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A patent is all about protection for your intellectual property. The United States provides patents to give inventors the right “to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling their invention throughout the United States or importing their invention into the United States.”
Every country can grant a patent which would govern that property in that country. It is conceivable that a patent granted in the U.S. or Canada doesn’t necessarily offer protection against infringement in a country like China or Russia.
Still, it is advisable for a business that has a piece of intellectual property to have it patented in as many countries as possible.
Google has created a patent search which is becoming a huge asset to many businesses. When you consider that there are 8 million approved patents and 3 million pending patent applications in the U.S. alone then you can see the need for a search engine. Now Google has put that database of the United States Patent and Trademark Office online for easy access. How can this help you protect your intellectual property? Consider these benefits:
Clearing the Field
The first obvious benefit of a Google patent search is to see if somebody beat you to the punch. In other words, has your brilliant idea already been developed? This is a search that really should be conducted once the plans for an item are ready to go to the prototype stage. If you find that your idea has been patented you’ll either have to rethink it entirely or scrape the project. Better to learn that in the early stages of development.
Suppose you’re in the kind of business that needs to create a machine to make the perfect widget. You’re really selling the widget but it has to be mass produced to be cost effective. That special machine you design to make the widget could be patented. However, you might find that another business has a similar machine you can adapt. There’s no need to go down the expensive patent review process when you can license the right to use that technology from the original patent holder. Remember, you want to get to your “widget” and the most affordable and stress free path to that goal is the way to go.
There aren’t a lot of secrets when it comes to granting a patent. If you’re working through a challenging design you might do a patent search for similar products to see how other inventors overcame their hurdles. Who knows? You could be inspired to take your idea in a new direction that no one has thought of.
It could be that you’re so impressed with a particular product or piece of intellectual property that you want to know more about the originator of that idea. The patent search will let you trace the inventor and find out what other ideas they’ve worked on. | <urn:uuid:2f2513c4-3d02-4c8b-ba26-6b2c7d636566> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.corporationcentre.ca/2012_11_28_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954651 | 570 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Battle Space on Demand: Our Approach to Educating Our Masters and Doctors Students
|Educating our METOC and Physical Oceanography masters and doctoral students is the most important activity of the department. Our education mission is to provide a sound understanding of the science of physical oceanography and to develop the technical expertise to provide and use oceanographic and acoustic data and models in support of all aspects of sea operations and undersea warfare. Our central focus is equipping our students to perform well as technical leaders in the world they will face after graduation. |
Since its inception in 1968, the NPS Oceanography Department faculty has developed internationally recognized research and education programs focused on pushing forward the frontiers of physical oceanography while at the same time meeting the future needs of the Navy. These synergistic goals work to the benefit of the scientific as well as warfighting communities.
Our recognized research programs are predominantly Navy (ONR 6.1 and 6.2, N45, NAV0) and NSF-funded with strong Naval relevance. This provides a cutting edge environment for thesis research. It also provides emphasis on vertical integration from basic research, to observational analysis, modeling and transitioning to operational Navy applications.
Our education mission is to provide a sound understanding of the science of physical oceanography and to develop the technical expertise to provide and use oceanographic and acoustic data and models in support of all aspects of sea operations and undersea warfare. Our graduate students are contributing partners in our research program and participate in research cruises, present scientific papers at conferences and coauthor journal articles and reports.
Our research mission applies the science of physical oceanography to Naval operations. Our areas of expertise include global and littoral/regional numerical prediction including the increasingly critical polar regions, nearshore oceanography and their impact on mine-counter-measures and amphibious warfare, littoral/coastal oceanography including the impact of littoral processes, eddies and boundary currents on ocean surveillance systems, and acoustical oceanography with an anti-submarine warfare focus.
For more information, please see the brief description of the areas of expertise below, the research pages on this site for more areas of interest and more details on the myriad of projects going on in the Oceanography Department. Also take a virtual visit to the extensive observational network NPS is pleased to be running. The data recorded is fed into NPS and other government research programs and is available on a limited basis to external partners.
Brief description of areas of expertise
The numerical prediction group has helped to develop the best global and regional models that are available anywhere; and group members evaluate and improve their physical realism for the Navy forecasting challenge, particularly in the areas of regional oceanography and global circulation and structure of the oceans.
The littoral/coastal oceanography group has specific expertise in the area of coastal ocean circulation that derives from unique instrumentation and modeling capabilities. The direct measurements of coastal currents provide needed input to simulate and predict the 4-D environment in the coastal ocean.
Nearshore oceanography research is focused on field measurements of waves, surf zone currents, bottom morphology and sediment properties. The group has unique field capabilities and a rigorous program of analysis and modeling of nearshore processes. The research is highly relevant to the Navy problems of Special Force operations, amphibious landings, and mine-counter-measures. | <urn:uuid:d657c55b-9c6f-410a-ad33-81d8636ba4c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nps.edu/Academics/Schools/GSEAS/Departments/Oceanography/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921108 | 686 | 2.171875 | 2 |
What is The Big Walk - NJ2NY50?
“The Big Walk”, or NJ2NY50, is a one-day distance walk along the East Coast Greenway route that starts in New Jersey and ends in New York City encouraging public participation. Our objective is to walk 50 miles through various communities and commercial areas that surround urban and suburban areas in our metropolitan region. This is a joint effort of individuals and pro-pedestrian organizations to build awareness of recreational resources, health and fitness, livable communities and alternative transportation options. Our third planned walk will take place on Saturday, May 19, 2012 and will be promoted by the East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA).
Can anyone walk the 50 miles?
Yes, the walk is open to any individual. Keep in mind that this is not a race and the main group of walkers expect to finish in 17 hours. This assumes being able to walk at a fairly brisk pace, with some rest stops along the way. That represents an average of about 3 mph. A fairly fast pace for an individual comfortable with walking is 4 mph, but very few people can maintain that pace for long. Advance groups may not wait for walkers that cannot stay with the pace.
To accommodate various skills and fitness levels, participating walkers can meet up with the walk at various designated points along the route. Cranford and Newark will be the two suggested intermediate spots where you might consider joining in or dropping off due to train stops. We will be posting a schedule of times where we anticipate the group will be passing various locations so you can plan ahead. You might want to consider setting a shorter walk objective of, say, 1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles, 10 miles or 25 miles. It will be the responsibility of the walker to find transportation back to their home or starting point. The route is designed to promote the use of public transportation, such as NJ Transit trains, to assist you in getting to the event and back home.
Why are you doing this type of event?
The event provides a way for the general public to participate together in a large-scale form of exercise while visiting a variety of communities and unique areas from a closer vantage point. In opening up more areas to pedestrian traffic we are demonstrating an alternative vision that can help guide future urban/suburban planning projects.
Distance walking and pedestrianism is as old as mankind. It is as a result of our dependence on automobiles and other forms of transportation that our society has changed the look of its communities. In more recent times, commercial business and roads have marginalized our communities and caused us to limit the use of self-propelled travel. There are health and societal implications to our past policies. The walk follows a national movement to consider pedestrian traffic (walking and cycling) in all community and transportation projects.
Does it cost anything to participate in the walk?
No. This walking event is open to the general public and is supported by the ECGA and other organizations and volunteers for the sole purpose of providing a rewarding physical experience to the participants and to build awareness of pro-pedestrian issues. Walkers should be prepared by bringing their own food and supplies or be prepared to pay for them along the way.
Sign up now for our email list to stay on top of news about the event. You should register as a participant when online registration becomes available. Registered participants get the latest event information and will be able to set their own walking goals. After the walk, the results will be posted in detail for registered walkers and tallied with others for the total miles walked that day.
Isn’t walking in urban and marginalized industrial areas dangerous? How can I be sure that I’ll be safe if I walk?
The route that is planned for the walk is the current route of by the East Coast Greenway Alliance. The ECGA is a well-established organization with the ambitious objective of creating a 3,000-mile multi-use trail from Maine to Florida - with 23% currently complete as trail and the other 77% located on roads or sidewalks. We will be walking on many miles of the East Coast Greenway’s route. In addition, a portion of the walk comprises walkable paths and parks, as well as city sidewalks and commercial roads. Our route will take us through suburban nature paths, to the middle of cities, while traversing industrial areas on the city outskirts.
The area of our route should be safe provided walkers stay on the designated route obeying traffic laws. Some of the route will be clearly marked but walkers should rely on the maps that will be provided for guidance. Since even parts of the marked route will have areas not frequented by pedestrians, all walkers are advised to use caution. Walkers who take part in this event should not walk alone and walk with the lead walker, Paul Kiczek, meeting him at our specifically designated locations. A schedule of time and places will be posted. Walkers should always be consciously aware of their surroundings and visible to traffic.
How long does the walk take? Where do I start and finish?
The route will start from the Metropark train station in Iselin, NJ and finish at Penn Station in New York City and so will be conveniently located near NJ Transit transportation for assistance. While final details are not yet available, you can expect the first 50-mile walkers to begin before sunrise and finish after sunset in New York. We expect the lead group to finish in about 17 hours (assuming breaks along the way). If you would like to walk a shorter distance we will have various other opportunities to join in along the route as mentioned above.
What if I can’t make it all the way?
Walkers should plan in advance. They should know bus locations and train stations that are located along their route and also have a local taxi number available. Their will be no support available if a walker cannot finish their selected distance. Remember, that walking 50 miles is a difficult physical task that requires a great deal of stamina. If in doubt, you should consider one of our shorter distance goals and have a contingency plan.
What happens if it rains or we experience other bad weather conditions?
The event will be cancelled if the weather is bad. At this time of the year, heavy rains and lightening may cause a cancellation. Check back at the event website NJ2NY50.org for final details near the day of the event.
I’m not used to walking that long a distance. How can I train for the event?
While we expect many serious amateur athletes that already walk, run for recreation or even do marathons and triathlons, there are very few that have taken on this type of challenge. The main difference in a distance walk is the length of time and the number of repetitious steps. Most marathoners will complete a run in less than 5 hours. While walking is a much less intense form of exercise, this is nearly two times the distance, three times the length of time and many more times the footsteps. The most common reason to not complete the distance is exhaustion and/or blisters and foot problems. These can be avoided by proper hydration, nutrition and carefully considering the right shoes. Even so, walking this distance is a difficult task. An adult in good physical shape, perhaps as a recreational runner, should be able to complete at least 25 miles.
For a 50-mile walk, the best form of training is to practice walking by starting a planned program of walking near your home and slowly building, week by week, to at least a 30 mile loop. There is specific information on training for the event available on this website under "Tips" and look for more information in the weeks ahead. But, until then, why not start walking now?
Who do I contact to find out more and to keep up to date as the event progresses?
Visit this website http://NJ2NY50.org for the most current information about the walk specifically under the "Contact Us" Section
Be sure to sign up for the NJ2NY50 email newsletter on the home page. This will provide you with ongoing current information.
For general questions on the event email info@NJ2NY50.org.
East Coast Greenway Alliance Contacts:
For specific questions about the route and the East Coast Greeenway:
Website - http://www.greenway.org
Andy Hamilton – Mid Atlantic Trail Coordinator, ECGA - email@example.com - 267-236-3407
Mike Kruimer - NJ Trail Coordinator. ECGA - firstname.lastname@example.org - 732-287-9447
Other supporting organizations have lots of useful information on walking, pedestrian issues, and existing trails which you can walk to practice for the event. See the "Links" section of this website for more information | <urn:uuid:f95761d8-2be5-4067-9b0b-34afdd3615a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nj2ny50.org/faqs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945625 | 1,824 | 1.601563 | 2 |
News: Gorman (2
Contact: Crystal Wendt
Surnames: Champa, Koschak, Lesar, Volk, Klancher, Pernich, Bayuk, Rakovec
----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thurs., 2 March 1939
Gorman Miss Anne Champa
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Koschak and son, Frank, were Sunday guests at the John Lesar home.
Frank Volk was a caller at the Frank Klancher, Sr., home one day last week.
We all wonder what March will come in like, whether it will represent a lion or a lamb.
John Pernich and family were callers at the John Bayuk and Joseph Rakovec homes Sunday.
Joe Bayuk left for Hillsboro, Wis., the past week where he expects to be employed.
F. Champa, John Pernich, and family, also Mrs. Louis Koschak, Sr., were Sunday visitors at the Frank Klancher, Sr., home.
© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.
Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.
A site created and
maintained by the Clark County History Buffs | <urn:uuid:60d90358-3add-4b68-91df-dc3940283271> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wiclarkcountyhistory.org/1data/27/27351.htm | 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 | 0.90474 | 275 | 1.648438 | 2 |
GARDENING GODDESS • BY KATHY JENTZ
Many gardeners were introduced to their passion for growing all things green at the knee of an older relative, such as a grandfather or older aunt, who took the time to show a child the wonders of planting your own flowers and vegetables. The memories of those gardens of our childhoods are strongly etched in our brains and we often yearn for that same feeling they gave us back then. The smells of heirloom roses and wisteria take us right back to those carefree days.
In the day-to-day scramble to fill up our garden beds with color and excitement, we can often skip over the tried-and-true classics and go straight for the new and exciting. We are dazzled by the many new, unique introductions that plant breeders and garden centers entice us with every year. This growing season why not make an effort to seek out the heirloom varieties you knew as a child or even those that were favorites of previous generations. Leave some space in your planting beds for these oldies, but goodies, and you’ll be rewarded with instant classics.
Here are some timeless beauties that belong in your garden:
Hollyhocks – Tall stocks of Hibiscus-like blooms ranging in color from white to pink to lipstick red are a classic back-of-the-border plant or lined up along a fence line. They self-seed with abandon and are easily grown in tough conditions such as full afternoon sun.
Lamb’s Ear – Stachys is a favorite of children everywhere for its soft, fur-like leaves. Pet it or just enjoy its stems of purple blooms in early summer. It is perfect at the front of a border and fills in between paving stones nicely. Divide it every few years and share your extras with your neighbors.
Marigolds – Easily grown from seed, these flowers are perfect companions to your vegetables. Their scent drives off bugs that may harm your edibles and the care-free blooms themselves put in a nice show throughout the growing season.
Snapdragons – Many gardeners started off with these easy-growing flowers as children. Share the mystery of the “snapping jaws” on this bloom with a child in your life. Perfect for part shade to full sun. You can cut blooms for mixed flower arrangements and enjoy them right through early fall.
Balsam – Before the current impatiens (a.k.a. Busy Lizzies) hit the scene in the 1950s, balsam were popular for shade garden color for hundreds of years. Buy a packet of seed and scatter it in a part shade spot, water, and stand back. These cuties establish well and will re-seed for years to come.
Lily of the Valley – Sweet smelling, demure, but oh so hardy. These dainty flowers are a must for the early spring garden. Perfect for filling in dry, shade spots where no other plants dare. Cut them for tiny bouquets, but be careful as they are poisonous and should not be handled by children.
Zinnias – Seen in almost sunny borders around town, Zinnias are loved by many experienced gardeners. Just as irresistible to bees and butterflies, these bright beauties just bloom and bloom all summer long. Try out the big, bold, old-fashioned varieties or the new creamy, green ones. Mix them in cut arrangements or just leave them for the pollinators and your neighbors to enjoy.
Bearded Iris – The older Irises bloom just once a year in late spring, but what a display! They fill out empty spaces with their sword-like foliage and can be divided annually to keep them from taking over. The classic purple or yellow varieties make wonderful additions to mixed border plantings and as filler in sunny garden beds.
Peonies – I couldn’t end this article without including my personal favorite flower and it is a show-stopper. Showy ruffled flowers that smell like a fresh spring morning, grace this perennial plant. Peonies grow easily and live for decades. The clumps should not be planted more than an inch or two below the soil.
Photos: Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine | <urn:uuid:6d6bc0a8-6b04-49c9-95db-93974c8b1d04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tpssvoice.com/2012/05/15/oldies-but-goodies-classic-flowers-for-your-garden/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952156 | 887 | 1.625 | 2 |
Have You Heard About This Fresh Teen?
Guinness (World Records, that is) names Northport teen world's youngest professor!
That's right, nineteen-year-old Alia Sabur has broken a Guiness World record by becoming the world's youngest professor at age 18.
Alia, a child prodigy who has been setting records since she was 8 months old, was enrolled in college at age 10. Wow. And three days shy of her 19th birthday, Alia became a professor at Konkuk University, in Seoul, North Korea where she'll be teaching.
She will be doing some classroom instruction, but mostly will focus on research into developing nanotubes for use as cellular probes, which could help discover cures for diseases such as cancer, she said.
Down the road, she would like to develop a noninvasive blood-glucose meter for people with diabetes, she said. Her mother, Julia, and her father, Mark, both have diabetes.
Sabur said classroom teaching in Seoul will be challenging because she doesn't speak Korean. "I can speak math and music," she said.
Kudos to Alia and for her awesome success, and continuing her medical research. Amazing! | <urn:uuid:2afc3774-e56f-4def-bacf-4d3e0211d6b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://yafresh.blogspot.com/2008/04/have-you-heard-about-this-fresh-teen.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982235 | 253 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Slideshow: 10 Worst Cities for Asthma, 2009
More Slideshows from eMedicineHealth
Watch and learn from these additional pictures slideshows.
Super Foods for Your Bones
Did Your City Make the List?
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that makes breathing difficult. Many things in the environment can trigger an attack, including air pollution, secondhand smoke, and pollen. Asthma affects one in 5 Americans and is on the rise. While there are no asthma-free cities, some are more challenging than others for people living with asthma. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a nonprofit patient organization, has released their "2009 Asthma Capitals." Here are the top 10.
No. 10: Little Rock, Ark.
While this capital city may feature scenic parks and river walks, there's nothing pretty about the asthma picture here. It comes in at No. 10 on the list of "worst" asthma cities. Twelve factors were used to formulate the list, including asthma prevalence, pollen scores, air quality, poverty levels, and asthma death rates. "Each factor is given a weighted value by medical and research experts according to its effect on 'quality of life' for asthma patients," says the AAFA.
No. 9: Atlanta
Southern hospitality? While Atlanta wasn't so hospitable for asthma sufferers this past year, things are continuing to improve. Atlanta edged its way down the list again this year, from its No. 1 spot in 2007 and its No. 4 spot in 2008.
No. 8: McAllen, Texas
If "everything is big in Texas" then McAllen's asthma problems are no exception. A worse than average pollen score, poverty rate, and a lack of "100% public smoke-free laws" contribute to its ranking as one of the worst cities for asthma in the U.S. It jumped to No. 8, from No. 28 in 2008.
No. 7: Knoxville, Tenn.
After being ranked by the AAFA as the worst asthma city in America three times in five years, Knoxville is showing signs of improvement. However, they're still vexed by poor air quality, the lack of a smoking ban in all public places, and the above average usage of asthma medications.
No. 6: Memphis, Tenn.
This Mississippi river town has many asthma sufferers singing the blues. While Memphis skyrocketed from the No. 30 spot in 2007 to No. 5 in 2008, they fell one spot to No. 6 this year. Public smoking policies, poor air quality, and high poverty rates continue to be problematic. While asthma doesn't discriminate based on socio-economic status, people living in poverty often have less access to health care and medications needed to manage their condition.
No. 5: Charlotte, N.C.
The population isn't the only thing on the rise in the Queen City. Its ranking on the "Asthma Capitals" list is, too. It's up from No. 7 in 2008. High pollen counts, poor air quality, and public smoking policies are among the reasons they make the top 5.
No. 4: Chattanooga, Tenn.
This town may be a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, but it's not so amiable for asthma suffers. Poor air quality and above average use of controller medications helped propel Chattanooga from the No. 16 spot in 2008 to its current ranking at No. 4.
No. 3: Birmingham, Ala.
Birmingham's poor air quality, its public smoking policies, and heavy use of controller medications by asthma suffers contribute to its ranking as one of the worst cities for asthma in the U.S. It jumped to No. 3, from No. 13 in 2008.
No. 2: Milwaukee, Wis.
Asthma problems are brewing in this Lake Michigan city. Milwaukee bubbled up from the No. 3 spot in 2008 to second place this year. The town gets low marks for air quality and is worse than the national average for its high use of "rescue" asthma medications. The lack of a smoking ban in all public places and a high poverty rate also contribute.
No. 1: St. Louis, Mo.
The Gateway Arch is not the only thing in the air in St. Louis. High pollen counts, poor air quality, the lack of a smoking ban in all public places, and above average use of asthma medications contribute to big asthma issues -- and its ranking as the worst city for asthma suffers in America, according to the AAFA. That's a leap from the No. 9 spot it held in 2008. | <urn:uuid:5b015795-c5c7-4cf1-8ade-ac30cf9f9b8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_worst_cities_for_asthma_2009/article_em.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951387 | 951 | 2.40625 | 2 |
|Air India is the national flag carrier of the country. It was started on October 15, 1932 when JRD Tata flew from Karachi to Mumbai (then Bombay) via Ahmedabad. At Mumbai, former RAF pilot Neville Vintcent took over and flew the aircraft to Chennai (then Madras) via Bellary. Within a few years, it grew to be the leader in aviation with flights servicing a huge number of Indian cities and International countries. Air India Express started operations in 2005 with the intention of providing value for money travel to international sectors. They provide services to domestic and international short-range destinations at low fares.
The fleet at Air India Express consists of 24 Boeing 737-800 aircrafts, which have only economy travel and a capacity of 180 passengers. They provide quick and efficient services to customers with a well-trained staff. In-flight meals and onboard entertainment are some of the highlights of this airline. Reservations to Air India Express can be made easily. The extra feature of 'lowest fare finder' ensures that passengers can get fares of their choice.
Currently, Air India Express services 14 international destinations and 17 domestic cities, all of which are within 4 hours of each other.
Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Muscat, Salalah, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, Colombo, Dhaka
Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthpuram, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Amritsar, Srinagar, Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mangalore, Tiruchirapalli | <urn:uuid:fea3abde-9728-41df-8e5a-76ed2a838fa4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.travelguru.com/flights/air-india-express-flight-tickets.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918186 | 345 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The Other Kim
When Kim Jong Il died last month, it made headlines. When Kim Geun-Tae died just a few days ago, it merited only a small obituary in U.S. newspapers (if at all).
Kim Geun-Tae deserved more. He was an extraordinary political figure who survived terrible torture in South Korea in the 1980s to become one of its leading politicians.
I first met Kim Geun-Tae in 1998 when he was serving in parliament. He was a soft-spoken man who was passionately interested in promoting peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula. At the time, he was one of the leading supporters of South Korean president Kim Dae Jung’s plan to reach out to North Korea. But he was also very clear that the progressive group supporting the “sunshine policy” was a minority in the South Korean government – even with the president’s imprimatur. He was hopeful that the involvement of large corporations like Hyundai in inter-Korean efforts such as the Mt. Geumgang tourism project would give the “sunshine policy” greater legitimacy in what was still a very conservative society.
Thanks to his efforts, the “sunshine policy” did indeed achieve concrete accomplishments, such as providing South Koreans with a more clear-eyed view of their northern brethren, giving South Koreans a chance to visit North Korea in large numbers, and establishing cooperative economic ventures such as the Kaesong industrial complex located just north of the Demilitarized Zone. Even with the frost that has descended on North-South relations over the last several years, Kim Geun-Tae’s work still serves as the basis for any future reunification project.
Kim Geun-Tae never achieved the prominence of other South Korean politicians such as Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moo-Hyun. But he showed how it was possible to transform han – a Korean term that translates roughly into “suppressed feelings of anger and injustice” – into a force for political change. When in 2000, his torturer finally emerged from hiding, Kim Geun-Tae courageously forgave him. It must not have been an easy decision to make. But it is through such difficult decisions that an enduring democracy is made. | <urn:uuid:b6d7abfa-19f1-4cbc-93fd-38a76e0f89da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fpif.org/blog/the_other_kim?q=Tag%3Atorture | 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 | 0.977669 | 476 | 2.125 | 2 |
More on Obesity Laws
Feb 11, 2011
***Editor's Note: We continue to receive reaction to proposed legislation in Minnesota that would shield restaurants and other sectors of the food industry from obesity lawsuits...
#1: We agree that the resaurants and farmers should be protected from lawsuits associated with obesity. When will people accept responsibility for their own actions. No one is forcing people to
eat such large quanities they eat and then just sit on the couch all day.
Jerry and Shirley Bumb
#2: I am not a resident of Minnesota, but a resident of North Carolina. I am glad to hear that one law maker has the common sense to see that it is time that people take account for their actions. That it is not the products fault! I can only hope that others will follow his steps and do away with all of these senseless lawsuits that only make lawyers richer. All State Legislatures should introduce this law and should be announced nationally. Tim and Patricia Knight
#3: The law that requires everyone to be responsible for what and how much they eat can be good and bad. People are basically stupid and are like sheep following the flock, believing any advertising that they see on television. We have heard for years that we need to drink diet pop and that it is not harmful to your health. Latest college study however is that you are 60% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke if you drink three or four diet sodas a day. However we have laws requiring fast food places like McDonalds to list the calories on their food leaves how
much you eat totally up to you, if you eat like a pig, you will get fat. The responsibility for
getting fat is the responsibility of the person eating. We have become a society that wants
someone else to be responsible for all our bad choices. Anonymous
#4: I think restaurants, fast food places, farmers, etc. should be protected from lawsuits. But I also think that the food service industry needs to be much better regulated in regards to what’s in the food served to the public. That would include schools, restaurants of any kind, vendors at public events such as fairs, etc. But...we as individuals also need to take responsibility for
our own health and well-being. A lot of the health problems we have are brought on by our own carelessness.
A farmer’s wife. | <urn:uuid:53b1d526-3648-4b64-ace2-86ab9f7c6cde> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/blog/AgDay_Inbox_146/more_on_obesity_laws/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978537 | 492 | 1.882813 | 2 |
You probably have friends and acquaintances who are always rushing about and complaining about their lack of alone time. Maybe they don’t even say anything about it because they don’t know any other way to be. Every moment, they’re busy. Maybe you’re one of them.
If you examine the lives of overly busy people, you’ll probably find that they’re not contented, happy people. There’s always so much to do and so little time. Perhaps you’re reading this because you feel rushed yourself and want to slow down and reap the benefits of being still.
Two Kinds of Stillness
You can be quiet in body and quiet in mind. Both are important. Being still physically saves you a lot of energy and effort. You feel less exhausted by the end of the day. Mental quietness has a similar effect on your psychological, intellectual, and emotional energy.
All you have to do to achieve stillness of body is to finish your chores and then relax. Even while you’re completing your tasks, you can conserve energy by using little movement. To get an idea of how to do this, just watch a monk in action. Or notice how a cat relaxes.
Stillness of mind is more challenging to achieve. However, this kind of quietness is much more critical to overall contentment.
How do you feel when you get some shocking news? How about when you finally reach your target at work, win an award, or find yourself suddenly in a crisis? You feel a rush of adrenaline and you’re off, letting off steam in a gush of emotion, words or action.
So if this is such a natural response to big changes, why do you need to cultivate stillness? When you’re in the middle, when you’re centered, you can see both ends of the spectrum.
When you refrain from reacting in an extreme way, you can control your response to the situation. You can be objective. Most importantly, you can learn from your circumstances and use them for self-development.
From another perspective, when you’ve cultivated internal quietness, you’re less likely to face extreme ups and downs.
Try these tips to develop a still mind:
- Stop. In an extreme situation, pull away from the circumstance for a moment. Take a deep breath before you react.
- Listen. Listen carefully to what’s being said. If your mind jumps the gun with words you feel compelled to speak, bring it back to the moment. Return your attention to what the other is saying.
- Think. Contemplate why you’re facing the situation. Did you play a part in creating it? Is the other simply mirroring you? Is there something you need to learn from this circumstance?
If you take these steps, you’ll be able to avoid overreacting or reacting negatively in haste. This means your response, if and when it does come, will be the right one for the circumstances and for you.
The Importance of Silence
Another way to develop mental stillness is to practice silence. Speak only when necessary. Speak only when you have something of consequence to say or something that will help the other.
Before you speak, examine your motivation for saying what you want to say. Is it to further the welfare of the other? Or is it to praise yourself or prove that you’re right and the other wrong? A need to always be right is the basis of much conflict.
Moreover, when you’re habitually silent, your words have more effect. People pay attention when you speak.
As you work toward greater self-awareness, try cultivating internal stillness. Just follow these guidelines as a start. As you practice, you’ll realize many rewards. | <urn:uuid:2e77ccd4-bfa1-48e8-b15b-0bb96ad9a405> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://beyondburnoutblog.com/tag/stillness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93823 | 798 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Exclusive to STR
August 25, 2006
The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others. ~ Don Shula
Bread and circuses have gotten a bad name thanks to the state. Who or what else could possibly disparage the goodwill associated with eating and entertainment? Of course the source of the negative connotation is that bread and circuses are used by politicians to buy loyalty and provide distractions from their actions among the populace. They are used as a political strategy to pacify the people as their society delves further into militarism, but does that make food and entertainment evil? Does not then the state make all it touches evil?
The phrase was coined by Juvenal in the First Century in his Satires lamenting the continuing slide of his former Roman Republic into dictatorship. Then, as now, the world's sole Superpower was simultaneously destroying liberty at home and abroad in the insane quest for world hegemony. Juvenal, who likely came from an elite family, believed that this was happening because the controlled masses were no longer as virtuous as previous generations and thus deserved their fate. The problem with this view is that it scapegoats the natural human desires to eat and have fun while totally missing the root of the evil: the state itself.
States are created by elite to control the masses, plain and simple. Rulers will give people what they want if they think it will keep them in power. Most people want food and fun. It is not the food and fun that are bad, it is the stealing from some to give to others that is bad. It is people selling out their liberties for these things that are bad. Security, retirement funds, health care, education and all the other things that states use to appease restless citizens are not in and of themselves bad. What is bad for society is the state itself.
When the elite become drunk with their early successes organizing the local society into a manageable state collective, they inevitably seek expansion of the territory and peoples they control. The idea of One World Government is not a new one. But the elite today believe more than ever that they can actually accomplish this insane goal because of modern technology. Of course, plans of world domination never work out because 1) there is an endless supply of competing elite who think that they are The One True Leader and 2) most people just don't care about the struggles among power-crazed elite until it directly affects them. All the education in the world will not change these two conditions.
The idea of class struggle made popular by Marx tries to overcome the above two conditions by way of elevating artificial egalitarian principles over the natural order. Give Marx credit for recognizing the corrupt nature of elite power centers perpetuating their control for its own sake, but trying to fool Mother Nature just won't work. What he did was scare the crap out of the elite into offering more than just bread and circuses to buy loyalty with. Like farm subsidies, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public schools, public roads, etc . . . However, Marx made the same mistake that most people do when they look at the problem of state control: he accepted state control as a fact of life and focused on who controls the state.
The idea that society could be improved by killing intellectuals, stealing the wealth of the elite, eliminating private property and putting the peasants in control of the state is really pretty stupid if you think about it. Destruction is not really creative, but neither is seeking world hegemony. So for those who truly believe that the state is just a part of life, we are all stuck between a rock and a hard place: between Communists and Fascists. No wonder people prefer to think about food and entertainment instead of politics.
If your only choices are deciding who gets to run your life, then what's the point of making choices? The real circus distracting people from what's really important then isn't rock concerts, sporting events and movies, it's the state itself. Primarily the election of this or that "leader" to take us to the Promised Land, but also endless discussion and argument over 'correct' policies, amendments, laws and who to invade next. You have about as much chance of changing the system by being politically active as you do influencing who wins the Super Bowl by cheering for your favorite team: marginal at best.
I find it amusing to listen to radio talk show and television news show entertainers bemoan the fact that people would rather watch sports or go to a movie than listen to them pontificate about the same old crap over and over. Their thinking goes that if only everybody were educated (really indoctrinated) as good Republicans, Democrats or even Libertarians, then there would be more voters making better choices and we would all be ruled by wonderful, selfless leaders. Uh huh, right. Yet they all support the biggest state circus of all: war. State-controlled media is the circus we should avoid if we want to be free.
The election season is upon us. It comes every other football season. I'll be paying a lot more attention to the football season than the political season, though both are hard to avoid. The commentary of the respective media experts and pundits will continue to borrow metaphors from each other, the teams will have big mouths talking trash, the games will be played and the winners declared. The Sunday morning news shows and Monday morning quarterbacks will be all juiced up and passionate about the teams they have chosen to invest so much attention, emotion and energy in. The competition itself is the show because the outcomes change nothing in real life for anybody but the competitors and the gamblers.
I especially find it amusing when Republicrat clones pontificate about the rabble going in droves to NASCAR, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, World Cup and the many other events providing good old free-market fun (notwithstanding local government subsidies for most stadiums, which should be ended). If only this rabble would sit around and listen to Rush Limbaugh and Neal Boortz instead, then the government could be set straight and all would be well. That they willfully participate in their own brainwashing never crosses their minds. Some proudly refer to themselves as ditto-heads. Now there's a free-thinker.
The way to decrease state power is to decrease state support. For starters, ignore its elections, politicians, media hucksters and sycophants. If you really want to poke a stick in the eye of state worshipers, then go have some chicken wings and beer watching your favorite game or show while ignoring them. If you stop to think about it, raise a toast to praise two things that are really good in life: bread and circuses. Curse the state, not its victims.
Bread and circuses don't enslave people, states do. | <urn:uuid:57feaf9b-f831-481d-9e6b-d9ffc7d3728d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://strike-the-root.com/print/62/davis_m/davis3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969896 | 1,385 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Footspeed, or sprint speed, is the maximum speed at which a human can run. It is affected by many factors, varies greatly throughout the population, and is important in athletics and many sports, such as association football, rugby, and American football.
Factors in speed
The key determinant of footspeed in sprinting is the predominance of one distinct type of muscle fibre over another, specifically the ratio of fast-twitch muscles to slow-twitch muscles in a sprinter's physical makeup. Though fast-twitch muscles produce no more energy than slow-twitch muscles when they contract, they do so more rapidly through a process of anaerobic metabolism, though at the cost of inferior efficiency over longer periods of firing. The average human has an almost-equal ratio of fast-twitch to slow-twitch fibers, but top sprinters may have as much as 80% fast-twitch fibers, while top long-distance runners may have only 20%. This ratio is believed to have genetic origins, though some assert that it can be adjusted by muscle training.[Dead link] "Speed camps" and "Speed Training Manuals", which purport to provide fractional increases in maximum footspeed, are popular among budding professional athletes, and some sources estimate that 17% to 19% of speed can be trained.[Dead link]
Though good running form is useful in increasing speed, fast and slow runners have been shown to move their legs at nearly the same rate – it is the force exerted by the leg on the ground that separates fast sprinters from slow. Top short-distance runners exert as much as four times their body weight in pressure on the running surface. For this reason, muscle mass in the legs, relative to total body weight, is a key factor in maximizing footspeed.
Limits of speed
The fastest human footspeed on record is 44.72 km/h (27.79 mph), seen during a 100 metres sprint (average speed between the 60th and the 80th meter) by Usain Bolt. Maximum human sprint speed is strikingly slower than that of many animals. Compared to other land animals, humans are exceptionally capable of endurance, but exceptionally incapable of great speed. For example, cheetahs can attain short bursts of speed well over 100 km/h (62 mph), the American quarter horse has topped 88 km/h (55 mph), greyhounds can reach 70 km/h (43 mph), and the Mongolian Wild Ass has been measured at 64 km/h (40 mph). Even the domestic cat may reach 48 km/h (30 mph). Some people incorrectly believe that all these animals would lose in a long distance race with a human.[verification needed] An example would be the Man versus Horse Marathon, where horses with saddle and rider have bested almost all runners often by more than 25%.
The primary advantage humans have over most land animals is a superior method of cooling themselves. Most land animals cool themselves by panting, while humans are able to shed heat via perspiration. On a hot day, similar to the African climate where humans evolved, many land animals would overheat and fatigue much faster than humans. In Wales, where the Man versus Horse Marathon is held, the highest average temperature for any month is only 22 °C (72 °F). The lower temperature reduces the cooling advantage humans possess. Indeed, in the years that humans have won the Man versus Horse Marathon, the weather was reported as hot.
- Quinn, Elizabeth. "Fast and Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers", About.com, retrieved November 26, 2007.
- Zeigler, Mark. "The NFL treats 40-yard dash times as sacred", USOC.com, April 20, 2005, retrieved November 25, 2007.
- Herper, Matthew. "What's The Human Speed Limit?", Forbes.com, May 14, 2004, retrieved November 26, 2007.
- IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Biomechanical Research Project: Berlin 2009.
- "Humans hot, sweaty, natural-born runners", Physorg.com, April 16, 2007, retrieved November 27, 2007.
- Kruszelnicki, Karl. "Fake Flies and Cheating Cheetahs", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 1999, retrieved November 27, 2007.
- Rinehart, Janet. , Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association, retrieved November 27, 2007.
