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About a month ago, at a seminar I gave at a university, a graduate student came up to me and asked whether there was a function for writing out 3D model files. Specifically, he was referring to STL files (stereolithography files). It was a topical question because it came soon after I talked about some of the exporting capabilities in MATLAB for graphical file formats.
I knew that we didn't have any built in, but I promptly suggested checking out the File Exchange. I've seen a few functions for reading from STL files, so I figured there would be counterparts. Sure enough, there were a few. Here's a list of entries with a tag of "stl".
From the list, I am highlighting Bill's surf2stl. It has nice help, clean code, good reviews, and has even inspired another entry.
Download and give it a try!
Get the MATLAB code
Published with MATLAB® 7.8 | <urn:uuid:62b57760-8375-4b7e-ac8b-f2483c9839a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.mathworks.com/pick/2009/06/5/writing-to-stl-files/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973948 | 197 | 2.078125 | 2 |
This is a guest post by Tess Pajaron.
Easter Island is the southernmost island out of all of the Polynesian islands. This area is best known for its incredible statues and beauty. Archaeologists and tourists alike are drawn from around the world to study and view the incredible history that can be found on this small, but incredibly unique part of the world.
The triangular-shaped island is home to approximately 3,700 residents according to the 2002 census data, making it one of the most isolated islands with regular inhabitants. The closest inhabited island is Pitcairn Island which is over 1,200 miles away and home to fewer than 100 people. With so few residents, and in such a remote location, it is clear that the history and mysterious story is what attracts attracts approximately 50,000 tourists from all around the world each year to this island.See more pictures → | <urn:uuid:38ad6de0-d0e4-4790-89ff-7ca7f8c06d49> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tripideas.org/page/3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971185 | 179 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Aerobic exercise boosts brain power
The physical benefits of regular exercise and remaining physically active, especially as we age, are well documented. However, it appears that it is not only the body which benefits from exercise, but the mind too. The evidence for this is published in a new review by Hayley Guiney and Liana Machado from the University of Otago, New Zealand, which focuses on the importance of physical activity in keeping and potentially improving cognitive function throughout life.
Their review is published online in the Springer publication, Psychonomic Bulletin and Review.
A certain amount of mental deterioration is expected with advancing age. However, this may not necessarily have to be the case as particular aspects of cognitive function such as task switching, selective attention and working memory among others, all appear to benefit from aerobic exercise. Studies in older adults reviewed by the authors consistently found that fitter individuals scored better in mental tests than their unfit peers. In addition, intervention studies found scores in mental tests improved in participants who were assigned to an aerobic exercise regimen compared to those assigned to stretch and tone classes.
Interestingly, these results were not replicated in children or young adults. The one area where physical fitness or regular exercise was found to have an effect on cognitive function in these age groups was for memory tasks. Both the updating of working memory and the volume of information which could be held was better in fitter individuals or those put on an aerobic exercise regime. The authors comment that despite physical fitness not affecting all areas of cognitive function in younger people, evidence is mounting that just because they are in their prime developmentally does not mean that they cannot benefit from regular exercise.
In older generations, the evidence for improvement in cognitive function is insurmountable. The types of tests of cognitive function reviewed here are important in showing that exercise may attenuate age-related decline for specific tasks. For example, it has been found to positively affect mental tasks relating to activities such as driving, an activity where age is often seen as a limiting factor.
The authors conclude that engagement in exercise can provide a simple means for people to optimize their cognitive function. They add that more research into the effects of exercise on young adults and children is required. However, they say that "the indications reported thus far - that regular exercise can benefit brains even when they are in their prime developmentally - warrant more rigorous investigation, particularly in the context of society becoming increasingly sedentary."
More information: Guiney H and Machado L. (2012) Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. DOI 10.3758/s13423-012-0345-4 . http://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13423-012-0345-4
Journal reference: Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
Provided by Springer
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5 hours ago | not rated yet | 0 | | <urn:uuid:2d4289ce-37ec-467f-a70a-8a250b584ee1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-aerobic-boosts-brain-power.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944348 | 1,730 | 3.203125 | 3 |
There are self-help books for everything. Most of them just reiterate things you already know. For the right price people buy these things just to feel more confident making decisions that they would have made anyway or to feel more confident doing things they can already do. So what should you think if you see the new "personal development" book "Dorm Rooms to Boardrooms" by Victoria Pilate?
No surprises, it's just another one of those self-help books.
As the subtitle so keenly points out, the book serves as "A Guide For all Majors In Making the Transition from College to the Real World." And, as you may have guessed, making the transition from the student life to the working life is something we can all do just fine without a guide. But the book does make you feel more confident about the change of pace.
The author mixes in some of her real world experience with that of other professionals in a well-organized book that makes you feel better about moving into a career after college. Pilate interviews more than 200 people to get their advice on such topics as writing resumes to dealing with "deadbeat roommates." And that is just in the first chapter. From there, "Dorm Rooms to Boardrooms" moves from finding that first post-college job to "Hitting the Pavement," to coping well in your career in the later chapters "Living the Good Life" and "Reports, Meetings, and Presentations."
"Dorm Rooms to Boardrooms" also has many helpful text boxes that point out interesting statistics and quotes from some of the quality interview responses. One of the best ones covers what to do if you don't have a job right after you graduate. It urges the jobless to flex their creative and investigative muscles as they pursue more permanent employment opportunities through networking. "Write for [a] local paper or alumni magazine including doing interviews. You get experience, you meet others who may have job leads, and you build a portfolio. Even science graduates could use a portfolio that includes a published writing sample."
Of course there are many other great tips throughout the book, but it is, for the most part, advice that many college graduates won't need. This self-help guide, as one of the many before it, just gathers in writing all the lessons that can be learned on a subject through personal experience. If you desire a successful career, get an internship, work hard, pay attention and you will save yourself the time and money it takes to read a self-help book like "Dorm Rooms to Boardrooms." It's doubtful any of the Fortune 500 executives ever read a book like this and got anything more than a little extra self-confidence.
Pilate's new book gives readers the courage they will need to be successful, only not in the way she probably intended. The book covers almost every nook and cranny when it comes to career-related issues, but it soon becomes monotonous. Through their own personal experiences, many college students will have gained most of the advice and experience Pilate can hand out. With every part-time job and volunteer stint a student commits to, he gains invaluable experience and will receive endless advice from co-workers and bosses. This is more important and useful than reading about how to use that experience. If the job or internship is done well, the student will have received all the insight she can handle.
"Dorm Rooms to Boardrooms" does give some good advice though, like make sure to include any fast food experience you have on every resume — if you are detailed enough in describing the job, it is bound to sound better and more demanding than it really was. Even this minor embellishment will increase your chances of getting hired. Seriously.
Grade: 2 out of 5 circles. | <urn:uuid:2b028dbf-aa72-4e68-b3bc-41d61b195030> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2006/10/11/boardroom_book_induc.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97198 | 776 | 2 | 2 |
Even if your CEO prefers to call himself “chief ninja” (hello, Seth Priebastch ) and staff are routinely encouraged to relax and be creative (and forgo the suits and ties) there’s a certain amount of business etiquette that’s required in the workplace.
Unfortunately, during the holiday season, a time to be festive and full of good cheer can often be fraught with faux pas. A packed calendar of parties, some with freely poured libations, can unwittingly cue a conversational blunder with a coworker, while sitting back quietly because you’re unsure of what to say and how to act could stifle opportunities to network or land a new client. Not to mention the loss of productivity from too much indulgence. A recent survey from indicates that 64 percent of Americans have called in sick or know someone who has missed a day of work due to a hangover after attending a holiday party.
Myron Radio, president of the R-Group , a leadership consultancy, says the first thing to remember when navigating all the end-of-year expectations is something he heard from a senior executive. "When you arrive at work and step off the elevator, you step directly onto a stage."
With that in mind, Fast Company polled the experts to tackle a host of sticky situations. Here are their tips for making the holidays work to your advantage.
Diversity Dos and Don’ts
95 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, according to a Gallup poll , but only a little more than half do so for religious reasons. That said, Myron Radio notes that people of all religions seem to have special holidays during the winter season and should be acknowledged. From Ashura (Islamic) and Bodhi Day to Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and the Solstice, he says you can’t go wrong by using generic phrases such as “Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays.” However, if you know a specific holiday that someone celebrates, then it is perfectly acceptable to wish them that when communicating with them one-on-one, Radio adds.
Hot-Button Holiday Greetings
Speaking of sending good wishes, Erin Newkirk, founder of Red Stamp , says, “Sending warm holiday greetings to your boss/colleagues/customers is not only acceptable, it's wonderful when done right.”
Newkirk believes it’s important to make it personal. “No one feels special when they open up the form card that's a preprinted greeting with Xeroxed signatures of the entire company roster,” she says, or receiving one that’s a photo of you, your company, or “your adorable kids they’ve never laid eyes on.”
Instead, she recommends selecting cards that are philanthropic or artistic, relevant to their industry or interests. Always avoid politics, religion, or social issues. “Humor is tricky, so it’s usually best checked at the front door.”
Inside, greet the recipient by name, and include a short greeting wishing happiness and prosperity throughout the season and into the coming year. “If you shared a favorable, work-appropriate moment with your boss/coworker/customer, include a clever photo or memento,” she adds. Then hand-sign the card.
Rewarding your direct reports or the entire staff is a matter of preference, according to etiquette guru Emily Post. She recommends giving across the board so no one feels left out and suggests gift certificates, tickets to the theater or a sporting event, books, CDs, and food items.
Roberta Chinsky Matuson, author of Suddenly in Charge, says skip the package and give the gift of time . “Next time you want to thank an employee for a job well done. Walk up to their desk on a Friday at noon and tell them to take the afternoon off. Accept no excuses. Tell them you are giving them a paid afternoon off as a thank you for being such a valuable member of your team. Don’t be surprised if they show up early on Monday morning feeling rested and ready to plow through their day,” she writes .
Gifting the boss, on the other hand, could be perceived as sucking up. Radio suggests doing what feels right to you. “If you've known your boss for quite a while, and if you have a personal relationship with him or her, a small gift to show your appreciation for them is perfectly acceptable,” he says. This should be offered privately, not publicly.
If you’re new, a gift to them could be misconstrued or make them feel obligated to reciprocate, he says. To avoid any awkwardness, give the gift discreetly and add a personal note that says something like: “Just a small gesture of my appreciation for your help in transitioning into our company.”
Charitable Donation Dynamite
‘Tis the season for charitable giving. Even if your company doesn’t have a policy or set of organizations they’d like you to contribute to, you may find yourself faced with eager coworkers independently collecting for a food bank or selling cookie dough for their kids’ school fundraiser.
“If you are the kind of person that genuinely like to help people in need, then by all means contribute,” advises Radio. “However, if you are reluctant to commit yourself for fear that the requests might multiply, it might be good to say, ‘I do contribute to worthwhile causes like yours already. If I can help you in any other way, please let me know.’”
Avoid A Fashion Faux Pas
Christene Barberich, editor-in-chief of online fashion magazine and e-commerce site Refinery29 , says there’s no reason you need to look like a fashion fiasco during any office festivities if you follow some simple guidelines.
If the culture is casual in a small business or creative agency, Barberich urges female staff to “have fun with your holiday party look, and try out a trend that you've been on the fence about, like metallic makeup, a bold-colored dress, or a shimmery jumpsuit,” she says.
For more buttoned-up companies, Barberich cautions, “This is not your moment to show up at work in a little lacy thing, announcing to the world that you'll party well into the wee hours.” She suggests a work-appropriate dress under a statement jacket that you can take off later. “I'm also a big fan of the tailored tuxedo suit, which can be incredibly flattering and glamorous on most women.”
Keeping the hem length in check, Barberich says, the place women can safely take a risk is with their shoes. “Add a great pair of boots or a higher-than-average heel--that way, you feel festive and empowered.”
For guys toiling at a startup, a lax dress code can mean falling into a rut of jeans and hoodies. Barberich says, “The holiday party is the perfect chance to shake up your sartorial slump and up the ante. We recommend mixing some raw denim with a slim-fit tuxedo jacket paired with a seasonal plaid, even play around with a contrasting patterned tie.” She encourages guys to add some color, whether it's in the form of bright cords, quirky socks, or a cheeky sweater.
In the corporate world, Barberich says that annual office get-together is the time to have your very own James Bond/Daniel Craig moment. She says invest in a tailored suit with slightly skinnier lapels. “If you're feeling even more GQ, velvet is the way to go. Think: a rich cranberry blazer, a black tie, or even a smoking slipper. Just make sure you look more like Her Majesty's spy than Austin Powers.”
Don’t Forget to Say Thanks
“If someone took the time to send you a physical gift, send them a physical note,” says Newkirk. You can send an email or e-card if you got a digital gift. Don’t delay, she says, “No one expects a novel so you can keep it brief,” and adds, “Pictures of you enjoying your gift with a pithy headline or phrase is fabulous, too.”' | <urn:uuid:4aba5948-5421-4b85-9a16-3a80cf9233a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fastcompany.com/print/3003552 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94744 | 1,772 | 1.5 | 2 |
i'm working on a project, and i would like your input. for those who aren't familiar with free association, it's simply a spontaneous unconstrained association of ideas, feelings, emotions, experiences, etc.
in psychoanalysis it's a method of exploring the unconcious in attempt to reveal emotions and thoughts that have been repressed.
therefore, using the word FLOWER free associate. afterwards you can add another word for someone else to use. however, i would like if everyone could start off with flower, then add another word for the next person. the idea is that everyone would do flower first, then the word added by the person(s) above them.
list format, and no pictures. | <urn:uuid:21dda821-8906-49be-a543-9743ec4e4cb1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kittyradio.com/soapbox/void/3044-automatism-free-association.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947041 | 147 | 2.0625 | 2 |
How many lurid memoirs can a writer get away with before we suspect he's full of baloney? In his tart 2002 best-seller, Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs chronicled his teenage years in the freewheeling home of his mother's shrink, including an affair at age 13 with a 33-year-old former patient of the doctor's. He wrote about his subsequent battle with alcoholism in Dry. Now, in an overwrought, unconvincing prequel, A Wolf at the Table, he reaches into the murky depths of early childhood to exhume his tortured relationship with his father, whom he presents as a sadistic ghoul with rotting teeth, grotesquely peeling skin, and an unexplained penchant for stalking Augusten through the woods at night.
Born into the ''smoking, oily wreckage'' of his parents' marriage, Burroughs initially adored his dad, a philosophy professor at a New England college. But, like many buttoned-up men of the 1960s, his father rejected his affectionate overtures, leaving Burroughs to create a stuffed doll out of clothes borrowed from his dad's closet. He'd sprinkle Old Spice on the slacks, smear Eucerin on the collar, then cuddle up with the father-scented effigy at bedtime. Or so he says.
This theatrical love for ''Dead'' (his Freudian mispronunciation of ''Dad'') soon became loathing. When he was 9, Burroughs returned home after a week away to discover that his father had let his beloved guinea pig, Ernie, starve to death. Worse, he seemed to enjoy witnessing his son's grief. Among dad's other ''crimes'': He refused to buy Burroughs cookies at the Stop & Shop and in one blurry, nonsensical sequence chased his son through the forest like a werewolf.
Where is the man inside this supposed monster? In passing, the author mentions his dad had psoriasis so severe that it bloodied his shirts (which disgusted Burroughs), and arthritis so excruciating he couldn't play catch (which Burroughs resented). He was also an alcoholic stuck in a miserable marriage. Yet Burroughs' portrait of this troubled man is blithely incurious, devoid of empathy, and maddeningly self-centered.
In 2005, the family Burroughs lived with as a teenager sued him, alleging that he fabricated and sensationalized events in Scissors; last year, he settled for an undisclosed sum. There is no one to challenge his version of events in Wolf, as his father is dead. There is no one who can deny that he spread Eucerin on that father-size doll, or that ''Dead'' was responsible for a guinea pig's death. It hardly matters. Even if everything in this book went down exactly as Burroughs tells it, not a single page rings true. C- | <urn:uuid:31e62168-ab7c-448c-bed8-12e289224a44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20192440,00.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983049 | 606 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Jewish World Review Feb. 4, 2002 / 22 Shevat, 5762
It was first of all the speech of a commander in chief. It has often been said that Americans will not tolerate a protracted war or one with many American casualties. This has always been wrong: Americans will support a war for a righteous cause over many difficult months and years and with many casualties if their president shows that the war is just and explains his overall strategy and how much progress we are making. Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt did this and were re-elected in two of the highest-casualty years in American history, 1864 and 1944.
In his State of the Union speech, Bush explained where we are in the war against terrorism and where we are headed. With meticulous care, he explained that the training camps in Afghanistan have been shut down, but not the training camps elsewhere. He explained that American forces are now helping to fight terrorism in Somalia, Bosnia, and the Philippines.
And he set a new course for the war. "Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from threatening America or our friends and allies with weapons of mass destruction. He named North Korea, Iran, and Iraq, saying they form "an axis of evil." And "all nations should know America will do what is necessary to ensure our nation's security."
In other words, we will work to undermine the regime of the mullahs in Iran and to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. As JWR's Michael Ledeen has pointed out, Bush thus settled the differences in his administration on how we should deal with Iran and Iraq. The war on terrorism has seemed to be in a lull: Activity in Afghanistan is limited, and American efforts elsewhere are not overwhelming. But Bush made it plain that this is only a lull before a storm. The Iranian mullahs and Hussein surely understood what Bush meant: He seeks to destroy their regimes. The American people henceforth are on notice as well. Some time before Bush delivers his next State of the Union address, there will be major changes, changes for the better, in their part of the world.
Also on notice are America's Democratic politicians. With the important exception of Sen. Joseph Lieberman, they are leery of going after Iraq. Instinctively, they incline to diplomatic rather than military solutions. Going after Iraq is seen as extremist. From the writings of Al Gore's chief foreign policy adviser, Leon Fuerth, we can be pretty confident that a President Gore would not have chosen, as Bush seems to have, to go after Iraq. But however reluctant the Democrats would be to initiate such action, they are, in my judg ment, likely (probably with a few exceptions) to support taking the war against terrorism to Iraq. Their support of the war so far has been sincere and heartfelt. They know that Bush has the people on his side; polls have consistently showed that 70 percent of Americans favor taking on Iraq. They know that they cannot deny that Hussein is dangerous and not amenable to compromise. So they will go along and keep any misgiving to themselves.
So will almost all our allies or coalition partners. "Some governments will be timid in the face of terror," Bush said. "And make no mistake about it: If they do not act, America will." When Bush says "make no mistake," he means it. When the United States shows determination, others do what they would never have done on their own. We have seen that with President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan. We have seen that with France and Germany and others. We will see it again.
Bush also set out, more clearly and vividly than he has before, what America stands for in its war against terrorism. We stand for "freedom," he said over and over again. And he listed "the non-negotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of law, limits on the power of the state, respect for women, private property, free speech, equal justice, and religious tolerance." Using the language of the campus protesters of his youth ("non-negotiable demands"), he set forth a list of freedoms that appeals to all segments of the American electorate: economic conservatives (limits on the power of the state, private property), feminists (respect for women), advocates of civil rights (equal justice), religious conservatives and nonbelievers (religious tolerance). Bush did in this speech what Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill did when they proclaimed the Four Freedoms in the Atlantic Charter of August 1941; he told Americans and the world what we stand for.
Bush devoted most of his speech to the war. But he also masterfully framed the issues in domestic politics, invoking bipartisanship even as he advanced his own policies. He unflinchingly promised budget deficits and urged Congress to hold down spending. This provides him a basis for what he did last summer on the farm bill and last fall on domestic spending: use his threat of a veto to lay down markers for appropriators that they will dare not exceed. The appropriators don't like it, but they are not ready for a public fight with a wartime president with an 80 percent job approval rating. He demanded that the Senate pass a stimulus package, trade promotion authority, and an energy billmeasures that Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has kept from the floor. Daschle already knows that his decision to block the stimulus package was a political loser. In the recent ABC-Washington Post poll, for example, Republicans led Democrats 48 to 39 percent on improving the economy. So last week, Daschle dropped his insistence on a Democratic version of healthcare finance for the unemployed and all but pleaded for a compromise stimulus package. He knows that on high-visibility items he dare not fight the president.
Bush sounded like the Democrats on some issues. He called for a patients' bill of rights and a Medicare prescription drug benefit. But he seems likely to use his veto threat to insist on his versions. He responded, without saying so, to the Enron collapse by calling for new safeguards for 401(k)'s and stricter accounting standards and tougher disclosure for corporations, and said corporate America must be "held to the highest standards of conduct." So much for Democrats' attempts to use Enron to batter him. And Bush raised one issue that many congressional Republicans wish he would forget: individual investment accounts for Social Security. But Bush's endorsement of "personal retirement accounts for younger workers who choose them" is good politics as well as good policy. Democrats this fall will be trying to scare old people into believing the Republicans will take their Social Security away. Republicans would be well advised to tell young people that they need something better than the current system.
In this 48-minute speech, Bush did more than talk about the war and domestic issues; he talked about the national character. "After America was attacked, it was as if our entire country looked into a mirror and saw our better selves,'' he said. "We were reminded that we are citizens with obligations to each other, to our country, and to history." This was the theme of Bush's August 2000 acceptance speech. He called on citizens to donate 4,000 hourstwo years' work timeto others. He announced a USA Freedom Corps, an expansion of Bill Clinton's AmeriCorps program that sends low-pay volunteers into jobs with charitable and community organizations. And, again echoing a campaign theme, he insisted, "For too long our culture has said, 'If it feels good, do it.' Now America is embracing a new ethic and a new creed: 'Let's roll.' "
In other words, rather than a hedonistic, lethargic, ever-demanding population, we should be a giving, duty-doing, proactive citizenry. Americans in the Clinton years believed the economy was advancing but the culture was deteriorating. Bush tells us we can dowe have been doingbetter. It was a call to duty and to alertness that Clinton, the shirker of duty and feeler of pain, could never have convincingly issued. Bush has moved away from the economic conservatism and cultural conservatism of the recent past to a conservatism as muscular as Theodore Roosevelt's and as compassionate as the faith-based charities he took care to mention. Americans are determined to prosecute the war on terrorism, but most have been puzzled about what they can do personally. Bush has pointed them toward answers.
It has been noted that George W. Bush
has appeared on television news programs
since September 11 less than his leading
advisers. Like Franklin Roosevelt, who delivered only a handful of Fireside Chats
during World War II, he has carefully
rationed his presence and has made his
words count when he finally delivers them.
For some weeks, it has been unclear where
the war on terrorism is going, where domestic policy is headed, what the war tells
us about American character, what ordinary citizens can do. In 48 minutes in the
House chamber, George W. Bush told
us all those things, in clear and graceful
language, with obvious sincerity and heartfelt force. The war has just started, but he
is already a great war | <urn:uuid:9a10cbf6-2c43-4bc2-8acd-cbf00c0bac1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jewishworldreview.com/michael/barone020402.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9721 | 1,870 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Sustainable Manufacturing Metrics
Measuring environmental performance is a key first step on the road to sustainability. However, measuring performance can be difficult, especially for smaller companies. Choosing which metrics to use and just knowing where to start the process can be daunting. Difficulty in measuring performance hampers the adoption of more sustainable manufacturing practices.
The Toolkit provides a set of 18 internationally applicable, common and comparable key performance indicators to measure and improve the environmental performance of manufacturing facilities and products. It can be used by companies of any size and is designed to be used by non-experts.
The toolkit includes an easy to follow start-up guide that introduces the concept and walks users through the measurement process. It also includes a web portal with in-depth information on the indicators, country-specific sources of data and information, a glossary, best practices, and technical advice.
The toolkit portal and start-up guide can be found at: www.oecd.org/innovation/green/toolkit.
Background on the Project
This project, proposed by the United States and supported by other OECD members, has sought to address these issues and develop a set of simplified indicators and guidance that can be used by any facility to measure its environmental performance and make decisions to improve it.
There are numerous reporting frameworks and sets of metrics available. However, each set has its limitations. For example, they may be too complicated for use by non-experts or may provide data that is suitable for external reporting rather than internal decision making.
The United States, working with other countries through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), began an effort to address critical information gaps in the sustainable manufacturing arena. An OECD study on these issues was proposed by the United States in 2006.
Phase 1 of the project included research into the scope and extent of sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation, a literature review of current sets of indicators and metrics, and a review of government programs to support sustainable practices and environmental-focused innovation. This first phase of the project also included a conference in Rochester, NY aimed at hearing from leading companies' efforts in this arena. Phase one of the study was completed in 2009, and resulted in the publication, Eco-Innovation in Industry: Enabling Green Growth.
Phase 2 of the project on sustainable manufacturing metrics was the toolkit itself and included a common framework and language, a set of core indicators, methodology on how to measure them, and guidance on how to use the data for internal decision making.
The goals in creating the toolkit included:
- looking at environmental sustainability holistically, including air, water, energy, GHGs, waste, etc
- analyzing inputs, processes and products
- linking improvements to financial costs and benefits and providing frameworks to help make decisions
- providing information and links to more detailed metrics and guidance
- using normalized indicators to allow for comparison between facilities and over time
- being easy to use for even non-experts
Review a June 2009 OECD Policy Brief on this issue or visit the OECD Green Growth & Eco-Innovation site. | <urn:uuid:fdcbfacd-5a6d-42f5-a58a-d4d406b1170f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.trade.gov/competitiveness/sustainablemanufacturing/metrics.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940459 | 637 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Sacred Heart Music Center has a rich history – one that’s built on passion and dedication, not just neo-gothic brick and brownstone. Volunteers have saved this beautiful building from the wrecking ball, allowing it to be enjoyed by the community as a premiere venue for musical performances and special events.
Thanks to Rev. John Chebul, who founded the first Catholic parish in Duluth, the first Sacred Heart Church was built in 1870. A small wooden building, it burned down in 1892. Just two years later, the cornerstone was laid for the current Sacred Heart building, which was dedicated in 1896.
The pipe organ, built by A.B. Felgemaker, of Erie, Pennsylvania and installed in 1898, completed the magnificent cathedral. With an impressive sound created by its 1,493 pipes, the organ created many memorable moments for parishioners. One person with a very special connection to the instrument was Joan Connolly. Joan became the cathedral’s organist in 1930, when she was a sophomore in high school.
Fifty-five years later, when the Diocese announced Sacred Heart’s congregation would merge with St. Mary Star of the Sea, she took action to save her beloved building and organ.
“The whole thing started because I have a big mouth,” Connolly told “North Life” magazine in April 1998. “It was something I needed to do. I couldn’t bear the idea of the organ being dismantled and moved someplace else. Once you take it out of the original space, it just isn’t ever the same. After all those years of playing that instrument, I had a lot of motivation.”
Joan recruited other dedicated volunteers, and bought the structure from the Diocese of Duluth for one dollar. Since then, a non-profit organization has worked hard to preserve the historic space, and to find new uses to promote the enjoyment of the building – most notably, as a venue for eclectic musical performances.
Massive renovation projects have proven to be challenges over the years, but volunteers have continued to overcome these obstacles. In 2007, visitors took their first steps on an attractive new wood floor that greatly enhances the space. Today, concert-goers can enjoy the striking stained glass windows and the many other architectural details that make the building unique. And they can enjoy the amazing acoustics that can take a musical experience to a new level.
Sacred Heart board members would like to express their deepest appreciation to everyone who has supported the efforts to preserve this beautiful facility. That includes Joan Connolly’s daughter, Mary Jo, who sits on the board today and helps to fulfill her mother’s legacy. | <urn:uuid:63f7f90b-d12b-4f3b-a986-c19e296ff347> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sacredheartmusic.org/history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972026 | 560 | 1.601563 | 2 |
COLUMN-UK planning law could fast-track shale gas: Wynn
(The author is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own.)
LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - A proposed law could ease British planning regulations for shale gas developers after the country gave the green light for a resumption of exploration last week, but local support will be vital for even limited production.
A high population density in much of the European Union and Britain is partly responsible for planning regulations which include detailed public consultation which in the present form will test the development of a shale gas industry in its infancy.
The complexity of the planning process in Britain is illustrated by the efforts taken by the main present explorer, Cuadrilla, to drill six exploratory wells in the north west of England.
The private-equity-backed company has submitted at least 18 separate planning applications, local government data show, and has dealt with 31 British national planning policies on issues including the environment, oil and gas production and water quality.
The company has not produced any gas by fracking to date.
A proposed Growth and Infrastructure Bill in Britain offers the prospect of extending to extractive industries a fast-track planning procedure introduced four years ago for projects deemed of national significance.
Without such assistance it is difficult to see how shale gas development can take off in densely populated Britain.
And even with fast-tracked planning approvals, production is likely to be limited by the political clout of lobbies for the protection of the countryside and wildlife.
Britain's existing Planning Act of 2008 already allows streamlined decisions on major energy, waste and transport development classed as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).
Oil and gas exploration and drilling are not presently explicitly supported under that programme.
Eligible projects in the energy sector are electricity generation including renewable, nuclear and fossil fuel power; electric grids; and gas infrastructure projects including pipelines, storage and import facilities.
These are defined in "national policy statements" which detail relevant planning guidance, supporting projects above a certain size such as onshore power plants over 50 megawatts.
Planning decisions are streamlined through a time-limited process (one year) run by a panel called the Planning Inspectorate, rather than involving multiple local planning authorities.
The Secretary of State makes the final decision based on the panel report. Developers are still required to carry out extensive public consultation on their proposals.
Approvals for projects are based on the published national policy statements, making the process quicker and outcome more predictable.
GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE
A draft growth and infrastructure bill offers the prospect of extending that fast-track process to other industries, and is in a legislative pipeline approaching parliamentary approval.
"This (bill) broadens the 2008 Planning Act's scope so that a much wider range of infrastructure development can be brought within the nationally significant infrastructure planning regime," states an impact assessment report accompanying the proposed law.
"This will allow applicants for large scale business and commercial development to apply to the Secretary of State for the option of using the streamlined approach set out in the Planning Act."
Extractive industries were one possible beneficiary.
"Formal consultation will be carried out on the types of development which the Secretary of State proposes to prescribe in regulations.
"Forms of development which could form part of that consultation include: Warehousing and storage; Manufacturing and processing proposals; Office development, including research and development facilities; Extractive industries (mining and quarrying); Major tourism proposals and leisure venues; Mixed -use developments (where this includes two or more of the above uses but does not include housing)."
