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Voice recognition is already here so why am I making so much of a fuss about it? Well at least for now we are still very limited as to how we can use voice technology with our phones – most of the time we are limited to issuing simple commands to open applications or run searches. Even Apples Siri technology is limited to a few commands leaving us a long way away from truly ‘talking to our phones’.
So lets take a look at what the Vision 2011 video has in store for us…
Transcribing text is probably the most familiar form of voice recognition at this moment where you say some words or a full sentence and your phone/PC translates that into text. For the time being in phones this is done with the help of a ’cloud web service’ whereby your words are recorded and transmitted to a server for final translation into text. Continue reading
Looking at the Vision 2011 video Microsoft obviously has some pretty nice ideas to where phones are going, lets take a look at what those could be.
Thinner, lighter, longer battery lives and smaller bezels - sounds like the latest fruit flavoured device but future phones won’t just end there.
In the vision 2011 video we can clearly see in some scenes the phone is actually semi transparent and as well as having a front touch screen the entire of the back of the phone is touch sensitive as well. The benefit in this is that you no longer cover 40% of the screen with your hand and so its easier to pick out content from the screen. Continue reading | <urn:uuid:525e6623-d5f6-4791-bf61-95985d8ccc20> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://myworldofit.net/?tag=smart-phone | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954157 | 317 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Chapter II of Part Four opens with some “general observations” of catechesis of all age groups. This Chapter runs through GDC 188, and as such will take us about two more weeks into Lent.
Catechesis based on different age groups is an essential task of the Christian community. On the one hand, faith contributes to the development of the person; on the other, every phase of life is open to the challenge of dechristianization and must above all be reinforced by ever new responses of Christian vocation.
One of the first mentions of “dechristianization.” But they are correct to say that the phenomenon of inactive Christians must be met with new responses.
Catechesis, therefore, is given by right on the basis of diverse and complementary age groups, on account of the needs and capacity of its recipients.(Cf. Catechesi Tradendae 45)
Rather than make the social sciences the adversary of the Church, we can use different disciplines to enhance our effectiveness.
For this reason it is necessary to pay attention to all the factors involved, whether anthropological-evolutionary or theological-pastoral, including also up to date scientific data and pedagogical methods prepared for different age groups.
Adult formation important as part of the overall unity and coherency of catechesis:
The various stages in the journey of faith must be prudently integrated, with care that successive phases of catechesis harmoniously complete catechesis received in childhood. Hence it is pedagogically useful to make reference to adult catechesis and, in that light, orientate catechesis for other times of life.
And as always, the GDC addresses the issues of catechesis broadly. Details are for national conferences, dioceses, parishes and other faith communities, pastors, and catechists:
This chapter seeks to set out purely general elements, by way of example, and leaves further details to be worked out by the Catechetical Directories of particular Churches and of the Episcopal Conferences. | <urn:uuid:29a6de4e-eaf0-4d79-802e-5cc7ad9cf503> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://catholicsensibility.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/gdc-171-catechesis-according-to-age/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=f636fc8316 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937665 | 436 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Chronic diseases touch more people than just those who receive a diagnosis. Nobody knows this better than the parents and caretakers of children with chronic conditions like Type 1 diabetes. Assisting and teaching a child or young adult how to manage their condition can be challenging and stressful. Now, a new website aims to help parents with this stress.
Bringing Science Home – made possible through a partnership between The Patterson Foundation and USF Health – collaborated with the Behavioral Diabetes Institute and its founder and President Dr. William Polanksy to launch Just For Parents, an online resource for parents of teenagers with Type 1 diabetes.
Just For Parents is designed to help parents evaluate the amount and kinds of distress they may be experiencing, what factors may be contributing to distress and ways to deal with it. The platform features a personalized distress self-assessment for parents and provides feedback about parenting distress with suggestions for change based on the individual’s score.
Just for Parents also features sections providing advice and guidance for parenting teens with type 1 diabetes, along with a resource guide for parents.
A recent study conducted by Bringing Science Home found that parents of children with diabetes face challenges and unmet needs in their daily lives due to the demands of diabetic management.
Types of distresses include:
- Psychological and physical fatigue from the daily requirements of diabetes care
- Fear of the immediate and long-term health effects diabetes can have on their children
- Feeling that diabetes magnifies life transitions from childhood to adulthood
- Stress in trying to maintain a safe environment for their child
“We saw through our exploratory research that parents were struggling with stress and seeking better ways to cope with their child’s diabetes,” said Nicole Johnson, executive director of Bringing Science Home. “We also saw that parents needed support in the form of reinforcement and encouragement. The collaboration with the Behavioral Diabetes Institute and Dr. Polonsky was a natural answer to our question of how to help parents and families live better lives with Type 1 diabetes.” | <urn:uuid:3f867176-6aa4-4213-848c-5dd1e7f0bc52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thepattersonfoundation.org/work/initiatives/diabetes/news/just-parents-website-targets-emotional-impact-raising-children-chronic-conditions.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950998 | 411 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Steve Lyston, Contributor
Everyone wants to prosper, and everybody wants to experience living beyond the hand-to-mouth situation and there is nothing wrong with that. But unless there are drastic changes to the way in which global leaders govern the earth, we are all about to see poverty increase and many more persons commit suicide as a result of the frustration.
Every earthly government must recognise that it is the government of God that causes earthly governments to prosper; and when man attempts to exclude God's government there will be numerous failures and humbling experiences.
God is the one who must establish a throne, and every throne He establishes is established by righteousness (Proverbs 16:12; Proverbs 24:3, 4). Thus, any throne that is not established by God will not stand. Building on God's principle brings prosperity, growth and increase in revenue. Furthermore, when God establishes a throne, justice, order and peace, as well as moral and social stability come with it.
If secular government wants to tackle poverty and deal with the needs of the people, they first need to look to the government of God to achieve such goals. People need to know their rights, not just their secular rights or that which comes by way of traditional education, but also their rights on a spiritual level, because there must be balance (Mark 6:30).
There are simple things we must seek to ensure. That we:
Seek for order.
Look to God for His blessings.
Divide and distribute the resources equally.
Leviticus 19: 36 says, "You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."
It reminds us to manage the economy in such a way that the rich and the poor are treated equally. That includes areas such as taxes, laws, policies, regulations, deals, contracts and opportunities. Everyone must also be held accountable.
Satisfying the demands of man can only be attained with God's help. God's blessings guarantee everything and all blessings come from God. When God's presence rests on a nation or an administration, all the goals and objectives are met and ideas realised.
Every leader must study the word of God and use it to guide them in decision making. They must not come against God's word or deviate from the Holy Bible. While times, seasons and laws change, God's word and His principles never change.
Family And Government
The family was the first governing institution that stood at the beginning of creation for the ordering and governing of society. When the family fails, the entire nation suffers. Every decision that is made within a nation or organisation should be made with the family in mind - whether social, economic or moral.
Before we can tackle crime, violence or the economy, we must rebuild the walls and the gates that were torn down in the family. Simply put, the state of our Government is a reflection of the state of the institution of family within the nation.
When parents fail to properly guide and instruct their children and teach them proper principles and core values, then the potential for corruption throughout the society, and an overwhelming of the penal institutions is significantly increased. Furthermore, the society then becomes prone to increased joblessness, unplanned pregnancies, and increases dependency on government programmes. Additionally, it lends itself to the creation of a culture that pushes the wrong people into influential positions, politically and otherwise.
Where is the nation headed if a significant portion of its people are living in common-law relationships, hand-outs have become the order of the day and many are no longer loyal to their nation but are instead loyal to wherever or whoever the handouts come from, for as long as they will come? Many no longer look towards the future, they focus only on now!
Government is first a God-ordained institution set in place to deal with secular matters and guided by Godly principles, because God rules in the affairs of me (Daniel 2:20, 22; Daniel 4:32).
This nation cannot afford to mimic other nations regarding property taxes. That will kill the dream of people who desire to own a debt-free home.
Additionally, our present system does not encourage small business development and growth, and if this continues, then it will, ultimately, kill the business sector. Big businesses and the economy need small businesses, and it also needs the growth of small businesses and creation of new businesses.
Steve Lyston is a biblical economics consultant and author of several books, including 'End Time Finance' and 'The New Millionaire'. | <urn:uuid:52f2fcbd-c205-443e-864f-11b1b1e4dd1c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130225/cleisure/cleisure5.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956489 | 946 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Shortages of talent and skills mean that many knowledge workers have the bargaining power to negotiate their working conditions, including around flexible working. People want flexibility – or sovereignty – over both time and space. They do not want fixed hours, but instead express a preference for choosing the hours they work as long as they could ensure the job was done. For many employees, flexible working has evolved from being the exception to being the norm.
At the same time, organisations’ demand for flexible working has changed, with businesses now having to meet the 24/7 customer need for their services. The recession has drastically changed the nature of the work, reducing the number of full-time jobs and causing many organisations to rely on part-time and temporary staff, assigning them flexible working schedules. Some have sought to optimise the use of organisational resources (such as computers and desks) through shift work and working from home.
The Work Foundation has a long record of expertise on:
- employee demand for work-life balance and employee voice in negotiating flexible working
- employee perceptions of the availability of flexible working opportunities, including the type of employment (by industry and occupation) that would benefit from or be disadvantaged by flexible working
- employee attitudes to the benefits and risks of flexible working
- employee perception of how well work-life balance policies meet their needs
- changes in the labour division at home following policy and organisational changes. | <urn:uuid:b8336aba-d9db-42c1-9ed0-dd347746e8e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theworkfoundation.com/Research/Workforce-Effectiveness/Good-Work/Flexible-Working | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00062-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966355 | 287 | 2.15625 | 2 |
The third page of an unbylined report with an early Saturday time stamp credited to "USA Today" carried at the Jackson, Mississippi Clarion Ledger (like USAT, a Gannett Company) claimed that "Walmart heiress Alice Walton expressed solidarity with Walmart's striking workers."
Putting aside whether or not an action taken by what the company estimated may have been fifty associates is a "strike" or a "temper tantrum," the claim was not true. USA Today fell for a hoax. Following the jump are several paragraphs from the Clarion Ledger report and an LA Times writeup identifying the hoax. Additionally, I learned that Alice Walton's Crystal Bridges Museum was the object of Occupy and union movement protests when it opened a year ago.
First, the USAT verbiage (bolds are mine throughout this post):
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Walmart heiress Alice Walton expressed solidarity with Walmart's striking workers, closing the Crystal Bridges Museum she founded and heads in Bentonville, Ark., in a show of support.
The 63-year-old philanthropist called on Americans to stay home with their families so that Walmart workers wouldn't have to report to work in the middle of their Thanksgiving meals.
Walton, in a statement on the museum's website, said she was "shocked to the point of disbelief" when she learned of the working conditions at the retail store her father founded in 1945.
"As a Walton, I cannot stomach the thought of our employees working for poverty wages, without sufficient health care, on a permanent part-time basis, or under threat of harassment, retaliation, or termination for organizing in their workplace. The workers of Walmart deserve better," she wrote.
She also decried what she called a "race to profit from cash-strapped deal-seekers to save a buck ..."
"This poor treatment of workers and crass commercialization of the holiday stamps 'Black Friday' with a whole new meaning: the black mark of shame," Walton added.
All completely bogus, as explained by David Ng at the LA Times:
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., is the victim of an apparent email hoax linking founder and Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton with workers from the big-box retailer.
The email sent Wednesday said the museum would close its doors Friday in sympathy for Wal-Mart workers who are planning demonstrations over the holiday weekend.
A museum spokeswoman said that all information in the release is false. She said the museum is open Friday.
... The email hoax Wednesday featured the website crystalbridgesfoundation.com, which does not appear to be affiliated with the museum in any way. The fake message also stated the museum will host "a special temporary exhibition on labor in American art" that will open Saturday. No such exhibition appears on the museum's schedule.
The identity of the pranksters remains unclear.
The "crystalbridgesfoundation.com" web site Ng referred to is not the site of the hoax. "crystalbridgesfoundation.org" is, and it's still there. The hoaxsters appear to have gone to a great deal of trouble to copy the real museum's dozens of web pages, enough to make one wonder if they did the work for free, and if not, who paid for it.
USA Today itself has corrected its story authored by Doug Stanglin and Michael Winter. The existence of the original story at the Clarion Ledger shows that the corrected version has not yet filtered out to all of Gannett's sister publications which carried it. Perhaps it never will.
The Museum's actual site (crystalbridges.org) is here.
A year ago, the Occupy movement and OUR Wal-Mart attempted a protest at the museum's opening which appears to have been as ineffective as the Black Friday effort:
The art world isn't the only community greeting Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton's new Crystal Bridges Museum with skepticism. A group of Wal-Mart employees are planning workshops and educational events in half a dozen cities across the country on Friday to coincide with the opening of the multimillion-dollar, Moshe Safdie-designed institution in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Members of the Organization United for Respect at Wal-Mart (OUR Wal-Mart), an activist group dedicated to improving working conditions for the company's employees, will team up with branches of the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Saint Louis, Miami, Oakland, and San Francisco to distribute information about the Walton family's labor practices and policies. "If there's ever a case of the one percent, it's the Walton family," OUR Wal-Mart spokesman Ben Waxman told ARTINFO.
The current and former Wal-Mart associates participating in the demonstrations take issue with the fact that Walton has spent millions of dollars on a museum while her family's organization, Wal-Mart, recently raised health care premiums and has capped salaries for many of its employees.
A Google News Archive search returns no post-protest news story. But it did return a column by Abigail R. Esman at Forbes, who lit into Ms. Walton's critics (additional paragraph breaks added by me):
How Alice Walton's Crystal Bridges Exposes The Foolishness Of Occupy Wall Street
Last week, Alice Walton’s shining new museum, Crystal Bridges, opened to the public in the most unlikely of places: Bentonville, Arkansas, population 36,800. Set on 120 acres amidst 500 dogwood trees, sculpture gardens, and springs, and boasting art works culled from private and public collections around the country that celebrate the American tradition in art, Crystal Bridges is the Wal-Mart heiress’s gift to the town where Wal-Mart first began as Walton’s Five-and-Dime in the 1940s.
Yet despite this love letter, as it were, to her community and to America, there remain those so wedded to the whining of the so-called 99 percent that they remain blinded both to the philanthropy and to the significance of the project.
Never mind that the museum has brought art works by American giants from Benjamin West and Georgia O’Keefe to Mark di Suvero and Joan Mitchell to a region that has, until now, had little opportunity to view the glories of America’s artistic heritage.
Never mind that some of these purchases – costing tens of millions of dollars – hang, not in private homes for the selfish enjoyment of the Walton family, but on public walls for the education and enrichment of the American people.
Never mind that funds used to purchase these treasures (and preserve and build nature trails and parks) for the simple purpose of giving them to Americans could instead have easily been used for, say, bracelets and private planes and mansions.
Never mind that Ms. Walton consciously chose to use local labor and – for the most part — local materials, or that through an additional $20 million gift, provided by the Wal-Mart Family Foundation, entrance to the museum will be free for the foreseeable future.
Never mind that there is no income reward in this for the Walton family – only expense.
Never mind that the museum will employ local workers and bring tourism (read: jobs and commerce) to the town.
All this, for the Occupy crowd, apparently means nothing. What matters to them is simply the fact that Ms Walton has the money to do any of this in the first place – and this, evidently, is an emblem of pure evil.
... Notably, too, corporations like GE, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, and Norther Arkansas Mercedes Benz have provided additional sponsorship ...
... In other words, Ms. Walton has done everything absolutely right. She has done for little Bentonville what one would want every one of her socio-economic comrades to do: used her wealth to create job opportunities, enhance education, and support the arts (at a time when Washington is cutting back).
Which is why I cannot comprehend why Occupy, which has yet, after nearly three months, to establish any kind of real platform (other than holding two sessions of yoga and meditation a day), has any gripes.
Because it's there, it's visible, and they were hoping to get attention, Ms. Esman.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com. | <urn:uuid:ed5f8a1c-79fd-4479-94be-ade3c84c9e5c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newsbusters.org/print/60624 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950045 | 1,725 | 1.78125 | 2 |
THE chief executives of FTSE 100 companies have been raising two fingers to the world.
This is, as you probably know, the traditional City signal to indicate that double-digit pay increases are required forthwith if Britain is to prosper.
Not double figures for everyone, you understand: that would be irresponsible. It is therefore heartening to report that ordinary workers in our top companies have been doing their duty. Last year they settled for – a choice may have been mentioned – rises of just 1% while much-needed increases averaging 12% were distributed around the boardrooms.
That was just the average. According to a survey published yesterday by the corporate governance analysts Manifest and the pay consultants MM&K, executive remuneration went up by 41% in 25 of the FTSE's 100 firms. This took average pay to £4.8 million. Pick apart the deals – base pay, bonuses, incentives – and "remuneration receivable" rose to £4.2 million.
Meanwhile, the OECD reported that British pension funds have been among the worst performers in the developed world over the last decade. Savers in Chile and Korea did better. One reason, reportedly, is that our funds put more money into stocks and shares than their counterparts elsewhere. The performance of FTSE 100 firms is a benchmark for those very shares.
How those companies fare is also one guide, traditionally, to the condition of the economy. Upon their corporation tax the Treasury depends. Yet while 12% rises were being handed out as rewards – the median was a mere 10% – Britain was heading back into recession. The contrast is striking, don't you think?
It's not half as odd, even in hindsight, as those impassioned arguments we heard at the time of the Budget on why a cut in the top rate of income tax was imperative. The case was made for the FTSE bosses even as their remuneration was exceeding 200 times average total pay in the private sector. While George Osborne did as he was bid, a new British record in income inequality was being set.
Satire is not my forte: it is beyond me to make any of this up. Controversy over executive pay is fast becoming a British tradition, yet nothing important changes. These people are named, time after time, but not shamed. Moral pressure, when the concept is even recognised, is irrelevant to them. Measures of success – failure is not considered – become ever more fantastical. We have an oligarchy on our hands.
At the top end of the FTSE scale, where the smallest pay package is worth at least double the average for the 100, rewards test credulity. At the pinnacle of the heap sits Bob Diamond of Barclays. Set aside the baffling complexity – by no accident – of his long-term arrangements, short-term incentives and the £5.57 million "tax equalisation" payment made when the executive moved from New York to London (that is, his tax bill got paid), and what do you find?
Last year, Mr Diamond was able to lay hands on £20.9 million in salaries, bonuses and the rest. That was cash in hand, if he wanted it, in 2011 alone. Strip out anything deferred from previous years, and the executive still received £17.7 million.
But perhaps, you say, Mr Diamond is the most brilliant banker ever born. Don't the City's defenders often allude to the fantastic rewards granted to top football players, and remind us that, as in sport, there is fierce competition for talent, with salaries to match? Those advocates forget to mention that underperforming strikers get dropped. In February, it was reported that Barclays profits fell by 3% in 2011.
Behind Mr Diamond in the big-money list came Sir Martin Sorrell of the advertising and media multi-national WPP. His remuneration rose by 60% last year, to £11.62 million, though he could at least point to an 18.5% increase in profits. Some ungrateful shareholders have noticed, however, that 18.5% is a bit less than 60%, and have threatened to vote down the company's remuneration report at today's annual meeting.
If that happens, Sir Martin will no doubt be annoyed, perhaps even embarrassed, but no wounds will be inflicted on his wallet. Even now, despite all the scandals, such votes are not binding, merely "advisory". Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, is still pondering a reform regarded as fundamental, even elementary, by students of corporate governance.
To his credit, the minister's first instinct was to impose annual binding votes. The first instinct of those liable to be affected was to avert outbreaks of shareholder activism. Labour now alleges that Cable is weakening under pressure. The idea that the people who actually own the companies should have a say in how much executives – their employees – should be paid is too revolutionary. A binding vote every three years is the likely compromise.
Shareholders would have to know what they were voting on, of course. The FTSE firms and other big concerns have made executive pay a matter of fiendish complexity, mostly to obscure the difference between success and failure. As though to prove how bizarre the situation has become, Dr Cable is struggling even to come up with a "single-figure" definition for remuneration. The rest of us call it pay.
The FTSE 100 index lost 6% of its value last year. Those who run the companies involved would no doubt blame tough conditions within the global economy, uncertainty in the financial markets, the eurozone, or – for why not? – anything else that comes to mind. Some of the explanations are accurate. No doubt that's why those ordinary employees got an average of 1%, or lost their jobs. So where did the 14% average come from, and by what justification?
An oligarchy takes what it can get. Talking to the Financial Times last week, Sir Martin Sorrell declared his remuneration "fair" and "payment for performance". The implication, remarkable when you think about it, was that WPP's world-wide profits depend on one man alone.
So which comes first? The vast rewards or the vast, unfettered arrogance? The real problem with executive pay is this: those claiming big money truly begin to believe the world is populated by little people.
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PRIVATE (NON-FEDERAL) STUDENT LOANS
Private student loans are a means of financing educational expenses not covered by other sources of financial aid. Be sure that you have applied for federal loans via the FAFSA before considering private loans. Federal Unsubsidized Loans are not based on financial need, so definitely explore this option before applying for private loans.
Choosing a Lender
- UAHuntsville does not maintain a preferred lender list. Since private loan lenders are profit-oriented, our office cannot recommend one lender over another.
- One way to identify lenders is to search the internet. Most lenders provide information concerning their student loan programs online and also provide an online application process.
- Loan terms, fees, interest rates, and eligibility criteria vary widely between lenders. Compare rates and terms before choosing a lender. Read the fine print to insure you are making an educated choice.
- Borrow only what you need! This is a loan which must be repaid with interest. Make sure you understand how much you will repay and when payment is due.
- The application process for a private student loan is between you and the lender: UAHuntsville is not involved in the initial application process.
- As part of the application process, the lender will do a credit check. If you have not built a credit history, or if your credit rating is low, the lender will require you to have a credit-worthy co-signer. Adding a credit worthy cosigner will help increase the chances for approval, and could lower the interest rate on the loan.
- Most lenders provide an online application process. However, some lenders may require additional documentation (such as a Self-Certification form) and signatures. Be sure to react promptly to any requests for information or signatures from your lender in order to keep the application process moving.
Cost of Attendance and Loan Amounts
Private loan applications include a question about the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA). Below is a chart containing the UAHuntsville COA figures for 2012-2013.
|2012-2013 UAHuntsville Cost of Attendance (includes estimated living expenses)|
|One Semester||Two Semesters||Three Semesters|
|Undergraduate (in-state tuition)||$11,350||$22,700||$33,994|
|Undergraduate (out-of-state tuition)||$17,507||$35,014||$52,465|
|Graduate (in-state tuition)||$10,865||$21,604||$32,065|
|Graduate (out-of-state tuition)||$16,799||$33,472||$49,867|
Eligible loan amounts are determined by subtracting the total of your financial aid and scholarships for the loan period from the estimated UAHuntsville Cost of Attendance for the loan period.
The loan period you select on the application is very important. It indicates which COA figure from the chart above will be used to determine eligible loan amounts. The loan period will also determine the number of disbursements (payments) for the loan. For example, if the specified loan period is 8/17/2011 thru 5/5/2012, then a two semester COA will be assumed and the loan amount will be disbursed in two payments (one per semester).
The loan period must fall within a single academic year. The academic year at UAHuntsville begins with the Fall semester and ends with the Summer semester.
After a student has been pre-approved for a private loan, the lender will send a certification request to UAHuntsville for processing. As part of the certification process, our office will provide the following information:verification that the student is registered for classes at UAHuntsville during the specified loan period
- the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled
- the amount of financial aid/scholarships the student is receiving
- approved loan amount
- disbursement dates
Please note: our office will not certify private loans for an amount that exceeds the cost of attendance minus other financial aid or that require funding or financial guarantees by the university. If the requested loan amount exceeds eligibility limits, the loan amount will be reduced to the maximum eligible amount on the loan certification.
Disbursement dates indicate when the lender will send the funds to UAHuntsville. Our office will provide the following disbursement dates to all lenders as part of the certification process for academic year 2010-2100:
- Fall 2012 Semester: August 17, 2012
- Spring 2013 Semester: January 1, 2013
- Summer 2013 Semester : May 15, 2013
If an applicable disbursement date has already passed by the time the loan is certified, then the lender will schedule the first possible disbursement date, taking into consideration a mandatory 3 day right-to-cancel period as well as their processing schedules. If you have completed the final sign-off of the terms of your loan, you can contact your lender to find out the scheduled disbursement dates for your loan funds.
Receipt of Loan Funds
When your loan funds are received by UAHuntsville, the funds will first be applied to any outstanding charges on your UAHuntsville bill. Any remaining funds will be refunded to you by paper check, by direct deposit, or by a credit back to your credit card if a credit card was used to make a payment for that semester. Students are strongly encouraged to sign up for direct deposit when expecting a refund.
Still have questions? Contact: Joy Moody, Office of Student Financial Services, UC 212, 256.824.6865
- Hits: 6258 | <urn:uuid:0298f84f-e51e-4720-a405-be81e238e660> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uah.edu/admissions/financial-aid/finaid-loans/privateloans | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93238 | 1,195 | 1.734375 | 2 |
The Catcher in the Rye covers three and a half days in the life of sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield. Holden narrates the story, looking back some months later from the vantage point of a temporary, enforced stay in a psychiatric institution in California, where he's visited by his older brother DB, a Hollywood writer. His younger brother Allie died three years previously from leukaemia. He also has a younger sister, Phoebe, who lives at home with their parents in New York City.
When the story begins, Holden has been kicked out of Pencey Prep, a private boy's school in central Pennsylvania ("about the fourth school" he's gone to), for flunking four out of five subjects. Deciding to leave on the Saturday night before Christmas break, Holden heads for home in New York City. He can't go to the family apartment, however, because they don't yet know he's flunked out of Pencey and aren't expecting him until the official school break on Wednesday. Holden has a few days to kill.
Loaded up with cash (from his grandmother, who sends him birthday money "about four times a year," and from selling his typewriter to a schoolmate), Holden takes the bus to New York and checks into a motel. In the adrenalin and alcohol-fueled days that follow, Holden can't stop thinking, and can't stop moving.
Because of his height (6ft 2½), his partially graying hair, and his sophisticated vocabulary, Holden at sixteen folds in and out of adult society, sometimes pulling it off and sometimes not, while privately occupied by thoughts of where the ducks in Central Park go in winter, and how incredibly phony a large percentage of human interactions are.
He heads from the hotel bar (gallantly buying drinks for older women, but reduced to Coke himself when the bartender refuses to serve him alcohol) to a trendy jazz club, then back to the hotel where he's beaten up by the elevator man/pimp after a transaction gone awry. So ends day one.
Day two, Holden continues an increasingly hyperactive search for company and entertainment. Leaving the hotel, he checks his bag at Grand Central Station before meeting Sally, a sort of girlfriend, for a show and ice skating. Insulting her in a scotch-fueled moment of truth telling, he amuses himself with the Christmas show at Radio City (which he despises), meets a guy he doesn't like at a bar, and stays on to get drunk. Finally, after roaming Central Park to see for himself where the ducks go in winter, he decides to visit Phoebe, and sneaks into the family apartment.
Ten-year-old Phoebe understands immediately that he's been kicked out of Pencey, and calls him on it. While he's trying to convince her that he's ok, his parents return and Holden is on the move again, this time phoning a former teacher, Mr. Antolini, who invites him over though the hour is late. It seems Holden will get some sleep at last, but he flees Mr. Antolini's apartment as well after his teacher appears to make a pass at him.
After crashing on a bench at Grand Central Station, Holden comes up with a plan to head west and live out his life as a gas station attendant. Before starting out, he wants to say goodbye to Phoebe, and he leaves a note at her school asking her to meet him at the Natural History Museum. What he doesn't anticipate is her wanting to go with him, lugging her suitcase across Fifth Avenue. The two fight, and he checks the suitcase at the museum. Walking through Central Park with Phoebe, visiting the zoo and the carousel, Holden realizes he can't run away from his life or his family. He promises Phoebe he will go home. | <urn:uuid:b7a122a4-3892-4556-b3ec-d9ed9c501b08> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-catcher-in-the-rye/9780140237504/summary.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983317 | 798 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Here's something we picked up at the farmers' market that is often foraged in the wild: elderberries. Ripening in summer, these clusters of currant-sized berries come from the same bush that gives us elderflowers for syrup and liqueur.
Elderberries are tangy and somewhat grape-y in flavor and commonly used to make cordials, syrups, wine, preserves, and pies. (Ours are destined for a honey-based syrup.) High in Vitamin C and antioxidants, they have also been used for medicinal purposes for centuries in North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Several species exist, and those found in North America are generally Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) or Sambucus nigra (Black Elderberry).
The natural sweetness of elderberries tends to be pretty mild, so sweetener is usually added. Although the berries have a rich flavor on their own, they also pair especially well with apples, blackberries, and grapes. Here are some great examples of elderberry foraging and cookery around the web, with plenty of photos:
Important notes: Before using elderberries, take care to discard all stems, leaves, and unripe berries, as they contain hydrocyanic acid and sambucine, which can cause nausea. The ripe black, blue, or purple berries are safe to eat but should be cooked first to temper their astringency. Avoid red and green elderberries.
Do you have any experience using elderberries?
Related: A Roundup Of Wild And Foraged Foods | <urn:uuid:dbc14573-5c37-410f-81d9-1cfa5ab73909> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thekitchn.com/ingredient-spotlight-elderberr-119510?img_idx=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94391 | 326 | 2.65625 | 3 |
From the FMS Global News Desk of Jeanne Hambleton
Courtesy of Fibromyalgia Consultant
By Matt Dew
The currant debated issue has been the relation between fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition. There is no study could exactly explain whether or not fibromyalgia is influenced by diet and nutrition. Hence, this article may give you a bit of enlightenment of the uncertainty of the link between fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition.
Even though the sufferers of fibromyalgia seem to be growing all over, actually this is not a new condition. There is no way to know just how long people have affected by fibromyalgia, but until lately there was no term to add to the condition.
Nowadays, we recognize that it is a valid concern and that the effects of fibromyalgia are, in fact, very severe for some people. Fibromyalgia can often engage nearly constant pain and fatigue. Some sufferers are unable to involve in their normal activities due to these and other symptoms as well. Some often builds up a deep depression because they are unable to take part in life like they used to.
So far, there have not been many studies into the link between fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition. It has long been known that diet and nutrition are factors in nearly every kind of condition, but since fibromyalgia research is still in the early stages, the study of fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition has yet to be conducted in a thorough manner by formal researchers.
Amateur Research Trials
That is not to say that amateur researchers have not been conducting their own studies of fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition, though. Many people with fibromyalgia have been examining the effects that different foods can have on their symptoms, and they have seen surprising results.
It seems that the relationship between fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition are quite close. It has been proven since the foods that affect fibromyalgia symptoms are mostly the same ones that can cause other kinds of chronic conditions like migraine headaches. Chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods have all been said as possible culprits in the link between fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition.
These offending foods may exacerbate the symptoms that a sufferer would feel on a normal day, but they are not though to be the cause of fibromyalgia. There may be even more foods that have not yet been linked to the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Though direct relation between fibromyalgia, diet, and nutrition has not proven yet, eating a balanced diet is one of the best things that you can do to ease your fibromyalgia symptoms. A good balanced diet can do speculates for improving your overall healthiness and allow your body to get on with its normal processes, including healing any diseases or injuries.
Detox Diet to Cure Fibromyalgia – Knowing It’s Efficacy
People often wonder is there any detox diet to cure fibromyalgia since there is believe that nutrition influences the health condition. In most of the cases, healthy diet is proven to help in keeping the body fit but how about detox diet to cure fibromyalgia. Does it really work? Let’s take a look on it!
Up till now, the cure for fibromyalgia has not been known, and lots of the treatment choices cannot effectively take the relief that many patients wish for. That is why many people have turned to alternative methods for treating this chronic condition, and some of these choices have met with success.
One such treatment is a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia, which is worth a serious look since many have sworn by the success of this way of achievement. But what is it, and how to use a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia?
The Basics of a Detox Diet
For those who believe in employing a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia, the idea is that our bodies are crammed with toxins from the polluted air that we breathe and the unhealthy food. These pollutants need to be effectively removed from our bodies for optimal health, but they are not equipped to completely get rid of the many toxins that we absorb now.
By adhering to a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia and a host of other chronic conditions, we are assisting our bodies in the elimination process by allowing our own systems to work at their best. At the same time, we avoid putting any additional chemicals into our bodies by consuming only organic substances that are created to work with our own internal systems for maximum efficiency.
Consuming caffeine-free detox teas said to be one way of detox diet to cure fibromyalgia. This diet contains a combination of herbs for cleansing the system. Other herbs that work well in a detox diet include Echinacea, fenugreek and ginger. To gain energy and aid in the cleansing process of the digestive system, you can intake raw foods, like fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.
Drinking abundance of water is also key to a thriving detox diet program. Some people will feel side effects with a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia at first like nausea, headaches and diarrhea. Nonetheless, if you begin to find a relief from your fibromyalgia symptoms, a bit of discomfort in the beginning is well worth the long term advantages.
Composing a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia should be suited with each person who suffers the disease.
Remember to consult your doctor before beginning any type of diet.
If your doctor says okay, a detox diet to cure fibromyalgia may be just what you have been seeking to finally discover relief from your excruciating symptoms.
Are Fibromyalgia and Weight Gain Closely Related?
Fibromyalgia and weight gain have a strong connection. Majority people who are suffering from fibromyalgia may gain their weight. However, you can take measures to avert weight gain difficulties when you get an idea concerning the connection between fibromyalgia and weight gain.
This article let us discover the triggering factors of weight gain throughout fibromyalgia and then discuss the healthy diet you can follow throughout fibromyalgia. So, it is possible to go through weight management.
Slower Metabolic Process
Fibromyalgia causes weight gain in people is due to a wide variety of aspects which are either directly or indirectly linked to the occurrence of the illness itself. Since fibromyalgia results in hormonal imbalances, it can influence levels of insulin, cortisol, thyroid, and serotonin. Also, it profoundly influences the production of growth hormones. Since there is a clear hormonal imbalance, it affects the metabolism process and makes it slower than normal, which causes weight gain.
Fatigue and Sleep Apnea
Apart from hormonal imbalance, since fatigue is one of the most vital symptoms of fibromyalgia, it also leads to weight gain problems. It has been revealed that there is a strong connection between fatigues of fibromyalgia and weight gain.
People with fibromyalgia may also suffer from sleep disturbances, leading to a poor quality sleep, that makes individuals even more tired and these people simply lack the ability to stay active, which means fewer calories are actually burnt. This also causes problems with weight gain.
Excessively Low Blood Sugar
Insulin sensitivity is increasing in fibromyalgia patients. This leads to an excessive amount of glucose to be transferred from the blood and forced in to the muscles. However, the transferred glucose virtually has no places to go because muscles have a restricted capacity to store glucose.
This leads the body to powerfully construct a fat-depositing system, in which excess glucose become fatty tissue. Opposing to the popular conviction that fatty food contributes to increased weight, it is actually caused by a high-carbohydrate diet.
The diet needs to be designed for fibromyalgia patients in such a manner that these factors can be effectively taken under consideration. This is because fibromyalgia deeply influences the maladaptive nature of metabolism and the dysfunctional characteristics of carbohydrate response. A higher carbohydrate diet cannot benefit patients with fibromyalgia, rather it could worsen the condition to a greater level. Since the metabolic rate is much slower, eating less is usually difficult for these people.
The strong connection between fibromyalgia and weight gain is a fact of the truth. Selecting the proper ‘quality’ of foods can provide benefit to patients with fibromyalgia and weight gain. In addition, you must eat your food very slowly and must chew your food well since your metabolism decreases.
The Difference between Fibromyalgia and Polymyalgia – A Confusing Matter
Owing to the similarity between the terms and symptoms, most people are bemused if there is a difference between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia. Once person is diagnosed with fibromyalgia or polymyalgia, he or she may become puzzled thinking whether these two are similar. Are you burned up of the difference between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia? Check this out!
Since the term ‘myalgia’ means ‘pain taking place in the muscles’, both of these conditions are featured by an intense sensation of muscle pain. Yet, there is still a difference between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia. However, let us find out if there are any noteworthy differences between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia.
Causes Are Different
When we try to seek the causes of each disease, there is a significant difference between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia. Even though the precise reason behind the progress of polymyalgia is still unidentified, many scientists convince that polymyalgia is another type of autoimmune disease, during which connective tissues develop into adversely exaggerated by the immune system itself.
Conversely, fibromyalgia develops as a result of maladaptive sensory processing emerging in the central nervous system (CNS). This is why people with fibromyalgia may become tremendously sensitive to the horrible stimuli present in the environment. These people are also very sensitive to ache.
Not All Symptoms Are the Same
The main symptoms of polymyalgia include severe form of stiffness and muscle pain in the neck, shoulders, and hips. People with polymyalgia may feel flu-like conditions as well. On the other hand, people suffering from fibromyalgia experience widespread pain all over the body. There are a large number of tender points in the body. Fatigue, headache, lack of concentration, poor quality of sleep and irregular bowel syndrome are the common symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Prevalence of the Complications
Both fibromyalgia and polymyalgia may occur more in women more than men, so there is no gender specific difference between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia. However, there is a difference in the age factor, since fibromyalgia can occur at any age, whereas, polymyalgia usually occurs in people over 50 years of age.
The principal mode of treatment for polymyalgia occupies relief from inflammation. Polymyalgia patients may be recommended to undertake Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), if they are suffering mild degree of polymyalgia. Prolonged usage of this drug may bring bad side effects like intestinal bleeding, stomach bleeding, high blood pressure, etc. Corticosteroids are administered as the severe type of polymyalgia.
In treating people with fibromyalgia, the administration of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs may put them out of action. However, narcotics including oxycodone, propoxyphene and codeine are found to be effective in reducing pain. Light exercise and healthy diet is a must in both the cases. There is no difference between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia in such conditions. For more information, please check out links on this Fibromyalgia Consultant site.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author/writer and do not necessarily infer endorsement by the News Desk. Any advice or recommendation of a medical or legal nature must always be discussed with a qualified professional. FMS Global News cannot be held responsible for omissions and/or errors.
FOR MORE FIBROMYALGIA STORIES SEE http://jeannehambleton77.wordpress.com | <urn:uuid:e17018b5-e240-43a9-a4be-3d5197a27689> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fmsglobalnews.wordpress.com/category/ottawa-city-feed/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947941 | 2,480 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Global warming gets animated this weekend in Ice Age: Continental Drift (rated PG). Sid, Manny, and the rest of the gang is going on glacial adventure in the fourth film in the series. Check out the trailer for the movie below.
Drawstring Deaths in Kids Down After Regulations
The number of child deaths caused by clothing getting caught on vehicles or playground equipment has dropped dramatically thanks to voluntary measures adopted by manufacturers, according to U.S. researchers. (via Reuters)
Cambodian Children’s Deaths Linked to Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
The mysterious illness that has killed dozens of Cambodian children may be a deadly strain of hand, foot and mouth disease, a common childhood illness, according to health officials. (via TIME)
For Healthier Kids, Get a Cat or Dog, Study Suggests
Kids who grow up with cats or dogs tend to get fewer respiratory infections during their first year of life, according to a new study from Finland. (via msnbc.com)
Should Movies with Smoking Be Rated R?
If cigarette smoking were banned from teen-friendly movies, would kids be less likely to pick up the habit? Researchers at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College think so. (via TIME)
Just in time for Halloween, ghouls and not-so-scary ghosts will be creeping into theaters. The star-studded Hotel Transylvania looks like one of the better monster movies for kids this fall. Check out the animated trailer below.
It’s finally here! Brave (rated PG) is bringing a much-needed dose of girl-power to Pixar and theaters. So far, it’s near the top of my list of fave family-friendly movies this year. And that’s not just because the main character is a fellow ginger…well, not entirely. Anyone seeing it this weekend? Check out the trailer below.
We got a first look at Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph this week. The animated movie pays tribute to all the video-game characters we know and love. If you were a child of the ’80s and ’90s, you’ll probably recognize more of these games than your kid. Check out the teaser trailer for the film, which hits theaters in the fall.
Lions, snarky penguins, and circus acts–oh my! Madagascar hits theaters for the third time, and all of your kid’s favorites (plus some new characters) are back. We recently chatted with actor and new dad David Schwimmer, otherwise known as Melman the Giraffe. Here’s what he had to say.
In this film, you kind of join the circus. If you had to do your own act in real life, which one would you choose?
“I’d prefer to be the ringmaster. You know, the guy who doesn’t actually have any circus skills other than organizing and leading everyone. And of course, bowing and taking credit for everything that’s happening.”
No tightrope walking then?
“No, I try to stay as close to the ground as possible.”
