for whom images, color, sounds and music had special resonances which he was capable of exploring in their entire range and magnitude. Today, more than fifty films remain as evidence of his gifts. He is well known for his cameraless film Begone Dull Care.which is a visual interpretation of jazz played by the Oscar Peterson Trio. Painted directly on film with Evelyn Lambart.
Music for the eyes: Stan Brakhage (1933 - 2003). Brakhage saw his films as a school of sight and as a source of visual experience. This site provides some stills from his direct animation explorations.
In Search Of The North American Direct Animator - Species and Variants by Devon Damonte."While most people with any knowledge of animation remember paint and scratch from the intro animation class, increasingly animators and experimental filmmakers are adopting this as a serious, unique genre of expressive artistic inquiry." | <urn:uuid:0952eb83-1fed-4cd9-aa5f-1c344ee3b409> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dreamsteep.com/writing/media-arts-production/180-cameraless-direct-animation-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94163 | 429 | 1.5 | 2 |
Headed into their worst showing since 2006, Lebanon’s real GDP growth numbers have plenty of company on the journey south. Fresh Central Bank data showed commercial bank deposits inched up only 0.56 percent to $113.8 billion in July, the slowest rate in six months. Total deposits grew by $629 million during the month, the smallest amount since the fall of the national unity government brought about deposit outflows in excess of $1 billion in January. Even the dollarization rate remained elevated at 66.7 percent in July compared to 62.9 percent at the end of July 2010.
Economists attribute the weak growth in economic and financial variables so far this year to domestic political disputes as well as regional uncertainty emanating from Arab uprisings. “Growth prospects started to deteriorate in September 2010, long before the Arab Spring, but the deterioration accelerated during the regional events early this year and following the collapse of the national unity government,” Dr. Mazen Soueid, chief economist at BankMed told The Daily Star.
Weak deposit growth dispelled arguments of the resilience of the banking sector in the face of a triple whammy, including heated domestic politics, Syrian turbulence and international market upheaval.
“Political instability in Lebanon has a direct impact on confidence and the country has one of the weakest records of political stability among peers,” said Purvi Harlalka, Fitch Rating’s credit analyst covering Lebanon in an interview with The Daily Star. At current growth levels, deposits are poised to register their slowest increase since 2006, while the sector had grown its deposits by 12 percent, 23 percent, 16 percent and 10 percent in 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007 respectively.
The measure is especially critical to the fiscal and economic stability of the country as the government relies heavily on commercial bank purchases of sovereign bonds to refinance maturing debt and fund its budget deficit. Harlalka warned that “Lebanon does depend on confidence and capital inflows, and these can change.” But unlike the region’s governments which are rushing to increase spending to cover the shortfall in indicators, Lebanon’s Cabinet is staring helplessly at the eye of the storm. “There isn’t much the current government can do to stimulate growth because the 2011 budget can’t be adjusted,” said Soueid.
Nevertheless, in the regional kingdom of the blind, a one-eyed Lebanon is king. Although the country has not been immune to foreign shocks, even meager economic growth rates of 2-3 percent place Lebanon in line with growth rates at major regional oil economies. In particular, the UAE and Kuwait are projected to grow at 2.8 percent and 3.1 percent respectively in 2011 according to a recent BofA-Merrill Lynch report, while Bahrain’s economy is seen shrinking by 2.2 percent. Furthermore, what economists described as a missed opportunity for Lebanon to attract more deposits during the Arab Spring has not been as much of a blessing for UAE as observers predicted. The Gulf country’s annualized deposit growth rate reached 14 percent in May, the latest monthly data available, compared to an annualized rate of 8.2 percent in Lebanon according to Economena Analytics calculations.
Therefore, deposit growth, albeit slower, is still viewed as a support factor by credit agencies, and as evidence of Lebanon’s ability to close the year with acceptable levels of economic and financial damage. “We affirmed Lebanon’s sovereign rating at B in July which was during the Syrian unrest. Unless events in Syria spill over into political instability or deposit flight in Lebanon, the rating is stable,” Harlalka said. But deposits can only go so far in supporting growth and stability, and indeed fall short of returning the country to it normal growth, which according to Soueid, is 7 percent in real GDP growth terms, “if you have the appropriate policies and given low regulation and a dynamic private sector.” | <urn:uuid:70bc54a5-3dca-4d2b-9f29-e41877628b45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albawaba.com/print/lebanon%E2%80%99s-growth-engines-losing-steam-391970 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948542 | 824 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Saturday, March 10, 2012
New Anime Reviews by Berlin Brown
Anime is Japanese animation. Animation that is not necessarily targeted for kids. In fact, some Animation can be pretty rough and make a 40 year old squirm. Basically, Anime has characters and culture, stories, plots. If you like interesting stories, then you will like most of the popular Anime.
What is the difference between Manga and Anime? I am American and usually just refer to anything that moves and is from Japan as "Anime" or Japanimation. But that isn't entirely accurate. There are some Anime TV series/movies that were Manga comic books in Japan and then made into movies. Manga to Anime. Manga is Comic Book in Japanese. If someone says, "Fullmetal Alchemist is a great Manga". I guess they could refer to the comic book version of Fullmetal or the TV adaptation. But normally they are referring to the comic book. Anime can be an animated series derived from a Manga.
Popular Adult Stuff
There are many genres of Anime. I like the adult themed stuff. Horror, Cyberpunk, Sci/Fi etc. With the adult themed Anime, you get similar story lines, violence and action that you would get from a Hollywood blockbuster. The difference is that the Anime is animated. When you think Cyberpunk, think Blade Runner. Cyberpunk focuses on technology, cybernetics, robotics but culture is at a lowpoint. Popular cyberpunk Anime focuses on wealth by big corporations but poverty is rampant among the lower classes. You see this with series like Ghost in the Shell, Akira and Ergo Proxy. Why cyberpunk? It is for those that like technology, sci-fi and a bit of nihilism.
What is some popular Anime?
Hell Girl (7/10), Darker than Black (8/10), xxx holic (7/10),
Ghost in the Shell (theme Cyberpunk, rating = 11/10) - Ghost in the Shell is the iconic Cyberpunk series. It is cyberpunk, alongside Blade Runner. I can't even review Ghost in the Shell. It is the best of the best and you should get as many of the TV series and movies as you can. I encourage you to watch every episode. That is my review. Ghost in the Shell is a story about cyborgs and robotics fighting crime. That is the core of the series. But my short synopsis doesn't do justice to the intricate story lines. Just watch it.
Ergo Proxy (theme Cyberpunk, 10/10) - Ergo Proxy is popular but not as familiar as Ghost in the Shell. It is Cyberpunk with a mix of fantasy, horror and sci/fi. It is a long series and has a solid, dark theme. Ghost in the Shell is a detective cyberpunk series. Ergo Proxy is more fantasy and dystopia. Most of the series involves the main character running from the oppressive society.
Monster (theme Detective, rating 8/10) - Monster is pretty basic detective/conspiracy story. A doctor is falsely accused of murder and other crimes. He goes on the lamb and tries to find the sadistic conspirator. I gave Monster a score of 8 because the stories are pretty basic and plain. But it still is an enjoyable series.
The Last Exile (theme Steampunk/Military/Flight?, rating 9/10) - What is steampunk. Somehow in Japanese Anime world, steam and diesel? can be used to fly planes and control machines. Generally these steam punk series target a fictional time period around the early 1900s. Ironically, you have steam powered robots and other machines that seem quite advanced. Anyway, The Last Exile is a steam punk/flight series that focuses on two friends that are caught up in a war. A lot of the series focuses on their relationship and how the war tears them apart. It is solid Anime. Good story, animation. At times, there is too much a focus on the drama of their lives as opposed to the war going on.
Pumpkin Scissors (theme Military/Detective?, rating 7/10)
Heroic Age (theme Science Fiction)
Other Notable Shows:
Black Lagoon (8/10, part fan service, lots of bad language)
-- From Berlin Brown
-- Vote Ron Paul 2012 | <urn:uuid:5fa0c9e4-a131-4229-ad0e-c8aa2b3afddb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://berlinbrowndev.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-anime-reviews-by-berlin-brown.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954003 | 886 | 1.679688 | 2 |
December 8, 2008
Montana Okays Doctor-Assisted Suicides
A state judge has ruled that doctor-assisted suicides are legal in Montana, the Associated Press reports.
"The patient's right to die with dignity includes protection of the patient's physician from liability under the state's homicide statutes," Judge Dorothy McCarter wrote in the ruling late Friday.
The state attorney general's office had argued that intentionally taking a life was illegal, and that the issue was the responsibility of the state Legislature.
Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Anders had argued the state has no evaluation process, safeguards or regulations to provide guidance or oversight for doctor-assisted suicide. The state also said it was premature to declare constitutional rights for a competent, terminally ill patient because the terms "competent" or "terminally ill" had yet to be defined.
Amy Beth Hanson writes, "McCarter's ruling makes Montana the third state after Oregon and Washington to allow doctor-assisted suicides. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that terminally ill patients have no constitutional right to doctor-assisted suicide but did nothing to prevent states from legalizing the process." | <urn:uuid:ae00d6a3-cc94-4059-beec-7c3b089caa78> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2008/12/montana_okays_d.html | 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 | 0.961429 | 232 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Statement by the Minster for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, T.D. on the Use of Baton Rounds in Northern Ireland
The Minister for Foreign Affairs welcomed the announcement today by the British Government that the baton round would no longer be used after the end of this year, in the event that an acceptable, effective and less lethal alternative becomes available.
Minister Cowen also welcomed their intention to expedite the work of the research programme into less lethal alternatives to the baton round, a programme which was recommended by the Patten Commission.
“This is a significant announcement which places on record the British Government's intention to end the use of baton rounds within the year, if possible. It is also a timely development, given the very serious concerns voiced by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission yesterday about the safety of baton rounds and shortcomings in the systems of accountability governing their usage.”
“The Government shares these concerns. Since their introduction in the early 1970s, we have had grave reservations about the use of baton rounds in public order situations in Northern Ireland and, more so, in the light of the fatalities and serious injuries caused.”
“As Patten recognised, this has been the most controversial aspect of policing. It has undoubtedly contributed to the deep alienation of many in the nationalist community from the police. This is only now being overcome through the progressive implementation of the Patten reforms. Today's announcement will bolster this process.”
“We can now realistically look forward to the day when baton rounds will no longer be used on the streets of Northern Ireland.”Top | <urn:uuid:a1a5e84a-cb27-46c9-bcfb-1656f0810ff6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=26082 | 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 | 0.947722 | 332 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Parangikkai is red pumpkin in Tamil.There are a number of dishes made out of this vegetable(it is called mathan in Malayalam/Kerala) especially in Kerala.This is a very traditional dish I learnt from my grandmother.It is somewhat like Araichuvitta Sambhar with little variation.As the name says suggests, sour taste is dominant in this dish.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Ammini Kozhukattai's or Mini(mani)Kozhukattai's are usually made of leftover outer dough of the Kozhukattais we make during festivals.This is the tastiest of the kozhukattais (according to me)so I would be waiting for my grandmom and aunts finish making the other kozhukattais.so if there is any leftover I would get to taste this.
I made this today with rice flour just to snack.There are lots of recipes for this and my version is as follows.
It is a very healthy snack for kids and old people because it is steamed.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
One more bold attempt in baking.After seeing the lovely posts about these buns I thought I should also try. I tried it out a couple of times and then got it somewhat right, after which I got the confidence to blog it .I have eaten this stuffed bun in one of the kids birthday parties.It was really new to me, at that time. Now I am comfortable making them.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The temperature is rising and I can see watermelons everywhere.They are so colourful to look at. So, I decided to make some juice for myself and some ice cubes and popsicles for the kids.As I have mentioned earlier, my kids are not fruit-friendly so I really have to make something different and interesting to make them eat fruits.
Watermelons are not only tasty, but they have very high nutritive value too.It is a good source of vitamin C and vitamin A like many other fruits.This fruit contains anti-oxidants which help you fight diseases. Rich in Potassium, it helps maintain body electrolyte levels and the Beta Carotene present protects you against Cancer. Another special thing about watermelon is Lycopene (a Carotenoid found in abundance in watermelon) which provides additional cancer fighting health benefits of watermelon.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
My daughter has been after me to make this pickle.I have been avoiding since it is too spicy and there is nothing healthy about it.I finally gave up and made this just for her to have a taste of it since she is at home studying for exams.It is really spicy and you can only have a pinch of it especially with curd rice.Of course you can have it with dosa or adai depending upon how much spice you can tolerate!!!good luck!!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Paruppu(lentil in Tamil) usili(crumbled) is nothing but lentils thawed with a vegetable.It is very popular accompaniment in the Tamil cooking and it is part of any grand menu.Usually it is made with Beans,cluster beans,banana flower,cabbage and carrot but i had this with capsicum in a wedding and i loved it.So gave it a try and came out so good!!!!If you are a capsicum fan you will surely love it!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Chocolate Lava Cake became very popular after domino's pizza introduced it.Whenever we order pizza from Domino's I could miss the pizza slices or the garlic bread but definitely not the chocolate lava cake.It is so yummy!!!!
There used to be days when i used to be terrified about baking .now a days after seeing all the wonderful recipes in the blog i have started to bake little things.one such attempt is the lava cake.i got the recipe from
Thursday, March 1, 2012
"Kunukku" or spicy Lentil Fritters is another traditional recipe.It is a perfect fried snack for a rainy day.You either make the dough specially for this or you can even make this with left over "Adai"mavu.Either way it tastes great .
You can deep fry it according to the original recipe or pour it in the kuzhipaniyaram tawa in which you avoid the oil part of it.I have deep fried it now according to the original recipe!!!!! | <urn:uuid:b86c3af2-68b3-4c5a-aef4-34d80dd6cdf5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.umakitchen.com/2012_03_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961263 | 949 | 1.804688 | 2 |
OTTAWA - Canada's recent strong jobs performance slowed to a crawl in October, as the economy managed a meagre 1,800 new jobs, not enough to nudge the unemployment rate off 7.4 per cent.
But it was the surprisingly strong number south of the border that impressed economists, with the U.S. reporting an above-consensus 171,000 additional jobs, all in the private sector.
As well, U.S. employment for September and August were revised upwards.
"The big story today is the U.S. job numbers, which generally were better than expected," said Doug Porter, deputy chief economist with BMO Capital Markets.
"We're not pounding the ground on this one, but between the upturn in the housing sector in the U.S. and somewhat better jobs picture, there are more grounds for optimism and that will spill into Canada."
The Canadian dollar jumped on the news and was up 0.23 to 100.57 cents US in mid-afternoon trading.
The muted Canadian performance was expected by economists, who calculated that following two outsized months when over 86,000 jobs were created, some payback was in order. The consensus was for a 5,000 gain, but some estimates were much higher and others predicted a decline.
Analysts reasoned with the economy known to be growing below two per cent, such monthly job increases were unsustainable.
In a statement sent to the media, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty took comfort in the fact there was still some life in the labour market, although he said too many Canadians still cannot find jobs.
"While this monthís numbers are modest, Iím pleased to see our economy continues to create jobs," he said. "We have more than 820,000 net new jobs created since July 2009, with most of those full time and in the private sector."
Mid-2009 marked the beginning of Canada's recovery from the deep recession that was sparked four years ago by a Wall Street financial crisis.
Scotiabank economist Derek Holt said Canada's jobs performance last month was a mixed bag.
"The optimistic angle is that recent job growth has been retained against concerns that a pay-back would ensure," he explained in a note to clients. "(But) Thatís still possible over coming months."
He added that a key discouraging factor was the drop in total hours worked by 0.3 per cent in October, which will weigh on average incomes.
Meanwhile, the number of unemployed rose by 16,200 because more Canadians joined the work force during the month than could find jobs.
Other elements of the Statistics Canada report also pointed to overall weakness.
Employment in the private sector ó regarded as the most indicative of economic strength ó fell by 20,300 jobs.
Those was offset by strong gains of 36,900 in the public sector while the self-employment category fell by 14,900.
The October result brings the total of jobs created in Canada over the past 12 months to 229,000, all full-time, for a gain of 1.3 per cent, slightly below the growth rate in the economy.
In testimony before House and Senate committees this week, Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney described Canada's labour market record since the 2008-09 recession as better than most advanced countries, but still below par. He noted there are still more Canadians wanting work than jobs available and many Canadians in part-time work who desire full-time employment.
According to analyst David Madani of Capital Economics, that dynamic is unlikely to turn around soon.
"The worsening economic outlook suggests that private sector employment gains in the coming months are likely to remain modest, with the unemployment rate likely resuming its upward trend," he said.
Statistics Canada said the biggest loss last month came in agriculture, which shed about 16,000 workers, while the biggest gain was in education services, which added 16,200. There was little change in the key industries of manufacturing, construction and natural resources.
Overall, the economy's goods producing industries lost 19,300 jobs, while the services sector added 21,000.
Regionally, there were as many provinces reporting increases in employment as decreases. The biggest gain was in Quebec, which saw 20,100 jobs added, while the biggest loss came in British Columbia, which reported 10,900 fewer jobs.
There were some notable swings in provincial unemployment rates, mostly due to the distribution of the 18,000 additional Canadians who were looking for work in October, as opposed to job gains or losses.
The unemployment rate rose by more than half a point in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Manitoba, while there were 0.3 percentage points drops in the rate in Quebec and B.C. to 7.7 and 6.7 per cent respectively. | <urn:uuid:f4666621-ce95-4286-809c-a64613b23242> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.weyburnreview.com/article/GB/20121102/CP02/311029948/-1/weyburn/job-gains-stall-in-canada-but-strong-us-numbers-boost-the-loonie&template=cpart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980363 | 987 | 1.609375 | 2 |
|Combe Haven Valley with one of many felled trees.|
Today I had a walk around Combe Haven and the site where the new road is to be developed. Even on a cold, frosty winters day it was stunning, tranquil, not much sound except the birds and the chainsaws slicing through the ancient trees that they would be resting in.
I only recently heard of the proposed road development even though I've lived in Hastings for ten years and take an interest in what goes on in this beautiful region. I feel that if I had fully understood the proposals I would liked to have had the opportunity to discuss alternatives. As well as other ways £100m could be spent to regenerate the area.
I am from Scotland originally and on visits back there I have been very impressed with the many developments to green spaces that are happening. One I visited recently is Mugdock Country Park. http://www.mugdock-country-park.org.uk/. There is a visitor centre, events all year round, workshops, rangers who visit local schools to help with the Government funded Eco Schools campaign http://www.ecoschoolsscotland.org/. But the most stunning thing is the miles of uninterrupted countryside, lakes and marsh land. Scotland's beautiful landscapes are world famous and bring in a huge number of tourists. This is another very exciting development: http://www.thehelix.co.uk/
I noticed that the area where the trees have started to be cut down is where the old Crowhurst to Bexhill rail link used to be. I read with interest the history of the rail closures under the 1963 Conservative Government. I was thinking that this old railway line would have made a perfect cycle path with the trees either side creating shade on a hot sunny day (which we are very lucky to have plenty of down here). It could have linked to the new cycle path that goes from Hastings to Glyne Gap and would have been a lovely ride through an unspoilt, unique landscape up to Crowhurst pub and Crowhurst community farm shop. It would be a safe, gentle cycle path that families and inexperienced cyclists could use. Many people these days are looking for holidays where they can exercise and enjoy some peace and relaxation and I think Bexhill with the Delawarr and the lovely new seafront, the new children's playground and improved cycling and recreational facilities could provide this and would be a big attraction. It would be great to see a heritage site here with educational facilities as I read that an archeologist claims that the world famous battle of Hastings was not at Battle but was very close to or on the route of the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road. There is nothing like this anywhere in the region.
In my time living in Hastings I have noticed that an issue that people struggle with is the long train journey to London. I know a lot of mothers who cope with children on their own most of the week while their husbands go up to London for work and stay there because the commute is too long. It is known that the fast train to London from Brighton boosted local economy and house prices shot up.I have heard rumours that there might be a fast train link. Is this something that will ever happen?
I don't drive and as a family we only recently got our first car. So for the past ten years I have been using public transport. I had to get two buses to get from my home to Glyne Gap swimming pool when my son was young. I preferred to go there because the water was too cold at the Hastings pool. A train station at Glyne Gap would have been so handy for me as I live near to Ore Station. If I'd had this option I would have used it. Also the bus that takes me from town to my home comes only once an hour. I had to time everything carefully. If I missed it I had to walk up to the West hill pushing the buggy with all the extra swimming things; quite a steep climb. It's so much nicer having the car to get about to these places now but if I had the option I would use public transport and cycle as much as possible. Are there any plans to improve public transport in Hastings and Bexhill?
I'm really saddened that the beautiful area I visited today is going to have a road and housing and another retail park. I'm concerned that this will be competition for businesses already existing in Hastings and St. Leonards, especially the town centres. I have noticed there are some empty shops in Hastings and St. Leonards as it is. And some new shops and cafes struggle and don't last long. Also, there already is a large retail park at Glyne Gap, Bexhill. I noticed that the bowling alley recently closed there. Since Bexhill has a mostly elderly population I was wondering who would work in the proposed new retail development? Or are you hoping people will drive there from Hastings?
Finally, I wanted to let you know about another issue that is affecting life for myself and a number of others; there are problems at Bembrook playground, off Old London Road, Hastings, with dogs running about off leads, being thrown down the slide and biting the flying fox. Many children have become terrified of dogs because of their experience of having a dog run up to them there. I have seen children develop phobias because of it. Also my dog was attacked by a dangerous breed there but was lucky just to have his ear punctured. A number of mums, myself included, complained about this. It is used by parents and children of Dudley, Sacred Heart and Castledown Infant Schools. It can get quite busy once school comes out on a nice day and this is when the frightening incidents with dogs have occurred. Also, one little girl wandered by a couple who were injecting drugs on a bench at the time the schools come out and the mother had to run after her. I have seen drug paraphernalia lying around as well as broken glass. This is another lovely big green space that many people worry could have discarded needles etc. I and a few others have written asking for help for the problems here. We were visited by a Ranger who said he didn't have resources to monitor what goes on, that there were only a few Rangers and they were already busy with Hastings Country Park. This is a shame as it's a job that's clearly needed. I really hope a child isn't injured. It would be nice to be able to visit this playground without so many frightening incidents, hostile encounters and dangerous situations. Is this something that you take seriously and if so can you give me a solution?
I work as a freelance illustrator for one of the UK's best-selling children's magazines. I also volunteer at my son's school helping the children with gardening projects and am applying for funding to help the school make better use of their outdoor space and to encourage outdoor learning. I also helped renovate a local Community Centre garden and with Ecominds funding set up a gardening group for people with mental health support needs. Amongst the many benefits, we were helping people who were long term unemployed feel confident enough to go back to work. I have a great interest in horticultural therapy.
And I have a blog here where I am going to write about Coombe Haven and show the photos I took there today: www.thegreenladyhastings.blogspot.com
The Green Lady | <urn:uuid:50bfde7b-be9f-4a52-8777-c3024e81d371> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thegreenladyhastings.blogspot.com/2013/01/were-on-road-to-nowhere.html | 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 | 0.985328 | 1,521 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Apostle Paul when dialoguing with others was conscious of his audience and tailored his discussion so that dialogue could take place. In Acts 17, while speaking to the Greek philosophers, Paul never once mentions Scripture, but instead addresses the people on their level. In fact, Paul's knowledge of the Greek thinkers allowed him to connect with the people by quoting two poets that the philosophers would have known about. Paul said nothing offensive to block dialogue, but went out of his way to present the gospel such that people could respond. In dialoguing in this way Paul gave freedom to the Holy Spirit to convict the hearts of the Greek thinkers, and this is exactly what happened.
When engaged with others, it is my opinion that dialogue needs to be open and free. Anytime, dialogue is hindered by personal blocks, it makes the spread of God's Good News that much more difficult. Paul stated, "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some (1 Cor. 9:22)." For Paul, the truth of God would never be compromised, but at the same time he realized the importance of keeping the communication lines open so that people could come to know the Messiah.
Two weeks ago, some Mormon missionaries came to my door. We had a wonderful conversation. I was asking a lot of questions and am praying that we can further the discussions in the future. I realize that my worldview and the Mormon worldview are worlds apart on many different levels. I choose to dialogue with my Mormon friends, because I believe so strongly that they are not in line with God's truth. Because of my belief, it is important to keep the dialogue lines open, and not shut them off in any way. | <urn:uuid:f3ef594f-aec9-4644-888c-a983ca161b66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://flatlandapologetics.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981668 | 366 | 1.734375 | 2 |
In the summer of 1958, Johnny Richards took his orchestra into a Warner Bros. studio in New York to record the soundtrack for a low-budget film that was being shot in Cuba. The movie was Kiss Her Goodbye, starring Elaine Stritch as a young woman who loses her sanity. Richards asked David Allyn to sing the title theme. More with David in a minute. [Photo of Johnny Richards in 1947 by William P. Gottlieb]
But when Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba in January 1959, he confiscated the film, which was still in production, as property of the revolution. The film was never released, and Warner Bros. promptly bagged the LP project. But as Todd Selbert writes in his liner notes to the newly issued Johnny Richards: Kiss her Goodbye (Uptown), Warner Bros. gave Richards a pre-pressing of the LP. I assume this is what was used for this new CD. Unfortunately, details about the source material and how Uptown came into its possession aren't included in the notes.
Richards is one of the finest high-concept orchestral composers and arrangers of the 1950s. His best known original, Young at Heart, was written for a Frank Sinatra film of the same name in 1954. As an arranger for Stan Kenton, he was responsible for Cuban Fire (1956), Back to Balboa (1958) and West Side Story (1961). His work as a leader was even more striking and bombastic. Two prime examples are Something Else (1956) and Wide Range (1957), which are easily among the finest band albums of the decade.
What makes Richards' style so special are his exotic instrumental textures and moody resolutions. A typical Richards song opens with cinematic drama—French horns or trombones with a ticklish piccolo or crystalline celeste. Then the bass might kick off the beat, with the trumpets, trombones, saxes and other orchestra instruments tearing off to the races. Instead of a blues base, Richards relied on a neo-classical approach that owed a debt to Impressionists like Ravel and modernists like Stravinsky.
Kiss Her Goodbye has all of these elements. Though the sonic quality of this CD isn't sterling due to the source material, it's still exciting music that has not been heard by the public. Here, Richards showcases his entire bag of tricks—the Latinesque sighing and swaying blended with knowing compassion and cigar-chomping aggressiveness.
In addition to the movie score, the new CD includes a track Richards is believed to have arranged from an album by Luis Tiramani's Orchestra called a Touch of Cuba, as well as nine tracks from broadcasts from New York's Birdland in 1959.
After listening to this CD yesterday, I gave David Allyn a call:
"Oh sure I remember recording Kiss Her Goodbye. I have the chart in my big band book. Johnny led a terrific band. His scores were always pretty wild, very heavy and very Kentonized. I enjoyed singing Kiss Her Goodbye and received a big applause from the band afterward. They dug it. [Pictured: David Allyn with Jack Teagarden]
"If I recall, Johnny had the brass playing in the upper register. My notes were half a step different from the brass parts. It was a hard song to sing, but great just the same. The song was written by Johnny, but I don't know who wrote the lyric. It could have been Johnny's wife, Blanca Webb.
"You really had to sing that chart. There was no fooling around there."
JazzWax tracks: Johnny Richards: Kiss Her Goodbye (Uptown) is available here. This is a highly worthwhile album. It should be noted that the Birdland tracks have never before been issued and should not be confused with the tracks released on CD years ago on Live in Hi-Fi by the Canadian Jazz Hour label. Those Birdland broadcasts were from 1957 and 1958.
Something Else, Wide Range and several other Johnny Richards albums are now available at iTunes.