Use of the fast-track process would be the choice of the developer and a decision of a government minister.
Meanwhile, the government is pressing for more rewards for local communities which may boost support for development.
A particular example is the case of long-term disposal of nuclear waste: the former government decided it would be difficult to thrust such a development on a local community simply on the basis of geological suitability.
It proposed in 2007 a "voluntarism and partnership" approach which stressed the economic and social benefit that would accrue to the local community, in its paper published in 2008, "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely".
The recent 2011 Localism Act reinforced that principle of rewarding communities more widely, broadening the uses for a levy on developers beyond simply infrastructure to wider neighbourhood benefits.
Cuadrilla's shale gas operation is at present focused in an economically deprived area of north west England.
Unsurprisingly, the company is already keen to appeal to both the national significance of shale gas development and local benefits.
For example, it says it not only expects explicit support but pressure from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to develop any successful exploratory wells.
"Any plans to develop a hydrocarbon discovery ... would be the subject of a further planning application. The licensees would be pressed to develop any commercial discovery by DECC, the licensing authority whose duty is to encourage oil and gas exploration and production activities in the UK," it says in its supporting statement for development of one of its exploration sites in Lancashire.
The planning outcome may more depend on how far the company can garner local community backing including through generous financial support, especially given well-flagged concerns about tremors, truck movements and impacts on water quality.
(Editing by Keiron Henderson) | <urn:uuid:e3d54729-a1c3-4d31-b345-85784543d7c0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnbc.com/id/100324625 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943686 | 1,111 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Grand Turk Island.
VS. At night. Scott Carpenter arriving at Grand Turk Island for medical checks etc. He is accompanied by Lt Col John Glenn. He is seen going from car to Medical Centre.
Summary of all the big stories from 1935.
Atlas rocket with Mercury Capsule takes off from Cape Canaveral.
Story of Aurora Seven's take off and Carpenter being picked up from the water.
Aquanauts being tested at American sea laboratory.
Aviator C.W.A. Scott and his co-pilot Campbell Black fly from Mildenhall to Australia. | <urn:uuid:6160d036-c8ae-4629-9c1b-d14a96668b38> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.britishpathe.com/video/malcolm-scott-carpenter-at-grand-turk-island | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947566 | 120 | 1.632813 | 2 |
In verses 4-6, we’re reminded that rejecting the gift of the Holy Spirit is very serious.
In verses 1-3, the author says it is time to move beyond elementary teachings about Christ. The next few paragraphs will go deeper.
- Going deeper
- God keeps his promises
In verses 13-14, the author compares mature to immature believers.
In verse 12, the Hebrews are encouraged to grow up.
In verses 8-11, we’re reminded that Jesus humbled himself.
I find verses 5-7 quite puzzling.
It sounds very much like Jesus is being treated as human, not divine, in this section.
Only his Father could save him from death.
High priests are humble, we read in verses 1-4, because they’ve faced the same temptations as the rest of us.
Melchizedek and Solid Food | <urn:uuid:5e2710fa-052a-4923-af91-40793a5a505c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nineyearbible.wordpress.com/2012/07/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953066 | 187 | 2.21875 | 2 |
THEOPHILOS I, Coptic archbishop of Jerusalem (1935-1945). He was born in 1893 in the village of al-Matahrah, Egypt. He joined the Monastery of Saint Antony (DAYR ANBA ANTUNIYUS) in the Eastern Desert, becoming a monk in 1910 and adopting the name Butrus. In 1915 he was ordained and then appointed HEGUMENOS. After serving as pastor of the Coptic community at Kom Ombo, where he caused a large church to be built, he was appointed abbot in 1931 of Cairo's Monastery of Saint Antony and the Resurrection. During the same year he became abbot of the Monastery of Saint Antony in the Eastern Desert. In 1935 he succeeded Basilios III as archbishop of Jerusalem, taking the name Theophilos. Shortly after his consecration, he was restored to the abbacy of the Monastery of Saint Antony. He constructed a new church at this monastery and opened two schools, one for boys and one for girls, in Bush near the administrative headquarters of the monastery. He also built houses for the endowment of the monastery in Cairo and bought about twenty feddans (a little more than twenty acres) of land near Bani Suef, annexing them to the endowment of Saint Antony's. He was responsible for the construction of churches in the governorates of Sharqiyyah and the Canal as well as in his home town near Minya. He also built the Church of Saint George at al-‘Arish and bought land near the river Jordan to build a monastery.
He was fatally wounded by a gunshot on 1 October 1945, while visiting farms near the monastery in Bush in the governorate of Bani Suef.
Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections. | <urn:uuid:5e71669d-99b4-4b43-aa02-3161069e8fc4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ccdl.libraries.claremont.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/cce/id/1841/rec/19 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980246 | 382 | 2.46875 | 2 |
These days – thanks to the combination of concerns about the environmental issues of transporting foodstuffs around the globe, coupled with the harsh economic climate, there is a tendency for people to choose growing and eating their own locally grown produce. Does this also apply, you may ask, to the cacao plant?
Of course, chocolate lovers would probably delight in having a plant which provides produce which can be made into cocoa and chocolate products. In terms of the natural habitat for the cacao tree, it grows in a tropical climate such as South America or Central America and also in Africa and Asia. As a rule, this evergreen plant prefers temperatures around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you fancy growing your own cacao plant in a more arid country, why not try growing one in your greenhouse?
The cacao plant is not especially hardy so it is worth taking the time to learn how to take care of the plant. Here are a few tips as to how to get going.
The easiest way to get started is to buy a baby cacao plant from a nursery. If you are really hard core and want to do everything yourself, you could take a stem cutting (the cutting should have a few leaves on it and one or two buds) and, once you`ve dipped it in rooting hormone, pot it into a well-drained pot, keep the soil moist and covered with a plastic bag. Keep the plant warm and in a shaded space. The plant can take more light, the bigger it grows.
When you have your baby cacao plant, by whatever means, it needs to be planted in a shaded place. It has been said that, because cacao plants need shade, they can be planted in rainforests which has the environmental advantage of protecting these important habitats. For home use, make sure the hole for your plant is three times the diameter of the root ball and three times the height.
Expert gardening sites recommend that the plant is watered immediately with a slow soaking and that mulch is spread 3 – 6 inches thick around the tree (about half a foot away from the trunk). The plant should then be watered according to the soil type but remember the cacao grows naturally in tropical climes.
There is a debate as to whether to use fertilizers and chemicals on the plant. Some say yes, some say no. If you choose to apply fertilizer, follow the direction on the pack. The tree should be pruned once it reaches a couple of feet in height. It has been recommended to allow four branches to develop and to prune away others.
In due course, you should begin to see the produce of the tree! Of course, for life’s other little treats, it may be easier to pop to the shop to buy your goodies. And for coffee lovers, rather than going to the trouble of buying a coffee plant, it may be better to buy your coffee beans online: http://www.caffesociety.co.uk/coffee-ingredients-sundries/coffee/fresh-coffee-beans. | <urn:uuid:5bf28ee2-d2aa-446c-a34f-8422c7519d94> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chocolatefudgecafe.com/?cat=113 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960578 | 633 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Dubbed the Endurance 160, the 14,500 tonne warship is the first one designed by ST Marine with a full length flight deck.
The length overall is quoted as 163.7m, with the flight deck estimated at around 146m long by 25.6m wide with five deck landing spots.
Tonne for tonne, ST Marine's Endurance 140 design can carry more landing craft than any other LST/LPD design available today. The mothership can land a battalion-size team in one wave using its onboard FCUs and Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEP) landing craft.
Each Endurance 160 is designed to carry two FCU-type landing craft and a pair of smaller FCEPs. It is likely that the landing craft complement will include the new drive-thru design, which ST Marine designed specifically for LOTS operations involving main battle tanks, which could include but are not limited to Leopard 2-type MBTs. | <urn:uuid:fd77672b-210c-4ad7-a8cc-7519741ca1d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kementah.blogspot.com/2010/11/lots-to-deliver-singapore-technologies.html?showComment=1288685548095 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956822 | 194 | 1.710938 | 2 |
My favorite thing about vegan baked goods is that even as a non-vegan, I CAN STILL EAT THEM.
And one that I enjoy eating is the vegan chocolate chocolate cookies at Macrina Bakery in Seattle. And--YES!--they are the "recipe of the month" which is now available to the public. Here's what Macrina has to say about them:
"This cookie was developed for a favorite teacher of one of our daughters here at Macrina. She would often request Olivia's Chocolate Chip cookies for her class but discovered her teacher couldn't eat them. I went to work on a vegan version so the cookies could be enjoyed by all! We test marketed it in our cafes with customers and they loved them, so we now offer them baked fresh daily!"
Here's the recipe:
Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Cookies
Makes 20 3-inch cookies
- 2-1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 C cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp egg replacement powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2-1/2 C bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 C (1 stick) vegan butter (preferably Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks) at room temperature
- 1/3 C palm shortening, at room temperature
- 3/4 C light brown vegan sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 C water
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, egg replacement and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chocolate chip and mix well to combine. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Start on low speed and increase to medium for a total of 5 to 8 minutes. The mixture will be fluffy and very pale. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the water. Stop halfway and scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Be careful not to over mix: the cookies may become tough. If the dry ingredients aren't fully incorporated, mix them in with the spatula. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. At this point the dough can be formed into cookies or stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This dough also freezes well for up to three weeks.
3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 35o° F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
4. Let the cookie dough warm at room temperature for 20 minutes to make portioning easier. Scoop the dough from the bowl with a large spoon or #30 ice cream scoop and form into 1-3/4 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, flattening them to 1/2 inch thickness while maintaining the circle shape. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. (These cookies don't spread much, so they'll look a little different than standard chocolate chip cookies.) Cool them on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. | <urn:uuid:3453e39d-a5f5-41f7-938f-b869ddac29e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cakespy.com/blog/tag/vegan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928047 | 689 | 1.507813 | 2 |
- Ability to work as a team member
- Math skills
- Computer skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Strong reading and written communication skills
- Technical writing
May vary by technical campus. Contact the campus you plan on attending for more information.
You can participate in regional, state and national competitions for SkillsUSA.
High School Credit
Upon successful completion of the course, you will earn high school elective and/or academic credit. Click here for a list of academic offerings.
College credit also is available through articulation and/or direct college credit. Some colleges that accept technical campus credit include:
- Oakland Community College
Click here to learn how to earn free college credits. Or, contact a technical campus counselor for more information on high school and/or college credit. | <urn:uuid:4e2ea41a-3773-4ada-9544-481345c97cd3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ostconline.com/CLUSTERS/ConstructionTechnology/tabid/2857/Default.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920846 | 163 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Critical Care Surgeon Info
Critical Care Surgeon Summary: A critical care surgeon provides comprehensive care to patients with life-threatening, acute, or potentially life-threatening ailments. A critical care surgeon may practice in a broad range of settings including emergency rooms, intensive care units, operating rooms, or at the scene of the accident. A critical care surgeon typically has expertise in all aspects of the body's biologic and physiologic responses to trauma or injury.
Critical Care Surgeon FAQs:
What is a
Critical Care Surgeon?
A Critical Care Surgeon is a surgeon who cares for the critically ill and those affected by trauma..
Where does a critical care surgeon typically work?
A Critical Care Surgeon usually works in a hospital or primary care setting. A Critical Care Surgeon must be in a well-equipped facility to perform unexpected or emergency surgeries at a moments notice.
How do I find an Critical Care Surgeon in my city and state?
The wellness.com directory will help you locate a Critical Care Surgeon in your state. Select Critical Care Surgeon from the professionals menu and select the state that you are looking to locate a Critical Care Surgeon in. After you have located your state, find the city that you will need a Critical Care Surgeon in. Select the state and city and you will see a list of Critical Care Surgeons in your city and state.
Critical Care Surgeon Related Terms: critical care, acute care, emergency medicine, surgery, surgeon, respiratory failure, shock, renal failure, sepsis, life-threatening illness, ICU, intensive care | <urn:uuid:eb73c430-dddd-4a11-a4cd-e744cbee7702> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wellness.com/find/critical%20care%20surgeon/ne | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907306 | 327 | 2.328125 | 2 |
India maps first Human Genome Sequence
- Rs 20L seized from Ajit Chandila relative's home, another ex-cricketer held
- Indian American teen Eesha Khare invents wondrous 20-sec charger, Google eyes bid
- India and China ask SRs to work on more border steps
- Can't charge man with rape over consensual sex even if marriage eludes: Supreme Court
- Saudi Arabian authorities refuse to accept new Indian passports
Using as little as 10 millilitres of blood from a "healthy 52-year-old-man", scientists at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in Delhi have successfully mapped the Human Genome Sequence for the first time in India.
The breakthrough paves the way for predictive healthcare and the possibility of identifying why certain people (with particular gene sequences) do not respond to certain medications, and what diseases a particular gene carrier, or a population, is likely to develop.
While the actual genome sequencing was completed in 45 days, the project took two years of background work ó setting up a supercomputer facility, procuring software and standardizing protocols. The team that achieved the feat was led by Dr S Sridhar and IGIB PhD student Vinod Scaria, both in their mid-thirties.
The world's first Human Genome Sequence was a result of the International Human Genome Project comprising scientists from the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan and China. The Project began in 1990, and the sequencing was completed in 2003.
"The human genome sequence is like a map of the human body. Through this map, we can tell what leads to what. We can use this map to predict mutations in the gene, like predicting how a certain person may get a certain disease. We can predict for instance, who will get the common bipolar disease or single nuclear polymorphism," IGIB director Dr Rajesh Gokhale said.
"Through the same tool, we can predict the chances of a particular disease affecting a population. We can also explore aspects like why certain drugs don't affect certain people," he added.
Despite the high cost of sequencing, scientists at IGIB predict that it may soon become a fairly popular procedure.
"While genome sequencing is certainly expensive now, in about five years, we can look forward to making it a common diagnostic tool. A cancer patient for instance should be able to avail this facility, and the sequencing can predict what drugs will be useful for him," Dr Gokhale said.
- 'Sophisticated' Indian cyberattacks targeted Pak military sites: Report
- Talkative Li quoted Weber, Hegel, Jobs, said PM is large-hearted
- Bihar food corp ends up with chaff as rice worth Rs 535 cr vanishes from mills
- In 7 lucrative minutes on May 9, Sreesanth bowled six balls, bookie made Rs 2.5 cr
- India and China ask border envoys to work on more steps
- Former Ranji player among 3 more held | <urn:uuid:b9127cf1-8564-4407-acd4-cc69ad689601> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indianexpress.com/news/India-maps-first-Human-Genome-Sequence/551844 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942601 | 626 | 3.1875 | 3 |
City to expand waste transfer facility
Move will reduce use of county landfills
An expansion of the city’s waste transfer facility at the corporation yard was approved by the City Council Tuesday night, but not without a small hiccup.
The project will expand the city’s waste transfer facility to handle 50 tons more (for a total of 150 tons) recycle or green waste materials than it presently handles.
According to Baldomero Rodriguez, Public Works director, the city has been working to make the change for a while, but held off making the final decision to create the amendment when rumors began to circulate about the increase in the county’s tipping fees and the reduction of operation hours at the Teapot Dome landfill where the city delivers its refuse.
Last month, the Board of Supervisors both reduced the hours at the Teapot Dome landfill and increase dumping fees. That prompted Rodriguez to move forward with the amendment, which should help the city by offsetting the amount of waste that would need to be dumped in a landfill.
The hiccup came in the form of the wording of the amendment, which states that the project is exempt from an environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act because of a particular code. Staff caught and made the council aware that the amendment was, in fact, exempt but because of a completely different regulation code, but this mistake was caught only after the council passed the amendment. Because of this, the city council was forced to go back, vote to rescind its earlier decision, and reopen the public hearing for a minute before closing it again and creating a new motion that would accept the amendment, with a revision to the language that states the code under which the amendment is exempt. This new motion was passed unanimously.
The council approved city manager John Lollis’ plans to reorganize the Parks and Leisure Services Department, but with Council member Greg Shelton casting the negative vote.
While both Shelton and Council member Brian Ward raised concerns about the reorganization, it was pointed out that because of an awareness of retirements in Parks and Leisure, the city had planned to reorganize the department and make use of these vacant positions to save the city money, a plan which was discussed and adopted in with the adoption of the current year’s budget.
The plan still calls for a director of the department, but eliminates two positions.
Mayor Virginia Gurrola, Ward and Shelton all raised some questions about plans for a new subdivision near Summit Charter Academy, Ward specifically asking as to how close it was to a park. However, it was pointed out that this subdivision was an experiment to test the new ordinance, which allows for the existence of the project because of its proximity to Summit Charter Academy.
Ward was still concerned about how accessible the playground equipment for Summit would be, considering it could only be utilized after school hours. However, after suggesting that the city consider “pocket parks” in the future, Ward voted in agreement with the rest of the council, which was to unanimously accept the permit and subdivision map.
Other matters included accepting the environmental review of the Jaye Street/Montgomery Avenue Roundabout project. Shelton asked if much had been said about the project to city staff, and Rodriguez answered that so far nothing really had been said. The public comments section before the meeting did see one resident providing the council with photographs to help point out how the current street layout was unsafe, but the woman, who lives on Jaye Street right as it splits into Jaye and the Montgomery turn, did not directly speak in favor or against a roundabout.
The council also authorized the creation of a Porterville Transit Advisory Committee.
Porterville Transit Manager Richard Tree proposed the creation of the committee, which he would sit on voluntarily, so that he could have more community input into the transit system.
His suggestion was a seven-person body with two representative’s for the elderly and two for the disabled, and three for the general public. The council’s concerns were on the demographics of the committee and how it would match up with the actual demographics of those using Porterville transit.
There was also some concern of cost, but Tree said that it would be negligable, with the main costs concerning the creation and distribution of agendas and meeting minutes, and that this would be handled by the transit department. His time would be voluntary to keep the cost down.
In the end, the council decided that the committee itself was a good idea, but approved the creation of it contingent that part of the membership represent each user group, elderly, disabled, young and general user.
During scheduled matters, the council unanimously approved Ordinance 1792, a municipal code which would effectively remove the council’s existing adjournment time, allowing the council to automatically move through the meeting without pausing to approve to extend it, after a second reading of the ordinance. | <urn:uuid:c989c7ce-4781-4c96-8d19-295b33a53f8c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.recorderonline.com/news/city-54302-expand-expansion.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968113 | 1,005 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Building Control Regulations and Building Control Approval
Building Control approval (or understanding the exemptions) is a legal obligation of the end user on most mezzanine floors or office interiors projects. This can be a daunting task if you've had little or no experience of dealing with the Building Control Regulations yourself.
Part of the difference with NSI Projects is that we have the resources to handle all Building Control issues for you.
- Trained Staff
Whilst we're not building control inspectors ourselves, our staff are trained in the latest regulations and are well versed in designing and advising on schemes that offer best compliance without unnecessary expense, and our Project Managers can run the whole process for you.
- Consultation with our retained building control inspectors on the viability of your proposed scheme:
This allows for cost effective designs right from the start, getting provisional approval at the design stage, and understanding how to plan around potential additional expensive fire rating requirements through thoughtful design. We can often resubmit several alternative plans to get the right combination of compliance and cost effectiveness.
- Submitting the application forms, CAD drawings, plans and calculations to Building Control:
This includes providing the detailed drawings of the project, providing engineers calculations where required.
- Arranging appropriate site inspections:
Not only do we schedule these meetings, keeping the building control informed at every stage, we'll also represent you and your interests on site with Building Control Inspectors or Fire Officers if necessary.
- Obtaining final post build sign-off:
We complete the job, getting you full sign-off, including advising you throughout the project of any other amendments required through other suppliers e.g. incumbent fire alarm providers.
It might surprise you that you don't have to use your local authority for Building Control sign-off. For that reason NSI retain independent building control inspectors who know and understand our designs, can provide prompt attention, and give a consistent interpretation of the Building Control Regulations anywhere in the country.
Leave it to our Project Management Service to work with the approved inspectors who understand the products and will work with us to design a compliant but economical scheme.
For more information please contact us on 0800 027 1966. | <urn:uuid:94b9f633-5d8b-4518-adc6-fe23d7d1a29f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nsiprojects.co.uk/projects/building-control.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924228 | 449 | 1.609375 | 2 |
The Medicare NewsGroup examines the complexity of Part D plans.
The Medicare NewsGroup: Figuring Out The Part D Market
Choosing a Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plan is a tricky business. Most beneficiaries go for the cheapest monthly premium, but this can be a big mistake, especially for those with unusual or expensive medications. Over the years, the marketers of Part D plans have made them increasingly complex, adding tiers of varying prices and using "medication management" techniques, which can make patients and doctors jump through veritable hoops to get a prescription filled (Rosenblatt, 11/29).
Also in the news about Medicare, various stories about Medicare's vulnerability to fraud, and lawmakers' interest in finding new ways to fight the abuse.
The Washington Post: Audit Finds Billions In Unverified Medicare Spending
Medicare has paid doctors and hospitals billions of dollars to switch from paper to electronic health records without verifying that the new systems meet required quality standards, according to a federal audit released Thursday (Aizenman, 11/29).
Medpage Today: Medicare Fraud Efforts Queried
Lawmakers are exploring ways to fight Medicare fraud and abuse as part of the effort to trim the federal budget and they're looking to the private sector for suggestions. For instance, investigators at the health insurer WellPoint recently contracted with a company to mine data on practice patterns and spot spikes in payment or identify emerging areas of fraud potential, Alanna Lavelle, Wellpoint's director of special investigations, told members of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on Wednesday. The most egregious billers are flagged and investigated for potential waste, fraud, and abuse, Lavelle said (Pittman, 11/29). | <urn:uuid:babba0c8-f08f-464c-b556-ee90e3903bf3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2012/November/30/medicare-news.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+khn+%28All+Kaiser+Health+News%29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917735 | 352 | 1.578125 | 2 |
So just how did things go with Ales of Autism's first event, their Black and White Beer Ball held last February 17th? Well, they had a small problem when one of the participating breweries submitted a beer that wasn't black or white, and thus didn't fit the event's format. That was quickly overlooked since this denoted beer was none other than the legendary Pliny the Younger!
Given this was the biggest "problem" of the evening, it's no surprise that Ale's for Autism first event was a rousing success. "I don't have a final number, but we raised about $3,000!", recounted an enthusiastic Greg Coll, founder of Ales for Autism. "There were around 300 people and it was a great success. Almost everyone dressed up and they could not stop talking about how they wanted to go to the next (Ales for Autism) event."
And just what is the next Ales for Autism event? Why it is a release/tasting party at Pyramid Brewery in Berkeley on April 7th from 1-4pm for $20. Unlimited tastings and 100% of the proceeds go to Ales for Autism.
As over 1 in 150 children diagnosed with autism, someone you know is probably struggling with this affliction in their family. So let's thank Ales for Autism and all those who attended last Friday's Black and White Beer Ball, who all got together to support those struggling with the autism. | <urn:uuid:18ebfa15-eeb3-4fac-82de-021d70216c29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://beer-runner.blogspot.com/2012/02/ales-for-autisms-first-event-success.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985905 | 296 | 1.78125 | 2 |
If you have had a conservatory extension built on your house you might find you don’t use it as much as you expected to. It is not uncommon that after the novelty has worn off a conservatory may only be used for a week or two in the year. Conservatory roofs tend to be the source of this problem.
There are two main reasons why conservatories don’t get used as much as they should. In the winter they aren’t particularly practical. Because heat rises, it immediately leaks out through glass conservatory roofs. Even with triple glazing not enough heat is kept inside especially with a large conservatory. It can easily become prohibitively expensive to keep a conservatory warm enough to be comfortable for normal use.
The other reason is too much heat. It might seem ironic that a room built primarily for enjoyment of the sun can get too hot but at the height of the summer this is often the case. A conservatory is not very different from a green house. Heat from the sun passes through glass conservatory roofs to heat up the air inside. Once that air is heated up it cannot escape back out through the conservatory roof to cool down.
Even with the doors open it can still remain stiflingly hot inside. This is partly because the hot air rises to become trapped in the glass conservatory roofs. The circulating air cannot remove the hot stagnant air trapped in the roof. There is one solution that solves both these problems of over heating in the summer and of being too cold in the winter, Conservatory roofs.
A certified contractor can replace glass roofs with properly insulated conservatory roofs. It effectively turns a conservatory into a sun room. The surrounding windows still provide all the benefits of a conservatory, allowing light and warmth in as well as retaining views out onto the garden. The addition of a insulated conservatory roof keeps in heat in the winter and shades the room in the summer. Skylights in the roof can be opened to vent warm air before it can become trapped. | <urn:uuid:6a4c9236-84dd-4197-8e50-ed9ea077a6e5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.guardianroof.co.uk/what-a-conservatory-roof-can-add-to-a-home/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961069 | 413 | 2.78125 | 3 |
If you suspect a "famous" individual or two in your family tree, begin by not jumping to conclusions. Research the line that supposedly connects to that individual just as you would any other. Whether you're directly descended or a tenth cousin, twice removed, you'll likely have to research your own family back several generations before attemping to connect to the famous person. Distant cousin relationships often require following the family tree to a point several generations prior to the time of the famous individual, and then tracing your way back down various side branches.
Famous AncestorsIn addition to working on your own family history, you should also explore the information that exists for the famous individual you think you are related to. If they are pretty famous, chances are that their family history has already been researched by someone. If not, it's likely that their biography or other resources are available to get you started in the right direction.
- Biographies of thousands of famous individuals can be easily found online. Biography.com includes short biographies of over 25,000 famous people, ranging from actors and actresses to political leaders and historical figures. Infoplease.com features 30,000 notable people. Biographical information for actors, actresses and other individuals associated with the movie can be found at E! Online and The Internet Movie Database. Biographies of notable women are a prominent feature at About Women's History.
- Popular cemetery Web sites showcase dates and pictures of celebrity tombstones. Find a Grave includes transcribed gravestone information (and sometimes pictures) for thousands of famous and infamous individuals, while Hollywood Underground gives the scoop on the final resting places of famous people buried in and around Los Angeles. A similar site, Political Graveyard, tells you where all the dead politicians are buried. If your famous ancestor was in the military, then many military cemeteries and memorials have information online.
- If the person is pretty famous, their family tree may have already been researched. Famous lineages can often be found online (see famous family trees), or in published biographies or family histories. Heritage and lineage society publications and membership applications are another rich source of lineages for famous individuals.
- Newspaper accounts of a famous individual, especially those written during his (or her) lifetime, may detail his participation in historical events or include accounts of his daily life. Marriages, obituaries, and other newsworthy items found in historical newspapers may also provide information on family members.
While it provides a good start, it is important to remember that this type of published information is considered a secondary source. You will also need to do your own research in primary documents to verify the accuracy of what you have found. | <urn:uuid:604cefde-b5fb-4578-a8e6-fc4321305877> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://genealogy.about.com/od/famous_family_trees/a/ancestors.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963219 | 546 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Pictured here with his daughter, Becky in Temple, Texas.
Sturgell, as he liked to be called, started his service with the 302nd Bomber Group, from there he went to the 400th Bomber Group and then to the 450th.
As a member of the 723rd Squadron he was injured by a flak burst on a mission to Varese, Italy on 25 April 1944.
Carried from his aircraft, Scrounch, by another crew member, (his leg had been shattered by a flak hit and he was unconcious) he
was captured by the Germans and held as a POW.
During his internment, his leg was amputated and he received excellent medical care from the German doctors. He was held at the estate of an Austrian Baron close to Steyr.
The baron was permitted to escort several of the officers into town for drinks at a local pub on weekends. Eventually, Sturgell made himself a "Peg Leg" from wood scraps.
When he was liberated and returned to the U.S. aboard the S.S. Gripsholm, his make shift leg was left behind. Assigned to the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, Sturgell
managed to switch places with another wounded man who was assigned to the V.A. hospital in Temple, Texas, so he could be close to home.
Information provided by Bettye P. Mahan, sister of Elmer Proctor. | <urn:uuid:1e99733d-40a2-4199-b4d9-8ce79bc68643> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.450thbg.com/real/biographies/proctor/proctor.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992956 | 303 | 2.109375 | 2 |
85-Foot Christmas Tree Survives Sandy, Keeps Woman's Memory Alive
Bloomingdale man lights up Norway Spruce every year as tribute to late wife.
Staring at the lights glimmering on the 85-foot Christmas tree in his front yard, Thomas Kroncke did not want to say the word some might use to describe why his tree survived Superstorm Sandy while others just as big on his block were uprooted. The word, which he stopped himself from saying as he reached the end of his thought, was "miracle."
Considering the history of the tree, some might even call it a Christmas miracle.
Kroncke's giant Norway Spruce named "Sally K." has been lit up every year for the past 10 years. Sally Kroncke, Kroncke's wife, initially had lights put on the tree as a surprise for her husband. After Sally died of cancer several years ago, Kroncke has kept the tradition alive in her honor.
But this year, Sandy almost ripped the tradition right out of the ground.
Kroncke, a Bloomingdale Board of Education member, said he was not initially concerned the high winds from the storm would be able to knock the massive tree over. The next morning, as he walked through his neighborhood, he noticed at least two trees of the same size down. But not the "Sally K."
Sandy did still have some effect on the tree, however. Since the tree is so large, Kroncke has left the strands of lights on it throughout the year, having electricians come and fix only the broken bulbs before the holiday season. After the storm, several bulbs and strands of lights were in need of repair.
"Before Sandy, everything was working," Kroncke said.
Since some strands had to be repaired anyway, Kroncke purchased more lights to be added to the tree at the same time. Last year, the tree had 1,500 lightbulbs whereas this year's tree has 2,000 LED bulbs of different colors.
The electricians repaired the strands so that Kroncke was able to turn the tree on on Dec. 3. But even the repairs were challenging for the workers because of the size of the tree.
"The company's bucket truck does not really reach the top," Kroncke said. "There's six to seven feet they can't reach."
The workers were still able to lay the strands through the branches and the tree lights have been turned on every night since. As a tradition, Kroncke will leave the tree lit up until Jan. 13, which would have been his wife's birthday. | <urn:uuid:8f33feb8-2e53-4620-aa0b-f3f4583f8276> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://triboro.patch.com/articles/christmas-tree-tradition-honoring-mans-wife-survives-sandy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987257 | 545 | 1.578125 | 2 |
And with these words, uttered with sullen accents and looks, the renegade stole from the hut, disregarding all Roland’s entreaties to him to return, and all the offers of wealth with which the latter, in a frenzy of despair, sought to awaken his eupidity and compassion. The door-mats had scarce closed upon his retreating figure before they were parted to give entrance to the two old Indians, who immediately assumed their positions at his side, preserving them with vigilant fidelity throughout the remainder of the night.