Check out the trailer for the movie below, and read more from David in the July issue of Parents.
Loosely (read: l-o-o-s-e-l-y) based on the parenting-advice book of the same name, What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Rated PG-13) arrives in theaters this weekend. Gotta say I’m surprised the studio didn’t capitalize on Mother’s Day last weekend. But if you forgot to get the mom in your life a gift, maybe you can take her to the movies this weekend. And good luck with that…. Check out the trailer below. | <urn:uuid:5c24a250-ede5-41d1-a496-f00b5908bf44> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parents.com/blogs/goodyblog/tag/movies/page/3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938376 | 806 | 1.507813 | 2 |
That explains the summer, but what about the dog?
In ancient times, when the night sky was unobstructed by artificial lights and smog, people throughout the world drew images in the sky by “connecting the dots” of stars. The images drawn were dependent upon the culture: The Chinese, Native Americans and Europeans all saw different star pictures - now called constellations. The constellations that we are most familiar with are from our European ancestors.
They saw images of various animals, including dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor. The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. Look for it in the southern sky (viewed from northern latitudes) during January.
In the summer, however, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets with the sun. During late July Sirius is in conjunction with the sun, and the ancients believed that the heat from Sirius added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, “dog days” after the dog star.
Although it is certainly the warmest period of the summer, the heat is not due to the brightness of Sirius, but is a direct result of the earth's tilt.
Our visit to Isenhower was very enjoyable. We met with Brett the owner and enjoyed visiting with Bob while he poured us generous samples of their uniquely labeled and very aromatic wines. It just so happens Isenhower has their own tribute to man's best friend - "Three Dog Syrah." Wasn't there a band named... never mind. Besides having a beautiful label of three dogs, this Rhone blend is earthy and very fruity with soft tannins. The Isenhower wines I would recommend for their uniqueness, quality and price.
One of the reasons why my thoughts have been with dogs and the summer's heat is that I have a canine wine celebrity staying at my house for a few weeks while her owners are away. "Salsa" is the black lab-mix that hangs out at Forgeron Cellars. She belongs to winemakers Marie-Eve Gilla and Gilles Nicault. Marie-Eve and Gilles are currently in France hosting a wine tour through Burgundy and Provence. "Salsa" and my "Lucy" are getting along quite well for two indulged dog divas. | <urn:uuid:90543ace-7661-4619-a609-1c4fe263532d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wildwallawallawinewoman.blogspot.com/2005/07/dog-days-of-summer-and-wine.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968449 | 526 | 2.125 | 2 |
The Heritage of St John's: Who defines it?
Researcher: Drs Chris Sharpe and J. Shawyer
In an urban context, the 'heritage' that is the object of protective legislation usually consists of buildings and other tangible artifacts inherited accidentally from the past. Municipal heritage legislation, following the lead of Federal and Provincial laws, is usually intended to protect older buildings, since age is almost universally considered the principal determinant of heritage value.
The story of heritage conservation in St John's is very much in this tradition. The Heritage Area designated in 1977 was one of the largest in the country, and has subsequently been expanded twice. Typically it encloses an area centred on the old downtown, with the aim of protecting what remains of the stock of late 19th century houses and commercial buildings, and, in particular, preservation of the material and stylistic conformity which are the hallmarks of St John's unique architecture.
This research project began as a study of the origin and effectiveness of heritage legislation in St John's and the visible impacts of the ineffective enforcement of ever-changing policy, a policy which, on the whole, was put in place by heritage "experts". This policy focussed on buildings and streetscapes. However, our work has recently been diverted into an attempt to understand what it is that the public (as opposed to the 'experts') thinks 'heritage' 'is'. Surveys of local residents carried out by several generations of undergraduate student assistants have decisively indicated that what the public values in the cultural landscape may be quite different from what the municipal heritage legislation is designed to protect. The public's perception of 'heritage' is more social and personal than the heritage defined by the current municipal legislation. Community values may have more to do with the mundane and the familiar than with age and architecture. In fact, the public's perception of heritage seems to admit intangible heritage (UNESCO Convention 2003) more readily than does the traditional definition. The disconnect between heritage as defined in the legislation and heritage in the public's perception, may help to explain the patterns of public response to proposed changes in their cultural landscape - patterns which sometimes confound the heritage experts.
We have learned that heritage is an evolving concept and that we must be prepared to relax our preoccupation with age and architecture if we are to understand what it is that people really value in their community. Escaping these shackles of orthodoxy will allow us to examine, as 'heritage', features which the public values: the landscape context of buildings, open spaces, viewplanes and other peculiar yet familiar aspects of the cultural landscape in which they live their daily lives.
Shawyer, A.J. and C.A. Sharpe (2003) "Heritage (and) Conservation of the Built Environment: the general public's view". Presented at the annual conference of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, St John's, NL., June 13.
Sharpe, C.A. (2003) "'The Devil's in the Details': Benign neglect and the erosion of heritage in St John's, Newfoundland". Newfoundland Studies,19:251-281.
Sharpe, C.A. and S. O'Dea (2005) "Area Conservation in the City of
St John's: A re-assessment". In A.G. Macpherson (ed.) Four Centuries
and the City: Essays in the Historical Geography of St John's. St
John's: Department of Geography, Memorial University, | <urn:uuid:51ed3cba-3ee3-4708-afa8-3d551fbf2bc2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mun.ca/geog/research/heritage.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94772 | 724 | 2.515625 | 3 |
How You Can Help a NJ Mom Find a Stem Cell Match
Shira Klein of Marlboro is fighting for her life, searching for a stem cell transplant match.
When Marlboro-Colts Neck Patch got wind of Shira Klein's story, through an announcement uploaded on the site, readers jumped into action.
Klein, a Marlboro mother of three, has been battling Hodgkins Lymphoma since 2010. After several relapses after treatment, Klein is now looking for her stem cell donor as she undergoes another round of chemotherapy.
Follow Shira's story through Smiles4Shira on Facebook, where you can receive updated information about donation drives and more.
Her husband, Justin, wrote a letter to Patch readers. He is looking for the community Shira cares so much about to leap into action, and become donors.
In my adult life, I have never been good at asking for anything, from anyone. However, now, I have no choice. What I need to achieve requires the commitment and participation of everyone I know, everyone they know, and everyone they know.
"I am reaching out for help to give, Shira, the love of my life, the mother of my three beautiful children, Rylie (9), Brayden (6) and Lucas (2) a second lease on life. Shira is fighting for longevity," he said.
Becoming a registered bone marrow or stem cell transplant donor is easy, and the donation process is not as painful as many believe, according to National Marrow Donor Program.
The most common way to donate is through a procedure called Peripheral Blood Cell Donation, which means the donor does not undergo surgery but instead receives injections over just a few days.
The injections, according to National Marrow Donor Program, increases healthy cell production. The donation is performed much like a transfusion, a simple procedure of sitting down and donating blood.
While PBCD is common today, many people are familiar with marrow donation, where marrow is extracted from the hip bone of a donor, a procedure that has vastly improved over the years.
According to the National Marrow Donor Program, donors are anesthetized and marrow is removed from the pelvic area. Recovery times feels sore and stiff, similar to the feeling of a pulled muscle or bruise.
Justin Klein is simply hoping more people will register, and his young wife's odds of finding a match will drastically improve.
"I need your help TODAY; not tomorrow, not next week, but today. Your immediate action could be the needle in the haystack we are looking for."
Smiles4Shira is planning to hold drives all over the state, but if you can't make a drive, it's simple to donate at home.
You can request a swab kit from one of the following organizations, and simply mailing back the kit will register you as a national donor.
There, you can also find information about how to host a drive.
Patch will keep everyone updated about upcoming drives and ways to help. Please share this story with your friends and neighbors. We wish Shira and her family all the best. | <urn:uuid:f62b7ee5-dd12-4722-91b4-deed4f9e0bb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://holmdel-hazlet.patch.com/articles/how-you-can-help-a-nj-mom-find-a-stem-cell-match | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960761 | 654 | 1.570313 | 2 |
With more than 4 million copies in print, our top-selling parenting guide has shaped the health and well-being of children for nearly 20 years. Drawing on the contributions and practical wisdom of more than 100 pediatric specialists, the thoroughly revised 5th edition includes
- Basic child care from infancy through 5 years
- Guidelines and milestones for physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth
- A complete health encyclopedia covering injuries, illnesses, congenital diseases, and other disabilities
- Guidelines for prenatal and newborn care with sections on maternal nutrition, exercise, and screening tests during pregnancy
- An in-depth guide to breastfeeding, including its benefits, techniques, and challenges
- A guide to choosing child care programs and car safety seats
- Ways to reduce your child's exposure to environmental hazards such as tobacco smoke
- New chapters on sleep and allergies – including food allergies
- New content on resilience, prebiotics, probiotics, and other healthy lifestyle topics
- Expanded information on obesity, exercise, and nutrition
- A complete guide to immunizations along with updated information on vaccine safety
- And much more!
Available in Spanish! An Arabic translation is also available at Jarir Bookstore.
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The Whole-House Approach to Energy Efficiency
by C. Weiner* (5/12)
- There are a number of ways to determine where your home tends to use the most energy. One good way to start this investigation is by taking a close look at your energy bills.
- Energy demand is the amount of power we need to achieve certain functions, such as maintaining a comfortable temperature or level of light, drying clothes, and freezing food.
- By minimizing our demand on active heating and cooling systems we can reduce the size of the heating and cooling equipment we need to keep ourselves comfortable.
The whole-house (or systems) approach to energy efficiency is a way of thinking about how the passive and active energy systems in a home are interconnected. By becoming more efficient in one aspect of home energy use, consumers can gain opportunities to become more efficient in others. One example of this approach is using enough insulation to reduce the heating needs–and thereby the size of the furnace–of a home. This fact sheet is intended to help Colorado residents understand how to apply the wholehouse approach when considering energy use in the home.
How Energy is Used
As shown in Figure 1 below, the average single family home in the U.S. spends the majority of its energy budget on heating and cooling. In Colorado, the percentage of energy used for heating is even greater than what is shown for the average home in the U.S., and the percentage used for cooling is lower. But because Colorado’s climate can vary significantly from one region and elevation to another, it is important to identify the major energy users in your home specifically.
Determining a Baseload
There are a number of ways to determine where your home tends to use the most energy. One good way to start this investigation is by taking a close look at your energy bills. If you can gather all of your bills from the previous 12 months, you will have all you need to determine a baseload of your home’s energy use (see Table 1).
Without plotting a graph, one can see that electric use is dramatically higher in the summer months than in the winter months and the opposite is true for use of natural gas. This indicates that a lot of electricity is used for cooling, and a lot of gas is used for heating this particular home.
Our ‘baseload’ is the amount of energy used under the least demanding set of conditions. For electricity in this example, this happens when no cooling is required in the summer, when no fans are needed to blow hot air in the winter, and when natural lighting can be maximized: October. Electricity use is restricted to appliances, lighting, electronics, and other small loads. For natural gas in this example, this happens when no space heating is needed: June, July, and August. Natural gas use is restricted to the water heater and stove/oven.
Figure 1. Average U.S. household energy expenses by type.
Table 1. Sample home’s monthly energy use.
|Month||Electric (kWh)||Gas (therms)|
To understand how much electricity is needed to cool this home, we can multiply our baseload of 550 kWh (October) times four for the four warm months in which we see a spike in electricity use. Then we subtract that number (2,200) from the total kWh used in those warm months (3,335) to arrive at 1,135 kWh used for cooling. At $0.10 per kWh, we could also determine that this home spends over $110 per year on electricity for cooling.
To understand how much natural gas is needed to heat this home, we multiply our lowest monthly use (10 therms) times 12 for an annual baseload of 120 therms. We can then subtract that number from our actual annual total (750 therms) to arrive at 630 therms used for heating. At $0.80 per therm, this translates into just over $500 per year.
Determining a baseload can help to focus our priorities for making energy efficiency improvements. When such large swings in energy are correlated with changes in the seasons, for instance, we can decide to invest in strategies that will lower our overall heating and/or cooling bills.
Reducing Energy Demand
The whole-house approach dictates:
- Reduce the need to use energy in our home in the first place (demand); then
- Use energy efficiently when energy is required.
Our energy ‘demand’ is the amount of power we need to achieve certain functions, such as maintaining a comfortable temperature or level of light, drying clothes, and freezing food. When most people talk about ‘conserving’ energy, they are really talking about reducing energy demand. For heating and cooling, our energy demand depends on how we choose to counteract the extreme temperatures that make us uncomfortable. In Figure 2 below, ways in which the home loses heat are represented by the arrows pointing right, while ways we make up for this heat loss are represented by the arrows pointing left.
Figure 2. Factors influencing heat loss and energy use.
Adapted from J. Krigger and C. Dorsi. Residential Energy, 5th edition (2009)
As you can see, in the cold months warm air in the home is lost to the cold outdoors through the ceiling, walls, windows, and the home’s foundation as well as through air leaks in the building envelope. That lost warm air needs to be regained through some combination of internal heat (i.e. body heat, lights, etc.), heat from the sun, and heat supplied by one’s active heating system such as a furnace or boiler.
In warm weather (Figure 3), hot air enters the home as direct radiation from the sun, through leaks in the building envelope, as internal heat, and by transmission through the building envelope as warm air naturally moves to colder indoor spaces. That excess warm air needs to be removed until we are comfortable through some sort of cooling system or process.
Figure 3. Factors influencing heat gain and energy use.
Adapted from Residential Energy, 5th edition
While one way of thinking would dictate the building of larger, high powered active heating and cooling systems to ensure our comfort, the whole-house approach to energy efficiency takes the opposite view: Instead of growing the energy intensity of our heating and cooling systems, practitioners of the whole-house approach first try to decrease the forces that make us uncomfortable in the first place.
Based on the graphics, it is clear that: 1) reducing air leakage; 2) slowing the transmission of heat; and 3) making solar heat work to our advantage depending on the season are the most effective means of reducing our heating and cooling loads. How do we accomplish this?
Air sealing techniques can vary quite a bit but it is not the intention of this fact sheet to provide these details. What is important to remember for now is that air sealing should be done before adding insulation because it may be difficult to seal an attic, for example, under new insulation and because many types of insulation are ineffective at preventing air leaks.
It is also important to understand that building codes set minimum rates of air exchange. If a home is sealed so tightly to be beyond this minimum, indoor air quality can suffer. For this reason, it is recommended that one arrange for a home energy audit with blower door test to measure ventilation levels and identify actions that will achieve desired levels of ventilation (generally .35 air changes/hour) before sealing major air leaks. Homes can also be sealed as much as possible and ventilated to recommended levels through use of mechanical ventilation such as a heat recovery ventilator. In addition to introducing a proper, controlled amount of fresh air into the home, with mechanical ventilation systems we also know that our supply of fresh air comes from one filtered, central point in the home and not just a random set of cracks and gaps.
After a home is properly air sealed, adding insulation to recommended levels (depending on your climate zone within Colorado) can slow the transmission of heat from indoors to outdoors in winter and from outdoors to indoors in summer. This reduces the need to add heat or cold to a space through mechanical, energy-intensive equipment. Because windows are also a major source of unwanted heat transmission, making them more efficient is a reasonable priority in most cases. It is important to keep in mind, however, that simply installing brand new windows is a very expensive way of reducing energy demand in a home and typically has a poor return on investment. Other techniques for slowing heat transmission both into and out of the home through windows–such as use of insulating drapes and storm windows–should be investigated first.
Making solar heat work to our advantage means letting direct sunlight inside when it’s cold out and keeping direct sunlight out of our home when it’s hot out. Proper use of window treatments and landscaping for energy conservation are two common techniques for managing solar heat. Proper orientation of new homes to face south with appropriate overhangs and other passive solar features is another way to take advantage of solar radiation.
By minimizing our demand on active heating and cooling systems we can reduce the size of the heating and cooling equipment we need to keep ourselves comfortable. Since smaller equipment costs less than larger equipment, we can save ourselves money when installing new or replacement equipment. Also note that oversized equipment will not run as efficiently as right-sized equipment. In essence, the whole-house approach to energy efficiency means we shift where we make our energy investments from ‘reactive equipment’ to ‘proactive systems’ (Figure 4).
The difference in the long-term is that we save energy and money though reducing our energy demand with the whole-house approach.
|Figure 4. Representation of conventional and whole house energy investments.|
It should be noted that this same principle applies to lighting, water heating, and other energy users. By maximizing the natural light we let enter into our home, we reduce the need to provide desired light levels through bulbs. By insulating our water heater storage tank, we reduce the need to heat that water through burning natural gas or via electricity. By sealing and insulating our ducts we prevent hot and/or cold air from getting wasted on their way to our living spaces. Examples abound.
Of course, occupant behavior in a home also plays a significant role in reducing energy demand. In addition to managing window treatments and windows themselves properly to maximize heat gain in winter and minimize it in summer, occupants can avoid blocking heat registers and vents, manage their thermostats, and take a number of other actions that treat the home as an interrelated energy system.
Using Efficient Equipment
Once we’ve reduced our need for energy in the first place (demand), we can consider ways to use energy as efficiently as possible to achieve desired ends. This means purchasing efficient heating and cooling equipment, lighting, appliances, and electronics. Although the up-front cost of more efficient equipment is higher than standard equipment, financial incentives can offset much of these additional costs and the costs will be made up through lower ongoing expenses. This is especially significant since energy costs tend to increase from year to year even beyond the rate of inflation.
To more fully understand the impact of both reducing demand and using efficient equipment, let’s look at a sample comparison between: 1) a conventionally air sealed and insulated home with a large, inefficient furnace; 2) a tightly sealed, well insulated home with a small but inefficient furnace; and 3) a tightly sealed, well insulated home with a small and efficient furnace (see Table 2).
In comparing the tightly sealed, well insulated home (column 2) with the conventional home (column 1) in this example, the initial investment in an effective building shell (air sealing and insulation) is somewhat offset by the less expensive cost of a smaller furnace. The purchase of the high efficiency small furnace (column 3) significantly increases up-front costs. That said, both the investments in the building shell and the efficient equipment save a lot of money over the lifetime of the upgrades when compared to the conventional option. Additional utility, state, and federal financial incentives would make the up-front investments less expensive and rising energy prices would make payback periods even shorter. And because a tightly sealed house isn’t prone to air leaks, the homeowner can avoid uncomfortable drafts and cold spots in the house.
Table 2. Comparision of heating expenses for conventional, low demand, and efficient homes.
|Conventional home*||Tightly sealed, well insulated home**||Tightly sealed, well insulated, home with efficient furnace***|
|Installed furnace cost||$1,500||$1,200||$2,200|
|Insulation and air sealing cost||$0||$1,000||$1,000|
|Therms per year||1,140||640||540|
|Annual operating cost||$910||$510||$430|
|Payback period (years)||-||1.4||2.9|
|Lifetime operating cost||$18,240||$10,200||$8,600|
*1 air change per hour; average of R-18; 60,000 BTU and 80% efficient furnace
**0.35 air changes per hour; average of R-24; 40,000 BTU and 80% efficient furnace
***0.35 air changes per hour; average of R-24; 40,000 BTU and 95% efficient furnace
Table 3. Comparision of costs for solar PV in conventional vs. efficient homes.
|Efficient Home||Conventional Home|
|Annual electricity use (kWh)||5,000||5,555|
|Size of solar PV system needed (kW)||3.2||3.6|
*Assumes 5.5 kWh/square meter/day, a 0.77 derate factor, $5/watt installation cost, and no financial incentives
Reducing the Cost of Renewable Energy
Another feature of the whole-house approach is that investments in energy efficiency tend to decrease the costs of renewable energy. If an energy efficient home uses 10% less electricity compared to a conventional home, for example, that homeowner would require a smaller solar photovoltaic system to offset that electricity use (see Table 3).
Financing the Whole-house Approach
While there are multiple ways to finance energy efficiency improvements, Colorado is a leader in offering a specific product called an Energy Star Mortgage. Through this program, one is able to reduce the interest rate of one’s primary mortgage by committing to using a second, smaller mortgage to finance energy efficiency and/or renewable energy upgrades. The intended result is lower energy bills and little to no change in total monthly mortgage payments.
Colorado is also one of many states with an active Home Performance with Energy Star program for customers of certain utilities. Under this program, homeowners who have completed a qualifying home energy audit are eligible for significant rebates on multiple energy efficiency improvements. Contact your local utility to see if they participate in this program and for program details.
Avoiding Unintended Consequences
When making energy efficiency improvements it is important to consider that since energy systems in the home are interconnected there may be unintended consequences to your upgrades. For instance, when sealing and insulating a duct that runs through unconditioned space, any excess ‘waste’ heat previously given off by those ducts will no longer be given off. If any pipes are present in the space they may become vulnerable to freezing. In another example, sealing a home too tightly can result in problems with indoor air quality. Even sealing and super-insulating an existing home to recommended levels can result in moisture buildup in attics and other spaces. Replacing an inefficient furnace with an efficient model can mean that the size of your chimney vent needs downsizing.
Because it is difficult for those outside the energy industry to anticipate all of these interactions, it is best to consult a professional building practitioner before making major upgrades. A home energy audit is another tool that can recommend various home efficiency improvements while considering the big picture and secondary consequences of improvements.
It is important to understand the whole-house approach to energy efficiency in order to make sound long-term energy investments. Determining your home’s baseload energy use is one way to get started prioritizing energy decisions. Once one better understands where energy is being used in the home, one can focus on reducing energy demand through energy conservation measures. Reducing one’s energy demand can be a shift in upfront energy expenses rather than an increase in these expenses, and also results in long-term savings in ongoing energy costs. Becoming energy efficient can increase comfort as well as decrease the cost of renewable energy systems. Home energy audits can both help homeowners learn where to prioritize energy decisions and also minimize unintended consequences of those decisions.
*C. Weiner, Colorado State University, clean energy Extension specialist. (5/12)
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Sigourney Weaver and the US: calling for an end to bottom trawling
United Nations, New York, United States — Actress Sigourney Weaver, star of Alien and Ghostbusters, has joined us at the UN in New York calling for a moratorium on high- seas bottom trawling. Adding more weight to Team Ocean Defenders, the US government has also been supportive. George W. Bush himself issued a statement calling for an “end [to] destructive fishing practices, such as unregulated bottom trawling”. This week’s UN meeting may be our last chance for real action to save the “aliens of the deep”.
Ms Weaver said, "The oceans that millions of people around the world depend on for sustenance and livelihood are being plundered while the world sits by and watches. Some of the oldest ecosystems on Earth are being destroyed. Most people think somebody somewhere is looking out for the deep oceans, but they aren't. These deep sea trawlers are operating beyond the reach of the law. It's up to all of us to change that."
Sigourney Weaver joined us at a press briefing in New York organised by the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, of which we are members. We were also joined by the UN Ambassadors from Australia, New Zealand and Palau.
Aliens (of the Deep)
They might not be quite as scary as the Aliens in one of Sigourney’s movies, but the deep sea creatures threatened by bottom trawling are unique and often previously unknown to science.
Karen Sack, our political advisor, said, “The UN has the power to protect the irreplaceable ecosystems of the deep sea bed from the relentless march of bottom trawlers. If it fails to act, it would be closing its eyes and allowing these unknown worlds to be destroyed before we fully understand all the life they contain—like blowing up Mars before we get there.”
Can Team Ocean Defenders save these unknown worlds? Australia, Brazil, the UK, South Africa, Chile, the Netherlands, Germany and many Pacific Island nations are among those that have called for a halt to unregulated high seas bottom trawling. Canada, Spain, Russia and Iceland lead the opposition.
This week the US became deep-sea defenders. President Bush issued a statement calling for rules based on sound science to “end destructive fishing practices such such as unregulated bottom trawling, explosives and chemicals that destroy the long-term productivity of ecosystems such as seamounts, corals, and sponge fields”. The US will be chairing the negotiations which commence at the UN today - October 4th.
The Year of Living Dangerously
Earlier this year we released a report calling for the establishment of 40 percent of the world’s oceans as marine reserves. Since then the UN itself recognised the need for a halt to unregulated high seas bottom trawling. Meanwhile, as the UN talks, the bottom trawling continues. We hope that this week the UN will decide to implement a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling and pave a way for a worldwide network of fully protected marine reserves.
Read updates straight from the UN as our own hard-working girl, political advisor Karen Sack, will report in our political blog as soon as more news comes to hand.
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July 20, 2009
Purdue builds Big Ten's biggest computer, againWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue is acting as if building world-class supercomputers is the newest college sport.
For the second year in a row, Purdue will build what is expected to be the Big Ten's largest campus computer, and as before, it will be running jobs by the end of the day.
"Last year we unboxed the components for our Steele supercomputer in the morning and we were doing science in the afternoon," says Gerry McCartney, chief information officer and vice president for information technology. "We expect to do the same thing with Coates, even though it is significantly larger."
"Coates," the new supercomputer, will be built from more than 10,000 computer cores, or processors, versus Steele's 6,500 cores.
Coates Cluster Install - Images by Purdue University
Coates is also expected to be the first internationally ranked academic supercomputer that is wired solely by superfast ten-gigabit network connections—allowing it to more easily handle the large amounts of data produced by research areas such as climate modeling and weather forecasting.
"Building supercomputers and other infrastructure needed for science and engineering is business as usual at Purdue," McCartney says. "We have developed both a business model and an operational method that allows us to build world-class computers to meet the increasing demand from our researchers."
On July 21, more than 200 information technology staff from Purdue will gather to construct the room-sized machine. They are expected to be joined by colleagues from the universities of Michigan and Iowa, as well Michigan State University and cross-state rival Indiana University, who will be observing and participating in the construction.
To generate excitement on Purdue's campus and elsewhere, the IT staff created a parody movie trailer, "Cores," which is a take off on the Pixar movie hit "Cars." The video can be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1kgsEXIhw
Coates is expected to rank in the top 50 supercomputers worldwide when the next ranking is published in November. Supercomputers are ranked according to an agreed-upon benchmarking system, and the list is published twice a year at http://www.top500.org
The Big Ten's largest campus computer is currently at the University of Minnesota's Supercomputing Institute, which was ranked 59th in the June 2009 list, eclipsing Steele, which topped the list in its first benchmarking for the November 2008 Top 500 list. In that ranking, Purdue's Steele was the Big Ten's largest computer, ranked 105th in the world.
Supercomputing technology progresses rapidly, however, and six months later, in the June 2009 Top 500 list, Steele has moved from 105th to 196th.
"Even with Purdue’s international reputation as a leader in high performance computing, Coates isn't being built for bragging rights," McCartney says. "Top scientists and engineers require world-class resources in order to do their research, and with Coates we have a computer that is both powerful and capable of crunching massive data sets."
Coates will be built with 1,280 HP dual quad-core computer nodes using AMD processors, and Cisco and Chelsio network equipment. It is expected to have a peak performance of 90 teraflops.
“Purdue University has deployed one of the world’s largest 10 GbE low latency, high performance computing infrastructures for scientific research, and we are honored that this strategic thought leader chose Cisco Nexus data center switches for a research facility of this magnitude,” said Soni Jiandani, vice president of marketing for Cisco’s Server Access and Virtualization Group. “Cisco is pleased to partner with Purdue to efficiently use computing resources and enable researchers to push the boundaries of science.“
Coates, like Steele, is being built as a "community cluster," in which faculty on campus contributed research funds to fund the purchase, says John Campbell, associate vice president for Rosen Center for Advanced Computing at Purdue.
"Besides the cost savings from making a group purchase, the faculty can borrow computing cycles from other faculty when the other clusters are idle," Campbell says. "This gives the researchers more flexibility, and we also have unused computing cycles we can offer to the National Science Foundation's TeraGrid."
The new cluster is being named for Clarence L. “Ben” Coates, head of Purdue's School of Electrical Engineering (now Electrical and Computer Engineering) from 1973 to 1983. Coates retired in 1988 and died in 2000 at age 76. Coates was a driving force behind high performance computing at Purdue.
"Naming our research clusters after former Purdue IT leaders gives us a way to recognize the contributions of these great people," McCartney says.
Writer: Steve Tally, 765-494-9809, email@example.com
Sources: Gerry McCartney, 765-496-2270, firstname.lastname@example.org
John Campbell, 765-494-1289, email@example.com
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; firstname.lastname@example.org
Note to Journalists: Photos from the Coates supercomputer installation will be available on July 21 from Andrew Hancock, email@example.com. A video teaser ad for the installation is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1kgsEXIhw
A publication-quality photo is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2009/mccartney-coates.jpg
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Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, CNN-IBN
Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, CNN-IBN
Jan 10, 2013 | Closed
What options does India have when Pakistan has denied any role in killing the soldiers?
What options does India have when Pakistan has denied any role in killing the soldiers? Join CNN-IBN's Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, Paarull, for a live chat to know more.
- Any terrorist attack or fake currency being brought into India cannot succeed until and unless there is local support! Do you agree? Asked by: Gaurav
- yes, for sure. but thats not to ignore the fact that these actions continue to be part of policy - framed and implemented by powerful sections within pak - to hurt India.
- Despite numerous attacks,either frontal or from the back,why is India so keen on befriending the pakistanis?They neither have superior technology nor natural resources.Can't we shift the focus to east,like the Myanmar and other adjoining countries? Asked by: Tompok
- india should have healthy relations with all its neighbours.
- Yes not engaging with Pakistan might not work but until and unless they stop publishing school textbooks that preach hatred againt us, will anything work? And what is the desperate need to give work to Pakistani performers, celebrities, sportspersons here when Pakistan is not doing the same? Asked by: Gaurav
- despite our issues with pakistan, there is clearly a market for pakistani artists and sportspersons in this ctr. they are welcome here for that reason also -- not just because the govt wants to normalise ties.
- Howsoever we may hope that Pakistan will reply to our peace endeavors, it will not, simply because there is deep-rooted hatred against India. Right from school textbooks, they preach hatred against India. And time and again, they have lied on serious issues and continue to hurt India. Shouldn't India stop all relations with Pakistan as USA and EU are doing against Iran, North Korea, etc. and marginalize Pakistan internationally? Asked by: Gaurav
- soon after 26/11 india had the world putting pressure on pak -- but as time passed, other issues became priority for the intnl community. so there is a limit to pursuing intnl isolation of pak. i feel india has wisely chosen to deal wih pak bilaterally.
- You might say that people in Pakistan want to have cordial relations with India. But I don't think any more than 30% Pakistanis want that! Pakistanis continue to attack India in any form-fake currency, terrorism, attack it internationally-media? What is the way ahead, seriously speaking? Asked by: Gaurav
- in my view, the way ahead is engagement. talking to the pak govt doesnt mean we are selling out. pls note there is no progress on the issues pak army really wants to resolve -- kashmir and siachen. so we shd be firm that terrorism and infiltration shd nt be rewarded and continue to engage with the people and govt of pakistan
- Pak has often shown little or no inclination to peace while India has always lent the olive branch? And as always, Pak would be involved in a greater plot to harm India. Isn't this becoming a pattern that India should see and take concrete steps to ensure this doesn't happen in the future. Asked by: EMathew
- india sees that ultimately it's for pakistan's govt and army to decide on what kind of a relationship it wants with india. how can india change anyone's behaviour? it can only do its best to manage the contradictions
- There have been a gradual increase in the cease fire violation since 2009, let us not bury that aand see the writing on the wall. How does liberising trade and a vis regime change the mindest? This is evident from the way the Pakistani establishment and their commentators cominhg on Indian channel demostrated their ideas? Asked by: Arun
- dont you think the govt realises that infiltration and terrorism continue? why else is pakistan unable to get india to have a worthwhile discussion on sir creek, siachen and kashmir - leave alone settle these disputes?
- Dont you feel that people of the like of mani Shankar aiyer be politely to shut up and not bend backwrads as there is no positive response coming from the Pakistani speakers.It sounds like a weak country trying to give the other cheek after being slapped. Asked by: Annonymous
- not at all. mr aiyar has a right to his views. he shd be free to air them
- Shouldn't we stop bilateral sports b/w the 2 countries? What is the desperate need to have these? Yugoslavia was banned in 1992, during the apartheid govt. in SA, cricket was banned, Moscow and Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted! Asked by: Gaurav
- but what is the harm? and will an official boycott put an end to terrorism or infiltration? not engaging with pakistan has been tried. and didnt work
- Seems like it was a retaliation according to The Hindu. Your remarks? http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/runaway-grandmother-sparked-savage-skirmish-on-loc/article4291426.ece Asked by: Jiten
- yes -- this is interesting, isnt it? and it cant be ruled out. thats why both sides will be wise to manage this now so that it doesnt escalate further
- Why is there so much discord between Indian personalities and Pak personalities always state the same position by one and all? Is out fraternity still in dream-world? Asked by: EMathew
- differences of opinion arise from freedom of thought and speech - so we should be grateful for that :) but to be fair, i have heard a range of opinion, privately and publicly, from pakistani commentators too. perhaps we as media shd be giving more space to 'liberal' voices from across the border
- I think time has come for all the citizens of India to present our united stand... boycott anything that is Pakistani.. Products, people, actors and actresses from across Pakistan.. Let it be know that we have considered Pakistan's evil designs as insult to the nation.. No sports, no cultural exchanges, no sur snagram or comedy shows inviting Pakistanis...., until people of Pakistan realise this and force ts Govt as well as military to mend their ways...and if this also does not succeed , finally take military action.. Do you agree? Asked by: profanilgor
- an official boycott would be dangerous . it could end up uniting all stakeholders - who may even disagree with rawalpindi -- behind the pakistani army. how will that help india? at an individual level, every indian can choose whether or not to consume pak products or services. but as the recent cricket series shows, we are also a schizophrenic society :)
- We seem to be missing the point. Yes the commentators have spoken against the Jehadi groups but I have not come across any of them commenting favourabily on the Indian concern of brutality. Yes it is possible that the LOC situation the way it is does have violation and it is possible that iy was a retaaliation to an earlier incident but does it give a right for such barbaric action? Asked by: Annonymous
- of course not, the brutality is condemnable and uncivilised. and every right minded individual will agree with this sentiment. no civilised army shd dishonour an enemy soldier
- India has tons of dossiers on persons who are instigating people to create mischief in India. Is it high time that India started its covert operations to either bring the culprits to law or eliminate them? Asked by: EMathew
- ys, i do agree that every successive Indian govt owes it to its people to atleast have in hand a range of options that can be examined for use. foreclosing any option is not wise
- We need to understaand that the situation would be very dangerous for India after the Americans withdraw as planned in 2014 unless we get our act together and stand united notwithstanding political differences. We need to ensure that we are not seen as a soft state otherwise GOD HELP US. Asked by: Annonymous
- you are right. there is concern that the Pakistani army will be emboldened vis a vis India once it sees itself in the driver's seat in Afghanistan post 2014. hopefully the govt will factor this in
- What is the use of dialogue if for past 60 years it has given no output.Don't you feel we have tried a lot and it times to show a bit of serious anger to them. When the foreign affairs minister was kidnapped back in 80's they let away the terrorist,so her life was important. Isnt our soldiers,who fight for the nation ? why is the value of life vary so much in our country and specially why is it considered soldiers are there to die and no big deal but if a politician or there family die, its a huge deal? Asked by: HS
- there are several issues. no can dispute that the Indian state must value the life of every Indian. but there are limits to Indian muscle flexing with Pakistan. a military conflict btw two nuclear armed nations is not worth the risk. and we have tried cutting off ties - that didnt put an end to pakistani misadventures either. but there is a view that inflicting some cost on the Pakistani state shd be an option
- Since Pak army has a greater say on policy matters, isnt it true that expecting more people to people contact to change mindset a false hope from India's point of view. Asked by: EMathew
- the reasoning among those on the indian side who advocate ppl to ppl contact is that it can do no harm to india. conversely, public opinion in pak can strengthen the political establishment there in questioning the army's policies. in fact we are seeing the civilian authorities and intelligentsia raise concerns abt the army's policy on ties with india and on internal matters
- Emotion should not take over reasoning. If pak army encroached our land then why we were not able to stop this infiltration? Find out the fact in the LET hand in this? Then take a firm stand if pak army is involved?? Asked by: Prathap
- yes, i agree. all facts must be examined by the indian govt -- including the indian army's actions and reactions on the Line of Control in certain sectors this week before deciding on the next course of action
- Do we need a change in the foreign policy, especially towards Pak? Also is it time we engaged in other players to make Pak see sense in having peace with India. Asked by: EMathew
- we do have discussions with with other players on pakistan. as far as changing foreign policy is concerned, one of the criticism of the govt has been it has NOT been consistent with its approach to pakistan! :) ie, that it keeps changing its pak policy
- Are we still going soft on pakistan? Do you think the time has come for some covert actions ? How many dossiers and proofs are going to be submitted ? Asked by: prithviraj
- i dont think we are soft on pakistan. we are trying to manage differences and strengthening in pak those who want peace with india by hvg a dialogue with islamabad. it appears that, so far, pak army as an institution remains supportive of this renewed engagement. but there is no harm in india developing its capabilities for the future
- Has you ever seen any Pakinstani comrntrator taken a line similar to the one taken by the likes of Mr M S Aiyer of insisting that the only option is to continue the peace process come what may. I am sure that in case if the Indians had been involvred in such a ghastly act the Pakistani response would be of retaliation and not that of the lokes of Mr Aiyer. What is your take on this? Asked by: Annonymous
- there are ppl on both sides who advocate continued engagement. i have heard quite a few Pakistani commentators who are critical of their army's use of jihadi proxies as terror. also, from some accounts of unnamed Indian officials, it appears pak's aggression on tuesday was in retaliation to indian soldiers crossing over to the other side from the uri sector on early sunday morning
- A graduated response along with stoppagre of CBM's would be essential for telling the Pakistanis that enough is enough. They done seem to show any reciprocation on the peace process as is evident from the various speakers from accross the border who are given space on our news channel. They indulge in offensive threatening language and our speakers like Mani Shankar Aiyer bend backwards to please them? Asked by: Arun
- there are certainly gains from the peace process -- pak's decision to liberalise trade and the visa regime shd be seen as progress. also pak has played its role in upholding the ceasefire for the most part since 2003
- Pakistan is always in state of denial about every aggression. Musharraf denied Pak was involved Kargil at the time, but later glorifed the war. On 26/11 culprits, they brazenly deny Kasab & other pakistani's involvement. How to deal with such country? Asked by: sanjeev kumar
- the Indian govt feels there is no alternative to dialogue. they are dealing with pak by talking to them on india's terms. thats why there is no forward movement on kashmir or siachen. the dialogue is meant to strengthen the peace constituency in pak while managing differences
- Does it matter to India if Pak is denying involvement? Pak has always been in denial mode since independence - Kargil, 26/11 are best examples. Your thoughts. Asked by: EMathew
- the Indian govt is realistic that ties with pakistan are complex. pakistani misadventures and denials are factored in to india's policy of engagement and india's response to provocative acts.
More chats with:Paarull
Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, CNN-IBN | <urn:uuid:685d4044-abab-44b7-adf2-439d6c1737c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ibnlive.in.com/chat/paarull/what-options-does-india-have-when-pakistan-has-denied-any-role-in-killing-the-soldiers/1416.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964315 | 3,009 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Charles Duhigg and Keith Bradsher point out that America does not train enough people in the mid-level skills that factories need, a reason for companies like Apple to rely on outsourcing that helps them generate enough profits and keep investing for innovation rather than solving America's problem of unemployment.
Not long ago, Apple boasted that its products were made in America. Today, few are. Almost all of the 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads and 59 million other products Apple sold last year were manufactured overseas.
Why can't that work come home? Mr. Obama asked.
Mr. Jobs's reply was unambiguous. "Those jobs aren't coming back," he said, according to another dinner guest.
The president's question touched upon a central conviction at Apple. It isn't just that workers are cheaper abroad. Rather, Apple's executives believe the vast scale of overseas factories as well as the flexibility, diligence and industrial skills of foreign workers have so outpaced their American counterparts that "Made in the U.S.A." is no longer a viable option for most Apple products.
Apple has become one of the best-known, most admired and most imitated companies on earth, in part through an unrelenting mastery of global operations. Last year, it earned over $400,000 in profit per employee, more than Goldman Sachs, Exxon Mobil or Google.
However, what has vexed Mr. Obama as well as economists and policy makers is that Apple — and many of its high-technology peers — are not nearly as avid in creating American jobs as other famous companies were in their heydays. | <urn:uuid:4af43c96-287a-4fe2-9274-d4e7d9d5b448> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cfr.org/united-states/new-york-times-us-lost-out-iphone-work/p27185 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00063-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98332 | 327 | 2.125 | 2 |
Build Healthy Bones In Your Kids
Elementary-age kids need to do weight-bearing exercise and get calcium through dairy products and green leafy veggies. By Aimee Brasher, M.D., Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Advocate Lutheran Children's Hospital
Fitness levels among kids are on the decline with only one in four American school children getting enough exercise on a daily basis. Add that to an increase in childhood obesity—nearly 37% of six to 11-year-olds—and our children’s health outlook is diminishing even more.