- American Museum of Natural History. "Speed of Animals", Infoplease.com, retrieved November 27, 2007. | <urn:uuid:b54ddba1-189d-4d46-b284-65947fc957ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footspeed | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928145 | 925 | 3.40625 | 3 |
THE only certainty about last week's announcement that women can serve in combat is that war for American soldiers will never be the same. To be sure, it's a mixed blessing that brings together positive elements - gender equality - with not-so-pleasant ones - putting even more of our fellow Americans in harms way.
On its face, this is a long-overdue element in the evolving effort to rid America's military of the sexism that has long plagued it. Furthermore, it is recognition of reality rather than a new plan. The fact is, particularly in recent years in Iraq and Afghanistan, women soldiers, sailors and Marines have served not just near but very much on the front lines alongside their male peers.
Women are issued weapons and they fire them at the enemy; they serve valiantly; and more than 100 of them have been killed as they carried out their duties.
Women in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines and the Coast Guard have already been in harm's way for decades, even if they were not technically supposed to be on the offensive front lines. That is precisely why so many career service women have greeted Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's announcement with such enthusiasm. The issue for them, they say, is that combat service is almost the only way to fully advance through the ranks at the same speed as men do. That's simply not fair, and, as far as the military as a profession goes, the move is both necessary and welcome.
Inescapably, more of our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives, will join the ranks of those for whom "Taps" is blown at a graveside ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. How profoundly sad, how tragic, that this is the result of progress.
Aside from the profound differences that will be wrought here, there are the practical considerations. Though many women, particularly today, are stronger and in better shape than many men, there are physical differences between the sexes. The Associated Press reports that when the Marine Corps sought women to go through its tough infantry course last year, two volunteered and both failed to complete the course.
For the sake of all troops, standards must not be lowered, but they needn't be maintained unreasonably high either.
That and so many other aspects of the plan to allow women in combat will take years to sort out. One general who is opposed to the decision points out that troops in forward positions on the battlefield often spend weeks or months in the closest of quarters with the least amount of personal privacy imaginable.
That's a challenge, of course, but not an insurmountable one that should stop the military from treating all its servicemen and women fairly. | <urn:uuid:60e3249f-5ee9-4a0d-891a-eec0db55bc6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_22461949/editorial-mixed-blessing-formalizing-women-combat-roles-is | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972519 | 546 | 2.296875 | 2 |
The Most Important Room at the Office
The office bathroom is like any complex ecosystem: populated by wild beasts you must detect and avoid, with names like the Mole, the Narcissist, the Mad Pinger, and the Howard Hughes. This is your guide to surviving the scariest place you go one to three times a day
The Howard Hughes
Uses one fresh paper towel to flush the urinal, another to turn off the faucet, and still another to exit the bathroom. Flushes toilet with foot. Suspects his bathroom experience would be perfect if he could only finish it off with a hazmat-decon shower and some Listerine.
Frequent simultaneous afflictions: Problematically porn-addicted; weirdly suspicious of flu shots; possible latex fetish; full slate of Martha Stewart on the DVR.
Likely office identity: Perfectly drafted memos; uncharacteristically fun when drunk; religiously kept journal stuffed in bottom drawer that bears the inscription "Exterminate all the brutes!"
How to know if you are him: This magazine is in a plastic sleeve.
Distant cousin: The Dental Hygienist
Brushes his teeth several times a day; sometimes flosses, to the point where you know every inch of his exposed fleshy gums and have more than once been flecked by his lathery spit residue. | <urn:uuid:d60b7729-d25f-4271-a3fa-c0b8f7ceb6be> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gq.com/entertainment/humor/201106/office-bathroom-etiquette?slide=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00066-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.924179 | 286 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Posted by: Katie Transue
“Net Ball!” Shanley yelled.
“That’s the second one,” Alex added.
We sail next to it and I gaff it with a hook. The chance of me holding on, while the 45 ton Sea Dragon traveling two knots pulls an estimated 700 lb tangled mass of nets, is unlikely. On the second try we slow down and run a halyard (rope at the top of the mast used to haul up a sail) through the large loops of encrusted rope on the net ball.
“Haul away,” Rodrigo yells.
The net ball swings over the deck and we start shaking it. There are multi-colored bits of rope and netting all woven throughout it. We shake it like a giant piñata. Little Sergeant Majors drop out, and a palm sized frog fish. Hank is underneath getting a shower of sea water and small crabs. I shake it more and something starts to fall.
Brittle stars begin to drop. Dozens of them. I’ve never seen brittle stars on a net. The biodiversity on these floating reefs is unbelievable. Then a cowrie pops out. This is a reef-dwelling sea shell, a beautiful smooth-shelled gastropod, and it’s living on a netball 600 miles off Japan’s coast.
We’ve created new habitat in the ocean. There are millions of tons of it floating in the 5 Gyres. Coastal species can ride the new reefs to other continents where they were previously barricaded by time and distance. When these new reefs make landfall they tear apart old reefs, depositing the foreign passengers in their wake.
We’ve chosen to take our two net balls with us, as aromatic as they are now. We’ll bring them to Tokyo. If we were in Korea, we would get paid for this service. If we were in the United States, the Ghost Net Network would give us a certificate and a free hat. I’ve got one, but unfortunately the program is over. What if the fishing industry had to register nets? Or what if nets were made of a biodegradable material, like PAH?
For now, I’m interested in an industry subsidized recovery program, where we can earn a few yen for the 1000 pounds of nets on our bow. That would cover the first round of sake the crew is dreaming of. -Marcus | <urn:uuid:439593fd-3044-409b-8796-7b51c9678a02> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.algalita.org/blog/?p=3216 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944 | 516 | 2.015625 | 2 |
204 U.S. 415
27 S.Ct. 363
51 L.Ed. 547
HUGH WALLACE, Will Wallace, Verge Goodwin, et al., Plffs. in Err.,
MRS. ELLA ADAMS, for Herself and as Natural Guardian and Next Friend of Henry McSwain and Roma McSwain, Her Minor Children.
Argued December 21, 1906.
Decided February 25, 1907.
Messrs. A. C. Cruce, Jackson H. Ralston, Frederick L. Siddons, William E. Richardson, W. I. Cruce, and W. R. Bleakmore for plaintiffs in error.
[Argument of Counsel from pages 415-417 intentionally omitted]
Messrs. George A. Mansfield, J. F. McMurray, and Melven Cornish (by special leave) for Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations.
Mr. Justice Brewer delivered the opinion of the court:
This was an action commenced in September, 1904, by Mrs. Ella Adams, for herself and her minor children, defendants in error, in the United States court for the southern district of the Indian territory, to recover possession of a tract of land in that territory. Defendants answered, and, upon trial, judgment was rendered in favor of plaintiffs. This judgment was sustained by the United States court of appeals of the Indian territory, and, on further appeal, reaffirmed by the United States circuit court of appeals for the eighth circuit. 143 Fed. 716.
The case arises out of the legislation of Congress designed to secure the disintegration of the tribal organization of the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian territory, and the distribution of the property of those tribes among the individual Indians. A full r esum e of this legislation and the general litigation following it is to be found in Stephens v. Cherokee Nation, 174 U. S. 445, 43 L. ed. 1041, 19 Sup. Ct. Rep. 722, and a full statement of the facts in this case is to be found in the opinion of the United States circuit court of appeals. An entire restatement of these matters is, therefore, unnecessary.
There is but a single matter to be determined. As counsel for plaintiffs in error say:
'The assignment of errors presents but one question. If the decree of the Choctaw-Chickasaw citizenship court, in the test case known as the Riddle Case, vacated the decree that defendant, Hill, had, theretofore, procured in the United States court for the southern district of the Indian territory, wherein he was adjudged to be a member of the Choctaw tribe of Indians, this case should be affirmed. If it did not, it should be reversed.'
To properly appreciate and rightly answer this single question some things in the history of the legislation and litigation and also some of the facts in this case must be noticed.
In order to divide the lands of these Indian nations an enumeration of the individuals entitled thereto became necessary. By the act of March 3, 1893 (27 Stat. at L. 645, chap. 209, § 16), the commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, generally known as the Dawes Commission, was empowered to negotiate and extinguish the tribal title to the lands and to make an allotment thereof to the members of the tribe in severalty. By that of June 10, 1896 (29 Stat. at L. 339, 340, chap. 398), the commission was authorized to hear the application and determine the right of each applicant for citizenship in either of these tribes. The act also granted an appeal to the proper United States district court in the Indian territory to any party aggrieved by the ruling of the commission, and declared that the judgment of that court should be final. It required the commission to make a complete roll of the citizens of each of the tribes, to be 'hereafter held and considered to be the true and correct rolls of persons entitled to the rights of citizenship in said several tribes.' Hill, who is the principal defendant, applied to be enrolled as a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, and his application was finally sustained by the court, and he was, on March 8, 1898, adjudged to be a member of the Choctaw tribe by blood and entitled to be enrolled as such. The land in controversy was selected and taken possession of by him in reliance upon this adjudication of citizenship. On July 1, 1898, Congress passed an act (30 Stat. at L. 591, chap. 545) granting to the tribes an appeal to the Supreme Court from the judgments of the United States courts of the Indian territory in citizenship cases. Under the authority of this act many of these cases were appealed to this court, which affirmed the judgments. Stephens v. Cherokee Nation, supra. On March 21, 1902, an agreement was made between the United States and the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, which was confirmed by act of Congress July 1, 1902 (32 Stat. at L. 641, chap. 1362). This agreement and act were substantially that a court known as the Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court should be created, and that that court should have power, in a suit in equity brought by either or both of these tribes against any ten persons who had been admitted to citizenship or enrolment by the terms of the judgments of the several United States courts in the Indian territory, as representatives of all persons similarly situated, to determine whether the judgments of those courts should be annulled on account of certain alleged irregularities. The agreement and act also provided that, in case the citizenship courts should decide that those judgments should be annulled the papers in any action in those courts, wherein such a judgment had been rendered, should, upon seasonable application of either party, be transferred to the citizenship court, which should proceed to a hearing and determination of the question of citizenship. Under this agreement and act the court was established and test suit brought, in which a decree was entered to the effect that the judgments of the United States courts in the Indian territory, whereby persons were admitted to citizenship in the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations under the act of June 10, 1896, were annulled and vacated. Hill was not named a party in that test suit, nor did he thereafter apply for a transfer of his case to the citizenship court. The above statement of facts is sufficiently full for an understanding of the single question presented for determination.
That single question may be divided into two. First, was the decree in the Indian territory court declaring Hill a citizen a finality, beyond the power of Congress to in any manner disturb? This was answered in the Stephens Case, supra. In that case we held that Congress could authorize a review of the judgments of the United States courts of the Indian territory in citizenship cases, and this although, by the terms of prior legislation, those judgments had become final. While sustaining the act authorizing such review and providing for appeals to this court, we construed it as limiting the appeals to the question of the constitutionality or validity of the legislation, and not as bringing before us the facts in the instances of all applications for citizenship. In the opinion (page 477, L. ed. page 1052, Sup. Ct. Rep. page 734) we said:
'The contention is that the act of July 1, 1898, in extending the remedy by appeal to this court, was invalid because retrospective, an invasion of the judicial domain, and destructive of vested rights. By its terms the act was to operate retrospectively, and as to that it may be observed that while the general rule is that statutes should be so construed as to give them only prospective operation, yet, where the language expresses a contrary intention in unequivocal terms, the mere fact that the legislation is retroactive does not necessarily render it void.
'And while it is undoubtedly true that legislatures cannot set aside the judgments of courts, compel them to grant new trials, order the discharge of offenders, or direct what steps shall be taken in the progress of a judicial inquiry, the grant of a new remedy by way of review has been often sustained under particular circumstances. Calder v. Bull, 3 Dall. 386, 1 L. ed. 648; Sampeyreac v. United States, 7 Pet. 222, 8 L. ed. 665; Freeborn v. Smith, 2 Wall. 160, 17 L. ed. 922; Garrison v. New York, 21 Wall. 196, 22 L. ed. 612; Freeland v. Williams, 131 U. S. 405, 33 L. ed. 193, 9 Sup. Ct. Rep. 763; Essex Public Road Board v. Skinkle, 140 U. S. 334, 35 L. ed. 446, 11 Sup. Ct. Rep. 790.
'The United States court in Indian territory is a legislative court and was authorized to exercise jurisdiction in these citizenship cases as a part of the machinery devised by Congress in the discharge of its duties in respect of these Indian tribes; and, assuming that Congress possesses plenary power of legislation in regard to them, subject only to the Constitution of the United States, it follows that the validity of remedial legislation of this sort cannot be questioned unless in violation of some prohibition of that instrument.
'In its enactment Congress has not attempted to interfere in any way with the judicial department of the government, nor can the act be properly regarded as destroying any vested right, since the right asserted to be vested is only the exemption of these judgments from review; and the mere expectation of a share in the public lands and moneys of these tribes, if hereafter distributed, if the applicants are admitted to citizenship, cannot be held to amount to such an absolute right of property that the original cause of action, which is citizenship or not, is placed by the judgment of a lower court beyond the power of re-examination by a higher court, though subsequently authorized by general law to exercise jurisdiction.'
This decision established that no such vested right was created by the proceedings of the Dawes Commission or the judgments of the courts of the Indian territory on appeal from the findings of the commission as prevented subsequent investigation. The power of Congress over the matter of citizenship in these Indian tribes was plenary, and it could adopt any reasonable means to ascertain who were entitled to its privileges. If the result of one measure was not satisfactory it could try another. The fact that the first provision was by an inquiry in a territorial court did not exhaust the power of Congress or preclude further investigation. The functions of the territorial courts in this respect were but little more than those of a commission. While the act of July 1, 1898, provided for an appeal to this court, and appeals were taken in many cases, yet our inquiry stopped with the question of the constitutionality of the legislation. In other words, we entertained and decided the purely judicial question of the validity of the means Congress had adopted for determining the matter of citizenship. We did not attempt to pass upon the question of citizenship in any particular case, nor determine whether the applicant was or was not entitled to be enrolled as a citizen. It is unnecessary to consider what would have been the effect of a judgment of this court, a court provided for in the Constitution, on the question of the right of a litigant to citizenship. The distinction between this court and the courts established by act of Congress in virtue of its power to ordain and establish inferior courts is shown in Gordon v. United States, 117 U. S. 697, Appx. in which we held that while Congress could give to the court of claims jurisdiction to inquire and report upon claims against the government, it could not authorize an appeal from such report to this court unless our decision was made a final judgment, not subject to congressional review. In the opinion Mr. Chief Justice Taney said (pp. 699, 702): 'Congress may undoubtedly establish tribunals with special powers to examine testimony and decide, in the first instance, upon the validity and justice of any claim for money against the United States, subject to the supervision and control of Congress, or a head of any of the executive departments. In this respect the authority of the court of claims is like to that of an auditor or comptroller, with this difference only: that in the latter case the appropriation is made in advance, upon estimates furnished by the different executive departments, of their probable expenses during the ensuing year; and the validity of the claim is decided by the officer appointed by law for that purpose, and the money paid out of the appropriation afterwards made. In the case before us the validity of the claim is to be first decided, and the appropriation made afterwards. But in principle there is no difference between these two special jurisdictions created by acts of Congress for special purposes, and neither of them possesses judicial power in the sense in which those words are used in the Constitution. The circumstance that one is called a court and its decisions called judgments cannot alter its character nor enlarge its power. . . . Congress cannot extend the appellate power of this court beyond the limits prescribed by the Constitution, and can neither confer nor impose on it the authority or duty of hearing and determining an appeal from a commissioner or auditor, or any other tribunal exercising only special powers under an act of Congress; nor can Congress authorize or require this court to express an opinion on a case where its judicial power could not be exercised, and where its judgment would not be final and conclusive upon the rights of the parties, and process of execution awarded to carry it into effect.'
This decree was followed by legislation which, in a general way, provided that the rulings of this court on appeals from the judgments of the court of claims should be in effect judgments. While that case is not entirely parallel to this, yet the line of thought pursued in the opinion is suggestive. We do not feel called upon to enlarge upon it. It is enough now to hold that Congress, in giving to the Indian territory courts jurisdiction of appeals from the action of the Dawes Commission, did not place the decisions of these courts beyond the reach of further investigation. Hence the act of Congress of July 1, 1902, creating the Choctaw and Chickasaw citizenship court, and giving to it power to examine the judgments of the Indian territory courts, and determine whether they should not be annulled on account of irregularities, was a valid exercise of power.
The other question is one of procedure, and not of power. It is objected that the defendant Hill was not made a party to the proceeding instituted in the citizenship court, but there were a multitude, according to the report of the Dawes Commission, probably one thousand, in whose favor judgments of citizenship have been entered in the Indian territory courts, and the act provided that ten should be selected as representatives of the class. It further authorized any individual, in case of an adverse judgment by the citizenship court, to transfer his case from the territorial to that court. Now, it is undoubtedly within the power of a court of equity to name as defendants a few individuals who are in fact the representatives of a large class having a common interest or a common right,—a class too large to be all conveniently brought into court,—and make the decree effective not merely upon those individuals, but also upon the class represented by them. Mandeville v. Riggs, 2 Pet. 482, 7 L. ed. 493; Smith v. Swormstedt, 16 How. 288, 14 L. ed. 942; Bacon v. Robertson, 18 How. 480, 489, 15 L. ed. 499, 504; United States v. Old Settlers, 148 U. S. 427, 480, 37 L. ed. 509, 529, 13 Sup. Ct. Rep. 650. It was by way of extra precaution, and in order to more effectually secure the rights of the individuals other than those named as parties defendant in that suit, that Congress provided that anyone might transfer his individual case from the territorial court to the citizenship court, and there have the merits of his claim decided. Hill, as every other citizen, was bound to take notice of the legislation of Congress, and it is not to be doubted that he, as well as others similarly situated, was cognizant of the proceedings that were being had in pursuance of such legislation. He made no application to transfer his case, but chose to abide by the outcome of the case against the ten representatives of his class. The answers to these subordinate questions fully dispose of the main question. Without further discussion, we refer to the exhaustive opinion of Circuit Judge Sanborn, in delivering the judgment of the court of appeals, with which, in the main, we fully concur.
We find no error in the record, and the judgment of the Court of Appeals is affirmed. | <urn:uuid:acff7b15-b836-47d3-b07c-ee9090fc37ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://openjurist.org/204/us/415 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966344 | 3,467 | 1.851563 | 2 |
This Aviation Company is amongst the world’s leading producers of large and small jet engines for military and commercial aircraft. In addition they supply aircraft derived engines for marine applications and provide aviation services.
The site in South Wales faced an annual energy bill of £1.2m and RUMM was asked to investigate energy usage across the site in order to understand the total consumption picture and identify those areas where improvements could be made.
RUMM split the site into 5 areas and installed a sub-metering aM&T system comprising of 32 meters. Data analysis identified that the base load of electricity was around 1MW, with several area highlighted as targets for energy reduction measures.
Initiatives such as the installation of variable speed drives in the site cleaning bay extraction system, meant that the speed of the motors providing air extraction was able to be optimised in line with the process requirements, resulting in a 28% decrease in energy consumption.
A new lighting and control scheme which worked in accordance with daylight and occupancy saved a further 6%. Improved temperature control of a large chilling circuit and the addition of a timer control system also added a further 24% to the savings.
The air compressor system was also identified as an area where energy was being wasted and advanced fault finding discovered air leaks. Once these were fixed, pressure was reduced and a smaller fixed lead
compressor was added, the combined measure of which saved an additional 30%.
Energy savings have increased year on year since the installation of RUMM’s energy management solution, rising from 5% in 2007,to 12% in 2008 and 21% in 2009.
This reduction equates to a total of £500,000 savings to date with a reduction of 2,685teC02 emissions. The savings made to date have also enabled the site to install additional metering with the view to obtaining similar reductions in gas usage and expenditure.
WHY IT WORKED
Splitting the site into 5 key areas and then installing a sub-metering system allowed the RUMM and on site energy teams to clearly identify those areas where energy consumption was highest.
This targeted approach meant energy reduction measures could be very specific and easily benchmarked to ascertain their success.
“The service that RUMM provides is not just a contract, they also form personal relationships with the client.
It’s very much a working partnership, which sometimes goes above and beyond the contract”
— Maintenance Leader | <urn:uuid:bbfd29d2-3fc6-471f-8f90-a4c6fca04821> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rumm.co.uk/case-studies-2/aviation-energy-savings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966365 | 503 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Tue May 31 10:29am EDT
The first team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Hockey Club in 1893. The silver chalice has been handed to the National Hockey League's champion each year since 1927. The number of players who have touched, hugged, lifted, dropped, partied with and drank from the Cup is well into the thousands.
Which is to say that Stanley's gotten around.
Each offseason, the Hockey Hall of Fame has "Keepers of the Cup" travel with the most famous trophy in sports to destinations around the world, as each member of the winning team gets his time with the Stanley Cup. Some destinations are a bit more exotic than others, however.
Here are the 10 oddest places the Stanley Cup has ever visited.
10. Steve Yzerman's Shower
The Stanley Cup has seen plenty of bedrooms — heck, even Sidney Crosby has slumbered with Stanley.
Yzerman was so elated by the victory, he didn't sleep the night after the Wings closed out the series. But he did eventually take a postgame shower … with the Stanley Cup.
For a moment, Steve Yzerman was the owner of the world's most valuable soap dish.
9. Baptism in Sweden
In 1996, Sylvain Lefebvre of the Colorado Avalanche became the first player to use the Stanley Cup as a baptismal font, as his daughter Alexzandra was baptized in it.
But in 2008, the Stanley Cup was not only used for a baptism, but for a baptism in Sweden.
Tomas Holmstrom(notes) of the Detroit Red Wings suggested to his cousin Robert that his 2-month-old daughter should be christened in the Stanley Cup when Holmstrom returned to Pitea, Sweden, with the Cup.
So on a July morning, Alva Felicia Holmstrom was baptized in hockey's Holy Grail. Which, we believe, already qualifies her for sainthood.
8. "The Howard Stern Show"
When Howard Stern was still on terrestrial radio in New York, Claude Lemieux(notes) of the New Jersey Devils brought the Cup with him for an appearance. During the show, it sounded as if one of Stern's flunkies (in this case, Jackie The Jokeman) had … er … defecated in the Stanley Cup.
But Mike Bolt, one of the keepers of the Cup from the Hockey Hall of Fame refuted that to Maxim in 2008:
"No. I've heard two things: They put chocolate pudding or a chocolate bar in it. Personally, I don't know why someone would think that was funny; people drink and eat out of this thing. I would not have allowed it if I were around in '95 when it happened. I always say, you want to keep winning this, you respect it, because in 1940 the Rangers burned the deed [to the old Madison Square Garden] in the Cup and then urinated on it to put out the fire—and it was 54 years before they won it again. But 99 percent of the guys, if not 100, are very respectful around it."
And who doesn't like pudding?
7. In the Paddock of a Kentucky Derby Winner
In 1994, after the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup, forward and horse racing aficionado Ed Olczyk took the Chalice to Belmont Park in New York where Go For Gin, the 1994 Kentucky Derby Winner, was being housed. Olczyk met legendary trainer Nick Zito and took this famous picture of one equine champion eating out of another sport's championship. (Oddly, Eddie O would later claim that "no horse ate out of the Cup while it was with me," despite the photographic evidence to the contrary.)
Alas, the Cup curse struck again, as Go For Gin placed second to Tabasco Cat in the '94 Belmont Stakes.
6. Under Niagara Falls
Buffalo native Patrick Kane(notes) of the Chicago Blackhawks became the first hockey player to take the Stanley Cup to Niagara Falls in August 2010, raising it above his head as the waters from the Bridal Veil Falls splashed down on it. Said Kane: "You have the water hitting you, while you're holding the thing you worked so hard to get for your whole life to get, it's really cool."
Less cool: Getting stranded above the streets of Buffalo on the long ladder of a fire engine, as Kane did later that day.
5. In the Rideau Canal
In 1905, the Ottawa Silver Seven won the Stanley Cup and celebrated as one might expect they would at the Russell Hotel's bar. This type of revelry is the breeder of bad decisions, and the Sevens' minds spawned a doozy: Forward Harry Smith was dared to drop-kick the Stanley Cup into the Rideau Canal, which connects the Ottawa River with Lake Ontario.
He won the dare, punting the Cup into the river. So awestruck were the Silver Seven players that they forgot to actually retrieve it after the stunt; according to Sports Illustrated, Smith "returned with a hangover the next morning to reclaim the trophy from the dry bed of the waterway."
4. On the Runway at a Strip Club
Mark Messier is an NHL legend because of his clutch performances and bold leadership; and it really doesn't get more bold than bringing one of the most cherished trophies in sports to a gentleman's club after your team wins it.
In 1987, Messier and the Edmonton Oilers captured the Cup. Messier brought the Cup to the Forum Inn, a strip club near the Northlands Coliseum. He set it on stage, and one of the local talents incorporated it into her routine to create an instant Cup legend.
This move became somewhat of a tradition for Messier. In 1994, when he helped the New York Rangers win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, Messier and some teammates partied with the Chalice at Scores, a then-hugely popular sports-themed strip club in Manhattan.
No word how long it took the keepers of the Cup to remove all the glitter …
3. Marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade
When the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007, they became the first California-based franchise to win the title. Based on that geography, the opportunity was there to make some more history: For the first time in 119 years of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, the Stanley Cup appeared in the parade, traveling on a float that extolled the virtues of Anaheim. Brad May(notes) was the lucky Duck who rode with it; and despite his reputation as a gritty player, held back from grazing on the flowers.
In 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks took the Cup to another parade for the first time -- Chicago's gay pride parade.
2. The Bottom of Mario Lemieux's Pool
In an incident so infamous it spawned a book title about Stanley Cup misadventures, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Phil Bourque jumped into the large swimming pool at captain Mario Lemieux's house, ostensibly to see if the Stanley Cup could float.
"It doesn't float," Bourque told the Penguins website in 2008. "We put it in Mario's pool and it sinks in a matter of 10 seconds. We didn't want to hurt it because you got to respect the Cup, but you want have some fun with it too."
Still, the Cup sank to the bottom of the pool, which may have contributed to it being damaged during the Penguins' Cup celebration that night. When it was Bourque's turn to have the Cup in his possession, he heard a rattling bolt on the inside of the Chalice, which he took apart and fixed.
In the process, and inspired by some etchings he saw inside the Cup from the 1940s, Bourque took a screwdriver and scratched "Phil Bourque, Pittsburgh Penguins, 90-91, Enjoy it!" inside the metal frame.
1. In a Kandahar War Zone
The Stanley Cup has been all over the world. But in 2007, for the first time, it was taken into an active war zone.
The National Hockey League and its Players Association took the Cup to Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where it was mobbed by appreciative soldiers from Canada and the U.S. for photographs.
From Maxim, Cup keeper Mike Bolt recalled the journey:
We went to Afghanistan this past March and had a missile attack our first night. We first arrived in Kandahar in flak jackets, the whole thing. Later on, I get back to the barracks and hear an air-raid siren, but I was dying for a shower, so I figured I'd just sit tight. I got into my room and—true story—sat down on the Cup case and read Maxim. I swear. I go into the shower, and when I get out a bunch of the guys are around going, "Mike, where were you during the missile attack?" I told them, "Sitting on the Cup case reading Maxim." And they said, "Holy crap, you're dedicated to your job!" [Laughs] Truth be told, if I had known better, I would have ditched the Cup and been like George Costanza pushing women and children out of the way.
The Cup has made subsequent visits to Afghanistan, with soldiers wearing NHL jerseys treating it like the Holy Grail of hockey that it is.
Follow Yahoo! Sports on Facebook and be the first to know about the most interesting stories of the day. | <urn:uuid:e1ace099-4b93-4c05-9252-73f0bcf18c25> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/the-10-oddest-places-the-stanley-cup-has-ever-visited?urn=nhl,wp6036 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972813 | 1,972 | 1.648438 | 2 |
IRVINE, Calif. – A long-awaited report from the Department of Justices Office of the Inspector General sheds considerable light on the battles within the departments voting section during the Bush and Obama administrations. The picture is not pretty.
It is a tale of dysfunction and party polarization that could unfairly derail the nomination of the next secretary of labor and could even provide ammunition to Justice Antonin Scalias incendiary charge, made during the Supreme Courts hearing on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act last month, that the civil rights law is a kind of racial entitlement. The sordid business raises serious questions about whether the whole model for the federal enforcement of voting rights should be reworked.
The record of political bias in the Justice Departments voting section during President George W. Bushs administration is well known. (The departments voting section is charged with enforcing the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws.)
We know from earlier reports that election officials, including Monica Goodling, went on a hiring binge to hire conservative attorneys to work in the section and, in the words of Bush appointee Bradley Schlozman, to gerrymander all those crazy libs right out of the section.
We know that senior Justice Department officials in the Bush era, including Hans von Spakovsky, overruled the recommendations of career civil-service attorneys in the section to approve Georgias controversial voter identification law.
And we know that the Justice Department during the Bush era made decisions widely perceived to help Republicans, such as approving Texas mid-decade re-redistricting of its congressional seats to create more safe Republican seats, an effort partially overturned by the Supreme Court after finding it violated the Voting Rights Act.
But less well-known are the charges by conservatives that the voting rights section under the Obama administration has been just as biased in its hiring and decision-making – including charges that the Justice Department wrongfully dropped a case of voter intimidation against members of the New Black Panthers Party during the 2008 election because the perpetrators were black; that the department handled Freedom of Information Act requests from liberals more quickly and efficiently than those from conservatives; and that conservatives were disfavored in hiring and promotion by the new bosses, including the head of the civil rights division, Thomas Perez, who President Obama nominated Monday to serve as the next secretary of labor.
The inspector generals report rejected most of these conservative charges. It found that the decision on the New Black Panthers, as well as decisions on whether to pursue claims of voting rights violations against white voters and others, were within the policy discretion of Justice Department officials. Likewise, the inspector general concluded that many Bush-era decisions, such as those over the Georgia voter ID law, were also within the policy discretion of Justice Department officials. The inspector general rejected the claim involving the handling of FOIA requests and found that partisan hiring practices had improved since the Bush era.
But other aspects of the departments investigation were deeply troubling. As conservatives have long charged, many of the career civil-service employees in the Justice Departments voting section are strong liberals. Conservatives who worked at the department, especially on cases involving the protection of white voters, were ostracized, called Klansman, Nazi, or subject to ridicule in department emails or in anonymous items posted on political blogs.
One voting-section employee admitted to lying under oath to investigators about posting such comments. She said she did it in response to a series of harassing comments made by three male conservative colleagues in February 2007, including highly offensive and inappropriate sexual comments about the employee, including her sexual orientation, and remarks about how she was pro-black in her work.
The lack of professionalism and level of personal nastiness in the report in some cases is appalling. As Andrew Cohen remarked, At least we are better than Bradley Schlozman is no standard for a Justice Department.
And while hiring practices have improved in the Obama administration, the inspector general found that departments use of civil rights and voting rights experience as criteria for hiring tend to skew the sections hiring toward Democrats and liberals – experience that the inspector general said was not always necessary to do the job. Further, one of the members of the voting-section hiring committee often sent emails within the Justice Department that were highly critical of Republicans or conservatives. This would lead a reasonable person to question (his) ability to evaluate job applications free from political or ideological bias.
The voting sections troubles went beyond personnel issues into the question of whether the Voting Rights Act was fairly enforced. Some department employees, including a current manager, admitted to (IG investigators) that, while they believed that the text of the Voting Rights Act is race-neutral and applied to all races, they did not believe the Voting Section should pursue cases on behalf of White victims. Even if the department had infinite resources, (two career attorneys) still would not have supported the filing of (a case against black officials discriminating against white voters) because it was contrary to the purpose of the Voting Rights Act, which was to ensure that minorities who had historically been the victims of discrimination could exercise the right to vote.
While the investigators did not find that these views affected how the department enforced the Voting Rights Act, these statements will play right into the hands of conservatives such as Scalia who attack the civil rights law as a racial entitlement. Dont be surprised to see the report cited in an opinion by Scalia in the Shelby County case considering whether the Voting Rights Act remains constitutional.
More broadly, the report has gotten conservatives in a tizzy and will be featured prominently in the Perez nomination battle. Hostile Republicans are going after Perez, even though many of the problems predate his tenure as head of the civil rights division and he comes across pretty well in the report. (The worst the report says about him is that he gave inadvertently incorrect testimony regarding whether political appointees were involved in decisions on prosecutions in the New Black Panthers case and that he should have investigated further before testifying about the case.)
The sharp divide between liberals and conservatives working for the voting section, and the widely divergent policy choices they pursued in the Bush and Obama administrations, raises serious questions about whether this wing of the Justice Department, as currently constituted, can do its job. The inspector generals report rejected the idea that it was inevitable for the voting wars to spill into the voting section:
Other Department components – including components that specialize in subject areas that are also politically controversial, such as environmental protection – do not appear to suffer from the same degree of polarization and internecine conflict. We believe the difference is largely a function of leadership and culture, and that steps must be taken to address the professional culture of the Voting Section and the perception that political or ideological considerations have affected important administrative and enforcement decisions there.
Maybe. If not, then we should consider more radical solutions. Because, if the people charged with maintaining a level playing field cant keep the peace, what hope is there for anyone else? | <urn:uuid:309c8331-8692-4f26-a266-19acc5d98819> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jg.net/article/20130322/EDIT05/303229986/1021/EDIT | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969336 | 1,401 | 1.53125 | 2 |
A little more than kin, and less than kind. - Hamlet (1.2.65), aside
These are the first words Hamlet speaks in the play. He refers to Claudius as "more than kin" because he is now his uncle and step father, and I would take "less than kind" at face value, although some interpret "kind" as "natural" because of Shakespeare's use of the word elsewhere.
The First Folio does not have the line marked as an aside; the direction first was added by Warburton, and almost every editor since has adopted it. There are good arguments, however, to support that Hamlet speaks these words directly to Claudius.
The Shakespearean scholar M. Moltke explains:
There is no other instance in Shakespeare's plays where the hero is first introduced with such a very brief soliloquy; secondly, no one plays upon words when speaking to one's self; thirdly, Sh[akespeare] invariably strikes the keynote of his dramas at the very outset. In this instance, after having in the first scene made us take sides with Hamlet against the King, and after having still further fostered this feeling of sympathy for the one and dislike for the other by the King's hypocritical speech from the throne, it is of the utmost importance that this opposition between the two should be emphasized, and that Hamlet himself should be shown, not only as perfectly aware of it himself, but as equally determined that the King himself should be aware of it. All these objects fail if the speech be spoken aside. (As quoted in A New Variorum Edition of Shakespeare. Vol III. Hamlet, Ed. Horace Howard Furness. Philadelphia: Lippincott & Co., 1877. p. 33)
How to cite this article:
Mabillard, Amanda. Shakespeare Quick Quote: A little more than kin, and less than kindShakespeare Online. 20 Nov. 2009. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/quickquotes/quickquotehamletkin.html >. | <urn:uuid:dc76795b-2843-43e9-9118-a9ba83691d43> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shakespeare-online.com/quickquotes/quickquotehamletkin.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955031 | 436 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Earlier this month, the Health Authority and the Department of Human Services released a State of Equity report that measured whether there are disparities in health and human services for Oregonians of different race and ethnicity.
The report shows there are disparities in many areas in our state, particularly for African Americans and Native Americans.
Among the key findings: African Americans and Native American adults experience much higher rates of unnecessary hospitalization, an indication of lack of preventive care or other health services. They also have higher smoking rates and are less likely to be employed after completing substance-abuse treatment programs.
It is very disturbing that the system doesn't treat everyone equally and that something so fundamental as receiving care that will keep you out of the hospital too often depends on who you are.
But that's exactly why we did this report, and it's just the first step. If we are truly going to achieve our goal of bringing health equity into the Oregon Health Plan and to all care in Oregon, we have to start with the health care and human services that we either fund or manage. We have to, in essence, walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
The State of Equity report also measures whether people believe they have received excellent customer service from OHA and DHS – which is our goal. There are definite disparities, but across the board we need to increase satisfaction and look at how we can best help the people on the front lines who are working to help clients.
There also are areas where there are no disparities or where we are doing better than earlier measurements. For example, prevention rates for youths and adults on OHP show no disparity with regard to race and ethnicity. We need to look at these successes to see if there are things we can learn and apply to the areas that need improvement.
We will continue to report on this and to work toward improving things. In the meantime, I would like for everyone to please read the entire State of Equity report. We all need to understand this issue fully and work together to ensure that we are truly providing equal services to all. | <urn:uuid:7bbb6caa-bef1-4ede-a747-25a37bc13614> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oha.state.or.us/oha/dir-msg/2011/2011-0923.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974219 | 418 | 2 | 2 |
Baby Development Affected By Mama Mood Swings
A new study, soon to be published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, shows that...