In the meantime, and at the very moment when the renegade was urging his extraordinary proposals to the young Virginian, a scene was passing in the hut of Wenonga, in which one of Roland’s fellow-prisoners was destined to play an important and remarkable part. There, in the very tent in which he had struck so daring a blow for the rescue of Edith, but in which Edith appeared no more, lay the luckless Nathan, a victim not so much of his own rashness as of the excessive zeal, not to say folly, of his coadjutors. And thither he had been conducted but a few hours before, after having passed the previous night and day in a prison-house less honoured, but fated, as it proved, to derive peculiar distinction from the presence of such a guest.
His extraordinary appearance, partaking so much of that of an Indian juggler arrayed in the panoply of legerdemain, had produced, as was mentioned, a powerful effect on the minds of his captors, ever prone to the grossest credulity and superstition; and this was prodigiously increased by the sudden recurrence of his disease,—a dreadful infliction, whose convulsions seem ever to have been proposed as the favourite exemplars for the expression of prophetic fury and the demoniacal orgasm, and were aped alike by the Pythian priestess on her tripod and the ruder impostor of an Indian wigwam. The foaming lips and convulsed limbs of the prisoner, if they did not “speak the god,” to the awe-struck barbarians, declared at least the presence of the mighty fiend who possessed his body; and when the fit was over, though they took good care to bind him with thongs of bison-hide, like his companions, and led him away to a place of security, it was with a degree of gentleness and respect that proved the strength of their belief in his supernatural endowments. This belief was still further indicated, the next day, by crowds of savages who flocked into the wigwam where he was confined, some to stare at him, some to inquire the mysteries of their fate, and some, as it seemed, with credulity less unconditional, to solve the enigma of his appearance before yielding their full belief. Among these last were the renegade and one or two savages of a more sagacious or sceptical turn than their fellows, who beset the supposed conjuror with questions calculated to pluck out the heart of his mystery. | <urn:uuid:703a79d1-2927-4acb-b90a-38e0a89a2167> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/13970/225.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989418 | 649 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Fri, May 17, 2013
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Maneuver Performed Aboard CVN 77 The Navy's X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) began touch and go landing operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W.>[...]
HTF7000 Series Surpasses 1.5 Million Flight Hours With Better Than 99 Percent Dispatch Reliability Honeywell has announced that its HTF7350, the latest engine to join its successfu>[...]
Also: PC-12 Record, Maule Nation, Cockpit Lockout, 34,000 Airliners Needed, Beechcraft Wins Big Contract You know you're having a bad day when a flight goes so bad that you feel yo>[...]
Four Buried As A Group May 2 A Navy Pilot, missing from the Vietnam War, has been accounted-for and was buried with full military honors along with his crew. According to the Depar>[...]
Forest Service Smoke Jumpers Smokejumping was first proposed in 1934 by T.V. Pearson, the Forest Service Intermountain Regional Forester, as a means to quickly provide initial atta>[...] | <urn:uuid:8c27c0d9-de83-4f09-824a-cc3b262dba85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mailto:publisher@aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=9e773c8e-9d7b-4727-bae0-fcacb26d0632 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935665 | 472 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Whales Weep Not!
It’s Time for the Whaling Industry to Weep Instead
Let’s Abolish Whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary Forever
"There's no way we can outrun the Sea Shepherd boats!" – Fisheries Agency Official
Officials of the Fisheries Agency’s Far Seas Fisheries Division quoted a phone call from the Nisshin Maru in the Antarctic Ocean on February 11th. The 8,044-ton Nisshin Maru is the mother ship of the research whaling fleet.
The largest newspaper in Japan had the courage to say what must be said in Japan – whaling is over in the Southern Ocean! It is a pathetic dying industry on the life support system of government subsidies – a glorified welfare operation that has no place in the world of the 21st Century. It’s time to retire the harpoons and to bring peace to the Southern Ocean.
What has the Daily Yomiuri, Japan’s leading English language newspaper, reported?
The Ministry of Fisheries outlined five scenarios. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one high-ranking ministry official said five alternative scenarios have so far been studied:
(1) Have the whaling fleet escorted by Japan Coast Guard vessels or others.
Captain Paul Watson: Sea Shepherd has engaged in confrontations in the past with the Soviet Navy, the Norwegian Navy, the Danish Navy, and the Canadian Coast Guard. We will not back down to the Japanese Coast Guard. To send the coast guard into the Southern Ocean would be an act of provocation against New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand and Australia would have to respond.
(2) Build new whaling vessels capable of traveling at high speed.
Captain Paul Watson: Prohibitively expensive, and Sea Shepherd is already seeking a faster larger ice strengthened ship.
(3) Replace research whaling with commercial whaling.
Captain Paul Watson: It would still be illegal to kill whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary even if commercial whaling were to be legalized
(4) Continue with the current whaling arrangements.
Captain Paul Watson: And Sea Shepherd will continue to obstruct these operations and more effectively.
(5) End whaling in the Antarctic Ocean.
Captain Paul Watson: The only acceptable solution for Sea Shepherd and the whales.
The Japanese government is posturing and talking big in an effort to save face. The reality is that the Japanese whaling industry is an antiquated, dying industry that has no place in the country of Japan in the 21st Century.
In 1977, Sea Shepherd fought the Australian whalers at Cheynes Beach in Western Australia. It was a bitter and angry confrontation. In 1978, Australia ended whaling, and is now the leading nation on this planet in its defense of the great whales.
“This is my great hope for Japan,” said Captain Watson. “Like Australia, a whaling nation evolving to a state of compassion for the great whales, and I know that when the Japanese embrace a cause, they embrace it with a steadfast and determined loyalty. I predict that Japan will be one of the leading conservationist nations on the planet in the coming years, and the cessation of whaling in the Antarctic Ocean will be the place where it will have begun.”
The whale war in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is over. The whales have won! | <urn:uuid:5378cdf8-b6f5-4a46-a0d0-691018a97f25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2011/02/19/whales-weep-not-43 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924672 | 694 | 2 | 2 |
Humans talk funny. We invent words. We smash words together, tear them apart, abbreviate them one way, then another. Which is great and fun, if you're a human. Not so great if you are a machine or the kind of human who programs machines to understand language. When IBM's famous artificial intelligence, Watson, he/she/it of Jeopardy-winning fame, was in development, its head researcher had a great idea. Humans created this repository of slang, The Urban Dictionary.
2 Recent Stories
The web has been blamed for the degradation of the English language -- imho, idk wtf da h8ers mean. No, seriously, there's no denying that the advent of texting and Internet speak has heralded a bevy of acronyms, some designed by crafty teens so as to elude their parents' prying eyes (remember "pos," or "parent over shoulder"?). Well, Teen Chat Decoder has the remedy for any parent suffering from Internet illiteracy. | <urn:uuid:366772b7-2114-447a-a5d3-7fcdbfff2b43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mashable.com/category/slang/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00067-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94566 | 208 | 2.15625 | 2 |
May 25, 2009. Working paper. 20 pages. Paper also available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1409843.
Proebsting's Paradox is an argument that appears to show that the betting rule known as the Kelly criterion can lead a bettor to risk an arbitrarily high proportion of his wealth on the outcome of a single event. In this paper I show that a large class of betting criteria, including fractional Kelly, also suffer from the same shortcoming and use standard tools from microeconomic theory to explain why this is so. I also derive a new criterion, dubbed the doubly conservative criterion, that is immune to the problem identified above. Immunity stems from the bettor's attitudes towards capital preservation and from him becoming rapidly pessimistic about his chances of winning the better odds he is offered. | <urn:uuid:3fc73c4e-ab46-4576-af9a-163ede541d0d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/econ_fac/25/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947875 | 167 | 1.539063 | 2 |
| Quote #7
But follows it, my lord, to bring me down
Bertram is a snob who doesn't want to marry Helen because she's a "poor physician's daughter" and her lowly social status could "bring [him] down." Although we can understand why Bertram doesn't want to marry a girl he's not in love with, this is where he begins to lose sympathy points.
| Quote #8
'Tis only title thou disdain'st in her, the which
This is where the king of France promises to make Helen rich and elevate her social status so Bertram can feel good about marrying her. The king also says that Helen has something even better going for her: she's full of "virtue" (she's a good person and also a virgin). The funny thing is, Bertram still doesn't want her.
| Quote #9
Even after she's married, Helen portrays herself as being unworthy of Bertram's love and affection. Notice the way she uses the word "servant" to suggest that she's an obedient wife who's willing to serve her husband. This word is also a reminder that Helen comes from a lower social class than Bertram. In other words, Helen is being a martyr here and Bertram knows it. | <urn:uuid:90fab244-c906-484d-bb50-aeaeec59e47e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shmoop.com/alls-well-that-ends-well/society-class-quotes-3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974117 | 266 | 2.203125 | 2 |
The Laws of Thermodynamics
The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
The zeroth law expresses that having in existence three systems, A, B, and C, if A is in equilibrium with C and B is in equilibrium with C, then A and B will also be in equilibrium. All three systems will be in equilibrium in temperature. If any of these systems are in contact with other systems, there will be compensation in the temperature level of all the systems involved. That is, they will all have the same temperature.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
The first law of thermodynamics centralizes, generally, on the existence of the property of energy. It states: "For any process involving only the displacement of a mass between specified levels in a gravity field and no externalities to the system, the magnitude of that mass is fixed by the end states of the system and is independent of the details of the process." This law ramifies itself into many other assumptions:
1. Definition of heat.
When two objects that possess different temperatures are brought into contact, a thermodynamic process that establishes an equilibrium of temperatures takes place. Scientists in the XVIII century explained this phenomenon with the concept of "caloric" or heat. This law identified it as a form of energy that could be stored and converted into mechanical energy. It was measured in calories.
2. Uniqueness of work values.
Work is the result of a force acting on a body causing it to move. A specific quantity can be assigned to a work interaction between systems. This number of units of mass is displaced between two specified levels in a gravity field. When work is performed by a system (of a rising weight) it has a positive sign. The unit that identifies work done by energy is the joule.
3. Definition of energy.
When work is done in a system, there is always a change in state. Lets use A as the initial position and B as the final position. In A, there exists a specific amount of energy (EA) that needs work (W) in order for the object to move to B and possess another amount of energy (EB). Therefore, in mathematical terms, EA + W = EB. Its unit of measurement is erg. One calorie is equal to 4.186 x 107 ergs, or 4.186 joules.
4. Conservation of energy.
States that energy can only be modified from one form to another. It cannot be manifested or destroyed. For this reason, the sum of the amount of heat transferred in a system and the work done on the system is equal to an increase in the internal energy in the system. However, this law does not apply to nuclear energy because it is produced when atoms of matter are split or fused. The law of conservation of energy is often combined with the law of conservation of matter. This is because matter can be converted into energy.
5. Impossibility of the perpetual -motion machine of the first kind.
A perpetual- motion machine of the first kind (pmm1) is a hypothetical system in which no energy is required to perform work. In opposition, it is known that a machine needs to have some amount of energy that would be converted to work. Therefore, the ppm1 is an impossible machine.
6. The first law and relativity
According to Einstein's theory of relativity energy of a system is equal to the product of its mass and the square of the speed of light (E = mc2 ). The energy and mass of the system is conserved even when there are processes occurring within the system. Further, if the energy suffers any modifications in the system, then the mass will also be altered.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
The second law of thermodynamics focuses mainly on the equilibrium states of systems and processes that associate these states with others. The word equilibrium signifies that with time the state of a system will remain unchanged while being isolated from any other systems that may be found in an environment. It states: "Among all the allowed states of a system with specific values of energy, constraints, and numbers of particles, one and only one is a stable equilibrium state." Other hypotheses have been inferred from this law.
1. State principle.
As already known, the equilibrium state of a system corresponds to the values of energy, constraints and numbers of particles in that system. The state principle declares that the values of any property of a system in a state of equilibrium can only be expressed as a function of the values of energy, constraints and numbers of particles.
2. Reversible and irreversible processes.
If a system and its environment can change states and are capable of restoring their original states it is called a reversible process. On the other hand, if a system, for example, changes from its initial state to an equilibrium state without affecting its environment it is said to be an irreversible process.
3. Impossibility of the perpetual-motion machine of the second kind.
A system in a stable equilibrium position cannot produce any work but only receive it. If a system in a stable equilibrium state were to produce work, it would cause the system to change to a non-equilibrium state without affecting its environment. This impossible notion is the premise of the perpetual-motion machine of the second kind (pmm2). It is a device that creates work from a stable equilibrium position.
4. Work done reversibly by a system in combination of a reservoir.
If there are two systems A and B that are in a state of mutual equilibrium each system is in a stable equilibrium position. Furthermore, if the state of one of the two systems is altered, while being in contact A with B, the second system will also alter. A combination of system A and a reservoir can experience work directly through each other or indirectly using an intermediate object.
5. Definition of entropy.
Entropy is a measure of the disorder in the system or the measure of how close the system is to equilibrium. It indicates the degree to which a specific quantity of thermal energy is available for performing work. This means the less entropy, the more available the energy. The second law affirms that entropy cannot decrease for any spontaneous process. As an outcome of this law, an engine can deliver work only when heat is transferred from a hot reservoir to a cold reservoir or heat sink.
The Third Law of Thermodynamics
By virtue of the second law, an absolute zero temperature is included in an absolute temperature scale. The third law of thermodynamics remarks that absolute zero cannot be obtained easily by any procedure. It is only possible to approach absolute zero, but impossible to reach it. This law also defines the term zero entropy by stating that all bodies at absolute zero would have the same entropy.
© 2000 by ThinkQuest team C006011 | <urn:uuid:e0465e74-d703-42a8-b568-d1e8be76c937> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/C006011/english/sites/thermo2.php3?f=2&b=50&j=1&v=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934949 | 1,388 | 3.90625 | 4 |
Last week, Muslim mobs took to the streets to murder the American ambassador in Libya and three of his staffers. American embassies were attacked from Egypt to Yemen.
Embarrassed White House press secretary Jay Carney and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice insisted that these assaults were just reactions to an insensitive video that disparaged Islam and was circulating on the Internet. As embassies burned, we were assured that there was no animosity directed at America in general, or at this administration and its foreign policy in particular.
That is hogwash. The weeks-old video was a mere pretext, in the manner of the Danish cartoons that Islamists used to stir up mobs in their war against the West. The street rioting was long ago synchronized across the Middle East to celebrate the eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Apparently, the administration was left stunned and without a clue about the latest Middle East madness.
President Obama chose not to support nearly a million Iranian dissidents in 2009. Two years later, he belatedly offered encouragement to the revolutionaries who overthrew Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Yet those snubbed in Iran were far more likely to oppose radical Islam than were the protesters who later put the Muslim Brotherhood in power in Cairo.
Who, exactly, were we “leading from behind” in Libya? Moammar Qaddafi was a monster, but also one in a sort of rehab who was seeking better relations with the West.
As for Syria, the Obama administration had called dictator Bashar Assad a reformer. Then he became a mass murderer who had to step down. Then we called in Kofi Annan and the U.N. to practice soft-power diplomacy. Then we threatened to intervene. Now we have backed off.
As a candidate and as president, Obama assumed that his own multicultural politics, his familiarity with Islam, his novel transracial personal story, and his repudiation of George W. Bush would all combine to win over the Middle East. Supposedly, Middle Eastern dislike of America had little to do with longstanding existential differences that did not start with Bush and won’t end with Obama.
Obama’s al Arabiya interview, Cairo speech, and loud reset diplomacy sent mixed messages. He gave the impression that Middle East anger was largely either America’s fault or due to misunderstandings that the sensitive Obama alone could mitigate — as he distanced himself from the supposed pathologies of prior American policy in the region.
That myth-making is now discredited. But it still makes it hard for the administration to admit that hatred in Egypt is deep-seated and irrational — and has very little to do with a silly video. Those in the Arab street hate the West and America because they are told daily that our supposed godlessness and decadence should not make us so rich and powerful — especially when such pious believers as themselves are so poor and impotent.
But rather than addressing the real causes of their present misery — tribalism, misogyny, statism, corruption, authoritarianism, fundamentalism, and religious intolerance — amid rich natural resources, Islamists scapegoat. Sometimes they fume at American support for Israel, at other times at an obscure video, cartoon, or rumor of a torched Koran.
We only feed these adolescent tantrums when America wrongly apologizes for the occasional insensitivity of a few of our citizens, who enjoy free speech under the U.S. Constitution.
America looks even weaker when this administration sends confusing signals about U.S. power. The Obama administration too often spikes the ball — whether it is Joe Biden bragging about killing Osama bin Laden, the president joking about Predator assassination missions, Hillary Clinton high-fiving over the death of Qaddafi, or unnamed top officials disclosing classified secrets about the cyber-war against Iran.
Yet at other times, amid promised defense cuts, the Obama administration loudly announces a strategic pivot away from the Middle East toward Asia, or derides the very antiterrorism protocols — Guantanamo Bay, renditions, tribunals, and preventative detention — that it later embraced.
Nothing is more dangerous in regard to the contemporary Middle East than misunderstanding the source of Islamist rage. Speaking loudly while carrying a small stick only makes that confusion worse.
What can we do?
Start developing vast new oil and gas finds on public lands here at home. Get our financial house in order. Quietly cut back aid to hostile Middle East governments. Put travel off-limits. Restrict visas and call home ambassadors — at least until Arab governments control their own street mobs.
Develop a consistent policy on the so-called Arab Spring that applies the same criticism of illiberal dictators to the theocrats who depose them. Keep quiet and keep our military strong. Don’t apologize for a few Americans who have a right to be crude. Instead, condemn those pre-modern zealots who would murder anyone of whom they don’t approve. | <urn:uuid:28053311-9878-4c9e-a870-831ef4bcd2eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nationalreview.com/articles/327849/middle-east-madness-victor-davis-hanson | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959748 | 1,009 | 1.71875 | 2 |
if x+y=1 then what is the min. value of x^3+y^3+xy ?
Another way to do it: , .
We must have , for some number , as well as x+y= 1.
So which says that .
If x= y, from x+y= 1 we have x= y= 1/2.
If then so we can divide by it to get 3(x+ y)- 1= 0 which says x+y= 1/3 contradicting x+y= 1.
Thus x= y= 1/2 is the only solution.
Yet another way, and probably simplest:
From x+ y= 1, y= 1- x. Putting that into [tex]x^3+ y^3+ xy[/itex] as Prove It suggested, we have . We can write that as and, completing the square, . Since a square is never negative, that will have its minimum value when x= 1/2. | <urn:uuid:a1825517-e579-4842-b096-b7b1b81f723e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mathhelpforum.com/advanced-algebra/213644-minimium-value.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955915 | 214 | 3.25 | 3 |
Canter, David V. (1996) Designing a Research Centre. In: Psychology in Action. Dartmouth Benchmark Series . Dartmouth Publishing Company, Hantshire, UK, pp. 255-274. ISBN 1855213656
|PDF - Published Version |
Download (711kB) | Preview
Thornton Research Centre (TRC) is a major research site for Shell, housed at
the base of the Wirral Peninsula about 20 miles south west of Liverpool. During
1993 it was decided that the existing rather extensive mixture of buildings should
be refurbished, some pulled down, with new more coherent buildings to replace
them being needed. This was to be part of a general plan to rejuvenate research
activities in preparation for the 21st Century and the many emerging
technological developments. It was decided that the planning of the whole new
site and the design of the new research laboratories should benefit from
environmental psychology input. I was approached before any architects were
appointed, but after preliminary planning had taken place, to carry out a series
of studies that would provide the strategic basis for the planning and design.
The projects had to be completed over a period of a few months in a context
that I knew, from previous experience, would change during our involvement.
In fact one set of architects came and went during the project and a research
centre in the South of England, at Sittingbourne, was brought into the plan and
had to be included in the study.
|Item Type:||Book Chapter|
|Subjects:||B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology|
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
|Schools:||School of Human and Health Sciences|
School of Human and Health Sciences > International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology
|Depositing User:||Sara Taylor|
|Date Deposited:||21 Dec 2010 10:32|
|Last Modified:||23 Dec 2010 14:08|
Downloader CountriesMore statistics for this item...
Item control for Repository Staff only: | <urn:uuid:c9d3ef94-ca2d-4bd4-a449-0cc06359784d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/9233/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902354 | 432 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Light, refreshing and the perfect companion to MTSU football games, the lager style beer appeals to nearly every American taste bud. The classic golden-hued light lager of American fame descends from a long tradition of European beer making. Lager beers derive their name from German, meaning “to store.” The bottom-fermenting yeasts used to produce lager beer require a long period at relatively low temperatures for a brew of desired quality and were originally stored in caves.
Many American macro brews depart from the European, full-flavored style for a lighter bodied beer that’s easy to drink in quantity. In order to obtain lighter flavor American beers, such as Budweiser, are brewed using corn and rice along with hops and barley.
The grandfather of Budweiser, the Pilsener style lager, native to the town of Plzen in the Czech Republic, was first brewed by Josef Groll in 1842. Groll’s brew was the first clear Pilsener beer the world had ever seen. The brewing technique spread almost as fast as the desire to try this newfound beer. Annually the average Czech consumes 157 liters of beer, (ranking first in world per capita), compared to a paltry 82 liters per year by Americans (ranked 13th in the world).
What then makes Czech beer so much more appetizing than American beer? Hops. Hops are flowers used solely for the purpose of beer making. Like wine grapes, hops are valued for characteristics derived from their environment. The hops grown in one region will enrich a beer with different flavors than hops grown in another region. Czech beer uses a variety of noble hop (hops valued for their flavor), the saaz hop.0
Pilsner Urquell This beer, brewed in Pilzen, Czech Republic, pours from a green bottle filling my glass with deep gold colors and a one inch layer of foam. This brew appeals to the nose with aromas of vibrant hops, citrus and spice. Packing full-force flavor, Pilsner Urquell is the bully that steals Budweiser’s lunch money. Up front, tastes of spice and sweet malts are quickly replaced with a lasting, delightful bitterness.
Totally refreshing, although maybe a bit too heavy for a palate weaned on Budweiser, this is a great example of Czech style Pilsner and can be found at Beer Depot ($8.99/6-pack). Radegast Premium Czech Lager Making use of a well known folk figure, Radegast Premium Czech Lager derives its name from the pagan Slavic hospitality god. Clear and golden, Radegast fills the nose with smells of saaz spice, coriander and a slight skunky aroma?like Heineken. The flavors of citrus, grains, bread, bitter hops and roasted malts create a wonderful combination. Smooth and round, if a bit heavy on the carbonation, this is a really nice beer that’s worth a taste ($2.29/550ml bottle at Beer Depot). | <urn:uuid:5d1f1ee2-d0ba-4ddb-9123-f245dd39dffe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://boropulse.com/2008/11/lager-style-beer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932915 | 642 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Have you ever visited an animal shelter and had difficulty choosing which cat or dog is the right one for you? Sometimes several pets will pull your heartstrings at once, and it's hard to make a decision. The Humane Society gives some tips on what to look for in your potential new family member when you plan to adopt a cat.
Some cats meow for special attention when you walk by their cage. Others may simply lie back and either stare you down or look away as if you weren't worth their interest. There are as many different personalities of cats as there are cats in the shelter. You have to decide which disposition is best for you. In any case, however, look for a cat who is playful, active, alert, and comfortable when being held and stroked. Speak to the shelter staff for assistance with specific cats, and additional information about their behavior and personality. Keep in mind that, because they are in an unfamiliar environment, some cats who are usually quite social may be resistant to your efforts at interaction while at the shelter.
Our featured pet today is a domestic shorthair-mix feline named Billy. He is a perfect example of a cat whose personality in the shelter may seem quite different from when he is in a home. Billy recently arrived at the shelter after his owner passed away. Adapting to shelter life has been a difficult adjust more him. He is still a bit anxious, but the staff is working with him daily to improve his confidence. Since he has been with us for a little while, Billy is doing very well and loves to be petted. He is gradually become an outgoing fellow. Billy enjoys a scratch or two behind the ear from his caretakers. He should be available to be adopted in the near future.
Remember when you come to visit our pets at the NCSPCA to always ask the shelter staff about the personality and behavior of a pet you are considering for adoption. You may be surprised to learn that that shy kitten or pup is likely to be affectionate and lively in your home! | <urn:uuid:8804a699-772b-4b15-8900-ec1c9317cc07> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.denpubs.com/news/2009/jul/04/ncspca-7409/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984596 | 414 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Wind Power Manufacturer Redevelops Pennsylvania Industrial Zone
Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell announced the world's second largest wind energy company, Gamesa Corporation, is investing $34 million to open three new manufacturing centers in Fairless Hills. Located at the eastern tip of Pennsylvania across the Delaware River from Trenton, New Jersey, the centers are located at an abandoned industrial site that was formerly home to U.S. Steel. The manufacturing centers will employ 300 workers to produce components for Gamesa wind turbines with an annual production capacity rated at 360 megawatts (MW). Production will begin this summer.
"Not only are we focused on job creation, making sure our businesses remain competitive in world markets, but we also are supporting the development of alternative energy sources while helping to return abandoned industrial sites to productive use," said Rendell. For more details on the project, read the governor's March 7 press release.
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, offered Gamesa grants, loans, and tax credits worth $10 million. The Governor's Action Team, which is a group of economic professionals that report directly to Rendell, organized the economic package for Gamesa. Last year the team helped install 148 manufacturing projects like this one in Pennsylvania.
For background on Pennsylvania's energy programs, read a statement by DEP Director of Environmental Sustainability Eric Thumma titled "Pennsylvania Energy Harvest: Leadership for Pennsylvania and the Nation's Energy Future." | <urn:uuid:b2ac2c2c-9d70-4596-836e-2ee79d719949> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/news_detail.cfm/news_id=9820 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938019 | 297 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Tiger Task Force submits report to prime minister Manmohan Singh Presents an action agenda to save the tiger the Indian way, where forests are not wilderness but also the habitats of people
New Delhi, August 5, 2005: India is protecting its tigers against all odds; the biggest threat to the tiger today is not poaching per se, but a deadly combination of the poachers’ guns and the growing anger of people who live in and around tiger habitats, says Joining the Dots, the report of the Tiger Task Force submitted to prime minister Manmohan Singh today.
In its assessment, the Task Force says, “While the good news is that not every tiger reserve in India is facing a Sariska-type crisis, it is also clear that a Sariska-type crisis haunts every protected area in India. The tiger is under attack from poachers, miners and other exploitative activity. Worse, it is also under siege from the people who co-inhabit its land, who have never benefited from conservation and continue to face daily harassment.” Their much increased numbers face hardships from denial of resources and loss of forest-based livelihoods. Traditional benefits stand drastically curtailed and enforcement leads to harassment. In addition, inadequate per capita and sub-optimum rural development and tribal welfare inputs have done little to arrest their impoverishment. Continues the report: “In these circumstances, if the defences are down, protection will fail. Like it did in Sariska. The challenge is to ensure that the siege can be lifted so that tigers can survive.”
The Task Force recommends a series of actions – from the setting up of the wildlife crime bureau and strengthening of the criminal provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to convict poachers, to institutional reform and strategies of coexisting with people.
The five-member Task Force was constituted in April 2005, following the shocking disappearance of tigers from Sariska tiger reserve in Rajasthan (for the terms of reference and composition of the Task Force, please visit http://projecttiger.nic.in/TTF2005/index.html).
Can tigers and humans coexist?
The dissent note from one Task Force member, included in the report, primarily concerns the issue of coexistence: humans and tigers living together. In her response to the dissent note, the chairperson of the Task Force explains that the fact is the country has no choice in this matter. She says the report, in fact, outlines strategies in which areas will be made ‘inviolate‘ for the tigers; there have to be other areas where people and tigers will have to coexist. The basis of this strategy is the data the Task Force has collected on the numbers of people who have been relocated from reserves and those that remain inside. The Tiger Task Force places this data in the public domain for the first time.
“The facts are devastating,” says the chairperson in her response to the dissent note. In the last 30 years, only 80-odd villages have been relocated from all 28 reserves. There are another 1,500 existing inside, of which 250 are within core areas of tiger reserves, which must be relocated. Relocating them will cost Rs 660 crore at the minimum, in terms of the meagre relocation package government works with today, and without accounting for land costs. If this is taken into account, then the estimated cost is Rs 11,000 crore. What is suggested is a time-bound programme to identify those villages that must be relocated because of they are located inside crucial tiger habitats. It is also suggested that, unlike the past, this relocation must be done speedily and sensitively, with careful consideration of the needs of people.
But the report says that clearly there is no way, given the past track record and the logistical hurdles of relocation, that all villages can or will be relocated. In this case, the country has no choice but to make peace with the communities that share the tiger’s home. If not, we will lose the ‘war of conservation’, tiger by tiger. This must be done in a variety of ways – from “preferential shares in tourism, to collaborative management involving communities”. There is no other way to secure the tiger’s future.
The Task Force recommends that tigers must be reintroduced into this crucial habitat in the Aravalli, which is today under threat from miners. But this must only be done after corrective action has been taken to ‘fix’ the problems. The Task Force assessment of what happened in Sariska points to:
i. Complete breakdown in the internal management system of the park;
ii. Faulty and fudged system to count the number of tigers, as a result of which tigers were disappearing in the reserve but appearing in the census reports of the park authorities;
iii. Complete breakdown in the relationship between villagers and the park management. The latter talks about relocation, but little has been done. The one village that was relocated has come back, because the work was done shoddily. People face daily harassment because they are treated as illegal trespassers in their own land. In this scenario, they are friends of the poachers, not the tiger.
All this must change, says the report. Relocation of key villages needs to be done after full consultation with people. The remaining villages must be given the benefits of conservation. There must be reciprocal arrangements between villagers and tiger managers so that, in return for protection, they get livelihood benefits.
More guns and guards?
The Task Force has analysed data from across the country to understand what needs to be done to increase protection of tigers. It finds that the current approach of guns, guards and fences is simply not the solution. Sariska and Ranthambore, both important reserves that have been in the news lately for tiger losses, are cases in point.