At a minimum, children should get 35 to 60 minutes of exercise on a daily basis to avoid developing the habits that may lead to obesity and the medical problems that come with it. Regular exercise is essential to building muscle and strong bones and helps to determine how healthy children’s bones will be throughout their life.
The relationship between physical activity and bone health is important to understand. Bones are made of living tissue that develops and grows through regular use. Although the potential size and density of your child’s bones (peak bone mass) are determined by genetics, weight-bearing exercises and their frequency determine whether those bones meet that potential. As children perform regular weight-bearing exercises, their bones build more cells and become stronger. In fact, weight-bearing exercise is needed more during these years of rapid growth than almost any other time in a child’s life.
Activities for kids that help to build strong bones include:
- Brisk walking, jogging, and hiking.
- Yard work such as pushing a lawnmower and heavy gardening.
- Team sports, such as soccer, baseball, and basketball.
- Dancing, step aerobics, and stair climbing.
- Tennis and other racquet sports.
- Skiing, skating, karate, and bowling.
- Weight training with free weights or machines.
Cardiovascular exercise is equally important for kids, because it strengthens the heart and lungs, lowers blood pressure, improves muscle strength and flexibility, reduces stress and depression, helps control weight, and improves sleep. All of these become even more critical for children who are obese or heading in that direction.
But, preventing obesity won’t happen without a healthy diet. Kids need to develop healthy eating habits as early as possible, with an emphasis on a diet that supports bone health. Make sure your child consumes at least 1,300 mg of calcium every day.
Great sources of calcium include:
- Other green, leafy vegetables
Making sure your child gets the right amount of exercise and a healthy diet is a process. Start gradually with activities that your child enjoys. Find creative ways to present healthy foods. You may even find your entire family getting involved and changing your habits. Most of all have fun!
Aimee Brasher, M.D., is in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Advocate Lutheran Children's Hospital. | <urn:uuid:03a3b696-8288-41b9-b5af-334bd2f0ec2f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://niles.patch.com/articles/build-healthy-bones-in-your-kids | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955199 | 600 | 3.734375 | 4 |
J. Robert Smith writes A Curious Dalliance with Nullification at American Thinker today. By using three citations from a single page in a single book, he determines that the idea of nullification is mistaken and that those of us who support nullification as a remedy to federal overreach are misguided. Here are the the article and the comments. Personally, I found many of the comments to be more enlightening than the article itself.
Mr. Smith’s main points against nullification seem to be:
2.) According to one author, Madison said that the Virginia Resolution of 1798 was misinterpreted by people who claimed that it supports nullification.
3.) Nullification is potentially dangerous, as states may also try to use it to nullify “good” laws.
Mr. Smith also says,
The primary argument used by nullification advocates is that the American nation is an association of states, not a union of the people. This argument for an association of states is also used by some to justify secession. In essence, the argument is that the states entered into a contract agreement with one another. In so doing, states surrendered some of their powers to a national government while retaining others for themselves. Where the contract is breached — specifically, where the national government acts beyond its perceived constitutional scope — then a state has recourse to nullify national laws in a declination to submit.
I don’t necessarily agree about primacy, but that argument strikes me as sound. Since Mr. Smith makes no effort to counter it, I think he has effectively undermined his own premise. But let’s look at his other points anyway.
With regards to the first point, in his own article Mr. Smith cites the Declaration of Independence, where it says
“That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. [emphasis his]“
By thinking carefully about those words, we might realize that nullification is exactly a way to alter a government which has become destructive to those stated ends. Thus, we find the support for nullification which Smith overlooked in the Declaration of Independence. Further, although he did provide a link to the Tenth Amendment Center, Mr. Smith managed to make his entire argument against nullification without actually mentioning the Tenth Amendment even once. Either he is unaware that the Tenth Amendment is the corner stone which has already upheld nullification efforts or he chooses to ignore it because he knows that he doesn’t have a counter-argument.
Either way, the Tenth Amendment is the constitutional support that Mr. Smith was unable to find. Also, as several of his commenters point out, even if support were absent as Mr. Smith claimed, the Constitution defines the role of the federal government. It does not give permission to the states. Anything which is not explicitly prohibited to the states is allowed. We can consider the first point nullified ;-).
With regards to the second point, I will simply paste a comment from American Thinker commenter, “Johnny Appleseed”
The Kentucky Legislature nullified the un-Constitutional Alien and Sedition Federal Laws within its own borders. Who has it right: J. Robert Smith or Thomas Jefferson?
Resolved, That the several States composing, the United States of America, are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government; but that, by a compact under the style and title of a Constitution for the United States, and of amendments thereto, they constituted a general government for special purposes – delegated to that government certain definite powers, reserving, each State to itself, the residuary mass of right to their own self-government; and that whensoever the general government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force… Resolved, That the Constitution of the United States, having delegated to Congress a power to punish treason, counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States, piracies, and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations, and no other crimes, whatsoever; and it being true as a general principle, and one of the amendments to the Constitution having also declared, that “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, not prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people,” therefore the act of Congress, passed on the 14th day of July, 1798… also the act passed by them on the – day of June, 1798… are altogether void, and of no force… that in cases of an abuse of the delegated powers, the members of the general government, being chosen by the people, a change by the people would be the constitutional remedy; but, where powers are assumed which have not been delegated, a nullification of the act is the rightful remedy: that every State has a natural right in cases not within the compact, (casus non fœderis) to nullify of their own authority all assumptions of power by others within their limits” Thomas Jefferson – 1798 Kentucky Resolution
“where powers are assumed which have not been delegated, a nullification of the act is a rightful remedy“. So if we are to believe Thomas Jefferson, Mr. Smith’s second point is also found to be lacking merit.
On his final point, that nullification has the potential to be dangerous, I find agreement with Mr. Smith. Any tool can be used or abused. Nullification is no different. It is odd, though, that after recognizing the potential “double edged sword” from nullification, Mr. Smith proceeds to state that as a last resort, we may alter or abolish the national (not federal?) government. Is abolishing the national government less dangerous than recognizing that the sovereign states have the right to nullify unjust or unconstitutional laws? Not in my opinion. In my opinion, nullification seems a far safer course of action than Mr. Smith’s preference. Regardless, the fact that nullification can be misused says nothing about whether it is an option which is available for use by the states.
Let us now move from the theoretical realm to the practical realm. Johnny Appleseed pointed out that Virginia and Kentucky used nullification against the Alien and Sedition Acts. This blog has shown how 18th Century Pennsylvania used nullification to counter the Federal Fugitive Slave Acts. More recently, Real ID and Federal Marijuana Laws have been successfully nullified by numerous states.
In both a theoretical and a practical sense, nullification has been firmly established as a proper course for a state pursuing a just cause. For all of these reasons, although I have enjoyed several of Mr. Smith’s past articles, I profoundly disagree with this one.
Steve Palmer is the State Chapter Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Tenth Amendment Center.
If you enjoyed this post:
Click Here to Get the Free Tenth Amendment Center Newsletter, | <urn:uuid:a323be2c-4917-43e0-8c6c-7cd476e5744a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pennsylvania.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/03/06/american-thinkers-curious-coverage-of-nullification/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96537 | 1,492 | 1.976563 | 2 |
Advocacy Hosts Nationwide Small Business Roundtables on Women Entrepreneurship
Washington, D.C. – Today, in recognition of the significant role that women-owned businesses play in our economy, the Office of Advocacy launched a nationwide series of roundtables on women’s entrepreneurship. These roundtables convened by Advocacy’s Regional Advocates and taking place between June 27 and June 30th will bring together federal officials, private sector representatives and women entrepreneurs to discuss the issues and challenges that women entrepreneur’s face. Roundtables are being held in Portland, ME, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Madison WI, New Orleans, Des Moines, Denver, Los Angeles, and Spokane, WA.
“For continued economic growth women entrepreneurs must play a prominent role,” said Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant. “These roundtables will bring together women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs to provide a forum to discuss issues impacting them.”
A summary of an upcoming Advocacy study, Gender Issues: Privately Owned and Publicly Held U.S. Firms, released in conjunction with these regional roundtables, shows that nationally, the number of women-owned businesses increased by almost 44 percent, from 5.4 million in 1997 to 7.8 million in 2007. In addition, the number of women-owned businesses grew at twice the rate of male-owned businesses from 1997 to 2007: 44 and 22 percent, respectively. The study is based primarily on U.S. firm information from the 1997, 2002, and 2007 Survey of Business Owners (SBO), the latest and most comprehensive business datasets released by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
According to the data, the number of women-owned businesses increased in every state, and their rate of ownership generally increased or remained the same over the decade. The rate, however, rose and then fell slightly in some states from a high in 2002. It also found that business ownership expanded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 1997-2007.
The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policymakers. Regional advocates and an office in Washington, D.C., support the Chief Counsel’s efforts. For more information, visit http://www.sba.gov/advocacy, or call (202) 205-6533. | <urn:uuid:40f63992-4ebb-4d69-9588-85146f40a2fe> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sba.gov/content/advocacy-hosts-nationwide-small-business-roundtables-women-entrepreneurship | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944474 | 545 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Hubby has been riding his bike to work for a few years now and although he uses bicycle paths where they are available, and side streets where they are not, I still hear regular stories of riders being hit by cars or having near misses and it worries me.
Newcastle has better facilities for commuting riders than many cities (certainly there are some great bike paths for recreational riders) but there is much room for improvement for those riders competing with traffic.
For the past few years, Bicycle Victoria has organised an annual visual bike count of commuting riders in various cities and suburbs around Australia, and this year the Super Tuesday Bike Count is on Tuesday March 1 between 7am and 9am.
As you can imagine, the information gathered at these counts is vitally important in helping campaigns for better cycling facilities.
You can register as a counter here, and if you nominate a group such as a school or biking group, you will receive $50 for your group as a reward!
If can't help count, you do ride to work occcasionally, and you live in one of the 47 municipalities participating in the count (scroll down for the list) make sure you ride to work on Tuesday March 1, 2011 so that you will be counted :-) | <urn:uuid:1c1110f7-cf8c-4ac7-8b29-7d2884f984e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.towards-sustainability.com/2011/01/super-tuesday-bike-count.html?showComment=1296358730978 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00059-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979528 | 253 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Spikes above, furnace below: have you and your friends got what it takes to Bouncedown?
FunOrb Members' Benefits
A neverending series of platforms rise from the furnace below to the spikes above. Bounce too high and you'll burst on the spikes; miss a platform and you could fall into the furnace. How far will you be able to Bouncedown? Up to three players can compete in this fiendish, platform-filled game.
1. How many different types of platform are there?
There are seven different platform types:
2. What are the differences between the challenge and battle modes?
The one-player challenge is to survive for as long as you can. The further you bounce down, the faster those platforms rise! In two- and three-player battles, you just have to outlast your opponents.
3. What are the controls for each player in battle mode?
Bouncedown supports a 3-player battle mode, where you can challenge two of your friends on the same computer. Here are the controls for each player.
4. What are the minimum specifications for this game?
The minimum specifications we recommend for this game are:
The recommended specifications for getting the most out of this game are:
Below is an explanation of the terms in our technical specifications.
Megahertz (MHz) / Gigahertz (GHz) is a measure of how fast your computer's processor is. This affects how quickly you can run things like games and applications.
Megabytes (MB) are used to measure how much memory your computer has. This affects how quickly your computer runs when using large programs such as games, or when you run a lot of programs at once.
Click here to get the latest version of Sun Java. | <urn:uuid:1e08dc73-1985-4c8d-85b1-9ea59f0e7f49> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.funorb.com/g=zombiedawn/info.ws?game=bouncedown | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939762 | 367 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Languages without links have not yet been translated and we are looking for volunteers to help us with the translations.
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Rangers combat global warming and climate change in national parks and nature reserves
In the course of this century, GLOBAL WARMING is expected to change the climatic conditions in practically all countries of the world, but climate change* may have different effects in different places.
Farmers in northern countries and regions like Russia, Siberia, Canada, Alaska and Greenland may actually enjoy slightly warmer weather, but for many animals, like the polar bear and the forests that collapse on the melting permafrost, global warming has already started to be devastating.
Climate change will bring more extreme weather and prolonged draughts to savannahs and prairies. In those regions, the animals are accustomed to dry seasons, but when extremely dry seasons start occurring with higher frequencies, fewer young animals survive and their numbers will decrease.
In other regions as well, climate change will cause wildfires to increase and burn hotter. Hurricanes are becoming stronger as a result of global warming, knocking down forests in their pathway. More violent rainfalls resulting from climate change can also do tremendous damage to ecosystems, as they cause erosion and landslides in the hills and sedimentation of rivers and lakes.
As global warming causes seas to warm up, the water becomes too hot for coral reefs and in many areas they will gradually die off. This will be aggravated if the reefs are overfished, thus disturbing the delicate relationships between the species of the reefs.
Supporting park rangers may probably be one of the most important contributions you can make to combat climate change! Why, you ask? Imagine the fate of a forested protected area without park rangers. Within the next 10 - 20 years, that area will most likely be cut down and turned into agricultural fields or worse, into wasteland. The common practice for turning forest into agricultural land, is by burning! Natural forests not only have the highest concentration of fixed carbon possible in nature, they also have a cooling effect on the climate. So, by financing park rangers, you help preventing that the carbon fixed in those beautiful trees, be burned into thousands of millions of tons of carbon dioxide. At the same time you help protecting the cooling blanket of the forests, while also protecting the countless animals and plants that depends on them! By supporting park rangers, you help fight global warming
Support the economies of developing countries
But the Adopt A Ranger programme has many more benefits. Think about it: When national parks and nature reserves of a country become effectively protected, many people can visit those areas and enjoy them. Thus, visitation of protected areas can grow into a major tourism industry, that can create hundreds of thousands of jobs in hotels, transportation, restaurants, etc. By sponsoring a park ranger, you can help create jobs in a developing country.
A study of the ITC and WICE recently showed that visitation in the protected areas of China undergoes tremendous growth. Until about the year 2000, visitation grew about 13% per year. But when the Chinese people were given a few weeks of vacation, in some national parks, visitation started doubling every 2.5 years. And 99% of the visitors are Chinese! Imagine, the importance of tourism for the economies in developing countries. For Costa Rica, Kenya, just to name a few, nature based tourism is the most important source of income of the country. All that tourism depends on the effective work of park rangers, as they work with local communities, assist visitors and protect the animals. By helping out with sponsoring park rangers, you help build the economies of entire developing nations!
Park Rangers and poverty alleviation
A fancy word of international organizations for helping poor people to become a little less poor. We have explained at our page on conservation workers, how park rangers help the often extremely poor local communities get some economic benefits and employment from the nature reserve where they work, by helping develop the production of souvenirs, setting up little enterprises for selling food, drinks and souvenirs, setting up small tourism services, etc. Park rangers are crucial for the poverty alleviation of neighbouring communities and your donation helps those neighbouring communities, while at the same time you contribute to what has been neglected for too long by the conservation community: you put park rangers in the field. Often park rangers are the only government representatives in a village, and they get consulted by the local people on many issues.
Once, Daan Vreugdenhil visited a community in Mexico with the Protected Areas Agency, CONANP and the mayor of the community complained that the government officials never come to visit the village, let alone inquire after their needs. The director than answered, "But we are government officials!". Yes said the mayor, but you are one of us, that does not count. You always help us! When people no longer see government officials as an obstacle in their development, but partners in their struggle to survive, you know that a protected area is well managed. That kind of collaboration is what your donation makes possible!
Rangers need to be hired. The majority of park rangers come from the area where they work and by hiring rangers, Adopt A Ranger creates many direct employment opportunities in areas that otherwise have no or very little employment opportunities. These park rangers spend a good part of their income on local products, thus stimulating the local micro-economies. For local communities, that is a very important benefit
Nature and environmental education
Park rangers play a crucial role in the education of children in neighbouring communities. Imagine, little country schools with just one teacher for several age groups; hardly any teaching materials. Can you imagine the impact when a ranger comes and gives a class, and then takes those children on an excursion? That is one of the few exiting classes those kids get in their entire elementary school period. Thus, your donation makes a difference in the lives of children. And you know what is so important? Through these children we reach the parents. Children make drawings, and take them home. Park rangers organize classes with both children and parents! We have seen a tremendous increase of support from villages once rangers start giving classes at elementary schools.
Helping protected areas administrations
As park ranger programmes need to be established and supervised, we need to set conditions to the protected areas agencies to make sure that the rangers can function properly and that their work really contributes to conservation. To do that, we need to visit the agencies and carry out supervision. These visits help the agencies as we brainstorm with them on how to get the best results from the park rangers in the field. Supervision trips are intensive sessions with field staff to see and hear how they are doing and to improve them. We talk with local communities to hear how they experience the work of the park rangers. We use the opportunities of visiting the agencies and the areas for helping them to function better. So your donations finance technical assistance and generating ideas from the highest level in the organization, down to the local community level. Our supervision missions are not mere inspections, they provide high quality technical assistance. We help governments to assess their staffing needs and to prepare strategies on how to fulfill those needs.
Negotiations to increase government staffing and funding
Adopt A Ranger will use its mission to recipient countries to talk with the ministers of finance. It will give presentations, showing how protected areas contribute to the national economies, particularly tourism. We have carried out studies in several countries that clearly show that protected areas very realistically contribute to the national economies. As international tourism to developing countries increases, the importance of tourism for the national economies move up to the third or second positions of economic activities of the countries, giving employment to tens of thousands of people. In many countries protected areas are among the prime attractions that generate tourism!
* There is a growing concern that the emission of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and other so-called greenhouse gasses are the main cause of climate change. While the number of governments and followers of this concern is growing, a considerable number of citizens have raised well documented doubts about the validity of such effect. Adopt A Ranger respects the opinions of both sides and wants to work with everybody, irrespective of his or her opinion on the effects of CO2 on the climate. Click below to read how Adopt A Ranger hopes to unite the concerns of both supporters and opponents of this issue. | <urn:uuid:7ed09adf-2d5b-4147-a7e2-9393c33699d3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adopt-a-ranger.org/xtra_benefits.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946083 | 1,730 | 3.4375 | 3 |
This article highlights a typical example of results which can be obtained with the integrated scanning force microscope (SFM) mounted on the Nano Hardness Tester (NHT) from CSM Instruments. The work expands upon previous use of the NHT for quality control of IC bonding pads which are typically composed of a thin aluminium film sputtered onto a Si substrate.
Apart from simply characterising the hardness and modulus of the material, the use of the SFM to measure the surface profile of the residual imprint can provide useful additional information concerning the response of the material to indentation (e.g., pile-up, sink-in effects), surface roughness around the imprint, and an idea of the surface structure. This can all be achieved at the touch of a button with the easy-to-operate SFM acquisition software.
A typical set of results is shown in Fig. 1 for a low load (3 mN) indentation into a bonding pad Al film. The SFM image clearly shows the residual imprint and the extent of piled-up material around the impression.
The grain structure of the film can also be seen as well as radial relaxation at the edges of the Vickers imprint. The cross-sectional profile (Fig. 1 (b)) confirms the residual depth as measured with the NHT (258 nm) and allows any pile-up to be precisely quantified. The load-depth curve (Fig. 1 (c)) enabled the Vickers hardness and elastic modulus to be calculated, respectively 1.157 GPa and 112 GPa.
Previous work has already shown the advantages of SFM profiling for the characterisation of bonding pads and future work is envisaged to investigate the effects of pile-up on the true contact area used in the hardness calculation. This is because the projected contact area is calculated from the load-depth curve and thus does not take into account the increased area as a result of pile-up.
Figure 1. Typical data for a 3 mN indentation into an aluminium thin film (thickness = 2 m m); (a) SFM image of residual imprint; (b) cross-sectional profile through imprint; (c) load-depth curve giving H = 1.157 GPa and E = 112 GPa. | <urn:uuid:1873b7ee-5259-4dbb-be16-9671507c8c1e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1807 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910641 | 465 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Mexico, Pakistan, and the So-Called “Failed State” Washington's War on "Narco-Terrorism"
Are Mexican drug cartels a threat to the United States? This is an easy conclusion to make after reading most mainstream U.S. newspapers. Hardly a day goes by without sensational stories about "broad daylight" gun battles, heart-wrenching interviews with weeping mothers, and praise for the Mexican army in its "war" against "narco-terrorists."
By Shamus Cooke
(reposted w/authors permission from) http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12709
Interestingly, Mexico has lately been compared to Pakistan as a country "on the verge" of becoming a "failed state," with the Mexican drug cartels accused of playing the same "destabilizing" role as the Taliban/terrorists in Pakistan. Calling such a comparison a stretch would be a gross understatement, of course.
There is in fact a real connection between Mexico and Pakistan that's worth discussing, though you'd never hear it mentioned in the mainstream media. Both countries have governments that are virtual pawns of the U.S. and, as such, are having a difficult time with their native populations as they attempt to please their real bosses — U.S. mega-corporations and rich investors.
And these bosses can be demanding. For example, in Pakistan the U.S. dominated International Monetary Fund (IMF) is demanding that Pakistan privatize state-owned banks, railways, power plants, water, insurance, factories, etc. — so that U.S. corporations and investors can buy them at discount rates for private profit.
In Mexico, the same U.S. groups are lustfully eyeing Mexico's number one source of national revenue: the state oil company (PEMEX). Mexican companies and natural resources had already been gobbled-up by U.S. corporate vultures long before NAFTA came into effect, though this trade agreement intensified the trend, making it a good place to begin if one is to have any understanding of the current political situation in Mexico.
NAFTA is in fact more than a trade agreement, it's a trade bloc, the size of which rivals the European Union as the world's largest. A trade bloc is essentially an agreement between countries on economic integration, which inevitably includes varying levels of political and military agreements. Also, every trade bloc has a dominant member — which in NAFTA's case is the U.S.
When NAFTA was enacted, a new flood of U.S. corporate and private investment flooded into Mexico, requiring that this money be well protected. For the international investor, political instability of any kind is bad for business. This is in fact why NAFTA was extended into the "Security and Prosperity Agreement," which provides U.S. security (military) aid to protect the NAFTA-created prosperity (investments) inside of Mexico.
In speaking of security and foreign investment, The World Bank's website says:
"We act as a potent deterrent against [foreign] government actions that may adversely affect investments. And even if disputes do arise, our leverage with host governments frequently enables us to resolve differences to the mutual satisfaction of all parties." Such security is ultimately guaranteed by the U.S. military.
U.S. investors had a valid fear that their investments in Mexico needed extra protecting. Social inequalities in the country have been intensifying for years, and the poor's standard of living has continued to deteriorate. This deterioration promised to continue because of the extremely fragile Mexican economy, which was especially vulnerable for the following reasons:
1) Commodities coming in from the U.S. because of NAFTA promised to out-compete and destroy Mexican farmers and businesses.
2) Mexico is highly dependent on high oil prices that have since plummeted.
3) Mexico is highly dependent on U.S. foreign investors whose investments have tapered off (because of the recession)
4) Mexican exports to the U.S. - 80% of its total exports — have sharply declined because of U.S. workers' inability to consume them.
5) Remittances from Mexicans living in the U.S. have dropped sharply due to the recession.
This economic situation promised that the Mexican working class would be pushed into desperation, and that police-state measures would be needed to control them, since they might demand that U.S. owned corporations in Mexico should instead be used for ordinary Mexicans. Those who didn't emigrate to escape the crumbling economy would likely rise up.
The first uprising in Mexico began like clockwork, on the day NAFTA was enacted in 1994, led by the Zapatista movement. The Zapatistas were protesting the inevitable effects NAFTA would have on Mexico, though especially the widening of economic inequalities, privatization, and the negative impacts of "free trade" with the more powerful U.S. economy.
U.S. investors demanded that the movement be crushed, and the crushing is still going on today, including a horrific list of human rights abuses by the Mexican military and federal police — the same people that the U.S. media is daily praising.
Laura Carlsen, director of the Mexico City-based Americas Policy Program of the Center for International Policy, writes how the Mexican army has recently used its "war on drugs" as an excuse to repress the Zapatista movement, among others.
The current President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, first announced the "war on drugs" in circumstances that led many to question his motives. For example, millions of people in Mexico rightly believe that Calderon stole the 2006 election. The resulting mass protests destabilized his incoming government, forcing him to be sworn in under conditions of secrecy.
At the same time, an extraordinary uprising in the state of Oaxaca led to a people's government headed by a democratically elected Popular Assembly (APPO). To ensure the incoming president a somewhat stable beginning — as well as assuring corporate investments in Oaxaca remained untouched — exiting President Vincente Fox turned to the Mexican Federal Police to crush the movement, using the proven tactics of paramilitary squads; "disappearances," assassinations, illegal detentions, etc. (between 2007 and 2008, 1,602 such incidents of human rights violations were officially reported to the government's National Commission on Human Rights).
It was under these conditions that President Felipe Calderon declared his "war on drugs." His motive was not only to distract the public away from his illegitimate presidency, but also, as the Mexican newspaper El Univeral shamelessly pointed out:
"The challenge for Calderón is not just in Oaxaca... the federal government is going to have to intervene if they don't want to see movements like the one in Oaxaca in several states."
And intervene they have. This war has sent tens of thousands of Mexican army and federal police into the streets of Mexico, and violations of human rights have exploded in the process. In "Operation Chihuahua," a major campaign in the "drug war," the Mexican army rounded up political activists and opposition leaders who had previously led protests against NAFTA.
Another extreme violation of human rights occurred in the Mexican region of Atenco, where activists were targeted and tortured, and a whole community was terrorized by the Mexican federal police to crush opposition to government policy.
The logic is disturbing: "extraordinary measures" are supposedly needed to battle the Mexican "narco-terrorists." These measures include not only the above-mentioned human rights violations, but the virtual destruction of basic constitutional rights. An apt comparison can be made to the U.S. government's equally-ridiculous "war on terror," which has also led to human and constitutional rights' violations, while being based on similar motives.
In 2008 the ante was upped in Mexico. The Merida Initiative was passed in the US congress — also known as Plan Mexico (based on the similar "plan" in Colombia). This agreement adds billions of dollars in U.S. military aide to Mexico, including "counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and border security." Plan Mexico is in fact a mere extension of NAFTA's "security and prosperity" agreement, but with a more blatant role for the U.S. military.
Recently Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, updated President Obama on the emerging security threat of Mexico, and the enhanced cooperation between the U.S. and Mexican militaries through Plan Mexico. This meeting happened after a week of U.S. media hysterics over "drug cartel violence spilling over into the U.S."
Similar scare tactics were used to achieve public support for Plan Colombia, where billions of dollars of U.S. "aide" have helped militarize the country in the fight against "narco terrorists." The results aren't surprising: Colombia's human rights record is the worst in the hemisphere while being the number one cocaine exporter in the world.
Colombia is a much-needed pawn of U.S. foreign policy in a region that despises past U.S. military and economic intervention. It should be noted that the only two openly right-wing governments in the region are Mexico and Colombia.
Ultimately, the accusation that a country has "failed" has been used as a pretext for U.S. military involvement. This is indeed the case for both Mexico and Pakistan, where corporations and investors work in tandem with puppet governments against the wishes of the population.
The possibility that such police state measures can be transferred to the United States is very real, especially because of the Bush-era destruction of civil liberties that Obama is unwilling to reconstruct, let alone talk about. If policies are not put into place that immediately help the newly-created millions of unemployed, un-insured, and recently homeless, social unrest will undoubtedly emerge, and the measures Bush created will be further used against the U.S. working class. In this case, the police and military may be used to "maintain order," possibly under the guise of a "war on terror" or "war on drugs," or another creative campaign.
Mexico, Pakistan, and the So-Called "Failed State" Washington's War on "Narco-Terrorism".
Shamus Cooke is a social service worker, trade unionist, and writer for Workers Action
He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org
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If you are frustrated with cellulite, you are not alone! Cellulite is a topographic skin change that occurs in 80-90 percent of adult females. It is a change of your skin surface, which shows skin dimpling, and it’s caused by the herniation of fat within tissue. Cellulite is a description rather than a physical object.
Causes of Cellulite
There are many causes that lead to cellulite formation, some of which are hormones, diet, lifestyle and genetics. It occurs mainly because of swelling in the subdermal fat cells. This accumulation of fat makes the skin pucker and look lumpy. It is common in women during hormonal changes, such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause. A woman’s hormones are usually responsible for regulating the flow of blood, fat, connective tissue and lymphatic drainage. Cellulite occurs also because of excess toxins and waste products remaining in the body, which are not removed in the digestion process
There is no actual treatment for cellulite, but there are non-surgical ways to reduce the appearance.
• Improve your diet by watching your fat, sugar and sodium intake.
• Regular consumption of vitamins and minerals is good for healthy skin and detoxification of the body. So make sure to eat fruits, veggies and fish oils.
• Avoid drinking more than a cup of coffee per day. The combination of coffee with no exercise leads to constriction of blood vessels.
• Reduce stress. High stress causes an increase level of certain molecules, which causes cellulite.
• Hit the weights. Specifically targeting certain areas is the best way to firm your underlying muscle structure. For example— leg, thigh and butt toning exercises. Do not be scared of weight. I talk to so many ladies who are scared to lift heavy weight because they think they will bulk up. Increase your weight and lower your reps to 10-12. Then the following week decrease weight slightly and up your reps to 15-18. This will confuse your muscles and make them work harder. Another thing to note while weight training is to use light enough weight to move fast. Ladies should only break, at the most, 20 seconds between sets. Moving fast will keep you from bulking up and help you build your cardiovascular system.
• Do your cardio. The more intense the cardio, the better. Remember— something is better than nothing and you have to start somewhere. If you are just starting out, try doing a series of run/speed walk intervals for approximately 30 minutes. Build up your time five minutes each week. Once you hit 45-minute mark, increase your intensity by increasing MPH or incline. | <urn:uuid:12a3d0b5-1410-4db0-90bd-1cf52fdf301b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fitnessrxwomen.com/life-health/womens-health/get-the-skinny-on-cellulite-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954362 | 549 | 2.046875 | 2 |
US Department of Education (SFA)
Comprehensive school reform quality initiatives: Capacity building-category 2/Using technology to coordinate core and supplementary reading instruction in Success for All Schools
Abrami, P.C. (Concordia University), Cheune, A., Slavin, R.E., Chambers, B. , Hipps, G.
Success for All is a comprehensive reform program for elementary schools. Intended to ensure students’ success in reading by preventing them from falling behind in early grades, Success for All provides schools with extensive professional development in reading instructional methods with strong evidence of effectiveness, as well as student reading materials designed to facilitate daily use of research-based instruction. The program also includes cross-grade grouping strategies, parent involvement programs, and one-to-one tutoring for struggling students. It has a strong research base showing its effectiveness with students in special education, English language learners, and other at-risk students. Recent technology development in Success for All have made possible significant improvements in the program’s impact for these subgroups.
The Success for All elementary reading program is being implemented in more than 1300 schools in 46 states. Current Success for All schools have used the program for a median of 5 years (Slavin & Madden, 2004). These schools are mostly high-poverty Title I schools serving many African American, Hispanic, and White students in urban as well as rural districts.
This Category 2 application proposes to develop and rigorously evaluate a technology-based design for small-group supplementary instruction in Success for All schools, for use in special education resource rooms, English as a second language (ESL) programs, and supplementary reading programs. The goal is to create a replicable, effective model capable of improving the reading achievement of all students who are in special education, are English language learners, or are at risk (operationally defined a reading below the 25th percentile). The new design will build on Alphie’s Alley computer-based learning environment and the Reading Reels embedded multimedia materials. It will involve children in cooperative learning activities with and without computers, and will provide content, assessments, and assistive technology tailored to each child’s needs. Information on diagnostic assessments, student progress, and effective strategies will be shared among core and supplementary teachers.
A large-scale randomized experiment will evaluate outcomes of the small-group supplementary model. Forty rural and urban schools using Success for All will be randomly assigned to use the new supplementary model or continue current practices. Effects on achievement, assignments to special education, and other outcomes will be compared using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The small-group supplementary model will be disseminated among the 1300 current Success for All schools nationally and many more schools due to be added in coming years, and will be usable in non-SFA schools. | <urn:uuid:e54fb6dc-7835-4e72-a600-d916e21ac39e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://doe.concordia.ca/cslp/Grants/RA-SFA_CSRQI.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927785 | 577 | 2.78125 | 3 |
What is Cardiovascular Disease?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to a variety of different conditions, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke, affecting the heart and blood vessel systems.
Why is CVD an issue for women?
Although men experience more heart attacks and strokes than women, women are more likely to die from CVD than men. CVD is the number one killer of all women in both the United States and New Jersey.
- Heart disease and stroke account for 31.9 of all female deaths in New Jersey.*
- On average, about 31 women die from heart disease and stroke in New Jersey each day.
- Heart disease alone is the leading cause of death in New Jersey, accounting for 9,444
females deaths in 2009.
- Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death for females in New Jersey, accounting for, 1,909 female
deaths in 2009.
- Women’s risk of CVD and heart disease increases with age as estrogen levels decrease during and after menopause.
- African American and Mexican-American women have more risk factors for CVD than white women.
- African American women have a higher death rate from CVD than white women.
- Women experience different symptoms than men for heart attack:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Unusual upper body discomfort
- Shortness of breath,
- Breaking out in a cold sweat
- Unusual or unexplained fatigue (tiredness)
- Nausea or feeling sick to your stomach,
- Stomach pain,
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
- If yes, call 9-1-1!
- For stroke, we all have to act FAST. Look for these signs:
- F – Is the Face drooping to one side?
- A – Can the individual keep their Arms up?
- S – Is their Speech impaired?
- T – Time - If yes, call 9-1-1! Brain cells are dying!
What is the OWH doing about CVD?
To raise awareness and educate the general public as well as professionals about heart disease in women, the OWH partners with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association as well as the NJDOH Heart and Stroke Prevention Program on their capacity building efforts to reduce CVD in New Jersey. The OWH participates in the AHA/ASA initiatives such as "Go Red for Women" and "Power to End Stroke" campaigns and events.
The OWH also partners with the Health and Human Services' Office on Women’s Health women’s heart campaign entitled "Make the Call: Don’t Miss A Beat", as well as their other health driven campaigns.
*Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Mortality date based on WISQARS Leading Cause of Death Reports, 2009;state maps from the Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention; risk factor data from BRFSS, 2010. | <urn:uuid:7921a895-7f23-4b76-8a19-563b07f7cfd4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nj.gov/health/fhs/owh/cardiovascular_disease.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927295 | 623 | 3.171875 | 3 |
I need help. I am trying to find the Probability Distribution of random variable X. X is the score of an test. In a multiple choice test of 10 questions with k possible answers (only one is correct). Each correct answers is worth five points. There are no penalties for wrong answers. I know it needs to be the Binomial distribution but what is throwing me off is that the random variable X is the score and not the number of correct answers, even though the two are related. Any idea on how to set this up? I tried but I don't think that accounts for everything. | <urn:uuid:94d4ea1a-f5a9-41ba-b3f0-efa9dd8664da> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mathhelpforum.com/advanced-statistics/117407-probability-distribution-random-variable-x.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00074-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970083 | 121 | 2.109375 | 2 |
AIDS therapies and vaccines
Treating the Virus
There are several reasons why AIDS is difficult to treat. HIV is a retrovirus (a virus made up of ribonucleic acids, or RNA, instead of deoxyribonucleic acids, or DNA). All retroviruses use a special enzyme, called reverse transcriptase, to copy their genetic material directly into a host cell. HIV is lytic, meaning that it kills the cells it invades. The virus can then become inactive for long periods of time. Researchers are trying to learn how and why the virus reactivates.
Treatment must either kill the virus or stop it from multiplying. The ideal treatment would kill the virus without harming the HIV host cells. Developing such an antiviral drug is extremely difficult, because viruses use a cell's own genetic machinery to reproduce. This makes it hard for scientists to distinguish between viral and host cell protein molecules.
In 1984 scientists began testing more than 300 drugs to learn their effectiveness against HIV. The researchers knew that a good drug had to be able to interrupt the virus life cycle at any one of several stages. A drug called azidothymidine (AZT) showed special promise. AZT does not cure or prevent AIDS, but it can slow down the progress of the disease, especially when used with other treatments. AZT works by preventing reverse transcriptase from reproducing HIV in the host cell's DNA. In 1993 the effectiveness of AZT was examined in a joint French and British study. The study questioned the practice of giving AZT to patients who have the HIV virus, but exhibit no symptoms.
There are currently many therapies at different phases of development and testing. Some antiviral substances, including interferons, have been effective in preventing the virus from budding. Fewer buds mean less virus to infect other cells. The drugs Dextran sulfate and soluble CD4 stop the virus from attaching to the host cell. Other drugs interfere with viral replication.
What Is AIDS?
AIDS is a progressive disease with many symptoms. These symptoms, which can take years to develop, include severe weight loss, bleeding, pneumonia, and skin lesions (sores). Many AIDS patients are infected by Pneumocystis carinii (PCP), a condition usually found in people whose immune systems are not functioning properly, and Kaposi's sarcoma, a malignant condition characterized by pink or purple flat or raised blotches appearing under the skin. In October, 1992, the Centers for Disease Control proposed a new definition of AIDS that included three new illnesses, including invasive cancer of the cervix, bacterial pneumonia, and pulmonary tuberculosis.
Therapies are used by people already infected with the virus. A cure or vaccine to prevent the disease, though, is the ultimate goal. Vaccination is the simplest, safest, and most effective way to prevent infectious disease.
Researchers have yet to develop an effective vaccine against HIV for several reasons. The ability of the virus to hide in host cells makes it difficult for the body's antibodies (disease fighting cells) to find the virus and attack it. The HIV virus also mutates or changes its genetic composition very rapidly. To understand how hard it is to produce a vaccine against HIV, consider the rhinovirus. This virus, which causes the common cold, also mutates rapidly. Because of this mutation, no vaccine exists to prevent colds.
Because HIV is a fatal infection, the need for effective treatments is imperative. Scientists from various countries are working together to develop a vaccine to prevent the transmission of HIV. This cooperation makes it much more likely that researchers will succeed in producing a vaccine against HIV. | <urn:uuid:50fa22c7-5d7d-4fb8-b937-1208985425d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.discoveriesinmedicine.com/A-An/AIDS-Therapies-and-Vaccines.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951146 | 748 | 3.734375 | 4 |
Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés, and confit.
/r/Charcuterie Resources Master List
Thanks to TheSkyNet for the great logo!
“He was almost at the corner of the rue Piroutees, and the [charcuterie] shop was a joy to behold. It was filled with laughter and bright light and brilliant colors that popped out next to the white of the marble countertops. The signboard, on which the name QUENU-GRADELLE glittered in fat gilt lettering encircled by leaves and branches painted on a soft-hued background, was protected by a sheet of glass. On the two side panels of the shop front, similarly painted and under glass, were chubby little Cupids playing in the midst of boars' heads, pork chops, and strings of sausages; and these still lifes, adorned with scrolls and rosettes, had been designed in such a pretty and tender a style that the raw meat lying there assumed the reddish tint of raspberry preserves. Within this lovely frame was the window display on a bed of delicately shredded blue paper, with a few well-placed sprigs of fern making plates of food look like bouquets with greenery. It was a world of good things, mouthwatering things, rich things.
Down below, close to the windowpane, was a row of crocks filled with rillettes alternating with pots of mustard. The next row were some nice round boned jambonneau hams with golden breadcrumb coatings and adorned at the knuckles with green rosettes. Behind these were large platters: stuffed Strasbourg tongues all red and looking as if they had been varnished, appearing almost bloody next to the pale sausages and pigs feet; boudin coiled like snakes; andouilles piled two by two and plump with health; saucissons in silvery casings lined up like choirboys; pates, still warm, with little labels stuck on them like flags; big, fat hams; thick cuts of veal and pork whose juices had jellied clear as crystallized candy.
In the back were other tureens and earthenware casseroles in which minced and sliced meats slept under blankets of fat. Between the plates and dishes, on a bed of blue paper, were pickling jars of sauces and stocks and preserved truffles, terrines of foie gras, and tines of tuna and sardines. A box of creamy cheeses and one full of wood snails stuffed with butter and parsley had been dropped in opposite corners.
Finally, falling from a bar with sharp prongs, strings of sausages and saveloys hung down symmetrically like the cords and tassels of some opulent tapestry, while behind, threads of caul were stretched out like white lacework. On the highest rung in this temple of gluttony, amid the membranes and between two tall bunches of purple gladiolus flowers, the window was crowned by a small, square aquarium decorated with rocks and housing two goldfish that never stopped swimming.
The sight gave Florent goose bumps."