JazzWax clip: There are no video clips from the new album on YouTube but I did find Long Ago and Far Away here, from Richards' Something Else. All of Richards' arrangements tended to be extremely difficult, and he typically brought in only the finest players and readers. For example, the trumpets here were Pete Candoli, Buddy Childers and Maynard Ferguson. The flugelhorn? Shorty Rogers... | <urn:uuid:f719ceef-7b59-4fc7-bd3f-f09aee28bead> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jazzwax.com/2011/08/kiss-her-goodbye-i-have-the-hart-in-my-big-band-book-great-band-johnny-richards-was-pretty-wild-very-heavy-very-kento.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 | 0.975944 | 935 | 1.75 | 2 |
Professor crosses cultures in seminar
"OK, let's get started," said Nilo Couret, a graduate fellow in the University of Iowa's cinema/comparative literature department. It was a Thursday night in November, and he began hosting a film session in 101 Becker Communication Studies Building by explaining the context and cultural nuances that define certain films from Latin America.
Couret hosted a weekly film screening for a seminar on Latin American comedy throughout the semester. The screenings were open to the public, but the discussion afterwards was geared toward students. Couret often fostered discussion by talking about subtitles and the audiences for which the films were made.
He sees his role as an instructor as a "tricky" one because of his status as a representative of Latin America.
"I'm responsible for the narrative to the cinema and the history of that region," he said later in his office.
Couret is an American-born citizen of the United States who speaks English with the same accent and speech patterns of a network news anchor. However, he also considers himself a Latino, because he was raised in Venezuela by Cuban parents. Although he has strong roots in different cultures, he initially tried to avoid filling the role of "Latino representative" when he began teaching at the UI.
"When I came to Iowa, I didn't plan to teach anything Latin American," he said. "I kind of wanted to avoid being typed as the person who does Latin America."
The 'National Geographic way of teaching'
Couret graduated from Columbia University. When he came to the UI, he quickly discovered that Latin American culture was poorly represented at the university. In instruction and dialogue, he was concerned people who didn't necessarily understand the context were the ones leading discussions on Latin America.
As a result, he chose to give his audiences the context behind Latin American films. He showed work from different time periods in Argentina, Bolivia, and a variety of other Latin American countries in an characteristically "National Geographic way of teaching," he said. He decided to focus this seminar on comedies in particular because he believed they were cultural lenses largely unknown to the rest of the world.
Couret is uniquely qualified to give the context behind these comedies. Corey Creekmur, a UI English and cinema/comparative literature associate professor who has worked with Couret, described him as a "cosmopolitan film scholar" who has a "keen awareness of the crucial distinctions between different Latin American national cinemas and their comic traditions."
Couret emphasized that many Latin American comedies are still unexplored representations of culture in film study.
"[The films] don't travel, they're not necessarily accessible to us in the same ways, and therefore, we don't know about them," he said. "They don't get written about, and then, they don't get taught."
But Couret stressed that comedy was hardly a medium with which to accurately present Latin American culture to UI students. Instead, he saw the course as more of a backstage pass into renderings of what Latin America may or may not be.
"It's more about understanding what it means for you to have access to this place at all," he said. "And making that question of access something worth studying."
In the theater, Couret explained the context and dimmed the lights. He began the film session by showing an episode of "Las Aventuras de Hijitus" ("The Adventures of Hijitus"), the tale of a small boy named Hijitus who transforms into a super version of himself to defeat villains. A few people in the 30-person audience laughed aloud at the clumsiness of the comic's oafish antagonists.
Couret noted that half the audience members are typically students. His belief is that the size of his audience affects the quality of the film screening and emphasized that a curious communal aspect to watching films amplified the overall comedic experience.
At times, he faced the challenge of explaining to students how authentically Latin American the comedies are to their specific cultures. Many films incorporate foreign influences and references, and some, such as ÁVampiros en la Habana! (Vampires in Havana!), prominently portray American villains who speak poor Spanish with exaggerated American accents.
But instead of trying to typify a comedy as representative or not of such a diverse Latin American culture, he noted that more could be gleaned from a comedy's original, intended audience than from the actual comedy.
"Somehow, the audience in mind is still a local audience," he said. "The language, the humor, the spaces, the kinds of references at times are foreign to you. It doesn't easily allow us to kind of just take a side in that debate."
Cultural discretion through subtitles
By the time Couret began playing the feature film, it was clear that many in the audience relied on the English subtitles at the bottom of the screen to understand what was being said. Most laughed after reading them, whether before or after characters had said their lines in Spanish.
For the seminar, Couret translated and subtitled approximately a quarter of the films, a process he described as painstaking and laborious. He estimated it took around an hour or more to subtitle five minutes of film.
But he has the disposition to subtitle films that were once available only to Spanish-speaking audiences. Steve Choe, a cinema assistant professor who has advised Couret in his doctoral work, described him as someone who is constantly thinking and has a lot of energy.
Couret has learned firsthand the importance of subtitles in preserving comedic effect across cultures and has encountered scenarios that call for a great amount of cultural discretion. It has also indirectly helped him make the students "aware of subtitling in a way they hadn't thought about it before."
"It has made me gain new appreciation for subtitling as labor that we never notice when we watch a film," he said wryly. "It's a lot of work."
He presented this scenario: If certain words used for comedic effect rhyme in Spanish but not English, how should they be translated? At what moment during a narration should the translation be inserted into subtitles to retain the timing of the joke? Will an American audience laugh at the joke or at the inaccuracy of the subtitle?
"It's been tedious," he said. "But at the same time, it's actually proven to be like a very creative way of trying to think about and work through the film."
Two hours after it started, Thursday night's film screening was over. Some people filed out of the room, students remained in their seats, and Couret moved center stage to begin facilitating the discussion.
At this moment, he once again began grappling with the question of his background. Should he have revealed that his parents were Cuban before discussing the Cuban animation director Juan Padrón and his film about vampires?
"Teaching the class as somebody who's from somewhere else has been interesting," he remarked. "One of the things that I struggle with is how much to foreground my personal experience."
He acknowledged that his experience as an instructor showed him that personal "markers of race, gender, sexuality, and class tend to change the way the conversation happens." Consequently, he has instead focused on discussing how comedy presents a "built-in difference" between cultures and carefully exploring his identity through the prism of his teaching.
Furthermore, because he aspires to teach and research after receiving his doctorate in film studies, he sees the seminar as a way to personally analyze the way his cultural experiences frame the way his students perceive him.
"Being marked in a very particular way, as a professor, I always wonder now if that is determining," Couret said before pausing. "I don't know if it is. That's one of the questions I have."
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Jewish World Review May 8, 2000 / 3 Iyar, 5760
Yet Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe -- whose books on constitutional law have been quoted by the Supreme Court more than those of any other expert -- said in The New York Times that Reno's raid "strikes at the heart of constitutional government and shakes the safeguards of liberty." Tribe, it should be known, believed that the boy should be reunited with his father.
On April 27, Ted Koppel's "Nightline" on ABC tried to bring light to this continuing constitutional controversy by presenting, for the first time, the man who led the raid: James Goldman, the Immigration and Naturalization Service's assistant director.
Unlike most "Nightline" shows -- and I've watched them since the program started, when American hostages were taken in Iran -- Koppel and reporters Chris Bury and Michel McQueen asked Goldman no searching questions. What they said on that program simply confirmed Goldman's story and the accompanying statements of Janet Reno and her deputy, Eric Holder. Clips of the other side's point of view were shown, but those who were in the house during the raid were not allowed on camera to ask questions of Goldman during his taped interview.
Koppel told me the next day that his intent was to be fair, but the result made "Nightline" a public-relations arm of the Justice Department during that crucial program.
For instance, Michel McQueen said flatly that the INS SWAT team had a warrant. Not a word about a point made by the internationally respected Washington Post columnist Jim Hoagland -- and others -- that Reno engaged in "blatant magistrate shopping to find someone willing to authorize the grabbing of Elian on a search warrant rather than through a court order." Hoagland, too, wanted the boy reunited with his father.
Moreover, there was no mention on "Nightline" of the charge by Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz and others that to be lawful, the raid would have had to have been preceded by a court order and an "adversarial hearing." "Nightline" did not comment on Dershowitz's statement that Reno's action, which was approved by the president, "endangers the rights of all American citizens."
"Nightline" omitted the fact that only three days before the raid, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused the Clinton administration's request to have Elian removed from the home of his relatives. Instead, the court scheduled Elian's first full day of due process in an American court for May 11. And on April 19, the 11th Circuit said that the boy's request for asylum in the United States "presented a substantial case on the merits."
None of this was mentioned on "Nightline," including the reasonable question of whether Reno acted so hastily because she feared losing her right to grab the boy after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case 13 days later.
On "Nightline," the head of the raid said that a show of force was necessary, but he was not pressed on whether there was an excessive use of force. Michel McQueen also used the benign term "show of force." "Nightline" might have interviewed NBC cameraman Tony Zumbado, who was kicked in the stomach by the INS raiders and was later hospitalized. "My soundman," Zumbado says, "got hit with a shotgun butt, dragged out to the fence, left there, and told that if he moved, they'd shoot."
"Nightline" went so far as to avoid asking James Goldman an eminently logical question when he said, of the AP photograph shown all over the world, that the finger of the border patrol officer holding the menacing gun was not on the trigger. Remember Elian's terrified face? Does Ted Koppel believe that the boy was watching where the trigger finger was?
To confirm Goldman's version of the raid, Chris Bury said on the program that "Nightline" had shown the photograph of Elian at bay to an independent firearms expert, "and he confirms what the INS says -- that the safety is on."
Koppel considered it essential to place that claim in a fuller context, however irrelevant to the reality of Elian's perception. But he saw no reason to include in the program the most fundamental context of the raid. Was it constitutional? Was the raid -- as Laurence Tribe says -- a decision by Reno "to take the law as well as the child into her own hands?"
I believe Ted Koppel intended to be fair. He's earned that reputation. But this is not the first time that a journalist has been eager to break a "scoop." In order to be the first one to present the story of the man in charge of the raid in his own words, Koppel rushed, as the INS agents did, to put this exclusive on the air shorn of the context viewers needed to know in order to judge for themselves the statements of Goldman, Bury, McQueen -- and Ted Koppel himself.
Koppel told me that he was focusing only on the raid. There was so much more to the taking of Elian than met the
05/01/00: In Clinton and Castro's best interests | <urn:uuid:dfbde930-ecec-409d-b856-b7726b72832a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/hentoff050800.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975289 | 1,090 | 1.539063 | 2 |
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Sleep in a room a little too warm
Sleep in a room a little too cold
Warm cozy feeling with my best blanket. :)
"A little too cold" Yet you interpret that as a "warm, cozy feeling"?
just wrap up in a blanket and your set. i agree
@Lewis It's called a blanket.
right? i can only sleep under like 50 pounds of comferters
The coldness of the room makes your blankets feel a lot warmer!
they said 'a little' how bad can it be
I LOVE my snuggly blanket JayGenz
@ Lewis its called body heat
@XxxxBlack.Veil.BridesxxxX you won't know until you live in a tropical island and have no air conditioner
Harder to sleep when its hot.
And sleeping in a slightly colder environment is good for you
and less chance for morning wood
You say it like it's a good thing.
theres not much you can do for being hot, but being cold, you can get all snuggly and happy under some blankets. ^_^
if you are hot, you cannot peel off another layer of skin, when you are cold you can always add another layer ^_^
of skin? That's talent
lol semantics... who thought they'd ever matter?
@Jess I think they meant blankets XD
Love cuddling under thick sheets when it's cold.
i like sleeping when it's hot
It says a little too hot. That's a little bit more hot than the already hot that you like, to where it is uncomfortable
Just add more blankets and put on heavier pjs but you can't take off your skin to get cooler.....well you can, but that's pretty gross.
Cold always beats hot
Cold improves the chance of nightmares.
Easier to sleep when it's a bit chilly.
That's how I like my bedroom anyway
i picked cold cause i like cold more than hot
if im hot i CANT sleep
You are more likely to get nightmares when its colder.
Why is that a good thing? lol
That's why you voted red, right?
I'd much rather have nightmares than no dreams at all....
You dream every REM cycle you go through whether you remember it or not. And it doesn't say you have to sleep there more than once or for longer than even 10 minutes. Also, blankets.
Emily, I Like being cold. Thanks for telling me what to do.
Dang girl ya don't gotta get your panties in a wad...
idk how me replying to my own comment is getting my panties in a wad.
wow came down, ur gonna start a bitch fight
That makes no sense lol
I sleep better when it's cold anyways.
I'm more comfortable sleeping while I'm a little cold.
a little too warm makes me toss and turn then i throw away my clothes and blankets, and its impossibru to sleep without at least one blanket
I like cold rooms
It's so much easier to warm up than to cool down. c:
I like the cold
You get all sticky and uncomfortable when it's hot. This is coming from a guy who's spent extended periods without AC due to power outages it's horrible!!!
I love sleeping when it's cold. Vastly and incomparably easier to get cozy in cold weather.
Yup,...nude is as far as I can go when it is too hot.
It's 100+ around here, and our AC went out last week. I don't want to go through that again.
Is better to be cold because when you cover yourself with a blanket it feels good
I hate when my room is hot so much, and it actually feels good when your room is little cold.
Its canada... its always a little too cold, but we have enough blankets to be warm and cozy :D instead of hot n sweaty
both won't be bad.. i have nice blankets
i love freezing my ass off
I sleep better cold
I love being slightly cold in bed!!!
Every night is cold for me because the window lets through a draft because it doesn't shut properly so I'd rather be warm for a change.
Accidently voted for the wrong one :'(
I can't sleep when I'm warm.
Finally my people everyone i talk to wants to be hot than cold
I do this anyways.
Fuck I hate going to sleep cold.
I deal with "a little too cold" nightly. A little too warm isn't as easy to counteract.
how about you just put heat for a little bit more
Lay your head on ALL the cold pillows!
tbh.. if I'm tired enough, I'll sleep in any condition.
easy to sleep when warm, not so much when cold
i hate waking up sweaty, so yeah as long as i can wrap myself up when its cold then i'd rather do that
Better for the brain.
When it's hot you can't really do anything about it, when it's cold, you can get all snugly in a blanket!
I always sleep in a room a little too cold. You can cuddle with your blanket and not get too warm.
at least I can get warm with a blanket...can't do shit if it's too hot
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186,890,691 votes collected
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The newly passed state medical marijuana law has city officials concerned about dispensaries being placed in the city and their effects on neighborhoods.
Illicit sales of marijuana are at the center of much of the city's violence, and police officials are concerned that the new law could mean an increase in targets for home invasions and other violence.
“The voters have spoken and the commonwealth will allow medical uses of marijuana,” City Manager Michael V. O'Brien said. “That horse has left the barn. Now the devil will be in the details as to how these regulations will be drafted by the state and what controls, oversight and enforcement provisions will be contained within. Like all, we are very sympathetic toward all that face such medical conditions that warrant this type of medical treatment.”
The Nov. 6 ballot question making Massachusetts a medical marijuana state says 35 dispensaries can be set up throughout the state. The state Department of Public Health is working on regulations.
Some communities have discussed bylaws to block the distribution centers from coming to them. At a recent town meeting, Wakefield passed a bylaw prohibiting medical marijuana centers in town.
The Worcester City Council has asked the city administration for a report on the state-sanctioned marijuana distribution centers and the associated zoning, permitting and other questions involved.
Councilor-at-Large Konstantina B. Lukes requested the report, believing that Worcester will most likely be a landing spot for one of the centers.
“Worcester cannot avoid being one of those locations,” she said. She believes it will be at least a couple of years before the measure is fully enacted, but has concerns about what a dispensary will do to the character of a neighborhood.
“The most sensible thing is to put the dispensaries in hospitals, but I'm not sure hospitals are going to want that responsibility,” Ms. Lukes said.
Mr. O'Brien understands the ballot question passed because voters had compassion for people, but said those who voted “yes” to the ballot question might not be the same people who would vote “yes” to a dispensary being placed near their homes.
The city has a multi-departmental internal team reviewing the issue. Included will be discussions with the council and community about their concerns. There are myriad questions city officials have about such things as zoning and enforcement of violations or abuse at the facilities.
“We are rightfully concerned. All the negative potential of this very well-intentioned legislation will manifest itself in our cities and towns,” Mr. O'Brien said. “The promulgation of these regulations must be closely watched and all must participate in the public hearings and public comment periods.”
Police officials are waiting to see what regulations and controls are put into place.
One special concern voiced by some police officials and by members of the vice squad is the regulation concerning the hardship portion of the law. It permits people to grow their own 60-day supply of the drug if they are allowed marijuana for medicinal use.
There have been home invasions in the city in which the theft of marijuana was a motive in the crime, the chief said. Of course those cases involved the illegal sale of the drug, but police are concerned people growing marijuana for medicinal purposes could become targets as well.
“The biggest safety concern is, are people going to become a target?” Chief Gemme said. “Also, are people going to grow it and sell it?”
The chief hopes the state takes input from local law enforcement agencies while putting the regulations together. His officials wonder how a 60-day supply of the drug is regulated for people allowed to have it under the law.
Areas surrounding dispensaries in other states with medical marijuana laws also have experienced crime at the facilities and around them, he said.
“This is a reality and we have to come up with a way to handle this new law but also enforce crime and keep the community safe,” Chief Gemme said.
Ms. Lukes said there is still the question of how the federal government will handle the new law. Federal law says marijuana is an illegal substance, but it is unclear how the federal agencies will deal with the new law here.
“This (law) is fraught with landmines,” she said.
The legalization of medical marijuana and the ability for people to grow it interrupt an illegal trade that has been profitable for those involved, Ms. Lukes said.
She anticipates a turf war between those who grow it under the new law and those involved in the illegal side of pot growing and selling. More violence could be the end result, she said.
There is a concern about who will receive medicinal marijuana. Opponents of the law argued there are loopholes in the law and there are too many possibilities for people to receive medicinal marijuana.
“I believe, along with many other people, that this is a backdoor way to legalize marijuana altogether,” Ms. Lukes said. | <urn:uuid:cf01fa92-d052-4c89-b553-5181c5a1df12> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.telegram.com/article/20121126/NEWS/111269975/0/SPORTS10 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969252 | 1,033 | 1.671875 | 2 |
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Request more information on this or any of Oakwood's more than 23,000 residences. | <urn:uuid:7df3373b-ac67-4bbe-9c21-2123eb40e1fd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oakwood.com/temporary-housing/furnished/US/LA/New-Orleans/prop13772.html?resultsPerPage=10&sort=avl&radius=25&furnished=true&bedrooms=1&petFriendly=false&startDateString=05/05/2012&endDateString=06/03/2012&altLocationIndex=-1 | 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 | 0.944048 | 212 | 1.585938 | 2 |
You know what I mean. Some books are just destined to become projectiles. But what is it that makes us want to hurl a book across a room?
For me, it's a blatant historical error. Now, no one is perfect, and I'm sure I've committed a few faux pas in my body of work. But getting the history right is something I always aspire to. Research is what I do for fun, so I may set a rather high bar of expectation for other historical writers and for the most part, I'm not disappointed. Historical writers are meticulous because we have to be. Our readership is probably the most knowledgable, most sophisticated of all the romance sub-genres.
That's why I was shocked to my curled toes to find a glaring error in the novel I started yesterday. Nothing will induce me to name the author, but she is a well-known NYTimes Bestseller with plenty of experience under her belt. You would recognize her name. I'll bet you've read her books.
But within the first few pages of this story set in 1824, she reveals that her heroine was adopted.
Impossible. Adoption was not practiced in the UK until well into the 20th century. Fostering, yes. Taking on a ward, absolutely. But no one adopted anyone legally because there were no laws dealing with it. It simply wasn't "the done thing."
Now this NYTimes Bestseller gives her readers the feel of the period. She uses all the right slang--phaetons driving neck-for-nothing and rakes trying to "turn the girls up sweet." She knows how to properly address a duchess. The fashions and food are all there in appropriate measure.
But underlying it all, there's something terribly important from history that's missing. How the people thought about themselves. The reason there was no adoption at the time is because bloodlines were everything to the upper crust. A man was born to a certain station and that was pretty much that. If he had a privileged birth, he expected lesser mortals to give way. It had nothing whatever to do with which of them was the better man. The higher ranking one was assumed to be.
In one of Jo Beverley's books (and she's someone whose historical accuracy I trust implicitly!), when her titled hero finds himself without shoes, he demands and gets the shoes off the feet of the man who just freed him from a rather nasty place of confinement. The other fellow--a stranger to the hero--doesn't hesitate for a blink. The man of rank is the one who, by right of birth, ought to have his shoes. How they perceived themselves dictated their actions.
History is more than the stuff people surrounded themselves with. It's what they read and thought about and believed about themselves and their world. That's what motivates their actions in a way that the mere outward trappings can't. I get excited when a writer gives me something more than a costume drama. I love to climb inside someone else's life and try it on, odd old ideas and all.
And no, I didn't really hurl the NYTimes Bestseller's book across the room. (The only one I've ever really done that to is Nicholas Sparks' Message in a Bottle because he resorted to making his hero an imbecile who did something completely out of character rather than have a happy ending and therefore be guilty of penning a real romance!) Once my hackles settled this time, I decided the bit of fluff Ms. NTTimes writes never hurt anyone and the story is charming.
But my sense of suspended disbelief is gone. I'm waiting for the next nasty little mole of historical inaccuracy to pop up its pointed litttle head.
How about you? Do you have any pet peeves about books? What will yank you so far out of the story there's no going back? | <urn:uuid:a500bc7b-36de-4473-a1de-abcf3a2380db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://emilybryan.blogspot.com/2010/09/makings-of-wall-banger.html?showComment=1283964670703 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979766 | 808 | 1.625 | 2 |
Central African Republic rebels and government officials will meet early next week for talks, a minister said Saturday, after a spate of violence that has left the fate of the inland African nation in limbo.
The upcoming discussions will be in Gabon, on Africa's western coast, said the Central African Republic's Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization Josue Binoua. He did not specify the date when the discussions would begin.
Central African Republic diplomatic adviser Honore Nzessiwe had indicated Thursday that the government was then trying to arrange a meeting with rebel leaders in Libreville, Gabon.
The development comes as officials from various nations take steps to protect their citizens and interests in the Central African Republic, amid fears of more violence.
U.S. President Barack Obama wrote a letter Saturday to Congress informing them that about 50 U.S. troops were sent to Chad on Thursday "to support the evacuation of U.S. embassy personnel and U.S. citizens from the Central African Republic."
"Although equipped for combat, this stand-by security force was deployed solely for the purpose of protecting U.S. citizens and property, if necessary," Obama wrote.
The rebels were reported earlier this week to be about 190 miles from Bangui. But there's been a lull in rebel attacks in recent days, which Margaret Vogt, a special representative of the U.N. secretary-general, said might be evidence that they are respecting an earlier promise to halt their advance on the capital.
The volatile situation -- which has spurred demonstrations in Bangui, the country's capital and largest city, urging foreign intervention amid concerns rebels could soon enter the city -- prompted government authorities to set an 8 p.m. (2 p.m. ET) curfew Sunday, Binoua said.
Already, the lingering unrest has prompted the United Nations to relocate dependents and nonessential staff from the country and the U.S. Embassy in Bangui to shut down operations. The U.S. State Department said Thursday -- the same day U.S. troops were sent to Chad -- its ambassador and diplomatic team left the capital, but that the United States is not cutting off diplomatic relations with the turbulent African nation.
President Francois Bozize on Thursday asked for other nations' help in staving off rebel advances that threaten his rule.
Bozize specifically called on France -- which ruled his country, then as a colony known as Ubangi-Shari, until it gained independence in 1960 -- and the United States to help ensure "the rebels return home ... instead of destroying and killing Central Africans."
U.N. efforts have focused on calling for a disarmament process, but a lack of funding from the European Union meant such a program could not be carried out in the country's northeast, where there is fighting, Vogt said.
France has a permanent presence of 200 to 300 military personnel at Bangui's airport under the mandate of the Economic Community of Central African States, and French President Francois Hollande ordered them to safeguard his nation's embassy earlier this week.
But Hollande said Thursday that his nation's troops are not there to "protect a regime," but instead protect French nationals and interests. France will not "interfere in the internal affairs of a country, in this case, CAR," Hollande said, adding, "That time is over." | <urn:uuid:affce84d-62f9-47a5-b8fb-4efd213d35ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kesq.com/news/technology/CAR-government-rebels-to-hold-talks/-/233004/17946192/-/f2k9ip/-/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959767 | 693 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Wheelock Remembers Dr. Joan Bergstrom
April 15, 2010
The entire Wheelock community was saddened to learn of the passing of Joan Bergstrom, Professor of Education and Director, Wheelock College's Center for International Education, Leadership, and Innovation. She died peacefully April 6, 2010 at Massachusetts General Hospital with her family at her side.
Humanitarian, leader, educator, consultant, author, mentor, friend: Joan assumed many roles in a range of innovative and high impact endeavors. Joan was committed to ensuring that children, families, and professionals around the world had access to quality education and support, developing creative educational programs and leading the creation of online courses to meet global needs. Thousands of early childhood educators and others in Boston, Singapore, and elsewhere regard her not only as their professor but their mentor and champion.
Joan's work has had, and will continue to have, a global impact. She began her work in Singapore 20 years ago as a consultant on a United Nations Development Program, a four-year initiative in early childhood education. She then worked with the Ministry of Community Development to educate Ministry staff on high-quality programs and the design of environments for young children. The Wheelock College Center for International Education, Leadership, and Innovation was established as a result of this consultancy work. Today, the Center coordinates all of Wheelock College's global endeavors, including its degree-granting programs in Asia and the Caribbean. The impact of Joan's work will live on through countless Wheelock College alumni and in the young children they nurture, mentor, and teach as the Center continues Joan's important efforts.
Less widely known, perhaps, was her success as an entrepreneur. She was the founder of Children's Out-of-School Time, Inc., and The Activities Club®, companies that developed curriculum and other educational materials for use by school-age children in their out-of-school time. Many of these programs have been implemented globally. Joan also co-founded Workplace Connections, a company committed to offering high quality family-friendly programs and establishing workplace childcare settings.
Joan also wrote a number of well-acclaimed books for children and parents, working closely with her long time publisher, Ten Speed Press. Over the years, Joan enjoyed serving as a trustee or board member for institutions including Tufts University, the Museum of Science in Boston, the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and the Board of Overseers for the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts.
Recognized by many organizations and institutions for her countless efforts, Joan leaves a legacy of caring, dedication, commitment, and inspiration. It is impossible to enumerate all of the ways in which she has had a positive impact. Joan dedicated her lifetime to service in support of the lives of children and families throughout the world. She will be long remembered, greatly valued, and sincerely missed by so many around the globe.
Joan was born in Boston in July 1940 to Sally Margosian Walden of Andover, Mass and the late Charles S. Margosian. She is survived by her loving husband Gary Bergstrom, their son Craig, daughter-in-law Victoria, and grandson James, to whom she was particularly devoted. Joan has left this earth but not the hearts of her extended family with whom she shared her joy for life.
Wheelock College held a memorial service honoring Joan on Friday, April 23, at the Brookline Campus living room (43 Hawes Street, Brookline, MA). On April 22, Jackie Jenkins-Scott, president of Wheelock, gave a moving tribute to Joan at a memorial service held at MIT.
Gifts in Joan's memory can be made to Wheelock College's Center for International Education, Leadership and Innovation and will be designated for a special account named "In Memory of Dr. Joan Bergstrom." | <urn:uuid:5a550b90-1497-490e-b11b-1d2a02a8b2d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wheelock.edu/remembering-dr-joan-bergstrom | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971595 | 787 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Your favorite Apple, iPhone, iPad, iOS, Jailbreak, and Cydia site.