Sariska on protection has spent an astounding Rs 1 crore on every tiger (presuming the reserve had 22 tigers) in the last 25-odd years. In comparison, the rest of the reserves, on average, spent roughly Rs 24 lakh per tiger over the same period. In other words, Sariska has invested Rs 2.58 lakh per sq km of its area, as compared to Rs 1 lakh on an average that has been spent in other reserves. But still the tigers have gone. (see table below)
Comparison of money spent area-wise in Sariska to the country’s average
Average of all reserves
Annual average area-wise fund allocation in tiger reserves from inception (Rs lakh per sq km
Ranthambhore has similarly not lacked funds. The Rajasthan Armed Constabulary guards its territory. It has fenced its borders. But the ‘war of conservation’ here continues, and tigers are the losers. The fact is that people who live around this reserve have never benefited from it, but have lost their livelihood and grazing grounds. But others have gained. The Task Force has estimated Rs 22 crore is the annual turnover of the top 21 hotels near the park. The problem is that since some conservationists have interests in this business, the anger of people gets intensified for they see the tiger being protected for a few, against the interests of all.
What has to be done then?
The detailed recommendations of the Tiger Task Force aim to do the following:
To improve management and scrutiny by reinvigorating institutions of governance;
Within the country, combat poaching and convict criminals by strengthening protection, amending the criminal provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and by setting up the crime bureau; internationally, working with China to break the illegal trade network in tiger skins and tiger body parts;
To expand the inviolate spaces for the tiger by minimising human pressure in these areas;
To repair the relationships with the people who share the tiger’s habitat by building strategies for coexistence;
To regenerate the forest habitats in the fringes of the tiger’s protective enclaves by investing in the forest, water and grassland economies of the people. The ambit of such co-managed and ameliorated forests must be enlarged steadily in favour of both people and the tiger.
The action agenda is comprehensive but it is within reach. It is clear that there is no quick-fix to tiger protection, says the report.
Given the urgency of the situation, the report was completed within the three-month time period allotted to the Task Force. Says the chairperson: “Our effort has been to listen to and incorporate the views of as many concerned people as possible from across the country. It is essential that informed knowledge drives the process of conservation.” She adds the problem with tiger conservation is that it has become the ‘exclusive’ preserve of a few. This must change, as the tiger needs all the friends today.
Action to be taken on the basis of the Tiger Task Force report
It is clear that what has happened in Sariska has created enormous public concern. There is a felt need to take action urgently and decisively. The report offers a comprehensive agenda for action. But even as the report is being looked at by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the process is on to implement its recommendations, it would be important to take some steps to move ahead.
The steps which could be considered are:
1. Revitalise the National Board for Wildlife and/or request the prime minister to head the steering committee of Project Tiger (in the early 1980s, Indira Gandhi had headed this body). This can be done for the next two years, during which time the recommendations of the Task Force can be implemented and steps taken to involve state chief ministers in this work.
2. Convert the Project Tiger directorate into a statutory authority under the MoEF. This will give it greater autonomy and ability to coordinate with state governments.
3. Create the wildlife crime bureau immediately under the MoEF. The Task Force has suggested a smaller organisation, which will be more effective in working with states and the CBI, which will handle special cases.
4. Do the next census (planned for November 2005) of tigers and habitat using the new methodology, suggested by MoEF and endorsed by the Tiger Task Force. Presentindependent audit report to the Parliament in six months, which will rate state performance on different criteria.
5. Finalise the plan for relocation of villages from key tiger habitats within one year, with its financial and logistical implications.
6. Prepare the plan for coexistence. This is to be done by each tiger reserve within one year so that benefits of conservation can be shared with local communities.
7. Share the benefits of tourism with local communities using the recommendations of the Task Force. | <urn:uuid:511185ab-440e-4fd9-84f4-c26241e76801> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cseindia.org/node/677 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960231 | 2,225 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Editor's note: Richard Quest is CNN's foremost international business correspondent and presenter of Quest Means Business. He also is a British citizen and no pretense is made that this article is even-handed or neutral. Follow him on Twitter.
London (CNN) -- Trust the British to get it right -- in the end. When it comes to taking stock on London 2012, I believe the London Games will be regarded as having brought the Olympics concept home.
Britain has brought the Olympics back to what they have been and should always be. And we did it with that unique common sense for which my country is known.
To be sure, the London Games were not as spectacular as, say Beijing. Nor did they have the exotic "new world" quality of Sydney so wonderfully laced with Australian freshness. They haven't been the biggest, the brightest, the tallest, the largest, the (you add your own superlative here).
Instead, they have been what they were always meant to be -- a celebration of athletic prowess infused with a tremendous sense of fun and good spirit emanating from the host nation's culture.
Everything that has been bad about games in recent years was slowly, carefully addressed and ultimately dealt with in London.
The opening ceremony set the tone. With its green fields and satanic mills, to the self-deprecating humor from the Monarch herself, London sent the not-so-subtle message: This wasn't going to be "Olympics as usual."
The Games' big budgets
Montreal finally finished off paying for the 1976 games 30 years later in November 2006. Athens was twice over budget. And of course, we will never know how much the Beijing games truly cost.
In London an original, fictional bid-budget of £2.7 billion ($4.2 billion) was quickly abandoned in 2007 in favor of a realistic, £9.3 billion ($14.6 billion) with a huge contingency for unforeseen costs such as security.
To those who criticize the three-times bid-budget, there is one crucial fact to bear in mind.
In 2008, like other countries in recession, Britain embarked on stimulus spending. We were fortunate that we actually had real projects and purpose upon which to spend the cash, rather than the bridges and roads to nowhere of other countries. We didn't have to invent places to spend the money because the Olympics was waiting. If there was ever a time to have the Olympics, this was it -- when the expenditure was economically needed.
In fact, the contingency money allocated has proved to be more than enough. A political row is about to break out over what to do with the £300 million under-spend and whether it should just be handed back to the cash-strapped UK Treasury. My own view is some of it should be used for a tourism campaign next year to help bring those guests who stayed away fearing the crowds.
The Olympic legacy
Olympics today are all about legacy. It was the prospect of regenerating London's derelict East End which helped win the games. Since then billions of pounds have been spent, not just on the facilities per se, but on the infrastructure around them. And in the city, those of us who live here and have suffered years of weekend closure of tube lines for "scheduled maintenance" and "replacing signals" can be in no doubt we will reap the benefits once everyone has gone home. We have a regenerated subway that is once again world-class.
So when the IOC President Jacques Rogge said, "London has created a legacy blueprint" and "has raised the bar on how to deliver a lasting legacy," we can neatly tick that one off as a rousing success from which other cities can learn.
From day one, Britain was determined not to have another Wembley fiasco, or Millennium Dome disaster, where it seemed every major construction project ended up delayed, over budget and in acrimony (incidentally the Dome is now the most successful concert venue in Europe as the O2 arena -- so there!)
With the Olympics, we simply got on with it. The Aquatics Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid, was completed and tested a year before the games began. The Olympic Stadium had the lights switched on by the Prime Minister back in December and its final test was four months before the opening ceremony.
In fact the IOC never did doubt everything would be ready.
London has conclusively shown that by being more realistic in ambition, everything can be done without the heartache and angst of previous games.
For the British people themselves, there has been a renewed pride in the country -- helped of course by record gold medals. I accept this might be a mile wide but an inch deep, but I cannot recall the last time I have seen so many people proudly walking the streets with the Union Jack flag wrapped around their shoulders. The legacy of confidence means it is the challenge of politicians and civic leaders to foster that spirit so it doesn't disappear along with the fleeting summer sun.
Every time London has hosted the games it has done so in testing times. In 1908 London rescued the Olympics after Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted, causing the selected city of Rome to pull out. In 1948 London hosted the so-called "Austerity Games" three years after the end of WWII. They were the first Olympics in 12 years.
So re-establishing the Olympics is something of a tradition here. To this we now add 2012, where I gently suggest London has subtly re-established the Olympic tradition by bringing back a dose of sanity. We have proved, firstly, that the Olympics are manageable, and affordable, if done right. We have proved they can be fun for everyone (even the people who live in the city).
London will probably never host the games again. I was proud to be in the stadium on Saturday night singing our national anthem after Mo Farah won his second gold medal. Just as I have been proud to be here, in my capital city, to see us get it right and leave a legacy for the city, the country and the games themselves. | <urn:uuid:10fa5579-ea5f-4fcd-aa2a-7be37466864d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/12/sport/london-olympics-close-quest/index.html?iid=article_sidebar | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974351 | 1,249 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Mandalas & Sri Yantras
A mandala is a plan, chart or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective. A Sri Yantra is a type of mandala with geometric patterns. Sri Yantra literally means loom, instrument or machine. In actual practice, a yantra is a symbolic representation of aspects of divinity, the creative forces of the universe. It is an interlocking matrix of geometric figures, circles, triangles and floral patterns that form fractal patterns of elegance and beauty. These visual patterns can have a powerful effect on the mind. Just as primordial sounds, or mantras, can be useful in balancing our mind and body through hearing, primordial shapes can generate increased coherence in our brains, creating a balancing and calming influence. In cultures around the world, beautiful visual patterns are used to quiet a restless mind.
As you look at the yantra, allow your eyes to focus on its center. This dot in the center is called the Bindu, which represents the unity that underlies all the diversity of the physical world.
Now allow your eyes to see the triangle that encloses the bindu. The downward pointing triangle represents the feminine creative power, while the upward facing triangle represents male energy.
Allow your vision to expand to include the circles outside of the triangles. They represent the cycles of cosmic rhythms. The image of the circle embodies the notion that time has no beginning and no end. The farthest region of space and the innermost nucleus of an atom both pulsate with the same rhythmic energy of creation. That rhythm is within you and without you.
Bring your awareness to lotus petals outside the circle. Notice that they are pointing outwards, as if opening. They illustrate the unfolding of our understanding. The lotus also represents the heart, the seat of the Self. When the heart opens, understanding comes.
The square at the outside of the yantra represents the world of form, the material world that our senses show us, the illusion of separateness, of well defined edges and boundaries. At the periphery of the figure are four T-shaped portals, or gateways. Notice that they point toward the interior of the yantra, the inner spaces of life. They represent our earthly passage from the external and material to the internal and sacred.
Now take a moment to gaze into the yantra, letting the different shapes and patterns emerge naturally, allowing your eyes to be held loosely in focus. Gaze at the center of the yantra on the page. Without moving your eyes, gradually begin to expand your field of vision. Continue expanding your vision until you are taking in information from greater than 180 degrees. Notice that all this information was there all along, you just became aware of it. Now slowly reverse the process by re-focusing back to the center of the yantra. Now gently close your eyes. You may still see the yantra in your mind’s eye. The patterns of creativity represented by these primordial shapes express the fundamental forces of nature. They govern the world and they govern you.
Call 888.736.6895 or click here to request more information | <urn:uuid:46b476e1-ff95-4d33-8795-b39e11e47112> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chopra.com/community/online-library/terms/mandalas-sri-yantras | 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 | 0.916518 | 670 | 2.4375 | 2 |
The Spectator’s View: Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence wrong to brush off troubling audit
Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence may be right about some things, but she is absolutely wrong in dismissing a scathing federal audit of her band council’s spending as a mere “distraction.”
The audit, by accounting firm Deloitte & Touche, found “no evidence of due diligence in the use of public funds, including the use of funds for housing.” The audit indicates the band council failed to keep basic records for how it spent more than $100 million in federal funds. This is a significant issue for taxpayers and Spence, who has been on a hunger strike since Dec. 11, does nothing for her own credibility in dismissing it.
It’s important for taxpayers to remember that Spence’s protest is not directly part of the Idle No More movement, which predates her hunger strike by at least a month. It’s fair to say, though, that the concerns of Spence and her supporters increasingly overlap with the issues raised by Idle No More.
The fact that there are multiple First Nations voices reflects the complexity of the issues that must be resolved with the federal government. Trying to minimize the significance of the audit is not helpful to any of those involved in resolving First Nations issues. | <urn:uuid:2baf5b79-fd31-4082-b69a-5c08b1e9062e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/2269258-the-spectator-s-view-attawapiskat-chief-theresa-spence-wrong-to-brush/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956287 | 282 | 1.648438 | 2 |
As companies become increasingly more international, this has an impact on recruiting and retaining qualified staff. We know that mentoring has a significant impact in engendering company loyalty but what about the challenge of mentoring pairs matched across the globe? Out of all the recent technological tools (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) the one that is the most significant for mentoring is the tiny webcam. This little tool that often costs less than $35 and is easily installed on one's computer, the webcam overcomes the challenges of long distance mentoring. Being able to see my partner dramatically improves the communication and the mentoring experience. Some of my clients have installed webcams in an office area and allow mentoring participants to sign up for time so they can conduct their meetings. So, if you're in a long distance mentoring relationship, add a webcam and find out how valuable this little tool can be in enhancing your mentoring experience. | <urn:uuid:8933138d-3cdb-45e8-9f66-daa9e212e4d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.management-mentors.com/about/corporate-mentoring-matters-blog/?Tag=mentee | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931623 | 186 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The Ben Ezra Synagogue dates back to the 9th century but was completely rebuilt in 1892. Today it is fully restored, though you won't find any services because there is no rabbi; it now serves as a Jewish heritage library. The synagogue claims to be built on the site where pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the bulrushes and Mary, centuries later, bathed Jesus. A temple of the Prophet Jeremiah is said to have stood here, and he himself is rumored to buried under the foundation. In 1896 the Geniza documents were found in the synagogues storerooms, offering deep insights into the social, political and economic life of Jews in Fatamid Cairo. This historical place is one of the most visited Jewish sites in Old Cairo.
Attractions & Landmarks, Religious
- Nearest Train: Mar Girgis | <urn:uuid:5b826643-54d0-4854-86e2-ea3c3f682216> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/africa/egypt/cairo/ben-ezra-synagogue-thingstodo-detail-186247/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968706 | 171 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Loss Control Resources
Checklists, handbooks, manuals and other resources can help you manage risks and respond to emerging safety and health issues.
Loss Control Specialization
Our loss control professionals are well known throughout the industry for their technical skills and business acumen. Find
Ergonomics focuses on the design of jobs, tools, objects, systems and environment for maximum human comfort, error reduction
and efficiency. Ergonomic injuries, including back and repetitive motion illnesses, account for more than half of all workers
compensation claims. These injuries are typically chronic, developing over time.
An ergonomic assessment begins with a review of OSHA injury logs to look for injury trends by job type or department. Frequency
and severity trends are addressed through a Job Safety Hazard Analysis process where each task step is documented and analyzed
for force, frequency or posture issues. Our loss control professionals can conduct the analysis or they can train company
staff to conduct their own ergonomic assessments. A company’s own staff often has greater knowledge of the tasks and potential
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Ergonomic services are conducted using the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's six ergonomic guidelines:
- Identification of potential musculoskeletal problems in the workplace through accident analysis and/or complaints
- Teamwork Implementation by gaining management commitment and encouraging worker involvement, particularly for problem solving
- Training of management, supervisors and employees
- Job Safety Hazard Analysis conducted by breaking jobs down into steps and analyzing each step for force, frequency and postural hazards
- Solution Review and Resolution by identification of effective controls for ergonomic hazards with follow up to determine success
- Medical management of ergonomic injuries that emphasizes early detection and treatment
Repetitive motion injuries are the most common type of office injury, followed by back injuries and trips and falls. Work
station adjustability, change of task or minibreaks and medical management are key to ergonomic stress reduction. Employees
should be encouraged to really give ergonomic changes a chance post implementation.
Back injuries are the most common type of injury, followed by repetitive motion injuries. Force, frequency, lifted weights,
and postural hazard analysis are key to mitigating ergonomic injuries. In some cases, significant engineering/labor assists
or job rotation may be the only solutions. Medical management incorporates a return to work program at a “light duty” job.
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Commercial Loss Control Services
Learn more about: | <urn:uuid:c94667a5-4666-403f-b0e4-aecce266eb27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://chubb.com/businesses/cci/chubb2717.html?menucat=bi_7__12 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915667 | 692 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Allan Hill, Detroit, Michigan Allan is the caretaker of one of the few remaining structures that still stand at the old Packard Plant. Years of neglect have resulted in massive decay in this Albert Kahn designed factory. But, it has its own kind of beauty and for Allan is the place he calls home. Produced and directed by Ben Wu and David Usui, of Lost & Found Films (lostfoundfilms.com).
There's no place like home. It's where we live, work and dream. It's our sanctuary and our refuge. We can love them or hate them. It can be just for the night or for the rest of our lives. But whoever we may be, we all have a place we call home. THIS MUST BE THE PLACE is a series of short films that explore the idea of home; what makes them, how they represent us, why we need them. THIS MUST BE THE PLACE is produced and directed by Ben Wu and David Usui, of Lost & Found Films (www.lostfoundfilms.com). | <urn:uuid:f626a5f8-4aa1-466d-ac0a-9c34dc6c3bec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blip.tv/thismustbetheplace/hill-this-must-be-the-place-6095156 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959997 | 220 | 1.585938 | 2 |
The Flora in Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is indeed very interesting. Firstly the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary can be regarded as the sole forest patch in the whole of the western Aravali hills. Greenery can rarely be traced in the vast stretches of desert that are to be found in the state of Rajasthan and the Sariska Wildlife Reserve is a welcome exception.
The topography of Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary comprises of small hills and narrow valleys. All in all it is a rocky terrain. This kind of landscape and the lack of adequate rainfall lead to the growth of dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees and bushes. Thorny shrubs and grasses are to be found in plenty. The Flora in Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary consists of arid forests.
The dry deciduous forest that is found in the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary comprises of different kinds of trees including Goria, Surwal, Ber, Tendu, and Khair. Dhok is however the most prominent tree in the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary. It makes up a major part of the vegetation.
In the summers, the forest displays an arid landscape. However the look of the forest changes drastically after the monsoons. Receiving rainfall, all the trees seem to get a fresh lease of life and the lush foliage impresses you highly. The Flora in the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is seen at its best after the monsoons.
It is indeed a matter of great concern that the indiscriminate felling of trees has resulted in shrinkage of the forest cover. Steps should be taken to see to it that the Flora of the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is not lost because of the ignorance of people. They should be enlightened on the disastrous consequences of cutting of trees so that the Flora of Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is well preserved.
Indian Holiday provides detailed information on the Flora in Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary and offers on-line booking for tours to the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary. | <urn:uuid:be42de1f-1ba3-4b9d-98ab-450564d1c8b2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.indianholiday.com/india-wildlife-holidays/sariska/flora.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93987 | 409 | 2.5 | 2 |
Marine Investigation Report M98C0066
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigated this occurrence for the purpose of advancing transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
Self-unloading Bulk Carrier Algolake
Long Point Bay, Lake Erie, Ontario
14 October 1998
Before dawn, while proceeding across Long Point Bay, Lake Erie, Ontario, the Algolake experienced heavy vibration and came to a stop. The vessel had struck and grounded on shoals near the Nanticoke channel. The vessel was refloated the next day with the assistance of a lightering vessel and three tugs.
Ce rapport est également disponible en français.
Other Factual Information
|Port of Registry||Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario|
|Type||Self-unloading bulk carrier|
|Gross Tons 1||22 852|
|Draught||Forward: 8.28 m Aft: 8.38 m|
|Built||1977, Collingwood, Ontario|
|Propulsion||Two 10-cylinder Pielstick diesel engines rated at 6620 kilowatts; single screw, controllable pitch propeller; bow thruster|
|Registered Owner||3013286 Canada Inc.|
History of the Voyage
On 10 October 1998, the Algolake departed Superior, Wisconsin, bound for Nanticoke, Ontario, with 32 340 short tons of coal.
At 0534 Eastern daylight time on October 14, at Long Point Bay, Lake Erie, the Algolake altered course to 354º gyro (G) and proceeded at an average speed of 10.8 knots. It was dark, and winds were near gale from the west at 28 knots, gusting to 35 knots. The planned course on the navigation chart for the area showed a course of 355º true (T). The buoys marking the Nanticoke channel were laid over by wind, sea, and swell, which adversely affected their ability to be detected by radar.
On the bridge were the first mate, a first-year navigation cadet, and a helmsman. The navigation cadet was instructed to keep a lookout and take position fixes every half hour. He stood at times at the chart table and occasionally glanced into the automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) radar. The first mate had confidence in the cadet's ability to assist in bridge watchkeeping tasks. A night order book instruction was that the master was to be called 30 minutes before the next course-alteration point, abeam of Nanticoke shoal buoy, about half the distance across Long Point Bay. At the alter-course point, which was a shortcut to enter the Nanticoke channel, the intention was to proceed on a course of 338ºT for 2.5 nautical miles (M) and enter the Nanticoke channel, keeping buoy EN10 to starboard.
At 0615 the navigation cadet marked the position of the Algolake on the chart. The off-track error at this time was 0.42 M to the east. This was not entered in the bridge logbook. The first mate checked the cadet's position fixes. No adjustment to the course to steer was made, but steering was changed from automatic to hand steering. No other position fix was made before running aground.
At 0625 the master came up to the bridge, prior to being called, and engaged in a conversation, not related to navigation, with the first mate. Part of the conversation centred around the departure time of the Canadian Transport from Nanticoke. The first mate indicated that the presence of the master increased his level of confidence.
The master started up the electronic chart display (ECDIS) unit. In the start-up mode, the ambient light from the unit's display screen "daylight mode" was significant. The master later indicated that he did not get his night vision established for a few minutes because of this bright light. For five or six minutes, the master attempted to get the ECDIS unit to operate properly but was not successful. The display screen was locked onto the area of western Lake Erie showing Pointe aux Pins and Southeast Shoal and vicinity and had been in this state since the previous day. The ECDIS unit was left in the "on" position, so that the service technician could see it in the locked state, and the monitor was turned to the "off" position, which reduced ambient light.
At 0646 the master adjusted the pitch controls to bring the vessel to half speed and marked the manoeuvre in the bridge logbook. The master did not specifically inform the first mate that he was briefly assuming responsibility for navigation, and this was not mutually understood or agreed upon. At the time of the investigation, both the first mate and the master indicated that the first mate maintained control of bridge operations. No one on the bridge confirmed the vessel's position at the time of the speed reduction. Between the time that the master arrived on the bridge and the reduction in the ship's speed, the Algolake passed but did not alter course at the course-alteration point abeam of Nanticoke shoal.
At approximately 0648 the master went below to his cabin. Within one minute, he felt the vessel shudder and vibrate heavily. He quickly ran to the bridge to see that the helmsman had the wheel hard over to port and that the Algolake was slowing down. At 0650 the Algolake was hard aground in position latitude 42º45.8' N, longitude 080º01.96' W, and the gyrocompass showed 343ºG.
The vessel had overrun the course-alteration point by 2.1 M and was 0.8 M SE from the Nanticoke channel and three cables from gas well heads. Immediately after the grounding, the master instructed the crew to take soundings. It was discovered that the vessel was holed and taking on water in the forepeak and No 5 port tank. The pumps were able to keep up with the influx of water. The holes were plugged with temporary cement boxes which were later strengthened in Port Colborne, Ontario. After transferring cargo from the No 1 cargo hold to the No 3 cargo hold, the crew tried to free the vessel with three tugs, but without success. The Canadian Transport, which previously had discharged its cargo in Nanticoke, was used to lighter the Algolakeof approximately 6000 tons. The vessel was scheduled for permanent repair work at Port Weller Drydock at the end of the shipping season.
The master held a Canadian Ocean Navigator I certificate and was determined by company medical personnel to be medically fit, as of March 1998. He had taken bridge resource management (BRM) training in Newport, Rhode Island, two years earlier. The master joined the Algolake in July and since that time had piloted the vessel 10 times, inbound and outbound, to and from Nanticoke. He was to be relieved for his holidays by another master upon arrival at Nanticoke. He had sailed as master for the previous six years. He was well rested at the time of the occurrence.
The first mate held a Canadian Inland Master certificate and was determined by company medical personnel to be medically fit, as of March 1998. He had taken BRM training two years earlier, in Newport, Rhode Island. Twenty years previously, he was employed as master for several years and as first mate since then with different shipping companies. He was well rested at the time of the occurrence.
The navigation cadet was a first-year cadet with Georgian College and, before joining the vessel in May 1998, had eight months of marine training. The training did not include the use of radar or any other piece of bridge electronic equipment. Since joining the Algolake, the cadet was instructed by the master to assist in the watchkeeping duties of each of the three officers, for approximately two-month periods, on each respective watch. He had not been familiarized with BRM concepts, either by Georgian College or by the first, second, or third mates during his first period of service on board a ship. He was well rested at the time of the occurrence.
At the time of the occurrence, the company had an ISM Document of Compliance at its shore-based operations office and a Safety Management System Certificate aboard each of its vessels, including the Algolake. The company has been pro-active to ensure that the masters and mates receive regular training which includes courses in pilotage and BRM. Refresher training is provided for personnel, whenever the company is informed that an individual's human performance is an issue.
The ARPA radar was operating and located beside the ECDIS unit at the forward starboard bridge window, and an ECDIS repeater was at the centre control console. The port radar was on stand-by. The vessel is also equipped with Loran C and a Differential Global Positioning System unit.
The vessel's paper graph depth sounder had not been operating effectively for several months when a request was made to have it serviced or replaced. Vessel and company personnel were concerned about the serviceability of the depth sounder. Service had been arranged for Nanticoke and pricing had been received for a replacement unit, if the technician could not get the unit fully functional. The service technician, however, was not aware of instructions to service the depth sounder. It is possible that there was some miscommunication between the company and the service technician's Montreal office regarding the service call details.
No Formal or Mutually Agreed Handover of the Watch
The master had left instructions to be called 30 minutes before the next course-alteration point, abeam of Nanticoke shoal buoy. This would have been around 0610. The master arrived on the bridge at 0625, however, without having been called.
At 0646 the master moved the engine controls to half speed and wrote the entry into the bridge logbook. This action most likely gave the first mate the impression that the master was taking command because the vessel was arriving at a port. Although the master's action was not formal, it was implied; but the first mate did not question it.
The IMO International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, Section A-VIII/2 part 3-1 23.3 states:
- The officer in charge of a navigation watch shall: continue to be responsible for the safe navigation of the ship, despite the presence of the master on the bridge, until informed specifically that the master has assumed that responsibility and this is mutually understood.
By being acquiescent, rather than questioning who was in charge, the first mate was distracted from carrying out his responsibilities. It was not until the master went below that the first mate realized that the master had not taken command. The master took unilateral action with regard to the operation of the ship, without a position check follow-up. Apparently, he made an assumption that the first mate or cadet would do so. If the master, officer, or cadet had checked the vessel's position, it would have shown that the Algolake was standing into danger.
Bridge Resource Management
Despite company efforts, no formal BRM regime was in place on the bridge of the Algolake, because the responsibilities of those participating in the navigation of the vessel were neither defined nor clear. Apparent action or inaction by individuals involved in the navigation of the vessel resulted in others making false assumptions about their own and others' responsibilities.
When the master arrived on the bridge, conversation not related to the vessel's navigation took place. The conversation detracted from paying close attention to the navigation of the Algolake, especially during a time of darkness, bad weather, and while approaching an area of constricted navigation and navigation hazards.
Reliance on Untrained, Inexperienced Personnel
Although the first mate's last instruction to the cadet was to obtain a position fix every half hour and observe what was happening, given the circumstances, a half-hour period between fixes was inadequate. Despite the first mate having confidence in the cadet's ability to assist in watchkeeping duties, the cadet lacked experience of radar watchkeeping. His level of training and experience was such that he did not, and could not, question the first mate's instructions. If the frequency of position fixes had been increased, it would have shown that the course being steered by the Algolake was standing it into danger.
Occasional glances at the radar screen, whether or not the cadet was able to interpret what was seen on the radar, were insufficient to navigate or to monitor the vessel's progress. The first mate incorrectly assumed that the cadet would alert him to any deviation from the general course plan, laid out on the navigation chart, and of any navigating obstacles.
Preoccupation with ECDIS Equipment
Problems with the ECDIS unit had begun the previous day while downbound from Lake Huron and in the St. Clair River. The master had requested the shore superintendent to arrange for a manufacturer's service representative to look at the unit upon the vessel's arrival at Nanticoke. Until a properly qualified ECDIS technician had examined and serviced the unit, the information it provided could not be relied upon.
When the master arrived on the bridge, in addition to engaging in non-essential conversation, he also became preoccupied with the ECDIS unit, which he knew had been malfunctioning. As the vessel approached Nanticoke, its manoeuvring room diminished. The master's attempts to operate the ECDIS distracted his attention from the need to confirm the vessel's position by the other means available. The ambient light from the unit's display screen also affected the master's night vision and reduced his ability to appreciate other visual clues to the vessel's position.
Standard of Watchkeeping by Bridge Personnel
The Canadian Recommended Code of Navigation Practices and Procedures, TP1018, section 21, states "Fixes should be taken at frequent intervals; whenever circumstances allow, fixing should be carried out by more than one method".
Between 0534, rounding Long Point Bay, and 0650, the time of running aground, there was only one position fix, at 0615.
The vessel's position at the time of the speed reduction was not confirmed by either the master or the first mate. No position check was made as the vessel approached a course-alteration point. The next course-alteration point was rapidly approaching and it would take some distance for the vessel to reduce headway. Within a few minutes of movement beyond the course-alteration point near Nanticoke Shoal, the water depth was rapidly decreasing and there was not enough time to alter course in order to keep the vessel from running aground.
Although winds were strong and westerly and the vessel was proceeding at a reduced speed, no allowance was made for leeway. The vessel continued on a course of 354ºG.
Although the master of the Algolake came up to the bridge before being called by the first mate, his arrival may have increased the first mate's level of confidence and relaxed his watchkeeping routine. Because the vessel was very near to the point where the master would normally have taken over the con, it is most likely that the mate expected that the master would imminently take control of the navigation of the vessel but, in the event, he did not.
Vessel and company personnel did not appear to be greatly concerned about the serviceability of the depth sounder because most of the vessel's areas of operation throughout the Seaway and Great Lakes were well known.
The paper graph depth sounder, located at the back of the wheelhouse, had not been working properly for some time. While depth sounder information is normally more useful to vessels approaching ports from a large body of water, in known shallow areas of Seaway operations, its usefulness is limited. However, had there been a working depth sounder fitted with an alarm, it could have given a warning that the vessel was approaching shallow water.
