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Cervical cancer is the leading gynecological malignancy worldwide, and the incidence of this disease is very high in American Indian women. Infection with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for more than 95% of cervical squamous carcinomas. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to analyze oncogenic HPV infections in American Indian women residing in the Northern Plains. Cervical samples were collected from 287 women attending a Northern Plains American Indian reservation outpatient clinic. DNA was extracted from the cervical samples and HPV specific DNA were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the L1 consensus primer sets. The PCR products were hybridized with the Roche HPV Line Blot assay for HPV genotyping to detect 27 different low and high-risk HPV genotypes. The chi-square test was performed for statistical analysis of the HPV infection and cytology diagnosis data. Of the total 287 patients, 61 women (21.25%) tested positive for HPV infection. Among all HPV-positive women, 41 (67.2%) were infected with high-risk HPV types. Of the HPV infected women, 41% presented with multiple HPV genotypes. Additionally, of the women infected with oncogenic HPV types, 20 (48.7%) were infected with HPV 16 and 18 and the remaining 21 (51.3%) were infected with other oncogenic types (i.e., HPV59, 39, 73). Women infected with oncogenic HPV types had significantly higher (p=0.001) abnormal Papanicolaou smear tests (Pap test) compared to women who were either HPV negative or positive for non-oncogenic HPV types. The incidence of HPV infection was inversely correlated (p<0.05) with the age of the patients, but there was no correlation (p=0.33) with seasonal variation. In this study, we observed a high prevalence of HPV infection in American Indian women residing on Northern Plains Reservations. In addition, a significant proportion of the oncogenic HPV infections were other than HPV16 and 18.	<urn:uuid:d8d141c8-2b49-46cd-a469-48dbd35e61c0>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://pubmedcentralcanada.ca/pmcc/solr/reg?pageSize=25&term=author%3A(%22Ma%2C+Grace+X.%22)&sortby=score+desc&filterAuthor=author%3A(%22Bell%2C+Maria+C.%22)	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.957986	431	1.84375	2
Photographer: Kevin Riddell Apr 28, 2010 Tonya Seelhorst's admiration for former King of England Henry VIII has led her down a new and interesting path. Seelhorst, an administrative associate in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering who recently earned her bachelor's degree in history and political science from Ohio University, became the first United States appeal ambassador for the Mary Rose 500 Appeal last fall. The England-based charity organization The Mary Rose Trust is coordinating the Mary Rose 500 Appeal, which is a fundraising effort to build a new museum around King Henry VIII's 16th century warship, the Mary Rose. The Mary Rose, which the king named after his youngest sister, sank in the English Channel in 1545 during England's battle with France. The ship was raised in 1982 and has been undergoing a restoration process that will be complete in 2012. More than 19,000 artifacts were recovered from the ship and are now awaiting the construction of the museum in Plymouth, England, that will be large enough to display them all to the public. The recovered items include books, bowls, mugs, shoes, a backgammon set, wooden tableware, cutlery, hats, buckles, buttons, arrows, longbows and a fiddle complete with bow. The skeleton of the crew's dog, Hatch, is also included in the list of recovered items. Seelhorst came across this important part of Tudor history while searching the Web. She read how 500 crew members sank with the flagship as her favorite historical figure King Henry VIII watched from a nearby castle. She said although Henry VIII is best known for killing his wives and friends, he was misunderstood and was actually a remarkable man with many great qualities. "The violence, which came late in his career, was just a tiny piece of who he was," Seelhorst said. "He was highly educated, a skillful musician, author and poet, and even wrote musical compositions. He was strong in athletic skills and known to be a fun, handsome and fair man." Intrigued by what she read about the Mary Rose 500 (number used to honor lost crew members) Appeal, Seelhorst contacted The Mary Rose Trust online to thank them for being dedicated to this important history project. After trading e-mails with one of the group's members, Seelhorst was invited to join the group that has Prince Charles as its president. Her main duties are to raise awareness of the project and expand the group's fundraising efforts in the U.S. "I accepted the offer and have pledged to assist the group in fundraising," Seelhorst said. "I feel that it is a great honor to be part of such an important and historic cause." Rear Admiral John Lippiett, chief executive of The Mary Rose Trust, wrote a letter to Seelhorst thanking her for becoming the first U.S. ambassador. He wrote that the new museum will reunite the warship with her thousands of artifacts and "tell the story of the crew members and their importance to understanding the whole story of this remarkable ship." Seelhorst said she will make an appeal to university professors, the Department of History and local history clubs in the near future. She would also like to organize a "Courtly Feast" fundraising dinner on campus in reminiscence of King Henry VIII, who she said became known for hosting lavish over-the-top banquets. To date, The Mary Rose Trust has secured about 85 percent of its $53 million goal and is now making a final push to finish the project. For more information about the Mary Rose 500 project or to make a donation, contact Seelhorst at email@example.com.	<urn:uuid:8f34206d-717c-4dc1-aa2d-e1b8d0ef5255>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.ohio.edu/compass/stories/09-10/4/Seelhorst-ambassador-492.cfm	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	0.977002	778	1.828125	2
When Schwarzkopf was first directed to plan an assault upon Kuwait to drive out Saddam’s forces, he came back with a frontal assault, right into the teeth of the Republican Guard’s best elements. And he had far fewer forces than deemed necessary by more senior people. Powell, the President, and Cheney looked over that plan and quickly decided it was useless, worse than useless really, and Powell drew up the “end around” idea which was presented to and adopted by Schwarzkopf. And then claimed by Schwarzkopf. In the rush to glorify the commanders which occurs in any war, the earlier plan was forgotten, purged, and Stormin’ Norman was credited as being the architect of the new one. About 1 in 10 of the “smart” bombs hit their targets, in sharp contrast to the news conferences he had. Altogether not the person the Administration promoted, but they didn’t have any choice but to glamorize him.	<urn:uuid:3a2a2d1d-9f12-4fec-868d-c58f38d216c4>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.habitablezone.com/2012/12/28/little-known-fact-regarding-schwarzkopf-and-the-invasion-of-kuwait/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.975469	211	1.546875	2
Yes, yes, I know this is the Journal of Things We Like. And I like, like, like Ian Haney Lopez’s essay, “Post Racial Racism: Racial Stratification and Mass Incarceration in the Age of Obama.” But to understand why I like it so much, I have to say a word about something I also liked, but not as much as I had wanted to. A great deal of attention has been paid to Michelle Alexander’s book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The attention is well deserved; Alexander is a great writer with an eye for a compelling narrative. But truth be told, I was left feeling a bit dissatisfied when I finished reading. How does the New Jim Crow racism actually work, structurally speaking, when it comes to mass incarceration? Is subconscious bias (by police) and naked political gain (by the architects of the war on drugs) really the entire story? Isn’t there a deeper, more coherent structural story to tell here with regard to cause? Happily, Ian Haney Lopez tells that story, in an essay published in the California Law Review. Written before Alexander’s book was released, Ian’s essay takes on the subject of mass incarceration in three parts. The first part describes the racial politics of mass incarceration. Here, Ian draws on research that traces the evolution of political rhetoric on crime control, from Southern politicians to Goldwater, LBJ and Nixon. More importantly, Haney Lopez connects the anti-crime rhetoric to the anti-welfare rhetoric that developed during the same era. I say importantly because this double-targeting of anti-crime and anti-welfare helps to identify the structural force at work here: the move to shut down any possibility of significant redistribution of taxpayer dollars, in the form of help for communities that had been under the yoke of racial oppression. Affirmative action was just a small part of what could have been a broader call for a Marshall-style program to aid communities (and cities) that had been the victims of racism. But anti-crime and anti-welfare rhetoric reframed the state as limited in scope, responsible for security but not for a social safety net. Whites got security, which is government’s job. (Never mind that crime rates were declining.) Black and brown citizens, and not government, were responsible for their own poverty-reduction. In the second part, Haney Lopez animates this shift in rhetoric theoretically. In particular, he uses racial stratification theory (ala Charles Tilly and Doug Massey) to explain the shift away from welfare and towards incarceration. Mass incarceration of men of color works because it has justified white exploitation of non-white communities. Read “exploitation,” and think of things like slavery and Jim Crow sharecropping arrangements, or in modern era exploitation, low-wage labor from undocumented workers. In this vein, Haney Lopez describes in detail the history of the convict lease system that flourished in the South after the Civil War. After the war, the proportion of blacks in the Southern prison population skyrocketed, driven by the practice of leasing out of convicts as laborers to industrialists and farmers. In the modern era, whites still profit less directly from prisons, which are a significant source of business in many states. In addition, racial differences in criminal justice population serve to justify white hoarding of previously acquired resources. As an example, Ian rehearses the argument by Loic Wacquant that mass incarceration helps whites to hoard the profits of globalization. Mass incarceration is a way to manage the large number of unskilled black and brown workers left behind by globalization and the relocation offshore of industrial jobs. One can only imagine what Occupy protests might have looked like if the ranks had been swelled with those unemployed poor and working class blacks and Latinos, who were in prison at the time. More generally, in the third part of his essay, Ian focuses on the way in which mass incarceration of black and brown men is part of a broader contest over resources. To hold onto their monopoly of profit, power and taxpayer resources, whites have needed the machinery of the criminal justice system and of law. Among other things, whites have needed legitimate tools of violence and coercion in order to enforce exclusion and exploitation. People often push back when they are excluded or exploited. Violence is needed to preserve white dominance. Criminal justice works, for example, giving unskilled whites a competitive advantage when black and brown felons are taken out of the job market, or are essentially handicapped on the labor market with their criminal record. Mass incarceration also advantages whites in their competition for control of the levers of state power. In prison, black and brown felon populations are in no position to politically demand for their communities “an effective jobs programs, affordable day care, decent schools and after-school programs, markets offering employment or selling healthy products at fair prices, access to mainstream financial institutions, or efficient transportation links to the broader metropolis…” (p. 1058). Felon disenfranchisement extends the problem. It is precisely this sort of structural analysis—focusing on a larger coherent structural narrative as opposed to subconscious bias or naked partisan gain—that we see too little of in Alexander’s book. Haney Lopez’s analysis is much more specific to mass incarceration and far more well developed. Precisely because I am a structuralist, I would have liked to hear how politicians, voters and law enforcement produce and reproduce these structural processes. (Never too much structure for me…) Still, at the end of the day, I am very happy that Haney Lopez has pushed the inquiry about mass incarceration in a very structural direction. Alexander and others writing on the subject would do well to follow his lead.	<urn:uuid:aaab54b3-c489-412b-94b8-e83d24734d34>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://juris.jotwell.com/prisons-poverty-and-power/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.952966	1,201	1.765625	2
Archive for Hermeneutics For the first year the audio downloads of the Shepherds Conference are free of charge right out of the gate. You just have to sign up for an account if you don’t have one. There are some great highlights for this years conference. John MacArthur opened the conference with a careful and we reasoned address on 6 day creation. MacArthur contends that creation is a miracle and is therefore out of the bounds of science to analyze in any satisfying way, and therefore, we need to be careful that we keep science in it’s place. After all, scientific method is not perfect or infallible. Lazarus was raised from the dead, and Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves to feed 5000. Would science be of any service if it were able to analyze the fish or sample the blood of Lazarus? MacArthur offers a great many arguments that cannot be overlooked by Christians’ who engage in “Creation Science”. The headliner to the Shepherds Conference this year belongs to Al Mohler, for his one address which powerfully exhorts preachers to authoritative preaching. To preach without an element of authority means 1. you don’t know your text, and 2. you don’t fully understand that Scripture is the very Word of God to man. If we believe that the power of God is in the Word’s of Scripture we will preach it as such. Our preaching will reflect this conviction. Phil Johnson writes a post on the conference, particularly highlighting Al Mohler’s address. In General Session 3, John MacArthur talks about the history of his ministry and how he developed his convictions about how the church should operate. This was a very helpful address that will encourage pastors to remain faithful to Scripture while shelving the business and contextualization strategies that plague the church today. General Session 5 is a Q&A with MacArthur on the subject of expository preaching. These are not questions from the audience, these are questions written by the elders and pastors at Grace Community Church. The result is a very informative and helpful session about the place of preaching, why expository preaching is so important, and what methods MacArthur uses. There is so much information here you will want to have pen and paper to take notes. Phil Johnson steps up to the plate and completely dismantles the new trend toward vulgarity in the pulpit, and in my estimation, leaves those who engage in such a pulpit practice without any of their usual arguments for doing so. Phil looks to Paul’s letter to Titus for his exhortation. Titus was a pastor in Crete, which was a grunge culture of new converts, very similar to the target audience of most evangelical post-modern preachers who bring vulgarity into the pulpit. Paul did not suggest in any way that Titus contextualize his preaching in that culture. Phil’s arguments and biblical reasoning takes the wind out of their sails and calls them to repentence. Rick Holland considers what it means to have a fearless ministry, to the likes of John Knox and the Apostle Paul. Rick looks at 2 Corinthians 11 and gives some strong and weighty exhortation to fearlessness. Steve Lawson looks at Galatians 1 and considers what it means to defend the Gospel. MacArthur closes the conference by addressing the common question, “Why does God allow suffering and evil in the world?” He does this by looking at different categories of evil. For the past few weeks I’ve been making my way through J. I. Packers lectures on the English Puritans, and I have to tell you, it’s been a real treat. This is one of those series you will want to go through a second time and take notes. I can’t begin to scratch the surface of all the good material. Much here on ministry philosophy, worship, pastoral concerns. Some very fascinating biographical material on lesser known Puritans. A great deal on Baxter and Owen. Some highlights from one of the first messages that looked at many more contemporary giants who were greatly affected by the Puritans. Packer looks at sermonic structures of the Puritans and more recent contemporaies such as Lloyd-Jones. How soon in a sermon do you begin application? In the cases of Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones, they started right away. Where did the 3 point sermon originate? He also talks about the contemporary loss of rhetorical prayer, where pastoral prayers were presenting arguments before God. This series of lectures has been generously provided by Reformed Theological Seminary, which has conveniently supplied their audio through iTunes. A TOP AUDIO POST Associate Pastor Mark Alderton of Sovereign Grace Fellowship, Bloomington MN recently gave a weekend seminar on Biblical interpretation (hermeneutics) entitled ‘Feasting on the Word.’ You can currently find the seminar at these two locations: In a 7 part series, Wayne Grudem explains how every Christian should interpret the Bible, in an accessible and very understandable way. These lessons are a slight detour from his lessons on the clarity and reliability of Scripture. Grudem begins his series stating that Christian’s don’t need a seminary education to be able to understand the Bible. Scripture is clear and understandable. It was meant to be read by everyone. The only thing Christians need education in is to refine the skill of interpretation that they have already been using, and to uproot bad interpretive habits. Grudem lays out a very helpful historical framework which serves as a big picture aide to help place certain parts of Scripture in their proper contexts, so that a proper interpretation will be easier to arrive at. This is a great series of easy to digest lessons that are immediately helpful and easy to remember. I highly recommend this series.	<urn:uuid:f67dd394-76e5-4d0a-84d8-69307ab37671>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://faithbyhearing.wordpress.com/category/ministry-topics/hermeneutics/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.956122	1,192	1.695313	2
Trend Athira M. focusses on the proliferation of surveillance cameras in the city Watch out… you are being watched. It might be Orwellian but many residents and public and private institutions in the city are opting for surveillance cameras of different kinds to keep an eye on their surroundings. In the case of the government, since the authorities cannot keep an eye on what is happening in the city 24x7, many departments are turning to the third eye to do the trick. Roads, temples, hospitals, schools/colleges, offices, shopping centres… Big Brother is watching! Over the last few years, there has been a proliferation of surveillance cameras with not just law enforcement bodies but also individuals and private establishments installing the device to keep different kinds of threats at bay and for many other reasons as well – from nabbing intruders to prevent dumping of waste in public places. The city police is systematically bringing more areas under the coverage of surveillance cameras. In fact, the capital city has the most number of such cameras, over 200, when compared to Kochi and Kozhikode, says S.T. Gopakumar, project manager, Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron) that has installed the cameras. Keltron has set up 34 cameras outside and 45 inside the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple. To enhance security, Technopark will now have 100 cameras, instead of the previous six, to supervise the the sprawling campus. “It was a long-pending decision. Against the backdrop of a series of unfortunate incidents, the cameras would help in curbing any kind of security or safety threat. These devices would be monitored from a room inside the Park Centre,” says K.C. Chandrasekharan Nair, chief finance officer, Technopark. The cameras will cover the roads, all buildings, main entrance and exit and parking areas in Technopark. The work has not been awarded yet and once it gets going, the installation would be completed in three months’ time. Meanwhile, about 50 per cent companies in Technopark have installed cameras on their own. “There is an increased awareness about safety and the general perception is that if there is a camera, your safety is ensured,” says C.K. Sasikumar, chairman and chief executive officer of Technopark-based One View Systems Pvt Ltd, which launched a surveillance device wherein the customer gets an SMS as well as an email alert if the camera detects an intruder. The company, which has clients in the government, non-government and private sector, is now launching VSaaS (Video Surveillance As A Service) which is a smarter way to manage cameras. “A surveillance device has to be monitored 24x7. We will be having a security team comprising experienced hands who would monitor the equipment from a particular location. We expect to launch it by March. Also, we are bringing in thermal cameras that create images based on the heat that radiates from any object/person. This is for a government department,” he says. Of late, many professional colleges have installed cameras to stop copying in examination halls. The cameras are much in demand in the real estate sector as well. “These cameras monitor the progress of construction. And these builders even give the owners of the apartment/block the access to those cameras,” Sasikumar says, adding, “Hospitals are increasingly adopting surveillance devices. We installed a camera inside the ICU of a private hospital to enable relatives waiting outside the ICU to see the patient.” Recently, the Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar announced the installation of cameras in ward number nine in General Hospital for round the clock surveillance of the activities there. Nowadays, the IP (Internet Protocol) cameras are installed not just for security reasons. Many institutions/companies use them to assess performance of the employees. In fact, cameras are now an integral component of furnishing in most shops. However, the big picture emerges only when the costs of installation, maintenance and supervision of cameras are factored in. “We spent Rs.50,000 on five cameras. Also, the positioning of the camera is also important,” says Shyam Vettooran, managing partner of Vettooran Technologies. There should be a provision to record the images so that the footage can be played when needed. Since they have to be monitored 24x7, one or two residents associations in Karamana that had installed the cameras to check dumping of waste have taken them off. While costs and concerns about privacy are issues that will come under the spotlight, as of now, the cameras seem to be a convenient way to keep track of events in the city. “People think that surveillance cameras are meant to check traffic violations alone. But they aid us in preventing/detecting crime or any kind of inconvenience to the public as well and that ranges from petty thefts to eve-teasing and trafficking rackets,” says Bijoy P., Assistant Commissioner, Police Control Room. As of now, 223 cameras have been installed across the city, of which 183 were installed last year, and eight are ready to be commissioned. In fact, commuters at East Fort are constantly reminded that they are under the eye of the camera to prevent eve teasing and petty thefts. “We registered 1,10,000 traffic offences in the last one-and-a-half years, thus collecting Rs. 50 lakh as penalty,” he says. The police has a list of institutions that have installed cameras and this includes commercial establishments such as jewellery shops, textile shops and financial institutions. “They do hand over the visuals to us. We’ve even mooted the idea of having some kind of connectivity between these equipment and the control room,” he says. The cameras keep a tab on processions and other public meetings as well. “Now people know that we’ve the clippings of every activity and so they refrain from any anti-social activity. These clippings are provided as proof in the court too,” Bijoy says. Renowned cinematographer Ramachandra Babu, a resident of Aksharaveedhi Road, Pettah, installed a webcam and uploaded the visuals of those dumping waste. He even got these visuals printed and pasted on the walls. “Now the place is clean and more people are opting for pipe composts,” he says. Similarly, residents of Burma Road, near Kumarapuram, put up five cameras to check waste dumping. Shyam says their firm has already installed cameras in Vattiyoorkavu and Thirumala. In fact, the Corporation had even mooted the idea of installing cameras to stop dumping of waste in public places. Technopark will now have 100 cameras all around the sprawling campus. Residents associations put up cameras to catch people who dumped garbage in public places. Professional colleges install cameras to prevent copying. Builders want the camera to help customers keep track of the work on their buildings. Private hospitals opt for cameras in the ICU so that relatives can track the condition of patients in the ICU. Theatres depend on cameras to prevent vandalisation.	<urn:uuid:6347dbe8-c7bc-43a8-aa21-e3f023eae323>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/lens-view/article4296659.ece?textsize=large&test=1	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.963779	1,507	1.796875	2
In another discussion recently, Eric Chan mentioned that LR could handle 32 bit TIFF and DNG files . The DNG mention piqued my curiosity. I followed up and asked Eric how 32 bit DNGs could be created because it wasn't an option when saving out a 32 bit file in PS (or PM). I don't believe Eric had responded. But it's true. Adobe has announced a new DNG spec and 32 bit floating point is part of it. So I'm still curious how 32 bit DNGs can be created. Thoughts? 32 bit TIFF files are huge in size compared to EXR or HDR files. If 32 bit DNGs are smaller and closer in size to other 32 bit file formats, it may make LR a truly viable option for tonemapping those images. But another little trick that is part of the spec is a crop undo. Some cameras offer crops that aren't in the native aspect ratio of the sensor. For example, the D800 offers a 4:5 in addition to the native 3:2. As part of the new DNG 1.4 spec, Adobe has given users the ability to recover that crop and get back the entire sensor with a new LR plugin Speculation from my side but perhaps a future LR version will be able to merge HDR to the new DNG format? It also seems the new DNG version can handle 16-bit floating point. Hopefully the "Merge to 32-bit HDR Plug-in for Lightroom" also will handle this format. It save a TIFF file with 16-bit floating point but without compression: "Floating Point (HDR) HDR images have a high dynamic range that will not fit into a 16-bit linear integer encoding. Floating point storage of information allows for a larger amount of dynamic range to be stored within a file: 16-bit integer data can only store 16 f-stops of image detail. 16-bit floating point data can store over 30 f-stops of image detail. 32-bit floating point data can store hundreds of f-stops of image detail."	<urn:uuid:dacc0e61-6c04-478e-a63a-65a3ce8ab285>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=71208.msg564354	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.930462	439	1.789063	2
Can you think of a better way to use the space for parked cars? This looks like a winner to us. Nice one, Germany! Solar power could revolutionise our energy grid, and Germany is leading the way with projects like this one in Schwabach. Over the past few years the country has become a global leader, with a boom in solar panel installation and record solar energy use – and they're still going strong. If you want to see the clean tech revolution continue in Germany and around the world, sign below and share widely. Sources: PV-Tech, USA Today, Reuters	<urn:uuid:3982edd3-39f3-4ea8-9481-c99a32e9a0f5>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://en.avaaz.org/784/this-is-what-every-car-park-should-look-like	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	0.957601	122	1.671875	2
This is a video about my 'Quantum Storytelling' approach. It is produced by Grace Ann Rosile and David M. Boje. Boje narrates the video. The video presents the eleven D's of Quantum Storytelling from an ontological standpoint. Joe T. Meier directed the video, Aron Hethcox did the sound, and Jones Huerta the sound. All songs, pictures, and art images are used with permission, and in accordance with IRB at NMSU. This film is dedicated to my great grandfather, William Henry Shelton (born Jul 26 1863 in Brownstown, Indiana; died Aug 18 1946), who in 1897, crossed the Rocky Mountains, with his family, in a covered wagon, and opened the first blacksmith shop and livery stable in Goldendale, Washington. David M. Boje, Ph.D. is a blacksmith and a Distinguish Achievement Professor, at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, US. His website is has, his books, and on line articles, and a blog to talk about quantum storytelling and blacksmith art in the Quantum Age. For more information and references to books and articles mentioned in the video, see peaceaware.com Loading more stuff… Hmm…it looks like things are taking a while to load. Try again?	<urn:uuid:543d1328-881c-45f4-9f43-f7ea8164e205>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://vimeo.com/42489199	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.930604	278	1.71875	2
Private education loans Private loans can fill the gap if you still need assistance to meet your educational expenses after already receiving the maximum financial aid you are eligible for. Alternative loans can supplement federal student aid and pay expenses that government loans may not have been enough to cover. Alternative loans are offered by private lenders such as banks and credit unions. Always ask, “Is this a federal student loan?” If it is, there may be some eligibility requirements and you should speak to your school’s financial aid office first. If it's not a federal loan, usually interest rates are higher—sometimes significantly higher-and can change (up or down) monthly. There may also be loan fees that reduce the amount you receive and you may not be able to defer or cancel repayment in case of financial hardship. Before taking out any loan, make sure you can repay it and borrow only the amount you need. For private/alternative student loans in particular, do your research first! Shop around for the best rate and lowest fees. If your loan is approved, the money will be given to you or sent directly to your school. It's up to you to manage those funds. To avoid expensive late fees, make your payments on or before the due date. Warning: Private/alternative loans are being marketed aggressively to college students. Review the loan terms carefully before you accept them. Be sure you understand what you have to repay and when.	<urn:uuid:0c7cc5d8-0b2d-4ada-86bc-38cadc2509cb>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.cashcourse.org/emporia/articles/id/1932/categoryid/131/private-education-loans	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.968383	296	1.71875	2
Childcare should cost $10/day, boards urge Published Tuesday, February 5, 2013 2:42PM PST Last Updated Tuesday, February 5, 2013 8:28PM PST Two boards of trade in B.C.’s Lower Mainland are joining forces to pressure the provincial and federal governments to subsidize daycare costs for families, changing the system so parents pay no more than $10 a day for full-time care. The recommendation to provide affordable daycare initially came from the Surrey Board of Trade last year, but now Burnaby’s board is joining them on the economic call. Their three suggested affordable and flexible child care options were on the table today during the second annual Business and Families First Dialogue in Surrey, attended by members of the business community and B.C. Family Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux. The Surrey board reiterated its calls for measures to promote family-friendly workplaces and work-life balance for employees through providing equitable and affordable options for families. Among the recommendations is a call to subsidize childcare so it costs no more than $10 a day. The boards say that child care currently costs around $40 per day, around the cost of a second mortgage. The board wants to make childcare free for families that earn less than $40,000 per year. It’s also calling for tax incentives in order to create more flexible and family-friendly workplaces. The boards maintain the incentives are needed in order to help young families achieve a better work-life balance through features including longer parental leaves and alternative work arrangements that make it easier for parents to care for young children. It says work-life conflicts among employees with preschool age children costs the B.C. business community upwards of $600-million each year, in the form of employee turnover, absenteeism and health care premiums. The boards also want the government to conduct additional research as to how parents could split 18 months at home with their newborn, and provide those new parents with more support systems. The boards say many modern families today can’t afford to take a full 12 months of parental leave, whereas a generation ago parents commonly stayed home for as long as six years. Cadieux told CTV News her government understands that affordability is a big issue in British Columbia, but she stopped short of committing to the recommendations. “Child care is a big pressure for young families,” she said. “We’re looking for all the ways we can to optimize the resources and the opportunities that we have for families.” The boards say Canada is the only developed nation in the world without a child care policy. Rebecca Van Der Hijde pays $620 monthly for her two-and-a-half year old son to attend daycare three times a week. Van Der Hijde, who is doing her masters degree in education in order to get a better-paying job in the future, says every penny of the money she makes from her part-time job goes into paying for her son’s care. "We break even,” she said. “We’re living on one income, which is difficult.” The mother says the prospect of spending just $10 a day for daycare would be a huge relief. “It could mean no student loan because I might be able to pay for school instead of daycare,” she said. With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Nafeesa Karim	<urn:uuid:cf5fe289-b216-4a71-b1b0-8a2f988ab26b>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://bc.ctvnews.ca/childcare-should-cost-10-day-boards-urge-1.1144370	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.961302	730	1.765625	2
An Interiors Reader From Organisation to Decoration: An Interiors Reader is a reader for students, scholars and practitioners interested in the theories, processes and principles of the aspects of the theory and practice of interior architecture, interior design and interior decoration. The book is divided into three... Published November 28th 2012 by Routledge Interior Architecture and the Design Principles of Remodelling Existing Buildings Re-readings is an authoritative testament to the complex process of remodelling existing buildings. Although buildings have always been reused, the process of doing so has rarely been treated as an artform. In recent years, however, a huge amount of press coverage has been devoted to remodelling... Published September 30th 2004 by RIBA Publishing	<urn:uuid:d33322cb-5d78-45be-acda-b28694a3c200>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.tandf.net/books/search/author/sally_stone/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.948454	150	1.632813	2
The AMT smack-down held off for one more year Dec 20th 2007 9:00AM Updated Dec 20th 2007 9:53AM The AMT is a provision in the tax law which ensures that taxpayers with "high" income and a lot of deductions pay at least a minimum amount of taxes. But the rules were written back 1969, when the definition of "high" income was a bit different than it is today. According to the New York Times, $150,000 in income in 1969 would be equivalent to $850,000 in today's dollars. Clearly, what was considered wealthy in 1969 is quite different by today's standards. The tax law hasn't kept pace with inflation, and this year couples with income of $45,000 would have been affected by AMT. This new bill ups that figure to $66,250 for married taxpayers. It's estimated that this development will keep a married couple from paying an additional $4,000 to $5,000 in tax for the 2007 tax year. Forensic accountant Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations through her company, Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners honored Tracy as the 2007 winner of the prestigious Hubbard Award and her first book, Essentials of Corporate Fraud, will be on bookshelves in March 2008.Democrats who voted against this bill are ticked off because they say it's a "tax cut" and a provision was not included to fill the gap. It was estimated that $50 billion would have been collected under the AMT if this bill wasn't passed. The IRS says there shouldn't be any delays in processing because of this change. They will have the 12 tax forms affected by AMT ready to go within 72 hours of the bill being signed into law. President Bush has said he will sign the bill. Don't get too excited, though. This same dance will be done again next year. This fix only applies to the 2007 tax year, and unless another temporary or permanent fix is passed into law next year, the same issue will rear its ugly head again.	<urn:uuid:7f6ac42f-0b03-4556-92b1-70909b950ec3>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.dailyfinance.com/2007/12/20/the-amt-smack-down-held-off-for-one-more-year/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.981921	444	1.789063	2
Published in Cancer Weekly, December 6th, 2005 "CaSm was originally identified based on elevated expression in pancreatic cancer and in several cancer-derived cell lines. CaSm encodes a 133 amino acid protein that contains two Sm motifs found in the common small nuclear RNA proteins and the LSm (like-Sm) family of proteins." Want to see the full article? Welcome to NewsRx! Learn more about a six-week, no-risk free trial of Cancer Weekly NewsRx also is available at LexisNexis, Gale, ProQuest, Factiva, Dialog, Thomson Reuters, NewsEdge, and Dow Jones.	<urn:uuid:335b1d54-f2c5-48ce-a408-9b85bb4cd767>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Cancer-Weekly/2005-12-06/12062005333123CW.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	0.943228	137	1.617188	2
Just when you think the debate over media ownership regulation in this country can't get any more absurd, along comes this letter from FCC Commissioner Michael Copps arguing that Rupert Murdoch's deal for the Wall Street Journal should be blocked to somehow save the nation (especially those poor New Yorkers) from an evil media monopoly. "It will create a single company with enormous influence over politics, art and culture across the nation and especially in the New York metropolitan area." PUH-LEASE! How can someone make such an argument with a straight face? Rupert Murdoch is going to control "the politics, art and culture" of the nation with the WSJ?? Come on, get serious. The Journal isn't exactly the standard-bearer when it comes to setting artistic or cultural trends for the nation. And the argument that Murdoch is somehow going to control "the politics, art and culture" of the New York area with the Journal is even more absurd. Is there really any shortage of inputs in the New York area when it comes to those things? Are the artsy-fartsy liberals of NYC suddenly going to wake up one day, start reading the Journal, and completely change their lifestyles? Please. Anyway, I wrote a much longer essay for the City Journal back in August predicting all this "Chicken Little" nonsense would be coming. As I said then: The argument that the Murdochâ€“Dow Jones marriage will have a significant impact on American journalism or democracy is absurd. Donâ€™t get me wrong. The Journal is a great paper; in my opinion, it represents the pinnacle of journalistic excellence. Nonetheless, itâ€™s just one of many voices shouting to be heard in todayâ€™s media cacophony. Indeed, the modern media marketplace is extraordinarily dynamic, with new outlets and technologies developing constantly. Despite the existence of a handful of very large conglomerates, dozens of other important media companies continue to thrive and fill important niches that the big firms have missed. As Columbia Universityâ€™s Eli Noam has noted of the modern media marketplace, â€œWhile the fish in the pond have grown in size, the pond did grow, too, and there have been new fish and new ponds.â€ Or oceans, perhaps. As my recent City Journal article, â€œThe Media Cornucopia,â€ points out, close to 14,000 radio stations are broadcasting today, a number that has nearly doubled since 1970; satellite radio, which didnâ€™t exist before 2001, has roughly 13 million subscribers nationwide. Eighty-six percent of households subscribe to cable or satellite TV, receiving an average of 102 channels of the more than 500 that are available. Americans could read any of 18,267 magazines in 2005 (up from 14,302 in 1993). According to the Internet Systems Consortium, the number of Internet host computersâ€”computers or servers that allow people to post content on the Webâ€”grew from just 235 in 1982 to roughly 400 million in 2006. At the beginning of 2007, the blog-tracking service Technorati counted over 63 million blogs, with more than 175,000 new ones created every day. In light of these realities, itâ€™s difficult to see how Rupert Murdochâ€™s move to buy the Journal makes much of a difference in the larger scheme of things. And the state of media competition and diversity is even better in the New York metro area. So it's impossible to conclude that the News Corp-WSJ deal will have any serious impact on "the politics, art or culture" of either the nation or the NYC area as Copps suggests. Commissioner Copps needs to wake up and smell modern media marketplace reality.	<urn:uuid:245fd5c9-2256-4399-8e65-b6755b31730b>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://blog.pff.org/archives/2007/10/print/004874.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.937913	770	1.515625	2