A new study, soon to be published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, shows that a mama's mood swings during and after pregnancy can continue to affect how her baby develops after it's born. Over the years, research has proven more and more how important a healthy womb environment is. Babies, yet to be born, can still form food preferences in the womb and brain structure can be altered, based on what their mother eats. BPA crosses the placenta, affecting babies in the womb, and of course we've known for a long while about how the effects of smoking, drinking alcohol and taking other drugs can cause harmful developmental problems. But the research on how depression affects babies is still in the early stages. There hasn't been a ton of clear-cut evidence about mother depression and how it may affect babies. During this new study, researchers recruited pregnant women and checked them for depression before and after they gave birth. After the babies were born, the researchers further tested the babies to see how they were developing. What the study found is that pregnant mother depression did affect babies, but not as much as if the babies' environment was consistent before and after birth. In other word, babies who developed the best, had mamas who were healthy during pregnancy and after birth and babies whose mothers were depressed before birth and stayed depressed afterward, which is unexpected. The babies who experienced slower development had environments consisting of changing conditions. For example if a mother wasn't depressed during pregnancy but became depressed after or if a mother went from depressed during pregnancy to not depressed after, the babies had slower development. These are obviously strange findings, because how one might read them is that if a mother is depressed during pregnancy, she better stay that way after the baby arrives in order to allow for proper development. However, Curt A. Sandman of the University of California-Irvine study notes:
"A more reasonable approach would be, to treat women who present with prenatal depression. We know how to deal with depression. The problem is, women are rarely screened for depression before birth. In the long term, having a depressed mother could lead to neurological problems and psychiatric disorders."This isn't the final word. According to researchers, it will take years of research to figure out exactly what having a depressed mother means to a child's long-term health. Right now though, you can learn more about what causes depression in mothers and how to prevent it. Read the following for tips... Most important: Don’t leave your moods up to your health care provider. Studies show that far too many health care providers DO NOT screen for depression. If you feel stressed or depressed, talk to your doctor or midwife about it.
- Pre-baby blues caused by lack of partner support
- Partner violence can result in depression
- 6 ways to prevent the baby blues
- Talking to other mamas can prevent depression
- Mood lifting essential oils for mamas
- Prevent postpartum depression before it starts | <urn:uuid:9e5bebfe-5c56-4738-9692-b36e03d69359> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pregnancyandbaby.com/the-hatch-blog/articles/935531/baby-development-affected-by-mama-mood-swings | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968578 | 647 | 3.09375 | 3 |
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - In a story Nov. 30 about allegations of abuse at a Guatemalan psychiatric hospital, The Associated Press reported erroneously that 300 children were found held in isolation there. The rights group Disability Rights International says it found a total population of about 340 patients but saw only a few in isolation, including a teenager. The story also said that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights participated in the investigation. Two rights groups conducted the investigation, then submitted their findings to the commission.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Human rights groups say they found women and children subjected to abuse at a public psychiatric hospital in Guatemala's capital.
The investigation was conducted by the Human Rights Office of the Archbishop of Guatemala and Disability Rights International, and the findings were submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Executive Director Nery Rodenas said Friday that the probe found patients in the Federico Mora hospital suffering from a lack of medical attention, along with abuse by staff and inmates from a neighboring prison who were allowed into the hospital. The commission called for Guatemala to swiftly address conditions in the hospital.
Investigators found more than 300 children and adults at the facility. It said it found that newly admitted minors were kept in isolation cells, and patients in locked cells had died of preventable diseases due to lack of medical attention.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
A study has a gloomy forecast for U.S. amphibians.
"Jenny from the Block" wants you to buy Verizon phones from her.
Some cockroaches only take five years to evolve to avoid poison.
Two brown bears rescued after 10 years in captivity. | <urn:uuid:8d90f749-e29b-4eea-933c-5b069345a597> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtop.com/237/3138764/Probe-finds-abuse-in-Guatemala-mental-hospital | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967826 | 360 | 2.078125 | 2 |
I have come across a very interesting publication that forms an appendix to the Report of the Commissioners, that was part of the House of Commons Papers for the year 1836. It was published in London by Clowes and Sons. The publication contains answers to a series of questions on the “earnings of labourers, cottier tenants, employment of women and children” in different parts of Ireland. One of those areas covered is the Union of Paulstown. It gives a fascinating insight into the social and economic conditions which contributed to the harsh realities of life in the mid 1830s.
The answers for Kilmocahill are provided by Rev. James M. Stubbs and the answers for the Union of Paulstown are provided by Rev. Michael Brenan P.P. The first graphic shows the twelve questions that were asked. The answers are in the second and third graphics and read downwards. The twelve boxes correspond to the twelve questions.
Each graphic can be clicked to enlarge. | <urn:uuid:c32ce004-0650-46cc-9909-c2994c1e5a5c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://oldpaulstownstories.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/house-of-commons-papers-1836/?like=1&_wpnonce=ef2a6945bd | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966761 | 202 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Arnold, Dan (1930-) -- Interviews;
City and County Hospital (Houston, Tex.);
Harris County Hospital District;
Texas Medical Center;
Houston Urban League.
A native Houstonian, Dan Arnold grew up in the Depression era. Graduating from the Univ. of Texas in Law, he worked for Vinson and Elkins. Dan Arnold has shown an exemplary record of community service. He was involved in the City and County Charity...
The founder of Texas Heart Institute, Denton Cooley is interviewed by Dr. William H. Kellar. Dr. Cooley has pioneered many techniques used in cardiovascular surgery including the first successful human heart transplant and the first implant of an...
When she was named Principal Dancer for the Houston Ballet in 1990, Lauren Anderson became the first African American to hold such a position in a major ballet company. Anderson talks with Linda Lorelle about growing up in Houston, her ballet...
Baker, James Addison, 1930- ;
Law firms -- Texas -- Houston;
Statesmen -- United States -- Biography;
Statesmen -- United States -- Interviews;
Cabinet officers -- United States -- Biography;
Cabinet officers -- United States -- Interviews;
Statesman James Baker III examines his political career. He served as the 10th White House Chief of Staff during President Ronald Regan administration, and the 16th White House Chief of Staff during George H.W. Bush administration. He also served...
Barnstone, Gertrude, 1925- ;
Theater -- Texas -- Houston -- History;
School board members -- Texas -- Houston -- Interviews;
School integration -- Texas -- Houston -- History;
Houston (Tex.) -- History -- Anecdotes;
Gertrude Barnstone talks to Jane Ely about her life in the theatre arts, her memories of Houston and Houstonians and her election to the Houston School Board during the desegregation of the Houston School System.
Noriega, Richard Joel "Rick";
Texas--Politics and government;
Houston (Tex.)--Politics and government;
Richard Joel "Nick" Noriega was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1998. Since then he has served 5 terms in this capacity. During hurricane Katrina Mayor Bill White requested his help to oversee the evacuee shelter operations...
Centenarian and civil rights activist Quentin Mease is interviewed by David Goldstein. Quentin describes his work with the African American community, the YMCA, and his involvement with the creation of the Harris County Hospital District
African American political activists--Texas--Houston--Interviews;
African American lawyers--Texas--Houston--Interviews;
Civil rights workers--Texas--Houston--Interviews;
Houston (Tex.)--Race relations;
University of Houston Central...
Gene Locke discusses issues about race relations in Houston during the 1960s and 1970s. He describes the transformation of the University of Houston, and his involvement in civil rights and politics in the city of Houston. Gene Locke served as...
Lawson, William (Rev.)--Interviews ; African American religious leaders--Interviews ; African American Ministers--Texas--Houston--Interviews ; African American churches ; African Americans--Religion ; Civil Rights--Texas--Houston--Interviews ;... | <urn:uuid:8e0b3e12-51eb-4c21-b4c8-8b44f59b5775> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://digital.houstonlibrary.org/cdm/search/searchterm/real/mode/all/page/2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916183 | 683 | 1.984375 | 2 |
Tips to battle stereotypes
Storytellers have always relied on stereotypes as a shorthand way of explaining characters. Stereotypes are easily recognizable and understandable — like the dashing-but-clueless Prince Charming or a tough-talkin’ gal with a heart of gold.
But stereotypes can bolster negative perceptions, justify prejudice and reinforce sexism, racism and other negative views about particular groups. Plus, they’re insidious — creeping into our attitudes without us even realizing it.
Help your kids take a critical look at what stereotypes mean, how they paint so many people unfairly and, most importantly, how they may misinform us about the world.
What are stereotypes in media?
Economic, gender, and ethnic stereotypes are all over kids’ TV shows, movies, video games and even music. White male heroes far outnumber both women and minorities in media portrayals. And although women have come a long way in how popular culture reflects their status, statistics show that women are still most often relegated to roles of love interest, sex object or selfless saint.
Why they matter
The images our kids see powerfully inform their sense of what’s “normal.” When kids see the same class, racial and sexual relations portrayed over and over, it reinforces class, race and gender stereotypes. The characters kids see can become role models — and kids may want to imitate the behavior they see. They may also form judgments about others based on portrayals in video games, in stories and on TV.
Tips for parents
• Start counting. When you’re watching TV or playing games with your kids, keep a tally of the characters. How many are female? How many are male? How many are white? Do you see any correlation between the characters’ race and gender and how they’re portrayed? Talk about these observations with your children. These sorts of questions will help your kids build awareness — and provide you with opportunities to further discuss stereotypes.
• Find alternatives. Common Sense Media can help you find movies, books, and video games that avoid stereotypes. You’ll find hundreds of reviews at Commonsensemedia.org including articles on topics such as Best Smart Movie Girls and Multicultural Books.
• Don’t buy it. Game makers and movie studios keep making products with unfair portrayals because people pay for them. Remember that you can vote with your dollars.
• Challenge assumptions. Depending on your kids’ age, you can talk about common stereotypes and debunk your kids’ perceptions. Use examples from the real world to show that media portrayals aren’t accurate — like all blondes aren’t dumb, for example.
• Talk about humor in stereotypes. Stereotypes can be humorous — even ones that describe our own friends and families. But they can turn mean-spirited very quickly. For kids — and adults — it can be difficult to determine whether a joke based on a stereotype pokes fun inappropriately at a particular group or whether it’s making fun of people who hold a prejudice against that group. One yardstick you can use is if your kids wouldn’t make that joke in front of that particular group — that means it’s not funny.
• Watch, play, and listen to the edgy stuff together — and explain. Certain shows — like Key and Peele, Saturday Night Live, Glee and Betty White’s Off Their Rockers — explore stereotypes with humor and irony. But kids won’t always understand these portrayals and need parents to explain them.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing trustworthy information, education and an independent voice in a world of media and technology. Commonsensemedia.org | <urn:uuid:20ace913-9a4c-486f-a727-5a2671fc6024> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metrokids.com/MetroKids/February-2013/Tips-to-battle-stereotypes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93002 | 773 | 4 | 4 |
25-Mar-2006 -- For the six intrepid adventurers who visited this point, it was the first time anyone had intentionally sought out a Confluence. We had heard about the Degree Confluence Project from a colleague, who had himself recently posted a confluence visit further north in Sudan.
We hail from four different countries; from India we have Sean O’Brien, Lokesh Pai and Jatesh Ralli, Herby Peires is from Sri Lanka, and Damien Hodges from Australia. We were accompanied and ably assisted by Joseph (from Sudan), who also speaks the local languages. All of us are working with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), and have been based for different periods of time in Unity State.
To reach the Confluence, we travelled south along main roads for approx. 45 km from Bentiu (capital of Unity State). The main roads were a bit rough but wide and passable, being maintained to support the thriving local oil industry. From a previous reconnaissance, we knew that the closest the main road came to the confluence point was 4 km. At this point we spoke to members of a local village, in order to get some information about local conditions and any potential threats.
When we set off from the village for the 4 km trip to our destination, it quickly became apparent that we would not make as good time as we had hoped. The terrain, though largely flat to look at, was full of potholes that bounced us all over the place. We had to pass through areas of very high grass which significantly restricted visibility. After we had battled approximately two km in one hour, the scrubby trees became too thick to allow vehicle passage.
We decided to abandon the vehicles, and proceed the remaining 1.8 km on foot. As we bravely set forth, the temperature started to rise (it was quite a hot day), but we had plenty of water and initially made better time than we had in the vehicles. We passed through thick scrub, then long swathes of burnt out grass land. The last 500 m to the Confluence were the worst, as we had to force our way through thick, chest-high, dry grass, which concealed the uneven ground. We arrived at the Confluence about 45 minutes after we had left the vehicles.
After taking photos and having a look around, we decided to head back to escape the heat. Most importantly, we had an enjoyable picnic lunch at the vehicles before we packed up and headed for home.
It should be noted that visiting this Confluence by vehicle or on foot would not be possible in the wet season, which can start anytime April-July, though boats or other amphibious tracked vehicles may have better access. Note the long dry grass in the photos: when the wet season commences, this area will become very green, lush, and beautiful. | <urn:uuid:5c251293-3e50-4048-9d8d-d151a83bb4c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=11990 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981856 | 587 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Today marks the end of National Recycle Your Cell Phone week and over the past seven days, there has been some really good press about helping the environment by recycling old cell phones.
It’s now estimated that 130 million cell phones are trashed every year, which not only pollutes the environment but also sustains the need for conflict components. An awareness video from Sprint states that Americans discard 16 thousand cell phones every hour. Through cell phone recycling, Samsung is hoping to save 1 million phones from a landfill, which would “reap 75 pounds of gold, 772 pounds of silver and 35,274 pounds of copper. It also would save energy and cut water and air pollution, including greenhouse gases,” according to the EPA.
Don’t forget that one of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective ways to reduce waste and damage caused by cell phone consumption is to purchase refurbished phones. They’re a fraction of retail price and are virtually brand new. To find out more about the benefits of purchasing refurbished cell phones, visit this informative link. | <urn:uuid:d594d074-22c1-4f5e-acfd-842b5f3e3002> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebluedot.net/blog/tag/npr/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938194 | 220 | 2.875 | 3 |
This tutorial is a simple guide to installing fonts in Windows XP.
All of us who do GFX know, the default Windows Fonts suck. If you plan on going anywhere with your GFX, you've got to have some awesome fonts to go along with it. The question is, how do you install them?
The answer is simple. Let's start at the beginning.
1. Download. Can't install something you don't have, right? 1001 Free Fonts
is a good, free font resource. Just choose the one you want, download the Windows Version, and you're set for this step.
2. Unzipping. Most files will come in a nice little zip file. Windows comes with a program to unzip these files, but you're better off with a real program like WinZip
. So, either way, you need to open the zip file. Once you have it open, look for the file with a .ttf extension. Drag-and-Drop it to your desktop.
3. Installation. Open My Computer>C:\Windows\Fonts. Simply Drag and Drop the font file into your Fonts directory. A small console called 'Install Font Pregress' should appear momentarily, then disappear.
4. Test. Open Photoshop, or another program. Click on the text tool, then scroll down the font selection. You should see your newly installed font in that menu.
That's it! Easy, huh? | <urn:uuid:00f9aae4-a1ad-46cd-9a89-374fb454d140> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://z6.invisionfree.com/Alienation_Skins/ar/t3484.htm | 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 | 0.903062 | 303 | 2.046875 | 2 |
|a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.|
|a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.|
ride roughshod over
Act without regard for the feelings or interests of others, as in She just forges on, riding roughshod over her colleagues. This term alludes to the practice of arming horses with horseshoes mounted with projecting nails or points, which both gave them better traction and served as a weapon against fallen enemy soldiers. By 1800 it was being used figuratively for bullying behavior. | <urn:uuid:fd5c835d-c54f-41d3-96ba-6c15422b7196> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ride+roughshod+over?qsrc=2446 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00045-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962048 | 156 | 2.453125 | 2 |
Each year, our Speaking Art Conference for Jewish and Arab professionals in the performing arts gets better and better. This year, the 8th annual conference opened on November 16, which was also International Tolerance Day, and was held for two days at the Jerusalem International YMCA, the Beit Masia Theater and the Vertigo Studios at the Blaustein Civic Center. About 70 Jewish and Arab artists came together from all over Israel. This year, for the first time, 70% of the participants came from the Jerusalem area, the highest it’s ever been.
We’d like to thank the Dear Foundation and the Jerusalem Foundation for their ongoing support of the conference. The conference started with a workshop led by social activist Elad Vazana and renowned American choreographer Donald Byrd, followed by a guest workshop with famous singer Achinoam Nini (aka Noa) and guitarist Gili Dor. As part of the workshop, the participants engaged in a discussion with Nini and Dor about using music as a tool for dialogue between the Arabs and Jews.
After the opening, the conference participants engaged in either music, theater or dance workshops led by professional artists in their respective fields. In the workshops, the participants not only had the opportunity to take part in professional enrichment, but were also able to unite with their Jewish and Arab colleagues to learn from them and to create dialogue through art and creativity.
The Jerusalem YMCA hosted the music workshop led by composer, musician and singer Sameer Makhoul. The group played a variety of songs together and explored other cultures through the songs.
The theater workshop was held at Beit Masia in conjunction with Jerusalem’s Psik Theater. Led by Hisham Suleiman, a director, actor, playwright and founder of the Nazareth Fringe Theater, and Shmuel Hadjes, actor and founder of Psik, the participants developed short pieces based on personal stories of conflict, discussing everyday encounters between Jews and Arabs.
The movement and dance workshop was hosted by the Vertigo dance group at the Gerard Behar Blaustein Civic Center, and was led by Ilanit Tadmor, a professional dancer and teacher of improvisation and composition. Donald Byrd, Tony Award nominee and Bessie Award winner, participated in the conference as part of his research project at the Foundation for Jewish Culture, in which he is studying the role of the performing arts in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
As part of the Conference, two concerts were open to the public. The first took place at Beit Masia and featured the Jewish performers Achinoam Nini and Gili Dor together with Arab dancer Mona Mashi’l. The conference closed with a performance by well-known Arab singer Amal Murkus to an audience of 500 a new record for closing concert attendance.
Here is a link to a short film taken at the rehearsal for the concert.
We are especially proud of the ongoing activities that have sprouted as a result of Speaking Art. The first is the Jewish - Arab theater group that meets at the Jerusalem International YMCA, Freeze, which was started by Speaking Art ‘graduates’ in 2009. Also of special mention is a core of some 6 musicians who continued to meet in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem after the 2010 conference. Instances of additional cooperative work that have resulted from this past Speaking Art conference include:
- Achinoam Nini and Mona Mashi’l are exploring possibilities of working together further.
- The director of the Jewish - Arab Center in Jaffa is seeking to work with the music group that formed at Speaking Art.
- The Jewish-Arab music ensemble, Na’am, is seeking to add musicians from the music group to its ranks.
- The Jewish and Arab facilitators of the theater group, Shmulik Hadjes and Hisham Suleiman, have met to discuss further work together as well.
Some of our participants’ feedbacks:
“It was the best Speaking Art conference yet”
“Thank you for creating this conference, which provides an excellent platform for acquaintance and mutual activity! May we continue having dialogue and making art in the coming years!!!”
“Many thanks to you at the Jerusalem Intercultural Center and your partners: Dear Foundation, the Jerusalem Foundation and the Jerusalem International YMCA for holding this conference. For Jews and Arabs who wish to listen and cooperate it was a blissful event”.
“This time the event was so much emotional for me that I found myself crying while watching some of the acts. The workshop with Samir was fantastic and the live performances were phenomenal! The standard of the conference this year was highest than ever. Bless you!”
“I want to express my appreciation to the center’s staff. The big effort put into the conference is very evident. Well done!” | <urn:uuid:6c643fe7-45ba-40bf-bf72-f0928460a49b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jer-icc.org/blog/?cat=8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965206 | 1,019 | 1.5625 | 2 |
NoveList Plus
This electronic database makes finding reading recommendations easier than ever. (There is also an icon at the bottom right-hand side of the screen. You'll need your library card number to access this information.)
In NoveList Plus, you’ll find:
Each Learning Center in the LearningExpress Library offers practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, eBooks, and information needed to achieve great results at school, at work, or in life. Looking to land a job? An entire Learning Center is dedicated to helping patrons get the ones that are right for them.
Mango Languages
This site offers an online language-learning system that can help patrons learn languages, such as Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Italian, Russian, and many more.
This is a comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids.
It delivers an essential collection of genealogical and historical sources—with coverage dating back to the 1700s—that can help people find their ancestors and discover a place’s past.
The collection consists of six core data sets:
U.S. Federal Censuses feature the original images of every extant federal census in the United States, from 1790 through 1930, with name indexes for many decades. In total the collection covers more than 140 million names.
Genealogy and Local History Books deliver more than 7 million digitized page images from over 28,000 family histories, local histories, and other books. Titles have been digitized from our own renowned microform collections, as well from the American Antiquarian Society via an exclusive partnership.
Periodical Source Index (PERSI), published by the Allen County Public Library, is recognized as the most comprehensive index genealogy and local history periodicals. It contains more than 2 million records covering titles published around the world since 1800.
Revolutionary War Records contain original images from pension and bounty land warrant application files help to identify more than 80,000 American Army, Navy, and Marine officers and enlisted men from the Revolutionary War era.
Freedman’s Bank Records, with more than 480,000 names of bank applicants, their dependents, and heirs from 1865–1874, offer valuable data that can provide important clues to tracing African American ancestors prior to and immediately after the Civil War.
LexisNexis U.S. Serial Set records the memorials, petitions, private relief actions made to the U.S. Congress back to 1789, with a total of more than 480,000 pages of information. | <urn:uuid:d665b8a8-2d88-46e6-a28c-96ee97580d6b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vintoncountypublic.lib.oh.us/print/book/export/html/508 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919051 | 547 | 2.0625 | 2 |
.- President Joseph Kabila Kabange of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was welcomed by Pope Benedict at the Vatican on Thursday. The two leaders discussed the struggle to disarm militants in the eastern region of Kivu and President Kabila extended an invitation for the Holy Father to visit the country.
The bulk of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the ongoing effort to wrest control from warlords who have dominated the provinces of North and South Kivu for years. According to the U.N., some 20,000 militia fighters occupy the area and have been responsible for razing villages, terrorizing locals and rape.
Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the importance of respecting human rights in order to put an end to the suffering of the civilian population and build a more just and united society.
According to a statement from the Holy See’s Press Office, “Regional aspects of the question were also considered, with the hope being expressed that the forthcoming implementation of the 'Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region' may mark a decisive turning point in the promotion of the peace and well-being of all inhabitants of the area.”
Looking to build a brighter future for the beleaguered African nation, the Pope discussed the importance of “the education and formation of the young, for whom the Church is always ready to make her specific contribution” with President Kabila.
The significance of dialogue and collaboration, especially in reference to “resolving the problem of the restoration of certain properties of the Church which were nationalized several decades ago” was also raised.
The Press Office also related that "President Kabila invited the Holy Father to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo." | <urn:uuid:98d16a95-4d6a-426c-8c01-dca92b962341> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/president_kabila_invites_the_pope_to_visit_his_country/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951726 | 347 | 1.78125 | 2 |
The illegal trade in wildlife presents one of the most acute challenges to fauna and flora conservation across the world today. Second only to the illicit trade in narcotics, wildlife trade is estimated to be worth billions of dollars annually and to involve more than 350 million plant and animal species every year. The trade has become unsustainable, mostly due to a burgeoning human population with increased access to wildlife habitats, a growing number of available weaponry in conflict-affected areas such as Afghanistan, and a huge rise in consumer demand at all socioeconomic levels. This global-scale trade has brought with it other associated risks too, including an increased chance of disease transmission within or across species and a rise in the introduction of exotic invasive organisms.
These problems are taking a heavy toll on wildlife populations in Afghanistan, with the country suffering from high levels of illegal hunting and wildlife trade. In Afghanistan, wildlife is typically hunted and traded for meat, supposed medicinal properties, skulls and horns for trophy purposes, and for skin and fur. In the 1970s, the most common species found within Kabul’s fur shops were the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), jungle cat (Felis chaus) and jackal (Canis aureus). In more recent times, there has also been a worrying rise in lynx (Lynx lynx), wolf (Canis lupus), leopard (Panthera pardus) and even snow leopard (Uncia uncia) pelts. Survey results from WCS have indicated the significant role of the international community in driving the demand for wildlife furs now, particularly by military and development personnel.
In Afghanistan, certain species are also taken from the wild and sold live for the pet trade. The keeping of songbirds as pets is an old Afghan tradition, and the majority of buyers at Kabul’s busy Ka Farushi Bird Market are local Afghans. There is also a growing trade in certain raptor species from Afghanistan, to supply those buyers on the Arabian Peninsula involved in the lucrative sport of falconry.
Despite these traditions and trends, Afghanistan is making progress towards curtailing wildlife trade within and across its borders. In 1986, the country ratified the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), which together with individual country laws, regulates the export and import of many species. Further, Afghanistan’s Environment Law and the Presidential Decree (issued in 2005 and again in 2010) forbid the hunting, sale or exportation of listed wildlife species.
To help boost these efforts, WCS has maintained an active involvement at a number of levels. Since the development and enforcement of wildlife trade-related laws and institutions has been so critical over the past five years, WCS teams have been primarily focused on legal work at the central government level. In 2006, there appeared to be few laws specifically addressing wildlife, wildlife trade, or hunting. As a useful first step, WCS assisted the Government in drafting suitable legislation for allowing CITES to be properly implemented in Afghanistan. This new legislative proposal – currently being reviewed by the Government – is called the Protected Species and Wildlife Trade Regulations and incorporates several provisions for CITES compliance.
WCS also facilitated the selection of a Management Authority and Scientific Authority in Afghanistan to ensure appropriate conformity with CITES systems. To enhance their capacity and knowledge regards trade legislation, WCS worked with the CITES Secretariat to include Afghan officials in the 57th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in Geneva during 2008 and again for the tri-annual Meeting of all CITES Parties in 2010.
WCS also continues to provide technical assistance to the Government for introducing a listing program that evaluates the status of species and affords them a designation of either ‘Protected’ (prohibiting all hunting and trade of their derivatives) or ‘Harvestable’ (where species can only be harvested on the basis of permits or management agreements). As of May 2011, a total of 48 species are now on the country’s official Protected Species List. A further 90 species are currently awaiting evaluation and protected status approval.
To provide concrete data on the scale of the issue, WCS has conducted several wildlife trade surveys across the country. During 2006, WCS began work to estimate the impact of domestic and international demand on wildlife from the Eastern Forests region (a main source area of Afghanistan’s traded wildlife) and to assess the level of hunting prevalent in Afghan culture. The results constituted the first comprehensive examination of hunting and trade in Afghanistan since 2001, pointing to a number of new developments in trade patterns and wildlife abundance that has helped to focus harvest regulations. WCS has also been investigating current logging practices in the Eastern Forests and the size and value of the timber and firewood trade in Kabul. The results are alarming and strongly suggest that the timber trade is continuing at an unchanged rate.
Wildlife trade also has an influence on the spread of infectious diseases, which directly threaten wildlife, livestock and human populations. For over three years, WCS veterinary and legal teams have been working together to determine the contribution of trade towards disease transmission in Afghanistan, involving regular assessments at Kabul Zoo, local wildlife product merchants and Ka Farushi Bird Market. In 2007, WCS staff also traveled to Mazar-e-Sharif in the northern province of Balkh to investigate the occurrence and extent of the falcon trade there. All of these surveys provide the country with more data to monitor and evaluate the risks to public health as a result of wildlife trade.
These surveys also act as a tool to direct appropriate education initiatives towards local groups, government authorities and the international community (including the military forces). The international community in Afghanistan appears to be the driving force behind the growing wildlife trade and are the major consumers of wildlife furs and products in Kabul. WCS has therefore stepped up a public diplomacy campaign to educate this audience about Afghanistan’s wildlife using various materials and communication methods. Small cards and posters detailing the threats to wildlife have been produced and are currently displayed in popular restaurants, Provincial Reconstruction Team bases, Kabul Airport, military bases, and other key locations. Several advertisements, editorials and articles have also been featured in expatriate magazines and Afghan newspapers. Furthermore, to encourage full participation of foreign governments, WCS wrote to all governments represented in Afghanistan about the problem of wildlife trade, including a copy of the poster and an identification guide to wildlife products restricted for international trade.
In terms of an improvement to the enforcement measures on the ground, WCS has achieved a multitude of successes in reducing the export of wildlife products out of the country and has responded to numerous reports of suspected wildlife trade over the past five years. This has involved comprehensive training of Military Police at Bagram Air Base and Military Market, Camp Eggers and Camp Phoenix, Kabul Airport customs authorities, airport police, staff at the US Embassy, and fur traders from one of Kabul’s main shopping streets. Training topics have included skin and fur identification and the legal implications of wildlife trade. Furthermore, WCS and the US Department of State have conducted multiple surveys of the bazaars at Bagram, International Security Assistance Force Headquarters and Camp Eggers, helping police identify hundreds of restricted fur items and remove them from sale. WCS is also assisting the traders in marketing their stores in exchange for an agreement not to sell illegal furs in the future. The selling point for these dealers is the economic benefit from attracting those internationals who only wish to purchase legal and environmentally-friendly products.
Recently, the Afghanistan Wildlife Trade Team has been working closely with WCS Global staff to implement a Department of Defense Legacy Resources Management Contract for the US Military. Materials and information have been sent direct from Afghanistan in order to create wildlife training materials for US soldiers, and to ensure military personnel are trained on wildlife issues pre-deployment and once they arrive in-country. WCS staff are also in the process of designing an educational website on wildlife trade issues for US Military personnel serving abroad. | <urn:uuid:3a572a4a-9481-48f8-bab4-f690ee0e7e57> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://programs.wcs.org/afghanistan/Challenges/WildlifeTrade.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944555 | 1,617 | 3.59375 | 4 |
This is in continuation of the previous note:
Thomas Friedman makes the case that Value creation is becoming so complex that no single firm can master it without closely collaborating with a wide set of partners. John Hagel brings this up :
We are shifting from a world where the key source of strategic advantage was in protecting and extracting value from a given set of knowledge stocks — the sum total of what we know at any point in time, which is now depreciating at an accelerating pace — into a world in which the focus of value creation is effective participation in knowledge flows, which are constantly being renewed.
All these thoughts presuppose or recognize the role that information technology plays in making this shift happen. Extending the thought, once can see that from an infrastructural perspective, externalization of data and processes, for example through cloud computing, can create a secure foundation for collaboration that will eventually be indispensable. This flow and collaboration – critical components in the shift becomes so important that it is worth dwelling a little more into this theme.
With the global competitive forces getting more and more powerful one case that business around the world are keen to get more agile and more lean. With dependence in IT increasing with time, solutions centered on IT get more significant. With cloud as an enabler to such a change, one can see many things are coming together to make benefits get realized. As business tends to focus on getting the easy to do business with tag, the ease of provisioning extranets makes the organization more agile as it establishes lightweight, short term partnerships and outsources granular services to external providers. When information and goods flow across borders and enterprises, the concern of rising transactional cost is bound to arise. With well designed cloud solutions , transaction costs can be actually managed better. And by reducing the transaction costs of contractual collaboration the company can effectively leverage external resources without engaging in full scale mergers and acquisitions or setting up joint ventures.
How to engineer a seamless and reliable experience that can not only absorb changes in the external environment but also function as a critical enabler of such change? Look carefully and we can see that at the operational level , an increasing number of data sources are becoming available in the form of web services, truly interoperable and are easy to integrate. Enterprises move really aggressively to make gains on this count – some of them are able to leverage these effectively have an advantage over their competition. The real advantage comes by being able to extract context sensitive, pattern based business intelligence by combining the data sources with their internal information and that of their partners.
This in essence sets the stage of preparing to not only take advantage of emerging technology to stay competitive but also potentially help a set of enterprises to create new standards of competing and thereby create competitive advantage through differentiation. Talking of differentiation, form the perspective of business enabled through the cloud it can be seen that the increased service orientation of cloud squarely uplifts the importance of identifying and analyzing competitive differentiation. Once core functions are established inside enterprises likely centered around core competencies the next question to seek is : determining whether they lead to a business benefit and the larger question therein is whether they are indeed unique and whether the uniqueness is sustainable in the fast changing world?
In such critical turns and decisions, enterprises need to take a far more involvement in activities that may look too mundane and operational. For example, it is a perfectly valid question to ask and keep asking at regular intervals as to how much of IT should be delivered by internal sources. As the technology and technology enabled markets and business services mature, many viable and economical solutions become available for enterprises to consider. And if standardized services (preferably configurable) are available on the market on a more economical footing, then it is obligatory on the part of enterprises to investigate whether it would be possible to leverage them. There may also be alternate forms of delivering the services. Let’s see from an IT perspective – in such a scenario, very effective solutions delivered over the cloud are becoming more and more commonplace. For example, self service portals can reduce human involvement overhead and can thereby lower the costs of basic services. Add ability to configure and integrate – the potential multiplies. Such decisions help enterprises move resources to focus on efforts inside the enterprise that could yield far better returns and may help enterprises become more lean and efficient and in some cases can make them more innovative as well.
Then where does it leave genuinely core processes that are supposed to provide differentiation by design? Where these processes begin to get intertwined with undifferentiated tasks, the effectiveness definitely goes down. Many of the generic IT solutions with customized overlays clearly fall into this category. Such a scenarios also provides enterprises to examine objectively if it would be possible to isolate the generic functions and have them sourced from the most effective and efficient source. Obviously there may not be standard answers for every conceivable scenario but enterprises can think through and decide on embracing appropriate choices.
Now comes the question of horizontal scalability – can the core competencies be looked as a platform to provide a base for a broad range of solutions? Can most of the solutions be plausibly monetized? Too often we see that the competitive advantage can begin to help in gaining business in related areas as well – there cloud solutions can provide can help in providing quick entry and act as a simulation media before eventually becoming a core infrastructure for leverage in steady state on scale up. Similarly IP that can be enabled through cloud can facilitate embracing new business models for cross domain/ cross enterprise usage. Obviously these things don’t happen just by chance – every such possibility needs to be thought through and details worked out in a rigorous manner. When competencies get stretched to serve a more broad base of services, it would invariably call for a realignment of resources and focus inside enterprises. Enterprises then get sucked into taking decisions on designing organization structures ranging from divisions to horizontals.
With market shifts happening more frequently – the dynamism with which enterprises monitor and prepare for them increase more rapidly. Too often, today we see that corporate strategies are reflecting upon changes across all stakeholders – competition, suppliers, customers besides geographies and market segments. This is a more complex game but technology and cloud by extension can provide more strategic enabling support. Such changes can foist huge demands on enterprises –some of them could be very direct and some of them could bring in an indirect but overbearing expectations on the business. The utility model is not just limited to computing CPU cycles and counts the saving. Its actually about making a range of services available on demand – information consulting, data streams, business processes, real time collaboration etc. The reality is that almost all the industries would have a need to consume such services as they begin to navigate the effects of changes that are happening in their industries and in some case extend such services when they act the role as providers. The lesser recognized part of the equation viz. the indirect impact : this can be more powerful and with a larger reach. How? In this complex web of business, enterprises which don’t provide such services may have to engage in transactions with others that do provide such services. Now one will have run as fast as the ecosystem to at least hold on to the current competitive position ( in some cases –in fast changing industries, one will have to run faster to hold on to the position). So the moral here is : no enterprise is likely to be immune from this sort of change and this is going to create a series of cascading changes across the business landscape.
The fact remains cloud provides a very huge canvas. By its huge capabilities and reach , the cloud can effectively change the business dynamics along with the progressions that it creates and this can simply dominate careful setups laid inside enterprises. By attacking the cost structure of IT operations and being seen as business friendly, it can find more support in its absorption. And, the truly disruptive phenomenon that cloud is – shall influence this business ecosystem more rapidly and with greater reach : net result – cloud could become the harbinger of change that will accelerate the changes in the partner landscape in this interconnected world. | <urn:uuid:35ee331d-68dd-4f16-87cc-78f12e670abe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cloudave.com/9129/the-cloud-enterprises/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00056-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951345 | 1,626 | 1.734375 | 2 |
May 07, 2007
Limerick of the Week
I always have a hard time teaching Donahue v. FedEx, in which an employee-at-will is terminated after attempting to blow the whistle on his corrupt boss. The court recognizes that there is a public-policy exception to the at-will doctrine but states that there is no public policy protecting whistle blowers. There isn't?
Plaintiff, an employee at will,
Thought his boss had a hand in the till.
FedEx is correct;
"Bad faith" won't protect
Where policy contentions are nil.
I also have a problem because I can't get the last line of my Limerick to scan.
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"Where policy import is nil."
Posted by: Bruce W. Frier | May 8, 2007 12:01:57 PM | <urn:uuid:038d2cec-7d1c-497d-ac31-5d96ac0ffa36> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/contractsprof_blog/2007/05/limerick_of_the.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944107 | 198 | 1.523438 | 2 |
GEARING UP FOR BECOMING AN OUTDOORS-WOMAN
Event will celebrate 12 years of teaching women outdoor skills
PRATT - Women from across Kansas will learn outdoor skills at the 12th annual Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshop at Rock Springs 4-H Center, near Junction City, on Sept. 24-26.