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General iPhone Chatforums, a part of the
Before I got my iPhone I was with Sprint and had a Samsung A900. I had it setup so that my data collector(I am a surveyor) could connect to my...
09-11-2007, 05:43 PM #1
iPhone used as Modem?
Before I got my iPhone I was with Sprint and had a Samsung A900. I had it setup so that my data collector(I am a surveyor) could connect to my A900 through bluetooth and use it as a modem dailing #777 on the A900. It would basically give my data collector access to the internet. The data collector is a big PPC, so it was running WM5, just email the data and we are good to go.
Question is, can this be done on the iPhone somehow?
09-11-2007, 05:57 PM #2
well you can tether your iphone to your computer. I Dont know if it is 100% yet. But i know there is a risk of at&t finding out and cancel you service.
09-11-2007, 06:05 PM #3
What do you mean by tether? is it something that only a PC can do? Or does it have the ability to go on mobile devices? Do you have a link?
09-11-2007, 09:12 PM #4
So far, I believe, that the tether is a proxy server that runs on the iPhone, and what this does is allow you to connect to the iPhone via WiFi, inorder to use the edge network. So if your portable device can use WiFi then yes you can tether it.
Although it would be interesting if the connection could be used over bluetooth but i don't know if this is really possible or not.
09-13-2007, 10:30 PM #5
Check the News forum, there is a guide on tethering there. Tethering is what you are describing..
↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A [select] [start] Kyle Matthews | <urn:uuid:08449f10-cba5-4435-a6c4-1af00b011bfb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://modmyi.com/forums/general-iphone-chat/4848-iphone-used-modem.html | 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 | 0.943712 | 472 | 1.6875 | 2 |
All Politics are Local
Local Pastor Meets with Obama Administration
“It was,” said Bob Fox, pastor at Faith Baptist Church, “an interesting experience.” There he was, joining at least five dozen other pastors and leaders from Baptist churches and organizations across the country at the Eisenhower Office Building on the White House grounds to discuss issues confronting the nation. “It was a diverse group. There were Baptists from 20 states, African-American Baptists, Hispanic Baptists and about 20 women,” Fox said.
“It made me a little hopeful. You think of government as this empty bureaucracy, but these were human faces, real people who are kind, and good and hoping to do the right thing,” Fox said.
Fox was invited by Robert Parham, a friend who is part of the Baptist Center for Ethics in Nashville, which worked with the District of Columbia Baptist Association and the non-political White House Office of Community Engagement to hold the March 7 gathering.
“It was a great honor for myself and our church” to be chosen to attend the meeting, he said.
“There were eight different people from different aspects of the administration who spoke to us,” Fox said.
“Some really pointed questions were asked,” he said.
The Baptists – a denomination that historically resists the intrusion of government into church life – took a biblical attitude into the White House complex, Fox said.
“Parham told them the Old Testament kings would go see the king, and they would say, ‘Let justice roll down like water,’” Fox said.
This group, too, delivered a message, he said: “Serve those who most need to be served.”
Among the issues discussed was human trafficking – modern-day slavery that reaches around the world. Experts say no nation escapes the issue; even the United States has at least 17,000 women and children who are trafficked, primarily as prostitutes.
“The Obama administration is starting an initiative regarding human trafficking, and they’re looking to partner with Baptist groups and churches,” said Fox.
“At times, the things we’re concerned with intersect” with administration goals, he said.
Other issues that came up involved disaster relief, predatory lending, the environment, health care, education and immigration, Fox said.
The meeting’s organizers urged the Baptists to share the meeting with friends and congregation members via Twitter. Fox did, using his robertmfox Twitter feed.
As the meeting ended, “They said they hoped it wouldn’t be a one-time thing but the beginning of a dialog,” Fox said.
“That would be my hope too,” he said. | <urn:uuid:b3cd0f98-ce6f-4337-800c-0e208ff9b416> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://weku.fm/post/local-pastor-meets-obama-administration | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971023 | 586 | 1.765625 | 2 |
By Phil Jenkins
Cities grow in two directions — outward and upward. In the process of the condo-ization of downtown, rather like taking old perennials out of a flowerbed and planting new, taller ones, samples of the architecture of the past are disappearing. And so we look both up and back, at five condominium developments that are already up — or soon will be — to discover in words and pictures the buildings that went before them.
MCEVOY SHIELDS / HUDSON PARK I AND II
It is not often that a funeral home, a building dedicated to the care of the deceased, is replaced by a tower dedicated to sheltering the living, but that is what happened on Kent Street. In 1939, on the site of a former row of family homes, the two McEvoy brothers built one of the city’s first custom-designed funeral homes. The funeral parlour resembled a fine two-storey Georgian house, one that might have served as a set for a Jane Austen film. A gabled, columned entrance hosted the solid wooden door, flanked by twin rows of tall, shuttered windows.
The brothers McEvoy lived on the upper floor of their place of work, in side-by-side apartments, and later gained a partner, Mr. Shields. Business was steady, but gradually changes to Kent Street slowed things down. The street went one-way, and the increased volume of traffic made getting out of the parking lot a waiting game and turning into it a risky business.
Thus, when an offer was made in 1999 by the developer Charlesfort to acquire the McEvoy-Shields lots, the owner, Andy Doyle, was agreeable. The architectural firm of Barry J. Hobin & Associates, with Gordon Lorimer taking the lead, seized the chance to do something special on a prime upper-town site. It is a welcome part, 80 years later, of Ottawa’s meagre stock of art deco architecture. Perhaps the best approach to the Hudson towers at 235 and 245 Kent is along Nepean Street, walking east. Look up at the peak of the twin towers 19 floors above the asphalt, and it’s easy to think you are back in Jazz Age New York. | <urn:uuid:0d0183ce-f6a3-4bf6-ac82-f0eb892c8d85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ottawamagazine.com/homes-gardens/2011/10/04/from-the-print-edition-from-georgian-style-funeral-parlour-to-art-deco-condo-towers/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96401 | 470 | 1.640625 | 2 |
The jobs gains were double what some economists had expected, and the decline in unemployment from 7.9 percent in October was certainly welcome.
But the news comes with a caveat.
The drop in unemployment occurred primarily because more people gave up looking for work and weren't counted as unemployed. Moreover, employers added 49,000 fewer jobs in the September/October period than the government had initially estimated.
Still, things are headed in the right direction, according to Robert Kleinhenz, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.
"We are indeed making progress," Kleinhenz said. "We've had three successive months where the unemployment rate has been below 8 percent. That's encouraging news."
Hurricane Sandy has not had a significant impact on the national economy, according to the jobs report. But Kleinhenz warned that the looming fiscal cliff could wreak havoc on California's economy.
Expiration of a 2 percent payroll tax cut after the first of the year would reduce consumers' take-home pay and curb consumer spending, he said, and defense and non-defense sequestration cuts would result in 225,464 jobs lost.
Kleinhenz said the fiscal cliff also could reduce California's gross state product - the annual measure of
Going over the cliff, he said, could reverse any economic growth in Los Angeles County since the recession.
Another group that would feel the pinch at the start of 2013 is the unemployed.
About 400,000 jobless Californians who have been receiving unemployment benefit extensions will stop receiving checks at the end of the year unless Washington acts, according to Loree Levy, a spokeswoman for the state Employment Development Department. The federal government has paid $40 billion in federal extension benefits in California since July 2008, she said.
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office also has warned that the state could lose as much as $11 billion in tax revenue if the nation fell back into recession. That would wipe out the bulk of tax gains under Proposition 30, a set of temporary sales and income taxes hikes voters approved last month.
The nation's retail sector posted the biggest gains last month with 53,000 new jobs. That industry has boosted its payrolls over the past three months by 140,000 jobs.
Aeropostale, a casual clothing and accessories store in the Westfield West Covina mall, began bringing on seasonal hires in October, according to store manager Amber Fierro.
"We've done plenty of hiring," she said. "So far we've hired about 15 more people. It's been very busy. Now we have about 30 employees."
Baris Zakarian, sales manager for Miller Honda in Van Nuys, said his dealership has been jumping, too.
"I've been here since Aug. 1 and I've never worked less than a 12-hour shift ... and even that doesn't seem to be enough," he said.
Those retailers are hopping, but Southern California could be in for some heavy job losses elsewhere if the El Segundo-based Fresh & Easy grocery chain opts to pull out of the region.
British retail giant Tesco, Fresh & Easy's parent company, announced this week that it's conducting a "strategic review" of its Fresh & Easy stores, which could result in a sale of the unit.
With 200 stores in California, Nevada and Arizona, the chain employs about 5,000 workers. Fresh & Easy operates locations in several Southland communities, including Granada Hills, Santa Clarita, Long Beach, Pasadena and Ontario, among others.
Other nationwide job gains for November came in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, health care, the information sector and wholesale trade.
The biggest losses occurred in construction, with a decline of 20,000 jobs in November, and manufacturing, which lost 8,000 jobs.
The number of long-term unemployed - those jobless for 27 weeks or more - was little changed at 4.8 million in November. These people accounted for 40.1 percent of the unemployed.
Jobless rates have remained far higher in Southern California.
Los Angeles County's unemployment rate dipped to 10.5 percent in October, down from a revised 10.6 percent the previous month and 12.2 percent a year earlier, the state Employment Development Department reported recently. The county added 41,200 jobs over the month and 57,800 jobs on an annual basis.
The Inland Empire's unemployment rate ticked up to 11.7 percent in October compared with 11.6 percent the previous month and 13.2 percent a year ago.
The two-county region added 8,800 jobs over the month and was up 7,300 jobs from October 2011, the EDD reported.
New employment figures for those regions and California are scheduled to be released Dec. 21.
Inland Empire economist John Husing said his two-county area is experiencing slow but consistent growth.
"What you're looking at here is an economy that is healing," he said. "And I think it would be healing faster except for the fiscal cliff."
Husing said the Inland Empire had 1,287,300 jobs at the peak of the economy. If current employment trends continue the region will have 1,163,100 jobs by year's end - still 124,200 jobs below the peak, he said.
"I think companies are holding back on hiring because they don't know what next year looks like," Husing said. "This is a case of politics affecting the economy."
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:3070d9a6-5751-4901-8274-8b9f5370efd6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sbsun.com/opinions/ci_22149199/u-s-adds-146-000-jobs-unemployment-rate | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967919 | 1,139 | 1.78125 | 2 |
People have been using social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to express their feelings about the threatened strike by British Airways cabin crews.
Both the airline and the union have been slammed by people who may be affected by the strike and CNN has been monitoring the so-called “real-time Web” to see the massive outpouring of emotion but also to help us connect directly with people who have a story to tell.
We use this huge following, and the fact that we have most of our CNN correspondents and anchors using social media themselves, to help us find people who have a real story to tell.
In the case of the threatened strike at British Airways, we asked Richard Quest to reach out using his social media accounts to ask for people whose travel plans are threatened by the strike to contact him directly. Richard will be featuring some of the people and stories he has found over the next few days on CNN. You can tweet Richard back or e-mail him at email@example.com
As well as Richard Quest, Adrian Finighan has been reporting from Heathrow Airport all day and Michael Holmes and Ayesha Durgahee will be reporting live from London today as well.
All of them are using social media to reach out to the audience and to direct people to our latest reporting on CNN and CNN.com.
We also use new social media tools such as “Twitter Lists” to collect all our relevant Twitter accounts on a story in one place. This allows our audience to easily find all of our correspondents on the story and to see the “real-time” coverage of the story alongside the reporting on CNN and CNN.com.
Here is our CNN Twitter List for the British Airways story.
We have also added the official Twitter accounts for British Airways and for the Unite trade union to our list so you can see our reporting and the information being put out by the parties involved in the dispute.
An unfiltered stream of information on social media can make it very hard for people to find relevant information and an element of “curation” helps the audience find what they are looking for but also helps us at CNN to direct people to our latest reporting on CNN and CNN.com.
We are also using the power of CNN iReport to allow people to send their stories and images about the threatened strike directly to CNN and give people an opportunity to tell their own story. We have set up an iReport assignment page for people to share their stories with us.
Looking to social media for people expressing their opinions about a story is interesting but what we are looking for at CNN is not just a stream of opinion and commentary, but real people with real stories to tell.
About Business 360
CNN International's business anchors and correspondents get to grips with the issues affecting world business, and they want your questions and feedback. | <urn:uuid:cb98def1-9e62-4778-900b-547f2bf6f4a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://business.blogs.cnn.com/tag/senior-international-editor/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965298 | 588 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Spherio is a weekly public affairs radio program with a Latin American and Carribean focus. We broadcast live from 6-7pm every friday on WMBR 88.1 in Cambridge, MA. Spherio is produced by a collective of MIT undergrads, graduates and boston-area community members. We feature music, news, announcements, and interviews on anything and everything of importance to our hemisphere -- the environment, women, community organizing, indigenous rights and autonomy, the emergence of Latin American socialism, radio and public communication, and lots more. Spherio highlights how people are making the Americas a better place, from reviving traditions to creating new ones. We invite popular organizers, artists, scientists, musicians and activists to come share ideas and struggles. Exploring our own backyard; seeing how Cambridge connects with the rest of the hemisphere.
We always love to hear from our listeners, so please comment on our shows or suggest topics by e-mailing us at firstname.lastname@example.org
Listen to Spherio
There are many ways to listen to Spherio. Anywhere in the greater Boston area, tune in live to 88.1FM every friday from 6-7pm. You can listen to us live from anwhere in the world at wmbr.org . You can also listen to the most recent 2 episodes from this website as well.
We are currently in the process of uploading a complete archive of our
past shows to Internet Archive. You can access these by searching for
internetarchive.org or by simply selecting the episode you want
from the links below. These are direct links to the mp3's for you to
download (they are typically around 60 mb).
November 27, 2009 Vida
Spherio hosts Amy and Mary speak with members of Vida Verde, an
all-Brazilian women's green cleaning collective. Members of Vida Verde
use cleaning products with natural ingredients to provide safe
housecleaning. This protects workers from harmful chemicals, which
in the past caused workers to feel sick and get headaches, and protects
them from the exploitation they might experience in a more traditional
November 20, 2009 World Computer Exchange
Spherio hosts Jasmine and Mary speak with Alex Mbianda, who volunteers as lead Programme Officer for Cameroon and a Regional Manager of the World Computer Exchange, or WCE. WCE is a grassroots network of thousands of groups in 68 developing countries working together to help improve the educational opportunities for over 1 million youth annually. WCE volunteers gather and then ship donated used desktop and laptop computers to partner organisations and provide ongoing online help related to project planning, fund raising, teacher training, etc. They then send teams of volunteer university students or tech professionals after the computers arrive and have been installed. They provide help with trouble-shooting, upgrading networks, and training in the use of the Internet to improve education.
November 13, 2009 African Information Technology Initiative
Spherio hosts Mary and Cat speak with Michael Gordon and Gleb Kuznetsov of the African Information Technology Initiative, or AITI. AITI is a student-run organization of MIT that promotes development in Africa by cultivating young technology entrepreneurs. The team develops curriculum materials, software technologies, platforms, and networks that enable African undergraduate students to innovate in the area of information and communication technologies (ICTs). AITI has sent over 100 MIT student/instructors to Africa and instructed over 1200 African students in technologies appropriate to their local environment.
October 30, 2009 La Tuza
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Mary, and Amy speak with La Tuza, an acoustic trio that performs Mexican roots music with a repertoire that includes pieces from the son jarocho, son huasteco, and son calentano traditions. They use such varied instruments as guitar, jarana jarocha, jarana huasteca, violin, cajon, pandero, and quijada. In the studio, La Tuza plays a few songs live and discusses the history of their band and the different styles present in their music.
October 23, 2009 iSchool and the House of Volunteers
Spherio host Mary speaks with Raqeebul Ketan, an MIT student who started iSchool in 2006. iSchool is a program to supplement the already existing education curricula of the National Board of Education in Bangladesh by creating an interactive virtual lecture series (containing animations of various concepts, integrated video clips of various experiments, processes, lab videos, video shots from interactive software etc.) that will be in direct reference to the standardized textbooks. iSchool is part of the House of Volunteers group at MIT, which devises low-cost, high-impact solutions to empower the education sector in underdeveloped communities around the world.
October 16, 2009 Kathleen Li
Spherio hosts Amy and Mary speak with guest Kathy Li from the Global Poverty Initiative about Poverty Week at MIT and Kathy's numerous experiences in international development. Kathy has been involved in GPI, a student organization at MIT dedicated to fighting international poverty and raising student awareness of the issues, since it began in 2007 during the planning for the Millennium Campus Conference. She has been able to travel to and work in both Tibet and rural India, and she lives in iHouse with Mary, a living community which fosters students with interests in international development.
October 2, 2009 Camp Kesem
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Mary, and Cat speak with guests from Camp Kessem, a camp for a student-run summer camp for kids whose parents have or have had cancer. Camp Kessem has two goals: one, to provide kids whose parents have or have had cancer with a summer camp experience that gives them a chance to be kids, and two, to allow college students to channel their passion for making a difference, while developing critical leadership skills for long-term social impact.
September 25, 2009 CubaGo!
Spherio hosts Jasmine and Mary speak via phone interview with Angelica Salazar, Cuba Policy Outreach Coordinator for the the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), who helped organize CubaGo!. CubaGo! is organized by three Washington-based NGOs, the Latin America Working Group (LAWG), the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), and the Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA). CubaGo! is a grassroots effort to try to help Americans persuade Congress to end the travel ban to Cuba.
September 18, 2009 Fernando Brandao
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Amy, Mary, and Cat speak with guest Fernando Brandao, professor of Music at Berklee, discusses Brazilian musical traditions, from choro (similar to jazz) to samba and bossa nova. Flutist, composer, author, arranger and educator Fernando Brandão is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An active musician versed in classical and jazz, he has performed extensively as a bandleader, sideman, chamber musician and as a soloist in Brazil and the US. Featuring a selection from his own ipod!
August 21, 2009 First Nations
Spherio host Amy plays music by female vocalists from the Americas, with a focus on Canada and the First Nations.
August 14, 2009 Guatemala Radio Project
Spherio hosts Amy, Jasmine, and Cat speak with Mark Kemp, the Director of Operations at the Guatemala Radio Project, part of Cultural Survival. Mark discusses the intrepid network of Guatemalan Community Radio stations. Mainstream Western entertainment has been flooding Guatemala‘s airwaves, hammering home the 24-hour-a-day message that Mayans should abandon their languages, their clothing, their spirituality, and their identities. Cultural Survival is partnering with Guatemalan NGOs to strengthen the network of 140 community radio stations across the country, many of which broadcast in one or more of the country’s 23 indigenous languages. The stations provide news, educational programming, health information, and traditional music, all reinforcing pride in Mayan heritage, in spite of federal governmental opposition.
August 7, 2009 Spherio: Professor Lykes of Boston College
Spherio hosts Amy, Jasmine, and Cat speak with Professor Brinton Lykes, director of the Center for Human Rights and International Justice of Boston College, which is an effort to pull together an interdisciplinary activist scholarship initiative that would bring together the schools of education, social work, and faculty of arts and sciences, particularly the ethics, theology, and human rights programs. Professor Lykes and her coworkers are trying to develop a participatory action research model, in which they partner with local community based organizations, advocates, and activists and university professors and students to begin a process of designing community-based interventions that respond to problems as articulated in local communities. These interventions can also draw on the knowledge base that comes from the academy. Their projects have focused on the great lakes region of Africa in the context of massive forced migration. Professor Lykes also discusses her work with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how people rebuild their lives after traumatic events as different as Hurricane Katrina and migration to a new country.
July 31, 2009 Brazilian funk and hip-hop with DJ Gregzinho
Spherio hosts Amy and Jasmine speak with guest DJ Gregzinho about Brazilian funk and hip-hop and teaches the difference between the two as defined by the slum-dwellers and club-goers of Sao Paulo.
March 20, 2009 AIDS
Spherio hosts Mary, Jasmine, and Jasmine's sister Bora speak with
Lissette Gauthier, an HIV Prevention specialist from the AIDS Action
Committee of Massachusetts. Lissette spoke about how she is involved
with the AIDS Action Committee and what it does to try and slow the
spread of AIDS in Massachusetts and give support to those affected by the disease.
March 13, 2009 Boston
Area Rape Crisis Center
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Cat, Froy, and Mary speak with Beth, who is
the Coordinator of Community Awareness and Outreach at the Boston Area
Rape Crisis Center. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) is the
only rape crisis center in the Greater Boston area and the oldest and
largest center in Massachusetts. Beth helps to promote awareness of the issue of
sexual assault and the BARCC's services throughout the communities it serves.
March 6, 2009 Scot Frank and Caitlin Powers: One
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Froy, Cat, and Mary talk with Scot Frank and
Caitlin Powers about their work with the new nonprofit they've started,
One Earth Designs. One
Earth Designs seeks to encourage communities to pursue their unique
vision of local sustainable development through science/engineering
education, design, and infrastructure development as well as through
innovative income generation strategies.
February 27, 2009 MIT
Habitat for Humanity
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Froy, and Mary speak with Grace Lee, a junior
at MIT and the president of the MIT Habitat for Humanity Club, and
Jessinda, the coordinator for Habitat's 2009 spring break trip to
Florida. MIT Habitat for Humanity, as a campus chapter of Habitat for
Humanity International, is a secular student-led group that seeks to
raise awareness in the MIT community about poverty housing issues, and
to encourage participation in service events.
February 20, 2009 Drug
Trafficking and Gang Violence in Mexico
Spherio hosts Jasmine, Kendra, and Mary talk about the issues of drug
trafficking and gang violence in Mexico. They play a clip from CNN of a
confrontation between gang members and the government, violence that is
rapidly evolving into a civil war in Mexico.
February 13, 2009 International Development in
Ecuador and Peru
Spherio members Jasmine, Mary, and Kendra speak about international
development projects that Kendra and Mary did during January. Kendra
continued a project involving art and water filtration in Ecuador that
she has been working on for several years now. Mary worked on a
project in Peru that she was able to participate in through D-Lab: Introduction to Development,
a class at MIT that introduces students to international development by
allowing them to travel to communities and do their own projects.
February 6th, 2009 Elections in El Salvador
Spherio hosts Kendra, Froy, and Jasmine discuss the recent elections in El Salvador with Boston CISPES' Lisa Fuller. FMLN, a former guerrilla movement turned political party, has the most number of seats of any party in the Salvadoran legislature after the elections on January 18th. We also discuss electoral fraud and the prognosis for the upcoming presidential election in March. The FMLN candidate has a strong lead over his right-wing opponent in polls, but right-wing ruling party ARENA is expected to continue its fraudulent and heavy-handed election tactics.
January 23, 2009 Latin American Reggae
Spherio host Amy speaks with Juan Bieta-Garcia about raggae of Latin
American countries. Juan is a DJ who does a show called Roots Reggae
and is a junior at MIT majoring in mathematics. Juan is from Puerto
January 9, 2009 American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee of Massachusetts and Conflict in Gaza
Spherio hosts Amy and Froy play a radialistas piece and discuss
recent activities in Gaza, including what role Americans should have in
the conflict. They are joined by Merrie Najimy from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee of Massachusetts (ADCMA) and Muhammad Elahi, a Palestinian friend
of Amy. The ADCMA is committed to empowering Arab-Americans to embrace
their identity and advocate for their civil rights in the state of
Massachusetts. Froy also speaks about a program in Jerusalem that he
participated in over the summer, MIT
Middle East Education through Technology, which
brings Israeli and Palestinian high school kids together to learn
November 21st, 2008 Welcome
Spherio hosts Amy, Froy, and Mary talk with Maria Landaverde,
director of the
Welcome Project in Somerville for youth, as well as Caitlin, Sonia,
Clivia, and Luana, four students in some of the programs of the Welcome Project. The Welcome Project helps
immigrant families to improve themselves; one way they do this is
through their youth program. Youth programs, like LIPS, the Liason
Interpreter Program of Sommerville, which trains bilingual students to
become interpreters, help students to become more active in their communities.
November 14th, 2008 Liberation Health
Spherio hosts Amy, Froy, Jasmine, and Mary spoke with three members
of Liberation Health, a group in Boston that tries to approach
healthcare differently: instead of just advising clients to adapt to
society, they try to achieve social change to overcome problems, in ways
like organizing rallies and demonstrations with their clients.
October 31st, 2008 Espiritismo
Spherio hosts Amy, Froy, and Mary talk with guest Deborah Garcia, an
espiritista in Boston. Espiritismo, or spiritualism, is popular in the
Caribbean and Latin America and is based around the idea that good and
evil spirits can affect health, luck, and other aspects of human life.
October 24th, 2008 MIT
Global Poverty Initiative
Spherio hosts Mary, Jasmine, Amy, Froylan, and John discuss the
activities of the MIT Global Poverty Initiative with MIT junior Spenser Skates and MIT sophomore Elli Pula. Global Poverty Initiative is astudent-run organization at MIT, which focuses on raising awareness about poverty as well as making poverty alleviation an institute priority. From October 17th through 24th, GPI hosted Poverty Week at MIT, hosting a series of events such as lectures, poverty-related study breaks, and simulations to raise awareness about poverty and give students opportunities to get involved.
October 17th, 2008 Three perscpectives on immigration and immigrant rights
Spherio hosts Amy, Froy, Mary, and Kendra discuss migrant and immigration issues with three different activist groups. Veronica from the Mexico Solidarity Network discusses the terrible human rights situation in Juarez Mexico where hundreds of women have been murdered in the last decade and where workers are losing their jobs due to the economic crisis. Carol from Matahari discusses the work of this Boston-based organization to support immigrants in struggles against domestic violence and labor exploitation. Carlos, Chris, and Uma share their experiences as immigrant students and the Student Immigrant Movement's work to change Massachusetts law to give immigrant students access to in state tuition for higher education.
October 3rd, 2008 Education outside the box in Paraguay
Spherio hosts Jasmine Park, Froylan Sifuentes, and Mary Masterman interview two MIT sophomores, Coco Agbeyibor and Juan Diaz, about their international development project in Paraguay. Coco and Juan worked with a local NGO, Centro de Informacion y Recursos por el Desarollo, on the topics of science education in high schools and technical career exploration. Coco and Juan felt that in their local schooling (in Togo and Colombia, respectively), they were taught only facts and how to follow directions, and never how to think for themselves or solve problems. They went to a few schools in Paraguay and gave the kids materials to build things such as water rockets and an electromagnetic generator in order to increase technological innovation there.
September 26th, 2008 David Bacon on Immigration
Spherio hosts Kendra Johnson, Froylan Sifuentes, Mary Masterman, and Amy Battisti-Ashe present a recorded talk by David Bacon on immigration (talk given on September 9th at the Jamaica Plains Forum and recorded by WMBR's David Goodman). In his talk, David Bacon shares first-hand observations on how the United States' trade and economic policy sets off a domino effect which ends in high immigration rates. In seeking to create a favorable investment climate for large corporations, socioeconomic conditions are created that displace communities and set migration into motion. Trade policy and immigration are intimately linked, Bacon argues, and are, in fact, elements of a single economic system. David Bacon has recently released a new book on the topic entitled "Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants."
September 19th, 2008 Willy Barreno and his film Documigrante
Spherio host Amy Battisti-Ashe discusses two documentary films with Guatamalan filmmaker Willy Barreno. The first film "Voice of a Mountain" (available on youtube) documents the reality of life in rural Guatemala after the civil war officially ended in 1996. Willy Barreno is the producer of the second film "Documigrante" which traces the journey of Guatemalans coming to an living in the United States and explores the root causes of this migration and its impact on communities back in Guatemala.
