text
stringlengths 211
577k
| id
stringlengths 47
47
| dump
stringclasses 1
value | url
stringlengths 14
371
| file_path
stringclasses 644
values | language
stringclasses 1
value | language_score
float64 0.93
1
| token_count
int64 54
121k
| score
float64 1.5
1.84
| int_score
int64 2
2
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hi! I am Mary Gallagher Stout and today, we are decorating Easter eggs. In this clip, you will see decorating with natural raw materials. What we are doing now is Onion Skin Eggs. This is a very easy, very fun, very organic way of dying your Easter eggs using natural elements form the earth. So what we are going to do is we are going to put the onion skins and surround the eggs with the onion skins. The onion skin is going to make it a beautiful color. Some people when they use this method, they just put the eggs directly into the pot with the onion skin. I don't see that because I think you get a deeper, richer color when you wrap them and keep them on the onion itself. Then you are just going to take a rubber band and secure the rag around your onion skinned egg. What's really cool about this is you don't have to use any dye, its all organic. You can use different things that you find in your kitchen to make different color dyes. Like you can use spinach, wrap in spinach to make it green; you can use cumin or turmeric, put that spice around, wrap it around that will turn them yellow; you can use red cabbage. When you wrap it in red cabbage, you get beautiful robins blue egg. So really, it doesn't matter what color your skin is. You just need to wrap it thoroughly and then put it in a pot of water. You are going to simmer it for about 30 minutes, let it sit until it becomes room temperature. Then you are going to take it out and let them dry overnight. You certainly could open them at that point, but if you really want them to be a very dark vibrant color, you want to sit and let them sit overnight. Let them dry and then unwrap your little beautifully, naturally colored eggs without using any dyes. Coming up next, I will show you a really fun Tie-Dyed technique to make freaky-dickey Easter eggs.
|
<urn:uuid:01259204-0255-4a36-af49-1146821fe9e5>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://on.aol.com/video/learn-how-to-use-organic-onion-skin-easter-egg-dye-149472671
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961719
| 413
| 1.757813
| 2
|
President Barack Obama is urging Americans facing tough economic times this Thanksgiving to believe in the nation's ability to overcome its challenges.
In a taped Thanksgiving message, Obama says the partisanship and gridlock in Washington may make people question whether unity is possible. But he insists the nation's problems can be solved if all Americans do their part.
Obama is also encouraging Americans to remember the men and women of the military who are spending the holiday serving overseas. And he thanks those who are taking time out of their Thanksgiving celebrations to serve in soup kitchens and shelters.
The president will celebrate Thanksgiving with family at the White House.
|
<urn:uuid:a611f44c-7b46-4369-807e-b1b8878af02c>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://townhall.com/news/politics-elections/2011/11/24/obama_acknowledges_tough_economy_this_thanksgiving
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.95133
| 124
| 1.664063
| 2
|
- Story Ideas
- Send Corrections
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Two middle school students have been disciplined by the Pittsburgh Public Schools system for engaging in “inappropriate sexual acts” on a school bus.
The incident involving a 13-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy on Monday was also referred to city police, who did not immediately say Friday whether any criminal charges might result.
The students attend Clayton Academy, a private school which contracts with the city school district to provide services for students with chronic behavioral problems.
District spokeswoman Ebony Pugh says she cannot comment beyond confirming the incident and saying that appropriate disciplinary action has been taken.
A third student who witnessed the acts reported them to school officials.
|
<urn:uuid:a3f6b5df-682c-4081-bc87-2e71aa8b7013>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120608/NEWS03/120609399/-1/NEWS/2-pittsburgh-students-disciplined-sex-acts-on-bus
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.968809
| 152
| 1.554688
| 2
|
For years now, I have been asked this question with monotonous regularity: Who next after Leander and Mahesh to consistently represent India at the Grand Slams? “No one”, has been my standard answer. Sadly, the system that breeds talent does not exist in our country.
We have always had
the talent; over the last 30 years, India has given the tennis world finesse in the form of Vijay Amritraj and Ramesh Krishnan, speed in the form of Leander Paes, and power in the form of Rohan Bopanna.
So, when people argue that Indians don’t have the necessary ingredients to make it in tennis, it’s a bunch of hogwash.
As far as I can remember, we consistently had the best juniors in the world — Zeeshan Ali, Leander, Sandeep Kirtane, Rohit Reddy, Nitin Kirtane, Yuki Bhambri — but no one ever went on to challenge the top players in singles.
I have been very vocal about the fact that our Association has had the resources, and opportunity, but has failed miserably to develop a system that identifies talent at the grassroots and supports him till he becomes a professional player.
Tennis superpowers such as Spain, France, USA and Germany have had it for years, and now Asian neighbours such as Japan and China have invested in not only building a system bottom up, but also hired the right experts to make it a success story.
Today, Japan has four men’s players featured in the top 100 and the Chinese women have won multiple Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles.
We, as a country, are very proud of our achievers, but fail to ask questions when the administration doesn’t deliver, Most sports federations in our country seem to have the same issue — lack of accountability —, yet the power stays within.
Earlier, when I asked the question, I was told big countries get funding from their Grand Slam events, Well, then, what’s the excuse for China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Taiwan doing better than India.
Tennis is one of the most competitive global sport today and the conversion rate of talent failing would be over 99 per cent.
The key ingredients
The three key ingredients needed to become a top-10 player are head, heart and legs. Unfortunately, if a kid has only two of the above, he or she will become a very good player, but greatness demands all three.
In a country such as India, where it is easy to play the numbers game if we have a grassroots system in place, we would constantly breach new limits on the world tennis stage. I know this because we have tried this privately.
We did a pan-India hunt and handpicked a bunch of kids. In the group was 10-year-old Sumit Nagal, He came from a very modest background in Delhi and was willing to do what it takes to make it big. Besides, he had a sense of the game and hunger to win.
This year, at 15, he became the youngest qualifier at the US Open Juniors. Unfortunately, due the lack of a SYSTEM in India, I have had to send Sumit to Canada.
I beg, borrow and steal from passionate tennis lovers to fund Sumit’s coaching, training and travel requirements. He’s already got an offer from Tennis Canada to play for them fulltime. Luckily, his parents have been supportive all along and Sumit is well on his way to possibly becoming the next flag-bearer of Indian tennis.
Time for change
There is so much more to say on the demerits of how our federations are run. However, it’s the private sector that will step up to the plate and deliver. It has been done recently and will only get better. We can all expect to go fully grey if we wait for the federation to make changes.
Sania Mirza, in my opinion, is one of the most gifted stroke-makers in the game, and if we had the right system and experts in India, she would have been a top-10 singles player. I hope, as we go down the line, we learn our lessons and things change. And so does the system. Our sports minister, Mr Maken, is trying his best and God bless him for that.
© Copyright © 2013 HT Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.
|
<urn:uuid:472eee9a-9965-4c36-bcbc-6a5eb7bd8926>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/949235.aspx
|
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
| 0.97283
| 934
| 1.546875
| 2
|
The Italian coast guard said Monday that it had called off the search for a pair of American balloonists who disappeared last week in the Adriatic Sea.
The search was called off at 3:30 p.m. (1330 GMT) after a final attempt to locate Richard Abruzzo, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Carol Rymer Davis, of Denver, had failed, said coast guard spokesman Lt. Massimo Maccheroni.
Maccheroni said that a robotic vehicle scanned the seabed of the Adriatic for any remains.
"We found nothing that could be traced to the balloonists," he told The Associated Press.
The veteran pilots were flying in the 54th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race when contact was lost Wednesday over the Adriatic Sea. Race organizers said the two plunged toward the water at 50 mph (80 kph) and likely didn't survive.
Since then, search and rescue teams with the Italian coast guard, the U.S. Navy and Croatian coastal aircraft crews have been scouring the Adriatic Sea. Over the weekend, divers joined in the search, as hope was beginning to fade.
On Monday, in a last attempt, the robotic vehicle plunged to depths of 200 meters (656 feet) to photograph the seabed off Vieste, in Puglia, where the balloon was believed to have crashed.
Maccheroni said the robot scanned an area where an aircraft a day earlier had spotted something. But nothing related to the balloon or the pilots was found, he said. Strong sea currents can drag both relics and bodies very far away from a presumed point of impact, Maccheroni said.
Davis' family released a statement Monday that expressed gratitude to those involved in the search. They said Davis and Abruzzo launched from a field in England last week with high expectations and the support of family and friends around the world.
"Both of them were doing the things that they loved the most, flying and competing. Now, with little more than one week later, the prayers, love and support of millions continue to lift them up," the statement said.
The family said the outpouring of support from the ballooning community and strangers has given them strength.
News that the search had ended quickly reached the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico.
"Everybody is getting into the fiesta now and trying to move forward. I think we have accepted the fact they're probably not coming back," said Troy Bradley, who with Abruzzo in 1992 piloted the first balloon to fly from North America to Africa.
Abruzzo, 47, and Davis, 65, won the 2004 edition of the Gordon Bennett race and the 2003 America's Challenge gas race - one of Abruzzo's five victories in that race.
Abruzzo worked as part of a prominent family business in Albuquerque that is involved in real estate and operations of the Sandia Peak tramway, Sandia Ski Area and Ski Santa Fe. Richard Abruzzo's involvement focused on ski area management.
Davis was a radiologist who specialized in reading breast mammograms.
The decision to call off the search was made by Rear Adm. Salvatore Giuffre, who had been coordinating the search efforts in southern Italy.
Associated Press writers Tim Korte and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, N.M., contributed to this report.
The Associated Press
|
<urn:uuid:229ef012-0edb-4d4f-965a-fe1040964270>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/04/search-in-italy-for-missing-us-balloonists-ends/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.975159
| 697
| 1.632813
| 2
|
For years, we have heard the phrase “21st-century technology” used to describe unprecedented breakthroughs in business and communication. Companies that embrace modern advancements recognize their benefits and promote them to the public they serve, largely to set themselves apart from competition while creating the perception they are leaders in their respective industries. Technology allows for more efficient communication and customer convenience.
Technology previously available to other industries can now be applied in self-storage operations. Let’s take a look at three tools that are assisting the marketing and financial success of self-storage: the Internet, call centers and kiosks.
The Internet is a revolutionary communication pipeline that has transformed the world and the way business is conducted. A person can get on the Internet and complete in a short period what might have taken weeks or months to accomplish just 20 years ago. In fact, use of the Internet, e-mail and e-commerce has become so commonplace that it is almost taken for granted as the public at large has become accustomed to its benefits.
The beauty of the Internet for businesses is it allows them to reach their client base and potential customers from the comfort of the home or office. In regard to self-storage, it even allows customers to tour a facility without having to physically visit the space, a powerful advantage when someone is attempting to make a buying decision from out of state.
The Internet allows smaller operators to compete with larger ones on a relatively equal playing field because it helps create the perception they are professional and keeping up with the times. Self-storage websites can be elaborate, with the ability to take reservations and payments, or simple, with only pictures and general information. Whatever your budget, it is important to get the most out of your website. Think of it as an extension of your business that works to promote your products and services 24 hours a day, every day.
There are many ways to promote your website. Some are costly while others have little or no expense. One rule of thumb is to treat your web address (also known as your domain name or URL, i.e., www.ABCstorage.com) as you would your phone number. After all, the key to a successful website is getting people to visit it. This means any printed materials—letterhead, envelopes, business cards, brochures, invoices, handouts, etc.—should include your web address.
Prominently display your web address in your Yellow Pages advertising. It is interesting to find that people actually look at the Yellow Pages, and then visit your website to get all the information they can before calling or visiting you. This phenomenon increases as high-speed Internet access becomes available in more areas.
Another way to promote your website is to invest in search-engine rankings and concept sites. Treat this type of promotion as paid advertising because there will be an investment on your part. If you are not familiar with search engines, think of them as a giant Rolodex. You type in keywords related to your subject or topic, and the search engine does all the work, providing a list of websites related to your search. Yahoo and Google are two popular examples of search engines.
What is important about search-engine rankings is the position in which your website falls on any given list. For instance, the engine may return five pages of websites, but the best position is on the first page, as far to the top as possible. There are services to assist you in registering the right keywords to rank higher on these lists. Shop around and educate yourself on how rankings work before investing in this kind of assistance.
Concept sites are a different way of Internet marketing. They are hosted by companies that target specific niche markets, for example, moving and storage. Concept sites take care of search-engine rankings, banner-ad placements and website organization—you simply pay to be a member. The site host handles all the promotion and trafficking of the site, and you benefit by exposure to visiting customers. Sites like these give browsers an abundance of choices in one place. Examples include Monster Moving and Online Self Storage.
If you have the ability to take rentals and payments through your website, you may want to consider these opportunities. Stopping a customer from shopping around by making him a customer before he even moves into town is a competitive advantage. You also want to promote your online payment feature to all current tenants. This is a wonderful alternative for those who don’t want to leave a credit card on file at your office.
Call-center technology has been employed by huge corporations for many years and is fast becoming a staple technology for self-storage operators. The biggest advantage to employing a call center is availability to your customer base. Have you ever thought about how many phone calls you miss when your office is closed? Most people shopping for storage will not leave a message. They’ll simply call the next business in the phone book.
When a person answers the phone, customers should immediately get the information they need to make a buying decision. Call centers have the ability to take reservations and payments and stop customers from “shopping around.” Most can handle calls 24 hours a day, and many are cheaper than the cost to hire additional employees. You can even advertise a special “hotline” number to the center in your Yellow Pages ad and on your website. Call centers are another way of extending contact to your customer base, making it convenient for prospects to do business with you.
Kiosks are popping up at self-storage facilities all over the country. This technology is the newest to find its way into the industry. Many of you may be familiar with automated checkout stations at your local grocery store, post office or bank. Kiosks can offer similar benefits to self-storage operators and customers.
In addition to renting units, accepting payments, dispensing locks, taking digital photos of customers and printing leases, kiosks can be programmed with a multimedia tour of the property that can be viewed 24 hours a day. They can incorporate biometric scanners, offer tenant insurance, and accept all forms of payment, even cash. Kiosks, which interface directly with your management software, make your business accessible even when you are closed and, therefore, serve as a phenomenal marketing tool.
The Future Is Here
The future is now. The tools examined here are only a few that will change the way people handle their self-storage business. Modern technology allows you to offer greater convenience while communicating with and serving more customers. The day will come when renting units 24 hours a day will be the standard for the industry. As the Internet, call centers and automated kiosks take hold, we will meet with success throughout the 21st century.
Raymond E. McRae is the vice president/director of operations for Mesa, Ariz.-based Storage Solutions, which conducts feasibility studies, third-party management, market surveys, consulting, auditing, acquisitions and development for the self-storage industry. For more information, call 480.844.3900; visit www.storage-solutions.org.
|
<urn:uuid:a714e72d-cb90-469b-8749-e9987e1a2b15>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.insideselfstorage.com/articles/2005/01/modern-day-marketing.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.956266
| 1,446
| 1.71875
| 2
|
Colorado military veteran may not be allowed to vote
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Like millions of voters across the country, Manuel Valenzuela, of Colorado Springs, is planning on casting a ballot in Tuesday’s election.
But unlike most voters, Manuel may face voter fraud charges if he votes because of an ongoing dispute regarding his status as a U.S. citizen.
“We’ve been here since 1955,” said Manuel, who was born in Mexico, to a U.S.-born mother, and moved across the border with his mom and his older brother, Valente, when he was a young boy.
When they became of age, both brothers enrolled in the military — Manuel entered the Marines, while Valente joined the Army.
“I [was] assigned to the 101st Airborne, in Huey, near the DMZ. No man’s land,” said Valente, who received a Bronze Star for his service.
Forty years after being honorably discharged, the brothers received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security, challenging their citizenship and notifying them to appear in court for deportation proceedings.
“I shed blood for this country,” said Valente. “I went through hell and with the grace of God, I came back … Now, there is no explanation as to why I’m being removed from this country.”
After three years of court appearances, the Department of Homeland Security administratively dropped their case against Valente and Manuel, though issues with their status as U.S. citizens continued when Manuel registered to vote.
A few weeks after registering, Manuel received a letter from the office of Scott Gessler, the Colorado Secretary of State, saying that his right to vote was being challenged because the Department of Homeland Security flagged him as an undocumented immigrant.
After receiving the letter, Manuel took his documents, including his mother’s birth certificate, to the El Paso County Clerk’s Office. There, Manuel says an official reviewed his case and declared that his claim to citizenship was valid — even giving him a ballot.
“Welcome home, you’re an American citizen,” Manuel says he was told.
However, when we contacted the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office about Manuel’s situation, they said his vote would be invalid, because he is considered a non-citizen, and offered this statement:
“Only the federal government can grant citizenship and without that, any ineligible voter who casts a ballot may be convicted of a felony.”
We also reached out to the El Paso County Clerk’s Office, but they declined to comment on Manuel’s situation.
“The state of Colorado was told that I’m not an American citizen, that I don’t have the right, well, lookey here,” Manuel said, pointing to the ballot he was given by the El Paso County Clerk’s Office.
We contacted Jeff Joseph, an expert immigration lawyer, to examine Manuel’s case. He told us Manuel may have an automatic claim to citizenship.
“The government actually closed his case,” said Joseph. “One way to read that is that the government agreed that they couldn’t meet their burden of proof and so they decided not to prosecute the case.”
Joseph explained that if the Valenzuela brothers’ mom lived in the U.S. for 10 years, at least five of which were after turning 16, “they are automatically citizens as a matter of law.”
“The right pre-exists the fact that you have proof of it,” said Joseph. “I, as a United States citizen, don’t have to carry around my passport because I’m a citizen, and the fact is I’m a citizen whether I have a passport or not.”
We also reached out to the office of Doug Lamborn, the Congressman who represents Colorado’s 5th District, where the brothers live.
A spokesperson told us they would love to help the brothers get proof of their citizenship, though they would be unable to confirm or deny Manuel’s voting status before the election. The spokesperson actually recommended that Manuel not vote, because it could hurt his chances of proving his citizenship.
We passed the information on to Manuel, who was happy the hear the Congressman’s office was willing to help, but will not take the advice — saying he is determined to vote because “no one can deny me my rights as a citizen.”
- Powerball fever hits Colorado as jackpot grows to $600 million; winning numbers announced
- Denver cab driver mistakes Italian gun executive for terrorist, calls police
- Majority of Colorado sheriffs join lawsuit against gun control laws
- Woman killed in Aurora motorcycle crash; driver in critical condition
|
<urn:uuid:10207be5-bf84-4477-b331-26e7cf08ae66>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://kdvr.com/2012/11/05/2-military-veterans-may-not-be-allowed-to-vote/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.977203
| 1,029
| 1.539063
| 2
|
A UC Berkeley student was allegedly involved in the story of the lost prototype iPhone which made headlines on April 19 after details of the under-wraps phone were published with great fanfare on Gizmodo (above).
As reported in Wired today, Brian J. Hogan, a 21-year-old resident of Redwood City, found what is believed to be Apple’s next-generation iPhone which was bought by Gizmodo. However, CNet is reporting that Hogan had help finding a buyer for the phone from Sage Robert Wallower, a 27-year-old UC Berkeley student and former Navy cryptologic technician.
Wallower apparently contacted technology sites about the iPhone. The device was lost by an Apple engineer last month. Police in San Mateo County have said they are investigating the lost phone as a possible theft.
Read the full story here.
|
<urn:uuid:9fc131d6-1212-486a-966f-f3b13ff77b1d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2010/04/29/cal-student-allegedly-involved-in-iphone-scandal/
|
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
| 0.985002
| 177
| 1.632813
| 2
|
One blogger has said LinkedIn is like the public library – People go there, but not often – and if they do, they don’t talk.
This is a great analogy for potential pitfalls with LinkedIn. If it’s a social network specifcally meant for business, many people enter the site for the wrong reasons. Whether those reasons are simply because everyone else is, or to somehow gain an edge (if you’re not active I don’t see how) – it demonstrates that in order for a social network to fulfill its function, people must be channeling communications with each other in a way where function follows form (take that Louis Sullivan).
LinkedIn has strategically structured the site’s function to network for business connection purposes. Sure, your data is your own, it’s personal, but make it work for you within LinkedIn. It makes sense that the goofy games and add-ons found in facebook are absent. However, it seems because facebook has had such a widespread growth across demographics, its platform has become synonomous with general users as to what a social network actually is and worse, how those users behave in it. I wonder if users translate the general “rules” of business at the office when they log in to LinkedIn.
For the entrepreneur specifically, LinkedIn gives you potential to hundreds of professionals looking for a product or service you might offer. You also have one place where the possibilities of contacting experts is very fast and easy. It has the potential to be a powerful tool, but I’m skeptical many users are using the social network properly to its potential.Read More
|
<urn:uuid:d62f46fa-f16d-42a7-b221-bd514aa86cfa>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://internet-entrepreneurship.com/tag/linkedin/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.954511
| 333
| 1.757813
| 2
|
At the end of last month I came across a post entitled, "Why Is This Woman Against Feminism." It prompted me to write, "Why Feminism Is A Necessity." To be completely above board I wrote the author, KellyMac to inform her that I had posted a response on my blog. Since this time I have gotten alot of responses from her readers, and while most were very respectful I did gain a few trolls. Lucky me!!! Kelly posted a response to my commentary. A 24 point response to be exact. Being the stubborn, hysterical, angry womanist that I am, noooooo way is she getting the last word on this one. Had Kelly been a man, I probably would have let this go, but colluding ass women get on my nerves. They want all the benefits of feminism/womanism without admitting the privileges of patriarchy. Someone has to shake them loose from the Stockholm syndrome that they clearly are suffering with. So strong is my dedication to women that I am willing once again, to wade into the muck of false identification.
In what follows, all commentary in blue is written by me.
1. Women still make 70 cents for every dollar a man makes, and the disparity is even larger for women of color. Not true, when you compare apples to apples. Here’s a wiki article – wiki being known for consistently deleting articles about Misandry and men’s rights.
Right, Wikki is exactly where I want to go to find a reliable source. Does it occur to you that wikki can be edited by anyone. Try and cite that on a university paper, and so how pretty the F looks beside your name. Clearly you need help finding sources...start with google scholar, or like I mentioned in my previous post the library. I'm not going to do all the work for you, I will however get you started with this .. Researchers have found that less than half of the pay gap is due to men dominating in fields like engineering, and business. The imbalance has to do with workplace characteristics like high performance systems, degree of foreign ownership, and rate of part time work (Drolet 2002) and to gender discrimination (Phillips & Phillips, 1993; Chaykowski & Powell, 1999, Cromption & Vickers, 2000)
2.The vast majority of women that are single mothers live in poverty, Actually, according to this link, 27.7% of custodial single mothers live in poverty, although in researching it, I did find statistics up to around 35%. However, given that women initiate 2/3 of divorce, and that women are most likely to gain custody, it kind of looks like the situation is mostly in the control of those same mothers.
Yep took the time to check out your link at About.com. Yes I have no doubt that this may be an accurate statistic for the US, however the world is larger than the United States of America, believe it or not. Step outside of your western privilege for just a sec...promise I'll throw you a rope so that you won't get lost. Do you think that the single mothers in Iraq, Afghanistan, or India are living high on the hog? Are they all welfare queens? By the way in the Islamic world men only need to say I divorce you three times while no such right exists for women. In the case of divorce globally, women do not benefit.
3. daily the right to have an abortion is continually being assaulted Ok. And daily the right to have an abortion is defended as well. That’s called free speech. What’s your point? As far as I know, abortion is still legal.
My point dear is that slowly roe vs wade is being restricted. If this continues the right to have an abortion will not exist. In Canada Bill C-484 or the so-called unborn victim of crime act is attempting to roll back abortion. Just as rights can be granted they can be removed. Think of all the privacy you had before the reactionary Patriot Act.
4. Mothers that are married, and work outside of the home still perform most of the domestic duties, childrearing, and elder care. This constitutes a “double day. Could it be that a messy house bothers her more? Or that she doesn’t think he’ll do it right? Ask yourself this: are women being forced to do more housework, or are they choosing to make the house the way they want it? Besides all that, prove it. I submit that if both spouses work full time, they split up the chores – including running the kids all over town and cleaning the gutters.
Mothers do more work because of the historical division of labor. Men's work was in the public sector, and womens in the private sector. To this day housework is still largely associated with women. If this were not the case every single cleaning product would not direct their marketing at women. They know damn well who cleans the house. But you want a factual back up don't you...well here you go, and while you are at it, notice that it is a reputable source of information. I don't need to turn to WIKKI to prove anything. example 1, example 2, example 3.
5. Women bodies are constantly sexualized in the media. I challenge you to watch fifteen minutes of television without seeing the image of a half naked woman, selling us something we neither want, or need. And men are constantly belittled in our media. Not only that, but men are also sexualized in the media. Sex sells. You’re never going to change that. If you want to stop those ads, organize a boycott. Don’t complain about how powerless you are.
Yes the media does have a habit of portraying men as drooling dolts, but this in no way effects the global power structure of patriarchy. This is exactly the opposite of how the world is run, and deep down even you have to admit that. Men control the media, and an attempt by them to show men as victims of evil harping women belies the fact that in almost every industry you turn to, men are in positions of power. There is a large difference between reality, and fantasy. As for the article that you directed me to, did you not see the racism in the ad? There is a reason that the man that was selected was black. This has more to do with race, than it does with gender. It is an attempt to delegitimize black men ..a big black dick, no operating brains. This is not new, look at the "lunchbox" campaigns that were directed at Linford Christie.
6. Daily for a small fee one can have access to violent pornography thus reifying our rape culture Ok, first off, the term “rape culture” is one that was made up by feminism to be used in women’s studies courses and to play on your fears. How safe do you think it is for a lone man to walk down a dark street in a rough neighborhood? Second, when you use the term “violent pornography”, you really mean “against women”. There’s a fair amount of femdomme porn out there as well. Ever seen the ones where a man is bound spread-eagle and kick in the crotch (as a very mild example)? Again, you get a half-truth.
Right because men routinely get raped, and note when it does happen it is usually done by other men...I am not saying that women do not assault men, what I am saying is that the majority of the sexual assaults that occur are perpetrated by MEN. Speaking of rape, how do you think the women of the Congo feel? Oh, I forgot it is a made up term, and so I guess those women are only imaging that they are confronting rape on a daily basis.
Yes, again Femmedom Porn does exist, but like every other industry the porn industry is dominated by MEN. It is largely created to satisfy the MALE GAZE...
7. hip hop is your thing, I can imagine how you might find it pleasant to hear women referred to as bitches and hos continually Here’s the thing about hip hop. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. It isn’t a society-wide phenomenon. Freedom of speech, and all that.
Yes due to freedom of speech people spew all kinds of venom. I of course stopped listening to any hip hop that contained woman hating lyrics, however that does not mean that I am not offended each, and every time I hear it. You don't need to actually buy it, to be exposed to it. While hip hop does have its target audience, I must still interact with people who feel that this kind of misogynistic hate is ok. Of course just like any agent of socialization (media) hip hop has an effect on its listeners. Nothing is ever innocent.
8. sexism that has been thrown at Hillary Clinton. My goodness a woman president, we cannot have that, when she gets her period she might be tempted to push the button. Where oh where will we hide the tampon dispenser in the Oval office? You see that office is the repository of male bodily fluids, and the cleaning staff are used to dealing with semen, and not blood. Ok, I’m not sure where this came from, but have you considered that maybe, just maybe, Mrs. Clinton isn’t the right woman for the job? I’m sure sexism has been thrown at her. I’m sure racism has been thrown at Obama. I’m sure infidelity has been thrown at someone else. And draft dodging. And anything else their opponents can come up with. Welcome to politics.
As I have stated in many posts, I am not a fan of Ms. Clinton, however I am even less a fan of the sexism that she had to endure during the race. It is not as simple as saying welcome to politics. With her, they avoided debating the issues simply because they could count on a hatred of women. What her run for office proved is that no matter what lip service we give to equality, we have not reached the point where women are taken seriously. I simply cannot imagine a great debate amongst political pundits regarding the shrill like whine in either Obama or McCains voice. I cannot wait to see when these two face off, how many times they will be accused of being hysterical, or having a nagging quality to their tone. Bet that won't happen because those are gender specific commentary.
9. Any idea where your clitoris is? Found it by accident didn’t you, because female sexual pleasure just isn’t taught in sex education classes. Wow. Do they teach male sexual pleasure in sex ed these days? Seems I remember learning about ovulation, semen production, std’s, stuff like that. Besides, I knew where my clitoris was long before sexual maturity, and not because of abuse. It’s actually pretty common.
If they are focusing on intercourse, then they are focusing on male sexual pleasure. Most women need stimulation of the clitoris to achieve orgasm, and since that is not a high priority in sex-ed classes I would say that they are focusing on male sexual pleasure. This is what female centered sex education looks like.
10. barefoot, and pregnant This term was reportedly coined by a sexist legislator in 1963, and has been used ever since as a feminist catchphrase. You can do better than that.
Uuumm yeah, don't care who coined it, it's an accurate statement.
11. They just need to spread their legs when told, and feign pleasure at the mans will. I’m not sure where you’re going with this. Are you saying we’re all sex-slaves?
What I am saying is that when it comes to heterosexual sex there is a lack of reciprocity.
12. perfecting the skill of fellatio while ignoring the fact that your man thinks that cunnilingus is some foreign country off the coast of Italy. Throw the little man in the boat a life jacket, and buy a vibrator, it may be the only way you will ever have an orgasm See my comment on #11. Or you might try communicating with your man. Just a suggestion.
You think that it is because of a lack of communication...please...For every 10 times a man receives fellatio, he performs cunnilingus 3 times. In the western world heterosexual sex, has always been phalocentric. It is only since feminism made sex an issue, that women have had the courage to demand sexual satisfaction.
13. it isn’t considered sex when lesbians are intimate. Is this why the rape scene in “The Vagina Monologues is so empowering?
I have no clue what you are talking about....I left the monologue the minute she encouraged men to say the word cunt...you will have to enlighten me on what your commentary is supposed to mean.
14. Did you know you stink? Don’t worry though there are douches for that, just don’t think about what it is doing to your natural chemistry My understanding is that douches are for occasional use only, and it’s better to use the unscented vinegar-based ones. Maybe they’re telling you something different these days? That’s marketing, just like the Gardasil commercials. Did you know that 85% of the deaths from cervical cancer in the last count could have been prevented if the women had chosen to get a pap smear?
My point is that products like douches prey upon the social construction of the foulness of the vagina. There is no need for a woman to douche whatsoever. It's predatory.
15. Didn’t you know that women are supposed to all have hairless prepubescent bodies at all times, while men can go around looking like they belong in gorillas in the mist, with nary a batted eye Look at mass media advertising, and then ask your male friends what they prefer. I think you’ll find that preferences vary, especially when it comes to the prepubescent look. Shaving our pits and legs is part of grooming. Just like when men shave their faces, trim their beards, wear ties, all that stuff.
No we are only told that it is part of grooming. Ask yourself why it is necessary to remove hair from the human body that does not impede someone's functionality? Gasp...Could it be for male pleasure. As for the Brazilian trim, please tell me the last time you saw a model with a single pube sticking through her bathing suit, or around the bikini line? The bald muff is not about female pleasure, it is once again about the male gaze...No woman sat around one day and thought that it would be a great idea to poor hot wax on her vagina. I can think of much better ways to spend an afternoon.
16. diet industry is dependent on your desire to conform to the ideal female form to maintain profits. Don’t worry though Jenny Craig will love you, for every dollar of your meager disposable income that you spend trying to get into an unachievable size o. Do you have any money left after purchasing your high sodium diet food? The diet industry is as bad as the pharmaceutical industry. Successful advertising is not the same as coercion. Besides, how many home gyms and protein powders are sold because men are supposed to be muscular and cut?
Right, right the money made by targeting women does not far exceed the money that is made from targeting men. Women don't succumb to anorexia and, bulimia trying to attain these unrealistic images at a much higher rate than men...no ones fault though, everyone is innocent. When we give a girl a Barbie Doll, we don't set the stage for unrealistic body images...nope, not at all..the ideal body image that is crafted for women has no effect on our gender psyche at all. Just one mass hysterical delusion. Just wondering while you are at it, do you want to tell me how easy obese women have it as well?
18. man, who even though he is five years older than you is becoming distinguished while you look dried up, and used. There are evolutionary reasons for older men being attractive to us – they represent someone more established and able to support us. As for older women looking dried up and used, I don’t think I agree with you. Yes, we lose our firmness and suppleness, but if we go into it gracefully, I think older women can be very beautiful. You can’t expect to always look fertile. Blame the primitive brain, not sexism.
Totally missed the point didn't you. I am saying that the media presents older men as sexy, alluring etc whereas once a woman hits 40 she is done for. Michael Douglas weds Catherine Zeta Jones, not a word said. Demi Moore gets it on with Ashton Cutcher, and she is a cradle robber.
19. You see, you took so much time out of the workforce to raise children, and take care of your elderly parents that it has effected your retirement benefits. Should you have the misfortune to outlive your spouse, and loose his share of benefits you will become a regular at food banks, and soup kitchens. Even with the discounts you will get for being a senior, economically life will be very hard for you. If you choose to stay home and raise the kids, that’s the choice you make. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been putting money into retirement since I was 30 years old. You have to take care of these things yourself, instead of expecting someone else to do it.
Here we go on the privilege roller coaster again. You are able to save in your class bracket, ask yourself how women who are living in poverty are doing? How will retirement benefit their already meager income. Glad to know that you support stay at home moms too, so woman positive of you. A woman staying at home to raise children is providing a valuable service to society, and she should not be penalized economically for doing so. While she may have removed herself from the labor market, society will benefit from the labor of her children. One other point, in most cases where a woman stays home, the husband is in a high stress, high income job. These jobs require a support staff to be maintained, or do you believe he still picks up his own dry cleaning? The husbands ability to function is directly related to the wife performing labor in the household.
20. “Ninety percent of girls reported experiencing sexual harassment at least once. Specifically, 67 percent of girls reported receiving unwanted romantic attention, 62 percent were exposed to demeaning gender-related comments, 58 percent were teased because of their appearance, 52 percent received unwanted physical contact and 25 percent were bullied or threatened with harm by a male. 52 percent of girls also reported receiving discouraging gender-based comments on the math, science and computer abilities, usually from male peers, and 76 percent of girls reported sexist comments on their athletic abilities, again predominantly from male peers.”( a study I quoted from) Yes, but what is unwanted sexual attention? “Hey baby, give me your ass”, or “You look really sexy in that short dress”? Who isn’t teased because of their appearance? I’ve worn glasses since the 3rd grade, had acne since 6th grade. Trust me. I got teased. What about the boy who isn’t buff and wealthy? Think he’s not getting teased? Think again. That’s only your first few statistics. Question the rest of them.
Unwanted sexual attention speaks for itself. This isn't about teasing, this about male ownership of the female body. Ask yourself why you don't see hordes of women catcalling men?
21. Feminist theory is fluid, and constantly changing to meet the diverse needs of women Ah, here’s where you throw in the “all the bad stuff isn’t REAL feminism”. The convenient denial.
Actually, I am saying that unlike you colluding women, feminism does not always create a monolithic representative woman. Just as there are many different kinds of leftist theories, there are various forms of feminist theory. Each one has a different set of organizing principles, outcomes, and goals, but you would know that if you studied feminism beyond a Rush Limbaugh rant.
22. Simply stating the facts of the lived experience of women does not constitute the demonization of men. Why should women deny the horrors of their daily lives so that men can have a feel good experience? I never said stating the facts of our lived experience constitutes the demonization of men. I said blaming men for everything bad that has ever happened does. Is your daily life really a horror? Really?
Again this is not about me as a person. It is about the lived experience of all women. I certainly would not presume to think that my life mirrored that of a woman living in South Africa, or Iceland. What I am stating is that each, and every time women confront patriarchy, we are told that we are picking on men. Heaven forbid they own their gender privilege.
23. men have been slaughtering women since the beginning of time. I couldn’t find a source that said this. Do you have one?
Cute..do the work yourself. Men have killed women plain, and simple. Open your local paper, I am sure you will find one incident of violence by a man against a woman.
24. Now with the aid of technology we are killed before we can even take our first breath. It is called femicide The only information I found about femicide deals with the killing of female fetuses in India. Which is absolutely horrible. But I’m a little confused. If abortion is ok, but femicide is wrong, then that only leaves the murder of male fetuses. Is this really what you’re trying to say?
Are you serious?....oh well, When a woman chooses to have an abortion because she cannot afford another child, or she simple does not want to be a mother, that is completely understandable, and acceptable. Femicide occurs because males are valued more than females. These abortions are coerced quite often, and they are occurring simply because the child in question is female. Abortion should not occur due to gender.
I cannot believe I made my way through all of that. Well despite the vitriol from the trolls that I got from my original post, and this response from KellyMac, I have emerged unscathed. I have a challenge for you, take the time to think about the different ways that gender has had an impact on your life. In each, and every single incident who has benefited? Think outside of your personal experience, and image the life of a woman half way across the world. What may not effect you, could be a major factor limiting her life chances. I personally identify as a womanist because I find that to be a more inclusive form of feminism, but that does not mean that I am not aware of how the social construction of gender impacts men. Take an intersectional approach to examine the different ways in which the isms combine to act as stigmatizers. While each person must necessarily confront sites of oppression, they must also acknowledge the ways in which they are privileged. The two go hand, in hand.
Feminism is more than what you see on the evening news, and it is certainly not the hateful theory that is presented. Keep in mind that the people most vocal in their hatred of feminism, largely neglect to mention the ways in which they continue to benefit from the oppression of women. I cannot tell you what to think, in fact that is not my intent...I only ask you, isn't it worth your while to just take a moment to question? I don't even recognize the feminism that you are decrying as a form of legitimate feminist theory, and so perhaps your idea of feminism is wrong period. As I mentioned there are various forms of feminism to suit the diversity of women on this planet. I will just name a few, eco-feminism, radical feminism, liberal feminism, post structural feminism, Marxist feminism, post-colonial feminism etc and etc...before you decide that feminism is bad, take the time to look at the various forms of feminism, their organizing principles, and outcomes, you might just find one that you like.
|
<urn:uuid:b2aa001c-d989-4e81-b430-410206d53824>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.womanist-musings.com/2008/06/colluding-ass-women-feminism-benefits.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.9716
| 5,112
| 1.578125
| 2
|
The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T +44 (0)1227 764000
Professor Vojin Dimitrijević
Professor Vojin Dimitrijević, Yugoslav Human Rights activist, Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, and Doctor of Laws honoris causa of the University of Kent, died in Belgrade on 5 October 2012 at the age of 81.
Vojin, a close friend since Kent hosted him at the conference Issues of Identity in Contemporary Yugoslavia in August 1992, was Director of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights and a key figure in mobilising the forces of law against the violence of the regime of Slobodan Milošević.
In July 2002, Kent made Vojin, who had worked closely with Professor John Groom (Politics and International Relations) and Glenn Bowman (School of Anthropology and Conservation) and whose son and daughter-in-law carried out postgraduate research at the University, a Doctor of Civil Law.
Story published at 10:33am 10 October 2012
|
<urn:uuid:d09c0495-52e9-4423-91d1-884c9c9e64fc>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.kent.ac.uk/student/news/campus.html?id=professor-vojin-dimitrijevic.txt
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.949086
| 229
| 1.71875
| 2
|
COALVILLE — Although statewide fire restrictions have ended, firefighters across Utah are urging caution and one county has decided to extend its restrictions to play it safe.
Summit County government officials moved to keep fire restrictions there in place until Oct. 1. After that, permits and calls to firefighters are required for anything larger than a cooking campfire through Halloween, said Summit County fire warden Bryce Boyer.
“We’ve had a couple (fires) in the forests from lightning holdovers that have come up, and also some abandoned campfires where people didn’t put them out,” Boyer said.
On Sept. 5, Wanship had a close call with a human-caused wildfire. Boyer said the 61-acre blaze was sparked sometime before noon and quickly reached to within 40 yards of some homes. The fire forced evacuations in the area.
As a firefighter approached him that day, Iain McKay watched the flames get closer as emergency responders zipped past his home to fight the blaze.
“I was like, ‘Are we still on standby?’” McKay questioned. “He’s like, 'No, you need to get off the property right now.'”
McKay and his wife were forced to rush their excitable flock of rescue geese to safer ground.
“All the neighbors were down there laughing at us, because the two of us working together is not always the best — we’re husband and wife,” McKay quipped.
Statewide, firefighters are telling people they still need to consider the little things to prevent fires.
“Pulling our vehicles off to the side of the road, and other things that could lead to wildfires,” said Jason Curry, spokesman for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. “We just need to be very careful.”
While conditions have improved since reaching extremely dangerous levels in June and July, Curry said very dry conditions still exist.
Major wildfires have also developed in Utah as late as October, he said. Boyer added that he has fought smaller wildfires in Summit County as late as November.
Firefighters are urging campers and hunters to make sure campfires — where legal — are completely cold before leaving them.
Meanwhile, Summit County Manager Bob Jasper said cities, counties and the state in the future need to be more consistent with their fire rules and restrictions. Jasper said his county adopted the fire restrictions until Oct. 1 only because that was what the state had asked the county to do, and he wasn’t sure why the state then lifted the restrictions earlier.
“It’s confusing – we should be on the same page,” Jasper said.
- Provo couple killed in RV accident near St....
- Police were watching, listening to Josh and...
- Man charged with killing Ogden officer found...
- 'More questions than answers' as charges...
- Susan Powell's father wants help searching...
- Davis County honor student arrested in deaths...
- Parents of Sandy Hook victim, Emilie Parker,...
- Common Core State Standards attract...
- Chaffetz not willing to take... 71
- Man charged with killing Ogden officer... 40
- S.L. draws up airport plans 33
- Couples registry gets preliminary nod... 29
- 'We're here to serve all boys,' Utah... 23
- Gov. Gary Herbert tells Washington... 17
- $2.6B needed for Utah to reach... 17
- Letters to family show Steven Powell... 17
|
<urn:uuid:17397292-69b4-4751-b198-de294fbe2732>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865562340/Fire-restrictions-extended-in-Summit-County-as-firefighters-urge-caution.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.969587
| 743
| 1.765625
| 2
|
My seminar*, or, how Anthro Foucault Guy became my nemesis.
Day 1: 2 papers presented. Ensuing discussion on bodies, dead and alive.
Anthro Foucault Guy: You know, there's this REALLY INTERESTING guy named FOUCAULT. Maybe you guys in literary studies** have heard of him. blah blah BODIES IN PRISON blah blah CARCERAL. ...fast forward a few minutes... FOUCAULT IS A GENIUS.
More discussion on death and temporality.
AFG: Let me inform you about something called CULTURAL RELATIVISM. Anthropology knows a lot about this. It goes like this: other cultures have other notions of death. This changes how they feel about death when they're alive. Like, in some tribes in South America, death is just part of existence. etc.
Day 2: 3 papers presented, among them mine. Ensuing discussion on literary repetition.
AFG, to Kermit: You know, in anthropology there's been a lot of work done on repetition, having to do with chant and ritual...
Kermit: Yes, actually, in the context of my broader project, I've looked at some works that link anthropological studies of chant and ritual to forms of lyric poetry.
AFG: stays pretty quiet.
Day 3: 3 papers presented, among them AFG's. AFG's paper is written in a notebook, and we are instructed to excuse him if he stumbles because his handwriting is not so neat. The paper's argument goes as follows: "Foucault (gently caress book by Foucault) is a genius, but if you combine his views in Discipline and Punish (gently caress book again) with Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, you discover that the individual has individual ways of reacting to structures of power. [Translates somewhat haltingly, on the spot, a passage from Foucault. Translates somewhat haltingly, on the spot, a passage from M-P.] I really think that it's necessary to think about individuals and how they actively participate in disciplinary structures. Plus, the physical structure of the prison is necessary for its disciplinary structure to be effective."
Discussion ensues, with an emphasis on the words "I think that," always delivered with a flair of machismo.
Kermit: (deciding that AFG needs reminding that other people might possibly have thought about Foucault and discipline before) What you're describing as the individual's participation in disciplinary structures sounds a lot like 20th-century revisions of the Marxist idea of ideology, which discuss how individual people are drawn to want to become part of the dominant cultural field, rather than having it imposed on them...
AFG: NO. Marxism is TOP-DOWN. My point is that individuals can respond to things individually.
Kermit: Yes, and these theorists have thought about this.
AFG: NO. MARXISM IS TOP-DOWN.
Moderator: Well, what you're describing sounds a lot like a problem other people have pointed out in Foucault, but what strikes me about your account is... ... and I've generally seen Foucault as a post-Marxist ...
At this point I must break into the first person. No one else (out of the 6 people left in the room) was willing to call AFG out. This shook me, not out of respect for the integrity of the discipline or anything like that, but because AFG was talking with such a combination of sycophancy and egotistic confidence. I wanted to say:
Guys. We are supposed to be colleagues here. When we are too concerned with maintaining polite conference conversation to call bullshit, that's when jerks can get away with dominating other people by delivering wrong assertions or rehashing arguments with macho confidence, and that's just wrong.
I politely made my excuses to the moderator and left early.
*The format of this conference was unusual in that we were supposed to meet each day with the same group of people, to whom we'd each present our papers.
**Anthro Foucault Guy is an anthropologist. This was a literature conference.
|
<urn:uuid:0fd3a670-b1b6-437c-a7aa-c7671a272195>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://kermitthefroghere.blogspot.com/2008/04/conference-ii-ugly.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.959786
| 884
| 1.59375
| 2
|
Polish Cinema in an International Context, a two-day international conference, is being held on 4-5 December 2009, courtesy of Cornerhouse Manchester, the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, the University of Salford and sponsored by the Polish Cultural Institute and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
The conference will be accompanied by a festival of Polish cinema (hosted by Cornerhouse) and public discussions of Polish films. The conference is addressed to the academic community, as well as educators and promoters of Polish films and the public at large.
The Organising Committee consists of Professor Ewa Mazierska (School of Journalism, Media and Communication, University of Central Lancashire) and Dr. Michael Goddard (Lecturer in Media, Salford University), and abstracts of approximately 200 words should be sent to this address by 1 September 2009.
Subjects of papers may include but are not limited to:
- Polish émigré filmmakers
- Polish international co-productions
- International successes and failures of Polish films
- Polish films at international festivals
- Polish cinema in the context of Eastern Europe and East-Central Europe
- Polish cinema and the European avant-garde
- Influence of Polish cinema on foreign films
- The marketing of Polish films abroad
- Adaptations of foreign works by Polish directors
- Foreign characters and places in Polish films
- Film and Polish migration
- The international reception of Polish films before and after 1989
- Polish cinema and international film and critical theory
|
<urn:uuid:04631ff5-59e4-4164-ba26-41c887b38839>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://filmjournal.net/kinoblog/category/conferences/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.935991
| 311
| 1.703125
| 2
|
It seems that more and more companies are creating multi-location workgroups and allowing people to work from home. As a result, new and experienced managers alike are having to learn to run meetings via speakerships, Skype sessions, and other distance shrinking communication tools. It may sound easy, but running an effective virtual meeting is much harder than it seems because you have the following things going against you:
- People on the phone are probably multi-tasked, doing email or other activities.
- People in the conference room forget that people are on the phone because they can’t see them.
- Meeting handouts must be emailed to remote participants prior to meeting.
- Cellphones lose service and run out of batteries.
- Location-specific accents can be hard to understand.
- People joining the call late can disrupt the flow of conversation.
- Time zone differences can make it problematic to find a meeting time that is convenient for all participants.