― Émile Zola, The Belly of Paris, 1873 | <urn:uuid:de028d81-dc75-416b-8ef3-a8df72be4e64> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://es.reddit.com/r/charcuterie | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00065-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96534 | 711 | 1.617188 | 2 |
UCLA findings buck conventional wisdom about how stress-response protein works
UCLA researchers, in a finding that runs counter to conventional wisdom, have discovered for the first time that a gene thought to express a stress-response protein in all cells that come under stress instead expresses the protein only in specific cell types.
The research team, from the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA and the UCLA Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, focused on αB-Crystallin, one of a class of molecules known as heat shock proteins, which are involved in the folding and unfolding of other proteins, helping them recover from stress so they can do their job.
The expression of heat shock proteins is increased when cells are exposed to taxing environmental conditions, such as infection, inflammation, exercise, exposure to toxins and other stressors.
The heat shock protein αB-Crystallin may be associated with certain cancers and could be developed into a biomarker to monitor for diseases such as multiple sclerosis, age-related macular degeneration, heart-muscle degeneration and clouding of the eye lens. Any discoveries about how this protein is regulated and its molecular biology may reveal potential targets for novel therapies, said the study's first author, Zhe Jing, a research associate in the UCLA Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
"If you use a certain cell type, this protein can be induced when the cells are stressed, but that doesn't happen in a different cell type," Jing said. "This novel finding does conflict with what has been thought — that this protein could be induced in any cell type."
The findings of the two-year study are published in the current issue of the journal Cell Stress and Chaperones, a peer-reviewed journal for research on cell stress response.
The UCLA team did the study using four cell lines — two epithelial cells lines and two fibroblast cells lines. They found that αB-Crystallin cannot be induced by stress in epithelial cells, in which 80 percent of cancers arise. It can, however, be induced in fibroblasts, which make up muscle tissue.
Heat shock transcription factors activate the genes that control the expression of heat shock proteins in cells. In the past, data had indicated that any heat shock factor could control the expression of αB-Crystallin randomly and equally.
However, in the most significant finding from this investigation, researchers discovered that in certain cell types, only one specific heat shock factor controls the expression of αB-Crystallin. For example, in the epithelial cell lines, it is heat shock factor 4 (HSF4), while a different heat shock factor, HSF1, plays this role in the fibroblast cells lines.
Jing's findings strongly suggest that αB-Crystallin's "preference" for certain heat shock factors in certain cells may be related to its role in various diseases.
"Considering the multiple roles of αB-Crystallin in so many diseases, the access of the HSF1 and HSF4 to the αB-Crystallin gene dictated by the certain cell type may be what is helping to cause certain diseases," Jing said. "If we can uncover the cascade of events that result in disease, we may be able to come up with strategies to block or interrupt that cascade."
Going forward, Jing and the research team will validate what they found in this study by examining single cells, which provides a greater challenge but may lead to further discoveries.
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. | <urn:uuid:a633ce64-c95f-4f1d-8947-7954e6cbfbe1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-researchers-uncover-new-findings-243005.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00055-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943339 | 731 | 2.96875 | 3 |
- Excessive bleeding
- Fainting or feeling light-headed
- Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
- Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
CA-125 is a test used to evaluate ovarian cancer treatment. CA-125 is a protein that is found more in ovarian cancer cells than in other cells. This protein enters the bloodstream and can be measured by a blood test.
There are two CA-125 tests: a first generation test and a second generation test. The second generation test is now more widely used and is generally more accurate.
How the test is performed
Blood is typically drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The site is cleaned with germ-killing medicine (antiseptic). The health care provider wraps an elastic band around the upper arm to apply pressure to the area and make the vein swell with blood.
Next, the health care provider gently inserts a needle into the vein. The blood collects into an airtight vial or tube attached to the needle. The elastic band is removed from your arm. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding.
How to prepare for the test
No preparation is necessary.
How the test will feel
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing.
Why the test is performed
The test is often used to follow women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and who have previously had high CA-125 levels. In these cases, the CA-125 test is a very good tool to determine if ovarian cancer treatment is working, and whether the cancer remains in remission after treatment.
The CA-125 test may also be done if a woman has symptoms or findings on ultrasound that suggest ovarian cancer.
However, in general, the CA-125 is not a good test to screen healthy women for ovarian cancer.
The normal values for a CA-125 depend on the lab running the test. In general, levels above 35 U/mL are considered abnormal.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What abnormal results mean
In a woman with known ovarian cancer, a rise in CA-125 usually means that the disease has progressed or recurred. A decrease in CA-125 usually means the disease is responding to treatment.
In a woman who has NOT already been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, an elevated CA-125 can mean a number of things. While it can indicate that she has ovarian cancer, it can also indicate other types of cancer, as well as several benign diseases such as endometriosis.
When used in healthy women, an elevated CA-125 usually does NOT mean ovarian cancer is present. The vast majority of healthy women with an elevated CA-125 do not have ovarian cancer (or any other cancer for that matter). The "false positive" rate for this group of women is high.
Any woman with an abnormal CA-125 test will need further tests, and sometimes invasive surgical procedures, to confirm the result. These additional tests all involve risks and anxiety.
Therefore, the CA-125 should not be considered an effective general screening test for ovarian cancer. Studies are underway to determine whether it might be effective when combined with other blood tests or radiologic studies.
What the risks are
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:
Dann RB, et al. Strategies for ovarian cancer prevention. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2007;34(4):667-686.
Goonewardene TI, et al. Management of asymptomatic patients on follow-up for ovarian cancer with rising CA-125 concentrations. Lancet Oncol. 2007;8(9):813-821.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Ovarian cancer. 2009; v2.
- Review date:
- December 28, 2010
- Reviewed by:
- David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2008 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | <urn:uuid:40167eca-c52a-470b-9836-87309b432312> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scripps.org/articles/2732-ca-125 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918352 | 1,044 | 2.96875 | 3 |
The White House
Office of the First Lady
Remarks by the First Lady at Healthy Weight Announcement Press Conference
South Court Auditorium
3:05 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, everyone. Please sit. Lynn, don’t get up. I’m just teasing you. (Laughter.) Good afternoon, everyone. I’m just teasing you, Lynn.
It’s been three months since we launched “Let’s Move,” a new initiative with an ambitious goal to help reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country and end it in a generation.
And we built this initiative around four main pillars. We’re moving to make our schools healthier. We’re moving to increase the amount of physical activity that our kids get at school and at home. We’re moving to eliminate food deserts so that every American can have easy and affordable access to fresh, healthy foods right where they live. And we’re moving to give parents the information they need to make healthy decisions for their families. Most often, these decisions involve the food that we -- that our families buy.
Now, we all know how important it is to eat less sugar and fat and more fruits and vegetables and whole grains. But we also know that sometimes it’s just easier to grab something quick and easy at the market.
And also we know that no matter how much we try to instill healthy eating habits in our kids, when we’re not around, they grab that bag of chips, the candy bar, or that can of soda.
But today, between what’s in our food and how much of it that we eat, Americans consume more calories, fat and sugar today than ever before. Compared to 40 years ago, we consume 23 percent more calories, 56 percent more added fats and oils and dairy fat, and 14 percent more sugar and sweetener. Now, that's 12 extra pounds of sugar a year just in 40 years.
And last week, as all of you know, we released the findings of our task force’s report outlining important steps the private and public sectors should take in the months and years ahead.
So that's why today I am so pleased to be joined by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and the Partnership for a Healthier America to announce a major agreement on the part of the private sector corporations to improve the nutrition of the food that we put on the table or that we grab on the run.
The Healthy Weight Commitment is a partnership between 16 corporations that account for roughly 20 to 25 percent of the American food supply. And today, I am thrilled to say that they have pledged to cut a total of 1 trillion calories from the food they sell annually by the year 2012, and 1.5 trillion calories by 2015.
They’ve agreed to reformulate their foods in a number of ways, including by addressing fat and sugar content, by introducing lower-calorie options, and by reducing the portion sizes of existing single-serve products.
They’ve also agreed to work with the Partnership for a Healthier America to come forward with specific commitments to reduce sugar and fat in their products within six months.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is going to serve as an independent evaluator as these companies work towards their goals. And the Partnership for a Healthier America will hold the participating companies accountable for meeting today’s pledge.
This commitment represents a major step forward to providing Americans with healthier choices so that they can choose to lead healthier lives. And in the weeks and months to come, we expect to hear more announcements regarding specific steps on reducing sugar, fat and sodium in the foods that our children eat, because as I’ve said so many times before, solving the obesity epidemic in this country requires far more than anything government can or should do. It will require all of us working together -- parents and children, teachers, principals, super markets, food manufacturers, restaurants, fast food chains, mayors, governors, and, yes, First Ladies.
This is precisely the kind of real private-sector commitment that we need. So I am grateful to these companies for stepping out and being among the first to make this happen. And I hope that more will follow the example that they’ve set and step up to the plate on behalf of our children, too, because as ambitious as this goal is to end the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation, as we all know, it is achievable -- that is, if we’re all willing to play our part.
Now, it is my pleasure to introduce David Mackay, who is the chair of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. David, we are so grateful for all that you’ve done. Thank you so much.
3:11 P.M. EDT | <urn:uuid:3258269a-3311-44c7-b964-67f3e3502236> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-first-lady-healthy-weight-announcement-press-conference | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945484 | 1,005 | 1.710938 | 2 |
GUEST COLUMN | by Tom Toperczer
Video technology has permeated all walks of professional life, and education is no exception. Students come armed with video-capable mobile devices and video editing tools besting many A/V departments of the last decade. There is hardly a publication that does not mention the use of Skype video among students and faculty. Such prominent use of video technology begs the question: When will audio/video (AV) and information technology (IT) departments catch up? Answer: 2012. The widespread availability of low-cost video peripherals and on-demand cloud computing technology is poised to bring video conferencing to educational institutions of all sizes.
Setting the Stage
There is nothing wrong with Skype video, MSN video, and several other consumer online services. These free to low-cost services are optimized for consumer use. Much like cell phones, these services will continue to be used in personal settings and where HD video quality, reliability, security, seamless collaboration, and other commercial features are not required. This is unlikely to change, and further highlights the rift between the availability of video technology and the lack of institutional video conferencing solutions.
The big sea change in the video conferencing industry today is cloud computing—this fundamental shift to shared, distributed computing has already swept through a number of IT-related product categories including storage management, online backup, security and, outside educational markets, even more including CRM, ERP, and so on.
The Tyranny of Complex Hardware is Over
The greatest and most obvious impact so far is the virtualization of complex hardware traditionally required for multipoint video conferencing applications. Today, the capabilities provided by such infrastructure components as multipoint channel units (MCUs), desktop gateway servers, and collaboration servers are easily provided via the cloud.
In institutional settings where multipoint video was required, the infrastructure components were often two to three times more expensive than the video endpoints, often eclipsing initial project estimates. This equipment typically required dedicated bandwidth, fixed network routes, careful network planning, and the matching of “speeds and feeds” between all interconnected devices.
The tyranny of expensive, complex infrastructure equipment is over. Many cloud-based solutions completely eliminate infrastructure equipment by providing all their associated capabilities via software running in the cloud. In addition, some implementations provide dynamic scalable video, which provides HD-quality video where bandwidth permits, and best-possible video over limited-bandwidth connections. In addition to further eliminating expensive dedicated lines, dynamic scalable video technology also supports remote sites and rural applications where bandwidth may not be as plentiful as central campus settings.
The Cloud Enables Fully Interactive, Real-Time Sessions
Another benefit that cloud-based video conferencing brings to educational markets is expanded reach to desktops and rooms, and complete, real-time interactivity among all participants. The expanded reach and fully-interactive nature of this new class of video conferencing enables a number of educational-specific applications. It enables online seminars, workshops, tutorial sessions, video remote interpreting, and other applications where interactivity between students and instructors are required.
For example, Wright State University uses a cloud-based system for online group sessions as part of its Deaf Off Drugs and Alcohol program (DODA). In this venue, where American Sign Language is most often used, extended reach to any desktop, including those at home, and fast video frame rates over variable Internet bandwidth are valuable contributions. In another case, the University of Illinois, School of Nursing, uses such a system for online staff meetings across distributed campus facilities, saving time and providing a business continuity method during times of inclement weather.
In a K-12 setting, secure online video conferencing could be used between a school nurse or students at a controlled, nurse’s office, and off-site medical checks, and so on. In this case, personal computers and Internet connections already exist, and the incremental cost for adding HD webcams and a cloud-based online service is very little. On the other hand, the six-figure cost of deploying traditional, installed-site systems for a district-wide application such as this would be simply untenable.
Advanced Collaboration Tools Support Diversity of Teaching Styles
A third major benefit of many cloud-based video conferencing solutions is the inclusion of seamlessly integrated web collaboration tools. Previous generations of video conferencing technology only provided H.239 screen sharing or separately provided collaboration tools with more capabilities, but the added expense of infrastructure components.
In addition to multipoint audio and video, most cloud-based solutions also provide seamlessly integrated whiteboarding (drawing tools), text chat, presentation, document and desktop sharing as built-in features. Nefsis, for example, emphasizes collaboration and goes beyond also providing annotation over live application sharing, PDF sharing, electronic handouts, and the ability to play movie files during a conference.
The depth and breadth of these collaboration tools supports a great diversity of teaching styles found in college, university, and post-graduate educational environments.
Video technology is everywhere, highlighting the rift between video-savvy faculty and students and a dearth of institutional video conferencing solutions. Cloud computing technology promises to close that rift. The greatest benefit of cloud-based video conferencing is cost reduction—today, all that is required for multipoint HD video conferencing is an online service and an HD-capable webcam or video peripheral.
Depending on cloud-based service provider, other benefits may include dynamic scalable video over virtually any bandwidth, fully interactive sessions including student participation, and seamlessly integrated, advanced collaboration tools.
Cloud computing has already ushered in a sea change in commercial video conferencing markets—one can easily predict it will bring affordable video conferencing solutions to educational markets in 2012, too.
Tom Toperczer is the vice president of marketing for Nefsis Corporation. Nefsis provides cloud-based video conferencing and advanced web collaboration tools to business, government and educational customers in more than 45 countries worldwide. Write to: firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:5bde3b4c-0986-4047-86ed-25af9670c59f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://edtechdigest.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/2012-prediction-cloud-takes-video-conferencing-to-ed-markets/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921379 | 1,252 | 1.859375 | 2 |
taking advantage of your stock options or participating in an employee
stock purchase plan, it's necessary to understand exactly what's
being offered. Typically, an employer will provide an option agreement,
explaining the stock option or employee stock purchase plan in which
you're being invited to participate. This agreement will be filled
with investment-related terminology you'll need to know in order
to understand the terms of your option. It will include details
about the following.
The number of shares you can buy.
The purchase price of the stock.
The timeframe during which you can exercise your options.
The limitations and guidelines for the program.
list below contains some of the more common terms associated with
stock options and employee stock purchase plans. Definitions of
these and other compensation-related terms appear in the Salary.com
gains. Profits earned from selling an investment or stock. In
the United States, you owe tax on the capital gains of an investment
when you sell the shares and realize gains. You might also become
tax-liable simply by purchasing shares or certain types of options,
so make sure you know what you're getting when you exercise your
A portion of profits a company or mutual fund pays to its shareholders.
stock purchase plan. A type of employee benefit. Participants
in this type of plan are often able to purchase stock at a discounted
price (usually at a 15 percent discount from the current market
value). Participants don't pay taxes on the investment until they
sell their stock (for a profit, they hope).
The process by which an employee purchases stock he or she has
the option to purchase. Being offered an option does not require
the employee to purchase the stock or exercise the option.
price. The price at which a holder of stock options is able
to purchase the stock. Also called the strike price.
date. The date by which the owner of the option must decide
whether to exercise the option and actually purchase the stock.
public. Also called an initial public offering (IPO). A company
goes public when it makes the transition from being privately held
(owned by individuals and private funds such as venture capital
funds), to offering its first group of stocks for sale on a common
market (via a stock exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange).
At this time, the value of the company - and its employees' options
- often increases substantially, and the company's financial performance
becomes accountable to the expectations of the entire market.
price. The market price of a stock at the time the employee
is granted an option. The employee may pay less than this amount
if the exercise price is at a discount from the grant price.
stock option. This type of stock option meets certain requirements
set up by the Internal Revenue Code. It's available only to employees
of a company. With this type of option, income is reported only
when the stock is sold, not when the option is received or exercised.
If the stock is held long enough, the employee may report long-term
capital gains instead of compensation income, which could offer
a significant tax savings.
An initial public offering. This is the first sale of stock
of a company in a publicly traded market, via a stock exchange (such
as the New York Stock Exchange). See also going public.
ISO stock. When purchasing incentive stock options (ISO), especially
if the company is about to go public or has recently gone public,
employees are commonly required to hold on to the stock (not sell
their shares) for a predetermined period, often several years. When
this holding period is over, the stock the employee owns is considered
mature ISO stock and may be sold. The profit is then considered
a capital gain as opposed to compensation income.
stock option. With this type of stock option, which has become
very popular, the employee must report income upon exercising the
stock. The gain - the difference between the sale price and the
purchase price - is treated as income for tax purposes.
The right, but not the obligation, to purchase something at
a specific price at a specific time. In compensation terms, a stock
agreement. A document (or series of documents) that outlines
the terms of and rules pertaining to an employee's stock options.
a sample option agreement.
A document describing the financial details associated with
an investment opportunity. Companies that offer stock are required
to issue a prospectus. It contains background information about
the company - its products and services, its financial situation,
and its financial forecasts. A prospectus is designed to help an
investor make educated decisions about an investment opportunity.
Someone who owns stock (shares) in a company. These are the
people to whom the company is ultimately accountable for its financial
performance. Note that option holders are not in the same league
as bona fide shareholders.
The difference between the current market value of a stock and
the strike price.
purchase plan. Offers made to employees allowing them to purchase
a stated number of shares of stock.
price. The price at which a holder of stock options is able
to purchase the stock. Also called the exercise price.
The period over which an employee has the ability to realize
rights, such as stock options or employer matching contributions
to retirement savings plans. For example, a retirement savings plan
might have a five-year vesting schedule, where after each year of
employment the employee has the right to keep an additional 20 percent
of employer contributions to the account. Or, an employee might
be vested in 25 percent of his or her stock options after each six
months of employment. Vesting schedules vary from company to company.
A stock is considered "vested" when the employee may leave
the job, yet maintain ownership of the stock with no consequences.
Employees of some companies may need to meet certain requirements
after exercising options, such as remaining with the employer for
a predetermined period, in order to keep the stock. | <urn:uuid:75a43163-deb0-4030-81ce-1871b92b4bee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.salary.com/Articles/ArticleDetail.asp?part=par417 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944655 | 1,264 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Dualism
(From Lat. duo, two).
Like most other philosophical terms, has been employed in different meanings by different schools.
First, the name has been used to denote the religious or theological system which would explain the universe as the outcome of two eternally opposed and coexisting principles, conceived as good and evil, light and darkness, or some other form of conflicting powers. We find this theory widely prevalent in the East, and especially in Persia, for several centuries before the Christian Era. The Zend-Avesta, ascribed to Zoroaster, who probably lived in the sixth century B.C. and is supposed to be the founder or reformer of the Medo-Persian religion, explains the world as the outcome of the struggle between Ormuzd and Ahriman. Ormuzd is infinite light, supreme wisdom, and the author of all good; Ahriman is the principle of darkness and of all evil. In the third century after Christ, Manes, for a time a convert to Christianity, developed a form of Gnosticism, subsequently styled Manichaeism, in which he sought to fuse some of the elements of the Christian religion with the dualistic creed of Zoroastrianism (see MANICHAEISM and ZOROASTER). Christian philosophy, expounded with minor differences by theologians and philosophers from St. Augustine downwards, holds generally that physical evil is the result of the necessary limitations of finite created beings, and that moral evil, which alone is evil in the true sense, is a consequence of the creation of beings possessed of free wills and is tolerated by God. Both physical and moral evil are to be conceived as some form of privation or defect of being, not as positive entity. Their existence is thus not irreconcilable with the doctrine of theistic monism.
Second, the term dualism is employed in opposition to monism, to signify the ordinary view that the existing universe contains two radically distinct kinds of being or substance -- matter and spirit, body and mind. This is the most frequent use of the name in modern philosophy, where it is commonly contrasted with monism. But it should not be forgotten that dualism in this sense is quite reconcilable with a monistic origin of all things. The theistic doctrine of creation gives a monistic account of the universe in this sense. Dualism is thus opposed to both materialism and idealism. Idealism, however, of the Berkeleyan type, which maintains the existence of a multitude of distinct substantial minds, may along with dualism, be described as pluralism.
Historically, in Greek philosophy as early as 500 B.C. we find the Eleatic School with Parmenides as their chief, teaching a universal unity of being, thus exhibiting a certain affinity with modern German monism. Being alone exists. It is absolutely one, eternal, and unchangeable. There is no real becoming or beginning of being. Seeming changes and plurality of beings are mere appearances. To this unity of being, Plato opposed an original duality--God and unproduced matter, existing side by side from all eternity. This matter, however, was conceived as indeterminate, chaotic, fluctuating, and governed by a blind necessity, in contrast with mind which acts according to plan. The order and arrangement are due to God. Evil and disorder in the world have their source in the resistance of matter which God has not altogether vanquished. Here we seem to have a trace of the Oriental speculation. Again there is another dualism in man. The rational soul is a spiritual substance distinct from the body within which it dwells, somewhat as the charioteer in the chariot. Aristotle is dualistic on sundry important topics. The contrast between the fundamental conceptions of matter and form--a potential and an actualizing principle--runs through all branches of his system. Necessarily coeternal with God, Who is pure actuality, there has existed the passive principle of matter, which in this sense, however, is mere potentiality. But further, along with God Who is the Prime Mover, there must also have existed from all eternity the World moved by God. In his treatment of cognition Aristotle adopts the ordinary common-sense view of the existence of individual objects distinct from our perceptions and ideas of them. Man is an individual substantial being resulting from the coalescence of the two principles--form (the soul) and matter.
Christianity rejected all forms of a dual origin of the world which erected matter, or evil, or any other principle into a second eternal being coexistent with God, and it taught the monistic origin of the universe from one, infinite, self-existing spiritual Being who freely created all things. The unfamiliar conception of free creation, however, met with considerable opposition in the schools of philosophy and was abandoned by several of the earlier heresies. The neo-Platonists sought to lessen the difficulty by emanastic forms of pantheism, and also by inserting intermediate beings between God and the world. But the former method implied a materialistic conception of God, while the latter only postponed the difficulty. From the thirteenth century, through the influence of Albertus Magnus and still more of St. Thomas Aquinas, the philosophy of Aristotle, though subjected to some important modifications, became the accredited philosophy of the Church. The dualistic hypothesis of an eternal world existing side by side with God was of course rejected. But the conception of spiritual beings as opposed to matter received fuller definition and development. The distinction between the human soul and the body which it animates was made clearer and their separability emphasized; but the ultra-dualism of Plato was avoided by insisting on the intimate union of soul and body to constitute one substantial being under the conception of form and matter.
The problem of dualism, however, was lifted into quite a new position in modern philosophy by Descartes (q.v.). Indeed, since his time it has been a topic of central interest in philosophical speculation. His handling of two distinct questions, the one epistemological, the other metaphysical, brought this about. The mind stands in a cognitional relation to the external world, and in a causal relation to the changes within the body. What is the precise nature of each of these relations? According to Descartes the soul is res cogitans. Its essence is thought. It is simple and unextended. It has nothing in common with the body, but is connected with it in a single point, the pineal gland in the centre of the brain. In contrast with this, the essence of matter lies in extension. So the two forms of being are utterly disparate. Consequently the union between them is of an accidental or extrinsic character. Descartes thus approximates to the Platonic conception of charioteer and chariot. Soul and body are really two merely allied beings. How then do they interact? Real reciprocal influence or causal interaction seems impossible between two such disparate things. Geulincx and other disciples of Descartes were driven to invent the hypothesis of occasionalism and Divine assistance, according to which it is God Himself who effects the appropriate change in either body or mind on the occasion of the corresponding change in the other. For this system of miraculous interferences Leibniz substituted the theory of pre-established harmony according to which God has coupled pairs of bodies and souls which are destined to run in parallel series of changes like two clocks started together. The same insoluble difficulty of psycho-physical parallelism remains on the hands of those psychologists and philosophers at the present day who reject the doctrine of the soul as a real being capable of acting on the body which it informs. The ultra-dualism of Descartes was immediately followed on the Continent by the pantheistic monism of Spinoza, which identified mind and matter in one infinite substance of which they are merely "modes."
The cognitional question Descartes solves by a theory of knowledge according to which the mind immediately perceives only its own ideas or modifications. The belief in an external world corresponding to these ideas is of the nature of an inference, and the guaranteeing of this inference or the construction of a reliable bridge from the subjective world of thought to the objective world of material being, was thenceforth the main problem of modern philosophy. Locke similarly taught that the mind immediately apprehends only its own ideas, but he assumed a real external world which corresponds to these ideas, at least as regards the primary qualities of matter. Berkeley, accepting Locke's assumption that the mind immediately cognizes only its own ideas, raised the question: What grounds have we for believing in the existence of a material world corresponding to those ideas? He concludes that there are none. The external cause of these ideas is God Who awakens them in our minds by regular laws. The dualistic opposition between mind and matter is thus got rid of by denying an independent material world. But Berkeley still postulates multitude of real substantial minds distinct from each other and apparently from God. We have thus idealistic pluralism. Hume carried Berkeley's scepticism a step farther and denied the existence of permanent spiritual substances, or minds, for grounds similar to those on which Berkeley rejected material substances. All we know to exist are ideas of greater or less vividness. Kant repudiates this more extreme scepticism and adopts, at least in the second edition of his chief work, a form of dualism based on the distinction of phenomena and noumena. The mind immediately perceives only its own representations. These are modified by innate mental forms. They present to us only phenomena. But the noumena, the things-in-themselves, the external causes of these phenomenal representations, are beyond our power of cognition. Fichte rejected things-in-themselves outside the mind, and reduced the Kantian dualism to idealistic monism. The strongest and most consistent defenders of dualism in modern philosophy have been the Scotch School, including Reid, Stuart, and Hamilton. Among English writers in more recent times Martineau, McCosh, Mivart, and Case have carried on the same tradition on similar lines.
The problem of dualism, as its history suggests, involves two main questions:
- Does there exist a material world outside of our minds and independent of our thought?
- Supposing such a world to exist, how does the mind attain to the cognition of it?
The former question belongs to epistemology, material logic, or general philosophy; the latter to psychology. It is true that dualism is ultimately rejected by the materialist who reduces conscious states to functions, or "aspects" of the brain; but objections from this standpoint will be more suitably dealt with under materialism and monism. The idealist theory since Berkeley, in all its forms, maintains that the mind can only know its own states or representations, and that what we suppose to be an independent, material world is, in the last analysis, only a series of ideas and sensations plus belief in the possibility of other sensations. Our conviction of the objective reality of a vivid consistent dream is analogous to our conviction of the validity of our waking experience. Dualism affirms, in opposition to all forms of idealism, the independent, extramental reality of the material world. Among its chief arguments are the following:
- Our belief in the existence of other minds is an inference from their bodies. Consequently the denial of an external material world involves the rejection of all evidence for the existence of other minds, and lands the idealist in the position of "Solipsism".
- Physical science assumes the existence of a material world, existing when unperceived, possessing various properties, and exerting various powers according to definite constant laws. Thus astronomy describes the movements of heavenly bodies moving in space of three dimensions, attracting each other with forces inversely proportioned to the square of the distance. It postulates the movement and action of such bodies when they are invisible as well as when they are visible through long periods of time and over vast areas of space. From these assumptions it deduces future positions and foretells eclipses and transits many years ahead. Observations carried out by subsequent generations verify the predictions. Were there not an extramental world whose parts exist and act in a space and time truly mirrored by our cognitions and ideas, such a result would be impossible. The branches of science dealing with sound, light, heat, and electricity are equally irreconcilable with idealism.
- The teachings of physiology and psycho-physics become peculiarly absurd in the idealist theory. What, for instance, is meant by saying that memory is dependent on modifications in the nervous substance of the brain, if all the material world, including the brain, is but a collection of mental states?
- Psychology similarly assumes the extramental reality of the human body in its account of the growth of the senses and the development of perception. Were the idealist hypothesis true its language would be meaningless. All branches of science thus presuppose and confirm the dualistic view of common sense.
Granted, then, the truth of dualism, the psychological question emerges: How does the mind come to know the material world? Broadly speaking there are two answers. According to one the mind immediately perceives only its own representations or ideas and from these it infers external material objects as the cause of these ideas. According to the other, in some of its acts it immediately perceives extended objects or part of the material world. As Hamilton says: "What we directly apprehend is the Non-ego, not some modification of the Ego". The theory which maintains an immediate perception of the non-ego he calls natural dualism or natural realism. The other, which holds a mediate cognition of the non-ego, as the inferred cause of a representation immediately apprehended, he terms hypothetical dualism or hypothetical realism. The doctrine of immediate or presentative perception is that adopted by the great body of Scholastic philosophers and is embodied in the dictum that the idea, concept, or mental act of apprehension is non id quod percipitur sed medium quo res percipitur -- not that which is perceived but the medium by which the object itself is perceived. This seems to be the only account of the nature of knowledge that does not lead logically to idealism; and the history of the subject confirms this view. But affirmation of the mind's capacity for immediate perception of the non-ego and insistence on the distinction between id quod and id quo percipitur, do not dispose of the whole difficulty. Modern psychology has become genetic. Its interest centres in tracing the growth and development of cognition from the simplest and most elementary sensations of infancy. Analysis of the perceptive processes of a later age, e.g. apprehension of size, shape, solidity, distance, and other qualities of remote objects, proves that operations seemingly instantaneous and immediate may involve the activity of memory, imagination, judgment, reasoning, and subconscious contributions from the past experience of other senses. There is thus much that is indirect and inferential in nearly all the percipient acts of mature life. This should be frankly admitted by the defender of natural dualism, and the chief psychological problem for him at the present day is to sift and discriminate what is immediate and direct from what is mediate or representative in the admittedly complex cognitional operations of normal adult life. IN FAVOUR OF NATURAL DUALISM:--RICKABY, First Principles of Knowledge (New York and London, 1901); CASE, Physical Realism (New York and London, 1881); UEBERWEG, Logic, tr. (London, 1871); HAMILTON, Metaphysics (Edinburgh and London, 1877); McCOSH, Exam. of Mill (New York, 1875); MARTINEAU, A Study of Religion (Oxford, 1888): MIVART, Nature and Thought (London, 1882); MAHER, Psychology (New York and London, 1908); FARGES, L'Objectivit de la Perception (Paris, 1891). AGAINST NATURAL DUALISM:--BERKELEY, Principles of Human Knowledge, ed. FRASER (Oxford, 1871): ed. KRAUTH (Philadelphia, 1874); MILL, An Exam. of Sir W. Hamilton (London, 1865); BRADLEY, Appearance and Reality (New York and London, 1899). | <urn:uuid:b44cf511-507c-404b-ae35-fbba504ca840> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Dualism | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94836 | 3,391 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Date of Release: 07/14/2005
SAN MARCOS—Texas State University-San Marcos and the City of San Marcos are collaborating in an attempt to better educate the public about life-threatening currents and undertows near the Spring Lake Dam on the San Marcos River.
On Wednesday, university workers began installing additional signs near the falls by Joe’s Crab Shack warning of the dangerous currents there. A 22-year-old Texas state student drowned at that location on April 22, and since that time, fire and rescue personnel have been called to the scene for six more water rescues.
The additional signs are being erected along the retaining wall of the by the river and portions of the wall itself – including the river-side of the wall – will carry warnings about the dangerous currents and undertows.
On Wednesday, Texas State University-San Marcos workers began installing additional signs near Joe’s Crab Shack warning of the life-threatening currents and undertows near the Spring Lake Dam on the San Marcos River. Photo by Don Anders.
As the new signs were being installed, an ad-hoc committee of university and city officials and San Marcos citizens held its first meeting to discuss measures to increase public safety in the waters near the dam. The group agreed that the most pressing need was for more signage warning of the dangerous currents, and recommended the signs specify where the danger is greatest and where it is moderate.
At this time, the committee did not recommend the construction of any exclusionary devices that would prevent public access to any part of the river, and committee members reaffirmed their desire to keep that part of the river open for recreational use by the public.
“We want our local citizens and visitors to San Marcos to have a pleasant river experience, so the river will remain open. We will not fence the area off and we will not close it,” said T. Cay Rowe, interim vice president of university advancement at Texas State. “But we also want to stress the importance of a safe river experience, and if people heed the warning signs, their experience on the San Marcos River can be safe and fun.”
San Marcos Fire Marshal Ken Bell, also a member of the committee, said river rescues have been more numerous this year than in recent summers because of higher water levels in the Edwards Aquifer, which feeds the San Marcos River.
“We are seeing a combination of very high spring flow and very large numbers of people using the river. The currents and undertows are stronger than in the past because the river flow is so much greater. We may see that decline if the weather remains dry and spring flows decrease, but the flow is very strong right now,” said Bell.
Ralph Meyer, chief of the Texas State University Police Department, said his officers will be at the river from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. for the next several weekends handing out flyers to swimmers and tubers. The flyers warn of the dangerous currents around the dam and the falls and encourage river users to put safety first.
“We also hope that locals who know the river well will help by warning our out-of-town visitors that parts of this river, while very beautiful, can also be very dangerous,” Meyer said.
Firefighters with San Marcos Fire Rescue will also be on hand to visit with swimmers and support the safety message, said Fire Chief Mike Baker. | <urn:uuid:b1dab0c6-6cd4-4cd3-913a-0eadc8c23d2c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.txstate.edu/news/news_releases/news_archive/2005/07/SpringLake071405.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96189 | 703 | 2 | 2 |
Lichens on rock D. Dougall
Lichens are small plants that are made up of two components – a fungus and algae. The fungus provides the structural components of the plant, while the alga provides nutrition and energy via photosynthesis. Lichens lack true roots, stems and leaves, although some forms grow to resemble these common plant parts. Lichens reproduce using spores or detachable fragments.
Lichens grow on surfaces such as rock, tree bark, or other substrates, and obtain most of their nutrients from the atmosphere. Because lichens gather materials that are washed from the air by precipitation, they can be used to monitor certain pollutants that travel through the air, such as heavy metals and sulfur. There are many species of lichens, and upon close inspection you can see the differences in color and shape. When viewed from a distance however, they often create a more uniform coloration of yellow, green or brown, that "paints" the surface of the rocks and cliffs.
Did You Know?
Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees of NM-2-A, Company 828, were stationed at Chiricahua National Monument from 1934-1940. The men improved the scenic drive, created the hiking trails, and built most of the structures in use today. | <urn:uuid:77cc001d-1487-4e73-a7d5-32a16f30b9a5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nps.gov/chir/naturescience/lichens.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939594 | 261 | 4.25 | 4 |
Training series explains how Western works
Sept. 14, 2010
KALAMAZOO--A new training series called "The Way Western Works" will debut this fall as part of Human Resources' continuing employee development programming.
The eight-session series, which provides useful information and fun facts about WMU for all employee groups, begins this month and runs through December. The sessions will be presented by representatives from various campus departments and offices. Pre-registration is required.
"As members of a large organization, it may be easy to focus on your own responsibilities and tasks or the functions of your department, without realizing how all departments and colleges work together to fulfill the University's mission," says Nichele Moses, Human Resources.
"This series will bring light to some of these connections, answer some common questions, and allow employees to build their own organizational awareness as they continue to serve as ambassadors for WMU."
Sessions will cover such topics as WMU's structure and mission, interesting facts that make the University unique, facilities management, admissions, accounting services and university budgets, and emergency management.
Moses adds that attending sessions in the series will be beneficial for those who have selected "organizational awareness" as a competency in the Staff Compensation System.
"As fall semester begins, supervisors should be working with Staff Compensation System employees to set performance objectives, measures and competencies for the 2010-11 review period," she notes.
The Way Western Works
The training series on The Way Western Works is free and open to all employees, but space is limited. All sessions will be held in the Fetzer Center, and refreshments will be provided.
Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, email@example.com | <urn:uuid:69169f9f-9f7a-47cc-958c-6d5cfcdc7b49> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wmich.edu/wmu/news/2010/09/032.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941079 | 365 | 1.507813 | 2 |
By Amy Robertson
Two young women's brown hair and pale skin let everyone around them know they were outsiders this summer—but they felt more at home than they ever hoped they could.
They fully expected a number of things: One, to learn about being English teachers—they were eager to put three years of work into real-life practice. Two, to receive some kind of confirmation of what might happen after graduation in April. Three, to feel like the foreigners they were as all of this happened.
Two of their three expectations were sound.
"Going into the internship, I felt prepared and equipped with the tools I needed to teach well," says Kristen. "I had the kit, I just needed to practice using it."
But even after all her careful preparation, "there was a huge learning curve," she says. "There's so much more than just creating a plan and going into a classroom!"
"It's changed the way I view teaching," says Shayna. "Each year, I appreciate my professors more. Now, I appreciate them a thousand times over!"
What they didn't expect was to feel so at home among the sea of people who looked and spoke so differently than they did.
"I was expecting at least a little bit of culture shock or something," says Shayna. "But I just felt really at home there even though I stood out like a sore thumb!"
She realized one day that YUST reminded her very much of Briercrest College and Seminary. It was the community—and it helped both Shayna and Kristen learn something they never expected to learn. Something that had nothing to do with teaching technique, grammar, or cross-cultural communication, and that transcended their language and culture.
"I learned about genuine love," says Kristen.
"[We] lived with four Chinese roommates who were amazing," she continues. "Their love and their actions just showed us so much that they wanted us to feel at home. It was such a testimony to me."
"They were so sweet," adds Shayna. "And they loved to bring home new things for us to try—like, every single day!" (Incidentally, Shayna learned from this that she does, in fact, enjoy spiced duck's neck.)
Kristen describes a meal called hot pot, which is like a Chinese fondue—everyone dips their food into a hot pot in the middle of the table. "We loved it!" she exclaims.
"Before I came back out here, I was at Chinatown in Toronto, and I saw this Chinese restaurant called Hot Pot. I was like, 'Oh my goodness! They have hot pot here! I'm so excited!' And I go in, and instead of having this communal thing, everyone has their own little thing that you'll put your own hot pot on and you'll put your own food in. It made me sad."
"Living in the dorm like that, it changed the way I see living in the dorm here," says Shayna. "These girls—some of them were Christians, and some of them were even members of the Communist Party. I definitely saw the girls in the dorm who were Christians bonding together, but they didn't cluster together. The fact that they were able to so openly love just everyone…" her voice trails off.
"Christ calls us to love others," says Kristen. "So we always think, okay, I'm called to love my friends and my family … but what about people that I'm just meeting for the first time and that I feel like I have no connection with?" | <urn:uuid:20123ef9-a083-4072-b6d1-73e189f90df8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.briercrest.ca/bcast/news/article.aspx?id=846 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992552 | 737 | 1.679688 | 2 |
SAMUEL D. KYLE, whose valuable farm of 120 acres is favorably situated on the Mt. Jackson Darlington Highway,
about three miles south of the former place, is successfully engaged here in general farming and stockraising.
This is his birth farm, and he is a son of John and Jane (Delzell) Kyle. He was born October 17, 1871.
The grandfather, William Kyle, came to America from Ireland and in 1817 bought 200 acres of land in. North Beaver
Township, the present farm being included in this purchase. Of all this large body of land, but one acre had been
cleared and William Kyle labored until he had cleared all the rest. His son, John Kyle, was born on this farm,
November 30, 1821, and engaged in agricultural pursuits here all his life. He died here September 3, 1902, aged
eighty one years. He married a daughter of Hugh Dalzell, an early settler of North Beaver Township, who came from
Ireland and purchased land one and onehalf miles north of the Kyle farm. William Kyle purchased his land from James
Sample and paid the sum of $600 for it. The six children born to John Kyle and wife were as follows: William, who
lives on the old homestead; Samuel, who died aged one year; Hugh, Milton and David, all farmers in North Beaver
Township; and Samuel D. William Kyle, the oldest son, married Mary Bobison and they have three children: Mrs. Rebecca
Dice, who has one son, William Renfrew; Mrs. Iva Kelso; and John. Hugh Kyle married Margaret Patterson and they
have one child, Gertrude. Milton Kyle married Elizabeth McKim and they have four children: William, Robert, Jane
and Martha. David Kyle married Nellie MeChesney.
Samuel D. Kyle resides on the home farm with his mother, who has reached the age of seventy eight years. She is
a highly esteemed lady and is generally known all through this section. Mrs. Kyle is a member of the Bethel United
Presbyterian Church, while Mr. Kyle holds membership at Moravia. Mr. Kyle is president of the board of directors
of the Mt. Air Independent Telephone Company.