September 12th, 2008 Bloco AfroBrazil with Marcus Santos
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe, Froylan Sifuentes, and Kendra Johnson discuss Afrobrazilian music with the co-founder and artistic director of Bloco AfroBrazil, Marcus Santos. Bloco AfroBrazil gives performances of traditional street drumming in the AfroBrazilian tradition and works to teach drumming to several youth groups. They will perform with many other groups on Saturday September 27th at the block party of the Berkelee BeanTown Jazz festival, covering six blocks on Columbus street beginning at Massachusetts Avenue.
May 16th, 2008 Minga Youth Combat Commercial Sex Exploitation of Children
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe, Froylan Sifuentes, and Kendra Johnson interview three of the founding members of Minga, a youth group based in Newton, MA that works to combat commercial sex exploitation of children. They have raised around $40,000 so far in order to support shelters for children in the Philipines and here in Boston. On May 31st and June 1st they will hold their next major fund raising event: a family friendly art fair in Newton. For more information about this amazing youth organization, you can visit www.mingagroup.org
May 9th, 2008 Displacement and Land Reclamation in Colombia
Spherio hosts Kendra Johnson, Amy Battisti-Ashe, Jasmine Park, and Froylan Sifuentes present a discussion with Eustaquio Polo, an afro-colombian man who was violently removed from his land by paramilitaries in 1996 and has been fighting to get his land back ever since. He is from the Choco province, a region of unparalleled biodiversity, and Eustaquio tells how the vast tracts of land stolen from communities are being turned into Palm oil plantations with tremendous consequences to the environment. Although the situation remains bleak Eustaquio also gives a first hand account of the tremendous success of "Humanitarian Zones" set up by the InterAmerican court and foreign observers to protect the rights and lives of displaced Colombians.
May 2nd, 2008 International workers day
Spherio hosts Jasmine Park and Amy Battisti-Ashe discuss International workers day and labor rights violations in Colombia.
April 25th, 2008 Youth Latino leadership
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe, Jasemine Park and Kendra Johnson discuss Latino youth organizing in the boston area with Lorenzo, Asha, and Daisy.
April 11th, 2008 MIT grad students work with first nations
Spherio hosts Kendra Johnson, Froylan Sifuentes, and Amy Battisti-Ashe interview two MIT graduate students who have recently done work with American Indian groups in the United States. Nick Buchanan is a doctoral candidate in the Program in Science, Technology and Society and is writing his dissertation on negotiating environmental management. He has primarily been working with the Klamath tribes in Oregon. Amit Sarin is a Masters in City Planning candidate in the department of Urban Studies and Planning who went to Navajo Nation over January of 2008 to explore how traditional peacemaking can help resolve conflicts over coal plants and point the way toward an alternative path of renewable infrastructure development. Over the course of the hour we explore different understandings of the environment, discuss the underlying social causes of environmental degradation, and examine the implications of working toward restoration and green energy development.
April 4th, 2008 Urban planning for community rebuilding in Peru
Spherio hosts Froylan Sifuentes, Kendra Johnson, and Amy Battisti-Ashe discuss the work of graduate students in MIT's department of Urban Studies and Planning to assist in the rebuilding of a community wrecked by an earthquake in Peru. Our guests include MIT Professor Phil Thompson and visiting scholar Sebastiao Ferreira who both work on the program.
March 28th, 2008 A human perspective on the combatants in the Colombian conflict
Spherio host Amy Battisti-Ashe discusses the Colombian conflict with Carlos Marin who just finished his doctoral thesis on why individuals join militant groups in Colombia. The results of his interviews are fascinating in that very few join because of a strong allegiance to the militant group's ideology, but rather because of social, family and community factors. Many are searching for a way out, but once they become part of a group they know too much and no longer have a choice but to stay.
March 14th, 2008 One year anniversary of New Bedford ICE raid
Spherio hosts Kendra Johnson, Jasmine Park, and Froylan Sifuentes share some segments of an event commemorating the one year anniversary of the
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in New Bedford, MA where 360 workers were detained because they could not prove their immigration status. We hear from lawyers working on the cases of detainees, activists, and a short excerpt from a documentary with the voices of detainees themselves.
March 7th, 2008 Colombia: free trade, plan Colombia, and attack on FARC in Ecuador
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe, Kendra Johnson, and Froylan Sifuentes present news, opinion and analysis about Colombia's attack on a FARC camp in Ecuador on March 1st. Bush supports Uribe's actions, the Organization of American States called it a violation of Ecuadorian sovereignty and Venezuela points out the similarities between Israel and Colombia. For background we turn to the second half of last week's interview with Diana Gomez from Colombia. Diana is a member of the "Movimiento de hijos e hijas para la justicia y contra la impunidad" the movement of children for justice and against impunity. She discusses the effects of Plan Colombia on the country and the reasons she is against the proposed free trade agreement.
February 29th, 2008 The victims movement in Colombia
Spherio host Amy Battisti-Ashe presents an interview conducted by Kendra Johnson with special guest Diana Gomez from Colombia. Diana is a member of the "Movimiento de hijos e hijas para la justicia y contra la impunidad" the movement of children for justice and against impunity. She tells about her work with womens organizations in Colombian, the suspected murder of her father in 2006, and the work of the victim's movement to raise awareness and speak the truth. Unless without understand the past we cannot construct a better future.
February 8th, 2008 Physicians for Human Rights campaign against torture
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe and Kendra Johnson interview Nathaniel Raymond, a senior communications strategist for Physicians for Human Rights. We discuss the efforts of the "No Torture Campaign" in the context of the growing focus on CIA torture policy in the news. Nathaniel shares his expertise on the history of the current "enhanced interrogation" policies, the magnitude of torture and its health impacts on the victims, and the role of psychologists and medical doctors working for the CIA. See the Physicians for Human Rights website for more information.
December 14th, 2007 Salvadoran Liberation Front
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe and Kendra Johnson discuss the current political situation in El Salvador with Ricardo Calderon of the Frente Sindical Salvadoreno, the Salvadoran Union Front. Topics include the recent anti-terrorism laws and resulting crackdown on activists protesting water privatization, the International Law Enforcement Academy, and Ricardo's hopes for US Congress to take action and end US support of ILEA and repressive Salvadoran policies.
December 7th, 2007 Cooperatives
Spherio hosts Lyndsay Carslile and Kendra Johnson discuss cooperatives with Lynn Benander, director of Coop Power. Cooperatives offer a model for member-owned business in which individuals can combine their resources to achieve together what the could not alone. Coop Power is a New England cooperative that applies this model to renewable energy projects, from installing solar water heaters in the tradition of barn raising to community wind, solar, and biofuel installations.
November 23rd, 2007 Immigrant Rights and the Other Campaign
Spherio hosts Froylan Sifuentes and Kendra Johnson interview Mexican native and organizer on both sides of the border, Mario Canek, along with Corry Banton from the Mexico Solidarity Network and three students who have participated in one of their study abroad programs. The discussion focuses on what is happening in Chiapas, the Zapatista model of organization, and what it can offer as a model of organizing from below and to the left.
November 16th, 2007 College Students Fight Against Global Warming
Spherio hosts Froylan Sifuentes and Kendra Johnson interview climate activists Alana Miller from Smith College and Jennie Hatch from Wellesley College about what youth are doing to fight for global warming legislation in Massachusetts. We discuss campus efforts such as the presidents climate commitment www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org and the recent national youth climate conference "Power Shift." Alana and Jennie also present information about a newly formed network called Massachusetts Youth Climate Action (MYCA) and their lobbying efforts in favor of the Global Warming Solutions Act sponsored by Senator Pacheco to pass in the Massachusetts Legislature. see www.gomyca.org for more information.
November 9th, 2007 Global Health Equity
Spherio host Kendra Johnson discusses health inequities here in the US and abroad with medical school student John Rose, Dr. Dan Palazuelos, and Dr. Michael Herce, two physicians in the Global Health Equity residency program at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston. John, Dan, and Michael share their stories of how they became involved in issues of health inequities and their experiences working with EAPSEC (the team for community health and education) in Chiapas Mexico. They also share their perspectives on what role US physicians and international organizations like Partners in Health should take in providing health care to under-served communities. There is a new project that PIH is working to get going in La Sierra in Chiapas to support the community health promoters in that region. To make a contribution or get involved, you can visit the Partners in Health website: www.pih.org. For pre-medical and medical students, check out the American Medical Student Association www.amsa.org.
October 26th, 2007 Conversations with a Mayan Elder
Spherio hosts Kendra Johnson, Froylan Sifuentes, and Jennie Riley bring you all the usual spherio features -- news, announcements, a radialistas.net production, and immigration news -- plus an interview with special guest Juana Pacheco, a Mayan elder and healer from Guatamala. We discuss her role in the community as a teacher, historian, and healer, as well as the current threats facing the Mayan culture, with Juan Gonazales as the interpretor.
October 19th, 2007 Blue Energy
Spherio hosts Amy Battisti-Ashe, Kendra Johnson and Froy Sifuentes discuss renewable wind/solar energy in Nicaragua with Mathias Craig, MIT alumnus and founder and executive director of Blue Energy . Blue Energy is a nonprofit organization that has set up renewable electricity systems in 6 rural communities on the Caribbean side of Nicaragua. They manufacture the wind turbines locally, do the installations, give technical and administrative training, and provide ongoing support for the systems they put into place. As always, the Spherio hosts also discuss recent news, play some music, and share a Spanish language radialistas production.
October 12, 2007 Community Health in Chiapas, Mexico
Spherio hosts Froylan Sifuentes, Kendra Johnson, and Amy Battisti-Ashe interview guests from EAPSEC -- el equipo de apoyo en salud y educacion comunitaria (the team for support of community health and education), a community health organization in Chiapas, Mexico, working in collaboration with many international organizations, including Partners in Health. Dr. Dan Palazuelos is resident at the Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston and continues to work with EAPSEC in Chiapas, Mexico. Dan introduces and translates for his colleagues from EAPSEC: Leonel and Dagmar who share their story of the origins and ongoing activities of EAPSEC, focusing on the idea of health as something that must be built upon community rights and participation. EAPSEC does extensive training, especially for women, in everything from women's health and dental health to traditional herbal medicine. In their clinics, patients are able to choose the treatment methods they would like to receive, be they Western, the local herbal methods, or acupuncture and massage. For more information see this information on the Parnters in Health website.
September 27th, 2007 Radio in the Carribean
Amy Battisti-Ashe and Kendra Johnson interview former Spherio host Luis Melendez about his new radio project in Vieques, Puerto Rico. Also appearing on this show: guest Eugene Godfried discussing politics in the Caribbean and his audio visual project: Regi radio (regiradio.org).
October 5th, 2007 Che Guevara
Spherio hosts Froylan Sifuentes, Amy Battisti-Ashe, and Kendra Johnson July 26th Coalition's Charlie Welch about the timeless figure in the history of the Western Hemisphere: Che Guevara. As always, we also present some of the week's headline news stories, announcements, a radialistas.net radio production, and a "no your rights" interview the July 26th Coalition's Charlie Welch about the timeless figure in the history of the Western Hemisphere: Che Guevara.
September 20th, 2007 Reforestation in Tecpaco, Mexico
Spherio host Anna Bernsteyn and Kendra Johnson discuss with Froylan Sifuentes his work on reforestation in the small farming community in Tecpaco in Central Mexico. Froylan chose to work with this community because his home town of Huejutla, farther down in the same water shed, is now really suffering from water shortages as their rivers dry up. The principle cause of this is deforestation in the region. Froylan worked with the community to build a tree nursery and set up a reforestation project.
September 13th, 2007 Welcome Back
Spherio host Amy Battisti Ashe interviews returning co-hosts Kendra Johnson and Lyndsay Carslile about their summer work in Mexico and upcoming plans for the semester, including a project on affordable housing in Lawrence, MA.
May 24th, 2007 Combating Domestic Violence
Spherio hosts Amy and Kendra discuss domestic violence and resources for survivors in the boston area. Domestic violence advocate "Melissa" and Sabrina, the director of organizing and education with "The Network/ La Red" share their perspectives and advice on issues of power and control in relationships -- not just heterosexual relationships but LGBT relationships as well.
Contact us: email@example.com | <urn:uuid:f1943606-e0cc-4656-a7a7-8ae7c7e87eba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://web.mit.edu/hemisphere/spherio/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931941 | 7,061 | 1.585938 | 2 |
With federal crop insurance, every year is different, and with the multiple options available to producers, there are many variable results from crop insurance coverage at harvest time. 2012 will be no different, with some producers choosing Yield Protection (YP) policies (yield only) versus Revenue Protection (RP) policies (yield and price). Producers also have differences in the level of coverage, and some producers chose optional units, while other producers chose enterprise units for 2012.
In the Midwest, most corn and soybean producers in recent years have tended to secure some level of RP crop insurance coverage, rather than standard YP policies. Producers like the flexibility of the RP policies that provide insurance coverage for reduced yields, as well as in instances where the harvest price drops below initial base price. In 2012, corn and soybean yield losses with YP policies and RP policies will likely function similarly, with a likely difference in the market price, due to the current high levels in the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grain prices.
The established base prices for 2011 YP and RP crop insurance policies were $5.68/bu. for corn and $12.55/bu. for soybeans This will be the payment rate for 2012 YP policies for corn and soybeans on any indemnity payments. The final harvest price for RP insurance policies is based on the average CBOT December corn futures and CBOT November soybean futures during the month of October. If the 2012 CBOT price in October is above $5.68 for corn and $12.55 for soybeans, the harvest base price is used to calculate the RP guarantees; otherwise, the base price is used. If the harvest price is above the base price, RP insurance policies function similar to a YP policy, with the only difference being a higher harvest price payment rate on payment bushels. As of Sept. 28, 2012, the CBOT prices were $7.56 for December corn and $16.01 for November soybeans.
Corn and soybean producers had the option of selecting crop insurance policies ranging from 60% to 85% coverage levels at sign-up time last spring. While 85% coverage levels have increased, coverage levels of 75% and 80% are much more common with RP insurance policies, due to more affordable premium costs. The level of insurance coverage can result in some producers receiving crop insurance indemnity payments, while other producers receive no indemnity payments, even though both producers had the same guarantee and the same final yield. For example, at a proven corn yield of 180 bu./acre, a producer with 85% coverage would have a 153-bu./acre guarantee, while a producer with 75% coverage would have a yield guarantee of 135 bu.
In recent years, the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) increased the federal subsidy for purchasing YP or RP insurance coverage under enterprise units, which combines all acres of a crop in a given county into one crop insurance unit. As a result, crop insurance premium levels for policies with enterprise units were much more favorable than for policies utilizing optional units. Prior to 2009, most producers used optional units, which allows producers to insure corn and soybeans separately in each township section. However, many more producers are now taking advantage of the lower premium levels with enterprise units, allowing them to upgrade to 80% or 85 % RP coverage.
Farmers who have 2012 crop losses on individual farms, and have crop insurance coverage with optional units, may be able to collect crop insurance indemnity payments on their 2012 corn or soybean crop on some farm units, while not on others. Meanwhile, producers with crop insurance policies with enterprise units in 2012, may be less likely to qualify for 2012 crop insurance indemnity payments, unless they had crop losses on a significant portion of crop acres in a county. Due to the very low corn and soybean yields in some areas, resulting from the widespread drought in 2012, there are likely to be more producers with enterprise units that qualify for crop insurance indemnity payments in 2012, as compared to previous years.
Farmers who have crop losses in 2012, with potential crop insurance indemnity payments, should properly document yield losses for either optional units or enterprise units. Farmers with RP policies who qualify for crop insurance indemnity payments will likely be paid at higher payment rate than farmers with YP policies, due to the higher CBOT harvest prices for corn and soybeans. A reputable crop insurance agent is the best source of information to make estimates for potential 2012 crop insurance indemnity payments, and to find out about documentation requirements for crop insurance losses. It is important for farmers who are facing crop losses in 2012 to understand their crop insurance coverage, and the calculations used to determine crop insurance indemnity payments. The University of Illinois Farm Management website has some good crop insurance information, and an online “what-if” crop insurance payment calculator.
Editor’s note: Kent Thiesse is a former University of Minnesota Extension educator and now is Vice President of MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN. You can contact him at 507-726-2137 or via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:c23eca65-e134-4ac5-bbba-a9900989064e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/print/blog/2012-crop-insurance-considerations | 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 | 0.951233 | 1,061 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Thereís no shortage of gadgets on the market today to buy and enjoy. The only ingredients lacking may be the time to use gadgets and the extra money to purchase them. With only 168 hours in a week, itís seems prudent to chose meaningful gadgets and be very stingy with your free time. Most working aged individuals will usually consume at least 40 hours a week at their job and an average of 3 hours a day or 15 hours a week getting ready for and commuting back and forth to work. Thus at least 55 hours or 1/3 of those 168 are consumed by oneís career. Of course this number can be much higher for folks whose basic work week consists of more hours.
Then add another 8 hours a day for sleepingÖ..considering the time it takes to get ready; fall asleep; and actually sleep and youíve just subtracted another 56 hours off of your weekly allotment of time. Finally, add in another 3 hours a day for preparing and actually eating meals as well as tending to other personal items and 21 more hours a week are subtractedÖ.leaving only 36 gross hours of free time left in the week. I use the word gross time, because there are surely other responsibilities that everyone must tend to during their week that could range from 1 to all 36 hours depending on each individualís responsibilities.
From our example, itís safe to say that free time during oneís career is trulyÖ..HIGH VALUED PREMIUM TIME, never to be squandered away. To improve and maintain a good attitude, one needs to surround themselves with as many positive experiences as possible during their free time, in order to face the next day with a smile. While TV may consume some of that free time, weíll start there with a discussion about making every TV moment count. At the moment there are two basic methods of receiving TV signals: the most popular being cable and the BEST being satellite. Since I need to have both in different homes, satellite is definitely my carrier of choice. Prior to using satellite, I was brainwashed by the cable company ads stating that the reception would be horrible. They claim that satellite signals would be lost every time itís cloudy or rains. Thatís just not true! The reception is just fine 99% of the time and Iíve had more trouble losing cable reception in storms than satellite reception. The real joys of satellite come from a better picture quality in High Definition; all digital channels; a much better TV guide; more value for your money monthly; and most of all a far superior DVR! The DVR is the best gadget ever, and has enticed me to watch more TV.
Since obtaining a DVR, I have learned that there really is some good stuff on TV. The programs just may not be on when I have the time to watch them. Satellite has the best TV guide and within seconds I can set a timer in my schedule to record all the shows that interest me, regardless of when they are broadcasted. Then watch all or only the parts of the shows that I really enjoy; at my leisure; whenever I want to; commercial free! Just avoiding all the pharmaceutical ads that are depressing and eat up my valuable time sweetens my attitude each day!
A couple of weeks ago I discussed my joy with a new phone purchase in a lesson titled
A Trifecta Of Benefits. While I wonít go into the details again about my new phone gadget, I will say that I am thoroughly enjoying my walks more with my favorite podcasts and music loaded on. Next I will be loading any digital photoís that make me happy onto my phone, to remind me at will of the best parts of my family life. Iím sure everyone has photographs hidden in albums and boxes. Itís time to digitize them and start enjoying them more.
In the next year, with the help of my family, I hope to have a lifetime of paper photographs scanned a little at a time. Then produce a copy for everyone to enjoy. This is a worthy cause that I know will raise all spirits. We all need to constantly remind ourselves of whatís good about our lives and bath in the fond memories of our past. Most pictures that we take are about happy events in our lives. Reliving and discussing those happy moments can improve our attitude a little bit each day. The phrase a picture is worth a thousand words is so true. We just need to make the effort to utilize those pictures to enhance our attitudes and promote our happiness.
As stated in the beginning of this lesson, there is no shortage of gadgets in the marketplace. You just need to focus in on those gadgets that can improve your knowledge; your attitude; and your well being. You need to find and utilize only gadgets that can turn your precious free time into productive happy moments. Life is too short and time passes by too quickly to waste your time using gadgets that will frustrate you instead of please you. Use gadgets to learn and broaden your skills; to enjoy your favorite music; to relive your fondest memories through photos and videos; and to promote your well being. Always remember that you are the CEO of your life. The choices you make in your career will determine your success or failure. Likewise the choices you make regarding how you invest your precious free time, will determine whether you have a great attitude or a lousy one. Whether you enjoy life or think it stinks. Thereís no one else to blame for YOUR choices. Chose well, live well! Utilize the right gadgets that will improve your attitude. | <urn:uuid:e708ceb8-bb55-4d10-a356-98c8ad6a2f52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ehappylife.com/custom/lessons_151.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958053 | 1,140 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Donated clothing delivered for people recovering from hurricane
LITTLE FERRY – Thousands of new clothing items were donated today by UniFirst Corporation, a giant uniform and work apparel supplier, as part of the relief effort for people hit hard by superstorm Sandy.
The donation was coordinated by Robert Lecky, a Knights of Columbus official, and by the corporation, as a humanitarian aid initiative to get “clothing to the people who need it the most the fastest.”
About 30 Knights of Columbus volunteers unloaded dozens of boxes loaded with 7,000 garments valued at about $180,000 at the Memorial Elementary School gym which is being used as a make-shift food pantry, he said.
Volunteers have sorted piles of trousers, sweatshirts, jackets and other garments by size and use for affected residents to choose.
“This is part of a larger outreach program,” said Dan Rossi, the Knights of Columbus state director.
The school’s gymnasium is being used as a food pantry to replace a similar facility at a nearby parish that became inoperable because of damage caused by the storm, said Frank Scarafile, the school superintendent. | <urn:uuid:e241b891-7146-43aa-830f-3bc46cdb3368> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.northjersey.com/news/Donated_clothing_delivered_for_people_recovering_from_hurricane_.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962577 | 247 | 1.5 | 2 |
Paul Antico sent this email to Canon Tech Support:
It seems many are having the issue; everyone who tries to re-create it can. If you take one of your C300 cameras, and aim it at high contrast situation such as a window (try to recreate the shot I sent you as an example), then overexpose over 100 IRE the window itself, and move the camera so that there is an angle of some sort, you will see it too.and received this reply:
Another test is to aim the camera at branches of a tree, but such that the sky is over-exposed past 100 IRE. The branches will show pink and purple fringing not related to the lens, especially on horizontals and angles.
I think it's likely an error in processing when the highlights are concerned. Sony's FS100 does it as well, albeit much more harshly. That said, if one properly exposes the highlights the issue does go away. I didn't notice the problem until I specifically tried to create it. I normally don't let the highlights clip because, well, that's the wrong thing to do.
The concern is when transient clipped highlights happen in areas of horizontal or angular contrast junctions. For example, a window, glints of sunlight off water, etc. Basically difficult to plan for clipped whites. If there is any strong contrast in the vicinity, the camera may bloom or show chroma aliasing as green/purple blocks.
Thanks for following up with us.
I took a look at those forum posts, and I can see how that would be distracting. The cyan/purple fringing seems to be more notable when the shooter is deliberately trying to blow out the highlights. Keep in mind that the camera has 12 stops of latitude, which goes beyond what many cameras can do, plus it has 3 built-in ND filters that can cut down in the light coming into the camera, so this seems to be a situation that can be avoided by adjusting the settings accordingly. Still, it is something that I will pass along to our senior engineers. We will investigate the situation, and see if there is anything else that can be done to reduce the fringing.
I hope this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your Canon equipment. Thank you for choosing Canon.
Canon Technical Support Representative | <urn:uuid:6c9043d4-e3c7-450a-8b02-8e20c4d7a7ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://notesonvideo.blogspot.com/2012/03/more-on-canon-c300-cyanpurple-fringing.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962226 | 488 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Following the surprise takedown of MegaUpload, the countless thousands who had been using MegaUpload’s cloudspace for perfectly legitimate purposes – -sending files across the globe, for instance — have been wondering what’s to become of their data. As it turns out, there’s a good chance it’s going to disappear. Forever.
The impending deletion isn’t some kind of cruel slap in the face by the U.S. government or anything; it’s a passive thing, not an active one. After having its assets frozen, MegaUpload has simply been unable to pay its bills, specifically those at Cogent Communications and Carpathia Hosting. If the U.S. government doesn’t step in to prevent it, everything stored in the MegaUpload cloud will be deleted this coming Thursday, as a matter of housekeeping.
MegaUpload’s lawyers have reached out, asking that access to MegaUpload files be reinstated, at least temporarily, so that those who have irreplaceable personal files in the cloud can get them out. “We of course would like to think the United States and Megaupload would both be united in trying to avoid such a consumer protection calamity whereby innocent consumers could permanently lose access to everything from word processing files to family photos and many other things that could never practically be considered infringing,” one of MegaUpload’s lawyers told TorrentFreak.
It presents a very interesting scenario. MegaUpload was shut down due to allegations of piracy, a crime wherein the original copyrighted material that is being duplicated remains intact. Now, in the fallout, non-copyright infringing data may actually be destroyed. It could hardly be more ironic.
The deletion of this data could also have a huge affect on the “Cloud” industry as a whole. I mean, if MegaUpload gets wiped, maybe all of your data really isn’t safe in the cloud. Of course, this has really been the case all along, but this would serve as a particularly harsh reminder to people who use cloud storage for files that aren’t backed up somewhere. Would this mass deletion spark a new enthusiasm for backing up, or a sudden wariness of “the Cloud”? Probably both, but hopefully it won’t come to that.
There have already been moves to sue the FBI over lost files. The issue is, however, that things have to move fast to make sure the data isn’t destroyed. Getting it back to the users is a less time-sensitive matter, but keeping it on life support is an urgent one. The destruction of so much non-infringing data would be an utterly disastrous amount of collateral damage considering the crime being prosecuted is noteworthy for not destroying, or even altering, anything. I trust that the powers-that-be will realize the deletion of all MegaUpload data would certainly not help their cause. The question is: Will they realize fast enough?
In the meantime, routinely backup your data to a drive that you can go over and touch, like, in meatspace. Someday, you’ll thank yourself for it.
Relevant to your interests
- FileSonic halts file-sharing in response to MegaUpload takedown
- Kim Dotcom was the world’s best Modern Warfare 3 player
- Anonymous started going ballistic shortly after the takedown | <urn:uuid:ff539edd-468f-4ebb-8af1-6de6f3c8b123> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.geekosystem.com/megaupload-data-deletion/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954403 | 700 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Proposed Bill Would Require Waiting Period, Counseling to Ensure Children's Needs Met After DivorceProposed legislation would put an end to "quickie" divorces. House Bill 1423 would create a six-month waiting period for couples seeking divorces when children are involved.
Proposed legislation would put an end to "quickie" divorces. House Bill 1423 would create a six-month waiting period for couples seeking divorces when children are involved.
Within that time the adults, separately or together, would have to take five one-hour counseling sessions. The sessions are to focus on post-marital financial planning and the emotional and mental effects of divorce on children. 1,900 North Dakota couples get divorced each year with about half of them involving kids. Senator Tim Mathern says the focus of the bill is to address the children's needs after their parents split. Sen. Tim Mathern, (D) Fargo, "What this bill is trying to do is recognize that, not take any judgement about why that marital relationship ended, but to say let us make sure that issues that affect the children get some attention in the divorce process."
North Dakota has the ninth lowest divorce rate in the nation. 19 states have waiting periods for couples seeking divorce. | <urn:uuid:3dbaf54c-1eda-4242-818e-a381c2b244a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/16314/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955843 | 260 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Apple paid tribute Friday to Steve Jobs a year after his death, with a video and homage to the man who co-founded and led the iconic technology company.
“Steve’s passing one year ago was a sad and difficult time for all of us,” Jobs’s successor as chief executive, Tim Cook, said in a message on the company website.
“I hope that today everyone will reflect on his extraordinary life and the many ways he made the world a better place.”
Apple posted a two-minute video with snippets of Jobs and the various products he introduced, from the early Apple computers to the iPhone.
Jobs died October 5, 2011 at the age of 56 after a long battle with cancer.