The good news is that even with all the above difficulties, virtual meetings can be run successfully and efficiently. It just takes a little planning, a little technique and a little practice.
Let’s start with the planning. If your meeting participants are from different time zones, try to find a time that works best for all. I like to call this “the time of least aggravation.” That is to say, the time that on average causes the least inconvenience to the participants. Ideally, no one should be forced to wake up in the middle of the night to join the call. Second, you must be sure that all of the documents that will be discussed on the call have been emailed to the participants in time to read and/or print them before the meeting. Lastly and easiest, make sure that all participants have the conference call phone number as access code.
Regarding technique, there are a number of things you can do to make the call run more smoothly, including the following:
1. If the majority of the participants are together on a conference call, place the names of those who called into the meeting on a large piece of paper next to the speakerphone. This will act as a visual reminder that people are on the phone.
2. Periodically ask specific questions to the people on the phone and require answers to assure they are paying attention.
3. If possible, if the meeting is not discussing controversial or confidential information, turn off the “beep” that sounds each time a new person is added to the call.
4. Connect privately with others on the meeting via instant messaging.
5. Facilitate the meeting by assuring that all those in the class have a chance to speak.
6. Minimize the chance of technical issues by distributing a list of do’s and don’ts such as not placing the call on hold if your hold plays music.
7. Ask open questions with the specific intent of expanding the conversation, thus not allowing prolonged silence on the call.
With the planning done and the techniques in hand, your next step is practice. If you have been a participant in a virtual meeting, but have never been the leader, it’s harder to do well than it looks. If you have never participated on a virtual meeting, try to gain firsthand knowledge of how it’s done by participating in one. This first-time participation can be done in any of the following ways listed in order of preference.
- First, ask to join a virtual meeting being held within your company. If it is not a meeting you would normally attend, ask if you can quietly listen with the goal of understanding how a virtual meeting can be effectively run.
- Second, attend a free interactive webinar sponsored by a vendor in your industry. This will not only give you a sense of how virtual meetings are run, but it will also provide you the opportunity to learn something about the vendor that may help you at work.
- Third, attend a free interactive webinar on a non-work related topic, but of personal interest. This type of interactive webinar tends to be less formal and less business-like, but should give you a good idea of how a virtual meeting is run.
The primary advice and takeaways from today’s column is to know that:
- Running a successful virtual meeting is harder than it looks, but with the right planning, techniques and practice, they can be done very successfully.
Until next time, manage well, manage smart and continue to grow.
Eric P. Bloom, based in Ashland, Mass., is the president and founder of Manager Mechanics LLC, a company specializing in information technology leadership development and the governing organization for the ITMLP and ITMLE certifications. He is also a nationally syndicated columnist, keynote speaker, and author of the award-winning book “Manager Mechanics: Tips and Advice for First-Time Managers.” Contact him at eric@ManagerMechanics.com, follow him on Twitter at @EricPBloom, or visit www.ManagerMechanics.com.
|
<urn:uuid:febdd1d5-c6fd-4c10-955c-d11bf9611f40>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.wayneindependent.com/article/20120928/NEWS/120929768/0/opinion
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.944849
| 1,044
| 1.742188
| 2
|
Aggie Athletes Involved (AAI) is a community service group comprised of student-athletes. For the past 18 years, student-athletes from all intercollegiate sports at TAMU have volunteered their time to take part in events that help the Brazos Valley and campus community.
This service group is one of the most active athletic related service groups in the country. Average participation typically consists of over 350 student athletes taking part in one or more activities or events. Events that AAI is involved with include mentoring programs, red ribbon and drug awareness activities, the Brazos Valley Food Bank, the Special Olympics, the Children's Miracle Network, Big Event, Aggie Sports Day, Aggies CAN, NYSP Car Wash, and the KBTX Food For Families.
It has been, and will continue to be, the goal of AAI to create an opportunity for young people to spend time and interact on a personal level with student athletes from different teams.
Through the variety of interactions offered, it is hoped that student-athletes will appreciate the importance of service and take this appreciation with them as they leave the university environment.
For more information contact the AAI advisor Mona Osborne at 862-6027.
|
<urn:uuid:287bf3db-c33e-482f-80db-358a110dbeba>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.aggieathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?CONTENT_ID=231347&DB_OEM_ID=27300&ATCLID=205237100
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.944804
| 252
| 1.515625
| 2
|
Goals of the Program
The overarching goal of the MD/PhD curriculum is to provide students with the opportunity to obtain the tools and experiences needed to become a successful physician scientist. Integration of the medical and graduate curricula is emphasized from the beginning of the program and sustained even during the predominantly medical or graduate years of training. The ways in which medicine and basic research can be integrated through translational research is a major focus of the Penn State MD/PhD curriculum.
Program of Study
Our curriculum is designed to train students to become physician scientists. The program of study begins with a laboratory rotation (at least 4 weeks in duration) during the summer prior to matriculation. Students can arrange for the rotation by contacting a faculty member directly, or through the MD/PhD office. Students then start the program with the first two years of medical school, but also take a limited number of graduate courses. One of the graduate courses taken by MD/PhD students is Biological Basis of Human Health and Disease (CMBIO 506). This course is typically taken during M2 and is organized and run by the dual degree program specifically for MD/PhD students. During M1, faculty members in the program present their research to students at a weekly luncheon. Students then select two faculty members to do rotations with during the summer between M1 and M2. Students typically choose a lab for their thesis research after these rotations. Students may choose advisors/labs from either the Hershey or University Park Campus. At the end of M2, all students take Step 1 of the USMLE licensing examination. Beginning in the third year, students focus on graduate studies and begin their thesis projects. Students typically finish their thesis research in 4-5 years. During the graduate years, students also get to experience the life of a physician scientist through the Clinical Exposure program, which allows students to choose a clinical mentor and participate with that mentor in his/her clinic. Upon completion of their PhD thesis, students return to medical school (M3 and M4 years) to complete their clinical rotations and choose a residency program. Throughout their tenure in the program, students are expected to participate in the monthly MD/PhD seminar series and attend the annual MD/PhD retreat.
|
<urn:uuid:b20fffd6-0e94-4454-9733-b8f0e59b8927>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://pennstatehershey.org/web/mdphd/curriculum/overview
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.97006
| 463
| 1.773438
| 2
|
By Katrina Lawrence
The age-old practice of peeling – and thereby resurfacing – skin still has relevance today.
Cleopatra, that ultimate beauty queen, deserves credit for starting many trends. Kohl-ringed eyes? Check. Incense-infused perfume? That, too. Milk baths? Been there, done that.
Okay sure, bathing in milk is hardly an everyday occurrence in modern times. Really, who has time to loll around in a marble tub while handmaidens dance around and lovingly lavish you with fresh milk? Cleopatra's creamy baths, however, do have beauty relevance in that they inspired an industry of facial and body peels; those clever ancient Egyptians knew that milk contains a natural exfoliating agent, lactic acid, which is now a common ingredient in salon peeling treatments.
Far from a Cleopatra-esque pampering experience, however, modern peels tend to be a quick on-off affair. Either performed as a course – often before an important event, such as a wedding – or slipped into a facial to boost results, peels promise myriad skin benefits, from whittling away lines, to evening skintone, to decongesting pores, to generally rejuvenating the skin.
"The word peel has a very broad definition with no regulations in the industry on how it is to be used," notes Emma Hobson, education manager for the International Dermal Institute. Hobson explains that peels fall into two categories: treatments that prompt the skin to peel over the following week, and treatments that exfoliate or resurface the skin, causing little to no downtime.
Here's our comprehensive guide to facial peels.
In the deep
Old-school peels, administered by doctors, certainly had a reputation for aggressively resurfacing skin, and required up to a week's downtime. Why? Well, one, you want to keep ultra-sensitised skin away from environmental assaults; two, chances are you won't want anyone to see you.
Treatments of a single deep peel are performed less and less these days, in preference for a greater number of lighter peels (which aren't medical-grade and therefore can be performed by skin therapists). "Consumers don't want to take time away from their schedule," explains Hobson.
Dr Joseph Hkeik, medical director of All Saints Cosmedical, notes that even today's deeper peels are not as invasive as they once were. "Minimal flaking is to be expected but no oozing, weeping skin when compared with your traditional peels," he says, noting that the downtime of his Cabernet au Chocolat (CAC) peel occurs around on day 3-5, when the skin sheds. "Today's dermal peels no longer have the pain, or inflammation associated with them."
The acid test
Alpha hydroxy acids – such as glycolic, from sugar cane; malic, from apple juice; and the aforementioned lactic – along with beta hydroxy acid (also known as salicylic acid, from willow bark) are the hero ingredients of most salon peels. Some are single-acid treatments; others come in varying combinations. All acids have what's known as a chemically exfoliating effect; that is, they dissolve intercellular glue within the skin, encouraging dead cells to shed and fresh skin to come to the surface.
Standalone glycolic acid peels are popular, as this ingredient promises to both smooth skin and stimulate collagen production. Two to try: md Formulations' Glycolic Peel (1800 808 993), or Endota Spa's new Peel + Go treatment. "If someone is new to peels, we tend to start them on the classic glycolic," says Christine Snow, national education manager at True Solutions.
Many AHA peels also contain a dose of salicylic acid, such as md Formulations' Alpha Beta Peel. "Salicylic acid dissolves dead cells from the skin's surface, whereas glycolic works deeper, so it's a multi-layered peel," notes Snow. The addition of salicylic acid is especially beneficial for treating acne, says James Vivian, mobile skin aesthetician and the man behind The Travelling Peelsman. "Salicylic acid is both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial," he explains. "It also helps reduce skin thickening due to sun damage; it really refines skin which lets us then get a better delivery of other acids into the skin," he says.
Another favourite is lactic acid. As well as exfoliating the skin, it's extremely moisturising. "It stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin, which is a water-binding molecule, plus it stimulates the production of good oils which in turn create a barrier on the surface that locks in this natural moisture," he says. Vivian uses lactic acid on clients with dehydrated, dull skin; he also might use it on targeted areas, or layer it with salicylic acid and a shot of vitamin A, depending on each skin's needs. "Bespoke is a good way of describing my approach," he says.
Over at Priori, lactic acid is laced with the powerful antioxidant idebenone in the Superceutical Peel (1800 808 993). "Infusing peels with antioxidants and vitamins is a strong trend in peels," notes Snow. "Peels are a great delivery system so it makes sense."
Trend: Going gourmet
As companies cook up new skin-resurfacing recipes, don't be surprised to find peels enhanced with ingredients once more commonly found in your fruit bowl or pantry. Dr Spiller offers a Spelt Peel, rich in softening enzymes; DermaQuest has its Pumpkin Resurfacer Peel, promising to nourish and de-age skin thanks to the vegetable's vitamin A goodness; Cosmedix's Antioxidant Peel with Blueberry Extracts infuses skin with lovely glow; and, Dermalogica has added papaya enzymes to boost the exfoliation power of its lactic acid-based EA35 treatment.
The Laser Option
Peels, of course, are not the only way to resurface skin. Lasers, especially of the fractional family, are an increasingly favoured option at many skin clinics. "The lasers generally do a more precise and controlled job," notes dermatologist Dr Chris Kearney. A laser targets some skin issues that peels can't touch. "Laser treatments work on the deeper layers of the skin to better effect deep-set lines and wrinkles, and remove dermal pigment – promises never made by chemical peeling treatments," says Vivian, who openly admits to having referred clients to laser operators.
That's not to say that peels are on the extinction list just yet, with many women feeling most comfortable with this resurfacing option. "Laser treatments are more powerful but you need to have more downtime," says Dr Hkeik, adding that "maintenance of the skin is gentler with the peel." Snow agrees; "Laser has a cost, not just financially, but also in terms of pain and time off work."
Lasers aside, could peels be under threat from the growing number of active skincare brands on the market? "Most peels are usually just a higher concentration of the ingredients in regular-use topicals and generally it is preferred to apply them frequently in lower concentration," says Dr Kearney. "It's analogous to it being better to exercise 30 minutes daily than for seven hours once a month." Vivian agrees that AHA-driven skincare is effective for home use – "I recommend most clients use a low-dose acid nightly, or every third night, so that skin is turning over as efficiently as possible" – but is adamant that peels add the extra oomph that is necessary for great skin. "Professionally administered chemical peeling treatments are for clients who wish to change their skin far beyond what any at-home treatment could," he says. "There is no comparison."
View our top five at-home peels in this product gallery.
|
<urn:uuid:48dc8cec-ac92-4c85-bbe6-68c90a2d883d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/beauty+indulgence/features+reviews/a+guide+to+facial+peels,13585
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.95509
| 1,693
| 1.726563
| 2
|
When launching a B2G-Desktop build, has your testing been brought to a grinding halt due to the blank screen of death?
I was the victim of exactly the above scenario during the course of the last week as my focus shifted almost exclusively to working on Gaia, the UI layer of FirefoxOS. As with most new projects one get’s involved with, one of the first steps is getting a working development environment set-up. With Gaia there are basically three options, and the one you choose, depends on either your stage of development or, the module you are currently working on. I am not going to go into to much detail here about your options, but suffice it to say, at some stage you will touch all three.
Now, as mentioned before, my problems started when I loaded up a B2G-Desktop build using my own working profile of Gaia. After installing the dependencies, I ran the following command:
I was greeted not with the home screen but instead, with a pure white, blank screen and absolutely nothing being written to stdout to give me a hint as to why this is happening. I headed over to the Hacking Gaia page on the Mozilla Wiki to see if there was anything related to this problem, and indeed there seemed to be. When reading more of the details though, I realized this was not exactly what I was running into however, the second possible problem seemed plausible.
From here on then you can follow along to determine whether this is what is causing your desktop build to break as well. Head over to $GAIA_HOME/profile/extensions/httpd/content/ and open up the httpd.js file and find the following line:
/** True if debugging output is enabled, false otherwise. */
var DEBUG = false; // non-const *only* so tweakable in server tests
This is then the variable we want to set to true to enable logging of the process. After doing this start up the desktop build again. NOTE: Be careful not to rebuild you Gaia profile at this time as it will overwrite your change from above.
When the build starts up now, you will see some logging output being written to stdout. Your mileage might vary but, in my case I saw output similar to the following: “port 8080 x number of pending connections…”. That definitely sounds like there might be another process bound to 8080 so, the next step is to find that process.
Before looking at how we can find the offending process I want to take a short detour that will surely save time for some of you. If you are running CrashPlan, chances are 99% that this is the offending process but, as it also turns out, it is not port 8080 that is the trouble maker but instead port 4242 to which B2G opens socket, that is the real issue here. Nevertheless, below we will fix both possible problems.
Open up the CrashPlan UI and click on Settings and then under the General tab, click on the Configure button next to ‘Inbound backup from…….’ and change the listen port from it’s default of 4242 to something like 4142 and click Ok.
Now, load up b2g-bin again and everything should be as expected.
If you are not running CrashPlan, then we have to dig a little deeper to find the problem. In the terminal execute the following:
sudo lsof | grep -i 'listen'
The command might take a little while to complete depending on the number of process running at the moment. Once it returns, you will see output similar to the following:
On the far right of the above is where we want to look for a process that is listing on either port 8080, 4242 (if you look at the output when starting b2g you will see a socket as opened on this port) or even 2424 as all of these are known to cause conflicts. Once you have a found the process, and identified the application, you can kill the process by taking it’s id, in the second column from the left, and running kill -9 ‘id’ from the terminal. Once the process is terminated, go ahead and load up b2g-bin again. This time, as with the CrashPlan fix, everything should work as expected.
Thing is though, it is not always desirable to simply kill a process running on port 8080 and you might wonder, why can I not just change the port for Gaia? Well, you can. To do this, build your profile as follows:
GAIA_PORT=9090 DEBUG=1 make
With the above Gaia will now bind to port 9090 and no longer 8080. If you make the above change, remember to update your hosts file so it also maps to the same port. For the socket port of 4242 however, you will have to follow the steps above.
I closing then. Now that everything works you may find that, dependent on how many times you went through the trail and error process, once the desktop build does start up, you are welcomed with a screen similar to the one below:
In more cases then not, the last one would be the one you want. Having said that, to select a homescreen every time before you can interact with the lock screen can get annoying so, if you want to get back to only one clean profile, you should run:
rm -Rf profile/
I hope this helps you to get up and running quickly and contributing to Gaia and FirefoxOS. On a final note, I wish to call out and thank James Lal (lightsofapollo) for all his assistance during my debugging experience.
|
<urn:uuid:3e0f64b2-eb0f-44bc-bad9-5abd6d6e3249>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://schalk-neethling.com/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.942492
| 1,185
| 1.59375
| 2
|
’s All-Century Team, and his jersey has been retired by Nebraska. Following his football days, the Bradenton, Fla., native settled in Omaha, Neb., where he works for a healthcare foundation.
Known as one of the fiercest defensive stalwarts of the old Southwest Conference, Jerry Gray was instrumental in helping the Texas defense shut down some of the decade’s most high-powered offenses. He becomes the 15th Longhorn to be selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First-Team All-American (consensus – 1983, unanimous – 1984), Gray led Texas to four consecutive bowl games, including a 1982 Cotton Bowl victory and a No. 2 final national ranking. He was a two-time Southwest Conference Player of the Year (1983, 1984), and he helped the Longhorns win the 1983 conference title under coach Fred Akers. The two-time team MVP recorded 297 career tackles, 16 interceptions, and 20 pass breakups during his time in Austin.
Taken in the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, Gray enjoyed a nine-year career, playing for the Rams, Houston Oilers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and appearing in four Pro Bowls. Following his playing days, Gray spent time as a position football coach in both the college and professional ranks. He has served as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans since the 2011 season.
The Lubbock, Texas, native established the Jerry Gray Foundation for underprivileged youth, which provides athletic and academic scholarships. He also founded and coordinated the Jerry Gray/Young Life Skills and Leadership Football Camp, and he is active in the Boys and Girls Club of Orchard Park and the United Way. Gray became a member of the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1996.
The two-time First-Team All-America (1952, 1953) selection, under Hall of Fame head coach Bear Bryant, Meilinger led Kentucky to victory in the 1952 Cotton Bowl over TCU. The three-year All-Southeastern Conference honoree played end, halfback and quarterback on offense, while covering end, linebacker and defensive back on defense. He also served as the Wildcats’ two-year starting punter while returning punts and kickoffs.
A first round selection by the Washington Redskins in the 1954 NFL Draft, Meilinger played six seasons in the league for the Redskins, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent the entirety of his non-football life in military or public service. Immediately following his selection by the Redskins, Meilinger served two years as a tank commander in the U.S. Army’s 100th Tank Battalion of the 1st Armored Division before embarking on his pro football career. From 1962-83, Meilinger was a United States Marshal, and he was one of the original six marshals who founded the U.S. Federal Witness Protection Program. He also served two stints as a property valuation officer for the state of Kentucky.
The Bethlehem, Pa., native is a member of the State of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, the University of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, the Fork Union Military Academy Hall of Fame, the Lehigh Valley (Penn.) Hall of Fame and the Liberty High School Hall of Fame.
Ohio State University
Offensive Tackle, 1994-96
Known as the “Pancake Man” for flattening his opponents with his exceptional blocking techniques, Orlando Pace finished fourth in the 1996 Heisman balloting, the highest finish for a lineman since 1980. Pace becomes the 24th Buckeye to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time unanimous First-Team All-American (1995, 1996), Pace was the first player in history to repeat as the Lombardi Trophy winner, earning the honors as a sophomore and junior. In addition, Pace claimed the 1996 Outland Trophy while leading Ohio State to a share of the Big Ten title. He did not allow a sack during his final two seasons, blocking for Hall of Fame and 1995 Heisman Trophy-winning running back Eddie George as well as NFF Campbell Trophy winner Bobby Hoying. The 1996 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year started every game of his career, and he led the Buckeyes to three straight bowl appearances under Hall of Fame coach John Cooper.
Chosen with the first overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in the 1997 NFL Draft, Pace enjoyed a decorated 13 seasons in the league, culminating with the Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV Championship in 1999. Pace was named All-Pro five times, and he earned seven Pro Bowl selections.
The Sandusky, Ohio, native has been a spokesman for Our Little Haven’s ‘Safe & Warm’ expansion project since 1998, and he assists with the efforts for the Diversity Awareness Partnership. Pace also regularly purchases NFL tickets for underprivileged youth.
University of Oklahoma
Combining the speed of a running back with exceptional strength, Rod Shoate became a dominant defensive force at perennial football powerhouse Oklahoma in the early 1970s. Shoate becomes the 20th Sooner to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First-Team All-American (consensus – 1973, unanimous – 1974), Shoate guided OU to a perfect 11-0 season and the National Championship in 1974, building on a 10-0-1 record the year before. The Sooners went 29-4-1 during Shoate’s career, never finishing with a national ranking lower than No. 3. He was twice named the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year as the Sooners claimed the conference crown in each of those seasons. As a freshman, he led Oklahoma to a 14-0 shutout of Penn State in the 1972 Sugar Bowl.
Shoate led the Sooners in tackles for three straight seasons and currently ranks sixth in school history with 420 career tackles. He was the second player in OU annals to be named a three-time All-American (Second Team, 1972) while playing for coach Chuck Fairbanks and Hall of Fame coach Barry Switzer.
Picked by New England in the second round of the 1975 NFL Draft, Shoate enjoyed a six year career with the Patriots before playing two seasons in the USFL. The Spiro, Okla., native passed away on Oct. 4, 1999.
Michigan State University
The first player in college football history to win both the Butkus and Lombardi trophies in the same season, Percy Snow served as the backbone of Michigan State’s famed “Gang Green” defense in the late 1980s. Snow becomes the seventh Spartan to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
Voted a unanimous First-Team All-American selection as a senior, Snow led the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons, and he still ranks second all-time in total tackles (473) at MSU. Snow was a three-time all-conference selection, helping the Spartans to the 1987 Big Ten title and a 1988 Rose Bowl win in which he earned MVP honors after recording 17 tackles against Southern California. He also led MSU to the Gator and Aloha bowls under head coach George Perles after the 1988 and 89 seasons, respectively. The winner of the MSU “Governor of Michigan” award as the team MVP, he reached double figures in tackles 11 times as a senior, including a career-high 23 versus Illinois.
Selected in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft by Kansas City, Snow played in the NFL for four seasons with the Chiefs and Chicago Bears.
Active in the community, he has volunteered as an assistant coach for a little league flag football team, and he has served as a longtime assistant coach in the Babe Stern Youth Baseball League. The Canton, Ohio, native was inducted into the Michigan State Hall of Fame in 2010.
University of Miami
Quarterback, 1982, 1984-86
One of the most celebrated players in a Hurricane program stocked with mythical talent, Miami’s Vinny Testaverde claimed virtually every major award during his senior season in 1986. He becomes the sixth Hurricane to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
As a senior, Testaverde earned unanimous First-Team All-American honors, and he won the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Maxwell, Davey O’Brien and UPI Player of the Year awards. He led the Canes to three consecutive bowls, including the 1987 Fiesta Bowl National Championship game. He finished his collegiate career with more than 6,000 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes, and he still ranks in the top five in virtually every passing category in school history. Testaverde, who was a redshirt on Miami’s 1983 national championship team, went 23-3 as a starter playing for legendary coaches Howard Schnellenberger and Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson.
Tampa Bay selected Testaverde as the No. 1 overall selection in the 1987 NFL Draft, and his pro career spanned 21 seasons with seven different teams. The 1998 All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection finished his NFL career seventh all-time in passing yards (46,233) and eighth in touchdowns (275).
The Elmont, N.Y., native currently resides in Florida where he plays an active role with the Children’s Cancer Center of Tampa. Testaverde remains among only four Hurricanes to have their jerseys retired at Miami.
Passing for more than 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career, Don Trull left an indelible mark on the Baylor record books while becoming the school’s first-ever NFF National Scholar-Athlete. Trull becomes the seventh Bear to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A 1963 First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Southwest Conference selection, Trull led the nation in touchdowns and passing yards his senior season. He was a two-time winner of the Sammy Baugh Award for leading the country in completions (1962, 1963), and he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting as a senior. A trailblazer on the field and off, Trull became Baylor’s first two-time First-Team Academic All-American honoree in 1962 and 1963 as well as the school’s first NFF National Scholar-Athlete (1963). Trull led the Bears to the 1961 Gotham Bowl and the 1963 Bluebonnet Bowl under coach John Bridges.
The Oklahoma City native enjoyed an eight-year career in the professional ranks, playing for the Houston Oilers and Boston Patriots as well as the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos. Following his playing days, he served as an assistant coach at Arkansas from 1972-74.
Trull is the 2013 president-elect for the NFF Touchdown Club of Houston Chapter. His many other roles include NFL Alumni Director, vice chairman of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and a member of the Fort Bend County Water Board of Directors. Trull is a Baylor Hall of Fame inductee, and he was named to the school’s all-decade team.
University of Florida
The first player in history to win the Heisman as well as the NFF’s William V. Campbell Trophy, Danny Wuerffel dominated the college football landscape both athletically and academically during his senior season. He becomes the seventh Gator to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First-Team All-American, Wuerffel claimed the 1996 Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Unitas Golden Arm and the Sammy Baugh Trophy. The two-time SEC Player of the Year and First-Team All-SEC selection posted a 45-6-1 career mark, leading the Gators to the 1996 National Championship. Wuerffel finished his career with nearly 11,000 passing yards and 33 school records, taking Florida to bowl games in each of his four seasons under coach Steve Spurrier (a 1986 Hall of Fame player inductee himself also at Florida). In addition to the 1996 Campbell Trophy, Wuerffel was named a two-time Academic All-American and two-time Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He now becomes the first winner of the Campbell Trophy to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
The Ft. Walton, Fla., native was drafted in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft by New Orleans, and spent six season in the league with the Saints, Packers, Bears and Redskins.
Wuerffel became executive director of Desire Street Ministries after Hurricane Katrina, currently leading the organization’s various community outreach activities. He was a presidential appointee to the White House Council for Service and Civic Participation from 2006-08; a member of the Board of Directors for Professional Athletes Outreach; and a national spokesman for Caps Kids. As the quintessential student-athlete and humanitarian, the All Sports Association established the Wuerffel Trophy in 2005, which recognizes a college football player for his exemplary community service.
United States Naval Academy, Temple University
Head Coach, 118-74-5 (61.2%)
The most successful coach in Temple football history and the coach of Navy’s only two Heisman Trophy winners, Wayne Hardin created a Hall of Fame career, leading the Midshipmen and Owl programs to unprecedented accomplishments.
Navy’s head coach from 1959-64 Hardin coached Hall of Famers and Heisman Trophy winners Joe Bellino (1960) and Roger Staubach (1963). Hardin ranks fifth all-time at Navy in wins (38), and his teams beat archrival Army in five of his six seasons. His five consecutive defeats of Army stood unsurpassed until 2007. He took Navy to the 1960 Orange Bowl and the 1963 Cotton Bowl, and he twice led the Midshipmen to a top five ranking (No. 4, 1960 and No. 2, 1963). He also coached NFF National Scholar-Athlete Joe Ince (1963).
The all-time leader in wins at Temple, Hardin served as head coach of the Owls from 1970-82. He led Temple to its only 10-win season in program history during the 1979 season, finishing at No. 17 in both major polls and beating favored California in the Garden State Bowl. Hardin also mentored Owl quarterback Steve Joachim who led the nation in total offense and won the Maxwell Trophy in 1973.
Hardin attended the College of the Pacific, playing football for College Football Hall of Fame coach Amos Alonzo Stagg. A 1998 Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Hardin earned 11 varsity letters before graduating college in 1948.
University of Colorado
Head Coach, 93-55-5 (62.4%)
The Colorado head coach from 1982-94, Bill McCartney guided the Buffaloes to their first national title and to more bowl games than any other coach in CU football history.
McCartney and the Buffs finished in the Top 20 in each of his last six seasons in Boulder, including the 1990 national crown and back-to-back appearances in the 1989 and 1990 title games. He claimed unanimous 1989 National Coach of the Year honors, and his extraordinary accomplishments include leading the Buffs to nine bowls in 13 seasons and to three Big Eight titles. His 1988-92 teams went 25 consecutive games (23-0-2) without a loss in league play, the fourth-longest streak in conference history.
McCartney coached 1994 Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam; Hall of Famer and 1990 Butkus winner Alfred Williams; two Jim Thorpe award winners, Deon Figures (1992) and Chris Hudson (1994); 1992 Campbell Trophy winner Jim Hansen; and 1987 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Eric McCarty.
The three-time Big Eight Coach of the Year was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, and he was enshrined in CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. Active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he was voted the 1986 FCA’s “Man-of-the-Year” in Colorado.
|
<urn:uuid:e7668c60-de73-4cca-afee-d37160f3baea>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://wnst.net/tag/navy/
|
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
| 0.965622
| 3,348
| 1.664063
| 2
|
Unlike iOS, there is no standard browser that is used across the Android platform, despite the fact that the mobile operating system comes from Google, the same company behind the Chrome web browser. Now this has changed with the release of Chrome for Android. As with other mobile browsers, tabbed browsing is available, along with a pleasingly clear interface and cross platform synchronization.
If you are already using Chrome as your main browser on your PC or Mac, you’ll be aware that it is possible to synchronize not only information such as your bookmarked sites and browser settings between computers, but also open tabs. This idea has also been brought to the mobile version of the browser, essentially providing you with a seamless browsing experience as you move from one device to another.
When it comes to working with tabs, there is a very pleasing stacked view that makes it easy to navigate between open tabs. One of the problems that many people have with mobile web browsers that pages can be slow to load and rendering can leave a little to be desired. Chrome for Android is quick to use and pages look good and there are a couple of interesting way to interact with your browser. To navigate between tabs you can simply swipe left and right, and when you are in tab preview mode you can tilt your devices to zoom in and out.
Chrome for Android 26.0.x is a major release with these changes:
- Password Sync
- Autofill Sync
- Fixed issue where blank page would be loaded rather than URL
- Performance and stability improvements
|
<urn:uuid:1d3e6804-8acb-4bd0-b30a-0f6a762c60b6>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/downloads/3328183/chrome-for-android-2501364123/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.950242
| 312
| 1.726563
| 2
|
600 couples say ‘I do’ every week in Scotland
THE number of couples tying the knot in Scotland has increased for the third year in a row, with marriage numbers reaching their highest level since 2005.
There were 30,534 marriages in Scotland last year, a 4.8 per cent increase on 2011, according to the provisional statistics from National Records of Scotland.
The figures also showed a “not unexpected” increase in the number of deaths, up from a record low in 2011.
The number of deaths in Scotland rose by 2.4 per cent last year to a total of 54,937, although the figure was the fourth lowest recorded in more than 150 years.
Scotland’s death toll registered in 2011 – at 53,661 – was the lowest annual total since records began in 1855.
More people died of cancer last year, up 2.3 per cent to 15,808, but deaths from heart disease fell, by 2 per cent to 7,481, and deaths from stroke were down by 2.6 per cent to 4,474.
The National Records of Scotland handles statistics on births, deaths and adoptions, as well as marriages.
Tim Ellis, the new chief executive of National Records of Scotland whose job combines the role of registrar general and keeper of the records, said a key finding was the increase in marriage in recent years.
The former head of the cabinet, parliament and governance division at the Scottish Government highlighted an increase in weddings since the late 2000s.
“In historic terms, the number of marriages in 2012 was relatively low,” he said. “However, the total number of marriages has been rising since 2009 and in 2012 reached 30,534, an increase of 4.8 per cent on the 2011 figure.
“Although deaths rose in 2012, they are not high in historical terms.
“From the mid-1940s to the mid-1990s, there tended to be between 60,000 and 65,000 deaths per year, and larger numbers before then; far more than in recent years when the annual totals have been below 55,000.”
He added: “There is usually some year-to-year fluctuation in the number of deaths and in 2011 Scotland recorded its lowest-ever annual total, so an increase in the number registered in 2012 was not unexpected.”
Meanwhile, the number of births dropped to 58,027, down 1 per cent on the previous year and the lowest since 2007, according to the figures.
The proportion of babies born to unmarried couples was the highest yet, at 51.3 per cent and up slightly from the 51 per cent recorded in 2011.
As well as more marriages, more same-sex couples entered civil partnerships, up from 554 in 2011 to 574 last year, the National Records of Scotland showed.
Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie suggested that moves by Holyrood to legalise same-sex weddings would impact upon the marriage figures the years ahead.
Mr Harvie said: “I’d like to see every couple be able to choose whether they get married or have a civil partnership.
“It will be interesting to see how many would choose marriage and how this would impact upon these figures.”
However, Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone called on the Westminster and Scottish governments to do more to promote marriage as he welcomed the sharp rise in weddings last year.
The MSP for the North-East and shadow minister for communities and housing said that it was important to encourage the positive role a family can play in a child’s upbringing.
He said: “I’m delighted to hear that marriage is more popular and believe that it is the best foundation to establish family life.
“The increase in marriages in Scotland vindicates those who believe that marriage is the best way provide for children in a domestic situation. This trend also defies the interpretation of family life of those who would wish to see it changed.”
Mr Johnstone went on to call upon the Scottish Government to launch a cancer drugs fund, after the figures showed that the number of deaths from the disease had increased last year.
He said that the fund would set aside money to provide treatments for cancer sufferers which are not available on the NHS.
He said: “With more than 15,000 Scots dying from cancer last year, these figures show the terrible scale of the problem we are facing.
“There is a need for a fund to deal with very specific cases where a certain type of drug and therapy is needed.”
Meanwhile, the latest National Records of Scotland figures did not include the numbers of divorces and dissolutions of civil partnerships.
The Scottish Government is now the only publisher of statistics of divorces and dissolutions for Scotland, with the latest statistics set to be published towards the end of this year.
Divorces hit a 30-year low at 9,814 in 2011, according to the last set of figures released in 2012.
Search for a job
Search for a car
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Sunday 19 May 2013
Temperature: 9 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
|
<urn:uuid:3a662cea-e0b6-4adc-a5f1-f8d65f54740a>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.scotsman.com/news/health/600-couples-say-i-do-every-week-in-scotland-1-2837826
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961547
| 1,113
| 1.664063
| 2
|
Total .NET SourceBook
The mother of all Visual Studio code libraries.
TN Sourcebook is a source code library product for Visual Studio .NET.
It runs in two modes: there's a standalone Code Explorer as well as a
VS .NET add-in. Both give you access to a library of hundreds of code
samples in both VB .NET and C# (as well as a smattering of other things
like config file sections, T-SQL, and ASP.NET code).
You can drag code from the SourceBook to your applications, or vice versa,
so you can expand the library by adding snippets that you find useful.
You can add notes to any bit of code you like (though, oddly, the notes
do not seem to be searchable; you can customize the searchable name and
description fields as well). Everything is organized in a tree by subject,
and stored in local Jet databases (you can add additional databases to
keep things even more organized if you like).
One of the most interesting features here is the Code Webservice. FMS
promises to add new code on a continuing basis, and when you launch the
product while connected to the Internet, it will automatically be available
to add to your copy. This could end up being one of the most useful parts
of the product, depending on how much attention they pay to it after release.
FMS's support track record is good, so I have high hopes. Sure enough,
there was a batch of content waiting there for me the first time I ran
the program, which is a good sign. And it looks like they're going beyond
code; the first round of downloads included some hints for working effectively
with VS .NET and a white paper on macros.
The code all uses a Hungarian naming convention, and the samples I looked
at were well-written. Some of the areas covered include general utility
functions (registry, math, mail, diagnostics), ADO.NET, ASP.NET, graphics,
performance counters, and XML. You'll even find code for working with
Commerce Server, BizTalk Server, or MSMQ. There are over 750 chunks of
code in the initial release, which is a pretty good amount of bang for
the buckthough you should plan to spend some time exploring so you'll
know what you purchased.
Previous SourceBook products from FMS have been very useful, and this
looks like another fine addition to the line. You can download a limited
trial edition (the main limitation of the product preview is that most
of the code isn't included) from the FMS Web site.
Mike Gunderloy, MCSE, MCSD, MCDBA, is a former MCP columnist and the author of numerous development books.
|
<urn:uuid:6646d72e-3cd2-4b8e-b78d-80debddc5e74>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://redmondmag.com/articles/2003/01/22/total-net-sourcebook.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.938241
| 591
| 1.578125
| 2
|
As far as broadband provision is concerned, the US can no longer be described as the 'land of the free'. Yesterday, AT&T was the latest provider to impose caps on high-speed Internet usage and will charge "over-usage" fees on those that exceed them. Martyn Warwick reports.
This development means that some 43 to 45 million US broadband subscribers are now subject to arbitrary monthly usage limits as decided by their service providers and more than half of all US broadband subscribers now capped.
AT&T has limited its 'U-verse' broadband service customers to a total of 250 Gigabytes of usage (that's downloads and uploads) and has also imposed a 150 Gigabytes cap on its DSL service customers.
The result of AT&T's decision is that 56 per cent of the 75 million Americans with broadband access are now subject to usage caps as more and more ISPs and network operators impose artificial limits. Cablevision Systems, Time Warner Cable and Verizon Communications already have capping regimes in place while others, such as the group of 'C's' - Charter Communications, Comcast and Cox Communications, simply warn customers they classify as "over-users" to cease and desist. However, that state of affairs is unlikely to continue for much longer. After all, there's more money to be wrung out of customer's by changing the terms of contracts that are already signed and in place.
AT&T now becomes the biggest US broadband provider not only to impose specific and non-negotiable usage limits on its customers but also to charge additional fees if those caps are exceeded.
|
<urn:uuid:a0b914a5-974e-4466-9b7c-582f67258dd3>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.dtvusaforum.com/internet-tv/39959-drive-toward-broadband-datacaps-continues.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.966692
| 324
| 1.804688
| 2
|
Remnants and Recognition
When my son wants to be Batman he never needs the whole costume, which is convenient since it exists, if at all, in several undiscovered hiding places throughout the house. In fact, he usually just wears the cape, a black nylon cape that fastens at the neck with Velcro strips. Beneath the cape might be kelly green shorts and his orange Converse All Stars, or his favorite suspender pants that ride two inches above the sandals he sometimes wears with them. Occasionally it's just a flannel shirt and jeans, but whatever the case, no one asks who he is. Everyone knows. "Hey, Batman," the teller calls out when we walk in the bank. "Are you Batman?" the bagger asks at the grocery store. The authority is that cape which, in the context of my son's motley manner of dress, is a fragment.
Jean Valentine's context is more tonal than situational, but her leaps from fragment to fragment are every bit as authoritative as Batman's cape; they embody that central energy that makes art life-affirming, even when it is inhabiting grief, and her poems are always memorable, always emblems of recognition. It's rarely popular culture that we recognize in her work; rather, it's usually something seemingly incidental, domestic, some fleck in the weave that reminds us of everything and nothing, of being and not be- ing. There is not a shred of nihilism in her poetry, but there's a whole lot of nothingness. In many ways her work is a reconciliation of several experiments in American poetry (deep imagery, surrealism, minimalism), one that places a plain spoken vernacular at the service of highly essentialized imagery, to the point that narrative is a vague scaffolding: barely there, sometimes suggested, usually inconsequential. What is left is the remnant, like a cape on a little boy's shoulders . . . or better yet, a scrap of flag waving from a scorched pole after the explosion: we know exactly what it was, what it was for, even if we don't know who put it there, what country it represented, what happened to those who believed in it. It is cloth and a few colors. And a thousand stories.
I can't imagine there is much that hasn't been said about the power of the poetic fragment, the power of shards and pieces, the reso- nance of what's left behind when a good deal of what was once whole has been blown into eternity. And it wouldn't be accurate to call Jean Valentine's poetry an assemblage of fragments; there is usually too much of a controlling voice present in her poems to allow us a pure engagement with an untethered piece of an un-knowable whole. Then again, the same could be said of much of Sappho's works, which are almost always described as fragments. Here is the opening to Valentine's "Home" (Growing Darkness, Growing Light):
leaving the leaf the lion tense on the branch luxuriant,
the ten-foot drop to
the water-hole, the God-taste
—that's what lights it up,
Nature, and Art: your skin feather to feather
scale to scale to my skin . . .
So what do we call such spareness, a lyric compression that often results in a sort of nonce syntax, a radical version of in medias res? Well, for one thing we could call it mindful of silence, but even that seems evasive, since Valentine's silences control meaning much as a dream's dislocated narrative suggests a coherence that rarely persists beyond the first few minutes of wakefulness; in other words, Valentine's silences seem less like the unsaid and more like the unknown (" . . . we don't know what is happening to us, / no more than the dumb beasts of the field"—"Open Heart" from Growing Darkness, Growing Light). Which brings us back to fragments.
When Louise Glück talks about the power of broken statuary in her essay "Disruption, Hesitation, Silence" (she is discussing Rilke's "Archaic Torso of Apollo"), she is referring primarily to what can't be known about the once-whole statue, and how this silence enacts an existential drama via the orchestration of fragments: in the case of statuary, there is a strange valorization of broken beauty that occurs when a maimed and partly recovered relic is mounted on a pedestal in a pristine setting (the Getty for instance, or even the Uffizi Gallery). We walk through rooms of relics collecting inferences and suggestions, and if we're experienced at this activity we reach less for a sense of the vanquished whole than a sort of faith in the received remnant, which seems to reverberate with beauty, to echo with whispered meaning. But if there is an architecture to poetry it is intensely immediate and dislocating; we rarely notice the bright red Coke can hovering in the hand of a tourist on the far side of the museum exhibit, rarely feel a need to reconcile it with the display of marble torsos and busts. But in Jean Valentine's poems it is impossible to reside in the rooms of her stanzas without feeling the gravitational pull of discordant fragments, disrupted narratives, truncated glimpses. And, as Cole Swensen has written, "A glimpse suffices to trigger an entirety."* Swensen is addressing the fragmentary nature of what some have called elliptical poetry, a recent literary movement that is so vaguely defined and so youthfully delimited that its originators would probably not think to address the problem an older poet like Valentine represents to any tidy descriptions of stylistic evolution in recent American poetry. In other words, where does Valentine fit in when so much of what a new generation of poets is doing looks like a less authentic—a problematic word, I know—version of what she has been writing for decades: a poem vaguely suspicious of full articulation and closure; a poem privileging both voice and fragmentation; a poem in the service of the unconscious; a poem unconcerned with narrative coherence. The difference, of course, is in the degree of self-consciousness; there is almost none in Valentine, almost nothing but in the elliptical poets, or whatever they are.
Swensen goes on to talk about how the fragment seems an outgrowth of a sort of negative capability, how we have, as a culture, learned to read the fragment with less frustration, just as the writer employing it has learned, as Keats wrote, to be "in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason." In other words, we've caught up with a poet like Valentine, who places enormous trust in the remnants of dreams and memories. She leaves them alone and / or lays them alongside others, certain they belong that way because, in fact, that's how they arrived in the poem, which suggests something about her process. And, in fact, her poetry often resembles surrealism, even if it never quite commits to that, or any, program. How else to describe the following lines from "New Life": "B. walks around with a fire-box inside of his chest. / If you get near him it will burn you too. B. says // Don't let the women go out of our lives like the swallows / leaving only the crows' liquid leathery reign, domain, stain. (Growing Darkness, Growing Light). Valentine's is, very nearly, a purely visceral poetry, dictation from an emotionally fueled unconscious; the intellect will be defeated time and again by the sudden drop into dream from a deliberately narrated dramatic situation, the equally disorienting presence of a matter-of- fact voice speaking in clipped, even non-sequential phrases. Here is "Labrador," in its entirety:
Crossing a fenced-off railroad track
holes in the fence
carrying a dog
I drop him
he's heavy I can't pick him up
he puts his foot in a trap
chained to the track a trap
yes but that dog
won't chew his foot off
he's barking at himself he won't let
I left him.
(The Cradle of the Real Life)
The last line of this poem suggests something crucial about Valentine's work: we narrate our dreams in the present tense because they most resemble the lives we actually live moment to moment; that is, they contain the complete history of our presence—our past, our present and our future—and they embody the real truth of our capabilities for understanding. We are at peace with our suffering in dreams, at ease in disorientation, at one with nonsense. The past tense is the voice of consciousness creating theme, containing the uncontainable with statement and meaning. We need consciousness, even if it's a sort of lie. Valentine's poetry is more concerned with the truth of the saturated present tense (saturated with memory and hope), of dreams.
Several years ago I wrote an essay that argued that James Tate was not writing postmodern poems but was instead enacting a postmodern way of living that resulted in poems that looked, talked and acted postmodern. My contention was and is that such distinctions matter, though there are many who don't recognize them at all. But looking around at the many poems published today that display such an intensely willed reflexivity that they seem written from recipes, it seems more important than ever to question the origins of style. I realize I'm revealing a bias, not to mention a quaint fondness for authenticity (or something resembling that), and I can hear just outside the door the legion of poets asking, "So what's so wrong with writing from a recipe?" And I guess they're right. But it's worth noting just how many poets seem or try to write like, say, John Ashbery, and how few seem to tackle Tate. Why? Well, in all honesty, John Ashbery, whose poetry I treasure, writes poems that are a lot like John Ashbery (they almost all have that remove), so that those who try to write a poem like John Ashbery end up a lot closer to the real thing than even they might imagine. Tate, on the other hand, writes from a place, not a mode; he is never writing in the man- ner of anything. He walks out the door into his poem. He walks into the living room into his poem. This is not a value judgment. Jean Valentine awakens into her poem, and it too is a place, though one most of us visit in dreams. But we run into trouble with Tate when we ask, "What is this supposed to mean?" as opposed to "What sort of world is this?" which leads to the proper recogni- tion: "Oh yeah, it's our world without the filters, without the tyr- anny of sequential logic, the tired predictability of rational thought." The same is true with Valentine when we ask "How does all this hang together?" instead of recognizing the absences, that we are in the presence of remnants, leftover memories, con- jured voices, pieces of dream. The truth of those things is in their lack of wholeness, the fact of their lack. Reading Valentine well involves not reaching after resolution, residing in not knowing, trusting that what is there will suffice, provide the whole without knowing what it is. Those broken pieces of statue don't remem- ber their missing parts, much as Rilke wants them to, but we do: we remember ours.
But then again, several of Valentine's poems have nothing to do with disruption, fragmentation or ellipticism. Occasionally her severely compressed narratives sustain a single focus and plot for the duration of the poem. Occasionally she drifts suddenly into statement with the forcefulness of Adrienne Rich:
. . . I want those women's lives
the poems they burned
in their chimney-throats
of the World Without Words
more than your silver or your gold art.
(The Cradle of the Real Life)
But more often we have the suggestion of narrative, the suggestion of statement, and the assertion of something else, some sort of parallel reality that exists alongside our own, that veers off its track now and then to intersect with the path we're pursuing: call it the afterlife, the past life, the unconscious or the imagined; whatever it is, once it mingles with what we recognize as our actual life, it becomes the real life of Valentine's poems. And whatever distance we hope to keep from it is collapsed; we are forced to feel this real life we'd rather not live, where no narrative can contain the sudden, concrete presence of those we've lost, of how we've dreamed them, of what the past becomes when broken to pieces by memory. Here is "The Church" in its entirety:
"Thank you for the food," we said,
it was mashed potatoes, gravy, this
was the place the regular people came,
to go through the regular funnel. Leaving
I saw----———and his red
candle of "find it." My life.