- No formal BRM environment was in place on the bridge of the Algolake, and the responsibilities of those participating in the navigation of the vessel were neither defined nor clear.
- The interval between position fixes was too large to effectively monitor the vessel's progress along her intended track.
- The influence of strong westerly winds caused the Algolake to drift east of her intended track, but no allowance was made for this leeway.
- As the vessel approached a course-alteration point, the master and first mate engaged in a conversation not related to the navigation of the vessel.
- The master, attempting to operate a defective ECDIS, became distracted by a non-essential task which also affected his night vision.
- The master did not specifically inform the first mate that he was briefly assuming responsibility for navigation, and this was not mutually understood or agreed upon.
- After the 0615 vessel position plot, no further position fix was plotted until the vessel ran aground at 0650.
- The Algolake grounded in shallows, ESE of buoy EN10, having passed the course-alteration point by 2.1 M.
- Considering that the vessel's ECDIS and depth sounder were inoperative, a less-than- adequate radar watch was kept.
- The navigation cadet was unfamiliar with the principles of BRM and was not sufficiently trained in the use of radar and other navigational aids to be able to assist effectively.
Causes and Contributing Factors
The Algolake grounded when the vessel proceeded past a course-alteration point, in darkness and near-gale weather. Contributing to the occurrence were the absence of a bridge resource management environment, undefined or unclear responsibilities of those participating in the navigation of the vessel, and the non-use of all available means to monitor the vessel's progress along its intended track.
Safety Action Taken
As a result of this occurrence, Algoma Central Marine has taken the following actions:
- both the master and the chief officer were required to attend a refresher BRM course;
- the ECDIS unit was serviced and repaired;
- a new depth sounder was installed on board the vessel;
- instructions were sent to the fleet on the proper use of cadets while on a navigational watch; and
- a third party was recruited to carry out an independent audit of bridge practices of a number of Algoma ships. These audits will continue in the future.
This report concludes the Transportation Safety Board's investigation into this occurrence. Consequently, the Board authorized the release of this report on 2 June 2000.
Photo 1. Algolake
Photo 2. Bridge View And Chartwork Area
Photo 3. Ecidis Repeater at Central Control Station
Appendix C - GlossaryARPA - automatic radar plotting aid
BRM - bridge resource management
ECDIS - electronic chart display and information system
G - gyro (degrees)
IMO - International Maritime Organization
m - metre(s)
M - nautical mile(s)
T - true (degrees)
° - degree(s)
' - minute(s)
- Date modified: | <urn:uuid:a049d084-5a29-4bbc-89bf-d2f86205424c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/marine/1998/m98c0066/m98c0066.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971909 | 4,020 | 1.734375 | 2 |
For some time we have maintained that the economy, following the severe 2008 credit crisis, would grow at an exceeding slow and uneven pace, and this is the way it is playing out. This is unlike the garden-variety post-war inventory recessions that were mostly short and shallow, and followed by robust rebounds that quickly exceeded prior peaks. The crisis was caused by an extraordinary debt boom that will take many years to work off and create severe headwinds to economic growth.
Household debt as a percentage of GDP averaged 55% over the past 60 years, but soared to 99% by 2008. It has now declined to 87% and still has a long way to go before returning to anything near normal. Federal government debt has climbed from 56% of GDP in 2000 to 97% as of September 30th, and is undoubtedly higher now. In our view the overall debt is the single most important factor to take into account in analyzing the future growth of the economy. The reduction in household debt since the 2008 peak has been the key factor in dampening economic growth to date. In fact, household debt has now been down for 13 connsecutive quarters after never being down for even one quarter in the entire post-war period!
The effect of deleveraging is not a vague academic theory, but is clearly reflected in the real numbers. GDP in the fourth quarter was only 0.8% higher than it was at the peak four years earlier. In the last four quarters GDP growth was only 1.6%. While fourth quarter GDP growth was an annualized 3.0%, two-thirds of the amount was accounted for by inventories. These probably have to be pared down in the first quarter. By almost any measure the current recovery has been far weaker than any other post-war expansion.
Although a number of recent indicators have shown improvement, there are major headwinds to economic growth. Consumer spending remains weak as a result of sluggish wage growth, declining wealth, a moribund housing market and restricted access to credit. Savings rates have probably dropped as low as they are going to get, and any further strength in spending will have to come from a lot more jobs and higher wages. Employment today is no higher than it was ten years ago despite large increases in population. Consumer confidence, although improved, is still at recessionary levels. According to January numbers, released today, real personal income was up 0.1%, real disposable income down 0.1% and consumption flat.
Housing remains a weak spot. New home purchases are down 33% from the 2005 peak while home prices continue to fall. Almost a quarter of homes with mortgages are underwater. Although published home inventory figures have improved, they do not include 5 million homes either in delinquency or foreclosure or 3 million more that are vacant, but not on the market.
In sum, we believe that the numerous headwinds to economic growth are creating substantial downside risks to the economy and corporate earnings that are not being discounted by an increasingly euphoric stock market that seems on the verge of running out of gas. At current levels the downside risks are far greater than the potential upside rewards. | <urn:uuid:79d8f721-a889-4513-b5e2-3589a360b3df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://comstockfunds.com/(S(zivfdb55fxr5oi2ib4m01yuv))/default.aspx/act/newsletter.aspx/category/MarketCommentary/MenuGroup/Home/NewsLetterID/1635/startrow/5.htm | 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 | 0.980543 | 640 | 2.375 | 2 |
Brocade puffs CloudPlex and Virtual Compute Blocks
Data centres without walls
Brocade has developed a CloudPlex architecture with Virtual Compute Blocks, saying it is aimed at helping enterprises becoming virtual enterprises running data centres without walls.
The idea is that the network is the data centre and that CloudPlex will help every data centre become a service provider and achieve better business agility and financial efficiency, according to John McHugh, Brocade's chief marketing officer. He's careful to say that customers won't get this if they choose vertically integrated IT stacks from single vendors: "[The] cloud in a box. Architecturally it fits 30 years ago; it's a mainframe ... But it doesn't give you infrastructure flexibility ... There's a fundamental missing element: an architecture that doesn't replicate the vendor lock-in of the past." That, of course, is CloudPlex.
Brocade says it all depends on server virtualisation and that the service will: "help customers scale their IT environments from managing hundreds of virtual machines (VMs) in certain classes of servers to tens of thousands of VMs that are distributed and mobilised across their entire enterprise and throughout the cloud."
There are three currently available CloudPLex components:
- Networks comprised of Ethernet fabrics and Fibre Channel fabrics;
- Multiprotocol fabric adapters;
- and High-performance application delivery products.
The components on the roadmap are:
- Brocade Virtual Compute Blocks (VCBs) – integrated, tested and validated solution bundles of server, virtualisation (hypervisors), networking and storage resources. It will enable its systems partners and integrators to deliver VCBs in pre-bundled, pre-racked configurations with unified support;
- Fabric and network extension capabilities delivered through a platform that supports IP, SAN and mainframe extension technologies including virtual private LAN services (VPLS), Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP) and FICON;
- "An advancement of Brocade Fabric ID technology called 'Cloud IDs' that enables simple and secure isolation and mobility of VMs for native multi-tenancy cloud environments";
- An open framework for management, provisioning and integration to promote multi-vendor and system-to-system interoperability specifically for cloud environments. These include Brocade products supporting OpenStack software for storage, compute and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) capabilities enabled through OpenFlow; and
- Unified education, support and services to help customers manage this highly distributed "Virtual Enterprise" environment.
Brocade published supporting statements from Dell, Fujitsu, Hitachi Data Systems and VMware.
Brocade is also announcing a set of 16Gbit/s Fibre Channel products for Fibre Channel fabrics, including a DCX 8510 Backbone with up to 8Tb of bandwidth, claimed to be unmatched in the industry. There is integrated metro and geo (beyond 100km) connectivity on the line cards. The core routing blades can run up to 32 X 64Gbit inter-chassis links. Chassis can be 2 - 50m apart. The individual 64Gbit ICLs are dedicated and can be trunked together.
Existing DCX chassis can be upgraded to the next feature set.
There is a new switch for small and medium enterprises – the 6510 – which can encrypt and compress traffic through its up to 48 x 16Gbit/s ports. It has on-demand, "pay as you grow" scalability through software licenses.
There is a 1860 universal fabric adaptor supporting Fibre Channel HBA, Ethernet CNA and Ethernet NIC capabilities in one car, priced Brocade claims, at less than a 10GbitE port today.
Brocade is also adding dynamic fabric provisioning and better fabric monitoring, diagnosis and performance degradation detection. ® | <urn:uuid:e055cb69-d881-4ee0-a130-ce1edcde309c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/04/brocade_cloudplex_vcb/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906317 | 788 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Accessed 18 April 1999
Albright's State Deportment/ IAN WILLIAMS
[A Review of] SEASONS OF HER LIFE:
A Biography of Madeleine Korbel Albright.
By Ann Blackman.
Scribner's. 398 pp. $27.
Flirtatious and ferocious at the same time, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stamps the world stage over Kosovo, threatening fire from heaven if Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic does not agree to peace terms. Just as over Bosnia, she may even believe what she says. Unfortunately, the Serb leader is much better informed. He knows that whatever the public differences, Belgrade and Washington are united in wanting to avoid NATO airstrikes (even if they come to pass). Albright's grandstanding is a necessary part of the charade in which the United States acts scary and the Serbs act scared.
With her ability to be stridently parochial, and insular as well, in six different languages, Madeleine Albright has been the perfect Secretary of State for this Administration. Never one to let substance interfere with a good soundbite, she has reinvented herself whenever it has been advantageous to her ambitions.
But does she really merit a biography on the scale of Seasons of Her Life? As Ann Blackman frames the problem, "What makes her, among all the other brilliant men and women in America, stand out?" Almost inadvertently, emerging from Blackman's hard work is a portrait of Albright that shows she would be outstanding mainly by dint of her mediocrity in any such gathering (thus well meriting the nickname Madeleine Halfbright, which State Department staff members gave her after her appointment as US ambassador to the UN).
However, she would also stand out for her burning ambition--and for her intensive cultivation of social and political connections of the kind available to someone of substantial wealth. (Madame Secretary benefited from a generous divorce settlement after what she has described as a "Cinderella marriage" to a millionaire.) Blackman actually writes that "Albright's greatest appeal is that she is just like us, only wealthier"! This has perhaps unwitting overtones of Hemingway's putdown of F. Scott Fitzgerald's remark about the rich--"They are different from you and me": "Yes, they have more money." But it really sums up the secret of Albright's success more aptly than any neofeminist reading of progress from the log cabin of Kinder, Küche, Kirche to political glory.
In becoming the first woman to head the State Department, Albright achieved cult status in some superficially minded quarters. People Blackman terms the golden girls--Democrats like Barbara Mikulski, Barbara Kennelly and Anne Wexler--spoke out prominently in her favor, for example. But many of us who followed the careers of Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi need convincing that the absence of cojones in itself guarantees wisdom, virtue or empathetic statesmanship. Even so, those redoubtable women, political warts and all, were elected despite their sex. Blackman's account makes it clear that Albright was appointed to public office by a symbol-sensitive White House because she was a woman. "Frankly, [President Clinton] wanted another woman in the cabinet," Blackman quotes a wisely anonymous but assumedly knowledgeable source as saying. In fact, cojones did help Albright directly, since her use of the word at the United Nations over Castro's downing of a flight of Cuban exiles helped lock her in the media eye as a staunch anticommunist--and an electoral asset for the President in Florida.
Blackman's bibliography cites Albright's PhD dissertation, her MA submission for Columbia, one from Wellesley and a mere quartet of memorable public speeches, significant for their carefully crafted soundbites rather than their insights. Certainly no male so thinly qualified would have even been on the short list to head State--nor would a better-qualified woman lacking Albright's social connections. Among her predecessors, Warren Christopher may not have played to the gallery, but he had a long record of public service and had been Deputy Secretary of State prior to his Cabinet appointment. Cyrus Vance had been Deputy Secretary of State as well (and LBJ's emissary to North Vietnam) before he was elevated.
Blackman's journalistic integrity rescues this book from the hagiographic gushing that it occasionally approaches. However, that creates a constant dissonance between biographical intent and delivery of the content. For example, she asserts that Albright has made sure that "women's rights are a central priority of US foreign policy" but then goes on to report that there has been no great leap forward in the number of female ambassadors on her watch. She quotes a close friend of Albright as saying, "Gender didn't hit her in any real way until she got to the United Nations. Feminism wasn't an important cause for her until recently."
Even at that, it appears mainly to be a stepping stone. For example, Blackman reports that while Albright was nominally in charge of the US delegation to the International Women's Conference in Beijing, she disdained actual attendance, except insofar as she could share Hillary Clinton's plane for the one-day fly-in visit. Significantly, the book is as silent as Albright was herself about the sexually adventurous Clinton's sacking of Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders (another, more neglected female first) for her statement at the UN that masturbation did not carry a risk of AIDS. In a more political vein, Albright's first move on arrival at the UN was to push out April Glaspie, the former chargé d'affaires in Iraq who carried the can for the Bush Administration in its confused signals to Baghdad before the start of the Gulf War. Glaspie had been serving her penance at the US Mission to the UN. In short, sisterhood may have been a force in getting
Albright appointed, but it is not a concept she has put into practice much herself.
Blackman also records that her globetrotting protagonist was not going to attend the Copenhagen UN Social Summit at all, considering the war against global poverty too soft a subject for her consideration. Until, that is, Al Gore announced he was going, whereupon Albright, then UN ambassador, decided to hitch a lift with him. As Blackman says, she "understood that if she were to have any chance at higher office, she would need to spend time with people who could influence the decision." Brown-nosing becomes an art form in these pages, which occasionally read like Diary of a Nobody in the third person, as they record Albright's delight at getting this or that invitation, or mortification at being left off this or that power list.
Despite the log-cabin-to-State-Department nonsense that she and her spinmeisters have woven, it is clear that Albright came from a relatively affluent and privileged background. No amount of spin can transform a privileged, upper-middle-class upbringing, with governesses and Swiss private schools, into a life of deprivation.
Few people would regard being the daughter of a college professor and having to take a scholarship to Wellesley as swimming against the social stream. After marrying into money, Albright used her wealth to consolidate her position as a Georgetown hostess whose rabidly hawkish cold war sentiments, seemingly picked up through hero worship of her Czech émigré father, could always find a popular echo among Democratic movers and shakers. (Albright was an outsider of her own creation, since she had set herself on being rich, WASP and Wellesleyan and remade herself in this image, renouncing Catholicism for a comfortable Episcopalianism.)
At least we are spared any hint of a radical past. Albright, it seems, was a proto-neocon from the beginning. During the sixties, when, Blackman stereotypically tells us, "antiwar radicals who grew their hair long and smoked pot" and "black-power advocates sporting 'Afros'" besieged college presidents, Albright found the demonstrations at Columbia "a pain in the neck." Albright, we deduce, neither wore an Afro nor smoked the demon weed; instead, she struggled with her postgraduate work and wrestled with the dilemma of whether to leave the children at home with the housekeeper.
Interestingly, and once again reflecting the dissonance between the biographer's task and this volume's contents, the body of Blackman's text takes seriously Albright's amazing amnesia about her Jewish ancestry and the price her grandparents paid for their ethnicity. Blackman does record in her introduction that she found "very few people who believe [Albright] was truly ignorant of her family heritage." As Blackman herself says, it "stretched the imagination." Within months of her appointment as Secretary of State, in other words, Albright was revealed to be someone who was either suffering premature Alzheimer's or who was pathologically covering up knowledge of her family history. On the face of it, neither is an optimal characteristic for running the foreign policy of the world's only superpower. Blackman fails to consider what the effect of these revelations would have been if they had surfaced before her appointment: Discussions made public at the time reveal that Albright might have found herself scoring more negative points for her Jewishness than positive points for her womanhood at a bean-counting White House.
There is much in this book with the ring of truth--but what rings out loudest is the sound of silence when it comes to examining the record of Albright's public life as opposed to her personal history. Blackman disclaims any attempt to analyze her subject's approach to US foreign policy in favor of following "the path Albright walked to shatter the glass ceiling." Would it be conceivable for a biographer of Henry Kissinger to write about his struggle with his Austrian-Jewish origins in an administration that was frequently tinged with anti-Semitism--and not mention Vietnam or Cambodia?
Yet in Seasons of Her Life, Blackman gives almost as much prominence to Albright's presidency of the trustees of the Beauvoir Elementary School in Washington, DC--an affluent private establishment not much patronized by the majority population of the District--as she does to her career at the UN. In one way this is reasonable, since it was the nearest thing to public office Albright held before becoming ambassador to the UN in 1993.
There is much talk of facials, hairdos, dating and dresses, but not one single mention of Rwanda. In fact, in 1994 Albright fought single-handedly in the Security Council to stop any UN reinforcements whatsoever from going to Kigali while somewhere between half a million and a million Tutsis were being massacred. All agree that loyalty to Clinton has been one of her virtues. She was never more loyal than in this championing of Presidential Decision Directive 25, which ruled that the United States would veto any UN peacekeeping operation that did not directly benefit US interests. Her pride in her Czech origins is continually stated, but in this case it was ironically justified. "The crocodiles in the Kagera River and the vultures over Rwanda have never had it so good," Karel Kovanda, the Czech ambassador to the UN, reprimanded his colleagues on the Security Council (and by implication one in particular) in an attempt to get reinforcements for the tiny UN contingent in Kigali.
In another example of diplomacy by soundbite and photo-op, Blackman reports that Albright went to Somalia to wear a flak-jacket with US troops for the cameras and that she decided Boutros Boutros-Ghali should be fired as Secretary General of the UN because of that organization's failure there. However, Blackman does not mention her heroine's role in pushing the UN to fight a vendetta with Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid, which could be regarded as the cause of the debacle in which eighteen US Rangers were killed. Nor does she mention that the key incident in which the soldiers were killed was an American operation initiated and carried out without even informing, let alone consulting, UN forces on the ground.
Blackman gives the dubious credit for sacking Boutros-Ghali to Albright without really explaining why she did it. Perhaps closer examination would have led Blackman to examine the most likely hypothesis: that, Salome-like, Albright danced in front of Jesse Helms with Boutros-Ghali's head, in return for promises of easy confirmation as Secretary of State from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman.
Blackman fails to explore what is, on the face of it, a highly unlikely yet continuing alliance between Albright and Helms. In fact, they share an intensely parochial and reactionary view of the world. Perhaps the most germane comment is the cable home from former British Ambassador Sir John Weston, who, in best "Yes, Minister" style, alerted the Foreign Office to the failings of the new Secretary of State. "She is not always good at accepting the need to apply to the United States the same standards and expectations she requires of others.... There is a mildly irritating tendency to create a fixed position and then to look around for others to save her from the detailed consequences of it.... Her reaction to being exposed or brought under pressure from sudden turns of events are sometimes tetchy, verging on the panicky."
It is perhaps significant that Weston has retired from the Foreign Service. Most of the other diplomats who were privately so dismissive of her joined the fawning chorus of congratulations once she became Secretary of State. The same process has been obvious in the media, where her career has been written up as if she were some combination of Metternich and Mother Teresa.
In fact, most of the press who covered Albright at the UN had as little time for her as she had for them. Her spinman would go straight to Washington to get the pliable coverage he wanted, bypassing the New York staff. From the time of her arrival at the UN, it was obvious where her ambitions lay, and her media effort was directed solely at the State Department. However, she had apparently been cautioned that it would not do to look too eager, so everyone was supposed to conspire in pretending that it was not so.
I must confess an interest here. Not long after Albright took over, her spokesman, Jamie Rubin, bell, book and candled me from the US Mission in 1994 for writing a profile of Albright in the New York Observer that referred to her "barely concealed ambitions...to become Secretary of State." Rubin complained that I had not recorded his denial of any such ambition; she and her staff have a strong view of the proper role of journalists: as stenographers whose task is to write down every word.
When the Washington Post's Michael Dobbs revealed his findings about Albright's family being massacred during World War II, Blackman records that Albright's response was to call Post publisher Katharine Graham, who wisely realized that it was too late to do anything about the story. Rubin's response was to spoil Dobbs's scoop by leaking his results to other outlets who could assure a more sympathetic, if not sycophantic, stance. Later, one press occasion in Belgrade was canceled simply because Dobbs was the pool reporter.
Blackman says she asked Albright about the prevailing State Department doctrine that if someone writes something 99 percent positive and 1 percent negative about her, she will focus on the 1 percent. The champion of free speech and the American way of life told her chillingly, "So eliminate the 1 percent." It is to Blackman's credit that she has significantly exceeded the single percent. While most of her editorializations are in the traditional inside-the-Beltway mode of never attacking a possible source and the impressive negative percentage is always ascribed to others, I'd be surprised if Blackman ever got another exclusive interview. In Washington, access is given to stenographers, not investigators.
Blackman's integrity and resourcefulness show through the pink cotton wool padding. I only wish she had adopted the persona of the little girl revealing the insubstantiality of Empress Albright's new clothes and dug a little deeper. She could have explained just why Albright is the perfect embodiment of this Administration's content-free foreign policy, in which one deranged Senator from North Carolina or a campaign donation from a banana magnate has more weight than all of America's allies put together, let alone the rest of the world.
Ian Williams, The Nation's UN correspondent, has reported extensively on Madeleine Albright.
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Ian Williams 212 593 3407 | <urn:uuid:582aec55-c9bd-476e-835c-4bfe26566d37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/kosovo/Kosovo-controversies21.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969703 | 3,619 | 1.570313 | 2 |
A wonderfully sweet treat but still quite healthy.
Papaya fruit is a rich source of nutrients such as provitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, B vitamins, dietary minerals and dietary fiber. Papaya skin, pulp and seeds also contain a variety of phytochemicals, including polyphenols.
Both green papaya fruit and the tree's latex are rich in papain, a protease used for tenderizing meat and other proteins. Its ability to break down tough meat fibers was used for thousands of years by indigenous Americans. It is now included as a component in powdered meat tenderizers.
Papaya is marketed in tablet form to remedy digestive problems.
Papain is also applied topically (in countries where it grows) for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Papain ointment is commonly made from fermented papaya flesh, and is applied as a gel-like paste. Harrison Ford was treated for a ruptured disc incurred during filming of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom by papain injections. | <urn:uuid:7a41ef4a-a153-46e0-85af-0f12b681cee1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nuttyguysonline.com/papaya-natural-dices-low-sugar-no-so2-1lb | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96349 | 217 | 2.3125 | 2 |
|Worldwide Hop Shortage|
Will Homebrewer's get hopping mad or smile over the brew kettle?
Back in October of this year the news of an impending hop shortage claimed that prices will skyrocket for their favorite craft brew and that the price of hops in general would rise to all-time highs. If you are a micro/craft brewer perhaps the situation of the world hop market should be taken very seriously. If you are a homebrewer, how will this affect you?
Supply shortages are estimated between 700 and 1,300 metric tons alpha or approximately 8.6% to 15.5% of the annual worldwide demand due to the poor 2006 European crop. The main factors that have contributed to this situation are that Europe's 2006 crop was ruined by heavy rains; while Australia's was cut by a severe drought and Canada's was "just average. Slovenia (grower of Styrians) lost at least 1/3 and possibly as much as 1/2 of their crop to a hailstorm. England is almost out of the hop business. Their acreage of 2,400 in 2006 (down from 17,000 in 1976) represents only 2 percent of the worldwide acreage. The Czech crop was down 25% and estimated alphas on Czech Saaz from the 2007 crop are 2.7 - 2.9. The German crop is average at best with earlier aroma hops coming in below normal (such as Hallertau Mittelfruh). New Zealand and Australia crops this year (which arrived in the US in June and July) were normal. | <urn:uuid:95cbc0d0-dbfb-4952-92f0-5849fb16def9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.makebeerathome.info/homebrew-articles/164-hop-shotage | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978829 | 318 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Around the Nation
Thu August 23, 2012
From Politics To Pestilence: Everything Is Earlier
Originally published on Thu August 23, 2012 3:17 pm
Leaves are falling in the summertime. School starts in early August in many places. Politicos are already talking about the presidential election — of 2016.
Everything is happening earlier.
According to various reports, the allergy season, the NFL season and the winter holiday shopping season seem to be occurring earlier. Fact is, all seasons — winter, spring, summer and fall – are showing up sooner.
"The seasons are coming earlier on land than they used to," says Alexander Stine of Harvard University's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, "because of changes in patterns of global winds over the last half century."
As the winds sweep across the planet, he explains, "they carry differing amounts of heat with them — depending on where they come from — and can thereby modulate when things warm up or cool down. In particular, the changes in the winds have been biggest at the end of the winter and have sped up the arrival of spring."
A 2009 analysis of global temperatures between the years 1850 and 2007, authored by Stine and others, reveals that the seasons are showing up about two days earlier than they were 50 years ago.
Physiologically, financially, culinarily — life is happening earlier. A recent New York Times story reports that the breasts of young American girls are developing earlier. Because of hypertechnology and global markets, we get financial information earlier. McDonald's just announced it is serving breakfast beginning at midnight instead of 5 a.m.
Earlier than ever, we get: news of the world, new books to read and new music to listen to.
What effect will all of this earliness ultimately have on our culture? In many ways, it's too early to tell.
Earliness Can Really Bug You
We do know this: There can be repercussions when the seasons arrive earlier.
The cherry tree blossoms in Washington, D.C., for instance, are trending earlier and earlier. The Washington Post reports that in 2012, the iconic trees bloomed five days earlier than they did in 1921, the first year that records were kept.
And summer pests appeared earlier than usual this year. Missy Henriksen of the National Pest Management Association, explains that according to the NOAA National Climatic Data Center, the first half of 2012 was the warmest on record for the U.S. mainland since record keeping began in 1895.
"Many parts of the country enjoyed a winter season that kept children in flip-flops instead of snow boots," Henriksen explains. "One of the consequences of the unseasonable winter temperatures is that it caused an early emergence of numerous species of bugs."
Insects are cold blooded, she says, so "they look to cues from Mother Nature to direct their biological functions. While calendars may have said February, mercury readings said June and accordingly, many insects arose from their over-wintering state weeks — and in some cases months — earlier because of the warm weather."
She says termites, mosquitoes, ants, ticks and fleas were all out in force ahead of schedule.
Henriksen didn't mention worms — perhaps they were gotten by early birds.
Fast Track To ... Failure?
Early birds, however, will not be encouraged this time around to line up at midnight for the release of the
LeBron X or other new Nike sneakers. The Wall Street Journal and others report that Nike has put an end to that popular practice because of security concerns.
But prospective college students, like the
ninth-grader mentioned in this New York Times piece from earlier this year, are looking at possibilities at a younger age. And in turn, SB Nation reports, colleges are looking at young people earlier. The Times also reports a notable rise among some universities in early admission applications.
"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late," William Shakespeare wrote in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Leave it to Shakespeare to point out a virtue of earliness
Early Americans bought into this reverence for earliness. "Early to bed and early to rise," Ben Franklin famously claimed, "makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
Later Americans also embraced earliness. Tycoon J. Paul Getty is reported to have put his formula for success in six words: "Rise early, work hard, strike oil."
And so we much-later Americans still feel in our national DNA a rush to earliness. We grow up earlier. Eat breakfast earlier. Get into college earlier. Go to work earlier. The quest for ever-earlier earliness is a lifelong pursuit.
There can be drawbacks. Sometimes it's just too soon for a bird to fly. Or it's premature to eat a persimmon. Or it's too early for a Major League pitcher to pitch a full season. Never serve a wine before its time and all that.
Eagerness for earliness can lead to failure — in a hurry.
Leave it to Shakespeare again to point out a fallacy of earliness. In some instances, it can be just another shade of lateness. "I am glad I was up so late, for that's the reason I was up so early." Shakespeare wrote in Cymbeline.
That, of course, was one of his late plays. | <urn:uuid:b59ef9a1-69e6-4e6d-9a16-7c9b417d2199> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kcur.org/post/politics-pestilence-everything-earlier | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96428 | 1,111 | 2.03125 | 2 |
A government-backed inquiry has accused several of India’s top opposition politicians of having a role in the destruction of an ancient mosque in 1992 that triggered some of the country’s worst religious riots.
The report has sparked political protests from opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which finds itself in even more trouble as it struggles to emerge from internal feuding after an election defeat in May.
Hindu mobs demolished the 16-century Babri Mosque in the north Indian town of Ayodhya, claiming it stood on the birthplace of their god-king Rama. Riots between Hindus and Muslims left hundreds dead across India.
The report, 17 years in the making, says some of India’s best known BJP politicians — including former Prime Minister Aal Behari Vajpayee and current opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani — did little to stop the destruction despite knowing of plans to demolish it.
Here is our news story on the report and a Q&A explaining the background. | <urn:uuid:f3ab73c3-89ee-4165-9156-a487516dde40> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.reuters.com/india/tag/riots/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963993 | 207 | 2.703125 | 3 |
(NaturalNews) The latest medical research from the Umea University
in Sweden reveals that iron supplementation can help boost brain growth in infants, potentially keeping them safe from developmental problems later in life. Low birth-weight babies who are born prematurely are the most vulnerable category. The Swedish scientists found that their iron supplies are usually deficient, so they require a nutrient-dense diet to catch up with babies of healthy birth weight. Iron is also important in the formation of blood hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen to all of the body's cells.
Very early term babies are usually already put on an iron rich regime, but the new research found that even slight weight differences can have dire consequences later in life. Umea
scientists also managed to prove that behavioral problems in children are directly linked to infant iron deficiency.
Simple, wholesome ways to supplement a child's diet with iron
Infants need more iron than adult humans, so their dietary needs are special. Since iron deficiency can have devastating health effects, it is important to keep iron supplies at optimum levels, particularly during a child's first year. While most doctors would recommend the use of iron drops, there are natural alternatives to boosting a baby's iron intake.
Liver is a good source of iron, but it is also rich in vitamin A, and too much of it can damage the child's own liver, so babies are usually recommended no more than three teaspoons a week. One of the best ways to add more iron
rich liver to an infant's diet is to mix small quantities of it with fruit and vegetable purees. Dried fruits (plums and apricots) and dark leafy greens (particularly spinach and collards) are also loaded with iron and other precious nutrients, so they make for an excellent basis for homemade baby food.