House warming is always a fun and fresh way to start at a new place, but it's not the same in all countries as 'A Sweet Welcome' infographic shows. In America, flowers, a bottle of wine or a box of cheese is ideal to offer someone when they've landed in a new home. It's usually an informal party where family and friends gather around to mingle. This infographic is by MyMove.com, and it shows the gritty details of world customs when it comes to house warming parties. In places such as India and Thailand, people take on these parties as rituals. In India, priests come to bless the home and in Thailand, homeowners wait for a special lucky day to move in, which usually lands on a Friday or Saturday. 305 clicks in 52 w More Stats +/-	<urn:uuid:bc159bd2-1298-4d8b-8838-1fb21a4408e7>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-sweet-welcome-infographic	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.953709	165	1.609375	2
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” With an emphasis on the slain civil rights leader’s commitment to service, a group of about 20 volunteers showed up to help clean Fred Moore Park on Saturday morning. Their work helped kick off local Martin Luther King Jr. Day observations, which continue Monday. “I feel it’s really important for our community to be involved,” said Ericca Cordier, a Denton resident of three years. This is her second year to participate in the MLK festivities. “These important events are always so under-attended and I think these positive events should have larger turnout, hopefully encouraging our youth to get out and be involved,” Cordier said while cleaning the park. This message of service is just what Denesha Factory wanted when she proposed the idea to the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center advisory board. “Since we weren’t going to have a parade, I suggested a day of service — because that’s what the day was mandated as, not a day of rest as we know it today,” said Factory, a recreation specialist at the center. She thought the cleanup was a success. “Volunteers were very excited and already making suggestions for next year,” Factory said. After the park cleanup, residents headed down the road to the King recreation center for a celebration that included a candlelight vigil, gospel hymns and a dance performance. Keynote speaker Alma Clark, a longtime member of the community, concluded the celebration with a heartfelt message that summed up the reason for the holiday. “Our opportunity is now,” said Clark, who worked for 25 years at the University of North Texas. “Now is the time to sow the seeds of kindness and the seeds of service, volunteer … even if it’s just for an hour at your local school.” Denton City Council member Kevin Roden said he was happy to be part of a celebration that’s rich in cultural significance. “This is what King would want, to bring people together,” Roden said. “MLK Day continues to be a good time to educate the public.” Loud applause broke out after Clark ended her speech by saying, “The dream is still alive. God bless America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, because you made it that way.” MEGAN GRAY can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is email@example.com. MLK DAY EVENTS Martin Luther King. Jr. Day observations continue Monday: 9 a.m. to noon — Community service project at Fred Moore Day Nursery School, 821 Cross Timber St., led by the Denton Faith Alliance. Volunteers will help with projects on the school grounds. 11 a.m. — Free flag football for youths at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 1300 Wilson St. Call 940-349-8575. 3 p.m. — Rally at the University of North Texas Union, 1155 Union Circle. March begins at 4 p.m.; marchers will meet up with community members at Fred Moore Park at 5 p.m., then continue to Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center for the concluding celebration.	<urn:uuid:177b9568-e920-49d4-9776-2f222016c722>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20130119-to-serve-and-reflect.ece?ssimg=862502	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.947888	733	1.757813	2
STEPHENS CITY, VA - It's not everyday a high school student gets to meet with a U.S. official one on one. However, students at Shanendo High got to spend a good hour with Congressman Frank Wolf up close and personal as he addressed some of our nations biggest issues. Both the students and wolf engaged in a discussion on current issues from the economy to gun control. Wolf shared his ideas of possible solutions. "We need to come together. Put everything on the table. Bring in additional revenue by closing tax loop holes. But reforming the entitlements, says Wolf. Besides sharing his views and ideas in the political arena, wolf also gave the ap government students advice about their future goals. "If you have a commitment and you're willing to pay the price and set your goals high the chances are you can achieve them. But paying the price is the really difficult part, says Wolf. "It was really interesting to see his background and what he had been trying to do on certain issues. What his take was on it and how firm he was on issues he had been voting on," says student McKenna Kendrick. Do you think Interstate 81 is safe?	<urn:uuid:5e9810be-3165-4da3-967d-75090c675150>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://your4state.com/education-fulltext/?nxd_id=290282	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.986159	242	1.6875	2
Molecular cloning and characterization of a highly selective chemokine-binding protein from the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that secrete a number of immuno-modulatory factors to evade the host immune response. Saliva isolated from different species of ticks has recently been shown to contain chemokine neutralizing activity. To characterize this activity, we constructed a cDNA library from the salivary glands of the common brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Pools of cDNA clones from the library were transfected into HEK293 cells, and the conditioned media from the transfected cells were tested for chemokine binding activity by chemical cross-linking to radiolabeled CCL3 followed by SDS-PAGE. By de-convolution of a single positive pool of 270 clones, we identified a full-length cDNA encoding a protein of 114 amino acids, which after signal peptide cleavage was predicted to yield a mature protein of 94 amino acids that we called Evasin-1. Recombinant Evasin-1 was produced in HEK293 cells and in insect cells. Using surface plasmon resonance we were able to show that Evasin-1 was exquisitely selective for 3 CC chemokines, CCL3 and CCL4 and the closely related chemokine CCL18, with K(D) values of 0.16, 0.81, and 3.21 nm, respectively. The affinities for CCL3 and CCL4 were confirmed in competition receptor binding assays. Analysis by size exclusion chromatography demonstrated that Evasin-1 was monomeric and formed a 1:1 complex with CCL3. Thus, unlike the other chemokine-binding proteins identified to date from viruses and from the parasitic worm Schistosoma mansoni, Evasin-1 is highly specific for a subgroup of CC chemokines, which may reflect a specific role for these chemokines in host defense against parasites.	<urn:uuid:8f2467b3-639a-4c34-bd01-637bdcf1b351>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.uniprot.org/citations/17640866	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.947134	425	1.742188	2
< Return To Hearing Mr. Gene Kimmelman March 6, 2002 Consumers Union is extremely concerned about the enormous concentration of control over multichannel video distribution systems - predominantly cable and satellite - which has prevented the growth of vibrant competition. Attached to our testimony is an Appendix entitled "Cable-Satellite Competition (And Other Myths That Are Distorting Mass Media Policy)," prepared by Dr. Mark Cooper, Research Director for the Consumer Federation of America, which describes in great detail the market structure and concentration levels for multi-channel video services. Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) stands as the most likely competitor to today's cable monopolies. While further consolidation in the satellite industry could be dangerous to consumers, it also holds the potential to make satellite more competitive with cable monopolies. We believe that antitrust issues related to satellite mergers should be reviewed in the overall context of policies designed to foster more competition in the multichannel video market. It is important to understand that, while antitrust is an excellent tool to prevent monopolization or substantial dilution of competition, it may do nothing to create new competition or explode existing monopolies. Consumers need both - strong antitrust enforcement and strong pro-competitive policies. Today, EchoStar and DirecTV serve nearly every home that has a satellite dish. And now EchoStar is attempting to buy DirecTV. If this merger is approved, it would combine the dominant players in the satellite TV market to become the second-largest pay-TV company in America, behind AT&T's combined cable holdings. See Appendix at 35 (describing AT&T's full and partial cable ownership interests, covering as many as 30-40 million households). The potential antitrust problems presented by this merger are serious and substantial. Currently, most consumers have three choices for pay-TV services: EchoStar's Dish Network, DirecTV, or their local cable company. This merger would reduce their choices from three to two. For rural America, the prospects are even grimmer. Approximately 13 million homes in rural areas are not wired for cable TV. These consumers can only choose between DirecTV and EchoStar. Thus, the merger would leave them with EchoStar as their only option. Therefore, Consumers Union believes that this proposed merger poses significant antitrust problems and must be rejected, unless the problems are adequately addressed before the merger is completed. Under certain circumstances, we also believe the merger could offer consumers some significant benefits, such as more local broadcast channels and better high-speed Internet options available via satellite. We believe that government approval should be contingent on specific market-opening preconditions and protections against anti-competitive practices. These would involve antitrust consent decree requirements to prevent monopolistic pricing and inferior service, plus Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action to encourage competition. Sixteen percent of American households have satellite dishes, while about 68 percent have cable. A substantial portion of satellite subscribers also purchase cable in order to receive local broadcast programming or to satisfy multiple TV viewing needs. Thus far, satellite has failed to provide price competition to cable. As one industry analyst writes: We believe that more than 95% of all cable churn is caused by factors other than DBS competition. Competition generated churn rates of just 1.3% per year during the past five years, suggesting that former cable customers make up less than one-third of DBS's current customer base. The implication of this finding is significant because it suggests that the vast preponderance of DBS's growth depended on first-time multi-channel video (MVC) subscribers. We believe that growth in the MVC market will drop off in the next several years as the potential population of first-time MVC subscribers dwindles. Every year, cable rates keep going through the roof. In the five years since the Telecommunications Act became law, cable subscribers have seen their rates go up 36 percent. That's nearly three times the rate of inflation. Cablevision recently announced a 7 percent rate hike, two weeks after AT&T announced a 7.4 percent hike. In cities all around the country, cable companies are raising rates with an alarming pace. The following are just a sampling of rate increases: Wichita, KS - 14%, St. Louis, MO - 14-26%, Reno, NV and Memphis, TN - 15%, Boston, MA - 12%, Vancouver, WA - 9%, Atlanta, GA and Austin, TX - 10%. Unfortunately, the 1996 Telecommunications Act phased out cable rate regulation. It gave consumers the impression that cable competition would expand sooner rather than later, and cable prices would go down, not up. The law assumed that the elimination of legal barriers to entering the cable business would unleash a torrent of competition from local telephone companies, electric utilities and others. Unfortunately, it just hasn't happened. The local telephone companies have virtually abandoned their efforts to compete with cable, and electric utilities have had difficulty breaking into the market. Without the benefit of regulations that prevent cable price gouging, only consumers in the few communities where two wire-line companies engage in head-to-head competition for cable services are receiving the benefits promised in the 1996 Act. FCC data show that head-to-head competition saves consumers 14 percent compared to prices charged by cable monopolies (where satellite service is also available), and independent research indicates that competition can save consumers as much as 32 percent on their cable bills. Unfortunately, two-wire towns are the exception to the rule in today's marketplace. Large companies that are well-positioned to block competition increasingly dominate the cable industry. Currently two companies (AT&T and AOL Time Warner) together own cable systems serving more than 50% of the nation's cable subscribers and are partially co-owned through Time Warner Entertainment. In most places, the local cable company is the only cable company. As cable TV pioneer Ted Turner recently said: "I think it's sad we're losing so much diversity of thought and opinion.... We're getting to the point where there's going to be only two cable companies left." Cable companies often argue that programming costs and capital outlays account for the increase in rates. But these arguments simply do not hold up under scrutiny. For one, cable industry data show that a substantial portion of the increase in programming costs are offset by corresponding increases in advertising revenue. As programming gets more expensive, cable companies get more revenue from advertisers who run commercials during the programming. Secondly, the largest cable system operators have financial interests in about one-third of all national and regional programming. So when cable companies complain about having to pay more for programming that they partly own, some are simply taking money of the right pocket and putting it in the left pocket. Even at the local level, the cable industry's complaint about rising programming costs does not hold water. Since the passage of the 1996 Act, cable revenues have increased much faster than costs. Since 1996, total revenues have increased by 50 percent, while operating revenues are up 43 percent. Average operating revenues (total revenues minus operating costs) have actually increased by 32 percent. Most notably, the revenues that are associated with the expansion of systems -- advertising, pay-per-view and shopping services, advanced services and equipment -- are up 123 percent. The dollar value of revenue increases for new and expanded services since 1997 alone swamps the increase in programming costs. Virtually all of the increases in basic and expanded basic service revenues have been carried to cable's bottom line in the form of increases in operating profits. If satellite can provide local channels in more areas and continue to bring down up-front equipment costs, it could be well-positioned to be the most likely competitor to cable in the future. One of EchoStar's major arguments for a merger with DirecTV is that combining the dominant players of the satellite industry is the only way for them to compete head-to-head with the cable monopolies. We do not believe this combination alone would guarantee that satellite becomes an effective competitor to cable TV. However, the combined companies would have additional satellite capacity to beam local channels into more markets than they do now. They would also be able to reduce costs per subscriber and possibly speed up the availability of high-speed Internet service in rural areas. Once again, all of these would increase the likelihood that satellite could become a price and service competitor to cable. Nonetheless, the only way that antitrust and other competitive concerns about this merger can be addressed is to require the conditioning of the merger with two significant safeguards. First, EchoStar should be required to implement a broad array of protections for rural subscribers. The company should have to agree to offer the same prices, terms, and conditions to consumers in rural areas as it does to consumers in more competitive areas. The same installation options, program packages, promotions, and customer service that EchoStar provides in the closest, most competitive markets would then be available where consumers have cable and only one satellite choice. An alternative approach to achieve the same result would require a structural separation (divestiture) of enough satellite capacity to serve rural customers through a new satellite competitor that could challenge the combined Echostar/DirecTV. The second safeguard we would suggest is aimed at improving competition. If consumers are going to lose one competitor in the multichannel video market, particularly when it means unwired markets will go from two choices to one, the FCC should move forward to open the door to another competitor. For example, Northpoint/Broadwave is a promising potential competitor to both cable and satellite TV. It is trying to secure a license for its service, but it is caught in a regulatory morass at the FCC. Two of the companies that have pressed the FCC to reject the application are the companies that could see the stiffest competition - EchoStar and AT&T. The addition of Northpoint/Broadwave or a comparable firm to the marketplace could offset the loss of a satellite competitor as a result of this merger. Therefore, we are asking the FCC to approve licensing of Northpoint/Broadwave -- if the service can be provided without interfering with satellite service -- before the antitrust officials complete their review of this merger. In conclusion, I would like to recall the last telecommunications merger to receive this kind of attention from Congress - the merger of America Online and Time Warner. Some of you probably remember the antitrust concerns that were raised when AOL first unveiled its merger plans. I know that former FTC Chairman Pitofsky remembers them well. And thanks to his insight and leadership at the FTC, that merger was transformed from a potential threat to consumers to a model for the protection of consumers. Like the merger of AOL and Time Warner, the merger of EchoStar and DirecTV presents serious problems that could be dangerous to consumers. But as the government's approval of AOL Time Warner demonstrated, problems can be fixed if the companies and federal officials are willing to do so. Rather than reject this proposal out of hand, we would urge the federal government to seize an opportunity to improve consumers' standing in the marketplace and bring some sorely-needed competition to the multi-channel video market.	<urn:uuid:2975256a-af19-432a-8993-172a9506f22e>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=4f1e0899533f7680e78d03281fdcc902&wit_id=4f1e0899533f7680e78d03281fdcc902-1-5	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.953935	2,261	1.59375	2
A Shrinking Universe by Jordan Brennan on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives website argues that trade and investment liberalization measures such as the 1988 Canada - US Free Trade Agreement and the NAFTA extension in 1994 have warped economic power such that the 60 biggest corporations have grabbed an ever-increasing share of the wealth and income pie. Here is one of the study's charts. iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index Fund (XIU), just need to sit back and enjoy their profitable future so long as trade liberalization doesn't end. Would that life were so simple. I just wonder why the lower end of the TSX Composite stocks, held for example in the iShares S&P/TSX Completion Index Fund (XMD) seems to have performed just as well as XIU over the past ten years, in fact, a little better - XMD's total annual compound return (net of costs including a higher MER) was 9.58% while XIU's was 9.09%. Perhaps there are other explanations than TAIL, like the amazing rise to dominance of financial services over the last 25 years? Brennan's study is interesting as well for a few other bits of data: in 1965 there were 153,000 private and public corporations in Canada and by 2009 there were over 1.3 million. A sizeable proportion, more than executives, of the people in the top 1% of earners are health professionals. Tuesday, 22 January 2013 Powered by Forex Pros - The Forex Trading Portal.	<urn:uuid:165937a5-07b9-4461-bcdd-4aae394be56c>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://canadianfinancialdiy.blogspot.com/2013/01/tail-trade-and-investment.html	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	0.975661	315	1.6875	2
Jobs versus quality of lifePosted Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at 11:50 AM In less than a month the county will decide the fate of the AEHI nuclear plant proposal. And both AEHI and its primary opposition, the Snake River Alliance, will be launching a full-court press to lobby local citizens to their side. AEHI will try and tell you the modern nuclear industry is safe and clean. The SRA will try to scare you into believing it isn't. Keep in mind, this is the same group whose concern for our community was so great not too many years ago that they advocated closing the airbase. And we all remember the kind of tactics of truth they used then. In truth, the modern nuclear industry, which is rapidly evolving as governments stress "green" energy from nuclear sources, is one of the safest on the planet. And it is heavily regulated and monitored. The odds of something going wrong today are very, very low. Of course, if they do go wrong, the consequences can range from almost no effect to very, very bad. But none of us here have the training or expertise to properly evaluate the technical aspects of this proposal. For that, we'll rely on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and all the other state and federal agencies that would have so sign off on this plan. They do have the expertise. And unlike the paid experts that may be dragged into the coming argument by both sides, the government experts have a vested interest in being neutral. We'll accept their expertise. So in the end, the county commissioners have to make a decision, not about the technical qualifications of nuclear power plants, but about land use. And it will come down, for the commissioners at least, to a classic case of jobs versus quality of life. If they approve this rezone and a subsequent conditional use permit (which we would encourage them to be very tough with), then some jobs will begin to be created right away, and if the government approves the technical parts of the nuclear plant, then down the road a huge number of very good paying jobs will be created. In addition, the assessed valuation of the county would rise so fast that your county tax bill would fall through the floor. All of those are pluses. But quality of life has to be given equal consideration by the commissioners. The people who live in the Indian Cove area do so for a reason. They like the quiet lifestyle of the area. They don't want hundreds of trucks going by their homes every day during construction. They don't want an industrial facility in their neighborhood. They want the quiet, idyllic life they enjoy along the river. If the plant were to be approved, that quality of life there would disappear and we can never get it back. So that's the minus. In the end, that's the issue the commissioners must decide -- quality of life versus jobs and economics. It's the kind of decision commissioners often face. But few will have so great an impact. Now is the time to let them know what you think. Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] Meanderings of the Managing Editor - Blog RSS feed - Comments RSS feed	<urn:uuid:5f1e5c47-0085-42cc-a823-bf7d55d5f3f5>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.mountainhomenews.com/blogs/kellyeveritt/entry/26010/asc	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.961687	661	1.632813	2
On Saturday, January 21, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California held a Pro-Choice Brunch at the United Methodist Church in Santa Cruz to commemorate the struggle for women's right to reproductive freedom. In response to the ACLU's recent attack on men's right to decide the fate of their own genitals, Bay Area Intactivists held a Rally for Gender Equality outside the United Methodist Church during the course of the ACLU brunch. The reaction towards protesters was overwhelmingly positive by both attendees of the brunch as well as those passing by during the course of the rally. In addition to giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up while driving into the parking lot, several of those attending the brunch walked over to to voice their support and to thank Bay Area Intactivists for being there. Some were shocked to learn that the ACLU has had such a poor track record in regard to ending the forced genital cutting of boys. However, the Pro-Choice Brunch Keynote Speaker and ACLU of Northern California Reproductive Justice Policy Director Phyllida Burlingame was less than enthusiastic about the presence of Bay Area Intactivists. She spent a few minutes at the start of her talk to defend the ACLU's position in regard to male circumcision but made no attempt to have a discussion with the protesters. Although Ms. Burlingame was unwilling to have an open dialogue to address the inequality and hypocrisy of the ACLU's current stance on forced, non-therapeutic genital cutting, Bay Area Intactivists members left the event rejuvenated by the tremendous support displayed towards them by the community.	<urn:uuid:b34370e8-3f16-4e7a-b6ea-17f7b68cfc90>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.bayareaintactivists.org/node/61	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.978752	315	1.601563	2
Financial aid is money that is provided to help bridge the gap between your own resources and the amount of money needed to pay the cost of attending college. The university administers all of the major federal and state grant and loan programs. In addition, Cleveland State provides university grants and scholarships. Our goal is to help reduce the difference between educational costs related to attendance and the amount that parents and students can reasonably contribute toward the student's education. The first step in the financial aid process is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). By completing the FAFSA, you are applying for grants and self-help programs (Federal Work-Study and loans).). Students must complete the FAFSA and meet all federal eligibility requirements each year in order to be eligible for financial aid. The major sources of financial aid are university scholarships and grants, federal aid programs, state-supported programs, and a number of sponsored scholarships described on our website. New students will be considered for merit scholarships based on their academic performance and standardized test scores. Continuing CSU students should complete the CSU continuing student scholarship application found on the web at www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/financialaid/forms. For a complete listing of scholarship opportunities and application deadlines, please visit the CSU website.If you need in-person assistance, please go to Campus411. You can also call us at 216-687-5411 or visit our Web site at www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/financialaid/. Students need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Application for Federal Aid to determine eligibility for federal, state, and campus-based aid programs. The FAFSA is available each January online at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov Applications should be completed as soon as possible after January 1 to assure timely processing. Applicants are encouraged to file their FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. A link is provided on our Financial Aid Web site: www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/financialaid/. The Cleveland State University code number is 003032. Students planning to attend CSU should complete the FAFSA or the Renewal FAFSA by February 15, our priority consideration filing date. Students filing after this filing date will be considered for all available remaining resources. These include: the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), the Federal Perkins Loan Program, the Federal Work Study Program, and the Residence Hall Grant. To receive financial aid or a determination of eligibility for financial aid, students must be admitted into a degree-granting program at Cleveland State University.Audited classes are not financial-aid eligible. Students and parents may be required to submit documentation verifying information reported on the FAFSA. The Financial Aid Office will notify you in writing if additional information is required or if you have been selected for the verification process. All students enrolled at Cleveland State for at least six credit hours are eligible to participate in the On-Campus Student Employment Program. This includes students who have received a Federal Work Study (FWS) award, as well as students who do not. In a typical academic year, approximately 2,000 student employment opportunities exist throughout the campus. Students employed on campus can earn money to help pay for their education, develop valuable career skills, and have the added convenience of working flexible hours without additional commuting time. On-Campus student positions are conveniently posted on the student employment link or by clicking "Employment Opportunities" from the CSU alphabetical listing. The Cooperative Education Program provides opportunities for paid work experiences in a field related to the student's major. Contact the Career Services Center (687-2233) for more information on how to qualify for this programor view the Career Services website at http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/career. Internships are degree-related work experiences for which academic credit is earned. Internships typically are not compensated employment. To learn more about internship requirements and opportunities in your field, contact your academic adviser or department chair. The Career Services Center is a resource for part-time off-campus job listings. Register with Career Services at http://csucareerline.experience.com to view job postings. The Career Services Center has a resource of fulltime off-campus job listings. Go to the Career Services Center, Rhodes Tower West Room 280 for advice and register with Career Services at http://csucareerline.experience.com to view job postings. Scholarships/Grants: Awards that do not require either repayment or any specific service to be performed by the student. Loans: Money offered with the requirement that it be repaid. Employment: Money that must be earned through employment. University scholarships and grants are awarded to students in amounts ranging from $100 up to full-tuition. Students may visit the CSU website to access scholarship opportunities and information about the Honors Program as well as academic departments, athletics and the fine arts. - Federal Pell Grants - Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants - Federal Perkins Loan Program - Federal Work-Study Program - Community Service - Direct Subsidized Student Loan Program - Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan Program This is a federally funded grant program. Eligibility for the Pell Grant is determined from FAFSA information. Amounts vary based on the results of your FAFSA, the expected family contribution (EFC), and your semester credit hour enrollment (e.g., full-time or part-time). For the 2008-2009 year, the Pell grants ranged from $200 to $4,731. This is a federally funded grant program established to help students with exceptional financial need meet their educational costs. Eligibility is determined by the Financial Aid Office on the basis of financial need and the availability of funds. Applications received by February 15 for the upcoming academic year will receive priority consideration. Amounts of this grant typically range from $100 to $4,000. This program is a federally-funded loan program designed to help students meet the cost of their education. Eligibility is determined on the basis of financial need. Awards average $2000 per year. Undergraduate students may borrow up to $4,000 for each year of undergraduate study up to a maximum of $20,000. A student may borrow up to $40,000 for combined undergraduate and graduate study. Perkins Loan borrowers are required to complete an online Perkins Master Promissory Note that outlines the borrower's rights and responsibilities. Students must complete a master promissory note before their loan funds can be disbursed. Repayment of student loans begins nine months after the student graduates, leaves school, or enrollment drops below six credit hours. Students have a maximum repayment period of 10 years. This is a federally-funded employment program. Eligibility is determined by the Financial Aid Office on the basis of financial need and the availability of funds. Applications received by February 15 for the upcoming academic year will receive priority consideration. This award gives students with financial need the opportunity to work on-campus or in a community-service position. Students are limited to 20 hours of work per week when classes are in session. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours to participate in this program. Hourly pay rates vary based on the position. Federal work-study funds are usually awarded in combination with grant and/or loan funds. The university promotes the idea that a part-time job should complement the student's program of study whenever possible. Federal work-study positions are conveniently posted on the student employment link or by clicking "Employment Opportunities" from the CSU alphabetical listing. Community Service Learning is an off-campus Student Employment Program. Eligible Cleveland State students must have a Federal Work Study award to participate in this program. Students participating in the Community Service Learning Program may be placed in positions at non-profit agencies throughout Greater Cleveland. Positions are limited, so you must check with the Student Employment staff for more information by calling 216-687-5577. Community Service Learning positions are conveniently posted on the student employment link or by clicking "Employment Opportunities" from the CSU alphabetical listing. The Direct Subsidized Loan program is a need-based program in which the federal government defers the principal and subsidizes the interest while the student is enrolled for at least six credit hours. Students must complete a FAFSA and a master promissory note. To review the terms and conditions of the loan, the student should visit www.StudentLoans.gov. The Financial Aid Office certifies a student's eligibility for the loan based on the student's meeting all financial aid eligibility requirements. The amount a student may borrow is determined by the student's grade level and the cost of education, minus the expected family contribution and estimated aid.All first-time borrowers at Cleveland State University must complete debt management counseling prior to the release of loan funds. The loan borrowing eligibility limits may be viewed online at www.csuohio.edu/enrollment/services/financialaid/ This loan program is available to students who may not qualify for the maximum amount of the Subsidized Federal Stafford loan for their grade level. Interest is charged from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. Students may pay the interest while enrolled in school or allow it to accumulate and be added to the principal amount of the loan. The loan amounts listed online are the maximum loan limits under the Direct Loan Program. However, students cannot borrow in excess of the cost of education at Cleveland State University minus any eligible financial aid. This loan program is for parents of undergraduate students. Eligible parent(s) may borrow up to the cost of education, minus estimated financial aid. Direct subsidized, unsubsidized, PLUS and private loan proceeds are forwarded directly to the Cleveland State University's Office of Treasury Services. The OCOG is a state-funded grant program for students who began college for the first time after the 2005 - 2006 academic year. Eligibility is determined based on the federal expected family contribution and credit hour enrollment. The amount of the grant for the 2010-21011 academic year was $888. This grant is also available for part-time degree-seeking students. The status of this program for the 2011-2012 academic year is being re-evaluated as part of the state budget. This undergraduate partial tuition grant is awarded on a renewable basis to children of members or former members of the U.S. Armed Services who incurred a disability or died while in service. This program is sponsored through the Ohio Board of Regents. Each recipient must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0 by the end of the freshman year and must maintain no less than a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average for each subsequent academic term. The student must also be enrolled for at least 12 credit hours to receive this grant. The state of Ohio funds this program to assist persons who enlist in the Ohio National Guard for at least six years. Awards cover the cost of instructional and general fees. Eligible guardsmen should check the Ohio National Guard’s web site to apply for this program. Applications must be filed by the deadlines posted on their web site: http://ong.ohio.gov/scholarship_index.html	<urn:uuid:1eb4eed2-8932-46fe-8a6d-333e44c41e66>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.csuohio.edu/undergradcatalog/geninfo/finaid/finaid.htm	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.94491	2,389	1.742188	2
Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. SOURCE Money Management International HOUSTON, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tax time is a great time of year to do a lot of fun things like buy some new pencils, brush up on current tax laws and spend a little quality time with a few of your favorite receipts from the past year. It also happens to be a great time to break up with debt! "Now, you're likely thinking, 'My debt is way bigger than my tax refund!' Which is probably quite true, but breaking up with debt doesn't mean becoming instantly debt-free," said Tanisha Warner, communications manager for Money Management International (MMI). "It means breaking free from the bad financial habits and circumstances that have kept you locked in a destructive relationship with debt. It means making the changes necessary to find a better path for yourself and your finances." And tax time is absolutely a great time to start making those changes! Consider this: - Your calculator is already warmed up. Most people would rather do just about anything other than deal with their finances. According to an online consumer poll conducted last year, 69 percent of respondents never balance their checkbook. But now it's tax time and if you want your refund you have to at least spend enough time with your finances to complete your return. Why not go a step further? Take this opportunity to really look at your finances and see what's been holding you back? Because you know as soon as that calculator goes back into the junk drawer you won't see it again until next year. - You won't have to guess what your budget is. One of the most invaluable tools you can have in the fight against debt is a good, thorough, monthly budget. During tax time, you've got a lot of budgeting information out in front of you. Use it! Simply spending an extra hour of your time putting together a realistic budget will go a long way towards helping you reach your financial goals. - Behold! Your emergency savings have arrived! One of the biggest deterrents to breaking out of the debt cycle is the lack of an emergency savings fund. Think about it: making a concerted effort to shed your debt usually means living on an extremely tight budget, and what destroys a tight budget faster than an unexpected emergency? Use your tax refund as a savings cushion and the next time disaster strikes, you'll be able to weather the storm and resume your regularly scheduled debt-busting ways. - You can clear away a few of those pesky smaller bills. There are a lot of different theories on the best ways to pay down debt and they all have their good points. In a lot of cases, whatever your bills may be, most of them will be pretty consistent from month to month. If you have a few that are relatively low, you might consider using your tax return to pay them off, which can help create a little breathing room in your monthly budget. - If you need it badly enough, you can buy it – with cash. Of course, you can always just spend your tax refund, but that wouldn't seem to help you out too much in your struggle against debt. Unless, that is, you're buying something that you absolutely need – something that's getting purchased no matter what. In that case, don't just think about right now, but also consider any significant needs coming up on the horizon. If you can use your tax refund to prevent a future opportunity to fall deeper in debt, then spending your windfall might be in your best interests. To learn more ways to end your bad relationship with debt, visit mmiurl.org/debtbreakup or speak to one of MMI's credit counselors at 866.400.6652. About Money Management International Money Management International (MMI) is a nonprofit, full-service credit-counseling agency, providing confidential financial guidance, financial education, counseling and debt management assistance to consumers since 1958. MMI helps consumers trim their expenses, develop a spending plan and repay debts. Counseling is available by appointment in branch offices and 24/7 by telephone and Internet. To learn more, visit MoneyManagement.org or call 866.400.6652 ©2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.	<urn:uuid:b32b64aa-97ef-44d7-86c1-7926484b19a9>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.kswo.com/story/21547408/five-reasons-to-break-up-with-debt-this-tax-season	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.954758	924	1.726563	2