20th Century History of
New Castle and Lawrence County
Edited By: Hon. Aaron L. Hazen
Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co.
Chicago, Ill., 1908
Lawrence County Pennsylvania Biographies
For all your genealogy needs visit Linkpendium | <urn:uuid:940655b7-5eb5-44aa-846a-b9a0a407556c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.onlinebiographies.info/pa/lawr/kyle-sd.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9717 | 537 | 1.71875 | 2 |
|Excel Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
2801 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA 30033 USA
Your shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body. It allows you to place and rotate your arm in many positions in front, above, to the side, and behind your body. This flexibility also makes your shoulder susceptible to instability and injury.
Depending on the nature of the problem, nonsurgical methods of treatment often are recommended before surgery. However, in some instances, delaying the surgical repair of a shoulder can increase the likelihood that the problem will be more difficult to treat later. Early, correct diagnosis and treatment of shoulder problems can make a significant difference in the long run.
The ball at the top end of the arm bone fits into the small socket (glenoid) of the shoulder blade to form the shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint).
The socket of the glenoid is surrounded by a soft-tissue rim (labrum).
A smooth, durable surface (articular cartilage) on the head of the arm bone, and a thin inner lining (synovium) of the joint allows the smooth motion of the shoulder joint.
The upper part of the shoulder blade (acromion) projects over the shoulder joint. One end of the collarbone is joined with the shoulder blade by the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. The other end of the collarbone is joined with the breastbone (sternum) by the sternoclavicular joint.
The joint capsule is a thin sheet of fibers that surrounds the shoulder joint. The capsule allows a wide range of motion, yet provides stability.
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that attach your upper arm to your shoulder blade. The rotator cuff covers the shoulder joint and joint capsule.
The muscles attached to the rotator cuff enable you to lift your arm, reach overhead, and take part in activities such as throwing or swimming.
A sac-like membrane (bursa) between the rotator cuff and the shoulder blade cushions and helps lubricate the motion between these two structures.
Bursitis or Tendinitis
Bursitis or tendinitis can occur with overuse from repetitive activities, such as swimming, painting, or weight lifting. These activities cause rubbing or squeezing (impingement) of the rotator cuff under the acromion and in the acromioclavicular joint. Initially, these problems are treated by modifying the activity which causes the symptoms of pain and with a rehabilitation program for the shoulder.
Impingement and Partial Rotator Cuff Tears
The conservative nonsurgical treatment is modification of activity, light exercise, and, occasionally, a cortisone injection. Nonsurgical treatment is successful in a majority of cases. If it is not successful, surgery often is needed to remove the spurs on the underside of the acromion and to repair the rotator cuff.
Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears
If pain continues, surgery may be needed to repair full- thickness rotator cuff tears. Arthroscopic techniques allow shaving of spurs, evaluation of the rotator cuff, and repair of some tears.
Both techniques require extensive rehabilitation to restore the function of the shoulder.
The two basic forms of shoulder instability are subluxations and dislocations. A subluxation is a partial or incomplete dislocation. If the shoulder is partially out of the shoulder socket, it eventually may dislocate. Even a minor injury may push the arm bone out of its socket. A dislocation is when the head of the arm bone slips out of the shoulder socket. Some patients have chronic instability. Shoulder dislocations may occur repeatedly.
Patients with repeat dislocation usually require surgery. Open surgical repair may require a short stay in the hospital. Arthroscopic surgical repair is often done on an outpatient basis. Following either procedure, extensive rehabilitation, often including physical therapy, is necessary for healing.
Fractured Collarbone and Acromioclavicular Joint Separation
Fractured Head of the Humerus (Arm Bone), or Proximal Humerus Fracture
Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
- A medical history to gather information about current complaints; duration of symptoms, pain and limitations; injuries; and past treatment with medications or surgery.
- A physical examination to assess swelling, tenderness, range of motion, strength or weakness, instability, and/or deformity of the shoulder.
- Diagnostic tests, such as X-rays taken with the shoulder in various positions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be helpful in assessing soft tissues in the shoulder. Computed tomography (CT) scan may be used to evaluate the bony parts of the shoulder.
Some surgical procedures require hospitalization for a number of days. Your doctor may discuss planning for the period after surgery. You may need to either stay in an extended care facility or have someone help you when you return home.
- No food or drink after midnight before surgery.
- Discuss with your doctor what to do about medications taken in the morning.
- An hour before surgery, you will be assessed in the preoperative area by a nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist.
You may be given the option to have an arthroscopic procedure or an open surgical procedure.
Recovery and rehabilitation is related to the type of surgery performed inside the shoulder, rather than whether there was an arthroscopic or open surgical procedure.
There are always some risks with any surgery, even arthroscopic procedures. These include possible infection, and damage to surrounding nerves and blood vessels. However, modern surgical techniques and close monitoring have significantly minimized the occurrence of these problems.
After surgery, some pain, tenderness, and stiffness are normal. You should be alert for certain signs and symptoms that may suggest the development of complications.
- Fever after the second day following surgery
- Increasing pain or swelling
- Redness, warmth, or tenderness which may suggest a wound infection
- Unusual bleeding (some surgical wound drainage is normal and, in fact, desirable
- Numbness or tingling of the arm or hand
It is important that you continue a shoulder exercise program with daily stretching and strengthening. In general, patients who faithfully comply with the therapies and exercises prescribed by their orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist will have the best medical outcome after surgery.
Your orthopaedic surgeon is a medical doctor with extensive training in the diagnosis and nonsurgical and surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
6300 N. River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018 | <urn:uuid:bf1f828c-ce0c-4190-a115-c11abd52508e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00066&grpwebid=20DBE3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908629 | 1,414 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Editor's note: A Wednesday story on the 2009 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program erroneously said Pasadena Unified School District students had fallen further behind their statewide peers in English and math. In fact, the PUSD improved five percent in English and four percent in math, which was better than the statewide improvement of four percent in English and three percent in math.
The Pasadena Unified School District saw widespread improvement among its students in English and math scores, according to 2009 STAR test results released this week by the California Department of Education.
Of the PUSD's 29 schools, including Rose City continuation school, 24 showed improvement in both English and math scores. Only three schools saw their math scores decline from 2008 and only two schools saw their English scores drop from the year before.
"We are celebrating and we believe we did a tremendous job with our principals, teachers and most important, our students," said Alice Petrossian, PUSD's chief academic officer.
Deborah Reff, parent of a sixth-grader at Marshall Fundamental School, said her experience with the public schools has been "fabulous."
"My child finished at Norma Coombs," and he had a fabulous experience," Reff said. "The teachers all worked hard, they offer all of the regular material and supplemental materials like field trips, compiuters and music."
Reff had considered the city's
"We were so impressed when we came on the tour. The teachers were very supportive."
In this year's data, the most dramatic improvement in English in the district came at Roosevelt Elementary, which saw its test scores rise 18 percent from 2008.
Petrossian said in Roosevelt's case, the school focused its attention on its special education and English Learner population, giving these two groups of students extra assistance in English and math.
But six other schools gained in proficiency at least 10 percent from the previous year - Longfellow Elementary (16 percent), Madison Elementary (13 percent), Webster Elementary (13 percent each), Elliot Middle School (13 percent), Altadena Elementary (12 percent) and San Rafael Elementary (11 percent).
PUSD Executive Director fo Elemenaty Education Kathy Onoye said the elementary principals and teachers have focused on using assessment and the district's new data system to see strengths and weaknesses every student.
"We're focused on data and on data-driving instruction," Onoye said. "All of the schools are implementing programs and we are making sure teachers know how to use the tools and textbooks to teach. With all of these in place, we have consistently made growth."
The most impressive gain in math scores came at San Rafael Elementary, which rose 12 percent from 2008 results.
But six other district schools posted math gains of nine percent or more - Hamilton Elementary (11 percent), Roosevelt Elementary (10 percent), Norma Combs Alternative (10 percent), Longfellow Elementary (nine percent), Madison Elementary (nine percent) and Field Elementary (nine percent).
Looking at cumultive scores from the past five years, Hamilton Elementary is one of the real success stories of the district. Since 2005, Hamilton has seen its math scores improve 34 percent. In 2009, 80 percent of Hamilton students scored proficient or above in math, the best mark in the district.
Sarah Rudchenko, Hamilton's principal of seven years, attributes the math gains to a math and science academy for its fourth through sixth-graders, where they receive an extra 90 minutes of math and sceince every week with hands-on experiments and in math and science.
"I think it's pretty incredible," Rudchenko said, who is moving on as the new principal of Wilson Middle School. "We have teachers teaching in what they are strong in, motivating students and creating an academically challenging environment that engages students and teachers."
Rudchenko said in her seven years at Hamilton, a big focus for teachers was looking at student assessment scores and targeting struggling students who needed extra help. Additionally, Hamilton teachers also participated in summer trainings in English and math instruction.
Hamilton also leads the way in PUSD improvement in English in that span, rising 28 percent to 66 percent profiency or above. Sierra Madre Elementary leads the way in the district, with 73 percent of students scoring proficient or above in English.
Over in the middle school's Peter Pannell, principal of Eliot Middle School his students gains in English and math. Eliot's English profiency scores were 36 percent, up from 23 percent last year and its math scores rose from 24 percent in 2008 to 30 percent this year.
Pannell was pleased that the English Learner students profiency scores in math and English rose this year - those students were a focus this year, he said.
This last year, the school switched to a block schedule 90 minutes of both English and math instruction, which Pannell said was key to the leaps in the scores this year. Additionally, teachers spent more timegoing over data and other internal assessments to guage how students were doing."
"We spent more time with students and we could go deeper in to the materials," Pannell said. "We really focused more on studnet engagement."
(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4494 | <urn:uuid:42f77663-c47d-4d56-a426-823ca4b22301> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/rds_search/ci_13172421 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969129 | 1,074 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Stellar Picture Books from 2012
Published on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 - 12:41pm
As we usher in 2013, we'd like to take a moment to look back at some of the wonderful books that were published this past year. If you had any favorite books in 2012, please stop by the children's desk and tell us about them! Here are a few of our favorites:
|Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad
by Henry Cole
A story entirely without text or words, Unspoken conveys the story of a little girl and her encounter with the Underground Railroad. The pictures expertly depict both heart-warming and heart-pounding moments, and the lack of words echoes the silence and secrecy that was necessary to the operation of the Underground Railroad.
by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Have you guessed what Green is about? This beautiful concept book explores the many different shades of the color green through gorgeous illustrations and cutouts. The simple rhyming text is both fun and delightful.
|This Is Not My Hat
by Jon Klassen
A little minnow tries to make a getaway in this fun, underwater chase story. A companion book to last year's I Want My Hat Back.
Happy New Year! | <urn:uuid:322843cf-5d14-4a28-86a9-7caea61a4ae5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://dclibrary.org/node/33420 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940003 | 257 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Hotels near the A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College Chapel was first given on Christmas Eve 1918 and has been broadcast worldwide since 1928. No Christmas is complete without the dulcet tones of Once In Royal David's City.
The original service of Nine Lessons and Carols derives from a service which the clergyman E W Benson first gave in the wooden hut he called Truro Cathedral on Christmas Eve, 1880. Benson went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury, which is probably how his favourite service became so popular. Bear in mind that anyone joining the queue before 9am should gain admission, but this is not guaranteed, and young children are not advised to attend.
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Information
When: Dec 2013 (annual)
Opening Hours: 3pm
Address: Cambridge, CB2 1ST
Content provided by Frommers Unlimited, copyright © 2012: Whatsonwhen Ltd, John Wiley & Sons, Inc | <urn:uuid:08d822b4-5b6f-459e-87cf-0d48597acfbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/destinations/event-detail.aspx?eventid=24492 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946233 | 214 | 1.625 | 2 |
TC TO THOMAS AIRD; 15 November 1848; DOI: 10.1215/lt-18481115-TC-TA-01; CL 23: 155-156
TC TO THOMAS AIRD
CHELSEA, 15th Nov. 1848.
MY DEAR AIRD,—I have received your volume of poems:1 many thanks to you for so kind and worthy a gift, and for the kind and excellent letter which came to me the day after. I have already made considerable inroads into the ‘Tragedy of Wold,’ and other pieces: I find everywhere a healthy breath as of mountain breezes; a native manliness, veracity, and geniality which, though the poetic form, as you may know, is less acceptable to me in these sad times than the plain prose one, is for ever welcome in all ‘forms’ and is, withal, so rare just now as to be doubly and trebly precious. But your delineations of reality and fact are so fresh, clear, and genuine when I have met you in that field, that I always grudge to see such a man employ himself in fiction and imagination,—when the ‘reality,’ however real, has to suffer so many abatements before it can come to me. Reality, very ugly and ungainly often, is nevertheless, as I say always, God's unwritten poem, which it needs precisely that a human genius should write and make intelligible (for it would then be beautiful, divine, and have all high and highest qualities) to his less-gifted brothers! But what then? Gold is golden, howsoever you coin it; into what filigree soever you twist it. I know gold when I see it, one may hope. For the rest, ‘a wilful man must have his way.’2 And, indeed, I know very well I am in a minority of one with this precious literary creed of mine, so cannot quarrel with your faith and practice in that respect. Long may you live to employ those fine gifts in the way your own conscience and best deliberated insight suggests!3
Your new lodging, commanding a view of Troqueer and the river, must be a welcome improvement on the former, which was of the street streetish: the very sound of the Cauld4 is a grateful song to one's heart; whispering of rusticities and actualities; singing a kind of lullaby to all follies and evil and fantastic thoughts in one! You speak of my getting back to Scotland: such an imagination dwells always in the bottom of my heart; but, alas! I begin often to surmise that it is but perhaps imaginary, after all; that I am grown a pilgrim and sojourner, and must continue such till I end it! That shall be as it pleases God.
I get very ill on with all kinds and degrees of work in late days; in fact, the aspect of the world, from one end of it to the other, especially this last year, is hateful and dismal, not to say terrible and alarming, and the many miserable meanings of it strike me dumb. The ‘general Bankruptcy of Humbug’ I call it; Economics, Religions, alike declaring themselves to be Mene Mene;5 all public arrangements among men falling as one huge confessed Imposture, into bottomless insolvency, Nature everywhere answering, ‘No effects!’ This is not a pleasant consummation; one knows not how to speak of this all at once, even if it had a clear meaning for one!— Good be with you, dear Aird. Tell my sister6 you have heard from me, and that she must write.— Yours ever truly, | <urn:uuid:95d34115-698d-4511-a4df-e4341bf44005> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://carlyleletters.dukejournals.org/cgi/content/full/23/1/lt-18481115-TC-TA-01 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96419 | 794 | 1.53125 | 2 |
In the past, it was not recommended to use the power button to turn off your PC as Windows would not go through its shutdown process and save all information; you ran the risk of losing information in files you may have just worked on.
However, with newer motherboards (the main circuit board in the PC) in the 2000s, the power switch when pushed sends a signal to Windows to do the shutdown process.
However, you should normally just click the power button and not hold it in, as a click starts the shutdown process and holding the power button down for about 10 seconds arbitrarily shuts the power down. If your PC will not shut down normally, then holding the button for 10 seconds is a way to arbitrarily turn off the electricity to it.
With Windows 8, there is no longer a “Start” button with the option to shutdown and using the power button is a suggested method.
Send your questions to Dwight Watt at firstname.lastname@example.org. He teaches at a technical college in northwest Georgia and does consulting work for businesses and individuals. His website is dwightwatt.com. | <urn:uuid:e8e682ff-1a4f-4ee5-bcc7-e2f5c02aff23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catwalkchatt.com/view/full_story/20781971/article-Column-by-Dwight-Watt--Should-I-use-the-power-button-to-turn-off-my-PC-?instance=home_news_lead_story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951866 | 231 | 3.015625 | 3 |
|Dominic Armato (Sausage courtesy of Hot Doug's, legislative ban courtesy of Joe Moore and the Chicago City Council)|
I'm still angry. And it embarrasses me that of all the things I could be angry about, a little duck liver is what got me. But it's an unusual combination of passion and principle for me, added to the fact that I invested in this one. I educated myself. I wrote letters. I called people. And then a unanimous vote went the other way.
For those who might have missed it, the city of Chicago has banned the sale of foie gras by all food purveyors within the city limits, effective sometime in June. So in an effort not to go overboard with the rant, here are the reasons why this is ridiculous, in concise fashion:
- The assertion that gavage (the process by which ducks and geese are force fed) is painful and torturous to the animals is borne of anthropomorphization, and
completely unsupported by all scientific evidenceis, at best, very weakly supported by the very limited available scientific evidence, AND is heavily outweighed by other more compelling scientific evidence that suggests the contrary.. (* - See below).
- The American Veterinary Medical Association, the veterinary (though unrelated) version of the AMA, which is comprised of scientists who have devoted their lives to animal welfare, researched this very subject. Not only did their animal welfare committee unanimously decide not to draft a resolution condemning gavage, but they also reported that in conducting their research on the subect, they determined that not only was there no indication that foie gras fowl were being tortured, but that the birds were, in fact, generally very well cared for, and certainly treated much better than the chickens at factory farms that produce the bulk of the nation's meat supply. In fact, members of the committee went so far as to say that "force feeding" was a misleading and prejudicial term, and suggested that "tube feeding" be used instead, since gavage very closely resembles the tube feeding techniques used by large numbers of veterinarians.
- Given the manner in which most meat in the United States is produced, the argument that foie gras is cruel but chicken, pork, veal, beef and fish are okay is the height of hypocrisy.
- To therefore single out and ban foie gras because it's a rare food that nobody eats and only "rich people" can afford is both bullying and classist (and as a side note, Hot Doug's sausage, pictured above and since renamed the "Joe Moore", costs $7... that's rich folks food, all right).
- Given the precedent that the fine city council of Chicago has set for what constitutes cruel and illegal meat production, those who wish to ban all meat products can now argue that to be consistent we must ban almost all supermarket and restaurant meats throughout the United States... and they'll be absolutely right.
I count my alderman, Manuel Flores, among them.
I give Mr. Flores full points for speaking to me. Twice, in fact. We talked for a good 15-20 minutes both before and after the final approval of the ban. In our first conversation, he seemed genuinely concerned. He talked about the fact that he considered himself a normal meat eater. He was aware of the fact that all animals, in the process of being turned into meat, are put through processes that many would consider wrong or inhumane or torturous. He seemed concerned about a potential slippery slope. He conceded that he had never worked with birds or visited a foie gras farm. And he stressed, more than anything else, that he felt it was ridiculous that the city council was even considering such a piece of legislation. What I learned from my first conversation with Mr. Flores is that he is very intelligent.
Unfortunately, this only served to clarify what I learned about him in our second conversation... that he is a coward. When he called back, I wasn't certain where he voted. The Chicago papers reported a unanimous vote, the New York Times reported a 48-1 vote, and I also understood that the vote may not have been a full roll call, but rather a voice vote. So I decided not to ask at first, and just wait and see what he had to say. So I asked him what happened. He initially tried to write it off as the unfortunate result of procedural issues. He told me about how, well, it passed the committee, and for something not to be made into law after it passes committee, something "really big" has to happen, and they felt that they had more important things to do than go through the the process of trying to stop it, many of which he tried to tell me about, and none of which were the topic of our conversation. I expressed amazement that their default position, when they felt that a bill wasn't worth their time and attention, was to PASS it rather than SKIP it. So I pressed him. I wanted to know where he stood. And he told me that with the materials he was given, he thought that foie gras production was, in fact, inhumane.
This was where he tried to assure me that there was no fear of a slippery slope. He wouldn't support a ban on any other meat products. He told me all about how he eats meat... how he likes meat. This is where I told him that this bothers me more. If he had told me that he felt most meat production in the US was cruel and should be banned and that he had an opportunity to work on the first step, I'd still be angry that he'd supported the bill, but at least his position would have been consistent. But I told him that to anybody who was even moderately educated in meat processing, as I knew he had been, to ban foie gras and then go eat chicken was hypocritical and stunk of ugly politics... banning something simply beacuse it's easy and there aren't enough people who care enough to object strenuously enough. Votes won't be lost over foie gras. His response was interesting. At this point, he stopped using the word "inhumane".
He said that he felt foie gras was "different".
So now I wanted to know. I wanted to know if he really, truly believed that there was something exceptional, something unusual about foie gras production. I wanted to see if maybe there was some chance he was acting on principle, however misguided I believed it to be. I wanted to know if he really believed that foie gras was "different", or if he was just using that as a crutch to excuse his vote. So I asked if he had, in fact, received and read the paperwork from the AVMA that I'd sent to him. I reminded him that the animal welfare committee of the AVMA, a scientific institution comprised of experts and scientists in the field of animal anatomy, all of whom had devoted their lives to the well-being of animals, had said that the foie gras fowl they observed were extremely well cared for, that there was no scientific or even anecdotal evidence that gavage was torturous (or even uncomfortable), and that the foie gras fowl were, in fact, treated far better than most chickens in the US. He said yes, he was aware of the AVMA's report. So I asked him if he disagreed with the AVMA.
He wouldn't say.
Over the next five minutes, I tried three or four times, rephrasing the question, trying to determine if he simply felt the AVMA was wrong... simply believed in his heart of hearts that they were mistaken. I asked him if he thought the AVMA was wrong. I asked if he felt they were mistaken. I asked if he felt they were incorrect. He wouldn't do it. He would only say that he thought foie gras was "different". He would say that yes, he thought foie gras production was worse than chicken or veal or pork production and worthy of a ban while the others weren't. But then when reminded that the AVMA had concluded that this wasn't the case, he couldn't simply say, "well, I think they're wrong."
In some ways, I understand this reaction. Having already stated that he didn't see any problem with eating chicken, he was in the position of having to admit that either he believed the largest and most respected organization of animal scientists in the United States was dead wrong, or that he'd just voted to approve a bullshit piece of legislation. The only remaining question was whether he actually disagreed with the AVMA and didn't want to admit it, or was simply sticking to the easy talking point of "foie gras is different". His lack of willingness to simply say he thought the AVMA was wrong told me most of what I needed to know, but there was something else he said that clinched it for me. Shortly after telling me that he thought foie gras was "different", he said to me:
"Well, perhaps this wasn't the Chicago City Council's finest hour..."
He then proceeded to assure me that there would be no slippery slope. That my assertions that he had just set precedent... real PRECEDENT... were unfounded. He assured me that reasonable minds would prevail in the event that broader legslation was introduced.
And that was it for me. I told him that it wasn't intended as a personal attack, but that I was angry with him, I was angry that he had supported this ban, that anything more I had to say wouldn't be constructive, and I thanked him for his time.
I'm no mindreader. But to me, all of this says the following. I suspect that Manny Flores finds foie gras production distasteful. Many people do when faced with the reality that their meat products don't just magically appear under cellophane or on a sandwich. I also suspect that Manny Flores was (rightfully) annoyed that the city council had to deal with this. And I suspect that he knew full well that in any rational discussion, the assertion that foie gras was somehow substantively different was completely unsupportable. But I think that, as a politician, he felt that banning foie gras simply wasn't that big a deal, and that it was easier to just let it go and throw Joe Moore a bone and deal with a small handful of annoyed foodies and restauranteurs than the highly organized animal rights activists that he told me had been banging down his door. In short, I suspect that even though his brain told him this piece of legislation had absolutely no business being passed, he decided to simply take the easy way out.
Of course, I don't know the man. This is just my impression. But my impressions get a vote, and they don't vote for cowards.
UPDATE : I wrote this while quite angry, and there's one phrase that I think was more definitive than it should have been. I don't want to be guilty of the same exaggeration and selective referencing that characterizes much of the anti-foie argument. To say that the assertion that gavage is torturous is "completely unsupported by all scientific evidence" is not accurate. There is a small amount of weak evidence around which this case has been made. So to amend, the assertion that gavage is torturous to ducks and geese is very weakly supported by the very limited available scientific evidence, AND is heavily outweighed by other more compelling scientific evidence that suggests the contrary. That, I think, is a more accurate way of saying what I'm trying to say. Bottom line, to present the belief that gavage is torturous to ducks and geese as scientific fact is, at best, wishful thinking, and at worst, misleading and dishonest, and I make the change because I don't want to be guilty of the same myself. | <urn:uuid:687453ec-8823-4b27-8f36-af31e13252e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.skilletdoux.com/2006/04/index.html | 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 | 0.990226 | 2,459 | 1.820313 | 2 |
The hit musical based on the life of Evita Duarte, a B-picture Argentinian actress who eventually became the wife of Argentinian president Juan Perón, and the most beloved and hated woman in Argentina.
A musical based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. When young newspaper sellers are exploited beyond reason by their bosses they set out to enact change and are met by the ruthlessness of big business.
In 1930's Austria, a young woman named Maria is failing miserably in her attempts to become a nun. When the Navy captain Georg Von Trapp writes to the convent asking for a governess that can handle his seven mischievous children, Maria is given the job. The Captain's wife is dead, and he is often away, and runs the household as strictly as he does the ships he sails on. The children are unhappy and resentful of the governesses that their father keeps hiring, and have managed to run each of them off one by one. When Maria arrives, she is initially met with the same hostility, but her kindness, understanding, and sense of fun soon draws them to her and brings some much-needed joy into all their lives -- including the Captain's. Eventually he and Maria find themselves falling in love, even though Georg is already engaged to a Baroness and Maria is still a postulant. The romance makes them both start questioning the decisions they have made. Their personal conflicts soon become ... Written by
Every year the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles hosts an annual Sound of Music sing-a-long where the song lyrics are shown underneath the screen. The actors who played the Von Trapp children and indeed the real Von Trapp children themselves often make appearances at what has consistently been a sold-out event. See more »
Just before the Captain first sings "Edleweiss", he reaches for a glass, but in the next shot there is a bottle in his hand. See more »
The hills are alive with the sound of music / With songs they have sung for a thousand years. / The hills fill my heart with the sound of music. / My heart wants to sing every song it hears.
See more »
The 20th Century Fox logo is played in complete silence. See more »
One of my all-time favorite movies. It might be on the sweet side, but sometimes that's just exactly what is needed. Anyway, there is Christopher Plummer as the captain to balance out all that sweetness. I always thought he had a great voice and terrific screen presence in this film.
Julie Andrews at her freshest and best...her singing is wonderful, the alps are wonderful, the songs are memorable, and the story line never gets boring.
69 of 89 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you? | <urn:uuid:78b85cd8-d7c0-4e36-ba3d-571c763eecb5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00051-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968563 | 573 | 1.570313 | 2 |
One man’s environmental dream becomes a reality and he is educating the planet to consider waste as a resource. The Plastiki is history in the making!
I would like to share something I find really inspiring and the reason I find this inspiring is that a problem is highlighted and a solution is offered.
The answer to climate change and other environmental issues is finding different ways of doing things through system changes.
We are living is an era of environmental madness where we are continuing to do the same thing over and over again and getting the same crazy destructive result. Our planet cannot sustain this and it is time for change.
So what if I told you that it is possible to build a 20 metre catamaran made from reclaimed plastic bottles, self reinforced P.E.T and recycled waste products. Would you believe me?
Well it is possible and it has just finished being built and in a matter of weeks it will set sail from San Francisco via the Pacific Ocean and the expedition will finish here in Sydney.
This amazing vessel is called Plastiki and it is a symbol of what is possible and what is necessary. Its mission is to educate as many people as possible on how to beat waste and re-think waste as a resource.
We all know that waste contributes to climate change and I have previously blogged about waste in our oceans, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and plastic bottles. The most important fact about waste is when we throw things away there is no “away”. All the waste goes somewhere and in the not too distant future “away” will be full. Then what?
Plastiki will venture past the Great Pacific Garbage patch on its journey to Australia. Plastiki will also be stopping off at Pacific islands along the way and the crew will be learning and highlighting environmental issues facing each of them.
How did Plastiki come to be? An environmental adventurer by the name of David de Rothschild read a 2006 UNEP report that said “that there is an average of forty six thousand pieces of plastic debris floating on or near the surface of every square mile of ocean”
David’s reaction to this information was the same as anyone’s that read the report BUT it is David’s re-action to this knowledge that is unique and inspiring.
David came up with the idea of using plastic bottles to build the Plastiki to show how we can beat waste by reusing it.
I admire David for what he is trying to achieve, he is thinking about the future (my future and the planets) and through adventure will hopefully inspire action to reduce, reuse and recycle more of our natural resources.
It has taken David a few years to get to this point. David has a great team around him and the skipper for this adventure is Jo Royle who is an experienced ocean sailor and she too cares about waste and the affect it is having on our planet.
Plastiki was designed based on “cradle to cradle’ principles and biomimicry. “Cradle to Cradle” is the idea that at the end of life, any product can be turned into something else close to the cycle so that ultimately there is no waste. Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature and looking to nature for solutions.
The Plastiki Expedition is about:
Explaining how waste is a design flaw.
It is about getting us to understand about the materials used in our everyday lives and question where they come from, what is it actually made from and will it harm us or the planet and how can we reuse it when we have finished with it. When you have a look around you nearly everything is made of plastic and maybe we need to be asking ourselves is it necessary.
It is about rethinking and just because we have always done it this way we need to ask the question is there a better, safer way.
It is about getting the world to work together, from our world leaders down to us.
Change takes time and sometimes we have to unlearn things and relearn a better way to have a better outcome.
At the end of her journey Plastiki will be dismantled and up-cycled.
To find out more about Plastiki go the website: www.theplastiki.com
I had a moment like David’s when he read the UN report. I was in Paris in 2008. I was visiting the Louvre Museum and I was walking along the fountain walls and saw lots and lots of plastic bottles in the drain of the beautiful fountain. I could not believe how many there were and I thought to myself this is not right but what can I do about it and why doesn’t anyone care? Why do we need the single use plastic water bottle? Why do people think it is ok to just throw these bottles anywhere?
I wish David, Jo and the team a safe, fun and learning adventure and look forward to greeting them when they arrive in our beautiful harbour in a few months time.
The only problem the crew may encounter as they enter our waters is that they may have to fight off a small female pirate trying to hitch a ride – arghhh –death to the plastic bottle!
I believe we need a future that doesn’t have limits, pollution and so much waste.
Wouldn’t it be great to create and design things that didn’t harm the environment but was actually good for it? | <urn:uuid:48abbcdb-cc58-42b8-bb58-6af9559667ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/blogpost/Science/Plastiki-A-solution-to-waste | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967527 | 1,129 | 2.4375 | 2 |
How Ginkgo Biloba Works
Ginkgo biloba is a popular herbal remedy because of its beneficial effects in improving circulation and relieving the symptoms of menopause. Ginkgo is known as a brain stimulant and it can help improve memory capacity and support cognitive function.
Ginkgo leaves contain the chemicals flavonoids and terpenoids which work as antioxidants, reducing the number of damaging particles in the body that can cause serious conditions such as cancer.
Also, because Ginkgo is a phytoestrogen herb, it contains vegetable substances with a similar chemical structure to estrogen, and so it restores hormone imbalance. Below you can find out what effects Ginkgo has on the body.
Ginkgo biloba Properties
Ginkgo has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries because of its healing properties. The main benefit of Ginkgo biloba for menopausal women is in improving circulation.
Each Ginkgo leaf contains the chemicals flavonoids and terpenoids which scientists argue have powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are useful for the human body as they get rid of damaging particles (known as free radicals) which the body produces naturally.
Therefore, chemicals contained in Ginkgo biloba leaves are beneficial because they help the body to neutralize free radicals and this helps to boost circulation. This is good news for women during menopause because they are more likely to suffer from circulatory problems.
To learn more about the effects of these properties on the body please continue reading.
How Ginkgo biloba Works on the Body
Ginkgo benefits menopausal women in two ways. Firstly, Ginkgo reduces the number of free radicals (damaging particles) in the body. Free radicals can contribute to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer´s, and can also cause premature aging.
Because of its ability to reduce the number of free radicals, Ginkgo biloba improves blood flow to the brain and nourishes brain cells. It can therefore be used to relieve vascular disease and ease some of the symptoms of menopause, such as memory lapses.
The second way in which Ginkgo biloba benefits menopausal women is by raising estrogen levels. During menopause estrogen levels decrease and many believe this contributes to a number of menopausal problems, particularly related to memory performance. Because Ginkgo contains phytoestrogens (vegetable substances with a similar chemical structure to estrogen) it raises hormone levels by replacing human hormones with plant substitutes.
Now that how Ginkgo biloba works has been explained. Click the following link to read the next section about the different uses of Ginkgo biloba.
Conclusions About Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries because of its beneficial effects in improving circulation and relieving a variety of ailments. Because it is an antioxidant properties and ability to raise estrogen levels, Ginkgo is helpful for menopausal women.
However, because Ginkgo biloba is a phytoestrogenic herb and causes side effects, it is criticized by many health professionals.
Which herb should women try?
Today women are looking for relief from their menopause symptoms with herbs. Phytoestrogenic herbs and non-estrogenic herbs are good in relieving menopause symptoms, but recent studies show that non-estrogenic herbs have no side effects because they help the body to produce its own hormones instead of introducing hormones like the phytoestrogenic ones. Learn more about non-estrogenic herbs | <urn:uuid:56dbc382-4ecc-4faa-906f-8aa502768e82> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.herbs-for-menopause.com/ginkgo-biloba/how-ginkgo-biloba-works.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921642 | 735 | 2.796875 | 3 |
'App' is a preprocessor for C++ that accepts as input arbitrary C++ code that may contain embedded constructs for specifying algebraic data types and associated pattern matching operations, and produces as output the same code with all such constructs translated to normal C++. What app essentially does is provide for C++ pretty much the same capabilities that functional languages have regarding algebraic types. 'Applib' is the associated runtime library that supports the core run time requirements of the translated code, and which provides additional utilities (applib is covered by the LGPL).
Arkeia Network Backup is designed for organizations that require fast, easy-to-use, and affordable data protection. It backs up critical data to disk, tape, and cloud storage. Arkeia protects all major virtual platforms including VMware, Hyper-V, XenServer, and more than 200 physical platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Netware, most UNIX flavors, and BSDs. The company’s source-side Progressive Deduplication technology helps users realize better performance at a lower cost by reducing data volumes. Arkeia’s deduplication is crucial to accelerating replication of on-premise backups to private or public clouds.
GNU Aspell is a spell checker designed to eventually replace Ispell. It can either be used as a library or as an independent spell checker. Its main feature is that it does a superior job of suggesting possible replacements for a misspelled word than just about any other spell checker out there for the English language. Unlike Ispell, Aspell can also easily check documents in UTF-8 without having to use a special dictionary. Aspell will also do its best to respect the current locale setting. Other advantages over Ispell include support for using multiple dictionaries at once and intelligently handling personal dictionaries when more than one Aspell process is open at once.
auth_ldap is an LDAP authentication module for the Apache Web server. Auth_ldap has excellent performance, due to its use of aggressive client-side caching algorithms. It also has support for LDAP over SS or TLSL. It also features a mode that lets Microsoft Frontpage clients manage their Web permissions while still using LDAP for authentication.
Bayonne is the telephony server of the GNU project. It offers a script-driven threaded multi-line state event telephony service on GNU/Linux, xBSD, and Microsoft Windows for building voice response systems, and uses telephony plugins for runtime driver configuration. It also features "TGI" for making Perl applications "telephony aware". It may be used to build telephony-based system administration, home automation, automated attendant, v-commerce, and voice messaging systems. | <urn:uuid:aa3618dc-aecd-43cf-856a-a65c6e0dcd0d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://freecode.com/tags/windows?page=3&with=&without=412 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900276 | 560 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Fear of success, when you’re too afraid to take risks and move forward with your goals, is similar to fear of failure. Both fears can hold you back from achieving your dreams and goals.
What causes fear of success? Possible reasons include anxiety of what success will bring, risk-aversion, fear of jeopardizing relationships and dread over added work.
Fearing success may make you feel guilty about your success, especially around less successful people. As a result, you may not want to tell people about your accomplishments. You may avoid or procrastinate on big projects, compromise your goals to avoid conflict and self-sabotage your own efforts. Subconsciously, fearing success may make you feel like you don’t deserve to succeed, rationalizing your accomplishments as underserved good fortune.
Here are several strategies to help you overcome a fear of success:
• Analyze your own fears to help diminish them and make success more achievable.
• Take a realistic look at the consequences of success, which can make the situation much less scary.
• Draft a backup plan that breaks down the consequences of success, such as increased workload, into manageable amounts to help lessen stress and anxiety.
The author of The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale summed it up well: No matter what your circumstances, if you create a mental image of yourself as a supreme success and hold tightly to that image, you will make that image become reality.
— Adapted from “Fear of Success: Overcoming Fear of Change,” MindTools.com.
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PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS : Motherboards
The Labs team delves into the guts of this month’s motherboards, and points out what you need to know to chose the right one for your needs.
The main component of a motherboard that determines the features it supports and its performance is the chipset. Boards with the same chipset may differ in terms of layout, BIOS features and accessories provided, but their performance is typically within a couple of percent of each other (which is virtually negligible in real world terms). For this reason we decided to group the boards by chipset in the reviews to make things easier to digest. As such, instead of presenting results for every motherboard in this Labs, we've given the results by chipset.
We benchmarked boards with SYSmark2002 and 3DMark2001SE Pro to give an indication of day-to-day computing strengths, plus 3D crunching abilities. Although some motherboards came with onboard graphics, we chose to benchmark with GeForce FX 5200 graphics cards with NVIDIA Detonator FX drivers (rev. 44.03).
Each machine had a fresh install of Windows XP Professional (with XP SP1 installed), the BIOS flashed to the latest revision, and the latest drivers installed. Each board was benchmarked with 256MB of Corsair DDR400 and when applicable this was dropped to 256MB of DDR333.
Intel boards were benchmarked with a 3.06GHz Pentium 4, and AMD boards with an Athlon XP 2700+ (2.166GHz). We did have a 3200+ (2.2GHz) in the test Labs, but at the time of testing support for the chip was sketchy, and it didn't run on many of the motherboards we tried, so we chose a processor that would be accepted across all the motherboards. We also tested with Hyper-Threading disabled in the Pentium 4 as some motherboards objected to this too. The lesson is to double check the manufacturer's Website as well as user forums for compatibility advice before you purchase. Most manufacturers will update the BIOS to support new products very soon after release.
Interestingly, the SiS655 chipset proved to be a strong contender, with high scores in both SYSmark2002 and 3DMark2001SE Pro, which is due to its dual-channel memory controller, AGP 8x and 1GHz Northbridge-Southbridge link.
The other SiS chipset, the 648, has been around for a while and is the oldest on review here, but it receives a performance boost from its enhanced memory controller that saw it take on the Intel and VIA chipsets.
An extremely interesting turn-out was the low-ish results for the Intel 875 and 875P chipsets. Although this chipset supports dual-channel memory architecture, and an 800MHz FSB, it was slow in 3DMark2001 SE Pro (with the 875P far outshining the 875 but behind the majority). In day-to-day tasks, 875 proved to be a decent powerhouse.
Intel's 'Granite Bay' e7205 chipset also has dual-channel memory controllers, but in this case it worked well returning high scores particularly in 3DMark2001 SE Pro.
The new Intel 865/865PE Springdale chipset turned out to be the one to watch. Although this chipset did not have the fastest or highest scores, it did return scores that were consistently high. It also allows for a lot of goodies, such as plenty of USB ports, SATA, 800MHz FSB and more. The inclusion of integrated graphics on some mode's is nice, but don't expect blazing results if you use this option.
The same goes for the NVIDIA nForce2 boards. Their onboard graphics performance is pedestrian, but even without this the chipset scored very low in all performance tests compared to the VIA KT400.
The chipset is only a building block for a motherboard, and although it determines what can and cannot be supported, it's up to the manufacturers to build their boards with the options they deem valuable.
The features score (right) for each motherboard is a conglomeration of points awarded for various features and functions. This included points for integrated audio, video and networking, upgradeability (such as PCI slots), RAM support and RAM slots available, frontside bus speeds, USB, FireWire, Ultra ATA speed, RAID, SATA ports included, AGP speed, and much more. All in all we awarded points for over 20 specifications. The chart to the right is a representation of the total feature points awarded to the motherboards.
In the reviews we've rated the motherboards on their quality (including warranty, layout, build quality etc), feature-set, value, which is derived from the quality and features scores with price factored in, and given an overall rating. As performance differences between boards with the same chipset is nominal (a few percent at most), we haven't included a Performance star rating (as all boards in the same chipset would have received the same score). Instead we have opted for a Quality star rating that reflects important factors such as the build quality and the layout of the board.