Blackstrap molasses is an underrated sugar substitute with a whole range of health
benefits. Being a residue from the production of table sugar, and although it is considered a waste product, blackstrap molasses contains all the nutrients that are missing from sugar itself. Aside from iron, molasses also contains generous amounts of magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6, and potassium. Oats, barley and quinoa meals can be sweetened with blackstrap molasses to create a super baby breakfast.
Cow's milk interferes with iron absorption
Unfortunately, one of the more popular baby food items, cow's milk, is also an important risk factor in iron deficiency. Several studies managed to link it directly to childhood anemia, so it is typically not recommended to give cow's milk to babies younger than 12 months.
Research also shows that early consumption of cow's milk can also cause some gastrointestinal problems. Pure water and natural fruit juices are good replacements, as they are both healthy and will keep the infant well hydrated.Sources for this article include:http://www.reuters.comhttp://www.healthyfood.co.nzhttp://www.healthaliciousness.comhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16247536http://www.naturalnews.com/026296_molasses_health_sugar.htmlhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2598894About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. In 2010, Michelle created RawFoodHealthWatch.com
, to share with people her approach to the raw food diet and detoxification.
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article. | <urn:uuid:2b2d68db-32f6-4f99-b00d-2af96aa4fadd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.naturalnews.com/038591_iron_deficiency_supplements_infants.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945009 | 796 | 3.25 | 3 |
The IDEAS Competition is a campus-based innovation competition that encourages student teams to develop and implement projects that make a positive change in the world. Entries are judged on their innovation, feasibility, and community impact.
Since 2001, more than 50 IDEAS teams have received awards to implement innovative community-based solutions to real problems. IDEAS teams have worked in more than 25 countries, served the needs of tens of thousands of people, and secured over $2.2 million in follow-on funding from sources such as the World Bank, USAID, Microsoft, the Clinton Global Initiative, AT&T and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance.
To get the latest information about teams and their progress, visit their Field Updates. | <urn:uuid:91f3ffb3-3fcc-49f5-bc2b-392feba042cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/about/ideas-competition | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961045 | 152 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Londoners are greeting the Olympics with all the enthusiasm of a child awaiting a root canal. The government has warned those unable to book coinciding holidays not to travel anywhere beyond walking distance of home as Communist-style “Olympic lanes” whisk dignitaries past the interminable traffic the Games cause. During the Olympics, London will be run under a curious kind of corporate martial law. Thousands of troops will handle security to make up for private contractor G4S’s staffing “shambles”; missiles have been placed atop public housing; an Orwellian “brand police” is sweeping the city to ensure no businesses other than 11 official sponsors use words like “gold,” “silver,” “bronze” and even “London.”
Putting up with this misery is supposedly justified by the commercial windfall, tourist bonanza and enhanced prestige the Olympics create. One Tube station poster depicts a man who, having identified alternative transport routes, is jauntily reading a newspaper as he whizzes past an escalator logjammed with athletes: The headline is “London 2012 Games a huge success, save British economy.”
But as Wednesday’s woeful economic data confirmed Britain’s slide into a double-dip recession, it’s worth questioning whether hosting the Olympics is worth the $14.5 billion cost. In strict financial terms none ever actually make money. Some host cities have turned profits since Los Angeles was the first to do so in 1984, escaping the crippling public debt incurred by cities like Montreal and Vancouver. But, as a recent report by Goldman Sachs points out, “most countries … have treated the cost of constructing facilities and infrastructure, together with security and other ancillary costs, as being separate from the cost of running the Games themselves.”
In other words, it’s possible to declare an operating profit while incurring huge losses on major expenditures that may not be recovered for decades. Beijing trumpeted a $171 million profit made on operating costs, while neglecting to mention the $40 billion-dollar infrastructure buildup it made ahead of the 2008 Games. The $5 billion to $6 billion the London Olympics earn will not even begin to cover the cost of infrastructure and security alone. Even if it did, half of revenue is split among International Olympic Committee members.
Like many major sporting tournaments, the Olympic Games often create embarrassing white elephants. Beijing’s Bird’s Nest remains largely unused. The Olympic stadium in Montreal proved such a drag on city finances that the Quebec government imposed a $2 billion tobacco tax to help pay it off – and that took 30 years. Facilities often have no conceivable use beyond the two weeks of the Games, like Athens’ softball stadium and sailing marina. Since the world seems likely to remain in the economic doldrums for some time, chances of future facilities being purchased or converted are low: The London village already looks like a combination of a garish British seaside holiday resort and Pripyat, the Ukrainian ghost town abandoned after the Chernobyl disaster. | <urn:uuid:4bd5c834-ee08-471f-8e2d-7207b085cc8f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/tag/beijing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93728 | 643 | 1.984375 | 2 |
Without anyone saying so, allied war aims seem to have changed. While the official purpose still is to liberate Kuwait, the actual goal is the destruction of enough of Saddam Hussein's war machine to assure he can't go home and start again. The Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney, has made clear in recent days Washington's determination to smash Saddam Hussein's military machine. Britain's Foreign Minister, Douglas Hurd, has come close to saying the land battle could be carried into Iraq, if Kuwait is freed but still threatened.
January 22, 1991 | <urn:uuid:7c4c16df-f7fd-4e70-93ea-00f406fd898b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nytimes.com/keyword/iraqi-police/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949207 | 109 | 1.804688 | 2 |
The theme at church this past while has been “the Good Seed” and our pastor has spoken of the good seeds of the Kingdom – seeds of love and justice and grace that are sown in seeming obscurity and randomness, but grow like invasive weeds, big and strong and vibrant. Anyone who has been around A Rocha for any length of time knows that this has been our story around the world. And it’s been our story in our particular corner of the world in Canada.
It all started 17 years ago when Peter and Miranda Harris came to Vancouver to teach a class at Regent College. From that class and subsequent meetings around the city, a ragtag group of ‘Earth-loving Christians’ gathered around coffee tables and on bird walks to see if the A Rocha dream could take root in Canadian soil.
It started small enough – our first part-time staff member, Karin Boisclair-Joly, worked in a cupboard under a stairwell! When Markku and I joined Patrick Lilley and started as A Rocha’s first full-time staff and directors we upgraded to our basement. Our first events often drew no more than five to ten people at best and we struggled to meet our tiny operating budget. Four years later we landed at our first Field Study Centre on the Little Campbell River in Surrey, BC. Suddenly the seed had germinated and the plant had taken root. Though still a fragile thing, the mustard seed of that first vision had grown a stalk and branches and the birds and beasts (read: interns!) were finding refuge in its shade.
Over the years we’ve been astounded by the myriad of folks who have found their way to us – folks from around the world and right next door. Folks who have helped us restore salmon streams, open the wonder of creation to thousands of school kids, and grow bushels upon bushels of organic vegetables for local families and those living on low income.
And the mustard seed has self-propagated. Another Centre sprouted in rural Manitoba, an urban project working with the marginalized is thriving in Winnipeg, a community garden network that stretches from coast to coast is flourishing across the country, and, most recently, a phenomenal new Centre in Surrey, BC has staggered us all in its proportions and possibilities. We couldn’t have plotted this growth. The Sower sowed the seed of the A Rocha vision in the fertile soil of a few naïve souls who formed that first Board of Directors, volunteers and staff, who together believed that creation care as Christian mission was a calling worthy of our lives, the Spirit watered and remarkable fruit has been born. | <urn:uuid:77709b48-9c2a-443d-badc-221907a99c09> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.arocha.org/post/sowing-the-a-rocha-seed-in-canada/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967322 | 552 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Industry-funded drug trials are more likely to yield positive results. (Mark Blinch / Reuters )
When weighing the results of a medical study it's important to consider who supplied money to conduct the research. According to an analysis of drug trials published Monday, studies were much more likely to be positive -- that is, showing the drug worked -- in trials that were funded by the pharmaceutical industry.
Researchers reviewed 546 drug trials and found that industry-funded trials reported positive outcomes 85% of the time compared with 50% of the time for government-funded trials and 72% of the time for trials funded by nonprofits or non-federal organizations. Among the nonprofit or non-federal studies, those that received industry contributions were more likely to be positive (85%) compared with those that did not have any industry support (61%).
To be sure, the pharmaceutical industry is more selective in what studies it funds. Drug companies want to know they have a reasonably good chance of success before investing in a study. In contrast, the federal government often funds studies that are at an earlier stage of research when the outcomes are far less certain. But the new study also showed that results of industry-funded studies were published within two years of the study completion 32% of the time compared with 54% for government trials and 56% for nonprofit or non-federal trials.
The paper suggests that ClinicalTrials.gov, a web-based registry of clinical trials established in 1999, is a valuable source of information for documenting study quality especially if a trial sponsor publishes the study protocol in advance of enrolling patients and reports the findings promptly. Doing so prevents manipulating data or selectively publishing some results but not others.
The study was published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. And, although it is not a drug clinical trial, for the sake of transparency let us note that it was funded by the National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
-- Shari Roan
Return to Booster Shots blog. | <urn:uuid:e585ddde-6bc5-448c-8306-6b54c3713b90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/02/news/la-heb-studies-20100802 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966192 | 410 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Our Grantmaking in Mexico
The Foundation began making grants in Mexico in 1986 and opened an office in Mexico in 1992. Today, MacArthur operates three programs in Mexico: population and reproductive health, human rights and justice, and migration and human mobility. Support is provided to expert civil society organizations working to improve young people's access to reproductive and sexual health and to improve maternal health outcomes in rural indigenous areas; to improve access to justice through promoting reform of the criminal justice system; and to facilitate exchange, dialogue and initiatives that improve the human condition of migrants and their families.
13 Nonprofits Recognized for Exceptional Creativity and Effectiveness, Awarded up to $1.5 Million Each
Protecting Mexico’s migrants and refugees
Sin Fronteras lawyers represent migrants in cases that have substantial impact on the Mexican government’s policies and laws. Staff help coordinate civil voices that highlight the abuse faced by ...Watch
Building on its 30-year history in the field, MacArthur's human rights and international justice grantmaking strategy focuses on defending freedom of expression and enhancing criminal justice globally, with a special emphasis in Mexico, Nigeria, and ...Watch | <urn:uuid:1f30d9c0-2d8b-4844-bb4f-2d4ce94c7429> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.asiasecurity.macfound.org/tags/mexico/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92622 | 233 | 1.976563 | 2 |
At nearly all grade levels, Tamaqua Area School District students scored higher than the "adequate yearly progress" reading and math standards on state standardized tests this year, officials said Tuesday.
District Assistant Superintendent Raymond C. Kinder on Tuesday gave the school board results of Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests for 2007-08 for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11.
The scores are used under the federal No Child Left Behind Act to determine how public schools are performing academically.
Two-thirds of district eighth-graders scored "advanced" in reading, and 11th-graders were the only class to fall below the adequate yearly progress standards, missing it by eight points in reading and 15 in math, Kinder said.
Kinder also outlined a plan to help students keep test scores high. The district has bought updated textbooks in reading and math for elementary students, and initiated a "study island" for PSSA preparation.
Middle School Principal RuthAnn Gardner said after the meeting the study island is a computer program that lets students follow instructions, answer sample test questions and get immediate scoring, all online.
Gardner has also initiated intervention teams of middle school teachers and guidance counselors who become mentors for at-risk students.
"When students are paired with a mentor they are less likely to fall through the cracks," Gardner said.
The district also will further develop a remediation program at the middle school level, identify at-risk students, intensify reading programs, restructure course sequences, initiate the student intervention teams at the high school and develop motivational strategies and incentives to keep older students focused.
Incentives may include senior privileges and trips, Kinder said.
School board President Larry Wittig said the initiatives Kinder described would be effective.
"We shouldn't aspire to the average of the state," Wittig said. "We should strive to be greater than that."
Lisa Price is a freelance writer. | <urn:uuid:e3fae352-c79a-4532-833a-96fbae5f08cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.mcall.com/2008-07-10/news/4136919_1_at-risk-students-school-assessment-tests-kinder | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958673 | 398 | 2.5 | 2 |
When Dining with Tigers is a fictional account of a young Chinese English teacher, nicknamed Moby, and his older Australian friend, retired journalist, Wilson. Their story begins in Sydney in 1986, when Moby is billetted at Wilson’s house, and ends in Beijing in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Moby’s understanding of the Australian, and particularly the Chinese-Australian, way of life slowly develops during his year in Sydney, refining his skills as an English teacher. His own family life in Beijing is presented by way of letters from his wife, who anxiously awaits the birth of her brother’s first child. Her fears of how her brother would react if the child is a girl, become a reality. The personal tragedies caused by the one-child policy make a disconcerting continuity with the family tragedies resultant from the Cultural Revolution.
Interwoven into their adventures and misadventures in Sydney and Beijing are analysis and commentary provided by the 16th century Chinese scholar, Wu Cheng-en and the heroes of his epic Journey to the West. Scholar Wu, who is cast as the narrator of Tigers, uses classical Chinese folk stories and legends to illustrate moral principles and cultural behaviours which are challenged by the circumstances in which Moby and Wilson find themselves. Wu Cheng-en’s heroes – the priest Tripitaka and his companions – argue the merits of how Moby, Wilson and the people among whom they live and work in Sydney and Beijing live out their roles.
Tigers takes the reader from mild street demonstrations in mid-80s Sydney, campaigning against the Australia Card, to the enormity of the demonstrations for liberalisation which culminated in Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989. The familiar images of Tiananmen Square are recounted verbally, including what is probably the best written account of the young man confronting and stopping the tank, an image which still brings hope to oppressed peoples the world over.
215 x 138 mm Paperback, 376pp
Fiction; 1st Edition
ISBN 0 9585805 2 9
ISBN(13) 978 0958580526
Frank Chan Loh was born in Malaysia, and migrated to Australia, already an acknowledged playwright. His radio plays have been performed on Radio Malaysia, and he has won short story competitions in England. When Dining With Tigers is Frank’s first novel.
Frank, who has an arts degree from the University of Queensland, lives in Sydney with his wife and their two sons. Frank has worked as a waiter and kitchen hand, a wine seller, a factory hand and recently retired from his role as a mathematics teacher. His broad knowledge of Chinese literature and tradition is complemented by his broad reading of Australian and international literature.
Frank, one of the male minority of Asian-Australian writers, has a unique style which reflects his interest in the difference between China and Australia in interpretation of family, nation and personal life. | <urn:uuid:b1a8214f-60bb-481d-9c63-e1361c41cbd8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://indrabooks.com/category/theme/the-immigrant-experience/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972688 | 602 | 2.25 | 2 |
Morning Magazine Segment Wednesdays
In botany, the understorey is the area of a forest which grows at the lowest level below the forest canopy. It’s a fitting title for a program dedicated to the environment, because much like the understorey itself, without care and protection, the environment faces catastrophic peril. RTRFM’s dedicated environment program focuses on issues that are of concern to anyone who believes that our environment requires our attention and assistance. Covering local issues and dealing with stories and places that are of
great importance to the West Australian community, Understorey attempts to highlight those environmental issues that aren’t on the agenda of other media. With interviews and in-depth discussions of the biological, climatic and social issues facing our environment, Understorey advocates citizen science, connects listeners with local ecological issues, and addresses environmental policy, regulation and governance in an informative and insightful manner.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed.
Understorey investigates the prospects of WA’s first uranium mine. In the words of a Japanese woman, [...]more
This week Understorey take a look transition towns, millennium kids and marsupial moles of the southern [...]more
This week Understorey conclude there look at the The Life Aquatic with Professor Callum Roberts. They [...]more | <urn:uuid:52890dde-657a-4dba-8796-11e9763a6b8f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rtrfm.com.au/shows/understorey/?ShowDates%5Bstart%5D=235&cal%5BShowDates%5D%5Brel%5D=-1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905361 | 271 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Carly, 11, has experienced one of the saddest things a kid can go through: One of her grandparents died. Read her story about how she felt about her grandfather’s death and how she and her family remember him in a very sweet way. Then watch the slide show to see for yourself!
Ever since I was little I have had the security and love of a whole family with no pieces missing. I’m sure all of you have lost a loved one, ranging from a dear pet to a beloved family member. I myself have lost many cherished hamsters, but never in my childhood did I think I would lose a family member.
I have many family members; I even have two living great-grandparents and I also had four grandparents. All that changed in the beginning of 2002. At that time our family was astonished to find out that my grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family was found to have cancer. He suffered through 2 years of it. We did everything we could to help him enjoy a comfortable stay at the hospital, like we taped videos of my soccer games and visited him in Chicago on Halloween.
He fought all he could, but on the day of November 5, 2003, he passed away. At that time my parents were visiting him in Chicago, and my other grandparents from Virginia were watching us. Our parents came home early that visit. I still remember that day when they sat all of us down and told us the news. I felt a mix of emotions such as depression, loss, and emptiness. I ran outside into the crisp November air and cried silent tears, kneeling at my hamster’s grave under the bare cherry blossom tree.
Almost a year had passed and we were eating dinner at the dinner table when a discussion started about how we could help find a cure for cancer or make the lives of the many people who have it more enjoyable. My older sister Molly and I came up with the idea of selling our honey from our grandparents in Virginia’s hives. I came up with the name Hives for Lives and we started our business with the bees.
The business started by taking the honey from our bees and some beeswax. We left enough for the bees to survive through the winter. I only got stung once! After this we would go through the long process of spinning the honey, filtering the honey with three filters, and then putting the honey in a large tin heater and warming it until it was drippy and easily bottled in one of our glass jars. Then we would cap the newly filled jars and label them. We did this all by ourselves!
This year we added beeswax candles and lip balm of many flavors to the product line. While we were selling it at the events or stores, if a buyer had a question we would tell them the exact same story I just told you but with way less detail!
One year, we raised $2,000 for the American Cancer Society and all of it went to a camp for children who have cancer. Another year, with a few of our friends, Molly and I spent a lot of our time making beeswax candles and beeswax lip balm, and selling it. With a lot of help, we raised over $9,300!
I like to think that our grandfather is looking down at us with a smile. I learned many things from him such as to live life to its fullest, proper grammar, the love of literature, and to take risks in life. He died at the young age of 63.
We are put on this Earth to do well and to help those around us. We are all capable of that if we try.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: April 2013 | <urn:uuid:431e86d3-3257-4c3a-90ff-96ac2c9b52c9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.childrenscolorado.org/wellness/info/kids/47855.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987592 | 774 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Yes. See http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightsaber#Mechanics_and_specifications
Cliff notes version as requested by commenter:
A diatium power cell generates the energy which passes through a series of focusing lenses and energizers before being converted into plasma. Focusing crystals project the plasma. Some widgets made the beam coherent. Plasma was reflected back by blade containment field. Insert other pseudo-technical mumbo jumbo to taste.
Full explanation from Wookiepedia:
High levels of energy generated by a high-output Diatium power cell was unleashed through a series of focusing lenses and energizers that converted the energy into plasma. The plasma was projected through a set of focusing crystals that lent the blade its properties and allowed for the adjustment of blade length and power output. The ideal number of crystals was three, though only one was required.
Once focused by the crystals, the plasma was sent through a series of field energizers and modulation circuitry within the emitter matrix that further focused it, making it into a coherent beam of energy that was projected from the emitter. The blade typically extended about a meter before being arced by the blade containment field back to a negatively charged fissure ringing the emitter, where it was channeled back to the power cell by a superconductor, completing the circuit.
Below is a list of the primary parts almost all lightsabers needed to use to function properly:
Diatium power cell
Inert power insulator | <urn:uuid:572630c8-06be-4d57-b6d3-58015c215915> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/6478/in-star-wars-is-there-a-pretend-science-explanation-of-how-lightsabers-work-li | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925285 | 313 | 2.59375 | 3 |
ASC joins other southern Colorado colleges to improve regional education with $750,000 FIPSE grant
Fueled by a $750,000 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Adams State College and nine other southern Colorado colleges and universities will work cooperatively to increase the number of southern Colorado residents who attend college.
The 10 members of the Southern Colorado Education Consortium agreed Oct. 25 to expand efforts to encourage current middle and high school students to continue their education past high school. Consortium members agree that part of the effort must be to eliminate barriers perceived by many students and parents.
The Southern Colorado Higher Education Consortium was formed in June 2009 for the purposes of enhancing educational opportunities for southern Colorado residents, supporting efforts to improve the quality of life in the region, and supporting regional economic development. The members of the Southern Colorado Education Consortium are Adams State College, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Fort Lewis College, Lamar Community College, Otero Community College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, Trinidad State Junior College, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Western State College. The FIPSE grant is the first federal funds supporting the consortium and is recognition of the importance of its efforts.
"Adams State is committed to working with our nine partner institutions to reach out to middle and high school students in southern Colorado," said Adams State President David Svaldi. "Too often, colleges and universities compete, rather than cooperate for the good of students. We ten institutions and their CEO's truly are committed to improving college attendance rates and completion rates for southern Colorado middle and high school students."
Since its founding in 1925 as a teacher's college for rural Colorado, Adams State has always made important contributions to educational opportunity, economic development, and cultural enrichment in Southern Colorado. As one of Colorado's most cost-effective four-year institutions, Adams State maintains its historic commitment to working with underserved populations, including underrepresented minorities, first-generation, and low-income students. Many students would not be able to attend college, if not for Adams State's affordability. Adams State is responsive to the needs of its highly diverse student body and takes pride in exceptional undergraduate teaching and learning.
With the grant dollars, the two-and four-year colleges and universities will develop multiple outreach efforts to more than 300 southern Colorado middle and high schools. The schools will develop models to boost enrollment of adult students as well as an estimated 15,000 current middle and high school students who have the potential to be the first in their family to attend college, are members of an ethnic minority group, or are low-income.
"The key to long-term economic success at both the personal and broader community level is education," Pam Shockley-Zalabak, chancellor, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs said. "Companies are interested in hiring people who are well-educated and coming to communities with a well-educated population. By improving the education of our citizens, our communities are ensuring their future."
In November, teams from each college will meet to determine the details of the outreach efforts. A partnership with Cisco Technologies Inc., will be utilized to connect schools and individuals. Cisco's widely advertised Telepresence system is being used to connect students from around the globe in high-definition, real-time television. The consortium will explore using the company's technology to connect rural middle and high schools with a regional college to deliver advanced science and math courses as well as presentations about obtaining financial assistance for college or the value of a college education.
In the 23 county southeastern Colorado region, about 19 percent of adults have college degrees compared to almost 36 percent in metropolitan Denver. Colorado also has a large education achievement gap between its Caucasian and ethnic minority residents. Correspondingly, income levels in southern Colorado are lower than those of northern Colorado.
In what often is called the Colorado paradox, fewer native-born Coloradans earn college degrees than adults statewide. Concern about Colorado's reliance on importing people who often take the state's highest paying jobs was a driving factor in the consortium's decision to pursue grant funds to increase college enrollment. | <urn:uuid:9963706d-05e7-4042-a577-9c6a1e94c1a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://adams.edu/news/nov1001.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963482 | 843 | 1.609375 | 2 |
I love languages so here goes...
Neways I was wondering which Slavic language out of Russian, Serbian, and Ukrainian, is the most widely understood in the region. So for example is Russian or Serbian understood most of all in Eastern Europe?
ãчøÑÂÂÂÑŒ руÑÂÂÂÑÂÂÂúøù ÑÂÂÂ÷ыú, úþýõчýþ!
LOL, IOW I second yBeayf's and others' advice to learn Russian. It's widely understood in Eastern Europe not just because of Soviet domination historically but, because it's part of the Slav(on)ic branch of the Indo-European family of languages (which also means it's distantly related to the Germanic branch including English), it's closely related to many/most other languages in the region. Learn it and you've made a substantial down payment on understanding the rest of the branch (Polish, Czech, Serbian, etc.)!
As I like to say, learn one language from each of the three big branches of that family and you can pretty much communicate with people all over Europe!
There's the Germanic branch, including what this is written in, so with English not only have you got a close sister language to German, Dutch and the Scandinavian languages (helpful for reading - about half the words are the same as English!) but thanks to British and then American dominance historically English is now the world's second language.
But of course that doesn't mean everybody in Europe speaks it!
So you might want to augment that by learning German; so doing will open up even more of Dutch and the Scandinavian languages to you.
Then there's the Latin (Romance) family: learn one and you can read a lot in all of them. Spoken French and Portuguese are hard to understand though. (Portuguese is Spanish that sounds like it's being spoken by people who wish they were French.)
And then for Eastern Europe there's the Slavic branch - again, Russian will serve you well.
I was told that Czech is very different than the rest but still classified as Slavic.
Actually I've heard that Czech, Slovak and Polish, all of the West Slavic subgroup of Slavic languages, are very similar - Czech and Slovak are nearly the same language and that the main difference with Polish is that the stresses are in different parts of the words.
As an amateur Russian speaker I find that spoken Polish and Czech are hard to understand because they have lots of extra sh
sounds thrown into words I would recognise in written form.
Russian grammar can be difficult at first if you're not familiar with case languages. There is a lot of rote learning you have to do. Plus you have to learn a thousand words or so before you start to understand how to build words on your own (i.e. makes verbs into nouns, adjectives, etc.).
All true but if you know case languages the grammar isn't that bad. Latin is a case language too: the endings of the words change to tell you what they're doing in the sentence. IMO an elegant way to set up a language.
When learning each of the three core languages to use when communicating in Europe you have start from scratch learning a basic vocabulary. That's probably the hardest part about learning Russian: German and English have about 60 per cent of their basic words in common, with Romance languages there's a lot of vocabulary crossover with English (due to mixing with French thanks to the Norman conquest and scads of loan words since) but with Slavic ones about 80 per cent of the words are different!
Polish is just as bad, and has a crapass spelling system to boot (though, to their credit, it's not nearly as bad as Hungarian).
LOL, well put!
Czech and Slovak are almost as bad as Polish when it comes to spelling.
I don't agree. I think their way is simpler and consistent - one simply has to learn it.
I would probably go with Russian for the reasons already stated. You will find once you get a basic grasp of one slavic language, the others come pretty easy.
I just don't want to be hated everywhere I go other than Russia!
Probably not a problem since the people in other countries will know from your accent and other things that you're not a Russian but from someplace else simply trying to communicate.
BTW, here's a thought: check out this site for 'Slovio'
, also called 'Slavsk':
My Slavic-speaking ancestors came originally from the Balkan region. However I was born and raised in Canada and had little opportunity to learn their language. Recently I have decided to go back to the Balkans, and look for my long lost cultural roots. Since learning Slavic languages I found very difficult, I just learned Slovio. Upon arrival to the village of my ancestory I was surprised how well I could communicate with the villagers. And later on when I visited other countries in the Balkans, with Slovio I could communicate with just about anybody, and talk just about anything. Thank you Slovio! You have opened up a new huge world for me!
I just have to tell you two anecdotal stories about Slovio that should be a good testimonial. 1) I am a beginner in Russian, and whenever I order pizza, the Russian pizza man comes. I always try to struggle with Russian, and then I resort to Slovio. He understands every word I say! It's wonderful! Slovio truly is Pan-Slavic! 2) I met a Croatian recently and didn't speak a word of Croatian. I resorted to Slovio and he understood everything! So this just goes to show you what a good job you guys are doing! Keep it up! I download every version there is!
It's one of those artificial auxiliary languages: this one was invented by an Eastern European to communicate across countries and languages in his part of the world. It's fascinating! Basically it looks like strange ungrammatical Russian but as an amateur Russian speaker I can understand just about everything. It looks easier to learn than Russian, thanks to the simplified grammar, and probably would serve you about as well as speaking beginner's broken Russian. IOW, it's like Russian with mistakes but not the kind of mistakes that would really get in the way of communicating.
As for the Slavic,I'm guessing that all Slavic comes from the Old Slavonic right who's centre was in ancient Kiev where Sts. Methodius and Cyrill went.
True except for the Kiev part. The saints went to what's now Bulgaria and the Czech Republic back when all Slavic languages were much closer and everybody essentially spoke a version of Old Slavonic.
I'm also guessing that the language the Roma/gypsy people speak is a mix of slavic and asian roots.
As you might know the Gypsies/Roma are really Indians. ('Gypsy' comes from the mistaken belief mediæval Europeans had that they came from Egypt.) So Roma is really a (distant?) relative of Hindi in India today (as yBeayf has explained - thanks!). I imagine as Gypsies largely live in Eastern Europe that they've picked up a number of Slavic words but Roma isn't Slavic.
from others that I know that have travelled Eastern Europe, German is a fairly common second language....
AFAIK that's true. Thanks to the Austrian Empire before World War I, it was the second/auxiliary language in those parts until after World War II.
I won't lie - Russian's tough. I've been acquainted with it for 13 years and am not fluent in it. But as Anthony can tell you, it can be learnt.
ãôðчø òðü! Good luck. | <urn:uuid:08988a14-3776-4ad9-83b8-ac6f81801a32> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=6762.0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966249 | 2,431 | 1.984375 | 2 |
The Senator Theatre, a magnificent and historic art deco movie palace not far from where I live, has been lurching from crisis to crisis for years now. In a less-than-transparent process involving the Baltimore City government and various other local actors, it now seems clear that the Senator will be changing hands.
A number of proposals have been submitted to redevelop the theater—an axienty-provoking turn for many architectural and cultural preservationists. One of the proposals is from WTMD, an outstanding public radio station based out of Towson University. Here’s what they’ve posted on their website:
WTMD and Towson University have submitted a proposal that would transform the Senator into a multi-use film and concert theater that would also house the WTMD studios and offices.
We envision a space where film retrospectives, gala premiers and themed movie festivals are showcased in the same space as the musical artists you hear on WTMD every day. We want to fill the halls of this beloved palace with children’s programming, fundraisers for community groups and even showcase the multi-media work done by Towson University students. Our goal is to make sure the Senator is alive all day, every day.
Sounds great—as long as indie rock doesn’t drown out great films. In the right hands, the Senator has a bright future as a cultural hub that could combine a well-preserved heritage and exciting new activities.