The event is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) for women who may never have experienced baiting a hook, cleaning a quail, building a campfire, or a myriad of other outdoor activities. Skills learned in the workshop will not only help women enjoy these activities, they will equip them to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends.
This workshop features a relaxed environment that is almost exclusively hands-on. Seminars help participants become familiar with equipment and techniques related to dozens of different outdoor activities. Expert instructors guide participants, who may choose from more than 40 different activities, including hunting, fishing, wild game cooking, float tubing, archery, stream ecology, canoeing, natural history, backpacking, camping, and more.
The workshop, designed for women 18 years or older, costs $180 and includes six meals, two nights of lodging in a cabin (tent lodging also available), supplies, and use of equipment. Three $100 scholarships are available, based on financial need, for first-time participants.
For registration material and information, phone 620-672-5911 or email KDWP through the department's website . | <urn:uuid:d516aa24-27ab-4c00-9d02-3d47564204df> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/index.php/news/KDWPT-Info/News/News-Archive/2005-Weekly-News-Archive/06-09-05/GEARING-UP-FOR-BECOMING-AN-OUTDOORS-WOMAN | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937854 | 313 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Aged. Forage Fattened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much fat is in your beef?
A: There is a nice proportion of fat, but it is definitely much leaner than conventional beef. Our burgers are juicy but not sopping. If cooked in a pan, you can remove the burgers and cook some veggies or fries in the remaining fat. Remember this is healthy fat and is prized in grass-fed meats.
Q: Do you ship?
A: We certainly do not mind meeting you a reasonable distance from our farm to drop off an order especially if we are already going that direction. We encourage people far from us to find a local producer. We are looking into this for those that can not find a comprable product.
Q: What does dry aged mean?
A: Dry aging is a process of letting the meat hang above a frozen state for a length of time (that differs depending on the ruminant animal) to allow the proteins to begin to breakdown. This enhances the natural flavors of the meat, improves texture & reduces the water weight. Ultimately, you are buying meat that is tastier and more tender with less overall water weight.
Q: Where do you get your meat processed?
A: Fred drives about 9 miles to Wiatreks in Poth, TX, to process and have our animals Texas state inspected and labeled for our grassfed beef, lamb, goat, and pastured pork.
New Braunfels Farm to Market - a 2 min clip
The Floresville Locavore
Beyond Organic by Jo Robinson
Cud - a downloadable short film
Dr. Mercola - health information & lots of great links
The Stockman Grassfarmer
All Rights Reserved. Grassland Oasis Floresville, Texas
Organizations that we appreciate
Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
Animal Welfare Approved | <urn:uuid:cb5ed1ac-4b9d-44fc-a03d-46b03e64448a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grasslandoasis.com/Links__FAQ.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932306 | 385 | 1.539063 | 2 |
NYC Toll Hike May Push Commuters onto Mass Transit
Not a fun week to be a toll collector in New York City. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, a rate increase went into effect for drivers entering the city at six high-traffic crossings, including the Lincoln and Holland tunnels and the George Washington bridge. Tolls rose $1.50, to $9.50, for EZ-Pass users during peak hours and will continue to climb periodically through December of 2015, until the rate is $12.50. For drivers paying cash, the toll rose $4, to $12, and will continue to stay two bucks ahead of the EZ-Pass rate, rounded up.
The new rates come courtesy of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which announced the increase in late August. The governors of both states, who control the agency, approved the increase — and took credit for keeping it from being even higher [PDF] — and Mayor Bloomberg has supported it too. Port Authority cited "multiple unprecedented challenges" for the decision, including the deterioration of New York's tunnels and bridges as well as the rising cost of the World Trade Center, whose construction falls under the authority's authority.
That last reasoning doesn't sit well with AAA. Last Friday, just days before the scheduled increase, the auto association's New York office wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood condemning the toll hike as a violation of a federal law. AAA officials believe any transportation-related user fees should go directly back into transportation costs — not "speculative real estate re-development costs" like the World Trade Center. (It should be noted that the new center is a major transit hub for the PATH commuter train.) The association even considered suing the authority to block the increase, according to the Associated Press.
For now it seems commuters will have to live with the new tolls. Some are grumbling. Some are actively seeking short-cuts into the city. And some are considering a switch to public transit. Fares for the PATH train rose as well — up a quarter to $2 — but the rate remains considerably lower than car tolls, and New Jersey Transit has announced it won't raise commuter bus fare, even though buses that cross into Manhattan will take a big hit, with tolls rising from $4 to $10.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's approval of the toll increase is particularly surprising to some observers. Last fall Christie canceled the ARC tunnel program, then the country's largest infrastructure project, which would have created loads of construction jobs and eventually given New Jersey commuters an alternate entrance into Manhattan. With that option gone, he now approves a toll increase that will primarily aid a New York City project (the World Trade Center) rather than one anchored in his own state (the ARC tunnel).
The move also seems to contradict Christie's pledge against tax increases. While the governor has refused to raise the state's gas tax — currently the nation's third-lowest, slouching at 14.5 cents per gallon — he reportedly doesn't see the Port Authority toll hike as a tax increase, since it impacts only drivers who commute into Manhattan, as opposed to all drivers. By that logic, a gas tax increase shouldn't be considered a tax increase either, despite its name, since it impacts only drivers, as opposed to all state residents. This is a difference of degree, not kind; and of potential voters. | <urn:uuid:3af5042a-3e7b-45d6-9f93-5219efbc11ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/09/nyc-toll-hike-may-push-commuters-transit/164/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963021 | 701 | 1.859375 | 2 |
We cannot imagine what is going to come next. [God] has set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to end (Ecc. 3.11). No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Cor. 2.9). Stretch your mind and strain your eyes to build a sustaining hope.
HOPE is the theme to the new creation. The creation waits with eager (αποδεχομαι) longing (Rom. 8.19). αποδεχομαι [apodexomai] refers to an anxious, yet careful and patient waiting–a reservation of knowing something is coming but continuing in patience. Hope that creation will be set free from corruption to bring glory to the children of God (Rom. 8.20-21). We wait eagerly for the redemption of our bodies, we groan inwardly for the hope that we were saved by (Rom. 8.23-24). The new creation is unique–hope that is seen is not hope (Rom. 8.24-25).
So, where is heaven and hell? Heaven and hell are physical and not just spiritual. There is a resurrection of believers (1 Cor. 15) and a resurrection of unbelievers (Dan. 12.2; Rev. 20). Heaven and hell continue to exist after this creation. The Bible clarifies that heaven and hell continue after the moment God commands the cosmos to be “rolled up like a scroll” (Is. 34.4), to “disappear with a roar” (2 Pt. 3.10), and to “melt in the heat” (2 Pt. 3.12). This of it this way: suppose I have a paper with the image of Dante’s universe on it. It’s two dimensional (for the analogy to work I need to remove a dimension). If I crumble up the piece of paper the external dimensions where I am do not crumble up too. I can crumble the paper with those dimensions and still not be affected by it. | <urn:uuid:a1643a80-8eca-40a0-9cb3-380610d7eeb1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sententias.org/tag/why-this-math/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933109 | 457 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Home Dharma Dew
Visiting scholar links Buddhism and physics
By Steven Michael, Brown Daily Herald, March 8, 2013
The lecture focused on the fields’ shared aspects, like mindfulness, time and ambiguity
Santa Fe, CA (USA) -- Physics offers “crisper” analogies for meditation than traditional Buddhism does, said Fred Cooper, external professor at Santa Fe Institute and former program director for theoretical physics at the National Science Foundation at a lecture last night.
Cooper, who has studied physics and meditation for over 30 years, spoke about connections between quantum physics and Buddhism in List 120 in a talk sponsored by the Brown Meditation Community.
Buddhism and physics share a common “conceptual framework” consisting of “ground, path and fruition,” but they diverge in the specifics, he said. Physics is grounded in mathematical equations, while Buddhism is grounded in the rejection of a dualistic perspective. In physics the academic path involves learning algebra and other mathematics, while in meditation the path entails transitioning from mindfulness to awareness, he said. For physicists, fruition is winning the Nobel Prize, while for meditation, fruition is reaching enlightenment.
Physics and Buddhism also both question the relationship between space and time, he said. “How do you set a standard of time?” Cooper asked. “What’s past is past. What’s future is yet to come. Time is a relative concept as a meditator.”
In order to measure small quantities of space and time, physicists use high-energy light, which warps the measurements. As a result, when measuring on smaller and smaller scales, space and time “lose their meaning,” Cooper said.
Cooper pointed to parallels between training in physics and training in meditation. “Neither discipline guarantees success. When you get your Ph.D. in physics, you learn all of the mechanics of physics,” he said. But whether a physicist makes a discovery that revolutionizes physics depends partially on luck, as does winning a Nobel Prize or attaining enlightenment.
The book “The Tao of Physics” by Fritjof Capra popularized the similarities between modern physics and Eastern religious traditions. Cooper criticized the best-selling book for claiming physics proved ideas in Eastern religion were correct about the organization of matter.
Because physics relies on an “evolving set of conceptual frameworks,” Cooper said, “The Tao of Physics” does not help either discipline. It compares the current state of physics to Eastern teachings, but the field of physics will likely change in the future, he said.
Asked whether physicists show more interest in meditation or whether meditators show more interest in physics, Cooper said without hesitation that meditators are far more interested in physics. For physicists, “there is safety in being focused on solving equations, but you can’t solve how to live,” he said.
About 80 students and community members attended the talk.
Connor Flexman ’16 agreed with Cooper’s criticism of “The Tao of Physics.”
“A lot of people make the argument for meditation based on faulty physics,” he said, adding that Cooper “didn’t try to prove meditation through quantum mechanics.”
“Meditation allows me to gather my thoughts,” said Henry Langton ’16. He added that he thinks there is a stigma against meditation but said this lecture and advances in neuroscience help justify the practice’s usefulness. | <urn:uuid:da00737a-69b7-4e0a-9fc2-20ed7004962e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=6,11343,0,0,1,0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00054-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940962 | 737 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Labor Day was first celebrated in 1882 in New York City. The idea of a workingman's holiday spread quickly throughout the country as the labor movement grew, and in 1894 Labor Day became a national holiday, celebrated on the first Monday in September.
Most of the rest of the world celebrates May 1 as a day dedicated to workers.
The International Labor Organization is the UN specialized agency which works to protect workers' rights throughout the world. Founded in 1919, it is the only surviving major creation of the Treaty of Versailles which created the League of Nations.
See Also: Workers' Day - May 1 | <urn:uuid:72d044ca-11a1-4991-9ceb-0366fb6715ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.doonething.org/calendar/laborday.htm | 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 | 0.96499 | 126 | 3.53125 | 4 |
the moment of climax during homosexual anal intercourse.
Peerapon shuddered in ecstacy, when he reached his syrinx.
According to Bulfinch's Mythology, Syrinx (Greek Óõñéãî) was a nymph and a follower of Artemis, known for her chastity. Pursued by the amorous Greek god Pan, she ran to the river's edge and beseeched succor from the river nymphs. In answer, she was transformed into hollow water reeds that made a haunting sound when the god's frustrated breath blew across them. Pan cut the reeds to fashion the first set of pan pipes, which were thence forth known as syrinx. The word 'syringe' orignated from this word.
Syrinx in popular culture
The Canadian rock band Rush wrote "The Temples of Syrinx", part of their twenty-minute epic track, 2112. The name is ironic because the Priests of the Temples in the dystopian society depicted in the lyrics are opposed to music and advocate the destruction of musical instruments.
In the song "10001110101" by Clutch, The Temple of Syrinx is said to be having the bake sale of the year.
That song is wack syrinx, now what the hell is that ? | <urn:uuid:a942758f-1beb-4d5b-9674-a4c3b623c5a8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=syrinx&defid=245556 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966354 | 280 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Parvis and entry
Through the narrow streets of the Souk of the Old City, teeming with vendors, religious souvenirs and intrigued pilgrims, one arrives almost unexpectedly before the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. At the front of a small paved square enclosed by buildings, the facade of the Crusader church appears with its two entry doors, of which only the left is open, and with its upper-level arched windows adorned with vegetable motifs.
The two Crusader-era doors were embellished with decorated lunettes: the door on the right had a mosaic portraying the Virgin Mary, while on the left door the imprint of the opus sectile made of precious marbles can still be seen. When they had completed the facade, the Crusaders joined it to a bell tower in the left corner of the square, today missing its upper level which collapsed in 1545.
On the right, an open staircase leads to a small domed structure which served as the original external access to Calvary. It was subsequently transformed into the small Chapel of the Franks, owned by the Latins and dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. At the entrance to the Parvis (entry courtyard), beside the steps leading down to the pavement, one can still see the bases of the columns that supported the Crusader arcade. The columns were removed and sent as a gift to Mecca at the behest of the Khwarezmids in 1244.
Along the east and west sides of the Parvis are the entrances to the Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Ethopian chapels, while the Greek Monastery lies on the east side. The only access to the Sanctuary, an entrance door with two wooden panels, has since the time of Saladin been entrusted to two Muslim families, Judeh and Nuseibeh. Passing on the tradition from one generation to the next, each morning and evening they carry out the ritual opening and closing at the entrance of the church.
Just inside the door, on the left, there is a bench, “the divan used by Muslim doorkeepers”, where today the pilgrims and the clergy of the religious communities serving in the Basilica sit. | <urn:uuid:42a45158-c4e3-4a4f-b2d1-a7ba9082a20a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.holysepulchre.custodia.org/default.asp?id=4100 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95401 | 446 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Imagine a smartphone app that would allow its users to send a video, picture or voice message at no extra cost, or the convenience of an app that could send a text message to another phone that would immediately call the user back.
These are just two examples of winning innovations that took home prizes at last year’s HackPSU, a student-run computer programming competition held in conjunction with IST Startup Week. HackPSU, created by Innoblue, is open to all students with an interest in technology. It will kick off at 6:30 tonight and conclude at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Participants will come together and form teams that will build prototypes of web, mobile or hardware applications to present to a panel of successful, technologically savvy judges. The top team will receive an exclusive, all-expense paid trip to San Francisco for the Readyforce Innovate weekend.
Although students have the opportunity to register to participate until the start of the event, Innoblue President Kathleen Warner said the hackathon has received a large amount of signups already.
“This is the second year, but it has been growing with success,” Warner (junior-theatre and advertising) said. “We currently have 190 people signed up, in comparison to the 85 that participated last year.”
Warner said the event has taken weeks of preparation to come together, as well as support from various sponsors, such as alumni and businesses throughout State College and the San Francisco Bay Area.
HackPSU would not be possible without the support of its largest sponsor, Videon Central, Warner said.
Todd Erdley, founder, president and CEO of Videon Central, Inc. located in State College, said his company had tried to start its own type of hackathon six months prior. But after hearing the event that Innoblue had created, he decided it would be a great effort to collaborate with.
“We think what Innoblue is doing on behalf of Penn State is really exciting,” Erdley said. “It teaches students to take an idea and go for it. Today, there is more entrepreneurial spirit to do what they dream of doing now than ever before.”
Warner said she is encouraging spectators to come at 6 p.m. Saturday, when participants will present in an exposition fashion, allowing people to view the prototypes and hear pitches.
From there, the team of judges, including the co-founders of companies such as Reddit and Weebly, will pick the winners from the top 10 best startups that are pitched to the panel.
Matt Brezina, a Penn State graduate and co-founder and CEO of Sincerely, said he will judge the competition based on a few criteria, including the usefulness of the hack, the presentation by the team, the degree of challenge and the “wow factor” of the creation.
“A hackathon is the closest approximation we have of what it is like to build a startup, and the experience is crammed into a weekend,” Brezina said. “You have to conceive an idea, find a team, build something and then present it to the world. It is great practice for the real thing.”
The second and third place winners will receive cash prizes of $1,000 and $500 respectively, and an Xbox, Surface and iPad mini will also be given away. | <urn:uuid:d241e352-c406-4526-be0d-3a7a6cf393c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2013/03/22/HACKPSU_to_be_held_this_weekend.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977978 | 703 | 1.5625 | 2 |
From Emily, campaigner, on board the Arctic Sunrise
The Beaufort Scale is a tool for seafarers, similar to the Richter Scale for earthquakes, that ranks wind velocity from 0-12. As we pulled out of port from Civitavecchia on Tuesday night, the first mate informed us that we would be encountering wind speeds that ranked a 7 on the Beaufort Scale (28-33 knots). We closed port holes, battened down the hatches (literally!) and made sure everything was safely tucked away.
At some point in the evening, I was awakened by the rolling of the ship back and forth and up and down as it cruised through the waves. By morning time, it was impossible to move about without arms extended to hold on to the walls, ceilings, or whatever you could get your hands on. Walking up the stairs to breakfast was an interesting challenge but the idea of food quickly became moot as most of the crew was felled by seasickness. Work on the ship, aside from the bare minimum, ground to a halt as we all retreated to our beds to wait out the storm. Thankfully, the dawn of the day today brought clear skies and the crew of the Arctic Sunrise is back on its feet. This morning we even spotted dolphins swimming off the bow off the ship.
As we await our next port call, the crew keeps busy by with ship maintenance, banner painting and climbing practice. I am typing away at my computer working on a report and Salvatore is darting about filming video and taking pictures. So life carries on aboard the Sunrise. | <urn:uuid:6939aa47-9edf-4d92-8bd4-e484dfdeda19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/climate/wind/blog/8843/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967413 | 324 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Washington (CNN) -- Where does the battle for health care reform go from here? More importantly, what does it mean for you?
Democrats made history over the weekend when the House of Representatives approved the biggest expansion of medical coverage since Medicare was enacted over four decades ago.
President Obama now stands closer to realizing the Democratic dream of universal coverage than any of his White House predecessors since Harry Truman after World War II.
But top Democrats know that it is far too early to celebrate. The road to final passage of health care legislation is still long and bumpy.
The more conservative Senate -- where it is much easier for the GOP minority to stifle the will of the Democratic majority -- has yet to pass its own version of a health care bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada last week signaled uncertainty over whether that will happen this year.
If the Senate manages to pass a bill, a congressional conference committee will need to merge the House and Senate proposals into a consensus version requiring final approval from each chamber before moving to Obama's desk to be signed into law.
That said, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have already reached agreement on a broad range of changes that could impact every American's coverage.
Among other things, they have agreed to subsidize insurance for a family of four making up to roughly $88,000 annually, or 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
They have also agreed to create health insurance exchanges designed to make it easier for small businesses, self-employed and the unemployed to pool resources and purchase less expensive coverage. Both the House plan and a plan approved by the Senate Finance Committee would limit total out-of-pocket expenses and prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Insurers would also be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person's gender or medical history.
Medicaid -- the government-run health care plan for the poor -- would be significantly expanded under both proposals. The House bill would extend coverage to individuals earning up to 150 percent of the poverty line, or roughly $33,000 for a family of four; the Senate Finance Committee plan ensures coverage to those earning up to 133 percent of the poverty level, or just over $29,000 for a family of four.
Democratic leaders in both chambers agree on establishing non-profit health care cooperatives and stripping insurance companies of an anti-trust exemption that has been in place since the end of World War II.
What are the major differences?
For starters, the House bill is more expansive -- and hence expensive -- than the Senate Finance Committee bill. The House bill, projected to guarantee coverage for 96 percent of Americans, will cost more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
The Senate Finance Committee bill, estimated to cover 94 percent of Americans, comes with a smaller $829 billion price tag, according to the CBO.
One of the biggest divides between House and Senate Democrats is over how to pay for the plans. The House package is financed through a combination of a tax surcharge on wealthy Americans and new spending constraints in Medicare and Medicaid.
Specifically, individuals with annual incomes over $500,000 -- as well as families earning more than $1 million -- would face a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge.
The Finance Committee measure also trims entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. It does not include a tax surcharge on the wealthy, however. It would instead impose a new tax on so-called "Cadillac" health plans valued at more than $8,000 for individuals and $21,000 for families.
Proponents of the tax on high-end plans argue it's one of the most effective ways to curb medical inflation. A large number of House Democrats are adamantly opposed to taxing such policies, arguing that such a move would hurt union members who traded higher salaries for more generous benefits.
Another key sticking point: the dispute over a government-run public option. The House plan includes a public option, while the Senate Finance Committee plan does not. Reid has pledged to add a version of the public option to the Senate measure, but would give individual states until 2014 to decide whether they want to opt out.
Individuals under both plans would be required to purchase coverage, but the House bill includes more stringent penalties for most of those who fail to comply. The Finance Committee plan would require individuals to purchase health insurance coverage or face a fine of up to $750. The House bill would impose a fine of up to 2.5 percent of an individual's income.
Both versions include a hardship exemption for poorer Americans.
Employers also face a much stricter mandate under the House legislation, which would require companies with a payroll of more than $500,000 to provide insurance or pay a penalty of up to 8 percent of their payroll.
The Finance Committee bill would require companies with more than 50 employees to pay a fee of up to $750 per worker if its employees rely on government subsidies to purchase coverage.
Abortion also promises to remain a major obstacle for both chambers. A late compromise with Catholic and other conservatives in the House led to the adoption of an amendment banning most abortion coverage from the public option.
It would also prohibit abortion coverage in private policies available in the exchange to people receiving federal subsidies.
Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette and New York Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, released a letter Monday signed by over 40 House members pledging to vote against final passage of the bill if the current language in the House bill is not changed.
Both DeGette and Slaughter voted to approve the House bill Saturday night despite its strengthened abortion restrictions.
CNN's Tom Cohen, Lisa Desjardins and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report | <urn:uuid:84d5ee3e-c483-41b3-b72b-88953188e3c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/09/health.care.congress/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957554 | 1,186 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Rosa Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Springarn Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal and she is the first woman to lie in state at Capitol Hill’s rotunda.
Parks legacy is told in her autobiography, Rosa Parks: My Story. Since her passing, a host of streets, buildings, schools and events have been named in her honor. In addition, the bus that sparked the controversial event is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.
This year, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Rosa Parks stamp on the 100th birthday of the civil rights’ legend. The stamp, which was created by art director Derry Noyes and stamp artist Thomas Blackshear II, is part of the Civil Rights series, which will include the March on Washington and the Emancipation Proclamation. The value is equivalent to first-class postage. | <urn:uuid:04441308-fb5d-46b3-8164-ebc2901a1e66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blackamericaweb.com/105300/little-known-black-history-fact-rosa-parks-statue/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966252 | 180 | 2.5 | 2 |
Current News | Archives
The University of Maryland College Park announces 631 KW solar project
Feb 14, 2011
Solar project is made possible by the Maryland Energy Administration Project Sunburst Initiative and partnership with Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — More than 2,600 solar panels will be installed on a University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) building this summer, resulting in one of the largest rooftop solar power systems in Maryland.
UMD was selected as a Maryland Energy Administration Project Sunburst Initiative Partner and awarded a grant aimed at promoting the installation of renewable energy systems on public buildings in Maryland. As a result of a competitive bid process, Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. (WGES) will finance the remainder of the project cost and UMD will purchase the electricity generated by the solar panels under a 20-year agreement with WGES.
By the second quarter of 2011, the solar power system will be installed and operating on the roof of UMD’s Severn building, a multi-purpose facility located less than a mile from the College Park campus. The 631 kilowatt system, which will be installed by Standard Solar Inc. of Rockville, Md. and owned and operated by WGES, will produce about 792 megawatt hours of electricity each year.
"The University is committed to addressing the significant challenges of this generation, including environmental sustainability, climate change, and renewable energy", said Ann Wylie, Vice President of Administrative Affairs and Chair of the University Sustainability Council. "The use of solar energy – a clean energy source that produces no greenhouse gases – will move us another step closer to achieving our vision for a greener campus embodied in the university’s Strategic Plan."
This solar project is the latest in a series of efforts the university has undertaken in an effort to achieve its goal to become "widely recognized as a national model for a Green University." In 2007 UMD was one of 650 American colleges and universities that were signatories to the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. This commitment provides a framework and support for the nation's colleges and universities to eventually become carbon neutral. As a signatory, the University of Maryland is reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from campus operations and moving toward the goal of carbon neutrality.
Electricity from the solar panels will reduce UMD’s carbon footprint by over 600 tons per year, the equivalent of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from 64,000 gallons of gasoline per year, or nearly 1.3 million gallons over the life of the contract.
"WGES has a long history of introducing renewable energy solutions for our customers," said Harry Warren, president of WGES of Herndon, Va. "Our efforts to help customers find environmentally attractive solutions for their energy needs are bolstered by Maryland programs and policies that encourage, and in fact rely on, the competitive market to invest in these clean energy technologies. The University of Maryland project will bring our rapidly growing portfolio of owned and operated solar power projects on the east coast to about 4 megawatts."
"We were thrilled to be able to bring much needed clean, renewable energy to the University of Maryland, College Park through this Project Sunburst grant," said Malcolm Woolf, Director of the Maryland Energy Administration. "By investing in renewable energy resources UMD is helping Maryland achieve its Renewable Portfolio Standard goal of acquiring 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2022."
"As the region’s leading solar developer and installer, we look forward to our participation in this important project and contributing to UMD's effort to become a model for what it means to be a Green University," said Scott Wiater, resident of Standard Solar.
About The University of Maryland
The University of Maryland is rapidly becoming a model energy-efficient, resource-smart, and low-carbon community. Recent successes in reducing the university's environmental impacts including decreasing its carbon footprint, increasing its recycling by 40 percent since 2003, increasing the amount of storm water that is captured, and expanding sustainability education and learning. Organizations that rate colleges and universities on sustainability have noticed UMD's efforts. For example, the University of Maryland ranked among the greenest institutions of higher learning in the nation on the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. The Princeton Review included the University of Maryland among 18 institutions in the nation to make their Green College Honor Roll for 2011. For additional information, contact Lee Tune, University Communications, at 301-405-4679 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
About Washington Gas Energy Services
Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. is one of the largest competitive providers of electricity and natural gas in the mid-Atlantic region and supplies over 335,000 customers in Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Headquartered in Herndon, Va., Washington Gas Energy Services is an affiliate of Washington Gas and a subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:WGL). For more information, contact Leah Gibbons at 703-973-7565 (office), 301-509-1508 (cell), or email@example.com.
About Standard Solar
Standard Solar, Inc. is a leader in the full-service development, construction, integration, financing and installation of solar electric systems. Since 2004, Standard Solar has been the partner of choice to make solar energy financially accessible, helping customers through financing options, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and navigating expanded federal and state and local tax credits. Ranked the 73rd Fastest Growing Private Company in America in 2010 by Inc. magazine, and the highest-ranking renewable energy company on the list, Standard Solar is headquartered in Rockville, Md. For more information, please visit www.standardsolar.com, or contact Keira Shein at WilkinsonShein Communications at 410-363-9494, or firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:633edb92-d5fc-425f-bc6a-4eb13d9992eb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wges.com/page/press_detail.php?p=28 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925617 | 1,229 | 2.125 | 2 |
When we start to realize that we’re not going to be here forever, we become aware that it’s not clear what it meant to be here at all.
Right now, in this moment, I can articulate what matters in my life, which is why I try to write often, to capture a story that’s pivotal to my life. And while what’s pivotal now might not be when I’m older and have the time to reflect on my legacy, I’ll be capturing personal histories as they’re made, rather than conjuring them up from my fragile memory; I’ll be capturing the evolution of my self.
For awhile now (maybe a decade?), I’ve told myself I’m comfortable with the idea of death—either my consciousness will persist in some way and the unknown will present something amazing to my mind or my consciousness will cease to be and so will any experience of pain or happiness. “I” will or will not be. Being comfortable with that idea right now is fairly easy—I’ve a buffer zone—I’ve every expectation to live a long and healthy life; I’ve time to tell my stories.
Stories are an insurance against the possibility that “I” will not exist after death.
I know, now, that my grandmother was reviewing her life. The fixation and repetition and lack of urgency were just parts of the process. Those seemingly random memories meant something to her. She was collecting and assembling the stories that defined her, so she could leave them here for my family.
Kate Kiefer Lee, The Stories We Share
Sharing and reenforcing our stories with our family and friends ensures that we live on in their memories—we continue to influence how they think, feel, and act, and how they affect the lives of others.
During my 29 years, I’ve developed an understanding of the world that allows me to stand firmly, if not irrefutably, behind two ideas:
- I think therefore I am. (Thanks, Descartes).
- I am not responsible for the origination of the existence of my own thought.
Beyond that, how I choose to lead my life is based largely on the grace of my circumstances. Recognizing that those circumstances have provided me (what I consider to be) a fairly extraordinarily happy life, and valuing this above most else in life, and expecting that others also esteem happiness above most else, I try to lead my life in a way that helps people achieve happiness in their own lives and to also pay it forward.
Doing this isn’t easy. In fact, it’s probably the most difficult endeavor in life. This past weekend while eating breakfast at my friend’s cabin in Pennsylvania, I picked up a copy of Herman Hesse’s Steppenwolf. In it, the narrator explains the protagonist’s genius capacity for feeling pain and self-loathing; raised by pious parents wishing to break his will, they beat down a child who was too hearty and strong of will, and taught him only to hate himself, although, he also had a strong capacity to love and care for others. Despite this, his self-loathing was just as alienating as a strong ego can be, and the narrator observed that before you can love others, you must love yourself.
Loving yourself, to me, means developing my ability to tell stories, but to also learn from them. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time studying rhetoric and composition and working as a writer and editor, it’s that the best stories are told during the editing process. For me, editing is a dialogic process—it involves talking with your editor about what you really mean to convey; sometimes our words don’t do our ideas justice and talking about the ideas behind the words allows us to choose better words and constructions to more accurately convey those ideas to others. Likewise, sometimes we don’t fully understand the importance or implications of the stories we tell, and in telling them, our friends and family help us to read between the lines, to see what we didn’t see before, and have the opportunity to re-imagine the arch of our grand narrative, to use the time we have to proactively consider our legacy, and not wait until it’s too late to leave the mark on the world that we wish to leave. | <urn:uuid:d38b2c25-4678-41f5-80e3-47368f109886> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stewart-little.com/homepage/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95915 | 936 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Armed guards are specially trained in the use of firearms and licensed to carry firearms during their shift. They must be of an even temperament and should have a good understanding of the conditions surrounding the property they are protecting. Armed guards generally make more money than unarmed guards -- for obvious reasons.
Armed guards should only be used in situations requiring protection of money, jewelry, art works, firearms, or other objects which might attract armed robbers. Protect the money which is exposed to the public by making frequent safe-drops, keeping cash register drawers shut whenever possible, and enforcing rigid money-handling procedures. Other valuables should be physically secured, if possible, before exposing them to the public.
It is generally not a good idea for retail establishments to employ armed guards in public areas. If someone is intent on robbing a retail business, there is no way to tell who that person might be, and the guard with the gun becomes the first target. An unarmed guard will deter thieves just as well without becoming a source or cause of violence in the event of a holdup.
An armed guard would be appropriate in a non-public area since access is restricted and any strangers or other unauthorized persons could be quickly turned away, subdued or arrested. Use armed guards judiciously; remember, if someone is injured or killed, you can also be held liable. In many cases, hiring off-duty police officers as armed guards is preferable because it limits the business owner's liability in case someone gets hurt. | <urn:uuid:40c5671e-12ff-4d4a-8801-fc8f0aeab27d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.securityguardscompanies.com/Armed_or_Unarmed_Guards.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957753 | 304 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Find Out If Refinancing Saves You Money With Our Refinance Calculators!
Should I refinance my mortgage?
Why Refinance a Mortgage?
When mortgage interest rates drop more than a percentage or so, some homeowners will decide to refinance their loans to get a better rate. Consider that average interest rates on fixed-rate mortgages have ranged from less than 7 percent in the late 1990s to more than 15 percent in the early 1980s, and you can see that refinancing can result in significant savings for the homeowner.
A general rule of thumb is to refinance when interest rates drop 2 percentage points or more. For example, if you have a $100,000, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 10 percent, you will pay more than $215,000 in interest over the next 30 years. But if you have a $100,000, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 8 percent, you will pay less than $165,000 in interest over the same period.Click here for full article
What Types of Refinance Are Available?
You may want to convert an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed-rate loan to gain stability in your monthly payments or in the event that interest rates drop faster than your ARM can accommodate. Many ARMs have caps limiting the amount of periodic adjustments. So, if interest rates drop 3 percentage points in a year but your ARM has a 2 percent annual cap, you may want to refinance to take full advantage of the new, low interest rates.
When interest rates drop, you can refinance to take advantage of the new rates, getting either a new ARM or a fixed-rate mortgage at a lower rate. When you replace an old ARM with a new one, you generally reset your mortgage's lifetime adjustment cap. For instance, if your old mortgage had a lifetime adjustment cap of 6 percent and the initial rate was 10 percent, your mortgage rate could go as high as 16 percent. If you replace your old mortgage with an ARM with a rate of 8 percent and a lifetime adjustment cap of 6 percent, your mortgage interest rate will never go higher than 14 percent.Click here for full article
What Are the Disadvantages of Mortgage Refinancing?
Besides the costs of refinancing, you may want to consider other potential disadvantages before signing on the dotted line. For example, if you cash out some of the equity in your home, you will own less of your home when the deal is done. And it may take you longer to own your home free and clear than if you had not refinanced.
Time is also a consideration when it comes to refinancing costs. How long will it take for your new interest savings to pay off the property appraisal, title insurance, and other costs? You may have to live in the house longer than you planned to make the refinance worthwhile. If you move before you have recouped the refinance costs, you will lose money on the deal.Click here for full article
Current loan balance
The amount you currently owe on your existing mortgage.
Annual interest rate
The interest rate on your existing mortgage.
Number of months remaining
The number of months remaining on your existing mortgage.
Annual interest rate on new mortgage: (%)
The interest rate you can get on your refinanced mortgage. This should be lower than the interest rate on your existing mortgage.
Number of months (30 yrs = 360)
The number months you will be paying on your refinanced mortgage loan. 30 years = 360 months, 20 years = 240 months, 15 years = 180 months.
Loan origination fee: (%)
This is a fee charged by the lender to evaluate, prepare and submit your loan. It typically ranges for 0.5% to 2%.
Other fees/discount points: (%)
Lenders charge various other related fees. Enter any other fees or discount points as a percentage in this field.
Lenders charge various other related fees. Enter any other fees as a monetary amount in this field.
This information may help you analyze your financial needs. It is based on information and assumptions provided by you regarding your goals, expectations and financial situation. The calculations do not infer that the company assumes any fiduciary duties. The calculations provided should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice. In addition, such information should not be relied upon as the only source of information. This information is supplied from sources we believe to be reliable but we cannot guarantee its accuracy. Hypothetical illustrations may provide historical or current performance information. Past performance does not guarantee nor indicate future results. | <urn:uuid:e3f93a90-0363-4520-9aa1-1549b6af9a7a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://calcxml.com/calculators/refinance-calculator | 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 | 0.932784 | 947 | 1.53125 | 2 |
- Policy & Research
- About KHI
June 1, 2011
TOPEKA Welfare recipients in Missouri who test positive for illicit drugs after raising the “reasonable suspicion” of a social worker stand to lose their benefits under a bill passed this session by that state's legislature.
And an even tougher bill – mandating random drug testing for welfare recipients – will be brought up next session in Topeka, said the Kansas lawmaker who has pushed such proposals in the past.
The Missouri bill was passed May 10. It mandates drug testing for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a federally funded program, who are suspected of drug abuse. Those who test positive would be dropped from the program.
Because the bill passed the Missouri House and Senate with veto-proof majorities, it is expected to soon become law.
However, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and leaders of the Missouri Department Social Services didn’t yet have much to say on the subject.
“We won't know much about the implementation of this new law until the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules promulgates rules,” said Seth Bundy, a spokesman for the social services department.
According to the "TANF Child Protection and Drug Free Home Act," its purpose is “to protect the children in the home … and to prevent abuse of taxpayer money by taking measures to ensure that such individuals receiving temporary assistance for needy families benefits are free of drug and alcohol abuse.”
An exception will be made for someone who tests positive for a first time, if he or she successfully completes a substance-abuse treatment program and tests negative during the subsequent six months.
But those who test positive a second time will be declared ineligible for benefits for three years. Those who refuse a test would be barred from benefits for two years.
Children of parents whose benefits are terminated may still receive benefits through third party, according to the bill.
In Kansas, Rep. Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, said she planned to bring back her drug-testing bill in the next legislative session, after giving it a break during the one that ended May 13.
Kelley first proposed a bill in 2009 to mandate random drug testing for all Kansas TANF recipients and to deny benefits to those who tested positive. It passed the Kansas House in 2009 but never got out of committee in the Senate.