(The Cradle of the Real Life)
As in so many of Valentine's poems, we begin in medias res, are introduced to a physical place and situation, are confronted with tenor-less metaphors (the funnel) and eventually find ourselves at some sort of linguistic and/or situational point of disorientation. Valentine allows both syntax and narrative to break down. Time and again there is a feeling of incompleteness, as if where the poem might be going and what it could be saying are truncated in favor of a more immediate, if inchoate, recognition. I'm reminded, finally, of prayer, how such speech, if we can call it that, seems so unnecessary, since we are inevitably trying to communicate with something that knows our minds, that has no need for our words. And yet we struggle to catch up with what we intend to say, even if the prayer ends up only partly complete, the rest issued like a bat's quiet echo toward an invisible target lost in the universe. We actually don't need to say anything, yet the utterance is an act of ritual and faith, and what is left out is not completely knowable, even if somehow it is intended. Jean Valentine's poems are products of enormous will and intention, even as they are models of acceptance and trust. All good poets know that the poem is smarter than they are; they know when to stop explaining things to themselves. The great ones trust their readers enough to let them in on their silences, to stand around with them not knowing.
So what is it? What is it that is so compelling about Jean Valentine's increasingly compressed poetry? The longest poem in The Cradle of the Real Life, her most recent collection, runs twenty- one lines; most are much shorter. And why do these poems feel so much like remnants, pieces that seem to contain and represent enormous truths, none of which are easily available through traditional methods of explication? Part of the answer is implied in Swensen's explanation of the ubiquitous fragment: we read Valentine's poems because we recognize their authority without feeling any need to explain it; we've grown up with incompleteness, with juxtaposition, with poetry from countries and cultures that don't necessarily privilege reason and rationality, countries without a Puritan tradition, with a love of domestic magic, countries that not only never forget the dead but live alongside them on a daily basis.
But I suspect it's more than a newfound negative capability in the audience for poetry that's created such interest and love for Valentine's work. Simply put, her poems are haunted from within. She is one of those rare artists who takes the world personally, then somehow finds a way to reshape it into the universal. Her poems speak for those who can't, and not simply the dead who are so often her subjects. Jean Valentine's confrontations with silence address the almost unbearable silences most of us can't talk our way free of; they leash themselves to the black dog of depression, grip the empty glass of alcoholism, pray to the lost god of forgiveness, and stand with the inconsolable and innumerable ghosts. And they do so without the tedium of explanation and confession. They accept so much that they exist in pieces that don't need the larger wholes. And we accept the pieces like broken hosts, spiritual synecdoches, remnants: more than enough.
* American Letters & Commentary 11: 67
|
<urn:uuid:c12c5acb-1827-4c42-8168-2c309328f566>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.bucknell.edu/x63424.xml
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.967365
| 3,418
| 1.539063
| 2
|
Libor Scandal Part 2 - who was ultimately hurt.
Last week the Political Minute talked about the LIBOR scandal, which involved big banks understating interest rates. Most consumers were ho-hum about the news as they couldn’t really see how it hurt them directly.
But, now that a week has passed, the true victims are starting to surface.
And guess who they are? Why, you and me, of course!
Local governments rely on interest rates to determine the costs of providing services to the community. Things like hospitals, schools, fire departments, etc. To protect themselves from risk, they buy derivatives that go up in value with rising interest rates.
The problem is that the rates SHOULD have risen but didn’t and money was lost on these derivatives as a result.
When you add up the amount of money lost, we’re talking about potentially billions of dollars taken out of the pockets of hospitals, schools, fire departments, etc.. services that we all depend on and we use.
Once these local governments start suing the banks over their losses.. we’re talking about billions of dollars more in potential losses to these banks. But that’s still up in the air whether they will be able to prove these loses and recover them.
Barclays may have paid a fine of $450 million dollars, which is basically a slap on the wrist, and if all we do is fine companies for things like this, with nobody going to jail for committing fraud, these types of things will not stop happening.
|
<urn:uuid:b0b92e9e-9fe1-47df-9e53-bb0fe295fa1b>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://underground.net/tagged/banks
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.964796
| 320
| 1.617188
| 2
|
Sioux 'em! North Dakota gives up on its mascot
With unemployment around 9.7 percent, competition is fierce in the job market, and people want to know where the jobs are. If you’re a graphic designer looking for work, Grand Forks, ND, might have some opportunities.
Earlier this month, the North Dakota Legislative Council received a cost estimate from University of North Dakota President Robert Kelley showing that retiring the school teams' Fighting Sioux nickname and logo to comply with the NCAA’s Native American mascot policy (and a court-imposed settlement) will cost approximately $750,000. About $575,000 of that will go to developing a new moniker and logo for the school.
Total costs of changing UND’s mascot from the Fighting Sioux to the Brute Buffalos or the Running Nokotas (not bad— it’s North Dakota’s state horse) could tally $20 million if the school is forced to make physical changes to the Ralph Engelstad Arena. State representative Mike Schatz, who requested the cost estimate, ardently opposes that move. In an open letter, Schatz wrote, “Does an organization funded by public money have the right to tell a state what it can call its athletic teams? If it does, then we no longer live in a free society.”
Schatz’s constituents and colleagues agree. In March, the legislature approved a bill ordering UND to retain its controversial nickname and logo, even though the University was already in the process of retiring them. Approximately 1,700 of the 1,800 emails one legislator received supported a bill that compelled the ND Attorney General to consider filing a lawsuit against the NCAA if it threatened sanctions.
Perhaps it was the NCAA’s firm stance or repeated Supreme Court rulings (as late as January 2011) that “Even though the NCAA deals with, accepts dues from, and imposes rules on public universities, it remains a private— not public— organization” (The Plains Daily) or that schools threatened to keep UND off their schedules, and the Big Sky Conference told North Dakota that its future conference affiliation could be jeopardized. Whatever: in August, Governor Jack Dalrymple said he would introduce legislation November 7 authorizing UND to change the nickname, repealing the March law.
Schatz says he won’t vote for the repeal. Why should he? According to the 2000 Census, only 169 of Schatz’s constituents are Native American.
North Dakota is home to five reservations and the country’s 12th largest Native population, yet at the same session they passed the Fighting Sioux bill, lawmakers voted down and eliminated Native language revitalization programs, the state Indian education director position, and state consultation with tribes (SB2239, SB2130 and SB2353). These moves were made despite the facts that the per capita income of American Indians on reservations is half the American average, that more than 46 percent of North Dakota’s Native children live in poverty, and that the current graduation rate at reservation schools is around 50 percent (The Children’s Defense Fund).
October 7 was First Nations Day in North Dakota, and the state issued a proclamation: “62nd North Dakota Legislative Assembly affirmed the work of the North Dakota Tribal and State Relations Committee … and North Dakotans are encouraged to commemorate the long-standing, cooperative relationships formed among tribal nations and the State of North Dakota.”
Given the recent legislation, the First Nations Day proclamation may no more than empty words. However, UND appears ready to retire the mascot the NCAA deemed “hostile and abusive.” And when that happens, $20 million will be up for grabs in Grand Forks. If you apply for a job, pack a heavy coat.
Juanita lives on a farm in Charlotte County with her husband, son, and many dogs.Read more on: Native Americans
|
<urn:uuid:546db1a5-30aa-406a-8a1e-86e5391079b1>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.readthehook.com/101625/sioux-me?quicktabs_1=2
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.946433
| 807
| 1.828125
| 2
|
The answer: Is this a HIPAA violation?Register Today!
We see this question asked so often. This is some definitive information from the Office of Civil Rights, OCR, the government agency responsible for the health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. I have added some clarifying material as noted.by GrnTea Apr 4, '12
This lists the identifiers specifically appearing in the HIPAA privacy regulations. The presence of any one of these identifiers renders health information individually identifiable.
If none of these is a part of the information, it is not possible to identify the individual and no HIPAA violation occurs if the information is used
HIPAA De-identification requires removal of all such identifiers as specifically defined in the regulations.
It is not equivalent to the more general concept associated with the term 'anonymous.'
(A) Names (unless specifically released by written permission)
(B)* All geographic subdivisions smaller than a State, including street address, city, county, precinct, zip code, and their equivalent geocodes, except for the initial three digits of a zip code if, according to the current publicly available data from the Bureau of the Census:(1) The geographic unit formed by combining all zip codes with the same three initial digits contains more than 20,000 people; and
(2) The initial three digits of a zip code for all such geographic units containing 20,000 or fewer people is changed to 000.
[Limited dataset must exclude postal address information other than town or city, state and zip code](C)* All elements of dates (except year) for dates directly related to an individual, including birth date, admission date, discharge date, date of death; and all ages over 89 and all elements of dates (including year) indicative of such age, except that such ages and elements may be aggregated into a single category of age 90 or older;
(D) Telephone numbers
(E) Fax numbers
(F) Electronic mail addresses
(G) Social security numbers
(H) Medical record numbers
(I) Health plan beneficiary numbers
(J) Account numbers
(K) Certificate/license numbers
(L) Vehicle identifiers and serial numbers, including license plate numbers
(M) Device identifiers and serial numbers
(N) Web Universal Resource Locators (URLs)
(O) Internet Protocol (IP) address numbers
(P) Biometric identifiers, including finger and voice prints
(Q) Full face photographic images and any comparable images (unless written permission obtained)
(R)* Any other unique identifying number, characteristic, or code, except as permitted by paragraph (c) of this section; If the algorithm for creating a "code" is disclosed to the recipient of the information, then the code is considered a unique identifier. The code is also considered a unique identifier if it is generated from any of the identifiers, or pieces of the identifiers, listed above.
The Privacy Rule requires you to "safeguard" PHI at your training site. Use the following practices to ensure Privacy Rule compliance.
If you see a medical record in public view where patients or others can see it, cover the file, turn it over, or find another way to protect it.
When you talk about patients as part of your training, try to prevent others from overhearing the conversation. Whenever possible, hold conversations about patients in private areas. Do not discuss patients while you are in elevators or other public areas.
When medical records are not in use, store them in offices, shelves or filing cabinets.
Remove patient documents from faxes and copiers as soon as you can.
When you throw away documents containing PHI, follow the facility procedures for disposal of documents with PHI.
Never remove the patient's official medical record from the training site.
Avoid removing copies of PHI from the training site; if you must remove copies of PHI from the training site, e.g., to complete homework, take appropriate steps to safeguard the PHI outside of the training site and properly dispose of the PHI when you are done with it. You should not leave PHI out where your family members or others may see it. All copies of PHI should be shredded or otherwise destroyed when they are no longer needed for your training purposes.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued another set of HIPAA rules (the Security Rules) regarding safety and security of electronic data files and computer equipment, about electronic safeguards and how the HIPAA Security Rules may affect you at clinical training sites.
Use Only the Minimum Necessary Information
When you use PHI, you must follow the Privacy Rule's minimum necessary requirement by asking yourself the following question: "Am I using or accessing more PHI than I need to?" If you are unsure of the PHI you may use or access while providing health care for a patient at your training site, please contact your preceptor, supervisor or the HIPAA Privacy Officer at your training site
Disclosing PHI to a Patient's Family Members
Before you may discuss a patient's condition, treatment or other PHI with his or her family member, it must be determined if the patient would object to such a disclosure. You should confirm with your supervisor that the patient has agreed to allow or in some other way has expressed no objection to such disclosures before you may discuss a patient's condition, treatment, or other PHI with his/her family members.
This does not mean that you cannot receive information from these persons, only that you cannot give them any PHI without permission. You could be exposed to suit if you refused to listen to and record information that was later found to be important, and the patient was harmed by this omission.
Each training site covered by the HIPAA Privacy Rule will have policies and procedures for implementing the following patient rights under the Privacy Rule:
The right to request alternative communications.
Under the Privacy Rule, patients can ask to be contacted in a certain way. For example, a patient may ask a nurse if she/he can leave a message on the patient's home voicemail instead of contacting the patient at work. If a patient's request is reasonable, as is the previous example, the health care provider or facility must follow it.
The right to look at (and obtain copies of) records.
Patients can ask to read their medical and billing records, and have copies made.
The right to ask for changes to medical and billing records.
Each facility must review and consider all requests for changes to medical and billing records.
The right to receive a list of certain disclosures.
Your training site must make and keep a list of certain disclosures of PHI (excluding disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations) that are made without patient authorization. Patients have the right to see and receive a copy of this list.
The right to request restrictions on how PHI is used and disclosed.
Patients can ask health care providers and facilities to limit the ways they make use of and disclose the patient's PHI for treatment, payment, and health care operations. Providers and facilities are not required to agree to such requests. You, as a trainee, must never agree to such restrictions on behalf of the training site.
The right to receive a "Notice of Privacy Practices."
Each health care facility that provides direct patient care must give every patient/client a copy of their Notice of Privacy Practices. The notice describes their privacy practices and the Privacy Rule. The facility must make reasonable efforts to have each patient sign a form acknowledging he or she received the notice. We recommend that you obtain a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices from your training site and become familiar with it.
An indispensable source for answers is found here:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/index.htmlPoll: Did this article tell you something new and useful?
17 VotesLast edit by Joe V on Apr 17, '12 : Reason: formatting for easier reading
Maybe (specify in feedback)
Print and share with friends and family.
Compliments of allnurses.com.
http://allnurses.com/showthread.php?t=693686©2013 allnurses.com INC. All Rights Reserved.
GrnTea is a legal nurse consultant for a nurse-owned consulting company. She has many years experience in critical care, case management, nursing education, and and legal nursing, and particularly enjoys empowering nurses with information.
APA Style Citation
GrnTea. (Apr 4, '12). The answer: Is this a HIPAA violation?. Retrieved Wednesday, Jun 19, 2013, from http://allnurses.com/showthread.php?t=693686
- Apr 16, '12 by GrnTeaappreciate the reformatting but i am concerned that some of my remarks may now appear as if they are ocr's words, and they aren't. i specifically made them in a different color to differentiate them. oh, well.
- Apr 19, '12 by CloveryI wasn't sure if I should reply to this post or ask this question in a separate thread, so mods can feel free to move this if appropriate.
I have a question about article (C):* All elements of dates (except year) for dates directly related to an individual, including birth date, admission date, discharge date, date of death; and all ages over 89 and all elements of dates (including year) indicative of such age, except that such ages and elements may be aggregated into a single category of age 90 or older
I see that it's asterisked so I'm not sure if this is an exception? For example my paper would read something like this:
K.M. male 64 years, admitted 4/17/12, chest x-ray 4/19/12 confirmed PICC line placement, urine culture 4/18/12, etc.
I did check the site you linked to but it was still unclear.
In any case, thanks for posting this. I've always thought I should have an entire class on HIPAA or at least a lengthy seminar. So far it was just glossed over in my Fundamentals course. If the above example is a violation, what do you suggest I do?Last edit by Clovery on Apr 19, '12 : Reason: typo
- Apr 20, '12 by GrnTeathe information you gave on km is fine, though i suggest you change or eliminate the initials. some nursing programs have gone to a format where the student notes something like, "male age 65 (no initials, no date of birth); date of care 4/19/2012, postop day 3."
you can use date of admission on your care planning for school because it's part of your educational process.
- Apr 20, '12 by CloveryThanks for the clarification - as a student I'm always so worried about accidentally violating HIPAA!
- Jun 6, '12 by GrnTeabumped in hopes that some folks will read it before they ask!
|
<urn:uuid:ac65e5d1-3114-4e22-92cc-ea686c078d48>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://allnurses.com/hipaa-nursing-challenges/answer-hipaa-violation-693686.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.931123
| 2,283
| 1.789063
| 2
|
Take the fear out of Shakespeare! This six-week course will explore two of life’s driving forces through Shakespeare’s drama: love and war.
Ideal for anyone with an interest in Shakespeare, whether a novice or an expert, this course will focus on some of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Henry V and Much Ado about Nothing. Students will discover how some of the issues at the center of literature and life today are the same ones at the heart of Shakespeare’s works. Students will be asked to read the plays in advance of each class; class time will include discussion of the plays and their contemporary relevance, as well as clips from notable film adaptations.
Q. Sarah Ostendorf is an adjunct instructor and PhD candidate at NYU, where she studies Renaissance literature. She also holds an MFA in fiction writing from Mills College.
If you have any questions or need assistance with your registration please call Customer Service at 212.415.5500 during our Hours of Operation.
If you prefer, you can order your tickets and class enrollments by calling Customer Service at 212.415.5500 during our Hours of Operation, using Visa, MasterCard or American Express. You can also place your order by fax, by mail, or in person at our Box Office on Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street.
Get to the front of the line!
Priority registration puts you at the front of the line to register for courses and events for an upcoming semester.
Eligible patrons will be able to order priority registration online.
Who is eligible for priority registration?
Individuals who have participated in 92nd Street Y programs over the past year in selected program areas, participants in certain memberships, and those who have made contributions of $500 or more to 92Y, are eligible to register for programs before they become available to the general public.
How do I know if I qualify?
Patrons that qualify for Priority Registration will receive packets in the mail explaining how to purchase online. Priority registration is normally mailed 2-3 weeks before a catalog is available. Registration information includes your Patron ID#. You can use this ID# to setup your login information online. This will allow you to register early for a course or event. Please note: if you receive a packet, you are only eligible to priority register for the programs covered in your packet.
Priority Registration Support
To find out if you are eligible for priority registration, don't have your Patron ID#, or having difficulty ordering online, please call 212.415.5500 or email.
|
<urn:uuid:a0a35d16-bf3a-484d-8c12-65d84194fdd0>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.92y.org/Tribeca/tickets/production.aspx?pid=89159
|
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
| 0.932175
| 533
| 1.75
| 2
|
Music Together® is an early childhood music and movement program based upon parent/caregiver participation. Young children learn best from the powerful role model of parents/caregivers who are actively making music. By bringing families together, we provide a rich musical environment in the classroom and facilitate family participation in spontaneous musical activities at home within the context of daily life. At this age, music is not a lesson. It is an experience.
|
<urn:uuid:0e71552d-53d5-43d1-9dff-8fe9808db800>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/attraction/Blossom-Music-Together-Dance-North-County-535-Encinitas-Blvd-Suite-100-92024-0000
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.941231
| 88
| 1.78125
| 2
|
Since 1826 when the first international student was enrolled, the University of Virginia has celebrated its commitment to international students and scholars by providing opportunities to citizens from throughout the world to study, teach, and share the atmosphere of Jeffersonian freedom.
The University considers the admission of qualified students from other countries an intrinsic part of its educational program. International students and scholars enhance the life of the University and contribute to the education and personal growth of all UVA students, faculty members and staff.
As a focal point of international education at UVA, the International Studies Office is committed to providing an outstanding program of services and advice to all international students and scholars, as well as the University community at large.
Information and instructions for new students: Next Steps
|
<urn:uuid:a7b071f8-686b-48bf-a3df-19d9f1914879>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.virginia.edu/iso/issp/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.946045
| 149
| 1.625
| 2
|
The Pull Thorough is a lower body exercise that will strengthen you legs and back.
Read the full transcript »
Pull Through Exercise to Strengthen your Legs Hi, this is Eric Cressey with competitor.com and this is your Monday Minute. This week we’re going to be introducing you into a great lower body strength exercise called the pull through. It’s a very basic exercise that we use as a progression for a lot of individuals looking to learn how to dead lift properly because it imposes much less compressive lowering on the spine and we generally don’t have to load it as much to get the similar training effect. All you need is a cable column with a rope attachment. Set the rope attachment up in a bottom position on that cable column and straddle it facing away from the machine. When you grab on into the rope with both hands and walk it out gently from the machine, make sure not to sway side to side as you set up. All we’re going to do is keep our weight on our heels, and keep a good arch in our chin taught. We’re going to sit back, let in the cable pull us back towards the machine. From here, we’re going to fire our harm strings and our glutes to raise us back up to the starting position paying specific attention to getting our hips through at the top and pulling our butt cheeks together. This is a fantastic exercise for runners who tend to be very, very, core dominant as it strengthens the harm strings and the glutes in the process that helps us to avoid lower back and knee pain. I definitely encourage you to pick this up with your resistance training program is here in the future. Be very careful not to go through repeat flexion extension at your lower back. Rather, the lower back should stay in a constant position known as neutral spine throughout the motion. All of the movement should take place through the hips. If you find that you’re having lower back tightness or soreness from the exercise, you're probably not doing it correctly and you need to take the weight down and really focus on learning the technique the proper way. Check back next week for our next Monday Minute.
|
<urn:uuid:833d4997-0f1e-4376-bca8-1693cb9ae999>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.healthline.com/hlvideo-5min/pull-through-exercise-to-strengthen-your-legs-494349145
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.954219
| 452
| 1.53125
| 2
|
Grand National Fences
The Grand National is renowned for being one of the most difficult horse races in the world. Not only is it more than a gruelling four miles long, there are 30 very tricky fences to navigate making it exceptionally difficult, to not only finish, but to win.
There are actually only 16 fences on the race course so the first 14 fences are jumped for a second time to make up the 30 total fences used in the race. All fences, except the Water Jump (16th) must be at least 4ft 6in high.
FENCE 1 (17)
Only 4ft 6in high, and one of the smallest on the course, this fence often claims a disproportionate number of victims as runners have built up speed in the 420-yard dash from the start.
In 2004, a team of vetinary surgeons at Liverpool University studied the fate of all 560 horses that took part in the previous 15 Grand Nationals and determined that this fence was one to be feared most with horses being seven times more likely to fall here than at other plain jumps with no ditch
FENCE 2 (18) – THE FAN
The Fan, named after a mare who regularly refused here in the 19th century. A plain 4ft 7in-high fence of no special difficulty.
FENCE 3 (19)
Far tougher than number two, this 5ft high fence is preceded by a yawning 6ft open ditch, with the ground sloping away on the landing side. It is the first real test and clearing it well can give a confidence boost. In 1996 it accounted for the former winner Party Politics. John Francome has said that if he was still riding today, only this and The Chair would give him concern.
FENCE 4 (20)
Straightforward and plain at just 4ft 10in high, yet it was here – second time around – that Neale Doughty, who completed the course in nine of his 10 Grand National rides, had the only blot on his copybook, falling on Rinus when disputing the lead in 1991. Also, in 1986, Corbiere, after winning and twice finishing third, uncharacteristically came down.
FENCE 5 (21)
Another plain fence at 5ft high, this fence sees very few fallers when compared to some of the other, more difficult, fences.
FENCE 6 (22) – BECHER’S BROOK
On the approach, the hedge on either side is a warning that this fence lies ahead, as this is the most famous steeplechase obstacle in the world – Becher’s Brook. Although only 4ft 10in on take off, there is a confusing drop on the landing side which can catch horses out if they land too steeply. It used to be so dangerous that, in 1989, it had to be modified to make landing less perilous.
FENCE 7 (23) – FOINAVON
For those who successfully make it over Becher’s Brook, this fence can appear to be very easy at just 4ft 6in and this casual attitude can surprise horses who anticipate another drop. It was named the ‘Foinavon’ fence after the 1967 Grand National winning horse who avoided a huge pile up at this fence to go on and win the race at odds of 100/1.
FENCE 8 (24) – CANAL TURN
This 5ft fence presents a dangerous challenge as many riders take it at an angle to minimise the 90-degree turn on the course, in an attempt to gain ground. It was the scene of its biggest pile-up in 1928 and again in 2002 when eight runners were taken out by rider-less Paddy’s Return.
FENCE 9 (25) – VALENTINE’S BROOK
This is the first of four 5ft fences in a straight line on the way to Melling Road and this one bounds a 5ft 6in wide brook but, despite, it’s drop on the landing side, is not thought to be as dangerous as Becher’s Brook and has claimed far fewer horses. Named after a horse who reputedly jumped the fence hind legs first!
FENCE 10 (26)
The second of the five footers on the straight, in front of the Sefton Stand, this fence doesn’t present any unusual challenges.
FENCE 11 (27)
The third of the 5ft fences in a row, this is more difficult given the fact that it is bordered on both sides of the take-off by the second 6ft wide open ditch and has a bigger drop than it’s third fence counterpart.
FENCE 12 (28)
The fourth and last of the five footers in a row, fence 12 is followed by a 5ft 6in ditch but with less of a drop on the landing side. Following this fence is a long stretch of about half a mile before the penultimate fence on the way to the finish line on the second time around.
FENCE 13 (29)
This fence is only 4ft 7in high and generally doesn’t present any problems, however it was here, in 1994, that a mini pile-up saw five horses come down, including the strongly backed, Double Silk and Master Oats.
FENCE 14 (30)
Clear this on the second time around and you’re on the home straight of 494 yards to potential victory. However, on the first trip around the circuit it precedes one of the most difficult fences – The Chair (number 15) so cannot be taken lightly.
FENCE 15 – THE CHAIR
The Chair – one of the most notoriously difficult jumps on the whole course. It is 5ft 2in high and preceded by the third open 6ft ditch. Because of it’s narrow approach it looks exceptionally daunting with an even more confusing higher ground level on then landing side than on the take-off side.
This is the last obstacle on the first circuit and the smallest fence of them all at just 2ft 6in but requires a huge leap to clear the 12ft 6in expanse of water beyond.
Adapted from A-Z of the Grand National by John Cottrell and Marcus Armytage
GRAND NATIONAL FENCES VIDEO
Watch Ex-Jocky Richard Dunwoody on a walkthrough of all the fences on the National course at Aintree. Just click the video screen below to start.
|
<urn:uuid:5d24361d-d8c2-4099-af74-1320d4f5b1f8>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.grand-national.me.uk/fences/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.955905
| 1,346
| 1.585938
| 2
|
Sigh. You knew they would do this.
The Obama Administration would rather jump into a vat of boiling lava than make the tiniest cuts in federal spending, so they’re following up their earlier Vaudeville acts by telling each state how much it stands to lose if the oh-so-dreaded sequester cuts a mere 2.3 percent from the scheduled increase in federal spending.
The looming Armageddon for Michigan was laid out in horrific detail, including:
- $22 million in school funding that would put 300 teacher and teacher’s aide jobs “at risk,” whatever that means.
- $20.3 million that pays for teachers and staff to help kids with disabilities.
- $5.9 million to “ensure clean water and air quality” (so we’re sure the water is always clean and the air is always fresh because of this $5.9 million?).
- $14 million that helps to fund Army base operations in Michigan.
- $1.7 million that funds “job search assistance,” so apparently 54,400 will have to look for jobs on the Internet just like everyone else.
Look. Here is the reality check people all over the country need to start dealing with. This nation is $16 trillion in debt and is adding about $1 trillion to that debt every year by promising far more free goodies to people than we can come anywhere near paying for.
The deficit represents more than 25 percent of all federal spending. So a cut of 2.3 percent, which is all the sequester represents, is a mere pittance of what actually needs to be cut. If you’re going to have a conniption fit over 2.3 percent, you’re going to have a massive coronary if anyone ever comes along with the political courage to really fix the problem.
Now, you could listen to the likes of Carl Levin, who offers that we cut “unjustified loopholes” in the tax code so we can keep some of these goodies. If you’re not the type of citizen who actually looks at the federal budget, that might sound sensible. You wouldn’t be aware that as recently as 2007, the federal government only spent $2.7 trillion a year instead of the $3.6 trillion we’re spending now. That explosion in spending – a 25 percent increase in just six years – unambiguously tells you how the problem was created.
So instead of running screaming from the building because we might lose some of our largess from Washington, Michigan residents might ask: Why are we depending on Washington to pay our teachers? Why are we asking a program funded by the federal government to help us look for jobs? And if the spigot of federal money were to be turned off, could we make some smarter decisions and still have what we need?
See, the funny thing is this: Because most states (including Michigan) are constitutionally required to balance their budgets, the states are generally in far better fiscal shape than the federal government. And yet we’re relying on borrowed federal money to pay for things we could pay for ourselves, or do without.
Washington wants you to think you should never do without anything, even when there is no money to pay for it. Washington wants you to absolutely freak out at the tiniest reduction in Washington’s massive deficit spending. Well. If you were facing a massive deficit of your own, you would not make a tiny sliver of a cut in spending and act like you had solved anything. Yet that’s what our elected leaders do routinely. That is what should make you panic.
|
<urn:uuid:3d0a4e93-6213-490f-9233-38d6a83d3286>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://blogs.detroitnews.com/politics/2013/02/25/everybody-panic-michigan-might-lose-a-few-federal-goodies/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.96606
| 763
| 1.507813
| 2
|
We raise Nigerian Dwarf goats primarily for milk production, so that means the does need to be bred yearly and that about half of the resulting offspring will be male. Unfortunately, only a few intact male goats (bucks) are really needed in the goat breeding world; and, those bucks are usually rather smelly – so additionally only a few are really wanted. On the other hand, neutered (wethered) male goats make very sweet pets (not aggressive or smelly like bucks and very affectionate) and great 4H projects for kids, so it make sense to wether most of the male offspring.
There are [...]
Continue reading Wethering (Neutering) Nigerian Dwarf Goats via Banding
|
<urn:uuid:75756ebe-db89-48a8-9c53-ba3ac2ba5aa2>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/tag/banding/
|
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
| 0.96092
| 145
| 1.5625
| 2
|
Thoughts and insights from medical students
Lessons Learned from Medical TV Dramas: House
Medics can be divided into two groups: those who, after a long day on the wards or in lectures, want nothing more than to unwind at home and do anything other than medicine; and those who for some bizarre reason, like watching shows that imitate our lives (albeit a bit more ridiculous and exciting), such as House, Scrubs, Casualty, ER, Grey’s anatomy, etc. I fall into the latter; my infatuation with the medical television show began in 1st year, when I correctly guessed the diagnosis of one of House’s patients, as it happened to be some bizarre metabolic abnormality I’d learnt about in a lecture that week. Four years on and a few correct diagnoses later (it makes me feel better to know that House and his team always gets it wrong at least twice each episode), I’ve decided to compile a list of what I have actually learnt from watching House.
1. Fact: romantic relationships with your fellow medical colleagues will be discussed in intricate detail by all of your co-workers. Take Cameron and Chase; 13 and Foreman; House and Cuddy; House and Wilson (ok, scrap that last one!) The message is clear; relationships in a medical environment can be difficult, because apart from the fact that you see your partner for hours a day in a hospital (probably one of the most unromantic venues ever- lots of ill people, unflattering lighting), everyone you work with will know that you are dating and will be constantly analysing your every conversation, action, and smile, to be used for coffee break gossip. Just be grateful that your boss is not House, planning elaborate traps to ruin your relationship and embarrass you.
2. It can be tricky being a disabled doctor, but it shouldn’t be. One issue that I find really interesting about the complex character of House is that he blames a lot of his problems on his injured leg, and thinks that patients treat him differently because he isn’t physically perfect. That made me think about how we as medics we view our profession, and how patients view us. The paternalistic view of medicine sees the doctor as wise, superior and I suppose that impression involves us being physically less vulnerable, because we are supposed to be able to ‘master’ disease. I’m glad we’re moving away from that attitude towards doctors being considered as knowledgeable advisors. It puts less pressure on us to feel we have to be superhuman, and allows us to be comfortable discussing our own ailments such as injuries, alcohol problems and depression without any stigma.
3. Being the smartest person in the class does not necessarily make you the best doctor. House is brilliant; he always works out incredibly complicated diagnoses that no other doctors can. He loves the puzzle, and is really good at the science of medicine. But would you want him treating you? We all know that doctors need to have an excellent bed-side manner and good ethics to be able to practice efficiently, and for me, House really brings this point home.
4. Know the limits of your competence: there are certain people you just shouldn’t treat. In one episode, House and Cuddy, whilst dating, treat Cuddy’s mother. Needless to say, it does not end well (she tries to sue the hospital). In another, House treats his ex-wife’s new husband. You may feel, that like House, you’re the best person for the job, but if you can’t face up to treating someone because a problem is too close to home or you can’t cope with it, refer them on.
5. However many times you say vasculitis in a differential diagnosis, it rarely is. Ok, this may not be an important lesson, but is it just me who notices that vasculitis is always in their differential discussions, and never, never, ever (ok, once), happens to be the diagnosis?!?
So, I like to feel that the many hours I’ve spent watching House may have taught me a thing or two. I may not have improved my diagnostic skills to House-worthy standards, but I have learnt some important life lessons, and the programme has made me consider some tricky ethical issues. Please comment below if you have any other pearls of wisdom acquired from House.
Thanks for reading,
|
<urn:uuid:e6006973-9aff-41fe-8f06-8cc9fcd2da41>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://doc2doc.bmj.com/blogs/studentsblog/_lessons-learned-medical-tv-dramas-house
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.965724
| 922
| 1.640625
| 2
|
Vast, vibrant and truly multicultural, London is one of the world’s great cities. Located in the southeast of England, on the River Thames, it is the capital of the United Kingdom and has been the heart of its political, cultural and business life for centuries.
London's very real multiculturalism is evident on every street (and many restaurant plates) and is one reason why people love the city It it has something for everyone. History, myth, culture, romance, latest street fashions, pop culture, youth culture, music, theatre, media. London accommodates all and that is why it's a metropolis in the truest sense of the word.
Among London's more famous attractions are Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, and Kensington Palace and of course, shopping! Perhaps the busiest street in all of Europe, Oxford Street is home to fashion stores galore. 400,000 shops and street markets call London home; a walk along any shopping area, including Bond Street, Carnaby Street, and Convent Garden, will leave your hands full of souvenirs.
|
<urn:uuid:f9d5d69a-dfec-4b36-9699-bc630b61998a>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.ezytravel.org/HotelDeal.aspx?dealId=1376&dealName=NANITAL-2-Nights-3-Days
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.933225
| 239
| 1.703125
| 2
|
I was inspired to write this post while teaching a continuing education course called “Perspectives in Renaissance Art History.” Teaching recreational classes for adult learners is a wonderful experience, and it presents a challenge that is quite different than the kind of teaching I have been trained to carry out in the college classroom. Students in continuing education courses are not enrolled for credit or a degree. Rather, they have chosen a low-cost, low commitment class (usually only meeting from one to eight sessions), which promises to offer intellectual and social fulfillment. Instructors must think carefully about the level of rigor that these classes should achieve. I knew that I would be teaching a highly educated and well-traveled group of adult learners. Almost all of them would have attended college; many of them would have taken a class or two in art history during that time. The majority of them would have seen the canonical works of art I planned to show in class. I therefore chose to supplement a traditional survey of Renaissance art with a variety of theoretical frameworks and critical questions in the field. I assigned theory-heavy readings and spent class time discussing images. Read more.
One of my earlier blogs discussed the challenges of funding regarding environmental protection and historic preservation. At a time when budget-cutting and austerity measures are having a profound impact on the ability of state and local governments to set aside funds beyond essential services, along with diminishing individual donations to non-profits, the issue of funding is more important than ever. With inadequate financing how can communities and non-profits achieve their desired goals of protecting both open space and vital historic resources? Read more.
101 Spring Street, New York, 2005. Photo by Andrea Steele. © Judd Foundation. Courtesy Judd Foundation Archives.
In June, Donald Judd’s five-story home and studio, in a historic cast-iron building at the corner of Spring and Mercer Streets in New York’s Soho, will re-open to the public after a three-year restoration.
Judd bought the building in 1968 (for $68,000), and in the process helped usher in the transformation of Soho from a derelict industrial area to a vibrant artistic community. Placing his studio on the street level, he arranged the upper floors as family living quarters. After a time, he moved his studio to the third floor; the ground floor continued to be a place for meetings, gatherings, exhibitions, and performances. Throughout the building he installed works by other artists and his own pieces, as well as antiques and other objects he collected — all part of his artistic exploration of the placement of works of art in space, and the concept of permanent installation.
The house has been restored to the period of 1994, when Judd died. Very little is meant to appear changed. The kitchen is still in place, with a little marionette puppet stage that Judd built in one corner. The original elevator is still in use, which holds only four or five people at any given time. But now the floors have been reinforced, the windows covered with UV filters, and the ground-level lights that were originally designed to provide daylight to the basement areas, and which were covered with plywood and according to Judd’s son only let in water back in Judd’s day, have now been beautifully restored. Read more.
The love of money, it is said, is the root of all evil. I think we can all agree, given the recent financial unpleasantness, the statement conveys a universal truth. As an executive director of a non-profit historical organization, I think about money more than I really care to, but it comes with the job. I know of no one in my position who would tell you she or he has all the fiduciary resources they need. But we work with what we have, find places to get funding for particular projects and delay, redesign or abandon when necessary. Read more.
How can the internet change the way that we conduct research in the humanities? This is a question that scholars have been asking since the earliest days of the web, but as our own relationship with the internet develops through the growth of social networks and smart phones, we continue to find new answers to this question. In my February post I discussed the ways that museums are reaching out to involve adults in the exhibition planning process. These efforts usually take place outside of the museum on interactive online platforms. post: Notes on Modern and Contemporary Art Around the Globe takes these efforts to engage the public a step further. post is a new interactive research platform developed by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. It was launched just two months ago and the concept is still relatively new, but hopefully the website will blossom into a lively community of amateur researchers working alongside scholars affiliated with the MoMA and beyond. The idea is that users will contribute to bibliographies and research, as well as engage in meaningful discussions about contemporary art. In many ways the idea is an elaboration on the idea of community curation. But rather than solicit the community to help plan an exhibition, post brings amateur art lovers, scholars, and artists from outside of the museum into the conversation at an earlier research stage. The resulting collaboration will then feed back into the work of the museum. Read more.
The banks of the Delaware, below the battlefield grounds on which Fort Mercer once stood. Fort Mercer on the New Jersey side and Fort Mifflin on the Pennsylvania side were constructed in 1777 to defend Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War.
Hiking regularly on the weekends, I am always impressed with how much the general public enjoys the outdoor experience. While each individual has his or her own reasons, the benefits are universal. There is the need to get back in touch with nature so as to spend quality time in the woods while enjoying some solitude. Then there are the health benefits as people seek to burn calories and stay in shape. Regardless of the goal or objective, then, it is clear that enjoying the great outdoors is enjoyed by many. Read more.
I attended The Future of Civil War History conference recently at Gettysburg. One outstanding element of the conference involved a series of field experiences, two-hour plus morning tours with various experts covering topics like battlefield rehabilitation or the fighting in downtown Gettysburg, but these filled up incredibly quickly during the pre-registration period. My guess is that the conference organizers could have hosted twice as many of these as they did and they would still have been oversubscribed. Read more.
Over the last few weeks I have been turning over in my mind and bouncing off colleagues the idea of admission fees, pro and con. Museum fees are hot button issue for many reasons. Few museums can claim fees are the sole or even the majority of their budget revenue; they are a part of the funding jambalaya that includes—or should include—membership or similar programs, endowment or investment funds, fundraising event proceeds, planned giving gifts, etc. How big a role fees play in funding varies depending on the size of the organization. Read more.
As a teacher and museum educator, one of my most difficult tasks is helping students move from a mode of passive knowledge consumption to one of critical engagement with information. Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a method traditionally used in museums, and I have found that it gives discussion leaders a way to generate critical thinking. This technique for viewing art was developed by Abigail Housen and Philip Yenawine. It was first tested in museums in the early 1990s. Since then, it has been implemented in museums, schools, and universities around the world. The VTS Institute leads periodic seminars and training sessions throughout the country. I first learned about this technique in a museum studies seminar and have since experienced it as a participant in museum tours. I now use VTS as a tour guide in a university museum and was recently challenged to perform the method in a classroom with a slideshow of digital images. This post offers a meditation on the challenges and rewards of using VTS, and especially on adapting the method for classroom use. Read more.
As an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, I never take for granted the opportunities that exist to get away from the grind and noise of daily life and head to the woods for some peace and serenity. Notwithstanding its dense population and development, New Jersey has an impressive array of state parks and open space, thus offering ample opportunities for outdoor fun and recreation. Moreover, living in northern Bergen County allows relatively easy access to the Catskills and Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Thankfully, protection of open space for outdoor recreation and getting back in touch with nature has been set aside for public enjoyment in perpetuity. Read more.
|
<urn:uuid:6cb9fe18-585a-49b9-9c32-f13e8de514bd>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://march.rutgers.edu/category/bloggers/
|
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
| 0.967591
| 1,778
| 1.648438
| 2
|
The ways that consumers initiate their digital experiences and engage with brands are evolving. For the last 10 years, search engines reigned supreme as the way users navigated their online travels. But social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are encroaching on the search engines’ dominance as an entryway to the internet and brands.
As technology advances and consumers continue to evolve digitally, their online behavior changes — it’s up to marketers to follow suit if they want to reach and engage with their desired consumer base. Marketers must look at ways to integrate and optimize their digital marketing and media mix to reach and engage with consumers while supporting their business goals. This article will explore ways in which the social and search channels can work together to optimize both conversion performance and consumer engagement with your brand.
Social media and SEO: Finding common ground
Social media and search engine optimization (SEO) have competing goals. One aims to pull users to a designated website, while the other enables and encourages conversations and interactions on third-party properties. To unite these two goals, marketers need to find the common ground between the two, which is the content created and shared between marketers and consumers.
Using social media marketing and search engine optimization together enables marketers to capitalize on instances in which social interactions become search queries. In this era of real-time search results, the ability to capture this intersection point is of growing importance. Consider the use of Twitter. Users who follow more than a handful of people (and brands) will likely have difficulty recalling a message or sponsored tweet. In search of information, consumers typically turn to search engines. If you don’t have a search engine marketing plan in place to capture the users exposed to your social media efforts, you’re missing valuable opportunities.
The beauty of social media is that it inherently creates sound bites and memorable slogans; for example, if you’re running a promotion via a social platform, you want to anticipate the keywords consumers are going to use in their queries and build the appropriate website content needed to stay relevant for those search terms.
SEO and SEM: Enhancing synergies
The connections between SEO and paid search are solid. Beyond their proximity in search engine results pages, the two work together to build relevancy for consumer queries. For example, if a consumer is searching for “Brand X Widget Y” and they see both paid and unpaid results, they are reassured that those links relate to their query and will lead them to the most relevant page.
When the two strategies work together, they also provide marketers the opportunity to direct users in a highly targeted manner. Depending on the product or service query, it might make more sense to lead consumers through a higher funnel process page (such as a homepage). In other instances, it might make more sense to send users to a page that enables a deeper product or service experience. Using both paid and organic search strategies together enables marketers to cover all the bases by supporting various approaches in information seeking and/or purchase decisions differently while serving as way to build their SEO reputation in the process.
SEM and social media: Bridging engagement and performance
Like SEO, SEM is an effective means for extending and complementing social media efforts. Coordinating SEM and social media strategies ensures that marketers are able to capitalize when the buzz generated from various social media platforms drives users to engage with search engines.
Consumer interaction and engagement are at the core of social media, and this is where brand insights and trends can emerge. While search engines are incorporating real-time information from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, it is important for brand marketers and agencies to examine the consumer-generated content in terms of insights and trends that they can potentially layer into their search (as well as display) media strategies.
Just as the use of SEO and SEM can help validate a brand, the integration of SEM and social media results can help increase relevancy and validate brand and consumer values by recognizing their interactions in the social sphere and continuing the “relationship” on brand properties. The social space is all about creating brand fans by forging relationships with consumers and providing them with opportunities to engage in more robust ways than more traditional two-dimensional digital media tactics (like paid search and display) can achieve.
The search engine space is about providing relevant results to what the consumer is looking for. Creating bridges between the two strategies based on content data, trends, and insights helps foster post-social-engagement, deepen brand relationships, and facilitate the conversion process.
Putting all the pieces together
Creating a holistic digital media campaign is the ultimate goal, because it allows brands to close the loop between social engagement, which spurs brand affinity and customer retention, and search engine marketing, which is the most common way users start down a conversion path.
Noticing how the various channels affect one another is the critical first path to success. While SEO and social media are structured around long-term strategies, SEM is typically more focused on the short-term conversion-based path.
In strategically viewing and planning these three channels together for both the long- and short-term, marketers and agencies will be able to see gaps and anticipate opportunities to influence results. While integrated strategies are planned in advance of a campaign or initiative, certain levers of paid search and social media can be adjusted “in market” to respond to evolving consumer behavior and preferences. Search and social platforms can be utilized not only to map and respond to trends, but also to reevaluate SEO strategies to ensure performance traction is gained and present at the search engine level.
What lies ahead for digital media campaigns?
Industry experts are touting 2010 as the year of mobile. With the continued adoption of 3G devices and advances in technology, we see tremendous opportunity for brands to build connection points with consumers on this platform. Social media is proving to be the most readily adopted digital media channel in the mobile space by consumers. It is no surprise that the marketing platforms and extensions for brands are following.
Mobile forum applications like Foursquare show that users are embracing the opportunity to update their profiles or announce their locations to their social followers, so brands should seek to position and integrate the right message at the right time and place (or in the right context).
While other forms of mobile marketing, such as search, are not as widely adopted, people still seek information on the go. So, while SEO and SEM may be overshadowed by the lure of apps and other slicker forms of mobile advertising, the search components of mobile should be considered part of the overall strategy, just as mobile is an extension of the digital platform.
By Vanessa Newkirk
|
<urn:uuid:367048bb-a425-4a8e-a9b3-bf44d5c4805e>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://dougleschan.com/dougleschan/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.933536
| 1,352
| 1.609375
| 2
|
“The government [of Iraq] has obtained high-level intelligence information about plans to carry out terrorist attacks against protestors.”
You have to be ignorant about geopolitics to believe the story of this alleged intelligence, made public by an anonymous government source to justify the closure of the border crossing with Jordan and the subsequent damage inflicted upon the residents of al-Anbar.
Had the Maliki government enjoyed any credibility, we would have never doubted its reasons for closing the vital crossing to Jordan, for terrorism is a painful reality that still threatens Iraq. But Maliki’s government has decided to punish the people of al-Anbar, the province raging with anger against him and leading the popular opposition movement in Iraq.
Because a large number of al-Anbar’s residents live off trade to and from Jordan and because this crossing connects them to the outside world, the sudden closure which coincided with the Anbar uprising is nothing but a personal political decision to besiege the province and inflict collective punishment on its people in order to crush the opposition through exclusion and economic blockade.
In the past, Maliki’s government used to send aid to Bashar al-Assad and turn a blind eye on the tremendous support others provide for his regime while diligently guarding the border against any smuggling in favor of the Syrian revolutionaries.
But after the Bu Kamal border crossing to Syria was seized by the revolutionaries last June, the government of Baghdad changed its policies and blocked movement. Here appears the problem and importance of al-Anbar, the biggest of Iraq’s provinces and through which the 500-kilometer-long border with Syria passes.
Maliki blocked the way with a high wall and his forces chased whoever thought of crossing. By closing this strategic passage, he harmed the interests of this part of the province and impoverished Iraqi people living in it as well as Syrians on the other side. On the other hand, Turkey has been allowing international aid to reach Syrians through its borders and refugees to cross to the other side without changing its position according to which party controls the crossing. Maliki’s government closed the crossing and marginalized this area in which Syrian refugees fleeing the hell of Assad’s forces are chased back.
Maliki did the same with Kurdistan when he sent troops from Nasseriya to Mosul last summer under the pretext of guarding the borders with Syria, while in fact he wanted to open a passageway for sending aid to Assad’s regime. However, Kurds refused to comply and he is now trying to punish them like the people of al-Anbar. He wants to prevent them from producing their own oil and declared security and military alert while threatening to besiege the region and hunt down its people. The relationship between Maliki and the Kurdistan government has hit rock bottom even though it had been his strongest supporter and it was thanks to the votes of Kurdish MPs that he was able to become prime minister.
The tactic of exclusion and siege practiced by the Baghdad government is part of a broader policy that aims at increasing the powers of Maliki and eliminating the opposition against him even though this opposition is legitimate, for some of its members come from rivaling parties while others were former allies of his and who he turned against following disputes over interests and powers.