The worrisome thing is that the fate of the Senator will be determined by unknown forces withing the Baltimore City government…
My friend John Miller is a political reporter and a conservative commentator of real integrity and independence [see, for example, how he’s run up against anti-immigrant forces]. He’s also an avid reader and reviewer of books, especially (but not exclusively) those dealing with history and literature. You can glimpse the breadth his interests by listening to his podcast interviews with authors at National Review. The author of several nonfiction works, John has just published his first novel, a work of historical fiction set in the Civil War entitled The First Assassin. I’m expecting my copy from Amazon any day now. But, as John’s debut novel becomes available, there’s been a disturbing preemptive attack on this unassuming, non-political literary endeavor. Apparently because John is a National Review contributor, a small mob of politically-motivated posters are trying to poison the Amazon customer-reviews just as the book has come on the market. Of course, I can’t attest to the literary quality of John’s novel, because I haven’t read it yet. But that lack of first-hand information hasn’t stopped sophomoric political censors from trying to overwhelm Amazon’s customer feedback to The First Assassin. Now, the reviews—and the comments on the reviews and the voting on the comments—are becoming yet another platform for infantile political theatrics. Yet another example of how Amazon’s review system is broken and laughable. I believe there’s such a thing as distributed intelligence, but mobs are not wise.
David Park: Boston Street Scene, 1954; paintings from Helen Park Bigelow’s David Park, Painter: Nothing Held Back, just published by Hudson Hills Press
David Park (1911–1960) is one of those artists who isn’t widely known but whose work inspires a special loyalty and warmth of feeling among his admirers.
From Fresh Air, a discussion and musical tribute to the man behind “Skylark,” “That Old Black Magic,” and other timeless American standards.
Looks like a twitter list! RT @walters_museum: Art of the day: Twenty-four finches, varying in pose and color http://ow.ly/162e8X
Good for him! Better if he’d Bhangra’d RT @legalnomads: #Canada’s Prime Minister joins dancers on Bollywood TV show… http://bit.ly/16ayge
Unsung heroes of British history now being sung: http://bit.ly/2uGLvA via @BBCHistoryMag
Bittersweet and just plain bitter. Life after the dissipation of a newspaper (Seattle P.I.): http://bit.ly/CgBmt
Whatever it is, I’m sick of it @reihansalam Palin-boosting & Palin-bashing is all thinly-disguised status politics. http://bit.ly/2HzBAD
RT @newmediajim: Passing Tiananmen Square. [would outcomes have] been different if social media been prevalent then http://twitpic.com/puci5
Epic! RT @Art_News: ART WORLD SMACKDOWN! http://is.gd/4WJnn Cast: @newmuseum @artwhirled @cmonstah @powhida
RT @nytimesarts: ‘Frontline: A Death in Tehran’: That Face of Protest in Iran, Fading Fast http://bit.ly/1M2jOr #iranelection
It’s #MilitaryMon please consider contributing $11 for veterans via http://www.eleven-eleven.org/ [and please RT]
One of the best digital grants I saw while at NEH is bearing fruit: All early versions of “Hamlet” now here: http://www.quartos.org/ | <urn:uuid:72621f01-687b-414d-aa75-16f0a1bdc1fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://andrewhazlett.tumblr.com/archive/2009/11 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91596 | 1,154 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Moore said she has heard many more myths about how to guess the sex of the baby after conception, including myths that suggest carrying high or low can predict the gender, and bad morning sickness means a baby girl.
"The other one that drove me crazy is if you had terrible indigestion, it's a girl, or the baby will have a full head of hair," said Moore.
"In the year 2009, the best way to tell if it's a boy or a girl is an ultrasound," said Moore.
Moore, who spent years working as an obstetrician, thinks awe, more than ignorance, fuels many of these pregnancy myths.
"As much science as we know about pregnancy and childbirth, it's all really unbelievable. It's a miracle," said Moore. "Every single time ( at birth), part of me was feeling like, 'there's no way a baby's coming out of there."
"We want to be able to explain things that we can't otherwise explain," she said.
Young feels the same sentiment fueled the study about cereal and the baby's gender.
"There's sort of a bias that comes into this," said Young. "Human beings like a rational explanation; they don't like a random cause."
However, that same search for an explanation may fuel myths about miscarriages, too. Moore said many women, and doctors, have trouble explaining what happened in a miscarriage.
"At this point, science can't give us a clear explanation for why one in nine pregnancies end in miscarriages," said Moore. "In most cases the cause is just unknown, and doctors assume that most likely it was some sort of genetic abnormality."
Just like pregnancy and gender, misconceptions abound about what causes a miscarriage or an early labor.
Spicy food, exercise, any sex at all and sleeping on your back are all popular misconceptions about troublesome labor, or danger to the baby.
Moore once had a patient who preemptively ended a pregnancy because she was convinced she had damaged the baby.
"She had chest X-rays and later found out she was pregnant and then had an abortion because she thought she had caused damage to the baby," said Moore. "Then, tragically, she had complications with the abortion."
While it's not a great idea to get X-rays during pregnancy, Moore said the fetus was likely OK.
"If a fetus is exposed to enough radiation to cause damage, it probably would be major damage like the Hiroshima bomb or Chernobyl," she said.
Moore thinks the myths about miscarriage and damage might be the most damaging.
"It's the opposite of the miracle explanation," said Moore. "As a result of many of these myths, many women suffer from tremendous guilt that they may have done something wrong." | <urn:uuid:711f34ae-c600-43c4-aedb-a3169c0443d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WomensHealth/fueling-modern-pregnancy-myths/story?id=6638358&page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983588 | 571 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Historians at Britain's Second World War-era code breaking headquarters say the bird was almost certainly returning from Nazi-occupied France during the June 1944 D-Day invasion.
Bletchley Park says that a radio blackout imposed on Allied forces at the time meant that messages about the progress of the invasion were dispatched by pigeon across the Channel.
What the message says remains unknown. It was coded, an unusual measure generally reserved for the most sensitive secrets.
Bletchley Park said Thursday that one of its curators is now trying to unravel the message using World War II logbooks. | <urn:uuid:a917e363-b977-43a2-a081-d6c0cbbc7150> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eveningsun.com/nationworldnews/ci_21913983/remains-pigeon-found-carrying-wwii-message | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96613 | 120 | 2.75 | 3 |
As part of the JISC ITT Workshops & Seminars: Achievements & Challenges in Digitisation & e-Content strand JISC Digital Media have hosted two free seminars focussing on key topics for individuals involved with digital media. Today I attended the second of these entitled The digital media collection +100 years.
Obsolescence, deterioration of physical storage media or withdrawal of institutional support: just what will prove to be the greatest threat to the materials we digitise today? This seminar projects one hundred years into the future and attempts to predict the future ‘preservability’ of what we digitise today. This seminar will examine changing user demands and inevitable developments in technology.
After a brief opening from Dave Kilbey of JISC Digital Media the scene setting introduction was given by Dr William Kilbride, Executive Director of the Digital Preservation Coalition.
The Preservation Landscape
As well as the more conventional look at the key issues (the volumes of data available, the complexities and complicated requirements of this data teamed with rising public expecations) William gave a really interesting talk on the path of literacy. He demonstrated through the Stroop interferance test how once we can read and write we tend to process this information quicker that image information. The result is a that literate cultures tend to be hegemonic through discursive power. His point was that the consequences of our work are not inevitable or neutral: digitisation is a social practice that can be used for good and for ill. After this slight aside William ran us through some of the main challenges which include obsolescence of technologies, correct configuration of hardware, software and operators, and the need for a constantly managed service. He ended with a few ‘answers’ from a survey of recent JISC digitisation projects. When asked how long their resources were to be available answers varied from “perpetuity” to “forever or three years”. He concluded that digital preservation is possible but our legacy will be what we make of it and cannot be taken for granted.
The Camera Raw format and preservation
Nigel Goldsmith, a photographer working for JISC Digital Media gave a quick run through of the possibilities of using Raw camera format. Raw offers the photographer greater control over the processing of their images, however this flexibility comes at a price. Raw is a proprietary format which requires specialist applications to view. Nigel’s suggestion was to archive raw but to keep it along side another format, possibly tiff or Jpeg2000.
Preservation Metadata Initiatives and Standards
After coffee Getaneh Alemu from the Humanities Computing Department, the University of Portsmouth gave us a whirlwind tour of state-of-the-art metadata standards and how metadata can help ensure the integrity, identity and authenticity of digital documents. His overview included a look at OAIS, NLA PANDORA, CEDARS, NEDLIB, LMER, PREMIS, and METS metadata initiatives and standards. He concluded that at the moment preservation metadata formats tend to have element naming issues that descriptive metadata initiatives don’t tend to have.
The challenges of archiving computer games and other multipart digital interactives
After lunch Tom Woolley from the National Media Museum talked about some of the digital media preservation issues they are tackling on-site at the museum. The museum is involved in a number of initiatives that aim to let visitors ‘have a go’ at old games and old internet environments. The tricky dilema is giving users a taster of old games in a cost effective way, actually using original kit (like ZX Spectrums) would have a heavy cost attatched. The key is often emulation. The museum also try to capture the context of games by capturing fan information, discussion forums, FAQs etc. Tom was followed by James Newman from Bath Spa University who works with Tom on the National Video Game Archive.
James talked about one of the biggest challenges of video game archiving: supersession. Within the gaming world there is a tendency to be always looking for the ‘next big game’ which has resulted in an environment where games creators don’t value old games. Although there is a niche market for retro games, gaming is an area where the experience is almost completely associated with the technology, making archiving very difficult.
The importance of collaboration
Simon Tanner, director of King’s Digital Consultancy Services focused on institutional preservation and the importance of collaboration in sustainability. He started off by saying that one of the biggest challenges is that we may run out of the minerals to make microchips. He later played on the climate issue again by saying that he currently saw digital preservation as sitting in the same space as climate change: people viewed it as potentially a terrible thing (the loss of digital objects) but currently it does not impact on individuals, so it remains low on the priority list. Simon pointed out that sustainability of resources was becoming a mandate but remains an unfunded mandate. The way to deal with this was through the ecology of collaboration – within your institution and out side.
A Poisoned Chalice? Accepting Responsibility for Sustainable Access
The day concluded with a talk from Neil Grindley, JISC Programme Manager for Digital Preservation. Neil pointed out ath ensuring that an organisation’s digital assets are safe, secure and accessible for the long term should (in theory) be an interesting, responsible and useful role for anyone in an organisation to accept. The critical importance of digital assets, the ubiquity of digital methods and the need for people in all walks of life to have effective means to refer to persistent sources of data reinforce this notion. How is it then that long-term asset management, information lifecycle management, data curation, digital preservation (call it what you will) is often regarded as a peripheral specialist activity that it is difficult to resource, complex to carry out, and delivers benefits that are, at best, simply an insurance policy rather than an activity that adds value to an organisation? Neil’s presentation examined the importance of defining clear roles for those involved with digital preservation and considered the importance of associating this professional activity with strategic and tactical frameworks. He advocated the need for allocation of responsibility and internal preservation policies. JISC has spent 6 million in the digital preservation arena between 2005 and 2009, yet there is still work to be done. He concluded by pointing out the need for human judgement when deciding what to keep and predicted that in the future digital preservation will be integrated with administration departments, have better tools and will take more terms from the cultural heritage area.
After Neil’s talk there was a panel session and time for questions, unfortunately I had to leave to make the difficult drive home through rush hour traffic!
The day was an interesting one, although the talks were a real mixed bag they all offered constructive steps forward to make today’s digital media collection something that we may be able to access and use 100 years on. | <urn:uuid:8d97ddd1-6e8d-4fba-b6d2-388e02598b31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jiscpowr.jiscinvolve.org/wp/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948061 | 1,426 | 1.898438 | 2 |
WAND’s Official Statement on Afghanistan (2011)
Adopted May 2011 by the WAND Education Fund and WAND Inc. national Board of Directors.
Action Steps for U.S. Involvement in Afghanistan
In 2009, Women’s Action for New Directions stated that it could support additional military forces in Afghanistan only if specific action steps and principles were implemented (WAND Statement on Afghanistan 2009).
In May 2011, the leader of al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, was killed. July 2011 is the date that the President promised to begin a substantial military draw-down in Afghanistan. Therefore, the WAND Education Fund and WAND, Inc. now urge a transition from war-making to peacebuilding in Afghanistan.
Devise a military exit plan with timelines:
- Stop drone airstrikes and all bombing.
- Limit the use of American forces to providing security for civilians in Afghanistan during a transition period.
Seek to ensure security with Afghanistan forces and an international-led interim security force under United Nations auspices, especially for the 65% majority who are women and girls:
- Provide training for Afghanistan security forces.
Dramatically reallocate war funding to peace-building to strengthen these efforts:
- Rebuild a civil society which respects civil rights, provides for health and welfare, and supports democratic institutions through diplomatic and development surges with women represented in decision-making, diplomacy and providing services;
- Prohibit and penalize corruption at all levels.
Guiding Principles for U.S. Transition in Afghanistan Involvement
- Further efforts to ensure the rights of the citizens of Afghanistan to live in a country that provides physical safety, life's necessities, and opportunities for education and employment for all, especially women and girls.
- Foster women’s participation in significant numbers and in leadership positions in all reconciliation and peace-making processes.
- Respect the citizens of Afghanistan - listen, consult and collaborate.
- Respond multilaterally and not unilaterally
- Exercise military restraint so that no more innocent lives are lost. | <urn:uuid:1eceb95f-be0a-4387-8423-b63762192a43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wand.org/our-work/afghanistan-war/wands-official-statement-on-afghanistan-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905306 | 419 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Palestinians urge Israel to talk as prisoner hunger strike grows (CNN) Cable News Network) From Kareem Khadder JERUSALEM, ISRAEL 04/26/12)
CNN} CABLE NEWS NETWORK
CNN} CABLE NEWS NETWORK Articles-Index-Top
Jerusalem (CNN) -- A group representing 1,650 Palestinian prisoners
who are on a hunger strike in protest of the conditions of their
detention urged Israel Thursday to start urgent talks on the
treatment of prisoners.
The Palestinian Prisoner Association Club said Israel should enter a
dialogue immediately with representatives of prisoners in all
prisons. It also called on the United Nations and European Union to
intervene on the issue.
About 150 prisoners in Israel´s Ofer military prison in the West Bank
joined the hunger strike Wednesday, a week after 1,500 fellow
Palestinian detainees launched their action.
Another 100 are expected to join the mass protest next week, said
Amani Sarahna, a media officer for the Palestinian Prisoner
Nine of those involved have been on hunger strike for more than a
month, two of them for 59 days. Fears are growing for their health,
The prisoners are protesting Israel´s policy of administrative
detention, a controversial Israeli practice that allows authorities
to detain people indefinitely. There is no requirement to charge
detainees held under this practice.
The detainees also accuse Israel of mistreating prisoners by keeping
them in solitary confinement for long periods, denying them visits
from their families, assaulting detainees, denying medical treatment
and blocking access to education.
Of the roughly 4,700 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons,
approximately 300 are in administrative detention.
Hassan Abed Rabo, a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of
Detainees and ex-Detainees, told CNN that a committee of high ranking
officials from within the Israeli prison service had met the
representatives of prisoners inside all Israeli prisons to listen to
Rabo described the hunger strike as "the last weapon for the
prisoners inside Israeli prisons to preserve their dignity and obtain
their human rights."
The prisoners´ demands concern their daily conditions in detention
and are not political, he said.
Israeli officials are expected to decide in the coming days whether
to consider the detainees´ demands.
Sivan Weizman, Israeli prison service spokeswoman, confirmed that
meetings had been going on but was not able to say when the decision
The Palestinian Prisoner Association Club warned that it would hold
Israel responsible for any harm that comes to detainees taking part
in the hunger strike.
An Israeli military court has rejected an appeal by two of those on
hunger strike, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla, challenging their
detention, the club said. They have appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has already rejected the appeal of another
prisoner, Hassan al-Safadi, the club statement said.
The mass protest follows two high-profile hunger strikes by
Palestinian prisoners in recent months.
In February, Khader Adnan ended a 66-day strike after his sentence
was commuted, and last month, female prisoner Hana Shalabi was
deported to Gaza after refusing to eat for 44 days. Both Adnan and
Shalabi were being held in administrative detention for suspected
terrorist activity, according to the Israeli government.
Their hunger strikes became rallying cries for Palestinians, who
staged multiple demonstrations of support in the West Bank and Gaza
and launched a social media campaign to shed light on Israel´s
detention policies. (© 2012 Cable News Network 04/26/12)
Return to Top
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Participants will gain a thorough understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and an overview of current intervention techniques. Content will include: diagnostic characteristics, current theories regarding causation, learning styles and teaching essentials, communication challenges, social skill difficulties, sensory processing differences and anxiety. Intervention techniques and strategies in each area will be discussed and reviewed.
NEW & IMPROVED – With the understanding of commitments in life with family and work and busy schedules, the Autism Intervener Certificate Course, Level 1 has been adapted so that the information participants gain can be reflected within the sessions of the course. Weekly assignments have been replaced with in-class activities that will be graded. Each session provides activities for participants to interact and engage individually and as small groups. Throughout the course, participants will be accumulating information to complete a final assignment that will be presented during the last session of the course. To evaluate successful completion of this course, participants will be graded on regular attendance, participation in all in-class activities and satisfactory completion of the final assignment.
Contingent upon this criteria, participants will receive a certificate indicating that they have successfully completed the Autism Intervener Course, Level 1 with Geneva Centre for Autism.
This course is designed for people who are currently supporting an individual with an ASD and will be limited to 20 participants. As space is limited, please register soon to ensure availability. Participants must attend ALL dates in the same session to complete the course. | <urn:uuid:9f535e17-505b-483f-84d1-1cfc74f1561d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.autism.net/training/customized-training/certificate-courses/974-level-1--autism-intervener-certificate-course-general.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922809 | 290 | 2.359375 | 2 |
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -- Ask the parent of a child with autism what they would give for their child to not have to suffer through the disorder, the answer would likely be “Anything.”
Some parents desperate to help their children cope are turning to a controversial diet that some say is depriving. The concept is simple: remove gluten and casein, a complex phospho-protein found in milk, and some of the symptoms of autism disappear.
No milk, no cheese, no bread-- the restrictions of the autism diet are very lengthy. One local woman says the costly and demanding diet has improved her daughter’s behavior, but it’s been a life-altering change, and those who want to try have to be willing to go the distance.
Annette Nakai noticed her daughter Nozomi's behavior was different from her other kids and had her tested for autism when she was three years old.
"She had a blood test done in that same month, and it actually came back that she had celiac disease," said Nakai.
Those who suffer from celiac disease are unable to process gluten. Nakai was told Nozomi would have to change the way she eats for the rest of her life.
So Nakai eliminated gluten-- a protein commonly found in wheat, rye, barley and some grains-- and casein-- a protein in dairy. She said this alleviated her daughter's gastrointestinal issues, but it also improved her behavior.
"We did see, within three months of putting her on the diet, her eye gaze was much better. She would actually look at us for longer, where before I had to force her face to look at me," said Nakai.
Nakai said Nozomi’s speech changed too. Before going on the diet, Nozomi echoed her, repeating the last part of what she heard.
"She started coming up with a little bit more of some spontaneous speech that was noticeably different," said Nakai.
Nozomi sometimes woke every hour at night kicking the walls and screaming before she changed her eating habits.
"[The diet] improved the temper tantrums did not totally go away but they improved in their severity and the length of time that they would go on," said Nakai.
Dr. Patrice Whistler deals with autistic children and said the autism diet lacks scientific evidence, but she said she has seen it work.
"One of the theories is that the intestines might be a little bit leaky to these and allow these proteins to go into the body faster," said Whistler.
According to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, these proteins can act similar to morphine, clouding the mind. They can be addictive, and they are transported from the intestine to the brain through the bloodstream, the study says.
"So they keep eating them and that keeps them spacey, so if you eliminate them completely that opens up the brain," said Whistler.
The doctor says other studies show the removal of the two proteins did nothing, but those results have been criticized.
"Say you can’t just take it away for six weeks or three months. You've got to give the children a long period of time to be off these foods to see if they get better," Whistler said.
Further testing should be done, Whistler admits, but she believes simply eliminating gluten and casein isn’t enough and shouldn’t be seen as a cure for autism.
"The science behind these is questionable, but the hope is unending. Every parent wants something that will make their child better," said Whistler.
Nakai said if you decide to incorporate this diet into your life, be ready for a big change.
"Then it is something the parent has to be willing to go the distance with it,” said Nakai.
Whistler said it’s important to remember that not every autistic person has celiac disease, and every patient will have other unique circumstances to contend with.
She encourages parents who are interested in learning more about the autism diet or any other diet to consult their doctor before making any changes.
The autism diet was developed by two doctors whose research shows a link between improperly digested gluten and casein and autistic behaviors.
The theory has not been widely accepted by the scientific community, but Whistler says many are dedicated to the diet and have seen results. | <urn:uuid:111f117c-14ef-4333-8638-318a5b672e1e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbc11news.com/news/headlines/Special-Report-The-autism-diet-180399001.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981378 | 932 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Category:Sega Master System
|Sega Master System|
|Total Games||336 (83 present)|
|← Sega SG-1000||Sega Genesis →|
The Sega Master System is an 8-bit, cartridge-based video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. Its original Japanese incarnation was the Sega Mark III (although the "Master System" name has also been used in Japan). In the European market, this console launched Sega onto a competitive level comparable to Nintendo, due to its wider availability, but failed to put a dent in the North American and Japanese markets. The Master System was released as a direct competitor to the NES/Famicom. Despite its shaky performance in the major territories, it enjoyed over a decade of life in smaller markets.
The later Sega Game Gear is effectively a hand-held Master System, with a few enhancements.
The Master System II was released in 1990, and was popular in Europe and Brazil. It is smaller and sleeker, but in order to keep production costs low, it lacks the reset button, composite video and card slot of the original. All consoles included a game that plays when no cartridge is inserted. The built-in game was originally Alex Kidd in Miracle World, which was switched to Sonic the Hedgehog on later PAL consoles.
With the use of the Sega Power Base Converter, all peripherals are fully compatible with the Sega Mega Drive.
There are a variety of different controllers which can be used with the Master System. Depending on the game, one controller can potentially offer greater control and/or responsiveness. The basic controller has just a directional pad and two buttons; the first button doubles as the start button, and the pause button is found on the main unit. An upgraded version, called the SG Commander, has the same functions with the addition of rapid-fire options for either button. Some other controllers are the Control Stick, for greater movement precision; the Sports Pad, which is required for some games, but not supported in most; and the Handle Controller, for racing and flying games.
Light Phaser
The Light Phaser is a light gun created for the Sega Master System, modeled after the Zillion gun from the Japanese anime series of the same name. The phaser is heavier than its Nintendo counterpart, the Nintendo Zapper and is considered by some to have a more responsive trigger and more accurate targeting. As with the Nintendo Zapper, the Light Phaser looked realistic enough to warrant parental pressure to alter the device so that police would not confuse it with a real gun. Altered Light Phasers are distinguished by a hand-painted neon orange tip and are much rarer than their solid color counterparts. Tec Toy also released a blue Light Phaser in Brazil.
Power Base Converter
The Mega Drive/Genesis is backwards compatible with the Master System, despite having a differently shaped cartridge slot. Sega developed a pass-through device for the Mega Drive/Genesis, allowing Master System cartridges to be played on the newer system. It was called the Power Base Converter in the US, the Mega Adapter in Japan and the Master System Converter in Europe. The somewhat large device plugs into the Mega Drive's cartridge slot, covering the entire circular top of the system. Master System cartridges and cards can then be inserted into the device and played on the Mega Drive using Mega Drive controllers. Due to its size and shape, the converter will not fit properly with the Mega Drive II, necessitating the use of the Europe-only Master System Converter II, or a third-party converter cartridge.
Rapid Fire Unit
The Rapid Fire Unit allows you to add rapid-fire functionality to the standard Control Pad, the Control Stick and the Light Phaser. Rapid-fire is useful in shooter games, such as R-Type, the first Sega Master System to have rapid-fire compatibility.
SegaScope 3-D Glasses
The 3-D Glasses use small LCD screens to rapidly alternate between the left and right lenses being opaque, used in tandem with two different alternating images flashed from the TV synchronized with the switching of the 3-D Glasses to create a natural stereoscopic 3D effect. The Master System glasses can only be used in the original Master System, since it hooks up directly to the card port not found in the Master System II. Such a system allows 3-D graphics in full color. The technology takes advantage of the fact that televisions display an interlaced image, displaying the left image in the top frame and the right image in the bottom frame, so it tends not to work with non-standard televisions and most capture cards, which tend to combine fields. The same technique has been used with similar glasses for some 3-D films in movie theaters, though these have largely been replaced by newer methods that would not work on a home TV. Only eight Master System games are 3-D compatible.
SMS media inputs.jpg
SMS games come on cartridges and on Sega Cards.
Sega SG Commander.jpg
SG Commander controller, with auto-fire capability.
Sega Rapid Fire Unit.jpg
Rapid Fire Unit for Control Pad, Control Stick and Light Phaser.
Pages in category "Sega Master System"
The following 83 pages are in this category, out of 83 total. | <urn:uuid:0c46f45c-5a63-49fc-a4e0-61014404e440> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Category:Sega_Master_System | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924195 | 1,091 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Map showing the path of Hurricane Irene, which is projected to advance to the US east coast at the weekend
Hurricane Irene is still a dangerous Category 1 as storm nears North Carolina.
Hurricane warnings were issued from North Carolina to New York.
A lone beachgoer is seen in Nags Head, N.C., Friday, Aug. 26, 2011 after evacuations in preparation for Hurricane Irene have left the area mostly deserted. The full force of Hurricane Irene was still a day away from the East Coast but heightened waves began hitting North Carolina's Outer Banks early Friday. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Hurricane Irene's outer bands reach Kill Devil Hills, N.C., early Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Hurricane Irene has weakened to a Category 1 storm as it nears the North Carolina coast but forecasters say it remains extremely dangerous. Hurricane warnings were issued from North Carolina to New York, and evacuation orders covered at least 2.3 million people, including 1 million in New Jersey, 315,000 in Maryland, 300,000 in North Carolina, 200,000 in Virginia and 100,000 in Delaware. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)
Heavy rains and wind from Hurricane Irene whip the sand on the beach at Pawleys Island, S.C., Friday, Aug. 26, 2011. Hurricane Irene began lashing the East Coast with rain Friday ahead of a weekend of violent weather that was almost certain to heap punishment on a vast stretch of shoreline from the Carolinas to Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith)
Hurricane Irene's outer bands reach Kill Devil Hills, N.C., early Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Robert Ray) | <urn:uuid:c6c5702f-e1b0-435c-8502-cd7b5bff711c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ahmadalikarim.wordpress.com/2011/08/27/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94448 | 358 | 2.421875 | 2 |
There are areas of different air pressure all over the earths surface. Generally, because of the cold air, the air tends to sink at the poles, causing a high pressure, while at the equator the air is warmer, and rises, causing a low pressure. Different air masses are therefore formed. These air masses move in certain directions. Polar air masses originate from the poles, and tropical air masses originate from the equator.
There are two main kinds of weather systems:
2) Tropical Cyclones
1) Mid-latitude Cyclones or Depressions
When warm tropical air from the equator moves towards the poles and cold polar air moves towards the equator, the two air masses meet along a line known as a polar front. The two air masses will then move together in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere and an anti-clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
In the above picture, (Northern Hemisphere), the warm tropical air is moving north from the equator, and is at the bottom of the picture, while the cold, polar air is on the top. The arrows indicate the movement of the air masses around a low pressure cell. The solid line with triangles indicates the leading edge of the cold air, and is known as the cold front. The solid line with semi-circles is the leading edge of the warm air and is known as the warm front. The cold air moves faster than the warm air therefore, the cold air mass will eventually overtake the warm air mass - the section labelled warm air will get narrower.
Because the cold air mass is heavier, when it overtakes the warm air it forces the warm air upwards along the cold front and rain can form (above left). Similarly, at the warm front (above right) the warm air rises over the cold air mass. Eventually, when the warm air is occluded by the cold air, the warm air will be above the cold air.
A depression moves from west to east, and can occur in families of 2 to 5. A depression covers a large area (a few thousand km) and can last for up to 5 days. As the depression moves over an area, weather conditions associated with the warm front will be experienced first and this is an indication of the approaching cold front. When the warm front approaches the wind direction changes, dew point temperature rises, humidity increases, there is extensive cloud cover and the atmospheric pressure drops. The cold front has similar surface characteristics - the wind changes direction and blows more strongly, forming a line squall, temperature decreases, humidity decreases, precipitation can occur and the atmospheric pressure decreases.
View Synoptic Chart and Satellite Photo's of a Depression
2) Tropical Cyclone or Anticyclone
The common names for Tropical Cyclones are hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, or willy-willies. There are several conditions that need to be met before a cyclone can form. It must form over a sea, because it needs the moisture, and the temperature of the sea must be higher than 27 C. They must form 5 North of South of the equator, because the Coriolis Force is necessary. They occur mainly in late summer. They are slow moving, and move from east to west away from the equator. They only affect a small area (300 - 500 km). The isobars are close together, which show a sharp change in atmospheric pressure, resulting in hurricane force winds. In the centre of the cyclone is a calm eye. Air moves upwards, around the eye, clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. They develop on the eastern sides of continents and are accompanied by heavy rain, thunder and lightning, which can cause devastation because of high winds and flooding. They are named alphabetically during the season.
The main cause of a cyclone is the extreme drop in atmospheric pressure, because of the heat of the ocean. As soon as the system moves over land it starts to dissipate, or break up, because it has been removed from its source, namely the sea.
The above picture is a cross-section of a cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere. The amount of rainfall and wind speed, increase towards the eye, while atmospheric pressure decreases. As soon as the eye is reached there is a sudden change in conditions - no rain and no wind But once the eye has passed, there is another sudden change is conditions, as the rain and wind increase to what they were before the eye passed over. The amount of rain and wind speed now slowly decrease as the system moves over and the atmospheric pressure slowly increases.