In the 2010 session, Kelley responded to criticism of the bill by adding a provision requiring the 165 members of the Legislature to undergo the same type of screening. It, too, died in a Senate committee.
About one-third of Kansas TANF recipients, or 8,400 people, would have been screened annually under the program outlined by Kelley at an estimated cost of $1 million a year.
In an email exchange, Kelley explained why she did not introduce a similar bill in the legislative session that just ended.
“We have a new administration, a new secretary,” of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, Kelley said. “Although I have had a good discussion of the issue with Secretary (Robert) Seidlecki, given the challenge he has balancing human needs with limited resources in the immediate present, it was my decision to wait one cycle before again introducing the bill.”
Kelley said she is “quite happy with the legislation as currently written.”
“Although the floor discussion was lengthy, as the subject merits, there was easy passage twice out of the House. When I first ran the bill, a few amendments were added in committee and on the House floor. While I would not have had them drafted myself, neither did they really change the scope or intent of the base bill. For some, the changes strengthened the underlying piece of legislation, and I was supportive of those efforts.” | <urn:uuid:e6f51847-2fd7-422b-88f0-dd52fed2ec5c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.khi.org/news/2011/jun/01/lawmaker-pledges-revive-drug-testing-bill/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967107 | 783 | 1.679688 | 2 |
How do I know that my child is growing up like her/his peers? How can I know if he/she is doing okay?
These questions are some of the most common questions parents/caregivers have when concerned about their child’s development. As every parent/caregiver knows or comes to realize, there are no absolute explanation regarding childhood development.
Child Development Specialists and child oriented behaviorists most often use behavioral keys to track child growth and development. As an example, a child who had been interested in toy play then uses their play time playing with neighbor children is a pretty good indicator that a child has moved into the stage of play typical of an older child. Similarly, when a child loses interest in activities with their parents/caregivers preferring to spend more time with peers, is a sign that this young person has reached the next stage of social development.
As indicated, one of the best indicators as to whether your child is moving from one stage to the next is to observe her/his behavior. Utilizing chronological age, physical growth or what the next door neighbor child is doing often proves frustrating and more often than not an accurate measure.
It is generally not a safe assumption that a child MUST proceed from stage one to stage two then stage three. Developmentalists, who often track childhood development, commonly find children who skip a stage or stages. What is found is childhood growth and development is uneven. Among many children, in areas of their development, they are way ahead in some phases but way behind in others. This should never cause alarm among parents/caregivers. In the vast majority of cases, the child catches up exceeding ALL their parents’/caregivers’ expectations and more!
Read more articles by Stephen A. Peterson or search for articles on the same topic or others. | <urn:uuid:13dafed3-2b5c-4fbe-85c5-1eb6e37b898c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=143604 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966963 | 376 | 3.15625 | 3 |
To: Interested Parties
From: Jim Gerstein
Date: October 10, 2012
Making Sense of the Jewish Vote
As the November 2012 election approaches, here are 10 key points to keep in mind when trying to make sense of the Jewish vote (for complete analysis, click here):
- Presidential Vote. With the exception of the 1980 election, exit polls have reported that the Democratic presidential candidate has received between 64 and 80 percent of the Jewish vote in every election going back to the first national exit poll conducted in 1972. The best Republican presidential performance over the past 40 years was Ronald Reagan, receiving 39 percent of the Jewish vote in 1980 (compared to Jimmy Carter’s 45 percent and John Anderson’s 14 percent). The Democratic presidential candidate has averaged 70 percent of the Jewish vote since 1972, and Barack Obama received 74 percent in 20081. The latest Gallup polling (through September 16, 2012) shows Barack Obama leading Mitt Romney by a 70-27 margin.
- The Last Election: 2010 Mid-Terms. In the 2010 mid-term election landslide – which cost the Democrats 63 seats and was the biggest loss for any party in a House election since 1938 – Jews voted for Democrats by a 66 to 31 percent margin. The 2010 Jewish vote was more Democratic than other Democratic base groups such as unmarried women (61 percent), Hispanics (60 percent) and voters under 30 years old (55 percent). Compared to other religious groups, Jews voted less Democratic than “other” (74 percent) and “none” (68 percent), but more Democratic than Catholics (44 percent), Protestants (38 percent), and white Evangelicals (19 percent).
Impact of the Jewish Vote. While it is often reported that the Jewish vote can determine the outcome in key swing states, such as Florida or Pennsylvania, and ultimately decide the election, this argument disregards historical precedent and ignores the many other constituencies that constitute a much larger portion of the electorate. This argument was most recently made by Ari Fleischer during a visit to Israel with the Republican Jewish coalition, when Fleischer said, “The Democrats will win the majority of the Jewish vote, but if we can hold them to 75 percent, to 70 percent, it will be a huge victory for Republicans. It's the difference between winning and losing.” Below is the actual impact of the Jewish vote in key 2012 swing states:
- Florida and Pennsylvania (4 percent Jewish): It requires a drop of 25 percentage points in a candidate’s Jewish vote to move one percent of the electorate in Florida and Pennsylvania
- Nevada (3 percent Jewish): It requires a drop of 33 percentage points in a candidate’s Jewish vote to move one percent of the electorate in Nevada
- Ohio (2 percent Jewish): It requires a drop of 50 percentage points in a candidate’s Jewish vote to move one percent of the electorate in Ohio
- Iowa: 0 percent Jewish
- Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina: 2008 exit polls do not show the percentage of Jews in these states; according to a study by the Berman Institute at University of Connecticut, Jews constitute less than one-half a percent of the electorate in North Carolina, 1 percent in Virginia, and 2 percent in Colorado
- Job Approval and Israel. While Gallup has averaged a 14-point gap between President Obama’s job approval among Jews and his job approval among all Americans, the results undercut a frequently made but factually erroneous claim that Obama has a policy toward Israel that alienates Jewish voters. Gallup concluded that its results “call into question attempts to link a decline in Obama’s approval among Jews to his statements or policies on [Israel] matters important to Jewish policymakers and lobbyists.”
- Party Identification. The Pew Research Center recently released data among different religious groups, showing that 65 percent of Jews currently identify themselves as Democrats, underscoring their standing as a base Democratic constituency (essentially the same as Pew’s 2007 report that 66 percent of Jews identify themselves as Democrats).
Shared Values. According to Gallup, Jews are the most liberal religious group in America – and more than twice as liberal as the country as a whole. In Gallup’s last release of ideology by religion in January 2010, Jews (43 percent liberal / 20 percent conservative) were more liberal than Catholics (19 percent liberal / 39 percent conservative), Protestants/other Christians (16 percent liberal / 46 percent conservative), and no religion/atheist/agnostic (39 percent liberal / 19 percent conservative). Looking beyond self-identified ideology, other measures reveal a very progressive constituency:
- Gallup found in 2007 that 77 percent of Jews opposed the Iraq war, far more than any other religious group.
- In March 2012, the Public Religion Research Institute’s (PRRI) poll of American Jews showed that 93 percent believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 81 percent support gay marriage, 81 percent support raising taxes on people making over $1 million per year, and 73 percent believe our system unfairly favors the wealthy.
- Republican Unfavorability. Jews do not identify with political conservatives and the Republican party. According to J Street’s 2010 election night survey, Glenn Beck (66 percent unfavorable), the Tea Party movement (74 percent unfavorable), and George W. Bush (73 percent unfavorable) all have dramatically poor standing with American Jews. In the March 2012 PRRI poll of American Jews, assessments of Mitt Romney (67 percent unfavorable) and the Republican party (76 percent unfavorable) demonstrate that Jews continue to express intense opposition to the Republican party and its current leader.
- Jewish Voting Priorities. The economy was overwhelmingly the dominant issue for Jews (and the rest of the country) in the 2008 and 2010 elections, and it will be again in 2012. Unlike the economy which dominates the issue environment (62 percent of Jews cited it as a top voting determinant in 2010), Israel ranks toward the bottom of the list of top issues and was only cited by 7 percent of Jews who voted in the 2010 election as one of the top two issues determining their vote.
- Arab-Israeli Conflict. Even though they do not vote based on Israel, American Jews do follow news about Israel and tend to hold progressive positions about America’s role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. A large majority (57 percent) support a comprehensive agreement along the Clinton parameters and 67 percent want the United States to play an active role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even if that means publicly stating its differences with both parties.
- Equal Enthusiasm Among Republican and Democratic donors. In a July 2011 J Street survey of American Jews, 16 percent reported giving to Obama’s 2008 campaign and 4 percent reported giving to McCain’s 2008 campaign. Interestingly, this 4-to-1 ratio reflects the ratio in the 2008 Jewish vote. But, more importantly, virtually the same number of past donors to either Obama (82 percent) and McCain (80 percent) said they already have contributed or will contribute to the campaign, suggesting that there is no gap in enthusiasm between Democratic and Republican Jewish donors.
A more extensive analysis of the 2008 exit polling data available shows Obama getting 74 percent of the vote instead of the 78 percent that had been previously reported by news agencies. The analysis was conducted by the Solomon Project and uses additional interviews from the state-by-state exit polls, providing a more complete dataset than what was used in prior news reports. | <urn:uuid:10c295b1-e79d-4d8c-a4c7-a86fed2966da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jstreet.org/blog/post/making-sense-of-the-jewish-vote_2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946621 | 1,521 | 2.609375 | 3 |
A new 15-minute documentary about Library Live and On Tour: THIS is the Library? The Story of LiLi and Smitty. Created by university library technology students as a class project.
LiLi and Smitty are honoured to have been asked to give a presentation at the American Library Association Mid-Winter Meeting (Seattle, January 2013). LiLi will be on display in the Convention Centre Hall and Smitty will be talking about LiLi’s mission and experiences. More in American Libraries Magazine
Good guy Jordan from the FVRL Marketing and Communications department followed Smitty and LiLi for a day. This short video explains why it is important for the library to “take it to the streets”.
Welcome to the home of LiLi, the coolest little library hot rod in the world.
Check out the calendar for upcoming public appearances and enjoy the photos of LiLi’s travels.
If the calendar has a blank spot, don’t worry, she’s still on the road! When not in the public eye, LiLi makes private visits to a variety of community agencies serving marginalized and sometimes socially excluded people (food banks, soup kitchens, transition houses).
We’re working hard to visit as many places as possible so that we can prove that the public library has something for everyone…and that means EVERYONE!
See you out there. | <urn:uuid:c577f8f1-51a8-47c0-8e1f-b36d3fa6b0d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://libraryliveandontour.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945704 | 285 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Over a year ago, people in a wide range of international development organisations discussed how to address the issues arising from the new impact agenda. A narrowing of what is valued and how value is measured has led many of us to seek constructive ways to conceptually and methodologically assess the impact – and therefore the design – of development funding in support of a fairer world, beyond oftentimes narrow bureaucratic protocols that require guaranteed predictable outcomes. Much of what is happening is rendered invisible and ignored.
The Big Push Forward is a network of practitioners identifying and sharing strategies for encouraging funders to adopt additional, useful approaches to impact assessment and reporting of international development programmes. In April we found a collective voice with our our website for encouraging and supporting collective learning and sharing. (http://bigpushforward.wordpress.com/).
Last week, the first thematic cluster, ‘Value for Money’, was launched by its facilitator, Cathy Shutt. Several other themes are on track for launching, including alternative forms of reporting and collaborating with people inside donor agencies who are equally dissatisfied with the prevailing ‘audit culture’ and want to make space for supporting social transformation.
Please contribute to these important debates. The questions are huge and the answers are not clear. You can engage via the public blogs and by joining a thematic cluster that speaks closely to the challenges you face in your work.
Rosalind Eyben is a Research Fellow in the Participation, Power and Social Change research team at IDS. | <urn:uuid:b197742b-9928-4e36-a31f-041b404d3551> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://participationpower.wordpress.com/2011/09/ | 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 | 0.93625 | 305 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Blooming flowers are sign of spring
Published: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 7:34 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 7:34 a.m.
Driving up Sunday morning Grand Caillou Road toward Houma, I passed a sure sign of coastal Louisiana spring. For a change, it was a sunny day and several acres of unplanted sugar-cane land beside the highway were blossoming into a bright blanket of yellow flowers.
Pretty as they are at that stage, the blossoms have a mixed reputation. Long known as a mild diuretic when boiled into a tea, the yellow flowering plants are known locally as “pis en lit,” which translates to “pee the bed” in English.
So, despite their ability to paint a roadside landscape yellow, the plants are considered weeds. Late Montegut native Harold Ledet said that, as a boy, he had gathered a bouquet of the flowers to give to his mother, only to have her immediately throw them out with a rough reference to their diuretic properties.
Somehow, folks thought that those properties might result from merely touching the stems. On the other hand, I wonder if the town of Golden Meadow derived its name from the same yellow, weedy flower.
Murdered doctor. Nelia Anderson Pitre, who reads the Photographs and Memories feature online, prompted the research that produced this week’s story, by inquiring about the murder of Dr. Hanson Dupont.
“He was a doctor in Houma in the ‘50s for sure; was shot and killed in 1959.” Pitre had run across a reference to the case somewhere, “but I have not been able to find anything on it. I now live out of state, so I can’t run off to do look ups. Might make an interesting column.”
One reader of a subsequent column mentioning the case reported Dupont had been her doctor about the time one of her children was born. Another recalled that The Courier had covered the murder in a special edition and that a “crime magazine” had published an account.
Then, present Terrebonne Parish sheriff’s deputy Brent Favalora told me his late father, Tom, also a deputy, had been among the investigators in 1959, and had saved clippings and a copy of the magazine story, which said an auto jack, not a gun, was the murder weapon.
And although she was not then Mrs. Favalora, his mother knew a lot about the case. As a student at Nicholls State University, she worked part time for the Lafourche Comet. When Courier editors sought help from the Comet in publishing the murder “extra,” she proofread the story.
Fais do-do at VFW: The VFW Post No. 4752 is definitely continuing plans for fundraising dinner dances similar to the long-standing monthly dances at the Knights of Columbus home in Dulac, a few miles away.
The group’s second dance is scheduled for Saturday at the post home, 7587 Grand Caillou Road, Dulac.
Doors open at 4 p.m. Dance admission costs $3. The meal costs $6 and includes rice, chicken stew, sweet peas, potato salad, a dessert and a drink. The meal is served at 5 p.m.
The dance is from 6 to 9 p.m., and Larry White will perform. Norman “Tutty” Breaux, an organizer of the dinner and dance, said children are welcome, but there is a “no running” rule. The event is smoke and alcohol free. For information, call 857-9723.
Responding? Contact Bill Ellzey at 381-6256, email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.org or c/o The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. | <urn:uuid:b13b82df-fb5b-428d-909c-0427c4783fdc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20130306/OPINION01/130309797/0/API?Title=Blooming-flowers-are-sign-of-spring | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965691 | 867 | 1.648438 | 2 |
The Illustrated Series Soft Skills titles are designed to make it easy to teach students the essential soft skills necessary to succeed in today's competitive workplace. This text delves into the importance of effectiveShow more and professional written communication from creating professional documentation to E-mail correspondence. Each book and companion CourseMate cover 40 critical skills, providing students with extensive knowledge they can bring with them into the real world. CourseMate brings each text to life with an audio visual eBook, scenario videos, access to Career Transitions, interactive activities for reinforcement, and Engagement Tracker, a first-of-its-kind tool that monitors student engagement in the course!Show less
info On average this store will confirm the amount you have raised in 2 days. | <urn:uuid:8b30d5fe-36fa-4c2a-93e8-8169c984702f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.giveasyoulive.com/product?id=2825_13183571 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917855 | 149 | 2.09375 | 2 |
New obstacle to death penalty in U.S.Deborah Denno in The Washington Post, July 02, 2011
By Rob Stein, Published: July 2
A Danish company has announced that it is taking steps to try to prevent prison officials in the United States from using a powerful sedative it makes to execute prisoners.
Lundbeck said Friday that it was reviewing all orders for its drug Nembutal, also known as pentobarbital, to block any shipments to prisons in states that execute prisoners.
The announcement creates the latest obstacle to capital punishment in the United States. Many states have begun using pentobarbital to execute prisoners instead of the anesthetic sodium thiopental, which became unavailable when Hospira of Lake Forest, Ill., announced in January that it would stop making it. That decision was prompted by opposition to the death penalty by lawmakers in Italy, where the company had planned to shift its production of the drug.
“Lundbeck adamantly opposes the distressing misuse of our product in capital punishment,” Lundbeck’s chief executive Ulf Wiinberg said in a statement. “Since learning about the misuse we have vetted a broad range of remedies — many suggested during ongoing dialogue with external experts, government officials and human rights advocates. After much consideration, we have determined that a restricted distribution system is the most meaningful means through which we can restrict the misuse of Nembutal.”
While the new policy “can’t make any guarantees” that the drug will not be used for executions, “we are confident that our new distribution program will play a substantial role in restricting prisons’ access to Nembutal for misuse as part of lethal injection.”
Although Nembutal represents only 1 percent of the company’s global sales, the company said it decided against simply withdrawing the drug from the market because the compound “continues to meet an important medical need” in the United States. The drug is “used to treat serious conditions, such as a severe and life-threatening” form of epilepsy, the company said.
Thirty-four states have the death penalty. All allow for lethal injection, and until recently most had used a three-drug cocktail of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride. In the wake of sodium thiopental’s scarcity, states have begun substituting pentobarbital or simply using pentobarbital alone.
In addition to being used to treat epilepsy, pentobarbital has also long been used to euthanize animals.
“Lundbeck’s move has serious implications for those states that already use pentobarbital for lethal injection executions as well as those states that were preparing to make the switch,” said Deborah Denno, a Fordham University law professor who is a death penalty opponent.
“In due time, states will have to find an alternative drug, thereby repeating the cycle that started when states abandoned sodium thiopental. This development throws doubt yet again on the viability of using drug injections as an execution method because surely this cycle has no foreseeable end,” she said. | <urn:uuid:dba013ff-245d-42a9-ae7d-1f16031488d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://law.fordham.edu/faculty/22886.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960955 | 656 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Yesterday, I went Scuba diving and snorkeling in the marine sanctuary off Key Largo. Part of it was job related--tough gig, I know--as I was there to do an observation of a field trip that one of our Science Faculty has created for her classes.
On the boat in the morning, I overheard one of the dive guys say that he'd just heard on the radio that the ocean temperature at Molasses Reef was 91 degrees, the hottest ocean temperature ever recorded at that location. The normal temp would be 83 or 84 degrees. But we may be looking at the new normal. This summer has seen the hottest recorded ocean temperatures across the globe. Should these temperatures remain as the new normal, we're facing severe consequences. Most of the marine life that we like best, whether to look at or to eat, cannot survive those temps. What can survive? Jellyfish, and other creatures we find unpleasant.
As I swam the rest of the day, I looked at all the beautiful fish, so many of them, awed at such variety. I felt like I was part of some gorgeous movie, as swarms of fish came towards me and swam around me. I felt oddly at home in this quiet environment (quiet to me, at least), which is strange, of course, since I can't remain submerged there long without a tank of oxygen on my back and other bulky equipment that weighs me down on land but becomes more weightless in the water.
I felt a piercing sorrow, since these creatures may be doomed, and I hate that helpless feeling that it's much too late, and I can do nothing about it. I thought of what John Dufresne says in his wonderful book about writing, The Lie that Tells a Truth: "But death is the central truth of our existence--the sadness at our core. Everything we love will vanish. We can't hold on to anything. It is this tragedy that accounts as well for the beauty and nobility of our lives because in the face of this knowledge, we go right on loving, trying to hold on to what we cherish, defying death with hubris and with faith" (p. 61).
Some day, perhaps I will be that old woman who tells youngsters what the seas used to look like: "Before the seas became so enswamped with jellyfish that you can't swim through them, there were beautiful creatures in such a breathtaking variety of color and shapes. You don't believe me, but I swam there, and I tell you that it was true."
Maybe the question that future generations will ask is not that old classic: "What did you do in the war?" Maybe it will be "Why didn't you do more to save these threatened environments?" Or maybe no one will be around to ask these questions, no one human at least.
I think that one of the most important jobs that we have as writers is to be observers who write things down. I've noticed that in my own life, things that I don't write down tend to be lost. Of course, throughout human history, the act of writing doesn't ensure against the loss of what we love. But future generations have a record.
I love the coral reef and all its beautiful (and ugly) inhabitants--even jellyfish have a strange beauty. I love old-fashioned vinyl records and typewriters and the summers of my youth. I love the music of the 80's, even the music that I hated during that time period. I love the Appalachian mountains and the museums in Washington D.C. The list of all I love is so long and getting longer. My life is so short and getting shorter. Nothing to be done but to write it down.
Darkness Sticks to Everything
5 days ago | <urn:uuid:294df883-12eb-4693-a66e-d8efecaadbe5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kristinberkey-abbott.blogspot.com/2009/08/all-we-love-will-be-lost-coral-reef.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975727 | 779 | 1.664063 | 2 |
by Kiley Kroh
Yesterday, the Justice Department announced BP agreed to plead guilty to 14 criminal charges stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and agreed to pay $4.5 billion in fines and penalties – the largest single criminal fine and largest total criminal resolution in US history. Attorney General Eric Holder emphasized several times that the announcement is only one piece of the government’s ongoing efforts to hold BP fully accountable for the deaths of 11 men and one of the worst environmental disasters in US history.
Here’s a rundown of what the settlement entailed and what lies ahead.
What were the charges?
- BP plead guilty to 14 counts: 11 felony counts of misconduct for the 11 workers killed at the rig, one misdemeanor count under the Clean Water Act, one misdemeanor count under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and one felony count of obstruction of Congress.
- Three BP employees were also charged, two of them with manslaughter.
Where will the money go?
In addition to the size of today’s resolution, the settlement is also historic in its dedication of the majority of funds to the affected Gulf Coast states for environmental restoration.
- $2.4 billion will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, – an independent, non-profit conservation group chartered by Congress in 1984. The funds will be paid out over a period of five years and be earmarked for environmental restoration and preservation in Gulf states.
- $350 million will go to the National Academy of Sciences for oil spill prevention, education, research, and training – also to be paid out over five years.
- More than $1 billion will go to the Coast Guard’s Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, overseen by the U.S. Coast Guard to be available to pay for future oil spill cleanup.
- The oil giant will also pay $525 million to resolve claims with the Securities and Exchange Commission for misleading its investors regarding the size of the Deepwater Horizon spill.
What additional aspects of BP’s liability have not been resolved?
Yesterday’s settlement was just one step toward determining full liability for the catastrophe, with the largest potential penalties still remaining.
- Civil penalties under the Clean Water Act are the largest potential fine, as the company will be charged up to $4,300 per barrel of oil spilled. Holder indicated that the government will pursue the maximum penalty, which could result in a fine as large as $21 billion.
- Federal and state Natural Resource Damages claims also remain outstanding. Historically, these have taken the longest to resolve. In the case of the Exxon Valdez spill, they took more than a decade to settle.
- State economic loss or private civil claims that aren’t covered by the $7.8 billion settlement announced in March.
The people and ecosystem of the Gulf Coast continue to struggle with the devastating impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill – and will likely do so for many years to come. Therefore, it is encouraging that the government has structured the settlement to ensure the majority of penalties paid by BP are returned to the impacted states to begin the painstaking process of environmental and economic restoration. The bipartisan RESTORE Act, which passed Congress in June, is a critical piece of legislation also aimed at achieving that end. The bill requires 80 percent of civil fines paid by the responsible parties under the Clean Water Act to be diverted to the five Gulf states impacted by the spill, rather than to the general treasury.
Today’s action marks an enormous step forward in the enduring effort to make the Gulf Coast whole again. In order to truly hold the responsible parties accountable for the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and ensure long-term recovery of the hard-hit region, the Administration should continue to pursue the maximum penalty in remaining civil fines and damages.
Kiley Kroh is the Associate Director of Ocean Communications at the Center for American Progress. | <urn:uuid:61aa180b-abcc-4718-8ea5-dfa3d34356ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/11/16/1202821/breaking-down-the-bp-settlement-where-will-the-money-go/?mobile=nc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947223 | 796 | 2.0625 | 2 |
The Dec. 14 massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., shocked the nation with its lethal brutality.
America mourned as each of the 20 slain first graders faces’, and the faces of the six women who died trying to protect them, became known in households across the country.
The attack also reignited what was a mostly dormant debate over the nation’s regulation of gun ownership.
Last week President Obama addressed the nation to announce his intention to seek a new effort to regulate firearms. The President called for universal background checks for all firearm sales and transfers, a renewed and strengthened assault weapon ban, and a limit on the capacity of magazines.
He also announced of list of executive actions instructing federal agencies to monitor guns seized during criminal investigations, make more information available for federal background checks, and to conduct or sponsor research on gun violence and prevention.
In the aftermath of the attack at Sandy Hook, most agreed that some form of action was needed to curb the epidemic of gun violence in this county. When it was reported that the Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, used an AR-15, a popular .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle, anti-gun activists immediately called for a renewal of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004.
President Obama, speaking at a Dec. 16 prayer vigil in Newtown, spoke of the gun violence plaguing the nation and his intention to strengthen the nation’s gun laws.
“We’re not doing enough. And that will have to change,” the President said, speaking about the other mass shootings that the nation has endured during his time in office. “We can’t tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change.”
Tragically, as the President noted, the massacre at Sandy Hook was not the nation’s first experience with mass shootings. In July, 2012, 12 people were killed and 58 were wounded when James Holmes allegedly opened fire in a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colo. On Jan. 11, 2011, Jared Lee Loughner shot 18 people in a grocery store parking lot in Tucson, Ariz., killing six and wounding 12 others, including former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. In 2007, Virginia Tech senior Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded 17 others in an attack on university classrooms. In 1999, high school seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 classmates and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo.
Many figures in both politics and the media have recently pointed to those tragedies to argue for a need of enhanced restrictions on gun ownership, and specifically the reenactment of an assault weapons ban. But would such a ban have prevented these tragedies?
At Columbine, Harris and Klebold used a combination of weapons including an Intratec TEC-DC9, a Hi-Point 995 Carbine, and two 12-gauge shotguns. Only the possession of the TEC-DC9 was prohibited under the 1994 assault weapons ban, yet the pair still had access to the gun. The pair also used a number of homemade explosives in their attack.
At Virginia Tech, Cho used a 9mm Glock 19 and a .22 caliber Walther P22, two semi-automatic handguns that would not be prohibited under the 1994 ban, or under legislation currently proposed. New legislation could limit the capacity of the handguns’ magazines, but reports revealed that Chow used multiple magazines during his attack and reloaded numerous times.
In Arizona, Jared Lee Loughner used a single 9mm Glock pistol to carry out his attack. The handgun was purchased and possessed legally, according to reports in local newspapers.
In Aurora, James Holmes allegedly used a Smith and Wesson M&P15, a variation of the AR-15 platform. That weapon would likely be prohibited under a new ban, but Holmes also used a 12-gauge shotgun and a .40 caliber pistol in the attack. Both of those weapons would not be regulated under the proposed renewal of the assault weapons ban.
In the days after the Sandy Hook attack Adam Lanza was widely reported to have used a Bushmaster .223 rifle, a version of the AR-15 platform, but also had multiple handguns in his possession when his body was found inside the school.
All of the weapons that police recovered at the scene were legally owned by Lanza’s mother, officials have said. Connecticut has its own assault weapons ban written into state law, and the AR-15 used by Lanza does not qualify as an assault weapon under the law, an indication that weapon bans may not be enough to prevent such attacks.
An examination of crime statistics shows that weapons like the AR-15 are not a major part of the larger gun violence problem facing the country.
Locally, officials with the District Attorney’s Office and Chester County Detectives said that no one has been killed in the county for at least 10 years with an AR-15 style weapon.
According to state police statistics, 638 people were murdered in Pennsylvania in 2011. Of those, 471, or 73.8 percent, were killed with firearms. But out of those victims, only eight people, or 1.3 percent, were killed with a rifle, the type of firearm targeted most by proposed assault weapon bans. That total includes all types of rifles, not just “assault weapons.”
The 380 victims killed with handguns are largely left out of the renewed debate over the potential renewal of tougher gun laws.
In comparison, 75 people in Pennsylvania were stabbed to death in 2011, 19 were fatally bludgeoned with blunt instruments, and 27 were killed by “personal weapons” defined as hands, feet, and other body parts. Eight people were also strangled to death.
These trends are not limited to Pennsylvania, however. There were 68,720 people murdered in the United States from 2007-2011, according to the FBI’s uniform crime statistics. Of that total, 43,313 were killed by firearms, but only 1,874 were killed with rifles, and 2,044 were killed with shotguns.
During the same period 4,058 people were killed with personal weapons, and 2,918 were killed with blunt objects.
So, from 2007 to 2011, 3,918 were killed with long guns in the United States, while 6,976 were killed with blunt objects and personal weapons, according to the FBI’s statistics.
In a report published by the University of Pennsylvania in 2004, as the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban was set to expire, experts concluded that an examination of 38 sources revealed that assault weapons accounted for just 2 percent of all gun crime.
But it remains clear that large portions of the public perceive assault weapons as a leading factor in the deadly epidemic of mass shootings, despite the fact that many high profile shootings were executed without the use of such weapons.
U.S. Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., offered support of President Obama’s proposals last week while also claiming support for the Second Amendment.
“While I want to closely examine the executive and legislative proposals set forth by the President, they include some very positive and reasonable steps to address the problem,” Casey said. “The American people deserve a thoughtful effort to reach a comprehensive solution to address gun violence.”
Casey stressed that any solution should increase funding for programs that support community policing efforts while also addressing mental health issues. He also said that he will continue to support the citizens’ right to own guns for their own protection, and for hunting, recreation, and collection. But he also said that the attack at Sandy Hook led to his support of a renewed ban on “military-style weapons” and high capacity magazines.
“Moving forward, my hope is that Republicans and Democrats will come together and act in response to this great tragedy. I remain optimistic that the sense of urgency we all felt after Sandy Hook will not be diminished by time or any partisan battles.”
Follow Daily Local News staff writer Michael N. Price on Twitter @MikePriceWrites and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/michaelnprice | <urn:uuid:0c26f533-1b37-4773-a7e9-13662da58822> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20130120/NEWS/130129977&template=printart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977097 | 1,703 | 2.265625 | 2 |
|Communicating With Dolphins|
Communication with dolphins is getting better all the time — they've been using iPads, for one thing, and humans have been working on a type of Rosetta Stone-like two-way translation device. A new gadget could improve matters even further, by allowing humans to produce the full range of dolphin sounds. The acoustics researchers who developed it call it the Dolphin Speaker.
Dolphins Using the IPad
To better understand how these sounds are produced, how they travel and even what they mean, researchers need to be able to play them back, watching how dolphins react. This speaker can do it, producing sounds from 6 kHz to 170 kHz. While others have worked in the low-frequency ranges, this is the first type that can cover the whole spectrum.
Researchers led by Yuka Mishima, a graduate student at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, built a new transducer sandwiched between pieces of acrylic to keep it safe from water. A quadruple piezoelectric panel can broadcast high-frequency sounds, and a single silver circle broadcasts low-frequency sounds.
The Dolphin Speaker is the first underwater setup that can project the full range of sounds made by dolphins, potentially opening a new avenue for communication with the animals. They took it to the ocean and played some dolphin sounds, comparing the sound spectrograms with natural recorded spectrograms obtained from dolphins. The charts looked mighty similar, the researchers say. The next step is to play back a whole sequence of dolphin noises to dolphins and watch what happens.
Plenty of work is being done with dolphin sounds, but they have mostly focused on dolphin vocalizations and their hearing anatomy. Dolphins can not only hear and produce clicks, whistles and burst pulses well outside of the range of human hearing, but they can vocalize at several different frequency ranges at once. This ocean broadband is key for communication and navigation.
Things We Can Learn From Dolphins: Electro-Sensing, Amazing Powers of Healing
When we figure out how to communicate with dolphins pretty soon, these are some good questions to ask: Why don't you feel any pain when you're hurt? Can you teach us how to regrow missing body parts? And can you teach us how to sense electricity?
The dots on this dolphin's rostrum are hairless vibrissal crypts, structures originally associated with mammalian whiskers, which serve as electroreceptors. These are some of the latest impressive attributes we humans have learned about dolphins. The animals can do much more than echolocate — they can sense the electric fields of other animals, according to a new study. This is mostly used to detect prey, although it might be useful for evading attacks. The Guiana dolphin has electro-whiskers in its rostrum, or dolphin nose, according to German researchers.
Researchers at the University of Rostock noticed physiological activity in the upper jaw of the dolphins, located in pores called vibrissal crypts. These pits are normally associated with whiskers, the scientists explain in a new research paper. They examined a dead dolphin and found a nerve structure that resembled electroreceptors in other species. Fish, some amphibians and duck-billed platypuses possess these structures, but no other mammals do, according to New Scientist. To make sure this wasn't just a vestigial anatomical structure left over from evolution, the researchers tested a 28-year-old male Guiana dolphin. They found the dolphin could detect a weak electric field, 4.6 microvolts per cm-1. Then they attached a plastic shell over his rostrum and tried it again, to find out whether covering up the vibrissal crypts would have any effect. He could not sense the electric fields, even at much higher intensities. Electrosensing could help dolphins find prey at short distances, such as buried in sand, where echolocation wouldn't be of much use according to researcher Wolf Hanke.The study also suggests that other animals, especially aquatic animals, might possess these electro-whiskers and can act as animal Conduits. The paper is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Dolphins apparently possess amazing regenerative capabilities, which could inspire new anti-bacterial treatments and wound healing for humans. NPR's health blog talked to surgeon Michael Zasloff, who has discovered compounds in shark skin that can fight human diseases. Apparently dolphins can heal quickly and painlessly from shark bites, and they use stem cells to rebuild missing tissue. If a shark were to bite a chunk out of a dolphin, it would not hemorrhage or get infected, and apparently the dolphin would not even feel any pain, Zasloff said. "Despite having sustained massive tissue injury, within about month the animal will restore its normal body contour. There'll be some surface markings, but a chunk of tissue maybe the size of a football will have been restored with essentially no deformity. Dolphin blubber has special compounds that act as natural antibiotics, and it must contain stem cells that are able to construct a flesh patch" said Zasloff. He recently reviewed some amazing dolphin recovery stories in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Unlocking these secrets will require much more dolphin research, Zasloff said. And even more motivation to get dolphins using the iPad.
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QCRI, Taghreedat organize successful event with Google, YouTube, Twitter reaching out to the local community about Arabic language content online. Over 400 community members gathered at the Arabic YouTube Tweetup looking to contribute online content.
Doha, Qatar, 16 December 2012: According to experts at Google, Arabic is among the fastest growing languages on the web. Over the past two years, social networking sites including Twitter, YouTube and Facebook have experienced a massive increase in Arabic language usage. Yet with close to 350 million Arabic language speakers in the Arab world, the amount of online content in Arabic hovers at only 3%.
Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) and Taghreedat, a regional Arabic e- content community building initiative based in Qatar, organized an Arabic YouTube Tweetup over the weekend to introduce new programs and tools that will help to close this gap in content. The event featured social networking and digital content giants YouTube, Google and Twitter who talked about their initiatives in promoting and supporting Arabic language online.
The tweetup, scheduled as part of Google’s month-long Arabic Web Days project, gathered over 400 content creators from around the region looking to contribute to the acceleration of digital content in Arabic, with a focus on developing video content for YouTube. Representatives from YouTube and video content entrepreneurs from the region shared their insight and experiences on how to create viral Arabic videos on YouTube.
Dr. Ahmed Elmagarmid, Executive Director of QCRI, introduced the Arabic language initiatives underway at the Institute. “At QCRI we have a large team dedicated to promoting the Arabic language by conducting world-class research in Arabic language technologies – including content creation, machine translation and search optimization,” said Dr. Elmagarmid. “This is our culture, our language. As a community, we are in the best position to create and make significant contributions to enrich the content and to drive the renaissance of the Arabic language.”
Speaking about Ethraa, QCRI’s initiative to enrich and increase Arabic digital content, Majd Abbar, Director of Arabic Content Initiatives at QCRI, explained the reasons behind the effort: “Language provides the underpinnings of a knowledge-based society – communication, expression of thoughts, sharing of ideas and information. Arabic was once the language of science, literature and knowledge. Ethraa is focused on ensuring that the Arabic language is restored to its natural position as a language of science and research, which supports Qatar’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy.”
Ensuring not only the ease of use as an instantaneous communication platform but also that the content is meaningful and interesting to the rest of the world is also what drives the efforts at Twitter, Inc. With approximately 17 million tweets in Arabic every day, Kaveh Gharib, Localization Project Manager at Twitter Inc., stated that alongside the opportunities for content growth come challenges – such as how to separate the signal from the noise. “In the Middle East, we need to tap into our creativity and take control of our own content – not let others tell it for us. We each have the power to create stories,” he said. “This should be done by developing high quality, localized content.” Twitter is committed to providing a platform that supports right-to-left languages which would offer a tremendous boost to Arabic digital content creation.