Maliki is playing a game that surpasses his capabilities through kicking out the state’s most senior figures in order to take control of all three powers. He wants to banish or imprison his rivals among senior politicians and now he is imposing an economic blockade on the people of al-Anbar through closing the border with Jordan and blocking movement along the Syrian crossing that is no longer under Assad’s control. He completed his war through declaring Kurdistan a “rebel area” and threatening to sue oil companies that work in the region. He placed his troops on high alert at the region’s borders for the first time since Saddam Hussein deployed his forces there in the late 1980s.
*This article first appeared in Asharq al-Awsat on Jan. 15, 2013. Link:
Abdulrahman al-Rashed is the General Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel. A veteran and internationally acclaimed journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of the London-based leading Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, where he still regularly writes a political column. He has also served as the editor of Asharq al-Awsat’s sister publication, al-Majalla. Throughout his career, Rashed has interviewed several world leaders, with his articles garnering worldwide recognition, and he has successfully led Al Arabiya to the highly regarded, thriving and influential position it is in today.)
|
<urn:uuid:dd6e87d9-a24b-4088-a68c-d8fdb8f06086>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2013/01/15/260544.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.972911
| 964
| 1.5
| 2
|
Eco-Journey is the blog of the Environmental Ministries Office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It will include a wide array of environmental topics: upcoming environmental events, links to interesting articles and studies, information on environmental advocacy, eco-theology topics, and success stories from churches that are going “green.”
Author Rebecca Barnes-Davies is the Associate for Environmental Ministries at the PC(USA). She recently graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary with a M.Div. and Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) dual degree.
Have you been hearing about the new collaboration between PCUSA Environmental Ministries and GreenFaith but not yet learned as much as you would like?
The informative, inspiring, and encouraging webinar about the GreenFaith certification program-- which gives PCUSA congregations the opportunity to become PCUSA Earth Care certified as well as receiving this interfaith certification-- is now available. It is an important first step to learn more about GreenFaith.
If you are in or connected to a PCUSA congregation and want to learn more, please begin by watching this hour long webinar. You may watch with your earth care team if you have one, a few other church members who share interest, and/or pastoral and lay leaders.
Discern if this amazing resource program might be right for you!
|
<urn:uuid:2984767e-07cd-469d-9060-1fc23d04b26c>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.pcusa.org/blogs/eco-journey/2013/3/19/pcusa-environmental-ministries-and-greenfaith-coll/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.946867
| 279
| 1.53125
| 2
|
Rice Lake has a diverse fishery that includes trophy muskies. Click on the picture above to read an article about the Rice Lake fishery in the Rice Lake Chronotype newspaper.
Hunting - Bow hunting, Blackpowder, and Gun hunting
Trophy Deer, abundant Wild Turkey, as well as Pheasant, Grouse, and Snipe populate the rolling woodlands and meadows. Flocks of Ducks and Geese frequent the many lakes and wetlands.
|
<urn:uuid:62f30e5c-b76f-46c1-8f98-9e25ceae0b91>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.currierslakeview.com/huntingandfishin/index.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.942806
| 95
| 1.601563
| 2
|
Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, chair of the committee, said that the platform would not outline cases in which abortion should be permitted.
Republicans in Tampa, Fla. voted Tuesday on a draft of anti-abortion language that calls for a constitutional ban on abortions, but does not indicate whether exceptions could be made for victims of rape or incest.
The language proposed and approved by the GOP's platform committee—a group that articulates the party's stance on issues ranging from abortion to foreign policy—closely mirrored language adopted by the party in 2008 and 2004.
"The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed," the platform draft states, The Associated Press reported. "We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children."
Republican officials said that granular details, including any exceptions to a blanket ban, could be left to the states. GOP delegates will vote on, and likely approve, the complete platform at next week's convention.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, chair of the committee drafting the language, said that the platform would not outline cases in which abortion should be permitted, according to the Washington Post.
"We just affirm our belief that human life should be protected and supported and we call for a human life amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which has been part of the platform for, I think, 20 years," he told the Post.
Earlier in the year, McDonnell vigorously supported a controversial abortion law proposed in Virginia that would require women to undergo an ultrasound before getting an abortion. But after facing a backlash over concerns that the procedure was too invasive, McDonnell asked lawmakers to amend the "informed consent" bill that he eventually signed into law.
According to the Post, the 2012 platform that McDonnell is helping to shape includes a "salute" to states like Virginia that have taken steps to dissuade more women from having abortions.
The Republican stance on abortion has remained consistent over the last eight years. The 2008 platform also stated support for an unborn child's "fundamental individual right to life" and "a human life amendment to the Constitution," as well as opposition to the use of public funds for abortions. It did not mention exceptions for rape, though many party leaders, including Mitt Romney, have expressed support for such an exception.
The more granular details have come into the spotlight this week after Republican Rep. Todd Akin came under fire from prominent members of his own party for arguing that a rape exception was not necessary since women typically do not get pregnant from rape. He later apologized for his remarks, but vowed to stay in a U.S. Senate race he's been advised to leave.
McDonnell told the Washington Post that Akin's remarks "do not reflect my views, or I think the views of this platform committee."
|
<urn:uuid:417fab65-87cf-4353-8b1d-ac6276c7ea4d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/166956226.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.963073
| 583
| 1.515625
| 2
|
So you’re thinking of moving to a warm, sunny climate to live out your golden years? Florida or Arizona, perhaps. Maybe the Carolinas.
Consider buying long underwear, mittens and a parka and heading to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado or Maine.
Those states ranked first, fifth, seventh and eights in the State Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard , what’s billed as the first-of-its-kind multidimensional look at how states perform on a variety of measures of assistance to older people and adults with disabilities. The Scorecard examines state performance in affordability and access; choice of setting and provider; quality of life and quality of care; and support for family caregivers. The dimensions were developed by a team of experts in the long-term services field.
The report is from AARP, The Commonwealth Fund and the Scan Foundation, which works to develop a continuum of quality care for seniors.
The report was designed to help states improve their long-term support systems so that older people and adults with disabilities in all states can have control over their lives. According to the executive summary, the report also acts as a kick in the pants to states to figure out how to gauge the job they’re doing and find ways to improve.
The highest-performing states aren’t perfect, but they have public policies in place that improve access to needed services and have changed their Medicaid programs to allow choice in delivery, to cover more people and to offer alternatives to nursing homes. The best states also make it easier to get information and services while minimizing run-around, and address the needs of family caregivers.
Bottom feeders, including New York at 41st (out of 51, including the District of Columbia) obviously have their work cut out for them.
To read the report, go to http://www.longtermscorecard.org/
|
<urn:uuid:0877b9c8-4e49-4c66-9063-373877264e3d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/health/?p=638
|
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
| 0.962395
| 387
| 1.648438
| 2
|
With middle school a prime preparation time for
academics, Forestview Middle School Principal Jon Anderson said that FMS is taking a new approach to make sure its students are staying on course.
In its first draft form for the 2012-13 school year, Anderson said a task force of sorts was formed to make sure that seventh- and eighth-grade students pass all core subjects — math, language arts, social studies and science — they are enrolled in.
“Our mission statement is to put together a four-part plan to focus on what is required of them to pass and what we (the school) need to do to ensure that happens,” said Anderson.
Based on four pillars, Anderson said first the group needs to define a passing grade, identified Monday as a student required to pass two of three trimesters; communication plan for parents, students, teachers and counselors at mid-trimester and end of trimester; and academic support plan and course of completion plan. Anderson said current options being considered for completion would be summer school, afternoon targeted services, during school-day pull out of class rotation and Saturday school.
Anderson added that while focus is on what the students can do to improve and prepare academically, FMS is focused on doing everything they can to help them.
“We want to use this group to support these students and help them move along,” said Anderson.
According to Anderson, a total of 30 seventh graders, six percent, failed core classes in the 2011-12 year with 22 students failing only one core course during the year. Forty-nine students, or 11 percent, in eighth grade also failed core classes in 2011-12. Results reported Dec. 10 show 12 students in seventh grade currently failing core courses and 25 students in eighth grade.
Academic progress does not affect graduation until students are in ninth grade, but Anderson said a solid academic foundation needs to first be established in middle school to be successful in high school.
In other action, the board:
Approved a contract between the district and Ski Gull, allowing ski program participants and coaches to use Mount Ski Gull lifts and chalet during practices and racing events.
City Attorney Tom Fitzpatrick said their may be adjustments in the form of housekeeping items and as they pertain to reimbursement to the district due to students who pay out of pocket for season passes instead of the program supplied day passes but ultimately he would like to see the contract approved.
Board members unanimously approved the agreement between the district and Ski Gull.
|
<urn:uuid:b0f7a865-9c09-419f-89dd-84cee3f13c83>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://brainerddispatch.com/news/2012-12-10/brainerd-school-board-forestview-middle-school-helping-kids-not-fall-behind
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.96883
| 522
| 1.664063
| 2
|
Even in death, insurers will still give you cover
He drew the wrath of Luhya elders in 2004 when he did the unthinkable: planned for his own funeral. But veteran politician Martin Shikuku was not doing it to stir trouble, he simply explained that he did not want his relatives and friends burdened with funeral costs, upon his death.
Several years down the line, more people in Kenya are now beginning to see the sense of funeral pre planning. In current harsh economic times, a sudden death as its often described in obituaries can be quite 'untimely' financially speaking. Because of this, insurance companies have spotted a business opportunity by facing this taboo subject with a myriad of funeral insurance covers in which the insured party's family will not be left with the huge bill that accompanies preparation for burial. “The growing trend is that a number of corporations, organizations and groups are requesting for funeral cover for their members as part of the insurance arrangements. Some are even extending this to spouses and children,” reveals UAP Kenya managing director Jerim Otieno.
According to insurance broker Joakim Obulukhu, the cover is usually offered for groups and as an extension to existing covers such as personal accident or medical insurance because it is a high risk. “It is a risk that will most definitely occur at some point and very expensive to cover hence the reason why most firms will want it bought by groups and not a single individual,” explains Obulukhu. All the insurance firms that offer it locally say that funeral insurance is most popular in Western and Nyanza regions and has started to pick up in parts of Eastern.
These could be due to the fact that the tribes that hail from these provinces are highly traditional when it comes to burial ceremonies and thus funeral related rites have been known to lead to big budgets and in some lavish spending. For instance, some clans in the luhya community believe that when an elder dies a bull or bulls must be slaughtered.
One bull currently could cost a family above Sh30,000. Also, among some communities, if a man dies and had never constructed his 'simba' or house at his parents' compound, it has to be built first before his body is taken home from the city for burial. A house constructed under such circumstances, notes 75 year old Samuel Omwera does not have to be perfect it could as well just be a symbolic makeshift structure. Such rituals are partly the cause of inflated costs of conducting a funeral in some regions of this country.
According to Insurance Regulatory Authority, as at 31st December 2011, life insurance companies reported total claims by death Sh 2.45 billion. This figure, IRA says, is inclusive of claims made under funeral covers. “In Kenya, the increased uptake of funeral covers is mainly attributable to increased awareness of insurance on the part of society, increased breakdown of social ties within the family unit and increased costs of funeral expenses,” explains the IRA.
Some of the firms that have vibrant funeral covers include Pan African life, UAP and Metropolitan life among others. Pan African life CEO Tom Gitogo says the cover includes a compensation both in kind and in cash. “Benefits in kind include funeral home fees, hearse, casket, obituaries, flowers, church venue and public address system. The funeral cash plan provides a cash lump-sum of either Sh100,000 or Sh200,000 on death of a policy holder or covered dependants,” explains Gitogo.
The Pan African cover allows the policy holder to cover their spouse and parents. On the part of UAP Life, different tailor made covers are offered under the funeral package targeting customers such as welfare groups, big corporations, SMEs, families and individuals. A significant difference between funeral cover and others offered by insurers is that its very easy to verify occurrence and because of that claimants are paid as fast as within a day or two of a claim being filed. “We mainly pay a selected amount of benefit to cater for funeral expenses that could range from coffins, funeral home charges, transport, obituaries and other related costs,”remarks UAP's Otieno. “This is paid within 48 hours of submitting claim supporting documentation so as to enable the deceased family finance the funeral costs.”
Rarieya Asin, a Kenyan working in high risk country Afghanistan scoffs at the idea of funeral insurance. “I might need it for my family maybe in case they 'go' before me and I dont want the burden of funeral fund-raising to befall me, but not for me!” Asin tells the Star. Asin explains that the reason why he would not consider buying his own funeral cover is not out of fear of jinxing himself but because he does not see the need in expensive or lavish funerals. “If I we're to have my way, when I die, I would prefer to-like the Muslims-be buried wherever death got to me at. Any rituals that cost money should not be performed on my lifeless body,” he cautions.
Asin adds: “I hope that at the time of my death I will still be having some decent clothes so if I have to be buried in clothes, no need for new ones!” The IRA notes that most people are becoming like Asin and thinking modern, hence the growing demand for these insurance covers. “The issue of death has always been a taboo topic in the African culture and mindset that is to be revered and respected. However, with the evolutionary transition from a 'pre-modern' or 'traditional' to a 'modern' society , there has been progressive breakdown of this mindset and death has become accepted.”
Employers have also found this cover handy. Those firms that have taken it for their employees say it helps to manage costs in the event of death. “Of course when death occurs, families look to the employer and ask themselves what is the company doing to help?” notes Kenya Bureau of Standards insurance officer Harriet Khanagwa.
Khanangwa says that the firm found it better to procure the funeral insurance rather than to be setting aside money all the time for welfare which used to cover such expenses. “They (employees) do not even see it as a taboo or jinx, they are very excited about it and feel that the company cares about them and their dependents.”
But as it is, insurance firms that offer this cover say that its mostly common among young people and married couples above 30. It remains to be seen whether eventually the older generation will embrace this product as most insurers launch aggressive market campaign to popularise it. Other African countries are yet to warm up to funeral insurance with the exception of South Africa where sense in the cover has overshadowed traditional beliefs to spur its growth.
|
<urn:uuid:12e0ac91-3b4e-4d89-9ed9-ca17c0a13141>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-7741/even-death-insurers-will-still-give-you-cover
|
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
| 0.973265
| 1,409
| 1.679688
| 2
|
Luis Alicea recalled the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, as a beautiful scene, full of clear skies, sunshine and a cool breeze that turned eerily surreal in a matter of hours.
“You don’t have many days like that,” he said of the unexpectedly pleasant weather before recalling a day that will live in infamy.
The retired New York Police Department detective, who now lives in Surprise with wife, Elizabeth, and three children, was overseeing crowd control at a local senior center for the scheduled mayoral primary election.
Alicea can remember a number of elderly residents approaching him to let him know an airplane — not knowing at this point whether it was a commercial airliner or single-engine passenger plane — had struck one of the World Trade Center towers. Like many New Yorkers, Alicea believed the pilot erred in his landing approach and had accidentally struck the massive skyscraper.
Those feelings changed, suddenly turning to shock after finding out another airplane had struck the second World Trade Center tower. This was no accident; it was something far more serious for a nation that had never experienced an act of terrorism on such a large scale, affecting the lives of thousands and gripping a captivated nation for months and years to come.
“It was total chaos on the radios, and cellphones weren’t working,” Alicea said of the scene unfolding in New York City. “When I saw the second tower had collapsed, I knew something major was going on.”
Elizabeth, meantime, was at home and had just taken their son to preschool when Alicea called and told her to pick him up in order for the family to be together, while he helped control the aftermath.
Seemingly, Alicea said, all of New York’s police officers and firefighters responded to the World Trade Center complex, located in the heart of the city’s downtown financial district. Alicea said about 42,000 uniformed police officers are on duty at any given time each day; that number spiked to around 54,000 on Sept. 11, 2001.
Speak to Alicea, a former Queens resident with a thick New York accent, and you can tell just how much the 9/11 attacks affected his family’s everyday lives.
Planes make him uncomfortable and even natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, trigger unpleasant memories from 10 years ago.
While the sights at Ground Zero will forever be etched in his memory, Alicea said it’s the sense of loss and sorrow for New York City and the nation that hurts most.
“It wasn’t New York City that got hit; it was America,” he said.
Ask Alicea, 47, to describe the scene at the World Trade Center and his emotional state and he could talk for hours, maybe days. The word “surreal” continually comes out of his mouth. The devastation and emotions, he said, are just too hard to describe.
“The area looked like a war zone,” he said. “You tried to identify buildings and cars to get a sense of perspective.”
Alicea kept a piece of shattered glass from one of the fallen towers, but says he rarely talks about his eight-month stint at Ground Zero, where he handled security, search, recovery and rescue operations.
He said his toughest assignment was giving tours to families who had lost a loved one.
“You bring parents, and husbands, and wives to the site and the realization comes to them that they’re never going to see their loved ones again,” he said. “It’s hard to look at a mother and father knowing you have kids yourself. Seeing times of tragedy and pain, you don’t care who’s standing there. It sucks. You just open your arms to them.”
Alicea, too, lost two good friends, including John Perry, a New York police officer who was scheduled to retire on Sept. 11.
“It really didn’t matter where you were on Sept. 11. Everyone was a victim,” he said. “People everywhere were devastated, and they understood each other without having to say a word. You could just look at someone, exchange a nod and understand what they were going through.”
Perry died when the first tower collapsed, unable to get out after herding people together to escape the devastation.
“It’s amazing to know somebody who was willing to give so much for others when he could’ve easily gone home that day,” Alicea said. “That’s true heroism. Police officers are brothers, and everybody is one.”
Each day for the next several months was a challenge from a mental and physical standpoint. Alicea remembers breathing in smells — what he describes as a combination of burnt charcoal, flesh and chemicals — he had never smelled before, as well as uncovering body parts, driver’s licenses, shoes, hats, office equipment and even airplane seats and seat belts.
“You know somebody was sitting there and you’re just in awe,” Alicea said of uncovering airplane seats. “The first month goes by and you hope to find someone who’s alive or a body to provide closure for the families.”
Now, Alicea, who still keeps his NYPD uniform and hard hat worn at Ground Zero at his Surprise home, likes to get away to Northern Arizona to clear his head and recharge his batteries.
“They say never forget, and I can’t forget,” he said. “There’s a difference between watching what unfolded on TV and living it and seeing it up close. It’s sad, and I wish it never happened.”
Zach Colick can be reached at 623-876-2522 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
|
<urn:uuid:18b8dbff-fb30-413a-91ae-416333c6318a>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://eastvalleytribune.com/local/the_valley/westvalley/article_814b4e60-09e3-5899-8935-5e5b88124567.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.975386
| 1,247
| 1.75
| 2
|
Throughout the morning kids kept trickling in, arriving by bike or walking with a little sibling strapped to their back. By noon about thirty had found us. Generally the kids were fairly quiet and reserved, though more than a few were outwardly enthusiastic: the two little boys in my group of ten huddled together and whispered quietly to each other, looking around at everyone else and only vaguely trying to complete the word-find at hand; the girl at my side tapped my shoulder and proudly announced every word she found, and raced to finish first.
After word games and foam cutouts were mostly completed Blanca and I retrieved the books from the trunk, spread them out on a blanket, and invited the kids to each pick one to read. At first they approached the blanket shyly in twos and threes; after a few minutes nearly all of the kids ages eight and over clutched a book or were crouched over the pile, shuffling around for a suitable story to read. Rachel (a volunteer from the US), Ivo (Mano a Mano Apoyo Aereo pilot) and I sat with them, listened to them, and helped them read aloud. I read with Ronald, a 12-year-old boy wearing a red sweater and homemade slingshot slung over his shoulder. He read hesitantly, following the words with his index finger, carefully sounding out each sound and neglecting the spaces in between the words. Although I'm sure he knew most of the words he was reading, I doubt he understood them as he occupied himself with differentiating the sounds of b versus d and putting syllables together. His earnest attempts at what was obviously a difficult task were immediately interrupted if anyone, particularly a girl, looked over or walked by us: his eyes would nervously glance up at her and his voice would get suddenly soft.
|
<urn:uuid:3ccc928e-e761-4ca3-aac5-ed4344301824>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://manoamanointl.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.989214
| 375
| 1.84375
| 2
|
The anti-gay industry comprises a large coalition of evangelical and Roman Catholic leaders, Christian right advocacy groups and right-wing politicians that works on many fronts to restrict the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. It does so through organized and orchestrated efforts to promote anti-LGBT legislation at all levels of government and by espousing myths and lies about LGBT people for political and financial gain.
Why It Matters:
The anti-gay industry has made great gains over the past two decades, restricting family recognition in 39 states and parenting in at least seven. It continues to work feverishly to restrict the rights of LGBT people, among others. We must stand against these assaults, which are aimed to degrade and dehumanize LGBT people for political and financial gain. Ex-gay ministries increasingly focus on young people, targeting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
What We’re Doing:
- We expose and counter extremist lies with accurate groundbreaking research from our Policy Institute, our movement’s premier think tank.
- We work with state and local partners nationwide to turn back anti-LGBT legislation.
- We build LGBT political power from the ground up, and lift the voices of LGBT-supportive people of faith via our National Religious Leadership Roundtable and Institute for Welcoming Resources.
- We speak out repeatedly and forcefully against the anti-gay industry's tactics.
What You Can Do:
- Build your skills at Creating Change, the nation’s premier LGBT organizing conference.
- The Issues
- Get Involved
- Our Work
- Reports & Research
- Support Us
- About Us
|
<urn:uuid:c7fea75e-493f-4c63-a8cd-320389049f29>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.ngltf.org/issues/anti_gay_industry
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.948629
| 335
| 1.835938
| 2
|
With some of the nation’s biggest organic brands already among its customers, Kamut International is anticipating even more growth as it expands the science behind its ancient grain to target heart health, diabetes and sport nutrition.
A recent paper in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition documented the first human data of the potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Kamut khorasan wheat.
The company is building on this “big breakthrough” and is involved in trials with heart disease patients and, separately, diabetics, said Bob Quinn, PhD, president and founder of Kamut International, during a visit to FoodNavigator-USA’s offices in Manhattan.
The ancient wheat is higher in protein and many minerals, especially selenium, zinc, and magnesium, compared to modern wheat. It also contains a higher percentage of lipids, and can be described as “high energy wheat”.
Understandably, the Montana-based company is also targeting the sports segment, particularly for high endurance sports like marathon runners and cyclists (the company was a sponsor of the 2012 Missoula Marathon in Montana). Kamut-containing products are already popular among some of Italy’s top soccer clubs, with Bologna FC, Torino FC, AC Milan, and Calcio Catania all using the products, said Dr Quinn.
“The sports segment has huge potential in the US,” he added.
“We believe that Kamut can become a culture and not a fad. It tastes good. Yes, it’s more expensive, and we don’t apologize for that. We pay farmers a fair price and consumers, by eating a healthy diet, can save on health care.”
The company is continuing to invest in research, but Dr Quinn has a much grander goal in mind for his Kamut wheat: “My long term goal for our research is to get enough preliminary results to get the attention of the big research hospitals and/or NIH who have enough money to do some full blown studies with enough individuals to make the results indisputable.”
As the science builds, and consumer demand for organic and 'natural' grows, the opportunities for Kamut-containing products are impressive. “The potential is huge, limited only by the organic acreage,” continued Dr Quinn. “Along with spelt, we are offering an alternative to modern wheat.”
The grain is grown by an informal co-operative of 250 organic farmers on 80,000 acres in Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and is limited to regions without too much rain. The yield of Kamut wheat is 10-15% less than spring wheat, he said, but khorasan wheat has never been bred for yield.
Sixty percent of the Kamut currently goes to Italy, and, of the 2,000 products around the world formulated with the ancient wheat, 1,800 products are in Italy.
“In Italy, we’ve experienced 40% growth,” he said.
The 100 or so products in the US include some big names in the food segment, including Nature’s Path (North America's largest organic cereal brand), Eden Foods, Bimbo Bakeries, and Hain Celestial Group.
Other growth markets are Brazil (“a growing interest in organic”), and the Middle East (“diabetes is a concern”). Kamut khorasan wheat is currently used in products including breads, pasta, cereals, snacks, pastries, crackers, beer, grain coffee, and green foods.
Dr Quinn owns the trademark on Kamut, and while there are other producers of Khorasan wheat, he said he will protect the trademark.
“Since Kamut International owns the trademark ‘Kamut’, any wheat sold under this trademark must follow the quality specifications required by Kamut International,” states the company’s website . “Consequently, anyone who wants to use the ‘Kamut’ trademark must sign, free of charge, a license agreement promising to follow these specifications. In this manner the customer is guaranteed quality and purity when they see the ‘Kamut’ brand.”
|
<urn:uuid:6a52d96a-feef-45bc-b20b-71042747ff3d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Trends/Ancient-Grains/Kamut-International-We-believe-our-ancient-wheat-can-become-a-culture-and-not-a-fad
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.942515
| 885
| 1.804688
| 2
|
By LA Weekly
By Henry Rollins
By Weekly Photographers
By Shea Serrano
By Nate "Igor" Smith
By Dan Weiss
By Erica E. Phillips
By Kai Flanders
Clines, Rudolph & Golia by Debra DiPaolo
The most dangerous music is like a reverse pipe bomb: Instead of killing people, it makes them come alive. It exists because it has to; it’s an irrepressible gift. In return for giving it, the musician does not expect to generate capital, encourage groin service, move feet, promote product or vend religion.
Such a gift clearly threatens the American way of life.
All music is dangerous, but which most? Not pop; pop stars (and their fans) get destroyed. Not classical, which relegates greatness to the past. Not folk — aspirin for the oppressed. The most dangerous music includes "new" music, experimental music and the jazz fringe, all with a deep current of improv; its threats are liberation, innovation, community and spirituality.Listen to: L.A. Jazz Real Audio Format non Credo Alex Cline Ensemble Nels Cline Trio Brad Dutz/John Holmes Igor Stavinsky Adam Rudolph Steuart Liebig William Parker Golia/Leo Smith/Turetzky Vinny Golia James Newton John Cage Alex Cline Ensemble Baron Mingus Richard Grossman Nels Cline/Thurston Moore Glen Gould
Every burg contains dangerous musicians; Los Angeles conceals an especially amazing bunch, and they’re happy with their hiding place. One after another, they heap the same unexpected praise on this city: Its sprawl and its distance from acknowledged hubs of the avant-garde (New York, Berlin) allow its artists to develop without conforming. In spite of how long they’ve been plotting — most for 20 years or more — some of the current seditionists remain secret enough to need introduction. So here it is. çLOS ANGELES: MOTHER OF INVENTION
Los Angeles has long served as a hideout for revolutionaries. In the early 1930s, an Austrian-born Jew named Arnold Schoenbergsmelled the coming Nazi horror and moved to our city. He had invented the 12-tone compositional method, which a contemporary Time magazine article described as "so complicated that only he and a couple other fellows understand what it is all about." It took a kid from L.A. to out-extreme the master: John Cage, who studied with Schoenberg at UCLA from 1935 to 1937, completely reconceived what music was, making even Igor Stravinsky (another L.A. resident for much of the ’40s and ’50s) seem conservative.
It’s amusing to imagine Schoenberg’s upsetter vibrations traveling the mere three miles from USC, where he taught soon after arriving here, to 1545 E. 52nd St., the first Los Angeles home of Charles Mingus. But the truth is that the great bassist-composer downloaded Schoenbergian modern harmonies by way of the neoclassical arrangements Billy Strayhorn constructed for Mingus’ idol, Duke Ellington.
The mid-’40s visits of beboppers ç Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie opened the ears of L.A. musicians — including those of Mingus and his friend Eric Dolphy, a wizardly wind player — to the possibility of incorporating any note, not just the ones everyone considered "musical," into their improvisations. And the post-Parker trend reached its furthest ex ploration when Fort Worth saxist Ornette Colemanhooked up with New Orleans’ Ed Blackwell, Iowa’s Charlie Haden, and L.A.’s Don Cherryand Billy Higginsin the City of the Angels to play Coleman’s "harmolodic" music, which did away with chord changes altogether.
When Coleman split town for good as the ’60s dawned, the torch was passed to those of his associates who remained here off and on, including bassist Haden, trumpeter Cherry, drummer Higgins, cornetist Bobby Bradfordand clarinetist John Carter. The Dolphy line continued through flutist James Newton. A powerful influence on the next generation was Philadelphia import Richard Grossman, a former bebopper whose pulseless piano approach reflected his respect for Schoenberg and Cage. And it’d be hard to slight the impact of regional pop-fringe artists Frank Zappaand Captain Beefheart, who turned obsessions with Edgard Varèse and the blues, respectively, into unprecedented individualizations.
Of the aforementioned, only Coleman, Beefheart, Haden, Higgins, Bradford and Newton remain alive. Only the last four remain in Los Angeles. And of those four locals, only the last two still consistently walk the dangerous edge.BLOWIN’
What does it mean that four of the next five guys teach at CalArts? It means the school isn’t afraid of the edge, having long mined the talents of electronic-music pioneer Morton Subotnick, among many others. Charlie Haden, one of this era’s most penetrating musical minds, also has a lot of influence there. All five listed here have found new ways to blow into old instruments.James Newtonis the pre-eminent living avant-garde flutist and a monster composer — for evidence, try his 1994 Suite for Frida Kahlo(Audioquest). Snapshot: Newton blowing holes in the wall at the Kool Jazz Festival in the late ’80s. This instrument is made out of metal, dammit. Bobby Bradford. This Texan likes to toss hunks of funk, blues and whatever into a stew that’s always new, having founded his Mo’tet for that purpose. Never harsh, Bradford is one gentleman whose cornet can find the melody in the thorniest thicket. Vinny Goliataught himself to blow everything from shakahuchi to contrabaritone sax, and has helmed the scene’s most valuable record label, Nine Winds, for 21 years. Snapshot: Golia shoulder to shoulder with Bradford and bassist Roberto Miranda at a March tribute to Horace Tapscott, spieling out maybe his most intense, considered and burning solos ever — and that’s really, really saying something. Wadada Leo Smith.An early recruit of Chicago’s landmark Association for the Advancement of Creative Music, Smith was named to CalArts’ Dizzy Gillespie chair five years ago and has pushed his smoke into our region’s corners ever since. His trumpet and various instruments from around the world always lend an element of shamanic magic. Soak up Prataksis(Nine Winds), with Golia and bassist Bertram Turetzky. William Roper.Wherever somebody is trying something different — music, poetry, theater, performance art — chances are good that Roper’s tuba is gonna be sticking out of it somewhere. He’s not just a foundational element to the larger ensembles of Golia and others such as pianist Glenn Horiuchi, but a technical-textural improviser who wears non-mainstream earglasses. BEATIN’
One-two-three-four . . . Nope. While percussion is the most basic of musical elements, it also has the least limitations. L.A.’s edge drummers add a few thousand nuances to the pound-on-a-log legacy, these three each in a completely different way.Alex Cline.With cymbals, gongs, drums and his brain, Cline composes textures, not just tunes. There’s a soaring, timeless quality to his music that combines spirit with emotion. Especially sensual is his new Sparks Fly Upward(Cryptogramo phone). Adam Rudolph.Rising from the next generation out of Chicago after Wadada Leo Smith, Rudolph went to Africa to feel the heart of the drum, then found his own way to make it beat. His Moving Pictures band is about the most modern and natural "world" music you’ll encounter. Snapshot: Rudolph squeals out a shivering tone from the head of a conga as the shadow of butoh dancer Oguri freezes against the whitewashed wall of the Electric Lodge. Brad Dutz.Though he’s been a soundtracker, a groove artist, a percolating vibraphonist — and was even generating what might be called techno and ambient well before they impinged on mainstream consciousness — this chameleon puts a common imprint on all his music. Call it curious concentration. ELECTRIFYIN’
It’s a love affair with alternating current. At first, musicians hardly knew what to do with the last 20 years’ explosion of signal-manipulating technology. Then more and more of them figured out that you didn’t have to play just notes anymore — with equal variety and subtlety, you could play the electronic sounds themselves. This kind of improvisation has become a new strain of jazz. And yes, you have to be damn good to do it well. These L.A. residents are virtuosos.Nels Cline.Erupting in duo with Thurston Moore or Carla Bozulich or Devin Sarno or Gregg Bendian; twangling with Mike Watt; tearing out long lines in a Tapscott tribute; ranging from heavy to heaven in his own groups (and we’re just scanning a random page here) — even more amazing than guitarist Cline’s ubiquity is his ability to play exactly the appropriate thing in every context. His veins are wires, and that sure doesn’t mean they don’t bleed. Steuart Liebig.To say only that he plays bass would be misleading. As an improviser, he commands a shocking array of effects. As a composer, he can create rigorous but liberating frameworks for wide-open jazz on one hand (Quartetto Stig) and harmonica honk on the other (Beutet). And mainly, he hears everybody else, assimilates it all and kicks it to another level. Kaoru.In experimental improvisation, knowing just when to activate an old-time music box or retune a transistor radio is one thing, and Kaoru has the knack. But what you’ll never see anyone else pull off is what she’s done in Unique Cheerful Events (with Liebig, G.E. Stinson and Joseph Berardi): Sample the band as it’s playing, release the sound back into the mix, treat it with delay or whatever, and create a self-reinforcing typhoon. Snapshot: Kaoru surrounded by UCE and the red walls of the defunct Alligator Lounge, slowly twisting a knob, calm in the apocalyptic storm. G.E. Stinson.While he finds a lot of different devices with which to manipulate his guitar, the resulting sounds are moans, not shrieks — maybe his Chicago roots encouraged a bluesman’s taste. If you want an exotic atmosphere, just plug him in. Right of Violet(Nine Winds), his CD with Alex Cline and Jeff Gauthier, has enough undertow to draw most anybody down. Jeff Gauthier.A founding member (with Nels Cline, Alex Cline and Eric Von Essen) of the chamber-jazz group Quartet Music in 1979, Gauthier has already played his classically rounded electric (and acoustic) violin on L.A.’s desolation row for over 20 years. And now, after countless edge projects, he’s started a record label, Cryptogramophone, to document the music to maximum effect. If maiden releases by Jeanette Wrate’s Northern Lights Ensemble and Alex Cline are any indication, this could indeed be our secret Deutsche Grammophon. OBBLIGATO
This isn’t intended to be a complete list, only a marking of fence posts in a field so fertile that it keeps turning up new surprises. In no way does the omission of such valuable regional artists as John Bergamo, Susan Allen, Derf Reklaw, Arthur Jarvinen, Wayne Peet, Emily Hay, Lynn Johnston, Billy Mintz, Kraig Grady, Kira Vollman, etc., etc., indicate anything more than the fact that this isn’t an encyclopedia. See ’em all: at the Pasadena Shakespeare Company’s Sunday Evening Concerts, at the Faultlines series on 24th Street, at Venice’s Electric Lodge, at Hollywood’s own Knitting Factory when it opens next year. One day, this scene will be called historic. And you won’t be faking when you brag that you were there.
One might be ambitious enough to try making sense of this post-jazz jungle, to try discovering common genes. What do Chicago, Texas and Los Angeles have in common? Why do so many of these musicians (Schoenberg, Golia, Kaoru, Roper, A. Cline) have backgrounds as visual artists? Instead, we asked some of the players to respond to just one dumb question. Naturally, they were patient. That’s another thing they seem to share.Q: What motivated you to choose your current musical path? Wadada Leo Smith:I grew up in the Mississippi Delta, where music was a partaker in all aspects of African-American life. I recognized that the blues masters could cause the deepest change in feeling. Around age 6 or 7, I was introduced to music by my stepfather, Alex Wallace, a blues guitarist and vocalist, who was my first mentor in the Delta blues tradition. He opened the door of inner vision — the improvisational presence of thinking, knowing and making music from the heart. On looking back over 50 years, I recall how important it was when I learned of the master composer and performer David of the Bible tradition, and the surviving strength of David’s mystical songs, which still have great meaning today. What attracts me most to the path of music is its nonverbal nature, its power to move across racial and cultural zones to touch the human being deep in the heart, revealing new light. Alex Cline: It seems less that I chose my current direction (composer-bandleader) than it chose me. I must follow the ray of inspiration, and by doing so also acknowledge those who have come before whose creations have helped guide and bless my life. My hope is that the music will also, more importantly, reflect an approach informed by my desire to be like a transparent vessel rather than to "express myself." Perhaps the resulting sounds could even arouse in the listener the sense of longing that moves me in so much of my favorite music — a longing that leads to reverence. Jeff Gauthier:I’ve never felt as if choice was involved. Every twist in the road has kept me on the right path. When I discovered that my favorite music (Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett) somehow featured improvisation, every musical endeavor became an exercise in acquiring the skills to become a fluent improviser and composer. Perhaps the most important factor is the company I am blessed to keep — many of the most influential musicians and teachers in my life have also been my closest friends. G.E. Stinson:The realization that what I am interested in is being present and creative. And listening to pianist-improviser Richard Grossman, who embodied these concepts. Steuart Liebig:I don’t necessarily have a direction. What I have are interests — and these interests get turned into raw material for the music that I write, perform and improvise. Jazz (’50s–’90s), blues, rock, country, R&B, punk rock, classical — all become grist for the compositional mill. There are formative experiences: a somewhat musical family that afforded me the opportunity to hear things that many of my peers did not; the extreme luck to fall in with good players and comrades who could supply context and support; the opportunity to tour with both Les McCann and Julius Hemphill; the disillusion of dealing with a "major" record company, which led me to turn my back on "commercial" music and delve further into music that was truer to my vision. Brad Dutz:The quest to hear something different, odd, surprising, confusing. As long as I don’t have airplay or a record deal, I know I must be doing something right. Nels Cline:Oddly, having started in music some 30 years ago as a know-nothing, rock-obsessed improviser kid, and later having become slightly smarter and more jazz- and new-music-aware, I find my path pretty much the same as it was way back when: Emotion, intellectual interest, simple tension-and-release, form and spontaneity are still what I involve myself with. Vinny Golia:I needed an artistic path that would give me constant challenges. This music does that — you always start fresh. I also needed a way to transfer previous knowledge into another form: painting into composing, drawing into improvising. The interaction with other musicians was very important, as were the spiritual qualities inherent in this music. Kaoru:What I see and hear in everyday life. William Roper:Here’s a true story. In high school, a group of musicians that I ran with competed for a scholarship to pay for lessons. One guy played a piece of "new" music. It was very wild. This guy was a monster player and had brass balls. The judges had suspicions. They asked to see the music. He showed them a paper with a lot of pencil squiggles on it. He told them that it had been written especially for him. Here’s the point. They couldn’t tell, by listening, if it was legit or not. I found out from him later that he had scratched those marks, then got up there and played what he felt like playing.
Consider that I play the tuba. It is an extreme instrument. Contemporary classical music can be extremely difficult. To play and to listen to. After doing it for years, one faces the truth that the audience is not very large and is not likely to get larger. One also learns the importance of "sound" as opposed to "music." "Music" as in line and harmony. Your world becomes larger than this "music." This expanded palette is really one of the most important elements of the music of the avant-garde. It is also the element to which the audience is most resistant.
What do classical brass players generally want to do? Play in an orchestra. How many full-time professional orchestras are there in the U.S.? Not many. How many tubaists do they employ? One per. What does a tuba player do when he/she gets an orchestra position? Keep it till they die. Four or five years may go by between even having a chance to compete to do what you think you want to do. So what does a tuba player do in the meantime? Either stops playing or gets into other music. I did the latter.
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:0c0fcb3a-d596-4724-b079-072c51084005>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.laweekly.com/1999-07-01/music/the-world-s-most-dangerous-musicians/full/
|
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
| 0.950186
| 4,088
| 1.757813
| 2
|
Kronos Quartet is a string quartet ensemble consisting of:
Their repertoire consists primarily of contemporary music, with a heavy dose of early music. Some people might describe this as "classical music", which would be misleading; I've never heard them perform any classical or romantic string quartets -- you know, stuff by Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, etc. In other words, they are not the Emerson String Quartet, with which they seem to have only Shostakovich in common. However, if you're looking for music by Steve Reich, John Adams, Terry Riley, Philip Glass; Alfred Schnittke; Morton Feldman; Alban Berg, Anton Webern; etc., chances are that Kronos have performed or recorded their music, or even that the music was specifically written for Kronos. They've also dabbled a bit in Jazz (not to their credit, in my opinion), playing compositions by Bill Evans, Thelonius Monk and Ornette Coleman. And then there is the occasional Jimi Hendrix, John Lurie, John Zorn etc.
Kronos spend most of their time touring the globe, giving live performances. In other words, they are not Glenn Gould (apart from the obvious facts that they play different instruments, there's four of them, and they aren't dead). At the same time they manage to record and release more than one CD per year on average. "Winter Was Hard" might be a good CD to "get started", if you're not looking for anything specific.
So what's so special about them? First of all, they play a lot of music that you won't be able to hear anyone else play. Or that wouldn't even exist without them. Second, they are able to play a lot of technically very challenging music. Some of the deliberately repetitive minimalist music they play requires an industrial strength, high endurance string quartet (sometimes even two or three). For example, I didn't believe that it would possible to perform Steve Reich's "Different Trains" live, until I witnessed Kronos pulling it off (tricky, because it calls for two string quartets, so in a live performance there is a virtual second unit, namely Kronos playing on tape, i.e., they are playing with themselves). Finally (ergo?), they can be a very passionate bunch. Just listen to their recording of the Shostakovich String Quartet No. 8 on their album "Black Angels".
|
<urn:uuid:cc8df353-1ca6-4b23-81d0-b111bce2726d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://everything2.com/title/Kronos+Quartet
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.958666
| 520
| 1.671875
| 2
|
Antitrust and the Costs of Movement
Herbert J. Hovenkamp
University of Iowa - College of Law
August 19, 2012
Antitrust Law Journal, Vol. 78, No. 1, 2012
University of Iowa Legal Studies Research Paper No. 12-21
Antitrust is rightfully concerned about the structure of markets as well as the bargaining that occurs in them. As a result, the absolute cost of redeploying resources can be just as important as the transaction costs of arranging for their movement. This paper examines several broad themes in antitrust, considering the role of various assumptions about the costs of getting resources moved toward superior positions and the ability of the antitrust system to facilitate this movement. Part II very briefly examines structuralism as a theory underlying antitrust enforcement, particularly its assumptions about the difficulty and costs of moving resources. Harvard School structuralism assumed that the costs of moving resources from lower value to higher value uses was high and often precluded competition from emerging. At the other extreme, the Chicago School assumed that resource movement was nearly cost free and that long-term monopoly was rarely sustainable as a result. Transaction cost economics then emerged as a welcome and unifying compromise.
Part III turns to barriers to entry or rival expansion, looking particularly at the differing definitions provided by Harvard and Chicago School economists and showing why the Harvard definition is superior for antitrust purposes today. That may not have been true in the 1960s when proposals for various forms of “no fault” monopolization were under serious consideration. Part IV discusses antitrust’s two principal tests for welfare, total welfare and consumer welfare, and shows how they are related to our assumptions about the costs of movement. Consumer welfare tests generally reflect significant doubt that surpluses that accrue to producers from economies or otherwise will be passed on to consumers.
Part V turns to practices, arguing first that we need to rethink current antitrust doctrine about refusal to deal in dominated networks, which are networks that both dominate the markets in which they operate and are themselves dominated by a single firm. Although their advantages are many, one important effect of networks is to magnify the costs of resource movement. Next this paper examines some problems of vertical integration and product complementarity, as well as the contributions that transaction cost analysis can provide in cases involving asset specificity and the possibility of double marginalization. We also examine some specific problems of pricing and vertical control, looking in particular at the wide range of theoretical attacks on and defenses of so-called loyalty discounts and bundled discounts. In particular, it faults policy making based on models with restrictive and sometimes idiosyncratic assumptions and untested conclusions.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 39
Keywords: Antitrust, Competition, Pricing, Bundled Discounts, Loyalty Discounts, Entry Barriers, Structuralism, Transaction Costs, Neo-ChicagoAccepted Paper Series
Date posted: September 21, 2010 ; Last revised: October 10, 2012
© 2013 Social Science Electronic Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This page was processed by apollo2 in 0.891 seconds
|
<urn:uuid:7904462c-23f2-4aa9-8bcf-45cabc1967e9>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1679849&rec=1&srcabs=1793126
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.942252
| 624
| 1.695313
| 2
|
We here at DailyTech
have profiled fuel cell vehicle on numerous occasions. Companies like General
have showcased both concept and production hydrogen fuel cell vehicles over the
year and they have always generated much interest from our readers.
recently given a chance to take a fuel cell vehicle out onto the streets of Las
Vegas during the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The vehicle tested, the fuel cell version of the Chevy
Equinox, was modified to include an electric motor, fuel cells, hydrogen
storage, batteries, and more. The key component is GM's fourth generation
fuel cell stack which is about the size of an inline-6 engine turned
sideways. A single 97 HP, 236 lb-ft co-axial electric motor drives the
front wheels. The car has a pack of nickel-metal hydride batteries, which
provide 35 kWh of on demand power for peak loading during acceleration.
The car features three 10,000 psi storage tanks which can hold up to nine pounds
of hydrogen. Two tanks are found beneath the rear
seat, and one is mounted near the rear suspension. The car has enough
fuel for a 200 mile trip as verified during EPA testing.
The car looks similar to its non-fuel cell
brethren save for a new front grill, bumper, revised interior trim, four exhaust
outlets and a snazzy silver-green paint job. The car also is slightly
heavier, adding an additional 500 pounds to the standard curb weight of 3860
lbs. It does 0 to 60 mph in about 12 seconds – quite slow by modern
standards for a crossover.
It also includes protection against water vapor freezing in
the stack and can start up at sub-freezing temperatures -- a first for limited
production fuel cell vehicle. Life expectancy of the fuel cell stack is
still low at 50,000 miles, due to stack corrosion, but this is expected to be greatly
improved in the next revision. The car is extremely safe, both with
standard safety features, and passing crash testing with a running hydrogen
system. These tests were conducted under careful government supervision
and the Equinox Fuel Cell passed them with flying colors.
A limited fleet of 100 vehicles is being deployed to
California, New York, and Washington to select participants,
but until then only a select few lucky individuals, including DailyTech's Brandon Hill and Jason Mick
have been able to experience the Equinox.
begin our road test of the Equinox, Jason Mick and I had to show proof that we
had valid drivers licenses and sign two wavers: one for GM and one for CEA.
After taking a brief walk around the vehicle, I was given the keys to the
vehicle and asked to hop into the driver seat.
was given an overview of the gauges which are slightly different from a normal
internal combustion engine (ICE) Equinox. In place of the tachometer was a
gauge to give the status of the fuel cell stack. Otherwise, things looked quite
normal to me. I buckled up, turned the key to start the vehicle and there was
just silence -- no starter sounds, no engine running; just an eerie silence.
adjusted my mirrors, released the hand brake, put the vehicle in drive and took
off into absolutely crazy Las Vegas traffic. As I was driving, I could hear no
sound from the electric motors or fuel cell stack -- all I could hear was a
slight wind noise around the A-pillars and thumping from the suspension as the
wheels traveled over bumps/potholes in the road.
response was instantaneous as there is no transmission to speak of (the
electric motor is direct drive) and 236 lb-ft of torque available at any time.
It was truly no different than driving another vehicle and I felt right at
home. The only detraction from the driving experience was a somewhat spongy
brake feel. I was assured by the GM engineer that this was simply a programming
issue and this particular vehicle had not yet received the latest software
update which resolved the problem.
Brandon's drive I was eager to get behind the wheel of the Equinox
myself. The ignition is very different from starting gas engines.
Instead of a pushed turn, followed by a release as with most cars, you just
clicked and instantly the car was on, starting up. On my drive, our guide
pointed out that when the car started up a LCD panel on the center of the dashboard
console illuminated displaying an animation of how the engine was running, the
basic flow of water, H2 gas, air, and electricity through the system.
the car on the city streets, the biggest difference was the responsive
acceleration, which was very linear, as opposed to a gas engine vehicle.