This is sweet. An excellent compilation of existing, planned, or under construction bike-sharing programs around the world. It was put together by the bike-sharing-obsessed people over at the The Bike-sharing Blog, which is a product of Paul DeMaio / MetroBike, LLC and Russell Meddin. The map includes 2nd- and 3rd-generation bike-sharing programs (sorry, 1st-generationers). Check out the map, and jump down below it for some of my takeaway comments. View The Bike-sharing World Map in a larger map As you can see if you look closely, the U.S. has a lot of bike-sharing programs… planned or under construction. Not so many in place today. But hey, who’s counting (other than Russell Meddin and Paul DeMaio). The most notable U.S. bike-sharing systems are probably the New York, Boston, and D.C. systems. Europe, meanwhile, has a bazillion bike-sharing programs in place today. OK, maybe not a bazillion, but a lot. It also has a decent number of once-living-but-now-defunct programs, another sign of the more mature level of bike-sharing in Europe. And then there’s China and Japan, which also have a large number of programs, as well as several planned. I’ll also note that China has at least one or two ginormous programs. For example, the Hangzhou, China bike sharing system (last I heard) has 50,000 bikes at 2,050 stations. It is used for approximately 240,000 trips a day. By 2020, the system is supposed to include 175,000 bikes! Here’s a video on the Hangzhou system from Streetfilms: Of course, there are a few other bike-sharing programs in other locations, but those three regions certainly lead the show — not very surprising, given the high(ish) level of investment needed to get these programs going, as well as the fact that they are particularly well suited for high-density cities. (Note: lest you get confused, there are no programs, no planned or under construction programs, and no defunct programs in the Southern Ocean — that’s just the legend.) I’m happy to say that I use the Wrocław, Poland bike-sharing program regularly (well, not in winter — the bikes are removed in winter). I’ve seen Barcelona’s bicing program — very nice one. And I’ve seen a few other, smaller ones. Have you seen or used any?	<urn:uuid:8146dd42-c9cf-453b-9d2e-2a3c6a4d3a9e>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.bikocity.com/world-bike-sharing-map/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.96025	552	1.609375	2
Ballston Spa High School seniors are required to complete a semester long course titled participation in government. Successful completion of the course is needed to graduate, but the twist is that the requirements are a little different than the rest of the courses Ballston Spa students typically take. "This is an introduction to town government," said Dan Hornick, a government teacher at the high school. "Students must attend town meetings and complete a community service project." Hornick works closely with Andrew Menzies, another government teacher, to coordinate the course, which encourages discussing and debating real-world issues and current events. Students in the class can often be seen at local town and school board meetings and at least seven hours must be devoted to a community service project. "We are trying to expose students to being involved in their community," said Hornick. Recently, when Hornick and Menzies sent out a request to local governments, civic groups, and area emergency services seeking internship opportunities for the students as a means to earn credit for the course, Malta Historian, Teri Ulrich, jumped at the opportunity and provided a detailed list of projects students could work on through her office. "I was very impressed with the teachers' letter and their understanding of how important internships are to seniors who are contemplating civic, governmental or public service educations or careers," said Ulrich. "Having been a government major in college as well as a state certified high school social studies teacher myself, I was excited about the chance to create opportunities for students to work in my historian's office." Three students were placed with Ulrich for their internships. Malta resident Lorie Grucella, and her friend Emily Sweeney teamed up to write one-page historic summaries of the landmark homes in the town. Edgina Desourmeau, using research already completed by Ulrich, wrote a report on the history of the Underground Railroad stops in Malta.	<urn:uuid:54aa6644-205b-4a1b-bbec-6d1340461b83>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.spotlightnews.com/news/2007/jul/03/malta-history-hands-on/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.971139	398	1.78125	2
Carlos Avalone started his career at age 15 as art assistant at an animation studio. In 1972, when he was 17, he published his first comics, about the kid ' Espoleta', in Diario de S. Paulo newspaper from Sao Paulo city. The next year, he published the Turminha Sapeca comic magazine, with the characters 'Espoleta', 'Gabiroba' and 'Pixaim', at the publishing house Saber. In 1974 the publishing house Noblet began publication of the monthly Espoleta comics magazine. Avalone began working freelance for the publishing house Abril in 1975. There, he drew and inked Disney comics for the Brazilian market. Still in 1975, he goes to the Mauricio de Sousa Studios, where he worked for about a year drawing ' Turma da Monica'. Ttwo years later, he went to Estudio Capas, a division of publishing house Abril Infantis, where he worked for the following nine years. By that time he drew and inked Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Pink Panther and Little Lulu comics for the Brazilian market. He created the character 'Carrapicho' in 1979 to participate in Projeto Tiras (Comics Strips Project) of Editora Abril, a system to distribute comics strips to Brazilian newspapers. His comics strips are then published in several newspapers all over the country. Two years later the Projeto Tiras is extinguished by the publisher. Then he submits a project to the editor Noblet to publish a comic magazine with the character 'Carrapicho'. A few months later the Carrapicho comic magazine appears monthly in magazine stands and bookstores. He quit the comics scene in 1989, and became an illustrator of children's books and textbooks.	<urn:uuid:b717d0f5-85f8-44ea-8333-090bd91a8772>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.lambiek.net/artists/a/avalone_carlos.htm	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.946451	373	1.75	2
[arin-ppml] SWIPs & IPv6 > However, IP assignments with ARIN are not mapped to personal info. > They are mapped to CONTACTS for a business organization. > This is a person, a business address, and business phone number. Then you would support an ARIN policy that says something like: WHOIS directory data MUST NOT include any personal information except the name of a person who is a contact point for an organization. Where IP addresses are assigned to individuals the WHOIS directory MUST NOT contain more than the indication that this is not an organisation. > By definition, the organization determines what contact > information to publish. > They don't have to publish THE sensitive contact information. They > can choose to publish the contact that is not sensitive, or "Get > the address that they are allowed to publish without privacy concerns" That is only true for organizations that have direct relationships with ARIN. If an organisation is the customer of an ISP, they do not have this option which is why the whois directory is polluted with so much useless data. > They just have to publish A valid contact information for > suitably reaching a responsible individual, for each resource. What does "valid" mean? Does it perhaps mean that the contact information is for people who are READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO ACT on received communications? Or something else? > If all else fails, they can open a PO Box, if they are concerned. > Provided they check it frequently, _allowing contacts_ and > communications regarding their resources by providing > information that can be used to reliably contact them, while > releasing only > "safe" information is the internet resource recipient's > problem and expense to solve. Given that ARIN's policymaking process is open, don't you think that it is better to NOT make a policy where we advise people to register a fictitious name and open a P/O box?	<urn:uuid:34db8d60-5f76-47b6-91d3-c473b079296b>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://lists.arin.net/pipermail/arin-ppml/2009-December/015742.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.946089	426	1.554688	2
Dreaming of ears suggests awareness of subtle information, rumours or intuition. Because we do not have to see what we can hear, the dream ear can depict information we have gathered without seeing it – in other words intuition. That is, impressions of things that are not obvious. This particularly refers to the ears of animals. Ears also refer to your ability to know what is going on around you out of sight, but particularly your skill in listening to what others are telling you. This might be literally about what they are saying in words, but also about what they suggest by who they are and how they are. Ears can also suggest private things whispered to you, as in the example. But they can also be an erotic area when kissed or nibbled. Example: James Mason and I are in the back seat of a car. I’m like Lolita. He’s very sexually attracted to me and tells me to change my clothes. He kisses me and pinches my left nipple. I’m sexually excited. I say, “But people can see.” An older woman is standing outside the car. He insists. I put on a pretty, brief pleated skirt with see-through lace seams and a turquoise velour top. He leans back in the car and says in a whisper in my ear, “Take off your panties.” I feel sexually excited. I do so. I get out of the car, noticing I can see flashes of my legs through the lace. He is possessive and demanding and I love it. A dream might also at times indicate ear infection, as the following example. Example: Example: I continually have a dream that I have an earache. The pain in my dream is excruciating, then I wake up and there is no earache. Any ideas? Could I be grinding my teeth to cause this problem. S. When questioned S said she did have a slight problem with a tooth at the back of her jaw on the same side as the dream toothache. Such tooth problems can lead to ear infections. So they are worth taking notice of, and one should check out ones health in the area. Idioms: An ear for; all ears; bend your ear; blow it out your ear; can’t believe my ears; cauliflower ear; coming out of our ears; cute as a bugs ear; ear candy; ear to the ground; pin back my ears; in one ear and out the other; play it by ear; reach one’s ears; flea/bug in the ear; gain the ear of; ears burning; long ears; lend an ear; music to my ears; having an earful; hear from; up to my ears; will not hear of; hearing things; silk purse out of sow’s ears; up to my ears; wet behind the ears. Useful Questions and Hints: If I am failing to hear something, what does the dream suggest it is about? What am I hearing and what can I gather from that? If I am picking up intuitions of things ‘out of sight’ what do they tall me?	<urn:uuid:ed3d253e-4c0d-470f-86d2-b48e12f3deb2>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/ear/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.961589	661	1.679688	2
Damage in the aftermath of the China earthquake. \|China Blogging \| \|Listen to the: \|When an earthquake struck China last month, bloggers were some of the first to get the news out. Over the Internet, they told stories about shaking computer screens and collapsing buildings. They raised donations on their websites and organized volunteers. Journalist Eva Woo says bloggers also have challenged the Chinese government. She wrote an article about the role of China’s blogs for Business Week magazine. She talks with Peggy Wehmeyer. \| Blogging a Quake Eva Woo's Blog	<urn:uuid:b6610330-bd36-419b-bc92-b906e7b615ae>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/radio.nsf/stable/51A2F8D41335BB348825747300685889?OpenDocument	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.9551	118	1.742188	2
I have had a copy of the 1992 album Coram Deo since a few years after it was released. I had not listened to it for years, that is, until the beginning of Lent, when I put it in my CD case in my car. So, for the past few weeks I have listened to it a lot. Literally translated, Coram Deo means "before God," as in, "in front of God" and so, "in God's presence." I never cease to be amazed at the convergences that happen in life. Currently I am reading T.H.L. Parker's John Calvin: A Biography, along with some of Calvin's Institutes on the Christian Religion. As Parker notes, in the Institutes the phrase coram deo, along with the phrase apud Deum, which means "with God," "meet us at every turn." According to Parker, Calvin "based his theology on the belief that the decisions and judgments of God are the ultimate and real truth about man." Our traditio for the second Friday of Lent, on which we observe the Feast of the Chair St. Peter, Apostle (I already used Tu es Petrus)- making my mention of Calvin even stranger I suppose, is Charlie Peacock's "Now Is the Time for Tears" off Coram Deo. This is a brilliant song about how to minister to those experiencing pain and loss. Today also marks the eighth anniversary of the death of my dear Msgr. Luigi Giussani.	<urn:uuid:8171dd67-e755-4108-a858-a5b0a6dc17de>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://scottdodge.blogspot.com/2013/02/living-in-front-of-god.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.969415	311	1.695313	2
EPA Says It's ‘Prohibited’ From Considering Costs When Issuing Air-Quality Regulations The Environmental Protection Agency informed Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) in a recent letter that it considers itself “prohibited” by law from considering costs when setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). “I received this week a letter from the EPA regarding a letter I’ve written them about some of their rules and they wrote here, quote, ‘Thus, the agency is prohibited from considering costs in setting these standards,'" Hartzler said last week. "Now in business we do a cost benefit analysis before we make policy changes. Washington should as well.” “We have got way too many government regulations and we’ve got to get them off the backs of our business owners," said Hartzler in a Thursday press conference with House Speaker John Boehner (R.-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R.-Va.). "The small business administration reported that government regulations are estimated to cost our economy over $1.75 trillion a year and I hear these horror stories on a regular basis from business owners back in my district and yet the bureaucracy seems to be oblivious to the implications of these rules on jobs.” The letter from the EPA referenced by Rep. Hartzler was written in response to a letter she and a group of Republican House members sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson regarding an NAAQS rule. “We write to you today to express our concern regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to reconsider a recently issued 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground level ozone,” said the letter dated February 23, 2011. “This action departs from the normal five-year NAAQS review schedule established by the Clean Air Act, a statutory process that includes mandatory reviews of new science and affords multiple opportunities for public comment.” The letter, provided to CNSNews.com by Hartzler’s press office also said: “According to EPA’s estimate, the 2008 standard requires states and local governments to make significant reductions in ozone at a cost to industry of about $7.6 to $8.8 billion per year. EPA’s new proposal calls for even greater reductions that will cost up to $90 billion per year, per EPA’s own estimates.” In a response dated May 10, assistant EPA administratorGina McCarthy wrote, “Under the Clean Air Act, decisions regarding the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) must be based solely on an evaluation of the scientific evidence as it pertains to health and environmental effects.” She continued, “Thus, the agency is prohibited from considering costs in setting the NAAQS. But cost can be – and is – considered in developing the control strategies to meet the standards (i.e. during the implementation phase).”	<urn:uuid:1771b6ae-39a3-4ce6-8391-30119afbe679>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://newsbusters.org/blogs/nicholas-ballasy/2011/05/31/epa-says-its-prohibited-considering-costs-when-issuing-air-quality	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.942095	627	1.726563	2
About Lap Band Chapman Center for Obesity in Orange County For those who are suffering from obesity and have tried many different types of weight loss measures with no success, the Chapman Center for Obesity (CCO) Orange County offers innovative and workable solutions. One of these is the LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System. The system works by reducing the amount your stomach is able to hold at any given time. This helps in preventing a person from overeating. The rate of food flowing through the stomach is slowed, allowing you to feel satisfied for a longer period of time. The LAP-BAND is an FDA approved device that enables a reduction of food intake without changing the normal course of digestion. It is a device that can be easily adjusted in a normal doctor's office visit and allows for removal should a reversal of the process be desired. The LAP-BAND is surgically inserted using laparoscopic surgery. Several small incisions are made in the abdomen to allow for the surgical instruments and the laparoscope. Once the site is ready, the LAP-BAND is placed around the upper part of the stomach. The surgeon then adjusts the tightness of this band, similar to tightening a belt. A tube is installed connecting the LAP-BAND to a small access port that is located beneath the skin in the abdominal area, allowing for future adjustments to the band, if necessary. As weight loss goals are met, this access port is used to add or remove saline solution to increase or decrease the tightness of the band. The LAP-BAND results that can be expected are a gradual and lasting weight loss of about one to three pounds per week. Minimally Invasive Procedure The small incisions needed to insert the lap band allows for a quicker recovery time. Being much less intrusive than other weight loss surgeries, there is much less risks of complications. Our medical surgeons at CCO are experts in this medical procedure and can discuss all possible treatment options with you prior to making a decision on whether the LAP-BAND is right for you. Contact Chapman Center for Obesity Orange County to find out more about surgical weight loss solutions such as the LAP-BAND System.	<urn:uuid:5ad87aeb-f1f9-47a9-a78b-c48d13891173>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.lap-bandsurgerycenter.com/About-Lap-Band.aspx	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.934489	458	1.804688	2
\|Kazakh Steppe (small extract)\| According to paragraph 3 of the Order, the Order entered into force ten calendar days after its first publication, which was on 12 January 2011 in the national newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda. The new regulations were drafted in accordance with the Kazakhstan Law on Copyright and Related Rights and aim to prevent misuse and misappropriation of unpublished works. The Justice Ministry has appointed the Committee for Intellectual Property Rights as the authority responsible for protection of unpublished works.How refreshing, when everyone else seems to be worrying out file-sharing and pursuing the Golden Grail of a copyright-proof business model for the digital age, that here at least is an issue that depends more on matters of principle than in trends of technology. But what might have prompted this legislation at this particular time? A severe outbreak of manuscript-rustling? Source: Kazakhstan PTO, via "Kazakhstan New Regulations on Protection of Unpublished Works", Petosevic	<urn:uuid:3a85b946-4f41-4605-b2d2-36c3cfa15fd3>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.the1709blog.blogspot.jp/2011/03/kazakhstan-takes-steppes-to-prevent-ms.html	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	0.949882	199	1.734375	2
40 by 40 – Lessons Learned Seven weeks into my 40 by 40 challenge, I hit a milestone. I have successfully lost 5 pounds! According to my challenge, I should be losing approximately 2.3 pounds a week; I am at .7 pounds (-1.6lb./week deficit). However… and this is a big however… I have LOST 5 pounds since I started my personal challenge! Yes, seven weeks ago I was 5 pounds heavier than I am today. Here are some key lessons learned from these past seven weeks of my challenge. 1. Celebrate victory Any time you set out to achieve a goal, no matter how big or small it is, take time to celebrate milestones! Remember, this is not a sprint but a marathon. You are in this for the long haul and there will be ups and downs. The important thing is to finish, not to give up! By celebrating short term milestones, you allow yourself to, momentarily, bask in the glory and feel good about what you have done. After all, you have put hard work into this and you should take time to feel good about yourself! 2. Learn from your mistakes No matter what, don’t dwell on the mistakes but use them to learn from and move forward. As I reflect on my chart that I use to record my progress, I look to see what I did or did not do in order to achieve the results recorded. If I wasn’t happy with my results, I acknowledged my unhappiness and made necessary adjustments. If you allow your mistakes to discourage you, then you will have a very hard time moving ahead. 3. Focus on the future Focusing on the future creates vision. And with vision, comes results! Instead of getting bogged down on the past or present, concentrate on the future and visualize where you want to be. This, I have learned, keeps you on the right track to reaching your goals. If weight loss is your goal, then place a picture of what you wish to look like on your bathroom mirror so you can see it every day. If saving money is your goal, then create something that allows you to visualize what saving money means to you and look at that every day. This will keep you motivated and on track to achieving your goal! Take these three lessons I have learned and apply them to your goals! If you try these strategies, I bet you will be surprised to see what happens next! Feel free to share how you feel to others. Success is contagious; become a leader and help out by sharing your success and celebrating your victory! Erik Johnson, the author of this blog, is employed by a privately owned chemical manufacturing facility – working in training as well as supervision. During Erik’s off hours, he enjoys traveling with his beautiful wife, cooking, hanging out with the kids, and playing with his two dogs. He also enjoys cycling, running, and anything else that keeps him outside. You can find him hanging out at the local antique shops searching for hidden treasures. Erik’s strength comes from his positive outlook on life. He incorporates his optimism and love of life into helping others and inspiring people to reach their full potential.	<urn:uuid:b6af2d4f-100f-4db8-a3fd-ef4bd601f0d5>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://santoshawellnessgroup.com/40-by-40-lessons-learned/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.97009	657	1.578125	2
- Prayer and Worship - Beliefs and Teachings - Issues and Action - Catholic Giving - About USCCB Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy testifies to a churchman of scholarship and pastoral sensitivity. Born in a devout Catholic family and baptized the day he was born, he felt one with the Church from his earliest days.As a boy, with his parents and brother and sister, he visited the Bavarian Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting, a place he returned to as pope. There, he prayed before the Black Madonna (as the smoke-charred linden wood image of Mary is called) and left at its base the ring he had received from Pope Paul VI. His intense fervor for Mary showed clearly in 2008 at Lourdes, where he said, “When speech can no longer find the right words, the need arises for a loving presence: we seek then the closeness not only of those who share the same blood or are linked to us by friendship, but also the closeness of those who are intimately bound to us by faith. Who would be more intimate to us than Christ and his holy mother, the Immaculate One?” Two American Cardinals reflect on Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's legacy and we recall the highlights of of his visit to the U.S. in 2008. CASTELGANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- With a warm embrace, a helping hand, shared prayer, a long discussion and lunch together, Pope Francis spent several hours with retired Pope Benedict XVI March 23, 2013, at the papal summer villa. Pope Francis gave Pope Benedict an icon of Mary and Jesus that the Russian Orthodox delegation to his inauguration had given him just a few days earlier. "They told me this was Our Lady of Humility. If I may say, I thought of you," Pope Francis said. Pope Benedict, obviously moved, grasped his successor's hands. Pope Francis told Pope Benedict, "You gave us so many examples of humility and tenderness." The retired pope moved with much greater difficulty than he did a month ago. Walking with a cane, he took smaller and slower steps. When the two went into the chapel of the papal villa to pray, Pope Benedict indicated that Pope Francis should take the front pew, but Pope Francis, reaching out to help his predecessor walk, said, "We're brothers," and they knelt side by side. Traveling by helicopter from the Vatican, Pope Francis arrived shortly after noon. While the two have spoken by telephone at least twice, this was their first meeting since Pope Francis' March 13 election. Pope Benedict, wearing a quilted white jacket over a simple white cassock -- without a short cape or white sash -- was driven to the garden heliport to greet his successor. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said the two rode in the same car to the villa. Pope Francis sat on the right -- the spot reserved for the pope -- and Pope Benedict sat on the left. After their visit to the chapel, the two spent 45 minutes talking alone, Father Lombardi said. He would not release details of the conversation and would not explain what was in the large box and two large envelopes seen on the table between the two. Hundreds of people who were gathered in the main square outside the papal villa were left disappointed. They had hoped the two popes -- one reigning, one emeritus -- would come to the balcony together. Father Lombardi told reporters, "Remember that the retired pope had already expressed his unconditional reverence and obedience to his successor at his farewell meeting with the cardinals, Feb. 28, and certainly in this meeting-- which was a moment of profound and elevated communion -- he will have had the opportunity to renew this act of reverence and obedience to his successor." He also said, "Certainly Pope Francis renewed his gratitude and that of the whole church for Pope Benedict's ministry during his pontificate." By accepting this message, you will be leaving the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This link is provided solely for the user's convenience. By providing this link, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops assumes no responsibility for, nor does it necessarily endorse, the website, its content, or	<urn:uuid:a3adaec0-5c86-4852-a2c2-9ffa8162acfd>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/benedict-xvi/	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	0.980044	902	1.820313	2
Member rose garden Listing last updated on 01 Jan 2011. Rancho Mirage, California 92270 USDA Zone: 9b Robert Rippetoe grows a combination of old and new roses in his desert rose garden. The garden covers a quarter acre. There is plenty of sunshine and the temperature is mild. His roses experience summer dormancy because of the extremely dry summer heat and so regular irrigation is a must. The soil itself is quite sandy and mulch is important. Robert uses commercial fertilizers but doesn't have to spray for either insects or fungal infections. Most of the major pruning is done in September. The garden then puts on a spectacular Fall Show. Spring is also a beautiful time of year. Some roses thrive and grow to gigantic proportions under these conditions, and others sulk and generally show their dislike of the climate. Overall, most roses do well here. Robert's collection is quite eclectic. He is particularly fond of the older varieties, but he also appreciates species, singles and shrub and modern hybrids. Many of the Austin roses have done well for him as have miniatures. He attributes much of his inspiration in growing roses to Ralph Moore and his Staff at Sequoia Nursery.	<urn:uuid:68fd659b-df34-495e-9329-bdfde2501730>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=3.4263	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.948972	250	1.65625	2
The American School of Tangier is an independent, coeducational day which offers an educational program from kindergarten through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The School was founded in 1950. The school year comprises 3 trimesters extending from September 7 to December 18 from January 4 to March 26, and from April 12 to June 18. Organization: The School is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees elected for 2-year terms. The School is incorporated in the State of Delaware and registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a U.S. tax-exempt institution. Curriculum: The curriculum is that of U.S. college-preparatory schools. Instruction is in English. French is taught as a foreign language beginning in grade 5, and Arabic is required of Moroccan students in all grades and is open to all students. Faculty: In the 2010-2011 school year, there are 44 full-time and 2 part-time faculty members. Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, enrollment was 295 (Kdg-grade 12). Facilities: The School is located on an 11-acre site in the center of Tangier City. Facilities include an English library, science labs, computer lab, gymnasium, dormitory, a swimming pool, and extensive grounds. Finances: In the 2010-2011 school year, about 80% of the School's income derives from tuition and 20% from donations. Annual tuition rates are approximately: Kdg.: $4,779; grades 1-6: $14,600; grades 7-8: $15,050; and grades 9-12: $17,070. Tuition fees include the use of the science laboratories, athletic equipment, and counseling services. There is a nonrefundable registration fee of $1,200. These fees are payable in U.S. dollars, Euros, or local currency. (All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.)	<urn:uuid:40a5d9b9-baa9-416d-b3f0-c4aef5ea5275>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/1331.htm	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.967967	414	1.609375	2
WASHINGTON State Department officials said Wednesday that security levels at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, were adequate for the threat level on the anniversary of 9/11 but that the compound was overrun by an "unprecedented attack" by dozens of heavily armed extremists. The officials testified before an election-season congressional hearing on accusations of security failures at the consulate that led or contributed to the deaths of the Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The officials said the number of U.S. and local security guards at the compound was consistent with what had been requested by the post. "We had the correct number of assets in Benghazi at the time of 9/11," said Charlene Lamb, the deputy secretary of state for diplomatic security in charge of protecting American embassies and consulates around the world. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, on one of several contentious moments between lawmakers and witnesses, told Lamb that explanation didn't "ring true" in light of the deadly attacks. White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Wednesday that in hindsight "there is no question that the security was not enough to prevent that tragedy from happening." "There were four Americans killed," he said. Lamb noted that there were five diplomatic security agents at the consulate at the time of the attack, along with additional Libyan guards and a rapid response team at a nearby annex. In a hastily scrambled post-hearing presser, State Department official Pat Kennedy said of keeping a consulate in Benghazi: "It was worth the risk." Kennedy is one of the highest-ranking State Department officials to speak on the issue so far. He said "we had to be there" as the new Libya was being born. However, the State Department is reassessing whether or not to return to Benghazi and have a presence there. The security support from the Department of Defense was "superb," but it was focused on Tripoli, not Benghazi. Staffing in Benghazi was consistent with the numbers that Eric Nordstrom requested, according to Kennedy. Having extra guards or agents wouldn't have allowed them respond any differently to the type of assault that occurred. Kennedy was "surprised" to hear Eric Nordstrom, the former regional security officer in Libya, say that he felt that the "Taliban is inside the building" when referring to State Department refusals of asset requests. He said that he spoke to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before the hearing, but hasn't since the hearing. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has criticized the administration's early response to the attack and has made it a campaign issue, saying Monday that President Barack Obama has led a weak foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere. Eric Nordstrom earlier told congressional investigators that he had requested more security but that request was blocked by a department policy to "normalize operations and reduce security resources." Under questioning, though, he said he had sought mainly to prevent any reduction in staff, rather than have a big increase. "I'm confident that the committee will conclude that Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and Mission Libya officers conducted themselves professionally and with careful attention to managing people and budgets in a way that reflects the gravity of their task," Nordstrom said. In his prepared statement, Nordstrom said the "ferocity and intensity of the attack was nothing that we had seen in Libya, or that I had seen in my time in the Diplomatic Security Service. Having an extra foot of wall, or an extra-half dozen guards or agents would not have enabled us to respond to that kind of assault." A memo Tuesday by the Oversight Committee's Democratic staff provided details of Nordstrom's interview with the panel's investigators. In that interview, Nordstrom said he sent two cables to State Department headquarters in March 2012 and July 2012 requesting additional diplomatic security agents for Benghazi, but he received no responses. He stated that Lamb wanted to keep the number of U.S. security personnel in Benghazi artificially low. He said Lamb believed the Benghazi facilities did not need any diplomatic security special agents because there was a residential safe haven to fall back to in an emergency. Nordstrom's Oct. 1 memo to the congressional investigator said, "You will note that there were a number of incidents that targeted diplomatic missions and underscored the GoL's (government of Libya) inability to secure and protect diplomatic missions. "This was a significant part of (the diplomatic) post's and my argument for maintaining continued DS (diplomatic security) and DOD (Department of Defense) security assets into Sept/Oct. 2012; the GoL was overwhelmed and could not guarantee our protection. "Sadly, that point was reaffirmed on Sept. 11, 2012, in Benghazi." Nordstrom, who served in his role as regional security officer until July 2012, also provided the committee with a list of 230 security incidents between Sept. 2011 and July 2012. Lamb rejected allegations from Republican lawmakers, supported by Lt. Col. Andrew Wood, former head of a 16-member U.S. military team that helped protect the embassy in Tripoli, that an extension of Wood's mission could have made a difference during the attack. "It would not have made any difference in Benghazi," Lamb said, pointing out that Wood's team was based in Tripoli and spent nearly all of its time there. Wood, a member of the Utah National Guard who left Libya in August, told the committee that the security in Benghazi "was a struggle and remained a struggle throughout my time there." In testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, he said that U.S. security was so weak that in April, only one diplomatic security agent was stationed in Benghazi. However, Lamb and Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy stressed that the regional security officer's requests for personnel had been met. "The Department of State regularly assesses risk and allocation of resources for security, a process which involves the considered judgments of experienced professionals on the ground and in Washington, using the best information available," said Kennedy, a four-decade veteran of the foreign service. "The assault that occurred on the evening of Sept. 11, however, was an unprecedented attack by dozens of heavily armed men," he said. The attack on the consulate and the Obama administration's evolving explanations of what happened have become a political football in the run-up to November's presidential election with Democrats saying that Republicans are trying to use a tragedy to score partisan points. In statements immediately after the attack, neither President Barack Obama nor Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton mentioned terrorism. And both gave credence to the notion that the attack was related to protests about an anti-Islam video. "Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," Clinton said on the night of the attack. "The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind." Republican lawmakers leveled heavy criticism at Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, for saying five days after the attack that it was an outgrowth of a spontaneous protest linked to the anti-Muslim film. "If any administration official including any career official were on television on Sunday, Sept. 16, they would have said what Ambassador Rice said," Kennedy said. "The information she had at that point from the intelligence community is the same that I had at that point." CBS News, as early as Sept. 12, reported that U.S. officials suspected the attackers were either associated with or sympathized with al Qaeda and took advantage of the so-called protest to stage a coordinated attack. But witnesses in Benghazi later told CBS News that no protest had occurred at all, a fact the State Department acknowledged Tuesday in a briefing with reporters. Asked about the administration's initial - and since retracted - explanation linking the violence to protests over the anti-Muslim video circulating on the Internet, one official said, "That was not our conclusion." He called it a question for "others" to answer, without specifying. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter, and provided no evidence that might suggest a case of spontaneous violence or angry protests that went too far. Republican committee members sought to take the witnesses to task for that shifting explanation of what happened in Benghazi, suggesting that the administration was trying to cover up that it was unprepared for the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The hearing opened with a blunt partisan exchange between the committee chairman, Issa, R-Calif., and ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings of Maryland who accused Republican members of withholding documents and witnesses and keeping Democrats out of the loop on a fact-finding trip to Libya last week. Issa denied any wrongdoing.	<urn:uuid:fae06781-9a00-45ad-9a62-0c390b1b8be5>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57529888/house-probes-security-leading-up-to-libya-attack/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.979793	1,832	1.601563	2
Monday, July 16, 2012 - Smuggling of petroleum products between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan has slowed to a trickle, according to a top Kyrgyz oil industry official on Monday. “Smuggling now accounts for only about 0.3 percent of imported volumes” to Kyrgyzstan, Association of Oil Traders chief Zhumakadyr Akeneyev told the Knews.kg news agency. “Since the beginning of the year, [authorities] recorded only five-six cases.” Oil smuggling from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan was widespread a few months ago, stemming from Russia’s decision to export duty-free petroleum products to Kyrgyzstan while hiking export fees on petroleum exports to Tajikistan. Smugglers took advantage of the loosely patrolled Kyrgyz-Tajik border in the Batken province to smuggle fuel illegally. A year ago, Akeneyev estimated that 1,000 tons of fuel are being smuggled into Tajikistan each day from the Kyrgyz Batken territory. Since then, the Kyrgyz government created a coordinating center to tackle the illegal activity, using all available forms of enforcing the law. Kyrgyz authorities were concerned that Russia would begin charging export fees on petroleum goods if they did not bring the smuggling to an end.	<urn:uuid:c6e504f7-ca3e-4f36-b6da-a992bdb18b5d>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.universalnewswires.com/centralasia/tajikistan/economy/viewstory.aspx?id=12425	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.938312	287	1.796875	2