“One of the greatest gifts Steve gave to the world was Apple,” Cook said. “No company has ever inspired such creativity or set such high standards for itself. Our values originated from Steve and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.” | <urn:uuid:a2b1bdc6-e898-4111-a005-5e77e9488a2a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/05/apple-honors-one-year-anniversary-of-steve-jobs-death/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972745 | 209 | 1.5625 | 2 |
WMU represented well in art for governor's residence
Oct. 12, 2010
KALAMAZOO--Works of four artists with current or former ties to Western Michigan University have been selected for display in the Michigan Governor's Mansion.
Oil paintings by Ellen L. Armstrong, academic advisor for the WMU Frostic School of Art, and acrylic and mixed media work by part-time art instructor Paul Nehring are on display, as well as photographs by student George Crow. In addition, former WMU part-time art instructor Brenda Snipe, has her work exhibited.
Their creations are among the work of 37 Michigan artists whose art was chosen. Selected artists passed an initial screening process, with the final choices of artwork made by Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm and First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern. The selected artists have been invited to attend a reception at the residence Friday, Oct. 29.
Lansing Art Gallery, in collaboration with the Governor's Residence Michigan Artists Program, brings artwork into the public areas of the Lansing Governor's Residence, including the living room, dining room, garden room, and outdoor spaces. Exhibited artwork will be available for sale during the exhibit. The exhibit, lasting one year, will end in August of 2011.
For more information, call the Lansing Art Gallery at (517) 374-6400.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, (269) 387-8400, email@example.com | <urn:uuid:e1c2ba1a-5333-4740-bc61-0df87b7461f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news/2010/10/038.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959494 | 304 | 1.523438 | 2 |
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Elegant town house dating from medieval times
Only a few metres from York Minster, this was the first house ever given to the National Trust complete with a collection - and it is not all that it first seems.
It has a history spanning 2,000 years, from the Roman road in the cellar to the Edwardian servants' quarters in the attics, and thirteen period rooms in between.
These house one man's remarkable collection of antique furniture, ceramics, textiles and paintings from a 300-year period.
Infamous ghost stories are another of the many quirky attributes of this property. | <urn:uuid:1a91d881-ec33-4eb2-8f82-d6a609f3a792> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/treasurers-house-york/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938684 | 198 | 1.554688 | 2 |
10. No alteration or erasure of the name of any person entered by the Bank in a bond as the person to whom the principal is payable or the principal and interest are payable is effective to confer any right under the bond on any other person or to deprive the person whose name was entered by the Bank of any rights that he may have under the bond.
11. Where a person applies to be registered as owner of a bond and the bond is delivered to him without his name being entered in it by the Bank, the bond shall be deemed to be validly issued and unless he returns the bond to the Bank to have his name so entered, he shall be deemed to have accepted the bond in satisfaction of his rights as registered owner and the entry, if any, in the register shall be cancelled by the Bank.
Transfer of Bonds by Registered Owners
12. (1) Except as otherwise provided by the terms of the bond a registered bond may, in accordance with sections 13 to 18, be transferred on presentation of the bond and of an instrument of transfer in accordance with these Regulations.
(2) Where subsection (1) has been complied with, the Bank may give effect to the instrument of transfer in accordance with its terms.
(3) The execution of an instrument of transfer does not transfer or confer any right under the bond against the Government of Canada or the Bank until the Bank has given effect to the instrument by making the appropriate entry in the register.
Form and Execution of Instrument of Transfer
13. (1) An instrument of transfer shall be in Form I set out in the schedule.
(2) An instrument of transfer may be executed
(a) by being signed by the registered owner or his personal representative;
(b) where the registered owner is a corporation, by being signed by its duly authorized officers and by affixing the seal of the corporation, if any, where required;
(c) by being signed by a person authorized in that behalf by the registered owner under a power of attorney or partnership agreement;
(d) where an unincorporated association not being a partnership is registered as owner of a bond, by being signed by the duly authorized officers of the association; or
(e) by being signed by a person authorized by law to execute it on behalf of the registered owner.
(3) For the purposes of these Regulations, a person authorized by law to execute an instrument of transfer on behalf of a registered owner means any person appointed by a competent court or by statute to act on behalf of or in the place of the registered owner and includes a trustee in bankruptcy.
Guarantee of Signature
14. (1) The Bank is not required to give effect to an instrument of transfer unless the signature on the instrument of transfer is guaranteed by
(a) a bank incorporated under the Bank Act or the Quebec Savings Banks Act; or
(b) a financial institution approved by the Bank under this section.
(2) The Bank may approve a financial institution for the purposes of this section and section 15 and may impose terms and conditions in connection with its approval and limit the amount of the bonds to be transferred in any one transaction with respect to which the guarantee of the institution will be accepted by the Bank and may revoke or vary any approval so given.
- Date modified: | <urn:uuid:26bb5b41-008b-4dbe-bb18-1f3bd6fca2ca> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._698/page-3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963946 | 679 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Students who are away from classes for more than five months can expect to apply for and receive a new F-1 or M-1 student visa to return to school following travel abroad, as explained below.
A student (F-1 or M-1) may lose that status if they do not resume studies within five months of the date of transferring schools or programs, under immigration law. If a student loses status, unless USCIS reinstates the student’s status, the student’s F or M visa would also be invalid for future travel returning to the U.S. For more information see the USCIS website, and instructions for Application for Extend/Change of Nonimmigrant Status Form I-539 to request reinstatement of status.
Students who leave the U.S. for a break in studies of five months or more may lose their F-1 or M-1 status unless their activities overseas are related to their course of study. In advance of travel, students may want to check with their designated school official, if there is a question about whether their activity is related to their course of study.
When the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immigration inspector at port of entry is presented a previously used, unexpired F-1 or M-1 visa by a returning student who has been outside the U.S. and out of student status for more than five months, a CBP immigration inspector may find the student inadmissible for not possessing a valid nonimmigrant visa. CBP may also cancel the visa after granting the student permission to withdraw the application for admission. Therefore, it is prudent for students to apply for new visas at an embassy or consulate abroad prior to traveling to the U.S. to return to their studies, after an absence of more than five months that is not related to their course of study | <urn:uuid:1026137a-f9c5-425f-94f4-0d5cd0b9ae20> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_2941.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952993 | 375 | 1.625 | 2 |
THE IDENTIFICATION OF ACUTE STROKE: AN ANALYSIS OF EMERGENCY CALLS
Jones, SP, Carter, B, Ford, GA, Gibson, JME, Leathley, MJ, McAdam, JJ, O'Donnell, M, Punekar, S, Quinn, T and Watkins, CL (2012) THE IDENTIFICATION OF ACUTE STROKE: AN ANALYSIS OF EMERGENCY CALLS International Journal of Stroke, volume forthcoming . ISSN 1747-4930
|PDF - Accepted Version |
Available under License : See the attached licence file.
|Plain Text (licence)|
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-4949.2011.00749.x...
Background Accurate dispatch of emergency medical services at the onset of acute stroke is vital in expediting assessment and treatment. We examined the relationship between callers’ description of potential stroke symptoms to the emergency medical dispatcher and the subsequent classification and prioritisation of emergency medical services response. Aim To identify key ‘indicator’ words used by people making emergency calls for suspected stroke, comparing these with the subsequent category of response given by the emergency medical dispatcher. Method A retrospective chart review (hospital and emergency medical services) in North West England (October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007) identified digitally recorded emergency medical services calls, which related to patients who had a diagnosis of suspected stroke at some point on the stroke pathway (from the emergency medical services call taker through to final medical diagnosis). Using content analysis, words used to describe stroke by the caller were recorded. A second researcher independently followed the same procedure in order to produce a list of ‘indicator’ words. Description of stroke-specific and nonstroke-specific problems reported by the caller was compared with subsequent emergency medical services dispatch coding and demographic features. Results Six hundred forty-three calls were made to emergency medical services of which 592 (92%) had complete emergency medical services and hospital data. The majority of callers were female (67%) and family members (55%). The most frequently reported problems first said by callers to the emergency medical dispatcher were collapse or fall (26%) and stroke (25%). Callers who identified that the patient was having a stroke were correct in 89% of cases. Calls were dispatched as stroke in 45% of cases, of which 83% had confirmed stroke. Of the first reported problems, Face Arm Speech Test stroke symptoms were mentioned in less than 5% of calls, with speech problems being the most common symptom. No callers mentioned all three Face Arm Speech Test symptoms. Conclusion Callers who contacted emergency medical services for suspected stroke and said stroke as the first reported problem were often correct. Calls categorised as stroke by the emergency medical dispatcher were commonly confirmed as stroke in the hospital. Speech problems were the most commonly reported element of the Face Arm Speech Test test to be reported by callers. Recognition of possible stroke diagnosis in fall and other presentations should be considered by emergency medical dispatchers. Further development and training are needed in the community to improve prehospital stroke recognition in order to expedite hyperacute stroke care.
|Additional Information:||Published by Blackwell Publishing on behalf of International Stroke Society. The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.|
|Divisions:||Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences > Health and Social Care|
|Deposited By:||Symplectic Elements|
|Deposited On:||24 Aug 2012 13:01|
|Last Modified:||28 Mar 2013 02:33|
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It’s funny what a difference a little resolution makes. For example, if you look at this photo of the Moon, you’d probably agree it’s very well done and very pretty:
Nice, right? But I post lots of really great pictures here, and this one at first glance doesn’t seem to distinguish itself.
Ah, but appearances can be deceiving: I had to lower the resolution way down to fit my blog. Way down. If you click to enlunenate it, you get a very, very different impression of it, since it’s actually a ginormous 3890 x 4650 pixel monster mosaic! That’s 18 megapixels of lunar goodness!
And it’s gorgeous.
Its not a single shot, but a very nicely done and seamless mosaic of images taken by André vd Hoeven using a Celestron 28 cm (11") telescope. It was actually created using video: he pointed at one part of the Moon, took a 30 second movie at 60 frames per second, and then used software which picked the best of those frames and added them together to produce a single image. He then moved the telescope to a different part of the Moon and repeated the procedure over and over again, until he had 107 images in total! These were then processed to sharpen them up, and finally put together to create the mosaic. The detail is crisp and stunning; you really need to just load up the big image and scroll around it.
I’m amazed at the detail and richness of it. Craters, cliff walls, mountains, and rays pop right out, as well as subtle features difficult to see just looking through a telescope. All in all, as I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s truly an incredible shot. So I’m glad we got that resolved.
Image credit: André vd Hoeven, used by permission. Tip o’ the dew shield to theritz. | <urn:uuid:e26283a4-cae7-4a3e-a18c-12b1a6abceab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/03/09/jaw-dropping-moon-mosaic/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951432 | 421 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Sep 1 2012
All British expats and holidaymakers caught up in wildfires in southern Spain have been accounted for, sources say.
Firefighters have been battling blazes in the Costa Del Sol region since Friday morning, and thousands of people were forced to flee their homes.
Military personnel were drafted in to help as planes and helicopters dumped water over the flames near the popular tourist towns of Malaga and Marbella in Andalucia.
The Spanish authorities are now understood to have brought the fires under control, though some patches of flames remain.
Around 300 British nationals were relocated to shelters on Friday, but none stayed overnight in the temporary accommodation.
There were unconfirmed reports that a 78-year-old Briton had been killed, but the Foreign Office said it was not aware of any British casualties.
A spokesman said: "There are no reports that any British nationals have died."
Two Britons were treated in hospital for minor injuries - thought to be smoke inhalation - but they did not stay overnight.
Expat John Taylor, who lives in Calahonda, said the windy conditions made the fire more ferocious than ones that have hit in previous years, but the authorities dealt with them very well.
He told Sky News: "It came through much more viciously on this occasion, and much more frightening for those people on the top of Calahonda in the apartment blocks up there." | <urn:uuid:53204729-a305-4ead-9246-d8f857900b7e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.osadvertiser.co.uk/news/west-lancashire-breaking-news/2012/09/01/all-britons-safe-amid-spanish-fires-80904-31744183/ | 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 | 0.985574 | 288 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Get ready for Mead-mania.
The vast art collection of Gerald Mead, the local artist and collector who has been a fixture on Western New York's art scene for the past two decades, is the focus of three new exhibitions.
The first two exhibitions, which contain recent works Mead has collected and artists whose work has also appeared in the Castellani Art Museum's "TopSpin" series, opened Thursday in North Tonawanda's Carnegie Art Center. The third, "50 at 50: Select Artists from the Gerald Mead Collection," will provide an in-depth look at the top 50 artists in Mead's collection. It opens Aug. 18 in the University at Buffalo's Anderson Gallery.
For Mead, who timed the opening of the Anderson Gallery show to coincide with his own 50th birthday, the shows provide three distinct views into the collection he has been meticulously building for the past 25 years.
At the Carnegie Art Center, "Castellani TopSpin Artists: Works from the Gerald Mead Collection" features work by emerging local artists whom the Castellani has featured in its "TopSpin" series. His collection contains 21 of the 29 artists the series has included since its inception, a sign of Mead's ongoing attempt to build an encyclopedic trove of work from the most visible and important artists to work in the region. That is presented alongside "Recent Acquisitions: Selections from the Gerald Mead Collection," a small show meant to give some attention to a new generation of artists.
At the Anderson Gallery, Mead will show 86 works by 50 artists, including his entire collection of works by Cindy Sherman and Charles Burchfield, along with important pieces by Charles Clough, Robert Longo, John Pfahl, Ellen Carey, Ad Reinhardt and Milton Rogovin. The stipulation for inclusion, Mead said, was that each artist's work must be in the collections of several internationally regarded museums.
"It's a moment to sort of pause and see what I've done [in its entirety]," Mead said. "I think it's a combination of assessment and review and satisfaction, and I think it's sort of a realization that what I've accomplished and what I've assembled has a future purpose."
Mead is a collector in the mold of Herbert and Dorothy Vogel, the famed Manhattan art lovers whose main criterion for buying a work was whether they could carry it home on the subway. Mead, who doesn't have the means of a collector like his mentor Charles Rand Penney, has acquired a sizable chunk of his collection by trading his own artwork for that of other artists as well as buying the work of emerging artists for affordable prices. Mead dedicated "50 at 50" to Herbert Vogel, who died last month.
In the introduction to the "50 at 50" catalog, UB Art Galleries Director Sandra Olsen praised Mead's work as a collector and an artist.
"The societal role of collectors cannot be overstated," she wrote. "They uniquely support and nurture artists' careers, maintain the growth of public collections and sustain a community's cultural legacy."
Outgoing Albright-Knox Art Gallery Director Louis Grachos called Mead's work "a testament to his creativity on all fronts and his important role as advocate for his many colleagues and friends."
Like many approaching the 50-year mark, Mead has entered a period of reflection about his accomplishments and the direction of his life and work. Even so, he cast the trio of exhibitions not as exercises in soul-searching, but as opportunities to share his lifelong passion.
"It's really meant to be more of a celebration a party where people can appreciate and enjoy what has brought me the most joy in my life," Mead said. "It's a celebration of life and passion and all that has really brought me satisfaction in my life."
"Castellani TopSpin Artists" and "Recent Acquisitions"
WHEN: Through Sept. 8
WHERE: Carnegie Art Center, 240 Goundry St., North Tonawanda
INFO: 694-4400 or www.carnegieartcenter.org
"50 at 50"
WHEN: Aug. 18-Sept. 30
WHERE: University at Buffalo Anderson Gallery, 1 Martha Jackson Place
INFO: 829-3754 or www.ubartgalleries.org | <urn:uuid:63b951ac-3e73-4d1d-b21a-fbdd326d69a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120810/GUSTO/308109975/1031 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973028 | 887 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Gas prices on the rise, near $4 at some spotsGasoline prices spiked in the Midwest this week and as of Thursday were getting close to $4 at some local stations.
By: By Samara Kalk Derby, The Wisconsin State Journal, Superior Telegram
Gasoline prices spiked in the Midwest this week and as of Thursday were getting close to $4 at some local stations.
"Customers are upset," said Ravi Singh, who manages the BP station at 4501 Verona Road.
Gas at Singh's station was among the highest priced in town at $3.89 per gallon, but Singh said his store's cost is $3.85.
"It's not a big margin," he said.
Singh said the price climbed throughout the week. It went up four cents Thursday,
23 cents Wednesday and 14 cents Tuesday.
The average gas price in Madison Thursday was $3.75, while the national average was $3.56, according to MadisonGasPrices.com. It was up 10 cents in Madison from the day before and 36 cents from one week ago, according to the site.
Some stations in Madison are charging as much as $3.99. The lowest in the area was $3.53 found at stations in Mt. Horeb and Mazomanie, according to MadisonGasPrices.com.
According to AAA, the average cost of gas in Wisconsin Thursday was $3.67.
The price increase is caused by refinery and pipeline problems in the Midwest, including the Enbridge pipeline spill of some 1,200 barrels of oil in rural Grand Marsh, Wis., last week, said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for the gas pricing website GasBuddy.com.
The high prices will be temporary, he said.
"It may impact us for another week or two, and it will probably be at least two or three weeks before we really notice prices going back down."
The cost of wholesale gasoline is determined like a stock, with buyers and sellers, DeHaan said.
"It's kind of an auction, if you will. What's going on is, when we see issues arise, like the ones we saw, it puts upward pressure on prices."
People bid up gasoline, he said. "And that's what we saw here."
(c)2012 The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.)
Visit The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.) at www.wisconsinstatejournal.com
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It was a great event with some great presentations, including (if I may say) our own Ian deVilliers' *Security Application Proxy Pwnage*. Another presentation that caught my attention was Haroon Meer's *Penetration Testing considered harmful today*. In this presentation Haroon outlines concerns he has with Penetration Testing and suggests some changes that could be made to the way we test in order to improve the results we get. As you may know a core part of SensePost's business, and my career for almost 13 years, has been security testing, and so I followed this talk quite closely. The raises some interesting ideas and I felt I'd like to comment on some of the points he was making.
As I understood it, the talk's hypothesis could be (over) simplified as follows:
Next, I'd like to consider the assertion that penetration testing or even security assessment is presented as the "solution" to the security problem. While it's true that many companies do employ regular testing, amongst our customers it's most often used as a part of a broader strategy, to achieve a specific purpose. Security Assessment is about learning. Through regular testing, the tester, the assessment team and the customer incrementally understand threats and defenses better. Assumptions and assertions are tested and impacts are demonstrated. To me the talk's point is like saying that cholesterol testing is being presented as a solution to heart attacks. This seems untrue. Medical testing for a specific condition helps us gauge the likelihood of someone falling victim to a disease. Having understood this, we can apply treatments, change behavior or accept the odds and carry on. Where we have made changes, further testing helps us gauge whether those changes were successful or not. In the same way, security testing delivers a data point that can be used as part of a general security management process. I don't believe many people are presenting testing as the 'solution' to the security problem.
It is fair to say that the entire process within which security testing functions is not having the desired effect; Hence the talk's reference to a "security apocalypse". The failure of security testers to communicate the severity of the situation in language that business can understand surely plays a role here. However, it's not clear to me that the core of this problem lies with the testing component.
A significant, and interesting component of the talk's thesis has to do with the role of "0-day" in security and testing. He rightly points out that even a single 0-day in the hands of an attacker can completely change the result of the test and therefore the situation for the attacker. He suggests in his talk that the testing teams who do have 0-day are inclined to over-emphasise those that they have, whilst those who don't have tend to underemphasize or ignore their impact completely. Reading a bit into what he was saying, you can see the 0-day as a joker in a game of cards. You can play a great game with a great hand but if your opponent has a joker he's going to smoke you every time. In this the assertion is completely true. The talk goes on to suggest that testers should be granted "0-day cards", which they can "play" from time to time to be granted access to a particular system and thereby to illustrate more realistically the impact a 0-day can have. I like this idea very much and I'd like to investigate incorporating it into the penetration testing phase for some of our own assessments.
What I struggle to understand however, is why the talk emphasizes the particular 'joker' over a number of others that seems apparent to me. For example, why not have a "malicious system administrator card", a "spear phishing card", a "backdoor in OTS software" card or a "compromise of upstream provider" card? As the 'compromise' of major UK sites like the Register and the Daily Telegraph illustrate there are many factors that could significantly alter the result of an attack but that would typically fall outside the scope of a traditional penetration test. These are attack vectors that fall within the victim's threat model but are often outside of their reasonable control. Their existence is typically not dealt with during penetration testing, or even assessment, but also cannot be ignored. This doesn't doesn't invalidate penetration testing itself, it simply illustrates that testing is not equal to risk management and that risk management also needs to consider factors beyond the client's direct control.
The solution to this conundrum was touched on in the presentation, albeit very briefly, and it's "Threat Modeling". For the last five years I've been arguing that system- or enterprise-wide Threat Modeling presents us with the ability to deal with all these unknown factors (and more) and perform technical testing in a manner that's both broader and more efficient.
Threat Modeling makes our testing smarter, broader, more efficient and more relevant and as such is a vital improvement to our risk assessment methodology.
Solving the security problem in total is sadly still going to take a whole lot more work...
By the year 2015 sub-Saharan Africa will have more people with mobile network access than with access to electricity at home.This remarkable fact from a 2011 MobileMonday report came to mind again as I read an article just yesterday about the introduction of Mobile Money in the UK: By the start of next year, every bank customer in the country may have the ability to transfer cash between bank accounts, using an app on their mobile phone.
I originally came across the MobileMonday report while researching the question of mobility and security in Africa for a conference I was asked to present at . In this presentation I examine the global growth and impact of the so-called mobile revolution and then its relevance to Africa, before looking at some of the potential security implications this revolution will have.
The bit about the mobile revolution is easy: According to the Economist there will be 10 billion mobile devices connected to the Internet by 2020, and the number of mobile devices will surpass the number of PCs and laptops by this year already. The mobile-only Internet population will grow 56-fold from 14 million at the end of 2010 to 788 million by the end of 2015. Consumerization - the trend for new information technology to emerge first in the consumer market and then spread into business organizations, resulting in the convergence of the IT and consumer electronics industries - implies that the end-user is defining the roadmap for these technologies as manufacturers, networks and businesses scramble desperately to absorb their impact.
Africa, languishing behind in so many other respects, is right there on the rushing face of this new wave, as my initial quote illustrates. In fact the kind of mobile payment technology referred to in the BBC article is already quite prevalent in our home markets in Africa and we're frequently engaged to test mobile application security in various forms. In my presentation for example, I make reference to m-Pesa - the mobile payments system launched in Kenya and now mimicked in South Africa also. Six million people in Kenya use m-Pesa, and more than 5% of that country's annual GDP is moved to and fro directly from mobile to mobile. There are nearly five times the number of m-Pesa outlets than the total number of PostBank branches, post offices, bank branches, and automated teller machines (ATMs) in the country combined.
Closer to home in South Africa, it is estimated that the number of people with mobile phones outstrips the number of people with fixed-line Internet connections by a factor of ten! And this impacts our clients and their businesses directly: Approximately 44% of urban cellphone users in South Africa now make use of mobile banking services. The reasoning is clear: Where fixed infrastructure is poor mobile will dominate, and where the mobile dominates mobile services will soon follow. Mobile banking, mobile wallets, mobile TV and mobile social networking and mobile strong-authentication systems are all already prevalent here in South Africa and are already bringing with them the expected new array of security challenges. Understanding this is one of the reasons our customers come to us.
In my presentation I describe the Mobile Threat Model as having three key facets:
The technical security issues we discover on mobile devices and mobile applications today are really no different from what we've been finding in other environments for years. There are some interesting new variations and interesting new attack vectors, but it's really just a new flavor of the same thing. But there are four attributes of the modern mobile landscape that combine to present us with an entirely new challenge:
Firstly, mobiles are highly connected. The mobile phone is permanently on some IP network and by extension permanently on the Internet. However, it's also connected via GSM and CDMA; it's connected with your PC via USB, your Bluetooth headset and your GPS, and soon it will be connected with other devices in your vicinity via NFC. Never before in our history have communications been so converged, and all via the wallet-sized device in your pocket right now!
Secondly, the mobile device is deeply integrated. On or through this platform is everything anyone would ever want to know about you: Your location, your phone calls, your messages, your personal data, your photos, your location, your location history and your entire social network. Indeed, in an increasing number of technical paradigms, your mobile device is you! Moreover, the device has the ability to collect, store and transmit everything you say, see and hear, and everywhere you go!
Thirdly, as I've pointed out, mobile devices are incredibly widely distributed. Basically, everyone has one or soon will. And, we're rapidly steering towards a homogenous environment defined by IOS and Google's Android. Imagine the effect this has on the value of an exploit or attack vector. Finally, the mobile landscape is still being very, very poorly managed. Except for the Apple AppStore, and recent advances by Google to manage the Android market, there is extremely little by way of standardization, automated patching or central management to be seen. Most devices, once deployed, will stay in commission for years to come and so security mistakes being made now are likely to become a nightmare for us in the future.
Thus, the technical issues well known from years of security testing in traditional environments are destined to prevail in mobile, and we're already seeing this in the environments we've tested. This reality, combined with how connected, integrated, distributed and poorly managed these platforms are, suggests that careless decisions today could cost us very dearly in the future...
While doing some thinking on threat modelling I started examining what the usual drivers of security spend and controls are in an organisation. I've spent some time on multiple fronts, security management (been audited, had CIOs push for priorities), security auditing (followed workpapers and audit plans), pentesting (broke in however we could) and security consulting (tried to help people fix stuff) and even dabbled with trying to sell some security hardware. This has given me some insight (or at least an opinion) into how people have tried to justify security budgets, changes, and findings or how I tried to. This is a write up of what I believe these to be (caveat: this is my opinion). This is certainly not universalisable, i.e. it's possible to find unbiased highly experienced people, but they will still have to fight the tendencies their position puts on them. What I'd want you to take away from this is that we need to move away from using these drivers in isolation, and towards more holistic risk management techniques, of which I feel threat modelling is one (although this entry isn't about threat modelling).
The tick box monkeys themselves, they provide a useful function, and are so universally legislated and embedded in best practise, that everyone has a few decades of experience being on the giving or receiving end of a financial audit. The priorities audit reports seem to drive are:
But security vendors prioritisation of controls are driven by:
Every year around Black Hat Vegas/Pwn2Own/AddYourConfHere time a flurry of media reports hit the public and some people go into panic mode. I remember The DNS bug, where all that was needed was for people to apply a patch, but which, due to the publicity around it, garnered a significant amount of interest from people who it usually wouldn't, and probably shouldn't have cared so much. But many pentesters trade on this publicity; and some pentesting companies use this instead of a marketing budget. That's not their only, or primary, motivation, and in the end things get fixed, new techniques shared and the world a better place. The cynical view then is that some of the motivations for vulnerability researchers, and what they end up prioritising are:
Unfortunately, as human beings, our decisions are coloured by a bunch of things, which cause us to make decisions either influenced or defined by factors other than the reality we are faced with. A couple of those lead us to prioritising different security motives if decision making rests solely with one person:
The result of all of this is that different companies and people push vastly different agendas. To figure out a strategic approach to security in your organisation, you need some objective risk based measurement that will help you secure stuff in an order that mirrors the actual risk to your environment. While it's still a black art, I believe that Threat Modelling helps a lot here, a sufficiently comprehensive methodology that takes into account all of your infrastructure (or at least admits the existence of risk contributed by systems outside of a “most critical” list) and includes valid perspectives from above tries to provide an objective version of reality that isn't as vulnerable to the single biases described above.
Dominic is currently in the air somewhere over the Atlantic, returning from a long trip that included BlackHat, DefCon and lastly Metricon6, where he spoke on a threat model approach that he has picked up and fleshed out. He has promised a full(er) write-up on his glorious return, however in the meantime his slides are below. An updated copy of the CTM tool is on the CTM page, as is the demonstration dashboard (a nifty spreadsheet-from-the-deep that interactively provides various views on your threat model).