The result was made starkly apparent when the light turned green I would whoosh
steaming past the lead-footed taxi drivers and sports car riders, who looked
utterly shocked that they just got passed by an SUV. I'm no race car
driver -- the acceleration, was simply that much better, making a car like this
great for the fast start, fast stop, nature of city driving.
On an empty stretch of street I did manage to take the car up to about 55 to 56
mph, where the acceleration harshly leveled off. The reported top speed
was 100 mph, but I believe GM speed limited the vehicles to 60 mph, to prevent
the riders from getting carried away. Thus, this is not necessarily
indicative of the vehicle's speed limitations, but I can happily report it was
quite responsive in reaching highway speeds.
An additional observation was that the steering seemed extremely smooth and
responsive. The vehicle turned very smoothly.
We both rode in the Chevrolet Tahoe DARPA Challenge
vehicle. The SUV was the victor in the DARPA
2007 Urban Challenge, which tasked the fully-autonomous vehicle with
navigating through city streets, obeying all traffic laws and interacting with
The vehicle was a modified Tahoe with a number of GPS,
video, laser, radar, and LIDAR sensors and inputs so that it can see the road
and know its location. The key among these sensors is the velodyne, which
contains 64 lasers in a wide array, spins at 10 Hz., and collects one million bits
of data per second -- this provides a 3D view of close terrain. While
other teams had velodynes the key to GM's victory, according to its engineers,
is how the collected data is processed. The processing and decision
making is accomplished by 10 Intel dual-core IBM blades running on a modified
version of Ubuntu Linux called the Tartan Racing Operating Command System
(TROCS). The vehicle's logic consists of over 350,000 lines of
code. The entire system was built in 14 months for the challenge, via a
collaboration of Carnegie Mellon, GM, Caterpillar, and Continental.
GM spoke about the vehicle during its keynote address at CES
2008, and stated that it sees it as the next step in the evolution of such
technologies as autonomous cruise control and blind spot management.
We got in the vehicle after an interesting presentation, and noticed that there
was plenty of room to sit comfortably -- the electronics did not encroach on
passenger space and were cleanly wired. The vehicle had a number of
appended mechanical devices that simulated the foot on the pedals, so that the
default pedal system could be used.
Taking off, the vehicle deftly accelerated and braked, steering through a complex
obstacle course that would give many human drivers problems. It obeyed
traffic laws, stopping at stop signs placed on intersection of the course and
properly yielding right of way. The ride was generally quite smooth,
though the braking was a bit jumpy at times. The engineers explained such
issues would be ironed out with time, and that given the very short 14 month
development period, incredible progress could be made in a relatively short
span to fine tune the vehicle.
The car's greatest moment of glory came when it approached a stop sign and saw
a human driver in a different vehicle coming up on the stop sign from the left.
As the human driver was fast approaching, the Tahoe accelerated from the stop
sign, and then rapidly braked, despite having right of way. The human
driver braked just in time to avoid running the stop sign, but it was very
reassuring to notice that the Tahoe "saw" him and would have avoided
the accident, had the human driver ran the sign. The engineers verified
this is normal behavior -- the vehicle can deal with erratic behavior such as
cars running stop signs, swerving into lanes, etc. caused by less logical human
The smooth ride, and the incident where the Tahoe almost
saved us from a crash, showed that in terms of ride quality and safety, the
system seemed at least as safe as a reasonably able human driver, if not
safer. Obviously tremendous work will have to be done to compact the
system, reassure the public, and make the system capable of handling every city
street in the country. Still, it is impressive just how far the
technology has come. A fully autonomous car is not that far in the
future, as our ride in the GM's DARPA winner showed us.
Both vehicles show the terrific things GM and the auto industry are
accomplishing as they work hard to make cars, safer, easier to use, cleaner,
and more efficient. DailyTech
thanks GM for this terrific opportunity to explore these innovations
|
<urn:uuid:9026a07a-c5cf-4f02-9797-bc6a6987431e>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10291&commentid=236840&threshhold=1&red=217
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.960492
| 2,028
| 1.796875
| 2
|
Lebanon has secured access for apple exports to the Iraqi, Libyan and Egyptian markets, officials said Tuesday, adding that clamping down on pesticide residue and quality packaging were key to opening new markets.
"The Agriculture Ministry is now offering free tests on chemical residue and is giving a health certificate for exporters," Minister Hussein Hajj Hasan said in a news conference.
Hajj Hasan said the government was keen to tap the Libyan and Iraqi markets in addition to Egypt, which imports most of Lebanon's apple exports.
Energy and Water Minister Gebran Bassil, who also spoke at the news conference, said Lebanon needed to build more water dams, adding that irrigated agricultural land had fallen from 70 percent to 50 percent.
Head of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon Nabil Itani said the quality of Lebanese products has risen sharply. "Only 1 to 1.5 percent of shipped Lebanese agricultural produce is turned down and those rejected are because of cooling or packaging requirements," he said.
Itani urged exporters to tap new markets, including Russia and Iraq, both of which are promising markets for Lebanese agricultural goods.
Iraqi, Egyptian and Libyan officials, who also attended the meeting, vowed to step up trade ties with Lebanon. "We had a spectacular success with regard to the opening of the Egyptian market to Lebanese apples and only a handful of shipments were rejected out of 2000," said Saad Sheikh, the Egyptian trade attaché in Lebanon.
Ahmad Alsheikhi, who represented Libyan importers at the event, said the recent opening of a maritime trade route between the two countries was important to boosting bilateral trade.
"Transportation was a major barrier but we recently managed to overcome it after the direct route between Beirut and Benghazi, which has three to four trips a month, was opened," he said.
|
<urn:uuid:de1f01b3-c0b2-471f-ada0-152336f15e68>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.albawaba.com/print/business/lebanon-apple-export-442802
|
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
| 0.978788
| 371
| 1.539063
| 2
|
As you well know the action of a turbulator is different and because of that many suppliers use smaller tanks with turbulators--or use more resin. I believe one of the other posters on this board has posted that he does the latter.
There are many approaches to water treatment and very few "requirements". Rather there are practices, good practices, etc. Just because you do things one way does not mean that there are not other ways and just because someone does things differently than you recommend does not make them wrong.
|
<urn:uuid:9d449887-2960-4a72-9345-544ca78c6ba2>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?36001-Water-softener-selection-help/page5
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.978412
| 105
| 1.546875
| 2
|
Edmund Case, the founder and CEO of InterfaithFamily.com, Inc. and co-editor of The Guide to Jewish Interfaith Family Life: An InterfaithFamily.com Handbook (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2001), frequently writes on intermarriage issues. Recent pieces include "Can the Jewish Community Encourage In-marriage AND Welcome Interfaith Families?," from a presentation at the November 2010 General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America; "The Missing 'Mazel Tov'," an August 2010 op-ed in The Forward; and "Chelsea Clinton's Interfaith Marriage: What Comes Next?," an August 2010 blog post on The Huffington Post.
Social Science and the Intermarriage Debate
An edited version of this article was first published in The New York Jewish Week. Visit www.thejewishweek.com.
Since the National Jewish Population Survey confirmed the continuing high rate of intermarriage, it's been quiet on the "outreach" vs. "in-reach" front. The Jewish In-Marriage Initiative is slowly becoming active. No new money has been added to the paltry funding the Jewish community devotes to outreach to the intermarried. As policy advocates search for support for their positions among a dearth of social science, Sylvia Barack Fishman's new study, Double or Nothing? Jewish Families and Mixed Marriage, takes on inordinate significance.
Fishman's main conclusions are based on a very limited sample: interviews of forty-three mixed-married couples who said they were raising all of their children as Jews, and four focus groups, each with perhaps eight children of intermarried parents. Any qualitative study raises interpretative issues. Which of the participants' behaviors and understandings does the observer choose to emphasize, or even mention? Although Fishman says that the personal stories of her subject,s along with her analysi,s "now become texts themselves for a ... broader ... discussion," only glimpses and excerpts, not the underlying interview transcripts, are available for interpretation by others. Double or Nothing is replete with comments suggesting that Fishman is not a neutral observer: at the lowest point she even implies that outreach advocates are "Christianizing."
In a comparable debate, The Boston Globe recently reported that proponents of gay marriage were criticizing, as methodologically flawed and politically biased, social science research that purported to reveal significant differences between children raised in opposite-sex and same-sex couples.
My main concern is Fishman's assertion that the vast majority of mixed-married families who say they are raising their children as Jews "incorporate Christian holiday festivities" into their lives, which makes them "religiously syncretic"--combining Judaism and Christianity--such that Jewish identity is not transmitted to their children, even though they say that these festivities have no religious significance to them. This central conclusion is not supported by the research itself, is inconsistent with other available evidence, and provides a wholly inadequate basis for the very dangerous policies it will be used to justify.
Twice, Fishman suggests that the participation of mixed-married families in Christian holiday festivities amounts to an affirmation of the divinity of Jesus. She equates having Christmas trees and Easter eggs in the home to "bringing the ideas [and] beliefs ... of the Christian church into Jewish households." This defies logic. When mixed-married couples explicitly deny that their conduct has religious significance, as Fishman acknowledges that at least some of her subjects did "emphatically," and when their children say they experience these holidays in a secular, commercial, cultural, non-religious way, how can their behavior amount to an affirmation of a religious belief?
Fishman's conclusion is inconsistent with other available information. In liberal American Jewish communities it is hard to miss mixed-married families whose behaviors look as--if not more--"Jewish" than the average Jew's, with the added component of non-religious Christmas and Easter celebrations. It is equally hard to miss the many young adult children of such families who strongly identify as Jewish.
Last year the InterfaithFamily.com Network's Essay Contest, "We're Interfaith Families... Connecting with Jewish Life," attracted 135 personal statements from such individuals. While contest entrants are not a representative sample, the quantity and consistency of their statements--all of which are publicly available for observers to draw their own conclusions--suggest a positive theory that mixed-married families' participation in Christian holidays need not compromise the Jewish identity of their children:
We observe Christmas, not as the birth of Christ, but rather as a secularized, commercial experience.
We have a tree. That was all [my husband] asked for. He wanted our boys to appreciate the traditions from both sides of the family without necessarily identifying with anything outright Christian.
I dyed eggs and hunted candy on Easter Sunday. Mother never tried to bring Jesus or Christian theology into our house, only the fun memories she had of her childhood.
The joy of Christmas for [my mother] is being able to give her children gifts she has purchased with care. It has nothing to do with the birth of the Christian savior, and everything to do with ... love, giving and sharing. That is the way I look at the Christian holidays we celebrate now, as well as a way to show respect for my father's faith.
Fishman clearly has moved beyond the traditional equation that Christmas is not Jewish, so anyone who has anything to do with Christmas is not Jewish. She recognizes the possibility that, short of conversion, a mixed-married family can be "unambiguously Jewish"--if, in her view, their participation in Christian holidays takes place only outside their own home and is accompanied with explicit statements that the holidays are the relatives' and not "ours." While that is an excellent approach for mixed-married families to take, the boundary of acceptable conduct could be drawn more broadly to include families who say that their participation, whether in their own home or not, does not have religious significance.
This is a high-stakes disagreement. My fear is that we will now hear Jewish leaders saying that the "latest research" supports two destructive policies: that mixed-married couples who are trying to raise their children as Jews shouldn't bother, because they won't succeed; and the Jewish community shouldn't waste resources on outreach to mixed-married families, since the vast majority are not "really" raising their children as Jews. My hope is that any responsible Jewish leader would insist on conclusive social science research on a scale far beyond Double or Nothing before writing off the new families of the half of all young Jews who are intermarrying, thereby alienating their Jewish parents and relatives as well.
Instead of arguing about whether mixed-married families raising their children as Jews should see a Christmas tree in their own home or only in their relatives', rejecting the former but not the latter, everyone's focus should be on increasing the Jewish engagement of all liberal Jews--including those in interfaith relationships. The real question about the transmission of Jewish identity in mixed-married families is not what they do around Christian holidays, but what they do the rest of the year. As one contest entrant said:
I am not worried that the sight of Santa will turn [my daughter] into an instant Christian. I have faith in the power of Judaism as a religion and as a way of life. Assimilation happens because what is outside, over there, looks better than what is inside. You don't guard against it by building a higher wall between you and the rest of the world. What you do is make sure the life you have is irresistibly worth leading.
|
<urn:uuid:96e55378-2695-405b-964f-cb03f98c04c8>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.interfaithfamily.com/news_and_opinion/synagogues_and_the_jewish_community/Social_Science_and_the_Intermarriage_Debate.shtml
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.964631
| 1,548
| 1.742188
| 2
|
In a blog post, NextStop announced today that they've been acquired by Facebook. NextStop is a service that lets users create and browse through local guides, a bit like a more personalized and non-centrally-edited WikiTravel.
The service had gotten a nice little bit of buzz from the startup community, and in the past couple months had actually issued a few fairly major updates. But to the likely chagrin of NextStop's users, Facebook will be actively shutting it down come September 1st.
It won't be completely dead--NextStop is releasing all of its non-personal data under a Creative Commons license, so others can use the work of their users for even commercial uses. They'll provide tools to easily export said contributions to services like Picasa and Google Maps.
So why is Facebook acquiring a company with which it doesn't compete, only to shut it down? One possibiity is to secure NextStop's tech--their crowdsourced publication tools could be valuable as Facebook moves more vigorously into location-based services. But it's also likely that Facebook wants NextStop's personnel, which includes a couple of high-profile ex-Googlers, some of whom either worked on or outright led the Picasa and Google Calendar teams.
|
<urn:uuid:8bf84f57-ae7c-44ec-b3d3-ea97d0e9e1a7>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.fastcompany.com/1668411/facebook-acquires-local-recommendations-and-guide-service-nextstop
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.968453
| 258
| 1.585938
| 2
|
From The Vault
A lot of Purified Water bottles.
Purified Water is (as the name suggests) water that is completely free of radiation and so it can be safely consumed without harming the player. In addition, it also heals far more than Dirty Water does by awarding 20 Health instead of 10. It's relatively rare in the Wastes, but can be requested from Wadsworth (he can give you 5 per week), the robot that takes care of the players house in Megaton or Godfrey in Tenpenny Tower (depending on the player's choice in a quest).
Purified Water can be given to Micky outside Megaton, Carlos outside of Rivet City, or Willy in front of Tenpenny Tower. You can exchange a bottle for positive Karma; this introduces the possibility of infinite Good Karma, as none will ever stop asking for more water.
There also seem to be random occurrences in the wastes of water beggars. If you deny certain ones water they request to be shot in the head (for negative karma, of course...just not for denying them sustenance). In another random occurrence, you may encounter two groups fighting over a fridge stocked with 10 Purified Water bottles. You can leave them alone, kill them and take the water, or with a successful Speech check, convince them to split the water with you.
There is also another random encounter around Meresti Trainyard which involves two Wastelanders requesting you kill a Radscorpion guarding a refrigerator with about 7 pieces of purified water. They will then allow you to take all the water.
- Each bottle of Purified Water appears to feature the text "H²O" hand written on the label on the side of the bottle. This format is incorrect (at least according to real word conventions) as in chemical formulae numbers are written in subscript (Xy) and not in superscript (Xy). Thus, the correct typing would be "H2O".
- Purified Water is one of the few health items that does not give you rads.
- It is important to only give Purified Water to water beggars and not Aqua Pura, as regardless of story-line decisions Aqua Pura still kills water beggars.
|
<urn:uuid:cb2834fa-387f-4119-a62f-ea5a04c1b21e>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://misc.thefullwiki.org/Purified_Water
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943907
| 460
| 1.578125
| 2
|
In a bid to kill its Internet Explorer 6 web browser, Microsoft has launched a dedicated countdown website that shows the percentage of users worldwide still using the decade-old browser. Microsoft hopes to shrink global usage of the Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) browser to below one percent so that developers no longer have to support it when designing or updating websites.
Internet Explorer 6 Countdown
As of February 2011, more than one in 10 users are accessing the web through IE6.
"10 years ago a browser was born. Its name was Internet Explorer 6. Now that we're in 2011, in an era of modern web standards, it's time to say goodbye," the page said.
Currently, China is responsible for nearly half of all IE6 usage, as 34.5 percent of Chinese users — who make up 5.9 percent of global users — are still using the outdated browser. In the UK around 3.5 percent of users are still using IE6.
Upgrading to a newer version of Internet Explorer — currently at version 8, though a release candidate of IE9 is available — will provide faster, tabbed browsing with better privacy and security protection, Microsoft said. It has also put together an Internet Explorer 8 Migration Workshop for enterprises that have still not managed to upgrade.
Phasing Out the Support
On 1 March, 2010, Google began phasing out support for IE6 for its web apps, beginning with Docs and Sites, which could cause the services to not function correctly.
|
<urn:uuid:224020c5-29eb-4402-bcc9-77b310d84258>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.dmxzone.com/go/18442/get-rid-of-ie6-urges-microsoft/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.935296
| 303
| 1.773438
| 2
|
In progressive rock circles, Magna Carta are a bit like the Little Engine That Could -- from relatively modest beginnings in 1969, they've endured across 36 years and counting, even as their louder, more heavily amplified rivals from the same era have long since been consigned to history. Acts such as King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer may be better (and much more widely) known, but Magna Carta have stayed together, making music decades longer. The group was founded in 1969 by Chris Simpson (who also sang) and Lyell Tranter on acoustic Gibson guitars and Glen Stuart singing harmony. Formed in London, they made their debut at the Coalhole Folk Club in Cambridge, and coming off of the enthusiastic response to the ten songs they did that night, Magna Carta were rolling. They were not, strictly speaking, a pure folk group even then, but utilized folk and traditional elements very heavily in their songwriting and sound, in a manner similar to that adopted by John David Gladwin and Terry Wincott of the Amazing Blondel at approximately the same time. They were signed to Mercury Records' British division and debuted with a self-titled LP. They were then shifted over to the related Vertigo label -- which was more specifically devoted to progressive rock acts -- for their second album, Seasons. By that time, their sound had solidified around Simpson's singing, songwriting, and steel-strung Martin D18; Tranter's arrangements and nylon-strung Gibson; and Stuart's vocal arrangements and his five-octave harmony range. Seasons, produced by Gus Dudgeon, featured as its centerpiece the side-long title work, and also a much larger contingent of musicians, among them Tony Visconti on bass, Rick Wakeman on keyboards, Tim Renwick on flute, and Davey Johnstone on guitar; it was also the group's first record to be released in America, under license to Dunhill Records, though it made virtually no impact on the U.S. side of the Atlantic. When Tranter decided to return to his native Australia, Johnstone, a virtuoso-level guitarist fluent in several styles, replaced him in Magna Carta, leading to the core lineup that recorded Songs from Wasties Orchard and the live album In Concert before Johnstone was stolen away -- with help from Dudgeon, who used him on his sessions -- by Elton John and, later, Kiki Dee. Johnstone's replacement was guitarist Stan Gordon, who worked on Lord of the Ages (1974) and was joined by bassist Graham Smith. By 1975, however, the group was down to one member -- Gordon and Smith left in 1974, and a disagreement about their sound and future direction led to Stuart's exit in 1975 after the release of Martin's Cafe (the latter also marked their final release on Vertigo). When the appropriately titled Putting It Back Together was released in 1976 -- featuring Simpson, guitarist Tommy Hoy (late of the Natural Acoustic Band), and bassist Nigel Smith, with Chris Karan and Pick Withers on drums -- the group was on Polydor (the parent label of Vertigo) in Europe and Ariola in the United States. Withers later became an official member of the group for a short time, before joining Mark Knopfler, David Knopfler, and John Illsley in what became Dire Straits, and other new members from this period included Robin Thyne and Lee Abbott, who ultimately took over the bassist spot. Thyne and Hoy only lasted a couple of years, and for the next three years the membership in Magna Carta became rather fluid, with Alistair Fenn, George Norris, and future Albion Band member Doug Morter passing through on guitars, along with several drummers, including future Icicle Works alumnus Paul Burgess. They enjoyed an unexpected radio hit during this period with "Highway to Spain" off of the 1981 LP Midnight Blue, and Simpson also released his first solo album, Listen to the Man, around this same time. The turning point for Magna Carta and Simpson, both professionally and personally, came the next year when he met Linda Taylor, a Yorkshire-born singer and guitarist. At the time, Simpson was promoting his solo single "Sting of the Gin," and she was recording a material of her own. He ended up playing on some of her sides, and she appeared on some of his new songs, and by 1983 she'd joined the group. Her arrival reinvigorated Simpson's work, and through 1984 -- a point where virtually all of the other progressive rock bands with which they'd started had long since ceased working -- Magna Carta kept performing and recording, with Simpson and Taylor, supported by Abbott, at the core of the lineup. The middle of the decade, however, saw the pair withdraw from performing -- instead, for two years they ran a music club in the Middle East. It was in 1986 that they revived the group, with Abbott once more joining them in the core lineup and a considerably expanded sound, including a keyboard player (Gwyn Jones) and lead guitarist (Simon Carlton). In 1990 Simpson and Taylor married, and since 1992 with Abbott's exit, they've comprised the core of Magna Carta, which continued to tour Europe -- where the band had a large audience -- regularly. In keeping with their appeal as a live act, most of their releases since the early '80s (with the notable exception of 2001's Seasons in the Tide) have been concert recordings. Polygram reissued the group's early Vertigo albums at the end of the 1990s, and in 2004 Repertoire Records re-released Seasons in a mini-LP gatefold edition re-creating its original packaging format in miniature. Although some critics, embarrassed by the more pretentiously "arty" and fey sides of progressive rock (especially in its folk division) have expressed disdain for Magna Carta, that reissue and the periodic release of anthologies of the group's work testify to the existence of an audience for their work, even 40 years into their history. ~ Bruce Eder
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation.
© 2013 Rovi Corporation.
Chat About This Artist
|
<urn:uuid:26c1ff77-0f07-4dfd-b369-cfcb661bbb76>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.iheart.com/artist/Magna-Carta-61908/bio/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.980529
| 1,284
| 1.585938
| 2
|
One of the questions that every student asked during my bench-building class last week at Kelly Mehler’s School of Woodworking was: Where should I put my holes?
It sounds like a deeply personal question (one you should discuss with your doctor). And it is indeed a personal question.
Here’s how I feel about my holes. Your holes may vary.
1. I am not a holey man. You should have as few dog holes and holdfast holes in your bench as possible. I have seen benches that looked like they were about 50 percent holes by volume. This is great if you are building a downdraft sanding table. Otherwise, you are just reducing the precious weight of your bench and making more places on your benchtop for screws and hardware to fall into.
2. I keep my holes close. I used handplanes that have fences, such as plows and rabbets, so I like to keep my holes close to the front of the bench – about 2” from the front edge and on 3” centers. If you don’t use planes with fences, skip this advice.
3. I have a favorite hole I use all the time. This hole gets used a lot – for sawing, especially. It is based on the reach of my holdfast’s pad, the size of my bench hook and where I like to saw on my bench. This hole clamps work down on my bench hook for precision work and holds down stiles for mortising right in front of my face vise.
4. I have a few holes on the backside. I have about three of four holes near the back edge of my bench that I use to clamp battens into. These battens help me support my work laterally. It’s a good thing when you are planing across the grain.
Other than those holes, I have a couple others. But we’ll save those for our second date….
Another common question I get is about the best way to make holes in workbenches. I’m partial to a brace with a 14” sweep and an auger bit. But there are faster solutions. Senior Editor Glen D. Huey introduced me to the wonders of using the plunge router, a 3/4”-diameter up-cut spiral bit and an edge guide.
When I have a lot of holes to bore – like on nine benches last week – this is the best way to do it. First plunge as deeply as you can with the router bit. Then finish up the hole with a spade bit.
Oh, one more thing: I like round holes. Until they get a router bit that can rout a square, stepped hole in one plunge, I am going to stick with round holes and round dogs for the most part.
— Christopher Schwarz
Other Bench Building Resources
• Check out Bob Rozaieski’s blog about his construction lumber workbench and how it has held up after a year.
• Want a handmade bench? Last year we made a nice DVD about building an 18th-century French workbench entirely by hand. It’s in our store here.
• You can follow along as my students and I built 10 old-school workbenches last week in this series of six free videos.
|
<urn:uuid:e243609d-52db-4c37-8fde-033a6b7d9555>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/workbenches/schwarz-workbenches/a-few-of-my-favorite-holes
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.95758
| 692
| 1.546875
| 2
|
In “Yet Once More: Political Correctness on Campus” Stanley Fish undertakes to straighten out a recent supposed expose of the alleged left-wing indoctrination that is said to plague higher education in American. But he really doesn’t get it. A minor example:
As for the clannishness of students who hang out only with those of their own race and ethnicity, that is certainly worrisome, and it is likely that the strong marking of identity in admissions policies, course descriptions and race- or gender-based centers contributes to it.
One hopes he doesn’t really mean that a Women’s Studies Center causes racial/ethnic clannishness. But nearly as implausible is the idea that if it weren’t for Queer Studies, straight guys might love to hang out with gay students. And even if we assume admission policies that increase the number of black students create a resentment among others, what’s the alternative? An even smaller minority of black students who are somehow treated as though we live in a non-racist society?
But Fish’s blinkered point of view is particularly evident in his assumptions about what is political. And that’s clear in the following passage:
There are more than enough legitimate academic topics to keep an ethnic or gender studies department going for decades — the recovery of lost texts, the history of economic struggle and success, the relationship of race, ethnicity and gender to medical research. And there is no reason in principle that such investigations must begin or end in accusations against capitalism, the white male Protestant establishment and the United States government.
But some of them do. Some of these programs forget who’s paying the bills and continue to think of themselves as extensions of a political agenda.
That is, the fact that topics of such importance are left to the almost always marginalized center-for-women/gay/lesbian/black/etc studies is just a fact. To tell students about the establishment that considers them marginal is political. And Fish tells us about professors who use the classroom as a stage for their political views that
I would put the number much lower, perhaps one out of twenty-five. But one out of 10,000 would be one too many.
If racism and sexism were political, if it were a political act to give preference to white male students, Fish’s numbers might be different.
Skimming through the comments, I saw mostly ones that agreed with Fish. Still, kudos to some who could see the problems, perhaps especially this one:
Wouldn’t you know it? After hundreds of years of world domination, I finally become a middle-aged, white male just in time for that to be an oppressed minority!
As I see it, those who bemoan “political correctness” (a term I abhor), are the same people who complain of “reverse discrimination.”
Do you financially comfortable, white Conservatives wish you could trade places with a handicapped, gay, black woman so you can take advantage of all the great perquisites you’d then have? If not, you’re just blowing smoke.
— Posted by Daniel Glennon
|
<urn:uuid:91446753-f146-429d-8ea4-f23c90018a0d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.962151
| 662
| 1.53125
| 2
|
DOBSON — Rockford Elementary School third-grade students have had a virtual classroom trip to Japan this past week thanks to the relationship between an exchange student and her hosts.
Exchange student Kiyoe Tanimora became friends with Rockford Elementary third-grade teacher Michelle Porterfield and White Plains Assistant Principal Amber Flippen when she attended class at Surry Central High School from 1996-2000 as the guest of Porterfield’s parents, Teresa and Kent Hall.
Tanimora surprised Porterfield later by coming back for her wedding. This Saturday it will be Porterfield’s turn as she is present in Japan for Tanimora’s wedding ceremony. She has been in Japan since last Friday and is expected to return Monday.
Rockford Elementary Principal Dana Thomas explained Porterfield was open to her students from the beginning about her fear of flying (she’d never been on a plane before), as well as planning the trip.
Thomas said Porterfield has created interactive discussions, posted pictures and set up a virtual field trip by calling the school using Skype, a software application that allows users to make calls over the Internet. Students have been able to use the Haiku software on the Surry County School System websites to send Porterfield questions from school or home.
Haiku is a grade K-12 online learning management system and features collaborative activities and allows parents access to student learning and progress. She said Porterfield has talked about what areas in the country hit by a tsunami look like as well as clothing, cars, maps of where she is in Japan and diagrams of planes, trains, other types of transportation and weather.
“The coolest thing is Michelle has set up this virtual field trip for her students,” said media specialist Kristi Carlton. “This is real life. This is global awareness for them (the students).”
Immediately before the Skype call was made and projected on a SmartBoard at the front of the classroom, students offered their comments on what they have learned. They talked about how hamburgers in Japan have teriyaki sauce on them, the most popular thing in McDonald’s restaurants in Japan are the pancakes, and there are egg Mcmuffins as well in Japan’s McDonald’s.
Thomas said initially, students felt anxiety about Porterfield leaving. The amount of excited questions and hands raised proved that was no longer the case.
“This has all been wonderful for the children,” added Thomas. “Michelle met with parents and brought them into this as well as her class. I hope many of the students will use this as a springboard into learning more about Japanese culture and other things as well.”
Third-grader Selena Martinez asked Porterfield about the weather. She said there had been periods of rain followed by snow, hail storms and then sunny weather with temperatures around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Classmate Blake Stanley asked about what kind of trees Japan has. He was told there are persimmon, apple and many bonsai trees. Porterfield also told the students Japan has rice fields like they have tobacco fields.
Cristian Urquiza asked if the Japanese celebrate April Fool’s Day. Porterfield told him they don’t. She said other American holidays such as Thanksgiving and July 4th are not celebrated either. She said New Year’s Eve is a big holiday for the Japanese.
Thomas and substitute teacher Crystal Myers said the entire third-grade staff has really come together to make the project run smoothly and be supportive of Porterfield, who is a self-described picky eater.
“I ate squid today,” offered Porterfield. She and Flippen explained that squid gets bigger when it is cooked. They also said that rice and miso soup were eaten with every meal. They said rice and miso are as important to the Japanese as biscuits are to Americans.
Third-grader Maggie Parker said she and her classmates started with one page of questions for Porterfield, but that quickly grew to three pages.
“I’ve learned that malls in Japan have five or six floors,” recounted Parker. “Their burgers aren’t like our burgers and they have rice with every meal. I’d never thought about Japan until Mrs. Porterfield decided to go there. We were all so excited because we knew it was going to be really good to do this.”
Parker said she also has learned to use her sister Kathryne’s laptop to send questions and see pictures Porterfield had posted online using Haiku.
Not all of the information from Japan has been upbeat. Thomas said earlier in the week Porterfield visited a school in an area hard hit by the tsunami in 2011.
“It’s heartbreaking, in the areas damaged by the tsunami, the schools have not yet recovered,” concluded Thomas. “Overall, this has been positive. I’m excited about how with this technology these kids can go anywhere in the world.”
Reach David Broyles at firstname.lastname@example.org or 719-1952.
|
<urn:uuid:1cdfa1c1-a68e-42e3-9ec0-15e2fb06f0e3>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://elkintribune.com/view/full_story_myown/20921360/article-Rockford-Elementary-students-enjoy-virtual-field-trip-to-Japan
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.97669
| 1,071
| 1.632813
| 2
|
Victor BraunArticle Free Pass
(born Aug. 4, 1935, Windsor, Ont.—died Jan. 6, 2001, Ulm, Ger.), Canadian opera singer who , was an internationally renowned baritone. After studying opera at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, he made his professional debut in a 1957 Canadian Opera Company production of Puccini’s Tosca. He was the grand prize winner of the International Mozart Competition in 1963. Braun joined the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Ger., in 1968, and a year later he debuted at Covent Garden in London in the title role of Humphrey Searle’s Hamlet. His repertory included more than 100 roles, most notably the title roles of Verdi’s Falstaff and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin.
What made you want to look up "Victor Braun"? Please share what surprised you most...
|
<urn:uuid:6b3165cf-1d1d-4903-96c5-34cb674379d0>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/760439/Victor-Braun
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.947365
| 191
| 1.734375
| 2
|
A landmark visit to the United States by the defense minister will help defuse the tense situation in the South China Sea, analysts said, as the standoff between China and the Philippines continues in waters off Huangyan Island.
Liang Guanglie [File Photo]
Liang Guanglie, the first defense minister to visit the US in nine years, will meet his counterpart, Leon Panetta, in Washington on Monday.
Su Hao, director of the center for strategic and conflict management at the China Foreign Affairs University, said Liang will discuss Beijing's stance on the South China Sea during his six-day visit.
Manila declared on Thursday that Panatag Shoal is its preferred name for Huangyan Island.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, when asked if the preferred name was meant to assert the country's claim over the shoal, that "brevity" was the reason for the new name.
Liang might require the US to play a more constructive role on South China Sea disputes, and particularly on the standoff over Huangyan Island, Su said.
Manila tried to arrest Chinese fishermen near the island, situated in Chinese territorial waters, last month.
The focus is shifting from Northeast Asia to the South China Sea, Su said.
Liang should tell the US that the South China Sea has the potential to spark conflict, he said.
The defense minister will also visit San Diego naval base, the Southern Command in Florida, Fort Benning in Georgia, the 4th Fighter Wing in North Carolina, West Point academy and other military sites.
The visit should help reduce potential areas of misunderstanding, said Yin Zhuo, a Beijing-based military expert.
Su also pointed out that two commanders, from the Shenyang and Xinjiang military regions, are accompanying Liang.
This might reflect a greater willingness for military cooperation as these areas are near Northeast and Central Asia where the US has a military presence, Su said.
A visit to China in July by Mike Mullen, the former US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saw an agreement reached to promote military relations to cope with regional and global security challenges.
Gao Zugui, from the Institute for International Strategic Studies, said Liang's visit will enhance trust. Improved military relations will benefit Sino-US relations as a whole, he said, mentioning that Panetta will soon visit China.
Michael Swaine, Chinese security expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that the militaries in both countries are "becoming increasingly entrenched" in their views regarding the motives of the other, and this is a "complicating factor" in the larger relationship.
"There is a strong need to bring that military relationship into line with the larger objectives," he said. "We need to establish a long-term program to improve the relationship, not just dialogue, not just visits, but actual military activities with other countries in the (Asia-Pacific) region.
"Moving in that direction is essential for both countries to get away from the current zero-sum mindset that is operating in the two militaries."
Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation, said maintaining a positive relationship with China is important in solving the South China Sea issue.
"A response to the challenge the Chinese are presenting in the South China Sea requires clear priorities,'' he said.
"Positive US-China relations are an important context, not an ‘interest' in and of themselves. The intersection of US and Chinese interests in the region and beyond is very narrow."
|
<urn:uuid:d64b7cb0-054e-4906-9ba3-5a7282937fad>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.china.org.cn/wap/2012-05/07/content_25318462.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.950553
| 730
| 1.789063
| 2
|
Perhaps it is time to wipe the dust from that old family bible & see what God has in mind for the future of mankind since we have made such a mess of this world; and we have. John the revelator says he was ‘in spirit’ when he was shown a vision of man’s future while exiled on Patmos. Revelation 21 shows a whole new world that God will create at some future moment. I find that as something to look forward to.
The feeling or deep desire for a new start runs in many religious traditions. It is a prophetic will to power a house clean.
Roman Emperor Domitian exiled St. John the little Aegean Island of Patmos in A.D. 95. Holed up in his cave, John composed the most famous prophetic housecleaning (house-rub-outing) of the Earth. A fundamental question must be asked. What was St. John’s state of sanity when he wrote the Book of Revelation?
The last time someone tried to give John of Patmos a thorough psychological examination was in Apocalypse and the writings on Revelation by D. H. Lawrence. He penned this small book just before he died in Provence, France, of tuberculosis at the age of 44. I too share Lawrence’s view that much of John of Patmos’ macabre vision is coming from his suppressed frustrations at being exiled by Rome. I would add that his all-time end-time grump set to parchment arose from a scarred mind of someone with post-traumatic disorder. Who really knows? Maybe he was a survivor of the Roman sack and slaughter of Jerusalem in 69 C.E.
The message passed through a broken medium. The Hebrew Prophet Daniel’s end-time revelation in the Nevi’im is the language of a mystic. John’s second-rate and hyperbolic rehash of Daniel is written in the language of an angry mad man. Daniel’s book is psychic. John’s is Psychotic. Also, there are fundamental points in his narrative that clearly show he intended his prophecy for his own immediate future and not for our times. (See 666). So, if what I’m saying is true, then to summon up desire of God or anybody else to end this world is a mistake. It’s lust for ending life from one who gave up on the world.
It is an anti-life religious disorder overtaking its victims in two phases. I first described them in detail as Prophaganda (a desire to foresee the end of a world one does not understand or hates) followed by Armageddonomics (the economics of doom). Prophaganda is the hypnotic suggestion the mafia of priests and reverends use to condition believers to abuse and make the destruction of the world happen as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Read the full details of this disorder by clicking here: Messiah.
The usual habit is to put all that is wrong about the mess of the world on man not following God’s will. I think the future will see it differently. The blame is on God making a stupid world construct.
Why create duality?
Why create sin?
God is ultimately responsible for sin. He will have to punish us shirking our responsibilities but not punish Himself when he is the father of response-ability. He’s the creator. Thus, he has created all and everything, right? Before there was the word and God created heaven and earth, before all of that, was there any good or evil? Did God not also create these when he created the context of duality?
Back in 1980, before I left America to see India and meet Osho for the first time, I used to work at a head and occult supply shop in Ports of Call, San Pedro, California. The owner of the establishment, in my opinion, pandered to the cliché sensationalism of the occult by calling the establishment “The Prophet.” No picture of Kahil Gibran but a sign at the bottom of the stairway leading into the second floor shop with a stereotypical image of a black cat and a cauldron. If ever there was a rancid meat mirage to attract flies of evangelical attention, this sign did the trick. They came up our stairs daily to save us. The owner didn’t have to deal with them daily, but her employers did.
For today’s blog, I recall two finely dressed male saviors who begged to remind me that Satan created sin in the world. I thought I’d try to test their theology with a question inspired by something I’d just read in For Madmen Only, my first book of Osho’s spiritually iconoclastic writings.
I said, “OK, I get it, Satan created sin but who created Satan?”
That question took them aback and one replied after thinking it over, saying, “God created Lucifer the angel who then decided to become ‘Satan.’ That was his free choice given by God to be evil rather than devote himself to God’s good.”
“Good,” I said. “Quite right. But who is responsible for creating Lucifer? Had Lucifer not been created, had God not given Lucifer the power to go astray… Golly, if God hadn’t even created the notion of ‘going astray’, would we have ‘Satan’ this evangel of ‘sin’?”
The evangelical duo went silent. Neither could give me an answer.
I pressed my point, “The source of evil was Satan, who was Lucifer, who was created by God. Thus, God is ultimately responsible for evil, is he not?”
One of the two faith-fettered fellows to his credit saw the logic and had to say yes. They departed quickly from The Prophet with a desire to tell further biblical “tales” tucked between their legs.
Thus if God is the creator of all, therefore even evil is his responsibility. He need not give people a choice to do good or evil. He could have just created a universe of bliss and peace.
Why did God create disharmony? The Bible in all its evolutions lead to the psychotic prophecies of St. John as its penultimate accomplishment. Even Steven King couldn’t “right” a more vengeful and censuring horror story about the ultimate criminal punishing his creations. Upon reflecting on St. John’s final psychotic book punctuating as last word the “good news” of the Bible, there’s only one revelation worth keeping. God couldn’t have channeled the bible. Men channeled it.
What they call “god” is just the message of their subconscious minds, trying to understand the miraculous mystery of divine existence. Men personified this mystery. They made God their ultimate imaginary friend, like children do. He’s bigger than life, just like a child’s immoderate worship of a hero. God judges his world, breaking his toys and creations just like a child having a temper tantrum.
It’s a new era. Time to stop being childish.
That is why Nietzsche was right to provoke the mindset of people by saying, “God is dead!”
Do you know the whole statement of Nietzsche? Here it is:
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, murderers of all murderers, console ourselves? That which was the holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet possessed has bled to death under our knives. Who will wipe this blood off us? With what water could we purify ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we need to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we not ourselves become gods simply to be worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and whosoever shall be born after us — for the sake of this deed he shall be part of a higher history than all history hitherto.” (The Gay Science)
Humanity now is free of imaginary friends. Now we can be godliness itself, sharing divine freedom and the compassionate response-ability that goes on with divine freedom from our imaginary friends. That is our golden future. We are destined to recreate a “new heaven” of inner enlightenment and a “new earth” restored to ecological harmony.
–Plus further predictions for the US Mid-Term Elections–
I documented the prediction (below) on 1 November 2009. It comes from the Chapter Finding your Groove of Greatness. Barack Obama does have the potential as well as the karma to be another Abraham Lincoln. Many of you might not believe it. Like Lincoln, he is making generally a mess of his first few years in office. Lincoln chose the wrong generals. Obama chooses the wrong economic advisors. Still there is progress, albeit a year late. Obama has advanced his Health Care Reform as I predicted he would, despite great resistance in the Congress. The reform is a work in progress. Congress has passed Obama’s Bank and Wall Street Reform. Like Health Care, these economic reforms will take many years of struggle and regeneration to mature. When I wrote the following, Obama was still enjoying an extended honeymoon with the American People. Here is its future foretold followed by today’s assessment:
“The honeymoon of change arriving without the luggage is over by the end of 2009. This perpetual arrival era of Obama’s presidency also ends. The promise of change must ripen into real change starting in 2010 and though Obama has not a civil war to fight [like Lincoln], he has to drag the status quo over the water, and end this tug of war match with real reform destroying the systemically dysfunctional culture of our body politic and body economic. The defeats in battles of bear market runs in Wall Street are waiting, but like Lincoln, Obama must revive the battle hymn of anti-trust laws, and responsible regulation and redouble the attack once more. Mine eyes have seen the monopolies destroying all the jobs. He must fight his battles not pitting blue against gray but a moderately liberal blue opposed to a new and radical red posing as conservative philosophy.”
Rumblings of a Euro crisis over Greece overshadow Europe. A Tory led coalition in Britain leads a movement across the Euro-zone promoting austerity measures to bring down national debts. This is in direct conflict with Obama’s philosophy of spend now to stimulate economic growth, then pay down the debt later. Obama’s forward economic progress to recovery has hit an oil slick disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that may later goo up the newest economic bubble. Unemployment check payments are running out for millions. The Gulf’s fishing and tourist industries take a slick slamming. Obama’s mistake (as I foresee it) of a six-month deep drill moratorium slams the last Gulf industry standing. Millions more across a five state region are losing their jobs. A bear market and a new recession loom after the autumn leaves have fallen in 2010.
Sarah Palin goes Grizzly Adams Bear market on the President. She plays Obama’s change game with her own “yes we Ameri-can-ism” charismatic attacks on his administration. Palin is full of hyperbole and fury yet makes that fatal GOP mistake in the mid-terms pontificating that real solutions to our economic problems with a litany of Bushism dogma, such as cutting taxes stimulates growth.
“Where have these people been in the eight years of Sarah Palin’s G.W. Bush-whacking?” say the liberals.
A great leap backwards will not win the Republicans the House and the Senate in November. Beyond the potential pitchforking of incumbents and the potential for tearing the Washington establishment all down at the ballot, the mid-term elections can be a battle of progressively conservative versus progressively liberal ideas.
An extreme right-wing red colors much of the core Tea Party movement, even though many who flock to its mostly incoherent cause are members of what I’ve called in previous books and blogs the “Invisible Majority” of American voters grown disenchanted and feeling politically disenfranchised by the Democrat-Republican duopoly running the Federal and State governments.
These independent voters are not generally extremists but they are politically homeless. As the majority of Americans are a bit right of center in their politics it is understandable that many try out the Tea Party scene, or that they might chose to vote in Tea Party candidates as a kind of protest vote.
If I have read my oracle right the aggregate swing of votes will do more to dilute the Republican Brand than throw the Democrat bums out of House of Reps. and Washington DC homes. Successful primary Tea Party candidates like Rand Paul running for the US Senate seat in Kentucky bumped a mainstream Republican hopeful for the chance. However, like many a Tea Party candidate, his extreme views might alienate the moderate mainstream voters in November.
The Democrats may read the signs better than the Republicans this fall, and gain back momentum. Obama “has” revived a battle hymn of banking and Wall Street reform in 2010 that was missing in 2009. Talk of dismantling banking monopolies to shrink “banks too big to fail” into smaller banks is finding Obama’s political push now. He has also had to listen and learn from blue dog democrats what they demand in legislation to pass Health Care in March without a radicalizing Republican Caucus in Congress. Read more…
(20 July 2010)
Read my Predictions for 2012:
|
<urn:uuid:ce0a4867-e780-4851-8bbf-5213532b0856>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.hogueprophecy.com/2010/07/st-john-of-revelation-was-a-psycho/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.960249
| 2,848
| 1.507813
| 2
|
Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan meets with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, unseen, at the Great Hall of People in Beijing March 27, 2012. / AP Photo
Updated 12:58 p.m. ET
(CBS/AP) Kofi Annan abruptly announced his resignation Thursday as the Arab League and United Nations envoy for the conflict in Syria, to take effect Aug. 31. In talks with reporters, Annan laid much of the blame for his departure on the U.N. Security Council.
"When the Syrian people desperately need action, there continues to be finger pointing and name calling in the Security Council," Annan said. "It is impossible for me or anyone to compel the Syrian government and also the opposition to take the steps to bring about the political process. As an envoy, I can't want peace more than the protagonists, more than Security Council or the international community, for that matter."
Annan said a failed six-point plan, commonly referred to as the Annan plan, is actually the Security Council's, since it was endorsed by the body. U.N. Secretary Ban Ki-moon indicated there is generally increasing pessimism on finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
"Tragically, the spiral of violence in Syria is continuing. The hand extended to turn away from violence in favour of dialogue and diplomacy - as spelled out in (Annan's) Six-Point Plan - has not been not taken, even though it still remains the best hope for the people of Syria. Both the Government and the opposition forces continue to demonstrate their determination to rely on ever-increasing violence," Ban said in a written statement. "The persistent divisions within the Security Council have themselves become an obstacle to diplomacy, making the work of any mediator vastly more difficult," Ban said.
The White House said Annan's resignation highlights the failure of Russia and China to support action against Syrian President Bashar Assad.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said the U.S. is grateful for Annan's willingness to lead efforts to seek a resolution to the ongoing violence in Syria. But he says the Syrian government was never willing to embrace Annan's plan, which included a cease-fire and allowing international monitors to operate in the county.
Carney said the U.S. will continue working with international partners to halt the violence. But he said the U.S. continues to oppose sending weapons to rebel forces in Syria.
The impact of the Annan resignation is the recognition that diplomacy has failed in Syria. On a personal front, Annan clearly was not going down with the ship - i.e. the failure of his six-point peace plan - and his resignation was an affirmation of what most diplomats knew, and that is, both the government and the opposition are in a fight to the finish, CBS News' Pamela Falk reports.White House: No comment on alleged Syria support
Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed resolutions calling for forceful action at the U.N. on the Syrian crisis, largely because both believe the U.N. overreached when intervening in Libya last year. Iraq Ambassador to the U.N. Hamid al Bayati said in an interview with CBS News this week that the Arab League and its allies have agreed to bypass Russia and China's veto powers by taking a forceful peace plan to the General Assembly.
Ban said he is looking for a successor to Kofi Annan to serve as an envoy to civil-war wracked Syria.
Annan's plan to resolve the crisis there included a cease-fire that was supposed to take effect in mid-April. But the cease-fire never took hold.
Rights activists report that more than 19,000 people have died in the Syrian crisis since March 2011.
Ban said diplomacy is still the best way to resolve the situation.
Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Thursday his country regrets Annan's decision to step down, Reuters reports.