Denise Lee Yohn has been inspiring and teaching companies how to operationalize their brands to grow their businesses for more than 20 years. Health and fitness brands including New Balance, Road Runner Sports and Designer Whey have called on Yohn, an established speaker, author and consulting partner. Read more by Yohn at www.deniseleeyohn.com/resources.html. Fitness club membership has held steady at around 16 percent for the past few years. That means that any business growth we achieve is at another club’s expense. Winning in our industry has essentially been about stealing market share—we’re all fighting to get our share of the membership pie. But what if we grew the size of the whole pie? If we could generate new demand for fitness, our growth potential wouldn’t be limited by the current zero-sum game. It’s a bold vision but a necessary one. Some potential prospects already have been lured away by Nintendo’s Wii and other video game-based offerings. Integrated health monitoring and exercise programs and other online and mobile resources are emerging as potential competitors. The club industry needs to sharpen its competitive edge and generate new demand. To do this, we must think differently about our business. Back in 1960, Theodore Levitt wrote a groundbreaking paper about business growth. He used the railroad as an example of an industry whose failure to grow was caused by a limited market view. Those behind the railroads, he argued, got into trouble not because the need for transportation changed. They failed because they assumed they were in the railroad business, not the transportation business. As air travel and other new modes of transporting people and goods developed, the railroad companies tried to improve their railroads by building faster engines, adding routes, etc. But their business kept declining and would have gone completely bankrupt had the government not intervened. The railroad people were product oriented instead of customer oriented. They presumed the longevity of their product appeal instead of ascertaining and acting on customers’ new needs and desires. Another example is the coffee business. Back in the early 1990s, brands like Folgers and Maxwell House were so consumed by promoting product attributes like flavor crystals, they were completely blindsided when Starbucks arrived on the scene. While traditional coffee companies battled over grocery shelf space and penny margins, Starbucks came into the market and told people it’s not about the coffee, it’s about the coffee experience. They created a gathering place, new ways to enjoy coffee, a lifestyle—and in doing so, built a whole new highly profitable business. The lesson is that for businesses to survive and thrive, they must think about their industry broadly enough to seize new growth opportunities. Organizations must learn to think less about producing goods or services and more about doing things that people want. So what business do we think we’re in? Are we in the fitness club business or are we in a business that has broader appeal and deeper meaning? Are we trying to increase memberships, or are we trying to grow people’s interest in fitness? Do we build physical locations that people go to exercise, or do we provide venues where people learn about and practice healthier lifestyles? To tap into a bigger growth market, we need to move away from a fitness club-centric approach and adopt a more consumer-centric approach. We should seek to understand what people want and need when it comes to managing and improving their health—and build our businesses around that understanding. This change in perspective will lead to changes in what we offer. Here are a few examples: 1. From physical locations to virtual meeting places. Instead of trying to attract people to come to our locations, let’s try to be where people already are. Social websites and networks have become popular “places” to hang out. Perhaps memberships should entail regularly accessing exercise programs, meal plans and other services in these virtual venues, making our physical locations special places for “meet-ups.” 2. From personal trainers to lifestyle coaches. Instead of viewing personal training as a way to increase member revenues, let’s develop lifestyle coaching programs to promote healthy living. Clubs might certify or sponsor personal lifestyle coaches who provide fitness, nutrition, environmental and therapeutic services online, over the phone or in-person at a client’s home or workplace. 3. From classes to tribes. Instead of only offering a weekly schedule of discrete group exercise classes, let’s also provide bundles of offerings targeted to tribes. (Marketing thought-leader Seth Godin promotes the formation of tribes—groups of people “connected to one another, connected to a leader and connected to an idea.”) Perhaps for a tribe of people training for their first marathon, we offer a training schedule, group runs, strength-training classes, nutritional advice and gear. Members would benefit from our holistic approach to meeting their needs, and we’d benefit from forming a deeper connection with them. We need to develop different operational capabilities, allocate resources differently and measure different business performance metrics. But the most important thing we need to change is the way we think.	<urn:uuid:fdce964e-622c-4bc0-9288-45c17e86c49f>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://clubindustry.com/marketing/survive-fitness-industry-must-rethink-fitness	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	0.968834	1,060	1.601563	2
The two latest volumes in the Cardiovascular Clinics Series represent a timely addition to the rapidly expanding literature in the field of cardiovascular surgery and continue the fine tradition of the previous issues. Dr. Harken, the guest editor, has invited outstanding authorities to contribute in their primary areas of interest and experience. The result of their effort is overall excellence though at times it suffers from the flaws of multiple-authored compendiums. Some overlap occurs in several areas involving valve substitution and perhaps one chapter on the bioengineering and evaluation of prosthetics might have brought together some of the clinical statements made in specific chapters on aortic, mitral, and tricuspid replacements. Most of the papers are well-illustrated, aiding the medical student or resident reader, while others, notably the chapter on aortic valve disease, have no pictorial information. The presentations are generally well-written and provide current and well-organized material on most of	<urn:uuid:b42c14f5-9a5f-41f6-9716-3e5ffc724902>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=577698	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.953839	193	1.5625	2
It is hard to imagine a world without Vaclav Havel. Human, self-deprecating, witty and even absurdist, often wrong as well as right, he represented a rare voice of integrity, courage and optimism in an era that is depressingly lacking in political leadership. His autobiography To the Castle and Back captures the quintessentially Czech character of his life – a fairytale in which a dissident playwright becomes a President in Kafka’s castle and later returns to not quite normal life. It is introspective and gloomy yet pierced through with new projects and jokes. For example, he describes how he nearly had a nervous breakdown when half-cooked potatoes were served to the Japanese Emperor. ‘Fortunately, he understood this to be a Czech culinary speciality.’ He also explains that now he is no longer president, nobody knows what to call him: Mr President, Mr Former President or even just Mr Havel. ‘It’s only a matter of time before someone addresses me as “Mr former Havel”’ I first met Vaclav Havel at a meeting in Prague in 1988 that was supposed to bring together the West European peace movement and Charter 77. Unfortunately, we were all arrested and the foreigners were thrown out of the country, accused of being ‘NATO agents posing as tourists’. (Coincidentally, Christopher Hitchens, who also died this week was also there and, like me, was forced to spend our visit to Prague in police stations and the airport). Long before that meeting, however, I had been in correspondence with Havel and he had been a regular contributor to the European Nuclear Disarmament Journal, which I edited during the 1980’s. When I first came across Havel’s ideas and the ideas of the Czech intellectuals around him, it seemed to me that they had discovered a new conceptual language in which to express the kind of politics that I was engaged in. Many of them had become window cleaners or boiler stokers or like Havel, spent time in prison in the ‘normalisation’ after 1968 and they had used the time to read and think. Havel invented concepts like ‘Anti-Politics’– a sphere of society that escapes the total hold of the overbearing state; ‘Living in Truth’– the notion of refusing the lies of the political class; or the ‘parallel polis’– the idea of an Aristotelian polis organised around the good life which would, as it were, spread out and gradually chip away at the formal political institutions. In ‘The Power of the Powerless’ Havel described the grocer who puts the slogan ‘Workers of the World Unite’ in his shop window, not because he believes it but as a badge of loyalty. His emphasis on acting autonomously according to one’s conscience and on human solidarity guided his politics throughout his life. Less well-known in the west are his anti-materialist and anti-consumerist views. Moreover, western commentators have tended to ignore the fact that his ideas applied to the West as well as the totalitarian East. In ‘The Power of the Powerless’ he talks about the ‘global technological civilisation’: ‘The post-totalitarian system’ wrote Havel ‘ is only one aspect – a particularly drastic aspect and thus all the more revealing of its real origins – of the general inability of modern humanity to be master of its own situation. The automatism of the post-totalitarian system is merely an extreme version of the global automatism of technological civilisation. The human failure that it mirrors is only one variant of the general failure of humanity. ...It would appear that the traditional parliamentary democracies can offer no fundamental opposition to the automatism of technological civilisation and the industrial-consumer society, for they, too, are being dragged helplessly along. People are manipulated in ways that are infinitely more subtle and refined than the brutal methods used in post-totalitarian societies. …In a democracy, human beings may enjoy many personal freedoms and securities that are unknown to us, but in the end they do them no good, for they too are ultimately victims of the same automatism, and are incapable of defending their concerns about their own identity or preventing their superficialisation or transcending concerns about their own personal survival to become proud and responsible members of the polis, making a genuine contribution to the creation of its destiny.’ I did not always agree with him. We published the ‘Anatomy of Reticence’, a wonderful essay about why Czech dissidents were sceptical of the peace movement because of the way the Soviet Union had transformed the word ‘peace’ into Orwellian double speak. But I was horrified to find disparaging remarks about some courageous Italian women peace activists who had travelled to Prague to get signatures for a woman’s appeal against missiles in Europe; in the essay, he described feminism as a ‘refuge for bored housewives and dissatisfied mistresses.’ I also disagreed with his belief in a Euro-Atlantic community. He had great faith in the American variant of democracy even as he criticised the US role in Central America. It was this faith that led him to support ‘wars for human rights’, as he described the Kosovo war, and to support the invasion of Iraq. In 1985, he had signed the Prague Appeal of 1985, addressed to the European peace movements, which called for the dissolution of both NATO and the Warsaw Pact and for the establishment of a pan-European security system based on the Helsinki principles. Many of us were disappointed that, after becoming President, he favoured the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the expansion of NATO instead. But it was not actually a change of heart; for him, NATO represented the Euro-Atlantic community and the expansion of NATO was easier to achieve than a new security arrangement. What was always striking about Havel was his consistency and his honesty. Even after 1989, Havel continued to support civil society. He was one of the founders of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly (an idea borne out of that fateful 1988 meeting) whose aim was to create a pan-European civil society and to support civil society in difficult places. I was the Chair of HCA during the 1990s and he continued to help us by hosting meetings of civil society groups in conflict zones, especially the Balkans, at the Castle. More recently, he has done a lot to support dissidents in China. But perhaps most importantly he has been the inspiration for and indeed the embodiment of a set of ideas about non-violent ways of changing the relationship between state and society, about building politics from below, about the role of conscience as political power that underpin the global protests that we are witnessing today, especially in the Arab world. His death is a huge loss. We desperately need his kind of politician if the current popular uprisings are to find an institutional response.	<urn:uuid:1068e36d-2f75-4f95-9985-c75d80df3090>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.opendemocracy.net/mary-kaldor/%E2%80%98mr-former-havel-kind-of-politician-we-need	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.97882	1,433	1.726563	2
As we lead up to our discussion of The Brief History of the Dead in April, we’re sharing articles and news of related interest. USA Today recently ran an article pointing out an increase in popularity of books written by those who have had a near-death experience. At the Library we certainly saw a long “holds” list on Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo for several months and have had requests for similar books. In The Brief History of the Dead, author Kevin Brockmeier presents an interesting scenario of what happens immediately after dying that may or may not ring true to readers. But the fact remains that many of us are fascinated by the “what if” questions of life after death and so, of course, we will be intrigued by those who claim to have first-hand knowledge. I also wonder if, in these times of so much uncertainty, we are more prone to take a look at “big picture” questions? As it is often said, one thing we can be certain of is death. Considering the possibilities of what happens afterwards is an investigative journey many people undertake. Have you found any certain book to be enlightening? Feel free to share now in the comments and later as part of Our Community Reads!	<urn:uuid:7d9e284e-de33-454c-8af5-30356c553ec4>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.stcharleslibrary.org/wordpress/community_reads/searching-for-signs-of-the-afterlife/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.972871	258	1.765625	2
The Foundations for Dossia’s Next Generation System: The State of Play with Personal Health Management SystemsTuesday, April 5th, 2011 I have now been the President and CEO of Dossia for almost four months. As I look at the personal health record landscape, I think that those who care about this space need to rethink some fundamental directional assumptions about health information technology. We are “consumers,” not just “patients” The term “patient,” as applied to health information, has two flaws: first, we need health-related information at all times, not just when we are in a doctor’s office. Health management is a 24×7 activity, not an activity confined to our clinical encounters, which are a tiny fraction of everyone’s life. Second, “patient” is a passive term. We should be controlling the management of our health, not being a passive recipient of clinical care. We need all clinical information, not just medical information. Our health care system encounters are with doctors, hospitals, outpatient centers, pharmacies, labs, imaging centers, dentists, alternative medicine providers, nutritionists, fitness trainers, health counselors, and retail outlets at which we receive immunizations and screenings. We need all information, not just what our preferred doctor, hospital, or insurance company wants us to see. The “medical home” and “accountable care organization” concepts contained in the recent health reform legislation are somewhat flawed because they assume we will concentrate our health care in one system. That will never happen because we will want choices, even if we stay in the same geography. However, a sizable part of our population will change residences, which will force changes in health care providers, employer plan sponsors, and insurance plans. We need a comprehensive and portable health information system. We need all health-related information, not just clinical information. Much of what matters to our health relates to non-clinical activity: what we eat, how active we are, how much sleep we get, how much stress we feel, what vitamins, herbs, and over-the-counter drugs we take, what infections are exposed to us, our genetic make-up and expression, what environmental hazards present themselves to us, and what injuries and cumulative physical stresses we risk. We need all of that information presented accurately, automatically and comprehensively into a health record, not just what we can remember when asked by a doctor. We need help navigating through health care payment sources. The days when most Americans could anticipate having all their health care costs covered by a health plan are long gone. Today, we navigate payment through four sources: the health plan, a tax-deductible vehicle like a Flexible Spending Account, a Health Savings Account, or a Health Reimbursement Account, an employer or other incentive program, or self-payment. We need help navigating through these different payment streams. We need help making health care decisions. Health care decision making is increasingly complex. It is influenced by cost, quality of care, relative effectiveness of treatments, and what health plans and other payment sources will cover. Consumers increasingly need more decision support, because choices are imperfect. We need to recognize that health-related decisions are often made by someone other than the patient. The health care system and policies related to it, such as privacy policies, assume that most health-related decisions are made by the patient. However, we know that this is not the case for many parts of our population. Parents make health decisions for children, but a parent also drives health decisions for a spouse, for elderly parents, and even for elderly in-laws. People living together outside of traditional marriages are also making health-related decisions for domestic partners. Additionally, more elderly people are giving others health care proxies to make decisions for them under certain circumstances. Our health care system needs to recognize this reality and accommodate in access to health information. We need to recognize that people need help with decisions relating to health management. The personal, consumer-controlled health management system assumes that, for many medical decisions, the decisions are not simple and the choices are both imperfect and inherently based on incomplete information. Health management tools have to be available to make the health record more valuable in bringing to bear on health care decisions. Privacy preferences are not simple and they will change, based on changing life circumstances. Many privacy advocates, who are highly suspicious of the security and privacy of any health information system, and who may have experienced or been made aware of bad health outcomes because of misuse of health information, assume that everyone wants health information kept private. The real world is more complex. Some people freely share their health status on public web sites, and on semi-public sites like Facebook, knowing that the information is no longer secret as a result. For some, they do not care who knows. For others battling a debilitating disease, they want to share information to get the best possible sources of help. Others are willing to share information based on their need to find out better sources of help on allergies, back pain, or injury rehabilitation, but do not wants others to know that they have heart disease, because of job-related concerns. Anyone who expects to apply for a health insurance policy wants to keep health information secret to the degree that it affects their ability to get insurance or to get the lowest possible rates. Privacy consent management has to allow patients or caregivers to express precisely patient preferences and to have those preferences honored. Moreover, people who express a preference at one time may change that preference, based on changed life circumstances. Someone who is newly diagnosed with a condition may have more desire for privacy, or, in the alternative, may want information communicated more broadly. Any privacy system has to make it easy for individuals to change preference profiles. The state-of-the-art personal health management system needs to take all these factors into account. Too much of what passes for personal health record systems today are based on flawed assumptions about how health, health care, and health benefits actually work. Dossia strives to help people function in the world as it is, not as we believe it once was.	<urn:uuid:4b1f2b55-e70c-424a-bb5f-9dca4bab2d15>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.mikecritelli.com/2011/04/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.951571	1,275	1.5625	2
ON NOVEMBER 11th Russian internet-users began to notice that Lurkmore, a sometimes funny, often vulgar website with a cult following, was no longer accessible. Lurkmore (pictured) is a user-generated encyclopedia, a Russian-language wiki Wikipedia focusing on obscure internet jokes and memes, or what its co-founder, Dmitry Homak, calls “the kind of stuff said by the characters on SouthPark”. Although no one had officially told Mr Homak anything, it soon became clear that the site had fallen into the Russian government’s “Single Register” of web content to be banned under a law passed by the Duma in June. The law came into force on November 1st. It requires Roskomnadzor, the state’s media monitoring agency, to maintain a list of content to be banned in three categories: child pornography, instructions or propaganda for drug use, and material promoting suicide. The law also allows for a site or page to be blocked in accordance with any court order: a vague, potentially wide-ranging clause that has given rise to worries over censorship, given the frequent politicisation of the Russian judicial system. The register itself is not public, but any user can check to see if a particular web page or site is blocked through a state-run portal. So far, more than 180 sites have been added to the list, the government says—though that number will surely grow, as various state agencies and local courts make their own additions, and internet users submit potentially offensive material. Lurkmore ended up on the list for its entry on “dudka,” which means “penny whistle,” or in its slang usage, a bong or some other pipe for smoking marijuana. For the first two weeks of November, few people paid attention to the implementation of the blacklist or which sites had ended up there. But the case of Lurkmore drew immediate attention on the Russian-language internet—itself a rapidly growing community of around 50m users, representing an online market that will soon overtake Germany’s. However lowbrow its humour or marginal its popularity, Lurkmore was the kind of generally innocuous, admirably irreverent site whose troubles now seem a harbinger of online censorship to come. The lack of transparency in the blocking process raises further questions. As Irina Levova of the Russian Association for Electronic Communications notes, Lurkmore appears to have been blocked by IP address, a technique that has two obvious drawbacks: first, offending sites can simply change IP, as Lurkmore itself did, to avoid the ban; and two, such an approach risks blocking access to dozens if not hundreds of other, unrelated sites that may share the same IP. For Ms Levova, Lurkmore is “vivid example” of the many drawbacks of the new law. Both before and after its passage, Ms Levova and colleagues visited the Duma, the Ministry of Communication, and Vyacheslav Volodin, the chief of staff to President Vladimir Putin. They offered their technical advice, suggesting tweaks to the wording of the law and its implementation, so as to be less of a burden on internet companies and less of a disruption for users. “We were ready for dialogue,” Ms Levova says, “but nobody listened to us.” In the end, Ms Levova says, the suggestions of experts were “ignored” and the law came into force with little thought as to how it would be carried out. According to research published by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, two experts on the Russian security services who have studied internet controls in Russia, the only way internet service providers (ISPs) can comply with the new law is through “deep packet inspection,” or DPI. With DPI, ISPs can filter internet traffic into separate streams, making it easier to block particular services, such as Skype, or pages, such as a certain Facebook group. DPI provides the technical backbone for internet filtering and control in China and Iran, among other countries. Yet Mr Soldatov notes that two factors keep Russia from having a Chinese-style firewall—at least for now. The first is that the law does not block or criminalise the use of proxy browsers that mask what sites a user visits and keep browsing anonymous. But Russia may be headed in this direction: a September article in Izvestia said the Duma will soon add amendments to the internet law banning such services, including the popular service Tor, which masks online activity. Second, Mr Soldatov says is that Russia has not outlawed the use of secure browsing protocols, https, used by Facebook, Gmail, and other sites with sensitive personal data. But he says that some ISPs have already been approached by Russian security agencies and told to prepare for such a possibility. All this is expensive and unwieldy. In a rush to pass the law and with little time or enthusiasm to listen to outside experts, the Duma did not allocate any additional funding or personnel for maintaining the internet blacklist. Deputies “thought it would work on its own somehow”, says Ms Levova. For its part, Roskomnodzor is not particularly enthusiastic about having to update the register twice a day, a chore for which it received no new staff. Meanwhile, experts have put the cost for ISPs at implementing the new law at $10 billion. Their reason for resisting the law is more financial than political or moral. But relief may be coming: a Duma deputy from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, Robert Schlegel, has suggested that the government will pick up their costs for installing and maintaining DPI. All of this has the IT industry in Moscow worried; it’s hard to make business plans and raise investment when it’s unclear how the internet will function in the coming months and years. Moves toward internet filtering send a contradictory signal at a time when the Russian government has made technological innovation an economic priority. As a manager in a Western technology company says, the new law makes the environment for foreign investment in the Russian technology sector "more tense and less transparent".	<urn:uuid:cdf239c5-b4ea-4651-9d61-5c12a451417f>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/11/internet-censorship-russia?zid=309&ah=80dcf288b8561b012f603b9fd9577f0e	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.957794	1,284	1.640625	2
Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, is expanding a voluntary recall on specific codes of 5-ounce Chunk White Albacore and Chunk Light Tuna products. The recall has been issued because the products do not meet the company’s standards for seal tightness. Loose seals or seams could result in product contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens and lead to illnesses if consumed. There have been no reports to date of any illness associated with these products. Bumble Bee initially announced the voluntary recall on Wednesday, March 6 after identifying an issue on a manufacturing line, which has been corrected. These products were distributed for retail sale nationwide between January 17, 2013 and March 6, 2013. Bumble Bee Foods SVP of Technical Services and Corporate Quality Assurance Steve Mavity said: “Due to can integrity concerns, our top priority at this time is to remove these recalled products from distribution as soon as possible. We are working closely with our sales team and with retailers to help expedite the recall. For the list of the company's final assessment of all products affected by this voluntary recall including "best by" and code dates, click here: Bumble Bee Foods Voluntary Recall List of Products “We must assure our consumers and retailers of a safe and quality product so we very much appreciate everyone’s part in disposing of the products with the specific codes indicated. We’re voluntarily recalling products to ensure the highest margin of safety and quality,” Mavity said. Consumers who have purchased the recalled products should discard them by disposing in the garbage. Consumers should also direct any questions on the recall or reimbursement by contacting the 24-hour dedicated recall line at (888) 820-1947.	<urn:uuid:fcdce630-742a-4596-b943-1be12e0256a1>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/bumble-bee-expands-recall-albacore-tuna/nWk9f/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.959409	356	1.78125	2
BEIJING - Two very different trends concerning multinational firms in China have attracted wide attention recently. One is the strategic retreat from China of Best Buy, Pepsi, Danone and Nestle; at the same time, General Electric, Philips and Intel have come to regard China as their second home. Though these two storylines may seem contradictory, they in fact reflect the current condition of multinationals operating in the highly competitive Chinese market. Those firms that have been successful in China will continue to invest here, while those whose development has been less than ideal will either get out of this market, or radically adjust their strategy. What should be emphasized is that in a vast and rapidly developing market such as China, both foreign and Chinese companies will always face pressure in developing -- or just surviving. China is a new economy. Strictly speaking, the opening up of China started from Deng Xiaopings Southern Tour in 1992. The countrys vast economic development is thus only 20 years old, a relatively short period. The Chinese government, as well as businesses and customers, are still in the process of learning and exploring what exactly is this social market economy with Chinese characteristics. The common errors that foreign firms commonly commit are the following: First, Chinas market development is particularly fast and the competition fierce. Numerous foreign firms cant keep up with the pace of an ever-evolving market. A lot of them simply transplanted their products, services and business models from other parts of the world to China without any deeper understanding of their Chinese customers. Meanwhile China is producing a local business force of tens of thousands of businessmen who are very strong competitors. They know and live closer to the local customers, and they focus on producing cheaper alternative products. They also emphasize marketing and distribution, and they develop new products and innovative sales models that cater much more to the needs of the Chinese. Second, many foreign firms neglect the huge potential for development in the third and fourth-tier cities. Even though most of them are aware of these markets, they somehow fail to operate effectively in these places. These smaller cities give Chinese enterprises an excellent chance for development and in turn they work upwards to the third and second-tier cities. Third, the headquarters of these multinationals back in their home country often suffer from unrealistic expectations of their business in China, while their top managers in China often fail to clearly report the real situation back to headquarters. In addition, the frequent replacement of their expatriated managers does not help, while some of their CEOs come to the Chinese market once or twice each year and imagine they know China thoroughly. Learning from the top performers in China Mark Norbom, the President and CEO for General Electric, China, likes to say that China is our second home, an expression of how important the multinationals pursuit of the Chinese market is to the companys overall strategy. Danfoss, the Danish global producer of components and solutions for refrigeration and air conditioning, was one of the first foreign firms to designate China as their second base. Since entering the country in 1996, China has become the companys third-biggest market worldwide, with its second largest employee workforce here and its top overall procurement market. There are two key strategic considerations these companies make: the integration of the value chain and the transfer of their operations center. The integration of their global and Chinese businesses thus becomes more organic. Meanwhile, the integration of the value chain is reversed. After baptism in such emerging markets as China or India, the products and services are exported to other parts of the world. And beyond gradually moving their value chain to China, numerous multinationals have also transferred their regional headquarters and some major company departments to China. The most successful example is IBM. As early as 2006, IBM moved its global procurement division from upstate New York to Shenzhen, China. This helped IBM in strengthening its own supply base as well as its clients supply chain. IBM subsequently set up its second headquarters in Shanghai to take charge of all the emerging markets: Asia, Latin America, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. IBM rethought its China strategy fundamentally. It no longer considers China as a remote corner of its operations centered on America. Instead, it finds ways to integrate China as a core part of its global operation in a way that can create value. While foreign companies that encounter bottlenecks in China share common errors, the successful ones often abide by certain common rules. First, the leader of the Chinese team is critical. The success of many enterprises is due to the fact that the person at the helm was given enough time to develop the business in China. Some have even become legendary figures. Su Jingshi, the Taiwanese director that expanded Kentucky Fried Chickens rapid occupation of the vast Chinese market; Li Hexun, the Hongkongese President of Tetra Pak, the Swedish firm that is the worlds largest food packaging company; and Zhu Xi, the Chinese president for the greater China Region of General Mills. All these top executives had been rooted in the Chinese market for many years, and understand it profoundly. Hence they were able to set up teams to grasp opportunities in a timely manner to promote their expansion. Top-level and stable leadership enables the accumulation and passing on of business knowledge, which can become the decisive edge in the Chinese market. Meanwhile, they must also be able to communicated successfully with their colleagues back at headquarters to gain support for their strategies. The second common factor among the successful foreign firms in China is the steadiness and coherence in both projections and operations. The firms that failed tend to be either too optimistic and overly invested, and wind up taking too long to achieve profits. Others were too conservative, entering China with a testing state of mind. Success requires thorough knowledge of the needs and size of the Chinese market, the level of resources required, and a willingness to explore relevant aspects of their services. Multinational giants in China must find the right way to continuously adjust their business models. In short, multinationals can face risks in China just like they would in other markets. But if foreign companies are capable of developing an in-depth understanding of Chinas commercial background, and adopt appropriate strategies, the payoff can be much bigger indeed. Read the original article in Chinese photo - Albert Law	<urn:uuid:3eca1994-a3a1-41d6-b49c-917a6465927a>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://worldcrunch.com/how-succeed-china-why-some-foreign-firms-boom-and-others-go-home/business-finance/how-to-succeed-in-china-why-some-foreign-firms-boom-and-others-go-home/c2s4910/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.965366	1,286	1.8125	2
The Boston Globe reports today that, according to the editor of the journal Cognition, Professor Marc Hauser of Harvard fabricated data. Gerry Altmann, the editor of the journal Cognition, which is retracting a 2002 article in which Hauser is the lead author, said that he had been given access to information from an internal Harvard investigation related to that paper. That investigation found that the paper reported data that was not present in the videotape record that researchers make of the experiment. “The paper reports data … but there was no such data existing on the videotape. These data are depicted in the paper in a graph,” Altmann said. “The graph is effectively a fiction and the statistic that is supplied in the main text is effectively a fiction.” . . . “If it’s the case the data have in fact been fabricated, which is what I as the editor infer, that is as serious as it gets,” Altmann said. It’s absolutely unbelievable that, as a sanction for this kind of crime against science, Hauser was given just a year’s suspension without pay. (There may also have been sanctions about his future ability to mentor graduate students and postdocs.) Although funding agencies like the NIH and NSF may impose further sanctions, he’ll nevertheless get to keep his job—forever. I’m deeply ashamed of my alma mater.	<urn:uuid:5793cc2b-1cac-4c8d-9935-5bfdc5c54c01>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/journal-hauser-fabricated-data/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.970461	298	1.585938	2
When it came to the latest in communication technology, I was always the last of my friends to jump on board. At the risk of ending up dating myself, it began when I was the last of my high-school friends to get a pager/beeper, which, rather than being a cool communication device, became a way my mother could constantly enquire about my whereabouts. My friends urged me to purchase a mobile phone when they first became popular so that, like my mum before them, they'd be able to locate me and better coordinate a meeting. But, once again, I held out longer than most and continued relying on archaic landlines and pay phones to keep in touch. Then came the life-changing internet, where people could send instant written messages with a click of a button. Once more I was the last to alter my life and resisted getting a Hotmail account - until after many of my friends' parents signed up. Millions of people around the world, including most of my family and friends, had already capitalised on social media by the time I reluctantly signed up to Facebook. Although the pressure to conform to my peers' communication capabilities while living in the United States was tangible, I had no idea that the level of connectivity back home was significantly greater. I returned to find my family actively participating in an uber-connected society - my father, brothers, nieces and nephews were not only avid social-media users but also stayed connected through their mobile phones. Emirati adolescents casually switching from chatting on their BlackBerries to browsing the net on their iPhones and elders answering emails on their big-screen Galaxies - this was not what I expected to see. The urge to obtain a smartphone in the US was minimal because only a few of my friends had joined the smartphone sphere. But in my hyper-connected homeland, I was a rare outsider who would remain on the periphery unless I took yet another technological plunge. The UAE's connectivity had soared in my absence. The country now boasts one of the highest Facebook penetrations in the world, with more than 62 per cent of the population registered with the site, according to Socialbakers, a social media and digital analytics company. It also has one of the highest rates of Twitter users in the Middle East; new members are being added at an exponential rate. The Emirates has seen its active Twitter numbers shoot up by more than 93 per cent in the short time between September 2011 and March 2012, according to a report by the Dubai School of Government. This is also evident in the increasing number of public and private organisations using the site. Social media is now an essential ingredient in the development and progress of any modern nation. Making sure that an increasing number of the public is connected, informed and engaged can only benefit the advancement of a nation. The UAE must continue being at the forefront of the communication revolution and not wait around - as I always have - for everyone else to get there first. Thamer Al Subaihi is a reporter for The National	<urn:uuid:d39915e0-81ca-417d-9a28-c53ed1a379a3>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/uae-at-the-forefront-of-the-communication-revolution	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.975906	619	1.757813	2