Dr. Fayeq Oweis, Arabic Localization Manager at Google, Inc. talked about numerous initiatives underway at Google in support of creating Arabic digital content – including local Arabic dialect voice recognition on Android phones, and tools that are available to write in Arabic without falling back on Arabizi. The YouTube platform is also fully Arabicized.
There are eight localized YouTube domains in the Middle East and more than 260 million videos viewed a day in the MENA region. Maha Abouelenein, Head of Communications for Google MENA talked about the initiatives at YouTube for the region including the Google Media Academy that teaches journalists how to find the news and broadcast the news using YouTube, and includes tips on how to tag videos, how to embed videos and how to share videos in their reporting. “YouTube is a very powerful platform that gives Arabic users global reach through video, with the talent in MENA we want to share their vibrant content with the rest of the world. We are working to provide the right tools to create and capture these moments, and let people know they can make a difference. There are a lot of moving stories in the region, a lot of rich content. The region’s youth can play a key role to tell these stories and be the voice of an entire generation,” said Abouelenein.
Samy Al Mubarak, co-founder of Taghreedat, summed up the evening and encouraged the audience to contribute creative Arabic content online. “It is not enough to talk about the need for better Arabic online content. It’s time to act and do something about it. We should take part together at the individual level and at the institutional level. We saw ways to do this today – with initiatives at Taghreedat, QCRI, Google, YouTube and Twitter we can localize content – and more effectively represent our ideas, our vision, our culture.” | <urn:uuid:002852f1-3fee-4906-90cd-6eee3bcb3426> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.qcri.com/media-resources/press-releases/press-releases-details?item=108&backArt=75 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92486 | 1,090 | 1.671875 | 2 |
The Bigger Picture: Visual Archives and the Smithsonian
Answer me this?
I have one of the best jobs at the Smithsonian. Sure, there are others I honestly envy (mostly at the Zoo), but mine ranks really high because of the variety of questions I’m asked and mysteries I have to solve. That’s because I’m a reference archivist at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, where the history of the institution is collected and made accessible to staff (be they administrators, curators, or collections staff) and researchers, who range from elementary school kids and genealogists to scholars of the history of science and museum development. In fact, last year the reference staff (three of us) answered approximately 4,526 remote transactions (mostly e-mail) and served 924 visitors to our research room. Most of our contacts are from the US, but international contacts abound. So, what do people want to know? Just about everything. For instance: What was the name of Paul Bartsch’s (Curator of Snails) pet Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis)? It turns out, Robert Ridgeway, Smithsonian ornithologist, hatched several parakeets and was raising them in captivity, but one was especially weak and in need of special attention, and this is where Paul Bartsch came in. Dr. Bartsch took on the “neglected mite,” and nursed it back to health on milk-soaked bread and meat. Soon he had a thriving and mischievous bird on his hands that he dubbed “Doodles.” Bartsch loved him and he wrote that Doodles would often crawl into bed with him and snuggle up to his neck and nap, and “woe betide anyone who would disturb us.” [Atlantic Naturalist Vol. 8, pp. 18-20] When Doodles died in 1914, his body was skinned, preserved in alcohol and donated to the museum (catalog # 288603 - the entry says that he was called Doodles), and Bartsch retained the skin in his private collection. Eventually Bartsch’s private collection came to the museum after his death and Doodle’s skin (catalog # 523868) and body are still available for study today. You can see images of one of Ridgeway's birds in the collections of the Division of Birds online. Is it true you have a stuffed Army sergeant at the Smithsonian? This is true. Sergeant Stubby was a distinguished hero of World War I who was informally inducted into the American Expeditionary Force while cruising the Yale campus and later smuggled aboard the troopship, SS Minnesota, with his adoptive fellow soldier, John Robert Conroy. Stubby fought alongside Conroy in France and distinguished himself through numerous acts of bravery—alerting his unit to gas attacks and incoming artillery; being solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne (holding on to the spy’s pants until help arrived); he was wounded in action, and was an ace morale booster in the hospital where he was sent to recover. He was honored with medals, a wound, stripe, and accolades from the American Legion and Humane Society. Upon returning to the States, he followed Conroy to Georgetown University Law School where he entertained the crowds during halftime at football games. Stubby (taxidermy) was donated to Smithsonian and was featured in exhibition, The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. Does the Smithsonian have Secretariat? No. Secretariat, a.k.a. Big Red (1970-1989), 1973 Triple Crown winner, is buried at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. But other famous American war, race, and celebrity horses are either in the Smithsonian or have been on display here. Here’s a list with particulars on each horse. In short, I’m challenged and delighted everyday by folks out there who are just as curious as I am about what we have at the Smithsonian and the stories are endless. What’s not to like about that? Answer me that? | <urn:uuid:b0d02d27-be8d-47cb-b0c2-f146da311d39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://siarchives.si.edu/blog/answer-me | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97178 | 852 | 2.125 | 2 |
“Now Mallika is more confident of achieving her dreams’’
Mallika is a Grade 7 student from GMPS Doddakalsandra, Bangalore. She is adored by her sisters and grandmother. She is one of the brightest kids in the family of 10. Her sisters were forced to discontinue their studies and start earning for the family. But her sisters are supportive when it comes to Mallika’s education. One of them says, “There are times when we wish we had continued our education because we know that we could have led a better life than what we are leading at the moment. But we weren’t lucky enough. But we don’t want our little sister to face the same fate. We will help her continue her education as much as possible.” Her mother too insists that Mallika needs to concentrate on her studies rather than be forced to do any household work. Mallika also puts forth her ambition and says, “I want to study and become a doctor to help the needy.”
Her aunt says, “For Mallika, her studies, her school, her teachers have always been the subject of any conversation at home. She says, “Going to school has made me more confident of my abilities. I know I can achieve my dreams if I put in all the effort. Earlier my English was poor. But the constant encouragement and guidance from my teachers has helped me improve. I sometimes correct my sisters.” She pauses for a smile and then adds, “I have also learnt that we need to treat everybody with equality.” Mallika is one of the beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra meal. Stories like these are the source of motivation for Akshaya Patra to reach out to more and more children in India in a steady pace. | <urn:uuid:1bbc3e5a-7624-4593-bb85-0b65072e7e19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.akshayapatra.org/treat-everybody-with-equality | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983948 | 377 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Story Behind The Story: All For Aaron
Some people have asked me why I wrote this book. I simply tell them, 'because of my son.' My son was born with Asperger's Syndrome. The kid is bright—scary bright. He used to correct his Kindergarten teacher, because she didn't know how to pronounce the names of dinosaurs. He had about a three-hundred page encyclopedia of dinosaur names and facts, and he'd pour over it every night since he'd learned to read at about the age of three. He used to carry a book about quantum physics with him in sixth grade, and used to tell the science teacher she didn't know the real facts about certain items…in class. Yeah. He was a toughie and still is, even though he's now in college.
Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is considered a type of high-functioning autism. Our son hated people until he got to college. He'd rather have been alone than have anyone near him. He and I get along really well, but he can't deal with the sound of his two sisters' voices. He's very sensitive to sound and smell, but has learned how to handle things that bother him.
In my story, I knew most readers wouldn't understand AS kids as much as they would autistic children. AS kids can be very verbal with people they know, almost appearing 'normal' on the pages of a book (even though they say the most outlandish things). But autistic kids are easier to portray as an outlier in a book. So I made the young child named Aaron autistic.
Having a special needs would make any marriage less stable. With our family, our son had almost no impact on our marriage, because my husband exhibits many of the same symptoms as our son. So our son was considered a lot like my husband, two peas in a pod. We didn't even know our son had 'issues' until we moved from North Carolina to Kansas, at the end of his third grade year. When we lived in North Carolina, the teachers just considered him spoiled, which wasn't true.
But our marriage could've been split. A child who behaves outside the norm can separate the parent's beliefs on parenting. That's why I made Aaron's parents separated in this story. Since there has to be a bad guy, I made Aaron's father extremely bad, wanting only to get ahead. He's like a child who wants his way, no matter who he hurts. Drew, the teacher love interest for Kelly has his head on straight. He's a man, instead of a child, with the education to take care of Aaron. He's also Kelly's key for getting out of her situation.
It was a tough story to write, because of the nature of the emotions I relived while describing Aaron. I never believed our son would be independent, would never drive, and would never have friends. But I learned that these kids can approach more of 'normal' as they get older. Our son now has his driver's license (although he refuses to drive), has many friends at college a lot like him (he's never alone and prefers that now), and is completely independent while at college. He even got a job for this next fall, all on his own. Not all children with the same affliction are as fortunate. I've heard many stories of AS adults who can't hold a job, can't drive, and avoid relationships.
When I wrote this story back in the early 2000s, I didn't believe I'd ever be at this point in time with our son, because of the stories I'd heard. But there is hope. There is a future for AS kids, even though it may not be the norm of society. I've also known a few autistic kids, too, and depending on the severity, there is hope there, too. But it certainly does stretch all beliefs in how to parent, because each of these kids is different. One just has to realize that 'normal' and goals are different for everyone.
Read the first chapter here.
Fan comments here.
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You're no longer pregnant, but your body just isn't the same as it was. You've changed, and it takes time to get back into shape. For example, your breasts are still large (whether you intend to breast-feed or not) and you're probably still padded with a layer of extra fat that your body stored in case the baby needed emergency nutrition. Your pregnancy belly is gone, but it's still not flat. Be patient with the healing process and give your body and yourself some special pampering during the postnatal period.
Your breasts are definitely not the same as they were before you became pregnant. They are still much larger. If you plan to breast-feed, your breasts will stay enlarged for as long as you continue to nurse. Within three days after delivery, they will fill with milk and become hard, heavy, full, and maybe uncomfortable. This is the time to make sure you have a comfortable, supportive nursing bra. Your breast discomfort will be eased each time the baby sucks at the breast and relieves the pressure.
If you are not planning to breast-feed, there's no way to get the message to your body. Your breasts will still fill with milk and become hard, heavy, and full. It takes about 14 days for the glands to stop supplying milk; this is called the "drying up" period. During that time, your breasts might be painful.
Don't try to relieve the pressure by hand-expressing milk; this gives your body a signal to keep producing more, and it will be impossible for the milk supply to dry up. The discomfort is temporary, but you can make this time less distressing if you use cold compresses, wear a supportive bra 24 hours a day, and take ibuprofen pain relievers. Also, try to keep your breasts out of warm water as you shower or bathe; it stimulates more milk production. Unfortunately, there are no safe medications to dry up your milk supply. You will have to wait for Mother Nature to do the job.
Your pregnancy belly is gone—well, not quite gone, but it's certainly much smaller. Don't be disappointed if you can't zip up your jeans the morning after your delivery. It took nine months for your uterus to grow and expand; it will take about six weeks for it to return to its normal size. A post-pregnancy belly is especially common after the births of second and third children, or more. The muscles of the abdomen just don't bounce back like they used to.
If anyone asks, "When is the baby due?" after your baby is born, just smile and say, "Very soon." People who really need to know if you've had the baby already know and will also understand that this is your postpartum shape.
If your body weight after delivery is a bit heavier than your prepregnancy weight, don't get upset. Your breasts alone add extra weight; your uterus might now weigh two pounds instead of its usual two ounces. There's a bit of stored body fat that will quickly fall away now that the baby doesn't need it. Watch your diet and give yourself six weeks to return to your normal weight. (If you're breast-feeding, your body will hang on to pregnancy fat, but don't panic. This will disappear when breast-feeding ends. Those extra five pounds will melt away!)
If your body weight after delivery is much higher than your prepregnancy weight, that's a different story. You've added pounds that have nothing to do with pregnancy. You simply ate more than necessary and now you've got some work to do. The Food Guide Pyramid guidelines are not just for pregnant women. Use them now to help you choose nutritious foods (in the proper serving sizes) to help you lose weight while maintaining your health and energy. You should also talk to your doctor about starting an exercise program. As soon as you are physically able, body movement will not only help you shed extra pounds, it will speed recovery by bringing more oxygen and glucose to cells that are trying to heal.
And you thought your contractions ended with the delivery of your baby! Your uterus will continue to contract in order to shrink back to its usual size and to help push out any leftover tissue. These pains might be hardly noticeable, or quite sharp (especially with the second or third child or when breast-feeding). These pains are most noticeable in the first few days after delivery. If they really bother you, ask your doctor about using a pain reliever.
Although you don't have monthly menstrual periods while you're breast-feeding, this doesn't mean you can't get pregnant again! Talk to your doctor about using contraceptives while breastfeeding.
If you thought one of the great advantages of pregnancy is not having to deal with your period for nine months—it's payback time. After delivery, you will bleed bright red blood that is like a heavy period. To add to the fun, you must use a sanitary pad—not a tampon. This heavy bleeding will continue for about three days. Then it will lighten up and turn a pinkish-brown. Eventually, it will turn white or yellow and then gradually taper off completely. This bleeding might end in about two weeks or it might last as long as four.
Your actual menstrual period probably won't resume until seven to nine weeks after delivery, but it would also be normal if it did not return for three or four months. There is really no such thing as "normal" here. The first period after delivery can be very erratic. It might be heavy or very light. It might start and then stop again for awhile. But within a month or two, your system will regulate itself. If you're breastfeeding, your period might stop for as long as you continue to nurse. (As your baby begins to sleep through the night and feed less often, your menstrual cycle might resume even though you're still nursing.)
Postpartum is a word used to indicate the time following birth.
You might not be able to sit comfortably for about a week after your delivery for two reasons: (1) you've had an episiotomy or a perineal tear with repair, or (2) you have hemorrhoids. Both can be a real pain.
The episiotomy is the surgical opening that is made from the vagina toward the rectum to widen the opening for birth. If your doctor used this technique, it has been stitched up and like any cut with stitches it will hurt at first and might itch later.
If you didn't have hemorrhoids before your delivery, you might very well have them now. The pushing and straining during labor and delivery can force them out and add to your postpartum discomfort.
For the discomfort of an episiotomy or hemorrhoids you can try any of the following remedies:
You might also invest about $20 in a doughnut cushion. This is a pillow with a hole in the center that lets you sit down without putting pressure on your sore spots.
Pushing out your baby at delivery was good practice for your next bowel movement. During labor, bowel activity slows down and if you used pain medication, it can make the bowel sluggish, too. If you've had a cesarean, your bowels will take even longer to recover. All this adds up to large, hard stools that can be difficult to pass. Prepare for this as soon as you're ready to eat and drink after your delivery. Go for high-fiber foods (such as fruits and whole grains) and lots of water. Ask your doctor about using a natural laxative. When you do have the urge, don't strain too much because this will worsen or cause hemorrhoids. If you do not have a bowel movement after three or four days, it's time to get your doctor's okay to use an enema in order to get your plumbing working again. You can buy a simple, packaged and prepared enema at any pharmacy. Don't be afraid to use it—you've given birth to a baby; now you can do anything.
Women who have had a cesarean delivery don't walk—they shuffle. They keep their feet flat on the floor and take tiny steps, shuffling one foot before the other. They do this because it hurts to walk! If you've had a cesarean, you will find out very quickly after your delivery that you don't recuperate from major abdominal surgery in a day or two. It can take two to three weeks just to start walking normally again. Your abdominal muscles have suffered a severe trauma, and even walking might be painful. (Sneezing or coughing is even worse.) In addition to the normal body changes after a delivery, you'll be recovering from surgery. So do yourself a favor and call in as much help as you can possibly get. Your baby will demand all your energy and your body will demand healing time. So get some help, let the dishes pile up, and don't worry about cleaning the house.
About six weeks after delivery, your doctor will want to see you again. This visit is very important. Your doctor will check to make sure the uterus has returned to its normal size and position. She'll look to be sure vaginal stitches have dissolved and the cervix has healed. She will check your breasts for signs of uncooperative milk glands or engorgement (a painful condition that results if the breasts are not emptied of milk during each feeding). She will take time to talk to you about your weight, your feelings and emotions, and about contraception. This is a great opportunity to visit with someone who knows what you've been through and can help you get back on your feet.
Before this checkup you should call your doctor to report any of the following symptoms:
Don't wait until your postpartum checkup to tell your doctor about these symptoms. Call right away.
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth © 2004 by Michele Isaac Gliksman, M.D. and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit Amazon's website or call 1-800-253-6476.
© 2000-2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:87809276-6c17-4758-a735-ea010c7055e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pregnancy.familyeducation.com/recovery/postpartum-health/57543.html?for_printing=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968228 | 2,139 | 2.484375 | 2 |
PsycPORT™: Psychology Newswire
May 17, 2013, CNN
Part of the allure of buying a ticket is that everyone else is doing it and you don't want to feel left out.
- Obama planning mental health conference in June
May 15, 2013, Associated Press
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is planning a mental health conference next month in response to gun violence.
- NYC mayoral candidate reveals bulimia struggles
May 14, 2013, Associated Press
NEW YORK - New York City Council Speaker and Democratic mayoral candidate Christine Quinn says she struggled in the past with bulimia and alcoholism.
- Senators discuss changing background check bill
May 08, 2013, Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers backing gun control say they are discussing how to revise the defeated Senate background check bill in order to win votes they need to resuscitate the measure.
Other News Stories
Staying in touch with college kids can improve their health
May 17, 2013, Psych Central
A new study suggests college kids eat healthier and exercise more on the days when they talk with a parent.
President demands reform of military sex assult handling
May 17, 2013, CBS News
President Obama, along with military leaders and members of Congress, are calling for prioritized and comprehensive reform of the handling of sex assault cases across U.S. military branches.
Up to 1 in 5 children suffer from a mental disorder
May 17, 2013, Fox News
Up to 20 percent of children in the United States suffer from a mental disorder, and the number of kids diagnosed with one has been rising for more than a decade, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Study: Happiness comes easier with upbeat music
May 16, 2013, The Atlantic
Research subjects were better able to will themselves into positive moods while listening to rousing symphonies.
Depression tied to stroke risk in middle-aged women
May 16, 2013, WebMD
Women in their 40s and 50s who suffer from depression are almost twice as likely to have a stroke as women who aren't depressed.
Brain stimulation promises 'long-lasting' math boost
May 16, 2013, BBC News
Applying high-frequency electrical noise to the brain can boost maths skills up to six months later. | <urn:uuid:3dd9e7f1-92c1-47e5-94e2-a269186f2c23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.apa.org/news/psycport/index.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93658 | 471 | 1.679688 | 2 |
The United States Postal Service — the country’s second-largest civilian employer after Wal-Mart — is on the brink of a colossal financial meltdown.
As USPS stares bankruptcy in the face, some people believe it is up the House to do what the Senate has already done and pass legislation to keep the Postal Service and its 571,566 full-time jobs intact.
We do not, and apparently neither does the Postal Service’s management.
It is not surprising that the Postal Service finds itself in this financial quagmire.
The growing popularity of e-mail and electronic bill payments has sent mail volume plummeting in the past decade. In just the past five years, the Postal Service's annual volume declined by 43 billion pieces. First Class mail declined 25 percent in the same period of time.
Faced with billion-dollar-deficits and a business model that is slowly going the way of the 8-track tape, Postal Service officials, to their credit, came up with a restructuring plan they hoped would keep them solvent.
It was a financially prudent strategy that called for the closing of up to 252 mail-processing centers — including the one in Plattsburgh — as well as 3,700 post offices — including many in small, rural communities all over the North Country; places such as Schuyler Falls, New Russia, Riparius, North Hudson, Bakers Mills, Ellenburg and Moriah Corners.
The concept is simple enough — less mail means less need for offices and employees.
The restructuring plan, which also proposed halting Saturday delivery, was supposed to save some $6.5 billion a year — and stop the financial hemorrhage.
In the last five years alone, the Postal Service has lost $25 billion and is projected to lose another $14 billion by the end of this year. It loses $25 million a day.
Only 20 percent of its offices are profitable, and its employee expenses are way out of line with those in the private sector. Wages and benefits for its 571,566 full-time employees account for 80 percent of its operating budget, compared with 61 percent of UPS's and 43 percent of FedEx's.
Comments should be directed to email@example.com | <urn:uuid:c5895c9d-99de-4bcf-87ff-79780f338a48> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.denpubs.com/news/2012/may/09/postal-service-bailout-flawed-plan/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964512 | 464 | 1.664063 | 2 |
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF CATS AND THE LAW
This is a very brief overview of cats and the law between 1822 and the 1970s in Britain and is intended as background information for the "Retrospective" series of articles. Developments since the late 1970s have not been included and readers with a serious interest in the current state of the law in Britain or in their own countries should contact their region's SPCA or equivalent animal protection organisation. Acts are mentioned in brief in roughly chronological order (based on initial introduction of the Act) with a separate section on the tricky issue of "Cats and Trespass".
While cats were legally domestic animals, the term "vermin" could be applied by gamekeepers to poaching cats. "Vermin" was not legally defined, generally meant a noxious, mischievous, destructive or disgusting animal, especially one of small size, common occurrence and difficult to control. Gamekeepers had an extensive list of vermin which they would shoot, including "poaching cats" and many species which later became legally protected (but which they shot and poisoned nevertheless).
Regardless of some people's definition of them as vermin, cats were legally classed as Domestic Animals and were Protected by Law. "It may be argued that all cats are potential poachers, for that matter all humans are potential law breakers but they are good citizens until proved otherwise." The cat was covered by many Acts of Parliament dating back to 1822, passed with the object of protecting animals, are all aimed at the elimination of "unnecessary abuse of an animal". Conviction for various offences against animals led to a fine, imprisonment or both, depending on the nature of the offence and the legislation under which it fell. The Court could confiscate the defendant's animals and ban the defendant from keeping all animals, or certain types of animal. The ban be for such a period as the Court thought fit. Breach of such a ban was a further criminal offence.
In "Cat Care" and "Some Facts About Cats" in the 1960s, the CPL reported that the maximum fine for cruelty to animals was rarely imposed, but it was noted that "Stipendiary Magistrate of the Potteries fined a man £25 for "Cruelty to a cat by unreasonably killing it in an improper manner", £4 and 12 shillings special costs were also imposed (£1 = 20 shillings). The same man was summoned for causing unnecessary suffering to another cat "by unreasonably omitting to provide it with sufficient nourishing food and ‘proper care and attention." For this he was fined £5 with £4 and 12 shillings special costs. His cruelty cost him altogether £39 and 4 shillings, a very fitting penalty and one which should prove a deterrent to other cat haters; the man admitted that he disliked cats. The two poor animals who suffered from his neglect and brutality had been befriended by his wife while he was absent."
While dogs were required to be registered and licensed, cats were not (these days, neither are registered, except on a voluntary basis as part of an identity scheme). This meant that a motorist who accidentally ran over a cat did not have to report the incident, nor was he likely to be caught in the act if he deliberately discarded a cat far from home. The Cats Protection League and other animal organisations considered the omission of cats from the Road Traffic Act "regrettable" since callous motorists sometimes deliberately ran down cats, while they were obliged to report accidents involving dogs.
Cats were protected or affected by a large number of other Acts. In chronological order, the main ones were:
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.
Pet Animals Act, 1951.
Under The Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, anyone who conducted painful experiments on living animals, without the use of anaesthetics, committed an offence. Licences issued by The Home Secretary were required before any such experiment could be carried out. Penalties included fines and/or imprisonment. Unfortunately, there was a recognised exception: where the object of the experiment would be frustrated if anaesthetics were administered, then the experiment may be carried out without. In 1972, around 14,000 cats were used in laboratory experiments in the UK. In 1978 almost 1000 experiments without pain relief were performed legally on cats. It was a further offence under the 1876 Act to conduct such experiments in public, with or without charging for admission. It was an offence to advertise such an exhibition. Search warrants can be obtained if individuals were suspected of such offences, but licensed persons could not be prosecuted without the assent of the Secretary of State.
There were no restrictions respecting cats under the Foot and Mouth Disease (Infected Areas Restrictions Order, 1925), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries did not require the slaughter of cats in the event of their being on, or near to, premises which are within an infected Area.
Under the Rabies Order of 1919, the Anthrax Order of 1928, and the Animal (Notification of Disease) Act of 1919, cats were subject to control and/or destruction in infected areas. Under the Importation of Dogs and Cats Order of 1928, cats imported from abroad were subject to detention, at the owner’s expense in a place of quarantine approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (see later section on rabies)
Historically, cats were not protected against theft, but by the 1960s, cat owners whose cats were stolen were protected by The Larceny Acts of 1861 and 1916 and by The Theft Act of 1968. The Larceny Acts meant that theft of a domestic animal could result in a fine or imprisonment. In 1955, three men appeared at Clerkenwell Court and were fined a total of £65 on charges related to stolen cats. Later on, The Theft Act 1968 acknowledged that all domestic animals, including cats and dogs, are capable of being stolen if taken from their owners unlawfully.
"Ill Treatment" under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and later legislation up to the 1970s, defined that any person commits an offence who "cruelly ill-treats, beats, kicks, infuriates, terrifies; carries, or conveys in a manner to cause unnecessary suffering". Also anyone who commits any act that will cause unnecessary suffering or who causes anyone to do any of these things; or an owner who allowed someone else to do these things to his cat. It also applied to anyone who, through cruelty caused any damage or injury to someone's cat (this included compensation payable to the owner).
"Negligence" covered any person who omitted to do something and whose animal suffered as a result and also any one who failed to protect his own cat from cruelty. "Cruelty" meant deliberate acts which caused damage or injury to the cat. In 1972 there were 94 convictions brought under The Protection of Animals Act, 1911, including the "terrifying" of a cat by placing it in a spin-dryer, the causing of "unnecessary suffering" by starvation and the neglect of wounds inflicted in an accident, and cruel ill-treatment by the drowning of a cat on the end of a length of string.
If cruelty could not be proven, cat owners might claim for damage to their property. The case of Nye-v-Niblett 1918 brought cats within the legal definition of property which may be protected from being "damaged" or "destroyed". Thus, a person who, without lawful excuse, destroys or damages a cat belonging to another, intending to do so, or by being reckless, commits an offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. A threat to damage or destroy a cat belonging to a third party, is also an offence, if the threat is made without lawful excuse.
"Poison" covered any person who deliberately and intentionally administered any poison, injurious drug or substance to any animal, or causes this to be done by another; or who knowingly put down any poison (or caused someone else to do this for him) for vermin in or on any land or building without taking reasonable precautions to prevent harm to cats and kittens in the area.
"Operations" applied to anyone who performed any operation on a cat without due care and humanity or who causes anyone to do this for him. It applied to any cat-owner who allowed his cat to be operated upon in this manner. This part of the law specifically outlawed the castration of male cats without anaesthetic, by making it an offence to perform the operation of castration upon any male kitten without any anaesthetic; or who causes anyone to do this for him; or any cat-owner who allowed this to be done to his cat.
Under the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, any owner (or other person in control of an animal) who abandoned it such that the animal suffered, was guilty of cruelty and liable to a fine and/or imprisonment. A person could be charged if they abandoned, or caused or allowed the abandonment of, a cat or kitten without reasonable cause or excuse under such circumstances as to be likely to cause unnecessary suffering.
Felines had long suffered from being left uncared for at holiday times or abandoned when the owners moved. Since the act's introduction there had been many successful prosecutions every year for the offence of abandonment (including temporary abandonment at holiday time). Owners would try to make out that the cat was not theirs but a stray. Ownership was generally impossible to prove when new-born kittens were abandoned; this being a common abuse which could bring conviction for cruelty even before the 1960 Abandonment of Animals Act.
A cat owner who failed to exercise reasonable care and supervision in respect of the protection of his cat from cruelty, was also guilty of cruelty.
The Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 delegated to Local Authorities the control and licensing of all animal boarding establishments within their area. Licences were renewable annually on payment of a fee and the onus for regular inspection was placed on the Local Environmental Health Officer. Complaints about the conduct of such establishments went to the Local Authority concerned. The Local Authority could refuse or withdraw a licence; in such cases, appeal may be made to the Magistrates Court. A conviction of cruelty resulted in the cancelling of a licence and the disqualification of a proprietor from keeping animals. Some catteries met the so-called standards, but were still appalling.
The Pet Animal Act 1951 required the licensing of Pet Shops by Local Authorities. Unsatisfactory premises, overcrowding and low standards of hygiene could result in the loss of a licence. A requirement of licensing was that kittens should not be sold at too early an age nor to children under the age of 12. The act also covered hygiene to prevent spread of disease and also that kittens should not be sold unweaned or too young to leave their mothers (the latter had been a common abuse). It was also an offence to sell cats and kittens in a street or public place, except at a stall or barrow in a market. In recent times there is a problem of pets being sold at car boot fairs and this seems poorly regulated. Some local authorities carry out only cursory inspections of pet shops.
To reduce the possibility of Rabies spreading from the Continent to the UK, the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974 was issued. This controlled the import of dogs, cats and other species and required import licenses to be obtained from either the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland . Animals could only legally enter Britain through certain seaports or airports and had to be moved from the point of entry as soon as possible to a quarantine kennel licensed officially by the Ministry. The quarantine period was 6 months and the expense of keeping the animal fell entirely on the owner. An animal is brought into the country illegally might destroyed or impounded; the owner would be prosecuted, resulting in a heavy fine and/or up to 12 months' imprisonment. Should an outbreak of rabies actually occur, the Minister could issue an order restricting the movement of animals, including cats, into or out of a specific area. He could order the compulsory vaccination of animals against the disease and empower Veterinary Inspectors to take and destroy uncontrolled animals.
CATS AND TRESPASS
The question of trespass by cats frequently arose and was often a matter for dispute between neighbours.
It had been the common belief that the cat could not be classified under the same jurisdiction as other pets which are judged to be trespassing when they enter land or premises where they have no authority to be; prosecution cases have been cited to uphold this view. An opposing view was taken by a judge dealing with a case, brought under the 1936 Public Health Act, against the owner of a cat which, it was said, had trespassed and caused damage. Judgement was given against the owner of the cat with costs.
Under the Public Health Act 1936, there had been provision for prosecutions to be brought when, in the view of the Local Authority, there was a "statutory nuisance" caused by "any animal kept in such a place or manner as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance". It was very unlikely that occasional straying by a cat could be described as being a nuisance, but repeated straying, or straying by several cats, had sometimes resulted in convictions. The local authority could also draw up by-laws preventing the keeping of animals where it would be prejudicial to health.
The situation regarding trespass was clarified in 1971 and cats once more became "free spirits" under the law. Cats were excluded from the definitions of "livestock" and of "cattle" under the Animals Act 1971, "they cannot be held guilty of trespass under civil law and, therefore, their owners or keepers cannot be liable for any damage done".
The Animals Act, 1971 had caused anxiety among cat owners. It concerned liability for damage caused by domestic animals straying on the highway - showing that the motorcar was well and truly a fact of modern life. To bring a case, a party had to prove that the owner had negligently allowed their pet to stray and this probably could not be proved in the case of cats - it was (and still is) accepted that cats are wanderers by nature. Aviary owners knew that it was up to them to secure their birds from marauding cats. Gardeners had (and still have) no redress when a cat dug up their plants. These people could be convicted of cruelty if in their rage they injured or killed their neighbour’s cat.
In very recent times a man was convicted for killing scores of neighbours' cats with cyanide-laced fish after the cats entered his garden. In 2003, a man was convicted of electrocuting his neighbour's 10 month old cat using a home made electric fence over his flower beds (in this case, the cat's owner, a young girl, found her pet with its mouth still smoking where it had been caught under the electric wire and tried to bit its way out). A former colleague of mine, knowing that nothing could be proved against him, even boasted of kidnapping neighbours' cats and abandoning them miles from home after they annoyed his birds. Unfortunately, the penalties are rarely severe enough to act as a deterrent and many people are seeking to make cat-owners more responsible for their cats' trespass.
From "Daily Mail" 8th October, 1946: It was held by Judge Crosthwaite at Liverpool County Court that the cat has a right to prowl. J. E. Withers tenant of a ground floor flat in St. George’s Road, Hightown, Liverpool, sought an injunction against her tenant of the flat above, to keep the cat under control and claimed damages. For Mrs. C.’s cat, it was said, got into Mrs. W. ‘s, fiat ate mincepies and fish, got on to a bed, and scratched the bedpost. For the plaintiff it was contended that a cat was in the same category as a dog, and it was the owner’s duty to keep it under control. For Mrs. C. it was argued that an owner was not liable for a cat’s actions "when trespassing and following its natural propensities." Judgement was given for Mrs. C. with costs.
From "The Smallholder": A Trespassing Cat. The injury to the poultry has been caused by the intrusion of a neighbour’s cat, Mrs. G. C. M. (2441 Warwick). For such any injury and however caused, the owner of the cat is not liable. There is no provision requiring that the owner of the cat should take steps to prevent the recurrence of this happening. A cat is an animal which has a propensity to roam and to do damage of this kind. The owner of the poultry is obliged to keep his poultry so that cats cannot have access to them. The owner of the cat need do nothing in the matter and he may ignore any claims made for any loss caused by his cat or cats.
Those who were interested in the Law regarding Animals generally were directed to the "Symposium on Animals and the Law" (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare) and "Animal Law" by Godrey Sandys-Winsch BA (published by Shaw and Sons) and a later publication, "Animals and the Law" by T. G. Field-Fisher, M.A. (ublished by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare). And, of course, to their solicitor. | <urn:uuid:84595696-2550-4142-980f-57ee8d46080f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://messybeast.com/retro-legal.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980246 | 3,621 | 3.046875 | 3 |
04/21/2010 - The discovery of antibiotics signaled a new era in medical care. Illness and death caused by once-lethal infectious disease were dramatically reduced as a result of these vital drugs. However, the power of antibiotics is fading away.
One important contributor to the problem of antibiotic resistance that is often overlooked is their routine use in food animal production. For the sake of the nation’s health, this practice needs to come to an end.
Every day it seems we learn of a new “superbug,” some familiar bacterium that has mutated into a particularly tenacious strain: Staphlococcus that ignores the very drugs invented to deal with its earlier immunities, Salmonella that simultaneously resists several classes of antibiotics, or Campylobacter that doesn’t respond to some of the most powerful antibiotics. These are just the tip of the iceberg because all bacteria have the potential for multiple resistances.
The primary causes of the increase in drug-resistant bacteria are repeated and improper uses of antibiotics. While sensitive bacteria are killed through the use of antibiotics, resistant germs are left to grow and multiply, promoting the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Physicians and health care professionals urge their patients to use antibiotics for the appropriate dose and duration. However, meaningful action to combat antibiotic resistance must reach beyond doctors’ offices. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, up to 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States go to healthy food animals. These routine uses of antibiotics are largely to promote animal growth or to compensate for unsanitary conditions found on industrial farms. Bacteria that become resistant can spread through soil and water runoff from animal waste. Further, they also can spread through the consumption of contaminated meat as well as physical contact from an infected animal.
Due to the minimal regulations in place requiring drug manufacturers or industrial farms to report how antibiotics are marketed and used in food animal production, the scale of antibiotic use remains largely unknown. Leaders in our nation’s capital are taking notice of this public health challenge. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. D-Calif., Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., are championing legislation—the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA, H.R. 1549 and S. 619)—that would withdraw the use of seven classes of antibiotics vitally important to human health from food animal production unless animals are sick with disease or unless drug companies can demonstrate that their routine use does not harm human health.
European nations have led the way in banning antibiotics for growth promotion. In Denmark, one of the world’s largest pork exporters, this has led to a 50 percent decrease in overall antibiotic use in swine production with virtually no harm to animal health. In addition, the country’s pork production increased and consumer prices were not impacted.
Closer to home, an increasing number of family farmers in Wisconsin and across the Midwest raise pork and other meats without the routine use of antibiotics.
Ending the routine use of antibiotics in industrial farming is a crucial step we need to take in order to preserve the effectiveness of these drugs for future generations. National organizations such as the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and American Public Health Association are urging Congress to pass PAMTA. In Wisconsin, supporters of the legislation include the Wisconsin Farmers Union, the Wisconsin Medical Society and Organic Valley. Wisconsin’s congressional delegation should likewise support this critical piece of legislation to save antibiotics so antibiotics can save us.
Shelley A. Hearne is the managing director of the Pew Health Group at the Pew Charitable Trusts and a visiting professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
This op-ed was published by the Capitol Times (WI). | <urn:uuid:9da993f1-2a87-40a7-9405-bda71a7b0bfd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=58639 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944562 | 794 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Your link to Wisconsin’s land, air and water resources
Crane captured, toe amputated and released into wild
A juvenile whooping crane that migrated from Wisconsin last fall was found limping and in distress last month in the Miami area, where she was captured, a toe was amputated, and after a period of recovery, the bird was released on Saturday in Tennessee.
“We chose to capture this injured whooping crane, and it has turned out to be the right call,” said Billy Brooks, whooping crane coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the eastern migratory population.