"We understand that it's his decision," Churkin told reporters. "We regret that he chose to do so. We have supported very strongly Kofi Annan's efforts. He has another month to go, and I hope this month is going to be used as effectively as possible under these very difficult circumstances."
Churkin added he was encouraged that Ban is looking for a successor to Annan.
|
<urn:uuid:8c672f32-8da6-4565-8547-2e5f2d65e8e2>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57485309/kofi-annan-resigning-as-u.n-envoy-to-syria/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.973561
| 898
| 1.632813
| 2
|
Less than a year after Diddy's son, Justin Combs, committed to play football at UCLA, some consumers are raising questions over whether the well-heeled freshman should turn over his $54,000 scholarship to students who need it more.
In an interview with CNN, education contributor Dr. Steve Perry defended Combs' merit-based scholarship, saying he earned it fair and square. At the Upstate New York prep school where Combs recently graduated, he maintained a 3.75 GPA while playing cornerback for the football team.
[Related: Is A College Degree Worth It?]
"He's done what he needs to do to be successful and in 'Ameritocracy' we have to accept that no matter who your father is, whether he be rich, poor or absent, that you can in fact be successful on your own merit," Perry said.
There's no denying Diddy can afford to send his son to college. The entertainment mogul was recently named the wealthiest artist in hip hop by Forbes Magazine, so far adding $45 million to his empire in 2012 alone.
But Combs' scholarship, which is awarded to student athletes specifically, is one of about 285 full athletic scholarships UCLA awards each year, according to a statement issued Wednesday.
Still, some students are balking, calling on the athletic department to reconsider the scholarship altogether.
[Related: Wiping Out $90,000 in Student Loans in 7 Months]
“UCLA’s athletic department needs to consider the fact that perhaps there is another athlete on the football team, who could perhaps really use this scholarship,” UCLA student Neshemah Keetin told CBS Los Angeles.
In its response to criticism over the award, UCLA stressed its "robust financial aid program," 30 percent of which it said is funded by tuition and fee revenue:
"Unlike need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships are awarded to students strictly on the basis of their athletic and academic ability — not their financial need. Athletic scholarships, such as those awarded to football or basketball players, do not rely on state funds. Instead, these scholarships are entirely funded through UCLA Athletics ticket sales, corporate partnerships, media contracts and private donations from supporters," the statement said.
College tuition has been a hot-button issue amongst consumer advocates in recent years, as the average tuition rate has swollen to $50,000 per year and the nation faces a trillion-dollar student loan debt bubble.
UCLA became a focal point in the Occupy Wall Street protests, with students rallying against a planned 16 percent tuition fee hike. In April, the school was forced to clawback $27 million in financial aid accidentally deposited into students' accounts.
Combs has made no announcement regarding plans to give back the scholarship at this time.
|
<urn:uuid:2235ec3f-8413-4666-8cc1-193226b184ee>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/taxpayers-want-p--diddy-s-son-to-fork-over-his--54-000-ucla-scholarship.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.976197
| 568
| 1.5625
| 2
|
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/14/12 -- The Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism announced today the initial list of countries whose citizens will have their asylum claims expedited for processing because they do not normally produce refugees.
"Designating countries is an important step towards a faster and fairer asylum system," said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. "It is remarkable that the European Union - with its democratic tradition of freedom, respect for human rights, and an independent judiciary - has been the top source region for asylum claims made in Canada. What's more, virtually all EU claimants either withdraw or abandon their own claims or are rejected by the independent Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada."
In 2011, of the total number of asylum claims filed by European Union (EU) nationals around the world, over 80% of were filed in Canada, even though EU nationals have mobility rights within the 27 EU member states. The majority of EU claimants do not appear for their Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) hearing as they withdraw or abandon their own claims. Of all EU claims referred to the IRB, an independent tribunal, 91% were rejected last year.
As part of the improvements to Canada's asylum system, the Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act included the authority to designate countries of origin (DCOs) - countries that respect human rights, offer state protection, and based on the historical data from the IRB, do not normally produce refugees.
The initial list of designations covers 27 countries, 25 of which are in the European Union:
o Austria o Greece o Portugalo Belgium o Hungary o Slovak Republico Croatia o Ireland o Sloveniao Cyprus o Italy o Spaino Czech Republic o Latvia o Swedeno Denmark o Lithuania o United Kingdomo Estonia o Luxembourg o United States ofo Finland o Malta Americao France o Netherlandso Germany o Poland
Additional countries will be designated in the months following the implementation of the new system, which comes into force tomorrow, December 15, 2012.
All eligible asylum claimants from a DCO will continue to receive a full and fair oral hearing on the individual merits of their claim in front of the independent, quasi-judicial IRB. The new system does not change in any respect the nature of these first instance hearings, which are conducted in a manner consistent with principles of due process and natural justice, and meet the requirements of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as stipulated by the Supreme Court of Canada in its 1985 decision R v. Singh.
Claimants from DCOs will have their asylum claim heard by the IRB within 30-45 days, depending on whether they make their claim at a port of entry or inland. In comparison, all other claimants will have a hearing within 60 days, compared to the current waiting period of 600 days. This means that all claimants will have their cases heard much faster.
|
<urn:uuid:e4427e2a-ac71-4797-9ecf-e8ed8d3bbee4>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/12/14/making_canadas_asylum_system_faster_and.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.946054
| 599
| 1.65625
| 2
|
All News & Blogs
Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad is the second department in the area to share equipment with folks in Alabama
Falmouth Rescue Squad and Fire Department (Company 1) members work with equipment that was given away.
REZA MARVASHTI/THE FREE LANCE-STAR
Visit the Photo Place
Wiley is about 15 miles from Tuscaloosa and has two coal mines and gas wells, as well as log trucks that are part of the timber industry. After explosions in the mines or wrecks with these big vehicles, people are trapped, and extrication tools are needed, Wilson said.
Sullivan had some members from Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department test the tools this week, and he said they worked perfectly. The firefighters used the system on a car donated by Sullivan's Towing and Recovery in Stafford County.
Sullivan and the Colonial Beach squad are looking for financial help to deliver the tools to Alabama. Melson estimates the gas and hotels will cost about $1,200.
Donations can be sent to the Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad, 225 Dennison St., Colonial Beach, Va., 22443. Attn: Pat FitzGerald.
Bill Schumm, who posts items about fire and rescue departments on his website, firegeezer.com, said the story should be an inspiration to others. Often, departments donates old pumpers and used running gear to Central and South America.
"Let this story be a reminder to you that we have many fire departments right here in the USA that need our help, too," Schumm wrote. "Keep them on your list."
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
The Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad gave the Colonial Beach Police Department its former ambulance, which the police will use for evidence recovery, warrant executions and traffic details.
"The four-wheel drive capability will be so helpful during floods or heavy snow," said Police Chief Kenneth Blevins Sr. "This is another example of different local agencies working together to make things better for the community."
The police department's new mobile assistance unit is a 1996 Ford E350.
Shown here are (from left) CBPD Officer Edward Moss, CBPD Chief Kenneth Blevins Sr., Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad's Rescue Chief Wesley Melson and CBPD Lt. Kenneth Blevins Jr.
|
<urn:uuid:167b361e-25d0-48b5-ba79-4b127c98246f>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2012/102012/10072012/727720/index_html?page=2
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.947223
| 486
| 1.507813
| 2
|
Check out this coverage of the Garden Fresno class, Leo & Liz’s garden and one on my long time favorites Belmont Nursery.Read More...
Tomorrow is our 4th class. Hopefully by now you are feeling more confident about your gardens.Read More...
This 4th class we will cover the very important step of planting. Much of this process is important in setting up your plants for success.
Class will be held at the Collier residence. Please contact us if you would like [...]
After the 3rd Class – tools and breaking ground, I took the roto-tiller home to attack the next patch of grass on my side-yard. The goal is to grow twice as much corn as last year.Read More...
Though, to my dismay, the roto-tiller was not working. So, I did it the old fashion way. With a [...]
We are just plugging along. Here is the outline for the 3rd Garden Fresno class.Read More...
Welcome to 3rd of 10 Garden Fresno classes
Recap of Seeds class
Tools of the trade
Shears and clippers
-The Claw (as seen on TV)
Establishing new planting areas
Grass to garden
Existing planting areas
The Double Dig technique
Yes it as hard as it sounds [...]
The 1st class of Garden Fresno was engaging and brought together a group of amateur gardeners who are eager to learn more and share their knowledge. For the 2nd class we will cover the topic of seeds and potting.Read More...
If you would like to join the class but have not registered, you can jump in [...]
The 1st class of Garden Fresno is today. I’m getting very excited to start sharing my knowledge about gardening with other Fresnans. Hopefully, I’ll learn some things along the way also.Read More...
Below is the outline for the Introduction and Planning session. If you’d like to check out the class there is still time. I ask [...]
After some feedback, I’ve made some modifications to the Garden Fresno course. I had originally scheduled 15 classes. That was a little ambitious and a big commitment.Read More...
I’ve edited the calendar down to 10 classes. We will hold class every Saturday of March. This is important because now is the time to start gardens and [...]
Last year I cataloged the growth of my garden as well as an experiment of growing a small corn field along my sidewalk. This caught the attention of my neighbors and friends on facebook and twitter. From the strong interest and reoccurring questions about urban gardening I decided there was a need to share my knowledge.Read More...
The Spring of 2009 mark my wife and I’s second spring in the 1940 minimal-traditionalist Tower District home we have purchased. The first spring we planted a relatively small area of our back yard with herbs and vegetables.Read More...
I like to do more that the year before, so we planted a second small strip in [...]
|
<urn:uuid:bfcc43b5-0b0e-4837-a98b-dc4e039f6396>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://gardenfresno.com/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.949237
| 630
| 1.523438
| 2
|
ROCKLAND, Maine — A 35-year-old local boat-building school has gone to its board of directors to solve an impending leadership gap.
Atlantic Challenge will lose six-year veteran executive director Warren Kaericher in February when he goes to sea to get his limited master’s license.
Meanwhile, Atlantic Challenge board member Rick Palm, a former executive with Baxter Travenol Laboratories Inc. (now Baxter International), a maker of medical equipment, has agreed to serve as interim executive director while a committee conducts a search for the next few months for a new leader of the nonprofit organization.
“Warren and I are doing a transition, and I can pick up all of the information that he has, between now and February, so that the school is not deprived of the six years of history that Warren has had,” Palm said in a recent interview.
“Small schools are small businesses,” said Palm, who conducts local business counseling workshops for SCORE, a partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Changing from one leader to another is critical to getting the organization continued.”
Educator Lance Lee founded the school in 1972 at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath.
It has been in Rockland since the 1970s and at its current site at 643 Main St., Rockland, since the early 1990s.
Palm said one of the things the school does is replace the apprenticeship program that used to take place in industry but that doesn’t really exist anymore.
“We maintain the tradition of the first apprentice shop,” said Kaericher.
“Our manner of education is common throughout the world, especially in Europe, but less so in this country,” he added. “Apprenticing is a very thorough way to learn a craft.
“Most schools of our kind are producing boats for commission clients, which makes for a very real education and makes us somewhere between a schoolyard and a boatyard,” he said.
The school over the years has served more than 200 students of all ages. Most students are college graduates and they come from around the world. About 10 percent of the students are women.
“For the last 20 years I’ve worked for schools like this — afloat and ashore,” said Kaericher.
Programs range from two weeks to two years. Apprentices are at the school for a two-year program, and about 90 percent of the students are apprentices.
“We have a novel sort of enterprise here,” Kaericher said. “Our students pay different tuition from some of the other schools because of the commission work.
“Students are teachers working for us in senior classes, they’re workers for us producing work for clients, and they’re students who are paying tuition, which is partly subsidized by the first two roles,” he explained.
“We also rely in great measure on contributions, such as the one this year from the Rockland Rotary Club,” he added.
Atlantic Challenge’s waterfront property, with 2.5 acres and 600 feet of waterfront, supports the school’s boat-building and sailing activities and provides access to Rockland Harbor, according to the school’s Web site.
Along with a three-story shop and an administrative building at 643 Main St. housing the library, business offices and sailing classroom, the site features a 400-foot pier, 400 feet of floats, a launch ramp and 10 moorings. Situated on historic Lermond Cove, the facilities provide the school opportunity to offer boat sales, boat and float storage, dinghy slips and mooring rentals.
Looking at the task ahead of him, Palm said a lot of nonprofit groups are struggling, and they have to regroup and rethink what they do.
Kaericher believes one of the school’s strengths lies in its community relationship.
“One of the school’s assets is for the students to be able to serve the community at a time when nonprofits are struggling,” he said. “Like many nonprofits and small schools and small businesses, that’s something that concerns us. We know we’ve got to be creative in the months and years ahead.”
Kaericher characterized Atlantic Challenge as an institution that’s “full of dedicated people, who will steer us through that, and we hope that many others will find the energy and resources to do so.”
Also among Atlantic Challenge’s strengths are its versatility and willingness to build boats for anyone, said Kaericher.
“Right now we don’t have any orders to fill for next year, but we’re going to build a couple of boats on speculation,” he said.
“We’ll build a boat for anyone as long as it’s less than 30 feet,” he added. “We’re unique among many places like this — a little bit of business, a little bit of school and a little bit of nonprofit,” Kaericher said.
“I think that’s where all nonprofits are headed, in time,” he said.
|
<urn:uuid:9e224837-fc0d-4688-9d9c-b52719a12782>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://bangordailynews.com/2008/12/21/news/panel-to-start-leader-search-for-boat-school/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.971474
| 1,104
| 1.734375
| 2
|
Gotta love a fruit that doubles as a bowling ball. And one that sounds equally funny in French (pamplemousse) and English (grapefruit). There's certainly nothing grape-like about this puckery citrus and I don't find the texture mousse like at all.
But, every name has a history and the grapefruit is no exception. According to Wikipedia it was originally documented first in Barbados. It had developed as a hybrid from the even larger citrus bowling ball, pomelo.
Perhaps the French named it pamplemousse because it was a mouse sized pomelo? No. That can't be right.
In the U.S. the fruit was called shaddock or shattuck until the 1800's. Wikipedia gives no reason as to why or how the name was changed to grapefruit, but one can speculate that it's current alias alludes to the grape-like clusters it grows in.
Regardless, it's a terrificly refreshing fruit.
The idea of this recipe came as I was pondering over what to do with fresh scallops. The egg sack, known as the corail in French, is a beautiful shell pink color. Just about the same color of grapefruit – violà! Inspiration! – grapefruit glazed scallops!
Using grapefruit can be tricky as I found out, because it has a way of over powering everything. Like a bowling ball, it knocks down all the other pins. Some tips: use very small pieces of grapefruit in the garnish so as not to upstage the beets or scallops, and leave out the zest or just add a tiny little piece for decoration.
The glaze is infused with thyme and you can slather it on generously because the grapefruit juice is greatly reduced and has a fabulous sweet tangy flavor without the bite. Also the thyme really brings the dish together.
I seared the scallops with walnut oil and added some to the vinaigrette for the beet garnish. It adds depth and nuttiness – two of my favorite human characteristics, so don't leave them out either.
Seared scallops with Grapefruit Thyme Glaze and Roasted Beets
serves 2 people as an entrée, or about 5-6 people as an amuse bouche
1 red grapefruit. As red as red can be.
2 cups grapefruit juice
2 teaspoons honey
4 sprigs time
1/2 pound fresh or dry packed scallops. Not frozen.
2 yellow beets
2 red beets
1 head frisée lettuce
salt & pepper
Heat oven to 350˚F or 175˚C. Wash the beets and cut the tops off. Place the beets in a roasting pan and liberally douse with olive oil. Roll them around in it. Make sure to keep the yellow beets on one side of the pan and the red on the other. Season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme. Roast until the beets can be easily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Remove and let cool in the pan. Peel beets when cool enough to handle with a pairing knife. Dice and store colors separately until ready to use.
In a medium saucepan on medium high heat, add 2 cups of grapefruit juice, 3 sprigs of thyme, and one teaspoon of honey. Reduce to 1 cup. Taste the juice, if it is still extra sour then add the second teaspoon of honey. Skim off any foam on the top and let the juice cool with the thyme sprigs. Once cool remove the thyme.
Section the grapefruit into whole segments without pith. The easiest way to do this is to cut off both the top and bottom of the grapefruit. Then slice down, following the curve of the fruit, from top to bottom to remove the thick skin. Cut each segment out from the pith individually and reserve.
To make the vinaigrette for the lettuce and beets: whisk 2 tablespoons of grapefruit juice with 4 tablespoons of walnut oil and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. The vinaigrette should taste a little more puckery than the glaze, so add a few drops of lemon juice to add acidity. Reserve.
Season scallops with salt and freshly ground pepper. To Sear: heat a small nonstick skillet on high heat that will fit the amount of scallops without any of them touching. Once the pan is hot add 2 tablespoons walnut oil. Walnut oil has a medium-high smoke point which means you can sauté nicely with it (but avoid deep frying). Once the oil is hot enough to sizzle a small drop of water (but before it starts to smoke) add the scallops and don't move them for at least 30 seconds.
If you move them constantly they won't brown or form that nice crust. Turn down heat to medium and continue to cook for another minute. Turn scallops and cook for another 1 1/2 on the other side. The cooking time will depend greatly on the size of the scallops. I like my scallops al dente in the middle and they will cook further with the following step:
Turn heat up to high and add 1/3 cup of the reduced grapefruit juice. The juice will bubble up like crazy and turn into a glaze almost instantly. Once the glaze has thickened, remove scallops to a plate and take the skillet off the heat to stop the glaze reducing further.
Dress beets separately with vinaigrette and lettuce too. Place scallops on the plate and spoon over glaze. Garnish with flecks of grapefruit and a few grinds of pepper.
|
<urn:uuid:bd266509-fee8-459b-a117-efe5cf63911e>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://msglaze.typepad.com/paris/2008/04/seared-scallops.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.936269
| 1,205
| 1.765625
| 2
|
This article originally appeared as part of the University of Texas Election Series
He’s tall, dark, and handsome. It doesn’t hurt that he croons rhythm and blues and can shake it up on the dance floor. President Obama is the ultimate ladies’ man, but not because of his swagger or looks. His popularity among women boils down to politics. Part of his appeal to women is simply inherited, for decades women have preferred Democratic candidates. The other part of his female magnetism comes from his aggressively courting women this past year by highlighting women’s policy issues.
Women are pre-disposed toward Democratic candidates. In the 2008 presidential election women preferred Barack Obama by seven percent over John McCain. This preference by the part of lady voters in 2008 was only part of a larger trend known as the gender gap. Since 1980 there has been a significant difference between the percentage of women and men voting for a presidential candidates, with larger proportions of women preferring the Democratic candidate. Perhaps not surprisingly, the largest gender gap in history occurred in 1996 with President Bill Clinton capturing 11% more of the female vote.
While President Obama knows he’s got the gender gap on his side he’s not relying on this alone going into the 2012 election. Over the last six months the President together with his party’s congressional delegation has sought out policy positions that center on women and more specifically that highlight differences between Republicans and Democrats on such issues. The Democrats have done a good job of racking up the policy points and painting the GOP as not a very attractive guy to go on a date with.
In early February the Susan G. Komen foundation stated that it would cut off funding of preventive breast-cancer screening services to Planned Parenthood. This proposal unleashed a maelstrom of criticism that eventually led to the Komen foundation to reverse its decision. Pro-choice advocates together with the larger Democratic Party chalked up a big public relations win. Antiabortion groups and the Republican Party were framed as callous for disregarding the preventive health needs of women, especially low-income women, who use Planned Parenthood services for breast cancer screenings.
Soon after the dust settled from the Komen foundation controversy the Obama administration brought women back into the spotlight announcing mandatory birth control coverage. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation Poll the majority of Americans supported the mandate and not surprisingly the higher level of support came from those most directly affected by the policy proposal, women. More importantly, two-thirds of Independent women, those women whose vote is the holy grail of any candidate, support the mandate.
Not a month had passed where women where back in the mix of political controversy. In late April the Democratic led Senate passed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that reauthorizes funding for social and health programs to curb violence and help victims. Further measures were added to broaden the protections of the Act prompting the Republican led House of Representatives to signal their lack of support for the reauthorization. While House Republicans state that they are working on their own alternative version of the bill, the lack of outright support for a bill that seeks to protect women from violence is not the best move in courting the love of female voters.
This summer Democrats will continue to court women, this time through a reintroduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act. This Act would allow employees to address wage discrimination through the disclosure of salary information. The Act passed the House in 2009, however stalled in the Senate. This summer, Senate Democrats have indicated their intentions to revive the bill. While the bill does not have a good chance of getting past the Republican led House, it provides an excellent opportunity for the Democrats to further court women.
The presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is neck in neck with President Obama in the polls, however among women, he continues to lag behind the President. Republican presidential contenders are short on women from the get go. However, in 2012, the GOP is at a particular disadvantage as a result of the vigorous policy offensive line the Democrats are taking with the female electorate. The fact that Mitt Romney doesn’t have the smooth voice or smooth voice of President Obama also doesn’t help the case for the GOP’s presidential candidate.
|
<urn:uuid:3c0c1f80-f089-4fdf-bb69-8edb7a77f917>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://drvmds.com/2012/05/president-obama-the-ladies-man/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.963078
| 862
| 1.742188
| 2
|
Today, I’m featuring Wei Yang, 27, from CallforSitters.com, a site that connects babysitters and parents. It’s cool because it has the classic chicken-and-egg problem, yet it has nearly 100,000 users! If any of you have business ideas that only become useful after a lot of people join, check this one out. As you read below, note a few things:
- Wei Yang’s site removes barriers in some places, but intentionally adds them in other places (e.g., charging parents). Think about how you can use barriers strategically, as I wrote about here.
- He’s hiring for equity. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll connect you. (If you’re not sure, ask yourself if the skills you’d learn would be applicable to things you’ll do in the future.) One email never hurt anybody.
- He funded it with credit cards!
- The advice to really do your research about your competitors is right on. Every week, I get emails from people thinking they have a secret idea. They say something like, “Ramit, what do you think about starting…an online video site??? This is when I throw a large piece of metal through a window. PLEASE DO SOME HOMEWORK AND SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE!!! This was the basis for my article, 8 stupid frat-boy business ideas.
- He talks about how he skipped a week of classes to polish an executive summary, submit it to an entrepreneurship program, and take this thing live. Think back to your last week of work or classes. Did you do something that could change your life?
I love this. But I can’t figure out how you got around the chicken-and-egg problem. (The chicken-and-egg problem is when your site needs a lot of people to be useful.)
The chicken-or-the-egg problem prompted a long debate when we first thought of the CallforSitters.com idea. For our service, we started by defining our core markets (parents that need babysitters and babysitters that need jobs) and then we looked towards traditional communication channels to see how the two groups previously interacted. We debated a number of models including: charging only the parents, charging only the sitters or making the site entirely free for everyone. While the latter option sounded great on paper for attracting new users, we decided that a safer option for our members and to keep out unwanted guests would be to setup a barrier of entry so that only the people who truly needed the service would be signing up to our website.
Traditionally, parents who don’t have friends or relatives to rely on would use newspaper classifieds and bulletin boards to find local babysitters. We wanted to improve this exchange by providing an enhanced online version with a faster turn-around time. Our babysitter profiles answer common interview questions, so parents can pre-screen sitters online and contact only those who they feel are qualified. We also provide the emails and phone numbers of our members so that parents will have more options to contact the sitters after putting their ads out.
While there are competing services out there that charge the babysitters membership fees and let the parents post jobs for free, we went with the more traditional model where we charged the parents for access and built up a reserve of babysitters by letting them sign up for free. We felt that in our niche, the people that are looking for jobs are most likely the people that are in need of money, therefore we wanted to help them by sharing this resource without making it difficult for them to participate.
How successful is the site now?
The site over all has been receiving great feedback from our users. We have just shy of 100,000 users and we have babysitters registered in every state. Numbers aside, the fact that we are helping parents who are in dire need of child care so they can take a break from the daily grind or confidently accept a full-time job without scheduling concerns is what makes this website a worthwhile venture.
Every now and then, mixed in between the customer service emails are the letters of praise and appreciation and these letters are the ones that really help reinforce what we’re doing.
Do you have any business partners?
Right now the site is co-owned by myself and a few friends and family members. Most of the co-owners compliment my skills in one way or another. However, if there’s anyone out there that would like to help us grow for equity, we would certainly be open to discussion.
How did you initially get started? (Be specific, including how you noticed the need—was there a personal reason?—came up with a solution, created the web site, and went through other logistics.)
The idea was started in my dorm room like most other college start-ups. At the time, I needed a job and the only advertised jobs near my campus were jobs selling Ginsu knifes or scissors that can cut pennies (if for some reason that is your forte). Frustrated by the lot of disappointing options, I wanted to develop an online forum where students could go online and actually find a decent, worthwhile job that paid more than minimum wage. At the time, Monster and HotJobs were all pretty hot, but most of these websites offered career options and not so much part-time gigs. So instead of trying to compete directly with the big boys, I wanted to create something that served a different audience. Flipping through the school newspaper, the child care section always had the most number of ads and many of them I had seen running for a few weeks probably due to a lack of good responses. Based on my knowledge of the web, I felt that this was probably one niche I could do a lot of improvement on; thus the idea of CallforSitters.com was born.
However, what really pushed the idea forward during my brainstorming phase was a new opportunity that had popped up at my university for entrepreneurs. My university started a new entrepreneurship program which I was really interested in. Luckily for me, the program was open to anyone interested whether they were in the business school or not. The only catch was that an idea had to be submitted and be accepted by the dean of the new program. I skipped a week of classes, polished my idea, and submitted the executive summary as my entry. When I was finally accepted into the program, I decided to use the project as my thesis, and I built out and refined the rest of the details from there.
How did you fund it at the beginning?
The project was started mostly off of credit cards, possibly some student loans and whatever the website made back in the monthly revenue. I tried to do a good amount of networking while in college so the original website was actually created by myself and a group of friends with very little overhead. I was lucky enough to have some friends and family invest in the idea about a year after the initial launch to help grow the business. However, for the most part, the project has been self sustaining and maturing on its own.
I know a lot of articles out there suggest hitting up friends, family and fools to start but I will be the first one to say that is not always a viable or easy option, especially when the project is still just an idea. I mean, does everyone have rich friends out there? I certainly didn’t. I think if you truly believe in your product, even your friends and family would want to see that you’re committing some of your own money and sweat into the project. Sometimes you come out on top and win, but sometimes you also learn the hard way why some things just don’t work out.
And then what?
Funding today is a little easier as we now have more cash flow to work with. However, in my opinion we are still on the ground floor with a lot of potential for growth. I would honestly love to have a couple of million dollars to work with and do as I please, but I’ve also learned that with a smaller budget, you learn to be a lot more careful with your testing, analytics and growth strategy. In the end, I think it’s a fair trade-off to get that experience as well as learning to adapt with the industry changes.
What are some of the growth challenges you’ve had to face?
I think one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is getting the word out so that we can be in all the markets we want to be in. The technology on the website (search by zip code) is in place for us to serve the entire U.S. but without the large corporate marketing budgets backing the product, it’s been a challenge to get both the parents and the babysitters from a new area to find us and completely fill up an area at the same time.
I remember reading somewhere that it takes about $80 million dollars to create a household brand name in the U.S. I guess we have quite a ways to go… =)
What’s been your biggest surprise?
My biggest surprise would have to be the amount of work that is involved with building up a brand and keeping the business running smoothly. You hear phrases like “A successful business is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” As much effort as my team has been putting in, sometimes I think we still underestimate that 99%…
Do you make money?
I won’t get into the specifics but I think we are doing okay for now. I can say like most start-ups, we would like to be higher in the list of “websites you can’t live without.” However, as long as the service does its job of helping people, I am happy with its accomplishments.
Ok, seriously: Why are all babysitters women?
Heh, this is a good question. Even though about 92% of the sitters registered on CallforSitters.com are female, I don’t necessarily think one gender or the other would be a bad fit in the babysitting role; I guess it all comes down to what the individuals want to do as their jobs. This is certainly one question that would make for a good discussion on BabysittingForums.com!
What’s next from here? Do you want to grow? What does that look like?
We are currently working on a newer version of the website that will provide a more enhanced experience for our users than the current edition. We are definitely looking to grow within our industry as well as possibly expanding into other fields that can benefit from the addition of people-matching services.
At this point in time, I would like to focus more of our team’s efforts into marketing. If you view website development as the sprint portion of the race, then marketing is the marathon. You need to succeed in both parts in order to get to the end.
Should entrepreneurs keep their ideas secret? Did you? Should you have?
I think depending on what stage of the game you’re at, you should find a good balance between guarding your trade secrets vs. getting your ideas out to the open public. Obviously if you have the mechanics of teleportation figured out, I would guard that secret, file a patent and create a working prototype before letting the public know what you’ve been up to.
On the other hand, if you have yet another web idea, I would probably follow Google’s lead and build a beta, throw it out there and let your users tell you what they like and don’t like about your service and respond accordingly. As far as web based technology goes, I don’t think there’s much left that can be protected. YouTube only went mainstream about 3 months ago and already all of the major community websites have their own version of video players that can stream videos without hiccups. I feel like the only barrier to entry one can put up with websites is to build up the core group of audience and hope that the next copy-cat won’t be able to build up their audience faster than you can.
In my particular case, I have a group of entrepreneurial friends with whom I brainstorm and juggle ideas who I have always included when something new sparks in my head. I find that having multiple points of view and open discussions helps me see through flaws and weaknesses that I may have otherwise overlooked. However, for the general public, I wouldn’t necessarily announce our plans unless I am sure we are near completion on those features. If you can’t get any constructive feedback from the crowd especially at the early ideas stage, then there’s really no point for them to be in the know. However, if you are at a point where you are ready for debut, I’d say go for it; write a press release and let it all out.
It seems to me that your site is a great example of something removing barriers. Can you talk about that?
The one thing I love about CallforSitters.com is that it does work and it does save both the parents and babysitters time in their search for each other. The benefits we offer our sitters over Craigslist and regular bulletin boards is that you come, you create a profile, and you can link to it anywhere on the web. Unlike online classifieds, you don’t have to come back every 2 weeks and re-post your ad, which can be time consuming. Also, we send out daily emails to sitters when new jobs are posted in their area; this feature alone can save many frustrated job seekers hours a day knowing that the system has their back.
For parents, we implemented many features to help speed up their searching process over traditional media. If a parent was to look for a babysitter in the newspapers, they would first have to come up with an ad, re-word the ad so it can fit in four short lines of the classifieds, play phone tag for a few days or weeks and finally interview a few candidates and hire one that they hope is the best out of the group.
With our system, you sign up, browse the available profiles and you can choose who you want to interview within that hour. If there are too many profiles to check out, we also allow you to post a job with your needs and let sitters that fit the description respond to your job so you can see who out of the group of respondents fit what you’re looking for. To help you save time asking all the basic questions, the sitters on the site have answers to common questions filled out as well as available references listed in their profiles. All in all, we do our best to make sure parents can make an informed decision and get the best possible results from our service.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m currently 27 and live in the city of Atlanta. I graduated from the University of Maryland (Go Terps!) and I probably spent too much time in front of a computer day-to-day. =P I started working with the web in college and have done everything from design to coding to marketing (basically whatever the website needed). I’m always looking to meet other entrepreneurs out there who share the same passion for their projects as I do mine. I find chatting with fellow entrepreneurs can be very enlightening and the networking is always fun.
What advice can you give us about starting something successful?
My one advice for anyone trying to do Internet related businesses would be to stay abreast of the industry news and don’t reinvent the wheel. Make sure you do your research so that you are not unnecessarily creating everything from scratch when the parts that make up your service are widely available. If your idea needs certain components or code to make it work, see if you can find them on the web (free or for a fee) and put them together. I’ve come across so many development teams that insist on making every piece of code from scratch which just ends up being months of wasted time. Chances are someone out there is already working on your idea so take smart short cuts where and when you can.
|
<urn:uuid:08827718-06e0-482b-85b3-2d3eb70abb0e>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/friday-entrepreneurs-wei-yang-callforsitterscom/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.973762
| 3,375
| 1.640625
| 2
|
06 May 2011 16:02:51
The chief platform officer of online retail service provider Shopify says the cloud is unlikely to be supplanted as the business model of the future, according to an interview with Practical Ecommerce.
The key advantage of the SaaS model, Harvey Finkelstein told the news source, is that it allows specialists in various fields to better serve clients by offering their products as-is, without the need for the purchase of physical hardware or software. Additionally, SaaS lets companies continue to focus on their core competencies without the need to branch out into territory where they might be less skilled.
Finkelstein said, however, that the cloud model still had a few kinks to work out, according to Practical Ecommerce. While Shopify wasn't seriously affected by a recent Amazon Web Services outage the way some sites were, the incident still raises concerns about uptime, he said.
Additionally, others say cloud security is still an issue to which many service providers don't pay enough attention. Moving sensitive data to and from remote servers requires extensive security measures.
-McAfee Cloud Security
|
<urn:uuid:c97e804b-5c07-4b23-a7c9-c002ffc0c8fc>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.mcafee.com/us/solutions/cloud-security/news/20110518-02.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.965395
| 231
| 1.71875
| 2
|
Earthquake hits southern Italy, hospital evacuated
ROME (REUTERS) - A magnitude 5 earthquake struck north of Cosenza in southern Italy early on Friday and a hospital was evacuated after cracks were found in its structure.
The quake hit at five minutes past midnight about 6.3 km underground, north of Cosenza in the Pollino mountains area on the border of the southern regions of Calabria and Basilicata. At least 14 other tremors followed the initial earthquake.
A hospital in the small town of Mormanno was evacuated as a precautionary measure. No injuries were reported, an Italian police official said.
Italian news agencies reported scenes of panic in the hospital and said many inhabitants of Mormanno and surrounding towns had come out in the streets. Police and fire fighters are surveying the area for further damage, officials said.
|
<urn:uuid:b37073a4-6666-454e-9b2e-fb7d04e6dab2>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.straitstimes.com/st/print/560537
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.974512
| 177
| 1.585938
| 2
|
Following the death of my father I was clearing out his old papers and a number of items relating to the Ridler and Eamer (my Mother’s side of the family) history including photographs were found
I was now Quality Assurance Manager for KONE Elevators Group based at Hounslow. We still had a factory in Bristol manufacturing control systems. I needed to visit the factory on a regular basis and with the stirrings of the Family History bug about to strike I looked out those old pieces of paper and studied them again. The more I thought about it the less I really knew, except for the immediate family.
Questions needed an answer, “who were William senior’s parents”, “did the Ridler’s originate in Bristol”, what happened to Kate” and other questions. However finding the answers just generated even more questions.
How do I start and where? During my visits to Little Nan she had mentioned that the RIDLER’s had a vault at Greenbank cemetery where most of William senior’s family were buried, this seemed to be a good place to start.
After visiting the Bristol Factory in March 92 I went to Greenbank cemetery only to find all the tombstones over 100 years old had been removed and the cemetery had been turned into a garden of remembrance. A sign at the gate stated the records had been moved to Arnolds Vale Cemetery on Bedminster Down.
Upon my next visit to Bristol I went to Arnolds Vale and after paying the £5 search fee I inspected the records since Greenbank first opened. I found almost all of William’s family except Alice Ellen who if the family tales are correct, emigrated to Canada.
I made a second visit at the end of March 92 in order to record the inscriptions that were engraved on the original tombstones and I met Ron LEWIS in the research room copying tombstone inscriptions. We engaged in conversation and he told me he was recording all inscriptions from tombstones in the Bristol and Avon area for the Bristol & Avon Family History Society.
Following our discussions I joined the society and almost immediately I was involved in exchanging knowledge with other researchers. Ron Lewis wrote to me giving me the name of John Lovell who was also researching Ridler’s in the Bristol area. Through a series of letters we investigated each other’s family but no connection could be established. Maybe some time in the future we may have a connection several generation before our present knowledge.
Through the society I found a number of Ridler’s in the 1851 census so my next visit to Bristol I visited Bristol Central Library which has the complete census on microfilm.
Although quite a few Ridler’s lived in Bristol in 1851 I could only find William senior, Sarah and their first son Albert William age 9 months. This was most frustrating as I expected to advance my research in a large leap.
I now started the tedious task of wading through the OCPS marriage index eventually finding a match in the June Quarter of 1849. I sent off for the certificate but I received a letter from the OCPS returning my fee (£15) as it turned out to be the wrong William and Sarah. I had come to a dead end, however after making some enquiries I found out that the Bristol Record Office had microfiche records of most Bristol parishes. A new line to research to follow.
|
<urn:uuid:b769a1c5-dd57-4715-89d6-4975bf20a593>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.tonyridler.com/mystory2.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.979855
| 709
| 1.773438
| 2
|
Who Is Connecticut Voices for Children?
Connecticut Voices for Children is a research-based public education and advocacy organization that works statewide to promote the well-being of Connecticut's children, youth and families.
CT Voices was founded in 1995 by four women who each had many years of experience working on behalf of children -- Shelley Geballe, Janice Gruendel, Judy Solomon and Nancy Lustman -- to enable Connecticut residents to be more effective voices for our children. CT Voices has built a highly talented staff with education and experience in education, law, health, business, government and the non-profit sector. This multi-disciplinary approach allows us to offer new insights on recurring problems. Policymakers, political leaders, the media, other advocacy groups and others now regularly turn to CT Voices for public policy and budget analysis, and new ideas.
Connecticut can and should be the best state in the nation to raise children. All of Connecticut's children should grow up healthy and safe, have an opportunity for successful learning experiences from birth through adulthood, live free from the devastating effects of poverty, prosper from the loving guidance of caring adults, and have the opportunity to give something back to their communities. With the intellectual and economic capacity of Connecticut, we can make this vision a reality.
The mission of Connecticut Voices for Children is to promote the well-being of all of Connecticut’s young people and their families by advocating for strategic public investments and wise public policies. Connecticut Voices for Children advances its mission through high quality research and analysis, strategic communications, community education, and development of the next generation of advocates.
- Reduce child poverty through innovative income and asset building strategies
- Assure that all Connecticut's students have the academic and technology skills to thrive in the world economy of the 21st century
- Foster statewide investments in our children and the hard-working families who raise them
- Encourage prudent up-front investments to reduce the health and safety risks facing our children, while meeting the multiple needs of our state's most vulnerable youngsters
- Continue to build a statewide chorus of informed voices, speaking up for all of Connecticut's children.
- Nurture the next generation of advocates, by helping young leaders build their research and advocacy skills and find their own voice.
These goals can be achieved when many voices come together on behalf of Connecticut's young people.
|
<urn:uuid:de2fc5d1-5604-48fc-9097-7ab9c12d941d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.ctvoices.org/about-us/mission
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.942333
| 479
| 1.820313
| 2
|
Sri Lankan government on Tuesday said it would soon lift the draconian emergency laws in force in the country for most of the past 30 years.
"Steps have already been taken to lift emergency regulations in consultation with the (National) Security Council," Prime Minister DM Jayaratne told
Jayaratne said the proposals would be presented to the parliament shortly.
The tough emergency laws allow suspects to be detained indefinitely and without any charge.
The prime minister said since the end of the war against the LTTE in May 2009, most of the clauses in the Public Security Ordinance have been abolished.
However, a few of the clauses under the ordinance remained in force since the LTTE continues to be active overseas, he said.
The last phase of emergency laws were reintroduced and remained in force continually since 2005 after the assassination of foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels.
The LTTE waged a bloody three-decade civil war for a separate state for the Tamils of Sri Lanka, alleging discrimination against the minority community at the hands of the majority Sinhalas.
But the Lankan military crushed the LTTE by killing its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran in May 2009. The ethnic conflict left between 80,000 and 100,000 people dead.
Jayaratne said continuation of some clauses of the emergency laws were still necessary due to several of the LTTE connected organisation operating internationally.
"Although the LTTE are no more there are several international forces who are currently active to revive the LTTE", Jayaratne said.
He accused the UK based Global Tamil Forum, the Trans National Government of Tamil Eelam and the Tamil National Council of trying to revive the LTTE locally and internationally.
"They are making much efforts to discredit the government," he said, adding, "Even the groups who are trying to be the voice of the LTTE in South India have called for economic sanctions against us."
© Copyright © 2013 HT Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.
|
<urn:uuid:63125b4d-23ed-4265-87f1-53d5bb2ff1ff>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/731320.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961784
| 415
| 1.789063
| 2
|
Surviving three days in farmers' fields and local recreational grounds doesn't tend to require a particularly technical tent; as long as it provides shelter from the inevitable rain it's deemed festival-worthy.
But most tents are also far from ideal for the job. They're typically designed for standard human behavioural patterns: sleep at night, be out and about during the day. As any festival attendee will explain, this is not how festival life works.
Hence the design of the Crash Pad. This tent, brought to us by Ministry Of Sound and Blacks' outdoor experts, is built specifically for festivals. To this end it has a black flysheet and tent inner to block out the sun during the day, allowing the revellers within to get some much-needed shut-eye after a heavy night.
Bring on the rain
The Crash Pad is a cosy two-man design. It's extremely light but has a sturdy construction and is made from highly water-resistant materials, so it’s more than capable of getting its occupiers through a few days of festival weather. It's finished in a technical-looking black gloss criss-cross design.
Putting the Crash Pad up is very straightforward, especially if you pay attention to the instructions. We took about 15 minutes to erect it first time, and you should manage it in under 10 with a little practice. Sure, it's no pop-up, but anyone with the slightest camping experience will be able to work it out.
There's room inside for a double inflatable mattress but not much else. Storage is limited to a meagre porch – okay for a couple of pairs of wellies, but no more. If you come back to this tent covered in mud and water, your bedding is likely to get covered.
The Crash Pad's unique feature is the darkness that enshrouds anyone who enters it. In reality it's not pitch black – more crimson – but it really takes the edge off direct sunlight. Close your eyes and you should be able to sleep in there even at the height of summer.
If you want light, though, there are plenty of places to get it – the inside of the tent is bristling with torch-friendly toggles and hooks.
It's also surprisingly cool. We tested on a warm day at the beginning of May, so couldn't quite recreate August conditions, but it was the least stuffy tent we've ever resided in.
Outside of its festival comfort zone the Crash Pad will hold up just fine. Not one for the Scouts, perhaps, but more than up for a couple of days in the Lake District – especially if you like sleeping late.
|
<urn:uuid:00e13bdf-eb3a-49b9-9dae-4cb449329b72>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.stuff.tv/review/ministry-of-sound-crash-pad
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.964012
| 545
| 1.5625
| 2
|
Amit Chatterjee is pure Silicon Valley. It's all over his résumé--SAP, Cisco, Oracle. Software and IT are in Chatterjee's blood. So he's the last person you might expect to be leading cleantech's new charge. And that's exactly why he's winning.
"If it was a clear day, you could see the bay," Chatterjee says as he gestures through the expansive windows of his new office on a hillside complex in San Mateo, Calif., surveying the Silicon Valley landscape. "That's Oracle, and the hardware companies are clustered over there, and all the software guys are down here."
And the future of cleantech is right here. After last year's failure of an energy bill built largely around the cap-and-trade policy, which sets a ceiling on carbon dioxide emissions and allows companies to trade permits to meet it, Chatterjee's data-driven strategy to save the planet is showing a tremendous amount of promise.
The idea behind Hara--the word is pronounced "ha-RA" and means "fresh green" in Sanskrit--is to entice big businesses to undergo green makeovers by appealing to the bottom line: Gather data on how companies use energy (think categories like water, electricity and miles of commuter travel), then help them deploy better energy efficiency techniques that will produce major cost savings. Best of all, the model works for everyone on the green spectrum, from big oil to solar panel manufacturers.
This new take on cleaning up the planet has put Chatterjee's energy and environment management software company into hyperdrive.
Greening a CityArmed with Hara's software, the city of Palo Alto reduced costs on a number of energy fronts.
2005: 34 million
2009: 32.5 million
Natural gas (therms)
2005: 1.01 million
Unleaded gas (gallons)
Paper waste (reams)
Hyperdrive, by the way, looks like this: In 2008, after leaving his post as a senior vice president at SAP, Chatterjee took a pitch to venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers--the one that bet (and won) big on companies like Amazon, Genentech, Sun Microsystems and Google--and came away with $6 million in first-round funding, plus three cubicles in Kleiner's basement incubator.
Hara's software has a subscription-pricing model that ranges from less than $100,000 to a few million, based on categories such as user numbers and data types. It clicked for a lot of major organizations, including Coca Cola, News Corp, Intuit and even the City of Palo Alto in California. A second funding round of $14 million followed three months after launch, along with bragging rights that many cleantech companies can only dream of.
In December 2009, just six months after the platform's official launch, Hara estimated it had captured 50 percent of all deals in the energy and environment management sector in the United States. In 2010, Chatterjee tripled the number of his employees (60 and counting), and by the end of this fiscal year (in April), Hara's year-over-year revenue will be 20 times higher, with 10 times more bookings.
"American office buildings waste an asinine amount of energy, and what Hara has done exceptionally well is focus on the idea of corporate metabolism"--that if you save, you win--"instead of anticipating some kind of cap-and-trade scheme," says
Michael Kanellos, senior analyst and editor in chief of cleantech research firm Greentech Media. It doesn't hurt, he says, that Chatterjee is stamped out of the SAP mold. "He has the enterprise software sales pitch down. He knows exactly what to do, and what he does really works."
With competitors like Oracle and IBM stepping into the space, how Hara chooses to expand in the next couple of years is crucial. But based on Hara's trajectory, expansion doesn't appear to be a problem.
Two weeks after Hara moved from a 12,000-square-foot space in Redwood City to its new digs that are more than twice as spacious, Entrepreneur talked with Chatterjee about how he plans to help usher in a post-recession green era. (Spoiler: It involves trust, frugality and being a lot more successful than even he expected.)
Looking around, the floor is a bit sparse but, for once, there's enough room for the influx of employees Chatterjee expects to hire. To get ready, he even had new business cards made. "They're thicker stock," he says with a grin, "because we're planning on being around for a while."
You've grown so fast--too fast?
There's this quote by Mario Andretti: "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." I think that's relevant to building a company.
That sounds like it could backfire.
Well, you can't push all the boundaries at the same time. You leave it up to the team--and don't do the easy thing and get passive people who will work with you.
So what's Hara's contribution to sustainability?
The idea is that if we better manage the flow of data, we will create a greater good. Our message is fundamentally different from a political agenda, and what makes us unique is that we can address kilowatt-hours (kwh) in the lifetime of everyone sitting in this room. [A kilowatt-hour is how utilities measure the power supplied by one kilowatt for one hour.] The commercial and industrial sector in the U.S. uses 300 billion kwh a year, and I believe we can remove 50 billion to 70 billion.
Why did you pick the green space?
When I was a kid, my parents spent a lot of time in India, and the notion of being responsible around resources was very important. Delhi was a city designed for 1.5 million, and now the population is close to 12 million. Then one of my mentors, Shai Agassi, left SAP to start Better Place [a Palo Alto company that is developing an infrastructure to support electric vehicles], and I said to myself, "What do I want to do? And could I work on something that could resolve a significant problem?"
Delhi was in a kind of crisis management mode, though. Can you get people interested now?
It's good health to do energy now, but in 2007, you had oil trading at $185 a barrel. We've seen it stabilize, but we saw what could happen. People are asking themselves how much they care, and technology can drive energy efficiency in real scale and make massive change with minimal costs.
What's at stake?
If we move quickly to employ all of America's energy efficiency techniques, we could capture and potentially flatline the country's carbon footprint for 10 years--we could serve 9 billion people with the energy we have today.