Regarding the terminology in this Labs, and all the different names out there for DDR-RAM, we've chosen to stick with the MHz rating for clarity's sake, and we're abandoning the bandwidth rating. This means 333MHz DDR RAM will be referred to as DDR333 instead of PC2700; and 400MHz DDR RAM as as DDR400, not PC3200. This also means we're not necessarily acknowledging the ratification issues surrounding memory standards. Always check with your motherboard manufacturer's site for RAM compliance before making a DDR RAM purchase.
Our thanks go to Achieva Technology (www.achieva.com.au) for lending us the testbench components.
Browse this article:
This Group Test appeared in the July, 2003 issue of PC & Tech Authority Magazine | <urn:uuid:fae5199d-6e27-404d-a761-480cfe51ac5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pcauthority.com.au/(S(tgobyy55fuhxqpvfjefki445))/GroupTest/19314,performance-analysis-motherboards.aspx | 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 | 0.956285 | 1,221 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Cognitive playfulness, Creative Capacity and Generation 'C' Learners
This paper draws on an ongoing doctoral study of student engagement with
new digital media technologies in a formal schooling environment to demonstrate the importance of playfulness as a learning disposition. The study shows that cognitive playfulness mobilises productive engagement with learning innovations in the context of a traditional learning culture. Specifically, the paper discusses findings that emerge from a quantitative study into the level of student engagement with, and usage of, one chool's digital innovation in the form of a new Student Media Centre (SMC). The study analysed how different student learning dispositions influence the extent to which students engage with new digital technologies in the context of their otherwise traditional schooling. What emerges from the study is the interesting finding that cognitive playfulness, defined as 'the learner's dexterity and agility in terms of intellectual curiosity and imagination/creativity', is a key factor in predicting students' valuing of the opportunities that Web 2.0 open-source digital learning affords. In presenting an empirical validation of this finding, the paper contributes new knowledge to the problematic relationship between student-led digitally-enhanced learning and formal academic schooling.
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Repository Staff Only: item control page | <urn:uuid:476facba-befa-4a7e-9d44-aa5600fbf9ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://eprints.qut.edu.au/14986/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905479 | 401 | 2.15625 | 2 |
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Ostrich: A New Chinese Restaurant Food
Summer Volume: 1999 Issue: 6(2) page(s): 21
Called desert bird, camel bird, or tou niao, this food may be new to Chinese cuisine, but not to many Chinese menus. It is in use in Northwestern Chinese restaurants and in the homes of savvy health conscious Chinese everywhere. Savvy they must be knowing that four ounces of this bird is almost all protein (29 grams), but one hundred twenty calories, and with almost no fat. There is also very little cholesterol in a portion of ostrich (about four grams).
Dubbed 'a healthy red meat' because it is almost totally fat-free, the Chinese already know that though a bird, it is a fine substitute for beef, if handled properly. And, they often substitue it for beef in their recipes. As to its handling, what that means is very simple, just do not overcook it. New Chinese cookbooks from Taiwan already know that; they are touting its use. Some cook it Shanghai style, a bit longer than the Cantonese might, in a red sauce with a mite of sugar and half teaspoon of black vinegar.
Those who want to use ground ostrich in place of ground pork need to know that without a teaspoon or two of oil mixed in, preferably sesame oil for its flavor, the finished product can be a little tough. Though ground ostrich needs added fat, red cooked meat dishes are the perfect place for this big bird.
Should you have trouble finding ostrich, try your telephone book under meat or butchers, or contact Fossil Farms in Paramus, New Jersey asking them to advise about a local supplier. They can be reached at (201) 261-9000.
One last thought, ostrich meat has less fat and cholesterol than beef, and a very fine taste. Do try it!
|Ostrich in Sa Cha Sauce|
1/2 pound ostrich meat, cut into thin strips
4 teaspoons sesame oil
5 drops chili oil
2 Tablespoons sa cha sauce
1/2 teaspoon black vinegar
2 cups vegetables, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked for fifteen minutes, stems discarded
1 scallion, minced
1. Mix meat, sesame and chili oils, the sa cha
sauce, and the vinegar.
2. Heat wok and fry meat mixture for half to one minute, it should still be very pink, then remove it from the wok and set aside. Do not overcook it.
3. In the oil remaining in the wok, fry the vegetables until cooked through but still crisp,
remove from the wok and set aside.
4. Fry the mushroom in the wok until they have bled all their water, then add the vegetables and the mushrooms and stir fry for one minute until well blended. Stir in the meat and most of the scallion and fry for one minute. Put the rest of the scallions on top and serve.
1 pound ostrich meat
1 teaspoon cornstarch or waterchestnut flour
1 teaspoon corn oil
10 cloves garlic, smashed with side of a cleaver
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons black vinegar
10 bay leaves
2 Tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 cup thin soy sauce
3 Tablespoons cornstarch (optional)
1. Cut meat into one inch cubes and dust with the cornstarch.
2. Heat oil and fry the garlic for one minute, then add sugar, stock, vinegar, and the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, skim the surface, and simmer uncovered for an hour.
3. Add the wine and soy sauce and simmer another half hour. It is optional to thicken the sauce mixing cornstarch with an equal amount of water and boiling it for half a minute or until clear. Then serve. | <urn:uuid:6ffe217c-cff8-4d4e-8568-cdd947dd0e34> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=186 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920703 | 821 | 1.75 | 2 |
I have a theory that the world is a place of light and the dark only exists to remind us of what an abundantly beautiful world we live in. Like a game of peek-a-boo teaches babies about the idea of permanence; disease, death, sickness, trial and tribulation exist to make us stop and take stock of what we have and who we love.
We get accustomed to the light and therefore it looks a little dimmer. It’s why we have night, so we can recognize morning.
This is some heady stuff for children to absorb so we present these fables in fairy tales, giving them the taste of the grim in fantasy so they aren’t overwhelmed in reality.
The truth is many of us “adults” don’t really appreciate the darkness and how it snaps us out of our funk and back to the fantastic. Sometimes I think it’s like we want to teach our children that there are no bad things out there and shelter them for as long as we can.
I’ll put my hand up and say: “Guilty!”
I want everything in my daughters lives to be bright and so when I bought the book Singing Away the Dark by Caroline Woodward and illustrated by Julie Morstad (ISBN: 9781897476413, Simply Read Books, 2010) as an intriguing and indie published book, I didn’t dream of reading it to my kids.
I didn’t want to read them a story about a little girl walking ALONE miles in the snow and dark to get to school! I mean HELLOOOOOO! She’s six!
What about child abductors and hidden snow banks that would swallow unsuspecting little children whole? What about those teenagers with bangs that cover their eyes, clad in baggy clothes and black eyeliner that steal their parents Peach Schnapps and drink it unceremoniously in the woods until dawn where they run into a little girl on the way to school?
Yes, I am the same writer who said that I truly believe the world is good and bright and beautiful but I am a mother now and I do unfortunately watch the news, so I am a teeny bit paranoid about my OWN girls!
But the beautiful thing about my theory is that it works. I read this book, to my children, and my two-year-old absolutely adored it (my 2-month-old didn’t really comment)!
She loved the simplicity of the story and the spookiness of the shadows in the woods. I feel like she could feel the biting crispness of a winter’s morning and the magic of singing your fears away. Miss Mouse loved the rhyming text and the spooky silhouettes.
I love that this story is a memory (and that it involves no Amber alerts, ruffians or unruly teenagers) and that the little girl is able to find a positive way to face her fears and I adore that.
Singing Away the Dark was inspired by Woodward’s own first years of going to school, walking the mile from her home to where she would catch the bus. I can’t imagine attending a two-room school in as she did not do nor can I envision having to move into a dormitory to complete high school. I’m sure she’s thankful she did as that’s where her writing career began, writing a weekly column for the Alaska Highway News.
Since then Woodward has lived many lives in one as author of fiction for adults and children, a poet, a mother, a former bookseller, world traveller, publisher and a lighthouse assistant (and this is just some of her accomplishments).
Learn more about her from her website, you will be as amazed as I was!
Morstad’s darling illustrations keep the writer delightfully in the past with their old-time charms and simple lines. I love the two round circles on the cheeks and the watercolour images. I really want to purchase one of her gorgeous prints “How to Make a Kite” from her shop off her website.
This burst of light would brighten any bookshelf and save you the trouble of making up your own “I walked a mile to school in the snow….” stories! | <urn:uuid:71273c58-47a0-47af-928e-458e303a9db1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wordofmousebooks.com/?p=2431 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960933 | 895 | 1.75 | 2 |
GDNet supports southern researchers to contribute and debate ideas in development thinking, policy and practice.
GDNet Research Communication: Presentation skills training for Awards and Medals Finalists
Budapest, Hungary 14-15 June, 2012
It is increasingly not enough for scholars to be methodologically thorough and to produce robust and objective research. To be effective, they need also to be proficient communicators who can engage policymakers and the media in their results and its implications for wider development debates. It is in this context that a special two-day GDNet Research Communication Training will be held on June 14-15 in Budapest, Hungary, prior to the GDN 13th Annual Conference. The training is designed in partnership with CommsConsult, for the Awards and Medals finalists with the aim to strengthen their capacity in identifying the key messages of their research and tailoring it for a range of different audiences, and presenting it in an engaging style to other scholars and the judging committee at the conference. Therefore, the climax of the training sessions will be the presentation of each finalist's research; participants will have the opportunity to apply the learned skills during the workshop and work to improve their presentations in preparation for the Awards and Medals Competition.
The training will showcase inspiration speakers and work with participants to develop principles of effective communication in the written and spoken word. It will use video-critique and peer review methods to improve the styles and build the confidence of participants to present their work in different forums, including at the Conference Ceremony later in the week. The training will also explore some of the social media tools to help researchers make their research travel to a broader audience.
The Global Development Awards and Medals Competition is the largest annual international competition for research on development. Through this Competition, launched in 2000 with the support of the Government of Japan, GDN seeks to unearth new talent and recognize innovative ideas. Nearly 6,500 researchers and development practitioners representing more than 100 countries throughout the developing world have participated to date. Over $2 million has been distributed in prizes and travel to finalists and winners. In 2009 alone, the Competition attracted 486 applications.
In the past GDN has supported multi-disciplinary research on a range of issues including global health concerns and domestic responses; pro-poor market reform; changes in global trade; industrial development and long-term growth; governance and development; interest groups and civil society; conflict and human security; the role of institutions for development in the context of globalization; international migration; regional integration; globalization, regulation and development. Finalists and winners are selected through a rigorous process of three selection panels comprising of subject experts and advisors. | <urn:uuid:22649b82-397d-4945-a7d0-14e29c47322f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cloud1.gdnet.org/cms.php?id=gdnet_research_communication_workshop | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942217 | 533 | 1.578125 | 2 |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The Spindle Tree found in hedges and copses is a smooth-leaved shrub. It is about 6 feet high, with a smooth ash-colored bark, and has small dark purple flowers and leaves that are purple-tinged at the serrated edges. Wahoo bark, as it is called commercially, is the dried root-bark of this species.
Hardy aquatic perennial with hollow branching stems 1-2 feet long. Creeping or floating stems bear fleshy, shiny, heart-shaped leaves. Leaves are dark green to brownish green or bronze. Clusters of small white flowers appear at tips of stems. Blooms: Early summer to mid-autumn
Native to tropical Africa, its vines grow prostrate, with branched tendrils, deeply cut leaves, and light yellow flowers borne singly in the axil of a leaf. Large melons with green-and-yellow striped rinds follow the flowers.
Deciduous tree up to 130 feet, with a rounded, spreading crown and smooth, grayish bark. Oblong leaves with 3-7 lobes per side are followed by acorns. Catkin-like flowers bloom from April to May.
Eastern white pine is an evergreen tree bearing 4-8 inch narrow cones. The tree is the largest conifer in the Northeast and can reach up to 100 feet in height.
Soft wooded, deciduous tree with flowers shaped like catkins. Leaves are generally broad and undivided. Small seed capsules with seeds surrounded by white cottony hair. Height: 90 feet or more.
Deciduous tree up to 75 feet, with tiny, petal-less flowers in dense cylindrical catkins. It has alternate, undivided, narrow leaves, and produces small capsules with downy seeds. Blooms: Mid-spring
Shrub or small tree in leaf all year. It has reddish to dark brown branches with sharply toothed leaves. Cherries ripen from October to February.
Annual, herbaceous plant with green or reddish stems and white juice. The leaves can vary between entire and lanceolate to pinnately lobed and toothed, and flowers are pale yellow. Blooms: Early summer to early fall. Height: Up to 10 feet.
A deciduous, perennial vine, climbing to 20 feet. Heart-shaped alternate leaves, hairy on the under surface, are borne singly along the slender stem.
Creeping perennial evergreen producing round red berries from late summer-winter. Height: 4 inches. Blooms: White blossoms in July
A small deciduous tree growing to 15 feet with coarsely toothed, broadly oval leaves. Its single root sends up several twisting stems that fork into many flexible, hairy branches. Witch hazel blooms long after most other flowers have disappeared, depending on location, from September to December.
Softly textured bush with rosettes of stiff, hairy, pointed leaves. Spikes of pink or white flowers bloom July-August. Height: 2-3 feet; width: 2 feet
Perennial ground cover, it has small, funnel-shaped white flowers in loose cymes. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate, in whorls of 6-8 around the stem. Fruit: 1/2 inch long, ribbed, and bristly. Height: 8 inches.
Perennial with feathery gray-green leaves, long stalked, and oval, that produce an acid odor. Flowers are small, round, greenish-yellow florets, followed by simple seeds. Height: up to 2 and a half feet. Blooms: July-August. | <urn:uuid:b8db7223-5cbd-4c61-8b04-98003ffb26f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hannasherbshop.com/index.php/learn/glossary/W | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9427 | 795 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Background: Parents are believed to play a pivotal role in their children’s health-related behaviors, including physical activity (PA). It is currently unclear, however, at what developmental period parental socialization has the strongest influence on child and/or adolescent PA levels. The purpose of this study was to take a developmental approach to examine parental influence on children’s PA levels over time. Methods: Parents (N = 70; 68 mothers) completed a questionnaire assessing PA habits, amount of time they engage in PA with their child, and reasons for their child’s PA participation at baseline (during child’s preschool years) and at follow-up, which occurred from 1 to 9 years later. Results: The results indicate that the relationship between parents’ and children’s physical activity patterns and parents’ reasons for their children’s participation in organized physical activity change over time. Parents also reported spending approximately 60 min per week engaged in physical activity together with their children at baseline compared with 40 min at follow-up. Conclusions: These findings help to extend previous research examining parental influences on children’s physical activity participation. | <urn:uuid:8bf9d81f-87c1-4b3b-a2de-17e08e573e9c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://journals.humankinetics.com/jpah-back-issues/JPAHVolume7Issue1January/ChangeinParentalInfluenceonChildrensPhysicalActivityOverTime | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959165 | 234 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Xiahe Travel Guide, Gansu
Xiahe is a tiny, bustling town nestles in a mountain valley at an elevation of 2,900m in Ganan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest Gansu.
The town was divided into two sections, primarily Hui (Muslim) and Han Chinese at its eastern end, changing abruptly to a Tibetan town as you climb westward to the gorgeous gilded roofs of the vast Labrang Monastery. Bent and walnut-visaged Tibetan pilgrims make you welcome on the 3km circuit around the monastery's perimeter.
It is not just the amazing sights of the Labrang Monastery and the Sangke Grassland that will enamour you with Xiahe, but also the vibrant atmosphere. The locals and nomads in the village live a laid-back lifestyle. The population here is made up of 45% Tibetan, 45% Han and 10% Hui, making this a good place to behold monks in bright purple, yellow and red, nomads clad in sheepskins, and the Hui Muslims with skull caps and wispy beards. The town is also a thoroughfare for inbound pilgrims from Qinghai and Tibet.
For backpackers, Xiahe is the traffic hub either northwards to Gansu or southwards to Sichuan.
>> Map of Xiahe
Highlights: Labrang Monastery / Sangke Grassland
Best time to go: Summer
How long: 2~3days
Getting there and away
There is no railway lines anywhere close to Xiahe or the neighboring area. The only viable mode of transport to/from this Tibetan town is by bus.
From Lanzhou: a few direct buses run to Xiahe daily, departing 6:30~7:30 and 14:00. But if there is only a few passengers, the driver may "sell" you at Linxia to the Linxia-Xiahe buses when stopping for lunch.
If you missed the direct bus, you can take a Lanzhou-Linxia bus from either the east or south bus station in Lanzhou. From Linxia, buses to Xiahe departing every 40 minutes between 6:30 and 4:30pm, 3hrs.
For those from Sichuan Zoige, you will need to come via Hezuo. Catch the 6:20am bus from Zoige to Hezuo, via Langmusi. Buses to Xiahe from Hezuo (2.5hrs) depart frequently before 4pm. There is also a direc bus from Langmusi to Xiahe.
Leaving - The daily bus leaving Xiahe for Lanzhou departs in early morning. You can also go to Linxia,there are 2~3 buses per hour to Lanzhou between 6:30am and 4pm, about the same timetable for buses to Hezuo.
Xiahe is also a starting point for travelers heading for Qinghai. One daily bus leaves for Tongren (5hrs). However, due to poor road conditions, do not count too much on the punctuality of the bus, which is sometimes even cancelled. If you plan to go southward to Sichuan province, you can first take the morning bus to Hezuo and then change.
3-wheel motor-cab or bike. Bike renting service available at most tourist restaurants and hotels. The main Monastery Restaurant and the rental shop opposite offer the lowest rate at Y2/hour or Y10/day. For any additional travel-related information, head to the Youyi Hotel, who have travel services.
Labrang Monastery - Built in 1709 by a monk from the nearby village of Ganjia, who became the first Living Buddha of the monastery.
Situated at the foot of the Phoenix Mountain, 1.5km west of the Xiahe bus station, along the main road in town. In terms of size it is second only to the Potala Palace in Lhasa and it is so called by the Tibetan "Labrang", meaning the "place where the Buddhist Palace stands".
The place remained in relative peace until the 1920s when the Muslims and Tibetans had numerous battles in and around this region, turf wars that were both bloody and prolonged. Again in the Cultural Revolution, the region was in chaos. Many of the over 4,000 monks "disappeared", the monastery was temporarily shut down, and was not reopened until 1980.
Nowadays there are around 2,000 monks, mainly from Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Inner Mongolia. The present head monk, 3rd in religious importance behind the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, is the sixth incarnation of the Jiemuyang.
The monastery consists of 18 resplendent halls, 6 prestigious Buddhist institutes and about 500 bedrooms for both the living Buddhas and ordinary monks. In total the monastery holds over 60,000 Tibetan sutras and thousands of rare Buddhist relics, including a statue of the most famous Tibetan king, Songtsen gampo.
The Labrang Monastery holds seven large-scale summon ceremonies a year, among which the Summons Ceremony in the first lunar month and the Buddhist Doctrine Explaining Ritual in the seventh lunar month are the grandest ones.
Admission Fee: Y 41
>> Map of Labrang Monastery
Sangke Grasslands - Lying about 14km west of Xiahe,it enjoys a good reputation in the northwest Tibetan region for its excellent pasture and frequent magnificent Buddhist ceremonies. Belonging to the meadow steppe and bordered by the Daxia River, Sangke Grassland is at an elevation of 3000m with an area of 70sqkm.
The grassland is named for the summer-blooming Sangke flowers that form a natural carpet extending to the far horizons. Reflecting sky and mountains, the Daxia River twists through grass and earth like an undulating silk belt. Countless sheep, yaks and tents are visible over the prairie.
Visitors can travel by bicycle or on horseback. It is possible to stay overnight with a local family or to rent a tent and experience Tibetan food such as yak-butter tea, stuffed steamed buns, mutton, and Zanba (a traditional Tibetan staple food of roasted highland barley flour).
How to get there: the grasslands can be reached by either bus, motor-cab or bicycle.
Within Xiahe there is a large selection of hotels in both the east the west sections of the town. The west section is certainly more convenient for sights, more interesting and cheaper, so unless most of the hostels here are fully booked, we recommend you stay in the west part, around Y15/bed.
- Tara Guesthouse (Zhuoma Lvshe)- on an alley to the left a little down the road, the owner fluent in English can organise trips to the Grasslands, rooms with warmed beds(Kangs)and hot showers.
- Labrang Monastery Guesthouse (Labuleng si zhaodaisuo)- run by monks. No showers, barely equipped rooms, and an 11pm curfew, however it is convenient and maybe a little more in fitting with the town's atmosphere.
- Labrang Hotel (Labuleng Binguan)- cross a bridge over the gurgling Daxia River that seems to mark the western end of the town and carry along the road for around 300-400m. This is a nice place with a good mix of room types. Tibetan style rooms in a courtyard to the right of reception are probably the nicest, although the triples are brighter lit. Prices range from Y15/dorm in low season to Y350 for Tibetan tents in high season.
In the Chinese Quarter, there are some pricey but clean hotels. The Friendship Hotel (Youyi binguan), a little west from the bus station on the left, is the best of the lot, with ordinary doubles for around Y15. | <urn:uuid:925076ef-c88f-4c45-aca8-bd602d8696b0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chinatrekking.com/destinations/gansu/xiahe | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00068-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932868 | 1,656 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Mitt Romney repeated Thomas Paine's oft-quoted aphorism, "lead, follow, or get out of the way," in his victory speech last night -- but he wasn't actually quoting Thomas Paine, who never wrote or said those words.
The quote is widely attributed to Paine online, but searching through his works revealed that the quote doesn't appear in any of them. Fred Shapiro, editor of the authoritative Yale Book of Quotations published by Yale University Press, told BuzzFeed that "the notion that Thomas Paine said this is extremely ridiculous."
"The diction and tone of 'lead, follow, or get out of the way' are, of course, far too modern to have been said by Thomas Paine," Shapiro said.
A similar form of the quote -- "push, pull, or get out of the way" -- can be traced to a proverb dating back to 1909, according to Shapiro, who is the author of a forthcoming book on notable misquotes. And there is a newspaper mention of the quote from 1961, but it's from the governor of Ohio. According to Paine biographer Craig Nelson, Paine "never said it. George Patton did." (You can also find the quote attributed to Patton on the Internet).
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Paine of Misquotation
Previous posts have dealt with misquotations involving Alexis de Tocqueville, Martin Luther King, and Abraham Lincoln The news brings yet another misquotation, this time with Mitt Romney doing the deed to Thomas Paine. Buzzfeed reports: | <urn:uuid:e148f47d-a33c-4277-a629-1c5bbe177646> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bessettepitney.net/2012/02/paine-of-misquotation.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963064 | 327 | 2.109375 | 2 |
SATURDAY, March 10 (HealthDay News) -- Letting pollen drift in through open windows and using the wrong air filter can contribute to allergy flare-ups in spring, experts say.
Some 35 million Americans suffer from sneezing, sniffling, stuffiness and itchy eyes due to spring allergies, according to experts from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
"People with spring allergies often don't realize how many things can aggravate their allergy symptoms, so they just muddle along and hope for an early end to the season," said Dr. Myron Zitt, former ACAAI president, in a college news release. "But there's no reason to suffer. A few simple adjustments in habits and treatment can make springtime much more enjoyable."
Allergists recommend allergy-sufferers keep their house and car windows closed so pollen can't drift in from outdoors. They also recommend making sure to use the right air filter. Inexpensive central-furnace or air-conditioning filters and ionic electrostatic room cleaners aren't helpful, the allergists said. Ionic electrostatic air filters release ions that can irritate allergies. And whole-house filtration systems can only be effective if the filters are changed regularly.
The experts also note that some people with seasonal allergies, particularly to grass or birch trees, may also suffer from allergies to closely related fruits, vegetables and nuts. About one in five people with grass allergies and as many as 70 percent of people with birch allergies have these cross-reactions, known as pollen food allergy syndrome.
People with allergies to birch or alder trees may experience tingling, itching and swelling around the mouth when they eat celery, cherries or apples. People with grass allergies sometimes find tomatoes, potatoes or peaches problematic.
Although often not serious, reactions to these foods can be life- threatening in a small percentage of people. A life-threatening allergic reaction is called anaphylactic shock, and high-risk people should carry a portable epinephrine pen.
Allergists also encourage people to take their medicine even before their symptoms flare, and to see an allergist who can suggest the best course of treatment.
The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology provides more information on seasonal allergies.
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Record temperatures produce early pollen season
THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The unusually warm spring weather in New York and other parts of the eastern United States has trees and other plants blooming much earlier than normal, which could mean a long and intense allergy season.... | <urn:uuid:7dd27132-477a-4f56-872f-2c4622d8330e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://italian.wunderground.com/DisplayHealthDay.asp?id=662188 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954306 | 553 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Creation, alteration and validation of highways.
Town highways; petition to lay, alter or discontinue.
Highways abutted by state park lands; discontinuance or relocation.
Restrictions on condemning for town highways.
When supervisor disqualified; vacancies.
Notice of meeting; service and publication.
Proceedings after notice.
Order; survey; award; recording; presumptions.
Damages; agreement, award.
Considerations affecting damages.
Highways on and across town lines.
Highways on and across town and municipal boundaries.
Highways and bridges on state boundaries.
Land excluded from highway.
Highway from shut-off land through adjoining town.
Highway to islands in Mississippi River.
Shut-off school buildings; how laid.
Appeal from highway order.
Determination final for a year unless appealed.
Removal of fences from highway; notice.
Appeal from award of damages by owner.
Taxpayer may appeal; service of notice.
Selection of jury; penalty for refusal to serve.
Proceedings before jury; costs.
Appeal costs; jurors' fees.
Highway damages; when payable, referendum to town meeting.
Unclaimed awards; mortgage and lien interest.
Discontinuance of highways; reversion of title.
Highway papers, where filed.
Highway orders; presumptions; limitation of actions.
Lost records; how restored; effect.
Changing streets into highways.
County board power to lay, alter and discontinue town highways.
Control of highways laid by county.
Discontinuing ways to waters.
Rights of abutting owners.
Highways and streets to cemeteries and fairgrounds.
Widening of highways; establishment of excess widths.
Creation, alteration and validation of highways. 80.01(1)(1)
In this section, "recorded highway" means a highway for which the order laying out the highway, or a certified copy of the order, has been filed in the office of the clerk of the town or the county in which the highway is situated.
(1m) Validation of highways.
Any recorded highway that has been laid out by the town supervisors, the county board or by a committee of the board, or by commissioners appointed by the legislature, or by any other authority, any portion of which has been opened and worked for 3 years is a legal highway to the extent that it has been opened and worked. Any laid out highway that has not been fully and sufficiently described or recorded or for which the records have been lost or destroyed is presumed to be 66 feet wide.
(2) Unrecorded highways validated, exception; grants for highway purposes, presumptive width. 80.01(2)(a)(a)
Except as provided in pars. (b)
, any unrecorded highway that has been worked as a public highway for 10 years or more is a public highway and is presumed to be 66 feet wide.
No road or bridge built upon the bottoms and sloughs of the Mississippi River by citizens or a municipality of any other state shall become a legal highway or a charge upon the town in which the road is located unless upon petition the highway is legally laid out by the town supervisors.
No lands granted for highway purposes that did not become a legal highway prior to July 1, 1913, shall become a legal highway unless the grant is accepted by the town board or by the town meeting of the town wherein the lands and proposed highway are located, and until a resolution of acceptance of the grant is recorded in the office of the town clerk.
(3) Beautification and protection.
No lands abutting on any highway, and acquired or held for highway purposes, shall be deemed discontinued for such purpose so long as they abut on any highway. All lands acquired for highway purposes after June 23, 1931 may be used for any purpose that the public authorities in control of such highway shall deem to conduce to the public use and enjoyment thereof. Such authorities may improve such lands by suitable planting, to prevent the erosion of the soil or to beautify the highway. The right to protect and to plant vegetation in any highway laid out prior to said date may be acquired in any manner that lands may be acquired for highway purposes. It shall be unlawful for any person to injure any tree or shrub, or cut or trim any vegetation, or make any excavation in any highway laid out after said date or where the right to protect vegetation has been acquired, without the consent of the highway authorities and under their direction but such authorities shall remove, cut or trim or consent to the removing, cutting or removal of any tree, shrub or vegetation in order to provide safety to users of the highway.
(4) Highways, streets and alleys, piers, plats, curative provisions.
Every street, highway and alley, pier and slip, dedicated or attempted and intended to be dedicated in any plat or laid out, altered, vacated or discontinued, or attempted or intended to be laid out, altered, vacated or discontinued by the authorities of any county, town, city or village shall be held to have been lawfully so dedicated, laid out, altered, vacated or discontinued from and after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the deed, instrument, plat, order, resolution or other final proceeding had or taken to effectuate such purpose. No defect, omission or informality in the execution of any plat or deed of dedication or in any proceedings, order or resolution on the part of such authorities for the purposes aforesaid shall affect or invalidate such plat, deed, order or resolution or proceeding, after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the plat, deed, proceeding, order or resolution; provided, the street or alley laid out, or altered by such defective, or informal plat, deed, proceeding, order or resolution, shall be limited in length to the portion actually worked and used thereunder.
(5) Effect of reservation or exception in conveyance.
Whenever a deed, land contract or mortgage of lands abutting on an existing public street, highway or alley or a projected extension thereof hereafter executed and recorded contains language reserving or excepting certain lands for street, highway or alley purposes, such reservation or exception shall constitute a dedication for such purpose to the public body having jurisdiction over such highway, street, alley or projected extension thereof, unless the language of such reservation or exception plainly indicates an intent to create a private way. Such dedication may be accepted by resolution of the governing body having jurisdiction over such street, highway, alley or projected extension thereof.
History: 1999 a. 97
When a governmental unit shows public use of a road for 20 years or public maintenance for 10 years, a landowner claiming that the road is private has the burden of proving permissive use. Ruchti v. Monroe, 83 Wis. 2d 551
, 266 N.W.2d 309
Municipalities may incur liability under sub. (3) for failure to trim vegetation obstructing the view at an intersection. Walker v. Bignell, 100 Wis. 2d 256
, 301 N.W.2d 447
When a highway was established by user, the existence of ancient fences within 2 rods of either side of the center of the highway was sufficient to rebut the sub. (2) presumption that the highway was 4 rods in width. Threlfall v. Town of Muscoda, 190 Wis. 2d 121
, 527 N.W.2d 367
(Ct. App. 1994). | <urn:uuid:88aab3ef-e086-4afe-a991-419ba112a752> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2001/statutes/statutes/80 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931034 | 1,578 | 1.875 | 2 |
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Chemistry is known as the central science because just about everything that we can touch and feel is made of chemicals. The many applications of chemistry to our lives have created a broad range of opportunities for employment. With a B.A., B.S., or M.S. degree in Chemistry, a student may find a research or technical position in the petroleum, chemical or food processing industries. B.A. and B.S. graduates with degrees in chemistry or biochemistry are also employed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. In addition, graduates of chemistry or biochemistry work in sales and plant development, quality control, customer relations, and many other aspects of modern business. Combining the bachelor’s degree in chemistry or biochemistry with a higher degree can lead to many unique and rewarding careers. The B.S. degree in biochemistry is particularly useful for those planning advance training in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or optometry. The B.A. in Chemistry and B.A. Biochemistry degrees with the Option in Chemistry Education prepare students for entry into a single subject teaching credential program in chemistry. The B.S. and M.S. programs provide excellent preparation for the Ph.D. degree for the student who wants to make research and/or university teaching in chemistry or biochemistry a primary occupation. Chemical research is at the heart of progress that is made in the development of pharmaceuticals, agriculture, nutrition, the environment, and our understanding of nature.
In general, the outlook is bright for anyone who wishes to study chemistry or biochemistry.
Chemistry & Biochemistry
North Science 431
College of Science
Phone: (510) 885-3452
Office Hours: 9–5, M–Th
- Novella Carpenter, urban farmer and writer, to speak at CSUEB May 28
- Concert honoring longtime CSUEB professor set May 23
- CSUEB continuing education launches new master’s in accountancy for Fall 2013
- Cal State East Bay MBA students earn first place in international collegiate business competition
- Entrepreneur, philanthropist Kumar Malavalli to be presented Honorary Doctorate by Cal State East Bay | <urn:uuid:80374ae9-55ab-484b-84b2-daac097715ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www20.csueastbay.edu/csci/departments/chemistry/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923612 | 453 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Subject: News/Asia: Child trafficking on rise due to weak laws, lax ...
From: Melanie Orhant (email@example.com)
Date: Tue Mar 28 2000 - 08:53:06 EST
Child trafficking on rise due to weak laws, lax ...
OTC 3-9-00 8:42 AM
BANGKOK, March 9 (Kyodo) -- By: Tim Johnson Child trafficking in South and
Southeast Asia is rising due to lax enforcement and the inadequacy of laws
established to fight it, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said
"The increased number of projects and governments involved in combating
child trafficking has not stemmed the tide of children who fall prey to
traffickers," said an ILO report released at a three-day international
conference on child labor that began Wednesday in Jakarta.
"In fact, accounts in many South and Southeast Asian nations show the
problem is growing," it said.
In South Asia, the report said, children are being trafficked for
forced or bonded labor, as well as for camel jockeying, forced marriages
and even the sale of organs.
Sexual exploitation is also rife, with recent research suggesting there
are about 200,000 Bangladeshi children in the brothels of Pakistan and
another 300,000 in the brothels of India, where there are also tens of
thousands of Nepalese children working in the commercial sex business.
In Southeast Asia, most trafficking victims are forced into
prostitution, though others are trafficked for bonded labor, domestic
work, forced marriages, adoptions, and more recently to work for begging
gangs in Thailand, a phenomenon also seen in Vietnam.
The report said an influx of pedophile tourists has increased the
demand for child prostitutes in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos
It said the age of child prostitutes is dropping, in part due to the
misconception that young children will not carry or transmit HIV/AIDS.
Moreover, many men believe that having sex with young girls will
improve their virility or perhaps even cure a sexually transmitted disease
or make them more successful in business. Child prostitutes as young as
five are thus in high demand, the report said.
While all South or Southeast Asian countries have laws relating to the
trafficking of children, those laws are generally incomplete and
ineffective when it comes to implementation, the report said. With the
possible exception of Thailand's laws, none meet international standards,
For example, several countries do not define children as under the age
of 18, the guideline set in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Nepal defines children as below age 16, while in Pakistan there is no
single clear definition of a child.
In Cambodia, legal provisions relating to trafficking are so unclear,
and judicial processes so cumbersome and time-consuming, that many
offenders escape prosecution. In Bangladesh, alleged perpetrators walk
free because overwhelmed courts cannot prosecute them within the statute
Another problem the report cites is that child victims of trafficking
are often treated first as illegal aliens and second -- if at all -- as
victims of crime.
In Pakistan, a girl who has been sexually assaulted can be jailed,
whipped or even stoned for what others charge is adultery and premarital
sex, which are criminal offenses there, while police often arrest victims
of trafficking rather than the traffickers.
In Thailand and Cambodia, children trafficked from other countries are
generally detained as violators of immigration laws and are deported.
The report said that in much of the region, corrupt officials, police
or military are involved in child trafficking and prostitution, with some
owning brothels themselves or protecting those that they personally
Recruiters also form networks with law enforcement officials in order
to get protection.
On the bright side, however, the report said governments throughout the
region have been revising their trafficking laws, with Nepal and India
considering new bills on trafficking, and Laos examining how to bring
relevant legislation in line with international standards.
Some countries have increased penalties for child trafficking. In
Bangladesh, the offense now carries a penalty of life imprisonment or
death, while in Sri Lanka and Thailand the maximum penalty has been raised
to 20 years.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a22 : Tue Mar 28 2000 - 08:53:56 EST | <urn:uuid:89e26530-a0dd-4512-a04f-9b9a8f4b1e92> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/stop-traffic/1999/0744.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939068 | 930 | 1.851563 | 2 |
"The Israelis, who are one of the few peoples whose survival is genuinely threatened, are probably more likely than almost any other country to actually use their nuclear weapons," Henry Kissinger, who served as President Richard Nixon's national security adviser, warned in a July 19, 1969 memorandum.Ok, let's round up. Israel has nuclear weapons and may have even stolen stuff for those weapons from America. America wants to find out if this is so, so it wants to inspect Israel's facilities. It could force Israel to allow an inspection by withholding Phantom jets but this would cause "enormous political pressure." Who from? It's that non-existent Israel lobby again.
The U.S. National Archives on Wednesday released documents from the Nixon Presidential Library, according to the Times report. By law, classified documents are to be reviewed for possible release after 25 years.
The memoranda reveal the dilemmas with which the administration wrestled vis-a-vis Israel's nuclear weapons program, long considered to be a sore point in the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Moreover, it showed concern on the part of Kissinger that Israel may have systematically stolen material from the U.S. for its nuclear development.
"This is one program on which the Israelis have persistently deceived us," Kissinger wrote, "and may even have stolen from us."
"There is circumstantial evidence that some fissionable material available for Israel's weapons development was illegally obtained from the United States about 1965," Kissinger wrote, dismissing inspections as a possible solution since, "we could never cover all conceivable Israeli hiding places."
Kissinger even suggested possibly withholding the sale of Phantom fighter jets to Israel as a way of compelling Jerusalem to yield on the nuclear issue, the Times said.
"Israel will not take us seriously on the nuclear issue unless they believe we are prepared to withhold something they very much need," Kissinger wrote.
"On the other hand, if we withhold the Phantoms and they make this fact public in the United States, enormous political pressure will be mounted on us," the former national security adviser wrote. "We will be in an indefensible position if we cannot state why we are withholding the planes. Yet if we explain our position publicly, we will be the ones to make Israel's possession of nuclear weapons public with all the international consequences this entails."
Of course this will be grist to the mill of those who support, without question, Mearsheimer and Walt's Israel lobby thesis. I prefer Finkesltein's take myself. | <urn:uuid:b80bc191-8f5e-409e-b2a7-527060eeeb10> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://jewssansfrontieres.blogspot.com/2007/11/israel-most-likely-to-use-nuclear.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956918 | 517 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Romanian charged with hacking NASA systems
- By Kathleen Hickey
- Nov 18, 2011
NASA’s computer systems seem to be a playground for hackers, particularly Romanians.
In the most recent case, the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism announced Nov. 15 that it had arrested Robert Butyka, 26, in Cluj-Napoca, a city in Western Romania, for hacking into NASA’s servers and causing $500,000 in damage.
A DIICOT spokesperson said Butkya, who goes by the name “Iceman,” is unemployed and does not have a higher education, Network World reported.
Butkya is charged with hacking into several NASA servers, destroying and restricting access to protected data, starting Dec. 12, 2010. Charges include unauthorized access, severely disrupting a computer system, modifying, damaging and restricting access to data without authorization and possessing hacking programs.
Authorities seized several computers at his home during a raid, reported Network World.
NASA has been a repeated hacker target and Butkya is not the first Romanian to break into NASA’s computer systems. Earlier this year another Romanian hacker, who goes by the name TinKode, broke into NASA’s Goddard Center, GCN reported.
In 2006, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted Victor Faur for hacking 150 government computers, including systems at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center, reported GCN in December of that year.
Butkya will be tried in Romania, which has no extradition treaty.
Meanwhile, the United States has been trying for nearly a decade to extradite British hacker Gary McKinnon, who in 2001 and 2002 allegedly broke into 97 military and NASA computers. | <urn:uuid:9bc83b0b-0436-4dde-86a9-df64010a6867> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gcn.com/articles/2011/11/18/nasa-hack-romanian-arrested.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939627 | 361 | 1.59375 | 2 |
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Celebrating Gloria Wolbach & Random Acts of Kindness
Everyone Has a Story…One Gift can Change Everything are words used by the Heartland United Way in our 2012 campaign and is a mantra that AOK Lady Gloria Wolbach has lived by. With Act of Kindness month upon us I'd like to pay tribute to this amazing woman, who happens to be the AOK Ladies Founder.
Gloria has always had a passion for helping people even when life wasn’t always the easiest for her. Gloria has had her share of heartache in losing loved ones very dear to her and surviving breast cancer. During these tough times she became the grateful recipient of kind gestures.
After moving to the Grand Island community in 1978, Grand Island became a very lucky recipient of Gloria Wolbach’s passion to spread kindness and to help people in need. As quoted by a friend many years ago, “Gloria is someone who understands when people hurt and when her community is in need, and she never hesitates to do something about it.” And do something she did time after time…opportunity after opportunity…to spread kindness and to make a difference.
Gloria organized and developed the AOK Ladies, an outgrowth of her quest to reach everyone in the community with random acts of kindness. Under Gloria’s leadership, fifty three ladies in the community began performing acts of kindness (treating crossing guards with warm drinks and cookies, plugging expired parking meters, provided valentine cards for students who couldn’t afford to buy them, paying cab fare, their first act of kindness was a sit down tea party, complete with silver trays, to children in the afterschool program at Wasmer Elementary School. As Gloria once stated “what we can and will do is promote kindness for our neighbors and community. These acts become like a chain link fence, entwined and strengthened with each act of kindness. Gloria encouraged everyone to pass on the act of kindness so the chain is not broken. With an endowed AOK Ladies Fund, it pleases Gloria to think that years from now AOK Ladies will be strengthening ties and improving the community.