Over the last few years there has been a popular meme talking about information centric security as a new paradigm over vulnerability centric security. I've long struggled with the idea of information-centricity being successful, and in replying to a post by Rob Bainbridge, quickly jotted some of those problems down.
In pre-summary, I'm still sceptical of information-classification approaches (or information-led control implementations) as I feel they target a theoretically sensible idea, but not a practically sensible one.
Information gets stored in information containers (to borrow a phrase from Octave) such as the databases or file servers. This will need to inherit a classification based on the information it stores. That's easy if it's a single purpose DB, but what about a SQL cluster (used to reduce processor licenses) or even end-user machines? These should be moved up the classification chain because they may store some sensitive info, even if they spend the majority of the time pushing not-very-sensitive info around. In the end, the hoped-for cost-saving-and-focus-inducing prioritisation doesn't occur and you end up having to deploy a significantly higher level of security to most systems. Potentially, you could radically re-engineer your business to segregate data into separate networks such as some PCI de-scoping approaches suggest, but, apart from being a difficult job, this tends to counter many of the business benefits of data and system integrations that lead to the cross-pollination in the first place.
Next up, I feel this fails to take cognisance of what we call "pivoting"; the escalation of privileges by moving from one system or part of a system to another. I've seen situations when the low criticality network monitoring box is what ends up handing out the domain administrator password. It had never been part of internal/external audits scope, none of the vulns showed up on your average scanner, it had no sensitive info etc. Rather, I think we need to look at physical, network and trust segregation between systems, and then data. It would be nice to go data-first, but DRM isn't mature (read simple & widespread) enough to provide us with those controls.
Lastly, I feel information-led approaches often end up missing the value of raw functionality. For example, a critical trade execution system at an investment bank could have very little sensitive data stored on it, but the functionality it provides (i.e. being able to execute trades using that bank's secret sauce) is hugely sensitive and needs to be considered in any prioritisation.
I'm not saying I have the answers, but we've spent a lot of time thinking about how to model how our analysts attack systems and whether we could "guess" the results of multiple pentests across the organisation systematically, based on the inherent design of your network, systems and authentication. The idea is to use that model to drive prioritisation, or at least a testing plan. This is probably closer aligned to the idea of a threat-centric approach to security, and suffers from a lack of data in this area (I've started some preliminary work on incorporating VERIS metrics).
In summary, I think information-centric security fails in three ways; by providing limited prioritiation due to the high number of shared information containers in IT environments, by not incorporating how attackers move through a networks and by ignoring business critical functionality. | <urn:uuid:ac8fed9b-a7d5-4ede-8d20-d58161baa2c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sensepost.com/blog/?find=modelling | 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 | 0.963455 | 3,637 | 1.765625 | 2 |
the Ins and The Outs
A hypothetical time-lapse video of Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, starting in the year 2000: The block is lined with dollar stores, bodegas and barbershops, a few hair-braiding salons, some humble restaurants. Many storefronts are shuttered; those open are kept afloat by local patrons, predominately African-Americans and West Indians. Crime is common in the neighborhood, the sound of gunshots familiar.
Over time, the scenery begins to change. Tree saplings take root in once-neglected sidewalk beds; foreboding iron doors morph into friendlier gates. At an increasing rate, young white faces begin to dot the screen, darting off to work in the morning and dashing back again at night. Boarded-up storefronts transform into fashionable bars, restaurants, and boutiques. Groups of cops suddenly appear, standing guard on street corners; more new businesses, and more whites faces follow, and follow.
This blurred process of change is known to urban dwellers across America, especially to those who move to Brooklyn, many of whom play a role in the process, tacitly or actively, including the authors of this story. In New York, few streets have changed quite so quickly or dramatically as Franklin Avenue has in recent years. When one speaks to those who do business and live, or have lived, in the neighborhood, a tapestry of stories emerges—some positive, others much less so—that is, at best, remarkably difficult to comprehend.
* * *
Environmentally speaking, that Franklin Avenue gentrified at all should come as no surprise. The entire avenue runs for about three miles from the Brooklyn Navy Yard to Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The gentrified portion stretches from St. Marks Avenue to Eastern Parkway, and resonates east toward Nostrand Avenue and west toward Grand Army Plaza. It is exceedingly pedestrian-friendly, one of the rare strips in New York where there is more sidewalk than street. Crown Heights itself is rich with a gorgeous brownstone housing stock and lies a short distance from Prospect Park, one of the most popular outdoor spaces in New York City. It’s also served by a bevy of subway lines, providing convenient access to and from Manhattan.
Since 2008, fifty-two new businesses have opened along Franklin Avenue north of Eastern Parkway, with sixteen of them arriving in 2012, according to the popular neighborhood blog, I Love Franklin Avenue. In the same span of time, thirty establishments closed, with eleven going last year.
Today, the avenue bustles with economic and social activity. A strong sense of community reigns, one comprised of a wealth of residents from different generations and walks of life, which is apparent to anyone who takes the time to visit, grab a cup of coffee and watch the world go by for a couple minutes.
Franklin’s new business owners tend to be well-educated, in their thirties or forties, and proud of letting their personalities speak through their establishments. Many live in the neighborhood.
Michael De Zayas, thirty-eight, bought an apartment just off Franklin Avenue in 2012 and, shortly after, opened a Parisian-style café on Franklin, Little Zelda, named after his sixteen-month old daughter.
“One of the inspirations for me,” says De Zayas, “was that I love to read the newspaper and have a baguette every morning, and you couldn’t do that here before.”
De Zayas, who holds an MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, is not a career barista. He started out as a travel writer and then created a profitable custom t-shirt and sweatshirt company, which he recently sold. This fall, he also opened It Takes a Village, a non-profit community space for children to play and parents to congregate, across the street from Little Zelda. (He now has plans to relocate to a nearby building.)
Nearly one hundred families have already signed up, paying $35 dollars a month in membership fees. A majority of them are white, but De Zayas, whose father was born in Cuba, says he is working to bring in more families of different ethnicities. He hopes to purchase additional storefronts along Franklin and create other community spaces because, as he puts it, “I don’t want this to become Park Slope.”
“When I went into Park Slope with my stroller, I became invisible,” De Zayas says of his experience as a stay-at-home dad. “That isn’t the case here. People take the time to say ‘hi’ to each other. And a lot of my efforts are aimed at keeping that alive, at keeping the community engaged.”
That anyone could worry about Franklin Avenue turning into Park Slope, one of the wealthier, more undeniably gentrified neighborhoods in the entire city, is telling in and of itself. Not long ago, Crown Heights was considered a no-go zone for business.
“You know, two years ago if you told me, ‘Come to Franklin Avenue,’ I would say, ‘You must be crazy,’” says Atim Oton, co-chair of the Economic Development Committee for the local community board.
In 2004, Oton, a forty-three-year-old from Nigeria, left behind a successful career in architecture to found Calabar, a small chain of stores selling middle to high-end African, Asian and South American imports. Oton’s first store was on nearby Washington Avenue. In the spring of 2011, a fire destroyed a chunk of Oton’s merchandise and forced her to close until June. With time on her hands she looked east toward Franklin.
“I had known that this area was changing, but I didn’t quite know what kind of change it was going to be,” she says. “So I came down here and looked around and said, ‘OK, this is a shopping street.”
Oton leased a narrow storefront at 708 Franklin where she pays less than $2,000 a month, a steal compared to a neighborhood like Park Slope where she’d pay as much as $12,000. However, the cost of commercial real estate on Franklin Avenue is rising quickly.
“We signed our lease in March,” said Henry Carter, thirty-one, who opened Excelsior Bike Shop in a former storefront church at 694 Franklin Avenue last year. “A friend who’s a real estate agent basically told me that similar sized places on the block are now going for twenty to twenty-five percent more than what we signed for.”
Business owners say that rising commercial rent has played a roll in pushing out long-standing establishments, and even a few of the newer ones that tried to capitalize on the change.
For instance, Climax, a store selling urban clothing at 775 Franklin, is moving to Fulton Mall in Downtown Brooklyn, a popular shopping destination among minorities, which itself is undergoing a radical redevelopment. Similarly, the Franklin Avenue location of Mazon Discount, a small chain of dollar stores that has been in the neighborhood since the 1990s, has seen business lag, and is now bringing in goods it hopes newer residents will appreciate, like pet supplies.
“We’re not dead yet,” said Abraham, a twenty-seven-year-old employee, who like several people interviewed for this article preferred not to give his full name. But, he conceded, “business is down. Everything started changing.”
* * *
“Gentrification is here,” says Oton, the Calabar shops owner. “This is the avenue that is really dancing around it. We don’t want to talk about it. We’re afraid to have conversations about race and income and class. And that’s an American problem.”
Others are less concerned.
“I actually don’t have many feelings about it,” said one white newcomer, a twenty-eight-year-old woman who bought an apartment in the area last year. “I like my neighborhood because it’s nice and it has fancy coffee, but also because it’s still not totally white, so it’s a little less of a shopping mall.”
“Though,” she went on, “I’m looking forward to the Section 8 rentals in my building going condo as well,” so that property values will increase.
“But also because owners tend to respect the building more,” she said. “There’s been a shady police presence here, and a shooting next door that is somehow tied to one of the units.”
To be sure, white residents aren’t the only ones untroubled by the change.
“When I came here eight years ago the violence was calming down, but it was still there,” said Kathy, a younger African-American woman who pays $700 a month for a two-bedroom apartment on Franklin. “Now I would say it’s like a Little Manhattan over here. A lot of Caucasian people moved in—a lot. You saw one, then you saw three, then you saw a billion of them. And I think that’s what really changed the neighborhood.”
But that doesn’t really bother Kathy. “If it’s for you, it’s for you,” she said with a casual shrug and a drag off a cigarette, before adding that she now shops at the Fulton Mall for cheaper prices.
Meanwhile, many white residents seem torn between embracing the change and lamenting it. As Cory, a thirty-year-old white man who moved to the neighborhood in 2007, put it, “There’s a Haitian restaurant shitbox next door that I’d never dream of going into.”
“Where’s the thing in between that and Barboncino?” he said, referring to a trendy Neapolitan-style pizzeria that opened on Franklin two years ago to the unfettered delight of the foodie community.
Barboncino pizzeria and restaurant; a corner deli; popular local restaurant Chavella’s
“It’s just a little strange,” Cory explained. “You go from four-dollar Chinese food sold from behind bulletproof glass to a twenty-eight dollar pizza and a Lambrusco in half a block. What fills the gap between them?
He thought for a moment and continued:
“But it’s weird because I really like Barboncino. They do something well. The food is terrific, it’s worth it. I just get the feeling that they were thinking about where the neighborhood was going rather than where it was when they opened.”
Often, these conversations come back to race. Some white women say they used to endure racially tinged catcalls from men in the neighborhood, but not so much any more. Conversely, some long-term black and West Indian residents say they continue to feel cold-shouldered by white newcomers.
“White people pass by here, and they’re talking, but they won’t talk to you,” said Edward, a Trinidadian-born property owner in his sixties who went on to perform a pantomime of a white person passing a black person—suddenly speeding up and averting eye contact.
“Ah come on!” he said, exasperated. “Let me tell you something. I’ve lived here thirty-seven years, and now I start to see white people moving in. And I’m telling you the truth now, I start to feel like…‘But why are all these people moving in? And I think to myself, ‘Ah shit!’ The changes around here’—the police start to change; all this other shit, all these bicycle things, bicycle stands. All these changes the last two or three years, and I say, ‘But why?”
* * *
It would be a mistake to say that the change on Franklin came only from outside.
In the early 2000s, the avenue was still crime-ridden—”a hot, ugly, dirty, drug-infested street,” as once described by Evangeline Porter, the president of the Crow Hill Community Association.
Crow Hill, which was formed in 1984 and began attempting to revitalize Franklin Avenue in ’99, worked diligently to beautify the blocks, planting trees, removing graffiti, and asking homeowners to install gates instead of iron doors. They had no patience for the criminal element in the community or for those who littered and loitered on street corners. As one neighborhood observer put it, “If you look at the people who come to Crow Hill meetings, it’s not the guys who are getting stopped and frisked. It’s property-owning people, often women, often retirees, who’ve been here a long time, and who have very little nostalgia about what the neighborhood used to be.”
It wasn’t long after Crow Hill’s beatification blitz that white people began moving into the neighborhood. By 2008, the white population, though still a minority, had become a noticeable presence. Some got mugged, says resident Mike Fagan, a forty-three-year-old employee at a social service agency who is white and has lived in the neighborhood since 2003.
“There was a period,” Fagan said, “when the neighborhood attracted young, naïve white people who were mugged pretty frequently because they lacked street smarts and they couldn’t perceive risk. They brought an attention,” he added.
That “attention” was further heightened during the summer of 2009, when a string of fatal black-on-black shootings rattled the neighborhood. Concerned residents, local elected officials, and the Crow Hill Community Association (whose members declined requests to be interviewed for this story) made a vigorous, and successful, push to reapply an increased police presence, known in N.Y.P.D.-speak as an “Impact Zone.”
Impact Zones stem from “Broken-Windows” policing, a law enforcement practice that focuses on quality-of-life offenses like public urination, public drinking, graffiti and drug dealing in an effort to curtail the overall culture of street crime. The program was first launched by the NYPD in 2003.
Some in the neighborhood say that Franklin Avenue was targeted from the start. Others believe the Impact Zone has come and gone, and come back again. Nearly everyone interviewed for this story agreed that the community’s reaction to the muggings and shootings of 2009 had a re-energizing effect on it. Police officers became a regular presence on the avenue, standing at street corners and creating an environment in which criminal behavior could not go unnoticed. For some, the surge in cops seemed suspicious, as if it was designed to hasten the change.
“It’s kind of like, ‘Wow, you didn’t come before when we were calling, but now you’re here everyday,” said Craig, a forty-year-old black man who has lived in the neighborhood for seventeen years. “When out here was rough, if you called the police you was lucky if they came at all.”
Other residents reject the notion.
“A real cynic would say it’s about policing the street for development,” said Nick Juravich, a twenty-eight-year-old urban history PhD candidate at Columbia University. “But it’s more complex than that,” added Juravich, a neighborhood resident since 2008, who is white, and the author of the I Love Franklin Avenue blog. “It’s about who can speak to the police and who can navigate the channels of communication.”
Whatever the politics of the Impact Zone, it worked. Street corner drug handoffs and gunplay are now rare occurrences on Franklin Avenue. But many say its tactics have proved antagonistic. Some residents say the police officers bring a “war zone” mentality to their beat.
“These are often young cops who are strangers to the neighborhood,” said Juravich. “It’s an adversarial position.”
For young minority men, law-abiding and non-law-abiding alike, the specter of stop-and-frisk—an intensely controversial NYPD tactic that allows officers to search suspicious individuals for contraband or weapons—became a menace.
Abraham Paulos, a thirty-one-year-old of Eritrean descent who has lived in Crown Heights on and off for seven years, says he had no trouble with police before the Impact Zone came in. But in 2010 he was stopped and frisked twice, and wrongfully arrested once, spending a weekend in Rikers Island jail in the midst of midterm exams at The New School, where he was pursuing a master’s degree in—irony of ironies—human rights.
Paulos, who is now the executive director of Families for Freedom, the nonprofit group that supported him through his court case, first came to the U.S. from Sudan as part of an asylum program for stateless refugees. He still resides here on a Green Card status, so the arrest resulted in a threat of deportation before it was eventually overturned.
“If I was white I would be a gentrifier,” noted Paulos, who said he felt safer in pre-gentrified Crown Heights. “But I’m not, so I’m a threat.”
While no one in the neighborhood denies that the Impact Zone has made the streets safer, some wonder if it has actually stopped crime or merely pushed it away. Henry Carter, owner of Excelsior Bicycles, likened it to “putting a drop of soap into a petri dish full of dirty water. All the dirt shoots out, but it’s nice and clean in the middle.” (Neither the 77th Precinct nor the NYPD’s press office responded to requests to learn more about the successes or failures of the Impact Zone.)
* * *
“These guys—right here,” Sharon says angrily, standing on Franklin Avenue and pointing up to a banner reading MySpace NYC. “These guys are changing the whole block.”
Sharon is a thirty-nine-year-old black woman, a former construction worker who has lived in the area for twenty-eight years. MySpace NYC is a real estate agency that arrived in 2008, and is perhaps the most controversial, notorious player in the entire Franklin Avenue saga.
By all accounts, MySpace, which is the most visible real estate firm in the neighborhood, does much more business as a brokerage firm working with landlords than it does as a landlord itself. But rumors abound about shell corporations that principals of the company create and then use to purchase property. A undated marketing letter from a group called IDG Holdings but signed by a principal of MySpace informs building owners: “We buy properties ‘As is’ and in any condition and price range. We pay Top Dollar, in Cash, without any Broker fees. We can close as fast as 7-10 days…”
“They try to harass you into selling,” said a West Indian man named Mike, who owns a building just off of Franklin on St. John’s Place. Two years ago, he put his building up for sale, but subsequently withdrew it from the market. He claims that MySpace NYC agents have been hounding him ever since.
“They call you at all kinds of hours,” said Mike. “They’ve come to my house and I have to chase them away…They make offers to you: ‘Oh, we’ve got lots of cash. Let’s do it right now,’ like you’re desperate…Every day the same thing. You tell them no, and no don’t mean nothing!”
The fact that many real estate agencies that do business in the neighborhood happen to be Jewish-owned injects another level of ugly ethnic animosity into the debate. “The Jews” was a phrase that slipped off of many peoples’ tongues in reporting on housing for this story—a kind of shorthand for “real estate” among many blacks and Latinos. (Just a few blocks off of Franklin lies one of the largest communities of Hasidic Jews outside of Israel.)
“I think it’s like the Jewish underground mob going on,” said Sharon. “From what I know of Jewish people, they all stick together…They try to handle their own business.”
But as for the ownership of MySpace NYC specifically, Sharon elaborated: “They’re not regular Jews who wear black. They wear the jeans, the designer labels.”
MySpace NYC refused to respond to multiple interview requests, including visits to its Crown Heights office. Sharon says she knows of instances in which MySpace offered renters buyouts—sometimes $5,000, sometimes $10,000 or more—to leave their apartments.
“My friend Charice,” Sharon said—“her and her mother were the only people I know of who came out on top. Myspace came with a $10,000 offer, and her husband was like ‘You better go back and do your math.’ She told me she got $35,000, her mother got $35,000. They put it together and got a house in Queens.”
Sharon’s friend Raquel Cruz had a harder time of it. Cruz is fifty-one, gregarious and of Puerto Rican descent, a mother of five who still cares for a thirty-four-year-old daughter who suffered brain damaged at birth. She and her husband are diabetic. She works as a maid and also does odd jobs—cleaning, shoveling, painting, can collecting—anything to get by. “I’m a street hustler,” she says, “but a good one, you understand?”
In 2008, after having been bought out of an apartment in Brownsville and twice accused of owing $10,000 in back rent from a landlord on Franklin Avenue, Cruz moved with her husband and daughter into a six-unit apartment building at 724 Franklin, where the tenancy was mostly Dominican and the landlord was black.
The situation at 724 Franklin was a mess, said Cruz. The Dominican residents paid a mere $500 a month in rent, far under market value, when they paid at all.
“They had been there for forty and fifty years,” she said. “I was the only one who paid my rent.” According to Cruz, the landlord, with whom she sympathized, didn’t take non-paying tenants to court because “he didn’t have the money for the lawyer.”
The hallways were filthy, strewn with trash bags that attracted mice and rats. In the winter months, the landlord struggled to keep the units heated. “He couldn’t pay for the oil because no one paid rent,” Cruz recalled.
In early 2010, overwhelmed by violations, the landlord sold the building and fliers went up in the hallways informing the tenants of where rent was now to be paid: 722 Franklin Avenue, the address of MySpace NYC, which had approached the landlord with the purchasing offer, Cruz says.
“They didn’t say, ‘You have to leave,’” she said, “but I knew that was their purpose, because I’d already been evicted by the Jews. I knew what they’re capable of doing.”
Across the street, Michael Kunitzky first caught wind of the sale when the owner of a deli he used to frequent in Cruz’s building told him he was packing up and moving to Florida. The deli has since turned into the Crown Inn, a popular neighborhood bar serving classic cocktails and pork belly sandwiches.
Kunitzky is thirty-seven years old and white. He moved into the neighborhood in 2005, and, soon after, opened LaunchPad, a free “community gathering place” that hosts screenwriting workshops and storytelling nights, and shares a space with It Takes a Village, directly across from Cruz’s old apartment.
The news of the deli’s closing piqued Kunitzky’s interest. “That was the first rumor,” he said. “A few months later they started getting people out of there.”
“It all happened so quick,” remembered Cruz, who had previously met Kunitzky at community events. “They relocated everybody.”
Most of the Dominican tenants had passed their apartments down from relative to relative and lacked leases, Cruz notes, so they were in no position to negotiate with MySpace NYC agents, whom Cruz says offered meager buyouts. “One went to Brownsville,” she said. “Another to Lincoln and Classon, another went to Union Ave.”
Concerned but unsure of what was happening, Kunitzky casually broached the subject with Guy Hochman, one of MySpace’s owners. “I don’t think he fully understood my feelings,” said Kunitzky. “He was complaining to me about the buyout payments. ‘Oh, you know, we’ve got to pay these people off, and it’s a pain in the ass.’ And I kind of gave him this strange look, like, ‘You’re crying to the wrong person, my sympathies don’t lie with you.’”
Cruz says she was offered $10,000 and three months paid rent at a two-bedroom apartment “with a little skinny kitchen” on Quincy Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, with a rent of $1,300 a month, $400 more than she was paying on Franklin Avenue. MySpace also offered to pay for her moving costs and provide her with a permanent cleaning job. Cruz admits that MySpace also had done “nice things” for her in the past, such as offering her one-off cleaning gigs. “But they were nice to me because they had to be,” she says. “If they had treated me bad they wouldn’t have been able to get me out. They had to play me.”
She knew that she would struggle to afford the $1,300 a month rent, but she says she felt compelled to sign, pressured by the money and the fact that her neighbors were vacating.
“My husband said, ‘We’re not leaving,’” Cruz remembers. “He said, ‘Don’t go behind my back signing no papers.’ I said, ‘No, I’m not going to do it.” And boom! I went and signed the papers behind his back.”
By this point, Kunitzky had confirmed his suspicions and confronted MySpace’s ownership in their office. “They made mention again that there were people in the building who were willing to take payments,” said Kunitzky. “I told them, ‘You’re taking advantage of people who don’t understand the economics of what’s happening,’ which was not very well received.”
“The day that it really escalated,” however, “was when Raquel was getting forced out,” he said of Cruz.
It was late one spring morning in 2010 and there was a commotion in the street. Cruz and her husband were ordering moving men to bring all of their furniture, which had been brought onto Franklin Avenue, back into their apartment.
“I had a deadline to move out,” Cruz said, “and I went over, something like a couple hours. And then they were telling me that they weren’t going to give me my money!”
“That’s when I ran and got Mike.”
When Cruz showed Kunitzky her contract, he became enraged. “That was the last piece I needed to see,” he said. “Her contract stated that she had to be out by, like, noon, and it was about 1 PM, so they were trying not to pay her. I went over there and just said to them, ‘Look, she’s not fucking going anywhere.’”
Kunitzky threatened to take legal action. He says he was then confronted by a MySpace employee, “an ex-Marine,” and by a man believed to be a MySpace owner. Punches were almost thrown.
“Everybody wanted to hit somebody,” Cruz recalls. “Chaos.”
Eventually, things calmed down and Cruz was assured she would get her money. Kunitzky took her aside to talk.
“Look,” he remembers saying, “this is completely up to you. You don’t want to take the money? You don’t want to leave? Rip up this contract right now.”
But Cruz did want the money, and she did end up leaving, a decision she now realizes she didn’t have to make.
“They played me, they played me,” she says.
Soon after Cruz left, the last holdout gave in and the building flipped completely. The property was renovated and the new residents, as Kunizky puts it, “appear to be in a much different socio-economic class than the previous tenants.”
Jonathan Boe, a former MySpace broker told a City Limits reporter in June 2011 that although he wasn’t directly involved with 724 Franklin, the renovation scenario, to paraphrase the reporter, “sounds familiar.”
“They love gentrification,” Boe was quoted as saying. “It’s getting tenants who are willing to pay higher rent.”
Cruz’s own higher rent at her new apartment nearly drove her into financial ruin. She never got the permanent job MySpace had promised her, she said, and she began pawning her belongings to stay afloat. Then, one day, she recalls, “one of the beautiful parts of the story” of her life took place.
About four months after moving, she was walking past her old apartment on Franklin Avenue on the way to a cleaning gig.
“My husband is always asking me ‘Why do you always look down at the ground?’” she says. “I tell him, ‘Because I have found nice things on the ground. I’ve found nice earrings. One time I found a one hundred dollar bill.’” On this particular day, Cruz found a letter that was addressed to her, covered in footprints. It was from the New York City Housing Authority. When she opened it she learned she had been granted public disability housing, which she had applied for years earlier.
“I was screaming,” Cruz said. “I was jumping for joy.”
The housing authority had been trying to reach her for weeks, Cruz says, sending letters to her old address. She had only one day left to respond before losing the spot in the Albany Houses, a public housing project a mile east of Franklin Avenue, deeper into Crown Heights.
“That’s where I am today,” Cruz said.
She only pays $82 a month in rent.
* * *
It is important to dispel the myth that gentrification is a natural process, says twenty-two-year-old Crown Heights resident Nick Petrie, “because it so conveniently leaves out very important actors in the process.” Petrie, a community organizer who has lived in the neighborhood since September, is working in his free time to bring awareness to some of these actors—those who push gentrification for profit—through a group he helps administer called the Crown Heights Assembly. The year-old Occupy-inspired organization has a goal of bringing new and longtime residents together to organize against what they see as predatory housing practices. Specifically, the assembly is focused on exposing what they consider to be collusion between deadbeat landlords and real estate companies that do business with them, like MySpace NYC.
Between fifteen and fifty community members generally attend the group’s monthly meetings, and about two hundred people are on their email list, reports another organizer, Ryan Richardson. In November 2012, the assemby staged a small protest outside MySpace’s Franklin Avenue office, demanding the company provide prospective tenants a legal rent history and compel landlords to stop displacing residents.
At a recent Crown Heights Assembly meeting, Petrie sat beside his upstairs neighbor, Sonja Bent, fifty-two. Both live in an apartment building at 577 St. Johns Place. Petrie pays $1,800. Bent pays $1,033 for the same amount of space.
Petrie, who is white, says he found the apartment through Craigslist. “The first time I learned it was MySpace” representing it, he said, “was when the logos were on the papers.”
Within the first month of living in the apartment, Petrie had dealt with rats in the walls, spotty heating and a ceiling that had collapsed four times, due to a water leak in the apartment above his—Sonja Bent’s.
Bent, who has lived in the apartment for eighteen years, is one of three remaining long-term residents who have refused to give in to the pressures to leave by the building’s landlord, Elcorno Martin, whose 142 reported housing violations rank him among Brooklyn’s “50 Worst Landlords,” according to city Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.
Petrie says he had no idea of the battles he would face from Martin in trying to get repairs.
“He effectively could take the place of a cartoon villain,” says Petrie. “Where some people might say, ‘Oh, okay, I’ll fix it,’ and they never do, he just yells at you.” Petrie says his apartment’s neglect is connected, literally, to Bent’s. It was leaking pipes in Bent’s apartment that caused Petrie’s ceiling to collapse. Bent, for her part, says she has requested repairs for years, and filed numerous complaints with the housing authority, none of which have led to any improvement.