Whooping cranes are endangered species. There are 111 in the eastern United States, according to authorities.
The crane was released from the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in October with five other cranes as part of a program known as “direct autumn release” – a technique to introduce young cranes to fall migration where they travel with older cranes.
A second technique involves the use of ultralight aircraft, where the cranes follow the light planes.
The young whooper and the other cranes migrated for the first time to the Everglades, so far the southern most migration in the eastern flock.
In early January, citizens reported seeing a limping crane; later the bird showed signs of distress and was listless.
It was captured on Jan. 26 and taken to Disney’s Animal Kingdom near Orlando, where her right middle toe was amputated because of an infection
The bird was isolated and had little interaction with humans. Staff used crane costumes and did not talk as they treated the bird. She remained at Disney until she was transported to Tennessee on Saturday.
In the 12 years of the program to re-introduce cranes to the eastern U.S., no other whooping crane has been captured, treated at a veterinary facility and released back into the wild. | <urn:uuid:5fa6e802-7ec1-420f-a7df-5c02d443e8ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/190852001.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00043-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973166 | 396 | 2.734375 | 3 |
So much of what goes on around here is "educational" without being planned. I'm finding that I subscribe more to the unschooling philosophy of education. Or what I like to call just living. A few years ago, my sister, who homeschools her three children, would write blog posts about what her kids were doing and what they were learning while engaged in these activities. The activities were often not school-like activities and would grow out of the kids' interests rather than her planning. Danny is now so curious and engaged. Every day there seems to be an episode of spontaneous learning prompted by his questions about his world or just what his father and I are doing. I want to share these bits with you to show just how effortless learning can be.
Last weekend, we were homebound with three out of five us ailing from a nasty chest cold. My husband was a bit restless, as usual, and just itching to get out the hot glue gun. The kids had just finished off a pack of gum that comes in a several inch tall round container with a flip-top lid. This gave him an idea. And we wound up with this thing stuck to our window:
|Yes, that is a piece of a child-safety cabinet lock acting as a bird perch.|
It took about a week for a bird to actually show up at our windowsill. They were probably a little terrified of the jumpy, loud children with their faces and hands pressed against window. The entire week, though, I had two children eagerly watching birds out the window, noticing their colors, where they flew to, when they were eating seed off the ground, listening to the sounds they made (we could actually hear them through the window. Cool!!). Danny can now identify two types of birds: a cardinal (It's my bird, he says. It's red.) and a robin.
Just by chance, Danny's preschool class did a unit on birds this week, too. He didn't talk much about it at home and I found out only after the fact in the weekly email from his sweet teacher. One day he came home with a pair of "binoculars" -- two toilet paper tubes stapled together with a piece of yarn to hang around his neck. Another coincidence ... this weekend, Danny found an old Highlights magazine. He turned to an article about birds and saw a project he wanted to do: a bird feeder from an old milk carton.
The whole family is now interested in what kinds of birds we have hanging out in our side yard. This week, we will go to the library to find a bird identification guide, mostly for me. I'm curious myself and I know from experience that my curiosity usually sparks theirs.
I'm mentally filing this under science, but it's so much more. It's about observation. It's about reusing materials. It's about using your imagination. The kids saw Jim make a bird feeder out of something that you wouldn't normally see and think, "Hm, that would make a good bird feeder."
What was neat about this past week was that none of this was planned as part of a unit study. It just happened. And, aside from the bird seed that we bought, it was free. | <urn:uuid:e25745a0-965e-4fd5-a5fd-2cc6e440b029> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jpmeehan.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989105 | 675 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Later this month, Mitt Romney will be visiting Israel.
I think we all know why he’s going (to boost his cred among American Jews) and what he’ll do there (follow his friend Bibi to the places official Israel wants him to see, where he’ll smile a lot, except at Yad VaShem, where he’ll be grim-faced and sport a kipa on his Mormon kopf. Also an emotional Western Wall visit. And a speech, in which the Jewish people’s genius and resiliency will be evoked, as will our shared faith heritage, with a barely veiled nod to Barack Obama’s supposed perfidy. There will also be a brief, perfunctory visit with Palestinian officials, but no other Palestinians will be visible). In this day and age, we could Photoshop the whole thing, and save both money and carbon emissions.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the Western Wall or Yad VaShem, places I’ve stood grim-faced and emotional any number of times myself. But on the off chance that Mr. Romney is taking alternative itinerary suggestions, I thought I’d offer a few!
The other wall.
Truth be told, it will be all but impossible for Romney to get to his perfunctory meeting with Palestinian officials without at least seeing Israel’s Security Barrier (aka: the Wall)–all 25 concrete feet of it, soaring into the cerulean summer sky–but as impressive as seeing the Wall from a distance can be, there’s really nothing quite like standing right up next to it and imagining it cutting your hometown in half.
There are a number of organizations that offer partial tours (not the whole barrier of course! It runs for hundreds of miles, in and out of the Palestinian West Bank [but mostly in], and who has time for that?), but Romney’s best bet might be Ir Amim, an Israeli NGO dedicated to “an equitable and stable Jerusalem with an agreed political future.” On an Ir Amim tour, Romney would learn about the Wall, sure, but also about the impact of 45 years of Israeli policy on Jerusalem and the exploitation of history for modern political ends.
Make sure to wear a hat and bring your water bottle!
Jordan River Valley
After his perfunctory meeting with Palestinian officials, which will almost certainly take place in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Romney could easily tootle around the Jordan River Valley, because that’s where Ramallah is located.
His people should set Romney up with the Palestinian-Israeli-Jordanian NGO Friends of the Earth Middle East. They’ll teach him about the heartbreaking degradation of the Jordan River, revered in all the Abrahamic faiths, a once-roaring waterway now reduced to a pathetic trickle, over 98% of its fresh water diverted (largely but not exclusively by Israel), with agricultural run-off and raw sewage making up a goodly amount of what remains. (So: No swimming!)
Romney could then visit any of the dozens of Palestinian villages with fresh water springs that have been taken over by either Israeli authorities or armed settlers. These springs are part of the Jordan River’s ecosystem, but rather than feeding the river, they’ve been diverted to serve the water needs of Israel proper and/or the settlements – Palestinians have access to only about 14% of the region’s Mountain Aquifer. Of course, this would mean allowing non-officials into his photo-ops, but I’m sure there are plenty of Palestinians who would be happy for the chance to talk to a powerful American.
Once again, though, bring that water bottle! In my experience, village council buildings often have literally no water in their pipes.
Bereaved Families for Peace/Combatants for Peace
The Jordan River Valley is super hot in July, so Romney and his entourage will no doubt be relieved to hear that my next suggestion is an indoor one.
Why not chat over a plate of humus with members of Bereaved Families for Peace and Combatants for Peace? Both are Israeli-Palestinian organizations made up of the people who have paid the ultimate price in this conflict: They have either lost loved ones, or fought the battles.
Or, in some cases, both. I’m sure that Israeli Combatant for Peace Elik Elhanan would be grateful for the chance to talk to Romney about losing his 14 year old sister to Palestinian terrorism; Palestinian Combatant for Peace Bassam Aramin would no doubt be equally grateful to talk about losing his 10 year old daughter to the Israeli military.
Of course, if a Presidential candidate doesn’t have time for chit-chat, Romney could always read a few personal stories on his iPad on the plane ride over, here or here. I’m sure everyone would understand.
But enough humus–time to get back outside, and see a little archeology! Romney should really go to Tel Meggido, aka: Armageddon.
A) He’s read about it in his Bible; B) It’s a stunning locale and recognized World Heritage site (you know: like Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity); and C) There’s a water shaft that descends 25 meters to a 70-meter long tunnel which is both an engineering marvel, and a welcome relief from the oppressive Israeli summer.
When he emerges from the cool, dark tunnel, Romney could use the walk back to his car to reflect on the dozens of civilizations whose remains he’s just visited: Layer upon layer of people who secured the highest mountain around in order to keep themselves and their people safe – but failed in those efforts because they and those they fought never learned how to stop fighting.
On second thought, maybe Romney’s people should just call me.
Matthew Kalman broke the story of physicist Stephen Hawking’s boycott of Israel. Then Cambridge University tried to falsely deny it. | <urn:uuid:2fdd9d9d-aad6-42e6-9c53-967431c88568> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/07/12/an-alternative-travel-itinerary-for-mitt-romney.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953573 | 1,249 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Invite a friend
Ape Awareness Day at Franklin Park Zoo
Visit Franklin Park Zoo on April 29 to learn more about apes, their behaviors, habitats, and the threats they face in the wild. This is the perfect opportunity to learn about our own western lowland gorilla family, ask questions, and educate yourself on all of the fascinating ape species!
Schedule of Events:
11:00 AM: Meet Dr. Zarin Machanda who will hold a discussion and Q&A session on primates in the Tropical Forest classroom.
11:45 AM: Meet the zookeepers who care for the western lowland gorillas and have the opportunity to ask them questions.
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Observe local artist Jen Bradley as she draws the gorillas.
2:00 PM: Meet the zookeepers who care for the western lowland gorillas and have the opportunity to ask them questions.
Dr. Zarin Machanda received her PhD from the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Her research revolves around understanding the factors that shape the quality and development of social relationships among primates, specifically chimpanzees. Dr. Machanda has spent nearly three years living and conducting research in western Uganda.
Jen Bradley is a local artist who began visiting Franklin Park Zoo in 1994 to draw inspiration from the gorilla exhibit. For nearly 20 years, Bradley has continued to draw the Zoo’s gorillas in an ongoing series she likes to call The Ape Drawing Project. Jen takes her Zoo drawings into the studio and uses them as direct inspiration for making her paintings.
|Where||1 Franklin Park Rd, Boston, MA 02121 (Franklin Park Zoo)|
|Next on||This event is over.|
|Time||10:00 am–3:00 pm|
|Price||Franklin Park Zoo Admission: $16.00 for adults; $13.00 for seniors (62+); $10.00 for children (2-12); children under 2 are free. On April 29, recycle your old cell phone at either Franklin Park Zoo or Stone Zoo to receive $1.00 off admission!| | <urn:uuid:67edb579-622d-4f69-8e73-31a011be35be> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://westroxbury.patch.com/events/ape-awareness-day-at-franklin-park-zoo | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911806 | 442 | 2.21875 | 2 |
In passing a resolution demanding that America's combat forces in Iraq be withdrawn by September 2008, the House Democrats have placed a heavy bet on the outcome of developments there, and a lot of political consequences will depend on the success of that bet.
Never mind that the resolution passed by only the narrowest of margins (218-to-212), with a significant minority of Democrats voting against it. Never mind that is it virtually certain to be defeated in the Senate, where the rules will enable the Republicans to filibuster it to death, if necessary. Never mind that, even if it somehow passed both houses, it would promptly be vetoed by President Bush, and that there is no hope of two-thirds of either house voting to override his veto. Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues knew all these things, and passed the resolution anyway, so they were voting to make a point.
Their point is that they believe the war in Iraq is irretrievably lost, and that continuing the battle into the indefinite future will merely waste still more blood and treasure. Moreover, they have seen the polls indicating that a majority of Americans agree that the effort in Iraq has failed, and the Democrats are therefore convinced that the voters will forgive them, in any case, for demanding a pullout. There is no political party more resolutely virtuous than one that believes a majority of the voters is firmly on its side.
The Republicans warn that the Democratic resolution is simply a prescription for losing the war. Moreover, they do not agree that it is necessarily and inevitably lost. President Bush has changed Defense secretaries, endorsed a new proposal for a surge in the number of combat troops in Iraq, and sent there to command the effort Gen. David Petraeus, who firmly believes that such a surge will work. What's more, the Republicans are aware that Americans reserve the right to change their minds. According to the polls, a majority favored the attack on Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Those same polls now report that a majority have lost heart. But if the surge succeeds, you can be sure that a majority will favor firm steps to wrap up the victory, and will be glad to scrap the Pelosi deadline.
The Democrats are aware of this possibility, but are simply betting that it won't happen. And even if it does, they calculate that the resulting situation won't be so encouraging that determined pessimists will be fatally embarrassed. There will still be problems with the Iraqi government, and enough fatalities among American troops to keep the media busy. The Republicans may rightly claim "victory," but the Democrats will continue to mourn the cost.
William Rusher is a Distinguished Fellow of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy and author of How to Win Arguments .
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Carney: Okay Fine, Senior Officials Knew the IRS Report was Coming, but Nobody Told Obama | Guy Benson | <urn:uuid:03eed364-3e3c-4462-af3c-f9086eafe831> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall.com/columnists/williamrusher/2007/03/28/the_democrats_big_gamble | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95729 | 606 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Uniontown, a community of about 3,000, is located in the heart of Alabama’s Black Belt, named for a deposit of dark, fertile soil extending from Mississippi’s border through the heart of Alabama. This region faces declining population, persistent poverty, inadequate health care, substandard schools, and weak business development.
As of 2010, Portsmouth, New Hampshire (population 20,000) has sustained the practice of organized, public dialogue and deliberation for over ten years. Since 1999, diverse community groups in Portsmouth have organized at least six rounds of large-scale dialogue-to-action circles (study circles) initiatives. This case study provides brief descriptions of four of these initiatives from 1999 through 2004. Descriptions of Portsmouth’s later public engagement initiatives will be added to this entry at a later date, or posted as separate entries. | <urn:uuid:5b82108e-31dc-42a8-9f49-f29722675496> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://participedia.net/browse/cases/feed%3Ff%5B0%5D%3Dfield_implementing_entity_kind%253A19%26f%5B1%5D%3Dfield_methods%253A146?f[0]=field_funding_entity_kind%3A19&f[1]=field_influence_kind%3A27&f[2]=field_country%3AUnited%20States&f[3]=field_geographical_scope%3A173&f[4]=field_influence_kind%3A109 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917748 | 174 | 2.296875 | 2 |
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Saturday, April 14, 2012
Here's a nice video that's a tribute to Olin and Rod by Mystic Seaport Museum, called Simply Brilliant. Click here to access. I have mentioned it before but it's worth a look.
This preliminary design was prepared in 2002. The design brief was for a modern looking pilothouse sloop but with no fixed windows in the sides or back of the pilothouse, just the ability to close in bad weather with side curtains (isenglass). The boat was to be built in composites.
Here is the general arrangement.
The guest accommodations was designed to accommodate six people, each cabin with a private head with separate shower stall. There is a day head at the forward end of the passage. The salon is raised above the engine and machinery space to a height so that a view out the windows is possible when seated on the settee. Forward of the salon are the crew’s quarters which are isolated forward of an amidships vestibule. The crew mess with navigation station, engine room access, and deck access is to port while the galley is to starboard. The Captain’s double cabin and the crew’s double bunk are forward port and starboard. A head with separate shower stall is forward and can be accessed by either cabin. The optional after portion was a charter boat option.
Displacement 113,155 lbs
Friday, April 13, 2012
During World War II something on the order of 1,500 aircraft rescue boats (crash boats) were constructed in all kinds of sizes and configurations. S&S designed a handful. Crash boats were necessary for actual crashes due to failure or damage but also planes at that time simply didn't have the range they do today and many returning pilots fell short of their destination. The boats had to be fast and these little craft helped speed the development of all high speed small combatants.
I came across this one while doing some research. It was simply a proposal for a South American country that did not get built. You will note the derrick crane for lifting pilots into the boat and the arrangement of stretchers in the interior and also in the cockpit. The year was 1940.
I will post others in future postings.
Here is the home the Stephens brothers, Olin and Rod, grew up in at 146th Street and Walton Avenue in the Bronx, and before moving to Scarsdale. It appears it was within walking distance to the Stephens Coal facility on the Harlem River and next door to Consolidated Shipbuilding.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
This aluminum motoryacht was designed in 1990 but was never built. There's a lot packed into a compact package: Owner's stateroom plus 2 guest cabins and a captain's cabin, each with private head and separate showers. It's a nice layout.
Power was to be provided by twin GM12V92TA diesels rated at 1,080 hp each turning 40" diameter, 4-bladed propellers.
Here is the general arrangement plan.
Displacement 115,068 lbs (light ship)
Displacement 115,068 lbs (light ship)
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
One-Off Cybele in Wood - Swan 36 Prototype
Built by Molich of Denmark
Built by Molich of Denmark
Design #1710 has to be the most utilized design in our collection. Numerous one-offs were built of wood as well as production models from various builders in fiberglass. The Gaia Class was built by the famous Italian builder Benello, building 19 boats to the design.
Additional boats were also built to this design with slight variations, such as the Sigma 36 Class (built by Cheoy Lee), Rumbuster and many more in both wood and fiberglass. In all I believe 60 boats were built to this design with slight variations, without counting the entire Swan 36 production run of 90 boats delivered.
Here's a fairly complete list of boats.
Regarding Swan, first a little background. The Swan 36 was the very first model for Nautor. Here's the story about the start of Nautor by the founder, Pekka Kostenkyla, in his own words.
How the Swans Were Born
by Pekka Koskenkyla
Founder of Nautor's Swan
by Pekka Koskenkyla
Founder of Nautor's Swan
It all started as a hobby. I grew up on the coast (Helsinki) and I have always had or wanted to have boats. My first vessel was a canoe, which I built myself in the evenings after school at the age of 14. In fact next year I built five of them for sale. Then nothing much happened in my boat building career for ten years because of school and university, where I majored in economics.
After graduation I wanted to have my own boat, so I started to build a wooden sailing boat of 11-meters. I worked in the evenings and weekends in my father-in-law's shed in Pietarsaari, where I had a job selling paper sacs. It took about 2 years to finish the boat and when it was almost complete a dentist from Helsinki wanted to buy it. I gave him a, what I thought, was a high price and he agreed. So I thought that boat building looked like an easy way to make money doing what I liked. I decided to start a yard.
The first step was to find a name and get drawings. The fact that I happened to think of SWAN was lucky, because I believe that this name and the connotations it implies was important for the success of the company. The other decision, which also turned out to be right and even more crucial to our success, was to choose S&S as designers.
My first thought had been to use the drawings of the boat that I was building, especially as it was just the right size I was looking for. An important factor in the overall length of the boat that I wanted to build was that any boats over 11-meters in LOA were exempt from VAT tax. This was of course a government concession made for the commercial fishermen and nobody had thought of yachts, because pleasure craft in Finland at the time were so small. A few years later this loophole was plugged.
The first boat that I built was designed by a local amateur naval architect and full time teacher of mathematics, Eivind Still. He was naturally disappointed, when I decided not to use his drawings, but Still later became quite well-known in Scandinavia with the many boats that he later designed. At the time I was so ignorant about this business and sailboats in general, that I did not know any yacht designers - not even the most famous. Therefore I went to the local yacht club in Pietarsaari and asked, who was the best designer in the world. I was told that it was Sparkman & Stephens.
I found their address from an old yachting magazine and wrote to the company to tell them, that I needed drawings of a sailboat about 11-12 meters long. No reply! That really was not so surprising, because I did not even have letterheads, let alone a company. I waited some more and then telephoned to their office in New York. I got Rod Stephens on the phone and he told me that by coincidence he was coming to Finland in a couple of weeks to inspect a wooden sailboat being built at the time. He said we could meet. Later I got a message from his client in Finland that he could see me at 6 o'clock in his hotel room in Helsinki. However I was not sure if that was in the morning or the evening and I could not reach Rod to verify, so I decided not to take a risk and went to his hotel at 6 AM. He was there waiting for me. He must have been impressed by my enthusiasm, because that was all I had to show for.
In any case, he gave me the drawings of a 36 feet sloop, which was to be marketed as the SWAN 36. Later he told me that they had been waiting for years for somebody to approach them to design a production boat in fiberglass, but I was in fact the first one to do so. A couple of years later a lot of builders were knocking on their door, but S&S were very loyal to us and did not give out competing designs. The drawings I received from Rod were of a boat already built in wood.
Later I have sometimes thought how was it possible that I got those drawings. Maybe Rod did not take me very seriously after all? When I came back to Pietarsaari I needed a suitable space in a hurry. Outside the town, far from the sea, there was an old brick building, which had been used to process hides (skins). It was empty and I was able to rent it at a very low rate. It needed some modifications like a much bigger door and heating etc., but we had a place to start. I appointed my first wife's uncle as a foreman and we started to hire people.
As I had already built one boat in the area I knew that there were many skillful joiners in the surrounding area of Pietarsaari. Many of them were part time farmers and eager to take a full time job, because their farms were so small that they could not sup-port them. In fact these people were busy only at harvest time during the summer. Many of these people had a small woodworking shop at home and they had been doing doors, window frames and furniture etc. to supplement their income.
These activities were, however, getting uneconomical, because more and more factories were producing these items on a mass production basis and thereby suppressing prices. The other category of workers I was able to hire were small individual boat builders. These were typically also small farmers or sometimes fishermen, who could not fish or farm during the winter because of ice and snow. Their boat building operation was family business, and most of them built wooden fishing boats, but there were some, notably the Branbacka family, who built pleasure boats to customers' orders.
If we go back to the history of Pietarsaari and the surrounding counties we find that this area was once one of the main ship building areas in Scandinavia. This was the era of wooden sailing ships during the time when Finland was part of Sweden. These mostly commercial vessels were built in amazing numbers and with amazing speed. In the Pietarsaari Museum there is more information about all this. In fact a few years ago they even built one vessel to these old drawings on a voluntary basis.
I have gone into all the above in more detail, because it is important to understand that the quality of the workers and their skills in the counties around Pietarsaari is something very special. If I had not had access to these kinds of people we would have failed, especially considering my lack of experience in business in general and running a yard in particular. Fortunately there was no shortage of these highly skilled and motivated people in the area.
We were like a family and run the business as such. One could either say that we had perfect industrial relations or that none of us had ever even heard about such a thing. There was one episode that comes to mind, when I think about the loyalty of our workers at that time. My very first delivery of the SWAN 36 was about to happen. This was the only wooden SWAN ever built. It was built in mahogany. The reason was that I thought we would save money this way, because a fiberglass mold needs a wooden plug and rather than build a plug and then destroy it, we decided take the mold off a real boat that could be sold. All went well except that when the hull mold was being made it cracked the planking of the wooden hull, because when the fiberglass and resin mixture hardens, it becomes very warm, which again dries the wooden hull underneath. These small cracks were repaired, but on a varnished surface they could still be seen.
My customer, a businessman from Helsinki, demanded a discount of his boat because of this. My situation, however, was very simple. If I did not immediately get the foil price in order to pay back a bank loan I would go broke. The customer did not want to hear. He insisted. He even ordered a trucking company to come and take the boat away from the yard. When he and his men with the big truck and the crane came, my men decided to stop the operation by physically blocking entry into the yard. As I had more men and they seemed to be more eager for a fight, my customer decided to pay in full.
The first year we built four boats, the wooden one, which we used for a plug and three fiberglass SWAN 36's. I was able to sell all of them at a very early stage. The most important factor for this initial success was not so much my honest looking face or the fantastic workforce we had, because we had nothing to show. It was the name and reputation of Sparkman & Stephens. It is difficult to understand now how superior in reputation they were compared to other yacht designers. There was only one best choice then. The name and reputation of S&S was built on the winning boats of their design in all ocean racing from the America's Cup, One Ton Cup, Admirals Cup, Cowes week etc. Most of the winners in these races were designed by S&S.
Then came Nautor from Finland, the first to produce S&S designed boats not only in series at a very reasonable price, but also in a new and stronger material than wood. On the top of that, the SWANs were lighter as well, and therefore had a better chance of winning races. Just to broaden the appeal to more potential buyers my sales argument was that because it was built of a lighter material we can afford to make the boat with a nice wooden interior and therefore appealing as a nice family cruising boat as well as a racing boat. This was the argument the racing minded sailor needed to convince his wife. The racing in those days was not as competitive, or rather, the boats were not as extreme racing machines as they are today, so it was in fact possible to win big time with a SWAN that looked like a family cruising boat with heavy teak interior.
Here are the plans.
The following is a very good design review that appeared in the Yachtsman magazine in 1967.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
In 1942 the U.S. Navy commissioned us prepare the plans to convert a number of World War I subchasers (SC designation) to yard patrol boats (YP designation). YP 180 was originally built by Elco (Electric Launch Company) in 1918. She was one of 442 SC-1s, the 110-foot subchasers built during WWI, with designation SC-101 and named Fidus.
The conversion was done at Fyfe's Shipyard, Glenwood Landing, Long Island, New York. YP boats were used for coastal defense and also for naval training purposes. YP 180 operated with a complement of 2 officers and 18 crew.
Looking at the archives the following S&S design numbers were also YP conversions, all done in 1942: #425, #426, #427, #428, #429 and #440.
Here are the plans.
Monday, April 9, 2012
As far as we can tell, the Endo Corporation of Japan was a 6-time repeat client, ordering 1/4, 1/2 and 1-tonner racing yachts in the early 1970s. Most of not all were built by the Kato Boat Company of Yokosuka City, Japan in either wood or fiberglass. Here we have the one-tonner Sunbird II. She was built of wood and launched in 1970. She is based on a very well utilized design, #2062, but with modifications (optimizations) to her rig, keel and rudder.
Here's a look at her shape.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
We've posted about this P.T. boat before. This aerial image that shows her deck layout well.
Here she is running at +35 knots.
And some interesting interior images. This gives one a good sense of her no-nonsense accoutrements.
And finally a peek at the engine room. You can see 2 (starboard) out of those 4 big Packard engines.
I admit I'm a bit confused by the date on these images. Our records show the 2 P.T. boats were built in '46 and '47. | <urn:uuid:38a6fcd2-d4fa-4d56-990e-2a4053860218> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sparkmanstephens.blogspot.com/2012_04_08_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988265 | 3,582 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Barrel-eye Opisthoproctus soleatus
Many fish that live in the twilight zone, including the barrel-eye, have large eyes to make full use of what little light is available. As well as being large, the eyes of this species are tubular and point upward. This arrangement probably helps the barrel-eye to stalk other fish from below. Looking up, it is likely that the barrel-eye can pick out the silhouette of its prey or spot fish with bioluminescent patches on their undersides. | <urn:uuid:c5fe7687-f8bc-4914-8a43-98e7bfea3039> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://oceana.org/en/explore/marine-wildlife/barrel-eye | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949447 | 114 | 2.765625 | 3 |
CHICAGO (AP) - As Illinois becomes the fourth and most populous U.S. state to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, nagging concerns remain about whether there are enough safeguards to avoid the identity fraud and other pitfalls faced by other states with similar laws.
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed Illinois' measure into law Sunday in Chicago. Backers, including Quinn, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and some of the state's top Republicans, tout it as a public-safety measure. They argue that required facial recognition technology is reliable enough to prevent fraud.
They hailed it as an important step for immigrant rights in Illinois, which approved its own Dream Act in 2010 to create a privately-funded scholarship program for immigrant students. President Barack Obama plans to discuss his plan to overhaul the immigration system during a trip to Las Vegas on Tuesday.
"This was a bi-partisan effort to pass an important law," Quinn said. "The president can say about his home state of Illinois ... we not only passed the Dream Act last year, we passed driver's licenses for those who are undocumented."
However, the law's opponents have pointed to hundreds of fraudulent cases in New Mexico, Washington state and Utah after those states began giving illegal immigrants permission to drive. Illinois will not require applicants to be fingerprinted, for fear that would discourage immigrants from applying.
"How many people would apply for this document knowing that fingerprints will be going to (federal authorities)? Probably not all that many," said Fred Tsao, policy director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, a driving-force behind the measure.
Proponents say it will allow an estimated 250,000 people unlawfully residing in the state to apply for a three-year temporary driver's license and require them to get training and insurance. The Illinois secretary of state's office said the licenses will be available starting in October.
Those ready for the change include 45-year-old Victoria Chavez.
"I need to get my driver's license because I have two kids," the Chicago woman said. "They need my support. This is a victory for all of us in the immigrant community."
The licenses will be like those already issued to certain foreign-born, legal visitors. Under the new law, applicants will be photographed at a driver services facility, and their photo will be entered into the state's facial recognition database - like the rest of Illinois' licensed drivers- to verify their identity.
But the other states' driving programs for illegal immigrants have been abused. New Mexico and Washington state both issue licenses, while Utah issues a permit.
An Associated Press investigation last year found a striking pattern in New Mexico, suggesting immigrants tried to game the system to obtain a license. In one instance, 48 foreign-born individuals claimed to live at a smoke shop in Albuquerque to fulfill a state residency condition. New Mexico does not have a fingerprinting requirement, although it asks applicants to show two proofs of state residency.
Authorities also busted a fraud ring last year that forged documents for illegal immigrants to use after driving from as far as Illinois and North Carolina to obtain a New Mexico license. Gov. Susana Martinez has vowed for years to repeal the decade-old measure, but the legislature has repeatedly rejected such efforts.
Washington state's requirements attracted national attention when Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and then-Washington license-holder, revealed his illegal immigration status in an essay for the New York Times Magazine in 2011. Vargas chronicled how he obtained his license. State authorities conducted an investigation that revealed Vargas did not reside at the address he stated in his application, and canceled his license a month after his essay was published.
Utah issues three different driving privilege cards: one for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, another for legal visitors, and a third for illegal immigrants. Utah's permit for illegal immigrants is not valid for identification. Illinois' law will follow suit.
Utah's Republican-controlled legislature amended the state's law in 2011 to require illegal immigrants to be fingerprinted, and mandates that the state notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if an applicant's fingerprint check yields a felony on record. If the individual applying has a misdemeanor warrant outstanding, the state must notify the agency that is seeking the person's arrest.
That kind of information-sharing between state and immigration authorities worries Illinois' immigrant-rights advocates, like Tsao, who pushed for the legislation without a fingerprinting requirement. They say fingerprinting could deter potential licensees from applying for fear of being identified and deported.
Local law enforcement officials argue in favor of fingerprinting.
"We could see if they have committed a crime; it could be a crime in another state or it could be a crime in their home country," said John Kennedy, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
The Illinois secretary of state's office has vehemently defended its facial recognition database as highly sophisticated and accurate. The program uses an algorithm to match more than a dozen facial features that are not easy to alter, such as eye sockets and sides of the mouth.
"The integrity of our driver's license system is a priority," said Henry Haupt, a spokesman for the office.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Edward Acevedo, a Chicago Democrat, said state roads will be safer because illegal immigrants will receive training and be tested before obtaining a license. They also will be required to purchase insurance, an aspect that would save millions for currently insured drivers, Acevedo said.
Tsao's organization estimates uninsured illegal immigrant drivers cause $64 million in damage claims each year, an expense currently covered by increased premiums.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Read the original story: Fraud concerns linger over new Ill. license law | <urn:uuid:6eb44815-ca1c-493d-b6ee-a89004e08424> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fdlreporter.com/usatoday/article/1868091 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956843 | 1,193 | 1.640625 | 2 |
On the market since October 2010 (estimated # 30.000pcs)
Official statements by Philips on Econova TV:
- The Philips Econova is the greenest flat screen TV on the market.
- It is a 42” TV only consuming 46 watt of power.
- It comes with a solar remote where you never have to replace batteries.
- The housing is mainly made from 60% post-industrial recycled aluminum.
- The TV is built in a smart way so that layer to layer parts are prevented (=forward integrated display).
- The electronics including cables are 100% halogen free.
- The cushions are made of bended cardboard (no EPS anymore) and the protection plastic foam bag is replaced with a paper sheet.
Quote by Tom Devoldere, mechanical ing. team member of the Philips Econova:
“The team which developed the Philips Econova believed that sustainability is more than fulfilling the strictly needed legal requirements (compliance), but can actually be a driver for innovation. So we took sustainability serious and used it as a filter to come with a list of sustainable ideas.”
Also see official presentation and press release.
C2C features of Philips Econova TV:
- Waste Equals Food. Electronics including cables are 100% halogen free; First PVC-free TV on the market! Housing mainly made from 60% post-industrial recycled aluminum
- Design for Disassembly. Partly designed for disassembly
- Use Current Solar Income. Solar charged remote control
- Energy Efficiency Accelerating Adaption of Renewable Energy. 42” TV only consuming 46 watt of power (O Watt power switch, Extreme low stand-by poser, Low power LED display)
- Packaging. Cushions are made of bended cardboard (no EPS anymore) and the protection plastic foam bag is replaced with a paper sheet. Cardboard and paper is better recycable.
- Green EISA award 2010:
In its quest for energy efficiency, the Philips 42PFL6805 reaches an all time low consuming just 40 Watts in eco-mode. The set demonstrates a holistic approach to eco-design, evident in many details such as the unorthodox product architecture, solar-powered remote control, double-function stand and wall-mount and an e-manual. The cherry on the cake is the clever use of a rather small partly recycled aluminium panel which covers all electronics instead of the total back cover that is used by their competition.
- Mentioned in Greenpeace “Guide to Greener Electronics” (October 2010, version 16)
Philips stays in 3rd place, with an increased score of 5.5, up from 5.1. Philips gains points for launching an LED TV that is free from PVC and BFRs, the first product in this category to be free from these hazardous substances.
- IF Product Design Award 2011 | <urn:uuid:6198a170-d1b2-4a4a-b49b-d3023e0ab4fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://epea-hamburg.org/index.php?id=268&L=4%2C | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926927 | 602 | 1.695313 | 2 |
WebMD Medical News
Laura J. Martin, MD
Nov.14, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) -- People with heart failure who don't eat enough vitamin C-rich foods are almost twice as likely to be hospitalized or die as those with heart failure who get enough vitamin C in their diet, new research suggests.
They are also more than twice as likely to have high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood, which has been linked to heart disease.
The study is the first to show that people with heart failure who eat enough vitamin C-rich foods live longer, according to study researcher Grace Song, PhD, RN, an assistant professor in the department of nursing at the University of Ulsan, South Korea.
Vitamin C, an antioxidant, may help people with heart failure by calming down inflammation in the body, Song tells WebMD.
Other researchers say that it's not at all clear that vitamin C by itself improves heart health.
More likely, people who get enough vitamin C in their diets eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and are healthier overall, says Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, a nutritionist at Tufts University in Boston.
"What we do know," she says, "is that a diet high in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of heart disease."
Foods that are rich in vitamin C include cantaloupe, red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, oranges, papaya, and kiwis.
Based on the findings, people with heart failure should not take vitamin C supplements, Lichtenstein tells WebMD. Studies have shown vitamin C supplements do not improve the health of people with heart failure.
The study was presented here at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011.
The study involved 212 people with heart failure. Their average age was 61, and about one-third were women.
They kept track of all the foods they ate for four days; a software program was used to calculate vitamin C intake. A total of 39% didn't get enough vitamin C in their diets, according to criteria set by the Institute of Medicine.
People in the study were also given blood tests to measure CRP.
Then they were followed for one year, during which time 61 patients (29%) were hospitalized or died because of heart problems. Those with a low intake of vitamin C were more likely to experience a shorter period of time before being hospitalized or dying from a heart problem.
The study was funded by the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Institute of Nursing Research.
These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.
SOURCES:American Heart Association Scientific Session 2011, Orlando, Fla., Nov. 12-16, 2011.Grace Song, PhD, RN, assistant professor, department of nursing, University of Ulsan, South Korea.Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston.
The Health News section does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information. | <urn:uuid:07b89cd7-a1ca-4a70-8d46-5e67700d4caf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newschannel34.com/webmd/heartfailure/story/Foods-With-Vitamin-C-May-Help-Heart-Failure/hYsL3wYukkSB4Y8QvZ9TgA.cspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959141 | 671 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Mitt Romney has received the endorsement of the Des Moines Register, Iowa's largest paper. The Register last supported a Republican candidate for president 40 years ago, in 1972, when it endorsed Richard Nixon. Read an excerpt from the Romney endorsement below:
American voters are deeply divided about this race. The Register’s editorial board, as it should, had a vigorous debate over this endorsement. Our discussion repeatedly circled back to the nation’s single most important challenge: pulling the economy out of the doldrums, getting more Americans back in the workforce in meaningful jobs with promising futures, and getting the federal government on a track to balance the budget in a bipartisan manner that the country demands.
Which candidate could forge the compromises in Congress to achieve these goals? When the question is framed in those terms, Mitt Romney emerges the stronger candidate.
The former governor and business executive has a strong record of achievement in both the private and the public sectors. He was an accomplished governor in a liberal state. He founded and ran a successful business that turned around failing companies. He successfully managed the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Romney has made rebuilding the economy his No. 1 campaign priority — and rightly so....
The president’s best efforts to resuscitate the stumbling economy have fallen short. Nothing indicates it would change with a second term in the White House.
The president’s prescription upon entering office was a dose of government stimulus, which was the right call because it put cash in the pockets of consumers, made investments in vital infrastructure and kept millions of teachers and police officers on the job.
That stimulus was necessary to bridge the nation from recession to recovery, but the time is past for more government stimulus.
Consumers must feel more confident about their own economic futures to begin spending on the products and services that power the economy. A renewed sense of confidence will spark renewed investment by American companies. Industry will return to full production and hiring will begin again.