In addition to the AOK ladies, Gloria is a devoted supporter and volunteer for many charitable organizations in our community some of which include Stuhr Museum, Central Nebraska Goodwill, Heartland United Way, Grand Island Community Foundation, Red Cross, St Stephen’s Episcopal Church and many more.
Gloria was named the Grand Island Independent Woman of the Year in 1999, Heartland United Way’s Citizen of the Year in 1998 and the YWCA Woman of Distinction in 2005.
It is my honor and privilege to recognize and thank this woman who truly is one of the kindest woman I know.
Karen Rathke, President & CPO
Heartland United Way | <urn:uuid:d60affbd-f2ee-4209-8a67-98dd1b8555c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.heartlandunitedway.org/blog-entry/10-10-2012/celebrating-gloria-wolbach-random-acts-kindness | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954686 | 601 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Comments are due today on an FAA draft letter of interpretation released April 3 on the meaning of the term “known icing conditions.” At press time, 82 comments had been filed, mainly by individuals.
In an unusual policy step, the FAA sought comments last month on a draft letter of interpretation regarding the meaning of the term “known icing conditions,” used–but undefined–in the FARs.
An FAA draft letter of interpretation seeks public comment by May 3 on the meaning of the term “known icing conditions,” used–but undefined–in the FARs.
Every few years, a debate erupts about whether the phenomenon of ice bridging is real or something questionable that pilots discuss while hangar flying or warning of the dangers of flying in icing conditions. The issue recently resurfaced at an NTSB public meeting about the icing-related crash of a Cessna Citation 560 in Pueblo, Colo., on Feb. 16, 2005.
Cessna Citation 550, Fort Yukon, Alaska, Sept. 30, 2005–The NTSB has concluded that the University of North Dakota icing research jet accident was caused by the pilot’s improper use of anti-icing equipment during cruise, which resulted in ice ingestion into both engines and the complete loss of power. Factors were the icing conditions, inadequate crew resource management and failure to use a checklist.
Cessna 550 Citation II, Ft. Yukon, Alaska, Sept. 30, 2005–The captain, copilot and two research scientists were not seriously injured when Citation N77ND made an off-airport, gear-up emergency landing after both engines quit simultaneously. The University of North Dakota flight was doing icing research in IFR conditions when the accident occurred.
The NTSB concluded that the forced landing of a University of North Dakota Citation 550 research jet on Sept. 30, 2005, in Fort Yukon, Alaska, was caused by the pilot’s “improper use of anti-icing,” which resulted in ice ingestion into both engines and the complete loss of power. No one was seriously injured.
Comments are due March 5 on an FAA proposal to require a low-airspeed awareness system on Cessna 208 and 208B Caravans. The installation will cancel the prohibition against operating the turboprop single in moderate or worse icing conditions.
A Danish flight-test engineer has developed a camera nose mount for the EC 120 that, he says, is stronger and lighter than the only current alternative. It can also pan 135 degrees to either side of the nose without obstructing the shot with the skids.
Morten Bang, whose day job is with the Royal Danish Air Force Air Material Command at Zeeland, north of Copenhagen, said that Eurocopter approved his device earlier this year.
Operators of all U.S.-registered Challenger 600s, 601s and 604s and Canadair Regional Jets, which are derived from the business jet, must incorporate flight manual revisions to ensure that before takeoff the “wing leading edge and upper wing surface are completely free of ice, frost, snow or slush,” under a new AD. The FAA directive (AD 2005-04-07) followed an identical AD from Transport Canada. | <urn:uuid:b82825b9-059a-4e87-87ab-ae925b712a87> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ainonline.com/social-tags/ice?page=3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949975 | 670 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Posted at 07:39 on 17 December, 2012 UTC
The Fiji Red Cross says Tropical Cyclone Evan is different from previous storms because of the way it is affecting the whole of Fiji.
The cyclone is moving southwest at about 18 kilometres per hour, with winds of up to 270 kilometres per hour at its centre, which is just off the west coast of Viti Levu.
Almost 4,000 people are in evacuation centres in the northern division, where weather conditions are now easing and the authorities are preparing to carry out an assessment of the damage.
The Red Cross’s director general Filipe Nainoca says it has five supply centres there and seven in the west but supplies will run low in the short term.
“Because of the extent of the reach of the cyclone but we’re hoping to be able to reach the most vulnerable families as quickly as possible and with what we have and then work backwards from there.”
Filipe Nainoca says Fiji has always had good support from its neighbours and from Australia and New Zealand.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
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Fiji's PM hands chairmanship of MSG to FLNKS movement.
New MSG chairman says West Papua bid must be handled carefully.
14 people in Papua arrested for attack on police headquarters.
PNG's chief secretary to government is being sued for defamation. | <urn:uuid:0e28a1d4-5d10-44d6-b71a-36c0718f1bce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=72923 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958125 | 293 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Jala & Sutra Neti Instructions
Drying the nose properly is a very important part of the practice. Never neglect to do this part properly. People with high blood pressure should be careful of this part. If dizziness results when draining the nose, drying should only be done standing upright.
The second stage of Jala Neti is actually called Vyutkrama Kapalbhati, or sinus bellowing. It’s a more advanced and powerful practice, hence one should first master the simpler version of Stage 1. This stage of Neti should be supervised by a teacher on your first few attempts. Whilst the water is running through from one nostril to the other, it is gently sniffed backwards and spat out of the mouth. Although not dangerous. one should not swallow any water when sniffing backwards. When doing Vyutkrama Kapalbhati, first one potful of water is done as per the Stage 1 version, and then a second potful is done in this more advanced way. In this case, it is not necessary to dry the nose fully between Stages 1 and 2. Extra care must be taken to dry the nose properly after Stage 2, as more water floods the nasal passages and may cause irritation for some time if not completely dried out. Vyutkrama Kapalbhati Neti works more on clearing out the posterior sinus passages which Stage 1 does not reach and is even more effective than Stage 1 for post nasal drip, sinusitis, snoring, chronic catarrh, thyroid imbalances, coughs and throat problems.
Stage 2 (b)
Inhale the water through each nostril separately than spat out of the mouth Than do both simultaneously
Do not swallow, Dry the nose completely to avoid infection!!!
The third stage or method is a little more difficult and advanced again. This is called Sheetkrama Kapalbhati. Here the warm salty water is taken in through the mouth and snorted out the nose. This is quite tricky at first and may be a little uncomfortable in the beginning. The benefits are similar yet stronger than the other forms of Neti. It is done after a potful of Stages 1 & 2. Again care must be taken to dry the nasal passages properly, and again, this stage of Neti should be supervised by a teacher on the first few attempts.
Dugdha Neti - Neti with Milk
Using milk in the Neti pot, pre-warmed to body temperature, is suitable for those who may suffer chronic nose bleeds or those who initially find intense irritation from the use of salty water. Milk Neti can be done in instances where airborne chemicals or particles have already stripped and/or irritated the nasal lining, for example after sanding plaster or fibreglass. It is best done after a normal pot of warm salty water of Stages 1 and 2. The milk does not need to flow through from one side to the other for half a pot as in the water methods. It only fills the ingoing nostril and is then withdrawn. Once from each side is sufficient. Milk Neti should not be done without qualified advice for your specific problem, and even then, it should not be done excessively.
Sutra Neti - Nasal Cleansing Using a Cord
This is a very effective method of keeping the nasal passages open to their fullest capacity. Sutra Neti is performed by passing a cord made of cotton threads or a rubber catheter into the nose through one nostril and then out via the mouth. The cord is gently pulled to and fro for some time, removed and then threaded through the other nostril and out the mouth again. With practise, the cord can be passed in one nostril and out the other nostril. Sutra Neti can be of great benefit, and is highly recommended, for those who may have been trying Jala Neti for a while and who find that most times the same one nostril is more blocked than the other. They may have some kind of fleshy obstruction such as cartilage obstructing the nasal passages. Short of a medical operation, Sutra Neti is a viable alternative for removing such blockages. Firstly one should try to succeed with the 3 forms of Jala Neti using water, and if this fails to clear blockages, a proper medical examination should be made of the nose, and the cause of structural blockage ascertained. Sutra Neti should then be learned under the guidance of an experienced teacher.
Before and after usage it is advisable to rinse the string in warm water (or in specialized cases medicated oils). Then place straight to dry. In case of deviated septum. polyps, or other diseases of the nose consult your physician or yoga therapist.
The string is slowly, gently, and with conscious feeling (non-mechanically) inserted along the nasal cavity floor without any pain. The nasal cavity is like a long cave which narrows at the roof and is widest at the floor, thus keep the string pointed toward the back of the throat, slightly downward, and slightly medial (inward) so that it will smoothly slide thru the widest passageway toward the inside back opening of the nose. The goal being that it pass through the valve (swollen lip) at the root of the nose into the upper back of the throat where it can be grabbed by the index and middle fingers of the opposite hand (forming a tong-like appendage) and then pulled through after a gentle massage by pulling back and forth on the string a few times (as long as it is comfortable and invigorating).
Under no circumstances should pain be experienced during the insertion. If pain occurs, it is a sign of going too fast, the string has become pointed in the wrong direction, and/or is caught up against the nasal wall, or some other obstruction exists. In this case back off the pressure immediately and twist the string in one direction or the other until a clear unobstructed passage through the cave is found. Soon the misty and mysterious dark cave will become a bright and clear one.
It is helpful to smoothe and straighten the tip of the string while maintaining a slightly downward orientation of the tip throughout the insertion, so that when the tip goes under the medial bottom lip of the nasal-pharyngeal valve at the entrance to the throat, it points downward toward the mouth. It is not necessary to grab the string with the fingers and pull it back and forth through the nose. 99% of the benefit is obtained by simply passing the string up to and through this nasal-throat valve while gently massaging the nasal membranes which reflex back to the powerful group of nerves which serve in common the entire cranium. Inserting the fingers to grab the end of the string or even the end of the string itself touching the back of the throat can trigger a gag reflex with some. Going slowly and breathing consciously and fully helps. The entire procedure can take less than ten seconds after a little practice.
Some people can perform this cleansing activity (kriya) completely on the very first try, while others may take up to a month or longer. At first allow 5 minutes or more with a good supply of tissues handy, if a copious mucous flow is activated. Take your time, very slowly and gently easing the string forward, enjoying its' cleansing effects, and always breathing deeply. It is normal to feel tickled and to sneeze much at first and to eliminate copious mucous from the sinus so have handkerchiefs or tissues handy. As the mucous membranes, nerves, glands, organs, and tissues of the nose, throat, ears, eyes, sinuses, and cranium become tonified, stimulated, invigorated, and purified the body's reaction becomes less dramatic.
Sutra Neti is one of the most powerful and beneficial, yet one of the most simple, of the Hatha Yoga shat karmas. It is best performed soon after rising in conjunction with the rest of the morning cleansing activities.
For a more detailed information read Jala Neti Booklet.pdf
|Copyright @ 2003-2007 The Yoga-Age.com All rights reserved.| | <urn:uuid:6b2efc1c-2753-4c3c-9f06-c222e21fdb5e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.yoga-age.com/asanas/neti.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941802 | 1,694 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Jan. 28, 2013 New research from the University of British Columbia is shedding light on why enticing pictures of food affect us less when we're full.
"We've known that insulin plays a role in telling us we're satiated after eating, but the mechanism by which this happens is unclear," says Stephanie Borgland, an assistant professor in UBC's Dept. of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the study's senior author.
In the new study published online this week in Nature Neuroscience, Borgland and colleagues found that insulin -- prompted by a sweetened, high-fat meal -- affects the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain, which is responsible for reward-seeking behaviour. When insulin was applied to the VTA in mice, they no longer gravitated towards environments where food had been offered.
"Insulin dulls the synapses in this region of the brain and decreases our interest in seeking out food," says Borgland, "which in turn causes us to pay less attention to food-related cues."
"There has been a lot of discussion around the environmental factors of the obesity epidemic," Borgland adds, pointing to fast food advertising bans in Quebec, Norway, the U.K., Greece and Sweden. "This study helps explain why pictures or other cues of food affect us less when we're satiated -- and may help inform strategies to reduce environmental triggers of overeating."
The VTA has also been shown to be associated with addictive behaviours, including illicit drug use. Borgland says better understanding of the mechanism in this region of the brain could, in the long run, inform diagnosis and treatment.
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
- Gwenaël Labouèbe, Shuai Liu, Carine Dias, Haiyan Zou, Jovi C Y Wong, Subashini Karunakaran, Susanne M Clee, Anthony G Phillips, Benjamin Boutrel, Stephanie L Borgland. Insulin induces long-term depression of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons via endocannabinoids. Nature Neuroscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3321
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead. | <urn:uuid:19c49983-a073-4388-a2dc-b12ee00b1d52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130128143014.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923676 | 459 | 2.8125 | 3 |
App Store celebrates 25,000,000,000 Downloads
On July 10th 2008 Apple introduced the App Store, which allows You to download Games and mobile Tools to make Your life easier.
“Apps” revolutionized our Lives! Finding Your favorite restaurant, playing Games, watching Live-TV, listening to Your Favorite Radio Station or checking out the latest News has never been easier. With Your Mobile Phone.
Nearly 4 Years after the App Store was launched more than 25,000,000,000 Apps have been downloaded from All over the World.
The Impact can be felt, seen and heard. Life has become easier, smarter and more exciting. Let's face it 10 Years ago, Life wasn't that “App”etizing . Today You take a Photo or Video, write something about it and then submit it to iReport.com.
We would like to thank Apple for making Our Lives easier and less complicated.
R.I.P. Steve Jobs
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. | <urn:uuid:0e7eb343-962f-463a-9c4c-f3d01e4b9651> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.groundreport.com/US/App-Store-celebrates-25-000-000-000-Downloads/2944622 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908216 | 216 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Rheumatologists Update Assessments for Adult Pain
More than 250 Patient Outcomes Measures Published in a Single-Source Reference
Keywords for this release: pain, disability, osteoarthritis, rheumatology, rheumatologist
Assessment of patient outcomes allows physicians and researchers to measure the success or failure of diagnostics and treatments that patients receive. One set of measurement tools focuses on assessing adult pain and is included in a special issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), providing physicians and researchers with a single resource of 250 patient outcomes measurements in rheumatology.
The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that more than 150 rheumatic or musculoskeletal diseases can contribute to pain and disability in adults. Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful, autoimmune disease which causes inflammation in the joints and is estimated to affect up to 1% of the global population. Osteoarthritis is caused by failed repair of injury from various joint stresses, resulting in total joint breakdown. Osteoarthritis—which causes pain, stiffness and reduced movement of affected joints, such as knees, hips, fingers and lower spine, leading to disability—affects close to 10% of men and 18% of women over age 60, worldwide, according to WHO reports.
“Pain is the most significant complaint of patients with rheumatic conditions. Thus, assessment of pain, including its intensity, frequency and impact on the patient’s physical function, sleep, mood and overall quality of life is integral to good care,” explains Dr. Gillian Hawker, a rheumatologist and clinical epidemiologist at the University of Toronto in Canada. “Our overview of available pain questionnaires provides both clinicians and researchers with a quick reference for comparing and selecting the most appropriate assessment tool for their purpose.” Details regarding questionnaire content, ease of use, and measurement properties are included in the review of each questionnaire.
The authors present a review of generic uni- and multi-dimensional pain assessment tools including the Visual Analog Scale, Numeric Rating Scale, Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire, Chronic Pain Grade Scale, Short Form-36 Bodily Pain Scale, and the Measure of Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain. The latter is a relatively new osteoarthritis-specific pain questionnaire designed to evaluate pain patterns and impact that is distinct from the impact of pain on physical function. A discussion of the strengths and weakness of each questionnaire is also provided.
Along with Dr. Hawker’s review of “Measures in Adult Pain,” assessment tools to measure patient outcomes in areas such as sleep, fatigue, physical function, and depression are also available in this special issue. Dr. Patricia Katz with the University of California and Guest Editor of the Arthritis Care & Research special issue, “Patient Outcomes in Rheumatology, 2011” said, “In this issue, we update and expand the number of patient outcomes measures originally published in 2003 to include more than 250 measures—twice as many as previously covered. This single-source reference provides rheumatologists and researchers with a valuable, up-to-date resource for evaluating current patient assessment tools.”
Full citation: “Measures of Adult Pain.” Gillian A. Hawker, Samra Mian, Tetyana Kendzerska and Melissa French. Arthritis Care and Research; Published Online: November 7, 2011 (DOI: 10.1002/acr.20543). http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/acr.20543.
Previous | Index | Next | <urn:uuid:e9deac03-1c51-49ec-862c-001c69615fa7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rheumatology.org/about/newsroom/2011/2011_01_35.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00072-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909526 | 770 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Another day, another headline about TV remaining the “dominant viewing medium, as if anyone in their right mind would argue otherwise.
Those in the business of TV, of course, love to build up and destroy “death of TV” straw man arguments. Most recently, TVB – the TV-based market group for stations – argued that the impact of Internet video on traditional TV has been negligible, with Internet viewing representing only 1.5% of all TV viewing.
While one may argue that these numbers may underestimate the impact of online viewing, the general thesis is true. Consumers will tell you plain out that, when push comes to shove, they would rather watch video on their televisions as opposed to a pad, PC, or mobile phone.
As with most straw man arguments, the advocate distracts the listener from the real issues by building up a flawed but similar position that can be easily torched. In this case, the more complicated issue has little to do with whether TV viewing – live or recorded – has declined in general, and everything to do with how TV viewing habits have themselves changed with the introduction of new content sources. In other words, viewing video on the TV will indeed remain dominant; the question is whether this conduit will be filled by broadcast and PayTV channels or by some other source, and how these habits vary by age.
To measure these shifts, TDG last year introduced its ‘First Glance’ metric, which measures the order in which broadband-enabled consumers turn to various TV sources, be it live TV, recorded TV, online TV sources, etc. In other words, when those with multiple TV content sources first sit down to watch TV, to which source do they turn first, second, third, etc.? This provides a much more insightful snapshot of TV viewing behavior and points to emerging trends long before companies like TVB or Nielsen will openly acknowledge them.
Generally, our latest ‘First Glance’ data suggests that live TV continues to dominate; it is the first choice of 66% of broadband-enabled consumers. However, when age is factored in, only half of 18-34s turn first to live TV broadcasts, compared with more than three-fourths of those 45 or older. When it comes to viewing of DVR-recorded TV broadcasts, they are the first choice for around 20% of 25-44s (what TDG calls “the DVR generations”) but only 13% of 18-24s.
So how do net-to-TV sources like Netflix fit into this equation? Close to 20% of 18-34s first turn their TVs to such outlets, compared with 10% of 35-44s and only 3% of those 45 and older. Despite the fact they are still viewing television – and despite these incessant insider proclamations that “TV remains dominant” – this demonstrates a shift in behavior with which broadcasters are clearly concerned and insiders cannot spin to suit their own purposes. | <urn:uuid:fc9aaacf-963e-4ef7-aaad-97991adbd89a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tdgresearch.com/the-television-will-remain-dominant-though-%E2%80%9Ctv%E2%80%9D-is-showing-signs-of-weakness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954774 | 615 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Microsoft starts '08 by patching 3 bugs
- 09 January, 2008 10:38
Microsoft released just two security updates this week that patch three vulnerabilities in Windows, marking the beginning of the bug year with a relatively slow start, said researchers.
Just one of the three flaws is rated "critical," the highest ranking Microsoft uses, while the other two were tagged as "important" and "moderate," the next two steps in the company's four-stage scoring system.
MS08-001, the update that addresses two bugs in a trio of Windows' TCP/IP protocols, was the obvious pick for immediate deployment. "This is a classic kind of IP attack," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Inc. "All an attacker needs is a well-crafted multicast packet."
Amol Sarwate, manager of Qualys' vulnerability lab, agreed. "An attack doesn't require any user intervention," he said, "such as clicking on a link or opening an attachment. An attack only requires remotely sent packets."
The three vulnerable protocols patched by the update include IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol), MLD (Multicast Listener Discovery) and ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol). The first two are used in over-IP multicasting -- the classic example of that one-to-many technology is a webcast -- while the third, ICMP, is a maintenance protocol that manages more mundane things: network connectivity and routing.
Storms downplayed the threat posed by the bugs patched in MS08-001. "The good news is that many hosts don't have multicast [protocols] enabled, and the firewall blocks [their traffic]. So for any zero-day exploit, default Windows XP and Vista [installations] have already been mitigated." Even so, he recommended that administrators deploy the update as soon as possible.
Sarwate, on the other hand, considered the danger to be more significant. "The protocols can easily be enabled," he said. "Companies may have enabled them on client machines, especially IGMP for group management applications in mixed environments with both Unix and Windows systems."
As reported earlier Tuesday, the MS08-002 bulletin patched a privilege-elevation bug in the LSASS (Local Security Authority Subsystem Service) process within Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003.
Both Storms and Sarwate, however, also remarked on what was not included in Tuesday's batch: a fix for the Web Proxy Autodiscovery (WPAD) bug that Microsoft acknowledged a month ago. The WPAD vulnerability -- actually a flaw in how Windows PCs look up DNS information -- was originally patched in 1999 but resurfaced recently when a researcher pointed out that it had crept back into later versions of the operating system.
"If Microsoft acknowledges an issue, they usually fix it in the next patch cycle," noted Sarwate. "But it's not being addressed. I was sort of hoping it would be fixed in the January releases."
All in all, however, it wasn't a bad way for IT administrators and Windows users to start 2008. In comparison, January 2007 featured four security updates that patched 10 different vulnerabilities. "This is a fairly light load to begin the year," Sarwate said.
"But I think this will be a big year for patches," countered Storms. "Both of these [bulletins] today are well-representing trends. Researchers are looking into the past to see vulnerabilities [they can use] in the future.
"I expect we'll see more [graphics device interface] vulnerabilities in Windows this year, more [Windows Metafile Format] bugs and more file-parsing bugs in 2008," he predicted.
January's patches can be downloaded and installed via the Microsoft Update and Windows Update services, as well as through Windows Server Update Services.
Join the Computerworld Australia group on Linkedin. The group is open to IT Directors, IT Managers, Infrastructure Managers, Network Managers, Security Managers, Communications Managers.
Telstra continues with billion dollar 4G plan
What’s life really like on the NBN? (Part II)
Australia lags Mongolia in Internet speeds
40 years ago, Ethernet's fathers were the startup kids
Windows 8 won't hit critical mass in enterprises, Forrester says | <urn:uuid:9c8fe840-b64a-413c-9dee-39f53a9ac0d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/202872/microsoft_starts_08_by_patching_3_bugs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947047 | 897 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Johns Hopkins on April 3
Vincent Desiderio, widely known as one of the most interesting representational painters working today, will deliver the fifth annual Eugene Leake Visiting Artist's Lecture at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 3, in Room 101 of the F. Ross Jones Building, Mattin Center, on Johns Hopkins University's Homewood campus, 3400 N. Charles St. in Baltimore.
A digital projection lecture, "Aspects of Narrativity: Vincent Desiderio Paintings 1977-2006," will look at the "hidden exchanges" between painters and the work of their predecessors and how narrative emerges through technique in Desiderio's paintings.
The artist's repeated themes and motifs, which often appear in perplexing narratives of great psychological complexity, strike at the intellect and heart: art history (often manifested in piles of books open to paintings), human intimacy, heroic behavior, and perhaps most viscerally, the plight of Desiderio's disabled son, Sam.
In The Rebirth of Painting in the Late 20th Century, critic Donald Kuspit writes: "Desiderio is not just a painter, but what Baudelaire called a poet-painter — a painter who is able to condense into a single hallucinatory work a contradictory variety of emotions and ideas, in a way that makes it clear that painting has a unique power of subliminal, imaginative communication. ...Thus, virtually every one of his paintings shows, somewhere in it — somewhere quite central — an uneasy truce or standoff between the experience of art and the experience of life."
Vincent Desiderio was born in Philadelphia in 1955. He studied at Haverford College and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he now teaches. He has received grants from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and won the Grand Prize at the 30th Annual Show of Contemporary Art in Monte Carlo, Monaco, in 1996, the first American to do so. His works have been acquired for the permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Walker Art Center, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He is represented by the Marlborough Gallery in New York. Desiderio lives and works in New York's Hudson Valley.
The Eugene Leake Visiting Artist's Lecture is sponsored by the Homewood Art Workshops and Homewood Arts Programs. Admission is free and open to the public. For information, call 410-516-6705. To download images of Desiderio's work, visit www.jhu.edu/artwork/desiderio.html.
Go to Headlines@HopkinsHome Page | <urn:uuid:6c4aaf41-8db7-45a7-a68c-ec7692682403> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/news/event06/mar06/vincent.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00075-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942462 | 583 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release September 30, 2009
Opening Remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
on the Adoption of a UNSC Resolution to Combat Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict
September 30, 2009
United Nations Headquarters
New York, New York
SECRETARY CLINTON: The 6,195th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is before the Council in document S/Agenda 6,195, which reads, and I quote: “Women and Peace and Security,” end of quote. Unless I hear any objection, I shall consider the agenda adopted. The agenda is adopted.
I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of 55 countries in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council’s agenda. In accordance with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the consideration without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provision of the Charter and Rule 37 of the Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.
I invite the aforementioned 55 representatives to take the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber. And on behalf of the Council, I wish to acknowledge the presence in the chamber of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Minister Yoda, and the Minister of State for Cooperation and Francophone of France, His Excellency, Mr. Joyandet.
The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2009/489, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United Republic of Tanzania and the United States of America.
I wish to draw the attention of members to document S/2009/362 containing the report of the Secretary General, pursuant to Resolution 1820. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided.
Will those in favor of the draft resolution contained in document S/2009/489 please raise their hand?
(Show of hands.)
The result of the voting is as follows: The draft resolution received 15 votes in favor. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as Resolution 1888 of 2009. Those against? Abstentions? None. (Laughter.)
I shall now have the privilege of making a statement in my capacity as the Secretary of State for the United States, and I am very grateful to speak before the Security Council on this important issue. I want to thank everyone who has worked very hard to reach this point on this resolution, and of course, to have it adopted unanimously, because we’re here to address an issue that has received too little attention, not only in these chambers over the last six decades, but I would suggest in all of our halls of government across the world. It is an important issue that goes to the core of our commitment to ensure the safety of the United Nations member-states and their citizens.
Under the UN Charter, the 15 members of this Council bear primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Now, satisfying that responsibility includes us to protect the lives and physical security of all people, including the women who comprise half the planet’s population. This responsibility is particularly acute in circumstances where peace and stability are challenged. Even though women and children are rarely responsible for initiating armed conflict, they are often war’s most vulnerable and violated victims.
The resolution we passed today represents a step forward in our global efforts to end violence perpetrated against women and children in conflict zones, and it builds on two prior Security Council resolutions: Resolution 1325, which called on all parties in conflicts to respect women’s rights and increase their participation in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction efforts; and Resolution 1820, adopted last year, which affirms the ambitions set out in 1325, and establishes a clear link between maintaining international peace and security, and preventing and responding to sexual violence used as a tactic of war to target civilians. Yet despite these actions by the United Nations Security Council, violence against women and girls in conflict-related situations has not diminished; in fact, in some cases, it has escalated.
Now, reading the headlines, one might think that the use of rape as a tactic of war only happens occasionally, or in a few places, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Sudan. That would be bad enough, but the reality is much worse. We’ve seen rape used as a tactic of war before in Bosnia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. In too many countries and in too many cases, the perpetrators of this violence are not punished, and so this impunity encourages further attacks.
Last month, I traveled to Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where over 1,100 rapes are reported every month. I met with survivors of sexual violence. And the physical and emotional damage to individual women and their families from these attacks cannot be quantified, nor can the toll on their societies.
The dehumanizing nature of sexual violence doesn’t just harm a single individual or a single family or even a single village or a single group. It shreds the fabric that weaves us together as human beings, it endangers families and communities, erodes social and political stability, and undermines economic progress. We need to understand that it holds all of us back. Also, our failure as an international body to respond concretely to this global problem erodes our collective effectiveness. So we must act now to end this crisis not only to protect vulnerable people and promote human security, but to uphold the legitimacy of this body.
Now, the international community has made progress. Many peacekeeping mandates now include Security Council requests for strengthened measures to prevent and respond to sexual violence. In Chad and Sudan, UN peacekeepers have clear instructions underscoring their responsibility to protect local populations against sexual and gender-based violence.
And I recently met with the UN troops in Liberia, who provide an excellent example of the steps a UN mission can take, Mr. Secretary General, both through its own actions and in cooperation with the host government to prevent violence against women and girls. It is also very important that in Liberia, the United Nations mission includes an all-women police unit from India. That all-women police unit has helped to motivate more Liberian women to become police officers, and the mission has launched a joint UN-Liberian campaign against rape.
Now, these steps are essential, but alone they’re not sufficient. So this resolution identifies specific steps that the United Nations and member-states can and should take to improve the UN response to sexual violence committed during situations of armed conflict. It calls on the Secretary General to appoint a special representative to lead, coordinate, and advocate for efforts to end sexual violence. We expect that person to engage at high levels with civilian and military leaders to spearhead the UN’s activities on this front.
It also calls on the Secretary General to rapidly deploy a team of experts to work with governments to strengthen the rule of law, address impunity, and enhance accountability while drawing attention to the full range of legal venues that can be brought into play, including domestic, international, and mixed courts that bring local and international judges and prosecutors together to strengthen local justice systems.
We must also recognize that ending conflicts outright is the most certain path to ending sexual violence in conflict. So pursuing peace and successful post-conflict transitions should be our highest priority. In states where conflict is taking place and those that are moving beyond it, local police must receive better training, the rule of law must be strengthened, and survivors must be ensured full access to justice and protection throughout the judicial process. We envision that this team of experts called for in this resolution will help us strengthen initiatives like those.
Now, beyond the measures outlined in the resolution, the Security Council should take additional steps. Protecting women and children should be a critical priority for all troops who wear the blue helmet. To reflect this, new and renewed peacekeeping mandates should include language condemning sexual violence and giving further guidance to peacekeeping missions to work with local authorities to end it.
We must seek to ensure that our respective military and police forces, especially those who will participate in peacekeeping missions, develop the expertise to prevent and respond to violence against women and children. And this will be helped by increasing the number of women who serve in UN peacekeeping missions. When I visited the mission in Goma, I was very impressed at how integrated it was in every way, from every country, every kind of person represented, and many women in the leadership as well as in the ranks.
And let us not forget that it is often women who lead the call for peace in communities shattered by violence. We have seen women in this role from Liberia to Rwanda to Northern Ireland to Guatemala. Even when they suffer terrible losses in conflicts they had no part in starting, women have the will to reach across divisions, find common ground, and foster understanding. As they seek peace, so must we by making sure they are part of all efforts. So I urge UN member-states to make sure their foreign assistance programs include measures to prevent and respond to violence against women and children, and to ensure that women are included in designing and implementing those programs.
In his speech at the General Assembly last week, President Obama challenged nations of the world to assume responsibility for the challenges confronting us. Certainly, the challenge of sexual violence in conflict cannot and should not be separated from the broader security issues confronting this Council. It is time for all of us to assume our responsibility to go beyond condemning this behavior, to taking concrete steps to end it, to make it socially unacceptable, to recognize it is not cultural; it is criminal. And the more we say that over and over and over again, the more we will change attitudes, create peer pressure, and the conditions for the elimination of this violation.
When I was in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I was told of an old proverb that says “No matter how long the night, the day is sure to come.” Well, I hope our work today and every day going forward will hasten the time when thousands of women around the world will be able to feel comfortable in walking the streets of their cities and villages freely again – to work outside their homes, collect firewood and water without fear, play with their children, spend time with their husbands, enjoy all the blessings of life in freedom, peace, and security. That is our dream for a better future for them and for us, and I thank this body for the strong commitment that this resolution represents. (Applause.)
Thank you so much. I resume now my function as president of the Council. I kind of like being a president, so I – (laughter) – this may go on a little longer than anticipated. (Applause.) And I shall now invite the distinguished Secretary General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon to take the floor.
# # #
This site is managed by U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City and the Bureau of Public Affairs in Washington, DC. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. | <urn:uuid:effbd751-c396-4183-a279-94b901504592> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/2009/september/130054.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951952 | 2,562 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Whether it's real life or pretend, parenting is no laughing matter to Constance Underwood.
The Saginaw High senior arrived for her second-hour American Literature class last month with her new "son" tucked away in his carrier. She had the tot dressed in a velour RocAWear suit, a hand-me-down from her own son.
"Reggie" was the 17-year-old's second child. Though he's made of plastic, she was just as protective of him as her first, flesh-and-blood child.
"Don't curse around my child," she commanded a classmate as she walked down the aisle to her seat.
As Underwood scrawls out an essay in her notebook, her doll's outburst draws the stares and commentary from her classmates.
"That's the reason right there why I use a condom," a male student blurts out.
Underwood is one of at least six students of 34 in Nancy Ziozios' Child Development class who is either already a teen parent or is expecting.
Though Saginaw School District officials don't track the number of student pregnancies, Underwood has seen more of her schoolmates pregnant this fall than in the past.
In 2006, nearly one in four black children in the city of Saginaw and Saginaw County were born to teen parents. The number is one of every 61⁄2 for white parents.
Classmate Keosha Burton is not a mother, and the Saginaw High School junior doesn't plan to join the sorority anytime soon.
The 17-year-old named her doll daughter "Chastity."
"She's a crybaby," Burton said while rolling her eyes. "There are too many responsibilities. It definitely teaches you a lesson."
Baby Think it Over has earned mixed reviews from teen advocates and educators. Almost 20 other mid-Michigan schools have tried the parenting experience in the past two years, 16 of those are in Saginaw County.
"The evaluations have not been all that positive," Albert said.
"Some of the kids seem to think it's harder than having a real child."
Not fun and games
Underwood sits in the living room of her parents' home on Webber Street, watching BET's "Hell Date" with a friend.
Most days when school lets out, she's confined to the house taking care of the child.
Underwood missed the Saginaw High homecoming game this fall because she didn't want to take her son out in the rain.
If things go as planned, she'll also miss out on her prom and graduation. Underwood attended the prom last May, but "it's nothing like your own," she said.
The 17-year-old missed so much class in the spring that she'll have to transfer and take classes at Carrollton OMNI Adult Education to graduate on time.
"Once you stop having fun," Underwood says, "anything is fun."
Parenthood is a leading cause of high school drop out among teen girls, researchers with the Alexandria, Va.-based National Association of State Boards of Education found.
Most teenagers are "not ready for the difficulty and challenges of being a parent," said Bill Albert, spokesman for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
"You're still an adolescent yourself."
Underwood juggled two children for two days and three nights, and scored an near-perfect on a 200-point scale. A fourth of her classmates opted out on the assignment and wrote a paper instead.
Her 6-month-old son, Reyneal, "got a little jealous" of the new arrival. When the doll cried, her son would reach or cry out for attention, Underwood said.
The two shared a sleeping space for two nights. Her son sleeps through the night now; the doll didn't.
The second arrival caught her family by surprise.
"Oh lord," said her stepfather, Ronald Jackson. "That kind of look like Constance, don't it?"
Underwood's mother and stepfather babysit her son during the day while she toted around the Baby Think it Over through school.
"One is something else," Jackson said. "Two ... you can't handle it."
When the staff from the Child Abuse and Neglect Council hands out the dolls, the first thing students often do is change the clothes, Ziozios said.
"It's all about how the baby looks, not the care," Ziozios said.
When handing out grades, Child Abuse and Neglect Council officials are most concerned with potential shaken baby syndrome, a leading cause of death among infants.
Students who frequently shake the Baby Think it Over dolls are recommended for visits with school social workers.
Birthpangs notwithstanding, there is a major difference between three days with a doll and actual parenthood, Ziozios said.
"When you have your own baby," she said, "you can't give it back."
Teen pregnancy decline
Despite progress in reducing teen pregnancy, three in 10 girls in United States end up pregnant before age 20 and the United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the industrialized world.
Sex education courses in the Saginaw School District -- including "Puberty: The Wonder Years" for elementary school students -- focuses on halting the spread of sexually transmitted disease, not preventing pregnancy, said schools spokesman Safiya Mosley.
At each level, parents must sign permission slips for the children to participate, Mosley said.
The programs are abstinence-based, meaning school officials don't dole out condoms, pills or other birth control, said Elsa Overa, director of the district's parent resource center.
A study funded by National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy found abstinence-only efforts appear to have little positive impact.
Researchers sought to debunk what the report called "myths propagated by abstinence-only advocates" including: that comprehensive sex education promotes promiscuity, hastens the initiation of sex or increases its frequency, and sends a confusing message to adolescents.
Such programs improved teens' knowledge about the risks and consequences of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, the chief researcher wrote.
Unlike other teenagers in Saginaw County, students at Saginaw High have access to a health clinic where medical professionals may answer questions about pregnancy and sexuality.
The federally funded health center services hundreds of students per year for various ailments.
Clinic staff can offer diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and prenatal referrals, but cannot hand out birth control.
The Saginaw News could not reach officials with HealthSource Inc. to find out how many pregnant or parenting teens visit the clinic each year.
Unaware of their bodies, reproductive cycles and chances at pregnancy, Saginaw County teen mothers often don't seek out prenatal care in their first tri-mester, said Dawn Shanafelt, community service supervisor with the Saginaw County Department of Public Health.
"If they come up pregnant, it's a shock to them," she said.
The earlier that schools can introduce students to sex education, the better: Classes that teach life skills are just as important as academics, Shanafelt said.
"If you're aiming for prevention you want to reach the kids before" their first experience. When she worked in middle schools, early education "made a huge impact," Shanafelt said.
Changing teen sexual behavior is difficult, Albert said.
"From the dawn of time, young people have wanted to have sex," he said.
A report from his organization indicates that three in 10 sexually active girls aged 15 to 19 experience pregnancy. That number rises to more than half for Hispanics and 40 percent for blacks.
"Trying to scare them tends not to work," Albert said. "We're not saying, 'Don't ever have sex.' Just be careful."
Corey Mitchell covers education for The Saginaw News. You may reach him at 776-9677. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | <urn:uuid:6a12815b-70ac-4d8a-96ec-be0a420d90d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.mlive.com/saginawnews/2007/11/oh_baby_think_it_over.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00052-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966474 | 1,664 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Categories like IaaS or PaaS or SaaS do not accurately represent the suite of comprehensive services of AWS cloud platform that we have developed over the last several years, says Adam Selipsky of AWS[image_library_tag 058/15058, align="left" width="150" height="199" title="Adam Selipsky, vice president, AWS" alt="Adam Selipsky, vice president, AWS" border="0" vspace="7" hspace="7" complete="complete" complete="complete" ,default]BANGALORE, INDIA: Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneer in the cloud computing business which started its operations about 5-and-half year ago. The company, which counts NDTV, redBus and Hungama among its key clients, has customers in over 190 countries across the world.
Adam Selipsky, vice president, AWS recently came to India to participate in a technology conference organized by the NASSCOM in Bangalore, as well as to interact with its clients in the country.
In an exclusive interview with CIOL, Adam talked in length about trends in cloud computing and the company's operations in India.
CIOL: You said that cloud is much more than the conventional terminologies like SaaS, IaaS and PaaS. What do you mean by that?
Adam Selipsky: Categories like IaaS or PaaS or SaaS do not accurately represent the suite of comprehensive services of AWS cloud platform that we have developed over the last several years.
We provide companies of all sizes with infrastructure web services since 2006 enabling them to access a suite of elastic IT infrastructure services as business demands them.
We offer basic technology building blocks as services in categories like storage, computing, databases, deployment and management, content delivery, messaging and monitoring among others. Our customers can choose any combination of services that best meets their needs.
The customer also has the flexibility and choices that they are not locked into a particular operating system, programming language or programming model.
CIOL: What do you think of Indian market in cloud adoption?
Adam: There is fast adoption of AWS cloud in India. Many software developers and start-ups are constantly developing and testing new ideas. AWS enables the talent and businesses to innovate and move faster to accelerate their speed to market.
The early adopters of our offerings are growing fast because we have enabled them to test ideas quickly, innovate fast and reach out to a wider scope of customers across the world to roll out their products or services within a short timeframe. This has definitely given them a competitive edge. Companies in India like redBus, NDTV, Hungama are examples of early adopters of AWS that are growing very successfully and rapidly.
CIOL: At a time when Indian enterprises/SMEs are seriously looking to adopt cloud services to enhance their productivity, what complexities are they going to face? What are the strategies to overcome the concerns?