View synoptic charts and satellite photo's of Cyclones
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE | <urn:uuid:e3e8b92b-d506-4a56-aa72-724a9c751830> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://library.thinkquest.org/15525/charts.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00044-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927833 | 963 | 4.3125 | 4 |
Impacting future faculty diversity: The development of a model to recruit and retain a diverse doctoral student population at the University of Delaware
Despite overall progress for minorities in graduate education over two decades, there is cause for considerable concern. American minority African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans are still under represented in doctoral education relative to their numbers in the population. It is within this context that the administration of the University of Delaware (UD), has decided it is time to reevaluate and reassess its minority recruitment strategy for graduate students. I utilized five research methods: (1) A review of relevant works from the literature. (2) Interviews with current and past executive level administrators at the University of Delaware. (3) Interviews with university administrators responsible for minority recruitment and retention efforts at the Pennsylvania State University, Temple University and Rutgers University. (4) Interviews with the faculty coordinators for minority recruitment at the University of Delaware. (5) Interviews with faculty, and students who are involved with recruitment and retention efforts in three departments at the University of Delaware. The data were analyzed from the relevant literature, the external institutions, and the University of Delaware. The analysis was conducted by identifying minority recruitment and retention themes and commonalities. Seven recommendations have been outlined for the University of Delaware. These recommendations are: (1) develop a written statement about the university's commitment to diversity; (2) keep responsibility for recruitment of minority students with the departments; (3) provide departments with administrative support and consultation services; (4) increase the numbers of minority faculty employed at UD; (5) develop a course on the significance of diversity in higher education; (6) continue the university Presidential Fellowship and annually review the policies; (7) generate reports to monitor the recruitment and retention of minority students. ^
Education, Administration|Education, Higher
Praria A Stavis-Hicks,
"Impacting future faculty diversity: The development of a model to recruit and retain a diverse doctoral student population at the University of Delaware"
(January 1, 1998).
Dissertations available from ProQuest. | <urn:uuid:68dbe65f-3772-4752-9280-968a8070829a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI9908050/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931565 | 425 | 1.75 | 2 |
Based on an anonymous report that their children play in the street and that their 3-year old was seen in the street, Russell and Wendy Billiot have been the focus of an investigation for child neglect since November 28, 1995.
The Billiots submitted to questioning about their home and parenting and provided a letter from a licensed social worker who regularly visits their home stating that they are loving, caring parents whose children are perfectly healthy. They provided the name and phone number of a public school teacher in the community who works in the home with the family's Down Syndrome child to vouch for their home environment. Their neighbors, a local police officer and his wife, offered to speak with social services to verify their excellent parenting. But social services would not be satisfied. They insisted on personal, private interviews with each child. The Billiots refused.
On January 3, 1996, a social services caseworker and her attorney went to a judge without notifying HSLDA or the Billiots to get an order to permit the interviews of the children. This was done despite our office's specific request in writing to be notified if such a request was made to a court. Instead, the sworn affidavit of the caseworker was presented to the judge and the order granted without inquiry. The Billiots were delivered the Order and instructed to present their children for interrogation at 3 p.m. that afternoon.
HSLDA took immediate steps to file a Motion to Quash or Set Aside the Court's Order. With the help of local counsel, Joel Hanberry, we were able to get an extension on the interviews in order to prepare and file our motion and brief. The judge ordered us to file our brief by Friday, January 5. He would read it over the weekend and rule on Monday.
The argument against the court order is four-fold:
- Louisiana law authorizes such a court order where "reasonable suspicion" exists to believe that a child has been abused or neglected. The social worker's affidavit in the Billiot case failed to demonstrate that reasonable suspicion exists that a child has been neglected because it stated only that a report had been received. It gave no specific information regarding the neglect. It is a mere allegation of an allegation. We cited to the court cases from other states which held that there must be credible evidence of abuse to order the entry into a private home. Specifically, we directed the court to the Alabama Court of Appeals, where the court overruled a trial judge who had permitted entry on an anonymous report of abuse. H.R. v. Alabama Department of Human Resources is a case we handled where two telephone reports had been made to social services that certain events were occurring in the home that affected the children's welfare. An investigation ensued including the gaining of a medical report that showed no health problems. When the family refused entry, social services went to court for an order to permit them to interview the children. The Court of Appeals held that such an order was illegal in the absence of "reasonable or probable cause shown that there has been an abuse of a child." Anonymous, unsworn hearsay is not such evidence.
- The Louisiana statute is unconstitutional because it contains a lower standard ("reasonable suspicion") than "probable cause" as is required by the Fourth Amendment.
- The Louisiana statute is unconstitutional because it permits an ex parte order when there is no emergency. (An ex parte order is one obtained without notice to the other side.) When a protected liberty interest is at stake, such as the care and custody of a child, then notice and opportunity to be heard should be given. To our knowledge this issue has not been litigated before and is the kind of question that could ultimately reach the Louisiana Supreme Court, or even the United States Supreme Court.
As of January 29, the judge had not ruled on our motion. The Billiots have returned to their routine, but know that a court decision against them will again expose their children to the trauma of these interviews.
Situations like this one threatening the Billiots are not uncommon. Social services departments around the country are exceeding their constitutional authority to enter homes, interview children, and even do physical examinations of naked children. In fact, on a report of physical or sexual abuse, regardless of whether it is corroborated, it is routine for many departments to insist upon inspection of the home, private interviews with the children, and physical examination (by the social worker). On an allegation of neglect, only the physical examination is avoided. These departments do not have this authority. Call our office immediately upon contact by a social services agency so we can protect your Fourth Amendment rights and at the same time satisfy the agency that there is no abuse or neglect. It is the exception that an agency such as in Louisiana refuses to cooperate with us and insists upon rights it does not have. Let us pray that the Louisiana court recognizes its error and causes no further harm to the Billiot family.
[CAPTION] The Billiot Family: (back row, l-r) Russell, Jeremiah (3), Rachel (13), Wendy (front row, l-r) Daniel (8), David (10), | <urn:uuid:d97061ba-359b-4ab3-9cc0-df3ee8ea038c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hslda.org/courtreport/V12N1/V12N101.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975958 | 1,046 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The possible places one's soul will go to in the afterlife are:
Souls of mortals go to a place called the Dreamsleeve. There, they are mind-wiped and recycled into a new person - essentially reincarnation, but a bit different.
If you devote yourself to a certain Daedra, though, chances are you'll go to their respective plane of Oblivion instead. Similarly, Nords who follow Shor will go to his plane, Sovngarde.
If you commit to a Daedra, you go to their plane after death.
Redguards go to the Far Shores, just like Nords go to Sovngarde.
From http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Ancestors_and_the_Dunmer :
Spirits that are forced to remain in our world against their will may become mad spirits, or ghosts. Some spirits are bound to this world because of some terrible circumstances of their death, or because of some powerful emotional bond to a person, place, or thing. These are called hauntings.
Some spirits are captured and bound to enchanted items by wizards. If
the binding is involuntary, the spirit usually goes mad. A willing
spirit may or may not retain its sanity, depending on the strength of
the spirit and the wisdom of the enchanter.
Some spirits are bound against their wills to protect family shrines.
This unpleasant fate is reserved for those who have not served the
family faithfully in life. Dutiful and honorable ancestral spirits
often aid in the capture and binding of wayward spirits.
But what happens to a true Nord werewolf who pledged himself to Nocturnal as a Nightingale, but then died valiantly in battle? Who will claim his soul, Shor, Hircine or Nocturnal? | <urn:uuid:d15958ff-2085-4c2a-a1dd-f5f59c8b41c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/104411/afterlife-destination-in-nirn | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933643 | 378 | 1.632813 | 2 |
This weekend, I registered for a watercolor workshop that will take place this summer. I’m so looking forward to it. For me, the notion of being able to observe immediate demonstrations, watch other artists as they're painting, and learn from doing is a thrill, but it also leaves me with some anxiety and trepidation as well.
As children, we create art with such jubilation. If you’ve ever looked at children’s drawings or paintings, they’re filled with life, whimsy, and joyous color. They don’t think about “rules” in the works they create. They just hurl the images out there with wild abandon. As we get older, we tend to “edit” ourselves, and unfortunately we often lose the freeness and freshness of our early efforts. We’re “not good enough,” or we “did a lousy job” on this piece.
If only we could play those records in our brains that we did as children! (Or maybe it's that, as children, we just didn’t play records at all!)
“Painting is very easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.” (-Edgar Degas) | <urn:uuid:e719fd97-1fb1-4a10-8126-452ee5467a93> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abrushwithcolor.blogspot.com/2009/02/every-artist-dips-his-brush-in-his-soul.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971413 | 274 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Eglinton Connects is about planning for the future Eglinton Avenue, and how to best leverage investment in rapid transit for the benefit of our communities and our city.
Metrolinx is investing in the design and construction of the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown line. This investment will result in improvements to public transit service along Eglinton Avenue over the next decade. The construction of the Crosstown will significantly improve mobility and transportation options for Torontonians, while also bringing a number of planning opportunities and challenges.
The City of Toronto is undertaking Eglinton Connects, a comprehensive planning study along the length of the Eglinton Avenue corridor, to prepare for these challenges, and to realize the opportunities for the communities along the line.
We invite and encourage you to be involved. Learn more about the project and take advantage of the many ways to participate. Together we will write the next chapter in the story of Eglinton! | <urn:uuid:3ef20679-5585-42ff-a899-906967af222a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.toronto.ca/eglinton/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907055 | 194 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Our mission is to provide purposeful discipleship to Christ's prisoners and their families continuing through release, transition, and restoration to the community.
Our strategy for community restoration is to encourage members of the church to establish an orderly, humane community infrastructure.
Faith in Christ provides our impetus. We are directed by the two Great Commandments from the Lord and the Great Commission.Back To Top
PRINCIPLE 1 Each person is created in God's image with inherent worth and spanerse talents, and each of us is bound together in various social relationships and responsibilities.
PRINCIPLE 2 We each bear a responsibility to do justice and love our neighbors: a responsibility that comes from God.
PRINCIPLE 3 Government can do some things, but it cannot reach deep into the human character. Only God changes the heart. Our worst social pathologies (e.g., illegitimacy, crime, poverty) can be solved if people experience spiritual transformation; if the hearts of parents are turned toward their children; if respect is restored for human life and property; if a commitment is renewed to care about our neighbor and our community.
PRINCIPLE 4 Our country is blessed by a rich spanersity of people and institutions – families, houses of worship, private and religious charities, schools, voluntary associations, local grassroots organizations—able to champion virtuous ideals and restore hope. We believe that the highest acts of man are acts woven together through compassion and responsibility.
PRINCIPLE 5 Every single one of our country’s social problems, no mater how severe, is today being addressed somewhere and somehow by some faith-based or community group. This is a great-untold story.
PRINCIPLE 6 We encourage government to “fruitful cooperation” with mediating institutions that are meeting the needs of Americans in crisis. Government policy must bolster, not weaken or displace, people and organizations that are carrying out their vital responsibilities and getting things done.
PRINCIPLE 7 The urgent public mission of enhancing America’s civil society through the gospel requires a fresh definition of compassion and responsibility, one that focuses on the consoling hand and word of someone who “suffers with” and who invests himself or herself into the lives others.
PRINCIPLE 8 We view the First Amendment as a vital protection against unreasonable government interference. Government should not exclude religious expressions or concerns from the public square, nor grant privilege to secular programs or solutions. Government’s treatment of faith-based organizations should be one of benevolent and positive neutrality. Crossways’ mission is not to promote Government reform, but rather to promote the transformation of people won to Christ and discipled with the purpose of encouraging personal responsibility, compassion for others, a strong work ethic, and obedience to God.
PRINCIPLE 9 State and federal law, rules, and regulations should not discriminate against Americans eligible to benefit from government financial assistance for human services (e.g., job training, health care, shelter, child care, education, counseling, drug and alcohol rehabilitation) simply because they choose to receive those services from faith-based groups. Such groups, on an equal footing with non-religious groups, should be permitted to serve beneficiaries of government-funded services—and without having to “secularize” their distinct religious character of self-governance.
PRINCIPLE 10 We see no conflict with, or threat to “promot[ing] the general welfare” when government cooperates or contracts with faith-based social service organizations on the same basis as it does with non-religious organizations in seeking to fulfill this purpose.Back To Top
Founded in 1994, Crossways is a Christian humanitarian organization, serving prisoners and their families. Crossways goal is to help transform the lives of convicted felons, their children and their families throughout the criminal justice system. Crossways employs an In-depth Manual for Biblical Discipleship in eleven of the prisons in Washington State. We offer this to anyone without regard to religious beliefs, gender, race, or ethnic background.
Our vision is to carry this purposeful discipleship throughout Washington State and across the nation. Through Bible Study, Prayer Sessions and programs like the Self Confrontation Discipleship Program, Crossways develops relationships and prepares sincere candidates for community transition assistance. Crossways transition assistance includes connection to affordable housing, employment assistance, financial planning, and providing connections for personal growth and worship.
Crossways servants and Life Coaches help demonstrate God's love and hope and share His blessings by helping transform the lives of men and women in their walk to freedom. Our vision is that every committed prisoner will be met at the gate by a restorative team that has grown in relationship through discipleship and that team helps each former prisoner validate his faith through a season of successful transition and reintegration to community. Faith fuels our work and supplies our staff with wisdom and ability. Faith governs the stewardship of our donors with the resources they share, and and faith enables our recipients to work toward the fulfillment of their dreams.
The third element in our vision is to be creating Responsible Living Environments within each community for sincere transition candidates to utilize while seeking employment and restoration to community. Every person who wants to put together a new life of freedom needs a place to live, a place to work, and a place to worship during at least a year of transition. The Restorative Home is designed to be a self-supporting environment where former offenders are given assistance through a season of transition to help them to validate their faith and begin new lives.Back To Top
Founded in 1994, Crossways is a Christian humanitarian organization, serving prisoners and their families. Crossways goal is to help transform the lives of convicted felons, their children and their families throughout the criminal justice system. | <urn:uuid:67ec7411-8ac1-4423-b6c8-1c2c3c461da4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://crosswaysministries.com/ministry.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949913 | 1,192 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Table Mountain (Afrikaans: Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the Flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. The view from the top of Table Mountain has been described as one of the most epic views in Africa.
New7Wonders of Nature (2007–2011) was an initiative started in 2007 to create a list of seven natural wonders chosen by people through a global poll. It was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the New7Wonders Foundation, a Swiss-based foundation. The initiative followed an earlier New7Wonders of the World campaign, and attracted 100 million votes from around the world before voting finished on November 11 2011. | <urn:uuid:cce1dd5e-6c35-4fff-8460-683ca79d3d8a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-103154291 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952207 | 195 | 1.921875 | 2 |
In the peculiar neurological condition known as synesthesia, a person’s senses meld together, so that a synesthete might “hear” colors or “taste” shapes. Now scientists have stumbled on a previously unknown form of synesthesia in which visual flashes or movements trigger perceptions of sound.
California Institute of Technology neuroscientists Melissa Saenz and Christof Koch confirmed the existence of hearing-motion synesthesia, as they dubbed it, by creating a task at which the synesthetes would have an advantage. The researchers presented four self-professed synesthetes and 10 nonsynesthetes with 100 pairs of Morse code–like rhythmic sequences, each composed of either auditory beeps or flashes of white on a black background. The participants judged whether the two sequences in each pair were the same or different.
Both groups judged auditory patterns accurately about 85 percent of the time, the researchers report in the August 5 issue of Current Biology. On the visual trials, nonsynesthetes’ judgments fell to nearly chance levels, a result that corroborates other research showing that most people are better at judging auditory patterns than assessing visual patterns. In contrast, synesthetes—who reported hearing sounds such as beeps or taps in time with the visual signals—distinguished matching from nonmatching rhythms 75 percent of the time.
“I think of these people as having an enhanced soundtrack in life,” Saenz says. Her team is conducting brain-imaging studies to try to tease out the roots of that soundtrack as well as how a typical brain combines visual and auditory signals to improve perception.
Editor’s Note: This story was originally printed with the title “The Sound of Sight” | <urn:uuid:836e6ff8-7457-4827-9dfb-59cd86cce667> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-sound-of-sight | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938742 | 362 | 3.796875 | 4 |
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved. Contact us for information about using this image.
Liberty poles were erected in the American Colonies in the years before the Revolution as a symbol of resistance to British rule. They occasionally were surmounted with a liberty cap (a loose-fitting cloth cap) or had a flag flown from them. They became rallying points for partisans of both sides; those opposed to the resistance often attacked the poles. It is not recorded whether Greenfield erected a liberty pole in the years before the Revolution but it is likely that it did, given its solid record of support for the revolutionaries. The pole stood on Main Street in front of the Commons for decades. This stereoscopic photograph was taken soon after the Civil War. | <urn:uuid:01de9de3-9f52-465a-8306-d7d548dedc61> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/collection/itempage.jsp?itemid=15130&img=0&level=advanced&transcription=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965209 | 160 | 3.703125 | 4 |
I just had some time to procrastinate away, so I built a little open source graph pastebin web application called Instagraph. It’s based on GraphViz, PHP, MySQL and Apache. At least the first three need to be installed on your web server, and the fourth one is necessary unless you tweak your way around using the included
.htaccess file (which makes use of mod_rewrite).
I’ve been wanting to write something like this for ages. Often enough I want to explain concepts in IRC and find myself struggling to present all the relationships between different things in an understandable way. Now I can just use a private Instagraph instance to make a nice picture that will speak a thousand words for me. Awesome.
Instagraph is woefully underdocumented but shouldn’t be too hard to set up. It’s also extremely simple and has no user interface to speak of.
Now, if you understand GraphViz’s dot syntax, you can turn this:
a -- b -- c
You can get Instagraph at http://github.com/jast/instagraph where you will find a download button as well as the Git repository URL.
Public graph pastebins
- I run Instagraph at http://g.jk.gs/. Feel free to use it for casual stuff, but it would be extremely nice of you if you didn’t directly link to the generated images from super-high-traffic sites. Thanks!
If you plan to host another pastebin (doesn’t even have to be the original Instagraph, just something comparably simple and with the same syntax) somewhere, let me know so I can list it here. | <urn:uuid:2b455316-f5f8-4551-8c79-6deed20e5876> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jan-krueger.net/development/host-your-own-digraph-pastebin | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930855 | 357 | 1.609375 | 2 |
It is said that the biggest obstacle to homeownership is coming up with the cash to cover the down payment and closing costs. With this fact in mind, it was the government that first addressed this issue when it created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in the 1930s. The government's goal in creating the FHA was to make homeownership more attainable by offering long term fixed rate mortgages with low down payments. Prior to FHA, a down payment of at least 20 percent was required to buy a home. Today, FHA allows a homebuyer to buy a home with as little as 3.5 percent down with low 30-year fixed rates and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will accept a down payment as low as 3 percent.
In the height of the subprime loan frenzy just 6 or 7 years ago, mortgages were available that provided 100 percent financing. Even Fannie Mae got into the action by offering one mortgage for 100 percent of the sales price so that no down payment was required at all. In fact, some lenders were offering loan amounts up to 103 percent of the sales price so that the homebuyer would not even have to come up with any cash for the closing costs.
While many homebuyers are fortunate enough to have family that can provide a gift to cover all or a portion of the down payment, many are on their own and will have to save the money to cover the down payment and closing costs. Even with just 3.5 percent down, the cash required to buy a home priced at
Saving enough money to cover the difference between a family's current rent payment and the proposed mortgage payment will better prepare a borrower and ensure they don't have payment shock when the first mortgage payments are due. For example, if a family is currently paying $1,800 per month in rent and if the new proposed house payment is going to be $2,800, it stands to reason that saving $1,000 per month while renting should be within the realm of possibility. Unfortunately, America is well known for being a country of spenders and not savers and, for some, the transition to becoming a saver may never be realized. Owning a home is not for everyone. It is never too early for a family that would like to buy a home to begin a savings plan in earnest.
Saving enough money to cover the purchase of a home is really just a start. Homeowners are well advised to have money set aside for repairs, regular maintenance and for possible gaps in employment. We have all read the advice columns about home budgets and finances. They tell us to keep track of the money we spend, do not make frivolous purchases, do not charge more on your credit cards than you can pay off at the end of the month and, certainly, do not buy a new car that will require monthly payments until you speak with a mortgage professional about how it will affect your purchasing power.
Local mortgage consultant Peter Boutell has been writing a weekly column for the Sentinel since 1995. Send questions to 'Lending a Hand,' 1535 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062, fax them to 425-1044 or email them to firstname.lastname@example.org. Archived columns are available at www.peterboutell.com. | <urn:uuid:9663d2c7-2f90-4320-a57a-29470cc57e46> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_22453766/peter-boutell-lending-hand-ability-save-is-key | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975958 | 679 | 2.484375 | 2 |
Burning belly pain awakens Marcus at 2 AM. Having it multiple times
before, he’s tired of waking up and having to walk until it goes away.
‘No more,’ he declares, ‘I’m going to the ER to get some relief.’
Mr. B presented to the ED acutely septic, likely secondary to an
underlying pneumonia. He had advanced dementia and was functionally and
cognitively declining at home. His recent life had been punctuated by
trips back and forth to the hospital
In the name of high quality, cost-conscious care, ACEP has revised its
stance on the Choosing Wisely campaign, voting to join the initiative in
the fight against low value care.
Emergency medicine education is an evolving art. As educators and
learners, emergency physicians are quick to integrate new technologies
into our educational armamentarium. It’s now the norm to glean pearls
from podcasters while running on the treadmill, keep up with EM
conference lectures via tweets, and use a variety of handheld apps to
improve bedside care.
Drug shortages are an all-too-common problem in the United States.
Emergency physicians are more aware of the severity of the issue than
most, as we use such a wide variety of medications. While the causes of
drug shortages are multi-faceted, there is one contributing factor
that’s been flying under the radar: “pay for delay.”
A recent Time Magazine cover article is the latest in a series of eye-opening reports about runaway hospital charges. Here we break down some of the critical numbers to know.
Last month marked the end of India’s Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival billed
as the world’s largest human gathering. Over the course of the 55-day
festival, as many as 100 million ascetics and pilgrims traveled by
train, car and foot to perform a bathing ritual in the Ganges river in
the city of Allahabad. Some came for a single dip while others settled
for weeks, inhabiting a temporary tent camp that is arguably the largest
pop-up mega city ever erected.
In writing about medical errors, health policy researcher Robert Wears,
MD, breaks down a common problem in how we view mistakes in general. We
often choose to view the error or mistake a person makes as a linear
process and assign blame to that individual, but it’s rarely that
simple. A medical error (or any mistake for that matter) is usually the
result of a confluence of many different occurrences. The error or
mistake is not the cause, but the result.
The elegantly (and deliciously) simple Mediterranean diet is among the
most life-saving post-MI interventions. Look beyond statins and bring on
the olive oil!
The debate surrounding the use of etomidate in sepsis has been going on
since the 1980s and continues to plague contemporary literature. Those
muddy waters were recently stirred when a meta-analysis in Critical Care
Medicine concluded higher rates of adrenal insufficiency and increased
mortality associated with its use1. This is not the first meta-analysis
to have made such a claim2. We could spend our time debating the
statistical merits of a meta-analysis, but we’d be missing the forest
for the trees. | <urn:uuid:333f1a43-cd6a-4d6e-8576-fc8cbd9d6a5a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.epmonthly.com/features/current-features/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928441 | 723 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Cirneco dell Etna Breed Information
Breed Group: Miscellaneous Class
Weight: Male: 26-30; Female: 18-26 lbs
Height: Male: 18-20; Female: 16.5-18 inches
Color(s): Fawn; with or without white chest markings. White; with or without orange markings.
Originating in Italy, the Cirneco dell Etna bears a strong resemblance to the Pharaoh Hound. A sight, sound, and scent hound, this breed is extremely rare, difficult to obtain, and is not commonly seen out of its native island of Sicily.
A primitive breed, the Cirneco dell Etna is of slender and elegant build. Despite their lithe appearance they are well-muscled, strong, and hardy. Their most distinctive feature are the ears which are set very high, rigid, and erect. Cirneco dell Etna's are agile, swift, and possess the uncanny ability of steathily stalking and catching their prey with absolute silence.
The Cirneco dell Etna breed is not recommended for inexperienced or first time dog owners. The Cirneco dell Etna possesses a strong, independent personality. They are affectionate, loyal, and lively companions. They do well with children and other pets they have been raised with from puppyhood. However, they are reserved and aloof with strangers and pets they do not know. They are exceedingly alert and watchful, but are not typically aggressive.
Occasional brushing with a firm bristle brush is recommended for the Cirneco dell Etna. Bathing should only be done when necessary. Due to the rarity of the breed there are no known health issues.
The coat of the Cirneco dell Etna is glossy, harsh, and short.
The Cirneco dell Etna is intelligent, dominant, and requires early and intense socialization and obedience. They will not respond to harsh or heavy-handed methods. Training must be done with firmness, fairness, patience, and consistency.
Cirneco dell Etna's require an inordinate amount of physical exercise and mental stimulation. They are not recommended for city or apartment living. The Cirneco dell Etna does best in a rural setting where there is ample acreage to roam, hunt, run, and play.
If you are looking for Cirneco dell Etna puppies for sale from reputable Cirneco dell Etna breeders or to adopt Cirneco dell Etnas from a Cirneco dell Etna rescue then make sure you understand as much about the dog breeds you are interested in as you can. Every puppy breed is different. Begin your research by reading the breed information about the Cirneco dell Etna puppy above. Search our dog breeds section to find Cirneco dell Etna puppies that make great pets.
Rate this Breed Information - Provided by Next Day Pets
3 out of 5 based on 5 ratings for the Cirneco dell Etna puppy breed profile. | <urn:uuid:5bcf38d2-b4a3-48a6-929e-43da2e442bf0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nextdaypets.com/Cirneco-dell-Etna.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93352 | 634 | 1.515625 | 2 |
I'm using my alpha channel as an 8 bit integer index for something unrelated to blending so I want to carefully control the bit values. In particular, I need for all of the pixels from one FBO-rendered texture with a particular alpha value to match all of the pixels with the same alpha value in the shader. Experience has taught me to be careful when comparing floating point values for equality...
While setting the color values using the floating point vec4 might not cause me issues, and my understanding is that even a half precision 16bit float will be able to differentiate all 8 bit integer (0-255) values. But I would prefer to perform integer operations in the fragment shader so I am certain of the values.
Am I likely to incur a performance hit by performing integer ops in the fragment shader?
How is the output scaled? I read somewhere that it is valid to send integer vectors as color output for a fragment. But how is it scaled? If I send a uvec4 with integers 0-255 will it scale that appropriately? I'd like for it to directly write the integer value into the pixel format, for integer formats I don't want it to do any scaling. Perhaps for RGBA8 sending in an int value above 255 would clamp it to 255, and clamp negative ints to zero, and so on.
This issue is made difficult by the fact that I cannot debug by printing out the color values unless I grab the rendered images and examine them carefully. Perhaps I can draw a bright color if something fails to match.
Here is a relevant thread I found on this topic. It has confused me even more than before. | <urn:uuid:c2a6de9f-5ac3-4488-b34b-c0487584a63a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8863953/fragment-shader-output-values | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906422 | 335 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Using Free Fat Burning Workouts to Live Long
When you look at the lifestyles of many people, you realize that they no longer concentrate on eating a healthy diet. This might be because of their busy schedule, they resolve to eating fast food meals all the time, and this meal mainly contains junk food. It is not bad to eat junk food occasionally but when you make it a habit, you might end up suffering some serious consequences.
The news showing the number of people who are obese and especially children might shock you. When you are obese and you are looking for a solution to get back to living a healthy lifestyle, you will come to realize that treating the condition is more expensive as compared to eating healthy from the beginning. However, you are able to access free fat burning workouts that will help you avoid being in a situation where you have too much fat accumulated in your body.
Eating a healthy diet is of utmost importance and having healthy eating habits too. You have to keep in check the rate at which you take your meals and the different nutrients you feed your body with. Bodily exercise is very important, as it constitutes healthy living. You can ensure that your body fat is in check by using free fat burning workouts.
There are different forms of exercises that you can use to ensure that you are in a position to burn the extra fats in your body. When you realize that you are not comfortable with one method, you can switch to a different method of losing body fats so that you are comfortable with your routine. When you search the internet, you will find free videos of routines that help in losing body fat. You can buy certain gadgets depending with the method you go for and enjoy losing fat at the comfort of your home while following directions from routine videos. | <urn:uuid:09f281fa-684a-4b87-8edc-c55138669d12> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yoga.com/articles/body/using-free-fat-burning-workouts-live-long/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970241 | 357 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Pitching Grips: How To Throw A Splitter
Roger Craig, formerly of the San Francisco Giants, is probably the person most responsible for the development of the split-fingered fastball, or splitter, in the 1980's.
Today, Tim Hudson throws a nasty splitter.
The way how to throw a splitter is to grip it is by placing your fingers with the seams, as you would with the sinking fastball. Almost splitting your index and middle fingers to the sides of the ball.
You should see a tiny gap between the small web of your two fingers and the ball.Experiment where your thumb should be. Most pitchers have more success with their thumb to the side however, you can also place your thumb underneath the ball.
Throw the splitter as you would the fastball, but make sure you push the ball with your thumb through your fingers.
At first, when you throw the splitter, you might get little rotation, like the knuckle ball. This is good. The more you practice the splitter, the more you will get side spin.
A good splitter will have slight side or tumbling spin, not a tight, hard spin like the curve or slider.
Some split-finger fastball pitchers use this pitch effectively as there change-up. Taking a little bit off this pitch and splitting your fingers more is considered the forkball. Also with the forkball, by spreading your fingers more, you need to place your thumb directly behind the ball.
To feel comfortable throwing a splitter with your fingers around the baseball, you must practice spreading your fingers around the ball any chance you get. This means when you're watching TV or hanging out around the house, work on your splitter grip on the baseball.
For former pitcher Rick Aguilera of the Cubs, he split his fingers around a softball (because it was much bigger than a baseball) for weeks so he could get comfortable with the position of his fingers.
Effective to a right or lefty, keep this pitch down! | <urn:uuid:858b02d2-79f2-496d-8f13-680082500d72> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stevenellis.com/steven_ellis_the_complete/2012/08/pitching-grips-how-to-throw-a-splitter.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95433 | 416 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Looking for any information on ancestors having Ectodermal Dysplasia.
Family names I am researching are Rumney,Tolson,Pritt,Hiddleston from the area of Cumbria/Cumberland England.
ED is a genetic condition that is passed down the family line, females are generally carriers of the gene, males usually show symptoms. It is not a well known condition and there are many people who have it but have not been officially diagnosed. The most common Symptoms are unable to sweat, no tear ducts, teeth anomalies, thin wiry hair.
Would like to trace back to see which family line this developed in | <urn:uuid:3808c139-7d08-47d6-840a-e5475ab8746a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.medical.hereditary/466/mb.ashx?pnt=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963338 | 133 | 1.71875 | 2 |