SMU profs challenged to debate at Darwin vs. Design conference Late last week, Discovery Institute sent the letter below from Bruce Chapman to the chairs of the three departments at SMU which were calling for the Darwin vs. Design conference to be removed from campus, inviting them to a debate about intelligent design. It seems that The Dallas Morning News agrees with us that open discussion belongs at a university. On Saturday the DMN ran a brief editorial short on the SMU controversy: But if there's any place where an idea like this can be examined and debated, you'd think that a university . . . would be it. But a group of SMU professors got the vapors and demanded that the university bar the Discovery Institute from campus. SMU's administration correctly told the prissy profs that the group had every right to be on campus. Our letter, which was sent on Thursday, follows in its entirety: I am writing to invite you or a representative from your faculty to participate in a dialogue about the theory of intelligent design on Friday night, April 13th, ahead of the formal commencement of our conference that evening on your campus.Because the letter was sent just last week, it's still too early to tell what the reaction might be. Here's hoping that the profs at SMU are willing to engage in the debate and present their views on ID. We noted with interest the comment of one of your SMU faculty colleagues, Dr. Bretell, who stated in the Dallas Morning News that the science faculty plan to use the conference "as a teaching moment." As educators ourselves, we applaud you for this and would like to enhance the teaching opportunity for your students by creating a forum in which your faculty can participate in an open dialogue with proponents of intelligent design--in particular, with our three conference speakers, Dr. Michael Behe, Dr. Stephen Meyer, and Dr. Jay Richards. If you accept our invitation, I will arrange for the first portion of our Friday night program to be devoted to this discussion. We propose the following format: one of our speakers would make a fifteen-minute presentation explaining the merits, from our point of view, of the theory of intelligent design. Then we would invite one of you to make a presentation explaining your main criticisms of the theory. We would then allow your panel to ask us a series of challenging questions of your own choosing. After that we would open the discussion to a few questions from the audience. We are all committed to respectful scholarly dialogue and to the use of scientific methods of reasoning in the investigation of nature. In our view, science progresses in part as scientists and scholars discuss and evaluate competing interpretations of scientific evidence. We think that the format we are proposing will allow for such discussion and will, therefore, create a teaching moment for all who participate and observe the discussion. We hope you will join us. May I ask you to respond at your earliest convenience by contacting [deleted]. President, Discovery Institute It looks like we're not the only ones waiting. Rod Dreher has a great column over at Beliefnet where he writes, "Sounds good to me. Will the professors agree to participate in this teaching moment? I'd love to hear both sides make their presentation, and I bet I'm not the only one."	<urn:uuid:57f1f166-0eee-464c-97bc-bea9a99041c4>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.evolutionnews.org/2007/04/smu_profs_challenged_to_debate003429.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.955691	672	1.523438	2
The Healthiest Meals on Earth is the best cookbook I have ever seen. Before I continue praising this book though, let me shape this statement. Recipe books are ubiquitous. Everyone has ten of them and most never get cracked open. Dr. Bowden's recipe book though is more than just instructions on how to make savory appetizers and tasty desserts. It is a guide on how to eat healthy and eat well, with large doses of explanation that tie in the "why" to the "what". We recently chatted with Dr Bowden about the book. If you have ever tried to lose weight, you learned the hard way that not all diets are created equal. Medifast, a tried-and-true program that has helped people lose weight since 1980, is not your average diet. Where fad diets come and go, Medifast uses a simple formula to encourage portion control, healthy eating habits, and reasonable weight loss. Medifast makes your weight-loss journey easy by taking the guesswork out of dieting, and that allows you to lose weight without obsessing over calories counts. Are you ready to lose weight the proven way? What's Your Diet Personality?	<urn:uuid:c17faf57-aeb4-443f-ba91-722ce4e597e4>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.thedietchannel.com/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.95882	244	1.539063	2
from Boris Rankov, Chairman of the Trireme Trust With the honour of carrying the Olympic flame in 2004 behind her, Olympias has returned to her permanent display site as part of the Hellenic Navy Museum, based around the heavy cruiser Averoff, at Neon Faliron near the Piraeus. She now has a new shelter (see photos), which should protect her from the sun and the rain and keep her looking good with only routine maintenance for the foreseeable future. All this means, of course, that Olympias herself is unlikely to go to sea again, except perhaps for short ceremonial occasions like the Olympics (she was, of course, named after the Games, as part of Athens' earlier bid for them for 1996). Her hull, although now looking splendid for visitors, would certainly be unacceptably weakened by any prolonged sea-trials. The best bet for any future sea-trials would therefore be to build a second ship (to John Coates' revised design) and Doug Lindsay, who was one of the Sailing Masters in Olympias, continues to pursue possibilities for funding such a ship. The Trust's Council is currently considering how the award of the Olympic Games to London in 2012 might be used to encourage donors. Meanwhile, the Trust is being kept very busy by continuing to publish and make use of the results of all those sea-trials between 1987 and 1994. The editing of the reports of the 1992 and 1994 trials and the papers of the 1998 conference held in Henley and Oxford is nearing completion, and the volume containing these should appear in print in 2007. All aspects of the original project will then have been published in detail for the benefit of future researchers. Meanwhile, the papers relating the project accumulated by the late John Morrison, together with Jon Coates' construction note-books and plans are currently being catalogued and archived for posterity in a project which is reported upon in detail elsewhere in this Newsletter by John Quenby, a former Chairman of the Trust,. In addition, a core collection of plans and photographs of Olympias have now been scanned onto disc. The Leverhulme-funded Ship Sheds project, based at Royal Holloway, University of London, is now in the last of its three years and the manuscript is due for delivery to the publishers in April, 2007. When completed, not only will this greatly expand our understanding of these buildings, based in part on recent excavations and surveys at Giardini-Naxos in Sicily, Zea harbour in the Piraeus, Cape Sounion in Attica, and elsewhere, but it should enable us to check and reconsider some aspects of the Olympias design which was based in part on the dimensions of the Zea sheds as then understood. Looking to the future, a bid is currently being put together by the Chairman for another large research grant, this time to the Arts and Humanities Research Council, to make use of manoeuvring data collected during the 1988 trials of Olympias. These Trials were unusual in that Olympias' every move was recorded by a laser-based instrument known as a geodimeter, accurate to within a few centimetres and thus significantly more precise even than a modern Global Positioning System. The proposal will be to develop a computer manoeuvring programme using these data at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College, London, on the basis of an existing ship-programme supplied through the good offices of Council member Doug Pattison. The programme will then be used to simulate battle manoeuvres between individual ships and even between whole squadrons and fleets. These simulations will be analysed with the help of historians from the War Studies department at King's College, London who specialise in conflict simulation, and with input from Andrew Taylor, Pulling Master in Olympias in 1994 and an experienced war-gamer, who first suggested the whole project. The intention will be to produce a major study of the practice of naval warfare in antiquity, and if possible a 3-D version of the computer simulation for academic and educational purposes (known in the business as a 'serious' computer game). It is hoped that the results of the original Olympias project will continue to stimulate and inform this and similar spin-off projects for many years to come. I would like to end, however, firstly by offering warm congratulations to our Treasurer, Andrew Ruddle, on the award of a doctorate by the University of Manchester for his dissertation 'A Socio-Cultural Study of the Development of Attitudes to the Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sport'. And secondly, I wish to record the Trust's heartfelt gratitude to John Allan, who has stepped down as Secretary after more than a decade of service, and to welcome his successor Andrew Morrison. The Trust owes John an enormous debt of gratitude for years of taking Minutes, guiding the Chairman through the minefields of committee procedure, and in general keeping the Council and the Trust running smoothly. We are delighted that it will continue to benefit from his wisdom and experience as a member of Council. Olympias has returned to her permanent display site as part of the Hellenic Navy Museum, based around the heavy cruiser Averoff, at Neon Faliron near the Piraeus. Trust members and friends who are visiting Athens will find it easier than ever to go and see her, by taking the Metro down towards the Piraeus, getting off at the penultimate stop (Neo Faliro), crossing the road to take the tram which runs eastward down the coast, and getting off at Trokadero, from where it is a very short walk to the Averoff. There are plenty of really interesting historical vessels to look at and walk round (not least the magnificent Averoff herself), and you can get a good view of Olympias across the fence even if the Museum is closed. For opening hours, see the Museum's website (www.bsaverof.com). Andrew Ruddle is keen to clear the last stocks of Trust merchandise, and can offer eight different mug designs in a mix of bone and earthenware styles for sale at not much over cost. Stocks of particular designs vary, so the offer is strictly first-come-first-served, and there is a discount for orders of more than ten. There are also tea-towels available, which double as a smart wall-hanging - four designs, also priced to clear. Please e-mail Andrew Ruddle to enquire what is still available . From John Quenby A visitor to the office of Trust Chairman Boris Rankov at the Royal Holloway site of London University in Egham might feel prompted to remark on the rather cluttered state of affairs there. It goes without saying that any classics professor's domain is going to be filled with all the books, papers and paraphernalia that go with the job but the current situation is rather exceptional. For there in a large assortment of boxes and sundry containers currently resides the Trireme Trust Archive! These documents, files, journals academic papers, work books, plans, drawings and photographs are in fact the accumulation of the wealth of material generated by the Trireme project, dating from its inception (arguably in 1975 with the now famous exchanges of letters in The Times) until the present day. The only problem is that all this material is currently an unedited, unsorted, uncategorized mess!! At its October 27th 2005 meeting, hosted at her Oxfordshire home by Annis Garfield, the TT Council decided that the archive should be brought together into a single location and formally catalogued. This should be done in the most effective way designed to provide ready access to future generations of researchers and students of oared warships in general and triremes in particular. Thus was born the Trireme Trust Archive Project. It is hoped that it may be possible to house the archive at the River and Rowing Museum at Henley, but this clearly presupposes that the archive materials will be classified, catalogued and physically assembled in an orderly and formal manner. As I was in attendance for the AGM that day and I am already involved with a museum archive, it was suggested that I would coordinate the search for appropriate software and propose a catalogue structure. As a foundation to production of a formal archive catalogue, it was agreed that if possible the key information and indices should be held on a computer database, as upon review it was evident that the volume of documents involved (some thousands) could not really be managed efficiently with a card index system. Thus recognising the trust's need to maintain vigilance over its budget, a search was initiated for the existence of any reasonably priced proprietary software. Fortunately we quickly alighted upon a survey conducted by The Museum Documentation Association (MDA) which pointed us towards the Modes Users Association (MUA) software packages. MUA, based in Derby turned out to be the most prolific supplier of archive and catalogue software in the UK. Its two main products are MODES and Catalist being in current use by literally hundreds of museums and private archives across the country. Discussions with MUA proceeded rapidly and an analysis of the features and functionality of the two products led to a recommendation to the TT Council meeting held at Egham on 18th April this year for the Trust to purchase the Catalist package and associated user training to enable a start to be made on cataloguing the archive at the earliest opportunity. In 1988 Roz Savage rowed as a Thalamian on the Greek Trireme. That was the first time she rowed on open seas in a 35 metre boat with 170 other rowers. The second time she rowed on open seas she was in a 7 metre boat, alone. She set out from the Canaries to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean as the only solo female competitor in the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005. Storms and high seas gradually stripped down the boat to bare essentials, with the stove, music system and navigation instruments failing. All four of her oars broke before the halfway point two while rowing and two when her boat capsized in 20 foot waves. Determined not to surrender her unsupported status by calling for replacements, she patched them up and battled on even when her unwieldy oars caused grinding shoulder pain. Her satellite phone failed on 17th February presenting Roz with her toughest psychological challenge yet total isolation - for the remaining four weeks of the row. At last she arrived to a rapturous welcome in Antigua on 13th March 2006, 103 days after setting out from the Canaries. She was the last boat to finish, but still fared better than the 6 crews (out of a total 26 crews that started) that sank or capsized and had to be rescued. During her epic voyage Roz acquired a loyal following around the globe as internet users logged on to her inspiring, insightful and entertaining dispatches. They will now be eagerly awaiting her next adventure... for it would seem that 103 days alone on the Atlantic weren't enough. The 38-year-old former management consultant has announced that she intends to row the Pacific in a 3-stage challenge launching from San Francisco in Summer 2007. 'After so many years in a job I didn't enjoy, I just love my life now,' she says. 'It's tough out there on the ocean, but it feels like I'm really living, really finding out what I'm can do when I have nobody to rely on by myself. It's very empowering.'	<urn:uuid:5089fd82-7761-4903-915f-3f267dcb508b>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.triremetrust.org.uk/index.asp?page=newsletter23	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	0.961925	2,338	1.804688	2
Financial stability regulatory architecture is best realised on a national level. Read more By Yu Yongding China has rebounded from the global slump with vigour. In the second quarter, its official figures showed year-on-year gross domestic product growth of 7.9 per cent. Those who doubt the quality of China’s macroeconomic statistics can check its physical statistics: in June, electricity production increased 5.2 per cent, reversing the falls of the previous eight months. It is almost certain that China’s GDP will grow more than 8 per cent this year. Read more By Marc Flandreau Our research shows investment banks are no longer selective when they underwrite emerging market debts. This is because responsibility for certification has been outsourced to rating agencies, leading to the emergence of a market for securities than is riskier than previous counterparts. The debate on the responsibility of rating agencies for failing to see the making of the sub-prime crisis and even contributing to it through their behaviour neglects one important aspect of the matter which I came across with colleagues. Read more By Andre Sapir Imagine the US was facing the current crisis with the following situation: only 30 of its 50 states belong to the dollar area; most of the southern states are outside the dollar area and so is New York, home of the US financial centre; the seat of the US government is in Washington, but dollar area chairman Ben Bernanke operates from Pittsburgh and secretary Tim Geithner is mainly governor of Vermont, one of the smallest US states, with a population of roughly half a million. Absurd? Yet this is exactly what the European Union looks like, with only 16 of its 27 member states belonging to the euro area; most of the eastern states and the UK, home of the EU financial centre, outside the euro area; the seat of the EU institutions in Brussels, but ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet operating from Frankfurt and Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker mainly the prime minister of Luxembourg. Read more by Kenneth Rogoff When in doubt, bail it out,” is the policy mantra 11 months after the September 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers. With the global economy tentatively emerging from recession, and investors salivating over the remaining banks’ apparent return to profitability, some are beginning to ask: “Did we really need to suffer so much?” Read more From the FT: Data raise hopes for eurozone recovery France and Germany return to growth Read more By Ronald McKinnon The global credit crunch which began in 2007 but became acute in 2008, originated from the collapse in the bubble in US house prices and, to a lesser extent, in European ones. Unsurprisingly, the declining home values made people feel poorer, so consumption spending fell. This fall in aggregate demand in the US and Europe reduced demand for imports and caused a parallel slump in the rest of the world, including in emerging markets. Read more by Randall Kroszner Leaving a financial crisis is like leaving an awkward social gathering: a good exit is essential. In 1936-37, the Federal Reserve made a colossal mistake in its “exit strategy”. This time round it is crucial that central banks get their timing right. Read more	<urn:uuid:6cc9b55d-22e9-470b-ba12-da7153fe4a17>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://blogs.ft.com/economistsforum/2009/08/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.945098	668	1.515625	2
China Bans Hospitals From Refusing AIDS Patients BEIJING -- China’s Health Ministry has banned hospitals from turning away patients infected with HIV-AIDS. A circular issued by the ministry on Friday ordered health authorities at all level of government to guarantee treatment for HIV-AIDS sufferers. The order covers both sufferers already known to have the condition and those whose infection is discovered while undergoing treatment. It requires authorities to ensure protective measures for health care professionals. It comes two days after Vice Premier Li Keqiang intervened to demand a hospital in the northeastern city of Tianjin provide treatment for a 25-year-old lung cancer patient after the man was turned away for being HIV-positive. A decade ago, Li helped cover up China’s initial AIDS outbreak in the central province of Henan caused by illegal blood buying syndicates.	<urn:uuid:ecc6fe56-a499-4f6b-9d39-18bca55866d3>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.edgeptown.com/news/international/139233/china_bans_hospitals_from_refusing_aids_patients	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.945687	174	1.773438	2
Same-Sex Ceremony on Army Base Denounced by Rep. Fleming The liberal social experiment with our military continues Jun 6, 2012 - U.S. Representative John Fleming, M.D. (LA-4) released the following statement after the Army confirmed that a same-sex ceremony was performed by an Army Chaplain in thebase chapel at Fort Polk, which is in Representative Fleming’s district: “The liberal social experiment with our military continues. A same-sex marriage-like ceremony should not have occurred at Fort Polk, especially since the people of Louisiana have made it abundantly clear that our state does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions. My frustration is compounded by the fact that a social agenda, which has nothing to do with military readiness or our national defense, is being imposed on our men and women in uniform. The repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ made incidents like this inevitable, and makes the case for the Senate to follow the lead of the House of Representatives in passing legislation that prevents military facilities from being used for same-sex marriages or marriage-like ceremonies.” Dr. John Fleming is Chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs and is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He is a physician and small businessowner and represents the 4th Congressional District of Louisiana.	<urn:uuid:fefd9150-8690-48cb-940b-de81dd37d65f>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://fleming.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=298501	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.959554	290	1.65625	2
Did you know the hot fudge sundae was born right here in LA? At Hollywood's CC Browns in 1906, to be exact. If we ate as many hot fudge sundaes as we'd like, especially to honor National Hot Fudge Sundae Day today, our fingers would be too fat to type this. Instead, we went looking for pretty pictures, and this one made us lick the screen. The Gastronomy blog knows that any day is good enough for a Twohey's hot fudge sundae, and it should be a ritual for anyone dining in the San Gabriel Valley. Agreed a thousand times.	<urn:uuid:4d3b5ed3-ec0a-4c21-8e3c-4f5f5437fb57>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://blog.zagat.com/2012/07/photo-of-day-twoheys-hot-fudge-sundae.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.968672	128	1.609375	2
What are museums doing about handheld guides? Just came across this email about an international survey on Handheld Guides: Their use, challenges and the future. This survey explores why the museum community uses/is interested in mobile interpretation and the medium's future. The survey was developed by Loic Tallon and Learning Times and further information can be found here. We did a study on handheld technologies several years ago. While the report is old I still get requests for it so have attached the pdf document on the right-hand side of this page. There was also a discussion about the future of the audio tour on Museum 3.0 - the social network for museum professionals that may be of interest.	<urn:uuid:589d7035-7856-4eee-98cc-63565c5291b1>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/BlogPost/Museullaneous/Handheld-technology-in-museums	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.935894	142	1.578125	2
\|Posted by marty on February 08, 19101 at 13:01:24:\| \|In response to Re: Very simple tap connection question\| : I'm installing water supply lines for a laundry room and would like to use sweat fittings wherever possible so nothing ever leaks :-) I'm putting in a wash machine outlet box and would like to install female threaded fittings on the end of the 1/2" copper and then attach the taps to these (sweating the taps onto the pipe would be my first choice but isn't possible because I'd melt the outlet box plastic). So here's my question... : How do I install the female threaded fitting (FIP I think it's called) so that the when I install and tighten the tap, I have the tap facing forward AND tight enough not to leak. I notice there are three diamonds stamped in the side if the female fittings and I'm wondering if this is used to know how the fitting should be installed when soldering. : I've looked in countless books and can't find an answer to this seemingly simple question. : Thanks in advance,	<urn:uuid:0d81c57d-62ca-4b1c-a6ed-f73685af68be>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://terrylove.com/wwwboard/messages/15790.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.960165	230	1.703125	2
By Jim Schutze By Rachel Watts By Lauren Drewes Daniels By Anna Merlan By Lee Escobedo By Eric Nicholson The levees make protection downtown worse by some measure, anyway. Therefore, Fritz reasons, they're dead. Levees have to make things better, or the Corps can't build them. But Bill Fickel and his colleagues at the conference table in Fort Worth wag long index fingers in the air and shake their heads no. They have a little list, they say. A system. A formula. "When the positive effect of the new levees on the property next to them is balanced against their negative effect on property downtown," Fickel says, "we still come out ahead." Hmmm. So they come out ahead. But do we? If the plan has trouble holding together as an adventure in engineering, it nevertheless works like a Swiss watch as an exercise in leveraging public money. None of the parts quite meets its own test, dollar-wise, but each one helps to pay for the next in sometimes ingenious ways. The toll-road project, for example, requires all kinds of fill dirt for use in building up new embankments for the road along the existing levees upriver from downtown--sort of like terraces on the sides of the levees. The toll people can go dig that dirt out of the bottom of the riverbed, in effect creating the swale or big ditch along the riverbed, at no cost to the city or the Corps. The whole deal, in fact, is totally dependent on road projects to be carried out by both the Texas Department of Highways and Transportation (TxDot) and the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), which will bring $916 million in road money to the table. Without the road money, the river plan doesn't work financially. The city hopes to be able to put in a mere $118 million in bond money in order to leverage the $916 million in road money. But that means, in what was originally a flood-control deal, that roads have become the tail that wags the dog. The toll-road design is for a road that will link the Stemmons Freeway with 175, the C.F. Hawn Freeway. (Don't know where the Hawn Freeway is? That's why the highway department didn't want to spend a lot of money building a way to get to it.) At a conference table in the regional headquarters of TxDot, planner Sandra Wesch-Schulze concedes that the Lamar Street levee is an important element in making the highway component work financially. She should know: Wesch-Schulze is often credited with being the genius who figured out how to spin all of these roads and flood projects together into a viable package in the first place. In order to get state highway money into the deal, she explains, it must be shown that the deal will alleviate traffic congestion in the downtown "mixmaster" and "canyon"--the big snarl where some idiot thought of having all of the region's major freeways meet in the middle of downtown Dallas. The only way to show any improvement there in the projections is by proposing a link--of tollway or highway--between the Stemmons and Hawn Freeways. Wesch-Schulze says the projections assume that 20 years from now, a lot more people will be traveling between the general area of D/FW International Airport and the Balch Springs-Seagoville area. Well, who knows? Twenty years is a long time. Maybe they'll be expanding that prison in Seagoville a lot. It's a very thin projection. One of the problems with the plan is that both TxDot and NTTA have said they can't really justify doing much of this stuff much sooner than 23 years from now, unless the city or someone else kicks in a lot of the money, either in the form of cash or land or... How about a big long levee to carry a new highway over four to five miles of wetlands along the river's eastern bank, in order to get the road down toward that Hawn Freeway? How important is it for that piece of road to get done? "If you eliminate the piece from 35E to 175 [the Hawn]," Wesch-Schulze says, "then you get no improvement in the canyon and mixmaster." No improvement in the canyon-mixmaster interchange downtown means no state highway money. No deal. And how important is it to give the state that new levee to build its road on? All of a sudden, Wesch-Schulze and a conference-table-full of assistants, all of whom had been firing off numbers like AK-47 bullets up to that point, fall into a mood of gentle imprecision. "If you don't have the levee, we would have to build a bridge," she says. A long bridge? How much would that cost? But a lot more than without it, right? "It would be more expensive," Wesch-Schulze says with a shrug. Oh, that. The "more expensive" thing. But the entire massive billion-dollar-plus thing--the levees, the lakes, the wetlands, the highways, the toll roads, even the hike 'n' bike trail, the whole thing--it barely hangs together by a financial thread, anyway. The NTTA has informed the city that it can't build the proposed Trinity River Parkway--that shortcut from D/FW to Balch Springs--unless the city kicks in $84 million of the total $394 million cost. Find everything you're looking for in your city Find the best happy hour deals in your city Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90% Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city	<urn:uuid:911af3d9-5a65-41c9-923f-9dbdbfda8b84>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.dallasobserver.com/1998-01-22/news/flood-money/7/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.948194	1,244	1.765625	2
PUBLISHER : Longmans, Green & Company, London, New York & Bombay, 1887-1961 Established at 15 East Sixteenth Street in New York in 1887 to distribute the titles of its London parent firm, founded by Thomas Longman in 1724. Charles J. Mills came from England in 1889 to manage the New York branch and was succeeded by his sons and grandsons until the firm was dissolved in 1961.... company published its own books... In 1895 Longmans, Green moved to 91-93 Fifth Avenue.... In 1910 the firm became a tenant of the new Dodd, Mead Building at 443-444 Fourth Avenue at Thirtieth Street. (DLB 49). Charles Mills opened New York branch 1875, converted to partnership 1889; before 1889 operated as distributing and importing agency for English office. (Brief Studies). LUCILE’s ISSUED BY Longmans, Green & Company: 1890-1895 American Catalogue. New ed. '94. 12o. $3; 1902 United States Catalog. Lucile. $3. This volume was one of a two volume Selected Works edited by Betty Balfour, Lytton's daughter; for her appraisal of her father's work, see her preface. Illustrated London News (London, England),Saturday, January 13, 1894; pg. 43; Issue 2856 (352 words) LORD LYTTON’S - LUCILE. Lucile. By the Earl of Lytton, (London: Longmans, Green, and Co.)—The fundamental defects of the Earl of Lytton's "Lucile" were clearly perceived and frankly admitted by the author when he republished it. "The subject of it,” he says, “is fitter for prose than for verse. The whole conception is inconsistent with the permanent conditions of poetic beauty.” This is, unfortunately, true. "Lucile”' is a novel of modern society in verse. The mere circumstance of writing in verse implies that the author desires permanence for his labours; but if this is rarely attainable for the modern novel, even with the unrestricted liberty allowed by the conditions of prose composition, it is little likely to be so when the author has voluntarily subjected himself to trammels which must necessarily interfere with the freedom of plot and dialogue; and the subject-matter, moreover, if really true to modern manners, can but rarely possess the dignity and beauty which alone can justify the endeavour to invest it with poetic form. There remains one ground on which such a work, apart from the merit of isolated passages, may challenge admiration as a whole, as a brilliant tour de force. This “Lucile" certainly is: it probably has not now, and is not likely to have, any rival in the art of ordinary narrative. It could only have been composed by a man gifted with an extraordinary faculty of language; a man, too, endowed with wit, fancy, an intimate acquaintance with life and manners, and ideal aspirations transcending anything that his actual circumstances could offer him. It is the poetical epic of modern society had been a possibility, Lord Lytton would have achieved it; as it is, he has bequeathed the world in "Lucile" a striking evidence of his own talent; a seasonable admonition to other poetical architects to consider the foundations before beginning the edifice; and a number of beautiful passages, pathetic, humorous, or descriptive, which palliate and colour, though they cannot redeem, the original sin of experimenting in an illegitimate kind of literature. -------R[ichard] Garnett New York Times; April 21, 1894, p. 3. PUBLICATIONS OF THE PRESENT WEEK: Notes on the More Interesting and Important Ones. —Longmans, Green & Co. have ready a new edition of the Earl of Lytton's "Lucile" and one of his selected poems. They have given to the former the preface of the Collected Edition, which was the third edition of "Lucile," wherein verses almost unconsciously reproduced by the poet from Alfred de Musset's works were expunged. They have given to the volume of "Selected Poems" the advantage of an interesting introduction by Betty Balfour, the poet's daughter. She explains again how it happened that unfriendly critics seemed justified in charging plagiarism of "Luclle" from George Sand's "Lavlnia," and aptly says, in a sketch of the author's life and works, that, "had the rival calls of his many-sided intellect been at variance, the poet in my father would always have had the preference." Among the hitherto unpublished lyrics in the volume, the last, "The Prisoner of Provence," Is founded on the version of the story of the Man With the Iron Mask which makes him the twin brother of Louis XIV. It Is particularly interesting as expressive of the poet's disappointment at the circumstance that to, him celebrity and success had come in diplomatic and social affairs and "had been scantiest in the quarter from which he coveted them most," as 'his daughter says. The two volumes, uniform in size and typography, are well printed. The Literary World, June 30, 1894, p203. "Of a new edition of Owen Meredith's poems we have received Lucile and Selected Poems, bound in claret cloth and excellently printed. Mrs. Balfour, the poet's daughter, has made the selection, and explains its plan in her modest introduction. She accounts for the comparative unpopularity of her father's verse, with the exception of Lucile, thus: 'Circumstances, in some respects, were against him. For the larger part of his life he was an exile. Neither books, periodicals, nor reflection on his art could supply the place of direct intercourse with the representatives, few or many, of that outer circle to which he addressed himself.... On his return from exile his own contemporaries had in large measure passed away, and he failed to gain touch with the spirit of a younger age.' -- Longmans, Green & Co." See also similar notice in The Dial 16. 1893 PTLA: [Lucile is offered as are several other Meredith works]. Cf. British Library Catalogue BL 011652.g.5, New edition, 333p. ----. 1893. 19cm, 333p. Tan cloth stamped gold. University of Michigan. ----. 1893. 186mm, 333p. Plum buckram, spine title gold. Contains the later apologetic preface rather than dedication. University of Texas, Austin. ----. 1893: WorldCat reports copies with OCLC #37865295 at the University of Colorado; University of Michigan; Princeton; University of Texas Austin; Cambridge; and the National Library of Scotland; plus copies with OCLC #271710030 at New South Wales and Queensland. The British Library reports a copy with System #002297187. 1894 PTLA: [as 1893, price] $3.00. [Also in "Selected List of Books Published During 1893:] Lucile. New Edition. Crown 8vo. $3.00. 1895-1905 PTLA: [As 1894, without "Selected List" notice]. 1906: Longmans, Green, and Co., 39 Paternoster Row, 1906. 18cm, 333p. Titlepage reads: New Edition (1893) Re-issue. Blue cloth with paper label on spine. University of North Carolina: NUC0594669. l906: WorldCat reports copies with OCLC #39055483 at Univesity of North Carolina (copy above) and two copies in France: Charles de Gaulle and Lille. 1906-1910 PTLA: [Lucile and other titles dropped; only Marah retained]. Last revised: 30 September 2010	<urn:uuid:b17b6871-ef5d-42a5-9bf7-9990fe069c88>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu/lucile/publishers/longmans/Longmans.htm	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.956083	1,647	1.734375	2
For a time, say say '78 through '84, my music used a lot of literal repetitions, notated often between happy pairs of \|\|: :\|\|s. Repetition in music was useful for creating contexts that well self-sustaining and self-similar. Canons were a particularly useful extension of repetitive techniques, as the music was simultaneously asserting something about where one was, where one had been, and where one might be going. Canons became increasingly important to me in the late 1980's, and now I can't imagine working without them, but they are increasingly loose, rather than strict, in character. Letting a voice which had been trailing gradually move to a leading position in a contrapuntal environment (John Cage, borrowing an idea about Gagaku from Henry Cowell, called this a "Japanese Canon"; Morton Feldman would brilliantly use this same idea, borrowed perhaps from simultaneous Torah recitation in the Orthodox Schul, Jo Kondo's idea of a "shape" and its "shadow" was definitely in the same ballpark) was literally like getting ahead of oneself. Before I get ahead of myself: For a time, say '78 through '84, my music used a lot of literal repetitions, notated often between happy pairs of \|\|: :\|\|s. Attracted initially by the impossibility of the exact repetition, I became more attracted to the idea of an explicitly imperfect or quasi-repetition. An example of quasi-repetition which continues to haunt me is Jo Kondo's Sight Rhythmics, in which the same piece is "repeated" six times, but from each "repetition" to the next, one element in each measure is altered, with alterations accumulating until the sixth "repetition", called a Skolion, in which the material is rewritten altogether. But the changes here always remain clearly within the territory, the ballpark if you will, of repetitions rather than variations, because the sensation is always one of sameness rather than the variety a proper variation would demand. But I'm getting ahead of myself: For a time, say '78 through '84, my music used a lot of literal repetitions, notated often between happy pairs of \|\|: :\|\|s. I've recently been writing some music in which there are lots of literal repetitions, but repetitions which find themselves in conetxts which change enough that I'm not comfortable fitting them between pairs of \|\|: :\|\|, no matter how happy they might be. The context has changed the material enough identifying any of it as a repetition now seems somewhat dishonest. I suppose I ought to write something now about not dipping into the same river twice, but having come 'round to recognizing that the same river is not a particularly useful idea (as a river is more of a process than an object), let's leave it at that, and you'll have some idea of the ballpark about which I'm currently bopping. Or something like that idea, but entirely your own... (This is a repeat appearance of a blog item from December 2006.)	<urn:uuid:88acc9a4-3150-4d7c-8da5-fd2082644f82>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://renewablemusic.blogspot.de/2010/04/r-is-for-repetition.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.977598	630	1.664063	2
Copyright ©2010. The Associated Press. Produced by NewsOK.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Pollard Theatre continues season with 'To Kill a Mockingbird' GUTHRIE — Harper Lee's beloved novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” plays well on the Pollard Theatre stage. Christopher Sergel's dramatization uses Jean Louise Finch to narrate her childhood experiences as Scout, the irrepressible daughter of small-town lawyer Atticus Finch. The action takes place during a controversial trial that has polarized the small Southern town of Maycomb, Ala., during the Depression. Gwendolyn Evans plays the narrator, while her younger self is portrayed by Alexandria Grable. They look and play very naturally as each other and conquer beautifully the hesitancy some directors may have in using this version of the play. Director W. Jerome Stevenson incorporates the characters with great sensitivity. Playing Atticus Finch is James A. Hughes, a familiar face to Pollard audiences in an unfamiliar role. Some viewers may quarrel with the choice to play Finch with an air of regret and martyrdom. Those who love this story may find that uncomfortable or disappointing. Smaller roles are taken by David Fletcher-Hall as Bob Ewell and Emily Frances Brown as Mayella Ewell. Fletcher-Hall's interpretation beautifully illustrates the jealousy that accompanies prejudice and ignorance. Brown reveals the cost of that ignorance and isolation as she demonstrates the damage her father has done to his family. Sergel's adaptation has some great roles for women. De'Vin Lewis is lovely as Calpurnia, while Beverly Caviness as Maudie Atkinson, Cory King as Stephanie Crawford and Jennifer Rosson as Mrs. Dubose, create the typical small-town power base that women often held with wit and sincerity. Tom Robinson, the defendant and a victim of racial discrimination, is beautifully played by Rory Littleton. The poignancy of his position is revealed in his demeanor as much as his delivery. As the Rev. Sykes, Ben Bates ministers to the needs of the black community and is wise as well as comforting.	<urn:uuid:879e685b-935f-4bd1-a89b-0d17e68c1d7a>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://newsok.com/pollard-theatre-continues-season-with-to-kill-a-mockingbird/article/3761629	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.962812	446	1.710938	2