What do you look for when you hire?
Everybody says hire great people. To me it means I trust that person to do this job better than I ever will or could. As a CEO and chief recruiting officer, you should be slow to hire. But when you find the right person, you need to know what motivates somebody to move in quick.
And when you've got them onboard?
You do everything you can to keep them happy and invested. Right around Christmas our first year together … we were sitting around a table and our chief architect told me that one thing different about [Hara] is that we shielded conflicts on the managerial level so the employees could focus on creating value. I was really touched.
You didn't have problems giving up ownership?
No. You have to give it away. Sometimes you get too much information and start acting daily instead of strategically. When you're trying to build a business, you can't worry about highs and lows while trying to design what the company will be. Some founders have 27, 30 reports because they want complete information, but … if you hire great people, it takes care of itself. You have to trust them to make 95 percent of the decisions and quibble over the other five.
Talent and money. Most people say the frugality is an untalked-about value at Hara. It's ingrained in the decision-making to stay at a hotel 5 miles out to save 50 to 100 bucks. Or to use teleconferencing to the point you need to make a relationship. Our senior vice president of sales says to spend every dollar as if it's yours.
So this nice new office …?
It's a cheap space! And we were patient. It took us months to find it.
Would you consider 2009's climate change conference in Copenhagen a disappointment?
It went horribly bad from a policy perspective, but we got a lot of value from it. Hara created a panel called "The View from Silicon Valley," and we were expecting maybe 35 people, but they were lined up the staircases. Everyone knew we were there, and I got invited to a lot of things, even a closed CEO session with Fortune 500 companies.
Why so much interest?
Anything you do has to have an ROI, and Hara makes it easy to design a strategy to find cost savings immediately. Silicon Valley has led market transformations before, but our message about energy [efficiency] was drowned out in a sea of carbon. But after Copenhagen, people who focused on fear and policy instead of cost savings took a hit.
You motivate corporations in two ways: fear or greed. It's hard to get people motivated if they're not going to live to see the result, but if you talk to corporations about profitability--spending $40 million now to save $60 million over the next three years--that becomes a compelling story for them. It's easy to talk about climate change, because there's a bad guy and a good guy in the carbon scenario, but … the problem is people tend to focus on academic solutions rather than figuring out how to do smart things to lower energy usage quickly.
Because when you think about supply side, you become paralyzed. The supply side requires $1 trillion in government investment, which has to happen for energy independence. So the demand side waits for solar panels to get cheaper, for windmills to pop up and other technologies that drive kilowatt-hours down.
If the government invests, what'll happen?
If we invest in the infrastructure, entrepreneurs will be born out of that. Back in the 1930s, when the government funded the construction of the national road system, what popped up? Mom-and-pop gas stations, retail sites--a whole new economy was born because of the American road. History repeats itself, and we should take that shot to solve it this way.
That was a pretty big gamble for those entrepreneurs.
Well, entrepreneurs have to balance between being a trailblazer and a pioneer. Trailblazers have the arrows in their backs--bigger companies can come along and kill their inventions--but pioneers come along and transform the platform.
What have you done to make sure Hara is in the second category?
We've opted not to participate in government agendas or partnership requests. Our mission is for our customers to see cost and kwh reductions, so we ask ourselves if this is going to benefit Safeway, News Corp or the City of Palo Alto. If we don't believe it does, we don't want to engage in that kind of dialogue.
Do you say no to potential customers?
We'll walk away from deals that drive us in the wrong direction, like if a company has inappropriate expectations or the organization is unwilling to change. When you're a small company, the number-one lesson is leveraging silence and "no," because it helps you create focus. What you do well is what you'll be defined for. Some of our current customers want us to go into areas we're not ready for yet, and we have to negotiate that carefully.
But your customers have also helped you expand.
Absolutely. Our launch customer was the City of Palo Alto. They were already thinking of energy and environment management and doing it in Excel, and when you have a customer whose vision matches yours, you accelerate innovation. They were using it to the bleeding edges, and they became sharp edges that helped us differentiate in the market. In March, we ran a customer summit with Al Gore as keynote speaker. We didn't know who would come, but we planned for 30. Over 100 showed up.
That seems to be a recurring theme.
It was the most inspiring moment. I felt that my company had grown up, and I was so wrought with emotion, it was hard for me to get through my speech. Our brand didn't exist nine months ago, and yet there were 100 people in the audience excited about interchanging ideas and talking about successes.
Yeah, after we launched, suddenly we were 18 people in six cubes in the basement [of Kleiner's building]. At that point we got the knock from Kleiner going, "OK, Amit, go find your own space."
Further evidence of your frugality?
It was the mother bird nudging the chick out of the nest. There was free catering there--it helped with the budget [laughs]. But we finally, begrudgingly to me, started paying for real estate in Redwood City.
And then in the next six months you captured 50 percent of the deals.
Well, we were looking at customer count, not revenue or market share, so we were focused maniacally on getting to 30 customers by December. The first time we unveiled the market data, you should have seen the sales guys' faces. They told me, "You forced us to do the unnatural!" But it was a very successful win, and suddenly it was, "Wow, we can do this."
So you don't care about the competition?
The mission should be the driver. You want to know what others are doing, but competition isn't going to make you better. It's about growing and how you convince more customers to use your product and service.
What are your plans for 2011?
I'm building a company to last, not to flip, and right now I'm looking at international expansion. We opened an office in the U.K. and are looking at other markets. Until we help utilities not have to build more power plants, we're not done, and our impact won't be fully acknowledged until we see kwh being reduced.
Who inspires you?
Jeff Bezos started Amazon around the same time I started Hara, age-wise, and has successfully navigated leadership and scale challenges at all levels, including a horrific economic downturn. And Steve Jobs. The most impressive version of Steve Jobs is when he co-ran Pixar and Apple. It's proof that the vision can be set by the CEO, but the team runs the execution that makes the company tick.
Any closing thoughts about where small businesses fit into the picture?
Hara is suited for more complex organizations, but a lot of things published by utilities or NGOs that relate to large homes can fit for small businesses. They're sometimes very quick fixes--insulation, thinking about how you leave lights on at night, power management for your PC, thinking about travel and how you do it. If you design those things into the process as a small company early, when you become large, it'll be part of your culture.
How Hara's software is driving change at these big-name organizations
|Carbon neutrality||Deployed a central platform that allows hundreds of users to share best practices and track progress across 1,000 facilities|
|Akamai||Establish a corporate sustainability framework||Modeled the company's complex network with 3,500 data lines, tracking energy use for thousands of data centers|
|Diebold||Reduce emission by 15 percent over the next five years||Automated the data collection process across different currencies and languages to forecast energy efficiency opportunities|
|Safeway||Reduce emissions by 6 percent in 2011||Consolidated data into a single platform for 1,800 stores, distribution centers and fuel stations|
|City of Philadelphia||Become the Greenest City in America by 2015||Set up a system to track and manage energy consumption and costs for 900 municipal buildings|
|
<urn:uuid:9dc3c1bb-2a31-4268-9936-b58426b946e6>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217706
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.966563
| 3,410
| 1.632813
| 2
|
It’s difficult to imagine, but outspoken Conservatives and believers could soon be targeted with anti-Government allegations. There are various winds and undercurrents troubling the waters. One of the winds is ordinary citizens peacefully expressing concerns about Administration policies. Sporadically such winds spiral into the appearance of squalls. It is when news cameras focus on a few Rightwing enthusiasts’ carrying reactionary signs depicting the President with demeaning caricatures. The undercurrent is intensified by those attempting to revolutionize the manner in which the Constitution is viewed. It is referred to as, “A living and breathing document.” The trouble is it is rapidly becoming subject to the whim interpretations of the ever-increasing liberalisms of successive Presidential administrations and the Leftwing bias of most news agencies. The administration of FDR initiated the liberal undercurrent; G. W. Bush’s fueled it; and the present administration is churning it into an undertow choking some Constitutional liberties. The closing of this article will feature 3 specific flirtations with violations of the Constitution.
Some Conservatives do at times have unbecoming, knee-jerk reactions to happenings in the political arena. An example might be the uproar about the President’s televised appearance to encourage school kids about the value of good educations. Countering assertions about how such encouragements could be beneficial are not without justification. It is appropriate to disagree with many of his policies. In doing so, we should not dismiss his diligence towards commendable educational aspirations and accomplishments as lacking motivational qualities for youngsters.
The current ideological, nation-influencing concoction brewing in Washington is unnerving. The potion’s brew-master is an administration with disproportionate numbers of appointees with Leftwing and even Marxists sympathies. In a multiplicity of ways, their respective agendas are far-reaching tentacles seeking to smother most every point of American traditional values. We have a FCC Diversity Czar viewing freedom of speech, the press and private media ownership as overrated and disruptive to the national good. He exalts Chavez of Venezuela as a prime example about how the media should be handled. The Speaker of the House is asserting she will push her cronies to pass Health Care legislation contended by large sectors of the nation. There was a posting on one of the President’s websites echoing sentiments voiced by all too many about policy opponents: In effect it labeled the naysayers as domestic terrorists subverting the Democratic process. The posting was removed, but nonetheless reveals the underbelly of prevalent attitudes.
All of the above could set the stage for overzealous liberal members of Congress to misapply a Constitutional Law. Article 1, Section 9, Clause 2 states: “The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.” The clause has a big “unless”. It does not define what constitutes a rebellion and it does not provide any guidelines on what can be interpreted as best for the public’s safety. Thus those suspected of inciting a rebellion endangering the public safety could be detained without specific formal charges being filed.
The usage of words such as rebellion and subverting/subversive could become dangerously broad. Subversive can be defined as intentions to undermine an established government, a rebellion. Outspoken Conservatives and believers might be considered rebellious endangerments to public safety. All it would take is for the biased Leftwing Media, the Administration and the Congress coupled with a like-minded Judiciary to concur with faulty interpretations. If so, many considered antagonists could find themselves detained. Overnight that which they thought part of every American’s First Amendment Right to express grievances about the government could be alleged as un-American activities.
You might think such eventualities impossible. If so, peruse the flirtations with violations to the Constitution now in progress.
1) Past and present Presidential Administrations and Congress have way overspent. One of the stated goals of the Constitution is insure future generations have the freedom to pursue happiness. It’s going to be hard for our posterity to do so with the weight of a National Debt of $21 trillion to foreign and domestic creditors encumbering them by 2020AD. - We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
2) The appointment of Czars with accountability solely to the President to positions normally filled by recipients of Congressional approval and accountable to Congress. – Article 2; Section 2; Clause 2: …….all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
3) It is the responsibility of members of Congress to write all legislation and for their fellows to argue such before such are passed into Law. The Stimulus Package was not composed by a member of Congress. Senator Harry Reid credited the Apollo Alliance with carrying a primary weight in the task. A co-founder of the Alliance is the avowed Communist and recently resigned Green Czar, Van Jones. Its NY wing is headed by the co-founder of the Weatherman Underground Organization, Jeff Jones. - To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
In such times as these it is fitting for believers to pray with specificity for our government. Ask the Lord to have mercy on our Republic. Call for the Holy Spirit to expose any unrighteous plots and to depose those conjuring the same. Envision such being replaced by leaders with hearts submissive to God’s will for our nation wielding inspired wisdom. Perhaps you will want to join me in one of my prayers. It is for President Obama to apologize publicly for any part his administration and hostile members of his party have played in name calling. A great step towards calming the waters would be contrition about labeling citizen policy opponents as domestic terrorists.
A concerned citizen
|
<urn:uuid:e5b534ed-aaeb-4df5-a649-d00571ea793d>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.jnnnews.com/report_2009_09_12.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.949726
| 1,325
| 1.625
| 2
|
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12234
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE STUDENT AID
Questions and Answers from Statewide Conferences Held in November 1982
In November 1982, the State Education Department and the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association co-sponsored a series of seven statewide conferences on the subject of "Academic Requirements for State Student Aid." At each conference, staff from the department reviewed the requirements, and representatives from the Office of the State Comptroller discussed preliminary findings from a number of test audits of institutional compliance with Commissioner's Regulations on good academic standing and attendance. In the formal presentations, these two general points were stressed:
(1) Institutions must establish and publish policies, and maintain clear, accurate records pertaining to such items as waivers and waiver use; treatment of transfer and readmitted students who have lost good academic standing; and verification each term that a student has met (or failed to meet) standards of pursuit and progress.
(2) Institutional officials are responsible for providing students with information and advice about all academic requirements, particularly those which affect financial aid eligibility.
In addition to providing a forum for the thorough review of implementation questions and concerns, the conferences also served to identify a number of academic issues that are inextricably linked to State student aid and therefore warrant careful review. Those noted below, and others, are amplified in the summary of conference questions:
-the need to have clear definitions of admissions requirements;
-the need to maintain an adequate record of grade changes, including dates and the instructor's authorization, for the purpose of documenting a student's eligibility at the time of award certification;
-the need to have criteria for ascertaining a student's academic deficiencies in order to prescribe appropriate remedial coursework;
-the need for an academic policy that differentiates between college-level, credit-bearing courses and those which are pre-college-level remedial courses which, according to The Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, may not carry credit;
-the need to establish the credit equivalency of non-credit remedial work, based on the definition of semester hour in Regulations;
-the need to maintain a record of remedial non-credit courses, if such courses are not indicated on the student's permanent academic transcript;
-the need to maintain a record of credits accrued and applicable to a specific program in which a student is currently enrolled.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of conference questions and answers that we hope will be useful to institutional academic policymakers as well as to those campus administrators responsible for State student aid. The questions and answers are divided into two main sections as follows:
I. Academic Requirements (Pursuit and Progress) for Students Who Received Their First State Award in Academic Year 1981-82 or Thereafter
II. Other General Questions
If you have a question about any information in this paper or have other questions about academic requirements for State student aid which are not covered, please contact the Office of College and University Evaluation, Room 5N Mezzanine, Education Building, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234. Telephone calls can be directed to (518) 474-2593.
I. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS (PURSUIT AND PROGRESS) FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED THEIR FIRST STATE AWARD IN ACADEMIC YEAR 1981-82 OR THEREAFTER
PROGRAM PURSUIT AND SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS
Question: To what extent does an institution have to publish a detailed explanation of the new academic requirements for State awards?
Answer: Institutions must establish and publish their standards and policies with respect to State student financial assistance. If detailed information is not provided in the catalog, a summary statement should appear which indicates where complete information may be obtained.
Q. Is the pursuit requirement the same for all students, including those in opportunity programs? After 4 semesters of TAP, is everyone at the 100% pursuit level?
A. Yes, to both questions.
Q. Why can't pursuit be included on the satisfactory academic progress chart of credits accrued and cumulative grade point average?
A. As established in the Regulations, program pursuit must be determined independently from satisfactory academic progress. It is a measure of effort-- coursework completed, whether passed or failed--rather than achievement (credits earned). Pursuit is absolute. It is keyed to the number of payments a student has received regardless of the school the student is attending, the number of credits the student has earned, or other factors which may change a student's placement on the satisfactory academic progress chart. Keying pursuit to the progress chart could prove especially confusing for transfer students, for whom the number of payments and credits accrued might not "line up." If an institution wishes to indicate the pursuit requirement on the same page as the progress chart, we suggest a narrative footnote such as:
Satisfactory program pursuit is defined as receiving a passing or failing grade in a certain percentage of a full-time courseload in each term for which an award is received. The percentage increases from 50% of the minimum full-time courseload in each term of study in the first year for which an award is received, to 75% of the minimum full-time courseload in each term of study in the second year for which an award is received, to 100% of the minimum full-time courseload in each term thereafter.
Q. In a transfer or readmit situation, is there an assessment of pursuit?
A. The fact of a student's transfer or readmission does not alter the student's pursuit requirement. The pursuit level a student must meet in the first term at a new institution is based on the total number of State award payments a student has received, excluding STAP payments, as defined in the Regulations.
Q. If a student is at the 100% pursuit level, enrolls for 15 semester hours, and then drops to 12 semester hours, has that student failed to meet program pursuit?
A. No. The Regulations require that the student complete a certain percentage of the minimum full-time load. The minimum full-time load at a semester-based institution is 12 semester hours. Therefore, the student at the 100% pursuit level must complete 12 semester hours, not 100% of the semester hours that may be the "normal" full-time load at an institution.
Q. What is the pursuit requirement for graduate students?
A The level of pursuit a student must meet depends on the total number of payments the student has received. If a first-time graduate student had received two undergraduate semester payments, that student would be at the 75% pursuit level in the first term of graduate study. If the student had received no undergraduate TAP, the student would be at the 50% pursuit level in the first term of graduate study. Similarly, if the student received four or more undergraduate TAP payments, the student would be at the 100% pursuit level from the first term of graduate study onward.
Q #9; How do you monitor pursuit and progress for a student receiving a half-time accelerated TAP payment?
A. To determine the proper placement on the progress chart for students receiving a half-payment for accelerated study, follow the procedure of "rounding down" to the nearest whole payment. For example, if a student has received 2 semester payments plus a half summer award, he has used up 2-1/2 terms of TAP eligibility. In the following fall (rounding down from 2-1/2 to 2), he will be seeking his third TAP payment. If, after again receiving fall and spring payments (award #'s 3-1/2 and 4-1/2) a student gets a second summer half payment, the student has now used a total of 5 terms of TAP eligibility: four semester awards plus two (half) summer payments. The student will therefore be seeking a sixth payment the following fall and will have to have met the credit accrual requirement for the sixth award to be eligible for payment.
Pursuit is determined every term whether the student is full time or part time. After the student has received four TAP payments, whether for full-time or part-time study or a combination, the student is at the 100% pursuit level.
A full semester award payment for accelerated study (for a course load of at least 12 semester hours) is treated like any other full-time award. In such cases, the student would have to meet the program pursuit requirement for the payment level being received. For example, if a student received fall and spring payments as the first and second awards, and then received a full summer award, the summer term pursuit requirement would be at the 75% level.
NOTE: Only those students who are in good academic standing and were full time in the preceding term or will be full time in the succeeding term are eligible for a half-time accelerated award.
Q. What is the relationship between credits and payment points?
A. The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, which administers the State's student aid programs, uses a point system to indicate the number of State award payments a student has received. The student must meet good academic standing requirements based on the number of payments received. Therefore, the number of payment points must be converted to payments. Then the number of payments received will indicate the student's placement on the chart of satisfactory academic progress and thus the number of credits a student must earn.
Q. What is meant by "beneficial placement?"
A. Beneficial placement means that a transfer student, or student in good standing who is changing programs, may be repositioned on the chart of satisfactory academic progress based either on the number of payments received or credits earned, whichever is more beneficial to the student.
Q If a student is already at the 100% pursuit level, what difference does beneficial placement on the chart make?
A. Beneficial placement does not have a bearing on the pursuit requirement. If the student has received 4 or more State award payments, the student is at the 100% pursuit level and must complete the minimum 12 semester hours (in a semester-based institution). However, to satisfy the pursuit requirement, the student may get passing, failing or incomplete grades; since failing or incomplete grades do not add to the number of credits earned, placement at a lower point on the chart of progress where credits accrue at a more gradual rate may still be to the student's benefit.
Q. What are the pursuit and progress requirements for a student beginning a second associate degree?
A. For a student beginning a second associate degree, the pursuit of program requirement is based on the number of award payments the student had received in the past. For example, if the student received four semester awards while completing the first degree, the student would be at the 100% pursuit level in the first semester of the new degree program. In terms of placement on the satisfactory academic progress chart, if the student is permitted to apply a certain number of credits from the prior degree toward the second degree, then the student would be placed either according to payments received or credits granted, whichever is more beneficial to the student. If no credits from the prior degree apply to the second degree program and the student is beginning with 0 credits, the student would be placed at the first point on the chart.
TRANSFERS AND READMITS
Q. If a student goes part time for a term, what are the student's pursuit and progress requirements upon return?
A. Any work taken at the student's own expense and creditable toward completion of the student's program may be added to the student's total credits earned and cumulative grade point average. Pursuit is based on payments; whether a student satisfies the requirement is determined by performance in a prior term for which an award is received.
Q. If a student receives TAP in the fall, meets good academic standing requirements, and then takes a leave of absence for the spring, how is the student's eligibility determined for the following fall?
A. If the student was eligible for a subsequent award in the last term the student was enrolled, the student would still be in good standing upon return from a leave of absence.
Q. Are students who have lost good standing and are readmitted after an absence from school of at least one calendar year candidates for beneficial placement?
A. Yes. Students who have lost good academic standing, are absent from school for at least one calendar year, and are then readmitted by the institution, may be placed on the chart of satisfactory academic progress based either on the number of credits earned or payments received, whichever is more beneficial to the student. The student's pursuit requirement, however, would be determined by the total number of award payments the student had received.
Q. How are payments tracked for students who have attended a registered private business school and then transfer to a degree-granting institution?
A. The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation assigns payment points for payments received at a registered private business school in the same fashion as awards received at a degree-granting institution. Therefore, the payment points shown on the certification roster would determine the student's pursuit requirement and may also be used to determine the beneficial placement for the student on the satisfactory academic progress chart.
Q. If an institution determines from the payment roster that a student has received a prior State award, but the institution did not receive a transcript or other information from the student about prior schooling, will the State release the name of the prior school?
A. This is a question for the Higher Education Services Corporation. The Corporation maintains a payment history on each student who receives a State award. However, in view of legislation governing the rights of privacy, we don't know whether the Corporation can release the information about a student's prior schooling. An institution does have the right to ask the student about the prior award and then pursue the issue of prior academic work.
Q. What is the logic of permitting a student who loses good standing to transfer to another institution without needing to be granted a waiver, but requiring a student in the same situation to use a waiver to make a similar change of program within an institution?
A. Originally, when the Regulations were in draft, a waiver was needed if a student lost good academic standing and transferred to another institution. However, the case was made during public hearings on the proposed Regulations that because of difficulties in obtaining transcripts from prior institutions as well as the time-consuming process of evaluation, it was often difficult to make a decision about admitting or accepting a student's prior coursework in time to certify the student for the first term in a new institution. Therefore, in lieu of needing a waiver, a student who satisfies admissions criteria and is accepted by a new institution is deemed eligible for a State award payment for the initial term upon entry. In such instances, reliance is placed on institutional adherence to sound admissions procedures. The above reasons are not justified in the case of the student who has lost good standing and is changing from one program to another in the same institution.
Q. What happens in the case of the transfer student who comes with 45-60 credits but needs remedial work?
A. A student may be certified for TAP even though the student may need some remedial coursework. The Regulations governing full-time study permit a student to take up to 6 non-credit equivalent units in remedial work as part of the minimum full-time load and still be eligible for a State award payment.
Q. What happens with that same student who has received many credits and is taking some remedial non-credit work? The student may not meet the credit accrual requirements for satisfactory academic progress.
A. A student in that situation may need to take more than the minimum full-time load in order to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements.
Q. If a student subject to the new Regulations transfers, can the grade point average for courses completed at a prior institution be computed in an overall grade point average for TAP purposes at the new institution?
A. At its discretion, an institution may establish a policy that the grade point average for prior academic work accepted in transfer will be added to the grade point average for work completed at a new institution for purposes of determining the student's eligibility for financial aid. Such a policy would have to apply to all students receiving State student aid.
Q. What credits are considered in placing a transfer student on the chart of satisfactory academic progress--all credits, or only those applicable toward the degree?
A. In accepting credits completed by a transfer student at another institution, a school should accept only those credits that it will apply toward a degree. Therefore, the student's placement on the chart of satisfactory academic progress will be based only on credits applicable toward the degree program in which the student enrolls at the new institution. In the case of the student who enters with a number of credits but who has not decided on a definite major, the institution, in consultation with the student, must make the decision to accept all credits that may be applicable toward one or more degrees at the receiving institution. At the point when the student determines a specific major or degree program, and assuming the student is in good academic standing for purposes of State student financial assistance, the student may be repositioned on the chart of satisfactory progress based on an evaluation of the credits which will now be applicable towards the degree program in which the student is enrolling.
Q. Is an institution expected to determine if a transfer student left a prior institution in good academic standing?
A. Financial aid officials are not expected to determine whether a student left a prior institution in good academic standing. The student is eligible for an initial term upon transfer to a new institution if, in the admissions process, the student's academic record as known to the institution has been reviewed, the institution believes that it has the capacity to offer what the student needs, and the institution believes that the student has the capacity to undertake a program of study.
Q. If a transfer student is dismissed from a prior institution, is that student eligible for a State award at the receiving institution?
A. Yes. The student is eligible for the initial term upon entry. In that first term however, the student must be informed of the academic requirements to be met to be eligible for a subsequent award payment.
Q. How do you treat a transfer student coming in with 12 semester hours for whom the certification roster shows four TAP payments received?
A. The student who is being admitted with only 12 semester hours of credit but 4 TAP payments would be placed on the chart of satisfactory academic progress based on the number of credits accepted in transfer rather than the number of TAP payments received. The principle of beneficial placement would put this student at the lower end of the progress chart where credits may be accrued at a more gradual rate.
Q. What happens when a student changes programs, loses credits in transfer, and is left with poorer grades?
A. A student cannot lose good academic standing by transferring from one program to another, even if in transfer the student may lose credits that would have resulted in a higher grade point average.
Q. If a student is repositioned on the chart of satisfactory academic progress, for example, as the result of transfer, does this mean the student has more than 8 semesters of undergraduate TAP?
A. Education Law limits a student to four years of undergraduate TAP, or five years for students in approved five-year programs. (However, students in two-year programs are limited to 3 years of TAP.) Statute limits graduate TAP to no more than four years; in no case shall a student receive more than 8 years of TAP, total. Therefore, repositioning on the chart of satisfactory progress does not alter the student's total State award eligibility.
Q. Must an institution publish its waiver policy?
A. The institution must have a written policy statement about the granting of waivers, but that statement need not be published in the catalog.
Q. Must a student be granted a waiver when a program change results in the loss of some credits earned previously?
A. If a student is in good academic standing at the time the student wishes to make a program change, the student does not need to be granted a waiver. If necessary, the student may be repositioned on the satisfactory academic progress chart.
Q. If a student is granted a waiver under the Supplemental Tuition Assistance Program (STAP), is that student still eligible for the one-time undergraduate TAP waiver under the new Regulations concerning pursuit and progress?
Q. Can an institution have a policy of no waivers?
A. The responsibility for granting a waiver rests with the institution. While a policy of granting no waivers may be rather harsh, there are no established procedures by which students may complain that the waiver was not granted.
Q. Why is there no way to indicate to the Higher Education Services Corporation that a waiver has been used for students who receive TAP prior to 1981?
A. The institution must retain a record of whether a waiver is available, when it is granted, and the reasons for which it is granted. The Higher Education Services Corporation will record waivers granted only to students under the new Regulations concerning pursuit and progress. A pre-1981 TAP recipient may receive more than one waiver if institutional policy permits more than one.
Q. Can an institution grant a student one waiver for failure to meet the pursuit requirement and another waiver if the student should fail to meet satisfactory progress?
A. No, unless one waiver was granted while the student was an undergraduate and the second while a graduate student. Under the new Regulations, the student is entitled to only one waiver as an undergraduate and one waiver as a graduate student.
Q. How can a student who has lost good academic standing regain eligibility under the new Regulations?
A. There are four methods by which a student subject to the new Regulations who has lost good academic standing can regain eligibility. The student may:
(1) make up the deficiencies without benefit of State support. For example, if a student was at the 75% pursuit level (requiring completion of 9 semester hours) but received a grade in only 6 semester hours, i.e., 3 credits short, the student could take and complete a 3-credit course at his own expense and make up that deficiency.
(2) apply for and be granted a waiver.
(3) be readmitted to the institution after an absence of at least one calendar year by meeting the institution's academic requirements.
(4) transfer to another institution where the student must meet the new institution's admissions requirements.
Q. If the student is dismissed and goes part time for a year at his own expense but does not make up prior deficiencies, is that student eligible upon enrolling full time after the year?
A. No. The student must be absent from school for one calendar year. However, it is highly unlikely that a student studying part time at his own expense for a year would not make up a prior shortfall in pursuit or progress. Indeed, if such part-time study were so unsuccessful, it is probably best that the student not return to a full-time program at the school.
Q. If a student is dismissed based on failure to meet an institution's minimum academic requirements (which may be more rigorous than those established for TAP) but has met the TAP standards, when is the student again eligible for TAP?
A. If a student has met TAP standards but is dismissed based on an academic standard that is higher than the TAP minimum, the student is eligible for TAP immediately upon readmission.
Q. Can a student who loses good academic standing regain eligibility by changing programs?
A. A student who has lost good standing may not regain eligibility by changing within an institution from one program to another. Such students can regain eligibility only by being granted a waiver, by making up deficiencies at their own expense, or by being readmitted to the school after an absence of at least one calendar year.
Q. If a student who is in good standing changes from one program to another within an institution, may that student be repositioned on the chart of satisfactory academic progress to the student's benefit?
Q. How many payments can a student receive at a two-year institution?
A. Education Law limits undergraduate award payments to three years for students in two-year (associate) degree programs. Students are bound by that same limit whether enrolled in a certificate program or a second associate degree program. A fourth year of undergraduate TAP is available only to students in baccalaureate programs.
Q. How does an incomplete grade affect a student's eligibility for a subsequent award?
A. Incomplete grades may be used to satisfy the pursuit requirement if the incomplete will change to a passing or failing grade by the end of the following semester. If, at the time of certification, a student has one or more incomplete grades, but nevertheless meets the satisfactory academic progress and program pursuit requirements for a subsequent award, the student can be certified. If, however, at the time of certification a student with an incomplete grade does meet satisfactory academic progress requirements, we suggest delaying certification until the incomplete grade is resolved. An institution may also discuss with the student the option of applying for a waiver should the outcome of the incomplete grade not be sufficient to make the student eligible.
Q. Might not students complain that they were unfairly dismissed from school because, although they didn't meet the institution's rigorous academic requirements, they still met the TAP standard?
A. To be eligible for a State award, a student must be matriculated in a degree or certificate program at an institution. If the student is dismissed based on failure to meet an institution's academic requirements, that student is no longer matriculated and is ineligible for aid on that basis, regardless of whether the student may still meet the minimum academic requirements for TAP. The TAP standards apply only to students allowed to continue at an institution.
II. OTHER GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q. Can all students be subject to a single standard for determining good academic standing?
A. Yes. Institutions that wish to avoid the complexity of having two sets of standards, one for students who received an award prior to 1981-82 and another for students receiving an award in 1981-82 or thereafter, may choose to adopt program pursuit and satisfactory academic progress requirements as their institutional policy of good academic standing for prior award recipients. Institutions that do choose to adopt program pursuit and satisfactory academic progress requirements for all students need not be concerned with the attendance requirement.
Q. If a pre-1981 award recipient would qualify under the old Regulations, based on the original institutional statement of good academic standing, but the institution is now on the single standard which the student fails to meet, can the old standard be used for that student?
A. No, but consideration could be given to use of the single waiver.
Q. If a student completes all requirements for a degree, doesn't file for the degree, and doesn't graduate but continues to take courses, can the student be certified for TAP?
A. In order to be certified for TAP, a student must be matriculated for a degree and taking courses that are applicable toward a degree. If a student has completed all requirements for one degree, and has not formally matriculated in another degree program, that student should not be certified for TAP.
Q. If a student completes one degree, can the student continue to receive TAP for a second degree at the same level?
A. A student with remaining TAP eligibility can receive TAP for a second undergraduate degree at the same level; however, the student can receive TAP for only one graduate degree at the same level.
Q. If a student is receiving two degrees, in a 3-2 engineering program for example, is the student eligible for 5 years of TAP?
A. No. Approved five-year programs for purposes of TAP are those single degree programs that require five years of academic study to complete. A five-year path to a four-year degree is not considered an approved five-year program for purposes of TAP, nor is the combination of 2 four-year degrees into one five-year program.
Q. Are students who have not declared a major eligible for TAP?
A. A student who is admitted as a matriculated student but has not declared a major can be considered enrolled in one or more degree programs at the institution and thus eligible for TAP. However, students in a two-year program must declare a major within 30 days of the end of the add/drop period in the second year of the program or by the same point in the third year of a four-year program.
Q. If a student must drop out of school for medical reasons, how is the student's TAP award affected?
A. A student who is forced to leave school for medical reasons may be granted an extension to complete work that could not be completed in a single term. Regulations provide that a student may have one or more terms to make up the work ordinarily to be completed in a single term. The student receives one term payment, but may have additional time to complete the minimum full-time load. The student will not receive an additional award for the extra time needed to complete work. Satisfactory progress and pursuit requirements would apply to the full load and would be determined at the completion of the period the student is granted to complete the minimum full-time load.
Q. Can a student repeat a failed course and have that course considered part of the full-time course load for TAP?
Q. If the student is taking courses at another institution as part of the full-time load, does the home institution have to maintain documentation of the student's performance?
A. The "home" institution must approve courses taken elsewhere as part of the full-time load as acceptable toward its degree, must receive tuition for the courses taken elsewhere, and maintain documentation of the student's performance. In the case of students attending summer session, the institution the student attends in the summer makes the determination about eligibility for an accelerated summer award, providing the "home" institution has approved the courses as applicable toward its degree.
Q. What is the applicability of TAP requirements of good academic standing to student loans?
A. The Department's good academic standing requirements do not apply to student loans. Questions concerning loan eligibility should be directed to the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.
Q. At what point should students be reviewed for TAP eligibility?
A. Students must be reviewed each term to determine whether they meet the good academic standing requirements for a subsequent payment. This review should take place at a point when the student's grades for the term are final. It is in the student's best interest that this occur before the start of another term.
Q. How can programs be approved by the State Education Department but ineligible for TAP?
A. In addition to specific instances, there are two general categories of programs that can be approved and registered by the State Education Department but which are nevertheless ineligible for TAP. These two categories are: (1) credit-bearing programs of study in Theology or Religious Education that seek to provide professional training; and (2) diploma or certificate programs of less than one academic year's duration (i.e., fewer than 24 semester hours). These programs must be approved and registered by the Department, but they are ineligible for TAP.
The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, or sex in the educational programs and activities which it operates. This policy is in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries concerning this policy may be referred to the Departments Affirmative Action Officer, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234.
|
<urn:uuid:5f34202c-967e-49f3-b8e2-c54b999cceae>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/lrp/conference_summary.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.960827
| 6,598
| 1.53125
| 2
|
The history of Yelloway Motor Services can be traced
back to around 1902 when Robert Holt, then aged 21, left his job with the
Lancashire and Yorkshire railway and commenced a parcels delivery service in
the Rochdale area using a pony and cart. Robert had secured a contract to
deliver newspapers and stationary for the firm of Edwards & Bryning
(Printers, Publishers and Stationers) Ltd., Rochdale. Edwards & Brynings were
later to be the main supplier of tickets/brochures/timetables/posters and
stationary for the Yelloway company.
In an attempt to earn additional revenue, when the lorries would otherwise be idle, interchangeable char-a-banc bodies were made on the premises to enable the lorries to be converted into passenger pleasure vehicles for use at weekends. The first vehicle to be converted into a char-a-banc was Holt Bros. second brand new Foden steam lorry which was used with a convertible body from 1910.
The pleasure steamer actually made it's first trip two weeks previous but it was
notable as a complete disaster!. The converted steamer had taken a party
of 35 to Hollingworth Lake, Nr Littleborough, Lancs and on it's arrival there it
was quite amusing to see the passengers faces who had been sitting on the first
few rows of seats, they were as black as coal when they stepped down from the
vehicle. They had been in full line of fire from the soot and smoke which was belching
from the chimney stack. The return journey, which was mentioned in a local
newspaper report as "A Thrilling Experience" was also notable as a
complete washout. On leaving Hollingworth Lake a torrential downpour soaked the
passengers to the skin, many of them jumped from the steamer to seek protection
from the heavy rain and in the rush to get down from the vehicle, which was
still moving, arms and legs were broken.
The company extended its operations into Manchester by opening a depot on Queens Road, Cheetham, although moves into Oldham were hampered by the Council's opinion that a Rochdale company was not local. As a result licences were not forthcoming, so a separate company, Holts of Oldham Ltd, was registered on 22nd April 1919, although in practice it was operated as a subsidiary of Holt Bros (Rochdale) Ltd. A depot was established at the Mumps, where the Oldham fleet was housed.
Situated amongst the mill towns of the North West of England, the coaching business was found to be particularly seasonal, dependent mainly upon the annual 'Wakes Week' holidays, which differed from town to town. Tours and excursions were limited mainly to summer Sundays because of the demands of the mill owners, which required their staff to work a long six-day week. As a result, the Company resorted to 'pirating' tactics common amongst operators of the period. Although legitimately licensed for operations out of Oldham, Rochdale and Manchester, the Company targeted departing passengers from the surrounding towns by descending in force at the commencement of the local Wakes Week hoping to entice holidaymakers aboard their charabancs. In addition, local agencies were set up which helped to fill the coaches with pre-booked passengers. This sort of operation was, understandably, not popular with the legitimate local operators, but made up a good proportion of the Company's business in the early years.
The limitations of 'pirate' tactics were soon realised by Robert Holt, who decided to expand into stage carriage services. In April 1921, he applied for licences to run a stage carriage service from Rochdale Town Hall to Wardle, via Hollingworth Lake. Although refused by Rochdale Corporation, there is evidence that a service of sorts was run, although probably as an excursion, and it is likely that the double-deck Dennis vehicle was used. Holt Bros was, by now, known locally as the 'Yellow Buses'.
At a meeting of Saddleworth UDC in April 1923, Robert Holt applied for licences to run a stage carriage service between County End, Lees and Grains Bar connecting the UDC with Oldham trams. Saddleworth did not see the necessity of issuing licences but gave the service its blessing. The service had commenced by July 1923, although it was now operating to Waterhead instead of Grains Bar as agreed. By the end of 1923 the following routes would appear to have been in operation; High Crompton to New Hey, via Shaw and Ogden; Denshaw to Mytholmroyd; Waterhead to Denshaw; New Hey to Denshaw, and Shaw to Delph, some of the mileage being in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
The following year, however, the North Western Road Car Company was granted licences to operate in competition with Holt Bros in Saddleworth. Problems with continued licensing and pressure from the local councils caused Holt Bros to cease their service. North Western also gained licences to run against the service through High Crompton and this too ceased, although not until the spring of 1925, by which time Holt Bros had withdrawn from stage carriage services altogether.
By this time, the fleet was beginning to show signs of wear and tear and with the loss of the stage carriage services more reliance was now placed on tours and excursions from Rochdale. In 1926 the Company took delivery of its first 'luxury' coaches. Based on the Reo 'Major' chassis, they were bodied by Lewis & Crabtree of Heywood. Further Reo's arrived in 1927 and 1928, by which time the fleetname 'Yelloway Services' had appeared for the first time.
In the autumn of 1927 premises at Weir Street, in the centre of Rochdale, were acquired, which were used as a garage and departure station. On the 26th November 1927 an express service between Rochdale and Manchester was introduced, in competition with Rochdale and Manchester Corporations. At the same time licences for an express service to Blackpool were sought and a new depot and terminus on Central Drive was opened.
On the 1st October 1928 an ambitious express service linking Blackpool with London commenced, but the lightweight Reo's were considered unsuitable for the arduous schedules and a number of Tilling-Stevens chassis were purchased. In later years the London route was served by a network of 'feeder' coaches enabling connections with many Lancashire towns.
A new express route to Devon was introduced on 18th May 1929 to cater for the peak summer holiday traffic, although it had to be suspended in October for the winter, even though attempts were made to continue a weekly service to Torquay.
In 1930 the Transport Act came into force, regulating bus and coach operations for the first time. In order to be granted licences for the services each operator was running it was necessary to provide evidence that the services were indeed run and that passengers were carried. It was perhaps an unfortunate time to introduce such legislation for an economic slump took place in the same year, steering a vast number of operators perilously close to extinction. Holt Bros purchased the goodwill of Manchester General Travel Bookings from Stephen Wade in 1930, who subsequently re-commenced operations from a new address in July of the same year, although the services he operated seemed to have ceased by August. The acquisition of the agency brought with it premises in Mosley Street, Manchester and from thereon London and Blackpool bound coaches called here and also at the Peter Street premises Holt Bros had opened the previous year. When the Torquay route re-commenced it too called here.
Throughout 1930 every effort was made by the company to attract business, but financial returns continued to fall short of expectations. In order to save costs the placement of nationwide advertising ceased and the two Manchester offices were closed. The creditors involved in hire purchase arrangements with the coach fleet were pressing for payment and a Receiver was appointed. Many of the vehicles were re-possessed leaving the Company with a motley assortment of vehicles. On the 28th November 1930, a meeting proposed that the Company should be placed into voluntary liquidation, but the resolution was not passed and for the time being the Company soldiered on.
By 1931 there were signs that it may be possible to purchase the Company back from the creditors and in March a deal was struck enabling the creditors to be paid back and the Company re-purchased. The shares of Robert Holt and his wife were acquired by a consortium of Maurice Edwards (a director of local company Bromilow & Edwards), John Barlow, an associate of Edwards, and Herbert Allen. The new Board immediately set about putting the company back on its feet again. The first priority was to re-purchase as many of the vehicles as necessary that had been re-possessed, and accordingly several of these were back in service by the summer of 1931. The new owners still faced an uncertain future as the regulations introduced under the 1930 Road Traffic Act were implemented by the Traffic Commissioners.
On the 9th April 1932, the company was
© Dave Haddock 2003-10
|
<urn:uuid:ef5877d2-aea4-4687-a9d3-f73d350d1aac>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.yellowaymotorcoachmuseum.co.uk/history1.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.98535
| 1,895
| 1.679688
| 2
|
Although a golf swing is a fluid motion, the process can actually be broken into steps which can be practiced individually in an effort to help you gain a swing as good as Tiger Woods'. While the effectiveness of your swing is unlikely to match that of the real Tiger Woods, you can work on practicing the swing to resemble his, dramatically increasing your golfing success in the process. Breaking your swing into different steps is the best way to manage it, allowing you to work on small techniques individually. When you combine it all, you should have a fluid, efficient golf swing that will result in lower scores. To help you get a golf swing like Tiger Woods, read below for more tips.
One of the most overlooked parts of a golf swing is the grip. Before you even move the club, your grip will tell a lot about how effective the swing will be. A great swinging motion is nothing if the grip is wrong. A lot of players actually strike the ball well, but their results suffer due to the position of their hands on the club. For the best results, use a grip that is neutral. This means the palms of both your hands face each other. Make sure you are holding the club in the middle of your fingers, not with your palms. Lastly, use a medium-pressured grip that allows you to securely hold onto the club, but not so tightly that you cannot properly maneuver the club head with your wrists.
Another important aspect of a golf swing that takes place before any motion is your stance. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart, with minimal knee bend. Keep your back straight with no slouching, instead bending at the hips. Your arms should drop straight down so that your hands are in the middle of your body.
When it is time to actually swing, the most important thing to remember is to let the club do the work. You want to maintain a medium-pressured grip with your fingers, but allow your wrists to be relaxed. This will let the club move with ease and will actually allow for a stronger shot. Loose wrists also let you move the club in such a manner so that the head hits the ball as it is moving down. Most people think the club should be moving upwards when the head strikes the ball, but this is not the case. Instead, a club head that is going down when it strikes the ball maximizes force and puts an efficient spin on the ball.
Lastly, make sure your weight is shifting back as the club moves back, then forward when the club moves forward. This will actually cause your head to move slightly, dispelling the notion that you should keep your head still. Your head will move, but it should remain focused downward on the ball. If you try to keep your head from moving, you will develop a swing that is inefficient. Regardless of the stage of your swing, though, the only way to improve it is with countless hours of practice.
|
<urn:uuid:d5928276-0e35-4437-981c-6406f4112be1>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.ask.com/explore/how-get-golf-swing-tiger-woods
|
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
| 0.949114
| 596
| 1.835938
| 2
|
Share ideas that matter on the social web and experience
the benefits of curating the world's best content.
I don't have a Facebook, a Twitter or a LinkedIn account
Hugh Hart: "The makers of docs in contention for Oscar nominations talk about activating audiences after they leave the theater."
How to convert an audience from observer to advocate for your cause.
A look at the different ways documentary filmmakers are using online engagement to further real world goals.
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Lucas J.W. Johnson: "An article today on NPR about fantasy world-building suggests that what was once for the most outcast of nerds is (along with general geekdom) gaining more widespread acceptance [...]"
Lucas Johnson provides a transmedia context to yesterday's scoop: At Home In Fantasy's Nerd-Built Worlds.
Lucas J.W. Johnson: "But it’s not just about what people will pay for, in the sense of money. It also addresses any time the audience is asked for something — their time, their attention, their action, whether that be liking a Facebook page or following you on Twitter (and putting up with your updates on their news feed), participating in an interactive story, or moving from one medium to another. You have to ask — what is the audience getting from that? And is it something they want?"
"For those who don’t know, Interactive Fiction is the term used to describe story/games like the classic old text adventure games, like Zork. Rather than using a graphic interface to play a video game, it was all text based"...
[Following on from his article @scoopit http://bit.ly/yu1Ob4 Lucas J. W. Johnson discusses "interactive" versus "authorial" story structure in game design. He also suggests that transmedia may provide the best of both "storytelling" worlds.
Note: it's interesting to compare Lucas' post with that of Tadhg Kelly @scoopit http://bit.ly/zBOEaB]
Andrea talked us through a number of the projects she’s worked on, and 15 lessons she learned from them...
Lucas is exceptionally sharp and ambitious – and he has clearly spent considerable time researching the transmedia landscape. I figured it was in my best interest to sponge off his knowledge...
"I first encountered Adam through Twitter (as with a lot of my transmedia contacts, frankly…). At some point I realized that not only is this a guy with some cool ideas, transmedia-wise, but a guy who loves Dungeons and Dragons and video game soundtracks as much as I do. And that’s just awesome."
At the start of this year, I launched an experimental transmedia story called Azrael’s Stop. After a few months of lacklustre audience and a structure swamped in problems, I affirmed that yes, I do in fact suck at transmedia...
Back at StoryWorld, Brian Clark mentioned a business tactic that inspired a lot of us from Vancouver, and that was “one for them, one for us.”
[Part 1 can be found @scoopit http://bit.ly/sMUIll]
This week on Creative Voice, I got to talk to the awesome JC Hutchins. JC built his career as a freelance transmedia writer from the ground up, podcasting his first novel, 7TH SON, and opening it up to collaboration, and then moving on to working with Jordan Weisman on PERSONAL EFFECTS: DARK ARTS, and many other projects...
A lot of the talk around transmedia is about how it’s the “future of storytelling”, that this is the direction the entertainment industry is inevitably going, etc. I’ve said it myself, I’m sure.
Now that I’ve looked at how Dungeons & Dragons is an example of a transmedia property — or at the very least, similar to it — I can get to the good stuff. What can an understanding and experience with D&D teach us about writing for transmedia?
[Part I can be found @scoopit http://bit.ly/uDVqGk]
I’ve played Dungeons & Dragons for 14 years. And I’ve realized lately that this has, in many ways, done a lot to prepare me for writing for transmedia. There’s so much crossover between the best practices in D&D and in transmedia writing.
[It's not often you see an RPG used to discuss Transmedia Storytelling - this is well worth reading.]
Lucas J.W. Johnson: "Last week at Transmedia Vancouver, I presented an Introduction to Transmedia class. I wanted to cover a lot of the overview and basics of transmedia storytelling for those members new to transmedia and provide them with resources, so that in the future, our conversations can really move forward, into the nuts and bolts, into a space where we can all learn from each other."