That should come with Mitt Romney in the White House.
Read the whole editorial here.
According to Real Clear Politics, Obama leads Romney by 2.3 points in Iowa, and the race there is considered a toss-up. Obama won Iowa in 2008 by nearly 10 points. | <urn:uuid:27fc274f-2ed8-4955-8ee3-ecffa3092443> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/des-moines-register-endorses-romney_658004.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95551 | 458 | 1.703125 | 2 |
On another nice day, Tropical Storm Debby stalls, dry weather hurting crops
Another delightfully cool and sunny early summer day is in store with a forecasted high of around 75 degrees and another fine night for sleeping with an overnight low of around 57 degrees.www.erh.noaa.gov/cle/
However, temperatures will ramp up beginning Wednesday and creep into the low 80s before soaring into the low 90s for Thursday and retreating slightly into the upper 80s for Friday and continuing through Monday.
And while rain is needed to help break the current incipient dry spell there does not appear to be any such relief until possibly the middle of next week.
A good bit of a breeze is forecasted to last for the next 48 hours or so as well.
Strong north winds continue and are producing waves of up to five feet on Lake Erie with a Small Craft Advisory in place until this evening. Lake Erie’s water temperature off Fairport Harbor has fallen by about one degree to 73 degrees.www.wunderground.com/MAR/LE/149.html
The current long-range forecast by AccuWeather is slightly modified from that presented Monday. Instead of 90-degree-plus heat arriving for the July 4th holiday this sticky weather is now projected to arrive a few days later. For the holiday itself AccuWeather is now predicting a high in the upper 70s but along with a chance of rain showers.www.accuweather.com/
Today’s average high temperature is 81 degrees while the average low temperature is 63 degrees. This date’s record high temperature is the 99 degrees that was set in 1952 while the record low is the 47 degrees that was set in 1984.www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php
The National Hurricane Center is saying that Tropical Storm Debby remains a persistent flooding threat in Florida with only very slow movement to the northeast. It may take up to two days before this storm crosses over the state. Up to two feet of rain has thus far fallen in some portions of Florida with another one foot possible in some locations.www.nhc.noaa.gov/
Ohio’s farmers and livestock owners are beginning to fret about the on-going hot and dry weather, says the U.S. and Ohio departments of agriculture in their joint weekly crop weather report.
The vast majority of the topsoil moisture content in the state is listed as either “very short” or “short” with just one percent being listed as “surplus.” These postings are in sharp contrast as to what they were at the beginning of this season’s agricultural cycle. Continued...
For apples, this crop is listed as being 57 percent in fair-to-good condition, roughly unchanged from last week while 45 percent of the state’s peach crop is listed as being in fair-to-good condition, down six percent.
In terms of crop development, 72 percent of Ohio’s winter wheat crop has ripened and compared to the 17 percent for the long-term average. Up to two percent of the state’s field corn crop is displaying silk and compared to zero percent for the long-term average. Likewise, the harvesting of hay and oats and the development of soybeans are all above their respective long-term averages. That being said, however, the joint report notes the growing concern that the continued dry and hot weather is beginning to hamper further field crop development.www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Ohio/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/index.asp
Location, ST | website.com
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News-Herald writers, editors and photographers share the inside stories of today's headlines and what goes on behind the scenes.
As Northeast Ohio gears up for a local election, get the latest on what's happening behind the scenes.
Staff Writer Jeff Schudel brings 25 years of experience covering the Browns to his regular offerings on team performance and player moves.
Sportswriters from The News-Herald go behind the scenes of the area's high school and professional sports. | <urn:uuid:7e9b819e-6a03-400e-8149-59056e95f37b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2012/06/26/news/doc4fe9b0a115f9b894045226.txt?viewmode=4 | 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 | 0.938834 | 1,185 | 1.742188 | 2 |
The Mellon College of Science is a dynamic, collaborative college.
The Mellon College of Science (MCS) is home to four departments and many programs and research centers that cross disciplines.
We approach scientific problems from fresh angles using innovative interdisciplinary approaches while drawing on our departmental strengths in the core sciences. MCS faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized for their research in a variety of fields, including polymer science, cosmology, mathematical finance and neuroscience.
We are innovators and forward-thinkers. Our alumni and faculty have invented materials and processes that have made a profound impact, like Kevlar® and CyDyes™.
Our innovations don’t stop there. MCS faculty members have channeled their ingenuity and interdisciplinary energy into developing a creative undergraduate curriculum. We designed courses and programs in emerging areas like green chemistry and developed a number of interdisciplinary degree programs that prepare our students to be at the forefront of science.
At MCS, we encourage our students to collaborate within and across disciplines. Many begin research early in their college careers. More than 70% of MCS students conduct undergraduate research, where they don’t just summarize or repeat previous research—they discover new science. | <urn:uuid:2e31488e-633b-4cb0-95be-6e5b5b8b8b98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cmu.edu/mcs/about/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941574 | 246 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Are ADHD Meds Safe During Pregnancy?
This is an issue that needs to be discussed by your daughter and her gynecologist. As far as I am aware, there is no research suggesting that therapeutic doses of stimulants taken during pregnancy for ADHD will have a significant or dramatic adverse effect on the fetus. However, physicians’ decisions about which medications their patients should or should not take are based not only on research but also on the physicians' experience. It's therefore important for your daughter to speak with her doctor.
Last Updated: 09/15/2010
Dr. Sam Goldstein
is a psychologist in Salt Lake City, a faculty member at the University of Utah School of Medicine, and the author of books and articles on ADHD. | <urn:uuid:29ef61c8-33b0-4287-8db8-82b412b76ca7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.everydayhealth.com/adhd-specialist/are-adhd-meds-safe-during-pregnancy.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977979 | 151 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Business Advice | 10 Reasons to Start a Business This Year
Here are 10 good reasons to take the plunge this January instead of procrastinating until 2012.
By ROSALIND RESNICK
1. You’ll never get fired again. That won’t happen once you start working for yourself. “Careers used to be for life, and leaving a job to start your own could put your world in jeopardy,” says David Ronick, co-founder of UpStartBootcamp.com, a New York company that provides coaching, classes and information to first-time entrepreneurs. “Now the average job lasts about four years—if you can get one.” On the flip side, most start-ups don’t succeed and, while you won’t get fired from your own business, you might end up shutting it down and losing the money you invested. “You’ll probably take home a smaller salary, work harder and face higher stress levels, too,” Mr. Ronick says.
2. You can stop asking your boss for a raise and give yourself one. When you run your own business, there’s no limit to how much money you can make if your company takes off. Because you’re taking all the risk, you’re entitled to all the upside. “A ‘real’ job does not have your best interests at heart—ever,” says Scott Gerber, a New York entrepreneur and author of “Never Get a ‘Real’ Job.” “Most jobs offer employees nothing more than a false sense of security, a workload that far exceeds their pay grades and a benefits package that they are most likely paying for themselves.” While getting a business off the ground is never easy, every dollar that you put in and every hour that you work is an investment that returns profit back to you. “Find me any job that offers that level of financial incentive, and perhaps I’ll think of getting a ‘real’ job,” Mr. Gerber says. (Mr. Gerber is also head of Young Entrepreneur Council, which writes a guest column for WSJ.com.)
3. You can write off that new laptop, BlackBerry, iPad or printer. One of the fringe benefits of running your own business is the opportunity to write off or depreciate legitimate business expenses. Recent changes in the tax laws make these deductions even sweeter. Under expanded bonus depreciation rules, qualified investments in fixed assets purchased between Sept. 9, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2011, can be fully written off for federal tax purposes, according to Michael J. Goldberg of New York’s Ganer, Grossbach & Ganer LP. (Check with your accountant to make sure your state accepts bonus depreciation for tax purposes.) A new business also can use the Section 179 deduction to write off the price of certain equipment or software, up to $500,000 in 2011. The disadvantage is that the current year Section 179 deduction cannot exceed the net income of the business. Start-up costs of up to $10,000 are deductible once the business begins, Mr. Goldberg adds.
4. You can unplug and work anywhere there’s WiFi reception. Forget the daily grind of commuting to the office. Today’s mobile start-ups have unplugged from their digital tether. Small business and social-media marketing consultant Richard Wooley, co-founder of New York’s Bond/Wooley Inc., says the key to working virtually is picking your spots—ideally, locations that offer comfy chairs and free WiFi. “When I’m spending an afternoon working through a call list, the best place for me is an independent coffee shop,” Mr. Wooley says. “Starbucks can get too noisy to have a real conversation on a cell phone.” By contrast, Mr. Wooley finds a quiet bar the perfect setting for crunching complex formulas in the Excel spreadsheets he prepares for clients’ business plans. Says Mr. Wooley, “The key is to take off the shackles of a cubicle, charge your laptop battery and get out in the world.”
5. There’s never been a cheaper time to start a business. Ten years ago, a typical Internet start-up needed $1 million to launch a product and millions more to prove its business model and scale it to profitability or an IPO. Today’s start-ups run lean and mean thanks to the plunging cost of technology and a surplus of real estate and talent. “The popular ‘lean start-ups’ approach favors developing a product and getting it into the hands of customers as quickly and inexpensively as possible,” says Mr. Ronick of UpStartBootcamp.com. “Plus, the stigma of freelancing has lifted for both companies and individuals so start-ups can hire top talent on an as-needed, virtual basis. This lets founders hire better talent with more flexibility, reduced office space needs, and lower benefits costs.” And thanks to the power of social networking, it’s no longer necessary to hire an expensive PR firm to generate press. You can target niche publishers and bloggers instead.
6. There’s a huge talent pool just waiting to be tapped. While businesses have started staffing up again, there are still plenty of executives, bookkeepers, sales reps and other skilled professionals looking for work. Not only can you scoop up top talent at bargain prices (either as employees or independent contractors), but you may also be able to find someone who’s prepared to roll up his or her sleeves and share the risk. “There are lots of people out there with complementary skills who are between jobs and ready with time and talent to be your partner and give your business idea the internal expertise you are missing,” says Gregg Stebben, CEO and co-founder of Press4, a New York digital-marketing start-up. It’s a great time to partner up with Web designers, graphic artists and other service providers who are struggling to fill their dance cards with paying gigs.
7. Consumers and businesses have started spending again. With the economy slowly beginning to rebound, both retail shoppers and corporate purchasing departments are opening their wallets once again. But customers are demanding more bang for the buck, keeping companies’ prices low and margins thin while the cost of commodities and other materials continues to rise. “Value is the new black and it isn’t going anywhere,” says Elyissia Wassung, CEO of 2 Chicks with Chocolate, a Matawan, N.J., chocolate maker. “As a premium chocolatier, we’ve had to get very creative on flavors, packaging and overall value while maintaining exceptional quality.” Ms. Wassung’s advice: If you can’t deliver a unique selling proposition, keep your day job until you can.
8. Capital has started flowing again for small businesses. Banks have started lending again—but only to borrowers who check all their boxes. And while getting a small business bank loan may no longer be as tough as landing a date with George Clooney on Oscar night, it’s still not as easy as getting tickets to a comedy starring Vince Vaughn. Some alternatives: Crowdfunding (raising small amounts through sites like Kickstarter.com), peer-to-peer lending, credit unions, microlending, merchant cash advances, factoring accounts receivable, purchase order financing and good old-fashioned credit cards.
9. Sellers will lend you the money to buy their businesses. With the market for small, privately held businesses still soft and bank financing hard to come by, businesses that are looking to sell are willing to “hold notes” to bridge the gap between the purchase price of the company and the cash and loans that the buyer can bring to the table. Sally Anne Hughes, a New York business broker at Hughes Klaiber LLC who helps small businesses find buyers, says that seller financing can help deals close more quickly by giving the seller a higher purchase price while limiting the amount of capital the buyer needs to put down. While most sellers would prefer an all-cash deal, seller financing offers the selling business owner an income stream that’s usually higher than he or she could get from investing the proceeds in a bond, money-market account or CD. “Financing may also allow a seller to postpone some of the taxes due on the sale of the business,” Ms. Hughes says.
10. You can finally set your inner entrepreneur free. Probably the best reason to start a business this year has nothing to do with start-up costs, financing or taxes. It’s so that you can stop making excuses and spread your entrepreneurial wings and fly. But before you take the leap, check out Barry Moltz’s quiz. (And if that’s not enough, here are five questions to ask before you start your own business.)
“Entrepreneurship is a tough test,” says Mr. Moltz, a Chicago entrepreneur, author and small-business consultant. “If you scored [low on the test], you are not quite ready to quit your day job. If you no longer have a day job, consider joining a small business to get the experience you will need to venture out on your own.”
That’s sound advice, and I hope that anybody thinking about becoming an entrepreneur will take it. If you’re anything like me, you might just become a lifer. | <urn:uuid:0d37361f-3127-45f1-976d-a9fd1331d010> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bertmartinez.com/business-advice-10-reasons-to-start-a-business-this-year/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946629 | 2,006 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Going Up in Holiness
Next Wednesday night, Hanukkah begins and Jews all over the world will gather around the menorah to light one candle for the first night of Hanukkah. We take it for granted that we light a candle on the first night, two on the second, and so on, but it could have been different.
The issue of how one ought to light the Hanukkah candles is discussed in the Talmud. In the Tractate of Shabbat, page 21b, we read of a debate between the famous Jewish legal combatants Hillel and Shammai. According to Shammai, we are to light eight candles the first night and light one fewer each successive night, corresponding with the nights of Hanukkah that remain, like a countdown. Hillel suggests starting with one candle and working our way up, adding one more candle every night. As we all well know, we follow the custom of Hillel, and the reason given in the Talmud in support of this custom is the phrase, ma'alin b'kodesh v'ain moridin. This means, "We go up in matters of holiness and not down."
We are instructed to ascend in matters of holiness and not to descend. I have always found this teaching to be inspiring. We can understand this to mean that throughout our days, we must constantly strive to increase the amount of holiness in our lives, being ever wary not to decrease it. Of course, it isn't always that simple.
When I first encountered this text, I imagined this continuum of personal holiness to look something like an incline, starting low as we begin our spiritual journey and working ever onward and upward in our lives. But life has taught me that most of our lives' paths don't look like inclines; they probably look more like the tracks of roller coasters. We climb, we plunge—every now and then, we are even thrown for a loop. How then can we live out the ideal of ever increasing in holiness? If we look at both this week's Torah portion, Va-yeishev, and next week's reading, Mi-ketz, we find a boy who, in becoming a man, goes through ups and downs, but still manages to climb the ladder of holiness.
That boy is Joseph. He begins his life as the beloved son of the wealthy and powerful Jacob. Joseph's life is good. We find in Va-yeishev that he is even the best-dressed kid in town, since his father has made him a fancy coat. But Joseph dreams a pair of self-centered dreams and the next thing he knows, he has gone from the top to the bottom, ending up in a pit after his brothers decide to sell him into slavery.
Joseph becomes the servant of one of Pharaoh's courtiers, Potiphar. All is well for Joseph as he becomes the most trusted servant in the household. Life takes a turn for the worse, though, when his master's wife becomes attracted to Joseph and her jealous husband sends Joseph to prison.
It is in prison that Joseph meets and interprets dreams for Pharoah's wine steward and baker. This chance meeting will have lasting consequences since it is the success of his dream interpretation that eventually gets Joseph out of prison and into the palace when Pharaoh himself needs his dreams interpreted.
I think we can learn a lot from the roller-coaster ride that is Joseph's life. If we take a close look at Joseph's experiences, particularly in his choice of words, we can see the idea of ever-increasing holiness in his life. I recall studying at JTS the teaching of Hebrew University Professor Avigdor Shinan and his close reading of the Joseph narratives. Shinan suggested that we find that, with each set of dreams that Joseph encounters, he becomes more aware of God and the role the divine is playing in his story. When we read of Joseph's own two dreams, there is no mention of God. Joseph is a young man believing he can "do it all" entirely on his own. In fact, in his dreams he even stands in for God when the sheaves and stars bow to him. But when Joseph is in prison and encounters the wine steward and the baker, he says, "Surely God can interpret your dreams." Joseph has come to see God's role in his life. Finally, in Parashat Mi-ketz, we read that when Joseph is summoned before the Pharaoh, Joseph claims to be acting on God's behalf and goes on to mention God several times. In fact, the most telling moment is Joseph's answer to Pharaoh's request for the interpretation of his dream. In Genesis 41:16, we read "Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, 'Not I! God will see to Pharaoh's welfare.'" Rashi explains that in that moment, Joseph confesses that the wisdom is not his own, but rather the words of God.
We are left to wonder how Joesph came to recognize God's role in his life. There are many possibilities. The Torah text does not share every thought of Joseph in the telling of the tale, but there is a moment that stands out in my reading of this week's parashah. When Potiphar has Joseph jailed, we are told in Genesis 39:19, "Joseph's master had him put in prison, where the king's prisoners were confined." There is some question among the commentators about why there is a seemingly "extra" detail explaining what kind of prison it was. Abraham Ibn Ezra suggests that Beit Ha'Sohar, the term for prison, is actually an Egyptian term which the Torah feels the need to translate. However, Ramban (Nachmanides) takes issue with this explanation and suggests that the extra explanation is to indicate to us that Joseph was not put in a regular prison but the special royal prison, presumably as part of God's design to arrange for Joseph's "chance" meeting with the royal cupbearer and baker. Perhaps Joseph recognizes God's hand in the chance meetings, as Ramban suggests we should. This reminds us as well of Joseph's good fortune when his brothers decide to throw him into a pit and it turns out to be an empty one: it could have been a full cistern of water as many such pits would have been. There, too, we have the seemingly extra explanation when we are told, "The pit was empty, there was no water in it" (Gen. 37:24). Perhaps these extraneous details are winks to us in the text that God is looking out for Joseph, and perhaps Joseph realized this.
We can see that, despite Joseph's ups and downs, his spiritual life is steadily on the rise. Ultimately Joseph considers it his mission to carry out God's will. In this way we too can be "m'alin b'kodesh"—we need to seek ways to grow in spirit. Even if we go up and down, we can try to allow holiness into our lives. We can do this through prayer, study, and the performance of mitzvot that attune us to act on God's behalf in our world. If we allow ourselves to rise in holiness, our lives can be like the menorah, ever increasing in light.
The publication and distribution of the JTS Commentary are made possible by a generous grant from Rita Dee and Harold (z"l) Hassenfeld. | <urn:uuid:a8b9442a-a598-4f31-a8bc-0743e50df8ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jtsa.edu/Conservative_Judaism/JTS_Torah_Commentary/Va-yeishev_5771.xml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974934 | 1,544 | 1.84375 | 2 |
The Solar Impulse plane completed its first international flight on May 13, 2011, soaring from its Switzerland pad to Brussels, taking about 13 hours, free of any need for fuel, capturing energy without emitting pollution.
The experimental emissions-free Solar Impulse HB-SIA covered the 480 kilometer (300 mile) route to Brussels from its home in western Switzerland with graceful ease, winging over France and Luxembourg on the way at an altitude of 3,600 meters (11,880 feet), according to the aircraft's team.
The wingspan of the Solar Impulse is airliner-sized, but the aircraft is no heavier than the average family car.
In July 2010 the Solar Impulse became the first human-piloted airplane to fly 24 hours on solar energy alone, requiring no additional fuel to stay aloft through the night. Last summer's flight set endurance and altitude records for a human-piloted, solar-powered aircraft after the Solar Impulse flew 26 hours, 10 minutes and 19 seconds, at an altitude of 9,235 meters (30,298 feet).
After that, this high-tech green airplane completed several more test flights between Geneva and Zurich.
But flying into the busy Brussels airport was another first, and a key test of the plane's performance as it navigated through crowded airspace.
The four 10-horsepower electric motors that drive the HB-SIA's four propellers are charged by 12,000 solar cells fixed on both its 64-meter (200-foot) wings. So far, as the July 2010 test flight demonstrated, the system can store enough sunlight-generated energy to keep the plane flying over a summer night without falling back on another power source.
Speed is not on the team's list of goals, but drawing attention to the possibilities of green high-tech flying is a top priority.
This Solar Impulse HB-SIA is on display at the Brussels airport until May 29. Its next gig will be a flight to the international Paris Air Show, held June 20 to 26 at Le Bourget airport.
Much longer flights, definitely transatlantic and trans-american journeys, are in the team's near-future plans for the Solar Impulse, all in preparation for a round-the-world bid, probably in a slightly bigger aircraft, perhaps in two or three years. | <urn:uuid:6d841449-465a-408e-8e06-e1da88c9e5f3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/306741 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946992 | 479 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Richard McMunn, Guest Blogger
According to the US Travel Association, the travel industry is poised to add 100,000 new jobs in 2013 and this is quite remarkable since the economy is still sluggish. However, the US economy has started to perk up and more people are expected to travel in 2013 than in the recent past. If you are seeking a career change or just love to travel then you should make the most of this welcome development, and land a hot tourism job.
Travel agents immediately come to mind when we think of travel related careers. Leisure travel agents help individuals and families who plan on taking a holiday, and this career path is set to take off in 2013. If you like making travel arrangements, and are a people person, then this is a great vocation to enter. When you become a travel agent, you in essence are the expert couples and families look to when planning a holiday. Most travel agencies prefer agents with formal industry specific education.
Another hot travel job for 2013 is to become a tour operator. They plan tours for travelling groups, families, and individuals. Cruise trips, RV roundups, and adventure trips are typical types of tours operators design and plan. Since holiday travel is expected to increase by significant margins in 2013 this is a great vocation to pursue. Tour operators are typically trained in two year vocational schools or two year colleges.
If you have a knack for negotiating deals and love to travel, becoming a travel wholesaler might be the perfect job for you. Travel wholesalers negotiate prices for travel agents. Hotels rates, airline tickets, cruises, and adventure tours are all made available via negotiated prices, and the Internet has increased the effectiveness of this occupation. Travel wholesalers buy hotel and airline seats in bulk, and then pass the savings on to travel agents. Earning an Associate degree in Travel, Tourism and Lodging Management gets you in the door of this exciting career.
While nursing may not sound like a travel-related career, the fact is there is a worldwide shortage of nurses. If you have the credentials and experience this could be your chance to not only work in a job you love, but travel the world at the same time. This is exactly what travelling nurses do, and you can write your own ticket. Travelling nurses generally work for a company that provides a furnished home in a foreign country along with an allowance to travel to different hospitals. In addition, travelling nurses usually earn a higher income than their non-travelling counterparts.
Tour guides are hot commodities right now, and this will only increase in 2013. Increased tourism to foreign lands means opportunity for people who love to travel, like to talk, and are history buffs. Every single city that attracts vacationers needs tour guides. Some guides work for a particular entity, such as a museum, while others engage in themed tours like historical bus tours.
The travel industry is expected to create 100,000 jobs in the USA in 2013. Alas the picture may not be so great in the United Kingdom. For people who love to travel this is your opportunity to take advantage of this windfall. The top five listed jobs above are all hot and need people to fill them today. Whether you are just starting out or considering a career change you really should take a serious look at the travel industry.
About Richard McMunn: Richard is the founder of How2become.com, the UK’s leading training and recruitment website for public sector careers. They focus on providing students with knowledge they need to prepare for and pass selection processes for specific careers such as the police and fire service. The website currently offers over 150 different titles. You can also find How2become on Twitter. | <urn:uuid:30520a9a-3d33-478b-867a-f37971f1936e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://everything-home.usstoragesearch.com/travel/guest-blog-the-top-5-travel-jobs-for-2013/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00057-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955406 | 752 | 1.6875 | 2 |
In April 1997 we celebrated Carol's birthday in a Carribean paradise. For 10 days we imbibed the tropical sun, surf, Belicon beer, punta rock music, third world culture and Mayan ruins. We saw the heart of the mainland and much of the barrier reef (from three islands and underwater).
We started at a resort in Northern Belize.
From here we visited the Lamanai ruins, approaching it by boat. Here is a view across the rain forest from atop one of the temples. There is also a picture of us in front of the Temple of the Jaguar at Altan Ha.
From the mainland we flew to Belize's largest Caye (key or island), Ambergris Caye. Here is our hut and the terrace where we hung out in the evenings.
Most days we went snorkeling along the world's largest living coral barrier reef, that stretches the entire length of Belize. The oral formations were out-of-this-world and the fish were spectacular. For the birthday dinner, we hired a boat to Caye Caulker, a more laid-back island.
Our final days were spent in the western part of Belize. One day we explored a cave deep in the rain forest, containing Mayan pottery up to 3,000 years old. The final day of adventure featured a trip to the extensive Mayan site at Tikal in Guatamala.
In case you do not know the geography of Belize (formerly British Hondurus), here is a map showing it situated in upper Central America, directly below the Yucatan of Mexico, to the East of Guatamala, and above Hondurus.
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This page last modified on January 05, 2004 | <urn:uuid:d9eae9cf-81e9-4fb6-a795-4ef3eeeb7b3f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gerrystahl.net/personal/recreation/belize/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00046-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918044 | 390 | 1.921875 | 2 |
My Mom is Chinese/Filipina and my dad is African American.
When I was little I did not really think about my race or ethnicity, I just wanted to go and play with the other kids. As I got older I noticed that whenever someone meets me with my parents they ask what I am.
I have never felt ashamed of my ethnicity because I know that it makes me different and special.
Hey! Our names are Geoffrey and Michaela. We are fraternal twins! We are African American, American Indian and South American.
Our Mother was African American, American Indian and South American. Our Father was African American.
We actually don’t know our birth parents because we were placed into foster care from birth and later adopted. Continue reading
I come from what I call a “common Hapa blend” — Black and Asian.
To be more specific, My father is African American and my mother is Filipino.
I have two siblings, an older sister and an older brother.
For most of us who are mixed, we understand that if we have siblings, we may not all come out looking like the same mix, meaning we pull different features from each of our parents and sometimes may not look like we’re related.
This was somewhat the case with my siblings and I. We’re each different colors, shading from vanilla-sister, caramel-brother and coffee creme-myself, but if you put our colors aside, you can see the obvious resemblance between us all.
Most people think I’m just black and are always surprised to find out I’m half Asian too.
On my mother’s side my grandmother is from Indonesia and my grandfather is from Malaysia. Both my mother and I were born in Singapore although I’ve been brought up in the UK with my step-father who is German and English. My biological dad is African American.
On my dad’s side I’m African American, Jamaican and on my Mom side I’m Native American, Spanish, and Puerto Rican.
As a mixed person I have the best of both worlds and the worst of both worlds but at the same time I’m able to relate to everybody.
A lot of times my White friends will see me as Black and my Black friends will tell me that I’m not Black enough and Hispanic, Native American and Asian people will ask me the “What are you?” question. Even though I’ve been through that over and over again it doesn’t faze me and I’m proud to be mixed. | <urn:uuid:88018032-61ee-4557-bacd-33c4e1b9fbdd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hapavoice.com/tag/african-american/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964755 | 547 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Emissions Standards Resources
Health and Environment Benefits for All Tiers
Tier 4 is more than just emissions. It’s about changing the world for the better. Bobcat is working hard with the entire equipment industry to do our part.
- Tier 4 standards reduce emissions from a typical non-road diesel engine by up to two-thirds.
- The EPA estimates that in 2010, NOx emissions will be reduced by about a million tons per year – the equivalent of taking 35 million passenger cars off the road.
- Respiratory problems and disease caused by ozone and PM will decline – as will acid rain, crop damage and smog.
- By 2030, the EPA estimates that 12,000 deaths, 8,900 hospitalizations and one million lost work days will be prevented.
- EPA Regulations for Non-Road Engines
- General Information on Off-Road Diesel Engines
- Diesel Fuel Standards
- Tier 4 Information from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers | <urn:uuid:28bd16e3-f5d1-4d78-a3e2-00d8e11dc3f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bobcat.com/excavators/tier4/resources | 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 | 0.911511 | 200 | 2.671875 | 3 |
"In a Democracy, the people get the government they deserve," wrote Alexis de Tocqueville. That may be a little fatalistic, but what would you expect from a Frenchman? A recent poll suggests that the government we wish deserve is Ronald Reagan. Second place went to Franklin Roosevelt.
The poll, conducted by 60 Minutes and Vanity Fair, asked which president Americans would like to see take over in the White House if little complications such as history and death were no obstacle. Reagan got thirty-six percent to Roosevelt's twenty-nine. On the opposite end of the spectrum was William Henry Harrison with just one percent. This was the one percent of clever people who thought that picking a president who lasted only one month in office before he died of pneumonia was an amusing gambit. There was a pretty steep drop off after first and second place, with Thomas Jefferson picking up third with fourteen percent.
Really? The man who wrote the Declaration of Independence came in third? Fourth place went to Harry Truman who gathered in just eight percent. Where did Abraham Lincoln show up? How about Teddy Roosevelt? John Kennedy? What dead guy or gal would you like to see running our country? Who would you choose to be our first zombie president? Does it have to be a former president? As long as this is a wish-based experience, why not pick Steve Jobs? | <urn:uuid:d7919258-b2a0-44aa-8fda-31a940e6bfa6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://entropicalparadise.blogspot.jp/2011/11/forward-into-past.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979966 | 276 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Dr. Nancy Knowlton is the Sant Chair for Marine Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and a scientific leader of the Census of Marine Life. She wrote the book, Citizens of the Sea, to celebrate the ten years of the Census. She founded the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California, San Diego. Knowlton has devoted her life to studying, celebrating, and striving to protect the multitude of life-forms that call the sea home. She lives with her family in Washington, D.C. | <urn:uuid:2a60b563-625c-4bb0-bb6b-7a443bb7daab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ocean.si.edu/user/87/ocean-news-feed | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919089 | 123 | 1.929688 | 2 |
I have two grandsons, ages four and one. They're brothers. Which means the youngest is forever wanting to get involved in what the oldest is doing. It can be frustrating for both boys at times, and the idea that little ones can do big things, too, is the underlying theme of many conversations in their household.
That's also the theme of the most recent VeggieTales release, titled appropriately, Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too. The DVD is a collection of stories—so far easier for little ones to follow than one full-length movie—about the big things performed by little ones. Most of the stories are biblical retellings, VeggieTale style, but the collection also includes a lesson in listening to your parents that's based on Pinocchio, only instead of Pinocchio and Gepetto, Pistachio and Gelatto are the stars. (See? VeggieTale style!)
Here's a peek at the fun—and important messages—featured in VeggieTales' Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too:
What I loved most about Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too: VeggieTales stories never fail to make me chuckle, thanks to the sprinkle of irreverency and subtle humor meant for adults in the midst of the fun and messages directed at children. I was happy to see the pea characters having a larger role than usual in each story (they are indeed such sweet peas), often reminding me of the chorus in Greek tragedies and tales.
My favorite part of every VeggieTales DVD is the interviews with the Veggie Kids, as I love their nasally, rambling musings on important matters. This DVD took that feature one step further, courtesy a Behind the Scenes extra that shows the real kids as they answer the questions that were then made part of the animated feature. So cute. I always wondered if they were real kids, and that they are.
VeggieTales' Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too is available for $12.99 from the VeggieTales website as well as other retailers, online and off.
But wait...you can win your very own DVD of VeggieTales' Little Ones Can Do Big Things Too. Here are the details:
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this DVD for review, as well as an offer of one as a giveaway prize. All opinions are my own. | <urn:uuid:b2b14566-702c-4de6-a8e4-90d8bda62ab9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.grandmasbriefs.com/back-room/veggie-tales-little-ones-can-do-big-things-too-a-review-and.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00047-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966494 | 499 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Each piece resonates with echoes of past ages and distant lands...
Tears of the Moon is an evocative work which stimulates the imagination and gives a real sense of journeying through space, time and the elements. Its intriguing variety of moods and styles makes it perfect for encouraging creativity in writing and the arts; for visualisation; and for relaxing listening at home, at work, or while travelling.
Each composition by Symbiosis is like hearing the atmospheric soundtrack of an imaginary film, with echoes of distant lands and ancient civilizations. The mythic quality of the music is reflected in the album's title, taken from a South American Inca legend which refers to the precious metals gold and silver as "Sweat of the Sun; Tears of the Moon."
The album features concert and ethnic flutes hauntingly played by John Hackett and Clive Williamson; soothing Latin-tinged acoustic guitar work from Richard Bolton; and beautiful ambient soundscapes counter-pointed by serene oboe and cor anglais (Sarah Devonald), violin (Nicki Paxman), and gentle global percussion. (Plays for 74 minutes)
Tracks: On the Wing; Treading on Thin Ice; Salvador; The Stars, Like Dust...; A Secret Place; Ice Crystal; Pale Fire; Detective Theme; The Journey; Water Garden; Early Morning; Alchemy from the Depths of Despair; In Wistman's Wood; Bird of Paradise; Meditation; The Citadel; Honey Ant Dreaming; Tears of the Moon; plus bonus tracks... Snake Charmer and Amazonia (Album originally released 1988 - CD reissue 2001)
Now available World-wide from iTunes - Click here to listen or download:
Mail-Order Price now only: £9.95 (Pounds sterling, plus £1.50 World-wide postage & packing)
now through our Store
(or by Mail-Order)
this spine-tingling album...' (Mind
Body & Spirit Book Club)
album captures a lifetime of musical ideas
- it is still our most creative in terms
of sound design!' (Clive
Williamson, Symbiosis - 2005)
Heartsong Review said:
of the Moon: A successful atmospheric tapestry
of music ***
Over an hour of wonderful
synth sounds with flute, violin and cor
anglais that is strongly evocative, with
a wide range of distinctive, successful
sound. Overall meditative and calming, compositions
are interesting, sounds rich and variant.
Slow jazz and classic touches flavour this
fine album. 'Tears of the Moon'
suggests the dropping tears, with expansive
segments that delight and uplift. Cello
and guitars make appearances. This music
is like an abstract tapestry with unexpected
textures and colours. Its strength as meditative
music is in its seeming spontaneity that
is always musical and integrated. Symbiosis
is a pleasing departure from the usual.
(Review by Acacia)
the album… sleeve notes:
Symbiosis blend the natural timbres of flutes, guitars, woodwind and voices with shifting textures and gentle percussion to create soundscapes that are either calming and refreshing, or thought-provoking and atmospheric. The resulting music is by turns restful, eerie, seductive and evocative, and since its official launch in September 1990, Tears of the Moon has provided inspiration in the performing arts and education, for relaxation, and has often been featured in both TV and radio soundtracks.
A Fusion of Nature and Technology
The driving force behind Symbiosis is Clive Williamson, who sees the sound studio as an integral part of the music. His production uses state-of-the-art digital techniques to bring both acoustic instruments and synthesizers to life, giving each piece of music a character of its own.
“As we worked,” Clive says, “two distinct styles emerged, so we divided our first album, Tears of the Moon, into a set of moods or 'atmospheres' images in sound really and some more meditative, 'ambient' pieces, which can be listened to at a variety of levels. They can have a peaceful and calming effect heard at home, at work, or while travelling. You could say they are the perfect antidote to the stress of modern life!” Some of the atmospheres are more jazz-based and musically developed, offering more active listening and transporting the listener to another place, “Maybe flying over a mountain range, or walking on a wind-swept sand dune. It’s like music with pictures, only you don’t need a television: just your CD player or walkman!” Some haunting synthesizer moods are beautifully counter-pointed by the joyful and serene performances of oboe and cor anglais player Sarah Devonald, Flautist John Hackett (a classically-trained musician perhaps best known for his work with brother Steve Hackett from Genesis) and by lyrical guitar from Richard Bolton.
A Sense of Peace and Tranquillity
Rhythm plays an important part in the music
of Symbiosis, but its pulse is by no means
overt! Gentle Latin and African hand percussion
are featured, but sometimes the rhythm is
an unspoken slow pulse. The ambience tracks
are almost subliminal in their ability to
impart a sense of peace and tranquillity
to the listener.
The Symbiosis Line-up
The musicians involved in Tears of the Moon are the previously mentioned wind players John Hackett and Sarah Devonald; jazz guitarist Richard Bolton on the innovative STEPP guitar synthesizer, acoustic and electric guitars; violinist Nicki Paxman; and Rupert Flindt on fretless bass. Clive Williamson sings wordless vocals, whistles, and plays a variety of global flutes and percussion, keyboards and synthesizers. His favourite instrument is the quena, a large, five-note flute from the Andes which has a wonderful breathy, haunting quality. It’s heard on A Secret Place on Tears of the Moon and Dragon Teasing on Song of the Peach Tree Spring, and it comes from the land which gave birth to the title for this album. 'Tears of the Moon' is the name given to the precious metal silver in an ancient Inca legend, and although modern musical influences and technology have played their part in the creation of this album, there are certainly echoes of past lives and civilizations in the music of Symbiosis. | <urn:uuid:b73989cc-f386-4651-9bae-7a90b0729dc9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.symbiosis-music.com/tears_of_the_moon.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918065 | 1,354 | 1.523438 | 2 |