What's the Gospel? January 1, 2010 - My seminary professor told me a story about a mother whose son was in the military and was pronounced lost in action and judged to be dead. The war department sent the letter that every mother dreads: “Your son is dead.” By Adrian Rogers Then they found out that the son was not dead at all. He was alive and well! They told someone, “Go tell that woman her son is alive.” How would you like to be the one who had the opportunity to go to a mother who thought that her son was dead, and to knock on her door and say: “I’ve got good news”? How excited we ought to be about proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It’s better than the news that the war department had to give to that mother. It’s the news that Jesus Christ has conquered death, hell, the grave and judgment, and that we can live forever with Him. The word Gospel means good news. The thing that makes good news good news is the possibility of bad news. And the bad news is our sin. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But in 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul gives the good news: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). That is the source of the Gospel: the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How does this deal with our sin problem? It pays the penalty for our sins. You see, a holy, righteous God cannot merely overlook sin. If He were to do that, He would no longer be holy. But Christ’s death made full payment for our sins. His burial shows that the pollution and defilement of our sin is buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. And in His resurrection He has demolished the power of sin and is declared to be the Son of God with power. Let’s look now at the force of the Gospel—what the Gospel does. First, we see its saving force. In 1 Corinthians 15:2, Paul speaks of the Gospel “by which also ye are saved.” God has no other way for you to be saved apart from the Gospel. In Philippians 1:6, we see its sanctifying force: “He who has begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.” After you are saved, He continues to work in you. Day by day He is making you more like the Lord Jesus Christ. And in 1 Corinthians 15:1, we see the stabilizing force of the Gospel: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which ye also have received, and wherein you stand.” I love that. It is good news that we can be saved. It is better news that we can be saved and know it. It is glorious news that we can know that once we’re saved, we can never lose it: Wherein ye stand. You see, when you get saved, you don’t keep Him; He keeps you. Finally, let’s look at what this Gospel does in our world—the course of the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ extends to every person. I can tell anyone, anywhere on the face of the earth, “No matter what you have done, if you’ll trust Jesus, He’ll save you.” The Bible says, “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” A murderer? Yes. A rapist? Yes. An adulterer? Yes. A thief? Yes. A blasphemer? Yes! Look at what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace bestowed upon me was not in vain.” Paul, who was a persecutor of Christians before he was converted on the road to Damascus, called himself the chiefest of sinners. But God’s grace reached even him. The Gospel extends to every place. Wherever you are at this moment, God will save you. If you can show me any time, anywhere that someone called on Jesus Christ to save them in repentance and faith, and He didn’t save them, then I’ll close my Bible and never preach again. The Gospel extends to every problem. You say, “Pastor, you don’t know my problems.” Well, I can reduce them all very simply. Every problem you have is a sub-category of three things: sin, sorrow and death. The Gospel is the only answer to sin. It is the only answer to sorrow. And it is the only answer to death. There is no other way, apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to deal with sin, sorrow and death. And of course, our greatest problem is death. We’re going to die. But the Gospel is that Christ was raised from the dead and has conquered the grave. Do you have a loved one in Heaven? If he or she is there, they are there because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has conquered sin, hell, death and the grave! And every problem that you’ll ever have is answered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s the reason the Apostle Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Adrian Rogers, 1931-2005, served for many years as pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.	<urn:uuid:868e25dc-7cbc-4221-a788-16174e07132a>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=1148	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.9665	1,232	1.773438	2
2012-06-01 Vatican Radio One of the key moments in the Opening Ceremony for the 50 International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin June 10 will be the “Gathering of Ireland’s Tribes” from the island nation’s four provinces, Ulster to the North, Munster to the South, Leinster to the East and Connaught to the West. Emer McCarthy reports Faithful from each province will enter the main arena of the Royal Dublin Society, (RDS) led by their Archbishop singing the Congress Hymn “Though we are many”, written by Bernard Sexton. There will follow a pageantry of Irish music, song and prayer drawn from the centuries old heritage of Irish worship. Lest any of the thousands of pilgrims from overseas – who will form the “5th” province of the Congress – forget that Christ’s message first arrived on these shores over 1500 years ago. This is just one example of how organisers have endeavoured to marry the island nation’s deep Christian roots with the new reality of being Church in Ireland. The liturgies that will permeate the week long Congress and the two principal celebrations, the Opening Mass and Statio orbis, have also been carefully planned to reflect Irish spirituality – past and present – and the Universal Church. New Mass settings were commissioned from contemporary Irish composers and bear the title Sing the Mass. This may seem obvious to many, but not to Irish congregations. The irony is, that while Ireland is synonymous worldwide with music, celebration and song, once inside the Church and gathered around the altar, Irish congregations tend to leave the singing to choirs. This is why, for IEC2012, 100 choirs drawn from across the nation are going “undercover”. They will be dotted around the RDS Arena and the Croke Park stadium, among ordinary pilgrims. Each choir and their individual leader will try their best to encourage the people around them to celebrate their faith in song. “Really what the Archbishop of Dublin was looking for was just this huge voice of congregational singing”, says Germaine Carlos the women tasked with coordinating all one hundred choirs. For over a year, she says, choirs big and small have been preparing for the Congress experience. “They are so excited, that is the feeling right now, it’s the utter excitement. Whether the weather is rainy, they really don’t mind that at all they just want to get the music and get to Congress”. So what will they be singing? Everything from Hasslers O Sacrum Convivium to a new setting by Colin Mawby of the renowned hymn of adoration O Sacrament Most Holy. And in between real jems from Irish sacred music. The Liturgy of the Eucharist, when prepared with thought and care, can be the most powerful and compelling means to communicate the faith to people. The role of sacred music within the structure of the liturgy is often underestimated. Praise of God in song is not only a doorway open towards Heavens, it is also a channel of communication to others here on earth: “The Congress for us here in Dublin is not just the week”, says Fr. Pat O’Donoghue Director of Music for IEC2012. “We are encouraging everyone to freshly look at how they celebrate liturgy and from my point of view, how they celebrate the music of the liturgy. I am sure that people will come away with a sense of Ireland and music and the welcomes and hopefully the saints and the scholars too”.	<urn:uuid:59751d9c-e36f-4600-ac42-67b4e0b390c8>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.catholicanada.com/2012/05/iec2012-adoration-devotion-and-song/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.951094	755	1.625	2
jcsuperstar wrote:when i read these forums (and the other too) the thing is see a lot from Theravada buddhists is there is never any end to quotes. it's like one must know a million suttas. I think one must know a million suttas in order to answer questions knowledgeably. Also, being able to provide a quote along with one's answer helps instill confidence in the questioner that the answerer is more likely representing the Buddha's teaching. In other words, when I quote it shows you I'm not giving you my answer but rather the Buddha's answer. (If I gave you my answer your practice might end up being coffee and tv. now i read way more than i had to, but it seems like in zen, all you need to know is a few key sutras, some old stories and a few books by a few masters and you were set. the rest was just zazen. and you could get rather far with this. direct experience was the key not quotes and study. I think that in any tradition if you have steady access to a teacher then you can get away with not reading much - any questions or uncertainties that may arise can be worked out between you and your teacher. And since your teacher is likely well versed in the texts it is very close to as if you read those texts yourself. But even if you do not have steady access to a teacher then you can find a good book about the scriptures and that too would be close enough. So I think it's really just a difference in style. A Zen teacher might be more inclined to not quote texts and a Theravada teacher might be more inclined to quote but both teachings are grounded in the scriptures. is this even possible in theravada? is there an equivilent? or must we all become scholars? You only need to know as much as you need to keep your practice moving forward. I will add that many people ask more questions than they need; they are often just indulging intellectual curiosity rather than focusing on what they need for their personal practice. Also there are people who have no confidence in teachers at all and try to go directly to the scriptures and figure it all out for themselves. Oh, there might be another difference. In my sparse experience, a Zen teacher might be more inclined to answer a question with "Don't ask that question; just focus on your practice" whereas a Theravada teacher might be more inclined to answer whatever question is asked. In the end, only you can know how much scripture you need. I hope this is helpful. (Actually, genkaku said it well in much less space.	<urn:uuid:02427d66-45da-4e4d-89d3-7e16567cdd3b>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=2914	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.983109	559	1.828125	2
Monthly Archives February 2012 February 24, 2012 Editing Photography The ability to take quality photos has become much easier to achieve through the use of digital cameras. Even with these camera’s amazing abilities, we still sometimes face the fact that we are not completely happy with the image before us. However with digital photography software available to us today, we have the ability to change and edit our photos to perfection right at our fingertips. Some examples are listed of the digital photography software you can use and are available on the market today. Infran View — This software program can edit graphics at the same time cropping and cutting graphics, produce slideshows and even enhance images. Perfect for group processing. All of these features are available in one simple software program available free. Image Force – A great free software program with editing and painting tools. These tools have an image editor and will let you transfer images from digital cameras and scanners. It is widely used for editing, printing and sending photos. Provides high quality but takes a bit more practice to master. Kodak EasyShare Freeware – Simple to use and is highly recommended for the novice. Broad area of uses, mostly for the modifying, sharing, and printing of photos. PhotoFilter – Another s...Read More February 18, 2012 Digital Photography For anyone interested in study at home digital photography classes, there are a wealth of options available on the Internet. From professional online photography schools to free online photography lessons, there are truly more study at home digital photography classes available now than ever. Given that digital photographs are so widely distributed on the Internet, it makes sense that so many online resources are available. This article will guide you through the three most common options for study at home digital photography classes. Online Digital Photography Schools For the serious student of digital photography, there are accredited universities that now offer entire photography degree programs online. The Academy of Art University, founded and based in San Francisco, CA, is one such school that offers a completely online photography degree program.Read More February 11, 2012 Black And White Photography Black and white photography is something that is very popular amongst photographers and their clients. You can use black and white photography in many different ways, you can use it to create a “vintage feel” for your portraits or a very “classic modern feel as well”. There are also different types of coloring tones you can use, sepia, chocolate, blue, etc. Vintage and assorted overlays also look very nice on black and white photography and can completely turn the feel of a photo into something else in a few minutes. To edit black and white photography properly a good way to do it is to edit the photo in color first. Then when you turn the photo to black and white (which can be done many different ways) use the “curves or levels” tool in Photoshop and play around with the contrast. You can go a little more harsh on the contrast with black and white photos. Also, I always sharpen the photos up as well. For some reason black and white photos look way better when they are sharper in my opinion. One other tip I love to do is sharp...Read More	<urn:uuid:9157496c-0e87-4509-87d8-46a09327ad79>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://curescuphotography.com/2012/02/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.943411	657	1.671875	2
Hardison, Richard C. The following data is extracted from Counties Of Todd And Christian, Kentucky - Todd. RICHARD C. HARDISON, teacher, was born February 3, 1858, in St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana. His parents are Richard B. and Elizabeth Hardison. The father is a native of Kentucky; he is a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church South; he preaches and teaches in the public schools; he owns a farm of 100 acres in Muhlenburg County, Ky., which is carried on by himself and his son, John C. He has been a minister for about eight years, and a teacher for nearly thirty years. The mother is a native of Virginia. She also is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. These parents have five living children, viz.: May, wife of Benjamin F. Hill, elsewhere mentioned; Richard C., John C., Nellie R. and Lafayette B. Our subject left Louisiana and went with his parents to Illinois in 1861, Hamilton County. There the family remained four years, then came to Todd County, Ky. He worked on the farm in summer, and attended school in the winter, under the supervision of Prof. McGregor. Later he taught penmanship for two years; subsequently taught public schools, in which business he is still engaged. He expects to make teaching his profession; he has given general satisfaction where he has taught; but few teachers in the county have a better reputation for advancing pupils and giving satisfaction to parents, patrons and all concerned. There are but few persons of his age who have a better outlook for a life of usefulness and devotion than has Mr. Hardison, the subject of this sketch. Source: Counties Of Todd And Christian, Kentucky - Todd	<urn:uuid:b7519b95-90c8-4315-aeb7-5c614fc142eb>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.accessgenealogy.com/scripts/data/database.cgi?file=Data&report=SingleArticle&ArticleID=0026168	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.982917	361	1.609375	2
MUST READ: Rise Up or Die by Chris Hedges Joe Sacco and I spent two years reporting from the poorest pockets of the United States for our book “Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt.” We went into our nation’s impoverished “sacrifice zones”—the first areas forced to kneel before the dictates of the marketplace—to show what happens when unfettered corporate capitalism and ceaseless economic expansion no longer have external impediments. We wanted to illustrate what unrestrained corporate exploitation does to families, communities and the natural world. We wanted to challenge the reigning ideology of globalization and laissez-faire capitalism to illustrate what life becomes when human beings and the ecosystem are ruthlessly turned into commodities to exploit until exhaustion or collapse. And we wanted to expose as impotent the formal liberal and governmental institutions that once made reform possible, institutions no longer equipped with enough authority to check the assault of corporate power. What has taken place in these sacrifice zones—in postindustrial cities such as Camden, N.J., and Detroit, in coalfields of southern West Virginia where mining companies blast off mountaintops, in Indian reservations where the demented project of limitless economic expansion and exploitation worked some of its earliest evil, and in produce fields where laborers often endure conditions that replicate slavery—is now happening to much of the rest of the country. These sacrifice zones succumbed first. You and I are next. Corporations write our legislation. They control our systems of information. They manage the political theater of electoral politics and impose our educational curriculum. They have turned the judiciary into one of their wholly owned subsidiaries. They have decimated labor unions and other independent mass organizations, as well as having bought off the Democratic Party, which once defended the rights of workers. With the evisceration of piecemeal and incremental reform—the primary role of liberal, democratic institutions—we are left defenseless against corporate power. The Department of Justice seizure of two months of records of phone calls to and from editors and reporters at The Associated Press is the latest in a series of dramatic assaults against our civil liberties. The DOJ move is part of an effort to hunt down the government official or officials who leaked information to the AP about the foiling of a plot to blow up a passenger jet. Information concerning phones of Associated Press bureaus in New York, Washington, D.C., and Hartford, Conn., as well as the home and mobile phones of editors and reporters, was secretly confiscated. This, along with measures such as the use of the Espionage Act against whistle-blowers, will put a deep freeze on all independent investigations into abuses of government and corporate power. Seizing the AP phone logs is part of the corporate state’s broader efforts to silence all voices that defy the official narrative, the state’s Newspeak, and hide from public view the inner workings, lies and crimes of empire. The person or persons who provided the classified information to the AP will, if arrested, mostly likely be prosecuted under the Espionage Act. That law was never intended when it was instituted in 1917 to silence whistle-blowers. And from 1917 until Barack Obama took office in 2009 it was employed against whistle-blowers only three times, the first time against Daniel Ellsberg for leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971. The Espionage Act has been used six times by the Obama administration against government whistle-blowers, including Thomas Drake. The government’s fierce persecution of the press—an attack pressed by many of the governmental agencies that are arrayed against WikiLeaks, Bradley Manning, Julian Assange and activists such as Jeremy Hammond—dovetails with the government’s use of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force to carry out the assassination of U.S. citizens; of the FISA Amendments Act, which retroactively makes legal what under our Constitution was once illegal—the warrantless wiretapping and monitoring of tens of millions of U.S. citizens; and of Section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act, which permits the government to have the military seize U.S. citizens, strip them of due process and hold them in indefinite detention. These measures, taken together, mean there are almost no civil liberties left. A handful of corporate oligarchs around the globe have everything—wealth, power and privilege—and the rest of us struggle as part of a vast underclass, increasingly impoverished and ruthlessly repressed. There is one set of laws and regulations for us; there is another set of laws and regulations for a power elite that functions as a global mafia. We stand helpless before the corporate onslaught. There is no way to vote against corporate power. Citizens have no way to bring about the prosecution of Wall Street bankers and financiers for fraud, military and intelligence officials for torture and war crimes, or security and surveillance officers for human rights abuses. The Federal Reserve is reduced to printing money for banks and financiers and lending it to them at almost zero percent interest; corporate officers then lend it to us at usurious rates as high as 30 percent. I do not know what to call this system. It is certainly not capitalism. Extortion might be a better word. The fossil fuel industry, meanwhile, relentlessly trashes the ecosystem for profit. The melting of 40 percent of the summer Arctic sea ice is, to corporations, a business opportunity. Companies rush to the Arctic and extract the last vestiges of oil, natural gas, minerals and fish stocks, indifferent to the death pangs of the planet. The same corporate forces that give us endless soap operas that pass for news, from the latest court proceedings surrounding O.J. Simpson to the tawdry details of the Jodi Arias murder trial, also give us atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide that surpass 400 parts per million. They entrance us with their electronic hallucinations as we waiver, as paralyzed with fear as Odysseus’ sailors, between Scylla and Charybdis. There is nothing in 5,000 years of economic history to justify the belief that human societies should structure their behavior around the demands of the marketplace. This is an absurd, utopian ideology. The airy promises of the market economy have, by now, all been exposed as lies. The ability of corporations to migrate overseas has decimated our manufacturing base. It has driven down wages, impoverishing our working class and ravaging our middle class. It has forced huge segments of the population—including those burdened by student loans—into decades of debt peonage. It has also opened the way to massive tax shelters that allow companies such as General Electric to pay no income tax. Corporations employ virtual slave labor in Bangladesh and China, making obscene profits. As corporations suck the last resources from communities and the natural world, they leave behind, as Joe Sacco and I saw in the sacrifice zones we wrote about, horrific human suffering and dead landscapes. The greater the destruction, the greater the apparatus crushes dissent. More than 100 million Americans—one-third of the population—live in poverty or a category called “near poverty.” Yet the stories of the poor and the near poor, the hardships they endure, are rarely told by a media that is owned by a handful of corporations—Viacom, General Electric, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Clear Channel and Disney. The suffering of the underclass, like the crimes of the power elite, has been rendered invisible. In the Lakota Indian reservation at Pine Ridge, S.D., in the United States’ second poorest county, the average life expectancy for a male is 48. This is the lowest in the Western Hemisphere outside of Haiti. About 60 percent of the Pine Ridge dwellings, many of which are sod huts, lack electricity, running water, adequate insulation or sewage systems. In the old coal camps of southern West Virginia, amid poisoned air, soil and water, cancer is an epidemic. There are few jobs. And the Appalachian Mountains, which provide the headwaters for much of the Eastern Seaboard, are dotted with enormous impoundment ponds filled with heavy metals and toxic sludge. In order to breathe, children go to school in southern West Virginia clutching inhalers. Residents trapped in the internal colonies of our blighted cities endure levels of poverty and violence, as well as mass incarceration, that leave them psychologically and emotionally shattered. And the nation’s agricultural workers, denied legal protection, are often forced to labor in conditions of unpaid bondage. This is the terrible algebra of corporate domination. This is where we are all headed. And in this accelerated race to the bottom we will end up as serfs or slaves. Rebel. Even if you fail, even if we all fail, we will have asserted against the corporate forces of exploitation and death our ultimate dignity as human beings. We will have defended what is sacred. Rebellion means steadfast defiance. It means resisting just as have Bradley Manning and Julian Assange, just as has Mumia Abu-Jamal, the radical journalist whom Cornel West, James Cone and I visited in prison last week in Frackville, Pa. It means refusing to succumb to fear. It means refusing to surrender, even if you find yourself, like Manning and Abu-Jamal, caged like an animal. It means saying no. To remain safe, to remain “innocent” in the eyes of the law in this moment in history is to be complicit in a monstrous evil. In his poem of resistance, “If We Must Die,” Claude McKay knew that the odds were stacked against African-Americans who resisted white supremacy. But he also knew that resistance to tyranny saves our souls. McKay wrote: If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursèd lot. If we must die, O let us nobly die So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! O kinsmen! We must meet the common foe! Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one death blow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! It is time to build radical mass movements that defy all formal centers of power and make concessions to none. It is time to employ the harsh language of open rebellion and class warfare. It is time to march to the beat of our own drum. The law historically has been a very imperfect tool for justice, as African-Americans know, but now it is exclusively the handmaiden of our corporate oppressors; now it is a mechanism of injustice. It was our corporate overlords who launched this war. Not us. Revolt will see us branded as criminals. Revolt will push us into the shadows. And yet, if we do not revolt we can no longer use the word “hope.” Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” grasps the dark soul of global capitalism. We are all aboard the doomed ship Pequod, a name connected to an Indian tribe eradicated by genocide, and Ahab is in charge. “All my means are sane,” Ahab says, “my motive and my object mad.” We are sailing on a maniacal voyage of self-destruction, and no one in a position of authority, even if he or she sees what lies ahead, is willing or able to stop it. Those on the Pequod who had a conscience, including Starbuck, did not have the courage to defy Ahab. The ship and its crew were doomed by habit, cowardice and hubris. Melville’s warning must become ours. Rise up or die.	<urn:uuid:f0902ae2-9542-4583-856e-5f5c6d6d4437>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/www.peacefulfamilies.org	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.950352	2,473	1.578125	2
Apple's 'Eyes Free' system puts Siri in cars Voice recognition never sounded so sexy. Apple caused its usual manic fanfare Monday with the release of a vehicle integration system that allows drivers to access Siri with a tap of the steering wheel. With automakers lining up to install the “Eyes Free” system, Apple may once again reframe how the world uses technology.Continue Reading The integration isn’t a new concept. And there’s no guarantee it will actually deter distracted driving. No matter. It’s Apple. “It was inevitable this would happen,” said Ed Kim, an industry analyst with Asia Pacific. “The way that Siri works is better than what any of the other automaker devices can do. So why not just let the phone do it itself?” Most of the major automakers, from Mercedes to Chrysler, have committed to Siri integration in an unprecedented 12 months. Such movement indicates the extent to which carmakers are embracing hands-free devices beyond the in-car systems they’re working to create, Kim said. Apple previewed the technology Monday at its annual developers conference in San Francisco. “I could see a scenario in the future where automakers stop trying to make the car itself have voice activation and let cellphone owners do it,” Kim said. Some automakers already offer voice command services. Chrysler's Uconnect enables drivers to make calls, get directions or play a certain song by voice command. Ford has a similar voice command service called Sync. Verizon is also looking to get in on the automobile action with its recent $612 million cash purchase of Hughes Telematics, which offers products such as GPS tracking and emergency services for cars. But Apple has the Midas touch when it comes to rolling out gadgets the masses want, even if it's not the first player to hit the marketplace. Apple didn't invent the MP3 player, but Steve Jobs's unveiling of the iPod changed the portable music market forever. It also wasn't the first company to manufacture smartphones, but people wait in mile-long lines for the latest iPhone. Apple looks to mimic that same success with automobiles. "They captured the cool factor and made it iconic in pretty much everything they've done so far. That's really their genius, among other things," said Jeff Silva, a telecom industry analyst with Medley Global Advisors. Silva notes that Apple's success in the auto market comes down to how well the Siri integration works. But Apple's track record of shaking up new markets bodes well for both the Cupertino tech company and automakers. "They've gained such a good reputation from making their devices user friendly that they're bound to be a powerful market competitor just because of their record," Silva said. "It probably works for the automakers too because Apple is such a good name. They can sell their product with a good degree of confidence that there's added value by having an Apple application or product integrated in the car." Not everyone has fallen into the Apple trance. Safety advocates applaud efforts to pull the phone away from drivers. But they hesitate to back a system that could prove equally distracting. Eyes Free “would change the playing field, but we are always very concerned about bringing in technology to the vehicle which would distract from the task at hand,” said Kara Macek with the Governors Highway Safety Association. Public efforts have focused primarily on hand-held devices. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has made texting while driving his administration’s cause célèbre. And 39 states have signed laws banning the action. But some studies suggest hands-free devices pose a similar threat. Just ask Siri. This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 7:16 p.m. on June 11, 2012.	<urn:uuid:42c4498c-f18a-486b-a1a9-ba87deff7917>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77305.html	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	0.956153	786	1.585938	2
Meet the Justice League of bank regulation. In a world ruled by powerful bankers, where politicians and regulators are compromised and weak, only a vigilante team of heroes with super-regulatory powers can keep us safe from rolling financial crises. Hopefully, at least. This team, called the Systemic Risk Council, will be led by the financial world's Wonder Woman, Sheila Bair, former head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Since the financial crisis, Bair has earned a reputation as one of the few bank regulators not completely captured by the industry. She has been less likely than most to fall on her fainting couch at the thought of breaking up the mega-banks, curbing banker pay or other taboo subjects. The goal of the Council -- which is not a government agency but a private group -- will be to look out for risks building up in the financial system and to keep pressure on regulators to curb risk-taking by giant banks. Such a group already exists, under the auspices of the Treasury Department: The Financial Stability Oversight Council, led by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. But it shockingly hasn't exactly been the fiercest watchdog. Nor have other bank regulators such as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, recently under fire for its "oversight" of JPMorgan Chase while that bank lost billions in the derivatives market. "The great challenge is to devise a system to identify risks that threaten market stability before they become a danger to the general public," Sheila Bair said in a press release. "As evidenced by the 2008 crisis and even recent headlines, we need a more effective and efficient early-warning system to detect issues that jeopardize the functioning of U.S. financial markets before they disrupt credit flows to the real economy. And two of the most critical tasks are how to impose greater market discipline on excess risk taking and effectively end the doctrine too-big-too-fail." Joining Bair will be Brooksley Born, who single-handedly fought Alan Greenspan and the forces of deregulation in the 1990s. They didn't listen to her warnings about unregulated derivatives, and the world paid a dear price in the financial crisis. The world is still at risk of another crisis, with many key Dodd-Frank financial reforms lobbied half to death or banished to limbo. Regulators still don't have the financing, motivation or technological chops to keep much of a watch on financial markets and avert the next crisis. Memories of the last disaster have been eroded by the banking lobby's fiendish Memory-Erasing Ray. That's where Bair's team comes in. "Despite the magnitude of the financial crisis, prospects for major reform of regulatory systems are inadequate and vague," John Rogers, CEO of CFA Institute, which is sponsoring the SRC along with the Pew Charitable Trusts, said in the release. He's also an SRC member. "This council will serve as an essential sounding board for systemic risk reforms focused on strong investor protection, and offer a critical voice to promote the enforcement of regulations, financial disclosure and transparency." A senior advisor to the SRC will be former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, who fought runaway inflation to the death in the 1980s and came up with the Volcker Rule against federally insured banks gambling with their own money. The group will also include some voices that may be friendlier to the banking industry, including former Republican Senators Chuck Hagel and Alan Simpson, former Citibank CEO John Reed and President George W. Bush's first Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Neill. That raises the risk that the group will be mired in conflict or drift toward centrist mush that doesn't help anybody. But a little tension always makes superhero teams more interesting. And the group's mere existence is encouraging to those who want to keep Wall Street on a short tether -- though it's also stark evidence of just how badly our actual, elected leaders have failed to do anything to prevent the next crisis.	<urn:uuid:46847963-18ca-48f2-bb8e-d02af99bbde5>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/06/sheila-bair-bank-regulation_n_1574186.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	0.961298	807	1.773438	2
Thursday, June 24, 2010 Lydia Seames Jordan / Georgia Cousins / Alex Crawford / Mary Lewis Crawford See Young v. Young, 139 W.Va. 290, 82 SE 2d 54, 2/16/1954 which is a Kanawha County case which cited the case of Jordan v.Cousins 128W.Va. 648, 37 SE 2d 890 which was a Greenbrier County case. In the Jordan case, Lydia Seames Jordan sued Georgia Cousins relative to a deed executed by Alex Crawford (“a colored man about 80 years old”). The deed was dated 6/1/1943 and it conveyed a Greenbrier County house and lot in the town of White Sulphur Springs (to Cousins). Lydia Seames Jordan contended that on that date in 1943, Alex Crawford was mentally incompetent. “Alex Crawford married Lydia Seames Jordan’s mother in 1904, when” Lydia “was about 12 years old”. “Several years later” Lydia “married and for a time she and her husband lived in the Crawford home and she and her husband built on that lot”. Lydia’s mother died in 1938 and Alex Crawford suffered a heart attack in 1939. Alex Crawford died in 1943. He had worked at the Greenbrier Hotel. (See the case history for the resolution of this matter). Posted by Carol Haynes at 10:18 AM	<urn:uuid:9d0cbf12-fe67-423f-8a79-0133ac5eb3db>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://aagenwv.blogspot.com/2010/06/lydia-seames-jordan-georgia-cousins.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.94855	298	1.664063	2
Cardinal Julián Herranz, President emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, President of the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia, was born on March 31, 1930 in Baena, Spain. He was ordained a priest on August 7, 1955 for the Prelature of Opus Dei. He holds a licence in medicine with a specialization in psychiatry and a degree in canon law. He was a professor at the University of Navarra. In 1960, he was called to service in the Roman Curia regarding the discipline of the clergy. In 1984 he was appointed Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law. On December 15, 1990, following the re-naming of the Commission (today the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts), he was appointed as Secretary and was assigned the titular episcopal see of Vertara, receiving episcopal ordination on January 6, 1991. On 19 December 1994 he was raised to Archbishop and appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. On December 3, 1999 he was also appointed President of the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia. President emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, February 15, 2007. Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the Consistory of October 21, 2003, of the Deaconry of S. Eugenio (St. Eugenius). - Congregations: for the Doctrine of the Faith; for Bishops; for the Causes of Saints; for the Evangelization of Peoples; for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments; - Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; - Pontifical Council for the Laity; - Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.	<urn:uuid:2b97a3a3-88f0-4ba4-9ad9-b68410d13e1c>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/cardinals/cardinal-deacons/herranz-casado-julin/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.9678	382	1.679688	2