Leaky pipes, though, are just one item on the docket of repairs-to-be-done in Bent’s apartment. The front door, which looks like it has not been painted in decades, is attached by one hinge. In the kitchen, a large hole in the wall under the sink goes straight through to the bathroom, which provides rats and even raccoons with easy access to the apartment. (Bent once battled off a raccoon inside of her apartment.) “They come up from the basement,” says Sonja’s daughter, Harmony, sixteen.
The bathroom ceiling is dotted with black mold. A long, thin crack runs through the living room wall. The master bedroom is lit by freestanding lamps because the overhead light fixture has been broken for years. The dim lights are just bright enough to illuminate large water stains in the bedroom.
Bent takes this all as a not-so-subtle message from Martin to get out. But she is determined to stay, she says, not because she loves the building or the neighborhood, but because she wants to teach her children, by example, to stand up for themselves.
“I have four children at home with me, two out of the home, and if I leave now, what am I teaching them—just walk away?” Bent explained. “I have to teach them that just because the odds are stacked up against you doesn’t give you an excuse to walk away. I have to teach them to stand up and fight for themselves.”
* * *
The Crown Heights Assembly believes, in the words of Richardson, the organizer, that “none of this stuff is inevitable.” Local businessman Kevin Phillip, who has no involvement with the assembly, would agree—to a point.
Phillip, forty-one, was born in Trinidad and owns two successful businesses on Franklin—vintage-themed sweets shop Candy Rush and a sandwich spot called Taste Buds. He is well known and well liked in the neighborhood.
“The only person I can say who’s really helping fight for the neighborhood is Kevin,” said Sharon, the longtime resident and MySpace NYC hater.
Phillip is also one of the few pre-gentrification business owners who saw the change coming and capitalized on it. An electrician by trade, he owns four trademarks as well as a building on Franklin Avenue, which he bought eleven years ago and has run multiple businesses out of.
“In a neighborhood that’s changing like this one, you have to be quick on your feet,” he said.
On the question of change he is, by all accounts, a realist.
“Reality is, if building owners sit down with Real Estate, and Real Estate says, ‘Look, I’ve got all these people looking for apartments, and you have what I need,’ it’s Business 101, basic math,” added Phillip.
In discussing with people like Phillip the wave of economic interest that has swept over Franklin Avenue, an attitudinal divide begins to emerge. Some think it doesn’t have to be so cutthroat and profit-driven; others say, “Maybe it doesn’t, but it is, so get smart.”
Of the impression that exists among some blacks and Latinos that “the Jews” are out to get them, Phillip, whose business partner is Jewish, shakes his head: “They want to make it like that. But it’s the wrong idea,” he says. “It’s totally the wrong idea…No one’s out to get anyone. They’re out to get their money. That’s what they’re out to get. This is America. America was built like that.”
Similarly, Phillip says of buyouts: “If you’re taking one, it’s like going for fool’s gold.”
* * *
What would it look like, then, what would it take, for a street like Franklin to transition from impoverished and crime-ridden to safe and enjoyable in a way that doesn’t wash out those in the lower economic brackets?
“I think it would take an enormous amount of work and action at many different levels,” says Juravich, the urban history doctoral candidate. “It would take concerted legal action. It would take political action. It would take public consciousness. It would take outreach.”
“But it happens every now and then, he says. “Or it could happen.”
Michael DeZayas, who’s working to ensure the neighborhood doesn’t “turn into Park Slope,” agrees that it’s possible. Others are less sanguine.
“Everything is going to become another Park Slope because that’s the way that this works,” said one neighborhood observer.
Another, a thirty-year-old white woman named Mindy who moved to the neighborhood in 2006, recalled an incident last summer when she was approached in front of her apartment by a white guy in his thirties. “His whole presence screamed yuppie,” Mindy remembers, “and he said, ‘Excuse me, Miss, did you hear the loud music playing last night?’
“I said, ‘Of course. Is this your first summer here? It happens every Saturday night. It’s no big deal once you get used to it. Just part of the neighborhood flavor.’
“And then he was like, ‘Hey, I’ve got a young baby. I can’t be having her kept awake all night. It’s unacceptable and the police need to shut it down.’
“I just wished him luck,” Mindy said, dismissively.
The neighbor may not need it. In April, a group of investors led by Jonathan Butler, founder of the popular real estate blog Brownstoner as well as the artisanal Brooklyn Flea market, and including the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, purchased the former Studebaker service station at 1000 Dean Street, just off of Franklin Avenue, for $11 million. They plan on turning the building into a mix of commercial and creative spaces that should be completed in the summer of 2013, and will likely receive another $20 million in investment–a level never before seen in Crown Heights.
“Until now, we’ve seen maybe local and borough-wide entrepreneurs,” said Juravich. “But when you have Goldman investing, those kinds of folks have different imperatives, they have different kinds of connections.”
Around the time of the 1000 Dean purchase, a Long Island group bought an empty lot at the corner of Franklin and Eastern Parkway for over eight million dollars. Sixty-three luxury condos and more then eight thousand square feet of street-level retail are in the works.
“These are not differences in degree,” Juravich said. “These are differences in kind.”
With luxury development of that scale already rising, even the most die-hard community activists admit this stretch of Crown Heights may not have a place for low-income residents much longer.
“It took a bit of wind out of my sails, watching what happened in this neighborhood, watching how it happened,” said Kunitzky, the resident who tangled with MySpace. “I don’t know how to beat this. I don’t know how anyone can beat this machine.”
“I can see the flip side of it,” he went on. “Everyone likes to say, ‘But the neighborhood is so much safer now. And it’s so much nicer for everyone. And there’s such a better quality of life here now.’ And that’s undeniable.
“But I still think there’s a better and more ethical way to get from a broken down, crime-ridden, drug-ridden neighborhood to a place that is safe and enjoyable for everyone while still maintaining a sense of community ownership.”
Others accept what has happened to Franklin Avenue as just another cold reality, one that plays out through each borough of this city, and others, time and time again.
“Given how wealth and income and education are currently distributed, very few neighborhoods stay diverse for very long,” said Fagan, the social service worker. “So the edge of gentrification will be mixed, but as time goes on, it won’t be.”
“It’s a blurry line,” Fagan concluded. “And we lived in the blur.”
* * *
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Vinnie Rotondaro is a contributing editor at Narratively. He lives and writes in Brooklyn.
Maura Ewing is a Brooklyn-based writer, and a student at The New School for Social Research where she is pursuing an MA in Liberal Studies. You can read more of her work here.
Mo Scarpelli is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and multimedia journalist. She likes hanging out with people until they forget she’s there, and filming or photographing the whole damn thing. Her work has appeared on the BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Africa Review and The Huffington Post. Follow her on Twitter @moscarpelli. | <urn:uuid:18da640b-878e-40c8-ae2d-c8cb559b4846> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://narrative.ly/the-old-neighborhood/the-ins-and-the-outs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976159 | 9,438 | 1.695313 | 2 |
In the new issue of Business 2.0, there’s a brief article on what Google may have up its sleeve.
What if Google (GOOG) wanted to give Wi-Fi access to everyone in America? And what if it had technology capable of targeting advertising to a user?s precise location? The gatekeeper of the world?s information could become one of the globe?s biggest Internet providers and one of its most powerful ad sellers, basically supplanting telecoms in one fell swoop. Sounds crazy, but how might Google go about it? First it would build a national broadband network — let’s call it the GoogleNet — massive enough to rival even the country’s biggest Internet service providers. Business 2.0 has learned from telecom insiders that Google is already building such a network, though ostensibly for many reasons. For the past year, it has quietly been shopping for miles and miles of “dark,” or unused, fiber-optic cable across the country from wholesalers such as New York?s AboveNet.
Intriguing stuff. Could Google be positioning itself to cover the US with free wifi? This is speculation but it’s good to consider the impact on libraries. Presence would be a million times more important as our users move to laptops and portable, converged devices. With net access anywhere anytime, the library had better be a key player in folk’s information seeking behaviors.
Take a look at this article… and file it away to look at in a few months (years?) when Google is making opther huge strides for information access to users… | <urn:uuid:be93c3db-7516-4f85-9e61-95e86cc5c746> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tametheweb.com/2005/09/09/googlenet-is-it-next/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939858 | 333 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Putting the 'special' into pharmacy care Pharmacists can specialize in chronic health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. These specialist pharmacists will play an increasingly important role as health care and patient expectations continue to change.
From patch to table: the many uses of a pumpkin While pumpkins are most often associated with holiday pies, don't underestimate this favorite of the squash and gourd family. Not only is the mighty pumpkin delicious, but it is also quite the multi-tasker.
Eight ways to improve your home's energy efficiency through lighting It's easy to instantly trim your energy consumption and boost the eco-friendliness of your home. The key to easy energy savings is lighting. Though for many homeowners and renters, knowing how and what to do to improve their home's lighting energy efficiency can be confusing.
Cranberries are good for much more than just sauce Cooler weather brings on cravings for hearty, delicious meals featuring the flavors of the fall harvest. One of these traditional autumn flavors is so versatile that it is used in breakfast, entree, dessert and snack recipes: cranberries. This season, take the time to explore the many different ways cranberries can go be...
Tips on saving energy at home this winter It's that time of year again when homeowners brace themselves for low temperatures ... and high heating bills. According to the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit group that promotes energy efficiency, the average U.S. household will spend nearly $1,000 on home heating this winter. If you're concerned about the impact ...
Color tips from the pros: How to bring bold hues into the kitchen and bath Why is it that some people can do daring things with color in their living rooms or bedrooms, but stick with the strongholds of beige and white in their kitchens and baths? As bright hues are surfacing in kitchen and bath design trends, existing oft-neutral palettes make it easy to introduce bold splashes.
How diabetes affects vision and dental health It's no secret that diabetes often goes hand-in-hand with other chronic conditions, like heart disease, and can cause a range of serious complications including nerve damage and limb amputation. When it comes to understanding how diabetes can affect oral and visual health, however, many people may feel they are in the dark.
Governments prep for another snowmageddon While American drivers enjoyed a relatively mild winter last season, this time around the Farmers' Almanac is predicting a heavier than average snowfall for much of the country and adequate preparation for snow removal will be key to avoiding catastrophe.
Continuous hot water report [Infographic] When Americans wake up in the morning, they want one thing: a good hot shower. A recent study commissioned by Noritz America, a tankless water heater manufacturer, showed that while shower styles varied, the demand for continuous hot water and strong water pressure is nearly universal. But so is the need to cut utility costs and save energy. Consumers can cut operating costs up to 40 percent and help ensure that every shower is a hot one by shifting from conventional tank-type water heater...
Tried-and-true come together with new in creative holiday traditions Every holiday season is built upon family traditions of years past. Whether it's enjoying holiday baking with friends or shopping with loved ones for gifts, traditions define the season. While honoring the past, traditions also open us to the opportunity to create new family observances, along with some great memories. | <urn:uuid:b2d57a7e-db95-43ff-81ea-a8949bf7abd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stmarynow.com/pages/ara/push?class=next_page&rel=next&per_page=12&x_page=79&instance=all_articles | 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 | 0.942864 | 708 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Friday marks the 100th anniversary of New York's Grand Central Terminal. The man who has watched over the place for 40 years gives us a guided tour.
"This is my office. Who wouldn't want to stand here and take the sights in?"
Harry Kelly had never set foot inside Grand Central Terminal until the day he dropped off his application on Oct. 2, 1973. He was just 19, tired of the insurance business, and he hoped the gig would be a nice sidebar before joining the police department alongside his brother. But an NYPD hiring freeze delayed his aspirations and Kelly just stayed on.
Four decades later he is a fixture, constant as the clocks framing every corner of the terminal.
Kelly worked his way up. From his start as a gate man, to the information booth, to lost-and-found, to the station master of the world's largest train terminal. He is responsible for all the information booth agents, customer service representatives, and cleaning crews.
"I'm going to have 40 years in October," he said. "I've always been here on this floor. It's going to be rough. But time moves on, what are you going to do?"
Kelly blends in with the crowd. He roams the concourse sporting a leather bomber jacket with the GCT insignia, and jeans, in case he needs to hop down on the track and retrieve a cell phone. As Kelly always says, "We're here to help."
I pried Kelly for some of his best party trivia. What is the significance of the acorns engraved in the marble? Are the iridescent faces of the info booth clock really made of opal? But Kelly didn't want to tick through a fact sheet. He wanted to tell tales of humanity, observations of the the people who drift through the terminal. After all, every day some 700,000 people pass through Grand Central Terminal. That's the entire population of Alaska.
There was the homeless veteran who used to leave his leg at the parcel check and then go beg on 42nd Street. The old man who roller-skated through the terminal wearing a Zorro cape while cops chased after him. And then there was that time when Paul, aka "Tick Tock," almost clocked Kelly for accidentally setting the wrong time in the main clock one morning.
Kelly was here before the constellations lit the ceiling. It used to be a dingy black color because of smoke and grime built up over the years. He prefers the soothing rustle of the train placards changing to the automated LED boards. He believes strongly in live announcements and human interaction.
Hal Morey / Getty Images
With hundreds of people moving through each day, Grand Central Terminal turns 100 on Feb. 2, 2013, and remains one of the most visited icons of New York City.
"You should hear a live person telling you that they're sorry for the inconvenience, not a computer. It's just totally different," he says.
Kelly checked the arrival board, then checked his BlackBerry. The 5:18 p.m. train was eight minutes behind schedule. "It can still make up time," he said.
In his years watching over the concourse, Kelly has watched people age. He has befriended strangers, sometimes without ever exchanging more than a few words. His laundry list of celebrity encounters ranges from Lucille Ball, to John Madden, to Andre the Giant.
But the people he talked most about, the people he cared most about, are his own.
"They work hard. I respect them," he said.
As the female announcer declared a track change in a strong, clear voice, Kelly beamed like a proud parent. "Beautiful. All my people sound good. It's not easy to do when you're in there yourself, and you think everyone's looking at you and they really aren't."
We scurried alongside Kelly for his rush-hour rounds. It was like a scene out of the "Godfather." We paid respects to a Tommy and a Terrell. A framed black-and-white print hanging in the hallway honored old timers "Nugee" and Manning.
"These were the two guys that broke me in," Kelly said.
On the concourse, we exchanged pleasantries with the likes of Frankie the Cat ("another bum from the Bronx") at the helm of a concession cart, and service agent Mike Ippolito ("call him 'Ippy'"), guarding track 29.
It doesn't take long to see why he's known as "the mayor" around here.
"You see me interact with all the departments. I know their business," he said. "There's always people who want to see me. I feel like Don Corleone... They can come in and know that I'll lend them an ear, I guess."
Beyond the handshakes, hellos, and hangouts, it is evident that Kelly takes his role as manager seriously. He is both confidante and caretaker -- everyone's family.
He paused to express his condolences and give a hug to an employee who had recently lost a loved one. He quietly shared the fact that a couple of guys that he played ball with in his old neighborhood wound up homeless in the terminal.
"One is still here, he's been here about 25 years," he said. "Every time I see him I give him some money. Can't get him out, so that's sad."
The electric feeling we had at rush hour was fading by 8:30 p.m. The terminal sounded hollow and airy once again. The hiccup on the New Haven line had corrected itself. Trains were back on time.
Not that Kelly was ever worried.
"You have 98 percent on time now. We run excellent service, we really do. It's sort of boring to me," he grinned. "It's too dull sometimes because we're so good, you know what I mean?" | <urn:uuid:2bbfe900-3c27-4e1d-bc9b-07b75b2288df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://usnews.nbcnews.com/grand-central | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982442 | 1,233 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The events of Sandy Hook have reinforced the need for all of us to be vigilant in finding ways to protect ourselves and our loved ones. The responsibilities for those of us charged with school safety are enormous and we do not take them lightly. I am pleased to report that we continue to benefit from the strong collaborative relationship our district has always had with our local safety forces. We have had very productive meetings over the past several months during which we have reviewed and updated safety plans and procedures. Training has been occurring to ensure that the staff in each building understands their roles and responsibilities as part of the district’s safety plan.
We have been working closely with a local architectural firm to develop plans for the redesign of the entry areas of all district facilities. With plans nearly complete, we will soon begin the process of changing the way parents and visitors enter our schools. Woodridge High School will see the biggest changes. Soon, the High School Administrative Office will be moved to the current Guidance Office inside the main entrance of the High School. The Guidance Offices will be relocated to the current Administrative Office area. A new entry door equipped with a security “buzzer” system will be installed that will restrict access to the building by forcing entry through the office area. Woodridge Middle School will see a new entry door with a security “buzzer” system installed that will force visitors to enter the building directly into the office area. Woodridge Intermediate School, Woodridge Primary School, and the Board of Education Office will have new security “buzzer” systems installed on the entry doors which already restrict access to the main office areas.
Additional safety features including cameras tied directly into the local police and fire computer systems and newly keyed entry areas for staff will enable us to better control access to our schools. While it is impossible to completely prevent tragic events from happening, we continue to work to erect “barriers” that may deter anyone wishing to do harm to our students or staff. While there will be some cost for these upgrades, we believe the costs are justified and necessary in light of the needs we have for more contemporary safety and security systems.
This story was provided by an individual or organization for use on the Ohio.com community site, http://www.ohio.com/upublish. We do not endorse and cannot guarantee the accuracy of this posting, though we do reject announcements with inappropriate content. You can read our full user agreement here. | <urn:uuid:db64517c-c99e-4e88-97c6-2446bf196a96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ohio.com/upublish/school-and-education/woodridge-school-safety-1.370498 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964573 | 505 | 1.554688 | 2 |
GovTrack’s Bill Summary
We don’t have a summary available yet.
Library of Congress Summary
The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.
Restoring the 10th Amendment Act - Authorizes a designated state official to file with the head of a federal agency proposing a rule, during the period when the proposed rule is required to be open for public comment, a legal brief challenging the constitutionality of the rule under the Tenth Amendment. Directs the agency head:
(1) to notify the designated official of each state within 15 days after such a brief is filed;
(2) to post prominently on the agency's website a link to the brief; and
(3) within 15 days after posting such link, to certify in writing that such rulemaking does not violate the Tenth Amendment and post the certification prominently on the agency's website next to the briefs pertaining to the rule, unless the agency determines it will not put the proposed rule into effect.
Authorizes a state official who decides to challenge a federal rule on the grounds that it violates the Tenth Amendment to elect to file a legal action in U.S. district court for the district in which the official's place of business is located.
Directs the relevant U.S. Court of Appeals, at the request of a designated state official, to grant expedited review of a decision by a district court in such a case.
House Republican Conference Summary
The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.
No summary available.
House Democratic Caucus Summary
The House Democratic Caucus does not provide summaries of bills.
So, yes, we display the House Republican Conference’s summaries when available even if we do not have a Democratic summary available. That’s because we feel it is better to give you as much information as possible, even if we cannot provide every viewpoint.
We’ll be looking for a source of summaries from the other side in the meanwhile. | <urn:uuid:397de8e0-9391-4de2-8366-8c38bf221925> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1842 | 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 | 0.941928 | 430 | 1.804688 | 2 |
|Scientology Video Channel||
DOES SCIENTOLOGY VIEW THE PRESS AS HOSTILE?
No. The Church regards the media as an important element of society which, responsibly run and responsibly employed, can accomplish a tremendous amount of good. In point of fact, Scientologists work to protect and maintain freedom of speech world over.
That being said, the Church’s view of the press is in accord with that held by the general public, who, by survey, find press reportage inaccurate, biased and too often shaped by special interests.
To rectify the matter, Church members follow the Code of a Scientologist and work to keep the press accurately informed concerning Scientology and its activities. Indeed, the Church has diligently worked with the press on thousands of occasions over the years. A responsible press can be an effective instrument for social reform, and many of the Church’s exposés of human rights abuse only became broadly known through media reportage. In fact, the Church’s Freedom magazine has honored many journalists who, through their dedication and persistence, have shed light on abuse and helped bring about needed reforms.
Now and again, however, less than responsible journalists have willfully misinformed the public about Scientology. As a new religion, there has been mystery, misunderstanding and a share of controversy that inevitably accompanies the new and different. This is not unique to Scientology. But to spin a sensational tale and so fuel religious bigotry is unconscionable. Not only does it badly serve the general public, but it also places Scientologists at risk.
In recent years, Church representatives have met with the editorial boards of major media outlets to brief them on Scientology, its policies and its activities. These meetings help dispel the rumors and false allegations that have gathered in reference files over the years. Such meetings have been very beneficial for both the Church and journalists. | <urn:uuid:fceb228d-39a4-4dc9-8652-f94fa3a286b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scientology.org/faq/scientology-in-society/does-scientology-view-press-as-hostile.html?org=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95857 | 379 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Manchester Piccadilly experiences escalator incidents
07th December 2011
A series of incidents on escalators at Manchester Piccadilly station have put the safety of several passengers at risk.
Within the last six months, 21 people have been involved in incidents on escalators at the station, reports the Manchester Evening News.
While none of the accidents that have taken place on the escalator have been particularly serious, they have resulted in bottlenecks whenever a passenger has fallen near the top of the stairs.
The incidents have highlighted the importance of taking out adequate escalator insurance in case a serious incident does occur and someone is injured, or machinery needs to be repaired.
Officials at Manchester Piccadilly station have had to issue a warning to passengers using platform 13 to make sure that they take the utmost care when using the upward escalators to avoid any potential injuries.
A large sign has been placed on the platform at the base of the escalator reading: "Don't become the next accident statistic on this escalator".
Passengers are also urged to make sure that they hold on to the handrails rather than their bags when going up the escalators, while those with luggage were advised to use the lift further down the platform rather than the escalator.
A spokesman for Network Rail - the company that is responsible for overseeing operations at Manchester Piccadilly station - said that many of the accidents were the result of passengers with heavy bags taking the escalator rather than the lift and people tripping over their luggage.
A train passenger who regularly uses the escalator told the Manchester Evening News that the accidents tend to happen during peak travel times when the station is at its busiest.
"Like all stations, it does get pretty busy during rush hour so you can see how it happens and people fall over," the passenger said.
"It's obviously not quite so amusing if you're really busy and tired and on the way back from holiday or wherever and forget to hang onto the rails."
04th January 2012
20th December 2011
12th December 2011 | <urn:uuid:c316f3db-11d9-4442-a62c-50060209223e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adlerinsurance.co.uk/insurance-news/lift-and-escalator-insurance/manchester-piccadilly-experiences-escalator-incidents-/801234348 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97048 | 424 | 1.5 | 2 |
10 tips to save on outlet shopping
Find out which items have been made just for the outlets, how to reap the benefits of VIP clubs, which days and times are best to shop and more.
This post comes from Jeffrey Trull at partner site Money Talks News.
I recently trekked to a Gap outlet store hoping for big savings on quality pants. But I was surprised by what I found -- jeans that looked noticeably different and seemed of lower quality than the pairs I'd purchased at the mall back home. How could this be?
As it turns out, I wasn't mistaken. According to Consumer Reports, the Gap is one of the retailers that manufacture clothing specifically for outlets. This isn't the only trick retailers pull at outlet stores.
Here are some tips to get the most from your outlet shopping experience.
Give outlet goods a closer look.
Outlets aren't just for items that didn't sell at the retail store. Some offer "seconds" or "B-grade" goods, and many stores stock items that are made only for outlets, sometimes with noticeable differences in quality from what you'd find at the mall.
According to SmartMoney, 82% of products sold at outlets are made exclusively to be sold there. Gap, Brooks Brothers and Coach admit they manufacture separate lines of goods exclusively for their outlet stores.
Outlet-only clothing and goods vary in quality, so be sure to take a close look. Some items might say "outlet" or "factory line" right on the tag, while others can be harder to spot. Does the item feel as if it's lighter? Does the quality seem poor?
It's possible the outlet version is cheaply made and won't last as long as what you'd buy from the regular store, so factor in quality as well as price. On the other hand, some differences might be insignificant, and the savings may outweigh them.
Compare prices beforehand.
Retailers know you're looking for savings at outlet stores, and many try to make those discounts seem as deep as possible. You may see signs at the outlet store suggesting prices are 65% off, but keep in mind that Consumer Reports says average savings are closer to 38%. You'll often see markdowns from the manufacturer's suggested retail price, but outlet or not, customers rarely pay this "suggested" price.
If you want to know what you're really saving, check the retailer's website and compare prices. You may be surprised to find outlet discounts aren't as big as they claim.
Join online outlet clubs.
Premium Outlets and Tanger, two of the largest outlet operators, with 70 and 35 malls, respectively, offer exclusive promotions when you become a member of their "clubs." With Premium Outlets' free VIP Club, you'll receive online coupons and notifications of special events.
Tanger charges a one-time $10 fee to join TangerClub, but you'll get a $10 gift card in return, along with exclusive member offers and savings.
Get the best deals off-season.
Shop for your winter clothing in the summer and for summer items in winter to bring outlet prices down even further.
Time your shopping trip.
Outlets can be very busy, so you'll do best by avoiding both congestion and picked-over shelves by shopping at off-peak times. Experts suggest Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and shopping early in the day. If you're not a morning person, avoid the early afternoon and wait until dinnertime.
Check retail stores before outlets.
Try shopping the local mall during sales or with coupons, where you might find the prices to be comparable but the quality better. Don't forget to look at clearance items both in the store and online too.
Check with outlet centers for coupons and circulars.
Coupons and other discounts can make outlet shopping an even better deal. Call or go online to see if any coupons or circulars offer additional savings. Senior and military discounts might also be available.
Watch the return policy.
Unless you plan to drive back to the outlet mall, check the return policy before loading up on discounted goods. Many regular stores don't take returns from outlet locations.
Ask outlet staff.
If you have questions about the quality of outlet items, don't be afraid to ask store staff. Some employees may tell you if it's made for the outlet or offer other valuable information.
Don't fall into the day-trip trap.
Don't see anything you like? Don't be afraid to leave empty-handed.
Outlet malls are typically placed in far-away locations. Not only is this real estate cheaper but shoppers may also look at outlet shopping as investing in a full-day trip. With the expenses of gas, time and energy, shoppers may feel they need to justify the "sunk costs" and end up spending more than they otherwise would.
Ignore the impulse to spend more just to make the trip feel worthwhile. Shelling out more money for extra stuff won't make you feel better, no matter how much you spend on gas.
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ABOUT SMART SPENDING
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Hurricane season is coming. But storms can happen at any time. Here are six smart things to do to get your home ready before the storm hits. | <urn:uuid:82f8fd54-6cf9-442c-9b26-2cf8ddea78c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.msn.com/saving-money-tips/post.aspx?_blg=2&post=6347cedb-6ea2-460d-87db-7c51341b33f8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955014 | 1,235 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Just a heads up for those of you in the DC-area... On Monday, July 27th, PFF will be hosting a Hill event on "Online Child Safety, Privacy, and Free Speech: An Overview of Challenges in Congress & the States." I will be moderating the discussion and we will be joined by Parry Aftab, Executive Director of WiredSafety.org, Jim Halpert a Partner with the law firm of DLA Piper, and my colleague Berin Szoka also of PFF.
The event will focus on the intersection of online child safety, privacy, and free speech issues at both the federal and state level. Bills introduced in Congress to address cyberbullying concerns propose either educational initiatives or a criminalization approach. Access to objectionable content also remains a concern and a new, government-mandated task force is looking into those issues. Meanwhile, state officials, including many state attorneys general, continue to explore age verification mandates for social networking sites and some have considered building on the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to expand "parental notification" mandates. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently announced an expedited review of COPPA to see if it is keeping up with new developments. The FTC is also exploring child safety in virtual worlds. New concerns about "sexting," or the sending of sexual explicit images over mobile devices, has also raised new concerns led some lawmakers to ponder penalties.
How serious are these concerns? Is legislation or regulation needed to address them? What free speech issues are at stake? Should Congress take the lead or leave it to the States to experiment with different models? These and other issues will be discussed by the panelists at our July 27th event.