"Transmedia learning happens across the platforms that kids are already using, engaging them in digital media, social community, and current technology in ways that schools don’t often right now"...
Lucas J.W. Johnson muses on the definition of Transmedia: "But to me what makes transmedia exciting is the community, this group of people from around the world sharing ideas about awesome ways to tell stories, and awesome ways for an audience to experience stories."
[This is a short read but a recommended one ... Lucas' thoughts on transmedia 'strike a chord'.]
"When we talk about transmedia, we often talk about the role of the audience (as well we should), and giving control of the story over to the audience."
Right now, transmedia is suffering from guru-fication. My best advice for creators just coming into the transmedia fold is have an understanding of what came before, be part of the current conversation, but don’t be afraid to forage ahead and start developing a body of work that speaks to one’s own particular vision of transmedia.
[Part 1 of this interview can be found @scoopit http://bit.ly/vFGTze]
Carrie appeared on my radar sometime earlier this year (on Twitter, of course). Then a few weeks after I started Transmedia Vancouver, she started Transmedia Toronto...
I can’t remember when or why I started following the blogging and tweeting of Chuck Wendig, but I have not regretted it once. [...] He’s also the writing partner of Lance Weiler and has worked on some awesome transmedia projects...
This week on Creative Voice we have Paul Burke, a great chap from the UK that’s been in the transmedia space at least as long as I have, working on several projects including personal ones, and interested in figuring this all out as much as the rest of us!
Yesterday, Transmedia Vancouver hosted Brian Clark of GMD Studios as our guest speaker. Though piped in via a Skype connection with unsteady audio, Brian’s hour with us was chock full of great insights...
"[...] Laura Fleming is the kind of teacher I would have loved in school. She truly understands how education can be improved — and implements it in her own classroom every day, using transmedia storytelling methodology to weave curricula together across subjects and engage her students in ways mere textbooks simply don’t."
In the last two weeks, I attended as many transmedia conferences: Merging Media in Vancouver, and StoryWorld in San Francisco...
[From Lucas J.W. Johnson of Silverstring Media.]
What I love about Andrea is that she’s an independant; she’s making it happen without a big agency behind her or millions of dollars in capital. She’s also a total sweetheart.
|
<urn:uuid:0c67b005-8215-4aff-9382-37c10a689d05>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.scoop.it/t/transmedia-storytelling-for-the-digital-age/p/3971021566/chasing-ice-and-audience-action-how-top-docs-galvanize-causes-online?tag=Silverstring-Media
|
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
| 0.947593
| 1,660
| 1.578125
| 2
|
UK & World News
New York Enacts Nation's Toughest Gun Controls
The New York state legislature has passed the toughest gun control law in the US and the first since the Newtown school shooting.
The bill calls for a tougher assault weapons ban and provisions to try to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill who make threats.
Governor Andrew Cuomo, who pushed hard for the legislation, signed the bill within an hour of it being passed by the state assembly.
"Common sense can win," said Gov Cuomo. "You can overpower the extremists with intelligence and with reason and with common sense."
Owners of an estimated one million previously legal semi-automatic rifles, like the Bushmaster model that was used to kill 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary, will be able to keep their weapons, but will have a year to register them with police.
"When there's a pile-up of events, when the federal government does not do it, the state of New York has to lead the way," said state Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, a Brooklyn Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill.
In addition to outlawing a broader array of military-style weapons, the measure restricts ammunition magazines to hold seven rounds, down from the current 10.
It also creates a more comprehensive database of people barred from owning guns and makes New York the first state to require background checks on people buying ammunition.
The system will also help flag up customers who buy large amounts of ammo.
In another provision, therapists, doctors and other mental health professionals will be required to tell state authorities if a patient threatens to use a gun illegally. The patient's weapon could then be taken away.
The National Rifle Association said: "These gun control schemes have failed in the past and will have no impact on public safety and crime.
"While lawmakers could have taken a step toward strengthening mental health reporting and focusing on criminals, they opted for trampling the rights of law-abiding gun owners in New York, and they did it under a veil of secrecy in the dark of night."
President Barack Obama will unveil his own proposals in response to the Newtown tragedy later today.
The president favours sweeping gun legislation, including a ban on assault weapons. But because of powerful opposition from the gun lobby, he is said to be weighing 19 steps he could take through executive action alone.
Those could include ordering stricter action against people who lie on gun-sale background checks, seeking to ensure more complete records in the federal database and striking limits on federal research into gun use.
New York's law passed the state Senate, which is run by a Republican-dominated coalition, by 43-18 on Monday night. The Democrat-controlled Assembly approved it 104-43 on Tuesday afternoon.
Republicans complained the measure had been rammed through the legislature and said it infringes on the second amendment right to bear arms.
"A lot of people say 'Why do you need these guns?'," said Assemblyman James Tedisco, a Schenectady Republican.
"It's part of the freedoms and liberties we have. ... It's for our public safety. It's to protect us from our own government."
He said the bill was dangerous because it would give people a "false sense of well-being".
"You are using innocent children killed by a madman for your own political agenda. You are actually making people less safe," Mr Tedisco said.
Tom King, the president of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, questioned whether other states or the federal government would follow New York's lead, and said he expects the law to be challenged in court.
|
<urn:uuid:30a6a7c9-e3b3-407b-b2c1-e943d1c6f4d1>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/new_york_enacts_nation_s_toughest_gun_controls
|
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
| 0.959348
| 749
| 1.671875
| 2
|
The National Rifle Association, which has opposed virtually all of President Obama’s proposed gun control package, swiftly endorsed a bill rolled out Wednesday intended to strengthen the federal background check system and keep guns out of the hands of those deemed mentally ill.
Four senators — two Republicans and two Democrats — unveiled the legislation that would clarify the circumstances under which someone loses the right to have a gun when they’re judged mentally ill.
The bill introduced by Republicans Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona, along with Democrats Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mark Begich of Alaska, would expand the definition of those adjudicated “mentally incompetent” to include those judged to be a danger to themselves or others, found not guilty in a criminal case by reason of insanity, and requires involuntary outpatient treatment by a psychiatric hospital, among other provisions.
“This bill will create accurate definitions of those who pose serious threats and should be barred from the ability to buy or possess a firearm, while protecting the rights of law abiding citizens and veterans,” said Chris W. Cox, the National Rifle Association’s chief lobbyist. “This legislation will significantly improve the National Instant Check System, which is critically needed.”
Mr. Graham conceded that there are a lot of emotions surrounding the issue.
“But I am hopeful this is one area where we can find tremendous bipartisan support to fix what I think is a gaping gap in our law,” he said.
Mr. Begich said that not only does the bill create a clear definition on mental incompetence, but it strengthens rights for people with mental health illnesses as well, as the definition only includes individuals who are committed to treatment involuntarily. It does not apply to someone in a mental institution for observation or someone who voluntarily admits themselves to a psychiatric hospital. People can also regain their right to own a firearm once they have recovered from their mental illness.
“Hopefully, as we go on in this debate, this is one of those bills that could move forward and pass the Senate as well as the House and move on,” Mr. Graham said.
The announcement comes a day before the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider four gun-related measures, including one on background checks being negotiated by Democratic Sens. Charles E. Schumer of New York and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, as well as Republicans Mark Kirk of Illinois and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
“Tom Coburn is a good friend, and anything that Tom Coburn thinks is a good idea, I will certainly look at closely,” Mr. Graham said. “If they can ever reach a bipartisan agreement about the problem with the background checks, I would be open to looking at their work product, but I would say this, as my colleagues have said — we have a background check system that really doesn’t create any deterrent.”
The offices of neither Mr. Schumer, who is carrying the bill, nor Mr. Coburn immediately responded to a request for comment Wednesday.
© Copyright 2013 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
David Sherfinski covers politics for The Washington Times. He can be reached at email@example.com.
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Entertainment News and Reviews from Washington, D.C. and beyond.
A carefully guided tour through the confusing world of modern bookselling and publishing.
A politically conservative and morally liberal Hebrew alpha male hunts left-wing viper
World's Ugliest Dog Contest
Spelling Bee finale
Marines train Afghan soldiers
Rolling Thunder 2013
Benghazi: The anatomy of a scandal
|
<urn:uuid:84c7cbfe-467e-4403-9d32-0a2ce35b0900>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/6/nra-embraces-senate-mental-health-bill/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.947732
| 755
| 1.664063
| 2
|
From the Wires
Unequal® Concealed Sports Protection Fortified With Kevlar® Ignites Rapid Acceptance Among Top Action Athletes Leading Up to 2013 Winter X Games
As They Push Themselves, Athletes Wearing Unequal Protective Gear Discover Amazing Resilience After Falls or Crashes… And Urge Others To 'Armor Up'
By: PR Newswire
Jan. 16, 2013 04:07 PM
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa., Jan. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- After making major inroads into the NFL, NHL and MLB, UNEQUAL® Technologies, the world's only provider of concealed sports protection for the head and body fortified with Kevlar, is now responding to demand from top winter action sport athletes looking for protection that actually protects. Winter X Games Legend and world record holder Levi LaVallee, U.S. Snowboarding Team members Arielle and Taylor Gold, Maddy Schaffrick and others are among the many now warming up to Unequal brand protection.
4-Time Winter X Games gold medalist and fan favorite Levi LaVallee, who was just named One of the 50 Most Influential People in Action Sports, has sustained multiple injuries and concussions in the past. He won't jump or race his snowmobile without Unequal.
"I have been injured numerous times while wearing supposed protection," said LaVallee, who returns in 2013 to Winter X competition after a very serious crash a little over a year ago. "When I heard how many NFL and NHL pro athletes were using Unequal CRT® and Exo® Armor, I asked around, got some and tried it. You only have to experience Unequal once to realize how super legit this stuff is. I've been telling everyone."
"You don't witness or experience Unequal's performance and not tell others," says Unequal CEO Rob Vito. "The punishment these winter athletes subject their heads and bodies to, as they race down the slope or throw unbelievable tricks in the halfpipe, calls for protection beyond plastic and foam. Having perfected ultra-thin, super lightweight Unequal in military applications like bullet-resistant vests, we knew it would be very effective for high impact and contact sports. Unfortunately you have to get hit, crash or fall to experience it, but we like to say 'once you fall, you fall in love with Unequal.'"
U.S. Snowboard Team members and siblings Arielle and Taylor Gold heard about Unequal from their dad, Ken, who, as a Philadelphia Eagles fan in 2010, heard how Michael Vick had turned to Unequal to protect his cracked sternum.
"I had not heard of Unequal before, but was intrigued." says Ken Gold. "I got some CRT for Arielle's and Taylor's helmets and EXO Armor for their bodies. I was amazed at the kinds of falls and crashes they started getting up from when before, those accidents would have stopped them cold. You instinctively want to tell others."
Arielle Gold, 16, and the youngest on the U.S. Snowboard Team, recently fell so hard on her head she cracked the helmet, but with Unequal CRT installed, she had no head trauma symptoms the next day.
"There's no question Unequal has helped me stay out there practicing longer and competing stronger than I would have been able to without it," said Gold.
Maddy Schaffrick, 18, who recently finished 3rd at the Dew Tour in snowboard halfpipe said, "The snowboarding industry is a small world and we all talk about products and brands that can help us perform at our best. When fellow snowboarder told me about Unequal, I was excited to try it because we need all the protection we can get. With Unequal CRT in my helmet I feel safer and as a result, more confident in my riding."
Unequal Technologies is patented protective padding made with a military-grade composite fused with DuPont™ Kevlar® in its protective padding. Unequal EXO Armor includes individual protection pads that can be cut and sized for virtually any part of the body, as well as compression gear with varying levels of protection built in for any sport (for thighs, hips, ribs, back, butt, clavicles, forearms, wrists, etc). The Unequal CRT family of products is supplemental head padding that consists of the CRT® Band™, Gyro™ Halo™, Dome™ and CRT Pads (for virtually any helmet). Athletes choose the fit and style they want to help reduce the possibility of head injury.
About UNEQUAL Technologies
For more information, visit www.unequal.com.
SOURCE UNEQUAL Technologies
Latest Cloud Developer Stories
Subscribe to the World's Most Powerful Newsletters
Subscribe to Our Rss Feeds & Get Your SYS-CON News Live!
SYS-CON Featured Whitepapers
Most Read This Week
Breaking Cloud Computing News
|
<urn:uuid:3f9496d6-0574-46e9-a0bf-da05b6f1d5ee>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://au.sys-con.com/node/2515729
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.944127
| 1,051
| 1.515625
| 2
|
- In Alerts 2010
- Post 20 January 2010
- Last Updated on 08 November 2010
- Hits: 13423
RICHARD KEEBLE RESPONDS TO TIM LUCKHURST
On January 4, Tim Luckhurst, former BBC journalist and current Professor of Journalism at the University of Kent, wrote an article in the Independent with the dramatic title, 'Demise of news barons is just a Marxist fantasy.' Luckhurst argued that leftist critics are gleefully predicting the end of corporate journalism:
"There will be no further need for newspapers or broadcasters to host debates and represent public opinion. The internet will let every citizen speak for themselves. The masses will seize the means of media production. We will witness an era of revolutionary change." (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/opinion/tim-luckhurst-demise-of-news-barons-is-just-a-marxist-fantasy-1856668.html)
But according to Luckhurst "there is an elementary delusion behind the idea that amateurs can report accurately". How so?:
"... the public right to know [cannot] depend on the dictates of an individual's conflicted conscience. Such decisions should be guided by professional priorities and ethics. The fallacy rests on the delusion that private ownership by capitalists has damaged journalism. The facts suggest the opposite. Since the first American newspaper baron, James Gordon Bennett I, created the New York Herald, and his British disciple Alfred Harmsworth followed with Britain's Daily Mail, profit-driven ownership has liberated reporters.
"Before the barons, journalism readily succumbed to direct sponsorship by political parties. Impoverished publications were bullied by powerful litigants. They could not afford professional reporters and printed opinions not facts. Afterwards, while journalism has often exercised power without responsibility, it has done so in the name of a version of the public interest that is gloriously independent of the state."
"There is not yet a single one-size-fits-all model for profitable, professional journalism in the 21st century, but a powerful alliance of commerce, conscience and intellect is converging around the certainty that such journalism is essential if representative democracy is to endure."
We responded to the article on January 5:
Dear Tim Luckhurst
Hope you're well. I enjoyed your article in the Independent, 'Demise of news barons is just a Marxist fantasy.' You write:
"In fact, the people who now predict the end of professional journalism's reign of sovereignty have attacked edited, fact-based reporting for decades."
Who are these Marxists predicting the end of the reign of professional journalism? And who are the people who "have attacked edited, fact-based reporting for decades"?
You write that "there is an elementary delusion behind the idea that amateurs can report accurately". But isn't there an elementary delusion behind the idea that corporate professionals can report accurately and honestly? After all, corporate media are tasked to report on a world dominated by allied giant corporations. These are the corporations on which newspapers like the Independent and Guardian depend for fully 75% of their revenues (from advertising). Isn't the conflict of interest obvious and important?
We received no reply. We wrote again, twice, and again received no answer.
We asked Richard Keeble, Professor of Journalism at the University of Lincoln, what he thought of Luckhurst's piece. His reply was so interesting that we asked if he would expand it for a Guest Media Alert. This he has very kindly done. Sincere thanks to Richard for taking the trouble. We hope you enjoy his article.
The Editors - Media Lens
How Alternative Media Provide The Crucial Critique Of The Mainstream
By: Richard Keeble
I welcome Tim Luckhurst's contribution to the debate over the future of journalism ("Demise of press barons is just a Marxist fantasy", Independent, 4 January). But I disagree with him profoundly. Tim places far too much stress on the role of professional journalists in the current "crisis". It is clearly important to work for radical, progressive change to the corporate media from within.
The closeness of the mainstream to dominant economic, cultural and ideological forces means that the mainstream largely functions to promote the interests of the military/industrial/political complex. Yet within advanced capitalist economies, the contradictions and complexities of corporate media have provided certain spaces for the progressive journalism of such excellent writers in the US, UK, France and India as John Langdon-Davies (1897-1971), Martha Gellhorn (1908-1998); George Orwell (1903-1950), I. F. Stone (1907-1989), James Cameron (1911-1985), Albert Camus (1913-1960), Phillip Knightley (born 1929), Seymour Hersh (1937), Susan George (1939), John Pilger (1939), Barbara Ehrenreich (1941), Peter Wilby (1944), Arundhati Roy (1960), George Monbiot (1963) and Naomi Klein (1970). Many of these have combined an involvement in the corporate media with regular contributions to the "alternative", campaigning media.
Crucial Role Of Alternative Media
But most significantly Tim Luckhurst fails to acknowledge the crucial role of the non-corporate media in the development of progressive journalism. Historically, the alternative media have helped provide the basis on which an alternative, global, progressive public sphere has been built. For instance, John Hartley has highlighted the centrality of journalists such as Robespierre, Marat, Danton and Hébert to the French Revolution of the 1790s.
In the UK, in the first half of the 19th century a massively popular radical, unstamped (and hence illegal) press played a crucial role in the campaign for trade union rights and social and political reforms. In his seminal history of these early radical, "citizen" journalists, James Curran commented: "Unlike the institutionalised journalists of the later period they tended to see themselves as activists rather than as professionals. Indeed many of the paid correspondents of the Poor Man's Guardian, Northern Star and early Reynolds News were also political organisers for the National Union of Working Classes or Chartist movement. They sought to describe and expose the dynamics of power and inequality rather than to report 'hard news' as a series of disconnected events. They saw themselves as class representatives rather than as disinterested intermediaries and attempted to establish a relationship of real reciprocity with their readers."
Later on many feminists, suffragettes (such as Sylvia Pankhurst), trade unionists and anti-war activists were both radical journalists and political agitators.
Informal underground communication networks and newspapers (such as the Sowetan in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s) were crucial in the independent movements in Africa and India. Jonathan Neale, in his seminal study of the Vietnam War, identified around 300 anti-war newspapers in the armed services during the course of the conflict. Seymour Hersh's exposure of the My Lai massacre of March 1968, (when US soldiers slaughtered up to 504 men, women and children) was first published by the alternative news agency, Despatch News Service.
From 1963 to 1983, the Bolivian miners' radio stations highlighted the rights of workers. In Poland during the 1980s alternative publications of the Polish Roman Catholic Church and the samizdat publications of the Solidarity movement played crucial roles in the movement against the Soviet-backed government of the day. In Nicaragua during the 1980s and 1990s the Movement of Popular Correspondents produced reports by non-professional, voluntary reporters from poor rural area that were published in regional and national newspapers - and they helped inspire revolutionary education and political activities. In the 1990s, the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan bravely reported on the abuse and execution of women under the Taliban producing audio cassettes, videos, a website and a magazine.
This century we have seen the use made of websites by reformist movements in Burma and more recently (with Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and YouTube) in Iran. Similarly, in Peru, in 2009, Indigenous activists used Twitter and YouTube to highlight human rights abuses as more than 50,000 Amazonians demonstrated and went on strike in protest over US-Peru trade laws which threatened to open up ancestral territories to exploitation by multinational companies.
Celebrating The Internet And Blogosphere
Today, the internet and the blogosphere provide enormous opportunities for the development of progressive journalism ideals in both the UK and globally. Stuart Allan, for instance, celebrates the bloggers and the "extraordinary contribution made by ordinary citizens offering their first hand reports, digital photographs, camcorder video footage, mobile telephone snapshots or audio clips". A great deal of this "citizen journalism" (while challenging the professional monopoly of the journalistic field) actually feeds into mainstream media routines and thus reinforces the dominant news value system. The internet and blogosphere only become interesting when they serve to challenge the mainstream as crucial elements in progressive social and political movements.
Moreover, we need to follow John Hartley in making a radical transformation of journalism theory. We need as both academics and citizens to move away from the concept of the audience as a passive consumer of a professional product to seeing the audience as producers of their own (written or visual) media. Hartley even draws on Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which he suggests proclaims the radical utopian-liberal idea that everyone has the right not only to seek and receive but to "impart" (in other words communicate) information and ideas. If everyone, then, is a journalist then how can journalism be professed? "Journalism has transferred from a modern expert system to contemporary open innovation - from 'one-to-many' to 'many to many' communication." Let us see how this redefinition of journalism can incorporate many different forms of media activity into the alternative public sphere.
Firstly, there is the role of radical, non-mainstream journalists. George Orwell (1903-1950) is best known as the author of Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) but he was also a distinguished progressive journalist who concentrated most of his writing on obscure, alternative journals of the Left - such Controversy, New Leader, Left Forum, Left News, Polemic, Progressive, Politics and Letters. From 1943 to 1947 he was literary editor of the leftist journal, Tribune, and through writing his regular "As I Please" column, instinctively developed a close relationship with his audience. This relationship was crucial to the flowering of Orwell's journalistic imagination.
While he realised mainstream journalism was basically propaganda for wealthy newspaper proprietors, at Tribune he was engaging in the crucial political debate with people who mattered to him. They were an authentic audience compared with what Stuart Allan has called the "implied reader or imagined community of readers" of the mainstream media.
Today, in the United States, Alexander Cockburn and Jeffery St Clair produce Counterpunch, an alternative investigative website (www.counterpunch.org). Out of their writings come many publications. There's also the excellent Middle East Report (www.merip.org), the Nation (www.thenation.com), Mother Jones (www.motherjones.com), Z Magazine (www.zcommunications.org/zmag), In These Times (www.inthesetimes.com); in Chennai, India, Frontline (www.frontlineonnet.com); in London there's the investigative www.corporatewatch.org.
Coldtype.net in Canada brings together many of the writings by radical journalists, campaigners and academics (such as Felicity Arbuthnot and William Blum). Dahr Jamail is a freelance journalist reporting regularly from a critical peace perspective on the Middle East (seewww.dahrjamailiraq.com) while Democracy Now! is an alternative US radio station (with allied website and podcasts) run by Amy Goodman overtly committed to peace journalism.
Drawing Inspiration From Chomsky
Chris Atton argues that alternative media such as these often draw inspiration from Chomsky's critique of the corporate myths of "balance" and "objectivity" and stresses, instead, their explicitly partisan character. Moreover, they seek "to invert the hierarchy of access" to the news by explicitly foregrounding the viewpoints of "ordinary" people (activists, protestors, local residents), citizens whose visibility in the mainstream media tends to be obscured by the presence of elite groups and individuals.
Then there's the role of radical intellectuals such as the American historian Tom Engelhardt (www.tomdispatch.com). Other radical intellectuals prominent in the blogosphere have included the late Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Norman Solomon, James Winter, Mark Curtis and the recently deceased African intellectual campaigner and journalist Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem. In the UK, activists David Edwards and David Cromwell edit the radical media monitoring site www.medialens.org which monitors the mainstream media from a radical Chomskyite/Buddhist perspective and in support of the global peace movement. Professor David Miller and William Dinan are part of the collective running www.spinwatch.org which critiques the PR industry from a radical, peace perspective.
Some research centres play important roles in the formation of an alternative global public sphere. For instance, http://globalresearch.ca is the website of the Centre for Research and Globalisation, an independent research and media group based in Montreal. It carries excellent articles by Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa. Special subjects on the site include US war agenda, crimes against humanity, militarisation and WMD, poverty and social inequality, media disinformation and intelligence. There is also the website produced by the London-based Institute of Islamic Political Thought (www.ii-pt.com).
Political activists often double as media activists. Take for instance IndyMedia (www.indymedia.org). It emerged during the "battle of Seattle" in 1999 when thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the World Trade Organisation and the impact of global free trade relations - and were met by armoured riot police. Violent clashes erupted with many injuries on both sides. In response 400 volunteers, rallying under the motto "Don't hate the media: be the media", created a site and a daily news sheet, the Blind Spot, which spelled out news of the demonstration from the perspective of the protestors. The site incorporated news, photographs, audio and video footage - and received 1.5 million hits in its first week. Today there are more than 150 independent media centres in around 45 countries over six continents. Their mission statement says:
"The Independent Media Centre is a network of collectively run media outlets for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of the truth. We work out of a love and inspiration for people who continue to work for a better world, despite corporate media's distortions and unwillingness to cover the efforts to free humanity."
In the UK, Peace News (for non-violent revolution), edited by author and political activist Milan Rai and Emily Johns, comes as both a hard copy magazine and a lively website (www.peacenews.info) combining analysis, cultural reviews and news of the extraordinarily brave activities of peace movement activities internationally. As its website stresses, it is "written and produced by and for activists, campaigners and radical academics from all over the world". Not only does their content differ radically from the mainstream. In their collaborative, non-hierarchical structures and sourcing techniques alternative media operations challenge the conventions of mainstream organisational routines. Atton describes the alternative journalism of the British video magazine Undercurrents and Indymedia as "native reporting". "Both privilege a journalism politicised through subjective testimony, through the subjects being represented by themselves."
Fitwatch: Monitoring The Monitors
Members of Fit Watch, a protest group opposed to police forward intelligence teams (Fits), the units that monitor demonstrations and meetings, similarly combine political and media activism in their "sousveillance" - the latest buzzword for taking videos and photographs of police activities and then uploading them on to the web. They are part of a growing international media activist, protest movement. In Palestine, for instance, B'Tselem, the Israeli human rights group, gave video cameras to 160 citizens in the West Bank and Gaza and their shocking footage of abuses by Israeli settlers and troops was broadcast on the country's television as well as internationally.
Citizens and campaigners in the UK and US who upload images of police surveillance or brutality on to YouTube or citizens who report on opposition movements via blogs, Twitter and websites in authoritarian societies such as China, Burma, Iran and Egypt can similarly be considered participants in the alternative media sphere. Commenting on the role of citizen blogs during the 2003 Iraq invasion, Stuart Allan stressed:
"... these emergent forms of journalism have the capacity to bring to bear alternative perspectives, contexts and ideological diversity to war reporting, providing users with the means to connect with distant voices otherwise being marginalised, if not silenced altogether, from across the globe."
And for Atton, participatory, amateur media production contests the concentration of institutional and professional media power "and challenges the media monopoly on producing symbolic forms".
Peace movement and international human rights organisations also produce excellent campaigning sites which can be viewed as forms of activist journalism. For instance, http://ipb.org is the site of the International Peace Bureau founded in 1891 and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1910. It currently has 282 member organisations in 70 countries. Or there is the Campaign for the Abolition of War (http://www.abolishwar.org.uk). Formed in 2001 following the Hague Appeal for Peace in 1999, its founder president was Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat FRS, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; while its founder chair was Bruce Kent. They work closely with the International Peace Bureau in Geneva for an end to arms sales, economic justice, a more equitable United Nations, political rights for persecuted minorities, a world peace force (instead of gunboat democracy), conflict prevention and education for peace in schools, colleges and the media.
Exposing Human Rights Abuses
The organisation, Reprieve (www.reprieve.org.uk), campaigns on behalf of those often unlawfully detained by the US and UK in the "war on terror" and its director Clive Stafford Smith writes regular pieces for the "quality" press and the leftist New Statesman magazine, highlighting cases of abuse. For instance, on 10 August 2009, he wrote in the Guardian of three cases of government cover-ups. In the first, the government was refusing to hand over to the High Court details about the horrific torture of Binyam Mohamed (in Morocco and at the notorious US detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba) on the grounds that it would endanger future intelligence co-operation with the Americans.
In the second case, after the government admitted that two men had been taken for torture ("rendered" in the jargon) via the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, they were still refusing Reprieve's requests for their names. And the final case involved cover-ups over Britain's complicity in the renditions of prisoners from Iraq to abuse in Afghanistan. In the US, the American Civil Liberties Union (see www.aclu.org) has consistently campaigned to expose the human rights abuses which have accompanied the "war on terror" and produced a important series of reports on the issue.
Finally, Tim Luckhurst is wrong to suggest that advocates of alternative media are fired by "postmodern, Marxist fantasies". Certainly my own writings on journalism and teaching for 25 years have not been based on any fantasies but rather grounded, in part, on a real desire to problematise the notion of professionalism. So, while clearly acknowledging the many achievements of progressive professional journalists I have always seen it as one of my crucial responsibilities as an educator to present students with an alternative to professionalism - drawing, indeed, for inspiration on a critical engagement with Marxism and postmodernism amongst a range of important concepts.
Richard Lance Keeble, Professor of Journalism at the University of Lincoln, is the joint editor of Peace Journalism, War and Conflict Resolution, shortly to be published by Peter Lang. David Edwards, of Media Lens, has a chapter titled "Normalising the unthinking: The media's role in mass killing". Richard Keeble's chapter, "Peace journalism as political practice: A new, radical look at the theory", expands on some of the ideas in this piece. John Pilger provides a Foreword.
The goal of Media Lens is to promote rationality, compassion and respect for others. If you do write to journalists, we strongly urge you to maintain a polite, non-aggressive and non-abusive tone.
Write to Tim Luckhurst
Please copy your emails to us:
|
<urn:uuid:560202b6-2c54-4cc9-845a-91036cbcd5da>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38:how-alternative-media-provide-the-crucial-critique-of-the-mainstream&catid=1:alerts&Itemid=34
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.939304
| 4,283
| 1.554688
| 2
|
Chinese tourism to Cairns passes 100,000
THE Chinese are holidaying in the Far North in greater numbers, topping 100,000 for the first time.
According to the latest survey, 102,075 Chinese visited the Far North in the year to September 30, up 28,318 or a 38 per cent increase.
But the figures do not include the China Eastern direct flights from Shanghai that started at the end of October.
In other good signs there has been a minor rise in Japanese, up 1 per cent (from 91,141 to 91,743) and 5000 more than in the June quarter; the Americans are returning (79,977, up 6426); and New Zealanders are increasing (up 6079 to 45,547).
Tourism leaders say the Chinese figures back up the successful campaign for direct flights, which should boost numbers even more.
There were increases of 1000-5000 from Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Canada and France, while Hong Kong was steady.
But 15,133 fewer Britons visited and there were falls from Germany (down 3724), Scandinavia (2377), Italy (2406), the Netherlands (1547) Switzerland (1302) and other European destinations (9621).
In total 632,848 overseas travellers visited the region, up by 1 per cent or 5619 people.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Rob Giason said it was too early to ascertain how the direct flights were increasing numbers from China.
"We have a 35 per cent share of Chinese numbers (to Australia) and (38 per cent) growth is above the national average (24 per cent)," he said.
"It highlights Cairns is a very popular destination for the Chinese." The latest reports are that the return flights on China Eastern are going really well and the Chinese New Year is looking good.
Mr Giason said South Korea was an encouraging emerging market (up 2174 to 10,284).
"We expect more as Jetstar starts services from Japan to South Korea with connections to Cairns via Osaka. Also China Eastern from Shanghai and Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong, both with connections to Korea."
Cairns Airport chief executive Kevin Brown said the figures showed even stronger growth from China of 38 per cent than the 27 per cent recorded in the June quarter.
NEW CAIRNS.COM.AU COMMENT POLICY
We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Comments submitted without a full name and suburb/location will not be considered for publication. Please read our full comment policy and publication guidelines.
Share this article
Numbers rise: Chinese tourists enjoy a trip to the Reef near Cairns.
|
<urn:uuid:4bcea7cf-4ec1-4771-a675-651341d130c9>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/12/06/237338_local-news.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943947
| 568
| 1.546875
| 2
|
A federal judge on Friday dealt a setback to abortion opponents, by prohibiting Arizona from halting public funding that the state indirectly provides Planned Parenthood for general health care services that don’t include abortion.
The preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Neil Wake bars the state from applying a new state anti-abortion law to Planned Parenthood Arizona and a physician with his own practice.
Arizona already bars public funding for most abortions, but the new law would go beyond that by barring public funding for general health care services provided by abortion clinics and doctors.
The Arizona law was enacted earlier this year but it hasn’t been implemented. Similar laws in other states, including Texas and Indiana, also are the subjects of court fights.
Supporters of the law said it is intended to ensure that no public money subsidizes abortion, but Wake said there couldn’t be any indirect subsidization because Medicaid reimbursements provided Planned Parenthood Arizona for Medicaid-covered services only pay about half the costs.
As a result, he said, “there is no excess funding that could be used to subsidize abortions.”
Wake said it’s in the public interest to block implementation because otherwise some 3,000 patients would be denied the opportunity to get care from their chosen health care providers.
Agreeing with positions taken by Planned Parenthood and federal officials, Wake rejected the state’s argument that federal law lets states use broad parameters to decide whether health care providers are qualified to deliver Medicaid services, such as whether they provide abortions.
The state’s position conflicts with federal protections for Medicaid patients to choose their care providers, Wake said.
“Simply put, a state’s determination of whether a provider is qualified to perform Medicaid services must at least be related to Medicaid services,” Wake wrote. “The fact that the plaintiff providers perform legally protected abortions does not affect their ability to perform family planning services for Medicaid patients.”
In deciding whether to temporarily block the law pending a trial, Wake said the plaintiffs are likely to prevail during a yet-to-come trial on the providers-choice issue.
However, state Solicitor General Dave Cole said that “doesn’t necessarily tip the judge’s hand on the merits (of the case) because he hasn’t heard the evidence” that will be produced during trial.
Cole acknowledged that Friday’s ruling was a setback.
Bryan Howard, Planned Parenthood Arizona president and CEO, said the ruling is a victory for poor women whose care won’t be disrupted.
“No woman should ever have to fear being cut off from her doctor’s care because of shortsighted political games,” Howard said.
Wake scheduled a Dec. 6 hearing to schedule future proceedings in the case.
|
<urn:uuid:675083d3-b086-493b-b2c6-4c548847e391>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/free/20121019arizona-planned-parenthood-ruling-funding.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.94386
| 579
| 1.554688
| 2
|
George Clark & Linda Atkins 2008 Campaign Statement on the Need to Raise the Minimum Wage in Eureka
FRANK JAGER: Job killer
From the Clark/Atkins campaign:
GEORGE CLARK AND LINDA ATKINS REBUT JÄGER AND ENDERT ON RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE
“Yesterday’s Eureka Reporter article: “Two Candidates Suggest Raising Minimum Wage,” discussed George Clark and Linda Atkins proposal to raise Eureka’s minimum wage from $8 to $9 per hour.
Concerned about the fact that Eureka’s workers’ median income level is only 51% of the statewide average, Clark and Atkins feel that raising the minimum wage is a necessary first step, as part of a comprehensive effort to get Eureka’s economy back on track.
The article also featured the reaction of Linda and George’s opponents in their race for Eureka City Council: Polly Endert and Frank Jäger respectively. “It’s totally the wrong approach,” according to Polly Endert and Frank Jäger added, “It’s a great idea, but it’s a job killer.” The evidence shows minimum wage initiatives are neither “totally wrong” nor “job killers.” They are, however, often resisted by entrenched moneyed interests whose influence in this campaign once again threatens the future of Eureka’s working families. When it comes to raising the minimum wage, Linda Atkins and George Clark feel the facts should speak for themselves.
Over the past 12 years around 140 States and Municipalities have enacted living wage measures and 29 states and the District of Columbia all operate with minimum wages above the Federal standard. There is now a rich body of evidence in this area, none of which supports Jäger or Endert’s claims. In 1995 and in a subsequent study in 2000, David Card and Alan Krueger, “consistently found that changes in the minimum wage have not tended to raise unemployment by any discernible amount (and indeed have tended to be associated with slight increases in low-wage employment.”
In 1998 a survey of professional economists at forty leading research universities in the field of labor and public economics published by Victor Fuchs of Stanford and Alan Krueger and James Poterba of MIT conclude that, “the general professional view is, again, that there were no strong negative employment effects, if any, from raising the minimum wage by relatively modest amounts.”
Three more recent studies examining the impact of living wage laws in San Francisco and Los Angeles done in 2005 all agree: “None of these studies finds evidence of significant reductions associated with the implementation of living wages laws.”
A particularly interesting study was done from 2001 to 2005 comparing employment growth between 11 states that operated with minimum wage levels higher than the Federal standard and 33 others that did not. The states operating with the higher minimum wage experienced overall job growth of 0.57 %, while those that maintained the lower Federal minimum wage had a 0.52% growth rate. In other words employment growth was actually slightly faster in those states which paid minimum wages greater than the Federal level.
Given the enormous amount of evidence that contradicts Frank and Polly’s “sky is falling” reaction to the idea of raising the minimum wage for Eureka’s working families, are we to conclude that they simply don’t get it or is this what having “no agenda” means to them?
George Clark and Linda Atkins believe in building our economy from the ground up. Raising wages in Eureka, which are so far below the state average, is the right and fair thing to do for Eureka’s working families. When the spending power of working families goes up, so does morale, which leads to productivity boosts, lowers job turnover, all in an ongoing “virtuous cycle,” and everyone benefits. Furthermore, increased spending by Eureka’s workers creates more demand for products, helping businesses while creating more jobs in the process.” –
|
<urn:uuid:f850a731-87ef-4c2a-b1d9-88b0f4dcf56f>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/george-clark-linda-atkins-2008-campaign-statement-on-the-need-to-raise-the-minimum-wage-in-eureka/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.937075
| 868
| 1.789063
| 2
|
- Special Pages
DOHA: Qatar is taking a key legal initiative to draft a law banning the insult of any religion and hopes to eventually see it being converted into an international law with help from the UN.
The Ministry of Justice is taking an initiative to prepare the draft of the proposed law that seeks to ban the insult of religions, the Minister of Justice, H E Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim announced here yesterday on the sidelines of a seminar.
The draft of the proposed law entitled ‘Qatar’s model law to stop the insult of religions’ is to be prepared by the justice ministry in collaboration with the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS).
The draft is to be discussed at the level of GCC justice ministers and later forwarded to the Arab justice ministers’ meeting in Cairo which is to be held in November, Qatar News Agency reported yesterday.
A workshop will be held where justice ministries from the Arab World will be present along with senior IUMS representatives and legal experts that would discuss the draft. The draft law will be discussed in the meeting of the ministers of justice of Arab countries scheduled to be held in Cairo in November for approval.
Dr Yousuf Al Qaradawi, President of IUMS, has demanded from the United Nations for the issuance of a law banning the insult of religions and protect the holy places at a seminar on legal protection of the religion. The seminar was titled “Legal Protection to Prevent the Infringement of Religions (Challenges and Solutions)”.
The seminar was organized by the Centre of Legal and Judicial Studies at the Ministry of Justice.
Dr Qaradawi called for a draft law in major languages and forward it to international organizations and the Organisation of Islamic Conference States and to be studied by the Arab ministers of justice. And finally the draft law should be submitted to the United Nations officially for approval. The proposed law to protect the religions aims to maintain security and peace in the world, said Dr Qaradawi.
|
<urn:uuid:934c3e9d-29fc-4bde-885f-a6edef08d5bd>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/latest-news/211304-qatar-to-draft-law-banning-insult-to-religions-minister-.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.939296
| 410
| 1.757813
| 2
|
An anonymous reader writes "Elon Musk, founder of PayPal and CEO of SpaceX, is not all that excited about space tourism: he wants to colonize Mars. 'I don't think it's a tragedy that people can't have fun in space. People should be able to go if they want to, but it's no great tragedy if they can't. But I do think it is a great tragedy if humanity can't establish itself on another planet. It's the single most important thing we can do to continue the human race.' SpaceX will launch Falcon I in mid to late January 2005."
|
<urn:uuid:b8b96a6d-be26-48a0-87a8-e27037d3652b>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://science.slashdot.org/story/04/11/11/1429205/elon-musk-wants-space-colonists-not-just-tourists/insightful-comments
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.970611
| 120
| 1.609375
| 2
|
Bossier Schools improve their overall state score
Bossier Schools are making the grade when it comes to district and school performance scores.
Bossier Superintendent D.C. Machen announced Monday that scores for the 2011-12 school year showed “tremendous progress” and that no school in the parish dropped a letter grade or is considered a failing school.
The results, released by the Louisiana Department of Education, showed Bossier had an overall increase of 9.5 points and bumped up a letter grade from the previous school year.
Machen said Bossier's District Performance Score is at 111.6, achieving an overall letter score of B. He also revealed that nine schools improved one letter grade and the number of schools receiving an A doubled.
“We are very proud of the growth we have made as a district,” Machen said.
Three schools to receive 'A' letter grades this year include Airline High School, Benton High School and Parkway High School. Legacy Elementary, Stockwell Place Elementary School and W.T. Lewis Elementary School held onto their overall A grade for a second year, giving Bossier a total of six overall A schools.
Rhonda Schnell, principal at Stockwell Place Elementary, said her school set goals after last year's tests and credits hard work for their 130.3 overall score. With changes still coming from the state level, Schnell said they will continue to set goals and stride to meet the higher expectations as they come.
“If you look at where you are and where you want to go, it makes a difference,” Schnell said.
Nine total schools improved one letter grade. Among those were Bossier High School, who improved their 'D' to a 'C' this year.
Principal David Thrash said the news was received well with his faculty, receiving a thunderous applause during a faculty meeting Monday afternoon.
“Hard work pays off,” Thrash said. “We continue to work hard toward higher expectations. Anytime there's growth, words can't express that feeling you get as principal.”
Other schools showing improvement were Benton Middle School – C to B; Haughton High School – C to B; Platt Elementary – C to B; Princeton Elementary – C to B; and T.L. Rodes Elementary – C to B. Machen said the improved scores are proof of a collaborative effort involving all facets of the school system – teachers, administrators, students, parents and district employees.
According to the Louisiana Department of Education website, the number of schools earning an A rose from 98 last year to 163 this year. Statewide, 36 percent of schools earned an A or B, up from 28 percent last year, and D and F schools dropped from 44 percent in 2011 to 36 percent this year.
"Schools across Louisiana continue to make progress, which means more children are gaining the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers," State Superintendent of Education John White said in a statement. "While this year’s grades are good news, schools will need to continue to work hard to maintain these good grades as Louisiana raises standards in the coming years."
Test scores may be found on the Louisiana Department of Education website - www.doe.state.la.us
Bossier Schools’ performance scores
Airline - A
Benton - A
Bossier - C
Haughton - B
La New Tech @ Plain Dealing - D
Parkway - A
Benton - B
Cope - B
Elm Grove - B
Greenacres - C
Haughton – B
Rusheon - D
Apollo - B
Bellaire - B
Benton - C
Bossier - D
Central Park - D
Curtis - B
R.V. Kerr - D
Meadowview - D
Carrie Martin - D
Plantation Park - D
Platt - B
T.L. Rodes - B
Sun City - B
Waller - D
Stockwell Place - A
Princeton - B
Legacy - A
W.T. Lewis - A
Elm Grove - C
|
<urn:uuid:6a331a2a-db6b-46d5-8f0c-8a9a22571064>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.bossierpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8479:schools-grades&catid=1:local-news&Itemid=134
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.957855
| 873
| 1.710938
| 2
|
The chimp's death shocked and saddened employees, who long had referred to the primate with the distinctive, regal bearing as the Prince of the Zoo. His was 39 -- deep into middle age for his species.
"I thought I'd be leaving him, not him leaving me," said Dave Thomas, 60, the senior primate keeper who worked with Charlie for 36 years. "This is an end of an era."
Charlie was born in Africa in 1970, where an American mining contractor saw villagers leading the baby chimp down a road. Figuring the animal was bound for the cook pot, the contractor, Edward Miller, bought him.
When he returned to the Northwest, Miller brought the chimp, and in 1972 he turned Charlie over to what then was known as the Washington Park Zoo.
He joined four female parentless chimps and the five lived together ever since.
Volunteers taught the young animals basic sign language and sometimes led them from cages on 50-foot leashes so the chimps could climb trees.
Among those early volunteers was Thomas, who later hired on and became Charlie's No. 1 advocate. The story of the decades-long relationship between the man and the chimp was featured May 24 in The Sunday Oregonian.
Although keepers admired Charlie's intelligence and curiosity, they kept a respectful distance after an incident years ago in which the chimp bit off the end of a former zoo director's finger. For a month afterward, keepers said, the chimp acted as if he knew he'd done something terrible.
Charlie's facial hair grew wiry and gray, and white fur dusted his broad back. But the nearly 5-foot-tall, 160-pound chimp had appeared fit and healthy.
On Thursday morning, Charlie ran to greet keepers as usual, said Bill LaMarche, zoo spokesman. Through the day, the chimp scaled high into his climbing structure and cooperated for training.
But sometime before 3 p.m. there was a commotion near the viewing window. Thomas saw a chimp down and heard a volunteer yell that it was Charlie. The female chimps screamed, and by the time keepers cleared them away and got to Charlie, he was gone.
Late Thursday, veterinarians performed a necropsy, or animal autopsy, to try to determine the cause of death. They suspect the chimp may have had a heart attack or stroke.
Charlie outlived one son and daughter. Another son, Joshua, is the alpha male at the Kansas City Zoo. At least one grandchild, a female born in Dallas, survives him.
Katy Muldoon: 503-221-8526 or firstname.lastname@example.org; Eric Mortenson: 503-294- 7636 or email@example.com
|
<urn:uuid:58014f23-62d2-4ea1-892b-1b0fd8ad24ff>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/charlie_the_chimpanzee_stood_i.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.976134
| 587
| 1.828125
| 2
|
The lawyers debated over ozone and soot, but the markets saw NO x as the "smoking gun."
November 2000 may be remembered for ambiguous election results that went straight to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it was also a banner month for debate in the realm of air quality regulation, a dispute that ended up in the very same place.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Nov. 7 in two companion cases involving national ambient air quality standards, and the scope of authority at the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate without considering the price of its actions. To its credit, the EPA had regrouped following unfavorable rulings from the lower courts, moving full-steam ahead with its previous, less-stringent standard. But the high court's ruling, once declared, will have ramifications sure to be felt across the country.
How Many Parts per Million? At What Cost?
At stake in one of the cases is whether the EPA overstepped its authority in tightening its standards for both ozone (from a maximum 0.12 parts per million over one hour to 0.08 ppm over eight hours) and for particulate matter, or soot (from an acceptable size of 10 micrometers to 2.5 micrometers in diameter).
The industry side, led by the American Trucking Associations, contends that the EPA's standard setting violates the so-called "nondelegation doctrine," a rarely referenced doctrine that prohibits the unconstitutional delegation of legislative power. In other words, ATA argues that only Congress can implement such far-reaching standards.
The companion case raises the question of whether the EPA, when setting standards, must factor the cost of implementation into its equation, as the industry side contends. EPA hasn't done so previously; it says that cost is not considered until the implementation stage, when states take on the responsibility of lowering ozone levels in designated "non-attainment areas."
The American Trucking Associations, meanwhile, argues that not only is it logical that cost be weighed against benefit, but that the authors of the Clean Air Act intended for cost to be considered when the EPA sets standards. The association bases this assertion largely on the fact that the Act charges the EPA with protecting the health, as opposed to health. Cost considerations are implicit in the term , the industry side contends, whereas had lawmakers intended for cost considerations to be excluded, authors of the Clean Air Act would have referred to health-a term which, American Trucking points out, was used in the failed Senate version of the original bill. (Back in 1970 it was the House version that passed.)
The bottom line, the industry side says, is that if the EPA doesn't have to consider cost, it has virtually no boundaries to reign it in. Why not just set the standard at zero for optimum health benefits, the reasoning goes.
"[T]he one thing [EPA] doesn't have discretion to do is to take all those countervailing factors [such as cost] off the table," attorney Edward W. Warren, representing the industry side, told the Supreme Court. "Because ... what that means is that the agency
|
<urn:uuid:dfb7b818-28a9-4bd9-8784-3e4b4494d570>
|
CC-MAIN-2013-20
|
http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2001/01/news-analysis?page=0%252C1
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.957351
| 636
| 1.75
| 2
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.