July 26, 2012 Empirical Design & Testing In The WildPonderings and musings on that question of why we code. I'm not talking about why I am a programmer. That's easy - I enjoy it. Really, it's the question of "why software?" It's no secret that, as an industry, we tend to be solution-led. We figure out how to do something often before we've thought of a good reason for doing it. Maybe it's because we enjoy inventing solutions more than we do solving problems. Who knows? And it's fair to say that it can cut both ways. Many times, we have a solution sitting on the shelf gathering dust because nobody found a use for it, and then one day someone made that connection to a real problem and said "hey, you know what we could use for that?" But I'm seeing far too many solutions-looking-for-problems out there. CRM is the classic case-in-point. Large organisations know that they want it, but what is the goal of CRM? All too often, they can't articulate their reasons for wanting a particular CRM (or ERP, or whatever) solution. They just want it, and there's some vague acknowledgement that it might make things better somehow. I suspect some of the most successful software solutions have attached themselves to problems almost by accident. How often have you seen software being used for something that it wasn't intended to be used for? Who said, for exampe, that Twitter was an open messaging solution, and not the micro-blogging solution it was designed to be? As a micro-blogging solution, it's arguably a failure. What it's turned out to be is something like AOL Instant Messenger, but anyone can join in the conversation. Successes like Twitter and Facebook occur by providence more than by design. Users discover things they can do with the software, projecting their own use cases into it and working around the available features to find ways to exploit the underlying computerific nature of the beast. Strip away the brand names and the logos and the unique designs, and you're left with a fundamental set of use cases upon which all software is based to some degree or another. We're not supposed to use it that way, but for the majority, Microsoft Excel is a database solution. Indeed, I've seen Microsoft Word used as a database solution. You can store structured data in it. Ergo, it's a database. You see, people have problems. And when all's said and done, software is nothing more than an interface to the computer that they can use to solve their problems. A user interface of any kind presents us with a language we can use to communicate with the computer, and users can be very creative about how they use that language. In Word, it may well be "add row to table", but in the user's mind it's "add item to order" or "register dog with kennel". So too in Twitter, posting an update on my "micro-blog" might actually mean something else to me. I might be sending an open message to someone. I might be alerting followers to an interesting documentary I'm watching on TV at that moment. I might be asking for technical support. I've seen Twitter used in so many different ways. I'm fascinated by watching people use software, and especially by the distance between their own internal conceptual model of what they think they're doing (adding an item to an order) and what the software thinks they're doing (adding a row to a table). For me, these are the most enlightening use cases. What do people actually do using our software? When I examine usage logs, I often find patterns of repeated sequences of user interactions. When I was younger and more naive, I believed that these revealed a need to offer further automation (e.g., wizards) to speed up these repetitive tasks, and to an extent that's usually true. It's a very mechanistic way of looking at these patterns. But now I suspect that what these patterns reveal is more profound than that. Imagine examining a log of instructions sent to the CPU of your computer. You would undoubtedly find much repetition. But tracing those patterns up through the technology stack, we will discover that these repetitions are a product of sequences of instructions defined at increasingly higher levels of abstraction - layers of languages, if you like. A simple expression or statement in Java might result in a whole sequence of machine instructions. A method containing multiple statements might result in even longer sequences. And a user interface or domain-specific language (which, by the way, is also a user interface, and vice-versa) might ultimately invoke many such methods with each interaction. What I'm suggesting is that there can often be an unspoken - usually unacknowleged - language that sits above the user interface. This is the language of what the user intends. And for all our attempts to define this user language up-front (with use cases and user stories), I don't think I've ever seen software where the mapping between software features and user intentions was precisely 1-to-1. When I resolve to watch closely, I've always found the user working around the software to at least some extent to get what they really want. Inevitably, we don't get it right first time. Which is why we iterate. (We do iterate, right?) But what is that iteration based on? What are we feeding back in that helps to refine the design of our software? It's my contention that requirements analysis and UI/UX design should be as much - if not more - an activity based on watching what users do with our software as it is on asking them what they want to do before we write it. User acceptance testing helps us agree that we delivered what we agreed we should, but we need to go further. It's not enough to know that users can do what we expected they should be able to do using the software, because so much software gets its real value from being misused. And it's not enough that we observe people using our software in captivity, under controlled conditions and sticking to the agreed scripts. We need to know what they'll likely do with it in the wild. Going foward, here's how I plan to adapt my thinking about software design: I plan to shift even more of the effort to redesign. I plan to base redesign not on washy-washy "customer feedback" but on detailed, objective observations taken from the real-world (or as near as damn-it) as to how the software's actually being used. Repetition and patterns in real-world usage data will reveal that there are goals and concepts I must have missed, and I will examine the patterns and the data, and then use that as input to ongoing collaborative analysis and redesign with the users. I will keep doing this until no more usage patterns emerge and the design now encapsulates all of those missing goals and concepts, at which point hopefully the conceptual language of my software will be a 1-to-1 match for the user's. I plan to refine this approach so that less and less we present users with our interpreration of what we think they need, and more and more we allow the patterns that emerge from continued usage to inform us what really needs to be in the software. I consider this to be a scientific, empirical approach to software design. Design based on careful observation, which is then tested and retested based on further observations until what we observe is a precise match for what our users intend. In iterative design, every design iteration is a theory, and every theory must be thoroughly tested by experiment. My feeling is that, for all these years, I've been doing the experiments wrong. And this has meant that the feedback going into the next iteration is less meaningful. The whole point of iterative design is that we want to converge on the best design possible with the time and resources available to us. The $64,000 question is: converge on what? How do we know if we're getting hotter or colder? That final test has always felt somehow lacking to me. We deliver some working software, the customer tests it to see that it's what we agreed it should be, and then we move on to the next iteration, where - instead of refining the design - we usually just add more features to it. It's never felt right to me. In theory, the customer could come back and say "okay, so it does what we agreed, but now here are my changes to what we agreed for the next iteration". But they generally don't. That gets put off, and put off, and put off. Usually until a major roll-out, which is where most testing in the wild happens, and where most of the really meaningful feedback tends to come from. This is one of Agile's dirty little secrets. The majority of the teams are doing short increments and loooong iterations. The real learning doesn't start until a great deal of the software's already been written. And then, thanks to Agile's other dirty little secret (Unclean Code), there's less we can do about it. Usually bugger all, in fact. Of course, we're not going to be allowed to deploy software that doesn't have the mimimum viable set of features into a real business - any more than we'd be allowed to cut the ribbon on 10% of a suspension bridge - which is why I favour testing software in the most realistic simulations of the real world as possible. Whenever I mention the idea of a "model office" I hear murmurs of approval. Everyone thinks it's a good idea. So, naturally, nobody does it. But if you want to get that most meaningful feedback, and therefore converge on the real value in your software, testing in captivity isn't going to work. You need to be able to observe end users trying to do their jobs, live their lives and organise their pool parties using your software. If you can't observe them in the wild, you need to at least create a testing environment that can fool them into thinking they're in the wild, so you can observe them using it in the way they naturally would. That's my idea, basically. Deploy your software into the wild (or a very realistic simulation of it) and carefully and objectively observe what your real users do with it in realistic situations. Look for the patterns in that detailed usage data. Those patterns are goals and concepts that matter to your users which your software doesn't encapsulate. Make your software encapsulate those patterns. Then rinse and repeat until your software and your users are speaking exactly the same language. You think I'm kidding? Seriously, using a model office to test your software in is THE best idea in software development. Barr none. Nothing gets you closer to your users faster, except for actually becoming them. Nothing reveals the true nature of the user's problems, and the real gaps in your software, more directly. Nothing. NO-THING! And I bet you still won't use one. Posted 11 months, 6 days ago on July 26, 2012	<urn:uuid:cd4d9d58-33b0-4ad2-91c3-1129e8b430f2>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://codemanship.co.uk/parlezuml/blog/?postid=1121	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.965647	2,323	1.742188	2
Thursday, December 18, 2008 Valerie Harris Wins Transformation Award from Leeway Foundation! TLA member, Valerie Harris is a recipient of the 2008 Transformation Award from the Leeway Foundation. The award is given to 13 women in Philadelphia, PA and the surrounding area whose art over the past 5 years impacts social change in their communities. Valerie received the award in Literature for her community-based Writers Academy/Teen Writers Academy workshops, publishing, and documentary video projects. The Transformation Award comes with a purse of $15,000. Valerie plans to use part of the funds to complete production of "A Highway Runs Through It..." a documentary that she has written and is producing on the history and current issues of the African American community in Darby Township, a once rural enclave on the outskirts of Philadelphia that has been threatened by redevelopment efforts. The documentary project evolved from a 10-week memoir writing workshop Valerie delivered at a senior center in Darby Township in 2006.	<urn:uuid:e96d2727-c90c-4909-a745-93a2dc78980b>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://tlazine.blogspot.com/2008/12/valerie-harris-wins-transformation.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.942489	193	1.625	2
SAN DIEGO--(Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CYTX) announced that three oral presentations related to its cell therapy are being presented today at the 10th annual International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Sciences meeting. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms-of-action for Cytori’s cell therapy. One study identified high levels of micro-RNA (miRNA) markers in human tissue thought to play a role in the repair of tissue injury resulting from ischemia, or lack of blood flow. Two additional characterization and comparative analysis studies on human tissue reaffirmed cellular characteristics of Cytori’s cell therapy and distinguished the safety, viability and cell make-up as compared to cell outputs derived from alternate approaches.)-- “If the composition of a cell population extracted from adipose tissue by an alternative process is not equivalent to Cytori’s ADRC population, one cannot claim equivalence to ADRCs in terms of safety or efficacy in preclinical or clinical outcomes.” “Results from all three studies have important implications for how the cells repair injured tissue and on the safety and viability of cell-based treatments derived from adipose tissue,” said John Fraser, Ph.D., Chief Scientist of Cytori Therapeutics. “Mechanisms identified in our miRNA analysis are consistent with our prior clinical and preclinical data, which suggest these mechanisms include angiogenesis, immune-modulation, and remodeling and wound repair. The miRNA study provides baseline data, which we can apply to our U.S. ATHENA clinical trial in refractory heart failure patients and other activities including our recently announced contract with BARDA for thermal burns.” In one study, miRNA profiles were assessed in adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) derived from human tissue samples. The purpose was to determine which miRNA markers are expressed, miRNA variability from patient to patient, cellular functions of miRNA, and to establish a baseline miRNA population on healthy patients to compare against patients with a specific disease. Specifically, miRNA markers associated with angiogenesis, tissue remodeling and wound repair, and modulation of the immune response were found to be highly represented in ADRCs. “Our two additional characterization and comparative analysis studies evaluated alternate processing techniques and reaffirmed our proprietary enzyme-based process using Celution® is the clear gold standard,” added Dr. Fraser. “If the composition of a cell population extracted from adipose tissue by an alternative process is not equivalent to Cytori’s ADRC population, one cannot claim equivalence to ADRCs in terms of safety or efficacy in preclinical or clinical outcomes.” The characterization and comparative analysis studies reaffirmed the high cell yield and viability as well as the heterogeneity in Cytori’s cell therapy approach. Cytori’s cells are derived with a proprietary formulation of clinical grade enzymes which break up the connective tissue and which are removed at the end of the process. Cytori’s cell mixture includes adipose-derived stem cells, based on the measure of colony forming units, and a high yield of CD34+ cells. By contrast, data in these studies showed that alternate approaches such as ultrasound or emulsification, contained little to no adipose-derived stem cells, a high concentration of red and white blood cells, and did not meet the key criteria for safe clinical use. Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. is developing cell therapies based on autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) to treat cardiovascular disease and repair soft tissue defects. Our scientific data suggest ADRCs improve blood flow, moderate the immune response and keep tissue at risk of dying alive. As a result, we believe these cells can be applied across multiple "ischemic" conditions. These therapies are made available to the physician and patient at the point-of-care by Cytori's proprietary technologies and products, including the Celution® system product family. www.cytori.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects, which may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements including our ability to apply this data to our ATHENA study and other projects are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties include our history of operating losses, the need for further financing, inherent risk and uncertainty in the protection of intellectual property rights, regulatory uncertainties regarding the collection and results of, clinical data, dependence on third party performance, and other risks and uncertainties described under the "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange Commission Filings, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Cytori assumes no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events, trends or circumstances after the date of this press release. The Celution® System is available in the United States for investigational use only.	<urn:uuid:b60d57b4-2e9a-4e5c-829c-8ecafa454f1c>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20121005005131/en/Multiple-miRNA-Markers-Angiogenesis-Tissue-Injury-Repair	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.934774	1,070	1.679688	2
PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA—A press release issued by the state-run Korean Central News Agency Monday confirmed that the Oct. 9 underground nuclear test in North Korea's Yanggang province successfully exploded the communist nation's total gross domestic product for the past four decades. "This is a grand day for the Democratic Peoples Republic Of Korea, whose citizens have sacrificed their wages, their food, and their lives so that our great nation could test a nuclear weapon thousands of feet beneath our own soil," read an excerpt from the statement. "Now the rest of the world must stand up and take notice that the DPRK, too, is capable of decimating years of its wealth at any given moment." North Korea's announcement would appear to support the CIA's intelligence information on the blast. According to the CIA, over 500 tons of compressed purchasing power, the equivalent of 40 years of goods and services produced by the impoverished country, vaporized in 560 billionths of one second. The device consumed 15 years of peasant wages' worth of uranium, two decades of agricultural- and fishery-export profits' worth for its above-ground emplacement tower, and the lifetime earnings of the entire workforce of the Kilchu fish-canning factory for tungsten/carbide-steel bomb casings. "A nuclear device that size explodes with the force of 10 to 15 tons of TNT, or a moderately sized economic boom," said Ronald Shimokawa, a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. "The detonation most likely sent the burning, liquified remains of North Korea's economy deep into the Earth's core." Across the country, North Korean citizens cheered wildly after learning their nation had violently transformed the equivalent of 2.3 billion hot meals, 11 million housing units, and 1,700 hospitals into their component atoms. Others celebrated by gleaning recently harvested rice paddies for leftover grains. "This fraction-of-a-second blast is what I, and my parents before me, have given up everything to achieve," said tractor driver Chin Lee-Park, whose machine was cannibalized for bomb derrick parts in 1997. "It is truly a great day for North Korea," added Lee-Park, who then died due to a combination of malnutrition and tuberculosis. The North Korean government has long been suspected of building up a clandestine stockpile of capital, evidenced by their tendency to shut down national programs that provide its citizens with food, clothing, medicine, shelter, transportation, water, sanitation, education, living wages, and means of communication. A North Korean diplomat defended the decision, saying that citizens "need to make certain sacrifices so their country can afford the basic human right of national security." International suspicions intensified earlier this month, when satellite surveillance revealed that Kilchu farmers had burned the nation's last remaining wheat field to make room for the test site, that peasant shacks were being dismantled to provide the necessary materials to construct a cradle in which the bomb could be lowered into the ground, and that thousands of starving, near-naked Sangpyong-ri residents were digging an 800-meter vertical underground shaft with wooden rice spoons. In addition, an estimated 75 percent of North Korea's metallurgical wealth and gypsum stockpiles were repurposed for use as stemming materials to backfill the test site's hole prior to detonation. With the test, North Korea joins an exclusive group of nations that spends a huge percentage of their GDP on nuclear weapons programs. Yet, despite North Korea's claim that it will proceed with further nuclear testing, the international community is skeptical of whether it has the means to do so, in wake of news over the weekend that leader Kim Jong-Il has authorized the use of the remaining three percent of North Korea's GDP for the construction of six monuments bearing his likeness.	<urn:uuid:f7c60ae2-b30e-416c-a8e0-707d8dbf7430>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.theonion.com/articles/n-korea-detonates-40-years-of-gdp,2068/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.953508	781	1.84375	2
I’m still reading my copy of Bruce Schneier’s Liars and Outliers. I plan eventually to post a review of this book, but then Schneier’s publisher announced a 50% off Cyber Monday sale for a DRM-free e-text of all of their books. Schneier is an expert in cryptography. One might wonder what connection exists between the mathematics of encrypted communications and bicycling, but it’s difficult to claim expertise in computer security without paying attention to the substantial human element. Our risk assessment skills worked fine when we lived in small groups back in the stone age, but they fail miserably in our complex, modern society. This causes most people, for example, to believe that cycling in traffic is more dangerous than it actually is. Schneier also covers societal issues and group dynamics that come directly into play when you look at transportation policy. While he’s not a social scientist, Schneier’s latest book examines the role of trust in modern society and examines wider issues that he began to took at in his earlier book Beyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World..	<urn:uuid:0ef71f51-00e1-4bad-a6fa-432028535867>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.cyclelicio.us/2012/liars-outliers-cybermonday-sale/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.946003	238	1.664063	2
Mirena IUD side effects, including uterine perforations, device migration, scarring, intestinal obstructions, organ damage and infections, can have serious, even permanent consequences for a woman’s health and well-being. Any one of these Mirena IUD side effects can require surgical intervention, and place a woman’s fertility, as well as her life, at risk. Unfortunately, many women were unaware of the potential for dangerous Mirena injuries when they chose this method of birth control. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has even warned Bayer that certain promotional materials for the product downplayed serious Mirena IUD side effects. Lawsuits filed by alleged victims of Mirena IUD side effects claim Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals failed to adequately warn women and their doctors about the possible complications associated with the device. If you were the victim of a Mirena injury, you too may be eligible to file your own lawsuit seeking compensation for your pain and suffering. To learn more about a Mirena IUD lawsuit, please contact the lawyers at Bernstein Liebhard LLP today. Mirena Uterine Perforations One of the most common Mirena IUD side effects is uterine perforation. This injury occurs when the Mirena IUD moves from its proper location and punctures the uterine wall. A Mirena uterine perforation is most likely to occur shortly after insertion, but often is not discovered until later. If you’ve had a C-section, uterine surgery or abdominal surgery, you may face a higher risk of experiencing a uterine perforation from Mirena. Breast feeding women may also be more vulnerable. Uterine perforations can be quite dangerous. Untreated, this Mirena complication may result in hemorrhage or sepsis. Surgical intervention is almost always needed, and in the most the serious cases may result in a complete hysterectomy. Because the consequences of this Mirena IUD side effect can be so devastating, women using the device should contact their doctor immediately if they experience unusual symptoms, such as: - Heavy bleeding - Abdominal pain Other Mirena IUD Side Effects Other Mirena IUD side effects that may occur if the device migrates from its proper placement include adhesions, scarring, and infection. The intestines and other organs may also be damaged if the IUD migrates outside of the uterus. A woman is also more likely to experience an unintended pregnancy if Mirena migrates, especially a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy. FDA Mirena Warning Letter According to a warning letter the FDA sent to Bayer in 2009, a direct marketing campaign the company created with the “Mom Central” internet site had downplayed the risk of Mirena IUD side effects. The FDA also took issue with Bayer’s claims that using Mirena would improve a woman’s sex life and help her “look and feel better. How to File a Mirena IUD Side Effects Lawsuit If you were injured by Mirena, filing suit against Bayer may enable you to obtain compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call the lawyers at Bernstein Liebhard LLP at 1-888-364-6688 or fill out the free case evaluation form on this page. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the criteria for filing a Mirena IUD side effects lawsuit.	<urn:uuid:02071e22-893d-4869-9f28-7a28e13ede8c>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.themirenaiudlawsuit.com/mirena-iud-side-effects/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.935955	740	1.5	2
Results 1 to 10 of 13 I've been trying to do this out of curiosity. I wanted to see what framebuffer graphics looked like. But so far I haven't succeeded. I can create a framebuffer device ... Enjoy an ad free experience by logging in. Not a member yet? Register. - 07-23-2011 #1 Running links in the framebuffer - it runs but I can't see it I've been trying to do this out of curiosity. I wanted to see what framebuffer graphics looked like. But so far I haven't succeeded. I can create a framebuffer device /dev/fb0 by loading a driver module (I've been using vga16, which is a general-purpose one that is supposed to work on most graphics chips). Then, if I chmod it so that I can read and write to it as a normal user, I can launch links in graphical mode without getting any errors. But the weird thing is that it doesn't show the page I requested; it shows the console instead. I can see that it's a framebuffer console, not the normal one, because the colours are quite different and much brighter. If I interrupt or kill links, the normal virtual console comes back. At first I thought that links might have opened a new virtual console to show its own pages but I checked them all and none of them was showing links. Just what is going on here?"I'm just a little old lady; don't try to dazzle me with jargon!" - 07-30-2011 #2 - Join Date - Apr 2009 - I can be found either 40 miles west of Chicago, or in a galaxy far, far away. Sorry I can't help Hazel. I haven't futzed with raw frame buffers since back in the old vga days (1980's - early 90's). Anyway, I think that if you use a framebuffer, you also need to low-level program the graphics chip to go into raw vga mode. I think you are 1/2 the way there.Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real time. Just remember, Semper Gumbi - always be flexible! - 07-31-2011 #3 - Join Date - Nov 2009 I don't think it's possible to switch from text-mode to a graphics console by loading a module. Try this: zcat /proc/config.gz \|grep CONFIG_FB_VESA If the reply is CONFIG_FB_VESA=y, you can boot Linux with a framebuffer console by changing the vga parameter. # VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k # VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k # VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256 # VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k # VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k # VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256 # VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k # VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k # VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256 - 08-02-2011 #4 Well, actually I don't want a framebuffer console. It's Links that I want to run in the framebuffer. But after a few experiments I think I have diagnosed the problem (not that that gets me any closer to a solution!) I think that Links is reading and displaying the framebuffer correctly but, for some reason, can't write to it. So what I see is what was already in video memory: a copy of what I had previously written on the console. The keyboard and mouse seem dead only because Links can't respond to them by modifying the display. I can still do things like using alt-Fn to switch consoles or ctrl-C to crash Links. I have a gut feeling that this has to do with something called directfb because, when I installed Links on Debian, directfb came over as a dependency, and I actually can run Links in the framebuffer on that system. I'm going to do some research on this. I hate mysteries."I'm just a little old lady; don't try to dazzle me with jargon!" - 08-03-2011 #5 - Join Date - Nov 2009 If there is a framebuffer device, links is probably writing to it, but links is not allowed to display it - that's what the kernel module is supposed to do. If you don't use a framebuffer console, your graphics card is using hardware text mode and is not able to display graphics. As I said, I think you have to boot with a framebuffer console if you want to use links' framebuffer driver. However, links also has an SVGAlib driver and it is possible to switch from text mode to graphics mode with SVGAlib, but you need to run links as root to do this. - 08-04-2011 #6 If I just type "links2 -g" or "xlinks2", I get it running with directfb. There's a fixed (rather low) resolution and text is practically illegible. But otherwise it works. If I set a mode to get good resolution, that triggers svgalib. Then of course I have to be root or I get permissions problems. It works, up to a point, and it's legible but it freezes easily. According to the links manual, that's svgalib's fault, not theirs! Either way, I think X is better!"I'm just a little old lady; don't try to dazzle me with jargon!" - 08-05-2011 #7 Well, I finally cracked it! To use the framebuffer without directfb, you don't need special boot parameters but you do need to have two kernel modules loaded: the framebuffer driver for your video chip/card (in my case i810fb) and the framebuffer console driver, fbcon. And gpm for your mouse (though I already knew that). So there are actually three ways links can run graphically without X: 1) Directly on the framebuffer as above. 2) Indirectly on the framebuffer via libdirectfb (which is how Debian does it) 3) via SVGAlib (also available in Debian). The caveat with 1) and 2) is that the display is lousy and you can hardly read it. 3) gives a nice display but crashes easily because of some kind of incompatibility between SVGAlib and links. And when it does crash, your console is dead so you have to switch off your computer. And of course you need to run it SUID, or actually as root. It's all very interesting but I still think I prefer X!"I'm just a little old lady; don't try to dazzle me with jargon!" - 08-05-2011 #8 ... I was playing with links -g in Arch I just installed links-g-directfb from the AUR and it just worked. In Gentoo I set fbcon and directfb flags for links and emerge'd link - but used modeset=1 option to get links -g to work (I'm using nouveau for the nvidia graphics card) ... I was thinking I'd use links without the X overhead on a hardware limited laptop ... - 08-06-2011 #9 Well, that's what I was thinking too. And on Debian, links -g does "just work". But if I can barely read the text, what is the point of it? I'd be interested to know what kind of resolution you are getting. Additional material: I found this HOWTO on building gtk for the framebuffer. Once you have done this, I suppose you can build and run any gtk program to run this way. Last edited by hazel; 08-06-2011 at 05:02 PM."I'm just a little old lady; don't try to dazzle me with jargon!" - 08-07-2011 #10 - Join Date - Nov 2009 For me, links looks exactly the same on the framebuffer and in X, but I use the VESA framebuffer driver, which has to be started at boot time. I don't understand why you are so deeply opposed to this; if you are going to use a framebuffer driver, why not boot with it?	<urn:uuid:71a1124c-0b7c-44d0-9405-04b2f63078d2>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/applications/181014-running-links-framebuffer-runs-but-i-cant-see.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.947412	1,780	1.523438	2
The Arts at SDJA SDJA's diverse arts program includes music, art and theatre. Arts education begins early at SDJA with a dedicated art teacher in the lower school. SDJA created the Maimonides Arts Collective (MAC) in the upper school to enhance our art education programs. The program continues to flourish and offers courses in performing arts, music, visual arts, digital photography, graphic design, journalism, video production and yearbook. MAC also offers after-school programming to supplement the arts curriculum. At SDJA, professional artists ensure that your child is receiving an arts education that is based on years of experience. With diverse course offerings, SDJA encourages our students to pursue a broad range of creative exploration.	<urn:uuid:3d04101c-96c9-443c-8a0d-53d63457a359>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.sdja.com/arts.php	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.953006	148	1.53125	2
When I reached Ho Chi Minh City I was overwhelmed by their transport system not because it’s good but it’s because it’s very chaotic. There were no presences of MRT or LRT. Bus were limited and the only convenient mode of public transportation is taxi. What all locals use as means of transportation is the motor bike. Would you believe that the ratio of motor bike there is 1:1. Even woman drive their own motor bike. What even surprises me is that they do drive even when wearing shirt or office attire with those heels on and still they can manage to drive their motor bikes. You may ask how the condition on the road was. Well, there were more motor bikes versus the private cars and taxis and buses. If one wishes to drive their cars they should be extra careful for their will be a motor bike that will appear in front of you. And if one may wish to cross the street, don’t wait for the cars to stop before you cross because that would not happen. You cross the street then that’s time they will avoid you but they will still drive through. They don’t even respect the traffic signs such as pedestrian lanes and traffic lights. In short there were no traffic rules. That’s why if you intend to go to a place you should give at least thirty (30) minutes to one (1) hour for the traveling time even for a short distance for the traffic jam is every where. And worst if it rains it will surely flood. Also just a tip if you want to roam the city you have to ask someone to write the place in Vietnamese language in a piece of paper and show it to the taxi driver for they don't know how to speak English and they will not understand you also. I can’t even imagine how locals survive with this situation but they did survive after all. If only there were trains or more buses on the street people will not have to buy motorbike and the road will be more organized. Just my thought. Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived. ~ Jean Luc Picard ~	<urn:uuid:aad03651-8d3b-434c-b720-b5fa620e0dbd>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.ameliasnest.com/2009/07/transportation-system-in-ho-chi-minh.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.979718	467	1.71875	2
by Kate Sonka I recently returned from a month spent in Lithuania working with Lithuanian K-12 English as a foreign language teachers. Let me begin by saying that I never really was sure what the students would be like before I left, so it was my best guess that they would like the lessons I prepared. The information I received before my departure indicated that they were very interested in learning what we do in the U.S. and they wanted ideas on what they could do with their students in the classroom. Since I believe writing is such a beneficial and crucial part of language learning, I knew I wanted to include it in a significant way. My first lesson was a mash up of personal introductions and then a brief introduction to the U.S. linguistic landscape, focusing exclusively on what it looks like for English language learners (I couldn’t help it – that’s what I’ve been talking about in grad school for the past 2.5 years). At any rate, I chalked up students’ apparent aversion to that lesson as “they just don’t know me yet and will warm up.” This is mostly true. The more I saw my homeroom group, the more cordial and even jovial we became with one another. Some of the classes were more talkative than others, which is normal in any school. For my second lesson I wanted to talk about short stories and segue into some creative writing. I had them read a story called The Dinner Party that is quite short and entertaining. They all seemed to like it and when discussing it afterward, most were engaged. Then the true test began: I asked them to rewrite a specific paragraph from the point of view of a different character. It took quite a bit of convincing to get them to do it but they did eventually give in and most of them really enjoyed it. After that I had them write their own short stories in a series of steps focusing on parts of a story (i.e. character, setting, plot, etc.). You would have thought I asked them to build me a rocket and fly me to the moon! After discussing this with my first class I was able to glean that creative writing is just not done there. After probing this issue a bit more I was told it was because it’s not on the test their students take. Oh boy. I think most of you will identify with my immediate disgust and annoyance that it appeared standardized tests would be plaguing me there and ruining what was supposed to be a fun English summer camp. I listened to their concerns over why I was having them do that and had to remind them that 1) they want to know different activities we have in our curriculum, 2) all of the benefits creative writing can provide for language learners, and 3) this was supposed to be fun. Most of them eventually gave in and later told me they liked doing it and would find ways to incorporate it into their own classrooms. But of course my creative writing crusade didn’t end there and for my third lesson I had them write This I Believe personal essays (modeled after the NPR program of the same name). It was a challenge to convince the teachers to write an essay, but those that did presented me with an interesting mix of essays. There were some that missed the mark a little, but they did share some sort of personal idea so I counted it (in fact I was positive about each essay no matter what the topic, because personal essays are such a foreign idea to them that I didn’t want to discourage them at all). One in particular was really fantastic. Download my student’s This I Believe, essay if you’d like to read it. To give some context to the essay, we were told that in May 4,000 young people left Lithuania for other parts of Western Europe to pursue employment. It is an epidemic there and the youth are continuing to leave the country in search of better opportunities. I was told the divorce rate is on the rise and less people are getting married (opting instead to just live together). Even though the Soviets left Lithuania 20 years ago, the country still has a lot to overcome but it is people like Ruta who believe in the country and will do everything they can to prevent it from failing. The road to creative writing with the Lithuanian teachers was certainly a little bit bumpier than I had anticipated, but the teachers were really wonderful people. I was lucky to have a mix of young and old, so during discussions I was able to learn about what it was like to live under Soviet times, and at the same time see how those who didn’t spend most of their life under Soviet rule think and act in comparison. All in all I had the experience of a lifetime. I learned more than I ever could have imagined, and most of it had nothing to do with the actual practice of teaching. Cultural exchanges are always a fantastic way to be reminded of just how fortunate we are to live in the U.S., and give us pause to be thankful for what we have.	<urn:uuid:f0190ae9-85d3-4e08-8eb3-056b704d618e>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.depaulcet.org/creative-writing-or-the-activity-you-should-not-attempt-if-you-ever-find-yourself-in-post-communist-eastern-europe/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.990386	1,045	1.679688	2
The street is a theater, admission free. Our clothing, faces, and gestures tell the stories of our lives—as individuals and as members of communities. The handheld camera—nearly as quick as the eye—is an ideal tool for observing the spectacle. Cartier-Bresson’s talent stood on two legs—one photographic, one human. He was exceptionally good at anticipating how the world would be transformed as it passed through the lens into the image. And wherever he found himself—among peasants or kings, saints or villains—he was quick to grasp who was who and what was what.	<urn:uuid:5602a978-fd67-4e50-8885-bbc3d8d4389a>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/henricartierbresson/themes/12/all/1.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.974655	124	1.703125	2
Starting To Invest Investing is the first step toward creating a more financially secure future - congratulations on being prepared to take that step. As you're probably all too informed, investing can also be intimidating, especially when this is your first time. But like all things, it's much easier if you have a plan in place. The first thing you want to do is identify your goals. Do you wish to purchase a new home? Fund a child's education? Or are you simply looking for long-term savings? Once you have your goals identified, you'll see how much you need, when you need it, and you should be able to make better choices about what investment options are right for you. But before you create an investing strategy, you should assess your existing financial picture. Do you have a clear image of your current expenses and where your money is going? Do you have a lot of credit card debt? Are you carrying an emergency reserve with at least three months of income in savings? Because investing involves putting money away for the long-term, it's key that you have your immediate needs covered. The Big Picture At Warren Wealth Management, we are devoted to looking out for your best interests and helping you design an investment plan that works for you. We believe the best way is to put money into quality investments that have proven track records to help ride out the ups and downs of the market without giving up your long-term goals. To learn how Warren Wealth Management can assist in prioritizing your financial needs and turn them into quantifiable goals, visit our contact page to reach us. We'll talk to you one-on-one and offer a complimentary review, a service that can help clarify and prioritize your financial goals and record your progress toward reaching them.	<urn:uuid:e12ff3ed-cdb9-443f-87fb-06c4b22ac09e>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.warrenwealth.com/need-starting_to_invest.php	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	0.964679	361	1.710938	2
While the future for Sandy Hook Elementary School is still up in the air, volunteers are working around the clock in neighboring Monroe, CT. They are transforming an old middle school into a place where Sandy Hook students can once again learn. The Chalk Hill Middle School in Monroe closed down 18 months ago when the student population in Monroe dropped and schools were consolidated. Monroe Police Lt. Brian McCauley said it just made sense to move Sandy Hook students to the empty school building in the wake of this tragedy. Gov. Dannel Malloy signed an executive order that allows both school districts to cut through the red tape and get the school up and running. The school is a little run down. That's why volunteers were needed to get the school back in shape. McCauley said they have every kind of contractor at the school making sure it is safe. They are inspecting the fire suppression system, the sprinkler system, plumbing and especially the locks. New keys are being carved to make sure no intruders can get in. School officials said police will be inside the school and all IDs will be checked. The school is eight miles away from Sandy Hook and the goal is to have it ready by Christmas. However, there's been no official date set on when school will start again for Sandy Hook Elementary School students. Copyright 2012 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.	<urn:uuid:333ebd5e-03c8-41a6-9d69-fdfb2b0e5adf>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.kpho.com/story/20368239/sandy-hook-students-to-attend-school-in-monroe	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.97166	285	1.820313	2