Adam: Many of the existing applications of most of the IT players weren’t written to take advantage of the cloud. Some of these have dependencies on other internal applications that need to move to the cloud too before they can function correctly.
CIOs have tough jobs and often have several thousand applications they’re responsible for. They very much feel on the hook for the performance and security of these applications. When there are problems, they’re used to walking down the hall or picking up a phone to go after their own people.
Also read: ICT can help SMEs to reach out to large mkts
There’s a certain comfort in knowing that you can take some action if there is a problem, and relinquishing that control and ability to take action is understandably hard.
It is also their fear of the unknown and some large players feed this fear to sell expensive private installations that cost massive amount. Neither keeping this infrastructure in its current status quo nor private installations allow companies to enjoy the most powerful benefits of the cloud.
What most large enterprises are doing now is that they are moving more methodically by picking a diverse set of initial applications to learn and understand how to operate in the cloud before migrating more and more of their applications.
In fact, we see many of these enterprises quickly learn and realize the kind of business advantage and flexibility that the cloud brings and they move fast to build a 12 to 24-month migration plan. AWS is doing this with many enterprises in India and across the world now.
CIOL: What innovations can be brought in to the cloud?
Adam: Even though AWS has been in this business for the last five and the half years, we think it is still day one in the cloud. There are many initiatives and innovations we are working on.
First, we are looking for geographic expansion as we continuously look at how well we are serving our customers from our existing AWS regions.
Moreover, we recently introduced Amazon ElastiCache, a new web service that makes it easy to deploy, operate, and scale an in-memory cache for web applications running in the AWS cloud.
'Lack of enthusiasm bane of Indian SMEs'
Customers can add an in-memory cache to their application architecture in a short span of time. This new service improves the performance of web applications by enabling customers to retrieve information from a fast, managed, in-memory caching system in the cloud, instead of relying on slower disk-based databases.
The service also simplifies and offloads the management, monitoring and operation of in-memory cache environments, enabling businesses to focus their engineering resources on the differentiating parts of their applications.
We have also launched AWS CloudFormation early this year, which gives developers and systems administrators an easy way to create a collection of related AWS resources. It provisions them in an orderly and predictable fashion.
Developers can use AWS CloudFormation’s sample templates or create their own templates to describe the AWS resources, and any associated dependencies or runtime parameters, required to run their application. | <urn:uuid:988d63ba-be96-4932-a3e8-8c32de2fdbea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ciol.com/ciol/news/61338/cloud-prevailing-concepts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00048-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948613 | 1,243 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Inside London’s Secret Crisis-Command Bunker
- 7:00 AM
- Back-door area.
- Broadcast studio.
- Security checkpoint. (Digital removals: faces and names on ID cards.)
- Level 2 entry capsule. (Digital removals: symbols and numbers on piece of paper seen through the capsule; room number on left-hand panel.)
- Changing area.
- Decontamination suite.
- Briefing room.
- Emergency briefing room. (Digital removals: various numbers and words on information panels on door and wall.)
- Ministry of Defence conference room. (Digital removal: A reference on bottom right of projected map.)
- Knowledge Wall, Crisis Control Room.
- Document shredder.
- Broadcast studio. (Digital removals: word on camera base, prior to “asset.")
- Level 2 corridor.
- Medical bay, triage.
- Corridor, Level 2.
- Breathing-apparatus control room.
- Site manager's stores.
- Bunk and operations room.
- Senior bunk room.
- Duty officers' quarters.
- Epaulets, officers' quarters.
- Log book, plant-control room.
Security checkpoint. (Digital removals: faces and names on ID cards.)
Level 2 entry capsule. (Digital removals: symbols and numbers on piece of paper seen through the capsule; room number on left-hand panel.)
Emergency briefing room. (Digital removals: various numbers and words on information panels on door and wall.)
Ministry of Defence conference room. (Digital removal: A reference on bottom right of projected map.)
Knowledge Wall, Crisis Control Room.
Broadcast studio. (Digital removals: word on camera base, prior to “asset.")
Level 2 corridor.
Medical bay, triage.
Corridor, Level 2.
Breathing-apparatus control room.
Site manager's stores.
Bunk and operations room.
Senior bunk room.
Duty officers' quarters.
Epaulets, officers' quarters.
Log book, plant-control room.
If nuclear attack or civil breakdown ever threatens the United Kingdom, the heads of government and the military know where to go. Beneath the streets of London, deeper than the capital’s famous Tube system, exists a hidden bunker on constant standby.
Replete with blast doors, a broadcast studio and a giant screen resembling CNN’s massive touchscreen wall on The Situation Room, this nuclear safe house sits in wait for the end of the world. Welcome to the Ministry of Defence’s Crisis Command Center, subterranean England.
David Moore’s series The Last Things documents a complex to which no other photographer has ever gained access. According to Moore, the ministry’s official line is that the Crisis Command Center “doesn’t exist,” which is the case inasmuch as the policy of the ministry is not to discuss its facilities.
“I told the Ministry of Defence, ‘I am not a journalist, I am an artist,’” Moore said in a Skype interview. “That was very important. They needed to know I wasn’t doing an exposé.” Although Moore was unable to confirm or deny the fact, it is widely speculated that The Last Things documents the Pindar complex constructed beneath Whitehall in the 1990s.
As of today the facility has only been used for less-grandiose purposes as a communication center and to play out war-game scenarios. One gets the impression that it is an ill-timed response to a Cold War mentality, with its actual utility uncertain.
Prior to beginning the work in 2006, Moore enlisted the help of Angela Weight, former Keeper of Art at the Imperial War Museum in London. Together they lobbied ministry officials. “We had a series of meetings, slowly climbing the hierarchy of authority,” said Moore.
Always accompanied by a low-ranking officer, the photographer had a loose agreement about what he could and could not shoot. It was clear when certain doors were to remain locked.
“At a point, I wondered if I was being sold a lie — if I was being shown things that weren’t actually in operation,” he said. As the project progressed, however, his paranoia waned.
To this day, Moore is not certain why he was granted entry’ He was only told by a ministry official that his work “fell within operational guidelines.” By prior agreement, the ministry received several of Moore’s prints for its permanent art collection, which probably sweetened the deal.
Moore has been led to believe no other freelance photographer will ever gain access to the site, though interestingly, the ministry does employ its own in-house photographers, whose photos are presumably for use in internal reports.
Upon completion of the project, Moore and the Ministry of Defence convened for a censorship panel. No images could be — or have been — released without ministry approval.
“I was asked to digitally manipulate some of the images,” said Moore. “Door numbers [were redacted]. We haggled over descriptions and captions.”
As Weight describes in her afterword to The Last Things, “There was to be no compromise [on captions]; any form of linkage or association, such as the word ‘government’ for example, was firmly denied.”
The negotiations became part of Moore’s process. He came to think of these amendments as things added, not taken away: “I dedicate a page in the book to describing the changes I’ve made. I make it obvious.”
The Last Things continues Moore’s portfolio of works on secret and relevant state infrastructure. “My work is not nostalgic,” says Moore. “My photographs are always of live spaces. The crisis command center is not mothballed.” He’s previously taken a forensic view of the Britain’s Houses of Parliament and has since photographed the top-security jail cells for terrorist suspects inside London’s Paddington Green Police Station (disclosure note: author’s blog).
Moore is currently working on access to other classified sites that remain unnamed.
“My work shows hidden spaces,” he said. “I want to use photography as a democratic tool. Looking at state apparatus and panoptic sites, I see my work as an act of visual democracy.”
- – -
The Last Things, with texts by Chris Petit & Angela Weight is published by Dewi Lewis (2008). It is Moore’s third book.
Listen to a podcast of David Moore speaking about The Last Things at Belfast Exposed.
All photos © David Moore. | <urn:uuid:a1895ccf-ac9c-4d54-b0b1-e449a2b16c59> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2011/01/inside-londons-secret-crisis-command-bunker?pid=613 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00069-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930111 | 1,440 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Contrary to what politicians such as Romney, Gary Johnson, Obama, and Chris Christie would say, it's during emergencies when you need liberty the most. (Thanks to "Baldy" Harper for that insight.) Here's an object lesson. New York has a silly law making it illegal to raise prices during an emergency. It's almost beside the point that the law itself is unintelligible.
The effect of the law is to dissuade firms such as gas stations from raising prices during times of scarcity so that those consumers who most urgently need gas, e.g., cardiac surgeons on route to the ER, can get it, while retired persons with no urgent business, but who merely get a warm and fuzzy feeling in the pit of their stomachs from having a full tank, will be encouraged by the price system to wait a few days to indulge their whim.
This theory is being played out in New York City where there are long lines and shortages of gas. Again, the point is, and since Gary Johnson has endorsed FEMA (the horror!), there is no presidential candidate to proclaim this vital principle—it is during disasters, wars, emergencies, and storms that we need liberty the most. Dictatorship does not work except for the dictators. | <urn:uuid:4168ad98-3f3b-4c29-b6f4-12384ad3c580> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/124861.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00049-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974026 | 255 | 1.859375 | 2 |
Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the transition economies of South-East Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Georgia recovered some lost ground in 2011 after two years of stagnant performance. This was driven in large part by cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) deals, UNCTAD’s annual investment survey reports.
The World Investment Report 20121 , subtitled “Towards a New Generation of Investment Policies”, was released today.
While manufacturing FDI increased in South-East Europe, buoyed by competitive production costs and open access to European Union markets, in the CIS incoming investment continued to be focused on natural resources.
FDI inflows remained concentrated in a few economies, with the top five destinations accounting for 87 per cent of investment directed to the region. The Russian Federation saw FDI flows grow by 22 per cent to $53 billion (see figure), the third-highest level ever recorded for the country. Foreign investors were motivated by the continued strong growth of local domestic markets, affordable labour costs and productivity gains, the report says. Foreign investors also continued to be attracted by high returns in energy- and natural-resource-related projects.
The region’s FDI rebound was due mainly to a surge in cross-border M&As, from $4.5 billion in 2010 to $33 billion in 2011, the report says. While deals in energy, mining, oil and gas tend to attract most media attention, one of the liveliest magnets for cross-border M&As was the consumer market in 2011.
The services sector still plays only a small part in inward FDI to the region, but its importance may increase with the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) of the Russian Federation, the World Investment Report 2012 notes. Through accession, the country has committed itself to reducing FDI restrictions in a number of services industries, including banking, insurance, business services, telecommunications and distribution. Accession also may boost foreign investors’ confidence and improve the overall investment environment, the report says.
Developed countries, mainly European Union members, remained the most important source of FDI to the transition region, accounting for the highest share of projects (comprising cross-border M&As and greenfield investments), although projects by investors from developing and transition economies also gained in importance.
FDI outflows from the transition economies, mainly from the Russian Federation, reached an all-time record in 2011, the report reveals. The region’s natural-resource-based transnational corporations, supported by high commodity prices and higher stock market valuations, continued, and will continue to expand their operations in emerging markets rich in natural resources, the study predicts. Other firms from the region also are investing, including Russian banks which help to finance the foreign activities of Russian firms.
Overall, FDI flows to transition economies are expected to continue to grow, reflecting a more investor-friendly environment, WTO accession by the Russian Federation, and new privatization programmes, the report says.
Full Report - http://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/wir2012_embargoed_en.pdf
Overview - http://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/wir2012overview_en.pdf
Figure 1 - Top five recipients and sources of FDI flows in transition economies, 2010 and 2011
(Billions of dollars)
Source: UNCTAD, World Investment Report 2012.
Note: Countries ranked on the basis of the magnitude of 2011 FDI flows. | <urn:uuid:4e42a626-094b-4827-8ab0-6c0f1f88a9b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://unctad.org/en/Pages/PressRelease.aspx?Me=,,ows_EventDate,ascending&OriginalVersionID=84&Sitemap_x0020_Taxonomy=640; | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00053-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945388 | 734 | 1.601563 | 2 |
This week marked the 450th anniversary of the death of Queen Mary I (Mary Tudor), the only legitimate child of King Henry VIII and his his lawful wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon. Fr. Nicholas Scofield has an excellent piece on his blog, Roman Miscellany. One cannot help but imagine what would have happened had Henry VIII not separated from Rome and therefore not created the Church of England (Anglican). Had England remained Catholic either by Henry never divorcing Catherine OR if Mary had heirs from her marriage to Philip and thus preventing Elizabeth I from ever sitting on the throne. If England remained Catholic, would the colonies (USA and Canada) been Catholic? Scotland probably would have remained Catholic.
According to Thomas Woods in his book How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization, the English Reformation threw progress backward by centuries. Prior to Henry's usurping Church property in Britain, the English monks used to gather for their annual and international meetings. There they exchanged ecclesiastical and theological information BUT ALSO scientific, agricultural, economic and other fascinating facts which literally helped create, sustain and enhance Western culture as a CIVILIZATION. Once the monasteries were destroyed, the monks banned and the property confiscated and distributed among the Protestant nobility, the networking ceased and the flow and exchange of ideas halted. An information FREEZE of sorts occurred. The global interpedence of a unified CHRISTENDOM was replaced by a parochial and provincial NATIONALISM whereby each country with its own religion (cuius regio, eius religio ). Had England stayed with the Pope and remained Roman Catholic rather than establish the Anglican Church (Church of England), PROGRESS and technology, according to Woods, would have ushered in the industrial age centuries ahead of when it did finally happen.
Though many ascribe the financial power of the United States to the Protestant work ethic, imagine had the Pilgrims been Catholic or that the colonies were and remained Catholic from their foundation. The same networking which occurred in pre-Reformation England would have been brought to the New World. What if Spain had won the war against England and the Armada had conquered Elizabethan England? A Spanish speaking USA (soon to come?) and a Catholic USA would have replaced an English Protestant America.
Nevertheless, Queen Mary I gets a lot a bad press since her sister succeeded her and resented her staunch Catholicism. Consequently, English history sanitizes the reign of Elizabeth and demonizes the reign of Mary. The persecution of Catholics during and after the so-called glorious Elizabethan era surpassed anything done in the previous reign. | <urn:uuid:ad13bf93-1277-41f4-8a53-77365d4fbf07> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blackbiretta.blogspot.jp/2008/11/god-save-queen.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970084 | 524 | 3.515625 | 4 |
The University of Michigan
Interview with Dana Goldman, who holds the RAND Chair in health economics and is the director of health economics at the RAND Corp. in Santa Monica, California.
|As director of health economics at RAND, Dana Goldman has been at the forefront of helping policymakers better understand the link between medical technology and health costs. Recently, Goldman and his RAND colleagues were recognized in Health Affairs for their work in developing the Future Elderly Model, which can predict medical costs and health status of the elderly in the future. Goldman is also a professor of health services and radiology at UCLA. Goldman's research focus includes labor market effects of health reform, managed care, technology assessment, and pharmaceutical regulation and innovation. Goldman is particularly steeped in understanding the role that|
medical technology and health insurance play in determining medical outcomes. Goldman recently spoke to ERIU about technology's effect on health care costs and access to care. He also highlighted possible considerations for expanding health care coverage to people without health insurance.
Technology seems to be a double-edged sword when we talk about health care costs. Some technology saves money; other technology drives up costs. Does technology in medical care overall drive up health care costs?
GOLDMAN: It sure does. Technology is probably responsible for half of all the increase in health care spending. As we get more sophisticated with the way we diagnose and treat illness, it becomes very expensive because there's a lot that's done. In the past, when you sprained your knee, the doctor would say "Take an aspirin and give me a call in a couple of weeks." Now, the doctor says, "Well, we can get an MRI and I can put you on this latest pain reliever that is a brand name pharmaceutical and then we'll see what happens."
Are there areas in health care where technology saves money?
GOLDMAN: It's hard to find examples of where technology saves money, actually. One area where it probably does is vaccines. And, actually, cholesterol-lowering drugs may actually turn out to save money in the long run. Pharmaceuticals in general can be a good deal.
How is technology really driving up health care costs?
GOLDMAN: The medical device market is an example. One important area now, for instance, is the implantable cardioverter defibrillators, which are devices that will shock your heart if it goes into a life-threatening arrhythmia. Those devices are expensive, as well as stents, which are implanted after a heart attack. A lot of cardiovascular devices raise costs significantly because it is such a common condition. We also keep people alive longer and we kill one disease and then they are going to die of another disease. The fact that health care costs money and improves your health makes it no different than any other consumer good. Apples cost money but they make you happy if you like apples. The real problem, though, here is that when you go to the store and buy apples, you pay for it with your own money. With health care, you are using someone else's money.
Is there sense of what role medical technology plays in people becoming uninsured or the rise of the uninsured rate?
GOLDMAN: What has happened over time is that health insurance premiums have gone up in lockstep with the rise in health care spending. And the result is if you can get good insurance it's kind of like winning the lottery and you have access to all of these great technologies. On the other hand, it also makes that insurance very, very expensive so people are reluctant to buy it. You could think of it this way - suppose the only cars that were available to buy were Mercedes. How many people would be willing to buy a car? Probably not as many people as we have doing so now. Now, it's a better car, just like health care has gone up and gotten better over time, but you really don't have the Yugo option any more.
Why does technology drive up costs?
GOLDMAN: The first reason is because someone else is paying, and that's a really important reason. The second part is that people want their doctors to do everything they can, regardless of costs. The third reason is that the doctors have an incentive to do as much as they can, although HMOs are a notable exception. In many cases, doctors get paid more, the more they do. So you have this scenario: if it adds any therapeutic benefit to the patient, the patient wants it, the doctor wants it, and someone else foots the bill.
The other part of it is just a general observation about technology. When we first develop these technologies, such as implantable defibrillators, there is a population for which we know this is really worth it. So, for people who have life-threatening arrhythmias, of the sort that Vice President Dick Cheney has, the clinical trials are very clear that they can save these people's lives and are actually quite cost-effective. But over time, we find that other people who have other heart problems may benefit. Then, you start saying 'well, maybe everyone should have it.' So, there is kind of a technological imperative that goes on in medicine and that is when the costs go up, expand the population that gets it.
What do health care policymakers need to think about in terms of the costs associated with medical technology?
GOLDMAN: They need to think about how we can offer a reasonable health care plan, without all the bells and whistles. Otherwise, health insurance is going to be so expensive that no one is going to do anything, in this era of large budget deficits. When you are talking about 45 million uninsured, a generous health plan costs probably $7,000 per person. You are talking about hundreds of billions of dollars.
So, you need to ask, is there somewhere we can provide a basic set of services? The answer is, that it's actually very difficult, because it is hard to say, "Well, you are not going to get this, or you're not going to get that." So, they really have to think about possibly tort reform - providing some way a health plan can say, "Look, we are not going to allow access to the latest and greatest. If you get sick and you have something where you want the latest and greatest, it's not going to be covered and you can't sue us for that." There needs to be fundamental reform; tort reforms and work on how we would design better insurance contracts.
How should health care policymakers determine the cost benefit of certain technologies? What should be considered?
GOLDMAN: When computing the benefits, we need to take an expansive view. We need to think about the benefits in terms of patient time, for example. Time they can be back at work and be productive. We also need to think about fewer burdens because they're not having to wait in the doctor's office and having to make more office visits or having to make more health care visits. And, of course, improvements in quality of life as well as mortality. It's not just something that can save your life; it can make your life better.
We also need to think especially about the health care costs and any other costs that might arise as well. For example, if the treatment requires you to get a drug infused eight hours a day every day, there is a cost associated with that beyond paying for that infusion.
What would you suggest to policymakers about crafting incentives to discourage delivery of inefficient high technology health care?
GOLDMAN: I think it should go the other way. I am a little reluctant to say we should start reducing incentives for new technology. You want to increase carrots for cost-saving technology. For instance, if you can demonstrate to the FDA that your new device can actually save money, then the FDA would expedite approval and Medicare would adopt it immediately. Carrots rather than sticks can encourage these cost-saving technologies.
Do you have any final thoughts on technology and the impact on the uninsured?
GOLDMAN: It's not that medical technology is bad, per se. It is very good. The challenge for us is to figure out how to make sure it goes to the patients who most benefit, and that the costs are not passed onto future generations. That's a tricky type of policy question. But, it is one that we are lucky to be asking because it means that our health care system is innovating. It also means that we are going to be excluding some people. I don't think society should be doing that. We need to find ways to make sure that they have at least access to some basic set of services.
Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, ERIU is a five-year program shedding new light on the causes and consequences of lack of coverage, and the crucial role that health insurance plays in shaping the U.S. labor market. | <urn:uuid:8e1fb350-0c5c-4bef-bbc1-4d3ff435fc75> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rwjf-eriu.org/forthemedia/interviews_goldman.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00061-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974378 | 1,831 | 2.484375 | 2 |
This month will bring what is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sky watchers. The last transit of Venus for over 100 years will happen on Tuesday, June 5, that is next week. The transit of Venus is when Venus passes between the Earth and the sun. The photograph you see here is the 2004 transit of Venus seen from Hong Kong.
Some parts of the earth will be able to see Venus transit the Sun next week. If you happen to live in one of the areas where the transit will be visible, you get to see Venus slowly inch across the face of the sun. That is assuming you have the right hardware to see the sun without going blind. Venus will transit Tuesday afternoon for the Western Hemisphere and Wednesday morning for the Eastern Hemisphere.
People in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the northern part of southern America will be able to see the transit beginning before the sun sets. The transit will look like a small black dot inching across the face the sun. Keep in mind that you will need special glasses to be able to view the transit. The next transit of Venus won’t happen until 2117.
[via Washington Post] | <urn:uuid:f20838e0-b5d3-4b36-ab3b-e4a05a46cf0f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.slashgear.com/last-venus-transit-for-over-100-years-happens-on-june-5-01231197/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912603 | 247 | 2.96875 | 3 |
NIAC Celebrates 10th Anniversary: Education and Advocacy for the Iranian-American Community
"I've watched our community mature into a group that is no longer afraid to voice their opinion and make change," said Trita Parsi, NIAC President.
Washington, DC – This
month, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) celebrates
10 years of serving the
Iranian-American community. In May 2002, NIAC opened its doors and thanks to
our members and supporters it has grown to become the largest and
longest-serving Iranian-American grassroots organization in the country. The
organization emerged after the devastating events of September 11, when the
Iranian-American community sought ways to collectively condemn the terrorist acts and
support America at a time when it
was confronted with profound issues of national security, immigration and the character
of American society.
“I’ve watched our community mature into a group that is no longer afraid to voice their opinion and make change,” said Trita Parsi, NIAC President. “Our political system has greatly benefited from our community’s participation, and I hope we can continue to work to ensure our voice is heard in all levels of government.” | <urn:uuid:d065e8f9-4ec2-42c2-8199-ebff908f3490> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.niacouncil.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8217&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1062 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958967 | 259 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Even Stevens . . .
It is not every day that a Supreme Court justice calls his own decisions unwise. But with unusual candor, Justice John Paul Stevens did that last week in a speech in which he explored the gap that sometimes lies between a judge's desire and duty.
John Paul Stevens at an American Bar Association meeting this month in Chicago,
where he was critical of the death penalty. Addressing a bar association meeting in Las Vegas, Justice Stevens dissected several of the recent term's decisions,
including his own majority opinions in two of the term's most prominent cases.
The outcomes were "unwise," he said, but "in each I was convinced that the law
compelled a result that I would have opposed if I were a legislator."
In one, the eminent domain case that became the term's most controversial decision, he said that his majority opinion that upheld the government's "taking" of private homes for a commercial development in New London, Conn., brought about a result "entirely divorced from my judgment concerning the wisdom of the program" that was under constitutional attack.
His own view, Justice Stevens told the Clark County Bar Association, was that "the free play of market forces is more likely to produce acceptable results in the long run than the best-intentioned plans of public officials." But he said that the planned development fit the definition of "public use" that, in his view, the Constitution permitted for the exercise of eminent domain. | <urn:uuid:a211fcfc-e5b3-4df1-a475-4821059854ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kelo-amendment.blogspot.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00064-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978551 | 302 | 1.9375 | 2 |
“Today the United Nations celebrates World Refugee Day,” he said, “to recall attention to the problems of those who have been forced out of their own land and familiar customs, traveling to environments that, often, are profoundly different.”
“Refugees desire to find welcome and to be recognized in their dignity and their fundamental rights,” the Holy Father affirmed.
“At the same time,” he continued, “they intend to offer their contribution to the society that welcomes them.”
Benedict XVI concluded: “Let us pray that, in a just reciprocity, there be a response adequate to such expectations and they show the respect that they have for the identity of the community that receives them.”
Visit Caritas Internationalis for more information on how the Church responds to refugees throughout the world. | <urn:uuid:ff3b00e5-e808-479b-9417-8a19506fd3a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://brianrcorbin.com/category/papal-teachings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00071-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963314 | 179 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Systemic Denial of Global Geoengineering Continues In Spite of the Mountain of Evidence
While the “scientists”, the US military, and numerous other governmental agencies, continue to deny the reality of the massive global geoengineering programs, the enormous machine that runs these ever expanding programs continues to grow in plain sight. Those that are attempting to expose the truth regarding the planetary weather/climate modification aerosol spraying are still marginalized by the state sponsored main stream media which is all to willing to do as it is told by those in power.
In spite of the concerted and powerful effort to hide the reality of the ongoing geoengineering programs, the masses are beginning to awaken to the fact that we are all being subjected to a horrific global experiment. An experiment that is quite literally putting all life on Earth in the balance. An ever growing mountain of evidence already proves beyond doubt that global geoengineering is an absolute reality. Any that do an objective evaluation of the available evidence can come to no other conclusion.
(Though of course they say its not happening yet.)
They tell us nothing is happening yet, in spite of the entire framework for global geoengineering being outlined in the document above. From the agencies involved to the global governance of such “proposed” climate engineering programs, and of course the mention of “possible” consequences. The “cast of characters” named in this document are listed below:
The National Science Foundation
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The US Department of Energy
The Environmental Protection Agency
The US Department of Agriculture
The US Forest Service
The Office of Science and Technology
The US Global Change Research Program
The US Group on Earth Observations
The National Academy of Public Administration
and of course,
The US Department of Defense.
Documents like the one noted above should be examined by all. They should be considered as the enormous red flag that they are. As has so often in history been the case, by the time genocidal crimes are brought to the light of day, the damage is already done. In the case of “stratospheric aerosol geoengineering”, or SAG, this also holds true. Great and unquantifiable damage has been done to the planet, the climate, and all life forms. If these completely insane out of control global spraying programs continue, what will be left? The decimation being caused by the ongoing global atmospheric spraying of toxic metals and chemicals is again, already beyond calculation
It’s up to all of us to help bring this most dire issue to light. Every day the spraying goes on, the atmosphere we depend on for our survival is literally being ripped apart. The land and the waters are being poisoned. Life threatening climate feedback loops, such as the mass methane expulsion now occurring in the Arctic, are being triggered.
Inform yourself on this dire issue, Get tools to help you educate others. Michael Murphy’s “Why In The World Are They Spraying” is one such tool. Make copies and pass them on to others.
For those that doubt this issue is real, ask them to explain documents like the one at the link above. | <urn:uuid:a66c970b-1b14-4611-bb4d-19efd199a88b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zengardner.com/systemic-denial-of-global-geoengineering-continues-in-spite-of-the-mountain-of-evidence/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933456 | 663 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Cache-poisoning attack snares top Brazilian bank
Google Adsense spoofed
One of Brazil's biggest banks has suffered an attack that redirected its customers to fraudulent websites that attempted to steal passwords and install malware, according to an unconfirmed report.
According to this Google translation of an article penned in Portuguese, the redirection of Bradesco was the result of what's known as a cache poisoning attack on Brazilian internet service provider NET Virtua .
DNS cache poisoning attacks exploit weaknesses in the internet's domain name system. ISPs that haven't patched their systems against the vulnerabilities are susceptible to attacks that replace the legitimate IP address of a given website with a fraudulent number. End users who rely on the lookup service are then taken to malicious websites even though they typed the correct domain name into their browser.
"That's pretty serious when you're talking about a banking organization," said Paul Ferguson, a security researcher with anti-virus provider Trend Micro. "If people are trying to log in to their account and they get rejected, they'll try again and again with the same user name and password."
DNS cache poisoning has been around since the mid 1990s, when researchers discovered that DNS resolvers could be flooded with spoofed IP addresses for sensitive websites. The servers store the incorrect information for hours or days at a time, so the attack has the potential to send large numbers of end users to fraudulent websites that install malware or masquerade as a bank or other trusted destination and steal sensitive account information.
In 1998, Eugene E. Kashpureff admitted to federal US authorities that on two occasions the previous year he used cache poisoning to divert traffic intended for InterNIC to AlterNIC, a competing domain name registration site that he owned.
Makers of DNS software were largely able to prevent the attacks by adding pseudo-random transaction ID numbers to lookup requests that must be included in any responses. Then, last year, IOActive researcher Dan Kaminsky revealed a new way to poison DNS caches , touching off a mad scramble by the world's ISPs to fix the vulnerability before it was exploited.
The article from Globo.com cited a Bradesco representative who said that about 1 percent of the bank's customers were affected by the attack. It went on to suggest that customers who were paying attention would have noticed Bradesco's secure sockets layer certificate generated an error when they were redirected to the fraudulent login page.
It's still not clear exactly how the caches were tainted. Representatives for the ISP and the bank hadn't responded to requests for comment at time of publication. ®
This story was updated to spell the name of the bank that was attacked. | <urn:uuid:8e0d5c67-911a-4d6c-a650-f943f67329ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/22/bandesco_cache_poisoning_attack/print.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957441 | 546 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Getting Important Veg in the Plot Plan, and the Priority Vegetable Spreadsheet
I don’t know if it’s the January blues, but I’ve been acting a little odd. Today at work, I’ve been getting far too excited about the potential of a door access control system.
On Tuesday, I was naming parts of my garden after cats, and yesterday I started ranking vegetables on things like Tasteability and How-Much-Do-We-Eat-ability.
The Veg Growing Priority Spreadsheet
Yes, I’ve been back on the fruit and veg spreadsheets. I don’t know, maybe I’m just looking for any excuse to think about vegetables when the weather’s rubbish. Maybe I’m just destined to be an accountant one day.
Anyway, I started a new spreadsheet to help me decide on the most important vegetables to grow in my new kitchen garden. This came as a result of starting work on my Plot Plan 2013 and the sudden realisation that some days, I stand over the space and panic that I’ve got no where near as much room as I thought. Therefore, a list of priority veg is required.
So, I made up some criteria to help me with this. I rated veg between 1 and 5 on space efficiency (how much space do I need for a decent crop), the cost in shops, reliability, how tasty we find the veg, how well they keep or freeze and how much of the veg we eat.
Not All Veg are Equal
5 was a good rating, and 1 was poor. Some of the criteria, like cost in shops, were generic, but other were personal to me. Not all veg are equal to my palate. Tomatoes rock my tastebuds, but turnips… well, turn me off.
I’ve found reliability is also subjective. Squash is one of the most dependable veg I’ve grown, but I know plenty who have struggled with it. Yet, I’ve never managed a decent crop of spring onion, which by all accounts but mine, are a cinch to grow.
Once I’d rated all the veg, I totted up the totals and sorted by the highest scoring. The theory is that I can ensure I grow all the veg that give me the best results, from the taste on my plate to the pennies in my pocket. Leeks, French beans, squash, tomatoes, cavolo nero, mangetout, beetroot, curly kale, perpetual spinach, and purple sprouting broccoli scored higher than 20, and they’ve all got a spot in my plan.
Fitting in the Luxury Veg
This means that I can also enjoy the idea of fitting my luxury vegetables in around these staples. I’m thinking some pink fir apples here and there, the odd cauliflower challenge in amongst the fruit bushes and an experimental wigwam of last year’s heritage peas, perhaps.
For me, this is a fun but functional approach to planning my plot. I get the steady stuff in so I can be confident of a good harvest, but then I can mess around with other interesting veg without worrying that they’re taking up useful space.
I’m now really close to completing my Plot Plan 2013, which is always an exciting New Year milestone. It might well be cold and dark, but next week I’ll be ordering seeds and dreaming about the summer. | <urn:uuid:e05822ad-ae0f-4af8-b836-63f5bf463169> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.realmensow.co.uk/?p=1966 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00070-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944509 | 734 | 1.625 | 2 |
Tue, 10 July 2012
There is growing concern that young gay men are becoming increasingly complacent about HIV and AIDS and their effects. Is it because of treatment becoming available or could there be deeper issues related to our identity and self-worth at play?
Internationally, researchers have observed that this growing trend has emerged alongside the provision of antiretroviral therapy. It is generally believed that with the emergence of antiretroviral therapy, many people have become less concerned about the risk and severity of HIV and AIDS.
In a recent American study, it was found that complacency was associated with a higher number of sexual partners, an increase in unprotected anal intercourse with an HIV-positive or HIV-unknown-status male partner, and an increase in the likelihood of testing HIV-positive.
So, it would seem that issue of complacency is linked to an increase in risk behaviour. But complacency can also manifest in other subtle ways such as not going for regular HIV and STI screening, not talking about your sexual history with your sexual partner, and not standing up for yourself when pressured to have (unprotected) sex.
While it’s becoming a major concern, is it accurate to say that we have become complacent simply because of the availability of antiretroviral therapy? While this may play a role, it can be argued that a number of other factors also affect gay men becoming seemingly complacent about HIV and AIDS. What follows is a snapshot of some of these possible contributing factors.
Sex is natural and we as human beings have a propensity to want to have sex. For most people, sex is associated with the following immediate benefits:
• Sex is fun and pleasurable;
• Sex is a form of self-expression;
• Sex may reinforce the sexual image we have of ourselves;
• Sex makes us feel good about ourselves; and
• Sex may serve an underlying need for emotional intimacy, physical contact, connection, belonging, and security.
Because of these immediate benefits, many people, including gay men, will consciously or unconsciously overlook any perceived risk or danger especially if not tangible or imminent. Of relevance here is the fight-or-flight response. The fight-or-flight response is a primitive stress response that is activated when faced with real or imagined danger. Once activated, a flood of physiological and emotional activity is turned on and an individual experiences a surge in power, speed and strength in order to handle the danger or pain. Once the threat, danger, or potential pain is no longer perceived to be imminent, the body slowly returns to a stable state.
For most people, this fight-flight response is triggered only in extreme situations where the threat is perceived to be serious and imminent. In the absence of such immediate physical danger people have a built in mechanism to filter out all minor threats experienced on a daily basis without evening knowing it. If this was not the case, we would all be permanently in fight-or-flight mode every time we step out the house or get into a car.
The same idea can be applied to the transmission of HIV. For most people, HIV is not seen as an immediate physical threat as there are usually no apparent signs or symptoms or pain experienced during transmission (during sex). In the absence of a physical threat the stress response is not activated, and people don’t experience an increased need to become vigilant, cautious, and self-protective.
Furthermore, in the absence of any perceived danger, and the associated stress response, people are freed to engage in behavior to obtain the perceived benefits, whether considered risky or not. Public health is full of examples where people continue to engage in risky behaviour because of the perceived benefits in the absence of physical danger. For example, people continue to drink and smoke despite the potential health risks. Here complacency is linked with an unconscious prioritisation of benefits over risks.
Although most sex is seen as natural and beneficial, some people have deep-seated and longstanding negative beliefs and feelings about sex, including:
• Sex is dirty and bad;
• Sex is shameful;
• Sex is a sin;
• Sex is forbidden.
These beliefs and feelings are generally rooted in culture, tradition and religion. Many people, including gay men, adopt these beliefs and feelings while growing up. Gay men are especially vulnerable, given their continued exposure to heterosexism and homo-negativity in society. As a result, some gay men develop feelings of shame and guilt regarding their sexuality, whether they acknowledge it or not. The resulting spoiled identity (also known as internalised homo-negativity) can manifest in a number of ways:
• Not feeling good about oneself and then using sex (whether risky or not) to feel temporarily better about oneself;
• Not feeling good about oneself and then using alcohol and/or drugs to self-medicate (a link has been established between alcohol and drug use and HIV transmission because of an impairment in overall judgement, a decrease in general inhibitions, an increase in the likelihood of engaging in high risk sexual activities, not using condoms or using condoms incorrectly, an increase in the number of sex partners, participating in orgies where condoms are not used, prolonged sex sessions, ejaculating inside someone, engaging in risky behavior to acquire drugs, and potential loss of consciousness before or during a sexual encounter); and
• Not feeling good about oneself and others, and then developing a fatalistic attitude (e.g., “I don’t care”);
These are only a few ways in which a gay guy might cope with, or act out, his spoiled identity. Here, what is seen as simple complacency on the surface is in fact deep-seated, conscious or unconscious, forces that play a significant role in sexual risk-taking. Psychology is full of examples where people use sex to cope with, or act out, their underlying feelings rather than dealing with the feelings themselves.
There is a lot of information out there on what is considered risky and what is not in terms of HIV transmission. Many of these messages, when actually visible and accessible to the general public, appear to be confusing, contradictory and ambiguous. Amidst such ambiguity, confusion and contradiction, most gay men attempt to evaluate their risk based on their personalised (whether specific or vague, and based on evidence or hearsay) understandings of risk especially when it comes to the following:
• Unprotected anal sex in ongoing relationships, at either two weeks, three months, or a year;
• The relative risk for the insertive partner (top) during anal sex, whether circumcised or uncircumcised, and whether a condom is used or not;
• The relative risk for the receptive partner (bottom) during anal sex, where the top didn’t use a condom but he withdraws before he cums; and
• The relative risk to the guy giving a blow job and the other guy pre-cums or cums in his mouth.
These are only a few examples where gay men need to make up their own minds, often in the heat of the moment, and in the absence of clear and consistent information, about what constitutes relative risk. In many instances, what is regarded as safe is in fact not safe at all. In this way misinformation or erroneous risk perception may be misconstrued as being complacent.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE
It would indeed seem that gay men are becoming increasingly complacent about the risk and effect of HIV and AIDS. The apparent complacent attitude amongst gay men is not a simple issue but in fact a complex issue that includes a consideration of a range of interlinking factors that cumulatively prevent gay men from taking better care of themselves and each others. If these underlying factors are not addressed then gay men will continue to be, and be perceived as, complacent.
You can do your part by taking responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, don’t underestimate your personal risk, get professional support to resolve any underlying beliefs and feelings, recommit yourself to maintaining consistently safe behaviours over time, and let go of the false belief that HIV treatment advances mean that HIV is no longer a serious health threat. You owe it to yourself to be a healthy and happy sexual being. It is never too late. | <urn:uuid:362381ae-d3fa-4884-bfef-8ace1b33093e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mambaonline.com/article.asp?artid=7161 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955535 | 1,706 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Two days in a hotel room. Somewhere in excess of 12 presentations. Some presenters were really excellent. Most were fairly typical of what I see in the business world: presenters reading bullet points, word by word. The differences were quite stark when compared to the strong presenters. What does it take to give a great presentation?
When I prepare for a presentation, I gain confidence. And confidence will lead to a better presentation. I find that I spend several hours getting ready for most presentations. For really important ones, I may spend several days.
There are a few things that I have learned that can make a really big difference in the quality of a presentation. First and foremost: tempo. Speak slower! There is a natural tendency to speak too quickly when presenting due to nervousness. Second is to make eye contact with people in the audience. Talk to individuals and form a connection. And third, pause. Using a bit of silence can create a natural sense of drama and anticipation for what might come next.
Some events will cause anxiety no matter what. A recent example was when I gave my Father of the Bride speech. I was really nervous about that one. But once I started, the anxiety melted away and I was able to be part of a wonderful evening and an amazing moment with my daughter and son-in-law. To combat anxiety, I make sure that I stay well hydrated by drinking lots of water the day before the big event. A good rest, healthy food and exercise can also make a big difference. I practice and I visualize a positive outcome.
Or whatever a PowerPoint presentation is called these days. If you want to keep an audience engaged in what you are saying, stop forcing them to read hundreds of words on a screen. Use as little text as possible. Use images where possible. Simplify the support material. Use stories to reinforce a point. And above all, resist the urge to read off your slide deck.
Less is definitely more.
I have given some presentations where I have not used a single word in the entire deck. But generally, I limit the use of text on the support material. If the presentation is about reading a slide deck, I would rather save everyone the time and simply email the content and ask for any questions or comments.
When I present I remember the following when I am speaking:
- Be positive
- Have fun
- Never read slides
- Remember to keep a smooth tempo
- Maintain eye contact across the audience
- Walk around
- Be natural and authentic
- Share stories
- Show some passion
- Keep the message and content as simple as possible
- Learn from every presentation | <urn:uuid:9cd63d0c-9e43-4061-b837-9da9204880d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.richardcleaver.com/2011/03/31/give-a-great-presentation-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956458 | 545 | 1.890625 | 2 |