The logistical details are below and you RSVP here.
"Online Child Safety, Privacy, and Free Speech: An Overview of Challenges in Congress & the States"
July 27, 2009
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Capitol Visitor Center
1st Street and East Capitol Street, NE (entrance across from Supreme Court) | <urn:uuid:27b5a5ce-7dab-4646-91e4-42fb17e3386c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.pff.org/archives/2009/07/upcoming_july_27th_event_on_online_safety_privacy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939459 | 433 | 1.5625 | 2 |
LILLINGTON, N.C. (AP) — There's an old southern tradition of shooting mistletoe out of treetops with a .22 rifle, or even a shotgun. Forrest Altman prefers a kinder, gentler way of harvesting the parasitic evergreen plant long associated with Christmas holiday romance.
For the past 30 years, the publisher and retired Guilford College English professor has been leading canoeists and kayakers on an annual Sprig Outing along the Upper Little River south of Raleigh, where low-hanging swamp branches make the use of firearms unnecessary.
Instead of guns, Altman uses long poles with hooks on their ends.
Mistletoe grows on a variety of trees and is harvested commercially in orchards, as well as in the wild. But the sprigs gathered on this expedition are for personal use and gifting. | <urn:uuid:db97c839-4b97-4d06-a07e-e44c15b7fb29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.timesleader.com/stories/Group-gathers-mistletoe-for-holidays-on-river-trip,238494 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944216 | 178 | 1.835938 | 2 |
On September 17, the California State-Fullerton graduate was arrested for not paying her $89 tab at a Malibu-area restaurant. At 12:30, she was released from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's station in Calabasas without her purse, cellphone or automobile, which was impounded. It was later revealed that Richardson was troubled and bi-polar.
"Mitrice’s civil rights were violated when she was arrested and then let go in the middle of the night without money, a phone, or transportation.The roads of Malibu are dark and dangerous at night, and since the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) later concluded that Mitrice appeared to be suffering from bipolar disorder that evening, I believe that the circumstances surrounding her disappearance warrant a thorough, federal investigation.”
This is Waters' second request for federal intervention. Waters' original letter to the FBI can be found HERE.
In the eight months since Richardson's disappearance, searches in canyons, hills and parts of western and southern Los Angeles have yielded no results.
Jasmyne Cannick has been extensively covering Richardson's disappearance and asks the very obvious question: What if Mitrice Richardson were white and from an affluent family or community? " Would the Sheriff’s Department have produced a video showing her exiting the station? Would unmanned drones have been sent in to look her right away instead of seven months later? Would Mitrice’s congressional representative have demanded the FBI get involved in finding her? Probably not." | <urn:uuid:30932e52-0c31-41b8-84d3-4fddc48c8ec2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/2010/05/waters-asks-for-doj-investigation-into-mitrice-richardson-disapperance.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972297 | 311 | 1.625 | 2 |
This is a description of the role, responsibility and working agreements of the Portland Comprehensive Plan Update Policy Expert Groups (PEG). The purpose of the eight PEGs is to advise City staff on proposed policy recommendations for the Portland Comprehensive Plan Update.
Portland’s Comprehensive Plan is a legally required document that helps the city prepare for and manage expected population and employment growth, as well as plan for the major public investments to accommodate that growth. It provides direction for city decision-making on land use, transportation, sewer and water systems, and natural resource management programs, while ensuring that investments in major city systems are coordinated.
The Comprehensive Plan Update will be informed by and help to implement The Portland Plan, a strategic plan for a prosperous, healthy, educated, equitable city. It will also build upon the citywide vision developed through VisionPDX. The Comprehensive Plan will later be augmented and updated through future refinement planning.
The Comprehensive Plan Update’s eight Policy Expert Groups were selected in May 2012, by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability director. While the Portland Comprehensive Plan Update is a citywide effort, it will be managed by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS).
Charge of the Policy Expert Groups
The primary function of the PEGs is to advise City staff on the development of the Comprehensive Plan Update and related programs. City staff will coordinate the development of policy drafts and bring key items to the group for discussion. Agency staff and community members will contribute suggestions for revision. Each PEG will have a professional facilitator.
- Review Comprehensive Plan background materials and analysis to understand the issues to be addressed in the Comprehensive Plan;
- Work collaboratively with one another to explore issues and provide advice to City staff on policy, concept mapping and key parcel-specific map designations, and if time allows, advise on refinements to the capital improvement project list and implementation tools (e.g., zoning);
- Attend monthly PEG meetings, beginning in June 2012, for a period of one year;
- Review and comment on proposed policies, mapping and implementation recommendations;
- Attend Portland Comprehensive Plan Update community meetings when possible to hear directly from the public;
- Consider and integrate general public input into their guidance to City staff; and
- Attend Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) work sessions as needed to offer comments on policy, mapping and implementation recommendations.
The Policy Expert Groups will address major themes from the Portland Plan and tasks required by the Periodic Review Work Program. The name and goal of each PEG is:
- The Community Involvement PEG will consist of members of the Portland Public Involvement Advisory Council (PIAC). This PEG will recommend community involvement policies incorporating best practices and the Public Involvement Principles developed by the PIAC and adopted by City Council in August 2010. Policies may focus on improving the quality, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability and consistency of public involvement for planning processes. (Implementing the Equity Framework of the Portland Plan)
- The Education and Youth Success PEG will consider policies related to educational facilities: how they can accommodate projected growth, flexibly provide multiple functions and serve as intergenerational community anchors. This group may also explore complementary community investments that will help advance the Cradle to Career partnership’s strategies to support youth academically, socially and physically. (Implementing the Equity Framework and Thriving Educated Youth strategy of the Portland Plan)
- The Economic Development PEG will consider policies to foster business success, prosperity and employment land supply and vitality. This PEG may explore issues related to economic development policy, responses to forecast shortfalls of industrial and institutional land supply, institutional land use, prime industrial land, short-term developable land and brownfield redevelopment. (Implementing the Equity Framework and Economic Prosperity and Affordability strategy of the Portland Plan)
- The Residential Development and Compatibility PEG will consider policies related to the design and compatibility of new residential development in areas outside of centers and corridors. Potential policies will be considered within the context of the “five Portlands,” recognizing that for many issues one size does not fit all. This PEG may explore issues related to the size and scale of infill development, multi-dwelling development, and transitions between centers and corridors and residential areas. (Implementing the Equity Framework and Healthy Connected City strategy of the Portland Plan)
- The Neighborhood Centers PEG will explore how neighborhood centers and corridors can accommodate new growth, provide necessary commercial and community services, and be designed to enhance the character of their local communities. This PEG may explore the location, roles and characteristics of neighborhood centers and corridors, along with related housing, neighborhood economic development, urban design and historic preservation policies. It may also consider transportation and other infrastructure priorities for centers and corridors. (Implementing the Equity Framework, Thriving Educated Youth, Economic Prosperity and Affordability, and Healthy Connected City strategies of the Portland Plan)
- The Infrastructure Equity PEG will consider infrastructure policies and investment strategies to support equitable public service provision. This PEG will foster discussions and information sharing between infrastructure service providers and equity stakeholders. This PEG may review infrastructure service levels and consider strategies or implementation tools to address or reduce critical disparities. (Implementing the Equity Framework of the Portland Plan)
- The Networks PEG will explore the role of public infrastructure networks – including active transportation, green infrastructure and stormwater management systems – in the City’s future growth and land use. The PEG may consider policies and investments to integrate planning and design of sustainable stormwater and active transportation networks to provide cost-effective infrastructure that meets multiple community objectives. It may also explore policies to create a citywide greenway network of trails and pedestrian and bike-friendly green streets by aligning investments in active transportation, green infrastructure and sustainable stormwater systems. The PEG may also consider policies to guide the design of major streets, streetcar and light rail corridors so they become distinctive civic places that serve Portland’s future multimodal mobility needs and are models of ecological design. (Implementing the Equity Framework and Healthy Connected City strategies of the Portland Plan)
- The Watershed Health and Environment PEG will consider policies related to water quality, habitat and biodiversity, hydrology, natural hazards, designing with nature, environmental justice and other key topics. Building on the Portland Plan directions, this PEG will refine the habitat connections concept and explore how such a network of habitat corridors and green infrastructure investments can improve watershed health and access to nature for Portlanders. It may also review growth scenarios with watershed and environmental objectives in mind. (Implementing the Equity Framework and Healthy Connected City strategy of the Portland Plan)
The PEGs will meet in these groups until the Comprehensive Plan Update Proposed Draft goes to the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) in 2013. Additional meetings or review may be requested beyond the PSC hearings if directed by the PSC. Policy Expert Group members may decide to hold additional full or subcommittee meetings outside of the monthly meeting time.
Policy Expert Groups will be organized by:
- PEG members: Each PEG will have approximately 16 to 20 members, representing both community and government viewpoints, as well as specific skills and expertise that relate to each PEG topic. Agency staff members are chosen to bring an agency perspective to PEG discussions and to be able to take back and share PEG developments within their agencies, getting feedback when needed. Community members are chosen for their experience and ability to draw upon the feedback/experiences of a larger community/constituency regarding perspectives on the topic of their PEG, and for their ability to collect feedback from that community/constituency when needed.
- Planning and Sustainability Commission members: The Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC), has members assigned to each of the Policy Expert Groups. The Commission has specific responsibility for the stewardship, development and maintenance of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
- Comprehensive Plan Update’s Community Involvement Committee members: The Comprehensive Plan’s Community Involvement Committee (CIC) has members assigned to each of the Policy Expert Groups. Their role is to observe and report back to the CIC and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability staff how public involvement is being practiced within each PEG. Community Involvement Committee members will also consider ways to engage more Portlanders in the PEG topics and/or discussions both within the PEG meetings, as well as through other outreach opportunities (internet, written materials, community meetings, etc.). Additionally, each of the CIC members brings their own expertise, community affiliations and observations to the PEG discussion.
- PEG facilitator: Bureau of Planning and Sustainability will hire a professional consultant to both convene and facilitate the Policy Expert Group meetings and provide coordination in between meetings. In general, the facilitator will share responsibility in the agenda development with the Policy Expert Group lead (see below), communicate with Policy Expert Group members, will write the meeting minutes. They will ensure a welcoming meeting environment where all PEG members will participate and the public has the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments.
- PEG lead: Public agencies will provide each group a PEG lead to take on the role of bringing key items to the group for discussion and make sure the internet webpage and calendar for the group is up-to-date. The PEG lead will maintain a work plan that expresses the current goal and action steps being taken by the Policy Expert Group.
- General public: The general public is invited to attend the PEG meetings. Information derived from public comment will be considered in developing the Comprehensive Plan Update.
Policy Expert Group Advisory Process
Each PEG will represent a diversity of expertise, skill sets and viewpoints. As such, PEG members are expected to listen, analyze and consider both community and citywide goals. Policy Expert Group members are expected to consider a range of solutions, discuss the pros and cons of the issues presented and deliver a set of recommendations reflecting the “sense of the group”. For every set of recommendations delivered to BPS staff, PEGs should include the rationale behind it. Common to each discussion, regardless of topic area, will be the question: Who is likely to benefit from various policy options, and who is likely to be burdened by these options? This question will help inform an understanding of the equity implications of different choices.
The PEG members acknowledge that their role is to provide advice and frame policy choices to the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and that the final decisions on content of the draft Comprehensive Plan Update that goes before the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission rest with the City and the Commissioner-in-charge.
The summary notes will outline the issues discussed, the areas in which there is consensus, and any remaining issues on which consensus was not reached.
Policy Expert Group members will:
- Listen and be open to the diverse points of view represented on the Policy Expert Group.
- Treat each other with civility and respect.
- Strive to further understanding of the needs and interests of the broad range of communities that are stakeholders in the activities and plans for the city.
- Provide fair and balanced information to our constituencies about the issues that come before the PEG and the group’s discussions.
Roles and Responsibility of All Policy Expert Group Members
Duration: The overall duration of the PEGs is expected to be approximately one year.
Attendance: Members should try to attend all monthly meetings. If a member cannot attend a meeting, they are required to inform the PEG facilitator before the meeting. Prior to or after missing a meeting, a PEG member should contact the PEG facilitator and their PEG lead to receive updates and send in contributions/responses to work done during the missed meeting.
Members who do not to attend a meeting may not seek to revisit issues from the missed meeting that were noticed on the agenda and on which discussion was completed at the missed meeting.
Time Commitment: We anticipate that members will need to spend four to eight hours per month on PEG related meetings and activities. This commitment of time includes reading email correspondence, reviewing meeting notes and handouts. There could be additional meetings to attend, including community involvement events, as needed.
Alternates: Members may not have alternates. Members may have an individual attend a meeting in the role of the general public and are welcome to provide public comment during the opportunities provided for non-PEG members during the meetings. These individuals’ primary responsibility is to inform the member about the deliberations at the conclusion of the meeting.
Presentations: Policy Expert Group members may be asked to present at Planning and Sustainability Commission meetings and participate in briefings city commissioners, bureau directors, and with community stakeholders, to discuss PEG efforts, as needed.
Media: Members may choose to respond to media inquiries, but agree to honor the group process and not use it to promote individual “agendas” or presume to represent the positions of other members or the group.
Withdrawal: In the case of withdrawal of a member from the Policy Expert Group process, the decision to replace that member will depend on factors such as how far along the group is in the process, whether the addition of a new member would be disruptive, and whether the loss of the interests represented by the withdrawing member creates a serious gap on the group in terms of expertise and/or interests. Authority for decisions about replacing members rests with the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, which may consider recommendations from the group.
Each PEG will meet at least once a month and will begin as scheduled. Meetings are open to the public and will include opportunity for public comment. Notice of PEG meetings, agendas and meeting materials will be posted at least one week in advance of meetings at: www.portlandonline.com/bps/pdxcompplan. Meeting summaries will be posted on the website as soon as possible following each meeting.
The facilitator will provide public comment opportunities for non-PEG members during the meetings. Comments from the public will be limited in time to allow sufficient opportunity to conduct the other portions of the PEG agenda. Typically, the public comment opportunity will be limited to 10-15 minutes toward the end of the meeting. The public is encouraged to submit written comments to the PEG lead for circulation to the full PEG.
In between meetings, PEG members will include both the facilitator and PEG lead on any group email exchanges, so that a public record is maintained. | <urn:uuid:2a14ec1b-1c60-4459-b19b-7ef9e5bc703a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/389212 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932247 | 3,006 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Popular Collections - Weather
Kansas has endured many storms throughout its history. Tornadoes are especially associated with the state because of the beloved film, The Wizard of Oz. Extreme weather is not just a matter of fiction, though. Thunderstorms, drought, and other natural disasters often wreak havoc on the state's major industries--agriculture and aviation. Kansans talk about the weather to anyone who will listen because it is an important part of daily life. Join in the conversation by exploring our weather collections.
View online collections | <urn:uuid:0df6b368-fe59-41e6-b837-e784d3f2153a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kshs.org/p/popular-collections-weather/15461 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952866 | 108 | 1.804688 | 2 |
First things first: oh, you world travelers, for pleasure or for work, never, ever fly Baltic Airlines. First they will stiff you by making you pay sixty euros to carry regular-sized hand luggage. You will note their particular eagerness to pounce on innocent non-Baltic travellers, especially haplessYankees with credit cards.
During the flight you can expect to be charged for the air you breathe, since they don't even give free water.
Finally, god forbid if something goes wrong with your flight and ticket, for Baltic Airlines will gladly maneuver you into buying a heavily-priced new one. Fleeing home via Baltic Airlines beats prison and deportation, but not by much.
A quick Googling revealed that this was for the motion picture Aelita, Queen of Mars, which Wikipedia describes as "a silent film directed by Soviet filmmaker Yakov Protazanov made at the Mezhrabpom-Rus film studio and released in 1924 (...) based on Alexei Tolstoy's novel of the same name."
Some describe it as the USSR's first sci-fi flick. Archive.org has the entire 80-minute film available for online viewing here, though the quality isn't great. It's also on YouTube, and here's part one.
It's early morning on April 26 in Kiev, Ukraine, where the Chernobyl nuclear disaster happened exactly a quarter century ago. On this day in 1986, reactor number four at the plant exploded, setting off a catastrophe that still reverberates far beyond the 30-kilometer exclusion zone.
On the show today, we talked about the crazy Cosmonaut's Day celebration we attended inside the Kremlin; what space tourists do in space; why NASA has bought up seats on the Soyuz as our shuttle program ends, and we also chatted about weird Russian strawberry sushi and the amazing Soviet time capsule that is the Moscow metro. [Listen here, or download MP3 here].
Miles shot video of the military choir finale, with breakdancing cosmonaut cosplay kids. That video is embedded above, or here on YouTube. The good stuff starts around 1:39 in.
This site collects vintage Soviet space and science illustrations; most appear to come from old children's books. They're eerily similar to American illos from the same era -- both empires believing that they were rocketing to a space-age, hypermodernist, Tomorrowland/Rollerball future.
From The Atlantic's archives, a harrowing 1961 account of a Soviet surgeon on a primitive Antarctic base who had to remove his own appendix, stopping frequently as he battled vertigo and blood loss:
I worked without gloves. It was hard to see. The mirror helps, but it also hinders -- after all, it's showing things backwards. I work mainly by touch. The bleeding is quite heavy, but I take my time -- I try to work surely. Opening the peritoneum, I injured the blind gut and had to sew it up. Suddenly it flashed through my mind: there are more injuries here and I didn't notice them ... I grow weaker and weaker, my head starts to spin. Every 4-5 minutes I rest for 20-25 seconds. Finally, here it is, the cursed appendage! With horror I notice the dark stain at its base. That means just a day longer and it would have burst and ...
At the worst moment of removing the appendix I flagged: my heart seized up and noticeably slowed; my hands felt like rubber. Well, I thought, it's going to end badly. And all that was left was removing the appendix ... And then I realised that, basically, I was already saved.
In this 1941 video, Russian soldiers are seen engaged in a precursor of the modern dance-off; to drive home the point, some wag has set the proceedings to Run DMC's "It's Like That," which is curiously fitting.
Cossack (or Hopak) dancing originated in southern Russian and Ukranian military communities. The general plan was to have a battle, win, then return and have a big dance off with all your comrades. The party was male-only, of course, and often involved pantomime style re-enactments of battlefield moments, with sabres et al.
Estonian sculptor Mati Karmin creates furniture and other housewares (woodstove, prams, chairs, etc) from rusting naval "Blok" mines recovered from an ex-Soviet fortress on Naissaar Island, an Estonian island off the Finnish coast. This desk gives me the desiderata shivers.
Jalopnik has a wonderful set of photos of the abortive Soviet moon lander, the LK Lander, abandoned in 1971. It currently rots gently in a private lab at the Moscow Aviation Institute. The photos come from the Russos Livejournal.
Getting to the Moon requires launching a command module and a lander. Both are heavy objects and require massive amounts of thrust to get into orbit. The Soviet's planned to use their N-1 rocket, but two failed launches in 1971 and 1972 destroyed dummy landing and control modules, as well as the rockets themselves, and led to the program being shelved for lack of a proper launch vehicle.
The LK was sent into space for numerous test missions. The first two unmanned flights were successful tests of the vehicle through a simulated orbit. The third flight ended when the N-1 rocket crashed. The fourth test in 1971 was a success, but years later the decaying test module started to return to Earth with a trajectory that would put it over the skies of Australia.
According to Farranger, a LiveJournal commenter, this 1925 Soviet advertisement "is an ad indicative of the goods available to citizens in the wake of Lenin's New Economic Policy, which allowed small shops to reopen and for petty commerce."
Also (and it must be said): that young man appears to be consummating unnatural relations with the Flatiron building.
I'm not clear on whether this Cracked.com image is a photoshop job or an actual fountain somewhere in the world (the former USSR?) or just a clever idea for repurposing all that Stalin-era monumentary, but it's sure a fine idea. I once got to visit the Soviet theme-park outside of Budapest, which is basically a giant field filled with Soviet-era statues, and it was a kind of Stalinist Easter Island experience, all these nigh-identical socialist realist piles looking bravely into the future. But this is even better.
I know nothing about this titanic Lun Soviet ground-effect war-tank-plane-thing. The description (in Russian) contains a large number of specialized ground-effect tank-plane enthusiast vocabulary words that stymie Google Translate. It appears that it could traverse broken apocalyptic roads, frozen tundra, and water with equal ease, skimming below radar, too. But I can't say anything else for sure.
So I will say this: if you fed a hyperactive 12 year old lad a diet of old Astounding Stories covers and put him in the most boring math class of all time for 28 straight hours with a collection of fine pens and a binder full of doodling paper, he just might produce one of these. | <urn:uuid:9bad05e9-7e1d-4801-9134-d352f8db9447> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://boingboing.net/tag/soviet | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948152 | 1,512 | 1.554688 | 2 |
In my last post I introduced the concept of physical grounding, and the benefits to being grounded. If you haven’t read my last post then you can find it here: Grounding.
How Grounding Seems To Affect Me
Since I have discovered grounding and the benefits I have been noting my general demeanour throughout the day, and when I’m grounded and when I’m not, however without the equipment to measure the charge that I am holding or the level of grounding that I have attained it is hard to know the extent that grounding actually affects me.
What I can say is that I have noted a change within me when and for several hours after I have been grounded. It does seem as though I get some sort of mystical energy boost. I do seem to have more energy I also seem to have a far greater clarity of thought and generally I feel better, more alive. But as I say without knowing the how grounded I am all the time it is hard to know how much of this I can be attributed to being grounded, but it does look as though there is some correlation.
Quick, Cheap and Easy Grounding!
As some of you may know I have a science background and education, which means that I do have a full understanding of the mechanics of grounding that said there is still more to learn, so I sort advice from an electrician friend.
My friend past on a lot of practical information about grounding or earthing yourself that I will go into more details in a minute but he also passed on other snippets of information that I thought were very interesting.
Number 1 – Barefoot and Carpet
If like me you are a barefooter at home (I know that more people walk around barefoot in their own homes than outside) and, like me, your home is carpeted, you are in fact counteracting all the grounding benefits that you get outside as soon as you walk in the house.
Let me explain, most carpets have some nylon content, unless you have 100% wool carpets! Nylon is a manmade or artificial polymer; some of its properties are its strength, durability, and the cheap cost of production, which all make it the perfect additive to carpets and floor coverings. However another property is its ability to generate static electricity and electrical charge.
Walking on carpet (which contains nylon) will almost instantly charge you up, so after that lovely barefoot walk on the bare Earth, you come home grounded and relaxed and within 5 minutes of being in the house you’re once again full of charge!
His recommendation is to wear rubber soled slippers or shoes around the house if you have carpets or rugs that have any nylon in them. (Arrrr no not shoes!!!!) Or rip the carpets up!
Number 2 – Grounding Though the Feet
The easiest and quickest way to ground yourself is to stand with your bare feet on bare soil! I even thought that walking on rocks or gravel paths or even concrete or tarmac pavements would have the same effect, but it seems that my friend knows different.
The further you are from the bare earth, and it is the bare earth that is important, the less efficient your grounding will be, to stand on MUD (barefoot) is the most efficient way to ground yourself. The pavements and roads are insulators (apart from in certain conditions) and do not ground you effectively, the same applies to gravel paths (but not sandy beaches). Grassed areas are also good for grounding and even more so when the grass is wet, which brings me to the next point my friend raised.
Number 3 – The Importance of Water
Water is a fantastic conductor of charge, which is why you never find electric sockets in bathroom in the UK, sharing a bath or shower with an electrical appliance is a recipe for death by electrocution.
This fact can help us in a number of ways; first a wet pavement or road will ground you! It’s the surface water that is carrying the charge away from you. Wet mud or wet grass are both excellent grounding conduits far better than when dry. As eluded to in the videos in the last post, you are grounded when you’re in the shower, or if you are sat in a bath with the water running, again it’s the water that is carrying the charge away.
In fact in the old days houses used to be earthed via the cold water pipes, in the days when water pipes where metal. Nowadays water pipes are plastic and don’t have the same earthing affect, they don’t have any earthing effect.
Water is also important for grounding in one of the methods that I will discuss in a moment.
Practicalities of Grounding Yourself at Home
Here I am looking at grounding yourself while you are in your house, once outside barefoot against bare earth (ideally damp earth) is the quickest way to ground ourselves.
What we need is:
1) A link between Us and the Earth
2) A connection to the Earth
3) A connection to our bare skin
Bridging the Gap between Us and the Earth
This is easy! A length of copper wire like that which is used in all house hold appliances, long enough to give you the movement that you require, the thicker the wire the more effective it will be at providing an earth.
A Connection to the Earth
The first method is via a grounding rod. A grounding rod is a metal, normally copperbonded, rod that is around 1.3 metres in length (the longer the better). This is hammered into the ground so that the majority of the rod is below ground level, ideally almost all of the rod should be hammered into the ground. This is a simple, cheap and effective way or creating an electrical earth. However in order for the grounding rod to be effective it must be hammered into mud or ideally clay, it must not be hammered into or through rubble, hardcore or anything else that is not soil or clay. To do so will effectively render it useless and a good earth will not be made. Also you must keep the rod and ground around it wet, which means that during the dry months you will have to tip a bucket of water over your grounding rod every day. If the ground around the rod becomes dry it loses its effectiveness and a good earth will not gained. It is also worth noting that when hammering the grounding rod into the ground that you make sure that you are nowhere near any of your domestic supplies, like gas, electricity or water supplies. If any of these are ruptured the consequences could be dire! Once in place, your linking wire (Bridging the Gap above) is then connected to the top of the rod and run into the house to the spot where you want to ground yourself.
The second method is to use the electricity supple that comes into your home. The electric supply has an earth wire. This earth wire is a direct electrical connection to the earth and it is an effective earth. However there is also a word of caution here the electrical earth in your electric supply may not be as effective as it should be. This could be for any number reasons, so before using the earthing wire of your electric supply PLEASE HAVE YOUR EARTH WIRE CHECKED BY A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN. To use this option all that is needed is an electrical plug, like those on any house hold appliance. REMOVE ALL WIRES FROM THE PLUG and then fit just a single wire (the link wire from above) to the earth pin (ensure that the wire does not come into contact with the other pins). If you have any doubts get it checked by an electrician.
The third option is to use the central heating system; this really is only effective for water filled heating systems. Your home’s central heating system should also be connected directly to the earth, but again this needs to be checked by a competent electrician. This time the link wire is connected to one of your central heating pipes, in order to do this the easiest way is remove a small section of the paint (if the pipes are painted) just above floor level with some sand or emery paper until the copper of the pipe is shiny, then use a jubilee clip to hold the link wire to the copper pipe.
A Connection to our Bare Skin
The best way to connect to our bare skin is to use grounding mats and/or grounding sheets, however these are not cheap, they are effective but the cost could be prohibitive. Alternatives include an anti-static band, which is a strap that can be placed around your wrist or ankle, and again is effective and far more cost efficient; although it must be in connection with your bare skin to work. An even cheap option is just a bare wire or small metal plate that you can put your foot or hand on when you want to earth yourself, for example while your sat at your computer or watching the television.
All of these methods work and are safe, it really comes down to personal preference and cost at the end of the day as which works best for you.
Before I go
Once I have had the electrical system and central heating system in my house checked for effectiveness and safety I will be trying out these various options, with intention of passing on the information to you. It won’t be in the next post but hopefully I will have explored some of these options that I have spoken about over the next month or so.
One last point, electrics can be very dangerous if you have any doubts or don’t know what you are doing please contact a professional for advice and assistance. | <urn:uuid:46f93ed1-7fe2-4f35-affd-741192f084fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.barefootwithnature.com/tag/barefeet/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961342 | 2,002 | 1.515625 | 2 |
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