Verdict: The book is reminiscent of a film noir, with a well meaning guy—driven by guilt—is caught in a trap, in over his head and not realizing how all the pieces are coming together to frame him. The Price of Guilt begins with a flashback, as Thomas Walsh sits in a jail cell and tries to come to terms with how he got there. He traces the story back to when, as a thirteen year-old, he and three friends discover one of their married female teachers enter a hotel room with a man who is not her husband. The boys manage to get a couple of photos depicting the man and their teacher in a compromising position. When the photos come to the attention of the local pharmacist during processing, the man reports what he sees, quickly leading to press attention which ruins the man’s political career and drives the woman to write a suicide note. She ultimately decides against taking her life but her husband finds the note, panics and takes their son, Donovan, with him to find her. Tragically, their car crashes; the man is killed and the boy blinded. The story picks up and the boy’s twenty-fifth class reunion where Thomas is seated with his old friends. They read a letter written by Donavon, explaining that he has come upon hard times and is unable to attend. Thomas, now a lawyer who helps the underprivileged, decides to visit Donovan to try to help him. Haunted by guilt from the long ago incident, Thomas checks into Donavon’s rundown fishing resort under a false name, hoping to redeem himself. But things don’t go as planned. Thomas gets caught up in a maze involving illegal drugs. Author Garry’s ugly and realistic portrait of Thomas’ dissolving marriage makes it understandable that Thomas would fall for the beautiful Sheri, and that all of his education won’t help him against a well planned scam. All of the elements in this book—plot, character, dialogue, tension and foreshadowing—are handled smoothly and assuredly. The book is reminiscent of a film noir, with a well meaning guy—driven by guilt—is caught in a trap, in over his head and not realizing how all the pieces are coming together to frame him. Reviewed by Joe DelPriore for IndieReader Purchase The Price of Guilt from Amazon	<urn:uuid:ab8f7ad5-72fa-4d49-a6b3-840e07fb81d0>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://indiereader.com/2012/07/the-price-of-guilt/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.975819	491	1.570313	2
Jun 19, 2010 I was wondering if testosterone is dangerous for me a n HIV+ person NO complications so otherwise very healthy. well except for spastic legs which hopefully will disappear. So I guess I have 2 questions. Also your story recenlty on this site was very well written and enjoyable. Thank you for your knowledge and time Tim \| Response from Dr. Frascino The risks associated with testosterone replacement therapy are no different for HIVers than for their neggie counterparts. If you have hypogonadism (low testosterone levels), testosterone replacement therapy could be quite beneficial in many ways, including increasing your energy level, sex drive and muscle mass and making your Mr. Happy much happier. You can read much more about hypogonadism and testosterone in the expert forum Fatigue and Anemia. We have a chapter in the archives devoted to the topic. Good luck. Be well Tim. Get Email Notifications When This Forum Updates or Subscribe With RSS This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.	<urn:uuid:71d3d851-346f-425b-8c81-4f71e77d027f>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Q209258.html?ic=4003	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.931829	308	1.507813	2
The cost of developing a new medicine continues to climb — estimates range from $800 million to $1.3 billion — and as the processes of drug development grow more complex and time-consuming, it will take strategic planning and partnering to find areas to reduce the expense of bringing a new drug to market. Preformulation/formulation is a key stage where selecting the right outsourcing partner can address the challenges of balancing increasing complexities with developing drugs with greater speed. Preformulation serves as the crossing point between the drug substance and the drug product, and so the outsourcing partner selected for these projects plays a critical role in whether the compound becomes a medicine — fewer than 1% of new drug compounds are approved by the FDA as “new molecular entities”/novel drugs. An initial consideration in selecting an outsourcing partner for preformulation / formulation projects is whether to choose an organization with strengths that lie in discovery services or a more “full-service” organization with the ability to manufacture commercial quantities. Opting for an organization rooted in discovery for preformulation indicates your partner will be strongly attuned to the attributes of the molecule and its characteristics. However, should the need for commercial manufacturing present itself, partnering with an organization with services that end at preclinical trials presents potential risks in the technology transfer and scale-up from lab to commercial quantities, as well the costs involved in researching and selecting the right manufacturer. A possible advantage of using a CMO that provides preformulation / formulation services as well as commercial manufacturing is familiarity with end products. A business with a keen understanding of the steps toward commercial production can help determine the final dosage form and save time, effort, and money. Yet, will organizations that are less focused on discovery rush to start clinical trials? With clear benefits and drawbacks in choosing a discovery-oriented CRO or a CMO with preformulation services, we randomly selected five of the leading businesses from each group (with respect to forecasted market share) and reviewed their quality, regulatory, cost, and productivity ratings. These drivers tie closely to the challenges the right preformulation partner can address — helping develop drugs more quickly despite development processes growing more intricate. The CROs we selected include BASi (Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.), Bio-Synthesis, Covance, Cyanta Analytical Laboratories, and Quality Chemical Laboratories. The CMOs include BASF, Boehringer Ingelheim, DSM Pharmaceutical Products, Johnson Matthey Pharma Services, and Lonza. Quality scores averaged nearly even between the groups (CROs: 58%, CMOs: 59%), although there was a wider spread in quality ratings for CROs. The CROs’ quality was just as strong as the CMOs’, although the spread in ratings indicates extra due diligence on this measure will be worthwhile. The average regulatory compliance ratings for CMOs skewed lower than CROs, which may indicate that businesses focused on discovery and research stay more aware of changing regulatory constraints. This awareness and an understanding of risks (and the experience to successfully manage them) are key attributes to seek out in a discovery-focused preformulation provider. Discovery-Focused CROs Rated Higher In Productivity And Affordability Survey respondents tended to perceive CROs as slightly more affordable than CMOs; 57% vs 51% indicated the business’ “pricing will fit my budget.” Meaning, if you already have a short-list or preferred provider for manufacturing, you may save on expenditure partnering with a CRO. (If you don’t, keep in mind the expense of selecting two partners, as compared to one full-service CMO.) In addition, CROs were viewed as having higher productivity than CMOs (65% vs 58%). Businesses that concentrate on core competencies — providing fewer services, but in greater depth — may be able to generate a higher quantity of candidates to strengthen the pipeline. The selected CROs outscored the leading CMOs in regulatory compliance, affordability, and productivity (while matching quality scores), suggesting the right partner for preformulation may be a CRO. With either option, it is essential to review the organization for a preformulation team with experts in analysis, chemical engineering, chemistry, and physical characterizations.	<urn:uuid:37821b61-55e2-4ead-90ec-f411a98b89aa>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://niceinsight.com/ni_articles.php?article_id=10	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.942716	883	1.609375	2
To the world this was a cable access arts and crafts show where an 89-year old hip woman known as Sue Teller taught her audience “how to make something new from something old.” The show did not only function as a really subtle product placement advertising campaign for Mountain Dew, it also promoted DIY user-friendly technologies and social networking. Not to mention recycling as a mayor green trend, without ever mentioning the word green. Now that is clever marketing! It was created by Ecopop in response to the rising interest in DIY principles. This marketing ploy proves that eco-friendly can be funny too. Fake TV Shows for Prominent Product Placement 3,183 clicks in 238 w More Stats +/-	<urn:uuid:9b224721-2568-4f6c-a5d4-fe5c25071419>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mountain-dew-subtle-product-placement	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.95782	148	1.71875	2
Regular readers of this blog know the importance I attach to the religious upbringing of young Orthodox Christians. As the father of two teenage sons, I believe strongly that parents have a critical role to play. As central as our role is to the development of young people and imbuing them with a foundation in the Orthodox faith, parents need help. This effort should properly involve and include the Church, as a whole. As Orthodox Christians we are members of the Church and we are not alone. Individual communities within the body of the Church may encounter and have to grapple with all kinds of problems. These problems stem from the fact that all of us are flawed to some degree, we live in a flawed and often adversarial world and our communities and parishes reflect these flaws. Each of us needs to do his part. Many of these communities are enhanced by new converts who come to the Orthodox faith through trial and error and have built a strong foundation in the faith. Those of us who happen to be Orthodox by an accident of birth, need to re-energize our own faith to act as appropriate role models within our communities and most importantly for our young people. One of our key tasks as Orthodox Christians is the need to focus on the future, and the key to the future of Orthodoxy in America and in Greece is its young people. Youth programs at the local, Diocesan and Archdiocesan level are essential to evangelizing the next generation. If we fail to give young people our full and undivided attention we risk losing them to those aspects of our societies that are destructive. In my own parish, we have been fortunate to have the requisite leadership to help bring about a vibrant youth program that has made huge leaps forward. It hasn't been easy. The biggest stumbling block I have found is not money, or even leadership, it is in fact the willingness of parents to get their kids involved. Sometimes quite frankly a parent feels like this is just too hard. Too many commitments and too many forces pulling us in different directions. There is nothing more important, I repeat NOTHING, than giving our kids the spiritual tools to deal with life. Little George and Maria will probably never be soccer stars or violin virtuosos, but they will definitely need God in their lives, no matter what they do or where they go. Without a strong faith, they will truly be handicapped. By participating in Church youth activities, kids will bond with other kids who share their faith. Youth ministry doesn't end at the parish level. Two programs I think parents really need to learn about are the Metropolis of Boston Camp (one of many camps sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America) and the CrossRoad program at Hellenic College. Both of my sons have attended the Metropolis of Boston Camp for the last five years. The first year they attended I volunteered to work in the camp cafeteria, so I had ample opportunity to see the program and staff in action. I was thoroughly impressed. His Eminence, Metropolitan Methodios of Boston has been an active supporter of youth ministry and this is reflected in the growth of the Metropolis Camp program. This year’s program was very successful. More than 700 youngsters from throughout New England and several other states enjoyed a wonderful experience at the 200-acre Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, New Hampshire. Father Phillip Mousis, the dynamic director of Youth Ministries, oversaw the program, supervising a counseling staff comprised of dedicated and well trained young adults. The themes for this summer was Koinonia (Community and Fellowship), Diakonia (Service and Stewardship), Litourgia (Worship) and Martyria (Witness). These four themes are essential components to building a strong faith in Christ. Each summer, the camp program grows and improves. This was the third year that children with “special needs" were included. They enjoyed a week of activities together with all the campers. Summer Camp, 2007 promises to be another wonderful and spiritually fulfilling summer, connecting the campers through fun, faith and fellowship. On Sunday, September 10th, a groundbreaking ceremony will plant the seeds of faith and hope for the future of the Metropolis and its parishes throughout New England by building a Retreat House at the Camp site. The planned Retreat House will enhance the fine work already being done to further our spiritual and cultural heritage. The Metropolis is planning retreats, conferences and workshops for Parish Council members; for Philoptochos women; for young adults; for our choirs and chanters; for our Sunday School and Greek School teachers; and for senior citizens groups and young married couples. This year, my son Nick, a high school senior attended his last summer as a camper. He sat me down and informed me in no uncertain terms that he couldn't go to Greece until he went to camp. He was also lucky enough to get the opportunity to participate in the CrossRoad program. CrossRoad is an engaging 10-day summer program for Orthodox Christian high school juniors and seniors of all jurisdictions that takes place every summer on the campus of Hellenic College/Holy Cross in Brookline, Massachusetts. The office of Vocation and Ministry covers all expenses except for travel. The program offers faith based courses on vocation that help the student answer the question: What are my unique gifts, and how am I to use them in the world in service of God and my neighbor. For ten days participants experience a full liturgical life, attend mini seminars on the Orthodox faith given by college professors, serve their community, hang out together. Hellenic College/Holy Cross is a perfect place to experience both the excitement of a big city and the peace of a holy mountain. The beautiful 52-acre campus is situated on a hilltop overlooking downtown Boston and provides the necessary place for quiet study, prayer and reflection. At the same time, one is never far away from lively and historic Boston, a city that offers many opportunities for art, live music, baseball games, people watching, and delicious foods from around the world. Nick couldn't stop talking about his experience when he got home, interspersed with frequent use of the word "awesome." Truthfully, my sons have benefited greatly from these programs. I can honestly say that they have grown spiritually, made lasting friendships with other Orthodox young people and been positively influenced by outstanding Orthodox role models, many of them either their own age or young adults. Although most parents think that teenagers ignore anything they have to say; I guarantee that our kids are actually listening and even resent parents who abandon the parental role in order to be their "friend." On the other hand, teenagers are heavily influenced by peers in their own age group. Exposing them to other young people who share the Orthodox faith, and more importantly who are trying to live their faith, is absolutely essential. They will find out that it is OK and very "cool" to be and act as a Christian in a world that keeps telling them the exact opposite. To all those struggling parents out there (and I am certainly one), hang in there, and always remember: all we can do is prepare our children within the Church to receive God's grace, the rest is up to them. May all our efforts on behalf of our youth be blessed.	<urn:uuid:d446d1a3-6270-4690-94fe-781b20052aa9>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://greekodyssey.typepad.com/my_greek_odyssey/2006/09/evangelizing_th.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.968408	1,489	1.507813	2
State Review Panels Give OK To Failing Health Textbooks In Texas Adoption Books Fail to Meet State Curriculum Requirements on Sex and Health; State Board of Education to Hold Adoption Hearings in July, September FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2004 Teens in Texas the state with the nation’s highest teen birth rate were the big losers this week when state review panels gave passing grades to inadequate health textbooks submitted for sale in Texas next year. The textbooks failed to include state-mandated information on barrier protection and other contraceptive methods for preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, said Samantha Smoot, president of the Texas Freedom Network. Smoot said the process for reviewing and approving responsible textbooks in Texas has clearly broken down. “Publishers have been irresponsible in failing to meet curriculum requirements on barrier protection and other forms of contraception,” Smoot said. “But Texas teens and their parents rely on the state’s review panelists to rise above political pressure and ensure that the books meet all curriculum requirements. By not insisting that the books give kids common sense, practical information on sex and health that deals with the real-life situations we face every day, the panels have let the kids of Texas down.” The State Board of Education will hold public hearings on the textbooks on July 14 and September 8. Board members will vote on November 5 to adopt or reject the books. State review panelists appointed by the Texas Education Agency met in Austin this week and rated high school health textbooks from Ohio-based Glencoe/McGraw-Hill and Texas-based Holt, Rinehart and Winston as conforming to state curriculum standards. Those curriculum standards are called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS. Panelists must certify that conforming textbooks meet all of the TEKS standards. One TEKS standard (number 7I) requires that textbooks “analyze the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of barrier protection and other contraceptive methods,” including the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The standard also requires that textbooks discuss the effectiveness of remaining abstinent until marriage. Textbooks from Glencoe and Holt noted that abstinence is the only completely effective way to avoid pregnancy and STDs. The books, however, included no information about barrier protection and other contraceptive methods. The textbooks’ lack of medically accurate, complete information recklessly endangers Texas kids, Smoot said. “Abstinence is the best policy for teens,” Smoot said. “But teens also need reliable information to protect themselves from life-long consequences like unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.” Smoot pointed to a January 2004 poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation showing that 93 percent of parents with high school children believe teens should be taught about birth control. “Parents know that making sure our kids have the most accurate and reliable information is the best protection we have for raising safe, healthy, responsible adults,” Smoot said. In an initial report, panelists rated one textbook, from New York publisher Delmar Learning, as nonconforming apparently because they thought the book’s discussion of abstinence was not strong enough. The Delmar textbook states that “sexual abstinence is the only way of preventing any sexually transmitted infection.” In addition, Delmar’s textbook includes a brief discussion of the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of latex condoms. Discussions of latex condoms are missing from the Glencoe and Holt textbooks. Smoot called this lack of information in the textbooks alarming. Noting the state’s high teen birth rate, Smoot also pointed to statistics showing that nearly half of all new cases of STDs and HIV occur among youth ages 15-24. “It’s too dangerous to give our young people anything short of information that is scientifically and medically accurate,” Smoot said. “That’s why it’s vital that health textbooks equip teens with sexuality information that is reliable, complete and age-appropriate.” Texas is one of 22 states with a centralized process for adopting public school textbooks. Religious and social conservatives have organized to influence this process for decades, pressuring publishers to exclude from textbooks information they don’t like. In 2003, for example, would-be censors on the far right attempted to water down discussions of evolution in new Texas biology textbooks. In addition, because the Texas market is so big, the adoption of health textbooks here has a national impact. Publishers often develop textbooks for Texas and sell the same books across the country. The Texas Freedom Network has been monitoring textbook censorship efforts in Texas since the mid-1990s.	<urn:uuid:11f0d077-8498-4a80-9b08-75877ea07e8f>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.tfn.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5591	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.930487	976	1.828125	2
Caregiver stress can make carers feel trapped by Carol Bradley Bursack, Editor-in-Chief Caregiver stress is much acknowledged and occurs to some degree in nearly all caregiving situations. Many people feel guilt, and even shame, because their caregiving is not stress-free. If the caregiver dearly loves the care receiver, then feeling stress from caring for him or her eats at the carer's conscience. Sometimes, the caregiver feels trapped in the guilt and love cycle. They don't want to give up the caregiver role, but they can no longer sustain the pace. There are options, though not all are easy. Human beings, especially loving human beings, seem to have a penchant for "beating themselves up" over imperfections. This isn't the place to go into all the various psychological issues that make us feel we need to do everything perfectly, but the most common and obvious issues generally stem from trying to please our parents by being very, very good, and not feeling as if we measure up. Just because we are all grown up, doesn't mean we are, well all grown up. A part of us still wants to please. Couple this need to please our parents, spouse or other care receiver by being the perfect caregiver with the other demands of life - often growing children or dependent grandchildren, an outside job, keeping up a home, paying bills and running errands - and stress begins to rule our lives. If only this life allowed us to do one job at a time and do it well! However, few caregivers live that kind of life. Even if a rare person does have the "luxury" of focusing solely on the care receiver, there would still be stress. Very few people can care for another day and night without any relief, especially if the care receiver cannot be left alone. This need to be on call at all times can lead stress. This stress crosses boundaries and extends into caring for a disabled child or any other intensive caregiving. A caregiver who is feels he or she is all alone, is a caregiver that is stressed, and one who is a great danger of having a health breakdown. How do caregivers relieve stress? Stress relief is unique to individuals, but nearly all of us require a certain amount of socialization. Socialization can mean any number of things. If the care receiver can be left alone for even short periods of time, the carer can get out into the world for a bit, and that can work wonders. However, if even that little break has no "me time," stress and the burned out feeling will not go away. In fact, it may worsen if all that we do while we're out is run necessary errands, since we are still in work mode. I know of one home caregiver who dresses up in fun clothes and includes an inexpensive but fun stop to pick up a favorite treat just for herself. Yes, she's running errands, and is likely including errands for the care receiver, but these brief "me time" moments help her stay the course. Being Heard Is Important Long phone chats with other caregivers who can support you and share their feelings of imperfection, stress and not doing enough (take it from me - there is never a feeling of "enough") can be life enhancing. Most of us need to be heard, in some form, by people who understand. During my heaviest caregiving years, I cared for five elders in three different settings, plus two children, one with chronic health problems. Stress? No paying job I've ever had - and likely will ever have - could equal the stress I was under. Yet many looked at me and thought (some said), "What's the big deal?" Well, let me see. Having the welfare of five elders and two children on one's mind day and night, tending to the needs of all of them, making hospital runs and rescue runs to their homes, keeping up the shopping and doctor appointments for all of these people and giving them quality time is not a "big deal?" Well, not until you've done it! At the time, a couple of my elders were in an excellent nursing home. I got to know other families during my time spent at the home. There were times when we family members would just embrace in the parking lot of the home - not having time to talk, but sharing our feelings with a strong hug. That was huge. Talking it out, however, is even bigger. So, finding online support and articles, joining online conversations, attending support groups (if taking that time doesn't stress you more), and even getting counseling for yourself, can help get you through these times. Talking about stress and the guilt that can come from feeling like we are trapped and can't do it all is freeing. Putting into words how we really feel - without shame or guilt - can substantially lower stress levels. However, you may be at a place in your journey where outside help is necessary for you, and your care receiver. Often, if two people are isolated too much, not only does the caregiver feel stress, but the care receiver does as well. Many care receivers need more socialization. That socialization can come from the outside as when friends and faith community people visit. It can also come from paid in-home health. My uncle had a rotation of three women who cared for him during some of each day. They were from an excellent agency that was very good about what is now called "consistent assignment," a very important part of quality care. Consistent assignment means that the same caregiver, or rotation of caregivers, attends the care receiver, which generally gives the care receiver a sense of security. Many care receivers look forward to their time with the caregiver who comes in. My uncle did. They provided socialization as much as practical help. Adult day care is another option for socialization. I know many seniors who love their time at adult day care. Between activities, peer acquaintances and expert care, these people are generally happy campers. Whether caregivers choose in-home care or adult day care for the care receiver, the time away from caregiving can help refresh them. Even if they choose this option because they want or need a paying job, these care options still can provide peace of mind and an opportunity to do something different. When Staying at Home Is No Longer an Option The time comes for many, if not most, caregivers where they need to look at options such as assisted living or a nursing home for their loved one. The caregiver may be at a breaking point and needs relief for his or her own health, or the care receiver may not be safe without more care. The time for this decision will be different for each case (and many don't get this far). Enlisting the help of assisted living or a nursing home does not mean you failed caregiving class. You are just getting help. You remain part of a team. A good facility will help ease your stress. A bad one can increase it. So, if at all possible, take time and choose carefully. Facilities can vary wildly, and you want the best available in your area. Be very careful you don't let guilt hold you in stress mode. It happens often. Repeat after me: "I am still a caregiver. I am just getting help. I am still a caregiver. I am just getting help." Your own health is vital to yourself and your loved ones. If your stress is not relieved by sharing with other caregivers and getting support, then outside help of some kind is most likely necessary. You are one human being trying to take on the world of caregiving - one of the most stressful if frequently enjoyable and often rewarding jobs possible. Being human means reaching out. Yes, you can do it. Get help if stress is ruling your life.	<urn:uuid:61ba863d-8687-43fb-9daa-6da71a451d4c>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.eldercarelink.com/Other-Resources/Caregiving-Support/caregiver-stress-can-make-carers-feel-trapped-what-to-do.htm	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.974457	1,621	1.65625	2
Kids among 33 killed by missile in Syria - Danville police officer injured by suspect's vehicle in pursuit - Heart transplant giving climatologist Lonnie Thompson a second chance - Tax hike among Franklin County’s options - Reading help on the way for Columbus kindergartners - Komen Race for the Cure: Tales of triumph - Civilians to staff combined 911 call center - Bicycle co-op helps local enthusiasts learn to do repairs - Teen’s body identified, police say - Time-lapse project shows region’s sprawling growth - Man killed on South Side; elderly dad suspect - Colorful flowers, birds part of spring’s eye-popping show - Did You Know? \| Outdoor climbing wall a big deal US & World BEIRUT — A Syrian missile strike leveled a block of buildings in an impoverished district of Aleppo yesterday, killing at least 33 people, almost half of them children, anti-regime activists said. Many were trapped under the rubble of houses and piles of concrete, and the death toll could rise further if more bodies are uncovered. The apparent ground-to-ground missile attack struck a quiet area that has been held by anti-regime fighters for many months. In the capital Damascus, state-run news agency SANA said two mortars exploded near one of President Bashar Assad’s palaces. It dealt a symbolic blow to the embattled leader, who has tried to maintain an image as the head of a functioning state even as rebels edge closer to the heart of his seat of power. No casualties were reported, and it was unclear whether Assad was in the palace. In Aleppo, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said among the missile strike’s 33 victims were 14 children and five women. The strike was the latest salvo in a fierce and bloody 7-month battle for Syria’s largest city and economic center, a key prize in the civil war.	<urn:uuid:d1c0952e-f2b5-49b2-baa5-446baaaa6b6e>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2013/02/20/kids-among-33-killed-by-missile.html	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.944728	411	1.53125	2
Whenever you are sharing an idea, whether its a boardroom presentation or a ballroom presentation you need to keep the 3 golden rules of presenting front of mind. Rule 1: You don't matter Rule 2: They don't care Rule 3: They're not listening Can you believe I make a living as motivational speaker? Heres the thing… It's not that you don't matter, but more that an unhealthy focus on you sets the whole communication off on the wrong foot. Get out of you and into the world and reality of the people you are addressing. If you are nervous in any way its because your are attention in, switch your focus an get your attention out. It's not that they don't care but more that you have not given them a reason to. The price of entry in any communication is relevance. How is what you are about to say important, urgent and relevant. Sell me on why before you start to explain what or how. It's not that they are not listening directly but rather you are speaking a different language. Take some time to learn the different listening languages people use. As a leader you need to develop the behavioural flexibility to connect with whomever you are addressing. So the 3 critical actions that role of the rules are: 1. Think before you speak 2. Speak their language 3. Frame things for understanding. Do this and you are beginning to step into your speakership!	<urn:uuid:06eed834-a230-45ae-bdb4-b38b1b19d3dd>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.mattchurch.com/blog/tag/3-golden-rules	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.954702	298	1.789063	2
James Henry "Jimmy" Dimmock (1900-1972, born Edmonton, London) was a footballer who scored the winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur in the 1921 FA Cup Final. He played as a leftwinger and became the fans' favourite with his mazy runs and trickery, and also won three caps for England. Born in Edmonton on December 5 1900. Where he attended Montague Rd School. He played junior football for Park Avenue and Gothic Works before signing as an amateur for Tottenham Hotspur in 1916. During the First World War, he played for Clapton Orient and Edmonton Ramblers. Jimmy Dimmock turned professional with Tottenham Hotspur in May 1919, and his first match was at Lincoln City on October 4th. He holds a unique place in the history of Tottenham Hotspur by being the only player in the club's history to play 400 league games and score 100 league goals. He also remains (at 20 years 139 days) the youngest Tottenham player to appear in an FA Cup Final. Undoubtedly his most memorable season was the 1920-21 season. Jimmy made his international debut against Scotland in April 09, 1921 at the age of 20 years and 125 days to become the youngest Spurs player (at that time) to play for England , and a fortnight later he appeared for Spurs in the FA Cup Final against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge. Despite sustaining an injury early in the game, he scored the only goal of the game to secure a second FA Cup triumph for Tottenham. Surprisingly, he had to wait five years to gain his 2 further international caps, against Wales and Belgium in 1926. When he was released by Spurs in 1931 he had scored 100 goals in 400 league games, and 12 in 38 FA Cup matches. He worked for a time in the road haulage industry but suffered from poor health later in life, eventually losing both legs. He died on December 23 1972 at the North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton, London.	<urn:uuid:81cbba10-becd-4013-89b0-fb9f0757c819>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Jimmy_Dimmock	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.986535	402	1.71875	2
Full Document Available in PDF The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Xcel Energy, and Governor Bill Ritter colluded to fast track the misnamed Clean Air Clean Jobs Act (HB 1365), which effectively mandates coal-fired power plants to switch to natural gas. The trio essentially duped lawmakers into hasty passage of this bill. They warned legislators that the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would crack down on Colorado coal power with the Clean Air Act. But that was really a bogeyman meant to frighten lawmakers. While it is true that President Barack Obama’s EPA is hostile to coal-generated energy, the governor and the PUC grossly exaggerated the regulatory threat in order to advance their agenda, and Xcel went along with the ruse.	<urn:uuid:a52590b8-1d1f-4bc4-94d3-69bb954c770a>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://cei.org/print/124790	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.944758	157	1.625	2
“If I would have known you were going to be gay, I would have aborted you.” This is what a mother told her son after she learned that he was gay. NPR did a story on gay immigrants shedding light on their story of living in the United States. In this particular segment the son decided to live with his mom in New York. Two weeks later his cousin called the son’s mom and told her that her son was gay, with which she gave him the evil gift of those hate-filled words, followed by disowning and a swift kick out of her house. To be honest, I was filled with a hell-bent anger towards the mom mixed with a deep, tearful sorrow for her son. There are few times in life where I would consider going postal on someone, this would have been one of them. If I would have overheard this personally, say, while sitting at a coffee shop or bar, I can’t imagine what I would have done. I don’t think it would have been pretty. Who says that to their own child? Who has such a deep fear and hatred lurking inside of themselves that they would (a) think that and, (b) actually utter those words? Two things I would like. One, the mom’s address in NY. I would tell you what I want to do once I get her address, but I won’t so they can’t subpoena you as a witness for my trial. And two, her son’s address. I would begin a massive campaign to love on him and celebrate his life. But since it is unlikely that I will never get either address, I will allow this story to seep into my spirit, form it and reshape it. I will give it voice. I will listen and hear the pain of both the mother and her son. I will not rush through it or ignore it, but rather embrace it, allowing it to plant its seeds. “If I would have known you were going to be gay, I would have aborted you.” I feel a terrible loss of words, except to say this. Caleb, Ashlyn or Scout (my kids), I will NEVER utter these words to you. Never. If you are gay or lesbian, I will love you, embrace you, and walk with you. I will not judge you or be disappointed with you. You make me proud, regardless, and my heart beats for you. I accept you for who you are and will try to help you discover the gift that only you can bring to the world. I will seek to empower you to accept and express who you are, without shame or fear. I do, and will always, love you.	<urn:uuid:bb6df165-750a-43cd-a6bc-cb8d919d2b22>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://jeromyj.com/mendingshift/2011/07/01/dad-would-you-have-aborted-your-gay-son/	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.991374	568	1.742188	2
Link: Not Yet Target: Corporate Purchasing Agents A corporate identity commercial advertising all of the good things Tyco does for us. Starts with a man turning a valve and a girl drinking from a fountain to the voiceover: “With our valve, there is water and where there is water, there’s life.” Then shows firefighters with voiceover “With our mask, there’s air to breathe. And where there’s air, there’s a rescue” Then shows African children and doctors giving injections, “With our syringe, there’s a safe injection and with that there’s hope for a cure.” Ends with montage and voiceover “At Tyco we make thousands of products that aren’t simply important – they’re vital. Tyco – a vital part of your world.” Here’s what works - Engaging visuals - firefighters, African children and doctors get our attention - High Production Value - no expense was spared to make the shots crisp and vivid. The voiceover is good and quick transitions keep the pacing good. - No animals were harmed in producing the spot- or so we assume. It is always nice to see a company that has been dragged through the headlines for wasting money (former CEO Dennis Koslowski and CFO Mark Swartz were convicted for misusing some $600 million in Tyco funds) proceed to waste even more money while seeking to clean up their corporate reputation. This spot by Tyco was undoubtedly created on the recommendation of a corporate communications department, not a brand marketing group. Why do we say that? A corporate communications department would most likely reason like this – our reputation is damaged, lets use all of the paid and unearned media (i.e. publicity) we can to reverse this and reassure investors that we are a good company. A communications group would be quite sophisticated about the implementation of the PR strategy, but not as in touch with the real usefulness of advertising. A brand manager would first ask these questions: - What is the brand? - What am I trying to accomplish for the brand? - What does the consumer already believe? When we answer these questions honestly we realize that the brand may not even be Tyco (ADT, the home security company is one of their consumer brands, for instance). Where the brand is Tyco, the consumer may not even be aware that they are using the brand (those doctors in Africa) and moreover, the consumer may not influence the purchase of the brand at all. Finally, it is clear that consumers – if they know Tyco at all – think of it as a disjointed conglomerate with no central organizing principle (even P&G, for all its brands has one) that showed itself to be badly out of control during the Koslowski scandal. And that is a pretty strong association. We’ve said many, many times in this blog that advertising does not change people’s minds in the vast majority of cases. Instead, advertising reminds people of things they already believe, intend to do or might have forgotten about. Thinking well of Tyco falls into none of these categories. To create this commercial and get it a decent airing on network television, Tyco has spent a minimum of $30 million. Perhaps much more. While it will undoubtedly increase top-of-mind awareness of Tyco among consumers, it is hard to see any other legitimate business purpose that this spending will accomplish. Targeted advertising (which may also be happening as we are out of Tyco’s real target group) and non-traditional marketing would be a much better bet for building Tyco’s business. To repair the corporate reputation, either slow, steady PR ground work – like a longterm charitable partnership that gradually builds the company’s reputation or perhaps something big and newsworthy (donating safety harnesses to big-city fire departments, etc) might be a better call. And let us not forget to mention that the advertising strategy behind this campaign is derivative (copying BASF’s similarly ill-conceived campaign “we don’t make a lot of the things you use” – to which we replied “and we don’t care”). There is nothing worse than copying a bad strategy. This spot demonstrates the need for competent brand management. Without thinking realistically and critically about the brand, Tyco has either done nothing at all or even made things worse, all the while wasting a great deal of money. Branding Bottom Line - Tyco steps over the line between building the business and corporate ego. Again.	<urn:uuid:f5226170-92d1-49f8-9399-3316f445df29>	CC-MAIN-2013-20	http://www.thirdwayblog.com/category/tyco	s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz	en	0.945989	971	1.570313	2

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